Acrobatics

Following a 12 hour flight from San Francisco to Beijing, our tour guide shuttled us to an hour-long acrobatic show after dinner. As you can see, these girls are extremely strong, fearless, and skillful with keeping those plates spinning.

This entertainer was able to balance on 5 cylinders on top of each other. I felt nervous for him as his stack grew taller.

A member of the audience was selected to sit in the huge vase as the
performer skillfully maneuvers it around so the audience can see the person inside.

Note: Thank you for all the well-wishes from everyone before my trip. Unfortunately, China blocked access to blogspot.com so I could not provide you with regular updates. Now that I am home, more pictures to come.

- Karen

Where in the World is Waldo?

Where is Waldo?

He is high above on a San Francisco rooftop!

Note: Where is Karen? I will be visiting mainland China for the first time in the next two weeks. Hopefully, I will be able to get internet access to give you travel updates! Until then...

- Karen

Walking About

People walking above the bridge walkway inside San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art.
During my visit, one gentleman was terrified to walk across so my friend held his hand and safely made it to the other side, but I hope he made it back across.

Looking up at the fifth floor walkway from below.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

This Week's Post Was Written By Greta

Col. Henry J. Cook


Past National Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart, after serving over fifteen years with MOPH, gaining invaluable experience while in the positions of National Aide-de-Camp, Chapter Commander, Region Commander, National Junior Vice Commander and National Senior Vice Commander.

He was a career Special Forces (Green Beret) officer for thirty-three of the total forty-two years that he was on combined active and reserve duty. His combat tours began in 1967-68 when he operated behind enemy lines in for extended periods of time conducting operations with native guerrilla troops as the Executive Officer of the 4th Mobile Guerrilla. He saw additional combat in 1969-70 when he led a U.S. Special Forces Mobile Strike Force Battalion (MIKE FORCE), consisting of Green Beret officers and sergeants leading Cambodian mercenaries, again working behind enemy lines as well as reacting to attacks on friendly bases, often requiring that his unit be parachuted into hostile drop zones.


Later, he participated in Desert Shield (Saudi Arabia), Desert Storm (Kuwait) and Iraq, and Operation Provide Comfort (Support to Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq.

For his valor and military skills, Colonel Cook was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for Valor and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device and one Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold and Silver Stars, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Combat Diver Badge, Special Forces Tab, and numerous other U.S. and foreign decorations.

Henry Cook is now twice retired, as a soldier and as a lawyer and resides in Diamondhead, Mississippi. He is a member of the Pro Bono Consortium representing veterans who appeal denial of claims and is a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims. He’s been a member of the Mississippi Bar Association since 1978 and also serves as a Municipal Judge Pro Tem in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Other significant contributions to veterans by Henry Cook include: a major role in the creation of the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Ocean Springs and helping raise over $500,000 to help MOPH members in Louisiana and Mississippi who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina. In addition to MOPH, he also belongs to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Special Forces Association (SFA), Special Operations Association (SOA), Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW).

You can read more about Col. Henry in this PDF file on pages 31 & 32.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Apple & Pear

A new park in the area has these colorful fruit sculptures to commemorate the numerous orchards that were here in the past.
And, it doesn't hurt to remind us to eat healthy.

- Karen

Penthouse Suite

Continuing on from my previous post, this is the interior of the penthouse suite. With the housing market the way it is, the unit is not occupied, but beautifully decorated for a potential buyer.
Would you like to live here?

Kitchen with marble countertops and wood paneling.

Sunshine streaming through the floor to ceiling windows.
Ahhh, the warmth!

Happy Halloween!

- Karen

The Axis

Last weekend photographers were invited to the penthouse suites of a local high rise condominium to photograph its views and interiors.
At 6:30AM from the 21st floor balcony, one could see the lonely, yet peaceful city below.

Another vantage point oversees a deserted thoroughfare with only the street lamps to light up the night.

In the distance is a look in on the domed City Hall and its lit up offices. Hmmm, shouldn't they turn off the lights to save energy?

At 7AM, several photographers are continuing creating their art on the balcony at the other end of the building.

Have a nice weekend!

- Karen

Funny Pets & Their Owners

Do you think Rascal is the ugliest dog in the world? Well, he has lots of awards to prove it and he comes from a long line of ugliest dog contest winners.
Click here to watch the video on this handsome little rascal.

I believe this is a cockatoo and he/she feels right at home.

- Karen

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Justin Slagle


Spc. Justin Slagle returns to Forward Operating Base Lane in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after an air assault mission in the Zabul province of Afghanistan, Oct. 15, 2009. Even as leaders in Washington struggle with the next steps in Afghanistan, troops there are moving to better protect the Afghan people by separating them from Taliban influence and intimidation.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.