Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088694 times)

Babi · « **Reply #5160 on:** May 25, 2011, 08:34:16 AM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not).

Let the book talk begin here!

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BARB, if you add your age to the year you were born, you'll ALWAYS get the current year.
This year it's 2011. Next year it will be 2012 and you'll get 112.
Is it really be true that a 31-day month only starts on a Friday once every 823 years?!!
How odd.

It does sound as though the young woman may be a compulsive liar, STEPH. And of course,
that makes it difficult for anyone to believe anything she says. I can remember how shocked
and disappointed my Dad was years ago when it was finally realized that their minister was a
pathological liar. He would lie when there was really no reason to do so, so I suppose it was
something he could not help.

JoanK · « **Reply #5161 on:** May 25, 2011, 03:06:29 PM »

BARB: my 8 year old grandson got so excited at the idea of 1/11/11 that his parents declared it a holiday, and had a party. I'll tell him about the birthdays. The sum comes out 11 for those born in this century, and 111 for those born before 2000.

Steph · « **Reply #5162 on:** May 26, 2011, 05:57:25 AM »

The trial continues. It is on the national news as well as our local stations.. I was out most of yesterday, but got home in time to catch a little cross examination by her attorney. He seems to be terribly disorganized. Constantly searching in notes. I thought that attornies would be much better prepared.

Babi · « **Reply #5163 on:** May 26, 2011, 08:56:40 AM »

It could be he is an inexperienced, court-appointed attorney, ..or it could be
that he simply doesn't have anything on which to build a good defense. The
best help he can give her may be to convince the jury she is not being adequately represented. However, I doubt any attorney would damage his own reputation
with that tactic.

jeriron · « **Reply #5164 on:** May 26, 2011, 01:12:35 PM »

They expect that trial to last 2 months.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5165 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:36:07 PM »

What are y'all talking about - what trial - what made national news - I thought you were talking about a book that was either a who done it or a court case but now it sounds like you are talking about something in real life...??!!??

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5166 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:46:13 PM »

Book Editors Are Not An Endangered Species according to th retiring head of Random House as explained in this article in the Atlantic Monthly.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #5167 on:** May 26, 2011, 04:28:07 PM »

For you Janet Evanovich fans, here's the cast of "One for the Money"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZPJa6WLHWI

And for all you lovers of "The Help". This looks very good.

The Help Movie trailer

www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_ajv_6pUnI

pedln · « **Reply #5168 on:** May 26, 2011, 11:24:35 PM »

Thanks mabel, The Help looks like a winner. My f2f group is discussing the book next week. I've read the book twice, and look forward to seeing the movie.

Steph · « **Reply #5169 on:** May 27, 2011, 05:58:36 AM »

Oh me, I am sure Janet Evanovich got lots of money, but Lula is heavy.. A definite part of her character,n ot a little heavy, a lot heavy.. MOrelli is prototype Italina and this guy is not.. and Katherine Hegl is blonde of the month. Oh well. I will skip the movie and not worry about it.
Yes, the trial we are talking about is a real one. It has received national attention and Today for one has had someone reporting on the trial all week. Yesterday was a parade of ex boyfriends and friends of hers, all testifying that the month when the child was missing ( supposedly), she was happy , friendly and going out each and every night. It was only when her Mother finally realized that noone had seen Caylee that the girl decided to be upset.. Of course the baby was dead the whole time.
She lies like she breathes.. Even with her friends, since she told everyone she worked as an event planner at Universal and she had no job at all.

ginny · « **Reply #5170 on:** May 27, 2011, 05:34:50 PM »

I just heard some of the Casey Anthony trial today in the car on HLN and I was riveted with her father's testimony, golly moses, it's the first I've heard it. I had turned on what I thought was the news.

This is another OJ Simpson trial but possibly without the high powered lawyers. I see it's on HLN in the day time but with a lot of commercial breaks and straight thru on TRU TV on cable if anybody is trying to find it. The attorney today was quite interesting, in what he asked and what he didn't and what is then implied.

.

Steph · « **Reply #5171 on:** May 28, 2011, 06:07:24 AM »

Yes, Jose tends to imply all over the place. Hopefully the jury is catching on that most of it is unprovable. The guy who managed the towing place was impressive. He was straightforward polite and no nonsense.. Jose implied that he had not talked to the police for several weeks, and the recross brought out that he had in fact called the police the next day..
Today is going to be text messages and instant messages.. I can watch it on my Bright House network channel, but if it lasts for two months, I will need another place, possibly the internet to see it since I will be in the mountains..
Ginny,, are you close to Highlands, NC.. I know you are in South Caroline and I thought close to the border.

maryz · « **Reply #5172 on:** May 28, 2011, 09:45:56 AM »

Steph, Highlands is not too far from Chattanooga. If you decide you want to do a day in the "City", let me know, and we can meet up for some lunch and touristing (Aquarium, museum, waterfront, etc.).

ANNIE · « **Reply #5173 on:** May 28, 2011, 05:14:53 PM »

Steph,
Here's a link to Mapquest with Highlands, NC and my sister, Mary, in Morganton, NC and now, MaryZ in Chattanooga.

http://classic.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Highlands&1s=NC&1y=US&1l=35.053421&1g=-83.196678&1v=CITY&2c=Morganton&2s=NC&2y=US&2l=35.7453&2g=-81.684998&2v=CITY#b/maps/m:map:5:35.449018:-83.500584::::::1:1:::::::::/l:::Highlands:NC::US:35.053421:-83.196678:city::1:::/l:::Morganton:NC::US:35.7453:-81.684998:city::1:::/l:::Chattanooga:TN::US:35.045601:-85.3097:city:Hamilton+County:1:::/io:1:::::f:no:en_US:M::/bl:/e

ginny · « **Reply #5174 on:** May 28, 2011, 10:25:26 PM »

Stephanie, I'm about an hour and 45 minutes from Highlands. Might be fun to have a lunch some time when you are here, if we all drove to a place half way, or something.

maryz · « **Reply #5175 on:** May 28, 2011, 10:54:03 PM »

I'm up for that.

Steph · « **Reply #5176 on:** May 29, 2011, 05:56:38 AM »

I will have another widow with me, but I am certainly up for meeting somewhere central. I am staying a month and am bringing the dogs, but they dont do lunch..They get to stay home and sleep..

ANNIE · « **Reply #5177 on:** May 29, 2011, 12:43:56 PM »

Ginny,
When the weekend is over, I will call you with Mary's phone number. She wants to meet with you, Steph, and MaryZ. She is just driving home to NC after a weeklong cruise in the Carribean and wants to recover from that for the next week. After that she is all for meeting with you all. Hope this works out!

ginny · « **Reply #5178 on:** May 29, 2011, 02:29:49 PM »

Ann, that would be wonderful! I'd love to see Mary again! Our phones are down due to the storm Friday but they promise to have them back up by Monday evening.

This is exciting! I don't think we've ever had a mini gathering in the south, have we? Let's do it!

Looking at the map, tho, there doesn't appear a single best location to meet. We're all over the place, Ann's Mary is to the right, I'm down and Mary Z is quite a bit off to the west from Highlands, is going TO Highlands even feasible MaryZ? If not what do you recommend?

maryz · « **Reply #5179 on:** May 29, 2011, 04:01:56 PM »

I can do Highlands. I've been thinking of suggesting that we go over into the mountains for a weekend or a couple of weekdays. We'll be gone the first full week in July, but otherwise can probably be available.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5180 on:** May 29, 2011, 09:23:38 PM »

Looks like Highlands is easiest in distance. I will let Mary know. She can get away during the week but saves weekends for her best friend.

Steph · « **Reply #5181 on:** May 30, 2011, 06:01:32 AM »

I will be in Highlands the entire month of July and will have some of my grand childre n there the 5-8th. Otherwise, I am free any time at all..It sounds exciting..I know that Highlands has all sorts of restaurants around it..We used to stay down the mountain at Franklin in the RV, since Highlands road does not like rv's at all..But now renting the house, we will be staying in Highlands itself. How neat.. It is beautiful there..

maryz · « **Reply #5182 on:** May 30, 2011, 06:27:00 PM »

We're free anytime after 9 July. But please set whatever time works for the most folks.

Frybabe · « **Reply #5183 on:** May 30, 2011, 07:08:23 PM »

I have gone through most of the jigsaw puzzles from the National Georgraphic website that someone posted, but just the ones in the "Your Shot" section. When looking about, I found more, 10,000 more to be exact. In the "My shot" section there are more puzzles. These ones you can set to exactly how many pieces you want. The only gripe I have about this section is that it gives less outside board space to move pieces around. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/myshot/jigsaw-puzzles These have become quite addictive.

PatH · « **Reply #5184 on:** May 30, 2011, 07:24:07 PM »

Quote from: Frybabe on May 30, 2011, 07:08:23 PM

These have become quite addictive.

So true. I don't know if I'm glad or sorry that 10,000 await me. The outside board space is barely adequate on the ones I'm doing; I hate to think of it shrinking.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5185 on:** May 31, 2011, 03:13:25 AM »

We are still doing the "traditional" version (partly because in this flat, the only internet connection is right beside the kitchen window, at which you have to stand to type), and at present have one that is a photograph of a fruit and vegetable market in Istanbul. As Madeleine says, "do they have to have quite so many tomatoes?"

I think I have cleared most of the local charity shops out of all the good puzzles, so we need to move soon to have fresh hunting grounds, never mind proper internet.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #5186 on:** May 31, 2011, 05:51:02 AM »

I have not done jigsaws for so many years..But on line. Not sure I would like it.. Hav e to at least look at it.

Babi · « **Reply #5187 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:19:56 AM »

They are enticing, STEPH. You can do one in 7-10 minutes, and the choices
change at intervals. The finished picture does show the lines more than I like,
but they are fun...despite the overcrowding around the sides. I locate and pull
out all the border pieces first, and that clears a bit more room.

I really must share these murals with you. They are John Pugh's trompe l'oeil
work and simply amazing.
http://search.aol.com/aol/search?query=works+of+John+Pugh&invocationType=msie70a

Frybabe · « **Reply #5188 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:52:50 AM »

I remember, years ago, when friends of ours had a jigsaw puzzle game for their Amiga. Within the jigsaws there was an animation going on as well. So if you had a string of twinkling lights, they would be twinkling all the while you put the puzzle together. Someone/thing moving across the puzzle would be moving across the individual pieces as well. I was fascinated, and I could never find another program like it anywhere.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5189 on:** May 31, 2011, 10:37:33 AM »

Drama in my backyard - about 3 weeks ago twin fawns were born as I watched the Mom during the second birth with the twin right next to her on its feet. She used the backyard like a pen, coming and going as they do to nurse and give the fawns a chance to run and play leaving usually within about a half hour when the fawns would settle down in a pile of oak leaves - perfect camouflage and why I do not rake and blow my leaves till sometime in July - rarely do the mother does settle down on the ground but as the fawns were growing older she did just that a few times and stayed each time for over an hour.

Four days ago she was acting strange - as if trying to eliminate with no success - squatting so that I thought she was trying to empty some of her milk when low and behold she had another fawn - well she would have nothing to do with this fawn - then a yearling from last year and a buck yearling were trying to intercept her as the new fawn on shaky legs tried to get to safety - the circling and chase was on after the yearling licked and licked the new fawn and tried to nurse it but of course she had no milk. The mother was so angry she got between and rolled and stomped the new fawn - they finally chased the mother away and the new fawn took refuge on the patio under the chase where the mother could not reach it - the mother would leave and hours later come back so that even the twin fawns were staying out of her way -

The chasing away of the mother went on for over a day and finally she came - nosed out the twins and took off with them trotting they down the side yard and around the corner - still later she was back and the new fawn was still hiding under the chase - I grew very worried last evening that it would make it - I noticed the yearling the young buck and another doe that appeared older were parked on my front lawn all night to intercept the mother.I was out watching at 2:30 this morning and they held their ground just looking as I stayed in the garage with the door opened - not taking any chances given the mood.

I was all set in my mind to call a friend who I hoped knew the name of some guy who lives in the area and would take the fawn and nurse it feeding it with bottles etc. However, Alleluia - about 7:30 this morning before the traffic for the kids picking up their final report card on this last day of school there was that older doe that I saw last night in the back with the young fawn nursing - They are still back there - no real mother is sight - so they must have signaled her enough to go away -

Hate it that I do not see the twin fawns back there any longer but so relieved to see this new one taken care of - now if it was human, can you imagine the trauma to carry though life - I wonder if animals carry that kind of trauma and if I will notice behavioral differences a year from now with this fawn.

maryz · « **Reply #5190 on:** May 31, 2011, 10:43:35 AM »

What drama, Barb! And right under your nose.

ANNIE · « **Reply #5191 on:** May 31, 2011, 10:46:00 AM »

Oh Barbara, what a wonderful story! Do you live out of Austin or in a suburban neighborhood?

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5192 on:** May 31, 2011, 11:12:58 AM »

I live in Northwest Hills - if you use the Google map I am off Mopac just below Far West Blvd near the Doss Elementary up the steep hill from Murchison Middle School -

More drama - I would have really missed it if I was not peering out the window every few minutes - another nursing doe came into the yard near the toolshed and there was one of the twins nursing - very quick and then scooted back - it is hiding itself in among the large logs still piled up from when i had that tree cut down two years ago. - and the new fawn is hiding itself up right next to the house near the laundry room where I have a line of fairly large ceramic flower pots that I usually plant and place in among the flower beds that are now devoted to Rosemary, Lavender, Sage, a ground cover of Marjoram, and Cactus - about the only plants the deer won't eat.

Opened the back door a crack and we looked at each other - it did not move - and I quickly and silently closed the door...

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #5193 on:** May 31, 2011, 12:26:28 PM »

Barb, what a wonderful story, thank you so much for sharing it.

I once lived in Godalming in Surrey for a year, our little garden backed onto a stream and we had deer visiting quite often. Then when we lived in Aberdeenshire we would often see them in the woods, or shooting across the road in front of us.

They are such beautiful creatures.

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #5194 on:** May 31, 2011, 02:43:37 PM »

Oh, my; do you think the first doe has abandoned one of the twins as well? I hope the second twin is all right.

I certainly don't know about deer: whether it's common for a doe to reject her fawn. It may be that she didn't have enough milk for three, and had to so that they wouldn't all starve (at least, that's what I'd like to think). Wonderful that the other does took over.

I had a doe who slept in my yard one year, but no fawn. An older one, I suspect.

Frybabe · « **Reply #5195 on:** May 31, 2011, 06:39:38 PM »

White Tail Deer, and I assume others are similar in behavior, hide each fawn in seperate places so that it is less likely that predators will find them. She may go off and leave them for quite while feeding. It almost sounds like your doe thought the last fawn out was not right in some way for her to try to chase it off. I don't know how common it is for a childless doe to become a surrogate. Fawn #3 was very lucky to have the other doe nearby and be willing to nurse it.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #5196 on:** May 31, 2011, 08:37:28 PM »

Frybabe over the years I have noticed more often than not one doe becomes a surrogate for another including their own so that it appears they have twins or triplets - unless you see them born I found you can never assume they are twins - one year the daughter and mother each had a fawn and grandma took care of both till the fall when daughter returned for a visit - usually the yearlings are kept at a distance for at least 4 to 5 weeks so this interference by the yearling was astonishing -

And yes, you never know why a mother rejects a fawn - could be that she knew it was born from the wrong buck or who knows - she is loaded with milk so that does not appear to be the problem - I have at least one fawn born in the backyard every year now for about 15 or 16 years - I watch their behavior sometimes staying up all night to watch - and yes, the mothers leave for hours and sometimes a whole day however, this mother was only leaving for about 2 or maybe 3 hours - one year the mother would only go to the side yard and hide behind the Jasmin never leaving her fawn out of her sight - she had been badly injured and carried a limp - I do not know if that is why she was so protective or what but that mother and fawn stayed in the yard far beyond the usual 6 to 8 weeks that seems typical.

The current saga - it was the older twin that came back on its own - probably liked what was familiar and hid behind the woodpile - the older twin was the more adventurous of the two in that the second twin was the one that had so much trouble at birth and the mother really had to work on it before it popped its ears up and finally sat up - it is the younger one that sticks to the mother like glue -

After the surrogate doe nursed the abandoned one born over the weekend - it nestled in behind the ceramic flower pots - and I had the run-a-way in the woodpile - back comes the mother with the younger of the twins and that fawn goes to the far corner of the yard - the yearling had hidden itself in the side yard under the huge overhang of Jasmin that is at least 20 feet along the 6 foot fence that separates me from my neighbor. With all that the mother when she came back sat down hard right smack in the middle of the yard like the queen that owned all she surveyed - the run-a-way never budged nor did the abandoned one budge - after over a half hour she moved over under the trees near the younger twin since it was getting too hot in the sun and she stayed in the yard for almost 2 hours before leaving.

This time while she was gone the surrogate comes back and leads the new little abandoned one away - and after about another 2 hours the mother returns this time both the twins - the run-a-way and the younger twin that had stuck to her like glue acted like nothing happened - they nursed and played and all was well - she grazed like she usually does when she is there to nurse - I did not see what happened to the yearling but it is no longer hiding in the Jasmin - so all is as if this third birth never took place - both fawns are now under a row of Nandina that is near the patio separating the washline area from the rest of the yard.

Biology is afoot this year - last year we had a major thinning of the herd - we still do not know what neighbor - but someone had arranged for a major trapping and using silencers a major kill - lots of venison is South Texas last year - anyhow a herd under stress with a serious depletion in the herd multiplies itself quickly so that in just a few short years the herd is back up to size again - and yes, we are seeing more fawns from fewer does.

The problem is those doing the trapping of course want the bucks with the big racks and they are the older bucks that calm and sort out the herd - it is the 2 and 3 year old bucks that are the most aggressive so those in the area who thought they were reducing the deer indiscriminately trapped when they should have only trapped the young bucks and left the older ones. The older ones are also not as hard on the does so the does are not turned into baby machines and the herd is more balanced. Ah so -

Frybabe · « **Reply #5197 on:** May 31, 2011, 10:49:49 PM »

Very interesting, Barb. I rarely get to sit and observe deer. In fact, I am not sure I ever have. When I was little we used to go out to the Gettysburg Battlefield. There were tons of deer there. I remember seeing a herd and thinking how BIG they were. Was I ever surprised, in the early 90s when a herd heading downhill at dusk from land owned by Lehigh University crossed the road in front of me. They seemed so SMALL they were.

Another time, when we took a Potomac train trip, I saw deer in broad daylight grazing in with the cattle. This is the first time I ever saw deer out in the open like that during the day. I guess they felt safe from being shot grazing with the cattle.

One other sad observation. Someone a few miles down the road was feeding the deer. They came down off the mountain, crossing the little road that was not much more than a lane. Of course they, and the other creatures attracted to her feeding station were getting run over. The homeowner kept a placard out on the road with current kill totals and a plea for traffic to slow down. I often wondered if the homeowner ever realized the part he/she played in attracting so may animals to their destruction. The stretch of road around the property had a much higher road kill ratio than the rest of the road.

Gumtree · « **Reply #5198 on:** June 01, 2011, 05:32:46 AM »

Quote

I once lived in Godalming in Surrey for a year

Rosemary How odd, I was just now working on some genealogy of a Jacobite family who had an estate at Godalming (Westbrook - famed as a Jacobite safe house), came in here to wind down a bit and thought I was seeing things at your mention of the same place. Weird!

Barbara: How interesting about the deer. We don't have them here - kangaroos instead I guess - thanks for sharing this saga. It's good to know how the herd compensates for culling and so maintains the strength of the herd.

Steph · « **Reply #5199 on:** June 01, 2011, 06:12:59 AM »

What a lovely story Barb.. I have always had dogs and so did my parents, so even though there were deer close by, theynever came on the property..I have a friend who hates the deer, since they destroy her flowers every single year..I have another friend who raises ponies and I can watch the deer in the pasture grazing along with the ponies every summer. She has posted signs everywhere, but she still gets hunters, who consider it their god given right to trespass and shoot.. Drives her nuts..

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Author Topic: The Library (Read 2088694 times)