Twins First Christmas

Since the twins were born Jan. 16, 2009, it has been a year full of first. Each one important to each of us in this wonderful world of being grand parents!

This month was celebrating their first Christmas. A trip from Cordova, TN, to Natchez, MS and then to Brandon, MS, for the holidays before returning back to Tennessee on Sunday.

Dianne did the reading of Twas The Night Before Christmas Texas Style as usual. The twins at times seemed to be listening, then at other times distracted by their new surroundings at our house.

From the looks of Joel and Jennifer's Jeep vehicle, it's a wonder they didn't have to leave the twins with us in order to pack everything in the way of gifts in and on top of their vehicle.

The twins learned from their parents the art of tearing thru wrapping paper to get to the "goodies" inside. Still grasping that process, but fully expect them to be experts this time next year.

What wonderful children's toys are made today for these little ones. Tables with different lights, moving parts, voices talking, etc. And of course, Mary Presley's first Christmas baby and Sterling's truck.

While the walking hasn't taken place for either twin, precautions were taken to reduce the potential of physical injury with furniture in the room and of course, covering the brick fireplace shelf.

All in all, a wonderful time to experience Christmas with the twins. Next big event - First Birthday Party in January!

Soldier Home for Christmas!

Christmas comes around at the end of each year. Nothing new about that event. We meet at homes, businesses and eating establishments to continue our relationships with family, business associates and friends under the umbrella of the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America. But, there are times in your life when you have the opportunity to experience something unique and touching.


In 2004, I purchased a new Nissan Altima from one of our local Nissan dealerships. Due to poor customer service, I moved my maintenance needs to another Nissan dealership. What did I find at this new dealership--customer service the way you expect and would want to treat others if the roles were reversed. Friendly, professional personnel who have a vested interest in taking care of your automobile needs. Because of that treatment, I don't have any need to take my automobile anywhere else in the Jackson metroplex.


A few days ago I noticed on my Facebook account that my Assistant Service Manager's son had been delayed out of Kuwait to return home for the Christmas holidays. Then yesterday morning I saw on my account he was to arrive in Jackson approximate 12:00 noon. So, I picked up my phone and called Kendall to see if that time was solid or just a good estimate. No, she replied, somewhere between 12:00 and 12:45pm he should arrive from Atlanta's airport. Since I didn't need to be at the GNC store until 3:00pm, I had a window of time to take some digital images of that arrival!

At the Jackson-Evers International Airport, I visited briefly with several employees of Southwest Airlines and Delta Airlines that I have known for years.

Once I had my camera equipment assembled, I turned around and Kendall was checking out the arrival times from Delta. To her surprise, Joshua was already waiting outside the terminal!


Let the fun and excitement begin! Family and friends pounced on poor Joshua outside. Tears of relief that he was safely home for a few days sunk into everyone's mind. The twenty-hour travel time from Kuwait was finally over.


Now it was time to unwind, visit with his personal family of Tammy and Lexi, parents, relatives and probably other friends from the past. All in the comfort of being home for the holidays.


While I didn't know Joshua, Tammy and Lexi until this moment in time, it was an experience in 2009 I won't soon forget.


And that's how every Christmas should be experienced--celebrating Christ, family, friends and food, in that order. Some kind of Christmas for Kendall's family, wouldn't you say?!







There are soldiers and support staff who continue at their outposts protecting our freedoms in the United States of America. Won't it be a grand celebration as each one of them come home to be with family and friends after completing their mission! AMEN

Linden Plantation

Dear friends of ours has two daughters. The youngest, Whitney, is married to Cameron Dinkins and they have a son, Banks, and a daughter, Linden.

Cameron's family has owned Linden Plantation is Glen Allen, MS, for three generations. Cameron is A-1 hunter and fisherman! While he doesn't allow his Hunt Club hunt deer during the season, there is more than enough to hunt ducks, doves and fish on Lake Washington!

Cameron and Whitney are in the process of updating (just completed having the exterior brick re-grouted) the two-story home. It will take time, but the progress can already be seen and it is wonderful.

Four couples, including Dianne and me, travel to Linden Plantation on Friday, Dec. 4th to enjoy a few days of R & R plus playing bridge. The house had been decorated by Whitney and her mother Sharron for the Christmas holidays.

Cameron was busy the entire weekend with a group of duck hunters assisting them in bagging their limit.

One of the spectacular views on the grounds of Linden Plantation is the ginko tree in the front year. Considered to be the largest ginko tree in the state of Mississippi, the image of the yellow leaves of the tree falling to the ground is a wonderful experience. We were at Linden Plantation at the best time for this annual event. So, several images with this blog include the original image, a sepia image, a graphic pen image and a infrared image of the same ginko tree.

The final images on this blog are a picture of our group with the ginko in the background and the second image with the main entrance to the home.

What a wonderful time with special friends. We all look forward to a return visit.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year to celebrate live, family and blessings. This year that was especially true since our twin grandchildren celebrated this holiday with us for the first time in their lives.

As one would expect, the twins slept from Memphis to Jackson. So, our duty as grandparents was to get them wired for a later than normal time to go to bed! We were successful in that duty.

Thursday, my son-in-law, Joel, and I made our way to the Bass Pro Shop building. Joel came home with several new items, but my focus was look only, no buying. My new reduce the money going out policy.

After a grand late lunch by Dianne and the girls, several football games watched, and more playing with the grandchildren, Thursday ended.

Friday was more visiting and playing with the grandchildren and taking images of this family of our at one of our parks. The weather was tolerable with sunshine and moderate temperatures. We took images at several locations to give our daughter and son-in-law options. Well, some of those images are not only located with this blog, but on my facebook page and our daughter's blog page!

For once, I have an image with the two grandchildren and I'm not zoned out asleep!

LSU vs Ole Miss

My last of three trips to the Ole Miss campus came on Friday, November 20th, to prepare for the LSU vs Ole Miss game on Saturday afternoon. For those of you unfamiliar with this rivalry it doesn't come any closer to an all-out war when these two schools meet on the gridiron!


I drove to the campus the night before the game to get a parking spot. This being the last home game for the year and against LSU, parking could easily become a problem on game day. So, I spent the night with one of our friend's son who is a residence director across the street from The Union and The Grove where all of the action takes place before game time.


A nice easy Saturday morning began with overcast skies, but moderate to cool temperatures. The featured event for me was the approval of the band director at Ole Miss approval for me to use his aluminum ladder in The Grove to snap the band before their short "concert" before moving to the stadium.


Using my fisheye lens made this task easier, but I did need to take three images to later photoshop into one image. That task completed it was now time to listen to the band and move to the stadium, pick up my sidelines pass at the Media Gate and collect my thoughts for the game.


While the weather wasn't as balmy and sunny as the prior week, it was a few degrees warmer than two weeks prior for the N. Arizona game.

I delivered the images to my cheerleader contact for her to have a print of the University of Tennessee image I took of them. And, now it was show time for the two football teams.


To say this was a classic game in the SEC was truly an understatement. CBS was thrilled with the entire game and the utter ear shattering noise in the last three minutes of the game.


I was positioned behind the north endzone for the LSU touchdown that pulled them to within two points from tying the game. A successful onside kickoff for LSU and they began their final drive to win the game.


Unfortunately, the LSU coaching staff allowed seventeen precious seconds elapse off the clock before calling their last timeout. That proved to be a disaster because it now was first and goal at the Ole Miss six yard line. But, with only one second left in the game, LSU couldn't get a play off nor bring on their field goal team for what would have been the winning score.








So, Ole Miss fans were higher than a kite during those last three minutes and with the final score.


I moved toward the Ole Miss tunnel where the cheerleaders had store their gear in a room before the game. Unfortunately, someone broke into that room during the game and stole the cheerleader's drivers license, credit cards, cash and cell phones. Such a terrible event after a wonderful game.


So, the images I had given my contact there were now in the hands of the robbers. Those images can and were replaced. But, the items stolen from the cheerleaders could do great damage to their credit and lives. Hopefully, since that time those involved in this incident will have been apprehended, brought to justice and items returned to their owners.