Nitey, Nite

 
I'm putting my cold to bed for the night. Called in sick for work. Did some editing today and chilled out (between coughing, sneezing, and dripping).

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Making the Most of the Sun

 
Today's good news is that the sore throat I've had for a week has let loose its grip, but it turned into a head cold. They sent me home from work early, and I'm going to bed really soon.

Yesterday's sunshine and sunset cheered me enough for two days, so here's a shot from last night as I was driving home.

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Today's Wildlife Show

 
Today, while I was waiting for someone to show up for an appointment, I had a nice little wildlife show. Here's the stage.



Densely packed cottages around a lake. Please note the pile of logs strategically placed to obstruct my best view. But it will give you an idea of how close to the house this action is. A doe shows up, looking for something to eat. Is she already licking her chops in anticipation?



Need I mention that the snow is deep?



So she's rooting around, trying to find something tasty that might be hidden, when a man comes out on the deck of the cottage. Does she bolt? Not on your life. He has carrots. One by one, he throws them over the railing. She grabs one. Then, from the deeper woods, an interloper shows up.



There was some pushing and shoving and snorting. A lot like a school yard brawl. Almost all behind the log pile. Of course.



So, one deer got three carrots, and this deer got one. Can you tell which is which? I can't. But I'm pretty sure the daily appearance of carrots is expected.

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Ice

 
We are supposed to get freezing rain later this week, so I might not feel so friendly toward ice then, but I found these today and thought they were pretty.



This was on the same bush, but from a different angle. It looks like I did something fancy with the camera settings, but I didn't. I have no idea why it came out pink.

At another house, I found this interesting "sculpture."



This part looks pretty normal.



This part doesn't! Can you see how it happened? No the picture is not rotated.

	See Hersey River
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Cousin Helen

 
If Chuck were still hosting his Family Friday, this would be a perfect fit. I got an email from my cousin Jean that family is gathered in New England, because her Aunt Helen's "time to transition" is approaching. Helen is 101. This is the last living second cousin of my mother. (Jean is my third cousin.)

Helen was always very nice to me, even after I married and moved away. I never saw her from about 1962 till 2006, but she always sent lovely Christmas cards and a small, appropriate gift. I mention appropriate, because some distant relatives become jokes for their poor taste in gifts. Helen always seemed to get it right- a box of assorted fancy mustard, jelly, fruit. It wasn't always food, but I don't want to make up stuff I don't remember. I just remember that she never sent a "loser."

I visited her in 2006, and would love to show you a picture from that trip, but I can't find them (grrr- not digital?).

Anyway, Jean sent me a picture taken just last fall, with Jean's mother. Helen is on the left.



I never can figure out how these people get old. Here is how I remember Helen. She's on the right, and I'm the munchkin.



The woman holding me is Mary, great-aunt to Jean, and cousin of my grandmother. Next to her is her sister Mabel, Jean's grandmother, also cousin to my grandmother. In the front is Winifred, wife of a deceased sibling, Percy. Helen is Mabel's daughter, and her brother was George, Jean's father. Another sister, Grace died a few years ago. It's all very confusing when written out that way.

Mabel, Mary and Percy are siblings. My grandmother is their cousin. Helen, George and Grace are Mabel's children. Jean is George's daughter.

I actually remember pieces of this trip. The house was on Long Island. Jean remembers the house better than I do. She was there more often, but my family never went again after this time. I have no idea why. Jean says the house is gone now, too.

Very soon, I will be the only person in this picture who is still alive. How did that happen?

	See Jean Hall and Joan Hall
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