My sixth annual Sun Lakes Golf Tournament was Thursday. It is fun to play a scramble with friends, each person is able to make an occasional contribution and no one can sink the team. We were a par machine with enough birdies to win until we fell apart at the end.

Telephoto means stepping back

I promise not to make this a photo hobby blog but this is my new toy and I share things that happen to me every day. I checked out the luggability factor on the zoom lense that came with my kit. Having a zoom changes the way you approach photography. The picture above in the kids play area was taken from 25 ft, versus the 5 ft you would use to take a regular shot. It allows eves dropping for shots like this cute kiddo. It was heavy to carry but not too bad with the comfortable next strap.

I also purchased UV lenses to protect the glass, and had the information screen protected with a plastic film that is being used to protect IPods and phone screens.
The Mall was crowded with shoppers, I am sure most have scaled down the cost of gifts to be careful, but folks here in the East Valley are buying things, and that is good.

I watched a show tonight about the Reagan elections and it sounded like a tape of the same rhetoric we heard the last two years, taxes, national defense, economic stimulus ideas. This is life, we face challenges. Many of those who will gather for church tommorow were young when Pearl Harbor changed the world, some still living responded to the call as young men and women. I salute them and the way our nation responded to that challenge.

Golf was bad, beauty was good

I brought my new Canon Digital SLR to the golf course to continue my learning curve and just took a few shots. This was the first with the longer zoom lense. I love the focus points that tell you what areas of the picture will be sharp. The great thing about the hobby is that you start looking to compose pictures with your free moments, you think angles, light, texture, color. I wish I had thought more about how to score in golf. Just Kidding. It was another beautiful day in Arizona.

Stepping up a Digital Step

I have owned three digital cameras since film died. The first was a 200 dollar 3 megapixel Gateway. Three years ago I purchased a Konica/Minolta 6 megapixel digital zoom, and my enjoyment of photography has risen to the point where I carry my camera bag as a man purse, with my medicine and testing kit and extra pens and notebook. I take 2000 pictures a year or there about.

Today I got my third, an early Christmas gift, a Canon 12 megapixel digital slr called the EOS XSi This hobby is ramped up for me, and I get a kick out of recording the church events as well. It has two zooms, and although it is still called entry level, this camera has serious capacity. Time will tell if my photography takes a step up.

Billy with the voice

I am sure you have seen Billy, the dude with the dark dyed beard who hawks various products on TV. He has this high loud, extremely irritating tone and voice that grates against my nerves and causes me to look for the remote. I wander if sales by irritation is part of the pitch.

December in the Desert

High 70s today, people walking and playing golf. It takes a little work to get in the Christmas mood here. I had several years where I just was tired of Christmas, but once again, placing our fifteen Christmas Albums on the IPod and shuffling through them helps so much. I have Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole for golden oldies, Manhiem Steam Roller and some awesome classical for instrumental, and I love Celin Dion, Josh Groban, Faith Hill for the pop stars doing Christmas, and Micheal W Smith, Edens Bridge, Twila Paris for the Christian artists, with a sprikle of Celtic Christmas with the Chieftans and other various artists.

Feasting without mirrors

This year our smallish family was minus one son, who celebrated with friends in NYC. We also took a hammer, carefully, to the wall to wall mirror that came with our 1989 ranch type home. Laura thought it dated the home. Now its gone and the room does feel cosier.

We enjoyed Turkey and Corn bread dressing, homemade apple sauce, broccoli and raisen salad, shoe peg corn, and yams covered with pecans. Delicious, and a quiet afternoon with discussion and a nap.