DID YOU KNOW?

DID YOU KNOW........ WHY DOGS TURN AROUND IN CIRCLES BEFORE LYING DOWN? IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT FEELS RIGHT INSTINCTIVELY. PERHAPS DOGS TURN AROUND 3 TIMES BEFORE BEDDING DOWN, BECAUSE THE PRACTICE HAS BECOME INGRAINED AFTER THOUSANDS OF YEARS. ANOTHER REASON WHY DOGS TURN IN CIRCLES, IS TO TURN LONG GRASS INTO A COZY, COMFY BED. LARGER DOMESTICATED DOGS THAT LIVE OUTSIDE WILL TURN AROUND 3 TIMES AND THEN DIG UP THE GROUND FOR COMFORT, OR TO FEEL THE COOLNESS OF THE SOIL. THEY DO THIS MOSTLY IN COOLER WEATHER. WHEN A WILD PACK OF DOGS TURN AROUND 3 TIMES IN THE WILD, THEY MAY BE ESTABLISHING THEIR TERRITORY AND ORIENTING THEMSELVES WITHIN THE CIRCLE.

THE HUMMINGBIRD...............................

DID YOU KNOW HUMMINGBIRDS CAN FLY BACKWARDS?

HUMMINGBIRDS ARE BIRDS COMPRISING THE FAMILY TORCHILIDAE. THEY ARE AMONG THE SMALLEST OF BIRDS, AND INCLUDE THE SMALLEST EXTANT BIRD SPECIES, THE BEE HUMMINGBIRD CAN HOVER IN MID-AIR BY RAPIDLY FLAPPING THEIR WINGS 12-90 TIMES PER SECOND (DEPENDING ON SPECIES). THEY CAN ALSO FLY BACKWARDS, AND ARE THE ONLY GROUP OF BIRDS ABLE TO DO SO. THEIR ENGLISH NAME DERIVES FROM THE CHARACTERISTIC "HUM" MADE BY THEIR RAPID WING BEATS. THEY CAN FLY AT VERY HIGH SPEED.

HUMMINGBIRDS DRINK NECTAR, A SWEET LIQUID INSIDE A FLOWER. LIKE BEES, THEY ARE ABLE TO ASSESS THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR IN THE NECTAR THEY EAT, THEY REJECT FLOWER TYPES THAT PRODUCE NECTAR WHICH IS LESS THAN 10% SUGAR AND PREFER THOSE WHOSE SUGAR CONTENT IS STRONGER. NECTAR IS A POOR SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS, SO HUMMINGBIRDS MEET THEIR NEEDS FOR PROTEIN, AMINO ACIDS, VITAMINS, MINERALS, AND MORE, BY PREYING ON INSECTS AND SPIDERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN FEEDING THEIR YOUNG.

HUMMINGBIRDS DO NOT SPEND ALL DAY FLYING, AS THE ENERGY-COST WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE. THE MAJORITY OF THEIR ACTIVITY CONSISTS SIMPLY OF SITTING OR PERCHING. THEY SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 10-15% OF THEIR TIME FEEDING AND 75-80% SITTING AND DIGESTING.

THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES, AVERAGES A LIFESPAN OF 3 TO 5 YEARS. RECORDS SHOW THERE WAS A FEMALE WHO WAS BANED (RINGED) SHE WAS RECAPTURED 11 YEARS LATER.

FEMALE HUMMINGBIRDS USUALLY LAY 2 WHITE EGGS, NO BIGGER THAN A JELLYBEAN. INCUBATION TIME IS 16 TO 18 DAYS, OR UP TO 3 WEEKS WITH COOLER WEATHER. WHEN THE BABIES HATCH THEY

HAVE NO FEATHERS, DARK SKIN AND THEIR EYES ARE CLOSED. THEY HAVE A SHORT STUBBY YELLOW BEAK. THEY WEIGH .62 GRAMS. THE BABIES WILL BE READY TO LEAVE THE NEST IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS. DO NOT USE RED DYE IN THEIR FOOD, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THEM. YOU CAN GET A RED BIRD FEEDER, OR TIE A RED RIBBON ON THE FEEDER, OR PUT RED SILK FLOWERS AROUND THE FEEDER. IT WILL WORK JUST FINE.

THE SAND DOLLAR.....................................

SAND DOLLAR..............................................

SHELLS ON THE BEACH.......................

SEA URCHIN.................

SAND DOLLARS ARE FLAT,

ROUND MARINE ANIMALS, RELATED TO SEA URCHINS, AND SEA STARS. THE MOST COMMON SAND DOLLAR IS WIDESPREAD IN OCEAN WATERS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, FROM THE ZONE TO CONSIDERABLE DEPTHS.

THE SAND DOLLAR HAS A RIGID SKELETON KNOWN AS A TEST. WHEN SAND DOLLARS ARE LIVING, THEY HAVE A SKIN OF MOTILE SPINES COVERING THE TEST. MOVEMENT IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE COORDINATED ACTION OF THE SPINE. LIKE SEA URCHINS, SAND DOLLARS HAVE FINE PAIRED ROWS OF PORES. IN SAND DOLLARS THEY ARE ARRANGED IN A PETAL-LIKE PATTERN. THESE PORES ARE PERFORATIONS IN THE ENDOSKELETON, THROUGH WHICH THE PODIA USED IN GAS EXCHANGE PROJECT, FROM THE BODY.

THE SAND DOLLAR LIVE BEYOND LOW WATER, ON TOP OR JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE OF SANDY OR MUDDY AREAS. ON THE OCEAN BOTTOM, SAND DOLLARS ARE FOUND TOGETHER. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY LIKE SOFT AREAS, WHICH ARE CONVENIENT FOR THEIR REPRODUCTION. THE SEXES ARE SEPARATED, AND AS WITH MOST ECHINOIDS, GAMETES ARE RELEASED INTO THE WATER COLUMN. THEY ARE CONCEIVED BY EXTERNAL FERTILIZATION AS WITH MOST ECHINOIDS. LIVE SAND DOLLARS CAN BE GREENISH, BLUISH, OR PURPLE. THEIR HIGHLY MODIFIED SPINES AND PODIA GIVE THEM A VELVET LIKE TEXTURE AND APPEARANCE.

"NATURAL HIGH'S"

WHAT ARE YOUR "NATURAL HIGH'S"

FALLING IN LOVE.

LAUGHING SO MUCH YOUR FACE HURTS.

A HOT SHOWER.

A SPECIAL GLANCE.

GETTING MAIL.

LYING IN BED LISTENING TO THE RAIN OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW.

THE BEACH AND THE OCEAN.

COLLECTING SHELLS ALONG THE BEACH.

LAUGHING AT AN INSIDE JOKE WITH A FRIEND.

PLAYING WITH A NEW PUPPY.

HOT CHOCOLATE WITH MARSHMALLOWS.

WATCHING THE SUNRISE.

KNOWING YOU DID THE RIGHT THING NO MATTER WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.

HOLDING HANDS WITH SOMEBODY YOU LOVE.

WATCHING BABY BIRDS IN A NEST.

HOW MANY CAN YOU THINK OF?

VETERANS DAY

US PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON FIRST PROCLAIMED AN ARMISTICE DAY FOR NOVEMBER 11, 1919. CONGRESS PASSED A RESOLUTION SEVEN YEARS LATER ON JUNE 4, 1926. THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE OBSERVED ON NOVEMBER 11, WITH APPROPRIATE CEREMONIES, IT WAS APPROVED MAY 13, 1938, MADE 11TH OF NOVEMBER IN EACH YEAR A LEGAL HOLIDAY.

LAVENDER...................

LAVENDER HAS BEEN A FAVORITE HERB FOR CENTURIES. THE HISTORIC USE AND RECOGNITION OF LAVENDER IS ALMOST AS OLD AS MAN. AS AN HERB, LAVENDER HAS BEEN IN DOCUMENTED USE FOR OVER 2,500 YEARS.

IN ANCIENT TIMES LAVENDER WAS USED FOR MUMMIFICATION AND PERFUME BY THE EGYPTIANS, PHOENICIANS, AND PEOPLE OF ARABIA. THE GREEKS AND ROMANS BATHED IN LAVENDER SCENTED WATER AND IT WAS FROM THE LOTION WORD "LAVO" MEANING "TO WASH" THAT THE HERB TOOK ITS NAME.

LAVENDER IS A MEMBER OF THE MINT FAMILY, AND IS CLOSE TO ROSEMARY, SAGE, AND THYME.

ENGLISH LAVENDER HAS THE SWEETEST FRAGRANCE OF ALL THE LAVENDERS AND IS THE ONE MOST COMMOMLY USED IN COOKING.

IN COOKING, USE 1/3 THE QUANITIY OF DRIED FLOWERS TO FRESH.

DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR, NURSES BATHED THE SOLDIERS WOUNDS WITH LAVENDER WASHES.

TO THIS DAY, THE FRENCH CONTINUE TO SEND BABY LAMBS TO GRAZE IN FIELDS OF LAVENDER, SO THEIR MEATS WILL BE TENDER AND FRAGRANT.THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS YOU CAN MAKE WITH LAVENDER, SACHET HEARTS, CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS, PILLOWS, AND JELLY.

AMERICAN BIRDS

ROBINS
THE AMERICAN ROBIN IS A MIGRATORY SONGBIRD OF THE THRUSH FAMILY. IT IS NAMED AFTER THE EUROPEAN ROBIN BECAUSE OF THE MALES BRIGHT RED BREAST, BUT THE SPECIES ARE NOT RELATED. THE AMERICAN ROBIN IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA. ITS NESTS CONSIST OF LONG COARSE GRASS TWIGS, PAPER, AND FEATHERS, AND IT SMEARED WITH MUD, AND THEN CUSHIONED WITH SOFT GRASS, AND OTHER SOFT MATERIALS. THEY EAT FRUIT, AND HUNT SMALL INSECTS, AND SPIDERS. FEMALES LAY 4 TO 5 EGGS. THE YOUNG ARE CARED FOR BY BOTH PARENTS.


THE PURPLE MARTIN................ IS THE LARGEST NORTH AMERICAN SWALLOW. ADULTS HAVE A SLIGHTLY FORKED TAIL. IT TAKES 2 YEARS FOR SPECIES TO REACH THEIR FULL ADULT BREEDING PLUMAGE. ADULT MALES ARE ENTIRELY BLACK WITH A GLOSSY STEEL BLUE SHEEN, AND ADULT FEMALES ARE DARK ON TOP WITH SOME STEEL BLUE SHEEN, AND LIGHTER UNDER PARTS. THE EASTERN MARTINS NESTS IN MAN MADE HOUSES, OF WHICH ABOUT A MILLION ARE PROVIDED. IT IS THE ONLY BIRD WHO TOTALLY DEPEND ON HUMANS FOR NESTS SITES. THEY USUALLY FLY VERY HIGH, THEY CATCH INSECTS FROM THE AIR. THEY ARE VERY AGILE HUNTERS AND EAT GROUND INSECTS TOO.





RED BELLIED WOODPECKER
IS A MEDIUM SIZE BIRD. IT BREEDS IN SOUTHERN CANADA AND THE NORTH EASTERN, UNITED STATES, RANGING AS FAR SOUTH AS FLORIDA, AND AS FAR WEST AS TEXAS. THEY ARE VERY NOISY, MALES TEND TO DRUM ON ROOFS, AND TREES TO COMMUNICATE WITH POTENTIAL PARTNERS. THEY EAT FLYING INSECTS, GROUND INSECTS, FRUITS, NUTS, AND SEEDS. THEY NEST IN CAVITIES IN DEAD TREES.

OWLS.................

I LOVE OWLS, I THINK THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT. I HAVE THE MOST ELEGANT COLLECTION OF OWLS. MY BROTHER BOB, WHO IS NOT WITH US ANY LONGER, STARTED GIVING ME OWLS 40 YEARS AGO. BOB WOOD SEND ME AN OWL EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE JUST BECAUSE HE KNEW I LOVED THEM SO MUCH. MY VERY FIRST ONE I GOT FROM HIM HE BOUGHT AT BAMBURGER'S (MACY'S AS THEY SAY TODAY.) I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD COST TODAY. I WANT TO GET MYSELF A CAMERA, AND WHEN I DO I WILL PUT PICTURES ON MY BLOG OF MY OWLS. LOOKING AT THESE OWLS, BRING ME BACK SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES OF MY BROTHER BOB. MY BLOG IS ABOUT OWLS TODAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOY LOOKING AT THESE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS.


THE BARRED OWL....................................................................

THE BARRED OWL IS A LARGE OWL. IT HAS MANY OTHER NAMES LIKE, EIGHT HOOTER, RAIN OWL, WOOD OWL, AND STRIPED OWL, BUT IS KNOWN THE BEST AS THE HOOT OWL. IT HAS A PALE FACE AND DARK RINGS AROUND EYES, A YELLOW BEAK AND BROWN EYES. THIS IS THE ONLY TYPICAL OWL OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES WHICH HAS BROWN EYES, ALL OTHERS HAVE YELLOW EYES. THE LEGS AND FEET ARE COVERED WITH FEATHERS. BREEDING HABITAT IS IN DENSE WOODS. ITS NESTS IS OFTEN IN A TREE CAVITY. THE FEMALE LAYS 2 TO4 EGGS, HATCHING TAKES PLACE 4 WEEKS LATER. BARRED OWLS EAT MICE, RABBITS, CHIPMUNKS, FOXES, OPOSSUMS AND ALSO BIRDS. IT HUNTS NEAR DAWN OR DUSK'S.


THIS IS AN OWL IN A TREE CAVITY. (NEST)

NORTHERN (BABY) PYGMY OWL

PYGMY OWLS ARE SOMETIMES CALLED "OWLETS". THEY ARE VERY SMALL. ADULT SIZE ARE 6 INCHES TALL. THEY ARE GRAY, BROWNISH-GRAY OR RUFOUS IN COLOR. THIS OWL HAS A ROUND WHITE SPOTTED HEAD, WEAKLY DEFINED FACIAL DISC, AND DARK UPPER BREAST WINGS AND TAIL, THE TAIL BEING VERY LONG COMPARED TO OTHER OWLS. THEIR EYES ARE YELLOWISH GREEN. THE PYGMY OWL HAS TWO BLACK SPOTS IN THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS, WHICH LOOK LIKE TWO EYES. LEGS ARE FEATHERED DOWN TO THEIR TOES. THEY NESTS IN DENSE WOODLANDS, IN A TREE CAVITY. THE FEMALE LAYS 2 TO 7 EGGS, THEY EAT FLYING INSECTS, AND SWOOP DOWN ON THEIR PREY LIKE, SMALL MAMMALS, BIRDS, AND LARGE GROUND INSECTS.

THE NORTHERN HAWK OWL...................................................

THE NORTHERN HAWK OWL IS A MEDIUM SIZED OWL. IT HAS A ROUNDED HEAD WITH YELLOW EYES, DARK BROWN UPPER PARTS AND BARRED UNDER PARTS AND TAIL. THEY ARE FOUND IN THE BOREAL FORESTS OF NORTH AMERICA AND EURASIA. THEY ARE USUALLY ON THE EDGES OF MORE OPEN WOODLAND. THEY NEST IN LARGE TREE CAVITIES OR USE NESTS ABANDONED BY OTHER LARGE BIRDS. THEY HAVE LITTLE FEAR OF HUMANS, AND WILL ATTACK IF THEIR YOUNG ARE APPROACHED TOO CLOSELY. THEY HUNT "VOLES" (LIKE A MOUSE, BUT NOT RELATED TO THE RODENT FAMILY.) AND BIRDS LIKE THRUSHES. THEY HAVE EXCEPTIONAL HEARING, AND THEY CAN HEAR A VOLE UNDER THE SNOW.

THE LONG EARED OWL............................................................

THE LONG EARED OWL IS A SPECIES OF OWL WHICH BREEDS IN EUROPE, ASIA, AND NORTH AMERICA. THE LONG EARED OWL BREEDING SEASON IS FROM FEBRUARY TOO JULY. THIS BIRD IS PARTIALLY MIGRATORY, MOVING SOUTH IN WINTER FROM THE NORTHERN PARTS OF ITS TEMPERATE RANGE. ITS HABITAT IS A FOREST CLOSE TO OPEN COUNTRY. IT NESTS IN TREES, USING THE OLD STICK NESTS OF OTHER BIRDS SUCH AS THE CROWS, RAVENS, AND MAGPIES AND VARIOUS HAWKS. THE FEMALES LAY 4 TO 6 EGGS AND INCUBATION IS 25 TO 30 DAYS. THE LONG EARED OWL HUNTS OVER OPEN COUNTRY BY NIGHT, IT GLIDES SLOWLY ON STIFF WINGS WHEN HUNTING. IT'S FOOD IS MAINLY RODENTS, SMALL MAMMALS AND BIRDS.

THE SNOWY OWL..............................................................

THE SNOWY OWL IS A LARGE OWL OF THE TYPICAL OWL FAMILY. (TRUE OWL) THE SNOWY OWL WAS FIRST CLASSIFIED IN 1758. IT IS ALSO KNOWN IN NORTH AMERICA AS THE ARTIC OWL OR THE GREAT WHITE OWL. THIS SPECIES OF OWL NESTS ON THE GROUND. BUILDING A SCRAPE ON TOP OF A MOUND OR BOULDER. A SITE WITH GOOD VISIBILITY, A READY ACCESS TO HUNTING AREAS , AND A LACK OF SNOW IS CHOSEN. THE FEMALE LAYS 5 TO 14 EGGS EVERY OTHER DAY OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS. HATCHING TAKES PLACE AROUND 5 WEEKS. THE BABIES ARE PURE WHITE, AND YOUNG ARE PROTECTED BY BOTH PARENTS.

SIDE OF A COIN..............................

THE RIDGES ON THE SIDE OF A COIN ARE CALLED REEDING OR MILLING.

HAVE A NICE DAY.................RIZZI

GRANDMA'S APRON.................AND MORE

I WAS LOOKING AT A MAGAZINE THE OTHER DAY, AND THEY HAD AN ARTICLE ON VINTAGE APRONS, TEA TOWELS, POT HOLDERS, AND TABLE CLOTHS. JUST LOOKING AT THEM BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. I REMEMBER MY MOM, SHE HAD SO MANY APRONS. SOME SHE BOUGHT, AND SOME SHE MADE HERSELF. WHEN HER HOUSE DRESSES WORE OUT SHE WOULD MAKE AN APRON OUT OF THEM. NOTHING WAS WASTED. I BOUGHT A NEW SINGER SEWING MACHINE HAVEN'T USED IT YET. ALWAYS SOMETHING ELSE TO DO. THERE ARE A LOT OF MEMORIES BELOW, I HOPE THEY BRING YOU SOME TOO.

POT HOLDER

HAND EMBROIDERED PILLOW CASES..............................

HAND EMBROIDERED MR & MRS PILLOW CASES.........................

COBBLER APRON

GRANDMA'S APRON...........................

THE PRINCIPLE USE FOR GRANDMA'S APRON WAS TO PROTECT THE DRESS UNDERNEATH, BUT ALONG WITH THAT IT SERVED AS A HOLDER FOR REMOVING HOT PANS FROM THE OVEN. IT WAS WONDERFUL FOR DRYING CHILDREN'S TEARS, AND ON OCCASION WAS EVEN USED FOR CLEANING OUT DIRTY EARS. FROM THE CHICKEN COOP THE APRON WAS USED TO CARRY EGGS, FUSSY CHICKS AND SOMETIMES HALF HATCHED EGGS TO BE FINISHED IN THE WARMING OVEN. WHEN COMPANY CAME, THOSE APRONS WERE IDEAL HIDING PLACES FOR SHY KIDS, AND WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD GRANDMA WRAPPED IT AROUND HER ARMS. THOSE BIG OLD APRONS WIPED MANY A PERSPIRING BROW, BENT OVER THE HOT WOOD STOVE. CHIPS AND KINDLING WOOD WERE BROUGHT INTO THE KITCHEN IN THAT APRON. FROM THE GARDEN IT CARRIED ALL SORTS OF VEGETABLES. AFTER THE PEAS HAVE BEEN SHELLED, IT CARRIED OUT THE HULLS. IN THE FALL, THE APRON WAS USED TO BRING IN APPLES THAT HAD FALLEN FROM THE TREES. WHEN UNEXPECTING COMPANY DROVE UP THE ROAD, IT WAS SURPRISING HOW MUCH FURNITURE THAT OLD APRON COULD DUST IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. WHEN DINNER WAS READY, GRANDMA WALKED OUT INTO THE PORCH, WAVED HER APRON, AND THAT IS HOW THE MEN NEW TO COME IN FROM THE FIELDS TO DINNER. IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE SOMEONE INVENTS SOMETHING THAT WILL REPLACE THAT "OLD-TIME APRON" THAT SERVED SO MANY PURPOSES.



THANKS FOR STOPPING BY...........................................RIZZI