A different way of making hay???

I was driving down a 2-lane highway shortcut, to the main 4-lane  highway, when I spotted what appeared to be the strangest hay baling I had ever seen before.  I had seen hay baled with plastic wrap before but not quite like this.  I had to stop and take pictures.  These were not as big as the usual round bales I see in pastures, before they are hauled to a central point and lined up.  They appeared to be considerably smaller and the white plastic complete enclosed them.

 

They were stacked up neatly on top of each other along the fence row, not on their rounded sides, but on the flat end of the bale.

I then saw someone was driving along and picking up the bales to deliver and stack them.  The contraption on the front of the tractor was not the spike that I was used to seeing, for the more common large, round bales, but a pair of pincers, looking much like hot dog tongs you'd use on a barbeque!

I talked to the driver who told me that the bales are completely sealed so as to keep out excess moisture, but also to prevent mold and mildew from occurring within the wrapping.  Too much moisture can produce heat, which can turn into a fire within the hay.  Barn fires have been known to occur due to improperly cured and baled hay.

I learned quite a bit in school about how to properly care for hay, but there are always new, better, more efficient methods being discovered.  Along with new, better, more efficient machinery.   This was the latest wrinkle, for me. 

The Food Chain

I went out this morning to feed the horses.

Then I fed the birds.

Then I fed the dog.

Then I fed us.

The order isn't important.  The important fact is that it seems a good part of my time is spent feeding things!  And if not feeding, then buying feed for those eaters.  But then I can't NOT feed stuff. 

Of course people need to eat, and I am a "people."  The dog needs to eat because she is in our care, by choice, and it's our responsibility to keep her healthy.  Same with the horses.  We own them, so it is our duty to keep them fed too.

The birds?  Well, we started years ago, and they seem to expect us to keep helping them out.  No, they probably wouldn't starve if we took the feeders down, but we'd feel bad, especially when the ground is covered with snow, ice, etc, and their feed seems to be at a minimum.  Besides we enjoy watching them eat, and counting the species we've attracted.

Do we enjoy watching the horses eat?  Probably not.  The dog?  No, probably not.  Each other?  No, probably not, unless we notice some really bad table manners, and then we're forced to watch, and make commentary.  Well, we not forced to, but I can't help myself, usually.   I admit, sometimes I'm a bit bourgeois.

Then as I threw scraps into the compost heap, I realized, I'm feeding the worms, too!

Here's your sign...!!!

Okay, the above title is becoming a hackneyed phrase, but in this age of ever-changing technology, which has some people verging on helplessness, I think this time it really applies!

I volunteer at a Nature Center which is at the end of a road.  There is a sharp right hand turn into the Center's parking lot.  The road visitors turn off, used to be a frontage road that emptied onto the highway, but has since been closed (for many years now) and has very obvious signing, barriers, etc.

There was an incidence whereas a "visitor" was watching their GPS and ran right into the sign and warning posts.  This picture was taken a few days later, after the damage had been repaired and the car bumper removed from the scene.  You can see where the dirt and gravel were churned up.

                               

Here is an expanded view.  You can see the road turning into the Center.

 

Now GPS units have been criticized for giving the wrong information occasionally because they are programmed incorrectly, or street names change, streets are added, and information is not updated, etc, etc.  But I do not believe this excuses a person for just watching/listening to the GPS and NOT watching so see that the road is indeed disappearing before their very eyes, AND run into things.  Did the driver think they were going to bend over and flatten as if they were on hinges?

 

Fortunately no one was hurt, but did they not SEE THEIR SIGNS???!!!

 

My kingdom for a knish!!!

 

The Knish Factory burned down!
 

I kid you not! In New York City!

 

It’s been a couple years since I’ve been in New York City, and I specifically went to see the progress at Ground Zero. I had previously visited there the April after 9/11, and several times since. On that aspect, I was amazed at the beautiful new buildings being erected, and the memorial itself.

 

But of course when you’re in New York, there are different, fascinating foods to explore, and a few old favorites that are not available just anywhere. Usually we visit a deli that was only a block or so from Ground Zero, but since the new buildings have been erected, we lost our way. So we decided to eat from one of the many corner food carts. I had thought that if we had found our “favorite deli” I would get a knish, an interesting Jewish pastry. I probably haven’t had a knish in over 35 years. But a good one, you don’t forget!

 

Since the deli was no where to be found, and we decided on a different venue, I read the menu choices on the side of the food cart, and lo and behold, they sold knishes!!! BUT, when I asked for one, the guy told me, and I quote, “…the knish factory burned down.” A likely story I thought. Here it was 2:30 in the afternoon, and he probably just didn’t have any, either because he sold out, or he never carried them and it was false advertising. So we went to a second food vendor. Same story, the knish factory burned down. AHA, they’re all in cahoots.

 

Then I saw this sign on a vendor’s cart…omigod, it’s true…the knish factory burned down.

 

 

So my question is, doesn’t any one make knishes themselves, at home, or in the back of their store??? I hope the factory is rebuilt before next year, because it would appear, knishes are important, as a staple in the diets of New Yorkers, and to me, and not necessarily in that order!

Elaine was bitten by a copperhead!

Oh, Elaine is our corgi, dog that is... 

Not the first time we've had a dog get bitten by something venomous, and we assume it was a copperhead since that's the only venomous snake in our neck of the woods.  We were mowing one of the pastures, and our dog usually follows us around looking for small mammals (especially rats or mice) that get run out of their hidey holes by the mower.

When we were through. about 2 p.m., we noticed she was walking unsteadily from under the front deck of the house.  Then we saw her swollen head, which she had trouble holding up, and her eyes were mostly shut. 

You can see a faint tinge of blood too, but that probably came from the two rabbits she had killed previous to the snake bite. 

We decided, from previous experience with another dog, to just monitor her progress, and make sure her airways were open.  Sine most animals get bit on the head, that is the most likely cause of distress...not being able to breathe due to swollen closed air passages.  By 6:00 that evening she looked better.  But her face is still obviously swollen.

 

Today she looks even better, and was running around barking, and contemplating chasing the horses.  She has edema under her chin, and may have draining later, but she's almost back to normal.

So what should someone expect if their dog gets bit?  It would depend on the size of the dog, and the type of bite received.  Copperheads are not know for "bad" bites, and the fact that animals do not react as frantically as humans do, I believe, aids in their recovery.  Of course you need to monitor the animal's behavior closely after the bite, but in this case all's well that ends well.
 

Giving 4 gallons, a pint at a time!

WOW...

I got my 4-gallon pin today for giving...4 (FOUR) gallons of blood over the past few years.  Now that's a lot of blood, since the average human body only carries around 1 and a half gallons (or about 5 -6 quarts.)

I started when a friend said he had given over 100 times already (he started VERY young) and I thought...I could do that! He's still giving, so I'll never catch up, I fear, but that's okay!  If you do the math, 2 pints equal a quart.  Four quarts equal a gallon, so that means I've given at least 32 times. 

I'm also a very desirable donor.  I'm O- (oh negative.)  I can give blood to anyone.  Plus, I'm known as a "baby quad" donor, which means my blood is the most desirable to give to a new born baby.  They can accept all blood, provided it's the right type, but mine does not carry the CMV (cytomegalovirus) virus.  From what I read, this is a common flu-like virus that's often found in the body, but rarely manifests itself; however, it's extremely undesirable to introduce, though a blood transfusion,  in babies, who have no immune system yet.  I could yet contact this virus, and then my blood would just be O-, but for now, I'm a doubly-wanted donor.

I can only give every 6 weeks, so if there is an emergency, and it's not the right time, I have to wait.  The blood center usually calls me though when it's time.  And somehow I have a 6th sense that also tells me when it's time. When I do go in, I "bleed out" quickly, so I can be in and out in about 15 minutes from the introductory testing (amount of iron in my blood, pulse, blood pressure.)  Plus the fact that the phlebotomists (the blood takers) do this so often they are very good at hitting that vein, and not hurting (too much.) 

Another added benefit is that I get a cholesterol check, every time I give.  It's not totally accurate since I don't fast for 24 hours ahead of time, but it does have meaning, and I take it seriously.

If you're squeamish, this may not be for you, BUT you don't have to look at the bags of blood.  I never see mine until the technician is gathering up all the equipment after it's over and even then, you can ignore it. 

Lest I forget, you also get a snack and a drink on your way out.   That's another incentive!!!  Cookies!!! 

Joined a gym today...

Well actually I joined a couple months ago, but it takes so much time, I have no time to write!  Now that just is NOT true!!!    But it sounds like a good excuse.  Anyway, back to the gym.

I have to admit I thought it would be all spandex, and svelte bodies.  Never thought it would look any thing like "Biggest Loser" where everyone obviously has some weight issues, except for the trainers.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Many, MANY people are just not in shape.  No, they're not morbidly obese, but there were quite a few big people there.  What depressed me was how well they carried themselves, and how much they worked out, and how hard!  I was winded after the first half hour (the first day that is) and they were going, and going, and going.

 I have since increased my stamina, and have been working out at least 5 days a week, for an hour.  Thought the pounds would just drop off, like the "Biggest Loser", but noooooooooo.  Oh my clothes do fit a bit differently, and everyone (?) knows  muscle weighs more than fat, but I want to see results in the way of numbers, on the scale!!!

So back to the big picture.  Of course there are a couple "beautiful people" that go.  The kind who have perfect bodies, perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect tans, and look amazing in spandex...but they're in the minority.    The rest of us are nondescript, doing our best, and that's the bottom line.  We're trying!

The most fun event is walking the upper course track around the basketball/volleyball and watching the little kids below play basketball, or volleyball.  The athletes of the future, keeping fit, and having fun!