Stephen Falls

We went to Governor Dodge State Park yesterday. This is Stephen Falls. What a great day for winter hiking, lots of sun not much wind.

At Least This One Has The Moon In It

I confess I took this one from the warm and toasty car. You have to love electric windows! They go up and down really fast. Allows me to stay nice and toasty.

Springdale Lutheran Church

This is a picture of the Springdale Lutheran Church, which is just outside of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. I took this New Year's eve. If you are traveling along 18 - 151 you have probably seen this church. There is a cross on the bell tower that faces the highway that is lit at night. It is a most beautiful sight, always constant and shining. I've been learning to take pics at night. This one is actually a failure! I was attempting to include the full moon behind the church. But it was really, really cold. And I decided after jumping in and out of the car that I didn't really need to wait for the moonrise. I'll try again in July or August, when it's slightly warmer!

Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin December 24th 2009

Luke 2:1-14

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

The Longest Night 2009

This picture is from The Middlebury Chapel, Longest Night Service December 21.

You've gotta love the bright and sunny face of a summer flower.

Morning Flight

In the soft light of morning a flight of Canada Geese lift off.

Here's George Jetson

I bought this on ebay this weekend! The Jeston's, how cool is that? I can think of a bunch of ways to use this. It's going to be a challenge to decide. There is 8 squares of each fabric.

Reuse and Recycle

Finally found some time to "drive" the sewing machine. I bought the fabric at St. Vinney's for $1 and the web belt cost around $3. Not bad for a sturdy grocery tote. I made the web handles really long, so I can carry the bag on the shoulder. Leaving both hands free. I stopped at Costco on my way home from work. Totes don't work well at Costco. The person at the door needs to see everything as you leave. Even though I could have fit most of my purchases into the tote, I still wound up with a cardboard box. Oh well, it should work for everywhere else.

Speaking of Cobwebs

It has become my newest quest to try to get a good pic of spider webs. I accidentally took a pic that contained a web. And the detail of the web caught my eye more than the boat that I was really taking a picture of. It is not an easy thing to capture, the camera keeps trying to "help" me focus better, usually on objects that are not the webs! I did not mention to my hubby that spider webs were what I was looking for when I invited him to go hiking at 5:30 in the morning! He is really a good sport about my camera obsession, but that might have been a bit much.

Can You Feel The Cool Morning Air

I still can't believe my husband turned down the opportunity to go hiking with me this morning at 5:30. Look what he missed! I suppose sleeping in on your day off can be considered a good thing too. But I sure do like that early morning hike with the camera to blow the cobwebs off my brain. Kind of gets you primed for the upcoming week.

Watching The Watchers

This pic is from the pig show this weekend. Watching the watchers is just as interesting as watching the pigs. You can see my handsome nephews mom watching the show. I don't know who the gentleman standing next to her is, but I'll bet he has a loved one in the ring too!

Fun At The Fair

This weekend was the county fair that my nephews participate. The handsome young man on the right is showing his pig "Wide Load". I've never been to a pig show prior. What a hoot! The gate opens and 8 or nine pigs enter at a trot with their young owners trailing. Pigs and kids everywhere. I was impressed how the judge sorted the animals and placed them. Listening to his reasons for placements was a real learning experience. If you're at the fair and a pig show is going on, go ahead and watch a while. It's really fun.

A Closer Look!

Nestled among the greens in the pond is a lily in bloom. Lost among the beauty of the reflection of the building, but when you look thru the camera you can focus on lots of smaller details.

Reflections At The Zoo

This building at the Henry Vilas Zoo provides the shelter for a restored carousal . This is the place to be on a Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin. But then everyday is a good day to visit the zoo!

Ohhhh! Ahhh!

My first attempt at long exposure/fireworks type pics.

Siberian Tiger

Grrr!

A Horse Of Course

No horses at my house! But this beauty was grazing along a trail I was hiking.

You have to love the colors that summer presents. This is a pic from a hike in a local park. It's hard to believe, but this meadow had been burned this spring by the park service.

On My Way To Work

This view is from a detour on my way to work. There was an accident on the route I normaly take, so I took a side street. And this view caught my eye. You can see the capital across the way.