We took Bear to the vet today. The vet diagnosed her with skin allergies and seborrhea. The recommendation - give her a summer trim and medicated bath.

She looks like an entirely different dog. Images below: Winter Bear in the snow and Summer Bear on our driveway just after getting home from the groomer. Click to enlarge.

Everyone in the family knows how much Dad loved watching videos. When he wasn’t tuned into old western movies, he would have a DVD or VHS in the player.

Dad had several sources of videos - all of his kids shared their DVDs and tapes with him. One source he had was Verna’s DVD Collection. He would drop by the house and pick out several to take home with him. He would dutifully write the titles down as a way to keep track of which video belonged to whom. I took this image about five years ago when Dad had a handful of DVDs to log out (click image to enlarge).

Since then, I developed an on-line DVD database tool which has the feature of keeping track of videos loaned out. It keeps track of titles, genres, remarks and other details including our ratings for the video. When you click on this link and scroll to the bottom of the page, you will see every DVD title, genre and our ratings. Those that are marked RETIRED have been given to charity.

Our miniature Lily of the Nile, “Peter Pan,” has finally started to bloom. These tiny blue and white flowers appear in a cluster at the top of a flower stalk growing from the base of the plant. The leaves stay green all year long here in our climate. Click image to enlarge.

Every time that we go to the Botanic Gardens, and we go often, we stroll through the Rose Garden. Last Friday was no exception. We were there a few weeks ago, and this fountain had been removed for cleaning and maintenance. Friday, it was back in its place and looked beautiful.

I stood at one end of the walkway and snapped two images for the 3D view.

Click on the image to see full sized in the image viewer.

Of course, in case you haven’t sent for your free pair of 3D glasses, you can see the 2D version here.

Whirligig is the nickname given to this Trailing African Daisy (osteospermum fruticosum). I snapped this picture last Friday at the Botanic Garden. Click on the image for the full-sized picture.

The Whirligig is a member of the Aster family, closely related to other mums and daisies with a single-tier of petals. It propagates well from cuttings and does well in the Southwestern United States. According to the Desert Tropicals website (Phoenix, AZ) this flower suffers in hotter climates like Phoenix, but is hardy when it comes to tolerating frost.

We sure love going to the Gardens all year long, but especially in the spring and summer months.

This is “Rosie the Riveter,” my rosewood-gripped S&W .38 special revolver. We were cleaning up after the weekly shoot today when I snapped this picture of her. Click image to enlarge.

Take a tall beer glass, add three inches of cold buttermilk and top off with 12 ounces of your favorite beer. Do not stir, but let the beer’s natural effervescence gently combine the mixture. Serve ice cold. Limit one due to lots of CALORIES! A nice summer tangy treat!

Verna and I went to the South Coast Botanic Gardens today. As we entered the Japanese Garden by the koi pond, we encountered a pair of Ruby Meadowhawk dragonflies (sympetrum rubicundulum) flitting about the area. One lighted on a lily by the pond and posed for this image. Click to enlarge.

True to their Papa, these six grandsons gladly took the burden of carrying their grandfather to his final rest. In the solemn and poignant moments between the parlor and the hearse and from the hearse to the vault, our boys did their duty with dignity and resolve.

On the left side of Papa’s casket, Timothy, Matthew and Austin - on the right side, Gerald, Steven and Tony. The boys all loved their grandfather and each one was proud to be a part of sending him off to eternity.

Click on the image to enlarge.

He was known to his family and friends as ‘Bill’ and ‘Dad’ to us. Dad lost his battle with cancer last evening. He had been in home-hospice for the last six months or so, being in his home with the family while receiving regular nursing and caretaker visits.

We visited several times a week during that time, keeping the family company and doing minor chores to help out. Dad seemed to enjoy having his family around in these last months and we were happy to have been there. Dad didn’t complain of pain much, and we’re thankful that he didn’t seem to suffer a lot.

We’ll miss him and always remember Dad - a really great guy and a good father.

I was rummaging around in the photo archives from our Summer 2008 vacation and I found another image pair from the Grand Canyon that could be merged into a 3D anaglyph. This was taken from near Mather Point along the South Rim of the Canyon. In the distance, is another canyon wall which is also on the South Rim across the chasm from this point.

In the foreground, you can see narrowleaf mesquite and scrub conifer shrubbery growing among the rocky cliff walls. Just behind this area in walking distance, lies Grand Canyon Village where hotels, shops and restaurants abound.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Now, before you run off to another site because you don’t have your free pair of 3D glasses, you can see the 2D version here.

I took a walk after lunch near my office in Manhattan Beach, California today. It was the first work day in quite a while that was sunny and nice as opposed to the June gloomy marine overcast we’ve had recently. I walked over to the golf course and took this panoramic image of the links on a beautiful day. Click the image and scroll back and forth to view the full panorama.

I have a dozen of these beautiful yellow roses in the vase this week. Click to enlarge.

This Easter Lily cactus flower opened this morning during the dark hours. I got this photo of it this morning before it wilted away in the afternoon sun.