The pot of coffee is always on [even after 2 years have passed]. Come on in. Sweet ice tea too.

[jefelectric]

Good afternoon,

Cool here this morning but now it is warming up. I got to quit goofing off and get outside and plant some flower so the coming rain ( tomorrow) can get them off to a good start.

Jon, As a follow up to dougdagrump's comments, I have found as the grandparent of 4 girls that, when we go shopping and I lose my wife, the first place to look is the little girls clothing department. And I usually find her there. You have been warned!

Don, I see that your building project is moooooving right along. Hang in there and outlast the @#$%&$#@%.

Chuck, Happy Birthday! [bday] [bday] [bday]
You are just a young man yet, I've got almost 4 years on you.

Dr John, Nice to hear from you. Don't let that yard work keep you from joining in.

[FJ and G]

Happy Birthday, Chuck!

--------

Right near the Dead Sea is the beautiful oasis of Ein Gedi, where desert plants and animals native to Africa and this area thrive. Here’s part II of that feature.

All photos are by my daughter, as my photos got accidentally erased.

I’m in one of the shots, as is a “Rock Rabbit” and an antelope. They say that at night, leopards roam Ein Gedi in search of prey. All animals you see are wild.

To recap: Ein Gedi is where David hid from King Saul, in the Old Testament times. Saul with his army of 3,000 chased David, who was hiding here in a cave.

You can gain a perspective and an appreciation for the boulders in the photos by noticing the scale of the people in some of the photos.

A spring feeds a small stream, that waters this tropical location, where just a few feet from the Oasis, nothing grows, since the climate is so dry.



















Here is the entire series thus far:

There are dozens of more stops will be making. If you’ve not been following this series, here are the Coffee Post pages to find the previous ones. Type into the advanced search engine “caesarea” and it should bring about all of them up:

Tel Aviv 622

Caesarea 624

Armegeddon 645

Nazareth 661

Galilee 673

Mount of Beatitudes 675

Capernaeum 677

Dan Part I 688

Dan Part II 792

Hermon 794

Jordan 797

Beth-Shan 804

Jordan Valley 807

West-Central Dead Sea area 823

Ein Gedi Part I 824

[Brutus]

Beautiful pics David!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK! God bless and many many more, man!

Yucky and wet here in the St Louis area and Lower Arnold. Had to go downtown to work today and trade out my work at home computer. Well, the computer in the office was down until about 1PM, so didn't get a lot done today, that's for sure. Have to catch up pretty fast. Luckily some of the time was eaten up with meetings and training etc.

Still figuring out what to buy this year and how bad I need something now versus what all I want to buy this year. Need to get a hardcopy of the new MTH catalog too - too hard to read it page by page online.

[Brutus]

Updated my signature - apparently it's retroactive!

How do you make it smaller? Edit the pic I originally posted to the internet, or is there an easier way? I think it's just a little too big. I thought it would shrink it down and allow you to click on it to enlarge or something.

[dougdagrump]

Chewey is a cutie !!!!!
Reminds me of the Shih-tzu that we had for about 16 yrs. He was supposed to have been purebred but based on his bone structure I do belive that his momma played the field shall we say. [:I] Needless to say I still miss him even though it has been a few years. He was my woodworking buddy, it never failed that at the end of day after everything was swept up he would manage to either lay rite in the middle of it or at least walk thru it. With his hair it seemed like it had an afinity for sawdust. [^][:(]

[ModelTrainLover]

hey it's me checking in again Is it a bad thing if I blow the margins??? because I'm posting most of my immages after loading them to photobucket.com
and here is another scrap of info on me My Birthday is December 14th.[:D]

[dwiemer]

OK, This will be my first and hopefully first of many photo posting. This one is for Laz. If it comes out, it is a 141 class buck I took this past November. I hope to see photos of that 800 lbs bear soon.
Dennis
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6db31b3127cce88af24b16cc400000015101AauXDhk3ZMV

[dwiemer]

Still trying to figure out how to post without making the reader open a link, but here's number two.
Dennis
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6db31b3127cce88af24bcedf900000016101AauXDhk3ZMV

[jefelectric]

Dennis you have to use the HTML images flags.
Click on the image icon at the top of this page(that is the page that opens when you click the reply button) and then insert your image file between the brackets of the set of two.

[dwiemer]

Thanks John, I will give it a try.dennis

[jefelectric]

Jim, Nice dog, reminds me of a cocker-poo I had a few years back. Of course she was black but very similar in looks otherwise.

You need to edit the pic down to about 100 to 150 pixels square or so.

[jefelectric]

Good job Dennis, I had the same problem the first time around.

Nice mount, you can be very proud of that one.

[dwiemer]

I think I am getting the hang of this. Since we will be out for Sunday photo fun, here are a few photos of a recent trip to Savannah, Georgia.
Dennis
Well, there you go. A few of my first photo contributions. I will be off for a few days, so y'all have a great weekend, and don't forget Moms everywhere.
Dennis

[dwiemer]

Thanks for the Help John. I know we have some refining to do, but I am getting there.
Dennis

[dougdagrump]

Hmmmm, kinda reminds me of "Country Bear Jamboree" at Disneyland. [:D]

[Brutus]

Thanks - I'll try and edit it down tomorrow. Chewy is a 1/2 Shih tzu and 1/2 Lhasa Apso. This lady had one of each and suddenly there were puppies everywhere! Apparently, she thought they would be good, since they grew up together or something? The old pic where she looked sad was while we were washing a tube of graphite powder out of her hair. I bought a tube to lube some hinges. She got up on the counter somehow and chewed on it for a few hours before I got home from work - there were huge black smudges all over the livingroom and she looked like one of those black and white cookies!

[dbaker48]

All of the pictures are great. Makes for some eye ease when reviewing all the posts. Dave those pictures from your trip are really fantastic.

Went to Lowes today to get some 2x4's for racking in our office and thought I would pick up some wire to put some jumpers between the pick-up rollers in some passenger cars. Couldn't find any small rolls, didn't really want speaker wire, wanted something that looked a little better. And could find anyone to run the wire wheel. So just left and thought I would just use some scrap wire that I must have under the workbench. So get home and looking in one of the "junk" boxes, and to my complete surprise, find a 1,000 ft reel of UL1015, white 18 awg wire. Can you believe it?

With the cost of wire today, I was elated.

Sent a Lionel "Speeder" to the big barn in Michigan for warranty repair, got a letter today should only be about 4 weeks for its return, so things will be a little slow around here for awhile.

Then 2 weeks ago ordered a TMCC upgrade kit from Digital, was wondering it should have been here by now called today, they are just shipping today.

Also ordered a TMCC upgrade for a Beep, (son wants it for Birthday), got email it will ship within the next 2 weeks, have a short term delay. due to overwhelming demand. Ordered that one from Santa Clara, Ca. Figured it would only take 1 or 2 days since it is so close. But, no luck. I thought it was really great that they did email back and notified me of the delay. Good Customer Service !

Weather is definetely begining to change, I think our winter is over suppose to get in the 90's tomorrow.

Have a great day all !!!

[Jumijo]

I hope Chuck had a great birthday yesterday. And Doug, I hope you have a great one on Sunday.

Finally got to watch this week's Sopranos last night. Where is all this going? I know one thing, Chris sure traded up! His new wife is a cutie.

Chief, our sincerest thanks. Sorry to take you away from you TV show last night.

Almost forgot. I ordered a Williams B&A State of Maine car yesterday. They picked up on the first ringy dingy. A Northern area code works every time. [;)]

Jim

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
57 and its spitting a little today going to get to 65, with rain?

DENNIS, NICE MOUNT.
I'd love to get one like that.
Congrats on your deer.

GOLF tonite maybe if rain holds off?

All have a good one?
laz57

[MartyE]

Well morning all. Looks like I'll get to see the UP challenger next week as the series is now split! I promise pictures!

Hope everyone is well. The coffee is hot and the weather is fine here in PA. Starting on a project today to relocate my transformers for better access.

[laz 57]

OH YEAH,

HAPPY FRIDAY EVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

laz57

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is rainy and cooler in SE Indiana with temps in the 50s all day today. I watched "Lost" and got some bills paid last night. That was about the only excitement going on, and sometimes you need nights like that. I wish I had more news, but I don't have anything else to report. Work has been keeping me busy. I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[jonadel]

What happened to Spring? Cold, wet and windy today here in the heartland.

A very sad day in Newton, Iowa yesterday, Whirlpool has bought Maytag and closed the Newton plant along with corporate headquarters, 2200 good paying jobs eliminated. I'm sure it didn't even make the national news but generations of workers had worked at that plant and had produced the best washing machines and dryers for decades. Sadly that quality of product diminished the last 10 years thanks to the Global Economy. Hopefully those workers close to retirement can find something.

We are starting to think about a week in Colorado again this summer. Cumbres/Toltec narrow gauge will certainly be at the top of our list, if any of your are even close to south west Colorado you owe it to yourself to spend a day on that train.

And finally, here's a pic of possibly the cutest little Grandaughter one could ever hope for. One week old and relaxing after a tough day and a bath!


It's good to be a Grandpa!
Jon

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 66 falling to 60 deg with on and off rain.


OTTS Meeting this Friday. It will be held at The Western Reserve Model Railroad Museum at 7:00pm. Come and see the Custom Layout in person and bring your trains to run on the tin plate layout. Anyone wishing to join us can e-mail me for directions or go to the museums web site for maps www.wrmrrm.shutterfly.com

Work on the layout is wrapping up with doing the landscaping. Last night we went out and bought a forest for it.



Pick of the Day

notice the hand carving of the stone face on the cliff of the mountain.

All be safe
Tom

[Blueberryhill RR]

[code]Good Morning from Blueberryhill [/code]
It's 63 degrees and raining like crazy. Not getting any warmer and rain is due all day. No thunderstorms yet.
Just a constant rain.
I had a great birthday. Couldn't ask for a better one. You guys were one of the reasons.
Today I will run my trains. Have to get a game plan on starting work again on it. Have to put in a trolley track
and some roads. Then, the town. I'd better get busy.
Chief........ Good luck on your train room.
Well, I will go for now.
Y'all have a great day.
Chuck
p.s....... Who blew the margins??

[Brutus]

Jon- Great looking granddaughter!!! Congrats again!

Cool and humid here in Lower Arnold. Gotta get some serious work done today and tomorrow to make up for the work computer debacles yesterday.

Glad you had a great day, Chuck - every day should be great on blueberry hill.

I think Dennis could edit his earlier post to squish it down and restore the margins....

I'm gonna pre-order that AT&SF from MTH (Thanks Doug) and for Father's Day I'm going to get the Cascade Range Lionel set.

[Jumijo]

Tom,

What material did you use for the stone faced cliff? How did you carve it? Looks great!

Jim

[jefelectric]

Good Morning All,

Supposed to get some rain today but it hasn't started yet. Sure hope we get it. We are 4" short for the year to date.

Jon, I read about the Whirlpool closing in the WSJ, not sure if it made the local paper. It is indeed a sad event. We have had a number of similar closings in our area over the last few years. They always disrupt a lot of lives.

That is one beautiful granddaughter. Spoil her good.

We have a daughter and family living in SW CO, little town of Dove Creek. We rode the Durango & Silverton last Summer when we were out for a visit. Maybe next time the Cumbres/Toltec.

Chuck, I am glad your birthday went well. Enjoy those trains today.

Marty, Be sure to post some pics. I wi***hey were coming a little further East on that circuit. I would love to see the UP challenger up close & in person.

Don, What brand of TMCC did you order for the Beep?

Going to visit one of the local train stores today to pick up some items I ordered.

All Have a good one.

[cnw1995]

Rainy here - I love it - we really need it in this part of Illinois and it helps me be able to work on the basement.
Speaking of wild creatures - some misguided bird put a nest in the wreath my wife hung on the front door - then magically there are eggs in it - now a few have hatched. So I wrapped the entry-way in bright yellow police caution tape so the kids don't come over to bother it inadvertently when knocking on the door. I have a 200 ft. roll for some reason. Can't wait to see the neighbor's reactions!
Chuck, I got the Williams 14" GG1 that works on 027 curves - the 'classic' one. In Pennsy colors. Can't wait to take it out of its box - on Sat. I think so as to not interfere with the big M day on Sunday.
Tom, that cliff looks great. I too want to hear more about it.
Dennis, great pics - can you tell me about that trolley?
Jon, what a beautiful child. Congratulations on becoming a grand-pappy - may it be a long way off for me...
The Whirlpool news is sad for downstate Illinois too. And the paper is full of other bad news - have to stop reading it.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all. Suppose to be raining???????? Being invaded by little
black ants in the kitchen. Spray, use the drops and still more. [:(!]
Jim A, agree on the Chirs thing.
Tom, great job.
Dennis, [the man that keeps everyone alive] glad you figured it out. [;)]
Jon, looks like her Grandmother [not Granddad]. [:p]
Chuck, glad you got to run trains.

Buddy Mike from OGR Buy and Sale had heart valve replaced yeseterday. He is doing well.
Guy of the T&RSBA, just won a Spirit of 76 NC box car. That is OK as I don't have one.
Price was good too. I quit looking over there. [:0][B)][;)]

Later and God bless.