You know that live and learn stuff? It's true

  I've seen that Nutella stuff for sale in Wal-Mart and some other places, and you probably have too, but I had no idea what went in to making or where.  Now we know.
  Or, are you happy?  Someone went to a lot of trouble to map all of these things.  There are more maps here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/01/13/40-more-maps-that-explain-the-world/
 Go take a look, there's always something new to learn.  That's why I write this stuff:)

Snowshoes, Ice packs and the January thaw

An ice jam on Kenduskeag Stream, Bangor Jan 16 2014
Photo: Brian Feulner Bangor Daily News

A Lynx in Frenchville, Maine Jan 2014
Photo: Carol Bourgoin
 

 We're now at the end of the "January thaw" a warm up that happens almost every year here in Maine.  So one week it's well below zero and the next we're in the forties.  Flood warnings and watches are commonplace as the rain and fog help soften ice on streams and rivers.
  The Kenduskeag Plaza parking area was closed, opened, and closed into a three day stretch including today.
  The Lynx, the snowshoe part, was spotted by the photographer as it wandered around her property.  the animal has large feet to navigate on soft snow.  Lynx aren't common in Maine but there are more than previously thought.  Maybe I'll be able to see one!

Why they fly the way they do, birds that is

Canada geese fly in a diamond formation
The U S Navy Blue Angles also use this formation
Photo: Jennifer Viegas

Shore birds fly at low level in a Hover formation
Photo: Jennifer Viegas

  Birds are just like a lot of us, do things the easy way, including flying.  Some birds fly alone, and some fly in neat formation and some in "swarms", I'll give you a link for more photos.
  Birds have flight feathers that can feel the air pressure, wind and direction of the wind, they use vision, and pick which ever "feels" the easiest.   They also make pretty pictures.
Visit this link:

http://news.discovery.com/animals/impressive-bird-flying-formations-photos-140116.htm

A secret and some lies?

  There are some, but not a lot, of politicians in Washington that want to hurriedly pass something called Tran-Pacific Partnership.  It's a trade bill and it's being negotiated in secret.
  People who might have supported it are dropping their support in droves; not a single Democrat joined by a good number of Republican Senators say it's no good.  The President and some big-big-big business want it passed.
  Here is what could, or would, happen.  The President, acting alone, could negotiate and pass future trade deals with "Pacific Partners" (read China), without approval from Congress.  If China, for example, didn't like something they could go to a special court (international) and make us pay for damages.  Does this sound like a good deal?  President Obama thinks so, but he is almost the only one that likes it, except for big-big business.  But we can't read the bill, it's Secret!
  It isn't a good deal in my opinion.  Go to Google News and read about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, there are many, many articles to choose from.

Yes, Darlene, I do owe Weasels an apology for comparing them to politicians!

Some samples of what you can find to read.

It's a new word/old word world

Header from a Lewiston Sun Journal article

  When I read the article, photo above, in the Bangor Daily News (papers trade stories here in Maine), my brain started up that old thinking stuff again.  Some of the original Maineah language is already dead.  The word "tonic" comes to mind,  when I was a kid we drank tonic if we were lucky enough to be able to buy it; now it's commonly called soft drink, soda or maybe coke.  I haven't heard the word tonic used in that manner in sixty years.
  We still have the words, muckle, as in I muckled on to him, or maybe I grub his neck and squoze.
The word numb means dumb, wicked means good or great, and spleeny means you are afraid of slight pain.
  An example: if a baby is very cute, it would be expressed as wicked cunning.  Ayuh!

Weasel stuff

A weasel in winter with his supper
Photo: from www.wunderground.com  a weather site

  In my family weasel stuff is trying to get around a rule, or it was when the children lived at home.  Hollie still uses the term and self-reports to me when she has done some weasel stuff.
  Weasel stuff happens all the time stretch the truth, fib, a white lie and on and on.  What about buying a car?  The sales person talks you into loving one car and gets you the best price that can be had, say $12,000.00.  You buy the car only to find in the paper the very next day that same car on sale for $11,000.00!  Wow, you've been had by weasel stuff.
  Politicians are good at this stuff too, double-speak, voting not in line with his districts wishes, all of that is just good old weasel stuff.  There's too much of it.

A long day in a chair, night too

Icy brook with frozen waterfall, Alfred, Maine - click
Photo: Gregory Rec Portland Press Herald

  I went out for coffee and was home about 6:45AM it was just starting with some freezing drizzle, it quickly turned to hard rain that froze on contact, I estimate that there was a half inch of solid ice on the parking lot and walkway.  I haven't been out since, it's still early of course, I'll go out about 4:00AM.
  I could not load Money on the new PC, it's not compatible, nor was Office 2007.  I bought Office 2013 and it's on there, the documents I have will transfer okay (I'm told).  I found, in Excel, a check register that's great - I can replace Money with my own documents.
  I watched the early, Seattle/New Orleans, game, couldn't stay awake for the Patriots taking care of business with the Colts.
  Well, today I'll try some file transfers and we'll see how that goes.

Outer Union Street, Bangor Jan 11 2014 very icy, that's the shiny stuff.
I use this road at least twice a day!
Photo: Gabor Degre Bangor Daily News