Typhoon Bolaven

Looks like this one is going to be a straight hit...haven't had one like that in a while. We had SuperTyphoon Saomai that hit a week after we arrived on island in 2000, but we were still living in a hotel at that time and it was more exciting than anything else. I actually went up the outside stairwell so I could get footage of it.

I feel for my friends that are still there, waiting this one out. Hopefully it won't get to SuperTyphoon strength, and they won't lose power or water. The island is built to handle these kinds of storms so I am not worried for anyone's life, as long as they stay away from the beach.

Hunker down friends, and we'll see you on the other side.
_________________________

Five Years Ago on In My Words...Now Super Typhoon Wipha

MCP Project August

These are my submissions (so far) for the MCP Project August Challenges. I was able to complete two of the challenges without too much trouble, but need to focus if I am going to get the next two done in time.

This was for Challenge #2 which was to take an image that reflects Sports of some kind in honor of the 2012 Olympics. Walking has been glorious recently, especially with all the visiting family. I couldn't help but step back and get this shot of everyone. I used a filter script in GIMP 2.6 to border and sepia this image after I had already done a color and light auto balance.

This was Challenge #4 for the month and it too was pretty easy to do. We had to capture Gold in our image. I had this great macro from the same walking trail in the previous image and the gold in it just stood out. This challenge was also in honor of the Olympics this year. I kept waiting for a breeze to come and change the shape and look of these guys but it never happened and I am glad or I wouldn't have gotten the shot. I only did an auto balance and black fuzzy border in GIMP 2.6 to enhance this image. Once again, great morning light!
______________________________

Eleven Years Ago on In My Words...Seawall

Shutter Sisters For August

This is my submission for the month of August to the Shutter Sister's One Word Project. The word for the month is Elevate and I thought this tree nymph looking down on us from above was a great expression of that. The light was just gorgeous so I only did auto balance and then added a black fuzzy border in GIMP 2.6.
________________________________

Thirteen Years Ago on In My Words...Goodbye

Makita Rocks!

Loving the new cordless compact drill. Just got it and already in love!! This one comes in a holster (which I won't have to use since I won't be using it for work), and with an extra battery pack, and a case to store it in.
______________________________

Four Years Ago on In My Words...Chatan Summer Festival

Two Favorite Things

I was turned on to these cracker/cookies during ikebana classes I took the last few weeks of my time in Japan. Our sensei brought them and I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed them. I found these at an asian store I visited a few weeks ago and have been thrilled to have a packet of them (2) as a treat once in a while. I believe they are rice crackers and they are a mix of sweet and salty, and they don't make me feel too guilty.
I also found this green tea, which was another favorite of mine while living in Japan. I had to pay about 1 1/2 times as much for it than I would out of the machine on my street, but it was nice to have one bottle of it for memory's sake. Combined with my cracker/cookie this afternoon, it was a nice little taste trip down memory lane.
_________________________

Four Years Ago on In My Words...Musubi
Another one of my favorite snacks from Japan!

Reading Blog Update

I have been bad about knocking out the books over the last few months...but I do have the moving excuse. Anyhow, I updated my reading blog today with the June reading. Didn't even have any books to list for May, I think I started some but didn't finish them until June so they went into the June list.

I read almost every night before bed but lately, I have been so tired at night, that I only read for a few minutes before my eyes start to shut on me. I need to devote some hammock time during the day to some reading as well and that would get me back on the road. I am behind in my 50 book challenge for this year with Goodreads, so I really do need to get on the ball. Feel free to follow me on Goodreads if you want...there is a link to my profile on the sidebar.
_____________________________

Six Years Ago on In My Words...The Culprit

Bad Blogger, I Know

I have been so busy lately, I can barely breathe...this is a good and bad thing at the same time. Bad part of it means I haven't had time to write or blog or exercise, and that sucks but the good part of it is that I have gotten tons of stuff done, and have been able to help out family as well.

I am slowly making way on a few different things I have on several different burners. I am trying to take things one day at a time so I don't get myself completely overwhelmed because it would be really easy to do that. The AC is working as it should and actually it is not needed today because we have a bit of overcast (which is a nice turn). The pool is working as it should (minus the problem with the solar panels), and that is great news because it would be nice to enjoy it at some point (and the solar panel should be an easy fix once I get the part and time). The unpacking is slowly happening, partly due to complications and partly due to other things taking priority but I hope to make a big dent in that today. There is still an issue of the sprinkler system with means I am continuing to water by hand or above ground sprinkler.

We still don't have floors in the rooms damaged by the water leak in May, and all those same rooms still need paint on the new drywall, but we can live with it for now. No laundry facilities for now, but Grandma lives near by. No vanity or sink in downstairs bathroom, but upstairs is complete so that works for now. Yard needs some serious attention, but that is a work in progress too. I have a blog about the house and the adventures it leads to, you can check it out at the Bamboo Lagoon if you want. I am still in the process of adding in old posts from when we first bought the house.

Anyhow, that is the gist of things going on in this part of the world.
______________________________

Seven Years Ago on In My Words...Carpet Freshener

Predator Quail

In the process of moving and due to a family emergency, there have been a lot of trips to my hometown area in the last six weeks. During that time, I have been able to see the transformation my aunt and mom are making at Grandma's house in terms of outside decor and construction.

They have been able to remove a raised bed that wasn't functional and move all the dirt to the other side of the house to fill in where it was needed. They have pavers, and plants and it is really starting to come together. Over Mother's Day weekend, new flowering plants were gained from purchases and gifts, and our bird friends started coming over for snacks.

Turns out that there is an entire flock of quail that seem to make the rounds each day throughout the neighborhood...and the flowering plants at Grandma's are just one of the stops at this time. One morning as we were getting ready to start on the To Do List for the day, we found this sweetie hanging out waiting for the coast to clear for landing near the closest flowers...
___________________________________

Seven Years Ago on In My Words...Lights Out

Big Kitty Door

My friend has this wonderful cat that is rightly named "Big Kitty"...she lives up to this name, not in the way that Sissy, my other's friends cat did, but she definitely could lose some pounds. I saw this kitty door just for "larger" cats at Lowe's today and just couldn't pass up the opportunity to send a pic of it to my girlfriend and then post about it here...LOL.


_____________________________________________

Three Years Ago on In My Words...15 Books

Newish Maru

Just makes me smile like riding the scrambler does!


_______________________________________

Four Years Ago on In My Words...Why Don't We?
I was just thinking about this today....makes so much sense!!

Bug From Hell

I haven't posted in a while, mostly due to the fact that I caught a nasty chest cold a few weeks ago and have not been able to function much other than the basics. It turned into bronchitis (which I have never had before) and I have now been coughing for 4 weeks.

Fortunately the antibiotics have knocked out most of it...at this point, the lungs are clearer but the urge to cough when breathing deep is still there. I can't really do anything remotely active without going into a complete coughing spasm. My upper ribs on both sides feel like they are out of place, however I am sure that the muscles are just pulled from the coughing.

I am hoping to be back at normal activities soon, to include exercise!
_____________________________________

Seven Years Ago on In My Words...10 Years Of Mishka

MCP Project April

These are my challenge submissions for the MCP Project for April. There is a fourth one but I am not sure if I will get it done in time.


This was Challenge #2 which was Bloom and at this time of year, it was harder to select one image from all the "blooming" image possibilities there were out there. I only did an auto correct for light and color, and then added the fuzzy border. The afternoon light was already so great and the flowers speak for themselves.


This second image is one that screams Spring in these here parts...growing up I would just zip my pinched fingers up the step and pop all the little blue balls off. I am sure my mom and Aunt just loved that...LOL. Anyhow, this one also had great afternoon light so I only did an auto correct to balance light and color and then added the fuzzy border. This is for Challenge #3, which was for a Shallow Depth of Field.


The sun peaking through these flowers was awesome and I couldn't help but take advantage of this challenge. This one falls under Challenge #4, Taking a Shot from Below. I tried not to let the sun into the lens itself because it would have wiped out all the detail in the flowers. I only did an auto correct for light and color balance and added the fuzzy border.
__________________________________

Six Years Ago on In My Words...Utterly Ridiculous

Reading Blog Update

Here is my update for my reads in the month of March. Didn't get as much read as last month and definitely not that great of quality but am slowing knocking out some of the downloads to the Nook Color...
__________________________

Six Years Ago on In My Words...Golfing

Photo Projects for April

New month, new photo projects....for MCP Project we have the "challenge plan". For April we have the following four challenges:

* Challenge #1 – Illustrate the following in a photo: Showers/Wet
* Challenge #2 – Take a picture using a shallow depth of field
* Challenge #3 – Interpret the following in a photo: Blooming
* Challenge #4 – Get Low. Lie Down on the ground and shoot above

And for Shutter Sisters in April the words are: Sparkle and Shine.
_____________________________

Seven Years Ago on In My Words...Me, Myself and I

Twelve Year Old BooBoos

Unbelievably, I fell down like a little girl the other day when we were hiking/geocaching...and I skinned my left knee through my jeans. It took two full doses of OxyClean to get the grass and blood stains out of my favorite pair of 501 jeans.

At first my ankle on my right leg hurt the most and I kind of just walked off the pain, not thinking anything about my left leg. Then at one point, we stopped during the walk and I thought I would check my leg. I pulled up my left pant leg and found that I was bloody and scraped underneath. When we got home, we did the whole first aid thing on it and now it has a nice shade of green added to the mix...

So I head back to workout class next week and I'll have a skinned knee to show off!
________________________________

Six Years Ago on In My Words...Getting There

Reading Blog Update

Updated my reading blog with February's books...check it out when you can and let me know if you like any of the books too!!
_________________________________

Seven Years Ago on In My Words...Procrastination Has Taken Over

Shamrock Run 2012

This was my first 5K in quite some time...and I definitely felt it. Plan was for the whole family that was in town to come down to watch but it is such a huge race, that the traffic to get to it was horrible and my dad and his wife decided that they better head home. It was also drizzling out, which makes for a much worse spectator experience for anyone. So while the BIL found parking, my sis and I got out of the traffic jammed car and started heading to the start area. Time was tight so we had to move pretty quick.

Once we got to the start area, I moved up to behind the runners but in front of the strollers and most of those that were walking. This route started out similar to the one we did for First Run in 2011 but then turned and had a long slow gradual upgrade before turning again back towards the start area.

As I said before, this was a big race...I think 35000 people total (split between the 5K, 10K, and 15K) so besides the massive amount of traffic, there was a lot of activities after the event and lots of participants dress up. I don't wear my race shirts until after I have completed the race, so I wore my green Google running shirt instead. I also wore some green beads and a head band with shamrocks on it.

The route was tough but I enjoyed the scene with so many runners (biggest race for me so far) and everyone having such a good time. There were even a couple of Guiness glasses running along (and I am not sure how they kept from overheating in those costumes). Overall it was a fantastic experience and I would love to the do the race again in the future.
_______________________________

Two Years Ago on In My Words...Car Crash

MCP Project March Part II

These are my submissions for the other two challenges in the MCP Project for March. They are for Challenges #4 and #1, which are Macro and From Above, respectively.



The afternoon light was so awesome, so on this one I only did a balance for light and color and then added the fuzzy border.



This one too...great afternoon light just like on the grouping I did for the Shutter Sisters project. I did the same balance of color and light and added the fuzzy border as the first picture.
___________________________

Three Years Ago on In My Words...Observations

Shutter Sisters for March

This is my submission for the month of March to the Shutter Sisters One Word Project. The word of the month is Gather and I thought this little grouping of the first signs of spring were perfect. I took this in beautiful afternoon light so I only did a color and light balance and added a fuzzy border.
____________________________

Four Years Ago on In My Words...Snail

Silent Secretary Project

I haven't posted about this here, but I am working on a project to transcribe my great great grandmother's journals (the ones that I have) onto a blog called A Silent Secretary. I named it this because that is what the diary books she wrote in are called. The blog used to be on Blogger but I had to move it to Wordpress in order to get the dates to work the way I wanted. Anyhow, I try to get a week or so transcribed over each time I work on it so I can get it all up there quickly.

So today, I decided I was going to get at least a week done (I actually ended up doing three weeks). I came to the end of a month and realized that the diary has a little section of info at the beginning of each month that is kind of cool. So I went back and added the little info sections in to each of the months I have completed so far. In the process of this, I realized that there were little mottos and/or quotes at the top of each page, so I went back through all the entries (over 100 so far) and added the little mottos/quotes in.

It took a lot of work but I am pleased with the additions and I hope the readers of the journals are too!! Please check out the beginning of each month for the new info.
__________________________

Five Years Ago on In My Words...Lunar Eclipse