Scattered Thoughts in New Immigrant
- Feb. 1, 2014, 8:43 p.m.
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- Public
Checked the weather forecast for the next ten days and six out of ten are predicted to have overnight lows below zero. That news didn't upset me any more. Actually, I'm feeling nostalgic, this is an "old fashioned, real" winter, like the ones we experienced when we first moved to Iowa in the seventies. Seems normal. I've got my cold weather routine worked out and I can ski along on it. Tom and I may need to make a switch soon, though, so I can have the three girls spayed in Cedar Falls. Vet here is too far away for that.
For you Downton Abbey fans, I was interested to see "deceased" Matthew Crawley in "The Fifth Episode" about Wikileaks. And the new Sherlock Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, stars in that film as Julian Assange! That's actually why I watched it. Enjoyed it.
The environmental news of the week has been glum. On two different public radio shows I heard reports of the miniscule number of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico this summer. They think the decrease in numbers is resulting from the Midwest's insecticides that are killing off the milkweed.
Then I heard that thousands of penguin chicks in Argentina and elsewhere in S. America are being impacted by the weather changes. In some areas there is more rain and cooler nights causing penguin chicks to die of hypothermia.
The death of the shellfish off America's west coast is upsetting many. It's a die-off of immense proportions. Researchers hope to determine the cause but say that is several months away.
During his State of the Union speech President Obama showed he remains deluded about the heavy environmental costs of gas exploration. I am left shuddering that he may approve the dangerous Keystone Pipeline.
Each time one of your names pops up in the notes, it is reassuring.
As most of you know Sago's husband Kermit is in serious condition, battling pulmonary thrombosis. Sago has welcomed us along on her journey, for that I am grateful. I'm thankful we can let them know they are close in our thoughts. Sago writes with inspiration.
The turkeys are annoying me. I give them cracked corn out back but they have begun to raid the sunflower seed elsewhere, too. Whoever said turkeys are stupid never met mine. They hear me put out the seed and come running.
I am grateful to reconnect with you here, extremely grateful for hot meals in winter for British television shows for movies on-demand for snowshoes
Ragdolls ⋅ February 01, 2014
I see the wild turkeys here frequently (IN). Usually around the farmer's grain silo. They haven't ventured over where I live, yet. The deer take care of my shrubbery, the red foxes & owls keep down the mice population. I love Downton! I watched the current season online before it was aired here & I have been taping the pbs showings to watch it all again when I have all the episodes.
Tick Tock Tick Ragdolls ⋅ February 02, 2014
Are you pleased with the deers' shrubbery pruning then? Envy you the red foxes. We rarely see one. / Don't tell us what happens! A friend who watched online said terrible things lie ahead for Anna and Bates. My heart was broken hearing only that much. Tomorrow I'll be be watching PBS rather than the World Series. Do you watch "Scott & Bailey"?
Sabrina-Belle ⋅ February 01, 2014
That's so sad about the monarch butterflies. I saw them once on a visit to California in 2000. They are beautiful. We don't get them over here. I love Downton Abbey. I was gutted when Matthew Crawley died. We haven't had any snow here yet, but there have been a lot of floods.
Tick Tock Tick Sabrina-Belle ⋅ February 02, 2014
Thank you for stopping by. Where do you live? I read that you've seen a snow drop. I have a patch of those but they're well hidden beneath the snow. Their appearance is cause for rejoicing to me, too. / Because I'd read Matthew was prepared to leave the show I wasn't shocked by his demise, except for Mary. However, I was gutted, as you aptly described, when Sybil died in childbirth. / Do you watch "Scott & Bailey"?
Sabrina-Belle Tick Tock Tick ⋅ February 04, 2014
I'm in the UK in Herefordshire near the border with Wales. I don't watch Scott and Bailey at the moment, perhaps I should give it a try. My favourite drama show right now is Call the Midwife, don't know if you get that. Hubby and I both loved The White Queen even though historical accuracy was not their big thing!
Tick Tock Tick Sabrina-Belle ⋅ February 06, 2014
Hello! Wales seems like a beautiful place to live. We did visit England way back in 1980 and went from Dover to the Lakes District. We enjoyed it but were I to return I'd spend more time in coastal areas. / Do you follow Jamez who lives in Cornwall? / Yes, we do get Call the Midwife and it is a favorite of mine, too. Right now we're waiting for the new season to begin. I don't know whether I missed The White Queen or if it wasn't shown here. Have other Americans said they watched it?
majimaze ⋅ February 02, 2014
Hi there Tick Tock Tick!!Yes,you have me back here now!IDon't panic!I won't go on!Ha ha!It is very hard to imagine your temperatures there,while we are basking in midsummer here!There is a cooling breeze coming in my patio door now>Oh sorry!I'll stop!All our kitties have departed the nest,however,we now have 12 chickies from 2 of our sitting hens!(well they WERE sitting!)So are now surrounded by liitle yellow and some,tawny bundles of fluff.......!I must get that 'Flight Behaviour ' book from our Library.Have just finished reading an earlier Barbara Kinsolver book called "Lacuna" Have you ever ead her?Marvellous story.Had me hooked.Will be doing another entry when I get over doing my speech for TM tomorrow night.Ugh!lotsa lovexxx
Tick Tock Tick majimaze ⋅ February 03, 2014
Like you and Polly, it pleases me enormously that we can know our differences and remain friends. So glad you mentioned "Lacuna." I downloaded it on my Kindle when it came out but then hated reading on Kindle. With your recommendation, I will seek it out. Very happy thinking of 12 fluffy chickies at your place! One Easter my Sister and I each received a chick. I took mine for rides in my doll carriage (as I did all my creatures). I was always "big" into "Show and Tell." Having fun watching Willow and Pol. Tell us about your speech when you come back. Glad you're here, Angela!!
jamez ⋅ February 04, 2014
Here we are, and OD is limping on even with ever much reduced numbers; I wonder if it was boredom that killed the golden hen! Our weather is still in a liquid state, a village in the Somerset Levels has been cut of by floods since Christmas, our government noticed only recently; I think they more interesting in getting things ready for the next election; I doubt they will go to the country for a while! I think fracking will go ahead over here, there is far to much money to be made, there is local groups against it, stalling is what we shall get. Forty years ago I with a group visited a university astronomy centre, it was in an area where there were many coal mines, and there was many earth movements and damage to property. With the observatory being well away from roads it was a suitable site for a seismograph, the academic said the subsidence stopped when the mines closed for the two week summer holiday’s, discussions went on for years; probably until most of the mines closed! How do feel about PB, I find I’m doing more hunting about to find things and people, at it’s best OD flowed; or is it me …….. [I’ll go with the ‘me’!]
Tick Tock Tick jamez ⋅ February 13, 2014
Yes, like you I'm not operating PB with much fluidity yet but have blamed it on not being around much. Perhaps that isn't the case if you're still feeling that way. Oh, well, we'll get used to it in our quest to stay connected. / I'm very sorry to learn the UK will tolerate/allow mining, too. Yes, the quest for cash is very corruptible. / You make a point about the mines that I found eye-opening when I first heard it, that these projects are short-term and the community is normally not better off when the projects conclude.
jamez ⋅ February 07, 2014
I’ve had a reply from a’Marg’ who was once a MargUK else where …..
Tick Tock Tick jamez ⋅ February 13, 2014
Thank you, Jamez. Isn't that GOOD news!?
Marg Tick Tock Tick ⋅ March 01, 2014
Aw I feel loved now! :)
woman in the moon ⋅ February 15, 2014
OH those opportunist turkeys!
(Thank you for my Valentine!)
jamez ⋅ February 20, 2014
Haven’t see you about lately, I hope you are well, how is your winter progressing, our storms seem to have blown them self’s out. The water lingers here, seeping out of the valley slowly, places well east of here are slowly seeing the floods slowly go-down; some areas have been flooded since Christmas – I can’t imagine how bad it will be after the waters done! A week and a day we shall the end of February, March can be cold but it is that much nearly to spring and light evenings. Ziggy and Lola had their first Agility class on Sunday, today’s class was rained off, not floods but mud; I had my old wellingtons ready! From what my Daughter told me about the path to the agility field, every one who goes in comes out with a part of the field on the wellingtons …..
I hope you are well, your problems melting and your kittens up to mischief; I think all that’s about the right way up …..
Deleted user ⋅ March 07, 2014
I hate Winter, but that's no surprise, right? I have become a hermit, hating to go out for anything, being afraid I will fall on the ice and break something. Maybe if I saw deer, turkeys, more Nature I would like it more ...