Thursday Thirteen #980

 

1. I have developed a thing for chewing gum. This started after some medication gave me something called "burning tongue" syndrome, which means exactly what it sounds like. I found that chewing gum helped. I stopped the medicine and that cleared up after a while, but the gum habit stayed.

2. My fingernails used to be the thing I gnawed on, but after more than 50 years of trying to stop, I gave it up immediately when Covid hit. "You might die if you touch this can in the grocery store and then put your finger in your mouth" apparently is a big impetus to end that kind of habit.

3. Now I pick at my fingernails sometimes. I keep them cut back very short and keep the cuticles cut, but the nails are permanently damaged from all of that biting. If I wasn't allergic to nail polish they might look better, but I have that particular allergy, so they are what they are.

4. When I was working for a law firm in 1988, I was told that I didn't dress well enough and needed to wear sexier clothes and high heels. I have flat feet that are troublesome and never could wear heels without a great deal of foot pain, so I went with nice flats most of the time. As for the sexier clothes, well, there are reasons why I stopped working there and that might be one of them.

5. I've been keeping a food journal for a month, and while I can see where I make mistakes, they aren't huge mistakes. Mostly I don't eat enough vegetables and fruit. According to something I found on the CDC, in 2019, 12.3% and 10.0% of surveyed adults met fruit and vegetable intake recommendations. So I am right in there with the majority of Americans.

6. Updated CDC information claims otherwise, though. A September 2026 report says "During August 2021–August 2023, 69.9% of adults consumed any fruit on a given day and 93.3% consumed any vegetables." Forgive me if I question anything put up by the government under the current administration.

7. My problem is I am not a cook. I don't like to cook, never have. I find playing with naked uncooked meat to be gross, and while I don't mind chopping vegetables, figuring out what to do with them next is always a head scratcher. Julia Child would have found me really interesting company if she wanted to talk about local politics or people in general, but incredibly boring if she wanted to talk about something like "Risotto ai funghi porcini." I don't even know how to pronounce that. (It's some kind of mushroom dish.)

8. Once when I was nine, the babysitter named Melinda stayed overnight. We got up the next morning and decided to fix breakfast for my parents, who had come home very late and were still asleep. She gave me the biscuit batter to stir, and recalling that when I last helped my mother make cookies that all of the batter had to be smooth with no lumps, I stirred and stirred and stirred that stuff. They came out flat as pancakes because I'd apparently beaten all the rise out of the biscuits. Did you know you could do that?

9. I did learn to make decent fudge. When I worked for the newspaper, I'd make about 15 pounds of chocolate goodness, make up nice gift boxes, and then go around and deliver fudge to anyone who'd been helpful to me throughout the year - county administration, the Circuit Court clerk's office, library folks - anyone who'd given me a tip or offered up a bit of information.

10. These days news reporters apparently get their tips from social media. Hard to give out boxes of fudge for that. The news was better when reporters used shoe leather. That's my personal opinion, of course, but maybe you think so, too.

11. Speaking of news, I don't have any personal news to speak of, except the car seat broke earlier in the month but we had it repaired this week.

12. This was the second time the seat has broken since 2023. I wonder if they fixed it back correctly the first time?

13. I only put about 6,000 miles a year on my vehicles, so even though its 12 years old, it's still low mileage. Things shouldn't be breaking but I guess age takes a toll on us all.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 980th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Space: The Final Frontier

I took the pictures below on September 14. At that time, we had a young crescent moon showing with a very bright Venus on the right in the western sky. Lucky for me, according to space.com, Venus was almost at its brightest for the remainder of 2026 the evening I captured these shots.

On October 8, the Draconids were peaking after sunset. I set the camera to capture star trails and left it sitting pointing in one direction while I watched the sky in another.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any meteors and neither did the camera.

No matter. I think star trails are cool even when they don't show up well.

There is nothing like a little evening star watching to make you realize how little all the problems of the world really are.

Eastern Box Turtle

As best I can tell, this little critter is an Eastern box turtle. It decided to take a tour of the driveway early one morning.

This is only the second time since we moved in 39 years ago that I've seen a turtle of any kind up here at the house, although we have snapping turtles down at the pond.

The eastern box turtle (terrapene carolina) is one of those small, steady creatures that quietly goes about its business in Virginia’s woods and pastures, never in a hurry or asking much of anyone. They’re long‑lived, stubborn in their routines, and oddly endearing. They are mainly terrestrial and will soak in mud or very shallow water, something we've not had much of here lately with our drought.

My husband thought the small reptile might have been drawn toward the house by the water from the hose where we had watered the flowers the night before.

I used a zoom on the camera to keep from scaring it and making it go into its shell.

Sunday Stealing

Survey Asks . . . 

1. What was the last gift you received?

A. The last gift I received was a special pen and journal from a friend.

2. Who did you last hang out with?

A. I last hung out with my husband, but I'm kind of hanging out with him most of the time. I hung out with a friend not long ago when we went to lunch, though.

3. Do you often lose the remote?

A. I am not in charge of the remote. The remote exists to please the man, and the man is in charge of the remote. Said remote in the man's hands has a tendency to run through the channels, up and down and up and down, until such time as wife finally snaps and says, "Would you please leave the TV on the same channel? You are making me crazy."

4. When did you last check Facebook?

A. Sometime today.

5. Are there scented candles in the room you're in?

A. There are no scented candles anywhere in my house. I am allergic to scented items.

6. Next time you leave the house, where will you be going?

A. I will either be going to the library, to physical therapy, or to the grocery store.

7. Do you know anyone named Steven or Stephen or Steve or Stevie?

A. I have cousins, one on my side and one on my husband's side, who are named as such.

8. Which do you prefer: macaroni salad or potato salad?

A. I prefer potato salad. My husband likes macaroni salad. But mine must not have onions. My stomach cannot handle onions.

9. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator door?

A. My ice maker is in the top of the refrigerator where ice makers belong.

10. When you woke up this morning, did you get up straightaway or lounge a bit?

A. When I wake up, I usually fix myself a nice cup of hot water and spend time at the computer reading the news. These days that is not such a pleasant pastime and one that I probably should wait to do until I've had my blood pressure medicine for the day. Good grief.

 Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Big Girls Don't Cry

 

Saturday 9: Big Girls Don't Cry (1962)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) When is the last time you shed a tear?

A. Just last night. We were watching an episode of JAG and it made me cry. Sometimes my eyes just leak a lot.

2) Lyricist/producer Bob Crewe recalled he got the idea for this song while watching a movie on TV. "Big girls don't cry" was a line from the 1956 film Slightly Scarlet. Give us a quote from another movie.

A. "You shall not pass!" - Gandalf to the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" Legolas in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

"My friends! You bow to no one." Aragorn to the hobbits in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

3) This inspiration came to Bob during the late night/early morning hours. What time of day are you most productive?

A. I seem to be most productive between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. It takes me a while to wind up and then I run out of steam.

 4) Bob wrote another song for the Four Seasons, "Silence Is Golden." The band was not happy with their recording and never released it as a single. Three years later, The Tremeloes had an international Top 10 hit with "Silence Is Golden." Tell us about a decision you wish you could do over.

A. If I'd known then what I know now, I'd have had my hysterectomy when I was 24, the first time they did surgery for my endometriosis, instead of continuing to try to have children and ultimately experience five more surgeries before having hysterectomy at the age of 29. It was a lot to put my body through.

5) Before he got his big break, Four Seasons lead singer Frankie Valli worked as barber. Do you have a hair care appointment scheduled?

A. I do not have a hair care appointment scheduled. I probably won't have one until the last week of October.

 

6) Oscar-winning actor Joe Pesci has a connection to the band. He was a young chum of Four Seasons founding member Tommy DeVito. By the time DeVito left the group and found himself overwhelmed by gambling debts, Pesci was a star. He helped his friend out, making Tommy his personal assistant and getting him cameo roles in films. Tell us about someone who has been there for you in tough times.

A. My husband has been with me through many tough times. He's my rock. He's held my hand through infertility, through job changes, through college work, through family strife, and when I cry at movies. What more could you ask for?

 

7) The Four Seasons disbanded in 1977 after 17 years together. The original bandmates reunited onstage 1990 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was an important night for them professionally and personally, too, as it gave the old friends a chance to reconnect and mend fences. Is there anyone from your past you wish you could reach out to?

A. Not really. I think the past is better off left where it's at.

8) Another hit song from 1962 was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Tony Bennett compares San Francisco to Rome, Paris and Manhattan. Have you visited any of those four cities?

A. I have been to Paris. I went in 1979 as part of a school trip. I still remember being completely entranced by this one painting in the Louvre; all I remember of it is a hand that was so translucent you could see the candlelight from a low flame shimmering on the skin. I don't know why that captivated me, but it did. I remember that better than I remember seeing the Mona Lisa.

 

9) Random question – You're home all alone. Do you close the door when you use the bathroom?

A. I close the door when someone is at home, including my husband. But if I am alone, I generally don't. For one thing, I live in a rural area and if anyone is looking in my windows, they are trespassing big time, and for another, I have the windows covered with sheers so no one would see anything anyway. 

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

 

Bear Country

Pulled this shot of a black bear in the backyard off of the game camera that I keep out there. It sits about 60 feet from the back door.

I wish I'd been looking outside when this animal came through!

Thursday Thirteen

1. Last night at dinner, we watched acorns fall from the oak tree in the backyard. They fell constantly, dropping quickly, sometimes bouncing. One or two came with a leaf and delicately settled to earth. As we watched them, I began wondering about oak trees, so I asked Alexa for some facts.

2. Oaks belong to the genus Quercus, which includes roughly 450–475 species worldwide. They grow across the entire Northern Hemisphere, from Europe and Asia to North America, and even into high-altitude tropical regions.

3.  An oak tree typically begins producing acorns (a nut partially enclosed in a cup) when it reaches about 20 to 50 years of age, depending on species and growing conditions. Open‑grown oaks (full sun, not crowded) often start in their late teens or twenties. 

4. Forest‑grown oaks shaded by neighbors may not produce meaningful crops until they are 40 or 50 years old. Red oaks often begin producing acorns around 20–30 years. White oaks produce acorns when they are around 30–40 years old. 

5. Oak leaves are simple and alternate, often lobed, though some species have smooth or toothed edges. 

6. Oaks can be deciduous or evergreen, depending on species and climate. 

7. They are exceptionally long-lived, with some individuals surviving well over 1,000 years. 

8. Oak wood is strong and hard, widely used for construction, flooring, furniture, shipbuilding, and barrels. 

9. White oak wood is water‑resistant and is ideal for making boats and barrels. 

10. Oaks are ecological keystone species, supporting more than 950 species of caterpillars, plus numerous fungi, insects, birds, and mammals. Deer love to eat acorns.

11. Acorns were historically a major food source for cultures across North America, Asia, North Africa, and Europe. 

12. Oak bark contains high levels of tannin, something traditionally used for tanning leather. 

13. Nearly one-third of oak species are threatened with extinction due to climate change, invasive pests, and habitat loss. I had no idea they are a threatened species. I won't take oaks for granted anymore.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 979th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Fincastle Festival - September 24, 2026

 

Sunday Stealing

 

WHAT? 

1. What are you currently excited about?

A. We've had some rain! Hurray!

2. What do you wish you had more time for?

A. I wish I had more time, period. I don't really have a reason.

3. What would you like to do less?

A. Housework.

4. What do you spend too much money on?

A. At the moment, I am spending too much money on food, but that's because of price increases, not because I am purchasing more.

5. What childhood wish never came true?

A. I thought about being an archeologist at one time.

6. What did you do to celebrate your last birthday?

A. I went to lunch with a friend.

7. What drives you nuts?

A. The way people drive.

8. What keeps you sane?

A. Reading and writing.

9. What historic date is etched in your memory?

A. 9/11 will always be etched in my memories. What a terrible day.

10. What one thing would make your life immeasurably better?

A. Losing weight, but I have hormone issues and hang on to it no matter how little I eat.

 

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Eastbound and Down

 

Saturday 9: Eastbound and Down (1977)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song was featured in the movie Smokey and the Bandit, the surprise box office hit of 1977. Have you seen it?

A. I have seen this movie, but it has been many years ago.

2) Though not well received by critics, Smokey and the Bandit had one very famous fan: Alfred Hitchcock. The classic film director enjoyed re-watching the movie on video at home, often while having dinner. Do you ever watch TV with your meal?

A. We generally watch the local news when we have dinner. We are farmers. We like to know what the weather people predict (even if it's the same "no rain" day after day after day).

3) Jerry Reed not only wrote and performed the movie's theme, he appeared in the movie as truck driver Cledus "Snowman" Snow. Have you ever driven, or ridden in, a big rig?

A. I have ridden in my husband's dump truck, but not a tractor trailer.

4) He sings, "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there." Have you recently felt rushed?

A. I almost always feel rushed. I have to make sure to add time for backups on the interstate due to blasting when I am driving.

5) Director Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed for a song that explained the plot of the movie. He wrote this overnight and always considered it a happy accident. Can you think of a time when something turned out better than you expected?

A. My concert experience with Melissa Etheridge turned out much better than I expected, since I actually was able to hug her at the end of the show.

6) Reed was born in Atlanta and, coincidentally, he mentions Atlanta in the lyrics. Has your hometown been immortalized in song?

A. My hometown has not been immortalized in song, as far as I know. Virginia couldn't even settle on a state song for years. It used to be "Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginia," but that has racist overtones and was demoted to "state song emeritus" in 1997. In 2015, the state government representatives finally settled on a song called "Our Great Virginia," (which I personally have never heard, not once). It is sung to the tune of "Oh Shenandoah." The state government also recognized "Sweet Virginia Breeze" as the official popular state song in the same year.

7) Jerry met Priscilla Mitchell at Capitol Records, where Jerry was a session musician and Priscilla was backup singer. Though she was only 18 when they wed, it seems their union was a happy one, and they were together until his death almost 50 years later. If a newly engaged 18-year-old asked you for advice, what would you say?

A. I would tell that newly engaged 18-year-old to give back the ring and go out and live a little before making such a momentous decision. I married at 20 and that was too young.

8) In 1977, when "Eastbound and Down" was on the radio, nostalgia for the 1950s topped the TV ratings. The two most popular shows that year were Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days. If you magically transported back to the 1950s, what do you think you'd like about it? What do you think you'd miss about your life in 2026?

A. If I were transported back to the 1950s, I doubt there would be much I would like, except maybe chocolate milkshakes and jukeboxes. I think the 1950s are highly overrated. I would miss all of the rights women now have, like being able to open a bank account, have a credit card without a male cosigner, and being able to buy property. I would also miss color TV.

9) Random question: Were you ever afraid of monsters in your closet or under your bed?

A. I was not afraid of monsters in the closet or under my bed, but that is because I had a ghost that came and sat at the foot of my bed at night.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.