VISITING FROM DISTANT SHORES

 A very fun weekend for Norm and I.  We had good friends from Port Orford (now a 'distant shore') and Emily's long time friend, Ulrike, otherwise know as Ullie, who has been visiting from Germany, (an even more distant shore).  I met Ullie last year and she is a lovely and sensitive lady.  I enjoyed her company very much and was afraid I wasn't going to see her for this year's visit.  Ullie's flight back home was Sunday but Rick and Emily brought her over a day early so we could re-connect again........at least a little.  Enough time for some heart-felt and lengthy hugs.  It was so worth it!   We all went out to dinner at Dino's and I think everyone was pretty pleased with their meal.  I was......wild salmon baked in some kind of maple honey sauce.  Just sweet enough.........
And thanks to the tutoring of Rick, I now have Skype capacity.  More fine-tuning on my smart phone and etc. with all the new electronics that are now around here.  I hear bells and whistles constantly.  And no........it's not just in my head!  There is my washer and dryer that play little tunes when the cycle's are done........my microwave, oven timer, oven temp. gauge, my smart phone (sub-sounds are gmail messages, texts, phone calls), Skype now sends a few little notes and........oh yeah!  The door bell!   I hear a sound and have to figure out where it's coming from and what it means.....

 I've been taking photos with the smart phone this week.  I think they're not bad, huh?  Not a high resolution but that's fine.  I love the first photo at the top of Norm with the background of the colorful trees on one of our morning walks........and the back lighting of the 2nd was neat.....all misty.  Love that kind of effect.  Must be the hangover from my Irish heritage......the rain and foggy mists, and all.

 And here is the beautiful Ullie.  and me........

This last photo was one of a number I took on the walk from the car to Dino's restaurant.  This large and beautiful tree is in front of Roseburg's Justice Building.  Courthouse, Sheriff's Dept., etc.  I wonder how old that tree is?  It's been there a day or two, that's for sure.

I hope you're all off to a good run on the new week.  Mine will be a little busy with this n' that.  This Friday I will be taking photos of the kids that come to the Harvest Festival here in Winchester.  It's been a while since I've done any shooting of children.....and these will be posed rather than them running around like they did in the Kid's Art Program in Port Orford.  There, I could always blame the constant movement of the kids for any blurred shots...........(Not MY fault!!).  Not so this time.  Although I don't like using tripods, this might be a good time to break mine out.

So, you all have a good week.  And Ullie...........I'm happy to hear you made it back safely to Germany.  Now you can hug that darling little grandson to your heart's content!!