Great Room Fireplace
From Kitchen into Living room (Great Room)
Sunrise off the overlook
The Great Room adjoined the kitchen. Our time was almost entirely spent in these two rooms. Eating great food and enjoying the fam in an awesome place. We were truly blessed to stay there. The wife & i expected to be in the apartment our offspring lived in during college. The kids surprised us with the stay at this place.
Waaaayy Cool!
A few years back when my kids were in college we had the privilege to spend Thanksgiving in this beautiful home. I’m not sure when a house can b called mansion, but to me this qualifies. These pictures are all from the upper level which was very spacious, but there was also a lower level with about 6 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Maybe more, i’m not too sure, as i didn’t take pictures downstairs and spent by far most of my time upstairs.
This place was amazing and it was a great privilege to stay there.
Just a free plug for Netflix. I watch lots of TV and most of it involves Netflix. Today I have on Start Trek IV, The Voyage Home.
Kirk & company save earth by slingshoting around the sun to reach speed allowing time travel, come back to our century and pick up some Humpback Whales. Then return to the 23rd century and re-establish the Humpback as a species, which had been hunted to extinction.
The whales were able to respond to an alien probe sent to communicate with them, that was damaging earth with its powerful transmissions. Thus saving the earth because the alien probe stops vaporizing the oceans.
See, Star Trek isn’t that far fetched.
Awesome stuff. Love Netflix.
Most of the formations in the cavern have stopped growing. The geologists tell us that these amazing things grow, stop, shrink according to the slow drip of water and the chemistry of the water. This one is called the Crystal Dome. It is still active and you can see its wet, it sits in a pool, and that really makes it all the more beautiful.
The Crystal Dome.
Now here’s what may b the most amazing fact about this whole series: Carlsbad Cavern is a public treasure that u can visit. The oldest known in the region it was found (by white men) over a hundred years ago. But there are many others nearby that the park service is exploring. The area where this cave is located is laced with many caverns like this. This is just the tip of the stone iceberg.
Ah, the roving correspondent is officially back in the States. If you have been following his progress he was at the south pole, and lately has been moving further and further north. Because if you leave the south pole, u pretty much have to. Go north that is.
If you look at the first picture u can see Diamond Head. It’s the peak of the volcano that formed the island. Though it doesn’t look very tall from the picture it is the island’s highest point. I have visited this island, it is totally awesome. I even surfed. You should too if u ever have the chance.
So a few years ago we went to the southwest for some visitin. While there we also did some touristin. But for now just a couple shots of the area.
Desert Country
This is a ’64 Pontiac Bonneville a friend of mine owns. They brought it over a while back, thought u might like to see it. He bought it in the Midwest sometime after 2000. Mileage just over 72,000. An amazing car. Actually this is more than a car. While not as big as a motor-home i think it still falls into the same category: LAND YACHT
That sucker is huge. HUGE i say.
Hey this is a blast from the past. The not too distant past. Wabak in October 2002. These pictures were taken when our family just got a digital camera. Some of the first shots taken by it. So that’s what, eleven and a half years? In the digital age we are in that’s like an eon and a half. Take a look:
Yes your’e right, i didn’t take these pictures. One of the offspring did. But how awesome is the fact that anyone can take pictures, have them available instantly, send them anywhere, keep thousands of them on a little stick, etc. Some things about this digital age are really cool.
Well after my shower today I was preparing my armpits to face the world with me. It occurred to me I should share what I use with u. You may or may not have heard of this product. Crystal deodorant stick. It is works different than ‘regular’ deodorant. No perfume, no anti perspirant. I think it simply kills bacteria and makes your pits chemistry inhospitable for the microbes to grow there. Until you sweat enough to wash it away.
So it works very well, easily lasts until your next shower. But the really cool thing is the economy of this stuff. Look at the stick. Then check the date I started using it. Coming up on a year and it looks the same size as when I bought it. I’m sure it has gotten shorter. But look at the length compared to the case. If I took an extreme guess I could say I’ve used half an inch. My though is it’s more like a quarter inch. But we’re talking about a year people. Let’s say I did use half an inch. Looks like I’ve got six good years ahead of me.
They sell it in like vitamin stores or u can get it online. I bought mine at the grocery store.
Here’s how I bring my stove from cold, back to hot. The aftermath of the last fire:
Waste Not Want Not. In order not to throw out any fuel, and to reduce waste volume, I remove the ashes but keep the charcoal for the next fire. Large charcoal is removed with the Screen Scoop, then the rest is put onto the ash can screen with the Tin Scoop.
Then with a little shake the remaining charcoal is separated. The charcoal is laid in the bottom of the stove.
The Wood is placed into the stove, usually 3 pieces.
Next some small fire starters are placed underneath.
Secret Weapon: Pine Cones. I easily picked up a whole box under the pines at my church. Match light easily!
The dampers are all opened. Cone is lit and the stove front door is closed. The front ash tray cover is slid mostly into place. Within about 2 minutes the fire is starting to crackle and roar. After 5 or 10 minutes its time to close the ash tray cover, prop it up a little for more air and put all the dampers at about 45 degrees. Then the stove and stove pipe gets hot. REALLY hot. Usually i turn on the central fan to circulate the heat better.
The pieces shown will burn for about 2 to 4 hours. More wood can be put into the stove on the glowing coals without repeating this whole process. Just open the dampers, rake the coals forward, open the stove and load more wood. Close it up and leave the ash tray cover ajar as in the above description. Once the fire roars, close/prop the ash tray cover, dampers to 45. Easy Peasy.