Strange Grandsons

We have very strange Grandsons. After we captured them and disarmed them we discovered that they are (left to right) James Theisen from Surprise AZ and Adrian Cellini from Mountain View HI. It is clear they cannot be left alone together.

The Benny

After I finished Kate’s uke I built one for our friend Don “Benny” Bienvenue. This is a 4 string tenor made with book matched Koa. I had the name “Benny” laser engraved in the peg head. Paua Abalone rosette inlay. He loves it and plays it often.

The White Queen

Our Granddaughter Julia is an amazing artist. She entered this picture of herself as an Alice In Wonderland character in a contest. She made the costume, did her makeup, took the photograph, created the picture using Photoshop.

New Ukelele

Just in time for Christmas I finished a four string tenor ukulele for our daughter Kate. Here are some pictures of it.


The top or soundboard is Sitka Spruce with a slight "bearclaw" pattern. That is Paua shell in the rosette around the sound hole. The bridge is Indian Rosewood. The fretboard is Indian Rosewood. The fretboard also has Paua shell marker dots. Fourteen frets to the body.


The sides and back are curly Koa. The bindings around the top and bottom are also curly Koa.

This shot of the back shows the high figure of the Koa. The curly Koa sides were difficult to bend without cracking.

I put a label inside. Note the special little touch on the end of the fret board. I stole it from the Martin ukulele design. I put Worth brown strings on it. They are a bit stiff right now, but the feel will improve as she plays it.

Here is a close up of the peghead. I had the curly Koa peghead laser engraved with "Kate".

All in all, for my first effort building an instrument all on my own, I think this ukulele looks pretty good and it sounds very good now and the sound will be even better as it is played over the years.

Lunch At The Getty

Los Angeles California

A Quiet Afternoon

It was very quiet and a bit spooky in Valley Of The Gods, Utah

Yankee Boy Basin

Ouray Colorado

The Hacienda

San Antonio, California

Wood Valley Peacock

Pahala, Hawaii

Upper Rainbow Falls

Hilo Hawaii. I should take my camera there today. It has been raining for 3 days.

Train Orders

Durango Colorado

The Temple

Monument Valley Utah

Volcanos National Park Panorama

This is a panorama image looking across the caldera to the sulfur banks. I made this picture using my 1950s vintage Zeiss Super Ikonta 532/16. It uses 120 film and you get 11 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inch images on a roll. I stitched two shots together to make this panorama using Photoshop

Survivor

In the Pinetta south of Rome

Steps To The Cross

Segni, Italy

St. Michael The Archangel

Rome, Italy

St Monica's Home?

Thought to be the home of St Monica. Ostia Antica, Rome Italy

Shadows

Taos New Mexico

Mission San Miguel

The mission was badly damaged from an earthquake Dec 22 2003. Restoration work continues and part of the mission has been reopened to the public.

San Juan Capistrano

I made this negative about 1962