After a week of balmy weather, followed by gusty Winds, followed by a Drop in
temperatures, followed by snow, today was a sunny day, with temps in the 50s. By Tuesday, predictions are for a warm-up into the 70s, with thunderstorms.
Confused? Well, so are we. But Pauxetauney Phil isn't... today he predicted six more weeks of winter. For our corner of the south, that means six more weeks of rollercoaster weather.
Spring is on the horizon, though, and I'm ready to welcome it.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Omigosh! A Brown Recluse!
Today, during our pest exterminator's routine treatment and inspection, he found a spider in one of the sticky traps he'd set out in a corner of my office upstairs during his last visit. He aimed an electronic gadget at the trap, and it gave off a signal that the spider was, indeed, a Brown Recluse!
I was astonished. In the twenty-seven years I've lived in this house, never once has a Brown Recluse surfaced. The exterminator told us not to worry unduly...that it was a good sign he had found only one, and it was upstairs. Generally, he said, the spiders come in on the ground floor of a house. The fact that this one was upstairs probably means it was transported there from outside, in a shopping bag, or box, or something.
Far from easing my mind, that information sort of creeped me out. What bags or boxes had I thrust my hands into recently that might have contained that potentially deadly spider? I'll be extra careful from now on with bags, boxes, clothing, shoes, and dark corners!
The exterminator set out lots of sticky traps (said to be the best defense against these spiders), and applied a killing bait all around the house outside.
Brown Recluse spiders are common in the south, though I've never seen one up close before today. According to a website at http://www.brownreclusespider.com/ About 50% of bites from these spiders are 'dry,' meaning that no venom is injected and nothing happens to the victim. In other cases, though, if the victim is bitten in fatty tissue, it can cause systemic reactions like severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, soreness, and flu-like symtoms. And in extreme cases, where bites have not been taken care of right away, treatment has included skin grafts or even amputation. Some have died of these bites. I can't imagine not seeking treatment at the first hint of a spider bite!
Although there is no reason to be terrified, there is certainly reason to be alert and cautious. I'm just glad the spider was discovered, dead, by the exterminator, instead of by my careless hand.
I was astonished. In the twenty-seven years I've lived in this house, never once has a Brown Recluse surfaced. The exterminator told us not to worry unduly...that it was a good sign he had found only one, and it was upstairs. Generally, he said, the spiders come in on the ground floor of a house. The fact that this one was upstairs probably means it was transported there from outside, in a shopping bag, or box, or something.
Far from easing my mind, that information sort of creeped me out. What bags or boxes had I thrust my hands into recently that might have contained that potentially deadly spider? I'll be extra careful from now on with bags, boxes, clothing, shoes, and dark corners!
The exterminator set out lots of sticky traps (said to be the best defense against these spiders), and applied a killing bait all around the house outside.
Brown Recluse spiders are common in the south, though I've never seen one up close before today. According to a website at http://www.brownreclusespider.com/ About 50% of bites from these spiders are 'dry,' meaning that no venom is injected and nothing happens to the victim. In other cases, though, if the victim is bitten in fatty tissue, it can cause systemic reactions like severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, soreness, and flu-like symtoms. And in extreme cases, where bites have not been taken care of right away, treatment has included skin grafts or even amputation. Some have died of these bites. I can't imagine not seeking treatment at the first hint of a spider bite!
Although there is no reason to be terrified, there is certainly reason to be alert and cautious. I'm just glad the spider was discovered, dead, by the exterminator, instead of by my careless hand.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Cardinal Congregation
A dozen or so bright red cardinals and their orangy mates are visiting our birdfeeders today. They are such a beautiful sight on this gray, semi-snowy day.
I snapped these three soft-focus shots through a window of the sunroom, using a zoom lens and a high ISO setting. It's times like this that I yearn for a bird blind in the yard.
Even if the images are not as sharp as I'd like, they still tell a story of a winter day here in the south.
I love birds, and cardinals are among my very favorite.
It's Sleeting, It's Snowing, but at Least It's Not Blowing
Tuesday's gusty winds, in some places as strong as 50 to 60 miles-per-hour, did quite a bit of damage in the state, blowing roofs off buildings, destroying sheds and signs, pushing trees and power poles over, sparking fires, and leaving thousands without electricity.
Luckily, we suffered no damage at our house. Today, much of the state is experiencing sleet and snow...our town included. From the sliding glass doors in my office upstairs, I can hear the ping of sleet on a window air conditioner, and see our yard and a neighbor's house covered in a light blanket of snow.
So far, it is not a particularly pretty snow...not deep enough to hide leaves and gumballs left unraked last fall, not deep enough to lay like frosting on pine tree branches, and not deep enough to create the quiet stillness of a home-bound day, when only those motorists who absolutely must be somewhere are on the road.
Some parts of the state are getting several inches of the white stuff, but right now the brunt of it has scooted around us. Things could change, though. Predictions are that a second wave of snow could be headed our way.
Whether we get more snow or not, Mother and I will not be attending our Weight Watchers meeting tonight. I'm not willing to risk Mother slipping and falling on a icy patch. Hopefully, the meeting will be cancelled. If not, we will pay the required fee next week for missing a month's weigh-in.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Don't Like the Weather? Stick Around...
There are four seasons in the south, and sometimes two of them happen in the same week, or even in the same day. Today, for instance, the temp rose to a spring-like mid-sixties here, and to the 70s in the central part of the state. But as a cold front passed through, it plummeted again to winter-cold. Our favorite TV weathermen say we could even see wintry precipitation later this week...maybe snow or sleet, which is predicted to be followed by a warm-up again by the weekend.
A large part of the state was under a tornado watch today but, thank goodness, nothing came of it. Gusty winds, though, blew a lot of leaves off our two acres, across the highway, and into the neighbor's pasture. I figure the cattle and horses that graze there won't mind.
The wind also blew a tree over on this same neighbor's land adjacent to our property on the north side. We wouldn't have known this, except that just before lunch, Mother noticed highway department vehicles on the road in front of our house, with flagmen directing traffic. Hubbie went out to find out what was going on and saw that part of the tree had fallen across the fence, across the ditch, and then out onto the highway.
These events are trivial, however, compared to thousands south and east of us, including some of Hubbie's relatives, who are without electricity tonight because of power lines downed by 50 to 60 mile-per-hour winds. We are told that about two miles of poles in that area have broken or blown over. Some buildings, and at least one school, were damaged in our region, too.
I hope wind-blown coifs are still in style, because that's what Hubbie and I will be sporting at our third ballroom dancing lesson tonight. But who cares, as long as the lights stay on!
A large part of the state was under a tornado watch today but, thank goodness, nothing came of it. Gusty winds, though, blew a lot of leaves off our two acres, across the highway, and into the neighbor's pasture. I figure the cattle and horses that graze there won't mind.
The wind also blew a tree over on this same neighbor's land adjacent to our property on the north side. We wouldn't have known this, except that just before lunch, Mother noticed highway department vehicles on the road in front of our house, with flagmen directing traffic. Hubbie went out to find out what was going on and saw that part of the tree had fallen across the fence, across the ditch, and then out onto the highway.
These events are trivial, however, compared to thousands south and east of us, including some of Hubbie's relatives, who are without electricity tonight because of power lines downed by 50 to 60 mile-per-hour winds. We are told that about two miles of poles in that area have broken or blown over. Some buildings, and at least one school, were damaged in our region, too.
I hope wind-blown coifs are still in style, because that's what Hubbie and I will be sporting at our third ballroom dancing lesson tonight. But who cares, as long as the lights stay on!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Water Aerobics and a Salad Lunch
The water was a bit chilly at the college pool today - 82 degrees - but it still felt good to get an aerobic workout. Water aerobics energizes me for the day. I left a little early this morning, though, so I would have time to shower and dress, and pick up Mother for a salad lunch outing.
The Extension Homemakers Council sponsored the lunch, which consisted of about ten different low-calorie salads for attendees to sample. The event served as a training workshop to remind us that we need to include more fruits and vegetables in our diets. This was an excellent time for such a workshop, since most of us are open to recipe ideas that will help us drop those holiday-goodie pounds.
Our Extension Services agent reminded us that even though fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive, they are economical in the long run, because eating these healthy foods can lead to better health, which translates to a savings in health care costs.
The workshop ended with drawings for unusual door prizes...the leftover salad ingredients, like a half head of lettuce or onion, a partial box of white raisins, and part of a package of pita pockets. Mother and I went away empty-handed, but tummy-satisfied. Here are a couple of salad recipes that we particularly enjoyed:
CORN SALAD
Serving size: 1/6 of recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn - cooked and drained (we'll use canned corn)
3/4 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup ranch dressing, fat-free (we like Wishbone)
Combine vegetables in a bowl; stir in dressing; cover and refrigerate. 80 calories per serving.
PINK PARTY SALAD
Serving size: 1/6 of recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
4 potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 cups beets, cooked, peeled and diced (we'll use canned beets)
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (or canned)
3 eggs, hard boiled
1 apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
(recipe does not call for salt, but we plan to use seasoning salt when we make it)
Boil potatoes until tender. When thoroughly cool, dice potatoes and place in large bowl. Add diced beets and mix. Set aside 1/4 cup of peas for garnish and add the rest to the bowl. Save one egg to use as garnish. Chop the rest and add to the bowl. Peel the apple and remove the core. Cut apple into small pieces, place in a small bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add apple to the salad. Add the vinegar, olive oil an sugar. Mix thoroughly. Chill and serve. Calories: 140 per serving.
The Extension Homemakers Council sponsored the lunch, which consisted of about ten different low-calorie salads for attendees to sample. The event served as a training workshop to remind us that we need to include more fruits and vegetables in our diets. This was an excellent time for such a workshop, since most of us are open to recipe ideas that will help us drop those holiday-goodie pounds.
Our Extension Services agent reminded us that even though fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive, they are economical in the long run, because eating these healthy foods can lead to better health, which translates to a savings in health care costs.
The workshop ended with drawings for unusual door prizes...the leftover salad ingredients, like a half head of lettuce or onion, a partial box of white raisins, and part of a package of pita pockets. Mother and I went away empty-handed, but tummy-satisfied. Here are a couple of salad recipes that we particularly enjoyed:
CORN SALAD
Serving size: 1/6 of recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn - cooked and drained (we'll use canned corn)
3/4 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup ranch dressing, fat-free (we like Wishbone)
Combine vegetables in a bowl; stir in dressing; cover and refrigerate. 80 calories per serving.
PINK PARTY SALAD
Serving size: 1/6 of recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
4 potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 cups beets, cooked, peeled and diced (we'll use canned beets)
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (or canned)
3 eggs, hard boiled
1 apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
(recipe does not call for salt, but we plan to use seasoning salt when we make it)
Boil potatoes until tender. When thoroughly cool, dice potatoes and place in large bowl. Add diced beets and mix. Set aside 1/4 cup of peas for garnish and add the rest to the bowl. Save one egg to use as garnish. Chop the rest and add to the bowl. Peel the apple and remove the core. Cut apple into small pieces, place in a small bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add apple to the salad. Add the vinegar, olive oil an sugar. Mix thoroughly. Chill and serve. Calories: 140 per serving.
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