Tina's Odds & Ends

Salty Taste, Eyedrops, Vitamins and Vegans

2011-08-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

A Lovely Summer Evening

One thing the Internet has changed is that it is more likely when you find the answer to one question, you will stumble on the anwer to other questions that you didn't even ask.

A few weeks ago, my granddaughter, Keely, developed a salty taste in mouth. No matter what she ate, it tasted salty. After a few days, I decided to research it to see if I could find out the reason for this. Good old Google gave me the answer. It turns out there are a myriad of reasons this can happen. The wide range of reasons include diseases, dental problems, dehydration, being vegetarian and using eyedrops.

Fortunately, in Keely's case, it was a pretty safe bet eye drop use was the culprit. She had something in her eye, but refused to let anyone try to get it out. My daughter got her some eye drops in the hopes that it could be washed out. It took a few days, but it worked. After that, she had no need for the eye drops. And, as my search predicted, after a few days, the salty taste disappeared.

Since I have been vegetarian for two years moving over on to vegan at the beginning of this month, the vegan reason that popped up in my "salty taste" search caught my eye. Upon reading further, I discovered that vegans are at risk of developing the salty taste due to a B12 and/or zinc deficiency. As I went down the list of foods that provide B12 and zinc, I was relieved to see that walnuts are among the foods that provide zinc. I love walnuts as well as other nuts and seeds.

The B12 did not look promising at all. The best sources were oysters, fish and other foods that I don't eat. The article recommended B12 fortified foods. I started reading the labels in search of B12. Nothing was very promising until I checked the coconut milk. One glass provides 50% of a person's B12 daily requirement!

So here I come full circle. If Keely had not developed a salty taste in her mouth, I would not have turned to the Internet to find the reason and subsequently discovered I need to be careful about my B12 and zinc intake!

By the way, in case you are wondering, the photo has nothing to do with this story. I took it while enjoying a pretty summer evening and thought I would share it. :-)

Happiness Is a New Grandson!

2011-08-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

I'm beside myself with joy! My grandson, Robert David, was born last weekend. I love you, Bobby.

A Strange Looking Bug

2011-07-29T19:36:00.000-04:00

This little critter came in through the front door. Fortunately, they are not usually found in the house. I had no idea what it was. It's a pretty small insect, so I didn't see the strange antennae until after I had downloaded the photo. The antennae made identifcation fairly easly - with the help of Google. It is a type of scarab beetle. The three prongs are but part of many that the beetle can fan out. It was lucky that it was not closed. It may have taken longer to identify. By the way, they use the antennae to "smell" for food.

Another name for the scarab beetle is dung beetle. Yep, they eat dung as well as carrion and dead plants. Gross, but necessary. Here are a couple of interesting couple of facts I came across. Scarab beetles have been around for 150 million years. They ate dinosaur dung! There are 35,000 different species of scarab beetles that have been identified and it is thought that there are another 15,000 yet to be discovered.

Those strange antennae really got me curious. I searched a few websites before finding the interesting information. I'm not an entomologist, so I really wasn't looking for a bunch of technical information. It seems only fitting that the website I found that has the most fascinating and fun information is called - Scarabs for Kids! It's a fun website. I'm glad this little critter led me there. I only have one request of the scarab beetle - please stay outside!

Interesting Facts

2011-07-20T21:48:00.002-04:00

I follow Wild Birds Unlimited on Twitter. They have tons of interesting articles about birds and other wildlife. Here is a fun fact from an article that explains how weight activated squirrel proof feeders work:

"But overall it takes over 65 chubby chickadees to equal the weight of one medium squirrel."

Doesn't it just make you smile to think of the sight of 65 chubby chickadees? They are so cute to begin with!

Click on the link above to read the whole article. It's very informative and and interesting. The blog is here on blogger. It's a great blog!

2011-07-20T14:27:00.001-04:00

Thought I would start blogging again. I'm not even sure what I want to blog about here. I guess just the Odds & Ends that come to my mind. I have not known how to get started. Today, I realized - why not just jump in? I decided, a photo would be a good ice breaker. I found this one I took last summer of a Great Blue Heron in the little pond out back.

I love these birds. One time, I happened to be sitting on the deck where I could see a blue heron and my binoculars were in hand. He stayed in the pond hunting frogs for a very long time - two hours and I stayed right there watching. He moved slowly, yet purposefully and patiently. He caught so many frogs I was afraid there would be none left. But of course, there were. I love these bird, and the frogs. Well, that's it for today.

Skywatch Friday, A Gift and Awards

2008-09-19T12:50:00.012-04:00

Although I am posting a photo (click to enlarge), I am not submitting it to Skywatch Friday. I don't know if I will be able to visit any of the fantastic blogs that participate, therefore, it doesn't seem right for me to post my url. If you have the time, drop by Skywatch Friday and click on some links. This is amazing group of skywatchers -- great photos!

Surprises of Rainy Days

2008-09-09T19:33:00.015-04:00

We had a lot of rain in July and August, not enough to cause destruction, but just too keep the grass too wet to mow. Two dry days in a row had my husband eager to get on the riding mower and mow down our crabgrass. I decided to take a stroll around the yard before he mowed.

First, I wanted to give my grandson a break and fill the front birdfeeder. Much to my surprise, there were beautiful tiny flowers growing around the feeder. I'm guessing that the birds dropped the seeds. I don't know what either of these flowers is called.

Each of these small white flowers is smaller than the diameter of a dime!

Each of these blooms is about the diameter of a nickel. I couldn't see the "veins" until I downloaded the photo to my computer.

As I walked past the birdfeeder towards the front of our lawn where it slopes down to the road, I was amazed. The first photo in this post above represents a small section of the masses of wildflowers that greeted me. I couldn't believe my eyes. The entire area, which measures about 40 feet across and runs about 15 feet down the slope, was covered in wildflowers. The scene wouldn't fit into a single shot.

Off towards the side was a mass of brown-eyed Susans. I captured a small section here.

Then I stood and stared at the mass of flowers. There were many flowers I didn't recognize among the lavender clover, white clover, and Queen Ann's Lace. At first, I thought I was looking at a lot of lavender clover, but closer inspection revealed that most of the lavender blooms were small lavender and white flowers I did not recognize.

Friends told me they thought this flower is crown vetch. I googled it and sure enough the photos that turned up look just like this.

The name of these small yellow flowers is a mystery to me. I love their unusual shape. Very pretty!

These grow in other parts of the yard, too. But they make a beautiful part of the wildflower mass. I don't know what they are called. I call them "daisylets" since they look like miniature daisies to me.

There were a few other flowers that I didn't do a very good job of photographing. Maybe next year. Dave and I have decided the slope won't be mowed. I hope you enjoyed my little tour of the wildflowers.

One thing I find very interesting is that we do have an area in the back yard that we have let grow wild for the last three years because it provides a nice space for the the birds to forage and get out of the elements. Most of the plants and wildflowers that grow there are different from those on the slope.

Here is a photo of the weedpatch taken from the deck.

Here is what the rainy weather this summer has taught us:
"Don't Mow, Let the Wildflowers Grow!" :-)

Hummingbird

2008-08-30T14:12:00.003-04:00

One of the six hummingbirds visiting the feeders this summer. They are such a joy to watch! (Click the photo to enlarge.) :-)

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-29T11:36:00.004-04:00

This caught my eye because it looked to me like a cloud volcano erupting! Please click photo to enlarge.

Don't miss out on beautiful sky shots from all around the world. Visit Skywatch Friday Thank you for taking the time to look at my sky photo. I appreciate it. :-)

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-21T16:12:00.005-04:00

Last week these ominous clouds rolled in quite suddenly and brought a real humdinger of a thunderstorm with them! Please click the photo to enlarge.

Don't miss out on beautiful sky shots from all around the world. Visit Skywatch Friday. Thank you for taking the time to look at my photo. I appreciate it. :-)

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-14T23:18:00.007-04:00

Please click photo to enlarge. The tiny bugs the dragonflies are after will come into view.

Last year I wondered where all the dragonflies had gone. I'm pleased to report that they are back. A couple of nights ago, I was amazed to see the dragonflies swarming in the front yard, apparently feeding on tiny bugs that seemed to be rising from the soil. I wasn't able to get a photo that reflected the great numbers of dragonflies in the yard. They zoomed past so quickly, I felt lucky to get a few in one shot. And luckier still when they rose high enough in the air that I could photograph them against the sky!

Don't miss out on beautiful sky shots from all around the world. Visit Skywatch Friday. Thank you for taking the time to look at my photo. I appreciate it. :-)

An Award from Jo!

2008-08-12T13:04:00.003-04:00

Today, I was very pleasantly surprised by receiving this award from Jo at Moodscapes. Her kind and sweet words touched me deeply and certainly made my day. Please drop by her blog. She writes about life's daily ups and downs in a way that leaves you feeling inspired and hopeful. Jo is definitely "good people"! :-)

Skywatch Friday

2008-08-08T00:29:00.005-04:00

During one of those rare days when it didn't rain recently, I took this photo. The clouds were so lovely. It was really nice to look up and see a blue sky and lovely clouds instead of getting a face full of rain! Please click the photo to enlarge.

I'm sorry about the blank last week. I think I must have used the Picasa function the wrong way. I use the blogger upload function this week. Hopefully, the photo will not disappear!

Click Skywatch Friday to see many beautiful sky photos from all over the world!

Tina Needs - a Meme

2008-08-06T11:49:00.005-04:00

The 'Needs Meme'

I was tagged by Storyteller at Small Reflections for this one.

This is a very simple but fun meme. Here are the rules:
Google your first name with the word needs and post the first 10 results. I included my comments in italics. You don't have to do that if you don't want to. Tag folks if you want. I will leave it to you. If you'd like to do this meme, please let me know so I can read your results.

Sweet Tina needs a slower pace. If I move any slower, I might slip into a coma! LOL
Tina needs a home. To adopt Tina, contact Animal Aid. Hrmmph!!!
Tina needs to win the Home Depot Contest Weird because I am trying to get Home Depot cards! LOL
Tina needs your help!!!I need all the help I can get! LOL
Tina needs prayers. I need all the prayers I can get! LOL
Tina needs to be seen for you to understand exactly what she had to go through to get where she is today; one hell of a rock diva. ROFL
Tina needs to get over herself! Oh yes, I am just the most fabulous person, darlings. LOL
Tina Needs Diet Pepsi!!! Yuck! I do not like diet Pepsi (I do not like green eggs and ham, either!!
Tina needs to build up her backbone. Hey, I once stood up to a threatening klansman - I backed him down!!
Tina needs a blunt and a time out for this Fashion Forum.I don't know how I got into a Fashion Forum. Look my name up in a thesarus. I am an antonym for fashion. LOL

I had fun doing this. Thank you, Storyteller!

SkyWatch Friday

2008-07-31T19:00:00.002-04:00

Please click to enlarge.

I call this a "Cotton ball sky" because the entire sky looked like a mass of cotton balls. Click this SkyWatch Friday link to see beautiful skies from all over the world!

Please Help Spread the Word

2008-07-27T11:48:00.003-04:00

Memoirs of a Mommy

Mary at Mary's Writing Nook made the following very important post to help spread the word about the vital importance of organ donation.

Nancy at Nancy's Nonsense shared this. It originated with Memoirs of a Mommy who created this award in honor of the donor that saved Noah's Life. Noah is her son, and he had a heart transplant when he wasn't even a month old. This dear little boy just celebrated his first birthday earlier this month!! Her hopes are that in passing this award around, we will create more awareness of the importance of organ donation. Please take a copy of this award and post it with a link back to Memoirs of a Mommy and help promote organ donation.

Won't you please help spread the word? Click this link to Memoirs of a Mommy

Thank you!!

SkyWatch Friday!

2008-07-24T20:44:00.007-04:00

Click to enlarge. A storm was moving in, so these last few sun-bathed clouds framed by the dark clouds were a treat!

SkyWatch Friday - click this link to go to the SkyWatch home. There are hundreds of great sky photos posted from skywatchers all around the world. It's great!!

I've Been Doubly Honored!

2008-07-24T20:19:00.004-04:00

I have been doubly honored with this beautiful award from Storyteller of Sacred Ruminations and Patti of Patti's Pantry. You probably also know that Storyteller has another great blog - Small Reflections and that Patti has another great blog - Nonna's News. If you haven't dropped by their blogs, do yourself a favor and drop on by! You will be glad you did.

Storyteller and Patti, I really appreciate this award. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness!!

Here are the rules that accompany this award:
Once an award is received,the rules are as follows:
1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4.Add links to those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blog

I'm afraid I just can't single out seven people. All my blogging buddies are fantastic! Dear Blogging Buddies, please know I would love for you to have this award - so please scoop it up if you would like it!! :-)

Sky Watch Friday

2008-07-17T19:30:00.001-04:00

Sunset on July 1 (Click to enlarge)

Sky Watch Friday has a great new look. Click the link to check out the beautiful photos of other sky watchers!

Renie's Plant and Mine?

2008-07-16T16:45:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge. I didn't get a very good photo. It is hard to see the far side of the bush with the weeds and phlox foliage near it.

Last May, Renie posted an article, "A Little of This, A Little of That" that includes a photo of a plant I think looks like a plant in my yard. Only problem is neither of us knows the name of the plant - that is if they are one and the same. Below is a closer view of mine. It only started blooming a couple of weeks ago. But then I am living much farther north than Renie, so I thought that might account for my later blooms. I think we have the same plant. What do you think?

Click to enlarge. I think I got a better shot with this one.

After looking at many flower photos on google images, I stumbled upon Anthony Waterer Spirea bush. I think this is it! It is referred to as a shrub. I don't know what the difference is. It is a compact shrub that flowers and lends "interest to the landscape" according to many of the websites. I think it's pretty and I like it!

Sky Watch Friday

2008-07-11T09:53:00.005-04:00

Early last evening the sky was empty except for this man-made cloud:

And this heavenly body:

Sky Watch Friday is hosted by Wigger's World. Click the link to check out the beautiful photos of many other sky watchers!

Quick Shutdown Update

2008-07-08T11:51:00.002-04:00

I finally got a chance to try the keyboard shutdown command on a Vista operating system. I found that I had to go one more step - I had to click on "Enter". So it went like this:

Windows Key then
press right arrow 3 times
then press Enter

I don't know if there are variations from on Vista to another. You might want to try this to see if it works on your computer before writing it down and storing it away.

Here's hoping you never need it! :-)

An Award from Linda!

2008-07-05T15:08:00.002-04:00

Linda at This and That has given me this delightful "Super Commenter Award"! Thank you, Linda. I really appreciate it. I enjoy visiting your blog very much. Friends, if you haven't visited Linda's blog, please do yourself a favor and stop by. She's a terrific blogger - you will enjoy your visit - I promise! :-)

A Lesson I Learned the Hard Way

2008-07-04T13:53:00.007-04:00

Last week I was working at the computer and the monitor screen went blank. I tried turning it off and on to see if it would work properly. It displayed for a second, then went blank again. That is when another dilemma arose. I needed to shut down the computer. You would think I could shut it down without having to press the "on" button and hold for a few seconds (which is not good for the hard drive). Alas, I had no idea how to safely shut down my computer.

I had to shut it down the bad way. Then I realized that my home network would be brought down without my main computer running. That wouldn't go over well with the rest of the household. The monitor is not necessary for the rest of the network to get online, only the computer itself must be running. I didn't know how long it would be before I could fix or replace the monitor and I wasn't going to shut down each day in the way that could harm the hard drive.

The mouse is very handy but only when you can see it. After using a computer all these years, I knew that it could be shut down using the keyboard. I just didn't know how to do it - so I looked it up. In Windows XP the computer can be shut down using these keyboard commands:

Windows Key then
press the letter u twice

or

Ctrl + Esc then
press the letter u twice

I've used both methods successfully. I read that some Windows XP systems use the Windows button for another function leaving it useless for a shutdown shortcut. The second method has no such problems.

I found these directions for Vista but have not verified them:

Windows Key then
press right arrow 3 times

If you are like me, not keyboard shortcut savvy, you might want to write these directions down in your password book -- just in case one day you can't see your mouse.

It looks like my monitor is really dead. Fortunately, we have an old monitor that we had stored away. We got that out, dusted it off, attached it, and held our collective breath (this monitor is really old) and tah dah - it works!

Lesson for me? I think I am going to try very hard to learn keyboard shortcuts beyond copy and paste. :-)

Chipmunk Playing Statues

2008-06-24T13:10:00.004-04:00

Dave and I were birdwatching on the deck early one morning. Oscar sniffed around the edges and investigated the new package of potting soil under the hammock. I noticed a chipmunk standing in the walkway. I wanted a picture, but was afraid it would scamper off before I could reach for the camera. Slowly and steadily I picked up the camera, turned it on, and adjusted the zoom. Much to my surprise, the little fella never moved. He remained standing like a statue for at least five more minutes before turning around and racing off into the bushes. Then it dawned on me. My little hound neither saw nor sniffed out the chipmunk, but the chipmunk spotted him. His little game of statues worked. Oscar didn't see him until he was well on his way to safety!

A Beautiful Saturday Afternoon!

2008-06-21T15:15:00.007-04:00

What a beautiful Saturday afternoon! A gentle breeze makes the 76°F (24°C) temperature feel perfect. Big puffy clouds fill the sky. A quick thunderstorm is predicted to rain down on us later this afternoon, so Dave and I decided to take a little time to enjoy the sunshine out on the deck with Oscar and the mourning dove sitting on the line.

This little purple finch stopped by for a while. I think he is a young bird, it looked as though some of his feathers were still coming in or changing color. He spent part of his time eating, then turned to watch us while we were watching him.

There weren't many birds around. It was a bit early in the afternoon, but after the purple finch finished eating and watching us, a pair of evening grosbeaks stopped by. They also seemed to think that we were the dinner show entertainment, too, as they watched us while dining. A hummingbird stopped for a quick sip of nectar, but was off before I could get a picture.

Just as we were about to go back into the house, I noticed a big duck in the sky about to fly away. Can you see it?

I hope you are having a beautiful Saturday, too!

I Ran Into My Culture On TV

2008-06-18T14:34:00.007-04:00

First of all, I want to make it clear that I love the different cultures of the world. I love the different cultures of the United States. I love our diversity. Our differences enrich us all.

But sometimes, when you least expect it, your culture appears out of nowhere. It calls to you. It's as if you are among people who speak a different language and all of a sudden, familiar words make their way through the many conversations in the air, to your ears. At once, you recognize the words and you are at home.

Last week, I saw many memorials and tributes to Tim Russert. I knew he was an excellent journalist, commentator, and interviewer. His peers remembered him fondly and with reverence. These tributes were heartfelt and allowed me to see sides of Tim Russert that I didn't know. His friends and colleagues wore the pain of his loss on their faces.

Friday evening, I turned the channel to MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews -- one of the political programs I watch regularly. Chris Matthews and his two guests, Mike Barnicle and Pat Buchanan reminisced about Tim Russert. Their tributes and memories were no less heartfelt than those of their fellow journalists. However, their manner of expressing their grief was different. They smiled and laughed. They even argued a bit. All good natured and every bit of it imbued with humor. I learned more about Tim Russert through their conversation and memories. They talked about Russert's roots, his upbringing in a Irish Catholic working class family and how that upbringing and those values shaped him. I understood more about Tim Russert. Matthews ended the segment, laughing as were Barnicle and Buchanan, stating words to the effect, "Well, there it is - three Irish Catholic guys paying tribute to another Irish Catholic guy."

That he meant Irish American Catholic is understood. I'm not a guy and my politics are not always in agreement with Matthews and Barnicle, and seldom in agreement with Buchanan. But I felt at home watching this tribute to Tim Russert. It was warm, loving, reverent and filled with humor and laughter. I understood it because it was the culture I was brought up in. I felt that comfort of recognition, of connection with my culture, history and a sense of belonging. I have been there. Laughter laced with tears expressed how deeply I felt the loss of my Aunt Eileen, my best friend. I vividly remember shaking with laughter as tears of grief streamed down my face when my cousin recounted a funny experience my aunt and I shared at the service. I knew my aunt was laughing, too.

Who would think that a political program with "three Irish Catholic guys paying tribute to another Irish Catholic guy" would immerse me in my culture? It did and I smiled.

Image Courtesy of Tangled Spider

An Award from Mary

2008-06-10T09:41:00.005-04:00

Mary gave this wonderful award to her blogging buddies. I'm honored that I am one in that happy group. I recently realized that I have not been properly highlighting the awards I've received. I truly appreciate each and every one and each and every one of my blogging buddies. It seemed seredipitous that the first award I received after realizing my error came from Mary. We are dear friends from our Suite101 days. Mary contacted me to let me know that she and other Suite friends, like our dear friend Renie, were blogging here at blogspot. She encouraged me to join in and so Tina's Odds & Ends was born. I enjoy being part of this community with old friends and new!

Thank you, Mary, for this wonderful award and for bringing me into this wonderful community!

Rainy Wednesday

2008-06-04T12:41:00.007-04:00

It's been raining all day, which should bring the pollen levels down. So far the thunderstorms predicted earlier in the week have not materialized. It's just a pleasant, somewhat cool, rainy, spring day. I love to listen to the rain and to see how it makes the greenery appear greener. It doesn't seem to bother the birds. The birdfeeders are well visited by birds and squirrels alike!

Purple finches

and Evening Grosbeaks

are some of the visitors to the front feeder. The squirrels ran away! And what a surprise when I looked out the back window to spot a turtle in the grass.

This is a good sized turtle. It's hard to judge with nothing nearby as a guide. But I took this photo from the distance of a second story window.

All in all, it's a lovely day!

Look Who's In the Duck House!

2008-05-30T15:54:00.002-04:00

On Monday, I heard the familiar sound of tree swallows in the back yard. When I looked out, I saw two swallows flying around the duck house. I'm not sure if they were building a nest, feeding the young, or if they were fledglings. I am sure they are not wood ducks! LOL

Two years ago, we saw a cute little face staring out of the old duck house. It turned out to be a baby squirrel. We soon learned he had siblings. They were all very cute.

We see plenty of wood ducks. Perhaps some day, they will give one of the duck houses a try.

Did you notice the water? That's not pollution - that's pollen. Our yard is covered with a blanket of pollen. We can see it floating in the air. Sneezin' season.

Have a great weekend!

A New Bird and an Old Friend

2008-05-28T14:21:00.007-04:00

I've been birdwatching from my yard for about six years. It's not surprising that in the last few years, I seldom spot a bird I have never seen. As you can imagine, it's quite a treat when I do see a new one. About two weeks ago, I spotted a bird I had never seen. Actually, Dave spotted it first. Luckily I had our camera handy. "Unluckily" the new bird landed near the garage that is undergoing some renovation. Not the prettiest background for a photo. I'm just thrilled to have seen it and gotten a picture.

According to my research, this new bird is a brown thrasher. It's related to the northern mockingbird and the gray catbird. It is much shyer than its more gregarious cousin the mockingbird. It forages for insects, especially beetles, and is often found overturning leaves in its search for dinner. It also eats fruits and nuts. The brown thrasher's habitat is mainly fields with scrub, thickets, and woodland borders. Its breeding range is from southeastern Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and the northeast of the US south to the southern part of Florida. It spends the winter in the southern part of its breeding range.

Like the red-winged blackbird, it is very protective of its nest. It is so fierce that it sometimes draws blood from people or animals that get too close to the nest. Brown thrasher chicks fledge at a very young age - 11 to 12 days! Another unusual characteristic is its call, which sounds like a large smacking kiss.

I didn't hear its call or observe much of its behavior. It landed on the old fence by the garage and, much to my surprise, stayed there for a good five minutes. Then it flew across the yard and high up into the oak tree before setting off again out of the yard.

Sometimes when I spot a new bird, I look through my bird journal to see what birds I may have spotted in past years. Six years ago to the day, I saw my first red-winged blackbird! Although they are frequent visitors, I have yet to get a really good photo of one of these beautiful but noisy birds.

Tagged by Mike for this Meme

2008-05-20T11:24:00.003-04:00

Mike at Rambling Stuff tagged me a few weeks ago for this meme. Finally, here it is! Thank you, Mike, this was fun and a challenge to my memory. LOL

WHAT WERE YOU DOING 10 YEARS AGO; That's a long time ago - it's hard to remember. Either I just started at Suite101 where I would meet some great friends or I was working at Eye on the Web, which closed up shop without paying me.

WHAT ARE THE 5 THINGS ON YOUR "TO DO" LIST; Post this meme, get caught up with my blogging buddies, get my writing time in, contact the company that has not refunded my money on a cancelled order, check out some markets, and clean the bathroom.

3)SNACKS THAT YOU ENJOY; cheese cake, blueberries, and chocolate.

4) THINGS I DO IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE; Pay bills, college fund for grandchildren, share with children siblings and friends, setup a grant so no child in my town goes without, donate to various charities, get the latest equipment for my husband to pursue his hobby of car restoration (he is really good at it!) and build myself an observatory!

5) PLACES WHERE I HAVE LIVED; Only a few places in NH!

6)BAD HABITS THAT I HAVE; Not sticking to an exercise regimine and being disorganized. If I fail to make a list, I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start on anything - result: I accomplish nothing.

7) JOBS THAT I HAVE HAD; baby sitter, soda jerk, waitress, nanny, auto body helper, vice president & president of citizen's group, speech writer, researcher, public speaker, assembly worker, newsletter writer, web writer, web managing editor, freelance writer.

Sorry, I know I am supposed to tag people, but I don't. If you decide to do this meme, please post to let me know so I can check it out. :-)

The Old Man Gone Five Years Now

2008-05-03T12:07:00.007-04:00

On May 3, 2003, I awoke happily looking forward to my 53rd birthday. My mood changed to disbelief then sadness when I turned to my local news to discover that the Old Man of the Mountain no longer gazed over New Hampshire. Sometime during the early morning hours he fell leaving a huge void on the side of the mountain as well as a huge sense of loss in the hearts of my fellow Granite Staters and me.

The Old Man beckoned people from all over the world to visit him from the time he was first spotted by workers constructing the carriage road from Woodstock to Franconia in 1805. He rested majestically on the western side of Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Improvements in the roads and the building of railroads into the White Mountains brought tourists to the area. By the 1840's the word of the Old Man had spread. He brought thousands of tourists into the state.

His granite profile symbolized New Hampshire -- the Granite State. The Old Man's story began about two hundred million years ago when an ice sheet fractured the granite with its heaving, freezing and thawing actions. Huge blocks of the granite broke away falling off the sheer precipice approximately 1200 feet above Profile Lake. According to experts this process finally revealed the Old Man's face about 2,000 to 10,000 years ago. His face was 25 feet wide and 40 feet long. Five granite ledges combine to form his face, which accounted for the fact that his profile was visible only from particular vantage points along the highway and at Profile Lake.

During the 1880s the Appalachian Mountain Club reported that his forehead was slipping. According to experts of the day, repairing the forehead to prevent it from slipping further was impossible. Measurements and photographs taken in 1906 by Reverend Guy Roberts, who climbed the face, provided the first record of the Old Man. Roberts returned in 1915 with a Quincy, MA quarryman EH Geddes to find that the stone had moved 1 1/4 inches. Geddes made the trek again in September of 1916 carrying a fifty pound pack containing tools and supplies needed to secure the ledge. He accomplished his task in 8 days. In 1927 and 1937 other supports were installed. Periodic inspections and repairs were a regular part of the Old Man's upkeep.

Sadly, despite the best efforts of man down through the years to preserve the Old Man, nature's fury that created him ultimately destroyed him. Fundraisers to construct a memorial began almost immediately. Five huge stone monoliths, each with a different part of the profile, will be arranged so that a replica of the Old Man man will appear once the visitor reaches a certain point in the path along the way, reproducing his sudden appearance to countless people driving through Franconia Notch.

I know that losing the Old Man to nature doesn't begin to compare to the human loss and suffering of so many people in this country due to hurricanes and tornadoes. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Still, there is an ache that is especially keen on my birthday - the day we lost the Old Man of the Mountain.

My source for the history of the repair work:
Back Porch Tales by Karl M Frost & Evelyn M Ellingson, 1974, in the USA.

Photos of repair work on the Old Man, climbers, memorabilia, and EH Geddes

Image of the Old Man is licensed to me by Damselsoft and may not be reproduced.

How Much Have I Changed in Ten Years?

2008-04-22T13:52:00.002-04:00

You've Changed 20% in 10 Years

You've hardly changed in ten years, from your lifestyle to those very retro clothes.

And unless you were really ahead of your time, you probably need to acquaint yourself with the modern world!

How Much Have You Changed in 10 Years?

Just for the fun of it, I decided to answer these questions from different times in my life. So instead of answering how much I've changed in 10 years, I answered in repsonse to 15 years, then 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, and 50 years. Since I am 57 years old, there have been big changes since I was seven!! Here is the breakdown:

20% in 10 years
40% in 15 years
52% in 20 years
60% in 30 years
80% in 40 years
84% in 50 years

Thank you for posting this one, Storyteller. It was fun! It certainly got me thinking about some of the changes I've undergone over the years. Keeping with the more whimsical spirit of this game brought some light-hearted changes to mind.

I have always loved music. My thoughts turned to the evolution of how I listen to music, which started with records and my little transistor radio, evolved to eight track tapes, cassettes, and finally CDs on my stereo system. Now I'm ready for the next step - an MP3 player.

How could I not stroll down fashion memory lane? I never missed an opportunity to cast off a frilly dress for my dungarees. As a young person, I never dreamed I would give up my bell-bottomed, hip-huggers. But I did. Over the years they morphed into straight-legged-jeans which have morphed into slacks with elastic waist bands.

What of my favorite passtimes? My rollerskates and jump rope have long since been retired to eventually be replaced with a telescope and binoculars. Nancy Drew mysteries are no longer on the bookshelf having been moved to make space for mysteries by John Grisham and Patricia Cornwell.

Not everything has changed. Now and then, I still enjoy those "little hot dogs" otherwise known as breakfast links. And I still love those "little trees" otherwise known as broccoli. As long as there are hot, summer days, a cold glass of lemonade will always hit the spot and serve as a reminder of summer days long ago!

Bingo

2008-03-30T16:30:00.003-04:00

Bingo was first published in 2001 in an anthology titled Faithful Guardians, which was edited by a wonderful lady, who has since left us, Phyllis Hobe.It is a true story.

Bingo was my brother's mixed German Shepard dog. Generally speaking, he was sort of a pain in the neck. He was a barker. He barked at everything -- neighbors, cars, cats, the wind or anything else that caught his attention. No one knew what to do about him. None of the remedies we tried stopped him from barking. He had been an abused puppy when my brother rescued him, so having him put down for barking just didn't seem right.

He wasn't a very good watchdog. He was like the little boy who cried wolf, or perhaps the little wolf that barked boy. At any rate, we soon learned that his barking was not a cause for concern and no one paid any attention it. Neither did I as I sat at the kitchen table reading a book one hot summer day in 1969. Bingo started to bark; I tried hard to block it out -- until I heard the back door open. As I looked up, two middle-aged men entered the laundry room, which lead into the kitchen.

"OK, stop right there." I said in the most commanding voice I could muster.

They laughed and told me not to be alarmed. According to them, they were acquaintances of my father and had come by to pick up the old shed laying disassembled in the back yard. My father hadn't said anything about this to me and neither man had a receipt. Being a teenager who enthusiastically embraced the feminist movement, I quickly lost sight of the dangerous potential of my situation. Instead of being fearful because I was alone with these two strangers in the house, I became very annoyed and indignant at their condescending attitude toward me. I told them to come back when my father was home. They insisted that they needed to take the shed, which was "rightfully" theirs since they had paid for it. Referring to me as a "little girl" and telling me not to get "all hysterical," they continued to attempt to bully me into allowing them to take the shed.

My growing anger revealed itself as I glared at the two and they found that very amusing. There was no way I was going to just let them walk away with the shed. However, I wanted them and their silly grins gone. I told them they could have the shed if one of them gave me his license so that I could copy his name and address. The mouthier one of the two handed over his license, laughing at me in the process. I copied the information.

As they were leaving the kitchen, the mouthier one turned to me and said, "You gonna do something about that stupid dog of yours out there? He's in the way."

He was correct about Bingo being in the way. He was tied to his doghouse, which was only a few feet from the shed. I didn't want him to get hurt. I knew he wouldn't harm them. He was all bark and no bite. I held his collar as the men approached the shed. It wasn't an easy task. Bingo continued to bark, growl, and lunge at the men. It took all my strength to hold onto him.

Suddenly, the men began to jump around and scream, as they slapped at themselves and the air. When they had picked up the last part of the shed, they had disturbed a nest of wasps. Wasps were everywhere. Before I could act on my fast growing sense of panic, I felt Bingo's body press against the side of my leg. He had stopped barking, growling, and lunging. He stood quietly, keeping his body firmly pressed against my leg. I reacted instinctively and followed his lead. Neither of us moved a muscle. The wasps were everywhere, buzzing around us. The men continued jumping, slapping at the wasps, and screaming. After a few minutes, the wasps disappeared.

Each of the men had been stung several times. As they were leaving one of them said to me, "How come you and your stupid dog didn't get stung?"

I smiled for the first time since the arrival of the two men and said, "I guess my stupid dog is the smartest one here!" He looked at me as if I had two heads. He didn't get it. I don't think he even understood that I was being sarcastic when I referred to Bingo as "my stupid dog." It didn't matter because I knew Bingo had saved the day. His keen instincts saved him from the wasps, and his big heart saved me.

Look What I Found!!

2008-03-18T14:12:00.006-04:00

Hooray!! Yesterday, I saw a patch of the ground, the bare-naked ground for the first time in months. Better than that, there was a patch of green. Moss never looked so good to me. I heard more birds during this past week. Crows cawing and the low whistle-like call of of evening grosbeaks fill the air. Mourning doves visit the feeder along with the regulars - chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, hair woodpeckers, and titmice. I think I even heard a dark-eyed junco and caught a glimpse of a chipping sparrow. Dave heard a phoebe.

We still have quite a bit of snow, but the melting continues revealing more patches of beautiful earth. Tonight's forcast is for more snow, which will end as freezing rain and then plain rain. I'm not worried. I think we have turned the corner. A few nights ago, when I took my nightly peek at the sky before going to bed, the scent of spring greeted my nostrils. I breathed in deeply and slept very well with visions of spring flowers dancing in my head. :-)

Web Weaver Graphics

My St. Patrick's Day Blessing for You!

2008-03-14T22:33:00.003-04:00

Shamrocks from Hellas Multimedia

Please, No More Snow! LOL

2008-03-13T15:51:00.007-04:00

I can say that all I want, but it looks like the snow is determined to break its own record set in the 1800's. We only have a few inches more to go to reach that goal. The latest weather forcast predicts more snow, ice and rain. Thankfully, a lot of what we had so far has finally melted. I can't wait to see the ground again.

This was taken early last week. That little spot of black near the street is my mailbox.

Here is a closer view of the mailbox and the street. The banks were getting high.

This is the path leading from the house to the driveway. The snow on the path itself was a good six inches of an ice pack dusted with snow. The sides just kept growing taller and taller.

I have to admit that as weary as I am of all this snow, it sure is pretty glistening in the sun!

Online, Offline, Online...

2008-03-12T11:05:00.004-04:00

I’m back – again. The last several weeks either my computer has been ill or my ISP has been on the fritz. Finally, the computer was sent out for checkup. I would solve one problem long enough to go online for a day or two before another would crop up.

It got started weeks ago when my computer seemed to be under attack. It ended up with a worm and a Trojan which is deemed so hazardous that the anti-virus software companies strongly recommended that victims who have done any online financial transactions change their bank account numbers. That is a pain in the neck!

A program named Spy Sweeper found the bad virus (Trojan – ace x) and Windows Defender found the netsky worm. Unfortunately, my antivirus software, McAfee, allowed two changes to my registry a minute before the problems started and allowed my real-time protection to be disabled without asking permission for either. Needless to say, I was not happy when I saw this in the log.

When I cleared up those problems, I still had another problem. There were shortcuts to downloads for anti-spyware and anti-virus programs on my desktop that I didn’t put there. I also had what looked like Windows dialog boxes popping up warning me that my computer is not secure and that my computer is at risk. Since I didn’t download the shortcuts, I didn’t click on them. Putting my cursor over them showed they led to websites named “virus web protect” and “protect trusted antivirus”. A quick search revealed these were spyware sites. On top of that, Internet Explorer kept trying to load various pages.

McAfee was no help with these problems. After much searching, I finally came across the Tech Guy website. This is a forum where members can ask for help with computer problems. Google brought me to the question that listed all the problems I was having with my computer. Best of all, the solution was there as well! I researched the tech guy and the programs he said to use. He was on the level. I followed the solution. Although there were many steps, his instructions were very clear and easy to follow. I did so and the shortcuts and pop ups disappeared. Internet Explorer no longer attempted to load web pages. I was back online – for a couple of days.

Suddenly, I couldn’t get any deeper than the home page of any website. I couldn’t access my web based email. Back to the drawing board. I checked all cables, connections and plugs. I ran all the antivirus, antispyware programs. I searched the Internet for an answer. Nothing! Suddenly, a few days later the problem disappeared. It was then that I found out that my ISP had a problem that caused this. Of course there was no warning or acknowledgement on their front page.

After all this, my husband and I decided to have the computer checked out by an expert. It meant yet more offline time, but it was worth it. He reformatted the hard drive and reinstalled the operating system. He also loaded a much better antivirus program and helped us secure the computer. The antivirus program he installed is Avast, which is a program I had used in the past. For years, I had used Norton. I wasn’t happy with their lack of support. When the program continued to download updates that knocked out my Outlook Express, I started looking around for another antivirus. Many people had high praise for Avast. With all the great reviews and the great price – free for personal use – I had to try it. I was very happy with it. When we went from DSL to Cable Internet, the ISP (Comcast) provided McAfee. Unfortunately, I decided to try it. I wish I had stayed with the Avast. Now I am back to Avast and happily so!

I decided to write about my computer trials of late in hopes that it might help someone else.

I highly recommend the following websites and programs:

Look here for answers to computer problems, registration is free:
Tech Guy

Free antivirus program home edition (has support forums, too):
Avast

Free antispyware/adware program (has support forums, too):
Ad-Aware

So that's my computer tale of woe complete with a happy ending! LOL

Hasslefree Clip Art

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

2008-03-02T20:53:00.002-05:00

Storyteller posted this fun blogthing on her blog Small Reflections. My results didn't surprise me because I kick my shoes off every chance I get! LOL What about you?

You Are Bare Feet

You are a true free spirit, and you can't be tied down.

Even wearing shoes can be a little too constraining for you at times!

You are very comfortable in your own skin.

You are one of the most real people around. You don't have anything to hide.

Open and accepting, you are willing to discuss or entertain almost any topic.

You are a very tolerant person. You are accepting and not judgmental.

You should live: Somewhere warm

You should work: At your own business, where you can set the rules

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

My Lucky Day & the Downy Woodpecker

2008-02-29T13:18:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, this little guy was at the suet feeder that hangs from the oak tree in the front yard. Usually, the least little noise makes the downy woodpeckers fly away. I opened the front door before I realized he was there. He didn't seem to notice. So I got my camera. My next problem was the storm door, which makes noise when it opens. I slowly opened it, holding my breath with each squeak. Since the feeder is directly across the walkway from the front door, I had to hold the door open with my foot to attempt a shot. It was then that I realized the afternoon sun made it almost impossible to see in the little camera screen. I took many shots in the hopes that some of them would be good ones. I couldn't believe that he stayed there. He was happy eating the suet and I was happy I got a couple of good photos. I'd say it was my lucky day!!

Seven Weird Facts About Me

2008-02-28T11:57:00.004-05:00

My new blogging buddy, Mike at rambling stuff tagged me for a "Seven Weird or Random Facts About Me" meme. I had fun writing it - I hope you enjoy it!

1) I don't have a middle name.
2) When I was seven years old, I was bitten on the hand by a scotty dog.
3) When I was twelve, I was bitten on the hand by a monkey.
4) I like pie and coffee. I only drink one cup of coffee a day in the morning. Therefore, on those rare occasions when I have pie, I have it for breakfast with my coffee. (Cold apple pie and coffee is my favorite.)
5) St Patrick's Day is my favorite holiday.
6) My favorite song is Nessun Dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti. It is so beautiful it brings me to tears.
7) Now for the really weird: I had a favorite deep pink blouse that I wore until it was no longer wearable. Finally, I saw a blouse in a catalog that was exactly the same, so I bought it. When it arrived, I was very disappointed because it was burnt orange. I also bought a new pink scarf to wear with the blouse, but it didn't really match the burnt orange so I never wore them together. One day, I was wearing the burnt orange blouse, when both my daughter and grandaughter suggested that I should wear my new pink scarf with it. I asked them if they really thought it would match. They were positive it would look very nice. There was a tiny bit of an orange color in the scarf, so I took their advice. Once I put the scarf on and looked down, I was amazed to discover that my blouse looked pink to me! I later asked my daughter and grandaughter to tell me what color the blouse was. They each said pink, of course. I had no idea they had never seen it as burnt orange. Now here is where it gets even weirder. On the hanger, the blouse looks burnt orange to me unless I hang the scarf on it - then it looks pink!!

I am supposed to tag seven people. If you would like to do this meme, consider yourself tagged. Please let me know when you have posted it so I can read it! Have fun! :-)

Beautiful Eclipse!

2008-02-21T14:31:00.009-05:00

The full lunar eclipse last night was a beauty! Unfortunately, my pictures are not very good. I had hoped to set up my telescope to photograph it, but my yard is still covered in ice. Enough of my whining. I'm lucky that I had a clear sky and do have some photos to remind me of this spectacular eclipse.

Even at this point in the eclipse, the moon shown brightly on the snow. I didn't need a flashlight to see my yard, but most of the stars in the sky were already invisible in the bright glow.

As the earth's shadow almost covered the moon, the sky filled with stars! At this point, it looked as though the moon might remain gray to grayish brown.

Just as suddenly as the sky filled with stars, the moon transformed from her normal gray attire to her stunning copper finery.

Totality ends as a sliver of light creeps across her edge.

The stars hide again behind the moonlight. The copper has faded. Soon the shadow will be gone completely leaving the well named Snow Moon reigning over the night sky. I hope you were able to enjoy this eclipse, too.

Would you like to see some lovely photos of the moon? Visit
Renie's "Shooting the Moon! In her shots, a tree frames the moon making for the most beautiful effects!

Total Lunar Eclipse Feb 20-21

2008-02-19T12:37:00.005-05:00

Total eclipse of October 2004, when the Red Sox won the World Series!

(I intended to publish this days ago, but my computer had problems. That will be the subject of my next post! LOL)

Get ready for a total lunar eclipse! The entire eclipse will be visible to most of the Western Hemisphere. It will begin during the evening of Wednesday the 20th for North and South America. Observers in Western Europe and West Africa will see it during the early morning hours of Thursday the 21st.

Below I have listed the North American times in which the different parts of the eclipse will occur. I left out the penumbra stages since that is not readily visible to the casual observer. I have included a link to the European Space Agency website where you will find their time tables listed at the end of this post.

Partial Eclipse begins 8:43 PM EST, 7:43 PM CST, 6:43 PM MST, and 5:43 PM PST
Total Eclipse begins . 10:00 PM EST, 9:00 PM CST, 8:00 PM MST, and 7:00 PM PST
Mid Eclipse begins ... 10:26 PM EST, 9:26 PM CST, 8:26 PM MST, and 7:26 PM PST
Total Eclipse ends ... 10:52 PM EST, 9:52 PM CST, 8:52 PM MST, and 7:52 PM PST
Partial Eclipse ends ..12:09 AM EST, 11:09 PM CST, 10:09 PM MST, and 9:09 PM PST

Unlike the last lunar eclipse on August 28, 2007 that began low on the horizon, this eclipse will find the moon high in the sky and perfect for observing the entire event. An added bonus this time will be the very bright "star" just northeast of the moon - the planet Saturn. Close by to the northwest will be the bright star Regulus. Saturn will shine at the largest and brightest it will appear all year. Whether you gaze at this pretty trio with your unaided eyes, binoculars or a telescope, it will be a spectacular sight.

The next total lunar eclipse visible to North and South America won't occur again until December 20 - 21 of 2010! I wish all the observers clear skies and decent temperatures!

Timetable from the European Space Agency

My report on the August 2007 lunar eclipse

See an animation of the eclipse here

Screen Capture Meme and Synchronicity

2008-02-12T12:20:00.000-05:00

Mary at Mary's Writing Nook posted this unusal meme. She was tagged by Hootin Anni

I thought I would give it a try. It happens that my screen shot is related to a post I intend to make, hopefully by tomorrow, about the upcoming lunar eclipse. As fate would have it, I came across another meme at Michele's Writing the Cyber Highway that also relates to my article. This meme turned out to be even more of an example of synchronicity in kind of a eerie way. It involves grabbing the nearest book, turning to page 123 and copying a few sentences. Since I've begun researching my article, my nearest book is "Observer's Handbook 2008", which contains 324 pages covering all kinds of astronomy information, charts, graphs, and articles. Here is the eerie part - page 123 has a chart that lists the upcoming lunar eclipse!! Check out Michele's meme - it's fun!

Here's my screen shot:

Rules and How-tos for this meme:

1. Capture a picture of your computer’s desktop.
2. Post it on your blog along with a link to who tagged you.
3. Tag some people.

Here’s how you can do a screen capture:

1. View desktop and press the Print Scrn key (located in the upper right corner of your keyboard on the same row as the F12 key).
2. Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).
3. If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it, but it is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.

I only had one problem doing this. While following the directions, I put Mary's instructions up on my screen after I had pushed the Print Scrn key and I ended up with Mary's blog instead of my desktop. Keep the instructions on the taskbar!! LOL

Thanks, Mary, this was fun!

A Lovely Blessings Award!

2008-02-08T11:59:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Renie at Renie Burghardt's World has given me this lovely Blessings Award. We have been friends for about nine years! We first met while at Suite101 when I wrote about New Hamsphire and she wrote Nature Sketches. After the first article I read, I was hooked. Just as with Renie's writing here, her articles back then were filled with wonderful stories and observations about nature and the world around us as well as inspirational and uplifting stories from her own life. It was impossible to not be friends with this wonderful lady! Renie is one of the blessings in my life. I'm lucky to have so many blessings - among them my family, a safe home, the birds during the day and the stars in the heavens at night.

Now it is my pleasure to pass this lovely award on to three wonderful people.

First to another dear old friend I met at Suite101, Mary at Mary's Writing Nook. Her friendship is a blessing in my life. At Suite 101, I learned about Canada in all its beauty and rich history and quickly became fast friends with the author, Mary. She is the most giving person I know and she uses her curiosity and life experiences to educate her readers, always in the most interesting way.

Next, I would like to pass on this award to a new friend who is a blessing in my life, Michele at Writing the Cyber Highway When Michele visited my blog for the first time, I knew from her kindness and her signature, "smiles" that she was a special person. Writing can be a lonely endeavor - but not with Michele around. She is very supportive and filled with great ideas to get the muse going!

Last but not least, I would like to pass on this award to a new friend who is a blessing in my life, Grandy at Functional Shmunctional Grandy has a grand sense of humor. She always finds the humor in any situation and uses her writing talent to pass on the laughter!

I am thankful for all these wonderful friends. :-)

Finally, Deer in the Daylight!

2008-02-06T11:17:00.000-05:00

In my December 9th post I told you about deer visiting the yard late one afternoon. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to get a decent photo due to the early sunset that left us almost in twilight. Dave installed a sensor with a bell that would ring in the house to alert us if the deer returned to the back yard.

I thought I would surely get an opportunity to take a good photo. But the days were still growing shorter. The deer would arrive at dusk, midnight, and before dawn. Usually, there were three: two larger ones and a small one. Using the nighttime binoculars, we watched the three. Occasionaly, there would be more. We never saw a "herd" because they visited late at night and in the wee hours of the morning. It could be that a couple of small groups visit throughout the night. Sometimes there are tracks coming from the driveway as well as from the woods. The high number of tracks leave no doubt that there were many more than our regular three!

Yesterday afternoon, my grandson, Zach, was in his room doing homework. Suddenly, he came running down the hallway shouting to us to go to the kitchen window - there were six deer in the woods heading towards the pond. (Since he placed his desk facing a wall, how he saw the deer while doing his homework is a mystery for another day. LOL) My son, Kevin, was here at the time, as was Keely. We all watched three of the deer walk to the far side of the pond and cross it; the other three remained in the woods. It didn't take the three long to find the deer feed buried by the new snowfall the night before. Finally, I got some fairly decent photos of the deer!

While I'm very happy with my photos,which are still a bit dark, if you want to see some excellent photos of deer, visit Renie Burghardt's World In addition to the deer in the side bar, scroll down to see the delightful photo of a deer "scratching an itch"!

My Journey to Choose a Candidate

2008-02-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

This is not a political commentary although it is about politics. Rather it is about my journey to choose a candidate. Never has my decision touched me so deeply nor has it ever been so difficult.

Tuesday, January 8th was a historic day. Listed on the New Hampshire primary ballot were the names of the two leading candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination for president - a woman named Hillary Clinton and a black man named Barack Obama. Another name, Bill Richardson, of Hispanic heritage was also listed and in fourth place in the polls. The list of all the candidates was long and impressive. Of special interest to me were Senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd. I can't remember a time when the the choices were so good and so varied. I can't remember a time when I felt the country would be in good hands regardless of which candidate ultimately made it to the White House.

In my heart, I wanted desperately to see America break one of the barriers that keeps us divided. I grew up in a culture and a family that told me I wasn't as good, smart or capable because I was a girl. The working world confirmed that stereotype. Like many women in my generation, I rebelled against it. US Senator Hillary Clinton's status as a serious contender for the presidency was a dream come true.

My culture, family, and work experience constantly reminded me that being black in America, also meant not as good, as smart or as capable. More horrendous stereotypes were perpetuated in American society. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was and is one of my heroes. US Senator Barack Obama's status as a serious contender for the presidency was a dream come true.

Hispanics have not escaped the labels of not as good, smart or capable, either. Alas, more bigotry and ignorance reared it's ugly head here in the land of the free. Gov. Bill Richardson's status as a serious contender for the presidency was a dream come true.

You may be thinking that the choice should have been easy. I'm a white woman who has dreamed since childhood that a woman would rise to the presidency. But it wasn't that easy. Careful thought and consideration are a must when choosing a leader. The United States is at critcal point in its history. Seldom has the need for the right leader been more urgent.

Therefore, the process of choosing was an arduous one. I set my heart aside while I examined each of the candidates. They shared many views. The process of winnowing the field often came down to one view that I felt strongly about. Within a few weeks, my field had been narrowed to Clinton, Obama and Biden. Senator Biden just didn't have the support necessary to keep him competitive. In a way, I felt this great senator is still needed in the Senate.

Finally, I was left with Clinton and Obama. They are both good, smart and capable! Either as president would be a dream come true.

However, I was extremely disappointed in a vote on a resolution that Clinton had made a few months earlier. It weighed heavily on my mind. But the most basic question seemed to me to be what does this country need more than anything? We need a leader who can unite us and inspire us. When I say us, I mean all of us. We need a new direction, a new vision. We need someone who can restore our standing in the world community. We need a leader who will give it to us straight, who will tell us that we need to pitch in to rebuild this nation. A leader we can believe in. My questions reminded me of the speaker who gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2004. I had not felt so motivated and inspired since I was a kid listening to President Kennedy's inaugural address. That evening I told my husband that I had just listened to an incredible speech by the man who would be the first black president of the United States. That sentiment was echoed by many others the following day.

Finally, my heart and my mind were in agreement; I had my answer. I cast my vote in the New Hampshire primary for Senator Barack Obama.

A great historic moment awaits us during the August 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado as the party nominates either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton to be its candidate for president of the United States. I hope with all my heart and mind that it will be Senator Obama but I will enthusiastically support Senator Clinton if she is the nominee. It is with great joy and hope that I await that final historic moment when one of them is sworn in to be President of the United States.

Keynote Address by Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, 07/27/04

Free
Clipart or Photos: www.ace-clipart.com

What Dessert Are You Most Like?

2008-01-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

You Are Strawberries with Cream

Fresh and uncomplicated, you are always enjoyed but often overlooked.

You're confident in who you are. You don't need a facade to feel better about yourself.

What Dessert Are You Most Like?

I was visiting Functional Shmunctional and saw this post. So I decided to give it a try. This turned out to be weird. As you can see, I am most like strawberries and cream. I love strawberries and cream, but have not had any in years because I am allergic to strawberries!! Hmm - does this mean I'm allergic to myself? LOL

What dessert are you most like? :-)

Hello, Again!

2008-01-13T16:04:00.000-05:00

The flu has kept me out of commission for a while. Both Dave and I had it, but we are much better now! I wanted to post to let you know I'm still around and will get caught up in the next few days. I've missed visiting here with my friends. :-)

The deer have been dining here almost every night. Unfortunately, they arrive after dark, sometimes not until midnight. Dave rigged up a motion detector to alert us to their presence. All the snow on the ground provides just enough light so that we can see them through the back window with the night binoculars. It's a treat to see them. There are two does with a little one and a solitary doe that are regulars. I wish they would arrive earlier so I could get some photos! Maybe as the days get longer they will - I hope.

As usual, the story here is the weather. We had a week of spring-like weather. Temps reached 60 degrees one day and upper fifties other days. There were two days of rain, a thunderstorm in Nashua, and lots of melting snow. The sump pump was worked hard. Despite all that, we still have a snow cover. Weather forecasters are predicting 6 to 12 inches of snow for tomorrow. I guess the silver lining to this is that all that snow makes it easier to see the deer. On the down side, if this keeps up schoolchildren will have a lot days to make up at the end of the year.

The photo above gives you an idea of all the layers of snow we've had. It would snow, then we would get freezing rain or sleet, which would freeze over so that the next snowstorm formed a new layer. Here you can see a sheet of the layers sliding off the old woodshed roof. The thin layer of ice held it together until it actually touched the ground and finally broke loose from the roof!

I hope you are all well. See you soon at your blogs. :-)

Snowy December in New Hampshire

2007-12-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

Last year ski season didn't get started until late January, early February. I remember a few balmy January days with temperatures near 60 degrees. This year, the ski season got started before winter arrived on the calendar. Tonight I am awaitng our sixth snow storm. It will probably only bring a couple of inches to my part of the state before it turns to sleet and freezing rain. But that snow amount will be added to what has already fallen in the last two weeks.

As of today, New Hampshire has moved up to the 3rd snowiest December in the state's history since records were first kept in the late 1800's! Although there are only a few days left in the month, it is possible we will break or tie the number one record holder. There are two additional snow events in the weather forcast before New Years Day. This is the heavy wet snow. Many people have to shovel their roofs. On the plus side, New Hampshire is a tourist state with lots of skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. All this snow is good for the state and it sure is pretty. I leave you with some photos I took recently. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

The driveway is down there somewhere!

Sunrise kisses the treetop of one tree in the back yard.

The day after the storm, the sunrise peaks through the trees across the street.

Happy New Year!!! :-)

12-Christmas-Things-About-Me-Hoopla

2007-12-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

I've been tag.. er hooplahed! Here are the rules:

1. List 12 random things about yourself that has to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a 'hoopla' and not the dreaded 'm'-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this 'hoopla' circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.
5. If you want to -- please give me, Andrea, some link-love as the 'Hoopla-Creator'. I love new blog-traffic.

Before I get to my Hoolpla, here is how the hoopla got to me:

Sharon at Sit With Me Awhile started this Hoopla. I think she tag...er hooplahed
Denise at Samaritan Women who tag... er hooplahed
Mary at Mary's Writing Nook who tag... er hooplahed me :-)

1) One Christmas gift that stands out in my memory is the beautiful white angora tam that Grandma knitted for me when I was about 11 years old.

2) I don't know how old I was, but I must have been around seven or eight when Grandma took me to Boston on the train. I don't remember much except that we stopped to look in a store window that was set up with a beautiful village. A little locomotive traveled around the village. In another window there were mechanical dolls. One was dressed in a cranberry colored coat with a white-fur-lined hood. I was mezmerized by it all!

3) Although I am a terrible singer, I thoroughly enjoyed the year my older cousin took me along with her friends caroling. We had a great time singing - people came to their doors and windows, smiled and waved. Later we went back to her house for hot chocolate.

4) I was deeply touched by my husband's sister and her husband the Christmas after my husband, Dave, had triple bypass surgery. He had been out of work since October and we didn't have money to buy presents for the children. Kathy and Skip arrived Christmas morning with large bags filled with presents for the children, Dave and me. It was an unexpected kindness and thoughtfullness I will never forget.

5) My Christmas treasures are all the handmade cards and drawings my children and grandchildren have given me.

6) Dave and I laughed so hard we were in tears the Christmas that my son and his girlfriend (soon to be daughter-in-law) gave us a Universal remote and a calculator. The remote, for Dave and the calculator for me. Why did we laugh so hard? They were huge! So huge that we could not possibly lose them, nor did we need our glasses to use them. Kevin and Chrissy thought it was a joke - we still use them!!

7) That same year, Chrissy and I had our own laugh - I gave her a book I had just heard of and she gave me a book she had just heard of - The DaVinci Code!! LOL

8) For many years, my daughter Mariah and my grandchildren, Zach and Keely would gather round the tree. The children would decorate it, which was always interesting with delightful results. Then we would sing Christmas carols and drink hot chocolate in Mariah's special Christmas cups.

9) We have a spare room in the cellar. For a number of years, it became the Christmas room. Mariah, who is very artistic, would help me decorate it. She did all the climbing and pinning. Her ideas always gave the room that special extra magical look. I enjoyed the time with her.

10) My favorite Christmas carol is "The Little Drummer Boy."

11) I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" every year and I always cry. It is so hopeful!

12) Christmas is a time for family and friends to be together and to count our blessing - we are together.

That's my "Hoopla". Now in order to comply with the rules, I just need five volunteers who will let me tag... er hooplah them! LOL

Most Welcome Backyard Visitors

2007-12-09T16:27:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, my grandaughter Keely called to me and my grandson Zach in a hushed sort of voice. I went out to the kitchen and she was standing like a statue by the window that looks out on the back yard. She whispered for us to slowly come to the window. There in the backyard were two deer. One was very large, the other smaller. They were eating some of the branches on a pine tree. I took a picture of the smaller one but it didn't come out very well. The screen was still in the closed window, so it made for a blurred photo.

The deer actually seemed so much larger than those we usually see. I think that is due to the fact that we only see them in the late spring and summer. On those rare occasions when they come to the back yard, they are usually partially hidden by foliage. They don't stay long. Usually we spot them across the street at the far side of the baseball field. Again, they don't linger.

Wednesday was different. We watched them for a good 10 minutes. They wandered from the far side of the pond to the other end of the house. Slowly we made our way to the bedroom facing the woodsy area at that end of the house. It was dusk and snowing, but we had no problem watching them. They were beautiful. Finally they made their way to the woods across the street. I managed to get one picture in which, if you look carelfully, you can see them. The sky had darkened by this time and it is reflected in the photo.

Dave told a co-worker about our adventure. He suggested a feed that we could put out to attract the deer back to the yard. Dave bought it. It smells good enough to eat. It looks similar to granola. Dave had put some out Friday, Saturday and today. There are all kinds of deer tracks in the area. Each morning when he checks, all the feed is gone!

Today he put a motion sensor out there that beeps softly in the house whenever disturbed. Hopefully, we will get to see them again and get some good photos. (Yes, we took the screen out - finally. LOL).

Zach, Keely and I were enthralled watching them. They are so beautiful. It was a wonderful experience for us to share. With a little luck, we will have more opportunities to see these beautiful and most welcome backyard visitors!

"Twelve Questions of Christmas Meme"

2007-12-05T13:57:00.000-05:00

Here is the "Twelve Questions of Christmas Meme" I saw at my good friend Renie's blog, Renie Burghardts World. It's a lot of fun. If you would like to give it a try, click on over to Hootin' Anni's Blog. Hootin Anni created it and has graciously provided the graphic, too!

1. Christmas is beautiful. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]

2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past?
Watching my children on Christmas morning!

3. Was Santa ever good to you?
Yes, he has given me many wonderful surprises over the year! I'm glad I married him!

4. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both?
One gift Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas Day.

5. Is there something you make each and every year? [craft or recipe]
I used to make fudge. When the kids were little, we made it as a family. They are grown now. I only make it once in a while.

Marshmallow Fluff Fudge
2 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 5.33 oz. can evaporated milk (3/4 c.)
1 Jar (7 1/2oz) Marshmallow Fluff
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 12-oz. package semisweet-chocolate pieces
1 /2 c. chopped walnuts

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan; set aside. In large saucepan combine first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Heat to a full-rolling boil being careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Add nuts. Turn into greased pan and cool. Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

6. What is your favorite five[5] Christmas songs/hymns?
The Little Drummer Boy
Joy to the World
O Holy Night
Feliz Navidad
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer

7. Is there a new tradition for Christmas since your childhood days?
On Christmas morning we all (my husband (aka Santa), my grown son and his fiance, my grown daughter and my two grandchildren) have a continental breakfast together and open presents. The main attraction is watching my grandchildren open their presents. It is very special.
It's usually filled with loads of laughter!

8. Describe one of your Christmas trips. [whether it's across town or across country]
Last year, we had Christmas morning at my daughter's house. Since I'm pretty much homebound, it was a real treat for me. She only lives about a mile or two away, so it was a short trip. I loved seeing her house so beautifully decorated. My grandchildren had much to show me! It was delightful!

9. Do you have a special Christmas outfit to wear for the day?
No. I usually wear my slacks and a favorite blouse and scarf.

10. Have YOU or any of your family members sat on Santa's lap?
Yes, long, long ago.

11. What is/or will be on your Christmas tree this year?
I don't know. We are planning on some construction in the spring. There is a beautiful little tree - I think it is a spruce, growing right in the middle of the area to be disturbed. We may cut it down and use that for our tree. We have cut down trees on our property in the past. We've been lucky to have so many trees!

12. Do you/or have you decorated your yard for Christmas?
Not usually. One year, my daughter and the children decorated some of the trees in the front yard. It was beautiful!!

Nor'easter Hits New Hampshire!

2007-12-03T19:19:00.000-05:00

It started snowing last night. Actually, it began as freezing rain. It switched over to snow by early morning. The roads were icy; there were many fender benders around the state. It is supposed to stop snowing here tonight. It will continue to snow in the northern part of the state until tomorrow. Skiers are delighted and shovelers are not!

Snow didn't slow the birds down. Chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice flew to the feeders, grabbed their seeds and were off to the branches to crack them open. They don't seem to mind the storm.

The kids are happy about a day off from school. My husband was not able to go to work. The driving was treacherous, even more so in the area near his workplace. The world will look pretty tomorrow and everything will be back to normal. We got through this first nor'easter of the season just fine. As for me, I'm looking forward to the last nor'easter of the season!

Animal Personality Test

2007-12-03T18:52:00.000-05:00

Your Animal Personality

Your Power Animal: Deer

Animal You Were in a Past Life: Panda

You are a fun-seeker - an adventurous, risk-taker.
While you are spontaneous, you are not very rational.

The Animal Personality Test

Thank you for this fun test, Michele!

A Christmas Spirit Award!

2007-11-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

Myspace Glitter Graphics

Thank you, Mary, for this wonderful award! :-)

What Kind of Friend...

2007-11-25T12:44:00.000-05:00

You Are a Good Friend Because You're Supportive

You are almost like a life coach for your best friends.

You give them help when they need it... but you also know when to give them a push.

People tend to rely on you for moral support and advice.

You've probably always been mature for your age, so this is a role that's you're comfortable with.

A friend like you is one of the rarest kinds.

You are both a good mentor and companion.

Your friends need you most when: They are confused or worried.

You really can't be friends with: Someone who only wants to complain.

Your friendship quote: "The only way to have a friend is to be one."

What Makes You a Good Friend?

I saw this at Michele's Writing the Cyber Highway as part of her "Fun Weekend" posts. Join in the fun!

It Snowed!

2007-11-24T22:47:00.000-05:00

We had our first snow on Tuesday, the 20th. There was only an inch or two accumulation. Since it remained cold for a few days, the snow coated the ground until Thanksgiving. It seems snow and cold temperatures made the birds very hungry. They were flitting back and forth between the bird feeders and the trees all day.

It was later in the day when I took these photos so it was getting dusk and the birds had gone, except for one little chickadee. He traveled between the feeder and the birch tree in the photo above. He must have been feeling a little insecure. Instead of flying directly between the two, he would disappear into the small pines in the walkway to emerge a few minutes later.

It was a bit chilly in the house. Oscar, our dachshund, pulled a couch pillow down over himself. His way of saying, "Turn up the heat!"

Fun Stuff - What Purple Says About Me!

2007-11-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

What Your Favorite Color Purple Says About You:

Intuitive --- Seeking --- CreativeKind --- Self-Sacrificing --- Growth OrientedStrong --- Very Wise --- Rare

What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?

First Frost

2007-11-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

Opaque windows tried to hide the secret of the night. But it couldn't be kept. The deck boards crackled under foot this morning. The unseasonable warmth of September and October could not last long into November. A lone leaf lay covered in frost.

This morning, frost blanketed my world.

It looked as though a light snow had kissed the earth.

A chilly 26 degrees dressed my yard in shimmering, frosty sequins.

Oak leaves, edges etched in icy silver, sparkle briefly in one final glorious display.

Jack Frost beckons Old Man Winter.

I've Been Tagged!

2007-11-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

Michele at Writing the Cyber Highway tagged me for a meme entitled: "What would I write if I had an extra hour every day?"

Here is my list:
1) Write a novel, a mystery/suspense novel.
2) I would learn how to write poetry. Sometimes, I just want to say something that feels as though it belongs in a poem.
3) I would try my hand at a TV episode. I often think of twists on those "ripped from the headlines" series.
4) I would practice writing faster. I am the world's slowest writer.
5) I'm afraid I will have to stop here because this is more than I could handle until I accomplish #4!

Thank you for tagging me, Michele. Although my list is short, writing it made me think. It's time to get going on it even without the extra hour. :-)

Unless she has been tagged already or does not have the time, I tag Mary!

Image courtesy of DailyClipArt.net

Seven Random Facts Meme

2007-11-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

Mary at Mary's Writing Nook tagged me for a Seven Random Facts About Me meme.

This was fun! For better or worse, here they are:

1) I was my class Spelling Bee champion in the seventh grade.
2) I can read and write backwards. I can also read a page that is upside down, as well as write upside down and write backwards, upside down.
3) When I was about 10 years old I was standing at the stove talking to my mother. Suddenly her eyes widened in terror and she started rapidly patting the back of my head. My hair had caught fire from the burner flame on the stove. I always thought that was brave of her.
4) I love to read mystery/suspense novels.
5) My very favorite song is Nessun Dorma sung by Luciano Pavarotti. It is so beautiful, it brings me to tears.
6) I love to sing. Unfortunately, no one within the sound of my voice likes for me to sing!
7) The farthest I've ever been from New Hampshire is Dallas, Texas. The plane was diverted to Houston due to tornados. I was very nervous. Fortunately, the man sitting next to me was an airline pilot. He explained how these situations worked and I stopped being nervous.

I am supposed to tag other bloggers. If they want to and have the time, I tag:
Renie at Renie Burghardt's World
Michele at Writing the Cyber Highway

A Naked Eye Comet!

2007-11-02T13:55:00.000-04:00

"Comet Holmes brightens almost a million times" read the headlines on October 25th. Almost overnight a comet difficult to find in very good telescope made itself visible in the night sky. I strained to spot the naked eye comet in the constellation Perseus. According to an article I read, it would appear as a fuzz ball. I didn't see a fuzz ball, but I did see a star that didn't belong in Perseus. Sure enough, a look through my binoculars revealed a big fuzzy ball with a bright center - Comet Holmes. It wasn't until the following night, as the comet continued to brighten, that without the aid of binoculars, I spotted the fuzz ball where its star-like imposter had been the night before.

It is expected to remain visible with the naked eye for the next couple of weeks, possibly continuing to brighten. You can spot it, too, if you know where to look. In the early evening look to the northeast for Cassiopeia, which appears to be the letter W standing on its side. Perseus is located below Cassiopeia and slightly to the east. Part of the constellation forms a triangle. Look to the bottom left point of the triangle. It may look like a star or a fuzzy patch depending on your eyesight and the darkness of the sky. That is Comet Holmes. Binoculars reveal that it is not your typical comet. It has no tail; it is circular with a bright center. If you have problems finding it, use binoculars to slowly sweep the general area until it comes into view. It is so bright and round, that you will know immediately that it is not a star.

Spaceweather.com has an impressive photo gallery of Comet Holmes photos taken by amateur astronomers from all over the world. Most of these are from the northern hemisphere, but I noticed some Australia.
http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_holmes.html

By the way, if you have never seen the Andromeda Galaxy, this would be a good time to do so! Andromeda is marked in the sky chart. Again, use Cassiopeia as your guide. From the most northerly star (the top), look east (to the right) until you see a fuzzy patch. If your eyesight doesn't permit or your sky is not dark enough, use binoculars. You won't be able to miss it.

Clear skies!

I made this star chart using the free software, Cartes du Ciel.
Cartes du Ciel
Sky Charts
Free program to draw sky charts
For use with Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP
http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/index.html

Is This Sedum?

2007-11-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, before our septic woes, I saw a post at Mary's Writing Nook, asking the identity of her plant. I think someone said it might be a sedum. I have a plant that I think is the same. I love this plant. It's very pretty. It blooms late in the summer into early fall. Bees love it. This is the best photo I have of it when it was in bloom. I don't have a picture of the entire plant. Fortunately, I was testing out the macro function on my camera when this bee landed on the plant. I never thought I would deliberately get this close to a bee! LOL

If anyone knows what plant this is, I sure would appreciate it if you would tell me. I would love to get more!

An Award for Me! :-)

2007-10-31T13:30:00.000-04:00

My dear friend Mary has honored me with the Christmas Spirit Award. According to Santa, "Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the "Spirit of Christmas". It should be passed on to five other worthy bloggers. Mary and Renie already have this award. They are the epitome of Christmas Spirit! Since I am relatively new to blogging, I do not have all five bloggers to pass it on to. I have two. Therefore, I will keep the information so that I can make this award when I have met the other three special bloggers, too. Thank you, Mary!

Wondrous Wednesday

2007-10-31T11:46:00.000-04:00

Isn't it always the way that when you really need a day to day convenience, that is when it breaks down? It's not the end of the world or anything like that. It is, nevertheless, frustrating and time consuming. It was one of those situations that put the kibosh on my schedule, as well as that of my husband, Dave and my son, Kevin. Actually, they got the worst end of it.

It all started last week. I had an unusally huge amount of laundry to do and I needed to get it done as quickly as possible. I loaded the machine bright and early. When the wash cycle was completed, my grandchildren (who were getting ready to leave for school) and I heard what sounded like a downpour coming from the cellar. I went and looked. Water poured down from the pipes. I couldn't see where it was coming from. I stopped the washing machine. It was then that I noticed there was sudsy water in the tub and the toilet. That night, Dave used the plunger on both the toilet and the tub. It seemed to work. There was no problem flushing and no water was backing up.

The next day, I again started my laundry marathon bright and early. This time, I heard the rains pouring in the cellar and the toilet gurgling. Again, I stopped the washer. Dave rented a snake. He and Kevin spent a good part of the next day snaking out the entire system. (They did the hard work, I was the standby gopher). When they were done, the drains ran free and easy. The toilet flushed like a toilet should.

Finally, bright and early, I resumed my laundry marathon, which by that time had turned from a 5k run into the Boston Marathon! I was doubtful that I would cross the finish line in time. I didn't even make it to Heartbreak Hill. I couldn't even hear the starter's pistol over the sound of deluge in the cellar, the gurgling toilet, and the gurgling sink!

Dave and Kevin teamed up once again, with yours truly as the standby gopher. All the drains were free. Not a problem did they have snaking it out again. In the process of checking everything as thoroughly as possible, they removed the toilet. The good news was that the toilet was not the source of the problem. The bad news was that part of it was broken. They just don't build things to like they used to - that toilet was only 30 years old! Well, it was clear we needed a new toilet, but first they wanted to find the source of the backup problem.

My son decided to check outside where the pipe runs into the septic tank. He started digging and soon realized that the pipe had not been buried deep enough. It was broken and completely clogged. He was surprised that we hadn't had a problem sooner due to the shallow hole it was in. My husband and son got parts and repaired it. They bought a new toilet and installed it. I must say, the new toilet is very nice. It uses water very efficiently.

I was ready to tackle my laundry marathon. I held my breath as the washer emptied of the washing cycle water. I checked - there was no deluge in the cellar, no gurgling in the toilet or tub, and no sudsy water to be seen anywhere. It took a few days, but I not only made it up Heartbreak Hill, but I crossed the finish line - laundry done.

Although it isn't Thursday yet, I think I will end my little story by borrowing a page from Mary's blog. Why I'm Thankful on Wondrous Wednesday:

Thankful for the hard work and perserverance of Dave and Kevin.
Thankful that we have a sparkling new, water efficient toilet.
Thankful that the laundry is done.
Thankful that we don't have to build an ark!

The Chipped Teacup

2007-10-22T14:16:00.000-04:00

The following is a very short story I wrote in response to a two word challenge - chipped teacup.

Emily slowly twirled the handle of the chipped teacup around until the smooth, unbroken part of the rim faced her. She reached for the fragile handle. Her once delicate fingers gnarled with arthritis could not grasp it. She leaned back in her bed until her frail body rested against the pillows her day care giver, Mrs. Fogg, stacked to prop Emily up at meal time. She would be in soon to feed her and, more importantly to Emily, to hold the cup of tea to her lips.

She didn't mind waiting for Mrs. Fogg. Her granddaughter, Tracey, found Emily’s treasure box of photos and gradually decorated the walls with the most precious of them. Almost a hundred years of family and friends, most of her generation now gone, frozen in time, awaited her gaze each day. Her ninety-eight years drew a blanket of haze over her yesterdays, but not her yesteryears. Each photo unfolded its story vividly, just as sharply as the day it was taken.

As often happened, Emily's eyes grew heavy after reliving a photo or two and she drifted off to sleep. When she awoke, her tray was gone. She had missed her tea and her bones screamed out for the pain medication she also missed. She called for Mrs. Fogg. But it wasn't Mrs. Fogg who answered her call. Emily strained to clear her vision still blurred from sleep.

"Susan, is that you? Oh, Susan I knew you would return one day!" Susan smiled and sat down on the bed. "Just before I drifted off to sleep, I was looking at that photo of us when we were girls. See, the one in the center of the wall?"

Susan turned to look at the photo taken so long ago. "Mrs. Fogg wanted to take it down. She thought it made me sad. Tracey said she would not let her. I told Tracey about you, about our last tea party together the day before the people from the state took us away from each other. I knew one day you would come back, that you would find me. Remember the tea party behind the garden? When I close my eyes I can see the little table you set for us and how you made it so pretty with our floral blanket for a tablecloth and the new yellow washcloths for napkins. How did you smuggle Mama’s tea set out of the house? I never in my life ever had such delicious tea. I still have the teacup that I dropped that afternoon. Every day, I drink my tea out of it and think about you. I always wonder if life has been good to you. I can’t complain. Life has been mostly good to me – except for the empty spot only you can fill. I have missed you so."

Exhausted and wracked with pain, Emily paused. She rarely had the energy to speak more than a couple of sentences. If only Mrs. Fogg would bring her medicine, Emily felt she and Susan could then share all the stories and adventures of their lives. Susan brushed back a wisp of hair from Emily’s forehead. In that moment, Emily’s long ago faded clarity of mind and perception returned reinvigorating her spirit. “Susan, you’ve come for me, haven’t you?” Susan took Emily’s hand and, as death set her free, Emily smiled.

Teacup Image courtesy of Designed to a T – free download
http://www.designedtoat.com/tea_time.shtml

A Sunny, Warm, Windy Day

2007-10-20T15:23:00.000-04:00

"If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." Being a New Englander, I've heard that all my life. It seems that in the last few years, the extremes come back to back more often. Last night, the temperature rose. By midnight, it was 68 degrees and the dewpoint was 66. It was actually muggy and uncomfortable for sleeping. It didn't just rain, it poured. That part is good, we still need the rain. But muggy on October 19th? That is odd.

As you can see from the photo below, the little pond came dangerously close to drying up this year. I was worried about the frogs and turtles. Normally, the water level is just about even with the top of the far bank.

Today is warm, sunny and windy. I'm afraid this weather is taking its toll on the foliage. We lost a lot of leaves in the heavy rain. Now with the wind, it has been raining leaves all day. Despite the crazy weather changes over the last 24 hours, today has turned into one beauty of a day.

I decided I better get some pictures of the foliage before it has all fallen to the ground. These were all taken from my yard. I'll be posting more later. My photos don't do the foliage justice. It sure is pretty around here.

A Foggy, Drizzly, Chilly Day

2007-10-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday felt like late spring - sunny and 70 degrees. This morning feels more like fall. Muted tones of red, gold, and orange foliage peek through the fog. It's chilly and drizzly. Foggy days always make me think of Carl Sandburg's poem The Fog.

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

I've always loved that poem. Apparently the birds are not worried about those "little cat feet" as they visit the feeders and forage on the ground for seeds. It may be my imagination, but they seem more active and lively on rainy days.

As for me, I've had a busy morning and I am looking forward to a late lunch. I think I will fix a nice hot bowl of clam chowder and curl up on the couch with a good book. It's a little chilly, so I'll probably throw my afghan around my shoulders.

There's nothing like a foggy, drizzly, chilly day!

A Surprise for Me

2007-10-18T21:34:00.000-04:00

When I checked Mary's Writing Nook which belongs to my dear friend, I got a very nice surprise. She has given me this wonderful award. I am honored. Thank you, Mary, you made my day! :-)

What Happened to the Dragonflies?

2007-10-02T15:40:00.000-04:00

Now that summer is over, I’ve been thinking about bugs. More specifically, I’ve been thinking about one of my favorite bugs, the dragonfly and wondering why we had so few in the yard this past summer.

For as many years as I can remember, we have been fortunate to have great numbers of dragonflies. Late afternoon would find the front yard or the little pond out back swarming with dragonflies, flying back and forth in what looked like a massive swarm of chaos. There were so many, I often wondered that they didn’t bump into each other. Often while drinking my morning coffee on the deck, a dragonfly would land on the table or even on my hand and stay for a brief time. They were all sizes and colors. Beautiful!

This past year was different. The numbers swarming in the late afternoon had been sparse. Rather than looking as though they would crash into each other, the swarm reminded me of animations I’ve seen of the Universe – vast spaces between the stars, the emptiness ever expanding. My morning coffee time was seldom interrupted by the delightful presence of these wonderful creatures. I missed them!

My observation of other critters gave me some clues as to why there had been so few dragonflies. My research supported my observations. Early spring brought our few eastern phoebes to the yard to nest, just as it had for years. As the season went on, I realized we had more than a few phoebes in the yard. I was surprised to see them in all parts of the yard and across the street since they are not known to flock together. I guessed each had enough of its own space. Phoebes are one of the species that catch insects in flight. During the course of the summer, I often spotted a phoebe swoop down through the air and return to perch on the telephone wire or fence with a dragonfly in its beak.

Still, it seemed to me that the phoebes and other birds that catch insects in flight couldn’t be responsible for such a drastic reduction of dragonflies. Then I realized I needed to research the developmental stages of the dragonfly. Dragonfly larvae live in water! My attention turned to the little pond out back. We had salamanders, turtles and a bumper crop of frogs all of which eat larvae. Since we don’t use pesticides, my hunch is that the pond residents gobbled up the dragonfly larvae resulting in a small adult population. To further exacerbate the problem, dragonflies eat mosquito larvae, which would be a good thing except that the larvae is in the pond shared by the frogs that eat adult dragonflies as well as their larvae. Oh, the circle of life is sometimes sad.

Since we do not use pesticides, this seemed like a good explanation for the small dragonfly population - until I thought about the damselflies. Damselfly eggs are laid on vegetation in the water, they hatch into nymphs that live in the water and as adults they live near the water, even skimming over it during mating season. This past summer the damselfly population was huge, greater than I had ever seen it. Perhaps the pond critters only had a yen for dragonflies? Oh, the circle of life is sometimes very mysterious!

A Late Summer Report from My Yard

2007-09-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

September 17, 2007 - A fall nip in the air greeted New Hampshire this morning. It was a chilly 35 degrees. Northern parts of the state fell below 32 degrees. Sunshine quickly warmed the air. By 9:00 AM, it was warmer outside than it was inside the house. According to the weather forecast, each day should be a little warmer than the previous day. By Friday, the overnight low should be 50 degrees with a high for the day around 80 degrees. Can't wait for Friday!

I like autumn, but I find it harder to adjust to the cold weather as I get older. The acorns have been dropping from the big oak out front for a couple of weeks. Although the tree doesn't overhang the roof, acorns pelt it sounding more like a winter storm of golf-ball sized hail. Personally, I think squirrels sit up in that tree and hurl the acorns at the house.

Some of the trees are showing dashes of fall color. The Great North Woods, the part of the state near Canada, is about 25% towards peak. During the next three weeks or so, the colors will gradually spread southward. Various shades of green sported by the tree-laden hill across the street will give way to the splendor of autumnal golds, oranges and reds.

It has been an interesting season with the hummingbirds. Despite their cute appearance, hummingbirds are fiercely territorial. One of our regular hummingbirds in particular decided he owned both feeders. He perched in either the oak or the maple watching and waiting for trespassers to invade his territory. We named him the Bully. As one of the "intruders" sipped nectar, he dive-bombed it. The intruder would fly away with the Bully in hot pursuit. Many times, they came within inches of grazing my head or my husband's head. Luckily, the Bully wasn't always around.

Lately I've only seen one hummingbird of the four regulars of the summer. Bully seems to have moved on. I just made a batch of nectar and I'm waiting for it to cool. This may well be the last one of the season. Did you know that hummingbirds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico on their journey to Central and South America? A few weeks ago, PBS ran a series of programs about birds. It was fascinating. I also learned that keeping the hummingbird feeders filled will not cause the hummingbirds to delay their migration. Anyway, the hummingbirds need to stoke up before they head south, so I will keep the feeders filled until I don’t see them anymore.

If you want to make some nectar for the hummingbirds boil 4 cups of water, add 1 cup of granulated sugar and stir well. When it cools, fill the feeder about ¾ of the way. Do not add food coloring. According to experts its not good for the birds. I can attest to the fact that you don’t need it.

Today has turned into a great day for birds. While our dog, Oscar, and I were standing near a feeder, birds whizzed by us, scooped up the seeds and flew away. All the regulars are around including chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, titmice, blue jays, mourning doves, cardinals, goldfinches and downy woodpeckers. White-breasted nuthatches stay the winter. I seldom see red-breasted nuthatches. I was surprised when two of them landed at the feeder. As I turned to go back to the house, I spotted an eastern phoebe on the telephone wire. I've heard them, but have not seen them in weeks.

All in all, it's been a great day, despite the chilly start!

It looks as though my grandson is holding the feeder up while the hummer takes a drink. Actually, he is about six feet away from the feeder! I didn't realize it would be an optical illusion when I took the photo!

The Short Lunar Eclipse

2007-09-16T19:14:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 4:40 AMI grabbed my binoculars, camera, and telescope accessories case and headed out the door. The full moon illuminated the way to my chair, table and telescope that had been set up in the front yard the night before. Bad idea. The telescope had fallen prey to the night dew. Nice if one likes that foggy look to everything. No problem, my binoculars and camera were fine.

I live in the New Hampshire. I knew that the moon would set before reaching totality, but I thought I would see a bit more than half the moon eclipsed before it sank out of view. I forgot to figure in the geography of my western horizon - a tall pine-tree-studded hillside. My viewing can be summed up with this little list:

Totality occurred at 5:52 AM,
The moon set below a clear NH horizon at 6:09 AM
The moon set below my tree-lined hilltop horizon at 5:25 AM

The eclipse was beautiful, although brief.

Fortunately, there will be another total lunar eclipse on February 20, 2008. I have already checked. My western horizon will not be a problem. As long as the Nor'easters stay away, I just might see the entire eclipse and end up with a full set of eclipse photos.

Here's to clear skies and low horizons!