Bench in Magnolia Shade

Deb’s House Concerts

I thought this was so wonderful, a bench at the base of a huge magnolia tree. It belonged to a friend who was moving, so I photographed it before we moved it to my house. It’s not suitable for sitting, but it’s wonderful for looking. I only wish I had the tree, too!

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Deer by the Barn

Deb’s House Concerts

This deer was in front of the barn at my other grandparents’ house.

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Honeysuckle and Butterfly

Deb’s House Concerts

This was outside my grandparents’ house August 8, 2010.

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Four Score

Deb’s House Concerts

If Only They Knew

I went to a party a few years ago. It was a celebration in honor of a famous citizen of the city where I live. I thought at the time, “if only they knew, they’d throw a party for …”

I Still Feel That Way

They still don’t know. She’s not famous, and she never will be. But, her contributions are many.

What’s So Special About Her?

She’s good at imagining how things can be, even if they are not that way at the moment.

She believes in taking care of her body by avoiding recreational poisons, but she does enjoy a good dessert.

She traveled internationally for her honeymoon, something that was probably unheard of in her small town.

She’s all about helping children make music. She’s taught generations of children.

She works for peace, justice, and equality in her own realm. She doesn’t talk love, she lives it.

She cried when my dog was dying and I was sad.

She’s green. I suddenly realized last year that she’s been saving the earth for decades.

She does not worry. She does not focus on “what if” scenarios. She appreciates each day as it comes.

She believes in God. She also sees the evolution of life that occurs around us every day.

She reads stories to children. She reads stories to adults. And, she enjoys listening to stories told by storytellers.

Quiet Goodness

You probably don’t know her. You’ll probably never meet her. But, the world is a better place because of her.

Mom

I love you, Mom.

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Oil Spill

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The Greed of the Powerful Strikes Again

Once again, profits for the shareholders (including those within the corporate structure who benefit from rising stock values) have trumped safety.

More Is Not Always Better

Why do major corporations fight for the right not to be safe? What’s the point? The greed that kept BP from spending the money needed to keep that rig safe, and to make sure there would not be an unstoppable spill, has caused more than destruction of property and wildlife.

Stock Prices and Reputation

How will the stock price be helped by destruction of ocean life, beaches, and birds? How will the reputation of an oil giant benefit by this new image of an oil slick moving towards all the coasts on the gulf? I know I’ve lost respect for BP because of this. This situation is similar, in my mind, to the mine disaster a few weeks ago. The company tried to save money by cutting safety, and now they’ve lost more than they ever could have saved.

So Sad

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Earth Day 2010

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We’re All In This Together

What happens to one of us affects all of us.

Stories for Today

EarthDay.org

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day Facts

Time, Water Running Out for America’s Biggest Aquifer

Earth Day Show on A Closer Look Radio

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I Hereby Resolve To …

Deb’s House Concerts

During the Month of January …

Where I live, January tends to be cold with a lot of gray days, some clouds, some rain, some ice, and occasionally some snow. The trees are bare. There are few flowers. Hummingbirds are nowhere to be seen.  I suppose it could be called a dreary month, one that could lead one to feelings of gloom or pessimism, depression or despair. These are not feelings I want for myself or for you.

Therefore, I Have Decided …

January will be the month (this year, 2010) for posts about ‘feel good’ things. Unlike certain friends, I like self-help books and articles. I like analysis of the human psyche and insight into what makes us tick. We are, afterall, bio-psycho-social-beings (as some would say).  ;)

So, That’s the Plan

This month, January 2010, is hereby designated ‘feel good’ month. You don’t have to feel good to read this blog this month. And, I might not always post ‘happy’ or ‘feel good’ posts. But, I do want something that will give us all a glimpse of the sunshine on the other side of the clouds.

Speaking of Grey Skies …

Have you ever been in an airplane on the ground, ready to take off, and the day is dark and gloomy? The clouds completely cover the earth for as far as you can see. Maybe the rain is pouring down. This, to me, is how life seems when all the bad things in life are largest in our vision. Now, do you remember how it was when the plane took off? Was it a little scary to be zooming down the runway and lifting up into that rain and into those dark clouds? What happened after that was amazing.

The Sunshine on the Other Side of the Clouds

Do you remember? As you entered the clouds, you could see nothing at all, and it was that way for what seemed like a long time. But, before you knew it, the airplane rose above the clouds and everything was different. The clouds were below, and they were brilliant and beautiful! And the sky was nothing but blue, clear, bright blue. How did this happen? Everything changed. But, nothing had really changed.

Perspective

Perspective is something I enjoy thinking about. It is something I try to remember to notice. It is part of how I look for images I’d like to photograph. It isn’t that things change. It is that they way we see things changes. Good things happen and bad things happen. Happy things happen and sad things happen. People love us. People reject us. People are kind. People are cruel. We are healthy. We fight sickness and injury and disease. We live. We die.

What Makes the Difference in Our Experience?

What makes the difference in how events in life affect us? Is it all in our perspective? Is it all about being below the clouds or above the clouds? What is it in us that leaves us in the rain under the grey sky one day (or month, or year) and in the sunshine over the brilliant tops of the same rain clouds another day?

What’s Your Perspective on Perspective?

I’m thinking of a photo of a person looking in a mirror looking at a person looking in a  mirror looking at a person looking in a mirror … What does perspective mean to you? How does it affect  your life? How does it influence your choices (big and small)?

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Birdhouses (the children’s gift to their families)

Deb’s House Concerts

Finally!

Last night, I finally made the truffles for this year, and I spray painted the birdhouses, just to put a base coat on them. Today, the kids painted the birdhouses.  After days of snow, cold, and rain, we finally had sunshine and enough warmth to be outside for a few hours. The timing was good after all. Today, we finished the project. Three days after we gave each other gifts, our birdhouse project is finished.

Painting in Shifts

At first, it seemed like only a couple of the children wanted to be part of the project. Then, one by one, they showed up and painted. And, each one talked about how much fun it was to paint. One said it was ‘freeing’. Another thanked me at the end of the day, saying, “Thank you for letting me paint.” After the kids put their touches on the birdhouses with acrylic paints, I sprayed the birdhouses with polyurethane, in an effort to seal the paint, and make it better able to stand the weather.

Excited to Present the Gifts

The children were so excited when they finally were able to show the birdhouses to the adults and tell them which ones were for each one. The adults were enthusiastic and appreciative. The kids were proud of their work.

Long Afternoon

The afternoon craft project started after lunch and lasted almost until dark. It was dark by the time I had the sealer sprayed on and the trash cleaned up. Now, I’m tired, but I’m very happy that my idea for a fun gift for the kids to make (paint) and give came to fruition.  We had a fun afternoon, and they’ll all be able to enjoy their work and watch for birds building nests when spring arrives.

Red, Yellow, and Blue Make Every Color

Here are a few of the photos from the birdhouse project.

12/27/2009

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Don’t Do This To Your Trees, PLEASE!

Deb’s House Concerts

Pruning vs Topping

There are ways to prune trees that create the shape people try to achieve by topping their trees.

Topping Kills

Topping eventually kills the trees, because it wounds the trees in a way that does not allow the tree limbs to heal. The ‘topped’ limbs are exposed and unable to protect themselves. They become easy prey for insects and disease.

Pruning Saves (Tree) Lives

A tree that is pruned correctly can heal from the cut and continue to live a long and healthy life.

Please Do Not Do This to Your Trees

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I’d Rather Go Scubadiving At The Galapagos Islands

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Antarctica Has More Species than Galapagos

Hmmm. They’re saying Antarctica has more species than Galapagos. That’s pretty cool. Seriously. Antarctica is really on the cool side, minus many more degrees. How in the world were they able to learn about all those species without freezing to death?

I have only admiration for anyone who is hardy enough to work on or near Antarctica. I imagine it is an amazing experience, one that puts a person almost in the same category as astronauts, living a life the rest of us can only imagine and few will ever have the opportunity to attempt.

I was kidding about preferring to scuba dive in the warmer waters. That was before I realized they really DID scuba dive to do this inventory! How did they do this? Obviously, I’m missing something in this story. It must have to do with the location. Maybe the Antarctic Peninsula is not as cold as Antarctica. I don’t know. Both sound cold to me.

I think I’ll put on another blanket while I finish reading the article!

Here’s how it starts:

Antarctica Has More Species than Galapagos
LiveScience.com livescience Staff

Tue Dec 2, 4:46 pm ETIslands around the Antarctic Peninsula have more known species than the Galapagos Islands and many temperate and tropical regions, a new inventory at the polar region reveals.A team of 23 scientists from five research institutes, including team members from the British Antarctic Survey, undertook the first comprehensive inventory of sea and land animals around the South Orkney Islands, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. They used scuba divers and trawl nets to catch creatures from as deep as nearly a mile down (1,500 meters).The inventory turned up sea urchins, free-swimming worms, crustaceans and mollusks, mites and birds, including five new species (of bryozoans, more commonly known as sea moss, and isopods, the marine equivalents of wood-lice) to science.

To arrive at the inventory, animals were recorded and then checked against a century of literature and modern databases. The team concluded there are more than 1,224 species in total at this Antarctic locale. Of these, nearly a third were new to the area, such as three octopuses, four snails, five sea urchins, and one sea star, to name a few.

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Save Your Body and Save The Earth: Healthy Eating and Composting With Red Wrigglers

Deb’s House Concerts

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Do you want to save yourself (Get Healthy) and save the earth, too?

Here’s another archived Pam Atherton show on ACloserLookRadio.com.

Fruits, Vegetables and Red Wrigglers

I’m a big fan of  fresh fruits and vegetables. I’m a huge fan of red wrigglers. Some day, some long-in-the-future day when I have the time, I’ll find some photos of my compost worms (red wrigglers). They’re the coolest. (They’re also deceased, since the few I brought with me did not survive the transition when I moved back to North Carolina from Oklahoma, and the worm bin I left at my house there was destroyed by a person who was specifically instructed not to touch it. No blame to Okies there, he was there from another state, only there to do repairs on the house.)

Here’s what Pam Atherton had to say about her show about Losing Weight and Composting with Red Wrigglers. (You can listen to the show in the ACloserLookRadio archives.)

The Secret to Weight Loss… No Hydrogenated Oil, No High Fructose Corn Syrup and Lots of Red Wigglers!

Mary Ellen Psaltis clued us in to some good ways to start off the new year last week on A Closer Look. Joining us on New Year’s Day, Mary Ellen suggested we start each and every day off by writing down 5 things we are grateful for… but no repeats! She told us the story of how her gratitude journal started her and her husband on a journey toward making their dream come true: to start a dental clinic for children in Mexico .

A certified nutritionist and wellness counselor, Mary Ellen shared some secrets to regaining our thin-ness: Read labels and stay away from Hydrogenated Oil and High Fructose Corn Syrup. And start a recycling bin with some red wiggler worms! Listen to the show to find out why!

And finally… she reminded us to smile. Sometimes that makes all the difference in the world to the people around us. If you missed the show, you can still hear it in archive. Go to www.AchieveRadio.com/closer-look to find all our archived shows, or go to the show webstie www.ACloserLookRadio.com and check out the guest archive. You can get to any of their interviews from there are well. For more about Mary Ellen, go to www.ACloserLookRadio.com/psaltis.php

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The Last of the Frog Photos (retrospective)

Deb’s House Concerts

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Before I Remembered How to Take Close-Up Photos

I used to know how, and I have some beautiful photos. But, I’d not done it for so long, I forgot there was a close up setting. So, I kept trying to photograph these little frogs from a distance, trying to get them in focus.

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More Frog Pics (from the pond)

Deb’s House Concerts

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Tiny Frogs

These frogs are so small. They don’t seem to get any bigger. I don’t know  if they won’t grow or if they grow slowly.

Tiny Frog on the Tip of a Finger

These little frogs are so small they can sit on the tip of your finger.

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The Last Four Frogs (from 1,000s of tadpoles)

Deb’s House Concerts

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The Last of the Frogs

These are the last four frogs from over 100 tadpoles I brought home from a friend’s pool cover that had 1,000s of tadpoles swimming around on it. Now, there are only four.

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Frogs, Little Tiny Frogs

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