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Yesterday we attended a two hour long presentation at the Library on the subject of the famous photo known as The Kiss.  This, you may recall was the photo of the US Sailor who was kissing a nurse in the street at Times Square in NYC.  The purpose of the presentation was to show how using facts of astronomy and geography put the authenticity of this photo in great jeopardy. This photo was taken on VJ day in NYC and was published on the inside of a LIFE magazine issue of that time.  No one knows, to this date who the two individuals were in that photo.  Some 40 or so men have come forward saying "it was me", but none were confirmed until some one wrote a book and claimed that it was two people who were proven to be "the ones".  Well, through detective work and a whole lot of cross checking, two professors at the college here have shown that the book published sometime back got it all wrong, and so also debunked the famous newscasters who made it clear on t...

First there was just one frog, then we spotted two frogs, then three.  We expect that now there will be lots of frogs. L. Frog is interesting to watch.  There are times when all of a sudden, a frog just jumps out of the tub and onto the gravel nearby.  Then sits on the gravel and jumps back into the tub. This tub is about 18 inches tall, so a good jump is required. Last, while having dinner, it was noticed that a frog had jumped up onto the limestone window sill and was sitting there surveying the countryside.  Then, not missing the target, jumped back into the tub. They like the bird beach, and share it willingly with the birds. Yesterday, a roadrunner came to drink and did those frogs duck for cover.  I am certain that a frog would go well in the diet of a roadrunner. Snakes are also a threat to the frogs.  Frogs react quickly to the presence of a roadrunner, but I wonder how good they would be at recognizing the stealth of a snake?  We know the...

Well, I am not at all sure that it is the same frog, but, nevertheless, the frog is back. In the front of the house, underneath the eave, is a metal tub filled with water for whomever needs the water.  In an earlier post, it featured the birds who have learned how to use the sloping 2x6 as a beach for their bathing. The metal tub is under the eave to have rainfall help keep it full.  Only this week have I had to add water to it with the hose from the rainwater storage tank. Last summer, a leopard frog showed up in the tank, sometimes on the bird beach, sometime hanging on the rim, some days visible, some days not.  Then, along came the fall season, and more and more the frog hung on the rim, looking out over the expanse of the dry back yard.  Then, as the days became cooler, all of a sudden, he disappeared.  To where, no one knows. Now, here it is , middle of July and L. Frog is back.  How this frog gets up the side of the tank to access the water is s...

If one lives long enough, there is a good chance to see some contrasts from earlier days to the current time. Take for example the topic of what the school required in the way of supplies for new students in the first grade or kindergarten.  In the early days (not going to reveal how early this is), it would be recalled that only a pencil and paper were required.  Then, a bit later, maybe in the 50's it was determined that a "pencil box" was also required. Fast forward to today, it seems as if now, a whole office layout of supplies are required.  We happened to notice these tables of requirements in the local big box store, listing what the incoming kindergarten and first grader needed to bring to school. Here's the list: Click on the table to see a readable view. No wonder the little kids need backpacks! One of the learnings in school these days is consumerism.

A summer day in LaGrange, how exciting, well, it was, kinda. We travelled to LaGrange to see the annual quilt show in their dedicated museum building just off the Courthouse square.  A few years ago, a sponsor bought this building and remodeled it so that it now has three large rooms to show the quilts on the wall.  In the usual style of museums, there are quilts on permanent display and then a display of quilts on loan that are making the rounds in the nation.  One ladies quilts were featured, and most of her creations were tie dyed and machine stitched to match the tie dyeing. But first we had to have lunch at one of the restaurants just off the square.  R gave it a C- rating which saves us from returning in the near term.   Then to the flower plant vendor also just off the square---hot, no sale.  She did have the fern cigar plant but they looked kinda weak, just as we would have looked and acted had we bought it and then had to plant it when we ...

Come to see my rose garden said the spider to the fly. This spider went to great ends to create an attractive spot for insects to visit, all the time he sat in the middle of the web, waiting to invite them to dinner.   Well, as our president will tell the spider, he didn't build that rose garden.  But it sure did look attractive to the midnight bugs. All the little "roses" are merely flowerettes from the crape myrtle bush you can see alongside. Click the pic for a good view.