James Brubaker

Category: Uncategorized

  • December 28, 2018 – Did you know that cows have a secret life? Well, let me tell how I know they do!

    December 28, 2018 – Did you know that cows have a secret life? Well, let me tell how I know they do!

    Before you read my story click on the TGO Photo Club’s page in the left column.  Dave Cesari presents pictures of a Great-blue Heron and a Great Egret – each caught a bad invasive fish in our Florida waters – He tells us a little about it on the Photo Club’s page.

     MY STORY:  Yea, it is almost Jan 1, 2019.  Do you love the start of a new year? – and of course you can look forward to each new season of the new year – come to think of it, each day you can be looking forward to the start of a new day – but most of all, remember this moment is really good too.

    New year’s resolutions are always fun – add one or two of these to your list of resolutions and, also, you can add them to your list of the life’s principles that you live by:

    1. Have a routine
    2. Have a lot of outside activities
    3. Have commitments
    4. Have friends that laugh

    Part of my routine in the morning is to enjoy practicing how to digitally paint with PhotoShop before heading outside for a long bike ride. But before heading outside for the bike ride I am committed to the TGO Photo Club –  I promised to update their blog with any photos sent to me.  And, as my friends know, I try to laugh with them a lot.

    Please read on and look at the photos below:

    First, “Happy New Year 2019” – This dove somehow jumped out of my hand, into my PhotoShop digital paint brush, and onto this blog! Maybe it is representing a bright new yea.

    Now the question: Do cows keep secrets? Heather knows I love cows – maybe even better than I love puppies. Any way, she sent me, for Christmas, a framed photo of my (our) Cardigan Corgi Dyna (Dyna passed away 2 years ago at age 17) and a book titled “The Secret Life of Cows” by Rosamund Young.  Yo, that is a nice Daughter.

    I know cows have secret lives. Each cow has secrets hidden in their head that drives them to be different from every other cow. – Those secrets drive them – Goofy followed me around like a puppy,  number 703, only left other cows eat after she took exactly 3 bites of grain, 708 could jump a fence higher than the Texas deer but she only did it when she felt the urge to visit her son or daughter in a neighboring pasture, and my cow stories go on and on. So, I am anxious to read the book and see what Rosamund has to tell me about her cows.  Maybe you will get a copy and read of cows too, as you sit by the fire up north,  or by the air conditioner here in Florida.
    Dyna lived and worked with me on our Texas ranch for about 9 years – after that she lived with Heather and her family in N.J. – That is why Heather gave her son Charlie and me each a copy of this photograph of Dyna laying in field of yellow flowers.
    With the cow book and the dog in the field of yellow flowers, I was prompted to go to PhotoShop and paint this cow in Dyna’s yellow field.  Since, I owned and worked with cows for nearly 35 years of my life, I might have to try it again this summer.
    Oh my, as you swing through life, routinely, go outside, only after you fulfilled your commitments, laughing all the way.  Smile the next time you see a cow.

     

     

     

  • December 23, 2018 – Oh my – Go to the mall, the restaurant, the post-office, go anywhere and you see cell phone love happening.

    December 23, 2018 – Oh my – Go to the mall, the restaurant, the post-office, go anywhere and you see cell phone love happening.

    I so respect the great photographers in our TGO Photo Club – they devote so much time enjoying the outdoors and nature, often getting shots of nature that many folks never even see.  They use very fine quality lenses and cameras and they are experts at using them.   Their  results are remarkable.  Click on the TGO Photo Club Page, in the left column, to see Dave Cesari’s new posting of unique owl photographs.

    Dave prompted me to research the great horned owl.  I found this on the internet:

    “During the years 1933-1936 FREDERICK M. BAUMGARTNER was engaged in a study of the Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) for his doctor’s thesis at Cornell University. The following selections, from the thesis, presents an account of their courtship. 

    On bright moonlight nights the hooting of the horned owls begins.  Then on a clear night several birds can be distinguished, calling back and forth steadily for a few hours after dusk and again toward morning.  the period when the males are hooting vigorously lasts for a month or six weeks. On the other hand the answering calls of the females are heard for only a week or two, toward the end of the six-week period. This period began in late November and lasted until about the first of January.

    The most important function of hooting is to attract a mate. During the mating season the challenging, deep, rich tones of the males are occasionally interspersed with the higher and huskier notes of the females.

    At the time of mating, the nodding and bowing of the birds became quite violent for a period and then they quieted down and went through many repetitions of a billing and cooing performance. Finally the female crouched down on the limb and the male mounted her back in the fashion of a barn-yard fowl.”

    NOW MY STORY:  The love happening is – everyone is in love with their phone – I did a count the other day at the mall and one time I looked up from my phone and saw 100% of the people were walking talking, sitting reading, or they were standing photographing the Christmas tree –  all with their phone!

    Winter Solstice this year was on Dec 21, 2018. Both moonrise and sunset were visible at the same time. Our photo club celebrated by going to a boat ramp nearby:  setting up cameras, playing some primitive musical instruments, and visiting.

    I am not a great photographer, but, I sure enjoy my iPhone shots and of course my PhotoShop fake news:

    Winter Solstice 2018 the moon rises to the east
    Winter Solstice 2018 the sun sets to the west

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Two days later Dec 23, 2018 the sun rises to the east over a cold misty lake behind my house.
    Winter Solstice 2018 – music partners standing in front of the sunset
    Winter Solstice 2018 – the music organizer standing in front of the rising moon

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Dec 23, 2018 – From my driveway the rocket lifts off – things to notice – no winds aloft left straight contrail – see neighbors all standing in their driveways.

    NOW FOR SOME FAKE NEWS AND  PHOTOSHOP FUN:

    Arranged so that I could truly see both moon rise and sunset at the same time
    Or have the musicians with both the moon and sunset in their background
    If they are together, why not have them throw kisses to each other
    Oh my – as you swing thru life enjoy the Great Outdoors and your phone camera, and enjoy your friends by sharing the result
  • December 18, 2018 – It is almost time to say Merry Christmas and a Big Hug to you! – Can I hug you on the internet? Or on my cell phone? Oh my , read on.

    December 18, 2018 – It is almost time to say Merry Christmas and a Big Hug to you! – Can I hug you on the internet? Or on my cell phone? Oh my , read on.

    A good friend, yesterday, commented to me that my trip to Winter Gardens Florida to have lunch with a cousin of Gloria’s, was like traveling to the Soo for lunch.

    Could be seen as winter’s garden on Drummond

    Just last week she had lunch with her relatives in the Soo.

    Could be seen in Winter Garden Florida

     

     

    The Winter Gardens trip and the Soo trip are each a 120 mile round-trip. (For a UP’er the Soo is Sault St Marie). If you not know it Sault is pronounced “Soo” – If you are not sure about UP’er – that is a person who lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan – And if you do not know where that is, it is on the north side of the Mackinac Bridge – Pronounced “Mackinaw Bridge” – That has almost nothing to do with travel and I do want travel to be the topic of my story because:

    Travel has been my life – I seldom spent a day without going somewhere – from growing up and walking behind  a team of horses while harrowing from one end of the wheat field to the other end; to taking the commuter train to work in New York City; to chasing after cattle on horse back on a small 150 acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country; to bi-weekly overseas flights to work in  Copenhagen, Denmark.  

    Rush hour in our Country Couch RV

    Then when I retired I travelled a lot – became an RV’er plus lived on two different Islands requiring ferry travel for most shopping trips.

    Drummond Island Ferry – Rush hour to the Soo

     Yes, say I to you – travel has been my life when I was young that is. I have never feared it,  and I have enjoyed almost all of it.

    But now that I am old, something has changed – I bet part of the change is me, but not all of it – “No Tess”, traveling Route i4 through Orlando to Winter Garden is not like taking the ferry off Drummond Island and driving 60 miles to the Soo. 

    The rush hour heading for Winter Gardens, Florida
    The rush hour – heading for Soo, Michigan

     

     

     

     

     

    Did you know 54 Million Americans traveled during Thanksgiving this year?  And, this Christmas season, the morning news is full of travel fear – do’s and don’ts about travel – every thing from about how to lock up your house when you leave;  to how to not touch germy things; to how to sit where someone else’s coughed germs will not land on you (they travel 12 feet);

    Germs lurking everywhere and even  flying 12 feet to get you – Yipes

    to where to sit so that the air conditioned air will not carry germs to you:  to how much water to drink so that you skin stays tight and wont let germs in; to being careful about peeing – avoiding germs in the public bathroom – (No, men, you can not just go behind that bush in the center garden in the airport lobby) ….. the list of travel do’s and don’ts is long.  So, I think travel has changed and I know I have changed – put those two together, I been a thinkin’ :                                              

    Rather than travel with millions of Americans this Christmas –

    NATURE TRAIL IN FLORIDA

    I’ll take a walk on the nature trail, won’t worry about any germs when I hug a tree and am confident that the birds and gators do not have germs that jump on me.  Then I will go home, and just to be safe I will douse my hands in Purell, and toss down a stiff drink, to protect my mouth from germs of course – then enjoy Christmas Dinner at home. I will get on the phone (my cell phone that only I touch) and have a long visit with my family – one-on-one, and we may even  turn on the videophone so that we can actually see each other.   My family is not prone to fights but I just heard today that some families actually have fights. With the magic of cell phones I bet there are fewer family fights – the worst that can happen is a “hang up.”

    Now the conclusion –  If my message convinced you and 54,999,999 other people to stay home and enjoy the use of the cell phone,  I will hop on a plane and travel once again to give my family a Big Hug – so far that hugging thing can not be done on the cell phone.

     

    Oh my – as you swing thru life find a way to enjoy your family – letters, phones, or travel – & tell them you are hugging them even if travel has changed too much for you.

     

  • December 10, 2018 – “Good Grief” – Can Grief be good?

    T’is the season to be Jolly.  Think I should write about phrase’s of the season like – “Ho Ho Ho” – “Merry Christmas”,  – “Warmest wishes” – “Peace on Earth.” – But, “Good Grief Charlie Brown” is the season’s phrase that caught my attention. 

    “Good Grief”, triggered some interesting internet research and I decided to tell you what I found.

    My research turned up lots of invented phrases with invented words in addition to Good Grief  – “Holy cow,  holy mackerel , my gosh, darn, gee wiz, gosh darnit, gee whillikers, the good book,  holy cats, and the list went on”.  Oh my Gosh, where do these words come from – are they really words? – Some of my research says “blame it on the kids”

    Many religions have renounced the Christian’s use of mean and violent words. Parents told kids that “swearing” at a person in anger was unacceptable. 

    Maybe “Good Gosh”

    Some parents said that oath-taking is unnecessary. You must tell the truth without swearing about it. Swearing on the bible to tell the truth was just another way of taking the name of the lord in vain.  That is unacceptable. So, you see, kids had to be careful with their choice of words. Using “dirty words” to express themselves and still live within the parental rules is the reason kids invented  new words.

    For example, Gosh has no literal meaning. It’s a euphemism, which means it’s a word that is used instead of a taboo word.  In this case the taboo word is God when used this way:  Gosh Darnit.

    Found on the internet: Gee Whiz comes from Dia uas (pronounced “jee-a ooas”), Irish for “Great God!”   –  “Holy Mackerel!” This actually comes from the Irish Mac ríúil (royal son, “son royal.”). It’s just a euphemism for “Holy Jesus!” — not a fish!

     More from the internet: Dia is the Irish word for God. Holy Gee literally just means “Holy God” and was probably considered a lighter way to say this, just like “Gosh darnit” or “Dag nabbit” avoids a serious curse which is technically a sin in Christianity.

    Still more from the internet:  Holy Cow  has nothing to do with Hinduism and comes 100% from Irish American slang — like a lot of other “Holy” expressions.

    Holy cow is an anglicized version of Holy “cáthu” (pronounced more or less like “cow” in Irish Gaelic). Cáthu means “sorrow.” It was a slang expression on the streets of Irish Brooklyn, Boston, and Chicago back around 1900…. It has literally nothing to do with cows! 

    When one knows that the word “good” used to also have the meaning of “holy” (this meaning is preserved in expressions such as “the Good Book” or “Good Friday”) , one can plainly see that “Holy cow” readily translates into Charlie Brown’s favorite expression, “Good grief !” ( My note to you: Did you get the meaning of that last sentence? I did not plainly see the relationship of Holy cow and “Good Grief.”)

    Ever onward: Can grief really be good?  Experts say when bad things happen, grief is good for the recovery.  They say you should let yourself grieve in your own way and time.  However,  my research found no tie between grieving over a loss and the phrase “Good Grief”

    I did find that,  Good grief !” is a minced oath – that is, a softened form of another exclamation that might be deemed blasphemous. In this case, the other exclamation is “Good God!”  But “Grief” –   The only relevant feature of the word “grief” that I could find for this phrase is it’s initial G.  Good Grief, I was looking for a much more definitive answer for the source of “Good Grief.”

    Anyway, sure hope you enjoyed some of my findings. With my internet research being completed for now, I can say to you – “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year”

    “Good Happy”,  as you swing through life be happy and kind – and keep inventing kind words – maybe the phrase “Good Happy” will be posted on the internet sometime.

     

  • December 4, 2018 -Oh my, today I have a question – “In death can a great person help you have a better more enjoyable life?”

    December 4, 2018 -Oh my, today I have a question – “In death can a great person help you have a better more enjoyable life?”

    Make sure you click the TGO Photo Club Photos in the left column – Dave Cesari posted some great photos – “Snow and a story of the Northern Shrike.”

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    “My story which was prompted by the TV coverage of the celebration of H W’s life.

    The legacy of George H W Bush set me to thinking – What a nice person!!  And in addition,  he seemed so happy and satisfied. Having lived 15 years in Texas after H W was president  I consider him  part of my life – George H W was one of my mentors – of course he did not know that and I am sorry for that – I would have  liked to say “thanks” to him in person.

     How does an ex-President continue with a happy life after the presidency?  No access to Air force one, no demanding schedule, but still not a normal citizen. Security everywhere you go, some media following you, folks wanting to see what you are doing – tough to get privacy.

    When I walk into a cafe’ for a cup of coffee no one notices – when a Bush, Clinton, or Obama walks into that cafe’ everyone takes notice. When I wake up in the morning, I make a cup of coffee, and my daily demands are pretty much as they were for years, but for an ex-president it must appear like a “nothing” day in front of them. Even the demands required to design and build a presidential library must be small compared to meeting with the head of a hostile nation before flying on Air Force One across the country to speak at a political rally before flying back to DC to meet with Senate Leaders on gun control legislation after handling hundreds of other things brought to you by your staff. Now that is not a “nothing” day.

    Anyway, George’s legacy got me going to the internet to search out two subjects – 1. What life style makes for a happy satisfied life?  and 2. What do ex-presidents do all day long?

    Here is a list of 10 things to do for a good life style – After watching on TV the celebration of George’s life, I think the Bush’s must have read this list:

    1. Have a daily routine

    2.  Do hours of learning for the joy of learning

    Exercise, nature, challenge for sure

    3.  Do hours of outside activities that offer exercise, nature, challenge 

    4.  Fulfill daily commitments -To friends, family, community

    5.  Be tranquil by seeing the full half, telling the truth, speaking precisely

    6.  Select media for enjoyment, dance to music – If only in your mind

    7.  Eat well – Vegetables, fruit, protein, cheese, wine

    8.  Drink water often

    9.  Make people laugh. Choose people who laugh with you.

    10  Be kind, accept others for you know not of their reasons

    Now what do ex-Presidents do after the daily demands of that office. I found this list on the internet:

    Presidents’ Occupations

    President Major Jobs Before the Presidency Jobs After the Presidency
    George Washington surveyor, planter, general of the Army of the United Colonies planter, lieutenant-general of all the U.S. armies
    John Adams schoolteacher, lawyer, diplomat, vice president under Washington writer
    Thomas Jefferson writer, inventor, lawyer, architect, governor of Virginia, secretary of state under Washington, vice president under Adams writer, gentleman farmer, rector at the University of Virginia
    James Madison lawyer, political theorist, U.S. congressman, secretary of state under Jefferson rector at the University of Virginia
    James Monroe soldier, lawyer, U.S. senator, governor of Virginia writer, regent at the University of Virginia
    John Quincy Adams lawyer, diplomat, professor, U.S. senator, secretary of state under Monroe U.S. representative from Massachusetts
    Andrew Jackson soldier, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator, governor of Florida gentleman farmer
    Martin Van Buren lawyer, U.S. senator, governor of New York, vice president under Jackson activist for Free Soil Party
    William Henry Harrison soldier, diplomat, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator from Ohio died in office
    John Tyler lawyer, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator, vice president under Harrison lawyer, chancellor of the College of William and Mary, member of the Confederate House of Representatives
    James Knox Polk lawyer, U.S. congressman, governor of Tennessee died 103 days after leaving office
    Zachary Taylor soldier died in office
    Millard Fillmore lawyer, U.S. congressman, vice president under Taylor rogue political activist, chancellor of the University of Buffalo
    Franklin Pierce lawyer, soldier, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator from New Hampshire gentleman farmer
    James Buchanan lawyer, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator, U.S. secretary of state writer
    Abraham Lincoln postmaster, lawyer, U.S. congressman from Illinois died in office
    Andrew Johnson tailor, U.S. congressman, governor of Tennessee, U.S. senator from Tennessee, vice president under Lincoln U.S. senator from Tennessee
    Ulysses Simpson Grant U.S. Army general political activist, writer
    Rutherford Birchard Hayes lawyer, soldier, U.S. congressman, governor of Ohio education activist, president of the National Prison Reform Association
    James Abram Garfield schoolteacher, soldier, U.S. representative from Ohio died in office
    Chester Alan Arthur schoolteacher, lawyer, tariff collector, vice president under Garfield lawyer
    Grover Cleveland sheriff, lawyer, mayor, governor of New York reelected president
    Benjamin Harrison lawyer, soldier, journalist, U.S. senator from Indiana lawyer, lecturer
    William McKinley soldier, lawyer, U.S. congressman, governor of Ohio died in office
    Theodore Roosevelt rancher, soldier, governor of New York, vice president under McKinley hunter, writer
    William Howard Taft lawyer, judge, dean of the University of Cincinnati Law School, U.S. secretary of war professor, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
    Woodrow Wilson lawyer, professor, president of Princeton University, governor of New Jersey retired in poor health
    Warren Gamaliel Harding newspaper editor, U.S. senator from Ohio died in office
    Calvin Coolidge lawyer, governor of Massachusetts, vice president under Harding writer, president of the American Antiquarian Society
    Herbert Clark Hoover engineer, U.S. secretary of commerce chair of the Hoover Commission on administrative reform
    Franklin Delano Roosevelt lawyer, governor of New York died in office
    Harry S. Truman farmer, soldier, haberdasher, judge, U.S. senator, vice president under Roosevelt writer
    Dwight David Eisenhower supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe, U.S. Army chief of staff writer
    John Fitzgerald Kennedy journalist, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator from Massachusetts died in office
    Lyndon Baines Johnson schoolteacher, soldier, congressman, U.S. senator from Texas, vice president under Kennedy rancher, writer
    Richard Milhous Nixon lawyer, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator, vice president under Eisenhower writer
    Gerald Rudolph Ford lawyer, U.S. congressman, vice president under Nixon writer
    James Earl Carter, Jr. peanut farmer, governor of Georgia writer, humanitarian, Nobel-prize winning statesman
    Ronald Wilson Reagan movie actor, corporate spokesman, governor of California writer
    George Herbert Walker Bush oil executive, U.S. congressman, U.S. ambassador to the UN, Director of CIA, vice president under Reagan private citizen; teamed with President Clinton to form tsunami and Hurricane Katrina aid funds
    William Jefferson Clinton lawyer, governor of Arkansas writer, independent ambassador; teamed with President G.H.W. Bush to form tsunami and Hurricane Katrina aid funds
    George Walker Bush oil executive, sport team owner, governor of Texas public speaker; written a book about his life entitled Decision Points
    Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. community organizer, civil rights lawyer, constitutional law professor, Illinois state senator, U.S. senator —

    I noticed a good many ex-presidents were writers and had outdoor activities. We know George W took up art.

    You see, I wrote all that just so I could show you some of my digital art in process. I try to learn to do digital art as I learn to write.  Then I must learn to put it all together into this blog. Oh my, sure hope you can put up with me during my learning.

    First I create a story in my mind, then I compose a picture to support the story, then I paint that picture. After scanning the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog, I got several story ideas in my mind. Here are two compositions I created – I still have to throw these compositions away and learn to digitally paint them from memory. The story comes later.

    Directly from Neiman Marcus catalog
    Never shop alone – I know one gets quality products at Neiman Marcus – but I also know it takes dollars – so I thought of this – I will study it later and then attempt to paint it with a PhotoShop digital paintbrush
    I had to make this one – I love cows and working with them – every fairground where I showed my cows had a cow plop board – you lead your cow up and down the path while spectators bet on which number the cow would plop on – so I saw the iPhone in her hand and I wondered if young farm boys today may be leading their cows while the spectators were betting with their iPhone?
    Oh my, as you swing through life be happy and kind – you can see on TV how other great people did it but in the end you must do it your way! That is my answer to my lead-off question.
  • November 27, 2018 – Are your friends “Theory-of-Mind” individuals? Read on, I will explain.

    November 27, 2018 – Are your friends “Theory-of-Mind” individuals? Read on, I will explain.

    Before reading my story on friends and theory-of- mind, click on the TGO Photo Club page in the left column, Dave Cesari has a story on the Sharp-shinned Hawk.

    My Story : Animals are my friends.

    Yep, that is what I said – Do not take from that statement that I prefer animal friends to human friends – It is far from that.  Without my human friends there would be no life for me.

    But, having animal friends is like traveling to the ski slopes.  It is an activity enjoyed. Owning, feeding, cleaning, petting, and training my animal friends is an activity that has been central to my whole life. Due to brittle bones of old age, I have given up skiing, but I have not given up on animals. I will continue to own and train animals.

    See the difference between human and animal friends.  I do not own and will not train  my human friends – Rather, my human friends and I have a mutual sharing of mind and soul which defines our lives together.

    Maybe animals are a little like our human babies which fully depend on us for care and learning.

    Babies, like animals, have not yet picked up the “theory of mind” – which is the theory that “Not all knowledge is universal”,

    If you hide a toy from a 2-year-old and they see you hide it, they assume everyone knows where the toy is and they assume it will always be there – they do not think about you removing it when they are not looking.  By three years of age, our babies realize that just because they know something it does not mean everyone else knows it.  From that realization, they begin to form judgements and opinions. At that stage my children began to become my human friends, sharing mind and soul.

    My animal friends, on the other hand,  never reached that state.  We do not share mind and soul. We enjoy a lopsided relationship where I own them,  keep them safe and happy, and train them to do as I say.  I have enjoyed that relationship with chickens, rabbits, cats, dogs, cows, horses, ponies, sheep, emus  llamas, parakeets, gerbils, turtles, snakes, lizards, or others I can not remember.

    Three of my dogs friends – each with its native DNA excelled at and loved being trained to work. -Newfy, Sooka, and Dynamite.

    I was thinking back over the years, instead of taking a skiing trip to the Rocky’s or what other activity that I did not do – I spent hours each day training animals.

    Perla, my horse friend for example, learned that a finger pointed at her chest told her she must back up, or a wave of two arms told her to get up on the box in the field, and the list goes on. 

    At six, I was training chickens to enter the coop when I walked into their yard at dusk so that they would be protected from raccoons and weasels that would be out seeking dinner that night.

    House, Barns, and Chicken Coop, where at 6 years old ,I was given responsibilities caring for and training chickens.

    Mostly I like working with dogs – I think they almost approach “theory of mind”. I had great working dogs that learned to compete in the Show-Ring and won top awards, they knew how to control cattle in the field, they knew how to pull wagons loaded with my children and their friends, and they could pick out a nut that I rubbed my hand scent on and then threw it into thousands of nuts under the Live Oak tree on my ranch in Texas. The instruction to Laverne, the  Papillon, was “Get the nut you nut.” She would return with it and I would laugh, clap hands. jump up and down – she was glad she could make me so happy and would beg to do it again.

    All of this training sure gave me a sense of success – made me happy. The biggest success I had was to have happy animals. Even without the theory-of-mind, I am convinced that animals have emotions. I am sure  my cows, horses, and dogs truly enjoyed our training sessions – they laughed with me and they loved to know “Yea, I got it”.  As they returned to their pasture, entered the barn, or sat on the front porch they were happier for their “Yea, I got it” sessions.

    Here the training is not showing the horse how to enter the trailer – it knows how to do that – it is training the horse to trust you – trust you that there is not a bear in there ready to eat her..
    Here I think the horse is happy to see me laugh – I think animals truly love to hear their “owner” laugh and set a happy tone.
    Oh my, I got it. He wants me to get on this box. If that makes him happy – I will do it.
    Sure hope two feet are enough for him.
    For herd members, touching is comfort.
    In training a horse – First is trust, second is happiness, and third is the act of herd member touching.

    Here are some benefits of a well trained animal:

    Do not hurt the turtle. Dyna knows that is what I want and the turtle is safe from hassle.
    Wait there while I open the gate.
    Give the young girl a ride.
    No one gets hurt during a hoof trimming session.
    Riding in a parade gives spectators joy

    Now, I practice digital art with PhotoShop. I train PhotoShop to do what I want – I think training animals is easier – but I will show you some PhotoShop art I made:

    Texas ranch armadillo
    “To Greener Pastures” – Not sure where this idea came from.
    Pretty Kitty – Owned by Heather, one of my human friends.
    Oh my, as you swing through life – think of all your friends – human and animal – and say thanks for them all!

     

  • November 19, 2018 – (Note – Pat Mahon added to the Photo Club page.) At my age, finding something new to learn is so easy. Yes, I know, I knew it before – but I forgot – so now I learned it again as if it was a brand new experience.

    November 19, 2018 – (Note – Pat Mahon added to the Photo Club page.) At my age, finding something new to learn is so easy. Yes, I know, I knew it before – but I forgot – so now I learned it again as if it was a brand new experience.

    Before I talk about learning – click TGO Photo Club pages in the left column and see a beautiful Georgia mountain color scene by Pat Mahon,

    THEN READ MY LEARNING STORY:

    Think about learning.  Send me your quote – If you do not have one, search the internet to find some, then make up you own.

    Here are a few I found. The one I made up is the title to this page – ” At my age, finding something new to learn is so easy. – Jim Brubaker

    “Learn as if you were to live forever.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

    “The day we stop learning is the day we die.” ― Michael Scott

    “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned.” – Albert Einstein

    “Improve quality of life and make those around us a bit more happy by leading a vigorous life, keep on learning every day you live,  ………” –  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 

    At the last Photo Club meeting I suggested that one way to become a better photographer was to study photos in the many Christmas catalogs we receive this time of year – study their use of composition, color, and tone – these photos were taken by experienced (high paid) photographers – someone to learn from.

    I try to study (learn something new) each morning  – I study photographs and test what I see when I change them with Photoshop. I see the effect of taking away an element of composition, color, or tone and I learn to use some of the extreme complexities of PhotoShop.

    My last blog talked of my experience with the Neiman Marcus catalog – page 208. Here are some more results of my playing around (learning around) with PhotoShop each morning with my own computerized classroom. I study the elements of the photos of “expert photographers”,  then using what I learn, I create my own photo-based images of my experiences and my familie’s activities.

     

    Cow #207203 from my Texas ranch. i did not name my cows – I Gave  them a number – month and year of birth  plus month and year of birth of their Mom & sequence number if needed.
    Icelandic Northern Lights – with Perla, the Icelandic horse, watching
    Let’s rodeo in Stonewall, Texas
    From my son and daughter-in-law – with Harley (or whatever brand) and antique motorcycle (a horse)
    Cartoon of man laughing
    Man laughing –  turned into cat laughing via PhotoShop
    Oh my, as you swing through life maybe you can set aside a little learning time each day – then smile at how many new things you can find to learn about.

     

     

  • November 14, 2018 -ROFL means Rolling on floor laughing – How ’bout LOL, LQTM, and LMHO. Read on, I will tell you.

    November 14, 2018 -ROFL means Rolling on floor laughing – How ’bout LOL, LQTM, and LMHO. Read on, I will tell you.

     

    I went to the internet and looked up the health of laughter.  “helpguide.org” came up as a source:

    “Laughter is the Best Medicine

    Women Laughing Together

    Sure, it’s fun to share a good laugh. But did you know it can actually improve your health? It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent. By seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, though, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.”

    —–How did I ever get to writing to you about laughter? Well, here is how:

    My first drawing at the dealership – ROFL

    Monday I had to drive my car 50 miles to the dealership where it gets  free service of oil, grease,  etc. Well it is not free – nothing is free at the Audi dealership – but shall we say it was “pre-prepaid.”  I listened to Sirius all the way – always like to catch  Joel Osteen’s sermons.  I make sure to catch the first  few minutes of his sermons – ’cause he tells a joke that relates to the message of his sermon.

    For example:

    Dyna – my dog ROFL

    The scene: Man walked up to the country store where a young boy  was sitting on a bench. Nice big dog sitting beside the boy.

    Man: “Does your dog bite?”

    Boy: “No, he is very gentle.”

    Man: Reaches down to pet the dog saying “Pretty dog”

    Dog: Growls,  jumps up and takes a bite of the man’s arm.

    Man: “I thought you said your dog was gentle and does not bite!”

    Boy: “Ain’t my dog.”

    —–The message of the sermon had to do with asking God the right question –

    —- Anyway, sometimes I like to tell jokes of my own:

    I was riding along on my bike and saw a 10 foot gator laying by the lake. I stopped to take a photo and along came women in her car – She stopped the car and walked over to see what I was photographing.

    I said to her – “You know something? I never talked to anyone who petted an alligator.”

    The women said “Me neither” and started walking to the car. Halfway there she started laughing – I thought she would roll in the grass laughing.  Sometimes my jokes are subtle and require a little thinking time.

    Not me – but close enough – ROFL

    Next day I was riding along on my bike again. I ran into, Bob, the leader of out “Writing Club.” I told him of the 50 mile ride to the dealership and back. I told him of the joy I got from the sessions with Joel.

    Bob hardly acknowledge my Joel story. He just started writing – no, I mean – telling me his story:

    Bob said, in church on Sunday the preacher was about to start his sermon. The preacher looked out over the parishioners and ask the question: “Who wants to go to Heaven?” and he paused while every hand went up, reaching for the Heavens.  Then he finished the sentence, “today?” You can guess what happened to the hands of the  parishioners.

    Peanuts the cat ROFL

    Thanks Bob.  You made me laugh and I got to tell your story at least 5 times – and got to laugh with a 5 friends – well, only 4 friends ’cause I forgot and told the same joke to one friend two times.

    Oh, while at the dealership waiting for the car, I studied and practiced with the “drawing” software on my iPad.  Of course, the image of the “gator” woman almost rolling in laughter was on my mind.  So I practiced having people and animals rolling with laughter. That is where the little sketches of ROFL came from.

    Perla my horse laughing – ROFL.

    Oh my, by the way did you know that your Grandchildren write in shorthand?  For example:

    ROFL means Rolling on floor laughing.

    LOL means Laugh out loud.

    LOLZ means more than one laugh.

    LQTM means laughing quietly to myself.

    LMHO means laughing my head off.

    HAHA and

    goes without saying.

    There are others that use language we older folks prefer not to use.

    Oh my, as you swing through life, laugh as you pass a friend – do it on the way down as well as on the way up.

     

  • November 10, 2018 – Why? There was a music group called “Why” – I wonder Why? – Do you wonder why I wrote that? Read on.

    November 10, 2018 – Why? There was a music group called “Why” – I wonder Why? – Do you wonder why I wrote that? Read on.

    I went to the internet and looked up “WHY” – dictionary.com had as it’s first line : “adverb – for what? for what reason, cause, or purpose?: “Why did you behave so badly?”

    That is a rather negative example of the use of the word “Why”.  It would be better to say “Why do I always smile when I see you?”
    Anyway, onward with the word why. In my years of engineering study and teaching at the university, “why” was key.
    Before an engineer can design and build a new thing, the engineer needs to have answers to a lot of “Why’s”.  In designing a new engine, a new rocket, or a new management organization the engineer needs to know why metals behave the way the do, why a propellent responds to pressure and heat the way it does, or why humans respond to organizational motivations the way they do.  Organizational engineering was my field in the university and in my working years. 
    But now in retirement, I get to play. I get to study something an old fashioned engineer like me knows nothing about – I can study ART.  
    As I sit here in my library I must have 800-1000 books. Most of the books have a cover designed to be appealing to the purchaser. An artist designed them. I counted in my house more than a dozen pictures on the walls – selected to enhance the decoration of the home.
    So, why is the art on a book cover appealing.  Why does that picture enhance the decoration of my home?  I have almost no idea. But the question controls the way I look at & study things.
    Neiman Marcus page 208 – “The Christmas BOOK”
    I looked and studied  page 208 of Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog and saw this this $1,500 mixer. With unlimited dollars to spend on a photographer – I am sure the photographer was one of the best in the world – why did the photographer lay out the photograph exactly that way? Why are the relational elements of the photo worthy of filling up page 208? You see, I have many “Why’s” about each picture I see.
    Why are the bones angled to the dog, why the weak colored powder in the lower left, why the vertical lines in the window pane at the top of the photo, why a dark colored dog, why the silver bowl, why the dog looking into the bowl, why the position of the dogs head at the quadrant, why the angle of the mixer, and on and on my “why’s” go on.
    Guess what – I tried to use Perla instead of the dog and made a piece of art using many of relational elements of the Neiman Marcus photo on page 208. During my five hour study I positioned the hay bale many different places – I changed the brightness of the hay bale by Perla’s nose, I changed the angle of the tractor, I changed the vertical tree line at the top of the photo, I blurred the back ground, played with contrast colors on Perla’s nose, the color tone on the jeans, I changed the spilled grain, on and on go the things I tried – often using page 208 as my guide saying to myself “Why did the Neiman Marcus photographer do each element that way?”
    Jim’s art -” Perla at her Neiman Marcus Christmas”

    As I said – I know little of art, but I sure had fun playing around for five hours – Hope you enjoyed seeing Perla’s Christmas  gift. Hope you find 5 hours to play around with a photograph someday.

    Oh my, as you swing through all the junk mail you get this Christmas season & before you throw it away – study the art on it –  then go make some art of your own – even if it is only a doodle while sipping your morning coffee!
  • November 4, 2018 – “I CHALLENGE YOU” – Oh my! – In fact I dare you to take on the challenge. Read on!

    November 4, 2018 – “I CHALLENGE YOU” – Oh my! – In fact I dare you to take on the challenge. Read on!

    Before my story – Dave is a great chapter in the TGO book – Click the Photo Page to see his new posting of woodpeckers and more.

    My challenge to all you photographers is to figure out how to photograph the invisible.  Oh my, read on and I hope it will all makes sense to you.

    The Great Outdoors

    We have 100’s of photos that show off our wonderful community called The Great Outdoors (TGO).  The TGO Photo Club is taking on an awesome challenge – Select 14 photos from these 100’s that show why TGO is our paradise in Florida.  I say “in-Florida” because most of us have a “come-from” home and life elsewhere.

    When we set up this Photo Club photo project we identified 3 areas that make our TGO great: Abundant nature, Beautiful 18 hole golf course, and a Special life style. These three are visible – but later on in this article I will be talking about the invisible.

    The Great Outdoors

    VISIBLE:  Our TGO paradise is visible to our camera.  We Photo Club members share photos of sunsets against the church steeple, sun rising over our golf course or one of our dozens of lakes, and the list goes on.

    The Great Outdoors

    The photos show deer, birds, a bird “showering” under a fountain, bobcats, nature trails, flowers, and the list goes on. The photos show our tennis courts, our motor homes, people biking, our

    Florida homes with swimming pools, folks at bingo and card games, exercise classes, watching performances with resident actors, visiting at “Doggy-Park”,

    The Great Outdoors

    sitting at dinner in our Blue Heron restaurant, laughing in the bar at happy hour, and the list goes on.

    The Great Outdoors

    The photos show our folks entering our church, our tennis courts, our swimming pools, our roads –

    The Great Outdoors
    The Great Outdoors

    safe for walking-biking-dog walking, neighborhood parties, our security gate, the Christmas parade, the Thanksgiving pumpkin decorations, and the list goes on.

    The Great Outdoors

    This is the visible part of the greatness of TGO – this is the tangible stuff our camera sees and your photographs show very well why TGO is great.

     

     

    INVISIBLE: Now the invisible  part of TGO – how can you show, with your cameras, that TGO’s residents – it’s people – is what makes TGO great?  We are a melting pot of people – each with a life story.  All those different stories of life make every day a real joy.  Every encounter with a neighbor is like reading the next chapter of  a best-selling book on life.  These neighbors are far better than the many 100’s of  books I have in my physical and digital libraries. 

    Every encounter is an audio book of life.  The neighbor “tells” his/her story.  Just listen – it is a wonderful chapter. Their experience is unique – they done so much – so many things that are new to the listener.

    The Great Outdoors

    My neighbors are men and women who were:  motorcycle cops, train engineers, fighter pilots, medical evacuation helicopter pilots, prisoners of war, executives in foreign countries, senators, owners of used car auctions, junk dealers, bicycle store owners, kennel owners, heart surgeons, family doctors,  athletic team doctors, members of US Seal Team, workers in our national parks, those still recovering from a long ago tragic experience, those still celebrating a long ago accomplishment, retired military, college teachers, college presidents,

    The Great Outdoors

    owners of schools for children, factory workers, coal miners, business advisors to large corporations, firefighters, professional golfers, retired priests, married priests, national news reporters, even a Democrat or two (Ha, Ha), professional news photographers, professional bowlers, ministers, professional auto racers (one woman still doing rehab due to a  professional racing accident), professional actors, builders, trained horse show woman, people born and raised in Germany, people born and raised in Israel, people who converted religions, spiritual people with no formal religion, and the list goes on.

    Finally TGO people have become experts in new-found hobbies and are ready to tell you of it at the drop of a hat:

    The next chapter at the drop of a hat

    art, boating, kayaking, biking, bird photography, golfing, exercising/pumping iron, horsemanship, model plane flying, wood carving, writing, reading, singing, acting, dancing, and the list goes on.

    These TGO friends and neighbors are the new library of best sellers. Each is a chapter in the TGO book. They are all about the “Joy of Life in TGO”.  They are what really makes TGO great and makes our life here in TGO great.

    Ok, Photo Club members here is the challenge – make this TGO book –  this “Great People Book” – visible in the photographs you select for the office wall.

    Oh my, as you swing through TGO, enjoy the next audio chapter of you neighbor.