July 31, 2007
July Shout-Outs!
End-of-July Shout Outs to all who have visited and posted to this sham of a blog.
Thanks to Sisterbelle, Neenee, Barb, Beary, Rose, Garazon and Alison for posting; to everyone else who has dropped by, we appreciate you wasting your taking the time. Don't feel shy, leave a comment, it's free!
You can't make any more of a fool of yourself than we've already done of ourselves, so....
This is the end of July and we hit over 200 posts for the month! We're not for sure we can keep up with that pace in the months to come, but many of the photos were older ones and we wanted to post them first. We'll have some more photos soon...whether they'll be GOOD ones will be debatable. We've trips planned to many of the small towns in this area and hope you'll find it interesting.
Again, thanks and love to all my family and friends!
Want a little nip?
I think that's what was asked of the white mule walking up to the fence on the far right, maybe not verbally but with body gestures. The mule in the middle apparently had some sort of issues with the other because about two seconds after I took this the brown mule gave the white one a viscious bite on the neck. I felt sorry for the smaller animal; all he wanted to do was join the party. (I was pulling weeds and feeding them, they love 'em)
After throwing some vegetation over the fence to distract it, I walked down the fence a-ways and fed the other mule. It didn't get to eat much as the mean mule saw what was going on, and quickly trotted over and, with gnashing of domino-sized molars, it chased the other one away.
I left, as I didn't want to get caught up in this domesticated violence.
It doesn't matter what it is: mule, cat, dog, hog or frog, when they have their ears pinned back, it's Katy bar the door. I've had mine pinned back FOR me before, but I don't think I'll tell those particular stories.
Sorry, I'M going to be a little stubborn about that. Don't press me about it; watch my ears!
Taken at the horse lot west of the Pampa city limits.
Colon Clipart
I have quite a few graphics discs I have purchased since I first bought a computer and also belong to an alt.binaries clipart group. I can't help but be a packrat and collect what I find, but I really like the odd graphics. This will be the first in an inane series of the strangest clipart I have.
I don't remember where this one came from, but I DO remember that it was the only one like it, there was no stomach or rectum or even one showing the gall bladder. It always struck me funny that it was in the collection all by its lonesome.
I'm not for sure just where my descending colon is in my body, but if I ever see it (or anyone else's) I will recognize it, thanks to this c/a.
It will be orange, and look just like the upper radiator hose on a '67 Fairlane.
You Snooze, You Lose
Your shoes
Driving down Lefors St. on a drab, dreary day a few weeks back, I could see something swinging from one of the ubiquitious overhead wires. It was at a "T" intersection, and I thought at first the city had put up a traffic light.
As I got closer, I could see it was a pair of sneakers.
I wonder what the story is behind those shoes? Did someone get a brand new pair and decided to get rid of the old ones with a mighty fling? Did some bully take them off a poor kid then throw them over the line to further torment him? Did the kid - and I think they're kid's shoes - get in trouble when he came home sans footwear? Did a huge buzzard eat someone and then regurgitate the clothing as it flew over this part of town?
They're still there, swingin' in the breeze.
My New Best Friend
My usual? The # 3 with three taco supremes and a large diet Pepsi. Sometimes I live dangerously and order the cheesy fries.
July 30, 2007
Signature Collection - Bugga
This is another siggy made for me by my pal Annie in New Zealand.
She named it "Bugga" and who am I to argue?
I'm not for sure what it means, but I am fairly sure it's not flattering.
July 29, 2007
Partly Cloudy
This is what "partly cloudy" looks like on the Amarillo radar.
It's also the look on my face a lot these days.
Cats in the Kettle
I found the following comments back in December after reading a story of a UK study about cats and Alzheimer's; it's always interesting to read the message boards if the news site has them and this one got quite heated.
It also goes to show that there are jerks all over the world and many, many, many people who don't really read the article they're commenting on. The circled response is the one that caught my eye, but there were several others in the entire thread, such as the last one on the graphic below, who bemoaned the "fact" that the U.S. govt. was wasting money studying senile cats.
Pearl Divers
Are there not... Two points in the adventure of the diver: One -- when a beggar, he prepares to plunge? Two -- when a prince, he rises with his pearl? I plunge!
-- Robert Browning
The next thing to ask Yahoo...
I think the next question posed should be:
"Should I breastfeed at my wedding?"
July 27, 2007
July 26, 2007
Hold That Horny Toad!
In a previous post, Horny Toad, I was holding it and taking pictures, but I later had one of my young, pretty kinfolk hold the reptile for me for a few photos.
Her manicure was much, much better than mine.
Expensive Flagpole
Promotional flag at a rental business in Pampa.
The flag is 12'X18' and the boom is extended to 80'.
The mgr. of the place told me it was likely that it was the most expensive flagpole I'd ever seen.
"Despite a new look..."
From the Dallas Cowboys website:
JJ, the only new look I'm seein' is the one on your face where it looks as though they've pulled your cheekbones behind your ears.
As much money as you have, a guy would think you could afford a better plastic surgeon.
I've seen snare drums left out in the rain that weren't stretched that tight.
July 25, 2007
July 24, 2007
Horny Toad
Went to an uncle's funeral this morning and afterwards went out to visit with my cousins at one's son's house. (my second cousin? First cousin twice-removed? I always get those mixed up) As I was getting out of my pickup, I saw some movement on the ground and it was this young "horned lizard".
(click any pic for larger view; last photo is super-high resolution)
They're getting very rare; when I was a kid, they were all over, especially around red ant beds. Since people will not tolerate ants and poison their mounds, now the horny toads have had their main supply of food cut off.
It's a shame, because while they look fiercesome, they're really docile creatures. You have to roughly handle one to get them to even open their toothless mouths at you. Horny toads can also eject or "spit" blood from their eyes (or thereabouts) and I've seen it exactly twice in all the hundreds of horny toads I've handled and seen handled. If you lie them on their backs and gently rub their tummy, they'll fall asleep.
So will I, but that's prob. TMI, huh?
A FEW MORE PICTURES
July 23, 2007
Museum Events
From the Plainview Daily Herald online concerning the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the best museum in the Panhandle and is also considered to be one of the finest in the State of Texas.
-snip first part of article-
While we’re feeling movie star-ish, driving the BMW and all that glamour, we can drive (in the old PT Cruiser) to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum’s Palo Duro Western Film Festival on Aug. 3-5 in Canyon. We movie buffs will have the pleasure of viewing old westerns on the big screen as well as meeting and listening to noted western writer and screenwriter Max Evans and Texas film historian Don Graham, who will present two lively lectures.
“Hud,” the 1963 movie filmed in Claude starring Paul Newman, will be one of the feature films at the Varsity Theatre in Canyon. “The Good Old Boys” starring Tommy Lee Jones, “The Rounders” based on a Max Evans novel, a selection of John Wayne movies, as well as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers shorts will be screened in the museum throughout the weekend.
From 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Evans and Graham will entertain an audience with lively conversation about Evans’ career as it took him literally from “Hi-Lo to Hollywood” and into a 25-year friendship with director Sam Peckinpah.
The weekend will begin at 6:30 p.m. with “A Conversation with Max Evans” at the Museum followed by a viewing of “The Rounders,” released in 1965. Admission is free for the evening.
Saturday events — $5 for adults and $3 for children — start at noon with a showing of “Hud” (1963) in Varsity Theater.
At 2:30 p.m., a lecture by film historian Don Graham entitled “Lone Star Cinema: A Century of Texas in the Movies,” will be at the museum. Back to the Varsity at 4 p.m to see “Ride Lonesome” (1959). “The Good Old Boys” (1995) will show at 7 p.m. at the museum.
“The Last Picture Show” will be shown at 1 p.m Sunday at the Varsity. Admission again is $5 for adults, $3 for children.
Throughout the weekend, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and John Wayne films will be shown free with museum admission in PPHM’s Llano Theater.
The Varsity Theater is located across the street and one block west of the museum at 2302 Fourth Avenue. For more information, call 806-651-2244.
Sink Your Teeth Into This Huge Flower Post
A few weeks back I was getting some gasoline at the station right at the entrance to Wal-Mart and noticed some lovely flowers in the yard of of the dentist's office (Dr. Black, I presume) just across the street.
They were closed that day, or closed early, so I didn't get permission to tiptoe through the tulips (or even prowl thru the petunias, much less blunder thru the begonias, peruse the periwinkles....I could go on with this, y'know. On and on and on and on...)
It didn't stop me, though. I'm not afraid of the Carnation Cops.
I AM afraid of the dentist, but that's a whole 'nuther story.
I like this one; if you click the photo and view the largest size, you can see the green "bottle" fly on the flower. Those'll bite the pee-waddin' outta you.
The flies, not the flowers.
I like this one, not that I think it's "good" photography, but like the two flower friends, side-by-side.
This one would be me, a loner. I'm a bit more drab, however.
A particular favorite of mine, the triplets.
I haven't a clue what the names of these things are. If anyone will post their names, I will come back and edit.
I also like this one, the first flower amongst all the neighboring buds.
They're all lovely; I only wish I had taken better photos.
I'm TRYIN' to get better, honest.
I couldn't wait to get home and download these and many more to my computer, then I went in there and flossed.
July 22, 2007
Before Going Home Today ...
From my pal Annie in New Zealand
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 8oz. to 20oz.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. "If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance."
"In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. "
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. "
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work/life down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow."
"Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy! "
And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
1* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
2* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
5* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8* Never buy a car you can't push.
9* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
10* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12* The second mouse gets the cheese.
13* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
16* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once
17* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
18* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
Signature Collection- Bobblehead
Made by my friend Shaw several years ago for me for use in Groups.
Suits me to a "T".
Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) - Don McLean
Lyrics
A Brief Understanding of Three Starry Nights
Vincent van Gogh: The Starry Nights
PolarClock
I've always been fascinated by clocks and even more so by all the types on the 'net, from simple javascripts to the unique ones such as this PolarClock.
Also available as a screensaver for Mac or Windows as well as a Dashboard Widget.
Thanks to Sisterbelle for sending me this link!
http://blog.pixelbreaker.com/polarclock/
# 1 Song on This Date in History
(from the website)
What was the #1 song on ...
- the day you were born?
- the day you graduated from high school?
- the day you were married?
- the day your child was born?
- the approximate date you were conceived?
Thanks to Sisterbelle for sending me this link!
http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneInHistory/SelectMonth.htm
Straight Up
Groom Cross
Sat. July 21
Never had taken a shot from this perspective and really wanted to lie on my back and take one, but...there were SO many people around and I was gathering a few curious views as I did my usual crawling around the statues, getting up close and personal.
I snapped this single shot with the "generic setting", not even taking time to frame it properly as you can see how I cut off a foot of the upper right cross arm of the structure.
Goodbye, Tammy Faye
(from the online Austin Statesman)
By Steve Hartsoe
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, July 22, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C. — Tammy Faye Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion- dollar evangelism empire and then watched it collapse in disgrace, died Friday. She was 65.
rest of story
Hope I can dump my Maybelline stock early Monday morning.
Blue is the Colour
Dedicated to a very special friend: "Min"
Love you!
Thanks to her, I have more Chelsea gear than I do Cowboys stuff.
Everybody! Sing Along!
Chorus
Blue is the colour, football is the game
We're all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
'cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name
Verse 1
Here at the Bridge whether rain or fine
We can shine all the time
Home or away, come and see us play
You're welcome any day
Chorus
Blue is the colour, football is the game
We're all together, and winning is our aim
So cheer us on through the sun and rain
'cause Chelsea, Chelsea is our name
Verse 2
Come to the Shed and we'll welcome you
Wear your blue and see us through
Sing loud and clear until the game is done
Sing Chelsea everyone.
July 21, 2007
My Sister's Feet
I was marvelling at the detail of some of the statues when I was over there this evening. There were as many people there as I'd ever seen (travelling down I-40 on a Sat. afternoon, I should've known) and the shots I wanted to get weren't available to me because of all the folks in the background, so I was giving a bit more scrutiny to some things I had paid little attention to in the past visits over there.
See the wrinkles in the pads of the sole of her foot? I've taken thousands of photos of all of the bronze's faces and love the detail on them, but never noticed this before tonight.
The patina, the green color, is a natural oxidation of the metal, but I really don't like it. Sometimes I want to volunteer to take a toothbrush and metal polish and get it out of the cracks and crevices. (I have taken my trusty bandanna and bottle of water and cleaned the bird poop off of some of the life-sized figures when no one else was out there)
After downloading the photos I took and viewing them, I started remembering my big sister's feet, all during the summers of her teen years. (I haven't paid any attention to my sis's feet in years) Until govt. regulations prohibited it, my dad always oiled the dirt roads to his wells and tank batteries and to our house; the road surface shed water very well. He also would "drag" the roads with a home-built metal skid made of large pipe/casing cut in half, inverted and welded together; on top that he'd add or take off as needed weights made of scrap metal. It kept the roads smooth.
Growing up in the country back then was, for a teenager, pretty darn boring. We lived far enough out in the country where we could barely get the translator signal from the nearest town and were on the very edge of the Amarillo TV station's broadcast area. The best Top 40 radio station was in Oklahoma City and the signal wouldn't come in at strength until after 9:00 p.m.
Since there wasn't a lot else to do other than the usual chores and homework, we ate a lot and read a lot. To this day, my sisters and I are all a bit overweight still, but we could all probably each make a showin' on Jeopardy.
I can remember the evenings when my sister, her head full of the things that most 16 yr. old girl's heads are, would want to get away from our small, cramped and crowded house and be to herself. She would set off down the oily road, barefooted, and walk to the mailbox and back, a distance of a couple miles and small change.
I didn't have to do the laundry, but I laugh thinking about how it might have been a problem. I'm sure Sisterbelle would wash her feet before going to bed, but I also know from much personal experience how oil gets into your pores and sometimes takes a few days and a few scrubbin's to get it all out. I'm smiling as I type this, thinking of the bottom of my sister's feet being darker than that statue's feet pictured above, like a Blackfoot Injun's or her own travellin' tootsies minstrel toe-show.
She probably had some green on her feet, too... from pickin' dandelions with her toes.
She could also reach under the table and pinch her little brother with 'em.
Aw, Emmit!
THIS STORY was in the side-bar newsfeed and is about some comments that Emmitt Smith made concerning the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal. Vick, as you may or may not know, is the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and Smith is saying Vick is "being used".
"He's the biggest fish in the whole doggone pond right now so they're putting the squeeze on him to get to everyone else," Smith said Saturday.
The article FINALLY says Smith also places some blame on Vick.
*sigh*
How 'bout all of it, Emmitt? What sort of person fights dogs? My pop used to have bird dogs, even "coon" dogs and I owned a few fighting cocks ( never fought them,tho) but dog fighting is barbaric. I never cared for hunting, but I see the sport in it and also see the necessity in *some* types of hunting in order to control the population of the animal.
Nope, dog fighting's savage, even to me...and I'm to the right of Atilla the Hun.
Vick's just a thug, and Emmitt oughta call him one. I can't decide if Smith is cuttin' Vick some slack because of the NFL ties they share or...something else.
Quite a few years ago I read that there would be some competitive card games in the locker room and on plane rides when Smith was a Dallas Cowboy. ( If Charles Haley wanted to bluff me, I sure would let him. ) I also learned, from reading interviews with his teammates, that Emmitt was a fanatical and pretty darn good domino player.
Stick to Dancing With the Stars and dominos, #22. Don't play the race card.
