Friday bird blogging

Woke up to about 14 inches of snow. And it is still snowing. Hard at the moment. Heavy wet snow. Now deeper than my knee high muck boots. I really needed to shovel out the feeders and a path to the barn. Did minimal clearing under the feeders and will have to do it again often today. The birds are happier. The pine siskins sat on the clothesline while I shoveled then filled the feeders. Looks like I will get plenty of exercise today without going to Curves. And the Saint Joan film/concert tonight is probably not going to include me. My neighbor may or may not get me plowed out in time. I have water, clean underwear and a sleeping bag in the car just in case I can get out and try to get there. How wonderful it is to have the barn for the car and the cats!

I can barely see the pole now. Yikes.

And then it clears up - temporarily...

Friday cat blogging on Friday

Tom and PuddyTat aren't sure they really need to eat. Yes, that is snow.

They'd rather cuddle. Tom is using PT for a pillow.

Friday cat blogging early

Since PuddyTat has insisted in spending nights on the towels outside the kitchen window, I finally put a heating pad under the towels. I'll put a cardboard box over the towels tomorrow to provide a little more shelter as the temp will be even colder.

Radical hospitality

There have been rallies and protests following the California voters' willingness to deprive other citizens of rights they themselves enjoy. The anger of LGBTs is understandable. LGBTs who claim to be Christians are astounded by other "Christians" who seem to consider part of God's creation unworthy of God's love based on a faulty understanding of several passages in the Bible they worship.

Rather than try to outmarch, outyell and outsign the people who obey their religious institutions in a less than intelligent fashion, perhaps it is time to outlove them? The next time a protest against marriage for everyone is planned, local LGBTs might welcome the unloving by inviting them into a local restaurant or giving them a bottle of water or coffee and cookies? It's pretty hard to yell when your mouth is full of acceptable goodies...

Most people who display bigotry against LGBTs claim they don't know any. Perhaps their introduction needs to be memorable? In a pleasant way.

Thank you, Regena

Looks like winter

Don't know why these two photos are so different colorwise. Just moved the camera a bit. Morning colors are weird anyhow. And as I'm sure you've seen before, the colors my little Sony produces are often very strange. Anyhow it is cold and snowy today. And beautiful. I need to get out and shovel under the feeders.

Spring is sprung.

Fall is fell.
Winter's here
And it's colder than usual.

By the way, welcome Sharecropper to our world!

Fall is fell

Summer is long gone. The boat that tours Conneaut Lake is all alone at the dock. She should be covered with snow tomorrow if the weatherpeople are correct. But one sunny day last week made a pretty photo.

Saturday church blogging

This is the Church of the Epiphany in Grove City, PA which today ordained a new priest and installed him as vicar of the mission church. It was raining so I didn't take a photo of the outside.

Friday shuffle

1. El Condor Pasa - Zamfir
2. tórramat do nóebaengil - rajaton
3. Berlioz: Requiem, Quid sum miser - Norrington
4. Mendelssohn: Symphony 4 - London Symphony
5. Hummingbird - Seals and Croft
6. Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson
7. Fire - Arthur Brown
8. My Girl - Temptations
9. Elgar: Owls - Finzi Singers
10. Spooky - Classics IV

I uploaded a bunch of Christmas music but I'm skipping it for now. I love El Condor Pasa but I think Zamfir's arrangement is sappy. It needs to be far more upbeat. The Berlioz Requiem is my favorite requiem because it is loud and has no real solos. Mendelssohn is a favorite of mine. He wrote lots of singable stuff. This would be one of my desert island pieces.

Friday cat blogging

Dude checks out the newly hooked up heated bird bath. If he had Jellico's tail, he'd look like a raccoon. Jellico's isn't banded.

As Tom spies Jellico and starts to sing, PuddyTat decides to go elsewhere.

Tim Hortons vs decaf?

We have a new Tim Hortons. I stopped to get a cup of coffee and check the place out at 3 pm. As this seems to be a "waiting" day for me, I waited 10 minutes for some to "wait" on me. I asked for a medium decaf. Guess what. They don't make decaf coffee after 11 am. I would have to wait for him to brew a fresh pot. I left.

Is it true that nobody drinks decaf coffee after 11 am? Or is this company weird? I don't drink anything with caffeine after 3 pm except on Tuesdays. And I never drink leaded coffee if I can avoid it.

I know. I'm weird. I won't be going to Tim Hortons again any time soon tho.

Back 2 Health or a deal gone astray

Back 2 Health is a chiropractic practice in Howland, OH and Greenville, PA. The Greenville office visited Curves and offered a package which is actually a very good value if you are interested in chiropractic.

The caveats: This is not about the women in the Greenville office. They are wonderful - friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. This is not about the expense - they are not a program provider so neither Medicare nor my supplemental carrier will pay for it.

This is about getting new clients and keeping them. While I understand that my first three visits were essentially "free", I did not appreciate spending approximately an hour and a half in the waiting room. The first two appointments were testing and talking with one minor adjustment. I was to have another adjustment today. After waiting for 35 minutes, I left. From the explanation of the delay, I gather I was in for more talking and little in the way of adjustment.

Perhaps regular paying clients are treated better. Certainly many came and went while I waited. But I was a prospective client. My time was not important to this office. I can't afford their program but I do need an adjustment occasionally and could have provided some income and a recommendation. Now they will get neither.

In fact they are getting a free international ad.

For equality and justice for all

Gay, straight, black, brown, white, Catholic, Mormon, Lutheran, Episcopal, evangelical, family, friend....come together to protest Prop 8 and affirm your support for gay rights on 15 November 2008.

Pennsylvania is one of the states which treat LGBTs as second class citizens. If one class of people can be excluded, can you be excluded as well?

Find your local gathering here.

JOIN THE IMPACT: Jointheimpact.com

PS Check out the story of the "little" blog here. Another example of how the internet is having a serious impact on our world.

Protect marriage

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Hat tip to Eileen.

One woman's protest - UPDATE

Go read Margaret's letter to the University of Delaware. It is very short.

The influence of religion on governmental institutions needs to be halted and excised. The sooner the better.

How many RCs who supported Prop 8 in California would like to have the LDS dictate what they can and can't do in their personal lives? How many LDS would like to have the pope dictate their life decisions? Would any of those agree with everything the Southern Baptists preach? They need to be careful whom they choose as bedfellows?

UPDATE Apparently Marriott is an excellent inclusive employer and sensitive to public criticism. Read about it at Friends of Jake.

Friday cat blogging on Tuesday

PuddyTat uses Tommie as a pillow. Um, she is the girl and sound asleep here.

While Jellico is poised to disrupt the nap.

Dude ignores them all and eats his breakfast.

Olbermann on Prop 8

Well worth listening for 6 minutes. Keith Olbermann reminds the "Christians" about Matthew 7:19, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Of course, those who only watch Fox News would neither see the piece nor agree with Olbermann. I refuse to visit the blogs which own all truth about things Biblical but I wonder what their comments would be. Nah. They'd never see it because they might learn something which could endanger their certainty.

If you can't or don't want to watch the video, you can read a transcript at Fr. Scott & Co. Ask Some New Questions.

Friday cat blogging on Monday

Three eat breakfast. Tommie's milk was a special treat. Tim doesn't like it. PuddyTat likes it if it is warm. Jellico will finish what the others leave. The only variety of milk they like is 2%. Cats are such interesting people.

While Jellico watches.

Dudie was on his shelf but I can't see that from the kitchen window.

The Passion of Joan of Arc

This is a sampler of the "concerts" the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh is doing this afternoon and on the 21st as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival at the Regent Square Theater. Coordinating the orchestra at the front of the small hall with half the choir at the back with the film will be interesting. My half of the choir sings the 2nd concert. The film was made in 1928 or so. Richard Einhorn wrote Voices of Light to accompany the film.

Friday shuffle

1. Bruckner: Ave Maria - St Bride's
2. Walton: Set Me as a Seal - Trinity Choir
3. PDQ Bach: Erotica Variations - Semi-Pro Musica Antiqua
4. Phibbs: Rainland - Bach Choir of Pittsburgh
5. Love Walked In - Suzannah McCorkle
6. Mama Said - Shirelles
7. Alexander: Jesus Met the Woman at the Well - Chanticleer
8. Is the Blue Moon Still Shining - James King
9. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben - von Karajan, Berlin
10. Love Letters in the Sand - Pat Boone

I cheated today. Every touch brought up more classical music. So I just kept trying again.

Fall cats

Camo cat

Not camo cat

I wish...

I wish the John McCain we saw last night were the John McCain who ran for president.

I wish the Republican party would shatter itself into unidentifiable little bits that are impossible to reassemble.

I wish a new political party in the manner of the Rockefeller Republicans would rise out of the ashes. A party that values discussion and difference. A party of intelligent people who evaluate all sides before making decisions. A party of compassionate people who care for others while being financially responsible. A party of people who include others with divergent opinions and value equal rights for all people.

Perhaps that is only a dream. But that's what I believed Republicans were that day I stood next to the car containing Lyndon Johnson for whom I had no respect and listened to him campaign for John Kennedy. He congratulated me for being open-minded. I told him the majority of people there were young Republicans. There were no boos. In those days Republicans were respectful. How times have changed.

Sad.

BUT Barack Obama will be our next president. The world rejoices with us as hate will soon leave the White House.

Cheers and jeers

Hallelujah! We will have a president who is cool under pressure, a role model for often neglected youth and isn't an old white male. The whole world rejoices with us.

Unfortunately Floridians, Arizonans and probably Californians believe that the Bible sanctions all sorts of misguided relationships between heterosexual people but eternally condemns life long commitments between people of the same sex. If, as they believe, they will meet Jesus when they die, I suspect they will be asked what part of his message they did not understand. Some people's religion is poisonous.

I'm angry enough to not even ask God to have mercy on their souls. May they reap what they sow - fear and hate. And may their children disown them - for good reason.

And one final plea against Prop 8 in California and "Christian" prejudice everywhere

And for Connecticut voters, please vote NO on Issue 1.

Vote!

Please!

Even if you disagree with my choices. If you don't vote, you forfeit your right to complain!

I voted at 10:30 am. Have you?

New voters had to show ID. Their name space indicated that. The rest of us who vote regularly didn't.

An interesting perspective on voting is on Caminante's blog.

RIP Madelyn Dunham

Barack Obama's grandmother died today. May he and his family find peace in all the turmoil tonight, tomorrow and the days beyond will bring.

Sunday church blogging

The ordinations yesterday were at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Erie, PA. I didn't take a photo of the outside so I nicked this from the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania website. The following ones are mine. The differences in lighting are due to the brightness of the sun Saturday. That was appreciated but made photographs of the interior weird.

All of the relatively decent photos I took of the Ordinations are here. There are more than are posted below.

Ordination

Goodbye, Studs

Studs Terkel died today at age 96. RIP. More here.

Great American

Joe (Sam) the Plumber is a model American. He is using his 15 minutes of fame to take maximum advantage of the system and John McCain. He is milking it for far more than it should be worth. I actually admire him even if I don't agree with much of what he is doing. The system makes it possible so why not use it?

I've been to the mountaintop

Crispus Attucks fell so that
Rosa Parks could sit,

Rosa Parks sat so that
Dr. Martin Luther King could march,
Dr. Martin Luther King marched so that
Barack Obama could run, and
Barack Obama is running so that our
children and grandchildren can fly."

Nicked from Telling Secrets

Religion run amuck (updated)

Prayers are requested for our friend Lee. He has a few problems like cancer which requires very expensive chemo forever, no income until he gets disability which will hopefully be soon, no energy to do regular work, separation from his wife and kids and, worst of all, parents from hell. Oh, he does have some wonderful friends who help financially and give him a place to stay. And he is active in the Episcopal church.

Then there are his parents. They are constant reminders of how evil religion can be, especially certain types of "Christianity". They are fundies who know everything there is to know about God. Everyone else is evil. They have hated his wife since they first met many years ago. They tell the family, including the kids, they are going to hell because they belong to the Episcopal church cult. They will help Lee financially until they suddenly have a change of heart and go back to their religious rants. They are simply unstable. Not to mention evil.

They just threatened to sue Lee and his wife for money they "borrowed" and for custody of the children. Ordinarily the documentation they possess - emails, blogs, etc. - would prove his folks are not fit parents for children of any age and should be served with a restraining order. No self respecting attorney would touch the case. But he is a retired lawyer. Lawyers stick together and know judges who will side with them even in outrageous cases. Fortunately Lee managed to talk his mother out of that for the time being at least.

Please add Lee, his wife and kids to your prayer lists.

Update: John writes better than I do - here.

Indian summer 2008

The dam is visible behind the little island.

We have drought conditions. The water probably wouldn't be as high as the grass line in this photo but it would be where the reddish part begins. The pond is down by at least two vertical feet. It is fed by rain runoff only in our neighborhood - mostly the fields across the road. The fields are so dry that any rain we have - even an inch or so - soaks in.

The lake is pretty normal so far as it drains a large area to the north of us. Rain tends to go either north or south of us for some reason. It is easy to see on the weather maps. This year has been especially dry in our immediate vicinity. I am starting to have trouble with my well and hope it doesn't get worse.

More Friday cat blogging

PuddyTat waits for a protein supplement.

While Tim guards one of the two cat doors into the barn's cat house.

Friday cat blogging

Good afternoon. PuddyTat, Tim and Dudie. And my shadow on Halloween.

Friday shuffle

1. Cana de Azucar - Paco de Lucia
2. Lonesome River - James King
3. Come Softly to Me - Fleetwoods
4. Kicks - Paul Revere and the Raiders
5. Bach: Flute Sonata in E Major - Stephen Preston, Pinnock
6. You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving - Reba McEntire
7. Who's Sorry Now - Connie Francis
8. Holst: A Somerset Rhapsody - Davis, Toronto
9. Tennessee Rag/ Beaumont Rag Medley - Scruggs
10. Sametz: Gaudete - Princeton Singers

I had to pause and let Come Softly play to the end. sigh. I'm not used to the iPhone playing music without headphones. The Touch doesn't. The Reba song made me melancholy again. Then it was followed by Who's Sorry Now. Well, no harm done actually. So far.

Prop 8

Nobody from California reads my blog - that I'm aware of. Nevertheless, I'm willing to campaign against Prop 8 and all legislation that takes rights and privileges away from any legitimate US citizens. I pray Pennsylvania's very unChristian bigots will someday see the light, read what Jesus had to say about homosexuality, love and judgment and get rid of discriminatory legislation.

Your vote counts?

There is a very scary set of videos on Just Another Black Sheep.
Don't watch them just before bedtime.

Hockey Mama for Obama

Thanks to Chris in Pittsburgh.

World's Cutest Grandniece

Menu

A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon a restaurant
operated by a fellow cannibal.

Feeling somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu...

Tourist: ____________________________$5.00

Broiled Missionary: _________________$10.00

Fried Explorer: _____________________$15.00

Baked Democrat or Grilled Republican: _____________ $100.00

The cannibal called the cook over and asked, "Why such a price difference for the politicians?"

The cook replied, "Have you ever tried to clean one? They're so full of crap, it takes all morning."

Fame comes to an OCICBW regular

Georgianne Nienaber at the Huffington Post has written a feature article on one of my favorite people, Grandmère Mimi. She was one of the OCICBW folks who traveled to New York for our little get together a year ago. I was privileged to sit with her at supper.

Mimi's blog is The Wounded Bird. She is a much more serious blogger than I am. Sometimes. She is a perfect example of how growing old gracefully is a bunch of hogwash. She lives life to the fullest.