Sunday, January 11, 2009
Jan 01, 2009 Escape!!!
10:14 AM | 
Posted by
Gabby Faye |
The weather was JUST turning nasty as we left the lower part of Michigan at 6:00 AM Tuesday. Had we waited even another hour we might STILL be there. Sleet through parts of Ohio, ice on the car (but not the roads) through the rest of Ohio, heavy rain and fog through the Smokies, and rain into North Carolina to visit family. Yes, not the best drive we have had, but the alternative behind us was storm after storm at home. By the afternoon of Day 2 we were feeling the warmth, seeing sunshine, and celebrating Florida!
After stopping for another family visit, we finally arrived Home-South after dark. Our neighbor came over and brought us up to speed on community and neighborhood happenings. By bedtime I felt completely at home.
After stopping for another family visit, we finally arrived Home-South after dark. Our neighbor came over and brought us up to speed on community and neighborhood happenings. By bedtime I felt completely at home.
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| The rate of overgrowth was simply amazing. This was all neat and under control when we left last spring. |
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| The jungle between our house and the vacant house next door had a star fruit tree buried in with jasmine and hybiscus. We only had 3 or 4 little fruits before. I looked in among the branches and knew we had a bonanza this year. |
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| The fruit just fell into my hands, except for the dozen or so that were already on the ground and fermenting. I had no need for the clippers. Soon I had a box full. |
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| We cut up some and enjoyed the pear-like texture with citrus overtones. There is at least that much still ripening on the tree. We gave some away...actually we gave a lot away. The rest we are enjoying SO much. |
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| Later, we wandered around to check on the orange tree planted 2 or 3 years ago and the Key lime tree the neighbor gave us as a gift last year. the leaves of both are pretty well chewed up, but the Key Lime gave us a little plate of fruit...for pies, maybe. |
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| Meanwhile, we are watching the heavy snow storms back home and we know we got out JUST in time. |
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Before We Leave...
My Old Dear's aunt was born New Years Eve (year still under discussion). This year was not good to her. She lost her husband in the spring and this fall, fell, winding up in a rehabilitation home. Her dear son arranged a great gathering in the party room of the residence, today, including her 4 remaining siblings. There were originally 8 children in the family. Although the survivors all live in the area, all are elderly and none can drive any more. They had not all been together for quite a while, especially for a happy situation. (Funerals are not the place for family photos) My main purpose for being there was to be the person behind the camera. When the 5 all were together, hugging and greeting one another, there was hardly a dry eye in the room, including the people who work in the residence. Here is my favorite photo.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
We Are Leaving for Florida Too Late!!!
This is the view of the Detroit River looking toward an island between us and Canada. There is a very narrow channel of water WAYYYY out there. Judging from the piles of ice, the clear strip of water could have been the work of an ice-breaker ship. I can not remember the last time, if ever, an ice breaker was needed in this area.
It was bitterly cold! The date on the calendar said "December 21" but it was hard to believe. There was snow and near-zero cold on the FIRST day of Winter. We thought leaving for Florida after Christmas meant we would miss the worst parts of winter. I guess we should look at leaving in October next year.
Here's why this sight is so remarkable. We are just a mile or so down-river from an active coal-burning power plant. River water is used to cool the generators and pumped back into the river, keeping our part of the river, lake and outer canals warm and free of ice. The only other time I have seen these areas frozen was once when the power plant went off-line for a week or so.
You might say, "So what?" Well, I'll tell you. Our town is full of marinas. I heard someone say there were more boats than the population, but I don't know that for a fact. Most of the boats are pulled out of the water by October 15, when there is danger of a strong wind out of the west that blows the water out of the canals and strands boats on the bottom. When the water returns, the boats may be stuck in the mud and swamp. Bye-bye, boat! Some boats near the main docks of the marinas will stay in for the winter. Some of them have people living on the boat all winter. If the water freezes the unprotected boats could have their hulls crushed by the ice. Some captains will ring the boat with empty milk jugs tied together. The ice may crush the jugs, but the boat will stay safe. Other boat owners will install "bubblers" surrounding the boat at water level which will keep the water moving and from freezing. HOWEVER...those in the main canal, just down from the power plant never had to worry.
I can only wonder what happened. When we looked the power plant was running full blast. We had to guess that the sudden cold snap and snow were more than the warm flushing water could fix.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Early December Snow
Why didn't we go South in October with so many other Snowbirds? Well, Halloween and Thanksgiving, but as I freeze my toes and sniffle away I wonder if we will go earlier next year.
Oh yes...now I remember. There are all those wonderful winter moments with the granddaughters!!!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving!
There is no way I can take photos AND serve dinner so I just took some before of the table. There were actually 4 tables, but without food they look a little silly. The four tables were: Appetizers, meal, dessert, and coffee and mints. Worst problem was keeping the little ones out of the candy.
Appetizer table without the crackers, cheeses and meats, veggie-tray, and candy.
Welcome!
Appetizer table without the crackers, cheeses and meats, veggie-tray, and candy.
This was the dining table set for 8 adults and 2 children. I used my mother's Havaland China, and some crystal that I think was my mother's mother's. I used only a couple of pieces of the sterling that was my mother's. With having the baby here all last week with a little viral infection, polishing silver just wasn't a priority.
Funny story about the centerpiece. I found "the perfect" centerpiece to buy online a week or so ago. I sent for it and waited, hoping it would arrive in time. Wednesday a small box arrived. Too small. It couldn't be the centerpiece with 3 pillar candles on holders. Well, it wasn't. Only the candles were there. I went to the computer and brought up the order. Woops...the candles and centerpiece were separate. I had only ordered the candles. So, on her way back from the pre-Christmas Parade 6 mile run, my daughter stopped at the store and grabbed this one. I was as happy with that as the one I thought I had ordered.
By the time I had salads, breads, and relishes on the table everyone was seated. Then my daughter and I cleared the salads and served the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, scalloped corn, creamed beets, kielbasa & noodles. Fortunately, my Old Dear, his son, my sister-in-law, and my daughter made a lot of the dishes.
Dessert was home made (thanks SIL, Chris) pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and mince pie. Coffee with mints finished the evening.
By the time I had salads, breads, and relishes on the table everyone was seated. Then my daughter and I cleared the salads and served the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, scalloped corn, creamed beets, kielbasa & noodles. Fortunately, my Old Dear, his son, my sister-in-law, and my daughter made a lot of the dishes.
Dessert was home made (thanks SIL, Chris) pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and mince pie. Coffee with mints finished the evening.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
BEWARE: The Ides of October!
Ides of October? Why beware? No...Julius Caesar was killed on the Ides of MARCH. No...Columbus Day is the TWELFTH of October.
Well, if you had lived your life on the Western shore of Lake Erie, and boated for most of it you would KNOW! One day shortly after the 15th, the wind is going to start blowing out of the West...REALLY blowing, and keep blowing for days. So what? Did you say "So What"? When the wind blows the water out any boat still tied to the dock will be dangling and stuck in the mud...so stuck that when the water comes back the boat will not be able to float and will swamp...probably not usable again. In the summer every dock would be filled with boats. There are several marinas in town, one boat club, and hundreds of homes with private docks. The number of boats is greater than the total population of the town. Many people in inland towns keep their boats here and make this a bustling place in the summer.
(More later as I process a few more photos from today)
Well, if you had lived your life on the Western shore of Lake Erie, and boated for most of it you would KNOW! One day shortly after the 15th, the wind is going to start blowing out of the West...REALLY blowing, and keep blowing for days. So what? Did you say "So What"? When the wind blows the water out any boat still tied to the dock will be dangling and stuck in the mud...so stuck that when the water comes back the boat will not be able to float and will swamp...probably not usable again. In the summer every dock would be filled with boats. There are several marinas in town, one boat club, and hundreds of homes with private docks. The number of boats is greater than the total population of the town. Many people in inland towns keep their boats here and make this a bustling place in the summer.
So, anyone who has lived here very long knows that all boats have to be out of the water by October 15...it is ALMOST a law! But every year there are some who get too busy, don't know, or don't care. This is what happens:
It was a good day to go for a drive here and there to see what the low water uncovered. As we turned down one little dirt road neither of us had been on before, along a canal, we noticed something I had only heard about...the old corduroy log road...REALLY old! We are talking early settlers in wagons. A few years ago (more than 10) we heard about the discovery of this road by a couple of kids exploring. Soon officials from the state declared it was real, old, and might yield some old treasures if explored, maybe with a metal detector. Only problem is the road being underwater all but a few days a year. I just feel privileged to have photographed it today.
From some old entries in a county history in Indiana, I know my ancestors built and traveled on just such a road from Ohio into Indiana. One diary entry mentioned that the men ran into a newly completed log road and realized they had gone in a circle. I guess they didn't have a GPS.
As we headed down one road we noticed a farm, as a friend said, "In It's Autumn Years"A much nicer title than abandoned. Actually there did seem to be someone working on a car in the yard, but none of the buildings were usable. This tractor overgrown by shrubs had a "look". It was a photo waiting to happen.
The out buildings whispered of years when this was a well-cared for farm, but now seems to be just farmed by an absentee owner. I stood for a moment with my eyes closed and tried to imagine the busy, pretty farm it HAD been.
(More later as I process a few more photos from today)
Labels:
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Purple Beans
I see this wonderful vine from my craftroom window and enjoy it with mixed feelings.
Joan, one of my DSP friends, although we have wandered a bit apart with the demise of Hello, sent me these bean seeds last fall. I planted mine in a long pot to go up my trellis. Well, either the lack of sun, rain, water or all three, or the pot was too shallow, but mine didn't do very well...certainly not like THESE. I had about 5 seeds left over and gave them to my neighbor and look what hers did!
But...my Clematis did better and, now in September, is still blooming. She gave me the Clematis.
Old Adventures
In the "granny forum" there was discussion about Googling your own name. So I started with my full name which I don't use all that often. A description of an adventure I was on years and YEARS ago came up.
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Let's see what else I can find!
Here's another. I had totally forgotten this one from the old Passport to Knowledge project.
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From: "Laura Lou XXX"
Subject: Re: Backyard Biodiversity Survey
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 22:48:15 -0400
Our data will be in tomorrow. This survey had to be done by my sixth hour
exploratory class...made up of 20 students from my three science classes.
They will then share with the rest of their classmates.
It is a good thing that I decided to do it this way. We have had a rather
wet Michigan spring. Although the far edge of the campus looks like a
lovely green lawn, it hides a soupy-wet layer of mud. As I was leaving the
team with a plot about 3 feet into the woods after taking some photos, I
tripped over a root and sprawled face-first flat into the muddy lawn.
Imagine a 60 year old woman covered from hair to toes with mud trying to
retain a shred of dignity. It wasn't easy. I wasn't hurt and once the
students could see that, we all had a great laugh. Too bad the camera, too,
was covered with mud and unable to record this moment.
Now aren't you glad you asked.
Laura XXX
XXX Middle School
XXX, MI
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| Teacher Laura Lou XXX drives from Michigan to Washington, DC to visit Us here at ICUG | |
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| From Saginaw, Michigan…. The part of the State shaped like "a Mitten on the Map", Laura Lou XXX! One of the many people that Maga introduced to ICUG and Email and Message Forums. Laura was so impressed with the ICUG Poster Series that she used them in her Public School Classroom teaching her students American History. She also joined Our Computer Network and joined our nightly Brainstorming sessions to create new Projects using Computer Desktop Publishing. |
| Here in my Office Laura Lou and I take a look at the Front Door Software Program on the PC. | |
| Laura became so excited about ICUG using Scanners, Graphics Design software, Color Printing and Telecommunications, that she decided to take a week off and drive to Washington, DC from Michigan, to spend time with us in the Office and learn the Computer Techniques used to produce the Poster Series. Laura's friends and family were quite amazed that she was so motivated as to drive alone, to visit people that she had never met in person, and spend a week with them. Few people can understand the close friendships that can and do form through people meeting and coming to share and know one another online. So very often we hear about the negative experiences that some people have in the Online Community, but here you'll find the most positive stories. Just ask Mike and Sue! As in life, one should use good judgment in forming any new friendships or associations |
Let's see what else I can find!
Here's another. I had totally forgotten this one from the old Passport to Knowledge project.
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Re: Backyard Biodiversity Survey
From: "Laura Lou XXX"
Subject: Re: Backyard Biodiversity Survey
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 22:48:15 -0400
Our data will be in tomorrow. This survey had to be done by my sixth hour
exploratory class...made up of 20 students from my three science classes.
They will then share with the rest of their classmates.
It is a good thing that I decided to do it this way. We have had a rather
wet Michigan spring. Although the far edge of the campus looks like a
lovely green lawn, it hides a soupy-wet layer of mud. As I was leaving the
team with a plot about 3 feet into the woods after taking some photos, I
tripped over a root and sprawled face-first flat into the muddy lawn.
Imagine a 60 year old woman covered from hair to toes with mud trying to
retain a shred of dignity. It wasn't easy. I wasn't hurt and once the
students could see that, we all had a great laugh. Too bad the camera, too,
was covered with mud and unable to record this moment.
Now aren't you glad you asked.
Laura XXX
XXX Middle School
XXX, MI
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Saturday, September 20, 2008
Florida 2009
As I put away some of my summer clothes and drag out the sweatshirts and heavier slacks Florida seems closer. The nights are getting cool although the days are still warm enough for an occasional boat ride. We are starting to make some decisions about when to leave, where to stop overnight and so on. More later.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Snowbird Summer
Part of being an Snowbird is connecting with other Snowbirds over the summer. There is better attendance at the local Retired Teacher's group lunches. The next will be at a new racetrack that opened not too far away. That must have happened while we were in Florida because the place is a surprise to me.
We (my son and I) have been working on my Home Office all summer. There is still a custom counter-top coming Sept 10. This weekend we probably will finish the list of little details including a mirrored sliding door on the closet. Then after the counter-tops are installed, I can put the cork on the little bit of wall under the cabinets. Looks like it will have to be cork-floor tiles. The roll cork is too thin, they say.
We (my son and I) have been working on my Home Office all summer. There is still a custom counter-top coming Sept 10. This weekend we probably will finish the list of little details including a mirrored sliding door on the closet. Then after the counter-tops are installed, I can put the cork on the little bit of wall under the cabinets. Looks like it will have to be cork-floor tiles. The roll cork is too thin, they say.
CRAFT AREA
THE VIEW OF MY BACK PORCH AND GARDEN
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