Farewell

One of our favorite restaurants is closing it's doors on January 15th. Although I'm very sad to hear this news, the memories of the fun and happy times we spent there will always bring a smile to my face. Not only was it a hangout for Janet, me and the girls ... it also was a gathering place for the Fox 97 gang. I think Christos fb message today says it all. Farewell Kouzina Christos. 

"For over 45 incredible years, Christos has been more than a restaurant; it’s been a heartbeat in the community, a place where memories bloom and friendships flourish. As January 15, 2024, approaches, marking the end of an era for our beloved Christos, we are reaching out with warm hearts and open arms. Our journey, like our dishes, has been rich and full of flavor – seasoned with laughter, resilience, and triumphs. Founders John and Maria, alongside Sandy and the rest of our family, have been privileged to be part of your lives, through every celebration and moment of connection. Before we take our final bow, we ask you to join us once more. Let’s fill our dining room with the sound of clinking glasses, the aroma of favorite meals, and the warmth of shared stories. Come, be part of the grand finale of a place that's touched lives and fostered a spirit of togetherness. Here’s to the traditions, the bonds, and the simple joy of a meal shared. Christos is not just saying farewell; we're commemorating the indelible mark we've made in each other's lives. Let's make these last days glow with the essence of what we've built together. Toast with us. Dine with us. Share your stories with us. It’s not just a goodbye, it’s a tribute to the legacy we've all created."

Me & My Shadow

 

I Can't Tell You

 

Once upon a time, a young man in Illinois won the lottery.  The Vietnam Draft Lottery.  Number 31 to be exact.  Luckily for this fella, he excelled in science and mathematics while in high school and maxed out on the written tests given him at the induction center.  He tested so well that the United States Air Force offered him a job as a “Radio Communications Analyst Specialist.”  When he inquired about what that job entailed, his Sergeant just said, “I have no idea.  It is top secret.”  And so, off our youthful Airman went on his “Top Secret” adventure.  First, he spent a year on a tiny 2-mile by 4-mile piece of rock, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, in the Aleutian Islands … Shemya, Alaska.  This tiny speck of tundra was 15-hundred miles from Anchorage and 200 miles from Russia.  Wonder what he did there?  Can’t tell you.  It’s top secret. Then it was on to Iraklion Air Station on Crete, Greece for the next 18 months.  An Air Force station so small, it didn’t even have a runway.  Besides enjoying the beauty of Greece and the Mediterranean, wonder what he did there?  Can’t tell you. It’s top secret.  And finally, on Independence Day in 1974 our Air Force Sergeant (how he was promoted, we will never know) was discharged from the military.  When he asked the Captain during his exit interview what he should tell future employers about his Air Force job, the Captain replied, “tell them you were a clerk typist.”  So, that’s the story the young man was told to tell by his superiors, and he is sticking to it.  Oh yeah, one more thing.  The Captain at the exit interview must have known something, because a month or two after leaving the Air Force, the then college student was notified by the NSA and CIA that he should apply for a job with them.  Who knew that there would be a shortage of “clerk typist” at that time?  Apparently, that Captain did.  However, the college freshman passed on the generous offers from the NSA and CIA and proceeded to graduate with a BS degree.  And he lived happily ever after BS-ing his way to limited fame and even more limited fortune.

Spiff Carner

Sergeant

USAF February 1971 – July 1974 

♫ And I only have eyes for you ♫

This is one of Janet's best friends. It lives in the fern plants outside our front door. Janet babies those ferns. Then one day, when this little frog hopped out of the plants, Janet gently scooped it up and put it back in the pot. The next day while "misting" the ferns, Janet gave the little frog a quick shower, which it seemed to really enjoy. Janet also drops a couple mealworms in the frog's vicinity every now or then. Janet has determined there are three or four little frogs living in or near the ferns. It seems that they adore Janet and anticipate her arrival. But then, so do I.

The Hair of the Dog

In an effort to clear our yard of Corgi hair, we've hired a *House Sparrow to remove all hair from our yard and deposit it down the street in a neighbor's grass.  

*No relation to Captain Jack Sparrow

Free Bird

Every year the Osprey return to Allatoona Pass Battlefield Park. And every year I am just as fascinated watching them raise a family. Here are a few interesting Osprey facts: 

1) They occupy every continent except Antarctica. 

2) Only the osprey and owl have special opposable outer toes, allowing them to grasp slippery fish with two toes in front and two behind. 

3) They’re so well adapted to hunting in water that they have a transparent membrane they can pull over their eyes so they can see underwater. 

4) Fish makes up 99% of their diet. 

5) During their lifetime, they can rack up over 160,000 miles of travel. 

Is Heaven a one-way street?

So, is the path to Heaven a one-way street? It appears so to me after I spotted Marietta First Baptist Church ... on Church Street ... which just happens to be one-way only. I lucked out (or perhaps was blessed) with the lighting and wispy clouds. The church property covers an entire block, so the back side of the building is also on a one-way street, which oddly enough is going in the opposite direction. So, I've answered my own question ... apparently there is more than just one path to Heaven.

♫ I see the bad moon a-risin' ♫

 

Jurassic Dark

See what I did there with the title? Jurassic DARK … as in Low Key. Get it? Okay, so I’m the only one chuckling. It’s not the first time and most likely will not be the last time that I’m the only one laughing to myself. Anyway, the title may be the best part of this week’s "Low Key" challenge for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the lighting and detail on my dinosaur looking lizard buddy, but … the title just slays me. I mean, come on … Jurassic DARK!!! Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

 

Grocery Shopping for the Kids

 

The September of My Years

So, I think to myself, “Details is the challenge this week, so I’ll just grab my ol’ macro lens and shoot me some flowers.” Which I did. Then, at a local festival on Friday, I noticed this interesting looking older gentleman. I say older because he looked about my age. The beard, the weathered face. I can relate. The details of his life are unknown to me, but his life experiences are vividly displayed on his face. My mind wanders about how fast life is flying by. 

♫ One day you turn around, and it's summer ... Next day you turn around, and it's fall ... And the springs and the winters of a lifetime ... Whatever happened to them all ♫ -- "The September of My Years" - Frank Sinatra

Ut-oh!

That moment you realize that eating at Taco Bell before a long hike in the woods was probably a really, really bad idea.

Hibiscus Stigma

After a quick sun shower early this morning, I swear I heard the hibiscus say to me ... "Mr. DeSpiff, I'm ready for my close-up."

How I got into radio

What did you want to do after leaving high school or graduating from college?  Did you achieve your dream or go in a totally different direction?  What’s your story?  Here is mine.

While in high school, a career in radio was the furthest thing from my mind.  It was the mid-60s, the Space Race with the Russians was in high gear, and I wanted to be part of it.  I was always good at math and science, so I decided being an aeronautical engineer would be a great way to join the team at NASA in their quest to put a man on the moon and travel to the stars.  Heck, I even had not one, but two slide rules.  I breezed through Algebra, Geometry and Advanced Algebra.  I went to summer school before my senior year to take Solid Geometry and Trigonometry in order to take a college level Calculus class before graduating high school.  But then it happened.  Calculus stopped me faster than a bug hitting my 66 Mustang’s window at 70mph.  I was completely lost.  What’s a science/math geek to do?  It’s obvious … change my career plans to … RADIO?  Let me explain.  I was a huge St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan growing up.  I would listen (on my transistor radio) to Jack Buck and Harry Caray call the games on KMOX.  I love baseball and thought I too could become a play-by-play announcer.  So, I somehow convinced my parents that by attending “Career Academy of Famous Broadcasters” in Milwaukee, that in a few short months I would become the next Vin Scully.  (I’m sure that I showed Mom and Dad some mathematical formula proving my theory.)  Well, the sports announcer thing did not pan out (that is another story,) but after graduating from Career Academy, I did land a job in radio in a small midwestern town.  And although I did not achieve my dream of shooting for the stars, I did manage to rub elbows with the stars of stage, screen, sports, and Rock’n Roll.  What a rocket ride it has been.

Spiff (I sucked at calculus) Carner

Operator

♫ Operator ... Oh, could you help me place this call? You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded ... ♫

Green Anole

 

Blue Hour

 

Crystal Mic

Thanks "Friends of Georgia Radio." The Crystal Mic looks great on my bookshelf.

Typo?

Finally found a device that does not wrongly finish sentences for me when composing a message.

In Days of Old

Harken back to the days of old, when film cameras ruled and drive-through Fotomats turned negatives into amazing prints. When I first saw the retro Nikon Zfc, I had to have it. The look, the feel … the KNOBS! My mind raced back to my first SLR. Yes, the Zfc is digital, but doesn’t look like it. 

This week it happened. I got a new Zfc and my first outing with it drew several comments that led to discussions about film cameras, dark rooms, and the dreaded wait time for prints to arrive in the mail. Would the prints turn out fine? … or …“Ooh, I really underexposed that shot.” And … “I sure didn’t see Uncle Ernie making faces in the background of that photo of mom.”

Bee all that you can Bee

It is springtime in Georgia. Temperatures rising, Pollen counts going higher, birds building nests, trees and bushes blooming, and bees buzzing around like they are on holiday. I was lucky enough to see this bee strolling (not flying) across our driveway. So, I got busy as a bee, ran inside the house, and grabbed my camera. I knelt down as close as possible to the little fella (close as possible for an old man who only has a 50-50 shot at getting back up after kneeling down,) and fired off a series of photos with a shutter speed of 1/5000 of a second. Imagine the embarrassment of this bee, being photographed after going out into public without shaving its’ legs. Oh, the horror. 

I showed this photo to my wife, who said, "that's a honey of a shot."

Poker Face

♫ You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run ♫ - Kenny Rogers - "The Gambler" 

Our granddaughter, Aubree, loves to play cards with us. Not high stakes poker, but high stakes “Go Fish.” Not with poker chips, but with Cheddar Cheese Goldfish. The card game is intense and will often last into the wee hours of the afternoon. I was lucky to catch Aubree staring down her Gigi during a pivotal moment of the game. Pivotal because Aubree had already eaten the entire pot of Cheddar Cheese Goldfish and was well aware of the dire consequences of no longer playing with house money. Did Aubree Aubree walk away … or run? 

Shopping for a Chair

I’m in our bathroom, thinking about this week’s challenge and nothing is coming to mind. So, I grab one of my wife’s magazines, conveniently located next to the throne (for those extra-long bathroom visits,) and lo and behold … right there on the cover of the publication … CHAIRS! Luckily, I did not jump up and scream “Eureka!” That would have been embarrassing. Instead, I decided to tell a story of a lonely man who was without a proper chair to sit on. Off to the bedroom where I attached my camera to a tripod, set the timer to 10 seconds and raced back and forth to a tiny red seat until a halfway decent photo was snapped. Bam! Challenge done. I then returned to the throne to make sure I had put the seat back down before my wife came home. The end.

 

Double your pleasure, double your fun

 

Nightmare on Mealworm Street

 

Marietta City Cemetery

 

Urban Cowboy

♫ Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys ... Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks ... Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such ♫

Bluebird of Happiness

 

Hungry Eyes

I had a ton of B&W shots to choose from this week, so I went with one that I just quickly snapped. This is Jenny (sister to Forrest.) Jenny is a fluffy Pembroke Welsh Corgi who uses her eyes to hypnotize me into giving her extra treats. I was on my way out the door in search of a B&W photo for this week when Jenny planted herself in front of me and ...

"you're getting sleepy, sleeeeeeeeepy. You will go to the treat jar and get me TWO treats (and that doesn't mean breaking one in half) ... and then you will take my picture and use it in your photo challenge this week. When I bark, you will snap out of it and remember nothing." ... 

and as I was saying ... wait. What was I saying? Wow, I feel a bit dizzy. Why are you barking, Jenny?

The Door

 

Leaf Me Alone

 

Steeple Vulture

 

Close Encounter of a Buzzard Kind

 

If I Can Dream

♫ There must be lights burning brighter somewhere ... Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue ♫

Portrait of a Stranger

The Plan:  Get some unsuspecting person to act like they are reading a book titled, “The Stranger.”

The Location:  An antique shop.

The Setup: Hang around the very old cameras and wait until some photography lover wandered over.

THE STING: Begin talking about antique cameras and photography while cleverly mentioning this week’s challenge.  Of course, she would LOVE to help a fellow photography comrade.

  

The Shot: Hand the stranger your prop, give her a couple instructions and fire away.

  

The Luck: The stranger was a natural and obviously felt at ease in front of the camera.

The Friend: A wingman and 52Framer, Brad Rivet, who distracted the shop owner while I snapped the photo. 

The Follow-up: Bail Brad out of jail in time for next week’s challenge.  

The Result:  You decide.

National DJ Day

Happy National DJ Day! It's not as easy a job as it appears. For instance, in order to interview Frankie Valli, he insisted Randy and I dress up as maids. Of course, we did it ... for you, the fans who wanted to hear what Frankie had to say.

Play Ball!

 I'm warming up for Spring Training.

Deep in Thought

Forrest, contemplating why eggs cost so much, and why that even matters to him.

Tradition

The tradition continues. Every MLK Day we take our grandkids to Barnes & Noble and let them pick out several books each. Then we all go to lunch together. Today it was Freddie's. Big Fun!!!

That's a mouthful.

 

Bird on a Wire

 

Wide Trail

“Over the mountains and through the woods, down the river and up the valley, over the boulders and through the stream to nobody’s house I go.” -- Unknown

Raindrop Mirror

If you have to be out during a downpour, you might as well get a cool photo of your car's sideview mirror while sitting in a parking lot.

Da doe run-run

♫ I was hiking in the woods and saw her on a hill ... Da doe run-run-run, Da doe run-run ... Tried to take a photo but she wouldn’t stand still ...  Da doe run-run-run, Da doe run-run ♫

Marietta Square fountain

 

Line, Line, Everywhere a Line

 

Marietta Square

Water fountains can be mesmerizing.

Welcome Home!

One of the better feelings in life is being greeted like this when you come home.