Happy New Year!

Out with the Old and In with the New!

A very Happy, Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year

to all my Blogging Friends!

Every Inchie Monday

The theme this week is NIGHT.  Well, I could just submit a black square but actually night time is rarely completely pitch black.  Our San Diego Bay at night is really very beautiful, so I attempted to  produce that in one square inch.  

San Diego Bay at Night

I even tried to include the phantom image of the Star of India (left corner). I have to admit to editing the color a little in this.  I originally did most of it with my silver pen, but it really doesn't produce a thin enough line Then I discovered I could produce a more yellowish silver, which I really like., and tends to give the buildings a moonlight glow.  Well, I can't get too ambitious inside one inch.

  Happy New Year!    

To see more  Inchies visit HERE for the links, and while you're at it why don't you consider joining us.  It is a fun project and requires only a little creativity to interpret the topic.  See you next week!                                                       

EVERY INCHIE MONDAY

(For ABC WED X  please see page below this)

Sorry I'm a little late with this, but I'm sure we all know why!  This week's theme was ANGEL and there she was sitting on my Christmas tree.

I actually have two of these little glass angels made of silver and glass beads with a round pink face (much prettier than I have given her!)  I put her on black paper and did the beads with the silver pen my sister introduced me to.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

To see more of these miniature creations done by other members of the team please click HERE And think about joining us in this simple but entertaining project. The new themes are already posted on the Inchie link.

X IS FOR...

How could I pass this up?  We caught it as we were passing through Las Vegas on our way from our son's wedding in Lake Powell in September.  So I have been saving this for just this  moment and how convenient since it is Christmas Day and I don't have to spend family time on the computer.

Hope you had a great Christmas.

Incidentally I never liked calling Christmas, Xmas, because I was reminded by my brother many times that X is the unknown factor.  I  believe Christ can be known and I for one know Him as do many other people.  But then I realized that the tall, long X stands for the Greek letter Xi or chai which is the first letter of Christos, the Greek word for Christ, so I don't make a big deal about it anymore.  (My brother was only trying to get my goat anyway -- and of course, I bit!)

This is my entry for ABC Wednesday which is rapidly drawing to a close.  Come join us HERE

MAY YOU HAVE A VERY BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Copyright: Chris Jones

   OUR GOD CONTRACTED TO A SPAN...

INCOMPREHENSIBLY MADE MAN!

....and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

(The ONLY reason for Christmas)

God bless you all my blogging friends.

W IS FOR ....

W is for....

WAILUA

Come with me as we take a short trip up the Wailua River to see the Fern Grotto, in Kauai.

First we board a large very stable looking boat on the river near the  Coconut Grove not far from Kapa'a.  There's my sister Kay, with the sunglasses, just above the B in the word BOAT.  Vicki's hat can be seen above Kay's head, Owen is behind Kay and Barry behind Owen.  (I'm taking the picture,)

The Wailua River is a calm and peaceful river so our motoring up to Fern Grotto (about half an hour) is very comfortable and we are given a description about what we are seeing.

Mostly it is jungle on both sides with high mountains in the background.  (Sorry the view of this didn't come out well enough to post).  On the way we pass paddle boarders and kayakers enjoying the peaceful river and lush scenery.

On the way, we pass a beautiful ancient settlement on the banks of the river.

After about half an hour we dock and disembark for a short trek through the jungle,        mostly bamboo in this stretch, with occasional clumps of the Ginger bloom among the rest of the greenery.

Eventually we reach a wooden deck with more ginger flowers surrounding and several awnings to keep off the showers or hot sun, whichever is the dominant weather at that moment.  Here we are told of the ancient associations at this grotto and then serenaded with Hawaian songs.  Unfortunately I couldn't easily get through the crowds to take a photo of the grotto itself and since I have seen it several times before didn't push my way through to the front to take photos.  Left that to my family and they haven't sent any copies yet.  Suffice it to say that the grotto is a shallow cave with many many ferns growing from the cliffs around it.  It is a favorite place for weddings Hawaian style.  Much of this area was devastated by Hurricane Iniki in the 90's and the ferns are just now beginning to grow back in good numbers.

We were once again serenaded with traditional Hawaian songs.  This talented trio then also entertained us all again as we returned  down the river from our adventurous trek to Fern Grotto on the WAILUA RIVER.

This is my entry for W for ABC Wednesday, that wonderfully successful project launched by Mrs. Nesbitt and capably continued by Roger Owen Green.  This is the eleventh round of the alphabet and we are expecting to begin the twelfth round in a couple of weeks, so why not join us in this educational and entertaining  weekly event . To see other intriguing entries  click HERE

Every Inchie Monday

This week's topic -- RAINBOW -- reminded me of a dear friend of ours who has now long gone to be with the Lord.

This friend had a very nice SUV-type van, which he had especially and professionally painted on either side with a huge rainbow and the words,

GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES.

You could see it around town somewhere any day of the week, and of course outside church on Sunday.  This was his way of reminding everyone of God's faithfulness.  

We will soon be at the beginning of a New Year.  Why don't you consider joining us?  It's quite simple.  It doesn't have to be drawn.  It can be a collage of paper clippings, beads or other small

items and best of all, it is only 1" square so it doesn't take forever to do.  Take a look at those which others have done by visiting HERE