Independent Thinker

Blind Doggy Plays Catch!

2009-06-23T10:14:00.002-06:00

my mother worried so much that her old german shepherd was going blind. i tried to explain to her that with dogs they don't have 'society' telling them that we lose senses with age and that is okay.
however dogs are not ever told this so they go on with the attitude of acceptance and use what they are given in life. for dogs to go blind in old age or other conditions they just accept it as a normal part of life and they go on as a normal stage of life with no worries (only us humans worry about everything).
something we humans can learn from when we wallow in self pity over the affects of aging (after all we are taught that we must "age gracefully." slowing down and the normal stage of aging, losing eyesight, hearing etc. "are bad things."
i feel this dog is a great example of sharing with us that no matter what our limitations in life are; we can be happy, energetic, love life and romp and play without bumping into things. if you didn't know he was blind, you'd think he was a normal dog.
so when i found these clips i just had to share in hopes we can learn from a very amazing dog.

"Riddle was born with no eyes, but he is just like every other dog, maybe a little smarter." (hullshaven,June 16, 2009)

thank you hullshaven June 16, 2009 for sharing this amazing dog with us!

The History Of Flag Day

2009-06-14T10:01:00.001-06:00

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.

In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.

Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

information found at; www.usflag.org
a website "Dedicated to the Flag of United States of America"

Native American Pet Prayer

2009-05-05T10:31:00.000-06:00

Oh Great Spirit! I give you thanks for creating all of the peoples;
Two legged, four legged, winged and finned.
May I learn the great lessons from each of these...
From the Cat, let me learn healing, clarity, and keen vision.
From the Bird, let me learn how to let my spirit soar.
From the Fish, let me learn tenacity and to overcome obstacles.
From the Horse, let me learn strength and freedom.
And from the Dog, let me learn faithfulness, courage,
and unconditional love.
May I walk, swim and fly in harmony and balance with all of these. Aho!
—Victor Fuhrman

Child Harness Leash

2009-04-28T17:11:00.005-06:00

The other day I was in a public place with the assignment to watch my 5 year old grand daughter and 3 year old grand son. I realized that it is exhausting trying to keep two children safe in a busy place when neither wanted to hold my hand to be kept safe by my side...especially the 3 year old! He's an active "big boy" that wants to explore and be free.
If I released his hand he was soon to race off and then I was at the dilema of how to chase after him and still remain close to the 5 year old so she would be safe.
Thus I started thinking of the advantages of child harness/leash assemblies that give the child some freedom while keeping them safely nearby.
Researching these items I found many people think they are great (those with active and multiple children); while others felt "leashing" a child is horrible and refer to treating the child like "a dog."
Being a dog owner, handler and trainer it dawned on me that I have my dogs on leashes when I travel out of my fenced yard to keep my dog from getting lost, running off, being hit by a car and numerous other safety reasons.
Should a child be treated with LESS safety than my dog???
Reasearching child safety harnesses I found that they range from the simple harness;

to really cute backpack animal ones;

When I saw the backpack animal ones I realized that if I were to get one for my 3 year old grand son that I know my 5 year old grand daughter would want one for herself...which may not be a bad idea. Although the 5 year old is good at staying close; in a crowded public place can one ever be too safe?
I'm curious to hear what others think of having harnesses on children...how do you feel about them?

and our animals still love us unconditionally???

2009-04-14T11:07:00.002-06:00

see more dog and puppy pictures

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T11:11:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival

2009-04-04T15:14:00.003-06:00

my favorite flower is tulips and i had heard about the "thanksgiving point tulip festival" a few years ago. last year i made it just at the end of the festival so was too late to enjoy it and chose instead to take the kids and grandkids to the animal farm where we did have a great time. it was at that time that all of my family decided we loved thanksgiving point so much that we all bought year memberships and i told the kids back then that, "next year we are going to find out more and we are going to be sure to make it to the tuplip festival."
well "next year" has almost come and my next trip i'm planning is definatly going to be in a few weeks to the tulip festival!!!!
"Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival
Website
April 17 - May 2, 2009
Thanksgiving Point Gardens
3003 North Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, UT 84043
801-768-2300
Hours of Operation: 10:00am-6:00pm
Price: $10 Adults, $6 Children

Come see over 250 thousand bulbs bloom in our 55-acre garden paradise. There are
over 3.5 miles of winding paths that will rejuvenate and inspire you. In addition to the spectacular display of tulips, the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival includes music, demonstrations, vendors, tours, food, and even
storytelling for children."

Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, 2008

2009-03-26T10:37:00.002-06:00

Now that we have found the happiest places to live, how about the Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in the United States...and it doesn't seem that the happiest poeple necessarily live in the safest places, nor do the unhappiest people live in the most dangerous places.
I found some of the places interesting where they were ranked, some I've never heard of, pleasantly suprised at how well California rated and glad a city in Utah did find it's way at #20 of safest.
The information provided below was found at;
Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/us/cities/safest-dangerous-cities.html

Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, 2008
The following ranks the safest and most dangerous cities in the United States as of 2008. The cities all have populations of more than 75,000. The rankings are based on a city's rate for six crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Safest Cities (by rank)

1. Ramapo, N.Y.
2. Mission Viejo, Calif.
3. O'Fallon, Mo.
4. Newton, Mass.
5. Brick Twnshp, N.J.
6. Clarkstown, N.Y.
7. Amherst, N.Y.
8. Greece, N.Y.
9. Allen, Tex.
10. Colonie, N.Y.
11. Irvine, Calif.
12. Lake Forest, Calif.
13. Chino Hills, Calif.
14. Toms River Twnshp, N.J.
15. Cary, N.C.
16. Frisco, Tex.
17. Sugar Land, Tex.
18. Thousand Oaks, Calif.
19. Round Rock, Tex.
20. Orem, Utah
21. Troy, Mich.
22. Missouri City, Tex.
23. Gilbert, Ariz.
24. Canton Twnshp, Mich.
25. Cranston, R.I.

Most dangerous Cities (by rank)

1. New Orleans, La.
2. Camden, N.J.
3. Detroit, Mich.
4. St. Louis, Mo.
5. Oakland, Calif.
6. Flint, Mich.
7. Gary, Ind.
8. Birmingham, Ala.
9. Richmond, Calif.
10. North Charleston, S.C.
11. Cleveland, Ohio
12. Baltimore, Md.
13. Miami Gardens, Fla.
14. Memphis, Tenn.
15. Youngstown, Ohio
16. Atlanta, Ga.
17. Compton, Calif.
18. Orlando, Fla.
19. Little Rock, Ark.
20. Minneapolis, Minn.
21. Washington, D.C.
22. Philadelphia, Pa.
23. Jackson, Miss.
24. Newark, N.J.
25. Milwaukee, Wis.
Source: www.cqpress.com.

How happy is your state?

2009-03-12T10:35:00.005-06:00

the gallup poll is in! this time it covered how happy each state is. interesting. i wonder who thinks up what to poll?

anyway, it seems utah has come in #1 as the happiest state.

i wonder if the people here know it yet?

and west virginia has come in as the least happy state.

i wonder if happy people in west virginia will have to move.

anyway, how did your state rank?

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/the-happiest-states-of-america/

Daylight Savings, Spring Forward

2009-03-07T12:54:00.002-07:00

Tonight is the night to set our clocks ahead 1 hour (unless you are up at 2am tomorrow morning and want to do it then).
I never have quite figured out what daylight savings is all about as I think they do it backwards (i'd rather have daylight later in the day in the winter when the sun sets at 4:30/5 pm than in the summer when we have daylight until 10pm).
If this is a sign that spring is coming maybe someone should tell mother nature as I woke up to 5-6 inches of snow this morning. Luckily it is warm and melting off fast, but they say another storm is headed this way on monday.
So tomorrow morning the sun will rise an hour later, but also set an hour later...interesting how humans can even control the rise and set of the sun LOL!

Dog parks, keeping our friends safe

2009-03-01T10:36:00.002-07:00

on my board we have been discussing dog parks and my concern about a bunch of dogs running off leash together and the possibility of fights. i found this site that has a lot of good information and suggestions (rules) for owners that are going to use a dog park.
i still worry that it only takes one owner that has the attitude of " my pet wouldn't do anything wrong" (as some people with kids) that could cause a horrid situation.
luckily i live in the country and my dogs can run my acreage with each other and when i go places i'm a firm beleiver in leashes even for the best trained dog so i don't have to go to dog parks.
yes, i'm an over protective "mom"

Dog parks, keeping our friends safe

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Where Recovery & Reinvestment money is being used

2009-02-25T10:26:00.007-07:00

this is interesting. president obama has put up a website that people can go in and see exactly how money is being spent and checked on in the future.
great idea if it works; as i already see people "picking out" portions of how the way the money is planned to be divided and who will spend it how.
i like the idea that president obama is going to this effort in trying to keep the american public informed, as it always seems that the people are the last to know just what is being done with taxpayer dollars.
it's a new idea...it may not be perfect, but at least it's a start to inform the american people and hopefully stop the speculation of the unknown.

i know i'll be interested in keeping track of how the money is being spent that is given out, and the monotoring of how it is being used.
the link is;

http//www.recovery.gov/

so far a very interesting site that breaks down exactly how much will go to infastructure, schools, energy, healthcare and so forth.

(and maybe it will cut down the uninformed scare tactic emails that seem to be going aroung if we can all just go check it out ourselves :-} )

Dog Ramp Comparison

2009-02-19T10:22:00.005-07:00

the information given is my opinion only.
i looked into dog ramps as my back is getting too bad to lift my big dogs into the van in the event something happens that they aren't able to jump in themselves and also due to the fact i don't like my big dogs jumping in and out as i have had them slip at times and i just don't feel that it is good for their joints, especially as they are getting older.
1. at first i thought that i would like a "telescoping ramp" but as i looked into it more i didn't like the look of the aluminum which could dent and get sharp edges. in the reviews on them there were complaints that "the sandpaper like walkway" would get holes poked thru it from the dogs toenails and wasn't very rugged. at the price of around $140.00 i decided that it wasn't built to the quality that i expected at that price.
as i may be in places with rain or snow, i wanted a rugged all terrain ramp.
the telescoping ramp only weighs about 13 pounds which is great, but the features and what i had read in the reviews made me worry that it wouldn't last with my big dogs, me tossing it in and out of the van that could cause small dings that i was afraid then it wouldn't telescope right or if i left it set up when at dog shows or camping and it getting weather. review complaints of the legs falling off and the problem that many stated about the "sandpaper like finish" (it looked like rubber matting in the picture, but i guess not). trying this out made me decide that even though this was lighter that it wouldn't be the right one for me
this is rated to hold up to 400 pounds. telescoping ramp;
http//www.discountramps.com/petImages/deluxe-telescoping-ramp-4.jpg
2. so my next choice was just an all plastic one which was $40.00 less thru costco. (most other places that sells ramps carried this ramp also) it weighs around 18 pounds which carries easy with the built in handles on each side. the reviews said that people pinch their fingers closing it and i can't figure out how they do that unless they are picking it straight up in the middle where it hinges. i have had no problem with pinched fingers, if folds down as small as any others i looked at, is easy to handle, set up and take down. i love that it is molded solid so the rampway is firm and steady under the dogs feet. the footing is good and doesn't slip around when in use. it is solid even when up on my side door van step. i love that this is weatherproof and if left outside no harm will come to it from rain or snow (it can even be used in swimming pools and has optional legs for that application).
i'm sold on this one and it's the keeper! this is rated to hold up to 500 pounds; http://www.discountramps.com/petImages/petstep.jpg
3. there is one that looks much like the one i got and is priced around $70.00---but it's not of the same quality. many complaints about it tipping, the surface and enough bad reviews that i didn't even try this one out even though it was cheaper. it weighs 10 pounds and is rated to hold 200 pounds. http//www.discountramps.com/petImages/solvit-folding-dog-ramp-2.jpg
of course this is all my personal opinion on these ramps and it's each individual choice to see what they like best.

Wishing Everyone a....

2009-02-14T12:22:00.001-07:00

Massage and Roses for your Valentine

2009-02-05T13:32:00.004-07:00

Christy and Jerr are always looking for new innovative and fun ways to celebrate holidays. I thought this was a great idea of offering flowers with a gift certificate for a massage.

http://bpmassage.biz/

Cop eats Brownies; Calls 911 (a DUH moment)

2009-02-04T14:59:00.002-07:00

Taxes

2009-01-30T11:20:00.003-07:00

With tax time drawing near i thought this was rather fitting to post;

Tax Poem
At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it.
Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think..

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his a__.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore..

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL license Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Excise Taxes, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline At x (44.75 cents per gallon), Gross Receipts Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges, IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Personal Property Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax...

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the heck happened?
Can you spell 'politicians?'
And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?!?!?!?

received by email; author unknown

SMARTEST DOG IN Obedience school

2009-01-27T12:32:00.004-07:00

received through email; author unknown

Watching the News

2009-01-23T14:59:00.004-07:00

the other night i was watching the news. i am a person that tries to keep an open mind and judge things by common sense; which i think is lacking in this day and age. (my mother always told me i march to my own beat (LOL). i definatly have opinions, but also try to see both sides of the story before i form an opinion. race, religion, political parties and so forth do not sway me in any one direction; common sense does, and i guess i see irony in many things. so as i said i was watching the news and both of these stories made me think....

Democratic President Obama Issues First Execitive Orders;

retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTuHgewKn1g

interesting speech, but what caught my attention was this...

Obama Freezing Some Aides' Salaries;

retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMKKozEvBnQ

following that story this next story was broadcasted. unfortunatly i can not find it in video, so i will have to print it out for you to read (sorry, i'll condense it and if you want to read the whole story you can go to the link provided at the end).
as i live in utah (the most republican state in America)this did raise my hackles a bit as it seems to me that our seniors, mentally ill & physically ill,law inforcment,baby your baby,our schools, abused aid and so forth are the ones that will be affected....
Utah parents, advocates beg state's lawmakers not to cut funding for autism services, disability programs
From the Salt Lake Tribune.
Deep cuts proposed for the Department of Health appeared to salvage other programs defended by Utahns Wednesday. Winners ranged from parents with autistic children in preschool to low-income women with breast cancer relying on publicly-funded insurance.
Renae Bolson, a single mother diagnosed with breast cancer, said Medicaid's coverage helped keep her alive. Without it, "my family would have been planning my funeral," Bolson said.
Under revisions made Jan. 21, state money that flows to local mental health programs would be cut $3.5 million in 2010, instead of $8.6 million.
Rather than eliminating Meals on Wheels for thousands of vulnerable seniors, a far fewer number would lose their access to the program.
But other cuts remained deep...
A proposed $3.5 million cut in 2010 would eliminate Adult Protective Services and its 45 positions...
Officials believe cutting the program would endanger residents and make Utah the only state in the nation without such services. Law enforcement or other agencies would likely need to increase their involvement, which would cost the state money for training, said Nels Holmgren, the director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services.
A proposal to reduce cuts to substance abuse programs hinges on making people help pay for their treatment. But that could lead to the further loss of federal Medicaid dollars and is unrealistic...
About 200 people had packed Wednesday's hearing, begging lawmakers to spare programs ranging from disability services to the four autism preschools.
Dozens of parents...convinced lawmakers to not close the schools.
The families suggested the state put more money into the program, which has a waiting list of nearly 300...
"If you take this away, that is nothing but pure cruelty," said Gloria Stratford...
Advocates urged lawmakers to save Medicaid programs by temporarily tapping rainy day funds, repaying them with expected federal stimulus funds.
"Economic recovery is on its way from the federal government," said Lincoln Nehring, Medicaid director for the Utah Health Policy Project. "There are resources within the state that [could] help mitigate the economic challenge that we currently face." ...
Melissa Gilley said the Baby Your Baby program helped to ensure the safe delivery of her daughter...
"You're cutting people's quality of life. We're real human beings here, we're not just another number," said LouAnne Stevenson, who said she would become suicidal without treatment for clinical depression...
Several speakers said the so-called savings would result in more costs in the future. For example, cutting 5,600 women from Medicaid-funded prenatal care could result in astronomical hospitalization costs, according to March of Dimes spokesman Stephen McDonald.
A study of mothers who didn't receive prenatal care showed their babies were two times more likely to be born prematurely and severely underweight and need time in intensive care, he said.
Retreived 1-22-09 from: Utah parents, advocates beg state's lawmakers not to cut funding for autism services, disability programs

as i said, i don't affiliate with any party and i'm one of those that stay nuetral with the attitude of "show me what you will do" and as i have had the experience of living both VERY POOR & VERY COMFORTABLE i have witnessed both sides and can relate to both. however, this really makes me think of what i want my government to focus on.

sorry this is so long---i'm getting my Robin Hood outfit out just in case LOL.

one last note; the mention of utah not wanting to "dip into their rainy day fund" which consists of approximatly 400 million dollars.

couldn't this be considered a "rainy day?"

for more on utah's "rainy day funds" follow this link
Retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705277414,00.html

Inauguration of President Barack Obama

2009-01-20T16:22:00.002-07:00

Questions about Massage

2009-01-12T11:31:00.006-07:00

As you can see in my post below i had many questions about getting a massage. I found this great sight that answers many questions and has links explaining the different types of massage therapy; http://altmedicine.about.com/od/massage/a/massage_ques.htm

Massage in Utah

2009-01-11T11:20:00.006-07:00

http://www.bpmassage.biz/

After my daughter in law, Christy, graduated from Massage Therapy School, she worked for a local Spa. However, feeling that massage therapy is more than just a pampering deal, Christy wanted to focus more on the assets that massage can provide for athletes and the recovery of the body for optimum performance. So along with her husband, Jerriah, she has opened a small shop to focus on helping people.
Christy’s shop is located at Anytime Fitness gym in Lehi Utah. She calls her shop Body Performance Massage, and I love the way the title really says her goal. She has been taking additional classes in Sports Massage and is looking into doing massage at different sporting events around Utah. Christy’s future goal is to open a shop that will accommodate multiple therapists and work with local doctors and trainers.
With my bad back I have always thought massage sounded so nice and my doctor even recommended it, but I am not the type of person to strip down naked in front of someone and let them put their hands all over me. However, after talking to Christy and learning more about it, I found out that it is recommended that a person “disrobes to their comfort level" to get a massage and that they are "draped" during the whole procedure. Meaning; if you feel better wearing shorts and a t-shirt, that is fine. When a person does this, it is a signal to the massage therapist that they are not to massage that area. Also, draping is when a sheet, towel, or blanket is used to cover the body during the procedure. The only parts of the body that are exposed are those being worked on, and private areas are never exposed or massaged for any reason. Additionally, the massage therapist leaves the room to give you privacy when you are changing and doesn't return until you are safe under the sheet or completely dressed.
Feeling a bit more comfortable with the idea, I decided to let Christy give me a massage. During the massage, I never did feel exposed and really appreciated Christy's professionalism during the entire procedure. I only let her work on me for a short time, but it was as relaxing as I had imagined and my back felt so much better afterwards that I look forward to the next opportunity to get a massage.
I did learn that there are many different techniques of massage, and will have to write about that another time; for now I’d like to wish Christy and Jerriah the best of luck with this new and exciting venture in their lives!

Obama's January 8, 2009 Speech highlights

2009-01-09T15:27:00.003-07:00

What is the Best Dog food to Feed?

2009-01-04T09:58:00.002-07:00

people are always asking me what dog food they should feed. this is a hard one...ask 100 dog people this question and you will get 100 answers. i have a few rules i use when buying my dogs food;
1. NEVER use a food with corn in it!!! (i was cheaping out once and lost one of my best stud dogs to bloat/torsion. he had not over eaten, the corn had just caused gas to build which i found is common in larger dogs after they reach the age of 7 years and beyond.) Dogs can't digest corn and it has no nutritional value for them so you have to feed more (so much for saving money) and hence you have to clean up more poop---something that is not my favorite job.
2. i feel dogs should be on dry dog food not canned. dry is better in many ways, including keeping their teeth clean and canned food is mostly water and i don't like paying for water.
3. i stay away from artificial colorings---dogs don't care if their food is pretty and it has been linked to cancer.
4. i stay away from soy. it's been linked to thyroid problems.
5. i stay away from grocery store foods due to the corn listed in #1.
next thing i have to go with is a food that is easily accessable to buy in my area. there are foods that i would like to buy, but i would have to travel long distances to get them which brings up the cost of the food and also can create the problem of running out if i can't get to the place to get the dog food.
and of course cost is a big factor! i want the best food available at the best cost (silly me)! and remember the cheapest doesn't always mean saving money. if i buy a dog food with corn that i have to feed twice as much as a good digestable food that i can feed half as much, i haven't saved any money and my dogs health is a factor (it cost $750.00 to have the surgery for torsion and the dog died anyway).
my dogs show me a lot of what is good food also. i have show dogs and they have to be in the best condition, shiny coat, good undercoat and so forth. when i had a friends dogs here we had numurous breeds and a few of each breed that we could split up to test different good high quality feeds on the dogs.
all dogs did well on the feeds that we chose so it came down to cost and availability for me. as a result i have used the same dog food for about 13 years and still get comments at dog shows on how my dogs "glisten" and i have been happy with their overall health. i do use a different brand puppy food than the adult food tho, due to i found the puppy food in that brand contained corn (wonder why they would make a good adult food and not a good puppy food?).
25 years ago i tried 3 "good brand" dog foods (Eukanuba, Iams & Science diet) and hated them...my dogs looked horrid on them and i've never used them again; although other dog people swear by them (and i just laugh at the beneful commercials).
another thing that i am adamant about is; DON'T FEED SCRAPS! a good dog food is so nutritionally balanced that by adding scraps you throw off the balance of the nutrition and are defeating your purpose; not to mention the upset stomach it causes the dog having food that it isn't able to digest properly thus giving the owner the fun job of cleaning up diahrea and vomit!
since my experimental days, i have run accross this handy guide to rating a dog food to help the owner pick a good food, and a list of dry dog foods that have been rated that i found very interesting and thought it was worth sharing;

Prepared by HausMommy
How to grade your dog's food:
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points
5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer’s rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points
9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points 14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points
8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point

94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D <70 = F

Here are some foods that have already been scored. If you don't see your dog's food here, ask and someone will score it for you. (some of these i have never heard of so must be available only by special order or in different locations that i'm not at)

Dog Food scores:
Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B
Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B (i use this, my dogs aren't allergic to wheat so that brings this up to a 94 A)
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Diamond Performance / Score 85 C
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+
Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C
Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C
Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+ (intersting for fat ol' destiny, but i live far from a cosco. also interesting that they didn't score "Kirkland Lamb and Rice" as it is made by the brand i use and i advocate it to many that have a cosco near and know many people that use it and are very happy with it.)
Member's Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C
Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+
Nature's Recipe / Score 100 A
Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+
Nature's Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B
Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A
Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+
Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A
Purina Benful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F
Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Solid Gold / Score 99 A
Summit / Score 99 A
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

Average Life Expectancy of Dogs

2009-01-02T10:53:00.003-07:00

after researching some dog breeds for "average life expectancy" i found this site that i thought was interesting http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-46.htm ; it took me a minute to find collie as it's listed as rough collie (smooth's do have the same life expentancy) and of course we all know some dogs that have lived longer or shorter lives---but this site seemed more accurate than some i encountered that said collies live to be 13 to 16 years, german shepherds 12 to 15 years and dobermans 12 to 15 years . (all dogs i have studied and knew better). if you go down the page of the link it has many interesting tips on dogs and cats also.

Life expectancy in dogs - How long will my dog live?

We all want our pet dogs to live as long as possible, but the fact of the matter is that on average, certain dog breeds live longer than others. This might be a consideration when choosing a dog breed and it is therefore useful information to know before hand.
The average life span of the North American or European dog is 12.8 years. This is a large increase in life span over the past 100 years and is mostly attributable to better food and better medical care. Within this 12.8 year average for all dogs is a large range of life spans where certain breeds live longer and certain breeds live less long. In general, larger dogs live shorter lives than smaller dogs. This is due to the fact that the bodies of larger dogs must work harder (are more stressed) than the bodies of smaller dogs. That said, the life expectancy of any one dog in particular is ALSO determined by the stresses in its life (both physical and psychological), what it eats and how well it is taken care of.
Life expectancy of popular dog breeds:
Afghan Hound (12.0)

Airedale Terrier (11.2)

Basset Hound (12.8)

Beagle (13.3)

Bearded Collie (12.3)

Bedlington Terrier (14.3)

Bernese Mountain Dog (7.0)

Border Collie (13.0)

Border Terrier (13.8)

Boxer (10.4)

Bull Terrier (12.9)

Bulldog (6.7)

Bullmastiff (8.6)

Cairn Terrier (13.2)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (10.7)

Chihuahua (13.0)

Chow Chow (13.5)

Cocker Spaniel (12.5)

Corgi (11.3)

Dachshund (12.2)

Dalmatian (13.0)

Doberman Pinscher (9.8)

English Cocker Spaniel (11.8)

English Setter (11.2)

English Springer Spaniel (13.0)

English Toy Spaniel (10.1)

Flat-Coated Retriever (9.5)

German Shepherd (10.3)

German Shorthaired Pointer (12.3)

Golden Retriever (12.0)

Gordon Setter (11.3)

Great Dane (8.4)
Greyhound (13.2)

Irish Red and White Setter (12.9)

Irish Setter (11.8)

Irish Wolfhound (6.2)

Jack Russell Terrier (13.6)

Labrador Retriever (12.6)

Lurcher (12.6)

Miniature Dachshund (14.4)

Miniature Poodle (14.8)

Norfolk Terrier (10.0)

Old English Sheepdog (11.8)

Pekingese (13.3)

Random-bred / Mongrel (13.2)

Rhodesian Ridgeback (9.1)

Rottweiler (9.8)

Rough Collie (12.2) *note; smooth collies have the same life lifespan

Samoyed (11.0)

Scottish Deerhound (9.5)

Scottish Terrier (12.0)

Shetland Sheepdog (13.3)

Shih Tzu (13.4)

Staffordshire Bull Terrier (10.0)

Standard Poodle (12.0)

Tibetan Terrier (14.3)

Toy Poodle (14.4)

Viszla (12.5)

Weimaraner (10.0)

Welsh Springer Spaniel (11.5)

West Highland White Terrier (12.8)

Whippet (14.3)

Wire Fox Terrier (13.0)

Yorkshire Terrier (12.8)

"Little Drummer Boy", David Bowie and Bing Crosby

2008-12-17T09:57:00.001-07:00

Meet Logan, The Sky Angel Cowboy - CBN News

2008-12-10T12:13:00.002-07:00

Just what every man needs

2008-12-05T09:34:00.002-07:00

i received this in an email so i don't know what the source is, but i got a chuckle out of it as i've known many construction workers (and every one has shot themselves thru the hand with a nail gun at some point of their career) so thought i would share in case you just can't figure out what to get for the man that has everything;

From DeWalt
THE 16 - P RAPIDFIRE New Nail Gun, made by Dewalt.
It can drive a 16-D nail through a 2 X 4 at 200 yards. This makes construction a breeze, you can sit in your lawn chair and build a fence. Just get the wife and kids to hold the fence boards in place while you sit back, relax with a cold drink, when they have the board in the right place just fire away. With the hundred round magazine, you can build the fence with a minimum of reloading. After a day of fence building with the new Dewalt Rapid fire nail gun, the wife will not ask you fix or build anything else.

Signs of a Spiritual Awakening

2008-12-04T14:11:00.003-07:00

( Source Unknown )

1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
2. Frequent attacks of smiling.
3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.
4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.
6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
7. A loss of ability to worry.
8. A loss of interest in conflict.
9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
10. A loss of interest in judging others.
11. A loss of interest in judging self.
12. Gaining the ability to love without expecting anything in return.

Serendipity: 10 accidental inventions

2008-11-28T13:49:00.002-07:00

Serendipity: 10 accidental inventions

As anyone with a knack for clichés knows, necessity is the mother of invention. However, it could also be said that while good inventions are often the product of necessity, great inventions are accidental. To demonstrate the importance of serendipity, we’ve put together a list of 10 examples of unintentional discoveries that too often we find ourselves taking for granted. In no particular order.

1. PenicillinEverybody knows the story – or at least, should – the brilliant yet notoriously absent-minded biologist Sir Alexander Fleming was researching a strain of bacteria called staphylococci. Upon returning from holiday one time in 1928, he noticed that one of the glass culture dishes he had accidentally left out had become contaminated with a fungus, and so threw it away. It wasn’t until later that he noticed that the staphylococcus bacteria seemed unable to grow in the area surrounding the fungal mould.
Fleming didn’t even hold out much hope for his discovery: it wasn’t given much attention when he published his findings the following year, it was difficult to cultivate, and it was slow-acting – it wasn’t until 1945 after further research by several other scientists that penicillin was able to be produced on an industrial scale, changing the way doctors treated bacterial infections forever.

2. The MicrowaveIn 1945 Percy Lebaron Spencer, an American engineer and inventor, was busy working on manufacturing magnetrons, the devices used to produce the microwave radio signals that were integral to early radar use. Radar was an incredibly important innovation during the time of war, but microwave cooking was a purely accidental discovery.
While standing by a functioning magnetron, Spencer noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. His keen mind soon figured out that it was the microwaves that had caused it, and later experimented with popcorn kernels and eventually, an egg, which (as we all could have told him from mischievous childhood ‘experiments’), exploded.
The first microwave oven weighed about 750lbs and was about the size of a fridge.

3. Ice Cream ConesThis story is a perfect example of serendipity, and a single chance encounter leading to worldwide repercussions. It’s also rather sweet.
Before 1904, ice cream was served on dishes. It wasn’t until the World’s Fair of that year, held in St Louis, Missouri, that two seemingly unrelated foodstuffs became inexorably linked together.
At this particularly sweltering 1904 World’s Fair, a stall selling ice cream was doing such good business that they were quickly running out of dishes. The neighboring stall wasn’t doing so well, selling Zalabia – a kind of wafer thin waffle from Persia – and the stall owner came up with the idea of rolling them into cone shapes and popping the ice cream on top. Thus the ice cream cone was born – and it doesn’t look like dying out any time soon.

4. ChampagneWhile many know that Dom Pierre Pérignon is credited for the invention of champagne, it was not the 17th century Benedictine monk’s intention to make a wine with bubbles in it – in fact, he had spent years trying to prevent just that, as bubbly wine was considered a sure sign of poor winemaking.
Pérignon’s original wish was to cater for the French court’s preference for white wine. Since black grapes were easier to grow in the Champagne region, he invented a way of pressing white juice from them. But since Champagne’s climate was relatively cold, the wine had to be fermented over two seasons, spending the second year in the bottle. This produced a wine loaded with bubbles of carbon dioxide, which Pérignon tried but failed to eradicate. Happily, the new wine was a big hit with the aristocratic crowds in both the French and English courts.

5. Post-It NotesThe invention of the humble Post-It Note was an accidental collaboration between second-rate science and a frustrated church-goer. In 1970, Spencer Silver, a researcher for the large American corporation 3M, had been trying to formulate a strong adhesive, but ended up only managing to create a very weak glue that could be removed almost effortlessly. He promoted his invention within 3M, but nobody took any notice.
4 years later, Arthur Fry, a 3M colleague and member of his church choir, was irritated by the fact that the slips of paper he placed in his hymnal to mark the pages would usually fall out when the book was opened. One service, he recalled the work of Spencer Silver, leading to an epiphany – the church being a good a place as any to have one, I suppose – and later applied some of Silver’s weak yet non-damaging adhesive to his bookmarks. He found that the little sticky markers worked perfectly, and sold the idea to 3M. Trial marketing began in 1977, and today you’d find it hard to imagine life without them.

6. Potato chips/crispsIn 1853, in a restaurant in Saratoga, New York, a particularly fussy diner (railway magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt) repeatedly refused to eat the fries he had been served with his meal, complaining that they were too thick and too soggy. After he had sent back several plates of increasingly thinly-cut fries, the chef George Crum decided to get his own back by frying wafer-thin slices of potato in grease and sending them out.
Vanderbilt initially protested that the chef’s latest efforts were too thin to be picked up with a fork, but upon trying a few, the chips were an instant hit, and soon everybody in the restaurant wanted a serving. This led to the new recipe appearing on the menu as “Saratoga Chips”, before later being sold all over the world.

7. The SlinkyWhat walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound? Well, originally it was just a spring falling off a desk. To be more precise, it was the desk belonging to marine engineer Richard James, who sometime in 1940 noticed that when the spring fell, it stumbled and tumbled across the floor for a while before laying to rest. After a few prototypes, the Slinky was ready to be introduced to toy stores in 1948, where it became one of the most popular and iconic toys of all time.
James’ wife Betty was the one who came up with the name “Slinky”, and has been CEO of the company since 1960. Over 250 million Slinkies have been sold worldwide, and they were even used as mobile radio antennae during the Vietnam war.

8. The PacemakerLike penicillin, here is another accidental invention that continues to save lives to this day. American engineer Wilson Greatbatch was working on a gadget that recorded irregular heartbeats, when he inserted the wrong type of resistor into his invention. The circuit pulsed, then was quiet, then pulsed again, prompting Greatbatch to compare this reaction with the human heart and work on the world’s first implantable cardiac pacemaker.
Before the implantable version was used on humans from 1960 onwards, pacemakers had been based on the external model invented by Paul Zoll in 1952. These were about the size of a television and dealt out considerable jolts of electricity into the patient’s body, which often caused the skin to burn. Greatbatch also went on to devise a lithium-iodide battery cell to power his pacemaker.

9. SuperglueMore sticky stuff, though this one was famous for its high adhesive value, unlike Silver’s Post-It Notes. Superglue came into being in 1942 when Dr Harry Coover was trying to isolate a clear plastic to make precision gun sights for handheld weaponry. For a while he was working with chemicals known as cyanoacrylates, which they soon realized polymerized on contact with moisture, causing all the test materials to bond together. It was obvious that these wouldn’t work, so research moved on.
6 years later, Coover was working in a Tennessee chemical plant and realized the potential of the substance when they were testing the heat resistance of cyanoacrylates, recognizing that the adhesives required neither heat nor pressure to form a strong bond. Thus, after a certain amount of commercial refinement, Superglue (or “Alcohol-Catalyzed Cyanoacrylate Adhesive Composition”, to give it its full name) was born.
It was later used for treating injured soldiers in Vietnam – the adhesive could be sprayed on open wounds, stemming bleeding and allowing easier transportation of soldiers; adding a delicious layer of irony to the story in that a discovery made during an effort to improve the killing potential of guns ended up saving countless lives.

10. LSDThe unintentional discovery of d-lysergic acid diethylamide tartrate-LSD-25 led to a cultural revolution – nobody today can deny that the hallucinogen uncovered by Swiss scientist Albert Hoffman in 1938 helped shape the hippy movement of the 1960s and sparked worldwide interest, having a massive impact on neuroscience research and treatment.
The actual discovery of LSD as a hallucinogen occurred when Dr Hoffman was involved in pharmaceutical research in Basel, Switzerland, hoping to produce drugs that would help ease the pain of childbirth. Having synthesized what would later become known as LSD; Hoffman catalogued the untested substance and placed it in storage, after finding nothing particularly interesting about it during the initial analysis. It wasn’t until a Friday afternoon in April 1943 when Hoffman discovered the true properties of the compound, inadvertently absorbing a healthy dose of it when handling the chemical at work without wearing gloves. On his bicycle ride back home he observed “an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors”.
Criminalized throughout the USA in 1966 (and most others following suit soon after), further research into LSD was (and still is) constantly hampered by its illegal status. Early researcher Dr Richard Alpert claimed to have administered LSD to 200 test subjects by 1961, and reported that 85% of his test subjects said that the experience was the “most educational” of their lives.

Here are a few other accidental innovations that deserve at least a mention: saccharin (artificial sweetener), Scotchguard (aka Sellotape), Teflon, the band-aid, the frisbee, the sandwich, the popsicle, Silly Putty, x-rays, vulcanized rubber, velcro, and safety glass.

The First Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T09:03:00.001-07:00

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619, a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged "Thanksgiving" to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record. Whether at Plymouth, Berkeley Plantation, or throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time. The legacy of thanks, and particularly of the feast, have survived the centuries as people throughout the United States gather family, friends, and enormous amounts of food for their yearly Thanksgiving meal.
What Was Actually on the Menu?
What foods topped the table at the first harvest feast? Historians aren't completely certain about the full bounty, but it's safe to say the pilgrims weren't gobbling up pumpkin pie or playing with their mashed potatoes. Following is a list of the foods that were available to the colonists at the time of the 1621 feast. However, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl, which are mentioned in primary sources. The most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
Did you know that lobster, seal and swans were on the Pilgrims' menu? Learn more...
Seventeenth Century Table Manners:
The pilgrims didn't use forks; they ate with spoons, knives, and their fingers. They wiped their hands on large cloth napkins which they also used to pick up hot morsels of food. Salt would have been on the table at the harvest feast, and people would have sprinkled it on their food. Pepper, however, was something that they used for cooking but wasn't available on the table.
In the seventeenth century, a person's social standing determined what he or she ate. The best food was placed next to the most important people. People didn't tend to sample everything that was on the table (as we do today), they just ate what was closest to them.
Serving in the seventeenth century was very different from serving today. People weren't served their meals individually. Foods were served onto the table and then people took the food from the table and ate it. All the servers had to do was move the food from the place where it was cooked onto the table.
Pilgrims didn't eat in courses as we do today. All of the different types of foods were placed on the table at the same time and people ate in any order they chose. Sometimes there were two courses, but each of them would contain both meat dishes, puddings, and sweets.
More Meat, Less Vegetables
Our modern Thanksgiving repast is centered around the turkey, but that certainly wasn't the case at the pilgrims's feasts. Their meals included many different meats. Vegetable dishes, one of the main components of our modern celebration, didn't really play a large part in the feast mentality of the seventeenth century. Depending on the time of year, many vegetables weren't available to the colonists.
The pilgrims probably didn't have pies or anything sweet at the harvest feast. They had brought some sugar with them on the Mayflower but by the time of the feast, the supply had dwindled. Also, they didn't have an oven so pies and cakes and breads were not possible at all. The food that was eaten at the harvest feast would have seemed fatty by 1990's standards, but it was probably more healthy for the pilgrims than it would be for people today. The colonists were more active and needed more protein. Heart attack was the least of their worries. They were more concerned about the plague and pox.
Surprisingly Spicy Cooking
People tend to think of English food at bland, but, in fact, the pilgrims used many spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit, in sauces for meats. In the seventeenth century, cooks did not use proportions or talk about teaspoons and tablespoons. Instead, they just improvised. The best way to cook things in the seventeenth century was to roast them. Among the pilgrims, someone was assigned to sit for hours at a time and turn the spit to make sure the meat was evenly done.
Since the pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians had no refrigeration in the seventeenth century, they tended to dry a lot of their foods to preserve them. They dried Indian corn, hams, fish, and herbs.
Dinner for Breakfast: Pilgrim Meals:
The biggest meal of the day for the colonists was eaten at noon and it was called noonmeat or dinner. The housewives would spend part of their morning cooking that meal. Supper was a smaller meal that they had at the end of the day. Breakfast tended to be leftovers from the previous day's noonmeat.
In a pilgrim household, the adults sat down to eat and the children and servants waited on them. The foods that the colonists and Wampanoag Indians ate were very similar, but their eating patterns were different. While the colonists had set eating patterns—breakfast, dinner, and supper—the Wampanoags tended to eat when they were hungry and to have pots cooking throughout the day.
Source: Kathleen Curtin, Food Historian at Plimoth Plantation

Suzanna Gratia-Hupp: What the Second Amendment is REALLY For

2008-11-20T13:36:00.002-07:00

jumping the gun

2008-11-18T09:55:00.002-07:00

i used to have a next door neighbor that complained about everything.
right after i built my kennels a police officer showed up at my door one morning asking me if i was licensed for a buiseness and kennel. i informed him that yes i was and asked what this was about. he said that my neighbor had called to complain about barking dogs (my dogs were all de-barked due to her previous complaints so i couldn't figure out why she would be complaining). the officer upon hearing my de-barked dogs told me that i was going beyond what any kennel owner was required to do and was going next door to inform her of that.
i decided to go with the officer and talk to my neighbor.
when i asked my neighbor why she called the police she answered, "because i thought that if you boarded dogs that they would be barking."
wow!
she thought something would happen and freaked out.
what a shame that she had to live her life in fear of something that might happen (and being a responsible dog owner it never did happen so her fears were groundless).
she hadn't even given me a chance!
which brings me to my point.
i keep hearing and receiving emails of all the negative things people are afraid obama will do as president such as banning guns, abortion issues and so forth.
the man hasn't even been sworn into office yet!!!!
maybe we should give him a chance???

apricots and billy goats

2008-11-13T11:02:00.001-07:00

which smells worse apricots or billy goats? i think its a toss up having traveled 500 miles thru the desert in the heat of the summer with both.if you haven't noticed i get alot of bright ideas. some are definatly better than others. apricots and billy goats are not one of my better ideas i must admit!i had just bought my new van when my mom became ill so i went to see her. it had been a great year for apricots and her tree was loaded with them. mom was so worried about those apricots going to waste that, to keep her from going out and picking them, i told her i would pick them and take them back to utah to preserve them. the day before i was to depart for home my friend ,tim, and i picked all the apricots (about 50 lugs) and stacked the boxes in my van to take back to utah.APRICOTS STINK! AND THEY RIPEN BY THE SECOND! but i got them home and giving 1/2 the load to my son and myself taking 1/2 we canned apricots, we dried apricots, we juiced them, we made jelly out of them for the next week (while working 14 hour days, 6 days a week) while my van sat out in the driveway with all the windows down to air that horrid smell out.i never want to see another apricot as long as i live!about the time the van and the apricots were finished i got the call from the lady i had been buying the pedigree goats from in calif. she had decided to cut down more of her herd and offered me her billy goat, and the rest of her does at a great price (i love a blue light special) but on the terms i had to go get them right away. i called every dog person i know and borrowed all the extra large crates i could find. with crates packed to the ceiling in the van i headed for california to pick up the goats.the trip out there was fine. the trip back was another story!even tho i put "merle" into a crate at the far back of the van, traveling in september while a billy is in rut, with a vanful of 9 does in heat is not the most pleasant experience i have ever partaken in.driving thru baker the smell became so bad i decided the heck with the 100 plus weather i had to roll down the windows. it didn't work. the heat just seemed to make them all sweat and produce even more odor! i must say that was the longest trip of my life (other than the trip with chandra and niki as a baby) but there was no turning back now so i just trudged on. the thought did cross my mind that maybe i should double think some of my decisions in the future. finally i made it home, unloaded the animals, rolled down all the windows in the van for another airing.....this one took over 2 weeks before i could set in that van again!

bail outs

2008-11-12T17:28:00.002-07:00

okay, i may be a bit dense, but i just don't get spending billions of government dollars to bail out failing companies.
i can understand the "theory" that by bailing them out it should keep big companies open and therefore keep jobs going, but in my mind it's just a band-aide that will fall off in a short time.
band-aides don't heal the sore, they just keep the dirt off until the sore heals (and no band-aide provides the air and sun and actually promote healing faster). so it seems to me that these bail outs are just going to inhibit healing of our economy.
examples;
1. we bail out mortgage companies, but that isn't stopping people from losing their homes. it's only keeping the mortgage company in buiseness. what about the people?
2. now the car companies are going under due to lack of sales so we need to bail them out. hmmmm, so we give money to the car companies to stay in buiseness, but no one is buying cars, so isn't this just going to lead to them going out of buiseness later anyway?
3. buisenesses go out of buiseness every day, my son's wife has started her own buiseness, if she goes under will the government give her money to keep going?
somehow, it just seems to me that bailing out buisenesses to enable them to keep running isn't going to solve the problem that the people still aren't going to be any better off to buy their goods. hence, the buiseness will still go under sooner or later.
it seems to me that we are being run on fear of another depression.
the depression was scary.
the depression was hard times.
but it seems to me that our country and people survived it, and even learned and grew stronger during it. anyway, the people i know who survived the depression seem to appreciate what they have, take care of their belongings, are more frugal and don't waste money on unnecessary things.
and it isn't just the buisenesses that are responsible. people took out mortgages. people want things. people want to live in the style that they think is necessary to be happy.
maybe we can learn something from the depression; for instance:
1. live within ones means instead of debt of credit cards, new cars, huge houses, electronic equipment, unnecessary nic knacks and all the other things that "we just have to have to survive now days."
2. our children will not die and may even learn to use their imagination and go out and play if they don't have seperate rooms with a t.v., computer, electronic games and closets full of clothes that they don't wear half of.
(remember when children had one special toy and took care of it, played outside with friends, and even helped around the house= OH MY! maybe they wouldn't have time for hanging out on a street corners and doing drugs!!!!)
3. gardens in the back yard where the food was not grown with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides---gosh, that may even be healthy for us!!!!
(of course that would mean we'd have to cut our own lettuce, grate our own cheese, cook our own food----HEAVEN HELP US!!!!)
maybe i just don't understand due to the fact that i have lived so poor so many times in my life that people are so scared. i drove $500.00 cars rather than go into debt. i washed out trash cans because i couldn't afford bags to go in them (every day i appreciate that luxury i can now afford). my children had 5 sets a clothes to get them thru the school week and after school and weekends they wore what was back then called "play clothes" (which were old clothes or hand me downs). we grew gardens and canned to get thru the winter. i cooked!!! there were 3 meals a day and no snacks (snack food is EXPENSIVE!). my kids worked at home for free, and learned to work for neighbors and such to earn money (and amazing! all my kids work and support themselves to this day!!!) i bought a house i could afford and 5 people lived in a 2 bedroom house (OH MY!!!) we turned the heat down low, lights were turned off in rooms not in use, I WASHED DIAPERS!
and we survived!
when i see the medications being handed out in this country for anxiety, stess, depression; both parents to provide what we now call "the basics" (when did 3 t.v's and electronic games become "basic?"),people over their head in debt, huge homes for a family that can't fill them, new cars, boats, motorcycles etc. in the driveway it makes me wonder if we have come to a time that is so fast paced and stressful that maybe it's time we slow down, appreciate what we have and get back to the basics of life: air, food, shelter (and perhaps even a beleif in a higher power that all will be okay).
don't get me wrong. i don't want another depression. however, bailing out big companies with government money just doesn't seem like a logical answer to me.
maybe it's time we looked at our lives, what we really need and as the saying goes "tighten our belt buckles and get through this," not bail me out so i can keep living in the way i want to.
whew---got that off my chest LOL --- and it's nice to be back online again..for me anyway =;-}

I just love this, so had to share

2008-10-09T15:30:00.006-06:00

THE AWAKENING

A time comes in your life when you finally get it . . . When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!
Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.
You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.
You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process a sense of safety & security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties and in the process a sense of peace & contentment is born of forgiveness.
You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look and how much you should weigh, what you should wear and where you should shop and what you should drive, how and where you should live and what you should do for a living, who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage, the importance of having and raising children or what you owe your parents.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.
You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.
You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.
You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything; it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.
You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.
You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.
Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away.
You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship.
You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.
You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.
You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.
You learn that just as people grow and change so it is with love . . . and you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms just to make you happy.
And, you learn that alone does not mean lonely . . . And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you "stack up." You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.
You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK ... and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things that you want and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less. And, you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to glorify you with his touch . . . and in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect. And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care of it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise.
You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.
You learn, that for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve . . . and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen.
More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.
You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's OK to risk asking for help.
You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time.
FEAR itself.
You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.
You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.
You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers.
It's just life happening.
And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state -- the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.
You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed,a long hot shower.
Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire.
And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.
And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.
Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to have as best as you can.

- Author Unknown

Judy and the cow (testing to see how this works)

2008-10-03T17:06:00.003-06:00

one time i got my friend judy to help me load a 1500 pound cow to take to the auction.
now you must picture judy.
she is high class, perfect hair , nails sculpured and painted, crisp clothing, perfect makeup etc.
to load this cow we didn't have a ramp we just had to get it to hop into the trailer from the 1/4 acre yard he was in.
i had judy "man" the swinging door on the trailer. my son with a flake of hay was inside the trailer to "coax" the cow in and i had a broomhandle and was the "herder". (this was long before jake---and one of the reasons i love jake so!)
after numerous romps around the yard we finally got the cow to get it's front legs into the trailer.
i told judy to start closing the door while i poked and poked the cows rear to get him to hop his back feet in.
while poking, the broomhandle just slipped into an orifice of the cow that broomhandles were never meant to go in.
judy still manning the door screamed (with widened eyes) "pull it out"!!!!!!!
when i pulled it out it kinda set things off with the cow. only a person who has seen a cow that has been on grass pasture can understand this is not real solid matter. that cow started shooting out green slime for 3 feet. judy was screaming "DO SOMETHING" but she never let go of that door. (i'll tell you i was backing out of there fast)
i grabbed a pallet and when the cow finished its business i proceeded to push it the rest of the way into the trailer whereupon judy slammed the door shut and latched it as fast as she could with my son still locked inside the trailer with the cow.
i finally convinced her she had to let my son out of the trailer before he got kicked or something. she cracked the door just enough to let him out then slammed it shut and locked it again.
the cow made it to the auction and i gained a high respect for that woman that day!!!!
funny thing---in the 17 years i've now known her, she has never offered to help me load a cow again!

this is interesting

2008-09-26T15:12:00.001-06:00

gremlins strike in the night...and then i have to figure out how to work the things they do---what's blogging????

Jose becomes an American Citizen...and I had to write a letter to the editor - sigh

2008-09-26T03:14:00.004-06:00

Jose waiting to go in and become an American Citizen;

making sure all is correct;
A proud citizen of the United States of America;
God Bless America, and God Bless Jose!!!;

I’m grateful, honored and proud to have been born a citizen into the United States of America. Gifts I’ve never taken for granted and understand why others that aren’t American dream of coming here and becoming a part of it. With all the controversy these days about immigrants, I must write about the recent experience I witnessed concerning one of the finest men I have ever met reaching his goal of become an American citizen.

This man is a humble, honorable, proud man and one of the hardest workers I have ever met. He came to this country, taught himself our language, acquired a job, worked odd jobs after work and days off; saving all the money he could to become a member of this nation.

Seven years ago he became a “Permanent Resident.” He obtained a sponsor and letters stating that he’d be an asset to our country. He’d earned so much respect in our community the mayor of the town where he resided, a prominent business leader of our community and others wrote in his favor.

This man continued to work, saving every penny, until he obtained the additional thousands of dollars needed to become a citizen of this great nation. He studied the laws of our nation, gaining more knowledge about our country than many Americans know. All that know him were proud and elated that this deserving man finally becoming a citizen of this nation.

The day arrived for the ceremony to take the oath of citizenship. As we arrived at the designated place for the ceremony I witnessed the pride, honor and respect all gave to this occasion. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes to honor this occasion. We were ushered into a small room; future citizens were seated in rows down the center. Spectators were seated along each side.

A woman stood in the front of the room; asked the future citizens to stand and raise their right hands while she said the oath. She then instructed them to, “Sit down, when your name is called go to the BACK CORNER of the room, get your certificate from the man standing there, sit down, read it for any spelling errors and then LEAVE OUT THE BACK DOOR.

The whole process took approximately two minutes!

I have seen pre-school children in this country receive a better ceremony upon completion.
I felt embarrassed, ashamed and disgusted in the way this was handled. To become an American citizen is the greatest achievement that any person can obtain. These people had worked so hard, paid so much and were so proud to become citizens; then treated like this achievement meant nothing and that they meant nothing.

I can’t understand why Shouldn’t a ceremony of this magnitude couldn’t have a short speaker congratulating and welcoming them to our country. Shouldn’t they have been called to the FRONT of the room and had their hand shaken in congratulation as they received their certificate?!Or at least show them the respect when calling their name to receive their certificate to call them to the FRONT of the room, shake their hand and congratulate them.

I’m not saying all the Pomp and Circumstance of any scholastic achievement we show in this country is necessary. On the other hand; shouldn’t becoming a citizen of this nation outweigh any other achievement one may obtain in this country? I feel some respect and acknowledgement of achievement should be shown. I felt that this “ceremony” was not only degrading to those becoming a citizen, but also a disgrace to America.

If this is how we perceive the honor and right of becoming a citizen, shame on us!

Visit me at JARCAs Forums - too

2008-07-25T11:08:00.001-06:00