Pumpkins and Riding Lessons

We had a great day at Riley's Farms. It is great to get away with the family! or "some" of the family anyway....We did have fun! What is it about kids, pumpkins and apples that can put a smile on your face? Check out http://www.hess-familyblog.blogspot.com/

After a full day of pumpkins and apples then we went to the riding lesson:

There were horses and kittens and lots of smiles!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW

...so our Oldest Grandson is 8 Years Old! How did that happen!!!! Has anyone been to an 8 year old Boy's Birthday party lately!!! Here is a video...and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW

Politics

Think about it...

Is Sarah Palin qualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency?



I ask:

Is Barack Obama qualified to be the heartbeat that is the Presidency!



Then think about this:

Barack Obama smokes. His parents died young.

Joe Biden wanted to be President in 1988! Is there a plan here? But wait...He's really no "Spring Chicken" either and his health has been questionable. A history of aneurysms.

That leaves - Oh No!!! Nancy Pelosi

I'm just saying...there is a lot to think about. ..

John McCain's MOTHER is still living! He knows what it means to fight for our country. He listens when someone disagrees with him.

Where DID Barack Obama come from?

Night Sky and more

So we are still looking at the sky at night. You would be amazed at what you can see! We actually saw a black hole! It was fuzzy but when I googled it I could tell it was what I saw. The name of "our" black hole is "cygnus x1". Google it and see what I saw. We have also been able to see the Hubble Telescope go over!!! and the Andromeda Galaxy!!! Gordon is getting pretty good with the telescopic camer. Here is a picture of Jupiter. He figured out how to magnify it so the blur rings show in the picture. The moons don't show as well like this but it's fun to see the rings. We can see both through the telescope!

Check out Liz's new web page lizwritesgrants.com

Starry Night

We have been having a lot of fun checking out the Night Sky. I was in charge of organizing Hot Starry Night for the Children's Museum. It was great fun!!! Thank goodness for all the help I received from all the Pennypickle staff. Our Astronomers Wes and Don and Jordan we amazing. We learned a lot from those gentlemen in just a few hours. We saw a spectacular satellite and learned how to watch for them. The satellite came out of the west and all of sudden there was a flash. Don told us that was the sun reflecting off the solar panels. (It was 8:30 at night and dark out!!)The night sky is Amazing!!! There was Jupiter and it's Galilean moons. Our moon was full and it was amazing the way some of the visitors took pictures of it through the eyepiece of the telescope. We saw deep space sights like globular clusters and a galaxy or two. So the next evening Gordon took what he learned and we found some pretty good stuff with our little telescope...Wild Duck Cluster..M13 Galaxy...and the moon was still a sight to see! Gordon took the picture with our telescope camera. We are having Fun now!!!

Seeing Jupiter

We went to the Southern California Astronomy Expedition for Gordon's birthday. We went two Saturdays..One night had a Star Party and the keynote speaker was from SETI (My favorite organization) It was great looking through the "BIG" telescopes. And we realized that our little one really does pretty good. The second Saturday gave us a lot of information. I use the term "Us" loosely. I enjoyed all of it but a lot of it went way over my head...Gordon was able to absorb a lot of it. The results will be forthcoming with lots of pictures. The one I'm posting today is the first one he took since learning soooo much. It seems the camera was a little out of focus, because when we looked through the telescope we could see the blueish bands, but this picture is pretty good and you can see three of the moons! More to follow...maybe even some pictures of the sun!!!

Parade in Golf Knolls

Once again it is time for the 4th of July Parade in Golf Knolls! The Grandchildren Love it!!! They spend the night at Gramma and Grampa's...Get up early...Hurry and eat coco puffs and watermelon...(Gramma says it is the law that you must eat watermelon on the 4th of July!)wash off the chairs...Set up the umbrellas...fill the spray water bottles with ice water... and wait.....The excitement is electric!!! The air is filled with anticipation...