Harlem Globetrotters: Spinning Life Lessons

February 7, 2010

Harlem Globetrotter Nate “Big Easy” Lofton taught some special lessons to kids at the Discovery Science Center as captured by Michael Mello in the Orange County Register. Photos and Video also document the presentation. Lofton’s visit was part of the kick-off for the new Secrets of Circles exhibit at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, CA. The exhibit will be available for kids to explore through May 2.

Two years ago Globetrotters Eugene “Wildkat” Edgerson and “Sweet” Lou Dunbar visited the Anaheim Boys and Girls Club on a Friday afternoon for similar life lessons.

One of the Harlem Globetrotters community outreach programs is C.H.E.E.R. For Character which aims to teach kids Cooperation, Healthy mind & body, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility.

Check out other places for child exploration at mygrandmasue.wordpress.com


A Favorite Person Passes On

February 6, 2010

This week I’ve been sad since a very dear friend and mentor, Dr. Maxine Huffman, has passed away. She was (and her husband Don still is) a prime example of why and how special Central College is for many alumni. Every time Grandpa Ron and I visited the Central campus, we always made sure we arranged a visit or meal to catch up with the Huffmans. We appreciated and embraced their view on life and the world. She will be missed by many, many people all over the world.

Here is an after dinner photo from last Fall in Pella, IA, with favorite people Barbara Butler, Maxine and Don Huffman.

Here is a photo from the very first time I met the Huffmans and the Butlers on a Rüdesheim Rhine River Cruise (a one afternoon cruise version) in the Summer of 1972 at the start of the ’72-’73 Central College Vienna Study Program. Left to right: Jovan Stojsic, Frau Haydon, Don Butler, Don Huffman, Maxine Huffman, and Barbara Butler. Looks to me like they’re having a pleasant afternoon. Little did I know on that day how I’d end up with a double major in German – my intended major – and in English – where Maxine became my English Dept. Advisor – and that my work/study job would find me in the International Studies Office helping Barbara Butler! Our friendships continue on to this day!

I have more info on the page created from the CaringBridge site – I don’t know how long the CaringBridge pages will continue being there.

I have more upbeat entries in my usual blogs on https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com 🙂


Webcam Rescue

February 5, 2010

This was pretty amazing! Did you see it on the news? Here is the news article about the woman who saw the lost man wandering on the ice.

Here is the actual webcamwebcam from the English homepage of St. Peter-Ording!

Check out mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting photos and ideas for activities to do with kids…


Abby Video I – She’s 2 Days Old

February 4, 2010

Here is a little clip of Abby. She is almost exactly 2 days old here. It is January 7 at around 8 pm in the evening. She was born at 8:10 pm on Jan 5th.

More photos here.

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for other interesting notes and ideas! 🙂


Photographing Wildlife Through Windows

February 3, 2010

Have you ever tried photographing something outside from inside the house? Sometimes the window seems to get in the way. At the NWF site check out this article for tips on getting better pictures!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for other interesting bits and pieces! 🙂


Rock Star Austin

February 2, 2010

Austin demonstrates his rock star moves with his new guitar that he got last Christmas. Now he just needs to practice his strumming! Grandma remembers her moves also – to turn her camera in the proper direction for the video!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for other interesting notes and ideas! 🙂


Video of 5 Day Old Abby, Austin and Grandpa Ron

February 1, 2010

Austin and Papa share a moment with 5 day old baby Abby.

Unfortunately the moment is short-lived as Abby cries and Mama is ready to feed her! One of the last things on the clip Austi says is that he wants to hold Abby. She ends up going to Mama for a feeding, but after she’s done, Austi does get to hold her. He is doing so well with his little baby sister!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting things and ideas! 🙂


Blind Dog Coffee Roasted Locally in Reno

February 1, 2010

I tried out a new product that caught my eye at the grocery store in Reno and ended up with discovering another person trying to make a difference in our world. When Grandpa Ron and I were picking up a few items on our short list, I passed by a separate end display where the words “locally roasted” caught my attention. It was a neat stack of several blends of coffee, offered as beans and ground, certified USDA organic – with a catchy name of “Blind Dog.” We like to support local merchants, so we picked up the “100% Superior Arabica bean” Grand Canyon Espresso to try. Other blends and products are here.

This morning the coffee was a real treat – wonderful aroma and taste! Then Grandpa Ron showed me the back of the coffee packet to read – as I just picked the particular package because it was an Espresso. The back (and also at the website) was The Tail of the Dog– a short tale of Mark Berry, his life and his new passion of Blind Dog Coffee. I learned that with every purchase of Blind Dog Coffee there is a portion given to help fight childhood cancers.

Okay, now he has my attention! I look up Blind Dog Coffee on-line.

“With every bean, pound and bag of Blind Dog Coffee that is sold a portion will be given to Angel Kiss Foundation.”

Blind Dog is a fun and informative website.

You can watch the webcast of Mark Berry, owner of Blind Dog Coffee, on Tahoe Quarterly Television as he tells the story of how he followed his passion in life and work. Several of his news articles are noteworthy.

You can support his cause by purchasing Blind Dog Coffee! What a delicious way to do so!! Even if you are not in Reno, you can order it off the website! Enjoy!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting things and ideas! 🙂


Austin’s Reno Toboggan Rides

January 31, 2010

After being a good boy in the car (Are we there yet?) for a full day’s ride from Medford, Oregon to Reno, NV, last December, Austin was rewarded with a morning of sledding! We all had great fun! He must have had 15 to 20 rides down the little incline of cleared landscape – as in – it had fewer rocks than the rest of the land! Lots of fun in the crispy, fresh air! I posted a few runs on youtube:

One

…another run at it….
Two

…and yet another run… I have lots of short clips but they all stop about half way down the hill because I stop the camera so I can catch him. This one runs a little further!
Threeeeeee

…and then a closer look at the nearby rocky bits that we maneuvered around for a toboggan run!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting things and ideas! 🙂


Wolf Moon Tonight!

January 30, 2010

Tonight (January 29th) is the “biggest” and brightest full moon of 2010! In an article on yahoo, by Robert Roy Britt of Space.com, “tonight it will be about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser full Moons of the year, according to Spaceweather.com.”

More moonshots from spaceweather.com article: from Anthony Ayiomamitis of Athens, Greece; from Bob Clark of Goldcoast, Queensland, Australia; from Marek Nikodem of Szubin, Poland; from Peter von Bagh of Porvoo, Finland; from Michael Evenmo of Eagan, Minnesota; from Tomasz Adam of Staszów, Poland; from Monika Landy-Gyebnar of Veszprem, Hungary; and from Mark Seibold of Portland, Oregon.

Here’s the gallery of moon shots from space.com. Enjoy!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting things and ideas! 🙂