Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Palisade Peaches

There have been several comments and questions about those delicious Palisade Peaches lately...
"Are the peaches ripe yet?"   "Will you mail me a couple boxes of those peaches?"  "Can we come stay with you and pick peaches?"   and on and on...

Well, there's no doubt. There is nothing like biting into one of those scrumptious, sweet peaches and the juice dripping out the corner of your mouth, down your arm, and off your elbow.  Even if you don't like peaches, you would enjoy one of these. Maybe a warm peach cobbler with a scoop of homemade peach ice cream, a frosty cold peach daiquiri, or just a plain 'ole peach. Like I say, "Nothin' like a Palisade peach."

For now, here's the best I can do for those of you interested in them...

OK ! OK !  So those aren't peaches...those are hard, green apples, and each one of them has at least one wriggly worm in it. If you look closely, you can see a worm hole in one of them. What worse than finding a worm in your apple?  Finding half a worm in your apple !

Any connoisseur of peaches knows those aren't peaches. They may look like peaches but those leaves don't look like peach leaves.  Those are apricots !

Ah Ha ! A peach !  Want a closer look?

There you go. Just imagine biting into a lemon AND a sour pickle at the same time. Make your mouth pucker up? That's what would happen if you bit into that peach. By now, your appetite for peaches may have diminished somewhat.  If not, and you're still wanting peaches, here's a solution...

A dandelion. Better known as a WISH FLOWER !  Now, just place your face close to your computer screen, wish for a peach, and blow...blow...blow !  Did it work?

You say it didn't work?  Here. Let's get a little bit closer to that wish flower.  

Close your eyes, wish for a peach, and blow that wish flower off your screen.  Open your eyes. Did you HEAR me? I said, "OPEN YOUR EYES !"

See ?  You did it. Now. Wasn't this post just peachy?

Remember THIS POST about the peaches last year?

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In reference to questions about yesterday's post:

Hootin' Anni: Here's the photo of my dad's referee shirt you requested.

Jo Beaufoix:  Yes ! That is yours truly on my sidebar.

Rose:  Yes, I wore it for real about 20 years ago to a symphony ball. For the last several years, I have worn it as a costume in the Grand Junction Lions' Club parade as Cruella.

Faye: The special occasion is once a year as Cruella. ( See above)

Lisa's Chaos:  Here are the red p.j.'s.

Nessa:  Here is the Cock-Coon, Butterfly, Crocodile story. Guaranteed to make you smile.

Gattina: I will try to post those pics in the very near future of my two wedding dresses...one of which is much smaller and whiter than the other.

FTD Flowers for Janet

Dear Janet,

Since I seemed to have not followed your Fun Monday rules yesterday, here are some red roses for you.

For the full effect, you can scratch and sniff your cornpooter screen.

Just don't pick these red roses.  They are thorny.

Sincerely,

Swampy

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UPDATE:  After reading the comments yesterday, it became apparent that some of you are very creative and used stretched your imagination to make my Fun Monday post actually follow the rules. Thanks for keeping me in line.  Nevertheless, Janet, you make keep the red roses.

Slowly, but surely, I am making my way back home and will be on  your doorsteps later this week. Thanks for continuing to visit and comment.

"A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle

Excerpts from, "A New Earth... Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle...

...millions of years ago...the first flower probably did not survive for long, and flowers must have remained rare and isolated phenomena...                                                         

...much later, those delicate and fragrant beings we call flowers would come to play an essential part in the evolution of consciousness of another species. Humans would increasingly be drawn to and fascinated by them...

...flowers were most likely the first thing they (human beings) came to value that had no utilitarian purpose for them, that is to say, was not liked in some way to survival...They provided inspiration to countless artists, poets, and mystics...

The  Buddha is said to have given a "silent sermon" once during which he held up a flower and gazed at it. After a while, one of those present, a monk called Mahakasyapa, began to smile. He is said to have been the only one who had understood the sermon. According to legend, that smile (that is to say, realization) was handed down by twenty-eight successive masters and much later became the origin of Zen.

Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition.

Without our fully realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless with ourselves. Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal,and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the world of physical forms and the formless.

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Answer to yesterday's question: "What Is Unusual About This Paragraph?"

It was written without the letter "E."

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Nekked Lizard Lady created the new banner from  the roses that AnodeMan gave to Swampy who took the photo.

Bye Bye Hummingbirds

Wanting a few last glimpses of my hummingbirds, I grabbed the camera one morning to see if I could capture this little fellow before he headed south. But before, you scroll down, I have a question.

Do you leave the feeders up or take them down?  I have read two different things: 
1)to leave them up for any stragglers that might be coming from the north and need to 'eat.' 
2) to take them down to force them south.
What should I do?

Trying to zoom in just wasn't working and I needed to hurry because that little feller would be gone in an instant.

No matter how hard I tried, the camera would NOT cooperate.

So, I quickly tried again, but he was gone.
AACCHHKKTT!
But  w-h-h-a-a-a-t-t-t is that?

Whoa $hi+ !
Sorry, but that's exactly what I said.

Running outside for closer inspection, I found a spider larger than the hummingbird. See? She's right outside my kitchen window. OK, maybe you can't see her too well.

I'll get just a bit closer.
Now can you see her?
I left her there for theHansMan to deal with. It's probably bad karma to kill a spider.

Later that afteroon, I looked out the window to check on Charlotte and saw this.
Whoa $hi+.
Yup.
I Did Said It Again !

Grabbed my camera once again.
See?
Want a closer look?
This is her top side. Isn't it pretty interesting...pretty interesting ?

If you look closely, you can see part of her web.

Just sit and watch Charlotte do her thing.
Adds a "wholenother" meaning to "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" doesn't it?
Or do you say, "Eensy Weensy Spider?"

"One down"...so many bugs, so little time.

Pretty amazing, huh?
Does anyone know what kind of spider she is? 
Besides a B.I.G  one ? 

While we're on the subject of arachnophobia, here's another lovely one, and I know what kind of spider she is...

Any guesses ?

That little red hour glass is a DEAD give-away.

There is nothing worse than walking into a Black Widow's web...unless it's walking into one at night.

For those of you who have continued to read, here is more information about The Black Widow.

And you thought this post was going to be about hummingbirds.
So did I.

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On yesterday's post I asked if you knew what I was making. 

Here are the ingredients... except for the one that gives it away...

I love dropping in the eggs... (What sound does that make?)

The batter went here...

and here...

Now for the fun part.  Many of you played the game and tried to guess what I was making. You've been listed here.  For those of you who are new to blogging, if you clink the link, you'll fly on over to another blog. Believe me, take the time to do this.

Debs, it's not Italian creme cake icing

MJD, it's not pralines

Simply Jenn, it's not cookies (I'm sorry it's not cookies.)

MIn, it's not Russian Wedding Cookies or MeatBALLS What ARE we going to do with you?

Karisma, it's not cake

Pamela, it's not coffee cake

Wolfbaby, it's not shepherd's pie or cookies

Joy T, it's not coffee cake

Miss Lion Heart, it's not walnut bread

KarmynR, it's not cake and no, nothing that I make tastes as good as Mamma's

Robin, my trashy friend, it's not datenut loaves, nut breads (well sort of), or cookies

Carrums, how many guesses do you think you get?  First you say, Italian creme cake and then you say, KC's Banana Creme Bread.  (OK, Carrums, it's time for you to start your own blog. )

Well, Carrums, you and Kaytabug (Lady K) are correct. And Robin, you get an honorable mention, even though you submitted 3 guesses.

Here are the missing ingredients...

Will someone please come help me clean this kitchen? 

We'll have banana nut bread and wine. I'll even provide the wine. Your choice. With or without the fruit flies.

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Woo-Hoo...another Random Post:  Hummingbirds, Spiders, and Banana Nut Bread !

Palisade Peaches in Peril

Generally, my posts don't create much of a controversy in the comment section. Not because I'm afraid of controversy, or try to avoid controversy...my posts just tend to reflect my personality in a light-hearted, whimsically-warped, gregariously-goofy, random kind of way. Today's post is of a more serious nature for me.

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It is not a coincidence that this post's theme for the week that begins with Labor Day, is Labor.

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During my school teaching days, we used "Story Starters" that were either the beginning of a sentence, a picture, a cartoon, or anything that might motivate a student to put his/her thoughts on paper. The directions were to finish the sentence and continue on with as many paragraphs as needed to express that thought, create captions for the picture, or draw more cartoons to create "the rest of the story." If there were definite, opposing views, we would then have debates on that topic.

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How many of you have ever walked through a peach orchard in late summer ? The delicate fragrance that fills the air is delicious. Your nose will be captivated. Your nose knows that it is on an olfactory overload alert. Being here is like strolling through a Monet. The peaches glow like ornaments on a Christmas tree. No matter what vision you have, it is delightful. Chances are, if you like the taste of peaches, you will begin to drool. It is impossible not to pluck one right off the tree and bite into it. Its sweet juice will run out the corners of your mouth, down your arm, and drip off your elbow. The peach fuzz will sting just a little, but that is a small price to pay for the delicious taste of the succulent flesh of a ripe Elberta.

As I have done before, I will let my photographs speak for themselves. (Ok, I can't keep my mouth shut on all the pics.) Come with me as we walk through some Palisade, Colorado, peach orchards...

Look closely at the rows under the trees...

Here's a closer look...each peach is worth ONE dollar.
How many can you count?

Are you counting...

...still counting...

...still counting... ?

This represents about $80.00 worth of peaches...

There are that many more hanging from the branches of this tree, waiting for someone to pick, box, crate, and haul them to the grocery store for you to buy and enjoy.  They'll never make it. You'll never taste these peaches.

I held this perfect peach in my hand...

...then carefully laid it back on the ground...

...to rot with the rest of them...

These peaches are casualities of a national problem. They are dying while our problem is growing. There are thousands of farmers with crops that will rot in fields all over our country unless we solve our agricultural labor problems. Something is wrong. What can we do to prevent this catastophe? Can one person make a difference?

Our pears are next...

He'll be 75 in October.
He, along with other orchard owners don't know what to do.

*All pictures copyrighted by Swampwitch.

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Math Lesson:

One nice 10-ounce peach costs about $1.00.

Under each tree pictured above is a loss of between $60.00 and $80.00.

There are that many more waiting to be picked drop and rot.

One tree produces about 320 ten-ounce peaches.

One acre has an average of 362 trees.

You do the math.

Hint:  $115,840 per acre.

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Choose one. Or complete as many as you want:

Story Starter #1:

Today, on my field trip to the peach orchard with Swampy...

Story Starter #2:

The new federal H-2A guest worker program...

Story Starter #3:

The fields are silent except for...

Story Starter #4:

Can we, like the residents of New Orleans, wait for Washington to solve our problems ?

Story Starter #5:

There are _____ acres of peach orchards in Palisade, Colorado that...

Story Starter #6:

#____acres of peach orchards in Palisade x $46,336.00 = _____

Story Starter #7:

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark Palisade, Colorado."
My apologies to Shakespeare.

Story Starter #8:

Another title for this post could be...

Story Starter #9:

Story Starter #10:

Create your own...

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I know there are always new blog readers daily. Be sure to click on the little word "comment" below to read what others have to say about this post. Or better yet, leave a comment yourself. You do not have to have a blog to comment...just a user name.

Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, Bread, and Honey

OK, nothing is working these days. Actually, that's not exactly true. My new "firewall" is working just fine. It is very efficiently keeping me from using my scan disks to add pictures to my computer so I can use them for a post.

This post might just possibly win an award: The Most Boring Post of All Times

Until this issue is resolved, you'll just have to deal with these photos. If they conjure up any captions or ideas at all, please feel free to make this post a bit more interesting with your comments.

 

"An onion can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people laugh."  ---Will Rogers

Only two things come to mind for me:
1) Veggie Tales, which I know nothing about
2) Baxter Black's Vegetable Defamation
3) Don't mess with me. I have the right to post something mundane.

OK, so this post isn't funny or even interesting. Does colorful count?

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Be sure to check out all the Fun Monday participants at Chris B's Ms Cellania. It's not too late to join the fun.

Will leave you with this bouquet of daisies.  You can touch them, just don't eat them.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Multiple Intelligence Lesson Plan

During my school teaching days, working with those precious students, my lesson plans were structured around Howard Gardner's Eight Multiple Intelligences.  I truly miss being in the classroom, so the urge has taken over again. We are going to "play school" today.

This lesson plan is based on the Naturalist Intelligence. I know there are many home schooling parents and teachers out there who have your own curriculum. It is easy to incorporate the Multiple Intelligence philosophy into that curriculum.

Since I started blogging in August, a few of my posts have been about this topic. I have received e-mails from readers requesting some of my lesson plans, and I LOVE IT ! 

The following exercise can be easily adapted for any age. This one was created for pre-school/kindergarten kiddos. Notice how all the intelligences overlap each other.

Verbal - Linguistic - write or tell me about the colors that you see, find them in your crayon box

Logical - Mathematical - count the birds, how many legs are there?

Bodily - Kinesthetic - run around and "fly" like a bird, chirp, chirp, chirping

Musical - Rhythmical - sing a song like, "10 little birdies sitting on a vine, one fell off and then there were 9"  "9 little birdies sitting on my plate, 1 fell off and then there were 8"... (And no, it's not 9 little birdies sitting on my plate, I ate one and then there were 8"

Interpersonal - take turns with your sister/brother and name other kinds of birds

Intrapersonal - lie on a blanket, look at the sky, and watch for birds (or find bird shapes in the clouds)

Visual - Spatial - create your own kind of bird, draw it, and color it, give it a name

Naturalist - name the kind of birds in the picture

Have Fun. 

How many birds do you see?

If you are interested in receiving any Multiple Intelligence Lesson Plans, e-mail me at
[email protected]  with mailing instructions. I would love to share some with you.

Any Questions ?  Well, raise your hand and comment.

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Here are some apricots to use to create your own Multiple Intelligent Lesson Plan. These came off my trees, and I picked them just for you, but especially for Min at Mama Drama and DubYaT at A Dingo's Got My Barbie.

UPDATE:   Kila just pointed out in her comment that these apricots would be perfect for PamelaJamela because there are no stickers on any of them. If you don't know what the 'sticker thing' is all about go visit Pamela. (Stickeritis Stickeritass was the diagnosis.)

Stargazer Lilies, Day Lilies, Grandbaby named Lilly...

Lillies...stargazer lilies, day lilies, cala lilies, Easter lilies, water lilies, grandbaby Lillies... I love lilies.

Bouquet of A Dozen Lilies for You Today  (+ 1) 

OK, I never said I could count. There are 13 photos here, not 12.

This post has been revised, so if you think you missed something earlier, you didn't, I did.

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Lilies are one of my favorite flowers. In ancient mythology and in folklore around the world, the lily has appeared as a deeply spiritual and philosophical metaphor. It is delicate but bold, beautiful and dramatic, and some are deliciously fragrant.

If you were to receive a note card with one of these pictured on it, which one would be your favorite?

Do these conjure up any adjectives?

Bee Lavender

It was with great risk and trepidation that I snapped these shots. No, I'm not allergic to lavender. In fact, it's one of my favorite fragrances. But the bee is a different story. One little sting from a bee sends me scrambling for an epi-shot. The operative word here is a.n.a.p.h.y.l.a.c.t.i.c. Just wanted to share a few scents and sights from my garden. If you concentrate, you will be able to gather the aroma of the lavender and listen to the buzzing symphony. Close your eyes and b-r-e-a-t-h-e.