Friday cat blogging

Good morning, Mom!

When do I get to eat?

That was good.

Tommie

Tim

PuddyTat

Jellico

Little One

Dude

Don't remember who provided this. Sorry I can't give you credit.

Dumb

As I said below, that photo was expensive. I carried the camera and the iPhone from the house to the car. Seeing PuddyTat's ears poking above the grass, I put the iPhone on the roof of the car and took the photo. Unfortunately I left the phone on the roof. A ways down the road I heard two odd bumps. A quarter mile later I figured out what had happened. I couldn't find the phone so borrowed one of those gadgets that finds metal things from a friend at Curves. This is what I found. sigh. But now I have an iPhone that takes movies. And my bank account is considerably lighter. Oh well. I provided the highlight of the day for the folks at Meadville's AT&T store.

Mighty hunter

This was an extremely expensive photograph. More about that later. Meanwhile check out the little orange ears of the mighty hunter. And, yes, I need to mow. And fill the feeders.

Hat tip to Padre Mickey.

We're 37th

Church picnic time

Picnic, you say? But that's not a picnic. It's inside. Yes, but there are no bees inside and there were lots of bees where we planned to eat. The photo will embiggen a little if you are curious and click on it.

St John's Episcopal Church, Sharon, PA

I attended the installation of a priest today. It was a lovely service. BUT my mind wandered back to the good old days when a bunch of white males stood with their backs to the people and mumbled stuff we weren't supposed to hear or take part in because we couldn't possibly understand or we weren't educated enough or, well, we were laity and they were better than us. And I missed the Sanctus bells. Otherwise it was lovely. And the alb on the left contained a woman, the Canon to the Ordinary. I enjoy attending all the installations and ordinations. I get to see the churches in the diocese that I can't visit on Sundays because of responsibilities at Christ Church. I'm also meeting some interesting people. That's always fun.

The carillon is to die for tho. And he is good at ringing.

Waiting for the parade

Small towns are funny. This has been Jamestown Fair week. Since the high school is used for the fair, school has been cancelled. Today was the parade. I used to go to the parades. They were funny. Milk trucks and kids on horses. Kids in costumes. Very rural. The last time I saw the parade it was not the same. No milk wagons of course - the local dairy is no more. No horses. The floats are still pulled by tractors tho.

The parade is always at 1 pm. At 10 am this morning the parade route was already lined with blankets and plastic chairs. I came back thru town at 11 and the crowd was already gathering. The parade was at 1, remember? There were a number of people already in their seats with their lunch waiting in the cooler.

When the main street is blocked, there is no other way to go thru town. I live about 2 1/2 miles northeast of town. I went shopping in Meadville which is farther east. By the time I got home, the parade was history. I usually don't go to the fair either. I know perhaps a half dozen people in town. I do use the local drugstore and bank tho.

SynchroniciTi

An interesting 9/11 commemoration with narrator - sorry I didn't get his photo. Poetry between musical numbers. The Pittsburgh group is SynchroniciTi.

Wistful

Dudie would love to be a housecat and spends many minutes looking in. Little One is sick today. Must find a way to catch him.

Friday cat blogging 2

You've heard the song "Twilight Time"? Well, this is "toilette time". Jellico in the foreground with Little One then Dudie farther out. The grey tabby boys. It will embiggen.

Friday cat blogging

Only one photo so far and it is from a phenomenon last night. Tommie and Jellico lapping up milk together from the same dish. No songs. No hisses. Interesting. Jellico has had some sort of eye problem and hasn't been eating, just sleeping. I hoped some milk would encourage him as nothing else has tempted him. He jumped off the roof when I opened the door and Tom jumped up before he did. I was shocked to see them together. Jellico seems a little better this morning.

Friday shuffle

1. Rock and Rye Polka
2. Gold Rush - Mark O'Connor
3. Stay - Maurice
4. Handel: Coronation Anthem 2 - King's College
5. nearer, my god, to thee - rajaton
6. When You Are Old and Gray - Tom Lehrer
7. Chopin: Nocturne in B, Op 62/1 - Artur Rubenstein
8. Dawson: Soon-ah Will Be Done - Bach Choir of Pittsburgh
9. Fire - Crazy World of Arthur Brown
10. Take Good Care of My Baby -Bobby Vee

A little late but still relevant. Wish it didn't remind me of Episcopal schismatics as well. Hmmm. Some of the same people?

Kitten

One minute Little One and Jellico are sound asleep following Bishop Maya Pavlova's advice to nap frequently.

Before long however, Little One has other ideas.

I was able to scritch Little One's head this morning. What a fleabag! I'm beginning to think Little One is a he but it is very difficult to get a good view. Need to get the trap out and get him to the vet.

Oh, yes!

Hat tip to Dennis on Facebook.

Frustrating

This has been a dry year here. Watching the weathermap has been a source of frustration. The rain goes around us. North of us. South of us. East of us. The rain peters out before coming in from the west. For those on holiday this is good news. For those of us with wells, not so good news. My well is not happy as we have been close to drought conditions for many years. We were worse off a couple of years ago but will slide back there if we don't get rain this fall.

This is the pond between my property and the "tracks". There is little water in it. The logs and branches in the foreground should be in water rather than on dry grassy ground. The pond fills from the farm and other land above us. We are at the bottom of a long hill that runs parallel to the lake.
The lake is actually a little higher than usual. The old cement dock is normally almost completely out of the water in September. Part of the top is still submerged. The lake level reveals the large amount of rain that has fallen to the north of us - often as close as 5 miles.

Letter to Obama

Dear President Obama,

We elected you to make changes in health care in the US.

It is time to take advantage of the Democrats’ control of Congress and make real changes, not just superficial window dressing that satisfies only those who may see decreased income with a better bill.

We really need a single payer health care system but that is probably impossible. The next best option is serious competition for the current insurance/pharma monopoly via a public option. We need coverage for everyone. We need coverage for preexisting conditions. We need relief from catastrophic illness expense. We need coverage for prevention. We need the prices other countries pay for US medications.

Please just do it. Give us a bill we can recognize as real reform. Challenge the naysayers to ask their constituents if they want health care reform or what they are used to. The Republicans will never compromise. Please don’t back down and yield to the noise. You can’t possibly succeed if you don’t try.

Thank you for doing what you promised.

Sincerely,

Pymatuning

The leaves are starting to turn. Where did August go? We have had a most unusual Labor Day weekend for a change. Almost always there is one nice day, one chilly grey day and one miserable day in random order. We have had two gorgeous days so far.

It seems like everyone is out in the boat one last time. I can't see the lake proper because there is a long island between us and the lake. I took a short walk up the "tracks" to get the photos. I should have made the photos embiggenable so you could see the boats. Oh well.

Christ Church sings

Helps when the choir is in the congregation.

Little One is curious about the house

Not just education...

Knowledge is dangerous. It can cause people to think. Thinking can cause questions. Questions can be embarrassing. It is not good to expose our children to anything other than what we "know" to be "true".

Thanks to Susan who got it from Ann.

Bill Moyers on Obama and Health Care

The health insurance debacle

How can so many people be so blindly stupid as to believe everything they hear from talk radio and Fox Opinion regarding universal health insurance? How can so many people be willing to put their ignorance on public display at open meetings in front of cameras? Let alone their disgusting lack of manners or respect. How is it possible to get real honest facts to these people to try to convince them of their blindness?

I understand why many in the business sector of our economy cast a terrified eye on the possibility of competition for the health care dollar. There is money to be lost in reformation of the system or lack thereof. Salaries and bonuses might be frozen or even cut. Lobbyists could lose their jobs and influence. Drugs that sell outside the country for a fraction of the cost to US users might yield smaller profits. Companies that refuse to cover certain individuals and illnesses might have that right curtailed and expenses increased as a result. Investors could see their income drop. That's why those who profit from the health care industry are spending billions to try to protect their empires.

I have great difficulty with willful ignorance. I have too many friends and acquaintances who have experienced the health care systems in other countries and wonder why Americans are so backward and uncaring about each other. As far as I can see and hear, those who oppose universal health care in the US are of two main categories - those who will profit less financially and those who are willfully ignorant about the advantages of it. While I have some sympathy for the former, I pray the others never have to experience the fun of a health crisis with no insurance. (If I didn't pretend to follow Jesus, I'd pray they have a crisis immediately and learn the hard way.)

There is more information and incentive to act at Acts of Hope. Go read and do. And watch the following:

Friday cat blogging

Little One settles down on her towel while Jellico watches. Jellico has had eye problems the last few days but seems to be a little better this morning. The cats are away today since my neighbor is cutting up the branch that fell.

Friday shuffle

1. The Last Old Shovel - Phyllis Boyens
2. In the Still of the Night - The Satins
3. Cherish - The Association
4. Montana Cowboy - Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard
5. It's Just a Matter of Time - Brook Benton
6. Orange Blossom Special - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
7. Golden Ring - Dry Branch Fire Squad
8. Blue Velvet - Bobby Vinton
9. Walton: King Herod and the Cock - Trinity Choir
10. Phibbs: Rainland - Bach Choir of Pittsburgh
I don't like any of the YouTube Association videos.
So much bluegrass this time. Interesting.
Note to Matty Boy who doesn't read this anyhow as far as I know: I don't have any recent "popular" music as I don't identify with it. Actually I don't listen to it at all. If I could find a collection I like, I would have lots of 40s and early 50s music. I know most of those songs because, as part of a family that traveled, we sang with the radio.

Dear ABC Rowan Williams,

I don't understand all the fuss over a covenant which has been proposed to hold the Anglican Communion together. It seems to me that there should be one and only one criterion by which anyone can be part of the AC.

If you would invite everyone to the eucharist, you would quickly learn who is and who is not in communion. Anyone who will share the meal with you and everyone else is a member. Those who discriminate are not.

Who needs anything written?

Sincerely,

Me

Little One gets comfortable

I put a clean towel outside the kitchen window on the cathouse roof. All the cats have checked it out. Little One seems to have taken possession. At first she was apprehensive of this large moving thing on the other side of the window. She has since settled down and snoozes there during the day. I think she spends the night in Dudie's old leanto. I don't know where he goes now. Jellico is the purrson eating.

Earlier this morning, Little One ran full tilt toward Jellico and did a head over tail flip beside him. It was amazing.

Tree cat

This branch came down while I was gone. The black cherry trees (or so I'm told they are tho I think they are choke cherry "trees") pose a significant hazard to the house as they are quite tall.

Tim has always been a climber who can get down as well as up. She is enjoying this new playground. Little One was down below but I couldn't catch her with the camera.

Hikers

One week ago I joined these folks on a short hike. It was her birthday. I'm so happy I got to see them. Two of my very favorite people. I was with them for his birthday in February too. This one was a bit quieter.

Mornings

North Carolina morning on Rt 98 between Wake Forest and Durham.

Georgia morning on I-75 way north of Atlanta.

This morning at home. A large branch fell off one of the black cherry trees while I was gone. A neighbor will remove it and use it for firewood eventually. One of these days, a tree or part of one will probably fall on the house tho I pray not. The trees are very tall and the house is very small.

Friday cat blogging 2

This is Smokey. He has quite a history including wandering in and adopting the people who live in that house. He was lost after a vacation and sorely grieved but eventually reappeared surviving but in poor shape. They think a neighbor tried to get rid of him without actually killing him.

He has the most earnest face.

He has trained his family to brush him every night.

Then he settles to relax with TV.

Smokey is a rather large feline who likes to read the paper in the morning.

Friday cat blogging 1

Rainy day. You can barely see Jellico behind Little One on their side of the cathouse roof.

While on the other side of the roof, Tim is in the corner and PuddyTat is atop the annex.

These were taken thru the door and window so the cats wouldn't be disturbed. They get up if they see me.

Friday shuffle

1. I Want to Take You Higher - Sly and the Family Stone
2. Prelude to a Kiss - Jim Hall
3. Live Here with You - Dusty Springfield
4. A Girl Like You - The Young Rascals
5. Ives: Psalm 90 - Westminster Choir
6. Take Good Care of My Baby - Bobby Vee
7. Wonderful! Wonderful! - Johnny Mathis
8. I'll be There - Jackson 5
9. Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Ray Brown Trio
10. How Sweet it is to be Loved by You - Marvin Gaye
The music may be listed on the CD as I Want to Take You Higher but the actual music is The Age of Aquarius by the 5th Dimension. Guess I need to change that on iTunes. lol

The Terrific Team Trivia Team

What do you think?

We're sure of that answer.

I think it is...

I hope we win again.

Susan and Lisa invited me to join them for pizza and Team Trivia at the Blue Moon Cafe in Marietta, GA. The pizza was excellent. The people are wonderful and fun. The trivia went from simple to Huh? This team won last week and had a 50 gift certificate to spend. Made the evening even better. Now they have another one. I didn't contribute much but the others have excellent memories for useless stuff. Thanks for including me.

Monster squash

These are squashes. The spot on one is my iPhone. They are huge.

The one they have cut up and used weighed 33 pounds.

And there are more.

And more coming.

And there are even more around the front of the house plus some vines that grew out back as well. They rarely get a frost here. They may have squash all year? And we thought zucchini was prolific.
Perhaps someday the squash will overwhelm the fountain?