Bill's Big Bamboo

WHO'S GOT A JOB ??

2012-01-29T14:25:00.003-06:00

One of the MAJOR areas of argument & contention in the on-going Republican Presidential nominating process -- & after that, no doubt in the actual campaign/election process between the Elephants & the Asses -- has been who is the best individual equipped to help regain prosperity again in our country through the creation of ... JOBS.

I have to admit I have tuned-out the whole Republican multi-debateathon a long time ago. I don't have the time. It's a shorten season in the NBA. I've got games to watch on my sports package.

With the four remaining Republicans looking to win the Florida primary this coming week, it occurs to me that three out of the four running for that states votes ... don't have jobs. Just like me !!

Ron Paul is still in Congress, but I have no idea how many of his staffers are running his office. At least he has a job.

Rick Santorium was tossed out of the Senate by the the voters of his home state, Pennsylvania. The people didn't want him in office, so I have no idea what makes him think the whole nation would want him to be their leader. I guess he's living on borrowed money, from whoever wants to contribute to his attempt to make a name for himself, other than "loser".

Newt Gingrich reminds me a lot of Rush Limbaugh. I love to listen to both men speak. [I have Rush on a pre-set on my truck radio.] Both articulate their thoughts/feelings/messages well. The problem is both men are full of s**t !! As for Newt's income & having a REAL job, I'll leave it up to Mitt Romney & the rest of the Republicans to try to figure out what, if any, of what Newt claims is the truth, is actually real, or just "Newt Speak".

Ah ... now I can relate to Mitt Romney. He's REALLY just like me. Neither of us has worked in years & both of us depend on income from investments. [Of course, my 401k got slaughtered back in 2008, thanks to President Bush & his folks on Wall Street.] Luckily, I have Social Security & my L'Oreal pension, income neither of which Mitt Romney will ever need.

I guess if I had income of over 28 million dollars for each of the last two years -- just from investments -- as well as paying income tax of less than 15%, I might be tempted to run for President too, just as Mitt has been doing for the last decade.

Even with my "fixed income", I still find ways to make some extra money now & then. Just today I did a small job -- took just over an hour -- & made $162.00. That's a nice hourly rate. Who says there are no good paying jobs ??

Today was the day I counted & wrapped the "spare change" jars.

I never leave the house with loose change. I carry folding money only when I leave to go someplace. Any coins I get while shopping are deposited in two jars near the entrance to my home when I return; one jar for pennies & the other jar for "silver".

I have several "funnels" which are calibrated for each size coin & the correct amount in the wrapper. The funnels make the process go quickly & help increase that per-hour pay rate.

Of course, as with any "job", good co-workers are always a value. Luckily, I have several "helpers", who often act as supervisors, and/or, "BOSSES".

Today, when finished, almost all the coins had been wrapped & rolled, & only an hour of my life was taken up by the process. Fair return.

All packed up & ready to carry to the bank tomorrow in England, Arkansas, where I'll put the $$ in my savings account, since like most of the Republicans running for President ... I don't have a job either.

2012: A YEAR OF CHANGES

2012-01-12T16:15:00.001-06:00

Here it is. 2012 has arrived. It's a year of changes for me; the major one being I turn 65 in April. Since it is almost mid-January, that means I'm about 64 & 3/4's ... right now.

This upcoming milestone age would not be too bad if it was just me, my Mother & a few friends who knew I was about to turn 65. What I can gather from all the mail & phone calls I started receiving last Fall, my upcoming birthday is creating quite a stir & has the attention of many companies & individuals. They sure are spending a lot of time, effort & money to get my attention & contact me.

I'm keeping all of the mail I've received in several folders in my large file cabinet. [Thanks again, Kelly] Some of the companies writing me have done so several times. You would think the Postal Service would be running a profit thanks just to me & my address. It sure makes me feel wanted & important to open up my mail box each day.

The reason for all this mail is because I will be eligible for Medicare come April. Despite what many politicians want to do with the government run health care program, there is an industry out there wanting to educate me on the different forms of Medicare & -- naturally -- want me to buy their supplement programs (read that "extra insurance) to cover (potential) medical expenses which Medicare does not pay for.

I'm getting mail from companies I have never heard of. Also, I'm getting mail -- & repeat mail -- from all the "major" insurance companies. I've even received lots of letters of information & inducement from the company charging me an arm & a leg each month for my current medical insurance. [ The same company which UPPED my premium BEFORE they would pay ANYof my expenses incurred for my heart surgery. As if I'd ever do business with them again. One advantage right away of having Medicare will be informing my current health insurance provider I am cancelling them !!]

Since I receive Social Security payments each month, Uncle Sam knows all about me already. Receiving Medicare at age 65 is automatic. I didn't have to call any phone numbers ... visit any web sites ... write any letters. I've already received my Medicare card -- yes, it too came in the mail --& I'm "good to go" & covered by Medicare come April 1st.

Of course, as most of the letters & packages I have been receiving point out; Medicare doesn't pay for everything. That's were the "Supplement Insurance" comes into play & thus all the interest in me by the various -- & numerous -- insurance companies sending me mail. [I guess Uncle Sam told them too I was coming up on age 65.]

While I will say some -- not all -- of the information I received in this volume of mail has proven very helpful in understanding what Medicare does & doesn't do, & thus what it pays for & doesn't pay for, the companies can stop sending me their mailings. [Got three more letters/cards in today's mail.] I've already purchased a policy of supplemental insurance to cover the (many) medical items Medicare does not cover. [I won't bother you with those details. Why spoil all the intrigue my readers will have when their time comes & they try to figure out all the options involved with the different parts of Medicare. Have fun !!]

Bottom line: Initially I will save a good amount of money each month just for the Medicare premium. Add to that, not having the expenses of "deductibles" &/or "co-pays" when I need to visit the doctor, or go to the hospital, will be great. Anything to save money & make life easier.

The above are certainly changes I am looking forward to in 2012.

THINGS I HATE -- #2

2012-01-02T13:33:00.000-06:00

Years ago, the late Andy Warhol made a lasting comment, something like ... "Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes". I guess he was making note of the increasing number of people becoming "celebrities". Poor Andy was way off base in his prediction. If he were alive today, his thoughts might be a bit more like .... "Everyone will be famous ... for NOTHING".

Claiming my age, I have lived long enough to remember when people were well known -- & "famous" -- for doing ... SOMETHING. Be they movie stars, athletes, war hero's, etc., people had to accomplish something worth wild to be well know. Very few people we admired did not get our respect & admiration overnight. They earned it. Certainly they were not "famous" for being on a "reality TV show".

Nowadays there are too many TV channels needing "content", with the shows being offered all seeming to be off-shoots of they same trash TV. There are too many magazines -- along with Internet sites -- all seeming to create "STARS" out of people with no talent, or people being highlighted for doing things once thought of as ... "taboo". [Consider MTV's "16 & PREGNANT"]

What is it in the USA -- & for that matter, the world -- when "entertainment" is a bunch of drunk, illiterate people in New Jersey, "Housewives" in almost any major city & a bunch of Kardashian media-whores that have "fans" who follow & idolize them ?? FOR WHAT ??!!

We are in a real time of the "Dumbing Down of America". Something is really wrong & it's a slippery slope path our future is traveling on.

I don't watch ANY TV having to do with "reality shows". They are not ... "real". There are cameramen, someone with a microphone & a producer following a script. How many times do they film several "takes" to get the right sound & lighting ?? "Reality" my a** !!!

One of the biggest offenders of this total mess is the magazine US WEEKLY. I HATE THIS MAGAZINE.

The word most often used in articles is "Star". Somehow ... everyone pictured, in every issue of this magazine, is a "Star". "Star" of what or why ... I don't know. I probably recognize less than half the people featured in the magazine & have no idea why they are in the magazine, or why they should be. I guess because they are ... "Stars".

I HATE this magazine & it only serves to make me hostile towards the "Stars" featured. Why are they written about & what have they truly accomplished to gain our admiration?? Well, they are not getting mine. No way. It's a rotten magazine. The people who write the articles -- many I believe contain falsehoods -- should get REAL JOBS !!

I wonder who -- & what garbage -- will be featured in this week's issue of US WEEKLY ?? My subscription usually comes on Tuesdays.

BETTER THAN A GIRLFRIEND

2011-12-30T16:19:00.000-06:00

This will will probably be my last blog posting for 2011. With year 2012 only a few hours away, I end this year, not with resolutions, but reflections of many years ago.

My memories of life are that I have always been somewhat of a "nester" when it comes to where I lived. In my youth -- at least through the end of high school -- my family lived the majority of the time in only two places: Rochester, New York & then in Honeoye, New York. Always in the same house in each town. No moving. "Nested".

I went off to college & spent two years in Utica, New York. I lived in an apartment & later in an on-campus dormitory. I guess -- living in two places in two years -- would be my "non-nesting" phase. It didn't stick.

In 1967 I ventured down to Memphis, Tennessee. The main reason was to continue my education, but the secondary -- & also important reason -- was to keep my "deferment" from the then military draft. There was the very unpopular Vietnam War on-going at the time & being in college kept me out of the hands of Uncle Sam.

Two moves later -- to apartments, along with a "wife" who was soon gone -- had me again "nesting" throughout my 29+ years in Tennessee. The apartment stretched for 11 years & the condo which followed, was 17 years. True "nesting".

Now I am 15+ years living in Arkansas. It will officially be 16 years at this location come September, 2012. Again, once I "move" ... I then stay put. "Nested".

I was never a "job hopper" either. I stayed with Maybelline for almost 34 years & another two & a half years with Caboodles Cosmetics. I like things to be familiar, comfortable & manageable. My job & my home.

Since 1969 -- which is as best I can figure/remember -- one thing has followed me & been with me. It's the large "desk" in my home office. [Actually it's not really a desk. More like a library table.] I bought it at a used office furniture store in downtown Memphis for $20.00. It was money well spent. I've certainly got my value out of it.

The desk is six foot long & almost three feet wide. It has a good amount of surface space for all kinds of projects & writing, as well as a large area to share with cats & several hundred pens & markers.

I should note that I was once "forced" to give the desk away to a co-worker. I was on the losing end of a relationship where my wife had better uses for "the space" the desk occupied in our apartment. Luckily for me, I got rid of the wife & the new owner of the desk, got rid of a husband. I jumped at the chance to get the desk back. [See. Good things do happen when couples split up. (I hope Katy Perry is reading this. Call me !!)]

Somehow this one piece of furniture has been with me for the past 43 years. Not too many other objects -- or even people (well ... maybe Weiner counts for "time served") -- have been with me all this time. It's a bit strange to reflect on the fact, but to the credit of the desk, it has stood firm & fast & provided me daily support whenever I have needed it. I've been in relationships which didn't even come close to all those attributes. The desk is BETTER than a girlfriend !!

THINGS I HATE -- #1

2011-12-16T08:52:00.000-06:00

I have strong opinions on a lot of subjects. Not that I am smarter or more knowledgeable than other people, it's just that in a number of areas I don't go along, or get along, with the habits of my fellow human beings. This ill-regard for many of the happenings in every day life, "caused" by other people, may be a defining reason why I live alone & have had no serious love interest in my life for many years.

I guess I just hate ... people. Well, that's kind of strong, either to write or to say. It's more like I don't do a lot of things other people do & I don't think like most people either. I'm probably turning into one of those curmudgeonly old men.

Now I know everyone has "issues" with various happenings in the world & no person really agrees with EVERYTHING going on around them, be it at their job, their relationships, political affiliations, etc. I think we all agree, we disagree. I am just more opinionated about ... "the little things".

I thought I would attempt to cleanse myself of some of the items I encounter in my life which more or less get me ... "steamed". These occurrences may result in nothing more than me cursing under my breath ... or ... may find me confronting someone about something they did, realizing I might get my nose flattened in doing so.

I plan on writing about some of my "dislikes" -- which is a better word than HATE -- so I can "share" these thoughts & maybe find others who have similar feelings. I'll start today with one of my pet peeves: Shopping Carts Left Unattended In parking Lots.

The above photo -- taken at the local Sam's Club -- shows someone having used a shopping cart to take their purchases to their vehicle ... THEN NOT RETURNING THE CART !! They just leave the cart in the parking lot & drive off. It's the classic example -- which I also ... ah ... "dislike" -- of people having no consideration of their fellow man. "Let someone else worry about it".

Yes ... whenever & wherever I shop ... if I use a shopping cart outside the store, I take it back to the store (Yes ... inside.) or, return it to one of the enclosed "cart returns". That's why they have those & yet people find it requires too much effort to use them.

Most of my issues are the result of ... people. But, since I have to share the world with them & I can only "limit" my interaction with others, I am always going to fuss & swear about ... things I hate.

SNOW VS. RAIN

2011-12-07T08:18:00.001-06:00

All that rain we got on Sunday & Monday -- along with the resulting flooding -- had stopped by Monday afternoon. Come Tuesday morning, the flooding on my property had reseeded. [Not so for other locations close to me, where the flooding was damaging, with standing H2O still & closed roads. I was lucky.]

The cold front which pushed through the weekend rains did provide snow to the mix last night. It's just added to the damp, chilling feeling which goes with the low temperatures & abundance of H2O.

While the above area was covered in H2O as of Monday, it is now looking quite different, with the creek having returned to ... ah ... "normal" ... which it really isn't, due to the addition of the snow.

As compared to another recent posting photo, the above shows how the snow can be covering the ground in some places & there be almost no snow in other areas.

As I write, it is getting brighter out my window, as the sun starts to penetrate the clouds. All the snow -- for now -- will soon be melted & gone.

AT LEAST IT IS NOT SNOW .... YET !!

2011-12-05T12:17:00.002-06:00

Parts of the state of Arkansas are starting to feel the effects of the massive cold front coming down from our neighbors in the "Great White North". [Ah ... that's CANADA.] I'm not sure if the snow/sleet associated with the cold front will make it to the central part of the state, but right now, such conditions might seem like an improvement from all the rain we have had in the past 36 hours or so.

Since Saturday night, the weather radar screens have been almost a solid green, if only dissected with the color yellow, indicating heavier rain. This morning, the white & pink colors on radar now include the emergence of snow & sleet, respectively, into our forecast.

For the month of November, Arkansas received an all time record of over 14 inches of rain. December is not starting any better. With the ground saturated with H2O from last month, the six or more inches of rain we have received since Saturday night has had no place to go. The net result is all the streams & rivers are full, with many over their banks & flooding. That's happening -- AGAIN -- on my property.

From my back lot, the photo above shows the culverts which act as one of the "bridges" across my creek, are once again under the flooding H2O. Not quite as bad as two weeks ago, but still a mess. Even after the H2O recedes -- usually in 24 hours or less -- the ground takes a long time to dry out. Think mud on shoes/boots & cat paws.

The back lot has plenty of H2O on it & since the creek is full, the drainage is slow. Another bridge -- this one NOT under H2O -- is in the upper left corner of the above photo, along with a pile of leaves & debris (look closely), which were removed just recently from the last rain.

And obviously, as shown above, the fire pit will not be hosting any fires for a few days at least.

One thing to be thankful for: if the temperatures had been in the low 30's or below, all this rain would have equaled about three feet of snow. No thanks !! I've lived through that many times in upstate New York & it is something I can do without !!

MEOWATHON - 2011 ... ONE MORE TIME

2011-11-29T05:08:00.001-06:00

I just received a copy of the photo taken at the "awards ceremony" at this year's MEOWATHON. All the medal winners had photos taken as a free service of Business Visuals of Memphis, who volunteered their services & photography for the MEOWATHON. They also have a cute photo from the event -- of a "visiting" kitty -- on their blog.

After getting the medal, I had my picture taken with ... "The House of Mews ... Mascot" (?). I don't remember the name -- of either the cat, or the person in the suit -- but I'm including the photo as just another reminder of the good time I had this year in Memphis.

Now ... getting ready for the 2012 MEOWATHON. "Run for the Claws" !!

MEOWATHON - 2011

2011-11-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe, but it has already been a week since I traveled over to Memphis, Tennessee for the annual MEOWATHON. This 5k run/walk was the 8th "Run For The Claws", held to raise money & support for The House of Mews in Memphis. This small, non-profit organization, located in the Cooper-Young District of Memphis, is a no-kill cat sanctuary & adoption facility.

As with many of my trips to Memphis, an early start was in order & I left home shortly before 5:30 A.M. I was of course, out of bed hours before that, to be sure my own three "girls" had time for their normal morning exploration outside & be safely ensconced in the house before I left, as I knew I would not be returning till much later in the day. As it turned out ... much later in the day.

The MEOWATHON is held in Overton Park, a centrally located public park which is also home to the Memphis Zoo. The pavilion -- partially shown above -- is the center location for the event, as well as the silent auction, snacks & refreshments & the awards ceremony.

My Mother, Hilda -- who lives in Florida -- hand-made the above red Teddy Bear & sent it to the HOM for inclusion in the silent auction. It was combined with other items, making up a nice gift basket, with a bid value of $50.00.

The race this year had several hundred runners/walkers. It's always a mixed group of folks, with many experienced & serious runners, all the way to families looking to enjoy walking together through Overton Park on a pleasant Fall morning.

I always enjoy the run & the people. This was my fifth straight year to partake in the race. The first year, following so soon after my heart surgery, I mainly walked the course. Since then, I have run .. ah ... jogged ... the 3.2 mile course, always trying -- hoping -- to win a medal.

This year I finished third in the men's 60-64 age group & won the medalion above. Yes, I was very proud. I have worked hard all year long, putting in long hours at the North Little Rock Athletic Club, always trying to increase & improve my conditioning. [I'm already "training" for the 2012 MEOWATHON.]

Another highlight of the trip to Memphis, was another "annual" event: having lunch with my close Tennessee friends (L-R) Sharon, Kathy & Larry. It's always a good time, filled with laughs, friendship & an excellent lunch at Mosa Asian Bistro.

Note: At these annual get-together, Sharon's husband -- Marty -- never seems to get into the photos, since he's the one taking pictures. Well, this year I've been able -- via editing out a sleepy-eyed Sharon -- to include Marty as well.

Of course, even with the best of plans, not all goes as expected. In this case, there were major traffic delays going home on Interstate-40 in Arkansas. I never did find out the reason for the tie-up, but an extra 90 minutes was added to the drive home.

Now ... on to the MEOWATHON - 2012 & once again ... "Run For the Claws".

RECORD RAINS ??

2011-11-24T11:04:00.001-06:00

Despite what the talking heads on Fox Noise want me to believe about the subject of "global warming", I have a -- STRONG -- belief in the changes taking place with good old Planet Earth. If for no other reason than SEVEN BILLION people are now using up the resources of our planet [breathing & eating], along with spewing carbon dioxide back [breathing & ... well, you know what else], the Earth & atmosphere can't handle it all.

On the non-Fox Noise News the other night, [okay ... NBC] there was a story on how the weather is becoming more sever, more often. Examples given included the tornado's this year in Missouri & Alabama, the Halloween snow storm in the North East, along with the fires & drought affecting Texas & Oklahoma. Blame it on El Nino, Global Warming. Whatever. Something is changing.

In the past 15-plus years, due to the location & elevation of my land, I have had several instances where the creek in the back of my property has not been able to "handle" the volume of H2O flowing through it. Results: Flooding. According to Jim Cantore on The Weather Channel, the rain & thunder storms we had earlier in the week resulted in a foot of rain in Arkansas. I don't know how much rain we received locally, but I know this was one of the worst examples of flooding on my property which I have witnessed.

Monday was a mess at my home. While my house is elevated enough not to be affected by the H2O, the resulting flooding from the rain -- while quickly dissipating -- leaves behind a soggy mess, which in itself, takes several days to dry out. Below are some examples.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

The clean-up has started & hopefully it will be a long time before we have any more "record rains".

RAIN, RAIN ... GO AWAY

2011-11-21T10:47:00.002-06:00

I read an article this A.M. regarding one of the effects of the sever drought in Texas was many of the man-made lakes in Texas are drying up, exposing old towns & home sites, as well as long forgotten grave sites. Where once there was 20-30 feet of water in a lake, now there is -- once again -- dry land. Of course the "flooding" which produced these once water filled lakes & reservoirs, was a man-made effort.

I wish the rain produced flooding that is gripping Central Arkansas today -- & surrounding my home -- could somehow have fallen in Texas instead. They sure need it. We don't.

It started raining about one A.M. this morning. HARD RAIN ... along with lots of thunder & lightning. Since The Weather Channel & various computer web sites were providing "Flash Flood Warnings" for most of the state, I was not surprised to find standing water on my property as the first light of day arrived. What DID surprise me was the AMOUNT of water I had.

I've lived here now for 15-plus years. It's a low area, in an old flood plain of the Arkansas River. My land has flooded many times; the worst was back in 1998. For sheer volume of water & the amount of land under it, this may be the second worst case of flooding I've experienced. And ... it's still raining !!

Above is the front driveway, with "Lake Hilda" -- a normal occurrence with heavy rains -- to the right, surrounding the tree. What is NOT "normal" is the amount of water flowing across the driveway.

From the front porch, it is a sea of water & wet leaves. I think there is even more water now, since I took the photo earlier this A.M.

The back of my property -- looking South, towards my storage building -- is in worse shape due to the overflowing of the drainage creek which intersects my land. I'm not looking forward to finding out what damage may have been done inside the shed. [My John Deere is okay. I checked it already.]

And finally, the creek normally can be seen just on the other side of the green Bamboo in this photo. Now, the creek is my backyard. And ... it's STILL RAINING !!!

Again ... I wish there were some way our friends in Texas could some how get some of this rain & water. So close ... yet ... so far.

Rain, rain ... go away. Get on down to Texas to stay.

CHANGES ... IN TIME, TEMPERATURE & COLOR

2011-11-14T11:32:00.000-06:00

It's mid-November here in central Arkansas & the seasonal changes are in full effect, despite the temperature being almost 80 degrees today. Apparently Mother Nature knows the calendar is closing in on Winter, even if some of the weather conditions are trying to mask such knowledge.

For the past few days, despite the above-normal temperatures, the trees, bushes & other plantings on my property are starting to shed their leaves, change their colors & show all the effects of the Fall calendar. These days have been helped along by very strong winds -- 20-30 MPH -- helping to shake loose not only the leaves but acorns & seeds, along with various size sticks & tree branches. It is sometimes dangerous to be outside, being exposed to these falling elements.

I am always impressed with the changes occurring to the vegetation on my land. It is this time of year when these changes stand out & highlight the fact there are many "micro-climates" on the property, which occur, often within short distances of each other. These small areas can have different effects on the very same species of tree or plant, causing them to have different shapes & colors, despite being the same plant family & in close growing proximity.

The above tree has the name: Parrotia Persia. I don't know of a "common name". If someone asks me about it, I have to look up the name in my planting records. That request happens so seldom, I can never remember off-hand the tree's name.

I ordered three "Parrotias" in the Spring of 1999 from the White Flower Farm in Connecticut. The trees arrived in large boxes, since the trees themselves were over six foot in height. However, whoever packed the trees initially did not secure the trees within the boxes & all three suffered top damage due to the handling of the boxes in transit. [I certainly complained to the White Flower Farm at the time & have not ordered from them since, due to their attitude in hearing my "suggestions" for future packing of trees of such size.]

I planted the three trees at various places within my four acres of land. The "damages" to the trees did not seem to effect two of the trees & they proceeded to grow. The third tree "struggled" despite my efforts & died in the second year it was in the ground ... naturally, beyond the warranty provided by the White Flower Farm.

The above photo shows the second "Parrotia". The photos were taken minutes apart & visually show the difference each location has on the color, shape & growth of the two trees. The tree above has already changed color & the growth through the seasons is more compact than that of the former tree, which due to it's location, is still green & has a taller growth.

The "location" reflects on the amount of light received along with the temperatures of the growing area, both of which are keyed by the other plantings around each tree, the amount of wind & breezes they receive in each area, as well as the water the earth absorbs. All these elements are part of the "micro-climates" for each tree & other planting of a similar nature here on my land.

A few other examples of how the landscape is changing. In the photo above, the dropped leaves on the tree now expose the only greenery left on the branches, which in this example is Mistletoe. Merry Xmas.

The new Black Bamboo shoots in my garden arrive in the Spring with a bright green color when emerging from the ground. By Fall, after a full growing season, the Bamboo changes color & earns it's given name as shown above.

As Fall advances & Winter soon returns, more changes will occur at my small homestead. I'll be sure to keep everyone aware & up-to-date.

THE MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO ... ???

2011-11-07T06:03:00.001-06:00

Didn't I write about the subject below ?? I seem to recall I did.

I just don't remember things like I did in the past. And it just seems like this loss of memory has only happened in the past few years. I wonder what has caused it ??

(New York, NY) -- A newly released study links several types of heart surgeries to loss of thinking and memory skills.
The study, involving German heart patients, included those who'd undergone invasive bypass surgery and who'd gone through much less-invasive stent placement.
All showed cognitive declines several months after their surgeries.
Researchers say memory deficits were more severe in patients who'd undergone coronary artery bypass grafting, probably because of blocked arteries, than among those who'd received a stent to help open an artery

I AM WHAT I AM ...

2011-11-06T15:08:00.000-06:00

In response to a recent addition I made to my Facebook wall, my friend Bubba noted that I am a ... "Creature of Habit". Once again, my good friend knows me quite well.

I have always been a fan of ... ME. I remember way back in High School -- which at this point in my life is "way back" -- that the then "love of my life" -- Weiner -- was critical of some action on my part & told me bluntly I was "selfish", along with acting ... "better than everyone". OUCH !!

I came to realize years ago that Weiner was spot-on when it came to her description of me. As much as I like people & enjoy doing things with others, I really seem to function best with ... ME. I have a list of damaged & destroyed relationships which would be evidence of that statement.

I know after my heart surgery more than four years ago, I retracted into being a recluse in many ways. Part of it was the life altering process I had just been through & some of it had to be me realizing I was "forcing" some relationships.

I have read where there is some belief the stopping of ones heart in the surgery process affects many of the bodies organs, especially the brain. I've adopted that as a valid "excuse" for some of my actions since then. As for how I acted & felt before the surgery ... well ... I guess that was just ... ME.

Since I seem to be my biggest fan, along with knowing I function best as a single, I have found that indulging myself in my habits, hobbies & interests is often my best reward for living & feeling as I do. Money can buy happiness.

I was in Memphis this past Friday & I took the opportunity to visit one of my favorite retail outlets in that city: ART CENTER SUPPLY. It's a large store which has in stock & sells everything anyone would be looking for in the world of art. For me, that would be pens & paper.

I can truly say, through all the many years I have been visiting this store, not once(t) have I ever left without having purchased ... something. Leaving empty handed has never occurred. Nor, have I ever uttered the words ... "Thanks, but I was just looking".

So once again last Friday, I indulged my passion for pens & markers. I know I have hundreds of same already, but they are something I use & enjoy, so I bought more. I am not hurting anyone & no ones feelings are being affected because of my actions. I am just bringing happiness to my favorite person ... ME.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy my life & feel I have been blessed in it. I feel I have earned my life style & as long as I do no harm to others, I am comfortable being a ... "Creature of Habit".

MY ELEPHANT BOYCOTT

2011-10-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

On this blog, I have certainly documented my life long interest in all things reptile, with emphasis on my turtle & tortoise collection. Also I have written -- ad nauseam -- on my love & strong bond for my three cats, which has occurred later in life. [And that life is getting "later". Trust me.]

Another interest in the animal kingdom which has long held my attention -- but never in my possession -- have been ... ELEPHANTS.

I think it all began at a zoo in Great Britain, many years ago, where me & my uncles rode on an elephant. Somewhere there is an old, black & white photo of us all riding on the giant animal. It was love at first ride.

Now days, when ever I visit a zoo, in any city, I usually go out of my way NOT to view the elephant display ... if the zoo has elephants. Thankfully, more & more zoos are realizing that it is cruel to feature elephants in confined areas.

It's been about 40 years since I have been to any circus. It's not a fear of clowns which keeps me away but rather the "preforming animals" -- which includes elephants. It's not natural for the animals & it too is a form of animal cruelty.

Like many folks, I get solicitations all the time to donate to various organizations. [I got two in today's mail alone.] Besides supporting -- with $$ -- The House of Mews in Memphis, I contribute to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. In both cases, I feel my $$ is well spent & well served.

The Elephant Sanctuary is a home for sick & abused elephants, which have been "retired" from "preforming" ... at zoos & circuses. The elephants roam "free" on almost 2,000 acres of land, their care & needs provided by a dedicated staff, who watch over the elephants, as the animals enjoy life, no longer prodded with sharp "elephant hooks" or being chained in confined areas.

In nature, elephants wander many miles each day, in herds of communicating with each other, led by an elder female. [Males are solitary animals.] The Elephant Sanctuary has both African & Asian animals; all females.

The above elephant is named Terra & her "companion" is a dog named Bella. Sadly, I received an e-mail today that Bella was found dead at the Sanctuary. As best that can be determined, Bella had been separated from Tarra at some point in the night & was attacked & killed by coyotes. Tarra found Bella's body & carried the dog back to the barn where the elephants spend the night. One of the signs of intelligence in elephants is their grief expressed towards the death of members of their herd. In this case, the grief was for a dog.

Like so many animals, elephants are facing many difficulties in the wild: being hunted for ivory & meat, & certainly the loss of land as man advances into new areas. Add to this the exploitation of elephants in captivity for people's "entertainment", & the future does not look bright for elephants.

For my part I will continue to contribute what financial aid I can to The Elephant Sanctuary & I will continue to "boycott" circuses & zoo's which feature these animals.

THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY

2011-10-21T09:23:00.001-05:00

At several of my news sources recently, there were stories/reports on the poor weather conditions of the past Summer season -- mostly the extreme heat/lack of rain -- causing a MAJOR shortage in this years peanut crop. Peanut farmers are reporting up to 70% or more of this years harvest will never make it out of the fields. The peanuts are DOA.

For yours truly, this information on the peanut supply is not the news I want to find out about. The major impact on the lack of a successful peanut crop -- as pointed out in each news report -- is the impending shortage -- & increased prices -- of PEANUT BUTTER.

I have always enjoyed eating peanut butter & there is always a jar in my pantry. In fact, I probably owe my life to peanut butter. I've written previously how my life was saved by two five-pound CANS of Peter Pan peanut butter which my Mother smartly packed when her & I went to England for several months when I was a youngster. She knew I was a fussy eater & would never be enthused by English food. [Would you ?? "Bangers 'n' Mash" ?? UGH !!]

The news of a potential "shortage" of my favorite "Fall Back Food" -- as when other items in the pantry/refrigerator don't get the mouth watering & the jar of Jiff sitting on the shelf seems to "call" to me -- had me adding peanut butter to my grocery list..

I was at Sam's Club the other day & "stocked up" -- don't call it HOARDING -- on four jars of the creamy delight. Since each jar has 40 oz., I bought 10 lbs. of peanut butter ... the same amount that kept me alive in England all those many years ago.

I eat peanut butter on bread, on crackers, & YES ... sometimes with a spoon, straight from the jar. Naturally, a favorite way to eat is to have a "P.B. & J." -- Peanut Butter & Jelly. So, while at Sam's Club, I got some more jelly too.

Well, if there is going to be a peanut butter shortage ... let it come. I'm ready for it.

NO NEWS ... GOOD NEWS ??

2011-10-16T10:46:00.002-05:00

I have lived most of my adult life trying to stay informed of the local, national & world news events. Through the years I have always tried to watch the local/national news broadcasts on television every day.

The radio in my car/truck would often be set to stations featuring news reporting. I like to know what is going on around me & in the world, even while driving.

I have also always had a subscription to the local newspaper & when traveling, would buy the paper of whatever city I was in. Just trying to stay informed, knowledgeable & up-to-date.

I guess it may be common knowledge that newspapers -- & national "news magazines" for that matter -- are facing decreased readership, mostly due to the advent of the cable/satellite television 24-hour news programing & -- of course -- the Internet. People no longer need to wait on news & information to be printed & delivered. It's already with them, often on display as the news is actually happening.

After 15 years of living in Arkansas & subscribing all that time to the local newspaper, I have allowed my subscription to expire. For the first time in almost 40 years ... I am not receiving a newspaper delivered to me each morning. And I can't say that I miss not receiving it.

In Arkansas, the newspaper was always delivered into a yellow "paper box" located next to the mailbox down at the road. That box is now leaning up against the back wall of my shed, as shown in the photo above. No deliveries there.

The last several years I have had "issues" with content in the Arkansas newspaper. Sometimes it would be articles, along with the point or position being presented in the article. Other times it might be editorial comment & political position of the paper. Saying I disliked the "homer" position taken by the feature sports writer, would be describing it mildly. All of this made it easier for me to "give up" the daily newspaper.

While there are many reasons for going negative on the local newspaper, the two major reasons which finally made me decide to discontinue reading the paper -- & paying for it -- were:
** The local news section -- which always presents movie reviews in the Friday paper -- listed a movie review to be found by going to a website & gave the URL. And it wasn't even the newspapers web site !! I didn't buy the newspaper to tell me where to find information online.
** When it became too obvious that most of the news & reporting I read each day ... was "information" which was already 24-48 hours old. And I had read that information -- online -- 24-48 hours previously.

I will not write that I possibly won't re-subscribe to the Arkansas paper at some point in the future. Heck, if the price is to my liking -- which it certainly isn't now at $180 a year -- & I am offered "a deal", I might have it once again delivered to me.

For now, however, no news(paper), is good news.

WE ALL EAT WELL

2011-10-08T17:00:00.001-05:00

The weather in central Arkansas has just been ideal; sunny days with low humidity, gentle breezes & temperatures in the low to mid-80's. It's the kind of weather most people would wish for year round. I do.

This balmy weather makes me keep thinking I brought the tortoises inside too soon. I could have taken advantage of the weather to keep them outside for an extra week or two. Although I have a good set-up for the tortoises inside, keeping most animals outside -- weather permitting -- is usually best.

In reality, it's just as well I have the tortoises all inside now. The nights can get cool, despite the much admired daytime conditions. I still have a lot of plants to bring inside for the Winter. Having moved the tortoises inside now, is just one project I will not have to do later, which is usually at the last possible minute, right after some weather forecast predicts temperatures falling into the 30's.

Once brought inside this year -- into their NEW enclosure, which I have previously written about -- I quickly realized the need for multiple feeding stations. The tortoises have all gown so well & gained such good size, that one or two animals can easily block their cage-mates from getting to the food offered at a single location. Good "table manners" are not practiced in the reptile world.

I now feed the tortoises -- as shown above -- on two separate plates. Also, the plates are spaced well apart for each other, giving everyone a fair chance to chow down.

The above photo shows the Black Mountain Tortoises being joined at the "salad bar" by a Central American Wood Turtle.

On the other side of the enclosure, the two Red Footed Tortoises are mowing down the greens.

In another container, in another part of the compound, I have two small (3") Cherry Headed Red Foot Tortoises. [Similar, but more colorful, compared to "regular" Red foots.] Due to size & space, these little guys have no problems sharing their food supply. However, in a few years, as they get bigger, there will certainly be "issues" at feeding times.

When it comes to MY FOOD ... the above photo shows the "goodies" my Mother sent me when she got back from her most recent trip to England. [Note: The homemade cookies on the left & the "Allsorts" candy in the top right, are no longer ... ah ... around.] Along with the small bird magnet & some literature of places she visited in England, there is a candy -- still "available" in the house, but for how long, it is not known -- called "Eclairs" & some cookies with the foreboding name of ... "Digestive Biscuits". [Leave it up to the British to think that's a mouth-watering name for a cookie. Who did the market research on that name ??]

The weather is fine in central Arkansas. And everyone is eating well.

DEAD, DOWN & GONE

2011-10-03T15:35:00.000-05:00

The Japanese Black Pine Tree which recently died for some unknown reason, has been removed from my property. I tended to the deed the other day with my yard cart & prunning saw. [I hate using the chain saw. I don't trust it ... or me.]

All that remains is the stump in the ground. It too will be gone shortly, as the termites & wood eating ants soon do a number on any of the stumps on my property.

The last evidence of the tree is the above photo, where it was soon burned -- being dead & dry -- in my "fire pit".

I am working on two more trees -- much larger than the pine tree -- which will soon be meeting the same fate & the same fire pit.

FEED ME ... BUT MAKE IT HEALTHY FOOD

2011-09-25T19:29:00.001-05:00

Now that Fall has arrived & the promise of cooler weather, I'll probably be spending more time inside. The days will be getting shorter, the temperatures dropping, along with (hopefully) wetter weather conditions, as rain we need badly. All tend to be inducements to keeping me inside.

One of the major drawbacks to a life indoors is the lack of exercise. I need it. The absence of being outdoors -- where at home I am working outside; walking & hauling -- leads to extra pounds on the "waste-line". AKA -- "Love Handles".

To combat the poorer personal habits, I make the effort to include daily walking -- 2.5 miles -- along with some free weights & sit-ups. Also, my membership to the North Little Rock Athletic Club has proved to be a lot of fun & very beneficial to me through the past Spring & Summer. I am counting -- hopefully -- my attendance at the club will be as helpful this Fall/Winter.

Of course, one of the biggest causes for gaining weight is the food intake. For me, the problem is that I am a poor "planner" of meals & tend to look for food in the pantry/refrigerator when I am hungry, not at specific times. Also, I want to eat ... right away ... when I am hungry. No time for waiting on preparing a meal.

There is also the fact I have a deadly sweet tooth. It's best not to have sugary sweets in the house. After all, if one cookie tastes good, why not the whole package ?? [I've done it. I'm not proud, but then, a package of Keebler Fudge Sticks does seem rather small. I can do those cookies in one or two bites. (I try not to even look at them on the grocery store shelf.)]

So ... one of the ways I satisfy myself & at the same eat "healthy", is to fix food I like, when I feel like doing the "fixing", & keep "leftovers" for additional meals. Today -- since it was raining & football was on TV ... GO RAIDERS !!! -- I fixed two quiches. One gets to be the "leftovers" & the other is sectioned & put in the freezer, for later easy thawing -- & quick eating -- via the microwave.

I made these today with broccoli, onion, & red bell pepper along with turkey sausage.

The finished product. I had two slices -- with hot sauce -- for my dinner tonight. Delicious.

The older I get, it is easier to realize my weaknesses when it comes to food I like. I also know my poor eating habits. It's a constant battle, of which some I win & some I loose.

I sure wish those Keebler Elves where here tonight. Well ... maybe not.

BROWN IS THE COLOR OF DEATH

2011-09-23T14:46:00.001-05:00

It's absolutely a B-E-A-utiful day today in Central Arkansas. Cool temperatures. Not a cloud in the bright blue sky. Not a breeze blowing. And ... not a bit of effort on my part to get my butt out the door & do some work outside. I've spent too much time today doing what I am doing right now; playing on the computer.

Oh, I did go outside for awhile, just to look around a bit. We had some rain late yesterday, which is probably one of the reasons everything is looking clean, fresh & crisp right now.

So as not to feel too guilty at my lazy, do-nothing attitude, I did take on one chore, just so I would know I did SOMETHING while I walked around outside: I sprayed the wasps which make an effort to nest in a hole in the support for my mail box. It's an on-going battle.

The dead wasps -- for now ... as they always seem to come back. It must be a prime, "in demand" location for wasps -- joined the ranks of some of the other "death" making itself known on my property. Death always seems to be the color brown. One example can be slightly seen in the far, upper right corner of the above photo.

For some reason, perhaps the hot, dry Summer which has just left us -- today is the first day of Fall -- the Japanese Black Pine at the end of my property decided a few weeks ago this would be a fine time to turn brown & die. So it did. The other pine tree -- same species, in the extreme left in the above photo -- seems to be doing just fine. ["Seems" is a key word. Ya never know with trees.]

Next time I have my chain saw out -- something I never look forward to -- the brown/dead pine tree will be cut up & hauled to the back lot to be burned. Then, I will have to decide if I want to plant something else in place of the Japanese Black Pine. I don't have any ideas right now.

The REAL problem tree is going to be the LARGE Willow tree which also decided to pass away this Summer over in my South yard. This is a BIG tree, which had been slowly going down-hill for the past few years. This year was "it" for the tree.

Because of the size of the tree (huge) & the size of my chain saw (small), along with my confidence in felling large trees (non-existent), I'll probably need to have an expert/professional come & get the tree on the ground.

Just so all the "death" appearing ion my land is spread out evenly & sorted by size & species, some of the larger bamboo decided not to be out-done. In the above photo, there are several clums visible in the center of the grove, which are in stages of either turning brown, or, have already shed their leaves. All of them need to be cut down & burned. All are dead.

Yes, today as been a beautiful day. Just a perfect one for tackling some of the "projects" I am facing, as outlined above. Too bad I felt really retired today & decided to observe the highlights of the day, rather than live them. After all ... everything will still be dead -- & brown -- tomorrow.

TIME TO BRING THE TORTOISES INSIDE

2011-09-20T12:09:00.001-05:00

I admit, I am a true procrastinator. I will always put off any job or project as long as I have something more inviting or attractive on my "To Do List". It's the reason the downed tree in the side yard is still only half cut up & removed. "Never put off until tomorrow ... what you can put off until the day after tomorrow". (Or ... longer.)

Despite my laziness, the first hints of cooler weather this month do have me aborting my philosophy of inactivity, & making sure to attend to returning my tortoises from their outdoor enclosure, back inside to their Winter/cold weather home. I don't want these valuable treasures to get a cold -- or worse -- pneumonia from being subjected to temperatures not to their liking (which can be a slow, disturbing death for cold-blooded reptiles).

I have already moved all four tortoises inside. In fact, this indoor Winter season they will all be sharing a new, much larger home -- mainly due to their continued growth & expanding shell size -- which should benefit them as far as comfort & room, until it is time for them to go outside again next Spring.

Below is a brief description of the steps involved in getting the tortoises moved into their new home.

I purchased a new "cattle tank", one which had a listed measurement of 6 foot x 2 foot x 1 foot tall. I took a tape measure with me to Tractor Supply, since the space I had for the new tortoise home was exactly six foot long. I was concerned that there would be too tight a fit if the listed dimensions of the cattle tank were also exactly six foot. There might not be any "wiggle room" for fitting the tub into the allotted space.

Not to worry. The "six foot" cattle tank only measures 69 inches. Plenty of space left to fit the tank onto the shelf. [I guess those listed measurements constitute "false advertising". But, the shorted length works just right for my needs.]

The above photo shows the new tank, on the shelf, under the florescent light.

It's getting crowed in the ... "Turtle & Tortoise Compound". The new tortoise enclosure is in the back, beyond the turtle "ponds".

Above: a close up of the empty tank & the overhanging light fixture.

I also cut several pieces of wood to form both a shelf -- for placing some plants currently still outdoors, which will also have to come inside for the Winter -- & as a "shelter" where the tortoises can retreat to find a darker, calmer spot, in which to meet their needs of a place to conceal themselves, as they would do in nature.

Another view of the "hiding area" & the shelf.

Next, I added about two inches of cypress mulch. This is a good "bedding" which provides footing for the tortoises, holds moisture -- since these are "tropical" tortoises -- as well as being easy to clean & replace as soiled by the tortoises.

Now ... just add the tortoises -- above -- & plug the light into the timer & everything is on "go". [Above are the Black Mountain Tortoises.]

Here is a photo of one of the Red Footed Tortoises inspecting the covered area of it's new home.

The tortoises are inside & that's one job off my "To Do List". Next.

DEATH BY THE DOZENS. ACTUALLY ... THOUSANDS !!

2011-09-14T15:21:00.004-05:00

In the life of this blog, I have written several postings on my annual attendance at the National Reptile Breeders Expo in Florida each August. I have often highlighted the vast quantities of snakes, lizards & turtles featured each year at the Expo by companies & individuals selling the results of their captive propagation efforts. Still, there is much more to see, buy & appreciate at the show each year.

The Expo features many dealers selling foods designed for feeding & raising the reptiles so many of us are drawn to the Expo to see & buy. With my main interest being turtles & tortoises, I have been pleased through the years at the introduction of many prepared diets dedicated strictly for both turtles & tortoises. In my personal collection, probably more than 75% of the food I provide to my turtles is from commercial sources.

There are also dealers at the Expo with insects for reptile food. Crickets -- once just a main stay of the weekend fisherman -- are now heavily promoted by several major cricket breeders/sellers at the Expo each year. These same dealers also offer mealworms, "superworms" (like a mealworm on steroids), fruit flies & even silkworms. All gourmet foods when it comes to reptiles.

Now when it comes to snakes -- time for some people reading this to start cringing -- just about all the snakes sold in the reptile trade & those featured at the Expo, do not eat insects or prepared foods. The "slither group", such as Kingsnakes, Pythons & Boas, all eat MEAT ... mostly in the form of mice & rats. [I'm purposely going to avoid any mention of rabbits & chickens as food, although they are often used as food items for "big" snakes.]

If someone owns one of the above mentioned species of snakes, then they are feeding either mice or rats to their snakes, depending on the snakes size & the size of it's prey. [A snake -- if you haven't watched enough of the National Geographic Channel on television -- swallows it's food whole, having to "unlock" it's jaws to swallow it's food. Food "too big" ... doesn't work for the snake.]

What also doesn't work for feeding a snake in captivity, is to feed the snake a mouse or rat which is -- here we go -- ALIVE. Too many times a live rodent has been offered to a snake by it's owner, only to have the tables turned on the snake, as the "food" becomes the victor, killing the snake, or at worst, inflicting sever cuts & damage to the snake. As many of the snakes at the Expo are selling for hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands of dollars, having the snake "damaged" -- if not dead -- is a poor "R.O.I". ["Return on Investment"]

The way to safely feed snakes is to only feed DEAD rodents to the snakes. This leads us to another industry which has been built up around the interest in reptiles/snakes; selling FROZEN, DEAD rats & mice. [I'm sure those not-to-be-mentioned rabbits are in there too, but I'm avoiding that mental ambush for you readers.]

One of the dealers I spent some time visiting with at this years Expo is a company called Mice Direct. They had as part of their display, five floor freezers filled with mice & rats.

The above is an idea of how -- in this example, mice -- are packaged & sold. The right size for your average Ball Python or small Boa Constrictor. Just thaw & feed.

Most snakes in captivity quickly learn to eat ... "pre-killed food". [That's the politically correct term.] A dead rodent, on the end of forceps is "bonked" on the nose of a snake, which then lashes out & grabs the mouse/rat & begins the process of eating the meal. No fuss. No mess. No dead/damaged snake.

For people breeding their snakes & needing to feed the resulting newborn baby snakes, then "pinky mice" are necessary. "Pinkies" are the new-born, blind & hairless mice. Thus the name. The above photo shows bags full of pinkies.

This is the fella I had a good time talking with. I'm sorry I can't remember his name. He was both interesting & informative on the subject of frozen rodents. He estimated they had close to 100,000 frozen mice & rats at the show.

The above photo shows the various sizes of frozen rats. Whatever the size of the snake to be fed, it is then "matched" to the corresponding appropriate sized rat.

The National Reptile Breeders Expo is more than just reptiles. Frozen rodents were just another one of the featured displays & it was ... litterally ... "Death by the Dozens".

THE WEATHER IS HERE ... WISH YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL

2011-09-10T16:14:00.001-05:00

I'm going to try to answer the hundreds of inquiries I've received, questioning the lack of recent posts on this blog & why I have not been more active in writing. [Okay ... it was only two people. Both wanting to know if I was "sick ??". Guess they though they were in my Will.]

The answer is that it is just too hard to sit at a keyboard & type when the weather conditions in central Arkansas have been mostly "ideal". Think temperatures in the low to mid-80's in the daytime & low-60's at night. Add to that no rain & light breezes each day, under blue, cloudless sky's. Much too nice outdoors ... to stay indoors.

Having written the above paragraph, I have to acknowledge the terrible conditions not far from here; Texas & Oklahoma, with the destructive winds & fires. (Also in Southwest Arkansas.) Then much of my old stomping grounds in the Northeast has been inundated with floods from Hurricane Katia & Tropical Storm Lee. The people up there -- especially from Pennsylvania/New Jersey northward -- have not been able to catch a break. And it will take them a long time to recover & rebuild.

So, blessed with GREAT weather here, I finally tackled a problem of my own: the large tree laying in the South yard which came down in a late-Spring near-tornado. Not only did the tree come crashing to the earth, but it took with it, two HUGE Bradford Pears & two mature Leyland Cypress trees. The total definition of ... "a mess".

Since the effects of the downed & damaged trees were not totally visible from the road, along with the fact that I have been known to procrastinate a bit -- "Never put off until tomorrow, what you can put off until the day after." -- most of the mess has been on the ground through out the Summer. [Another reason not to jump into the clean-up project -- too hot !!]

With the cooler temperatures, along with the fact that the county "Burn Ban" was removed -- having been in effect part of the Summer, due to our own dry & dangerous conditions -- I was "motivated" to start attacking the mess laying in the side yard.

Along with the large pieces of tree trunk to be cut up & moved, there were also the limbs of the smaller trees -- many laying under the bigger trees -- which made it necessary to clean-up/cut-up the small debris first, to make the footing safe for my limbs when attacking the large parts of the big trees.

All of this project -- which is still "on going" -- is time consuming, but somewhat enjoyable. Much of what is being "cleared", is hauled to the back lot & burned at the fire pit, as I load up the cart & haul it there.

Many of the larger pieces of trees end up being "stored" in the back lot, for burning later in the Fall.

Looking at these photos & knowing what I still have to cut-up & haul away, it makes me realize why my back & legs are sore most of the time. Still, I am glad I can take advantage of the nicer weather to get on with this clean-up & I never lose sight of the fact that friends West & Northeast of here, have had their homes, cars & way of life ... destroyed.

I have it easy & have been blessed. But still:

"THE WEATHER IS HERE. WISH YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL" --Jimmy Buffett

NATIONAL REPTILE BREEDERS EXPO -- 2011

2011-08-29T16:29:00.000-05:00

The old saying is: "Time flies when you are having fun". Well, I don't know about the "fun" part, but I do know the older I get, it does seem that life is somehow speeding up.

It was a week ago today that I returned from my four-day trip to Florida. It's an annual trip; to attend the National Reptile Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach & pay a visit to my Mother in Wildwood, Florida.

I have to admit the "visit" is also a chance to ... check up on her. Living so distant from each other, I often have to "assume" she is doing okay & "taking care of herself". She's going to be 84 in a few weeks & she lives alone. The visit with Hilda -- no matter how quick -- provides me some self assurance that she is in good health & not digressing into some old person, who's abnormalities will soon be appearing on some sort of low rated cable TV show.

Not to worry. All is okay in Wildwood. Actually, despite the 20 year differences in our ages, I sometimes think Mom has more energy than me. She informed me during our visit, she had booked airline tickets to go to England in a few weeks to visit her sister. Also, she wants to come to Arkansas -- again -- for Christmas this year. What can I say ?? One member of the Burnett family sure likes to travel.

After my "inspection", it was off to Daytona Beach & the focus returning to reptiles by the thousands.

The "host" hotel each year is the Hilton. It's very nice, with all sorts of "resort" amenities. I always enjoy staying there & it is the one time a year in which I do ... "bad things". That would be eating all sorts of non-normal food -- think, scrambled eggs, sausage links & fried potatoes -- for breakfast each day, food not on my menu during the other 51 weeks, nor in my kitchen. [I do work out in the hotel fitness center each morning.]

The beach & ocean were in fine form this year. I spent Saturday morning at the beach, enjoying "Floridays -- blue sky's & ultra violet rays". [For those not hip to the fact ... "Floridays" is a Jimmy Buffett song.]

The Expo is held in the Ocean Center, which is the auditorium & convention complex directly across A1A from the Hilton. In the photo above, the Expo is located in the back, center (huge) building.

This year, there were over 500 vendors. Some are major companies & many others, just hobbyists who raise reptiles & hope to make a few bucks by selling the offspring of the reptiles they breed. [No "wild caught" animals can be sold at the Expo.]

With the large venue, there is plenty of room to look, browse & buy.

For me, the Expo becomes a day & a half of walking ... looking ... walking ... & looking some more. So much to see. So many people to visit & talk with.

Petsmart had a display, with a 'spin the wheel game' for a prize. They also gave out coupons for free live crickets at any of their stores. I'll use the coupon -- for my geckos -- but I would have liked some off-price coupon for cat food. [That would be a different show.]

The Turtle Source is a high-end turtle breeder, which has a lot of quality animals, at those high-end prices. Of all the animals I looked at for my time at this years Expo, this was the only seller who had a turtle I was interested in buying. However, the price -- $595.00 -- was a bit more than I wanted to pay.

Exo-Terra -- a manufacturer of cages & reptile supplies -- had a very nice display & some interesting & informative people staffing it.

The baby turtles at this display are covered by a screen. This helps prevent any "five-fingered discounts".

I talk each year with the fella who sells the baby African tortoises shown above. I like his display because it keeps the tortoises active & "cute". And if you buy a couple & raise them to adults -- so you can breed them & come to the Expo & sell the results -- consider the adult tortoises would be almost three foot long & weigh close to 100 pounds. One reason I never buy any of these "cuties".

Of course, the Expo has snakes. Literally thousands are on display & for sale. Most snake breeders are raising "color morphs" never found in the wild. The more unique the color/pattern, the higher the price to buy one. I just like to "look".

More snakes. Lots of albinos.

The above are African Fat-Tailed Geckos. They are a favorite of mine & at one time, I had a large breeding colony. They are another reptile being raised with unique color variations & thus, unique price ranges to buy them.

As every year, for the past 20 years straight, I enjoyed my time at the National Reptile Breeders Expo. It's fun to see what is "new" & to visit with old friends & make new friends.

One thing different this year. I didn't buy any animals to bring home with me. Nothing stood out as a "must have". So this year, my total expenses at the Expo itself totaled just $24.00. That's $20.00 for two books & $4.00 for a Cherry Coke in the food court. [It didn't taste that good.]

And for all those folks reading this, who hate snakes, find them scary & threatening & will run screaming at the sight of one: ENJOY !!

THAT WAS QUICK

2011-08-22T14:26:00.000-05:00

We're back already !! That extended weekend in Florida -- to visit with my Mother & attend the National Reptile Breeders Expo -- is already done & gone. That was quick.

I left here last Thursday morning -- the 18th -- & flew to Daytona Beach via Atlanta. Then I rented a car & drove to Wildwood, Florida to see my Mother. Back to Daytona on Friday for a weekend of all the fun & excitement of thousands of reptiles; snakes, turtles, lizards, along with all the crazy people -- including me -- who enjoy such animals.

Returning home to Arkansas this morning meant everyone returning home, as I stopped at the Vets to get my three little darlings -- Precious, Nibblets & THE WOBBLER -- who like me, where anxious to get back to "normal". [Whatever that is in this household.]

The above photo was intended to be a two-part sequence: the girls in their carriers & then a photo of them stepping out all together for a nice homecoming photo. Didn't work. They were too fast for me & the camera.

We are all back home now. After all the planning & preparations, the long weekend was over quick.

REPTILE BREEDERS EXPO TIME ... AGAIN

2011-08-17T12:29:00.002-05:00

My home is all mine right now. No sharing of the bed or couch. No being concerned with tripping over anything laying on the floor ... like a cat. My house is empty. All three girls are ... gone. The silence is deafening.

It's the time of the year when all three cats -- Precious, Nibblets & THE WOBBLER -- have their annual visit to Foster Animal Hospital. They get their physicals, which include all their booster shots, checked for worms & ear mites, have their flea & tick treatments applied, along with mammograms & pelvic exams. [Well, maybe not those last two.]

All three will also be having a few "vacation days", as they are being boarded through the weekend. It is convenient -- and planned -- that their annual check-ups coincide with my annual August trip to Florida for the National Reptile Breeders Expo.

Every year I attend this event, first held in Orlando, but now located in Daytona Beach. This will be -- I am pretty sure -- my 20th straight year to attend. [I somehow missed the first two years of the Expo.] With a record like that, you know I enjoy going each year.

This is also one of the times when I go visit my Mother in Wildwood, Florida. It's kind of a "two-fer" trip; seeing my Mom & then cavorting with hundreds of people selling thousands of snakes, turtles, lizards & all sorts of stuff having to do with reptile keeping & breeding.

I am looking forward to Daytona once again & another Reptile Breeders Expo.

I'll also look to coming back home -- with "purchases" ?? -- & again sharing my home with Precious, Nibblets & THE WOBBLER. I miss them already.

MEOWATHON - 2011

2011-08-11T09:05:00.001-05:00

Today I am filling out & mailing my registration form for this year's MEOWATHON 5K race in Memphis, Tennessee. This annual race -- it's the 8th this year -- will be held on Saturday, November 19th in Overton Park. [Good location. Run in the race & then visit the Panda's at the Memphis Zoo, also in Overton Park.]

It will be my fifth straight year to participate in this event, which is a fund raiser/sponsorship for The House of Mews -- a non-profit, no kill, cat sanctuary/shelter & adoption agency located in the Copper-Young section of Memphis. Details on the HOM & the MEOWATHON can be found by clicking here.

This is one event I mark on my calendar each year, & as my friends know, one of the very few reasons for me to get my butt out of Arkansas & make the two hour drive over to Memphis. Knowing the hard work & effort Elain Harvey & her volunteers put into the daily operation of providing for (at least) 100-plus cats/kittens at the HOM, attending & contributing to the MEOWATHON is the least I can do.

Come join me -- & several hundred others -- Saturday morning, November 19th, at 9 A.M. in Memphis. You can run, walk or just cheer everyone trying to help out some sweet, helpless kitties.

Or ... if if you can't make the event, look at the HOM web site & donate a few $$. They take cash & "cards". They even have PayPal.

SUMMER CAT CARE IN ARKANSAS

2011-08-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

In the few years I have been involved with my cats -- "involved", because nobody really "owns" a cat -- I have found Summer is a time of year when cats often prove more problematic than they warrant. What with shedding hair, bringing dirt & insects into the house, not to mention the pieces of cat litter which some how find it's way to all points in the house, the problems cats bring to the relationship with humans, seems too much in favor of the cats.

As I previously wrote on this blog, last Summer I experimented with keeping my cats in old, dry tropical fish aquariums. It worked out well & certainly eliminated many of the problems I addressed in the paragraph above. Limiting the cats access to the house & keeping them confined proved to be a real bonus for me, & the cats -- finally -- seemed to adjust.

I started earlier this year to implement the same technique for keeping my cats ... ah, confined. Actually, they adapted so well, in many instances, I was able to keep more than one cat per aquarium. It sure was helpful to limit the space required per cat.

What I did not factor, nor plan for, was the extreme heat we have had in Arkansas this Summer. With no air conditioning & only limited cross breezes through screened windows, the aquariums on the enclosed porch developed conditions which proved to be a bit ... "extreme".

Returning home one afternoon, I found one of my cats comatose & apparently not breathing due to the high heat on the porch, no doubt acerbated by the glass top on the aquarium, further limiting air circulation in the cats tank. [Learned a lesson there; slide the glass top back an inch or so to let in some fresh air.]

At first I wasn't all that concerned, as the cat -- Nibblets -- has always been the least social of the three cats, & really, I could get by with just two cats.

Still, I remembered a news story where firemen had used a form of CPR on some kittens to revive them from smoke inhalation at a fire. I tried it on the limp cat & -- SURPRISE -- it worked. Nibs came back to life & to this day has no ill effects of her ordeal, other than she can only drag her left, back leg. [Works for me, since now she can't jump up on the furniture any more.]

I have decided on a better way this year to keep my cats, a method which combines the best of several features. I'm keeping them in the outdoor tortoise compound.

Above is Wobs shown living in the outdoor, chain linked area where previously only the tortoises lived. By adding the cats to the enclosure, the cats have the benefit of being outside, they can adjust to the hot weather by trying to find shade & when it rains, they don't get too wet. Now, if I could just get the cats to eat the vegetables I feed the tortoises, I'd save money on cat food & additionally, extra trips outside to feed them
.

All the felines & reptiles (seem) to get along quite well. There is no competition for food & the outdoor conditions have prevented any more chances of the cats developing heat stroke. An added saving financially is, since they are now outdoors 24/7 & don't come inside the house, I no longer have to spend money on their monthly (expensive) flea & tic treatments.

I recommend this type of cat care to anyone living where the Summer temperatures can be extreme. Believe me, cats can adjust to just about anything & really do not need to be pampered. My cats have proved to be resilient & just as tough as the tortoises in the outdoor conditions. Heck, even Nibblets, dragging her bad leg behind her, manages quite well in this set-up.

Summer cat care in Arkansas. Proudly ... no longer a problem.

FRIENDS OF FUNGUS

2011-08-07T11:06:00.000-05:00

The continuing hot/dry weather has me daily either dragging H2O hoses or carrying H2O in a large watering can to all parts of my property in an almost constant effort to keep trees & plants alive in this brutal weather. I try to get an early start to my efforts; to beat the heat & get the job ... over with.

Walking behind the storage shed this A.M., I was aware of my outdoor cooking grill, which sits there basically unused for the past few years. Lifestyle changes & adjustment to eating habits have made my diet mostly that of a vegetarian. The days of standing next to a the burning grill, a glass of rum & coke in hand -- probably one of several -- making sure the steaks, burgers -- whatever -- were cooked to perfection, now seem to be a thing of the past.

Cooking on the grill -- strictly a ... "Man's Job" -- was something I inherited from my Father. I used to cook outside on a regular basis, but still not as often as my Father. Weekend's would find Dad cooking over the charcoal grill, which was usually our families ideal "Sunday Dinner". Rain or shine ... Dad would be grilling.

In remembering my Father's expertise in grilling outdoors, it's interesting to note that after my parents moved to Florida -- about 25 years ago -- my Dad didn't grill dinner very often like he once did. I guess a lot of things changed in their lives -- not just the climate -- when they relocated.

I do still remember a very fine meal we had as a family -- one of the last of this scenario -- when they still lived in Honeoye, New York & I was up from Tennessee on vacation. It was a steak dinner, with all the right fixings: baked potato, garlic bread, green beans -- fresh from my Mother's garden -- & mushrooms. Yum !!

As I was remarking about the quality & flavor of both the green beans & the mushrooms, my Father tossed out this little tid-bit; the mushrooms he had picked himself, off the side of the hill, down by the creek !! My response was something to do with the potential that the fungus we were eating might be poisonous. Dad's only assurance that these were indeed mushrooms -- & not "toadstools" -- was that "...they looked okay".

Well, none of us got sick & for his next birthday, I gave my Father a book on North American Mushrooms.

Since that time -- as well, really, even prior to that -- I have always been careful of the mushrooms I eat. None of the "fancy fungus" many of the grocery stores now stock on their shelves these days. For me, it's strictly "friendly fungus" ... meaning the large, white mushrooms you will find in most food stores.

I currently buy my mushrooms in large packages at Sam's Club. I have to admit I eat very little of them; a few on a salad now & then. The majority of the package is meant for the tortoises, who more often than not, quickly eat the initial offering of mushrooms, causing me to have to provide "seconds".

It's interesting to note that tortoises suffer no ill effects of eating tainted mushrooms or toadstools. However, many a person has gotten sick -- & died -- from eating a tortoise, after the animal had ingested the "fatal fungus". The warning: Don't Eat Turtles & Tortoises".

The above photo shows my tortoises going full tilt at a plate of one of their favorite foods, showing they are truly ... "friends of fungus".

"PRINCESS-SUMMER-FALL-WINTER-SPRING"

2011-08-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

Many times I have been on the receiving end of e-mails related to events from the past: highlighting & celebrating items, such as products & entertainment which seem to be nostalgia now to many of my "older" friends.

I have noted from the "Nostalgia E-Mails" -- as I refer to them -- they have a lot of old black & white TV shows referenced. I guess this was before color & high-definition televisions. At least, that is what I have been told.

I guess older people think things were better ... "back then". Maybe so. Since I am only 34 years old, I'll have to give my friends the benefit of the doubt.

One TV show for kids which seems to bring fond memories was called The Howdy Doody Show. [Where did they come up with that name ??] All the characters -- except for two humans: Buffalo Bob Smith & Clarabelle The Clown, (a pre-Captain Kangaroo, Bob Keeshan) -- were marionettes: wooden toy-size figures, controlled by strings/wires. [Get this. The wires or strings, whatever ... WERE VISIBLE !!]

Now days, there would only be one word for a show like Howdy Doody; CANCELED. Talk about lame. The show was almost as bad as the Kukla, Fran & Ollie show. Well, at least that's what I've been told. [I'm too lazy to look it up on U-Tube.]

One of the marionettes was called Princess-Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring, or something like that ... so I have been told. Anyway, I was thinking of that name today, as the combination of seasons seems to be the name quite applicable to the current weather conditions in Arkansas.

Yesterday, they had the highest temperature in ever recorded in Little Rock. Ever. 114 degrees.

A new name for this time of year might be "Summer-Fall", sort of like the Princess. The calendar has us at the beginning of August (Summer) but the heat & dryness, has it looking like Fall. It's "Summer-Fall" for sure.

Many of the trees on my property are shedding their leaves in large quantities, littering the ground. The Dog Wood Tree -- in the right of the above photo -- has wilting leaves from the lack of rain.

The creek bed is also littered with falling leaves. It's been a long time since there was any H2O in the creek.

Looking back towards the house -- & the Dog Wood Tree now on the left -- it is just leaf litter everywhere. It sure looks like Fall.

From lack of rain -- in areas where I am not hauling H2O or pulling hoses to H2O trees -- the ground is cracking from the dryness.

This "Summer-Fall" reminds me of The Howdy Dooty Show & Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring.

I am sure glad I've receive all those e-mails from my older friends, so I would know about TV shows back then & how they brought so much joy to kids when times were a lot different.

At least, that's what I've been told.

BUT ... IT'S A DRY HEAT. NOT !!!

2011-08-02T16:00:00.002-05:00

Many years ago, after having lived in Memphis, Tennessee long enough that my Yankee-born butt had grown tolerant of the annual Summer heat & humidity, a friend & I went on a cross-county road trip to Los Angeles. At the time, he was the Veterinarian for the Memphis Zoo & during our drive (in his convertible MG sports car) we made it a habit to stop at every zoo between Memphis & L.A. It was a trip were I learned too much about zoo's & the treatment & conditions their captives received, causing me today to look at all zoo's with a less than favorable view. [I'll save that story for another time.]

Since our trip was about the same time of year as now, we understandably encountered some very warm weather on our drive on Interstate 40 & Route 66. The worst/highest temperatures where in the deserts between Tucson & Southern California. I'll add that we probably didn't bring enough H2O with us & the heat was so intense we drove with top UP on the car, which itself responded by having all the dials & gauges on the dashboard fail at the same time.

We did make a stop -- requested by me -- in Gila Bend, Arizona. As a life-long reptile lover, I have always envisioned the place to be some sort of town dedicated to the fabulous -- & poisonous -- pink & black, Gila Monster lizard. You know, a town square with a giant over-sized lizard, celebrating some point in the history of the town.

Sorry !! They had zilch.

I did take time to mail a few post cards at the local Post Office ... to get the cancellation with the name "Gila Bend" across the stamps. I remember vividly, watching out the window, a young girl walking across the parking lot ... in her bare feet. It was 10:30 in the morning & the temperature was already showing on the bank sign to be 110 degrees.

Of course, when talking about the high temperatures associated with the Western states, many times it is stated it is hot ... but ... "It's a dry heat". As if the sun wasn't frying everything on the surface of that Post Office parking lot, including that girl's feet.

I don't know how the little girl wasn't burning the soles of her feet. Maybe she was used to it & could tolerate the heat. She certainly didn't seem to be moving all that fast.

Maybe it was a "dry heat", but the steering wheel, or really, any surface, was blistering hot & to be avoided. [Cut to Weatherman & camera crew showing the temperature conditions, by frying an egg on the ground. It would have worked in that Post Office parking lot.]

I am reminded of that trip & the weather conditions we experienced at times like now. The thermometer at my place currently reads 100 degrees. The "official temperature" is probably closer to the forecasted high for today of 107.

The "Heat Index" also has to be factored into the equation: the feeling of the heat & humidity combined. The humidity can easily add another 10 degrees to the feeling one gets on their skin in the current weather we have. There is NO "dry heat" in this part of the country.

Most afternoons, the heat & humidity in the air will combine to produce "scattered thunderstorms". For the past several days it has clouded up & thunder can be heard in the distance.

And for the past several days that is all we have had locally -- clouds & noise. No rain. Some place in Arkansas got the rain, but not here.

I'm still running hoses & hauling H2O every other day, trying to keep trees & plants alive through the drought & heat. So far, there are no "restrictions" on H2O usage, like there is with the "Burn Ban" currently in effect.

The photo above is the driveway & entrance to my home. It seems like so long ago that it had a much different look.

Above is how the same location looked months ago & about 70-80 degrees cooler.

While I am NOT a big watermelon fan & only eat it on occasion -- unlike a lot of people in this state --it is a good, cooling treat for the Red Footed Tortoises. They get right into it & enjoy the refreshment it brings in this weather.

And ... Precious wanted everyone to know the weather doesn't bother her much. She stretches out on the concrete sidewalk, or in the shade under the truck, & doesn't let the heat -- dry or humid -- affect her.

I'VE BEEN BANNED

2011-07-28T17:05:00.001-05:00

In answer to several questions regarding the lack of any kind of schedule on my part in adding postings to my blog recently, I'm going to blame it on the weather. Yes, those hot days, without any significant rain in weeks, is what I'm going to blame on the lack of time I am spending indoors at my computer. I like it HOT & the past month has truly been to my liking.

NOTE: I am certainly aware of the fires in Arizona, New Mexico & Texas this year, as well as the drought conditions & lack of any rainfall, IN MONTHS -- especially in Texas -- which have caused so much suffering. My reference to HOT weather is the type we experience each Summer in Arkansas; temperatures approaching 100 degrees/a relentless sun in a blue, cloudless sky/humid days with nary a breeze to be found. Yes... Summer in Arkansas.

Most days at this point in time find me hauling 200 feet of watering hose to various parts of the yard to combat the dry conditions & make every attempt to keep many of my trees & plants from burning up & dying. I lost two Japanese Maples due to the weather last year & I am trying to avoid any "repeats".

I really don't have the time -- or energy -- to go inside & sit at a computer when conditions call me outdoors. The blog "suffers", but it does not wilt or die.

The weather conditions at this time of year do remind me how I railed against all the cold, wet weather this area of Arkansas had this past Winter & early Spring. We could sure use some of that rain right now however.

It was not so long ago that the creek going through my land was full & flooding. The above photo reminds me of a time when everything was wet, waterlogged & mostly mud.

Now days, the same area of my property -- like all parts of it -- is a dried out, hard-packed, dusty reminder of just how long it has been since we had rain.

Again ... I am in no way trying to suggest the conditions here are the same as in other states. No ... they have it far worse than it is in central Arkansas.

Actually, one "problem" I have been facing in this hot weather, has affected me more than others. It has gotten to my "normal" life style & impacted the way I go about tending to my land & property.

The dryness from all the hot, rainless weather has resulted in the authorities ... instituting a BURNING BAN. No fires. No open flames. Not even campfires for cooking at a picnic in the state parks. [Potato salad - Okay. Cooked hamburgers & hot dogs -- Not.]

So ... "Mr.-I-Like-To-Burn-Everything" would be facing a hefty dollar fine for burning anything right now.

Thus, the burn barrel remains unused & the burn pit -- shown freshly dug out & just begging to be piled high with tree limbs, leaves & other "burnables" -- will have to remain unused until the weather changes & conditions become less dangerous for an open fire. Until then ... I've been banned.

19 POUNDS OF CUCUMBERS

2011-07-18T16:29:00.000-05:00

I have always had a "green thumb" when it comes to growing plants. In my Memphis days I had a good size collection of tropical plants -- bromeliads, orchids, cycads & staghorn ferns. I was always able to grow them to good size & bring to flower the bromeliads & orchids.

Now that I live in Arkansas, I have neither the time or space for the plants I grew in Tennessee. Oh, I still keep a few plants of each species, but nothing like the collection & variety I once had. In their place, I have concentrated on shaping & landscaping my current property with trees, bamboo & various plants such as hardy ferns & flowering perennials.

What I have never turned my attention to growing is a vegetable garden. Never tried it, no matter where I have lived. Not even some tomato plants in a pot. Zilch.

My Mother always seems to have a bit of land she is tinkering with & growing items to add to the dinner table. Think tomatoes, beans & squash. Her green thumb, is in the garden.

While I do not have a garden of my own, I have access to the next best thing; neighbors who do have vegetable gardens -- some quite large -- who kindly share their bounty with me. It's a blessing which I do my best to return the favor, such as with small gifts -- such as my homemade cookies.

My neighbor just down the road -- "Mr. W." -- has a huge garden. He was born on a farm & the affinity with the soil is a part of him. I admire how well he does each year with his garden production.

This year has been no different in his "sharing". There is nothing better than a "sink sandwich" on fresh bread. [That would be a tomato sandwich, with salt, pepper & Miracle Whip, eaten over the sink.] Sorry, growers in Florida & Mexico, there is nothing as flavorful & good as a home-grown tomato.

Knowing that Mr. W. often has produce which has been damaged/blemished/fallen into the dirt & all of it not up to "gift giving quality", I asked him this year if I could take some of the "spoils" as well.

Oh, I'm still getting the good stuff. The other veggies are for my tortoises. The tortoises are all growing so fast & large that I am looking for ways to keep them fed & not drain my wallet. Mr. W.'s garden has been just the answer this year.

Above is a photo of some of the melons & tomatoes, not "perfect" for human consumption -- as a farmer, Mr. W. has pride in his vegetables -- but certainly good enough for my shelled friends.

This morning I got a phone call from Mr. W. to come over & get the latest load of goodies for the tortoises. A HUGE load of cucumbers for my reptiles & half a watermelon for me. The blue carry-all -- with just the cucumbers alone -- weighed in at 19 pounds !!

I am blessed to have such good neighbors. We should all be so lucky.

THE (OUTDOOR) TORTOISE COMPOUND

2011-07-07T15:18:00.001-05:00

Late Spring through early Fall, the weather conditions in Arkansas allow me to place a number of my larger tortoises outdoors. The benefits for the reptiles include more room to move about & get exercise; a more varied diet; access to sunlight & it's benefits.

The area they occupy -- "The Outdoor Compound" -- is a large concrete pad -- probably used by a previous home owner to store their stacks of firewood -- which I have had enclosed in chain link fence. [I decided a topping of razor wire would be a bit extreme.]

The photo above gives some idea of the dimensions. [The empty cattle tank -- which has a hole in it -- is eight foot long.] The enclosed are is about 15 x 17 feet. The "compound" is also a location for a number of tropical plants to "vacation" in the warmer weather.

I have re-mounted a number of Staghorn Ferns this year & they hang on the outside of the fencing.

The tortoise have various "shelters" they can crawl into, but piles of leaves -- especially Bamboo leaves -- are more "natural" & appealing to the tortoises. I place the leaves in the corners of the compound & the tortoises -- like little bulldozers -- begin the process of digging through the piles, both as shelter & a source of moisture to keep cool in the Summer heat.

The tortoises are not always hidden. Above is a Red Footed Tortoise among a grouping of Sansavaria plants.

The tortoises recognize me as their food provider & come quickly when it is feeding time. Yes ... they can move fairly fast, especially when food is involved.

Today's treat is a plate of bananas. The top left tortoise is a Black Mountain Tortoise from Indonesia. The other two -- feeding at the plate -- are Red Foots from South America. The turtle to the right, feeding on her own piece of banana, is a Central American Wood Turtle. Yes ... turtle, not tortoise.

This tortoise was skipping lunch when I took these photos & instead was enjoying the cool mud where it had dug a small hole.

And of course, above is Precious. There is no reason for her to appear in this posting, other than to let everyone know she was comfortable under the truck on a warm day & is still a fine young lady who believes in being mellow at all times.

That was a view of my Outdoor Tortoise Compound & it's inhabitants.

YANKEE DOODLE DAD

2011-07-04T16:52:00.001-05:00

Years ago -- well, MANY years ago ... long before everyone was driving around in their car talking on their cell phones while driving -- lots of folks had CB radios in their vehicle. It wasn't just for truck drivers any longer.

I can recall -- those MANY years ago -- my parents had a CB radio in their car & a "base unit" in their home. They lived in Honeoye, New York & my Father commuted five days a week to his job on the outskirts of Rochester, a round trip distance of about 60 miles. Add to the length of the drive, the potential weather conditions -- not just the snow of Winter -- and a CB radio was a good tool to have while driving, to stay up-to-date on road & weather conditions. It also came in handy to report home on any delays or problems making the drive each day.

I found the stories of the CB radio my parents had to be quite interesting. At the time -- remember ... this was MANY years ago -- I was living in Memphis, Tennessee. I observed the CB first hand on several visits, listening on the base unit to people calling each other as they drove along the highways.

Most interesting was every one's "handle"; the CB nickname each person used to identify themselves as they communicated across the airways. I remember that my Father's handle was "Yankee Doodle", which was appropriate, since his birthday was July the 4th.

Today would have been my Father's 93rd birthday. He passed away over 20 years ago, after he & my Mother relocated to the warmer confines of Florida. It was a smart move on his part to put the snow & cold weather behind both of them & my Mother is thankful to this day for Dad's foresight in moving.

Even though I spoke with my Mother on the phone yesterday, I called her again today, as I know she still to this day misses my Dad & can get melancholy at this date on the calender. I like to think my phone call at this time makes her feel a little bit less lonely.

Above is an old, black & white photo of my Dad -- taken MANY, MANY years ago -- appearing not to have a care in the world, enjoying a can of suds on a warm Summer day in his hammock.

On the 4th of July ... I remember my "Yankee Doodle Dad". I hope he's still relaxing somewhere, sipping on a cold one.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR GOOGLE

2011-06-28T16:04:00.000-05:00

More than a month ago, my desktop computer died & I was forced to take action; buying a new computer & attempting to save as much data as possible from the old one.

Thanks to the fine folks at Best Buy, I was able to purchase a nice Toshiba laptop computer. Through their "Geek Squad", I was able to have most of my files -- & I had a LOT of them -- saved on to a separate hard drive. That was a big relief. Trust me on that one.

What was NOT saved, was the files for my iTunes library, of which I had almost 4,000 songs. The [not so] fine folks at Apple where not able/unable to be as helpful as those at Best Buy. Only the songs I purchased via iTunes -- 25 songs -- could be reinstalled into my account. All the other songs -- which I loaded myself, from my own CD's -- could not be saved/reloaded by Apple. Something having to do with copyright laws, since I did not buy the songs directly through iTunes.

So ... as I was learning all the nuances of my new computer, as well as the new software installed &/or upgraded, I was constantly thinking of my iPod, which still had all my music as I originally installed in it, but now I had no way of creating play lists or burning CD's from my iTunes library.

While the explanation from Apple for the "lost" songs made sense, the thought of "reloading" all my music into iTunes from my CD's -- not to mention recreating all the special play lists I had made -- was neither the answer I was looking for, nor a project I wanted to take on, no matter how I much time I could/would allot to it.

Time to Google !!!

Searching the Internet, I found sites for several companies offering/selling software which would reinstall music from my iPod back into iTunes. I finally decided on system called MediaWidget.

With the "help" of THE WOBBLER (above), I was able to download the MediaWidget software, which then copied all the songs & play lists from my iPod ... and -- as it was supposed to do -- repopulated my iTunes library with all my music.

So far, everything seems to be back to ... ah ... "normal" when it comes to my iTunes collection of music.

Thank goodness for Google !!

BIGGER, BADDER, BIRTHDAY SNAKE

2011-06-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

The last time I posted a photo of my friend "Doctor Lamar" -- who lives in Tyler, Texas -- it was a picture of him handling a VERY LARGE Bushmaster Snake, while on one of his frequent trips to South America. Not only was the snake VERY LARGE ... it was also VERY POISONOUS !!

Well, time to include a more recent photo -- taken last week -- of him with another VERY LARGE, POISONOUS SNAKE ... this time closer to home. The photo above is an Easter Diamondback Rattlesnake he is -- carefully -- handling, while on a visit to the state of Mississippi.

Remember kiddies ... don't try this at home. These baddies do SERIOUS damage if they bite you. "Doctor Lamar" is a professional & has been handling such reptiles for many years ... with another year added to that total today ... as it is his birthday.

WHY TURTLES ??

2011-06-14T08:24:00.002-05:00

I have kept a turtle or two, at most times in my life, for the past ... well ... just about 60 years.

Turtles are not & can not be ... "pets". I can not recall the initial attraction I felt to them & probably even now can not accurately relate what emotion it is I feel towards them. I just find them ... interesting.

I believe the initial turtle was one my Father brought back with him from a day of fishing. That one animal somehow led to the life long interest I have had in turtles & the small fortune I have spent over my lifetime acquiring various species of turtles & the cost associated with providing the proper care for my "non-pets".

The cartoon above pretty much tells the story of a "pet" turtle. Feed them & keep them clean. That's it. Turtles stay in their container, don't puke on the rug & there are no crashing noises & screams in the middle of the night. At this home, those things would be associated with cats ... and that's another story.

Why keep turtles ?? I have no idea.

IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE

2011-06-11T05:36:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's time to start drinking again. Alcohol has a way of clouding the brain & making the realities of the world a bit easier to comprehend, even if such clarity is in itself a falsehood.

I stopped drinking several years ago ... mostly as a result of my last hospital stay. It was time for a change in lifestyle as well. Too many foggy nights & slow-moving mornings were wasting my life.

Lately, I've been thinking it may be time to see if that last bottle of booze is still on the floor in the back of the pantry. Never opened. Never given away.

What's causing me to rethink my attitude towards the fermented grains ?? It's simple: CATS.

The three idiots sharing my life will drive me to drink. Just when I think I have them figured out, they throw me a curve ball. Here is an example --

On a trip to Sam's Club, I picked up an empty box at the check out line to transport my purchases home.

Once home & the box emptied, the box became a point of interest for all three cats, but especially Precious, who investigated the empty box & quickly moved in. The box -- now sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace -- became a frequent resting/napping place for Precious.

On a subsequent shopping trip -- this time to WalMart, as I keep sending my $$ to Bentonville -- I bought a "Kat Kozzy" to replace -- & "upgrade" -- the corrugated box, which I removed to the porch, to be discarded.

Well, Precious inspected the new "bed" & promptly turned up her nose at the new, plush accommodations & walked away ... just as my $15.00 seemed to have "walked away" at WalMart.

And where did Precious go to ?? Right out on to the porch & up into her old box.

I can never figure out these cats. Just when I think I know their actions & habits, they change everything.

Maybe I need to start drinking again in order to deal with these idiots.

After all ... it's 5 o'clock somewhere.

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY ??

2011-06-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Along with hot weather, it appears the cats are returning to lounging in the empty 55-gallon aquarium on the side porch. They seem quite comfortable laying in the old fish tank, despite the enclosed porch not having air conditioning.

In the Winter, the dry aquarium is the several-month home for some of my orchids & bromeliad plants. Now that the plants are outside, the aquarium has been cleaned & a towel placed inside it. Very comfy !!

The latest inhabitant is THE WOBBLER, shown in the above photo taken yesterday. Today is Wobs "special day", as she was born four years ago.

Happy Birthday, Wobs !! [Another one ?? Time does go by faster, the older we get.]

A BAMBOO FAVORITE

2011-06-05T17:02:00.001-05:00

Almost all the new bamboo growth in my groves has ended for this Springs growing season. Some species start sending up new shoots as early as March, with most all new growth having concluded with the arrival of the HOT weather. That would be now, as despite what the calender says, we are having temperatures close to 100 degrees each day.

One of my favorite bamboo's is called Phyllostachys 'Robert Young'. [Sorry. That's the name it is called. There is no "common" name. Call it just "Robert Young" if you like.]

I don't know who Robert Young is/was, or what he did to get a bamboo named after him. Probably a scientist who discovered this particular species.

Any way ... this is a large bamboo, which matures to a yellow color, with stripes of green appearing in some of the growing segments. I have some culms -- which is what the "cains" are called -- of my "Bobby's" that are approaching 50 feet tall.

One of the reason I like this bamboo so well is the color of the new culms which sprout from the ground each year. Rather than the yellow color of the final growth, the emerging culms are a fine, lime green, with darker green colored stripes. Through the Summer, both colors will darken further, with the stripes remaining green & the main part of the bamboo turning yellow.

As much as I enjoy the new Spring colors this plant provides, the final yellow color of this bamboo makes a nice contrast all year long to the colors of other trees & plants on my property.

Robert Young -- wherever you are -- your namesake is a favorite of mine.

NO FREELOADERS

2011-06-03T16:39:00.001-05:00

Wednesday morning, Mom returned to Florida, catching the 6 A.M. flight to Atlanta & then connecting on a flight to Orlando. A friend of hers met her in Orlando & Mom was back at her home in Wildwood by one P.M.

I always enjoy having Hilda visit. We don't see each other too often & the time passes quickly while she is here.

Mom was surprised this time by the reception she received from my cats. In the past, my youngest -- Wobs -- has been quite leery of Hilda & Wobs would always stay a distance from Mom. This visit was a 180 degree change by Wobs, who sought out Hilda many times, "speaking" to Mom & being very friendly to Mom at all times. The reactions & reception surprised me too.

Of course, my home & property is a busy place at all times & all visitors & those in residence have to put forth effort to help with the maintenance of the grounds & house. All have to ... "pay their way". It may be a "mini vacation" for Mom & me, but things need to get done.

Hilda enjoys working in the yard, so that was her "assignment" while she was here. She was given a crew of "helpers", along with a rake & a wheelbarrow to help clean up debris from the recent storms.

Above ... Mom has gathered up a full load of sticks, leaves & leaf clusters. Her assigned "helper" -- Precious -- provides her bulk to tamper down the wheelbarrow contents, to make more room in the cart.

With the cart about to gain capacity, "supervisor" Wobs arrives on the scene to be sure the cart load is sufficient & meets the desired fullness before I take the wheelbarrow contents to the fire pit to burn.

We all contributed to the yard work. There are no freeloaders here !!

REPEATED "VISTORS" & EVENTS

2011-05-31T04:39:00.000-05:00

Somethings never seem to change around here. Events & occurrences may be be repeated more often than I expect them to be. Cases in point:

While out in the yard yesterday, my Mother -- still visiting from Florida -- called out to me that my cat Wobs, had caught a snake. Naturally, I came running, both to see what Wobs actually had found, & too, to prevent the snake from being maimed/killed by Wobs.

Here is a photo of the snake Wobs had pinned down in the side yard ... just a few feet from the chair my Mother was sitting in a few minutes earlier.

For the benefit of the non-herpetologists viewing this post ... this is a small Copperhead Snake.

And" Yes" ... this is a POISONOUS snake !!

And "No" ... I did not kill it. I released it -- well away from Wobs & the other cats -- in the more remote area of my property.

Not only is the sighting of various species of snakes a common happening this Spring, but so is my continued difficulty with hand tools.

Cutting & removing some large bamboo from one of the groves on my land, I once again had difficulty with a hand saw ... determining what was bamboo & what was the flesh of my hand. I guess I am too aggressive with sharp objects.

NOTE TO SELF: Avoid the chain saw as much as possible.

Yes ... snakes & sharp, cutting tools. Repeated again & again.

CHEAP TO FEED

2011-05-26T16:48:00.000-05:00

My Mother -- Hilda -- arrived yesterday from Florida. This is her now annual Spring-time visit to Arkansas. She will be here for a week.

She flew up from Orlando to Memphis & then over to Little Rock, arriving on time & allowing us to race on down the Interstate in my truck, just as the latest thunderstorm was coming upon us. Still, we made it to my home -- mostly -- high & dry.

One thing remains the same when each one visits the other; we tend to eat "fast food" for lunch. Both my Mother & me prefer to fix our own meals & eat at home normally. Still, eating a bit of "junk" for lunch, while on these "vacations", enables us to get away from the house for awhile & allow Hilda to ... "see the sights of Arkansas". [Yeah, RIGHT.]

On today's tour, we moseyed on over to England -- Arkansas !!! -- for burgers at the local Sonic Drive-in.

WAIT. What is a "mosey" ?? Is it the same as a "sauntered" ??

Whatever !!!

We had our cheeseburgers, along with fries for Hilda & tots for me.

Nothing like a cheeseburger combo, siting in a truck, on a cool Spring day. Good tasting food & cheap !

SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME

2011-05-23T06:11:00.000-05:00

First of all ... the important news. Today is WORLD TURTLE DAY. Be sure to give your shelled-backed friends a hug today.

The above is feeding time for my larger tortoises; a tempting plate of mushrooms.

Now for a quick update of a personal nature. My HP computer "died" last week. It was old & it just was ... 'it's time".

Replacing a computer is both expensive & time consuming. What data could be saved from the old computer, while important, was not the entire content of the memory/storage in the HP, & the bottom line is: I lost a lot of stuff.

I'm currently attempting to use sources to "recover" as much as I can information wise -- while also "learning" the new lap top Toshiba's programs & new software -- but it's going to take awhile.

Still, after going most of a week without a computer -- along with all the information & sources the web provides -- it seems as if my life is getting back to "normal" ... whatever that is !

MORE SNAKE VISITORS

2011-05-14T05:37:00.000-05:00

Both the local & national news -- Internet/print/radio & TV -- is lately filled with stories & pictures of the massive flooding through out the Mississippi River basin. While much of the focus has been on the high water surrounding Memphis, Arkansas has not been spared.

Locally, I am still diverted from my normal road into the city, as it continues to be covered in H2O, & from the depth the H2O in surrounding streams & ditches, the road will remain closed for quite some time.

State wide, the Interstate 40 & Highway 70 flooding still hampers traffic trying to traverse Arkansas due to the flooding of the White River. The high H2O levels of the Mississippi River impact the drainage of the White River & delays the clearing of flooding from the highways & farmland.

In several of the news items I have read on the Internet & watched on TV regarding the flooding, the report included mention of the animals -- wild & domestic -- displaced from their homes. In the "wild" category, most often mentioned are alligators & snakes.

While the flooding on my property quickly receded after the rain storms, it seems I too have had more than my normal share of slivering visitors. Some new faces arrived in the past few days.

While raking some leaves in the yard, as I gathered up a bunch to transfer to the yard cart, a large Brown H2O Snake fell at my feet. While the visual impression may repulse a few readers, I can assure you my (repaired) heart skipped a few beats when the snake landed at my feet. When it comes to snakes ... I like a bit more warning of their presence.

I didn't have much time to view the snake, as it hit the ground ~~running~~ ... ah, slithering ... & was quickly heading North, as I was taking a few steps South. No time to grab the camera for a photo of "Big Boy".

It wasn't long before another legless reptile paid a visit to my yard; a snake more in size to my liking.

Traveling through my front yard was a Green Snake -- where do they come up with these names ?? -- about 15-18 inches in length. A bug eater, it's also the right size to attract curious cats. Thankfully, none of The Girls where with me when this snake was encountered.

This snake did remain placid long enough for me to get my camera & take these photos. He or she -- I didn't "check" -- was then escorted away from the two "danger areas" -- "cat country" & the front road -- & placed where it would continue on it's journey.

These snake "visitors" always keep me attentive to my surroundings here at home, flooding or not.

SNAKES ... AND BIGGER SNAKES

2011-05-09T16:02:00.001-05:00

It already seems as if this will be a year for snakes here on my homestead. I don't know if the cool, wet Spring has been the culprit, but at various times & places on my property this year, I have found a snake or two.

Besides the snake I found in my kitchen -- which I wrote about on this blog back on April 20th -- I have since had several "encounters" -- all of the "third kind" -- with various species & sizes of snakes on my property. They are everywhere this year.

This past weekend I had to "save" an 18 inch Garter Snake from my cat Nibblets. "Miss Nibs" was having a good bit of fun -- for her, not the snake -- going back & forth in the grass with the frightened snake. Since cats very seldom understand or respond to the word "NO" -- & that held true in this case -- I had to pick up the snake & transport it to a safer place in the yard.

I have always been interested in snakes. I had a few as "pets" back in my Memphis days. It's just when it comes to reptiles, I prefer turtles & lizards.

I am always surprised -- & a bit P.O.ed -- when I hear other people react so negatively about snakes. [The same people seem to love their Pit Bulls !!] These people have such a fear of snakes, that to them, all snakes are an object to be killed.

Today, my John Deere mower was returned from the dealer. While talking with the guy who brought the mower back, we both saw a large (three foot) snake cross over the road, into my yard. I guess my visitor was surprised I did not immediately rush over & kill the offending reptile, rather than allow it to proceed across the front lawn, which I did.

The snake -- a Black Rat Snake -- is a regular on the property & I often see it in various places in the yard. I'll probably see the snake a lot more, but not that delivery fella.

Now someone reading this will think a three foot snake is big. No ... the snake in the photo below is BIG.

This is my friend Bill Lamar, with a Bushmaster ... a snake he collected this past weekend in the Amazon Basin of Peru. This BIG snake is about 8-10 feet long. And "yes" ... it is poisonous !!

I have known Bill Lamar for over 40 years & have been with him on trips to Central & South America. He leads tourists on trips to the jungle through his company Green Tracks. He also works with TV producers for shows on channels such as Animal Planet & National Geographic. Bill is the one who collects the snakes & places them in the spot where the TV host being filmed can "discover" the animal.

Obviously, a BIG snake in Bill's jungle, is a LOT bigger than the "visitors" to my yard.

FLOODING IN ARKANSAS

2011-05-07T07:07:00.000-05:00

Flooding continues to set records this Spring, both when it comes to the volume of H2O & to the record number of towns, cities & states affected. This truly may be the return of the "Hundred Year Flood" & the worst flooding since 1927.

While places like Memphis, Tennessee are featured in national news stories for the flooding of the Mississippi River -- deservedly so -- the flooding of the White River in Central Arkansas may have one of the most major impacts when it comes to transportation & the national economy.

While the White River has flooded many homes & businesses -- especially the towns of Des Arc & DeVall's Bluff -- the river flooding of Interstate 40 -- one of the major East/West routes for trucks hauling just about everything from army weapons to fresh produce -- has created serious detours, adding miles & hours to any vehicle trying to cross Arkansas.

Note to "hipper" readers: Interstate 40 is also used by many drug dealers. No doubt, a lot of people are going to be finding themselves relegated to smoking twigs & seeds until the H2O recedes.

Westbound traffic on I-40 is redirected North to Bald Knob, Arkansas & Eastbound trucks are sent to Pine Bluff, on down to Lake Village, Arkansas & across the Mississippi River at Greenville, Mississippi. Trucks then go North to Memphis.

The detours add from 200 to 300 miles for anyone trying to get between Memphis & Little Rock.

Highway 70 -- which was the "old" East/West road (before the Interstate System) -- is not an option for diverting Interstate traffic, as Highway 70 is also flooded from the same rivers.

Of course, it is not only the larger rivers which are flooding. Almost every where I have been driving in the past few days, I have encountered flooded fields, swollen streams & many roads closed due to high H2O.

Traveling yesterday to Lonoke, Arkansas, I was amazed at the places where the H2O was at the pavement, on both sides of the road I was on. All indications were that the flooding was across the road earlier in the week.

At my home, I have been luckier than some neighbors as to the effect of the rain & flooding.

Above is a photo of the creek in the back of my house, taken last Monday. I'd say it was more than "full".

This next photo was taken yesterday. Most of the H2O has drained off & things are returning to normal.

My flooding is gone ... for now/until the next major rain. For so many others it will take weeks/ months to recover from this year's flooding.

SATURATED ...

2011-05-03T07:34:00.000-05:00

Finally ... it appears the weather radar screens for central Arkansas are devoid of the mixture of colors -- green/yellow/red -- which have dominated them for the past 72 hours. The question now remains: How long till the flooding areas & TOTALLY soggy earth, returns to ... "normal" ??

I took this photo yesterday afternoon. I thought the rain had finally stopped. It hadn't. I got caught in another downpour trying to capture the look of the flooded/swollen creek which separates my property.

The above photo shows "Lake Hilda" -- named for my Mother -- submerging the front yard to such a degree that the H2O flows over the driveway, like the H2O in a dam's spillway.

There are a lot of "projects" awaiting me this Spring, most of them involving repairs & clean-ups.

The fallen/broken trees await. The front fence needs parts replaced. The shed roof has a hole in it -- from a broken tree branch -- allowing H2O to drip close to my John Deere mower -- which by the way, awaits the earth to dry out -- so it can be picked up & repaired by the J.D. dealer. [The drive train broke the other day.]

I sure am looking forward to things getting back to "normal"; complaining about the heat ... the mosquito's ... along with having to haul H2O to trees & plants in the yard ... to keep them from drying & withering.

Right now ... it's just saturated !!!

AND ... IT'S NOT OVER YET

2011-04-26T09:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was another day& night of killer storms & tornados in Arkansas.

So far, the reports are five people killed by tornados last night in Vilonia, Arkansas -- just N.W. of Little rock -- & two people killed by flooding water.

As the line of wind & rain arrived at my home, "The Girls" & me were nestled in the hallway, cell phone in my pocket, surrounded by quilts, pillows & two flashlights. This time the power flickered off several times, but (thankfully) remained on all night.

With daylight today, it was time for an "inspection" of my property. Along with the "normal" debris -- sticks, tree limbs, leaves, etc -- scattered everywhere, there was some major damages awaiting me.

This large tree in the South field was apparently not able to find an open spot in which to fall on as it split.

Instead, the tree decided to go frr a "soft landing" in the Bradford Pears & Leyland Cypress trees.

Big tree. Big damages ... to it & the trees it fell into.

The broken tree "shaved off" the branches of the LARGE Leyland Cypress trees -- there is more than one it hit -- which will mean permanent scaring/ damage/dis-figurement to the trees it landed on.

This will take time to get "cleaned up". I will probably need to get some professional tree people to help get the fallen tree cut up & removed.

Adding to the damages, this large tree branch in the back of the storage building, apparently fell first on the roof, as there is a large hole -- about 4X6 inches -- in the roof.

The weather forecast for today is for more of the same weather conditions ... storms/tornados & flooding rain.

It's NOT over yet !!

WORKOUTS WITH REESE WITHERSPOON

2011-04-25T13:37:00.000-05:00

Back on January 5, 2010, I wrote about my workouts at the Hayes Senior Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. While not really offering all the amenities I was hoping to find at such a facility, the price was cheap & the hours were good.

I was a member of the Hayes Center for about two & a half years. I have the word "was" because I decided I could no longer "tolerate" going there.

That's right ... TOLERATE !!!!

The Senior Center is just that. A bunch of old pharts. A nice place to play canasta or work a jig-saw puzzle, but no one is trying to workout & improve their physical condition. It's just a bunch of old people wanting to visit with other old people.

Hey !! I tried to pick my time & avoid the hours when everyone seems to want to shuffle around in small groups on the two lane track, gabbing away, oblivious to anyone else less than a hundred years old.

Don't they have someplace else to go ?? They would get the same "excerise" walking from the couch to the kitchen. Just as fast, too.

And don't get me started about the treadmills. Ya, those machines, going an eighth of a mile per hour, with a large fan blowing on it, so that no one would ever SWEAT !!

While I like my workouts to be beneficial to my heart & body, I realized the STRESS I was feeling -- from trying to deal with all the fossils occupying space & taking up time at the Center -- was counter productive. I was on the road to a second bypass.

I decided that I was too young (34) to continue at the Hayes Senior Center. It was too counter-productive to my health. I had to find someplace else to get my heart rate pumping & keep me from accidently knocking over some old geriatric.

Thankfully, I found that place. As result, I may have added some more years to my life.

I am now a member of the North Little Rock Athletic Club. [I like the name, since it's obvious ... I am an athlete.] It's located near all the important places, like Barnes & Noble, Target, Kroger, Sam's Club, etc.

The club is two stories & has everything for cardio & strength conditioning. I'm a big fan of running on the treadmill & they have several dozen of those machines alone. No waiting.

When I first started going to the NLRAC, I utilized the treadmill shown in the far left of the above photo.

My "view" from upstairs -- on a Saturday morning, when the 10 A.M. pick-up games begin -- of the six basketball goals below. Hard to see in the photo -- upper left corner -- is the upstairs "Cardio Theater", where the treadmills I currently run on are located.

I don't watch anything on the four TV screens on the wall. I have my iPod & headphones. Also, I am, mostly concentrating on the display screen in front of me on the treadmill, convincing myself ... I can go another 10 minute mile.

Some of the weight machines directly below the "theater".

More machines, with the track in view, looking out towards another exercise area & on to the basketball courts.

What I did not take a photo of, is the aerobics room, where they have several classes a day, with (mostly) women getting their grove on. That's where I spotted Reese Withspoon.

Well ... it's probably someone who sure LOOKS like Reese Witherspoon. She caught my eye & does every time I see her in the class, not that I would ever take part in the class. I get enough "neck action" just going by the room while on the track

And, yes, there are people older than me at the NLRAC. Ones who are really having a workout ... sweating ... getting the heart pumping.

WHEN I'M 64 ...

2011-04-23T06:31:00.011-05:00

THE BEATLES HAD IT (ALMOST) RIGHT ...

When I get older losing my hair,

Many years from now,

-- years ?? It's happening NOW !! --

Will you still be sending me a valentine

Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

-- Gosh, why did I stop drinking ?? --

If I'd been out till quarter to three
-- ME ?? 3 A.M. ?? --
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
-- I'd love a pizza, or ice cream --
When I'm sixty-four?

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oooo
You'll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you.

-- But, not for long. Got to go feed the cats --

I could be handy mending a fuse
When your lights have gone.
-- Call someone else --
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
-- Who are you ?? Hilda ?? --
Sunday mornings go for a ride.
-- Looking for turtles --

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
-- I don't do weeds --
Who could ask for more?
-- How about a big LOTTO win ?? --
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear
-- How about the Caribbean ?? --
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave
-- Where did THEY come from ?? --

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view.
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, Wasting Away.
-- It's the workouts & proper eating. Really --

Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

Not much time ... I'm 64, TODAY !!

My childhood "best bud" -- Dale -- who I've known longer than any non-relative, sent me a card recently that included an illustration of a Texas Horned Lizard. I framed it up as a reminder of the two lizards we had as children, which at the time were mis-named "Texas Horned TOADS".

So there you are ... 64, going on 34 !!

NEW BAMBOO ... AND A FEW SURPISES

2011-04-20T12:41:00.000-05:00

Signs of Spring abound lately. The flowering of many trees , as well as the rapid development of their leaves, is giving the landscape the colors that make us forget of the grays & browns of Winter past.

Like clock work, with day length becoming longer & the warming of the earth, the bamboo on my property is sending it's annual new shoots upward. The rapid growth -- sometimes more than a foot per day -- is occurring right outside my front door.

The new Black Bamboo shoots are much lighter in color & will soon turn green. Throughout the the Summer the bamboo will darken to a black color, thus it's name.

The new shoots of bamboo emerge from the soil with the width they will retain their whole life. Once the full height is obtained, the bamboo will get no bigger, & each years growing cycle will only replace leaves & never gain in size.

Some "Spring Surprises" included this nice bloom on one of my Cattleya orchids. I label it a "surprise" since it's flowering caught me off guard, as the orchid plant was nestled in with a number of plants which spent the Winter on the side porch under grow-lights.

When it comes to my cats, there are few surprises, but still they come up with something out of the ordinary every so often. One of those times was yesterday morning.

Nibblets was laying on the kitchen floor, very much enthralled by something next to the trash basket. She often will bat around a piece of dry cat food to amuse herself. When I moved the basket to the middle of the floor to see what Miss Nibs was so interested in, (above photo) I got another "surprise".

This baby snake was the reason for the interest by Nibblets. It was curled up on the floor, no doubt, fearing the worst from the inquiring cat. I have no idea how/when the snake got in the house. If one of the cats brought it into the house, they concealed it well, as most every time they return indoors, I am there inspect them & give their fur a brushing.

I took the small snake to the fence line in my yard, where there was ample vegetation for it to hide & resume it's life ... outdoors.

Just another of the "Surprises of Spring".

FOUR YEARS AGO ... TODAY

2011-04-17T05:36:00.001-05:00

Today is the 17th of the month. It's the day every month that I put Frontline on all three cats. I've got to keep the fleas & ticks off "My Girls".

Since it is the 17th of April, there is also a bit more signiffance to the date:
** It's the birthday of my friend, Sheila Clark. [I won't give away her age.]
** Four years ago today, I had my chest sawed open.

My "Heart Anniversary" is not something I take for granted. Trust me. It's a life altering event for anyone.

Prior to going to the hospital, I had just completed almost three years of business related traveling ... to Vancouver, Canada & then weekly drives to Memphis, Tennessee. Add on the fact I had several years of less than stress free working conditions at my job at Maybelline. Now combine that with years of "road food" & a limited exercise plan, to see that my life & health was not A1 back in 2007.

I had gone into the hospital for an out-patient heart catheterization on Monday the 16th. Simple enough. I had two done previously with good results.

This time -- while still in the operating room -- Dr. Davis gave me "the shoulder tap", informing me I had major blockage in my arteries & would NOT be going home, since I needed heart bypass surgery.

I was scheduled for surgery the next morning -- they didn't wait around long, did they ?? -- under Dr. Fred Meddors, one of the top heart surgeons in Little Rock.

Then the "fun" began ... some of which I was a willing partner to & some events I was there ... but not really.

Monday night I got shaved -- legs, groin & chest. Then a shower with medical soap ... to be "germ free".

Tuesday morning went quick enough. My friend Bubba showed up to visit with me & even accompanied me to the pre-surgery area, where someone was doing a lot of hollering in the distance. It provided a laugh to us both.

Then, just past 10 A.M., it was off to surgery.

The main memory I have is of an operating room which seemed ... "bare". No doctors or nurses, & very little equipment. [All of which arrived after I was ... "knocked out".] Then, to the best of my knowledge:
** I was "prepped"
** My legs cut to procure veins to graft into my heart
** My chest sawed open & my ribs pulled back
** A heart-lung machine attached & my heart was stopped
** Four arteries where redirected using the veins taken from my legs
** My heart restarted
** Seven wires where used to draw my rib cage back together, along with internal stitches for my chest & legs.

None of the above do I recall or was even vaguely aware was taking place. From being sedated until I began to regain consciousness in the post-op area, all seemed instantaneous. It was as if time did not take place ... as if it all happened -- to me -- in a flash.

Then by Friday of the same week, I was home to recover & slowly get my life back in order.

If I need any incentive to get exercise (daily) or eat the proper foods (most of the time), all I have to do is look at the scars on my legs or the former incision on my chest -- along with the holes where the drain tubes where in my chest -- to keep me motivated.

I am thankful for my health & I hope having gone through this will be a reminder to myself -- & others -- how important our health can be.

I have been given -- so far -- an extra four years of life. And I want more.
____________________________________________________________________
[P.S. -- The photo I took this past week ... for "effect". The scars really don't show much.]

GOLDILOCK'S DAYS

2011-04-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

I have written previously of my desire for Spring to arrive this year. I am no fan of cold/wet weather -- that includes SNOW -- & the "hints" of Spring appearing locally -- the Bradford Pear trees in bloom, as well as the colorful Red Bud trees are early examples -- have become more prominent.

I have enclosed some photos I took last week, all of which are colorful indicators of the change of seasons.

The Wisteria Vine grows on the far end of my storage building. It's a favorite of Bumble Bees when in bloom. And it smells good, too.

The Lace Leaf Japanese Maple next to the side door to my house is a nice delicate green color.

The red Japanese Maple 'Blood Good' is a good color contrast to the various shades of green now arriving.

The above photo is not very good, since the two Dogwood Trees -- pink in the foreground & white in the rear -- don't stand out in the picture due to their limited amount of "blossoms" appearing this year. [What we perceive as "flowers" are actually the color of the "bracts" which hold the small & nondescript actual flower.]

The most definite "proof" of the -- finally -- arrival of Spring, is the color of the male Gold Finches on the bird feeders. The dull, Winter plumage has moulted & been replaced by the yellow/gold color feathers which give them their name.

These are my "Goldilock's Days". The Winter was too cold & the upcoming Summer will (always) be too hot. But, Spring in central Arkansas ... "is just right".

BEEN THERE. DONE THAT.

2011-04-01T19:26:00.000-05:00

Despite being the only human in the house, I have come to realize over the past few years that my "roommates", like me, have habits & mannerisms which tend to be repeated. Often there are "hints" that something is taking place not in the normal day-to-day realm & for me, these "warnings" need to be recogonized & adhered to.

Today was an example.

Having finished dressing after my afternoon shower, I -- briefly -- left the bedroom. Upon my return something did not look quite right. Something was missing.

The open drawer to the dresser -- yes, it's the "underware drawer" -- looked ... "normal". Still, it did not seem right.

Rather than push the drawer into the dresser, I removed it & sat it on the floor.

There was Precious -- who had been on the floor next to the dresser previously -- snuggled in the back space where the drawer had been open.

I'm sure glad I did not try to close the drawer without checking first. But then, this has been one of her habits & it was not the first time she has crawled into the back of an open dresser drawer.

Been there. Done that.

WHAT'S NEW ???

2011-03-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

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

2011-03-29T05:53:00.000-05:00

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 ??

2011-03-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

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

2011-03-25T06:29:00.006-05:00

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

2011-03-22T05:33:00.005-05:00

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

2011-03-15T16:04:00.012-05:00

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

2011-03-13T11:40:00.027-05:00

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

2011-03-10T15:10:00.005-06:00

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

2011-03-08T14:32:00.010-06:00

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

2011-03-07T11:34:00.015-06:00

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

2011-03-05T14:25:00.008-06:00

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.

CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG ??

2011-02-27T06:58:00.008-06:00

Now days, I almost dread each time I look at my "sources" of local, national & world news.

Be it TV , newspapers or the Internet, it seems as if everywhere & everyone is going to Hell in a handbag. What is it with this planet ??

Countries killing it's people. People wanting new governments. Elected officials who will not govern. Threats to bomb & kill innocents. What's going on ??

The future of this world never looked so bleak.

As that great spokesperson for social awareness -- Rodney King -- once asked ... "Can't we all get along"??

Yes ... maybe Hobbs (above) has it right: maybe we should look to animals for happiness.

Well ... sometimes even the animals will provide their own "demands" ... just like people. One way is with the tried & true version of the "Sit-Down Strike". Occupy an area -- in this case, the kitchen -- & refuse to leave until the demands are met.

"Strike" averted. "Snacks" have been provided as required & all is -- for this moment -- at peace in the household.

Like cats, with food -- Can't we all get along ??

... WITH SNACKS

2011-02-21T14:48:00.007-06:00

I have written previously about how I have changed my diet in the past few years. "Healthy eating" & all that.

It just means there are foods I used to eat which are no longer on my menu. Mostly the foods I once loved to eat & ate too much of. Examples would be pizza, burgers, fried foods, etc. Yep ... no booze or beer, too.

Not that I'm ever going to shrivel up & blow away. I could still lose a few pounds. I continue to eat lots of carbs & sweets. Jelly beans are a favorite snack.

When it comes to "My Girls", there are no restrictions on "foodies". I try to provide them with a varied diet of both "wet" & "dry" food ... from several variety's & brands.

As with all cats, they have their favorite food items & will sometimes act hungry, only to refuse what is offered for them to eat. It's then my job to figure out what it is they are hungry for & present that food to them. [All cat owners know here I am coming from.]

All three of My Girls like the cat snack, "Temptations". They don't turn their nose up when offered this tasty, crunchy morsel. [Well, they have, but it's the very rare occasion.]

Temptations come in different package colors, an indication of the various flavors the product is offered in. I've never sampled any of them, so I don't know if the taste of the "beef" is beef, or the "salmon" is salmon, etc. Whatever it tastes like -- no matter what "flavor" -- My Girls eat it.

The advertising circulars which come in the Tuesday mail sometimes have coupons for Temptations & I'm quick with the scissors to cut them out. Anything to save money.

Recently in the mail at home were coupons for $1.00 off when buying two packages of Temptations. That same day, I went to the Post Office, both to get the coupon in my P.O. Box ... and ... to search through the garbage can in the Post Office lobby for coupon circulars people had tossed out. "Junk mail".

I ended up with the two coupons in MY mail & six more I snagged out of the trash.

Actually, these were not the most money saving coupons when it came to Temptations snacks. In January, there were coupons with an offer of "Buy one Temptations ... get one FREE". I did the Post Office "raid" on those too.

But ... I didn't read the fine print on the coupon. The cashier at Kroger did. The disclaimer was on the coupons top dollar value being $2.19. The cashier caught the fine print, so the second package was not "free", but at a cost of $2.96, with the coupon, the package price was 77 cents.

And ... being the resourceful & clever person I am, I used the remaining coupons at Target, where the check-out cashier was all too happy to sell me the second package as "free", without the "maximum value" of $2.19. She didn't read the fine print. I knew she wouldn't.

Whatever the flavor, the packages of Temptations are transferred to a container which sits on the kitchen counter. It's then easy to shake some "snacks" on the paper plates I use for just such feedings. That would be THREE plates, since each cat wants/needs/requires their own dish.

The name of the game in this household is "healthy eating" ... with snacks.

ALL THREE ??

2011-02-20T15:48:00.010-06:00

I always seem to deliver mixed messages to myself regarding living in Arkansas. It's not a place I would probably choose to live & yet here I am.

This September will mark my 15th year living in this state. I got here because my long-term job transferred me here. But, now retired, I have had to question myself on more than one occasion; if this isn't a place I would WANT to live ... why am I still here ??

Obviously I have "issues". One of the main ones is that I am a "nester". I settle into my environment & up my comfort level in my personal space, no matter where I live. I make adjustments & -- selfishly -- tune-out whatever it is that I don't want, or care to deal with.

I KNOW I'd love to live in Hawaii. But only if I could afford it, so right off I've got to win a BIG lottery someplace. [I'm having no luck with the Florida lotto.]

I really liked Cost Rica, but that's a different county & really, a whole different world. It's probably just a place I'd visit regularly, traveling from Hawaii. It's that kind of fantasy thought.

No, I see myself staying in Arkansas. The people are friendly. I've got a nice home in the country. The climate regulates to give a sample of all seasons & the living expenses -- for now -- are in line with my money. What would else would I want ??

Well ... that's where my ambivalence about Arkansas seems hit a sticking point. It's the people.

Don't get me wrong. The people are nice & friendly & I have "friends" here, but at the same time, I have never really "connected" with either the people or the state we share.

A lot of times I think I'm on the outside, looking in. And ... I don't really "get" what I see in the people of Arkansas, which seems to be odd ways of living, or habits & mannerisms I can't relate to.

EXAMPLES ... of my disconnect:
** Sports -- University of Arkansas football ... hunting ... NASCAR. All three are BIG in this state & I don't get any of them. I'm sure it's my fault I could give diddly squat about all three.
** Food -- Too many menus with an over abundance of fatty meats & too many items dipped in batter & deep fried. "Salads" are ice berg lettuce. Give me a break.
** Smoking -- WHY ?? [Too many people walking around with butts in their mouth.]
** Motorists -- This is pretty scary, on a regular basis:
++ Turn signals seem to be "optional".
++ Half the drivers don't seem to want to turn on the car lights ... in rain, fog or at night.
++ Red lights & stop signs are observed & followed ... if convenient for the driver.

BUT the biggest disconnect I have with Arkansas people -- in THE NATURAL STATE, as it is called (by who ??) -- is the constant trashing of the roads & highways with whatever garbage can be tossed from a moving vehicle.

And to give the Devil his due ... there are just too many piles of trash where I KNOW someone had to stop their car/truck to unload/dump their trash/eyesores into the public realm. Talk about "extra effort".

Not long ago, I ran into the CLASSIC EXAMPLE of Arkansas people -- to me -- at their worst.

This is a bridge near my home where I pass daily with my morning walk/jog. On this day I was greeted with LARGE corrugated boxes tossed on the edge of the creek. Obviously this was an example of someone having to stop to make their "deposit". This was no "window-toss".

Later in the day, I returned with my truck & loaded up the (heavy ... oof !!) cartons & -- hopefully -- contributed my effort to keep someone else's trash out of the local environment.

Since I live in a Gated Complex, bringing ANYTHING into the area has to be inspected, reviewed & approved before it can be unloaded.

Wobs -- in the truck bed -- & Miss Nibs -- on the ground -- begin the inspection process.

And -- before the comments are sent -- it's a "Gated Complex" because my property is fenced & I have a gate. Deal with it.

The inspection is thorough & detailed.

As if the trashed boxes where not bad enough, this past week -- at the same bridge -- my morning exercise revealed FIVE automobile tires dropped off in the exact same location. [The tires were NOT there the previous day. Another "stop & toss" event.]

As with the boxes, I returned with my truck & loaded up the tires. (Double "oof", this time.)

When I got home, Wobs was quickly on the job, providing a full & complete "inspection" of the truck bed contents.

Precious -- AKA "Momma Kitty" -- was there to "sign-off" on the inspection.

I can't begin to fathom what goes on in people's minds to want to toss their garbage on the roads in Arkansas. Convenience ?? Skipping out on paying a garbage collection fee ?? Freaking, lazy-ass Red Necks ??

I don't know, but after living here all these years, it just may be all three reasons.

HOORAY

2011-02-17T14:32:00.008-06:00

Hopefully I have seen the last of the snow for this year. I realize it is just past the mid-point of February, but the weather this past week -- temperatures into the high 60's/low 70's -- gets everyone, including me -- hankering for it to be Spring.

I have a feeling that for once, we WILL have an early Spring.

A few weeks past ... the groundhog was predicting an early Spring. I've never believed all that jive. The movie was fun but no overgrown hamster is going to be able to forecast the weather.

My friend Bubba reported to me that Fox Noise ... ah, News -- I can't believe he watches/believes the stuff they spew -- was also saying there would be an early Spring. Maybe the groundhog is providing Fox the information, since I know they are not going to get anywhere close to tying it into Global Warming or other weather anomalies.

No, my prediction of an early Spring is based on evidence beyond reproach. I base my information on the one source that knows all & is the one entity which controls almost all our daily lives.

I get my information from Wal*Mart !!

A sure prediction of an early Spring is the garden center parking lot at Wal*Mart. The bags of soil, mulch & other Spring planting needs are stacked, priced & ready for sale. No lines. No waiting. Buy NOW.

Now, should anyone think this is just an isolated incident, I can safely convey that I have seen these stacked piles of gardening goodies at several Wal*Mart locations. [Okay ... two stores. North Little Rock & Lonoke, Arkansas.]

Wal*Mart -- the largest retailer in the world -- is NOT going to have inventory sitting around their store parking lots unsold. They are too smart for that. They know it will be an early Spring & that's the BEST prediction source.

Spring is here !!! Wal*Mart says so. Hooray !!

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

2011-02-10T13:15:00.017-06:00

The national news TV stations last night had feature segments on the snow which inundated Arkansas yesterday. The Northwest part of the state got it the worst, with up to 24 inches of snow accumulation. Good for sledding. Bad for driving.

Here in central Arkansas, there was seven inches of snow on the ground, arriving & staying, from 7:30 A.M. until it stopped at 4 P.M. Like many people before me, I took a ruler outside with me to make sure my estimate was "official". Yep ... seven inches.

I shoveled my sidewalks despite it still snowing when I did so. I'm old school ... as well as being from upstate New York. So I shovel the snow, knowing it is just that much less snow to shovel ... later. I also shoveled a path down the middle of my driveway, to the road out front.

The snow yesterday was coming down in a steady manner. The photo above is looking North & the road seems to disappear into the snow. The only "tracks" in the road were from Mr. Herman's jeep. He's my mailman.

This photo is looking back down my driveway. Not much to see, as everything is encased in white. This picture was taken before I did my shoveling, as testified by just footprints leading back to the house.

This is at the front road, looking North, today. The few cars that have traveled on the road have made some progress in helping the snow to melt. The exposed blacktop will be warmed by the sun, further melting the snow. The problem is this "slush" will re-freeze tonight & be VERY dangerous in the morning. Ah ... for anyone having to drive to work.

NOTE: Apparently none of the tire tracks were made from the newspapers delivery person. NO newspaper was delivered today.

Where I shoveled snow yesterday, is helping melt the snow today & making the "path" to the road easier to navigate. I can wear my "rubber shoes" to go to the road, rather than having to put on my "big boots". Well, I can go to the road to get the mail when it arrives. Maybe too, in the morning, I'll have two newspapers ... or ... none at all.

This photo was taken of my property to the South of my house. I thought the effect of the snow & evergreens made for a nice Christmas effect. Added to that -- at least I know it to be true -- is the "clumps" in the tall tree in the left of the picture, are those of mistletoe. [Not that I ever find anyone standing under that tree.]

I spent some time today digging the truck out of the snow & getting the snow off it. My "helper" -- Precious, AKA "Momma Kitty" -- can be seen under the truck, to the left of my Parrothead license plate.

The finished result. I also started the engine & ran the motor to use the truck's defroster/heater. All this will make it easier to drive the truck & get it out of the driveway ... if necessary. I'm thinking the roads may be drivable -- for me -- by Saturday. I'm in no hurry.

Precious made some attempts at stalking the hundreds of birds visiting the various feeding stations, all with no success. I think she just found the snow -- patted down by all the little bird feet -- easier to traverse than the deeper parts of the yard.

The weather forecast for next week -- & the predictions have been 100% recently -- call for temperatures to get up into the 60's. Bring it on. After yesterday & today ... I'm ready to to return to a yard of -- rather than snow -- dead leaves & mud.

YA WANNA GO OUT ???

2011-02-09T12:13:00.008-06:00

Those fine folks at the Weather Channel were spot on when it came to the prediction of snow for today ... which they have been repeating since late last week. The falling flakes arrived about 7:30 A.M. & in the four-plus hours since, we have about three inches of the white stuff covering everything.

Not only did they correctly predict the day, but it looks as if the accumulation will be as they forecast: 4-6 inches of snow.

When it started snowing this morning, I made it outside to refill those bird feeders needing "topping off". From experience, I know the worst weather -- such as ice/snow -- creates the most demand for the bird feeders.

The utility pole on the North side of my house has three feeders attached to it & is a good place to observe the birds coming & going. Birds will be on the feeders, on the ground -- where I spread extra seeds -- as well as in the branches, making their preparations to fly down.

Cardinals & Finches are the most common birds I have in the yard. I don't count the uninvited Blackbirds, but most of their feeding is confined to the ground, due to the "cages" -- intended mostly for the squirrels -- which surround the tube feeders & prevent the Blackbirds from getting to the seeds.

The house shaped feeder -- in the bottom right corner of the photo above -- prevents larger birds & squirrels from getting to the seeds by shutting off the access to the food due to the bird or squirrels weight on the perch.

It doesn't matter where I buy birdseed, the most expensive is always the Nyjer seed. It also happens to be the favorite seed of the Finches & since so many of the Finches can cling to the screen feeder at one time -- & currently I have three such feeders I am keeping filled -- this type seed gets used quickly.

With all the bird activity right outside the porch, the cats have a major interest in what is going on out in the yard. Of course, in responding to my asking, "Ya wanna go out?" ... Momma Kitty went out the door, discovered there was snow, waited a few minutes to see if conditions would improve & then came scampering back inside.

A PURR-FECT DAY ...

2011-02-05T11:47:00.010-06:00

It 's another day, like too many & too recent -- think, yesterday -- where the elements of nature conspire to challenge my efforts to get out of the house & be anything close to "active" outdoors.

The start of this day was not much different from where last night left off; cold & all surfaces covered with either ice, snow or both.

The first omen was the driveway being slick -- & dangerous -- with a fine, thin ice coating as I made my way down to the road to retrieve the morning newspaper, which WAS encased in a yellow plastic bag due to the weather conditions. The delivery guy got it right for a change.

The front road was clear of snow, but the light of my flash light reflected back a shine from many spots on the normally dull surface of the blacktop; a clear indicator the bouts of freezing rain from late yesterday afternoon where still to be considered.

As the morning progressed & it became light outside, the lack of sun shine & the temperature remaining around 30 degrees, conspired to prevent the ice & snow from beginning the melting process. In my mind I confirmed I would NOT be driving to the Hays Center for my -- usual -- Saturday morning work-out.

Still, one needs to exercise. [I keep telling myself that. It's on-going battle I have somewhere deep in my skull.] I did my stretching, lifted some weights & did my 100 sit-ups. All the stuff the winning/losing side of of my brain -- take your pick -- requires I do each A.M.

Layering on some clothing, the next "requirement" was the 2.5 mile course I walk/jog/run six days a week. [Like the movie, Never on Sunday, I only walk on Sundays.]

Well, at the road, right at the end of my ice covered drive way, I learned the road was in only slightly better condition when it came to the the slick spots & patches of ice covering it. No jogging today.

I ended up doing a shortened version of my course; a distance of about 1.3 miles. I kept off the main road as much as possible, which had obviously NOT had much traffic on it to keep the road surface warm & ice free. The shoulder of the road & patches of ice on the surface were too slick for any fast walking pace.
______________________________________________________________

NOTE: There can be a drastic difference in snow/ice conditions between my road & the main road, all on account of traffic. In the South, road surfaces depend on BOTH the sun & automobile traffic to "clear" them. Obviously, there had NOT been enough traffic on the main road -- & certainly on my dead-end road -- to prevent the ice from forming on it it.
_______________________________________________________________

I made it through my walk, rather chilled -- there was a strong wind as well as the cold temperatures -- & looking forward to the warm shower that was waiting for me. [It felt good.]

As the day has worn on, the sun has started to shine & the melting has begun, now turning everything once covered in ice & snow into dripping water, mush & mud.

The plan developed earlier today remains the same: I'm inside for the day. It's a purr-fect day to finish my tax papers.

CHANGE YOUR MIND ??

2011-02-04T14:33:00.012-06:00

Punxsutawney Phil better get his act together & quickly. I'm not happy -- already -- waiting for his "prediction".

How "early" is that "Early Spring" forecast the wood-chucking Woodchuck -- supposedly -- passed along to everyone the other day ?? Not soon enough for ME.

I'm stuck in the house again today. I was outside this A.M. to do my 2.5 miles of jog/walk & I went to the road to get the delivered mail. Both times -- the ONLY times I have been outside --it was snowing on me. That was it for my exposure for the day to the elements.

The radar screen on the computer shows the colors for the different kinds of precipitation we have had across the state today: blue (snow), purple (sleet/freezing rain) & green (rain). We started with snow, then rain, then pellets of ice & freezing rain. Now it is back to snowing outside.

In this weather, I spend too much time in the house, in either the living room -- reading/laying on the couch/85 lb. feline on my chest -- or in the office, at my desk -- or like now -- on the computer, with a 85 lb. feline in my lap.

There's nothing new in the office, except the usual addition of new/different colored pens as I come across them on my retail excursions. About half of my "collection" of writing tools show up in the above photo, with the rest of them in drawers or storage boxes. Those "off-site" would be the "reserves", waiting to get into the game.

Deserving a more detailed look -- in a close-up -- is my darling Wobs, who spends a lot of time with me in the office, "helping" me by lying on the desk directly in front of me as I try to work, or in my lap, either at the desk, or the computer.

Another day, stuck inside. Another bout of Winter weather. The view from all my windows is WHITE.

Ah ... Pauxsutawney Phil. Do you want to revise your prediction ??

CHECK ON BUBBA

2011-02-03T16:26:00.008-06:00

As I have written previously, I try to get some form of exercise daily. It can be an effort in weather like what we have been experiencing for the past few days; temperatures in the teens to low twenties & blustery winds making it feel even colder.

I also do TRY to be careful about what food I eat. That can be hard, since I have a very demanding "sweet tooth" ... actually TEETH. Again, the cold weather finds me less active, inside more than normal -- trying to stay warm -- & consuming more calories than I should.

All the attention to exercise & food is in an effort to maintain some sort of healthy life style. I have always been active in sports -- especially when younger -- & have always been a "runner", as well as a believer in long bike rides. (Obviously, this is another area I am lacking in during the cold weather.)

Since having major surgery affecting my heart almost four years ago, I have tried to adhere to my beliefs on nutrition & exercise, as a way of maintaining my own health -- & hopefully -- avoiding the inevitable "permanent alternative" for as long as possible.

As I have written recently, my dear friend in Tennessee -- Bubba, now sometimes called "Earl Pickles" -- spent some time in the hospital this month, after "not feeling well" for several weeks prior to that.

I worry about my friend & hope he will take better care of himself. Still, now I am afraid I have done something drastic -- in his eyes, for sure -- which will effect his health in a negative way. I hope not, but the shock may be too much for his delicate weakened body to handle.

Today I bought the George Bush book.

It was on sale at 30% off. I get an additional "members discount" of 10% AND I received an e-mail from Barnes & Noble with another 10% coupon. The $35.00 book ended up costing me $18.90 before tax.

What the heck. So I bought it. It's not like it was a Sarah Palin book, or that I'm going to go register as a Republican!!

But now I'm worried about Bubba. This news may send him over the edge for sure. I'm concerned what this will do to his health. He's going to be worried too, that I might actually start watching HIS Fox Noise TV shows, or that pigs will fly !!

Somebody check on Bubba !!

HE'S WRONG

2011-02-02T14:37:00.016-06:00

The outdoor vegetation color pallet in central Arkansas this time of year is very limited . Mostly just the colors green & brown.

The color green is represented by the numerous pine trees. Brown is the color of the dead/died fields & lawns, along with the leaf-less trees. After all the rain we had yesterday, brown is also the color of all the flooding water everywhere.

We escaped the ice & snow which has engulfed so much of the United States the past few days. Still, we had thunder storms & MAJOR amounts of rain. This area being in the flood plane of the Arkansas River, it does just that; floods.

It rained all night & up until 11 A.M. Tuesday. Then, the wind arrived & the temperatures started dropping rapidly. It was 53 degrees at noon. 32 degrees by 5 P.M.

I did do a limited inspection of my property yesterday once the rain had stopped. LOTS of standing water for sure, but then, that's ... well ... "normal" with any big rain event. I've had worse.

There were no trees or branches on the ground, so that was the good news. Even today, after the constant wind yesterday, my land is devoid of sticks & branches. I am on a winning streak.

I took a few photos while I was outside yesterday & will share them below.

This is certainly NOT my favorite time of year. Way too wet, cold & damp, with much too much effort required to be "comfortably dressed" outside. I prefer shorts & flip-flops.

The color brown is well represented in all the life-less landscape, be it the trees, ground or the flowing brown water in the creek. The bamboo keeps it's green color all year round & adds some hope the the rest of the landscape will shortly follow suit.

My bamboo species 'Robert Young' -- shown in the second & third photos -- adds some nice yellow color, as well as breaks up the monotony of just brown & green every where.

As much as I wish that Spring was soon to start, I think the Groundhog got it all wrong with "his forecast" this morning. We WILL have six more weeks of Winter.

CLEAN-UP CREW

2011-02-01T07:20:00.014-06:00

A major weather event is under way all across the USA. Predictions have either snow, ice & rain -- along with possibilities of tornado's in the South -- affecting more than 33 states, some with forecasts of RECORD amounts of precipitation.

It looks -- so far -- as if central Arkansas is only going to have rain & thunder storms today. The really "bad" weather -- ice & snow -- will be on the West & North sides of the state & mostly confined to the Northwest corner of Arkansas. I hope that's true.

Later tonight, the bottom will fall out on the temperatures & we will see lows in the teens. Add to that, increasing high winds, which will take the wind-chill down even lower. Damp, freezing cold; not my favorite conditions.

I'm all settled in for the next few days of whatever weather comes this way. As long as I have utilities -- gas & electric -- me, my critters & cats will be okay. We will be safe & warm inside.

Well ... the majority of us will be.

So far, despite the A.M. rain, both Nibblets & Wobs HAD to go out the front door first thing this morning. It's almost a daily ritual, whatever the weather conditions. At least it is for Miss Nibs.

Wobs was soon back at the side door, crying out to me, as if it was MY FAULT she got wet outside. I held her & comforted her until she was soon purring in my arms. She can just break my heart.

Nibblets is a different story, one that is obviously -- as history shows -- due to play out all day today. Nibs just does not want to stay inside, no matter how wet she gets when she goes out. She will not stay in the shelter of the front porch when it rains.

So, today, I will be faced with Nibblets wanting -- NO -- demanding to go out the door. I'll then keep checking both doors until she returns -- WET -- & comes inside to be dried off with a towel, eats a bit of a snack & starts the process all over again. Inside/out. Inside/out.

On one of Nibblets first sojourns out this morning, when she returned to the porch, she was with a "visitor" ... probably the same one who had been at the door last night. Nibs was keeping her distance from the "guest" & Nibblets jumped in the door as soon as it was opened.

About 8 P.M. last night -- Yes, I was still up & awake -- I heard Precious GROWLING at the front door, a sound she, or any of the cats, doesn't usually make. It was then that I saw the LARGE possum on the porch. Precious was none too pleased to have the intruder on the other side of the glass door.

This possum -- or other possums (who can tell them apart ??) -- was no doubt attracted to the smells associated with the bird "parts" which had been on the porch previously. I had cleaned the latest crime scene earlier in the day.

With the return visit this morning, this possum was probably the final ... "Clean-Up Crew".

GOOD FRIENDS

2011-01-31T15:46:00.019-06:00

I found out this past weekend my friend Bubba spent several days last week in the ICU of the hospital in Paris. A bleeding ulcer put him there. Not something anyone wants to have.

Of course, I didn't learn he had been in the hospital, until after the fact. Not that I could have done much to "help" him, with the great distance to travel.

Oh ... wait. He was in the Paris, TENNESSEE hospital. I don't want anyone to think it was that OTHER Paris. In France. Both are long distance for me.

I got in contact with Wemus & Sting to find out why they had not told me about Bubba. Turns out I was telling them.

Bubba always has been a reserved individual & doesn't express, or brag about himself & his life. That's why we are such good friends; opposites attract.

Bubba had been very helpful to me several years ago when I was in the hospital in Little Rock. [There is no Little Rock in France.] I wish I could have returned the favor to Bubba when he was in the hospital.

It just so happens I had lunch this past Friday with several of the other people who helped me out when I was in the hospital with my heart surgery.

I wish I had known then about Bubba & his medical issues when we all were together at lunch. Everyone asked about him & my answer was along the lines of ... "He's fine". Little did I know then.

Everyone in our group -- save one -- are former employees of L'Oreal-Maybelline.

We had lunch at a place called Moe's. It's "Southwestern grill" style food. We've eaten there several times previously, as we get together every 6-8 weeks for lunch.

The above photo has Lori, Sheila & Kenny. It was a beautiful day -- which sometimes happens in the Winter in Arkansas -- so we spent some time enjoying the sun & pleasant temperatures before going inside.

For history, Kenny -- with Bubba -- came to the hospital to visit me there & the first day, when I was informed I was "not leaving ", took my truck back home for me. [When I could drive, 30 days later, I found Kenny had messed with the radio dial, re-adjusted the drivers seat & changed a few other things in the truck cab.] My Buddy !!

Sheila worked with me at MBL. When I ... ah ... "left the company, to pursue other opportunities", she was promoted to my old position. She was always a good, smart, hard worker & the promotion was deserved. Later that year, she quit. Way to go, Sheila !!

Lori is still working at MBL. Actually, she's running just about ALL the distribution area. Too many hours & too much un-rewarded effort. At least that's what I think !!

The above photo is of Kelly, Kenny & Lori's arm. The poor quality of the picture is my fault, as I was trying out the new camera I just purchased.

Kelly & Kenny both worked in the Credit Department at MBL. But, I still like them.

My "hospital connection" with Kelly -- besides her visits -- was that she had/has a friend who was/is in the administration at St. Vincent Hospital, & the lady -- who's name I draw a blank on -- also visited with me & made sure I was being treated well. I was !!

I hope the look on Lori's face above is NOT her thinking about the tasks she had facing her when she went back to work Friday afternoon. We need to find her another job. She's too good for all they put her through right now.

I have been blessed with good friends & I want Bubba to be healthy & feeling well ... so I can continue to keep ALL my good friends.

"PARTS ... IS PARTS"

2011-01-31T09:56:00.006-06:00

The Super Bowl is this coming weekend. Big whoop !! I'll probably watch very little of it, if any.

I used to watch the Super Bowl each year -- & lose several hours of my life I would never get back -- just to watch the commercials.

Now days, all the good Super Bowl commercials are on the Internet. Plus, most of them will be repeated over & over again, long after the Super Bowl. That's okay. I never get tired of seeing Betty White get tackled. Classic !!

As one of my degrees is a major in Advertising, Design & Production -- from Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York, (I still call it "Comedy College") -- I have always had an interest in the commercials for the products they try to influence people to buy. So many good ones. So many bad.

I was reminded earlier today of a series of commercials done by Wendy's years ago. In response to McDonald's "Chicken McNuggets", Wendy's was adverting THEIR chicken nuggets as ALL solid meat & not "pieces" melded together to form the nugget.

The Wendy's commercials, similar to their famous ads for "Where's the beef", called out the McDonald's offering, as McDonald's had previously had been forced to divulge their nuggets where made from chicken "parts". The Wendy's ad would mocking ask the question, "What are 'parts'?", with the answer from the fake McDonald's person being: "Parts ... is parts".

I was reminded of the clever -- & informative Wendy's ad -- this A.M. when I looked out the front door to the porch & saw the "parts" that were laying there.

Nibblets is shown "inspecting" what are obviously "parts" of a Blackbird, although I am not sure which one of my Girls is responsible for the bird being on the porch to begin with. I do know it was in one piece -- not "parts" -- when Wobs went outside to investigate the dead bird.

Thus, I am 100% certain it was Wobs who made sure ... "Parts is parts".

WARMTH & FOOD

2011-01-22T04:26:00.007-06:00

It's basically two more months until the "official" start of Spring. Right now, with the cold, damp, gray days -- along with the bouts of snow -- it's that time of year when Spring seems a long way off & those past Summer days -- with all the glory of heat & humidity -- are just a memory.

And don't get me started on my long-ago fading tan. I am truly a white male right now.

The cats -- with their nice thick fur -- are "dressed" for the cold. Still, I've noticed a decided lack of enthusiasm on their part to extend their time outside in the current weather. There is a lot of coming & going, in & out the door. Quite different than in the warmer weather when they DO NOT want to come back inside when it gets dark.

With my reptile collection -- mainly turtles & geckos -- I have to consider the weather conditions most of all. Being cold-blooded, I have to be sure their enclosures in the garage provided the necessary warmth for the animals well being.

Feeding reptiles can be another factor to consider at this time of year. Problems can occur if they are fed & then allowed to cool. Their metabolism will not properly digest the food in their stomach.

Despite the conditions of Winter in Arkansas, I find that my animals -- warm or cold blooded -- seem to do okay. In fact, sometimes I have to be careful NOT to overfeed. All animals can become obese if fed too much, especially without the activity & exercise they would normally get in the warmer weather.

The cats do appear to be a bit more "chunky" & I may have been too good in my efforts to keep the reptiles warm, fed & contented this Winter.

I think once it is time for my annual "Spring Cleaning" in the garage this year, I may find I have over done it when it comes to providing the necessary warmth & food for my animals.

For now ... I'd better be sure the garage door is closed, locked & secure.

CAT BELLS

2011-01-21T15:00:00.011-06:00

I've lived Southeast of Little Rock proper for the past 14+ years. It's a quiet, rural area, where everyone seems to have more land than you find in "subdivisions". Neighbors are not too close.

The "growth" for Little Rock has mostly gone West. That's where the money is. Fancy homes, nice restaurants, entertainment & all kinds of places to go shopping.

When I first moved here, I often would travel to the town of Lonoke, Arkansas to shop. It was about the same distance to go to Lonoke -- 15 miles -- as it was to go into North Little Rock. West Little Rock is still five-10 miles further than that from me.

Even as the retail options in North Little Rock had advanced & grown, I would still find it convient -- & much less of a hassel -- to travel over to Lonoke to shop.

Lonoke had a small WalMart store I would often shop at. It was probably the size store once considered "big", before WalMart started building "Super Centers", which offer things like groceries, optical centers & fast food places. Nothing like that in Lonoke.

The Lonoke store was so small, I often felt I would see Sam Walton -- the company founder -- walking the narrow isles. Even after he died, I kept my eyes open for him.

They finally did build a newer, bigger WalMart in Lonoke. Still not a giant store, but it has all the basics & it now has a nice grocery section. I wrote a post about the new store last year. I still shop there once or twice(t) a month.

The old store/building stayed closed & unoccupied for almost a year. The grocery store which was located next to it also shut their doors & moved out.

I was pleasantly surprised this past summer that a new business had taken over the space for the old WalMart location.

Atwoods Farm & Home is huge. It's well stocked with all sorts of "goodies". I've been in the store now several times -- always slapping down my Visa card -- & yet I still don't feel I have seen all it has to offer. It's like a toy store for grown-ups.

The new WalMart is just across Interstate-40; about two miles away. It's convenient to shop at both stores when I make the trip over to Lonoke.

This past week I was at the Atwoods store & bought three kinds of birdseed. They have a variety of seeds, all of good quality. I bought black-oil sunflower seeds (40lbs.), mixed seeds (50lbs.) & a 10 lb. bag of a mix called "Nut N' Berry". [The Cardinals have been hitting that pretty good.]

I'm fussy about my birdseed. I don't want dust, dirt & "fillers" in the bag. I stopped buying the seed offered at one "big box" store because of the lack of quality. I have been buying seeds at Tractor Supply, but it now looks like Lonoke is the place to go.

One of the other -- of several -- items I purchased, was a cat collar. Atwoods sells the "Safe Cat" brand, which I like & prefer. I guess The Girls do too. I've got several "back up" collars in a drawer, but I liked the one below because of the Tiger stripes.

All cat collars come with little bells on them. I take the bell off before I put a new collar on any of my cats. Like I really need to hear that noise going on all night long, especially when most nights two or more cats are right in the bed with me.

I don't think the bell on the collar is going to save many birds either.

I see lots of cute "calender type" photos of cats & kittens wearing a bell collar, but in real life, does anyone put a bell on their pets ?? Nobody I know & none that I've seen ... or heard.

I think a bell on their collar would cause any of my three Girls to react the same way the cat in the above cartoon is doing. I wouldn't/couldn't do that to them.

As for the birds in my yard, they can come for all the bird seed they want, but they need to be warned: My Cats Don't Wear Bells !!

DOG BEDS

2011-01-19T15:26:00.012-06:00

Anything new brought into the house has to be explored, reviewed & examined by ALL THREE cats. Favorite items are paper grocery bags & corrugated boxes. They check them out & one or more cats will crawl into the new object.

Plastic bags are a no-no. They have no sustaining support & the noise the bags make is not appreciated by The Girls. They avoid plastic bags.

Naturally, being cats, when I spent money on their "furniture" -- the "Kat Kondo" -- they investigated it when it was set up in the living room & then they promptly ignored it for weeks.

Well, the money was NOT wasted, as I first feared. In fact, it is now the daily hang-out for Nibblets.

Ignoring the irritated look Miss Nibs is providing in the above photo, she seems to enjoy sitting in the upper "barrel"; either looking into the room -- where she is provided head scratches -- or staring out the window at all the birds visiting the bird feeders.

One time in Petsmart, I acquired a bed which I figured would be the right size for any of the three thugs. When I brought it home the same scenario occurred: the bed was examined & there after, ignored.

The bed ended up in the corner of my office & after what ever length of "cat time" was necessary for it to be accepted as part of the house, THE WOBBLER took it over as her own. Wobs is the only cat to use the bed. In fact, she's sleeping in it now as I type.

Well, being a person who likes to spend money on his cats, another visit to Petsmart had the same beds on sale. Bed number two came home with me.

I placed the bed on the floor in the living room, with the idea that when it was occupied, I would have another cat sharing the living room with me during TV time & not scattered all over the house. They are my girls & I want to enjoy their companionship.

RIGHT !!

Same story ... ad nauseam. The second bed was investigated, reviewed & ignored.

Finally, while doing some cleaning & rearranging recently, I placed the latest bed on the dining room table, just to get it out of the way, before I put it in storage someplace ... like in a closet.

That's all it took to get it utilized; put the bed some place ... "inconvenient"... but only for humans. Works every time !!

"Momma Kitty" -- Precious -- can usually now be found on the table in "her" bed. Good thing I eat most of my meals at the kitchen counter. I'd hate to be in her way.

Still, now that Wobs & Precious each have their own beds, I get to chuckle each time when I look at them curled up all comfy & serene, since I know ... they are in DOG BEDS !!!

A SPECIAL DAY

2011-01-17T04:18:00.008-06:00

It's the start of another new week. But, who can tell ?? Too bad all the days run together & they all seem to start the same.

Today is different. It's unique ... for one "special" reason.

It's not because it is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. That happens only ONCE(t) a year. I don't get the day off today. I guess I need a job first.

Certainly NOT because it's Monday. As written, all the days in my life seem to fall together & sometimes -- well, more often than I want to confess -- I actually have to ask questions of myself first thing in the A.M., to remember what day of the week it is that I am starting.

No ... today is special because it is the 17th of January !! It's one of 12 "special" days, all occurring on the 17th of each month.

And, just in case I forget, I have a note stuck to my computer monitor to remind me of the date.

Today is ... FRONTLINE DAY !! [Actually ... "Frontline-Plus Day".]

On the 17th day of each month, I apply Frontline-Plus flea & tick treatment to each of the cats. Last night I opened the packaging & had the green applicator dosing tubes ready to go first thing this A.M. I like to catch The Girls ... "off-guard".

Note: I don't remember -- more "brain pharts" -- why it is the 17th of each month this event occurs. I guess that was the date I stated "treatments" years ago.

Wobs is usually the hardest to"dose". She doesn't like to have it done. Maybe it "violates" her.

Wobs seems to know what's about to happen, before the other two do. Last month, just the snapping sound -- of breaking the seal on the green applicator -- was enough to send Wobs scurrying.

Note #2: The "treatment" is not painful or long in duration. It's just a matter of controlling the cat & squirting the liquid on the back of their neck; a place they can not lick/"clean". It's the "controlling" part which becomes the issue, especially each month with Wobs.

So far, this A.M., I have already "dosed" Precious & Nibblets. No problems.

Wobs is currently upstairs in the loft, having gone up there -- as she does most every morning --when "we" first got out of bed. I've got the last applicator waiting on the kitchen counter & will "plan" on treating her when she comes downstairs later to have her morning breakfast.

The way to a cat's neck ... is through their stomach !!

Then, once Wobs has had her flea & tick preventive applied, the "monthly project" will be done & I will not have to face the hassle again until next month's ... "special day".

SUNDAY A.M. YUKS

2011-01-16T04:55:00.007-06:00

It's almost 5 A.M. on a Sunday morning.

I just heard a dull sound outside, which I recognize as the truck delivering the newspaper. Time to venture out into the FOG -- which is the "weather alert" that has replaced most of the snow we once had -- & retrieve the paper.

The local newspaper usually doesn't take much time to read in full. Most of the "news" is just re-hashed, reviews of the information & stories which were on the Internet & 24-hour TV news shows for the past few days. Nothing of "new" news in the ("news")paper.

The Sunday newspaper at least has the Sunday funnies to read. In color no less, rather than the simple black & white of the "dailies". Not that I'm going to bother with them.

Now days, even the newspaper cartoons are "old" by the time I read them in the paper. I've already looked at most of the funnies which will be in the paper waiting out in the fog for me.

I have web sites I view each A.M. which have the cartoons I like to read. I follow most of the cartoons in the local paper, on-line,as well as a number of ones NOT carried in the paper.

On the Internet, ALL the cartoons are in color ... every day.

One of my favorite cartoons is "The Fusco Brothers" by J.C. Duffy. I've been following it for years. And it is NOT in the local rag.

Yes, it's a bit insipid, but the cartoon today has had me chuckling, no doubt because -- for lack of a better reason -- is to confess it hits close to home.

Been there/done that ... sort of. Which is more information than needs to be shared right now.

Time to go venture down to the road, into the fog -- like a priest in the movie The Exorcist -- & gather today's "old" newspaper from the yellow paper box.

GET ME BACK TO ... "NORMAL"

2011-01-12T13:28:00.009-06:00

I am a decent, law abiding person. I've never done anything against the law.

Wait a minute !! Maybe it would be more truthful to change that last sentence in the paragraph above to: "I've broken the law a few times, but THE MAN has never caught me".

No, no, that's way too dramatic.

Let me try: "I've bent the law a few times -- nothing to cause anyone any physical or financial harm -- but I've never been accused with doing anything which was against the law".

That's a bit better, at least as a stretched ... "confession".

I wrote that because I have to state, for a fact ... I WOULDN'T LAST A DAY IN PRISON !!

I am going stir-crazy just being in the house as much as I am right now. I couldn't make it in a jail cell. I can not wait for the snow to melt & warmer temperatures to return.

I want the temperature to be back in the 90's. I want to be outdoors, wearing flip-flops & shorts, with a nice bronze glow of a tan.

I'd even like wasps & mosquitoes to be buzzing around my head.

I miss Summer time.

I hate Winter.

I hate wearing layers of clothes, even while in the house. It's a necessary form of dress when it is 17 degrees outside -- as it was when I went walking at 9 A.M. today -- but I've got sweaters & shirts on, INSIDE the house, just trying to stay ... "comfortable".

I'm "stuck" here at home. It's cold, there is snow all over the ground & the roads are just now becoming free & clear of ice.

I learned back in the Winter of 1967/68 -- when I first arrived in Memphis, Tennessee -- that the cities of the South have no means of removing snow & ice from roads.

The cities & it's people are dependent on two things -- not necessarily working in tandem -- to "remove" the frozen precipitation: the sun, &/or, warmer temperatures.

It snowed Sunday. Today is Wednesday & FINALLY the roads are clearing off. Even my driveway above -- where I shoveled a "path" on Monday -- is almost devoid of snow, thanks to the sun.

When it comes to Mother Earth, however, the actual melting of the snow/ice on the ground takes a bit longer -- meaning, days -- to melt off, especially when the air temperatures are as cold as they have been; below freezing since Monday.

Wherever the sun can shine on the road, the snow has melted away. Still, areas when the trees cast shadows on the roads, can remain slick & treacherous from ice/snow. I've learned that in the past ... the hard way.

I last drove my truck Saturday morning. I ran the engine yesterday for awhile as it remained parked next to the house. I don't plan on driving again until tomorrow at the earliest. By then, most all the roads should be clear & drivable without worries.

For now, I'll stay "locked up" in my "prison", waiting for the weather to warm, UPS to make it's delivery [due this past Monday. (Woops. Just arrived)], reading newspapers two-days old [delivery issues - weather related] & trying not to eat too much, all the while combined with a lack of excerise & activity outdoors.

I just want to get back to ... "normal".