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July 22, 2015 I'm going to start today to record on a daily basis whatever happens to strike my fancy. So, it is a very cool breezy day. I just posted 5 short book reviews to The Monthly Reading Challenge. I'm suppose to put away some winter wood today from the woodpile outside but I'm playing hookey from work to write so starting this blog will get done. I'm having a daily fight with a flock of English Sparrows that are trying to take over my barn. They are making a terrible mess so they have to go. I have destroyed several nests so far they don't leave but they get out of the barn when I am around. I'm just starting the fight so I guess I don't know how far I have to go to discourage them. I'm trying not to spread myself to thin on WDC because I find so many things that are interesting here and I am trying to work on a new story. I really enjoy sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and reading blogs on WDC. |
Shelters are seeing an increase in adoption and fostering rates right now since nobody wants to be #SaferAtHome alone! Tell us about your pet. If you don’t have one, tell us about your ideal pet!  ADOPT?  I have 4 four-legged friends living in the house with me. One dog and 3 cats. Plus two parrots. Having 3 cats was not exactly planned. The first cat showed up in the barn 3 springs ago after a desperate storm threw a couple feet of snow at up over night.I left her in the barn for a day thinking she would leave after two days of sunshine but she did not. Lots of times over the years animals have taken shelter for a day or two in our barn then went back wherever they came from. This cat stayed and yowled at me and followed me around like a street person who needed a dime. End result I took her into my home where she happily became a resident. I took her to the vet who gave her a rabies shot and informed me she was nurtured. Last spring my daughter was looking for homes for kittens that were dumped in her yard. I took one of those too. It turned out to be a Bengal Kitten. It's now bigger than my dog and full of mischief. She had her shots and neutering last summer. The third is a nurtured male out of a shelter near my daughters home. My granddaughter had to give him up because her step dad says he developed severe allergies to cats. These are all very nice cats. If they did not live here where would they be? I have an unheated enclosed balcony where I keep cat boxes and food. There are cat doors that are open all year round so they can get onto the balcony whenever they want. I chore the cat boxes 6 days a week. Not on Sunday. Around here cats show up all the time. At one time it was a really desperate situation. If they don't get neutered spring finds more and more feral cats around. For awhile Anna Shelter took a hand and started neutering cats for free if the shots were paid for, so people took to catching cats getting their vaccinations (About 12 dollars a cat) having them neutered then turning them loose. Some people are willing to control feral cat colonies and feed them. I had to put a stop to it. There are a lot more cats without homes than dogs. Shelters frown on the elderly adopting a pet. They would not let my daughter's mother-in-law adopt a dog but, I think I heard that situation was taken care of last year. People don't want me to have another dog. Which I would really like to adopt a second dog. I have a small mix between a Pomeranian and a jack Russel terrier. He goes out with me for walks, He has all kinds of obedience training, and alerts when someone is on the road or property or at the door. We play with his toys when it is too cold to go out which keeps us both exercised. Dogs should be guarding homes, but not asked to give up their lives in some kind of ridiculous sic'um attitude. Given to them by an owner who does not really understand dogs don't like to hurt people. I have read and heard on news reports that they are still euthanizing 7 to 10 dogs a day. Because they can't find enough homes. Now, they are saying how many people are getting dogs because they are at home. Will the shelters be getting those animals back when people go back to work? How well will those animals be kept when they are at home alone all day? I took a kennel course when I was 21. It was a mail order course, which I still have. Then in the 70's I took a Vet assistance course. In the 60's I learned how to give my own inoculations to horses from a Vet who treated our stabled animals. Plus, when I lived in Texas all my friends were animal people. A groomer took me under her wing and taught me professional dog grooming. I've lived with more animals throughout my life than people. You would be surprised the amount of professional people who give out good solid animal treatment and training clues if you are sincerely interested in the well fair of creatures. All the parrot info I learned was through books and magazines, and of course the internet. Wild bird counting I learned from numerous sources. In 1917 a free pets Facebook group I belong to had many free dogs on it. At one point they were warning people not to give away dogs because a dog fighting ring had started up and they were using cats to bait and teach dogs to kill each other and other types of animals. At this point I began to think of the people as the animals. And, last year online I discovered that many of the shelters in the North East were joining in an effort to take every dog into a shelter that did not have a proper home. Now the restrictions for adopting have been tightened. And the fees for adopting have been raised. The free Facebook page doesn't have anything but cats and small animals anymore. Of course I'm presently out of the loop when it comes to adoption. Still it would be nice to have another large dog to back up my small dog. I find the animal situation more controversial as the years move forward. So many pros and cons to proper animal care and proper adoption procedures. I think if an animal stays in a shelter for a very long time before it is adopted it will have to go through a culture change before it feels at home in a new forever home. Crate training should be a must but the owner should be taught about the pros and cons of using a crate in the right and wrong ways. They are our little alien children no matter what species you are harboring take good care of them and you have a friend you can trust. |
How have you been (or not been) keeping track of the days?  Quotes for today come from: https://www.nsc.org/company/safety-quotes 1. “We must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." – Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy 2. “Teaching the world to be careful is a constructive service worthy of God’s great gift of life to man." – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harold H. Burton (1946) 3. “The safety of the people shall be the highest law." – Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman philosopher born in 106 BC I found a lot of really good thoughts on this page of quotes. I wasn't sure which ones to share so I linked it. Days of The Year, Month?? My phone is with me constantly so if I need to check the day or time, there it is. When I sit down to a computer the date and time are in the lower right hand corner. If I'm on a kindle I tap the screen and there it is yep, date and time. If I turn on the TV yep, you guessed i,t date and time. And, me, I just don't always look sometimes I'm reading, look up and it's time to fix lunch or time to do evening chores or past time for the 6 o"clock news. I'm reminded like this every day to the point when I wonder why. When I was growing up on this piece of property we rarely looked at a clock. The adults may have kept time of day but, not the kids. Now, if I look up from a book and look out a window I can pretty much tell it's time to do evening chores or if I have some time to read more of my story. It's the way the light hits the East or West windows that tells me. So, if all the time pieces cease I bet I'll still be pretty close to a daily schedule. I would wonder why people over the years cared about time but, it's obvious they did because sun dials, clocks, and time pieces of all kinds continue to be manufactured and used. Now we use the world clock to keep us synced. I read a book about the comparison of the science of Physics and Christianity. It had a thought to ponder. "What is it going to be like to not have time as a stabilizing factor in life or to never age or never live on an aging schedule? To be free of all constraints of time and dates? Pandemic keeps us home. We are free though, to rise or sleep or garden, or play games never worry about getting to a meeting or work or time. Try it. Think if you have to get to a meeting in heaven how it just happens without time or date involvement. I can't even express what occurs in my mind with a thought like this. The apostles must have experienced some real win-gee thinking as they followed The Christ around.  ![Merit Badge in Point of View
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Have you learned anything or acquired any habits during this quarantine/lock-down that you plan on keeping with you and/or practicing once it is lifted?   Two Quotes : Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health. Dalai Lama “ You don't have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you. Dan Millman “ https://www.wiseoldsayings.com/keep-calm-quotes/ HABITUAL CHANGE “ I guess the fact that K is home 24/7 is the only new thing. For the last 40 years, he was in the habit, if he had time off work, of making up some excuse every day to get in the car and go somewhere. Now, he virtually stays home 24 hours of the day. He suffers more from cabin fever than I do. Still, he is getting along better than I would have expected. Once in awhile I get antsy just because he is here all the time. I'm used to having some time to myself each week. So, this is different. This morning it was actually kind of fun to pitch out the pony manure from the barn and drive the 4 wheeler and cart out to the field to spread it. It's time to start picking up wind falls from the yard before the grass gets to high to see the smaller branches. I believe we will have to start mowing the yard any day soon. I'm looking forward to more outdoor work as the spring moves into summer. Lots to do before next fall hits. As far as I can figure, I have not acquired any new habits. I've been doing some shopping online for a couple years but, now I will be extending the way I shop online. I like grocery shopping online but, there are some benefits to buying groceries in stores too.One of them is you get to actually look at merchandise-size, material, weight, when you touch it. Clothing and shoes also, I'm going to buy new tennis shoes and I'm hard to fit so buying shoes online is a scary thing for me. We will see if they extend or open stores around. This really isn't over. There are now 4 cases of corona in a community just 2 miles away. K read that the Amish are continuing to have regular gatherings. My son and I have discussed how when people are turned loose there will probably be a surge of cases in the rural area because people here are adverse to wearing masks. The very fact that they are used to being isolated in their homes because of being rural seems to make them less cautious than a city dweller would be. Also, there are lots of people who don't even get flu shots, Health care use to belong to people who had extra good jobs. The rest of us had none. My children grew up without us having any special access to health care. If we had flu we just lived through it. If we had colds we got over them. As a child I was use to going outside to play in rain, snow, and sleet. The biggest caution was not to go out during thunder and lightning of which there seems to me to be a great deal more, than when I was a child. Even then I could play in the barn. It had a lightning rod on top. ALWAYS EXPECT NEW BEGINNINGS  |
What do you think you'd be doing today if this pandemic had never happened?   Quote: “The more you feed your mind with positive thoughts, the more you can attract great things into your life.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/being-positive STILL HERE  I would probably be doing just what I'm doing today. Which is blogging, cooking, puzzles, Township, dishes,reading, feeding 4 legged hungry mob of mine, and other minor Monday chores. Last week I downloaded directions and sewed 3 masks. Just so you know I was called away from computer yesterday just as I posted my blog and did not send out any comments so I'm going to try to do double duty today and see what other bloggers were writing yesterday. My refurbished computer came with a smaller keyboard. I like it but getting used to it will take awhile. Greetings to all and stay safe.   |
How has your idea of lockdown/quarantine changed since the beginning of this month?  RECLUSIVE Even though I'm severely introverted it took me a long time to realize the safety in being a recluse. I always gravitated to friendships with animals and birds. My interest in gaining knowledge of obscure types helped me understand a lot about human relationships. Then, I went to college as an adult and professors helped me chose classes and learn things that other people learn at a younger age. Just social skills with humans, which I lack on a major basis. I used to read a lot of Psalms when I was a child. My Grandfather, who lived in Florida, sent me a New Testament which included a copy of the Psalms. The Psalms are still one of my favorite books of the bible. They are poetic and musical. Some are attributed to David, an Israeli King. Before he, David, was a king, he was a child who was sent out to guard the sheep. He sang to them and played his Lute? He protected them with his life and he thought deep thoughts in the night as he watched the stars over head or sheltered from storms in a tent. I think reading them will tell you thoughts that all people have no matter how alone you are or what kind of society you live in or what your life style may be. It's true they show a religious dependence on God, but in the end the Psalms and Proverbs describe every type of human action people may encounter in life. So, I had a premonition and grocery shopped in March for something that was headed our way. I usually only go out about once a month for groceries. Now it has been 7 weeks since I was any where. I take walks with my dog. Last week I went down to the mail box and a female neighbor was driving her lawn mower down the road with a cart full of mulch. We exchanged smiles and waves. Which is what we would have done on any other day. When they closed down everything in April K first went on a 14 day leave then the auto sale where he works closed for the rest of the month. He spends a lot of time on Facebook talking to his relatives and some acquaintances. He is a people person so this is more a problem to him. Not being able to just get in the car and go somewhere. I'm using the time to reorganize and clean in places I have not bothered with for a long time. I'm reading books and putting together puzzles and watching some TV and playing Township on my Kindle. Yesterday the sun was shining. I straightened up the front porch and then sat in a porch swing and just listened to spring. Robins were singing. Red squirrels were chattering and chasing up and down trees. A normal spring day except--no traffic on the road at all. Not one car drove by the whole time I was outside. That was normal for this road when I was 16 but not normal now. Usually lots of traffic all day long. We watched a program this week on PBS about what is coming to everyone environmentally in the next few years. More storms, severe environmental changes, possibly more viruses to fight. Then on the news NBC or CBS they did a comparison of the atmosphere in different places before April and now when so much transportation has been stopped. The pictures in some of places showed marked changes in the atmosphere--fewer smog, clearer pictures. They showed the massive amounts of solar panels and wind mills going up in places. The UK has huge massive windmills in the waters off their coast. So, perhaps we are fighting a virus problem that can be stopped by staying at home. But, it is obvious that it will change a lot of attitudes. Many people will learn how to be less social and enjoy and relax more quiet. I think there will be a lot of changes before this is finished maybe good maybe bad depending on what you expect out of life. This is a good time to learn to live in the moment one day at a time. In the meantime I'm just here.. |
Describe the best place to hide in your home (closet, bed - under it or the covers, basement, attic, behind the couch, in a cupboard, etc.), and why it is the best?  HIDING I don't really think there is a good place to hide in my home. it would depend on why you were hiding. Maybe in the shower because we keep the shower curtain fully closed to let it air and dry. So, you might step into the shower and hide behind the curtain. Some times the cat hides behind the sofa then leaps up onto the back when I sit down. The cats play a lot. They hide behind sofa, or a room door and leap out at each other. Lots of fun to watch them think up ways to startle each other. Also, the house has 3 floors. I used to go through all the floors and look in each room when I came home from school on a night when k was working late. There is a closet in the basement in a room that is being used to store tools but, I think you would have to be crazy to hide in there The closet is very small and old coats are there it's just not a place to be comfortable. Getting in and out would be a chore because the door is metal and creaks when opened or shut. All our doors have bar locks and windows also. So, nobody is going to come in after hours unless we let them in. I always kind of think if fire or police need to get in to help some one you would have to break the door or a window to make that work. Hiding in our house is never going to be easy because of the dog and cats. They would be sure to tell on someone if they were trying to hide any where. I'm up and running again with a refurbished computer so hopefully I will be back more regularly again. Also, using the stay at home time to get some special house cleaning done. ![Merit Badge in Job Well Done
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| 4/14 Staying at Home: Storytime Which items in your home have a story of how they came to be there.  Yep! 6 inches of snow all over everything this weekend. Poor crocus, still there though, snow gone now.Quote: This is from a really good detective story: "Most of the bridges you try to cross before you come to them turn out to be imaginary anyway." "SONGBIRD" by Peter Gainger STORYTIME  Lots of things in our house have a small story I guess. The cat tree in the living room came with my granddaughters cat when her step dad kicked the cat out of the house. I always wanted a cat tree so this one is nice to have and the three cats all use it. The top bed on it is 6 feet in the air but two of the cats are young and have no problem getting up there and sleeping. Scamp, the cat who came with the tree, accidentally got out of the house when some groceries were being delivered a week ago. I did not know he was out until an hour later I heard someone knocking at the back door. When I opened the door Scamp charged in having satisfied himself about the outside wilderness he needed a safe warn spot for his afternoon nap. I never had a cat that would knock on the door to get in before. I took guitar lessons in the 80's. I started on an old beatup guitar that I paid 5 dollars for at an Airforce second hand shop in the 60's. When I bought the first guitar I sent away for a lesson book and took free lessons on PBS on a San Antonio TV station. When I started lessons in the 80's it was with a local teacher who played classic guitar. The old guitar was difficult to tune. After a few lessons I saved up some egg money and bought a new classic quitar. At the time it was a true extravagance of cash. The music store owner who sold me the new instrument told me all about how each quitar had a one time special emblem in the center, a very intricate design. The sound of the new quitar was exceptionally better. Now, I don't even know what happened to the old quitar. I think I gave it away. My father-in-law had perfect pitch and played a range of stringed instruments. At some point he stopped playing as he aged. Then he sold all his banjo, guitar, etc. When he was in the hospital at the end of his life we visited him. He asked me if I still played my guitar and if I stopped playing, if I would ever sell it. That was many years ago but, my answer is still no. I won't sell it and I will keep playing as long as I can. I visited this same question just recently in regards to my saddle and bridle that I own from my last horse, a chestnut throughbred, 16.2 hands tall. It's been 25 years since I rode a horse. I doubt I would even feel safe mounting up again even on a smaller calm variety of steed. Yet, the tack is part of me and I have no interest in selling these parts of my past activities. I clean the tack once every year keeping it well oiled. There are certain nostalgic memories brought up from the smell of saddle soap and oil. Nope. I'm still riding my bike. Gotta keep that too.  Interesting thought. The things I want to sell or give away I can't get rid of: the ones I want to keep I could get rid of in a minute. ![Merit Badge in Golden Reader Award
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~Minja](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Golden_Reader_Award-1945677_14.gif) Guess I better give the computer back to K now. See Ya! |
| Family Movie Night! Pick two movies your family and close friends can come over and watch. Give us a brief synopsis (no spoilers!) and share with us what you'll be snacking on throughout. As of right now. Our WiFi is not letting us use it at a normal rate. I don't know if it is related to the covid-19 or not. But, we could not have people over to watch any movie. One of the movies we are looking forward to is 1917 a movie just out about WWI. We also tried to start watching the TV series called BOSCH last evening on our fire stick but had a lot of trouble loading the series as the WiFi continued to warn us about slow WiFi. Really like this series and read the books about this character as well. This never happened here before. I'm using Keith's computer today. Usually will not use it only for necessary things. I will not be back on a regular basis until I can get a computer of my own set up again which may take some time. As for snacks and treats for movies. Popcorn is still my favorite. Easy to make and yummy any time of day or night. Probably served with Ice Tea, cola, chunks of cheese, or juice of a variety of flavors. Sunshine today and grass is starting to grow. I think spring is really here. Happy Trails. Keep On Keep-in On. |
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