Broken Globe Friday, Feb 1 2008

1 February 2008

I could get on a soapbox about environmental issues or global warming or the price of gasoline or the war in the Middle East . . . oh wait . . . those are all the same issue! 

But, actually, my title today isn’t about any of those giant-sized, brain-numming issues.  It’s about the glass gazing globe I’ve had in our backyard for nearly ten years.  In the wind the other day, I’m guessing, something fell on it and punctured it clear through.  The remaining portion of the sphere was strong enough to remain on the iron stand, although broken and sad-looking, hence, it taking me two days to notice the damage.  Upon discovering glass shards in the yard where our dogs spend time, I immediately set to work cleaning that up—the pieces felt and even acted more like metal, than like glass, but would have punctured paw pads just as easily, I’d wager.  Fortunately, the globe was in a tiny garden corner, where the dogs don’t really walk.  Anyway, once I had all the little broken pieces, I lifted the globe from its stand and instantly decided it would make a good photograph.  I took a number of them, with different backgrounds, and ultimately chose this as the best one. 

Today is the day of finally taking down all remaining Yule holiday decorations.  The bells of the chandelier; the front porch tree decorations and candles and assorted bows and greenery all put away.  The tree itself remains—awaiting me to build it a simple bag for storage.  I’ll do that tomorrow.  A good final step and celebration of the beginning of the next segment of the wheel of the year. 

What is the weather like in Pennsylvania this week?

~MB

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Ugly Duck Friday, Feb 1 2008

31 January 2008

Well, it’s official.  I went to the DMV with the paperwork newly arrived from Austin.  I picked up the title to the little Bronco II, and today, as I write this on the first of February, I’ve signed the title over to the new owner.  I now officially own only one truck, and the little Bronco is really gone.  <sigh>

On my way home from the DMV on the 31st, I was trying out some roads I hadn’t driven in a long time, curious about the new stadium construction.  As I drove past the closed entrance to Six Flags, and then past some big empty parking lots, I came across a pretty little pond I hadn’t remembered being there.  It was well-populated with ducks and geese, and I instantly thought of the photos I’d taken this summer in Wisconsin of lazy ducks on the ponds there.  “Perfect!,” I thought. “I’ll take a few similar pictures right here in my town.”  So, I located the next “turn in” spot—the entrance to a closed off parking lot—and pulled in.  In the time it took me to pull my camera from my purse, and get it ready to take with me, two very strange-looking ducks had already come up the little hill and were approaching my truck.  Okay, so I’m not afraid of ducks—I figured they’d just be frightened away as I got out of my truck.  But, no.  In fact, not only did they continue to come closer, but not far behind them were a couple of big white geese! 

Now, I don’t know if I’ve heard too many silly stories, or seen too many clips on America’s Funniest Videos, but geese kinda scare me.  I know they are territorial, known to be aggressive, and are more than willing to bite.  I have no desire to be the subject of someone else’s “funniest” video, so I got back in my truck to see what would happen next.  I shot a couple of photos of the ducks–practically under my truck!— and the geese as they approached.  Soon, it wasn’t just two geese, it was about six or seven.  And at least one of them had the big red lump on his beak that I think indicates the male of the species.  I decided I should turn the truck around so that in case this was the beginning of an Alfred Hitchcock scene, I could make a quick getaway.  Honking my horn to make the birds move seemed to have no real affect.  I slowly, carefully did a U-turn, and put the truck back into park to take more photos. 

It was about this time that I realized there were another dozen or more geese on their way up the hill toward my truck.  That’s when I really got worried. I snapped one last photo which you can see here, and decided it was time to escape the (no doubt harmless, but hungry) gaggle of geese.  After all, I wasn’t carrying anything remotely edible!

I feel pretty silly now, the day after.  I suppose if I’d stayed I could have had some really awesome photos.  Maybe next time, I’ll take some bread with me!

Kyle and I tried out a new pizza joint for dinner, since Pizza Hut’s price went up six bucks and their delivery time was estimated at an hour and a half!  We were back home within budget, and with full bellies before that pizza would have arrived!  What’s up with that?  Johnny Bruscoe’s served a vaguely New York-style pizza with a fabulously delicious crust.  Although we won’t get the same chopped beef topping again, we will be back.

~MB

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