Norms Bait and Tackle

MaryPage · July 08, 2021, 11:44:56 PM

What a cheerful closing to a stressful day, Callie!

MarsGal · July 09, 2021, 08:06:03 AM

I wondered how far the little nasties have gone since 2014. These are the states affected by the Spotted Lantern Fly so far: New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Connecticut and Ohio. Oh, and a dead one was found in Oregon in a potted plant that came from PA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KwglQ3Inn4

Vanilla-Jackie · July 09, 2021, 08:29:02 AM

MarsGal... oh, why must something that looks so pretty when wings open be so damaging...

Not long back from my church appointment seeing our community nurse, just a chat, next session she is coming to my home...I feel every pavement bump, some uneven, and avoiding the cracks, riding there on my travel mobility scooter...but it still felt good to be out in that sun and fresh air for that hour...

MaryPage · July 09, 2021, 11:34:51 AM

Speaking of the world of little buggie critters, I watched an hour long program on PBS last night, the title leaving me to expect an hour about the mountains of Mexico. I wound up utterly fascinated with each different segment of that hour, which was, indeed, set in the mountains of Mexico; but told me of things I have never seen and have known little about.

I have seen, all of my life, still photos of Monarchs in places like National Geographic, but never have I seen such moving, living photography as I saw last night. There must have been billions of them. And it showed how they hibernate here for months, and details of how only that forest in those mountains can preserve their wide open wings while they are asleep in that way. Miraculous. Even more, I learned that they all fly away around the same time and go to lay their eggs and then die and never come back. But those eggs hatch and go through the process of becoming butterflies and they all fly RIGHT BACK TO those mountains in Mexico! The incredible wonders of nature that tell them to do that almost make my mind explode!

So slaughter the spotted lantern flies, but admire effusively every Monarch you are lucky enough to encounter. And try to catch those Mexico mountain shows on PBS. There will be three in all.

https://www.pbs.org/video/day-dead-and-monarch-butterflies-b2j4hz/

patricia19 · July 09, 2021, 11:42:26 AM

MaryPage, hello, and I'll check if it's on the computer!

Good morning from an again sunny Interior. There's often not that much to say for a state government, but two things Alaska's done that I'm wholly in agreement with. One is making illegal all that insurance ran primary doctor and other insane insurance run bs and the aggressive program to protect the state from alien plants and insects. People groan that they can't order anywhere out of state for plants or seeds, but the Oregon slf is a good reason for that law.

Another example was a Siberian invader, an ornamental Siberian Larch whose roots were like a mushroom's, spread for miles and killed other trees. Each year, they have the different youth organizations partner with the state to eradicate any of these invaders. We still have lost ground to a few and some animals as well, coyotes, prairie dogs, etc. But overall, it's been successful.

MaryPage · July 09, 2021, 12:25:59 PM

Spreads like a mushroom may not worry some one speck, but hey, look what is REALLY taking over the planet!

https://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregon-field-guide/article/oregon-humongous-fungus/

Marilyne · July 09, 2021, 01:14:46 PM

Mary Page - There are three coastal cities near me, were the butterflies come for the winter, and gather in large hanging clusters. A gorgeous sight! The closest to me is Santa Cruz, at Natural Bridges State Park. They arrive every October, and stay all winter, in the Eucalyptus groves. It's only about 20 miles from here, so we used to drive over every year with our kids when they were young.

It's a very popular place for school field trips, and I remember going a number of times as a chaperone, on the school bus. (Schools by appointment only, so never overrun with kids). The children and all visitors have to observe certain protocol - standing back behind a barrier , talking in hushed voices. There are park Rangers there, to make sure everything runs smoothly, and to answer any questions.

I haven't been there in many years, but have heard that the numbers of butterfly's that Winter over, has dropped significantly. Still some at Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Pacific Grove, here in the North, and probably more in Southern Cal. Here are some lovely pictures of the clusters in Santa Cruz.

https://www.santacruz.org/blog/monarch-butterflies-descend-upon-santa-cruz/

CallieOK · July 09, 2021, 01:40:37 PM

MaryPage, the Monarchs used to migrate north through a rather narrow north-south (or vice versa ) area of OKC. Haven't seen any since I moved to the other side of town.
Former neighbors used to call each other to say, "The Monarchs are here". We sometimes had to drive through crowds of them on one particular east-west street. Amazing creatures!

Son report (probably final one): I received a text directly from him "early" this morning. His reply to my answer that it was a great thing to "wake up to" was his usual sassy tone. He just posted on his own Facebook page that he had done his first "walk along the hall" . I think things are going to be just fine.

Back to laundry and desk work

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an enjoyable day.

MaryPage · July 09, 2021, 01:59:59 PM

Thank you, Marilyne and Callie! I love this stuff! I had no idea the Monarchs wintered over in California, as well. And Callie, what a thrill to had to see them flying through! I would have been beside myself with excitement!

Happy to hear about your son, Callie. Nothing is so beneficial for the whole body good as to hear such news of our children.

It's a beautiful day here on the bay. Wish you could join me here on the bayside balcony. The blue pots full of various shades of pink geraniums are dancing in the breeze. Not the pots, they don't dance, but the flowering heads of the geraniums sure do. The bay is a busy thing to watch, what with all of the types of boats. I love the white sails best, and rather frown at the noisy little power boats plowing aside the waters at high speed. I have lemonade for you, and Trader Joe's little Triple Ginger Snaps. Have you ever tried those with butter on them? Ummmm, yum, yum, yum!

patricia19 · July 09, 2021, 02:14:28 PM

Callie, It sounds as if your son is doing well, and that's wonderful to hear!

MaryPage, I was sorry to read about the honey mushrooms as most are beneficial to trees and soil. Mushroom roots are like strings or filigree, and one mushroom can have literally miles of underground roots.

It sounds like your day is going great!

Marilyne, we used to have butterflies, including Monarchs, everywhere but now mainly in wooded lots or in the wildlife sanctuary. Little back and white butterflies and solid yellow butterflies are however, everywhere. I don't know what, if anything, has caused these changes.

Marilyne · July 09, 2021, 04:24:34 PM

Mary Page - The Triple Ginger Snaps from Trader Joe's, sound good. I love the taste of ginger, and just last night for dinner, I had some Carrot-Ginger soup from Whole Foods. It's a help yourself item, from one of those freshly made large soup containers. I sure did miss those soups, during the pandemic, when they were not available.

Callie - Good to see that your son is recovering nicely from his back surgery. Sounds like he has a great attitude, and a sense of humor, which is helpful in any type of surgery. He probably will be facing some rehab, which seems to be the norm now, after any hospitalization.

Patricia - The Monarchs probably flew up to AK, during the Spring or Summer, to feast on a favorite flower nectar? They winter in mild climates like here, and in the Southwest or Mexico. I hope your fires are under control, or soon will be? I know from the many wildfires here in California every year, that it can take weeks and up to a month to get control.

Vanilla-Jackie · July 09, 2021, 04:41:23 PM

Jean ( FlaJean ) where are you, you have been missing for the past 18 days...i would also like to see a posting from Joy, Jeanne P, and Beverly...

patricia19 · July 09, 2021, 04:47:37 PM

Marilyne we have eight fires surrounding the city, all 250 acres or less and all burning away from us. The Munson fire, last Wednesday was just over 19,000 acres and two days of rain didn't stop it from burning 11,000 more acres. This next week we will be headed back into the late eighties and possibly nineties for temperatures. The Alaska Forestry department sent this out on the ninth.

"Start Date: 06/18/2021 Location: 52 miles E of Fairbanks, AK

Cause: Lightning Fire Size: 36,609 acres

Containment: 0% Total Personnel: 206

Fire crews have identified, triaged, and placed sprinkling equipment where needed on more than 70 structures along Chena Hot Springs Road or at Chena Hot Springs Resort and four more along the Middle Fork Chena River to keep them safe from the 36,609-acre Munson Creek Fire. No structures have been damaged or destroyed. The fire surrounded but did not burn the State Parks trail shelter on the Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs Trail."

Take a reconnaissance flight around the fire;

https://akfireinfo.com/2021/07/09/reconnaissance-flight-around-munson-creek-fire-shows-varying-degrees-of-burn-intensity/

patricia19 · July 09, 2021, 09:42:28 PM

The salmon and the bears are back at the falls,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM0jEZBvZ50

MaryPage · July 09, 2021, 10:46:01 PM

Love those bear pictures. Thank you, Patricia.

My great grandson Mateo, who is as sweet a little boy as you could ever know and a great favorite of mine, goes to public school, but one he had to take several exams to get into. So, although he is a typical kid of his age in every way. his ability to be quick on the uptake would dawn on you as a day with him goes by. Hence, the work he and his classmates were given last year is a bit advanced. Mateo was seven when he had this assignment, and is eight now. He was born on the auspicious date of 12/12/12. He wants to be a stand-up comic, and I think this paper proves he could be one who writes his own material. The teacher must crack up over this stuff:

Rough Draft for Persuasive Paragraph

My mom should be elected as the first girl president!

I think she would kindly take care of our U.S. citizens. She doesn't yell (Especially when I'm caught being good!) at me even when I get in trouble. She's also funny! When she's off work, she'll have time to tell jokes to the city council! She isn't just kind and funny, she's also very, very, very responsible! She takes care of her plants like they're people! So if you want a kind, funny, and responsible president, my mom is the one for you![/color]

MarsGal · July 10, 2021, 06:54:45 AM

When I lived in the next county down from where I am now, I regularly saw Monarchs as well as lots of other butterflies. I had a large backyard where I had a veggie garden and some fruit trees and bushes. Among the volunteer raspberry bushes, a milkweed plant grew. I let it grow knowing that Monarch caterpillars liked to eat on them. As a side note, milkweed has a very nice, sweet scent. Also, I let a big bull thistle grow next to my peach tree. It attracted so many butterflies, moths and goldfinches. Every year, I would find one or two yellow swallowtail caterpillars on my tomato plants. They didn't do that much damage, so they were left alone. We had many sulfur and cabbage moths flitting about. There were lots of others whose identities I have forgotten or never identified. Where I am now, I don't even see many cabbage moths. The flying insects I see around the house now seem mostly to be flies, mosquitoes, wasps and bumblebees. Oh, and now the Spotted Lantern Fly, which is actually more a leaf-hopper than a true flier.

patricia19 · July 10, 2021, 11:41:21 AM

It is the same here as I was saying, MarsGal. They used to be everywhere in the summer months but now seem to be restricted to either the wildlife sanctuary or to very wooded lots on the city edges.

Marilyne · July 10, 2021, 12:29:32 PM

Mary Page, your gr-grandson, Mateo, sounds like an especially bright young boy, who will someday achieve his goals, whatever they are at the time! I hope he goes to a good school, where he is not told what to believe, how to think, etc., but is encouraged to think for himself, and draw his own conclusions about life, people, etc. I am curious about his name . . . Mateo. Unusual, so I'm wondering if he is named after someone in particular?

Patricia, Hope you aren't choking on smoke? When our wildfires occur, the air is an ugly dirty brown, with tinges gray. It smell is obnoxious, but we have to breathe, so no choice there. Last year, during Covid, lots of folks soaked their cotton masks in water, wrung them out well, and wore them when they had to go outside. Supposedly the wet mask traps lots of the particulate matter in the smokey air, and helped to keep it out of lungs, nose, throat, etc. I never tried it, and have no idea if it actually works? You can keep it in mind if you have to go out for any reason.

Mars Gal, We see very few butterflies here, compared to years past. I think the thick smoke in the air, is killing them off - the same with the honeybees, and lots of the birds we used to enjoy watching. I keep my birdbath rinsed and filled fresh every morning, but the only birds I've seen so far this year, are crows. I used to hate the crows, but now I'm starting to like them! They are interesting to watch.

patricia19 · July 10, 2021, 01:00:50 PM

Marilyne, here it smells like cigarettes and is a yellowish gray.

Michael will be updating the site tonight. "
*****
Administrator
Logged
Today at 08:23:21 AM#25
Bumping this to say I'll be upgrading to 2.1 RC4 later tonight. Shouldn't be too much trouble but as always I wanted to let everyone know in advance "

MaryPage · July 10, 2021, 01:29:07 PM

Oh my! Patricia and Marilyne, I am feeling So Bad for you having to endure all of that smoke! I think in terms of people having their homes and personal belongings burned to a crisp; of having to start from scratch. And I think of those who have to decide whether to rebuild on the site, or make that new start elsewhere; and are they making a choice they won't regret. I think of the little children and their terror in being driven in cars racing for life beyond the high flames on both sides of the road. I have not spent time considering the unpleasant smoke for so many millions more. I am so sorry you have to have those experiences.

It is all an unbearable nightmare, but one of the most painful results is the personal things lost forever that cannot possibly be replaced. Family photos and objects that were your grandparents and great grandparents.

And I wonder how much cash money is left behind. How many darling little notes, drawn & colored pictures, report cards, and little handmade gifts you have treasured from your children.

What agony. I wish it were otherwise.

I have, of late, as have you, been stressing over Surfside in Miami. Yesterday, or the day before, I heard the inspectors have been out in droves trying to cover more than Five Thousand (yes, 5,000!) high rise apartment buildings in Miami Beach! IMAGINE! And they remind me of so many ant hills: people piled on people piled on people! This country girl wants to go back to her valley and put her head in her grandmother's lap while enjoying the comfort of having her thumb in her mouth. Only no one is actually there anymore.

CallieOK · July 10, 2021, 01:29:49 PM

For the Boat Watchers: About 11:23 this morning (time shown on the video - not my time) on the Soo Locks site, I watched a "meet" of the two Tregurthas as "Lee" was waiting to enter the lock and "Paul" was exiting. Neat to be able to compare the sizes as Paul passed beside Lee. Then we watched a small boat load supplies on Paul and remove what may have been empty supply containers and trash.
Really interesting.

Son's sense of humor has definitely returned; he posted a humorous description on his Facebook page of having met the requirement for getting a real meal instead of a liquid diet . at his friends' replies and was tempted to add one of my own but decided that wouldn't be appropriate for Mom. So I'll send a text, instead.

Weather forecast is for "severe" wind/hail/etc. later today. Guess I'd better scoot out and take care of the bird feeders before "whatever" moves in.

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an Enjoyable Day.

Amy · July 11, 2021, 09:36:16 AM

A new quiz has been posted.

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=766.new#new

patricia19 · July 11, 2021, 02:35:49 PM

From EURO News;

"Belgian scientists on Sunday reported that an elderly woman had died from COVID-19 after being infected with the Alpha and Beta variants at the same time.

"This is one of the first documented cases of co-infection with two variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2," molecular biologist Anne Vankeerberghen, author of the study released by the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), said in an accompanying statement.

The 90-year-old woman died in March after being admitted to a hospital in the Belgian town of Aalst following several falls. She was not vaccinated against COVID-19 and tested positive for the disease on arrival but "a good level of oxygen saturation and no signals of respiratory distress."

However, she "rapidly developed worsening respiratory symptoms and died five days later," the statement said."

Something to think about if you're delaying vaccinations.

MaryPage · July 11, 2021, 03:21:48 PM

Well, it is also something to think about if you are 92 and have several life threatening illnesses.

Though I have two doses of Moderna vaccine in me, and my 2 weeks are long since passed, I am still being as cautious as during the worst of the Pandemic. My view is that this virus is not done with us as yet, we have no idea what is coming, and I want to live to make my century. Mainly I want to do that because the date has been chosen for my 100th party and they all have it on their calendars. Experience has shown that if you get them all to agree to come from wherever they are this far in advance, they'll all be there. Not ONE would dare otherwise!

patricia19 · July 11, 2021, 08:07:27 PM

I'm on a decluttering break.

This is my fifth annual declutter, toss and clean summer. While I'm actually cleaning and disposing of stuff I've stored away since I moved in, some pockets are aggravating.

One is stuffed animals. While I've never gone in for the usual, (six-foot Snufflelupagus anyone)? They're generally stored in a large plastic tote in my walk-in closet. Each year, I open it, look them over and close it again.

Two was my costume jewelry from 2013 and back when I dressed the corporate style at various positions. My actual jewelry is in a safe deposit box, what very little there is of it, but I have several stone, shell, or metal pieces that I'll never wear again but can't seem to part with. Why do I have six sports watches when I never wear them?

Three and Four are blazers, and nice scarves to go with those blazers. Again, why? It's not as if I'll wear them again. In 2016, I donated most of my work wardrobe and all of my heels to a place that provides clothing for those seeking interviews and work clothing but cannot as yet afford them. These pieces I couldn't get rid of then and seemingly not now.

The dumbest part of today is so banal that there is a hoary old joke about it. I don't wear my glasses for close-up work, so I often sit them on a table if I'm on the computer or reading. You guessed it, I spent a while searching for them when I was ready to vacuum, only to discover I was wearing them!

While this is something I would normally have finished in January or February, you know how that went. So far, last week through today, I've done the five shelving units, repotted and regrouped plants, and kitchen, bath, hallway walk-in, coat closet, and bedroom. The remainder is my living room which is my office area, furniture and dusting, and vacuuming. And that's it for another year. Each year it gets whittled further down.

I blame all this on my mother, and it's ingrained. She died before decluttering was a thing. This was something we all had to do twice a year. She called it a deep cleaning.

Marilyne · July 11, 2021, 10:25:25 PM

Patricia - when you're done de-cluttering your place, would you like to take a little trip to California, and help me with this dump? I've started many times in the past couple of years, and even though I have taken dozens of boxes of things to the local non-profit thrift shop, it doesn't make a dent! At my age, I would feel a huge sense of relief, if I could partially empty this old house, before I say goodbye forever!

Maybe it would be for the best, if I accepted the fact that it's not going to happen, and then I could just sit back and enjoy my final years without fretting about it.

patricia19 · July 11, 2021, 11:52:30 PM

Marilyne, my mother had a deep clean in the spring and then again in the fall. If any company was coming, the house was a semi-deep clean with washing the walls. Ordinary cleaning included what I would call a once or twice a year clean such as grout or heating ducts.

She had three daughters that were her unwilling crew so it's indoctrinated.

However, not everyone needs to do something they really don't want to. My younger sister somehow escaped that heavy-duty cleaning gene and I cannot get rid of my procrastination habit.

Don't do what you think you should. Do what you want or need to, write a list of pros and cons or simply break it down into several smaller steps if you feel you need to.

Marilyne · July 12, 2021, 12:55:19 AM

Patricia, I'm afraid I caused you to overreact, thinking this house must look like an episode of "The Hoarders"! Not at all . . . It's actually clean and tidy, and looks ready for drop-in visitors at any time. It's a split level, and we live exclusively in the upper level, which is always ship-shape.

Downstairs is a different story. There's is a very large family room, extra bedroom, bathroom, huge basement, and garage. That's where the problem exists. When you've lived in one house for 50 years, you accumulate lots of stuff - some of value, and other things that are just sentimental or inherited items. Also our two daughters, who live in small apartments, have boxes of stuff stored downstairs. AJ has a large workshop in the basement, that looks like a hardware store.

I was really just joking when I said I needed help. In spite of our age, we manage to keep things fairly well under control. Sorting through the boxes and bins in the basement is what is difficult for us now. Bending and lifting is impossible for me, but AJ is still capable and willing, so we will eventually get those lower rooms taken care of! In the meantime, nobody is welcome downstairs, except for us!

MarsGal · July 12, 2021, 07:24:26 AM

Patricia, another thing we have in common -- stuffed animals. They are still stored away because I am afraid the cats would do damage if I put them out. Only a few are out, mostly the small ones, and relatively out of the way.

Anyone interested, USCGC Alder departed Duluth for the last time and I headed for Baltimore for a year-long maintenance and then, I believe I read, on to the West Coast (San Francisco?). She is at this moment an heading towards Port Huron and will passing under the Blue Water Bridge, I am guessing, in about 2 hours. Her crew will be staying in Duluth. USCGC Spar will be taking her place next year.

Early on in the year I saw something on BoadNerd indicating that my fav, Hollyhock, would be leaving for Baltimore for maintenance and refit then heading south (Gulf Coast?). Haven't heard a peep since. She is still posted at Port Huron.

We had monsoon weather last evening with lots more lightning than I have seen here in years. Shan was a bit nervous but stayed with me rather that head for cover. Recently he has taken to following in Oscar's paw-steps and wanting attention while I am on the computer upstairs. Since he isn't much of a lap cat, he is content to get his chin and ears rubbed.

MaryPage · July 12, 2021, 08:03:47 AM

I was born & raised in the Army, and we moved from post to post. Limited as to how many toys & books I could ship to our new temporary home, each move was something of a tug of preferences. Lots got given away.

Fortunately, there are organizations and institutions that are more than happy to take our castoffs and put them in the arms or on the bodies of those in great need. When I would lament not having a particular book in our new quarters, I would hope the child who DID have it would delight in it as I did. Same thing with the dolls and games. I would have simply piles of card and/or board games, only to see them disappear forever.

Sometimes unhappy about missing items as a child, I now view it as a better distribution of goods. Every now & again I will see a doll or a board game from back in the nineteen thirties and tell myself I could do with that tidy bit of cash money they are bringing their owners; then I remind myself that mine were well used, anyway. And loved.

Random Image

User

Shoutbox

Norms Bait and Tackle

MaryPage

MarsGal

Vanilla-Jackie

MaryPage

patricia19

MaryPage

Marilyne

CallieOK

MaryPage

patricia19

Marilyne

Vanilla-Jackie

patricia19

patricia19

MaryPage

MarsGal

patricia19

Marilyne

patricia19

MaryPage

CallieOK

Amy

patricia19

MaryPage

patricia19

Marilyne

patricia19

Marilyne

MarsGal

MaryPage