Mission

I am leaving tomorrow.
I am thinking about having someone post updates on my blog for you to read, but I am not sure if I will yet.

So if you don't see any posts for the next 2 years, don't be surprised.
I just hope that my Google account and blog are not deleted.

If you would like to send me a letter, you will have to get my address from someone that I have given it to. I am not posting it on here for security.

Snow Flake Contest Winner

I have the results from the Snow Flake Contest

Here is the winning flake with 2 votes:

By Kassi


Here are the three honorable mentions with 1 vote each:


By me



By me



By me


I did not vote, so you can not blame me for those 3 being an honorable mention.

Thank you all for your participation in this. We had a lot of Great Snow Flakes Submitted.

If the winner will come to my house after my farewell Sunday, I will have a small prize for her.

Snow Flakes Contest Entries

To see the entries from the contest, click here.

Please vote only one time by emailing me, or responding to this message with the number of the flake you like.



Please vote before Dec 25 at 12:00PM.

You can also see them in a bigger view by clicking here.

Snow Flakes Contest

I would like to announce that I have decided to have a contest to see who can make the best snow flake.



To make a snow flake, visit http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/index.html.
When you finish the flake, click on save my flake,
Click on view image
Right click on the image, and chose save image as
Save the image
Then you can ether post a reply to this message with the image in it, or email it to me.
Email it to me here. Please make the subject Snow Flake.

I will put all of images in the Picasa web album seen above.
You can see the album using this link. http://picasaweb.google.com/gbfportfolio/Flakes#

After the contest ends I will post the images on my blog, and in an email, and have you vote on which one is the best.

The Contest will end on Monday December 22 at 12:00 PM. All submissions after that will not be accepted.

Voting will end on December 25 at 12:00 PM.

The winner may just get a small prize, plus of course the satisfaction of winning.

There are no limits to how many times you can enter.

Have fun, and I hope to see your submissions.

Christmas Song

Well Christmas time is upon us. It is my “Favorite Time of the year”. With all of the Christmas Lights up, a nice chill in the air, and the Christmas Music. I do wish it would snow though.

Speaking of Christmas Music, there are a few songs that I like to hear each Christmas. Those songs are “Mary Did You Know”, “Christmas Shoes”, the one listed below, and many more.
The below lyrics are from a song called “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The first time I really listened to this was at a band concert where I was performing with the High School Concert Band. We had a person come in and read the lyrics as we played the song.
Here are the lyrics, please read them; in these few words there is a lot to think about.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!


Do you have any Christmas Songs that you really like to hear each year?