Bev's Booth

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T19:00:00.000-07:00

"Halloween Funnies:

What's a haunted chicken?
A poultry-geist.

Why did the monster eat a light bulb?
Because he was in need of a light snack.

What kind of mistakes do ghosts make?

Boo boos.

Why couldn't Dracula's wife get to sleep?
Because of his coffin."

~~From Royalty Rewards, with many Thanks!

~~Photo by Bev

~~~

INSIGHT FROM BECK

2011-10-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

"Sex, drugs and criminals: Occupy Wall Street getting ugly

A story today revealed the Occupy Wall Street protests have devolved into a shameless display of moral depravity - with shocking (or perhaps not) interviews of protesters claiming to be getting high every day and having sex 'in a tarp' out in plain view. For all the 'tea bagger' jokes the media couldn't resist telling, perhaps they could come up with something this time around?

Occupy Sacramento: Why are we here?

In a surprisingly candid interview, protesters at Occupy Sacramento admitted to not even knowing why they are there. When asked to elaborate on why they are there organizers said they are still trying to figure that out. Who shows up to a protest when they don't even know what it's about?"

~From Glenn Beck's newsletter

You've heard, of course, that there are ads on the net for paid protesters? Do you think these protests could be a diversion tactic?

~~~

WE MISS YOU

2011-10-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

My Grand-dog, Aspen, a very large husky/wolf blend has gone to hang out with the angels and get some rest. He just couldn't beat the lymphoma. Here he is about a year ago trying whole-heartedly to play with Chloe, but she was kind of nervous about it. And in the other picture, I assume he was opening a can of cat food! He visited occasionally and even lived here for awhile. I will miss him.

~~~

A BIT OF HUMOR

2011-09-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

"Life's a Mess
A poodle and a collie were walking down the street. The
poodle turned to the collie and complained, "My life is a
mess. My owner is mean, my girlfriend is having an affair
with a German shepherd, and I'm nervous as a cat."
"Why don't you go see a psychiatrist?" asked the collie.
"I can't," replied the poodle. "I'm not allowed on the couch." "

~~Another gem from Royalty Rewards at Beverly's Gift Shop

~~~

MY ANSWERS

2011-09-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here are my answers to the test questions on August 13th post:

Maybe the government needs to tighten its belt like we do.
I agree.
Yes.
Depends on hype. Some politicians might try to scare us into accepting their methods. Like raise the debt ceiling again, raise taxes, increase regulations, implement another stimulus program...
Perhaps we need to watch and learn. Yes, we do. And then act.

~~~

By the way, I have started researching the Full Circle? post. We might be surprised.

~~~

"There are two kinds of truth.

There are real truths

and there are made-up truths."

~~Marion Barry

~~~

CAN YOU DO THIS?

2011-09-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Great-granddaughter, Kyra.

"Playing as children -
means playing is the most serious thing in the world."
~~G.K. Chesterton

~~~

BY REQUEST

2011-08-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

With our rights come responsibilities, among those to which we must adhere to maintain our God given rights are honor, courage, and vigilance:

Honor - be a beacon of integrity, have respect for others.

Courage - is the ability to face danger, criticism and scorn while overcoming fear.

Vigilance - be the person in the watchtower, all night if you must. Sound the alarm when all is not well.

As Edmund Burke said, “all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” We must DO something. Stand watch. Speak up. Become involved.

Thus, we the people do hereby declare not only our rights, but do now establish this bill of responsibilities.
`
1. Because I have the right to choose, I recognize that I am accountable to God and have the responsibility to keep the 10 commandments in my own life.
2. Because I have the right to worship as I choose, I have the responsibility to honor the right of others to worship as they see fit.
3. Because I have freedom of speech, I have the responsibility to defend the speech of others, even if I strongly disagree with what they’re saying.
4. Because I have the right to pursue happiness, I have the responsibility to show humility and express gratitude for all the blessings I enjoy and the rights I’ve been given.
5. Because I have the right to honest and good government I will seek out honest and just representatives when possible. If I cannot find one then I accept the responsibility to take that place.
6. Because I have the God given right to liberty, I have the personal responsibility to have the courage to defend others to be secure in their persons, lives and property.
7. Because I have the right to equal justice, I will stand for those who are wrongly accused or unjustly blamed.
8. Because I have the right to knowledge, I will be accountable for myself and my children’s education…to live our lives in such a way that insures the continuation of truth.
9. Because I have the right to pursue my dreams and keep the fruits of my labor, I have the responsibility to feed, protect and shelter my family, the less fortunate, the fatherless, the old and infirm.
10. Because I have a right to the truth, I will not bear false witness nor will I stand idly by as others do.
Unconditionally, while maintaining my responsibility to compassionately yet fiercely stand against those things that decay the natural rights of all men. And for the support of this declaration, and with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence we mutually pledge to each other our lives, fortunes and sacred honor.
~~Glenn Beck

~~~

A TREE BRANCH AND A BAR STOOL

2011-08-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

"According to police in Suffolk County, New York, a 31-year-old man was apprehended earlier this month after he tried to rob a 7-Eleven store while armed with a tree branch.

That may not sound very threatening, but the report states that it was a large tree branch.

The man allegedly walked into the store around 11:30 on August 4 and demanded money. The clerk refused, probably having noticed that the robber was only armed with a tree branch. His moderately brave action infuriated the man, who then reportedly "struck the clerk several times with the tree branch," then fled. He tried to make a getaway on a motorcycle, but was blocked by an off-duty police officer who responded after seeing the man "being chased by the clerk and a small group of customers." (Again, this pursuit was probably due to the tree branch not being all that intimidating.) He was arrested and charged with robbery in the first degree.

This is certainly not the first time a robber who didn't have a gun available has turned to nature. In June 2008, a Florida man tried to rob a convenience store armed with a yucca plant. That again was slightly more threatening than it sounds, because he was wielding "Spanish bayonet," a member of the yucca family with sharp two-inch leaves that is apparently formidable enough to be used as a "security plant." Still, he too was unsuccessful, mainly because he was jumped by a customer armed with a bar stool.

The year before that, somebody robbed a bank in New Hampshire disguised as a tree. To the best of my knowledge, that guy is still at large." ~~From the blog "Lowering the Bar" with my thanks.

~~~

SCHOOL STARTS

2011-08-25T10:26:00.001-07:00

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." ~~from Apples of Gold

"There are two things a child will share willingly: communicable diseases and his mother's age."
~~Dr. Benjamin Spock

"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." ~~James Baldwin

"Out of the mouths of babes come words we shouldn't have said in the first place."
~~ from Apples of Gold

~~~

WEASLEY ALERT

2011-08-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

ARE YA SCARED???

~~~

TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY

2011-08-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

"I should have figured it out sooner.

It's the shampoo I use in the shower.

When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body.

Printed very clearly on the shampoo label it reads, "FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY."

I have gotten rid of the shampoo and I am going to start using Dawn dish detergent.

Its label reads, "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE." Problem solved!

Geez! It sure pays to read the label!" ~~
~~From Joke of the Week for Royalty rewards from Beverly's Gift Shop

~~~

CLIMATE CHANGE IN SIMPLE TERMS

2011-08-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

As of last year, our atmosphere consisted of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% trace gases, including carbon dioxide. Although the measurement of carbon dixoide (CO2) in the atmosphere is very low, 0.038% in 2010, it can fluctuate slightly with the change of seasons, water vapors, El Nino and sun flares. Volcanos and forest fires also emit small amounts of CO2.

We need CO2. Why? It is absorbed by all vegetation and is used for photosynthesis and other organic compounds needed for plant development. Some plants are used for food, of course, but we all need the oxygen they emit. ~~Data compiled from a column by Bill Conry in The Canon City Daily Record. Thanks Mr. Conry

~~~

"GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry told the New Hampshire voters Wednesday that he does not believe in manmade global warming, calling it a scientific theory that has not been proven."

~~by Steve Peoples, Associated Press

8-17-11

~~~

OH NO! THE TEST IS BACK

2011-08-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

This is a required weekly test. Please feel free to post your answers or other thoughts in Comments. I'd love to read them.

Did you know that our national debt ceiling has now been raised 75 times since 1962?
"During his Thursday radio program, Glenn Beck said that if the 2012 election were taking place today, Michelle Bachmann would be his first pick for President of the United States."~~from The Blaze, Aug. 11, 2011. Who will you vote for to run against Barack Obama in 2012?
Does Gloria Steinem, with her Palin-/Bachmann-bashing make you wish that birth control was retroactive?
Do you think that S&P's decision to lower our National credit rating from AAA to AA+ will have a huge impact on our country, no impact or something in between?
How do you feel about the rioting in the UK?

~~~

"The nice thing about being a celebrity is that when you bore people, they think its their fault."

~~Henry Kissinger

~~~

FULL CIRCLE?

2011-08-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

Here's an article from 'news of the weird' in the August, Senior Beacon:

~~Full-Circle-Outsourcing: A Mumbai, India, company,Aegis Communications, announced in May that it will hire about 10,000 new employees to work in its call centers fielding customer service problems for U.S.-based companies. However, those jobs are not in India. Aegis will outsource those jobs to Americans, at $12 to $14 an hour, at nine call centers in the United States. ~~ Compiled by Chuck Shepherd

~~~

BOO

2011-08-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

PARENTING

2011-08-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some exerpts from Erma Bombeck's column, 'A parent's love is hard to understand':

"Someday, when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a mother, I'll tell them:

I loved you enough to let you stumble, fall, hurt and fail.

I loved you enough to shove you off my lap, let go of your hand, be mute to your pleas and insenitive to your demands...so that you had to stand alone.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say no when you hated me for it. That was the hardest part of all."

~~~

GOT HICCUPS?

2011-07-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hiccups will often vanish if you swallow a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Here's one I hadn't heard: Press softly on your eyelids.
Breathe in and out into a paper bag.
Swallow a teaspoon of honey.
Swallow a teaspoon of vinegar.
Swallow a teaspoon of sugar.
The old stand-by: hold your breath as long as possible, then exhale slowly.
Or try to drink a glass of ice water from the opposite side of the glass.
And last, for now: The bartender's cure: Drizzle a few drops of bitters on a wedge of lemon or lime before you eat it.

THE ARRIVAL OF WEASLEY

2011-07-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

My Grandsons, Jason and Josh, decided that "we" needed a kitten. So he arrived here on July first. We named him Weasley. And here he is a few days later with Great Granddaughter, Kyra:

He fell instantly in love with my dog Chloe, so we have to make sure that she doesn't get too rough with him.
~~~

MISSING

2011-06-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

In these picures, Big Bear and Barbara Jean, nearly a year ago. She worked hard to get this close to him.

Now they are gone, chased away by a stray dog, as far as we can tell. It's been a month now. Sure miss them.
~~~

REVERSE FORECLOSURE

2011-06-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

We've all heard of reverse mortgages, haven't we? Now, how about a reverse foreclosure?

MY THANKS TO KEVIN UNDERHILL, AUTHOR OF LOWERING THE BAR

To read his blog click on 'Lowering the Bar' under Great Ideas Links in the side-bar.

"Homeowners Foreclose on Bank

It's sad, even if sometimes necessary, when the sheriff's deputy and moving trucks show up to seize assets because of an unpaid debt.

Actually, though, I guess it's not that sad when it's the bank that's getting foreclosed on.

According to this report from Collier County, Florida, Bank of America brought proceedings against Warren and Maureen Nyerges, seeking to foreclose on their home for failing to pay the mortgage. This was a shocking development for the homeowners, especially since they had paid cash for the house and never had a mortgage at all. Apparently unable to convice the bank that it had made a mistake, the homeowners had to endure a year and a half of legal proceedings in order to get the matter resolved. A judge ruled that the bank had to pay the couple's legal fees, but five months later the bank still hadn't paid.

Then the trucks showed up at the local Bank of America branch.

"I instructed the deputy to go in and take desks, computers, copiers, filing cabinets [and] cash in the drawers," said the homeowner's attorney, Todd Allen, who is shown in the video clip smirking like he's probably never smirked before, and for good reason. Allen said he had seen too many cases where banks had been careless. So "[a]s a foreclosure defense attorney," he said, "this is sweet justice."

One can feel at least mildly sorry for the branch manager on duty, who was probably not personally responsible for the mistake but who was confronted with sheriff's deputies saying they were there to take his stuff. "He was visibly shaken," said Allen, who was visibly happy. "Having two sheriff's deputies sitting across your desk, and a lawyer standing behind them, demanding whatever assets are in the bank, can be intimidating. But so is having your home foreclosed on when it wasn't right."

Bank of America later apologized for the delay, although it also blamed that delay on an unidentified "outside attorney" who is no longer practicing law. Whatever the reason for the delay, once the trucks showed up the homeowners had a check within about an hour.

The report doesn't say anything about a counterclaim, so it may be that the homeowners can only recover their fees and costs. The claim that comes to mind is negligent infliction of emotional distress, but it looks like Florida generally only allows such claims if there has also been a physical injury or at least some physical contact. Obviously, though, Mr. Allen is fairly creative. If he comes up with something, and wins, the bank should probably go ahead and pay up."
`

~~~From the Blog "Lowering the Bar"

(Written by my favorite lwayer)

AHH GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN

2011-06-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Grandaughter Brandy created this gorgeous penguin birthday cake for my great-grandson.

Gavyn with his new bike
(I heard he was quite anxious to get rid of those training wheels.)

Big brother Eyan with Gavyn at a school program.

All ready for a hot summer!!

Photos by Brandy Peek

TO PAY THE PIPER

2011-06-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today, I'll share the trials of my oldest son with you. The poem was written many years ago and things have only gotten worse. In the end, I had to force him out of my house. Tough love? Maybe, I know it's tough to do and may never know if it works. Another accident occured and he awaits sentencing. Perhaps a year from now we will know.

TO PAY THE PIPER

A little boy born in the early light

Hurried to grow with all his might.

At first he could sit and then he could crawl

And finally walk, but occasionally fall.

With big sisters about, he was quick to learn

Then trouble appeared with a sudden turn,

A new baby brother was thrust his way,

Too small to even begin to play.

The little boy learned to ride on his trike

And then one day moved up to a bike

And when his big sisters would generously call

He would go riding, and occasionally fall.

When school time arrived, as always it must

The little boy cried for he couldn’t trust

All the strangers and newness coming his way.

So his Mama reminded him every day,

“Remember your sisters are just down the hall

And every one has to occasionally fall.”

Then little league ball became his big dream

With hope in his heart, he was placed on the team

And play it he did becoming the star,

His coach believing that he would go far.

He made it through chicken pox, flu and braces

His teeth now straight in all the right places.

He learned how to hunt and he learned how to fish,
At last came the girl and he made his big wish.
But about the time that he got his first car
Ol’ whiskey took over and drug him afar
To places that most of us don’t understand
But still, we were there to lend him a hand,
Even when he would occasionally fall,
And the piper still had to be paid by us all.
There were tickets and wrecks and calls in the night
And bondsmen and lawyers and judges to fight.
Through nights without sleep in hospital rooms
“You can solve it, I’m sure,” his brother assumes.

But, much more than once he’d occasionally fall,

And forget the grand promises, one and all.

He married the girl. They were too young to see

The troubles ahead that would certainly be.

So now he’s a man with sons of his own

But the demon inside won’t leave him alone.

Through many long years, it’s been quite a haul

Sometimes we walk and sometimes we crawl.

The boys are all grown and the girl is gone

But the demon’s still there dragging him on.

A little boy born in the early light

Hurried to grow with all his might…
***

WINNING A MEDAL

2011-03-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

My great grandson, Eyan Peek, going on 7, with his medal from the wrestling tournament. He looks very pensive, don't you think? We're very proud of him. His Dad is one of the coaches and his Mom took this picture. They have another tournament coming up Saturday.

~~~

WORKING LIKE A DOG

2011-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

The story:

"Once upon a time, there was a Great Dane whose specialty was collecting miniature Poodles. For extra income he took in a Border Collie. His best friend, a Boxer, lived next door to a German Shepherd. And on Sundays they all went to hear St. Bernard speak. Those lucky dogs!"

LOVE AND SUCH

2011-02-20T14:28:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

"Real friends are those who, when you've made a fool of yourself, don't feel that you've done a permanent job."~~Unknown

"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass, for every man has need to be forgiven."~~George Herbert

"Whatever else history may say about me when I'm gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts."~~Ronald Reagan

PROBLEM SOLVING

2011-02-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

"You only have to solve two problems when going to the moon: first, how to get there; and second, how to get back. The key is don't leave until you have solved both problems."~~Neil Armstrong

And just for fun: "The shortest period of time is between the time when the light turns green and when you hear the first horn honk."~~Unknown

~~~

RECIPE FOR MILKY WAY CAKE

2011-01-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

For those of you who might have missed Sarah's recipe (via glen Beck) for Milky Way Cake, here it is:

Cut 6 regular size Milky Way candy bars into 1" pieces. Melt in the microwave with one stick of unsalted butter, stirring occasionally. Mix well. Prepare a yellow cake mix per directions on the box, then stir in the candy mixture. Bake in a bundt pan as directed.

Note: Someone suggested using a chocolate cake and icing it with: Two melted Milky Way bars mixed with a bit of milk to spreading consistency.~~the sixties recipe~~

PROVERBS

2011-01-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some old proverbs that seem to make good sense:

The unexpected always happens.

THEN

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

AND

It is easy to be wise after the event.

~~~

THE LEGEND OF THE PINE TREE

2011-01-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

In an effort to bolster my own (somewhat thin this year) Christmas spirit and expand it throughout the year I send you The Legend of the Pine Tree:

"When the little Christ was born in Bethlehem, not only the wise men came to offer gifts - the birds, beasts and plants came, too, each one had something to offer the little Jesus, excepting the pine tree. It had nothing to offer except its needles, and they would only prick the baby, and were not at all suitable. But God saw how disappointed the little tree was, and told some of the stars to go down and rest on its branches.

When they did, the little tree was covered with such radiance that when the Child saw it, he stretched out his arms toward it in happiness.

From that time forth, at Christmas time, the little pine tree always bears lights which we place there in memory of the night it gave pleasure to the Christ Child."

~~~

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Here's to a happy holiday season for everyone!! It's really hard to believe that the year is nearly over. And since I seem to be unable to even make New Year's Resolutions, much less keep them, here is an old proverb to think about instead:

"The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer."

~~~

THE MINIATURE PONY GETS A NAME

2010-12-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Those of you who are ambitious enough will be able to research this info to verify it. His name is The Yak Killer. That's right. I saw it in print! He is a biter (playing) and the method he uses seems to suggest a type of stinging insect somewhere in Africa that are called yak killers. He seems much sweeter than that!

~~~

"Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly."

~~George MacDonald

~~~

MORE BEESWAX CREATIONS

2010-12-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

It would be impossible to include every variation on the rolled beeswx candle that could be accomplished. Once you begin, your imagination will, no doubt, take over. Perhaps not all ideas will be workable, but most will, I'll bet. Here are some to try:

You could simply cut the sheet into equal halves and roll two candles.
Select a sheet of green wax, cut it lengthwise into 2" wide strips. Then cut each strip diagonally, place the wick at the widest end and roll using the same method as described in our earlier post. When finished you will have 8 delightful little 2" Christmas trees.
Or make a two-toned spiral: Using your choice of colors, cut the sheets diagonally. Stack two triangles of different colors, roll and finish as usual.
You can create very thick candles by butting un-cut sheets of wax and continuing to roll until you reach the size desired.
Stacked candles can be made by cutting the sheets of wax into various widths and butting together at the bottom, roll as above.
Don't forget decorations!! Beeswax contains a natural adhesive so adding glitter is easy. And you can make cutouts from different colored sheets and stick to your candle.
Things to remember: Work in a warm room. Save scraps for cutouts, beeswax can be easily repaired, you will not need extra wick for the bottoms of tapered candles. Have fun!!

Article #8 in a series

CREATE A HAND-MADE BEESWAX CANDLE

2010-12-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Hand rolled beeswax candles make beautiful, practical gifts. Very little time is needed to create a versital honey colored utility candle. You can, of course, choose other colors, but the natural lends itself to many different arrangements.

You can purchase 11"X8" sheets of honeycomb or smooth beeswax and round-core wick at a craft supply store. Do not use braided or wire-core wick! Remember to work in a fairly warm room.

Now the fun begins. Place a sheet of wax on your breadboard with the long side toward you and the edge protruding about 1/4". Bend this downward, keeping it straight by aligning the 8" side to the end of the board. Carefully turn this over so that it bends upwards. Cut a length of wick to extend 1/2" on BOTH ends of the wax. Lay it along the fold and press the upturned edge over the wick firmly enough to remove air but still preserve the wax.

Now begin rolling from the wick side using enough pressure to eliminate air. Keeping the wax straight, roll the entire sheet. Finish the bottom by tapping on a hard flat surface. The extra wick on that end will be pressed into the wax and can still be used if you need to "turn it over" and start with a fresh wick.

There are many variations and decorating ideas which will be discussed in the future.

~~~

Article #7 in a series

THE TRUTH ABOUT BARBARA JEAN'S ACCIDENT

2010-11-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

A mis-diagnosis has occured. My kitten does have a broken tooth but not to the exaggerated extent that I was told. (See my previous post.) That Saturday evening I had to give her a can of tunafish to get her to eat, after which she enjoyed a dose of pain medicine. End of treatment! Sunday morning she was her old self running and leaping in her usual playing habits. She ate a regular diet, even some dry kibble. And she hasn't stopped since; living up to her name is easy! And so, the appointment for surgery was cancelled, much to the relief of my checkbook.
~~~
And along those lines:

"A dog comes when called, a cat takes a message and gets back to you."
"Ask not what your cat can do for you."
"If you don't talk to your cat about catnip, who will?"

~~~

BARBARA JEAN'S MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT

2010-11-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning Barbara Jean, the kitten, was her usual piggish self, trying to eat not only her food but Harry's and Big bear's as well. Then she followed me around the house (running) and outside to do yard work (running). But in the evening she seemed cranky and didn't eat well. She cried pitifully when I picked her up, as though in terrible pain.

This morning she was unable to eat at all and wouldn't even drink water. She seemed feverish with a dry nose and fast breathing while wailing long sad
laments, quite far from her usual bubbly self.

Being Saturday, it took many phone calls to find a vet for emergency treatment. But, finally by 11:00 AM she was being examined. How very fortunate to get the appointment AND a good vet. Her handling of Barbara Jean was amazing!

Turns out she didn't have a fever. I had thought perhaps an insect bite, but I was wrong about that, too. What she does have is a tooth broken off down at the gum-line with nerves and everything else exposed and painful. How it happened will always be a mystery!

So she was given a shot of antibiotics, a dose of pain medicine and an appointment for surgical extraction next Thursday. Now she's sleeping and just sort of 'complains' when I touch her. Bless her little heart.
                                     ~~~

QUICK CANDLE DECORATING IDEAS FOR FALL

2010-10-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

For a quick and pretty Thanksgiving display, choose a collection of Fall-colored taper candles. Group them in mis-matched holders on a sideboard or the center of your table, with or without a runner (a tapestry-look would be gorgeous). You might sprinkle some rich colored leaves or snowflakes the children have cut from folded paper among them, or lay stems of silk flowers here and there.

Another idea is to cut the tops from miniature pumpkins and squash, hollow them out and then coat the flesh with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Next, place a scented votive candle in each one. Voila! a use for the mini-fruit! Or you could just pile the fruit into a pretty basket with some tiny indian corn and tuck in a bow.
~~~
"There will be a time when you think everything is finished. That will be the beginning."~~Louis L'Amour
~~~
Article #6 in a series

HOW QUICKLY HE GREW - AN UPDATE

2010-10-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of mini baby at 5 months. For comparisons scroll back to 5-27 post and through June. Pretty amazing!! ~~~

And here's a thought for today; it's an old Zen saying: "Move and the way will open."~~~

~~~

CANDLE SENSE

2010-10-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Would you like to have a lovely candle scent in your car? Here's how:

Choose a votive candle and trim the wick off at the top to discourage any attempt to light it. Or, you might try to remove the wick altogether, working from the bottom where there should be a wick-holder. This, however, can be difficult with well-made votives.
Place the candle in a container strong enough and large enough to hold the wax should it melt.
Then simply place it into a cup holder in your car. Heat, especially sunshine, will release the fragrance. AND, you have no annoying little doodad swinging from your rear-view.

~~~

What kind of candle burns the longest?

I think most of us know that candlelight is soothing to our nerves and also keeps us focused on others who are sharing the moment.
But did you know that when beeswax candles burn they clean the air in your home? Like an air purifier, they release negative ions that clean up mold spores, dust, pollen, even bacteria and other stuff that can trigger allergies and asthma.
Beeswax candles also burn longer than other types of wax.

Article #5 in a series

~~~

A WORD ABOUT HOLDERS

2010-10-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Regardless of how you acquire your candles - make them yourself, receive as gifts, or purchase - they need complimentary holders. The holders must not not only enhance the beauty of your display, but also contribute to safe burning. Of course, we all know we should never leave burning candles unattended! Not even jar candles!

There are many beautiful glass holders for tapers available in retail stores, as well as thrift shops, flea markets and yard sales. You will also find ceramic, metal and even wooden holders, from single candle size to elaborate candelabras. And if you find one you especially like but it has surface damage - think spray paint! You might even have some glass bottles or bud vases that would make interesting candle holders. Many holders lend themselves to added decorations, so be creative, but be careful to keep flamables away from the flame.

Large figural candles do well simply sitting on a pretty plate or a trivet which also protects your surfaces from wax marks. If your candle needs more height, you might consider a 'spike' holder with 'scroll' feet. These also work well with big thick pillar candles which then lend themselves to much creative decorating.
~~~
4th article in a series.

~~~

AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR

2010-10-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

And it's a great time to display creative candles. These 7 3/4" jack-o-lanterns were poured in a two-part plastic mold. The witch hats first in black (which have faded some as you can see in the picture) and then re-poured and partially cured to prevent mixing of the colors, before casting the pumpkins in orange. The faces were applied with acrylic paint.

An old basket, recyled, works well to show off a witch from the thrift store, silk flowers and candy-container jack-o-lanterns.

Article #3 in a series
~~~

THREE LADIES IN A WAX MUSEUM

2010-10-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some ideas from past experience. They are wax, but cannot really be considered candles or even pomanders because they have no wicks or scent.

The Madonna is poured in a two-part mold without wicking. There is a small indenture on a ledge on the back to insert a very tiny candle, such as a birthday cake size. Makes a pretty glowing "halo" effect. She stands 11 1/2" tall so is quite impressive.

The nude is a bit more complicated. The original candle, cast in a two-part mold was first carved, then used as the model for a plaster mold. The mold is bulky and difficult to work with; let me just say that all conditions need to be perfect or else!
The nude can be made with a wick but I have not burn tested any. This particular one was an experiment. She is over 13" tall.

Mrs. Butterworth was cast in a glass syrup bottle and properly cured, then my husband wrapped her in a thick towel and broke away the glass. I painted the hair, hat, collar, cuffs and apron with melted crayons. Facial features and buttons are acrylic paint. She is missing an eyebrow and her lipstick but that can be fixed. As you can see from the pictures, the front is quite faded. (Since inserting a wick before pouring into such a small space would have been nearly impossible, I opted to attempt it after, and then feared damaging her, thus no wick.) Mrs. Butterworth is about 9 1/2" tall.

And there are my three ladies!!
~~~
Article #2 in a series

CANDLE MAKING SEASON IS HERE!!

2010-10-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Some years ago I had a small home-based candle crafting business. What a joy is was to create beautiful molded candles and decorate them. The smell of the wax, even without additional scent, is still alluring.  Of course back then the wax was petroleum based or beeswax. (I knew nothing of soy wax and still need to finish researching that subject.)

I took a correspondence course, doing all of the experiments, learning where to get the best wax, wick, dye, scents and all things candle. I amassed probably a hundred different molds which I still have, but the years no doubt have taken a toll on at least some of them.

Also in my small inventory is a bit of wax, some dye, wicking, scent and various gadgets needed for two- part molds and the like. Some of the decorating craft items have been used in other projects or for children's art work, but I still have sheets of beautifully colored beeswax, both waffled and smooth. I was never good at rolling beeswax candles; they were either too loose and wouldn't burn well or didn't look good because I smashed them trying to tighten them up.

I hope to be able to begin again!! I will write about each project whether it succeeds or fails. Til then.
~~~
Article #1 in a series.

WHAT IF

2010-09-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

What if Grayson really dies, goes to Heaven, hits return and comes back in the body of some gnarly old wino.....

EQUAL RIGHTS

2010-08-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

"Creation of woman from the rib of man:

She was not made of his head to top him;

nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him;

but out of his side to be equal with him;

under his arm, to be protected;

and near his heart to be loved."

~~From Apples of Gold, by Jo Petty

~~~

IDEAS

2010-08-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

"Idea's are funny little things. They won't work unless you do."

"Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier."

"The only safe way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend."

"Always forgive your your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."

"He drew a circle that shut me out,

But love and I had the wit to win;

We drew a larger circle that took him in."

~~~

Quotes from the book Apples of Gold

by Jo Petty

Photo by Jason Caligaris, Jr.

~~~

RULE NUMBER ONE

2010-07-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

What do you mean, "I'm not suposed to play in Mom's plant?"

"You mean this plant?"

"Nobody can see me, right?"

This little calico kitten appeared in our shop last Wednesday morning. In a week she went from starving to attacking unsuppecting plants. The two big tom cats are still not sure she should stay here, for cryin' out loud!! What shall we name her?

~~~

A TRIP TO JUAREZ MANY YEARS AGO

2010-07-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

My memory of our high school senior class trip to Juarez, Mexico, has become somewhat blurred over the years.

But three things prevail:

A stop in New Mexico for a tour of the Carlsbad Caverns. I remember first, the strange smell of the huge underground caves; we purchased sandwiches somewhere in the depths and it seemed to me they tasted of the odor. There was a constant dripping sound which is how the stactites (hanging) and the stalagmites (rising) were created over many years time.
Then shopping in the border town of Juarez, Mexico, was exhilerating! I bought a huge sombrero to hang on my wall, shawls and blouses, huaraches and probably smaller things I don't even remember. I was, however, unable to haggle as some of my friends were. The proprieters all seemed to know that if they just said 'no' I would pay their price. But it was fun.
When we began the trip home the whole bus-load realized that our years together were coming rapidly to a close. Confined as we were, we became a huge family and the closest of friends. Spontaneity ruled. We even had a wedding! I was the bride and a handsome young man, the groom. When the bus rolled to a stop in front of our school, "THE END" flashed on the screen and the curtain closed. I climbed into the backseat of my parents' car and cried all the way home.

~~~

Today it is difficult to see how conditions have changed in Juarez:

GREAT GRAND-CHILDREN ARE...GREAT!!

2010-07-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

DEMETRIUS, age 7

EYAN, age 6

KYRA, age 5

GAVYN, age 3

~~~

Demetrius photo by Brendan Caligaris

Eyan and Gavyn photos by Brandy Peek

Kyra photo by Bev

~~~

HOLIDAY WEEKEND

2010-07-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

WISHING EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND!!!!

Here's something to mull over: awhile back I watched a TV commercial where-in it was stated that the product is made with REAL ingredients. Guaranteed! What? Please don't tell me that there are UNREAL ingredients!?!

~~~

WILD ROSES AND PONY AT 4 WEEKS

2010-06-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

The top picture shows how tall he is by The Mayor (or Mater, as Gavyn calls her) , then the wild roses by their pen and last, a curious look at the camera.

~~~

SKY AFTER THE STORM

2010-06-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

I was very lucky to be able to capture these before they vanished.

So many beautiful sights,
so little time.

Nature's own
fantasies!!

~~~

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE

2010-06-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Remembering America's Finest

"We didn’t start celebrating Memorial Day until after the Civil War, but it was during that conflict, November of 1863, that President Abraham Lincoln gave his historic Gettysburg Address and eloquently laid out the simple yet profound idea that lies at the heart of this day:

'It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.'

“The last full measure of devotion”—a beautiful phrase describing a tragic consequence. And while the fight has moved from within our own country to conflicts overseas, the giving of your life in service to your country remains a uniquely sacred act. American soldiers are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the sad reality is those are not the last two wars that will ever need fighting. On this Memorial Day and all the days before and after it, we must remember those in our military who bravely served and never made it home."
`

~~~From Glen Beck's newsletter Photo by Bev Caligaris

TWO WEEKS OLD ALREADY!!

2010-06-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

You should see him Prance!! Reared up on his Mom today and she kicked at him. What fun to watch him grow.

~~~

COPY CATS?

2010-06-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Think of the money we could save on furniture!?!

Photo by
Brandy Peek

~~~

THE COMMON PEOPLE

2010-06-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

"The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people."~~Walt Whitman

~~~

MINI BABY IS NOW A WEEK OLD

2010-06-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

I got some pictures of the mini baby while he was running today, but none at the right time. Maybe I'll leave him alone this next week...

~~~

I love this passage from "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings:

"A mark was on him from the day's delight, so that all his life,

when April was a thin green and the flavor of rain was on his tongue,

an old wound would throb and a nostalgia would fill him

for something he could not quite remember."

~~~

DAY FIVE

2010-05-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind, this baby has not yet been named. Any suggestions?

~~~

NEWS UPDATE

2010-05-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

Not even a day old and he thinks he can eat what

Mom eats.

While outside the pen granddaughter, Kayla and Big Bear soak up some sun.

~~~

NEWS ALERT

2010-05-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

The baby, as yet un-named was born last night,

The mother is called The Mayor for her expertise in taking charge.

She and the sire are miniatures.

All are doing well.

And here is Papa Peanut (along with some donkey ears) watching Mom and baby.

They are owned by my daughter, Toby

~~~

SOME THOUGHTS

2010-05-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."~~Henry David Thoreau
`
"Non-violence is a powerful and just weapon...which cuts without wounding...It is a sword that heals."

~~Martin Luther King, Jr.

THE COLD WITHIN

2010-05-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

This was clipped from a church bulletin in 1985:
`
THE COLD WITHIN
`
"Six humans trapped by happenstance
In black and bitter cold
Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story is told.
`
Their dying fire was in need of logs
But the first man held his back,
For on the faces around the fire
He noticed that one was black.
`
The next man looking across the way
Saw one not of his church,
And he wouldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
`
The third man sat in tattered clothes
He gave his coat a hitch,
Why should he put his log to use
To warm the idle rich?
`
The rich man sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
`
The black man's face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from sight;
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.
`
The last man of this forlorn group
Did nothing except for gain,
Giving only to those who gave to him,
Was the way he played the game.
`
Their logs held tight in death's still grasp
Is proof of human sin,
They didn't die of the cold without,
They died from the cold within."
~~Author unknown

~~~

A LETTER TO ELINJO

2010-05-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have missed your excellent blog and our "conversations". I sincerely regret that the problem developed and eagerly await your return.
I had somehow overlooked a comment that you sent back in April and want to thank you now for the info. I would have taken the same path. Hope you are well and will remain so. Sincerely, Bev

JUST TO MAKE YOU SMILE

2010-05-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

The following is from a newspaper clipping saved back when Reagan was president:
A man in Boston, Massachusetts was the doting owner of two cats whose names he proudly displayed on his front door. After (assuming) city census takers took the names from the door while he was away, one of the cats was summoned for jury duty. She was subsequently disqualified, not because she was a cat, but because she couldn't speak English.

~~~

"I'd rather be a 'could-be' if I cannot be an 'are';

because a 'could-be' is a 'maybe' who is reaching for a star.

I'd rather be a 'has-been' than a 'might-have-been', by far;

for a 'might-have-been' has never been, but a 'has' was once an 'are'." ~~Milton Berle

~~~

"A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized." ~~Fred Allen

~~~

ON EATING A COLD MANWICH

2010-05-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I discovered Big Bear, the plush Siamese, sitting in the laundry room, positioned as if he had been sent to sit in the corner. He was, however, not wearing a dunce cap. The dunce, disguised as Chloe Hobo the dog, was standing behind him wagging happily and appeared to be peeking over his shoulder. I stopped to see if perhaps they were watching a spider, but didn't see one. (They have been known to fight over a moth.)
`
Later, the two of them joined up with Harry, the sentinel (on break) and met me in the kitchen to inquire about lunch. Then just as I sat down to enjoy a freshly made manwich (prepared with the new chunky sauce, dolloped onto a slice of cheese on the bun and topped with sweet relish) the dunce came roaring by, yapping loudly, hair standing. She headed for the laundry room with the two cats scrambling after her.
`
Naturally, I had to drop the sandwich and run when I heard a 'scree, scree,scree' sound. That must have been quite a sight, me, the cats and the dunce dog all running madly through the house. When I arrived in the laundry room, I discovered the source of the noise. There, in the very same afore-mentioned corner was a baby bird, not tiny-tiny, possibly a blackbird just out of the nest. Then came the scramble to get everyone out of the room, except the baby. Whew!
`
My son then took the baby bird out and released it into the "wild". And you know what? The cold manwich wasn't so bad.

~~~

THE BEST NAPS

2010-05-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Gavyn, Photo by Brandy Peek

Sometimes the best naps are the ones that sneak up on you.~~~
~

ON THIS DAY

2010-05-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

Wishing the best and happiest Mother's Day to Moms all over the world!!!!
~~~
"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come."~~Song of Soloman 2:11-12 KJV

~~~

A QUOTE FROM GLEN BECK

2010-05-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Gore's $9 million mansion

Al Gore once promised to dump all the climate related money he made back into the climate. Technically he's keeping the promise, as he just bought another mansion. This $9 million monster probably does put a lot back into the climate. Don't worry, Al probably planted a lot of trees to off-set the house…or something like that."

~~~

I didn't PROMISE not to write about politics.. I just couldn't resist this quote. Maybe what bothers me so much is that Mr. Gore (and others) reportedly make millions of dollars from touting an un-proved issue. The "facts" surrounding man-caused global warming are slowly being refuted , but probably won't be swung around in time to save future generations from paying back the enormous sums of money being being poured into it.

Yes, a clean, green Earth is a worthy project, but will our children and their children be able to enjoy it while they pay back what we've spent on it?

~~~

SPRINGTIME INDULGENCE

2010-05-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13" pan.

CAKE ICING

1 BOX YELLOW CAKE MIX 1 CARTON COOL WHIP

1 CAN MANDARIN ORANGES, 1 SMALL CAN CRUSHED

JUICE INCLUDED PINEAPPLE, DRAINED

4 EGGS, BEATEN 1 PACKAGE VANILLA

1/2 CUP VEGETABLE OIL INSTANT PUDDING

` MIX, DRY

Mix cake ingredients thoroughly, bake in prepared pan for about 40 minutes. Cool completely.

Mix icing ingredients and spread on cooled cake.

If you have any left over, you will need to refrigerate it.

YUMMY!!

~~~

"The true test of humility is whether we can say grace before eating crow."

~~Unknown

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF "BEV'S BOOTH"

2010-04-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here is my first post from one year ago, the start of a story as yet un-finished:
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

THE HAUNTING OF AN AMERICAN DREAM

In my mind was the terrifying vision of our country under a great pall. The plains, the hills, the valleys all swarming with dismal beings in drab clothing. They were called Middlings. To receive their monthly provisions and utilities, the Middlings were required to work long hours at jobs that were chosen for them. Most had to work beyond retirement to pay for use of the health care system. Those who grew old and frail were denied all but very basic care because they were no longer productive.

The coastlines and borders of our country were made up of shimmering crystal palaces inhabited by the affluent and beautiful Knowbs. The Knowbs were entitled to live luxuriously with fine cars, expensive clothing, gourmet food and private schools for their children. After all, directing the Middlings, collecting taxes and conducting fund raisers was quite extensive and exhausting. So they vacationed, crossing the land in fancy high-speed overhead railways, or flying to and from their private airports in their private jets...

But when the door closes, there will be sweet smelling candles, kittens and tea parties.

NOTA BENE

I am in awe, lifted out of the fear. My faith in America restored and polished to spun gold. The many gatherings full of heart and courage, seemingly spontaneous, were purposeful and dedicated. Much has been accomplished, without a shindy. But much remains.

Til next time. ~~~

COMPARISON

2010-04-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

From my yard

From Wheatlands' yard

But I LIKE yellow!!
~~~

TODAY I'LL SHARE WITH YOU

2010-04-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

a poem that I believe was written for Brandy, my grandaughter:

My Son

I can't express the fullness

The blessing the Lord has passed to me,

A baby boy for me to care for

And your mother I'll always be.

I nursed you in your infancy

And watched you grow so fast.

I thank the Good Lord daily

For giving me this task.

You filled my heart with every smile

As I played every day with you.

And tried to sing along with you

To keep time with your baby coo.

I was amazed when you began to crawl,

Just how fast you got around.

And remember the many times you got away

As you didn't make a sound.

I listened clearly to your chatter

For the first word you would say.

And then I heard it clearly, "Mommy",

I shall never forget that day.

As you tried your best to walk

There were many bumps and falls.

But it didn't seem any time at all

For you to romp the rooms and halls.

You have grown into my little man

Conquering the simple tasks you know.

And there will be many more

As you continue to grow.

And to the Lord my thanks I give

For the joys you have brought to me.

And I ask for quidance continually

That a fine young man you'll be.

Written for a new mother

by Clarence Tresler

Used by permission

~~~

A TIME TO CATCH UP

2010-04-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of things. First, my oldest cat, Nikki passed away recently. She was a tiny fluff of black fur with big yellow eyes and had lived here with me since she was born twenty-some years ago. I sure miss her.
`
And second, I've been trying really hard not to write about politics!! Have you noticed? But, I just have to correct my earlier posting concerning the census.
There were, in fact, two more mailings to double that particular cost to us, the taxpayers!

"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning." ~~Ivy Baker

~~~

IT'S REALLY TOO LATE TO

2010-04-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

use up your Easter eggs but this is a good recipe for :

DOROTHY GRAHAM'S EGG SALAD

8 hardboiled eggs, chopped fine

2 T. finely chopped onion

1/4 c. chopped green pepper

1/4 c. chopped celery

1 T. snipped parsley

1 (3oz.) pkg. creme cheese, softened

1/4 c. mayo or salad dressing

1 T. chili sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash pepper

2 T. chopped pimento

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on lettuce leaves as a salad , or as a sandwich filling, or on crackers for an appetizer.

Makes 4 cups.

~~~

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND

2010-04-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a happy Easter!!

I made these baskets from some items in my aunt's things. I'm not sure if they were toys or craft items.

No room in these for chocolate rabbits, though.

~~~

SO BEAUTIFUL! SO COLD!

2010-03-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our snow last Wednesday, March 24, 2010:

This last one was taken on February 20,2010:

"Our road will be smooth and untroubled

no matter what care life may send,

If we travel the pathway together,

and walk side by side with a friend."

~~Unknown

~~~

FELINE QUOTES

2010-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

"Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated , musical hot water bottles that never go cold." ~~Susanne Millen
`
"A cat refuses to be the object of sentimentality--if she doesn't want to be cuddled, that's it."
~~Samantha Armstrong
`
Note: Seems to me a cat can also be rather pushy if it does want to be cuddled, especially if you're wearing a clean sweater.
`
This one could be about a cat: "Beauty is whatever gives joy."~~Edna St. Vincent Millay

~~~

CHLOE HOBO - BEFORE AND AFTER

2010-03-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

BEFORE

AFTER

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT UN-GUARDED CUPCAKES!!

~~~

DUCK PARK

2010-03-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

There are several nice parks in our area; the official name of this one is Centennial Park:

The ducks are Mallards, I believe, and there are some large white geese that can be rather intimidating. However, they all appreciate bits of bread and the like.

These steps lead to a foot bridge that crosses the river.

A view of the Arkansas River from the bridge.

And here is the depot from the North end of the bridge.
The park also has tennis courts, large expanses of lush grass for any number of games, a children's playground and picnic tables.

~~~

THE BIG CHAIR

2010-03-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

All who live with and care for cats will agree that there is no such thing as an 'average cat'. All are unique. Follows now the story of one.
`
Given to him by our granddaughter, my husband had a beautiful, silken Siamese. He named this kitten Honey Bear and then proceeded to spoil her. While he ate, she dined on tuna from a newly opened tin, or shredded home-cooked chicken, and tidbits from his plate. She was provided with clean bowls of fresh water and crunchy dry (cat) food at all times. Naturally, she had her own quality litter-box, which had to be cleaned after each use, and at night she slept under the blankets of his bed. During the day she could be found where ever he was. They watched TV or dozed in the big chair. Many hours were spent there. Sometimes he entertained her with dangle toys or even his cane. And so, as she grew, they bonded.
`
But Chuck was very sick. And after he died, Honey Bear never again touched the big chair where they had spent so much time. She lost weight and preferred to spend a great deal of time outside. She was somewhat consoled by her brother, Big Bear, who had come to live with us during that time. Finally, she began to follow my son from place to place, sitting a few feet away, her back to him, ears drawn back.
`
But about eight months after Chuck died, Honey Bear disappeared. Vanished. We tried everything but never found a trace. Maybe she just couldn't forgive him for leaving her.
`
I console myself by remembering that Big Bear didn't grieve excessively, so he must know that she's alive somewhere in a home without the big chair.

~~~

THE SUN IN WINTER

2010-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES I TOOK IN JANUARY
At the top is a sky full of jet streams, then the sun trying bravely to break through and of course, a sunrise.

~~~

SOMETIMES IN LIFE there is

2010-03-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

BETRAYAL

There were the little things

First, I shook them off

Imagination, over-reaction, unintentional

Surely I misunderstood.

Then

It became so unreal day after day

The cruel mind games, the lies

How could this be? Where were my friends?

Surely I misunderstood.

Painful humiliation endured alone

I couldn't believe why no one could see

Why no one cared

Surely I misunderstood.

After all the years, the giving, the caring

I had no strength to defend myself

I couldn't believe you wanted me gone

But surely I misunderstood.

I wasn't ready to go yet

It hurt so bad

~~~

SIGNS OF SPRING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

2010-03-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

A new baby goat

One twin

Keepin' Watch

~~~WHY IS THIS SO HARD?

WEALTHY AMERICAN TAXPAYERS

2010-03-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

Last winter we viewed recurring TV ads urging us to return the census questionaires. Why was I unable to see the part that said those forms had not been sent, nor would they be mailed until March, 2010? Can you imagine the enormous cost ? Does anyone remember them now?
`
Yesterday I received a letter from the Census Bureau. My first reaction was that it must be a very short form this time. Wrong. It was a notice that the questionaires will be sent in about a week; please fill in the blanks and return promptly. Two mailings? To every residence in the US...every street number, every rural route number, every PO box, every apartment number, every mobile home park lot number... The postage alone must be staggering, not to mention double the office overhead, double the man/woman power, double the paper, and double the ink - among other things.
`
Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of the census. I just don't understand such free spending of the American taxpayers' money.

~~~

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer."

~~Ed Cunningham

~~~

CATS HAVE THE COURAGE

2010-02-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

I can certainly relate to this: "We're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them." ~~Jim Davis

There is no denying that cats are intensely self-centered. Some of us find them independent and resourceful, others call them arrogant and unpredictable. Everyone knows they are inquisitive and playful, but that the tricks they learn are for their own benefit--they simply like doing it or get a favorite treat.

Cats are creatures of routine and become easily upset by any sudden changes. For instance my cat, Harry (a gray tiger stripe), patrols the roof of my house daily, sometimes spending the entire day so engaged. He can be heard leaping from point to point and may occasionally hurry in to run up-stairs, make a tour, then return to the roof. When he is sure that all is well, he has a favorite spot to rest and watch. Can you imagine his frustration last summer with some roof repairs going on? He over-came that to face an early, snowy winter. What's a hard working cat to do?

BECAUSE OF LOVE...A very touching e-mail

2010-02-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

"A brother and sister had made their usual hurried, obligatory pre-Christmas visit to the little farm where
dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of horses.The farm was where they had grown up and had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm. Through the years the tree had become a talisman to the old man and his wife, and a landmark in the countryside.
`
The young siblings had fond memories of their childhood here, but the city hustle and bustle added more excitement to their lives, and called them away to a different life.
`
The old folks no longer showed their horses, for the years had taken their toll, and getting out to the barn on those frosty mornings was getting harder, but it gave them a reason to get up in the mornings and a reason to live. They sold a few foals each year, and the horses were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at day's end.
`
  Angry, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks "Why do you not at least
dispose of The Old One." She is no longer of use to you. It's been years since you've had foals from
her. You should cut corners and save so you can have more for yourselves. How can this old worn out horse bring you anything but expense and work? Why do you keep her anyway?"
`
  The old man looked down at his worn boots, holes in the toes, scuffed at the barn floor and replied, " Yes, I could use a pair of new boots. His arm slid defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her near with gentle caressing he rubbed her softly behind her ears. He replied softly, "We keep her because of love. Nothing else, just love."
`
Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley. The old couple shook their heads in sorrow that it had not been a happy visit. A tear fell upon their cheeks. How is it that these young folks do not understand the peace of the love that filled their hearts?
`
So it was, that because of the unhappy leave-taking, no one noticed the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn. None saw the first spark fall. None but the "Old One".  In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay. With a cry of horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved horses. But the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back. He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury. His wife back from calling for help cradled him in her arms, clinging to each other, they wept at their loss.
`
By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were left, and the old man and his wife,
exhausted from their grief, huddled together before the barn. They were speechless as they rose from the cold snow covered ground. They nodded thanks to the firemen as there was nothing anyone could do now. The old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as his shaking old hands clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red bandana. Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve of Christmas. Let us gather strength and climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in times of despair. We will look down upon our home and give thanks to God that it has been spared and pray for our beloved most precious
gifts that have been taken from us.
`
And so, he took her by the hand and slowly helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his old and withered hand.  The journey up the hill was hard for their old bodies in the steep snow. As they stepped over the little knoll at thecrest of the hill, they paused to rest, looking up to the top of the hill the old couple gasped and fell to their knees in amazement at the incredible beauty before them. Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it was aglow with heavenly candles. And poised on its top-most bough, a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass. Never had a mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this. They were breathless as the old man held his wife tighter in his arms.
`
Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonderand incredible joy. Amazed and mystified, he took his wife by the hand and pulled her forward. There, beneath the tree, in resplendent glory, a mist hovering over and glowing in the darkness was their Christmas gift. Shadows glistening in the night light.
`
Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was the entire herd, safe.  At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her muzzle and had led the horses through it. Slowly and with great dignity, never looking back, she had led them up the hill, stepping cautiously through the snow. The foals were frightened and dashed about. The skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails under them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits. The mares that were in foal with a new year's crop of babies, pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine.
`
And now, she lay among them and gazed at the faces of the old man and hiswife. Those she loved she had not disappointed. Her body was brittle with years, tired from the climb, but the golden eyes were filled with devotion as she offered her gift---
`
Because of love. Only Because of love.
`
Tears flowed as the old couple shouted their praise and joy... And again the peace of love filled their hearts.
`
This is a true story. "

~~~Unknown

A LONGING FOR THE WARMTH OF SPRINGTIME

2010-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

OF AN EARLY SPRING

Along this country road

Near the house where Chrissy used to live,

Long, shimmering strands of faded wild grass

Bent, from too long under heavy winter snows,

Now ripple in the breezes of an early Spring.

Scattered clusters of sturdy Queen Anne’s Lace stand guard

And yellow gourds, unloosed, tumble down the bank.

In the pasture below

A soiled white horse ambles about,

Nuzzling in the barely perceptible green.

And in the field beyond

A patch of stubborn snow lies before a row of yet barren trees.

Suddenly a fat Robin appears, perched on the barbed wire fence,

Glancing quickly from side to side as if

Watching the wind.

Behind it all, a train rumbles by,

But no one notices.

I hope everyone had a really good weekend. It was sunny here, but cold.

~~~

MAKE A NEW ENDING

2010-02-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here are some quotes that recently caught my eye:
`
"The devil is easy to identify. He appears when you're terribly tired and makes a very reasonable request which you know you shouldn't grant."
~~Fioella LaGuardia
`
"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." ~~James Michener
`
"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." ~~Albert Einstein
`
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, But anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~~Maria Robinson
`
It's so good to be able to say that Spring begins next month!!!
`

A VALENTINE FOR THE VERY YOUNG

2010-02-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

STUCK UP VALENTINE

In the daze

Of watermelon brine

And dozes,

Through the haze

My dashing Valentine

Discloses

That the maze

Of rings stuck his to mine

(our noses.)

~~~

WHY GLOBAL WARMING IS NATURAL - THE LIST ENDER

2010-02-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

The final 10 reasons from the UK NEWS:

91) The accepted global average temperature statistics used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that no ground-based warming has occurred since 1998.

92) If one factors in non-greenhouse influences such as El Nino events and large volcanic eruptions, lower atmosphere satellite-based temperature measurements show little, if any, global warming since 1979, a period over which atmospheric CO2 has increased by 55 ppm (17 per cent).

93) US President Barack Obama pledged to cut emissions by 2050 to equal those of 1910 when there were 92 million Americans. In 2050, there will be 420 million Americans, so Obama’s promise means that emissions per head will be approximately what they were in 1875. It simply will not happen.

94) The European Union has already agreed to cut emissions by 20 percent to 2020, compared with 1990 levels, and is willing to increase the target to 30 percent. However, these are unachievable and the EU has already massively failed with its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), as EU emissions actually rose by 0.8 percent from 2005 to 2006 and are known to be well above the Kyoto goal.

95) Australia has stated it wants to slash greenhouse emissions by up to 25 percent below 2000 levels by 2020, but the pledges were so unpopular that the country’s Senate has voted against the carbon trading Bill, and the Opposition’s Party leader has now been ousted by a climate change sceptic.

96) Canada plans to reduce emissions by 20 percent compared with 2006 levels by 2020, representing approximately a 3 percent cut from 1990 levels but it simultaneously defends its Alberta tar sands emissions and its record as one of the world’s highest per-capita emissions setters.

97) India plans to reduce the ratio of emissions to production by 20-25 percent compared with 2005 levels by 2020, but all Government officials insist that since India has to grow for its development and poverty alleviation, it has to emit, because the economy is driven by carbon.

98) The Leipzig Declaration in 1996, was signed by 110 scientists who said: “We – along with many of our fellow citizens – are apprehensive about the climate treaty conference scheduled for Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997” and “based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot subscribe to the politically inspired world view that envisages climate catastrophes and calls for hasty actions.”
99) A US Oregon Petition Project stated “We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind. There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of CO2, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate.”

100) A report by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change concluded “We find no support for the IPCC’s claim that climate observations during the twentieth century are either unprecedented or provide evidence of an anthropogenic effect on climate.”
`
At last it's done; all are in. I hope it has at least been interesting reading!!

~~~

A LIGHT LOOK A VALENTINE'S DAY

2010-02-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Cute Cupids

Red is the color

Of Valentine hearts

White lace and arrows

Are some of the parts

Some folks like candy

And some of them don't

Cupids are cute

But wear clothes?

No they won't!

SEE # 89 - ON THE UK NEWS LIST

2010-02-04T12:15:00.000-08:00

Just one more entry and we'll have them all posted. Then we can go forward with less stressing subjects.

WHY WE DON'T NEED 'CAP AND TRADE'

81) The UK’s Met Office has been forced this year to re-examine 160 years of temperature data after admitting that public confidence in the science on man-made global warming has been shattered by revelations about the data.

82) Politicians and activists push for renewable energy sources such as wind turbines under the rhetoric of climate change, but it is essentially about money – under the system of Renewable Obligations. Much of the money is paid for by consumers in electricity bills. It amounts to £1 billion a year.

83) The “Climate-gate” scandal revealed that a scientific team had tampered with their own data so as to conceal inconsistencies and errors.

84) The “Climate-gate” scandal revealed that a scientific team had campaigned for the removal of a learned journal’s editor, solely because he did not share their willingness to debase science for political purposes.

85) Ice-core data clearly show that temperatures change centuries before concentrations of atmospheric CO2 change. Thus, there appears to be little evidence for insisting that changes in concentrations of CO2 are the cause of past temperature and climate change.

86) There are no experimentally verified processes explaining how CO2 concentrations can fall in a few centuries without falling temperatures – in fact it is changing temperatures which cause changes in CO2 concentrations, which is consistent with experiments that show CO2 is the atmospheric gas most readily absorbed by water.

87) The Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy contains a massive increase in electricity generation by wind power costing around £4 billion a year over the next twenty years. The benefits will be only £4 to £5 billion overall (not per annum). So costs will outnumber benefits by a range of between eleven and seventeen times.

88) Whilst CO2 levels have indeed changed for various reasons, human and otherwise, just as they have throughout history, the CO2 content of the atmosphere has increased since the beginning of the industrial revolution, and the growth rate has now been constant for the past 25 years.

89) It is a myth that CO2 is a pollutant, because nitrogen forms 80% of our atmosphere and human beings could not live in 100% nitrogen either: CO2 is no more a pollutant than nitrogen is and CO2 is essential to life.

90) Politicians and climate activists make claims to rising sea levels but certain members in the IPCC chose an area to measure in Hong Kong that is subsiding. They used the record reading of 2.3 mm per year rise of sea level.

~~~

"If there is a 50-50 chance that something can go wrong, then nine times out of ten it will."

~~Paul Harvey

ARE POLITICIANS IGNORING THE REAL PROBLEMS?

2010-02-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

Please remember these listings are quoted from "The UK News". If you don't want to read all of them today, at least read these three: #75, #77 and #79.
`
The climate change list goes on:

71) Despite the 1997 Kyoto Protocol’s status as the flagship of the fight against climate change it has been a failure.

72) The first phase of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which ran from 2005 to 2007 was a failure. Huge over-allocation of permits to pollute led to a collapse in the price of carbon from €33 to just €0.20 per tonne meaning the system did not reduce emissions at all.

73) The EU trading scheme, to manage carbon emissions has completely failed and actually allows European businesses to duck out of making their emissions reductions at home by offsetting, which means paying for cuts to be made overseas instead.

74) To date “cap and trade” carbon markets have done almost nothing to reduce emissions.

75) In the United States , the cap-and-trade is an approach designed to control carbon emissions and will impose huge costs upon American citizens via a carbon tax on all goods and services produced in the United States. The average family of four can expect to pay an additional $1700, or £1,043, more each year. It is predicted that the United States will lose more than 2 million jobs as the result of cap-and-trade schemes.

76) Dr Roy Spencer, a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, has indicated that out of the 21 climate models tracked by the IPCC the differences in warming exhibited by those models is mostly the result of different strengths of positive cloud feedback – and that increasing CO2 is insufficient to explain global-average warming in the last 50 to 100 years.

77) Why should politicians devote our scarce resources in a globally competitive world to a false and ill-defined problem, while ignoring the real problems the entire planet faces, such as: poverty, hunger, disease or terrorism.

78) A proper analysis of ice core records from the past 650,000 years demonstrates that temperature increases have come before, and not resulted from, increases in CO2 by hundreds of years.

79) Since the cause of global warming is mostly natural, then there is in actual fact very little we can do about it. (We are still not able to control the sun).

80) A substantial number of the panel of 2,500 climate scientists on the United Nation’s International Panel on Climate Change, which created a statement on scientific unanimity on climate change and man-made global warming, were found to have serious concerns.

~~~

HYSTERIA OVER GLOBAL WARMING?

2010-02-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

And the list goes on:

61) The UN’s panel on climate change warned that Himalayan glaciers could melt to a fifth of current levels by 2035. J. Graham Cogley a professor at Ontario Trent University, claims this inaccurate stating the UN authors got the date from an earlier report wrong by more than 300 years.

62) Under existing Kyoto obligations the EU has attempted to claim success, while actually increasing emissions by 13 per cent, according to Lord Lawson. In addition the EU has pursued this scheme by purchasing “offsets” from countries such as China paying them billions of dollars to destroy atmospheric pollutants, such as CFC-23, which were manufactured purely in order to be destroyed.

63) It is claimed that the average global temperature was relatively unchanging in pre-industrial times but sky-rocketed since 1900, and will increase by several degrees more over the next 100 years according to Penn State University researcher Michael Mann. There is no convincing empirical evidence that past climate was unchanging, nor that 20th century changes in average global temperature were unusual or unnatural.

64) Michael Mann of Penn State University has actually shown that the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age did in fact exist, which contrasts with his earlier work which produced the “hockey stick graph” which showed a constant temperature over the past thousand years or so followed by a recent dramatic upturn.

65) The globe’s current approach to climate change in which major industrialised countries agree to nonsensical targets for their CO2 emissions by a given date, as it has been under the Kyoto system, is very expensive.

66) The “Climate-gate” scandal revealed that a scientific team had emailed one another about using a “trick” for the sake of concealing a “decline” in temperatures when looking at the history of the Earth’s temperature.

67) Global temperatures have not risen in any statistically-significant sense for 15 years and have actually been falling for nine years. The “Climate-gate” scandal revealed a scientific team had expressed dismay at the fact global warming was contrary to their predictions and admitted their inability to explain it was “a travesty”.

68) The IPCC predicts that a warmer planet will lead to more extreme weather, including drought, flooding, storms, snow, and wildfires. But over the last century, during which the IPCC claims the world experienced more rapid warming than any time in the past two millennia, the world did not experience significantly greater trends in any of these extreme weather events.

69) In explaining the average temperature standstill we are currently experiencing, the Met Office Hadley Centre ran a series of computer climate predictions and found in many of the computer runs there were decade-long standstills but none for 15 years – so it expects global warming to resume swiftly.

70) Richard Lindzen, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote: “The notion of a static, unchanging climate is foreign to the history of the Earth or any other planet with a fluid envelope. Such hysteria (over global warming) simply represents the scientific illiteracy of much of the public, the susceptibility of the public to the substitution of repetition for truth

~~~

All views are truely welcome.

Thanks for reading!

A LETTER TO ELINJO

2010-01-31T13:20:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your most welcome comment on my 'climate change' series as quoted from the "UK News". To be fair, I do not pretend to know the answers nor am I a scientist. What I write of is my own opinion garnered from material penned by people much more intelligent than I.
`
But I cannot believe what the global warming scare mongers would have us believe. My concern is that it is monetary first. I am unable to fathom the huge sums of money being generated for the few, which no doubt, is being extracted from our pockets.
`
Should man-caused global warming and its consequences be real, the costs of bringing about change would be enormous and the restrictions on people, mind boggling. But, there are those who would profit.
`
I hope it's warming up in Denmark!!
~

UK NEWS - 100 REASONS...THE SECOND HALF

2010-01-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

Reasons why global warming is natural:

51) Wind farms are not an efficient way to produce energy. The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) accepts a figure of 75 per cent back-up power is required.

52) Global temperatures are below the low end of IPCC predictions not at “at the top end of IPCC estimates”

53) Climate alarmists have raised the concern over acidification of the oceans but Tom Segalstad from Oslo University in Norway , and others, have noted that the composition of ocean water – including CO2, calcium, and water – can act as a buffering agent in the acidification of the oceans.

54) The UN’s IPCC computer models of human-caused global warming predict the emergence of a “hotspot” in the upper troposphere over the tropics. Former researcher in the Australian Department of Climate Change, David Evans, said there is no evidence of such a hotspot

55) The argument that climate change is a of result of global warming caused by human activity is the argument of flat Earthers.

56) The manner in which US President Barack Obama sidestepped Congress to order emission cuts shows how undemocratic and irrational the entire international decision-making process has become with regards to emission-target setting.

57) William Kininmonth, a former head of the National Climate Centre and a consultant to the World Meteorological Organisation, wrote “the likely extent of global temperature rise from a doubling of CO2 is less than 1C. Such warming is well within the envelope of variation experienced during the past 10,000 years and insignificant in the context of glacial cycles during the past million years, when Earth has been predominantly very cold and covered by extensive ice sheets.”

58) Canada has shown the world targets derived from the existing Kyoto commitments were always unrealistic and did not work for the country.

59) In the lead up to the Copenhagen summit, David Davis MP said of previous climate summits, at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and Kyoto in 1997 that many had promised greater cuts, but “neither happened”, but we are continuing along the same lines.

60) The UK ’s environmental policy has a long-term price tag of about £55 billion, before taking into account the impact on its economic growth.

"A friend is one who knows all about you and

still likes you."

THE MELODY OF THE SKY

2010-01-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

by Clarence Tresler

The morning breaks, a new day dawns.

The sunbeams caress the seas.

Dewdrops caress each lovely flower,

The winds caress the leaves.

The robin sings so cheerfully,

The sparrow flies so high.

The wonder of nature all in tune

To a melody of the sky.

Many times I've seen it all,

And felt it deep in my heart.

Here God in all his glory shown,

And I was then a part.

But all that seems so long ago,

The years have passed me by.

Oh how I long for nature's song,

The melody of the sky.

Could it have changed as time passed by

Hid from all who cared?

Please show me God, the way again,

That melody to be shared.

For my heart is lonely, longing too,

Before life passes by,

To hear once more and share with you

The melody of the sky.

As I walked close to you,

There seemed so far away

A melody from years passed by

That song from nature's play.

Then again I turned to you, my dear,

Before you passed me by.

And once again in glory heard

The melody from the sky.

Then the sun caressed a newborn love

As it came shining through,

And caressed an angel, dear

The first time I kissed you.

Then together, hand in hand, we walked

Our hearts were beating high,

For together we would always share

The melody of the sky.

~~~

WE'RE HALF-WAY THERE!

2010-01-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

UK NEWS CLIMATE CHANGE IS NATURAL: 100 REASONS WHY

41) Researchers who compare and contrast climate change impact on civilizations found warm periods are beneficial to mankind and cold periods harmful

42) The Met Office asserts we are in the hottest decade since records began but this is precisely what the world should expect if the climate is cyclical

43) Rising CO2 levels increase plant growth and make plants more resistant to drought and pests

44) The historical increase in the air’s CO2 content has improved human nutrition by raising crop yields during the past 150 years

45) The increase of the air’s CO2 content has probably helped lengthen human lifespans since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution

46) The IPCC alleges that “climate change currently contributes to the global burden of disease and premature deaths” but the evidence shows that higher temperatures and rising CO2 levels has helped global populations

47) In May of 2004, the Russian Academy of Sciences published a report concluding that the Kyoto Protocol has no scientific grounding at all.

48) The “Climate-gate” scandal pointed to a expensive public campaign of disinformation and the denigration of scientists who opposed the belief that CO2 emissions were causing climate change

49) The head of Britain’s climate change watchdog has predicted households will need to spend up to £15,000 on a full energy efficiency makeover if the Government is to meet its ambitious targets for cutting carbon emissions.

50) Wind power is unlikely to be the answer to our energy needs. The wind power industry argues that there are “no direct subsidies” but it involves a total subsidy of as much as £60 per MWh which falls directly on electricity consumers. This burden will grow in line with attempts to achieve Wind power targets, according to a recent OFGEM report.
`

GLOBAL WARMING IS NATURAL - UK NEWS

2010-01-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Ten more reasons why Global warming is natural:

31) Despite activist concerns over CO2 levels, rising CO2 levels of some so-called “greenhouse gases” may be contributing to higher oxygen levels and global cooling, not warming

32) Accurate satellite, balloon and mountain top observations made over the last three decades have not shown any significant change in the long term rate of increase in global temperatures

33) Today’s CO2 concentration of around 385 ppm is very low compared to most of the earth’s history – we actually live in a carbon-deficient atmosphere

34) It is a myth that CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas because greenhouse gases form about 3% of the atmosphere by volume, and CO2 constitutes about 0.037% of the atmosphere

35) It is a myth that computer models verify that CO2 increases will cause significant global warming because computer models can be made to “verify” anything

36) There is no scientific or statistical evidence whatsoever that global warming will cause more storms and other weather extremes

37) One statement deleted from a UN report in 1996 stated that “none of the studies cited above has shown clear evidence that we can attribute the observed climate changes to increases in greenhouse gases”

38) The world “warmed” by 0.07 +/- 0.07 degrees C from 1999 to 2008, not the 0.20 degrees C expected by the IPCC

39) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says “it is likely that future tropical cyclones (typhoons and hurricanes) will become more intense” but there has been no increase in the intensity or frequency of tropical cyclones globally

40) Rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere can be shown not only to have a negligible effect on the Earth’s many ecosystems, but in some cases to be a positive help to many organisms

~~~

TRADGEDY

2010-01-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

`
My heart goes out to the people of Haiti and all of the rescuers. Those of us who believe are praying. Many are donating money. The world is responding in so many ways. I am so proud of our people, the point of light in this tradgedy.
`

700 HUNDRED MILLION YEARS AGO

2010-01-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

I know that many of you just couldn't wait any longer so
Here are the next 10 items from the climate change list:

21) Professor Zbigniew Jaworowski, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection in Warsaw, Poland says the earth’s temperature has more to do with cloud cover and water vapor than CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.

22) There is strong evidence from solar studies which suggests that the Earth’s current temperature stasis will be followed by climatic cooling over the next few decades

23) It is myth that receding glaciers are proof of global warming as glaciers have been receding and growing cyclically for many centuries

24) It is a falsehood that the earth’s poles are warming because that is natural variation and while the western Arctic may be getting somewhat warmer we also see that the Eastern Arctic and Greenland are getting colder

25) The IPCC claims climate driven “impacts on biodiversity are significant and of key relevance” but those claims are simply not supported by scientific research

26) The IPCC threat of climate change to the world’s species does not make sense as wild species are at least one million years old, which means they have all been through hundreds of climate cycles

27) Research goes strongly against claims that CO2-induced global warming would cause catastrophic disintegration of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets.

28) Despite activist concerns over CO2 levels, rising CO2 levels are our best hope of raising crop yields to feed an ever-growing population

29) The biggest climate change ever experienced on earth took place around 700 million years ago

30) The slight increase in temperature which has been observed since 1900 is entirely consistent with well-established, long-term natural climate cycles

`

Bev's Booth

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

INSIGHT FROM BECK

WE MISS YOU

A BIT OF HUMOR

MY ANSWERS

CAN YOU DO THIS?

BY REQUEST

A TREE BRANCH AND A BAR STOOL

SCHOOL STARTS

WEASLEY ALERT

TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY

CLIMATE CHANGE IN SIMPLE TERMS

OH NO! THE TEST IS BACK

FULL CIRCLE?

BOO

PARENTING

GOT HICCUPS?

THE ARRIVAL OF WEASLEY

MISSING

REVERSE FORECLOSURE

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DAY FIVE

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS ALERT

SOME THOUGHTS

THE COLD WITHIN