Well, we really are country living now. After dinner and giving Cody a bath and settling him down to bed. I stripped the stems from some mixed greens I got from the neighbors garden and now they are boiling in some chicken stock. TJ was out in the yard mowing and I took the stems and leftover watermelon rind to the compost. Thinking I would just be quick about it I didn't bother to put shoes on. Well I thought it best to churn the compost up a bit. Knowing we had a corn snake lurking near the shed I was careful to get the cultivator to turn the compost. No snake in sight so I grabbed the tool and headed back to the bin. Whew stinky compost and lots of bugs. While thinking to myself I need to tend to it more often I disturbed the sleeping corn snake in the mess of rotting kitchen waste. UGH! I ran and got TJ. We've been hunting him for a while. WELL there were 2 in the bin. I guess it was nice and warm for them to snuggle. TJ got 'em using almost all the tools we have. No I never got bit and my feet are safe. No more shoeless trips to the compost.
Ever since becoming a mommy I am way more defensive of my surroundings. I have a little cub to take care of and keep safe.
This spring and summer has been full little critters. From the groundhog family taking up residence under our shed. (I hired Travis next door to take care of the mommy and scatter the family) to the rabbits who love to munch my beans and tomatoes and the snakes who don't stand a chance against my husband we are country living.
mmmm I can smell the greens cookin time to give 'em a stir and pull them off the stove.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Uluru
I climbed this back in the summer of '96 when my mother and I visited Australia. It was one of the most enchanted views I have ever experienced.
--- Plan to ban Uluru climb sparks debate ---
By Rob Taylor Rob Taylor – Wed Jul 8, 10:41 am ET /Reuters
CANBERRA (Reuters) – An Australian government proposal to stop people from climbing the famed Uluru, in deference to the wishes of indigenous people, sparked debate on Wednesday with lawmakers opposing the plan.
A draft management plan for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park called for a ban on people climbing the 348-meter (1,142 ft) rock, which is sacred to local Aborigine people and visited each year by 350,000 people, half of them from overseas.
The plan for Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, could be implemented within 18 months, but must be approved by national Environment Minister Peter Garrett after a two-month public consultation, a spokesman for Garrett said.
"Kevin Rudd must veto any plans by Peter Garrett to shut down Australia's world-famous Uluru climb," said conservative politician and environment spokesman Greg Hunt.
"Visitors from around Australia and the world would be stopped from completing the majestic and exhilarating journey," Hunt said.
The world heritage-listed rock, famed for its shifting red-ochre colors, is a top tourist drawcard and is climbed by more than 100,000 people each year, despite its central desert location and against the wishes of indigenous people.
"You can't go climb on top of the Vatican, you can't go climb on top of the Buddhist temples and so on and so forth," local elder Vince Forrester from Mutitjulu township told state radio.
Forrester said traditional owners of the rock, which is 9.4kms (5.8 mls) in circumference, have wanted the climb closed since the park was placed in indigenous hands in 1985. The monolith features strongly in indigenous creation myth.
"Obviously you have to respect our religious attachment to the land too, so we're saying please do not climb Uluru. We've said it in all languages," Forrester said.
But outback Northern Territory Tourism Minister Chris Burns said his government did not back the indigenous proposal.
Hunt said the national government should not contemplate the closure of the rock at a time when Australia's tourism industry was under threat from the global financial crisis.
"Big Brother is coming to Uluru to slam the gate closed on an Australian tourism icon, the climb," he said.
But people responding to the state ABC radio website were divided, with some saying it was a "denial of the rights," and others calling for more respect of sacred areas.
"About time. We would be horrified if people were allowed to climb all over our churches or sacred sites," wrote Lilly. (Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
--- Plan to ban Uluru climb sparks debate ---
By Rob Taylor Rob Taylor – Wed Jul 8, 10:41 am ET /Reuters
CANBERRA (Reuters) – An Australian government proposal to stop people from climbing the famed Uluru, in deference to the wishes of indigenous people, sparked debate on Wednesday with lawmakers opposing the plan.
A draft management plan for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park called for a ban on people climbing the 348-meter (1,142 ft) rock, which is sacred to local Aborigine people and visited each year by 350,000 people, half of them from overseas.
The plan for Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, could be implemented within 18 months, but must be approved by national Environment Minister Peter Garrett after a two-month public consultation, a spokesman for Garrett said.
"Kevin Rudd must veto any plans by Peter Garrett to shut down Australia's world-famous Uluru climb," said conservative politician and environment spokesman Greg Hunt.
"Visitors from around Australia and the world would be stopped from completing the majestic and exhilarating journey," Hunt said.
The world heritage-listed rock, famed for its shifting red-ochre colors, is a top tourist drawcard and is climbed by more than 100,000 people each year, despite its central desert location and against the wishes of indigenous people.
"You can't go climb on top of the Vatican, you can't go climb on top of the Buddhist temples and so on and so forth," local elder Vince Forrester from Mutitjulu township told state radio.
Forrester said traditional owners of the rock, which is 9.4kms (5.8 mls) in circumference, have wanted the climb closed since the park was placed in indigenous hands in 1985. The monolith features strongly in indigenous creation myth.
"Obviously you have to respect our religious attachment to the land too, so we're saying please do not climb Uluru. We've said it in all languages," Forrester said.
But outback Northern Territory Tourism Minister Chris Burns said his government did not back the indigenous proposal.
Hunt said the national government should not contemplate the closure of the rock at a time when Australia's tourism industry was under threat from the global financial crisis.
"Big Brother is coming to Uluru to slam the gate closed on an Australian tourism icon, the climb," he said.
But people responding to the state ABC radio website were divided, with some saying it was a "denial of the rights," and others calling for more respect of sacred areas.
"About time. We would be horrified if people were allowed to climb all over our churches or sacred sites," wrote Lilly. (Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
July 4th Pics
We always go up to New Jersey to visit my Uncle and Aunt for the 4th. On the 3rd of July they have a big party because fireworks are shot off of the Navesink River which is the River they live on. It is near Red Bank, NJ
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
DADDY DAY CARE
Hey everyone,
sorry for the delay on the blog. It has been a rough month from middle of May until now. On May 17, 2009 we put on a Bluegrass Festival in Cary, North Carolina. It was cold and rainy but the concert still went on. However, we didn't have as many people there as we would have liked but all in all it was a memorable experience. After that I started S.O.L.s at school. In my new position I had to proctor the test which was 3 weeks of walking around a circle of computers all day. (BORING AS ...) For those of you that don't know what S.O.L's they are The Virginia Standards of Learning Tests given to our 3rd - 5th grades at my school and they are also given in middle and high schools throughout the state.
After the test finished up then with my new position I had a lot more responsibilities at the end of the year. I learned a valuable lesson that I hope will help me out next year. GIVE THE TEACHER'S DEADLINES FOR PROJECTS. Man, talk about waiting to the last minute. I won't get into the details but my last 3 weeks of work sucked.
Then on sunday June 9 my friend giggles and I took off out of town to see Phish in Camden, NJ. It was a blast but I am not as young as I used to be. We left the concert at midnight when it finished and drove the 4 hours back. I made it to Maryland but giggles had to take over at the wheel. We had to get home because I had to go to work the next morning and take Cody to daycare. We still had one more concert to attend and that was on June 18 in Burgettstown, PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) So I finished up my last day and turned my keys in to work and we took off. The original plan was to drive the 5 hour trip back but we learned from our lesson and my wonderful wife let me. This was actually my first day of Daddy Day Care but I had a friend watch Cody for a few hours until we picked him up after the concert.
Now its the end of June and we are back on the blog. Hopefully Cody won't wake up while I finish this up. Yesterday was a pretty rough one with him. He was exhausted but never wanted to nap longer than 45 min. So this really hurt him through the night. Also he has discovered he can make loud noises and different sounds. So he lays in his bed and just starts talking away. Its AWESOME except when its 1 am, 2 am, 4 am. You get the point.
I will always take a lack of sleep because are little man is wonderful. Hilary and I are so lucky to have such a happy, alert, healthy little boy in our lives. He has put purpose into our lives and I don't know what we were doing before he came along.
Sorry for making such a long post but it's been awhile. Take Care and hope to see you soon.
sorry for the delay on the blog. It has been a rough month from middle of May until now. On May 17, 2009 we put on a Bluegrass Festival in Cary, North Carolina. It was cold and rainy but the concert still went on. However, we didn't have as many people there as we would have liked but all in all it was a memorable experience. After that I started S.O.L.s at school. In my new position I had to proctor the test which was 3 weeks of walking around a circle of computers all day. (BORING AS ...) For those of you that don't know what S.O.L's they are The Virginia Standards of Learning Tests given to our 3rd - 5th grades at my school and they are also given in middle and high schools throughout the state.
After the test finished up then with my new position I had a lot more responsibilities at the end of the year. I learned a valuable lesson that I hope will help me out next year. GIVE THE TEACHER'S DEADLINES FOR PROJECTS. Man, talk about waiting to the last minute. I won't get into the details but my last 3 weeks of work sucked.
Then on sunday June 9 my friend giggles and I took off out of town to see Phish in Camden, NJ. It was a blast but I am not as young as I used to be. We left the concert at midnight when it finished and drove the 4 hours back. I made it to Maryland but giggles had to take over at the wheel. We had to get home because I had to go to work the next morning and take Cody to daycare. We still had one more concert to attend and that was on June 18 in Burgettstown, PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) So I finished up my last day and turned my keys in to work and we took off. The original plan was to drive the 5 hour trip back but we learned from our lesson and my wonderful wife let me. This was actually my first day of Daddy Day Care but I had a friend watch Cody for a few hours until we picked him up after the concert.
Now its the end of June and we are back on the blog. Hopefully Cody won't wake up while I finish this up. Yesterday was a pretty rough one with him. He was exhausted but never wanted to nap longer than 45 min. So this really hurt him through the night. Also he has discovered he can make loud noises and different sounds. So he lays in his bed and just starts talking away. Its AWESOME except when its 1 am, 2 am, 4 am. You get the point.
I will always take a lack of sleep because are little man is wonderful. Hilary and I are so lucky to have such a happy, alert, healthy little boy in our lives. He has put purpose into our lives and I don't know what we were doing before he came along.
Sorry for making such a long post but it's been awhile. Take Care and hope to see you soon.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cody is 4 Months Old TODAY!!
We are going to get formal portraits of Cody today!! I will share them once we get home.
Four months .... amazing!
Four months .... amazing!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Dairy Fest 2009
As a way to celebrate my first complete week back at work after my leave, we had a Dairy Fest. Sharon made the gorgeous cheesecake, Stacy made Milk Punch (a special drink made by the Dairy Princess herself), I brought the party favors, little Milky character. Mine was whole milk, Stacy/Strawberry milk, Sharon/Chocolate milk, Deneal/Skim Milk. The character is from the Blur music video for Coffee and TV. We all celebrated the Friday starting out with the Milk Punch...mmmmm...milk, strawberry jello packet, vanilla ice cream and sprite. Then we went out to lunch. The celebration continued with Sharon's TO DIE FOR strawberry and pineapple cheesecake. OMG SOOOO GOOD! Ridiculous how good. Anyway the theme comes from the fact that I am still nursing and that leaves me to pump at work. When I leave my desk I leave the little "moo cow" cartoon sitting out(see * below). I only go 2-3 times a day but at least this way I don't have to say it every time. I feel like it is going well and I will be able to continue to provide Cody nourishment. YEAH DAIRY FEST 2009@
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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