Feeding the Birds

One thing that I have missed doing since I lost my job in 2008 is feeding the outdoor birds during the winter. I always did this in the past. I loved seeing the variety of avians visiting the outdoor feeder. When a client gave me a gift card to Petsmart for Christmas, I rushed over to buy the largest bag of bird seed with the money.

Both yesterday and today, I have marveled at the window as the cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, titmice and others have feasted in my yard. Each takes its turn at the feeder, although the blue jays get a little pushy. Today, I walked into the kitchen and two large crows had taken over the backyard. All the other birds had vanished. I knocked on the window, and the crows flew to the fence. I do not mind them in the backyard, but crows are predators to other birds.

My back yard is open to all birds, and I love to watch the different birds feed together. The crows have moved to the front yard that they share with the cats. Let’s see who wins that battle.

Meanwhile, I will enjoy feeding the birds. I am giving to nature and nature is giving to me.

Home Burials Offer an Intimate Alternative

This is a great idea. I want to be cremated. I once cremated a pet lizard in my backyard. His molecules returned to the Great Beyond as they should.

<!– –>

By KATIE ZEZIMA Published: July 20, 2009

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. — When Nathaniel Roe, 92, died at his 18th-century farmhouse here the morning of June 6, his family did not call a funeral home to handle the arrangements.

Sebastian Hinds

The home funeral for Nathaniel Roe, 92, who died in Peterborough, N.H., on June 6. His family handled the arrangements.

Cheryl Senter for The New York Times

Chuck Lakin assembling a pine coffin in April on his home workbench in Waterville, Me.

Cheryl Senter for The New York Times

Mr. Lakin works with a wood plane and a practiced eye.

Mr. Lakin’s bookcase coffin, which is two seven-inch-deep boxes hinged together.

Instead, Mr. Roe’s children, like a growing number of people nationwide, decided to care for their father in death as they had in the last months of his life. They washed Mr. Roe’s body, dressed him in his favorite Harrods tweed jacket and red Brooks Brothers tie and laid him on a bed so family members could privately say their last goodbyes.

The next day, Mr. Roe was placed in a pine coffin made by his son, along with a tuft of wool from the sheep he once kept. He was buried on his farm in a grove off a walking path he traversed each day.

“It just seemed like the natural, loving way to do things,” said Jennifer Roe-Ward, Mr. Roe’s granddaughter. “It let him have his dignity.”

Source: nytimes.com

<!– –>

NowPublic

Tags: New York | Family | Environment | home burial

Swine Flu

I mean, do we really need to panic about this? Are we participating in Stephen King’s The Stand? That is what I feel like watching a few minutes of CNN yesterday. I was exposed to a lot of strangers over the weekend by running in the half marathon and volunteering at the Nashville Zoo. Were those people handing me water and Cytomax at the water stops during the race handing me flu germs? And on purpose?

What about all those Publix workers at the finish line with the food? Did the fruits come through Mexico?

Someone coughed at the Zoo yesterday.  Should I panic?

I received the swine flu vaccination back in the 70s. Is it still good? A coworker’s arm turned black from the innoculation.

I’ll go easy on the caffeine this morning.

2 dead, dozens injured as homes lie in ruins after tornado

Most of Middle Tennessee escapes heavy damage; thousands lose power

By Kate Howard • THE TENNESSEAN • April 11, 2009

The rain that christened dawn on Good Friday transformed, by midday, into unforgiving tornadoes that would kill a mother and her baby, injure dozens more, and level hundreds of homes and businesses in Rutherford County. Winds flipped over cars and trucks on Interstate 24, and people hid in fear in closets and bathtubs.

Neighborhoods like the Blackman community and the Compton Road area near Murfreesboro were devastated. Most other Middle Tennessee counties escaped heavy damage. Nearly 19,000 homes were without power Friday. Gov. Phil Bredesen will travel to the area this morning.

Kori Bryant, who worked for Murfreesboro’s Parks and Recreation Department, was found dead near her home on Sulphur Springs Road. Her 9-week-old daughter, Olivia, who also died, was found lying nearby in her car seat.

Bryant’s husband, John, who was with his wife and child when the storm hit, was in critical condition Friday night in a Middle Tennessee hospital. Their home was demolished.

Source: tennessean.com

NowPublic

Tags: Environment | Travel | Tornado | MURFREESBORO

During the storm, my friend Ruthie and I were having lunch at the 12 South Taproom and enjoying a beer. We were north of the storm, but winds and rain were fairly heavy in Nashville. The owner of the Taproom was going to herd us into the cooler if the tornado came closer. It was a Tennessee version of a New Orleans Hurricane Party.

Obama Is Just the Facts on Environment

Posted by: Peter Henderson

Was that a dig at outgoing President George W. Bush? President-elect Barack Obama introduced his new environmental team and insisted his administration would focus on “the facts” as it put together policy.

“We understand the facts demand bold action,” he said.

Source: blogs.reuters.com

Science rules!

NowPublic

Tags: Environment | Science | Energy | Climate Change | Obama

Fixing It: Climate Change