49 :: End

Done for another year.

Only this year am I accepting sponsorships until 2011 August 12 at 23:59 EST.

Thanks for reading.

48 :: Relax

Two female House Finches

I have to chuckle at these two. They have been hanging out for a while and no one has bothered them. I like that the animals feel comfortable enough in our yard to relax.

47 :: Yard Work

After I sleep for a few hours and if the weather holds up I am hoping to get some work done outside. I was hoping it was going to rain, but I did not watch the weather report so I will have to look it up. I have veggies to pick and plants to water. I even have a few that need to be planted.

46 :: Expectations

I had larger expectations for this year's event than I should have. I will continue to hold the event, participate and hope other join in again. I know it is a huge commitment, but it is so worth it.

45 :: Partner

Squeaky has hardly left me the whole night, even if she is sleeping. Earlier she was running around and rolling on the floor. Now she will probably sleep till noon.

44 :: Dawn

It is getting light out again.

I looked back at what I wrote and was amazed I had a coherent thought and managed to write it down. I figured it would have looked like one of the cats walked across the keyboard again.

I am starting to hear the birds arrive for breakfast.

43 :: Naps

Over the years I found ways to keep going and fight through the fatigue. Yes, even I get tired. I said before that I use my iPod alarm, but I do not just use it during the late night hours. The last 3-4 posts were the most difficult and to be honest I have no idea what I posted. I started dozing with my iPod on my shoulder as I power napped. Now I feel better.

42 :: Watching

I rented The Rite (2011) to watch during the last bit of the event, but I think I am going to wait. I recorded 2012 (2009) on the DVR yesterday and think I will watch that instead. I have been watching a bit of this and that.

41 :: Why

Some might think why someone would do something for people they never met. I ask why not?

40 :: Waiting

Rocky waits

39 :: Songs

insects are singing

all the people are sleeping

one light is still on

38 :: Nut

an acorn falls down

along the roof in the night

a thud to the ground.

37 :: Edges

Kitchen

Sometimes I make photographs of very ordinary objects or situations.

Sometime I capture "happy accidents".

36 :: Snack

The time has come, it is snack time.

I have half of my lunch left; tofu scrambler.

I was just going to make a half a tomato sandwich:

• homegrown tomato
• whole wheat bread
• vegan mayo
• black pepper

I might just make the other half, saving the tofu for breakfast.

I have a hard thinking about anything else when my stomach is growling.

35 :: What now?

I always get worried in the last leg, esp. the last two hours or so, that I will not have anything to say. When am I am a loss for words --- not often. Seriously though. Even the well planned out events always have a drop off near the end and I have to improvise. Now, without a plan is the plan, I could not help thinking of the white box, blinking curser and a blank stare.

I might have to resort to bad poetry that may spawn a decent one or two.

34 :: Double Take

I find it amusing to flip through TV channels and catch bit of films with the same actor/actress. I think my all time favourite sequence was Hugo Weaving in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) then The Matrix (1999). Such different characters and all amazing performances.

33 :: Sub

What more can I say?

I like Subway veggie subs.

Just add hummus and hot sauce.

32 :: Night Crew

North American Raccoon [Procyon lotor]

We have a wide range of ages in the current group. They will run if I am outside, but I can talk to them through the window screen and they do not seem to mind. There is one little one who will tap on the glass to get either my attention or the cat's. Most people probably consider them a nuisance, but they visit every night, eat the leftover bird food and move along. They have never gotten into trouble around here.

31 :: Preparing

I have gather things I will need to "camp out" in the porch until 09:00.

Beverage✓

Blanket✓

DVD✓

Crackers✓

iPod for its alarm feature✓✓

Meds✓

I am sure I am forgetting something.

30 :: Safe

"Ladybug" [Coccinellidae family of beetles]

This wee one was desperately trying to crawl onto a floating half shell in one of the water stations. I saw it when I was putting more feed out, let it crawl on my finger and then to dry land. Poor thing was trying to use its wings to get on the shell. I am sure it dried out and flew on its way.

29 :: La Luna

Hey does anyone or did anyone see the moon tonight? It looks like half a blood coloured moon. If there were not so many trees blocking the view I would have gone outside and taken a photo. Now I cannot see it at all. I know some of the stories surround this phenomenon, but I thought it happened later. Probably just more pollution in the air.

28 :: Japanese Horror

I have been on a Japanese horror film kick lately. It must be subtitled because I really cannot stand dubbed films (can make exceptions). Some of the films I watched lately have been really good, but there have been some sleepers. I have been recording all the films I watch, well new films, for a "watch 500 new films in a year" project. I so far behind posting them online but in the last few months since I started I have seen 60+ new films --- shorts and feature length.

Tonight I watched Pray (2005). It was supposed to be a horror film and maybe to some it would be. The sub story was too "feel good/could have a happy ending" type, but I did like the film.

27 :: The Pots

The square pot is the chipmunk's favourite pot to dig in, which is why the round pot looks so much better. Next time I have to come up with a way to keep the chipmunks out and the flowers in. I am thinking of some kind of fencing.

26 :: Burst of Sun

Sunflower [Helianthus genus]

I feed my outside friends a mix of cracked corn and black-oil sunflower seeds. Some of the seed that is not eaten or carried away by the chipmunks actually grows into mini sunflowers. These seeds are very fatty, full of protein and easy to shell. I have had 15+ species of birds feasting in my backyard; typical day 7-9 species, returning all day.

25 :: Purple Replacements

Echinacea [Echinacea purpurea] aka: Eastern Purple Coneflower or Purple Coneflower

We went to a local nursery to acquire some replacement perennial's which were pulled out as weeds by my Mother's husband. I am still hoping to get some more perennials before the season is over.

24 :: Streaming

I am debating what to watch on Netflix.

I want something foreign.

Something "scary".

I was going to watch Tokyo Zombie (2005).

It is dubbed and looks to more a comedy.

Nothing is as it seems.

Plus I have a very impatient fuzz ball, who just gave up.

He is lying next to me.

What to watch?

23 :: Fresh Produce

Sweet 100's (aka: Cherry Tomatoes)

I love tomatoes! I should not eat them, but I do anyway. Every year I grow the same three varieties: Sweet 100's, Juliet Hybrid (like a sweeter Roma Tomato which grows in packs like the cherry tomatoes), and Sun ray (yellow tomatoes) for a total of nine plants. Since I do not always pick up tomatoes that fall on the ground, I also grow what I like to call "rogue" tomatoes. I only consider them "rogue" because they pop up, usually alone, in sometimes the strangest places, and until they start making tomatoes I have no idea what kind they are; lost count at 11.

Sorry, my tomatoes are not cage free.

22 :: Babies

Rose of Sharon "babies"

If you look closely, may not be possible in this resolution, but all the bright green "circles" are actually Rose of Sharon growing in the grass next to the veggie garden. The second photo is of the Rose of Sharon I transplanted into a flower bed (like I was talking about before).

21 :: Birthday

Andy Warhol (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987)

I have been drawn to Warhol's work for a long time, ever since I saw his Campbell's Soup cans and, of course, Marilyn Monroe.

"If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it."

20 :: Food

So I broke my rule of staying hydrated and created a new one: make sure to EAT while blogging all day. Let me just say I do feel better after some filtered water (if it is going to kill me, make sure it tastes better) and half a Veggie Delight Sub from, you guessed it Subway.

I kind of feel like a jerk saying how hungry I am when there are billions of starving people on this planet. I cannot see how there are any starving people when just in this country (USA) there is so much waste. So many people can be fed, drought or no drought, if everyone wasted less. Everything could go a lot further and help more people.

19 :: The Backyard

1. Some of the forest and you cannot see the pathway anymore, nor the pond.

2. The Veggie Garden: lost most of the zucchini and yellow squash to the heat

3. The back of the house showing the "inner field"; where the flamingoes are never gets mowed.

18 :: Flowers

Top: Snapdragons [Antirrhinum genus]

Bottom: Salvia

I planted these in pots which sit just outside the porch windows. The chipmunks continuously dig in the pots and I am constantly either replanting them or filling in the holes.

17 :: Bath time

American Robin [Turdus migratorius]

I even notice the robins bathing in the sprinkler. They started a trend when other species finally joined in. It is the only bird that gets, or looks like it gets, as soaked as it appears in the bottom photo.

16 :: Rocky

This is Rocky. I could have ended it just there, but I will not. He is my shadow, my "rock-head", my boy. When he was a few months old and still outside he nearly drown in a dish of water because he had to get into the dish to drink, not just drink "normally" like the others. Well he only made it halfway into the dish, just enough to get stuck and tip head first into the water. His little legs could not lift his head above water. Luckily I was right there to intervene. Needless to say I had to modify the water dish. He also went head first down the sleeve of a coat when it was on the back of the chair. When I found him I had to undo the button on the cuff and let him out --- gently shake him out. He did not do that again either.

-----

I also apologize for the quality of some of the images. I make them low resolution so they will load on other computers better, but sometimes the image takes a real hit.

15 :: The Ladies

Top: American Goldfinch [Spinus tristis] - female

Bottom: House Finch [Carpodacus mexicanus]

I have nine feeding stations and three water stations for all my outside friends whether they come during the day or at night, fly or walk. I keep a log most days of the species and the number of individual birds that visit each day. Some species tell me when the weather is going to change because they are only around during certain seasons.

14 :: Fishing

My Grandparents just left. They visited because it is my Mother's 23rd wedding anniversary. My Mother's husband is participating in a fishing contest with my younger brother at the club they belong to in Buffalo, NY. They will not be back until this evening.

This is the first time my brother has been out fishing since he hurt his knee, for the second time, about a month ago. Even though I do not like the idea of fishing, I do hope he has a good time. He has a developmental disability falling within the autism spectrum and now, at his request, lives in a group home about nine miles away. He told me a while back that he likes fishing because it calms him --- and he like to eat them. They are fishing in Lake Erie, so eating the fish is not really a good idea, but they do anyway.

13 :: Gnome

One of my garden gnomes. This is not the one that was tipped over and a chipmunk started storing seeds in and was also inside of the other day.

12 :: Basil

Here is the basil plant that my Grandparents brought to us. My cat Rocky has already been a bad boy by first getting on the counter, and second by sniffing this plant with his teeth.

11 :: Squeaky

Now introducing Squeaky. She is a twin who was born in 2002. She was the runt of the litter and almost did not make it to her first birthday. For the first six months of her life she was outside. Somehow she was injured and had a hole in her neck region. We took care of her and by November all the strays that came inside with her were spayed or neutered . Even before her injury, she never really meowed, just a squeak.

10 :: Grandparents

Yay!!! My (maternal) Grandparents just arrived. I have not seen them in a few weeks and they come bearing gifts: cucumbers (from their garden), a basil plant, my birthday card a week early and $10 (which I will donate in their name).

09 :: From my garden

I am obsessed with growing Rose of Sharon [Hibiscus syriacus]. They are an invasively growing plant, but I love them. I do not think I am exaggerating if I say we have hundreds of plants, from huge bushes to the wee sprout. I transplant them into mini nurseries in my flower beds, and I try to accept that I cannot save them all. We have two colour varieties, white/maroon and pink/maroon.

08 :: Misty

I would like you all to meet Misty, my neighbour's dog who lives under our tree. She is about 13 years old, give or take. I did not know she was outside when I went out to get the newspapers, until she started barking at me. I looked up to see her tail wagging and her waiting so patiently for me to acknowledge her. Plus she was waiting for a biscuit or 4. (She was too busy to look up at me.)

07 :: Cell Phones

I do not own or ever have owned a cell phone. I am not anti-cell phone, I just do not have any need for or funds for one. People who know me know I do not like to talk on the phone, but I will make exceptions for some people. I would rather talk to people face to face (which is why I like Skype). I have used a cell phone a few times and I probably could remember each time. I did borrow a cell phone for a couple weeks after surgery when the Spring 2011 semester started, but never used it or even turned it on. I am getting used to people constantly talking in public, even the restrooms. I try to ignore the "finger trance" of people texting, playing games or whatever.

There is one thing I cannot stand and I get really pissed off about. Here comes the public service announcement:

DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING A CAR!

I do not care if you are talking or texting, turn off the phone in the car, period. I also think every cell phone user should have to have a device installed (or they will not pass inspection) in their cars to eliminate cell service while the car is in motion. I say "in motion" rather than what I used to, when the car is running/started, because I understand the need for 911 service. When or if I ever have a cell phone, then the same thing applies to me --- no ifs, ands, or buts.

I know someone who was killed (instantly) because he was texting, veered into the oncoming lane and was hit (more like scraped off the road) by a tractor trailer on a road posted at 55 mph. Imagine if that was you or your friend(s) or your family or your significant other that this person crashed into because he was using his cell phone.

06 :: Technological Annoyance

I tried to upload a video from my digital camera directly into a post and I forgot this always goofs up. So, I will have to upload directly to YouTube then post here. It really is not a problem, just annoying --- extra steps.

As a side note:

Trying to cook and eat

during these blogging events

is truly a feat in juggling.

05 :: Breakfast Guest

Ruby-throated Hummingbird [Archilochus colubris] - male

I have been trying to get a photo of this little one for a while now, esp. since I was able to photograph the females.

04 :: Breakfast

I normally do not eat breakfast, but brunch instead. Since I am super hungry, I had to figure out what to eat. This is always a problem in the sense that 97+% of food is not tolerated by my system, in one way or another. I have made it not as much a problem because I deal with the symptoms.

So what to have? Ramen noodles and Green tea

Of course there will be a photo, but I may not it here. It will, however, appear on my food documentation blog (aka The Food Project) here: http://palatableconsumables.blogspot.com/. Ok, so I have not had the time to upload anything there yet, but the photos are in my camera waiting to make their debut.

03 :: The Setup

This is where I will be during the majourity of blogging. Even little Squeaky is up with me --- she is wondering why I am up and already at the computer.

02 :: Thank you

Normally I take this opportunity to thank my sponsors so here it goes:

"Thank you self! Your tireless efforts for 6 years now is appreciated my more than just me, but I am sure the Tibetan Nuns thank you as well."

I have given a great deal of thought to sponsorship this year. Any other year and I would only (or mostly only) accept sponsors, to be considered for and listed for the event, through the end of the event itself. This year I will accept sponsors and list them up to next Friday, 2011 August 12 at 23:59 EST (11:59 pm). All the information is listed in the side bar, to the right.

I encourage everyone to contribute, whether it be for my event or not.

01 :: Theme

Usually I have a master plan for all 49 posts, but this year I am going to be spontaneous. I have a feeling there is going to be a bit of everything: photos, poetry, video, and I am sure some ramblings.

Just a note: All posts will contain original work, unless specifically cited.

Date Change

I have to change the date of blog-o-rama until next weekend:

2011 August 06

Year Six Charity

I will once again be blogging for the Tibetan Nuns Project.

"The Tibetan Nuns Project was founded over two decades ago to provide education and humanitarian aid to refugee nuns from Tibet and Himalayan regions of India. The Project provides facilities and programs to educate, empower, and improve the status of ordained Tibetan women.

The Tibetan Nuns Project is dedicated to:

• Improving standards of food, sanitation, medical care, and education in Tibetan nunneries
• Working towards future self-sufficiency through educational and training opportunities
• Training nuns to take leadership and service roles within their communities
• Improving the level and status of ordained Buddhist women
• Assisting recently arrived refugee nuns from Tibet
• Continuing to establish further facilities for Buddhist nuns
• Through our sponsorship program, funded by sponsors from around the world, we currently support over 700 Tibetan nuns living in north India. To learn more, click here.

The Tibetan Nuns Project was established under the auspices of the Tibetan Women's Association and the Department of Religion and Culture of H.H. the Dalai Lama."
- from the Tibetan Nuns Project

blog-o-rama 2011

Due to the uncertainty, once again, to the holding of the official Blogathon, I have created an event for anyone wishing to blog for charity on a date originally setup by the creators of Blogothon. Even if I do not get anyone else to sign up for my event, I will be blogging.

blog-o-rama 2011

2011 July 30

Starting at 09:00 EST

Blogging every half hour for 24 hours.

Together we can make a difference!