tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965934511214427712024-03-13T08:53:47.744-07:00Tracie Skarbo's CreationsAll articles and information on this blog are subject to copyrights by the Author.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-88614847748483395422014-05-03T19:17:00.002-07:002014-05-03T19:17:51.467-07:00Grocery Superhero
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today was a crazy day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shopping at the zoo known as Costco, then over to the Superstore for
groceries today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not a crowd person
to begin with, but today took the cake there were people everywhere!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ecstatic when I was finished my long
list and could get my son, mum and heaping buggy to the checkout line, even if
they were 6 people deep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until that is, when
twenty minutes later I got right behind the guy who was next to be rung
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It wasn’t that he was odd or rude… actually he was quite
funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was when I heard him saying: “What?!
You want me to what?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the cashier,
then he turned to all of us behind him with a concerned face, and turned back
to her and said, “I’m not going to tell them that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not going to do your job for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you do that to them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have already been waiting in line, you
can’t tell them you are going to close down.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is when things began to unravel and I began to talk to the man with
the blue cape and red tights before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“What is she saying?” I asked him, while I watched the cashier
turn off her light and set her jaw.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“She wants all of you to find other tills.” He told me and
the rest of the growing growling faces behind us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And she wants me to tell you but I
refused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think you should refuse to
find other tills too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And thus the
caped wonder led the protest, in knee high lace up sneakers.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I will not move to another till I said blatantly, we have been
here so long!” I told him firmly.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“How can they do this we have other things to do today.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother chipped in.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I will not budge!” Another lady behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Just a minute, I know what to do.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so I found the supervisor and pleaded our
case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She promised to send another
cashier to help out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When I got back to the line, Mr. Red Satin Underoo’s says to
me “When you were gone the cashier asked me ‘What part of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">closed</i> doesn’t she understand?’”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was shocked; I had never been treated so rudely by a
cashier before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This cashier said that
to you about me?”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“Yes!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was just about to lose it when he did it for me and in
such a humorous way that all of us behind him were in fits of belly
laughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cashier was put firmly in
her place, but in a way that was not brutal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Then he turned to me and says “That was fun!”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks to my Grocery Superhero we didn’t have to wait all
over again.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-91297921230471557122014-04-01T12:43:00.000-07:002014-04-01T12:44:08.176-07:00Mirrored Mortality<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have lost friends since your departure</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe they see mirrored mortality</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">when gazing upon the shell </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">of who I once was,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">choking upon unasked questions</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Or perhaps it is the Reaper's echo</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">reflected within the shadows of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">my eyes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I remind of truth;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the uncomfortable reality</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">of life's impermanence</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">With a puff of the grim one's breath</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">everything I understood about </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">here and now</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">imploded</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Left me on all fours</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">searching</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">for pieces of normalcy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">while watching cherry blossoms</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">marry the winds</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-25252682700666242012014-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:002014-01-23T11:25:27.591-08:00Shards of Gone<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I would walk over earth and stone</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">To hear the lilt of your laugh once more</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Swim vast seas current to </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Breathe again your scent </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jump over an abyss</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">If it meant one more heated argument</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is a moment ever really lived</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And appreciated</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">When its finality is not known but </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Only hinted of in glimpses</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Death waits with humor-curled lips</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Until you find yourself standing in without</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And left staring at what remains within</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">An empty husk of what you were </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Before the shards of gone</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I cry into puddles of missing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Longing for future moments never born</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Wondering when it will get easier</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">And your memories reflection </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Won’t sear as deep </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-51816458929903360022013-12-04T22:20:00.001-08:002013-12-04T22:20:21.618-08:00Waiting
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shall I pull stitches from torn
flesh, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to prove you my pain?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or would that only evidence my
mortal status </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">before your concrete, community
throne?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You have stolen and silenced a
voice; </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">taken possession which you can never
be worthy.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You of lofty pose,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">pray you seek to fly over the
balance of scales</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">may you climb higher and higher.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For I shall sharpen my saber,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">creep close to the ground,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and cut down your beanstalk.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Within the mists where you find
refuge</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I shall crouch and bide my time</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for when you least expect it </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I will be there to remind you </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of what you are beholden.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-13080914580129193262013-11-17T19:33:00.001-08:002013-11-17T19:33:35.581-08:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I was able to place a story in this Chicken Soup of the Soul: Think Positive for Kids. Story #65, pg 220 "Playing Chicken."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV5WOIJ49XYJclsFLI2-cqyfxBDw_uORT2L3THzwyHMcQug9v0V9yt9l_Zi2pwIeJIm8dZmZOrx67KvgYRr11r69iKaRT85wpX3LmZyW8h497QJvZEv31TkQpECIYZfNKm15p6VGf_OpB/s1600/think+positive+for+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV5WOIJ49XYJclsFLI2-cqyfxBDw_uORT2L3THzwyHMcQug9v0V9yt9l_Zi2pwIeJIm8dZmZOrx67KvgYRr11r69iKaRT85wpX3LmZyW8h497QJvZEv31TkQpECIYZfNKm15p6VGf_OpB/s320/think+positive+for+kids.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-12230031947134521692013-10-04T11:49:00.001-07:002013-10-04T11:49:48.291-07:00Interview with the Lantzville LogPlease come and check out my interview with a local newspaper about Pulp Tattoos and writing in general. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://thelog.ca/2013/09/local-artists-poetry-book-launch/">http://thelog.ca/2013/09/local-artists-poetry-book-launch/</a><br />
<br />
Thanks so much!<br />
<br />
Tracie SkarboAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-10510766711701824732013-09-22T12:44:00.004-07:002013-09-22T12:46:01.600-07:00Pulp Tattoos I am very pleased and excited to let you know of my latest volume called Pulp Tattoos. This collaboration with the multi talented photographer Deana Landrum, has been a wonderful experience, and well worth the time and effort! I hope you enjoy the pages within.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqclhmSOWjc1uAO51G0ALtrO_SL709rS5b4TbX3nWTVmGRveb7Ua_WsS0MKxjbddteJ2skZyJqkuit4XC1QRM6ncYd9hHxBik9juiG9Ekl91hmQxhFW78HOPlRDWXDv7OL4CF8zaPD0qsc/s1600/Pulp+tattoos+cover+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqclhmSOWjc1uAO51G0ALtrO_SL709rS5b4TbX3nWTVmGRveb7Ua_WsS0MKxjbddteJ2skZyJqkuit4XC1QRM6ncYd9hHxBik9juiG9Ekl91hmQxhFW78HOPlRDWXDv7OL4CF8zaPD0qsc/s1600/Pulp+tattoos+cover+image.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pulp-Tattoos-Tracie-Skarbo/dp/1490510729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379877866&sr=8-1&keywords=Pulp+tattoos">http://www.amazon.com/Pulp-Tattoos-Tracie-Skarbo/dp/1490510729/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379877866&sr=8-1&keywords=Pulp+tattoos</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-76972452910924666222013-08-26T12:54:00.001-07:002013-08-26T12:58:37.569-07:00Light the Night Walk 2013<a href="http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=373671&langPref=en-CA#.UhuyAG5EUHU.blogger">Light the Night Walk 2013</a><br />
<br />
Please click the link above and help sponsor me as I raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society again this year. Any amount brings us closer to our goals! <br />
<br />
Thanks so much! <br />
TracieAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-83401559276611677952013-06-08T18:27:00.000-07:002013-07-27T22:22:35.589-07:00Mortals<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Pudgy indigo fingers</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
shook the air</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
enraged at his capture;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
by mere mortal,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
a blonde tressed one at that.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How quick was she </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
that he</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
never saw her shadow</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
ensnaring with feminine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
divinity.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Could he rise above </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
when so many before</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
had fallen gracefully?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
Perhaps he was only mortal </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-3877442708060548962013-06-04T23:19:00.001-07:002014-04-11T09:03:47.886-07:00Mississippi MomentsInspired by the Black and White photo of "Candy Cigarette" by Sally Mann<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">She stood there </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">breathing blued tobacco</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">into the late summer air </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in great gusts of thirteen cool</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lanky limbs betraying</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mississippi moments,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>stilts<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>and
splash play</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Blonde streaks </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">defying gravity</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s those eyes</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">those eyes </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">that pierce through any </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">semblance of innocence </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We are strangers joined at the hip</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">yet I can’t shake the guilt I feel
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<span style="font-size: large;">or the life we all bleed</span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-52347445957218334642012-12-21T18:55:00.003-08:002012-12-21T19:13:59.735-08:00Interview with Stephanie Rogers : Sitting with Death and the Dying<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>I wanted to do an interview with Stephanie Rogers for a long time, and I was originally going to do one about her latest writing project, “Tom’s”. But then the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings in Newtown, Connecticut rocked the world and I knew this interview would take on a different direction all together. Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Rogers…<br /><br />Can you tell me how you got started with hospice? </em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><br /></em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> All my life, I've been drawn to death. Not in a morbid sort of way, but curious and fascinated by what happens at the end of this life. In the late '80s, I was very involved with an AIDS support group in Houston. I learned a great deal about death and dying during those years, though they were very difficult. In 1990, my father died of Cancer and Hospice was incredible not only to Daddy but to us, his family. So when, in late 2003, my entire world sort of exploded and I found myself looking to create a new one, I took off six months, collected unemployment and began to volunteer for Hospice. At the end of that six months, I was hired as a Bereavement Coordinator -- completely without credentials, based solely on the hunches of a couple of people. It was definitely one of those “Meant To Be things”.<br /><br /><em>What kind of training is involved?</em><br /><br /> It really depends upon what role you want to fulfill in Hospice. A background in healthcare doesn't necessarily mean you'll be successful or useful in Hospice, much less happy and fulfilled. I'm now a Spiritual and Grief Counselor for a very small start-up Hospice that's only just completing its first year. Prior to that, I worked in nationally-known (and publicly traded) Hospices. Although through the years there came to be many negatives in corporate-run Hospices, one thing they did for me was to reimburse my Grief Counseling education. I already had a BA in Theatre (which has come in handier than you can ever imagine) and through their reimbursement program, I was able to complete a BS in Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>What do you do to pamper yourself after working in such a stressful and an emotional position throughout the day? </em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ummmm... nothing really. I know I should, but honestly, I don't. There seems never to be enough hours in the day.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Do you work with those facing the ends of their lives as well as the families of the dying? </em> </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes with both and sometimes with their professional caregivers.<br /><br /><em>What is the hardest thing about your position?</em><br /><br /> Watching families tear each other up because of greed. And it doesn't have anything to do with the size of an "estate" -- I've seen brothers come to physical blows over a rotted old recliner and seen families act with grace and generosity with hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's a situation in which most anyone is helpless and it's very sad to watch.<br /><br /><em>What is the most rewarding?</em> <br /><br />This is basically impossible to answer because there are so many rewards and each reward is specific to the family with whom I work. Overall, working in hospice has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Is your poetry an outlet for some of the things you experience day to day at hospice and how you come to an understanding of the human condition in general? </em> </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes it is. But it seems that most of my Hospice stories come out in prose. I'm slowly working on a collection of stories from my first years in Hospice -- but it's proving more difficult than I expected. I want to be so careful in telling the stories of my patients and their families that sometimes I get locked out of the stories themselves. I've written a few poems about individual patients and those have been easier for me, but don't tell all that should be known about these incredible people.<br /><br />I think perhaps I get more "release" from writing about things other than my patients, or even death and dying. I'm very excited about a collaborative project I'm working on with a very talented friend. We're planning to self-publish (something neither of us knows anything about) and are carefully choosing what will/won't be included. Working with someone this way is very new to me and I'm loving it. </span><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You said that you had a BA in Theater and that it came in handy. Could you elaborate on that for us?</span></em><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The BA in Theatre taught me so many things -- discipline, improvisation, flexibility; how to work in an ensemble, how to give and how to take direction, how to audition (which is all any job interview ever is), how to take criticism and rejection and still feel worthwhile, how to work a room, how to win an audience of any kind, any size, anywhere, and how to -- always -- "find my light". But the most important thing -- about my BA in Theatre -- it gave me lifelong friends of the caliber that most people only dream of having. :-)</span><em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are writing a regular column for Tina Armstrong's 'zine, "The F Bomb", could you tell us more about this? Where can we find it?</span></em><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The F Bomb is a wonderful 'zine that I was introduced to by Keith Landrum. I'm finding that it's much, much easier to be edited than to edit. I've done quite a bit of editing in the past 2 or 3 years and, while very rewarding, it can also be tedious, and, depending upon the author's ego, infuriating. Tina is an excellent Editor -- clear and concise about what she needs and yet very open to suggestion. In fact, that's how I began the column. She posted a request for regular columns and I said, "How about one about death"? Not every Editor (even of an independent 'zine) would have the guts to say, "Oh wow, sure!", but Tina did and so we're on our way. My first column will be in January's F Bomb and I'm very excited about that.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>What questions has working with those close to death answered for you on a personal level? </em> </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure they're answers so much as verifications, you know? It's like knowing, from birth, deep deep down that we're all the same -- all living beings -- that we all want happiness and don't want sorrow and that there are truly no differences at all between any of us. All of that has been verified by the lives I've been honored enough to witness. I've also see very clearly that we do reap what we so -- karma isn't something far off, something to experience in some other lifetime -- ok, so, yes, it's that, too, but it's really much more immediate, much more Now than we realize. A lifetime's karma colors a death bed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>In light of the recent shootings in the US, how should we approach the topic of death with our children?</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em></em></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shootings... It's impossible for me to over emphasize the effect that these latest murders have had on the human race -- not just children, not just the US, but the human race. <br /><br />To answer your question about talking to small children about death, I have only two words: Love and Truth. About the shootings or about any death. Children basically have no problem with death -- they are born accepting it as a part of life and must be taught to fear death just as they must be taught prejudice and hate. Adults project their own fears about death onto children. A child told honestly about death in a language appropriate to their development age, is far more accepting, compassionate and resilient than most adults. Truth is truth -- the thing to remember is that the WORDS you use to speak Truth to a 4 year old are not the same as those you use for a 14 year old. <br /><br />As far as the shootings go -- how can we explain what makes absolutely no sense? When any death occurs, children want to be reassured that they will be safe and cared for no matter what. This is even truer when the situation is something as horrific as the murder of children. Be honest with your children -- tell them what arrangements have been made to care for them should anything happen to Mom or Dad (if no arrangements have been made, MAKE THEM) -- tell them what the authority figures in their lives are doing to make sure they are safe -- teach them about mental illness -- try to avoid making the shooter out to be "a bad man" -- judgment doesn't help a child and may well only add to their fears.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Over the years you have been working in this field have people been more openly talking about death and their fears? Or does it in your mind continue to be a closed subject? </em> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes and No -- we in the West are so pitiful when it comes to death. From the moment we took death out of the home and moved it into hospitals, nursing homes, battlefields, funeral parlors (about the time of the Civil War) we began to do ourselves a huge disservice. And while we have, in the last ten years or so, become a bit more open about at least acknowledging death exists, we are still so lost. All you have to do is look at the ridiculous fear of aging we have, the plastic bodies and faces that we try to keep "perfect" when they never really were to begin with -- the fact that our cultural models get younger and thinner and less realistic year by year -- all of that is a direct reflection of our overwhelming fear of death.<br /><br /><br /><em>Thanks so much Stephanie for this candid look into what you do with your days. If our readers would like to know more about Stephanie or see more of her writing, her book “Toms” is linked below and her blog “A Crown of Dark Water” is as well.</em> <br /><br />Stephanie’s Amazon author page: </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Rogers/e/B005RIPP9G/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Rogers/e/B005RIPP9G/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Toms at Amazon: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toms-Collection-Poetry-Stephanie-Rogers/dp/1466201525/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355956654&sr=8-1&keywords=toms+stephanie+rogers"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.amazon.com/Toms-Collection-Poetry-Stephanie-Rogers/dp/1466201525/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355956654&sr=8-1&keywords=toms+stephanie+rogers</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Toms Kindle: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toms-ebook/dp/B006JOJ11U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355956654&sr=8-3&keywords=toms+stephanie+rogers"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.amazon.com/Toms-ebook/dp/B006JOJ11U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355956654&sr=8-3&keywords=toms+stephanie+rogers</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Stephanie’s Blog: </span><a href="http://acrownofdarkwater.com/"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://acrownofdarkwater.com/</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> If you would like to know more about F Bomb, the zine by Tina Armstrong and Stephanie’s column called "The Eye of Nephthys", please visit </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefbombzine.com%2F&h=MAQHvJ7hS"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.thefbombzine.com/</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-69366488118027915612012-12-11T10:42:00.000-08:002012-12-11T10:42:05.672-08:00Christmas Surprise – Told by Puddles the Cat<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Out in back of the house, in the sparsely lit snowy alley there was a gathering of sorts, a gathering of the feline persuasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many had gathered to hear about the latest exploits of Puddles the cat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“So you see boys, I was upstairs in the Mrs.’s bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was minding my own business when all of a sudden I couldn’t resist the call of those pretty parcels, and let me tell you, those baskets made some noise...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puddles shifted on the garbage can and began telling the story again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“All that shiny paper holding in all those goodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those goodies not only could I smell, but when I came upon that transparent paper and actually saw the booty, whooeee...what else can I say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just couldn’t help myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how it is right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like when they leave the meat defrosting on the counter, or better yet they leave the turkey cooling in the kitchen before they cut it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re sitting on the warm linoleum giving the soulful eyes, to no avail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What else is a cat to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Year after year it’s the same holiday torture show.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“But Puddles, they always cook up the gizzards for us, and if we are really good we get gravy too.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Hello?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who said that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You down in front?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puddles pointed a fury paw to the tabby in the third row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heads turned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Boy...are you new?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you been listening to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you see the plight I am explaining to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who brought this kid?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ya, I know, no one is gonna fess up to that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where was I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yeah, so I ask you what is a cat to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is the opportunity of a life time, am I wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re all looking at me as though I am floating three feet above you ... would you have passed up the booty in those baskets?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think so ... and if you did you’re a traitor to the feline fur coat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Need I go on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All right then, let me tell you how it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I am perched upon the bed right, and I have one hell of a view of the cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, you heard me right there was cheese and Damn if it didn’t taste good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it I was in there like a shot ... I clawed my way through that red cellophane paper and I was seeing through rose colored glasses <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">let---me---tell---you</i>!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, it all made sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All those years of holiday torture, wrapped up in that one moment...it was like irony...What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, what fool piped up with ebony?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IRONY </i>not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">IVORY!! </i>I heard that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might think I don’t know who you are, but I’ll be dealing with you after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t kid yourself, Ebony my Wiskas...”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-57598781094476364122012-12-07T20:10:00.000-08:002012-12-07T20:10:50.253-08:00Interview with Steve Karpicz: Have you ever wondered about the guys and gals who keep our power on? Come and get an inside look!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Could you tell us a little about what you do for a living Steve? How long have you been working in this field?</span></div>
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<em>I started with the company in September of 2000 in the call center as my way of getting my foot in the door and eventually transferring to a field job. That opportunity eventually came, and on April 2002 I transferred to my current position. I work in Substation Operations and Maintenance, which means I work primarily in electrical substations. If you live in a rural area, then you’ve probably seen those big electrical yards out in a field somewhere. That’s what I work in. In Boston most of what we do is either underground or indoor, so we tend to blend in with all the other utility workers.</em>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgdqoopS8AQf2SqgM8f3XzUTMH2iPY4Ijo48J88UpXVcbpEj-05CyqYb50IosaVmlLhdfNo3hJGGMyWKhizjDPsFZIo1Sk3I7gAVwVNZ9lnkTqvRiPDxDFiG3MX0v5ogWelQoohIwq4hZ/s1600/IMG_8509+-+Version+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgdqoopS8AQf2SqgM8f3XzUTMH2iPY4Ijo48J88UpXVcbpEj-05CyqYb50IosaVmlLhdfNo3hJGGMyWKhizjDPsFZIo1Sk3I7gAVwVNZ9lnkTqvRiPDxDFiG3MX0v5ogWelQoohIwq4hZ/s320/IMG_8509+-+Version+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a>What kind of training do you need for such a venture?<br />
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<em>The training is layered, involving two different aspects. First is the electrical operations side, which involves controlling the flow of electricity along the power lines, and second is the mechanical side, which involves everything else, from how to repair equipment, wiring, battery work, plumbing, pretty much anything you can think of. Substations are a lot more involved than just containing power lines. You’ve got relays to monitor and protect the lines, circuit breakers which come in various shapes and sizes (the bigger breakers are about the size of a small compact car), fire protection systems which involve either water or CO2, excavation for underground work...the list is endless. It takes two years to complete the mechanical training and a year for the electrical operations side, culminating with an oral exam at the end which you must pass in order to be qualified by the company to operate the equipment on your own. In addition to that, we have continuous on the job training for new equipment as well as refresher training for things you may not have done in a while. In the classroom you can only cover so much material. It’s really the field experience where you learn, and that’s always an ongoing process.</em><br />
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What is the scariest thing you have had to face on the job?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITpwfVN3tx_IpNSa7ZmOlpi-vK1YktU4V9fONsE-3b-9PeVPOxYGCLhYHZxTz8V-kz1BXfX36tiL7O0lq3muxkQcxR1JUUKarCpi_s_FmDsrhGImOwovKMoJdeZFOR0NAFj-ET-vnoCFO/s1600/IMG_3763+-+Version+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITpwfVN3tx_IpNSa7ZmOlpi-vK1YktU4V9fONsE-3b-9PeVPOxYGCLhYHZxTz8V-kz1BXfX36tiL7O0lq3muxkQcxR1JUUKarCpi_s_FmDsrhGImOwovKMoJdeZFOR0NAFj-ET-vnoCFO/s320/IMG_3763+-+Version+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><em>I’ve had electrical equipment explode in front of me twice, both energized at 14,000 volts. Once there was enough of a warning that I was able to run to safety before it exploded, and the other time it was so unexpected and I was so new (and therefore naive) about what could happen that there wasn’t even enough time to be afraid. It wasn’t until much later on when I had more experience and time to reflect on what happened that I started playing around with the variables of the situation. What if I was standing a little to the left? What if I was the one who threw the switch when the explosion occurred? What if, what if, what if. It’s a question that haunts me now.</em><br />
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What do you find the most challenging about your job?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NDLWoECDEdz8-EIJRu3PDut5VME5SEGanpagGvFPOWIZZky9jYgVIKkURAaWAXMzob5agRhyc0F2S3Obx_YMHfg6-2gSDFpKoioBW9I7ZvgzOTVmcHmgzyIVdykKk3D0TNDkrDKcgAJN/s1600/IMG_6291+-+Version+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NDLWoECDEdz8-EIJRu3PDut5VME5SEGanpagGvFPOWIZZky9jYgVIKkURAaWAXMzob5agRhyc0F2S3Obx_YMHfg6-2gSDFpKoioBW9I7ZvgzOTVmcHmgzyIVdykKk3D0TNDkrDKcgAJN/s320/IMG_6291+-+Version+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><em>One of the most challenging things is battling complacency. Like any other job, the routine of doing the same task over and over again builds a sense of familiarity. Muscle memory, paint-by-numbers, could do this with my eyes closed sort of routine. But in this business that’s the one thing you have to avoid. You go to open a circuit breaker not paying attention and oops, you’re at the wrong location and you just dumped the Back Bay or the Prudential Building. Or the State House, or air traffic control for the northeast. Or worse, you’ve operated something that wasn’t safe to do so and now you’ve blown something up or injured somebody. I’m certainly not alone in this either. Having been a union steward for a while, I’ve heard my share of stories and sat in on plenty of hearings where the one thing that went wrong was that the person doing the job wasn’t paying attention. Despite all the obvious reasons to do so, staying focused is a constant battle.</em></div>
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built in 1903.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I have seen some of the photos that you have taken of old machinery that was used. Is this a hobby of yours?<br /><br /><em>Photography’s definitely a hobby, which fits in nicely with my fascination with history. The utility I work for dates back to the 1900s. In fact, there’s still equipment in service from that time, back when (as cliché as this sounds) things were built to last. We have equipment on our system designed and built by Thomas Edison. Some of our older equipment has ended up in the Smithsonian. We have substations that are decades old, and an archive with all sorts of historical artifacts. I can go to a substation and look in the station log from 1918 and see what time the street lights were turned on and who did it. Not to mention the insider’s view I’m provided by working here, that glimpse into the inner workings of how things get done. It seems almost offensive not to take pictures of some of this stuff, to document in my own sense how things were and how they’ve changed. It’s not just the historical aspect either. The artistic side of me is constantly drawn to the lines and curves of power lines. The gentle rise and fall of cables strung from pole to pole. I’ve developed a whole sense of aesthetic beauty around what I do, and that’s part of what I try and capture with pictures.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Top of radio tower, Sudbury</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvm5TOOol5obQt5TWbIelmkBjJKogscIhz6G7bkJekUJvT1uImOv5xiH6863s_GnzMWdii-PnSK8ExNMBjECuFI7kbI5ftB-rc1zaFQ3LycihlkhuZQUJmJUMuj-hAoN7pgfBVP3TZbYj3/s1600/IMG_1200+-+Version+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvm5TOOol5obQt5TWbIelmkBjJKogscIhz6G7bkJekUJvT1uImOv5xiH6863s_GnzMWdii-PnSK8ExNMBjECuFI7kbI5ftB-rc1zaFQ3LycihlkhuZQUJmJUMuj-hAoN7pgfBVP3TZbYj3/s320/IMG_1200+-+Version+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a>I have also seen some of the photos of you up in the high towers looking out as you were doing repairs. Can you tell us a little about that and did you ever have troubles with heights?<br /><br /><em>The best I can remember I felt a little dizzy the first time I went up on an aerial lift. It was a surreal moment, partly due to dealing with the fear for the first time, and partly because of the excitement of the experience. It didn’t take long until I got used to the heights, until the first time it got a little breezy. That was a harder adjustment to make, but in the end you learn to trust your safety harness and all the other equipment you use. It also helps that we can refuse to do a job should we deem it unsafe for any reason. Safety is taken very seriously, and no one is ever forced to do anything they’re not comfortable with. That being said, the only fear I really have going up in the air is that I’ll drop my camera.</em><br />
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<em>I’ve come to the conclusion that I have at the very least a preoccupation with death, bordering on mild obsession. Thinking about it comes and goes in spurts, and I’ve written about it ad nauseam, or at least that’s how it feels to me. Yet I still return to the subject of death and work over and over. That’s part of how I deal with it. As for when it comes time to work on electrical equipment, I’ve developed a routine around it. First, I’ll usually spend some time thinking about what could go wrong and how to handle it (example: if something catches on fire: where’s the nearest exit?). Next is making sure I have what I need to do the job, including any tools and / or safety equipment. Then when it comes time to operate the equipment, like crank open a set of disconnects energized at 115K volts, it’s a combination of staying focused on the job, paying attention to what’s happening, and faith, which for me would include belief that both the equipment will work as it’s intended and that everything will turn out all right.</em></div>
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<em>Unfortunately my department doesn’t deal with the helicopter aspect, so I don’t get to wear one of those fancy mesh suits needed to work on the high lines, but as far as the towers are concerned, we don’t need any special protective equipment. Tower work in our department requires that any line be both de-energized and grounded, so the only safety equipment required is your fall protection, although some guys do prefer using rubber gloves when going hands-on as well.<br /> </em><br />
If you could change any aspect facing you on the job what would it be?<br />
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<em>The same thing that almost every job in the world has to deal with: office politics and bureaucracy.</em><br />
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Do you see evidence that we are going to need to cut back on our use of energy or be <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"</span>in the dark" so to speak?<br />
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<em>I think the evidence is pretty clear that changes need to be made in all aspects: how much we use, how we use it, how we deliver it, and most importantly, how we produce it. There are three basic things you need to generate electricity: a magnet, a conductor, and relative motion (i.e. some way of moving the magnet over the conductor to propel the electrons). Using fossil fuels to generate electricity has several drawbacks, all of which are well-known at this stage of the game. Fortunately, interest in renewable energy is on the rise. Solar panels are increasing in popularity, and some people are even able to sell excess solar power back to their utilities. Same goes for wind turbines. There’s also great advances in battery technology which look very promising. These types of advances on the individual level will also alleviate the other big issue - our infrastructure. The only way to keep up with current demand is to modify the existing infrastructure (aka the band-aid approach) as opposed to completely starting from scratch, which when you consider the age of our infrastructure would actually make more sense. There’s no conceivable way it could be done at this point. Despite recent federal funding into infrastructure upgrades it’s like trying to fill in the Grand Canyon with a shovel and pail. We’re too far behind. Would reducing our energy consumption help? Of course, and new advances along that front are being made. But we also need to be innovative with respect to our infrastructure in order to be able to keep up with current demand as well as plan for long-term projected use. The combination of dwindling resources as well as infrastructure is really a two-headed monster.</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Thanks so much Steve, for taking the time out and <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">giving us a behind-the-scenes look as an electrical utility Operator</span>. I have learnt a lot from your candid answers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">For our readers, please check back with us in the coming weeks as Steve and I will be tackling another post about his time working through Hurricane Sandy, and the devestation she left. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">*** All photographs provided by Steve Karpicz.</span><br />
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</span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-41762068292362354332012-12-07T01:11:00.005-08:002012-12-07T01:13:37.169-08:00Swirling Sea Dervish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Storm ravaged, <br />sand strangled,<br />swirling dervish;<br />a graceful sea ballerina no longer.<br /><br />Why this longing to mourn?<br />Where have your lush locks shorn?<br /><br />Gentle mother of the sea,<br />tossed amongst rock litter,<br />while stoic logs and reeds<br />cried silently to wailing winds.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-35597015487981322112012-12-01T16:03:00.000-08:002012-12-01T16:04:52.541-08:00Interview with Katley Brown; A woman with a passion for Bulgarian folklore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I understand you are from Bulgaria, and you have a love of Balkan Folklore?<br /><br /><em>Believe it or not, I am not from Bulgaria! I was born in the United States, in New York City. My dad (who is deceased) was from Puerto Rico. My mother’s family is also from Puerto Rico, although she was born in New York. My love of Balkan folklore started many years ago. I used to listen to shortwave radio in the 1970’s, and in New York there were many foreign radio stations that played music from all over the world. My favorite music was from Latin America and Eastern Europe. My relatives got together on holidays, danced, and played music from Latin America. They had a collection of old LP’s (records, remember those?) My first excursions into folk music outside Latin America were to Germany, Hungary, and what used to be Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. I didn’t discover Bulgarian folk music until much later, when I started dancing.</em><br /><br />I enjoy your blog where you share Bulgarian Folk Music and all sorts of interesting things that are included with it, the costumes, and the instruments. <br /><br /><em>I love it when people read my blog. Maybe because my goal is to make a relatively obscure subject accessible to everyone. I have read blogs on folklore that were scholarly and downright boring. Don’t get me wrong, they provide valuable information the problem is how it’s presented. </em> </span><br />
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How long have you been writing about this?<br /><br /><em>I have been writing about Balkan/Bulgarian folklore since 2008. The blog started as a private journal that I kept on the computer. It went public in February 2010. The first few posts were rather silly, I wasn’t taking it seriously. I take it more seriously now, although my funny side always comes out. My family called me the “Alien” because my taste in music was definitely unusual. So I called my journal “Alien from the Planet Bulgaria.” Later when I created the blog I named it “The Alien Diaries.” At first people thought it was about extraterrestrials and UFO’s! Those are on my blog, too, the Bulgarians have an avid interest in these things. There is even a Bulgarian folk song which went into outer space!</em><br />
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You also dance don’t you? Could you tell us more about this, and how long you have been dancing? <br /><br /><em>I’ve been dancing since 1984. During that time I was working in Manhattan. A friend and colleague of mine used to go to folk dances held every summer in Central Park and she gave me the name of a place downtown where I could learn to dance. The class that best fit into my schedule was the beginner Balkan class on Friday nights. The first time I went I was hooked. Being part of the folk dance community was very rewarding. I had a lot of fun and made a number of friends. Three of us get together almost every Friday night for the dances in Amherst Massachusetts, and there is another group of friends that get together every summer to go to ethnic festivals in this region. When I visit family in New York, sometimes I go to the dances there. I have been amazed at how many people remember me even though I haven’t seen them in years!</em><br />
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Do you have a favorite song, instrument and dance?<br /><br /><em>Now, that’s a tough question. One of my favorite Bulgarian folk songs went into outer space on the Voyager spacecraft back in 1977. The song is Izlel e Delyu Haidutin, sung by Valya Balkanska. My favorite instrument is probably the gaida (bagpipe) although I couldn’t play one to save my life. It requires a lot of lung power. I like the accordion and the clarinet, too. I played the clarinet for two years, it was part of a course required by my school. Because of this I have a basic grounding in music theory. When I transferred to another school, I never took it up again and haven’t played clarinet in many, many years. My favorite dances are Dospatsko and Mitro from the Rhodope region of Bulgaria. I am also very fond of rachenitsa, of which there are many different varieties, my favorite in this group is one from Kyustendil.<br /> </em><br />Why do you find Bulgarian music so attractive?<br /><br /><em>I find Bulgarian music attractive because of its unique sound and unusual rhythms. It is definitely an acquired taste, and many non-Bulgarians love it (except for my family). For a small country, Bulgaria is quite musically diverse. There are seven folklore regions.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULqEeDXCfuzWg4uDF098hPb5pM9bgvRSlluOcDEBS_Ly6GFKsiH1s0mB7o1q9mt6W408wqmLqU2Ik7akgDT4ZbVc-Gko8AVRNRmJq9ZZSAK1vtzOc_FzMnAtAK5jEph-DQ_2wNOXEmylY/s1600/costume+from+Shoppe+region.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULqEeDXCfuzWg4uDF098hPb5pM9bgvRSlluOcDEBS_Ly6GFKsiH1s0mB7o1q9mt6W408wqmLqU2Ik7akgDT4ZbVc-Gko8AVRNRmJq9ZZSAK1vtzOc_FzMnAtAK5jEph-DQ_2wNOXEmylY/s320/costume+from+Shoppe+region.jpg" width="240" /></a>Have you ever been to Bulgaria yourself? Do you have family there?</div>
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<em>Unfortunately I have never been to Bulgaria. A trip there is definitely on my bucket list. I did live in Germany many years ago, before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Back in those days, there was an “Iron Curtain” between the West and the communist controlled Eastern Bloc. My husband was in the U.S. military and in a field where it would have been difficult, if not impossible to visit the Communist-controlled countries, of which Bulgaria was one. My German co-workers, many of who were from East Germany, discouraged my from visiting the East, and told me a number of horror stories, so I never went. I like to visit places off the beaten path, and in Eastern Europe tourists weren’t allowed to do that. When the wall fell, I had three small children. I haven’t been to Europe since. I’m hoping to go back when I retire.</em><br />
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Thanks so much Katley for taking time out of your busy life to give us a look at your passion! If you, our readers, would like to see more of Katley and find out more about her blog "The Alien Diaries", please follow this link.<br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0;"> </span><a href="http://katleyplanetbg.blogspot.ca/2012/11/the-alien-diaries-presents-odds-ends.html"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">http://katleyplanetbg.blogspot.ca/2012/11/the-alien-diaries-presents-odds-ends.html</span></a><br />
<em></em></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">*** All photos provided by Katley Brown</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-23180217947475895052012-11-25T21:25:00.002-08:002012-11-25T21:28:37.248-08:00Interview with Deana Landrum<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfffFI_jWU3kr6YgxUXyRCtAEh7ruS-rwntysE0ty9emXDhcHkltA4TPWhYE_SLGc-Evdlf-nxGw5K9DxsKeCj3nKCUJQnXBumtDlk0v_RoT4mOsaL5eXw81c_hQ4huFkr1KnvFWQ1W3E/s1600/Scan-004.BMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfffFI_jWU3kr6YgxUXyRCtAEh7ruS-rwntysE0ty9emXDhcHkltA4TPWhYE_SLGc-Evdlf-nxGw5K9DxsKeCj3nKCUJQnXBumtDlk0v_RoT4mOsaL5eXw81c_hQ4huFkr1KnvFWQ1W3E/s400/Scan-004.BMP.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Distorted Beauty" Photo By Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">As some of you know I interviewed Keith Landrum, the creator of Every Reason Zine last week. In that interview we talked about some of the photography that appeared in the magazine shot by Keith’s wife Deana. I have always found her to be such an inspiration and thought she would complement the previous interview nicely. So please let me do the honor of introducing you to Deana Landrum and show you some of her amazing images.<br /><br />When did you start your love affair with photography?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Loxley" Photo By Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Ever since I was little, I've loved taking pictures. In elementary school, my friend and I would pretend we were models and take pictures of each other. I still have them, they're hilariously bad. I was a terrible photographer. In 1995 my friend Scott got me a job at a camera shop where he worked. Until then, I had no idea how much control the person who printed the photos had and how much a difference a SLR made. It made me want a SLR. I didn't get one until several years after that, when my dad bought me one for Christmas. I bought the book they used to teach photography class at our local college and another book on exposure. I read every chance I got and spent a ton of money practicing. I guess the actual beginning, was when I got a SLR.</em> <br /> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZepSaA3IENEojNFJUbpm3cnjr_s3DU8ihyBplBJ9BYpUmsMuoBVSsY2kHYWHrdWP-DHkla7k-0c9gy3asEqWtORTKjcikmYtkAAzi1ueT3PBqHWepSCKGfT3qrrYA443pqBDLQWeR__U/s640/Scan-009.BMP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Abandoned" Photo by Deana Landrum</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Do you prefer black and white photography?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>No not necessarily. It really just depends on what I'm shooting. </em></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>To me, black and white brings out deeper emotions for me. I </em></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>think that color can sometimes be distracting, whereas with black and white, I'm automatically drawn to the subject. Like a black and white portrait draws me to the person's eyes and I feel like I can see their character better than if it was in color. I shoot color for things where it's the color that I feel makes it what it is. I think of color as happy and black and white as emotional. Wait. Did I say I don't prefer black and white? Never mind. I take that back.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"Doofus" Photo by Deana Landrum</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8kkT2bTwEjQ7vDP3MYXWQIZwTgyQQWA-OxScejOJITrrN_27VZIejYREnFm08cz7CmlapsY8gfig9E3URbaDGJ2THBUAS5Oz8uSLK7HF0ClMPeCu52rRpBtXNdNkbsBrYuyWA-aKbAGm/s1600/Scan-007.BMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8kkT2bTwEjQ7vDP3MYXWQIZwTgyQQWA-OxScejOJITrrN_27VZIejYREnFm08cz7CmlapsY8gfig9E3URbaDGJ2THBUAS5Oz8uSLK7HF0ClMPeCu52rRpBtXNdNkbsBrYuyWA-aKbAGm/s320/Scan-007.BMP.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">What kinds of things do you like to take photos of?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>I love old buildings, doors and windows and stairs. They seem so mysterious to me. I always want to know the back story of who lived there. What's really awesome is when I can get a model to pose and add even more interest to the photograph.</em> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZepSaA3IENEojNFJUbpm3cnjr_s3DU8ihyBplBJ9BYpUmsMuoBVSsY2kHYWHrdWP-DHkla7k-0c9gy3asEqWtORTKjcikmYtkAAzi1ueT3PBqHWepSCKGfT3qrrYA443pqBDLQWeR__U/s1600/Scan-009.BMP.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a></span><br />
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Do you enhance your photos with any kind of software?<br />
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<em>That's an area that I really need to work on. Right now I don't do a whole lot of enhancing. Sometimes I use Photoshop or Picasa. I need to learn more about Photoshop. My favorite photos I've taken I shot with film and had them printed by hand. They're beautiful, no enhancing needed.</em><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Parking Gargage" Photo by Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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What camera are you using?<br /><br /><em>At the moment I'm using a digital Canon PowerShot 110. It's just a consumer camera, but it does have a manual setting, which I use most. I had a professional film camera, the Nikon F100, until desperate measures lead to me having to sell it. I still have my Holga though. I love shooting with the Holga and the whole creepy look I get. It's unpredictable and I like the anticipation of seeing how the prints turn out.</em> <br /> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Persistence" Photo By Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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What inspires you when taking photos?<br />
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<em>I'm inspired by many things, abandoned buildings, light breaking through the trees, fog in the early morning and street lights at night. If I don't see inspiration in the distance, I move closer and shoot in macro mode. Often times, things that look boring at a distance, are truly beautiful, you just have to get closer to see the details.<br /> </em> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"The Forest of Eyes" Photo By Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Woman's Room" Photo By Deana Landrum</span></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_25259373"></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Can you describe a typical photo day trip? What is your process? <br /><br /><em>Most of the time I'll see things that pique my interest while I'm just out running errands. I remember the spot and will go back to it when I have time and the lighting is good. Usually the whole family goes because my oldest daughter needs to shoot for her photography class. I have a photographer friend and we used to just get in the car, pick a direction and just drive. That was always an adventure and we're planning another long overdue adventure soon.</em><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">What are your major influences when you are creating photos?<br /> <br /> <em>I don't know that I have any specific influences. I just have a drive to capture things through the lens that, oftentimes, gets overlooked. Such as a restroom at a rundown gas station. When I started paying attention and looking for the finer details, I started seeing things in a whole different way.</em><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Who inspires you?<br /> <br /> <em>I think everyone inspires me. Everyone who is creative or artistic in some way or another. Just seeing what other people do motivates me to get out and do something myself.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;">Thank you so much Deana for coming by and sharing your amazing gift with us today, I am so glad to share your images with our readers so they can be inspired by them as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;">If you are looking for the link to the Keith Landrum interview you can find it here: <a href="http://tracieskarbo.blogspot.ca/2012/11/interview-with-keith-landrum.html"><span style="color: purple;">http://tracieskarbo.blogspot.ca/2012/11/interview-with-keith-landrum.html</span></a></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-8345109258414022742012-11-24T16:38:00.000-08:002012-11-24T16:39:31.152-08:00Meditation<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A homemade bean bag</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">At my root chakra</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The seated lotus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Erupts within me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My hearing stretches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And I listen to the earth’s heartbeat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The solid rhythm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Humming like the generator she is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">She calls to me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Promising flight</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If only I am brave enough</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">To take that first step</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Kundalini yawns and stretches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Up my spine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Spiraling and igniting fire</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Within my heart</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">White light</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Empowers a lifting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I am no longer tied</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">To what was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I rise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And expand</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Then shrink</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Into a molecule</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Form is no longer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A function</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">But a vanity</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">An attachment</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">In an instant</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I am no longer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Where I was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">But have traversed eons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My eyes grace</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Birthing nebulas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Dying entities</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Timeless space</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My mind</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Tries to force</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Form upon them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Only to experience invisible laughter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Light and color</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I have never known</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Mesh together and deliver</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Surreal music</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I am alone</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Yet surrounded by those</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Who have come before me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">To draw light and wisdom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Their voices align</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Taking me to new heights</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">No longer am I afraid</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Of what is to come</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">For I realize everything</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Has been</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And has gone</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Only to come again</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Like the waning tide-moods of the ocean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Over at </span></em><a href="http://www.dversepoets.com/"><span style="color: #99ddff; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>dVerse Poets</em></span></a><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> today, Mary has given us the word 'preparation' and asked us to write about some of the techniques we use, or what the word means to us. I often use meditation for a means to de-stress or to unclutter my mind when things get hectic in my life. This is just one of the experiences I have enjoyed with regular practice.</span></em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-83587374169390529492012-11-19T14:18:00.000-08:002012-11-25T22:01:27.092-08:00Interview with Keith Landrum<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Have you ever wondered about how those ezines get started? What does it take to get the ball rolling? What can such a project morph into? Come and meet Keith Landrum. Talented beyond measure, he took his ideas and a dream and put them into action and ended up touching more people and causes he ever thought possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I understand you were the mastermind behind Every Reason Zine, how did this come about?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">My friend, Tricia went with me to the annual punk fest here (Chattanooga) a few years back and we picked up some zines. I don't even think she had seen one before. I told her about the ones I had read & she encouraged me to start doing my own. So I did. Tricia made me do it!</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN14NQ4LhTYOPuBCHS284MHEJxcT8DwJNv-9t63JiMhiClZc-tpm37T2zsBybbLoTUDW0n2Q23w45bcvt0g9aO2S3Ag5CkYMqHsh-jHezSRJU82AKvz254WliQQDJVZGPQqOOFYR16bUgk/s1600/EveryReason%235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN14NQ4LhTYOPuBCHS284MHEJxcT8DwJNv-9t63JiMhiClZc-tpm37T2zsBybbLoTUDW0n2Q23w45bcvt0g9aO2S3Ag5CkYMqHsh-jHezSRJU82AKvz254WliQQDJVZGPQqOOFYR16bUgk/s400/EveryReason%235.jpg" width="257" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">What was the main vision of the Zine? The goal? Did it hold this pattern or morph into something all together different and surprising?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">When I 1st started out, I had no idea what I was doing at all. So there was no goal. I didn't really even understand what other people who made zines were doing. That helped me out in terms of not having anything to influence the content or design. I was only interested in making a zine I'd want to read. I wasn't consciously thinking in terms of goal or purpose until the 4th or 5th issue. It never occurred to me to go beyond anything local. Ha ha! Of course it did later, and when the idea got in my head I started sending Every Reason all over the world and kept the price at 1 or 2 bucks so that it was accessible to everyone. That became the mission or goal- to get it in the hands of as many people as possible, mainly because I thought the words and images deserved it and it was my job as an editor to see that that happened. I never imagined it would go as far as it did. I never imagined that I would have GB Jones doing art for Every Reason, or so many wonderful, prominent underground poets grace the pages of my little zine. It's crazy seeing people's chapbooks or bios that reference Every Reason. Again, I can't believe it went as far as it did. I just got lucky I guess in terms of content. It's weird, because I guess people think I'm some dude who's really been around, but I'm not. I had no direction or anything, no one to explain how things worked. I just wanted to do it and found ways to do it. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">How long did you run with the Zine?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I did Every Reason just over 2 years. I'm still getting orders for back issues. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> What challenges were the most difficult?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFoorm-_c_OHNR46XAas6jHvASasNEunwidNz01EQAlVm-Xzxw9sqMrFzeGOlV1re2NWn5Q9NTywL2y5jF50tVRMdwUSeBml-jViOYoz-692fMDr_mB1xNqVoATFMFLIaM3pWfirsqrin/s1600/Luke+Everyreason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFoorm-_c_OHNR46XAas6jHvASasNEunwidNz01EQAlVm-Xzxw9sqMrFzeGOlV1re2NWn5Q9NTywL2y5jF50tVRMdwUSeBml-jViOYoz-692fMDr_mB1xNqVoATFMFLIaM3pWfirsqrin/s320/Luke+Everyreason.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Finding money to fund it was my main challenge. I have a family of 4 to support, so money was always a concern. I had to find a way to print it free or cheaply, and by the end, postage alone was at least $150 an issue. Then there's work. I work 50-60+ hrs. a week at my job and sometimes I have to travel. Keeping up with everything and working and taking care of everything that happens with family obligations took its toll on me. Something had to give, so as much as I loved doing Every Reason, I just couldn't justify doing it anymore if I wanted to keep my sanity. That's why I walked away from it. I like to keep up appearances of being close to sane.</em> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I know that your talented wife Deana had a hand in many of the black and white photos, your oldest daughter contributed works of art many times, and your youngest daughter would help putting the physical magazine together. I love that you had the whole family involved in the process. What was that like?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">That happened just by them seeing what I was doing. I would pretty much just say to Deana, "Here's the cover of the new issue (holding up one of her photos), and I'm using all of these too!" Ha ha! She would always be cool with it. I would just dig through so many of her photos to see what fit. Deana would often have a story associated with the photo like "Do you know where that was taken?" or "Do you remember that guy who used to live by the..." She was always glad to have her photos seen. My oldest daughter, Loxley (16 years old) ignored my zine until I started asking her for artwork. Eventually she was saying "If you need artwork for the new issue, I have these that I did. You can look through this whole sketchbook and take what you want." Ha ha!! Then, once everything was printed, my youngest daughter, Madigan (6 years old) would just simply ask if she could help. Of course I'm not going to say no, even if I have to refold or restaple some. ha ha! She actually had a drawing in #8 I think. It was a screaming girl with sharp teeth. She would also decorate the packages sometimes with stickers and glitter. Ha ha! It was really cool having the whole gang involved though. It made it so much better, for me at least.</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I know you were one of the contributing writers, and I have read and loved many of your articles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Thanks! Initially, when I had no goal or any idea what I was doing, I was going to make a zine that just had my writing in it. Every Reason #1 was all me. Then I realized I couldn't fill a whole issue every 2 months, so I decided to ask my friends for words and art and stuff. I would just put whatever words I had at that time into the current issue. I probably shouldn't have though. I just didn't feel like I was at the level the contributors were. I was so honored to have so many talented writers contribute to what I was putting out. I was selfish in putting my own words in every issue. The last issue, ER #12 was void of any words by Keith Landrum. I have 1 poem in #11 and those 2 are the best issues. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">What are your thoughts on your next projects?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8WRYGeuhP71LLXhJP9og-Xj8RLPaJ7Uy2ObRozAGfIhhi8Hj7G7TOMcwYIPjVkxGvZr1BQL33uHahaxCxJk4CCi4-5gTkjDTR4Kc4pOPP1ACFbsCIP_0uoK4iN_vpn-naYDaEeMEWl9-/s1600/Life+is+Absurd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8WRYGeuhP71LLXhJP9og-Xj8RLPaJ7Uy2ObRozAGfIhhi8Hj7G7TOMcwYIPjVkxGvZr1BQL33uHahaxCxJk4CCi4-5gTkjDTR4Kc4pOPP1ACFbsCIP_0uoK4iN_vpn-naYDaEeMEWl9-/s1600/Life+is+Absurd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8WRYGeuhP71LLXhJP9og-Xj8RLPaJ7Uy2ObRozAGfIhhi8Hj7G7TOMcwYIPjVkxGvZr1BQL33uHahaxCxJk4CCi4-5gTkjDTR4Kc4pOPP1ACFbsCIP_0uoK4iN_vpn-naYDaEeMEWl9-/s320/Life+is+Absurd.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Right when Every Reason was on its way out, I did a zine called "Life Is Absurd". It was all older writings that had appeared elsewhere, including Every Reason. I have received good feedback from it, but I'm not sure if there will be an issue #2. I have something in the works right now with a dear friend of mine that includes my family as well. This is a low stress, no deadline type of thing. It will be awesome when it's all done. I have been involved in other things recently that I'm not proud of, so I walked away from them. My new project is completely different, so I'm excited about it and I want it to be the best I have to offer. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Who are your major influences?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I think I'm influenced the most by my family. My wife, Deana, really inspires me to be creative. She spends every spare minute creating art in some form or another. I wish I could draw the way my daughter, Loxley does. I really envy her talent. She has a ton of work under her belt and has been in The Filth & Notes Magazine. Madigan is the most beautiful philosopher/stand-up comedian I've ever seen. Of course I'm biased, but I try to really feed off of her creativity and simplicity. She prevents me from taking myself too seriously. That is important because so many writers and artists think they are so much more than they are and the forget the reasons they started doing all of this to begin with. It is absolutely necessary to have a sense of humor. This needs to be reinforced as much as possible. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">You have another project called “The Blessing” could you tell me more about this?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The Blessing started as a joke. I accidentally started growing a beard because I had worked many consecutive days in a row or something like that. So I had the beginnings of a full on beard and I thought it looked cool so I didn't shave it. Deana didn't like what it was becoming and demanded I shave it. It was all itchy on her face or something, I really don't remember her initial protest, but I had to convince her to cease it. So I made up some story that, as ridiculous as it is, has some truth to it. I named my beard The Blessing. She didn't protest after that. At that point many of our friends had started showering my beard with wonderful compliments. Ha ha!</em> </span></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsssyEx0lhrx9_BUEC_XY8UVWxnMZT7iRmR8wsQ58KdB-0CAL87xsTp0M-oEtad48tsUOoQe1TK40Uripn61rnTiujUv8-v25VnZv6zARRphLIoCN1ZEU5NFp1Fr7Mw-YDMOviZlObyZPF/s1600/The+Blessing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsssyEx0lhrx9_BUEC_XY8UVWxnMZT7iRmR8wsQ58KdB-0CAL87xsTp0M-oEtad48tsUOoQe1TK40Uripn61rnTiujUv8-v25VnZv6zARRphLIoCN1ZEU5NFp1Fr7Mw-YDMOviZlObyZPF/s1600/The+Blessing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsssyEx0lhrx9_BUEC_XY8UVWxnMZT7iRmR8wsQ58KdB-0CAL87xsTp0M-oEtad48tsUOoQe1TK40Uripn61rnTiujUv8-v25VnZv6zARRphLIoCN1ZEU5NFp1Fr7Mw-YDMOviZlObyZPF/s320/The+Blessing.jpg" width="247" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>One of Deana's friends threatened to make a facebook page and call it The Blessing. I'm not a control freak, but if anyone was going to make a facebook page about my beard, it was going to be me. Here's the good part. I made a facebook page for The Blessing. I started out writing these...I don't know what they really are, but I call them The State Of The Blessing. Let's call them personal updates. Anyway, I did this in character at 1st. My character was a guy who was trying to deal with the beard he'd been blessed with and how it affected his life. Which is really me, but exaggerated.</em> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, I started making stickers with The Blessing logo at work. The logo came from a drawing that a guy did of me. His name is John Sarmento. So everyone wanted those stickers, because by then The Blessing had kind of taken off. Then Deana, always thinking ahead, asked why I wasn't making any money off of this "Blessing thing". I told her that was a good idea. At that time, my friend, Moon, had sent me some home made things in the mail. Included in that package was a pouch with The Blessing logo on it. It was animal skin or something. Moon is Cherokee and she is "Native Hippie". She makes a lot of Native American Jewelry and art. Anyway, that gave me the idea to market The Blessing as a charity. So I started The Blessing/Moon auctions on ebay to raise money for charity. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">So yeah, that's how I monetized something that originally started as a joke. I gave all the money I raised, and then some, to selected charities. We don't raise thousands, or even hundreds, but we raise about $100 an auction. I auction off things that I make or things other people make. So it's all done from the heart. I have been slacking lately though and I feel bad. I wish I could have had something for those folks out in NY when Sandy hit. I have a few things ready though, so I'll post an auction soon. Every little bit helps, even when we don't think it does, you know? </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Keith, I have found you and your family an inspiration for so many reasons over the time I have had the good fortune of knowing you; the creative work you all put out into the world, the way you function as a family and the many things you do for others. Thanks so much for your time and for the detailed look into what it is like raising an ezine from the ground up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If our readers would like to contact you for back issues of Every Reason or find a copy of “Life is Absurd”, or find out more about The Blessing or where The Blessings Auction site is could you please link us up?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Ok folks, if you have a facebook account you can find The Blessing and Every Reason information here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Blessing/336079456720"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Blessing/336079456720</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Every-Reason/130201593702612"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Every-Reason/130201593702612</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Otherwise, here is the latest Every Reason Blog:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="http://pulltheletter.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">http://pulltheletter.blogspot.com/</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And the latest creations from Keith Landrum, come take a look and see how you can make a difference in someones life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thatkeithdude?ref=seller_info"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">http://www.etsy.com/shop/thatkeithdude?ref=seller_info</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">****Photos provided by Keith Landrum</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-49999438304657904342012-11-16T15:35:00.001-08:002012-11-17T17:29:03.517-08:00Dan the "Owl Man"<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Approximately a year and a half ago I had the good fortune to run into Dan Tompsett aka Owlster Bierce in a writing circle. I enjoyed his humor and wit with word, but also became intrigued by one of his hobbies which is collecting owl pellets. I thought an interview with Dan would be a great idea, and it went something like this:</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ3dUgkW8_O_2V6QSLxFaZ0uc29VdPsrjcb1XzZE6Ytufz7m-D9lH0cq8po39RGfvaIYmirxqvs6bXBllLH6mLf2ye3PlKqTISEOHA0Jq8EUfat6SyqfDt5drNu3ORrsVsYGC_TngULXa/s1600/Owl+Pellets.JPG"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZ3dUgkW8_O_2V6QSLxFaZ0uc29VdPsrjcb1XzZE6Ytufz7m-D9lH0cq8po39RGfvaIYmirxqvs6bXBllLH6mLf2ye3PlKqTISEOHA0Jq8EUfat6SyqfDt5drNu3ORrsVsYGC_TngULXa/s640/Owl+Pellets.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
Photo by Dan Tompsett<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> How did you become interested in owl pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> One day I was walking around our property here in the countryside, and saw some gray things on the ground. I remembered reading something about owl pellets several years ago, so I wondered if that was what I found. I did a search of google images, and came to the conclusion that was what they were. I'm always looking for stuff to sell on Ebay because no one will give me a damn job, so I checked, and sure enough--pellets were being offered on Ebay for as much as $5 each. I immediately went back outside and searched the grounds of our 3-acre property and found about a dozen more pellets. I then took photos of them and put them on Ebay. They sold right away. I was stoked! I found more pellets under trees around the neighborhood and sold those "owl pellets," too. As it turned out, what I was finding and selling as "owl pellets" were actually hawk pellets. Ooops! Fortunately, none of the Ebay buyers knew the difference, either.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> What exactly is an owl pellet? Is it an equivalent of a cat's hairball?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Owl pellets are sort of like a cat's hairball. Something like 50 different birds and other animals regurgitate "pellets." I have collected American Kestrel (North America's smallest falcon) pellets, too. Barn owls swallow their prey whole. They digest the flesh and innards, then the bones and fur form into a ball. The barn owl, unlike other owls, has a natural enzyme that coats the pellets. This makes the pellets smoother than pellets of other owls. Barn owl pellets have a somewhat shiny sheen on the surface, whereas horned owl pellets have a furry, looser texture. The barn owl pellets have a much longer 'shelf-life' than horned owl pellets, which fall apart much more quickly.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> What came first, the interest in the Owls, or interest in the pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> I have always been interested in birds. I do think owls are some of the more interesting birds. I don't get very excited about robins and Starlings.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> How long have you been collecting pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> I have been collecting off and on for about three years.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> Do you have to dry them out before shipping them out?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Very fresh pellets, or ones wet from rain or snow need to be dried before shipping. A very smelly mold can quickly grow on them if packed or stored wet. I also microwave sterilize the pellets before packing for shipment.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> Are certain times of the year better for collection of the pellets? Certain places?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Late Fall through Winter are probably the best times to search for new areas because Barn Owls like to roost in pine trees. It's easier to spot pines from a distance after the other trees have lost their leaves. Other than that, owls usually stick around throughout the year. It gets pretty cold here and sometimes it snows, so Spring and Summer are more enjoyable as far as comfort is concerned.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> Have you ever found some unique things while searching for pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> When looking for pellets in barns and other structures I've come across a lot of old farm equipment. That would be "unique" to most city folk, but fairly common around here. I've come across coyotes, a badger, owl talons and skulls. One time while collecting pellets beneath a barn owl nest in a stack of hay bales I climbed up to the entrance of the nest and was face-to-face with 5 or 6 nestlings. They kept their large eyes on me while they moved their heads back and forth and hissed at me. I've gotten pretty close to Horned Owl nestlings, too.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> You came across a badger! I bet that was an experience! What did you do with the skulls?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> It was the first and only badger I have seen. I watched it run in a direction towards me and to my left. The area was rocky. It vanished down a large rocky hole. As for the owl skulls: It's illegal to have most wild bird feathers and other body parts, so I usually leave them where I find them. I did take a barn owl skull once and took a few photos of it. I eventually sent it to a teacher who had purchased some owl pellets from me.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> What do people use the pellets for?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Teachers use them to teach students about the food chain and such. The students dissect the pellets then try to reconstruct the skeletons of mostly rodents from the bones they find and identify what kind of rodent it was. Sometimes bird bones and skulls are found in pellets, too. Artists use pellet bones and schools for projects, and sometimes Wiccans want them. I'm not sure what they do with them. Maybe place them on alters or something.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> Does the size of the owl always guarantee the size of the pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> No. I have seen very young owls regurgitate huge pellets. Pellet size is probably determined by what and how much they ate the day before.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> You have recently moved locations haven’t you? How is the new place for treasure hunting?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> I went to Las Vegas for about 6 months, recently. I didn't do much pellet hunting there. I found about 75 beneath holes in dirt/sand bluffs at the edge of the desert. I'm back in my old stomping grounds in Idaho, now, but hunting has been slow because I don't drive and the driver I had is still in Vegas. I need to find another driver.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> In the desert the owls burrow in holes? I never knew that!<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Yes. Holes in rocks, trees, or pretty much anything at least 15 feet or so off the ground are used as nesting sites. I know a guy who actually believed barn owls didn't exist until man built barns. LOL.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> How do you tell the difference between hawk and owl pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Hawk pellets are usually larger, much lighter weight, softer, more rectangular shaped than oblong, and have very few bones. The digestive fluids of hawks are much stronger than that of owls, so almost all their prey is digested. Their pellets are virtually all fur, although there can be a few bones.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> What are your favorite birds? Why?<br /><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Chicken. Yum! Kidding aside; I'm partial to small, colorful songbirds such as warblers. Not sure why.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> I know you sometimes come across big wasp hives while you are out there searching. I was impressed and thankful for the one you sent me. Have you come across any more of those?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> Only a few egg cells. Finding large hives is luck. They can be anywhere. Hard to look for them, at least as far as I know. I have noticed some people find a lot of them in the Midwestern states. Someone in Wisconsin has several of them on Ebay at times. They fetch good prices, too. Depending on size, shape, and condition they go for between $25 and $100 each.<br /><br /><strong><u>Tracie:</u></strong> How would someone get a hold of you if they wanted owl pellets?<br /><br /><strong><u>Dan:</u></strong> They would have to run real fast and catch me. (Just kidding). I can be found on Facebook using the monicer "Owlster Bierce," or they can search Ebay for "earthmonger2010," then send me a message if I don't have pellets listed. I have 42 pellets on Ebay at the moment.<br /><br />Excellent! Thanks Dan for your time and all the information you have provided on this interesting and unique hobby. I wish I lived closer so I could join you on a feathery treasure hunt taking photos while we go. I’ll drive!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-66026871125286909952012-11-12T14:08:00.002-08:002013-06-02T11:36:18.388-07:00Purple Martins at French Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhIFcjMOY66VL6IoUK2A_gtPXx2JHyg6KIhzrWe2SLRMRZHtlO2l2NOAqE0VUGrFlM4nJFqQ6rd8-JXjcYPvdMPdsH6ihI2ZrNkGqQfDqIJXBPIHLHIvxLYz7vaPE79zdlmOjX5SKzB5D/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhIFcjMOY66VL6IoUK2A_gtPXx2JHyg6KIhzrWe2SLRMRZHtlO2l2NOAqE0VUGrFlM4nJFqQ6rd8-JXjcYPvdMPdsH6ihI2ZrNkGqQfDqIJXBPIHLHIvxLYz7vaPE79zdlmOjX5SKzB5D/s640/009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This August, I went to French Creek to see what there was to
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often visit marinas for photo
opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a deep affinity to
these places and people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
something soothing and traditional about the fishing boats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps I was a fisherman in a previous life
and this is why I feel such an attraction for the sea and all things associated
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On this particular evening my son and I were lucky; there was a setting sun for perfect lighting, and the water was calm, perfect to catch reflections. But what we didn't know was there were even more surprises in store for us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90ZrYe_bCstUMV4yQM1DGTHSxLvKPyOpzU_awlfNMmJaFlPCq9Y9QPJYsBZ7yXTjuAJlyHXT1vtP3fVJebZXvorPhDs18_eRB5hQ7JE0x98ituC_GQmEmxloaxVZKg78zSR3lFTRi740g/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90ZrYe_bCstUMV4yQM1DGTHSxLvKPyOpzU_awlfNMmJaFlPCq9Y9QPJYsBZ7yXTjuAJlyHXT1vtP3fVJebZXvorPhDs18_eRB5hQ7JE0x98ituC_GQmEmxloaxVZKg78zSR3lFTRi740g/s400/004.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2SGj9aXL9Na8ldxlqQHfRPWfgyun8C8GIV0yYV78EKefGIiuTOuZ3RlN2HkrEKj567QPPTNedBlAOH8RN1_IWDORTTB8NkRhH1rXCcnmZ5ClbqeCd3DMmAbXbmbP53VrFYOxYj_3FMgp/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2SGj9aXL9Na8ldxlqQHfRPWfgyun8C8GIV0yYV78EKefGIiuTOuZ3RlN2HkrEKj567QPPTNedBlAOH8RN1_IWDORTTB8NkRhH1rXCcnmZ5ClbqeCd3DMmAbXbmbP53VrFYOxYj_3FMgp/s640/006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Great big crab traps on this boat, along with the floats to mark their location.</div>
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While we were walking and looking at the various boats and wondering where they had come from, what stories they would have to tell if they could talk, I could hear birds. Then I could see the birds. Something was disturbing them. They were dive bombing an area and looked like they were after something. We decided to take a better look.</div>
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What we found were some retired biologists tagging the newest members of the local Purple Martin population in the nesting boxes.</div>
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Here you can see them tagging the chicks with metal tags and checking their health and sexes. </div>
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"By 1994, all known nesting pairs in the province were using artificial nest-boxes, mainly erected on pilings." Without human intervention, particularly the provision of nest-boxes, this species would have been lost some time ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON6HMuxHBxv2SgsiHAJHVz-8N5LVnfQu68QX0h7fkszw5JV8JcMr5BYiYZAQ1qq0WtP9TgSoWD2cq_pYa8KCLf7ZfA5rY7nuiazSfKMBLZwuOh_VJ1FIDPnR778AtzJVl6ye6lA7H4GX0/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgON6HMuxHBxv2SgsiHAJHVz-8N5LVnfQu68QX0h7fkszw5JV8JcMr5BYiYZAQ1qq0WtP9TgSoWD2cq_pYa8KCLf7ZfA5rY7nuiazSfKMBLZwuOh_VJ1FIDPnR778AtzJVl6ye6lA7H4GX0/s400/019.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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Purple Martins were originally found in the lower Fraser River lowlands, downtown Vancouver, and the east side of Vancouver Island from Campbell River to Victoria. The decline of the species have coincided with the establishment of the European Starling and with the removal of old pilings from harbours. Here you can see him retrieving chicks from one of the boxes to tag below. He is constantly being dive bombed by the parents of the chicks, and I am surprised that he has never fallen off of the ladder. Sometimes he is in a boat balancing on the ladder!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa9OPEobaTmZwCnU4H8cw3jniC1iASJahlD6YMh_3dlLXA7fr6L8LFqLZTx7utd_304LtK-0o_d7BMkHwEmyAN7vmlaSnQQtrMQ6Zhn3pVJ5opTxgPd23NJC7pEWv4NTu-TewcUcD9Pwn/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa9OPEobaTmZwCnU4H8cw3jniC1iASJahlD6YMh_3dlLXA7fr6L8LFqLZTx7utd_304LtK-0o_d7BMkHwEmyAN7vmlaSnQQtrMQ6Zhn3pVJ5opTxgPd23NJC7pEWv4NTu-TewcUcD9Pwn/s640/023.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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The total number of known active martin nests in British Columbia in 1995 was 55. All but two pairs nested on southern Vancouver Island.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCKi7Gx6P3QwPfNYRW5TjAhoaX4T_co54j9vkvxQ5O1NNpASLZtfRcHhHOMTvbzMXwjEbvPycgzwL4iEQ3i3xg9TZldG8YmGlONCt9DKp2BW-s2c3WzeOqem16OIMyU_Fusu4xRWQddB2/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCKi7Gx6P3QwPfNYRW5TjAhoaX4T_co54j9vkvxQ5O1NNpASLZtfRcHhHOMTvbzMXwjEbvPycgzwL4iEQ3i3xg9TZldG8YmGlONCt9DKp2BW-s2c3WzeOqem16OIMyU_Fusu4xRWQddB2/s640/025.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I must tell you again that these people are volunteers, they are not being paid for coming out here and keeping tabs on the population. These two were retired biologists that believe in the cause and that someone must keep up the work. There are others too that come out and help them and at the end of the essay I will give you some information if you want to get involved further.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKOAILYQU3VQ_OJueFce1jLYLfjf5qzz6oxGgTH5ySTso4_h4TqHGaj0wF6LQvPNOHeMzZrsEN4HvXePw3I0pwSycfX6feN3dchL1ufSLtfedS9aAzuVoT9bthYDwAyBZcWvPgboAj0WS/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKOAILYQU3VQ_OJueFce1jLYLfjf5qzz6oxGgTH5ySTso4_h4TqHGaj0wF6LQvPNOHeMzZrsEN4HvXePw3I0pwSycfX6feN3dchL1ufSLtfedS9aAzuVoT9bthYDwAyBZcWvPgboAj0WS/s400/026.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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A nest-box program started in Cowichan Bay at this time probably rescuing the species from extirpation in British Columbia. There are now active Purple Martin sites on Vancouver Island at the Esquimalt Dockyards, Victoria Harbour, the Sooke Basin, the Cowichan estuary, Ladysmith Harbour and the Nanaimo estuary; at Newcastle Island Provincial Marine Park; and on the Lower Mainland at Maple Woodflats and Rocky Point. The present population is still less then 75 pairs. The Purple Martin is considered Endangered and is protected from killing or collecting by the Wildlife Act.</div>
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4n3hlEK-9N1suecxSz8Pmv5RUomozIX4By9TA0qLmGQ0sCbIw6k5ckfEe2KyrjEYMxDQNbmryMsGtnRX1Bl4QTAZiG1U1I-B-YvQzu6c8vCHQn4FTcSz1cJaKba7-rynxMb0xVfNflv9/s400/032.JPG" width="265" /></div>
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Purple Martins are the largest swallows in North America. Adult males are an iridescent purple-black. Females and immature birds are dark above and pale below.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1c9oVUjmgT_jXz7rHqpqGrnEWJuzWo6R8buOJffkL37CP_Lm-LSGyvmCHAajJcd2gJsiHPb1wShLplJHrA7k_m9GmZFTQNVFMsySdtiY1xnaPrggKqMjVMHQ8Ku13tihkEJPKGdjo9jV/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1c9oVUjmgT_jXz7rHqpqGrnEWJuzWo6R8buOJffkL37CP_Lm-LSGyvmCHAajJcd2gJsiHPb1wShLplJHrA7k_m9GmZFTQNVFMsySdtiY1xnaPrggKqMjVMHQ8Ku13tihkEJPKGdjo9jV/s640/035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Long reputed to be an efficient predator of insect pests, this large, dark swallow has for centuries been encouraged to by native people in the American Southwest, and later by wise farmers east of the Rockies. Highly tolerant of human presence they readily accept colonial nesting boxes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIKG6jgJ8bE2StQPaeimX4wvDfPs4LgpI6vMmAqYS2vq1W4-LH4YKIWuVlBK2qTF-svr0iznzHYLDuUUS4VpcM4gGlBUJSdRz1bA2o6A0E0RiRuN6C39A2ukPH2wzI1a2WRHD_muF5Vix/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIKG6jgJ8bE2StQPaeimX4wvDfPs4LgpI6vMmAqYS2vq1W4-LH4YKIWuVlBK2qTF-svr0iznzHYLDuUUS4VpcM4gGlBUJSdRz1bA2o6A0E0RiRuN6C39A2ukPH2wzI1a2WRHD_muF5Vix/s640/036.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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My son is thrilled when he is encouraged to hold this older chick.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t2RkYtigwopfkQbvual76uguJhho2aavUmhRH9_1tqD3SsQcAvOAifhPbIF_ElqbjtqlYADj99T14aUbwC8DGgxYaT0fMgt62TkQZQVzD47g82LdAS71JWEGx0ht8r3hvBc5hqZFmma8/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t2RkYtigwopfkQbvual76uguJhho2aavUmhRH9_1tqD3SsQcAvOAifhPbIF_ElqbjtqlYADj99T14aUbwC8DGgxYaT0fMgt62TkQZQVzD47g82LdAS71JWEGx0ht8r3hvBc5hqZFmma8/s640/041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Adult males arrive back from migration first, often coming back to the previous years nesting site. They sing a special early morning song which attracts young males to claim nearby sites. This is beneficial to the older males in various ways; they are able to mate with the females that the young males are breeding with increasing the number of offspring, they don't have to help with rearing the young because the young males are mated with the females and this ensures that the colony is well-populated. The young males benefit because the risk of predators is diminished with the older males around, and the older males take the best and safest sites. Colonies can be one pair to many dozens of pairs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGe_bl_CDSAvvD2HLqO1U2hgEehb7V9j-nfJuVH4l0A1eDzQ_HkqjDi7gUY7edhexLm69Y8wRiwxACuJqqqEJGYW_iVcq6VobrEsMO0H86Xe7K_DGxp0cHpZAbjmIPh_zwrb5tlN-Rwcxg/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGe_bl_CDSAvvD2HLqO1U2hgEehb7V9j-nfJuVH4l0A1eDzQ_HkqjDi7gUY7edhexLm69Y8wRiwxACuJqqqEJGYW_iVcq6VobrEsMO0H86Xe7K_DGxp0cHpZAbjmIPh_zwrb5tlN-Rwcxg/s640/042.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The female alone incubates the eggs for 15 to 19 days.</div>
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Wintering birds can concentrate in large numbers, on wintering roost site consisting of 5000 birds in Brazil.</div>
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In British Columbia, Purple Martins almost always select sites near or over open water. Individuals and groups interested in helping Purple Martins in British Columbia are encouraged to build and erect nest-boxes along the waterfront on southern and eastern Vancouver Island and in the lower mainland. Boxes should be constructed of cedar, and maintained regularly. Locations should be chosen that allow easy access for maintenance.</div>
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For more information:</div>
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Please contact: <a href="http://www.georgiabasin.ca/">www.georgiabasin.ca</a> and <a href="http://www.saveourmartins.org/">www.saveourmartins.org</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMQgjXnwHtUQSsbmmEEGyLEChw3-oxXBWNkvbxRQhrKkFgdFXQXN0_CVmiQ2gmTERL2yGDLA98p_3KO_GbRKBAYB90QKmAwHjPK22yCQ8Z8dPt0b1FUlVoXkMD96DVSmqIi5uN-45synm/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMQgjXnwHtUQSsbmmEEGyLEChw3-oxXBWNkvbxRQhrKkFgdFXQXN0_CVmiQ2gmTERL2yGDLA98p_3KO_GbRKBAYB90QKmAwHjPK22yCQ8Z8dPt0b1FUlVoXkMD96DVSmqIi5uN-45synm/s640/030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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With the setting sun it was time to leave our adventure and head back to the car for the long drive home. My son was full of questions and excitement about what he had seen and the new knowledge he had acquired. I was grateful for the moments in life where the beauty of all that surrounds us is revealed, most of all happy to have my son there to experience it. I know today was one of those days that will stick in his mind and he will tell his kids about in years to come.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-75788114648842344922012-11-09T19:46:00.000-08:002012-11-13T14:41:40.461-08:00Fish Hatchery Field Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today we went out for a field trip to the local fish
hatchery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily when we arrived it was
a bright and sunny day, a nice reprieve from the rain we have been having.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The kids were running about here and there, anxious to get
going on the nature walk and see what there was to see but once our guide
started talking she captivated her young audience with her knowledge and
questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">We passed a stream where you could see some of the salmon
dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point they have spawned
and their lifecycle is over and they will become part of the food chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is the animals, insects or bacteria
that consume them, the fish’s nutrients will eventually be recycled into the
forests and provide fertilizer for the trees and plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">These grey fish are on the bottom of the stream are covered
with bacteria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have died and have
started the decomposition process that will face all of the fish coming here to
spawn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Another shot where you can see a mix of live and dying fish
in a spawning pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The female digs a
hole for the eggs, then the male comes to fertilize them and once the egg is fertilized
it floats to the bottom of the stream and sinks below the grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only two out of the two thousand five hundred
eggs will make it back to sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
why hatcheries are helping out with the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With their intervention the odds are raised, and
as many as twenty two to forty make back to sea.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkN114RN5J585oU-g1z6ObhWITFTMrp3kI9Z2Q3oe143gGC6i6PNi-zExHDRPRN56Al9KROBq3D0f9BSjD7373PnC_RXeqTJ__lh5nZaO4EHoNPLCjl6QFqkx3FLfNtSTur0nChxjFyal_/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkN114RN5J585oU-g1z6ObhWITFTMrp3kI9Z2Q3oe143gGC6i6PNi-zExHDRPRN56Al9KROBq3D0f9BSjD7373PnC_RXeqTJ__lh5nZaO4EHoNPLCjl6QFqkx3FLfNtSTur0nChxjFyal_/s400/011.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is a Nurse Stump. Its decomposition supports new life.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-bL78Q3E0Tdk4jfYIpS3SCK2qHi6GEyIcWNKhqAWoc2Q4QJwBltDewXjKh16GHRleauuVzXb-VIY4kInU7_0DmZLcVG1xr0iR3T-X3fkm5Y0o40tI81eEPMPsttVbL3R_OED9-_qvNtT/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-bL78Q3E0Tdk4jfYIpS3SCK2qHi6GEyIcWNKhqAWoc2Q4QJwBltDewXjKh16GHRleauuVzXb-VIY4kInU7_0DmZLcVG1xr0iR3T-X3fkm5Y0o40tI81eEPMPsttVbL3R_OED9-_qvNtT/s640/012.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A huge ant hill</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeIW3QV6Fiwa1rkf9B08yVOCbVcfkiuttfcK2IYzAMuBo-s80sMrj4QKeKfQva-iV_ViE0rHOTLtuNZT0eUgrpD5jDAi7cptcmyQ9-wsFuB65U3iHgyh7SLii0YYrFmhQpQSSyw1BfoK0/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeIW3QV6Fiwa1rkf9B08yVOCbVcfkiuttfcK2IYzAMuBo-s80sMrj4QKeKfQva-iV_ViE0rHOTLtuNZT0eUgrpD5jDAi7cptcmyQ9-wsFuB65U3iHgyh7SLii0YYrFmhQpQSSyw1BfoK0/s640/013.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Another huge ant hill</span></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpTEpeNpHy1tiOwAWe6PykPEabwz_W11d5_LrfvIU-qisYjkbgTFqlRH_lHPYoIhQcWD9mjd5MhhuMJEShDlmRfUHLq3xzrUmyn5KovSRUsD8zxqu8tvv75W8uIW4b032j7L8NSAKmb51/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpTEpeNpHy1tiOwAWe6PykPEabwz_W11d5_LrfvIU-qisYjkbgTFqlRH_lHPYoIhQcWD9mjd5MhhuMJEShDlmRfUHLq3xzrUmyn5KovSRUsD8zxqu8tvv75W8uIW4b032j7L8NSAKmb51/s400/014.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Fallen trees like this one make perfect hiding places for salmon. Eagles and seagulls are just some of the many birds that come to feast as well as black bear and other animals.</span></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOceNb7bB2eGzjeGXp33hVHm6nKYUAe99dFkMsw59wxbCfplEczpbLI8kM7IQ9ZR7fAr73swf7vu-ON0k0G4WdwwuG8qXfz2IDyxX5eEa_Di-o0IL6vBpKtQ9R-SuZZnTyu44Pg4xZAmf-/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOceNb7bB2eGzjeGXp33hVHm6nKYUAe99dFkMsw59wxbCfplEczpbLI8kM7IQ9ZR7fAr73swf7vu-ON0k0G4WdwwuG8qXfz2IDyxX5eEa_Di-o0IL6vBpKtQ9R-SuZZnTyu44Pg4xZAmf-/s640/016.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Can you see the female salmon in the middle of the image?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYwfntpXvFIilNvUQf2WQj_nJF_RuLc-yd_Ae_D1WZxFJQfPHcbHyAXnpmssGAISMqSOQFseZQzdAbOIF_IoI-PRD1dChaOPQ085Ig78uWAQfey7Px6_iltCU_gInp5kyOCHAn4M84m5a/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYwfntpXvFIilNvUQf2WQj_nJF_RuLc-yd_Ae_D1WZxFJQfPHcbHyAXnpmssGAISMqSOQFseZQzdAbOIF_IoI-PRD1dChaOPQ085Ig78uWAQfey7Px6_iltCU_gInp5kyOCHAn4M84m5a/s400/018.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">There were many bent trees like this one along the pond.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUQXdX_aTi9iO5GAc4rv4ukNZZmI8QvZ7ff5lNp2DUlBZkjSES3IZs3UWX50zHvXeZHinr32p2e3zKD5ZcoV0HSWgv2PNamWm4VpcMaEftdrTaU80og3oy2yx5o64_fbPSVOe7P5aJ0ec/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUQXdX_aTi9iO5GAc4rv4ukNZZmI8QvZ7ff5lNp2DUlBZkjSES3IZs3UWX50zHvXeZHinr32p2e3zKD5ZcoV0HSWgv2PNamWm4VpcMaEftdrTaU80og3oy2yx5o64_fbPSVOe7P5aJ0ec/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQH3zANa4GwljZST3bx_9Kib-Okh6yf6-3Exmlceko3BOyvbykEE1xuQXo0ItbebyDFddiqqg-pipfWpaJA_dm9ni6SNEZlNdT15FI-CSwAeSqWWQOr1R3gFKFivGclfi2KxcJs5IrYHl/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQH3zANa4GwljZST3bx_9Kib-Okh6yf6-3Exmlceko3BOyvbykEE1xuQXo0ItbebyDFddiqqg-pipfWpaJA_dm9ni6SNEZlNdT15FI-CSwAeSqWWQOr1R3gFKFivGclfi2KxcJs5IrYHl/s400/028.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QhIeTD46eplVO12k0bSdVfHhSbtlJKWCVBhj-160g7_hpVl8HccoAqdSrGCgfHLsacRYo2TKqVFdrvVbPHwnFbupN-7ZAgb2SMqxydL2Pe3DjasiSA0wOXWfa8_gbSxb1sanD6DyZJAk/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QhIeTD46eplVO12k0bSdVfHhSbtlJKWCVBhj-160g7_hpVl8HccoAqdSrGCgfHLsacRYo2TKqVFdrvVbPHwnFbupN-7ZAgb2SMqxydL2Pe3DjasiSA0wOXWfa8_gbSxb1sanD6DyZJAk/s400/029.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is a fish ladder; it helps the fish climb up a stream
that is otherwise too steep, or the current too fast to climb naturally.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7arlGZe6_D9Seyeood_lttltidlR_2hqJG7W3ToiiWqXt-nXFEthg8_jcEtx-YgwTZ6yE5nXv9mm-kKU8Z0be0oxM8WbkaLYDzeapsMNmHdQkmX71g3FzLH_JWPd4qh6HS_Ty_7FiH7Z7/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7arlGZe6_D9Seyeood_lttltidlR_2hqJG7W3ToiiWqXt-nXFEthg8_jcEtx-YgwTZ6yE5nXv9mm-kKU8Z0be0oxM8WbkaLYDzeapsMNmHdQkmX71g3FzLH_JWPd4qh6HS_Ty_7FiH7Z7/s400/030.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_JjwNYyWw9EugY78q6FN7hpu1CeC34yyeekI-qC9nqJOjQo5k0T7ylZwKmTxWV_M0kmCecDKErWxxttionWbzDN_ZkPyDKBKoZaliDveQ7SmCTG6oxPO2T9_wE2nh7-4S1cijoh_I8w2/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_JjwNYyWw9EugY78q6FN7hpu1CeC34yyeekI-qC9nqJOjQo5k0T7ylZwKmTxWV_M0kmCecDKErWxxttionWbzDN_ZkPyDKBKoZaliDveQ7SmCTG6oxPO2T9_wE2nh7-4S1cijoh_I8w2/s400/023.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQ9zgVXsV_FOrLXjLqaaDI-gNzaTpKfI4ISL7DoxmnESCRzx1U6lOywbr-VnyaA6JDmSEEiF-5VlcFZxyz-Clsl0MgCo7rAyzlJbKjwyILAgaObVTDaWi1fUkeNB-qrY9wLUUpktHPf54/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1PvRM3aBdIZbjD0EIWZxSdiotlTXVSQ6jUB7cI4Yd8rKOR5FphdUd7weyxMmitkqjnIdkFOfw5ep6U3_OxPwRcxQo2S17HyT_oBQN8wxZgQLqHoNVdR1AdzJHWpcGradXxvZgoPvSdp8/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1PvRM3aBdIZbjD0EIWZxSdiotlTXVSQ6jUB7cI4Yd8rKOR5FphdUd7weyxMmitkqjnIdkFOfw5ep6U3_OxPwRcxQo2S17HyT_oBQN8wxZgQLqHoNVdR1AdzJHWpcGradXxvZgoPvSdp8/s640/026.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDYHNxMIhu8eS7zK3mMyyVqDYp9rpZfVZqECBsNbmsDxaNHGRJN_1YyvmFY17Cqj5fyILiF8wxhsFp7Hsdee0yfWw4Bk8e70ghS2EtxWIF5DqPf3QJoXwlGzs0D_lrpoS5pb6QPTXfrWR/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDYHNxMIhu8eS7zK3mMyyVqDYp9rpZfVZqECBsNbmsDxaNHGRJN_1YyvmFY17Cqj5fyILiF8wxhsFp7Hsdee0yfWw4Bk8e70ghS2EtxWIF5DqPf3QJoXwlGzs0D_lrpoS5pb6QPTXfrWR/s640/033.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A huge tree with thick moss all the way up and around it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7d8V7Ve8KexBj7FbXHMYEsCKwMEBlgJX_Up8lHtI65xWe7GhmZRAu2BTq2vCfF0P3Vjs4_f4M8-s3r4Fa0hDc22TQ7Mxu2QeDqU3LIYS37yVvqihxWjUAc-uIdyqnbX9d-ACznzdPlH_p/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7d8V7Ve8KexBj7FbXHMYEsCKwMEBlgJX_Up8lHtI65xWe7GhmZRAu2BTq2vCfF0P3Vjs4_f4M8-s3r4Fa0hDc22TQ7Mxu2QeDqU3LIYS37yVvqihxWjUAc-uIdyqnbX9d-ACznzdPlH_p/s640/035.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This was a big tree on a slant. So huge it would have taken 4 adults to circle the base.</span></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffvGGCBzl76ds9doa91LgD-cWDdHpFWjrhlyimmToe-ILeh1z0yw-XRnXMTcBJ8iuIi0otQWV-GAvRofuMJcr9dHkOViWnW7mci7RP9W-Ht7omihNHm8R95tseQkauSVNB8VZHA-w655O/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffvGGCBzl76ds9doa91LgD-cWDdHpFWjrhlyimmToe-ILeh1z0yw-XRnXMTcBJ8iuIi0otQWV-GAvRofuMJcr9dHkOViWnW7mci7RP9W-Ht7omihNHm8R95tseQkauSVNB8VZHA-w655O/s640/037.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">More remains.</span></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7bEJZ5DI_GgmtYcV3Tvvcr2_HKCzFKvq2VJFNOUeg-tJZb_-l2zg2CK1WdB-u_ZYMxMNwv02JUHkAtu3vMV6Wgc7vWbXbU0uPSchqMTxnOMEEj-6-7Ch6DpKvJVbCJQF4hjTxCqU1c7Y/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7bEJZ5DI_GgmtYcV3Tvvcr2_HKCzFKvq2VJFNOUeg-tJZb_-l2zg2CK1WdB-u_ZYMxMNwv02JUHkAtu3vMV6Wgc7vWbXbU0uPSchqMTxnOMEEj-6-7Ch6DpKvJVbCJQF4hjTxCqU1c7Y/s640/038.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If you look at the back of the
stream, almost to the other side of the bank you will see a little bit of the
dorsal and back fin sticking out of the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a male.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnIVCC_lQzDbAcj5NncSJBrmkqE5bQJiln9hqiYTMnOmJmlRhVdv8VzGfdU26FF33lTiFGqQJjaqcsDFYcPXy2AOxyLQBOihZFWy1F2YApiFr4SxACvCeXQfc9LDHFN764vTaZalKFXF5/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnIVCC_lQzDbAcj5NncSJBrmkqE5bQJiln9hqiYTMnOmJmlRhVdv8VzGfdU26FF33lTiFGqQJjaqcsDFYcPXy2AOxyLQBOihZFWy1F2YApiFr4SxACvCeXQfc9LDHFN764vTaZalKFXF5/s640/039.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnwpUzJ3kx_e3fHE2CqtHw9VG8yZiRACSSCY3vQkwiWn6ryf5qFdFgJMwp05knHBEniWN-Ani4GtCJACcj2cOVS2NdsjgI5O2BCM2jLpWVKGg_UZIAR9FMlwVKG84hga-6w25uyn0lq7C/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnwpUzJ3kx_e3fHE2CqtHw9VG8yZiRACSSCY3vQkwiWn6ryf5qFdFgJMwp05knHBEniWN-Ani4GtCJACcj2cOVS2NdsjgI5O2BCM2jLpWVKGg_UZIAR9FMlwVKG84hga-6w25uyn0lq7C/s640/040.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUtbb7fc0j-flvpQlc8MyjBRP2u3wmE7ttnpSJEGCUM2Vr_GoJvVNSfYcV3m4EkGVVi7Hiekrq0nezDnLI7XGPe2RXfuZ4Mgx7V_2J0wupKcZMsZrvgn84HDitFZUcmZ7sSmq3OGuiQdO/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUtbb7fc0j-flvpQlc8MyjBRP2u3wmE7ttnpSJEGCUM2Vr_GoJvVNSfYcV3m4EkGVVi7Hiekrq0nezDnLI7XGPe2RXfuZ4Mgx7V_2J0wupKcZMsZrvgn84HDitFZUcmZ7sSmq3OGuiQdO/s400/044.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A fallen tree that has now become a nurse log. Supporting various life.</span><br />
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd82DplGRv-x-JupIQO0f1bHmN1Eere3nQnzUT7oU3pkTvuln3CgV1cVHQ2NziG0VUcedz2esFcV62bX-3Eiy8bwnqiF7kvS6t0p_7YVwUCKQv3hYiQl12GbHN6JwxxBhpXeG4NRVVNuFY/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd82DplGRv-x-JupIQO0f1bHmN1Eere3nQnzUT7oU3pkTvuln3CgV1cVHQ2NziG0VUcedz2esFcV62bX-3Eiy8bwnqiF7kvS6t0p_7YVwUCKQv3hYiQl12GbHN6JwxxBhpXeG4NRVVNuFY/s640/041.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A female salmon in the big pond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></td></tr>
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</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS1GWM-Qme2l3524sVgHwqp6FggQ8wVC-axNKgtc7k4fbsJd6HzRCkMsDX3J-Il0hMDlQ8BwACoinymmclS5T9CkVhJP3WzOVYV03L_Yr5vNqcjoUqtfvQw4z8xeJPIFauaQFlGrW5zW5/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS1GWM-Qme2l3524sVgHwqp6FggQ8wVC-axNKgtc7k4fbsJd6HzRCkMsDX3J-Il0hMDlQ8BwACoinymmclS5T9CkVhJP3WzOVYV03L_Yr5vNqcjoUqtfvQw4z8xeJPIFauaQFlGrW5zW5/s640/046.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">These are the pens they keep the
female and male in to harvest the Milt from the males and the Eggs from the
females.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRK8KQkf6FZzusU56Ob6RlkcnQmbj8V_kVkcR6dCSdby7ZgJjevrKoaxPQ4nAge92dxYTCccaC7SOBlYqTUUxT9wa4nAb095nv_g21olRGLx3-Dzbq4kP-dGHwprdwXI4QW1eqHbnb6nF/s1600/049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRK8KQkf6FZzusU56Ob6RlkcnQmbj8V_kVkcR6dCSdby7ZgJjevrKoaxPQ4nAge92dxYTCccaC7SOBlYqTUUxT9wa4nAb095nv_g21olRGLx3-Dzbq4kP-dGHwprdwXI4QW1eqHbnb6nF/s640/049.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
This male has been put in solitary
confinement in special liquid to make him sleepy so the milt can be harvested.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNwYeELHs27lv58L3W6XLqMd1-CZi3hnetMmSuwI0MAzUpjZwK1YMLQ5Sio5BQN2Mqd_zPDn3m54zi9RgDS2vCq1tjZ_9oJmWdGx4p8_f6MVB9UvNIj8vm3yCd_5kvBeHAVtwAx05x1Ne/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNwYeELHs27lv58L3W6XLqMd1-CZi3hnetMmSuwI0MAzUpjZwK1YMLQ5Sio5BQN2Mqd_zPDn3m54zi9RgDS2vCq1tjZ_9oJmWdGx4p8_f6MVB9UvNIj8vm3yCd_5kvBeHAVtwAx05x1Ne/s640/052.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Here she is drying off the male to harvest the milt.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69Z5jO3COQpOCyFetZfOWuWuLJKvUvJwpbKYR9PW933dflKT9rOdkd6MMnlRaulTs1YgXuJekOaQVTXyiKoMxWp99nUBQiyIKQYN8Y2EApXUq0jDkSy896uGU4_yH0_l8KW1NTzwMtaIz/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69Z5jO3COQpOCyFetZfOWuWuLJKvUvJwpbKYR9PW933dflKT9rOdkd6MMnlRaulTs1YgXuJekOaQVTXyiKoMxWp99nUBQiyIKQYN8Y2EApXUq0jDkSy896uGU4_yH0_l8KW1NTzwMtaIz/s640/053.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is the amount of the milt that came out of the male.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJks-MR5sOfjkpeQAgGx_xRudZyRPj7i6pHQzJcB6TFv7m86ldl8Zb0sVNAOKa7cTVccqFcqaUXuxoAjln1rthw-uq5SIiTMKibictI0Sm1uLnsWOYQJXk6lUCYOmpw_JrOE-css7v76c/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJks-MR5sOfjkpeQAgGx_xRudZyRPj7i6pHQzJcB6TFv7m86ldl8Zb0sVNAOKa7cTVccqFcqaUXuxoAjln1rthw-uq5SIiTMKibictI0Sm1uLnsWOYQJXk6lUCYOmpw_JrOE-css7v76c/s640/054.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Now for the female.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25CDctWQr-iycbwVAb9OSBnBRP0XTPD0q-Pyk0QfHKolcAhMv8ikZ6R2aU9FyHXzFiPYN8ZXsdKX1oiqkcIZO8WWtbygflLimYSGSwxYjWrsI2sZotPsGNYhWRdNEuVO6g2UCWhyMyV8w/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25CDctWQr-iycbwVAb9OSBnBRP0XTPD0q-Pyk0QfHKolcAhMv8ikZ6R2aU9FyHXzFiPYN8ZXsdKX1oiqkcIZO8WWtbygflLimYSGSwxYjWrsI2sZotPsGNYhWRdNEuVO6g2UCWhyMyV8w/s640/055.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The female gets her own bath to make her sleepy. She, unlike the male, will be killed and her blood drained in order to harvest the eggs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Examples of the stages of life for young salmon.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGK8ae_W7ta8l0vUMck4sN9zgXB42P0vWXiyJLoPZXwFLAQ4U4p04o-UcQMoJIOS3b-6JOx1amPNsh62gXtXpRL9BzJgN4x8zJmrxkLKmr8KTM4MB6ISF0mw5Cg4ljOy5aWm_zNtcV7Wy/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGK8ae_W7ta8l0vUMck4sN9zgXB42P0vWXiyJLoPZXwFLAQ4U4p04o-UcQMoJIOS3b-6JOx1amPNsh62gXtXpRL9BzJgN4x8zJmrxkLKmr8KTM4MB6ISF0mw5Cg4ljOy5aWm_zNtcV7Wy/s640/058.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Fry: 100 days old</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iKeh5KgyvB66GJcTsg3kM6or7fGYEShfB24UKblLqaF-1Ey7JRhO7r5t09uADVKItJNcJQ31ehJVB4ObD7pLxtrwV55d5iUCDn7SndVh7WDpXs_4ST4Yhxoi8R7PsccOfz5JbFiGrYT2/s1600/059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iKeh5KgyvB66GJcTsg3kM6or7fGYEShfB24UKblLqaF-1Ey7JRhO7r5t09uADVKItJNcJQ31ehJVB4ObD7pLxtrwV55d5iUCDn7SndVh7WDpXs_4ST4Yhxoi8R7PsccOfz5JbFiGrYT2/s640/059.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Alevens: 45 days old</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RI-OGQBfH-DMV1HRwYOa3Dc9lPF9hH4nEYmyhYDSBb-XegTF8IS0bNwIjGS2hcA_kWGgXck8uSeWzQLZ5ZCCyTCCwxpS8YHP6Ypzkdkv_QDHH9CWlKkB8fBfK_CNazziaRmDQJyjuI_m/s1600/060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RI-OGQBfH-DMV1HRwYOa3Dc9lPF9hH4nEYmyhYDSBb-XegTF8IS0bNwIjGS2hcA_kWGgXck8uSeWzQLZ5ZCCyTCCwxpS8YHP6Ypzkdkv_QDHH9CWlKkB8fBfK_CNazziaRmDQJyjuI_m/s640/060.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Eyed eggs: 22 days old</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEibCD1AqHDFt9hT2TZD1sDBM_x42tZtX_Zmh-lYsq9BQO0sFHpCDFiDVPWGYnZxf2DZcrizokDBplJuupsPeE6dLlcDOvMPKld9d5CzvXuUTTeilmUqHglQxX4_vN9brMoYcNx28jj8We/s1600/061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEibCD1AqHDFt9hT2TZD1sDBM_x42tZtX_Zmh-lYsq9BQO0sFHpCDFiDVPWGYnZxf2DZcrizokDBplJuupsPeE6dLlcDOvMPKld9d5CzvXuUTTeilmUqHglQxX4_vN9brMoYcNx28jj8We/s640/061.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Eggs: 1 day old</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBSbtZTzuGVHVngNg82hC2jOogoDMH0kA9YPmNYOQKiATf2S4loI8DCRv1EEnwJ3r2LOkkXiixP7nkHshpZ5C18drZe4NDwzggK78JaQq0WHzla-TappI5QbhyphenhyphenF3kLojtQr4Vff4Jil3f/s1600/062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBSbtZTzuGVHVngNg82hC2jOogoDMH0kA9YPmNYOQKiATf2S4loI8DCRv1EEnwJ3r2LOkkXiixP7nkHshpZ5C18drZe4NDwzggK78JaQq0WHzla-TappI5QbhyphenhyphenF3kLojtQr4Vff4Jil3f/s640/062.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The female being drained.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmPkefiEXDidfl_S9EblULEsh1zn0CY3ljy5Rr6pm75kboLgxzamAJhR-VwMTIH9d6sCiQd6sunYHxhJ5FlBelV1LCtKEqGQ8quVDsYCAZH9BkLgy6BXAi7jIsxWD3Y8e0OxgogIvSJzD/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmPkefiEXDidfl_S9EblULEsh1zn0CY3ljy5Rr6pm75kboLgxzamAJhR-VwMTIH9d6sCiQd6sunYHxhJ5FlBelV1LCtKEqGQ8quVDsYCAZH9BkLgy6BXAi7jIsxWD3Y8e0OxgogIvSJzD/s640/063.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Getting ready to harvest the eggs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQttdRFThV-dOl77q02pieeCM0AwHE1blu2DdDDVtb4myHGTwLb7LoPYmEw2Chr6F46ds4JIXd92Oi-ShPLZorgzBbeYm0SbQoSFdw_PREqQWR0LdpkcxOq7B35FauNqIbXtL5mUOB1Vwt/s1600/064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQttdRFThV-dOl77q02pieeCM0AwHE1blu2DdDDVtb4myHGTwLb7LoPYmEw2Chr6F46ds4JIXd92Oi-ShPLZorgzBbeYm0SbQoSFdw_PREqQWR0LdpkcxOq7B35FauNqIbXtL5mUOB1Vwt/s640/064.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A bucket full of harvested eggs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU4wsjWci44kqFQXGBk-kGP_7gP_czjDPZXaOGt9YVOF7Y4YvzWIYS6PrGhyx9k0n9WA9Si9_wuN2qA20Q_lcU1sSix5UFloqaMXV2HKUYouqpfwvm5COFq4SWBjQRYEGan0UYan5WCa8/s1600/065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU4wsjWci44kqFQXGBk-kGP_7gP_czjDPZXaOGt9YVOF7Y4YvzWIYS6PrGhyx9k0n9WA9Si9_wuN2qA20Q_lcU1sSix5UFloqaMXV2HKUYouqpfwvm5COFq4SWBjQRYEGan0UYan5WCa8/s640/065.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Now the dissection of the female occurs. The lucky male still has a couple more days worth of milting ahead of him.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AVHB6w1XjLx_x7jWYHdNzTKIs19XaNC9AjUpMQhwabg64qP1eXhyphenhypheneB4mb6GqeyQFIt6YYV6wC8Bo5rAxYUcfjG8hZ1eJ4C9DgogAOhkTW1nok_z2600Yj0YTn1fQJScB8mv3yWnyTug7/s1600/066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AVHB6w1XjLx_x7jWYHdNzTKIs19XaNC9AjUpMQhwabg64qP1eXhyphenhypheneB4mb6GqeyQFIt6YYV6wC8Bo5rAxYUcfjG8hZ1eJ4C9DgogAOhkTW1nok_z2600Yj0YTn1fQJScB8mv3yWnyTug7/s640/066.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is a gill fin. It covers the gills and help keep them free of debris.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkTznJgfktk209cM1GG4ZGPMw5i4QIoPhHUiE8fwrmy52OQpuZoYWpSYzwplWfQ5HXn4b4yr-RHckDLbAPmtH74MQapOf7qHbwET3F2hx6YF5trl2VSsOU7_XYv-zRsNHB1Z0YTbqFAYb/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkTznJgfktk209cM1GG4ZGPMw5i4QIoPhHUiE8fwrmy52OQpuZoYWpSYzwplWfQ5HXn4b4yr-RHckDLbAPmtH74MQapOf7qHbwET3F2hx6YF5trl2VSsOU7_XYv-zRsNHB1Z0YTbqFAYb/s640/067.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">These are the actual gills and I
have been told they feel like “wet feathers”.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW62Dcnpr4pJemlS2gvIgS2qI76qQIprFrPLuf1snY5nz7Y8m90xbes8kO6KHNqh6p3SOyFHo-sUgrXnK9FZya4Hz2ZaawZBsLJ9KeRK4J418_DTnoe61m-qgjq5aw-sLb-EAo6pGUAQO/s1600/068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW62Dcnpr4pJemlS2gvIgS2qI76qQIprFrPLuf1snY5nz7Y8m90xbes8kO6KHNqh6p3SOyFHo-sUgrXnK9FZya4Hz2ZaawZBsLJ9KeRK4J418_DTnoe61m-qgjq5aw-sLb-EAo6pGUAQO/s640/068.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is the fish heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite remarkable seeing this because
it kept beating after removal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman
told us this was due to nerves still firing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think she might have thought that this would inspire the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But most of them moved on at this point,
leaving only the brave and most of the adults to witness the rest of the dissection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrMrdWbonKgsxMa92JOU8ADVZe9GPpo2OuKqMCiZFVAZhkT6eoCM9W2cH3d2HJ_X_fJNHax8x2WkXWKiQqNdVdsywVh22fe5Oz8fkVPRE_RmBqiR2geUKv_2036x88mWflWf3mk-_Lnbl/s1600/069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrMrdWbonKgsxMa92JOU8ADVZe9GPpo2OuKqMCiZFVAZhkT6eoCM9W2cH3d2HJ_X_fJNHax8x2WkXWKiQqNdVdsywVh22fe5Oz8fkVPRE_RmBqiR2geUKv_2036x88mWflWf3mk-_Lnbl/s640/069.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The fish liver.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-3i7nKVOA7XxefHjyvE0Bfnxo_IRkZiWNytu_h6ukW_WEn4MEQvN9EUCsdPZrqiH2QgEpPq-_42Pa_USvS0WLswiMTclR5DdRNoZRTjh7bB_ceyp6Es_ypRUtTYCih-qSVdTewt9O7Hz/s1600/070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-3i7nKVOA7XxefHjyvE0Bfnxo_IRkZiWNytu_h6ukW_WEn4MEQvN9EUCsdPZrqiH2QgEpPq-_42Pa_USvS0WLswiMTclR5DdRNoZRTjh7bB_ceyp6Es_ypRUtTYCih-qSVdTewt9O7Hz/s640/070.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5puE2NdT3g2QmBQgUg6lOr4JJQDHtiJH__VtiVhkCfwquQcQ6_R1Q-ubttDgnKzCxCHRA_f3Xt6YV7HI2hvzbYDaKHm9PoQcd3qgKqHfn5CB0hMLrSeecmB4A4zEAhCC5XikWnUbpROC/s1600/071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5puE2NdT3g2QmBQgUg6lOr4JJQDHtiJH__VtiVhkCfwquQcQ6_R1Q-ubttDgnKzCxCHRA_f3Xt6YV7HI2hvzbYDaKHm9PoQcd3qgKqHfn5CB0hMLrSeecmB4A4zEAhCC5XikWnUbpROC/s640/071.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The spleen</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKZMYY3K1vj1haIAfLSSnVSOD9rw11CD2LTTr4eo8faMpr_-En4cTVQznfe0Nfp7lS4zL5-M1EU1_PtGHJ_g0sK_XkUwLusCb4dnJqV5SV3Qi5FLzu7RyhJP0YlGsvueNa9j60S3n7sLO/s1600/073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKZMYY3K1vj1haIAfLSSnVSOD9rw11CD2LTTr4eo8faMpr_-En4cTVQznfe0Nfp7lS4zL5-M1EU1_PtGHJ_g0sK_XkUwLusCb4dnJqV5SV3Qi5FLzu7RyhJP0YlGsvueNa9j60S3n7sLO/s640/073.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The stomach</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGS94LRJjVuEexy84CbYVg4elCYwGOF6TNZVWCs9-kmY2DEq-Hrkv2KMwtkd_iLwQqnfgAmaGwDLWhxyrfnTNfQ8P4grudUPsQZWksC7bMaU8EzN4IZ80D1o-r3_WaKdwxjh1eij-x43z/s1600/074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGS94LRJjVuEexy84CbYVg4elCYwGOF6TNZVWCs9-kmY2DEq-Hrkv2KMwtkd_iLwQqnfgAmaGwDLWhxyrfnTNfQ8P4grudUPsQZWksC7bMaU8EzN4IZ80D1o-r3_WaKdwxjh1eij-x43z/s640/074.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The egg sac and some of the eggs that were not squeezed out previously.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfI4UQcsDB7tJYBgf8oaVKk1fGDzOuLKbuqi2Ovm8u7n1Y_oHMi_Osrx3qBkgxaH5ky3Vz3ood0qr1BLozJ0DkJM_nkaFhG0TiFVFGiQlJzWm7OInZAMj51Kr4oj29VfzZZoqALyKkPgu/s1600/077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfI4UQcsDB7tJYBgf8oaVKk1fGDzOuLKbuqi2Ovm8u7n1Y_oHMi_Osrx3qBkgxaH5ky3Vz3ood0qr1BLozJ0DkJM_nkaFhG0TiFVFGiQlJzWm7OInZAMj51Kr4oj29VfzZZoqALyKkPgu/s640/077.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The swim bladder, this is the part
of the fish that allows the fish to be buoyant or to sink to the depths of the
sea or rivers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIliQj8qdGMw7VG1s3sh7JZnvsJHLZz-W69Ni19TIgzq58PzV7V0V6IUHqZBdu2bzSNkmKIogKYZReztI-g9GXNyVt_hxqH68tQVAfw-Ag4qNMlhucJnLrjP-i6NNbUuAYHbuJGETEd6S/s1600/079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIliQj8qdGMw7VG1s3sh7JZnvsJHLZz-W69Ni19TIgzq58PzV7V0V6IUHqZBdu2bzSNkmKIogKYZReztI-g9GXNyVt_hxqH68tQVAfw-Ag4qNMlhucJnLrjP-i6NNbUuAYHbuJGETEd6S/s640/079.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yNpirqlwYYlCcIEkg2hcz1exZiQHjFM0Zl0QI2XKiePXmcASKhMV2Ms_8Gye2w_1Q-GvZZt5a16-CdZ2WBDsuVb8ymG0qLsNyKz6IsHEQ-XBO_exo-iZjmq84Fx0OWNyOFOQby4yruMj/s1600/080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yNpirqlwYYlCcIEkg2hcz1exZiQHjFM0Zl0QI2XKiePXmcASKhMV2Ms_8Gye2w_1Q-GvZZt5a16-CdZ2WBDsuVb8ymG0qLsNyKz6IsHEQ-XBO_exo-iZjmq84Fx0OWNyOFOQby4yruMj/s640/080.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
Unlike us fish have only one long
kidney.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsMr-lADT3YYppQ2iLl8JkLrQJ1x5vYC39zWeHSMyAjkdyN_1ye4WImljrI8jYqXSh5bkLTlTsfCeM8GeZRaymSOFldkCz0yirpMS7NxUjZqy6iU0ZmrPHPHdnSDDKlfmi4_UeHCq_vE2/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsMr-lADT3YYppQ2iLl8JkLrQJ1x5vYC39zWeHSMyAjkdyN_1ye4WImljrI8jYqXSh5bkLTlTsfCeM8GeZRaymSOFldkCz0yirpMS7NxUjZqy6iU0ZmrPHPHdnSDDKlfmi4_UeHCq_vE2/s640/082.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The dissection table.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk8Jd2lNgP4B1JXQLNqhL84bIaKeveDDLlc0Sf9u0697Rx0St5O_rmlfHyK3ROeS0bucpevB-eRN31wYmnKe7We1oaU60vgaTZP2m7h3HLGA70biEaH6_Yy9X1NZIqzVLtypneqcLfOrJ/s1600/083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk8Jd2lNgP4B1JXQLNqhL84bIaKeveDDLlc0Sf9u0697Rx0St5O_rmlfHyK3ROeS0bucpevB-eRN31wYmnKe7We1oaU60vgaTZP2m7h3HLGA70biEaH6_Yy9X1NZIqzVLtypneqcLfOrJ/s640/083.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The brain</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-OEtbpui9jIlCjECR9O6E-UG3f39H7t6Or4rM24eiphyphenhyphenvaNaZnR5QNOe79uNo85OHHK7Lp6KOBb_wWiZtHA7vvgvxtOY1_bIMCbagGjtfFzfRGnNX4uwWCVneaqt2VYUgjEljRi1xiA_/s1600/084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-OEtbpui9jIlCjECR9O6E-UG3f39H7t6Or4rM24eiphyphenhyphenvaNaZnR5QNOe79uNo85OHHK7Lp6KOBb_wWiZtHA7vvgvxtOY1_bIMCbagGjtfFzfRGnNX4uwWCVneaqt2VYUgjEljRi1xiA_/s640/084.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The lens from inside the eye.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvOO9wFW6RhCNm88dTYpsraEYPqgCq6wROfd9U73bQO7VIQcODri1iMSgPhe5TocSQrCiS0l0hvVj8Y0iOqrJzCsO2YwD-xo7uV6Ha3tnrq-9FeCWMzqK6z93up-7EgwBomoNsKB6WE-t/s1600/085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvOO9wFW6RhCNm88dTYpsraEYPqgCq6wROfd9U73bQO7VIQcODri1iMSgPhe5TocSQrCiS0l0hvVj8Y0iOqrJzCsO2YwD-xo7uV6Ha3tnrq-9FeCWMzqK6z93up-7EgwBomoNsKB6WE-t/s400/085.JPG" width="265" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Feeding time for the young fry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqh6Z-FwEq1Lytn9vWJ_-jXxdZ0yyzJiHAy5d4rIqaG3O8kfkw8I5dNcTr6O1bqgwNSV84o92Px7xYyU_aAvnDt8Pt0Wf8ZGTfyp861ztnTaS-po6BlJnI1fGnMttBGI3Gv9NyZx2YcEl/s1600/089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqh6Z-FwEq1Lytn9vWJ_-jXxdZ0yyzJiHAy5d4rIqaG3O8kfkw8I5dNcTr6O1bqgwNSV84o92Px7xYyU_aAvnDt8Pt0Wf8ZGTfyp861ztnTaS-po6BlJnI1fGnMttBGI3Gv9NyZx2YcEl/s640/089.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The young salmon feeding on the thrown pellets.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXig0d7JF_rTgTWUmKV1Qk6Db4sE9IBeb7-4B_jEcyfFbEcW6N-qyYlVY3b0XdJ0EQ4rL_fwIFn7dDHINxsJev2K9Zvc9a8qxEI5XEktN7NNj0iMKfWyNF3Ofq9RUprVXwipemG4VADWe/s1600/090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXig0d7JF_rTgTWUmKV1Qk6Db4sE9IBeb7-4B_jEcyfFbEcW6N-qyYlVY3b0XdJ0EQ4rL_fwIFn7dDHINxsJev2K9Zvc9a8qxEI5XEktN7NNj0iMKfWyNF3Ofq9RUprVXwipemG4VADWe/s640/090.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Scarring on the board from a bear in search of a quick lunch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 77.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-15306146218475439832012-10-21T20:11:00.001-07:002012-10-21T20:14:14.811-07:00The wind and I <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Burst through </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
warm cocoon </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
into bluster</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Boisterous cold </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
bites into my alone;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
a demanding child</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Icy raindrops</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
sneak under my cap,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
moist kisses</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I quicken past </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
tempered glass </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
and reflection shards</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">into consumer halls</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
of regurgitated air </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
and paranoid anger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I struggle through </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
throngs and almost</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
become lost myself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Birthed from deliberate womb</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
I celebrate in freedom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
the gull high above rides grey
gale</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Breathe deep my independence</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
watch others caught in the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
Sunday rain-slave traffic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I listen to red-yellow</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
leaf litter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
scrape across asphalt</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-13233762251410577732012-09-13T01:50:00.001-07:002012-11-20T13:55:31.732-08:00September's Swings<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Crickets, drunk on blackberry
juice </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
serenade like ghosts on the
breeze</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
pheromones urging frenzy,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
winter has quickened its step</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The scent of fallen leaves</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
and sight of cotton carelessly
forgotten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
on September’s swings</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
reminds of encroaching
darkness<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Looking up through the bottom of
sky</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
past blue’s illusion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
moon reaches towards sun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
filling witness with warm thirst </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Crisp air’s kiss upon apple flesh</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
blossom pink cherry cheeks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
while morning mists</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
dance with playful thick fingers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Vanilla bean shadows </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
spill over my coffee cup</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
infusing me with <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
rare and wondrous flavor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Leaving longing for cinnamon,
nutmeg</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
cloves and those passionate
spices </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
that dress up the dull, dreary
days</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
of winter’s cocoon </span><br />
<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc;">Linking up with </span><a href="http://dversepoets.com/"><span style="color: #cccccc;">http://dversepoets.com/</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> where brian opens the OpenLinkNight mic at 3pm EST</span><br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-17160757314619432912012-08-18T22:03:00.002-07:002012-09-05T22:52:56.818-07:00Published in the Oklahama News.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I was thrilled to find out that I had been published in the Oklahama News. This story first appeared in the Chicken Soup of the Soul book "Happiness".</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you enjoy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://newsok.com/woman-finds-she-can-choose-to-be-happy/article/3701712"><span style="font-size: large;">http://newsok.com/woman-finds-she-can-choose-to-be-happy/article/3701712</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896593451121442771.post-71826570167482932272012-06-28T15:23:00.001-07:002012-06-28T15:33:34.285-07:00Tiger Tabby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw3EL2yfGHUvcubmo3uN_ilhk9umrttu3KgZ0nS7ETEk-sG5DxBmd7FVUIkxi_AhypgxGoiLfR-g2WP2S5KCT9hhiKhw_fpDydeDb1_4Br_c97GPkiBotjxFnuVnA4AXTCWiRgdPVq6Xm/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDw3EL2yfGHUvcubmo3uN_ilhk9umrttu3KgZ0nS7ETEk-sG5DxBmd7FVUIkxi_AhypgxGoiLfR-g2WP2S5KCT9hhiKhw_fpDydeDb1_4Br_c97GPkiBotjxFnuVnA4AXTCWiRgdPVq6Xm/s320/054.JPG" width="292" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Tired Tiger Tabby</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">meets with</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">motor running</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Shrill staccato-meow</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Scold </span></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Rem</span></em><em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">inding me those</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">chores</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">forgotten</span></em></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08917475421671859755noreply@blogger.com1