Not the Moon

I shot these photos on April 9, 2023, when I saw this interesting light low on the horizon as we were readying for bed. I thought at first it was a helicopter or something coming towards us, but when I looked through the lens of the camera, I saw that it was a planet.

Skyview Light on my cellphone said it was Jupiter.

My camera is not made for taking pictures of planets, except maybe the moon, so I'm surprised these came out as well as they did.

Jupiter, named after the Roman god of the sky and the king of the gods (like the more familiar Greek god Zeus), is a fascinating planet that has many features and facts. 

Here are some of them based on web search results:

• Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined12.
• Jupiter is a gas giant with no solid surface. It has a thick atmosphere of mostly hydrogen and helium, with clouds of ammonia and water134.
• Jupiter has a powerful magnetosphere that produces intense auroras and radiation belts. It also has a complex system of rings made of dust and debris14.
• Jupiter rotates very fast, about once every 10 hours, but orbits very slowly, about once every 12 Earth years24.
• Jupiter has more than 75 moons, including four large ones called Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Some of these moons may have oceans or volcanoes that could support life24.
• Jupiter is famous for its Great Red Spot, a huge storm that has been raging for centuries. It is bigger than Earth and can be seen from space234.

Bing AI assisted with the information. I left the footnotes, because, why not?

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. If you had the world's attention for 30 seconds, what would you say?

A. Hello, world! It's time to stop fighting and start talking. It's time to stop being selfish and start sharing. We are not all individual islands; we're all in this together. We must care about one another and resolve our differences. We all have the power to make positive changes.

2. If your food is bad at a restaurant, would you say something?

A. I have in the past, so I assume I would do so again.

3. What is in your fridge right now?

A. Roasted chicken, lettuce, zucchini, yellow squash, radishes, carrots, Boost, grape jelly, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard. The usual.

4. What are you freakishly bad at?

A. Cooking.

5. Where do you not mind waiting?

A. In a bookstore.

6. What’s something you've tried that you'll never, ever try again?

A. Escargot.

7. If you could dis-invent one thing, what would it be?

A. Gunpowder.

8. If you could be a member of any TV sitcom family, which would it be?

A. I don't know. There aren't too many sitcom families that I relate to. I might fit in ok with the Big Bang Theory folks since I'm nerdy.

9. What would be the best thing about not having a sense of smell?

A. I don't think anything would be good about it, but if I must choose, then it would be not smelling farts.

10. Would you rather live (permanently) in a roller coaster park or in a zoo?

A. In a roller coaster park, although I'd never ride the rides.

11. When scrolling through social media, do you prefer posts from celebrities or from your best friends?

A. I don't care either way.

12. What makes someone a hero?

A. A willingness to die for someone else.

13. What is the stupidest thing you've done because someone dared you to?

A. I have no idea. I'm an old woman, few people make dares with me anymore.

14. What is the stupidest thing you've done on your own free will?

A. Answering these last few questions might come in as a close first.

15. Would you rather have unlimited sushi for life or unlimited tacos for life?

A. I will take a pass on both, thank you.

__________

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: Danny's Song

Saturday 9: Danny's Song (1972)

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

1) In this song, Anne Murray sings that she thinks she's going to have a son. Is anyone in your life expecting a baby?

A. Not to my knowledge.

2) Back in the 1970s, when this song was popular, parents had to wait until their baby was born to know the gender. Today moms and dads can learn within the first few months whether they're expecting a son or daughter. Do you prefer it this way? Or would you rather not know in advance if you are welcoming a boy or girl into your family?

A. I never had children and am too old to have children, so I don't really have an opinion on this. I think people should do what they want. If they want to know, let them know. If they don't, that's fine too.

 

3) Anne is so popular in her native Canada that her face graced commemorative postage stamps. What's the last piece of mail you affixed a stamp to and mailed?

A. I sent out a letter to a pen pal.

4) She began taking voice lessons at 15. She was so serious about it she took a 50-minute bus ride each way to her classes. What extracurricular activities captured your attention when you were in high school?

A. I was in the marching band, and I played guitar in a rock and roll (more like a disco) band.

 

5) She studied physical education at the University of New Brunswick and upon graduation taught PE for a year. Did you enjoy gym class?

A. I hated gym class. I would get out of it every chance I got. Gym class occasionally kept me off of the A honor roll, and knocked me down to the A-B Honor Roll, because I hated it so much. 

6) Every spring and summer, Anne's fans travel to Nova Scotia and The Anne Murray Centre. There they can see exhibits and memorabilia from her long career, including her Grammy Awards and gold records. If we were to display memorabilia reflecting the highlights of your life, what items should we include?

A. Copies of publications I've been printed in, photos I've taken, my wedding band, my college diplomas, and my guitar.

 

7) In 1972, the year this record was popular, Popeyes opened their first chicken restaurant. Today there are more than 3700 locations in 30 countries. Is chicken on the menu at your house this week?

A. Chicken is always on the menu at my house.

8) Also in 1972, latch hook rug kits were all the rage. With pre-cut yarn, a latch hook, and a printed pattern, "hookers" could make wall hangings, pillow covers, and throw rugs. Are you into arts and crafts?

A. I take a stab at it every now and then, but I am never very good at it.

9) Random question: If you were offered the position of mayor of your town, would you take it?

A. Probably not today. Too many crazy people out there now. I might have said yes prior to 2016, but I would not want the job now.

_______________

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.  

Thursday Thirteen

I live in a rural community and mostly love it. But it's not always lovely cows and flowers here. Living in a small, rural area does have its downside. Here are some possible things that are bad about rural living, although the same can be said for many places on some of these, I think.*

1. Isolation and lack of social interaction with neighbors and friends. While I have neighbors whose homes I can see, for the most part, I don't know them. I know family members who have built on or near the farm, but the newer folks, not so much.

2. Poor access to health care, education, and public services. Health care is a 15-minute drive and the probability of dying from a heart attack is much greater for me than for someone who lives in a city, mostly because care is so far away. By the time emergency services arrives, it could be 20 minutes. Then it's another 20 minutes to the hospital. That "golden hour" of survival is now whittled down to another 20 minutes. Odds aren't good I'll survive.

3. Limited job opportunities and lower income. The pay around here is not good, and the places to work are limited to agriculture or industrial, unless one wants to teach in the public schools.

4. Difficulty in traveling and commuting due to distance and weather conditions. 

5. Slow internet and cable services that affect work and entertainment. I still have DSL. I don't see anything faster or better in my immediate future.

6. Higher exposure to wildlife and pests that can damage crops and property. Lyme Disease along with Alpha-Gal, both tick-born illnesses, are rampant around here.

7. Higher expenses on gas, groceries, and utilities. I'm not sure what electric bills run in the city, but out here, they're in the hundreds of dollars.

8. Lack of privacy and anonymity from family and community. 

9. Difficulty in finding a romantic partner or breaking up with one. That's because everyone talks. Nothing like gossip to keep the neighborhood stirred up.

10. Lack of diversity and cultural experiences. We have history museums, but no art galleries. Most socializing around here is done at church, and if one doesn't go to church, the opportunities are slim.

11. Lack of shopping options and recreational activities. We have a Dollar General. That's not much.

12. Stress from environmental problems such as pollution and deforestation. We have a lot of pollution from our industrial factories. I live in between the two largest polluters in my county. This is why I have two air purifiers in the house.

13. Boredom and drug and alcohol abuse among teens. This applies to adults too, I think. On Mondays, one only need look in the recycling bin to see what kind of alcoholics live around here. The glass and tin bins are full of liquor and beer bottles. Overflowing, even. I guess the folks go to church to socialize and then drink and talk about it later in the day.

*List curated with assistance from the Bing AI.

__________________

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 803rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Listening to David Sedaris

Last year, I listened to five of David Sedaris's books. I haven't read (with my eyes) the first one, but I have listened to Calypso, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Happy Go Lucky, Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, and When You Are Engulfed in Flames.

A few days ago, I started listening to Theft by Finding. This is a compilation of diary entries from 1977 to 2002, published in 2018.

An unknown writer such as I could never have something like this published. This is something only someone with a known following could get away with.

It also covered material I'd heard in other places. Some of it, I could tell, appeared to have been fleshed out from diary entries.

I found certain things interesting: price increases in items from 1977 forward, for example, along with his income and the ways he chose to make money. For a good while, his work of choice was some kind of construction or moving furniture type of work, although he was also writing and producing plays.

He also was a heavy drug and alcohol user until the late 1990s, when he stopped drinking and using drugs.

Another thing I noted was that prior to 1982 or so, Sedaris didn't have many reports of being accosted on the streets for money, cigarettes, or other items, but after the Reagan administration set all of the mentally ill people loose upon the general public* (my observation, not his), then this became more common in Sedaris's recitations of things that he had made note of. Some of this may have been age; he was a man by then and not a teenager. However, I was astonished at how often he was asked for money and cigarettes in the United States. He noted one or two instances of begging in a foreign country, but here it is common, and he didn't hesitate to point it out.

Being in a rural community, I do not see this often, although when I worked downtown in the nearest city, I did and still do when I am unlucky enough to be down there.

Other things Sedaris has made note of in this book include a long discussion of bow ties (apparently, he wears one) and book signings. His book signings apparently bring in 400+ people, which to me is astonishing as I have seldom seen that many people at a book signing. I think most authors are fortunate if one or two people show up. 

For a while I have been unsure if all of this traveling and presenting Sedaris said he was doing was actually book readings or a comedy routine he put together. I'm still not certain. His biography on Wikipedia indicates all of the above.

Maybe as I go backwards and listen to his earlier work, I'll sort it out in my head.

His sister, by the way, is Amy Sedaris, who has appeared in The Mandalorian, among other things.

*The Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 (MHSA) was United States legislation signed by President Jimmy Carter which provided grants to community mental health centers. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan, who had made major efforts during his Governorship to reduce funding and enlistment for California mental institutions, pushed a political effort through the U.S. Congress to repeal most of MHSA. The MHSA was considered landmark legislation in mental health care policy. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, signed by President Ronald Reagan on August 13, 1981, repealed most of the Mental Health Systems Act. And that's why the mentally ill live on the streets.

Virginia Dogwood

 

His Majesty's Raised Garden Beds

 

There is still no fence around it to keep the deer and other critters out, so we haven't planted anything yet. 

We have seeds, though. I guess they will make it into the dirt eventually!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size . . . really doesn't matter.

2. I've come to realize that my job(s) . . . are important for my sense of self-worth.

3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving . . . I like to listen to audiobooks.

4. I've come to realize that I need . . . more hugs.

5. I've come to realize that I have lost . . . my ability to have an income.

6. I've come to realize that I hate it when . . . democracy dies.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk . . . it's better not to be drunk.

8. I've come to realize that money . . . really is the root of all evil.

9. I've come to realize that certain people . . . are more ignorant than I ever thought possible.

10. I've come to realize that I'll always . . . be a curmudgeon.

11. I've come to realize that my sibling . . . is a wonderful brother and I would be lost without him.

12. I've come to realize that my mom . . . did her best.

13. I've come to realize that my cell phone . . . is just a phone.

14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning . . . it was just another day.

15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep . . . I had a hard time stopping my brain from thinking.

__________

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: Easter Parade

Saturday 9: Easter Parade

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

1) This song is best known from the 1948 movie of the same name, but it was originally written for a 1933 Broadway play called As Thousands Cheer. In the play, a young man reads about the parade in a New York newspaper and decides to go and show his lady love off to parade goers. What's the most recent parade you attended?

A. It would have been a local Christmas parade back around 2011, I think. I was taking pictures for the newspaper. After going to loads of them to take photos for the paper, I could easily never go to another parade.

2) On Broadway, the song was performed by Clifton Webb. He'd had a busy stage career, appearing in musicals as well as plays by Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, but when he was in his mid-50s, he was considered too old to be a leading man. Broadway offers stopped coming. He was unexpectedly cast by Otto Preminger for the film noir Laura and a new career was born. He worked steadily in Hollywood for 20 years and earned three Oscar nominations. Tell us about a time you were grateful your life took an unanticipated turn.

A. In 1983, I was unceremoniously fired from a job because I had pneumonia, but the physician's note did not specifically say I shouldn't be at work on Monday, and company policy demanded a written physician's note for Monday because so many of the employees were drunks. So they fired me even though I had a note from the previous week saying I had pneumonia. It was just an excuse, I guess. But it led me to an office job where I met my friend Leslie, who has been my friend ever since. So, I am grateful I was fired so I could meet Leslie.

3) Today he's fondly remembered by the students at UCLA who have benefited from The Clifton Webb Scholarship of the Arts. If you could give an endowment to a school or charity, what would you like it to be used for?

A. I should say creative writing, or poetry, or even journalism, but with the state of the nation at the moment, I think it should be used to study democracy.

4) According to Forbes magazine, the average American household will spend upwards of $150 on Easter dinner, candy, and decorations this weekend. Do holidays strain your budget?

A. I save up for most holidays and Easter is not one we celebrate with decorations or anything. An extra $20 for a special meal is about all we spend.

5) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you think it's possible to have too much chocolate?

A. Yes. Too much of anything is not healthy.

  

6) After chocolate, the top-selling Easter candy is Peeps Marshmallow Chicks. They're so popular that they were once the subject of a Jeopardy clue. Do you often watch Jeopardy?

A. Not as much as I used to. After my husband retired, he took over the remote and he watches some car show when Jeopardy is on.

7) Jellybeans are also popular this time of year. In a 2020 poll, jellybean fans responded that cinnamon is their favorite flavor. Do you have a favorite?

A. I do not like jellybeans.

8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?

A. It used to be about even, but these days, since I don't eat much chocolate, maybe Easter, because I do like those Cadbury eggs even if they don't taste as good as they used to.

 9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?

A. A hot shower and/or a good night's sleep.

_______________

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.  

When I Cry for the Cow

Early yesterday morning, just at daybreak and before we were out and about, one of our cows gave birth to a little bull calf.

Watching, unbeknownst to us, were a flock of vultures.

My husband first saw the vultures when he went to feed, and then he found the calf.

The vultures had killed it. It was still warm when my husband picked up the little body to bury it. That's how we know the calf was born yesterday morning. Had it been born earlier, it wouldn't have been warm. 

The ground all around the calf was stomped down and trampled. The cow, having just given birth, was then forced to try to defend her baby, and she ran around and around him, trying in vain to keep a flock of vultures from eating her child.

I imagine she finally could fight no longer, and the birds swarmed in.

The thought of it makes me cry. Cows are very good mothers, incredibly protective and nurturing.

We are what may be called a "natural" farm. We don't use artificial insemination, nor do we keep the bull from the cows and try to time the births so that they all fall in April or some other time. We let nature do her thing. Generally, the cows have calves in the spring and fall, but some are off cycle. We let the bull do his thing when the cows are ready, whenever that is. A cow gestation is about 280-285 days, so they only give birth once a year, but they do not all give birth at the same time.

Baby calves are not born walking. It takes them a bit to find the strength to stand up, though they are up on all fours usually within 15 minutes or so. Then they take a drink from their mother, maybe wobble around a while, and rest some more. Being born is hard work. So, there is down time when the calf is vulnerable to predators like vultures and coyotes. Once the calf is stronger, the mother cow takes her baby and hides the bull or heifer in what she considers to be a safe place.

The cattle are checked every day, and this is not the first calf we've lost to vultures (I think it's the second), but it's the first we've lost when we haven't been there to make an effort to stop it. The first time we arrived just a little too late. Other times, we have shown up just in the nick of time. 

It makes for a tense stand-off, us trying to stay far enough from a mad momma cow that she doesn't come after us, while keeping the vultures away.

Vultures are a protected migratory species, which means we can't do anything to them except try to scare them and make the farm unwelcoming. This morning my husband drove to where the vultures were roosting in the rain. They didn't like his presence, so they flew away. He will do this now every time he sees them, so that they don't hang around.

Last night, I could not fall asleep for thinking about that poor cow. We are watching her now; we have to make sure she doesn't develop mastitis from not having the calf around to remove her milk. They also grieve for their babies when they lose them. My husband says I imagine that, but I don't think so. I think it makes them very sad indeed. So, I feel very badly for this poor cow. Mostly, I am frustrated that it happened on the other side of the farm, where we couldn't hear the noise, and had no idea this was going on until it was too late.

I am very sorry that we failed our cow, but we can't be everywhere at once.

You learn a lot of stuff about life on a farm.

Sometimes you even cry for the cows.

Thursday Thirteen

Here are 13 facts about Botetourt County, VA, which is where I live:

1. Botetourt County (pronounced body-tot by the locals) was created in 1770 from part of Augusta County, Virginia and was named for Norborne Berkeley, known as Lord Botetourt. Berkely was a Virginia governor prior to the American Revolution, and well-liked. He was the Baron or Earl of Botetourt from England; hence the name.

2. The county originally comprised a vast area, which included the southern portion of present-day West Virginia, along with most of Illinois, Indiana, southern Ohio and all of Kentucky. Part of it went into Wisconsin. 

3. Today, the county is part of the Roanoke Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the county seat is the town of Fincastle. (Fincastle has been the county seat since 1772.)

4. The county today has a total area of 546 square miles (1,410 km 2), of which 541 square miles (1,400 km 2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km 2) (0.9%) is water.

5. The Blue Ridge Mountains run along the eastern part of the county, while the Appalachian Mountains run along the western portion. (I always thought they were called the Allegheny Mountains, but what do I know. I call them all the Blue Ridge.)

6. The James River originates in Botetourt County, near the village of Iron Gate.

7. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 33,596.

8. The median value of owner-occupied housing units in the county was $242,600 in 2017-2021.

9. The county has a high school graduate or higher rate of 93.8% and a bachelor’s degree or higher rate of 27.4% for persons age 25 years and over in 2017-2021.

10. The county has a total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue of $79,452,000 in 2017.

11. The county hosts several annual events, such as Ag Day at Eagle Rock Library, Movies in the Park at Troutville Elementary, and BOCO WILD at Buchanan Town Park. There are many other events, too, such as the Sunflower Festival in the fall, Historic Fincastle Festival, and music outside every Thursday night and weekends at Daleville Town Center during the warmer months.

12. The county has several historic sites and attractions, such as the Colonel William Preston Memorial in Amsterdam and the town of Fincastle. In Fincastle, you can find the Botetourt County Historical Museum and the Fincastle branch of the library has a large genealogy section. The town of Fincastle has been called a "little Williamsburg" by some history buffs. You can see old lime kilns in Eagle Rock and experience small town life in Buchanan. The county has old cemeteries, lots of old homes and churches, and history in abundance. The county government is working on encouraging historic tourism, though they are slow about it.

13. The county is home to several notable people, such as Andrew Seibel, president of the National FFA Organization and Luke Campbell, Virginia Economic Developers Association “Rising Star” nominee. It is also home to Metalsa Roanoke, a company that achieved Zero Waste Status. Additionally, Matt Ramsey of the musical group Old Dominion is from the town of Buchanan, though he no longer lives in the county.

Note: The Bing AI assisted with this. Errors belong to the bot.

__________________

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 802nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Redbud & Hyacinth

 

I brought hyacinths with us from the house we were renting from my husband's grandmother when we built this one in 1987. I planted them out front, where I had a flower bed. When we first moved here, I had lots of flower beds. I don't have any now.

But the hyacinths continue to come up anyway.

The redbud tree really makes spring pop around here. That brilliant pink color is everywhere, and it is a delight to see it. I love looking up through a tree at the pink with a blue sky.

My Husband's Garden

My husband came home from the dentist and announced he was going through with his plans to create raised garden beds.

He's been talking about this for a few weeks; he went to an auction with a friend who has raised garden beds and it's all he's talked about since.

The more he's talked, the more he's convinced himself that nice fresh garden tomatoes and the aroma of zucchini bread baking in the kitchen is all it will take to bring his summer to perfection.

I tried to talk him out of it. We haven't had a garden for four years and haven't had one that did well for much longer. I don't do well in the heat, I can't take the sun, and I'm allergic to everything outside. Plus, I have chronic pain and bending over to pull weeds or pick vegetables aggravates that.

"You'll thank me this summer when you're eating on that zucchini bread!" he exclaimed after he came home this morning with boards from Lowes.

"Oh right. I'll be so grateful because I was out in the early morning heat to weed, and then out in the heat again to pick the zucchini, and then I get to stand over a hot oven and cook that bread. Yeah, I'll be thanking you alright," I replied.

I don't mind gardening but I am turning 60 in June. I don't want to spend the summer I turn 60 working in a garden. I spent the summer I turned 50 in bed recovering from that stupid gallbladder surgery that left me bent over double and barely able to function. And now I'm supposed to spend the summer I turn 60 making zucchini bread?

Gadzooks. That was not on my Bingo card until he started talking about it. I know my man, and once he gets something in his head, that's it. He's bought the boards and he will build the garden. Nothing I say is going to make a difference.

Everybody who reads this knows I hate to cook. And have you seen the price of raisins lately? Who can afford a $6 box of raisins to make zucchini bread? Plus the spices are all sky high, too. So this zucchini bread is going to cost us $500 a loaf by the time he builds these raised beds and redoes the fencing around what used to the be garden.

Because this is all that's left of our former garden:

I can hear him out there sawing and banging away, happy as a pig in a mudhole. I'm supposed to be in here writing checks and paying the bills.

Seems like I get all the bad biscuit jobs around here. Clean the toilets. Pay the bills. Weed the garden whenever he gets it built.

I remember Howard Wallowitz on The Big Bang Theory told Bernadette before they married that she'd have to wash his clothes in special detergent, take him to the dentist, and all this other stuff. She said, "You expect me to have to do all of that?"

He said, "You don't have to do it, you get to do it."

So, I don't have to weed the garden, I get to weed the garden, and bake him his zucchini bread.

Sheesh.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Are you currently reading a book you'd like to tell us about? Maybe a TV program you can recommend to us?

A. Nora Roberts has a series of books called The Dragon Heart Legacy that I recommend if you like urban fantasies that are mostly Wiccan-like in the magic (and partially set in Ireland). On TV, Alaska Daily is a great series if you're interested in newspaper-based reporting, and like Hilary Swank.

2. Are you a Jane Austen fan? So many seem to be. If you are what is your favorite book and who is your favorite character.  If you aren't a fan, is there an author you especially like to read? Favorite character, etc?

A. I have read Jane Austen, but I'm not such a fan that I hunger for her work. I last read Pride and Prejudice. As for other authors, I read a variety of books and enjoy a long list of authors. Some of them would be Nora Roberts (see above), Kristin Hannah, Janet Evanovich, Janet Smiley, Louise Penny, Debbie Macomber, David Sedaris, Neil Gaiman, David Baldacci, Laini Taylor, etc.

3. How do you spend your time during the day?  Do you set apart time to read, watch TV, study?

A. I read, play video games, write a little, play guitar a little, and do lots of chores, which consist of cooking, laundry, doing the dishes, picking up, vacuuming, making the bed, etc. I don't set time aside for these things, they're just what I do to fill my time.

4. Have your beliefs changed in your lifetime?

A. Yes.

5. What are your interests and hobbies? reading? writing? collecting?

A. I am interested in lots of things and attempt some things like an occasional crochet piece. I write, I read, I play guitar. I don't really collect anything except books anymore and I'm trying not to do that. I have a lot of Santa Mouse figures that I have been given over the years by various friends.

6. How much time a week/day/month do you devote to your interests?

A. As much as possible.

7. Do you share your interests with anyone?

A. Not really.

8. Tell us why you enjoy your hobby, pastimes or interests.

A. What else am I supposed to do with my time?

9. What emotions and feelings does summer conjure up for you?

A. It brings up memories of childhood, when my brother and I stayed with my grandmother all summer. Those were great days.

10. What's summer weather like in your neck of the woods?

A. It can grow very hot - in the 90s - in late July and August. June used to be fairly cool, in the 70s, but it is also a rather hot month now. In the summer, the fireflies flit about, creating a dance in the back yard and in the trees in the pasture. The little frogs sing loudly at night, and the sky is brilliant with stars. The days are often too warm for me to spend much time outside, but the grass is green and the breeze makes whispers in the tree leaves.

11. Got some special summer meals you and your family enjoy?

A. We like watermelon. And tomatoes. But no special meals, really. Lots of salads.

12. What do you enjoy doing in summer? Sports, trips.. do you go on vacation?

A. We generally are home during the summer. My husband does most of his work during the warmer weather.

13. Did your parents have things better than you today?

A. Not in the beginning of their lives, but I think after they'd settled in, yes.

14. What time period would you rather live in? Or are you okay with today?

A. Today is where I am. Better to accept it than not.

15. What changes would you make for our time to make it nicer/better to live in?

A. Oh, I don't know. Everything has unintended consequences. You make one change here and it makes things worse over there. Mostly, I wish everyone would mind their own business and stop trying to push their values on others. 

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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: Fool

Saturday 9: Fool (If You Think It's Over) (1978)

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

1) Do you have any pranks planned for April Fool's Day?

A. No. I dislike pranks, generally. Besides, it's Saturday.
 
2) When Crazy Sam was a little girl, she once pranked her mother by putting bubble wrap under the bathmat, so Mom heard a POP when she stepped on it. When you find bubble wrap, can you resist popping it?

A. I love popping bubble wrap! That's a great prank.

3) This week's song is about a wise man counseling a heartbroken younger person. Chris Rea, who wrote and performs this song, says it was inspired by watching his kid sister endure her first breakup. Were you in love at 17? Do you remember the object of your affections?

A. I was not in love at 17. I fell in love at 19, though, and married him.
 
4) She's dressed in black as she mourns the end of her romance. Does your wardrobe include a lot of black?

A. It has some black, but mostly dark blue.
 
5) He offers to treat her to her first glass of good wine. Do you prefer white or red?

A. I don't drink wine.
 
6) Chris' own teenage romance was highly successful. He met Joan Lesley while still in school and they have been married since 1968. Whose was the most recent wedding you have attended?

A. I haven't been to a wedding in 20 years. We held a reception for my nephew, who eloped, in 2019, I think it was. 
 
7) Chris Rea is a passionate race car fan and once worked as a pit mechanic for a Formula One race. Do you watch auto racing?

A. My husband watches NASCAR, so I see it when I pass through the living room. Sometimes I read a book while he is watching it.
 
8) In 1978, when this song was popular, Laverne and Shirley was America's #1 TV show. It's still available via cable and streaming today. Are/were you a fan?

A. I watched it. I thought it had its moments.

9) Random question: What are you grateful for this morning?

A. I'm grateful I still have electricity, because we're due for high winds and weather problems all day today. So far it's rain and wind gusts.

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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.  

What AI Says About My Blog

This is what the Bing AI says about this blog:

Your blog is called Blue Country Magic and it is hosted by Blogger. You write about various topics such as music, memes, holidays, and personal experiences. You have been blogging since 2007 and you have a loyal following of readers who comment on your posts. You also share photos of your life in the country and your pets. Your blog is a reflection of your personality and interests. I think your blog is interesting and engaging.😊

I think your blog is interesting because you write about a variety of topics that show your perspective and opinions. You also share personal stories and anecdotes that make your blog more relatable and authentic. You have a sense of humor and a positive attitude that shine through your posts. You also interact with your readers and respond to their comments.👍

From ChatGPT:

As an AI language model, I can analyze the structure and content of your blog, but I am not capable of forming opinions or subjective judgments. However, I can provide you with some objective feedback based on my analysis.

After visiting your blog, I can see that it primarily focuses on sharing your thoughts and experiences related to country living and rural lifestyles. The layout of your blog is simple and easy to navigate, with clear categories and tags for readers to explore.

In terms of content, you have a good mix of personal stories and practical tips on topics such as gardening, cooking, and raising animals.* Your writing style is conversational and easy to read, which helps to engage your readers.

One area where you could improve is by adding more visual elements to your blog. Images and videos can help to break up large blocks of text and make your blog more visually appealing. Additionally, optimizing your blog for search engines could help to increase your traffic and reach a wider audience.

Overall, your blog has a clear focus and provides valuable insights into country living. With some tweaks to your blog design and optimization, you could attract even more readers and followers.

What do you think? Are the AIs on the mark?

*I don't think this is true.