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...
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
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....
Monday, November 11, 2013
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...
Monday, October 28, 2013
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...
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
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...
Thursday, September 26, 2013
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...
Monday, September 23, 2013
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....
Monday, September 16, 2013
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...
Sunday, September 8, 2013
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...
Saturday, August 31, 2013
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,...
Sunday, August 25, 2013
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...
Friday, August 16, 2013
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....
Monday, August 12, 2013
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...
Thursday, August 8, 2013
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,...
Friday, August 2, 2013
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...
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
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...
Sunday, July 28, 2013
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...
Saturday, July 27, 2013
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...
Friday, July 19, 2013
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,...
Friday, July 12, 2013
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...
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
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...
Monday, July 8, 2013
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...
Friday, July 5, 2013
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...
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
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/
...
Sunday, June 30, 2013
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...
Thursday, June 27, 2013
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...
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