Daily Ooo's: Tuesday, July 16

[faerywings]

My alarm went off this morning and my first thought was--do I have to do anything today? Second thought-- food shopping, dammit! :faint2: At least it isn't pouring rain like the last two weeks so there is that.

I had a really good day yesterday. PT is going well and I am really seeing a big difference in the strength and stability of my ankle. The therapist now has me doing the toe-touches on the cones (standing on the bad foot) of left-right-left-down, up from left-right-down. I am only falling over a little bit now. :cheer2:
I spent another hour or so out in the yard. I moved some small lilies from the driveway to the woods. I am not sure if they will get enough sun there but I guess I will find out next spring. It is baby toad season too. I love seeing them, they are so tiny! Lots of butterflies and dragonflies to talk too- although I am not seeing any bees. That is bad.

There is some "interesting" news about Lyme and ticks.
House orders Pentagon to say if it weaponized ticks and released them
There has been a theory that ticks were used as a possible vector for a bioweapon. There is a book about Plum Island that was used as a research facility and it is located just south of Lyme, Connecticut where the first "outbreak" of Lyme began. One of the researchers there was actually a Nazi who did experiments in the camps during WWII. He was brought to the US because the govt thought he could help them. (disgusting, I know!)

Long story short, the lab was notorious for lax security and well, I guess no one considered that if the ticks got released somehow, that they could be carried off of the island-- say-- by birds. Lyme bacteria has been around forever, but the fact that is has become more insidious and makes harder to treat makes you wonder. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of this although I doubt that we ever will.

Today I am off food shopping and then nothing planned in the afternoon. I really should think about scrapping a page or two. I have only done 2 pages so far this month-- bad Cheery O!


Love and hugs!!

 

[faerywings]

Nancy- you probably won't see this, but have a fantastic trip!

Jean- I am proud of my mom, she called the orthopedist and left a message for a call back to get a referral for PT!!
I have no idea how the ants got into the corkscrew. Scott said that once they set up a colony in there that it is hard to get rid of them. Right now, it is in plastic bags in my freezer to kill the ones that are left in there and then I will take it apart and clean the whole thing out. It isn't like the screw even touches the wine to attract the ants. Now I am itching again! LOL

Felis I am sorry that you had a rough incident.

Gotta take the dogs out- BRB!

I am glad that asking about the book will help distract you. So I am a few more chapters into the book and I seemore information come out-- I want to ask but I don't want to give away any spoilers- but it has to do with political corruption. Thanks for the run down of the your history. I read the author's note at the end of the book and she touches on much of that too. (I tend to read authors notes and appendixes first) She mentions gulags so I guess that the camps will feature in parts of the story too as you explained all of that.

It is fascinating-- all countries have horrific histories. Even as a "young" country, America has plenty of it with slavery and Manifest Destiny. At the same time, we all find balance in between pride and willful ignorance. In the Author's Note, she mentions that "it has become remote for younger generations." The US is having a bit of a reckoning right now but wil we learn from it? As the saying goes- "History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes."

Anyway-- yes, Jean's reply made me smile too!


::grouphug

 

[scrap-genie]

Mostly more of the same today, but I watched a live class with Anna Aspnes that was quite helpful and got me to make some small changes to the latest of my pages of a screech owl. I think it got better and updated it here. Weather is warmer and humid today and this evening raining.

Chris, super that mom is following through. Your progress sounds wonderful and must make working in your yard easier. Good to be out talking to the critters. As to Plum Island, I was startled by your statement of its location as I know that name as a wonderful place off Newburyport, Massachusetts, where I have had great birding. But, the perhaps dark-historied place you mean does have the same name and is just where you said. Anything is possible but I'm afraid you're right that we'll never know the truth. Hope shopping was bearable. And the pirate page is so cool.

Felis, sorry you're going through things now. Hope you can come here and let off a little steam even without the details.

You asked about the pieces of paper with writing in my drawings. I use old books and select pieces from them, often with a reason. I started with old school books of my mother's but also have others. The piece you mentioned has somewhat geometric shapes so it seemed right to use bits from mother's plane geometry textbook. The phrase that is the title is in one of the pieces and seemed fitting because the drawing looks very different depending on how you view it, such as from what distance. An older drawing has the title Brown Leaf Papa because that is a remnant of a word list from an elementary school reader. It's really nonsense, but I did the drawing with it in mind, so maybe it does mean something.

Also thanks for the history recap for us. Just as we've told you, we know mostly none of it and it feels good to learn more.