Friday, November 27, 2009

Try not to get worried, try not to turn onto problems that upset you...

Ya know this little thing we are playing on, having so much fun on, so impressed with.....it may not be our best friend. With all this technology, they know everything about us and are at an advantage in trying to manipulate us. I thought that's why they wanted to get high speed Internet out to the deep piney woods. Don't want to miss anybody. But I ain't giving up my toys. I'll try to play nice.

And maybe worrying about it is the last thing we need to do cuz we can't change it. That's why we migrated over here to the Swamp. If you gonna have to deal with all that mud, I'd rather it be the kind you can stick your toes in and wiggle around.

Lately this song keeps popping into my head. I may have already linked it here, cuz recently I can't get it out of my head. Words are appropriate. I even sang it to one of my nurses last week. She just looked at me like I was nuts.

"Try not to get worried, try not turn on to, problems that upset you, don't you know everything's alright now, yes everything's fine and we want you to sleep well tonight, let the world turn without you tonight...."

Everything's Alright

One thing that working in the joint keeps reminding me is that we can't save people from their plight. Often they don't want saving even if they don't realize that.

And I have everything I need and am very thankful for it all. We can all still do our little part and be thankful that we can. Not worrying doesn't mean not caring or not trying to change things...but try not to get worried....


PS:

This may be coming to a city near you.



Coreen wanted to add a pic of one of last year's snow storms. Hope that we, down here in the south, don't have this. Maybe. Might be fun for a day. As long as there is plenty of milk, bread and toilet paper, huh Ivy?





Coreen sent a pic of some deer she photographed in her driveway last month.




This is one of my squirrel youngsters. She is eating a piece of wheat bread I threw out there for my little squirrels. Can you find the squirrel in the picture?

197 comments:

Carol said...

And I still have a hankering for some turkey and turkey gravy. Had ham yesterday. I might just go get one and cook it this weekend. I could go over the Tony's for some leftovers but that's a little far to travel. I can cook one faster and then make some turkey gumbo later. That's what we do down here. Use the carcus to make gumbo. We don't waste anything.

Mary turtle didn't get a home cooked Thanksgiving dinner and she's off this weekend. That is, if she'll travel out to the ice box here. It's 39 outside now and a cool 53 in the kitchen. That's when heating it up with some good cooking really has an additional purpose.

I'll still under the covers in my bed with with my portable Magster heater going.

Carol said...

Coreen, you got the warmest spot up there in CT this morning. That's a switch.

I just had to poop and feed my heater. It's a high maintenance heater.

Anonymous said...

"" ..we can't save people from their plight. Often they don't want saving...."

Truer words were never spoken Carol. Excellent post, another thought provoking one. The one thing in it I don't think we need to focus on is this: "With all this technology, they know everything about us and are at an advantage in trying to manipulate us". First of all, even before the internet, they were already manipulating us. They can get a quicker general idea what's going on with public opinion now, but that can just as easily work to our benefit, rather than be a bad thing.

Also, them knowing what we're thinking, and us knowing what they're thinking (sometimes) works both ways. We know what they're thinking too. Sure, they're more selective about what they release to the press, etc., but still, post computers, we have a lot better idea what's going on with them too. We find out faster, and we can let them know faster when we're not happy about it. Opening the lines of communication is 'always' a good thing.

You sure are on to something, when you say worrying is pretty much useless - it 'never' helps. The 'worriers', people like you and me, have to work extra hard reminding themselves of this. I once read something that put it into perspective "Worrying is like chewing gum, to solve a math problem.". It's not a particularly effective statement to a chronic worrier, but it is something we can say to remind ourselves we're on the wrong track.

Love your little song. And this: "Not worrying doesn't mean not caring or not trying to change things". Those excuses we make so that we 'can' worry, are just that: excuses. Rationalizations. It's all about habit. When we want to change, we do it by changing habits, no matter how small.

The most important thing you said this morning may be what I quoted at the beginning of my comment: " ..we can't save people from their plight. Often they don't want saving...."

Carol said...

I just had a Windows Security Alert come up on my computer saying I had spyware and adware on my computer. It wants me to download a program. That's never happened before. I have Trend Micro that is suppose to be protecting me. I don't want to download a program that I don't have any clue about. Any suggestions?

Anonymous said...

"warmest spot up there in CT"

Carol, My yahoo page says it a low of 38 and a high of 45 there in CT today. Much colder than here. Maybe it's wrong though?

Anonymous said...

ooops,make that 41 and 33 in CT. I read it wrong, or it just got colder!

Carol said...

Iphoney says it's 47 in CT and 37 here.

Carol said...

It's cold here Chloe. You got good heat over there!

Coreen said...

Hi Carol,

Just about to go out to get the papers, getting
a late start, but the temp outside is in the
mid 40s, rainy...but so far the trees aren't
moving sideways, so not too windy yet...

I feel so bad for you since at least we have
a heating system.....Have you found anything
that will work well for you at the swamp, if
the weather in your area continues to be
uncooperative?

I tried last night to look
up something I read about a heating unit that
may be workable for you, but couldn't find it,
will try again when I come back in...

Like you I am not even thinking about going to the office, maybe up into the attic & survey
the decorations...but it will be cold up there,
its an unfinished room with no walls, heat....

Oh, beside KGC's doggie video did you catch
the draggin frankie one that was there as well,
if not, I put them in my favorites,since I sent
them to some dog lover friends...

Carol said...

Glad to see that Iphoney is not too far off with your temp Coreen. I have all you guys on my weather function on Iphoney so I know who to feel the most sorry for.

I have one of those radiant heaters, looks like a radiator in the bedroom. Useless unless you sit on it. I have a baby blowing little heater in the bathroom. Better. I have a big AC/heater in the big room. Much better. It's set at 68 and is about 64 up there. Lots of windows here. I may go shop for another AC/heater for this part of the camp, but I don't know if I can handle the traffic out there today.

Coreen, need to link the cute doggie videos cuz some people that might lurk here might not go to TM.

Anonymous said...

Ha Carol. I think iphony is smarter than Yahoo.
Yes, our heat works well, TG. You know how much I hate the cold. Once the sun starts shining it'll be nice and warm.

Anonymous said...

"I just had a Windows Security Alert come up on my computer saying I had spyware and adware on my computer."

Carol, X that out of there. Don't download it whatever you do. It's an ad, and they're only interested in selling you something.

Your Trend will do the job for you.

Carol said...

It wouldn't let me X out of it so I had to close down Internet Explorer and start over. I ran a Trend scan and I did have spyware as usual and it cleared it.

Carol said...

Chloe, my Iphoney is using Yahoo for the weather. It says that Easton is 46 degrees now and rainy. That's also what Coreen says. Your area reports 43, Chicago 31, Ivy 37, me 39 now.

Anonymous said...

Here's what's on my Yahoo home page this morning (I removed the Cities, for those who want privacy). I know it's not always accurate, and whoever is in those states knows what the weather is better than Yahoo. I just think it's fun to have some idea, so I keep it on my page. (I was mixing up Coreen and Solar before too.

Houston, TX * Fair
Fair
69° / 50°
74° / 60°
79° / 56°

LA * Clear
Clear
66° / 48°
71° / 58°
75° / 60°

AL * Fair
Fair
58° / 33°
65° / 40°
67° / 50°

IL * Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
41° / 33°
52° / 38°
45° / 36°

CT * Rain
Rain
45° / 38°
48° / 32°
52° / 39°

Coreen said...

Well, its a really cold rain out there...not
heavy, but chilly...

Here's the draggin frankie video from TM, Mr.
Dooty said his friend was asked to make video
for a dentist & someone else, so
Frankie may be a new "star" on the horizon.


Draggin Frankie

Mary said...

Carol,
If it gets too cold, remember you have a house maybe 1-2 miles down the road that has central heat and a fireplace. If you want to find a AC/heater for the window, wait until after lunch and then it's usually not that bad to get out.

Coreen said...

And here's the doggie summer video that KGC
put up...walkin in sunshine

doggie summer

Carol said...

Thanks Coreen. Frankie must have had one of those itches that you just can't get to without a good drag.

Carol said...

When that song, Walking on Sunshine, comes on I just gotta dance. Can't just sit there and listen to that one.

Coreen said...

Carol, It did look like Frankie really was
having fun, gives new meaning to the old
'you scratch my back & I'll scratch yours'....

In the meantime I found the blog that talks about the heat. It is one linked at Jamie &
now Fairweather's Red Mud Inn. The blogger
lives in northeast CT, she apparently had
a need for a better heat source & this is what
she posted a couple of weeks ago..not sure
of the cost, but it may be worth a look...
something called Comfort Furnace infrared heater....

"Comfort Furnace infrared heater. My mom knew that I was majorly concerned about what the cost of electric heat was going to be like this year so she did some research and bought me a unit that claims it will heat 1,000 square feet. I don't know if that's accurate or not but we set it up in the living room last night and it did a great job there as well as into the dining room and the kitchen. Havng a brick house it's been pretty chilly in here lately but for the past two days it's been quite comfy cozy without the added stress of the electric bill."

Unknown said...

Hi and good morning all..

Carol,
You sure could come over for leftovers if you were close..I did give most of the stuf away though..I kept more than usaul as my niece is living with me now..

Chloe,
Looks like are weather is the same..It was a bit cool here this morning and is only 55 now,it finally got me into some jeans though..

Solar,
I'm trying to post the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe here but it won't let me paste??Chloe,do you know why?

Carol said...

This is a test.

I just copied and pasted Tony.

Anonymous said...

Morning Tony! How was your meal yesterday?

Tony, Sometimes it won't let you paste if you're not signed in first. Now that you've posted and signed in, try it again. I bet it works this time.

(If not, put one letter in the comment box, and click preview, then when you get to the preview, push edit, and it will always take your post there.) I'm sure you won't have to do this though, now that your signed in, I don't think you'll have anymore problem.

Anonymous said...

I love those radiant heaters. A nice warm and it doesn't dry the air. Seems like I've had either the air conditioner or heater on all year and haven't had a chance to open the windows. I missed Spring and Fall.

If you have a good virus protection you shouldn't find anything on a scan. I use AVG and it works with my browsers and my email program to stop viruses and trojans before the come in.

I also run Windows Defender which was free when I got it (don't know now) and was supposed to be better at finding trojans.

As far as knowing a lot about us, Google + DoubleClick gives them incredible knowledge of your behavior and predictive information. While I joke about Google being a front company for the NSA I'd be amazed if they didn't have access to datafarm Google's servers some how.

There are ways to get around the collection of information but most people don't know nor care enough to go to the trouble to use these services.

Anonymous said...

Carol, It doesn't let me paste if I'm not signed in first. I have the same problem Tony's having at least once a day. For some reason, the system doesn't keep me signed in.

Anonymous said...

I really liked getting that Thanksgiving wish from you on facebook Wednesday night Tony. It made me feel better, because I wasn't around when you got 'here' Wed. night. Thanks.

Carol said...

I also have that problem on Iphoney and to sign in on Iphoney is real tricky. Try hitting a little link that is about the size of a flea.

Anonymous said...

"I use AVG"

Yes, and that one's free the first time. The Best Buy geeks said that all the anti-virus programs let something by now and then. I did have that problem with Trend a while back. But that thing that popped up on Carol's computer is an ad. I've seen it before.

Anonymous said...

"Seems like I've had either the air conditioner or heater on all year and haven't had a chance to open the windows. "

That's the way it is here too, Don. Even if the weathers perfect, we don't open windows, because of the insects.

Anonymous said...

Chloe, I was commenting about her scan regularly catching something. It never should have gotten that far.

Last time I looked, AVGs free version detected threats but didn't remove them. It does stop them from getting in though.

Do you have no-see-ums Chloe?

Anonymous said...

"Try hitting a little link that is about the size of a flea."

I don't think I'd have the patience Carol. I'm very impressed with how quickly you've gotten to know and love iphoney.

I have a touch ipod, and just love it, but sometimes it doesn't read my touch too well. The phone I have, you can use a pointer or fingernail. I've always thought I have a lot of electricity in my body, and have trouble with touch screens sometimes (don't know if that makes any sense whatsoever).

Solar said...

Geeez; U guy's don't let a body; sleep in on an Holiday. Carol, once again; and the last time..get contractors plastic (visquine ) heavy mil...use it on the bottom; and the walls...you don't have to use it on windows...it will lower you temp at least 20 degrees..you won't even know that it is there; once it's on..it will also help with unwanted bugs....critters...etc..

Tony, Thanks; but U don't have to post that right away....and now that you are posting again..glad that you are post a little here again..once you get used to it..no problemas...

Im glad that I worked out yesterday...I had a full bottle of ice cold water just before and a little during my work out..cold water cools down the system, and lets you work out 15 minuets or so, longer than normal...sorry if you knew this already....

Anonymous said...

Yes Don, we do have lots of no-see-ums and just about every other insect you can possibly imagine.

I guess I'd better make sure I pay fore AVG next time (although I feel sure the version I had was removing threats).

Solar said...

Carol, that should read raise the temp by 20 ...not lower.sorry.

Solar said...

The newest free AVG moves threats...I used it and removed 25 of em yesterday..I schedule a regular scan at midnight every night..thats why my comp is on then it shuts down...so far so good..

Anonymous said...

"Geeez; U guy's don't let a body; sleep in on an Holiday."

.. it's about time you drug your .... ... out of bed. And I noticed you did it just about the time I have to leave now.

I'll have to catch up when I get back.

(Just kidding Solar. Hope you had a really great Thanksgiving!) See you all in a few hours.

Anonymous said...

On second thought, I'll take my computer with me so I won't miss out on anything.

Solar said...

I'll have you know that I don't have a large ass.....and not a small one....like papa bear said it'''just the right size..HA! and Carol, Coreen, No pic's

Carol said...

Not even with the flap closed Solar?

Coreen said...

Carol,

Solar wants a pic, please check your email & see if you want to add this, maybe not...

It could be a harbinger of things to come, or
not....

Carol said...

No mail yet Coreen.

Solar said...

Not even.!

I don't get this 'Black Friday' stuff. They get the herds to go shopping on this day..by selling them things, that they could get even cheaper if they all just waited until it was closer to Christmas...

The Stores would be backed up with merchandise; and desperate to get rid or what they have...then it would truly be a discounted sale..this is just an advertising trick,,that works every time...I wait until after Christmas for my special deals....

Solar said...

No, I said no Pic from me...I want one of the rest of you.!!!

Anonymous said...

Morning Solar. Visquine under the house is an interesting idea. This old house has wood floors and leaks around the edges like a seive.

Bit of a tight fit for me under the house though, mind lending me a hand?

Solar said...

Carol,

One thing more about that plastic..it is a heat (me=Solar; heat) conductor..when the sun hits it.

Coreen when you do insulate your attic, the walls...order solarcrete panels. go to solarcrete.com.for info

Coreen said...

Carol,

Just sent a 2nd pic. See if you like either of
them....

Coreen said...

Solar,

That room space may never be closed in, I don't really need it, I think I told you its
about 600-700 sq feet space over the 3 car garage...

And unfortunately my biggest problem is always
finding someone to do the work that I trust...
but I will check it out, I always wonder if I
just added insulatiion up there in the spaces
between the forgot the proper term 2x8 or 4x8s
would that help. I have electricity up there
and windows, it could really be an apt.

Carol said...

I got the first pic you sent in Coreen. Refresh.

Solar said...

Coreen,

Forgot..you won't need the crete that goes on the panel, let me know when you make plans to do it.

Solar said...

Coreen, yes it would make the rest of the house much more effecient...

If building a new home..I could make it 70-80% energy efficient....not much heat in the winter time needed, or A/c in the summer...like a cave that is all natural, and uses the heat from the earth...that is alway's at a set temp...so will a house....these are the houses that I want to build ...

Coreen said...

I know it creates real problems in the South
when you guys do get any measurable snowfall,
but the good thing for you, is the quick warm
up doesn't let it last long.

Once we get snow, it usually stays for weeks
& believe it, it is only 'pretty' when it
first falls, once the plows, cars, sand, salt
do their work, the remainder is not pretty &
it turns rock hard until the spring....

I am no 'snow bunny'....

Solar said...

Don,

Im assuming that U R reading that solarcrete.com site that I posted..this is the way that new homes should be done; for more efficient energy conservation..I was going to build in Ark. and by Carols neck of the woods..until things came tumbling down...

I can switch gears...and do something diff....that would work..but banks are not lending for materials and labor....there is so much that can be done...if they would only think like a mid-to small time contractors....the huge ones..that they go to all of the time; for solutions...only do so for themselves.....

Solar said...

Carol,

Quit trying to get creative with those pics..look at my new avatar..

Carol said...

Solar, I like your new Avatar! Very cute.

A friend called with a question and I was trying to find an answer for her. She wanted to know how she could find a radio that can pick up the audio for digital TV. She likes to listen to TV at work.

I don't think they make such an animal. They weren't ready for everything when they forced that digital change over. I think it was another scam to get us all to have to buy new TVs. Think of all the electronic trash they created. Now you have to have a pretty perfect signal to get any pic. I'm always having to screw with my antenna.

I have most of my books from my library out here stacked up under my antenna to get it to just the right height to pick up a signal. Now I can't read anything while the TV is on.

Carol said...

Oh and BTW she just got back from her WM. It is usually a pretty crowded WM. She said it was dead, got a close parking place and a bunch of checkers begging for her to get in their line. Hummm. This was at 10A. Either WM doesn't have anything interesting on sale or this is going to be a poopy year.

Carol said...

I bet Chloe's out shopping. Somehow I think she has a little shop-a-holic in her even if it is only window shopping. Emma's probably papoosed to her back so as not to get in her way.

Carol said...

I wonder if it would be alright to go to the grocery store in my warm ups? I only have one pair of fat jeans, a size 10, that still is a size 10 because it hasn't been washed so much that now it's a size 6. That pair smells like onions from yesterday and I have to go wash them. It might have even been a mutant 10. I got it at the factory outlet store. It could be a size 20 that was mismarked.

Probably no girls left here to ask and you guys probably would say it is OK. Ya'll wouldn't care.

Carol said...

Well it's off to give it a try. Will wear my sunglasses and mustache disguise.

Anonymous said...

"I'll have you know that I don't have a large ass....."

Ha! .... ... = 'lazy' ass.

Solar said...

I don't have one of those either...miz shopping pro....

Anonymous said...

"that still is a size 10 because it hasn't been washed so much that now it's a size 6."

... ain't that the truth. I hate what the washer and dryer does to a pair of jeans over time.

Anonymous said...

"Emma's probably papoosed to her back so as not to get in her way."

Were you peeking? :)

Solar said...

Hey shhhh nobody but you and me..me and you....you and I....

Anonymous said...

Solar, I don't know what to say. I was so positive you had a .... ...

Not really, actually I think maybe you're a little 'too' energetic. And I'm no shopping pro. Besides, I don't need to even leave the house to shop. I can do it on line. Haha.

Anonymous said...

.. alone at last.

Anonymous said...

Ok, It'll take me about a half hour to get home. Someone needs to hold up the fort.

Solar said...

Wanna watch tv or something?

Solar said...

your not home? Man...now I have to go and get my own Budweiser.....and get the remote...

Solar said...

Chloe,

since little Emma is driving..cos U R on the laptop...at least watch that she put on the directionless...

Solar said...

directional s that is

Carol said...

Ok Chloe, you aren't driving and blogging are you? Find any good deals? I did go to WM. Nothing exciting going on there. Kinda quiet. I got a small turkey to satisfy my turkey hankering. Also hit another grocery store and only saw one person I knew. She was wondering why I grew a mustache.

Ivy must be in the man cave and biting her fingernails cuz her beloved team is trailing Auburn right now. Don't worry Ivy, there are 4 quarters. Plenty of time.

Well, ya'll just made up a little of that deficit.

Anonymous said...

"your not home? Man...now I have to go and get my own Budweiser.....and get the remote..."

That's not the way it works around me anyway Solar. As a matter of fact, get me a bud too, would ya? And while you're at it, bring us back some of those left overs from yesterday, I'm getting a little hungry.

.... if you need the remote, well.. I've got it. :)


"Find any good deals?"
I didn't go shopping Carol, and I promise I wasn't driving and blogging - I was eating and catching up on the blog.

However, I have already done a little of my Christmas shopping, but don't plan on getting a lot. Have you started?

Anonymous said...

I am already tire, and am even looking forward to bed time. It must be because I've been eating more than usual. That's the bad thing about the holidays, it gives us an excuse to over eat. I'm always glad when there over (I hope you guys don't consider me a bad person or party pooper for not liking the commercialized holidays).

However, I do plan on getting into a very cheery mood for Christmas, for Emma's sake, and figure I'd better get used to making a big deal out of holidays again for her. I do know that at times it's absolutely necessary to be conventional, but would not do it otherwise, except for the kids.

It is always fun to give meaningful gifts though (you notice I said fun, and 'not' necessary), so I always make sure I save plenty of money throughout the year to do just that.

Solar, You often talk about how many of us are brain washed, and I can tell you that I've spent most of my life making sure (or at least trying) that I don't fall in that category. Just call me Ms. Contrary. Ha.

Anonymous said...

You here Solar?

Anonymous said...

Leaves are raked, though I don't think I'll be able to move tomorrow. Fortunately, since I've got 27 more days until I start Christmas shopping I've got time to recover.

I was trying to get my 15 year old nephew to tell me what he wanted for Christmas and I couldn't get anything out of him so I thought of the worst thing I could, a Sacramento Kings jersey. The poor, but nice, kid didn't want to tell me it was terrible because he was afraid of hurting my feelings. His dad and I talked about it, but I still don't have any idea what he wants.

Carol said...

Tell us a little about the kid Don. Maybe someone here can give you some ideas. What does he like to do?

Someone get Ivy a drink. Make it a double. I just got back from a second trip to WM. Forgot that I didn't have a few things. I see her team has been struggling but just went ahead. 26-21. They tried for two points and had the ball intercepted. 27 seconds left. 10 seconds.

Carol said...

Whew, huh Ivy!

Carol said...

That game was a barn burner and I don't even care for football unless it is one of my teams.

Anonymous said...

I really don't know much about him Carol. His mother started a fight with our family 20 years ago and she's never gotten over it. My brother thinks the money in her family (which really isn't that much unless you live in an obscure corner of Iowa) is more important than staying in touch with us. So I haven't seen my nephew in 14 years and my brother has never brought him out to see our mother. However they go see her parents 4 or 5 times a year.

He sounds like a good kid, and likes football and baseball. And he's a ginger (which we got a good laugh at).

Carol said...

So you didn't buy a single thing Chloe??? Tell the truth now.

Carol said...

What is a ginger besides being a type of spice? I'll tell you something that is always a winner....a gift card or money. Can't go wrong there.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's going to be a gift card again. That seems so vanilla though. I've always thought of gift cards as the last refuge of the unimaginative.

Red head. Southpark evidently had an episode about Ginger Kids, which having South Park's usual violent spin, has resulted in Kick a Ginger Day. My nephew is too big to pick on, but we have so many redheads in my family it makes for a great family joke.

Carol said...

I've never heard that Don. I've heard carrot top but not ginger.

I've just spent an hour looking for a charger. I found at least 100 chargers, don't even know what they charge, but not the one I need. I'm sure I'll find it when I looking for some other charger.

Anonymous said...

I always find them right after I break down and buy a new one.

Solar said...

Don,

15 years old huh??? get him a blond or a guitar...both the same shape...

Solar said...

I had one of my nephews ask me yesterday what I was going to get for him for Christmas...I told him that it would be the same thing that I gave him yesterday.....only bigger.

Said that I didn't give him anything last year...I said that's right..and this year it' just going to be bigger.....

Anonymous said...

I thought the Sacramento Kings jersey was funny. It might have been funnier if he liked basketball.

Personally, I'd like to stop by the official gift store and pick him up a Tampa Bay Rays baseball set. I miss Florida.

Solar said...

If he is into sports..exercise equipment...a punching bag...a begging set of golf clubs??

Solar said...

beginning

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking fishing gear. He and my brother did a lot in Alaska, though Nebraska isn't quite the same.

I knew my brother was ready to retire when I'd read he'd spent a Tuesday fishing.

Solar said...

Fishing gear, and then he can go fishing with Carol, at the Swamp.! Unless she uses him as bait,,for that giant beaver...

Carol said...

Does your nephew have anywhere to fish where he lives Don? If so, then fishing stuff would be good.

Anonymous said...

There are lakes. I was told a story years ago that happened while he was fishing with the scouts. He pulled a crappy out of the lake and got a scowl on his face. When the scoutmaster asked why he wasn't happy about a great catch, my nephew complained that those were used as bait fish in Alaska. :)

Carol said...

His must have been a crappy crappie.

Carol said...

Unlike the nice crappie I caught.

Carol said...

Or it could have been crappy brim.

Ivy Green said...

Carol said..."Ivy must be in the man cave and biting her fingernails cuz her beloved team is trailing Auburn right now."

You were so right, Carol. That was not my idea of a "fun" game. A so-called "ugly win." A win may be a win, but they will have a hard time beating the Gators with play like that...

Ivy Green said...

Just tuning in to the "series finale" of "Monk." We followed that show like religion for years, but lost track of it because of the sporadic broadcast schedule. Just "happened" (aka, synchronicity) to see the advertisement for tonight's "series finale" where Monk (Tony Shaloub) solves the mystery of the murder of his beloved Trudy. Sorry, I'll be distracted, even though I just got here, and haven't caught up on all the comments.

P.S. We love the show's signature tune by Randy Newman, "It's a Jungle Out There."

Anonymous said...

When you're used to catching halibut and salmon, it's all crappy.

Carol said...

Haven't you guys ever heard..that it's not the size that counts? Bet ya have.

Carol said...

And we're talking fish here. OK

Carol said...

What Network is Monk on? Cable?

Ivy Green said...

Monk on USA Network...yes, that's cable...it's a two-part finale...next Friday is the end.

Ivy Green said...

LYRICS:
It's a jungle out there
Disorder and confusion everywhere
No one seems to care
Well I do
Hey, who's in charge here?
It's a jungle out there
Poison in the very air we breathe
Do you know what's in the water that you drink?
Well I do, and it's amazing
People think I'm crazy, 'cause I worry all the time
If you paid attention, you'd be worried too
You better pay attention
Or this world we love so much might just kill you
I could be wrong now, but I don't think so
It's a jungle out there

Carol said...

Try not to get worried, try not to turn onto, problems that upset you.....

Ivy Green said...

It's a Jungle out There by Randy Newman

We got to see Randy Newman perform on stage, but he didn't do this song, as I hoped he would. He did perform his "Katrina" song.

Louisiana 1927

Ivy Green said...

Carol said..."Try not to get worried, try not to turn onto, problems that upset you....."

You won't be able to persuade Monk of that wisdom. He obsesses about EVERYTHING. lol

Carol said...

Haven't convinced myself either Ivy.

Carol said...

I couldn't play the first song you linked but I found it also on Youtube.

Ivy Green said...

Are you watching the show?

Ivy Green said...

Are you watching the show?

Ivy Green said...

Thought I lost that post, so I posted twice. Has the site been acting up?

Anonymous said...

I likes 'em pan size. It was really annoying visiting Colorado and seeing 'catch and release only' signs everywhere.

Of course, if they're the right fish I like them any size.

Carol said...

Can't watch it Ivy. No cable out here. I was watching some cartoon. Ice Age? I'm also getting stuff ready for my turkey dinner tomorrow.

Yes there has been some problems with a delay in posting. I've posted twice a couple of times for the same reason.

Carol said...

The trouble I'm going thru just to have some turkey gravy.

Ivy Green said...

Carol said..."Can't watch it Ivy. No cable out here."

That's okay, Carol. I was going to post something about one of the scenes, but it won't mean anything if you can't see it. lol.

Carol said...

I was having trouble getting the turkey legs unhooked from this little metal thingy. It's pitiful that I don't even have the strength anymore to wrestle a dead turkey.

Unknown said...

Hello,I just got caught up here,good comments..I've been busy doing my tree,beautiful,i love x-mas trees..

Solar,
Here the recipe..Pumpkin cheesecake

1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 (8ounce) packages of cream cheese softened
11/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (1 pound) pumpkin
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Butter bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle
with cracker crumbs shake pan to coat all sides. Let excess
crumbs remain on bottom. Heat oven to 325. Beat cream cheese
in large bowl til fluffy. Beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour, salt, pumpkin
and spice. Pour into prepared pan. Bake one hour, 30 minutes,
or til firm around sides but soft in center. Turn off heat. (Top of
cake will have cracked during baking.) Open oven door. Let cake
cool in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely on
wire rack. Remove sides of pan. Chill cake.
Optional,but I top with nuts and caramel..

Unknown said...

Chloe,
I got it to paste by doing the edit in the preview,thanks..Everything with Thanksgiving dinner turned out well except my grandmother's cranberry dish,i over cooked the cranberries,i'll try again x-mas..Hope your TG was good..I hear you about x-mas being for kids..Ashley(my niece is living with me now and I feel a bit better about x-mas this year.Ever since the ladies died x-mas has been a drag,maybe this year will be different.

Carol said...

Tony, if you want to you can send Chloe or me some pics of your tree and or decorations and we can make a New Post of them. You can also include any special Christmas stories about about your ladies to add to it. Chloe is actually better than I am at organizing the new posts.

Ivy Green said...

Cabin Window

It's small,
only three feet square,
an eye open to the mountain face
and one lone pine.

My window frames
rocks, a thousand grays and tans,
green needles and bluest sunlit sky.
Lace curtains
obscure, reveal, the scene,
like hopes and dreams,
dappling,
and only my surest hand
and slowest shutter
can capture all
in one clear image

I aim for clarity,
composition;

I set the tripod
experiment with settings,
uncertain, yet determined
to find that best expression
of my mountain eye,
curtained with hopes and dreams,
to frame the brightest, brilliant blue.

~ Lenore Horowitz

Carol said...

Nice pome Ivy. You know, I'm so glad I spent that time looking into the association between creative and crazy and creative and psychosis. Now when I'm having a little trouble following the exact meaning of a poem, I can think, well, I'm just not crazy enough.

Before, I thought, you must be an idiot Carol. It's so much better for my self esteem now.

Now, I do get this pome, I think, she's photographing a mountain from her cabin window, correct? I can get lost in words sometimes.

Speaking of words, I'm glad I'm not a lawyer. I can really get lost in their words. Like the ones Solar pointed out the other day. I wonder if those words were in any regular dictionary, even if he would have tried to look them up. Lawyers like to speak in their own language, so the rest of us can't understand what in the hell they are talking about.

I've noticed some of the legal stuff that I have read in the past uses the word "pray". We pray that blah, blah blah....Maybe that may be just a southern thing. Coreen do they use the word pray in legal documents in other places? It certainly doesn't make one using that lawyer feel real confident if they already know they are going to have to pray.

Now, my own language, medicine, I do understand. It's a really complicated language also. There are a lot of words that people don't understand. I still run across one or two that I have to look up.

We also use a lot of praying in medicine but we don't admit it in any of our medical writing. Heck, people already think that some doctors think they are God so why would they need to pray. Nurse practitioners know we aren't, so we do a lot of praying.

People in construction also have their own language. They have to read all those electrical and drafting diagrams. It all looks like hieroglyphics to me. I guess we are each programmed to understand our own little language and poetry does seem to have it's own little language.

Ivy Green said...

New Day

You have to wake up in the morning
and open your blinds to a new day,
look past those
preconceptions that line the window,
and open it wide
to smell the fresh air
and listen to the birds sing a greeting.
Make sure you find a lucky penny
somewhere,
even if you have to choose one
you've saved from a rainy day
to remind you to be on the lookout
for the miracle about to be born.
You don't want to miss it
thinking about yesterday
worrying about tomorrow.
Miracles only happen
when you square your eye
to the power of things

~ Lenore Horowitz

Ivy Green said...

Parallax

You never know
What will change the world-
a word lightly spoken,
a touch from a stranger,
a glance from a woman
in a red dress,
or a flower opening in your garden.
What you do know
down deep in your bones
is that the cells have
lined up in a new arrangement,
muscles grown
where before was weak and hollow,
and when you woke up this morning,
something else was on your mind
because the old furniture had moved
around to make room.
A momentary alignment of planets
has opened a door somewhere.
You never know how or when,
only that it means
Everything.

~ Lenore Horowitz

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
I stumbled upon the poetry of Lenore Horowitz. Not accidental that her camera and her poetry are fused.

Making Friends Through Her Lens

Ivy Green said...

Have you ever heard the metaphor that discovering the meaning in your life is like peeling the layers of an onion?

Onion Poem

When does an onion start to grow?
It has no need for water, earth, or sun.
Deep down in the center,
somehow, something moves,
then a dry hair of the root tingles,
and that something
starts to spread,
makes space for a shoot
to move up through all the layers
that have formed slowly,
one around the other,
for a time long past remembering,
and cause the outer skin
dry brown, to split and flake off.
Inside, the center sleeps--
until that moment,
unknown, mysterious,
when it stirs, wakes,
calls on the root
and sends new leaves upward
toward the light.

~ Lenore Horowitz

Coreen said...

Getting another slow start....

Carol, the meaning of poems often escape me
as well...& quite honestly, I have never spent
time reading poetry, so Ivy's sharing is most
appreciated.

As to the use of the word 'pray' in legal documents, it is another way of saying 'ask
request, seek', usually in civil matters,
when one is asking/seeking some relief such
as money damages in a complaint...also called
a 'prayer for relief'.

The origin probably comes from English common law....as far as in the South, if my recollection is correct, Louisiana law has a
historical base in French law (the Napoleonic Code) which is not reflected elsewhere.

Ivy Green said...

Main Entry: pray
Pronunciation: \ˈprā\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French prier, praer, preier, from Latin precari, from prec-, prex request, prayer; akin to Old High German frāga question, frāgēn to ask, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks
Date: 13th century

Carol said...

"You don't want to miss it
thinking about yesterday
worrying about tomorrow.
Miracles only happen
when you square your eye
to the power of things"

Amen Ivy! Thanks for the pomes.

I have been up this morning working on my post Thanksgiving turkey gravy. The gravy I didn't get on Thanksgiving and other things that must go with it, like for one, the turkey, that gives it up and, of course, the cornbread dressing to put it on. I'm also making a sweet potato souffle. It will be the nutritious addition to the meal.

Some guy on Rachael Ray said that sweet potatoes were one of the most nutritious vegetables. He was correct.


Sweet Potato Ranks Number One In Nutrition

Ivy Green said...

Guys,
I don't always understand poetry myself. For example, here is a poem that has me scratching my head. I found it on a scrap of paper while cleaning in Miss College's room last week. It has her class notes on it, so I decided to keep it and paste it in my "pome scrapbook" even though I don't "get" it. I think it's supposed to be about death. Those Victorians were obsessed with that. lol

The Caged Skylark

As a dare-gale skylark scanted in a dull cage
Man’s mounting spirit in his bone-house, mean house, dwells—
That bird beyond the remembering his free fells;
This in drudgery, day-labouring-out life’s age.

Though aloft on turf or perch or poor low stage,
Both sing sometímes the sweetest, sweetest spells,
Yet both droop deadly sómetimes in their cells
Or wring their barriers in bursts of fear or rage.

Not that the sweet-fowl, song-fowl, needs no rest—
Why, hear him, hear him babble and drop down to his nest,
But his own nest, wild nest, no prison.

Man’s spirit will be flesh-bound when found at best,
But uncumbered: meadow-down is not distressed
For a rainbow footing it nor he for his bónes rísen.

~ Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–89).

Carol said...

And Ivy, like an onion, life, when you peel into it, can make you cry.

It is neat that here in the Swamp, we have expanded our world. We are learning to appreciate literature, poetry, nature, art, science, philosophy, learning photography, learning about other fields of endeavor, learning to write, sharing thoughts and ideas and growing as human beings or ETs in some cases.

Coreen, I still think it is interesting that you guys need to use the word "pray". When I have needed a lawyer in the past, I was always praying.

Carol said...

Oh yeah Ivy, that last one will take a little pondering. We might need something to smoke to tune into that one. Anyone have something?

Mary said...

Ivy,
I would love to know what everyone's interpretation of that last poem is. Mine is that, no matter who we are--rich, poor, beautiful, ugly etc.--we essentially have the same makeup, we all have problems even tho they may be different and we all have our daily work to do. Then when the end comes, we all end up in the same place.

Mary said...

Ivy,
I have really enjoyed your poems. I never was one to read much poetry, either. I always had a hard time with comprehension (ADD). Most of the time everything I read would go in one eye and out the other. I now actually read the poems and come up with my own interpretation even tho it may be totally off. I love them.

Coreen said...

Breaktime from cleaning windows...

You guys are on your own with that poem...maybe redemption in the end...

One thing about poetry,certainly allows the reader lots of latitude in
interpreting the words...

Carol said...

The only thing that comes to my mind, after some pondering, is that that bird is depressed and must be hitting the fermented seed again.

Maybe I can prescribe him a little birdie prozac.

Solar said...

I like Mary's interpretation of that poem...

"sharing thoughts and ideas and growing as human beings or ETs in some cases".

Don't think that I don't know who you are talking about.....Chloe..yet another swipe at her unusual behavior...Can't we all get along: Even the spacy ones?

Ivy do you have a poem to make me sleep..2nd night in a row that I only slept 2-3 hrs..this hasn't happened in a long time..I used to burn the candle at both end for many, many years..and sometimes pay for it....no problem...will get back to normal sooner, or later..

Mary said...

Solar,
If it makes you feel any better, I've gotten enough sleep for me, you and everyone else on this blog. I can sleep on command, standing, sitting, whatever.

Anonymous said...

In marketing classes we were told men don't get symbolism. We have to be hit over the head with a 2 x 4 to get it. Which is why ads targeting the sexes are so different. I think that's why women like poetry, ballet, and opera better than men.

Solar, have you ever tried the Yogi Bedtime tea? It's great stuff. L-Glutamine can help reduce adrenaline too. I've found that if I can just force myself to daydream I get to sleep faster, but I already have to be sleepy.

Solar said...

Mary,

Your lucky. Even when I didn't get enough sleep for weeks..I could wake up when ever I set my mind to.. I have never used an alarm clock...

All I need to not feel the lack of sleep; is 5-6 hrs of uninterrupted sleep...sometimes it takes me up to 3 hrs to fall asleep....lost whole herds of sheep....

Solar said...

Thanks Don,

I think what happened is that I ate too much sweats in the last two day's ...apple pie, ice cream, triple chocolate cake..(my favorite) carrot cake..fudge, cookies...(the only thing that I didn't have was a dang chocolate canoli..never came...as promised...

I worked the calories off already..but i think that it had something to do with my lack of sleep....

I take 1/2 of a cheap over the counter pill 12 mg. that always helps me sleep...will take a whole pill for a few day's and then go back to 1/2.

Sometimes I do have to get up to do yoga stretches; due to my degenerative disc..and sciatica problem....but not often; any more...that why I exercises every other day...

Ivy Green said...

We received some sad news last hour, folks, that the husband of a couple-friend of ours suffered a heart attack and died at their lake house yesterday. A big loss for both of us, and especially for Hubs, as they were also music buddies. And just the shock of losing a vibrant man still in his 50s is very hard to grasp.

Solar said...

Ivy,

Very sorry for the loss of your friend.! Sometimes they are as close as family.

Carol said...

I'm very sorry Ivy. Fifty is just the beginning of life, when you can finally start enjoying life.

Coreen said...

Ivy,

I am so sorry for you & your family's loss. I know all to well the sudden & instant loss of someone close to you.

Ivy Green said...

Thanks, guys. I'm sure more will be revealed in the next hours and days.

I read somewhere that when you receive shocking news, the first thing you should do is exactly what you were doing just before you received the news. For me, that was commenting here and posting poems.

Miss College and I had already made plans that we would go to a "girls movie" today, so we are going to follow through with that and go see "New Moon."

Mary said...

Ivy,
I'm so sorry for you and Hubs loss. He was entirely too young to die. Did he have any previous cardiac history?
I'm glad you are going to the movie. I'm sure your friend would not have wanted you to sit around and be miserable. Let me know how "New Moon" was.

Carol said...

I finally got my turkey gravy need met and I just woke up from a nap that felt more like a coma. You ever have those naps in the afternoon where you sleep so deep that you want to wake up but can't? You just have to wait for the grip of sleep to let go of you.

Carol said...

I added a couple of pics to the post today. One is a pic of some deer Coreen sent me. She took a pic of some deer in her driveway. I just added one of a little squirrel eating a piece of wheat bread I threw out for my squirrels. They like the whole wheat with the little nuts and seeds in it.

Squirrel pome:

There's a little cute squirrel
in the big cypress tree.
I see her and she sees me.

She doesn't care if I watch her eat,
because that piece of bread is such a treat.


Ivy can you interpret this pome? I just wrote it and it's pretty deep.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carol said...

What happened to the new post. Is someone trying to confuse me? It's not that hard ya know.

Carol said...

Put it back up Chloe.

Carol said...

I loved the pic and I seemed to be the only one who couldn't read it.

Carol said...

So I'm retarded.

Carol said...

I just lost Maggie also. Ran around looking for her. Got all scared. I came back to the living room and there she was on the back of the couch, where she usually sleeps. I think she's screwing with me too. She did have this little smile on her face.

Carol said...

Chloe, did you delete all the peeps with the post. Maybe they are caught up in cyberspace. Bring them back Chloe.

Solar said...

Could not make a post..this is what was said:


Page not found
Sorry, the page you were looking for in the blog Carol's Southern Spice does not exist.

There are bound to be some tech problems every now and then...

Carol said...

And dang it, it's not time for you to turn into a pumkin yet Chloe. You don't do that until at least 9p.

Carol said...

No Solar, Chloe deleted that post. I went and checked my blood pressure also. I thought maybe I forgot my Bp meds this morning and was having a stroke. Don't scare an old woman like that Chloe.

Carol said...

Please put the post back Chloe. Emma's cute little face was soooo soothing. I needed to see a little kid pic. It made my weekend.

Carol said...

I see Don's leg floating around and Ivy's arm. Where's the rest of them?

Solar said...

Carol,

She deleted the post..b/c of all the confusion...she didn't want the confusion to last..so that was the way that she decided to stop it..is all...

Carol said...

What's wrong with a little confusion? I spend a good bit of my life in that state.

Coreen said...

Came home and saw Chloe's post about Emma...
& saw that the 'text/font whatever you call it' was not english, Don, seemed to
know how to decipher it...(high bit---Word)?

I left for a few & came back & it was all deleted, checked the posting section, & the
pic of Emma is there with the beginning of Chloe's post in English, but it seems she deleted it from the blog itself.

Carol said...

I was looking forward to figuring out how to decipher that code Coreen. It was going to be a challenge and someone was going to have to lead me through it and now....

Coreen said...

Sorry about that......

Carol said...

Ivy, did you try to interpret my pome yet? It's not quite as tough as Chloe's post but it's not as simple as it appears to be either. If ya get stumped, I'll give you a few hints.

Coreen said...

And Solar is trying to put up a new post, but
he says it won't take....

Carol said...

It seems Coreen that it helped being a guy. They had no problems at all with it. We must be missing some gene.

Anonymous said...

Carol, I can't bring it back. When I deleted it, the comments and everything else were deleted too. I thought you hated the post, so I just wanted to get rid of it.

I am so confused about why it was English on my computer but not on yours or Coreen's.

Carol said...

Am I still sleeping?

Carol said...

It's been a weird afternoon ever since I took that nap. Someone must have spiked my turkey.

Carol said...

I think you deleted Ivy and Don also Chloe.

Ivy Green said...

Mary,
Thanks for your condolences. Our hearts are going out to our friend's wife and son. She is a good friend too. It is a severe loss and just beginning to sink in.

I enjoyed "New Moon" even though I didn't see "Twilight," nor have read the books. Miss College filled me in...her roommate has all the books memorized and has updated us on the continuing plot lines. There's more to come.

I enjoyed the previews for upcoming movies. "Lovely Bones" looks compelling (I picked up the book) and "Sherlock Holmes" looks good too (I want to see the Victorian London scenery).

Anonymous said...

I knew that cyberspace felt just like time travel. I think they must be in a different time zone temporarily.

Maybe none of us are really 'real'.

Carol said...

I've never hated or even disliked anything you've done Chloe. And I loved the little Emma pic. I was intrigued with the code. I was going to figure it out before I went to sleep tonight.

Anonymous said...

Ivy, I am so sorry for the loss of your friend.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Don can help us understand what happened. It confused the .... out of me.

Carol said...

Have you ever had those momentarily thoughts that maybe we aren't real? I have, especially when I was young. It was a very scary feeling.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
That is what the squirrel pome means. It is an expression of metaphysical nihilism, i.e., "there could have been finitely many things; for each thing, that thing might not have existed; the removal of one thing does not necessitate the introduction of another; therefore, there could have been no things at all."

(^_~)

Anonymous said...

I've seen movies about it, and thought about it vaguely, but never seriously gotten into it.

It would be scary to someone very young. I guess you were even pondering a lot of things way back then Carol.

Carol said...

I think she's got it.

Ivy Green said...

Therefore, there is no reason not to keep the breads crusts coming.

~ The Squirrel

Carol said...

I did spend a lot of time in ponder when I was young chloe. It was mainly because mom made me stay in my room until I cleaned it and I was a little on the stubborn side. We didn't have TVs or video games back then so all I had was ponder to entertain myself with.

Solar said...

It was a great post...and something that I want to follow up on; on my next one....

What I think happened...is that when Chloe became creative in the different types of fonts; and text..colors..it did something...not sure of this..but what I say was just great...

it started out with the color pink and then it changed to purple, but the print stayed the same...then it erase that last paragraph..and came back...I wouldn't worry about it..the system was just confused.....and wait till you see me next post....for some more confusion...just kidding...

U know why us guys didn't get alarmed...cos we don't get out and ask for directions right away..we learn something when we get lost...shhheeesh pinks.!

Carol said...

The squirrel does appreciate your interpretation Ivy.

Anonymous said...

If we get to 200 comments (and we don't have long to go), Solar has a thread we can comment on. It doesn't have his post yet, but it does have a comment section.

I know! That makes no sense, but check it out when we run out of space here: http://ct-carolssouthernspice.blogspot.com/

Ivy Green said...

I do hope it's not something screwy happening with the blog like when the pictures went away. They're still not back to the way it was originally.

Carol said...

OK Solar, now where did Don go?

Anonymous said...

Solar, Was it English on your computer?

Carol said...

Don't tell me there's supposed to be a post there but it's invisible.

Anonymous said...

"where did Don go?"

Carols afraid I've deleted him.

Carol said...

Did ya'll see my squirrel with his bread pic?

Anonymous said...

"Don't tell me there's supposed to be a post there but it's invisible."

MG Solar. You're going to have to explain that one. I think Carols nap has thrown our 'synchronicity' off.

Anonymous said...

We're at 196, we'd better head over to Solar's invisible post in a minute.

Carol said...

Heading over.