Monday, December 23, 2019

ACORNS, WEATHER AND FAD FOOD.

The day before yesterday, I spent a solid two hours blowing acorns off my deck and sidewalks and driveways. Thousands of them. Radio personality, John Tesh, on Intelligence For Your Life, talked about the new fad food making the rounds- acorn meal. He mentioned starving squirrels. I wish he could direct them to my house.
After blowing the acorns I realized they were still there,  thickly clustered around the perimeter of   my driveways, decks and walking areas. Dang!  Dust pan after dust pan load  I dutifully removed and  tossed into tree barren areas. Aha! Problem fixed.
Yesterday we were warned of a huge storm coming in with lots of rain. Ferocious winds blew all day with no sign of rain. Acorns blew down with such force the acorns popped like firecrackers on the hard surfaces. The rains eventually came in a torrent dropping even more of the unwelcome crop of squirrel food. ( I only have two squirrels in my yard.)
I carefully opened the curtains this morning. There were puddles of acorns near the downspouts swirling there with equal numbers of  broken twigs,  dead leaves and in some areas huge dead branches fell in the yard. My decks look like they have acorn chicken pox.
But, on the bright side, it looks like an abstract painting. 

One of these days, soon I hope, I'm going to learn how to put a picture on this blog. My new computer is wonderful but non techies like myself are still on a learning curve. 

Friday, December 20, 2019

BUSY SEASONS GREETINGS.

It's been quite awhile since I've posted on this blog. Everyone has been busy preparing for Christmas; sending cards, mailing packages, singing and listening to Carols and most of all, attending every Christmas Party one can manage.  I love the holidays.
My peculiar condition means, I went to see the play SOME THINGS AFOOT on Friday at the Murphys Creek Theatre with youngest daughter and then set my sights on a "speakeasy", open Mike poetry and readings at The Gallery in Angels Camp. 

Doesn't work that way. I made the play on Friday, but was tooooo tired and exhausted to make it to Open Mike. That's how it goes. One symptom of the medicine I'm taking is profound fatigue.

Christmas kind of tippy-toes up on you and suddenly you realize you're not ready. OMIGOSH. My whole family, all six grandsons, all my kids,  their spouses, a few strays, a couple of brothers hungry for home cooking, an adopted family, a politician, a neighbor or two, a rock hard conservative, some one missing a dog and a bunch of noisy democrats. A recipe for wonders not experienced in a long time at this big shack.

Yesterday friends helped me haul out the decorations and put up lights. I opened ornaments boxes I hadn't seen in a long time. Brushed off the dust and WOW! It's a wonderful day.  Now I get to savor the wait; look forward to all the goodies that will come through the door and enjoy the weather. Predicted cold but clear and sunny through out the holiday. Can't ask for better than that.

On my home page this morning was a marvelous quote from Sophia Loren I'll pass on to you:

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you tap this source you will truly have defeated age."

So, what ever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

CAN YOU READ THIS?


Can you raed this? Olny 55 people out of 100 can.

I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg.  The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae.  The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm.  This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe.  Azanmig huh?  Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!  If you can raed this forwrad it.

thnksnaivg is oevr and I've had athoner ifsnuoin. wahteer is bad. I'm Tarniing my bairn to get rid of my cncear. Hpoe it wroks.

Coia!

Mrya 

Sunday, November 24, 2019

WEATHER

Here we are, getting ready for Thanksgiving and the weather prediction has changed twice in two days. First, snow on the 27th and 28 at the 7,000 foot level. Later in the day, a new assessment, snow expected as low as the 5,000 foot level.
Today, my neighbor heard a radio broadcast predicting snow at the 2,000 foot level tomorrow. Since I live at the 2,500 foot level, I scrambled to get my outside chores finished. Blew off the acorns from my deck and driveway and covered a few sensitive plants that don't take well to snow and ice.

While I complain about this turnabout weather, I'm reading all about climate change turning wildfires into megafires.  Monarch butterfly populations plummeting, Rocket fuel in kid's cereal. Lead seeping into the Gila River. Geez, does it never end?  It sounds like we are doomed but the name of the magazine I'm reading is Solutions and the solutions are out there. People working to leverage change on every front. This information comes from the Environmental Defense Fund.

Clean energy job growth is a centerpiece for solving the climate crisis. The fastest clean energy growth is led by four Republican Governors, Nevada, Kansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky and one Democratic Governor, Pennsylvania.  If the feds don't do it our State Leaders are bold and smart enough to step in. Wind and Solar are now the cheapest source of new electricity across two-thirds of the world, according to EDF.

Climate Corps are committed to helping create 20,000 jobs and bring in $25 Billion in investment  and slash unhealthy emissions in Ohio. A report called Powering Ohio brings a new top tier set of grad students trained by EDF, promoting renewable electric vehicles and reaching out to cities and institutions in the U.S, and China to cut energy use and create sustainable supply chains that set strict emissions reduction goals.  Commerce at its safest.

EDF is helping restore 30,000 acres of Monarch butterfly habitat in California's Central Valley. Oregon fisherman, Brad Pettinger is using sensors, analytics and artificial intelligence to track catches to keep our ocean healthy. Beia Spiller uses satellite and health data to calculate the social cost of air pollution.
EDF is working for a program to restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta habitats for salmon, water users and wildlife protection.

 EDF has warriors for clean air and water. They have scientists that can measure particulate in the air and provide evidence  that give  depth to City Officials worried about their communities. Land loss in Louisiana has in the past been a tightly guarded secret. Now, they are planting oyster beds that  filter fertilizer run off and help abate storm surges from washing away soil and sand. Places that Jim and I visited are now underwater and were already threatened when we were there. This is a 50 billion 50 year state plan to save lives and coastal fishing and marshes. It would be so much cheaper to not let things like this happen in the first place.

 Shakeila James from EDF's Moms For Clean Air has introduced Community RX that brings black women from the South to fight for their communities. Black children are three times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma. Their mission has been adopted by prominent black pastors and has reached 2000 fighting women. Way to go!  Never underestimate the power of a mad, protective mom.

I was surprised to learn that there are more fires in the Eastern and Southern United States than the West. Those in the West are are bigger and hotter and more destructive. But new forest management plans can help reduce that threat. There is so much more to be done. Texas is a holdout, resisting the evidence of climate change.

Eventually, they will have to come to the table and work with their native populations and their people will find themselves and their homes and land susceptible to the dangers of ignoring climate change.


Saturday, November 23, 2019

EXPRESSIONS

Creativity abounds when searching for the right description. Alta Hanks would say:  "The little ones is eatin' up the big ones."  It took me a while to understand she was talking about mosquitoes. Another: "He hopped on that ide'er like a duck on a June bug."  Alta married my husband's father late in life and he saved her from working in the fields, following the crops. She was the best gardener I ever met and she sowed by the moon and the sun. It never made sense to me but bountiful gardens did.

Southerners are known for their homilies and these come from Toni L.P. Kelner, a Murder Mystery Writer.
"He was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."
"If she moved any slower, she'd be goin' backwards."
"I ate so much, I'd like to bust a gusset."
"Just between you, me and the gate post..."
"She was plain as a mud fence."
"I've got more time than money."
"You'd think he owned the road, and half the town besides,"
    It took me a minute to understand he was describing a braggart.

The World War II Vets came home with a bunch of expressions.

"Killroy was here."
"Gotta fag?"
'Toss that in the circular file."
 "What's the latest poop?"
 "He went AWOL.
"He is headed for the brig."
"Where's the John in this stinkin' frat house."
"Shut your blow-hole or they'll give you Latrine Duty."

I'm struggling to remember other colorful expressions. I know my friend Howard Hoyt and I one time made a list. I'll have to grab him and we old museum pieces can share old war stories. And, Museums, too.
They will probably pop into my head while I'm sleeping.

Ciao




Friday, November 22, 2019

MUSEUMS

I've rambled about the country a lot when I traveled with Jim  and we visited a lot of museums. Don't believe we went through a town that didn't have a museum. One thing I learned about travel is you need a good pair of shoes.  Now, for choices.

MUSTARD MUSEUM
CIGAR
QUESTIONABLE  MEDICAL DEVICES 
  These read and looked like torture devices. None of them got patented.
COOKIE JAR
CHECKER HALL OF FAME
JOHNSTOWN FLOOD MUSEUM
TOOTH FAIRY
ICE HOUSE MUSEUM
BEVERAGE CONTAINERS
  Hard to believe how many varieties once made.
CHECKER HALL OF FAME
TOILET PAPER MUSEUM
   A note on this one, I had a friend who collected toilet paper and I found a unique piece in China and brought him several sheets. He moved from the Diggin's. I have a roll with smiley faces on it?  Anybody?  Your's for the asking.
BALL HALL OF FAME
BOWLING BALL HALL OF FAME.
LIBERACE MUSEUM  
 Now closed. My Mom came away with sparkles in her eyes from his glittering stage costumes and his music.
MOTOR CYCLE
 Quite a history lesson. Both Jim and I had a turn at owning and riding motor cycles.
NATIONAL KNIFE MUSEM. 
   You could expect jack knives, and swords, but biblical blades and guillotine setups and unimaginal shaped blades and handles from countries I'd never heard of. Monster instruments meant to kill and maime. Fascinating even so.
MUSEUM OF AMERICAN GLASS.
  A meander through awesome beauty. The glass bloswers were working and they also told the story of how leaded glass caused the death of workers who developed lead poisoning. Glass that held neon like qualities when the lights were out could make one believe in magic.

Many more on my list to revisit on another day.







Wednesday, November 20, 2019

POLITICS AS A PROFESSION

Every two weeks, I have Monday Bloodwork then Tuesday Infusion. suffice it to say I don't blog those days. Today, I speak of Politics.
Politics is the most hazardous of all professions. There is no other in which a man or woman can hope to do so much good to his or her fellow creatures. And, neither is there any in which, by mere loss of nerve, he or she may do widespread harm. There is not another in which he or she may so easily lose one's soul, nor is there another in which a positive and strict veracity is so difficult. But danger is the inseparable companion of honor. With all temptations and degradations that beset it, Politics is still the noblest career any one can choose.

This was written by Andrew Oliver of Boston in the 18th century, except for my inclusion of  women, where in the 18th century only men engaged in politics, those words stand true today.



Sunday, November 17, 2019

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I missed blogging yesterday because a friend came to visit with two of the sweetest, cutest
young daughters you'd ever want to meet. She is going to send me some pictures.
Cousin Bob visited on Friday and we got to yapping and I never did take a picture of handsome Bob.
Then, to make things difficult, I'm still relearning how to post on this blog. For instance, I haven't figured how to look at the previous blog to see where I left off on all those funny names.
 I typed a very long poem from 1870 three days ago and saved it. I know not how to retrieve it. There must be a word for someone like me. Dimwit comes to mind but  I expect I'm technically challenged.

Today, let me start with something not in print. Mining towns have interesting names.  In Sutter Creek there was a place called Pig Turd Alley. I wish I'd taken a picture of it all those years ago.  But the street sign was stolen so often they finally had to rename it something wimpy.
 Funck Road on Highway 4 near Farmington, named for the Funck family who settled there years ago. You can imagine how many times that sign had the n painted out. I've forgotten the wimpy new name.
We still have Beer Can Corner in Sonora, about which I know nothing about how it got named.  I used to live on Hanging Tree Rd. I once got someone else's package who lived on Hang Tree Rd. in Mokelumne Hill. Remnants of cowboy justice during and after the gold rush days. My Exchange student from Indonesia, with college age children of her own, just admitted to me in an email that when she first saw the name of our street in a letter I wrote to welcome her to America, that she was afraid to come because of the name of the road. What a hoot.

Rereading a scrap book I put together about a trip my husband and I made to Kansas City and through the State of Missouri, I couldn't help but notice the interesting town names. Admire, Kansas was the only one I wrote down for that State, but Missouri had some interesting gems. Peculiar, Cool, Tickridge, Deepwater, Truman Lake, Humansville, Ozark, and Cahoot. The more interesting thing about Missouri was passing by President Truman's house. Bess Truman was calmly working in her garden and we said hello to her.  She smiled and said, "Good Morning".  One of her neighbor's told us that she didn't like the huge fence surrounding the property, but it protected her from overzealous tourists. The Truman's refused to have a cadre of Secret Service Men in constant attention guarding their place. (That saved the U.S. Government a lot of money.) They knew their neighbors were decent people and that most people are likewise. Different times, to be sure.

I had a friend who named their pet Rabbit, Hop-a-long Cassidy.   Pet names are another whole elephant.



Friday, November 15, 2019

FUNNY NAME USA CONTINUED

Today, I have a cousin visiting. Since I'm posting names, I mention him because he has a perfectly decent name. He is a handsome dude and his name is Robert. We've called him Bob for most of his life. But lately he insists on calling himself Joebob. I accused him once of trying to be a hillbilly, but, for some unfathomable reason, he likes Joebob.   He is a snowbird; lives in Washington and escapes to sunny California for the winter. We'll probably take some pictures and I'll post them and maybe you can tell me why a very dignified man would want to be called Joebob?

I'm a bit off topic.  These towns from Funny Name USA are anything but dignified either. Hopefully I'm not repeating. But here goes:

Chunky, Mississippi
   Makes you wonder, why Chunky?
Tightwad, Missouri
   Why name your town after a tightwad. They couldn't all be tightwads?
Molt, Montana
Worms, Nebraska 
  Yuk. Where ya from?  Worms, Nebraska?  Did I hear that right?
Jackpot, Nevada
Dummer, New Hampshire
  I gotta quit commenting or someone might shoot me.
Buttzville, New Jersey
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Handsome Eddy, New York
Whynot, North Carolina
Zap, North Dakota
Dull, Ohio
Okay, Oklahoma
Boring, Oregon
Halfway House, Pennsylvania
Moosup Valley, Rhode Island
Ketchuptown, South Carolina
  I'd be willing to bet they grow a lot of tomatoes there.
Porcupine, South Dakota
Sweet Lips, Tennessee 
  Sounds like a movie.
Earth, Texas
Eggnogg, Utah
Mosquitoville, Vermont
Fries, Virginia
Dollar Corner, Washington
Bud, West Virginia
   Maybe this is where my cousin came from?
Imalone, Wisconsin
Bar Nunn, Wyoming
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
  I've been there too. You know, you just have to keep a straight face. It is a very devout and proper
city with many hardworking farmers who drive old fashioned buggy's and don't have electricity or modern conveniences. I've forgotten what religion they are but they attract a lot of tourists. 




Thursday, November 14, 2019

FUNNY NAME USA

When I was a stamp collector,  I began collecting envelopes with Christmas themed post marks. Towns like Mistletoe, Noel, Harmony, Christmas, North Pole, Holly, and so on.  I would display them in a miniature mail box...well, we all have our little obsessions. It was fun.  Recently I came across Funny Name USA. Check these out.

Boar Tush, Alabama
Eek, Alaska
Why, Arizona
Booger Hollow, Arkansas
Zzyzx, California
Hygiene, Colorado
Needmore, Florida
Happyland, Connecticut
Bacons, Delaware
Hopeulikit, Georgia
Volcano Village, Hawaii
Beer Bottle Crossing, Idaho
 Embarrass, Illinois
Santa Claus, Indiana
Correctionville, Iowa
Ransomeville, Kansas
Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky
Cut Off, Louisiana
Owls Head, Maine
Accident, Maryland
Belchertown, Massachusetts
Hell, Michigan
    There was once a Hell, California, too. It is long gone
however.
There's more. I'll get to them tomorrow if I can't find what I originally typed up for today.
I'm sort of relearning how to blog and what I saved I cannot find.  This list may
sound familiar, because I got it from a Readers Digest.  One of these days, I'll figure out how to
insert a picture and still be able to return to the blog. Hey, it's trickier than it used to be.


Wednesday, November 13, 2019

PROFESSIONAL SENSE OF HUMOR.

We depend on our professionals, staid, serious, all of that. Nice to know they can also have a sense of humor:

One superior court justice to another:  "Gorgeous Day! Puts one in the mood for a landmark decision."    Ed Fisher from the New Yorker

Psychiatrist to patient:  "Good Lord!  I'd have guilt feelings too if I did something as rotten as that!"   Hoest in Good Housekeeping,

Elderly man to wife:  "You want to stay up for the weather forecast, or shall we wing it on my rheumatism?   From Field News.

Scientist to lab technician:  "At last!  A chemical with a name short enough to fit on our food label!"
 From Ralph Dunagin, Field News.

Man to travel agent:  "I'm planning this trip as a surprise for my wife. I'll cable her from Paris."
 Chon Day, New York Times

Doctor to overweight patient:  "And this medication should be taken on an empty stomach, Mr. Howard, if such an opportunity ever presents itself."   Campbell from Modern Medicine.
  
I guess we can call sarcasm humor.

I love this one:

IRS counselor to taxpayer:  "You can't use this loophole, it was designed for someone who makes a lot more money than you."  Ralph Dunagin, Field News.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

LAUGHTER IS HEALING

Normal life as we know it has evaded me. With a finite life expectancy, I have a new perspective to look at myself and ask, who am I?  Might I claim I've led an active lifestyle, volunteering, helping others?  Writing, about positive things, friends and family. Other times I rant about social injustices, and curse those powers who fail my particular nib of righteousness. So, nothing as changed. One thing I know for sure, laughter is healing. I hope I can make you laugh at some of the vicissitudes of life and maybe you can make me laugh. 

I've traveled this country over and over again. Everywhere in America are convenience stores where you can pop in and pick up some potato chips, a newspaper and a soda, and fuel your motor.

Here are some of the names I encountered

Gas N' Go
Quick Stop
Kum N' Go
Top Stop
The one that tickled my funny bone-
Quickie Stop, located above a motel
with all the other conveniences below.





 



Monday, November 11, 2019

RIDDLED WITH VETERANS

Blogging made me think about veterans in my family.  I'm riddled with them and most of the year I barely think of these long gone men of honor.
My Dionne Uncles:  Norman, Vernon, and Marvin Dionne. Marvin got home leave before he shipped out. Posing me like a statue on the front lawn, he took a flying leap over my head to show his mother how fit he was, much to her horror. Marvin gifted his uniform to my mom-remember the song? " Bell Bottom Trousers, Suit Of Navy Blue". I still have his sailor hat.

My Moore Uncles: Ward, John, Leonard, and Dan. John was a submariner and much respected. Ward never went to war. A Confederate Uniform was in my grandmother's attic. I don't remember anyone asking who it belonged too?  It burned with the house in 1963.

My Brother William Moore and Sister Dawn both served. Dawn met her husband, Tom McManus,  while Stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. He was from Oakland, California and my parents and siblings followed them to California. They each served one enlistment.

My Husband, George Matzek was running a Caterpillar Ditch Digger with a bucket at age 17. The minute he turned 18, he tried to enlist. He had an injury and was turned down. With a middle name of  "impatience", with his two stepbrothers, Sherman and Lawrence Melvin already gone, he was afraid he would miss the war, so, he enlisted in the Merchant Marines. He sailed on two ships, the Berea Victory and the Daniel S. Lamont.  During a convoy, carrying ammunition, the ship was attacked by Kamikazes. At one point he was a gunner, but in his own words, he cursed and yelled and fired without aiming well enough and they took him off the gun. A second attack was a Japanese Suicide Squad that tried to crash land their planes into the ship. Some of them made contact but did not blow up their payload. All of the men from that horrific attack received meritorious service awards.
George also had a great Uncle who served during WWI as a Donkey Handler.

I salute them all for keeping the enemy at bay and our country safe. I keep his flag folded on my dresser as an ever present reminder of him and of the many vets whose graves line the fields of Verdune and other foreign shores. Amen!