Lost Days

What day is it? I have only worked 1 1/2 days this week, and with all that time off and holidays, I am having trouble keeping the days straight, Wednesday felt like Saturday, Thursday felt like Sunday and yesterday felt like Saturday again.

A couple of days ago, it was negative wind chills, today it is almost 60 degrees. A lot of the snow was melted by the time I got up, about 8.
Here are a few pictures.

This one is looking out toward the horse pasture, behind the barn.


This was taken from the front of the pole barn looking at the pond.


And this one is looking through the "gate" at the horse barn.


and this across the pond, at the back of the pole barn.

They look a little spooky and eerie. They also look like they are were taken in black and white, but I was using the digital camera and they were printed in color.

Charlie said that the pond water level is up several inches, and the water is "gushing" through the underground drainage pipes he put in and it is still running all over the pasture. He said the water in the middle of the pasture the area behind the first picture is about 10 inches.

Quiet Christmas

Well, it was a quiet Christmas, Shonda came on Wednesday evening, we ate and opened our presents, then she had to get back to work on Christmas morning. Charlie and I just hung around the house and had steaks fixed on the new George Forman Grill that Shonda gave me.

Charlie got a new Michigan Atlas, he has used the old one some much it fell apart.

We also got some new camping equipment, cast iron swing away grill and cook set to hang pans over the campfire, there are pictures at Sportsmans Guide

Charlie and Shonda got a couple of dress shirts, and a new digital camera that didn't include the memory card (now wonder they were so in expensive.)

I sent the annual newsletter out on Wednesday, but if you read this blog, you had already seen most of it. I did forget to add that Charlie spent most of the summer building a large horse arena which will come in handy for the 4H kids to practice. In case I didn't mention before we now have 10 horses. Two of them were given to him because the owner didn't want to feed them all winter, three of them he is boarding, they pay for the feed.

I was supposed to work today, but just as I started out the door, it started sleeting, and with all the weather reports, I decided not to go. It was probably a good idea our driveway and road were a solid sheet of ice.

Gees, isn't this exciting? Hope you aren't too board, or maybe you should read this just before you turn in for the night, it might make you sleepy.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL.

Podcasts

I am so excited- I just created a podcast, and put it on the Library web page. It is a test, the location on the web page is not permanent, so check it out http://myjdl.com/minutes_12_11

We have a poetry contest in the Spring and are going to have the winners read their poems and put them on the website.

Stay tuned for more details

Winter

This was supposed to be ... Just a quick post, I am stuck at home this morning because we have a snow drift over 2 feet high in the driveway. (the picture on the left. I'm waiting for somebody to come and plow it out so I can go to work.

The window box was drift was almost 15 inches and that was close to the house (the picture on the right).

I also took a few more pictures while I was out there.

....but I have been having trouble getting the pictures to line up the way I want them. So I give up.

Happy Winter Solstice

Happy Winter Solistice (I noticed some churches are having longest night programs. When did that start?)

Shonda and I went to the Wharton center to see Grease on the 11th. It was great, most of the people there had probably seen it so many times they could sing the songs. Taylor Hicks played the part of Teen Angel, he was pretty good, in a suit that looked like it was made of glitter.

It looks like it could be pretty busy, at work in the New Year. They are writing a grant, to fund a partnership project with the library and Community Action Agency, to provide computer classes, in low income neighbor hoods.
I have contacted the Department of Aging about holding computer classes at some of their nutrition centers. If this all happens I may have to clone myself.

I finished my Christmas shopping this week, and even have it all wrapped. Yay!! I finished the last of it Thursday night, and the store was a mad house. As I was going in an older man on the way out said "Are you sure you want to go in there?" I had to, I had to pick up a prescription. I figured while I was there I might as well get it done. Part of the crowd may have been because of the impending storm, that was predicted for Thursday night/Friday morning.

The storm came, I left early to get to work, it took me over an hour. I got there - before everyone else, because .... the library was closed. I drove home, trying to stay in the tracks of the snowplow, and not get stuck in the piles of snow crossing my line, ice kept building up on the windshield wipers. Sometimes visibility was pretty low. I made it all the way home and got stuck in the driveway (backed up and tried again about 4 times.) Then I found a message on the answering machine that must have been left when I went out to clean and start the car at 6:40AM. Charlie didn't answer it because he thought I was still in the house.

I am writing this Sunday morning, It is now snowing and blowing again.

Charlie is watching hunting or golf or football on television, a few minutes ago, a Blue Jay flew in the screened porch (someone left the door open) and took some Boston's dog food. Then couldn't figure out how to get back out.
Charlie tried to shoo him out with the broom but he flew up into the house rafters, too far back to reach with the broom. For all I know he is still there. I assume if we leave him alone he will find his way out eventually. I hope.

I am trying to figure out how some people make their everyday lives sound so much more interesting than mine.
For example: Front Porch Indiana, or Notes from the Trenches, or Confessions of a Pioneer woman

D*** I can't believe it has been a whole month

Geeze, I can't believe it has been a whole month since I posted.
No reason just nothing to blog about. Like I told somebody the other day, doing laundry and grocery shopping don't make for very exciting blogs.

Let's see what's been going on.

Charlie and I took a three of the neighborhood girls to a horse competition a couple of weeks ago. The first one 2 of them had every been to, and the first time for one of the horses.
It was cold- I think the weather kept some people away, there was about 25 competitors in different age levels.
They did well, they all places in at least one event.

Shonda moved into her own apartment about 10 days ago. She went shopping in my house before she left.
" I need a lamp"
"I'm going to take this book case, and this dresser.
"Can I take this display rack?"
"I'm taking these mugs", (as she takes them out of the cupboard- I got her some from the camper)
"Can I take this coffee pot?"
I asked if she needed plates, then decided she could take paper plates and plastic spoons. After all like Charlie said- why do you need real plates for pizza.

She has called several times, usually about putting money in her checking account. Says she has another job lined up to clean someone's house, and maybe another house cleaning.

Shonda and I are going to see Grease at the Wharton Center with some friends on Thursday. Taylor Hicks from American Idol has a part, I think the Frankie Avalon teen angel part. I'll let you know how it is .

Charlie is the new 4H horse leader. We found out the Springport Township was going to be discussing the possibility of a huge horse park in the township, so he went to the meeting. He is now on a committee. I am not sure the purpose of the committee, see what they can do to help, feasiblity ???

Oh, I have signed up for a twitter account. I am not sure about it, but I have been reading a lot of library and trainer blogs writing about it lately. So I thought I would try it see how it works.
so far, I'm getting really exciting comments, almost as exciting as doing laundry and buying groceries. It may take a while to get the right people for networking. find me at http://twitter.com/betzja

Found a really funny e-card maker today. It is called elfyourself http://www.elfyourself.com/. I sent a card to Jenn and Arthur. watch for one in your inbox. The one below (previous post) is one I made of people at work, Shonda and me.

Guess that's all for now- I'll blog ya later, or maybe tweet.

Beautiful things,

Since I did 5 beautiful things a couple of days ago, I "get to do" one today.

A feeling of accomplishment, when the laundry is done and clothes put away, the groceries shopping is done and put away, and the dishes are done and the dishwasher is empty.

My version of 3 (actually 5) Beautiful things.

Checking a blog and finding pictures of the great nephew and niece in the Halloween costumes

Yards covered with a golden carpet of leaves, glowing with sunlight on my way to work.

Seeing black cows scattered across the multicolored field

Walking across the parking lot and seeing the golden leaved trees framing the gray church steeple against an iron gray sky background.

Spending election night with friends and co-workers and celebrating together after winning a hard fought battle.

Yeah - the millage passed

I don't think I ever wrote about this, I don't know why.

Jackson District Library had millage proposal on the ballot yesterday. The library was asking for .4 mills. This was for operations only. To keep the lights on and the doors open in all of the branches.

16 months ago, asking for .8 mills to expand and improve all of the branches. Most of the library buildings were never meant to be libraries, with increased usage and demand for more technology they really need more room and improvments. They had focus groups and questionnaires and thougth it would pass. It was defeated 2:1 6o% no to 40% yes.

The library got a 1 mill when they became a district library 30 years ago. It was renewed 10 years ago. But with the Headley amendment and tax captures for businesses, decrease in state aid and a decrease in penal fines. The library has spent most of it's savings and within 3 years will have a $1,000,000 deficit.

They decided they had to ask for an increase. Without it they would have to re-evaluate the and come up with a new model of service for the population of Jackson County, which would have most likely meant closing some of the branches. I for one was not sure even this would pass, there was a lot of negative comments and the newspaper was pretty negative.

Well

It Passed 62% -38%.

We all still have jobs, and we can begin to think about other things in the library. It seems like we have been thinking about only the millage and money for ever. Actually it has been 3 years, but that is a long time

Election Day

Just want to remind everyone to

I don't care who you vote for, just vote.
If you live in Jackson County remember to vote Yes on the library millage.


I did. I looked at the clock and thought it was too early to go to the polls, so I waited until 6:45, I should have left at 6:30, there were 36 people ahead of me, some of them had been there since 6:30. When I left, the line was back and forth covering the whole area of the township hall.

Late Fall Camping

Charlie and I went camping this week-end, Since we bought the camper in August, we have only had a chance to use it once so we decide to try it this week-end the latest we have ever camped. I checked with DNR and Bruin Lake State park is open until November 30, so off we went, I rather short notice although we had talked about it for several weeks.
The address for Bruin Lake is Gregory, but it is about a mile (by road) to Unadilla (I love that name, the way it sounds.)

The weather was great, a little windy on Sunday morning, and the rain held off until we were all packed up and pulling out of the campground.

We have been to Bruin Lake before, several times but we figured out that it has been at least 10 or 11 years since we were there last. We usually go there when we want to take someone novice canoeing because it is not far from the Huron River, a great beginner canoeing river.

Charlie went over on Friday afternoon and had things set up by the time I got there after work, and stopping to pick up a few groceries. Only one little glitch, he was backing the trailer in the site, make sure not to hit the fire pit and hit a tree. Not a lot of damage to the trailer but...

We also realized during our conversations that this was the very first time we have ever gone camping alone, just the two of us. some.

Fall is a great time to go camping, there is hardly anyone at the parks. Bruin Lake has 186 sites, and we counted 20 sites being used. Don't tell anybody, they might decide to try it, then it wouldn't be as nice because it would be too crowded.

Oh, the restrooms were closed for the season, but they did have an porta-john and we had the bathroom in the camper.

We ran into some people who said they had been camping for 3 weeks, there were two couples left, for this there last weekend. They had up to 7 families there at one point during the 3 weeks. They said they have been doing this for the last 10 years.

We went for a ride on Saturday, and found a horse riders campground. it was packed with trailers and horse people of all ages. Charlie had heard there was one in the area, and was checking it out for some of the kids he will be working with this year. He is going to be the horse 4-H leader, more on that in another post.

When we go camping, Charlie does most of the cooking over the camp fire. On Saturday night it was beef stew, it tasted great.

There are not a lot of trails but Charlie and the dog managed to find a few, they even walked to Undilla Sunday morning, about 5 miles cross country, on the trails and down a little private road.

We had a some nice campfires, I had to take a picture of this piece of wood, it looked a little strange. That is all one piece of wood See the picture below on the right.

We have talked about camping at least once a month, trying a different camp ground, each time, I was thinking April -October, but I found out that there are 10 state parks that are open year round. We are thinking about going sometime this winter, Anybody interested?

The worst weird things I or you ever ate.

I haven’t been able to find a book on the subject so I may write one.

Some of my co-workers were discussing child hood memories one day and we started listing some of the weird strange gross things our parents made us eat.

For me it was my dad eating chicken feet, no way would I eat that. Now the pickled pigs knuckles I liked or the sardines, although now I can’t figure out why. When he was a kid he made a younger friend eat worms. Hey the older boys said her try this, so little Charlie did.

My dad wouldn’t drink is coffee without canned evaporated milk. Yuk. My mother used to make sandwiches out of left over bean soup. You know the navy beans and ham soup that when it was cold it congealed and looked gross. She ate that stuff.

For TE it was Vienna sausages, potted meat and spam. Oh yeah and SOS, or the more proper name Chipped beef gravy on toast.

MW agreed with the spam

JeD said creamed spinach, oysters

Big K said dry non fat milk was really gross. Another thing she hated was little green brains (it took a minute but she meant Brussels’ sprouts)

They both thought we were loosing it when JD and I remember having milk with cream on top and scraping it off.

JD’s dad ate orange marmalade and onion sandwiches,
EWWWWW
His neighbor ate vanilla ice cream and mustard.

Kalamari said chow mien, it looked like little white worms.

The worst think EP could come up with was oyster stew every New Years.

Okay your turn, leave a comment, what is the weirdest, strangest worst thing you can remember your parents eating or making you eat? After all if I’m going to write a book I need lots of material.

Catching up again

OK, so it has been awhile since I wrote, again I am just going to list what has been going on the last couple of weeks.

• Shonda and I attended Jenn's baby shower, on the 7th. She got lots of nice things, and I found out that you are not supposed to cover babies with blankets when you put them to bed, it is easier for them to suffocate. I made a comment that it is a miracle we “ the gandmother generation” made it to adulthood. I mean we didn't use seatbelts, or car seats, bike helmets, had drawstrings on our hoods, lead paint, no bottled water....

• A friend of Charlie's, the one he went to Oregon with a couple of years ago, called him a couple of days before his appointment and wanted to know if he wanted to go to Phoenix to do some work,. Charlie told him he could because he had surgery scheduled. He had his doctor's appointment on Tuesday, the 9th. There was a misunderstanding somewhere, because it was just a consultation and not surgery. The Dr. suggested that he wear a brace at night, that it works better wearing at night than during the day. He has to go back on November 3. So he and a couple of other men left for Phoenix on the 12th at 8 AM.

WARNING Complain mode- I had a miserable weekend:

• It started raining about 8:30 PM, Friday night and rained all night, the roof started leaking (are you ready for this) over the toilet, not into the toilet, on the seat. The kitchen sky lights have leaked before, but this weekend it started running along the ceiling to the wall, and running down behind the cupboard, water running on to the microwave, I had buckets and bowls setting on the floor, on the the bathroom,stool and on the cupboard. I rained all day. I emptied the rain gage at about 5 PM, we had 3.5 inches of rain.
  

• I woke up at 5:30 in the morning, because my CPAP had quit, because I had no power. GREAT.

OK done complaining - it could have been worse at least I wasn't in a hurricane or have several inches of water on the floor.

• Shonda and I went to see a movie Sunday, There was nothing elsed to do. We saw The Women, it was pretty good, but the critics didn't like it, I think probably because they are all men. We thought it was funny. I started working on my macrame chair, not very hard, a little tricky getting the first cords started, and the pattern on the back is a little difficult to count and doesn't look like much of a pattern at first.

• I emptied the rain gauge at 6:00 PM there was another 5 inches.
  

• When I called consumers abouut the power their projected reconnect time was Tuesday evening at 6 PM.

• N0w for some better news, I had a Doctors appointment Monday morning, and a I have lost 10 pounds (since April) not a lot but it is a start, and I do feel better, with more energy, and more rested. I even took the dog for a walk when I got home tonight (Tuesday). Only 15 minutes, but it is better than nothing, but it was all I my back could manage.
  

• The power came back on by 5:30 Monday. At least I didn't loose any of the food in the freezer like the last time we were without power.

Springport's homecoming is tonight (Friday) I don't know if I will go to the game, but I am going to the parade to campaign for the library millage for more information on that if you are interested see the library website

Labor Day Week-end continued

After thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided I needed to add a couple of things about this camping trip that we will probably remember for years to come.

• Charlie standing on the floating dock and Tom pulling him in.
• Kathy using the paddles on the inflatable boat to maneuver the dock around the pond.
• The frog that tried to eat a snake. I didn't see it and we have no pictures you will have to ask, Charlie or Michelle.
• Tom floating around on the pond for a long time using the inflatable sides of a kiddie pool (the bottom had a big hole so they cut the sides off).
  
• Little Benjamin toddling around falling down then having to crawl to something to pull himself up because he hasn't figured out how to stand up without some support.
• Benjamin being so overly tired and overly stimulated, and not wanting to go to sleep getting so upset he was sobbing, and then throwing up all over daddy Ben. Papa (Tom) was the only who could finally calm him down.
  

Actually we might not have remembered them for years, but we will now that I have put it in writing and posted on the web for all the world to see.

Labor Day Week-end

We used the camper for the first time this past week-end. We camped at my sister's property in Olivet. I know that sounds a little strange, but it is about 12 acres back off the road, they have built a pavilion, and although you can see a couple of back yards it feels more isolated.

This is a panoramic view of the campers taken from the hill near the pavilion

We saw several deer and 3 or 4 wild turkeys, although no rabbits or raccoons.
They have a pond with lots of little blue gill and bass, and some that are getting to be decent size. We even saw a blue heron fly into the pond, but it didn't stay more than a few seconds, too many dogs and kids.

Friday and Saturday was just family, including some of the dogs. My great nephew will be 11 months old next week and is toddling around and has a fascination for anything on wheels that makes noise. He particular likes tires, and they have to watch him like a hawk, because as most babies, he wants to see what they taste like.

My brother brought his dog Otis, who is about 14 years old and has arthritis in his hips and cannot hear very well. One day I watched him take a few steps, stop and do this have crouch lunge thing for a second or two, take a couple more steps and lunge again. I made the comment that it looked like he was doing exercises. (see the picture to the right).

Every camping trip or family vacation has to have something special to remember, this one was no exception. Sunday night, a lot of friends and extended family came for dinner. there was probably 30 people. There were a lot of people there who were dog people so they petted and played with both his dog and ours.

At some point in the afternoon Otis came up missing and without a huge announcement half of the people were looking for the dog. In the pond, in the "tall weed" in the briars, in the woods, and down the road. For about 15 minutes.

Then somebody notices that my brother-in-law's propane camp stove is in flames. He had left it on to burn off some of the grease and in the process of looking for the dog, forgot about it and the grease caught fire.

About 8 of us were trying to decided how to put out the fire before it burnt the pavilion down. We did get it turned off, but the grease was still burning. I had said don't use water it will just make the grease fire worse, they didn't listen, flames shot to within inches of the rafters. Somebody tried opening the lid that gave it more oxygen, same effect. They tried beating with a dry towel (yeah like that's going to work). My niece got a fire extinguisher from a camper, (out of date and no pressure) finally Charlie yelled but a wet towel over it. duh!!!! Sorry, don't have any pictures of the fire. (sorry no picture of the fire we were too busy trying to put it out)

OK, back to looking for the dog. Which we found about 20 yards from the campfire ring, lying in the weeds in the shade of a big tree. See the large tree behind
Charlie to the left of where he is setting, that's about where we found Otis.

Like I said every trip has to have something to remember.

Repairs, News (good and not so) and Horse Clinics.

Well, I missed posting another week, I keep saying I am going to write ever week, but nothing seems to happen to write about.

Last week-end we decided we should check out the refrigerator in the camper before we took it anywhere to make sure that it worked. The electric worked, but the propane didn't. It looked like the flame was on, but when we unplugged it, the fame went out. Charlie took it someplace on Monday, we got it back today. It works!!! We plan on going to my sisters "lot" next week-end, Labor Day.

Shonda came into Jackson and had lunch me me on Thursday, I figured when she called me to have lunch something was up. There was. She told me she had a date that night, her first since she broke up with Brian. OK so she had a date, then she tells me he's 33, and what did I think about that. I said there is not much I can do about it, she is 21 and has to make her own decisions.
While we were on the way to lunch she also told me Charlie had flipped the tractor over on top of him that morning. The kid across the road was helping him tear down an old trailer and Charlie was trying to pull the roof off, it was heavier than he thought and the tractor went up and flipped. Luckily he was not hurt, a little sore but that's all. It could have been much worse.

Saturday we went to a horse clinic that Chris Cox was giving in Paw Paw. Chris has a TV show on RFD TV, his website is here. He uses a style that Charlie has found works well for him when he is training the horses. Those of you who don't know horses might not find this interesting but we did. Even me who doesn't ride or work with them.

We watched Cox, train 21 riders ( he says he used to train horses, now he trains people). I don't ride and I probably wouldn't get the technique right if I was out there on a horse, but I could tell when somebody was not doing something properly.

One of the riders said he had a 2 year old at home that he was having trouble with, every time he tried to ride it, she would buck for 4 or 5 minutes then they would be fine. Cox told him to go get the horse, he'd look at and tell him what he was dong wrong.

After he finished the clinic for the day they brought out this horse. The first thing he did was take the bridle off, (the rope around the horsed face with a lead rope) before he put the halter (the bridle with the bit and reins) on. the horse took off and they had to chase it for a couple of minutes. Cox told the guy the horse didn't respect him and didn't think the person was boss. Within 1/2 hour that guy was not only riding the horse, the horse was standing perfectly still and the rider was standing on his back. Amazing

His big thing is that the horse has to know you are the boss and has to respect you. He trains the horse by making it work then giving it "relief" as soon as he get results.

Lots of stuff-

I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since I posted anything in this blog. We just do not have a lot going on in our household.

Let's see if I can remember every little thing that has been going on since I wrote to you last.

I went to the Dr. for a regular check up- and told him the CPAP was working OK, but I was still tired and had awful bags under my eyes, and was retaining fluid. He sent me to have a thyroid test done.

Yep- I have an sluggish thyroid. He has since increased it a little because it was still a little low after a couple of weeks.

So last week I woke up feeling dizzy, so I called his office they got me in that day. My blood pressure was up to 166 over something ( I can never remember the bottom number) Apparently a side effect of having a normal metabolism. He also told me to walk at least 15 minutes everyday. I haven't made the full 15 minutes yet, but I have started to park at the far end of the parking lot so I have to walk farther. I do feel much better, I can function well on 7 or 8 hours sleep, I used to sleep until 9 or 10 on weekends, and I think I look better.

I think I wrote about Charlie having a part-time job. He's working for the guy down the road, cutting trees. It started as part time, but after the storms we had a couple of months ago, he was working 50-60 hours a week. It has slowed down some but he is still working 40 hours a week, at least until yesterday, when he left because the “boss” flew off the handle for no reason. Charlie had threatened about 3 times before and finally had enough. Check back to see what happens.

He has also completed an arena for some of the local kids, and himself to train and practice various activities on their horses.

Charlie finally went to the doctor because his arm has been bothering him, he has to have carpal tunnel surgery on his left arm. (He had it on his right hand years ago, I think right after Shonda was born. That is scheduled for September 9^th.

Shonda's birthday is Friday, (the 15^th.) It is almost unbelievable that she will be 21. She is going to take a couple of online classes this semester so we bought her a second hand refurbished computer for her birthday.

For those of you that don't know, My cousin's husband died suddenly last week. He was only 53 years old. The funeral was huge. It is hard on the family when anyone dies but when it is so suddenly, and so young it is even more difficult. It always makes me want to reach out to my loved ones and let them know I am thinking about them and how I feel. So to all of you out there I'm thinking about you and hope you are all well and happy. Luv ya.

For years I have been saying I am too old and my back hurts to much to tent camp and sleep on the ground. Well Charlie mus have finally decided that he is too. He came home about 6 weeks ago and asked me if I thought we would use a camper if we had one. He saw one on his way to work. We went and looked at it, but after I checked the Internet and with the credit union, he was asking twice as much as it was worth.
We looked a couple of others, but they weren't in very good shape one a '98 and they was $1000.00 more, and the credit union would only loan about 2/3 of what they were asking. One we looked at was over 30 years old and they were asking $2,500 for it.
We drove back to check on the first one, (Charlie really liked it) but it had been sold. On the way home we passes one that had a for sale sign. So we turned around to look at it. It is a '94 but in really good shape, it is 26' and sleeps 4, it has a real bed, and a dinette table that can be taken out. They were asking less than the other 2 newer ones. I have been spending the last couple of evenings going through all of our camping stuff, and cleaning it up (I think it has been a couple of years since we used any of it)

I think that's all for now. I'll try to write more frequently. I thought I didn't have any thing to write about but this post suddenly seems a little long.

Birds nest

Just thought I would post a picture of the robins' nest, while I think of it. There are 4 babies and I think they still have another 3 days to 7 days before they are old enough to fly, the first one had hatched on June 3 and the according to vegsource.com they are ready to fly in 15 to 20 days. It looks a little crowded in that nest, I'm not sure there will be enough room for them in 7 more days.

One year.

It has been 11 days since I last posted, I had planned on posting last Sunday evening, but the power went out at 4:00 and I couldn't connect to the internet. I was off on Monday, and when I got back to work on Tuesday I wasn't able to get to it.

We finally got our power back at 2:30 AM Wednesday, Which meant not much sleep, because as you probably know, when the power comes, on things you didn't realize were on come on. Things like Bedroom lights and fans etc. I couldn't get back to sleep so I got up at 3:30 and began cleaning out the freezers and refrigerator. Everything in the freezer had thawed, luckily there wasn't much in there.

Charlie started helping out a guy down the road who has a tree removal business. It is supposed to be part time, but this week he has worked 4 11 or 12 hour days, and is going to work tomorrow. He didn't work today because he had a graduation open house he wanted to attend.

Here are some pictures of the robins. They were taken last week just before the rains came. '


I just realized it has been about a year since I started this blog. (I just checked, it has been exactly one year ago today).

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

More later.

Robin's Nest Update

When I posted the pictures of the robin's nest a couple of days ago, I didn't realize they were almost ready to hatch.

They look like little mice. On second thought more like tiny naked trolls with the little hair/feather tufts. I guess I have never seen baby wild bird, I've seen chickens, but never wild ones, and chickens have more feathers at birth.


We also have a nest in a cedar tree in the front yard. I thought those had hatched and flown a long time ago, but apparently not, as evidenced by this picture.



Our rhubarb has gone to seed, I never seem to get out there and pick it before it goes to seed, but it is rather pretty this way, but look at the size of the leaf compared to the chicken.

Pictures

As I mentioned in the last post, we have a Robin's nest in a fence post. So I thought I would take a picture if it. The picture of the eggs didn't turn out real well, but here it is any way maybe I can get another one later

Nature at home - birds.

As you regular readers may remember, Charlie finally got a pond dug a few months ago. See: http://jbetzblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/catching-up.html He has put in some small blue gills, and bass.
Since then we have seen a couple of ducks on it, a king fisher, trying to get some of the fish, http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/61/_/Belted_Kingfisher.aspx and some yellow warblers. http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/343/_/Yellow_Warbler.aspx. I don't know if the warblers are here because of the pond or we just never noticed them before.

I saw a hummingbird this evening, but not at the feeders,and I am not sure where it is nesting. One year we had a nest in the maple tree in the front yard.

A pair of robins have also built a nest on a fence post by the horse barn. it is only about 4 feet off the ground and has 4 blue eggs in it.

Kathy said she thought she saw an Oriole when they were here for Easter, Charlie has seen it, but I haven't yet this year.

We also have a couple of Bluebirds nesting.

About a year ago we found this really cool bird identification website; Whatbird.com. http://www.whatbird.com/ You can search by entering the name of a bird or it will help you figure out what kind of bird it is by choosing colors, size, beak shape, location etc. It even has a bird song feature so you can hear what the birds sound like.

I don't remember if I mentioned that we took the mare down to "visit her boyfriend" a couple of weeks ago, Charlie went down to pick her up yesterday so we should have another foal about this time next year. Here is a picture of the stallion.

Charlie put our other younger mare in with our stallion, we are not sure if that "worked" yet if not we will have them try again in a few weeks.

Vacation

Well, it has been awhile, I just simply forget to write, because I lead such an exciting live. NOT!
Last week we went camping with my family. There are pictures of that trip on my nephew's blog at http://www.simplyoutdoors.net/2008/05/22/camping-the-first-trip-of-the-year/

There were 11 people who camped and my one of my niece's in-laws came for supper on Saturday.

Michelle had the baby there, Benjamin is 7 months old, and they are so cute at that age, I forgot to take any pictures - AGAIN, but you can see some of them again on Arthur's blog at http://arthurandjenn.com/wordpress/?p=727

We had 3 campsites and our camping "gear ranged from tents, to pop-ups-to trailers, to mini-motor homes.

From Pokagon State Park we went to Redbanks Mississippi, to see Charlie's son Terry and his family.

We had a good time and as usual Charlie did a lot of things with the kids and came home with a little back ache, I don't think he's used to riding a bicycle about 5+ miles.

We hope to have them, or at least the three kids, come up sometime soon to see and ride the horses, and so we can show them around Michigan.

I took a few pictures, but I didn't get any good ones of Terry or Amy or Ruth. This is one of Logan age three, the great grandson, Sarah age 10, and Daniel in the background, age 14. Ruth is 12.

Passion Quilt

I found this on blog that I read everyday, I would like all you at JDL to try this.
This is called a meme- it is kind of like a game of tag. One person starts it and tags several other people. They in turn answer the questions and tag someone else. I am not tagging anyone, but I think it is kind of neat and if anyone that reads this wants to try it or to comment please do so.

Here are the "rules"

1. Think about what you are passionate about teaching your students.
2. Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
3. Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog entry.
4. Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce.

Here are what some other people have done and said:

http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/04/27/connections-are-everything/
http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/index.php/2008/04/28/passion-quilt-share/
http://librarytrainer.com/2008/04/28/passion-quilt-meme/
http://tametheweb.com/2008/04/27/passion-quilt-from-helene/
http://tametheweb.com/2008/04/26/meme-passion-quilt-or-what-i-want-for-new-librarians/
http://heyjude.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/meme-passion-quilt/

Here is mine:Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out" James Bryant Conant

Originally loaded by Marc Shandro http://www.flickr.com/photos/25411240@N00/756336236

It reminds me of a quote (actually several other quotes: (I have several of them on my bulletin board)

“We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” `- Max Depree
If you always do what you've always done you will always get what you always got -
source unknown.

In other words, no one is perfect, we always need to improve, and we can't do that by staying what we are. In order to improve you have to take a little risk. Sometimes it can be scary, but I think that most of the time the greatest rewards come at the greatest risk.

I am not tagging anyone but like I said if you would like to pass it along, please do so.
and please credit your sources.

Six words, one sentence, a memoir.

I was looking at Youtube for the learning 2.0 blog I am creating at work and ran across this video.


Go here to see some responses to the video, then you try it. Send me the comments - your life six words right now. This could be interesting.

I'm headed up to Mt. Pleasant this week-end to appraise the state tournament maybe, I'll ask some of the kids for their response.

I had a long day yesterday ( Saturday) I appraised High School and Middle School teams from 7:30 AM to 5:45 PM. then stayed for the awards ceremony. Springport's structure team is going on to Global Finals in Knoxville, TN in May.



My six words: hmmm. Yesterday: Long day, awesome solutions, feeling proud.

Today: Great weather, Dirty house outside or in?

Spring Frog update

We didn't hear any frogs yesterday or this morning- one down- one to go !!!!

Catching Up.

Boy, It has been a month since I have posted. Where does, the time go?

I've had a lot of things going on at work.
The end of March I went to a Public Library Association conference in Minneapolis. I got there and had an afternoon off before the conference really started. So a friend and I took a bus tour of the cities.

There is a lot of art around the city, some peanuts sculpture, I didn't realize Charles Schultz was from Minneapolis, unfortuneatley the bus didn't stop so I could get any picutures of that. I was thinking that I did get a picture of the Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) statue, but apparently I didn't because it is not on my camera.

We did visit the Mall of America (Yipee, shopping is one of my least favorite things to do) It is 4 levels of stores, with an aquarium and an amusement park. Most of it is the same stores, you can find at any mall, just more of them all in one place.

We, the Jackson District library employees, have had a rough couple of weeks. The parents of two employees died, not totally unexpected, but still sad, then the death of an employee (worked at the library for about 20 years) - totally unexpected - only 58 years old. She was a work and she wasn't feeling well, (actually hadn't felt well for a couple of weeks, had a bleeding ulcer, diabetes and had a heart attack a few years ago) at the end of the day she told another employee she was going to the hospital, where she died during the night. All three funerals were the same day. Then on Thursday another former long time employee died, she retired a couple of years ago after working at the library for 37 years.

Last week I got out cut some old plants out of the flower beds. Now we can see the daffodil plants. I trimmed the rose plants, I think I may have to replace them all, it doesn't look like there is any green on them, but we'll have to wait and see.

Charlie finally got his pond dug several weeks ago, he is hoping this will help keep water out of the barn, now he has to put in some drainage tile. Spread out the extra soil and he's planning on building a waterfall at one end.

For those of you keeping track we heard the frogs for the first time a couple of weeks ago (March 3o) and had heard them everyday since. according to dad and ed, we need to have two cold snaps or freezes before Spring is really here. It is cold and raining here today but we can still hear the frogs.

Oh, did anybody else see the giant human sling shot thing Charlie saw on Bill Engval's Country Fried Home Videos the other night. I missed it but, if you did too, or if you want to see it again check out Youtube. Anybody want to try it at the next family reunion????

View from Empire state Building

View from Empire state Building
Originally uploaded by betzspt

Here is another picture from the Empire State building. I was trying out adding a picture to the blog from flickr. It works really well, very easy, just a click and type.

We're Back

Here it is Saturday, We were in New York City for 5 days, (we spent half a day in the Airport)

A couple of mishaps to tell about:

First Shonda lost her driver’s license before we even left Detroit, She had it when we went through security, and put it in jeans pocket in case she needed it again. Just before we got on the plane, she checked her pockets and it was gone, We had stopped at a Starbucks and got a coffee, she went into a rest room. We walked at least ½ mile to our terminal (A2) the very end of the concourse.

Second, Are you ready for this- try not to laugh- Sunday afternoon, we started our tours, Ed and Shonda were walking just ahead of me, I caught my heel on the curb, took about 2 steps trying to get my balance and went down in the middle of the intersection. I had a huge bruise on one knee and must have caught my weight on my arm and jammed a shoulder. The shoulder is better, but now my whole leg lower leg is purple to yellow-green.

We saw Avenue Q on Sunday night, billed as Sesame Street for adults. One website billed it as Sesame Street meets South Park. I was doubtful, but got tickets at half price. It was hilarious. A musical, they had songs like, It sucks to be me, Everyone's a Little Bit Racists and The Internet is for Porn. You can see some of the videos on YouTube. These are from the British trip, so they are a little different but check this page for some other videos.

We went to the statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island, on Monday, the weather was beautiful. As we are walking through Battery Park to get to the Ferry, we spot a small statue of Liberty then it moved. Shonda started to take a picture and he motioned her over, draped an American flag over her shoulders, put a crown on her head and handed her a torch, and signaled for us to take a picture. Then he indicated that it would be $5.00. The picture didn’t turn out. On the way back out there were half a dozen statue people. We spent some time at the Statue, but did not go inside, we didn't realize we needed to get additional tickets in advance, but that's OK, we got some nice pictures outside. This is one of those things, you just don't realize the enormity until you see it in person.
We spent a little time at Ellis Island, but not since none of our ancestors came through there we really didn't spend much time.

We visited the Empire State Building, Again one of the things you can't get the real effect of until you are there. Shonda got some nice pictures, even thought it was a little hazy. We went to Macy’s I sat in the coffee shop while Ed and Shonda did Macy’s. My back is acting up, (so what’s new?) Shonda thought it was going to be different, she thought it was like a huge JC Penney's.

That evening we saw a play Ed wanted to see, a play put on by the Steppenwolf theater Company, August: Osage County, Steppenwolf is a theater company in Chicago where a lot of now famous people started. The play was good, kind of dark, the kind dark, but definitely makes you think. The kind of play Ed, likes.

Wednesday, Shonda and Ed went to Rockefeller Center and to see St. Patricks.
Wednesday afternoon we saw Wicked a really great show, but I will never watch The Wizard of Oz the same way again. If you ever get a chance be sure to see it. I wouldn't be surprised if they make the musical into a movie.

We had dinner at Broadway Joe’s. The menu said it was in the movie the FBI story with Jimmy Stewart and Shirley McLain was filmed coming down the stair way in Sweet Charity. I don't remember either one of those movies, so I am going to have to find the videos I guess.

On Thursday we went to the Metropolitan Art Museum, and walked through Central Park.

Our plane was supposed to leave NY at about 10:30 AM Friday Morning, but because of the weather, it didn't leave until almost 1:00 PM.

I have put some of the pictures on flickr. Search for betzspt New York City.

3-13-08 Notes: I have had a couple of people ask me if I saw Governor Spitzer while I was there. No. I didn't know anything about his scandal until I got back. I also didn't know anything about the Recruitment Center Bombing until I got up on Thursday morning, even though we were only a couple of blocks away.

23 technology things

Last week I started a new training at work, and thought that some of you, might be interested in trying something new.

The purpose is to introduce the library staff to new technologies. Some of the employees are really afraid to try new things. So I borrowed an idea from some other libraries and started the Jackson District Library Learning 2.0 program.

Each week, I will post a new blog about a "new" technology thing. Each post will include some discovery resources and exercises.

If anybody is interested in looking at it go to the Jackson District Library, Learning 2.0 site.

You are free to follow along and try some of the new things, if you want.

Brain Pain Answers

Here are the Answers to the Brain Pain Quiz I posted last week

26 Letters of the Alphabet

7 Days of the Week

1001 Arabian Nights

12 Signs of the Zodiac

54 Cards in A Deck with the Joker

9 Planets in the Solar System

88 Piano Keys

13 Stripes on the American Flag

32 Degrees Fahrenheit at which Water Freezes

18 Holes on a Golf Course

90 Degrees in a Right Angle

200 Dollars or Points for Passing Go in Monopoly

8 Sides on a Stop Sign

3 Blind Mice See How They Run

4 Quarts in a Gallon

24 Hours in a Day

1 Wheel on a Unicycle

5 Digits in a Zip Code

57 Heinz Varities

11 Players on a Football Team

1000 Words that a Picture is Worth

28 Days in February in a non Leap Year

64 Squares on a Checkerboard

40 Days and nights on the Great Flood

76 Trombones in the Big Parade

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

60 Seconds in a Minute

1 Horn on a Unicorn

9 Justices on a Supreme Court

7 Brides for Seven Brothers

21 Dots on a Die

7 Wonders of the Ancient World

15 Men on a Dead Mans Chest

Let us know how many you got correct, by commenting below.

Brain Pain

My siblings and I did something like this when we were kids, but when somebody broght this to work I couldn't remember what any of them were. I thought I would share it with you- see how many you can figure out. I will post the answers next week.


This is a test to gauge your mental flexibility and creativity, and jus tfor fun- can you figure out what words the letters in each of the phrases below stand for?
Hint sometimes it helps if you do the easy ones first- then put it down for a while the answers may pop into you head at unexpected moments.

Example: 16 = O in a P Answer: 16 Ounces in a Pound

26 = L of the A
7 = D of the W
1001= AN
12 = S of the Z
54 = C in a D (with J)
9 = P in the SS
88 = PK
13 S on the AF
32 = DF at which WF
18 = H on a GC
90 = D in a RA
200 = P for PG in M
(D for PG in M)
8 = S on a SS
3 = BM (SHTR)
4 = Q in a G
24 = H in a D
1 = W on a U
5 = D in a ZC
57 = HV
11 = P on a FBT
1000 = W that a P is W
28= D in F in a LY
64 = S on a CB
40 = D and N on the GF
76 = T in the BP
50 = W to LYL
99 = B of B on the W
60= S in an M
1 = H on a U
9 = J on a SC
7 = B for SB
21 = D on a D
7 = W of the AW
15 = M on a DMC

The 60's continues

This is the picture I wanted to have with the previous post, but had to wait until I got home to find it. I know my immediate family will remember these lovely fashion statements, but now that I am posting it I notice that it is not offically the '60s, it is really 1959. Oh well close enough.

Memories -the sixtes.

I don't have a lot of time, I'm at work, but I did want you all to see this. It is kind of cool and has great music . Great Memories- the sixties
Like it says, if it is before your time just set back and enjoy.

I have a great picture at home that I was going to but I apparently don't have it here so I will post it later.

Some of you may remember this clothing fad though.

Well it has been almost 2 weeks, since you have heard from me. I keep promising that I am going to post at least once a week, but our lives are so hectic, I cannot find the time- NOT!! The truth is I have trouble finding things to write about.

I did get Charlie to go to a movie last week. We saw The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Good movie! Charlie even said it was enjoyable. Somebody told me that the critics didn’t like it, but I don’t usually listen to movie critics anyway, or listen to any critics too much as far as that goes. The reviews that I have read since the movie are good. (See reviews at Internet Movie Database, IMBD.)

We haven’t been going to many High School Basketball games this year. Since they changed the girls games to winter, the scheduling is really screwy, the girls are having a fairly good season, but the boys have yet to win a game, so those are no fun to watch.

I have been using the CPAP for a couple of weeks now. Like I said before, it takes some getting used to. For several days I woke up with my eyes really puffy, eyelids and huge bags. I apparently had it too tight around my head. Now I wake up because it is a little too loose, when I change position it shifts and the air leaks, making noise that wakes me up. I do feel much better though. I have even been able to get up in the morning to ride the exercise bike before I go to work. I don’t feel like I need to take a nap mid afternoon, and the dark circles I have ALWAYS had around my eyes are noticeably lighter. I have a little more energy.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Destination ImagiNation regional tournament- March 1- I will be judging, this year.
March 2 Ed, Shonda and I will be visiting NY, NY. ( I think there are probably better times weather wise, but that is Shonda's Spring Break)
March 25, I will be attending a library conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota (yippee Minnesota in March)

Try to stay warm. ^i^

Dresses, CPAP

I just realized that it has been 2 weeks since I have written, where does the time go?

Actually not too much happening here.

Shonada got a call last week from her friend, Kylie. She is is getting married and one of the girls she had asked to be in the wedding backed out, so she asked Shonda. Shonda said she would and last week we went, to look at dresses, somewhere in that process, Shonda became the maid of honor.
Kylie saw a dress she thought she liked, but wanted to think about it. She found dresses she wanted for the brides maids, (her first choice of colors were John Deere Green or Mint green. She decided on "Clover" and "Honeydew" The Brides Maids will look like this (the sash and slip are a little more green than the look in the picture) The Maid of Honor will be the reverse.
The wedding was originally supposed to be in September, but they have had to change it to June, 7th, so Kylie is a little behind in the planning.

On the way home last week Shonda was on her cell phone calling the other Brides Maids and told them they all needed to meet this Sunday and go try on dresses.
Last week, Wednesday, Shonda and Kylie got together, and told Kylie, she needed to get things done. They got a canopy for the ceremony, it is going to be outside a a light house. A reception hall, a caterer and invitations picked out. They did have to change the date to June 21st, the reception hall they wanted was open all summer except June 7th.

This week the girls all met at our house, to go try on dresses, and Shonda told Kylie they were not coming home until she got her wedding dress. they all got theirs ordered. They even had the dress Kylie wanted in her size, so she got to take it home yesterday.

I finally got my CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine, Wednesday for the sleep apnea. It does help, but it is also taking some getting used to. I wake up in the middle of the night, but only once instead of the several times an hour I apparently was before, without realizing it and Charlie sleeps better because I am not snoring. This is what it looks like. Lovely, don't you think?

Happy New Year

We did nothing last night, Charlie didn't even stay up long enough to wish me happy new year. He was out before 9:00. I did manage to see the ball drop and call Shonda and wish her a happy new year.

We woke up this morning to more than 4 inches of snow. I managed to go out and get some pictures before there were too many tracks, even before breakfast. See what happens when you go to bed so early.




Irish toast
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.