Saturday, March 27, 2010

Andrew Ingram: Requiescat in pace

Please pray for the soul of Andrew Ingram, beloved son, cousin, nephew and friend.


I wish that we could have gotten to know you better, Andrew, but things always seemed to get in the way, little things that now seem inconsequential. As is most often the case, your friends gave a fine testimony of how your life impacted all those around you, and what a kind and humerous person you were. We will miss that about you.

You told us back in 2007 that you wee going to work for an Electric Car company, and the people there loved you. They truly are amazing cars.

I also know you loved nature. I hope that these pictures will remind me once in a while of you.





Speakers that you made yourself.

We will always pray for your soul, Andrew. We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ look upon and grant you a place of refreshment, happiness, light, and peace.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Congratulations To Lt. Eddie Kramer!

Let us all congratulate Lt. Eddie Kramer, for today he is the Honor Graduate of his class at Panama City 10-10 MEDO Dive School!

Congratulations!!!

It is an amazingly tough Dive School, as you can tell by the video below of another Dive Class at Panama City.



You who are in service to our country, you do an amazing job. God bless you for your service. You write a check payable to your country for the value up to and including your life. Thank you so much for what you do. Those of you in the military who have blessed us by assisting at the Traditional Latin Mass at Mission San Juan Bautista, may God bless you.

Sancte Adjutor, ora pro nobis.

Saint Adjutor, patron of Swimmers, pray for us!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Last Year Versus This Year At Bear Gulch Resevoir

Last week onour trip to the Pinnacles, we took this picture of where we had eaten chips. Here is that photo again.

There is still rock going further on down. Had forgotten just how far we had gone in. Here is a picture we took in June of 2009, and you can see just how far the water level had gone down.

No, we are not sure who the other people in the photo are. If anyone can identify who these people are, or their current whereabouts, let us know.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The Mendozas: Wedding Crashers

The First day of Spring, 2010. How did we spend the first 40 minutes of it? We spent it watching New Moon, the second installment of the amazingly stoopid Twilight Series. Ugh.

The next eight hours of Spring, however, was spent in a car going all the way around Pinnacles National Monument.

Why?

Their Gift Shop closed last time! The Store is divided in two, one part run by the National Park Service, and the other part a private Concessionaire that sells food and climbing equipment.

So off we went again. A long time ago, we came up with the family motto: We go further for less. We were out to prove today.

With the recent rains, there are little ponds that have formed. Here is one right outside of San Juan Bautista.


So what was our first stop? We crashed a Wedding!
Immaculate Conception Church in Tres Pinos is a cute little church. There were a lot of cars outside, and some people wandering abouts. We took a look inside, and a wedding was going on!

Attention all Traditional Priests: It appears the High Altar is still in place in the back. Just need a Communion Rail!

Never mind the wedding, kids! Look! Skydivers!





Don't know what these cows were doing. Maybe one of their secret cow meetings.

Tree Hugger Monica kisses a tree. No Ego problem here. We finally made it to Pinnacles with an open Gift Shop!!!

Now we proceeded to go further south on Highway 25 from Pinnacles, going towards King City. Here is one tree on a hill in the vast emptiness of San Benito County.


Kids always wanted their picture on the County Line. No traffic here.


Tresspasser Monica.




Attention Law Enforcement and Loner Farmer with a Shotgun: She's only pretending to tresspass.
We them proceeded to have a snack in King City, and went on our way to Mission San Antonio.

The Sanctuary of Mission San Antonio. Notice the three altars just like in many of the Missions.

Fountain in the Courtyard.

Crosses and roof of the Mission.

Wild Flowers in Spring.



These are figure heads from ships that brought the Friars to California and docked in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, or San Francisco. The trip would often begin in Acapulco. There is the story of one Friar who was supposed to go to California from Acapulco. He got on the wrong ship and ended up in the Phillipines. He just stayed in the Phillipines!

The Friars would put these Figure Heads around the front of the Church in gratitude for having made it safely to California.



Hey, First Catholic Wedding in California took place right here in Mission San Antonio.

Fort Hunter Liggett surrounds Mission San Antonio, and is an active training groun for troops. A convoy passed us on the way out.

The kids on top of a Sheridan Tank by the entrance to the Fort.
A very nice day except for one thing... Our Gift Shop curse continues!
We got to the Mission late, and the Gift Shop had closed. Now we have to go again!
Where will we go in the vast emptiness of San Benito County next? How about the New Idria Mines!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

BEST. ADDRESS. EVER!!!

This has to be the best address ever. Our friend Ulyssess has moved on to the East Coast of the United States, and lives in a neighbourhood with many Catholic references, as can be seen by a nearby street sign.

Congratulations, Ulysses! You have at least made it to Purgatory!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Pinnacles National Monument, March 2010

On the Road again! This time we went around to the East Entrance of Pinnacles National Monument.

Here, someone decides to be dramatic. Do I smell ham? Why the Drama? We are sad that some friends are not with us on this hike! We were told not to have fun on this hike by some friends who could not be with us, so here is everybody trying their best to cope.

Clouds over the Pinnacles on the Moses Springs Trail.

The Bear Gulch Caves are fully open, and if one is brave enough, you can go all the way through the caves. Towards the end, you do have to go on stepping stones through a creek that runs right in the middle of the cave. Water cascades through the caves to form a Creek downstream. here is the first Waterfall.

Further up, the waterfall is captured with a flash.

We then came out of the Cave, and went around to the Resevoir. The kids help to keep the mountain standing up.

Splashing in the Reservoir.

Climbers on the rocks near the Reservoir.

Water level last June was low enough that we sat on this spot and ate chips.

Water from the Reservoir coming down into the Cave.
Another view of the water from the reservoir going down into the Cave.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Why Catholicism is cool...

Not just because it is the One True Church founded by Jesus Christ, nor because Pope Benedict is his Vicar on Earth, and because we have the Mass. It is because Catholic terms make awesome Band names!

Here is just a sampling...

Purgatory

Funeral Pall

Gift of Miracles

Filioque

Antipope

Day of Atonement

Holy Innocents

Ikonostasis

The Scourging

Mortification of the Flesh

The Five Wounds

Inquisition

Cononical Impediment

Relic

And now for three favourites...

Black Fast

In Partibus Infidelium

Disparity of Cult

Can you imagine some of these as Band Names? Perhaps some others would make good Punk Band names.