September 23rd

 

Today is the autumnal equinox of 2018.
Or, the first day of Fall.
All it really means is that,
the Sun is directly above the equator,
and day and night are approximately equal in time.
This happens twice a year,on the vernal (spring) equinox and today.
Equinoxes and solstice' are directly related to the sun and seasonal changes.
The summer and winter solstice are marked by the sun being at the highest
in the summer with the longest day, and the lowest in winter, with the shortest day.
Hope that cleared it up for y'all.
But those changes never really come to the deep south.
Ha!
Yeah, I'm laughing!
The temperature outside now is 85, and it feels like 95 with the humidity.
We've been known to have 80 degree Christmas mornings!
I'm just tired of this oppressive heat.
The other day I went to pick up the grandkids from school,
and it was so hot!
How hot was it you ask?
This hot!

(an actual picture of me waiting at the gate for them to get outta school)

Really!

 

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The hens, even though they are all molting,

are finding creative cool spots to hang out in the yard.

I guess because there is less feathers between their skin and the ground.

I usually do a head count whenever I'm outside,

just as a precaution.

If I can't find one of the girls, then I systematically look for her.

Ethel was MIA.

I'm calling her and looking everywhere the girls usually sit.

Nothing.

Not even a cluck.

So, I got out the big guns, the one thing they can't refuse,

their dried mealworms!

Its like crack to them.

I shook the container and they all came running!

Ethel, however, flew down from the ledge we have

a tape player on.

I never thought to look UP!

I guess it was cooler up there for her.

Also....

They need extra protein while they're replenishing their feathers,

so we give them a can of tuna weekly.

They'll gather around the can to eat it as soon as they can,

then run to drink water and find the coolest spot under the tree.

They avoid napping on the cement of the patio.

It probably feels like they are being fricassee'd.

 

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I couldn't sleep last night.

Not a new thing with me.

I couldn't turn my brain off.

I usually try to go back to sleep if I'm awakened,

(counting sheep has never worked, sorry fluffy guys)

but even after a trip to the bathroom,

a glass of cool water,

and turning my pillow to the cooler side,

I still tossed and turned.

Then I got too hot and threw off the covers,

and eventually decided to get up and read.

I don't like to turn any lights on to navigate

from the bedroom to the den,

but last night was very dark.

Thank goodness the Nook is backlit.

It served as a flashlight and I narrowly avoided

tripping over the dog,

breaking a hip and going to Rehab.

So.....

I read for a bit then crawled back in bed

around 5.

I slept till 8!

Yay for retirement!

I can finally sleep in if I want.

 

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And remember....

 

and

 

 

😉

September 16th

Today is National Wife Appreciation Day.
It's also National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day
Coincidence?
I think not.
At least not in this house.
The CEO bought me cinnamon raisin bread on a grocery run,
so I'll take that as a "wife appreciation" kinda thing.

On another note....
We are about midway through this hurricane season.
The peak of the season to be exact.
The Atlantic season begins June 1st and runs to November 30th.
This is a list of this years' storm names.
I just hope we don't see the one on the last row, fourth from the bottom!
But, living in the Gulf South is a crapshoot as to whether
we are at ground zero or anywhere near a hurricane.
We are so attuned to this that we all have storm plans.
So, I say another rosary, praying for it to miss us.

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I was recently discussing The Hallmark Channel with my cousin.
I'm not particularly a fan.
That's partially because of the cookie cutter movies
with the actors who were nominally popular in the '80's,
and the fact that they begin Christmas movies in October.
Jeez!
I have watched a few of these movies hoping the main character
and the love interest reacted differently, but it never deviates.
I guess the writers just phone in the scripts and sit back to collect a check.
Hallmark announced that they are rolling out 34 new movies.
That's prolific even for them.
It'll either be a Prince falling for a career girl,
or a professional coming home to find the one that was left behind,
or a single parent caught up in life, not noticing the potential partner next door.
Am I right?
Maybe I should write for them?
Oh,
and don't get me started on The Disney Channel!
From their live action and animated shows, to the laugh tracks,
bratty kids with sarcastic comebacks and stupid dialog,
most of the fare is ridiculous.
I've watched many with my grandkids and
there is usually a laugh after every other line delivered,
and its never funny!
I looked online and those shows aren't even filmed in front of an audience.
Is Disney trying to make the audience think it is funny?
Nickelodeon is dumbing down their kids shows too.
Even the art work or animation is abominable.
Its sad that those shows are merely catering to the ad money, not
the enrichment of the viewers.
But, we should never underestimate the stupidity of humans,
or the purgative properties of a cup of coffee.
Just sayin'.

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The chicken girls aren't laying as much these dog days of summer.
We only collect about 2 or 3 per day.
That is because some of them are molting.
That's when their old feathers fall out and new ones grow back in.
They typically lose feathers in a pattern. It starts at the neck,
then the body, wings and lastly the tail feathers.
We've seen it with them before, but it is still weird,
there are black and tan feathers all over the yard.
Reminds me of a pillow fight gone wrong.
They usually don't lay because all their internal resources
are geared to making new feathers, not eggs.
They also need higher protein feed during this process.
That's when we add the dried mealworms or yogurt.
They love it.

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Some funnies to make you smile.

 

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How do you find Will Smith in the snow?

You look for the Fresh Prints!

 

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I just got pulled over by a cop.

He asked if I had a police record.

Apparently Roxanne was not the correct response.

 

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All I'm saying is that at any point during

that ride through the desert he could have at

least given that poor horse a name.

 

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And speaking of stupid songs.....

Here's a few on my list.

 

Don't Worry Be Happy - gives me a headache

Feelings - because "woo-o-o feelings" makes me nauseated

Muskrat Love - complete with muskrat noises, why?

You Light Up My Life - makes blood sugar instantly rise

Afternoon Delight - seriously a song about sex and "sky rockets in flight"??

You and Me and a Dog named Boo - glamorous hobo life? get a job and don't steal eggs!

And I need to include....

My Sharona. - making stuttering a song style.

Anyone else got some of theirs?

Let me know.

 

Remember,

Be kind to animals,

kids

and

old people.

😁