Penny’s Piggy Bank or Piggy’s Penny Bank? May 31, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Animals, Food & Drink, Health & Wellness.comments closed
Meet Penny the Piggy. She’s a fundraising mascot for Meals on Wheels. The pennies collected in her Piggy Bank help to provide food for the elderly and other “shut ins” who can’t get out to shop.
But should we call it Penny’s Piggy Bank or Piggy’s Penny Bank?
Either way, feeding the bank fills hungry bellies!
Aah . . . that’s better!
What A Circus! May 28, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke.comments closed
A husband and wife who work at a circus, go to an adoption agency.
Social workers there raise doubts about their suitability to bring up the boy that they want.
The couple produce photos of their 50 foot motor home, which is equipped with a beautiful nursery.
The social workers then are doubtful about the education that the child would get.
“We’ve arranged for a full-time tutor who will teach the child all the usual , along with French, Mandarin and computer skills.”
Then there are doubts about raising a child in a circus environment.
“Our nanny is an expert in pediatric welfare and diet.”
Satisfied at last, the social workers ask, “What age child are you hoping to adopt?”
“It doesn’t really matter, as long as he fits into the cannon”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joe M.)
We Had a Field Day on Field Day! May 25, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Happiness, People.comments closed
Jill’s post about school recess periods, We’re Free, brought back happy memories of playing on the playground in grade school:
Kick Ball. Dodge Ball. Tether Ball. Hop Scotch. Jump Rope.
Remembering those good times on the playground reminded me of our annual Field Day event.
We had a Field Day on Field Day!
Instead of sitting in class, classes assembled outside to run fast, jump high, and compete for ribbons in Olympic caliber events on the track and in the field:
We enjoyed egg-spoon races, 3-legged races, wheelbarrow races (steering human wheelbarrows by the ankles), long jump, high jump, tug-of-war (where even the winners walked away with rope burn), and all manner of mad dashes.
As energy levels flagged, teachers lined us up in facing rows for the Egg Toss.
Not to be confused with the Caber Toss or Hammer Throw:
At first, mere inches separated the two long rows of intent students facing one another. With each successive toss, successful teams had to take another step back before launching their oval missiles.
Eventually the chasm was too wide to cross with a gentle toss and the eggs got scrambled.
Egg Toss (in Public Domain)
Rather like Humpty Dumpty.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Did you celebrate Field Days in your school?
A “Catwalk” Through A Cypress Swamp May 23, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Nature, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
When we lived in NC, we spent many wonderful weekends camping and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smokies.
We loved to pack a picnic and hike to a waterfall where we could park our butts on a big boulder mid-river to enjoy the rushing water (and an adult beverage, or two). Here, there is plenty of water but waterfalls are few and far between.
BFF misses our mountain meanders ~ not enough to hike the Appalachian Trail, but enough to wander in the woods and set a spell. We came close earlier this month.
Wanting to fit in another road trip before Florida temps rose from warm to steamy, we headed to Sebring for a short visit.
Emphasis on short.
We enjoyed a quick peek at Lake Jackson . . .
And strolled around the Circle Shops, stopping to visit a pottery studio, before bidding adieu to Sebring.
With Sebring in our rear view mirror, we headed to nearby Highland Hammock State Park to do some hiking in the woods.
Our first hike started out as an easy flat walk along an elevated boardwalk.
High above the muck and mire. Just the way I like it!
Without warning, our easy hike turned into a balancing act along a narrow “catwalk” suspended over the murky Cypress Swamp.
The catwalk had a handrail on one side and NOTHING between us and the swamp on the other.
The people who built it must have had a good laugh at the one-sided structure they left in their wake.
To make matters worse, stuff kept falling out of the tall tall trees because a big storm had blown through the night before.
Every time a big limb dropped with a CRACK, we jumped.
Especially after seeing the creature from the black lagoon rising from the swampy soup.
To claim the boardwalk for lunch.
We didn’t see any gators or snakes.
We were OK with that.
We did see some interesting hoo doos.
And pixies hiding among the primordial ferns.
Eventually the canopy gave way to blue sky and we climbed down from the catwalk to terra firma.
Happy we lived to tell the tale, we readied ourselves to hike another trail.
Which turned out to be a very gnarly one.
After meeting up with this wise old oak . . .
We continued along the trail until we heard “a bear” crashing through the forest in our direction.
Deciding we’d had enough nature for one day, we fled the trail.
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Donald As CEO . . . May 21, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke.comments closed
United Steel Associates (U.S.A.), feeling it was time for a shakeup, hired a new CEO.
Let’s call him . . . The Donald.
The Donald was determined to rid the company of all slackers.
On a tour of the facilities, Donald noticed a guy leaning against a wall. The room was full of workers and he wanted to let them know that he meant business.
The Donald asked the guy, “How much money do you make a week?”
Surprised, the young man said, “$400 a week. Why?”
Donald said, “Wait right here.”
The Donald stormed off to his office, came back in two minutes, and handed the guy $1,600 in cash and said, “Here’s four weeks’ pay. Now GET OUT and don’t come back. You’re fired!”
Feeling pretty good about himself The Donald looked around the room and asked, “Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-ball did here?”
From across the room a voice said, “Pizza delivery guy from Domino’s.”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joe M.)
Have you ever worked for someone like The Donald . . . who reacted before getting the facts and thinking things through?
Bagels On The Beach May 19, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Nature, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
In early May, we went to Einstein Bagels, bought a big bag of bagels and had bagels on the beach at Siesta Key.
We loved the beach improvements made since our last visit ~ this walkway leads up to the second-story snack bar and concession stand with an amazing view and a diverse menu.
Siesta Key is proud of its beach . . .
For good reason.
In addition to miles of powder white sand, it’s “user friendly” . . . with rest rooms, changing rooms, and 800 FREE parking spots (which fill up quickly on sunny days).
And it boasts a fun and shady playground for tiny tots tired of too much sand, sun, and surf.
After beaching it for a couple hours, we walked around Siesta Key Village and grooved to fun live music at the SKOB ~ good tunes from the 70’s. Including Pure Prairie League!
After getting the “munchies” from the college tunes and Woodstock sounds, we chowed down on some mini donuts ~ still warm from the fryer, baby!
No. I didn’t take a photo of them. We were too busy eating.
We stopped in Southside Village at Morton’s Gourmet Market. After sampling some delicious blue cheese from Wisconsin, we bought a chunk of cheese and a bunch of bananas and headed home.
Relaxed and happy.
Aah . . . that’s better!
What’s your favorite music from the 70’s?
Yes . . . We Have Some Tomatoes! May 17, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Food & Drink, Home & Garden.comments closed
Yes . . . we have some tomatoes. We have some tomatoes today!
Each year, in May, Hunsader Farms invites folks to come out and pick their own tomatoes before the fields close for the summer.
The cost for hand-picked juicy red ripe tomatoes that deliver REAL tomato flavor?
$2 for a 5-gallon bucket!
This year, I hand-picked two buckets (approximately 125 tomatoes) in about 40 minutes.
I picked the second bucket because the weather was gorgeous, I was enjoying the exercise, and I wanted to have enough tomatoes to share with others.
On Saturday, I got more exercise by hand-delivering tomatoes on my “produce mobile” (a/k/a bike) to neighbors who can’t get out and pick their own because they are less mobile than me.
I also bought a box of 25 butternut squash for $5!
Plus 6 ears of corn. Plus an enormous cantaloupe.
How do you spell summertime? ~> D~E~L~I~C~I~O~U~S!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Shakespeare In The Park May 15, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Music & Dance, Nature, Poetry, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
On a day that threatened rain, we headed to Bay Preserve in Osprey for an Asolo Repertory Theatre performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night . . . with a modern twist.
The setting for this “in the park” production balanced well with the play’s set design of a summer camp.
The cast worked magic with Shakespeare’s timeless comedy of unrequited love, pride, pranks, and self-discovery.
And the rain held off until after the play and reception ended.
“If music be the food of love, play on.”
Aah . . . that’s better!
What’s your favorite Shakespeare play?
The More The Merrier, But . . . May 14, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Less IS More, Life Balance, People.comments closed
The more the merrier, but . . .
The bigger the group, the harder it is to get around and talk to everyone without missing something or someone.
“Hey, where’s Linda?”
As conversations merge and shift, with incomplete threads whipping about in the wind, edges blur and the end result may be just out of focus.
That’s why it’s important to take time to recharge your batteries after a gathering of the clan ~ it restores clarity.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Meeting People For The First Time May 11, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Mindfulness, Nature, People.comments closed
We went to Heritage Village in Largo on a gorgeous spring day. Our moods matched the weather ~ sunny and bright.
We enjoyed our interactions with the docents and other visitors.
With no reason to look through the cloudy lens of past experience, we could just enjoy the NOW as we toured historic buildings.
We didn’t have any stale baggage (or barrels) to cart around because we shared no history.
Our interactions were new NOW.
No grievances, resentments, disappointments or expectations marred our view or caused us concern about the future.
We engaged for the first (and last) time without a backwards glance.
When we bring that same level of alert curiosity to our every day encounters, everything is new NOW.
No man steps into the same river twice ~ for it is not the same river and he is not the same man. ~ Heraclitus
Aah . . . that’s better!
Spirit Lights The Way 