Nature Songs ~~~~
MAY, 2002 ~
May 20, 2002 ~ Tunnel Vision ~~ Seems for once I was the one to remember an appointment when Tbird and DynoKid both forgot. Yeah for me! I scored a point for myself. I drove over to Burke County and signed DynoKid out of school to get his retainer at the Orthodontist’s Office. What should have been a few minutes took longer. His retainer didn’t fit his upper teeth well enough to suit the doctor. A new one was made for him while we waited. He has the permanent retainer on the back of his bottom teeth. It really wasn’t all that long for the whole trip, which included stopping by Wendy’s to buy him some chicken nuggets for lunch.
Back at school, we met Mom in the hallway outside the office. She was making copies of some papers. It saved DynoKid a trip to her office to leave his little black case containing his new retainer which he only wears at night. His backpack was in the car and the last thing he needs to do is misplace his retainer before even getting it home. I signed him back into school before heading back over the mountain pass.
Driving along as thoughts rambled quickly through my mind, I though of all the many things spotted along the highway. A groundhog was munching near some mailboxes very close to the road. Many raccoons had been hit. Seems this time of year there is an abundance of raccoons failing to cross from one side to the other during the night. Flowers of many hues are in full bloom. The red and pink seven sisters rose brambles are growing out of control all along the way. Many homes have the same bushes, but they are kept trimmed back and controlled. The white wild roses are even more prominent and one has to look hard to distinguish them from the blackberry brambles.
I love to look around at the countryside as I drive and often times notice some very unusual things along with the ordinary. Reading signs along the way is included and reading them as they appear without any periods or commas make for some funny quotes and offers. I should record some of them sometime just for the fun of it. One I still remember down in North Myrtle Beach: ”Lose weight in the rear.” Should I add that “in the rear” referred to the store being located in the rear of the building?
As I looked and mentioned a few things with DynoKid, he always missed what I mentioned. He had a soda can making noises with it and his attention was not with what was surrounding him. He said it must have rolled out from under the seat when I told him I tried to get all the trash out of the car yesterday. Soon we both heard a familiar, “fizz” sound and he squealed as the orange drink spewed out on him. He didn’t tell me he was hitting a full can of orange soda. As I drove on toward Morganton, he was busy sucking the drink out of the side of the can where he had made the hole with the comment, “Hummm, this is the first time I’ve ever had a drink like this. But, it’s the first time I’ve ever busted one, too.”
Driving home memories came to me of the times I checked the eyes of children enrolling for kindergarten. Some of them would look directly ahead and failed to see the pictures across the card inserted in the machine. I would have to coach them to look from side to side and some would still have problems. It was during this time I dubbed them as having tunnel vision. Apparently more and more children have looked at the TV screen so often they don’t exercise their muscles for looking side to side. Less and less books are being read to them by parents too busy to take the time. Computers would be the same problem when you stop to think of it.
Smiling to myself this morning, I thought of all the things to been seen in the world around us each day. How many children have tunnel vision? How many parents take time to point out things to their children as they ride around? How many opportunities are afforded to search around and learn more about the outdoors? How much do children really know about where they live?
Years ago, life was slower paced. Parents and grandparents were home and worked in a garden and around the yard. Children were included in the activities and helped with the chores. They learned as they worked or followed along. Different signs of nature would be pointed out to them as it related to their lives. Animals were an accepted part of life.
Not so today. Tunnel vision has too many children looking straight ahead - neither right nor left. In a way they look closer to where they are and concentrate more on self. At home, it is TV, computers, and hand held games. To go outside? What would entertain them? Creativity has been subdued instead of nurtured and to do something different come hard for them. Some may stay out a few minutes and return to the TV stating, "I’m tired, and came in to rest a bit. Beside, my favorite show is coming on...."
So much of a wonderful world is being missed out on by a number of the younger generation. Tunnel vision is keeping them from looking around each time they go out the door. Tunnel vision is keeping some useful information from being learned because the children don’t see except straight ahead and don’t know to ask questions.
May 21, 2002 ~ Talk About Weather! ~~ So far this year, most of the talking around these here hills is more about the weather than anything else. Seems whether it is cold or hot there is a record being broken with all the records kept throughout the past years. April brought all the record highs with temperatures in the nineties. May is doing the opposite. The low temperatures are being tested and broken. Last night over three dozen cities and towns in our area announced record breaking lows. Here it happened to be under 42 degrees which was recorded in 1894. The high for the day managed to rise up to 61 degrees and once again I wore a jacket when going outside. The heat is back on in the house. Even Charlie is choosing to sleep under the blanket with only his head sticking out.
There have been nice days thrown in along the way. Ms. Jay has brought out her Granddaughter in the stroller to deliver my papers for me. We’ve been sitting outdoors soaking up the sun most of those days and even moved out into the yard with our chairs. We sat under the maple tree and watched as the mama wren brought food to her two babies that hatched. One of her eggs disappeared and one is still in the side of the nest un-hatched. Several days ago, Ms. Jay peeked in and the little ones scurried out of the nest, half flying and half running to hide in the monkey grass close-by. One actually flew and went a good distance across the new fenced in area to an azalea bush before disappearing into the liarope.
The flowers and garden seem to be adjusting to the weather without any ill-effects. Allan got the rows tilled and the garden looks pretty with all the plants growing with each one sporting its only special shade of green. The two marigolds BingoKid planted on each end of the garden standout distinctly with their bright yellow blossoms. Guess he should have planted a row, but that’s all he wanted and he placed them in those special spots. I have to wonder about the watermelon plants set out Saturday. They are very sensitive to cold and may have to be replanted.
I’ve not seen any of the bumble bees around the carport since Allan sprayed. However, Friday there was a huge clump of sawdust on the windshield of the car. I wondered about it because it didn’t look like the finely chewed sawdust left by the bumble bees. This was much coarser. I mentioned it to Allan, but didn’t have time to discuss it with him. Yesterday, there was some at the back of the car. This morning when I got into the car, I noticed that a larvae was laying at the base of the windshield in the middle of some more of the chewed up wood. Not a good sign, to say the least! Strangely enough the worm-like larvae didn’t get blown off during my travels today. Guess it was shielded by the hood of the car and the wipers.
When I arrived back home I took time to look up at the “ceiling”. Directly over the front of the car were two huge holes about the size of a dime probably. At the back, also in a two-by-four cross section under the roof, was another of the same holes. That’s the first time I’ve seen something like those places on or around the house. When Allan or Wes come by we will have to talk about getting the area sprayed. Maybe they will be able to identify the critters and know what to use. If not Allan knows one of the forest service people and can find out from him what has decided to come and make their home with us.
We still need to have a complete house washing on the outside of the house. The man doing the yard work for Allan this summer said that he would do it, but I’m beginning to wonder when... I have a canopy to put up over the patio outside the living room, but the house needs to be washed first. The canopy is still in the back of the car - waiting ... If I could have done it, it would done be done ... One of those hotter than usual days would have been a good time to work on it.
Today at lunchtime, the temperature was not even up to 55 yet. Word is that some snow flurries are around the Boone area, but no accumulations are expected. The temperature this morning up on the highest peaks was a mere 18 degrees. Predictions are that more record lows will be broken tonight since the temperature will drop down to around forty.
Most month of May records have been with the high temperatures. Once, there were 31 days straight with the temperatures over ninty degrees. Is there such a thing as a normal time of year any more? Is all the extremes we are now experiencing turning into the norm for us .... ?
May 22, 2002 ~ Payday is coming (... the end of this week.) ~~ It’s always a welcomed time of the month. There are some extra medical bills to be paid and I’ll have to make a contribution and show good faith for making the payments. My supplemental insurance has refused to help with the payment of the electric chair. They claim I should have gotten prior approval from them first. If Medicare approved it, one would think that the supplemental insurance would abide by the rules of the game and cough up the money for their part. They are stating that I’ll have to pay a thousand dollars because they were no notified first. I’ll have to give them a call.
Back when the second knee was replaced the supplemental insurance required me to get a second opinion at their expense before the surgery. I did as they requested. They would not pay a penny on the second opinion. Medicare paid their usual amount. I was left to pay twelve dollars. This appears to be another of those situations with the electric chair.
I do have to say that my medicines have been a pleasant surprise. Since the first of April I have not had to pay for my medicines when they are refilled. I added up the last time and out-of-pocket cost would have been over $450. My cost normally would be probably $75. Seeing the clerk ring up the total on the cash register and then hand me the bag with a zero balance due is a wonderful feeling. Of course, come the first of July, a new year begins with the insurance company and the drugs will no longer be “free.” There are some good points about the insurance program. I’m really fortunate to live in a state where the retirement package includes payment of the premium for us. Many people have to fork over the payments for the insurance each month in addition to the other money. I am lucky to have what I do, and do appreciate it greatly.
May 23, 2002 ~ Bits & Pieces ~~ :o) Weather reports this morning announce another new record low is broken for the month of May with the temperature dropping down below 40 degrees. Again, it is chillier in our area than it has been since the late 1800’s. Today there is a promise of finally warming up to a possibly warm 70 degrees! Can we stand the heat! Is it time to store the warm jackets and turn off the heat in the house?
:o() One thing is evident here in Caldwell County. The heat is not the cause of the algae growing in Lake Rhodhiss this spring. Last year hot weather was blamed for the rapid growth of algae which caused terrible tasting water being pumped through the waterlines. Well ... the algae is back in full force ... the taste is as bad or worse than last year ... hot weather we have had not! Let’s come up with another excuse to blame the horrible taste of the pure, sweet water turned sour.
First I heard of the change in the water was from Wes who lives closest to the lake. He was talking about how odious the water tasted and that they were buying bottled water. Now there is a run on bottled water in all the area stores. The local restaurants are offering bottled water to customers at not extra charge until the quality of the water system is improved. I’ve been keeping some here at the house anyway since the family has been carrying the bottles around to drink instead of so many sodas. Tbird’s family has relied on bottled water for years since their well is full of iron and a salt filter is attached to the waterline.
:o) “Bless her heart!” The comment was made by the announcer of the local radio station just now. Every time I hear the comment a smile comes to my face. I immediately think of Chondra Pierce’s program and her description of Southerners use of the conventionalized idea of using those words instead of “Fool! You should know better!” So often, by substituting one phrase for the other, it’s amazing how interchangeable the two of them are. It just sounds better to say, “Bless your heart” when things aren’t going well instead of the hackneyed image of “Fool! Anybody knows better than that.”
The song playing around this area now uses “mercy, mercy me” throughout the lyrics. The title of the song could very well be that - I really don’t know the title. It is another cliché often used in our area. When things aren’t going well or something different takes place the words “mercy, mercy” or “mercy me” slips into a conversation like butter melting on hot biscuits. Daddy Gordon’s brother who was closest to his age relied on those words more often than most folks do. It was common for him to answer other comments with the lone word, “Mercy!!” He comes to mind every time I heard others using “mercy” in agreement, surprise, exclamation or just punctuation of sentences.
:o() It has been six months, minus a few days, since the ole index finger first became inflamed. One would automatically believe that the infections would be a thing of the past and all forgotten. After all, it was opened up twice to relieve the pressure and infection along with all the antibiotics and wearing a splint almost became second nature. By now all should be back to normal.
Ah, ...!! ... Not so! That rascal has decided to begin swelling anew. Washing dishes two mornings ago, there was bleeding around the nail. The finger beside it has a place on it in the same joint that looks suspicious. The ring finger is swollen as well. I normally wear a size six ring. It was all I could do to slip a size eight over the knuckle. It looks as if my two hands belong to two different people and the swelling makes it difficult to bend the fingers. I broke down and called the orthopedic office yesterday for an appointment. My regular doctor does not have an opening to see me until over a week from now. I have an appointment with one of the others after lunch today to see if he can figure out what is going on. Guess I could have gone through the nurse and seen my regular doctor, but I feel sort of stupid having to go back again. On the other hand, there is the loose joint in the index finger and I’m not looking forward to having surgery - again!
:o) The church now has a website open and expanding every day. Daily devotions will be posted from “My Utmost for His Highest”. An inventory is available for finding out what spiritual gifts one may have. Now I need only go online and click to check out the schedules of coming events. Sports will have highlights of their activities as well as team schedules. I’m looking forward to see what is yet to come ...
:o) I am setting the goal for me to go through the webpages I have and updating all of them. Since Geocities became Yahoo! Geocities many of the webrings listed on different pages are no longer valid and need to be updated or deleted. It is so easy to procrastinate and put off until who knows when instead of stepping in and taking control of a situation. Now is the time for moi to discipline myself and repress the urge to put off encumbrances. Domination and center front is not my forte generally. I have deleted two of the websites already. Oh well, yes, one of them was closed by the site itself because I didn’t keep it updated. ...Yes, the other one was inaccessible for me to update. Every time I would log in, I was redirected to another page advertising paid sites even though they still advertised signing up for “free” space. I finally gave up the ghost of a chance ever getting to the free site already in place. No real problem with either one of them inasmuch as I had copies of both. Backups do come in handy for those times that things happen beyond our domination.
:o) Enough for one day!
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Lenoir,NC 28645
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©2002 by Stormy Jeanne
