My Daddy's Crazy, Part 2

Luna here again.

I told you before how I thought my daddy was going crazy when he started stringing lights in the trees and bushes outside. Well, now, I think he's gone around the bend and it's time to seek professional help for him.

You see, after he finished putting these lights and other things he calls inflatables in the yard, he's now talking about putting up a tree in the house. I ask you, why would anyone want to put a tree in their house.

And just today, he started to put these things he calls Hallmark ornaments up next to the ceiling in the dining room. I don't know why he'd want to put them up so high, out of our reach. They look like they'd be fun to play with. I've got Uno and Dewey on the case, however. They've been eying the proceedings and when the get on the stepladder, they're close. Now if they can just figure out how to scale that final three feet to reach them.

Okay, back to this tree thing. I've heard Daddy say he has a plan to deal with us. I don't know why he'd need a plan. I mean anything that comes with the tree is probably something we should kill. I can look outside and see these things crawling through the shurbs next to the window, which prevents us from getting to them, so if he brings a tree inside, why that'll make it easier for us. So, despite whatever his plan is, I'll put the Mighty Hunters (Uno, Dewey, Trey and maybe even Grim) on the case and they'll take care of anything they find.

Meanwhile, I don't have thumbs and can't figure out how to use his cell phone, so would someone do me a favor and call 911. My daddy needs professional help before whatever has affected him gets any worse.

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My Daddy's crazy

Hi, this is Luna again and I snuck in to use my daddy's computer while he's outside. You see, I think he's gone crazy. I'm watching him from the window and he's putting lights in the trees!

Now what sane person does that. And he keeps saying decorations along with last year. I don't really remember all that far back and besides, I was busy with these three hellions that mommy says came from me, but that really can't be the case, because they're nothing like me. But, that's beside the point.

The point is, I don't know what to do about my daddy. Why does he want to put lights in the trees. And, he's going to add something called inflatables. I'm not sure what that is, but mommy and daddy say there's one in the box on the table. That's what they say. All I see is a box. And it has a kitty on it. A large white kitty wearing a bow and red sweater. And smiling. I ask you, what kitty smiles. Well, maybe secretly, when our people feed us and pet us. But we never let them see us smile.

Okay, I'm going to watch my daddy closely. I need to make sure this condition doesn't get any worse. After all, I need his lap to sleep on during the evening while he tries to cross stitch. And it was real nice of him to get me this new chair to sleep on during the day. I'll keep you updated whenever I get the chance to sneak on here again.

Luna

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No Shave November

You might have noticed the guys on The Today Show look a little scruffy these days, as in they all lost their collective razors.

If you missed the announcement on Nov. 1, the male cast members and crew have taken a vow to not shave during the month in honor of No Shave November. The goal of this effort, according to the website noshavenovember.com, is to raise awareness "...by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Donate the money you usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle."

I'd never heard of No Shave November before learning about it on The Today Show, and it seems like a worthwhile effort to raise awareness about cancer, particularly among males. However, I don't plan to let my facial hair grow, but will follow the other suggestion on the website and donate to the American Cancer Society anyway.

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Fall

Pumpkins. Colorful leaves. Apple cider. Halloween.

Yep, all sure signs that fall is here. Even though fall is a season that we don't experience in Florida like the northern states, there are still subtle signs that we're undergoing a change in the weather (and I'm not referring to the more obvious indications in various retail outlets). The foliage in the live oaks takes on a darker luster unlike the spring with it's a more vibrant green. As the rainy season draws to an end, the grass stops growing and begins to turn brown. The summer flowers (like the bromeliads in the photo) begin to die off.

It also means an end to hurricane season (Nov. 30) and we can cease watching the weather in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The humidity weakens and temperatures lower and there are days when we don't need to run the air conditioner.

Fall has always been one of my favorite times of the year, and even though I need to resort to the Internet to get my fall leaf fix, I still know it's here. (For once, it really felt like fall this year in Florida, something we hadn't experienced in a long time.)

And as October draws to a close, that mean's I'll turn my attention to the upcoming holiday season and begin preparing my annual outdoor lighting extravaganza. But more on that later. For now, I'm going to enjoy what's passing for fall at this moment.

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A Halloween Finish

    It’s finished!

Well, actually, I finished it during the last week of September, but at least I completed my wife’s Halloween cross stitch project in time for her to enjoy it during one of her favorite holidays. The piece is the “Haunted House Welcome” from Stoney Creek, and while I made a few modifications here and there, the finished product is fairly close to the pattern I followed.

And since I have some time now before Halloween, I ordered some guacamole linen from 123Stitch.com to complete a small design from Lizzie Kate called Hocus Pocus.

Speaking of Halloween, we were out last night and saw our first house decorated with orange lights in the shrubbery and a few other appropriate ornamentation. I’ve never decorated outside for Halloween, but maybe I’ll take a trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot and see what I can find.

What about you? Does anyone else decorate for Halloween?

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Museum Day

 
    Well, for the most part, I seem to have my workspace, computer and my blog back. A special thanks to Luna for filling in the other day as her post apparently was well received. I guess she’ll need to make guest appearances.

Okay, on to the topic of the day. Museums.

If you’re looking for something to do this Saturday, Sept. 28 (besides college football), go visit a local museum.

Museum Day Live! is an annual event sponsored by by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day
Ticket. Rules allow only one ticket per household for two people. If your interest lies in history or the arts, you’re sure to find a participating museum near you. I plan to visit the Tampa History Center in the downtown area.

Details about the day along with a searchable list of participating museums and the ticket, which you print and present at the museum, are available at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday.

Have fun, and if you go, drop a comment. I’d like to hear what other people thought or experienced.

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The Mighty Hunters

Hi, this is Luna, the leader of the Mighty Hunters. Daddy hasn’t blogged in a few days because we have taken over his workspace. You see, chasing lizards is way more important than letting him write, so other than allowing him a few brief moments to check e-mail and Facebook (whatever those things are that he thinks are so important), the desk is ours.

Here we are.

That’s me on the right, with Dewey in the middle and Trey on the left. Missing is Uno, although she might have taken the high ground on the shelving unit next to the desk. Dewey (almost perfect), Trey (under baked) and Uno (over baked) are my kittens. They’re almost a year and a half old and came as a surprise to Daddy and Mommy when they rescued me from outside. Uno always has my back when it comes to Grimm, who’s six months older than my kittens and ensures that he won’t steal my crown.

Besides chasing lizards (and our job would be so much easier if there wasn’t this clear thing between us and our prey), I like to help Daddy cross stitch (whatever that is, but he seems to enjoy it). The nice thing is, he’ll sit in his chair, which means I can curl up in his lap and take another hard-earned nap (hey, you try keeping these kittens in line all day long). Daddy just sits there poking this thing he calls a needle through something that I like to lay on. To his credit, he doesn’t make me move when he can’t poke the needle any longer. He just waits for me to finish my nap.

He’s a good Daddy and I’m glad he took me in from outside.

Oh, he said I had to mention turtles, so turtles, whatever that is. Stay tuned, we’ll let him return eventually.

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Iconic images from Ohio

It's been almost a week since I returned home from Ohio. I've got lots to write about, but I thought I'd start off by sharing just a few photos of some of the iconic images from the area where I grew up.

 Wanna work here? This is the office complex for the Longaberger Basket Company in Newark, Ohio. The firm makes designer baskets that are sold as collector's items.

 Don't jump! This is the cliff at Black Hand Gorge near Toboso. Roamed around here a lot during my teen years. The formation at the bottom is part of lock system for the canal that was part of the Licking River.

 Maybe not. The Great Circle Mound in Newark is part of the Newark Earthworks erected by the ancient Moundbuilders. As a child, we wandered all over this place never aware of the significance of the site.

 Eerie! Another Black Hand Gorge shot. I wasn't able to get a shot of the tunnel for the interurban railroad, but when the B&O Railroad was built, they blasted through the sandstone to create this cut through. The former railroad bed is now a bike/walking trail.

 We can spell. I couldn't quite get it from the observation tower, but these shrubs do spell out Dawes Arboretum.

 Hard as a chisel. I found this outcropping of flint along one of the trails at Flint Ridge Park. This was a site where Indian tribes gathered to secure flint for their weapons and tools.

Impressive! A map showing the extent of the Newark Earthworks, the largest system of its kind in the world.

 Sacred. One of the mounds at the Newark Earthworks.

 We're still in Newark, aren't we? After the 1959 flood, the town erected this totem pole in 1962 to ward off future floods.

Who wants dessert? Tom's Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville has been around since 1948 serving up nuts, candy and of course, ice cream.

Remember this? Ah, pre-cell phone technology. I found this phone booth next to the Toboso United Methodist Church. Yes, it works.

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Coming Home, Part 2

    Well, my visit to Ohio is now drawing to an end as I fly back to Florida on Sept. 10. Before my departure, I took some time out from visiting with family and friends, to drive around the area where I grew up.

First of all, relying on 35-45 year memories of roads was a bit too much to ask. I went out to Flint Ridge State Park (the place where Indian tribes gathered flint for the weapons and utensils) and when I left there to head to Toboso, I got lost. Well, not completely, but I finally realized I was heading in the wrong direction. So I backtracked, found another road I thought I knew, and when I finally spotted the church where my first wife and I were married, I knew exactly where I was.

I already knew Toboso, the small town where I grew up, had changed immensely. The elementary school is still there, but is now privately owned. Both the house where I grew up and my grandparents’ house have changed. The hill behind the house where we went sled riding is all overgrown into a forest. I stopped and chatted with my aunt, whom I’ve not seen in ages and saw a couple of other people I knew from my youth that I had also not seen in years. Also overgrown was the Christmas tree farm where I worked during the summer of my high school years.

The old high school looks somewhat the same although additions have been made. It now serves as the elementary school for the entire district. A new high school was built down the hill from the old high school. I think it occupies the practice field we used during football season for band practice.

Change is always inevitable as we all know, yet it still comes as a shock when old memories of what used to be confront the reality of the present. And with that, here’s some photos from my visit.

 The house where I grew up. The area where the front door and window are now was our front porch when I lived there.

 My grandparents' house across the street from my former house. Spent a lot of time here growing up. There was a hedge along the front and side where the gravel is now, and an opening between the main house and the little building to the left. My grandma called that her summer cottage.

 The church where we worshiped on Sundays. The wheelchair ramp in front is a change from my youth. Our minister was the grandfather of my best friend in college.

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Coming home

    Yes, the title is a bit of misdirection.

While Florida is my home, in my heart, I think Ohio will always be my home. I arrived back in my hometown this past Tuesday, staying until Sept. 10, to attend a class reunion, see family and friends, and visit places I remember from my younger years.

This is the 45th reunion of the Licking Valley Class of 1968. While I’ve reunited with many of my former classmates on Facebook, this will be the first time I’ve seen many of them since Graduation Day, 1968. We’ve already had one event, and it was a blast connecting with two friends I grew up with in Toboso, remembering various events from our childhood.

Toboso, Ohio is the little town where I spend my childhood, and I know from previous visits how much it has changed. I hope to spend a little more time there this visit, but there are also other places I have fond memories of that I hope to visit as well, seeing what changes have occurred. Some of those visits will be the subject of future blogs over the next few weeks.

But for now I’m content in living with my memories, knowing that while Ohio is no longer my home, it is still home in another sense. I suspect that for many of us who now live life at turtle speed in places other than our hometowns, you feel the same as I. So relish the memories while you live the present.

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Goodbye Scudder

    

    We said goodbye to our old buddy, close companion and good friend this past week. Scudder went to the Rainbow Bridge, where he’s now waiting for me, on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 20. Adjusting to life without him has been difficult.

No more long walks outside as he sniffs every blade of grass to find the perfect spot to do his business.

No more counter cruising (he was very adept at that in his younger days).

No more sharing the couch and watching the Buckeyes together.

Nope, Scudder’s in a better place now, no longer suffering from a bad hip, no more pain from the possible cancer we suspect he had. And now he’s reunited with his long-time companion, Tessa, as well as Holly, Bubbles, Harley and Valentine.

Scudder gave us 16 years of joy, companionship, love and faithfulness — all the qualities that make dogs man’s best friend. The grieving will continue, but Scudder still lives in our hearts and minds and we’ll never forget him.

And so, one last time, goodbye old friend. I miss you.

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Preparing to say goodbye

    This is going to be a hard post to write.

In June, I wrote the Lab Trio blog post about one of my cross-stitching projects and our Labs, both current and past. One of those Labs mentioned in that post was Scudder, my old man at 16 years.

Now, I’m preparing to say goodbye to him (and getting teary-eyed as I write those words).

At 16, Scudder’s old for a big dog, and a few weeks ago, one of his hips finally gave out. Now, he was still eating well, could hobble along on three legs once we carried him outside and his eyes showed a lot of life. My wife and I decided that we would not put him through the rigors of surgery to correct the hip problem but knew our time with him was limited.

Over the past few days, his ability to move has worsened and he can no longer get up by himself. So, the time is nearing when I’ll have to say goodbye to my old friend. And these last few days with him, I’m going to relish the memories of our years together, some of which I’ll share in a later post.

Meanwhile, my heart is breaking, just as I knew it would, but I don’t want Scudder to suffer. So clear the path to the Rainbow Bridge because a very special dog is coming soon.

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Dog Days

   Ah, the dog days of summer, that most sultry time of the season.

According to everything I’ve read, the dog days usually begin around July 3 and end around Aug. 11, or yesterday. I don’t know about the dog days anywhere else in the country, but here in Florida, the memo announcing the end of dog days was apparently misplaced.

It’s hot out there.

Beginning late last week, the dog days ramped up down here with feel-like temperatures over 100 degrees. This is the first time this summer that the outside temps during the day were practically unbearable. And there’s been little rain to cool things off, although in our neck of the woods, we had torrential rains Friday evening along with a tornado warning. The radar images made it look like a Fourth of July celebration with all the reds, yellows and orange lighting the screen.

But I digress. I repeat, it’s hot out there. But I’ll take the heat over the still-to-come most active period of our hurricane season, which will happen while I’m back in Ohio. Meanwhile, like my two labs, 

I’ll just take life at turtle speed and relax in the air conditioning.

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Book news

I’ve not blogged for almost a week now, not because I didn’t have anything to write about, but because I’ve been otherwise occupied.

You see, I have news as evidenced by the photo. The cover art for my forthcoming book, Dancing on a Tightrope, written under my pen name, Jon Dalton. It's a murder mystery set in Southwest Florida. Think Raymond Chandler or Mickey Spillane meeting Travis McGee. That's the feel some of my critique partners had.

So, I’ve been busy completing final run through, then to my editor (hopefully today).

Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well and you see it on Amazon sometime this month. Now back to the writing cave.

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16 years of happiness

16 years ago today, the love of my life became my wife, and I have to say that my love for her has grown more with each passing year.

Although we were still learning about each other on Aug. 2, 1997, there were two things we both knew: we were soul mates and we were best friends.

Like all married couples, we’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve laughed, we cried, we’ve argued, we’ve made up. But through it all, being best friends, being soul mates has seen us through every moment.

If, like me, you’ve found your soul mate, take a moment and hug, kiss and remind him or her how fortunate you feel to have him or her in your life. Soul mates do not come along every day, and when you find yours, keep them in your heart every day.

As for us, we’re going to do some quite celebrating today, but Sweetie, know that I love you, I adore you and I cherish you.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart.

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Halloween progress

Well, here it is, the end of July and I seem to be no closer to the end of my current cross stitch project (Haunted House Welcome) than I was when I first blogged about this on July 5 (not that you’d know how far along I was then since I didn’t post a picture).

Anyway, here we are at the end of July and I had to move the piece out of the frame I use for stitching so I can do the bottom part of the piece. (See the thread toward the bottom of the picture?) Hopefully, I’ll complete the bottom section by Sunday evening, then move to the top part, where I have to complete the roof on the house, the moon and a few other things.

My goal, such as it is, is to have the design stitched by the beginning of September so I can start the backstitching (for you non-cross stitchers, think of it as outlining, which adds detail and brings a design to life). And, hopefully, I’ll still be on track to have it completed for my wife by Thanksgiving.

That’s a big hope, I think. But that’s what life at turtle speed is all about, doing what I enjoy every day!

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Update to Weather Alerts post

Shortly after I published my blog post yesterday about the discontinuation of weather alerts from the National Weather Service for budget reasons, I was watching a show on The Weather Channel. During that show, I learned that the budget sequestration is also affecting the Hurricane Hunters that fly into these storms and provide crucial data to the National Hurricane Center.

According to Col. Craig LaFave, commander of the 403rd Reserve Wing which includes the hurricane hunters squadron, the unit can handle up to two hurricanes for a short period of time. Three storms is a no go.

I still remember vividly when four storms in succession hit Florida in 2004. If the 2013 is as bad as forecasters are predicting, then grounding the hurricane hunters because the politicians in Washington can't compromise on a budget flies in the face of common sense. I guess putting people and their property in danger makes more sense to them than abandoning their principles.

Strange world we're living in these days.

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Weather alerts fall victim to budget cuts

Anyone living in parts of the country subject to hazardous weather will have to rely on other means to stay abreast of developing weather conditions beginning Aug. 1.

Since 2008, the National Weather Service (NWS) has disseminated weather alerts through e-mail or text messages using a free self-subscription service called GovDelivery, which has contracts with several government agencies to provide information to the public. Due to budget constraints, the NWS terminated its contract with GovDelivery last November, but the service continued to provide the alerts through other means.

Now falling subject to budget constraints itself (you can substitute sequestration here if you want), GovDelivery will cease providing the NWS alerts effective July 31.

For Florida residents, this couldn’t come at a worse time as we move into the height of hurricane season from mid-August to mid-September. While weather apps for smart phones or tablets, will alert people to hazardous weather, these will not provide the same early information that the e-mail alerts from the NWS did.

It seems a shame when we’ve been urged to make use of technology to conserve resources that the people in charge let things like this happen. My opinion only, of course.

Have a great weekend everyone and try to enjoy life at turtle speed.

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The Lone Ranger Rides again

No, it’s not the Lone Ranger we Baby Boomers grew up with, but nonetheless, the movie is a rollicking good adventure if you’re looking for a summer escape plaguing so much of the country this summer.

I agree when I saw the trailers with Johnny Depp as Tonto (and not dressed as Jay Silverheels played him), I was skeptical. But some minimal research, (okay, I asked one of my friends who’s knowledgeable in Indian culture) revealed that Depp’s makeup was fairly realistic. Armie Hammer turns in a good performance as the Lone Ranger, although, he exudes was less confidence as the Lone Ranger than what Baby Boomers will remember.

In a departure from the TV show, John Reid, the ranger, is actually a lawyer, who becomes the masked lawman at the urging of Tonto to avenge the death of his Texas Ranger brother at the hands of the notorious Butch Cavendish. Together, the pair discover a plot that would have great implications if successful and work to foil the evildoers behind it.

This is all related by a now elderly Tonto to a young boy in a museum dedicated to Western history, so there are flashbacks throughout the show to this Tonto. I know this was the film’s way of trying to engage a younger audience that has no relation to the Lone Ranger, but I found it off-putting. That’s just me. Others may like this facet of the show.

The Lone Ranger gets a thumbs up.

So while I’m doing movie reviews, thumbs down to World War Z. Just moments into the show, the tension ratchets up to an adrenaline-pulsing level and never lets up from there. Please, give the audience a chance to breathe once in a while. Oh, yeah, zombies that move at super speed without explanation as to how they acquired this power. Really? That’s just one example of the inconsistencies with the reality we expect from a zombie picture that turn this one into something you’d expect to see on the SyFy channel. If you’re into Brad Pitt and want to see it, wait till it comes out on DVD and rent it through Netflix.

And that’s Life at Turtle Speed.

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Recapture the Christmas spirit in July

Many of my friends know I’m a not-so-secret Christmas nut (my Facebook page features a steady stream of Christmas photos, for example). So as this weekend in July rolls around, my excitement level begins to build, because the first vestiges of Christmas begin to appear — the Hallmark Christmas ornaments.

That’s right. This weekend, Hallmark stores will premiere much of the 2014 Christmas ornaments; the remainder will arrive in October. For collectors of this iconic, almost-Norman Rockwell like reminders of Christmases past, it the first chance to snap up their favorites.

It was my wife who introduced me to the Hallmark ornaments during our first Christmas together in 1997. Before that, I don’t think I’d ever paid them much attention. It didn’t take long before I got hooked. The artistry that goes into these ornaments is amazing, but more than that it’s the memories they bring back, mostly of happy times spent together with families and friends.

(And if you didn’t know, the Hallmark Channel has been doing Christmas in July all week long, replaying many favorite Christmas movies from the past few years.)

So even if you don’t collect Hallmark ornaments, it’s worth visiting your local Hallmark store just to see the colorful and sometimes whimsical collection, and maybe for a moment, recapture that special spirit that prevails during the Christmas holiday even if it is in the heat of the summer.

And that’s life at turtle speed.

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Playing for the love of sport, not money

These athletes won’t receive a lot of attention, other than maybe a mention or two in local media markets. That’s okay. While they might wish their sports captured more attention like professional sporting events or even the Olympics, they’re just satisfied that they can still compete.

This week, in Tampa, Fla. and Rochester, Minn., two groups of athletes will compete for all the glory, honor and satisfaction of knowing they remain at the top of their game, the best of the best. They’ll do so competing with one difference from most athletes — they’re disabled.

From July 13-18, Tampa plays host to the 33rd edition of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, an event for military-service veterans who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries, amputations, or certain neurological problems to compete in various sporting events. Sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Paralyzed Veterans of America, the games allow disabled veterans to improve both their quality of life and their health.

Likewise in Rochester, where the National Junior Disability Championships (NJDC) are taking place from July 6-13. (And here, I must make a disclaimer: my 17-year-old stepson is one of the athletes participating for I think his ninth year.So far, he’s achieved first place in two swimming events and a third in archery.) Open to physically disabled athletes from ages seven to 21, the NJDC games are an Olympic-style competition and have produced several paralympic athletes through an affiliation with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Watching these athletes train or compete serves as inspiration to us all that we can’t let the curves that life throws us stand in the way of achieving our goals.

And that’s life at turtle speed.

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The Grinch that stole the Fourth of July

All right, the title is a little misleading, but CBS sure appeared to be a Grinch when it came to the Boston Fireworks Spectacular with the Boston Pops Orchestra this past Fourth of July.

We had settled in to watch our traditional viewing that evening — first, a Capitol Fourth followed by the Boston fireworks — when I asked my wife what time each was airing. She found the Capitol Fourth and the event sponsored by Macy’s, but no Boston fireworks. I jumped on Google and soon found the reason — CBS had declined to renew a contract to air the event.

To be fair, I emailed corporate communications for CBS to get their side of the story. I received no return reply. The only reason I could find, according to one Boston report, was some vague indication that declining ratings was behind the decision.

Hmmm, given the tragedy that happened in Boston a few months earlier, was this really the best time to pull the plug on something that gives Boston a sense of pride. I guess corporate profits mean more to CBS than fostering good feelings for a city that had experienced a horrific terrorist act.

And while I’m on my soapbox today, what about the families of military personnel on bases around the country denied fireworks because Congress and the White House couldn’t come to a budget deal and avoid the sequestration. Money again. Maybe it is the root of all evils.

Thoughts, anyone?

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Halloween on the Fourth of July

Halloween on the Fourth of July

At least I’m getting closer to the right holiday, although I’ll never reach it completely.

Cross-stitchers who work on seasonal projects are usually way ahead of the general population, like freelance writers, who generally are writing articles for print magazines three or four months ahead of the calendar.

So, this year, instead of working on a Christmas project on the Fourth of July, I worked on a Halloween project. See what I mean? I moved two months closer to the actual holiday we were celebrating yesterday.

Working ahead like we do on seasonal projects is a must. For example, the project I’m working on, “Haunted House Welcome” from Stoney Creek is a large piece, and I know if I want it done for my wife who loves Halloween, I had to start way ahead of time. Thus, while many of you were thinking barbecue and fireworks, I’m looking at ghosts and witches and a haunted house.

At least I wasn’t playing Christmas music. Yes, I’ve been known to do that too.

So what about the rest of you stitchers? Any particular holiday stories you want to share? Leave a comment so we can all enjoy our particular stories.

And remember — have a safe and joyful weekend wherever you are (and watch out for turtles in the road). That’s what life at turtle speed is all about, doing whatever makes us happy.

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Have a safe Fourth of July

Have a safe Fourth of July

Consider today’s blog as a form of public service announcement. I’ve gathered below a number of links to sites with tips on how to have a safe Fourth of July, especially when dealing with fireworks. Here they are in no particular order:

http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/eye-health-news/july-fireworks-display-safety.cfm

http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/fireworks.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/fireworks.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks/

http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/121339/012.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/fireworks/

http://fireworkssafety.org/?p=41

http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/Resources/Documents/Using%20Fireworks%20Safely.pdf

http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/pdf/public%20education/fireworkssafetytips.pdf

That should be enough to get you started. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July. Now, I’ve got to go back outside and make sure the turtle (what a coincidence)I rescued from the middle of the street moments ago is headed in the right direction to safety.

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Turtle Nesting Season

It’s nesting season for sea turtles

Since this is a blog that has turtles in the title, it’s only appropriate that I discuss turtles, other than the one I keep trying to pass at turtle speed.

There was a story in the local newspaper the other day about beach goers at Englewood Beach who discovered a loggerhead turtle nesting in broad daylight. Florida residents who live along the Gulf Coast know (or at least they should) that it’s turtle nesting season in Florida, from May 1 to Oct 31. Loggerhead turtles along with green sea turtles generally nest at night, so it was quite a sight for the people who discovered the activity and remained a respectful distance away.

Each year, the beaches along Manasota Key in Charlotte and Sarasota counties register record numbers of nests according to the counts kept by the Coastal Wildlife Club. So far this year, they have noted “1,017 loggerhead sea turtle nests, 12 green sea turtle nests and one verified Kemp’s ridley nest,” according to the story in the paper. The Kemp’s ridley is one of the rarest sea turtles, all of which are either threatened or endangered.

I’ve seen plenty of nests during my visits to the beach, which volunteers designate with yellow stakes and tape. And while I’ve never seen a loggerhead turtle in the wild, I have seen them at Mote Marine in Sarasota, a world-class research facility on ocean life. If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Sarasota, this is one place to put on your tour list.

And along that vein, if you visit an area where these magnificent sea turtles nest, respect the area and don’t bother it. The nests face enough danger from natural predators like raccoons and fox. Then, when the hatchlings are born, it’s another struggle for them to reach the ocean; things as simple as an unshielded light on a condo can easily distract them on their journey to water. It’s not unusual to read stories each year of hatchlings that became confused and are found on a local road.

Okay, it’s raining outside today, so I don’t feel inclined to go outside and race that turtle. He can have the victory. That’s life at turtle speed.

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Nik Wallenda, Twitter and the Buckeyes

Nik Wallenda, Twitter and the Buckeyes

It’s easy to see the connection between Nik Wallenda and Twitter, and Twitter and The Ohio State Buckeyes. But come on, there’s no way the three are connected.

Well, yes, there is, and it wasn’t the biomedical person from Ohio State who was measuring Wallenda’s vital signs during his training sessions in Sarasota.

Nope, Twitter is the connecting thread between Nik Wallenda and the Buckeyes.

You see, despite the ten second delay in Sunday night’s telecast of Wallenda crossing the Grand Canyon, I wasn’t keen on watching the entire death-defying spectacle, although I have to admit it was awesome and I loved the scenic views of the canyon. So I took to Twitter, between glances at the TV screen, to see what others had to say. And it was there that I discovered Buckeye-world tweeting about the latest commitment to the team’s 2014 class, a speedy wide receiver from Indiana (Go Bucks!).

Long ago, in a time far past, the world we baby boomers knew was limited pretty much to our local newspaper, and whatever the only three broadcast channels we had brought us on the evening news. At that time, our attention would have been solely riveted on Wallenda’s daredevil stunt with no other distractions, save what might be happening in our own homes.

We’ve come a long way since the 1950s, and today the world is at our fingertips with IPads and IPhones. Information is constantly and instantly available. Sometimes I think it’s a good thing; other times, I yearn for the simpler days of the past. Anyone else feel the same?

Meanwhile, I see that turtle in my yard again, and it’s time to see if I can pass him. That’s life at turtle speed. Thanks for reading.

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