WHAT'S NEW ???

One of the things I find most interesting about my three cats is not only their ability to enjoy favorite places for relaxing/sleeping -- the end of my bed, the window in the library, my lap when I sit on the couch to read, are good examples --but also their curiosity & ability to recognize -- almost immediately -- any new item introduced into their home & territory.

Fun times are had with the cartons whenever FedEx makes a delivery.  All that is necessary is to place the carton somewhere in the house ... introduce a cat, or cats, into the area & watch them make a bee line for the box. They sniff around, look it all over & climb on & in the box. Each one takes a turn to satisfy themselves with the new item.

Of course, closet doors left open, or open drawers in any furniture, are noticed at once & explored.  On more than one occasion -- with no intended malice --I have closed up a cat in a closet for far longer than they had intented to inquire within it.



Anything "new" outdoors is also inspected & reviewed.  The above photo shows Precious -- my "Momma Kitty" -- on her tip toes, trying to determine what has been added to the top of the garbage can. [It's a bag of charcoal I put there temporarily while unloading my purchases from a shopping trip.]

Note:  Precious attempted to jump up to the top for a closer look, but the plastic surface gave her no traction, nor a secured grip with her claws, -- they seem to work okay on my legs -- in order to pull herself up. She quickly came back to Earth & decided she was no long interested.

If they could speak English, I am sure the most often words used by "My Girls" would be:  "What's new ??"

TURTLE EGG TIME

If & when the weather cooperates -- that means it gets a bit warmer -- I will start to see my yearly migration of local turtles on the roads.  The adults will be seeking mates & prospective nesting sights & baby turtles will be attempting to find any permanent body of water.

It's an annual thing for me to find said turtles.  Depending on the size of the turtle, I usually have several options:
1] Do nothing & let the turtle continue on it's trek
2] Move it off the road, in the direction it was going
3] Remove it & take it to a local body of water (adult turtles)
4] Remove it & take it home to raise until older (babies)

Occasionally, I find female turtles on my land which have selected a spot somewhere in the yard to dig their nest & lay eggs.  Several times I have allowed the female turtle to complete her task, after which I have dug up the eggs & hatched them in my house.  After the babies have grown a bit, I release them in the creek near where I live.

Recently one of the female turtles in my collection -- a rare turtle -- provided me with seven eggs.  I had assumed her odd behavior was an indication of her desire to lay eggs & I provided her the facility -- a large container of sand -- to dig a nest, which she did.

The above photo shows the eggs as they were placed in the nest.  I had to dig down in the sand to "find" the eggs, as the female turtle had completely covered them & smoothed over the surface of the sand.

A total of seven eggs were laid. Of this group, two were infertile/mishaped & were disposed of.  A third egg is a bit oddly shaped as well, but has been retained.  The four "good' eggs are in the top row of this photo.

In the past, I have hatched turtle eggs by placing them in a container in the cabinet above the sink. The light below the cabinet is left "on" 24/7, creating just enough favorable warmth in the cabinet to aid in egg development.

For the current batch of eggs I am trying to hatch -- along with any future eggs, wild or captive hatched -- I have invested in an incubator designed for reptile eggs. I have my fingers crossed this extra effort & expense, will prove successful in getting these latest eggs to produce baby turtles.

Hopefully, in another month or so, I will have "good news" to share regarding another "turtle egg time".

IS IT 4 P.M. YET ??

Well ... after writing several times recently about the advent of Spring weather & the improved conditions for outdoor activities, it all went for naught this weekend. It seems like Winter returned.

The past few days have found central Arkansas with high temperatures in the low-to-mid 40's, with periods of rain & fog. Those are not my favorable conditions for being outside working in the yard.

Other than going for my daily walk at 7 A.M. this morning & refilling all the bird feeders when I returned, this has been a totally "indoor day". Even "The Girls" have not ventured out too often.

On the positive side, I have done all my laundry, rearranged the "kat fud" in the pantry & found an old kitchen appliance I have not used in decades.  Several decades !!

I believe I purchased this crock pot in the mid 1970's.  I've probably used it no more than three or four times & that would back when I first bought it. 

Well ... it came back to life today.

This weather is the perfect time to try out the crock pot by making up a batch of my "famous" chili.

All my ingredients are in & cooking slowly on the counter next to the sink.  It will sure taste good when I have my dinner around 4 P.M.  [That's when old people eat their "early bird dinners".]

I have "tested" my chili & taken "samples" on various -- necessary -- trips into the kitchen.  As long as I don't get a bowl out of the cupboard, or start crumbling up crackers, I am still just ... "snacking".

But, darn !!  Isn't it 4 o'clock ... yet ?? !!

SPRING ... DEFINITELY

Watching the Channel 4 TV station in New York City this past week, much of their local news was coverage of the snow storms -- along with very cold temperatures -- which had arrived following a week where the warm temperatures had everyone thinking ... "Spring".

I remember such early Spring snow storms when I lived in upstate New York. It was always so depressing. Just when it felt like Winter was finally over ... BAM ... the white stuff returned.

The "latest" snow I remember in New York, was one year in the first week of May. Six inches of snow -- which didn't last more than two days on the ground --but still, who wants/needs snow ... in MAY ??

While it is still March -- & we can still get hit with some cold weather -- it looks as if the change-over from Winter to Spring this year is in full force in central Arkansas.

I realize in many posts on this blog I have been less than enamoured with the people of this state & the way "The Natural State" is treated & maintained by it's citizens. Still, Arkansas, like many of the surrounding states in the Mid-South, puts on a majestic show as it renews itself each Spring. Through the revitalized grass, trees & flowers of the landscape, Arkansas comes back to life. It is my favorite time of the year.

The colors of Spring are alive on my property. The grass is green & has been cut already several times. The Eastern Redbuds are flowering, along with the Yoshino cherry trees, as shown with the examples above. Their vibrant colors add much contrast to the landscape.

The Bradford Pears -- which were a mass of white flowers until just recently -- are now green & approaching their full leaf size & color; a sure sign Spring is here.

So ... no more snow or cold weather for me. I'm thinking positive: Spring has arrived ... definitely !!

BIRTHDAY GAL

They say the older you get, the more time seems to speed up -- along with events in it -- & life becomes more fleeting, as everything takes on a quicker pace, just as we find ourselves slowing down.

I don't know who "they" might be, or, even if there ever actually was a ... "they". I do know, in my life, as I approach my mid-60's, the days, weeks, months -- & yes, years -- have certainly ... "sped up".

In one of those moments in time, which really does seem so recent, but actually occurred FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY, my life was forever changed. In a good way.

On March 22nd, 2007, at 7 A.M., the neighbor's cat named Precious, started delivering a litter of kittens on my front porch. This was not really a surprise -- only the location was -- since her recently expanding belly was further poof of my belief that said neighbors had made little or no effort in providing even basic proper care for Precious, i.e., "getting her fixed".

Precious had been spending most of her time at my place, no doubt due to the attention & kindness I provided her. [Well, she may have also been partial to the brand of cat food I gave her.] It became apparent, I had a cat, which was rapidly depending on me to provide for her needs.

Long story short: Precious -- being not much more than a kitten herself -- produced several still-born kittens in a litter which was no-doubt doomed due to the mother's age, instincts at such a young age & a clueless attendant (me).

Now, here we are four years later, & Nibblets -- the only kitten in the litter to survive -- is one of my three cats, which includes her mother Precious & her step-sister, THE WOBBLER (Wobs).

It's been a (mostly) fun four years & Miss Nibs has grown into a wonderful companion animal who beings me joy, fun -- & surprises -- each day. I truly feel as if Nibblets -- along with the other two cats -- was "sent to me", to give my life a different meaning than I ever had before.

Happy Birthday, Nibs. I love you, baby girl !!

GREEN & YELLOW TIME ... AGAIN

By the end of last week, the weather was finally cooperating for outdoor activities. The warming temperatures & the previous rain were having their effect on the weeds on my property, which I spend quite a bit of time each year cutting down to resemble a ... "lawn".

The, ah ... grass (weeds !!), was starting to need some attention & the nice weather, while not warm enough for my normal cutting attire -- shorts, flip flops & a ball cap ... (that's all folks) -- made it the right time to start this years mowing.

My mower had been returned from being serviced from the "new" John Deere dealer I tried this year. This being Arkansas, almost every semi-large city or town has a J.D. dealer. I was growing a bit dissatisfied with the dealer I was using in England, Arkansas, so I "switched" to the one in Maumelle, Arkansas. So far ... so good.

My property still has some areas needing serious attention in the form of leaves to be removed from the ground. Other places, I can start using the mower on the ... ah ... "grass". It's the same every year at this time, so really, I am "on schedule". Well, as long as the weather stay accommodating.

I like to get the front of my property cut & attended to first & maintain some sort of "curb appeal". Make that "single-lane, dead-end, country road appeal".

NOTE: The fine looking, in bloom, Bradford Pear trees across the road at the neighbors. This year -- & it's still not officially Spring yet -- has been a great year for showing the beauty of these trees as they begin another growing cycle.

While my mower was in the shop, I asked that the Service Manager & Sales Manager get together & give me a trade-in value for my J.D. Some people like to buy new cars. I like to buy new lawn mowers.

I take good care of my mower & wash it every time I cut with it. It may go into the storage building "dirty", but that will never be for more than one night. I even wax my mower. [I should treat my truck so good.]

Seems that my mower has a "value" of $4,500 now for a trade-in. I've been looking at the John Deere web site, at a newer/bigger model which has caught my attention. Keep that thought.

In the above photo, Precious is providing her "required" inspection of the mower. [Too bad she can't give me an estimate on it's value.] Many times, when I have washed & dried the mower, but before I have put it in storage, I'll find "paw prints" on the J.D., where Precious has made sure the mower was clean.

As the weather gets nicer & the grass begins to grow, the John Deere mower will be utilized each week, as it is once again ... Green & Yellow Time in Arkansas.

WATER TURTLE WATER PROBLEMS

Recently I had been noticing some water on the floor of the indoor Turtle Compound -- as opposed to the OUTDOOR Turtle Compound -- which, of course, led to much concern on my part.

While hoping H2O on the floor was the result of a LARGE turtle flinging itself off the dry area platform into the H2O of the cattle tank they call home & creating spillage, the reality was turning out to be a leak in one of the tanks.

Any major activity within the compound during the colder Winter months has to be coordinated with the exterior weather conditions, if the large entrance door needs to be open for any length of time. Sort of compounding the compound problems.

Well, Mother Nature complied & provided me with several days of moderate weather to remove & replace the offending cattle tank before I ended up with two hundred gallons of H2O flooding the area.

The first part of the project was draining & removing TWO tanks, since the leaking pond was aligned between two larger tanks in the compound. Thus I had to pump out approximately 500 gallons of H2O, as well as moving the occupants of the two ponds -- above -- to other tanks, effecting severely over-crowded conditions.

The larger pond, once drained & removed -- naturally -- had to be inspected & "approved" before it could be returned indoors. I have a team on site which provides that support.

One of the positives of this effort was that the leaking tank was a six foot tank & the "replacement" tank -- which I had as a spare in the OUTDOOR enclosure -- was a eight foot cattle tank, the same size as the other two already in the compound. Thus, I added an additional 100 gallons of H2O to the swimmimg area.

Once I had the two eight foot tanks in position, I then had to place concrete blocks under them, as the blocks provide support & to allow warmth to circulate under the tanks to help warm the H2O in them.

Once everything was in place, it was time to connect the hose & start the process of filling the two cattle tanks with a total of 600 gallons of H2O.

Almost there. The ponds are full & the platforms are in place. These wooden structures provide an area for the turtles to dry off , as well as absorb the warmth & Ultra Violet light emanating from the light fixtures suspended above them.

Ready for the occupants. The fluorescent lights -- which also provide UV, as well as light -- are installed & the filters [green tubing] hooked up & running. Once the H2O temperature is satisfactory, the turtles will be returned to their -- uncrowded -- homes.

Another view, just before the turtles were returned.

The above photo is the end result; the offending/leaking tank has been remove, the new pond inserted & all the H2O & accessories set up & working.

And "Yes" ... the turtles ARE in the ponds, but not in view when the photo was taken. They are shy ... as well as I am a lousy photographer.

UPDATE

Well, something has already changed since I wrote Monday about the shot-up road signs & trash littered in the same location.

No ... all the garbage is still there. Probably some added to it if I looked a bit closer.

There has been a new road sign installed. And so far ... it's free of bullet holes.

I'd love to take credit for the old, shot-up one being replaced, but I'm sure no one read my blog & then took action. More of a coincidence I'm guessing.

I'm going to keep track of how long it takes until someone uses it for target practice. It will happen, I'm sure of it.

Stay tuned for for more road sign updates.

DUCKS IN THE LOBBY

The first job I had straight out of college found me working in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, the location left much to be desired as to comfort & safety, but the address, in the low numbers of Union Avenue, was typical of the downtown area as a whole.

Without going into too much of a history lesson of Memphis at that point in time -- early 1970's -- the downtown area reflected the segregated status of the entire city; whites having fled to the suburbs & surrounding towns & the inner-city being neglected & given up to the African-America community.

Much of downtown Memphis held no attraction for visitors, nor was the historic nature of the city -- think Beale Street, the city's Rock & Roll heritage, it's location on the Mississippi River, for starters -- properly displayed, or advertised to attract tourists. For many years, Memphis remained "divided" by race & color.

The Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis was one of the many historic locations in Memphis which had fallen into disrepair & the hotel no longer lived up to it's claim as "The South's Grand Hotel".

While working downtown, I had many lunches at the counter of the Peabody Drug Store. I could see first hand the opulence of the hotel was years past. Even the ducks, which swam in the lobby fountain -- & were such a tourist attraction at one time -- seemed tired & dated.

Thankfully, for Memphis -- & the Peabody Hotel -- the worst of is over. The downtown area is now a mecca of activity with shopping, attractions, apartments & sporting activities. The Peabody too has been refurbished with millions of dollars invested in it, making it once again living up to it's name: The South's Grand Hotel.

I spent a night at the hotel several years ago & I can verify it more than lives up to it's name.

Along with the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, there are now two other locations; Orlando, Florida & -- are you ready for this -- LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

I was recently in downtown Little Rock & spent a few moments in the Arkansas location, making comparison's & remembering both the history of the original Memphis hotel & it's current regal status.

For anyone who has been to Little Rock in year's past, you might recognise the facility as the location of the previous Excelsior Hotel. It was made locally famous by rumors/reputation of the former Governor of the state -- William Jefferson Clinton -- who (supposedly) held many ... ah ... "meetings" with potential ... ah ... "new state employees" in a room at the hotel. [The name of Jennifer Flowers comes to mind as an example.]

The interior lobby of the Little Rock hotel is just as grand & elegant as one would expect.

Even though I do not like heights & have a strong repulsion for being close to the edge of tall facilities, I do like riding in glass elevators & enjoy the view, going either up or down.

Maybe it's because there is the feeling, while riding, if the glass elevator falls, at least there will be the knowledge of how many seconds will pass before all the riders are pancakes on the lobby floor. You can't get that visual information from riding in an elevator in a shaft.

As with all Peabody Hotels, there are ducks in the lobby fountain. It's -- naturally -- a big attraction & all the small children seen to get a special pleasure out of seeing the ducks.

I did note on my visit to the Little Rock Peabody Hotel, that the lobby fountain is in no way as fancy & ornate as the fountain in the Memphis hotel.

In Little Rock, it's just ducks in a lobby fountain.

In Memphis, the ducks add sparkle & a touch of grandeur to the famous hotel.

HUNTING, TARGETS & TRASH

Every day -- weather permitting -- I have a 2.5 mile course I traverse to get a bit of daily exercise. Along with some weight lifting & 60-75 sit-ups in my schedule, I travel the 2.5 miles in times between 25 & 40 minutes, depending on how much I walk, run, jog, or -- usually -- do a combination of all three.

This daily activity is always done after it is light outside, since the roads I am on -- with no "shoulder" to them -- are dangerous enough with Arkansas drivers in the daylight & doing it in the dark would be asking for trouble. [I assume most all the beer cans on the side of the roads are "deposited" over-night.]

I always exercise before I eat anything for the day, so the post-exercise meal may be breakfast or lunch, depending on when I come home. There have been times when the first meal is supper, if I was delayed. I just can't exercise after I have eaten.

I have noticed recently when I am out on one of my jaunts, it is a lot quieter. Maybe it's because there are not as many guns being fired right now, which is unusual, since in Arkansas, there is always something to shoot at.

There are a bunch of hunting "season's" in Arkansas. In the Fall -- & the noisiest locally -- is Dove hunting time. There are a lot of rapid firing guns out there from the sounds I hear.

Another popular hunting time is "Duck Season". In fact, Stuggart, Arkansas -- not far from here -- claims the title of "Duck Hunting Capital of the World". From all the shots being fired locally -- despite it being a Winter time hunting season -- it's as popular -- & noisy -- as Dove season.

Now, just because hunting season is finished, that certainly doesn't mean the guns have to be put away for next year. No way !! Don't forget ... this is Arkansas.

Some of the best gun shooting can be seen on my daily exercise path. Examples of the people of Arkansas indulging in two of their favorite past times -- shooting guns & littering trash -- are always viewable.

While they can't take it home & eat it -- or, leave a carcass on the side of the road to rot -- a road sign is fair game for the people & hunters. Target practice is always available in Arkansas. Isn't that one of the reasons for road signs ??

This the reverse side of the sign. Not only has it been peppered with bird shot, but some good size bullets have gone through the sign. The fact there is a home about 150 yards behind this sign probably had no effect on, or concern to, the shooter.

In the same area as the "target range", the side of the road is littered with trash, making this a "two-fer" when it comes to Arkansas habits in "The Natural State".

In the photo above, it shows someone was "thoughtful" (?) enough to put their garbage in a black plastic bag before throwing it out. Maybe they viewed this as "re-cycling". Probably, they just stole the bag.

A little further up the road, some more bullets have found their mark. [And this is even closer to the home I mentioned.]

Another example of some BIG bullets doing major damage. But, in looking at it from the stand point of Arkansas hunters, they need to keep practicing for next hunting season. They don't want to miss their quarry due to poor aim & marksmanship skills eroding.

By the way, the above is a "photo two-fer", since besides the bullet damage to the sign, the photo also shows some more tossed litter in the background.

Always favorites in Arkansas: Hunting, Targets & Trash.

SPRING ... MAYBE

After too many weeks & days of starts & stops, it looks as if Spring is finally starting to take definite steps in getting the new growing season started.

For all the naked trees & corresponding fields & lawns of brown, dead grass & foliage ... FINALLY some color is starting to appear in the landscape. Not much, mind you, but after so many days of cold weather, major snow & rain measured in inches -- like last night's thunderstorms -- ANY color other than brown is welcomed on my property.

The Forsythia bushes are providing their usual shower of blossoms. Later, when they leaf-out, the plants will provide some camouflage for the A/C unit, but right now, their pleasant yellow color stands out nicely in the yard.

Above is a photo of some of the Bradford Pears on my property. This tree in the South is one of the first to bloom & the white flowers are very common in all the landscapes, from rural areas to the busiest of downtown streets.

Bradford Pear trees are very quick growing, nicely shaped & colorful. Unfortunately, they are not a long living tree ( 20 years ??) & "brittle" when it comes to the strength of their branches. Strong winds quickly break these trees apart.

The Bradford Pears lining the main street in Lonoke, Arkansas took a major beating from last weeks storms. Traveling there Monday, I could see where "straight line winds" took down several dozen trees in the town's center, leaving gaping holes in the texture & configuration of the landscape. Not pretty.

The tree in the right side of the above photo is in my south yard & shows damage to the trunk's base where it has lost almost half of the tree on a total of two occasions. One more time & the tree will probably be "finished" in my yard.

Above: Nice color & contrast between the trees & the green grass. Okay ... weeds. Remember, it's not a lawn, but a field mowed close to the ground. No Bermuda grass here.

I have never felt my Bradford Pear trees where the most colorful in the Spring, not when compared to so many others I would see this time of year. My trees always had fewer flowers than neighbor's trees, but my tree's were quicker to leaf out & be full green. Maybe because my trees were from Wal*Mart. "Cheap-O's".

This year is the best my Bradford Pear's have ever looked & I hope this is a clear indication that Spring is finally here. Maybe. Hopefully.