Here's a sample of what's to come

I hope this works. Den and I burned the slides on to a DVD and added the Calhoun music tape to it. It is sooo cool. The funny part about it, though, is that it starts out with Bach's Toccato and Ron with his "cool" outfit, goes on to those first pictures I burned like with Greenslades, Skinny uncle Paul and Aunt Lorraine and Cono girls sextet. Then, and this will get everyone cryin', it switches to "Begin My Tongue" Dad singing. Then there's a picture of Dad with Celeste, Val and Em on one of their birthdays! It is really neat.
Here's a bit that I videoed with the camera. I'm sure we will tweak it all. The "video" is 99minutes long, and the music is 20 minutes shorter. I'm not sure, but that "music" might include Ron's jokes at the end...YIKES! :)
Well, here is your sample:



PS. We're watching the actual DVD now. Any suggestions for music? And Ron's jokes are on there. Shall I keep them on? They're on during the Minnesota Christmas photos and then some. Now we're singing "The King of Love" for Junia's wedding! Some of the music fits so great, and it's not even planned. I need Jeannette to tell me how to get the music. I guess I could just use my iTunes? J. How did you get that CD for Dad?
Feel free to give me feedback!

Bits and pieces

I finished ALL of them last night. Here is our lovely baby sister. I thought this was a fantastic picture, Jen! Were you in high school? I love your hair like that.


There are 654 pictures on the disk. We burned the first one last night. Our DVD player couldn't read it, but the computer can. You can also send them anywhere and get photos of any you want, or even upload them to Kodak and make your own photo book.

Anyway, you'll all have them shortly. Well, for Christmas anyway.













I think this is so funny! I uploaded the serious one before, so here is the laugh! If you need cheering up, enjoy!

Better yet, try this one for a good laugh. Who is the scary monster here! Print this out and put it in front of your house for Hallowe'en! It'll scare the pants off any trick or treaters!!!
Too bad about the cut off head.

Ron and the raccoon

I know there aren't many photos of Ron. I don't know why. I guess 'cause he wasn't a little boy when Dad took slides instead of photos. Here's the photo requested! I'll be happy to post any others you can think of!

Last night I nearly finished scanning their trip to Scotland. These photos have much more meaning to Denny and me than to the rest of you. Dad would've loved a 5x7 of this one now, wouldn't he?! There he is in front of the Old Club House, whatever it's called, in St. Andrew's. If you remember from Chariots of Fire, the runners run from the beach over to the far left, jump over that low white fence and toward this building! Dennis was telling me last night that Dad really wanted to play golf there that day, but the rest of us, baby William and 5yo Linnea, Mom and me were patiently waiting on the grass by the car, while Dad got his fill of the famous course. We certainly didn't want to wait the five hours or so!!

BTW, Den thought Dave Stover might be interested in the other slides taken here. I'll email them if you want. One photo is of the list of British Open winners from about 1967 to 1986-we were there in 1987.

I've come to the end

This is from 87, I think. Look how grown up everyone is!

Melinda's birthday October 1987. We're getting grandkids now!

Ron trying to get Wes to be a monkey! Do you think he walked away and left him hanging there?

I have a couple I will email. We don't want the whole world to see them, but they're so funny!!

I scanned the California trip. I didn't find any Sycamore ones. All I have left are Scotland photos. I will scan them for our family anyway.

And to my friends who have put up with the family photo album this month, hope you enjoyed them. I guess it's been a revelation of what a big, happy family looked like growing up! God has blessed us exceeding abundantly. This little slide show has been evidence of that!!!

You're growing up!

Gramma's after leaving Ron at Faith. Melinda is HOT!

















Classic Nana and Bapa, I have the laughing one, too, but right now I don't know what I named it!

Ron at Faith with all his girls!

Aren't you all lookin' sweet?! Spring of 1977. Help! They're all running together!!!

Jen's first birthday, wasn't it?

I couldn't wait to post these to you sisters. Such sweet pictures. And what a great one of Dad. Here you go, before I go to bed!

Lunch with Lees

Since Uncle Lester was in town, I invited my cousin Christie and her family to come for Sunday lunch and visit. It's a gorgeous day today, warm, but very windy. We had our usual roast beef dinner with the trimmings and enjoyed conversation around the table and later in the sunny family room.

We look forward to a visit from my uncle every year. He went to church with us, too. So it was nice that we could get extended family together.
The visit ended with a fun piano duet with Anna and Christie.

Christmas in Minnesota 1969

Dad must've had a blast this Christmas with that camera. Remember, this is just after Gramma got electricity. The first time I remember being there with the lights on! Dad took 40 pictures that holiday!!! I got through 28 last night, and I'll finish that lot this morning. I also scanned the Michigan dunes ones. WHY did Mom and I have our hair in curlers????

Drama Queen and rosy cheeks

I should have used this one for the birthday photo! Mom's dresses eventually came in handy for dress up. I'm sure this sister was oblivious to anyone else!

Den thinks these girls look like a couple of Scandinavians for sure.

Signs of the Season

I took this a couple of weeks ago behind our house, but combining soybeans is getting finished up all around. I love watching! I was sorry I had to go work that afternoon or I might have gone out to the pool deck and watched. I always wonder what that guy thinks when he sees me running out there! I have yet to get my ride in the combine this season, but I'm still looking forward to it. Especially on a golden day.

And finally we have one of those golden days today. This morning was our first frost. I brought in the hibiscus, the jasmine, begonias and the little rosemary. I think the big ones will be all right one night. The are on the stones which would keep warmer and anyway, they are getting past their prime. I'm trying to decide whether to just leave them and start over. I do want rosemary to cook with all winter.

No jobs all week this week. It's school mid-term break for the schools where I work. Maybe I'll get more scanning done today, and the house cleaned up. Wednesdays are crazy days. I cooked all morning yesterday and then did a workout and left early for church in the afternoon. Since we have worship team practice after prayer meeting, I don't get home until 10 or after on Wednesday nights. Last night I was sooo tired! Denny pulled me up out of the chair so I could go to bed. HA, it was funny to see.

Enjoying the golden day!

Photo for the Day

This is our old friend Max V. Belz at Steve and Mary Kaufmann's wedding. I wish it were better, but I love his expression. And of course, it's Bill Alling he's talking to (for all you who know).

Encouragement from a prophet

Jeremiah 27 :5

It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with
the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it
seems right to me.

That's the part from the prophet. My other readings for this morning were just as good.
I Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.

And Psalm 85:8

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people,
to his saints;

So to those who are worried about the world situation, the economic crisis, the presidential election, let these words be assurance.

One last thought, God created us for worship. When Jesus sent us out to make disciples, he wanted us to make worshipers. Words from the prophets, particularly, make me worship! I find it easy to worship ONE who made everything and controls ALL THINGS! Hallelujah!

My class tonight is on who God is. It's a great study!

Yesterday's scans

Isn't this boy precious?! Of course, that's Em.

The slides I did yesterday were from 1968-69. This box was the older one, so Emily goes back in age. And this box is mostly a Calhoun Memorial Day and Minnesota in 1968. I scanned 68 slides yesterday.

Dad must've just been learning because a lot of these were blurring or overexposed. I tried to fix them the best I could. Enhancement helps a lot.

There are probably at least 20 -25 photos from this holiday. Right after is the Bapa birthday photos.

There are about 22 slides of this trip to Minnesota. This is also the snapping turtle trip, the family photo at Lake Pepin, and Lake Nathaniel with everyone. This slide show should be part of the next Johnson family reunion.

Charysse and Ron and the wonderful ride on the hayrack! I remember how fun this was. As usual, I'm holding some baby!

More for my sistahs and co.

Well, girls, here are the photos. We can burn them to DVD. That will hold more than a CD.

Melinda, this is the one you're talking about. There are a lot from that birthday since Sam's family was there. Don't know why Dad cut Ron's head off!!! And there must've been something with the lenses to make the rainbows.

This photo is called "Barretts!" I love their expressions.

Dougie obviously in charge of "the purse" must think his mommy is leaving him!

There are several combinations of the three younger girls. I've just gotten to the place where Jenny is born.


Val and Em look like it must be Sunday. This is winter of 1971, I think.

Another beautiful picture of Mom. I think it must've been 1979? So it was her 56th birthday. Wow, I hope I look as good as that! I think it's already too late....

Great expressions here, too.

MICE

THE MICE ARE BACK!!!!! Well, Denny saw one downstairs while he was watching TV. ARGH!!!

Tidbits from Madeleine L'Engle

Last Monday I worked at Bellevue East. I've subbed in this particular room several times. It's sort of a help room for kids who can't handle a regular class load and need extra help. There are two para's in there and two certified teachers. I sub for a regular teacher, so there are others in there already that know the routine and take care of the few students that are in there. Usually there are no more than 6. So several days I've read books. One day last year I read all of O Pioneers and another day I read A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by L'Engle. So this week I thought I'd continue the L'Engle theme and I read A Wind in the Door. These are fantasy stories and I wasn't in to that genre when I was 12 which is when most kids read these stories. Frankly, I think we get a whole lot more out of them when we're adults.

Here are a couple of quotes that I wrote down after I realized that there were a lot of things I wanted to remember.

from p. 172
The temptation...for man...is to stay an immature pleasure-seeker. When we seek our own pleasure as the ultimate good, we place ourselves at the center of the universe. A man...has his place in the universe, but nothing created is the center.

and from p. 183 I think this is referring to absolutes or following what we know is right; Obedience.
It's only when we are fully rooted that we are really able to move.

Good thoughts from a good book.

More birthday celebrations

Isn't she beautiful? My "little" sister, well one of them, turned 50 on Wednesday. This was her 13th. Finding those slides gives me more picture material.

This is the sister over at QuidNunc/QuidTunc. Our other sister has waxed eloquent about what she admires about this sister, and I will agree and add my two bits.

She is an AMAZING writer. Go over there and read her stuff. She is both funny and wise; witty and eloquent.

She is also amazing musically! She can play anything on the piano. It is lovely to sit down with her and sing through the hymnbook. When we were growing up, she and my dad would just take out the hymnbook and go through it. I used to take that for granted, but now I know very few people can do that.

And not only can she play, but she can sing. SING, I mean. She has some power behind that soprano voice. Since there are five years between her and the next youngest sister, Melinda and I spent our high school years singing together...in the car, doing the dishes, in groups at school, pretty much everywhere. She sang melody; I sang harmony.

And not only can she play and sing, but she can whip up an unsurpassable meal, and probably one that she grew in her own garden or canned or froze, but certainly one that she made from scratch. She probably thinks that I have energy, but I have always admired her ability to get so much done.

Oh, and she sews, too. Had five kids. Now has four grandkids.

Because of the age spread in our family, she and I share the most memories (besides our brother), so it's always fun to reminisce. However, she also has an AMAZING memory. Just ask Melinda about an event, she'll for sure remember it, and what everyone said, too, probably. This photo includes sister"What's for Dinner?
in the front left. Gives you an idea of the difference in our ages.

Happy Birthday, Melinda! After this you'd think your name was AMAZING Grace!

Family photo

Thought some of my siblings would like to what I've done so far. I'll put some on Facebook for my CIU friends. This one is so lovely, I thought you'd want to see it! It was taken at Celeste's wedding. There's another somewhere else of ALL of the girls with Mom. Our mom is beautiful!

The first of several

I have a list of blog ideas in my head, but lately I haven't had the persistence to sit down and focus on writing anything. So today is the first and we'll see how many I write after that!

We bought a scanner last night. Since joining Facebook I've scanned several old college days photos at Walmart to share with my friends. We're having a super "reunion" laughing at the photos, wondering where everyone is, wondering WHEN and WHERE THAT photo was taken! It's been really fun catching up. We bought the scanner, not just to scan these photos to share with friends, but to preserve the family slide archive. This scanner will scan those slides. Then I will burn them on to a CD and send them to the family. It will probably be a LONG project because there are TRAYS of slides and the scanner does 4 at a time. I can also edit the photos.


This photo of mom and dad was taken in October of 1999 at the Morton house in Nebraska City. I just scanned it on my new scanner! So you all, particularly family, may see some old goodies coming up. Beware! :) The second photo was taken in 1978 when Denny and I were engaged and visiting Joel and Melinda. The baby, of course, is Jeannette!

Deterrent to my commenting

That title probably doesn't make sense, but I just have to say that when I have to solve math problems or read some script that is barely legible, I really don't want to bother commenting. Do we really get that much spam? Yeah, I'm a baby. :)

Slower than expected

I thought my week would be more than it has been. Monday I buzzed around here cleaning things up that hadn't been cleaned in ages, like dusting the downstairs room and pushing the furniture around to vacuum. It felt good to make things clean. (The things that make me happy.....!)
Tuesday I got an afternoon job teaching sixth grade in Bellevue. It was lovely and I was happy to have my morning as well!
Wednesday was haircut day and I thought maybe I could meet up with friends; Thursday was a Dr. appt. and I thought the same thing.
So here I am today thinking maybe I should tear something out of a wall, or paint over something, or rearrange something or clean cupboards or wash windows or dust high shelves or....
OCA homecoming football game this afternoon. It's absolutely gorgeous weather!

Staying politically neutral. I see both sides have their hero (ine)! It's interesting to hear what each side says about the other's. They sound the same, but don't realize it.

One project I worked on for a little was scanning some old college photos. I posted them on facebook and we're all having a great time looking at them, reminiscing and commenting! Found lots more friends. Great to catch up. My college ones are more connected than my high school ones. I also bought matching frames for these little cuties that had been stored in a drawer.