night vision?

Yes, I know, this is a terrible shot. BUT, it is also a good shot, in
a strange sense--this deer was only a few feet away from my in the
woods at Metrobeach. But it was dark, very dark. With no tripod and
not flash, I pointed the camera at the deer. I could hardly see it.

Actually, there were about twelve deer, but this one was the closest.
I thought that it was pretty neat that it came out. Crappy, to be
sure, but it was nighttime and I can see the deer better here than I
coudl in real life. Cool.

OK, 'scuse me, I just needed a little break.

The Golden Compass

Lyra with the Alietheiometer (sp). Photo not by me. (Most photos on
this blog are by me).

We went to see the Golden Compass Tonight. All three of us and the
two other people in the theater loved it. IT was NOT boring, as some
reviewers have said, not at all. Nor did it threaten my faith. I
don't get what the uproar is about. Sure it's about free will verses
predetermination and control by a higher power--but who's to say that
higher power is GOD?

If people have strong faith, why would questioning shake it? What not
look at all sides of an issue? What the heck is the big deal?

It's a fantasy. It's an adventure story. It's interesting,
suspenseful, scary and good.

And it will flop if people keep boycotting it. It's a good movie. Go
see it. Let me know what you thought. But hurry up, before they pull
it.

I loved it. (We all loved the books, too!)

Aiee--a left, and then a right!

Piano Boy had an orthodontist appointment to get his separators in right after school and I reminded him but he didn't show up. I called around to his friends and finally located him and he came home--late--on his bike and I had the car running--it's $25 fee for a missed appointment. ($5000 for the braces!)

But when I backed up--here we are already late--no brakes!

Drove the car over anyway without brakes--very slowly--And Biker Buddy came home from work and got me--Piano Boy walked back to his friend's house.

Now Biker Buddy is out working on the brakes! AK! :-(

From our family to yours

Hope you have a happy and intelligent Christmas, Solstice, Holiday.

early morning walk

Since it is now dark when Biker Buddy comes home from work and because we are all so busy right now, I've started walking early in the morning--just a part of my daily walk to get it over with. But when I walked this morning, there was a certain scent in the air, the smell of freshness and snow. It woke me right up and made me feel really alive. It was still dark, but I could feel little light snowflakes hitting my face. The puddles from all that rain we've been getting were frozen solid. I walked for 19 minutes and as I walked, the black sky turned inky blue and bit by bit, lightened a little. I began to be able to distinguish trees and the details of houses: shutter slats, brickwork. At one point, the sky reached a shade of blue that almost looked like the blue of a clear blue summer day, but I knew it wasn't, because of the snow. Then it lightened a little more and the grey became more evident. It was a quiet morning, no birds singing, but it was right at the time people were leaving for work and I had to keep running behind cars sitting in their driveways with their engines running and lights on--one even had their back-up lights on. I was both relieved and sad to get home and go inside where the air doesn't have that startling smell of snow.

My Lucky Day

Andrea, over at BGD, just awarded me some art supplies! YAY. She has more giveaways, too, if you want to participate! WAHOO!

Andrea is a gifted artist, photographer, and music aficionado. Be sure to check out her blogs.

She says: Check Mary out, she is a blogger champ! Hmmm, and here I was thinking about cutting back. AK!

I got an award!

I went over to Coffeypot's Blog, where I always get a couple of laughs and sometimes some sweetness which cheers me up to keep working, and I got a big surprise! I got a blogger buddy award. He said he liked my painting and drawing! YAY! Thanks Coffeypot. Now I am supposed to award it to 7 other people. There are so many sweet, kind, talented and wonderful people out there. It's a shame to limit it to seven!

OK, here goes:

1 & 2: Nadine and Berrybird, for unflagging support of my blog and
interesting posts on theirs.

3: jo(e): one of the best bloggers ever. I love her thoughtful posts.

4. JoAnn in the Netherlands for her interesting photographs.

5. hpy for great sense of humor and wonderful photos!

6. Blue Rose for cool art and photos and thoughtful words.

7a. Marie in France for her thoughtful work and nice photos

7b. Nicole (That's still 7, right?)

7c. Andrea, for her cool hand-drawn art and photography. (And her prize, LOL!) (That's still 7 right?).

I don't feel like I deserve an award because I'm not that good a blogger and worse yet, I'm about to get worse I think. And I am going to have to add the rest of the links later--I am out of time right now.

U is for Undersea

OK, my last U for now--U is for Undersea Bubbles. LOL!

U is for US Again

This was at the Zoo in 2005--Piano Boy is taller than me now.

ABC Wednesdays, U is for US

US, by Harry Teichert, at the Scott Fountain on Belle Isle.