Jim's place to go on and on and on...
Are
You Kidding Me? Columbus Day? October 12, 2009
OK... So on my way out to the barn in the dark at about 6:15 AM, before I went to work on Columbus day - October 12, 2009, I started the car and turned on the headlights so I could see my way to feed the ducks by the pond and I couldn't believe my eyes when the headlights revealed SNOW FALLING! Now it didn't stick, but come on! Later in the week we had snow that did stick. This morning (October 19th) we had a pretty hard freeze. Not looking forward to the heating bills this winter. Maybe we'll get some mercy and it won't be as bad as it seems that it will.
_____________________________________________
Late Night TV isn't Funny... Friday- July 17, 2009
Marsha and I used to really enjoy watching the late night shows of David Letterman and Conan O'Brien. We stopped watching David more than a year ago and we're ready to stop watching Conan. Why? We're upset with the awful way that US automakers, Conservatives and Republicans are treated in their material and the way that drug and marijuana use is joked about, cheered and discussed as normal by them and their guests. With so much of the US economy in trouble, the jokes flow easy about the recent troubles of Ford, GM and Chrysler as they are made to look stupid, mismanaged and that they produce an inferior product. Thanks for kicking the US when she's down! Do you realize how many people in the US depend on these US automakers for their incomes? Rarely are Conservatives or Republicans presented in a favorable light. The running joke is that Conservatives and Republicans are stupid, old, hateful, out of touch or unqualified to serve in their roles. Do they not know that this alienates 50% of the country every time they hammer on these general stereotypical falsehoods? The jokes and stories about drug and marijuana use by them and their guests are so sad. These illegal substances grab kids and ruin their lives before they ever have a chance to discover life. Families are torn apart and lives are lost when these terrible influences contaminate lives. You'll know what I'm talking about if your family has been touched by this tragedy. It isn't funny. Come on guys! You're really funny and you don't need to go to these awful topics to be a success. Grow up and do the right thing! Your country will be stronger and American families will thank you.
______________________________________________
"The Committee" for the Betterment of Ducks... Monday - July 6, 2009
A few years ago I bought, for the first time, 15 newly hatched ducklings for the farm. 7 were jumbo white Pekins (like the AFLAC duck), 4 were Rouens (looks like large Mallard) and 4 were fawn & white Runner ducks. All but the Runners were meat ducks. When it came time to butcher the Pekins and Rouens I was on my way to the barn when Marsha stopped me and asked what I was doing. I told her that I
was on my way to butcher the ducks. She said, "I can't let you do that." When I asked her why, she replied, "Because I love them." Well, we ended up with pets instead of meat on the table. I'll admit that they have been a joy to watch, especially in the winter. These crazy ducks brave the ice, snow and brutal winds of winter on our spring-fed pond and come out only to eat, then right back in the water. We set up a nice warm barn spot for them, but they don't want anything to do with the barn. It's the pond for them! It is interesting too that a "Committee" developed. One each of the Pekins, Rouens and Runners became close friends and rulers over the other ducks. They spend the day wandering as a threesome. It is like each breed chose their representative to be on this "Committee".
(The Committee)
______________________________________________
Dining Out - Get Big Discounts... Monday - June 29, 2009
Did you know that most restaurant chains have email clubs? They do, and they offer some great coupons, special prices and gifts to those who sign up for their email clubs. Just start listing all of your favorite restaurants, then go to Google, find each restaurant's website and find out how to sign up for their club. Some will immediately send you an email coupon as a gift for signing up. Most will ask for your birthday so that they can send you a gift each year. Some even ask for your wedding anniversary so that they can send you a gift. Savings include free meals, free deserts, free appetizers or total bill discounts. Remember that each member of your household should sign up for even more family savings. Marsha and I rarely pay full price for our restaurant experiences. Enjoy!
______________________________________________
Morning - Quiet Time With God... Sunday - June 28, 2009
I love to spend quiet time each morning with the Lord. I'm up before dawn every day, before the rest of the house is up and spend time in prayer and reading God's word. Then I go about my chores and my day. Do yourself a favor and carve out a quiet piece of every day to spend with God. You'll be a better person for it and will find life's path easier to walk. Remember also to talk with Him through each day. A simple, "Thank you Lord" or whatever is on your mind at the time will help you develop a personal relationship with Him.
______________________________________________
Slug Patrol... Saturday - June 27, 2009
When we planted our vegetable garden this spring it was great to see the new plant life start popping up. Just as we thought we might have one of our best gardens ever, we noticed that plant by plant our garden was being destroyed... eaten up! Bunnies? No, we have a nice chicken wire fence around the garden to keep our furry friends out. Insects, those little flying pests? No, there was no evidence of that. A garden walk at dawn one morning revealed the culprit... SLUGS! There were hundreds of these little slimy guys attacking the tender new garden plants. I searched the Internet for solutions and decided that the best solution seemed to be "slug patrol". I make a trip to the garden in the evenings between 10PM and 11PM and then another trip at dawn each morning and actually pluck the slugs out of the garden and get rid of them. I've just been doing this for a few days now so I'll have to wait and see how effective this is. I've read that after a couple of weeks you should begin to see a big, big reduction of slugs and should be able to reduce the frequency
of patrols. Tools for slug patrol? Coffee can, table salt and pliers. I put about an eighth of an inch of salt in the bottom of an empty coffee can and pluck the slugs off of the garden dirt or off of the plants with the pliers (even I don't want to be slimed... thus the pliers). Marsha says she can hear me through the bedroom window each morning as I clang, clang tap the slugs into the can with the pliers. This morning I plucked 64 slugs which is less than when I began few days ago. The bottom line is that we replanted a few things that had been destroyed and so far, so good. Have you had this problem? Let me know how you've handled it. Thanks!
______________________________________________
Biking is Great Exercise! Thursday - June 25, 2009 - 7:40AM
Marsha and I have wanted to buy some simple cruiser bikes to ride on the local bike trail for some time now. We've been looking at the new bikes at Kmart and Wal-Mart, but didn't really want to spend a lot of money so for the past couple of months we've been shopping eBay, yard sales, classified ads, etc. looking for some good deals. We first found my bike at a police sale (abandoned and confiscated bikes) for just $2.00. Can you believe it? Then we found Marsha's bike on eBay and won the bidding at $32.00. We drove a couple of hours to pick it up. Both bikes are in great shape except for needing a little rust removal and some tire repairs. We went for our first ride on the 10 mile bike trail Monday - June 22. It was great! The trail is an old railroad line that has been paved. It follows a river and winds through the hills, woods and wildlife. We rode 2 miles and then turned around and came back (4 miles in all). Marsha needs some time to build up to more miles. I, on the other hand, decided to go out the next day on my own and conquer the 20 mile round trip. I got to the end of the 10 mile trail in 45 minutes without a break and was very proud. I called Marsha and sent her a phone photo of my bike at the end of the trail. Pride will get you every time. I drank a can of pop and turned around for the trip back. 3 miles into the return trip... flat tire! No repair kit or pump! No phone signal! Wow! Do I turn back and walk the 3 miles, take the train back to my trip's origin, or do I walk the 7 miles back? I'm stubborn (just ask Marshie). I walked the 7 miles back, pacing myself at 15 minutes per mile. That was Tuesday. Wednesday found me waking up with shin splints, foot blisters, back ache and an overall feeling of being as old as I am. Lesson learned... fall back to my Boy Scout training and "be prepared". Next trip we'll have some emergency tools and supplies with us.
(Jim's bike at the bike trail marker after the first 10 miles... Before the flat.)
OK... So on my way out to the barn in the dark at about 6:15 AM, before I went to work on Columbus day - October 12, 2009, I started the car and turned on the headlights so I could see my way to feed the ducks by the pond and I couldn't believe my eyes when the headlights revealed SNOW FALLING! Now it didn't stick, but come on! Later in the week we had snow that did stick. This morning (October 19th) we had a pretty hard freeze. Not looking forward to the heating bills this winter. Maybe we'll get some mercy and it won't be as bad as it seems that it will.
_____________________________________________
Late Night TV isn't Funny... Friday- July 17, 2009
Marsha and I used to really enjoy watching the late night shows of David Letterman and Conan O'Brien. We stopped watching David more than a year ago and we're ready to stop watching Conan. Why? We're upset with the awful way that US automakers, Conservatives and Republicans are treated in their material and the way that drug and marijuana use is joked about, cheered and discussed as normal by them and their guests. With so much of the US economy in trouble, the jokes flow easy about the recent troubles of Ford, GM and Chrysler as they are made to look stupid, mismanaged and that they produce an inferior product. Thanks for kicking the US when she's down! Do you realize how many people in the US depend on these US automakers for their incomes? Rarely are Conservatives or Republicans presented in a favorable light. The running joke is that Conservatives and Republicans are stupid, old, hateful, out of touch or unqualified to serve in their roles. Do they not know that this alienates 50% of the country every time they hammer on these general stereotypical falsehoods? The jokes and stories about drug and marijuana use by them and their guests are so sad. These illegal substances grab kids and ruin their lives before they ever have a chance to discover life. Families are torn apart and lives are lost when these terrible influences contaminate lives. You'll know what I'm talking about if your family has been touched by this tragedy. It isn't funny. Come on guys! You're really funny and you don't need to go to these awful topics to be a success. Grow up and do the right thing! Your country will be stronger and American families will thank you.
______________________________________________
"The Committee" for the Betterment of Ducks... Monday - July 6, 2009
A few years ago I bought, for the first time, 15 newly hatched ducklings for the farm. 7 were jumbo white Pekins (like the AFLAC duck), 4 were Rouens (looks like large Mallard) and 4 were fawn & white Runner ducks. All but the Runners were meat ducks. When it came time to butcher the Pekins and Rouens I was on my way to the barn when Marsha stopped me and asked what I was doing. I told her that I
was on my way to butcher the ducks. She said, "I can't let you do that." When I asked her why, she replied, "Because I love them." Well, we ended up with pets instead of meat on the table. I'll admit that they have been a joy to watch, especially in the winter. These crazy ducks brave the ice, snow and brutal winds of winter on our spring-fed pond and come out only to eat, then right back in the water. We set up a nice warm barn spot for them, but they don't want anything to do with the barn. It's the pond for them! It is interesting too that a "Committee" developed. One each of the Pekins, Rouens and Runners became close friends and rulers over the other ducks. They spend the day wandering as a threesome. It is like each breed chose their representative to be on this "Committee".
(The Committee)
______________________________________________
Dining Out - Get Big Discounts... Monday - June 29, 2009
Did you know that most restaurant chains have email clubs? They do, and they offer some great coupons, special prices and gifts to those who sign up for their email clubs. Just start listing all of your favorite restaurants, then go to Google, find each restaurant's website and find out how to sign up for their club. Some will immediately send you an email coupon as a gift for signing up. Most will ask for your birthday so that they can send you a gift each year. Some even ask for your wedding anniversary so that they can send you a gift. Savings include free meals, free deserts, free appetizers or total bill discounts. Remember that each member of your household should sign up for even more family savings. Marsha and I rarely pay full price for our restaurant experiences. Enjoy!
______________________________________________
Morning - Quiet Time With God... Sunday - June 28, 2009
I love to spend quiet time each morning with the Lord. I'm up before dawn every day, before the rest of the house is up and spend time in prayer and reading God's word. Then I go about my chores and my day. Do yourself a favor and carve out a quiet piece of every day to spend with God. You'll be a better person for it and will find life's path easier to walk. Remember also to talk with Him through each day. A simple, "Thank you Lord" or whatever is on your mind at the time will help you develop a personal relationship with Him.
______________________________________________
Slug Patrol... Saturday - June 27, 2009
When we planted our vegetable garden this spring it was great to see the new plant life start popping up. Just as we thought we might have one of our best gardens ever, we noticed that plant by plant our garden was being destroyed... eaten up! Bunnies? No, we have a nice chicken wire fence around the garden to keep our furry friends out. Insects, those little flying pests? No, there was no evidence of that. A garden walk at dawn one morning revealed the culprit... SLUGS! There were hundreds of these little slimy guys attacking the tender new garden plants. I searched the Internet for solutions and decided that the best solution seemed to be "slug patrol". I make a trip to the garden in the evenings between 10PM and 11PM and then another trip at dawn each morning and actually pluck the slugs out of the garden and get rid of them. I've just been doing this for a few days now so I'll have to wait and see how effective this is. I've read that after a couple of weeks you should begin to see a big, big reduction of slugs and should be able to reduce the frequency
of patrols. Tools for slug patrol? Coffee can, table salt and pliers. I put about an eighth of an inch of salt in the bottom of an empty coffee can and pluck the slugs off of the garden dirt or off of the plants with the pliers (even I don't want to be slimed... thus the pliers). Marsha says she can hear me through the bedroom window each morning as I clang, clang tap the slugs into the can with the pliers. This morning I plucked 64 slugs which is less than when I began few days ago. The bottom line is that we replanted a few things that had been destroyed and so far, so good. Have you had this problem? Let me know how you've handled it. Thanks!
______________________________________________
Biking is Great Exercise! Thursday - June 25, 2009 - 7:40AM
Marsha and I have wanted to buy some simple cruiser bikes to ride on the local bike trail for some time now. We've been looking at the new bikes at Kmart and Wal-Mart, but didn't really want to spend a lot of money so for the past couple of months we've been shopping eBay, yard sales, classified ads, etc. looking for some good deals. We first found my bike at a police sale (abandoned and confiscated bikes) for just $2.00. Can you believe it? Then we found Marsha's bike on eBay and won the bidding at $32.00. We drove a couple of hours to pick it up. Both bikes are in great shape except for needing a little rust removal and some tire repairs. We went for our first ride on the 10 mile bike trail Monday - June 22. It was great! The trail is an old railroad line that has been paved. It follows a river and winds through the hills, woods and wildlife. We rode 2 miles and then turned around and came back (4 miles in all). Marsha needs some time to build up to more miles. I, on the other hand, decided to go out the next day on my own and conquer the 20 mile round trip. I got to the end of the 10 mile trail in 45 minutes without a break and was very proud. I called Marsha and sent her a phone photo of my bike at the end of the trail. Pride will get you every time. I drank a can of pop and turned around for the trip back. 3 miles into the return trip... flat tire! No repair kit or pump! No phone signal! Wow! Do I turn back and walk the 3 miles, take the train back to my trip's origin, or do I walk the 7 miles back? I'm stubborn (just ask Marshie). I walked the 7 miles back, pacing myself at 15 minutes per mile. That was Tuesday. Wednesday found me waking up with shin splints, foot blisters, back ache and an overall feeling of being as old as I am. Lesson learned... fall back to my Boy Scout training and "be prepared". Next trip we'll have some emergency tools and supplies with us.
(Jim's bike at the bike trail marker after the first 10 miles... Before the flat.)
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