Watching Nature

One of my greatest pleasures is watching wild life. Not that I have that much in my back yard with any frequency, but I do see on occasion deer, hawks and wild turkeys. There is also the normal array of birds, and cats with daily frequency. Then there is the occasional nocturnal visit by fox, and raccoons leaving paw prints on my back door.

For the past several years another way to observe wildlife has been the “cam”. I had watched eagle cam and osprey cam with great delight from the return of the feathered couples, to their nest renovations, egg laying and hatching (sometimes taking care of the chick that didn’t survive), to watching the fledglings grow and launch themselves into life on their own.

But, alas and alack, this year both cams are down.

The eagle cam is really down. The tree that held the nest and the camera fell last summer during a storm. The new camera installed to catch activity at the new nest doesn’t work and cannot be worked on during nesting season because these birds are protected.

The osprey cam (maintained by the Audubon Society of CT) is also new and works once in a while. Here again, it’s hard to go up there to try and fix it because of the birds. Ospreys are not protected, but have you ever seen the talons on those guys?

A couple of years ago one of the osprey chicks was spotted partially wrapped in some sort of plastic and the local fire department sent a man up the pole to rescue the bird. I guess the parents of the chick were flying around having fits, but they did not attack (as far as I know) the Good Samaritan. This pole I’m talking about is in the middle of a marsh along the Connecticut shore. This was not easy.

Heat Got To Me

I didn’t realize the temperature was going to go into upper 80s when I planned my bike ride for this afternoon. Everything went well until about mile 8 when I began to wonder what was the point of this bike riding stuff any way. I started out from one point and would end in the same place. What was the point? Where was the excitement?

I started to wonder if I was having a delayed reaction to the Erie Canal ride where at the end of each day we had to be in a different place. What was going on?

I stopped in the shade to rest and realized I was on the verge of starting to shake and not feel good. It took all I had to break open a bottle of electrolyte solution and guzzle down more than half of it. It tasted good. That’s a sure sign that my electrolytes were depleted.

It had to be the heat. I wasn't sure I could get back to the car. Really kicked the stuffing out of me. I was on the edge of feeling depressed.

I will pay more attention to the temperature from now on. If it’s going to be anywhere near 80 (that used to be my upper limit for heat…who knows what it is now) I will ride early in the morning. I don’t mind getting up at 5 a.m. in order to ride in the cool of the morning. I will save my long rides for the cooler days.

I guess my days of long distance riding are pretty much over. I don’t have my old speed and I spend a lot of time trying to “find my gear” (I don’t mean apparel) as I ride along. Perhaps I’m expecting too much of myself so early in my biking season.

I guess I’ll know better once I do more riding when it’s cool. Let’s hope I haven’t lost the passion.

I Hit the Road Again

Photos:
Upper Left: End of the line for improvements. More to come.
Upper Right: Shadblow.
Lower Left: Empty nest over the canal.
Lower Right: Improved path from top of parking lot down to bridge over locks mechanicals.

Cleared for riding
My dermatologist OK’d bike riding as long as I put on a heavy-duty sun block. Friday, April 23rd was my first day on my bike. It felt so good to be riding again. I didn’t go very far, a little over 12 miles. I don’t want to over-do on the first few days. I hope to work up to being able to do upwards of 30 miles a day…several days in a row.

Saturday. It’s chilly this morning as I set out to ride the Windsor Locks Canal. I’m not going particularly fast, nor do I want to. I’m averaging, maybe, 7 to 8 miles an hour; savoring the sunshine, the birds singing, geese honking on the river and the bull frogs raising quite a rumpus in the pools created when the river rose then receded. It is a glorious morning. No need to rush.

Saw evidence of beaver activity, but no Kamikaze baby bunnies or chipmunks. I guess it’s still too early in the season, being it’s the 25th of April.

Terry’s Island
The southern tip of Terry’s Island, as usual this time of year, is under water. The island is approximately a mile long and has an interesting history. A friend of mine, Bonnie Enes, is doing extensive research on the island and the families who owned parts of it and lived there, in order to write as complete a history as possible. If any one reading this is a descendant of the Terry’s or any other family who lived there, please get in touch with me by email at swbikelady@yahoo.com and give me your email address where Bonnie can contact you. So often someone will email me and say I am a descendant of so-and-so and I’m looking for information, but never give me a way to get back to them. Quite frustrating.

I came up to a gentleman carrying two huge pails hung from the handlebars of his bike. I asked what he was catching. He said fiddleheads. Well, at least he won’t be telling stories of the one that got away. ☺

Shadblow is in full bloom. Fishermen will tell you that when the Shadblow blooms the shad are migrating back up-river. The numbers of shad are diminishing over the last few years. It is thought that perhaps the abundance of blues and strippers eating the shad is the cause.

The condition of the pathway surface is continuing to deteriorate. Because I’m riding pretty slowly, I don’t mind the bumps caused by cracks and an occasional root heave. However, I’m told by another biker on the path, that the surface is scheduled to be torn up and repaved. I would prefer hard packed stone dust, but paved will be nice for a few years.

The path from the bridge over the mechanical works of the locks up to the parking lot is paved and landscaped. Eventually this will continue over the Suffield bridge into Enfield.

A car? Get outta the way!
As I’m riding along, I hear what sounds like a car. I looked in my mirror and there is a black car bearing down on me from behind. I jam on the brakes and get onto the extremely narrow edge of the path and let the car go barreling past. The trunk of the car says Suffield Police. When was he planning to let me know he was behind me?

Two minutes later, another car. Almost didn’t hear this one. I get out of the way and the marker plate that tells me it’s a Suffield town vehicle. There are three men in this one.

Come to find out, someone called 911 that there was an injured person on the canal path. I don’t think they found anything, and both cars had the opportunity to (almost) run me into the canal a second time on their return trip.

For the birds
This time of year is good for locating last year’s Orioles nests. There’s no foliage hiding them yet. However, I didn’t seen any. Maybe they were blown down by the winter/spring winds. The canal path is home to lots of Orioles.

A good ride. There won’t be time on Sunday for riding, but I hope Monday offers an opportunity.

Updates

The face
My face looks a lot better than it did. I have been on an antibiotic ointment for the face and antibiotics capsules. In addition I have had to use a cortisone cream on my face to calm down all the nasty reaction. I still have some cracked skin that produces a little blood…looks more like my forehead was scratched by a cat. All in all, it is getting better.

On the 23rd I can stop using the ointment and the pills. I will use the cortisone cream until the 30th. I still can’t go out in the sun, which means no bike riding. This coming weekend the temps are going to be in the upper 70s low 80s. Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh! Patience is not a virtue I was born with.

My mom
When we last visited the subject of my mother she had been out of the nursing home 2 days only to wrench her knee…putting her right back.

Then, on April 11th she was right back to the ER with a high fever…102° F….it was determined she had a infection going on. They also found all the Coumadin she had been on didn’t do a darn thing because she still has clots in her legs.

After various treatments for all things going wrong (that the medical staff knows about) she was sent back to the nursing home on the 18th.

I’m not sure how much more she can take. The nursing home refers to her as the Energizer Bunny! She’s more like a yo-yo.

My new book
I am almost ready to self publish my first poetry chap book. Beyond the Mists is the poetry from my Spiritual, Magical and Dark Sides. The cover is powerful! Once the book is officially published, I will put it in my online journal for all to see. The cover artist, Leanne Peters, also did my business cards. She has the ability to take my ideas, produce them on paper and they look so much more than I had envisioned. She is such a talent! Thanks you Leanne!

I have the first complete copy all done. The cover isn't finalized yet, but this first galley is going to my mother. I want her to see it before anything happens to her.

Yard work
Hopefully I will have my boys (and maybe Kathy) over for about a half hour this coming weekend to pick up all the limbs, branches, debris all over my lawn. It’s stuff I can do myself, BUT I CAN’T GO OUT IN THE SUN! I have hats, but nothing that protects my face enough.

(music up and announcer voice over) Until next time, remember, Super Sudzie Soap cleans like nothing! ☺☺☺☺

Ouch, That Hurts

Physical pain
Over the last weekend my face started hurting and got red-er than red, took on the feeling of shellacked cardboard and it hurt. Monday morning I woke up to see tiny blood spots and the skin was no longer flaking…it was cracking.

Emergency visit to dermatologist to be told I was having an allergic reaction to the medication and there was some infection showing up.

So now I’m off the medication but I’m using an antibiotic cream and a cortisone cream to help relieve the itch/sting/pain/infection.

I don’t know when the dermatologist will let me put sunscreen on so I can go bike riding.

Monetary pain
Speaking of bike riding, I took my bike to REI for spring maintenance. After riding in rain every other day (1, 3, 5) last September on the Erie Canal and riding in torrential downpour on day 7, I figured it needed extra attention.

I wasn’t able to get the bike in for maintenance as soon as I got back because my mother started having major medical issues (which are still ongoing). If I had taken it in back then, it might have saved me a few bucks.

The wheel hubs and the crank hub were full of water. The ball bearings were chewed up and rusty. The chain and cogs on the rear “thingy where the chain goes around” were scoured, pitted and otherwise pretty chewed up.

It cost a pretty penny to get all that replaced, BUT it’s worth it to know I will be riding safe this season and for seasons to come.

What do they have in common
The physical pain I’m going through is nothing compared to what could happen if I hadn’t taken action to make sure I don’t get skin cancer on my face. I get to keep my face and nose when this is all over.

The monetary pain…that’s easy to figure out.

Old age
I always told my kids the one thing I was saving for my old age was “me.” I’m still at it.

A Taste of Veggies

I was going to crop this photo so just the baking dish showed. Then I realized, anyone who knows me (and is familiar with my kitchen) would never believe me unless they could see my potholders, counter top, stove and toaster oven. You see, I'm not exactly known for my cooking expertise.

I actually made this dish! Thanks to my friend, Michelle, whose web site Taste As You Go, gave me the inspiration for the photo and the courage to try something new. Hey, Michelle!

The recipe
1 half-stick butter (1/4 cup)

6 cups fresh veggies cut into ½-inch strips or 1 inch pieces. The original recipe called for: red, yellow and/or green bell peppers, onion, zucchini, yellow summer squash, green beans or asparagus.

2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic (I used minced from a jar)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt

(I used yellow, orange and green bell peppers, 1 small broccoli crown, 1 small yellow squash and 1 bunch asparagus – top quarter of stalks only.)

(I forgot the onion and couldn’t get zucchini the day I went shopping. I did not use green beans.)

Directions
Heat oven to 450°. Melt butter in 13x9 inch baking pan in oven (3-4 minutes). Stir in seasonings then veggies. Toss veggies until coated. Bake, stirring occasionally for 20-22 minutes or until veggies are crisply tender.

The original recipe called for serving this over cheese filled tortellini. Not for me!

It took no time at all to prepare the veggies and I was able to do stuff around the house while they roasted. The house smelled heavenly.

The taste test
Normally I do not like peppers. However, in this recipe they are scrumptious. It has to be the seasoning. All the veggies are so tasty. After 20 minutes in the oven the veggies were just right for me. You might want to do less time.

How will I use them
I could eat them cold like a salad, but I think I’ll like them better warmed in the microwave. I’m having a pork loin chop tomorrow so I’ll use the veggies as a side dish along with mashed potato and gravy.

What would I change
Next time I’ll add fresh mushrooms and if I can get zucchini, I’ll not use broccoli.

Spring Maintenance for My Bike

The starting point of our Epic Ride along the Erie Canal from Niagara Falls to Albany in September of 2008. Our first day started out rainy and murky and that set the tone for the trip.

The end of Day 1. You can see it's still pretty murky. There was a lot of "murk" to come. Had we known, I wonder if we would have continued?

This is the observation tower at Niagara Falls. When I was out on the very tip of that thing I really wasn't thinking about being out over a lot of nothing! But it's the flow of water I want to point out. On Day 7, riding from Rome to Little Falls, it felt like this is what we were riding through. Pretty nasty as torrential rainy days go.

The reason for the above photos is because my bike is currently at REI for Spring Maintenance. Once I got back from the Erie Canal ride, my mom’s health became an issue so I never got my bike in for maintenance until now. I’m thinking everything must be rusted after all the rain we rode through.

REI just called me to say that the chain and the rear gears should be replaced because of excessive wear and scouring. After what we rode through on that trip I have not doubt they need to be replaced.

Starting on Day One we had rain every other day like clock-work: Days 1, 3, 5, 7. There should have been a 9 but I threw in the towel on Day 8. On what would have been Day 9, I checked the weather forecast for where we would have been and…you guessed it…rain. Not just rain, but thunder storms. I’m glad we were not on the canal.

This is a trip that I will re-live for years to come…the good and the bad. And, when you come right down to it, there was no bad.

Laundry on a Windy Day

Photo: This is from an earlier post, way back in September of '07. But it is part of what I want to say today, too.

Hung out to dry
I love hanging sheets and clothes out on the line to dry. Not in winter! I'm talking about starting in April, on days like today, when it's 60° with a good breeze. This will continue right through until late October, probably.

Saves on my electricity bill
By not using the dryer I can save over $200 on my electric bill. And there's nothing sweeter than clothes dried outside in the sun and wind. I don't do towels outside. That's where I draw the line. No scratchy towels on this bod!

Today is one of those perfect spring days as described above. I hung out my sheets around 8 a.m. and they were dry by noon. I mean dry. I took them in before lunch. Dry!

Condo Associations
One day condo associations will have to allow clothes lines. I wrote a poem about that and I might as well share it with you now that I have mentioned it.

Why Condo Associations Won’t Allow Clotheslines
Blue jeans run in place
stagger, run again

Shirt sleeves wave to all passers-by
the nerve

Socks do a fancy two-step
fit to break an ankle

Bras are filled
seductively shimmy and flounce

Panties do a vigorous hoochy-koochy
exposing lust in the imagination of some beholders

Sheets with a come hither undulation
offer promise

Laundry hung out to dry
on a windy day

Scandalous!

Beverly R. Titus
4/15/08

NCAA Tournaments - The Finals

It's all over but the shouting

The UCONN women...Champions For Sixth Time!

How sweet it is. Number Six Championship. There are a lot of good coaches out there, but Geno is one of the greats! He has notched SIX championships. Pat Summitt has eight...so what. I'm already excited about next season...can't wait for it to begin!

Now for the men

The men went out in the Final Four when they lost to Michigan. They went further than I thought. I had them going out in the Elite Eight to Memphis. Who knew Memphis would go out in the Sweet Sixteen? That busted everyone's brackets. 

What's next?

Baseball. Go Red Sox.

Sun Damage is Ugly!

Click on this photo to get a good close-up view. Sun damaged skin is not pretty when it's being treated by a dermatologist. This damage probably occurred years, decades, ago before I even turned 20.

Sun damaged skin probably doesn't look pretty if it is left untreated and turns to skin cancer.

The attached photo is what my face looks like right now because I'm being treated for sun damage.

When I was a kid I never protected my skin...who knew. I worked out in the sun-baked tobacco fields from age 5 to 15 and never wore a broad brimmed hat or protected my face in any way.

This is the result. Pretty ugly! But the good news is that I will continue to have a face and nose because I'm getting medical attention!

If you, or some one you know has been out in the sun a lot with no protection, show them this picture. Have your skin taken care of now!

Good News…Bad News

Photos
Laurel Park in Manchester. The pictures show two pathways through the park...one solid the other liquid. A beautiful spot if you like hiking.

GN/BN
1. Good news: My mother came home from the nursing home on Tuesday, March 31st.
Bad news: On Wednesday April 1st, she wrenched her knee getting into the car and on April 2nd was back in the nursing home.

I’m not sure if she realizes it yet that she isn’t going to come home again. I cannot keep her safe in the outside world and she is not strong enough to keep herself safe.

The nursing home staff will do a full evaluation and they will give her the bad news. I do enough things to tick her off; I don’t want to add this to her list.

2. Good news: I’m treating the skin on my forehead and nose for sun damage.
Better news: I will get to keep my face and nose.
Bad news: my face is splotchy, red as a beet and looks terrible. Funny thing is, no one has asked me what happened to my face. Either they recognize what I’m doing or they are afraid to ask. Trust me, you can’t help but notice!

3. Good news: I will be self-publishing a chapbook of my Spiritual, Magical and Dark Side poetry. I’m waiting for the cover to be finished. The title is “Beyond the Mists.”
There is no bad news with this one.

This just in
My poem, Time, has been posted on the poetry share page of the Prosser/Wintonbury Libraries in Bloomfield. Go to www.prosserlibrary.info. In the left hand column click on Wintonbury Branch Poetry Series & Open Mike and there it is. How exciting!

Just plain other news
The poetry circuit is getting very busy this time of the year. If I do everything I have penciled into my calendar I’ll be exhausted before next week is over.

At the Riverwood Poetry Series BOD meeting last night we devoted the entire meeting to the upcoming poetry festival at the end of June. That will be a blockbuster four days of poetry. You can go out to our website to keep checking on our progress, the venues, and the readers. Once again we are attracting poets from all over the country. Two well known poets have said they will make a special trip to Connecticut to be part of this festival.

I’m thinking seriously of going to visit my daughter, Anne, and her family in late May. My grandson, Jacob, will be Knighted! Yes. He will be Sir Jacob. The fifth grade class at his school gets to study medieval history and if they wish to be Knighted, they must choose quests and report back to the class. If they are successful in their questing, they are Knighted. How special is that? That will be May 27th and if at all possible, me thinks I must be there.

Let’s see. What else is going on? Tomorrow is bulk document shredding day at the South Windsor Bank on Ellington Road. That’s not too exciting, but it’s one more thing I have to remember to do.

A Shout Out!
A big shout out to Joyce who works with my daughter, Kathy. Joyce reads my blog. That's more than Kathy does! ☺ ☺ ☺