There is no "N" in Butter

 

I was told I needed to blog at least once a week. They may change their mind after today's blog. It's not going to be a popular blog. In fact I may not be too popular with many after today's blog. And for the very first time I am going to get to click that little box up there at the top that labels it as a post that contains controversal content. Yeah me.

It all started the other day with a post on facebook by one of my contacts bemoaning the firing of Paula Deen. How could they? How could they fire the queen of butter? She had apologized for using that "N" word, that should be enough. Why punish her so severely?

So I wrote a comment on their posting and they replied back with the excuse that nobody is perfect, everybody says those words, and one needed to take in account the fact that she grew up in the South and that was just the way those old timers talk. It took me by surprise that she was using Ms. Deen's age as an excuse. Young and stupid I had heard of, many will give some leeway for those who are still inexperienced , give them some benefit of the doubt. Old and stupid as an excuse was a new one on me. One I may have to personally try out myself some day. I was itching to post a reply to them, but trying to juggle two other people in personal chat, I let her comment go. Which may have been the wisest thing to do in this case.

I have been reading with interest the amount of outrage from Paula Deen's fans directed at the Food Network for her non renewal of contract. I wondered if it was really from her admitting to using racial slurs in the past, or was it the deciding factor on whether it was time to give her the boot. There are newer shows on Southern and home cooking on the Food Network, and it may be they thought it was time for new blood. As was the case with Emeril, he had been there awhile and was suddenly let go too. Who knows?

I watched one of Paula Deen's apology videos on-line and wondered why she couldn't have said all of that on the Today show instead of blowing them off? It was posted only a short while later. Perhaps it's because she was afraid of those no holds barred questions that would be coming her way? The last time Paula was embroiled in controversy, she had already signed a deal to be spokes person for a Diabetes company, her son had a new show lined up with healthier cooking. All the ducks were in a row, everything was planned and laid out before the big news of her revealing to have diabetes.
Interesting...and quite brilliant on her marketing department to have everything covered like that. I think that was part of the problem with the Today show blow off. She couldn't control every aspect of what was going to be said...but she could in her own video.
All of this controversy and the barrage of positive Paula comments had me following a link to Scribd to read about the actual case she was involved in. Some of the comments made by people had villified the person suing Paula Deen and her company, and had already labeled her as a black disgruntled employee....AND if she was already in management position, how in the world could it be considered racist when evidently she was promoted along the way?
I love how people just assume things....one of my many eye roll moments while following this saga.
For one thing, the woman bringing the suit, is caucasian. One of things she objected to was being called "their jew girl". Wow, surprised you didn't it? It did me. It's quite a read, and I encourage everyone that has an interest in Paula Deen to read it. It's an eye opener. Is it all true? Don't know. Is it all made up by someone targeting her rich employers just to get some cash. Don't know. It does make an intriguing story line that rivals a good Faulkner novel.
You have the villian, a shrewd, loudmouthed woman at the control of the reins of an empire. Her brother, a drunk, womanizing, equally foul mouthed and lecherous jerk unable to control himself or run a business. You have the woman's two sons, spoiled boys who frequently rule the boys club that embraces the Old Southern way of life, with segregated toilets still in existence.
If just a portion of any of it is true...It's disturbing. I have no doubt the Food Network has been following everything closely. I am sure their PR people have researched and read and documented everything. An admittance by Paula Deen on using the racials slurs may have put the final nail in her coffin.
I wish I knew more of the story. When questioned by the lawyers I would like to know was it by her lawyer or by the other side? Because she gave quite a sly answer when one thinks about it. The excuse of the 60's, people not knowing any better like they do now. And her excuse about yet, using it when she was held up by a robber and later talking to her husband about it. She was sure she probably did use that word. But who can blame the poor woman? She was traumatized, robbed, a poor southern lady she can be excused in that instance.
 What I want to know is did the lawyer follow up that questions with what about now? Did she recently use that "N" word? Did she in fact call that formal employee "her Jew girl"? Did she say all those things about having all black waiters for her brother's wedding reception and if they could tap dance or whatever it is they do at those old true Southern weddings.
I'd kinda like to know. I'd kind of like to know if there is a pattern here and we see the one face of Paula Deen that is marketed to us daily with her cooking shows, restaurants, and book deals. Because that is what she is. A product being marketed to us, as is any celebrity.
I had to do another eyeroll when the headlines screamed out, "Food Network fires Paula, she responds with Thank you". Seriously,what else could she say? She has to remain marketable. She has to keep an appearance of contriteness, fraility, vulnerablity, and have people continue to feel a forgiving connection to her. She has to keep her options open. There is the cooking channel after all. There are her sons and their shows or future shows, cook books, tours, etc. to consider.
I guess I am a bit baffled on why the embracement of Paula Deen and not so much for Mel Gibson, or that guy from Seinfeld when they went off on their racists rants? Was it because one could watch or hear for themselves what was actually said? Or is it because Paula Deen is a genteel Southern woman and she appears remorseful and one feels like they have to protect the poor old gal?
I don't know. I can only read the comments, and whisper, "get a clue people". It seems to be my mantra lately. I mentally say it in my head when reading comments posted online when people fly off the handle without double checking, doing some fact finding of their own. Instead there is a mentality that we all do it, it's okay, she said sorry, doesn't matter any more. You messed up Food Network because deep down she is so nice.
She very well could be. I don't know her. As most of us don't. We see a personality  that is marketed to us. We see what they want us to see.
Some are going to argue that I just don't like Paula Deen so I am biased. Could be. She isn't my favorite. I use to watch her. Until her show seemed to become less about cooking and more about entertainment. Her channeling of Dolly Parton hair and make-up, and her agressively sexual inuendo on one of her shows called Paula's Party. It gets kinda of old after while. It gets kinda creepy after while.
Despite everything I don't think we have to worry about Paula. I think that after a bit of time, the case will be settled out of court for an unspecified amount with gag orders all around. Or it might just fall apart, money can make that happen too. I expect to find her with a new show somewhere with more ooey gooey butter cakes, so rest easy disgruntled viewers of the Food Network. It will most likely happen. You can go back to your mentality of it all being okay because everyone does it, and as long as you apologize after the fact all is forgiven.
Well maybe not everything....I don't think I can ever forgive you Paula for that recipe of fudge made with a brick of velveeta cheese that one needs to, according to the directions, blot off the excess oil on top of the newly created fudge.
Oily fudge, I draw the line at oily fudge.
Sometimes one just has to take a stand...

Catch Up...and Some Birds

It's been awhile since I have blogged. I have been out of the mood, a bit unsettled with the remodel, and just plain tired.
Don't ask on the remodel, it's going sooo slow. I don't know why stores offer products they don't keep in stock but have to be ordered. It's a constant back and forth trying to find what a person wants, and then the constant surprised one finds when tearing anything apart.

I mentioned I was going to remodel the kitchen. That remodel has grown a bit, and with going with standard cabinets, countertops, etc. I can afford (or think I can)to go ahead and replace the carpet in the living and formal dining room. So basically instead of having one room torn out, I now I have several rooms torn apart.

It of course has now lead me into looking at paint swatches, might as well paint before laying new carpet, maybe some new drapes, etc. etc. and the headache grows. It doesn't help that the carpenter keeps finding other things that need to be fixed. A couple outlets that should be replaced, maybe a window or two, a leaky pipe. One can't decide on whether to fix it all or just move.

It will get there...eventually. I have told the carpenter to just have it all done by Thanksgiving. It would be nice to roast a turkey in the new oven at Thanksgiving. Which led to another discussion on gas or electric ovens. Currently it's gas, but he hates gas. And proceeded to tell me of why, and the story of how a house blew up with one tiny pinhole in the line and he was lucky he and his family hadn't been in the house at the time.

That of course lead to the discussion of the ease of running a new electric line, maybe my electrical box should be replaced, it's so small, and if I am going electric, might as well get rid of the gas watertank and go electric with it as well.
I told him to leave the stove out of the equation for now. It's funny how the stove going bad was the crux for the original remodel. Now it will most likely be the last thing that goes in. Such is life.

On the positive side, it's been nice here. The weather has finally gotten past it's rainy spell, and with over 10 inches of rain in the past couple of weeks, the garden is growing gangbusters. So are the weeds.
Leaving you with a few pics I took of some jennywrens yesterday. Wish the "angry bird" pic had turned out better, but again, (shoulder shrug) such is life.

Have a great day bloggers!

 

Snow Sniffles...

What a difference a day can make.

It snowed.

Of all of the nerve!

More snow possible tomorrow.

I got an e-mail my roses ordered were sent and will be here in 1-3 days.

I'd say the odds of them being frozen in transit are pretty high.

Thankfully it wasn't a big order.

(grumble, grumble, grumble)...

Today calls for brownies or anything chocolatey to go with my dark mood.

Emerald Green

You can't see the neighbors for the trees.....Or at least I am hoping that will eventually be the case.

It all started with a chat with one of my neighbors and we both had remarked how open everything felt with the removal of the giant elm tree last fall. Having had to take down a few trees that were encroaching on those same power lines, my neighbor was feeling particularly exposed.

I echoed that sentiment.

I like to think of my gardens and back yard as my own personal retreats. A place that I can go in the quiet of the day to do my planting,tilling, weeding and just general thinking...sometimes even outloud to myself.

My neighbor has a love affair with Emerald Green Arborvitae trees, and even though they would not be my first choice. I contacted him when I found some on sale at a chain home improvement store about an hour away.

Numerous calls back and forth to all the stores in a 100 mile radius was not yielding good results. Sold out was the reply we kept getting at our querry. So it was decided that on the off chance my neighbor could get a raincheck, we might, fingers crossed, be lucky enough to have another shipment come in before any seasonal sales were over.

It was later that day I got a very excited phone call from him that he was at the store. They had gotten some trees in and to come now...RIGHT NOW. Tomorrow was not soon enough. Yes we could pay for them and have them hold them for pick up in the a.m., but nothing would do but to drop everything, acquire some sort of transport and to be there ASAP.

With the help of a couple of others, we managed to get there in time, get the trees bought, and loaded for the long trip home. There is nothing quite like trying to wrangle 20 6-7 ft evergreen trees on a windy day on the freeway. And despite only having to pull over once for retying of loosened rope, and that brief moment upon hitting construction and finding us going down the wrong side of the road, all turned out okay.

We got home, just at dark and unloaded the evergreens in the drive.

I do not know why it never dawned on me just how heavy a potted 6 or 7 foot tree is going to be. I lifted a couple of them, but then realized, there is no way I was going to walk a greater distance than 3 feet while carrying a tree.

Thankfully, I have a great neighbor that was so darn tickled at having his favorite evergreen trees, that today he came over to plant some of them for me. Half of the trees I bought for a border between our two back yards, and the other half he bought to line the alleyway to provide more coverage for him from our other neighbors.

I wonder though, how much my neighbor will enjoy his Emerald Green Arborvitaes after he plants his share of the trees tomorrow. Not to mention the additional 10 trees he went up the next day to get for a family member of his that he will have to plant as well.

It seems rather fitting that we should be planting our trees on Arbor Day week-end.

Go plant a tree, you will be glad you did down the road. My trees (if the live!) already have a great story to tell and my neighbor and I will be giggling about it for years to come.

Reality

 

Just what is reality? Is it our version, the world's version or just a version unto it's self?

We are bombarded daily with shows on tv called "reality shows". I often roll my eyes at the seemingly lack of realness about them. I watch hardly any of them. I avoid the vast majority of them like the plague.

I have never watched a bachelor looking for a bride, I have never seen the efforts of the hopeful trying to dance or sing their way to the top. I'm not interested in bored rich housewives across the country, nor do I wish to watch grown men play with and try to catch gators.

Some of those reality shows I almost find a bit offensive. Amish bad guys, or I am assuming they are bad guys seeing as they call themselves a type of mafia. Preacher's daughters that has me wondering what kind of preacher wants to go on tv to play the role of the strict out dated father while their young, bad little girls try to find as much mischief as they can. It isn't the kind of preacher I would want to preach to me about choices and how to live my life.

I have multiple friends and family members that are addicted to reality shows though. They can't miss a single episode of men out in the dark searching for a mythical bigfoot that never can be found or a decent photograph of them taken. It's the adult form of the boogie man, and if they would have paid attention to their childhood, they would know the boogie man can be found under the bed or in the closet. But still they watch for an hour or more, as the characters stumble around in the dark only to hear rustling or howling or whatever it is bigfeet do in the dark.

I will admit to watching two reality shows. One on the Sci-fi channel about a competition of make-up artists that try to create and paint creatures, and another one on being top chefs as they battle each week with their own skills at making dishes to tempt the palette. I like the idea of being able to see someone's talent and how they use it and how their mind thinks in their efforts. Similiar to some other reality shows some might say, but for some reason those other shows don't interest me.

That's the thing about reality. We view our reality and the reality of others differently. What may appear real to us may not be so real to others. That chasing huge hairy beasts thru trailer parks, and gator infested swamps with gypsies and the Amish hot on their tails is someone's vision or version of reality...and that is okay. We all are different in our views and beliefs and our realities are in  part of our own making.

Over on facebook, a gardening group I am in, are having a growing contest. A variety of plants and ideas were suggested and zinnias ended up being the top vote getter. So many have already mentioned the variety of zinnias they have bought or ordered and some members overseas have already got zinnias in the ground, growing and starting to bloom.

I spent some time looking thru all of my catalogs, just looking for that perfect zinnia. Something new and different from what everyone else was growing. I ordered my one packet of seeds with high hopes and dreams of big swaths of giant pink cactus type blooms of my variety of zinnias that I would plant.

Imagine my distress to learn that my gardening nemesis "Vero" had ordered the exact same zinnias from the same catalog. Grrrr! But the reality is I should have expected it. Vero and I get a lot of the same catalogs, have a similiar taste in plants and are always looking for something new to try.

The reality is that most likely Vero will have those beautiful drifts of pink zinnias that I dream about having, and that I will in fact, most likely won't. Last year we had a terrible drought that we are still in. Despite the large snowfall amounts this winter it has made hardly a dent in our dry conditions. It takes a heck of a lot of snow to amount to an inch of rain.

My reality this summer most likely will be more drought. My high hopes of tall masses of the bright pink flowers will most likely be stunted, crispy plants with hints of mildew from over watering to try and  make my zinnia flowers grow.

It keeps me going though. Those dreams of big bold colorful blooms. It's what keeps me growing every year, this hope of having "pow, in your face" flowers and gardens that rival any English garden or Chelsea flower show entry. It's a sad attempt at a reality that won't most likely ever match up with the visions of my mind.

But I still try, much like the elusive bigfoot, I know it has to be possible. I just don't want to come face to face with the reality of either.



Ink Blot Blog

 

 

Some days, I feel as dumb as toast. Seriously you would think with the increasing years and time spent on the computer that my computer prowess would be up there, really up there. That I could spout computer jargon, ramble off html codes, and know exactly what all these buttons do on the keyboard. I have to confess, there are some buttons I haven't even used on here...ever.

The same applies to anything that is associated with computers, routers, external ports, or electronics in general.

You would think the simple act of running a printer would be no big deal, and it hasn't been in the past but for some reason it's become difficult.

First off, the ink required for the printer I have to order on-line. Living in a rural area, there really are no options except to order from a local business and then they will let you know when it comes in, so I just have it delivered here in the first place.

So I was quite happy the other day when my new ink cartridges arrived. No longer is one cartridge required for printers but two. One with black ink, and one with color. I should mention in my defense I have replaced ink cartridges before but for some reason yesterday was a total fiasco.

Step 1... Turn on printer...check

Step 2....Remove old cartridges...check

Step 3....Insert new cartridges...check

Step 4....Align new cartridge, press "OK" button...test pattern prints ......check

Step 5....Scan and print new document...check... Sort of ...

What the heck? First page prints okay-ish, second page prints with line of red in the middle, third page prints half red. Fourth, fifth, sixth pages look like blood bath. Ack!

Step 6....Read on-line manual, follow steps to clean cartridge carriage, remove carriage, ink cartridges and reinstall.

Step 7....Align new cartridges again, Press "OK" button..again....prints test pattern okay.

Step 8....Try to print documents again, print carriage out of align, warning to open printer again and reinstall carriage and ink cartridges.

Step 9...Clean and re-align carriage, insert ink cartidges...Align new ink cartidges for third time...(why is there nothing to skip this step any where?)...lovely 3rd sheet of colored squares of proper alignment.

Step 10...Print ....Yeah...it works.

Step 11...Print 6 more pages, 7th page very faint.

Step 12...Take out black ink cartridge only and replace back in making sure it clicks into place, skip the color cartridge in order to trick printer from doing cartridge alignment.

Step 13...Doesn't work, printer yelling with flashing words to click "OK" button to do alignment.

Step 14...Alignment is blank.

Step 15...Next 5 attempts at printing are blank.

Step 16...Open printer, remove carriage, cartridges and stare at printer innards blankly and stuff everything back into place.

Step 17....##!!!!!**!##!! Alignment again, click $$%##!!!!* "OK" button again.

Step 18.... Nothing.... Out of ink

Shipping and handling and cost of ink, $38 for 8 pages.

Step 19.....Visit copier at library today.



Washing with Chuck

I am not exactly sure when Chuck showed up. But there he was staring boldly at me the other day while doing laundry. Maybe he had been there all along and I was lost in my own little world and never took note of him. But despite his diminutive size, there he was, staring out with steely gaze on my bottle of detergent.

It took me a moment to make the connection. Walker Texas Ranger and clothes detergent? Why was Chuck on my soap? Wouldn't it be better to have Martha Stewart? Evidently Martha isn't as tough as Chuck, and only Chuck would suffice to fight my life of grime.

I have to admit I never really was a big Chuck Norris fan. Even a bit less so now. Oh Chuck my mind could only cry, has it come down to this? Are you all washed up? Have you battled all of the bad guys and now you are karate chopping your way thru grass, grease, and food stains? Would you come out on top as still a winner? Or would evidence of your failure be left behind for me to only gasp and curse your name?

I know, I know, celebrities have always lent their name and likeness to products for a quick buck. It has me wondering does it really help to sell the product though? Will someone out shopping, spy Chuck and make a mad dash to the soap display to snatch him up because of it? Will they be like me and be totally oblivious to Chuck until they take him home and discover him in the cupboard staring back at them?

I haven't really noticed any change in my laundry detergent. It doesn't feel any tougher. It doesn't seem to be noticeably improved with Chuck's approval. It does have me rolling my eyes and wondering who thinks up these things? And why Chuck of all people? Why not George Clooney? Why not Gerard Butler? Why not Batman or the Hulk? Surely a superhero could fight stains better than Chuck.

I'm not going to buy because of Chuck. Chuck, no offense but I think you are a bit cheesy and not at all what I want to see staring back at me from the bottle. I want boosting power, I want ultra clean. I want to know my whites will be white and my colors won't fade. Can you promise me that Chuck? You better be able to, I am holding you to it. You better deliver. Or I will karate chop you off my list and go back to Tide or some other washing detergent with big promises.

2013

Well it's here, 2013. Some thought the day would never come, the world was going to come to an end in December of 2012 and yet somehow we survived the apocalypse that never came.

But what did come over night besides the passing of time was...snow.

What?!! My eyes cried upon spying the fluffy stuff first thing this morning as I peeked out the door at the world.. Snow?!! Nooo way! The snow wasn't suppose to come. Well, it sort of was suppose to come, there was a 50-50 chance yesterday, but the weather webpage said it was only thru the afternoon hours and then it was down to only 10% chance of snowing. So I can be excused for my extreme disappointment in 2013 as it brought in a new year and that dreaded white stuff.

I could only close the door, and grumble under my breath,.."2013, you are not off to a good start, I expect better from you".

I expect you to be a banner year. You are suppose to be the year of all things good and positive, where I accomplish all sorts of things, start and finish new and exciting projects, and  generally have a year of awesomeness.

Snow right off the bat is not going to cut it. I had plans today. I was going shopping. I haven't been shopping since way before Christmas. I haven't shopped since last year. It's not like I really need anything, but I had plans. I was going to cruise around unhurried, unhassled, under the delusions of tranquility and lured into the lull of possible clearance items on the cheap.

Blankety blank snow! Oh I know I can still go shopping, but it won't be the same. There will be  people fighting for those closest parking spots again. People rushing and acting stupid, and generally being a pain the butt except all the while doing it in snow. Wonderful, frigid, road covering snow.

I'll wait.

I crawled back in bed after spying the snow and figured I would enjoy this holiday by just sleeping a good portion of it away, or at least the a.m. hours. The cat had other ideas and excited over the new year, proceeded to hop across my head several times. She wanted to ring in the new year with being fed, and the dry cat food available just wasn't going to cut it. I ignored her as much as I could, but as I heard the sounds of the neighborhood, of people out and about and clearing the roads and sidewalks, I forced myself to meet the day and the new year.

I sit here with my bowl of cereal and think of my plans for the day and mentally tic off the projects in my head that I could turn my attention to. There are the kitchen cupboards that need to be organized from the holiday rush of baking. There are the last few bits of holiday remnants to store. There is a stack of garden catalogs waiting to be thumbed thru again before being weeded out to the rubbish bin to make room for more oncoming catalogs.

But I sit here and think of things I should be doing, things that I should stop procrastinating on, and things that I need to focus on in the upcoming year.

I haven't even made any New Year's resolutions. Each year I make the same ones, and this year I thought about just making practical resolutions. Resolutions that are more attainable. Resolutions that are easy and then I figured what is the point, that really isn't a resolution but a cop out for instant gratification. Not to mention making resolutions requires some sort of mental and physical effort and all my thoughts seem to drift to the snow outside. It's not even a big snow, but an annoying snow.

It's pretty though. The sun glistens on it's white frozen self, and there are patches in the yard where it fell so thick and fluffy, that it appears as if the ground undulates wildly under that white blanket. But it is all of the snow's doing. It covers and colors, and transforms the whole world for just the briefest bit of time.

Much like those New Years resolutions. For a small moment I feel energized and ready to tackle the world and make a difference not necessarially for others but for me, and yet I feel like the snow. Quiet and serene and ready to linger in the quiet and take my time. Maybe I will melt after a few days, and maybe I will just stick around for weeks and make my pressence known.

For today my plans have changed but there will be other days, and today will be a day of quiet puttering, possible naps, and scattered thougths. Not a bad way to start off the New Year afterall.

One Month...

It's hard to believe it's only a month til Christmas. Thanksgiving was just a few days ago, and yet it doesn't quite seem like much of a holiday season yet. Thanksgiving was a quiet day here, with plans for the big turkey day postponed until today, and then again postponed til next year.

The turkey got a reprieve and continued on in it's cold storage until a near future date when it will make it's appearance with promises of leftover bits for days. I didn't mourn the turkey deficit as much as the flakey deletctable pies that never materialized. It's the one time of year that pies seem to be in abundance, and as I read blog after blog of people and their pies, I had the smallest twinges of pie envy.

I missed the pumpkin, the pecan, the chocolate and coconut cream. I missed the big dollops of Cool Whip or ice cream topping those calorie laden bits of flakey goodness. But I will get thru these next few days of pieless-ness and will concentrate on the upcoming Christmas season instead.

I didn't hit the stores on turkey day. I didn't hit them on the much touted Black Friday. I did however sneak out a bit this morning and just as quietly headed back home with just the smallest of purchases with promises to myself to finish the holiday shopping later this week, or next, or whenever.

I am not going to panic this year. I have a few things bought and if I run out of time or energy it will suffice. I am trying not to go crazy like I do some years and spoil people rotten. They are rotten enough and my continued efforts to spoil them even more seem futile and wasteful.

I need to prioritize just what is important and what needs my attention the most. I need to do some holiday baking for the neighbors that I do year after year. I tell myself every year after all of the mess and hassle it will be the last, but a part of me sticks to tradition, and a part of me hates the thought of disappointing anyone with just an impersonal gift card. It's the one part of the holiday that I still think should be at least more than just a desperate guess or spin of the wheel of gift possibilities. It's just hard to buy for some people and it's hard to put a price on the goodness and value of friendship and neighborly courtesy to those nearest to you.

So I bake, and stir, and assemble those sugar laden plates to say thanks. Whether they are truly appreciated, I don't really know. I think they are, but sometimes I wonder when I hear others say, "I don't bake or cook because I don't need it". Seriously, do any of us really NEED it? Nope, but I do think that a little bit of decadence given to others and to ourselves is a good thing.

That said, I am sort of glad to have missed out on turkey day. I can now hoarde all of those future caloric possibilities in the form of fudge, toffee, and that midwestern favorite - cherry mash. It's the thoughts of all of those confections that also makes me think it would be a good time to diet to prevent those thoughts of justification, "it's Christmas mentality" that allows me to sneak another piece of fudge, and another, and another until I am quite sick at the mere sight of anything sugary.

Christmas and holidays are such odd times. The are laden with expectations, stress, and guilt and yet we embrace them with such a fervor. I am hoping that this year if I lower my expectations, cut down on the stress, and try not to be so hard on myself, that the holiday season will be a better experience, at least for me.

So hear is to the upcoming holiday. Bring it on. I have girded myself with reality and common sense and unless I take some sort of direct blow of a super sale with 75% percent off, I think I will make it.
If not, I will stay huddled underneath the tree and refuse to come out until after the 1st of next year.

Relief...

Well it's over. Or at least, I hope it is all over. The junk mail, the unsolicited phone calls, the commercials, and all of the controversy of the latest political election.

Some are claiming victory, some are claiming a crushing defeat. I see it as inevitable with whoever was elected. I wasn't happy with either candidate and the amount of damage possible on both sides gives one thought and concern and the realization that we are just screwed no matter which way the ballot was cast.

It's scary when one delves into the background of each individual, follow the money trail of just who their backers were/are, and it's frightening to realize that anything and everything has a price.

Who the big winners of the last election were, are not the American people but big business. Big business has their hand in every politician's pocket and we can only hope as we go forward that we do not completely bankrupt this country literally and figuratively.

But that is enough of politics. I am tired of politics. I am tired of seeing friend versus friend, family member pitted against family member. I am tired of a false sense of belonging to a political party of any sort that really doesn't have your best interest at heart. I guess I hold those who are elected to a certain standard. Not a higher standard, but a standard in which they are their to serve the people and not their own interests.

Today is Wednesay, a cool day, but a sunny one. I have been a bit crabby the last few days and today I am of the mindset to shed my crabbiness and embrace something more sunny. I am not going to let any perceived slights or negativity to entertain any of my thoughts today. I am going shopping. I am going to think of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and all things chocolate covered.

Today I vote for me. A party of my own making. No donkeys or elephants for me, I will embrace being one of many sheep in this flock of red,white, and blue...

Grey and Blue and Other Shades in Between





 

 

I shouldn't really be blogging today. It's not that I really have a whole lot to say, but rather that I wanted to stay in the habit of at least writing something once a week. I get in a rut at times and before I know it, weeks have passed and I have failed to sit down and actually try and compose something. What is the point of blogging when a person doesn't even write?

 

Today started out with blue skies and a grey mood and it gradually graduated thru the day to greying skies and a darkening grey mood. I hate days that are like that.

 

You would think with the extra hour of sleep because of the time change, and being a Sunday that I would have relished sleeping in, and I would have if it weren't for the excessive scratching of a cat that continually lives up to her namesake of being a stink pot.

 

She has developed an annoying habit of scratching when she wants something. It started out innocently enough when she was a small kitchen. She would scratch a closed door, wanting to see what was on the other side. She would keep it up til I had to open the door or risk splintering wood work. She started scratching on the wall near her food bowl when it was empty. She would scratch, glance back to look at me, and then continue her scratching ways until tended too. I don't know how to break her of this habit either. At first I thought it was rather cute and funny that somehow thru a wierd Pavlovian experiment I had become the trainee instead of the trainer. It's not so funny any more, especially at 4:30 in the a.m.

 

It seemed to set the precedent for the whole day. Little things that irritate or got under my skin seemed to be excessively encroaching upon my day. I even found myself reading and commenting on some blogs on another page that had me wondering if my reply or comment was too curt, too limited as to appear blase` or flippant.

 

I have to admit that as my afternoon has gone on, I was ready to throw in the towel when logging on here and being told that google plus wasn't happy with my profile. I sounded fake and hollow and that nobody in their right mind would want to google or search for me on their ever expanding website. I realize just writing this crabby comment that I might even end up suspended, shut off and told to move my whiney butt off to somewhere else. I feel like I am about done some days with all of this blogging stuff.

 

A huge part of me wonders why in the world can't I just write and think out loud and be left to type my rambling words and what does it matter that I haven't given a searchable name for people to find me in my tiny rural area. That people might want to stop by, share a cup of coffee, and maybe stalk me for a short while before stabbing that knife in my chest while I incoherently whisper, "but it's just a blog for goodness sakes"... Okay I am being sooo overly dramatic and babyish, but I don't care.

 

That is what blogs are suppose to be about. You are suppose to be able to write your opinions and thoughts and have people read those words and comment on if they want. It's not about whether they agree with what you are saying or disagree or anything in between. It's about having a voice, just one voice, even if it's just inside my head and wanting to get out.

 

It's not like it's politics. It's not like who I am telling you to vote or not to vote for. I don't support either candidate, I think they both suck and I am not about to tell someone on who or what they can believe in.

 

I guess politics find their way into everything though and that includes blog sites. There are the liberal fun sites with games and the more serious, how dare do you mock our searchable profile list of other sites.

 

I realize that they are wanting to prevent spam, to prevent any sort of problems or backlash or complaints from others, I get that. But there is no way in heck (see I can self edit), that I am going to give out my real name. How in the world will I ever be able to complain about Aunt Bertha's disgusting holiday casserole, or the bi-polar ex-sister-in-law that keeps going off the deep end? How do I keep from stepping on toes, offending those who see themselves or THINK they see themselves in my free flowing words?

 

It's a fine line this blogging stuff. I don't want to have a blog where stuff is copied and pasted or where I come across as some sort of imaginary expert in some field that will have you all agog at my extensive wealth of bs.

 

Maybe I am expecting too much from this blogging stuff. That thinking out loud and posting those thoughts is taboo. That kind of free thinking is not allowed and I need to be more of a conformist and limit my blogs to pics of home, family, garden, pets, trips, and be like the other thousands of blogs out there.

 

I want more. It's not that I want controversy and to be a pot stirrer or some sort of blogging rebel. I want to be able to write what I am thinking at this very moment, and in the next moment...and the next... without worrying that the neighbor down the street read my blog and is peeved because I called them the "noisy, has to keep up with the Joneses" kinda neighbor.

 

So yeah, I want some anonymity... I don't even know if I spelled that word right, but yeah, I want to be a blogger with some sort of dark spy glasses and a trench coat. Trust me, I won't flash anyone, it's way too cold and I am way too puritanical in some respects.

 

Maybe I should stop ranting. Maybe I should close the lid on the laptop and walk away for a bit. Maybe I should walk away from blogging from a bit and keep looking for a place that might not even exist.

 

I don't know. I do know that just this morning I was thinking, ya know, maybe I will pick this place over all of the others because it is more about blogging. There aren't the distractions of games and quizzes and poke buttons and all of those other goofy things that are fun at times and annoying at others.

 

I guess I have to wait and see. Wait for that confirmation that I am real and searchable and all of those other things that this blog site thinks I should be.

 

If they find me, I hope that they will let me know. I have been looking for the real me for years.

The Pontification of Me...

I had a bit of a giggle when typing the title for this blog. Having just started this new blog page and moving all my old blogs over here, few if any actually know that I have this new blog. Writing any sort of new blog entries has me feeling like I am actually just talking to myself. And for some even stranger reason, I sorta like it.

How weird is that? I think we all have varying degrees of weirdness about us, and what we may think of as strange or odd will seem perfectly normal to someone else.

The other day while out shopping, I was parked next to a guy in what looked to be a very new pick-up. The gentleman was elderly, most likely retired but what caught my eye was the way he walked. One of his arms appeared stiff, and then at the wrist the hand bent backwards at a sharp angle. It had me wondering if he had an injury, stroke, some sort of recent accident that caused the odd looking appearance of his arm and hand.

My curiosity was even further piqued when I saw him take the lid off a trash can and peer down into it's depths and reaching in to sift thru the garbage. Out his hand came with his prize of an aluminum can. He bent down again and had to insert his head and shoulders completely in the trash in order to reach the bottom. Out came two more cans. He took one aluminum can and placed it in his bent back hand, and carried the other cans with his other hand. As he walked, his stiff arm was stuck out in front of him. He walked back over and placed all of his cans in another trash receptacle in the back of his truck. He contined thru out the parking lot, walking to each trash can in front of each store til he had visited them all.

It had me more wondering just what was his story? Was he collecting cans to pay for his new vehicle? Was he collecting cans as a hobby? Had he always collected cans? Was he needing to find any resources possible because his financial situation had changed? Was he just frugal and not afraid to get a little dirty to collect a few cents?

It's hard to know what one's story is when all we see is just one side or facet to them. A bit like here on the internet. We only know a part of someone really. We never truly know their whole life story unless they decide to share it with us. Even then, a part of us may be hesitant to believe everything one is told on here. There are those who embellish, there are those who put up a facade, and those who just want to show one side of theirselves.

I can be guilty of that sometimes. I want to log in every day and just be the fun girl without any problems or worries. I want to be silly and amused and not think so hard some days. I want to be able to seperate myself from myself, sort of like this blog I write. It is just a part of me that comes out when I sit facing this keyboard.

It's my story, it's me, and it's okay if I am the only one who can hear my inner voice that types these words from time to time. Maybe it's a bit selfish of me, maybe it's just self preservation, or maybe it is just the pontification of me....

Take 2...

Well here I go again, trying to do some clean-up and housekeeping over here. I sort of messed things up a bit when importing my old blogs over here and made them all private. I later got to thinking what is the purpose of making them private when a blog is meant to be open, to be read and commented on. So I deleted my old account, re-imported the old blog again and hopefully it is all fixed and looking more tidy.

It will of course mean that I have to re-add those few people who I was following, so my apologies in advance to you and hopefully your inbox won't be flooded with all of my imported blogs.

I may have to look around to see if I can find a way to prevent that from happening before adding anyone first. But given my short attention span, reluctance to do anything too mind bending, I might cave in and just hit that "follow" button anyways.

Yeah, I am lazy like that. Guess most of you will have guessed that by now.

To all of the new people who stumble across my blog, a big hello! And to those "old timers" who have known me for years on here from other blog sites a big hello as well.

I guess it's about that time to buckle down and get back to this blogging stuff and quit dragging my feet. It's sad when things change and our comfortable places are replaced with new places and surroundings, but I will persevere...

I think...

As for my spelling and typos, they will continual in all of their grammarical glory. I don't know if "grammarical" is even a word, but that is another thing I guess you should know about me if you don't already. New words can and will appear from time to time, despite any objections from Webster's dictionary. And hey, if those words actually turn out to be real words afterall, a big pat on my back with rewards of chocolates for my wordy prowess.

So it's onward and forward after going backwards. Sorta like the hokey pokey. It all gets shaken up in the end anyways...

Lost and looking to find...

Where are you?

Seriously, I feel like some of you are lost or I am lost over here on Multiply, wandering around in a daze.

I feel the need to take a head count, some kind of roll call to see if anyone is still here.

I know so many of us are testing out new blog sites still and I think it would be helpful, at least for me, if those of you could post a comment below just where you are, or plan to be.

I opened up 6 new blog accounts on different sites, and I need to start thinking about paring it all down to just one or two sites at the most.

So I need to know where you are to help me decide which direction to go. I know I won't be able to find all of you  on those one or two sites, but I am really, really hoping that it could be possible. You may be on a blog site that I am not aware of, you may be on a site that I am, and have friended me, but are thinking of going somewhere else.

There is only roughtly six weeks left here on Multiply. We won't be here much longer. So if you could, tell me where you are, where you are going to set up camp, where you plan to be. So I can find you and not feel so lost.

For George...

George! What are the odds that you would talk about praying mantis and I should stumble across one while out moving the garden hose?!! I had to rush in to get the camera to take a few pics.

It was a bit creepy to watch the bug's head swivel to watch every move I made. I swear, if it had flown at me I would have tossed that camera and run screaming,lol.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

Playing Catch Up

It's good to be back.

First off I should apologize to all of you for not getting back on here quicker, for not logging in at the library or somewhere else to let you know of my computer woes. I should have contacted someone to pass the word along. I had planned on it, but time seemed to be slipping away and before I knew it I had been AWOL for more than just a few days.

A lot got accomplished though on my end and I have planted, mulched, watered, string trimmed, and all of that other yard work related stuff.

I got paperwork done, some closets and drawers cleaned, the garage swept and tidied. I got a lot of stuff I had put off accomplished, some stuff that I had put off for months. None of it really exciting stuff, but stuff that needed my attention eventually.

I even picked my camera back up and took more pics. Nothing too interesting, but still it helped to keep me in practice of having my camera out to try and capture a few moments in time.

 

 

You will be interested to know that even my big tree was taken out during my computer absence. I had waited all summer for it to be removed. After my last bit of string trimming, and looking at how badly and quickly the tree was deteriorating, I called the tree trimming people again to see where I stood on their job list. They promised to be here at the end of the week and they were. Just long enough to park the boom truck across the street and take off.

I had a sneaking suspicion they wouldn't work that day, the wind was picking up. I was positive that the tree would fall that week-end before they came back. The wind blew hard, more bits of bark fell, but the tree stood tall and proud til they showed up on Monday and got to work removing the branches one by one til all that was left was a stump.

 

 

 

I was glad that I did the 30 day pic challenge as I spent more time actually looking at the tree and it's inhabitants than I had in all my years of living here combined. Squirrels, cardinals, woodpeckers, flickers, doves, pigeons, nut thatches, sparrows, wrens, chickadees, blue jays, robins, and more birds that I could hear, but couldn't see in the tall leaf canopy. I hated to see them lose their home but I do have other trees, as well as my neighbors and hopefully they have found a place to nest in them. Below is a pic of a flicker? I think? that seemed a bit confused on just what exactly happened to it's home...

 

 

 

I did happen to notice while out studying my tree that there seemed to be an influx of hummingbirds. Most likely getting busy for their soon migration. I hadn't seen them all summer, figuring they had gone along with any hopes of rain. So I put out a feeder only to have an ornery little hummer refuse to let the others drink from it. Another trip to town and another feeder and still a very selfish littler hummer that thought it now had two feeders. I did feel a bit sorry for it as it wore it's self out chasing off all of it's competition. The bird would chase and chatter one hummer, only to have another one sneak to one of the feeders. The bird would rush back chattering/twittering loudly to chase another hummer off and it continued like that for several days. They all scattered when the tree trimmers were here and I only saw two hummers return when all of the noise and commotion was over.

 

 

 

 

It is amazing the change in the landscape there is from just removing one tree, even my neighbor remarked how open it was. I like open fields, grand sweeping lawns and landscapes...for others. For myself, I like the cozy feel of shaded nooks, and unexpected plantings or secluded sitting areas when rounding a corner. I guess I feel as it is some sort of insulation created by Mother Nature. It has my thoughts whirling on what to plant there, what tree or series of tall shrubs to take it's place. I am waiting til spring to plant though, still without rain, the hopes of getting anything to take roots this fall is a bit slim. I did manage to plant a few things, and I keep eyeballing the fall bulb catalog, but there has to come a time when I have to say enough. Enough for this year, to leave something for next spring.

 Kind of like my computer. Trying to catch up on updates and blogs, and websites. It was after midnight when I shut things down and said enough. It will have to wait for tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...

30 - The End

I have to admit there were days I never thought I would reach it to the end of the 30 day challenge, but here it is today.

There is no extraordinary pic today. Just random shots of things in my world that I stumbled upon while out with my camera. Just a squirrel taking a long sip on a hot day. A shell of a bug that has moved on. A spider wrapping up leftovers for lunch for another time. And lastly, a pic for Mr. Oz, who told me to forget about taking a pic of the moon, and to take a pic of the sun. 

Mr. Oz must be psychic, he knew somehow I wouldn't be able to capture the blue moon tonight. The clouds have rolled in early this evening, and so I took his advice to be different and snapped this pic just a few moments ago.

Thanks everyone for joining in whether by posting pics or making comments or just stopping by to have a peek. Have a great holiday week-end!

 

 

 

  

 

 

29

I felt like I should have named this blog, "missed opportunities". That seemed to be the case for me today. I went out for a bit to try and snap a pic or two. I didn't have time to take a drive or felt like walking several blocks to capture something different and exciting. So I opted again to just walk around my small bit of yard and immediate neighborhood to find a subject for today's blog.

I guess I felt some sort of added pressure, that my blog pics should be ending on a high note. That each pic I take should be better than the last one and the last two blogs I do for this challenge, should have something pretty spectacular.

Ha! So much for good intentions. I don't know what it was today that had me a bit scattered brained and not fully concentrating on my surroundings. I would aim my camera to capture a bird, only to look up and find a baby squirrel just a few feet from me in the branches looking down spying on me as I spied on something else.

I tried to capture a pic of two chasing squirrels, only to see out of the corner of my eye, a hummingbird drinking from the blooms of a hosta. I snapped quickly, but not quick enough.

Today, while uploading the few meager pics of today, what should my eye spy while uploading a ho-hum pic of Japanese yew berries, but a praying mantis. Trust me, I have mentally kicked myself over and over for concentrating so much on the red berries I totally missed the huge bug just a few inches from them. But it's there, in the pic, and that is why I have included it today.

The other pics I included are some goldenrod that has been blooming like crazy and is on it's last hurrah of the year. The other pic, is a hosta leaf that the sun backlit and I liked the stained glass effect it created.

Tomorrow is the last day of this 30 days of pic challenge. I can't guarantee that it will go well. I haven't a clue what I will come across and try to capture in a moment of time with my pic. You will all just have to wait and see along with me.

I am crossing my fingers, it will be something extraordinary, but most days aren't so extraordinary and it's what we have to find in those days and in our selves to make the most of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

28...

Today's pics are of an old building and corn. The first two shots are close-ups of a big long building that in it's past, I believe was a lumber yard before being bought by a farmer for machine storage. That farmer has long been gone and his family still owns the property but it continues to decay and fall in. It's just a part of life, the new becomes old, the old disappears, and something eventually will take it's place. Whether it's a different building, or just Mother Nature reclaiming the land.

The third pic is of a corn field. I cropped it a bit to remove some tree branches and some tall green weeds near the base of the corn crop. It was the dry seed heads and the withered leaves that caught my eye....

 

 

 

  

 

 

Mix (27)

Today's pics for the daily photo challenge is a bit of an assortment. The first pic is of old wood, the second pic is a tucked away statue, hidden almost from view. It is nothing extraordinary, but I liked the feeling it evoked. The last pic is of a bird, some kind of pigeon? I am not sure, I need to invest in a good bird book or do some googling.