Election Day - 04 Mar 2008

AJ at the Great Train Expo 2008

U.S. Shocked About Aid to Andorra

Earth's Shadow Crosses the Moon

7:57 p.m.


8:20 p.m.


Earth's shadow crosses the moon in lunar eclipse
Updated Wed. Feb. 20 2008 10:57 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian skies were mostly clear for Wednesday's lunar eclipse, the full moon bright in the sky as Earth's shadow crawled out from the left of the glowing sphere, ultimately turning it blood red.

Starting at 8:42 p.m. ET (7:43 p.m. CT, 6:43 p.m. MT and 5:43 p.m. PT) and lasting for three hours, the last total lunar eclipse before 2010 was visible anywhere in North America lucky enough to have clear skies, according to NASA. It was also visible in Europe and Africa.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth's shadow blocks the sun's rays from hitting the moon. The three bodies must be perfectly aligned during a full moon, a rare event because the orbits of the moon and Earth are not on the same plane.

What began around 8:30 p.m. as a faint hint of darkness at the bottom left of the moon's visible surface turned to almost complete darkness by about 9:30 p.m. The moon was completely shadowed around 10 p.m., appearing with a red or orange hue.


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So, I am watching the weather on Channel 21 (KTXA Dallas), when the eclipse starts, and the local weatherman, Garry P. Seith, says that they don't have a live shot out of Dallas because of the cloud cover. So, instead, they are showing a live video-feed out of Florida.

Well, this is the amazing part:

I look out the window, and I can see the Lunar Eclipse fine, as it is still clear as a bell over Fort Worth. I pick up the camera, and take a photo of the moon, and I email it to KTXA. Here is the timeline:

7:57 I walk outside and take the photo;

7:59 I hit the email "send" button, with this message: "Here is a nice, local shot for you!"

8:00 photo received at KTXA, by Chris Best, Managing Editor KTXA;

8:01 he forwards the email to Garry Seith with these five words: "Let’s use this you produce."

8:05 I get an email back from Garry Seith that says: "Andrew, thank you! I’m using it in my next weather segment." He has already prepared the segment, and I look up at the television, and there is Garry, standing in front of the photo and thanking me for sending it into the station! * BAM! *

That is absolutely remarkable! It speaks volumes about the expertise of the professionals at KTXA that they could turn that around so fast! It was so smooth, it looked like they had been rehearsing the segment all afternoon.

I sent in a second photo, at 8:20 p.m., and they turned that one around just as fast!

Kudos to Chris Best, Garry Seith, and the crew at KTXA!

New Calves on the Family Farm

New Calves on the Farm!

We have several new calves on the farm this week!

The First Texas Nature Project Fund-raiser!

Houston's Inaugural BIG TEXAS Nature Project Fund-raiser

You're invited! Print Invitation Details

Host:
Richard Oechslin and Sherra Theisen

Location:
Scanlan Room, Jerabeck, UST4000 W. Main Street, Houston, TX 77006 US

View Map

When:
Friday, March 7, 7:00PM

Who:

All of our friends and family, and all of your friends and family (please pass on the evite to 5 of your nearest and dearest) are invited to celebrate the weekend with:

TEXAS wine TEXAS beer TEXAS music TEXAS food TEXAS fun

and at the same time do some real good for the great state of TEXAS, and all of our TEXAS citizens - two legged, four legged, wings of the air and all the green things that grow.

Silent Auction, Live Auction, Special Drawings, Tarot Card Readings, T-shirts, and the very kindest TEXANS you will ever meet!! See you there!

Texas Nature Project: Connecting Learning and Life through Nature Education.

http://www.texasnatureproject.org/

Texas Nature Project is a non-profit organization founded and operated by educators. TNP was created to fill an important gap in the educational process for traditional undergraduate college students. Founders, Dr. Sherra Theisen and Jan Schultz have over thirty years of experience in the field of higher education. Sherra has a PhD in Philosophy and has taught at Rice, the University of Houston-Downtown, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Jan is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and has worked as an administrator at Southwestern University and the University of St. Thomas. Sherra is the Chief Executive Officer for TNP and Jan is the Chief Operating Officer.

http://www.texasnatureproject.org/

Texas Quilts! These Are Great!!

The perfect gift: Texas Quilts!

Check out these fabulous quilts!

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo 2008

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo 2008

Mary Lynne and our friend Nicki Prevou took AJ to the see the Stock Show & Rodeo this week! Here are some pictures of the trip:

The Horses on the Farm

Plus, Grandpa & AJ, at the farm, January 2008
(it is a little dark at first, but lightens up after a minute!)