top 10 photos from 2010 (plus one more)

                                           camels through the eye of a needle

                                          massive lightning strike

                                          time lapse cliff diving

                                          mars sunset

                                          powerful solar flare

                                          a newly found galaxy seen by the hubble space telescope

                                          a moon rise above a meadow

                                          aurora borealis above a volcano in iceland

                                          thermal imaging of a house

                                         aurora borealis from space

                                         couldn't resist adding this one - it just cracked me up!

a really old book

while going through my dad's old books, we came across this copy of aristotle's organum published in 1598.
yes, you read that right.... 1598!

one divine remedy

 


And therefore in the general ruin of the entire human race, there was but one remedy in the secret of the divine plan to save the fallen, that one of the sons of Adam should be born free and innocent of original transgression to prevail for the rest.   - Leo the Great

lunar eclipse on the winter solstice

although we missed it due to cloudy skies, i found this great picture with a steeple in the foreground.
(yahoo news photo)

lost jesus

Tis the season ... for another baby Jesus to be stolen from an outdoor nativity.
This time it happened at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, outside of the chapel.
(Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Come....)

christmas in panama

the dawn treader

I know there are those who are disappointed that the latest Narnia movie "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" doesn't always stick to the book. But I think as long as you go in to it knowing that the movie can never be as good as the book, it's much easier to deal with. You have to let the book be the book, and the movie be the movie. We saw the movie last night and really enjoyed it - it was well done, and the main themes of the book were kept intact.

Here's more about the differences between writing books and making movies, from movie reviewer Adam Palmer...

"Let’s talk a minute about the differences between books and movies, because, well, they are very… different. On the surface, that sounds like a pretty inane, obvious thing to say, but you’d be surprised how often people forget it. Especially when people are very attached to a particular book or movie that crosses one media plane into the other. Stories are told differently on the page than they are on the screen–paces are different, character establishment is different, audience expectations are different. (Example: information that can take paragraphs to describe in a book can be given in seconds in a movie.)

It is a general rule in movies not to stick too closely to the book you’re adapting. Yes, it is a marvelous blueprint, but sometimes you have to make concessions in order to make a good film. You are not writing your story down–you are trying to tell it visually, and so visuals matter. A classic case in point is The Wizard of Oz, which as a book and a film couldn’t be more different. In the book, Dorothy gets silver shoes, not ruby slippers. The Wicked Witch of the West is a plain Caucasian, not the green-skinned cackler iconically portrayed by Margaret Hamilton. Oh, and (spoiler alert) she’s not even really set up as Dorothy’s nemesis and dies halfway through the story. And these are just a few instances in one story.

Anyway, the point is this: don’t hold it against movies when they are different from books. The filmmakers aren’t actively trying to ruin the story–they’re trying to make the best movie they can.

Another thing. Part of what I love about the Narnia books, aside from the story, is C.S. Lewis’s writing style. It is absolutely unique and an integral and foundational aspect of the magic of Narnia. He just has a way with phrasing, with language, and with description. In fact, one of my favorite lines of all time comes from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and is downright unfilmable: “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” That sentence alone tells you just about everything you need to know about Eustace while simultaneously setting the tone for the entire book.

The Narnia books are filled with brilliant touches of genius like that, which is what makes them so darn lovable. When I read one of them, I feel like I’m sitting in front of a fire with Lewis, listening to him tell me a story in between puffs on his pipe. It’s a very singular, jovial way of storytelling, and it is brilliant. But it is entirely impossible to put into a movie."

o come...

winter (by robert burns)

The wintry west extends his blast, and hail and rain does blow;

The stormy north sends driving forth the blinding sleet and snow.

While tumbling brown the burn comes down and roars frae bank to brae;

And bird and beast in covert rest, and pass the heartless day.

The sweeping blast, the sky o’ercast, the joyless winter day

Let others fear, to me more dear than all the pride of May.

The tempest’s howl, it soothes my soul, my griefs it seems to join;

The leafless trees my fancy please, their fate resembles mine!

Thou Power Supreme whose mighty scheme these woes of mine fulfil,

Here firm I rest; they must be best, because they are Thy will!

Then all I want, o do Thou grant this one request of mine!

Since to enjoy Thou dost deny, assist me to resign.

handel's messiah (columbia chorale)

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God...

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain...

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together:for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it...

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Yet once, a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land...

But who may abide the Day of His Coming?

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us...

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion...

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee...

For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth..

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light..

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men...

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem..

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd...

Come unto Him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He shall give you rest...

Hallelujah!

silver dollar city christmas

The Living Nativity

Charles Dickens Christmas Carol

The whole place lit up with millions of lights

 Christmas Parade