J M Wetherington Sr

Comic Book Christmas Covers – Christmas With The Super-Heroes

Posted on December 15, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

During the holiday season I’ll be posting some of my favorite comic books with a Christmas theme on their covers. Here’s DC Comics’ “Christmas with the Super-Heroes”

Posted in Comic Books, Holidays | Tagged Batman, comic books, Holidays, Santa Claus, Superheroes, Superman, Wonder Woman | 2 Comments

Orlando Kittinger Park F-4 Phantom Dedication Ceremony

Posted on December 15, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

If you’ve lived in Orlando very long you know the name Colonel Joe Kittinger. Colonel Kittinger is a decorated, retired Air Force pilot and former Vietnam era Prisoner of War, set a world record of space-diving from 102,000 feet above the earth in 1960 and then played a key role in assisting Felix Baumgartner who broke that record and set a new record of space-diving from 128,000 feet in 2012.

In 1992, Colonel Joe Kittinger Park was opened at the southwest corner of Orlando Executive Airport to honor the Orlando aviator. Yesterday, Kittinger was dedicating an F-4 Phantom II fighter jet like the one he flew in so many missions and my father-in-law, who was also a POW in Vietnam, was invited to attend as a VIP Guest. Here are some photos I took of the event.

Kittinger Park F-4 Phantom II Dedication

My father-in-law, who spent 6 1/2 years as a Vietnam POW, and my mother-in-law, listening to Colonel Joe Kittinger give his opening remarks.

The Color Guard presents The American Flag and the Florida State Flag.

Colonel Joe Kittinger speaking.

A flyover from East to West above the ceremony.

When asked by Colonel Joe Kittinger “How many veterans do we have here today?”, my father-in-law and many others stood and raised their hands.

The flyover planes return flying West to East and in the “Missing Man” formation.

Colonel Joe Kittinger is about to recognize his first VIP Guest at the ceremony…

…my father-in-law. “Colonel Glendon Perkins, who was a Prisoner of War for 6 1/2 years, will you stand…

…and his lovely wife, Kay. Will you stand as well Kay? Thank you both for your service, sacrifice and for attending today.”

I would estimate the crowd to be about 1,200 in size. Many, many Vietnam vets and their loved ones.

Posted in Family | Tagged Colonel Joe Kittinger, F-4 Phantom II fighter jet, Family, Florida, Kittinger Park, Orlando | 2 Comments

Original Star Trek TV Guide Listing

Posted on December 13, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Back on September 8, 1966 the Original Star Trek TV series premiered in the 8:30 to 9:30pm time slot. I was 11 years old and if I’m remembering correctly I convinced my mom to let me stay up and watch it, even though it was a school night (remember, no VHS tape recorders or DVR’s back in the Stone Age). I was a huge fan of science fiction, being a child of the times, and tried to watch every “space” show that came on TV or appeared in books and magazines.

Here’s a shot of what TV Guide (my mom bought it every week at the grocery store on Friday night when she went shopping) showed for the listing of that premier episode. “Spaceman” Spock, jeez! They couldn’t even correctly identify him as a Vulcan. All I knew was I liked this “space” show much more than “Lost in Space” or some of the other kind of goofy science fiction shows and movies of the time. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Posted in Star Trek, Television | Tagged Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy, Spock, star trek, TV, TV Guide, William Shatner | Comments Off

Reading Old Comic Books – Famous Artists School

Posted on December 13, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

I mentioned a few days ago that I was reading some old comic books that I enjoyed as a kid. I also mentioned in that same post;

Many thanks to my mom and dad who, even though we were a middle class income family, always found a way to buy me things like books, comic books, science kits, art courses and model kits…really anything they thought would contribute to my knowledge, entertainment and acquisition of different skills that I might use in later life.

The “art courses” phrase in there was in reference to the ad below for the Famous Artists School, which appeared in so many comic books and magazines such as the TV Guide.

Later the ads would be much shorter and simpler, with “Draw Winky” line art, but this early one with Norman Rockwell got my attention and sparked my interest. I took the test and passed (who didn’t?, lol!) and a salesman came by and sold my parents and I on enrollment in the Famous Artists School. It wasn’t cheap and they signed up to make monthly payments so I could enroll. Course assignments were completed at home and then mailed off for critiquing and instruction. I wish I still had those course materials, I’m not sure what happened to them. But seeing this ad brought back those memories.

My dream, as a boy of 8 to 16, was to draw for those very same superhero comic books I was reading. My talent was moderate and increased with practice and instruction, but I never really had the skill to excel at storytelling (framing and placement of characters and action), which was a major part of superhero comic book art. My life went in a different direction and other than some doodling and a short term attempt to return to drawing in the intervening years, I’ve never visited that area of my past again.

Maybe someday…

Posted in Art, Comic Books | Tagged comic books, Famous Artists School, Norman Rockwell | 5 Comments

Sea World Santa

Posted on December 12, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Last Friday Cindy, Amber and Abby visited Sea World Orlando. Abby had the opportunity to see Santa Claus AND wanted to give him a kiss before she left. Santa seems unsure of exactly how he should handle this turn of events, lol.

Posted in Family, Holidays | Tagged Family, Grandchildren, Holidays, Santa, Santa Claus, Sea World Orlando | Comments Off

Sea World Snow Globe

Posted on December 12, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Last Friday Cindy, Amber and Abby visited Sea World Orlando and somehow found themselves trapped in a giant snow globe.

Posted in Family | Tagged Family, Giant Snow Globe, Grandchildren, Sea World Orlando | Comments Off

My Favorite Version Of “(I’m Dreaming Of A) White Christmas”

Posted on December 12, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Out of all the dozens, if not hundreds, of artists and versions of “White Christmas” I’ve heard over the years, this is my favorite version.

Posted in Holidays, Music | Tagged Holidays, music, White Christmas | Comments Off

Throwback Thursday – Jefferson City, MO 2008

Posted on December 11, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

This week back in 2008 I was working in cold, snowy Jefferson City, Missouri. The downtown area has an annual holiday tradition called “Live Windows” in which the downtown store windows are transformed into living holiday displays. This one, of little girls dressed as angels and singing carols, was one of my favorite shots from that night.

Posted in Throwback Thursday | Tagged Throwback Thursday | Comments Off

Great Woodland Adventure

Posted on December 10, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

I’m finally catching up on photos I took when Amber and Abby visited us in June of this year.

After we hiked back from Hickory Nut Falls, I walked down to get our car from the parking lot and drove up to pick up Cindy, Amber and Abby, then we drove back toward the entrance for our last stop at Chimney Rock that was especially for Abby; The Great Woodland Adventure attraction.

The Great Woodland Adventure was mostly an educational hike through the woods that was geared toward preschool and elementary school age children. Abby had a good time, learned some things and even the adults enjoyed the walk through the woods.

Great Woodland Adventure at Chimney Rock

Abby gets to see what the fur of different woodland animals feels like.

A little out of focus, Abby sits atop a giant frog.

Amber and Abby get to see what it feels like to be a tree…with a face…made out of resin…that other people have slobbered all over. But it was fun 🙂

Part of Abby’s “assignment” on the trail was to observe attributes of plants and animals and answer questions that were posed on signs nearby. She was quite the little biologist.

Abby is dwarfed by a huge boulder in the woods.

Posted in Family, Photography, Travel | Tagged Chimney Rock, Family, Grandchildren, Great Woodland Adventure, Travel | Comments Off

Hickory Nut Falls

Posted on December 9, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

I’m finally catching up on photos I took when Amber and Abby visited us in June of this year.

After we finished hiking to the top of Chimney Rock and I finished climbing even higher to Devil’s Head and Exclamation Point, we took the elevator down to the bottom of Chimney Rock and then hiked down toward Hickory Nut Falls to have a little picnic lunch and get up close and personal with the 404 foot waterfall.