tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87917685811277691712024-03-17T20:03:30.056-07:00I'm Retired -- Adventures of a Simpler LifeCynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.comBlogger717125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-45760610386081216852023-09-13T06:31:00.018-07:002023-09-13T08:11:17.872-07:00Testing 1-2-3!!<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaS81vazQLyEtxwm6zun0LEzQvMIoGNZn1UMhz0VZWvqt4E22kK9ft-JGD6parW1_xQUFbme0uBJ5S0i0ACE38c8DM4fsT0I038bMCtAC5mm9F_jLISXc1atM0-C-iTl481QbkelklthlrtR-A3hFI8ZACAcV10roKJkfvXtpPqgjWVyWJRcd7Bl96Svb/s1828/IMG_7310.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="1538" height="527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaS81vazQLyEtxwm6zun0LEzQvMIoGNZn1UMhz0VZWvqt4E22kK9ft-JGD6parW1_xQUFbme0uBJ5S0i0ACE38c8DM4fsT0I038bMCtAC5mm9F_jLISXc1atM0-C-iTl481QbkelklthlrtR-A3hFI8ZACAcV10roKJkfvXtpPqgjWVyWJRcd7Bl96Svb/w559-h527/IMG_7310.jpeg" width="559" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For some reason, my photos disappear a few days after I post them which is, of course, frustrating! I am attempting to figure out the problem, so this one is a test. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> It was taken Sunday on the beautiful South Carolina Black River at Pump House Landing. The rusty old water pump </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">was still on its foundation on the river bank with the inscription, Fairbanks Morse. That pump was manufactured at the Fairbanks factory in the small Wisconsin town I grew up in! Three of my close relatives were lifetime employees of Fairbanks Morse. Two others were my grandma and her sister who during World </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">War II joined the legions of Rosie the Riveters manufacturing parts for Allied war planes. I have many memories of holiday parties given for employees’ children — including my sister and me! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPS406Z5z4OMScb3rXKyyJDpfQcbBOlQmotSth37MLj0ZnZ4yTDhCNQd61vwmKXe-TsquVYbpaxmOmsZ1MGH-UbLDUnTnSsIKK06jPG6HYLkvBeozqoVlHT7Ge-oHnksKzBfU14HI_YyDie0MkvK3z29j0sQRDyur0VAuSVsExCmvRYhTWiVEsKC5Jp4j/s2739/IMG_7312.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2054" data-original-width="2739" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPS406Z5z4OMScb3rXKyyJDpfQcbBOlQmotSth37MLj0ZnZ4yTDhCNQd61vwmKXe-TsquVYbpaxmOmsZ1MGH-UbLDUnTnSsIKK06jPG6HYLkvBeozqoVlHT7Ge-oHnksKzBfU14HI_YyDie0MkvK3z29j0sQRDyur0VAuSVsExCmvRYhTWiVEsKC5Jp4j/w342-h256/IMG_7312.jpeg" width="342" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">Wondering if anyone else has had the experience of their photos disappearing from Blogger a day or two after publication? If so, have you figured out what is going on? </span></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-29755841112922887392023-08-07T07:16:00.001-07:002023-08-08T04:23:02.015-07:00Maybe There is Hope<br><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> This weekend an American icon stepped out of history to make an appearance in our town. Harriet Tubman, hero of the Underground Railroad, is known to every American for her role in leading around 70 friends and family through dangerous Slave States to sweet freedom in the North. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><img id="id_3cee_f42_5704_943e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zxuLO2SM0LDcyS-Y6H9S3mynmDUD4dY6tYEAGtRRSSkAdpiLNBr5dFZRkX21AD7qYO2FgJ2KIHiFDh-L-ndF7lLKivlQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 866px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> A bronzed monument, “Journey to Freedom” by North Carolina sculptor Wesley Wofford, is on a national tour and drew hundreds of people of every race to its unveiling in a little city park on the waterfront. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland in 1820. At age 5, she was hired out by her owners as a nursemaid, field hand, cook and woodcutter. At age 12 an overseer tried to force her to participate in the beating of another enslaved person. She refused and was struck in the head. From this incident she suffered seizures for the rest of her life. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><img id="id_75af_7287_e5ce_d725" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wo_Z01-s-aWc08f4t6e9egf8FkYl1GZZCN6eUbYTmmXfstvyx9ARK6SOPOYtjvNU0-0ZUPrBjELySVOks8o2Th4lCwxQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 553px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> In 1849, Tubman heard rumors that she was about to be sold away from her husband and family and set out to escape north to New York, a free state. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> Over the next 10 years, despite the dangers of returning over and over to a slave state, Tubman did return, to save 70 friends and relatives on the “Underground Railroad”. Not only did she serve as their guide and protector on the journey, she also assisted them in finding work and establishing new lives in free states and Canada.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> During the Civil War, this brave lady left her own freedom to come here to South Carolina and join the Union cause, serving as a scout, nurse, laundress, and a spy. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> While Tubman herself never set foot in Georgetown, one of her first rescues came here, her nephew James Bowley. Tubman also funded the boy’s education to become a lawyer and Bowley became a distinguished citizen and a member of the State House of Representatives. Also, right after the Civil War in the South conditions were desperate with few resources or supplies available for the recently freed enslaved people. Tubman, who had first hand knowledge of the dire situation, used her influence among other abolitionists to get funds to Georgetown to help out.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><img id="id_2e9a_26fd_a94d_c3e7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xySXud7XjSUeBAL_vFE0nAHIdP0w6HZTNXH2ifitiusxscZ-0Qr37xMOma_Ck2bnG3t5eenOqUQFPuM2NgeUL4vu25UA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 668px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> With the state of race relations in this country, it was heartwarming to see the large mixed crowd on Saturday for the unveiling ceremony. And every time we have driven down Front Street since, there have been parents with children gathered around the figures. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> Politicians can take the books out of our libraries, the facts out of our history classes, the truth out of our colleges — but maybe a spark of hope, for all races of humanity, remains, here in the small towns and the families in America. </div><div><font color="#454545" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 23px; width: 441px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img id="id_b3a3_4d52_e404_7e8b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z5gn07P_mIyEn9jN70X_hQuUv5ssKxbXiCLh2z99VQozdwY3o1L9llw_aXjsgZjgHj5eNnfiCeJH1TUkgEu6uUJs3A1w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 441px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></span></font><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#454545" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 23px;"><i>Rainey Park, Old Post Office in the background</i></span></font></div></div> </div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-61656657443025536022023-07-12T12:39:00.001-07:002023-07-12T12:51:42.306-07:00The Octopus Tree<div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><b><font face="Arial" size="5">The Octopus Tree</font></b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><b><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><b> </b>With all their gnarly-ness, twisty branches and intricate bark, Live Oaks are one of the most interesting and plentiful of the trees in our neighborhood on the South Carolina coast. Two very old ones, home to many birds and squirrels, fill my view as I drink my tea in the sunroom every morning. </font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"> And on one of the trails we frequent along the ocean is a Live Oak so interesting and loved, it has a name. </font></div><div style="text-align: center; caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5">The Octopus Tree is a living sculpture. The sculptor — a hurricane!</font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_463c_d643_439e_44fc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z9tW0hngxVIAq9EGvV3BB2YCqHUZ9HTsMj1G6RB4dRbfN6gdec5J_pBA3FKrrivWtB8z20eQl8qS3ve9wj7N9yScqF" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 903px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Everything in the photo above is ONE tree. </span></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_206d_3911_f2bf_4ef7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zSfgA1PO64LQPOZ3KHODf1jfkC6JbtVdsw_-wZ4SKJaMmFhScMat_JxOg-MzcY8yrONchmGsLY2VsHgzyUnZJFEBvcgg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 903px; height: auto; margin: 4px;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> As you can see, you hike through thick forest all around and suddenly the trail opens up and goes right through this tangle of tree, the tentacles of the octopus.</font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5">Here’s how it happens. </font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_9bb9_1b61_ba17_c5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zLTHYIY41SsaNmeTUuFQLXMhwU5W2NkCebD-guCd8BDRp73iDSVOMfUEGPQQe3F85-QqujzTE3XFnfqej1XIiUXqmeTA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 539px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_6a57_c5_b994_2d5e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zeqYz6Xf4QK0qpIUi1Wt4YHRcTSQWP2VrBR0-PzPmSnwHtCI8XW4riobMB4ejO052KJixD-W9XanjjGlkEsGSpztLu" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 543px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_8683_a484_e361_71c3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xUUZDQuM6PV8dlBNkeyEek4gQlEiX2QpqSs6R6cFb8NdJDfGMjqP_6BDhH0ORYdd6bTxDctxiI1AujXO2LGG9rhCc9AQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 541px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_d7a7_c0de_64dc_d754" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-x0EysW3IueDsXsmwl3vZyDpSaf0yzuBrLg6fgAAinfZrvmX-TUMzt1jSHnhR8vXW9-tyeM4fju7nXOSJm4kIC7zH-2dQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 896px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Children love to chase each other in and out and over the branches of the Octopus Tree. I confess I usually call a rest here and use one for a seat with a backrest. </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">It’s easy to close one’s eyes and summon up Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, a party of cavorting tree fairies.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"> At the center back, slightly left, of the photo you can see the trail continuing on, reentering the thick forest of pine, wax myrtle, and other shrubs. </font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Live oaks live for several hundred years and grow tremendous trunk girths. They shed and grow new leaves year around, hence their name. Their wood is very strong and until the 1860s, the US Navy used it to build its warships.</font></div> Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-19033786167485262472023-07-06T06:27:00.001-07:002023-07-06T06:29:10.337-07:00Sorry, I Needed a Break <span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><b><i>Sorry, I Needed a Break </i></b></span><div><font color="#454545" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-size: 23px;"><b><i><br></i></b></span></font><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> I think it’s called ghosting these days, and honest — I didn’t mean to do that! </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;">It’s just that recent journeys and adventures have been inward, physical, and nothing others would find that entertaining. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> We had the most wonderful, unusual, long spring, much cooler than normal, when we should have been out traveling, hiking, camping, etc. But no. Instead, for months every week it was a steady round of disappointing doctors’ appointments, tests and procedures, repairmen in, under, and over our home (with accompanying large bills), rush trips to Florida to assist my mom, sad events for my children, </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> and, well … you know … stuff.</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> Perspective, along with my sense of humor, dwindled to myopic, and with them </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> P.O.O.F.,</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"> away went my desire to write. </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;">But hey, as my mom always said: It could be worse! Most of the house repairs are finished and we have finally gotten the right doctors with some answers. We are both doing physical therapy and staying hopeful about avoiding the more drastic options. The Writer is writing (tv/movie script), I am drawing/painting/knitting, Frank is franking and Bob is bobbing, and life goes on! </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;">Hope all is well with you and you are still speaking to me. 😊</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;">Sending love and light . . . . </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><img id="id_931e_6cd7_8a89_3ffe" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81oEb8LbQDbh2ifNjshl4DkZOCMMnYP8SXBRoP1a8dtKhFzrQqulZVdy1uLOXvxqx0FV9cefCrisA5WwWr64Jq9IqloP6w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 843px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Summertime, South Carolina</i></div></div> </div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-76596993994718500712023-04-16T08:28:00.001-07:002023-04-16T08:28:47.898-07:00Good Eatin’ in Conway<br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><b>Ocean Fish Market</b></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div></div><div><img id="id_263f_12f3_d0cc_f8d8" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AAOQEOR6-aDrLxy-24LYQnibO-G983L_Zwo9lXuXMyg5oHTLpT85KOKd0N7dHhc8yf_3kMTbmR1XfsZ6LgpS7ECiEJ9bO9lJCQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 769px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Few places like this left on the South Carolina coast. The old fish market in Conway has been in business since 1948, providing seafood for several generations of local families. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Besides the fish market, they serve the best freshly-caught fried flounder there is from a little window at the side. With your fish you get traditional sides of rice, hushpuppies, cole slaw, and a pillowy slice of plain old white bread. </font></div></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_fb72_f793_3607_9c67" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AAOQEOSMZOKfkkhS9KTbbUAqJAVtteHGDkJeNr7_FKFDle97aYGOzKgbEsNnI41CY3acK4VwnnDXOirYQiA1lbzYrlrruX6Kyg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 694px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Best eaten at a picnic table with the neighborhood cats at your feet, relying on your kindness and </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">generosity for a handout. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Sadly, Ocean Market is scheduled to be demolished soon and replaced with condos after 70+ years of happy customers.</font></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-69171334164462404572023-02-14T11:23:00.001-08:002023-02-14T11:28:58.787-08:00ON THE ROAD AGAIN<font face="Arial" size="5">We’ve been traveling a bit.</font><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div><div><img id="id_3df9_c7ea_740_4756" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SSp9FcXZJmMgm8l4w2RvlVJIv09tMmn7Iz_bRK8gn4KPraQB4KuLhmrYkIbjtVmdt9A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 538px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Just for fun . . .</font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_1212_5d7b_d362_c859" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eoHmR5A-8Qtbh0WihLSPKVbdb7ygzYlPZeW8-285IzKZsHB4PGRQfDgYr59n6jC6dMM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 373px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Heavy load! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_9a58_f526_f197_ca21" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5yWb9UiIdwfXEbBaHAO0vtDyz-l6UVcc9uDng9ARGWdYWLW5Ow4sZtO9FXR8SzeX5ao" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 515px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> The sign says, “Every taco is hand rolled with exotic Mexican spices by genuine Mayan virgins. Or Carlos, depending on who’s available.”</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><img id="id_bb66_34ee_925f_b212" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/OobnIzUOZhqCIoUm5uNVZlFplmBk8Yh23DFfAi7lPmGHHFxtH0Tno8qAeu2T5nU1p0w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 627px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Wallpaper in one of the restrooms. Don’t worry — it did have modern plumbing!</span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3eab_a27d_8169_d611" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7-2t0dbhkG0WMRE2qDfLqYIXrQpVMEpyUuvBARrZaALpqtMM-7jZ8sonkbTKqetZ8pg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 437px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"></div></div><div><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_4493_8c4_bc33_77a6" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/d47E9QUAYwQ0g1uzsegEZw71HDkjCUsqI85P-SvoeOEVtLIb-RM_Ln26wWMbbBNFufw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 425px; height: auto; margin: 4px;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> An old house decorated with oyster and clam shells being updated. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">The pillars on the porch were replaced and awaiting their new shells. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_26b_14c8_ea6_6f50" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/snKIX0zB8bY6mpypWs1SRwEcyuFOQw6AsxXcRQxxl9RXQsvsfu7TshG01wP8QooEkFA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 463px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 23, 68); font-family: Arial; font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Valentine’s Day!</div></span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-30690210365465250042023-02-05T11:43:00.001-08:002023-02-05T11:54:48.175-08:00Charleston Naval Base Memorial<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px 0px 3px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 38px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-weight: bold;"><i>Charleston Naval Base</i> </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody" style="font-size: 23px;"> </font><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 23px; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><font face="Arial" size="5">We took advantage of a sunny 80 degree F day last week to visit a memorial to the thousands of military and civilians who worked over the years at the Naval Base in Charleston. Before I tell you about the memorial, a little history . . . </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></span></p><img id="id_85ba_db7d_36b8_7330" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/R46gpe8A5_pdPL4_CdYI9PRndG825z6Z4kRjeTqpIZZIaiCs1vfiYN_eAOxQsj0qBpI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 306px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">In 1899, a 1600-acre public park with beautiful gardens was created along the Cooper River on the grounds of an old plantation. Charlestonians could escape the big hot city for day trips by special trolley and enjoy a day on strolling lovely walking paths and picnicking in the landscaped gardens along the river. </span><br><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But soon, a short two years later in 1901, the United States Navy took possession of Chicora Park to build the Charleston Naval Base for defense of the East Coast of the United States. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> The base also </span>served to repair military ships and resupply them before they returned to sea. As it grew, shipbuilding was added, providing employment for 1,700 people. Over the years the Charleston Naval Shipyard turned out dredges, patrol cutters for the Coast Guard, paddle wheel steam boats for the Army Corps of Engineers, gunboats, submarine chasers, tugboats, barges, and even a ferry boat. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In April of 1917, when the US entered World War I, five German freighters were in transit through Charleston. The ships were seized and interned in nearby Charleston Harbor. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Then they were brought to the Naval Base where they were refitted and sent to war as part of the US Naval Fleet. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>During the WWI years, a Naval Training Center was added for basic training. One of the 5,000 recruits who trained there was Norman Rockwell, a young man destined to become one of the United States’ most loved artists. During his stay, Rockwell painted officer’s portraits and did cartoons for the base newsletter.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><img id="id_2ac0_7563_2690_d4a6" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xuV2qIXQCXEX1wFZKoy2DfWgEsOS0gchekMNJtuleMMomNTR-glufAYNS136pRlFfiw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 463px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Also during this time, a naval clothing factory employing 1,000 Charleston women was put into production. When </font></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">influenza became rampant, a naval hospital was added. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>During World War II, thousands more soldiers, sailors, and airmen passed through the base on their way to war. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Three shifts of military and civilian workers were employed to berth ships in port, build, repair, and resupply ships and troops for the Navy, keeping the war effort going around the clock. Vessels built during this war and in the years after were destroyers, landing crafts, and submarines. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Charleston Naval Base remained the largest employer of civilians in the state of South Carolina into the 1990s. In 1993, with the Cold War over, defense budgets were cut, the decision was made to close the base and it closed in 1996. </font></span></p><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s2"></span><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="6"><b><i>The Memorial</i></b></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><img id="id_9e38_acb9_d494_216a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eBHaGevHb5T44XmNZneKF6ituZxHPdhPHNqaAE1nkdC8QOTSA1XUdm2efTAWSZ_GQ5E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 866px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="6"><b><i><br></i></b></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The memorial to the hundreds of thousands of military and civilians who worked at the Charleston Naval Base from 1901-1993 is an open pavilion shaped like the bow of a ship. One side borders the river while the other side is a low wall that curves like the side of a ship. </font></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">A concrete ground map shows the Earth’s continents and a man made stream for children to play in meanders through. </span> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Five flags fly on flagpoles that slant out from the shore, pointing the way out of the safe harbor of home into the oceans and seas of the world. </span></p><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_97da_7f42_ffd0_c9db" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5RIvNH_N7IurBY_PI1P0ScvDoapwq7CQjX34tuDGKaJp9WQTzPCma0CzLUOqHanNkT4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 515px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s2"></span><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5">The story of the base is told in a timeline of collages printed on metal, on a background of gray concrete, reflecting the look of the big ships built here.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></span></p><p class="p3" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s2"></span><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_6a5_23a8_8614_1d5b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d0wR0Su6j74u-y0usb03S5jwxcDXEsCZxa--1Yhj_kcBOML8EYSdk1lSo13eKgmOK3E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 575px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><img id="id_338c_becc_ef3f_888" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/EykpTUkvpENiR-_iBHbA1akTZ6pElv123m8cjWORjPZGSk3oehsy05zRPT_HlYvln8A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 538px; height: auto; margin: 4px; display: block; float: right;"><br></span><font face="Arial" size="5"> A statue of the “Lone Sailor” with his duffel bag beside him stands looking out to sea, as if waiting to board his ship. The sculpture honors the men and women who served and still serve in the US Navy.</font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_1f10_f0c7_8d6b_be00" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/k1ewQNvfc_wnJCPLWUB30dij9Igzio3M3jmpzRX-6_hS2RUuaEnBYPl_CJcN2Cqxa7U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 366px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Nearby is “Homecoming”, depicting the joy of a family reunion, honoring the sacrifices made by families and members in all sea services during their long separations. </font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Both sculptures are bronze copies of </font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">originals that stand at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington. </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><img id="id_cdd9_8c73_f12e_fdd3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/MpKNGAK-ydihz7RO2thEhQ48AxpGaOv17_Do1Kjy40754s4g5JZab44IoN6cN4GsyDc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 485px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Many of the old buildings, including the shipyards, have found new life since the base closed. The docks and dry docks are now privately owned and still actively servicing the giant cargo ships that come in and out of Charleston. </span><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> One of the old officer’s homes on the base has been turned into a restaurant. We enjoyed lunch on the terrace, looking out at river and listening to the banging and pounding and hissing of ships being worked on next door. </span><div><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2"></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">And check out the view from our table!</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_1edd_df30_302b_49df" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/P4aebrjvD2ynyJg_0YUv2qBqvhNCehOxzXmSPDsbXgbWFn4M3utHrBR9ujGB1pFpndQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 829px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-1376530622872576482023-01-04T03:44:00.001-08:002023-01-04T04:34:52.170-08:00Our Very Own New Year Stinkhorn<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Good morning, and Hello 2023! </span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> A year ago, last January, we hiked out of the deep woods into an open area of coastal forest that had been cleared, the fallen trees and a layer of debris left to rot on the ground. Everywhere we looked, emerging from the detritus, were large, bright red, oddly-shaped, and very strange looking fungi. Neither of us had seen anything like it before and we were pretty excited! </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">You can see the post and photos here. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://wisdomforasimplerlife.blogspot.com/2021/01/fungus-fun-facts-and-feast-for-our.html" id="id_a8d1_a768_3ec4_8267">https://wisdomforasimplerlife.blogspot.com/2021/01/fungus-fun-facts-and-feast-for-our.html</a>.</div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Well, one day this first week of January, we discovered something bubbling and red emerging from the pine needle carpet in our backyard. It continued to emerge over the day until we realized …</span></div><div><img id="id_cd2b_dcf5_734f_6485" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/evd5TRjhis-LYa18uSINXshJWZJPCwPJuv6_BpemIyhImGwn4b5c1wG6Lg4cjSovxbA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 415px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">we had our very own </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">little Stinkhorn garden </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">popping up in front of the sunroom!</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><br></div><div> <font face="Arial" size="5">While the shapes are different from the ones we saw on our hike last year, once you see it Stinkhorn is pretty unmistakable. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> And if there was any doubt, the odor is a DEAD giveaway! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I think it’s here in our yard because I tend to pick up bits and pieces of things on our hikes and bring them home to </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">the garden along the sunroom — things like oddly shaped pieces of wood or bark. One of these could easily have carried the Stinkhorn spores from the area where we first saw them. </span></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6ff_de74_6a13_304b" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/A1LmpM35qvNLhqmbPJZVqIkI265G1itujZ3jJ9S-eYfi58Gz6mdN1NYCDEB30L4uob4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 508px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> So, today I am sending out into the Universe my New Year wishes for you, friends . . . </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">for pleasant surprises, </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">for health and presence to enjoy them, </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> and for as much adventure this year as your heart desires!</font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-12396558310909838892022-12-23T11:09:00.001-08:002022-12-24T03:42:50.753-08:00Christmas Greetings <font face="Arial" size="5"> Just stopping by my blog this afternoon to tell you, we are busy getting ready for Christmas. A weather surprise has turned everything decidedly wintery just in time. Tonight’s prediction of 15 degrees F is a bit concerning as our homes in the South are not built for that kind of weather. Hope we don’t wake up to frozen water pipes! </font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><img id="id_2e12_bebe_c202_4b1c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1PyzoJmLRpmzNawELkfuhjVHRlnZ-QAh8jEkJuLOVpMBLx5nEuyKWdsYLEbK9CWaHyo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 515px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> As you know we have a new addition to our family — Frank, a young cat. Everything dangly and new is a toy to him, to be stalked, pounced on, and dispatched if at all possible. As a result, our usual decorations have had to be … shall we say, modified … out of concern for their preservation! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> So far he has broken nothing and only gazed longingly in deep contemplation at the fireplace mantle above. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_9d43_43b5_f2f2_c6f9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9ZlsCLPUDrfq3lAFLrG7wNun_Qd80r2dheqDWW1IGdlumIsutqZ0fWBXMC5tvhXsfJU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 351px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br> <font face="Arial" size="5">No big Christmas tree with all the glass balls and family mementos for us this year. Instead we cut this small yellow pine from the National Forest and added some trimmings from nature. It smells heavenly!</font><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_1866_1ff1_a1cc_fbe3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4RLJip_CNToall9VQQPxGV1LE1VBZd_nFYstjkRgAhRE48qd_j6b9mS5cV1ChFD2qlM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 516px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We also cut a very prickly red cedar. It has a few unbreakable ornaments and since Frank doesn’t like the prickles, he has left the tree and baubles completely alone. Instead, he has been content to climb the window behind it. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_5dbc_29e7_6fd2_7e74" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/oL2ULV7qEL6N_ne7N-Lfu1biEiqR_mUjiBDvfGS6nkG8-PI-0NJVeB6tWekjhZ_5mr0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 376px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3e1c_e827_4578_22f4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Cn3sCmEBi8uCnsT621OaLGz7OV4OGkEMXiThF5dfdXg9NALY4gxdQ0bLL4NbZpQ1JVU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 430px; height: auto; margin: 4px; display: block; float: left;"><br><br><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> I made Nisse Guda gift tags for family gifts. Some are paper, some made of felt and embroidered. </font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_5862_c196_273d_8849" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5pTkKEmPEvleQEB7-XDYwcESsAhlvVCCpTVT6sQy0QJvMYBiWrpVLJ-p-X90XFIxtaw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 426px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> . . and I painted our Christmas cards. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3845_37d5_c718_2236" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cGjmjIQAtiRB2JNeRH5BE3i5Il4GvP3tzFAO2horPJg6A4YmPEr9ke_HrvqA0jti6ac" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 431px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div> <font face="Arial" size="5">Christmas bread is being baked this afternoon and we have a few more gifts to wrap and then we are ready!</font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_2372_62ff_40b_1aaa" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5wLDeABeX94UKiB56f4-6ggpzpOy6xNkeYQtd-lnyyH5fyr0NJrDn0MFwdGbQRE9PcM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 366px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Bob and Frank, </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">The Writer and I,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">would like to wish you and yours </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Peace</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Hope </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Health</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">and </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Love </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">today and always!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#ff1744" face="Arial" size="7"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 23, 68); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b><i>and </i></b></span></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font color="#ff1744" face="Arial" size="7"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 23, 68); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b><i>A Very Merry Christmas!</i> 🎄 </b></span></font></div></div><div><br></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-90440057427152424832022-12-05T12:15:00.001-08:002022-12-05T12:21:26.858-08:00Is It a Signal Tree? <div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_5ea1_eb4b_2a83_3df9" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/fZRw0Qu0N5DV0yO2xZNO7Y5fvifgf8on2IGl8t23bvFrksr-jIUhdRB_b88LjBxqlSg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 575px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font><font face="Arial" size="5">Is this old water oak tree on a trail we frequent a signal or marker tree, made by Native Americans and used as a navigational aid in the forests? By bending a young sapling at a right angle to the ground, they altered a tree to serve as a signpost to others, indicating a trail direction or marking a point of interest, such as a natural spring or a safe river crossing.</font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_915b_5fb4_48ff_2fbd" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/nNRH8Fuk6rMm5u0YBQANm1Oi5ktiTGr3lJVqPfJxcBYuKfgbRXXtCmjQX_HIyMOOF9A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 530px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br></span></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As the tree <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>matured, it grew back upward toward the light, pointing the way to the desired direction to whomever passed. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> We aren’t sure if this tree is a signal tree or not. There are only a few hundred documented examples in the United States and no studies done in our state.</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> A survivor of hurricanes and loggers, fires and diseases, it is several hundred years old, plenty old enough to have done the job.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_d82a_9529_cd3b_456c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3ItTzbM-wYk0OYAJYcqtShRmMDwYqVD7aMgxTDcyu-9fsUsbxqxsAaESlNjttnKsiEI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 418px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br></span><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I call it the Elephant Tree because of its bark. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>What do you think? Do you see the elephant leg there? </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br></span></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It’s one of those trees I can’t resist. Don’t tell anyone, but when we pass by, I always stop and give it a hug! </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="s1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; width: 553px; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><img id="id_2adf_11ac_a22f_5dcc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AE4Z7g-J5JJ6quJfbcaAVTchYjqzkvqoudOcmfCSgMELixgCHJAFq-4KHpIsVWYNCeA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 553px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5">The waxing moon </font></span></div><p></p></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-9989635426489152042022-11-23T10:59:00.001-08:002022-11-23T11:13:29.006-08:00Thanksgiving Over the Years<p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Thanksgiving traditions that seemed set in stone when I was little are fond memories 70+ years later. When we were children we were dressed up in our Sunday best and taken to Grandma’s house for the day. There we sat down to a huge meal of turkey and all the trimmings served on the company china, with lots of polished silverware, and huge heavy serving dishes to pass. Dinner <span class="Apple-converted-space">at </span>12 pm, on the dot! </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>After the meal, the “ladies” retired to the kitchen where they chatted, washed and dried all the “good dishes” and scrubbed the pots and pans while the grandpas and Dad dozed in comfortable chairs. Weather permitting, an afternoon walk was followed by games of cribbage.</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At 6 pm (on the dot!), all the plates and silver and leftovers came out again for “supper”, followed by another session of more dishwashing in the kitchen. At last, bundled up in snow suits, we fell asleep in the cold car on the way home. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Dad carried us in to bed and when we woke up it was Friday. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_a2a3_66f7_99fb_61b5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/kPlseGJHgSsVXrwlxDsFkCvBJfgISDVx4AQ-C_BuQZ--lVWa_Yxf17BN4ib3hjGtz28" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 411px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>That tradition of going to Grandma’s house changed when, just out of college, the Writer and I were married in September and I cooked my first Thanksgiving feast in November for a houseful. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5">Around a makeshift table, guests</font></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> sat in borrowed chairs and included the grandparents who had cooked all those Thanksgiving dinners of my childhood. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Much pressure for the new cook!</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_dbdd_1b_cce0_6bc0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/FN7SrF3Z4Vlag4obiIAHxcGW3ZqjR1BO9KoSdiJQXgaCI51C-Uuu2hfoj-XS3apKt_A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 575px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> No one was more astonished than I was when I produced a huge turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, vegetables, and assorted pies that all tasted delicious! </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Subsequent Thanksgivings were spent in many different ways and places as people moved, relationships changed, another generation was added, beloved grandparents died. A most memorable holiday was the one in 1987 when I returned from Mexico, jet lagged and exhausted, on the day before Thanksgiving with two newly adopted children!</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Other unforgettable Thanksgivings have been spent serving holiday meals to Hmong, Somali and other new immigrants and homeless people in our town, followed by cleaning up after hundreds of diners. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Never have I felt more fortunate and thankful for my own blessings than when serving these people. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Now our children have young families, large houses, new traditions, and we are the guests. This year we will have dinner in Charleston with the families of two children, including a newborn baby. Missing will be one son in Florida with a baby due any minute, one daughter in Germany, and another in Minnesota. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_31ba_6937_b153_874f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mZoGiczuIKBD0MJle4v-0FWcldHhNTyIzC1qLTBHwvF1_G8xYZ00MGULDeBTw599sA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 201px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font face="Arial" size="5"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Wherever and however (or even IF) you celebrate Thanksgiving, Thursday can be a day to reflect on and appreciate our blessings and to vow to bless and be a blessing in the lives of others in return. </font></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br><br></span><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font color="#ff9800" face="Arial" size="7"><b><i><span class="s1"></span>Happy Thanksgiving!</i></b></font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 23px; line-height: normal; min-height: 29px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p> Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-63215590387842069422022-11-11T12:10:00.001-08:002022-11-11T12:20:16.487-08:00Finally … Fall!! <font face="Arial" size="5">We had to travel a ways, but we finally found some fall color.</font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> The trees here on the coast that do lose their leaves in autumn this year went directly from green to brown to bare. </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Fall is my favorite season and I was missing it! Over the weekend I saw a photo someone had taken of a beautiful tree in full fall colors, so we decided to take a drive and find it. </span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><div><img id="id_471_f199_715c_364b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/0tFuWtMWkFML2hISWDBZDYWgUn62RKZBOxz3Z_4nXS7bnhW_nkwi0ljTJFnRurJkP8c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 902px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">And we did. At Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge near McBee, SC, we had the whole 46,000-acre preserve to ourselves! Beautiful hilly roads meandered through longleaf pine woods with small lakes, a few deciduous trees, and occasional golden fields of wire grass breaking up the green of the pines. </span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Longleaf pine once covered 90 million acres of the southeastern United States until it was cleared by the timber industry in the 20th century. Places like Sandhill attempt to restore the pine forests to the state.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_92f4_6e9a_460_6508" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oxYUnR-L7KmHUX5Pul6o6AmEp1Kw88gEcwbEdSOKIADqoF9Ulav9tNVqYUUTi30kqOI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 898px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Baby long leaf pines and young oaks</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_91b3_daf0_5f12_8fe4" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MUdAmoXHkAp-9nKBREpTynBXeut15aTkpqgbKyOytFTG0IqmMXQdixKXeBnlTJQGZs4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 627px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Maples</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_31e5_9b1_924_dcb3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ox7LUFWO29q7uE2nL8C33lfMBeoBjlJH-sGYsafWBjeIHPqUY-GgnPYEHT4gf_L7vbo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 896px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Before the long drive home, we chose a trail to hike that took us through the tall pines, down a hill to Martin’s Lake. The trail </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">ended at a boardwalk and photo blind where we hung out a while with a flotilla of paddling Canada geese. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> On the way out we exchanged surprised looks with a big buck deer strolling across the road, thankful this big guy was in a preserve and would be safe later this month from hunters.</span></div></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-65417044065538018122022-11-07T12:48:00.001-08:002022-11-07T12:48:48.636-08:00Election Day November 8<font face="Arial" size="5"> Midterm elections in the United States are on Tuesday. All elections are important but this one is another one that feels especially so. </font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility and just in case someone is still thinking about their vote, here is some good advice. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_8be8_3ed1_3ae5_f7df" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jkV4PoT5zh2FL2i7CirrYHuNPhbu3QqkpFGu65uvXqwuiIKrNcYMWW8Cu_Hyo1RblD0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 560px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_9011_3998_10f5_5b34" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LcroOrvapPDKjG27NRu5KbY11jNXwKfaENR6STEwCRPAOTeHqWF1mI-92LL-xIScnKg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 165px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-32507878184947257062022-10-30T11:44:00.001-07:002022-10-30T11:50:39.285-07:00BOO!!<br><div><img id="id_d78_8e35_39fe_1d68" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/03qDjw4n85EQdvqMfKTMGOzAKeT44OY6mY3-yRO7M5S7NiWo1D5dzGRih9eNjJON5W4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 642px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"> <font face="Arial" size="5">Some of the historic houses in town go all out decorating for Halloween, which is Monday night.</font></div></div><div><img id="id_bf98_cdc6_4f37_f907" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EsxpgcobDkURaL62ilAsMXuZwAQePS6QnvHfYD3Att2IEzFHGK0eHm8KZrNEGyTo1m4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br>The witches are life-sized, appropriately ugly, and looking right into each others’ eyes as they concoct their spell. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Going to be spooky to walk up here after dark!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_1176_5a3c_bb0b_f43" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uLAYGKt38kBq-5JULOJkzM3RyfraZNUH5KlYLOts-R5srbJ0PX9DEmg6WTBncR_65bo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 609px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br><br> More Dark Ladies brewing … mischief?<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></font><img id="id_9045_ed4d_338f_6cc0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vT_q4HAVm7HlOBjXwS4dQZSmIeQDkPyrizcFrHGjo7aDIkr2tbTbW-hRsscF9Be7CMA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br> <font face="Arial" size="5">This house is just around the corner from us and they always have homemade decorations for each holiday. This year they have the traditional Halloween candy — candy corn — </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">cut from wood and handpainted. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_db05_c61f_336e_a2be" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/betiWc2p3uGKnkbHbL2yBf0b19a1gyqR2w9iqJZB_7qsb4beJoZP05iZOCk9jeCy9iI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 620px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> This trio of little witches is just down the street. I think they are homemade and quite charming, with their fire pit “cauldron”.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_d473_5296_3ddf_11a6" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/51HzH8g1W5VdZEFjPNkVxggrR2WTjX6lP8oM9VeOo-sILdy7PlTTRnQfDEp9R9labJk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 523px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> I like this sentiment. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_482e_8c8e_cc76_936d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/yyEXeroGpKUSxEYXmPoD0RgxeCLAUO42BIFHKzoRmwj0z_J8o8d8Amj1Kf7T9oc6DMA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 493px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> We are ready for trick-or-treaters. Hope we get a few. Traditions are changing and not many go door to door anymore as the churches and social clubs have kind of taken over the holiday. </font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃</font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-90406558009847402382022-10-26T11:10:00.001-07:002022-10-26T11:16:09.382-07:00Scarecrow Contest<font face="Arial" size="5"> There weren’t many entries in the annual Scarecrow Contest this year. Not sure why except maybe everyone was tired out from the huge wooden boat show the weekend before when there were thousands of visitors on the streets in Georgetown. </font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Anyway, here are some of the offerings. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><div><img id="id_73d4_b1da_1fb_7c14" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/rZ3acWPfF8pkXldY0-dFGjclAkIGq3P8xHTccEBkGSOuZBL0twZOAQFHd0Dtie6Y4W8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 620px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">It was a beautiful October day, clear skies and cooler temperatures in Rainey Park.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_a02f_e857_526b_3978" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kyTHW72-DqKCzGsh2E69sZfSn-4DtDHnDRpCRYCycns3AG_-dEGvbuEMuIU35bzP0Qg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 605px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Representing The Shrimp Dock, where the shrimpers come in to sell their catch, is Gorty the Georgetown fisherman. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> You can tell Gorty is the Real Deal because he is wearing the white rubber boots that tell you he is a man who makes his living from the sea. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_9996_d4b5_f55e_9d2f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tVr5tOyup7-rPK9ee6813KI61LmGE6grbkw732ChbsDV-ZqphpLZWCjbMX-ytD99kpQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 627px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <font face="Arial" size="5">Now she’s pretty, but would she scare a crow???</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><img id="id_3040_8b4_4422_c198" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rgIsGBY2pw6rgbeTyoWAJIpqZ8SY1Ftvf6dp-zO8xLQ6N6pyh5zgKzTp0RZPtyAeSyY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 433px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> And, our favorite, the scariest scarecrow in the park, is this guy.</font><br><br><br><img id="id_448c_8803_ee20_89f6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/75hcLeSG9cKj2DqFSTFKlRVsLmhqEbPnSRcPXSVYkfrfYcHic9v9fMw3Ph9ZgY61VpQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 448px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Not sure who sponsored him or who he is, but those worms and cockroaches are definitely </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5">crrrrr—eeeeepy!</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> In other news this week, we became grandparents again, to — another baby boy! This is Grayson and his big brother Jackson, age 2.</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_a313_849d_be8_34c8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/E_sTSqIxUibkadizA_CMeQT9hbUNiId4KlS3S408_YzUn9QczY7BhXXXUObf9lcCNTg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 451px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">(If anyone is counting, its now grandsons 8, granddaughters 0!)</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-60117154854240668162022-10-19T10:50:00.001-07:002022-10-19T12:49:40.587-07:00Meet Frank!<font face="Arial" size="5"> This is our new family member and Bob the Border Collie’s new best friend. </font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">It’s</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Frank! </span></div><div><img id="id_334b_989d_4c0b_37ca" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Iaoapp44SP_B5jO01QjZC6pQXDmghNFnhjgjDU1asW0fAC9saEtyiTzGkmIupVUv0DQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 553px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Frank is 10 months old, adopted from the St Francis Animal Center, the No Kill shelter in our town. He was rescued along with 40 other cats from a “hoarding situation” this summer, vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped at St Francis. Pronounced healthy, he moved on to the Purr & Pour Cat Cafe in town to be socialized and adopted.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_7f6d_785e_38fb_2da9" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BlSGJc4CMFzSotRCBG-KYHZeQ-kNae4ZIdcYem9_t5yiuREKcCoaQ2mnnApJxcOXXn8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 590px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> The Purr & Pour is so popular you have to have a reservation to come in for a coffee, tea, or glass of wine and a baked people-treat to spend time with the cats!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> It’s also a $20 donation to St Francis for the privilege and the place is alway full.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We visited the day before Hurricane Ian hit and they had 17 resident cats.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_5872_a3a9_8e43_cdac" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oJvFW3IdaGKwsLfg90rePw9GpV60lGczn9RZj7hCCXOTVTo0daml0ZaPIgG8Ko5QSGo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 493px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> There is every kind of fun for cats at the Purr & Pour, along with chairs, couches, and fluffy rugs for the human visitors to share with the cats.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_ad3_fc19_8172_1328" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LucW5UPpAPx6QuWwnmx3KJy9CQyCB_t4q0BUfXtdfxF8NPrTg1M7m9d-_UNtqdHmvK0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 357px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I spent a couple hours petting and playing and holding cats and … couldn’t decide for sure which cat was ours. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5">So I called The Writer to come and help. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> He walked in and petted two cats. The second one licked his hand, presented his belly for rubs, and purred with all his might. He (The Writer) was smitten! Funny enough, he had no idea it was the same cat of the 17 I had been leaning toward choosing!</font></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> You can’t just walk in and walk out with a cat. You have to provide references and answer questions about your past pets and other pets at home. You sign a promise that the cat will have regular checkups and vaccinations and that it will be an indoor-only cat. Then you wait while they check up on you to get a phone call saying, come and get your boy. So, we went home with an empty cat carrier to wait and see. </font></div><div><br></div><img id="id_a798_708c_1fb9_8d5b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a65pDvNYseFxju92LNolIjHAGcaS1_aICYvrw_BS8QyygxQBfmuex51V947HG1GTnjU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 444px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Just as everything was shutting down for the hurricane the next day, we got the call saying we could come and get him. </span><br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> It’s taken Frank no time at all to make himself at home. It’s funny how he has fit himself into Bob’s routine and expects a treat for himself at the times Bob regularly gets one. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c2a7_7ef8_819b_5a54" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8KK26wJAPeFQzzQExbFPo1eSr0yk880Xb1Z2E7R2TJoYn7-m8mwEODsBwRe8tlEZXyA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 523px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> I’m so happy to have Frank. It just doesn’t feel like a home is complete without a cat! </font></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-91255919357221324322022-10-14T11:07:00.001-07:002022-10-14T12:11:16.756-07:00Exploring Another Part of South Carolina<font face="Arial" size="5">We’ve been camping in the mountains, enjoying the northwestern corner of our state. </font><div><img id="id_127f_6ef5_c5c2_8ae6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FWBZvWc9xKML70Abo1uVnmPuPXXB2NQejvO-4wGQSpE4Z7X8DbeVm0PX2I4ZBVHyag" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 529px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5">In case you’re unfamiliar with South Carolina, we live on the east coast, in Georgetown, circled in green. It’s about 4 1/2 hours from there to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of the Appalachians. The western state border, with Georgia, is a series of lakes and a river from top to bottom. We stayed in three different parks (two state parks and one county park) and had a campsite on the water at each of them.</font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_cb0c_2890_e6a9_33fa" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/zKQtot56ISM4Irs0McLUob4z4zR-TuZ9hcjZtLW-C_qfBZBasaAeoWe0LG31nNuH_fQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 549px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We have a small travel trailer with a bed inside, a galley under the hatch at the back for cooking, and a screen room with drop sides for privacy and rain (and bugs). </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_ea8d_1c1e_adf1_f19d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Qtyq_IYMqJJk65iWIkfOD90oFWQaYwgEThxHSyb9mSi1rH4ii4M9PFcKRCD3eM411ec" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 414px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3147_ff81_42ac_6246" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MpMSmqxkPVvMOZnO8Bv7jjOJMAXxBZhlbpAfy8TRQOvtpxHeoDpNViab_aOA6jhTQDc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 435px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5">Our first campsite was on Lake Hartwell. The red clay in the lake made such a beautiful contrast with the sky and trees. (Not too nice to walk in the water, though. Your feet come out orange!). </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">This was our view. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_2ad3_f37f_1e15_b6c0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/iXR-vL9Mf9UjRAYEDdUtdnFaFTarMLO-Ib0Ei9EK_lf19yQ8edSIOCik95MmzP-jbLc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 620px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><img id="id_4363_820_8e35_65a1" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ImyELqwRKWId3uhkCA7N5_Wd0Fi_MLcRPJDRUsRHdcjULsFm0qkvVSgOyGVhhGN38vs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 597px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Every day of the trip the sunsets and sunrises were spectacular!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_3563_47b9_d95f_e926" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/DpgpX2etR1M5FwxdUajVFCGkADeKBtdg30KoCJnp8yYWlqyMc3_TI1FP0MzBRFD6NYA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 635px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Another site was on Lake Keowee.</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_1614_6864_1cbd_2d2e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dkEG1ClBdxx-7bbcSCmrfwIRZjl3YGx7OMvBQMWuHPr0w41iAMxuljT_o6ydrLDxPHw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Morning tea, sunrise on Lake Keowee, catching up on my journal. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_1221_a1ee_ec7d_631f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pt66znuAhjq2cFyEEQ8Ixt-yGYFk-XX0w6P6jy4pVzo9EduW49J_e58rsaeS99EIlMU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 478px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> I’m going to quit here with our last-night campfire on Lake Russell. I have more about our trip but for some reason my whole page has disappeared twice and I don’t want to lose it again! So, see you soon. </font><br> </div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-23745746031112159072022-09-09T11:18:00.001-07:002022-09-10T03:00:21.039-07:00‘It Is With Deep Sadness …’<br><div><img id="id_de94_c3f4_ca5a_328a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vro4iCRNbvZa1plPPio9AkWR1crYQHsKcvT_SNDEgu2qoR8TnIuWTkKEj0o0XIoufkM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">1926 - 2022</font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div><img id="id_8cd7_cb7f_d770_769f" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/54UAcyaUQbO6wTWTnT4tP6gTIF_1X-9x_6Aq42x1IqgTj1v7KX0b0j7TiGCVJ56C2cg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 392px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">1952 - 2022</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div></div><div><img id="id_4b6a_1088_d946_7b32" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NvUVpEvFoTo8N898uf705SuVD5LKfC_NkmBLzUhPiJLWMkQhdQSfo9Nn2CQ_NelTE-o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 396px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><i>“I said I’d wait for you”</i></font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Jason Goldrick, artist</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_acea_b4f5_cb9_6a6e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SopxqA28G486D4OG_hI6jmguqrZprrjmL6nIYvWYEYDSPIIRet-9GnxtqjjJE7oQ6nU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 217px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-52380416144164170502022-08-25T08:25:00.001-07:002022-08-25T12:03:49.955-07:00Minnesota, At Last<font face="Arial" size="5"> After </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">2 1/2 years (thanks, Covid!) I finally got to go home to Minnesota and spend some</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> time with my family. We crammed as much as we could into a few days. </span><div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_8f2d_8fc2_5221_5d85" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vMvt-JGm2XzqHu3mDSme77uuBs2pBBW-n8hAMCa91l5DsV8u4nObhQIgNag_7I7Vu0E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 553px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">“Hi, Nana!”</span></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I know it’s cliche but …</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> My goodness, how they’ve grown!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> (8, 13 and 13, 14)</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_e8a4_7366_50c5_ccfd" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0QyPVQhXJhLpgby5dV8aZ7XOFbQY-pgspmCQVZO2phf6djJO8FdC5lO-jH-P-81jdfE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 470px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Fall sports were just starting up and Mason had football practice. First year for wearing protective equipment, but it’s still touch football, not tackle. Whew, glad of that!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_98b2_1c30_5959_5ef5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IklrOzupiYNbEk-bA17aAEkliLLZ7eGUqOg5hkJhW2rvjqBSXWWmg1DTa7d_iuja05Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 605px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Minnesota Twins played the Texas Rangers.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Grown-ups only. It felt very strange to leave the boys home without a sitter. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c937_c106_c66e_6b6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BmElwr0rfdUPv4xfaNj7MLH4lvXOy6xKPR1GiycBTtfSIoZ49hW-C6gsfziCoJH9eIA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 664px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Our seats were right behind home plate and the ball was coming at us at up to 103 mph! How does a batter ever hit that?!!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Nail biter until the very end and the TWINS WON! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I did not recognize one player left from my days of being a Twins fan. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_2ced_d6c4_93e3_c602" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QxGTsyqFZZTTW7Q9vHE3ntlYeWFHAMTCxQiq_36_KQwcqiOmE6Cx-u37kt_aqxF9ZsM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 618px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We’re a family who loves puzzles. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> This Star Wars challenger has 2000 pieces! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_c39_5fb1_5d37_e42d" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/9rVRL4G-67erc_SU5yit9wzXz8_j4xMDNWKBMgRzAwemBjBhEoDqGuylNvVdp8IUANo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 456px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Mason’s really good at puzzles but doesn’t have the attention span of the big boys. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Never at a loss for things to do however!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> (Or maybe he thought this was a better vantage point for finding that certain piece?)</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_59a7_3829_34a6_970f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/b1WRREoyrLcTxFx-Mx93R-stO22ytnrLb0MUBaIMf01phEg9o7g44M6Z_cS5vwTOdO4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 359px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_9924_df6f_ec7b_e4b2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Cz9sq8NwNeZEt7w-tiJiqBG98ZrGCNt0L8aeTFYZj50mJt2F6erLOFtAMA24mLFzvAg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 418px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5">Chillin’ with the grand dogs, Annabelle (right), a Texas kill shelter rescue, and Nettie (left), a retired show dog. They are both so sweet, and the best cuddlers. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_201_64fb_da27_cb46" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gUTuIzxXg2aS1rEuuqQ8uZozJuYb0b7NFhdEnXSiv7RdMI5hItzjPK624-UlQwghEDY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 567px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5">Lots of ball games — basketball, whiffle ball, football — to use up that boy energy.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_1bc8_331b_c476_a8ff" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nbPRvek9dy_lQqGul1C-Tc6UhxIifG_Ks4-P8Tz_li3ndZO8WCIzAOndK2VaDEBzUhY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 426px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> The big Minneapolis farmers market with real farm-to-table prices and So Much Stuff! How do you even choose?</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Sarah still has her Mexican taste buds and bought a bowl of each of these kind of peppers. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> She snacks on them like carrot sticks!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_1ff6_385d_460d_e949" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tc-Afc3XhHcx24EApFtOi2EnvpylkJziWCBt4Feub72mIEK1gwMBnBaVKpHQpLFfURc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 381px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">“Surprise” birthday party for Anna</font></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_6a1a_6167_ba0e_ceff" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SgEXtoNTuTdCaZd76GsddmPutSNqmHfMRJ-MubxDFW8to_L3cm7RT2LiubHk6A22KrM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 620px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">My beloved daughters, Anna and Sarah </span></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><img id="id_9e4a_fd44_ee6f_def4" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/B3tdLH9SZfRUMcxdNOAV2Tq3sHFv0z7rA6cloEbtDPuz9QVKxhYYcpE_QV_FO2elyzg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br> And the final evening, a bonfire with marshmallows, singing, and dancing around the fire. Until the mosquitoes chased us inside. Not a Minnesota summer evening without some of those!</font></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_eb26_4d91_e096_bf27" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0JDMGLGdVdWfXg95ci-37nqJu5f-xy5xglZvIA7avtHbzhMOkNJ8_VbgPNFK2Yy54F0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 493px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">So hard to watch them drive away at the airport! </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">So thankful to have this time together!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><font color="#0277bd"><i> I want to say a few words about my last post, the one about the neighborhood man who feeds the feral cats. First, I am aware that cats kill birds and other small animals and that pet cats should be kept indoors. The cats I have owned have all been indoor cats for that reason, and if I get another cat, she will be an indoor cat, too. </i></font></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><font color="#0277bd"><i> There is a cat problem in the small Southern town I live in. Traditionally, cats here are outdoor pets. Although there are no-cost spay clinics and individuals who attempt to trap the many cats that live around the fishing and boat docks, it’s a drop in the bucket. There are so many stray cats that the local animal shelter provides outdoor shelters, food, and neutering for hundreds that come and go near their facility. </i></font></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><font color="#0277bd"><i> And finally, the man who feeds these cats in my neighborhood is old, poor, in terrible health, and alone. Feeding these 15 or so cats brings him some happiness and a feeling that he is doing a kindness to God’s creatures. Who am I to judge? He has lived here all his life; I have lived here six years. </i></font></span></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-50625802148073633802022-08-03T07:41:00.001-07:002022-08-03T07:46:54.586-07:00Here, Kitty, Kitty<br><div><br><br><img id="id_cd4c_7990_83_125f" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/iZBMUy2H9Z5YxViZURrn0GUWbmAXffr8uavcvvugw9n7yOXo-MWwKL5JfTyKPvhY-GI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 926px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Since I am still catless, I have to get my cat fix where I can. This house on my morning walking route provides a constant supply of cat cuteness! An elderly man lives here and feeds all who come to the table. I counted 12 waiting this morning. I think he leaves the watermelon on the left for the fox family that lives in the woods next door. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_6445_2e4_b0ee_2921" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KVrr57-SlHQWtJYnUN2uCdoHDtVUR1xpD6401LPJyjNmoSC_URaqBydVmsl2lKpCur4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 620px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"> <br><font face="Arial" size="5"> We recently spent time with my mom at her care home in Florida where </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">indoor and outdoor sitting areas allow the human residents to enjoy the wildlife — raccoons, egrets, squirrels, ibises, and this Sandhill Crane family. The guy on the right with its beak open is a youngster still being fed by the parents. </span></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Besides the animals, the grounds are beautiful with huge 400 year old oak trees draped with Spanish moss along a large creek. The craziest thing though — the prettiest view is reserved for the smokers, which seems very unfair to Mom and to us! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> She isn’t always happy to be there but she does love being able to take herself outside and enjoy nature.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_2a7a_964b_5c28_9404" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/P2NheOMAQBTb6S3LfLjq_AVPAliK_ydEMXRzmGpuoPmzOfF-T33Bk12HNnKr9ipf0C4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 452px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> On the drive back home we spotted this interesting cloud towering in the sky. </font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_205d_c981_4b7d_4c9b" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/bLmWO4N6GCkdCXhWAOOtRXnPsWAv4mcJIwoFBuR4HZC1VzqeFoA0CymAtjp7ahGA_Co" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 396px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> The top appeared indented and bowl-shaped. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Never seen one like it before. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Meanwhile, the South Carolina summer does not disappoint those who love heat and humidity. </font></div><div><img id="id_8da9_78d5_8191_609f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/4myZStcfwW6NSqkGU0Ak8L9lsj57z8J5tlEdHdBDbnCTsn4BxEmeLEMPhMGiORQ-mYY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 406px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">And here’s how I handle it! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">A fair bit of complaining and …</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><img id="id_1728_93cd_2bd9_afd0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/U0NLBd5LucqETr4JgYBPz3FraKanwhtF79tfzCxODJziVlBMB5FJLQEroUDhKPuYhgo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 433px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">😎 😎 😎</div></font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-12181945061545985372022-07-11T12:32:00.001-07:002022-07-20T07:40:36.989-07:00It So Hot Here …<img id="id_248f_61b6_4da1_db7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/e5L82srTTvoveM6SKMgxegUcLWqM0Ss7WIZRzt0Nya6l1sOxiHyodDybF0IW8jfGsYU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 560px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br> <div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I put ice cubes in the hummingbird feeder!</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Why? </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> When I was cleaning it, the nectar I poured out was really hot and I figured it just might burn those tiny hummingbird tongues. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Can’t have that! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Speaking of birds, we have had fun with a pair of Carolina wrens this summer. They are very noisy, very friendly, active, and messy little birds. We like them a lot and have encouraged them to nest in our YARD </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">with two very nice bird houses …</span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3fd2_a10d_4e75_729" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Sy09iE4OrI8emKzaMbiXSx6b8D8tjQXKx30J1ogQSZOBo64lLTzdOl6Wy8_SQV4GbrE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 456px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_92d_afda_a61b_a982" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8AFkhalyzucF_qk5n4HAQXs5IwEiiqRHGXVMkwtKaz4rNCNMF31PbIfDMP2L3R2vjY4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 385px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5">but one very determined pair had other ideas. They seemed to want to be near us. In our sunroom, to be exact. Over a couple days we removed several nest starts, hoping to encourage them to build elsewhere. Then one afternoon we came home to …</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">a done deal! </font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I didn’t get a picture, but there was a jacket slung over my bike handlebars and tucked inside it was a completed nest. Inside the nest were …</font></div><div><br><br><img id="id_d963_a4a6_1d80_b3b6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xw9YSp5fBqdZfva_afxzHJlpkk6TtQI2TRj-OEcDEgb94fvizJiMyp6JQj7WJS0Vkis" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 590px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Yes, four little spotted eggs, each the size of my fingernail! </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> They had us! It was too late take it down this time. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_6da9_4624_e94d_dbe7" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/eFUIDobuOZgAPtgFx3i9eHTnXH5UWUD45xtD3WFxn097bLu_gIB9OeR7PGU2v6BS71U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> What to do? </font></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> I carefully removed the very sloppy, loosely constructed nest from the jacket and placed it in a small wicker basket I hung on my handlebars. We were surprised when mama wren came right back to the nest as if nothing had changed and settled in. From then on we gave over all use of the sunroom to the wrens and had to leave all four sliding glass doors open night and day. </span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We have to walk through the sunroom a dozen times a day to get in and out of the house but it didn’t seem to faze the wren parents in the least. In 13 days the eggs hatched. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_3453_c167_2eca_daf1" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/1xKOXk38-tj4zjdDv2jbmjvOT7RUkQnQK6BQIcDXlANgBdhaO8OLOGZvnIrZSX3zXPA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 545px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_40ec_6d7d_477c_5676" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZQOTaPxRvb_MXgjDoj4U2696Wd9ce6j8d8LS-Q8eo8rtkstCCUVVq1FqknTx-xBvorQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 605px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Feathers grew.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Then one morning 12 days later we came out and the babies were gone. They had somehow made their way out of the nest, out of the sunroom doors, and were hanging out in the azalea bushes, being shepherded and fed by their excited parents. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Carolina wrens are monogamous, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">mate for life, and raise up to three broods a year. Ours have apparently sought a change of scenery for their next family. We miss them but we are glad to have our sunroom back. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><img id="id_78b4_797f_da16_292c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EI2q16Y1KbcE0axP2rAkEk6KhG6AJfEx04O6ClQpvJF4bPi3aaBi3ubRAGfznjoPXoU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 366px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-77937886241210786962022-07-01T12:35:00.001-07:002022-07-03T12:37:45.419-07:00Inspired by Frida Kahlo<div><br></div><div><img id="id_2d92_efbf_23fc_1624" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FUDJlNtF2Vs2D1MfzWbVZAPgkdp7CJ-epRBIKZUW8BZTMBj_qFsHM8BDXrcM5GbKhd0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 376px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"></div><div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 23px;"></span><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> A national tour of art inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo that began to tour the country in 2019 is at its final stop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That’s about an hour north of us and we were fortunate to get to go see it this week. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Ninety-five entries, selected from artists all over the world, inspired by her life and her art, interpreted <i>The World of Frida Kahlo </i>in paintings, prints, photography, collage, sculpture, textiles, and mixed media<i>.</i></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 23px;"> </div></div><div><img id="id_b2b0_d67e_5b66_e95d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dsLWINSN5c2h7x5p4tWb1BApdp8KrZKhrlpO929W_WjAUyTsZHYnJp0IkqoVYxR1aFM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 612px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> It was a colorful and exuberant extravaganza of a tribute and it was fascinating to see the ways Kahlo has inspired creativity in her admirers. We enjoyed it so much!</font><br><br></div><div><img id="id_6b33_e20a_1a46_bb7e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2_VX3Q2rkd1fYBk5UfFsxJc05fC3dbEmu6C62ymf2yVOcP8pg_5Xi0Skf73m7FOqEus" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 515px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">An iconic Frida, clothed in monarch </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">butterflies</font></div><br></div><div><img id="id_1bcf_eff3_132b_e32b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QYerfYH8CKdQN-99JfgexiDWeg7Bc4KXmR9WN7u1AokTbT7C9gMEgCiXSwOSrlJ4W-c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 441px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5">Silk and metallic crewel embroidery</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">“Diego’s Chica”</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_e954_dafa_2552_3e6a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gJr0g4aQ-OL4o3s2OF3hehLmtuJknBDQwnVOZAhW9Ec17ceWPjMa5AvGx78tjFmeHCQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 444px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><br></div><div><img id="id_9eb0_920b_2a8a_d768" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pk3kU20WoNCgQ61uJxqDOhb9HT_gKYGwruRzWDLkpOa7IF1RQsPgKjYwyfX3gusL6ns" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 560px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Brussels, Belgium artist, “Trying to be Frieda”. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Photograph</font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_474b_b62_6156_63cf" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/AfBebmA468jjC04TMzhYQjzPPX9usp8ogJjE38NwJof2S096q4_kMnGi7OzQVVEODpA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 433px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Clay sculpture</span></div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f060_2df7_a7b8_e4f" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wU5-YRaJiO_-ptVRq0EG8RiTgK3PPkONJc3ymvdy91iIsfMFMNo2TxWja8h359Qem_o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 590px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br></div><div><img id="id_ff4a_a2c_96ea_1a5a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/inQrrsSO8gtZmYiWFPIFh4PuvRoPEFJLrST5IsxR4elK2Y8fc3KmIrGgMqFyTexPNjc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 547px; height: auto; margin: 4px; display: block; float: right;"><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Appliqué and embroidery, Hamburg, Germany.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> “Larger Than Life” </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Kahlo was severely crippled as a young woman when she broke her back in a bus accident, and later lost her foot from health complications. Her life was filled with severe pain and she lived and painted mostly in a wheelchair and flat on her back in bed. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> I love the way this artist imagined her as beautiful and free from those painful limitations. <br></font><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_d3c9_f831_fa72_652f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/53lPNnUTEfptOOUTMhgA3FzZDnvs6JqK8SepoTQJox6mIiTUTV8Yz6N1Qq8TFlAYJaQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 622px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> “Frida With Birds” </font></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_48e9_ae30_545d_ddec" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Yd_TEn_PCNbYcmeyiNgbPANOXszr0NEcPNctUfoNQFy2V-MzB9M9NQGQ_Fl3vI8wLxY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 681px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> Embroidery!</span><br><br><br></div><div><img id="id_d2f2_c37a_f9ef_2a51" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GgharVHagIdZfIg6DA2Fp_BgiGXPTDyq8EsKaokplnEXHuMngQM7CHnsoteMv4FpIY0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">A medium of expression for everyone! </span></div></div><div><img id="id_de46_83b6_ef06_70cd" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/wmUsyRBxDCFNUORbyEFvroEP-m5XxX552UDMZXDLHmhMNoBW9B1xSuHrCYMi0gtyc0A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 843px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Paper collage</span></div><br></div><div><img id="id_1909_3370_a546_eb09" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fnE-n0c7JR3T7prHLRGtrX_LvBsTWri0xBHPC8Jt_rOPx1gDx_0Wn5oDE9FlPm25Odo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 515px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">Collage detail</span></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_de16_f4cc_90f6_b88" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/nT1Jg8yqNpPm2S9WOJgq-V3HPTnMhCt1DVgyKBBkmLCPT11X0Ia39aH5hvA8SxvBP2Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 493px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Do-It-Yourself project in the </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">museum gift shop</span></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> (Anyone else paint these when you were a kid? I loved them, and actually learned quite a bit about painting with oils doing them.)</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> I hope you enjoyed seeing a few pieces from this exhibit. I want to tell you if it ever comes your way, do go, but as I said, this is its last stop and the pieces will be going back to their artists when they leave here.</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> I haven’t been posting on my blog for a while for a couple reasons. One was that my last few posts had so few comments I decided I wasn’t writing about anything anyone cared about and it didn’t seem worth the effort. Well, this week I was poking around and discovered that for some unknown reason a lot of comments were in the SPAM folder and never published! I don’t understand why.</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Has that happened to anyone else? Anyway, I moved them and I will be feeling more inspired to write now! </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">🌈. 🌈. 🌈</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-31409437013627154902022-05-11T08:32:00.001-07:002022-05-11T08:44:14.784-07:00Somebody’s Birthday!<img id="id_7e1c_ae10_6315_a3ab" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7s3yGH03ge32nVcc2ANqX31X2MIIoZe8j0xjGEw25u4XvsE3JJcIUbBYt2MhEXCUPvY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Bob’s thirteen!!!</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> They used to say one human year equals seven dog years, which would make our girl 91 today. Now there seems to be a more complicated formula. The American Veterinary Medical Association believes the first year of a dog’s life equals 15 human years. Year two equals nine years and after that, add five year for each human year. By my calculations, that’s adds up to 79 candles this year for Bob. </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> I thought I’d do a little interview with Bob for you on her day.</font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Me: Bob, I know you’re a girl. How did you come to have a boy’s name?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Bob: (Big yawn) I’m tired of answering that. Ask The Writer. Hey, have you seen my ball?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Me: Okay, I’ll ask him in a minute. What’s your favorite treat? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Bob: Peanut butter cookies from Trader Joe’s. Did you hide my tennis ball again?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Me: No I did not! Do you do any dog tricks? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Bob: Sheesh, why would you ask me that. Of course not. Tricks are for poodles. I need that tennis ball. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Me: Why do you hide your tennis balls under things and all over the yard? </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Bob: For occasions just like this! Gotta have one, gotta have one, gotta have one now. </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Me: Okay, just a couple more questions first. Why do you always take the long way through the house instead of going through the kitchen?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Bob: You can’t figure that out for yourself? Years ago when I was a wee small pup I once walked through the kitchen when the floor was wet and slippery. I will NEVER do it again. Ever. Got it? Now gimmee my ball. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Me: Last one. What would you like for your birthday? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> Bob: Really? You don’t know that? I worry about my humans sometimes</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img id="id_df1c_1b0_f19a_be17" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/PhNpSWMIfmgBe5ApgZ2r4hqF1NF9dy0DDPysYs2GM6yFNlnL7tCpYG40eiMMzQJ1yCw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 493px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><br><img id="id_a8c7_a2f6_5a07_aefc" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/x1MC4439l9OReheR-fRehRZ11l-jSAAvSenxguSQHUKfXJlunxnBdeq1zDdp9AcPK_g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 470px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="6" color="#673ab7"><b><i>Happy birthday to a very good girl!</i></b></font></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> </font></div> Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-8097381384504087292022-04-27T06:18:00.001-07:002022-04-27T10:06:26.282-07:00Life is Full of Surprises<font face="Arial" size="5">Dear Friends,</font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> As many of you know, my plucky mom is 96 years old and has been living alone since my dad died many years ago. Sadly, there was a health crisis recently and she went to the hospital. She lives a 10 hour drive away from us and we dropped everything to rush to be with her. We are now at her home dealing with the many things involved, day by day: back and forth to the hospital, setting up rehab, and finding a permanent care home that will meet her needs. </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> It’s sad, it’s hard, it’s scary to contemplate one’s own inevitable future, and it’s exhausting.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We haven’t had time to do anything worthy of a blog, but yesterday we stopped on the way back from the grocery store to spend a few minutes at this pretty place … </font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_7c4d_a4cd_5bbb_f75a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hzrHMADFv6FPpVvJiQEtandp1d9o3EcZkKmc64vH9JArP4yVhO9KNQYJoQ8BVoWJCTo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 500px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">Penjing Bonsai Gardens</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> The owner, Feng Gu, originally from Shanghai, China, learned the art of bonsai from his grandfather in China.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"> He started the gardens near Melbourne in 1988 (some of the plants, as you will see, are even older than that).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Besides selling plants, you can watch Gary, as he is now called, as he tends to hundreds of miniature trees with his tiny tools and scissors.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><img id="id_e094_b8ae_2a0c_12b2" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y4nfCn6bct5UstvjcVu5fN0sEIzncr55JHzMt2JAZfSmcKGwX1iuDz5BlvuPWLHhT8M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> Or like me you can just wander around and admire.</font></div><div><img id="id_d05b_2748_4d6f_ed0c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/kvFdV5fK732jvFBSz0dSSK6tT7XSQgls8hvrUzLbBqGh1DvWYzUdhg3D6IegTtBexgo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 597px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><br></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> The above two trees are about four feet tall and since they only grow two to five inches a year, you can guess that these would be very old. </font></div><div><img id="id_4717_c2df_fa2c_8b33" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gRTcItCl3ghmc0LETk3NcGTHZbCcnpMmT_hx1msbl1ExdkyN2GtOHTSf93dxD5vEoH4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 630px; height: auto; margin: 4px auto; display: block;"><br><br><img id="id_f650_6cb1_2a76_82fb" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZmrF12gpMN4hR5X7Nz1MO4JLkKtYvxRSKofyTJjVx8aJsUziuinrcaIyYcl9COAGHME" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 627px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><img id="id_c60d_f9d6_8391_829f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Vubvjld2umQoi8r9MEo1kUi3pxMLMdnfu1OZ4gvQLA0tutqBlKYvjrFrQ3WivNPHOyM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 672px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: left; display: block;"><br><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">There are benches to sit on by the different </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">koi </font><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;">ponds, watch the fish, listen to music of the water, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">and </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">just </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5">breathe!</font></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_f7ec_9ada_c72c_d896" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kRR7zBmHnw0c_YolZdEN3dxa8NVERlW--wrlAKAMs_Pb9bkrKiKDOwjQcFf7m9zjpvI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><img id="id_1895_a919_e57b_bfe8" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/L5guO_trG7igTbDSAvehGJZ50HAAwvEXn72YxzQyOltaeAuihfHOZK5JOzNBHnZMWz0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 299px; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"><br><br><img id="id_6ab_d11e_f4c4_902e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_CyaRJq9SRBbKjK0iVSsrKlzOc84uVKFtVrx0OjAJFyFwoC8ETTecBOgyD3Tz-Q6kFM" alt="o" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 508px; height: auto; margin: 4px;"><br><br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="Arial" size="5"> It was a wonderful break in a tough day!</font></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8791768581127769171.post-48997165240455058712022-04-05T13:27:00.001-07:002022-04-05T13:27:12.685-07:00Answers<img id="id_5c18_ee43_7f62_acb0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/H5F4WHnNTtSGOKrLbpbvs3qQlPuEaGdNRR2iTEuLJ5TLfyzCD1peg7VOpOs559y9kFs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 277px; height: auto; margin: 4px; float: right; display: block;"><br><font face="Arial" size="5"> Here are the figures of speech you and I and others found in the drawing. Anyone know what the thing is at the right end of his shadow?</font><div><ul><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Tied in knots</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Knock your socks off</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">It’s a piece of cake</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Something’s fishy</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Bird brain</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Shadow of himself</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Handed to him on a silver platter</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Step on your shadow</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Cherry on top</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Holding the cards</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Spill the beans</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">A screw loose</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">In one ear, out the other</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Nailed it</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Ace up his sleeve</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Kick the bucket</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Rags to riches</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Eggs in one basket</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Born with a silver spoon on his mouth</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Bird brain</font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Time flies </font></li><li><font face="Arial" size="5">Heart on his sleeve</font></li></ul><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> Didn’t quite make it to 27, but we are close.</font></div></div><div><font face="Arial" size="5"> We are camping this week, a nice spot in the National Forest on the water. I hope to have some photos to share later. Enjoy your week! </font></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035113274497372396noreply@blogger.com4