This is our posed portraits to kick off 2026. Verna got New Years themed tops for us to wear explicitly for this photo.
Wishing all of our readers a happy and prosperous New Year!
Photo equipment and set up:
I’ve been fooling around with some AI lately and I understand that some users have been using AI to write code. So, I tried my hand at asking it to write a script for a countdown to the new year. I asked for JavaScript to be embedded in HTML and it produced the result seen below. The AI (Google Gemini) produced JavaScript, HTML and the Style Script (CSS). All I had to do was provide the HTML Header and Body and, voila, the counter worked right off the bat. Link to Gemini Code.
If you see “Happy New Year” instead of the counter, then It is already (MST) 2026. The counter is now set for St. Valentines Day, 2026.
I’m posting this some 29 hours or so before the new year so visitors to the site can see the counter. I may (just for grins) change the code to countdown to 2027 after the new year.
So, from both Verna and I, we wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year in 2026!
UPDATE: I changed the target to St. Valentine’s Day 2026! And a happy St. Valentines Day, too!
Wow! This year has gone by so quickly! I guess that’s what happens when you keep busy in retirement, travel a lot and get caught up in everyday routines. At any rate, it’s time to wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year in 2026.
The Birth of Christ according to the Gospel of Luke (summary):
The account of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke is one of the most famous narratives in history, focusing on the humble circumstances of His arrival and the celestial celebration that followed.
The Journey to Bethlehem
The story begins with a decree from the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, calling for a census of the entire Roman world. Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register. He traveled with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was pregnant.The Birth in a Manger
While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to give birth. Because the town was crowded with travelers for the census, there was no guest room available for them. Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped Him in cloths (swaddling), and placed Him in a manger—a feeding trough for animals.The Shepherds and the Angels
Nearby, shepherds were living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.The Message: The angel told them not to be afraid, announcing “good news of great joy”: a Savior, the Messiah, had been born in Bethlehem.
The Sign: The shepherds were told they would find The Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
The Heavenly Host: A great company of angels appeared, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The Visit to the Child
Once the angels left, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem. They found Mary, Joseph, and The Baby exactly as they had been told. After seeing Him, they spread the word about what the angel had said concerning the child, leaving everyone who heard it amazed.The chapter notes that while the shepherds returned to their fields glorifying and praising God, Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Happy 87th to my Mom and Dad on their Anniversary. They are with the Lord now, and I know they are getting the good wishes.
In the past (on social media), I posted the old black and white images of them, Mom on her wedding day, and Dad in his Naval Warrant Officer uniform. Lately, however, several of the Artificial Intelligence utilities on-line are able to restore and colorize the old photos.
They turned out pretty good, Mom in her youthful appearance and Dad, always proud in his uniform. Dad’s blue eyes may not have been that blue, but it looks like him, nonetheless.
So, we are sending them our happy anniversary wishes heaven-bound.
Today, we attended the annual Cops Who Care Car Show and Toy Drive. The weather was great and the show was well attended by both cars and visitors. The toy table wasn’t doing too bad either — gonna be a lot of happy kids this Christmas.
Many of the attendees who brought the classics were also here last year, so pardon any redundant photos posted below.
When I was a kid in the late 1940s, my folks had one of these Ford Coupes modified with a bench seat for their three little boys to sit behind the driver/passenger seat.
Also, when I was a kid, there were a lot of these Studebakers on the road as I recall. This convertible is a member of the local Studebaker Club in the Hassayampa Valley.
We enjoyed the time spent at the Wickenburg Community Center today and look forward to attending again next year.
The sign was originally installed in June of 2012, but time and the fact the original sign was plastic, it deteriorated and finally came off the post. Verna ordered the new metallic sign which I installed a couple of days ago. Click on the image to enlarge.
More Javelina stuff at this link.
