Happy Halloween

This is from a shop window here in Williamsburg. We have been having a good time on our historic anniversary pilgrimage to the place where we spent our honeymoon. We've been sightseeing in Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg. The weather has been perfect and we've had lots of good eats. Tomorrow we head for Big Meadows in the Blue Ridge Mountains and then we'll be home. Happy Halloween to all.

Fun And Helpful Too

Now this http://www.freerice.com/index.php is a good idea. It's a game where you try to guess the best definition of a word and, by doing so, donate free rice through the United Nations World Food Program. It's a win-win. You get to improve your vocabulary and hungry people get free rice. Try it.

Some Say The World Will End In Fire

Suzanne, a member of my photography class who lives near San Diego just posted this picture. She has not had to evacuate yet, although the fires were burning within a few miles of her home. She says that the winds have slowed and the humidity has gone up today, and they are optimistic that the worst is over for now. They have to stay inside because the air quality is so bad. Residents are being told the fires will be fully under control by Nov. 1. That's another week! What does this picture remind you of?

SOME say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Robert Frost

Michael Clayton

In addition to the considerable pleasure of being able to stare at George Clooney for 2+ hours (he's in almost every scene), is the enjoyment of watching this movie itself. It is just such a smart, absorbing story with terrific characters who grab you and don't let go. It is told by flashback so you have to pay attention to the early scenes even though they don't make any sense at the time. When it was over and all the pieces had fallen into place, I could have sat there and watched the whole thing a second time right then. I can't wait 'til it comes out on DVD.

The Kingdom

We saw The Kingdom yesterday and we both recommend it highly. The story is that 4 FBI agents go to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack on an American compound of oil workers and their families. They go against orders from the State Dept. and only with the permission of the reigning Saudi prince. Their movements and actions are highly restricted, and they are constantly surrounded by their Saudi military counterparts. See the guy in the khaki uniform in the front of the picture above? He is their babysitter and minder. I can't remember his real name, but he is terrific and worth the price of admission alone. The whole cast is very good and the story is well told and extremely frightening. In fact, I had a bad dream after seeing it last night. But if you like action/adventure films, this is for you.

Cover DeLuxe

We finally got our snazzy new pool cover installed on Friday. What a huge improvement over the big bulky ones we've had in the past. It fits nice and snug and everything that falls on it just gets blown off with the wind or a blower. It is guaranteed to hold a baby elephant. I think we should get a couple of truckloads of dirt dumped on top and plant grass seed. If it holds an elephant, it should hold grass. It looks nice and clean in the picture. Of course, that was taken Friday. Now it's covered with pine needles. Where's the wind when you need it?

A Few Hours At Longwood

We spent a few hours at Longwood Gardens on Friday afternoon. We got in free with our tickets for the Chester County Day preview show. What a deal! That place is truly a national treasure. With the warm, dry weather we've been having, everything was blooming like mad. The leaves haven't really turned yet, and when they do, I want to go back, but the October display is incredible as it is. See this water lily? Click on it to see the larger size. Notice the water itself. They actually put a black dye into the water to add nutrients and keep down the algae growth. It has the added benefit of making the plants look spectacular. I put some more photos on my flickr page if you want to look http://www.flickr.com/photos/40942711@N00/sets/72157602314510758/

The Halloween Show

It's done! I'm decorated for my favorite holiday, Halloween. This year I decided that rather than spreading bits all over I would devote the hutch to the majority of my Halloween treasures. So I cleaned it all out and now it is ready for your viewing pleasure. The top photos give the overall effect and below are some highlights.

Autumn Jewels

Well, it's here! My favorite time of year. And just to honor it, I want to show you my most beautiful jewels. There is something about the golden light at this time of year and the angle of the sun that makes them sparkle even more beautifully than in mid-summer. I know that thief Winter will be here soon to snatch them away which is all the more reason I want to capture them here to return to again and again.

But, as lovely as they are, I fear I see the future coming all too soon.

How 'Bout Them Phils!

Congratulations to the Phillies who won the National League East Pennant yesterday. It was an emotional win for a team that looked like they didn't have a chance early in September. The whole city is ecstatic and to give you an idea of how big a win this is, I even watched a few innings. Not the whole game, mind you, but a couple of innings.