Monday Memories . . . not exactly Matt and Kitty

If you’re on Facebook, you’re familiar with . . . Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday. Two days that some of us will post photos that are oldies but goodies of our former selves. Reliving the past can either bring a smile, a chuckle or “I can’t believe I did that” and . . . kept the photograph to prove it.

While looking through some old files I came across a shot that I always loved. We had only been married a few years, back in the 90s and took a road trip to the Calico Ghost Town. That would be the 1990s.

A little bit about this silver mining town:

Calico Ghost Town
36600 Ghost Town Rd
Yermo, CA 92398

Calico is an old West mining town that has been around since  1881 during the largest silver strike in California.  With its 500 mines, Calico produced over $20 million in silver ore over a 12-year span.  When silver lost its value in the mid-1890’s, Calico lost its population.  The miner’s packed up, loaded their mules and moved away abandoning the town that once gave them a good living.  It became a “ghost town.”  

Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950’s architecturally restoring all but the five original buildings to look as they did in the 1880’s.Calico received State Historical Landmark 782 and in 2005 was proclaimed by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be California’s Silver Rush Ghost Town.

The day we visited was HOT and something I ate kept reminding me to never do that again. I really wanted to be a good sport and go on this silver mine adventure. There was a short entrance to the mine and a guide doing his best to educate and entertain us. He mentioned that once we entered the mine there was no turning back and you must exit at the other end. Suddenly the walls began to close in on me, I felt it hard to breathe. I began to perspire. Did I mention I am claustrophobic? Very claustrophobic. I told my husband I was going back, he reminded me of what the guide said. At this point, it was be disobedient or leave my lunch in the tunnel. I turned tail and ran out into the God-given sunlight.

Today I began thinking about giving Monday a special day for Memories. This shot is not exactly Matt and Kitty, but we did our best. For some reason, there were no shoes for the saloon girls in this little studio set-up.

If you are a fan of Gunsmoke, enjoy a few clips from this famlous couple – Marshal Dillon and Miss Kitty.

The Food Bank delivers . . .

On the first Tuesday of each month the San Diego Food Bank makes a huge delivery of produce to those in need. The drop off is at the Bread of Life Rescue Mission in Oceanside, CA. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots, some didn’t seem to mind, one woman yelled at me, “Please,lady don’t take my picture.” It was already too late, so I honored her request by cropping her out. The video is now on Youtube at:

The director of the mission, Steve Bassett informed the crowd I might be taking pictures for him. I tried not to be obvious as I meandered around the crowd. Bread products come from various stores and bakeries and are also handed out that day.

Surfing in the round . . .

A few years ago I came across one of Gavin Hoey’s tutorials on Youtube. Since I don’t have the big girl’s Photoshop, just the Elements of it, I thought I would give it a shot one day. That day was yesterday. Took 24 of my surfing pics and in a round-about way did what I could.

Here’s Hoey’s tutorial

Let Sleeping dog . . .

Max loves to nap on the daybed in the den, especially  under a  nice sunny window. He usually bolts when he sees me pointing the camera at him, even if I am not using a flash. I think he was too sleepy to complain this time. A short video of him going . . .  going . . . . gone to sleep. ZZZZZZ

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Floating Yogis and . . .

No,they weren’t levitating. They were however, taking their stand-up paddleboards, or SUPs as they are known, out onto the lagoon. Now, just standing on one of these in the water seems like too much of a challenge for me, but these ‘floating Yogis’ were doing things that even on land might be a stretch.

It was Friday morning, about 7:45 when I arrived to take a few shots and pick up some pics from the women who own the business. Too early for much light, but did manage to put together a little video for them. Once they paddled out, they practiced on the other side of the lagoon, too far to get anything decent. Next time, it would be fun to go out in a Zodiac – not a canoe or a kayak – and get some close-ups.

Hole in the Fence Football

While out walking yesterday we passed a school yard full of gleeful little tykes – both playing touch football and cheerleading. It was noon and just for the heck of it, I poked my camera as far into the chain link fence hole as it would go. Of course, all I could get was what was right in front of me. Still, a few shots to play with and enjoy, right from the camera, no photoshop this time.

 

 

iMovie 11 – working it out . . .

As noted before, the leap from Tiger to Mountain Lion took some getting used  to.  iMovie 11 from iMovie 8 another bend in the learning curve. I had some great transitions from SLICK that will not work on iMovie 11 – Apple is slow to make a plug-in for this much-needed software. The current transitions are lacking  and certainly cramp the creativity. 

Here’s my first attempt using iMovie 11. Had some very old photos, from 3 camera’s back and took a crack at it. If it wasn’t for info on the net, I would have been still trying this thing out. If anyone is using this program, I have a question. My sound track visually disappeared,but played anyway after I finalized the project. Where did it go?

My husband wrote the first book of instructions on the sport of surfing as a college assignment. His book “On Surfing” is a classic and he appears in this video as a legend – at least for me. So, I dedicate my iMovie trial run to Grant.

String me along . . . Why don’t ya?

He told me I had to do this everyday, I’d feel better about it. Just get through it without bleeding. Without flicking remnants of my nourishment  where they didn’t belong. For me, this habit was one I had problems establishing, I knew I would hear about it in the months to come, that I would hear that voice counting off the numbers, and if I wasn’t a good girl, I’d cringe. The report would cause a warning, I’d be ashamed.

So, I grab that little white box and pull. And pull. How much was too much, and would too little work? Wind it around my fingers and keep from wincing. Fourteen inches of wax-coated string to use only 4 inches!  My frugality screamed, WASTEFUL, WASTEFUL! But I needed to make him happy, pleased with my uncluttered spaces, my pink and healthy tissue. My six month check-up was due.

 

Are you a flosser? Do you, as my hubby does, use at least 24 inches of floss? Does it make you ashamed when the hygienist goes tisk, tisk?

 

 

A professional teeth cleaning is a procedure in which your dentist uses a variety of tools to help deep clean your gums and the surface of your teeth. First, your dentist will use an ultrasonic cleaner and a water sprayer to loosen and remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums. Your dentist will then scrape additional plaque and tartar off your teeth by using a metal tool called a hand scraper. You could feel mild discomfort during this part of the procedure. Your dentist may also sand and smooth the roots of your teeth in order to remove plaque and other bacteria. Finally, the dentist brushes your teeth with a rotary toothbrush and a gritty type of toothpaste that polishes and cleans your teeth. After doing this, your dentist may floss your teeth or give you a fluoride treatment to strengthen them.

Now don’t you feel better?

 

I thought I’d repost one of my drabbles – so far, nearly 12,000 hits on Youtube. Go figure.

 

The Day After ‘Christmas’ Pill

The day after Christmas
And all through the stores
The shoppers returned
With boxes galore.

Armed with receipts
And tinsel-strew hair
They struggled and juggled,
Eyes locked in a stare.

Their vision was clouded
With sales and returns
Pushing and shoving,
Not one taking turns.

Was it worth all the cost,
The crush and the crowd
To make someone happy
And do yourself proud?

The bills are coming
And the feet are still aching
Christmas is over.
And there’s no mistaking
You’ll do it all over . . .

 

 

The Purple Onion . . . etc.

   No, not that one.  The one that’s sitting in my refrigerator, being sliced thinly –  hoping it will be worth the $1.00 paid!

It’s only an onion, a vegetable that adds color and heat to salads and burgers. 

Now let’s talk beef – pretty soon it will be ‘Where’s the Beef.” The other day there must have been a mistake on the price of ground beef. Sure, it was extra lean, but so would have my wallet been had I paid the $10.00 per pound listed on the package! The deal of the day at a local supermarket was only $8.49 a pound, if you bought a 3 pound lump of red gold.

How will this effect fast food burger joints, or places like Smashburger, which already charges a hefty price for a burger.

Done beefing. Except for that $4.00 bag of potato chips! What? Both WalMart and the local supermarket were charging the same exorbitant price.

Now, would you like to buy a hamburger?