R E F L E C T I O N S

The last live flowers.  Maybe they're a different variety.  I watched a squirrel climb up one of the stalks.  He looked puzzled then climbed down. I missed a photo of a cardinal on one of the still yellow flowers.  The color contrast of deep red and bright yellow would have made a great image.  But by the time I got my camera he had flown away. I know the birds enjoyed the seeds.

I don't really cook but I can make popovers.  The recipe is gluten free because my wife Lynette has Celiac Disease and can't have anything with wheat in it. Even so, they turn out to be delicious. It takes about 20 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to cook. Makes  6  popovers Here's the recipe. _____________________________________________________________ Flour     1 cup  (I use "Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour) Milk       1 cup Salt       pinch Whole Eggs 2 Egg Whites 2 ______________________________________________________________ Coat ramekins with oil, butter or "PAM" (I use Pam) Preheat to 425 degree and put empty ramekins in oven.  Place them on a cookie sheet to make it easier to move around. ______________________________________________________________ ~Mix the flour with the milk (consistency maybe a little thin with a few lumps, don’t worry). ~Slightly beat the whole e...

" Solsbury Hill " is a song by English musician  Peter Gabriel  about a  spiritual experience  atop  Solsbury Hill  in Somerset , England Gabriel has said of the song's meaning, "It's about being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get... It's about letting go." ~Wikipedia Solsbury Hill Peter Gabriel Solsbury Hill By Peter Gabriel Climbing up on Solsbury Hill I could see the city light Wind was blowing, time stood still Eagle flew out of the night He was something to observe Came in close, I heard a voice Standing, stretching every nerve I had to listen had no choice I did not believe the information I just had to trust imagination My heart going boom, boom, boom Son, he said, grab your things I've come to take you home To keep in silence I resigned My friends would think I was a nut Turning water into wine Open doors would soon be shut So I went from day to day Thou...

From Wikimedia  A map of the United States indicating regional variation in the word(s) one uses to address a group of two or more people Here's something I found interesting that I'd like to share.  1. Y'ALL Used primarily in the Southern US, this is a shortening of the phrase "you all," which is also used in its full form as a plural address. It may have been introduced to America by Ulster Scots immigrants who used the phrase "ye aw." Y'all also has a possessive form, as in, "How was y'all's day?" 2. YINZ This one is a hallmark of the dialect known as "Pittsburghese." People who speak this dialect are referred to as "yinzers." 3. YOU-UNS Yinz originates from this form, also used in the Ohio River Valley around Pittsburgh. It's a shortening of "you ones," a usage that goes as far back as Chaucer. 4. YOU GUYS In the parts of the U.S. where they don't use "y'all,...

First, here are a few flowers from my backyard. I did not see the toad for several weeks (July 27, 2015) so I thought it was gone.  But today I saw it again! Maybe the toad was always there but so well camouflaged that I could not see it. Here are a few photos: Here you can see the hole it dug in the flower pot. See him in his hole? This is a closer shot. Here is an up-close photo.

Many years ago I had a pet hamster.  I named him Meatball.  I bought him for an experiment in my introduction to psychology class.  I kept a record of how I taught him to do something. I forgot what it was. He was very smart and figured out how to unlock his cage and explore the house.  He never bit me. Here's a video from Disneyland I found it on the Mashable website (  Mashable  )

I never knew about this: "Man-Spreading, or man-sitting, is the practice of sitting in public transport with legs wide apart, thereby covering more than one seat."  ~Wikipedia  I found out about it from an article on the web. I'm not sure what the site was. Then I searched for more images. It's not new: They even have signs  about it: But women can do it with her bags: Is she pregnant?