Little Drone...Big Possibilities

Drones...they're all the rage. From little personal ones to ones governments use to spy on and kill people, they're everywhere. Companies are even considering using them to deliver pizzas and even medicine to people in remote areas.

They have and will change the way we live.

For me at Christmas my wife gave me one of the cheaper drone models and I couldn't be happier. It's amazing!

Of course, on Christmas morning there wasn't a lot of room to practice my flying skills (which, unfortunately, are not good...). With the Christmas tree and all the trimmings, launching the drone was risky at best. Plus, I had to deal with a mini SD card that wouldn't format.

Fast forward a few days. We took down the tree and I formatted the card and I was set to try and get the thing in the air and start taking pictures and videos. The camera aspect on the drone was one of the coolest parts for me. Maybe, if/when I become proficient, I'll incorporate the footage into my video projects.

Today, however, I got a chance to really test out the thing. We went over to my in-laws for brunch and they have a very large living room/dining room/kitchen area that was perfect for novice drone operators. I was able to get the video working (not a bad picture considering the cost of the thing...), but I'm still working on the stills.

Yes, I'm converted and if I had the means, I'd invest in some serious drones. My mind races thinking of all the cool things I could do with the proper equipment. But, rest assured, I will use my drove powers for good, instead of evil.

Oh, and the darn thing is pretty sturdy, which is good, considering my flying skills.

Sledding...One Of Life's Simple Joys

I don't know exactly what made my parents purchase the particular plot of land they bought some forty-five years ago. I can guess why--the view, ten or so acres on the hill in Farmington and I'll bet they got it dirt cheap.

Unfortunately, I can't ask them why and I didn't ask them when they were alive. All I know is that I'll be forever thankful they did. I loved growing up on our little part of the mountain for so many reasons. One of which is the access to excellent sledding in the winter.

Fast forward several decades. Things change. A house sits where we used to sled (our run was called The Ravine From Hell...). In this picture, our run began just above where that upper rock wall is on the mountain. It twisted and turned and ended up near where I'm taking the picture. Even though that run is gone, our neighbor to the west opened up his backyard to the neighborhood each winter, and that's where we now sled.

It's a great hill--perfect for kids.

Which turned out to be perfect for sledding this morning. I took pictures. As kids we loved to sled in the winter. Inner tubes were my personal favorite. We would patch those things every time they sprung a leak and used them over and over. The Ravine From Hell claimed its fair share of tubes and sleds and even those with runners.

This morning, the kids--and many of the adults--had a great time and after the sledding we all came inside for hot chocolate and what the Danes call hygge. 

Because when it's all said and done, flying down an incline across frozen water on a tube or a sled while the sun kisses your face and the cold air chills your cheeks is one of life's simple joys. If you've been lucky  enough to experience it, you know what I mean. If not, you really should try it.

One Of My Favorite Hats...

If you know me, you know I wear hats...lots of hats. I wear hats in the winter to keep my head warm and I wear hats in the summer to keep my head from getting sunburned.

For me, hats are more than an accessory--they're a necessity. 

So, over the years I've amassed quite a collection of baseball hats. I've even worn out more than a few. But in December, we unpack the Christmas decorations and lights and Advent Calendars.

We also get out the Santa Hats.

And of all the hats I own, I think I like wearing the Santa hat most of all.

I hope you've all had a happiest of Christmases. And, as Tiny Tim said...

God bless us, everyone!

Christmas, Puzzles, And Memories...

I took a couple of pictures of my son yesterday. He was doing something he loved--putting together a puzzle. I know there are people who hate putting together puzzles. My son is not one of them.

When I took out the SD card and downloaded the photos to my computer earlier today, I forgot I had taken those pictures. With a nice camera and basically cost-free photography, I tend to take a lot of pictures, probably more than I should. One day I'd like to have them all printed and put in books, but that would end up being a pretty big photo album--that happens when you've got over 20K pictures on your computer and backed up on drives.

But when I saw these, they brought back a lot of memories--memories of when I was a kid. When I was my son's age, I don't recall putting together a lot of puzzles. I think I kind of liked puzzles, but not too much. The picture reminded me of what it was like to be a kid at Christmas.

And when I was my youngest son's age, my father had passed a way a couple of years previous. My mom was raising three kids in an unfinished home. I'm sure times were tough, but I never really knew how tough. We always had food and we always had shelter and I had a great childhood. 

And Christmas was truly the best time of the year. As kids we always got enough stuff, enough to make me happy. I remember having the time to play with our new toys and spend time with friends and family. 

I showed this picture to my co-worker and he commented on how he liked putting together puzzles, but only when he has a lot of free time. Maybe that's why the picture reminds me so much of my youth at Christmastime. I had a lot more time to do things like putting together puzzles.