I’ve uploaded a slew of photos that I’ve taken over the last several days. Birds, buds and squirrels (oh my) – go have a flip through my photoblog.
Identify This Bird
March
30
2007
Here are a bunch of photos of a bird that preys in my neighborhood. If you know what he is, do tell – He’s half hawk, half owl in my book – he’s about the size of a young red tailed hawk (which are very common in my area, but I’ve never seen one with big owly eyes and beaks before).
Update: She’s a female american kestrel, according to Birdchick. (Thank you!) (another image of a kestrel)
Petroville Spring Relaunch
March
29
2007
Phew – these blog designs are coming at me fast and furious, I’m trying to get them done as fast but these aren’t just a bunch of code, you know. I customized all of these graphics last spring for MommaK, but she asked for some tweaks to spruce things up for the season. I upgraded WordPress for her (and yeah, there’s another release due out next week, go figure – but heck, there’s a major release due in another month or so, too.) – there were a few plugins and graphics that needed updating and upgrading, code to rewrite, and now she’s all ready for flip flops, flowers and painted toenails. Go help her usher in spring with a BBQ recipe or two – looks like she’s ready to break out the grill!
Phonetics Count (When you’re 5)
March
29
2007
“ice cream a little bit to eat
healthy stuff chicken nuggets”
I just love the phonetics in this little note. It’s all about food. Because not only is she an artist, but I’m also convinced she has a tapeworm. You know that episode of House where he pulls a 20+ foot tapeworm from a girls intestines? That may as well be my kid. She eats. All day. No kidding. I think something has to be intercepting all the food.
She’s smart, though. Last night before bed she said “Mommy, I think I need some protein before I go to bed.” Now, how can a mom refuse such logic from a 5 year old? It’s damn near impossible. She even knows her proteins. She knows chicken is protein (that’s why it’s on the list, after ice cream, with the helthe stuff.), and she also knows peanut butter is a protein. She’s whipping my butt in the nutrition department, I wish I knew this stuff when I was a kid.
Thank you for your well wishes, too. That was the shortest lived cold I’ve ever had. My secret? I have to have antibiotics on hand for dental reasons, so I took 2 a day for 3 days to fix the pharyngitis. Then I took tylenol severe cold, and a benedryl for good measure. And I also went through like a box and a half of kleenex. I’m a firm believer in the blow it out method. You can hurt yourself that way, though. Trust me. Never blow so hard that you pull that really important little muscle, you-know-where.
Coming to Life
March
27
2007
What’s coming up in your yard?
(I’ve added a cute little Chipping Sparrow to my photoblog, too. He’s a cutie pie.)
Dense Fog
March
27
2007
My high school was secluded 18 years ago. It was in the middle of a cornfield. You turned left out in the country, you took a right down a quarter of a mile long driveway covered in speed bumps, and at the end of the road was the school. Looking out from any angle, all you saw was corn, and forest. I grew up in a deer hunting farmland area. Holy cow have things changed.
Now, when we visit, we stay at the hotel that sits directly in front of the school. I look out my window and see the school, and as far as the eye can see – houses.
This baffles me. I spent the whole weekend with the makings of a serious head cold (and right now my head feels like the fog in the first picture), and it was spinning just trying to figure out how it was possible to even own a single family home (from the low $240’s!) where I grew up.
We still don’t get it. How can there be this many people making more than $100k a year? How can there be so many fast food joints and stores (oh my, the stores) – where I’m sure folks are making just over minimum wage, how can these people afford to live in this area now? It’s seriously mind boggling. Still, everywhere you look, if there’s an empty field, there’s a for sale or lease sign in the middle of it. The Chicago burbs are creeping out further and further into the middle of the state – it’s closer to Rockford now than I’ve ever seen it – and soon it will cover the whole northern half of the state.
It’s really quite frightening.
Gone are the 1/2-5 acre properties with unique and original house architecture. Everyone is cram packed beside another house that is not even a full shade different in color, in a reverse layout from the one before it. Garages butt up next to eachother. Privacy fences are all that you can get that offer you any real privacy in your own home. You could toss a jar of peanut butter from one kitchen window to the next.
I’m in an area that’s eh- so/so. I am feeling more and more crowded as the years go on, and I’m craving a nice big lot where I know the trees aren’t going to come down on the whim of someone who simply doesn’t like to rake.
I have to know, do you live in an area like this? Do you like it? Are there more pros than cons? Does the traffic make you nuts?
And more importantly, I’m sick as a dog over here. Pity and well wishes are absolutely welcome. (I promise I’ve covered my mouth while typing and I’ve sterilized my keyboard.)
Two and a Half Feet
March
23
2007
That’s all I really have to say about that.
(Rather, that’s all I really can say about that.)
Sneaky Little Alarm Clock
March
22
2007
I’m buried in another blog design over here, but had to stop to check the news – you have to see this if you haven’t already – it’s hilarious! A must have, just for fun! (Get one for your teenager. heh!)
Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off of your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time.
I can think of a few people who would just HATE to get this for Christmas!
YellowRose’s Garden
March
20
2007
YellowRose has been patiently waiting for me to finish up my painting projects so that I could begin her blog makeover. She wanted something a little more organized, fresh, something that matches her lovely and sweet personality. She also wanted to maximize her use of the best platform on the planet, WordPress. She’s a big fan of yellow roses, so I came up with her tag line, “a rose is just a rose, unless it’s yellow.” It’s true – if it’s not a YellowRose, it’s just not as sweet.
Go on over to the Garden and see how pretty she is!
