Saturday, December 29, 2012

A Walk Downtown

Downtown Visalia is thriving these days. Unlike many downtown's across America no store fronts currently sit vacant. There is a waiting list of businesses wanting to get into downtown. Finding a vacant parking space on main street from the time stores open until closing is not easy.

I took a little walk around today and had some fun taking pictures while downtown.

Fox Theatre







Busy Main Street

Painted Fire Hydrant


A & W Bear Fire Hydrant






Thursday, December 27, 2012

Peace in the Fog



 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 
                                                                             John 14:27


                                                                 
In the Central Valley of California we have something called Tule Fog. Tule fog is a thick ground fog that forms during winter and early spring after the first major rainfall of the season. You can have days were you never see the sun but have a haze of fog all day. There are people that are afraid to go outside some days because the fog can be so thick. Driving can be a challenge at times with visibility being close to zero.


I have had seasons of my life were I have been in a fog, afraid to go outside. We don't know what is out there in front of us every day. Tomorrow can bring joys or sorrows. We have a choice in this life to either stay home and hide from the fog of life or embrace it.

I love how peaceful it can be early in the morning out in the fog when all is still and calm, taking a walk just enjoying the wonders of life. No the path before me is not completely clear and when I have a choice I stay away from the thickest patches of fog. But life is the same, our way is filled with fuzzy paths, some clearer than others.





The peace of the Lord which passes all understanding is a great comfort to those that know him. To be able to walk through times of great trial and difficulty yet have this underlying since of peace is an incredible gift from God. This holiday season I have been thinking a lot about my parents and reflecting on how different I was in my walk with God from the time my father was killed to when my mother died and how that made a difference in how I dealt with the two deaths. Both filled with sorrow. One lead to destructful behaviors and the other just sorrow with an underlying since of peace.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Cookie Decorating Party

Sunday evening I attended my first cookie decorating party. It was a fun evening with friends. Every one was to bring a finger food to share and the host had made sugar cookies and had lots of colored icing and things like sprinkles and colored sugar for decorating the cookies. We were to each  bring a plater to put our cookies on that we decorated to take home.

A fun time was had by all. Did I make the best looking cookies? Well no, I did not but they sure did taste good!  :)

 
















Friday, December 21, 2012

I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas

Tulare County Symphony

 

Holiday Concert 2012

Home of the Tulare Symphony the Fox Theatre

In his fourth year as the music director of the Tulare County Symphony Bruce Kiesling once again put together a Holiday Concert Program that filled the Fox Theatre in Visalia, CA. Since taking over as the music director/conductor of the Symphony in the 2009/2010 season attendance has been up for the Symphony. With sell-outs becoming a normal event for the Symphony.

The Holiday Concert was a mix of standard holiday classics, fun light fair and even a jazz arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite. With local talent being highlighted the night is a fun time for those young and old. School children are invited to sing with the Symphony which highlights Dr. Kiesling's commitment to Music Education. Talent from the Symphony Singer Contest are back to add their vocal talents to the program. Local folk sings a Hanukkah favorite.

Bravo Tulare County Symphony and Maestro Kiesling on another successful Holiday concert. 









A Star on Top

I have been slow at adding ornaments to my Christmas Tree. However, today I was unpacking a box in my garage and found a few metal ornaments that my parents gave to me when I was a kid with my name on them. Every year they would buy new ornaments with our first names engraved on them for the Christmas Tree. I don't have all of them as some have been lost in moves over the years but today I found the box that had the stack of them that I still have along with the last stocking they purchased for me. The stocking is just one of the simple red and white ones with my name in glitter that is fading.
Engraved Ornament from Mom & Dad

As a child we often had trees that were cluttered with tons of ornaments in some areas of the tree and bare in others because our parents would let my sister and I help out. It might not have been the prettiest or best looking tree ever but the whole point was we did it together.

This year is my first year in a new home and time to start making new memories of Christmas time. Some ornaments of years gone by decorate the tree but also new ones. There are ornaments that students have given me on the tree. A collection of Star Trek ornaments some given to me by students and some I've purchased for myself. A few ornaments friends have loaned me for this year as I build a collection of my own. It is still a work in progress and that is okay.

Star Trek Enterprise
Star Trek Next Generation Enterprise

No Star Trek Tree would be complete without a communicator

From a Student


An Angel from a Friend



More Memories of years gone by (First Year Jacksonville Jaguar Ornament)

 


A Little Sax Man