TOP OF THE SNOW MOUNTAIN

These images were taken with my new camera.  A handful of snow on the patio chair (below) formed what looks like a mountain of snow (above).  

RUN FOREST RUN

We were driving along US-93/Great Basin Highway, Nevada (my husband was behind the wheel), just when I commented that it felt like as if we were all alone, an antelope dashed across the road, right in front of the Mustang.  Thanks to my husband's quick reaction by pumping the break, swirl to the side, thus able to avoid the collision.
After getting my heartbeat back to normal, I realized that the antelope "Forest Gump" was running along as we were continuing down the road.  It must be a mile or two before Forest decided to take off, disappearing into the vast land of the wild west.

SURPRISE

I love green pepper, (and also black/white pepper).  I usually add green pepper to my salad and always as a topping for pizza.  I was treated to a "tiny" surprise when I cut open this green pepper.  The little "offspring" tastes fresh and not bitter as I expected (I thought it would be for being not yet fully growth).  I am a simple person and it does not take much to make me happy!

A LAZY SUMMER MORNING

Today, all I need to know to enjoy life by watching the rabbits in my backyard - they were laying down on the grass, in the shade, simply taking it easy on this glorious day, a lazy summer morning.

 I learned that you should try to do your best at whatever tasks you were working on, but also remember to "stop and smell the grass".

Have a wonderful, safe and enjoyable summer!

THE LITTLE ROBIN AND HER NEST

The last few weeks, we watched the robin flying in and out, busy bringing "materials" to build her nest in the little tree outside my home office.  I have taken photos of the little blue eggs in previous years, so I won't disturb this robin as she might abandon the nest if I got too close.
It is getting warm today, already in the 80s.  Rain is coming our way for the rest of the week.  Can't believe it is May already.  Any summer vacation plans?   

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (WELL, IT HAS BEEN MOVED)

He Who Loves Eagle told me that he saw "Freddo" the squirrel climbed to the top of St. Francis' statue, then from there using it as a launching pad, it jumped over to the bird feeder to get free lunch.  (Freddo = freeloader).  On Saturday, my husband switched the eagle (from the brick wall by the back fence) and St. Francis (as shown in above and below photos).  Ralphie also added the American flag since it goes together with the eagle.  Stay tune and I will let you know if the switching works (you probably already knew the answer). 

It did not take long for a bird to check out "the view from above"!

The snow covering the eagle make it looks like a person wearing Colonial wig - I dedicate these photos to Living In Williamsburg, Virginia (www.livinginwilliamsburgvirginia.blogspot.com), one of the blogs I enjoy following.  Visit this blog and you might like it too.  Happy Snow Day!!!

PICNIC IN ST. LOUIS - NOT !!!!!!

Looking at our backyard on Sunday, March 24, 2013, I thought we were back in Michigan!  The prediction was it would start snowing at midnight on Saturday but it was late arrival, not until almost 700 hours on Sunday morning when the snow began to fall.  It was gently spreading around the ground and after a few hours, our backyard was covered with the white fluffy snow. 

 I was a little concern that the tree branches with the snow kept piling up would break and fell on the power lines and we would lose power.  (My husband told me to stop being such a worrywart.)  I made sure to fully charge my laptop and the iPad, and as long as the cable was working, we could still have access to the internet.  I forgot how life was before all the technology and its wonderful tools to challenge the human mind!  

The snow had turned the rusted "brown" fence into a white painted fence - that was the proof of how much snow we had from this "biggest snow storm in 30 years" - and that was what the weather people said.  The campus shutdown again, my Monday class was cancelled and I am keeping warm inside the house.  I have plenty of things to do, reading assignments for Thursday Research class and more reading for next Monday Civil Trial.  I am hoping to get an internship for the summer.  It is a bit strange for a geezer at my age (52) to try to gain experience thru an internship.  But when you are forced to sort-of start over, to get your foot-in-the-door to jump-start a new career, I guess you have to do whatever you could to make lemonade when life gave you a rotten lemon!

THURSDAY RAMBLINGS - UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AT THE ORCHID SHOW

"I submitted my resignation to the Board of Directors last night", Becky informed me when we met for lunch a few months ago.  "I could not take it anymore", she continued.  I responded, "Congratulations" and we both laughed.  To understand my congratulatory when someone just sort-of becoming unemployed, you would have to know the "stuff" Becky had put up with the last 10+ years.  Her official title is Executive Director at an association.  But there was no support staff and Becky wore all the hats.

Becky worked from a home office which was the only great thing about the job.  The official mailing address for correspondence went to a post office mailbox.  The office phone was set up only to receive messages and then being forwarded to Becky's cell phone.  However, frequent callers would call Becky directly, day and night as well as weekend, on her mobile number.  The Board set a tight budget so Becky could not get temporary help or outsource even when she needed to get the work done since there would be no "extra" money to pay for the service.  Very often, Becky would be stuffing envelopes, running the postage and dropping off the mailing at the post office.

As "executive director" Becky would be required to be present at all the membership events (who else would be there since there was no other staff).  The functions were in the evenings from 6:30 to 10 and required long distance driving.  Being a salary employee, Becky would not receive overtime pay.  Her compensation had been the same the last 2 years because of the "freeze" in the budget.

Last week, when we met again for lunch, I noticed Becky's hands no longer shaking.  The dark circles under her eyes have gotten lighter.  When she smiles, there was light in her eyes, as if the spirits in her soul have returned.  I listened as Becky excitedly telling me about all the things she has been able to do with her son, Aaron.  They would go to the park after she helped him with his homework.  Physically, her health has improved and the sharp pains no longer there after each meal.

Update - Becky called yesterday to tell me that she has gotten a job near her house.  "Just a 30+ hours part time receptionist, office work job", Becky explained, "the pay is good and the best part is I still able to pick up Aaron after school and helping him with his homework".  I offered my congratulatory and best wishes to Becky.  My wishes were more than just for the job, it was for the health, the happiness, the sanity and most of all, her peaceful soul.

THE FLORA OF CHINA (2012 ORCHID SHOW)

These photos were taken when we went to the Missouri Botanical Garden last month.  Actually we took a friend who recently lost her husband and we thought it would be nice to treat her to the Orchid Show and a dinner afterward for her birthday.  I don't know much about gardening, so I will just type whatever is printed in the brochure about the show.

The above is called the Moon Gate and the layout was infused with Chinese-theme accents.  The Garden celebrates its 25th year of work on the Flora of China project, featuring an architecturally inspired Chinese landscape.

Here are a few fun facts about orchids:  There are approximately 30,000 to 35,000 species of orchids; they come in all sizes, from pinhead to football; Antarctica is the only place on earth that orchids could not grow (how about in greenhouses?).

There are two things that suprised me about orchids - (1) there are many different shapes and colors and (2) vanilla came from an orchid.  Have you been to a botanical garden in your town lately?    

CUTE LITTLE BUDGIES

When I planned my visit to Atlanta Zoo, I was mostly interested in seeing the Chinese pandas. I saw the pandas once at the Bronx Zoo, but that was more than 25 years ago. When I saw the above sign, "Boundless Budgies - A Parakeet Adventure", I almost screamed with excitement. I love these colorful birds. At St. Louis Zoo, the parakeets were kept in large cages with netting all around. Here they were in free-flights and we could get real close to them. At times, the parakeets literally bumped into visitors while flying around.

I have always been fascinated by these colorful birds. I read that parakeets are friendly, beautiful, clownish, easy to tame and they breed readily in captivity. Unlike the pandas who are so picky at mating and only mate once every 7-10 years! The main difference between the parrots and parakeets is the tail - most of the birds called parakeets have long tapered tails, whereas parrots tend to have shorter, blunter tails.

The American parakeet has another name as budgie, called by the rest of the world! Budgie came from the aboriginal Australian word, betcherage (budgerigar), meaning "good to eat" - blaah (I like parakeet better). Wild parakeets are found in only the wild green. Their primary predators are hawks, tree snakes and other raptors. Parakeets gained popularity around 1850 and later a yellow mutation occurred, leading to additional new mutations such as blue, white, gray-green, even violet.

I had to laugh (it is not really that funny - sad actually) when I read that parakeets in captivity are prone to become overweight because their activities are limited. Naturally, they should be flying, foraging for food, keeping away from predators, finding nesting sites, and protecting their youngs. In captivity, the birds don't have to do anything of these, everything is available for their enjoyment. Does it sound the social/political golden handcuffs with the sole purpose keeping certain group of people dependent on government subsidized programs?

I could not believe all the beautiful feathers and how adorable these parakeets are. Male parakeets are the best talkers and could repeat over a thousand words and phrases. Some even learned how to whistle. Parakeet does well when it gets lot of attention. I am surprised to learn that pairs are less likely to talk than the single bird and single birds with mirrors are often less likely to talk than single birds without mirrors. I thought it would be the other way around that the bird would see itself in the mirror and thought it was another bird and try to communicate with it. The move attention and affection the birds get, the more likely they would talk. Some birds like to be covered at night while others might get frightened in the dark.

After reading a book about parakeets and how much work involved in taking good care of these birds (proper housing/cage, nutrition, bathing, nail/beak care, wing clipping, general health, common illinesses, and potential problem behaviors), I decided not to run out and get a pair of parakeets. I think when I have an urge to see the parakeets, a trip to the pet store and to the zoo would be best!

TUESDAY TWO - BUTTERFLIES

The theme for December at the Butterfly House (www.butterflyhouse.org) is Snow in the Tropics when over 1,000 Paper Kite butterflies in free-flight over white orchids. The black/white butterflies gave an illusion of snow falling inside the tropical conservatory.

Not much happening after the 4-day Thanksgiving break, just the typical work load and daily lunch that consisted of left-over turkey. The weather was still in the mid-40s. CP finally stored his golf clubs away. He also put the hard-top on the T-bird and then carefully giving "her" a good coat of wax. I started looking around for ideas what to get CP for his birthday/Christmas. It is nice to marry to a man whose birthday is on December 25th. I only have to buy two presents and then decide which one is for birthday and the other would be for Christmas!

DON'T CRY FOR ME (TOTA, DON'T BE A WHINER)

I woke up with a backache and a stiff neck. I felt lousy all day. I went to a business meeting and could not wait for the discussion to be over. The frustration continued to build up because there were other matters that did not go right. I am sorry I could not share the details with you here.

How could these people live with themselves for doing something so unethical and immoral? I did not start the war and it was not a fair fight. The worst thing is those who looked the other way because they were not the one that was mistreated. I am reminded of the words spoken by Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph over good is for good people to do nothing."

I started to feel sorry for myself. "It was not fair," I said. Then I realized what a whiner I was. I have so much blessings in my life. I have a strong support system from my family, friends, and even kindness from strangers. There is still so much good in this world. I should be thankful for what I have. I decided to visit a nearby rehab center. The residents gathered together for a prayer service on Friday afternoon. I helped the nurses bring the residents into the prayer room. After the service, I helped take the residents back to their rooms. Most of the residents were in wheelchairs and some have lost their mobility. I said to myself, "Well, TOTA, do you still feel sorry for yourself? You have so much to be thankful for. What is the matter with your self-pity, why me attitude? Just look around, there are people who are fighting illnesses and misfortune, what do you have to complain about?" So I kicked my "sorry a#@" and stopped being a whiner! I remember that God is great and Life is good.

INSIDE THE CONSERVATORY AT THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE

These photos were taken in May when my sister and I visited the Butterfly House. CH had a great time there, especially when we watched the emergence of the butterflies. In this large display box, there were a number of chrysalises that were soon to emerge.

CH was very excited when we spotted the above butterfly nectaring from the flowers. Others such as Morphos and Owls take their food from rotting fruits (bananas) instead of flowers.

CH put her hands out so the butterfly would land on her palms. We were not supposed to touch the butterfly. If they landed on us, we would have to shake our body to get it off. The butterfly is very fragile that even the most gentle touch might hurt them.

Could you identify the species of all the butterflies in this post? Sorry, this is not a contest and there are no prizes, just bragging rights!

FRIDAY "BUTTERFLY" SKY

A few weeks ago, I started to visit a parishioner at a skilled care nursing home. I brought Holy Communnion to Mr. K on Tuesday and Thursday. The nursing home was about a mile from the Butterfly House. After my visit, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and took these photos.

You could read more about the Butterfly House at www.butterflyhouse.org. I took family and friends here whenever they visit St. Louis. Both my Mom and sister enjoyed the butterflies but they could not stay inside the Conservatory long because it is 82 degrees (75% relative humidity) to accomodate these tropical butterflies. (QQ, I did not take you there because it was a short visit and I did not think you would care much for butterflies. It is sort-of girlie thing!)Most of the butterflies are imported from Ecuador, Suriname, Costa Rica, Malaysia and the Philippines. There are no butterflies (or potato chips) from Brazil - haa haa (In the Peanuts, Lucy pointed to something on the ground and told Linus that it was a butterfly from Brazil. Linus corrected Lucy that it was a potato chip, not the butterfly. Lucy being bossy, would not admit that she was wrong, continued her "know it all" attitude and said, "It must be a potato chip from Brazil.")

The above sculpture was one of the 56 butterflies on display throughout the city from October 2010 thru May 2011. To see other sculptures I previously posted in this blog, search the label "butterflies". Or visit www.wingsinthecity.org for information about this citywide project and the artists who created the butterflies. The sculptures were funded by businesses and also were auctioned at a gala that raised a total of $1.3 million for Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care.

Do you have a Butterfly House in your city? If not, then be sure to visit the Butterfly House when you come to St. Louis or to Branson, Missouri :)