Happy New Year

I guess its the thing to do at the end of one year to recap and then to think of what is to come! We can think of it and we can plan...but the outcome is anybody's guess!

As far as years go 2010 was pretty tame--I was happy that I found a window of opportunity to take a road trip the end of May...that was the highlight of the past year for me--I made a solo trip from SC to Arizona then up to Utah and Colorado, and then back to SC again a little over 5,000 miles! 

Of course nothing stays the same...We lost 2 family pets in 2010 Spanky in March and DixieDog in Dec, a somber thought that reminds me that we are all sailing our ship to an eventual last sunset--the end of our time on the Planet over the ~rainbow bridge~.  I would say the year started on a better note than it ended...But with each challenge comes a solution to a problem..and that is where my expectations are headed now to solutions, endings, and new beginnings.

I hope all of you have had a good year and when you think back there are many reasons to smile--and many reasons to carry on with the unfinished business of life at hand and stretched out in front of us like a highway, filled with wonderful adventures just waiting for us to enjoy!

Here we will be cooking the traditional southern New Yrs meal of Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas, & Cornbread but without the pork--hopefully it will still bring us good fortune in the coming year!
2011 the year of the Rabbit--
Happy New Year!!!!

...on to the future

It started out softly..

...and then it came down harder!! LOL I love this stuff when..

1. I am not going to work.
2. I don't have to clear off or warm up my car.
3. I can go out and enjoy it.
4. I don't have to mop up any one's drip spot but my own!

Does that sound selfish? Sorry bout that.  Well it doesn't snow that often here in SC normally its warm this time of year but this is the 2nd nice snow we've had this yr. IF you recall we had a 6-8 inch snow in February of this yr.  I went out with the camera but didn't take the girls this time.  Flossie's feet get impacted with snow so didn't want to deal with that this time but they did go out for a short run in the field by themselves early this morning.

Our trip upstate to my sister's was pleasant and I always love that drive from here to the foothills of the Blue Ridge...I was driving so no photos of the drive but here's another of our field...from a different vantage point the pines are always green---I like the way the trunks of the oaks look black with the snow painting the limbs white!


The clouds broke up a bit this afternoon then back to solid grey...that was pretty while it lasted.
The snow didnt stick to the sandy dirt roads that surround us...since this snow began as rain the road was too wet for it to stick.. it will dry out quickly once the sun returns.

The birds were really around
in numbers getting at the seed feeders!  We had lots of pine siskins,
 gold finches, & dark eyed junco around today as well as some others. I will save those for World Bird Wednesday! ...the air turned cold, the sun tipped westward, the birds went to roost, the squirrels curled up in their winter nests, and I went in for a nice hot cocoa-and to upload my photos on my new 3G Verizon Hotspot! Am I a lucky girl or what? 

Enjoy this last week of 2010! Wow that sounds so weird--I'm still stuck in the 70's!

The Drummer Boys-WBW

Although Ive noticed a slight downturn in the numbers, woodpeckers seem to be doing well.. near my home is an area I nic-named the 40 Acre Woods-its a large 103 acre tract with a vacant land owner--its used for timber cutting and leased to hunters in season--it is great Red Headed Woodpecker habitat!  With plentiful snags and a low laying area that supports a large insect
population, its the perfect habitat for these beautiful birds! 

They drum quite loudly when they are digging a bug out of the dead wood--but Nothing like the Pileated Woodpecker the cousin to the possibly back from extinction Ivory Billed Woodpecker.  In the field it would be easy to distinguish between the Ivory Billed that has a very large white wing patch....These guys make a very loud jungle type call and the drumming sound can travel for some distance- 

The Downy Woodpecker is a visitor to the suet in the yard on occasion...not as frequently as in the past--these small woodpeckers are quite common though in my area.  They drum really fast and not so loud but you can certainly hear it.  They will drum on the wood of your house!  They have a high pitched little pik call and the faint whinny sound too. The Hairy Woodpecker is sometimes confused with the Downy but I usually check the beak length..the hairy has a longer beak.  (sorry no Hairy Photo) I think its fascinating how the length of the beak means woodpeckers don't compete for the same grubs!  The grubs that live deeper in the wood are eaten by the longer beaked birds!




Another familiar woodpecker in my area is the Red Bellied Woodpecker.  I wish I had a better photo to represent this fellow--I love the dotted white on black of this birds back.  They also drum loudly and have a call that sort of rolllssss out...like a chatter.

This post is a contribution to World Bird Wednesday meme -click the icon to read about birds of the world and see some wonderful photos and meet some interesting bloggers!--



Passport to Adventure!

The best thing to do in Winter when its too cold to get out and have an adventure is plan for an adventure!  I keep a journal entitled the Road Less Traveled and its my planning journal...each time I hear of a spot I would love to visit I jot it down in my book..in the left margin I put the state name, and
under that the town or local and then I write in a description of and directions of how to get there!  One state that keeps
popping up in my Journal is Utah.  Ive been traveling to Utah the past 3 years and Ive only just scratched the surface!  I love UTAH...there is so much to see and it's rich in everything from scenic canyons, lakes, and forests to cultural history and prehistoric remains--from Dinosaur relics to freemont art panels, and ancient dwelling ruins!  So in doing some reasearch for "places to explore" I wanted to share a wonderful resource I found.  The Icon up there will take you to the UTAH home page, hover you mouse over Places to See then click on Scenic ByWays and you will find a list of 29 Scenic BYWAYS--those words are like music to my soul ~Scenic Byways~...I just keep repeating that while clicking my ruby red shoes and hope for the best. My BFF had so many problems with family that she says she clicks her ruby reds while repeating "any place but home" I guess thats drastic but I can certainly relate sometimes.

ALL the listed byways are fully linked so you can glean all sorts of INFO from this page for touring Utah and this just hit my top 10 of what to DO-

If you look down to the very last link the 27 Fall Color Scenic Drives--they all look amazing---meanwhile back to reality--

I also just found this Im sure most of you already know about it--I am always the LAST to know everything--- its the Passport to Your National Parks.  Its a fun book that I purchased yesterday when I visited Congaree National Swamp.  (it warmed up to 50 F so off we went) The book is laid out in Regions and contains a spot to have your Passport cancelled with a date stamp and a spot to place a sticker/stamp-of your visit to parks in the region...ex; Southwest region Grand Canyon, or Organ Pipe etc...of course its a money making project the stamp sheets are $4 each and each sheet contains about 8 or 10 stamps and a new page comes out each year around February.  ITS like a real life scavenger

hunt...I did get one and now Im wondering how to get it stamped for the spots I've already visited?  I was able to download a list of addresses for the parks...so a possible mailing to ask for a stamp with the date I was there---OR Make my own on my computer, print it out and affix it to my passport? WWYD?  I mean I can't go back and relive the past 40 yrs and with so many places I have yet to set my foot each awaiting my attention I dont think I'll have the time to backtrack--WISH I could start over, like Sinfeld says "have a do over"...

Meanwhile I found the website where I can aquire all the stamps issued since 1986-at www.eparks.com Im hoping to get a discount code and Ive written them BEGGING for that code--wonder if I'll get it? I guess you could say this is a Christmas present to moi!

In the past I collected patches then realized my vest was getting so HEAVY with all that extra patchwork it became uncomfortable--lol..

So I kinda stopped with the patches--so this passport booklet seems like the perfect solution to that!

I read it will take more than One booklet to get a stamp from every Park. SO best buy a second book now while they are under $10, and tuck it away for the future!

Dixie Dog Has Gone Over the Rainbow Bridge~

                                 In Loving Memory of DixieBell
                                        Feb 1996 - Dec 2010

This is Dixie, she was a Cattle Dog mix, and a spirit full of life,

She endured diabetes for the past 7 yrs. She got insulin shots twice a day - she lost her sight had surgery to restore it 5 yrs ago...after being blind for 6 months, and she always fought the good fight.

She was a member of our family for almost 15 yrs and we will miss her forever.

~Peace my Love I will see you again when it's my turn to cross over the Rainbow Bridge~

                             

The Battle for Dixxeland

This is a repost from my old Yahoo Blog from May of 2007 I enjoyed rereading this and thought it would be fun to repost--

The Battle for DixxeLand...May 15, 2007

 Ive been so busy with helping Mom around the yard, working at W-M, and being the General of a War. All that added up makes for a time consuming day! Ok, I know you are asking...now what the heck is she talking about...Dixxe is just a wee bit short of a full deck...LoL.


IM talking about THIS ...

                                                                    Squirrel Proof Feeder?


And This:

Well so far we have taken 6 POW's and they have been released harmlessly to a place far away in another corner of the Big Woods. Recall the cage I had? Well I took that one back and got a larger one.... we set it, baited it with their favorite Black Sunflower Seed and we waited...

                                                                              the bait                                     
                                                                       

 GOT ONE


The first battle we caught one of the enemy off guard in the middle of a downpour so he got to spend the night on our porch while he waited for the Re-location Team to do their job!

                                                     the little Merc doing a great job          

                                                    mom showing her release skills


They came out very early even on MOTHERS day and did the deed of driving said varmint to places far far away. He was a happy camper!
Then came number 2 then 3, 4, 5, and this morning #6! The trap is ready to catch #7 as I type.

General FurrBall is busy trying to fight back but so far its
Dixxeland-6 General Furr Ball- O
We are showing these guys who the boss is~ for a change- maybe?

We may win the battle but we are definately losing the war!!

                                           


We have taken it long enough...OH I just heard the Slamming trap door on #7 , and I think I hear Mom laughing GOT ANOTHER ONE....gotta run!

(that summer we relocated 27 fuzz balls before they started the "nest building season", we never relocate a nursing female....each year we move at least 10 of them to an area near water-we make sure they are going to a better place with lots of trees, and untouched land.... and we get some relief and our birds get to eat the seed for a change)

This, That, and the Other-

Its been COLD and windy so a quick walk around the neighborhood with the dogs is as far as I've gotten  the last couple of days.  One thing I love about this time of year is all the dried brush and seed heads,  Im lucky to have a one mile loop to walk its a dirt road and I can take my time. The only thing you have to watch out for is the passing clouds..

             When I get to the corner I usually go see my favorite neighbors...I call him the Grey One...

 He can really make a ruckous when they have a mind too... HEE HAW-ing  There is 2 more on the next corner!

             

              

Ive been looking over all my old blogs from way back to 2003 when I kept a Diaryland journal! Then I went to My Space, and from there to Yahoo 360, from there to Mutlitply and then to Blogger--whew thats a lot of blogging--


 I know it will be a huge project but I'm going to copy/paste and save all the entries and eventually PRINT it all out like a daily Journal...I used to blog daily
-realized that up until this blog my  blogging was  about whatever was cooking in what I called my pea sized brain and I had a dual persona named Splinter and ;'ooooh that gal had a temper, she wrote all the rants!! She was just a wee splinter off the old block...

                                                                            Not ticketed....


I enjoyed reconnecting with some parts of my life...Some of it was NOT so fun to read and some was SO FUNNY--I was always remarking on HOW cold and windy it was in Brooklyn, (I hated the cold wind, still do) and I was fighting this daily battle of the parking regulations in NY its a living nightmare...and I screwed up on a few occassions...it was hell to pay or should I say MONEY to pay--I received parking tickets in the amounts of $35 (this is for not putting enough quarters in the meter when I ran in the post office, trust me you dont run in anywhere in NYC and get in and out most especially the post office...omg) $60, (thats for not moving the car on Opposite Sides Day)  $113, (that was for parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant)  $110 (for blocking a pedestrain cross walk...that was buried under 3 feet of blowing snow when I parked) $106 (for being 10 inches over the yellow line -----that means a yellow line marks no parking, the front of my car extended 10 inches over the yellow line-------)

That $106 one was SO funny beCause the little car I drove was registered in my Son's name & address.  Now my son hardly called  then (calls less now)...he was a junior in college at that time....ONE day he called me in the middle of the day and he says "MOM.... I got a letter from the Department of Finance in New York City they say I owe them $106 in unpaid parking tickets!!"  BOY I got a good laugh outta that one...I told him not to worry I was fighting that one, and eventually I got it reduced to $45...when I proved by photographs that the yellow paint was barely visible on that curb---lol (if you can prove its not CLEARLY marked they will give you a break)

This is a crosswalk...where is the YELLOW paint?

NOW you tell me where is that pedestrian crosswalk?  Ummm oh and I got stopped for having NO HEADLIGHT--that was the result of a fender bender so I got the new headlight from a Junk yard, and drove around with it on the seat beside me to show all the cops that pulled me over--[YES I have it but]--if I was in my uniform they usually told me to get it installed asap! 
Every now and then I run across a notation in my old notepad from long ago that reads "MOVE THE CAR TODAY" One day soon Im going to devote an entire blog to my little Hooptie~

A Quiet Hike @ Goodale SP

IT'S FRIDAY-
I dont know why I get excited over Fridays except its a left over warm n fuzzy of all those years of working--anyways I am doing some at home work again for a wee while and dont know how long it will last, have my fingers crossed--I finished up my work on Wednesday and so that means time to wander around. 

I would like to find a new spot "an unseen jewel" but for now my home ground will have to curb my hunger for adventure and travel! Goodale State Park is only a couple of miles from here so after I walked the girls I took off to walk myself around the lake with my camera...and to see what was stirring..I know this's not adventurous but it's always great  to be out hiking---

OF course the ducks and other waterfowl always  know Im coming and I hear them flush right away and that douses my chances of getting any good photos of them -there's always that glimmer of hope & unless I figure out how to levitate, its not happening --especially on these freshly fallen bed of crispy leaves!

... since I dont always enter via the main entrance (thats too easy and the best views of the lake are on the backside) I park on the highway & wander in crossing the boundary line, over the river, and through the woods --kinda...you sort of have to wade this bit of run off ....watch your step or you'll get a cold bath!



How did I manage to sneak up on these geese? Not sure I know its not exactly anything new or exciting, but I always enjoy seeing wildlife--no matter what...they almost seemed to be whispering or gossiping ...

The Cypress trees at Goodale are amazing in every season.  In the fall they turn the most outrageous shade of RUST....this shot is from my last visit there back on the 28th of October so about a month ago...

All the needles are gone now and the trunks and large bases of the trees is quite striking...the wind finally stopped on Wednesday (I think the whole southern hemisphere was having wind on Wednesday) the water was calm and that means great reflections--

            

...behind this first line of trees- if you look back beyond these-- where the sun is still hitting you can see the swift lake channel and the water there was so BLUE--amazing I have canoed this lake before with my son, we paddled the channel it goes way back to where the little stream becomes barely a trickle in dry season....

So I walked to the other side of the lake where the Nature Trail is and saw Pied Billed Grebe, and Cormorants diving under the chilled water...I took some fuzzy photos of them but nothing worth sharing...flushed a Great Blue Heron and scared the beJeesus out a few mallards ......and got some retreating shots of them but still nothing worth sharing---I found this single leaf floating and it didn't fly away so--

It was getting cold and I had to cross the "bridge" on my way back so I took off and once I got around the other side again... I heard the Jungle cry of a Pileated Woodpecker and there he was poking around one of the dead Cypress that has numerous woodpecker holes up and down the trunk...its pretty far out in the water at least 100 ft maybe more so I didnt get a stellar shot of this guy but he remained STILL long enough for me to snap a few shots with my trusty Kodak,....not terrific --but the best Ive gotten so far of this getting more rare species--I was hoping for the Ivory Billed but...wtheck Ill take this Northern Ficker instead!

So today is another free day for me, and tomorrow and the next and I'm  wondering what I can get into? NO TELLING--hope all of you have a wonderful weekend, Ill be making my reading rounds of your blogs--

World Bird Wednesday II

I wanted to take a fresh hot off the press photo to contribute to World Bird Wednesday over at the Pine River Review Blog, but alas...its been dreary and rainy for the past couple of days so Im pulling out a recent shot  (October)...this Duck with her young was sunning on the bank of the Oak Creek pond near my sisters home in Greer, SC.  Every time I go there I always visit the "duck pond" as we call it.  Have seen other wonderful birds there from time to time also.  But I wanted to show off these little fuzz balls-

  These little fellows are so cute!! I love all birds & have always thought the Muscovy might be the ugly duckling..but NOT TURE...look how pretty!  Here's one more... I wanted to reach out and CUDDLE them they were so charming!!

Another fun shot I got that day was this fellow--

"Bottoms up"-and thanks for stopping by-If you want to see other blogs of birds participating in the World Bird Wednesdays  Just follow the link below, and if you want to add your own World Bird, get on over there there's still plenty of time!

HELP ME----WILMA

You know how sometimes you have to eat your words? That happens to me all the time, but I dont let it bother me, I just shrug and go on, I dont take life near as seriously as people seem to think I do, I would be great at stand up comedy, I have a dry sense of humor that doesnt always come across over the net, but anyways...I am- however- one of those people, like SPOCK on Star Trek..logic plays a big role in my life..
So its purely logical if someone GIVES me something that has value even if its something I said I didnt want and didnt need and would never use, shouldnt I take it anyways??...hey if nothing else I could sell, trade, or pawn, or pass it along, correct? So with a sly wry smile, Wilma II  came into my life.

The reason she is Wilma -The Second- is one of the partners I used to work with up in NYC introduced me to this gal with the same voice and the same bossy attitude!  She brought her to work with us every day and be damned if this gal's voice isnt exactly the same...like Wilma Flintstone!! You know how when Fred has a problem he yells for WILLLLMMMMMMAAAAAAAA--well I wish you could have heard me and Maria yelling for Wilma when we got ourselves in a fix up in New York City, that girl knows how to get you out of a jam!  

I actually got to know the city like the back of my hand before Wilma started riding with us, I mean when people are depending on you to BE there in a emergency you gotta know where you're going and where the closest hospital is too! So I rarely needed Wilma's help, but every now and then Maria and I would be dispatched out of our confrot zone...yeah I know its hard to imagine NYC as your comfort zone, but once you get in the city, its VERY hard going out to the "normal" world..and its DARK--when you get used to street lights everywhere you go, its a dark and desolate world out there beyond the bridges n tunnels as we used to say..
So sometimes we got the call to head upstate to places like Tarrytown, NY to transport some guy that fell off his horse and has a head injury or maybe out to Long Island to Amytiville [YEAH that Amytiville] to bring Mr Poleter Giest to the city for a heart transplant--
--and in the end I did eventually begin to trust Wilma...she got to be one of the gals, a real stand up partner, she was no skale for sure!  It was great to have a third on our bus.

Now that Wilma II is my second in command I enjoy our converstaions although sometimes I can barely get a word in...she is always watching out for us, making sure we dont get any moving violations, its all gotta be legal with this chic she's got it all figured out all you gotta do is listen...and she never lets me forget anything she gives me a heads up just when I'm at the peak of distraction-- she jerks me right back to reality...she is really on top of things...
Yeah Wilma II and me are quite a team---

I thought of naming her Rhonda, but I knew I'd spend all my time singing,
"Help me Rhonda, Help, Help, me Rhonda."....
SO please Welcome WILMA II to my family--Wilma say hello--And "NO we have not arrived yet-what are you calculating, oh you meant my other right...sorrrrryyyyy!!"

She is so pushy~