The Walls are Filling Up

One of the things we have noticed about our new home is that we have less wall space than in our old home. I think part of that is a function of the number of windows we have and the other is just fewer walls. That's fine since it gives us a nice open space, but the walls we do have for family photos are filling up fast. I realized that today as I was putting up a new photo set of the Bradley children in their cowboy hats.

I did a quick photo shoot of some of our spaces with family photos and you can see we have filled spaces up. I did not show all of the spaces we have photos, just a couple of them. The first space is in JoAnn's sewing room and computer corner. The two walls are adjacent and you literally feel surrounded by family. Which I think is good.



The last two photos are from buffet and sofa table, which doesn't sit behind any sofa.



We do enjoy looking at the photos of our family and having them around us.

Urban Camouflage

With such a title I'm sure you are anticipating a blog focusing on how people camouflage themselves in an urban environment. Sorry, but I'm going to disappoint you. Read on! Camouflage is the process of hiding in plain site. Animals have all kinds of defenses to help them hide in plain site. We have a gecko out back who we can only see when it runs along the burnt umber wall by the plants. Our humming birds have minimal camouflage. Scorpions are so light colored you can't see them on the desert sand/soil, much less on a light brown carpet. Given that our cat is gray and nothing outside is gray you would think that a cat could never hide. Our cat is a master camouflager, but inside, not outside the house. We can wander around the house looking for her and not find her - even when she is in plain site. Granted she has lots of sleeping places and some are not visible, but the visible ones drive us crazy.

This afternoon as I walked into our bedroom there she was, racked out on what I call her "summer chair" and she matches it almost perfectly. She does the same thing on the front room couch. We have learned to look at the corners. But, as I walked in our bedroom I took one look and thought, this is a photo to share. Even if you are not a cat lover, you have to admit our cat knows comfort. And, you can't get to comfort if you can't camouflage yourself. She may not be the smartest cat, but she can "hide in plain site."

Some have had problems finding her head. It's on the right side.

Photographing Cacti is a Prickly Affair

The other morning I was out taking photos of some back yard flowers. We have no grass, but our plants blossom for 12 months, which is amazing. No, not all of them, just some. The important thing is, that we are never without some kind of color in the back yard. After 37 years of winter we are really enjoying it.


The most challenging photos was the prickly-pear cactus. I had to step over another plant to get the photo. That was still okay, but then the shot I really wanted was at the back of the cactus, so it was a stretch. I knew I would get close to one of the fruit blossoms, but that was no big deal. It was a great photo, which means I like it.

Nice looking flowers. JoAnn had a great time watering them this spring to encourage the blossoms.

I got back inside and was sitting down at my desk to do a little work and put my right elbow on the arm rest. There was a sharp prickly sensation. I looked and what I saw were a bunch (that's a technical term) of small light colored spines. It almost looked as if I hadn't shaved my elbow. You know, after you haven't shaved for a day or two.

Those little spines on the fruit, just before the flowers really jump out at you.

I went and got JoAnn and asked her to pull them out. Her, "I don't see anything" did not inspire me. Once we got more light it only took her about 15 minutes to get the spines out. It is the 2nd time this year I have picked up spines working in the back yard. I guess I still have to learn a little more about those desert plants. So, as I said at the beginning, "Photographing cacti is a prickly affair." Who knows, maybe someday I will learn.

Sister's Weekend Has Officially Ended - Sort of. . .

I received the following graphic from daughter number 3 with daughters 4 and 5 in the photo. Now at least I know where my car is parked when I get home tomorrow. That makes things good. I carried on periodic text messages with daughters (JoAnn doesn't do text messaging) so I feel as if I know 2% of what went on and that is probably all I want to know.

Yet, it was a good weekend. Two days in a row we exhausted the kids - Bakes and Bradleys. At least I thought we did. Yesterday Deano came home exhausted and slept. Then both boys went down later without a peep - okay, after an hour of talking. But then I remember that my brother and I would talk into the evening after we were put to bed, so it must be in their genes. Daughter number 3 may need a week to readjust her 4 to family life again. I'm sure I've run them a little ragged.

After Church today the girls needed to go out and feed the chickens and ducks. They work pretty well as a team most of the time, as depicted by the photo below.


My heart goes out to those grandparents who raise their grandchildren. I know I'm not cut out for it. I love coming home to JoAnn and a nice quiet home. We enjoy our family, but we also enjoy our time together and we think we have earned it. We have great kids with great families and they do well. We are proud of them. Did I fail to mention that Mike was an awesome help this weekend and I could not have done it without him? It's true! Thanks Mike.

A Day at the Park

We had a busy morning getting Ellen off to school and Dean off to Mexico, then Alexis, Danny, Deano & I were off for donuts and back for a little relaxation. By 11:30 am we'd had enough relaxation and we decided we were hungry. So it was off to the Bradley's to pick up the family, some food, and hit the park. We did just that. A dad, grandpa, and 5 children under 8. More appropriately an 8 year old and 4 under 4. We are brave or stupid and I haen't decided which just yet.

Nothing like lunch in the park.

I just picked out a few of the cuter photos for here and put most of the photos on my flickr account.

Come on, does it get any cuter than this?

The kids had a great time. About 2:30 pm we noted they were moving awfully slowly. At that point Jay and I figured it was time to take them home. Sure enough Deano slept all the way home and Danny is asleep now. These are the experiences memories are built of. I'm sure glad I have this time in Idaho while the daughters converge in Las Vegas.

Bonnie moving from the end of the slide to her next adventure.

Alexis showing off!

Cousins having great fun! Lookout world!

Sister's Weekend Has Officially Started

Although all of the girls arrived in Las Vegas for sister's weekend yesterday afternoon and evening, I discovered on the way to taking Suzanne & Sally to the Boise airport that sister's weekend officially begins when a husband calls with a question. At least they tell me that's how they know when sister's weekend begins. I didn't know that, but it seems reasonable since they think we are all incompetent anyway. And that's probably not far from the truth.

Yet, as I thought about it, doesn't it also work the other way? Now mind you, I'm not calling JoAnn incompetent, because she is far from it, but read the following 2 emails. I really think that Sister's weekend started on Wednesday evening a full 14 plus hours before anyone arrived in Las Vegas.

"Well, it's late and I went to set the alarm on the bedroom clock for tomorrow. It is flashing now and I can't figure out how to stop the flashing. I tried lots of ways and it is still flashing. I'm sure it easy, but I can't figure it out right now." In JoAnn's defense, the clock is older than any of our grandchildren. Read on, "I have a dr. appointment at 9 a.m. this morning. It is late and I might not wake up early enough. Please call me about 7 a.m. if you see this email in time. I need to leave here about 8:30 a.m."

I did call, but not because I saw the email. I never call before 8 am (I'm usually well one by then) and Thursday was no exception. The second email, however, redeemed JoAnn and put her back in the ranks of effectiveness.

"I'm up and going. It's 7 a.m. I remembered the clock in the guest bedroom last night after emailing you, so I have it in our room. I'm still not sure what happened to our clock. It is just old and can't stop blinking." JoAnn has become resourceful over the years, but still, I think this counts as the official start of Sister's Weekend. And yes, I will pay for this, but it may be worth it.

Mother's Day

It's that wonderful time of the year again when we get to recognize our mothers for all they have done for us. When you are little it's about drawing photos, going out with dad to buy a gift, and helping make breakfast for mom. As you grow through your teenage years it becomes a little more difficult. We still appreciate our mother, but we begin to see her in a different light. Then we leave home for college, military, work, marriage and discover a whole world out there where other moms just didn't measure up to our mom. Then, if we males are fortunate, we marry a wonderful woman and the word mother brings on a whole new meaning as we begin to have little ones arrive. (Off the the right is JoAnn and Donna, 1970)

I think I have lived long enough now to meet many wonderful mothers, but none have been better than my mother and my wife. I add to that list our daughters and daughter-in-law who are mothers or someday will be. Of course the list is not complete without my sisters, sister-in-law, Aunt Marge and Grandma Ruby.

The memories and good and they are many. Even in our times of trials, and they have been few, but sometimes intense, mom has been there and when I say mom I include all of our family, not just JoAnn.

I have posted some photos below that share some of the experiences and feelings of watching my wife, family, and loved ones. It was impossible to include everyone, so please view and enjoy.

JoAnn with Danny and Ellen in Boise

Sally, Chas, Calvin, & JoAnn - It was our last photo with Calvin

JoAnn, Joshua (the only time he didn't smile) and me

JoAnn & Alyssa at a rest stop in western Colorado on our move to Las Vegas

JoAnn & Krissie on the ferry to the Outer Banks of North Carolina

The Longcor Clan, 1989

The McLean Clan in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1981

My Mother and her Mother (Jean & Eura) in Arizona, c. 1970

Jeni, Grandma McLean, JoAnn, Donna, Modesto, CA, 1973

From the heart of a mother and grandmother - It says it all.

There is peace for a Mother. Taken in Bruge, Belgium.

The Sisters are Coming; and Coming; and Coming

A week from today (Wednesday) the daughters begin showing up for the annual "Sisters' Weekend" now officially held in Las Vegas. While we have had several of these weekends this is the 2nd one for Las Vegas. It only took one trip for the girls to decide this would be the permanent home. Last year all five daughters showed up with one new baby. This year Daughter-In-Law #1 is also attending and leaving her precious son at home with hubby. She is pretty brave. I'm not convinced an almost 8 month old can survive on pizza while mom is gone, but then again dad is pretty proficient with a bottle.


And I'm leaving town on Wednesday before the girls arrive to take advantage of some quality time with 4 Boise grandchildren while mom is in Las Vegas and their dad is also out of town. It will also allow me to spend time with 2 more grandchildren. Son number 2 is going to help me. I'm actually looking forward to the time with grandchildren, son, and family. And I think the girls are glad to have dad out of the house.

End of the Season

It's the end of the season. Students are taking finals, graduation is scheduled for Saturday afternoon and then summer officially begins. Who cares what the calendar says, when classes are over, faculty are on leave, emails drop to almost zero - that's the REAL start of summer.


We held our last faculty meeting of the academic year - another sure sign of summer - and we won't have another one for 3 months and 2 weeks (not like I'm counting). I do love the academic year because it is so full of vitality, energy, and enthusiasm (the latter for the first 9 weeks of the semester). But today, as the semester winds down, we see students excited about summer internships, faculty making plans for travel, and of course writing.

In some ways the time between graduation and the start of the fall semester is the writing season. Every year I find myself busy with multiple writing projects. This writing season I am focusing on a new edition of my entry level textbook, and no, I don't write it alone. I discovered a long time ago it is a lot more efficient to write a book with colleagues you know and trust. I enjoy the writing, the planning, and especially finishing the book. There is a sense of accomplishment when it all comes together and you see it in print for the first time. Yes, I suppose it could be pride, but I try to hold that down.

It is the writing that I enjoy, painful as it is, and for me writing can be a slow and tedious process. What I enjoy is the research, gathering sorting, and organizing material to put in the book. It is a chance to catch up on what I see as new. It is a learning process, and I enjoy learning.

As the academic season closes the writing season opens and I have pen, paper, computer, and googlescholar in hand and am ready to go.