tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36206120794711345982024-02-20T10:29:43.100-08:00Bobi Andrews - WriterBOBI ANDREWS - WRITER -
A Place Where Our Ancestors LiveBobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-69186577768962022052016-11-22T12:24:00.000-08:002016-11-22T12:39:34.086-08:00LIVING NEW DAYS <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfyToUWhPU2QQBKNtS1Idzgf8YmSLJrwbHMfL7SZtpUIYO1vmWTArP1vnsUZCBIHUZ05jlzPXPW1xaqEII5UF_WzEIlb-VP7rq-30-hGknfElUenmEmdkFUcl_nSm7FpKnoJl22_KWC99/s1600/Bobi+child.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfyToUWhPU2QQBKNtS1Idzgf8YmSLJrwbHMfL7SZtpUIYO1vmWTArP1vnsUZCBIHUZ05jlzPXPW1xaqEII5UF_WzEIlb-VP7rq-30-hGknfElUenmEmdkFUcl_nSm7FpKnoJl22_KWC99/s200/Bobi+child.png" width="66" /></a></div>
<div align="center" id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3222" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtE0fCHYb5qWmpSK8JpiZwkfEfB7hP8OGJYLAARKNVbpXc1HaX_FYdjNkRkoOQEMhUPnARjwwdOYfdAEyC_ZmzG8vWr6ND_rokX__QwfNEEQ9iq7_Aq3HeNFtiehob4ND5T1EpkiXkiPnf/s1600/Bobi+High+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtE0fCHYb5qWmpSK8JpiZwkfEfB7hP8OGJYLAARKNVbpXc1HaX_FYdjNkRkoOQEMhUPnARjwwdOYfdAEyC_ZmzG8vWr6ND_rokX__QwfNEEQ9iq7_Aq3HeNFtiehob4ND5T1EpkiXkiPnf/s200/Bobi+High+school.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicg8UPeL9-qcoyFxskvbxsGhyphenhyphen-4pMBbr-Xo6885fzgkOOKvF3wUbWzJ2XxyIsgJMmrZAwjJxMSB83WpMcRhvfEVt75ZCXglWMDd0l5o9402uJici_MjRTgFdxE4SZLnUznarPz2w-TqkSa/s1600/Bobi+Andrews+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicg8UPeL9-qcoyFxskvbxsGhyphenhyphen-4pMBbr-Xo6885fzgkOOKvF3wUbWzJ2XxyIsgJMmrZAwjJxMSB83WpMcRhvfEVt75ZCXglWMDd0l5o9402uJici_MjRTgFdxE4SZLnUznarPz2w-TqkSa/s200/Bobi+Andrews+1.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">Many of us are in the throes of the </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">aging process. The </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3473" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">date of our birth </span><br />
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3474" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">hasn't changed nor has some </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">unknown </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3477" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">force added years to the </span><br />
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3478" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">calendar that </span><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">we didn't know </span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3481" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">about.</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_7908" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br />
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4307" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is 2016!</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3231" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3240" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3243" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3244" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4306" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">Our later years may have </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">been spent </span></span><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">as long term </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">caregivers (including me). </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">We may find our life </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">turned </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">topsy-turvey. If </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">our dear ones suffered </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">Alzheimers or </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">some neurological disease, we </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">lost them long </span><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">before </span></span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">death showed its mercy </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">and took them </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">to a far better </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">place. When we get </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">fancy and </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">label ourselves seniors, </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">we don't </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">disguise much.</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3243" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3246" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3249" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3250" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4068" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">There are some things that are given--<i id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3251" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">We tell </i></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><i style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">ourselves </i></span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3836" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;"><i id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3835" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">to get a grip and </i></span><i id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3254" style="color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3255" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;">live with them:</span></i></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3249" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<i style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3257" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3261" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3262" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4080" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We will lose our fingernail clippers.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3264" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3265" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4078" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We will lose track of where we parked </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3264" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3549" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4079" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> the car at the mall. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3264" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4109" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We will audibly creak--it's not the floorboards.</span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3270" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3271" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4067" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We forget what we were looking for in the pantry.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3273" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3274" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4098" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> We put off </span><b>cleaning </b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">out the fridge, washing the </span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3273" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4097" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3536" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> outside windows,</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3846" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3546" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">pouring Clorox in the </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> toilet, </span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3548" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">etc. etc. etc.</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3845" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3559" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">(Much preferred:</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3279" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3280" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4065" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> write a friend, read a good book, listen </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3279" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3911" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6174" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> to good music.)</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3282" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3283" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6022" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We look at ourselves on Kindle Fire with a "selfie" </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3282" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4062" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3576" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> and say, </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3856" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">"My, My. Is this really me?"</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3288" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3291" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3292" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4122" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">Must I go on? You've got me pegged. But I hasten to </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3291" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">add </span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3587" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">that there </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3593" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">are lessons to be learned, a life to live, </span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3291" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">a joy </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">beyond all wonder.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3297" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3300" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3301" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6023" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We can fix the television when it goes wrong </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> (as long </span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3606" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">as the </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3607" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">DISH technical support </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> representative is </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3610" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">on the other </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3858" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">end of </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> the line.)</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3309" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3310" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6024" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We have found the third way to fix leftovers.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3312" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3313" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6028" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We can endure the mess of cleaning out the </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3312" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6029" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3625" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> skimmer pump on </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3627" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">the koi pond.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3318" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3319" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4128" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We can park the car in a narrow garage in the </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3318" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3628" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4136" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> face of a storm.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3321" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3322" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4135" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We can successfully avoid looking at the pristine, </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3321" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4134" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3632" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> new looking </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3643" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">stationary bike stored in </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3321" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6031" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6030" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> the garage.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3327" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3328" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4058" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> We know to yell "HELP" when all else fails.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3330" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3333" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3334" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4138" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">When we fail to recognize our accomplishments or </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">to look </span></span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">forward to tomorrow, we may be tempted to let </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">the dirty </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3654" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">thought enter our mind: "Hey, </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3882" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">we're getting </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">too old."</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3873" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We need to recognize that someone or </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">something provided </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3667" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">us a world in which to live, but our </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Creator is firm.</span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3668" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is our </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">responsibility to do the living. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">So . . . try this list (I did).</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3339" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3342" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3343" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6034" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Keep gas in the car--you might want to go </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3342" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6033" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3669" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> somewhere when the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">phone rings.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3348" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3349" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4157" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Whatever your hobby or avocation--keep active.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3351" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3352" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4149" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Find others or belong to groups striving to </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3351" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3678" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4156" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> make some wrong right.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3354" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3355" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4155" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Learn something new and share it.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3357" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3358" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4154" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Find someone to laugh with. (Life is funny)</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3360" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3361" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4153" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Realize that as we age, we can do anything we </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3360" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4054" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3687" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> please--</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3688" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">most of our judging compatriots are </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3360" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4167" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3691" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> infirm or are passing on.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3366" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3367" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6047" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Learn to talk the real world--computer technology, </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3366" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4170" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3692" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> smart phones, </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3693" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">political jargon, financial </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3366" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3708" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4169" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> and investment parameters, trendy</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3372" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3373" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4168" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> fashions, hit songs, good books. (Mmmm--</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3372" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4174" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3709" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> not a high score </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3719" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">on some of these items.)</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3378" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3379" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4176" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Stay mobile--exercise, exercise, exercise. (I'll </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3378" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4188" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3720" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> give you the phone </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3721" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">number of the Silver </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3378" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3733" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4187" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Sneakers program.)</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3384" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3385" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4053" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> However improbable you think the outcome, don't </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3384" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4186" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3734" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"> pass up an </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3735" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">opportunity for an adventure, </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3384" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4052" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3746" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> something new or reawakened. Le</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3760" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">t </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> yourself feel </span></span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">the joy.</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3393" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3394" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4051" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Don't expect to receive from others if not willing </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> to give of yourself.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3396" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3397" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4050" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Make new friends and keep dear ones close.</span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3399" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3400" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4048" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> Look for memory-challenging exercises or </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> amusements: </span></span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">Cross-word and jig-saw </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;"> puzzles, </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">counted cross </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3779" style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">stitch </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3781" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">embroidery, </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> original </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> writing, reading music, </span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3783" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4201" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">Bridge--</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"> the things </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;">you were too busy to do before.</span></span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6080" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> L</span><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6070" style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">earn the names (and use them) for the clerks </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> you see fre</span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">quently and those that provide </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;"> services for you. Neat </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">thing: good feeling--</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;"> you will hear them call your name </span><span style="color: #4c76a2; font-size: 14pt;">back.</span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3417" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3420" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div align="center" id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3423" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3424" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_6078" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><b>IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, ENERGY AND HAPPINESS</b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3426" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3427" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-size: 14pt;"><span id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_4287" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; color: #4c76a2;"><b>COME FROM LIVING!</b></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv6912979087yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1479572450585_3429" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-44187841114905690962016-09-25T16:42:00.000-07:002016-09-25T16:57:12.762-07:00DIFFERENCES --Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">DIFFERENCES</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWUX0g6tE7_ddOtWT_6z9gX2aB2ay-y5NHBapcYUno_FYWM2wA0F1c7YTIMkNqoINoVd7lA-hFJ9TCCf-QnwxZraJexp9Ou0iL3DJM-ol4ET6oc9CBMNNS_QdHT226WLk78MLl8KJPDn/s1600/zebra-butterfly-done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWUX0g6tE7_ddOtWT_6z9gX2aB2ay-y5NHBapcYUno_FYWM2wA0F1c7YTIMkNqoINoVd7lA-hFJ9TCCf-QnwxZraJexp9Ou0iL3DJM-ol4ET6oc9CBMNNS_QdHT226WLk78MLl8KJPDn/s400/zebra-butterfly-done.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Most individuals seek harmony
in their relationships--the things they share that are common between
them. There are essentials of
commonality that obviously fall into that category if a relationship is to
develop and exist over time. But Mother
Nature did not make individuals alike--there are tall people, there are short
people. There are older people, there are younger people. There are theoretical people, there are
pragmatic people. There are coffee
drinkers there are tea drinkers. Etc.
Etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Differences are not a chasm
that cannot be bridged. In any
difference, there is commonality to find. Many worship their god differently, but still
share a number of the same values. An old adage states that in marriage
"Opposites attract Opposites and then the trouble begins." But if two are too much alike, the original spark
dies and discontent leads to separation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Writers find that to make
their stories interesting and compelling to the reader, there must be conflict. A story with just cafe talk wears thin on
page 2. Once past the necessary basic
commonalities that no one argues with, my premise is that
"differences" in a relationship are what makes living interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What do differences require:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> i Communication
- listening and speaking </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> -- no one stays silent<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> ii Tolerance -
differences are what they are, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> no sugar to coat here<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> iii Ingenuity
- there's an agreeable way to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> be found
somewhere<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> iv Creativeness
- a painting has many colors </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> --blue and yellow make </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> green. Green is good.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> v Accommodation
- maybe not always half-way, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> but integrated <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> vi Respect - no
one takes the other for </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> granted. No guessing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Thoughts are spoken.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> vii Patience -
Nothing important happens </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> or changes in a day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> viii Understanding
- our rational thoughts beyond </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> ix Balance -
more common interests tip the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> scale than differences.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> There is a h</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">ome base.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> x Caring - the
overriding emotion of oneness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A difference that is mediated
to the common good is a high that binds people closer together. (How many enemies after battle have become friends?) Mediation places an even playing field between
the givers and the takers in a relationship. The key to harmonious differences is whether or not they are
accepted, tolerated, resolved. We need
the glue of commonly shared values for a successful relationship to thrive but also
as important is to not ignore the spark of differences which keeps our relationships
alive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">ALIVE IS GOOD!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-44167024892565477842016-08-23T11:11:00.002-07:002016-10-15T06:57:42.474-07:00What you don't know about carrots<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><img alt="carrots colorful purple" height="300" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.greenprophet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/coulorful-carrot.jpg?resize=560,420" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-small;">Source: Organic Authority</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">There's trivia and then there is </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">real trivia. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">My expose </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">on carrots is in the latter category. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">Can't think of a soul </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">who would count this </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">as important information. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">But anyhow . . .</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Went to a very good Japanese restaurant </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">the other night </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">and with my soft shelled crab, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">came a garnishment of </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">a white-something </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">shredded. Taste of the garnish was</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">not familiar and I couldn't place what it was. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">Asked the </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">waiter and he went to the kitchen </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">and came back and </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">said it was "carrots". </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">NO WAY. COULDN'T BE </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">CARROTS. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Why the mystery of the garnish stayed </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">in my mind--</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">really no logical reason other </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">than a misguided curiosity. </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">Well, I found </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">out that carrots way back in the 17th Century</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">could be </span><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">purple, black, red, white, orange, </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">yellow. Seems </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">like nobody </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">cared which </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">color until someone decided </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">to make </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">them </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">orange in honor </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">of the Dutch House of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Orange. Every </span><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">since, most carrots are </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">orange except </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">for those in the know who </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">e</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">njoy puzzling the public </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">with something </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">different. </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: blue; font-size: large;">Incidentally, they were good.</span>Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-47500339648255318572016-08-14T12:06:00.002-07:002016-08-15T18:04:10.052-07:00NORTH SHORE -- LAKE SUPERIOR - Land of blue skies, blue waters, lush green trees, and gray granite<div class="MsoNormal">
Good times need to be shared. I've got one for you. I have just </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
spent five days vacationing in
Duluth, Minnesota, with two </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Writer House friends. First of all, in leaving Houston, the whole </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
world changed (may be exaggerating a little bit) but going </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
from our
August 100 degree murky hot to a marvelous<br />
79 degrees cool in Duluth is nothing
to sneeze about. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blue sky, blue lakes,
granite rocks, and masses of </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
green
trees--August is the time to visit northern Minnesota!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my companions' sister lives in Duluth (and on a lake) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
which gave us an opportunity for a rare, trouble free adventure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carole knew the places worth visiting and the
way (and back!) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
getting there. I'll let
the pictures below take you with me as </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
we visited Gooseberry Falls, Glensheen Manor,
Split Rock </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lighthouse, Duluth Rose
gardens, the Canal Bridge from </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lake Superior, Jay Cooke State Park and Richard Bong military </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
museum. The marvels of pontoon boating follow.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0DC6JabsysNwXsqodyTcqqCwtqtEGTQW9uvkx39rhib8m75ZW_RbShffxD4B2IwpNfM1yaKf011-3-9N4dP0-DGJv4IXLuJ1o2wPrxSVrSZqK484c_PILmNCqrwxPGB-Z_NRMibpL7Y5/s1600/bobiwatfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0DC6JabsysNwXsqodyTcqqCwtqtEGTQW9uvkx39rhib8m75ZW_RbShffxD4B2IwpNfM1yaKf011-3-9N4dP0-DGJv4IXLuJ1o2wPrxSVrSZqK484c_PILmNCqrwxPGB-Z_NRMibpL7Y5/s320/bobiwatfall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gooseberry Falls </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3G-_hm0oV1PzSYSpV41u_-fl42NhyqAQtrFU3gLu8XbQA3x79IuPDgqwNdgDhR_HtpQOjPuWRXTRP8Lc7-2x6NSvmzui5P2CrfyTw683tx8SQIYJY0dHwP3-KDhTUwW0w9R4jSZYj7rh/s1600/FullSizeRender-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3G-_hm0oV1PzSYSpV41u_-fl42NhyqAQtrFU3gLu8XbQA3x79IuPDgqwNdgDhR_HtpQOjPuWRXTRP8Lc7-2x6NSvmzui5P2CrfyTw683tx8SQIYJY0dHwP3-KDhTUwW0w9R4jSZYj7rh/s320/FullSizeRender-16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNG1VT3ZlZNKP3_G8UzIerKa4pLbPNPOIaOdfKOFV_ymCFW8KwZCKTouyPD76MEDmidDm8VnSc-o2ZB1x6o3xnQLmTAcLRZmRAGYu3FnQ6iCsTYameYN1RJLaLIZiijIqIVQkw2u2n7dW/s1600/Fire+Ring+Photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNG1VT3ZlZNKP3_G8UzIerKa4pLbPNPOIaOdfKOFV_ymCFW8KwZCKTouyPD76MEDmidDm8VnSc-o2ZB1x6o3xnQLmTAcLRZmRAGYu3FnQ6iCsTYameYN1RJLaLIZiijIqIVQkw2u2n7dW/s320/Fire+Ring+Photo-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'd never have an August evening fire in Houston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqDDAuTMP9N_1Yvma41OgxHxj1SBWfrJujFutx0OWVOEWmv8GSd-o3ss8J8OywSGmgYVc6vmjcytTNhkan5kuGLBKKWsEzdVx0yCuN_0Jc2P6EFov1GPdiXPYgCJxmesvKXqUBDXOqYiG/s1600/bobi+TXIMG_1450-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqDDAuTMP9N_1Yvma41OgxHxj1SBWfrJujFutx0OWVOEWmv8GSd-o3ss8J8OywSGmgYVc6vmjcytTNhkan5kuGLBKKWsEzdVx0yCuN_0Jc2P6EFov1GPdiXPYgCJxmesvKXqUBDXOqYiG/s320/bobi+TXIMG_1450-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glensheen Manor </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_l8k2JjvKHLPz6qlHRvzXTKk51OlVVF_EqoCZJigd5l7smmhWIVym9VdnyLgnzJofb4XLbyZWcfda8wqrjNmqJSqIKZY6ltgcwGJIX4OzHPBVWyCoQ5LkRRxeYW-5EzytjYU9p6QZxg0A/s1600/Rose+Garden333-1.3png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_l8k2JjvKHLPz6qlHRvzXTKk51OlVVF_EqoCZJigd5l7smmhWIVym9VdnyLgnzJofb4XLbyZWcfda8wqrjNmqJSqIKZY6ltgcwGJIX4OzHPBVWyCoQ5LkRRxeYW-5EzytjYU9p6QZxg0A/s320/Rose+Garden333-1.3png.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duluth Rose Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who doesn't dream of floating on a lake with a cool breeze,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
fantastic shore scenery, good company and a glass of wine?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavyDqUMY7O5KgQw54VQbavP7eCBRXLf_zvWRF4qRR_fbA_kPlGnzlYw-I4njYFFKJq6GyQG0dR1-ykPiIIPzWNzxZz6QNHx42wQ6DUOdhsxmGbp3ZtFQiIMxMBUSCtu-BEHbgewA0RcHz/s1600/Bobi+Pontoon+4-1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavyDqUMY7O5KgQw54VQbavP7eCBRXLf_zvWRF4qRR_fbA_kPlGnzlYw-I4njYFFKJq6GyQG0dR1-ykPiIIPzWNzxZz6QNHx42wQ6DUOdhsxmGbp3ZtFQiIMxMBUSCtu-BEHbgewA0RcHz/s320/Bobi+Pontoon+4-1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="249" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks to Ted Sexton, dreams can become true and with<br />
an encore. The first cruise was a pontoon tour around<br />
the lake with all the oo's
and ah's I could muster. Loons<br />
scattered ahead of us. Thoughts of my childhood
family<br />
fishing trips to Minnesota caught up with me. In the reeds<br />
I wondered if there were bass or
a stray northern pike<br />
waiting to be caught.
I saw a couple of points where<br />
walleyes would haunt. I could see myself casting into<br />
the reeds
with a red and white spoon lure and have </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the thrill of a strike. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The encore was even more special. The families that live </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
along the shore once a
year tie their pontoons together in </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the middle of the lake and party. We were in luck, the party was</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">scheduled for the Saturday we were there. Picture yourself </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">here and wish you were with
us. </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qcHsUodVcpscwU9uO_jBJQvg_V0WyyrXRdm9R__Qm70SYNbeAMzyVTI-u_W3Ye-NLd1tR5pfN2jUKTzRhqdE7W6JLasq4UEff7zQ0wCeR0bQQZqVd9PCoiSOY3BZ7n0Q7z-p_ZOjci6r/s1600/Bobi+Pontoon+3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qcHsUodVcpscwU9uO_jBJQvg_V0WyyrXRdm9R__Qm70SYNbeAMzyVTI-u_W3Ye-NLd1tR5pfN2jUKTzRhqdE7W6JLasq4UEff7zQ0wCeR0bQQZqVd9PCoiSOY3BZ7n0Q7z-p_ZOjci6r/s320/Bobi+Pontoon+3-1.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Caption Needed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKWJfW438QX-8gzXOpM883fo3YHvGBkJSxDN0tCkScW_tlIUHLeDPImlb1jwZDH1eF16SBCZrez49PtFNEyAQVlXqqbdy-svGL6nhlDr24-I_bcU241Hb1WmacOV-SMfpQ9mMWSVAe6t0/s1600/bobiboatlakeMG_1501-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKWJfW438QX-8gzXOpM883fo3YHvGBkJSxDN0tCkScW_tlIUHLeDPImlb1jwZDH1eF16SBCZrez49PtFNEyAQVlXqqbdy-svGL6nhlDr24-I_bcU241Hb1WmacOV-SMfpQ9mMWSVAe6t0/s320/bobiboatlakeMG_1501-1.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting Ready to Party</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QgW4nayUBdMb0DOhUhlZsMk9bnHlUyaSJm4A6sRWT17_om1N0iiIMaVtpOil3kV1eHJlrc2ugerQxye7wMiSrAAJxxZrq-3nzAVWfqPYPrSjs2JWXWhAJ_4XHiOkoGdo22TX1x_keTXN/s1600/wheeMG_1504-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QgW4nayUBdMb0DOhUhlZsMk9bnHlUyaSJm4A6sRWT17_om1N0iiIMaVtpOil3kV1eHJlrc2ugerQxye7wMiSrAAJxxZrq-3nzAVWfqPYPrSjs2JWXWhAJ_4XHiOkoGdo22TX1x_keTXN/s320/wheeMG_1504-2.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Most special for the trip was meeting and getting to </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
know
the Sextons. They took us in as family
and </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
we met their children and grandchildren giving us</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
a glimpse of northern family
life. It had been a </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
long time since I stood around a piano and with<br />
others harmonized church hymns, <i>How Great Thou</i><br />
<i> Art</i> and <i>Abide </i><i>With Me.</i>. A severe storm two<br />
weeks before
our arrival had obliterated a great<br />
many trees--the Sextons losing twenty four
on their </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
property. Despite the
devastation, Carole's porch </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
flowers were vigorous and beautiful and chipmunks </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and birds frequented the bird feeder, sometimes </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
tormented by hummingbirds. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No story can give justice to the pleasure we had </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
visiting
the north shore of Lake Superior. A</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
special thanks to Ted, Carole, Erin, and Angie </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sexton (and their families) and to
my fellow<br />
travelers Meg Lelvis and Connie Gillen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Frame Graphics: Rose Nuernberger </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures: Meg Lelvis</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-73529930505190698532016-07-14T15:53:00.002-07:002016-07-15T06:17:22.953-07:00Round Top Texas Fourth of July<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Sometimes we miss what's close</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">at hand--nearby places we've </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">never been or explored.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">One of those places for me is</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Round Top, Texas, a little</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">community two hours from</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">where I live in Richmond. The</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">town has about 90 permanent</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">residents centered mostly around</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">a multitude of antique industries.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">All the homes are in the vintage </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">of the early 1900's and either</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">moved there from someplace</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">else or built to match the period.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">I had the good fortune of </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">spending July 4 weekend </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">there and am still marveling</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">at their fun holiday celebrations.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">The weekend was packed with </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">activity and I'm dying to tell you</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">about it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">The town hosts the Round Top</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Festival Institute which presents</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">every summer evening an</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">assortment of classical and</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">contemporary programs</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">featuring on Sunday, the </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Texas Festival </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Orchestra. For </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">those uninformed </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">as I was, we </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">soon recognized that </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">this was </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">not just a common </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">ordinary </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">orchestra but a renown </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">group </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">of young musicians repre</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">senting every state in the US with</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">others from Mexico, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, China,</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Bulgaria, Puerto Rico, Costa </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Rica--all attending on scholarship</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">a six-week Institute program </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">taught by noted musicians. The</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">couple next to us were from </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">DesMoines, Iowa, and their </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">daughter was a violinist chosen</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">from the University of Nebraska.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">The spirit was infectious--the</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">orchestra members were dressed</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">casually with American flags on</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">the tips of their violin bows, </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">poked into the girls' ponytails, and</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">anchored on the boys' crazy hats.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Perry So, their personable young</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">conductor, however, was </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">dressed in white jacket formal</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">attire.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">They were serious! From the </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">first Star Spangled Banner, the</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">audience became alive for </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">both </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">national and patriotic </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">marches, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">even a Gershwin </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Piano Con</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">certo. Midway </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">through the </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">program, the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">festival had the </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">four member </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">barber shop </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Heart of Texas </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">quartet, who </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">though not </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">socially correct, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">were indeed hilarious. The </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">orchestra </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">ended with "In the </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mood,"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">"King Cotton March,"</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">and the "Stars and Stripes </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Forever."</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">I've heard holiday concerts</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">before, but Sunday's presen-</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">tation was better than I had</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">heard in Washington, DC, </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl,</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">and Independence Day in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Philadelphia.</span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dTB3XrjgFJK8WGjUfGKjMgS2XrXZguEZQLapLkxzjnC9Ecvhno4A_qhSnOcd0cMgHlcGPHxELf4hqeG_t_2aLO-2ghFSlyzW67crhyphenhyphenwsuBLR1rs4Ar942HJSGAfYtaLoUl1V6_FVmqpw/s1600/Round+Top+Music+Hall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dTB3XrjgFJK8WGjUfGKjMgS2XrXZguEZQLapLkxzjnC9Ecvhno4A_qhSnOcd0cMgHlcGPHxELf4hqeG_t_2aLO-2ghFSlyzW67crhyphenhyphenwsuBLR1rs4Ar942HJSGAfYtaLoUl1V6_FVmqpw/s320/Round+Top+Music+Hall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">The picture above shows more</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">than words can express for</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">this concert hall. (Remember</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">this is situated in a very little</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">town which was completely</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">packed--probably three or</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">four thousand visitors.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Sunday night, we went to their</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">fireworks which were elaborate</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">--obviously they have bene-</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">factors probably from Dallas,</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Houston, and San Antonio. We</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">were parked out in the field very</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">close to the fireworks which </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">gave a special ambiance when</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">they exploded almost directly</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">above us.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_nr3RnfVWjB16y9zHNIMxzaMoWDwM1-mJe24_hzmYlDc3XGAovlyQIRufZval3bdw_k08ESTntIEFI3-RgB-apurOe2l3P2brjEsztY1nI5KgPjbXrv4vApXKJit4VCUC1IDHbTGf6m-/s1600/Round+Top+July+4+Parade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_nr3RnfVWjB16y9zHNIMxzaMoWDwM1-mJe24_hzmYlDc3XGAovlyQIRufZval3bdw_k08ESTntIEFI3-RgB-apurOe2l3P2brjEsztY1nI5KgPjbXrv4vApXKJit4VCUC1IDHbTGf6m-/s320/Round+Top+July+4+Parade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Monday morning, we went to</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">the famous (infamous) parade.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">It had about 1 30 entries, drawing</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">from probably ten nearby towns,</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">where anyone can participate </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">with their horses, wagons, carts,</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">old cars, tractors--anything and</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">in any way. Kids everywhere, </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">some driving tractors. Anyone</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">can join in and jump on a float</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">or wagon as the parade passes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Hospitality, WOW! The music</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">hall and streets were packed. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">As we went down the center </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">aisle for the concert, the </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">couple </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">from DesMoines waved </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">that </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">they had two seats next </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">to them. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">At the parade--it was </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">hot as </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">hades--a family had </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">parked their </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">pick-up next to </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">the parade </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">route and invited </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">us to sit with </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">our water bottles </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">and use </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">their umbrellas for </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">shade. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">On the way back and forth into</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">town, we saw deer and a wild</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">turkey as well as scads of trees</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">and ponds. As you looked</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">in all directions, there were </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">many unique horizons of trees,</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">hills, and winding roads.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">One of the narrow bridges was</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">known to be one if you wanted</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">good luck, you were to stop </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">and piss in the deep creek below.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">(We didn't.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">All I can say is that we kinda </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">forget what small towns used</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">to be like and the freedom we</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">have. We saw a slice of a great</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">country and great people.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-78386455330230082872016-07-07T07:46:00.003-07:002016-07-07T08:12:07.915-07:00Masculine versus Feminine<br />
<strong>
</strong><strong>
</strong><strong>
</strong><strong>
</strong><strong>
</strong><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: rgb(249, 249, 249); border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; mso-border-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid rgb(170, 170, 170); mso-border-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; padding: 2.4pt 4.8pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin: 12pt 0in;">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mars_symbol.svg" title=""♂" "><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="♂" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mars_symbol.svg" title=""♂""
style='width:37.5pt;height:37.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'
o:button="t">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Bobbi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"
o:title="♂"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><strong></strong></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><strong>
</strong></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; padding: 2.4pt 4.8pt;"></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; padding: 2.4pt 4.8pt;"><strong>
</strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin: 12pt 0in;">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Venus_symbol.svg" title=""♀" "><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="♀"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Venus_symbol.svg" title=""♀""
style='width:37.5pt;height:37.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'
o:button="t">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Bobbi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.png"
o:title="♀"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><strong><img alt="♀" border="0" height="50" src="file:///C:/Users/Bobbi/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.gif" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="50" /></strong></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<strong>
</strong></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid #AAAAAA .75pt; padding: 2.4pt 4.8pt;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><o:p> </o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">OMELETS, PRINCE OF DANES (AND </span><span style="font-size: large;"> OTHER OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNES)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sandy Taylor</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Sandy has given her
permission to help myself to her Omelets. It's a winner in my book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy!</span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">When<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I first moved to
Chile, I had to be very careful when I pronounced my street--Las Penas (the
cliffs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might come out sounding like
I lived on "the pines", "the pineapples" or a specific part
of the male anatomy (plural no less).</span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">I must take umbrage at the gender issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are garbage, war, pestilence and plague
all feminine?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are hemorrhoids, warts
and filth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any reasonable person would
have to admit that this isn't fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don't try to ply me with flowers, just because they're feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm too angry to care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, anger is feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it any wonder?</span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dogs and cats are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Snakes, cockroaches, spiders, ants and rats are feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They'd never get away with this in the
U.S.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Birds are masculine, and we all
know what they can do to the hood of a car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems only right that pigs, monkeys and donkeys are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn't matter whether the chicken or the
egg came first, because they're both male (except, one presumes, for the female
which laid the egg).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that matter,
even gender is masculine (el masculino and el feminino). </span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sunshine is masculine, but shadows are feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even rainbows are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give me a break!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women are held responsible for bad
weather--snow, rain, fog and thunderstorms--but we can blame the resulting
accidents on men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wind is masculine
(now there's<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> a </span>real surprise). Is it any
wonder that anxiety and death are feminine?</span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most rooms in the house are feminine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A notable exception--you guessed it--the
bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathtub is feminine, but
the sink and toilet are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
body part most closely associated with the toilet is also masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things do make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our mouths are feminine, but so are
whiskers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See him standing in his manly
socks at his manly sink shaving those pesky feminine whiskers down his masculine
drain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He'd better be careful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His razor is feminine. </span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">We must be careful, ladies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may not realize it, but your brassiere is masculine, so watch what
you say in its presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So is your
purse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shh! You can't even whisper in
front of them, because whispers are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That doesn't seem right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zippers
are masculine, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incredibly, dirt and rocks are feminine, but
diamonds are masculine. No wonder nightmares are feminine.</span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are
feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pride and profanity are
masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Danger is masculine; safety
is feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duty and honor are
masculine; so are courage and fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blame
and apology are feminine, as are faith and fidelity (of course).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The church is feminine and the circus is
masculine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women own laughter (and have
much to laugh about) and men have tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success and failure are masculine; strength and weakness are feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shouts and even kisses are masculine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prejudice is masculine; vanity is
feminine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The worst outrage of all is the word for
"Handcuffs" --esposas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep,
that's the same word as wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch it
boys, revolvers may be masculine, but shotguns are feminine and so are bullets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Who makes up this stuff?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-45776942323399188502016-06-09T16:57:00.003-07:002016-06-12T19:23:55.241-07:00GOD'S TALENTS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fdC6N2gocZcz0Xw86OLwHm3FTMhVxPBvGSdAV3X8kSZMy4aTP_aaXFytpmZVFPH6UKGmiV4SmFFfUYU8QfekOjBXkMGOH116gqZssJjbTBMNUjyiv6tVQsdt9NbQkwi5z1PKcuCLg6yC/s1600/Aggie+Business+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fdC6N2gocZcz0Xw86OLwHm3FTMhVxPBvGSdAV3X8kSZMy4aTP_aaXFytpmZVFPH6UKGmiV4SmFFfUYU8QfekOjBXkMGOH116gqZssJjbTBMNUjyiv6tVQsdt9NbQkwi5z1PKcuCLg6yC/s200/Aggie+Business+Card.jpg" width="125" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CREATIVITY</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqfhSN3SAIkZjjafdlqhZVuLa2LjKGyjq1Rvon9wlhqBksNcexBmO6bigQFJbW5CWnUcA0qwZSgOIn5bV6BV6OEannIwemMBiTDgAGIjge0aJKdB98zneJvYl8_9aaArBD95ezmm_f0mf/s1600/Butterfly+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqfhSN3SAIkZjjafdlqhZVuLa2LjKGyjq1Rvon9wlhqBksNcexBmO6bigQFJbW5CWnUcA0qwZSgOIn5bV6BV6OEannIwemMBiTDgAGIjge0aJKdB98zneJvYl8_9aaArBD95ezmm_f0mf/s200/Butterfly+collage.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Seems to have infinite beginnings</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">but never absolute endings</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">always has "and then"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9CweJdSmTxaen6O8RE8g33REyUD2aq6zM4m-t7qfS4tFlFzcXdODR5VBInA6BH0E4OUEYdEqRvtxHRxj99vOfuey3CxCDUXRUNlFB6c0f_vF7St1YmmnRczmQn6U-jJU0d5m8F3qEBDi/s1600/Rose+Butterfly+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9CweJdSmTxaen6O8RE8g33REyUD2aq6zM4m-t7qfS4tFlFzcXdODR5VBInA6BH0E4OUEYdEqRvtxHRxj99vOfuey3CxCDUXRUNlFB6c0f_vF7St1YmmnRczmQn6U-jJU0d5m8F3qEBDi/s200/Rose+Butterfly+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seems to have an assortment of aromas</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From a musty-cobwebbed cave</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to a </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> jammed shelf in the corner</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> of the garage</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Doesn't seem to get its feelings hurt</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> seems to always have something </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to chuckle about </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Doesn't seem to have any distinct</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> working or business hour schedule,</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMdg9U7yn4OFeFM8yP8DY_m2PwwfuuRmcyvuopUU194ZHlSLq6nN6VO_q7ibRwVDhQ88WW_hMtv6VpCFPuZgcJ6zcrmk1fTA3gpdESwEqaPCiQ9sVk86aEb-wzWf1uycL-kXoWmupqTWi/s1600/Rose+Butterfly3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMdg9U7yn4OFeFM8yP8DY_m2PwwfuuRmcyvuopUU194ZHlSLq6nN6VO_q7ibRwVDhQ88WW_hMtv6VpCFPuZgcJ6zcrmk1fTA3gpdESwEqaPCiQ9sVk86aEb-wzWf1uycL-kXoWmupqTWi/s200/Rose+Butterfly3.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> no 8:00 am - 5:00 pm work days</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> fact, sometimes 1:00 am is its most</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> productive time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Doesn't depend upon Competition,</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> doesn't need the ego of winning.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IS totally unpredictable</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Its Motto is:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Whenever the idea P O P S</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> melt the butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> shake on the salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> have a large bowl ready!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT1-qj4K7t0iWFjtukGvVdWCCtGvHvIBoPySJGXOAJjRDSElxiX0CpdgB-4o_MJ_vbTQcYKaEtyhuwtR6s2LqHFzzdLTgJkkgmouudp8UI6Pq8Omz_2DUFpC43N18frXvgc11A3Ok3lQK/s1600/Rose+Butterfly+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT1-qj4K7t0iWFjtukGvVdWCCtGvHvIBoPySJGXOAJjRDSElxiX0CpdgB-4o_MJ_vbTQcYKaEtyhuwtR6s2LqHFzzdLTgJkkgmouudp8UI6Pq8Omz_2DUFpC43N18frXvgc11A3Ok3lQK/s200/Rose+Butterfly+2.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Takes trips</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> without going anywhere</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> no expensive tickets needed</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "often fuzzy" on destination.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Often hides and plays Peek-a-Boo</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> but eventually shows up in an articulate</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> spider web-or a puppy chasing</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> his tail.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";">TASTES everything</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> LISTENS to every sound</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdg7frMTTpzi5ObumyuSCQjQYGTHPezORxSbngXQl4MibMfR-dMtXswznsNF1BlwKtmsx7oKEMiD49KoMilHmhMXmrjAIxLStUWSz2aBZC3TrTMOCvXyDrt-Ojf_vA8s1skmEX9Y7XX5T/s1600/pansybirdkalei+_Fotortext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdg7frMTTpzi5ObumyuSCQjQYGTHPezORxSbngXQl4MibMfR-dMtXswznsNF1BlwKtmsx7oKEMiD49KoMilHmhMXmrjAIxLStUWSz2aBZC3TrTMOCvXyDrt-Ojf_vA8s1skmEX9Y7XX5T/s200/pansybirdkalei+_Fotortext.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> WALKS in the spookiest places</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> has sixteen assorted wigs</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> Wears Cinderella's Golden slippers</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";">C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> Has ten letters--the Perfect 10</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> S-T-A-G-N-A-N-T</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> Has only eight never to</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> catch up with the Perfect 10.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXGJad99XD9kJVGP_9vpWi4egr9ot6QEybjp9VtH2Yb7ZYvHKUAP9GkK_w2jLJ5bqyLF5UoZvkLCPhs3AIaQQGSzvr2OQwpB6WEv7Hy2k27aRtf-c4FDSzfIlOKU_nApX1o49nihrjge/s1600/field+of+butterflies+snip.JPG2+done+%2523%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXGJad99XD9kJVGP_9vpWi4egr9ot6QEybjp9VtH2Yb7ZYvHKUAP9GkK_w2jLJ5bqyLF5UoZvkLCPhs3AIaQQGSzvr2OQwpB6WEv7Hy2k27aRtf-c4FDSzfIlOKU_nApX1o49nihrjge/s1600/field+of+butterflies+snip.JPG2+done+%2523%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXGJad99XD9kJVGP_9vpWi4egr9ot6QEybjp9VtH2Yb7ZYvHKUAP9GkK_w2jLJ5bqyLF5UoZvkLCPhs3AIaQQGSzvr2OQwpB6WEv7Hy2k27aRtf-c4FDSzfIlOKU_nApX1o49nihrjge/s1600/field+of+butterflies+snip.JPG2+done+%2523%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXGJad99XD9kJVGP_9vpWi4egr9ot6QEybjp9VtH2Yb7ZYvHKUAP9GkK_w2jLJ5bqyLF5UoZvkLCPhs3AIaQQGSzvr2OQwpB6WEv7Hy2k27aRtf-c4FDSzfIlOKU_nApX1o49nihrjge/s1600/field+of+butterflies+snip.JPG2+done+%2523%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnXGJad99XD9kJVGP_9vpWi4egr9ot6QEybjp9VtH2Yb7ZYvHKUAP9GkK_w2jLJ5bqyLF5UoZvkLCPhs3AIaQQGSzvr2OQwpB6WEv7Hy2k27aRtf-c4FDSzfIlOKU_nApX1o49nihrjge/s1600/field+of+butterflies+snip.JPG2+done+%2523%2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> Sometimes sniffs, snorts, and grunts</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> more often it "Whistles a Happy Tune"</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> to make sure that we </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> "Let a Smile Be Its Umbrella".</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> <strong>GOD BLESS!</strong></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "arial";"> </span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Creativity--ISN'T just thinking "Outside the</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;">Box" . . . actually, there is NO BOX!</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial";"> (Only a faint dotted line, if you insist.)</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial";"></span></em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWUX0g6tE7_ddOtWT_6z9gX2aB2ay-y5NHBapcYUno_FYWM2wA0F1c7YTIMkNqoINoVd7lA-hFJ9TCCf-QnwxZraJexp9Ou0iL3DJM-ol4ET6oc9CBMNNS_QdHT226WLk78MLl8KJPDn/s1600/zebra-butterfly-done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lWUX0g6tE7_ddOtWT_6z9gX2aB2ay-y5NHBapcYUno_FYWM2wA0F1c7YTIMkNqoINoVd7lA-hFJ9TCCf-QnwxZraJexp9Ou0iL3DJM-ol4ET6oc9CBMNNS_QdHT226WLk78MLl8KJPDn/s400/zebra-butterfly-done.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial";"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "arial";"> -- Rose Nuernberger</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-59032757061280140932016-06-07T11:00:00.000-07:002016-06-08T10:00:47.741-07:00PAGE 89 THEORY<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Books are a lot like people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people you like immediately, </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">others you have to learn to like. And still others, <em>they
ain't for </em></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><em>you</em>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you belong to
several book clubs like I do, we are exposed to many </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">genres and writing styles. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Like people, some books are slow starters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others lose me in the </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">first chapter with too many characters to keep track of. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">much too detailed--I don't need to know about each rain drop
dripping </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">from each tree. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
are poorly crafted, confusing, contradictory.</span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">A good book gives me an experience that I won't forget.</span><o:p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">I <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just finished a book
that I liked very much (Me Before You).The </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">book before that, not so much. What do I do with the
latter--well </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">I apply my "Page 89" theory which is simply with
any book I may </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">have in hand, I read until at least Page 89.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I'm not into the book </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">by then, I prioritize my time with something else. In the
past, books </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">outside my reading genre that I gave up on by reading only </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">the beginning, I've found later to be worth reading to the end especially if it's a c</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;">lub's selection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Our club coordinator had asked one of our members who had
been </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">absent for the discussion what she thought of the book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">she'd stopped on Page 89. We all laughed--we
knew </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;">exactly what she'd thought of the book!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-32149046045054171022016-06-04T12:55:00.000-07:002016-06-04T12:58:15.984-07:00Inspired painting -- Rose's Robin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Mama Robin</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Rose Nuernberger</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PHAOLDyR39DU9ycQ3ioRj3UXgpAJlsaqaQr7ui6Wc4H2JAfHOwvrxH-5pf2Z8cNooxEcIS3UObSZ8wrL5ri5J9lccXyjjgiCvbflvGd6k8kRTSAHDqwp6J5kdVOwzNfVXwAZdvOpGbif/s1600/SAM_4755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PHAOLDyR39DU9ycQ3ioRj3UXgpAJlsaqaQr7ui6Wc4H2JAfHOwvrxH-5pf2Z8cNooxEcIS3UObSZ8wrL5ri5J9lccXyjjgiCvbflvGd6k8kRTSAHDqwp6J5kdVOwzNfVXwAZdvOpGbif/s400/SAM_4755.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-56687398273147494022016-05-25T18:08:00.000-07:002016-05-26T07:35:25.804-07:00KJ's Robin in the Neighborhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">KJ's ROBIN</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just when I thought spring couldn't get any better, three fledgling robins showed up in our backyard. They can't fly more than five feet at a time, and one got to hopping so fast to catch up to its dad that it almost pitched a somersault Gotta love it!</span> --<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thanks KJ.</span> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Bobi Andrews</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1ykYlBgcd-psAa4pb5rcXeX-rbVdkUkwYKoh7Gi5aCbfvlBTQdZRkV7rRJJULgiuvUglGzhL-0odWFBbuA72wdZPudYBsYQ_aMVQqmFjpB5P9e-phgu0TcrMv0G7K4Q8SlOtezyx_lBl/s1600/20160525_162613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1ykYlBgcd-psAa4pb5rcXeX-rbVdkUkwYKoh7Gi5aCbfvlBTQdZRkV7rRJJULgiuvUglGzhL-0odWFBbuA72wdZPudYBsYQ_aMVQqmFjpB5P9e-phgu0TcrMv0G7K4Q8SlOtezyx_lBl/s400/20160525_162613.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em>It's funny how sometimes you start talking about something and all of a sudden you notice things you didn't notice before. We know now that this little cousin was an egg thirteen or fourteen days ago!</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-2975195318101715772016-05-23T19:33:00.002-07:002016-05-25T18:23:03.295-07:00MARVELS OF A ROBIN<span style="font-size: large;">The best of life is taking little things and blending them into our larger lives. Jerry B. does an excellent job of this in his thoughts on Rose's robins. Thank </span><span style="font-size: large;">you! -- </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bobi Andrews</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5XGMF5csMjm7DwDmM9QWR3-vZ4LBtwhz2Z7TR3FbytQYHePGhKxyCXZvgT2ABxc9RJga3248xLNW_zsPQkGocvSnrCEAF5QdwLskw_22fC2bmxDe5yjgQLWk5pGUmHI49eR7X5P7pHju/s1600/lonerobin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5XGMF5csMjm7DwDmM9QWR3-vZ4LBtwhz2Z7TR3FbytQYHePGhKxyCXZvgT2ABxc9RJga3248xLNW_zsPQkGocvSnrCEAF5QdwLskw_22fC2bmxDe5yjgQLWk5pGUmHI49eR7X5P7pHju/s320/lonerobin.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">For Rose's Robin Log (if
lucky to make the short list)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">The pleasant and ethereal
delight of bird chirps, grunts and </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";">groans as I lounge on the
back deck by the Lake. What goes</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">into the life, or for that matter, the day to
day living of a bird, </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">both parent and child?</span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">As I regale on the back
deck taking in the sounds and bliss </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">of the chirps and others of
natures beauty, who's scheduling </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">and planning and teaching
and mentoring this nature to do </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Right Things? Who plans out that the
Mommy birds </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">know about nests, birth,
foraging for food, heck, keeping </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">a Daddy bird happy to help
in life's process. We humans </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">lavish ourselves with self
help this and self help that. We </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">boast with pride our
degrees, our medals, our trophies, </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">our stuff. We make
sure we have training to take the test </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">that measure our training
to be admitted to college. We </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">try to trick the
"system" to be better than, maybe, we really </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">are. We should stop
for a moment to gather in what nature </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">does to survive, not for
accolade. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">We talk about stopping and
smelling the roses, but do we? </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">When life's human external
pressures weigh on our time <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">and thought and breath, we
don't linger to wonder, imagine </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">and regale with intent why
this nature thing all works. We </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">say it's God's plan but
shouldn't we read more between the <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">lines of natures existence.
For that matter, please </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">contemplate a birds very
survival coming into the World on </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Day 1 and being told to move out of the House
(nest) by Day 13. </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Who told the baby
bird how to forage, fly, live, build a nest, </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">fight off foes and still
regale in the place they live? And in the </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">time half the cycle of the
Moon's turn, we take this baby bird </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">from a bliss of existence
to its very survival. We humans are </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">blessed to live amongst
such turmoil and success of nature</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">as we navigate our own
paths with a longer incubation of our </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Mom's and Dad's plying our
assets we bring into the World. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank goodness I wasn't
kicked out of the house on Day 13. </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm still struggling to
manage all of Life's wonders at 55 years. </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're lucky enough to
digest Rose's Life Log of the "Robin's </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the Bush", I hope you will have some
of these thoughts to </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">stretch your mind.
May Happiness and Joy always lead our </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">Wondering and Imagination
to the "What-if" around us!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Jerry B.</span> </span></span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif";"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-56759580454035542622016-05-22T11:46:00.001-07:002016-05-25T18:19:30.710-07:00SO LONG, AND FAREWELL MY LITTLE ONES<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_EvPtxyE9_VlP2LNV-banHX6hclwkoGSIaHlnxHHYzYEzQUZeAQs1e1qN9NBz5d_XqWJpQxG0hUTCj0HZ4LvCeV4M5mRSW-C-jqAhy-FkPIgo_g1WttbRljrG2WOL5iANL38MYTSX17N/s1600/rbedge_Fotortx+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_EvPtxyE9_VlP2LNV-banHX6hclwkoGSIaHlnxHHYzYEzQUZeAQs1e1qN9NBz5d_XqWJpQxG0hUTCj0HZ4LvCeV4M5mRSW-C-jqAhy-FkPIgo_g1WttbRljrG2WOL5iANL38MYTSX17N/s400/rbedge_Fotortx+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">From the first stringy grass for the nest to the last robin </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">sneaking out the back door to fly away, this has been a </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">huge eye opener of learning nature's way for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">tried to have Mrs. Robin sign a contract for her next brood </span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">but she was too busy to give me any kind of response. </span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Of course, we'll leave her nest in our bush and </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">do what we can to protect it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We've been told robins </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">use the same nest for the next brood.</span><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">I spent many an hour trying to get an image of Mom </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Robin feeding all three of her young ones with their </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">beaks all open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
have written before, it must be very </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">confidential to Mrs. Robin--as I only got the
"tail-end" </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">of the procedure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I DID catch an image of Mrs. </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Robin with her long sought-after worm in her beak.</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, it wasn't the long four-inch earthworm </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">being snatched from underground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the last few</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">days, we observed Mrs. Robin feeding her young, and </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">then flying off with some "white thing" in her
mouth. </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">At first we thought it was pieces of the broken shells, </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">but we figured they were removed a long time ago.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">KJ, a very special friend, informed us that Mrs. Robin </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">was carrying out the "droppings" that were encased
in </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">white bags.</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Goodness me, Dear Lord, you were close to providing </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">"diaper service" for your creations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobi, my sister, </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">said that perhaps I should have had a paper towel and </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">a plastic bag hanging up close by for her "little </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">errands."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
INSTINCT that these robins showed </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">throughout this exciting adventure is infinitely endless!</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Of course, she knew there's not enough room in a nest for three </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">almost fully grown teenagers and bags of poop, too.</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">This morning was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">When we got up this morning, there was only </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">one robin left in the nest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently, the other two </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">took off some time last night. (Maybe Nature has a timer </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">since the two that hatched first, flew first, and the last </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">one to hatch, flew last.)</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">I</span></o:p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"> kept an eye on him/her during breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since he/she </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">seemed pretty fidgety, I got out my camera. I watched </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">him/her preen himself/herself a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then before I could </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">aim my camera, he/she turned around and fluttered his/</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">her wings and actually "snuck out the back door." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">NERVE OF HIM/HER!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
I didn't get a good picture</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">except for the empty nest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently, they followed the </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">rules of what the computer said about baby robins taking flight </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">within 13-15 days of birth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I previously was very, </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">very sure when I stated at day three that they would </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">NEVER, NEVER be ready to take off within ten</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">or more days!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NEVER!
Guess they showed me "a thing </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">or two!"</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">We didn't see any sign of Mrs. Robin this morning before </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">the last flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
must have been out to "Palm Beach" </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">and thought the last fledging would finally get the hint and </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">go out and "search for his own worms."</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">But about mid-morning, Mrs. Robin cut her "Palm
Beach" </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">vacation short and was VIGOROUSLY snatching up </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">worms in our backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I should say she was literally </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">GORGING herself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was
she making up for lost time </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">or was she loading up for a "post-flight" treat
for the kids?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">(Robins do feed their young for a while after they take </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">flight.) Guess I should give her the benefit of the doubt--</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">fairness goes both ways, doesn't it?</span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">And so I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>conclude, on
May 21, at about 8:30 a.m. --a day </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">to be remembered -- </span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">The REAL WORLD BECAME
A REALITY for our </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">"three
pinkish-reddish-bubblegum wads of babyhood" </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">for what has been
MAGNIFICENT entertainment for </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: large;">us<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">YES, I sing their
last song. "So Long, It's Been Good to </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Know You." -- Rose Nuernberger</span></b></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-44620536385625652016-05-08T12:21:00.003-07:002016-05-09T06:26:16.361-07:00LAST NIGHT I WENT TO AUSTRALIA<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">For someone like me, unable to travel to all the places I read
about, I <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mirror the experience through someone
else's eyes. When the author is gifted, I am there with him. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;">Such is Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country." In
his amazing book I marvel at the energy and stamina required to walk and
travel throughout Australia's vast land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The excessive heat and emptiness
overwhelm me as it did him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rich
Australian history mesmerizes me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
traditional contribution of abundant ore beneath its surface was unending and
built wealth and a country. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bryson describes the origins of man as if reported yesterday.
Was a version of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>man really there two
hundred million years ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, how
did such a man get to the isolated island and from where did he come? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Bryson didn't know, neither do I.</span></span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I were there, I'd be thrilled to find an insect that has
never before been discovered, or a plant or tree that never made it into
scientific study. The many species of snakes I would try to forget (but would
watch every step I took). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself pondering with trepidation the mystery where a fork in the road leads or the identity of the markers of bones from
past forgotten explorers. I visually shudder. If lost, how long til rescue with
the next town not a few miles away, but many and its accommodations unknown. (However
they all seemed to have a pub and coffeepot. Buying beer stock in Australia's
financial markets--not a bad idea.) </span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Bryson's travels throughout Australia, I lost count of
how many cups of coffee he consumed, but I was ready with him to have one more
cup at the next stop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rightly related
that the settled population in the barren lands were as pleased to see him enter their pub for a pint as
he was to quench his thirst. There seemed to be
two definitions of loneliness--those settlers who thrived in their independence
and those who suffered the absence of community living. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">When visiting the coasts, the world of Australia changes. Starkly
contrasted with the raw, sparsely settled interior, the modern cities
of Sydney and Melbourne form cultural countries of their own: Cosmopolitan, undisputed leaders in sports and
business, ahead of the game in consuming the latest technology, and welcome
combatants on our side in western world conflicts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a good feeling to be able to enjoy two
worlds within one setting. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;">A</span></o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> fine book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very fine
book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></o:p></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-59547133708100316992016-05-04T10:25:00.001-07:002016-05-04T10:37:15.147-07:00Robin Portfolio -- TRIBUTE TO MRS. ROBIN<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTEd8eOBEzpDp1QIV1RqRD3-jA37p5hWYFF-p6GYac0SB9bDvpP4Nek6XOfmTMKhsSx-8w_Zxi-onZ-qSht-9st-cEJosWpG4GHrhT6dsUTSsjd15wAh6onKCGf704A-k-i5vzz6xAL6x/s1600/lonerobin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTEd8eOBEzpDp1QIV1RqRD3-jA37p5hWYFF-p6GYac0SB9bDvpP4Nek6XOfmTMKhsSx-8w_Zxi-onZ-qSht-9st-cEJosWpG4GHrhT6dsUTSsjd15wAh6onKCGf704A-k-i5vzz6xAL6x/s320/lonerobin.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><strong>You may </strong></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><strong>not know it, but . . .</strong></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Your cheerful chirp and one-of-a-kind chortle</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;">really, really </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">MAKE OUR DAY!</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Your early morning rising is
truly a gift. YOU WAKE UP THE DAY FOR US. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> You don't complain. </span>Your chirps and chortles help us
cope with </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">our heavy loads!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>We
notice you can be quite </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">touchy</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">at times with </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;">unexpected noises, but today<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>we were amazed<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>that <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>while Ken mowed our lawn, you didn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>move a <span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>feather! <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We now consider you our family and are
pleased <span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>you <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>have learned to </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">trust us.</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Although we look for you as the first
sign of<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Spring, we occasionally see a group of
you in </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>the winter </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">picking
at the bits and p</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">ieces o</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;">f our dried crabapples from the previous
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>fall. Makes me want to put a zip bag of worms in our freezer for you.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;">So,
even in the dreads of our Iowa winter blizzards, </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-size: large;">you bring HOPE and COURAGE! </span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="color: #990000;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><o:p> Now it's spring. Godspeed and God bless.</o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-small;"><o:p> --Rose Nuernberger</o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-18222141524885103022016-05-03T19:49:00.000-07:002016-05-05T20:18:40.608-07:00Robin Portfolio - TOP SONGS<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="background-color: white;">T</span></span></span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">OP</span><span style="background-color: white;"> SONGS LOVED </span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWLxhGvGVL1by1G5LWihy7TPs0VzOztOwpISCak6HPhELOF5He-vDuByW49Qia1i-TMT28eyXngGCfqikCQAzoMpH3cuctc5no2V_ZFKLxuEQRsgg3rrRIb7r4k0N6ocepJrpzRxGyb5L/s1600/lonerobin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWLxhGvGVL1by1G5LWihy7TPs0VzOztOwpISCak6HPhELOF5He-vDuByW49Qia1i-TMT28eyXngGCfqikCQAzoMpH3cuctc5no2V_ZFKLxuEQRsgg3rrRIb7r4k0N6ocepJrpzRxGyb5L/s200/lonerobin.jpg" width="181" /></span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;"> By </span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;"> ROSE'S ROBIN</span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: large;">What
are your favorite songs?</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Rhapsody in Blue</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Don</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">t
Fence Me In</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">(I wish)</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Mrs. <strong>Robin</strong>son"</span></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="color: red;">As your eggs hatch?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Oh, What a Beautiful Morning</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> "</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Three Is Enough</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What is your favorite hymn?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">This Is My Father</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">s World</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">His Eye Is on The Sparrow</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: large;"> (<span style="font-size: small;">and Me, too!)</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #38761d;"> These, for sure.</span></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">“</span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Singin</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">In the Rain</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">“</span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Blue Skies</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 5;"> "</span></span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Tiptoe Through the Tulips</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: large;"> And, or course, my theme song --</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">
</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">When
the Red, Red, Robin, Comes</span></span></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> Bob _.-._Bob_.-._ Bobbing_.-._ </span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Along</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> A song for humans to </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">ponder</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">The Best Things In Life </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> Are Free</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> <span style="font-size: large;">A song or two for us </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">oldies</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">to reminisce?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> "</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Home Sweet Home</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Home On the Nest</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Born Free</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">”</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> --Rose Nuernberger</o:p></span></span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-17994946872584650742016-05-02T20:24:00.001-07:002016-05-07T08:41:59.835-07:00 The “Kitchen Window”Robin<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "impact" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybq8xsiuqF8uWdgEYZaSfqsnC1UoKOfweFqx4GK96D_OMwqE4WnOKXH1GXrDcklw4j0lc_ewxRcTjoaW8xzypbXH8GRHD-lamt1mla_VOxMr-mraw9fL3uZS2R_7XUIM-JnT4d_OZ1_Jn/s1600/lonerobin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybq8xsiuqF8uWdgEYZaSfqsnC1UoKOfweFqx4GK96D_OMwqE4WnOKXH1GXrDcklw4j0lc_ewxRcTjoaW8xzypbXH8GRHD-lamt1mla_VOxMr-mraw9fL3uZS2R_7XUIM-JnT4d_OZ1_Jn/s400/lonerobin.jpg" width="361" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Sometimes you wish something
spectacular would happen within close-eye view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see bird life at a distance, and that</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s usually the </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">end of our viewing.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Bird nests and bird families are quite familiar to all of us, aren</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We hardly give them a second thought. </span>Even a
knocked down nest buried in a stack of dried leaves doesn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t get a lot of attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it w</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">as a nest I saw. Big </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">deal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">All this changed with my husband, Ken</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s and my observance of an ordinary
</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">run
of the mill</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">robin
doing what only God</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s
INSTINCT taught her to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> For her, i</span>t wasn't </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">a matter of having a supply truck
deliver the dry wall and carpenters doing the finishing
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The robin</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s BEAK and her SWISHING, TWIRLING body
are all the fancy tools she has.</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Looking at her head, she seems to fit
the expression, </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">bird
brain</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”—</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">meaning
pretty scattered and confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, her
BIRD BRAIN may not have many coiling rolls of intellect, but the term </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Bird Brain</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">has taken on a new remarkable
meaning to my husband and myself.</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">We have a deformed, un-pretty
upright pine bush near the side of our deck and directly in front of our
kitchen window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I noticed for
almost a week, a robin flew into it, pecked around to some extent, and then
left. Apparently, she was </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">scouting out</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">the location and surveying the space.</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">She worked at eye level and seemed very
vulunerable to our looking at her, although from the front side, probably other birds
and animals wouldn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t
see her chosen location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She built her nest showing extreme intelligence and foresight. </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">From the house, </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">she has an </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">awning of protection</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">over her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let it
rain</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">she</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s stays dry, and yet she sees
out very clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As our friend, Jerry
B. commented, </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">She</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">d be a very good real estate
saleslady</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">—</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">-she knows how important LOCATION, LOCATION, and LOCATION is!</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">After a week of </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">checking the neighborhood</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">and weighing important data as to
available space, strength of the branches, availability of nesting materials
close by, etc., on the morning of April 19, 2016 she carried her first long
stringy piece of dried grass to the space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Look,
she</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s
gonna build her nest!</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">(Of course, no sign of DAD around to help or even to give
encouragement!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, stringy bit by bit</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> (remember, Rome wasn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t built in a day) she carried her pickings into her nest with her beak, pecked around to make sure all ends were in, and then did her final </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">swishing
and twirling</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">with
the weight of her body forming the cup-like depth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For TWO WHOLE DAYS without interruption,
she carried her twiggy-grassy bits with her multitasked beak, tucked them all
in, and swished them down to a comfortable circle. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">My computer says robins build
nests from the inside out</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I guess we couldn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t officially verify just what her building plan was. One of my
favorite pictures of her is her </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">finishing touch</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">as she swirls herself around</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">—</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">she does so with her tail sticking
STRAIGHT up in the air!</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Contrary to us, she wasn't burdened with </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">a building permit, an appraiser checking her out, home insurance
protection, ladders, saws, hammers, nails. To </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">be honest, she didn</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t even </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">require a helpful husband!</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">On April 21, finished with
her great masterpiece, she wasn't in her </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">nest all day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">What</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s
going on?</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">we
asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps she instinctively knew
she</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">d be
</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">a
sittin</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">for
quite a while, and she </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">sowed her last wild oats and had some kind of </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">wild</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">shindig as a </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">pre-</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">birth
prerequisite.</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">By 10:00 the next day on April
22, she apparently realized her </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">time had come.</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was off and on
her nest for three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn't </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> know if she had laid her eggs or
not, as the depth of her nest kept us </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">nosey people</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> from </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">knowing </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">the whole truth</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">But by April 27th, she was on her nest
most of the time, leaving for less than five minutes to </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">grab a bite</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">and probably go </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">to the potty."</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Don</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t
know that for sure.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still no sign of
Dad .</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">..</span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Well, Jerry B. came over, and he being a tall guy, peered into her nest and saw three beautiful light
blue eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> When had she laid them? We</span> don</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">t know exactly but a</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">s
we sat out on the deck one evening, she made three noticeable chirps</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…a few moments elapsing </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">between each
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Had she </span>announced her motherhood? We like to think so.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">As we watch her we realize her many talents. Building her nest with the </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">protective awning,</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> gives her a perfect view. When it rains, she skimmies around
and faces the inside with only her long tail perhaps getting a bit damp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, when the rain stops, she twirls herself
around as if to be in on any important happenings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I emphasize with her long sit. I have this feeling that the least I could do
would be to furnish some background stereo music, or bring her the daily paper,
or even furnish her with pencil and paper to write her </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Birthing Journey.</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She seems to have her eyes open all the time in kinda of deep
stare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Is she sleeping with her eyes open to watch for danger and enemies or is she bird-thinking </span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">as she sits and sits the long hours with only an
occasional shifting of her body in her nest?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I ponder. How does she keep from cracking the
fragile egg shells?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does she know
how long she has to incubate the eggs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Does she feel any wiggling action in her eggs before they are hatched?
(As a human mother, I not only felt </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">wiggling action</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">, but right down strong </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">kick the football sixty yards</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: Chalkboard;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> a</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">ctions.)</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Mothers of every species have much in common. Will she actually think her babies
are </span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">“</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">cute</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">”</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">? </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Will she think their early fuzzy down
is unique? </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Why are there always three eggs?</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Mrs. Robin is everything: </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;">Determined</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Diligent</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Patient</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…K</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">nowledgable</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Courageous</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Optimistic</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Creative</span><span style="font-family: "chalkboard" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Chalkboard; mso-fareast-font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: large;"> --Rose Nuernberger</span></o:p></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: large;"></span></o:p> </div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: large;">(See previous blog for a picture journal of this amazing </span></o:p><o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: large;">Robin.)</span></o:p></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-1268356985024108272016-05-01T14:32:00.001-07:002016-05-21T09:27:12.378-07:00NOT TO WORRY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> ROBIN</span> <span style="font-size: x-large;">PORTFOLIO</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"> PICTORIAL JOURNAL</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2t-55E3W2YWxPLgY6mBJ50uZjDIyUbWSBjndGW3YfJd-94LiBodYl8HTnAGho6Y11d_-vL6ucWv0uAK2SRovQuJA0qgbLwXqjJ2WCz9mqSIig_SZSYf-binLf_ypPm2LDFZnHcpxr-Yo/s1600/robinoil222+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2t-55E3W2YWxPLgY6mBJ50uZjDIyUbWSBjndGW3YfJd-94LiBodYl8HTnAGho6Y11d_-vL6ucWv0uAK2SRovQuJA0qgbLwXqjJ2WCz9mqSIig_SZSYf-binLf_ypPm2LDFZnHcpxr-Yo/s320/robinoil222+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"> 4/21/16 Nest done. Been sittin' all day. Mama's hungry!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qzYSkvdGtzO8RbiOtZ-ijUSXaSoScMRUECTNqFNSNODFCC-EmO7dw0glDJ-8xC0EoiZOrQllKWUj8nqo9dgpPhlkUloW8QjbieQJktSLdj_l4MfKlZRg9N03UZLeRkmH7Y9nMQICpjmw/s1600/robineggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qzYSkvdGtzO8RbiOtZ-ijUSXaSoScMRUECTNqFNSNODFCC-EmO7dw0glDJ-8xC0EoiZOrQllKWUj8nqo9dgpPhlkUloW8QjbieQJktSLdj_l4MfKlZRg9N03UZLeRkmH7Y9nMQICpjmw/s400/robineggs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin's nest outside Rose Nuernberger's Window</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">4/22/16-4/27/16 Eggs! Don't worry. Be right back. Gone just a minute to get a bite to eat!</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9f8-fyoe2s3Ez-IeERAMtctwHa-ZgPGALZaycwiFFADDIZJMtgzCoIJ4bV5GBRrrntgBl2vfpl6iLrC1XnK1uVz-tOZ_jfamoLj3-dhTcFWmNp_76ITdjAZBFtmbN-VataLmG2v_yD_K/s1600/robinnst5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9f8-fyoe2s3Ez-IeERAMtctwHa-ZgPGALZaycwiFFADDIZJMtgzCoIJ4bV5GBRrrntgBl2vfpl6iLrC1XnK1uVz-tOZ_jfamoLj3-dhTcFWmNp_76ITdjAZBFtmbN-VataLmG2v_yD_K/s400/robinnst5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"> 5/4/16 </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;">Still sittin.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3iD9iJ88hQPsNmCSHEhzDOFp60X7i34izS0x7LKmuFPXJZjw6AzgF4DTurngGokbQp18-Zr79w3jv2mtgx4ZnUYLYI3sFyoWsZJ17ISa6LHzi_SqxmdbWYjhEVDeKf8xQVyfZ_xCo1db/s1600/2hatchedSAM_4582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3iD9iJ88hQPsNmCSHEhzDOFp60X7i34izS0x7LKmuFPXJZjw6AzgF4DTurngGokbQp18-Zr79w3jv2mtgx4ZnUYLYI3sFyoWsZJ17ISa6LHzi_SqxmdbWYjhEVDeKf8xQVyfZ_xCo1db/s400/2hatchedSAM_4582.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/7/16. Mother's Day! Two pink bundles buried in the bottom of the nest, one egg yet to hatch. Papa robin checked in and then took off. Mama left to find worms.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTiEldvIf9CinZDGWG5CuMPyFF4wsjjvkCeAaerUvT-CIybEovQPYCCaSmUv3mitO3tnSB0hdkCCuNbOS-T0x4hpYyNAtAONcVEVlFNrBoFlMdBm1S6PwazIuwx8_77mnJnv7IGsIsLxk/s1600/rbsear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTiEldvIf9CinZDGWG5CuMPyFF4wsjjvkCeAaerUvT-CIybEovQPYCCaSmUv3mitO3tnSB0hdkCCuNbOS-T0x4hpYyNAtAONcVEVlFNrBoFlMdBm1S6PwazIuwx8_77mnJnv7IGsIsLxk/s400/rbsear.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/7/16 Mama listening. Quiet. Maybe there are worms in there somewhere. . .</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgK4Djpv0pTVM0LixK3PfUQM7a_BayyDhFYdQWLvsDu6PFcJNu46qDgG3yFryD0XzRVEjxcIexwlAhpSk5bN4Wx_Mz9PHqRAaohvYpqtqGSxplJQ4TXpfkiXjCKj78Z-VDoNT32yTcSx2/s1600/rb3hatch22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgK4Djpv0pTVM0LixK3PfUQM7a_BayyDhFYdQWLvsDu6PFcJNu46qDgG3yFryD0XzRVEjxcIexwlAhpSk5bN4Wx_Mz9PHqRAaohvYpqtqGSxplJQ4TXpfkiXjCKj78Z-VDoNT32yTcSx2/s400/rb3hatch22.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Three snug nestlings </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5GQxgKbs5D_oTqV2KCFDeLUSy8pcqdNPhy6fRYYn3M6IHPPqZ3d4B4AYi4Tv-4AEMp9qy3xCNW3vzQUdSnNEolU0vTp6qTK8_-haLb-B_Qvu0wU38B6UcrQUtF5ajQHmYZkrOIoMqbmd/s1600/rbgrow1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5GQxgKbs5D_oTqV2KCFDeLUSy8pcqdNPhy6fRYYn3M6IHPPqZ3d4B4AYi4Tv-4AEMp9qy3xCNW3vzQUdSnNEolU0vTp6qTK8_-haLb-B_Qvu0wU38B6UcrQUtF5ajQHmYZkrOIoMqbmd/s320/rbgrow1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/7/16 (3:30 pm) -- All three accounted for!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Robin population +3</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHOAe_VdEQNefegRPRoIzOW7i2GXK8INnoplULqYR8b_XpV-HpZTYBFrrLVuh6IaxEZIhsT78GhIJy0CKXe8Pn5Q7Bv7DOdP_I5fZIaa3cdGorC8Nns01jWPIQw1Tk4xKe18kmaEeCjcM/s1600/rbfeed.2jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHOAe_VdEQNefegRPRoIzOW7i2GXK8INnoplULqYR8b_XpV-HpZTYBFrrLVuh6IaxEZIhsT78GhIJy0CKXe8Pn5Q7Bv7DOdP_I5fZIaa3cdGorC8Nns01jWPIQw1Tk4xKe18kmaEeCjcM/s400/rbfeed.2jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/10/16 No one starving here!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ7pnq71veJ7VAQCKwVXFD5vuvl-Ze3ahf_tpc75H6CS471KbnwGn0Nf005_neKhpXJSDHNqNUYW8ezl4218tB95uzpottMYtDco6vYjh2A7bk_X9_MqWbVTumZsGkJRpYxcEHmlhTyQ-/s1600/necksgoldUntitled+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ7pnq71veJ7VAQCKwVXFD5vuvl-Ze3ahf_tpc75H6CS471KbnwGn0Nf005_neKhpXJSDHNqNUYW8ezl4218tB95uzpottMYtDco6vYjh2A7bk_X9_MqWbVTumZsGkJRpYxcEHmlhTyQ-/s320/necksgoldUntitled+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/12/16 A Classic Robin Picture</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;">(Seldom do we see it in a real picture)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AAhCxoYx03zDgsy0ez99sYDfTp6HRT7e2f5E-XUouT0D4mR6mp-xxHWmmqqS59Leg-UAMRySaYFlHXfJ801T7ygrzTVWjicPfjCJO1OSDsRdFoTpVqFaetd55G88teNUHZk3GS3XsNHK/s1600/rbMay15+1_Fotortx8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AAhCxoYx03zDgsy0ez99sYDfTp6HRT7e2f5E-XUouT0D4mR6mp-xxHWmmqqS59Leg-UAMRySaYFlHXfJ801T7ygrzTVWjicPfjCJO1OSDsRdFoTpVqFaetd55G88teNUHZk3GS3XsNHK/s1600/rbMay15+1_Fotortx8.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/15/16 Can't believe it. Robin </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">was just a baby a few days ago.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5o4-RQhZQeWT9vqriWk5A5PB4jxWay-1IsdJMvVMtvlrMxLQxJyGCpLDTN8s-EsNL2_yAE1gwXxDnD4-qoyvW6VDBcbc65Y1bqaxwKDvJ8lZMEY3ElJdpY3szUwu7fnR-OyO14nddH8T/s1600/Cropped+Robinworm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5o4-RQhZQeWT9vqriWk5A5PB4jxWay-1IsdJMvVMtvlrMxLQxJyGCpLDTN8s-EsNL2_yAE1gwXxDnD4-qoyvW6VDBcbc65Y1bqaxwKDvJ8lZMEY3ElJdpY3szUwu7fnR-OyO14nddH8T/s320/Cropped+Robinworm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/19/16 The real thing. Dinner's coming.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6QZaBRrihXfNRxaLRfaMsp4ph_Zd2wmc_2FhPnKByKyJiftOsZ7u2qVnyFo4m_ac36ZtKeQ8_5mtnr1YY6gc8NlfPlCBzpdFal56-uVqu41yNthHH6CFEL3_KNQWowFmVj5AvZjlIbXB/s1600/rbedge22_Fotortx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6QZaBRrihXfNRxaLRfaMsp4ph_Zd2wmc_2FhPnKByKyJiftOsZ7u2qVnyFo4m_ac36ZtKeQ8_5mtnr1YY6gc8NlfPlCBzpdFal56-uVqu41yNthHH6CFEL3_KNQWowFmVj5AvZjlIbXB/s400/rbedge22_Fotortx.jpg" width="385" /></a><br />
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/20/16 My how time flies. This little guy</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">will take wing soon!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-APEIVvstOXbq12_gxgaubfXe6UXTvT0QMfB6MZ3fsy8CXhloKRuB8C-nhGa1kc-GUGmBzGs44YV0b-6CqsiABqU-kPKeZ6T5vf9cW_Pvhu1LTGfgG0w63z8TKXBN9kyPILMpnF8O1Ry/s1600/rbone111_Fotortx+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-APEIVvstOXbq12_gxgaubfXe6UXTvT0QMfB6MZ3fsy8CXhloKRuB8C-nhGa1kc-GUGmBzGs44YV0b-6CqsiABqU-kPKeZ6T5vf9cW_Pvhu1LTGfgG0w63z8TKXBN9kyPILMpnF8O1Ry/s640/rbone111_Fotortx+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/21/16 The lingerer--finally got a room of my own! Besides, who'd want to leave a</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">comfy nest?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DSPriEZRYhl9p6Ap3hsxrdUgZvbhLAG0zuXDPa6bESSNHI_36PaeUOSpdtv4qeONTtTTsO9fYkdxyf54au4iHzAVGE0j4ZrTa90BRRTiGaaj9Qh1Y2D12BF81fSSCnajnqMS8vOZBggw/s1600/rbemnest_Fotortx333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DSPriEZRYhl9p6Ap3hsxrdUgZvbhLAG0zuXDPa6bESSNHI_36PaeUOSpdtv4qeONTtTTsO9fYkdxyf54au4iHzAVGE0j4ZrTa90BRRTiGaaj9Qh1Y2D12BF81fSSCnajnqMS8vOZBggw/s640/rbemnest_Fotortx333.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">5/21/16 He got the memo. Time to</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">GO!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Epilogue</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">When we got up this morning,
there was only one robin </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">left in the nest.
Apparently, the other two took off some <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">time last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept an eye on he/her during breakfast....<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">she/he seemed pretty fidgety. So,
I got out my camera, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">watched her/him preen him/herself
a bit...
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Then she/he turned around, and
fluttered her/his wings, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">and snuck out the back
door! The nerve of her/him!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">
So, I didn't get a good picture except the empty nest!<br />
<br />
So, apparently, they "followed the rules" of what <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">the computer said about them taking
flight in their 13-15 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">days of being nestlings. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
Didn't see any sign of Mrs. Robin this morning....she <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">must've been out "to Palm
Beach". She apparently <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">thought the last fledgling would finally
get the hint and go <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">and "search for his own
worms".</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">And so.....THE REAL WORLD BECOMES A REALITY</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;">
for "our three 'pinkish-reddish bubblegum wads" of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
babyhood for what has been MAGNIFICENT</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "segoe ui" , "sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">entertainment for all of us!</span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-Rose Nuernberger</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">BYSTANDER ADVICE</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">From Jerry B. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">"Maybe the surrogate dad, Ken, should go to the bait shop and buy some worms. Better yet, surrogate mom, Rose, could scurry up an omelet and toast for the young'uns. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">From Bobi A</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Maybe you should water the robin's worm hunting ground to make the worms come to the surface. Bet you didn't think you'd ever get such a great birthday and Mother's Day present, did you?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">ROBIN NURSERY UPDATE</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;">Rose Nurernberger</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">5/9/16 </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">
</span><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: red;">As our blog says, all three hatchlings are accounted for:</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Robin population +3.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">At the present, they more or less look like three pinkish- reddish polygons. With my imagination working over time, they appear to be starting to get their furry down covering. We are now moving from gynecology to pediatrics.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Momma is very private about feeding. She enters with worm in her</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">mouth, and instinctively heads to the inside edge of the nest, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">with her tail sticking straight out. She bobbles up and down but </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">we can't see really see much of what else she is doing. Spying </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">on her when she's not there, we see the lil bodies starting to </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">wiggle.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Dad is helping, too! He seems to bring "home the bacon" but</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">doesn't stay. I've seen both of them at the nest only several times.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Usually, they meet coming and going. I haven't quite picked </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">up their feeding schedule, but it seems like it is on-going most</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">of the day. Often times, Momma Bird is gone quite awhile. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Worms must be mighty scarce.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"> Stay tuned -- more is coming!</span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; visibility: visible;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; visibility: visible;"> </span></div>
<span style="visibility: visible;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"> </span></div>
</div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"> </span></div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "pg-1fff" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">,</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "pg-1fff" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "pg-1fff" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><o:p><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="visibility: visible;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="visibility: visible;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">As</span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-42936226274836164692016-04-28T08:48:00.004-07:002016-04-28T08:57:52.516-07:002,097,162 Grandparents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz1FWEUDxlqSTRfqrI_PFnXz0iGbJmkB7HvNS3b3K_C_RHqMQQha1D-OeNAiTOXB4NCimKL9mFMp5EdkylGW71DOsAFZKxU7xupe-L1xgbWDYVJdVDdFK5aVWEV0pwjBp3U4aAi9lNQ5Y/s1600/Ancestor+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz1FWEUDxlqSTRfqrI_PFnXz0iGbJmkB7HvNS3b3K_C_RHqMQQha1D-OeNAiTOXB4NCimKL9mFMp5EdkylGW71DOsAFZKxU7xupe-L1xgbWDYVJdVDdFK5aVWEV0pwjBp3U4aAi9lNQ5Y/s320/Ancestor+chart.jpg" width="295" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Someone (not me) figured out in twenty-two generations<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you would have had 2,097,152 grandparents in
your line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even going to bother to
count the collateral kin at an average of three-per children per family or
those that we are "sort of" related to, the latter being related by the
ancestors of marriage partners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Makes
my database of nineteen thousand <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>kin a
mere pittance.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">With the Kin number being huge, what's the odds <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you are related to the person next to you, or
across the bridge table. Not great, you say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, maybe you might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">I belong to a table of bridge players that meets weekly at a
local church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We've been playing for
nearly a year before I realized that one of the players has a last name of
Rees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason a light bulb went
off and I asked whether or not his Rees kin were Quakers.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Texans to the
core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tennesseans before that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family believed to have originated back in
Wales.<o:p> Wales was common ground.</o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tracing whether we
still might be cousins, my bridge comrade supplied four generations of Rees
ancestors. His second great grandfather, John Bartlett Rees, married Henrietta
Lowrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ah, a second light bulb blazed
brightly. I had Lowrances in my database. <o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had thought my Rees ancestors were all related to my Ellis
line of Wales Quakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
coincidence of names still bothered me, so I looked them up again in my
database.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lo, I had collateral Lowrance ancestors
from my Sherrill ancestors (not Quakers).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Four of the children of William A. Sherrill, my sixth great grandfather,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>married Lowrances. These Lowrances had kin
tied to Daniel Lowrance, Henrietta's father. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was beginning to feel "cousinly"
to Henrietta.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">But the connections got stranger <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>than that when I traced Henrietta back through
her kin. </span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">To make the story of this search much shorter, through the
Sherrills, I am additionally (sort of) related to the Great Grandfather of Henrietta Lowance's
brother's wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goes like this:<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Henrietta's
father was Daniel Lowrance.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> His son and h</span>er brother
Peter Lowrance married Elizabeth Bridges</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Elizabeth's
father, John Bridges, married Margaret Perkins</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Margaret
Perkins' father Elijah Perkins married Margaret Sherrill</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Margaret
Sherrill was the daughter of William Sherrill (the famed Conestoga Fur Trader)</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>William
Sherrill was the father of William A. Sherrill my sixth G Grandfather** </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ain't genealogy interesting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may never know, but maybe the woman who's unloading her shopping
cart ahead of you at the grocery story is your cousin. You might find truth
is stranger than fiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">________________________</span></div>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">**William A. and Agnes White Sherrill were the parents of
Sarah Sherrill Simpson in my historical novel "Dear Mama, Love
Sarah."</span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-57912233662971661522016-04-26T07:01:00.000-07:002016-04-29T06:55:24.958-07:00Genius or Not-- My Battle with IT<div dir="ltr" id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_4791">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_4793">
<span id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_4792" style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Am I a genius or not? With my new garage door confused </span><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461679065561_2120">and </span><span id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_6475">dead in </span>the water (no up. no down), I got out the </span></span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">instruction book <span id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_5213">and read 40 pages </span>of stuff. I checked the </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">circuit breaker box and then went out and bought both </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">LED and Halogen light bulbs (thinking the old ones may </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">have burned out), got out <span id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_5065">the ladder and fiddled </span>with the </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_4798">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">engage/disengage lever--all to no avail. Was about to </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">call Lowes and get an installer/repair guy ($100.00 or so) </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">to come out, when I thought I'd try my old tried and </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">true method I use for resetting my TV. I simply went to </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">the outlet and pulled the plug. Then I waited five minutes and </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">then plugged it in again. Voila! Garage door got unconfused </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">and engaged. It's now working perfectly. That and </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">finger-crossing that it continues to work, is a sure sign </span><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">of genius in my book!<img alt="*;) winking" class="yiv3606068387yahoo-ignore-inline-image" id="yiv3606068387yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1461677205945_6198" src="https://s.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo3.gif" title="*;) winking" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-size: large;">(See previous April 1 blog) Genius = 1 IT = 0</span></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-27849638120231245992016-04-23T20:10:00.001-07:002016-05-20T06:42:07.517-07:00MURDER AND MAYHEM<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">A Satire<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Somehow we are more like the animal world than we like to
think we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assisting us in our quest to connect disparate events or circumstances, words in
the English language can mean many different things. As a writer, this vast
flexibility of words<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is an invite for
satire (or maybe more accurate) questionable humor. Because I like to think
like the dictionary--I'll call mine, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trenchant
Wit.</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">For example earlier this spring when cleaning the Koi pond
we found<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a very large frog (Big
Frog)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mired in the sludge of leaves and
mud at the bottom of the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> When h</span>olding
him up, the frog, from head tip to forked toe, reached from Tony's shoulders to
his belly. Sometime during the flurry of draining and cleaning the pond,
Big Frog disappeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">A week later as a proud owner of a clean pond, I went to the
Water Gardens and got seven small bright Koi so I could watch from my
dining room window the orange slivers skirting back and forth across the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All was well, until when checking the pond each morning, I first could only find
five, then three and then zero Koi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furious Internet research led me to the
indisputable assertion that frogs eat
anything they can get their mouth around. (Aha, a satire in the making or maybe a big dinner.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Big Frog!" I shouted. "You scoundrel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You ate my Koi." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><o:p>D</o:p>umb-blasted angry, I headed for my computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At my request, Rose (my well-known sister and
frequent collaborator in my blogs) sent me a wallpaper picture of frogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WOW, one of them caught my eye--the one with
a snarky smirk and big mouth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly got
distracted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My anger abated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know about the squat and the knees but
the snarky smirk and mouth are dead ringers for Our Candidate, don't you think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V0tn2FZX8vcA5QqPxdgL5quAxKV0wAOenpcQe6P4zB9ZyobBV-h1IV3Rz-6YA3gDImDNjqHnVKThy-BumkK6-6PWO0YGZ_bMLridAeT5hTZx96Am94n5Ak2O_YqzYoG3NAA1wzyW2ndA/s1600/Frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V0tn2FZX8vcA5QqPxdgL5quAxKV0wAOenpcQe6P4zB9ZyobBV-h1IV3Rz-6YA3gDImDNjqHnVKThy-BumkK6-6PWO0YGZ_bMLridAeT5hTZx96Am94n5Ak2O_YqzYoG3NAA1wzyW2ndA/s320/Frog.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe"
filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_0" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Frog.jpg" style='width:182.25pt;height:152.25pt;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Bobbi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Frog"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Watch FOX News any day, any time (24/7) and you'll see an
appropriate likeness of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Candidate
from which to make your comparison. But the similarity doesn't end with the
snarky smirk. Not when you're writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trenchant
wit</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">For instance, doesn't Our Candidate
eat <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>his enemies alive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little mud and sludge doesn't bother him.
He certainly causes mayhem in the Republican party and a possibility of
victorious dessert for the Democrats on election eve. Big Frog is loud all
night long. Our Candidate is strong competition both night and day for the same
honor. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Big Frog insists on fairness and
boasts he's a good fellow, but the Koi didn't think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although a hundred percent of them voted
against him, he ate them all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
regrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No pausing to sneeze or burp. Our Candidate has his share of
naysayers, but argues he has more ayesayers than his rivals. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The big
question?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will he eat his way to the
White House?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">We'll have to wait and see what's for dinner at the Cleveland
Convention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfazbwuYW4IXGdMzCoDkVJGx7jPhyFqqZF0Lmg8y7PDjxlHBgE8hPulm03UhmpmkHCBkKW6tl9rNCGjSOL3oANHIDvErPhQXV66Y0PhnvxNW9DsamPNdUo7CUpjnH0KdFI_kj4Cmlwku0b/s1600/frogsz1Untitled_Fotorfr2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfazbwuYW4IXGdMzCoDkVJGx7jPhyFqqZF0Lmg8y7PDjxlHBgE8hPulm03UhmpmkHCBkKW6tl9rNCGjSOL3oANHIDvErPhQXV66Y0PhnvxNW9DsamPNdUo7CUpjnH0KdFI_kj4Cmlwku0b/s640/frogsz1Untitled_Fotorfr2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Rose Nuernberger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Still looks like Our Candidate!</span></span></o:p></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-76377044856263579432016-04-21T10:11:00.002-07:002016-04-29T06:52:42.018-07:00OH, My. A Pileated Woodpecker<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Pileated-at-platform-feeder.jpg" height="287" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Pileated-at-platform-feeder.jpg/666px-Pileated-at-platform-feeder.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: David Margrave. Http//en.wikipedia.org/wik/Image:Pileated-at-platform-feeder.jpg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">After the storm this morning, I checked from my window to see if any more limbs had fallen into my pond from my neighbor's dead tree. OMG at the top of the dead tree was a <strong>Pileated Woodpecker</strong>. I hadn't seen one of those for over fifteen or twenty years, the last when we still lived at Valley Lodge in Simonton. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">He's a spectacular big fellow and his red head tuff rises as he pecks into a trunk. A yellow streak outlines the red and black surrounding his eyes. My bird book shows that we live at the western most edge of his territories (which are mostly in the eastern half of the United States.) Because of his size, the holes he excavates are large and are sometimes used by other birds seeking refuge. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">He flew away. I hope he comes back!</span>Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-83704031253209493192016-04-19T14:01:00.001-07:002016-04-29T07:01:39.377-07:00THE REMARKABLE SQUIRREL<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"I saw a bushy-tailed squirrel climb a tree."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Squirrels rob bird feeders."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Squirrels build nests (dreys) of blobs of leaves and
twigs high in the trees."</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Squirrels jump amazing distances."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Squirrels dash across the street, some barely making
it; others becoming road kill."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Squirrels love Skippy peanut butter and believe any
nut is a good nut."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p>Okay, Okay, that's
enough to know about squirrels.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;">But maybe not.<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There is debate and folklore as to the origins of the
species we call squirrels, sometimes in earlier periods called skwerls, (Hey,
nothing wrong with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We teach kiddos
to spell with phonics, but in this case, the phonics is reversed--skwerls
appeared before squirrels). Either term is much easier to deal with than
earlier Latin and Greek pronunciations. Most may say squirrels, like all living
matter, originated from ooze fifty or fifty five million years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the Chinese, the self-claimed originators
of most of what has evolved into modern technology, say they have evidence of
squirrels (i.e. their divine beasts) in the northeastern sections of China two
hundred million years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some say they
were created by God, others swear they "evolved." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Where else do we hear evolution arguments?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some colloquially called them Chitterboxes (and
don't we humans have chitterboxes?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although humans are known to say that someone is acting "squirrel-ly,"
I'll not go further into human-squirrel comparisons.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The "outerspace" origination theory has its
followers as do those who think there exists Biblical references relating
squirrels to everlasting life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Englishmen
imported for their fashionable estates the gray squirrel only to find out the
gray squirrel holds a grudge against the red squirrel and obliterated them. In
early America, squirrels lived by the thousands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But strange to most, may be learning they
were a vital economic factor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Let me tell you a little more personal historical fact about
our ancestors' squirrel economy.<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">FifthGreatGrandfather, Mordecai Ellis, lived in Clinton,
Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a number of sons and was
known as an expert on good horses, often called upon to value horses for
inheritance purposes or determine the worth of a stray horse. He . . ..<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Oops, must get back
to squirrels).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, back then, cash was
dear-- there simply was not the where-with-all to carry on business with hard
cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could make their own soap, grow
vegetables, slaughter beef, but not raise nails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus one of the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mordecai's farming <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hardships was preserving his crops against
hordes of four-footed predators (damnable squirrels).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not unlike what today's politician would do, he
and his neighbors devised a way of providing buying power by the
"bounty" system (a system that worked like grandma's way of killing
two birds with one stone--see supper later). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Taxes didn't mean anything because there was
no coin with which to pay; however, squirrel pelts were tangible and easily
understood whether the bargaining settlers could read or write. "I'll sell
you my horse for twenty squirrel pelts."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Simple, huh?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Another frontier vital, not to be taken lightly, was that
young boys learned to shoot by hunting squirrels (not shooting bottles sitting
on a stump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smart they were--a broken
bottle, even if they ever had bottles--had no value, the pelt of the squirrel
did).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Note to reader:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Need
to mention here grandma's fried squirrel or squirrel pie, her staples for
supper with cornbread and buttermilk. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Also, there was a factor of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">competitive
sport</i> involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anytime after the
age of nine, a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>life-long hunter's goal was
to learn to "bark" a squirrel.(Not to be confused with Hillary
Clinton's famous election bark of 2016).</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Ahem," you
clear your throat and give me a Democrat snivel. I catch the irritation and respond,
"Let us not regress to current politics. I shall continue. The purpose was
not to scare the squirrel with an arf, arf like a dog, but to shoot him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or her</i> (You cough this time. Another
interruption?) "Am I being too politically correct? But I must argue it
could have been a she-squirrel. Oh, you were reminding me to continue?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nod again in agreement. "Okay. Of
course. I was saying</span> <span style="font-size: large;">shoot the squirrel climbing a tree between its belly and
the tree bark."</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Competition among the settlers was stiff and disbelievers
rife. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success was only sanctioned and
credit given when bark flew and the squirrel continued to scamper up the tree. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Misfired shots became supper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Annie Oakley, and Bonnie Kate Sherrill of my historical
stories, could "out bark" any of the boys and men who challenged
them. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Modern Squirrels in the Nuernberger and Andrews<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Homesteads<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">No malice of any kind against squirrels is known to exist in
either Rose or Bobi's families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
yard favorites are not hunted and enjoy being nature-loved for their backyard antics.
We see little "dug out" turfs of grass and dirt as evidence squirrels
hunted there for hidden seeds or nuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The accomplishment here is that they even remembered where they had buried their stash. </span>Bobi has lantana bushes
and a mimosa tree that have grown from seeds planted by squirrels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The latest at her house is a perfectly peeled
lemon laying on the ground under a tree with no bird pecks or bites taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mystery until learning that squirrels eat
fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps my peeled, but uneaten, lemon
was a squirrel's mistaken identity for some sweet fruit like an apple. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Nightly, we hear their patter on the roof as they go from
the pecan tree on the side of the house to the red maple tree near the bird
feeder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our aerial acrobats jump from
the very tip of a swaying branch to the roof and then hang upside down to
fleece the birdfeeder of sunflower seeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now speaking of sunflower seeds--that's the second purpose
of this essay:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rose's sunflowers and
squirrels caught on camera. This phenomenon occurred in Hinsdale, Illinois
where she and Ken had <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>huge, tall
sunflowers growing near a window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
height of the sunflowers was at least ten feet, leaves huge, and the flower as
big as a market basket. When the sunflowers seeded, here's what followed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVShfW8568NFTM2YPSD1LWeQMBNoylg6nPFAiZlU73Ky_aP8s0u-hAaXFvKzpLR9gHRiIveEMBQ7MEepCfh_-8NHNYlVDgZlweuHxgIQrgbKfrHPzVINF73V-gbP18RU1pj7p7a9zzfhRn/s1600/Squirrels+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVShfW8568NFTM2YPSD1LWeQMBNoylg6nPFAiZlU73Ky_aP8s0u-hAaXFvKzpLR9gHRiIveEMBQ7MEepCfh_-8NHNYlVDgZlweuHxgIQrgbKfrHPzVINF73V-gbP18RU1pj7p7a9zzfhRn/s640/Squirrels+1.jpg" width="458" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">As I think of these crafty fellows, I wonder what else
abounds before our very eyes that we think we know enough about, only to learn
we know so little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Raise your
glass with me to toast our remarkable squirrels. May their beds be soft and
their tummies full of sunflower seeds."</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-89754842472339057562016-04-18T08:49:00.000-07:002016-04-21T07:34:01.039-07:00Bitter Almonds--a Book ReviewedAs an author, I read many books from all the genres. Most I enjoy and a few I find too good to not share. Such is "Bitter Almonds." I am pleased to post my review and urge you to add it to your bookshelf.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1IsW4f49EEYSAz_0Luym354qpfRMXu3C0f0LLrSJ5YJc2brEyurPN46HHHyBCTJE1n8WcckM-ZExaYZCWpOLG83VE4pJY1mDwPN9mbvTRJK235_6TNBXOHhVdyfO3dx2aeeb32BRGSmX/s1600/Lilas+Taha+Bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1IsW4f49EEYSAz_0Luym354qpfRMXu3C0f0LLrSJ5YJc2brEyurPN46HHHyBCTJE1n8WcckM-ZExaYZCWpOLG83VE4pJY1mDwPN9mbvTRJK235_6TNBXOHhVdyfO3dx2aeeb32BRGSmX/s400/Lilas+Taha+Bio.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK_WJTodf-7oHiULmeFMw7tohmdkU_phvhuK1KWKfwTM1qrm6KjzTLSykC1mPobIp2frtaPLxfs0KykOIUcyqtcvota-JPt5Dtpw384HYHWuWpfob0yia-fYK1_xxW5_MLMrM9ok3yVcO/s1600/Bitter+Almonds+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK_WJTodf-7oHiULmeFMw7tohmdkU_phvhuK1KWKfwTM1qrm6KjzTLSykC1mPobIp2frtaPLxfs0KykOIUcyqtcvota-JPt5Dtpw384HYHWuWpfob0yia-fYK1_xxW5_MLMrM9ok3yVcO/s400/Bitter+Almonds+cover.jpg" width="282" /></a><br />
<em>The author of this exemplary book has a unique way of
connecting with the wider world bringing to the reader an intimate story of a
family facing the drama of living in a torn country, experiencing the love-hate
relationships within the close-knit family of Mama Subhia and Uncle Mustafa, yet
sentimental when both Omar and his best friend Marwan fall in love with Nadia,
the beautiful daughter. Struggling in their efforts to resolve the conflict, traditional
customs require patience and sacrifice. This is a story of a family where greed,
selfishness, and intrigue, as well as deep love and affection, </em><em>cross cultural lines and will be recognized by all as
universal. My favorite character is Huda and you'll have to read the book
to determine why. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>This is an important
book not only from the intriguing story but written at a time when
understanding within multicultures is pivital to achieving harmony and peace in
our time.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-8236017338414526022016-04-15T14:18:00.001-07:002016-06-08T10:10:24.112-07:00THE NEXT BOOK I WAS TO WRITE--HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">You all know I write Historical Fiction based on
interesting people that I uncovered when doing my family genealogy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since you'd have to be kin or know my kin,
there's small odds anyone else would beat me to the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well-l-l.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not necessarily the case!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judge
Hugo C. Songer published an excellent Purty Old Tom Montgomery book in 2009.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">My next story was to be about Purty Old Tom Montgomery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He</span>'s my fourth great grandfather who was quite
well known in Virginia, Kentucky, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
Indiana back in the mid 1700's early 1800's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He descended from notable ancestors from Normandy and Britain, maybe
going back to Roger Montgomerie's association with William the Conqueror.</span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">This Indian fighter and frontiersman caught my eye because
he is primarily remembered for his good looks--tall, dark hair and fit as a
fiddle with spectacular features and physique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gifted with incredible stamina and courage, he was also a sharpshooter with a rifle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">When <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a boy of twelve,
he stood at the door of his cabin protecting his mother and siblings during an
Indian raid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is reported he wounded an
attacking Indian who later died. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
asked why, he said, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"It was foight
or doi."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He married Mattie Crockett
(cousin to Davy) and they reared a number of sons and daughters while living in
Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. Mattie died and
the restless, heartbroken Indian fighter found himself in an entanglement over
the validity of his land title. He decided the West was his destiny. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Indiana Territory in particular.<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, Old Purty on his own scouted the area (now Gibson
County, Indiana) for a suitable place to settle his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He marked a tree with a hatchet and headed
home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gathering most of his family
together, a few personal slaves, and his dogs,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> they </span>walked from Kentucky to Indiana only to find someone else had taken
the land he had marked with the hatchet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But never mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could almost
count the existing settlers on two hands and one foot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He settled near Owensville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere during a stop on his first trip to
Indiana, he met Caroline Anderson and their association became memorable for both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>she arrived in Indiana with the part of her family who had chosen to
immigrate West. Speculation has it that her heart was set on Owensville. What
isn't speculation is that she and the widower, Old Purty, married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tall in his saddle, he became a leader of the settlement and
most likely the one to be in the middle of the skirmishes when Indians raided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is some speculation--hearsay, no proven fact--that
the 102 deer he's credited killing near the Black River may have been Indians
rather than deer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the heat of battle,
his companions on several occasions thought Old Purty had met his match and
been killed by pursuing Indians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to
be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his comrades called to the
others, "War't you know it. I'll be
damned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd know that gun anytime."
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The horse and rider seen racing through the woods
and splashing across the creek was no other than the escaping Old Purty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Folklore has it that well past his mid-years, Old Purty enlisted
as an active recruit and walked to the Battle of Tippecanoe. At age seventy
four, he is said to have walked to Princeton and carried a large anvil around
the courthouse with ease. </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Epi-blog<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlBIlCAzU2LJQ_FQ5Ss1U33puss9kzC-vufNqMGXYZsto2NWwPHZkQ_NnoBFAiKTuOBFuHXbjFAnPbQtQO0jj7aAr2uioRQYJM92a48G2NH_k2e2Kefax8xREgalF3_zuzeYmTf3azoQl/s1600/Tom+Montgomery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlBIlCAzU2LJQ_FQ5Ss1U33puss9kzC-vufNqMGXYZsto2NWwPHZkQ_NnoBFAiKTuOBFuHXbjFAnPbQtQO0jj7aAr2uioRQYJM92a48G2NH_k2e2Kefax8xREgalF3_zuzeYmTf3azoQl/s200/Tom+Montgomery.jpg" width="138" /></span></a><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">As civilization grew, Purty's twin sons, Tom and Isaac, vied for the state
legislature, Isaac winning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His daughters and granddaughters married into
the Skelton (remember Red Skelton) and Warrick families. <o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIfkLwpMihSIdFpos5noUvM9dXKxE7W15GxKBRXvmaVzNZVAfo31YftCCb_hzFCqTJJvnki1viuc-FeOW_hIJid-pYdSRSfnaI-pY_Z0b89yakxByA5_iVjLHff_mIuMGbeAaHoY18C1E/s1600/Montgomery+Blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIfkLwpMihSIdFpos5noUvM9dXKxE7W15GxKBRXvmaVzNZVAfo31YftCCb_hzFCqTJJvnki1viuc-FeOW_hIJid-pYdSRSfnaI-pY_Z0b89yakxByA5_iVjLHff_mIuMGbeAaHoY18C1E/s200/Montgomery+Blog2.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlBIlCAzU2LJQ_FQ5Ss1U33puss9kzC-vufNqMGXYZsto2NWwPHZkQ_NnoBFAiKTuOBFuHXbjFAnPbQtQO0jj7aAr2uioRQYJM92a48G2NH_k2e2Kefax8xREgalF3_zuzeYmTf3azoQl/s1600/Tom+Montgomery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">His historical credentials are numerable and pristine. He
served under George Rogers Clark defending frontier forts, protected his family
and neighbors during Indian massacres, and more formally, was a notable
fighter in the Battle of Tippecanoe with William Henry Harrison. The wilderness
road and early settlements like Boonesboro were personal to him. </span> </span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIfkLwpMihSIdFpos5noUvM9dXKxE7W15GxKBRXvmaVzNZVAfo31YftCCb_hzFCqTJJvnki1viuc-FeOW_hIJid-pYdSRSfnaI-pY_Z0b89yakxByA5_iVjLHff_mIuMGbeAaHoY18C1E/s1600/Montgomery+Blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The history of this remarkable man is well documented in the
book <u>The Buffalo Trace to Tippecanoe</u> written by (Judge) Hugo C. Songer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(c. 2009).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don't need Montgomery or
Warrick blood flowing through your veins to appreciate and enjoy Old
Purty.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> MY MONTGOMERY ANCESTRY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thomas (Old Purty)
Montgomery 1748-1818 - Martha (Mattie) Crockett 1749-1796</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Little) Thomas Montgomery
1776-1847 - Elizabeth (Betsy) Warrick 1778-1817</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Moses Montgomery 1804-1846
- Elizabeth Jones 1801-1893</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">James Montgomery 1843-1921
- Susan Lourena Holland 1846-1905</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Minnie Montgomery
1868-1940 - Charles Jefferson Ellis 1868-1942</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Wesley Leland Ellis 1904-1978
- Mary Rosetta Owens 1901-1976</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(194, 214, 155); border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; mso-background-themetint: 153; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-between: .5pt solid windowtext; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt 1.0pt; mso-padding-between: 1.0pt; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Barbara
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Bobi) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ellis Andrews (1935 - )</span></div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtVf4CYDugDHlWCpWZe0QkHW6XUKmeu6naOOjE-yr80nQPIFIscPDaQGR9d4KAr31BGuMrlByYxd-XfmUDqFbvhfGEKxrzZbi5phMGtvlLrHdu1M-cFlM7yurD6sNFORMeUPJHXI3sxn5/s1600/Minnie+Ellis.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtVf4CYDugDHlWCpWZe0QkHW6XUKmeu6naOOjE-yr80nQPIFIscPDaQGR9d4KAr31BGuMrlByYxd-XfmUDqFbvhfGEKxrzZbi5phMGtvlLrHdu1M-cFlM7yurD6sNFORMeUPJHXI3sxn5/s200/Minnie+Ellis.png" width="124" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Minnie Montgomery w/ Wesley Leland Ellis</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdcMN2Em4S685ZyzJ6uJ_DcyN3Va1I1B5kDBKJiTx1OdrbVkPf0e7ABiGFIyxjnWpAXLKmIE1aIgprf7OPqNLoP3QTCXAFxDd4qthRBQMAUIhf_xAfBG7W5ko6r3ua7UP_kEP0eBJpmkg/s1600/James+Montgomery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdcMN2Em4S685ZyzJ6uJ_DcyN3Va1I1B5kDBKJiTx1OdrbVkPf0e7ABiGFIyxjnWpAXLKmIE1aIgprf7OPqNLoP3QTCXAFxDd4qthRBQMAUIhf_xAfBG7W5ko6r3ua7UP_kEP0eBJpmkg/s200/James+Montgomery.jpg" width="186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Montgomery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzZG8MrO6DoWrvKyVjqdH8bPT0905hReDksdB6oLkyYV-JApIgsNkFPs99hwTNa3T-h0-4wCd4-zot66hlY1_Zx72s51UBVD68Yeyku08vBiu8VErZFtW1cYqv5KwFWPQh2i93G8R1UEK/s1600/Montgomery+Family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzZG8MrO6DoWrvKyVjqdH8bPT0905hReDksdB6oLkyYV-JApIgsNkFPs99hwTNa3T-h0-4wCd4-zot66hlY1_Zx72s51UBVD68Yeyku08vBiu8VErZFtW1cYqv5KwFWPQh2i93G8R1UEK/s320/Montgomery+Family.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">James Montgomery Family </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3620612079471134598.post-89984790551006148962016-04-12T09:09:00.000-07:002016-04-12T09:13:07.971-07:00SPRING HAS SPRUNG--MY SPIRITS SOAR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Sometimes we have to pause and look and listen to what nature provides. The population calling my backyard home are fifteen different bird species, butterflies, Koi, one very large bullfrog and his grandchildren, squirrels getting fatter by the minute from the bird feeder, chameleons puffing pink throats, bumble bees on a mission, and blue and red dragonflies tipping and dipping above the pond. The sentry in charge is Schnauzer-Scooter who drinks from the pond more than guards. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime;"></span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-small;">(Thanks to Rose Nuernberger for graphics enhancements.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyYL4stWA6h9vNyj6s4fe4rvyN188XofMNOkLrhG6jTx4-GsIVAH3DgC8xvvstUe9pQQHGUoZNTlTslXqIWUPy9PDk1BQUk6PVp7r3L51RDHfiEmSz1BcYhWNQSmAOI64NBTQu2h8ID8S/s1600/Backyard+Walkway-gold222fr2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyYL4stWA6h9vNyj6s4fe4rvyN188XofMNOkLrhG6jTx4-GsIVAH3DgC8xvvstUe9pQQHGUoZNTlTslXqIWUPy9PDk1BQUk6PVp7r3L51RDHfiEmSz1BcYhWNQSmAOI64NBTQu2h8ID8S/s320/Backyard+Walkway-gold222fr2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VqM3Mlp8RoyZ8prqKSsPNceCmmh_7CqdxVFxzuuLVoh2e5U8XsaENbT0m2bwfQQ34gpi5OCog-8kOU3AkKNnioZmNJVgFudlFJRzT_AVsRCdBpZipeJ0cg7M4EJhtsuSZ_G0ccihsCcV/s1600/backyard3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VqM3Mlp8RoyZ8prqKSsPNceCmmh_7CqdxVFxzuuLVoh2e5U8XsaENbT0m2bwfQQ34gpi5OCog-8kOU3AkKNnioZmNJVgFudlFJRzT_AVsRCdBpZipeJ0cg7M4EJhtsuSZ_G0ccihsCcV/s320/backyard3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYP2SOMUclyOOBWlnxsEWufcRKn4KAul9EtKjiLsh1spB_McRKdiGLNcyJF7A-FHXqjQMJ8998-lLXoHKWNS7QAHUSARC3oW3lBtiBEANTLH9fsUKJo37vPQK0IaYBcn9JES_Ji-LS8-in/s1600/Blog++Pond+Rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYP2SOMUclyOOBWlnxsEWufcRKn4KAul9EtKjiLsh1spB_McRKdiGLNcyJF7A-FHXqjQMJ8998-lLXoHKWNS7QAHUSARC3oW3lBtiBEANTLH9fsUKJo37vPQK0IaYBcn9JES_Ji-LS8-in/s320/Blog++Pond+Rocks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw2tcDn9AjDDrkIHbAtVgVgqGnG9KP9seY5VmTfsNJS7ngiJIUXQAaFgzoJaj4TGpECWiLOB-R2oddvLGaK75XQAUIaSryDMu9mZxDakh4JVrCKyyJzxgPz5WBKa03JjEzKkmR8PG5r72/s1600/Blog+Front+Yard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw2tcDn9AjDDrkIHbAtVgVgqGnG9KP9seY5VmTfsNJS7ngiJIUXQAaFgzoJaj4TGpECWiLOB-R2oddvLGaK75XQAUIaSryDMu9mZxDakh4JVrCKyyJzxgPz5WBKa03JjEzKkmR8PG5r72/s320/Blog+Front+Yard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"></span>Bobi Andrewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18265241716904132365noreply@blogger.com1