To go with Laura's Magnets and Marbles post

Here's Caleb encountering his first marble tower, built by our Ashfield neighbor, Russ Fessenden.

Magnets and Marbles

The Centerpiece

Today the drawers, tomorrow the doors.

Sleepy Jake

I fixed this for Dad.

NOW we're ready for Christmas.

Christmas Music

No sign of White Christmas yet.  Here's one while you wait.

Two different ways of looking at things

It's beginning to look a lot like . . .

well, you know.

Which reminds me.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper,”

said W. B. Yeats.  This is the kind of magic thing he meant:

It's amber, holding the feathery tail of a baby dinosaur who got trapped in tree resin 99 million years ago, along with Cretaceous-era ants.  Here is a close-up of the feathers, with a glimpse of an ant:

Now just think about it.  You're looking at feathers from a creature that lived almost 100 million years ago.  Think about that number. Think about time.  Think about those delicate feathers that adorned a baby's tail so long ago that we don't know how to think about it -- but there they are for us to see today, as swirling and graceful and immediate as if the dinosaur had just hatched.  Not to mention the ants.  Look at those ants!  You're seeing the ants and the baby's perfect tail across millions upon millions of years. 

Making Progress

We should be done in a couple of years.

Great memories of Great Murphy

I'm behind in making a post in memory of Edna Mae Koeber Murphy, but that's not because she hasn't been on my mind. She was the last parent, grandparent, great-grandparent and great-great-grandparent of her generation. Throughout her long life, she was an inspiration (even if sometimes a little maddening) for her extraordinary energy, cheerfulness, appetite for life and ability to enjoy everything and everyone around her.  

Here's what must be one of the first pictures ever taken of her:

and one of the last:

And here's a random sampling, in no particular order, of everything in between. 

So many smiles!

Heh.

Stolen from Mom's facebook page.

Edwin and Irene's, then and now.

In the pic with our 55 Chevy there are Murphies raking leaves in the background. As always, click to enlarge.

Four Generations

I took Grandma to Acton.  She was in top form.  She and Jamie really enjoyed each other's company.  My camera had reset itself and I hadn't noticed, so I didn't get the best pictures.

Before and After

A Boy and His Grandma

Sunset at the Rez

Eat yer hearts

out.

Win a Prize!!!

It's been a long time since we had a blog contest.  So, let's have one.  There are four images in the above picture.  Do you see them?  If you can identify all four, you will win $10 cash.  You must describe them accurately and without ambiguity.  I am the sole judge.