Autumn

Autumn

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Thanks & Welcome

To DaddyBear for hitting my follower button. Welcome my new friend. I promise to always reply to your comments.

DaddyBear writes a nice blog here. Please, walk over and say hello. Tell him Stephen sent you.


Again, thank you and welcome. You're now among friends.

Stephen

Friday, November 11, 2011

Salute

To all my brothers and sisters.

May your day be peaceful and quiet.

Stephen

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Just Beautiful

This is just beautiful....How Great Thou Art.

 I like this picture too.

Take a moment, relax and listen.

H/T Patrice

Stephen

On This Day

Two very important events happened on this day in history. One very minor one took place five months ago - this humble little blog was born. I'd like to say thanks to each one of you for helping me find my way.

Yesterday this blog registered over sixty thousand hits, not bad for a blog five months old and written for a man's grandchildren, and achieved only by the help of each of my good friends out there. Thank you all.

More importantly on this day in 1919 a Russian gentleman by the name of Mikhail Kalashnikov was born.

He gave the world one of the finest assault rifles ever developed.


Stephen

My Critter Getter


I believe everyone should own at least three....

Note: this is a long video but please try and find the time to watch all of it. If you don't run out and buy this weapon afterwards, if you can find one, well - your loss.

Enjoy.

Stephen

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Flint and Steel, Another View


Offered for your continued education, and the fun of it. Do yourself a favor and watch the all the video, if you're serious about learning this primitive fire making technique. About fourteen minutes in he will show you how simply it is to make fire from flint, steel, and char clothe. I hope you enjoy the show.

Stephen

My Penny Girl

With her young fresh eyesight she can spot a penny anywhere from ten to twenty feet away. Doesn't matter the shade or texture of the tarmac, she'll spot the pennies.

I suppose I should blame myself for this fun habit of hers. I'm the kind of guy that will bend to gather a lost coin no matter the location or circumstances; it's free money. It's United States currency. That lost penny, as soon as it's in your fingers, has just increased in value from one cent to four cents. I explained this to Little Bit when she was about four years old and she hasn't forgotten it.



This penny habit of hers is strong. I love to watch her penny search tactics. When we eat out, doesn't matter which eatery, I'm always accompanied by Little Bit to the cashier's stand where she'll slowly circle the area, to bend and probe under the tables or chairs or behind the magazine racks for her precious little pieces of copper.

At one local seafood market the nice lady cashier, when she sees Little Bit, will wait until she is distracted and then take a couple of pennies from the tip jar and gently toss them on the floor for her to find. For each discovery the entire establishment is rewarded with a squeal of happiness. She'll come to me holding her prize, extended. Then she'll carefully look at the date and say, "Papa, it's a nineteen eight two, (not 'eighty' two) is this a good one?" I'll reply yes or no, depending upon the date.

She's asked if it's copper or copper washed. You do know the difference, don't you?  If not, click here.

Sometimes on our rounds we'll stop at a local convenience store. After we've selected our items and just before we make our purchase, Little Bit will inevitably get down and crawl, if possible, on her tummy and reach under the shelves for lost pennies. Many times she'll get back up with five or six pennies, her clothing dirty and dusty. I've caught so much hell over this practice from her Nana and parents.

I always take the pennies she finds and place them in the left pocket of my trousers and when we get home we'll walk into my closet and I hand the pennies to her for one last look. We'll then separate the coins by date, those prior to 1982 will go into a little glass jar, Little Bit will then say, "Okay, Papa, put them in my box." I'll take the remaining pennies back and reach and drop them into an old cigar box I keep on a high shelf. We call it Little Bit's education fund. It's almost filled. One day soon we'll take it and drop all the coins into one of those sorting machines. I'll give Little Bit the receipt and she'll cash it in.


After she's, of course, searched the area for more pennies.

Stephen