Spring is coming

And I have proof! The jonquils are pushing their little heads through the cold ground and starting to bloom. The camelia bush out front is also starting to bloom, but it might be because it is confused. The plants and trees get all excited when we have these warms days in the middle of winter. My new hobby is birdwatching. It's like the cheapest thing I can do...and never have to leave my neighborhood. I was hiking around this weekend checking out the local bird populations and I saw this awesome woodpecker. I'm not sure what kind it was...the more experienced birdwatchers tell me it may have been a Pileated Woodpecker. Well, whatever it was...it was huge. It looked like a black and white turkey hanging on that tree. Do you want to know when a hawk is in the air? OK, I'll tell you. Listen for the crows. They go crazy when a hawk is circling. I'm going to put up some birdfeeders. The hummingbirds will be back in April, so I'll need to get a feeder for those little guys. Nicholsonia has been officially declared a bird sanctuary..with stiff penalties for the cats if they transgress.

catnap

Well, I never did get rid of that stray kitten. We found out his true identity...Bronwyn, and that he lives with a young woman in a house through the woods behind our house. She even came and got him once...but as you can see, he's pretty comfortable here. He's the sweetest cat in the world. He deserves a decent home, but until we can find him one, he'll just have to bunk here awhile!! Just kidding. This place is cat heaven. My family wishes they were treated as nicely as I treat my cats.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

The other man in my life is 82 now. Good gracious. What an old dude. He isn't too keen on getting his picture taken these days, so I'm posting instead an old photo of some tobacco farmers from about the 30s or 40s. Dad grew up in the eastern part of the state. He and everyone else around there made a living raising tobacco....not much a living actually. Dad said it was a miserable way to starve to death. He finally got so hungry that he lied about his age and joined the Navy. He said he was worried the war would end before he could enlist. He was stationed in Guantanamo (yes, the one in Cuba) until his time was up and then he came home for awhile. There was no work, so he joined the Army. He stayed in 21 years....went to Korea twice. He had orders for Vietnam, but decided to retire. He's spending his time these days cutting wood and visiting Mom. He can certainly be proud of the fact that he brought himself up from nothing and made a good life for himself and his family.

Ode to my true love

Happy Valentine's Day, my beloved Vincent. And also to that other dude that I love. Thanks, Miguel, for over 2 decades of faithful service. He's certainly doing his part to love, honor, and OBEY. This writer's strike has been deadly. I've been forced to READ BOOKS. It's practically un-American! I've been stuck in a time warp lately...can't seem to get out of the 70s. Mikey got me this box CD set of 70s hits a few years ago and I've enjoyed tripping down memory lane. I've also been watching "Baretta", the 1st season DVD set is out now. And one of those TV networks is running "Hawaii 50." Steve McGarrett is the MAN!! Excuse me, must go now...that box of chocolate is not going to eat itself...

Where in the world is....

Greetings from beautiful downtown Bynum. Situated on the banks of the Haw River, it is the center of the known universe. I mean that in the literal sense. Here it is, on a sunny 70 degree day in the middle of winter. Awesome. Why should I bother with traveling anywhere else? Everything I need is right here on my doorstep. Just down the road apiece from Bynum is Allen and Sons Bar B Q. Excellent cooked pig for all of you who can still eat pork. I had to give it up...got a bum gall bladder. They also fry up some pretty decent yard bird (that's "chickens" to you yankees). But, man cannot live on fried food alone...sometimes you gotta bring a little ART into your life...so come on down and check out the pottery. The woods are full of artists' studios. Apparently this heavy clay soil is good for something. I suppose I should mention that I, or rather WE, just had an anniversary. We have both been just crazy busy lately and we BOTH forgot about it. Oh well, next year we'll celebrate twice as hard. So...in honor of that blessed day, I am sending a shout out to Lynn...the woman who introduced us oh so many years ago. Lynn is quite the accomplished musician and a great all around person. http://www.treschicas.org/.

In Memory

What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
'Tis not the end but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch Thou my aching heart
and calm my troubled, haunting fears
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change,
With recompernse for victory won.
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.
--by Gordon B. Hinckley

Happy Chinese New Year

It's the year of the rat. According to Wikipedia, the rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. Interesting...in Europe, the rat was welcomed as a bringer of plague and death. But so much for the history lesson. Mike and I went to the Chinese New Year festival in Raleigh. It was very much like the Indian fesitival we went to over the holidays...lots of kids in traditional costumes singing and dancing. I had no idea there was such a large ethnic community right here in little ol' North Carolina. It's great. I love it. Those little Asian girls were so cute. I told Mike I wanted one. Maybe after we get rid of some of these cats...