Within five seconds I saw a chipmunk climb a tree and a hummingbird. Usually you see chipmunks scurry on the ground. I know they can climb trees but it was an unusual place to see it. The animal was attracted by the scattered birdseed on the ground–some of it dropped by the feeding birds. I have only seen a chipmunk climb a tree several times and I am always surprised when I see one do that. I do not see chipmunks too often in this area but I know they are around. I always love watching its antics.
Tags: bird feeding, birds, birdseed, chipmunk, hummingbird, I saw a chipmunk and hummingbird at the same time, the chipmunk was climbing the tree, the dropped birdseed attracts the chipmunks
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, time |
There is nothing like home sweet home. I was gone for a week visiting an old friend. My wife was “sigless”. In the interim, the trees have become greener and the temperature had gotten a little warmer. The lilac bush is abloom. I really have to walk around my yard to note the changes. It has not gotten too hot yet so the primrose still are blooming. I am just glad to be home. I can make my own morning coffee just the way I like to and play my own music any time I want to. I noted, again, how beautiful the area I live in is. We can get too comfortable in our own surrounding. It is good to get away once in awhile. You appreciate your wife and your immediate surroundings better.
Tags: absence makes you fonder of wife, appreciating your surroundings and wife better, flowers, garden, home sweet home, lilac bush, making your own coffee, morning coffee, my wife, Playing your own music, primrose, visiting an old friend
Posted in balance, beauty, flowers, life, local, marriage, music, nature, relationships, seasons, time, wisdom |
Diet won’t do it alone. Sure, you have to watch what you eat but diet combined with exercise and then you will lose weight. When I went to high school, we had gym every day. No wonder the youth are often overweight. They might get gym once a week and our nation decries how obesity is a problem for our youth and tries to control it by limiting what the youth can eat in the their (???) cafeterias. It is a losing battle. You just have to get more exercise. Go back to having gym every day five times a week in high school and I guarantee obesity will be less a problem.
Tags: diet, diet combined with exercises, exercise, have gym five days a week in high school, high school, losing weight, obesity and the youth, overweight, youth
Posted in balance, children, health, knowledge&learning, time |
The Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans was fascinating but sad at the same time. The different display of fish and other life was fascinating. As far as I could tell there were fish who lived in the ocean and also in the Gulf. There were an amazing variety of life in these aquariums. But in one display there was, at least, one seal and I felt bad for the seal. It was enclosed and could not roam as a wild seal. It did not seem very happy and all kinds of people were gawking at it. There might have been a second seal in that cage but I no longer remember if there was. The aquarium was not that big for it. The seal ought to be free and wild. It just made me sad.
Tags: aquarium, Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, fish, Gulf, New Orleans, ocean, such a variety of fish, the enclosed seal, the seal ought to be free and wild, The wild life in the aquarium was fascinating
Posted in animals, beauty, life, nature, time, wisdom |
Old habit die slower (???). We usually have a limited budget (as many others). Once I had a unlimited budget for food shopping and still I was pinching pennies. I just was so used to comparing prices and getting the best deal that I could. I could not break myself of that habit and was still looking and comparing the prices of different items. Old habits die slowly.
Tags: "stretching your money", comparing prices, food shopping, getting the best deal, habits, limited budget, old habits die slowly, pinching pennies
Posted in balance, life, local, money, time, wisdom |
Having a childhood friend is a real gift. We have a history. He knew my parents and the sisters. We have a connection I do not necessarily understand but it is there. He is retired now. I am not working so I can visit him any time. He and I were on our high school tennis team. In our freshman year, in the county championship we played second doubles and won and the newspaper reporter covering the match called us ‘peanut sized freshman’. (???) He did grow up to be six foot. I didn’t. Now he lives with his wife in New Orleans. He used to live in Ohio and we camped in PA for at least five years in a row in a state park somewhat equidistant from our homes. We have seen each other at least the last eight years once a year. We had a long period we were out of touch–over thirty years. I did not know where he lived but my sister went to a high school reunion and I found out from her what city he lived in and I tracked him down. He still makes me laugh with his wry, understated humor. And I found out we still have a “connection”. We never run out of things to discuss. Not many people have that kind of history with a childhood friend. We attended the same grammar school grades and high school. I know he is a real gift.
Tags: camping, childhood friend, county championship, He still makes me laugh after fifty years, high school reunion, high school tennis team, my parents, my sisters, New Orleans, Ohio, PA, We attended the same high school, we have a history, We still have a "connection" after all these years, We were in the same grades in grammar school, We were on the tennis team
Posted in humor, relationships, time |
We were looking for alligators. And red-cockaded woodpeckers who are on the endangered list. They were in a certain tract of land and we had no luck spotting any. We went on several paths that also went through marsh but had no luck in spotting any alligators. It was just too cold. We did spot quite a few large turtles in the water but that is all. And one snake.
Tags: Big Branch National Wildlife Preserve, birds, endangered list, marsh, red-cockaded woodpeckers, snake, spotted quite a few large turtles in the marsh, the search for alligators, turtles
Posted in animals, birds, nature, time |
The “kiddies” were all taking pictures of the different fish in the aquarium with their I Phones and I Pads. Everyone had them. I read, presently, more photos are being taken with those devices than regular cameras. These kids grew up with that technology so it really should not be that surprising to see that. I am a dinosaur: I am still using a film camera. I am about to buy my first digital camera. Prices have come down considerably. I am slow to take up new technology except it is not new anymore. I am just old.
Tags: aquarium, cameras, cell phones and cameras, digital camera, film camera, fish, I am a dinosaur, I Pads, I Phones, kids, photos, technology, the young have embraced easier the new technology
Posted in balance, children, knowledge&learning, money, time, wisdom |
New Orleans hit a cold and wet spell. It appears I will not make it into his pool. I am spending a week there. When I got home the weather was hitting seventy practically every day–a little warmer than I left. I am still waiting to spot my first hummingbird here. I saw two in my friend’s yard. I just saw my first one. My living room window is in view from the keyboard I am using to write this.
Tags: hummingbird, I saw my first hummingbird in New Orleans, it was too cold to go into my friend's pool, New Orleans, New Orleans area was cold and wet
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
My older sister had all these lines running down her mouth. At least, that is what my wife noted. She is five years younger than me. She frets too much. I try not to worry too much. And take control of what I can. At least, is what my wife said. I have some lines but my face is relatively smooth. Eventually you become (as far as your features go) who you are inside.
Tags: fretting too much, my older sister, my wife, the lines in your face, worrying, Your features reflect who you are
Posted in balance, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, wisdom |
I could not understand why my glass of iced tea was so large. I was eating in a famous Cajun restaurant and every time I took a bite of the gumbo I had to wash it down with some tea. It was hot to say the least. Not overwhelmingly but hot. By the time I finished the gumbo the large glass of iced tea was finished. Now I know why the glass was so big.
Tags: Cajun restaurant, iced tea, the "hot" gumbo, The gigantic glass of iced tea
Posted in health, knowledge&learning |
Vacations go so fast. For a short time you are transported to someone else’s reality–their world and then you get used to theirs and then you have to go back to your own world (which you have temporarily forgotten). This process happens so quickly.
Tags: their world, then you return to your own reality, vacations, vacations and their reality, your own world
Posted in life, relationships, time, wisdom |
