A Texas City Girl In A Small New England Town
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This morning was extremely foggy. And the fog stuck around when it began to rain around noon. It was wet. But it wasn’t cold. Our neighbor made sure all the critters were fed in his yard. As soon as he poured some bird seeds, the Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches arrived in his yards. We had a lot of fun watching them. I guess, it is time to get more seeds for the small critters and apples for the ‘possum and deer.
The year 2022 comes to an end. And the weather became a lot milder over the week. We went from 3℉/-16℃ to 59℉/15℃ within less than a week. But the rain is supposed to be coming in, tomorrow. So, Chewbacca and I enjoy every minute of sunshine this afternoon.
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I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands,
One nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
The grizzly bear is a kind of brown bear. Many people in North America use the common name “grizzly bear” to refer to the smaller and lighter-colored bear that occurs in interior areas and the term “brown bear” to refer to the larger and typically darker-colored bear in coastal areas. However, most of these bears are now considered the same subspecies.
In North America, there are two subspecies of brown bears (Ursus arctos): the Kodiak bear, which occurs only on the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago, and the grizzly bear, which occurs everywhere else. Brown bears also occur in Russia, Europe, Scandinavia, and Asia.
Grizzly bears are large and range in color from very light tan (almost white) to dark brown. They have a dished face, short, rounded ears, and a large shoulder hump. The hump is where a mass of muscles attach to the bear’s backbone and give the bear additional strength for digging. They have very long claws on their front feet that also give them the extra ability to dig after food and dig their dens.
Grizzly bears weigh upward of 700 pounds (315 kilograms). The males are heavier than the females and can weigh 200 to 300 kilograms (about 400 to 600 pounds). A large female can weigh 110 to 160 kilograms (about 250 to 350 pounds) in the lower 48 States.
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Grizzly-Bear
It was the first weekend of October when we visited the State Fair of Texas in 2012. And it was chilly. Most of the time, we avoided the wind and walked into buildings. Since the Automobile Building protected us from the chill, I captured photos of the Mural on the walls along the Esplanade Fountain in Fair Park, Dallas, Texas.
History of the Automobile Building:
http://www.texasescapes.com/DallasTexas/Dallas-Texas-Fair-Park-11-Automobile-Building.htm
… to be continued …
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Eloise Pauline Gleichenhaus
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The few days before Christmas, I was very homesick. No day went by without me wanting to return to Texas. When Katelynn arrived in Denver, Colorado she called Sara on Christmas Eve. Her box arrived on time. And in that box was a Texas Waffle Maker. Awww, that made my day.
The following day, on Christmas morning, Sara wanted waffles before opening the presents. Our pets had to wait a little bit longer for their new toys. Joshua, Chewbacca, Luis, and Benny were patient. On the other hand, Zoey and Ozzy were going crazy. They wanted to play with the wrapping paper so bad.
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Kevin and I met in a club, 22 years ago. He was with a couple of friends, who were friends with my friends. After a couple of drinks, we got into a conversation. When I was ready to go home, he gave me a ride to my apartment. Since he knew where I worked, he had shown up the next day. Usually, I don’t give people my phone number unless they ask or I ask for theirs. But when Kevin was standing in front of me, I said: “Dude, I forgot to give you my number last night. If you want to hang out, give me a call. Maybe we can do something for Christmas together.” Kevin agreed, folded the note, and left. The same night, he called me. And we were talking over a beer in a bar.
The next day was Christmas Eve. I was on vacation leave for the remaining days of the year. Months ago, a friend of mine and I planned a small Christmas dinner for the night before Christmas. I asked her if it was okay if I bring a friend over. She said: “Well, it’s Christmas. Nobody should celebrate this special holiday, alone.” Kevin picked me up from home. When I sat in the car and we talked a little bit, he opened the glove box and handed me a little present to me. I shook it, to hear what might be in there. Kevin screamed: “NOOOOOOOOOOO!” Later on, I found out, why he did that. Well, the little elephant lost part of its trunk, when I shook the little box. Even when the elephant doesn’t look perfect anymore. But it is a story worth talking about. 😀 It was very sweet of him since we knew each other for a couple of days. And it was the first gift, I got from Kevin. I still treasure these three wooden elephants to this very day.
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In 2010, Kevin, Katelynn, Sara, and I went to our local Christmas Parade again. This time, the girls got a glimpse of Santa. Katelynn was in first grade. Her class had the school play “Santa’s Suit”, where she was the “Lego” Elf. On Christmas Eve, Katelynn lost her first tooth. So, the Toothfairy and Santa visited our home on the same night. Unfortunately, Sara had a bad cold on Christmas Day. She wasn’t too happy. But we made the best out of the situation.
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Santa left apples, oranges, nuts, and candy under the tree. Of course, Sara found the candy first and wanted some. Kevin and I said, she could have some after breakfast. Instead of listening, she was very sneaky, put one in her mouth, and acted like she didn’t know what we were talking about. Lexi was happy, she had a new toy duck, which was shredded by her and Ranger the same day.
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A bird with a lovely, melancholy song, the Hermit Thrush lurks in the understories of far northern forests in summer and is a frequent winter companion across much of southern North America. It forages on the forest floor by rummaging through leaf litter or seizing insects with its bill. The Hermit Thrush has a rich brown upper body and smudged spots on the breast, with a reddish tail that sets it apart from similar species in its genus.
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The date varies from December 20 to December 23 depending on the year in the Gregorian calendar. Yule is also known as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere due to the seasonal differences.
Yule is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a bit longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun’s “rebirth” was celebrated with much joy.
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The Waning Gibbous Moon at dawn (12-20-2022)
In November 2011 I met with a friend and her son from Germany in downtown Dallas. This allowed us to do some sightseeing in town. We looked at a lot of buildings like the Fountain Building, the Bank of America Building (the tallest building in Dallas), the Old Red Dallas County Courthouse, the Comerica Bank Building, … etc.
I always wanted to go to the Sixth Floor Museum by Dealey Plaza. In the museum, we were not allowed to photograph. But it was very interesting to look at pictures, read history, and watch videos of Kennedy’s Presidency until the assassination at Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, and the aftermath. No matter, how often I watch those videos I always become a bit sentimental.
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This morning, we had a “Dinosaur” Parade. A “T-Rex” led it at sunrise.
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The US Code directs that Wright Brothers Day commemorates the first successful flights in a heavier-than-air, mechanically propelled airplane. Orville and Wilbur Wright made that first successful flight on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. While other inventors created planes that flew, Orville and Wilbur invented the first mechanically propelled airplane. Those inventors who came before them also inspired the Wright brothers in many ways. From a young age, Orville Wright and his brother, Wilbur, developed a fascination with flight. Inspired by a rubber band-propelled helicopter created by the inventor, Alphonse Penaud, the brothers dedicated their lives to the invention. They first found success manufacturing bicycles, including the Van Cleve and St. Clair.
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Since Kevin’s homemade Christmas tree got positive feedback, he installed it in 2008, again. The same year, I decorated a Christmas wreath for our girls.
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Eastern chipmunks are found in forests, but also in suburban gardens and city parks, as long as there are rocks, stumps, or fallen logs to provide perching sites and cover for burrow entrances They dig complex burrows with many entrances and chambers as well as short escape tunnels, and each chipmunk defends a small area around its burrow, threatening, chasing, and even fighting with a neighbor who invades the space The chipmunks spend the winter underground, but venture to the surface occasionally on mild, sunny days They enter torpor for a few days at a time, and then arouse to feed on stored nuts and seeds Life expectancy in the wild is slightly more than a year.
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Tonight, Joshua jumped up on the cat tree. It’s much warmer up there than on the cold den floor. He loves to look at the lights on the tree and play with those bells, I hung on the top post. When Joshua has enough, he lies down and takes a cat nap. ~ “MEOW!”
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After almost a week in Walt Disney World, it was time to drive back home. That day, we made it from Buena Vista, Florida all the way to New Orleans. There we had a motel room, and drove through “The Big Easy”. Five and half years later, we still could see the signs of Hurricane Katrina, she left behind. Even our motel room smelled musky from the flooding in August 2005. It was devastating to see all these damages due to the storm.
~ THE END ~
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Yesterday around noon, it started to snow. The snow covered the trees and grounds. But it didn’t stick to the asphalt yet. So, the streets stayed pretty clear until dusk.
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This morning looked completely different. We have a Winter Wonderland in December. And it looks so beautiful. All night, the snow plow trucks kept cleaning up the streets. Kevin was up and cleaned the driveway at 5 o’clock. Sara couldn’t sleep and she took over for Kevin. He needed to get ready for work. Sara had a 2-hour school delay. so, she kept pushing snow off the driveway until it was clean.
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It is perfect timing for the Christmas/Yule season. The snow started at noon. And it hasn’t stopped to snow. The forecast says it is supposed to accumulate 4 to 6 inches (10 – 15 cm) overnight. We will see, how true this is at sunrise tomorrow morning.
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Saturday night, we’ve got the Christmas tree decorated in the front room. I stepped with my camera outside to capture photos of the tree in the front room window, when I began to feel nauseous. I took some deep breaths to no avail feeling better. I went back into the house to put my camera down, telling Kevin how I feel and that I go to the bedroom upstairs. After resting in bed for about five minutes, I had to go to the bathroom. I had nasty diarrhea and blamed it on the hotdog, I had eaten earlier in the afternoon. But when I looked at my bowel, I noticed something concerning: it was dark brown, almost black. After I laid back down, I could sleep for two hours. I felt fine until I turned on my side. I was sick all night. And in the morning, I had the same color in my vomit. I let Kevin look at it to confirm if it was blood. He wasn’t sure but looked concerned as well. That’s when I said: “I’m not messing around with this. I want to go to the ER! A doctor needs to see this. Especially knowing, I’m chronically anemic.” Kevin agreed with me. Later that day I found out, this was a lifesaving decision.
In the ER I got a bed fairly quick, granted how busy the place was that day after I stated: “Nausea, vomit, diarrhea with the possibility of blood in vomit and stool”. After a CT scan, ultrasound, urine & stool samples, and a couple of other bloody puking episodes, I’ve got an answer: “Pancreatitis with the possibility of an ulcer in my stomach; not even to mention my portal vein”. At that point, Kevin and I knew I would stay in the hospital overnight.
In the following days, more tests were done. And I kept finding out more as we went. Meanwhile, the doctors put me on an intravenous liquid diet to keep me hydrated. No water, no food for three days, due to tests and healing. On Monday, I’ve got an esophagogastroduodenoscopy done. Later, I found out I had some bleeding in the esophagus and a stomach ulcer. The doctor also discussed my history of portal vein thrombosis, the possible cause of a hemorrhage and narrowing in the portal vein, and that I might need Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Insertion (TIPS). A team of doctors began to communicate with a group of Gastroenterologists at the Yale-New Haven Hospital about my health situation. On Wednesday, I found out I’ll get transport to Yale. While waiting for my bed in New Haven, I was finally put on a Clear Liquid Diet. Thursday night, a room and a bed were ready for me. And I arrived at Yale at about 1 am on Friday. At 4 am, a doctor discussed with me my health situation, more tests, the TIPS procedure, a possible timeline, etc. and I pressed for some iron infusions as well. WTH, I lost a lot of blood already. And my hemoglobin level is in the basement. I do not want another panic attack episode, due to anemia ever again. It sucks!
Since I arrived in New Haven, I’ve got another CT scan done, can eat on a regular hospital diet, and found out a bit more about my portal vein problems. Unfortunately, I have another blood clot in my vein. But the GI doctors will discuss more, how they will put that shunt in my vein to keep it from bulging out, bleeding, and narrowing due to a former nasty blood clot, I had back in the Summer of 2018. I will stay positive because I feel I’m in good hands with a great GI team here at Yale. Doctors keep me updated as they go. Due to today’s medicine and technology, there is a great possibility, that doctors can remove the clot, while they do the TIPS procedure. The nurses are wonderful in both hospitals. Now, I’ve got the weekend off with tests and can relax a little bit. There is not much that I can do than follow the doctors’ advice to have a positive outlook, eat and drink on a hospital diet, take my medication, and keep my mind busy by reading a book, watching TV, writing my blogs, communicate with family and friends online. One doctor said: “We will have you fixed by Christmas. This will be your Christmas present.” Well, it definitely will be a very nice Christmas present. I can’t think of a more precious gift, than a healthy life.
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So, now I have a bit more detail about my Portal Vein Thrombosis and Hypertension. The GI Team discussed my case for almost a week, before a surgeon came into my room, explaining, what is going on and how they try to insert that shunt into my vein.
Here is what I’ve learned: The portal vein is connected to a completely different vein system than the regular veins that transport blood back to the heart. Imagine, you drive on a highway (in this case blood through the portal vein). The highway has a narrowing, due to construction (blood clot). Lots of cars try to drive on that highway and it becomes congested. Now, people get the idea to get off Exit 1, Exit 2, … etc. In the beginning, this is no problem. Unfortunately, there are not only a few cars; there are hundreds of cars trying to get off these exits. Now, the traffic at these exits gets congested as well. Everyone tries to get around the traffic, and it becomes jammed as well. The exits in my case are the veins to the esophagus and stomach. They got congested, bulged out, and began to bleed. Therefore I had blood in my vomit and stool, last week. Tomorrow, it’s the doctors’ job to build a bridge over that construction zone to release the traffic to other highways and streets in form of a TIPS procedure. And they work on the construction by removing the blood clot. The surgeons had to discuss this project for a while to make sure the outcome will be long-lasting with minimal risks involved.
And yes, the team works with medication on my pancreatitis, stomach ulcer, and anemia. Today is day #11, me being in the hospital. I haven’t bled for almost a week now. So, they must have been doing it right.
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Since then, I had two follow-up surgeries, follow-up visits with specialists, an ultrasound, another endoscopy, a colonoscopy, iron IV treatment, new blood thinners, etc. Yep, it never gets dull.
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Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Shakyamuni Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali. According to tradition, Siddhartha had recently forsaken years of extreme ascetic practices and resolved to sit under a peepal tree, also known as a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), and simply meditate until he found the root of suffering, and how to liberate oneself from it.
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In the Christmas Season of 2006, Kevin, Katelynn, and I visited California. Since we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Kevin’s grandparents in Anaheim, we stayed an extra day to go to Disneyland.
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In 2007, Kevin installed his first outdoor Christmas tree made of Christmas light chains. Everything was holden up by a PVC pipe.
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… to be continued …
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In these photos, the Mississippi River is as in so many other states the state line border between Missouri and Illinois. While I captured these images we were at Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park in East St. Louis, Illinois. The Gateway Arch across the river is in Gateway Arch Park, St. Louis, Missouri.
Ladybirds are perhaps the most well-known and popular of all European beetles, and the seven-spotted ladybird is one of the most common species. The Seven-spotted Lady Beetle is native to Europe and was successfully established in the U.S. in 1973. This rounded beetle has bright red wing cases with seven black spots, although some individuals may have more or fewer spots. The thorax is black with patches of pale yellow at the front corners. The common name of this group of beetles, ‘ladybird’, was originally given to the seven-spot in honor of the Virgin Mary; the red wing cases symbolize the Virgin’s red cloak, with the seven spots representing her seven joys and seven sorrows. The larvae are blackish in color and are active predators of aphids.
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This was the last evening at Walt Disney World. We took the kids on as many rides as possible, before we watched the firework and went to the bus station. That night my feet were hurting from all the walking around in the park. And I couldn’t wait to lift them up in our Resort room. Sara was ready to go home and sleep in her own bed, again. It was a long week. But I knew from my previous two trips to Walt Disney World in 2002 and 2007, it would be exhausting after so many days. I was beaten.
… to be continued …
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This evening, we had a nice sunset of pink, purple, and orange. The surrounding sky had pink and blue as well. It was so pretty. Since I had the camera in my hands, I also captured a few Christmas photos.
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Benny loves to relax under our Christmas tree. He enjoys slip and slight with the tree skirt around in the front room. And it is even more fun when Ozzy joins him in his mischievous behavior. Benny is such a funny cat.
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Last weekend, Kevin and I purchased a Balsam Fir for Christmas. Two weeks prior, I ordered new Christmas ornaments. On Sunday, I decorated the tree. And today finally, I came around to capture several photos. The cats got a hold of the tree skirt. And the dogs think they can use some ornaments as dog toys. It never gets dull with our furbabies. This is one of the reasons, we changed our Christmas baubles from glass to plastic. So far, the pets have kept their paws away from the wooden ornaments. They are all excited about the season.
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Christmas 2003 was bittersweet. It was Katelynn’s first Christmas, but at the same time, it was our last Christmas in Germany.
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In December 2004, we had a Dallas Holiday Wish Celebration. The Beach Boys had a concert, and even Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto came for visit to sing and dance in front of the Dallas City Hall. I have it all on video tape footage and didn’t captured too many photo of the event.
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In 2005 we bought our house in Texas. The same year, we celebrated Christmas/Yuletide in our new home.
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… to be continued …
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by Marie Irish Bright
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Scissor-tailed Flycatchers breed in savannas with scattered trees, shrubs, and patches of brush in the south-central U.S. and just over the border into northern Mexico. They also breed in towns, farm fields, pastures, and landscaped areas like golf courses or parks—areas with a mixture of feeding perches, open space, and trees for nesting. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers spend the winter in southern Mexico and Central America, in humid savannas, pastures, agricultural lands, scrublands, villages, towns, and the edges of tropical deciduous forests. They commonly stay below 5,000 feet elevation but occasionally winter at up to 7,500 feet. Sometimes they roost in towns and disperse to the countryside to forage.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flies in straight lines with fast wingbeats, its tail folded. It also often hovers with its tail spread or makes abrupt turns in midair. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers form large roosts during spring and fall migration, and they flock in winter as well. In some populations, the males continue roosting in groups throughout the breeding season, but breeding birds tend to forage alone or in pairs. Males arrive before females in the early spring to establish and defend territories. After pairing up, both males and females chase and attack other individuals that intrude onto their territory. Trespassing happens frequently, especially in the early morning, so keep an eye out if you see these birds as you may be treated to an amazing aerial chase. Pairs are monogamous within a breeding season but don’t always reunite in later years. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers attack intruding Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson’s Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Mourning Doves, Great-tailed Grackles, Common Grackles, Northern Mockingbirds, Western Kingbirds, Loggerhead Shrikes, House Sparrows, American Crows, Blue Jays, and Lark Sparrows.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scissor-tailed_Flycatcher/lifehistory
Our family went for dinner in the late afternoon at the Crystal Palace. There we met Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh. It was great food. Especially, Sara enjoyed her Macaroni & Cheese and vegetables. She made quite a mess on the table. But, that is the fun part.
… to be continued …
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November comes to an end, and so does the Autumn season. The days become shorter, and the nights are much longer. We have some nights below freezing. The greenhouse is done for this Autumn. Since mid-November, I fill the feeders with hot pepper bird seeds to keep away Bruno from trashing the trays. The birds don’t mind the hot seeds. It’s still November. But soon, the last month of the year will arrive.
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Red Planet Day, November 28, recognizes the planet which has captivated human observers for countless years, Mars. Right now, we know that Mars is red thanks to photographs beamed back to Earth from American rovers.
For centuries, the naked human eye has been able to detect the reddish tinge of the solar system’s fourth planet, glimmering in the night sky. Little did scientists know, the red on Mars’ surface came from a preponderance of iron oxide, common rust. On Red Planet Day we celebrate our fascination with Mars, along with all the scientific advancements in understanding the dusty planet.
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