My Precious Son

Kelly, my first-born, is a military man right now,

and he is pretty serious about it. He is at

Fort Eustis in Virginia for AIT in aviation (helicopter mechanics).

This summer, on a family vacation we took together, he was clowning around

with his dessert...a BBQ banana filled with Snicker candy bar slices, enclosed in foil and

heated over the coals until 'done', and then eaten with whipped cream on top.

He is usually a character, and it shows in the picture below.

We all miss him very much, praying for his safety, his protection

and his homecoming for Christmas.

What a gift THAT will be!

Bristle-Thighed Curlew?

I loved the vivid green colors of the mosses growing on lava rocks near the ocean on the Hawaiian coast near Kona when I accompanied my husband on a trip last March. All the small purple circles are tiny sea urchins holding tight to the rocks as the waves splashed in and out with the tides.

According to my Birds of North America field guide this was a Bristle-Thighed Curlew. A description follows: Winters on central Pacific islands (March was cold there!) Told from Wimbrel by contrast between bright-rusty rump and tail and someber brown back, note also the paler bill. Okay, you 'birders' out there, do you see the rust on the rump and tail? Do you see the pale bill? Would you consider the island of Hawaii a Pacific Island?

Snow, but...

There may be snow on the mountains this morning, but we still have some vestiges of summer.

Garden Tours

This 'Love in a Mist' continues to peak out from the foliage as autumn leaves begin to cover Janet's garden east of Kamiah where Rachel, Maggie Pearl, and I toured last week.

Now doesn't this look like a pleasant place to sit?

I wish we'd had our lunch to eat as we sat to inhale the vivid fall colors surrounding on this

'sit-upon'.

Autumn Reflections

As I waited for Rachel and Maggie at the Clearwater River bridge this scene took my breath away!

There is not a picture of the worms at Connie's garden because I didn't think you would appreciate such; it is something I treasure, but I'll keep the image to myself!