Another Stunning Sunset

Last night as I was leaving my office I was treated to yet another stunning sunset and dramatic sky. A total contrast from the dark and gloomy sky outside today. It's snowing here today too but a little warmer than the past few days.

Otterbein Cemetery

On my way home from work last night the sunset was stunning. (A just reward for being holed up inside all day if you ask me). As I was going down Walnut Street I noticed it over Otterbein cemetery and decided to drive through to get a couple photos. Since my camera is out of commission (i.e done for) I had to use my iPhone. The photos are adequate. This is such as pretty place even if it is a cemetery. In every season is is very peaceful and quite a nice resting place for those who are there. "The most famous person buried at Otterbein Cemetery is Benjamin Hanby. His grave is easy to find since there is an Ohio Historical Marker in front of it. Hanby was an 1858 graduate of Otterbein college, and he was also the minister at the United Brethern Church in Westerville. But most know him for his accomplishments as a songwriter. Some of his songs include "Darling Nellie Gray and probably the most well known, "Up on the Housetop" - a popular Christmas tune.

O Christmas Tree

We put up our Christmas tree today. It was snowing and cold outside and with the addition of a little Johnny Mathis, the perfect day for decorating the house for the holidays. I have several favorite ornaments and have included a pictures of a couple of them that are antiques that I got from my Grandma V.

The small white tree belonged to my Grandma H.

Antique candle holder (later replaced by safer electric lights)
Glow in the dark baby angel; the original loop on the neck is broken hence the string

Antique paper angel

Holiday Luncheon & Auction 2010

Yesterday we had our annual Support Staff Holiday Auction and Luncheon at the University. Essentially it is a huge collaborative effort on campus to raise funds for local families in need during the holidays. We also made about a dozen tied fleece blankets that will go to oncology patients at a local hospital and signed Christmas cards that will be sent to nursing home patients. It a nice way to bring everyone together in the spirit of giving for the season and also gives us a chance to visit with co-workers, which we have little time to do when classes are in session.One of the trees in the campus center

Me with two of my co workers

Tied blankets ready for their new homes

Christmas Lights

We dug out our tangle of lights this weekend and then threw them away and bought new ones since not one of the bulbs worked. Of course the wind chill was below zero on the night Andrew decided to light up the house in the spirit of the holiday. But it looks nice. :-)

Highly Regarded Mitts

My neighbor told me about this easy fingerless glove pattern she found on Ravelry. I've been wanting to make these for awhile but couldn't find an uncomplicated pattern up 'til now. As you can see they work well for those who want added hand warmth without the bulkiness of mitten or gloves with fingers.

Freshman Writing Class

I've always wondered over the years if Andrew and I were making the desired impression on Elisha as we traveled through the country on our adventures into the natural world. We tried to disguise our educational trips and lessons to be learned as family vacations; apparently it worked. I found this out quite by accident when Elisha showed me the first paper she wrote and received a grade for in college. I have her permission to share it. For brevity I have included only the beginning. You will get the point.

The Magic of Nature

I am seven years old as I look across the ocean while standing on the shore of Edisto beach; I know it will storm so I head back through the thick wall of trees that is separates me from the camp site. Everyone is taking down tents and packing up vehicles so we can leave, but even in all the commotion I feel at ease. I open my eyes and I am now nine years old with a snorkel in my mouth and goggles on my face. I am looking down at tropical fish, eels, turtles and the occasional shark. This is a whole new world and in this moment I wish I could grow gills and swim away. Seasons go by and in stead of salty air I am in dense forest and geysers the size of 3 story buildings. Everything around me is so tall and I feel like I am hidden and untouchable. Years pass and I am in open water, 400 feet deep and the only thing between me and everything below is the thin rough blue plastic of my kayak. I take my paddle and move myself along, the creatures and plants below me are lost in depth but against the rocks that I paddle towards you can see starfish, jelly fish, clams and all sorts of Alaskan fish. Just the sight and sensation of the experience takes my breath away and makes me want to remain in place. Experiences like these with nature can be relaxing and stress relieving and they motivate me to try to preserve the earth.

Through out all of trips I have taken, some stick out in my memory more than others, but one thing they all have in common is they make me feel relaxed and at ease, even thinking back on them. I have taken trips all over the country and each one has its own surprises and unique memories. Some of the most fascinating and relaxing places I have been are Alaska, Colorado, South and North Carolina, and Hawaii. Each trip holds something new, like snorkeling, deep-sea kayaking, and hiking in the woods. Experiencing so many different things and seeing so many different places is fascinating. Some of the animals and plants I have seen just seem unreal.

When I was young I was always outside, I didn’t come in until I had to or if I was starving. My parents and grandparents took me on all kinds of trips and I loved every one of them. I specifically remember one we took to Edisto beach. We got up in the middle of the night and a man took us to the beach and showed my dad, step mom, aunt and me loggerhead turtle eggs. He told us how they all would hatch and follow the moon light to the sea. I thought that was the craziest thing I had ever heard, that all of the turtles at once would crawl from the deep nest and follow the moon to their new watery home.

Relocating Loggerhead turtle eggs to a safer location on Edisto Beach, South Carolina

We also experienced a huge tropical storm on that trip. Even though as a child I was terrified of storms, I remember being calm and sitting in the car with my shiny stuffed frog my Aunt Amy had just given me and watching as my dad dove into the tent to keep it from blowing away. I thought it was weird how fast the weather could change because just hours before it was sunny and warm.
Another trip that leaves a print in my mind was the trip my family and I took to Hawaii. We went snorkeling and though I did not stay in the water for very long it was a huge rush. On that trip we also hiked miles to the black sand beach where I was mesmerized by the dark black sand that looked like pepper. It is just so crazy how volcanic ash and the sand mix and create such an amazing scene. It is impressive how things in nature interact and make such amazing colored sands and storms that seem to appear in the blink of an eye. Nature is like a domino effect, everything that happens effects the next thing that is about to occur.

Kohala Coast north of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii

One of the last trips I was on was to Alaska. We went in July and despite the warm sunny weather in Ohio; it was freezing and rainy on the other side of the country, I thought to myself, “This is going to be an interesting summer vacation.” While we were there we went whale watching on a small boat, hiked through the forests, and saw star fish the size of large dinner plates and by the middle of the week I was exhausted. The people on the cruise ship were being unreasonably loud. I was not excited to get up the next day and go kayaking. Once we got to the location of our deep-sea kayaking trip I was a little more excited. The men that were taking us out in the water were nice and experienced so that made it even better. Once in the long red kayak I realized how excited I was, we took off and I was in my own world, everything around me was so new and amazing, the water clear but so deep you could not see anything until a single light blue orb passed under my kayak, a jelly fish; I was amazed at how close it got. We paddled over to a small island and I got close. I looked at the rocks only to be surprised to see starfish stuck to them and clams, fish and other unidentifiable creatures everywhere. Once back on the boat, headed towards shore for the end of our trip, I realized that I had felt so calm out there in the water and it was definitely the highlight of my trip.

Eagle Islands, Ketchikan Alaska