Happy New Year

Thank you to all my readers. 

May you all have a Happy Prosperous New Year

MERRY CHRISTMAS

When you stop believing in Santa Claus is when you start getting clothes for Christmas.

Rotating Chrismas tree

Here is a better video of our tree in the revolving tree stand. I had to take the video in the daylight. Just use your imagination to picture it covered in decorations shining and twinkling, as the glow from all the tree lights glance off the glitter and colors of the decorations.
There will a short time when the video is out of focus near the top of the tree, but be patient, it will correct its self.

Tis the season.......

A number of years ago I bought a rotating stand for our Christmas tree. To sit and watch as the tree revolves is a delight,we can see all the decorations which have been collected over the past years. I do not know how many decorations are on the tree, I have never counted them, but for fun, I may when they are put away.
This video is not all that great, but you can see how beautiful the tree looks.

Happy Thanksgiving

As a Kiwi living in USA, I sure do enjoy the tradition of Thanksgiving. Not only all the delicious food, but a time to stop and really consider what we are thankful for. I am thankful for many, many things and will reflect upon them today as I go about fixing a traditional dinner for my honey and I.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers, family and friends.

Snoqualmie Pass Fall color

11/2/2012

11/2/2012

11/2/2012

Last Saturday and Sunday we had  kick off matches for South Whidbey Action Pistol. 
To kick off the new Action Pistol bays at Holmes Harbor Rod & Gun, we decided to shoot a full match every 4th Saturday and Sunday every month, even through the Winter, and this month was our kick off pair of steel matches. Saturday, the first match, was wet, rainy, muddy, and sloppy. The next day, Sunday the 28th, was rain free and very mild in temperature for this time of year. It was a great day for a steel match. Over the two days we had 44 entries, which is not bad at all considering the weather and time of year for starting out a new series of matches.

Saturday wet, muddy sloppy

A supermarket plastic bag, makes a good "rain bonnet"

Thank goodness for 'pop up' shelters

Larry wearing his 'stylish' rain bonnet

Sunday was warmer with no rain, a much more pleasant shooting experience.

Wordless Wednesday

Nom, nom nom

Wordless Wednesday

Gun Blogger Rendezvous fund raiser

As usual, we all had a grand time at the annual GBR, but just having fun is not all there is to the GBR.  The event is also a fundraiser with all we manage to raise being given to Soldier's Angels/Project Valour IT to purchase voice activated computers for military personnel who have injuries which no longer able them to physically use a computer keyboard. . Even though we did not raise as much as we did last year, we did raise enough for about 10 voice activated laptop computers to be given to injured military personnel.

Miss Molly 'sweet talking' cash out of the guys for raffle tickets.

"that's it Mr C , buy a couple more" says Liz

Just a fraction of the wonderful prizes donated for our fundraiser raffle.

Bretton, Molly, Mr C

And...The next winner is!

A whole lotta holster and gun for a petite young lady.

A big Thank you to all who participated, all who donated prizes for our raffle, all who sponsored some of our meals. We had a grand time and can hardly wait to do it all over again next year.

Second day of GBR

On the second day of the Gun Blogger Rendezvous, we woke up to a gorgeous sunny day, with the incredible view from our hotel window, of hot air balloons floating lazily against a perfect blue sky.

After enjoying a breakfast sponsored by the NRA, it was scheduled  that all who wanted too, could load up their "toys" and drive out to the Washoe Shooting Facility for a few hours of fun, shooting all kinds of different firearms. I elected to stay behind this time, instead taking a bus and doing a little exploring of a local mall. I also needed to get in a little exercise and walking the large mall was one way of doing so. During the time we at the Rendezvous I always manage to eat way more than I do at home, so getting in a little extra exercise doesn't hurt.

Gun Blogger Rendezvous, Reno, Nevada 2012

We have been back from the annual Gun Blogger Rendezvous for almost a week and I am still trying to catch up on all the chores which were pushed onto a 'back burner' to be done on our return.

On Thursday, the first full day in Reno, a group of us visited Cabela's. This store is a wonderland for anyone into any of the shooting sports, camping, fishing etc. I like to compete in pistol matches, but am not into all kinds of firearms, so I went wandering around the store looking at all manner of other things while the guys shopped around for ammunition for the upcoming 'range day'
Cabela's has a fabulous display of taxidermy, and as you stand within a couple of feet of the display, you feel as though you have stepped into an exotic country.

Stay tuned for more on 2012 GBR to come in the next few days.

No words needed

Small plot produces a lot

My garden space measures 20 x 20 feet and produces abundance.

Blue Lake and scarlet runner beans, Bloody butcher tomatoes and sweet blueberries

Whidbey Island through the camera lens

Farm at Ebey's landing

Wordless Wednesday

Friday humor

TWO  DIFFERENT DOCTORS' OFFICES ....
    
    Boy, if  this doesn't hit the nail on the head, I don't know what  does!
    
    
    
    Two  patients limp into two different medical clinics with the same  complaint.  Both have trouble walking and appear to require a  hip replacement. 

    The FIRST patient is  examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day and has a time  booked for surgery the following week. 

    The SECOND sees his family  doctor after waiting 3 weeks for an appointment, then waits 8 weeks  to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for  another week and finally has his surgery scheduled for 6 months from  then.
    Why the different treatment for the two patients?









    The  FIRST is a Golden Retriever.
    The  SECOND is a Senior  Citizen.
    
    Next time  take me to a vet!

Our weekend at Abbotsford Canada

This past weekend we shot the Steel Challenge pistol match at Abbotsford BC Canada.Although I did not do well, I had a grand time and made new friends. We will be going back to this range in the future.

Club house

Upstairs in the club house

Museum quality taxidermy on the walls of the club house

One of the covered shooting areas

Looking from the backside of one of the stages towards the shooting station.

Add caption

Not every range has it's own water feature, see the small waterfall in the background.

Setting up one of the stages of steel challenge

Our youngest competitor, 7 year old Chris and his Dad

'Cute as a bug's ear'

This stage is called 'outer limits'

Mike M

Brennan