What do you want for Christmas?

Sorry, I wasn't really asking you what you want.  I'm only writing about a question someone just asked me. 

How do you answer that question? When I thought about it I just said "nothing".  What I really want is happy and pleasant experiences with loved ones around for the holidays.  How do you box or wrap a "happy experience"? 

If I really need something, I'll just go buy it if I have the money.  If I don't have the money, oh well, I'll just appreciate what I already have.  We have plenty in the Western World we live in.  But we always want more.  Just because it's Christmas?  At the end, all these stuff own us. 

I feel blessed my kids and wife don't care much about "stuff".  We just like to be together and share happy moments.  And that's what I'm looking forward to this holiday season.

I'm not going to be the "Grinch" that stole Xmas.  Sure, I'll get a few gifts for the loved ones in my life.  But after all is said and done, what counts is the happy moments spent together.

Happy Holidays!

This is how to fix Congress

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the
best quotes about the debt ceiling:
 

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election".

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!

The people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year  or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

_*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*_

1. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social  Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!

If you agree with the above, pass it on.

A Sunday afternoon promenade in nature

It's a nice day. Why stay inside? Let's go for a walk...where it's pretty, in nature.








So we go off. Debbie and I, with Mama and Kelly, off the Oconee National Forest, "Pond 2A" first, then to our favorite spot, the rocks "by the creek". It's actually called...humm...little falls or something like that. Anyway, we call it "the rocks by the creek".


We saw a lot of birds, including 7 Wild Turkeys. Wish I had a gun with me, I could shoot one for Thanksgiving coming up. Just kidding! We also saw a few ducks and a couple of beavers.



The leaves were changing colors all over, and it was just...pretty.  You've got to see it to appreciate it.

Isn't it just amazing how the simple pleasures of life with loved ones are so fulfilling? There we were, taking a ride with stops in the forest and having so much fun. If you remember, this is the same forest where we like to go camp. It's a big forest, full of fun and adventures.

 Turkeys are just...well, turkeys, stupid.  They were just staying in the road.  Maybe they knew this was not turkey season.  What if we didn't know and we had a bow and arrows! They were so close.  OK, we were not there to harm nature but to enjoy it, and we enjoyed seeing them.  sigh...just thinking of Thanksgiving, you know.

Grayton Beach State Park

Have you noticed anything about this beach? Hardly anyone else...except for the shorebirds.
This beach has the prettiest white sand you'll want on a beach, and the colors of the water are just beautiful.  Hues of green and blue.

Debbie and Connie made the artwork in the sand.  Nice work!
The seats in the background are ours.  At times, we feel we have the place just to ourselves.  That's where the adults become kids again and play in the sand.

Debbie and Connie in the Ocean.
We had a great time!  Pleasant weather, hardly anyone on the beach, nice and very reasonable accommodation, very clean surroundings (owned and maintained by the State).
I hope I didn't tell you where this place is located.  It's a "family and close friends" secret.  If you figure it out...pssst, don't tell anyone.  We don't want this pretty beach to get crowded.  Keep it quiet.

Birdwatching with a group.

Have you ever gone birding with a group before?

"Birding" is what "birders" do when they go out into the birds natural habitats to watch and observe birds, usually seeing a lot more birds than in a backyard. Birders typically have better equipments and are more experienced. We tend to keep a journal of our birding experience and a list of birds we see.


Well, this is how a birders group looks like as you can see in these pictures.

Debbie and I belong to the local Audubon Society and from time to time (once a month usually) we go birding with them. With more eyes and ears, and more experience as a group, we see a lot more birds and learn something new every time.

There are various degrees of expertise in the group including botanists, biologists...and people passionate about butterflies, wild flowers, or just forest trees.


Of course, we love going out birding alone as much as we can too.
If you're not a birder yet, maybe you want to check into it. You might like it!

Labor Day visit at Connie's

This turned out to be a great way to spend the extended weekend of the Labor Day holiday.

We visited with Connie and Duane after picking up Mama on the way.



The weather was perfect to spend time at the pool the first day. Then came the rain, a perfect time to play games inside, Taboo (a game), and Rook (another game).







As usual, time bassed by quickly. We made the best of it. See you next time!

Camping at Oconee NF

Hiking in the woods. Debbie.

We went camping this weekend.   Was fun and relaxing.

Birdwatching.  Andre.

Lots of birdwatching.  We were lucky to view some of the migratory birds going through Georgia. 

Relaxing time. 

 A great advantage of primitive camping is simply to enjoy to serenity of the forest.  Peaceful and quiet.

Andre in the screen tent.

The weather has been great.  Not hot, not cold.  Hardly any insects. And at night, a full moon.