Wordless Wednesday

Christmas Redux

I'm running a little behind on photos this year. It seems I just can't keep up with the photos. I have been both busy and lazy. I think it's the latter that got me. However, this morning I though I would tackle some of our Christmas photos, which will appear on flickr later. I may have posted some of these earlier - of Christmas, but I found a set I took of Joshua opening up a Christmas gift that tells a wonderful story. So let's get started.

Packages are so neat. But how do I get this open mom?

Okay, I got it. I don't need your help anymore. At least not right now.

Hey, look what's in here. I this cool. My very own bag with farm equipment.

Hey wait, there is something inside. What is it?

It's a box. I like what's in it, but I can't get it open

I wonder if Grandma will open it for me?

Wow, is this cool or what...

Wordless Wednesday - Conductor Time

Hawk Sighting...

It's not often I write 2 blogs in one day and these 2 are almost 8 hours apart, so it could be two days - dawn and dusk?

This morning Tim, Joshua, and I went out to Calico Basin in the Red Rock Conservation Area for a little walk. Calico Basin is about a mile before the main entrance to Red Rock and a smidgen off the beaten path. You walk up a ramp that cuts back on itself several time until you get to the plateau. The ramp links to a boardwalk that extends around the perimeter of Calico Basin and keeps people out of the spring and field that is downstream. It is up against the mountain and there are many rocks of large size. As I've said before, it is one of JoAnn and my favorite spots for an afternoon or morning walk.

We got to the top and were just starting to walk around. Joshua was absolutely excited, climbed down from his dad's shoulders and started to troop off. Just as that was happening we saw a disturbance on the far side of the meadow. It was a large bird extending its wings to get into the air. It flew a short distance landed, surveyed its area, and took off again landing on a larger rock close by.

I looked at it, could see it clearly, and quickly determined it was an eagle. Upon review of my photos I determined it was too small for an eagle, but certainly fit the hawk size. From afar it flew, but as we got closer it ignored us while it ate its breakfast. I cursed myself for leaving my telephoto lens in the car, but I wasn't going back for it. I didn't want to take a chance and have the hawk leave. I shouldn't have worried. When we left the hawk was still there and probably taunting us. As I said, were not sure what kind of hawk it was, but suspect it was either a Red Tail hawk or a Swainson's hawk. Bottom line - it was fun for Tim and I to see it. Joshua was a little busy running ahead to spend much time worrying about a hawk.

We were out early enough to catch the morning dew and frost, which we almost never have in southern Nevada. But, after 5 days of rain it was humid this morning. As you can see from the following photo, it made for a beautiful photo of Tim and Joshua as they worked their way down the west side of the boardwalk. Click on the photo to see the larger size.

The morning just confirmed how much fun it is to go for a walk on a beautiful Christmas Eve morning in Las Vegas and bond.

A Day at the Park

It finally quit raining in Las Vegas. Normally we would say that after a 30 minute rain, but 5 days of rain is unheard of in Las Vegas. We have green popping up in all of the wrong places. The end of the rain also meant that we could get out to the park with Joshua who brought his parents along from Iowa for a Winter Solstice. It was an absolutely busy day at the park as Joshua discovered lots of new play devices and in the meantime wore all of us out.

Josh made his first slide attempt down the vaulted locomotive slide and while he thought it was cool, when he got to the bottom he saw a mountain of slides and one in particular caught his fancy. He quickly decided that this little slide was for beginners - and he is no beginner.

So, with a little help from Mom and Dad he was off to the big slide. To get to the slide, however, he first had to cross the trembling bridge, which required the help of Mom. This was the first crossing and he progressively got bolder as he crossed it time and time again.

The first time down the slide was a real rush as he came out headfirst, but quickly, as any real boy, recovered, sat up and said, "Wow, let's do that again, and again, and again."

Tim quickly figured out that the slide looked like a lot of fun, so he said to Joshua, "Let's go buddy!" and off they went to do the slide a few more times. Of course the device is "age appropriate" and Tim was doubled over,  just getting to the slide, but it was worth the view (at least from us spectators).

Once the slide became busy with older boys and Josh saw the swing was open he conned his grandma into doing a little pushing.

After we got home everyone left - Grandma to the Temple, Mom and Dad to the basketball game and dinner, and Grandpa and Josh had a Thomas the Tank movie festival. As the evening wore on he became more relaxed and just before bed he resorted to the prone position for watching Grandpa's iPad and Thomas the Tank.

Many thanks to Lonita for the excellent editing.