Norms Bait and Tackle

Marilyne · December 15, 2025, 07:23:18 PM

Oh my, those photos make me shiver! I start complaining when our temps drop into the +40's.

OnLonelyMountain · December 16, 2025, 09:02:45 AM

Good morning everyone,

Great to see you posting Ciaobella! I enjoyed reading your posts. I too can relate to feeling the tech lag. I started using computers when I was 10. My father would take me to his office. The computer banks took up one entire wall of the air conditioned room, had magnetic reel to reel tapes and punch cards! LOL. I still crack open ours and repair (replace modules) when sonething goes wrong. I hate software upgrades. They mess with my organization and remove files that someone else has designated as "not important" just because I haven't used them lately. Think repair manuals.

I used to do lots of holiday baking and candy making. I don't have the space anymore. I liked spritz, frosted sugar cookies, gingerbread people, Russian tea cakes, gingersnaps, cheese cake marbled brownies, English toffee, and fudge. Its a good thing I don't make them anymre. If I make them, I eat them. 🤭

Marilyne, I'm still in the pasture. Ron got a virus. He was pretty sick. I am feeling better out here. I'm farther from the road, so less fumes. Its quieter. It was actually 67°F here yesterday! Thats never happened sinced we moved here. Its typically in the upper 20°s in December. I did see a report about unusual heat in the western US, talking about H.A.A.R.P. a couple days ago. I didn't give it much credence until we got to 67°. I smashed 2 carpenter ants that crawled out of the crevices yesterday.

Still carding, spinning and knitting. I'm working on the sleeves now. I'd almost finished the first one when I realized the color was a shade too light. I'm working from a silver grey fleece. The color varies. The light in here isn't real good until afternoon. Thats when I saw the difference. So I've stopped knitting and am carding and spinning for a closer match. I'll rip that sleeve out and begin again.

Ron tells me gas is $3.50 a gallon here. In Texas he paid $2.50/gallon. I saw a report that its projected to drop to near a dollar/gallon by spring!

Thats about all I've got today.

Marilyne · December 18, 2025, 10:39:57 AM

December 18th already. We're getting close to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Lots of ancient myths and stories about that day. I may post my favorite on. the 21st.

For today, I must comment on the Hawaiian Christmas song,
MeleKalikimaka, which was talked about in SS yesterday.
It's my favorite of all the holiday novelty songs. It always puts a smile on my face. So for OLM, Phyllis, and everyone else who likes it, here's Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters!

BarbStAubrey · December 18, 2025, 12:08:33 PM

Kathamarie, my daughter just left - we had a packed 3 days - On Monday we drove up to Conroe to the DPS office and got my ID card - disappointing - now they take and destroy your old license - I had been keeping them and would have liked to have in my collection my last license but it was not to be...

Dinner last night at Paul and Sally's, my son and daughter-in-law - after, we saw on TV a hilarious movie with of all people Kirk Russell playing Santa -vaguely remember seeing it a few years back and at the end in comes Mrs. Claus who was of course Goldie Hawn - for the life of me today I cannot remember the name of the movie

You two computer geeks - just trying to figure out how to watch TV these days almost requires someone who knows their way around a computer... I was fine, not as good as either of you but able, till a couple of years ago when the changes came so fast that I just finally threw up my hands and said enough. Limping along so far but yes, changes in TV have me flummoxed. My daughter made it stop and now I don't know what she did to stop the voice over describing every detail in a movie.

Talk about Bing Crosby - on Tuesday night we watched White Christmas - finally after all these years to me it came off as dated and most of the dance numbers I found boring - first in theaters in 1954 so it has had a good run. Katha did share a tidbit that Bing was 49 years old when he made White Christmas and she did remark on how soothing his voice which back then we thought singers called crooners were the 'only' measure of a big time successful singer where as today there are a couple but by and large a different sound is popular.

Your sharing your favorite Christmas music reminded me of mine that years go by now and I don't hear it - a Hymn that used to be sung at the end of Midnight Mass but now a different more triumphant sounding Hymn is sung - but I loved Gesu Bambino

RAMMEL · December 18, 2025, 12:21:10 PM

"flummoxed" - Haven't heard that in years.
\
Now we have "Smart TVs" - So do we know if we must be smart to use them, or are they smart. They can do more than the old TV sets, but do require some digging around. I often watch You Tube stuff on my TV. Have also watched clips I have on Flash Drives. Older TV shows can also be found (My son does that).

BarbStAubrey · December 25, 2025, 07:33:41 AM

Merry Christmas - stay snug and warm and hope y'all have a wonderful day...

OnLonelyMountain · December 25, 2025, 07:56:51 AM

Merry Christmas! Have a blessed day!

RAMMEL · December 25, 2025, 08:50:39 AM

Merry Christmas everyone.

Marilyne · December 27, 2025, 02:20:32 PM

Birds in my neighborhood. Posted on Next Door, in early November.

BarbStAubrey · December 28, 2025, 09:46:25 AM

reminds me of a neighborhood in Austin where the Peacocks were wild and perched on roofs and trees - problem, as beautiful as they can be they make a mess so that showing a home in the area never went well - someone always ended up with drops on their shoulders or even their heads and then the truth came out that these birds squawked and screamed starting early in the morning - no one had the heart to get rid of them but they sure were a nuisance.

heavy fog rolled in here last night and only now has it lifted up into the tree tops although I notice I still cannot see beyond my backyard - Paul and Sally drove home from Lubbock yesterday thank goodness so they were not driving in the fog.

Had some ornaments on the Norfolk Pine that I took off last evening - I've some fake greenery and pine cones in a glass centerpiece on the table that I think I will dismantle leaving just my little elves on the dough board and the wreathes on doors. Just not into Christmas this year and so rather than belabor it I just want to move along... I think seeing midnight mass that was the new mass did not go down well with me - miss the traditional Latin mass and with no one here it was empty for me. Did hear from most of the grandboys and that was lovely... well back to my reading - that always takes me to another place where the days frustrations vanish... New Year's next when it will be fireworks and guns shooting off followed by football and parades on TV.

Marilyne · December 28, 2025, 11:21:00 PM

Barb, Yes, I can imagine that Peacocks could be a Realtor's worst nightmare, if they start acting up when you're showing a house! Just like lots of us human folks, peacocks like to settle down in a nice neighborhood of one story ranch style houses, with lots of trees, flowers and well kept up lawns. Yes, they can be noisy and obnoxious, but those who live in the area say it's worth it?

Yesterday I saw on the Nationwide weather map, that it was 80 degrees in your area of Texas! I didn't realize you got that warm in the Winter.

BarbStAubrey · December 29, 2025, 06:41:03 AM

Marilyne it's on ongoing joke discussing weather during the winter months in this state but especially in the band of land north of I-10 and south of I-20 - sometimes all in one day but more often within a week it can be close to freezing needing whatever is in your closet that can keep you warm and then the next day in the mid 80s to even as high as 90 needing shorts, flip flops, sun screen and sun glasses - one day the rain can pour several inches in an hour and another day a dusting of snow although very rarely so that most children play with snow every 5 or so years of which the sun usually melts it off before noon - The grass gets cut once a month in December and January then back to every two weeks with weekly in April, May and June before the hot dry season takes over --- there is nothing consistent - if it does get cold in the 40 and 30s it seldom lasts more than 2 or 3 days and if a real below freezing norther as low as in the 20s blows in then everyone stays home and schools are closed because few have winter clothing. It is not unusual to see grown men in flannel pajama pants with a couple of hoodies.

Dallas and further north above I-20 that runs through south Dallas there is less extremes with more flannel shirt under light jacket days to offset the cold and few days in the mid 80s much less low 90s with more wind especially in west Texas.

I've never been but wonder if our weather is similar to Los Angeles - I believe I-10 dumps out in or very near Los Angeles which runs across the southern part of the nation starting in I believe Jacksonville Florida - I-10 runs through El Paso, San Antonio and Houston where as Austin is an hour an a half north of 10 above San Antonio - just far enough to catch a few more northers and far less often catching the damage from a hurricane.

I'm thinking a week from now I bet we start seeing daylight just a bit earlier in the morning - these dark mornings make me wonder if I should just go back to bed rather than starting the coffee pot...

OnLonelyMountain · December 29, 2025, 07:34:21 AM

Good morning! These are "stealth peacocks" 😆 They poop everywhere, infiltrate and adopt spaces, are aggressive/territorial and are almost as noisy as peacocks. Realtors Would find their presence a difficult sell, too. I have a couple of gangs that cycle through camp a few times a day on the mountain. I actually don't mind them as they alert to trespassers and gobble up ticks.

patricia19 · December 29, 2025, 11:40:44 AM

Barb, I spent two years in San Antonio's Fort Sam in the early seventies while my then husband was in Vietnam. My daughter was born there in 1972. I spent the majority of time on base but do remember going to the movies and the zoo. It was nice spending time on the Riverwalk.

Marilyne · December 29, 2025, 12:28:04 PM

Barb, Southern California is very dry, warm and sunny during the Winter months. Of course there are years when they get a major storm, like last week, and other years when it gets so dry that just a spark or a downed power line, can cause a major wildfire disaster, like last January.
I was born in Los Angeles, and lived there until I was went away to college at age 18. My parents lived there, their entire lives. It was a beautiful area back then, but is nothing like that now. The coastal cities are more tropical, and the inland cities more desert like. Yes, I-10 runs through SoCal. They call it "The 10".

OLM, the "stealth peacocks", look very different from the annoying but beautiful birds we have here. Yours have more of a "purpose".
Ours are more for show!

Ciaobella · December 29, 2025, 05:08:40 PM

Phew...Christmas has come and gone, and I picked up a stomach virus the day after. Finally feeling a bit better. Now just to get past the New Year celebration and I am ready to hibernate for the winter. We are having snow blizzard conditions today with temps in the minus for feels like. Brrr...

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. Ours was filled with family & friends, and my oldest granddaughter Kenzie getting engaged! I am over the moon excited for her and Ben.

OLM I just spotted a beautiful young Cooper's Hawk sitting on my fence waiting for prey that took protection inside the bush. I opened my window to scare him off.

Well, I didn't want the pic to be that big but as I learn I will figure it out.

Okay, you all have a very Happy & Healthy New Year 2026!!!

OnLonelyMountain · December 30, 2025, 11:54:59 AM

Marilyne, 😁"stealth peacocks" was a joke. Sorry. I shoud have made that more clear. They are wild turkeys. My first experience with them was here at the farm. Our neighbor, a doctor put up an aviary and hatched out hundreds. He let them roam loose "on his farm." They made a horrific mess all around his house and out buildings and on vehicles, furniture and equipment. They spread out around the neighborhood, were very aggressive, would attack and did leap up and claw at your face and eyes. They took over like a drug gang. Interestingly enough a group of turkeys are referred to by several names, one of which is a gang. They don't make the "help" cry like peacocks but do make loud caustic or warbling cries of there own. And no, they are not beautiful like the peacocks. The ones I have on the mountain have never attacked me, and are more cautious. Probably because of hunters.

Marilyne · December 30, 2025, 04:42:46 PM

OLM, I'm afraid I'm getting a little slow witted in my old age! LOL Well, they do LOOK similar, in shape, but I've never seen a wild turkey, so have no idea of size? Now I plan to do some Googling! Anything that would, "leap up and claw at your face and eyes", is not something I would care to have around my yard!

I was fascinated by the hawk photo I posted. I've seen hawks in flight, but never up close. The colors on this guy are gorgeous, but I dont like the look in his eyes! Something about his face and his claws, made me think of a half bird, half beast creature! Kind of like the Flying Monkey's, in The Wizard of Oz?

Ciaobella, sorry you had a little sick spell, after the Christmas festivities. I've had that happen a couple of times in the past. Interesting that your granddaughter Kenzie, announced her engagement. My two youngest grandchildren are now also engaged. Granddaugher Jessica, has a lovely ring, and has made plans for a wedding next September, 2026. Grandson Jake, is not officially engaged, but they are talking about marriage in the near future. His GF is from Brazil. She moved here to Silicon Valley to work in tech.

MarsGal · December 30, 2025, 07:52:24 PM

I was thinking of the Griffin (or Gryphon). Half eagle, half lion, they are popular as water fountain and library guardians, on flags, and as sports team mascots among other things.

It has been a very windy last 24 hours or so, enough to rattle the patio screen door throughout the late afternoon and evening. Temps have been mostly in the 20's. I did some actual in-store grocery shopping yesterday before the wind picked up, and let the dishwasher and clothes washer do some work, otherwise I vegged-out on the computer, TV and did a little reading last evening and today.

Sue was going to order a new printer cartridge today. She nearly choked at the current price. Apparently it jumped about $30 since she last bought one.

RAMMEL · December 30, 2025, 08:15:37 PM

Quote from: MarsGal on December 30, 2025, 07:52:24 PMSue was going to order a new printer cartridge today. She nearly choked at the current price. Apparently it jumped about $30 since she last bought one.

Check the price at Staples (if you have one). The one around here often has $$$ off of printer ink.

MarsGal · December 30, 2025, 09:12:28 PM

Rick, I checked with Sue. She said that while she is ordering it through Amazon, the seller is listed as Staples. I saw something the other day with another department store that has an online presence. Kind of raised my eyebrows. Amazon is extending it's reach? I don't know about her printer ink, but the one I saw stated that the item was shipped by Amazon. Sounds like a case of "if you can't beat them, join them". Online presence through Amazon and, perhaps, shipped from an Amazon warehouse might get them more customers who automatically check out Amazon and neglect other stores. Sounds like Amazon is extending its warehousing and logistics to larger companies?

Rats! Just missed you. Darn site timed me out. I had to retype everything.

RAMMEL · December 30, 2025, 10:37:23 PM

We have a couple/few Staples stores around here. They seem to have their own shipping, or preferred shipper. I've also seen Amazon advertising warehousing and shipping for businesses. So I guess if you have a business, and not enough business to support your own delivery service, Amazon might be the answer.

BarbStAubrey · December 31, 2025, 12:23:45 AM

I'm seeing Amazon as the new 21st century Sears...

OnLonelyMountain · December 31, 2025, 09:59:40 AM

Good morning all,

Marilyne, After your research you probably now know that they are the same size as domestic turkeys. Adults are about knee high. That hawk is beautiful. They are raptors, so think feathered, winged predator. I appreciate them as rodent hunters. We have a lot of chipmunks, ground squirrels, diggers and mice. If I ever get a bear and ground predator poof chicken house set up I'll make the run aerial predator proof too: owls, hawks, eagles.

Ciaobella, I hope your post Christmas malaise is cleared up.🙂

MG, cold and windy, 🥶! Yuck!!

As for me, same routine. 😐

patricia19 · December 31, 2025, 11:46:25 AM

Good morning, people in the outlying farms will dig trenches all around the perimeter of a heated chicken house. They will then install iron fencing four feet down in the trench, before filling them in. Some will electrify them, as bears and wolves will dig to get in otherwise.

Those with horses, Icelandic ponies, alpacas and llamas do something similar for their barns.

Today is another cold one where I'll spend it keeping busy to stay warm.

phyllis · January 01, 2026, 09:32:48 AM

Patricia, when I was a kid, in Kansas, some friends of my folks electrified their pig pen to keep those dimwitted animals from digging out and rooting up the neighbor's gardens. When we visited them they told me not to touch the fence. Well, of course I did anyway. NEVER did that again!

patricia19 · January 01, 2026, 04:53:48 PM

Phyllis, I can't imagine what a Jolt, pun intended, that was! 😵

BarbStAubrey · January 02, 2026, 12:56:28 AM

Wow Phyllis - independence does bite at times

patricia19 · January 02, 2026, 02:44:16 PM

Viewing New Year's Eve Fireworks from Space, https://youtu.be/RI9zmqn-kgs

MarsGal · January 05, 2026, 08:07:13 AM

Feeling sympathy for the ships and crews that are stuck on the St. Lawrence River due to ice and snow storm weather. They have been sitting there for quite some time. I saw mention that the Canadian icebreakers are having "issues", too. One ship lost power and ran aground, blocking the shipping lane. It is now reported freed. The canal closings may be delayed due to the number of stranded ships. Welland is supposed to close today.

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