Let’s continue with the NYC pictures taken in 1999. The last picture in this post was from the Window on the World Restuarant that was on top of the World Trade Center. We celebrated Yvonne’s birthday there that year. Continue reading NYC continued…
As mentioned in the last post I live just outside a small (population 1200) town in the Midwest. I enjoy the small town life immeasurably more than the big city stuff. Yes, I have spent a considerable amount of time in both. I am not one to insist that I be able to walk to a dozen museums or see a different Broadway play each week. To those kind of people where I live would be called a “cornfield with lights”. My Dad moved us from the big city to a small rural area when I was in the eighth … Continue reading Small town life for me….
These pictures were taken in 1999 when we lived in New Jersey. They are mainly of Central Park and the Guggenhiem. The picture by the Duck Pond is one of my favorite ones of my wife Yvonne. Continue reading NYC…
I have always been a big fan of the songwriter Woody Guthry and especially his song “This land is your land”. Of course one of the places he mentioned in the song was the redwood forests. These pictures where taken in June 2009. We took a mile and a half hike through the Lady Bird Johnson Grove of redwoods in northern California. These pictures can’t really convey just how awesome they really are! Continue reading The Redwood Forests…
With this post I am going to start a new Sunday thing related to what I believe in regards to spiritual matters. I spent the last sixty years trying to understand just who God is and why he put me on this earth. I have also spent the last four years diligently studying about one hundred books on theology and of other faiths beliefs. At this point in my life my beliefs and understanding of God are finally somewhat solidified. In these posts I will only tell you what I believe. I am in no way trying to persuade you one … Continue reading I Believe…
Galena Illinois is one of my all time favorite towns. These pictures were taken in October 2009 which was our third visit to the city. Beside having an absolutely beautiful downtown area it was also the home of President Ulysses S. Grant. Continue reading Galena IL
I seem to spend quite a bit of my retirement time tending my yard and garden. At least in the warm weather months that is. Don’t get me wrong; I am by no means a perfectionist who manicures his lawn with tweezers. The opposite is more realistic for me. But I do enjoy this type of work providing the weather cooperates. I live in a very rural area about a mile north of a small town. The big city perfectly manicured lawns are a rarity in this neck of the woods. But since I do have about two … Continue reading Yard and Garden (and Tomatoes)…
I know some people go through life without any pets. We had some neighbors across the street from us once who I deemed as “neat freaks” . Their house was always so immaculate. They would never have considered pets as they were just dirty little creatures who pooped and otherwise contaminated people’s lives. I always felt sorry for their son who had to grow up without pets in his life. He is grown now and I often wonder is he is also a neat freak. Often times the children turn out to be the opposite of their parents in that … Continue reading A Life Without Pets??
My wife and I have always had pets around our homes. I can’t imagine life without them. So, I have put together this collage of some of our furry, and not so furry, friends. No, we don’t actually have any pet cows but I think if Yvonne could have figured out how to get one in our trunk we would have! :) Continue reading The Pets of my Life…
As I mentioned before my wife and I were not fortunate enough to have had any children. But maybe the post will accidentally fall into the hands of some of you who can learn from one of my life’s lessons. One of the things that I found strikingly odd when I was growing up was that our parents would take me and my two brothers to church almost every Sunday and drop us off. They would then go back home and do whatever it was they did. I always wondered why church was necessary for us but not for them. … Continue reading Don’t Do as I Do…But
The Des Moines Botanical Center is not one of the largest we have visited but it probably one of the best maintained (both inside and out). Date Visited June 2010 Continue reading Des Moines Botanical Center – Des Moines, IA
When I went deaf in 1988 there was no way for me to communicate with my wife or others once I left the house. Even at home calling others was almost impossible. I had a device called a TTY but the person I called also had to have one to communicate with me. They cost about $500 and could only be used with deaf people so they were far and few between. I could use a thing called the Deaf Relay service. How that worked was that I would call a special operator with my TTY and they would call … Continue reading Text Messaging is the Way For Me…..
These pictures of the Iowa Historical Museum, that is in front of the Capital Building, were also taken during our June 2010 trip. Besides the Iowa political primaries section of the museum one of my favorite things was the skyscraper made from Leggo blocks that was in the lobby. Continue reading Iowa Historical Museum – Des Moines, IA
Here are some pictures from inside the Des Moines Capital building. I particularly like the library with the spiral staircase. As usual click on any photo below to see a larger image. Continue reading Inside the Capital Building – Des Moines, IA
My wife Yvonne and I did not get married until we were both over forty years old. This was the first marriage for both of us. We have been married almost twenty five years now. Although we had been working in the same building together for more than fifteen years our paths just never crossed. It was a very big building! Yvonne said if we had only met when we were young we would have had six kids and many grandkids by now!! It does sadden me that she wanted so many children and ended up having none. Sometimes I … Continue reading My Hubby of Nearly 25 Years….
Let’s stay in Des Moines for a few more posts. Here are some pictures of the outside of the Capital building. It is one of the most beautiful capitals we have visited in the U.S. But, we did get there at the peak flower time. Whenever we visit a State we always try to manage a visit to the Capital. Continue reading Capital Building – Des Moines, IA
I like most people I guess, seem to go through my life concentrating mainly on the giant leaps. Getting my driver’s license, my first legal drink, the first job, getting married, retiring, etc, etc. These always seem to be things I am waiting for. But I have come to realize that by far most of life is the little steps. Those things we choose to do day in and day out are mainly what defines the quality of our lives. This is a difficult lesson for me to learn even in my retirement years. I by no means have … Continue reading Life is Mainly Little Steps…
We visited here in June of this year. They have, in addition to the town in the pictures, several different farms set representing different Iowa farming eras. as usual click on a thumb nail below to see a full size version Continue reading Living History Farms – Des Moines IA
I must admit that I am a U.S. history nut. In my life I have read several hundred books on the subject. Being non-violent at my core this list does not include many books on our wars but instead I focused on the people of the times. Except for the Revolutionary War which is necessary to understand the foundations of our society, I pretty much avoid the subject of war. Some of the most fascinating reading were of the trapper’s journals in the Rocky Mountains. Part of that love of history includes going to many historical sites. My wife and … Continue reading Bent’s Old Fort – One of My Favorite Historical Sites
I thought I would show you a picture of the other member of our family. As shown in this January 2009 photo she just loves the snow. Continue reading My Dog Beulah
I graduated from Purdue University in 1970 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. I was the first one in either Mom or Dad’s family that had graduated from college. Because Dad was a milk man and Mom had abandoned him with two young boys ten years before I had to work my way through college. But that is another story. When I graduated I interviewed about six companies for employment. They varied from telecommunications to NASA to a car manufacturer. With my trusty bamboo slide rule in hand I chose the telecommunications company. College degrees today are not anything like … Continue reading Career opportunities then and now..
RJ's Corner - Having My Say 