<-- Previous Page | Search| Next Page -->

ARCHIVES: June 8-14, 2003

Eyes, Cats & Sunglasses - Photos

I didn't get to the mimosa trees yet, but I found ideas for photos from Steve's Digicams and tried them out with my Sony DSC F717. I am in the sunglasses reflection. I have curlers in my hair - hah! My husband kindly tolerated having his eye photographed.

It was hard to get very close and not block the light needed for the picture. And just to repeat myself, all of the photos have been reduced in size and quality to make them small enough to come up quickly and take much less memory.

My Husband Right Now

He looks so relaxed after working in the garden all morning. He's in the shade of our big catalpa tree looking at the corn. He told me that he used to wonder why the top tassles of the corn were always broken and he finally found out this morning. The red-headed house finches perch on them until they break. No real harm is done to the corn, though.

I was sitting at the kitchen table using an optical zoom on my Sony DSC 717 almost to the maximum of 11x. He was a long ways out in the yard. I left the automatic focus on -- I like the effect of the string being in sharper focus. That's from our spring garden of sugar snap peas (and now our pole beans).

Mimosa Trees are Blooming

A friend wanted me to take pictures of the pretty pink blossoms. I will bring my camera out today and try to get a good photo (if it doesn't rain). That cat photo from yesterday was just with the pencam I keep in my purse, so it was not as clear as it could be.

I went to CompUSA looking at tiny digital cameras. I would like a very tiny one that took better photos - but then I don't expect much from a cheap pencam anyway. 640 by 480 is a perfect size for quick on-the-go type pictures, but they could be much better quality. Oh well -- maybe someday. Does anyone know of a tiny camera that has excellent quality? Picture size does not matter so much as quality and keeping the camera small enough to haul around in a pocket or purse.

My sister has a cell phone camera and e-mail service. She sends photos all over the place including to her friend in England. The quality is not so great, but the convenience is wonderful.

Yesterday, one news service reported that cell phones are being banned from the beaches in certain countries due to anyone being able to take photos of the (nude?) bathers.

Nobody can go anywhere without someone taping or recording you these days. I think it's kind of funny. I was amusing myself, taking pictures in church last week and nobody noticed (except my husband who was sitting right next to me).

I just did it to see if I could get away with it ... and I did. Oops -- now that I confessed it here, I hope that was nothing illegal -- photos in a public place consisting mostly of the backs of peoples' heads...?

Use for the Old Video Camera

I saw a show that demonstrated how an old VHS-C video camera could be used as a web cam with a video capture card. Sounds like a great idea. They said it produces a better-quality picture than the webcams out today. I have an old camera that doesn't record right. It would be perfect for this. The only problem is that I would not want to be photographed most of the time. I could post a picture of myself all made up and dressed in my best clothes in front of it, though.

Need a Pet Cat?

My husband and I went to PetsMart on University Drive today and saw a pretty cat waiting for adoption. He/She looked directly at us and seemed intelligent and polite, responding to us well. They had other cats and cute kittens. I love to look at the cats there and would take all of them home, if I could. More pets from Challenger's House. Click to enlarge.

Midsummer Eve by Robert Edward Hughes

Aliens Visiting the Earth

Since today is Friday the 13th and almost a full moon - and speaking of mythological creatures (see entry above), last night my husband was watching a UFO documentary on TV. He loves UFO shows. He enjoys the ones where they are seriously "proving" that aliens have visited the earth and he also enjoys the ones that debunk those shows, the first type being good for a laugh or two.

I'd like to think I have an open mind, but it is impossible to believe in astrology, psychics, alien abductions, etc. I believe that some people sincerely believe in those things, though - even good, honest folks.

I listened to an interview with a former phone psychic on a radio show. She said she went to the grocery store and bought a two-dollar booklet and used that along with a little psychology. I think I could make a living at that, too. Imagination can be a powerful thing. If I told you that the "number two" was significant in your life, you could think of a dozen ways it might be.

Here's a great psychic website. It can read your mind. I had a lot of fun sharing this one. Two people told me that it was wrong, therefore it was not psychic. I knew they had not really tried it. The magic ball is never wrong if you follow the instructions.

Flash Mind Reader - Magic Ball Reads Your Mind

On the other hand, I am a Christian, believing in God and Jesus. I believe in the unexplained to some degree, but not astrology. There is life on other worlds, I believe. We have not seen it, though. Life-sustaining planets are pretty far apart.

Lazy Way to Write a Letter

My nephew from Georgia is a church missionary in California. He moves around often and has very little access to a computer. I've been writing him about once a week. I don't know whether to be ashamed or to feel clever, but this time, I printed out the last two pages of this blog and sent it to him with handwritten personal commentary in the margins. It will be the first time he's seen my actual handwriting since he left home. H-m-m-m, my 86-year-old aunt needs a letter, too. It feels kind of odd to write a "regular" letter with family news, much less use real handwriting.

Dragonflies & Green Herons

Today is the first time this season that I noticed the dragonflies on the greenway. They buzzed in front of me as I walked, going back and forth several times. I think they are just curious. Once in a while, a dragonfly stays alongside of me, just out of reach, keeping pace for several seconds. I feel like I am being formally escorted out of their territory.

I saw a green heron today, too. They are much shorter and a rarer sight than the great blue herons usually found in Aldridge Creek.

View Out the Kitchen Window

I don't like sparrows. We used to put out finch sacks. It took 6 weeks, but we finally attracted pretty Alabama goldfinches. About 3 weeks after that, we got the attention of the sparrows. The greedy birds kept the finches away and gobbled up all the seed in 24 hours. The poor goldfinches could only sit on the pole and watch.

We finally gave up and stopped putting out seed. It's okay to stop feeding seed birds in Alabama, G. told me. He's an active member of the Audubon Society and explained that, in the Huntsville area at least, there is plenty seed available all winter and no snow. He said the really dumb birds are the insect eaters who don't fly south for the winter.

The electric tower, our neighbor's shed, garage and pool are in the background. City rules state that no wood structure can exist within 15 feet of the tower. They draw lightning. I don't know if that is good or bad. If lightning is in the area, wouldn't it be more likely to hit the tower instead of my house? On the other hand, towers attract lightning. Fortunately, we have all underground wiring here.

SlimBrowser Drawbacks

I am getting tired of using SlimBrowser. At first, I thought it was perfect. It was free and rode on top of Internet Explorer and included a popup blocker, Google search bar and tabbed browsing.

I have an optical Microsoft IntelliMouse that uses extra programmable buttons. One button is programmed for going "back." SlimBrowser does not respond to that consistently - I have to go click on a tab at the top of the page.

Then, whenever I have the program open, about every 60 seconds, I hear a click and my mouse shows the "hourglass working in the background" symbol. What the heck is going on? I looked through SlimBrower's settings and could not find any way to turn it off. I ran SpyBot and did not find spyware. Still, I wonder if SlimBrowser is sending information about my web habits -- it would not be so bad except that clicking sound is VERY annoying.

I know "free" programs will find ways to make money. I can't blame them, although I wish they had been more upfront about it. I am going to turn this off for a while and go back to good ole IE to see if this is really the problem - if the clicking stops.

Bandito Burrito

My daughter wanted to eat lunch here yesterday. It's fast food the way you wish Taco Bell would be -- better tasting. We came just after noon and the place was full - but the line moved quickly. They used to have a webcam. They told us someone had stolen it - no wonder. It's located in an area of town you might prefer to avoid after dark.

My daughter got the burrito dinner that includes beans and rice (all for $2.50) and I got a plate of nachos with lots of lettuce, tomato, cheese, & sour cream. I love generous amounts of shredded lettuce. The beans were good -- better tasting than most "sit-down" restaurants serve. The nachos were fantastic. I wish this place had a drive up window.

The inside of the place has personality. I chuckled at the sign that said something like "Prices may change, depending on your attitude." Another large sign said something like "This place may harbor child molesters and drug users." Change was glued or bolted to the counter top as though it was carelessly left behind. The TV was tuned to the Weather Channel.

My daughter said that Dad should eat here. When we all got home in the evening, I told him. Amazingly, his group at work had sent out there to get lunch and he had eaten Bandito Burrito food, too -- I was astounded. Neither of us even mention this place for months (we've never eaten there together) and all of a sudden, we both eat their food on the same day. So funny!

Comments on Each Day - Now Available

Thanks to SeaDoc.net (from whom I've learned much - he has one of the best blog formats I've seen), I now have a comments section for each date. He told me to do a search on "enetation or yaccs" on Google and get set up with a service. The comments option is at the bottom right of each day's entries. In the meantime, the guestbook is still open. I am going to fool around with the comments option for a while to see where to best position this option so you may find it anywhere for a while.

Sweltering on the Greenway

It was one of the most hot and humid mornings we could ever have. Once in a while a breeze gave relief, but my energy was gone in the heat and I could barely put one foot in front of the other. One of my walking companions said the same thing, then T.M. comes jogging along sans shirt and grinning and says he prefers it this hot. We try not to slap him.

The mosquitoes were bad -- I was relieved to have covered myself in repellent when I saw them landing all over my friend.

Four-Star Chocolate Chip Cookies

Meanwhile, back in the house after the walk, our air conditioner runs generously. I have no qualms keeping it set as hot or cold as I like - we have a small house with excellent insulation - the utility bills are never high. (Huntsville has some of the lowest utility bills in the country.)

While my husband had grits and eggs for breakfast and while I had planned on whole wheat waffles, I decided instead to make Four Star Chocolate Chip Cookies from a recipe in the Sunday Parade newspaper for breakfast - nirvana! Here's the recipe. Add an extra 1/4 or more cups of flour if you like the cookies puffier and more rounded (which I do). I took this picture of them still warm. The darker brown ones are the best-tasting with this recipe. Click on picture to enlarge.

Four-Star Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups or 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
 

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour, salt, and soda. Stir in coconut, raisins, nuts and chips. Bake 375 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet for 9 to 11 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Our forum offers a message board for sharing recipes. There's no registration - just come post your favorites:

Ancestral Seasonings

President Bush's Pedigree

In the AOL Genealogy Forum, one of our volunteers posted a cute link about President Bush's ancestry or his royal ancestry. I am related to a few famous folks (distant cousin blood relationships) including Humphrey Bogart, the Rockefellers, J.P. Morgan, and Joseph Smith. I think a lot of us could find a relationship if we come from early American settlers.

Roy Peterman

And while I am name-dropping, my husband's cousin, Roy Peterman, is the main groundskeeper at BYU and gets featured in an article occasionally. He was listed in today's news: http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/44592/295. He is very nice -- and came to our wedding reception.

Breakfast - McBagels

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. It always has been. Nutritionists say it is the most important and should be the biggest meal of the day. I can do that. There's one problem with breakfast, though. Once I eat, my appetite is wakened and I am only too ready to continue eating until lunch. Of course, the metabolism is wakened, too. That's a good thing.

I love to cook breakfast and will cook anything for any family member. Today we had what we call "McBagels" (thinking of all those times we used to go to McDonalds for breakfast, thus the name). Here's the recipe:

1. Toast a bagel. Butter and set aside.

2. Fry two eggs.

3. When you flip the egg over to cook the other side, sprinkle it with bacon bits or cooked bacon.

4. Cover that with shredded cheese (we like cojack).

5. Turn off the heat when you think the eggs are cooked enough. Place a toasted bagel on top to help melt the cheese.

6. Serve with the bagel side down , flipped over on a plate. Salt and pepper to taste.

On days I am trying to eat less, I use fat-free cheese and bacon bits, cooking the eggs in Pam and make it all on whole-wheat bread. While I like cooking anything for anyone else, I personally go for a high-fiber cereal several mornings a week just to be "good." I like Special K with Strawberries these days. If I wasn't trying to be "good," I'd have Cocoa Pebbles - the best cereal - or I'd skip cereal all together and have ice cream and cookies for breakfast. I wish!

I dream the impossible - to eat whatever you want, as often as you want in the quantities you want without any additional dangerous or extreme measures -- and be the perfectly healthy. Dream on - ha! Take away one of those three choices or use an extreme measure (like liposuction or pills) and -- tada -- you have any diet plan out there today. Oh well, I walk 5 miles a day and I feel great.

Children are the Best

Our children were wonderful in church yesterday. One of the adults I work with said that this was the best place to be on Sunday. I could not agree more. They have a meeting of their own where they sing, talk, pray and help with the lessons in Primary. I don't think I've ever enjoyed Sundays as much as I do these days being with them and the adults who also enjoy being with them.

One little girl decided to practice frowning during church yesterday. She was making several frowns thinking nobody was paying attention. It was cute because her eyes sparkled with laughter while she tried making the biggest frowns she could do. I think she just liked twisting her lips like that. When she noticed that I was grinning at her, she started laughing and the frowns could not hold.

Socks on the Greenway

Mysteriously, children-sized socks have been appearing on the greenway. We had to step around them again this morning. It all started when the city mowed. We saw socks hanging from bushes and trees after that as though the lawn mower people moved them out of the way. More socks were spotted on the bank - all of these located near the popular swimming places.

Sometimes shoes are left behind and once, I found clothes laid out on the bank - a complete outfit with shirt, jacket, shorts, socks and even underwear that must have been left the afternoon before. What child would go home without his things? What would his mother say? Oh well, it is pretty hot and humid around here. Who needs clothes?

What Kind of Blogger Am I?

Saw this on SeaDoc's blog and took the quiz. My results (too bad their grammar is a little off, but I like the picture):

Shy, private, and protected, you have a need to be
heard, but your in control at least on your
blog !

What kind of blogger am I?
brought to you by Quizilla

Fog & Humidity

The morning was foggy. While driving in the fog is dangerous, walking in the fog is fun. The greenway looks ethereal and a little spooky - I love it! Instead of seeing friends coming towards you in the distance, they pop out suddenly. We laughed.

It is one of those very humid days when you have to run the windshield wipers in the car even though it is not raining at all. We have these days in Alabama without the fog, too. One person told me their view of the humidity -- it makes your skin look ten years younger than living in a dry, desert environment. When we travel to Utah, I have to drink twice as much and apply 2 or 3 times the lotion than I do here. Out here, nobody in their right mind would be without an air conditioner - to keep it cool and to keep the mildew off of everything in the house.

Greenway Party

We passed several teenagers who must have spent the night out on the greenway. They were loud. From the look of things, they were smoking all night, too - and who knows what else. I am surprised the people who live close by did not report a disturbance of the peace. I can't imagine they could sleep in that noise. The greenway closes one hour after sundown, supposedly.

Foggy Spider Webs

I used to tell my daughter that, when it fogged up, the spiders were unhappy because all the bugs could see their webs lined with dew and avoid them so the spiders would not get breakfast. I took some pictures of webs in our backyard this morning. These pictures have been reduced in size and quality to save space and make viewing faster. I would be glad to send the full-sized, detailed version upon request.

The first picture is a web in our fence, the second in the ground and the rest are of the garden this morning. Click to enlarge.

Continued on the NEXT PAGE -->

<--  Previous Page | Topic List for this Page | Back to Top | Next Page -->