tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-349401752024-03-07T00:32:08.476-05:00Bob's Blah-Blah BlogBob's Blah-Blah Blog is all about, well...everything. Weather? Well, sometimes, to be sure, but expect random cerebral palaverings through art, music, science, and more. Bob Child here, having just hung up my full-time hat as a 20+-year TV meteorologist. Welcome aboard my daily journeys that have no particular destination. The Joy is in the Journey, my friends, the Joy is in the Journey...Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.comBlogger843125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-53163526926948668162013-02-25T17:08:00.000-05:002013-02-25T17:08:01.567-05:00WINTER WEATHER: NEW POSTING<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Easier to post something new...several models want to deteriorate our overnight weather in the short term and throw us into the realm of freezing rain, the worst of our wintry scenarios.</span><script type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ACA is in a <b><span style="color: blue;">WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY</span></b> for freezing rain overnight tonight (9pm) through Tuesday morning (9am), the biggest concern for accumulating ice on all surfaces. It's all about the surface temperature, and I'm not there to watch my thermometer. Please report your temps and conditions in the comment form below, or use the email button to email your info and I'll post it that way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ACA is still looking at a colder and more wintry precipitation pattern Wednesday through Saturday, Ugh. NAM is running 2-3", but the GFS is still at 1". The GFS has been more accurate so far this season, though the model doesn't see out the full time period at this moment.</span></div>
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bob</div>
Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-61906761832449395652011-09-08T17:56:00.005-04:002011-09-09T12:50:37.231-04:00"Fried Fridays: The 'Wonder' of It All..."<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:donotshowcomments/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=" line-height: 115%; Tahoma","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:16pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">(cue music)</span><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >“I just called to say I love you</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></div><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >I just called to say how much I care </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></div><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >I just called to say I love you </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></div><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=" line-height: 115%; Tahoma","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:16pt;" >And I mean it from the bottom of my heart”</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" ></span><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Aw, isn’t that special…!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Stevie Wonder is a ‘wonder’ in every since of the word, and the above lyrics are from but one of his myriad hits.</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" ></span><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Love makes the world go ‘round.</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Love is a many splendored thing.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Love CAN, well….</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >DATELINE: AMSTERDAM</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >In days gone by, love letters were collected and cherished, stored in a dusty shoe box with a pretty ribbon and bow, opened and re-read by the light of a glowing fireplace.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The reader would hang on every word, as if they were actually hearing the distant voice in the room with them.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Now these days, you can hit someone up with a text on a cell phone, using cutesie little emoticons, or send an instant email or e-card avowing your unending love that is deeper than the ocean and higher than the mountains.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Or you can simply make a phone call.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >65,000 of them.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >In <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">one</span> year.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >To one person.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >More specifically, to a person who is none too happy with the unwelcome stalking and incessant calling, and who hauled your derriere into court to put a stop to it.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >42 year old Jane Doe claimed she was in a relationship with the 62 year old John Doe (who denied said claim), and that her calling was not excessive.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not at all.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >(Let’s see now…65,000 calls, in a 365 day year, which comes out to 178 calls a day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Let’s assume she slept at least 6 hours each day, so in an 18 hour day, that comes out to roughly 10 calls per hour, or a call every 6 minutes...)</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Nope, not excessive at all.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >Not much else to the story…as the police arrested her, they confiscated several cell phones and computers, and ordered her to never contact the man again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Seems like there should be some joke, punchline, or moral to this story but I can’t think of one.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But it does remind me (kinda sorta) of a joke I made up a few years ago…</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">There was a branch on a pine tree that had a few pine cones on it. One cone in particular, though, had a filthy mouth and was cussing everybody and everything out all day long. Suddenly, he lost his grip on the branch and dropped 80 feet all the way to the ground.</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:115%;Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:16.0pt;" >What, you’ve never heard of an obscene cone fall?</span></p> <script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-62198526596991257732011-08-29T06:50:00.011-04:002011-08-30T06:58:21.315-04:00AN URGENT PLEA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:donotshowcomments/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PLEASE</span>, please, please….do NOT think for yourself. Believe what others say, but only as long it’s how you feel so you can justify it with fervor. Do NOT search for your own facts; rather, find a source that meets your belief structure and accept THAT SOURCE’S ‘facts’ blindly. Don't think for a second you are smart enough to think for yourself: it’s wrong if not evil to think you know more than a media outlet and/or personality. Stand up against them and they will pepper you with put-downs to perpetuate your stupidity and unworthiness. Save yourself the trouble. </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Make things easy for everybody and go with the mainstream media flow…after all, endless colonies of lemmings can’t be wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Oh sure, many die by committing suicide jumping off a cliff, but they are vindicated in so doing because everybody else is doing the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That makes it right, naturally.</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Mainstream TV networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC have spent billions to get it right and save you the trouble of figuring every news item out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Honor them by not only watching them whenever possible…and not only by believing pretty much anything they say…but by doing something you might have been slow to do so far:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>"Friend" them on Facebook and gain a chance to become their 'fan of the day'.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With luck, maybe you, too, can become an instant celebrity for a monumental millisecond.</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">It’s unhealthy to have a nation, yea, a society of individuals that all believe different things.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Worse yet, it’s even more unhealthy to have a society where people actually objectively listen to someone else that has views different than their own.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>God forbid certain individuals become willing to compromise, for that truly IS the work of the Devil.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nothing will tear our society apart faster than to have people and elected leaders that wish to work together and set aside iron-clad personal agendas in order to benefit the good of all.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are NOT here to succeed as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We are NOT here to compromise.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Make sure you tell those that need to hear, "IT'S MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" </span>We're here to be narrow-minded bigots….unless, of course, you’re just un-American.</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Your momma may well have raised you with good and proper manners.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Momma was a fool, so get over it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nice people really DO finish last, so in order for your “world order” to come to fruition, you must become an outspoken jerk, and the jerkier the better.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Jerky wheels get the media grease, because entertainment, NOT news, is what sells.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, make a video of yourself or someone else doing something REALLY jerky and do your damndest to get it to go viral on the web.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But don’t forget two critical items you should have around you or in your hand: the US flag and a King James bible. It'll get you a little farther down the Righteously Justified Highway.
<br /></span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">The more you can feel like a victim, the better.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> Too, </span>the more you can make your cause victimized, mo’ bettuh yet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That way you can legitimize the above-mentioned 'jerk-itis' and defend your unadmitted bigotry to the grave.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because you are RIGHT.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don't let anyone else tell you differently.
<br /></span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">So remember the Cliff Notes version from all of this:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t think for yourself, and don’t gather your own facts; believe everything you want to hear. Don’t compromise. Don’t be considerate.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You are always right, they are always wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Lastly, be the best self-righteous jerk you can be.</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-align: center;font-family:verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">(This bit of satire is brought to you by someone thoroughly fed up with politics and the mainstream media, not to mention the individuals who exhibit these traits with continuous aplomb.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">
<br /></span></p> <script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-23706841791110989532011-07-29T10:27:00.003-04:002011-07-29T10:50:45.504-04:00"Fried Fridays: 2K pounds in the tub"<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Washing ton.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;">Washington.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can't argue it's about as 'fried' as it gets, just like the nerves and patience of the public.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know it's getting late in the morning, and while I would love to be creative and write a more 'formal' Fried Friday's write-up, I'm also on a tight deadline to get some things completed before tomorrow's appearance at Bele Chere in Asheville.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Count me in with the masses THOROUGHLY sick and tired of our elected officials and their relentless bickering and unwillingness to compromise on any level, the latter for at least for one subset I can think of.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They say one bad apple can't spoil the barrel, but I'm not so sure anymore. There is a fine line and a dangerously slippery slope between pride and self-righteousness, that can make for </span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">a proverbial snowball heading for hell. Hmmmmmmm....<br /><br />Many moons ago I heard a person tell another person to go to hell, which prompted the quick, cheerful reply, "I went once but got kicked out for bootleggin' icewater!" Amen.<br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-87757105516675967602011-07-22T07:36:00.004-04:002011-07-22T08:03:05.961-04:00"Fried Fridays: All Bottled Up...."<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">NOT.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Sometimes it's good to let things out. Keeping some things bottled up can lead to dangerous stress levels and all kinds of related issues that have to be dealt with.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">OR NOT.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">DATELINE: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">September was going to be the red-letter month for Mollydooker Wines, as the Aussie vineyard was to make a splash into the U.S. scene. A very special reserve Shiraz was to hit the American shelves at $200 per bottle.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">A grand entrance, indeed....and I like the ring of "Mollydooker", too. Kinda ranks up there with "Ugly Boy Flutes".</span> :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">And, oh my, they made a splash alright. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Only it was in the shipping container in their warehouse.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It fell off the forklift.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">461 of 462 cases, shattered. One survived. An estimated one million dollars down the drain, literally. The itsy bitsy silver lining is that the vintner did have the wine insured.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">They say don't cry over spilled milk. I'm guessing when milk hits $200 per gallon, we'll say to hell with <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> expression...</span><br /></div><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-26852365535978685822011-07-15T02:30:00.010-04:002011-07-15T05:28:19.506-04:00"Fried Fridays: kinda sorta..."<span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Alright, this isn't my normal format, but I've gotten out of the blogger mode for so long that it will take some time to get back in it. This entry isn't about a wacky news story I've chosen to end a wacky week; rather, this is a story of just how some of my days go, this one being the good ol' Fourth of July...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My brother, his wife, and their just-turned 4-year old twins were down from Boston for several days over the Fourth, staying at mom's about 75 minutes away. Their first foray to make the trip to my abode was stopped by a hiddeous traffic snarl on I-26 heading up from the Foothills into the mountains...one big issue is that if there are major wrecks and traffic stoppage, there are no good alternate routes, so they aborted the trip Sunday and made it back on Tuesday.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: verdana;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrhNgBrraN3ODYgqM7CNeNj-P1zgKq-BjurCT6_dMg69Sy4H8gwnh9kblOKoB6l7ZEVvNa2Ftewq4QXpzitVAINfVi1S13xKgiJ0GamOsxtgv9qKh1iag021jZlr-uRPwk1ov/s1600/TWINS+BDAY+2+004_filtered.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrhNgBrraN3ODYgqM7CNeNj-P1zgKq-BjurCT6_dMg69Sy4H8gwnh9kblOKoB6l7ZEVvNa2Ftewq4QXpzitVAINfVi1S13xKgiJ0GamOsxtgv9qKh1iag021jZlr-uRPwk1ov/s400/TWINS+BDAY+2+004_filtered.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629464344078312546" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">That's me with the young 'uns that day, Willie Boo and Ellie Sue. Truth be told I started them on new nicknames, Scooter and LuLu, but that's another story for another day. And that's all part of the normal stuff that took place. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Alas, the morning of the Fourth is a story worth passing along....little events and decisions that, each alone, are minor....but when synergy is alive and well, and all the planets align just right simultaneously, the simple can become absurd.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My sacred time is early morning, when with prepared thermos of coffee, half and half, and Splenda I catch most sunrises, gently bringing in the day. Okay, sometimes there is an ill-timed Molly Bark-Fest at some squirrel that leads her on a chase through the woods near the neighboring cabin, but usually peace reigns supreme.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">At the usual pre-dawn time, I got up, let the pups out, and soon opened the refrigerator door. It was the classic Homer Simpson "DOH!" as I realized I'd run out of creamer and forgot to get some only the day before when I got more Splenda. Leave it to me to rarely remember to make and take a bona fide shopping list with me. A grocery store was less than 10 minutes away, so I gathered the four-leggeds for an early morning ride down into the foggy valley below.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not a lot is going on at 645am on a big holiday in my neck of the woods. There were more shelf-stockers than there were shoppers, all slowly swirling around a very sleepy start to the day. Quiet. Calm. Peaceful. I made my way back to the dairy section, and was disspointed in the price of even the store-brand of half and half, one of my daily splurges to keep my sanity. Money continues to be a big issue making ends meet in this economy, and I mused that if I would drive another 8 minutes I could get twice the product for the same money at Walmart.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Do I drive all the way there, or suck up the price and buy just the one carton, knowing I could go back out later to get all the other things I forgot to pick up the day before, so I mused. Heeding the peacefulness of the morning, and my adage from doing TV weather "if in doubt, throw it out", I decided to get the one quart and check out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There was only one regular check-out register open, with a couple of folks lined up buying far more than a forgotten carton of moo juice. Ah, the self-check counters were open, so I headed right there. I was a bit surprised to see actual greenbacks in my wallet....well, truth be told, it was only one greenback, a fiver, but cash nonetheless. I swiped my store card, listened to the gratuitous canned "Welcome, Ingles custsomer!", and scanned the item. Hit the pay button, and inserted the cash....quick and easy? Oh, hell, no......</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >"Houston, we have a problem..."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Literally as the machine sucked in my money did the entire store lose power, big time. Every light, every machine, every register, down, dead, kaput. Dead in the water. What happened, how it happened, I have no idea as that was inconsequential. What was important is that we all quickly became lab rats trapped in a defunct electronic cage.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After about 5 minutes, the power did come on in the back half of the store, and apparently an emergency line that reached to front office area, as the main register trunk began to reboot the sophisticated software system that ran the registers. I'll give you a hint: rebooting such an expansive system after a crash is not one of the more speedy processes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In another 5 minutes, one new register was able to be opened, and the lucky ones not in the middle of transactions could simply slide over and be on their way. We, the trapped lemmings, could only wait until the electronic jaws of death would unlock their booty so we could get change and go about our heretofore quiet morning.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And in yet another 5 minutes that came to pass, I got my change, and mused how I should have heeded my hunch to go to Wally World, missing the outage AND going home with twice the product for the same price. Oh well, it was what it was. The ol' deer-mangled buggy took us back on up the mountain.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Have you ever just wanted to start a day over? I sure did...and it wasn't because of the bizarre creamer expedition. No, it was something else I discovered when I went to prepare my coffee.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There was none.<br /><br />Coffee. Item #2 that I forgot to get the day before.....</span></span><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-74491671699870711992011-06-17T08:57:00.007-04:002011-06-20T15:38:14.138-04:00***NEW WEBSITE***<span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Well, I reckon I'll quit apologizin' for the lack of blogging...myriad reasons and not just excuses, either! For a long time I've been wanting and needing to totally revamp my flute website, having limped along on an old old version of NetFusion a friend set me up on years ago. Much of my computer time and creative energy has gone into that. Loads of it, too!<br /><br />After much researching for what best suited my needs, I decided to switch to Xara Premium 7, which was half the price of the latest NetFusion. Xara does all I need it to do, and while it comes with scads of templates and features, I ended up making my own. It's a much more user-friendly site, and now that I have continually slugged along the learning curve to this point, I'm cookin' with gas, as the old saying goes. Same site address (redirects as it always has to ooakart.com); give it a look!<br /></span><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.ooakart.com/">www.UglyBoyFlutes.com</a><br /><br />Finishing up some new 'kids', per usual...and dealing with nasty storms of late. Here is a video from Wednesday afternoon when bow-line echo moved through here...severe storm cells are one thing, but bow-lines are an order nastier in most cases. Thought for sure I could finish grilling the chicken before it arrived....I was wrong.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">MONDAY update:</span> I give up. I keep up a blog site for my homeowner's association, and that video posted quickly with no issue. Blogger won't let me upload on this blog, and I'm damn tired of trying to figure out why. It's really not worth all this trouble, but if you want to see the short video, click<a href="http://applecreekacres.blogspot.com/2011/06/heads-up-saturday-afternoon.html"> HERE</a>.</span></span><br />:-)<br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-55028943805396567042011-05-08T20:17:00.006-04:002011-05-09T07:53:49.325-04:00A Loooong Flute Journey....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style=" font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >(click on pics to enlarge)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">This is a post that might not trip your trigger in details, but it does paint a larger picture of how one of my singing sticks comes to life, which you may find interesting. A good many are made and finished in fairly short order, and those are almost always more simple in design.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Then there are the 'specialty' flutes, flutes that have some unique, detailed design element that requires a lot of extra work and, correspondingly, command higher prices. I basically build only what I envision and feel, taking custom orders very, very sparingly. I can and will only work when I'm inspired and 'feel' I'm in a good spiritual place. On those days where I'm out of sorts, I just don't touch flutes. Not a good mojo and mix of efforts. Sometimes they come to 'life' in a reasonable amount of time....and then, well....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">And so I had this Ambrosia Maple closed end flute that I blogged about....get this...February 18, 2009! OMG, here I was thinking I've had this flute a year and it's well over two. Talk about how time flies when you're stuck in "writer's block"! Find that post by clicking <a href="http://uglyboyflutes.blogspot.com/2009/02/creation-of-closed-end-flute-click-on.html">HERE</a>. Eegads.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjLQoiaRxj6hycWXT-2MyQoZwme7hG8Bu6b7zU5eKpimPyxAf1Ov9mv3GCMI6GYtfIRX4IM1NG36iFniT4GCBPlgka9_3o1xWmDCUGnAn72j28DEVkyn2IvmUlvEWC5mg_WEI/s1600/002+comp+1B.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjLQoiaRxj6hycWXT-2MyQoZwme7hG8Bu6b7zU5eKpimPyxAf1Ov9mv3GCMI6GYtfIRX4IM1NG36iFniT4GCBPlgka9_3o1xWmDCUGnAn72j28DEVkyn2IvmUlvEWC5mg_WEI/s400/002+comp+1B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604511613406825426" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">This is the flute as it has pretty much sat since then, with only minor shaping at the 'foot' where the woodpecker was going to go....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMrB2puEVKguxOmySgK6PDeHF9xlkGaJknFnNffti8nBZy7xuOOEK3YFN5tmwLovO8s2YXNAZxZPEJxVV5XEMhikc4xRPUWeLWYutJfo7RufLZXzdf76eYs8vfJLHD3oPcRUP/s1600/004+diagram+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 339px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMrB2puEVKguxOmySgK6PDeHF9xlkGaJknFnNffti8nBZy7xuOOEK3YFN5tmwLovO8s2YXNAZxZPEJxVV5XEMhikc4xRPUWeLWYutJfo7RufLZXzdf76eYs8vfJLHD3oPcRUP/s400/004+diagram+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604511611405925682" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MMMppxmi-1OpuL9YfejclfAHj9iJ8EOkw0v-mOQSRL7q8WHKEnOso2CXk-mw0woEF58oeF95drog7vizdpwPoN0KU-hXfuNIPugOidlp1JcpTJvc4iwpiH3JBjDdQnt97faF/s1600/Downy+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MMMppxmi-1OpuL9YfejclfAHj9iJ8EOkw0v-mOQSRL7q8WHKEnOso2CXk-mw0woEF58oeF95drog7vizdpwPoN0KU-hXfuNIPugOidlp1JcpTJvc4iwpiH3JBjDdQnt97faF/s400/Downy+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604511610162733730" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">The above two shots show my pics of a Downy Woodpecker feeeding, up against what I was 'envisioning' for the flute. Originally the flute was going to be an F#4, but as I honed down the woodpecker and tweaked the tuning, it was much better suited for a G4, up a half step.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUgDJ7jWVbZqzx0FIbbMWiEnvHBQdnZdPadoJCS8ooSrFn95xhJlmuxLTjJklHU60LRW39v9f_ExQDWbeQqBlRFBdo7YllQU4ZeaZmsVgKqAqaINRAJ2EoiRJGAdjaEkoXzly/s1600/G4+Downy+blockless.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUgDJ7jWVbZqzx0FIbbMWiEnvHBQdnZdPadoJCS8ooSrFn95xhJlmuxLTjJklHU60LRW39v9f_ExQDWbeQqBlRFBdo7YllQU4ZeaZmsVgKqAqaINRAJ2EoiRJGAdjaEkoXzly/s400/G4+Downy+blockless.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604510909600557042" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">Voila, the flute finished off with the woodpecker detailed and painted. NOW came another big hurdle...what to do for the block? The main interest is the foot of the flute, and I didn't want a detailed block that would compete with the focus of the woodpecker. Conversely, I didn't want such a simple block design that it detracted from the focus...and so I sat with notebook and pencil and sketched. And sketched. And sketched.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHARn2d8owt_Fq8W-4QuazREv7oT869nSQaIX2AsjUYTNiKnl6cF9t2HpZIhojgGeQbrSL30UV5jDjIiDbHYJgD6dTSPXLkxgznJXnlktWCaoAZG62Nxmw6CDgDCVjPsrFAmRl/s1600/1+Downy+block+pieces.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHARn2d8owt_Fq8W-4QuazREv7oT869nSQaIX2AsjUYTNiKnl6cF9t2HpZIhojgGeQbrSL30UV5jDjIiDbHYJgD6dTSPXLkxgznJXnlktWCaoAZG62Nxmw6CDgDCVjPsrFAmRl/s400/1+Downy+block+pieces.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604510915430875138" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">I've done this with only a very few flutes, where I take scrap wood and glue up a composite shape of the pieces. Above you see scrap Bloodwood and Ebony, my actual pencil sketch (cut out) of the main tail sweep bordered by two 'wing' pieces, once of which you see cut out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ761KLGrIFkL9-G5TLgwGkhp5j6ZhTE0cvq6VefyGfKlIggBkz5_c8EYb25FyNpANrVQvcyPUTjSF39Q8D0Ve8AOSHZhMvFo2l62MM8KjSYvibnaITpT5bqJ9TDlX6A3PmreG/s1600/2+Downy+block+rough.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 354px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ761KLGrIFkL9-G5TLgwGkhp5j6ZhTE0cvq6VefyGfKlIggBkz5_c8EYb25FyNpANrVQvcyPUTjSF39Q8D0Ve8AOSHZhMvFo2l62MM8KjSYvibnaITpT5bqJ9TDlX6A3PmreG/s400/2+Downy+block+rough.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604510918110136802" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">The three pieces weren't quite wide enough for the flute, so I glued on 'side bars' on the outer edge, knowing I'd sand their width down some. Too, you don't want a pure Ebony bottom exposed over the flue as such a design would lead to quick wet-out...so I thought I'd incorporate the red with the Bloodwood for a bottom choice. The bottom above was rougher than normal as a couple of pieces fractured off, but I knew I'd slap it on the belt sander and flatten it all before adding the Bloodwood.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aIz89TCf0MrV9JM9Nkopsu-yoKY7gZc1rhILz6OmRkv_aLeDNbtWOrm7SSvv2U_epCZUNKd7kZqNdzOAdtYShO6HKDZO8VBl5dD-uo6m5Da6f0qCMMxiwDX9DUXYsa65rnGI/s1600/3+Downy+block+finished.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aIz89TCf0MrV9JM9Nkopsu-yoKY7gZc1rhILz6OmRkv_aLeDNbtWOrm7SSvv2U_epCZUNKd7kZqNdzOAdtYShO6HKDZO8VBl5dD-uo6m5Da6f0qCMMxiwDX9DUXYsa65rnGI/s400/3+Downy+block+finished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604510919148209410" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">With some shaping and careful sanding, the block took on an elegant sweeping design of a bird of sorts, with tail and wings, the Ebony and Bloodwood repeating the colors in the Downy Woodpecker. Only one thing left to do.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqZLoTnFej0qCfoKcFEhou3xPMTMPxXyGXMRGuK0IazF6rk6TQerzkz3g46kQ7_g_5_743PgDpoRmAt1RUJPZ-qPI1OEgwfAPOE2jRxIh8326gX0zw0AR1A4gyjc5BUe6Hasb/s1600/G4+Downy+comp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 329px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqZLoTnFej0qCfoKcFEhou3xPMTMPxXyGXMRGuK0IazF6rk6TQerzkz3g46kQ7_g_5_743PgDpoRmAt1RUJPZ-qPI1OEgwfAPOE2jRxIh8326gX0zw0AR1A4gyjc5BUe6Hasb/s400/G4+Downy+comp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604510923687380162" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;">The new G4 Downy Woodpecker flute fresh off the press as of today, as I write. Still a couple of more finish coats to put on, and the most minor of touch-up...goes to prove that I don't just whip these 'kids' out without a lot of thought and intentional thought! This one is close to a record, I'll admit. Worth the wait, though, eh? ;-)</span><br /></div><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-74611631080403046682011-05-06T07:38:00.002-04:002011-05-06T08:21:47.523-04:00"Fried Fridays: 5-Finger-Stop-N-Shop"<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Boy, I just am NOT getting back into the routine of blogging, so apologies. Here is yet another Friday and my usual creative writing streaks simply are not coming forth. Doesn't stop me from coming up with not only a 'fried' story, but a pathetic trend that is really bothersome...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the news this morning was a surveillance video from a convenience store. I watched in disbelief when a group of 20 or so teens rushed in and began stealing any and everything in a flurry, and left in the same rush. They talked on cell phones, having a good ol' time with their twisted social party, while the unarmed clerk could only watch. The youth brandished no weapons, just came in with wanton disregard for anything resembling a moral fabric, taking whatever they wanted.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">A quick web search reveals a disturbing number of flash mob thefts, often 13-17 year olds that tweet each other, pick a location, then amass and steal at will. It's sickening....and easy to start making sweeping singular statements that simply can't encompass how deeply the problem goes. Where are the parents, where did their upbringing go awry, why aren't they in school...they're nothing less than little thugs whose lives are rapidly heading in the wrong direction. The Hip Hop culture certainly helps breed this lawlessness through a perverted sense of entitlement and 'revenge rights' from being 'wronged' by society.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the disaster in Japan, it was quickly noted looting simply wasn't happening. Japanese culture doesn't tolerate that behavior. I've heard it said if you drop your wallet in Tokyo, there's a good chance it will be returned to you with cash and cards in place. You also don't have the handgun issues there, but that's a whole 'nuther can of insidious worms.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's disgusting whenever there is a disaster in the U.S. that looting begins immediately. The Alabama tornadoes were a classic example, where shortly after being leveled by a tornado, people were filmed stealing any and all merchandise they could. One store owner said he didn't mind people stealing water and food, but one lady that a reporter confronted had a giant bag of nothing but alcohol. She saw nothing wrong with taking any and every bit she could.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had to sadly laugh watching an expose on some show like 60 minutes several months ago....they were interviewing the North Carolina Attorney General (I think) on how she takes the counterfeiting business seriously. She had coordinated a large undercover sting operation at a flea market in rural eastern NC, where they arrested vendors selling pirated movies, CDs, and fake clothing labels. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The cameras were rolling in 'reality show' style as the arrests were made, and.....lo and behold...cameras panned over to flea market goers who quickly began stealing merchandise when the vendors were being cuffed and led away. <br /><br />I don't even know how to wrap this post up. Before long, there will be a flash mob theft where a clerk fires on the criminals and bodies fall. And knowing how a lot of things work in our country, the clerk will be made a villain and the thugs made 'victims' by a society that has done them wrong.<br /><br />Somewhere, somehow, we really took a left turn at Albuquerque...<br /><br /></span></span><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-84463503085371454662011-04-19T07:41:00.012-04:002011-04-19T08:10:06.590-04:00"Cadillac Flutes".....<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was another snowy, travel-trouble winter here, much akin to the previous winter. 50"+ of snow, made all the more frustrating by my lousy snow-driving car with only front wheel drive. May this will be the year I can afford a reliable used 4x4 so I can tame the slippery mountain roads here! I can see it now, scrimp and save to barely be able to afford a 4x4, then next winter there will be only two 1" snows and that's it! HA!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyhow, in response to the snow and cold <span style="font-style: italic;">(I still have to work in the still-unenclosed carport)</span>, I decided to celebrate the warmer weather by pulling out what I call my "Cadillac" woods, very rare, special pieces that are one-of-a-kind, most pieces good for only one flute. Many moons ago I restored a gorgeous 1957 Cadillac Fleetwood that, while possessed by the Devil, brought me much joy and appreciation for a while. Hence my moniker of these flutes pictured...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pics SHOULD enlarge when you click on them....this is but a sampling of some of the more unique pieces, starting with THE most stunning wood I've ever worked before...tilt it in a strong light and it's downright holographic. There is over $100 in wood, mostly for the extreme curly Hawaiian Koa, and for the Gaboon Ebony endcaps and block...</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuLbU-qEE99lzXIC0SW51urns6X140bOvCTHPgrRG9RwS-wxIAnTsZWPWvW-qI-bBWLpI7Tp_vu08oIYPXrAsx1zCgMQKix4vcPHOzDAJk1PJ-JgYEwqePm2giN9kcNjmfHw7/s1600/A4+Koa+drone+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 393px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuLbU-qEE99lzXIC0SW51urns6X140bOvCTHPgrRG9RwS-wxIAnTsZWPWvW-qI-bBWLpI7Tp_vu08oIYPXrAsx1zCgMQKix4vcPHOzDAJk1PJ-JgYEwqePm2giN9kcNjmfHw7/s400/A4+Koa+drone+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597260554543089506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">A4 Curly Hawaiian Koa and Ebony drone</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsWAL_eAgS8c39nHQQ4juQfClfflifdZpWY4dyRFEkSjyHYw0P01s5FXPJI8lWBw3QP7fD5uhJxSPCx6a3grI_K-PXpd2NebiKNpPQS0RK8hlECKfWawDzUI5E6Nll4cj_tKm/s1600/A4+B-W+Ebony+drone+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsWAL_eAgS8c39nHQQ4juQfClfflifdZpWY4dyRFEkSjyHYw0P01s5FXPJI8lWBw3QP7fD5uhJxSPCx6a3grI_K-PXpd2NebiKNpPQS0RK8hlECKfWawDzUI5E6Nll4cj_tKm/s400/A4+B-W+Ebony+drone+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597261369956459346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">A4 Black and White Ebony with Gaboon Ebony drone</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAZGxc8zhfv5PcHF0y2DdSsrVM4cH0nmbEab1r_bpp8jhEuvftwGe0FUlMb9kmQwM8-Kjtg-u_3rjfkeKb1OHCX4lv9dLCh7Ea55zAQP_c0jFDz-E1y0Pyr9BLT0tkK7Pb8sW/s1600/B4+Redwood+Burl+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAZGxc8zhfv5PcHF0y2DdSsrVM4cH0nmbEab1r_bpp8jhEuvftwGe0FUlMb9kmQwM8-Kjtg-u_3rjfkeKb1OHCX4lv9dLCh7Ea55zAQP_c0jFDz-E1y0Pyr9BLT0tkK7Pb8sW/s400/B4+Redwood+Burl+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597261595128699314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial; font-style: italic;">Bb4 Redwood Lace Burl w/turquoise heartline inlay</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPtctafzi7PtA_Net4ZcN2OQ8jNvNWlkzRNIsesi-vU4HFqDSXoHyto8HcIUQMiUOJGhiURjCzRwOHpFloFWayJK_IK5JWGAG4KvFF7BABdbTaJSMumJ3uas78M3zP2jRq7yi/s1600/D5+Pink+Ivory+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPtctafzi7PtA_Net4ZcN2OQ8jNvNWlkzRNIsesi-vU4HFqDSXoHyto8HcIUQMiUOJGhiURjCzRwOHpFloFWayJK_IK5JWGAG4KvFF7BABdbTaJSMumJ3uas78M3zP2jRq7yi/s400/D5+Pink+Ivory+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597261787370316674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">D5 Curly (rare) Pink Ivory with figured White Oak block</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaLAwCM4GsUw8kTGG9xyN1UdGNw71P6dyFLdKLeIcrG3uqeyw4yS9gDnKEIO-_e6koiwpKbSzIkC2HxA_ZGgaliSGRBioF0nKhMu8UcJ-w6WObm_k4aFKqFasbA1ptUiLc4N9/s1600/D5+Flame+Birch+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaLAwCM4GsUw8kTGG9xyN1UdGNw71P6dyFLdKLeIcrG3uqeyw4yS9gDnKEIO-_e6koiwpKbSzIkC2HxA_ZGgaliSGRBioF0nKhMu8UcJ-w6WObm_k4aFKqFasbA1ptUiLc4N9/s400/D5+Flame+Birch+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597262004125663650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">C5 Flame Birch with Bubinga inserts and block</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDI7Ctbj-yROMgebpY3iytuFIPPcD6noFzpDY_180hssDd0xA5pvoELL_6odt1ISP_dcIR28LmYe3uYI1gLAx18zvlXGwGFMnuXhRG4cIl4moz18Ga6_mAEzudmYegy5E0gE0/s1600/C5+Figured+Ash+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDI7Ctbj-yROMgebpY3iytuFIPPcD6noFzpDY_180hssDd0xA5pvoELL_6odt1ISP_dcIR28LmYe3uYI1gLAx18zvlXGwGFMnuXhRG4cIl4moz18Ga6_mAEzudmYegy5E0gE0/s400/C5+Figured+Ash+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597262216809303474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">C5 highly figured Ash with Massarunduba block</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiahNVMFOvJDvUNwwGsBRKgEnCJe19GEZ4Khjo4MwjuZjdLtLE91BeZ2ipOEWbCxt4U8AN0j1CX79VCM70q-Uxg31mEJde1lxWEtWzQF4RuWnC06nGeGfJYxYiqxysx4Eb-IBA/s1600/D5+Myrtle+Burl_Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiahNVMFOvJDvUNwwGsBRKgEnCJe19GEZ4Khjo4MwjuZjdLtLE91BeZ2ipOEWbCxt4U8AN0j1CX79VCM70q-Uxg31mEJde1lxWEtWzQF4RuWnC06nGeGfJYxYiqxysx4Eb-IBA/s400/D5+Myrtle+Burl_Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597262427709641490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">D5 Myrtle Burl with figured White Oak block</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxofKqdEAqDEpSYBF-OjNF9EMMjx0Fw_czoMQo3tVxEktwVzVYYJYus8n1TIVK8xPRWmqTREHKINpyZ19EvPtdInM-aAX6xBsUu8B-MdRv1fRhCpAP1rpRCZrKeSSx0pciGpl/s1600/G4+Figured+Myrtle+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxofKqdEAqDEpSYBF-OjNF9EMMjx0Fw_czoMQo3tVxEktwVzVYYJYus8n1TIVK8xPRWmqTREHKINpyZ19EvPtdInM-aAX6xBsUu8B-MdRv1fRhCpAP1rpRCZrKeSSx0pciGpl/s400/G4+Figured+Myrtle+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597262934550278274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">G4 heavily figured Myrtle</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKbuEiamU5obNnZSYFea58z1A6wPwP1WVFoV5lhNayEkQFyLqCPHTrb1jsVSlzaKKln45xAyLVz9zbFobN0EDtg5bkAD_aOKP4ItoNEmc1AVK2WD1J6okxCpLnFEAVjyZTVIB/s1600/B4+Flame+Red+Oak+Comp1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 342px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKbuEiamU5obNnZSYFea58z1A6wPwP1WVFoV5lhNayEkQFyLqCPHTrb1jsVSlzaKKln45xAyLVz9zbFobN0EDtg5bkAD_aOKP4ItoNEmc1AVK2WD1J6okxCpLnFEAVjyZTVIB/s400/B4+Flame+Red+Oak+Comp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597263222557180786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">B4 heavily figured Red Oak with Narra block</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-14600801682832026702011-04-18T08:28:00.009-04:002011-04-18T09:13:33.327-04:00Wildflower picture time!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; ">The Greenin' o' th' Hills is alive and well here in western North Carolina. Here at 3775' the trees are flipping coins to see who goes first in the leafing department...always interesting to note how they stagger that output, and it's not necessarily by species, either. Got one Buckeye fully out, and another only starting. The wildflowers are out like gangbusters, thanks to our decent rains (winter snows!!!!) and finally some warming temperatures.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It looks like pics on here WILL enlarge when you click on them, but it is a slow process when I try it. Give it a shot...and enjoy!</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXQRf1PQMywULPJXtnkcazbQlpuwnoFKfcz8DEY68y_fKMN7yIzqUKke3ObpmqC3Wtzn6OHPN58D9MnYO1pyzDblX8zOxv35RP6Qi88nHhCfDSa1COLbZczCChhK4LuRo_K91/s1600/Fiddlehead+ferns+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXQRf1PQMywULPJXtnkcazbQlpuwnoFKfcz8DEY68y_fKMN7yIzqUKke3ObpmqC3Wtzn6OHPN58D9MnYO1pyzDblX8zOxv35RP6Qi88nHhCfDSa1COLbZczCChhK4LuRo_K91/s400/Fiddlehead+ferns+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596909778762766946" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Fiddle ferns unfurling</div></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftikw3x-VnVqNYbm-A1bEw2DXTw4zkd3lkYIUWlKddJF7EJbNEfmwvHXR5VMi_qXelD_HWIW8U8-3PJIJ6zAbxSwohW1b88tST3V75xlVyKCd5_cEvTD96PaQ200plHk7IoJL/s1600/Smooth+Yellow+Violet.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftikw3x-VnVqNYbm-A1bEw2DXTw4zkd3lkYIUWlKddJF7EJbNEfmwvHXR5VMi_qXelD_HWIW8U8-3PJIJ6zAbxSwohW1b88tST3V75xlVyKCd5_cEvTD96PaQ200plHk7IoJL/s1600/Smooth+Yellow+Violet.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftikw3x-VnVqNYbm-A1bEw2DXTw4zkd3lkYIUWlKddJF7EJbNEfmwvHXR5VMi_qXelD_HWIW8U8-3PJIJ6zAbxSwohW1b88tST3V75xlVyKCd5_cEvTD96PaQ200plHk7IoJL/s400/Smooth+Yellow+Violet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596909490548266418" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Smooth Yellow Violet</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWapwWnb0Fi9yUAm44T-TQZ0WiPZGXuhg89qmAQYZgqwJBEohCRn2SrigtcL8kregM46y4zvuPmvEa-34F8LtHAwoeBGJNELLVeOW52lWVxrcvyprXj_ajRujasZ3QrpabtWQZ/s1600/Wake+Robin+Trillium.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWapwWnb0Fi9yUAm44T-TQZ0WiPZGXuhg89qmAQYZgqwJBEohCRn2SrigtcL8kregM46y4zvuPmvEa-34F8LtHAwoeBGJNELLVeOW52lWVxrcvyprXj_ajRujasZ3QrpabtWQZ/s400/Wake+Robin+Trillium.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596909221033877506" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Wake Robin Trillim</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFxSNHnrNACqEMTlo3A3llXcf5BWeTxvMv80BnwQ5-zyb8SouvoFsQaVVnIv-gMB18JpaFfGF4x3Elmpu0HFU_sykbiRoftpgtO9a8qh61PY1KdXx1ejien8Htr7FloURnKM4/s1600/000+Squirrel+corn.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFxSNHnrNACqEMTlo3A3llXcf5BWeTxvMv80BnwQ5-zyb8SouvoFsQaVVnIv-gMB18JpaFfGF4x3Elmpu0HFU_sykbiRoftpgtO9a8qh61PY1KdXx1ejien8Htr7FloURnKM4/s400/000+Squirrel+corn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596909223148844018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Squirrel Corn</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVwODpcWRlifNRx7_9XzC1uoor0ahVPKheXORYXVF7hfQwB_lIvRBpYBUxM6E1cYlSJSdXmbvyuxF0aQlfzUEJ6ItwFtvLRBy-txzGQRAtQkVQCyKwq8lKJWaVeLFz2JXlo5T/s1600/Dutchman%2527s+Breeches+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVwODpcWRlifNRx7_9XzC1uoor0ahVPKheXORYXVF7hfQwB_lIvRBpYBUxM6E1cYlSJSdXmbvyuxF0aQlfzUEJ6ItwFtvLRBy-txzGQRAtQkVQCyKwq8lKJWaVeLFz2JXlo5T/s400/Dutchman%2527s+Breeches+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596908550644070274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Dutchman's Breeches</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxVpLbJthLje-gUhKIS_irH76IBlFNuJpOgdLBot7IZX83-pE9p6M1fjWnUzyy75_INXf3VcIXSwr3KJLmTHXNbPMKjxa8pfF1FxFrv7Yf0U7fSUvOPrzfzEw58U636dg8Zi5/s1600/Canadian+Violet.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxVpLbJthLje-gUhKIS_irH76IBlFNuJpOgdLBot7IZX83-pE9p6M1fjWnUzyy75_INXf3VcIXSwr3KJLmTHXNbPMKjxa8pfF1FxFrv7Yf0U7fSUvOPrzfzEw58U636dg8Zi5/s400/Canadian+Violet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596908548434130658" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Canadian Violet</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfinZ0yMQsy8ZgZg6HXLYwaZutc4bVXDCbPJjrflKrdk-_GZV75V2D15tUWsGE_RuoGwZPGA_9-MzziNPxMNBgAZ650d355WPVAhkOsr3rnMEypl-WZ30ZrnFLaN2exF5Z2ZC/s1600/Spring+Beauty+scale.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfinZ0yMQsy8ZgZg6HXLYwaZutc4bVXDCbPJjrflKrdk-_GZV75V2D15tUWsGE_RuoGwZPGA_9-MzziNPxMNBgAZ650d355WPVAhkOsr3rnMEypl-WZ30ZrnFLaN2exF5Z2ZC/s400/Spring+Beauty+scale.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596908316210234098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Finger and Spring Beauty</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQZhEu2ZT1qbixd6V9X_7e3ulcnaPFbd5bGn8P2tve3uUsV3-_kqoqxgvR7v0UFs6VZ9H_Zf1KsdpHRFUnEUrF7dm-x723LDoR3EqMysSZfU7iSj2UdwelQQmxH7rgTiwnkxB/s1600/Squirrel+Corn+and+Molly.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQZhEu2ZT1qbixd6V9X_7e3ulcnaPFbd5bGn8P2tve3uUsV3-_kqoqxgvR7v0UFs6VZ9H_Zf1KsdpHRFUnEUrF7dm-x723LDoR3EqMysSZfU7iSj2UdwelQQmxH7rgTiwnkxB/s400/Squirrel+Corn+and+Molly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596908101168376258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Squirrel Corn and Molly</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I7mffUly1JcPCo6t4a7gUnj2KgCW2ATQB2AKrE22bllJL6zMXGjlU3FlLVpxCBc2vQ6ohVd5zjBqCRxCMw1zUWXtFXVn8cmv0xgYNABTYe4U1R1Y5NQKIIE7jhaaHF8ZxRWv/s1600/Bloodroot+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I7mffUly1JcPCo6t4a7gUnj2KgCW2ATQB2AKrE22bllJL6zMXGjlU3FlLVpxCBc2vQ6ohVd5zjBqCRxCMw1zUWXtFXVn8cmv0xgYNABTYe4U1R1Y5NQKIIE7jhaaHF8ZxRWv/s400/Bloodroot+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596905550710708658" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bloodroot</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >More pics coming as the yellow Bellwort is out as well as the deep purple Dwarf Larkspur. And a new crop of flutes has bloomed with some of THE most wickedly beautful woods I've ever used...looks like a pic-filled week ahead! Stay tuned....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-15287461238293687882011-04-15T05:52:00.003-04:002011-04-15T06:38:17.522-04:00"Fried Fridays" returneth...kinda<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >To update a la Cliff Notes, last year's dead computer was finally fixed, and I did make a couple of posts...but between life and economic challenges, it didn't help that the computer died once again. I've since learned that HP laptops (my dv9000 series among others) have serious design flaws in cooling, and my video chip died from heat stress, as many do. One repair expert said the last 3 he worked on he couldn't resurrect. Tired of limping on an old Pentium 4 chip laptop (which multitasks a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >s well as I keep things cleaned and organized), I finally now have a new boogie jam laptop and am off and running.<br /><br />I miss the blogging, and I do aspire to get back to a routine of writing again....and I really enjoyed taking Fridays to tal</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >k of odd stories that are 'fried'. Writing, like anything, must be practiced to keep honed, and I've written precious little except for emails and blog posts for my neighborhood per severe weather issues and items of local interest.<br /><br />Won't make a classic 'Fried Friday' post until next week, but one thing happened just a few minutes ago that made me get off my duff and write. I enter my day's easily, having coffee in quiet, watching local news and stupidly thinking it will be worthwhile...and then it happens.<br /><br />Commercials. Not just any commercials, mind you, and I might as well lump in radio commercials as well (which is a whole 'nuther story as my car's radio is basically dead unless I'm within a few miles of a station). It's a specific type of commercial that makes me want to deck the person that wrote 'em....<br /><br />It's those $#@& doorbells and dog barks. Talk ab</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >out going from 0 to 90 in a flash, my two pups could give any shark feeding frenzy a run for its money. They could be curled and snoozing, but you let one little ding-dong go off, or one dog goaded into barking, and the maelstrom starteth.<br /><br />This morning there was a 'fried' national news story about a parent attacking a referee during an 8th grade girls club-league basketball game...the arrested idiot was 6'6" and near 300 p</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >ounds, and served as a wonderful role model by grabbing the ref's throat in a choke-hold. Scary the number of adults that have such a disconnect with common sense.<br /><br />Sports stars never disappoint, either. Kobe Bryant got hammered with a $100K fine for giving public potty mouth a whole new level of head-shaking. Local station here put up one of th</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >ose stupid viewer polls and asked the question, "Was he fined too much? Too little? Should he have gotten no fine?" Setting aside that I hate those viewer poll things, I immediately mused why they left out the obvious answer choice of "appropriate". News and reporting in general continue to drop to new lows in terms of lacking thoroughness and veracity. Gotta stir the pot and create a drama, even when there </span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >isn't one.<br /><br />Lest I forget Charlie Sheen. Next.....<br /><br />Twitter. Next...<br /><br />---------------------------------<br /><br />The wildflower explosion is well underway, so look for posts of pics soon. Still haven't figured out why my neighborhood blog lets me enlarge pics and this one doesn't....if you are signed up for notifications, you may see some testing new formats to see</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" > if I can get the pic thing fixed. I've also been using some very fancy woods for flutes that are worth a look, so lots to catch up on.<br /><br />Have a good 'un, y'all.<br /><br />test pic of my photo assistant...<br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3wpBytUcKkFOgQrhoxmxIYbUwGUDGv_xabilmLDyeAU5n5mmpzkWqsD9SfXqqQj4VU9SUWKEi5kN2XjIorrpx2eDCXEs2t_DlVMll5NyKnvPqOFbYkCR16OHZjW2ju8nQIn-/s1600/Photography+assistant+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3wpBytUcKkFOgQrhoxmxIYbUwGUDGv_xabilmLDyeAU5n5mmpzkWqsD9SfXqqQj4VU9SUWKEi5kN2XjIorrpx2eDCXEs2t_DlVMll5NyKnvPqOFbYkCR16OHZjW2ju8nQIn-/s400/Photography+assistant+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595757469223113730" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-72398072187434251342011-02-18T05:14:00.012-05:002011-02-18T07:49:33.464-05:00Just 'stuff'....<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>(click on pics to enlarge)</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Gotten into a pattern of a handful of days in the mountains and then pulling fill in weather shifts at my former station. Just enough to keep me out of a rhythm, which is making me a bit on the cranky side. ;-) While it has recently warmed nicely, it had heretorfore been a snowy winter fraught with travel woes for me, and now this week dealing with a cold of sorts. I jokingly say I wish I could get the flu to help me jumpstart a weight loss program, but gotta be careful what you wish for, eh?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEeBtfJt564RDK1ivcgcb3Uf-tN-EXBqrFYvq8DjuNe9k-psJw8C3pTgxr6-wK4edypBN6tVatOe860ipa73IOOBiXMmbfwErqPK63bPjHg3Xk5G75lh93MdI2mdqaNQskMaT/s400/snow15+006.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575005338548217394" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>1-15-11</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">So while I'm back in Charlotte as I write this, I did manage to get some flutes going earlier this week, and below are pics of two from unique woods. I've had this slab of Cinammon Burl for several years, and this is the first flute cut from it. I also have a G4 that is close behind it. Super lightweight and cuts/sands like butter. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL_m48ljiVjpk0qxOXO9vlCdk5dvbReBxHrr4o9hAmsRsztindVO3UGLPu3hWuHdtjHNRvUhHp3H9dK03DvLrmVuLA8RUmXZwvKrYzedvUlI46YoAUoXcwrjHnVblA1IGOYF0/s400/Cinnamon+Burl+B4_filtered.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 145px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574971136475089634" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>Cinnamon Burl (Redwood) B4</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i> (only oiled, no finish yet)</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The Box Elder was a scrap of crotch lumber I got locally. Where a tree forks into secondary trunks, that juncture (the crotch) usually yields highly figured woods. Box Elder comes in a 'flame' variety that is chock full of the red flames you see at the foot of this flute, which I'd like to order some day. This scrap piece I picked up yielded only this flute, however.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXvZZ9iIv2xwVX-z9l51F1ddH0xmFvbn5wNEFjoATdzpZmKlO3O0bEPlKzKKEXgdaeO9_lOlB1fJMR9Vq8GvXBvzzlGcc_VGf_yyQXKdWAl7Mud4kWABPZx2UMX5ECkicanga/s400/Box+Elder+Crotch+B4_filtered.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 175px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574971071328227778" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>Box Elder crotch B4</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>(only oiled, no finish yet)</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">-----------------------------------------</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">'Twas interesting watching Jeopardy this week, as IBM's "Watson" took on a p</span><span class="Apple-style-span">air of 2-legged champions. And so the news bits flew about, and after the two-night special, out came allegations that Watson had a technological advantage over the remotes humans used to ring in answers, yaddah, yaddah. I could care less. As I watched station after station report on the shows, from local to national, NOT ONE mentioned what to me was the most glaring of news stories: Watson screwed up royally on "Final Jeopardy". <i>Royally.</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The question asked which U.S. city had it's main airport named for a WWII hero, and its secondary airport after a famous WWII battle. Both humans correctly guessed "Chicago" but Watson was quite unsure of it's answer, and went with "Toronto".</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>Toronto.</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">You've GOT to be kidding me. Here is this phenomenal sophisticated ma</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">chine with 10 massive computer structures feeding it a gazillion bits of data in the blink of an eye....and it doesn't even come up with a U.S. city. Ooops!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Helluva glitch, if you ask me. But no one mentioned it on the news. Go figure.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">---------------------------------------------</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Back in early December I had just finished dinner with my parents in rural Polk County. Ive driven that country road more times than I can remember, but that night is a bit hard to forget. There on a 2-lane highway in the middle of nowhere, no houses, no lights, no road shoulders, a large Whitetail deer literally <i>torpedoed</i> my car. It had to have been at a full run, hitting me broadside at the passenger side front quarter panel.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">No doubt the deer lost out on that one. How my side view mirror didn't get broken I'll never know, but he sure did a lot of damage down the car. Luckily no glass was broken, and everything is fine in the cabin....more importantly, it passes inspection.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">You can correctly guess the car was 'totaled' by the insurance company given the Subie's 20-year old depreciation, so I now have the pleasure of driving around a 'salvage' vehicle that I can carry only liability on. Classy, eh?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIPDG8YYBYOEtm4kkMNiyxe8ADHuwd245yvnqzKfwCLfttbW8g7FPTYW0R-MU2tJOIRPcJZRLBW_rm4Ij3khAXZ00UTL3vSi8fS5bAXZ3KJF6x5PDSJR91_GHumEBLbUBWZAf/s400/1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 227px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575006531460505106" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Only one more thing I need to do....go get some outdoor decal materials and cut out "OH, DEER!..." and strategically place it toward the front of the front door.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-79671254955507757702011-02-08T08:53:00.004-05:002011-02-08T09:48:18.118-05:00A profound thought...<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Getting back into the swing of daily writing is not coming easily...the ideas are in the head, but the daily distractions and instant-excuses for procrastination pudding have been winning out more than not. Just finishing up a long run of weather shifts at my former station, on my former shift. When in my 30's, going to sleep at 6pm and getting up at 1230am for work was something I got used to, the weird shift and hours. No more is that the case. Eegads, but that just messes with the body clock, energy levels, and everything else 'living'.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My flute work is as much spiritual as it is artistic as it is musical. Just about any flute maker (and I'm sure instrument maker, period) will at some point talk about how the wood talks to you....each piece of wood has its own Spirit and voice, and no two are quite alike. They aren't always A-listers when finished, but they are unique, nonetheless.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I recently went and spoke to a group at Cooper Riis in Polk County about my Journey with The Flute. I had my two pups in tow out of necessity, and arrived early as is my custom. In walking the three of us around one large field, I picked up an old stick that had fallen beneath a tree, just a little 8" piece that was well on it's way into the rotting process. Into my pocket it went.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After situating the pups in the car and fluffing their quilts and lowering windows, I grabbed my "bucket o' flutes" and headed inside. After introductions, I was turned loose to wander down my extemporaneous mental footpath, bouncing from topic to topic as I do when I get excited...and I always do with my flutes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Along the winding presentation road, I discussed my branch flutes and how I look for fallen branches with certain dimensions and craft them into Singing Sticks.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I pulled the old stick out of my pocket. I looked at it and turned it over, asking the attendees what they thought about it. It was dead, rotting, too small and crumbly for a flute, and something any and everyone would walk right over and never notice.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes the most profound thoughts are the simplest.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You've heard it said that we never "die" but "transform" levels of energy and existence. Oh, our bodies give up the ghost, literally and figuratively, but the Soul lives on. And it matters not what side of the religious fence you favor, it's all Source, as Wayne Dyer calls it. Our social conventions have taught us to label and judge things as "dead" or "alive", "good" or "bad", "right" or "wrong", and the like. Many blindly assume that to be Truth and never question it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Periodic Table of Elements came to mind, the source of many a young scientist's early hurdle to grasp. EVERYthing is made up of elements, be it in pure form or in compounds. At the base is the atom, with a nucleus of protons and neutrons. About that swirls a field of electrons, each combination of those three making an element unique, identifiable. Just a chapter in The Cliff Notes version of Life, of course. And don't forget the three basic states of solids, liquids, and gasses....from virtually nil to helter skelter aplenty, the space for electrons to 'do their thing' varies, BUT....they still "do their thing". Always and all ways.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Call it God, Creator, The Great Mystery, Yaweh...and maybe some don't call it anything at all...SOMEthing, some force, has created/orchestrated this incessant atomic energy and motion. It's part of Life's magic.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No way in hell that stick could EVER be dead. The tree is no longer taking up water and undergoing photosynthesis, so in that semantic sense it's "dead"; but that rotting stick still contains those whirring electron fields...and is very much 'alive' in that sense. The atoms continue to 'be' exactly what they've always been. The sheer joy and humbling wonderment for me is to take wood and create an alternate energy and lifeform in the form of music and aesthetic beauty. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">' </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Life never ends...like matter, it only transforms. Everything is "alive" when you stop and think about it, possessing Life's Essence, Source, whatever you want to call it...or Her...or Him. Native Americans would tell you to listen to ALL the world around you. The Grandfather Rocks possess the knowledge of the earth's history, and to sit with the rocks and truly 'listen' can help you find your Truths and answers. Water is the giver of life on many levels. When natives took something from the wild, they would offer tobacco as an offering, honoring the Spirit that abides in not only that which was taken but the community from which it came. They knew and understood fully that the Great Mystery was in all things.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perception.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A Cherokee elder held up a cigarette and asked me one time if there was anything sacred about it. I immediately thought of all the cancers and deaths that 'invention' had caused and continues to cause, and my disdain for the 'coffin nail' showed through easily. He quietly split the paper and poured the tobacco into his hand and repeated his question. In a quiet instant, what had only moments ago been a negative symbol, became a prayerful and respectful offering. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes the most simple things can be the most empowering.</span><br /><br /></span><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-39355173187545809472011-01-27T08:35:00.003-05:002011-01-27T09:56:30.317-05:00"That's a lot of bull..."<div><span class="Apple-style-span">Elk, that is. Bull Elk. Dug these pics up from last fall when I journeyed near the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Cades</span> Cove ranger station in the Great Smokies National Park, not far from home. The re-population of the elk herds into the Smokies is quite the success story...this, a regal animal that was indigenous to the region before being wiped out by early settlers early on, along with habitat destruction. Estimates are the last of the elk disappeared in the late 1700s.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">In 2001, 25 elk were brought in from another national park to start the program, with another 27 brought in the following year. To date, the population is estimated to be over 130 (actually, I could not find a recent, solid estimate online, but the herds are doing well).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">All adults have huge leather collars with sending units on them, much like the invisible fence collars for dogs, as well as large yellow, numbered tags on each ear for identification (god forbid to be a fashion plate). For the sake of 'what if', I had a good friend proficient with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">photoshop</span> remove said <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">accoutrements</span> from these photos. (Thanks, Ann!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXdms3xCMRYNr74UVIpg50ZlrQO5OFHYj6vVIPdIDJUYoxeqaoxOrnjbBvXwbSVTpwxBkh3wYrn_nXxTDEb_TV4MhOn-6htDImVjMo6l3ejOnkqKw_0ohC_3AtMaH6NDQzAiL/s400/CATALOOCHEE+1+057+b_PS.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566861428348178658" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">This is bull elk #16, one of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">threel</span> dominant bulls in this particular herd. I was remiss that I did not have my camcorder or other recording device to capture the bugling calls, as they would (will) make excellent background tracks for my flute music. High on my list to capture once the tundra-conditions exit stage left!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXdms3xCMRYNr74UVIpg50ZlrQO5OFHYj6vVIPdIDJUYoxeqaoxOrnjbBvXwbSVTpwxBkh3wYrn_nXxTDEb_TV4MhOn-6htDImVjMo6l3ejOnkqKw_0ohC_3AtMaH6NDQzAiL/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+057+b_PS.jpeg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpm3dSiurIf5C530Zu22ugZzJQKVjmz6WxbtKoqzQgIVaHMtPKSRz1sYkCycEb7AynOK-gdH09jtLXQbMfi2ZPE0dlK1cjGCO4Sr48e7mA3x73kNht-t2OxA4tELTniwx_8xAC/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+048+b_PS_b.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpm3dSiurIf5C530Zu22ugZzJQKVjmz6WxbtKoqzQgIVaHMtPKSRz1sYkCycEb7AynOK-gdH09jtLXQbMfi2ZPE0dlK1cjGCO4Sr48e7mA3x73kNht-t2OxA4tELTniwx_8xAC/s400/CATALOOCHEE+1+048+b_PS_b.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566861428742223970" /></a>It was a gorgeous sunny morning, and not too much in the way of tourist traffic. One has to go out of their way to even have a chance of finding the herd so gathered, and a good telephoto lens is a must. There are always those foolish ones that must think a) they're God's gift to nature photographers and inappropriately approach the elk, illegally, or b) they simply don't think, period. Thankfully, I saw no egregious transgressors.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-08UQd64bjDhNgIMuVvB0k8kavy9TNTQ9ojCYPm3ypotOC1gNu5JFjk47c8a7O58MzO7MsShLBlQqkQSeB8gfEER99TY70VRMe56Vu00QMilyZuqBJl4-_26jol6KZ65PCDx/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+007+b_PS.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 346px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-08UQd64bjDhNgIMuVvB0k8kavy9TNTQ9ojCYPm3ypotOC1gNu5JFjk47c8a7O58MzO7MsShLBlQqkQSeB8gfEER99TY70VRMe56Vu00QMilyZuqBJl4-_26jol6KZ65PCDx/s400/CATALOOCHEE+1+007+b_PS.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566861423347947954" /></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The young '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">uns</span> are so cute, donned in dots and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">gangly</span> legs trying to keep pace their bodies. At least 25 births were recorded in 2010, and of those 17 were successfully tracked and all 17 survived...a great testament to the continued perseverance of those involved with the reintroduction program, started back 10 years ago this year.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-08UQd64bjDhNgIMuVvB0k8kavy9TNTQ9ojCYPm3ypotOC1gNu5JFjk47c8a7O58MzO7MsShLBlQqkQSeB8gfEER99TY70VRMe56Vu00QMilyZuqBJl4-_26jol6KZ65PCDx/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+007+b_PS.jpeg"></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QYDS31fwcIgbHGDQLmowcTXeHSB7McgEtwg1bORnvMDFqBWPYpwY9BVey-XL2QQQvi6x4VViFlU-_7HNA5I3i-s9-12w7R3V-BdlGcP9v8JUQrqa0M8loago_xWonJytGCGc/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+008+b_PS.jpeg"></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QYDS31fwcIgbHGDQLmowcTXeHSB7McgEtwg1bORnvMDFqBWPYpwY9BVey-XL2QQQvi6x4VViFlU-_7HNA5I3i-s9-12w7R3V-BdlGcP9v8JUQrqa0M8loago_xWonJytGCGc/s1600/CATALOOCHEE+1+008+b_PS.jpeg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 332px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QYDS31fwcIgbHGDQLmowcTXeHSB7McgEtwg1bORnvMDFqBWPYpwY9BVey-XL2QQQvi6x4VViFlU-_7HNA5I3i-s9-12w7R3V-BdlGcP9v8JUQrqa0M8loago_xWonJytGCGc/s400/CATALOOCHEE+1+008+b_PS.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566861419343388018" /></a><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">For the '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">neat'ness</span> of this success story is a flip-side issue for many national parks: leaving the property. Be it these elk crossing out into corn fields and taking down cow pasture fences, to the bison that wander out of Yellowstone and face a sadly unfriendly reception in Montana, fearful of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">brucellosis</span>, mad cow disease, etc. That's another can of worms for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">another</span> day...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Still having some real issues with Blogger...not sure why, either. Pics should enlarge when you click on them, but they don't, and there continue to be myriad settings that don't 'take' when I apply them. Bear with me as I figure it all out...or not!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-78207599273919427482011-01-15T16:21:00.010-05:002011-01-15T19:31:29.935-05:00"Once upon a time..."<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span">(NOTE: having some editing issues as blogger formats have changed...can't get pics to enlarge when you click on them, so bear with me a few days as I sift through the details...)</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Long time no write, eh? Long time no get dead motherboard repaired was what it was. Been researching where Money Trees grow, but have had little success. Actually, that should be 'no success'. Been limping along on an old Dell laptop with a Pentium 4 chip...not quite the "8-track" of chipsets, but multi-tasking and overall speed was a bit lacking. While I could </span>have blogged long before now, suffice it to say 2010 went down as one of those years I was happy to see come to a close. Like my art and flutes, if I'm not inspired to do something, might as well hang it up.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Alas, I finally found two nickels to rub together, and had the laptop motherboard repaired (video chipset issues). At the moment, it's working fine, but it was not returned that way...another story for another day. Maybe it's own chapter in my book I stopped working on, come to think about it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">So, whereinthehell do I pick up and begin? How about "ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE SNOW!!!" ?</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiskOiblItRWmeFiQcxFhKONeAEHFsP1_fs5TeMDyBCKGEv5T5ykM_hJRUdi5O90dda-nMeulMmhbgyMjbrTwleaVKeWeuDWIAc89lZH1-YpLppTi6j7HTRDmq5a397WN8NKf/s400/Molly+1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562563830125211922" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Molly, who LOVES all the snow....</span></b></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Last winter was a doozy for snow hyar in these hills, and in October I pulled the long-range winter forecasts f</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">or my homeowners group for this winter....'above average' in temps, and 'below average' in precipitation. Those maps could not be farther off the mark, and they are maps I've never put a lot of stock in, anyway. December was one of the coldest on record, and if you don't believe me just pay my fuel and electric bills.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The White Christmas was really neat, and it being my birthday was the 11" icing on the deck. Since Christmas Day I've had 34" of snow. Now you get a glimpse of my disdain for that 4-letter "S" word.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVBo7WI6woNV2Blamsf0xPLIr3etrnraIUBRUUwxG4NxCpvWI1Tdh7C_b7XVQzz7SfzL0thngSry3wJnIiTcIpim_thIofbmMS3-2Tuit_K6FBrJXClAF4vEByMLcyhchZe7H/s400/12-27+8a+1_filtered.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562557096809308386" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span">11.2" Christmas Snow 2010</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">It would be nice if temperatures would get out of the freezer stage, but that hasn't been the case. Having to sled su</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">pplies to the house is getting old, and I absolutely have to get a 4x4 vehicle, one way or another. See first paragraph above. My biggest problem was that for the last snow (10"+) I'd taken a few days of work at News 14 to help with their weather forecasts for the Triad. I've come to understand fully it is better to get snowed 'in' than snowed 'out', which is exactly what happened. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">While I do have chains for my front wheel drive wagon, I was coming up last Wednesday and, in a thick super-slushy patch, lost tire grip, and I spun the wheels. FYI, chains do not cotton to being spun. Yet another lesson learned the</span> hard way as one of the chains snapped and created a bigger problem. Nothing that AAA and a 1.5 hour wait couldn't fix, though. Now waiting for my new chain set to be delivered...oh, wait, they can't deliver with this snow-covered mountain road I live off of. Setting aside the copious snows, I'm guessing that since the Christmas snow I've had no mail/package delivery for 15 or more days.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTPP7lfZZoqM4YEsPtags6RgL57j1DI3kh8L7P1_TXX0l6qa3Xcsm8Hu6F4LvSh8vwQkOeKcbrjs7sg9c28IEG9eECVOs3d0YMbOSLV1FJZj6wEEn6I79t4MHz72IxwoIZgoU/s400/snow15+010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562573529232190050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b>at least I have a foot path!</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">And winter has a long way to go. I'm sure before too long I'll look back on all this and it won't seem as much a pain as it has surely been. I am not alone in asking, "Is it Spring, yet?"...I need the greening of the trees so I can get back to identifying Money Trees more easily.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> I'm feelin' the excitement already...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-34297646275511640912011-01-05T12:21:00.003-05:002011-01-05T12:24:35.397-05:00COULD IT BE?????<div><br /></div>***COUGH***<script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script><div><br /></div><div>***SPUTTER****</div><div><br /></div><div>***BURP***</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-86848318734419188132010-05-17T12:03:00.015-04:002010-05-17T12:32:06.411-04:00Wishing on ol' 'Star light, star bright'...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >"Twinkle, twinkle little star,</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >How I wonder what you are;</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Little birdie in the sky,</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Why'd you do that in my eye?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Twinkle, twinkle little star,</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Boy, I'm glad that cows don't fly!"</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Wishing. We all do it. Positive thinking, forward-looking, picturing what we want to manifest.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Easier said than done, I'll admit.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >I think I speak for a lot of us when I say I 'wish' for a lot of things. They're not greedy, selfish, mean, or lowly things...to the contrary. Times just ain't easy for the bulk of us, and it's a matter of learning to be at peace "as-is" until we can effectively create positive change.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >With that said, I have not felt my 'usual' literary nudges from the Universe of late...like going to a well to draw water and getting sand. I am in no way stopping the blogs and book chapters....but until my overwhelmed plate trims back, I'm afraid I'm going to be going 'underground' and more silent for the time being.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >There will be blog posts, but for a few weeks I imagine they will be sporadic...I do appreciate those of you who check in, but, honestly, I'm not one to 'track' readers and follow numbers trends. I have no idea who reads my palaverings, none at all, save for those that write comments. </span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >As with anything I do in "Life", especially flutes, I simply "do what I do" and pass it on. I don't 'expect' things from others...as the old saying goes <span style="font-style: italic;">(paraphrased)</span>, don't walk behind me as I may not lead...don't walk in front of me as I may not follow....just be beside me and let's let the Trail of Life lead us where it so chooses...or we choose....</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >As an aside, my War-Horse laptop with Vista O.S. is showing signs of dying...I may well be switching to Windows 7 within 48 hours, and if/when I do there will be another reason for ol' Bob to be 'quiet' until I get things up and running again.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >With that said, I'm bidding a temporary ''adieu" as I deal with an over-filled plate of s'ghetti. It's all I know to do....</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Until we meet again....</span><br /><br /></div><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-9261504736424576022010-05-13T07:43:00.002-04:002010-05-13T07:45:53.686-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBlSPg8ZJODionjcbt_tkdo5pg3mHa6dH0HOr2nUCfwcEiKaljRApAvnb8hoVFQb1jZtTGcpAaRzNaUkfZ7uuDh93DVY0les3HaJ2P2MQ058PddeELotxQpvwHpTvjPhMQbY4/s1600/Thursday+sunrise.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBlSPg8ZJODionjcbt_tkdo5pg3mHa6dH0HOr2nUCfwcEiKaljRApAvnb8hoVFQb1jZtTGcpAaRzNaUkfZ7uuDh93DVY0les3HaJ2P2MQ058PddeELotxQpvwHpTvjPhMQbY4/s400/Thursday+sunrise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470719056386652194" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Just a 'good morning' postcard for ya! Click to enlarge if you'd like. Ebony #2 almost ready for pics, but not quite yet. May post later...after I've had more coffee!</span><br /><br /></div><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-54797136619012422512010-05-11T05:54:00.005-04:002010-05-11T16:50:18.984-04:00Riddle me this, riddle me that....<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >What's black and black and, uh...black all over?<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >The answer will now be posted....</span><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >Ya know, Bill had a great idea with the oil spill....what a hiddeous Medusa that situation is becoming! No, nothing along the lines of injuries or things negative...just the production of my first Ebony flute.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuuKRpLqefz6Vl3vmMlJtjiLB-Wiv3F5O6QF8mB_ejTzO3JCB7rGkzgX4YlSAaz3e9kg6DYER1L-hWeJ_iHrpAhK75hA0eEACrbrIl3FKqXQNdYcXuxLpc-YexroKJSFxVyll/s1600/Ebony+2+001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 84px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuuKRpLqefz6Vl3vmMlJtjiLB-Wiv3F5O6QF8mB_ejTzO3JCB7rGkzgX4YlSAaz3e9kg6DYER1L-hWeJ_iHrpAhK75hA0eEACrbrIl3FKqXQNdYcXuxLpc-YexroKJSFxVyll/s400/Ebony+2+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470114457435057826" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >Now, you may not be aware of how unusual that is, an Ebony flute. First and foremost you're talking $$$ as good Ebony starts at $75/ board-foot. Too, setting aside the expense, the sound you get from such a dense wood is in it's own little category.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq1sD3DA_JUQFxRHK3fJ5i0BNQ8xVECA70Zz1gySM4v5OJ0Cgr29SmzSt6KfdE-kdw-zLcocj_RI8SW9PALa0-AJ32V51x1ivB4s-n8aaJLGd2UkFTBZTPRKWBs0OezzH8678/s1600/Ebony+2+008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 90px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq1sD3DA_JUQFxRHK3fJ5i0BNQ8xVECA70Zz1gySM4v5OJ0Cgr29SmzSt6KfdE-kdw-zLcocj_RI8SW9PALa0-AJ32V51x1ivB4s-n8aaJLGd2UkFTBZTPRKWBs0OezzH8678/s400/Ebony+2+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470114779009881218" border="0" /></a>And you may think Ebony is pure black, but that's not the case. Most Ebony has chocolaty ribbons in it, but when oiled and finished most of it goes very dark, indeed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAI8eQUBtcTc1UmcD_VKW5my-rcPl-jcvwSSxsQw6Ustk5fb-IhNeZ9rFNTZjepa9I8be701Nqhqi0FnvuM2lDcHj08IKltZ5gwbE0bA-qYl-nUmvkJrZED9tjaM2ftDs1DRJ/s1600/Ebony+2+003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAI8eQUBtcTc1UmcD_VKW5my-rcPl-jcvwSSxsQw6Ustk5fb-IhNeZ9rFNTZjepa9I8be701Nqhqi0FnvuM2lDcHj08IKltZ5gwbE0bA-qYl-nUmvkJrZED9tjaM2ftDs1DRJ/s400/Ebony+2+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470115212845946802" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" >Meet "Nighthawk", named for the actual bird. This mid "A" (A4) is 20.5" long with a composite block of 3 thinner Ebony strips, with the end result being a bird silhouette that for me resembles a nighthawk.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMyP5-3VRTQqQw-OosFMwgnlUsfgJwAgfuCTYzc9QyOcdGCW6zTdXD2OFvSvSRCALQBK9qiwqFLIRvQDfEgs8aezyoCwrNLq7JCVAF9Wq1IBEqL5DU32zwGqUe7nd0Qaf85Se/s1600/Block+comp.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMyP5-3VRTQqQw-OosFMwgnlUsfgJwAgfuCTYzc9QyOcdGCW6zTdXD2OFvSvSRCALQBK9qiwqFLIRvQDfEgs8aezyoCwrNLq7JCVAF9Wq1IBEqL5DU32zwGqUe7nd0Qaf85Se/s400/Block+comp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470114985102815362" border="0" /></a>The pictures are with the flute sanded and finished with one coat of Walnut Oil....I may re-oil and finish with wax, or may try a shiny poly coat on it, though Ebony can be fickle with finishes.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54-Mb41pUpeCGrG8el07u-2-6xr5hIO_GBF2MVfdm5kyOsHIelfCJl04rVX0BoZrNGN91AUDL7zk8cBkZJhpgYUHlZXxCffBT4eJISkd50gtBJNRGNLqIW_k66QdQcs-fe4t2/s1600/Ebony+2+010.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54-Mb41pUpeCGrG8el07u-2-6xr5hIO_GBF2MVfdm5kyOsHIelfCJl04rVX0BoZrNGN91AUDL7zk8cBkZJhpgYUHlZXxCffBT4eJISkd50gtBJNRGNLqIW_k66QdQcs-fe4t2/s400/Ebony+2+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470115538681886050" border="0" /></a>I suppose I need to qualify a 100% Ebony flute...the block actually has a 1/16" layer of Poplar on the bottom to help absorb a little moisture, as Ebony simply doesn't....should help this flute avoid super-fast 'wet-out' since Poplar will absorb some moisture. I coated the edge with a Sharpie to darken it!<br /><br />The 'video' below is simply my means of attaching an MP3 file for you to hear the flute. My laptop speakers are horrid, so I will have to assume the sample sounds fine on your computer...just something I threw together and added in a little 'echo' for effect. Enjoy!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:130%;" ><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxP_dYdlUq0UmWqmLEWX4k3X0tc9Qhh6AcOFOvsH5uxA0PZmMd1uo4o4RwR5QhYwigZ5Id6hUNXkpc' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></span><br /></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-59586751517023090692010-05-09T10:23:00.007-04:002010-05-09T10:36:06.943-04:00HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" ><br />For all the mothers out there and ALL you DO and PUT UP WITH, here's wishing you a beautiful day!!!!!!!!!!!! We of the 'astray' variety can't apologize and thank you enough! This flower is for you...</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdAqJNiaQf7VZ08Gk4o0e4PZTa0h3oOnIdvI28vKUH4jBWItZhbXyLgZIZTkp1aHHPX4cO9zZMXWoIQ8QF1LSXsSL3N3p9sSINTpLZs0p9Ds3pv0MhayEd8vNyAAQc_srvosK/s1600/Mayapple+bloom.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdAqJNiaQf7VZ08Gk4o0e4PZTa0h3oOnIdvI28vKUH4jBWItZhbXyLgZIZTkp1aHHPX4cO9zZMXWoIQ8QF1LSXsSL3N3p9sSINTpLZs0p9Ds3pv0MhayEd8vNyAAQc_srvosK/s400/Mayapple+bloom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469276412018589746" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >The Mayapples are now in bloom, and when you look from above you'd never see the flower as it is pretty much hidden by a couple of gargantual leaves overhead. For this picture I stuck the camera under the plant, and shot upward at it, using my swiveling screen to orient my eye-hand coordination. Click on the picture above to enlarge it, and probably click on that image again to get even larger...</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >I'm working the oddest shift that can be had at News 14 for today: I'm in Charlotte, working out of the Greensboro weather center, and producing weather forecasts for the Raleigh and Wilmington/Morehead City markets. Just about anything 'odd' is a "B'rer Rabbit's Briar Patch" for me, and this qualifies.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Interesting to note some numbers...a dry cold front raced through NC yesterday. Raleigh tied an old record and hit 90...hit 94 in Fayetteville...New Bern set a new record at 93...today all those locations carve highs back some 20-22 degrees, even with full sunshine! New Bern may not get out of the upper 60s, as the cooler air is screamed in on gusty NW winds.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Hope all y'all have a wonderful day...got more stuff to take care of here on my end...</span><br /></div><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-4033145508946577342010-05-05T04:09:00.011-04:002010-05-05T07:37:56.305-04:00Well, I tried.....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Happy Cinco de Mayo, y'all! Try as I might to find some classy humor per this South of the Border occasion to party hearty, it was all politically too incorrect. About the tamest one was about the twin Mexican brothers that were on the same firefighting squad...to help tell them apart they were called Hose A and Hose B. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I said, gave up that search pretty quickly.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Cinco de Mayo is not to be confused with Mexico's Independence Day (September 16); rather, it's a celebration of the Mexican militia's defeat of the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. 4,500 beleagured Mexican militiamen took on the dressed-to-impress and drilled French soldiers numbering some 2,000 more. Mexico had gone through the social and political wringer for decades, notwithstanding the Mexican-American war in the late 1840s.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Even with the Puebla victory, celebrations were cut short as the ticked-off Napoleon III sent an additional 30,000 troops to (basically) take over Mexico for their long-running failure to repay significant debts owed. Within a year, the Mexican militia was whooped, and the French gained solid control of Mexico City, installing Maximilian as ruler of Mexico. </span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">That, too, was rather short-lived, as civil and political unrest festered and boiled. Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans a few years later.<br /><br />Anyway, that's the gist of the Cinco de Mayo celebration, a more regional celebration even within Mexico and a bastardized commercialism here in the States, something we seem to be all too proficient at doing. Some people need an excuse to party, some don't.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Speaking of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, if you happened to note the previous blog (Foster's "In the Merry Merry Month of May"), that song was penned in 1862, as well. First thing I think of is the irony of it all...writing upbeat songs about dabbling in hillside springs in a carefree manner...at a time when well over 35,000 Union and Confederate troops died in the May-July Peninsular Campaign around Richmond/central Virginia...later that summer was the Second Bull Run bloodshed, followed that fall with the Battle of Antietam. Just a select few of the carnages that took place that year...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not trying to depress ye faithful readers today, but Stephen Foster's death was most untimely and tragic...cut short at age 37. Don't need to go into all the details here, so you can read about it on </span><a style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Foster">Wikipedia</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> if you wish. Interesting to note through history the renowned individuals, be they composers, artists, scientists, writers, etc., whose earthly lives ended prematurely in impoverishment and tragedy.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">One of his musical legacies was played before millions last Saturday with the running of the (oh-so-muddy) Kentucky Derby. Foster published "My Old Kentucky Home" in 1853.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >(chorus)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" >Weep no more, my lady,</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" >Oh weep no more today!</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" >We will sing one song</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" > for the old Kentucky home,</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" >For the Old Kentucky Home</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;" > far away...</span><br /></div><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-76025388885087029632010-05-02T20:44:00.018-04:002010-05-03T07:26:42.402-04:00"In the Merry, Merry Month of May...."<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">"Our barks echo'd through the glen,</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">With blithe and joyful ring;</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">We dug our holes under mossy stones,</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">And we dabbled in the hillside spring."</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Apologies to Stephen Foster, composer of "The Merry, Merry Month of May" way back in 1862. I altered a few words in the second verse to fit the lead-off pictures today...now that the inclement batch of heavy rains and storms is upon NC today, looks like a day to stay inside and look back on the the snaps I took this weekend.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >(click on pics to enlarge)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPqA7_kk3GEIGCdXPfmTm8hl5cNnloUgwFTdUPp9GsXcIgGAI1-QtFbTXZLo2oN7t31SAa90mtc2WrkOgDGSFSLaAhpI8jXFyxO9VVkGDKu5kFHaKofdOr5HAFxB70KpI_elI/s1600/Flower+Child+Mercy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPqA7_kk3GEIGCdXPfmTm8hl5cNnloUgwFTdUPp9GsXcIgGAI1-QtFbTXZLo2oN7t31SAa90mtc2WrkOgDGSFSLaAhpI8jXFyxO9VVkGDKu5kFHaKofdOr5HAFxB70KpI_elI/s400/Flower+Child+Mercy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466840333401645010" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The mellow Mercy doesn't bark, except when there's a raccoon, squirrel...or when Molly pesters her enough for a round of play. The lushness continues to unfold on the mountainside, thanks to all the moisture last winter.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO1EY3s4RCOhaygEbp64CsJZycR1Gmf_yYYUpca-rAveHW6gz82U99id3bVq74zi36iO2ZmLUe8K-1EHI60ZB8CiWKRloCeKr9q09Nt8Q-ON38nIiaJFknEkPVauR6fVAqdDA/s1600/Flower+Child+Molly.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO1EY3s4RCOhaygEbp64CsJZycR1Gmf_yYYUpca-rAveHW6gz82U99id3bVq74zi36iO2ZmLUe8K-1EHI60ZB8CiWKRloCeKr9q09Nt8Q-ON38nIiaJFknEkPVauR6fVAqdDA/s400/Flower+Child+Molly.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466840180566054434" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Molly barks a-plenty...and loves to dig under mossy stones....and loves to get all kinds of muddy and wet knocking around the hillside spring...and stealing items not nailed down at the neighbor's house. I have noticed that ticks seem to be in good supply, a bit more than I remember for a spring.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf6Jpp0RU5brOvGDvhGEpRfY5qkmQcyEPx0Vl0QS87DoOgYulK5XF-ZZENzSWKjrmrUCM4jBs5mMRO-NrUU-3s3oH4fxP2IXjpshG2RFyjhz6ogqUmbc50K6DbIH3iB46i_73/s1600/Flower+scene+3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf6Jpp0RU5brOvGDvhGEpRfY5qkmQcyEPx0Vl0QS87DoOgYulK5XF-ZZENzSWKjrmrUCM4jBs5mMRO-NrUU-3s3oH4fxP2IXjpshG2RFyjhz6ogqUmbc50K6DbIH3iB46i_73/s400/Flower+scene+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839977445624274" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The glades of Trillium really are a sight to behold, especially with the sprinkling of other colors...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ecgXPkRRh1sHY_vYxv1p0I8jNlFuLlRtCLgqCeHrCKL4egC5_8TQ_216C_tWazErv-39NJpv02iAg6A9F3XCjBTFSj_neWr4okfUq_erFCRSQH36cW3rGJwPZczSm5iuM_2c/s1600/Flower+Wake+Robin+close.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ecgXPkRRh1sHY_vYxv1p0I8jNlFuLlRtCLgqCeHrCKL4egC5_8TQ_216C_tWazErv-39NJpv02iAg6A9F3XCjBTFSj_neWr4okfUq_erFCRSQH36cW3rGJwPZczSm5iuM_2c/s400/Flower+Wake+Robin+close.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839771516285026" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...and I do generally prefer overcast conditions for photographing, as it is difficult in the best of times to maintain shadow/highlight definitions on bright, high-contrast days.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BNnj1iYaaPvlNo9mSQkqhTcwGAZPB9oemabLTRXbGytyRx6QUXGNae5pAPCso12EZyesJbiEcBc-PCAB-1eCdRO-o121Sc2YjJGB5L3I51_QdccvUk7Cs8I-l1PqWRufZxHg/s1600/Flower+Wake+Robin+center.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BNnj1iYaaPvlNo9mSQkqhTcwGAZPB9oemabLTRXbGytyRx6QUXGNae5pAPCso12EZyesJbiEcBc-PCAB-1eCdRO-o121Sc2YjJGB5L3I51_QdccvUk7Cs8I-l1PqWRufZxHg/s400/Flower+Wake+Robin+center.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839627912753730" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My little ol' warhorse Canon S2 continues to delight me with its macro capability, hand-held at that...its flip-out, rotating screen allows the camera to get in just an inch or two away while I save my back and knees from getting down to the picture at hand!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil33BxqLarqxIyIKv1Rn6FIq61QxCutbdNxrNCMR_uxEqPMenFGs1FEBmdwMDT1GvbNSq2Jj5YbU99oi1ST7hE-MvXnkLsPdTTCkBiSHsf7stdsKHZoE7kFMloUGw5aIoWtrRQ/s1600/Flowers+Solomon%27s+Seal+plant.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil33BxqLarqxIyIKv1Rn6FIq61QxCutbdNxrNCMR_uxEqPMenFGs1FEBmdwMDT1GvbNSq2Jj5YbU99oi1ST7hE-MvXnkLsPdTTCkBiSHsf7stdsKHZoE7kFMloUGw5aIoWtrRQ/s400/Flowers+Solomon%27s+Seal+plant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839494947591314" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Two 'new' flowers making themselves seen are the Solomon's Seal above, with it's soon-to-be-flowers hanging down below the stem...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoetAaZB_qBTmMcLmS8h-bOFbs2vp84CBVPm92CyIf05BZXZ6mJ9zwqBQNXizv663kWbxpxQGo92vCoHvPjkaoYxcWpNceGGQ5iTAbEajgpkxTSHzc0aP7Dh7p3cXJzxiedwD7/s1600/Flower+Solomon%27s+Seal+flowers.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 397px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoetAaZB_qBTmMcLmS8h-bOFbs2vp84CBVPm92CyIf05BZXZ6mJ9zwqBQNXizv663kWbxpxQGo92vCoHvPjkaoYxcWpNceGGQ5iTAbEajgpkxTSHzc0aP7Dh7p3cXJzxiedwD7/s400/Flower+Solomon%27s+Seal+flowers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839339255230242" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...to the very different flower <span style="font-style: italic;">(below)</span> of False Solomon's Seal, a kissing cousin <span style="font-style: italic;">sans</span> hanging bells below.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SxQ3vChD_dPOAcHyq56sJAf73gzLt09FtWBoCdL-PdJ6aSs74hB_0Wtm7uvwekWpPAvm-lSlQm25vMpcqBQ2bsn7zo-Kl66LtQW-1T1ChodS9eKMb4GVqs2M793nWTWEl_Uo/s1600/Flower+False+Solomon+Seal+bloom.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SxQ3vChD_dPOAcHyq56sJAf73gzLt09FtWBoCdL-PdJ6aSs74hB_0Wtm7uvwekWpPAvm-lSlQm25vMpcqBQ2bsn7zo-Kl66LtQW-1T1ChodS9eKMb4GVqs2M793nWTWEl_Uo/s400/Flower+False+Solomon+Seal+bloom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839191517758418" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From above, the stalk and leaves look quite the same, but the False Solomon's Seal flower bunch at the tip of the stalk is the immediate give-away.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2Ivw0MDCd-6SkfYBJbR6DONVBZ1gDRDAIPDmrEULsfhWnVAbXHLxNCHbtKQUiHwrjGta_1vqmqaFhWM_ibbNtokkmPDPYdI5QTKkJMMIm6oJwSEyWUUgUcfSoPhgS7q44d8a/s1600/Flower+False+Solomon%27s+Seal+plant.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2Ivw0MDCd-6SkfYBJbR6DONVBZ1gDRDAIPDmrEULsfhWnVAbXHLxNCHbtKQUiHwrjGta_1vqmqaFhWM_ibbNtokkmPDPYdI5QTKkJMMIm6oJwSEyWUUgUcfSoPhgS7q44d8a/s400/Flower+False+Solomon%27s+Seal+plant.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466839014065537570" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Violets of yellow, purple, and white are everywhere, including this brace of Canadian Violets.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOAnNw-DnZwJ3Va8w2-zt9MVgjWFge3TYg3uJWdCaj21O72iv5KjEUNe6H3dtQj4bMT46j51guKCYE1enblLf5RGRgi1tUBfvZHYKmw0TK-TzSZm7z9dZfdOAc74ZhVtnsi2Q/s1600/Flower+White+Violet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOAnNw-DnZwJ3Va8w2-zt9MVgjWFge3TYg3uJWdCaj21O72iv5KjEUNe6H3dtQj4bMT46j51guKCYE1enblLf5RGRgi1tUBfvZHYKmw0TK-TzSZm7z9dZfdOAc74ZhVtnsi2Q/s400/Flower+White+Violet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466838583314959218" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From the land of Lilliput, so it would seem, is this diminutive of flowers now abounding, Star Chickweed, the bloom only as big as my pinkie fingernail.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcPJyMlJJYtlLKfapGaVeMlVLvhOkgZp8TN2fU6uIFjgBuHVDn3Uvk2By0Y9DImE5ccIJrZDcPkqLHtGdkcGwNnYedKAHAG8I2yDWuS3-G_m52R0vc0lzAQiL-7fmVJfO5aRD/s1600/Flower+Star+Chickweed+close.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 358px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcPJyMlJJYtlLKfapGaVeMlVLvhOkgZp8TN2fU6uIFjgBuHVDn3Uvk2By0Y9DImE5ccIJrZDcPkqLHtGdkcGwNnYedKAHAG8I2yDWuS3-G_m52R0vc0lzAQiL-7fmVJfO5aRD/s400/Flower+Star+Chickweed+close.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466838461625693954" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Plenty of beauty in the non-flowering world, as well. Fiddlehead ferns are rosining up their frond bows; fern displays in general make a woodlands scene all the more verdant, eh?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cyDp4XG1VsiAPxh61Kcdf1nndfLQ4QLA1NVfWjEL_CYUzOjayYQv4J5nHIVKCCS-Yg5-WBonPS3ej18XahXKyUrbIvi1qDY8qXqfLQOoZkARyScOXlZ3Yvh7SaUpBoMStiXz/s1600/Flower+Fern+leaf.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cyDp4XG1VsiAPxh61Kcdf1nndfLQ4QLA1NVfWjEL_CYUzOjayYQv4J5nHIVKCCS-Yg5-WBonPS3ej18XahXKyUrbIvi1qDY8qXqfLQOoZkARyScOXlZ3Yvh7SaUpBoMStiXz/s400/Flower+Fern+leaf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466978399771975570" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Enjoy your day! Always good to bring a little nature into the walls of work-dom...</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-16792407514251816012010-04-30T05:45:00.005-04:002010-04-30T06:44:49.676-04:00"Fried Fridays: Picking up the pieces..."<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" ><br />Oh, how I wanted to run with the Gov. Crist story (R-FL)...I am SO not a political person, but as you may be aware by some blog posts the past couple of months, I've got a bone to pick with the boorish behavior of elected officials and private citizens, alike. Crist wants to make a bona fide run for the senate, but apparently will have to do so as an independent.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >All because of 'the hug'.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Yep, Crist did the unthinkable within the GOP ranks and citizenry by welcoming the newly elected President Obama to an official function...and gave him a welcome hug. You'd have thought he unleashed the world's most poisonous cooties...and the sound-byte interviews I heard on NPR radio a couple of weeks ago were proof that bigots really are alive and well everywhere, certainly in Florida. But I digress....</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Most of us take pride in where we live...while times are tight anymore, and we might not have money to pay for a lot of house and yard maintenance, there is no excuse for not picking up trash or pulling up the worst weeds...the simple, free things that make a visual difference.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >DATELINE: DENTON, TEXAS</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Homes that have been in the family for many moons hold a special charm. Sometimes they are lived in 'til the end, and sometimes they may become more of a summer vacation destination once elderly parents have had to move out for various reasons.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >This family's matriarch, 69 year-old Francis Howard, now lives with her son in Frisco...and they fondly remember the 47 years the house was lived in year-round. I'm just guessing, but I bet there was a lot of fresh-squeezed lemonade handed out on that big, wide porch, complete with a speckled pup in a green wagon on the front lawn, and out back sheets waving in the prarie breezes as they dry on the clotheslines strung between two mighty oaks...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >But that's no excuse for neglecting the lawn.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >That's no excuse for storing things (a loose term) outside, randomly.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >That's no excuse for letting junk vehicles continue to rust, even if they weren't Fords.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >And there's especially no excuse for not keeping the structure safe and repaired.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Nobody likes an eyesore, no matter the history. After repeated attempted-but-failed contacts, the city was left with no choice but to demolish the 'abandoned' home.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >Too bad the demolition crew came and took down the Howard homestead instead of the unkempt property in question....<span style="font-style: italic;">ACROSS THE STREET</span>.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-family:verdana;" >"Oops!" doesn't quite cover it, does it...</span><br /></span></div><br /><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34940175.post-92198763166128191132010-04-27T05:51:00.009-04:002010-04-27T08:47:48.142-04:00And the survey said...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">(click on pics to enlarge)</span></span><br /><br /></div><script type="text/javascript">var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script><script type="text/javascript">try {var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-7934530-2");pageTracker._trackPageview();} catch(err) {}</script><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Not too shabby! A wonderful low C flute is first to emerge from my recent thick curly maple board I blogged about last week. I used the end of the board that had the most 'issues' per warp and bow and unevenness, jointing and planing until I had some sense of uniformity...the only minor upshot of that is the patterns from the bottom don't necessarily match up to patterns on the top. Then again, that's a pretty natural thing for most flutes to begin with.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0u0xFIrSfY2vp5ZPyFpNxbUB7Alsd_qVVHx4gxcv8eDpVqav3cI7DSgOb1a4Ff-2QLJtJKZgYNUYkl-jNHF3ZuFPcn8-4Z_ax4B9CsXXFlcGUTiyAFqjbX0fFaFmfMsMftyt/s1600/lowC+comp+unfinished.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0u0xFIrSfY2vp5ZPyFpNxbUB7Alsd_qVVHx4gxcv8eDpVqav3cI7DSgOb1a4Ff-2QLJtJKZgYNUYkl-jNHF3ZuFPcn8-4Z_ax4B9CsXXFlcGUTiyAFqjbX0fFaFmfMsMftyt/s400/lowC+comp+unfinished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464788527225865970" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's 29" long, but I kept the SAC short (area from mouthpiece to the block) to make the reach easier. It's only about 19" from the mouth end to the lowest hole, and the finger holes are a comfortable 1.25" to 1.5" apart, center to center. The lower the flute key, the bigger the diameter the finger holes and the greater spacing; with that said, there are 'tricks' you can use in the lower key flutes to compensate for expanding dimensions and shorten the gaps. This is an easily played low flute with a wonderful voice.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HfIRbW9Vkt2VY3HMa_bkJuFEBFCxsjKvxjtl_5dkkaI_pD7g34EsN_ZGbCIztUkK4j64y9SGg_agR_GvMxwI3Fiy2PnYVEwHRvuokvUJ8-x5w652Cm8qQkzzX8dm4AvO0YdW/s1600/unf+flutes+009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HfIRbW9Vkt2VY3HMa_bkJuFEBFCxsjKvxjtl_5dkkaI_pD7g34EsN_ZGbCIztUkK4j64y9SGg_agR_GvMxwI3Fiy2PnYVEwHRvuokvUJ8-x5w652Cm8qQkzzX8dm4AvO0YdW/s400/unf+flutes+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464789418814652290" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The pictures are the unfinished flute with only a coat of Danish Wood Oil rubbed in. I recorded a song with the flute before I started putting on the shiny finish coats this morning...the shiny finish will accentuate the curl and figuring. With the short SAC, the block couldn't really go too far back....instead, I added pieces of Mahogany to the side, like wings, and brought them forward in an aesthetically pleasing curve. Just something a little different that worked well on this flute.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Since I can't load MP3s into this blog, I made a movie with the pictures above and embedded the test song in it...</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx6szxzHunwHM2H_rlGHZjcmY0xRGeel6VPLlM5m9q-zf3cs2TEkokx1VDN_scwsrBQt7excnpiLHg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div>Bob Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06304578964430843481noreply@blogger.com0