Palo Duro Canyon with Snow

We got a moderate amount of snow early in the day today.

We decided to see how lovely it looked in Palo Duro Canyon State Park

 Photos copyright S.D.Stanton 2009-2010

The Early Days

A while back I got some pics from my baby sister that I had taken some time ago. Among them were some that were taken before I existed. Of the ones here, the only one I took was the one of my older brother and his new wife. I'd like to share some of them with you.

Me, when I first went in the CG.

Mom, at age 13.

My younger brother, when he went in.

My older brother and his bride.

My maternal grandparents with Mom and her sisters. Mom is the second from the right.

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A Morning With Huckabee

This morning, Rick Huckabee was here in Amarillo doing a book signing. We bought his book, A Simple Christmas, yesterday before the signing this morning. That way we didn't have to waste time in checkout lines.

"Huck" and his team had the book signing down to a science. It was set up to maximize signings, allowed a short time to talk to the Governor, allowed customers to get pics taken with him, and shook hands with everybody - all at the same time. Some customers had 5 or 6 copies of his book to sign. He took it all in stride, and kept the momentum up very well. Now, I have photos of me with the next President of The United States! :)





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What I Call Living

What I Call Living
Edgar Guest 

The miser thinks he's living when he's hoarding up his gold;
The soldier calls it living when he's doing something bold;
The sailor thinks it living to be tossed upon the sea,
And upon this vital subject no two of us agree.
But I hold to the opinion, as I walk my way along,
That living's made of laughter and good-fellowship and song.

I wouldn't call it living always to be seeking gold,
To bank all the present gladness for the days when I'll be old.
I wouldn't call it living to spend all my strength for fame,
And forego the many pleasures which to-day are mine to claim.
I wouldn't for the splendor of the world set out to roam,
And forsake my laughing children and the peace I know at home.
Oh, the thing that I call living isn't gold or fame at all!

It's good-fellowship and sunshine, and it's roses by the wall;
It's evenings glad with music and a hearth fire that's ablaze,
And the joys which come to mortals in a thousand different ways.
It is laughter and contentment and the struggle for a goal;
It is everything that's needful in the shaping of a soul.

Our Boy

I was hanging out with Buster in the back yard today, and while he was hunting crickets and grasshoppers I got this shot of him.


And yes, he did bag a grasshopper. Snatched him right out of the air.
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Air Show

Wednesday, Shelley and I took the day off to take a short jaunt to Tucumcari, NM to see an air show that the Rotary Club was sponsoring. Tucumcari is only about an hour and a half down I-40 from us. The Canadian Snowbirds were there, as well as an assortment of WWII planes and other aerobatic aircraft. The Army's Golden Knights parachute team performed as well. I took over 1000 photos of the event, and Shelley did 800 or 900 or so. Makes me glad I don't do film any more.

Here are some of the shots I took that day.

This Avenger is similar to the one "Papa Bush" flew in WWII.

An F-15 demo team made an appearance, too.

The Canadian Snowbirds - flying their Canadair T-114's.

A T-6 Texan.

You can see more photos HERE.
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Dedicated to one that I love and will certainly miss - Our Chip

Chip

1994-2009

For 15 years he was in my life and in my heart.

He was his own cat--funny, independent, kind--but never cuddly.

Cuddly wasn't Chip--but I never doubted where I stood with him.

We respected each other.

He was a funny old Maine Coon who called the shots in our relationship

and I obeyed him the best I could.

Chip was unique. He talked. People would doubt it until

they heard his verbalizations with their own ears.

"Hello!" "Out"

Plain as day.

His given name was "Chaucer" but he didn't like that. He sure let us know that

"Chip" was more suitable. "Chippie" was another name he was called when he was "kittenish".

He loved being outside--and because of a thick long coat, even

a blanket of snow didn't bother him.

He sure kept my feet warm on a cold winter's night.

Chip would let us know it was time to get up before the alarm went off.

Chip had a soft purr and he loved treats.His favorite place to sleep was on the

console table in our bedroom--under the fragile Tiffany lamp because the sun came in that window.

He was special,

He will be missed

Rest in peace my little friend.

I will see you again waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge...where Bat must be waiting too. Perhaps you're together playing in the cool grass or basking in the sun.

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- From Dale....

Chip was a special, albeit a bit misunderstood little fella. He was known for being a bit psycho, unpredictable. You would wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and look up and see his face - just staring at you - an inch or two from your face. You never knew if you would get slashed for simply petting him. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

He was misunderstood by most - but I understood him. I knew he wasn't a bad boy at all. As time passed, my faith in him was proven right, and we became the best of friends.

One of his talents was that of speech. He could say "Hello!" as well as you or I - and he'd do it when he wanted something, not just at random times. If we were doing something and not paying attention, he would say "Hello! Out!" when he wanted to go out.

He was special. He was our little boy. We will miss you, Chippie.



Relaxing in the back yard.

Security Device: Locking down Momma's computer.

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be
seen or touched. They must be felt with the heart."
-Helen Keller
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New Video

Brooks and Dunn have a new video that features a well-known "monument" just outside Amarillo.
(can't embed--just click on the link)

TJ Maxx Playground

Yesterday, Shelley and I were in TJ Maxx just killing some time, looking to see what we can see. We found ourselves in the household goods section. It wasn't long before we heard the crash and clanging of falling pots pans. I just snickered to myself, wondering if Shelley had knocked something over in the next aisle. (Just kidding.) ;) I kept hearing the rattle and clanging of pots and pans for several minutes "too long" and drifted around the end of the aisle to see what was going on. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

There in the next aisle was a young couple who had a baby with them - maybe toddler age, maybe not quite yet. While the "adults" were obliviously looking through the cookware, their baby was sitting on the floor, playing with numerous pots and pans scattered all over the aisle - as if he was in his own toy room! Say WHAAAAAAT????? You bring your baby to a department store and let him play as if in his own toy room? ....and not pay any attention to him?

What is wrong with people these days?!

-Dale
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Discovery

We got word this morning that the shuttle was going to stop over at AMA for fuel on its way back to Florida. I went out to the airport to get some photo ops and to see the real thing. As it approached AMA, Shelley reported that it flew right over our house! How cool is that?

This is the tail of the DC-9 that accompanied the 747/Discovery.

Abundant Harvest

 

I saw on the news a few nights ago, that the Panhandle farmers are having an abundant harvest due to a lot of rainfall this summer.  I saw photos of maize stocks that were almost seven foot tall.  This is quite a boost for the entire area.   What a blessing! 

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Billboard Collage

Here is a collage of all 5 of "my" billboards with their locations. We finally got to get shots of the last ones today. Click on the image for a large view.


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Harrier Party

We got a treat this morning at Rick Husband International Airport. A squadron of a dozen or so Harrier "Jump Jets" stopped over on their way home to North Carolina, and Steve and I were there to see them. They had been at Twentynine Palms, CA for training - "Blowing things up." as one pilot told us. One of the pilots was available and kind enough to take us out to the flight line and give us a tour of one of the Harriers. Never saw one up close until today. Awesome machine! Here are some shots I took of them.

The Harrier "Jump Jets" were accompanied by a C-130 support aircraft. Here, they are warming up its engines.

This pilot gave us a tour of this Harrier. Awesome machine!

A pilot boards his bird in preparation for takeoff.

The Gatling Gun on the Harrier is enclosed in a pod.

The Harriers depart AMA with the Amarillo skyline in the background.

The "tail feathers" of some of the Harriers on the flight line. Note the jet's yaw control ports on the tail.

Each of the pilots waved at us as they passed on their way to the end of the runway.

(As always, click on the photos for a larger view.)

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Full Moon over Palo Duro Canyon

Beautiful Palo Duro Canyon

photo by SD Stanton copyright 2009.
All rights reserved.

Red Canyon Wall

One of three photos that have been made into posters for our
KACV-TV Palo Duro Canyon, The Natural Wonder of Texas show.
Photography by yours truly!

copyright SD Stanton 2009

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