Lunar Eclipse 2010

 Last night there was an event we will never ever see again in our life time...a total lunar eclipse...Check out the photo taken from the National Post magazine credited to ...Doug Murray/Reuters...What a fantastic shot...Please check out the other photos on their web site...

And now check out the one taken by yours truly ....hehe

Pretty similar ...don't you think?

SCETV Retiree's Luncheon

Every three months we meet for lunch at beautiful Banquet & Conference Center....I call our group..."the Oldtimers Luncheon"...because most of us are old...We all have all spent some of our lives working for a wonderful educational facility called ETV... It began in the late 50's in a Columbia high school and was headed up by it's principal, R. Lynn Kalmbach...It's first art director was Jerry Tiemann (we call him Tee- Bobber)...

From that high school, it moved to an old vacant Winn Dixie Store...where it grew and grew and grew...Jerry hired me around 1962...We have been friends ever since...Here is a group shot taken of us last Thursday...I would like to name them all but I can't...but I will name the guy who's sitting down...That's Jerry!

Jack Palance and Me

Hi Folks...

Most of you know I like to read Ripley's Believe It or Not cartoon in the AM...Recently I came across one of my favorite actors in it...Jack Palance...He is one of the few movie actors I have personnaly met in my life time...He has played a major part in my life unbeknownst to him...Read on...

In 1954 I apprenticed at an Art and Photography Studio in downtown Chicago...At that studio was a young woman model who posed for a fashion artist...She looked at a pastel portrait I did from a photo in Life magazine ( The article was about the "Shane" a western movie starring Allen Ladd and the deadly gunfighter he had to face)...It was of Jack Palance... The portrait here on my blog is one I have just done in the style I did back then (the first one was better)...Well...She wanted to buy my sketch and asked me my price...I had never sold a piece of my artwork (I was 18 years old at that time) and did not know how to price it...She said she had never bought an original piece of artwork and did not know what to offer me for it...So....I said "How about $5.00?"...She was happy and so was I...That was the first five dollars I earned from my artistic ability...

Now let's come forward in time...I read in the newspaper that Jack ws coming to columbia promoting his book of poetry...Wow...I decided that I would meet him and tell him my story about my first sale of the portrait I did of him as a young man...Here's a photo of Jack and my grandson David and I (check out my ponytail)...

Oh...did I tell you I bought his book?

And he signed it to Uncle Ron...

Baking a Turkey by Chef Ron

This Thanksgiving season I have read and seen on TV many ways to roast a turkey...they show you how to mix various spices with butter and then freeze the prepared butter  in a roll and then when its hard to slice it into poker chip pieces and then to slide these chips under the skin of your bird and slather the outside with more of the same and stuff it with fruit and dressing and bake it upside down and cover it with foil for half the time and ...and....and...

Bull Pucky............I baked a 21 pounder this AM by cleaning out its cavity (neck and bag of inners)...Laying it down on a rack (breast side up)so it will lay upright...Rubbed a little olive oil on it and sprinkled it with a little garlic powder and pepper...Preheated oven to 325 and covered the breast with a square of tin foil ...baked it for 3 hours and took the foil off it...checked it with a thermomiter at 4 hours (it was over 165 degrees) and took it out...

Best moist breast meat you ever tasted...(Actually I shoved an apple and an onion in  it and poured a cup of coffee in the pan also...)

Hans Pawley...An Old Friend Has Past

My dear friend of over 40 years has past...He was the finest art teacher any child could ever have...He inspired children (preschoolers) to paint and draw and even sculpt...his programs on art taped at the SC ETV studios back in the late 60's will be remebered by children and adults who used the ETV as a tool to educate and illuminate the minds of thousands of students ...I met Hans while I worked for the SCETV as an illustrator in their art department...Hans needed some young children to be on his show and I volunteered my two sons Mark and Robert...They delighted in the experience and I have fond memories of them painting on the studio floor in smocks and their hands full of paint and various painted pictures strewn across the floor...Hans believed and taught that the art children produced should always be praised...The more praise you give a child at their efforts helped them to build their self esteem...

Mark creating a masterpiece...

His sense of humor always made working with Hans a treat...While taping one show he was using plaster of paris to create something and when the the director stopped the filming to change an angle on the camera he asked Hans if he could stop what he was doing ( which was mixing water witht the plaster of paris) and Hans replied to him, "Plaster waits for no man!"...

I will miss him but never forget him...

Hans Anton Pawley

DARLINGTON - Hans Anton Pawley, age 97, died Tuesday, November 23, 2010. A Catholic Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 27, 2010, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hartsville. Burial will follow in Darlington Memory Gardens , directed by Belk Funeral Home.
Hans was born Johannes Anton Pawlak in Schiffbek, jetzt Hamburg , Germany , August 21, 1913. He was a son of the late Johann Alexander Pawlak and the late Anna Zeleni Pawlak. He served in the Unites States Army in the Headquarter Military Intelligence Services. Mr. Pawley served a year and a half overseas, including participating in the battles at Normandy , Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe . During this time he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with four service stars and the Bronze Star.
Mr. Pawley was an art ambassador, teaching at all levels of education, from elementary to university levels, including Darlington County Schools. His artwork can be found in many locations such as the Louvre in Paris , France , the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City , and many other prominent locations. He served in many civic capacities, including: Founder and host of "Art and Imagination" and "Art and You" television shows on ETV, former president of the South Carolina Education Association, representative for the State of South Carolina for National Art Education Association, and a founding member of Francis Marion University.
Throughout his life, he became colleagues with many influential people including Albert Einstein and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, whom he served under during World War II. He will be remembered as loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was a dedicated member of Saint Joseph 's Catholic Church in Darlington , SC.
Surviving are his children, Richard (Sharon) Pawley, Bill (Helen) Pawley, Mike (Deborah) Pawley, Paul Pawley, Darlene (Carol) Dunbar, Mary (Alan) Waters, Anne (Mark) Stephen, Donna Graham, Chrysa (Keith) Kerr, grandchildren: Katherine (J.R.), Eleanor (Roberto), Jason (Mary), Heather (John), Jennifer, Maeghan, Jennifer, Christine, Chris (Shaye), David (Lauren), Beth, Kevin, Dawn, Sean, Adair, Valerie, Rachel, Greg ory, Ashleigh (Jamie), Casey, Kelley, Jon, Savannah, Hunter, Logan, Bridgette, Catherine, Collin; great-grandchildren: Kailey, Ava, Roberto Jr., Carys, Grant, Scott, Jared, Hampton, Andrew, Isaiah, Nolan, Caden, Mckenna, Justin, Amanda, Courtney, Bubba, Keyanna, Trevor; also his brother, Edward (Ginny) Pawlak. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion Dunbar Pawley.
Published in The State on November 25, 2010

Miyobi's Birthday Party

My oldest grandson (David) turned 26 yesterday and his birthday was celebrated at a Japanese Steak House named Miyobi...The videos are not in order...due to my lack of knowledge loading on to my blog but each has some intereting actions...Please enjoy...I did!

Uncle Ron's 2-2-2-2-2 World Famous Pancakes on Sunday

For those of you who know me for my wry sense of humor let me tell you that I almost photographed my latest batch of pancakes but they looked so enticing I couldn't resist them and so...here's all that remains...I wish you all could have been here....Mmmmmmm... they were delicious!!!!

Halloween 2010

Margie and I had the best time this Halloween...

We dressed up like...like...

Well take a look...

Margie and Norm



Jerry  wasn't Scared at all...



Let's Get Out and Vote!

Today we can choose our leaders...Don't stay home...If you like them...Vote them in...If you don't...Vote them out...But Vote!

Uncle Ron's Hamburger and Peas Recipe

Here's a dish my mother used to make for us back when I was growing up in our home in Chicago...It's simple and tasty...I have Googled it and found one recipe by the same name but it is nothing like my Mother's...It sounds good though...

Hamburger and Peas
(over Boiled Potatoes)

Ingredients

1-lb. ground beef or venison
1 med. onion chopped
1-can of peas (15 oz.) drained
1-can of diced tomatoes (15 oz.) w/ juice
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup water or coffee
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Brown beef in a large skillet (add a little butter if using venison) ...Add onion and stir until onion starts to clear...Add tomatoes, peas, Worcestershire sauce and  water (or leftover morning coffee)...Salt and pepper and bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for a half hour...Serve over boiled peeled potatoes...

number of servings: 4-6

This is delicious on cold fall or winter nights...

Test Photos taken with my Canon P/S SX10 IS

I took these two years ago...They're simply images you would find around my house if you came to visit...

Michael G. Reagan ...Artist Extraordinaire

I like to read Ripley's "Believe It or Not!" every morning...It usually has stuff I'm not that interested in but the other day I found this one with Michael Reagan in it and it blew my mind...I never heard of Michael before and now I find out that he is giving his time and talent to the families of the fallen heros of the Iraq war...What a great American and talented artist...I  found his web site and learned quite abit about him...http://www.michaelgreaganartist.com/

Please check him out...



Ray's e-mail on pollution

My blogger friend,Ray, sent me this e-mail recently which I asked him if I could put it on my blog...Read on and you will see why...

___________________________________________________
Years ago, before I retired onto a much lower income,

I used to spend frequent weekends at one of the resorts
out on the west coast of Vancouver Island, because near
there are some lovely long open sandy beaches.
The water's usually colder than a mother-in-law's heart,
but on a nice day, it's still a very pleasant place to be.

I used to ride a mountain bike along the edges of the surf,
and even then, over 25 years ago, it was surprising how much
plastic trash washed ashore from the ocean. Mostly plastic bottles,
like this story says, but also pieces of broken fish nets, poly ropes,
and stuff like that. It's beginning to be obvious that we can't
continue using our oceans as the ultimate garbage disposal -
yet that's exactly what we're doing, and not just with plastics.
There's also untreated sewage and industrial wastes being dumped
into it constantly. Our oceans are becoming a gigantic septic tank
which never gets cleaned out because nobody knows how or
where else to put that stuff.

This wasn't so noticeable when there were a lot fewer of us doing it,
but these days, the world population is increasing faster & faster
as there becomes more and more of us - in my lifetime alone,
the world's population has tripled, from around 2 billion to over 6,
nearing 7 billion. What other spacecraft do we know about which
can keep on accepting endless additions to its passenger list ?
None, of course - and neither can this one, but everyone seems to
be looking the other way and pretending there's no problem there.

Global warming isn't some isolated condition that just happened to
pop up while we weren't looking. It comes directly from the numbers
of us and our constant demands for 'more & better everything'
of course, and the only permanent solution to that would be to impose
a limit on the total numbers of 'passengers' allowed to ride this craft.
And any time you want to start 'World War Three', just try floating
that idea around freely. If they can't blackball you or brand you as
an alarmist nutcase, they'll find some other way to shut you up.....
I'd bet on that. But sooner or later, we'll have to deal with all that,
or else kiss our asses goodbye and watch it all 'fade to black'.
- Ray.

_______________________________________________________

You can check out Ray's Blog here:

http://raysbloggingagain.blogspot.com/

Raven's Bread

Recently I read about a Newsletter for
hermits on Ripley's Believe it or Not!

I looked it up on the web...Sure enough it does exist...and it is a fine newsletter, let me tell you...Why don't you google it and see what I mean...

Lucy is my new neighbor

Yes...Lucy is my new neighbor...and she is a special breed of dog which goes back a long way...She is a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog...That's right...You can look up her breed on the internet...Full grown she should weigh around 90 to 100 lbs...

More Flower Pix

These were from yesterday...

Save the Myrtles

My friend Linda lives amidst a massive road widening project near the airport. Although she sacrificed two large crepe myrtles in the process, the roots sproated out "baby myrtles" en mass. The construction crew offered to dig these up with their backhoe. I volunteered to show off my horticultural talents to pot these for later re-planting and here are the results below............

Check out the white circled area...

Linda gets out her phone camera as they bring in the backhoe ...

Aren't backhoes wonderful? It sure beats digging them up with a shovel...

A mix of potting and top soil and prayer ...

Future Farmers of America...move over...hehe

I'm dog sitting Lucy

My neighbors have asked me to feed their new puppy (Lucy) every morning for a week while they are on vacation...I have the mornng shift...meaning  have to feed her when the sun starts to rise...cause she's hungry...Well I have no trouble getting up early at my age so this isn't a chore for me...They have a lovely garden up there and I have brought my cell phone camera to play on Lucy an some beautiful flowers...Check these out...

Here's Lucy...

I took these with my phone camera (Sony Ericcson 8 mp)  Please click on them to enlarge them...

1977 Photo of Sutro Tower in San Francisco

This a digital copy I made of a photo I took from a helicopter in San Francisco in 1977, when I had a photo shoot there...I had hired the helicopter for one hour and my photo shoot was ten miles south of S/F...It only took me 15 minutes to take the photos I needed then (I was doing an aerial shot of a school named Nueva in Hillsborough)...I asked the pilot if we could could fly up to S/F so I could take some shots of this tower...The reason I wanted to do this was because my brother John was then working for the company which fabricated this tower in Columbia, SC and shipped it in pieces to S/F for construction...When I returned to Columbia...I had a 16 x 20 color print made of it which I gave to my brother to hang in his office...It was a big hit there and his boss wanted to know how he came by it...When he found out I took it ...he ordered a copy for himself...That wast back in 1977... 

Uncle Ron's 2-2-2-2-2 Pancakes Recipe

My World Famous

2-2-2-2-2

Pancake  Recipe...

2-Tbsp White Vinegar

2-Cups Milk

2-Large Eggs

2-Cups Self Rising Flour

2-Tblsp Butter

First...

Take:

2 tbsps of white vinegar

Add them to 2 cups of whole milk (1 or 2 % is okay)

and stir...

Let stand 4-5 minutes so the vinegar can sour the milk...(Home made Buttermilk)

Then  crack 2 large eggs into the milk...

and stir...

(use a fork to break the yokes)

Then add 2 cups of self rising flour to a large bowl

(you don't have to sift it)

Now

add your milk/vinegar/egg mixture to the flour

and stir...

Last but not least,take 2 tablespoons of butter

and liquify them in a microwave

or in a sauce pan on the stove ...

The butter will help the cakes from sticking and also add extra flovor...

Then let the butter  cool...

Then stir butter into the pancake mix...

Note...I don't add anything else to this mix including sugar...

Baking powder and salt are in the self rising floor...

Now if you haven't already done it...

Heat up your frying pan (I prefer a large electric steel or teflon one) on high...

When it's heated up...

Test your fry pan by dripping some water on it...If the water bubbles into little bubbles which dance on it ...then you are ready to make a test cake...Pour 2 tablespoons of batter to the pan...let them fry till you see bubbles popping on them and their edges start to turn brown...now turn it over and fry on the other side...Make sure both sides are golden brown...

Now taste your sample cake with a little butter and syrup on it...

Mmmmmm...Mmmmm...Good!

Now you can make at least 12-6 inch pancakes...

Here is a photo of some I made the other day.....

You know they gotta be good...

Let's go make some!

Uncle Ron Gets a Haircut

Before

After

Phone Camera photos

My Sony Ericsson phone has quite a unique camera in it...Here are two shots taken within seconds of each other...The first one looks normal...the second one show a screen wire in front of the flowers...the first shot does not show the screen ...yet it had to be there...


How can this be?

Daily Photo(s)

We had two visitors to the deck yesterday...
Peter was keenly aware of both of them...

One was green....the other was brown...
The brown one answered to the name of Coco....

the Green one...didn't...

Daily Photo(s)

I haven't been blogging lately so I thought I would drop in some pix I took recently which I like...They were taken with my 8mp. phone camera (Sony Ericsson)...It's the second one I've used and it has a problem with the speaker and it's going back this week...The camera works well though...

 

Margie's mailbox flag...

Margie's posies...

Margie's posey