Retreat to Lake Greenleaf

Sue and I rented a cabin on Lake Greenleaf near Muskogee and relaxed between Christmas and New Year.  We built a fire in the fireplace, took walks and naps and enjoyed ourselves.  It snowed a little, just enough to make us appreciate the fireplace.

Wordless Wednesday - Christmas Dinner

Sue outdid herself with a wonderful Christmas dinner for her daughter Jennifer, her husband Jeff and kids Molly & Will.  And me too of course.

See more Wordless Wednesday

Macro Monday - Away in a Manger

Today is Christmas Eve and time to get out our creche.  And time to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.  May you be blessed in the coming year.

more Macro Monday

B&W Reflections - Towers Across the River

Metroplex Towers from the west bank of the Arkansas River, Formerly the City of Faith.

More Weekend Reflections 
More Black and White Weekend

Skywatch Friday - Boy Scout Headquarters

This is the new Tulsa headquarters of the Indian Nations Council of the Boy Scouts.

More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge: Light - Raising Hope

The first baby to be baptized at our church was named Hope.  When our priest raised her up to introduce her to the congregation she was back lit by the sanctuary window.  I made an enlargement of this picture and our priest put it near the entrance to the sanctuary with the caption, "Raising Up Hope."  It seemed very suitable for a young and growing congregation.

See more Thursday Challenge

Wordless Wednesday - Home for Christmas

Chicago O'hare airport

See more Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday - Visit with Santa

See more Ruby Tuesdays

Macro Monday - Coconut Meringue Pie

Susan's best.

more Macro Monday

B&W Reflections - Pacific Afternoon

San Diego, California

More Weekend Reflections 
More Black and White Weekend

Skywatch Friday - East on 2nd Street

More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge - Good

I spent a year in Korea when I was in the Army and fell in love with Korean food.  Lucky for me Tulsa has 2 nice Korean restaurants.  This is Bi-bim-bap, a selection of shredded meat and vegetables over rice served sizzling in a iron hot pot.  Add a little soy and hot sauce, stir it all together and serve it with an array of traditional side dishes.  This is Gooood!


See more Thursday Challenge

Wednesday Doors - Hearst Castle

The Main Entrance of the mansion of newspaper tycoon William Randolf Hearst near San Simeon, California. For information about tours see HERE. An excellent article on Wikipedia is HERE.


See more Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday - Young Ballerina

What does it take for a 3 year old to become a ballerina?  Just a pink tutu and a bit of ribbon for our granddaughter Fiona.  Grandmother Susan makes an appreciative audience.


See more Ruby Tuesdays

Macro Monday - Fish Daddies

We had a fish dinner at Fish Daddies that was so good I had to get up close and take its picture.  This is pan fried cod with a nice cheesy white sauce, hot beans on one side and mixed slaw on the other.  Mmm-mm-good.

more Macro Monday

B&W Weekend - Down the Rabbit Hole

More Black and White Weekend

Skywatch Friday - Arkansas River West

2012 Octoberfest

More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge - Signs

The oldest house in Tulsa still in existence.  Currently located in Owen Park.











See more Thursday Challenge

Wordless Wednesday - Midtown Doors

See more Wordless Wednesday

Macro Monday - Wren & Gus

Here is my granddaughter Wren and her new best friend Gus the pitbull pup.  Luke, Cara, and Wren came over to church with us and brought Gus who we is new to the family.  He is a mellow little guy. Wren is a little girl and Gus is a little pup so this should qualify as a macro, sort of.  I couldn't resist.

more Macro Monday

Weekend B&W - Double View

More Weekend Reflections 
More Black and White Weekend

Orange You Glad It's Friday - Orange Rose

How about an orange rose?  The new favorite rose in my garden is - "Easy Does It".  I posted this several weeks ago but it is perfect for this new meme.

More Orange You Glad It's Friday

Skywatch Friday - Hill Training

Chandler Park is on a hill just west of Tulsa.  We took Smokey up there recently to sniff around and saw this guy riding up and down the steep entrance doing hill training.  He looked like he was in great shape.

More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge - Bottled Fire

The challenge for this day is "Bottle".   Here is a selection of little bottles of hot sauce of varying strengths.  Some require signing a waver before purchasing.  We passed on buying any.


See more Thursday Challenge

Wordless Wednesday- Midtown Doors

See more Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday - Classic Homecoming Ride

Wagoner 2012 Homecoming Parade.

See more Ruby Tuesdays

Macro Monday - Red Straw

more Macro Monday

Weekend B&W - Little Wren

More Black and White Weekend

Skywatch Friday - Haskell City Hall

Haskell is a little town southeast of Tulsa.  Driving there on a Sunday afternoon makes a pleasant loop that runs through Wagoner where my three sons live.  We seldom fail to stop for a visit with our almost two year old granddaughter baby Wren.




More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge - Thankful

My son Luke assuming the back leaning rest position after a great Thanksgiving dinner.

See more Thursday Challenge

Wordless Wednesday - Monterrey Bay

Cormorants, sea lions.

See more Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday - Garden Tomatoes

A basket of tomatoes from a few summers ago.

See more Ruby Tuesdays

Macro Monday - Hardy Pansy

We have had several frosts which have zapped my roses and annuals, but not the pansies.  A hard freeze will stunt them a bit but they will survive the winter and provide a splash of color when everything else has bit the dust.  Let's hear it for the pansies!

more Macro Monday

Weekend Reflections - Lights at Philbrook

Sue and I visited Philbrook Art Center Saturday evening.  On the inside were a collection of Christmas trees constructed by organizations and individuals around Tulsa.  Ribbons were awarded to those with special merit.

Outside the museum and grounds were decked out with lights.  The view across the reflecting pond was spectacular.  Of course I took far too many photos to share at once.  They will appear from time to time during the Christmas season.  Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas.

More Weekend Reflections 

Weekend B&W - Smokey and Friends

My ferocious Pit Bull Smokey and two of his favorite people, our grandkids Molly and Willey.. This was when they still lived in St Louis.  They are still best of buddies.


More Black and White Weekend

Skywatch Friday - Sunrise at St. Francis

I was in St. Francis Hospital last weekend for a tune-up.  Not to waste the opportunity for a blog photo I got a nice shot of the sunrise from room 6131.

More SkyWatch Friday

Thursday Challenge - Grandmother's Journal

My maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Barnwell Alston who was always called Bessie..  She passed on when my mother was only two so mother never had the chance to know her nor did I.  When she was 14 her father gave her a small journal which she kept from February to October 1906.  I don't know if she kept other journals before or after but this little journal has made it's way into my hands along with a box of old family photographs.  Reading it has been a way of finally getting to know her after all these years.

Bessie married Amos Lee Franks in 1910

Bessie (standing) with her sister Susan

Swimming in Grand River

Horseback riding - side saddle like a proper lady

Old family photographs reveal Bessie to be a very pretty and vivacious young woman.  She was married to Amos Lee Franks and left two small children, my mother Ina Mae, age 3, and my uncle Billie Lee, an infant.  Bessie died at age 24, and like my daughter Catharine who died at 17, she will be young and pretty for all eternity.

See more Thursday Challenge