Too Good to Pass Up....Post Views...9108

Beware of Sinking Ponds.....

SANICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Just outside the rustic village, children fished in a tranquil pond bobbing with green algae and lined with willow trees, as cattle grazed nearby.
Now, Rezak Motanic gazes in disbelief down a gigantic moonlike crater where the pond used to be. It's like something from a science fiction movie: a sinkhole swallowed the water, the fish and even nearby trees.
"I sat here only a day before it happened, sipping plum brandy," Cemal Hasan said. "And then, there was panic. Fish were jumping out, and a big plum tree was pulled down like someone yanked it with a hook."
The villagers of this remote northwestern Bosnian village have been in shock since the pond vanished two weeks ago.
Their pond was some 20 meters (yards) in diameter and about eight meters deep. Now, the "abyss," as the villagers have dubbed the crater, is some 50 meters wide and 30 meters deep — and growing.
Scientists say it is not uncommon that ponds and small lakes suddenly disappear. They say it could be caused by drying underground water currents, or changes in soil drainage due to irrigation.
The Sanica villagers, however, are having none of the scientific explanations.
"It could have been a giant cave that opened its doors," offered Milanko Skrbic. "Or a volcano."
Another popular theory — one that experts dismiss along with the others proposed by townsfolk — is that fish could have triggered the explosion of one of several World War II German bombs believed to have been thrown into the pond by an old woman after the war.
"She herself died when one of the bombs exploded in her arms," Cemal Hasan said as he stood on the edge of the "abyss."
Another spooky explanation: The owner of the pond took it with him when he died about a month ago.
"Only days before Hasan passed away he said: 'I'll take everything with me when I die.' And that's what he did," Motanic said. "His daughter saw him walk on the lake the night he died."
Husein Nanic said it could be a sign that the end is nigh: "All sort of miracles happen before the doomsday," he said.
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Associated Press writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.
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        'Tis the season for eating.  And eating I have been doing.  I remember a Thanksgiving a few years back where I had ONE meal of turkey for the entire holiday.  This year made up for that-----Four, yes, Four turkey dinners, plus Deb gave ME  her carcass.  Yeah!  Well, not HER carcass, the turkey's.

Grandma G's Black Friday Turkey Salad.....cold turkey, apples, celery, dried cranberries, walnuts, dash of nutmeg, and salad dressing.  Yum!   
AND healthy!

   "That you, cousin Leroy?"

  Turkey, veggie, noodle soup.....
      

A delight for the vegetarian.....And for the rest of us.....

Spaghetti squash smothered in pasta sauce with black olives and mushrooms....sprinkled with Parmesan cheese....Yum....the squash has the texture of spaghetti and has a mild flavor.....











     The past few days have been relaxed, somewhat lazy, yet with adequate activity.       

Wednesday evening was my 3rd turkey dinner, sponsored for active military and their families.  A local veterans board and my minister's family provided the food, cooking, serving and musical entertainment.  Bonus, it was only about a 10 minute drive from my house.  
   
      Thanksgiving Day was a phone fest for me as I called all my little turkeys and some Indiana turkeys----I mean, my kids and some of my siblings.  I get that mixed up sometimes. 
      In the afternoon I took my homemade carrot cake and went to Deb's for the rest of the day.  A bonus there....a new cousin to the Millers, 4 week old, Zyan.  Bentley dog was quite confused with this strange little puppy. 



      Friday was sleep-in day (no Black Friday shopping for me).  I did stay up Thursday until after 1AM for PPP (What?) and Star Trek marathon.  
      First came DISHES from all the previous days' cooking before "processing" the turkey carcass into soup stock and salad. Then a little laundry and cleaning up the kitchen. Finally back to PPP.  

     OK.....PPP.....Piggy Puzzle Progress......Oink.....

It's like eating potato chips....one piece leads to one more.... 


FYI...eating potato chips goes a LOT faster...  

      Saturday started the same as Friday....only a bit more stiffly.  I resumed stretches for an hour before getting back to PPP Friday evening.  
      Since Christmas season quickly overtakes Thanksgiving I took down all the fall deco in the yard and porch.  (The forecast is for RAIN, RAIN, RAIN the next few days and then temps dropping into the 20's.)  
       I did get in on the end hours of Black Friday sales (on Sat.) after Deb called and said a particular store had all their artificial Christmas trees for half price.  I had already bought one there earlier in the week.  The sales girl said if they go on sale within the next 2 weeks I could bring in my sales receipt for a price adjustment.  However.....this evening I found out that it didn't apply to BF sales.  However.....one could buy one this evening for the sale price and return the other for a refund.  One could even happen to have "the other one" along with her after purchasing the one on sale and "return" that one with her previous sales receipt to receive one's refund....all without bringing a tree into the store or taking one out of the store that evening.  Think about that for awhile.  

     One thing about RAIN in the forecast out here.....they are always correct and punctual.  I brought in all my just bought Christmas decorations from my car BECAUSE rain is moving in.  Sure enough, 2 hours later the rain has returned.  I think it is something called "The Pineapple Express" air currents. 

     I did enjoy observing a natural phenomenon this afternoon......several brigades of honking geese flying west.  Hopefully they change direction somewhere.  The ocean isn't very far west of here.

        This has been a good 2 "after Thanksgiving" days in the life of Grandma G.

        "The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.  He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work."  (Psalms 104:12-13)

         

Happy Thanksgiving.....Post Views 9079!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

FROM

GRANDMA G!!

     I am thankful for all of you.....

Friends I know and Friends I don't know!

I am thankful for Family........

Nearby, across America and throughout the World!

I am thankful for the true God who is.....

   Faithful, loving and kind!

        This a good Thanksgiving Day in the life of Grandma G.  

       "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalms 100:4-5) 

TOO.....Relaxed? / Post Views 9050

      Is there such a thing as being TOO relaxed? Recuperating? Leisurely? Maybe, just hanging out?   Might you call it lazy?   Whatever you deem it, I have been it since Sunday.  I think having decided to "stay home" for the holidays has made me feel very relaxed and contented.  This is the first year in many that I am not packing a suitcase, watching weather reports, finding winter coat and boots and "buckling up the house" to head out on a flight to somewhere.  This is sweet.  

       Sunday was the 10th anniversary for our church, Burning Bush Ministries.  It was also MY 1st anniversary.  It was a year ago I attended my first service there....and have remained this past year.  I also stayed for their pot luck.  Kahana was the first friend that I met.  We have since "hung out" together a few times.  

       This year I sat next to Kahana for the service.  We were treated to a Barber Shop quartet,  "Upward Bound in the Fifth Dimension"
                              Oops, Maybe they can't count.

     Actually two of them are both basses.  It was very enjoyable for me to listen to the hymns sung in harmonies and marvel how they can stay on pitch while singing a cappella.  They later told me about the lady's version of quartets called "Sweet Adelines".  I don't think I have ever heard a group like that.  
       After a yummy pot luck of turkey, ham and "pitch in" side dishes (my cheesy party potatoes were all eaten up) I headed home with a full belly and "Allegheny Moon" (sung to me after the service) swooning in my head.  I REALLY wanted to nap, but made myself go for a half hour walk since the weather was so mild and sunny.  

Thanksgiving pansies... 

Land of red berries.....

Shall we dine together?
Foes or friends? 

      

         

      Monday, after sleeping in, I headed out to a chiropractor appointment.  It might sound strange, but I think I can turn my head to the right easier since having the troublesome molar extracted last week.  (Still healing from that.)  
      Then went on to finish Thanksgiving shopping and looking for an artificial Christmas tree.  Last year I enjoyed a real tree, but had  difficulty disposing of it afterwards.  The cut up trunk and branches are still sitting in my garage.  I did NOT find a tree that is not already prelit with tiny lights. 
       I returned home later in the afternoon for a 4:30 piano lesson and then felt okayed to "leisure out" the rest of the day...AKA....watch TV, eat and work on the never ending piggy puzzle.  

        Today, Tuesday, we have what is called an "air stagnation" alert until Friday.  Guess the weather conditions and prevailing winds keep the air from flowing freely.  I did notice a low level hazy cloud cover.  Still....it isn't SNOW....
         I needed to do some running around and ended up at Target where I found the "just right"  Christmas tree.  Yeah!   Just need to light a balsam fragrance candle for the "real" effect.  Also found the bath mat and long looked for microfiber cleaning clothes in another store. 
         While driving on the way home, on top of a hill, I caught a glimpse of Mt. Hood---majestic against the twilight sky and the last gleam of sun reflecting off its snowy peak. I felt blessed to be living here in the Pacific Northwest.  
         Upon returning home I again felt "okayed" to just hang out.  Watched a few Star Trek episodes, practiced piano for half an hour and ended the day doing stretches while watching the newest episode of Little People, Big World.  
         A good day even with air stagnation.   

      This has been a good 3 "too relaxed" days in the life of Grandma G.  

       "In vain you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat---for he grants sleep to those he loves."  (Psalms 127:2)

Busy Days......Post Views 9005!

       Grandma G has had 2 very busy days....

       At 6 PM I ventured out into the almost dark, chilly weather to go...shopping.  With not having been out much all week, even the cold air was refreshing.  

      There were extra sales for the evening at Freddy's where I shop the most.  So that was my Friday outing until 10 PM.  With Thanksgiving so close there was plenty of grocery buying to do.    

        something new to Grandma G...... Brussel sprouts still on their stems..... I'll need to buy some sometime  

YUMMY.......I think, Sweet Potato Pie,  I've never tasted one....hope it's yummy

       Earlier in the day I spent a few hours at the piano.  Last year the lady in charge of our neighborhood Thanksgiving dinner asked me when I arrived if I would play the piano while people were waiting for the meal.  I did play, but not well since I hadn't actually been at a piano since moving here a few months earlier.  SO.......

I decided to practice a bit in case I was called on again to play.  I put together a medley of folk songs and a few patriotic ones.  This was after I researched "Turkey in the Straw"....how the melody goes.  After all, Mr. (or Ms) Turkey is the guest of honor (though Mr or Ms probably doesn't realize it).   I came up with a list of about 8 tunes to fill about 25 minutes.  (I also composed a fun one titled "Pumpkin Pie", but decided that will be for some other occasion and just play familiar ones at this gathering.)

       Part of the purpose of shopping Friday evening was to get Thanksgiving cards to send to my families.  The ones heading "east", that is, to the mid west need a few days to get there and be delivered before Thanksgiving Day.  

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       Saturday morning dawned, or at least by mid morning, was sunny and blue skies.  I jumped out of bed and headed to the piano for some last minute practice.  Today was the day of our neighborhood turkey dinner.  Even if I didn't play for the "pre-meal" I was having fun entertaining myself.  
      I also needed to get 5 Thanksgiving cards written out by noon so that they would be in today's mail.  Got those done and to the mailbox a block away.  It was a pleasant surprise to have warm weather.  
      Next was to hurry back to make deviled eggs (still don't know why they are called that) for our dinner.  Now I say dinner though it is served and eaten at 4 PM.....senior citizens, you know.  And a number of folks are at the club house by 3 to get the choice seats.  
      So at 3:15 with the eggs in my hand, a coat on my back and folk songs in my head I set out for the club house.  It wasn't exactly "Over the river and through the woods", but the goal was the same.  

      And.....I simply sat down at the piano and played for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes in all.  Nobody seemed to pay attention to me, but I guess that's how it goes when you are background music.  Several folks did say later, that they enjoyed it very much.  I did get some round about encouragement for my studio.  One lady said that when her son moved out here to start a business it took him 3 years to get established.  It takes awhile, she said.  I will remember that. (smile)
      This meal was quite enjoyable to me.  Last year I was a stranger to all the people.  This year I know many of them and feel part of the community.  That is a lot to be thankful for.  
      After dinner it was time to hurry home to clean up the kitchen and cook for another pot luck tomorrow at church.  This time it was going to be "cheesy party potatoes". They are now cooling in the kitchen.  
      With those baked and some blogging accomplished it is......
 time for bed.

      This has been a good 2 busy days in the life of Grandma G.

      "Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples."  (Psalms 96:1-3) 
  

What Would YOU Do?......Post Views 8979

     It all started last Feb.  Actually it started 3&1/2 years ago.  Actually it started 19 years ago, but nobody knew it at the time.  
      Granddaughter, Angie, was born with a tethered spinal cord.  However it was not discovered until 3 years ago. And not until after 16 years of athletic activity.  Suddenly early January of that year she became virtually bedridden.  Not until late spring did a doctor realize what was incapacitating her.  
    The remedy is a "simple" snip of a fiber attaching the spinal cord to the tail bone.  At birth the spinal cord should be "free floating".  However this involves removing a vertebra in order to access the site.  Post op healing left Angie with excruciating lower back nerve pain.  For the past 3 years it has been  continuous doctor visits to try to alleviate the pain.  She is now hoping to have a permanent nerve stimulator placed in a few weeks.  So......
     I'd like to say this post is about her, but it is not...... 

It is about a PUZZLE.  Yes, a puzzle.... a puzzle?.....That puzzle is causing me quite a puzzle.  
    Angie is crazy about pigs.  When she had her surgery I went on line to find a piggy puzzle for her to do while she was recuperating.  

    However.....little did realize the complexity of it.  It is something called a photomosaic.  That means there are thousands of tiny pictures within the the puzzle itself. 

    So after Angie heroically set it all up, she gave up on it after a long while.  It sat at her house until I moved out here a year ago.  Then in February we decided to set it up at my house and DO IT.  We worked on it dutifully bit by bit until spring and Angie got tired and back achy from bending over it.  Then one day her little dog Bentley decided to snack on a piece.  That probably ended the project for Angie.

 
    I left it set up so I could occasionally work on it on rainy days. Rainy days out here are no different than most other days out here. Life goes on as usual.  The puzzle set on the 2 tables as usual.  
   Now the dilemma for me. Get busy, finish it and put the tables away or chuck the whole thing?  Now I suppose the answer for anyone will depend on what makes one's engine run, on what motivates one---is one stubbornly "give it up" resistant or is one "you gotta be kidding, just junk the whole thing" inclined?   I am stubbornly "give it up" resistant.   

     left--Feb, 2013
   right--Nov, 2013




      I know for sure there is one piece that will not fit--it is rather chewed up with a tinge of green in one corner. That can be the Bentley water mark when the puzzle is finished.  However---there may be other pieces missing.  MISSING...

      But since I believe in finishing what I start, this puzzle WILL be finished.  Hopefully within 2013.  
                           What would YOU do? 
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     These past 2 days have been unusually COLD for the Pacific Northwest.....down into the 20's overnight.  The weather predicting folks say there is an east wind bringing in the cold and dry, blue skies.  Guess it is suppose to last for another few days.
     


woke up to frost on my pumpkin this morning....and on the picnic table and house roofs.









Bonus....bright blue sky....



     This is day 3 post tooth extraction.  I am still a little numb and swollen, but not using any Tylenol.  Guess I need to be careful what and how I eat for a few weeks and then on to other things. 

     This has been a good 2 "unusually cold winter" days in the life of Grandma G.

     "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."  (Proverbs 16:32)

Grandma G has an Excuse// Post Views 8953

        I spent Monday afternoon at the endodontist office. I finally gave up on trying to save my upper back right molar. Though there was discussion with the dentist about options, we decided that to have it extracted was the best decision. 
     I admit I was quite apprehensive.  The "freezing" took the longest time--about 20 minutes to set in.  The actual extraction was took about 10 minutes--or that's how it seemed.  The procedure was not as traumatic as I was fearful it would be.  Also turns out the tooth was quite decayed under the crown.  Extraction was the right decision.  
          Since I knew this was going to happen I spent Sunday afternoon making chicken dumpling soup and doing the laundry.
(Sunday morning I shared a Bible message on giving thanks at my church service.  I was concerned it would be boring, but several people said it was meaningful to them.)
The evening Deb invited me over for tacos with their family.  
          Monday morning after sleeping in a bit I cleaned the bathroom so I would have a sterile environment to care post extraction.  
           So...Monday evening and today was a Lord of the Rings marathon, Tylenol, soft foods, tea and lots of water, and sitting around enjoying my electric fireplace.....  
           Hopefully tomorrow will be more "as normal".     

What Grandma G wants for Christmas.....
What....is it?   NOT chocolate...





        This has been a good 3 "molar extraction" days in the life of Grandma G.

        "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."  (Psalms 9:10)

         

    

  

Blogger's Block.... Post Views 8902

     Grandma G has Blogger's Block....I may have come up with a new term.....I have heard of writer's block (I think)....when a writer just can't come up with anything to write.....while I can't come up with anything to blog.....OH, DEAR......I'm not even sure what has gone on the past 3 days.......actually it is all coming back now.  

      Sissy had a temporary nerve stimulator inserted into her spine on Wed.  I had a picture but can't find it.  She had back surgery  3 years ago to correct a tethered spinal cord.  Consequently she has constant nerve pain in her lower back.  Since pain pills have not helped, nor therapy, they have chosen to try this mechanical approach.  
     Anyway Thursday I spent part of the day with her---after searching the grocery store for food to take to her----she said anything was fine---so try to figure out the anything that she would like.  
     I haven't talked to her today but as of yesterday there seemed to hope that the stimulator is relieving the pain.  The next step is a surgery to implant a permanent one that she will regulate with a small remote she'll always carry with her.  The wonders of modern medicine!! More on that as time goes on.
(Sissy holding Gemma by the Grand Canyon)

      Friday I think I stayed in all day. I spent several hours working on a message from the Bible about thanksgiving (giving thanks) to share on Sunday (tomorrow).  I will talk about 20 -30 minutes.  This was a bigger challenge to prepare than I thought it would be.  
      Later in the day I took a break to watch a 2 hour episode of Star Trek  while cooking a good down home dinner of breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes and fried apples. Yum...
And then washed all the dishes (that had accumulated since Tuesday).
      Today, Sat., I went to water aerobics and then home where I stayed the rest of the day.  More work on my Sunday sharing.  I think I know why I have Blogger's block.  Evidently it didn't cause writer's block after all.  

Fun picture...five white vehicles clumped together...mine is the 5th....

                  tree at Deb's  house

Grandma G with Jude and Gemma at Grand Canyon

     This has been a good 3 "blogger's block" days in the life of Grandma G.

      

      "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving  and extol him with music and song."  (Psalm 95:1&2)

The Colors of PNW Autumn....Post Views 8873

     We were treated to sunshine and cool temperatures.  A good day to enjoy the flavor of a PNW autumn day in mid November.

                                              ENJOY

    This has been a good colorful PNW autumn day in the life of Grandma G.

    "For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love."  (Psalms 33:4&5)