In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place: and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

John McCrae (1872–1918)

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Whales...Love them.

Humpback Whale watching recently we enjoyed a day crusing around Moreton Island.

Whales and their babies played along side the boat.

I Love Sunburnt Country

This was a dust storm that swept through Brisbane, Australia yesterday.
The background picture is the normal blue sky, The first two pictures are pics of the sun through the dust cloud. The other two are how thick the dust was visibility was down to 50metres at times. The dust is red, fine like talcum powder and has covered everything, we all had a constant feeling of grit in our mouths all day.
Airports where closed and flights redirected. Luckily my American relatives arrived before it got this bad (What a welcome, the outback came to welcome them).
The sky looked like it could have been used on a Star Trek set for the planet Vulcan.
Today we are back to the blue sky still a bit hazy but at least it is blue.

Law of .... love these

Law of the Telephone If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal.

Law of Biomechanics The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Law of the Theater At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

Law of Location No matter where you go, there you are.

If you have more lets hear them

Good Egg

CLEANING UP AND OUT....I Forgot About These

I found my 1991 trading cards to mark the 25 Anniversary of Star Trek. There are 309 in the series of which I have 306.

Schools back Yeah.....

Mid Year break of two weeks is over for my kids. My daughter Grace (11) and my son Alex (9) have had me on my toes for the last 2 weeks with the line “I’m bored ringing out at least 10 times a day”

Keeping them both occupied and happy can be a challenge Grace is an outdoors and active kid, her brother Alex is a couch potato finding the balance keeps me challenged. There is a reason for Alex preferring the couch and indoor activities he was born with Spina Bifida and has a clubbed foot and extreme hyper mobility which limits him in his physical activity, No contact sports nothing with too much walking unless mum is prepared to carry him after a while and at 9 years old and me been 5 foot nothing its beginning to be little tricky.

With everything available to children these days like Computers, Play stations, DS, DVD’s they have no idea how to amuse themselves. So left to mum I put a ban on all electronics for 24 hours “WHAT?” rang out, I applied it to myself also no computer, emails etc. Now what.....Breaking out the old faithful board games from the cupboard stacking them on the coffee table they stood towering over us (Not a one required a battery). I have always had games around the house but some on this lot hadn’t seen the light of day since I was a child.

I was soon to discover that Alex would be an unforgiving land lord bankrupting his sister in Monopoly, switching to Battleship he sunk the entire fleets of anyone he challenged. "Mum he’s got to be cheating" rang out. For harmony I sat and watched them play a game... No Cheating next up Chess and more fighting, Alex winning again and challenging two adult visitors winning over one. Connect Four was a winner for Grace she beat him. They enjoyed playing the games so much that they spent the next couple of days working their way through the pile of games, with mum the umpire stepping in to settle arguements and explain the rules.

But alas the School and After School routine starts again....

Still Learning

For years I have been drawing. Normally scenery and cartoons characters and you can see why.... I am still trying to master art of drawing faces, they never seem to workout fully. This was my latest attempt I'm sure you can recognise who I tried to draw.

For De

Blogtalkradio: Kristine M Smith beams in for a visit

I tuned into this interview live today it started here at 12 noon and finished just in time for me to jump in the car a pick up my kids from school. I enjoyed listening to everyone talking about DeForest. Thanks to Kristine for her wonderful interview.

This is the link to download the entire program

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/NoriegaDOTBiz

Oh No Not Again….

Our Carpet Snake friend has returned, poor Houdini is starting to get a

"Why Me Complex".

After two days the snake now named Snakey by my kids has honoured us again. Once again out came a pillow case only this time our kookaburra Spike decided to come and visit while we were removing the snake. Imagine the Kookaburra wanting to attack the Snake and Houdini screeching get that damn thing off my cage and our dog trying to help us to catch it.

Again decisions what do we do, concerned that neigbours in our street aren’t nature lovers we don’t want to see anything bad happen to it. The gentleman on one side of us would have killed it on sight he hates everything involving mother nature including trees. Another neighbour is petrified by snakes we found this out when our cat who has long since passed away decided he would take him a souvenir of his hunting ability you guessed it a snake. He squelled like a girl until I came to the rescue.

Deciding once again to return him to the creek area just down from us this time we walked another kilometre from where we left him last time and off the beaten track.
Two days to arrive back last time…How long until he comes back again?

MUM! . . . Help Snake

My injured rescued Rainbow Lorikeet Houdini.
Had one hell of surprise too wake up to this week, when a Carpet Snake (Python) decided that a possible meal in a cage looked easier to catch than one in the wild. Fortunately the cage bars were far too small for him to gain entry. Removing the snake placing him into a pillow case we then took him for a walk down to our local creek and wildlife reserve area. Been nature and animal lovers we stayed to ensure that he was well camoflagued and hidden. We didn’t want him to scare some old lady death or be pray for older kids.

Spike ~ My Friendly Kookaburra

Spike the Kookaburra is a daily visitor to my backyard for a free feed. Eats from my hand and will even come to the back door and call to let me know he's ready for his feed.

Flesh Peddler

Flesh Peddler an episode of Suspense in which De starred in 1957. A half hour radio play including the ads played during the broadcast. The Road Rage ad at the end makes me chuckle.

I stumbled across this a few years ago. Some of you, if not all true DeForest Kelley fans have probably found it also. But for those who haven’t here is the link.
http://www.archive.org/download/SUSPENSE8/570804FleshPeddler.MP3

Kris Smith: The Enduring Legacy of DeForest Kelley

Its out here is the link:
The URL to order the book is http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=382995

I have ordered it and enjoyed it from start to end.

Why De?

While I am a Star Trek Fan of some 30 odd years too young to watch it on its first run. I spend a lot of time searching for and watching anything with De Kelley in it pre Star Trek. I enjoy the westerns, movies and television eposides just as much as his Star Trek role.

Ribbed at times that DeForest Kelley was and still is an obsession. But I can't think of a better way to escape than watching or reading about a True Gentleman.

Going To Give This A Try

G'Day

Hopefully there will be more to come than this.

Lest We Forget

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.