Category: Rambling

Join Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop and help to raise $5,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 19, 2010
17 Comments on Join Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop and help to raise $5,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network~

Join Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop and help to raise $5,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Hershey has partnered with the Children’s Miracle Network for over 20 years. CMN is a non-profit alliance of children’s hospitals dedicated to providing state-of-the-art care, life-saving research and preventative education across North America.

This Easter, Hershey’s will donate up to a total of $5,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network together with bloggers.

How can we do this together? It’s simple:

Participate to Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop of giving away virtual Easter Baskets by creating a blog post with specific rules described here.
Hershey Company will donate $10 per each blog post to CMN, up to total of $5,000.
One blog post per URL counts towards the donation, but you can give as many virtual Easter baskets as you want.
The Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop will officially begin at 12 AM EST on March 18th and end at 12 PM EST on April 4th, 2010. Blog posts submitted to us before or after that time period will not be counted for.
The blog post link has to be submitted to us for the donation to be counted.
In addition copy and paste the following text in your blog post:

HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES

Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).
Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation

I am passing this Virtual Basket to Jingle http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/ who has brought a lot of people together with good wishes and happy thoughts.

I found out about this at: http://betterbasket.info/bloghop/

A Big Hershey Kiss to everyone!

Tags Blog Hop, bloggers, Children’s Miracle Network, donate, Easter, Gerardine Baugh, help children, hershey, nature, rabbits, ringneck pheasant, Writing

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This Bird~Poem For Jingles Thursday Poets’ Rally~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 18, 2010
46 Comments on This Bird~Poem For Jingles Thursday Poets’ Rally~

This bird

now featherless

its coat dropped carelessly

in a pile, under a leafless tree

on a patch of washed-out grey leaves

one could hope he forgot where he left them

if not, their velvety softness will be reused in a nest

for warmth, and comfort with instructions on hunting

This bird…

posted for:

http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/thursday-poets-rally-week-10-march-18-march-24-2010/

Tags animals, birds, Chicago, clouds, coyotes, dogs, farmer, flowers, Gerardine Baugh, hawk, jingles Thursday poem, nature, Poetry, snow, trees, uriah, Writing

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The Three Brothers~ Or Water, Water Everywhere!

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 12, 2010
12 Comments on The Three Brothers~ Or Water, Water Everywhere!

This morning was gorgeous, humid, but a beautiful day. Every bird bellowed out a tune. The rains had stopped for now and I could see clouds moving in from the west, not the heavy menacing dark clouds, just a soft grey over cast type, the ones that will defuse the bright sunshine and hold in warm air.

I walked over to the path, hoping to be able to take a longer walk. I had my camera out I took some pictures of moss, melting snow and water. I was able to get a lot of pictures of water. The path was overflowing. I could see the line of water running through the neighboring fields.

I headed back to the house.

All three of my male cats were sitting by the kitchen door. The screen was keeping them inside, as they sat and stared out at me in my bright orange coat.

I have small red garden shed that had seen better days. The roof is leaking and with the past few years of flood waters pouring though it, the walls are rotting. I moved the square paver stone that held the door closed and I pulled the door open. A rush of rodent odor over powered me, and I stepped back and took a deep breath, then went in looking for a rake. I untangled the old red rake from the garden hose and quickly shut the door and pushed the rock back into place.

Uriah followed me as I scraped around the flower beds that bordered the front of the house. Three sections set in-between each five foot evergreen bush.

I had cleared a lot of the leaves out in fall, so I only had a sprinkling of dried leaves from the Tiger Lily’s and Catnip. As I cut away last years died leaves from the Lily of the Valley, I was surprised it hadn’t disengrated into the soil.

Uriah always helpful laid in the flower bed right on what I was clearing off. He wanted a biscuit from my pocket. I know! I was training him to be in the way, because every time I told him to move I would toss his milk bone over my shoulder. I quickly ran out of treats, at that point he fell asleep and I worked around him.

From between the soil and rocks tiny black spiders poured out over my hands, as a large black ant raced away from me. I was near the old bird bath, the top section sits right on the ground, I have to remember to bring out a pan of warm water and rinse it out. Right now it has dark water from the leaves that sat in it all winter. A black toad, the size of my hand slowly pulled himself out of my pile of grass and leaves, and lumbered back into the garden to the bird bath…

Tags ants, birds, cats, clouds, dogs, Gerardine Baugh, Gratitude, gratitude blog, green, nature, Poetry, snow, spiders, spring, toads, trees, uriah, winter, Writing

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Sixteen Seconds Of Geese And Wind~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 9, 2010
14 Comments on Sixteen Seconds Of Geese And Wind~

This morning I stepped outside to sunshine and heavy humid air. Along the western horizon I could see dark clouds moving slowly east. Black birds were pushing aside wet leaves in an attempt to find worms that had felt the warmth and slithered to the surface. I wondered how many they actually found. Or was my guess of worms wrong and they were eating seeds, or larva. The ground was still a solid block of ice, later on I will have to crawl around and check out the area myself…

I shuffled over the leaves and the black birds scattered as I passed by.

The low area of the path had gotten muddier over night. Even now, the ice and snow melted under the glare of warm sunshine. The thick broken ice became more of an obstacle course than an uncomplicated walk. At least the ice held the sharp sticks as I slipped over them. The mud, black and slippery, allowed the one to two inches of broken and cut sticks and grass, the opportunity to puncture my boots.

Walking through this area took more time than it had yesterday. Uriah became impatient and ran on ahead. He had disappeared into the trees by the time I started walking up the slight incline. I moved south, then east, straight into the un-melted snow.

The distinct smell of skunk wafted around the trees, I glanced around and didn’t see him. I decided, that it was a smart idea to leave, while I could still taste and smell.

The birds were very vocal again today. Their songs intermingled into a sweet sound of spring. I stood next to a knocked down fence post and closed my eyes and listened.

A train was heading through the town; the wind blew straight at me from the south, bringing every clack-clack and heavy thudding sound clear as a bell into my universe. I turned on my camera and started the video; I was only able to capture a sixteen second piece of geese flying over head, before the camera flashed low battery and shut off.

Ooops! I forgot to recharge the battery last night. I slipped the camera back into its case and started walking home.

A breeze kicked up around me, low to the ground. I smiled, and looked up at the tree tops, enjoying the warmer air. Then I started to sneeze, and sneeze and sneeze and sneeze. I’m allergic to mold! When we have a heavy rain that hangs around for a few days or like today, slow melting snow… That’s when mold appears and I start sneezing, eyes watering and I sound very congested.

I stopped my trek to admire some bright green moss I had found yesterday under a tree. (I had taken a picture.) That tree had mold growing along its trunk… Oh well!

By the time I reached the house the sun had disappeared behind heavy dark grey clouds.

If it was possible it felt like the air had doubled in humidity. At least I stopped sneezing…

Tags allergic, allergies, birds, Chicago, clouds, dogs, flowers, Gerardine Baugh, going green, gratitude blog, green, mold, nature, Poetry, skunk, snow, trees, uriah, winter, Writing

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What Does This Shape Look Like To You~No I’m Not Sneeking in a Rorschach Test~ Or Am I?~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 3, 2010
22 Comments on What Does This Shape Look Like To You~No I’m Not Sneeking in a Rorschach Test~ Or Am I?~

Good Morning! First picture: just before Uriah went outside we had an early morning visitor. This picture was taken off the video I shot through the window. A bit blurry, but the coyote didn’t want to stand still. He was hunting.

IMG_1572-1 — The second was taken when I opened the kitchen door to check on Uriah. Notice the screen has seen some better days. The cats heard Uriah moving around outside.

I find this very weird; if you look closely at the second and third picture you can see a reflection in the window, and orange spot. It is an orange bag of Iams cat food- what does it look like to you?

The third picture, the only cat that was interested in Uriah was Sano. The other two were irritated he scared off the birds. They didn’t stick around to watch him; they headed to a different window.

In the fourth picture, I was ready to download pictures when Sano decided Uriah was worth talking to. I wonder what they are saying to each other?

Just for fun I found a Rorschach test on line

I took it twice. The first time My sickness Quotient was 68%- I was insulted so I took it again and told the truth. Ahhh! 99% much better!!

Sickness Quotient: 99%
WARNING: Your Sickness Quotient of 99% is very disturbing.

Here’s the link have fun.

http://theinkblot.com/

Tags birds, clouds, coyotes, danger, farmer, Gerardine Baugh, Gratitude, gratitude blog, nature, Odd shpaes in Pictures, Photos, sano, strange reflections in a photo, trees, uriah, winter, Writing

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Winter Is Holding On As Cartoon Birds Run Through The Trees “D’oh!” ~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date March 2, 2010
15 Comments on Winter Is Holding On As Cartoon Birds Run Through The Trees “D’oh!” ~

Yesterday, the temperatures rose high enough that the snow became heavy and started to thaw, just enough to become slippery and wet.

Twenty-four hours later, today. The snow was solid and slick with chucks of sharp ice.

The snow was so hard Uriah’s paws slid as he walked across the top without breaking through. Instead he slipped and fell. He was not amused! I tromped over to him, allowing my weight to break the top layer of snow. I moved slowly to where Uriah sat. He looked irritated at the smooth, white snow stretching out in front of him.

Stabbing my ski poles into the snow on either side of Uriah, I tried to slide him off the top of the snow bank, onto the area I packed down. When he was back on his feet/paws, Uriah glanced back at the tree he had been heading for, for a second he hesitated, sighed and made an odd grumbling, growling sound.

If Uriah had fingers I bet he would have flipped the bird at that snow bank.

Uriah made a half hearted attempt to walk behind me, then he decided to walk next to me, on that snow covered frozen path.

As we walked the sky cleared and a deep, purplish blue sat on the horizon to the east. I stopped and looked straight up. The sky was slightly hazy grey. Some low clouds moved above me, giving me a closed in feeling.

The air held an odor of pond water, fishy and green smelling. As I headed along the path a sweet, bitter smell of smoke curled around me until I reached the far back. At that point, the path turns to the north and rounds out and heads back west, towards the house. Just then, the wind picked up blowing in from the north-east, and pushed away the burning campfire smell. The air changed, I could smell cows, manure and hay.

As far as I could see, the snow covered the fields. A pattern of colors and lines weaved in and out. I looked towards the farmer’s barn; I could see cows walking slowly and dark earth pushing up between snow drifts. Grey ice covered the lower areas, frosted and untouched by the slightly warmer air.

Uriah and I reached some heavy bushes; we walked underneath them instead of around. A tiny, black headed bird, complained at our intrusion. Uriah nudged my pocket I stopped and broke a milk bone in half and handed it to him. He was happily crunching away when a stick snapped next to us, we both turned to the right.

Not more than a foot away from us was that Pheasant! His neck was stretched up high. Light grey with a dark blackish blue ring around his neck. He looked startled and scared, and he slowly backed away from us, then turned and flew into the taller trees. He missed the first branch and then started running towards the Bog Willows. He ran into a tree trunk flapping and scooting around until he disappeared into the trees.

Picture a very stupid cartoon bird!

All this took no more than a couple of minutes, both Uriah and I watched him with our mouths open, Uriah forgot his biscuit. I forgot my camera…

Insert, heavy sigh, rolling eyes, slap on forehead and Homer Simpson’s “D’oh!”

Uriah looked at me. I shrugged and he made a half hearted move to chase the bird. He took a couple of steps, then changed his mind and continued eating his biscuit.

Winter around here won’t end until April, if we are lucky.

Tags animals, birds, clouds, cow manure and hay, coyotes, danger, dirt, farmer, flowers, Gerardine Baugh, gratitude blog, green, nature, Poetry, pond melting, smoke smell, trees, uriah, winter, Writing

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Clouds, Blue sky, Ice, Snow and Bright Green Pajamas ~What A Great Day For A Walk!~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date February 24, 2010
23 Comments on Clouds, Blue sky, Ice, Snow and Bright Green Pajamas ~What A Great Day For A Walk!~

Early this morning, as I stepped outside, I realized that I forgot my camera. I crossed my fingers that Sano wouldn’t find the camera case with that dangling strap and drag it under the bed. After a few moments I didn’t care about the camera. I was having a hard time seeing. Even though the sky was a white-white- grey, I couldn’t see! I was blinded by the bright white snow. I looked straight up and saw the clouds part above me exposing a blue sky and allowing the sun to reflect off the surrounding clouds. Snow blind in the middle of my yard…

Uriah was very happy; he raced around me and kept looking at my pockets. I nearly tripped over him. He acted like I was playing and tried to race around me that lasted a whole minute. He is getting older.

“Come on, Uriah! Let’s just walk. I can’t see!” I reached out trying to grab the air. “Stop trying to trip me!”

Uriah sat down to watch me. I blinked and tried to clear my eyes. It didn’t work. I gave up and shielded my eyes with my hand, and slowly walked into a snow drift. Snow poured over the top of my boots. I dusted it away and kept walking.

Just as I reached the path, Uriah raced off into the trees. First I heard the deep squawking, and then I watched that elusive Pheasant fly awkwardly between the trees. No camera, again! Heavy Sigh!

Later that afternoon we headed out again, this time I remembered the camera. The clouds had cleared, and the sky was a Cornflower blue. Instead of going around to the back, I wanted to see the pond in front. I believe it was January we had a thaw that inundated the land with water. During the past few weeks the water has evaporated and left ice connected to tree trunks, similar to a picnic table on top and Stalactites forming underneath.

I carefully stepped into the deep snow surrounding the pond, and felt the ice give way under my boots. I eased as close as I could to the ponds edge, trying to judge where I thought that edge should be. Stupid? Yes I am! I didn’t get that close. Besides I was wearing my normal walking garb, a bright orange coat, grey knit hat, while dragging around ski poles. Almost forgot to add, I didn’t have on my normal blue jeans. So the people passing on the road, there weren’t a lot of cars, saw me wearing my flannel bright green PJs, with a design of coffee cups and candy pieces.

I looked fabulous! Just like an escapee from psych ward.

I didn’t slip onto the frozen pond, nor did I get stuck in the deep snow. Not for the lack of trying by Uriah. He kept trying to see around me, without walking around me. Instead he pushed me closer to the pond. I won that game by sitting in the snow. Uriah gave up and chased a rabbit he found. That didn’t last very long, the rabbit took off to the south, and Uriah ran to the north…

Tags camera, clouds, danger, dogs, Gerardine Baugh, going green, Gratitude, green, ice water, it is snowing, nature, Poetry, pond, ringneck pheasant, snow, snow blind, trees, uriah, winter, Writing

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I walked towards the apple trees and decided the snow, which was making farting noises with each step, wasn’t amusing. My husband would find the humor in it! ~

Last night the snow started. I stood outside under driveway light and watched the misty rain change to snow as it fell. The blacktop was coated within minutes, a slippery mess only Uriah hazarded to walk across. The air was filled with dampness, and fog from the frozen ground and warmer air. Even with the heavy darkness blanketing the house, sound wasn’t muffled and I could hear the coyotes racing across the farm fields, closing in on us.

“Uriah, hurry up and pee! We have to get inside!” I held tightly to my ski poles and tried to peer into the darkness.

Uriah moved slowly, his arthritis was acting up with the dampness. Still, his hackles rose when we heard the howling start. He puffed his chest out and scraped at the ground with his back legs.

“Ok! You’re a big, brave dog! Let’s get inside!”

Uriah turned and raced into the open garage door. All bark and no bite…

This morning, everything was covered in bridal white.

Heart attack snow covered the driveway and deck. It’s the snow that one small shovel full can make a weight lifter grunt. The snow thrower will have a hard time with this mess. Underneath was a grey slush, which will strain both me and the snow thrower. I walked down the drive to the road, where the snow plow had sprayed extra snow on the mouth of the driveway. I kicked at it and decided we are snowed in till spring.

The deck had about four to six inches of snow waiting to melt into the outside kennel. Uriah and I checked it out. I was able to kick around a four by four foot patch so it didn’t drip on Uriah’s head. The rest will be a waterfall if the temperatures keep rising, which according to the weatherman, the warm-up isn’t here, yet.

Notice the large pile of snow on the outside of his kennel. That should melt in mid-summer.:-)

Tags birds, camera, coyotes, danger, dogs, Gerardine Baugh, Gratitude, green, it is snowing, nature, Poetry, snow, snowthrower, uriah, winter, Writing

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Sanosuke And His Big Pink Mouse~

Post author By gbaugh
Post date February 17, 2010
21 Comments on Sanosuke And His Big Pink Mouse~

The vet appointment was changed to Monday, one day early. We were glad of this; Sano was showing signs of a urinary track infection.

What we learned about Sano on the fifth day;

He loves Michael, and he loves to cuddle with me( if Michael isn’t around)

He loves Kenshin, Tomoe and PJ. They love him back. When he was lured out of the living room by Kenshin, I thought Tomoe was going to have a heart attack; she raced around looking for him, then glared at Kenshin.

He is big on cuddles.

He gets angry at ‘me’ when he is given his medicine.

We can’t show him what we are eating, he tastes everything.

He doesn’t care if we hover over him anymore, he is feeling safe.

He is a big talker.

He decided the pillow on the couch is the best place to sit.

He can lie on his back on the floor and push himself around, while facing the ceiling.

He will cry until he gets picked up then gives out kisses.

I was playing with my camera’s video and irritating our new kitten. I was able to do a little editing. See how you like it, comments and advice welcome.