My Latest Obsession

These are red-tailed hawks. You Ohioans may not realize this, but they are abundant in our area and are sitting in trees just like this all the time right out there in front of our noses and we don't see them. I don't know when it started, but sometime in the last few years, I started watching for them on our numerous trips up and down I-71. I became pretty good at spotting them along the highway and would watch for them as a way to pass the time.

For some reason, I never really looked for them when I was just driving around town. Lately, I decided that I would start looking for them locally, and now I see one almost every time I go to or from work. It's getting kind of crazy. I mean, I'm looking up into the trees WHILE I'M DRIVING. Oh, and I've also been listening to a book on CD about vampires. So, driving is just a background activity. I've tried to stop looking for the birds, but I'm totally obsessed. I love these things. They are HUGE. They weigh three or four pounds, and when you see one, they appear to be even bigger than that. I particularly get excited when I see two together as shown in the picture above. I've only spotted a "pair" twice.

Does anyone else have this obsession?

Christmas Question -- Part Two

The Baptism of Jesus ~ He Qi

I love Christmas songs just like I love Christmas movies. What is your favorite song? Again, I love them ALL, and it's impossible for me to choose. I'm posting two of my current favorites below.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear ~ Everyone knows this one, but READ these lyrics. It is a great song.

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.


Some Children See Him ~ This song is on James Taylor's christmas album. I LOVE it, especially now that I am imagining my own baby and how he or she will look different than me.

Some children see Him lily white,
the baby Jesus born this night.
Some children see Him lily white,
with tresses soft and fair.

Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
The Lord of heav'n to earth come down.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
with dark and heavy hair.

Some children see Him almond-eyed,
this Savior whom we kneel beside.
Some children see Him almond-eyed,
with skin of yellow hue.

Some children see Him dark as they,
sweet Mary's Son to whom we pray.
Some children see him dark as they,
and, ah! they love Him, too!

The children in each different place
will see the baby Jesus' face like theirs,
but bright with heavenly grace,
and filled with holy light.

O lay aside each earthly thing
and with thy heart as offering,
come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight!

Christmas Question -- Part One

I LOVE Christmas movies, even really sappy ones or cheesy ones or black and whites with dudes singing and dancing. I love them all!! I could list about 100 of my favorite quotes from Christmas movies, but I will post just this one.

George Bailey: What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.

Mary: I'll take it. Then what?

George Bailey: Well, then you can swallow it, and it'll all dissolve, see... and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair... am I talking too much?

Now, if you love Christmas movies too (and I KNOW you do), leave a comment and tell me what your all-time favorite line from a Christmas movie is. If you don't remember the line word-for-word, that's ok. Or, if you want to get it right, just google it. Let's get some participation here people! Come on you lurkers!!

35

photo by Leo Reynolds

35th president of the United States ... John F. Kennedy

35th state in the union ... West Virginia

35th parallel north runs through ... China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tennessee, and many other places

35th anniversary gift ... coral

35th academy award for best actor in a leading roll ... Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird

35th birthday for me ... today