With Christmas in the air, I have been feeling nostalgic, so here is a question in that line:
What is a favorite memory of your childhood? Or, what was your favorite toys or thing to play when you were little? Does not have to be Christmas.
We went downtown yesterday for a Christmasy day trip of DC. Here is a hit list of what we saw:
Walked up to the CAPITOL BUILDING to see the platform being built for the inauguration and the christmas tree. Max's hat has Mickey Mouse ears if you can't really see it.
Went over to the BOTANICAL GARDENS to see their beautiful trees and this really cool MINIATURE TRAIN EXHIBIT- if you have kids this is a MUST SEE! Even if you don't have kids I'd say GO SEE IT! There are also replicas of the Smithsonian, Capitol building, and all these little villages made out of natural materials- acorns, leaves, cinnamon sticks, etc. This was super cool- maybe my favorite of the day.
Then, over to the NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART where they have put up these really cool lights in the tunnel between the two galleries. Emily was also tricked into seeing some art as we had to walk through an exhibit- I saw that famous painting of George Washington, a painting by Whister (not his mother). We were moving fast as I wanted to keep Max on the move.
Then, to watch the ICE SKATERS while we waited about an hour for Nick to go get the car and come back and pick us up. Highlights and lowlights included Max falling and hitting his face on a stone bench, hot chocolate that burned your tongue and Emily dropping and losing $40. I hope it was a great happy surprise that was found by someone in great need.
A REALLY WONDERFUL DAY!
My kids showed me this site www.garfieldminusgarfield.com where they have taken Garfield out of the Garfield comics. It totally changes it- and sometimes it is funnier. Which isn't that hard to do because sometimes the original isn't all that funny either. It is a lot of Jon talking to himself. Kind of sad. Funny in a sad way.
So I think it is interesting to have watched both the process and the outcome of the new National Security Team for the new Obama White House. I don't know if I have ever seen more experience and a bipartisan approach in the formation of such a team. Both Republican and Democrats are there, both with lots of international experience. So I would be interested in hearing from others (on both sides of politics) regarding your thoughts.
It seems that Gates was a very good pick for now as he has really helped stabilize things out of the chaos in Iraq (still bad, but better than it was). There has been some criticism about bringing the Washington folks in when Obama implied otherwise...but I believe it is about leadership and the provision of strong advice so that very informed decisions can be made about very difficult issues (for example, Middle East and Israel, Russia and its more aggressive behavior, Pakistan and India and instability there, Al Qaeda and how do deal with issues related...can the leader be found?, making the UN a much more effective entity, engaging with Iran, N Korea and Venezuela rather than ignoring their rantings, dealing with America's lower stature in the world which resulted from decisions of the Bush White House, issues about the Geneva Convention, cell phone tapping of Americans, undocumented workers from the Central and South American countries, the immoral prisons in which so many people are still held without charge, some for over five years...lots of issues).
So I am very very impressed with the new team at this point. Lots of experience, lots of motivation to do well... What do you think?
What about Hillary (I know the Republican side of politics has not really been in favor of her in the past). But what about for Secretary of State? Also we now have a third female Secretary of State out of the last four...wow and no white males there since 1992, I believe...is this saying something (or not)?
See the following news items regarding the team and their backgrounds:
Obama Introduces Clinton, National Security Team
Obama taps Clinton, Gates for US 'new dawn' abroad
Any thoughts are welcome as long as they are respectful of other's comments...
Cheers...
We live in wolf country and have seen or heard several on our travels. Even once exchanged howls with a pack.
Here is a thought for this Thanksgiving Day. Love to All, Bill
Tale of Two Wolves
An old Cherokee chief is teaching his grandson about life:
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
“One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.
“The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
“This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old chief simply replied, “The one you feed.”
patrick dougherty recently came to iowa to create an outdoor art installation on a lake near us. i took my kids there on a freezing cold day, but we had so much fun! i loved the concept and the construction of the installation. my kids loved the tunnel-ness and hide-ability. we were all happy.
i've never done a panoramic collage of photos, so this might not be the most graceful, but i love seeing the whole thing. it was really a U-shape, but i'm not so fancy with the panorama. (hurry & click it to see it big!)
Kai Richins wanted to put this Joke on the Blog. I added a category for future ones called "JUST JOKING." Click on the "RICHINS LABELS" under "Categories" for further categories and my suggestion about using them.
(Cathy, could you give Kai an invite at richinskai@yahoo.com and also Jonathan Richins at jonnierichins@yahoo.com).
Here is the joke:
Aloha
I thought you might like to see some photos of our trip to Bali. Now where, you might ask where is that place? It is one of my favorite places I/we have visited in Asia...in Indonesia (Obama spent some time in Indonesia, you might remember). I/we have been there twice - for our 20th and 25th wedding anniversaries. I will put more on later when I get a chance to go through some other files.
Cheers...
This is an beautiful cliff area in the southern part of Bali.
These are amazing creatures found in various places in Bali. But you have to watch your hat or sun glasses, as they steal them for food. Just after the above picture was taken of us, one of the monkeys tried to steal that hat of Kathy's. She just grabbed it in time...
This is the fire dance...which is a famous male dance in Bali. We saw this at sunset overlookiing the cliffs...really something to watch...also the sounds were quite amazing.
This is a most amazing rafting trip where anything goes, including going under a waterfall, getting stuck on rocks, going backwards over rapids and jumping off into the water to float down through a canyon, running into other rafts (on purpose) in the middle of rapids and also going to these hand carved rock cliffs which were incredible and covered an area ten times what you see here.
I will add more in a while...but must go now.
Cheers...
Aloha
I noticed that you can identify your topic when you do a blog post by putting a label in (see the box at the bottom right when you create a new post). So I suggest the possibility of the following (if you are interested):
I have created a topic area for the week of November 15 called "New President" where we can possibly have postings and comments about the politics of the "44th" president. This is under the "Label" - THE WORD.
So I have put this first one in THE WORD category, which I invite comments or other postings.
Label categories might include:
TRAVELS - Richins Travels (any of our amazing travels including explanations and photos)
EVENTS - Family Events (showing us what we are going to do or what has been happening in our/your families, for example Halloween or a B-day - explanations and photos)
THE WORD - This can be a discussion topic for the week...anyone can start one and it is OK to have more than one in any particular week (starting on Saturdays for the week...see the one I have put on for the week of Nov 15)
THOUGHTS - This about any thoughts you may have about anything (see the one Bill put on about wolves)
Here's a few photos from my recent Finland trip. Ice breakers in Helsinki, Cobblestones in Porvoo, Sandwiches in Helsinki, Water Front Property in old town Porvoo.
Enjoy, Bill
I had no idea that people talk so much on this blog!
I didn't know that Eric put the article about Outdoor Discoveries on here! I have a sweet brother!
About Outdoor Discoveries. I started my camp in May and it has been thriving and it is my dream job. The article that came out last week was the first 'advertising' I have done since starting the camp-it has all be done by word of mouth and I am constantly wowed by the amount of families I have signed up each week. I send out an email each week and they sign up!
Tonight I was working with one of my families who just started coming in September and the child asked me why I didn't have a camp last Sunday-it was so wonderful to hear that a child missed me-I am making a difference in her life. My favorite quote was from this summer when we spent the day creating hula hoops and playing in the grass. Ryan's (almost 7) nanny had arrived to pick him up and he looked up at me and said "but I'm not done"
I am also working with a few families on how to raise their children and it's brilliant. It makes me giggle to see parents trust me with their children and the process of helping them help their children grow into compassionate responsible human beings. I am working on creating some sort of blog for families-I want to share my knowledge of how to work with children correctly and easily so that both parents and children are understanding one another and working with rather then against.
I am also starting a new experiment with a few 'dance moms' on creating dance clothing-the past few weeks I have been making tutus! I love it! I think that I may have to start wearing tutus everyday because they are so pretty! We have a website that is in the making and is just waiting on pictures to show off our creations. If anyone would like to special order tutus for the holidays let me know-I will come up with a family discount!
I do have a website for Outdoor Discoveries and I am looking for someone to help me make one way cooler but for now it is great.
check it out
outdoordiscoveries.org
Hope you are all well
movin fast and speedin up
kelly
Check out what Kelly is up to in the Oregonian. She has started her own business and people seem to be paying attention.........she sent me this link.
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2008/11/outdoor_discoveries_keeps_kids.html
Participants' enthusiasm leads Kelly Richins to continue the camp year-round
Ashley Corkett, 12, and Luca Perzik, 6, trade woolly bear caterpillars during an Outdoor Discoveries camp visit to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland. A group of schoolchildren paid no attention to the weather or the mud underfoot during a search for newts, salamanders, woolly bear caterpillars, beetles, birds, otters and native and non-native plants. The youths, ages 6 to 12, jaunted through the refuge with camp counselor Kelly Richins.
You read that right: Camp. Held in fall. As well as this winter.
Richins, 23, offered Outdoor Discoveries camp for the first time last summer. Kids from throughout the metro area met Sunday mornings at parks, refuges and gardens to explore the flora and fauna. It was also a chance to spend unencumbered time outside, away from the siren songs of media and retail.
Richins' charges so loved their outdoor experiences -- at the Audubon Society of Portland, Portland's Rose Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden and more -- that she followed through on her goal to make the camp year-round.
What children glean from outdoor education at school "isn't enough for a child's education," added Richins, who's studied the environment, worked in nurseries and schools and served in AmeriCorps. She's pursuing a bachelor's degree in liberal studies and education from Portland State University.
"I think all of them would be really sad if they didn't have the camp year-round," said Richins of the roughly 10 girls and boys who join her every Sunday.
They include siblings Ashley, 12, and Cameron Corkett, 8, of Beaverton.
They were on the four-mile round-trip trek through Oaks Bottom, Ashley bundled in matching gray scarf and hat, and Cameron in a lightweight black jacket.
Ashley gushed about why this venue -- and all she's been to with Richins -- is "so much fun."
"We saw so many different animals," she said, concentrating more on finding new ones.
"Birds, crawfish, otters, caterpillars ..." Her words trailed off and she followed with her eyes as her brother strayed from the path to investigate a runaway squirrel, then scooped up an ailing salamander that soon died in his hands.
Well down the trail, Cameron carefully laid it to rest in the wetlands, the otters' muddy habitat.
With her campers, Richins encourages frequent stops, to answer questions or simply wait for the kids to decide to move on.
An Idaho native, Richins said she grew up hiking and backpacking throughout the West with her younger brother and folks; her dad in particular hoofed it with the goal of getting from point A to point B, limiting time to wander.
Richins absorbed her dad's love of the outdoors, but not his style. She wants her campers to direct where the group goes.
"I am their slave," Richins said with a chuckle. "I want this to be there for them."
Richins self-funds her low-cost camp with a part-time job. She said Outdoor Discoveries' biggest expense is memberships at venues where she takes her campers, including the World Forestry Center and Oregon Zoo.
As temperatures drop, some Outdoor Discoveries activities will be indoors, such as at museums and climbing rock walls.
Kathleen Corkett, mother of Ashley and Cameron, likes that Outdoor Discoveries meets Sundays. She says she promotes "low-media influence" during the week, so having her kids explore nature on weekends distracts them from screen time.
Richins' camp is stealthily getting some kids excited about nature. Allison Bially's daughter Danielle, 6, complains five minutes into a hike with Mom. Not so at Outdoor Discoveries, said Bially, a Bethany resident.
"Two weeks ago they were having so much fun, they didn't have time for lunch," Bially said. "But don't print that!"
Outdoor Discoveries
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday
Cost: $30 per child; $50 total for siblings
Bring: Clothing appropriate to the weather and a sack lunch
Upcoming camp venues: OMSI, Portland Art Museum, Audubon Society of Portland
Information: 208-520-3825; kelly@outdoordiscoveries.org or visit
outdoordiscoveries.org
I probably used BO and B.O. both- those are His initials, aren't they? Sorry they refer to something offensive. I like the nickname P-Bo- kind of hip, like J-Lo
I thought throwing out a post about what type of dog would break the tension- didn't mean to create more
I like the nickname "Bo". It is simple and easy to say. It is not insulting or negative. I am assuming that if Emily ment B.O. (as in body oder) she would have said B.O. I might even go as far as to call him P. Bo for President Obahma. That's a pretty hip nickname!
An as for the pig....Pet pigs are very, very smart and people love their pet pigs. I was referring to his comment about lipstick on pigs. That seemed to have really helped his campaign so I thought honoring a pig as a pet made sense. It is all in good fun!
Afterall, we don't have any laws (yet) that says we can't joke around about our President and his pets.
I'm off to Tahoe this weekend with a friend and her kids and mine. I'm so excitted. Talk to you next week.
I suggest that much of the interesting input posted recently by such well versed authors as the Kathys, Emily, Harold, Eric, ... could be better placed as new posts rather than as comments. Comments to older blog enteries are perhaps not so obvious as new posts.
That said, I finished up and posted a final(?) comment to Eric's question about the World Trade Center collapse mechanism.
Just returned from a really fun trip to the North Cascades and Central Washington. My friends and I rafted on the Wenatchee, where I have been the last three summers, and also on the Skykomish. I had never done the Skykomish and it was truly an amazing place. Huge waves and some very technical maneuvering through the famous "Boulder Drop". I have been very busy with school, I wish I could write more. There has been some very interesting conversation on this site.
It's so good to hear from all of you.-Eric
Eric –
I am aware of this issue at BYU. The professor’s work was extensively reviewed by the Physics faculty and found technically lacking. He thought he had evidence for explosives at the
Regarding the cause of the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC), I have the 2005 reports from NIST (the US National Institute of Standards and Technology) and can put them on CDs for you. They consist of a final report and 42 companion reports totaling several thousand pages making for some great bedtime reading. I know two of the NIST project managers and authors for these WTC reports who specialize in structural response and modeling fires in buildings - we hired them to do testing for us during our
I have included 2wo photos of WTC beams I took at NIST.
One winter a few years ago, I read a number of books written by historians who looked in detail at the events leading up to and during the Dec 7, 1941 attack by
I am sure we have many incompetent, even bungling individuals in our current federal government but few if any conspirators in mass murder. I could be very wrong but I sleep better at night this way.
Bill (Dad)
Some startling research,
Check out Steven Jones, BYU physics professor researches chemical and organic compounds at site of World Trade Centers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxOZJN4dHg
Also check out the BYU website...
http://www.physics.byu.edu/research/energy/
especially his first two written articles on the page...
Interesting the need we all have for nicknames. After being saddled with Jr. at the end of my official name on my birth certificate and William (are you Bill, Billy, Willy, William?, I have been all these), we selected names for our two kiddos that are short and have no common nicknames. For the same reason, one of my best friends is actually “Tommy” on his birth certificate and Passport.
Now, Emily has selected BO for President-elect Barack Obama – that is actually an acronym, or just a short version of his initials. I often go by WR. At our lab, we have a document of official acronyms that is almost 400 pages! I have usually called our current President, “Junior” or “43”. He is after all the 43rd.
Did you know that no President has had a last name ending is an “a” until now.
Don’t forget to watch “You Betcha” on Larry King tonight.
I am returning to the
This has been simply a wonderful trip.
I am indeed sorry if my earlier note expressing optimism and hope for our country and new leaders hit some readers wrong. My dad was too silent on many issues of importance… So here’s a parting thought and then I will leave well enough alone:
I personally have come to the conclusion that race in human beings is not a real concept. Our new President was born to parents who were of two different colors – he is not black, not white, but an American. We would do well as citizens of this amazing planet to cease using the polarizing concept of race. Considering our origins, we are all Africans.
Dialog and kindness are the paths forward – lets go there.
Happy Trails and Peace to all,
Another new day
Our country has made history. We have elected the most liberal president that we have ever had in history or is he just an empty suit? We have begged for higher taxes, for a government and judicial system that wants to run our lives, …we have chosen a president who is a master of rhetoric and beautiful hollow words. On this new day of hope, we now can look forward to a new day with a president who believes in partial birth abortion, a promise that we will be cared for from cradle to grave and money flowing in the streets- from “Wall street to Main Street” (what ever that means). I think that we have elected Santa Claus. It is almost Christmas, I guess this is our “New American Dream.” Belva
I woke up early this morning to watch our country make history. I am in the country at a resort spa about 60km east of
This is a day of hope not fear, of progress not threats, of cooperation not conflict, of common ground not misunderstanding, of addressing problems not creating strife.
Remember where you were today as we are witnessing a change of monumental importance for
Bill
Hello.
Good to reach all of you wonderful people. I hope you are all doing well and happy where you are. I have had an amazing few years, and this last one was especially great. I have been traveling more than ever, staying busy with school, rafting more than imaginable, snowboarding, making tons of great new friends from
After school ended in mid June I hurried to the
High water on the Wenatchee soon ran out so I headed back to the mother land of Central Idaho for an amazing week-long float with the my parents Bill and Ginger, cuz Marg, old friends, and some river friends Joe, Johnny, and Hannah on the Middle Fork Salmon River. We encountered one of the craziest rain-wind storms in all history and were surprised to find flood debris that created several new rapids in the storm-induced chocolate waters. I was the first paddle raft guide to descend ‘Tappan Three’ or what I call ‘The Brown Slide,’ a gnarly, wood laden, class IV-V monster rapid at that time being only 12 hours old. The best part of the trip was of course the company,
I then returned to Washington for some low-water Wenatchee floats and then made it again back to Idaho and the Middle Fork for a week-long commercial float with some old friends who work there. I then volunteered at the annual Idaho Rivers United Salmon Festival where we listened to tons of music, taught people about salmon biology and current salmon issues, and gave salmon spawning tours on the Salmon River just downstream from
I spent my 22nd birthday, September first, in
I just bought my own 15 and a half foot raft and will be using it this winter and fall. I took it on its maiden voyage on the
I am now shifting gears into school mode. I am a junior at The Evergreen State College in
Peace and Goodness,
Eric
ericrichins@hotmail.com
A couple of weeks ago, we went to the natural science museum here. Pretty cool, I must say. There is a lot of fossil findings here in New Mexico and the longest dinosaur ever found was discovered here, thank you very much! It's called a Seismosaurs ("size-ma-sorus") 110 feet long! 
I Sometimes pictures of kids just don't work very well. They don't know how to smile real and they look uncomfortable so lately I've been having them "show-me-their-muscles" shots! So funny and they love to do it!
We bought some rock candy and had fun making them our new veneer teeth! 
Scott's photo is the best. What a nut!
With 4 birthdays in 3 weeks, we party all month. We are getting kind of sick of cake so we also have had brownies & icecream, cupcakes and fondue. Zoe isn't a September bday but thought you might want to see a photo anyhoo.
Hi All -
We just returned from a 3-day adventure to one of our favorite places to spend a weekend - Dunanda Falls in SW Yellowstone. Its an easy 9 mile hike across a huge meadow and beautiful small streams. The falls have several hot pools just at the base. We sat in the pools with the mist of the falls hitting our faces. Also, Eric showed us how to walk behind the water falls, an awesome experience. We watched 3 bull moose fight near our camp.
Eric says he has hiked to the falls 8 times since our first trip when he was in jr high. Come go with us sometime,
Uncle Bill
WELCOME everyone to our new blog! The Richins Family blog! I set this up because Uncle Bill came to visit me a couple of weeks ago and wanted to put some of his awesome photos of camping/rafting and whatnot on the wildmountain blog. I thought instead we could create a Richins blog where all of us could participate and chat and post photos of what we are up to. I love the idea of having this blog with all of you guys so I hope you get involved and post comments and photos and whatever new you want to share. I think it's a wonderful way to keep us all connected. So find some stuff to share!
It was great to have Bill visit us. This is the second time that he has stopped by while he was on a business trip here in New Mexico. He also brought me a load of photos from Grandpa's slides. They are great! and I couldn't pass up posting some of them here. Thanks Bill!
What a great picture of the..."original" Richins Clan.
I love this one of Grandma and Grandpa and the uncles...well, MY uncles.
Check the scarf out! And the lovely flowing curls...which one has more of those curls....Hmmm.
Hiking by a lake. We wear short shorts!
A big pile of Richins.
Skiing has always been a big activity with lots of us. Who the heck made that snowball!?
I love this one with Margret, Janice, and Glen. So sweet.
So there are a few photos to start us off. If you know nothing about blogs let me know and I can help. This blog, so far, is for anyone to see. If a majority of us would like it to be private, meaning every person MUST be invited to view it, we can do that. The wildmountain blog is not private and I don't think any of us mind. I don't have everyone's email address to invite you so I'll contact Bill and hopefully, get all you who want to participate. I might be messing around with the look of the blog so don't be surprised if it changes a bit.
Hope to see you soon and often!!
Kathy...Brooks (since there's two Kathys)
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