Happy Winter Solstice!
Non-Christmas songs that have passed through my head this week:
1. It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To
2. Falling
3. Me and Little Andy (technically a sloppy sentimental maybe kinda Christmas song)
4. Hotel California
5. Sail Away (by Enya)
6. Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay
7. It's Only Rock and Roll
8. Flirtin' With Disaster
9. Joy to the World (Jerimiah Was a Bullfrog)
10. Mustang Sally
11. Dream On (Aerosmith)
12. Dancing Queen
13. Stairway to Heaven
Happy Holidays to my friends who play Thursday Thirteen, and to all of my readers. Thanks for spending part of your life with me here on this blog. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
_______
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 531st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
The Language We Use
I have been thinking a lot about language lately.
My mother hated to be called "lady." As in, "Hey lady, you forgot your grocery bag!" or something. She said that lady was the name of a dog.
I rather like being called lady. For one thing, it doesn't have "man" in it - as in "wo-man." My Shorter Oxford says "woman" is now frequently used pejoratively, as in, "Woman, bring me some more bacon." It is an old word, dating back to Old English and beyond, and mostly refers to "wife."
I think "lady" denotes a better since of personhood, a human being of the feminine (I also like "feminine" better than "fe-male" for similar reasons). It is also an ancient word, but of higher status than "woman."
Okay, so I am being picky. But language is important, in spite of those who are now eschewing education and other forms of higher learning.
For example, our illustrious curse-word-user-in-chief called a bunch of football players sons-of-bitches.
That particular bad language is a throwback on women. Because bitches are female dogs. And bitch is the word most often used with women. Misogynists like to talk like that.
I mean, he could have called them dickheads. Or penis brains. Or assholes. Everybody has one of those; sex is irrelevant there.
There is also that nice word "bastard," which again is a throw-back to the mother. This is Old French, and it refers to someone born out of wedlock, an "illegitimate" child. Which in an of itself is a freaky thing to think, that a person is "illegitimate" for any reason.
Other words like fuck or screw, also refer to violation of a woman.
Think about it. Can you name a curse word that doesn't refer back to the female? I can't, except for maybe "damn." I suppose the curse-word-user-in-chief could have called them dickheads. Or penis brains. Or assholes. Everybody has one of those; sex is irrelevant there.
Our words matter. Language matters. It is being dumbed down every day and we have limited our sentences to 140 characters (that is now 280 as of November 2017 - somebody at twitter decided we needed to be able to complete a sentence, perhaps. Or maybe they hoped it would help the twitter-in-chief write more legibly.).
I am a writer, and when I misuse the language, 999 times out of 1000, it is intentional. I'm doing it to achieve a specific goal. But many people misuse language without thinking about it. Sometimes it turns out ok.
But then other times, you're calling the mothers of football players doggies, and that's just not the thing to do.
My mother hated to be called "lady." As in, "Hey lady, you forgot your grocery bag!" or something. She said that lady was the name of a dog.
I rather like being called lady. For one thing, it doesn't have "man" in it - as in "wo-man." My Shorter Oxford says "woman" is now frequently used pejoratively, as in, "Woman, bring me some more bacon." It is an old word, dating back to Old English and beyond, and mostly refers to "wife."
I think "lady" denotes a better since of personhood, a human being of the feminine (I also like "feminine" better than "fe-male" for similar reasons). It is also an ancient word, but of higher status than "woman."
Okay, so I am being picky. But language is important, in spite of those who are now eschewing education and other forms of higher learning.
For example, our illustrious curse-word-user-in-chief called a bunch of football players sons-of-bitches.
That particular bad language is a throwback on women. Because bitches are female dogs. And bitch is the word most often used with women. Misogynists like to talk like that.
I mean, he could have called them dickheads. Or penis brains. Or assholes. Everybody has one of those; sex is irrelevant there.
There is also that nice word "bastard," which again is a throw-back to the mother. This is Old French, and it refers to someone born out of wedlock, an "illegitimate" child. Which in an of itself is a freaky thing to think, that a person is "illegitimate" for any reason.
Other words like fuck or screw, also refer to violation of a woman.
Think about it. Can you name a curse word that doesn't refer back to the female? I can't, except for maybe "damn." I suppose the curse-word-user-in-chief could have called them dickheads. Or penis brains. Or assholes. Everybody has one of those; sex is irrelevant there.
Our words matter. Language matters. It is being dumbed down every day and we have limited our sentences to 140 characters (that is now 280 as of November 2017 - somebody at twitter decided we needed to be able to complete a sentence, perhaps. Or maybe they hoped it would help the twitter-in-chief write more legibly.).
I am a writer, and when I misuse the language, 999 times out of 1000, it is intentional. I'm doing it to achieve a specific goal. But many people misuse language without thinking about it. Sometimes it turns out ok.
But then other times, you're calling the mothers of football players doggies, and that's just not the thing to do.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Sunday Stealing: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . .
Sunday Stealing
Last week we talked about thing that bug us. This week (and maybe next), how about things that we like about the holidays.
Apologies if you do not celebrate Christmas, but perhaps you can change the some questions to match the winter holiday you do celebrate. I would love to hear from people who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Winter Solstice!
1. What’s your favorite thing about the holidays?
A. The day after they are over. Yes, I am a bit of holiday Ebenezer, having found the days to be over-burdensome and emotionally draining. If I have to pick a second favorite thing, it would be the lights. I do enjoy a good holiday display.
2. Do you send out Christmas cards and if so how many do you send?
A. I send out cards and this year I mailed out 60. The number dwindles the older I grow, as folks pass on. At one time, I sent out double that number.
3. Be honest: holiday newsletters. Love ‘em or dislike ‘em?
A. I read them if they are one page. Two pages, not so much. I don't do one myself.
4. Be honest: photo cards. Love ‘em or dislike 'em?
A. I am not fond of them, but on the other hand, I wouldn't know what some of the cousins' kids look like without them.
5. How soon do you start shopping?
A. Usually September or so.
6. Real or fake tree?
A. We have a fake tree.
7. When do you put up your tree?
A. We usually put it up after Thanksgiving, either that weekend or the following weekend, depending on my husband's work schedule.
8. When do you take down your tree?
A. As soon as I can. There is a theory that one of my friends tosses out that it is bad luck to take down the tree before New Year's, but I have done that. Again, it depends on whether or not I have my husband's assistance.
9. Describe your typical tree (size, decorations, type).
A. Our tree always has multi-colored lights, shiny tinsel, and ornaments that are fire department related or Christmas mouse related. We also use pretty balls and garland.
10. What do you top your tree with?
A. Ours has an angel on it this year. Some years we have used a star.
11. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?
A. Not anymore.
12. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?
A. There was, but the wind blew it off so it is back in the garage.
13. Do you hang up stockings?
A. Yes. My husband and I fill stockings for one another, usually with things like a favorite magazine, Chapstick, a candy bar, or some such.
14. Your favorite Christmas Movie(s).
A. I don't really have one. I usually try to watch It's a Wonderful Life once but frankly I'd just as soon watch the Lord of the Rings.
15. Be honest: A Christmas movie you dislike.
A. I can't think of one, although I think the one with Will Ferrell (?) in it may not be something I watch.
16. Favorite Christmas Song(s).
A. My favorite is Do You Hear What I Hear? I also like Joy to the World and Angels We Have Heard On High just because they both have really neat guitar chord changes in them.
17. Be honest: If I hear this/these Christmas songs again I will throw up.
A. I can't think of anything. I don't listen to them enough to grow bored with them.
18. Give or Receive?
A. Give (and receiving is nice, too, but not mandatory. And for those of you who are always telling me, "don't buy me any present this year," the appropriate thing to do is take the gift, open it, and say, "thank you." That's it. Easy peasy. Leave me alone to buy you something if I want to and accept it with grace. That is all that is required of you. Toss it in the trash when you get home if you want to. But don't give me grief for trying to be a nice person and showing you that I care about you.).
19. Eggnog or Mulled Cider?
A. Just plain cider for me, and boiled custard for the husband.
20. Ham or Turkey?
A. Ham. Although really I prefer the sides, like deviled eggs, green beans, biscuits and gravy.
__________
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.
Last week we talked about thing that bug us. This week (and maybe next), how about things that we like about the holidays.
Apologies if you do not celebrate Christmas, but perhaps you can change the some questions to match the winter holiday you do celebrate. I would love to hear from people who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Winter Solstice!
1. What’s your favorite thing about the holidays?
A. The day after they are over. Yes, I am a bit of holiday Ebenezer, having found the days to be over-burdensome and emotionally draining. If I have to pick a second favorite thing, it would be the lights. I do enjoy a good holiday display.
2. Do you send out Christmas cards and if so how many do you send?
A. I send out cards and this year I mailed out 60. The number dwindles the older I grow, as folks pass on. At one time, I sent out double that number.
3. Be honest: holiday newsletters. Love ‘em or dislike ‘em?
A. I read them if they are one page. Two pages, not so much. I don't do one myself.
4. Be honest: photo cards. Love ‘em or dislike 'em?
A. I am not fond of them, but on the other hand, I wouldn't know what some of the cousins' kids look like without them.
5. How soon do you start shopping?
 |
| Our tree in 2015. Look how crooked that thing is. |
A. Usually September or so.
6. Real or fake tree?
A. We have a fake tree.
7. When do you put up your tree?
A. We usually put it up after Thanksgiving, either that weekend or the following weekend, depending on my husband's work schedule.
8. When do you take down your tree?
A. As soon as I can. There is a theory that one of my friends tosses out that it is bad luck to take down the tree before New Year's, but I have done that. Again, it depends on whether or not I have my husband's assistance.
9. Describe your typical tree (size, decorations, type).
A. Our tree always has multi-colored lights, shiny tinsel, and ornaments that are fire department related or Christmas mouse related. We also use pretty balls and garland.
10. What do you top your tree with?
A. Ours has an angel on it this year. Some years we have used a star.
11. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?
A. Not anymore.
12. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?
A. There was, but the wind blew it off so it is back in the garage.
13. Do you hang up stockings?
A. Yes. My husband and I fill stockings for one another, usually with things like a favorite magazine, Chapstick, a candy bar, or some such.
14. Your favorite Christmas Movie(s).
A. I don't really have one. I usually try to watch It's a Wonderful Life once but frankly I'd just as soon watch the Lord of the Rings.
15. Be honest: A Christmas movie you dislike.
A. I can't think of one, although I think the one with Will Ferrell (?) in it may not be something I watch.
16. Favorite Christmas Song(s).
A. My favorite is Do You Hear What I Hear? I also like Joy to the World and Angels We Have Heard On High just because they both have really neat guitar chord changes in them.
17. Be honest: If I hear this/these Christmas songs again I will throw up.
A. I can't think of anything. I don't listen to them enough to grow bored with them.
18. Give or Receive?
A. Give (and receiving is nice, too, but not mandatory. And for those of you who are always telling me, "don't buy me any present this year," the appropriate thing to do is take the gift, open it, and say, "thank you." That's it. Easy peasy. Leave me alone to buy you something if I want to and accept it with grace. That is all that is required of you. Toss it in the trash when you get home if you want to. But don't give me grief for trying to be a nice person and showing you that I care about you.).
19. Eggnog or Mulled Cider?
A. Just plain cider for me, and boiled custard for the husband.
20. Ham or Turkey?
A. Ham. Although really I prefer the sides, like deviled eggs, green beans, biscuits and gravy.
__________
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, December 16, 2017
Saturday 9: Silent Night
Saturday 9: Silent Night (1957)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) How well do you know "Silent Night?" Without looking up the lyrics, could you sing along with Elvis?
A. I can sing along with Elvis, at least, the first verse. Not sure about the other verses.
2) The Christmas with Elvis album hit the stores in October 1957. Were you already preparing for Christmas back in October?
A. I think I had made a few purchases by then.
3) Clearly Elvis liked a flocked white Christmas tree. Is your tree flocked, aluminum or pine green? Real or artificial? Or do you skip the whole tree thing altogether?
A. My tree is an artificial pencil tree, pine green, with multi-colored twinkling lights (as opposed to blinking).
4) Back in the late 1950s, Elvis left his hair its natural brown color. In the 1960s he began having it dyed black. Do you have a salon appointment scheduled between now and year end?
A. I was supposed to have one Thursday but I was sick. Now it's scheduled for next Friday. We will see if it comes to pass.
5) Have you ever peeked, looking for a Christmas gift you know is hidden for you somewhere in the house?
A. When I was young. I make a big deal out of looking for presents from my husband, but I don't really want to know what I am getting.
6) Which do you prefer, candy canes or gingerbread?
A. Gingerbread.
7) Is anyone receiving a home made or do-it-yourself gift from you this year?
A. I usually give the neighbors homemade goodies, but I have to be well to cook. I won't do it if I am sick and at the moment I am not well enough to breathe on anyone's batter.
8) Do you wrap holiday gifts in paper, or do you take the gift bag route?
A. I do both.
9) This time of year is big for charitable fundraising. Here's your chance to plug a cause or organization that's near and dear to you.
A. To be honest, I think this is an awful time for charities to ask for donations. People are already strapped for money, and lots of localities have taxes due in November or December, and federal tax estimates are due by January 15. I think charities should ask for money in June or July, when people have already paid their taxes and aren't thinking of big purchases for whatever reason. I generally give to my favorite charities in the summer months, not now, except for dropping dollars in the Salvation Army buckets.
But if you need a charity, consider one that fights pancreatic cancer. It is a killer cancer that is seriously underfunded even though it has taken the lives of celebrities such as Steve Jobs and Patrick Swayze. It is one of the few cancers in which the death rate is climbing instead of falling. In fact, it is now the third leading cause of death. This year, over 53,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and over 43,000 will die from it. Seventy-four percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within a year of diagnosis. There is no way to diagnose pancreatic cancer in its early stages, and it has generally advanced beyond help when it is found.
My mother and my husband's aunt both died of pancreatic cancer. I am at risk for it because my mother had it. I have already decided if I should ever be diagnosed with it, I will not accept treatment. The treatment was as bad as the cancer itself, and whatever extra time it gave either woman was not time well lived. I'd rather go six months sooner than live another six months in agony and pain.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has a high rating at Charity Navigator. You can also simply give to the American Cancer Society, although it spends a lot of money trying to make money, so the first might be preferable.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) How well do you know "Silent Night?" Without looking up the lyrics, could you sing along with Elvis?
A. I can sing along with Elvis, at least, the first verse. Not sure about the other verses.
2) The Christmas with Elvis album hit the stores in October 1957. Were you already preparing for Christmas back in October?
A. I think I had made a few purchases by then.
3) Clearly Elvis liked a flocked white Christmas tree. Is your tree flocked, aluminum or pine green? Real or artificial? Or do you skip the whole tree thing altogether?
A. My tree is an artificial pencil tree, pine green, with multi-colored twinkling lights (as opposed to blinking).
4) Back in the late 1950s, Elvis left his hair its natural brown color. In the 1960s he began having it dyed black. Do you have a salon appointment scheduled between now and year end?
A. I was supposed to have one Thursday but I was sick. Now it's scheduled for next Friday. We will see if it comes to pass.
5) Have you ever peeked, looking for a Christmas gift you know is hidden for you somewhere in the house?
A. When I was young. I make a big deal out of looking for presents from my husband, but I don't really want to know what I am getting.
6) Which do you prefer, candy canes or gingerbread?
A. Gingerbread.
7) Is anyone receiving a home made or do-it-yourself gift from you this year?
A. I usually give the neighbors homemade goodies, but I have to be well to cook. I won't do it if I am sick and at the moment I am not well enough to breathe on anyone's batter.
8) Do you wrap holiday gifts in paper, or do you take the gift bag route?
A. I do both.
9) This time of year is big for charitable fundraising. Here's your chance to plug a cause or organization that's near and dear to you.
A. To be honest, I think this is an awful time for charities to ask for donations. People are already strapped for money, and lots of localities have taxes due in November or December, and federal tax estimates are due by January 15. I think charities should ask for money in June or July, when people have already paid their taxes and aren't thinking of big purchases for whatever reason. I generally give to my favorite charities in the summer months, not now, except for dropping dollars in the Salvation Army buckets.
But if you need a charity, consider one that fights pancreatic cancer. It is a killer cancer that is seriously underfunded even though it has taken the lives of celebrities such as Steve Jobs and Patrick Swayze. It is one of the few cancers in which the death rate is climbing instead of falling. In fact, it is now the third leading cause of death. This year, over 53,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and over 43,000 will die from it. Seventy-four percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within a year of diagnosis. There is no way to diagnose pancreatic cancer in its early stages, and it has generally advanced beyond help when it is found.
My mother and my husband's aunt both died of pancreatic cancer. I am at risk for it because my mother had it. I have already decided if I should ever be diagnosed with it, I will not accept treatment. The treatment was as bad as the cancer itself, and whatever extra time it gave either woman was not time well lived. I'd rather go six months sooner than live another six months in agony and pain.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has a high rating at Charity Navigator. You can also simply give to the American Cancer Society, although it spends a lot of money trying to make money, so the first might be preferable.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Thursday Thirteen #530
I live in a rural area, and we all know from the holiday commercials that farmsteads and such are supposed to be the idyllic places that everyone yearns for down deep in their soul.
And while it is very much a lovely space that I live in, it is not all unicorns and butterflies. So I give to you 13 things about rural living that can be - though may not always be - a nuisance or frustration.
1. People set off fireworks. Big fireworks that go "boom" and scare the beejezus out of the cows.
2. People shoot guns all ... day ... long. I shoot guns myself, sometimes (just a .22), but not all ... day ... long. After a while it wears on your nerves. I don't mind a little while. I do mind hours on end.
3. Big cement trucks run up and down the road, because a big cement plant is about five miles from me. They are very loud and I can hear them even though I am 1/4 mile off the street.
4. Hot air balloons sometimes fly over the farm. They are pretty and I like to look at them, but again, they scare the beejezus out of the cows. Nothing like a stampede when the hot air balloon goes "whoosh" to heat up the air to stay aloft. (Fortunately this has not happened for a long time and I hope I'm not bringing the sky gods down on me for mentioning it.)
5. Thistle. I know this is good for some things that ail you, but thistle in the pasture is not good for the cows. It's not good for my clothes, either.
6. Bad weather means the roads are among the last plowed. My husband and other farmers sometimes plow the roads in front of their farms before the state comes through.
7. Round Up. I hate weed killer but my husband uses it liberally along the fence row, mostly because we have an electric fence and the weeds will short it out. I make him strip all of his clothes outside and water them down with a water hose and leave them, literally, for weeks out in the sun and rain to get the chemicals off of them before I will put them in the wash.
8. Wild animals. I enjoy watching the wildlife and it is exciting to see a bear in the backyard. It is not so exciting to watch deer nibble my rose bushes to nothing, or to grow a garden only to find that the wild animals got to it the night before harvest.
9. Stray animals. I don't know why people think farms are the places to drop dogs and cats, but they are not. We can't take care of them and the barn only has so many mice. They ultimately end up at the local shelter, which is where you, whoever you are, should have taken them in the first place if you couldn't keep them. Better yet, if you can't take care of an animal, don't get one.
10. Dead deer. Unfortunately, we find dead deer in the fields quite often. One year I counted 21. We bury them because (1) the state takes forever to come along and get them; (2) usually they have run out of the state's right-of-way and the state won't take them anyway and (3) you can't leave them in the fields for the buzzards because then the bones, etc., get into the hay and can damage the machinery. We have a special dead deer cemetery area.
11. Poor cell phone service. There are towers near the interstate, but out here, the service is poor. For a long time I could only get service on my cellphone in the garage. It's a little better now, but still not great.
12. Poor Internet service. I have DSL and that is all I will have unless I got to a mobile hot spot or something. It doesn't pay the phone company to run a fiber line down this way because it has so much space to cross for too few people.
13. No Christmas lights. This may not seem like a hardship, but I really like Christmas lights. And out here, where so many people live a long way off the road, we simply don't see that many. We have to take tours of the subdivisions.
_______
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 530th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
And while it is very much a lovely space that I live in, it is not all unicorns and butterflies. So I give to you 13 things about rural living that can be - though may not always be - a nuisance or frustration.
1. People set off fireworks. Big fireworks that go "boom" and scare the beejezus out of the cows.
2. People shoot guns all ... day ... long. I shoot guns myself, sometimes (just a .22), but not all ... day ... long. After a while it wears on your nerves. I don't mind a little while. I do mind hours on end.
3. Big cement trucks run up and down the road, because a big cement plant is about five miles from me. They are very loud and I can hear them even though I am 1/4 mile off the street.
4. Hot air balloons sometimes fly over the farm. They are pretty and I like to look at them, but again, they scare the beejezus out of the cows. Nothing like a stampede when the hot air balloon goes "whoosh" to heat up the air to stay aloft. (Fortunately this has not happened for a long time and I hope I'm not bringing the sky gods down on me for mentioning it.)
5. Thistle. I know this is good for some things that ail you, but thistle in the pasture is not good for the cows. It's not good for my clothes, either.
6. Bad weather means the roads are among the last plowed. My husband and other farmers sometimes plow the roads in front of their farms before the state comes through.
7. Round Up. I hate weed killer but my husband uses it liberally along the fence row, mostly because we have an electric fence and the weeds will short it out. I make him strip all of his clothes outside and water them down with a water hose and leave them, literally, for weeks out in the sun and rain to get the chemicals off of them before I will put them in the wash.
8. Wild animals. I enjoy watching the wildlife and it is exciting to see a bear in the backyard. It is not so exciting to watch deer nibble my rose bushes to nothing, or to grow a garden only to find that the wild animals got to it the night before harvest.
9. Stray animals. I don't know why people think farms are the places to drop dogs and cats, but they are not. We can't take care of them and the barn only has so many mice. They ultimately end up at the local shelter, which is where you, whoever you are, should have taken them in the first place if you couldn't keep them. Better yet, if you can't take care of an animal, don't get one.
10. Dead deer. Unfortunately, we find dead deer in the fields quite often. One year I counted 21. We bury them because (1) the state takes forever to come along and get them; (2) usually they have run out of the state's right-of-way and the state won't take them anyway and (3) you can't leave them in the fields for the buzzards because then the bones, etc., get into the hay and can damage the machinery. We have a special dead deer cemetery area.
11. Poor cell phone service. There are towers near the interstate, but out here, the service is poor. For a long time I could only get service on my cellphone in the garage. It's a little better now, but still not great.
12. Poor Internet service. I have DSL and that is all I will have unless I got to a mobile hot spot or something. It doesn't pay the phone company to run a fiber line down this way because it has so much space to cross for too few people.
13. No Christmas lights. This may not seem like a hardship, but I really like Christmas lights. And out here, where so many people live a long way off the road, we simply don't see that many. We have to take tours of the subdivisions.
_______
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 530th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
A Turkey in the Persimmon Tree
We came home Monday evening to find not a partridge in a pear tree, but turkeys in the persimmon tree.
This was, by far, the largest flock of turkeys I have seen on the farm. We counted over 30, although not that many show up in the photo. I believe they are this year's hatchlings, because I saw several hens with chicks this summer. It looks like they've teamed up for the winter.
I shot this with my little Nikon Coolpix that I keep in the car (still not used to reaching for the smartphone for the camera). It's a small, thin camera that I picked up for $60 at Walmart a few days after Black Friday about five years ago now. It takes great photos to be so small and slender. I slip it into my coat pocket frequently because it does such a nice job.
Still, I need to remember that I have not only Nikon cameras at my beck and call, but also a smartphone with a decent camera in it.
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
A Little Frosting
Saturday morning we woke to a light blanket of snow. The kind that makes things look pretty and then goes away (the best kind, really, if you must drive and work in cold weather).
Obligatory snow pictures:
Photos taken with Nikon Coolpix P500.
Obligatory snow pictures:
Photos taken with Nikon Coolpix P500.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Sunday Stealing: Bah Humbug
Sunday Stealing: Bah Humbug!
Bah Humbug! Before we get all warm and cozy for the upcoming holidays, here's a chance to let out all those angry feelings you've been harboring.
_____________
Country Dew says: Words like "loathe" and "hate" are very strong words that I seldom use. They are reserved for important moments. So I have changed those to "dislike."
_____________
TV show I dislike: Anything on Fox.
Movie I dislike: You Don't Mess with the Zohan, or basically anything with Adam Sandler in it.
Music genres I dislike: I'm not a big fan of rap. Mostly, I don't understand it.
Magazine which annoys me: Any of them that have smelly advertising in them.
Makes me cranky at restaurant: People talking on their cellphones instead of gazing into one another eyes, or at least keeping a check on their kids.
Makes me cranky in public: The public.
Makes me impatient at home: Having a sick husband.
Makes me impatient at work: I don't have a job now.
Celebrity I dislike: I'm not fond of Clint Eastwood or Adam Sandler.
Music artist I dislike: I really don't know. If I am not fond of someone I don't listen to them.
I could not care less about: the lives of celebrities.
Blogger's habit that annoys you: Do you mean like Blogger the program? Or a specific blogger? The answer is "nothing" in either case.
Feature on your blog you dislike: Nothing.
Politician that you dislike: Bob Goodlatte, 6th District Congressman for Virginia, and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
__________
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.
Bah Humbug! Before we get all warm and cozy for the upcoming holidays, here's a chance to let out all those angry feelings you've been harboring.
_____________
Country Dew says: Words like "loathe" and "hate" are very strong words that I seldom use. They are reserved for important moments. So I have changed those to "dislike."
_____________
TV show I dislike: Anything on Fox.
Movie I dislike: You Don't Mess with the Zohan, or basically anything with Adam Sandler in it.
Music genres I dislike: I'm not a big fan of rap. Mostly, I don't understand it.
Magazine which annoys me: Any of them that have smelly advertising in them.
Makes me cranky at restaurant: People talking on their cellphones instead of gazing into one another eyes, or at least keeping a check on their kids.
Makes me cranky in public: The public.
Makes me impatient at home: Having a sick husband.
Makes me impatient at work: I don't have a job now.
Celebrity I dislike: I'm not fond of Clint Eastwood or Adam Sandler.
Music artist I dislike: I really don't know. If I am not fond of someone I don't listen to them.
I could not care less about: the lives of celebrities.
Blogger's habit that annoys you: Do you mean like Blogger the program? Or a specific blogger? The answer is "nothing" in either case.
Feature on your blog you dislike: Nothing.
Politician that you dislike: Bob Goodlatte, 6th District Congressman for Virginia, and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
__________
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, December 09, 2017
Saturday 9: My Church
Saturday 9: My Church (2016)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about a woman who loves singing along with her car radio. Is that something you enjoy?
A. Yes, I enjoy doing that.
2) The video begins with Maren Morris finishing her cigarette before getting behind the wheel. Do you allow smoking in your car?
A. I do not allow smoking within visual site of me. So no.
3) In this song, Maren admits she's lied. What's the last fib you told?
A. Well, it's Christmas so there is lots of sneaking going on about purchases and such. Little white lies to be revealed on the big day. I try not to tell big lies because it can get complicated, trying to keep the story straight. The truth doesn't require any such transmogrifications.
4) She mentions having her radio on the FM dial. Are you loyal to a single radio station? Or do you spin the dial?
A. I mostly listen to Q99 or Steve FM (both adult top 40) on our stations, but depending on my mood, I might hit NPR.
5) Maren was inspired to write this song while on a long car trip from Nashville to Los Angeles. When do you get your best ideas? (In the shower, behind the wheel, over lunch with friends ...)
A. I'm not sure I have a particular time. The shower is good, but so is that time just before you're fully awake and the dreams are still catchable. Inspiration comes anytime I am open.
6) She performed this song on Saturday Night Live last year. The host that week was John Cenna. Do you follow professional wrestling?
A. I do not. My grandfather was a big fan and he watched it when we were kids. I remember watching it with him sometimes. That was a very long time ago.
7) In 2016, when this song was popular, Alex Rodriguez played his final Major League Baseball game. He has embarked on a second career as a broadcaster. Would you be comfortable on camera?
A. Not unless the camera can make me look thinner.
8) A 2016 study revealed that 43% of Americans own mutual funds, many in their 401(k)s and IRAs. Are you involved in the stock market?
A. We have our retirement accounts in the stock market.
9) Random question: You have something awkward and embarrassing that you simply must tell a pal. You know your friend will not be happy with the news. Would you prefer to deliver it by email, in a phone call, or face to face?
A. I would do it face to face, if it is that bad.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about a woman who loves singing along with her car radio. Is that something you enjoy?
A. Yes, I enjoy doing that.
2) The video begins with Maren Morris finishing her cigarette before getting behind the wheel. Do you allow smoking in your car?
A. I do not allow smoking within visual site of me. So no.
3) In this song, Maren admits she's lied. What's the last fib you told?
A. Well, it's Christmas so there is lots of sneaking going on about purchases and such. Little white lies to be revealed on the big day. I try not to tell big lies because it can get complicated, trying to keep the story straight. The truth doesn't require any such transmogrifications.
4) She mentions having her radio on the FM dial. Are you loyal to a single radio station? Or do you spin the dial?
A. I mostly listen to Q99 or Steve FM (both adult top 40) on our stations, but depending on my mood, I might hit NPR.
5) Maren was inspired to write this song while on a long car trip from Nashville to Los Angeles. When do you get your best ideas? (In the shower, behind the wheel, over lunch with friends ...)
A. I'm not sure I have a particular time. The shower is good, but so is that time just before you're fully awake and the dreams are still catchable. Inspiration comes anytime I am open.
6) She performed this song on Saturday Night Live last year. The host that week was John Cenna. Do you follow professional wrestling?
A. I do not. My grandfather was a big fan and he watched it when we were kids. I remember watching it with him sometimes. That was a very long time ago.
7) In 2016, when this song was popular, Alex Rodriguez played his final Major League Baseball game. He has embarked on a second career as a broadcaster. Would you be comfortable on camera?
A. Not unless the camera can make me look thinner.
8) A 2016 study revealed that 43% of Americans own mutual funds, many in their 401(k)s and IRAs. Are you involved in the stock market?
A. We have our retirement accounts in the stock market.
9) Random question: You have something awkward and embarrassing that you simply must tell a pal. You know your friend will not be happy with the news. Would you prefer to deliver it by email, in a phone call, or face to face?
A. I would do it face to face, if it is that bad.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
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