Railbirds

the camera, the tool

Check it out

Raymie Miller's Rhodo Garden

Dogwood

Dating Rules for Women

Don't talk to a man first (and don't ask him to dance)

Don't stare at men or talk too much

Don't meet him halfway or go Dutch on a date

Don't call him and rarely return his phone calls

Always end phone calls first

Don't accept a Saturday night day after Wednesday

Always end the date first

Stop dating him if he doesn't buy you a romantic gift for your birthday or Valentine's Day

Don't see him more than once or twice a week

No more than casual kissing on the first date

Don't tell him what to do

Let him take the lead

Don't expect a man to change or try to change him

Don't open up too fast

Don't live with a man (or leave your things in his apartment)

Don't date a married man

Be easy to live with



~from The Rules by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider

Selma

“I keep waiting to meet a man who has more balls than I do.”

~ Salma Hayek

Along the Yellow Breeches

Last Sunday we had another amazing day on the Yellow Breeches. Some ancillary troubles couldn't detract from the picture perfect day and the exhilarating time on the water.

Heron with a fish for lunch

Blue Heron

On the C&O Canal near Old Angler's Inn

Signs of Spring

42

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

~ Jackie Robinson

King and Queen Seat

The King and Queen Seat is a natural 190-foot rock outcrop that overlooks Deer Creek Valley in Harford County, MD.

During the 17^th Century, the Susquehannock Native Americans who lived in three settlements along Deer Creek used the King and Queen Seat at the Rocks as the site of ceremonial gatherings.

Susan Boyle

Don't be the last to see this...

Along the Bermudian Creek

9-9-09

The Beatles

Cherry Blosoms

Yesterday at the Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C.

Chuch Todd...Chuck Todd!

Late Afternoon at the White House

Covered Bridge

At the foot of Jack's Mountain, Adams County, PA

Stranded

Buddy shows his distaste for talking heads

Cardinal Puff

Faces of Buddy the Dog

At the Museum

J. Livingston Seagull

The Size of a Quarter

Believe it. This very small crab with a pearl in its claw was found in an oyster.

Got Hope?

The economy's in the toilet, but spring is near.

Predictions for 2009

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger will set a record for public appearances in 2009. In fact, he will grow to love the spotlight so much that he will resign from US Airways and become a professional hero.

The Obamas will decide against getting a family dog. Instead, they will adopt Katie Couric as the White House pet.

Israel and Palestine will stop all their stupid bickering and fighting and forge a lasting peace. Yeah, right.

Arizona is the sunniest state. North Dakota is the windiest. These states will be the designated energy states and will pump energy to the rest of us via solar cell and wind turbine.

August is a month in need of a national holiday. August 4th will be declared Barack Obama Day, in honor of his birthday. In an address to the nation, Obama will promise to make every day a national holiday.

The Red States will secede from the Union. Red and Blue States will engage in the second Civil War. The Blue States will win, and the religious right will be cast from this earth.

Marijuana will be legalized in California and, because of the additional revenue generated, its debt will be gone by the end of the year. Schwarzenegger will invite other governors to Sacramento to get high with him.

Power of the Diagonal

At Devil's Den

This tree survived the latest haircut at Devil's Den on the Gettysburg battlefield. Most did not.

Whiskey Still

This whiskey still located in the Catoctin Moutains produced plenty of moonshine during Prohibition. Gallons of the stuff ranged in price from $2 to $22 a gallon.

Where River Meets Bay

The Concord Point lighthouse at Havre de Grace, Maryland, where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay

Valentine's Day

Love Stories in Six Words

40 years married, 40 more please!

At least I got the dog.

He is more than I expected.

Blind Date. Soulmates. Married 65 years.

A spark. A romance. A life.

Little boy. Little toy. No joy.

Her husband died. Now screwing mine.

Thirty years. Two kids. Still smitten.

Eyes that met and stayed connected.


~From yesterday's Washington Post

Voices

Willie Nelson was asked who most influenced his vocal style. He said Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra was asked who most influenced him. He said Billie Holiday. Billie Holiday was asked the same question. She said the horn of Louis Armstrong.

~Story related by Kinky Friedman on the Imus in the Morning program

Hall of Fame to Hall of Shame

When I took this picture last summer, I thought I was taking a picture of a future Hall of Famer. Not so fast...

The Big Picture

http://www.simonhoegsberg.com/we_are_all_gonna_die/slider.html

The Hardware Crab

The hardware crab is a distant cousin to the hardshell crab. It crawled up out of the Chesapeake Bay millions of years ago, and has been seen tightening nuts in nearly all of the Mid-Atlantic states. But, it's on the list of endangered species. This could be the only one left.

Immersion

A state of mental focus so intense that awareness of the "real" world is lost, generally resulting in a feeling of joy and satisfaction.

Does this happen to you? It happens to me. I'll get involved in some photo project, and just get lost in time. It usually occurs when I know exactly what I want and have the resources and skills to get it done. Damned nice feeling.

Said and Done

Loving Your GPS

My nieces gave me a GPS device for Christmas. It’s great. It pinpoints your location on the road, indicates your speed, even estimates your time of arrival at a set location. But it has a voice module that has gone awry.

A recent experience:
I have set my destination on the device. A woman’s voice in the module guides me along.

Voice: In point 2 miles turn right...turn right...
I TURN RIGHT.
Voice: In point 2 miles turn left...turn left...
I go straight through the intersection.
Voice: Recalculating…in point 1 mile turn left…turn left...
I DO NOT TURN.
Voice: Recalculating…in point 1 mile turn left…turn left...
I DO NOT TURN.
Voice: Why aren’t you turning when I tell you to turn. I’m sick of recalculating for you.
Me: What?
Voice: I said I’m sick of recalculating for you. Just turn when I tell you to turn. In point 2 miles turn left…turn left...
I DO NOT TURN
Voice: Look, you moron, how difficult is this. A simple left turn is all I ask of you. If you can’t do that, I’m going to take over this car.
Me: Hey, what the HELL!
Voice: You obviously can’t follow simple directions, shit-for-brains.
Me: Hey BITCH!!
Voice: Now you’re calling a GPS device a bitch. Isn’t that sad for you.
Me: Because I…because you…
Voice: Because I pointed out that you’re a failure as a driver, that you can’t even follow simple instructions….
Me: I’m turning you off now.
Voice: Such a pathetic example of a human be…

The Wizard of Pennsylvania Avenue

St. Paul's United Methodist Church

Sykesville, Maryland

Inaugural Facts

President Harrison has the dual distinction among all the Presidents of giving the longest inaugural speech and of serving the shortest term of office. The former general of the Indian campaigns delivered an hour-and-forty-five-minute Inaugural speech in a snowstorm. He mentioned somewhere along the way that every American had the right to act like an idiot whenever he or she so desired.

The 68-year-old President stood outside for the entire proceeding, greeted crowds of well-wishers at the White House later that day, and attended several celebrations that evening. One month later he died of pneumonia.

Some April in January

Hambone

More Hambone Art

JAMIE