This is Day 9 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Best Summer Memory. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories. I'm not sure if the prompt is meant to be just this summer's bet memory, or the best-ever summer memory. Either way, there is no one best memory so I'm going to walk down memory lane through some of my fondest summer memories, in no particular order. Parasailing in the Gulf of Mexico at Madeira Beach, FL. The experience takes you from flying across the water in a speed boat to sailing hundreds of feet above the Gulf. It was so peaceful up there, and the sounds of the city and boat seemed miles away.
Photo from Pixabay
Zam's swamp tours in Louisiana. It was a slow boat ride through the bayous and back waters of Louisiana where we saw fish, alligators, turtles, Nutria, and lots of birds. After the boat tour, we got a tour of the back yard, which was filled with alligators. There was a talk, but the guide was speaking Cajun French, and I didn't get most of it. It was there we had our first taste of alligator, and we've been eating it ever since. Here is a video from an actual tour.
Tom and Jerry's air boat tour on Lake Panasoffkee in Florida. That was an hour-long tour which took us on slow winding paths through tall grass to speeding across the wide open expanse of the lake. It was beautiful, and yes we did see alligators, turtles, and yep, more birds.
My photo from the Tom & Jerry Airboat
The fascination with water and boats continues. While vacationing in Maine one year, we took a sailboat tour out of Bar Harbor. It was a large sailboat with 3-4 masts. If you love boats and you've never done a tour like this, you should. We did a similar tour in Norfolk that went around the Harbor. That was an evening tour, and it gets chilly even in the summer.
Photo from Pixabay
Not to be forgotten was our trip to San Diego, and of course, the Pacific ocean. No trip is complete without a visit to Coronado and the famous Coronado Bridge.
Photo from Wikimedia
Are you sensing a theme here? What are some of your favorite summertime memories? If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.
This is Day 8 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Fireworks. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
Fireworks, that brilliant display of colorful lights illuminating the night sky, preceded by a large bang and some crackles as the pattern unfolds. I could research about what makes fireworks go boom and what makes the colors, but the answers are just a Google search away. Typically summer is the time for fireworks. Here in the U.S. they dominate the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve, and in our area are often seen after baseball games and at the fair. There are even worldwide fireworks competitions. I didn't know that. This year for the Forth, a neighbor put on a 30-minute display from his yard, interestingly enough, across the street from a city fire department. I'm sure they enjoyed the show as well. We had the best view from the vacant lot next door. We watched, mesmerized, as the sky exploded time and again until the smoke was drifting lazily across the street. It was a perfect Fourth of July evening, not too hot and no mosquitoes to mar the experience. It was one of the best fireworks displays we've seen in a long time. I know the picture does not do it justice, but I was more interested in just enjoying the show than trying to get a good shot. Where do you go to see fireworks?
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This is Day 7 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Camp Life. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
Hey guys, this is a tough topic. I have never been camping. I never went to summer camp as a kid. The closest I've ever come to camping is driving through a campground and going to an RV show.
Image from Pixabay*
Having said that, back when I was a kid, my parents and I would visit relatives up North each summer. My aunt and uncle lived in New Hampshire a few miles from the coast, so occasionally we would go to the beach. Other times, we would drive to their "camp" on a lake in Maine. The camp consisted of a red wooden building complete with a picnic table, lawn chairs, and some old kitchen cabinets. That was so long ago I don't recall if there was electricity. We used an old 55-gallon oil drum cut in half lengthwise as a grill. The menu was hot dogs and hamburgers, likely accompanied by garden-fresh veggies, and homemade cookies, cake or pie. There was no running water so we had an outhouse. It did have a regular toilet but you had to use a hand pump to fill the tank to flush. It was a courtesy to pump after your visit so it would be ready for the next person. While there were tent platforms out back, and perhaps a loft inside, we never stayed over night. That doesn't mean we didn't have our adventures. One day we drove all the way out there only to find that we had forgotten to take the key. Daddy and my uncle had to take the door off the hinges, which shows just how secure the place was, but it was so far off the beaten path and this was back in the 70s...things were pretty safe. On another day, we strapped a row boat on the top of my uncle's station wagon and took it to camp. As far as I know this wasn't a large lake, but maybe a brackish water lake or pond or possibly even an inlet or cove on a larger lake. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then so my memory isn't exact. Anyway, Daddy, and my uncle and I went out in the boat. I was probably about 12 and at that time I couldn't swim. Of course there were no life jackets in the old row boat. We all managed to get back safely after our excursion across the lake to look at the big rock on the other side where there was a snake happily sunning away. Fortunately my aunt did not come with us. She probably would have screamed to be heard clear down to the main road. To say that she didn't like snakes was an extreme understatement. Other activities included fishing, exploring and picking wild blueberries, visiting with the ducks that came by sometimes, and swatting mosquitoes, because, after all, this was Maine...in the woods, on a lake, in the summer. So while I haven't really experienced any actual camping, this was my camp life experience at Sunset Haven. *I have actual pictures of Sunset Haven, but it would take way to long to find them for this post. If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.
This is Day 6 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Achorage, Alaska. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
"Just for grins, who is it our scuzzy art dealer was supposed to have murdered?"and by the way, where did we come up with these accessories," asked Alex as he strapped on his Rolex and adjusted his silk tie. Pulling on his coat and setting a hat atop his head, Charlie said "A lot of these things were from old busts, where the perps are long gone and there were no relatives found to claim them. As to the who, it was apparently a colleague. As I understand it, he was a Russian collector and there was an exchange of goods somewhere in Alaska...Anchorage, I believe. Anyway, the deal went south and our scuzzy art dealer, let's call him SAD, shall we. So SAD allegedly offed the guy, took the goods and the money."
This is Day 5 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Beach Life. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories. I live four hours from the nearest beach, and yet only see the waves and smell that unmistakable scent of the sand and sea a couple times a year. You know that soul cleansing revitalization that comes from having the sand between your toes, listening to the waves and watching the pelicans soaring gracefully one moment and diving headfirst into the water the next. This first video is a compilation of photos taken in St. Augustine, FL a few years ago while vacationing with friends. It was a picture-perfect trip.
This was filmed later that same year in Madeira Beach, FL. There are some spectacular sunsets over the Gulf and this one was amazing.
Yes, I do enjoy the beach life, and while we typically go to Florida, my home state also has some amazingly beautiful beaches. This was taken at Oak Island, NC this past June.
Where is your favorite beach?
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This is Day 4 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Diving into the deep end. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
Nope, not me!
Unlike going off the deep end, diving into the deep end is entirely within your control. Control being the key word here. I like to be in control of my circumstances, and I am not a risk-taker, so there are a number of things you won't find me doing. Among them are diving into any body of water, or jumping out of a perfectly good airplane (or boat), unless of course doing so is significantly less dangerous than remaining where I am. In which case I will likely expire from fear anyway. And should you ever find me doing any of the above-mentioned things without extenuating circumstances, you will know that I have, indeed, gone off the deep end.
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This is Day 3 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Orange. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
First I'd like to direct your attention to our den window, covered by a sheer orange curtain. In front of the window is one of Sophie's favorite places.
Now on to something nearly as sweet. Oranges, my favorite being the Navel orange. They are not, however, just the simple fruit from which we get our morning OJ, so here are some interesting orange facts I had not heard before. What came first, the color or the fruit? The fruit, which derived its name first from the Arabic naranj, then coming to English as narange in the 14th century. Did you know oranges unknown in the wild? They are a hybrid of tangerines and the Pomelo, also known as the Chinese grapefruit. They were green instead of orange. Today Vietnamese oranges and Thai tangerines are green on the outside and orange on the inside. Aren't they pretty?
Since oranges are a subtropical fruit, the climate plays a major role in their color. In cooler climates, they will turn orange when the weather cools. In hot climates, however, they will remain green. How can I tell if my orange is ripe? Well, not by the color, no matter where they are grown. You see, an orange, if left unpicked, can stay on the tree until the next season. Because of fluctuation in temperature, it can change from green to orange and back to green without affecting the quality or flavor of the fruit. A ripe orange should have thin, smooth skin with no soft spots. It should also feel heavy for its size. To make oranges more visually appealing to the consumer, green oranges can be exposed to ethylene gas, such as produced by bananas and apples, but his does nothing toward ripening the fruit. If you like oranges, what is your favorite variety? More about all things orange here. If you enjoyed this post, please leave your calling card in the comment section or click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
This is Day 2 of the First Annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Tokyo, Japan. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories.
The continuing adventures of FBI agents, Charlie and Alex. Charlie grinned as he hung up the phone. "Wow, that's new. Interpol wants us to help track down a Japanese art dealer." "Okay, I'll bite," replied Alex who had been lounging in the doorway, "Since when does the FBI track down art dealers?" "Since the art dealer deals in stolen art and is also a murder suspect in Tokyo. They want us to find him and send him back," Charlie said shaking his head. "I think we're getting singled out for the unusual cases." "That couldn't be because we have been racking up results and solving unsolvable cases out the wazoo, now could it," quipped Alex. "I mean just look at these new digs" waving his hand around to indicated Charlie's new office. "Way to go lead agent in the Atlanta field office." Always ready to dive into a new case, Alex asked,"So where do we start? What do we know other than the dude is Japanese, a murder suspect and apparently here in the city since we're the ones who got the call." "Interpol is sending us the file." Charlie grinned again, "In the meantime, we are going to work on our cover." Now Alex was the one grinning. "I thought you'd like that idea," said Charlie. "Just remember, nothing ever goes as planned." He thought for a moment, and said "I'll be a shady art dealer and you can be a rich collector. That should get some attention of the unsavory kind. I'll have Sheila get us a list of museums, auction houses and art dealers so we can start playing our roles." "A rich art collector, huh? I like it," said Alex striking a pose. "Don't get too carried away now. This guy's a murder suspect and I expect he'd like to stay on the outside of the iron bars," Charlie cautioned. "Now speaking of bars, let's go get a couple cold ones while we plan our strategy." "I second that," said Alex. "Are you driving?"
This is Day 1 of the first annual 10 Days of Heat writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is On a hot summer's night. Please join me in checking out the other hot stories. As is often the case, the start of the challenge arrives to find me staring blankly at my screen. The gun is fired, they're off and I am scrambling to catch up. It has been a busy summer (and a hot one, too, hereabouts). However, I've never missed a challenge day yet, sometimes flying by the seat of my pants and clinging to the last shred of my sanity, so without further excuses and whining, here we go. After one look at today's prompt, I immediately felt relief. I have an out. Actually, I have an earworm, which I will happily pass along to all you unsuspecting souls. You're welcome. 😉 We were browsing around the store the other day...yes earworms can linger for days. Anyway, they were playing some pretty good music, none of which I remember...except this one.
They were farm kids way down in Dixie They met in high school in the 'sixties. Everyone knew it was love from the start. One July in the midnight hour, They climbed upon the water tower, Stood on the rail and painted a ten foot heart In John Deere green, on a hot summer night. He wrote Billy Bob loves Charlene in letters three foot high, And the whole town said that he should've use red But it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green. They settled down on eighty acres, Raising sweet corn, kids and tomatoes, They went together like a hand and a glove. On a clear day, from their front yard, If you look and know what to look for, Off to the east you can still read his words of love He wrote Billy Bob loves Charlene in letters three foot high, And the whole town said that he should've use red But it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green. Now more than once the town has discovered Painting over it ain't no use. There ain't no paint in the world that'll cover it, The heart keeps showing through. In John Deere green, on a hot summer night, He wrote Billy Bob loves Charlene in letters three foot high. And the whole town said that he should've used red But it looked good to Charlene in John Deere green.
I hadn't heard that in years, but wow that took me back and had my feet tap-tapping right there in the store. I mentioned to hubby that I felt sorry for anyone who had to view the security videos. For anyone wanting revenge, please feel free to leave your own earworms in the comments.
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We found this cute little fellow on our back door as we were heading out to the store. He was up near the top of the screen, so hubby snapped a picture for me. He is known as the Eastern-Eyed Click Beetle, but those lovely spots for which he is named are not really his eyes. He was probably about 1.5 inch long, and definitely an attention grabber. These interesting creatures are harmless to people, i.e., they do not bite or sting, nor do they damage property. Like other click beetles, these click or snap to right themselves, or to avoid predators, and they can also fly.
They are actually garden friendly, so if you see them, just let them go about their merry way. I've never seen one before so it's nice to encounter a friendly critter amongst the usual bombardment of ants and mosquitoes. If you're interested, you can read more about them hereand here. If you enjoyed this post, please leave your calling card in the comment section or click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was many things. He was a Persian poet, a Sufi Mystic, a Sunni Muslim poet, an Islamic scholar and a theologian. He was born in 1207 A.D. and is considered one of the greatest spiritual masters. His poetry has also gained favor in the Western world in recent years. So what is Rumi saying here? Obviously he is not talking about taking a rag and Windex® to your bathroom mirror. The rub is any little thing that doesn't suit you. It may be something as minor as being asked for the umpteenth time to take out the trash or mow the lawn, to a personal slight, real or perceived, that leaves you with hurt feelings.
Now for the mirror part. You want to be a shining example of humanity, but you can't be that person when every irritation grates at you so much that your finish becomes dull and you are unable to shine. In order to shine again, you must find a way to change how you handle the rubs on the inside so that your surface may be polished and your inner goodness is reflected in your mirror.
How is your mirror looking these days?
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Who knew there were Cypress trees in a swamp in Greensboro? I didn't until one day I was looking online for ideas on something outdoorsy to do and came across The Bog Garden. Even though it is located in the city, just moments away from Friendly Center, you get the feeling of being in a southern swamp. It was very green with all kinds of different plant life, but what most interested me was the Cypress trees. As we strolled along the boardwalk taking in the beautiful day, I paused, and said "I think that's a Cypress" and soon enough we were greeted by a stand of those gorgeous trees, some even showing their knees. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of the knees. I've visited swamps in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and always find them a peaceful place to reconnect with nature. Here we encountered squirrels, chipmunks, cardinals, crows, ducks, geese, turtles and of course, man's (woman's) best friends walking with their people. It was a pleasant way to while away a few hours, and we wound up the afternoon at the nearby Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. As you can see, I am still alive and kicking. I've just been really busy with other projects, but thought I should make appearance and share this beautiful find.
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We should all strive to live a healthy lifestyle, that's a given. However, for one reason or another, many of us do not. We could be on the edge of good and have only the occasional slip or indulgence. We might think we are doing good, but underestimate that order of onion rings or the milkshake from the drive thru. And then there's exercise. Are you up at 5 a.m. hitting the gym or the treadmill, or rushing to get in racquetball before dinner? Do you go for a walk around the block, park or mall at lunch? Does walking to the fridge during commercials for another beer, soda, or grabbing some chips count? Which category are you in? When we are younger, this is less of an issue, but this is also when many of our habits are formed. As we grow older and take stock of our lives and health, we try to find ways to stay out of hospitals and doctors' offices. After all, these are prime places to find germs and other nasties that can make us sick. So, how do we do that? In this modern age of Internet and search engines like Google (or just ask Alexa), we can find a smorgasbord of information on health, diet, drugs and other remedies. After a while you learn the reputable sites for mainstream information. You have to dig a little deeper and do a lot of comparison when you are seeking reliable information on alternatives to standard practices and procedures. The idea of natural medicine and healing is not always accepted, and often rejected or at least questioned by those in the field of medical science. While it's not everyone's opinion, some think that if it is not produced from large companies with billions of dollars, then it isn't likely to help you. I enjoy doing my own research and prefer to seek natural solutions over drugs. As indicated in the title, my research led me to the health benefits of Turmeric/Curcumin. Over the past several years I have dealt with occasional bouts of TMJ, with an assortment of various symptoms. It began with my jaw popping suddenly and painfully. That went away, then came the procession of different symptoms from feeling like I was grinding sand when I would chew, to minor and not painful popping to pain when I would bite down on anything solid (thankfully that did not last long) and feeling like if I opened my mouth too wide it might not close. Yawning was done carefully and was not very satisfying. The final and most long lasting symptom was my teeth getting out of line. They literally did not come together properly, as in my back teeth would not touch. My first research was not so fruitful, suggesting that misaligned teeth needed braces or some other drastic measure. NOT! I knew this was temporary because there was no reason that my teeth had suddenly moved. My dentist said I could get a night guard for my TMJ and alignment issues. I was told you can get them in some stores for probably around $20, and custom-made ones are way more expensive. I have a strong gag reflex so I figured that wasn't a good option for me. Plus my problem wasn't grinding. Back to the drawing board (Google). This time I searched on TMJ and tooth alignment. Bingo! Inflammation is the culprit. Now how to deal with inflammation without living on Advil? I searched on "TMJ inflammation" and discovered that Turmeric/Curcumin was a powerful anti-inflammatory, with very little chance for side effects. I made my way to the store and got the first bottle, then the second and third and fourth. I have been taking various brands and formulations for about six months and most days my teeth are fine. Are they 100% perfectly aligned all the time? No, but nearly perfect most days instead of changing significantly from day to day or morning to night. I am pleased.
The formula we are currently taking.
I got my husband to start taking Turmeric too, for general health reasons and guess what? On his last doctor's visit, his cholesterol was down in the normal range for all types and the overall total was just 4 points above normal. His LDL was down significantly from the previous test six months prior. We are believers. Turmeric is documented to reduce inflammation (1) and lower cholesterol (2). This is NOT medical advice, merely our personal experience. Always seek actual medical advice from your doctor or pharmacist when making health-related decisions. I don't but you should. Also, I am not recommending any particular brand. Do your research. Choose a product that is produced in the U.S. from a reputable seller. Preferably one with BioPerine (black pepper extract). This enhances absorption.
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About 12:30 this morning we were awakened by a distinct "WOOF" nearby (or would have been awakened if the sandman had already sprinkled us with dream dust). We looked out and didn't see anything. There it was again, louder-WOOF, and now we find it is coming from our front yard beneath the Dogwood. We see a large dog standing there and we recognized him as one we've seen around before. He is friendly and we always fear for him running loose. There was another dog crouched down on the ground like he had something he was guarding. He did! At first we were afraid he had another animal. Thankfully not, however he had snatched the suet feeder out of the tree. It is a plastic-coated wire container with a block of suet bird food. Yum, every dog's favorite midnight snack, right? He was barking and growling, seemingly daring the other dog to try and take it. The friendly dog was just standing there watching and thinking, "Yeah, I'm never getting any of that, and here I am standing guard. That's just selfish!"
This is where the feeder had been hanging since the first of the year. Never would I have imagined that dogs would go after my bird feeder. Squirrels yes, dogs no.
We needed more food for the birdies, so we got what we found at Walmart and it was a different brand and mixture of fat and seed. Apparently this had more aroma than the previous ones.
After it was cleaned up and reassembled, we relocated it. It is now more than a foot above my head. The picture doesn't show it well, but it is a fair bit higher than before. I suspect there is one dog in the neighborhood that isn't feeling too well this morning, so if your dog has a case of the...well you know, I'd be happy to tell you how it happened. Note to my birds: Sorry you didn't have any breakfast here this morning. How about some brunch? It is a simple feeder and an inexpensive way to start feeding the seed-eating birds in your yard. The feeders are a couple bucks and the food is less than a dollar at Walmart. If you enjoyed this post, please leave your calling card in the comment section or click the visitors box below to let me know you stopped by.
I hold to the firm belief that letters belong in literature, not mathematics. ― J. Spredemann
As a kid, I did well enough in school in all subjects except math. That was my Achilles heel. I did okay until the sixth grade and that was the beginning of my downfall with the onset of what they called "new math" whatever that was. They tried to teach me things like Base 8 and Base 10. I still have no idea what those are or who uses them and why...maybe Charlie on Numbers. Anyone watch that? Who knew numbers could solve so many problems, even crime? What is the statistical probability that the suspect took bus #25 into town on Friday night, picked up the paper at a news stand, then walked 14 blocks to an alley behind the pawn shop on 12th Street to commit his nefarious act and return home by the nightly news? I'm sure there is an app algorithm for that. And then came Algebra... I never did figure that stuff out. This can cooler is spot on and sums up my thoughts on that subject perfectly.
Available at Dollar Tree...no math required!
Anyway, decades later my math skills consist of the basics, with a few percentages thrown in to calculate savings. I've come clean about my lack of Mathematics skills. What about you? Love it or hate it?
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