We're having a cloudy day in Boulder; it's the remnants of the big rain storm that caused the mud slides in California for the past two or three days. Even though we're supposed to reach the low 50s today, it'll be grey outside and above, which will make it seem cooler. I was disappointed that the Orion rocket launch was postponed this morning - first there was a boat in the restricted area, then high winds, then a valve problem. Now the folks at Cape Canaveral are hoping for a launch early tomorrow morning, if they can solve the valve situation.
Rosie injured in lower back over the weekend, chasing something in her back yard after dark. She's had problems with her hind legs since then, and fell (backwards) down the stairs when her rear gave way Tuesday. I took her for a medium, slow walk yesterday; I was hoping to take her around the stone loop, but she wanted to head up Sumac. That made our walk just a tad too long for her. She started stumbling two houses away from hers during our return, and her hind legs were shaking when we got inside the house. I hope that Dr Katie was able to perform her magic yesterday afternoon with acupuncture and her laser treatment. I hate seeing a dog want to do things but be physically unable to do so....
After walking Rosie this morning, I will meet two new felines that I'll begin caring for in a couple of weeks. One is an older indoor/outdoor cat, who wears a radio collar; the other is a recently adopted youngster who has taken over the house and is terrorizing the older cat. The owners hope that I can help them get the younger kit to calm down a bit... This will be an interesting trial.
If I don't do so today, then on Saturday, I'll hit the used book stores and World Market to pick up my stocking stuffers for the family. I've already told them that the rental of the vacation house on Chincoteague for Pony Penning week is my Christmas gift to the family as a whole. Now I need to find a few inexpensive gifts for stockings, and a few more books for me to read... And, who knows? I might find another first edition in it's original dust jacket for $20 or less - that'd be worth all the poking around I do in the used book stores!
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Oyster, Virginia - Photos
These photos of Oyster, Virginia; R & C Seafood; Fred Ayers and Rose Tankard, oyster shuckers; and the bag of R & C clams were taken by Jay Diem, of the Salisbury Daily Times newspaper.
A Pearl
Walking back from the bakery this morning, I saw that Mount Audubon and the Indian Peaks are snow covered again; Sugarloaf, however, is brown and green. We had a high of 65 degrees yesterday and are expecting a high of 42 today, then 50s through Monday. Is it really December?
Last week, a woman stopped at the Great Machipongo Clam Shack in Nassawadox, Virginia; she purchased two bags of Atlantic clams and continued to her family gathering in Pennsylvania. The family steamed the clams, and the woman who had bought them found something hard in one of the clams she ate. She spit the pearl out, dried it off and placed it in her purse. When she returned home, she showed the pearl to her husband, and he did a little research. The clams purchased in Nassawadox were from an aquaculture company, and were littleneck clams that had been grown in Hog Island Bay. The woman had paid $15 for each of the two bags of clams that she took to Pennsylvania. The pearl that she almost ate was 4.5 carats, and was lavender in color. It is an unusual pearl in that it grew in a clam that was raised by aquaculture, that it's size is so large for such a young clam, and for the iridescent purple color. That $15 bag of clams returned a pearl that's worth $3,000...
Rosie is a little better, so I'm off to take her on a slow walk and then to sit with her until the vet arrives to give her an acupuncture and laser treatment. Tomorrow I'll meet two cats that will be new clients...
Last week, a woman stopped at the Great Machipongo Clam Shack in Nassawadox, Virginia; she purchased two bags of Atlantic clams and continued to her family gathering in Pennsylvania. The family steamed the clams, and the woman who had bought them found something hard in one of the clams she ate. She spit the pearl out, dried it off and placed it in her purse. When she returned home, she showed the pearl to her husband, and he did a little research. The clams purchased in Nassawadox were from an aquaculture company, and were littleneck clams that had been grown in Hog Island Bay. The woman had paid $15 for each of the two bags of clams that she took to Pennsylvania. The pearl that she almost ate was 4.5 carats, and was lavender in color. It is an unusual pearl in that it grew in a clam that was raised by aquaculture, that it's size is so large for such a young clam, and for the iridescent purple color. That $15 bag of clams returned a pearl that's worth $3,000...
Rosie is a little better, so I'm off to take her on a slow walk and then to sit with her until the vet arrives to give her an acupuncture and laser treatment. Tomorrow I'll meet two cats that will be new clients...
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Critters
This spotted hog photo immediately caused the song "Sweet Betsy From Pike" to pop into my brain.
Forbi, the owlet, sits on Cleo, the cat
Cat and fox friends
Delmarva fox squirrel
Young pine martens
Sara, the cheetah, and Lexi, the dog
Llama on board....
Shopping
I don't know what to do with myself today - Rosie injured her lower back Sunday night, and I probably won't walk her until Thursday or Friday. Kathy didn't need me today. The kits let me sleep in, and then I leisurely checked through all my e-mail and newspapers. As I hadn't been to see the new store that has opened next door, I wandered over there and spent more than an hour walking through the store, Home Goods. I was impressed by the variety and by the prices - everything from pots and pans to towels, washcloths, desks, food, bedding, pillows, decorations, and children's toys and books. It was mind-boggling.
I then went into the grocery store to grab a bagel, a bag of chicken tenders, and, possibly, a frozen meal. There were no fresh bagels in the bakery, there were no chicken tenders available, and there were no frozen meals that I could safely eat. I purchased a can of peas and a calendar for next year. Then I came home and had a bowl of Cheerios. Trying to purchase anything pre-made that does not contain onions, soy or mushrooms is pretty difficult. Onions and/or onion powder is frequently listed under the heading of spices. The mushrooms are usually listed in the ingredients. I'm beginning to have a larger problem with soy - besides tofu and soy sauce, quite a few food items (including breads) contain "soy solids." Lotions, shampoos, soaps, and candles are now made from soy products. I visited a lady who wanted me to house- and pet-sit for her, and left her house after 20 minutes, terribly ill from her large collection of all natural soy candles. I couldn't stay at her house; I got sick within 5 minutes of entering the premises, just because of her candles... The times, they are a'changin'.
Lovey and Nedi have been stuck to me like glue since I returned home last night. I am truly enjoying their companionship.
I then went into the grocery store to grab a bagel, a bag of chicken tenders, and, possibly, a frozen meal. There were no fresh bagels in the bakery, there were no chicken tenders available, and there were no frozen meals that I could safely eat. I purchased a can of peas and a calendar for next year. Then I came home and had a bowl of Cheerios. Trying to purchase anything pre-made that does not contain onions, soy or mushrooms is pretty difficult. Onions and/or onion powder is frequently listed under the heading of spices. The mushrooms are usually listed in the ingredients. I'm beginning to have a larger problem with soy - besides tofu and soy sauce, quite a few food items (including breads) contain "soy solids." Lotions, shampoos, soaps, and candles are now made from soy products. I visited a lady who wanted me to house- and pet-sit for her, and left her house after 20 minutes, terribly ill from her large collection of all natural soy candles. I couldn't stay at her house; I got sick within 5 minutes of entering the premises, just because of her candles... The times, they are a'changin'.
Lovey and Nedi have been stuck to me like glue since I returned home last night. I am truly enjoying their companionship.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Critters and Interiors
Interior of the Castello de Sammezzano
The invisible cat watches
European bee-eaters
Silvery marmoset of Brazil
Unhappy-looking hatchling
Reddish egret
Mangalitsa, the wooly pig of Hungary
Think this is a cathedral ceiling?
Cold and California Chrome
The weather forecasters said our highest temperature yesterday would be during the hour after midnight - they were right. My brother-in-law, Jim, didn't hear the weather report, and so he went on a ten-mile run with Tulo yesterday morning wearing his light-weight running shorts, a T-shirt and his baseball cap. The temperature dropped 25 degrees while they were out. Luckily, Jim had extra plastic newspaper bags to pick up dog poop in - he was able to pull them on his hands and have a little protection from the cold. We had snow flurries throughout the late afternoon and through this morning, but nothing accumulated. Kathy came over last night, and we watched How To Train Your Dragon while she did laundry. She loved the film, which made me happy.
California Chrome, after finishing third (by a neck) in the Breeders Cup Classic, tried out his racing luck, and turn of hoof, on the turf Saturday. The Hollywood Derby has been moved to Del Mar, and has been shortened to 1 and 1/8 miles. California Chrome won it easily, and looks to have a continuing career in grass racing... He has now won the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Hollywood Derby. That's four Grade 1 wins on two different surfaces. I think he's making a case to be 3-year-old, and, perhaps, Horse of the Year.
I've finished all but one thing for my Christmas shopping - have to head out to the used book stores for that one. And I'm truly hoping not to receive Christmas gifts from anyone this year - I have so much more than I need of everything (except time and money), so I think I'm ahead of the game as it is. All I want for Christmas is the safety and well being of my friends and family... Kathy wants to put off beginning chemo-therapy until Boxing Day, but it's up to her Docs more than her. I just want her to be well.
Unless someone makes an unplanned trip, it looks like I'll be home until almost the end of December. I have one house for 11 days where I visit three times a day, starting December 16; then I add Tugger on the 21st. On the 27th I pick up Maggie May, and move into Lynn Thore's on the 28th... I believe that Rosie's folks are staying home for Christmas, but will be going away the first week of January... We'll see.
California Chrome, after finishing third (by a neck) in the Breeders Cup Classic, tried out his racing luck, and turn of hoof, on the turf Saturday. The Hollywood Derby has been moved to Del Mar, and has been shortened to 1 and 1/8 miles. California Chrome won it easily, and looks to have a continuing career in grass racing... He has now won the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Hollywood Derby. That's four Grade 1 wins on two different surfaces. I think he's making a case to be 3-year-old, and, perhaps, Horse of the Year.
I've finished all but one thing for my Christmas shopping - have to head out to the used book stores for that one. And I'm truly hoping not to receive Christmas gifts from anyone this year - I have so much more than I need of everything (except time and money), so I think I'm ahead of the game as it is. All I want for Christmas is the safety and well being of my friends and family... Kathy wants to put off beginning chemo-therapy until Boxing Day, but it's up to her Docs more than her. I just want her to be well.
Unless someone makes an unplanned trip, it looks like I'll be home until almost the end of December. I have one house for 11 days where I visit three times a day, starting December 16; then I add Tugger on the 21st. On the 27th I pick up Maggie May, and move into Lynn Thore's on the 28th... I believe that Rosie's folks are staying home for Christmas, but will be going away the first week of January... We'll see.
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