Don't play with your food!

A Watermelon that's afraid of water!

Didn't you mother tell you, not to play with Food?
mine did, that's what put me in this playful mood,
food is good for many things, oh sure you can eat it;
but what else is there?  Quite a bundle, or a bit.

From watermelon, plums and peaches,
in the realm of food, some artist reaches;
things are useful lots of times,
just listen, unintended use, that rhymes!

Whimsical in nature, that's what food art is,
take a knife and imagine, just what this is;
cut to shape, whittle some of it out,
from a squash may come a shape, of something with a spout.

Let me tell you what he did!  There, now orange you glad I told you.

Ruby shoes ain't got nothing on these, they're a cool as a cucumber.

Big birds

This is a C17 Globemaster III

  We live 8 miles from the Bangor (Maine) International Airport, also directly under or nearly so of some of the flight path.  None of that bothers me, except one thing - there are times when I see one taking off when I think I'd like to be on an aircrew again - not likely at 70.
  In Bangor, near the airport, is a plant where GE make turbines for generating electricity (hydro or steam plants).  These turbines are very large and very heavy, but some do get flown out on "big birds".
There are also companies in the area who make "big stuff"; Trans-Tech in Brewer makes stainless steel tanks, for fuel trucks, another Brewer company makes kilns for drying lumber and at the airport itself there is an aircraft overhaul facility.
  One day last week there were three Antonov 225 planes parked at the same time, can't help but notice those are truly large, they may have just made an overnight stop, or they may be loaded right here. 
  Other planes that are frequent flyer's that we see are U S Air Force C5 and C17 aircraft, both are big, the C5 is the largest of those two.  Many troops arrive in the US, or leave, in Bangor - it's the longest runway closest to Europe, so large aircraft are not a problem, US Customs (ICE) and the TSA each have a large presence here as well.
  That long runway is the reason you hear on the news about aircraft be diverted because of unruly people or mechanical problems, especially planes that are coming from, or going to, Europe.

"Some of the boys" take a ride on a C17, doesn't look too comfy.

A C5 Galaxy being serviced, see the man on the ladder?

An Antonov 225-040, it can carry some really big stuff, lot's of it.

If you are a Blue Angels fan, this is for you

2012 Ford "Blue Angels" Mustang, show with a U S Navy F18 flown by the Blue Angels

  Ford Motors to commemorate and celebrate the worlds greatest flight exhibition team, the Blue Angels; has introduced a Ford Mustang heavy on accents of the Blue Angels.
  With special paint and upholstery Ford's design team has done appropriate work to salute the men and women who are proud to be associated with such a fine team.
  The Blue Angels Squadron is made up of men and women who work very hard to put a special "spin" on the promotion of Naval Aviation, it's also a way for the Navy to say "thank you" to a very supportive public.
  I don't know the price of the Mustang, but I'm sure they can sell all that they produce.

The upholstery material and color scheme on the seats

This would look nice in your driveway

The Blue Angels in action, fast action! (click to enlarge)

A long day?

Yesterday started out early, 1:30AM, well not really THAT early; normal is 2:00AM.  That's an improvement over the midnight stuff of past years.  That was my benefit for spending a winter with pneumonia - a later wake up time. 
  Anyway, after a couple of hours milling around the house, coffee and cereal, you know stuff like reading the news, writing the blog, reading more news - all of a sudden it's time to hit the road.  I start out about 4:00AM every morning to walk a mile, have coffee and newspaper, meet friends at coffee and walk a mile.  So.....that's what I did.  I came home at 7:30 and hung out here for a while, shower, shave and all that "look presentable" stuff, drive back into town and take a family friend to an appointment.  I told her on the way over I was going to run, get into the waiting area before she did and say "Damn it, I told you to wait in the car!", she got a good laugh.  I waited for her, read a magazine and saw how many farm animals we have in Maine.  Of course I don't carry a pen, or paper!  Why on earth would I want to do that?  Oh, because it's helpful to take notes, so I took a photo with my phone, I'll you know if I can read the fine print.  And, of course (again), I still don't know how to download photos from phone to computer - and it's been, let's say, four to six years.
  When Flo was done with her appointment, I took her back to Brewer and went for lunch, it was 11:00 - so a late lunch for me, I eat at 10:00.  I had an appointment at 1:45PM so I just stayed in Bangor/Brewer for that.
  My appointment was with "the lung quack", and that office is in a building attached to the hospital.  At 1:00 I was hanging out in one of the many lobbies, more lobbies than rooms almost.  I was sitting on a bench looking out at the river, fell asleep and dreamed I was in either Iceland or Norway.  Some "doctors?" were looking at me asking for my genius (you know genius, species, kingdom, order, phylum) but my answer was "genius isn't a species - it's a lifestyle".  I guess me telling my wife that I'm a genius, doesn't affect her, but now I believe it:).
  I made my appointment, and a nurse called "Lawrence" so I went with her.  She had me on the scale (209 - now you know), and we went over for a breathing test.  The nurse put the name into a computer to see if I was in the system, yes Torrie M. was in there.  I asked if that was her name, she said yes, I let her know my name; she said you're not Torrie M.  She led me back to the waiting room and got Torrie.  WELL - I was sitting in the back row, there was a newspaper there, and I swear she said Lawrence.  It just shows, hearing aids magnify sound, they don't actually improve my hearing!
  After the really wanted me in there I waited in a exam room for 20 minutes, spent five more minutes with the doctor, and went back out front; they sent me for a blood sample and a couple of x-rays (normal stuff).  Of course for the hospital to do those things I have to pre-register, the girl in the lab intake was more than happy to do both of those at once for an old geezer.  After the lab work was done I went next door and up three floors for the x-ray, that didn't take long either.
  Those digital machines are impressive.  I was sitting in the room where the machine is (x-ray) while the woman checked if they came out.  After she gets a "picture" she dumps it in a slot in one machine and the "picture" shows up on her computer screen, it takes about 40 seconds - they looked good to me.  They sent me on my way.
  I got home about 3:30, it really was a long day.

What!?

Where?

I've too serious lately, that's not a good thing, for me or for you.  When I get too serious it's boring, isn't it?
How is this for a bumper sticker:     Nobody's perfect - I'm a nobody
or,                                                     Schizophrenic - Unauthorized autobiography
or,                                                     You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me
or,                                                     I didn't say it was your fault - I said I was going to blame you.
or,                                                     I took an IQ test and the results were negative.
or,                                                     I like cats; but I can't eat a whole one    (I don't like this one)
or,                                                     I killed a six pack --- just to watch it die!
that's enough!

Sweet onion

.....I'll be back tomorrow!

Judy Kellogg Markowsky

Judy

The accomplishments of Judy Markowsky “kind of speak for themselves,” said her ex-husband, who lives in Orono. “The Fields Pond Nature Center was her tremendous achievement. She worked long and hard on that for many years. She did all the education, introducing children to nature and trying to get people more aware of the environment.”

Judy Markowsky served as director of the Maine Audubon Society’s Fields Pond Nature Center in Holden for 12 years between 1997 and 2009 and also was a weekly birding columnist for the Bangor Daily News.

“She was a real addition to the community and she really loved this place and the state,” George Markowsky said. Bangor Daily News www.bangordailynews.com

Judy wrote a weekly column for a local paper, always enjoyable and interesting. I'm sure she sparked an interest in birds and nature just by that column.

She will be missed by many people, some of us that she never met, and others that enjoyed her company and traveled to birding sites to enjoy nature.

People like Judy add a lot to a community just by going about their daily activities and I'm sure she will be much missed by numerous people and friends

Maine Audubon, Fields Pond Center



Chickadee



Canada Warbler

Who's Fault?

  It's interesting isn't it?  Now that S&P has downgraded the country's Credit Rating - all of a sudden it's Obamas fault, or Geithners fault.  All this immediately after the President caved in to Republican demands.
  Here are some items I found this morning on "The Hill"(http://thehill.com/):
Boehner blames Democrats for S&P downgrade.  Whoever is at fault (hint: who did not want any revenue items?) we are all going to pay.


“Republicans have listened to the voices of the American people and worked to bring the spending binge to a halt," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately, decades of reckless spending cannot be reversed immediately, especially when the Democrats who run Washington remain unwilling to make the tough choices required to put America on solid ground.


"It is my hope this wake-up call will convince Washington Democrats that they can no longer afford to tinker around the edges of our long-term debt problem," he added.


While S&P dismissed the recent deal to raise the debt limit while cutting into the deficit as insufficient to protect its credit rating, Boehner touted the cut-heavy package as a "positive first step."


S&P downgrades US credit rating


The United States has suffered the first downgrade to its credit rating in history, as Standard & Poor's has reduced the nation's rating from AAA to AA+.


The credit rating firm said the recent plan to raise the debt limit while reducing the debt "falls short" of its expectations, but also offered broader condemnations of America's political process.


S&P said it was "pessimistic" about the ability of Congress and the White House to reach a broader plan to rein in the deficit "any time soon."


Boehner wants Geithner out at Treasury


"The President should demand that Secretary Geithner resign and immediately replace him with someone who will help Washington focus on balancing our budget and allowing the private sector to create jobs," Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said in a statement Friday.


"For months he opposed all efforts to reduce the debt in return for a debt ceiling increase. His opposition to serious spending and debt reforms has been reckless and now the American people will pay the price," DeMint said.

All words in purple are not mine



The Markets won't like it.



Tax Cuts it turns out are not so good