Kingfisher

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Everything posted by Kingfisher

  1. Congratulations on your success! I haven't read a good book of ghost stories since I was a kid. I don't need it signed, I'll order a copy as soon as I pay off these vet bills.
  2. This is Mick. He's a result of the neighbor's neglect. He was really shy and lived in the barn for a while, then he got sick and hungry. I also found a fox sleeping in there yesterday, I guess that explains what happened to the rest of his litter. I can't really afford him but he's decided he's going to stay where he can do more eating and less being eaten. He'll have to be untommed and get his shots pretty soon, but he's a really gentle cat. A few nights ago he took it upon himself to start going along on our walks. Awww. Maybe he wants to be a dog when he grows up.
  3. I had drive down to our old family vet and take her in for pyometra surgery yesterday. She's doing fine and resting at home now, but any prayers for a swift and uncomplicated recovery are welcome. I was a bit concerned about her separation anxiety issues but she handled it pretty well. Thankfully she doesn't seem upset about taking rides, although she's determined not to leave my side again. She said every time she stays with someone else bad things happen. This is a picture of us leaving the wiggle dog behind on Monday...
  4. I think "old" and "wise" are both relative terms. The first time I can remember feeling old was in high school when a little kid called me "Mister." He probably thought I was really wise. I still feel young in spirit, most of the time, but I knew I had crossed a line when I heard Guns N' Roses on the oldies station.
  5. Speaking of trans-dimensional wormholes... [media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5srpggS-2-g
  6. Nihilism In the beginning, God took a **.
  7. While it's not much fun to work in, the hot, muggy weather has been perfect for the fireflies this year. The meadow out back is only a couple acres but the last few nights with the new moon has brought thousands of them to mate. It's such a relief in the cool breeze after being devoured by deer-flies all day, like standing at the center of the universe as a new peace is born. I'm afraid this camera isn't sensitive enough to pick up the extraordinary display of the night shots but I wanted to catch at least a few for y'all before the heat wave breaks. They're pretty shy around the flash, though a few of them could be coaxed into showing off. Blessed Be! ---- ---- "If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended: That you have but slumbered here, While these visions did appear; And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend." ~ A Midsummer Night's Dream ~
  8. Ya, plastic will kill whatever is under it but it can also create major problems for anything trying to grow on top of it. Ordinarily I wouldn't build on top of fabric either, it's great for isolating plants in a bed but not so much where the whole space will be utilized. (Incidentally, mulch is frequently just a cosmetic application to hide the fabric and I really hate those "pretty" dyed and/or chemically treated bark chips... we're too often obsessed with what looks good rather than what does good.) Ideally you'd want to till out the weed roots to allow the garden to grow deeper instead of trying to spread out (I started a couple new plots this year and had to do 'em three or four times before they stopped trying to grow.. not an easy job), but for a no-dig garden you may find aggressive, established plants pushing through faster than the veggies can take over. The additional layer of soil/compost may well serve the same purpose and prevent the weeds from dominating without it, but you won't have as much trouble with drainage, heating or mold growth with landscape fabric as with an impermeable membrane and if it's already there because of a previous problem I'd just leave it in place. It'll eventually decompose and if the crops are struggling too much you can either rip it up the next time so they can access more resources or plant fewer/expand the bed to reduce the competition. Plastic sheeting I would definitely take up though.
  9. Leave the landscaping fabric in place. It will allow water to drain while still preventing the weeds from growing through. In the case of a small, raised plant bed it's probably preferable to the plastic sheeting suggested. Since plastic isn't breathable and can also potentially cause overheating problems it would be better suited if you were trying to prevent all plant growth, such as installing a stone walkway. Either way you'll still need to tend the plot to address wind/critter deposited seeds. You can't prevent weeds without destroying the environment for the plants you do want, but this can help stop any existing root systems from growing through the garden.
  10. Of course they're doing it for the advertisement. Since that's how it works, I don't care. I've seen a lot of these signs and, while I always take a moment of gratitude for each of them, the only name that stands out is the Adopt A Highway® / Sponsor a Highway® program. This country is a mess and they need all the help they can get. I can tolerate the existence of the KKK without tolerating the hatred, violence and excessive pride. It isn't just black and white. If I cannot tolerate their good works I become the bigot. Sure beats those burning cross signs they had been using. Not much to be proud of there. It's not how we look or what we believe that makes a difference, it's what we do. In this case I say, good job. I can tolerate a little socialist capitalism for mutual gain. Even if some litterbugs don't appreciate the beautiful landscape that was handed to them. How is it best to defeat intolerance?
  11. I've found most stores that prepare their own hamburger, especially the large chain groceries but often the small delis, will grind other cuts for ya free of charge as well. At least the stuff off the shelf, I never tried bringing in my own meat. Since they're still priced as a steak/roast I can usually get a better deal by buying what's on sale and having the store grind them, especially when even 80/20 chuck is running almost $4/lb. Plus you've got better control over the quality and fat content. It sure beats whatever comes in those tubes. Mmmm, Kobe filet burgers... and if you like tartare, choosing your own cuts is the only way to go. If you have the option, ask the local farmers; they can often steer (hah!) you to a private butcher who can prepare those slabs (which you can sometimes buy directly from the farm) to your specifications cheaper than an established shop.
  12. Give me the strength and the courage, to believe that I'll get there someday. [media=] Up next, Hendrix. Missed him by that much. Take me to the mountain, and wash my confusion away...
  13. Yep, I and I will certainly have to chew on that a while. Thanks.
  14. I don't think I follow ya, Rabbi. I chose that chapter for the reference to Jacob's Ladder (another fine snakebite remedy) and for the allusion that the Lord isn't only where we expect to find Him. I know it wasn't a full quote of the verse, but if my understanding is in error I'd appreciate some enlightenment.
  15. Like footprints in the sand. Or the hills of Appalachia. עִמָּנוּאֵל Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. ~ Gen 28:16
  16. "And those people should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness." ~ Alcuin of York "A spoon cannot taste of the food it carries. Likewise, a foolish man cannot understand the wise man's wisdom even if he associates with a sage." ~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama "Keep on keepin' on." ~ Bob Dylan "I love you." ~ Anonymous
  17. Bu yong xie! (I hope I got that right! ) Absolutely beautiful!! And the valley's pretty spectacular too.. And if you ever find yourself upon the North Sea... little seagull, fly to Helgoland! [media=] Little seagull, fly to Helgoland, bring the girl that I love a greeting. I'm lonely and abandoned, and I'm longing for her kiss. Little seagull, when the south wind blows, then the great homesickness awakens in me. My desires, my dreams send me across the wide sea to her. Homeland, homeland, nothing is so beautiful as you. Only once, just once I would like to see you again! Little seagull, fly to Helgoland, bring the girl I love a greeting. I'm lonely and abandoned, and I'm longing for her kiss. Each foreign town, every foreign girl, arguably has its charm... for a moment. But it's not so glorious as the one I left back home. Little seagull, fly to Helgoland, bring the girl I love a greeting. I'm lonely and abandoned, and I'm longing for her kiss. Little seagull, when the south wind blows, then the great homesickness awakens in me. My desires, my dreams send me across the wide sea to her. Homeland, homeland, nothing is so beautiful as you. Only once, just once I would like to see you again! Little seagull, fly to Helgoland, bring the girl that I love a greeting. I'm lonely and abandoned, and I'm longing for her kiss
  18. Danke, und für dich... umrahmt von Bergen, so friedlich und still... [media=] .
  19. My intuitive response was to analyze the study. http://www.timescolo...9861/story.html http://www2.psych.ub...ic Thinking.pdf I liked the first story in this thread better. We don't have to be wrong for them to be right.
  20. Edited by me because apparently that fact is a lot harder to verify than I thought... Sorry Hyper, didn't mean to derail your thread.
  21. I don't have that problem, occasionally there's overwhelming support but I tend to speak from outside the mainstream and for some reason people don't often want to hear it. And genius is easily misunderstood. If I spent too much time thinking about everyone who didn't like me I'd go mad. "Likes" encourage people to participate and grow in society even if it encourages some of them to display poor behavior. But even that has value. If we can't hold ourselves up to the mirror we'll never see our flaws. It encourages creativity, but nobody paints a masterpiece every time. It's better to be a fool in public than behind closed doors where we're never exposed to new ideas. Nobody hates being liked for no good reason. "Dislikes" reinforce low self-esteem, and while it's important that we can address our disapproval of others it's more productive for both parties if we respond in a comment where we can explain our position, or at least be revealed as empty haters devoid of substance. What good does it do a person to feel alienated without knowing why, or to be oppressed simply for expressing an unpopular view? I don't need a hundred people hating me just because they assume I'm the worst sort of clergyman based only upon a composite of stories they've heard that have nothing to do with me. And as momma always said, if you can't say something nice.. I don't play in the Facebook sandbox anymore, but it's not because I despise social networking. I don't care if this forum links to it, I assumed from the beginning that my posts would be available to the world. If they ever sent all my private mail out or changed my settings without permission I'd probably leave here too though.
  22. What's that new phrase? Likers gotta like.
  23. [b][img=http://a.l.yimg.com/pv/i/us/search/info22x22.png]Sorry, the page you were looking for could not be found on [url="http://education.yahoo.com?fr=404_edu"]Yahoo! Education[/url][/b] Showing related results for: [url="http://education.yahoo.com/ref/dictionary/audio/p/0475100.wav"]http://education.yah...o/p/0475100.wav[/url] A fundamental element taken for granted? I'm sure that leaves a lot of people poor. Like hanging chads. But as George Carlin said, “If you can nail together two things that have never been nailed together before, some dumb schmuck will buy it from you!” (However, I second the sentiment of; Yahoo! Education My vote's for Americium. I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but action is better than standing around... yeah, those random(¿) votes don't seem so stupid now, do they troop? LOL :buddha:) Like moths to the light....