Beauty is my home

shirley gives us
a peek of her hometown
my goodness, she has a way
with words~~

Beauty is my home

by Shirley

The river: It's cool water bubbling and gurgling over the rocks and fallen branches. Carrying leaves and twigs blown from nearby trees into the lake at the end of it's journey.

The ocean: It's majestic power so soothing as it crashes against the rocks. Each wave inches a little farther onto the sand. The sound is hypnotic. The smell is unique. The sight is unbelievable.

The forest: The sun playfully dancing through the branches. Foliage green and lush. Life everywhere yet unseen. Trees swaying gently in the breeze. The smell of wild flowers fill the air.

This is my home. Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 1783 by the United Empire Loyalists. Population approximately 2300. It's where I was born. I have walked through that forest. I have fished in that river. I have seen that ocean.

Where do you live? City? Town? By the ocean? In the mountains? On the prairies? In the desert? I want to know what you see when you fly home from the nest each day.

I want to dedicate this blog to my Dad, Orison A. Hartman. He walked in that forest with me, fished in that river with me and stood on the sand by that ocean with me.

George Bush and OJ Simpson

our daily blog today
is from whabby
he seems to always make
us think!

George Bush and OJ Simpson

by Whabby

How do you think George Bush should be treated when he leaves office, owls?

How do you think OJ Simpson should be treated right now (assuming he’s guilty, which I do)?

These questions popped into mind the other day while I was out running. The more I turned them over, the more absorbing and connected they became. At first, I was concentrating on them from a somewhat narrow social perspective, like Jane Austen might have. But it kind of expanded from there.

What if, sometime in your future, just by chance, you happen to be in the same room as OJ Simpson, and an opportunity is obviously coming up to meet him? OJ’s in reasonable health, as far as I know, and will probably live for quite a while, so this is not a completely far-fetched idea; it actually could happen. What would you do? Would you actually meet him? Or would you deliberately avoid the opportunity as a way of expressing (in a nice, non-confrontational, passive way) your disapproval of him and his character?

And what if, instead, the person confronting you with this dilemma is not OJ, but George Bush, who also should be around for quite a while after he leaves office, and so could also be in a position to meet one of us.

I think, quite seriously, that I’d deliberately turn down the opportunity to meet either one of these gentlemen!

That got me thinking about social isolation and its implications. What consequences would there be for day-to-day living if people didn’t want to meet you, didn’t want to invite you to anything involving them, didn’t want to enter into ANY kind of professional or business interaction with you, and so on?

Some of this is part of the fabric of OJ Simpson’s life already. Obviously, no organization or group in its right mind will ever seek any kind of promotional association with him. I’m sure OJ has no speaker fee (at least, I hope fervently that he doesn’t)! Who would want to go and line his pockets and listen to him? And I, for one, sure had zero interest in reading that book he wrote even before it was yanked from the shelves. There are lots of important doors that are forever closed to OJ.

I suspect a lot of you are more or less in agreement with me, on how you’d treat OJ personally, and how you want to see him treated by society. We've made a collective judgment that has had (and will never stop having) a serious negative impact on his life.

Now, what about Bush? In addition to not ever wanting anything to do with him personally, I don’t think I’ll be supporting any fund-raising opportunities involving him (wouldn’t contribute), or any speaking engagements (wouldn’t go), or purchase a book he might write (wouldn’t read it), or, well, you get the idea!

Harsh as it might seem, I suppose that when it comes right down to it, I think OJ Simpson and George Bush deserve to be treated rather similarly after Bush leaves office. As equals, as it were.

Owls, am I being way too harsh on Bush? Should he be afforded the same social courtesies and business opportunities as any other ex-president?

What do you think?

A Step Back In Time

IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMEMBER THE 60's~~
EVEN IF YOU DID EAT THE BROWNIES!!

A Step Back In Time

by Bon'Oregon

Since we all seem to be nostalgic for the GOOD OLD DAYS (whatever days those may be for each of us), I thought it might be fun to hear what, if anything, you remember or were told of that most eventful era, the '60's. Were you "at Woodstock"? ~~ Wasn't everyone? Were you told about The Sixties by your parents? Do you remember them with fondness or sadness? Where did you live? Has much changed there since? Do you still have trash or treasures from that era?

Here's a wonderful link with almost 10 minutes of 60's memories to get you thinking. Grab a beverage, turn up the volume and ENJOY a step back in time.......

http://cruzintheavenue.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm

Creativity!

by scirish

Creativity

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to creativity and how it affects the feeling of fulfillment.

I have tried to do many things over the years; they just went bad very quickly.

I mean, how many unfinished hooked rug/pillow thingy's can one person have?

I tried embroidery…I finished one thing, and I finished that because I wanted to give it to an older friend who loved that kind of stuff and it would mean something to her. She could have done it herself in half the time..

I tried painting water colors too…I ended up with more water than color and made a mess out of the whole house in the process.

I tried writing and couldn't keep my own attention.

I tried knitting, I still have the scarf that is an inch long and has been ripped out at least five times. The yarn is starting to pill.

I tried making my own clothes….a gunny sack looks better.

I love going to flea markets and tag sales and decorated my house with "finds". I'd like to think that it works.

I started making jewelry; I'd like to think that it works also….

I think all these missteps were experiments in finding something that would "round out" my life, to balance out the linear thinking me. I don't know if it worked, but even with all the disasters, I had fun exploring/discovering my creative side ….I am a walking example of there being something for everyone


What are your stories? Have you had crafty disasters? Successes? How important is being creative to you? Or is it not important?

Thong Thursday

i always think of Thursday's as
Thong Thursday's, thanks to Tina
it started here on the nest, i think
from a joke, just don't remember
and ever since than my Thursday's
have been very thongy!

now i don't wear thong's normally
i do have a few pair and at times
i wear them, i just don't love the
stringy part in my butt i always
feel like i have a wedgy and i
certainly just can't pick the wedgy
at any given time, i have to look
around and make sure not one is
looking and pull at the string and breathe

perhaps if i was 24 with a great butt
i might like them, however at 47 and
with a swiss cheese butt, i just can't
make the switch to wearing them all
the time

i also worry about those poo stains
with the string in my butt, its like i am
walking around with toilet paper
in my butt all day, "wipe while you walk"

i am going to wear a thong today in honor
of this blog, lets see how many times
i have to run and hide to pull the string part out

i will however bring an extra pair of underwear
with be to work, cause when it just gets to be
to much, i will always have my hanes!

nope, i just changed my mind, not gonna
put myself thru that today

however i can wear my thongs on
my feet, and still celebrate this blog

so i will be flip flopping it all day, so much
better for the breathing!

what are you guys gonna do in honor
of Thong Thursday?

fun~~~

Fine Tuned!

my emotions need to be fine tuned
i go from happy to sad to crazed
all in about ten 1/2 seconds, it happens
so quickly, i don't even realize the
change until someone close to me points it out

i have thought about this often, and have
made a decision that it comes with getting
older, when i was younger so much rolled
off my back to never be thought about again

now, i pick things apart and it affects my
emotions, it also affects my thinking
because if i am crazed for whatever reason
my thinking is crazy thoughts!

try as i might to keep my emotions fined
tuned, i lose every time, the battle is ongoing

there are times, these emotions get to me
i want to be able to notice when they arrive
so i can handle them better, and not completely
freak out

there has to be a way, i just have to look
in different places within myself

i have to try

in the meantime, watch out, as you never
know when my emotions will emerge
good, bad, or indifferent it could get ugly!

New Beginnings

today is a first for
mary/mi
she is sharing a part of
her life with us, so very
happy she shared!

New Beginnings

by mary/mi

This may seem strange to some of you, but to me, last Friday a miracle happened! My younger brother Tony went to Walmart!

This may seem like a simple thing to some of you, but to my family it is amazing! My brother has been in a nursing home since a bad fall that left his legs paralyzed. Before his accident, my Brothers passion was music. He is a great singer and guitar player. He had his own gospel band for many years.

He had gained a lot of weight and became home bound. He also suffered from deep depression after his divorce. He has been treated for depression for many years, even had shock treatment.

I have made the trip to his nursing home for over 4 yrs. It always left me depressed seeing him lay there day after day , year after year. He would only sleep eat and watch t.v. He always wanted the blinds down. I noticed he wasn't able to watch t.v. very well because of his room mate. We decided to get him a larger t.v and got him a good set of earphones. This seemed to make a break through to him. He told me himself that the earphones saved him. He was able to clearly hear his favorite movie channels and connect to the outside. He amazingly started to come out of his depression and has lost over 80lbs.

His X-wife, who we adore, still visits him occasionally. Yesterday she stopped by to see him. He told her he needed a new razer, and could she please go get him one. She (I am sure has noticed his progress) told him to go get it himself. He looked at her like huh? She called Dial-a-Ride. They rolled him out with his wheel chair and they drove him to WalMart where he bought his own razer! He hasn't been out of the nursing home in 4 years!

He called and told all of us how excited he was! He is talking of going out to restaurants and maybe a few more shopping trips!

This was our Good Friday miracle! I had to share.

Going Green

by iteach

Going Green


The phrase "going green" has been heavy on my mind lately. For the past five years in April I have had this wonderful lady named Nancy come to my classroom and talk to us about taking care of the Earth. I just noticed in my lesson plans that she is coming soon and I have been wondering if I have done anything different in this past year that I can honestly say is better for the Earth.

To be truthful, I am not happy with what little changes I have made. I use to only recycle just cans, newspapers, and glass bottles. This past year I added junk mail, magazines, and empty boxed items to that list.

So what more can I do this coming year?

I have these big ideas, but I a little nervous that I won't follow through. My husband says start small, master that goal, and then move on to another one. I actually think he may be on to something there.

So as I ponder which small goal I should set first , I would like to know what you are doing to help the environment? Do you think about it often? Should we be doing more? Any ideas that you would like to share with the nest?

Happy Easter

~ Easter Memories ~

~For Helen~

by tina~in_utah


For your listening pleasure while you read (it kinda goes with the blog)
http://www.last.fm/music/Johnny+Mathis/_/Hallelujah+Chorus?autostart


Some of my favorite memories of Easter involve music, church, family, and the hunt! When I was a little girl, we woke up to Johnny Mathis singing Hallelujah Chorus. The music resounded through the house and I loved it. Whether it was sunny or rainy, the music left me with a warm feeling and it meant the dark days of Lent were over. Easter was here. It was time to get up, get dressed and go to church.


Even though it was after 1965 (Vatican II), my parents managed to find the only church in Orange County, CA that still had a Latin Mass and we were the "lucky" ones who got to go……at 7am!!! BUT….afterwards, we would go out to breakfast, which was a big treat back then because there wasn't a lot of money to go around. My sister and I never had new Easter dresses, which is probably why my daughter doesn't now. None of that mattered because we were happy and had each other.


After breakfast, we headed for home and magically, the Easter Bunny had been to our house while we were gone. He never came before church! NEVER!!! Mom was always late getting into the car for church…..one time she had to go back in "to get something." We never knew. Mom was always late…..still is! We had no idea she was hiding the eggs. When we got home, our Easter baskets were on the dining room table filled with candy, a few eggs, and brand new underwear and socks! I can remember how excited I got to get new underwear……silly, I know…..but I loved it! Then we searched for eggs. There weren't that many. It wasn't that big of a deal since we knew that once our cousins arrived, we would have the big Easter Egg Hunt!


I have a very large family on my mom's side. There are 25 cousins and we would all get together for the holidays. Most of the time, we congregated at my house for Easter because we had the biggest backyard and it was the best for hiding eggs. It was such fun. My dad was the best at hiding the eggs and the best at giving hints for finding them. He always knew how many were left and would tell us if we were "hot or cold"!! It was sad when I got older and didn't look for the eggs anymore. I helped to hide them and I never remembered where I put them or how many were left.


When I had children of my own, I wanted everything to be the same for them. What I didn't take into account was my husband's ideas on the holidays. His family hid the Easter baskets. I thought that was the weirdest thing I'd ever heard of! I didn't do it. I bought the underwear, candy, and toys, and hid the eggs, and even kept track of how many and where they were! I even added those little boxes of cereal that my mom never bought because they were so expensive…..but I had an ulterior motive…..I wouldn't have to make breakfast!!! Every year I made it harder to find the eggs. Two years ago, I finally hid the baskets. It was so funny. My oldest couldn't find his to save his life! I got to do the "you're hot/you're cold" thing with him!


This year, I told my children that I'm not doing the Easter basket thing. I just thought they were too old for it. I couldn't believe how upset they got. I was shocked! So, of course, I went to the store and bought each of them their favorite candy, a toy, and the little boxes of cereal~ They will be happy and that's what it's all about~

What are your favorite Easter memories or traditions?

The Brady Bunch

as i child growing up, i absolutely adored
this show, i wanted to be a brady kid, so
i can have lots of brothers and sisters to
play with, and of course sing and dance with

it was so fun to sit real close to
the tv with my legs crossed and watch
this family, i did this every week and
have seen every episode

i was enthralled when they would sing
and dance and wear all the same outfits

tiger beat was my magazine of choice
to flip thru those pages and see them all
was like getting my first doll! Amazing!

jan with that favorite line:

"Well, all day long at school I hear how great Marcia
is at this or how wonderful Marcia did that! Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"

and dear alice, how i wished she was part
of my family, so fun she was, her and sam
a couple, bowling is what they did, imagine
if it was that easy now!

i am so glad i grew up watching these
brady kids, great tv back then
life was so different!

however, brady brides! not so good!
:O)

Celebrate Life

today i would like to celebrate life
how wonderful it really is and how
very lucky we are

i shall quote barbwa

"I do agree though that it is a life to be celebrated.
She is no longer in pain, and for that we can all be grateful."

aunt jo was a amazing woman
she had a zest for life, and a passion
to live it

she traveled all over the world
and lived in many places, yet
always came back to her family

my cousin arleen is her only child,
aunt jo has passed onto her daughter
the virtue of life, the goodness of people
and to always savor a good glass
of wine

so to you aunt jo, i raise a glass
of wine, and celebrate your life
and thank you for the amazing
memories that will grow in my
heart forever

and to all of you, who have lost
love ones, i celebrate their life
and what they have given you

in the words of aunt jo
"yes my love" that was her
catchphrase, one i will always
remember and cherish~~

life~~a celebration!

Sunshine!

a new day has begun, with eyes
wide open, i look up to the sky
and see the sunshine beaming thru

it is time for the sun to shine
life does present us with rocky roads
however we find a way to get thru

april is very near, it is when our
weather changes, and our spirits bloom
it is time for the rain to bring us
that wonderful spring smell

close your eyes you know that smell
breathe it in

our bodies can feel it, we know
it is time for the awakening of spring
it cheers us on, and gives us hope

our spring and summer clothes may
not fit, but heck we got the sunshine!

i am ready for change, for new beginning's
to look at everything around me in a
different way, to take the time to be
grateful, for the trees, for the flowers
for family, for the owls, and for the nest!

iteach was right, her comment
stuck with me all day, and hence this blog

"They sweep everything under the rug
and don't deal with anything".

"No sweeping here"!

sweeping is not allowed
and because of that, there is only
sunshine today, look up to the sky
you will see it, just as i did!

and if you have raindrops
push them aside with all your strength
just like curtains
and the sunshine will peek thru~~

:O)

Waiting

i am having writer's block, i have
always loved to write and when I
do the words just flow, which they should
i tried continuously to come up with a
blog for today other that the one you are about to
read, however i could not

i write what is on my mind, or how i am
feeling and the words are not strained

tonight i am thinking of my "aunt jo"
she is dying, a slow uncomfortable death
it is all i can think about, so i can't really
write about anything else, as the words
are just not there i can't force words
that i don't feel or mean

today hospice advised my cousin to
start making the funeral arrangements
she did what they advised her to do
and now she has everything
in place for the day we bury my aunt

we have to wait, watch and pray
that is comes quickly, i wish i could
be dr. kevorkian and just give her peace
as she is at war with her body,
her body is killing her, and she is trying
to stay alive, a constant struggle~~
death will win

i know every one of you have been thru
this, as i have before, watching death come
is the most brutal emotion one can go thru

that emotion is in full force

there was no possible way i could
have written anything other than
what you just read

there are no more words, as i have written
how i feel

i am just waiting, in limbo~~

What's in a name?

our daily blog today
is from goldie

i can't wait to hear how
we all picked ours~~

What's in a name?

by Goldie

We were all given a name chosen by someone else when we were born. We had no say in it, and love it or hate, it is yours. Mine is Heidi.

Our online name is different. We got to make the choice as to what our name would be. My email, myspace and blogging name are all GOLDIE. Because of my affection to golden retriever's? No. I have never had one. I have a wonderful, beautiful Black Lab who I would throw myself, if need be, under a bus for. (I am hoping that won't be anytime soon!)

Years ago a little old man would call our office and ask questions about his account. Just checking if we had the correct address, beneficiary, etc. Nothing ever changed, so there was no need. It didn't take me long to figure out he was lonely and wanted to chat. This went on for about a year.

One day he said to me that I reminded him of his dog. Huh? I wasn't' sure if I should be insulted or not.

Then he said the nicest thing that I think I ever heard. He said that I was like his golden retriever, GOLDIE-she listened patiently while he rambled, never judged or interrupted and made him feel like what he said mattered.

Insulted? No, he paid me the highest compliment I had ever received.

A week later I got my first email account. When the tech asked what name I wanted to use- you guessed it- GOLDIE@..

That same day I found out the little old gentleman had passed away.
I have used that moniker ever since for everything online.

So how did you choose your online name? Is it your own, a made up one, your location? What is the story to your 'identity'?

For the Children

iteach is giving us
what we all asked for!

so read on~~

For the children

by iteach

One day last week in the owl's nest I mentioned that I have a new student who came with only the clothes on her back. She comes with a disturbing story along with many other students in my classroom.

Many owls personally e-mailed me, because they were interested in helping my new student. Therefore, that is why I am writing this blog. I thought I would mention some of her needs and where to send your thoughtful contributions.

I do want to make it clear that no one is under any obligation to donate. I'm trying not to put any peer pressure on anyone. I really hope I don't make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Your kind words and thoughts are alone priceless to me. They give me strength to keep trying to be a better teacher.

The following items could be in use for this student and any of my other economically challenged students.

Any type of school supplies

Toothbrushes

Stuffed animals

clothes size 7/8

any kind of children's books

None of the items need to be new (except the toothbrush) :O)

My school address is the following:

Dillon School
1901 8th Ave
Rock Falls, Il 61071
Attn: Mrs. Masini

Now I have a homework assignment for you. Could you please share your favorite activity that you ever did at school or that your child did at school that you thought was really cool? I'm trying to come up with more activities that are hands on and fun, also educational.

Mary Poppins

there are some days that i just
wish i was mary poppins!

she was so enthralled with life and
looked at everything as being magical
it was like she can make the darkest
day be the brightest day

she never openly acknowledges her
strange and magical powers, yet she
was so willing to share, and she did
this in somewhat like a secret
making everyone wonder "did mary
poppins just do that?"

instead of making her magical being
known she just used a word, a very strange
word, but it just somehow made sense

it's a great word, don't ya think?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

whether you worked at the bank
or you were a chimney sweeper she
treated all the same, with total respect

i would love to swoop down holding
my umbrella (well it would need to
be a double umbrella in order to carry me)
and landing on someones doorstep
just to make them happy!

it would be fun to be her, perhaps
in my next life, i shall get my wish!

ps
i loved writing this blog, it was
so much fun, and i adore julie andrews!

Excuse Me?

yesterday while in my office
i hear beeping, not the one time beeping
the "move out of the way" beeping
i look out the window and see a complete
backup of cars, of course i am what i am
so i venture outside to see what is causing
the problem

there is a car double parked and blocking
the way so the other cars could not get
thru

i walk up to the window and see a young
girl in the passenger side, i ask her where
the driver is, she points to the store next
to mine, she then gets on her cell phone and
makes a call, i gesture to her, as what the heck
are you doing, she points again, needless to say
the beeping is getting louder and mean

just as i was going to go into the store a
woman walks out, i ask her if that
is her car and she says yes, as if nothing was
wrong, i tell her she should have not double
parked as she did

she says:
"whats the difference they will just have to wait"

what did i just hear? she did not just say that!!
i swear i saw red, you know that bright fiery red!!

i held my tongue....

very sweetly i say "well that was really not nice to
say" she gets in her car and storms off

it took me a while to calm down, as i found
what she did was so rude with no regard
for anyone else

i can't stand rudeness, on any level
and this to me was just plain rudeness!!

it just seems i can't get the young girls
face (that was in the passenger seat)
out of my head, and keep thinking
the sad thought, that this impressionable
young girl is learning from that rude bitch!

and people wonder why the children of
today grow up as they do!

such a shame!

Which eye glasses do I wear?

i have officially realized i should have taken the
dark side, i have several different
eye glasses i wear to see different things

when i need to see far, switch the glasses
when i need to see close, switch the glasses
when i need to read, switch the glasses
and when i don't want to see anything
i wear nothing, and when i want to wear
no glasses i wear contacts, well not really
because i need readers to read when i am
wearing my contacts

how the heck do i keep this all straight
not really sure, however my pocketbook
is large so i can always find a pair

why so many glasses, well i will tell you~~

went to the eye doctor last summer

dr "your eyesight has really changed"
me " who me"
dr " well yes, it there anyone else in the room" (not funny doc)
me "oh, how bad"
dr "i think its time for bifocals" (not me)
me "well i am not ready for the dark side, i am only 47"
dr "if you don't take the bifocals you will have to wear several pair"
me "i will take the several pair's as the dark side scares me"
dr "ok, its not going to be easy"
me "i can do it, i am a control freak, i can handle anything"

so here i am today, switching glasses at the drop
of a dime, changing them just as the wind changes
always thinking ahead "which glasses will i need today"

i have spent $600.00 on new lens for all my frames

and why, just because i would not go to the dark side

next time i go to the eye doctor, the dark side
will be welcomed, i have learned my lesson
the hard way, as we always do!

off to decide which glasses to wear today!

:O)

Advice

why is it when someone
asks you for advice, you
freely give it, trying so hard
to be diplomatic, yet honest

listening and listening
as i do, as this is me
so understanding i am
allowing the conversation to flow

and then it happens
they just don't listen
coming back at you
over powering the conversation
defending themselves
disagreeing with all you say

and in the end doing
exactly what you told them
not to do

i just don't get

why ask?

is it just to hear the words
or is it just to be impossible?

no more words from me as
all they want me to do is listen
and so i shall~~

Toothpaste or T.P. ..bad jobs

today's daily blog is from
Maureen

enjoy as i did!

Toothpaste or T.P....bad jobs!

by Maureen

I was talking to K-Girl and I made a statement that I wanted to go back to work already and I didn’t care what the job was anymore...just to work. And I started thinking of some of the jobs I have had in the past. Some of the misses in a long career of hits.

I remembered taking a job as a survey taker in the mall! Oh dear, that was different! Apparently, if you got someone to go to the office and take a more in depth survey or even try a product, you got commission on that. Well, I had gotten a lot of people to take my survey and agree to the second part...and all these old hags that worked there would offer to take them to the office for me...and steal my commissions! After my very 1st shift I turned in my clipboard and quit! The company was so screwed up, they didn’t realize I quit! 6 months later I got a call from them asking when I was coming in!! I told them I quit 6 months ago and they had no idea!! Where was I for that long????????? Go figure!

Another college job I took was telemarketing. You can tell by my posts that I am a chatty cathy kinda girl! We had a script we were supposed to follow. “Supposed” is the operative word here! I couldn’t stay on script...I would start chatting with the person on the other end of the phone! In a 4 hour shift I talked to about 3 people! As my shift was ending I got called into the office...and you got it...was told I wasn’t cut out for telemarketing! We parted ways with a laugh!

Another fun one was a “fluffer and folder” at a department store! It was Christmas time and I worked from 3 to 11 (or whenever the store was put back into order...sometimes it took till 2 am) and all I did was fold sweaters in the men’s department! People were such pigs! They would leave sweaters all over the place, drop them on the floor and walk right over them. But it was kinda fun and a good opportunity to people watch!

What are some of your jobs that you had that you can look back and laugh at now?

♪♪ Music ♪♪

zonababy has written
today's daily blog, she is really
getting into blogging, and I love it!

Music

by zonababy

Music. It has the power to enhance a mood or destroy it. It can make you happy, or it can leave you in tears. At times it can stir up the best memories, or revisit the worst. After just a few notes of an old song, I can remember lyrics I haven't thought of in years. When I'm alone, one of my favorite things to do, is to change the whole atmosphere of the house by turning on the stereo as loud as I want to.

My tastes in music are diverse. They vary and change as often as my mood does. I love to listen to Frank Sinatra. But I also like Merle Haggard. I can rock with the Rolling Stones or swing with Ella Fitzgerald.

I've been to many memorable concerts, Billy Joel, Waylon Jennings, David Bowie. My all time favorite though, was seeing Elton John in 1975.

What are some of your favorite songs? Favorite concert memories? Is there a genre of music you have always loved? Music..how does it fit into your world??

Random acts of Kindness

east bay j has kindly
sent me today's daily blog

such a very endearing story
and so very glad she shared

Random acts of Kindness

by East Bay J


One day, a couple years ago, Mr. EBJ and I were home, we were just hanging out and talking. He got up and went into the kitchen, and looked outside. He turned and immediately started to go outside. "There is a bird splashing in the pool" he said.

I went out with him, and saw a tiny bird, flapping hopelessly. Mr. EBJ grabbed the net and carefully removed him.

We saw that his tiny claws were both stuck into some "peanuts", the styrofoam packing material. This is what kept him from drowning, we were just amazed. Where did he find the styrofoam? Could he have landed in the pool and luckily there was some that happened to be floating? Or had he become stuck somewhere else, and flown into the pool?

The poor little creature was exhausted, he was breathing so hard, and limp.

I got some towels from the kitchen and started drying him. I thought he was going to die.

We sat in the sun with him and carefully rubbed him, he continued to lay there with his eyes closed, struggling to breathe. It was just heartbreaking.

Mr. EBJ went inside to get the phone book, to see if there was some sort of wildlife place we could call. We didn't know what to do with him.

After a while, probably 20 minutes, he opened his eyes. I noticed his breathing wasn't so labored. I continued to rub him gently. He was drying off! And he seemed to be responding!

The little guy started moving around, and spread his wings out. We both thought he was trying to dry them. He pooped into the towel, I took that as a good sign! His breathing seemed to become normal!

I put him in a clean towel, continued to rub. He seemed to get stronger and stronger, then he stood up!

He flapped his little wings, and made a small peep. Mr. EBJ took him, he was going to put him in the ivy growing on the fence, to see if he could stand on his own, and if he was steady.

I think we probably both held our breath, but the little guy stood there and flapped some more! He looked strong and looked like he was ready to fly.

We backed off to see what he would do. We were ready with our towels if he were to fall. To our delight and amazement, a few moments later he took off and flew. We watched as long as we could, convinced that he would be ok.

We both cried and I don't think the smiles left our faces for hours. We were so happy, the feeling we had was priceless, and the feeling from helping that little tiny bird left an enormous impact on both of us.

Have you ever had a moment when you helped someone or something that you never told anyone? Have you stopped at an accident and helped? Have you rescued a cat out of a tree?

Has someone helped you and you want to share?

I would love to hear our owls nest random acts of kindness stories!

Celebrities

i am so confused by the emphasis
that is put on celebrities in this century
everything that goes on in their lives
is shown on most tv stations and
so easy accessible on the internet

what is the attraction, that makes
one completely enthralled with
these celebrities?

we have a war going on and our tv
stations are commenting on how many
drugs anna nicole smith took

i also find their salaries to be
completely outrageous, if you can act
and happen to be lucky enough to
get a break in the industry you
can make millions of dollars

why, because you can act~~

we have nurses, teachers, fireman
policemen etc. that have very important
jobs, they help the sick, teach the young
and save life's, yet their salaries are no
were near what these celebrities make
they are lucky just to make a living
and pay their monthly bills

where is the reasoning in that~~

i have stopped going to the movies unless
a discount is offered, it is not because i
don't have the money, it is the principal
the movie industry charges so much money just
to see a movie, why so they can pay their
actors high salaries? well i will not be contributing
to paying their salaries

i would rather give the money to my
local hospice or my town emergency squad

please don' get me wrong, i love looking
at george clooney just as tina does
and of course zona's huge grant

i just don't want to pay their salaries
and really don't care if Britney Spears
is dating yet another person

whatever happen to priorities?

Is this a Gift?

today our daily blog
is from zonababy
she has decided to share with
us her version of the uncomfortable gift

Is this a Gift?

by zonababy


While writing about my purple bread gift yesterday I began thinking about all the strange Christmas and Birthday gifts I have received over the years. There was one gift that was certainly more memorable than the rest.

When my husband and I moved to California from Arizona, we didn't have much money. We rented an apartment in a not so nice neighborhood and lived there for about six months. He found a much better job, and the first thing we did was look for a new apartment. The one we found was perfect for us. New complex, washer & dryer included and a FIREPLACE! Having lived in Arizona so long, I had never had a real honest to goodness wood burning fireplace..I was thrilled.

The first Christmas after we moved into our new place we gathered at Mr. Z's parents house on Christmas Day to open gifts. There were fifteen people there, so it was loud and confusion reigned. We decided to open one present at a time so everyone could see what others had gotten. About half an hour into the unwrapping, I picked up a really heavy gift. It was wrapped in shiny gold paper and tied with elaborate ribbons.

I excitedly began to tear the paper, and while everyone watched..I unwrapped...a Duraflame log. One Duraflame log. I looked at my husband blankly, and then looked at the person who gave it to us, an architect for the city of San Bernardino. He was smiling, "For your new fireplace!" This was no joke gift..it was for real! We thanked him, while everyone else hid smiles and laughter.

From that day on, everyone joked at every gathering where gifts were opened..."I wonder if you'll get a log?".

Have you ever gotten a gift like this? One that kinda just shocked you? I'd love to hear similar stories!!

The Aunt's

I have been trying to come up with some new material for Carol to post as a blog and I have many that just keep rolling around like so many marbles in my head. Then I can’t decide what to sit down and write about.

Finally I have decided to tell a story about my three aunts on my Dads side of the family. These are women who are strong and interesting and some times just down right weird.

My Three Aunts

by LynnD

The Aunts:

Mary Lee
Is the oldest now the age of seventy. She was a Jr. High school teacher for 35 years. She is 4 foot eleven on a good day. My whole life she has worn her hair in the same style. Very 1960’s it is rolled in wide circles all over her head and then a long piece in front is wrapped across her forehead and circles to the back , kind of a modified Beehive. She is the brunette. (Thank you Clairol!). Her other eccentricity is that she has always worn 3 to 4 inch high heels. She can’t wear any flat shoe of any kind because of this. I have seen her in slippers and she walks on her tiptoes. I have surmised she is trying to make up for her lack of height.

Betsy
Is the middle daughter and a blonde. She is the one I consider the most controlling of all of the siblings. She rules with an iron fist. Though she has many secrets of her own she will deny all of them with her last breath. She has a winning smile and can be very charming when she wants to apply herself but watch out!! Don’t cross her in anyway. She is the one who tries to keep current in fashion and hair and does not look her age which is in her early sixties.

Lynnette
Is the youngest sister in her fifties. She is the redhead (I will tell you now I don’t know which of them dyes their hair but have always been sure one of them does. Hello redhead, brunette and blonde?) this is the sister who really did not get any fashion sense! Over the years I have seen her in some of the worst outfits and it just does not occur to her that anything is wrong. Hairstyles? Well let’s put it this way she had the same bad perm and cut all of the 1990’s even when her sisters would tell her point blank that her hair looked like hell.

Ok that is just some background info so you might be able to tell who is who in this fun story. LOL

Two years ago I went to a family reunion for my Grandmother’s side. Dad had asked me to go for many years and I caved this year. My Dad and I arrived and I proceeded to greet all of the Aunts, Uncles and cousins that I knew. We ate and laughed and passed around photograph albums and generally everyone was having a great time. We then moved into a circle so everyone could introduce themselves and say which part of the family tree they were from and who’s children where who’s etc… This was over and everyone split up to talk and mingle.

I had been sitting by Aunt Lynette and Aunt Mary Lee and my Uncle Hank and my Dad. We were just chatting and joking and having a fine time. Aunt Mary Lee left our group to go talk to some of the extended family. I watched as she made her way across from us to a group of ladies that Aunt Betsy had been visiting with. I was still talking to Aunt Lynette when all of a sudden here comes Aunt Mary Lee stomping across the grass (well as much as you can stomp in heels on grass) she had a totally pissed expression on her face. She marched up to Aunt Lynette and said we are leaving now!!! They had come together in the same car and she expected Aunt Lynette to jump up with her purse and keys and do her bidding. Aunt Lynnette just sat in her chair and then looked at me like what the hell? I shrugged like I don’t know? So she stood up and said “what happened?” Aunt Mary Lee was so mad she looked at Aunt Lynnette and said “That Bitch Betsy!” We are leaving!!

By this time Uncle Hank (who is hard of hearing) is tapping me on the leg and wants to know what is going on? I have no clue!! Aunt Lynnette asks her” what did Betsy do now?” Aunt Mary Lee replies “I walked over to talk to Aunt Eleanor and I hear that bitch telling her that yes she does look like the youngest sister Thank you!” Especially since she has never had any work done like her other two sisters!””Did you know Mary Lee has had a face lift and Lynnette had Botox done?” “I have only ever washed my face with cleanser and moisturized.”

Well I am sitting there trying really hard not to laugh my ass off and Dad was no help because he was laughing his ass off already. Uncle Hank is looking at me going what?? What is Lee pissed off about??? I am trying to give him the look. You know the just a minute and I will fill you in look. Aunt Lynnette takes Aunt Mary Lee aside and they are arguing back and forth. I let Uncle Hank know what is going on and he is roaring with laughter and saying “Yep that Betsy is a bitch but she told the truth!” Of course he is saying this so loud everyone has turned to stare and whisper. Finally Aunt Lynnette comes back and grabs her purse and folding chair. She looks at me and says” It was nice to see you honey but I am taking Aunt Mary Lee home before we have some hair pulling and choking to contend with.

Yes this is some of my family. I love them! Sometimes I don’t really like them, but they always and I mean always amuse me when they are not pissing me off!!

What are your stories?? Do you have lunatics in your family too? Do you get along with them all? Do you ever question how you ended up in your family like I do? LMAO

PS I changed the names not to protect the innocent but to protect me!!!

Food Disaster's

IT'S ALL IN THE PRESENTATION

by ronniegirl

Years ago when I was a young bride, my hubby and I wanted to have our families over for our first dinner all together since the wedding. Knowing everyone liked ham and sweet potatoes, (we're from the south), I decided to "fancy" it up a bit. This was BFN (before Food Network), but I did know presentation was important. I took three large cans of sweet potatoes, mashed them into a lovely orange icing and 'iced' the ham before baking.

We were fortunate enough to have a hand-me-down table, which I set using our wedding gifts. Next I prepared the pink boxed cake mix and pink canned frosting. I then iced my hot cake and watched it melt onto the cake stand. That was okay, it was pink and matched the candles and flowers. I didn't have dressing for the salad, so I squeezed lemon juice on top.

After our guest's arrived, I announced dinner was served.

As I entered bringing in the ham, my brother started laughing, Dad cleared his throat and told him to stop, all the while controlling his own huge grin. My mother just kept looking down at her lap. Hubby "carves", or butchers, the ham and serves, as I pass the lettuce and tomato salad. We toasted our Mogan David and Dad asked if I selected the wine, as everyone made pleasant conversation.

Dinner over, it was time for dessert.

Hey.....it was PINK, and my dripping cake matched my table. As I came through the kitchen door, my brother, who hadn't said a word during dinner,
gave out a loud bwahahaha, after which he said, "I think y'all better stick to living off of love".
He was excused from the table by my father.

After hugs and good-byes, we closed our front door, but I could hear my brother's bwahahaha and my dad's loud voice coming from our sidewalk. I looked at Hubby, he smiled and said he was proud of me, and that's all that really mattered.

This a true story, and I'd bet my brother's life on it.

Have you ever had a cooking disaster, attended someone's home and they served you theirs, or something you didn't like and maybe put it in their flower pot? I feel some good stories coming on.....bwahahaha...(that's from my brother, he's so good at it)

Ronnie

Brett Favre

jodi has written todays
daily blog, as when one is passionate
about something, the words just flow


A Tribute to Brett Favre
by Jodi

This is the day that I have dreaded. Brett Favre announced his retirement today. I have been a lifelong Packer fan, and for the last 16 years Brett Favre has been a huge part of the magic of the Green Bay Packers. I can remember when he first started - this kid from Louisiana. Kind of scrappy, but boy could he play. The people of Wisconsin learned to love this kid, even though there has always been some confusion as to how to pronounce his last name. Makes me think of the great lines from "There's Something About Mary" when Ben Stiller's character was trying to say his name. Yes, I know Tina - why can't they just spell it like it is pronounced!! For those of you who don't know - it's spelled Favre - but actually pronounced FARVE.

Then there were the years that we were blessed to have Mike Holmgren as head coach. By this time the late, great Reggie White was also on the team!!! (FYI - Reggie White was my Mom's favorite Packer of all time. And I like to think when he passed - she was right there to welcome him home.) What a joy to watch those games. They made it to and won Super Bowl XXXI. They made it to Super Bowl XXXII, but did not win that year. It made no difference to me - I just loved watching them play!!! There have been many struggling seasons recently for the Packers, but this last season - it seemed like the old magic was back.

This was the season that he broke many records including for most touchdown passes (442), passing yards (61,655), pass completions (5,377) and games with at least three touchdown passes (63). And ironically, he also broke the record for most interceptions thrown. Go figure - classic Favre. I think Brett's most amazing feat, and one that many believe will never be broken, is his quarterback record of 253 consecutive regular season starts, 275 including playoffs.

I guess what made watching Brett Favre so fun, was the joy on his face just to play the game. You would think after all these years that might fade, but even though his hair is more gray than brown, he still seemed like that scrappy kid from Louisiana to me!!!

BRETT - THANKS 4 THE MEMORIES!!!

Flowers

spring is on its way to the
nest, and to remind us of this
iteach has this daily blog

Flowers

by iteach

March is here, hooray! When March comes I think of spring and when I think of spring I think of flowers. I just love flowers. Every time I look at them and smell them my shoulders totally relax. I have always had a dream of having a beautiful flower garden that I would be proud of and that it would be blooming from April to September.

I have started that dream, but I am not proud of it. I always have good intentions, but my flower garden turns out sad every year. Now that I'm done reproducing I want to put a lot more attention into my yard.

Can you help me?

I would love to hear your thoughts about what you do with your garden.

Now if you do not have a green thumb, please do not dismiss this post.

I would love to hear what type of flowers you love and that would help me get ideas for my garden.

I don't have a green thumb either, so please share anything. I can't wait to hear about your favorite flowers or any gardening tips.

What makes you Laugh?

our daily blog will bring us
some laughter, it is from
nowmercy

as lovey always says
"laughter is good for the soul"

Laughter

by now mercy

Humor, laughter, jokes, funny stuff. All of this is so good for our well being. It is now well documented that laughing gives the body a boost of cells that kill cancer and create a stronger immune response. Laughter, from a medical anthropological view, is a signal to others that “it is safe” or “ the coast is clear”. It stops the flight or fight chemical cascade in the body and nervous system. I love to laugh. I love to make others laugh. I love the look in people’s faces when they are about to crack up big time. I love to chuckle out loud when I’m by myself. I love jokes that take a sudden turn in another direction and are surprisingly funny.

How about you all? What are your favorite jokes? What makes you laugh hardest? Do you like physical humor? Who are your favorite comedians? Funny movies? Lets get each other's laughing and provide some new joke material for each other.

Here is a joke to get us started, given the topic a few days ago, please share any and all jokes.. well, you know.

Two men are waiting at the gates of heaven and strike up a conversation.

"How'd you die?" the first man asks the second.

"I froze to death," says the second.

"That's awful," says the first man. "How does it feel to freeze to death?"

"It's very uncomfortable at first," says the second man. "You get the shakes, and you get pains in all your fingers and toes. But eventually, it's a very calm way to go. You get numb and you kind of drift off, as if you're sleeping. How about you, how did you die?""I had a heart attack," says the first man. "You see, I knew my wife was cheating on me, so one day I showed up at home unexpectedly but found her alone watching television. I ran around the house looking for her lover but could find no one. As I ran up the stairs to the attic, I had a massive heart attack and died."

The second man shakes his head. "That's so ironic," he says.

"What do you mean?" asks the first man.

"If you had only stopped to look in the freezer, we'd both still be alive."

Questions on a Sunday

today is a little different here in the nest
questions to ponder, as it is good to get the
mind working!

1. Do you like who you are?

2. Do you feel you have ever truly been in love?

3. Are you a honest person?

4. Are you living where you really want to be?

5. Is your family supportive?

6. If you could pick one person you would like to see again, who would it be?

7. What profession would you choose if you could do it all over again?

8. Who out of all your close relationships do you rely on the most?

9. If you were granted three wishes what would they be?

10. When life throws lemons your way do you make lemonade?


get the number 2 pencil ready, sit back, and be real!

enjoy!

Attitude!

i have come to the conclusion that
ppl with mighty fine attitude's
just piss me off

why must some people think
they are better then others and
come off all snippy with a wide
ass attitude

life is so short in so many ways
what is the problem with just being nice

i find with just one question asked in
the most simplest of ways, the answer
is a retort with a attitude

whether it be the telephone company,
the cable service, the doctors office
etc. everyone has a attitude

try as i might to be very sweet when
i call, i soon find myself crazed over
what i am dealing with

i step back, think, thank them
and hang up, only to call right back
hoping, actually praying to get
someone nicer next time around

this is how i deal with it
frustrating at best!