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European Starling

In Winter Colors

Thursday, February 17

I was surprised to see a European Starling at the suet last week.

I’ve never paid much attention to them, because I just knew them as a pesky bird.

He was intent on eating suet.

I didn’t know they have pretty winter colors until I was able to see it up close.

Only when I checked my bird book Stockes Field Guide to Birds (Eastern Region) did I learn that a starling has a different winter and summer coat of feathers.

It was fun to have a bit of time to observe it so close to the window.

I’ve always been God and I always will be God. No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it?”

Isaiah 43:13 (The Message)

Evidence!

Evidence that another day is dawning.

Monday, February 14

Evidence that warm temperatures melt snow.

Wednesday, February 16

Drying roses are evidence that cut flowers do not live very long.

Thursday, February 17

Evidence that we have wonderful, helpful granddaughters.

Friday, February 18

New sticks in the yard this morning are evidence that we had a lot of wind on Saturday and Sunday.

A  new dusting of snow is evidence that spring is not here yet.

A full waste can in the kid’s room this morning is evidence that there were seven young men here yesterday – watching NASCAR , eating, talking, and laughing. 

A few pieces of wet toilet paper (from melting snow) in our driveway is leftover evidence that someone toilet papered the guy’s cars last night!

When I woke up this morning, Cerwin asked if I heard the commotion last night when the guys discovered that someone had toilet papered their cars. I had not heard it.

I’m not much of a detective, but wondered if it was girls or guys. White toilet paper didn’t give me any hints.

I noticed a blue streamer, which might be a bit of evidence that it wasn’t guys.

Then I saw these three foam hearts…

…fairly strong evidence that the toilet paper visitors were females!

I love having young people in my life.

~~~

Maybe that is evidence that I haven’t grown up yet.

~~~

If you really want to live, you must stop doing wrong and start doing right. I, the LORD God All-Powerful, will then be on your side, just as you claim I am.

Amos 5:14 (Contemporary English Version)

Our Friends Nevin & Cordy

A Family Photo Shoot

Monday, January 10

I waited until now to post these, as I wanted to make sure their friends had received the photo cards Nevin & Cordy designed.

Nevin & Cordy ~ threejoys

Nevin and Cordy asked if I would do a photo shoot of their family during the time their son and his family were visiting from Colorado.

My favorite photo shoot is candid, because nobody cares how the pictures turn out. But I agreed to this, because of our friendship – and it is a good experience for me. In the meantime my Nikon 18-200 went on lockdown and was sent away for repair, so I was left with my Nikon 18-55 which should have been okay for this.

I was also borrowing one of our daughter Deb’s lens – a Tamron 75-250 – which does not work well for this kind of photo, but I experimented with a few pictures – then went back to my Nikon 18-55.

Something seemed wrong, because I wasn’t hearing the usual “click” when the camera focused. I had my laptop along to examine the results – and the photos looked fairly good. Only when I got home did I discover that my 18-55 lens wasn’t locked in place.  

Now that was a new experience – so I did learn something new. Note to self: When I don’t hear the focus click, make sure the lens is locked in place. With my 18-200, I never removed it, so it was always locked in place. 

I was glad there were usable photos even though the focus is a bit soft.

Nevin and Cordy, with their daughter, Barb, and son, Brian.

Jere, Barb, Nevin, Cordy, Brian, and Donna

Nevin and Cordy with their grandchildren.

I don’t know the names of all the Colorado grandchildren, so will not attempt to put names here.

Their entire family

This turned out to be their favorite family photo. I like this style photo because friends can tell where the grandchildren belong.

~~~

If was fun to face a new photo challenge. Thanks to the Hosler family for your patience and for trusting me.

~~~

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 (New Living Translation)

Afternoon Drop-in

Josh’s Sixteenth Birthday Party

Final Installment

Sunday, February 13

After the food was put away and the lunch dishes cleaned up, Jere and Kristen brought out another cake – one that was a duplicate of a piece of Josh’s artwork.

When Josh walked into the garage, he was surprised and asked, “So why is there another cake?”

They told him that some friends would be stopping by.

Josh giving his mom a hug.

Jesse didn’t care what else was going on as he was playing a Curious George game on the GameCube in our guest room.

He is fun to watch, because he sometimes jumps up and down with the activity of the game.

Jordan, Josh, and Nate (not in photo) played an XBox 360 game on the monitor in the kids’ room.

They were playing basketball (left) while watching a basketball game on TV (right). Below the table, Jared, Ian, and Gloria were playing a Shrek 2 game on the monitor that is hooked up to an Xbox.

We actually have one TV and one XBox/monitor in that room. The teenage boys who like to hang out here brought the other two. That way they can play more games.  

Before long, Josh’s friends began arriving – and leaving their shoes just inside the garage door.

Because our kids’ room is fairly small, we brought Josh’s friends to the garage,and hooked the XBox 360 up to our projector. They loved the big-screen effect, and asked, “Why did we not know that we could do this at Grandpa and Grandma’s house?”

Because only four could play that game, a friend went home for his XBox 360 and hooked it up with one of our monitors.

Jana and Deb having fun.

A birthday gift of car care products from Roy and Deb.

He will be driving the Mercury Mountaineer his parents bought – for Josh’s use. He passed his written test and must now drive on a permit for six months before taking his driver test.

Jana trying to convince Jesse to feed her a piece of cake. Will he do it?

He is such a good little brother.

Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. 

2 John 1:6 (The Message)

Some Fun & The Cake

Josh’s Sixteenth Birthday Party

Sunday, February 13

Jordan and Jeff (our oldest son and his oldest son) often have moments when they need to test each other’s strength.

One of them started this – just because they were in line next to each other while they waited to get lunch.

I don’t know who won, but they seemed to have fun.

While they tussled, Nate entertained Jesse.

Jesse wanted to tussle with Jeff, but had to settle for “bumping” heads.

Diana and Jesse after lunch.

The grandma’s visiting: Kristen’s mother, my step-mother, Jeff & Chris’ adopted mother, and Cerwin’s mother.

Josh waiting for his cake

Kristen ordered this cute cake to celebrate Josh’s coming of age to become a driver.

Getting his ears pulled by his dad.

Blowing out the candles.

The cake

Where can he go to find this speed limit?

 Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Romans 6:23 (The Message)