New Hampshire: Rockingham

This picture is so intriguing to me. I took it with an old-fashioned, inexpensive camera in 1994. But (if you ignore the age of the automobiles) it looks like a picture from a date much earlier.

It is Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

It is from a good time in my life.

Pure commentary

As the Environmental Engineer in charge of Tillietown, Tommyville and the historic district of Kitty City, I would like to say a thing or two.

First, to the two out of three of you who voted to update my title to “Environmental Engineer”, I want to say “Thank you!” I know it seems so damn politically correct, but wearing a badge that says “Environmental Engineer” is just so heartwarming, compared to the old title of “Litter Boxboy.” (The vote was anonymous. I have no idea who to despise!) Yes, nomenclature can be so important to the minnions.

But there are a few other critical issues I would like to address.

First, to the residents of Tillietown: I know that you have the smallest sanitation district of the three meownicipalities (they thought that up, not me!), but I do not believe that fully explains your frequent misses. Okay, let’s be frank. I’ve seen the videos uploaded to Youtube of you trying to pee off the second shelf and hit the box. It’s gone viral. Everyone thinks it is hilarious. Not everyone has to tidy up afterwards.

And to the denizens of Tommytown: I realize it is a custom. I realize if you were a nation, it would be a national sport. I understand that you consider it a religious ritual. But litter tossing is not a sport, is a really poorly designed custom and has no aspect of religion that I care to discuss. Period!

To the residents of the historic district of Kitty City, where it all began so many years ago: why is it everyone thinks you are so evil?

Arizona: Yavapai

An amazing sunset in Cottonwood while visiting Aunt Kathie.

A new cat toy!

Yes, our old cat toys were looking a bit worn and tired, so I sprang for a new entertainment enhancer for the feline set. It’s a cute little fish on a string attached to a rod, something like a fishing pole. It makes a squeaky noise.

 I showed it to Tillie first.

 “Oh, how sweet, you caught me a fish. I prefer mine prepared with a light dill sauce with shallots and fresh ground pepper. Do be a dear and let me nap until you have it prepared.”

 I’m not sure she understood the whole meaning of “cat toy”.

 Tom was slightly more receptive.

 “Aw, how cute! A toy fish. Don’t you think it a tad odd that he’s out of water?” He inspected the toy closer. “You do, of course, realize the incongruity of the cute little fish-like creature squeaking like a mouse, don’t you?” He paused and gave it more thought. “Don’t you think, given the reasonable semblance to flight and its approximate size, that it would be more appropriate if it were a bird? And wouldn’t it be more fitting if it chirped?”

 He then proceeded to sit down and draw a remarkably detailed diagram of a toy bird, complete with flapping wings that I could construct for him. I think my next few weekend are tied up.

 Max loved it. He's really not as bad of a cat as some of you say!

Those were the days

And a couple more priceless gems from the past

He always thought of himself as a nature guide!

A totally rare picture of Mom in her motorized scooter. I think it may have been the only time she rode it.

Idaho: Twin Falls

             

Now, before you get carried away thinking there should be two waterfalls here that resemble each other, no. This is Shoshone Falls. There is only one.

And don’t think you should be searching for Shannon and Abby in the picture. They aren’t there. (But just an aside, someone should tell them that they need to add to their “Things-to-do together” list, a trip to Twin Falls so they can get their picture taken beside the “Welcome to Twin Falls” sign. It would just be so adorable.)

Rumor said that Shoshone Falls was quite spectacular. Rumor was the Shoshone Falls rivaled Niagara Falls. Rumor was a bald faced liar. 

Remember that church off exit 104?

It has recently been sighted standing upright.

I think this calls for a rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus"!

Searching for photographs

And came across of couple of treasures

Who  is this handsome family, and why is a picture of them in my family album?

Okay, it is a distant second from her classic pose in "Senior Class Portrait", but it is still priceless. Oh and she grew into her fashion sense later in life... circa 2006.

Tennessee: Davidson

Nashville isn’t Nashville without Jane Vanna Brunt accentuating the historical highlights.

I'm sure you all agree...

A perfect night includes at least two cat fights.

Last night was more than perfection!

Kentucky: Montgomery

When you know the backstory, little speaks more acrimoniously about my ancestry than this picture.

Richard Reid may not have been a saint, but John Jay Cornelison pretty much proved he wasn't.

Are you ready for the Fête du Bon Père?

Is the macaroni harvested and properly cured? Have you candied the corn? Sapped the syrup out of the Johnny Sauce tree? Cheese properly aged?

Come on folk, this is a serious holiday!

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

Philadelphia the city and Philadelphia the county share the same boundaries. So a picture that captures the sense of place of Philadelphia County would be an urban picture. Few cows roam the forlorn streets of rural Philadelphia County.

And I think this is one of my better pictures.

Oregon: Sherman

The photo that started my whole mission. A wheat field in Sherman County, Oregon. It just caught my fancy.

With less than 2,000 residents and no major cities (qu’elle surprise!) it is also one of the state's lesser known counties. And at only 831 square miles, it is among the smallest of Oregon’s counties.

But I’ve actually had a number of friends from Sherman County, and it has a warm spot in my heart. And at Biggs Junction, one of the most horrible truck stop communities in the nation, there is a convenience store named “Dinty’s”! I can’t help but remember my cousin Dinty (or Elaine) Foster.

Good thoughts for Sherman County! 

November 11, 2013

I was trying to figure out how old I am today. I got a little confused until it dawned on me that I needed to determine the cosine of the bilateral tangent of year of my birth and then attempt to correlate it to the reciprocal of the cosecant of the year I turned 21. Okay, carry the three and multiply the remaining quadrilateral by the square root of π, and holy bejeezus that is one big number!

Let’s just say I’m old. Not quite as old as dirt, as that is the age of one of my sisters, but way too close for my personal comfort!

As with any wise person of my advanced years (OMG, did you see how big that number was!)I have been doing some thinking lately, or as I like to say, “I’ve been saging my brain out.”

Our local art center is sponsoring a series of talks entitled “Sense of Place.”

Mention “place” to me, and I automatically think of a map, and give me a map and you won’t have to speak to me for hours, perhaps even days. Give me an atlas and you’re safe until next summer.

Okay, I’ve got the map out, I’m looking at the pictures I took yesterday, contemplating place and I suddenly remember this article I read many years ago about this person who’s goal in life was to visit every county and parish in the United States. (I don’t remember if s/he ignored Alaska or used the census districts, or what.)

Okay, sense of place; camera; map! I will visit every county in the United States and take a picture that somehow reflects that counties sense of space.

Wow, now this is a totally obtainable goal. I’m not sure how many counties there are in the US, but Texas alone has 16 billion.

This will be easy, and it will be fun. And I will post the pictures on this blog. You’ll recognize the posts by the title. The title will be State: County… or for example “Oregon: Sherman”.

Am I amped or what?

Road Trip-ette

It was just a quick round trip to Pendleton to meet up with Dianne and give her a couple of boxes of Wayn’s things. Oh, and a really big blue vase.

Okay, exit # 188 claims “Echo historical sites.” So I’m like, “Why not?”

I never found the historical sites, but fell in love with St. Peters Catholic Church.

Next exit is Arlington, Oregon

Arlington is the hometown of Doc Severinsen, Johnny Carson’s musical side kick on the Tonight Show.

And just a few miles off Exit #104 is

This amazing old church!(And if I knew what to do about it lying down on the job, I would do it. I guess it is just tired.)Just lean your head!

Good gracious hello! I’m Tillie

Now, I know you are all wondering is “Tillie” short for Mathilda or Attila? Oh, you silly geese, it’s Mathilda Jane, of course.

Now it is true that Tom is the smart one, but I am the sophisticated one. And Tommy is such a dear to me. I ask him to log me on to the computer and the next thing you know he is typing as fast as his little paws will go and presto, I have connection with the world. Drop a subtle hint about how dear a spot of tea would be and before you know it, here comes Tom with a cup of chamomile.

[Lap, lap]

It does warm the soul. Now you all know that Tom and I had some unfortunate experiences with the people we used to live with. It pains me to even think about it. We had thought of them as friends, but we were obviously mistaken. We were thinking that perhaps we could never trust another person again. But, well we are such people cats, that we couldn’t help ourselves.

[Lap, lap]

Maybe that will help you understand why Tom was so devastated by Katčka z Hell. Well, that and the meat hooks that mean cat has dangling from his front paws. When I met Max, the first thing that came to mind was Rasputin. He is nothing but a big, mean, arrogant, foul-mannered, foul-smelling, loudmouthed peasant-cat with an attitude that bears no semblance to his standing in life. And that time he swatted me on the rear like a common wench at a roadside inn! He will get his comeuppance!

[Lap, lap]

So, but I digress. We have settled in. There is this cute little area on the top of the piano and adjacent file cabinet that is called ”Tommytown”. And the washing machine and dryer give something of an industrial feel to Tillieville, but I love it all the same.

[Lap, lap]

Oh, and there is even a spare bed up in Tommytown, so stop by anytime!

Even though we are slogging on Saintlessly,

We still wish everyone a Happy All-Saints Day!