Monarchs!

Yesterday, I was leaving for work and noticed this monarch visiting my butterfly bush. He was so beautiful, I just couldn't stop watching him! Unlike the other butterfly from a few weeks ago, the monarch was happy to slowly fluttter his wings, almost like he was showing off his wing pattern or something! It reminded me of watching monarchs passing over Oklahoma as they migrated one fall a few years back.

If it makes you just dying to read about monarch migration, try this article about the miracle of monarch migration or this one about a lady who rescues monarchs.

Then if, like me, you think you just must follow the monarch's migration this fall, you can check here every Friday for the weekly update.

Carolyn and the Big Lake

Papa visits Lake Michigan

Papa Meets Baby Carolyn

Papa was very glad to meet his very first great granddaughter, and Carolyn took great interest in him as well, studying his face for a long time.

The Slowskys

Don't ya just love the Slowskys?

"With Comcast, everything downloaded so quickly... we felt rushed. . ."

"I mean, where's the fire?"

Papa goes to Chicago

Here is Papa with Michelle & Bryan on Navy Pier in Chicago. We took a Shoreline cruise up the Chicago River and learned all about the architectural history of Chicago. In this picture, you can see the Sears Tower on the left. The Sears Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world at 1450 feet and 110 stories.

Hello to Granny & Papa

Something to Ponder

Such strange creatures are we that we probably smart more under blows which never fall upon us than we do under those which do actually come.

CH Spurgeon

Check this out

This is Cade's collection of tiny football helmets! He has the whole NFL and is working on collecting some college teams now. When I walked by his room, I at first thought it was a bunch of colored golf balls, until I turned the light on.

Dinner w/McDonalds

An interesting bumper sticker

Blue?

Is it possible that this child could have blue eyes?

Waiting

Laura has moved into her apartment, but I guess it's a little lonely since school will not start for another couple weeks. Someday this work of photography will be very famous, and young students will discuss the significance of the blank walls, the eyes drifting to one side, the mournful facial expression, and the fact that one pillow is smashed and the other is not. What was the photographer trying to say?

Have you ever wondered. . .

Have you ever wondered what happens if a disposable diaper goes through the washing machine? It shreds into millions and millions of little pellets. They look like little gelatin pieces, not water soluble, and one must vacuum out the washer to remove them all. Just in case you were wondering.

Eye Adventure

I got an interesting phone call at work today. It was your dad. He says, "I have a retinal tear. They're going to laser me. I thought you should know." I could not convince him to write an entry for the blog so my 3rd person story will have to do.

Dad was sitting at work. Suddenly, a big brown thing appeared in the left side of his eye. He thought it was probably (gasp) blood. About that time, a coworker came in and needed help. He tried to help but realized that something was significantly wrong with the eye that required immediate attention. As he was leaving the building, the brown thing became a curtain of shreddy things all across his vision field in that eye. So he drove to the doctor's office, right around the corner. He walked in the waiting room (appointmentless) and banged on the glass to alert the receptionist of his presence. She was on the phone for about ever. But finally, she was off. Dad explained about his eye and asked if anyone could see him. But no, no one was there and would not be there til 1.

But she gives him a form like a consult with the name of the retina guy, and Dad calls him on the way. The guy is supposed to be leaving, but agrees to see Dad.

The doctor did a thorough exam. Good news, bad news here. The retina has a tear. That's why it is bleeding. That's why there is this curtain of threads in his field of vision. The good news is the retina is not detached. And the tear can be fixed by laser. So they put drops in his eyes. The doctor was nearly giddy about using a brand new Pascal laser. But it was hard to laser because of the lens implants (from cataract surgery). So he had to use the other laser to finish.

It was hard to be still. And it hurt a little bit too. But Dad was brave.

Then the doctor said take it easy for a week. The retina must heal. Though I was not there, Dad says the doctor said someone should wait on him hand and foot for a week, although he admits these were not his exact words. (ya think???) He said no exercise this week. And rest your eyes. Don't read too much. Watch lots of TV. (huh???)

The End.

Things We Can Learn From A Dog

• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.
• Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
• Take naps and always stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you are criticized, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

100 Most Annoying Things

Yesterday in Sunday School, Mark was teaching on the widow and the unjust judge from Luke 18:1-8. Since the widow was persistent to the point of being downright annoying, he introduced the topic by referring the the list of 100 Most Annoying Things. I don't know if I have the same list he had, but the one I found was from the UK, and I didn't find all the things equally annoying. I thought we could probably come up with a better list, so I'm taking suggestions. Maybe we'll just have the 10 Most Annoying Things on our list, if no one helps me. At any rate, here are the ones I thought were worthy of such a list:
6. Tailgaters
13. Loud mobile users
15. Paper cuts
22. Drivers who park in disabled bays
25. Skinny people who complain they are fat
26. Stepping in dog poo
31. Junk mail
39. Running out of loo roll
50. Running out of hot water
51. Wasps
58. Paper jam
62. People who .. text in capitals
80. Road works

I think I might renumber them, and perhaps the wasps might be at the top, quickly followed by loud cell phone users and road construction. But I'm open to suggestions!

Flying things I Like

Today I found this large butterfly enjoying my butterfly bush. When his wings were opened wide, he was as big as the palm of my hand! But he was fluttering so fast, I couldn't get a shot of him with open wings, even though, believe it or not, I made 35 tries! I loved watching him. The bees shared the blossoms with the butterfly, and no one seemed disturbed, as there was plenty for all. Then suddenly, in the quiet, I heard a humming sound. I looked up, and what should I see but a beautiful little hummingbird! He was not any bigger than the butterfly, and he hovered over the bush several times before he disappeared. It reminded me of hummingbirds in the mountains, and it made me smile. But I was not quick enough with my camera and he was gone in a blink of an eye.

How does my garden grow?

Let the record show

Let the record show that I do not fierecely hate all flying insects. Yesterday, there were bees quietly pollinating the flowers in my garden, minding their own business, staying out of houses, not moving unexpectedly in my direction. The bees are a little fearsome because of the large black abdomen(is that whole thing a stinger?), but they seemed intent on the flowers.

The wasps, however, are always making sudden turns in their hovering. They seem just as interested in going in the house. They build nests in grills and right by doors. Besides, in all the stories, aren't the bees good guys? Whoever heard of a good wasp? Well, maybe there were the ones in AntZ, but that was intended to be fantasy, not reality.

Carolyn's future?

With her brand new tennis dress, Carolyn is considering starting tennis lessons soon.

Papa Darth, do you think I will be a great tennis star?

Papa Darth is wise, having learned much from Yoda.

He tells her,

Hard to see.

Always in motion, the future is.

Papa Darth and the Baby

The tale continues. . .

Tonight I went to the dead apple pile, armed with plastic bags and wasp spray. I was hoping that I had timed my venture with a sleepy time for wasps. At first, I only saw a few. I took the nearby apples and began to spray wasps who came too near.

Sprayed wasps definitely die. But their brothers do not.

I heard waspy sounds from inside the plastic bag on the ground. Then it was that I knew that I had picked up wasp-bearing apples unaware! I sprayed the bag.

Thoroughly, just to be sure. But then I didn't want to touch it. I got a new bag and tried to proceed with a little more caution, spraying as I went. One bold wasp was spared the spray, and came at me head on! Honest! Heading for my nose! I took a dive away just in time, as he was 3" from my nose.

Enough, I said! Let there be dead apples that rot and kill the grass! Let others boldly go where I fear to go! I came in and reported to the one who fears no flying insect.

In the house, as I held my final bag of a paltry few apples, I heard the unmistakable sound of wasp wing against Walmart plastic! Wasp in my bag! Wasp in my bag! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To the garbage! To the garbage! In the bag! Tie up the black bag! As I return to the house, I still hear the more distant sound of wasp wing on plastic. I don't feel so good about going in the garage, knowing a wasp in a bag can likely find a way out. And when he does, he is not likely to be a very happy camper. But as Scarlett O'Hara would say, "I'll think about that tomorrow!".

More on Wasps

I have a vague memory of Papa and the Bees, but I'm not sure if I remember the incident or remember hearing the story, it being one of those family folk tales, oft repeated over the years.

For Michelle, I am happy that there was only a single bee. Bees should not be in houses. Period.

There is another wasp tale in the making perhaps. I fear the wasps are building a nest on the inside of our storm door. On two occasions, I have seen wasps appear to enter the house on top of the storm door. But they do not appear on the other side.

The first time, I saw one go over the door, and the open house door was right behind him. I ws sure he was inside. I went to bed wondering where in the house the wasp was hiding. But that was days ago, and I think he must not have actually gone in, or else, he is of a particularly mean variety, and he is waiting until he thinks I forgot.

A couple days ago, I was speaking through the storm door with a political candidate on a hot day. He saw a wasp go over the door and I instantly closed the door in his face (sorry!) I came out the garage, knowing that said wasp was trapped between the storm door and the door. Armed with wasp killer, I approached the door. The political candidate opened the door, but the wasp was nowhere to be seen. He said he had probably gone down into a hollow part of the door. This is a fearsome thought, but I think it is a job for a Man, and not a political candidate sort of man, but a Husband. I'm a little wary of the front door for now.

When does the first freeze occur?

Of Wasps and Apples

I had to do a nasty task today. It was the Dreaded Apple Colony in the back yard. I am not sure why if it's not my tree, I still have to clean up the apples. You might remember from previous years very high counts of apples picked from the grass. I have not picked any at all this year. Unfortunately, the ground under the tree is simply crowded with dead apples.
Some are completely brown and flattened by the Slash and Burn Boys who come every week to mow grass and anything else in their path. Others are still quite yellow, perhaps having dropped only today or yesteday. All in all, it is a disgusting task, unless the apples have just fallen. My hands are covered with grocery bags, I hold my breath, I stoop down low and begin scraping apple corpses off the grass. Yuk!!! I notice a wasp or two, enjoying breakfast in some of the apples. I go for the unchosen apples.

Unfortunately, I soon realize that the wasps are having a doggone Festival of Apple Eating here! They must have advertised far and wide to get this many wasps! The only good thing is they seem disinterested in everything but apples. They seem nearly drunk, if that is possible!

However, I do not trust even potentially drunk wasps, especially in the large numbers I see gathered under the apple tree! Also, I recently read an article about a swarm of bees who attacked a girl in a car. I get a little nervous just thinking about that many bees in one place. So as I picked apples among wasps, I got a mental image of the wasps having a change of attitude, and coming after me! So I guess the apple problem will have to just wait for another time.