I love this family picture by Mike Baird. How often do we get to see something like this brought in so close, and lighted well enough so we see it as if we were right there? Congratulations to MIke Baird.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Watching Me
I'm not familiar with a "saw." But what a cute bird! It was uploaded to Flickr by Charles Lam. Nice.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
eagle
I presume this is a golden eagle. Isn't it beautiful? What a majestic look! I don't know how jpockele, the photographer, got so close. Wonderful.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Reacting to Hatred
I am thinking about the shooting at the Holocaust Museum, and the hatred expressed by the shooter, not only in his action, but also in some of the documents investigators found among his things. How sad. I am also pondering the reactions to that act, some of which were reasoned, and some of which were also hateful. And that, too, is sad, because if we respond with hate to a hateful act, then aren't we descending to the level of the original hater?
It's hard not to feel anger towards people who put their hate into action by harming others, and yet, someone has to be able to rise above the tit for tat mentality, and to resist returning hate for hate. If I deplore acts of hate, then isn't it my responsibility to find another better, wiser way to react to wrong-doing? This must be what Ghandi was about, or Martin Luther King. It takes great courage to resist what is wrong without hatred or violence.
I couldn't fault the other guard, the one who shot Van Brunn--he was doing his job, doing what he had been taught to do. But for the rest of us, could we find another way? We can look at the world of the past and the world of today and see that violent action, whether by a person or state, seldom settles anything permanently, or improves the world in any lasting way. Violence creates more violence, and more Von Brunns full of hate. Every battle won sows seeds of hatred to engender battles for the next generation.
We now have such ridiculously deadly weapons at our disposal that if we continue these endless cycles of wars and hatred, we'll destroy both ourselves and our planet. It seems so stupid. Surely we can think of a better way to settle differences, both small and large. If we are ingenious enough to dream up and develop these awful weapons, can't we use our intelligence to find ways for the world to agree with itself?
It's hard not to feel anger towards people who put their hate into action by harming others, and yet, someone has to be able to rise above the tit for tat mentality, and to resist returning hate for hate. If I deplore acts of hate, then isn't it my responsibility to find another better, wiser way to react to wrong-doing? This must be what Ghandi was about, or Martin Luther King. It takes great courage to resist what is wrong without hatred or violence.
I couldn't fault the other guard, the one who shot Van Brunn--he was doing his job, doing what he had been taught to do. But for the rest of us, could we find another way? We can look at the world of the past and the world of today and see that violent action, whether by a person or state, seldom settles anything permanently, or improves the world in any lasting way. Violence creates more violence, and more Von Brunns full of hate. Every battle won sows seeds of hatred to engender battles for the next generation.
We now have such ridiculously deadly weapons at our disposal that if we continue these endless cycles of wars and hatred, we'll destroy both ourselves and our planet. It seems so stupid. Surely we can think of a better way to settle differences, both small and large. If we are ingenious enough to dream up and develop these awful weapons, can't we use our intelligence to find ways for the world to agree with itself?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
About Santeetlah
After I got the picture of the sunset below, I did some checking and found out Santeetlah is in North Carolina.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
I'm Painting Again
After not having painted for quite a while, I am painting again. I have started a new blog, "Unblocked Artist." I have posted three paintings there and will be posting more. There is a link on this page to the new art blog.
My son, Bill Jameson, is very ill in the hospital with pneumonia. Please pray for him if you are inclined to pray. Thank you.
My son, Bill Jameson, is very ill in the hospital with pneumonia. Please pray for him if you are inclined to pray. Thank you.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Blue Jay from Flickr
Here in California, our Blue Jays don't look like this, as to color and markings, but they look exactly like this, as to body language, when they are being sassy. They make me laugh all the time. If you give them peanuts in a shell, they shake it to find out if it's good. If it's not, they drop it, and wait for another. If you don't give them one, you're likely to get a loud protesting squawk. They look just like this Blue Jay. How they decide if the peanuts in the shell are good, I have no idea, but they know, and they can't be fooled with an old musty peanut.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Getting Old--It Can Be Fun
Today, I am 90! I remember when I was young, wondering how long I would live and what it would be like. The thought of being in my seventies seemed beyond the pale. As for 90, I never thought I would make it. But here I am, healthy, and much happier than I was in younger years. Now I know who I am and like it. I write every day, paint every day, and walk every day.
So this seems like the time to reassure those who fear getting old that it can be the best time of your life. The competition of youth is gone; people's expectations become more benign and generous; and you have time to pay attention to all the interesting and beautiful things you previously ignored. You can think about things that have always eluded you. You can be nicer to people. You can look at oddities of other people with an understanding heart.
I encourage anyone who is beginning to panic at signs of aging and at the thought of getting old, to take a different look. You have had the experience of being young. Now you are gradually moving toward experiences that are different, but not necessarily any less enjoyable. You don't have to deteriorate or fall apart. You can find new things to be interested in and do. You can make new friends. There are so many possibilities! You can have fun for the rest of your life, if you choose to. Then, whatever the quantity of life you have, the quality of it will be good.
I had a time when I wasn't walking and had a problem with weight. I was out of energy, and life seemed frustrating. Not being able to get into my largest pants was finally a wake-up call. In some of my future blogs, I will tell you what I did to change things, stabilize my weight, and get my energy and my joy in life back again.
I wish everyone an active, creative, and happy life in their sixties, seventies, and beyond.
So this seems like the time to reassure those who fear getting old that it can be the best time of your life. The competition of youth is gone; people's expectations become more benign and generous; and you have time to pay attention to all the interesting and beautiful things you previously ignored. You can think about things that have always eluded you. You can be nicer to people. You can look at oddities of other people with an understanding heart.
I encourage anyone who is beginning to panic at signs of aging and at the thought of getting old, to take a different look. You have had the experience of being young. Now you are gradually moving toward experiences that are different, but not necessarily any less enjoyable. You don't have to deteriorate or fall apart. You can find new things to be interested in and do. You can make new friends. There are so many possibilities! You can have fun for the rest of your life, if you choose to. Then, whatever the quantity of life you have, the quality of it will be good.
I had a time when I wasn't walking and had a problem with weight. I was out of energy, and life seemed frustrating. Not being able to get into my largest pants was finally a wake-up call. In some of my future blogs, I will tell you what I did to change things, stabilize my weight, and get my energy and my joy in life back again.
I wish everyone an active, creative, and happy life in their sixties, seventies, and beyond.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Gray Catbird
I don't know anything about catbirds, but saw this on Flickr and couldn't resist it.. I'll have to find out more about these birds--don't think I've ever seen one. Or maybe I have and didn't know what it was. Anyway, it's cute!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Autumn in December
This year the trees are wild with color
Trees that go from green to tan each year
Drop their dull dead leaves and stand bare
This year are brilliant reds and yellows
Explosions of color all over town
But this is California in winter
Not New England in the fall
What brought this opulent display?
The early frost perhaps
Conferred this gift of color
A gift not likely to come again
Until some other year of early frost
Brings autumn in December
Trees that go from green to tan each year
Drop their dull dead leaves and stand bare
This year are brilliant reds and yellows
Explosions of color all over town
But this is California in winter
Not New England in the fall
What brought this opulent display?
The early frost perhaps
Conferred this gift of color
A gift not likely to come again
Until some other year of early frost
Brings autumn in December
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