Things I like
Thing I like - What is this section about?
When I post a comment in this section it's because I don't think it fit in any other category. These comments are about thing that I feel very strong about and want to share with you. I have no idea weather you will enjoy reading them or not. I am not so presumptuous to think that my views on these comments will be of interest to everyone. One other thing about these comments. I am trying to make a point or to provide some information that will be of value to someone somewhere. That's why I am doing this.
USA. the greatest country in the world
Last Updated on Sunday, 05 July 2009 00:53 Written by Ray Friday, 03 July 2009 18:00
I posted this image on the BBQ Forum in place of some ads today, July 4th. 2009. I wanted something on the forum to show that I really like my country. I made the image which was a composite of some images I found on the Internet mainly it was a aerial view of the statue of liberty and an image of the American flag. I liked the aerial view of the statue because what I had in mind before I started on it was the statue being protected by the American flag. To me the flag symbolizes all the patriots of this great country who have sacrificed so much to protect the country.
So I cropped out the picture of the statue and then superimposed the image of the flag over the statue picture. I then blended in the two images with a cloning tool in the graphics program I use. I had to retouch the total image. I added the sunburst effect the text and the lighting effects on the right side of the image to draw attention to the right side of the the image. The effect was just what I wanted. So I substituted this image for some of the advertisements the normally would have run n the 4th. of July. I hope my advertisers didn't mind.
Now, the traffic on the BBQ Forum on any holiday is always very low. People are cooking and having a good time on holidays. There were a couple of nice comments about the image late in the day but that was about it. I think a lot of people are scared of talking about their love of their country these days. It seems to be much more fashionable to speak in critical terms about the USA then to praise it. If you do praise this great country you probably will be criticized. What a damn shame that is.
The following is a reply I posted to the forum in reply to a very nice comment about the picture:
Thanks, I wondered if anyone enjoyed it. When I did it yesterday I said to myself "if just one person enjoys it and appreciates it that's enough." I did put a lot of thought into the graphic and the position of everything has a meaning to me. But, I won't go into that now.
I do want to say that this is the greatest country on the face of the earth. People all over the world are born, grow up, live and die wanting to live here. Yet some of the people that live here don't like this country or say they are ashamed of it and some, want to destroy this country. I don't understand this.
I accept this country for what it is, the best country in the world and I am proud to be an American.
I deeply thank and respect all the people in the past that have given up so much to build, foster and protect this country.
Then I got to thinking that this post would just cause some people to post some things on the forum that I did not want to see. So I deleted this post from the forum. Anyway the links below are well worth looking at.
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the United States
The Americans Who Risked Everything
Pictures of the lake I live by
Last Updated on Saturday, 27 June 2009 01:23 Written by Ray Saturday, 27 June 2009 01:03
| These pictures are photos I took at the lake I live by. I have re-touched the pictures and
attempted to create the effect of a oil painting. I like to do
this with pictures because it gives me the feeling of creating a work of
art out of a normal picture.
If you click on any thumbnail picture below and a larger image will open. Click the arrows to see more. |
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The Lake
Last Updated on Saturday, 20 June 2009 23:47 Written by Ray Friday, 12 June 2009 01:33
One of the smartest things I have ever done in my entire life was to buy the house I have lived in for many years. When I first bought the house it was too small for my wife and two sons. Now that the sons are grown up and have their own homes its just the right size for me and my wife. This house is not so great but the location has been ideal. The house is located about a hundred yards from a very nice lake. It's not a real big lake but big enough.
When I first saw the lake, I immediately thought this was a great place for my sons to grow up. The lakes northern shore line is about one mile from the dam to the other end of the lake. It's about a quarter of a mile wide at the widest part. Houses have been built around the lake so it's a peaceful by well lived area. In the mornings it is at times incredibly quiet. This allows you to hear sounds and see things that people who live in big cities almost never see or hear. I hear the fish splashing in the water and the sounds of the ducks and geese make as they fly here and there. If I am lucky I get to see one of the blue herons that live on the small lower lake. Yesterday I got to see the blue herons baby. The mother got mad at me as I walked close by. She squawked like crazy and flew to the other side of the cove and her baby silently followed her. These herons are beautify as they gracefully fly around the lake to get away from the occasional human walking the shore line. When they fly their huge wings almost touch the water they fly so low and fast. When they are not flying they are looking for something to eat. They stand near the shore and move so quietly you can't hear them. Their natural coloring camouflages them perfectly and so they are hard to see when they are hunting. I used to see a turtle that lived on a half semidried log. Someone cleaned up the brush on that part of the lake and I have not seen the turtle since. I wonder where it went.
A long time ago I had a row boat on the lake. I never have been much of a boat person and I guess that is because I never learned to swim. It was nice for the three years I had the boat but I had to sell it because times were tough. I sold it to a neighbor further down the lake and every time I walked past the boat I was reminded of how tough it is to be poor and have to sell your possessions. Then one day someone stole the boat and it was gone for good. I was glad to see it go.
I could write for hours about how much I love living by this lake. I fear that someday that will be taken away from me for some reason. So I have preserved this lake by taking many pictures of it which I treasure almost as much as the lake.