Lindsborg Kansas will once again host its annual Midsummer's Festival the weekend of June 21st, 2008. Festival organizers this year are planning dramatic changes to underscore the community's Swedish heritage and, at the same time, offer visitors the experience of stepping into it.
In early February, Lindsborg News-Record publisher John Marshall conducted an interview with Midsummer's Festival co-chairs, Becky Anderson and Susan Achenbach. They discussed the changes planned for this year's festival; we hope this information helps make you more excited about attending this year's festival.
I'm chairing the publicity committee once again this year, and have posted this very informative interview on the Midsummer's Day web site. Read the interview to learn more about what's in store; I truly believe that the changes envisioned for this year's event will make for a very special Midsummer's celebration in 2008!
Everyone is different, but from what I've heard, the flu that's going around locally seems to last about a week. I'm in my sixth day, so that seems about right. My fever receded a day or so ago, which is a good sign, but I still feel terrible, and given the (so far) slow rate of recovery, am not really confident I'll be that much better tomorrow. I have no energy, am irritable and depressed, and just wish this thing would be over!
And the fun continues this week, as Sheryl seems to be coming down with something now.
And ... it's all my fault. Here's a tip. You're smart enough not to mention to a family member or friend, "Say, it's quite late in the season and I haven't been sick!" Of course you know that. It's called tempting fate or something.
What you may not have realized is that the mere act of having the thought, of thinking to yourself, "whew, looks like maybe I made it through this season without a major illness" is enough to trigger the aforementioned illness. I remember exactly where I was, 10 days or so ago, when I had that very exact conversation with myself. And here we are.
This health update and public service brought to you in the spirit of nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
No association with Marshamellow, but I wanted to link back as a thanks for borrowing the image she created.
I've spent time visiting our local nursing home since I was a young cub scout performing Christmas carols, and I'm pretty sure the residents of Bethany Home would enjoy a visit from the balloon hat man. His creations are so whimsical and colorful that it makes me interested in learning more about how they're done!
In the past few days I've seen a few stories about a very special Canon lens, a 1200mm monster that weighs 36 pounds and costs 99 thousand dollars (that's not a typo). It was interesting, but not something I would have necessarily mentioned here.
Then, today, came another story about a truly monster lens, a 220 pound, 5200mm specimen, made by Canon, that "is capable of taking photographs of objects 18 to 32 miles away." No idea how much that one costs, but here's a page with full details, including the note that two small telescopes are included to aid with focusing!
Anyway, back to the first lens. It was a special order item, produced from 1993 until 2005; there were "more than 12 and less than 20" units ever made. B&H has more details and some photos taken with this lens. It's amazing how close something 2 miles away can seem when viewed through this amazing piece of glass.
To put things in perspective, my longest and heaviest lens is a Canon 100-400mm zoom that costs about 98,000 dollars less than the 1200mm. A typical point and shoot that advertises its telephoto capabilities is (35mm equiv) around 100 to 140mm. The mind boggles when considering 1200mm to 5200mm lenses; ignoring the logistics of such large lenses, they would sure make it easier to get those elusive bird close-ups!
Update: one key feature I wanted to mention is the close focus length. To take a photo with the 1200mm lens you must be at least 49 feet away from the subject; with the 5200mm lens the length of a football field is only 3/4 of the required distance!
(These are the lyrics to the video that appears at the end of this posting.)
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.
Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.
Yes we can.
It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can.
We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --
Yes. We. Can.
Thanks to Jeneane for the transcription, and thanks to mamamusings for turning me on to the video.
I've voted in 8 presidential elections. In only 3 of them did I vote for someone or something; I hope to make it a 4th time this year!
These photos of a frozen river near Marion Reservoir remind me of a milky quartz crystal we have in our collection. The photos were taken last weekend.
The final image is of a bald eagle, who strangely enough was just hanging out on the frozen waters of Marion Reservoir.
