fitz

egregious!

Fitzaroonie!

FITZ!

Bwahahahaha!

Fitz!

not too bad for dial-up. Good morning, everyone.

Damn you, egregious.

Howard Dean!

:)

Mornin’ all.
Hi Christy.
4 way tie. Cool.

Jump in ya’ll, the water’s warm.

GOOD NEWS:

My niece got engaged yesterday. Her young man waited for her to return to Nebraska, and when she walked in he was there on one knee with candles and roses in the room.

[Snoopy dance]

Christy — Missed your “More TGIF” posting last night because Mr. Marks & I — gasp — WENT OUT for the evening.

I was thrilled to see it this morning, tho, cause “Love Is a Battlefield” is an enduring fave. Thanks for digging it out.

I know someone suggested that we do an “introduce yourselves” Pull Up A Chair the other day, but I cannot for the life of me remember who it was. Whoever you are, it is a great idea, and I’d love to hat tip you — but I couldn’t find the comment. So fess up, so I can say thanks!

egregious at 12 — Oh, congrats to your niece! What a lovely way to be greeted… :)

egregious @ 12

GOOD NEWS:

My niece got engaged yesterday. Her young man waited for her to return to Nebraska, and when she walked in he was there on one knee with candles and roses in the room.

[Snoopy dance]

We finally get to met the kid’s beau today. It’s still a long way to the candle, rose, knee thing, but we can still hope — as our prime grandparenting years melt away.

Hey Christy,
Didja get that e-mail about the gold angel Christmas card?

Congrats egregious, on the pending nuptial. I love weddings. I love the receptions more.

In the spring after we evacuated New Orleans, I lived about ten miles from my sister. I was also still in mourning for my yard (a large one in a city setting) in New Orleans, which was totally flooded and trashed. My sister and I have both always been plant fanatics, and we lost our minds together last spring. When I went back to New Orleans, I took around a hundred pots of plants back with me, so that in the midst of all that mess I could at least look at some beauty. I’m near my sister again for the holidays, and we are already looking at the seed books.

OT ~ CBS/YouTube: If YOU had 15 seconds of network airtime… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX5gRaxcviE Superbowl Sunday.

Good morning, Christy and pups! For years, New Year’s was when the Gurney catalog arrived in the mail. Alas, the company was bought up by Burpee, much like the Oregon company more recently. Like the borg, they suck up an established, beloved regional company never to be seen again.

Gardeners’ loss. But our pluses are companies like White Flower Farm and Wayside and others. There’s one in NM I’m thinking of trying for plants for my sandy hillside at the lake.

Gardening, cooking, writing…these are what enrich the spirit and make the news endurable.
Oh, and cocker spaniels!

Christy Hardin Smith @ 14

egregious at 12 — Oh, congrats to your niece! What a lovely way to be greeted… :)

The prospective father-in-law is a minister, at least there’s no problem reserving the church for a June wedding.

This wee lassie has gone thru a lot so I am happy to see her be loved and cherished. When I met her intended, this seemed the inevitable outcome.

T- at 17 — I didn’t get the e-mail. But I did get the card. ;-) Thanks!

retirin’ in five–

Fingers crossed for you and your future grandchildren.

mrsmarks at 13 — I’m glad you enjoyed it. And happy that you got to go out. (Oh, what a foreign concept…hehehehe)

That’s wonderful news, egregious!

retirin’ at 16 — Hope the meeting goes well for you guys. I remember the first time my parents met Mr. ReddHedd — first boy that I ever brought home that my dad actually liked a lot. *g*

Oh yeah, I’m an avid FDL reader and sometimes commenter living in ATL w/ a beautiful wife 2 kids and 1 on the way. Love birding, fishing, and playing acoustic guitar.
I work for a blue chip company originating corporate finance transactions. Graduated from UGA undergrad and Georgia State grad school.
I’d love to meet up for coffee or something stronger for any of you located nearby.

Cheers!

egregious @ 23

retirin’ in five–

Fingers crossed for you and your future grandchildren.

Thanks and congrats to you. Forgot to mention they met on a political blog.

OT, more royalty work for Waxman. He needs to
subpoena Gail Norton who just took a legal
job over at Shell? She is a shill for shell?

The timing of Norton’s career move is certain to raise eyebrows from government watchdogs and environmental groups that long have asserted that Norton, her former deputy at Interior J. Steven Griles, Vice President Dick Cheney through his national energy strategy task force, and Congress gave energy companies preferential treatment by opening up coastal areas as well as western and Alaskan lands to increased oil, gas, and coal development.

Shell has focused a significant part of its resources in the past on drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and in other coastline areas of the world.

Early in 2007, Democrats who now control the House and Senate, plan to hold hearings that closely scrutinize Interior’s dealings not only with oil and gas companies, which have received billions of dollars in subsidies during times of record profits, but also the department’s relationship to convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Indian tribes for which Interior has a trust obligation and a role in permitting gaming casinos.

During Norton’s tenure at Interior, rules pertaining to the permitting of oil and gas were eased, allowing the Bureau of Land Management to speed up the leasing process for natural gas extraction in controversial areas like the Jonah Field and Pinedale Anticline in the Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming, across the state in the Powder River Basin and in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.

Another matter that may indirectly involve Norton is the fact that the Minerals Management Service which operates under Interior’s umbrella waived royalty payments assessed against private oil companies, for two years running, owed the U.S. government on federally permitted leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Shell, historically one of the biggest industry players in the Gulf of Mexico, was one of five oil companies that reached an agreement with the MMS on Dec. 14 to pay royalties on the 1998 and 1999 leases,” Market Watch reports. “An MMS spokesman said lost royalties from the leases amounted to $900 million, but other reports have quoted much higher figures. A Government Accountability Office report said the MMS omission cost taxpayers $10 billion.”

Still another lingering issue, timely in the wake of the Abramoff scandal and central to calls for ethics rules reform involving political appointees and retired civil servants, is the so-called “cooling off period” following government service and before an individual goes to work for a company that he or she previously regulated.

Christy Hardin Smith @ 26

retirin’ at 16 — Hope the meeting goes well for you guys. I remember the first time my parents met Mr. ReddHedd — first boy that I ever brought home that my dad actually liked a lot. *g*

And in keeping with the gardening theme, he’s an MS in Botany.

I’ll answer:
So, what do you do for a living?
I’m a computer programmer – COBOL and Java. I program both back-end and front-end logic for credit card customer service websites (where you can pay online, or update your account info). I’m often on call, work about 50-60 hours/week and am a single mother of a 4-year-old.

How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL? about 1 year, mostly lurking, as I just don’t have the depth of knowledge to comment intelligently.

What do you like to do for fun? Read, post to the Patrick Fitzgerald Fan Club, scrapbook.

What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?
I am a U.S. Army veteran. I was a helicopter mechanic for 8 years 1992-2000. Some of the best and most soft-hearted men I ever met were soldiers. A sentimental heart, a lack of cynicism, and a yearning to serve does lend itself to military service – please remember that about many of our soldiers and think good thoughts of them if you can.

What’s on your mind this morning?
The hanging of Saddam. Last night, my Mom’s Night Off, I attended a “Socrate’s Caf.” The question was “Should Saddam Hussein be Hanged?” It of course became a discussion of should there be such a thing as execution, which was too bad, as I think the more challenging and fresher territory would have been to move toward a “If execution DOES have its place, is the hanging of Saddam going to be a positive for Iraq, or will it deepen the problems?” Talking about execution is so much simpler than talking about Iraq, and the factions, and the dynamics. So, I’m still trying to think on this.

I love FDL, just because of the genuine goodness (and smartness) of Christy, Jane, TRex, Scarecrow, and all who make this place hummmmm.

My real name is Geri, but I use bookwoman because I am a middle school librarian. My day is complete if I have paired up a good read with a 13 year old.

I started really reading here when the main topic seemed to be Patrick Fitzgerald pretty much on a daily basis. I couldn’t get enough of the incites of what was really going on behind the garbage on the TEEVEE. And then I was hooked! Stop by every day now.

Most recently I worked on Ned Lamont’s campaign, and was fortunate enough to be at the same restaurant as Jane and Spazeboy during one of the last rallies before the primary. Disappointing as it was that Ned lost…I have nothing but admiration for all the effort that Jane and others here put into attempting to unseat the horrific Lieberman.

Can’t wait to meet some more of the good folks here at FDL. Here’s to a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year.

PSA – residents of Louisiana – tornado watches and warnings throughout much of the southern part of the state. Tornado damage in Acadia (sp?) Parish. NOLA now under tornado watch. Keep your eye on the sky!

Good morning, Christy and Firepups!

I read and enjoy almost every post on FDL (have been for well over a year), but I rarely comment. I’m a freelance writer — used to be a professor, but now (and maybe you’d never guess this) I’m working on an agented book about trophy wives, which we’re shopping to publishers. Even though I love to write, I come here mostly to read and learn, and to hang out with people with whom I feel a connection.

I’m an avid gardener, too, which makes our Orange County, CA weather ideal — even if we’re not a bellweather community for progressive thinking.

My mind and heart are heavy this morning, in the aftermath of Saddam’s execution. My constant prayers (and actions) are for peace, but I have a bad feeling this will distance us even more from that possibility.

Thanks for the opportunity to introduce myself — and thanks for the scone!

Im a ceramic artist here in East Tn. I do fine craft shows in this area and even one in Atlanta.
Im an avid gardener growing much of our summer food. Im reading Jane Goodalls book on food and what we humans are doing to the food supply. I have raised bed gardens and lots of fruit trees.
I love FDL and read it more than any other blog.

JoyB @ 30

about 1 year, mostly lurking, as I just don’t have the depth of knowledge to comment intelligently.

I didn’t realize there was an minimum intelligence level required to post here. I guess I’ll have to stop posting comments now. ;)

Hi Everyone
I’ve been lurking & posting here for little over a year. I’ve got an Art degree. Recently I’ve been into taking photographs. Here are some of them.
My Cats Crook & Norman
http://img.photobucket.com/alb…..Norman.jpg
A Fireworks collage
http://img.photobucket.com/alb…..lage4a.jpg
A Collage of some Woods
http://img.photobucket.com/alb…..ssmall.jpg

twolf1 @ 35

JoyB @ 30

about 1 year, mostly lurking, as I just don’t have the depth of knowledge to comment intelligently.

I didn’t realize there was an minimum intelligence level required to post here. I guess I’ll have to stop posting comments now. ;)

LOL! If you can find my posts, that would be the “low tide” mark. Hope that helps!

Thanks so much for this topic. Im sickened by the Saddam hanging. Shocked at our country and overwhelmed by politics right now.

I wish we were neighbors Christy,we could share garden triumphs and failures together,lol.

Have you ever read Sharon Lovejoy’s gardening books? They’re WONDERFUL. And very child centered,Peanut would love some of the ideas in those books. Roots,Shoots,Buckets and Boots is my fave(don’t you love that title?),but all her books are the best. Build the kid a sunflower house this spring,you won’t regret it.

My new”thing” is quilting. I’m trying to teach myself,so it’s slow going. If anything,it’ll teach me patience,lol. I finally broke down and got myself a new sewing machine made to accomodate quilter’s various needs,so I have no excuses anymore.

I guess I’ve been reading here for a year or so now,since before you all switched over from Blogger.

bookwoman at 31 — You were my hero at that age, so hats’ off to you. LOVE the library, still. Who wouldn’t love a building chock full of books?

1)So, what do you do for a living?
Part-time insurance auditor, part-time baseball writer (Baseball’s Good Guys/Pack Your Bags), part-time tax preparer.
Retired as a financial analyst with Heath & Human Service. (Adm for Children and Family)

2)How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL?
1.5 years. Love you guys…
3)What do you like to do for fun?
Run, read, play poker, watch the Sox and
drink Corona
4)What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?
Can I take a pass on this?
5) What’s on your mind this morning? As always the Libby Trial and impeaching Bush

Jack

twolf1 @ 35

JoyB @ 30

about 1 year, mostly lurking, as I just don’t have the depth of knowledge to comment intelligently.

I didn’t realize there was an minimum intelligence level required to post here. I guess I’ll have to stop posting comments now. ;)

…tossing chips and cards into the pile…

I’ll have to fold
Guess I’m out if that’s the minimum bid

:-D

South Orange County Dem — Boy, do you live in the right place for trophy wife research, or what? *g*

Hi, Cristy

Thanks for the opportunity to introduce me-self. I live in upstate (very, very red) SC. I sure wish I was on the coast so I could meet you in person in Hilton Head. I hope you have a lovely time down there. I love the coast and I miss it as I lived briefly in Charleston.

I had checked out firedoglake in the past, just browsing. Then I saw you on CSPAN at the Eisenhower Institute forum (I’ve already bragged in other posts about your performance there!) and that inspired me to check out the site more thoroughly. I was looking for something with more substance and intelligent discussion rather than so much of the insult-slinging I had been seeing on other sites.

I noted with interest your prior experience as a criminal defense attorney turned prosecutor. I’ve worked as a legal assistant for some large defense firms here in the upstate and am currently looking for permanent employment as I lost my job over a year ago. It’s been a depressing time for me and sometimes I wonder if “somebody is trying to tell me something” as I am having no success finding permanent employment with law firms.

Of course, I’d love to do something more fulfilling that would pay a living wage, but I haven’t come up with anything thus far.

Anyway, that’s a bit of background. I am a divorced (former husband was a big-shot employment law attorney! I was wife no. 3) 44-year old woman with 3 cats so I really have enjoyed the pet photos on here. You doxie is so darn cute.

I just want to thank you for representing the progressive blogging community so well at the forum. I think you expressed very well how this type of political blogging is so helpful as an outlet for people like me who thirst to have intelligent political discussions with people of a liberal viewpoint, but who have no outlet for such engagement in their conservative communities.

I have been against the Iraq war from the very beginning and campaigned for Howard Dean in 2004, having house parties and raising money and such. I knew the war was a huge mistake, but I honestly never dreamed things would get as bad as they have. I was so passionate about all this during all the war fervor, I think most people, even my few Dem friends, thought I was overreacting and thinking to themselves: “would ya’ please just shut up about this and let’s talk about something more fun!” After many “pops on the nose” I learned to be silent like a good girl. Hence, the blogging.

Thanks for the opportunity to say a few things about me-self as I am new to the site.

I really enjoyed the video-sharing last night, by the way. Like you said, we need some levity now and then!

Have a wonderful trip to lovely Hilton Head. Hey, maybe you’ll run into Stephen Colbert. I think he has a place down there!

Melanie

twolf1 @ 32

PSA – residents of Louisiana – tornado watches and warnings throughout much of the southern part of the state. Tornado damage in Acadia (sp?) Parish. NOLA now under tornado watch. Keep your eye on the sky!

Thanks. I need to call home.

Good morning, Christy. ‘Morning everybody. I live in a great old house in an historic district in Long Beach, CA. The front yard has 6 trees and is crammed with all varieties of lilies (nile, day, canna, calla, etc.) and huge old camellia bushes.

In addition to the seven mature camellias (which are currently in glorious bloom – pink, white, red, read & white striped), we have a number of baby camellias. People don’t believe me when I tell them our camellias are naturalizing. ;)

snowbird42 at 34 — What sorts of ceramics do you do? I took a ceramics class with my mom when I was a kid and loved it — the pre-made greenware sort that you paint by hand, glaze and fire. SO much fun to do as a kid. (Come to think of it, that would be awfully fun to start doing again…thanks for the reminder!) My big dream is for us to buy a piece of land one day and build a house with enough room to plant fruit trees. An uncle of mine had an orchard when I was growing up, and it was heaven to be able to climb up and pick my own cherries and apples in the summer. :)

My name is David, and for the past 20 or so years I’ve been a full time caregiver to my disabled wife, a victim of severe domestic abuse in her previous marriage. Folks know that caregiving can be very stressful, so several times a week I take my guitar into the NYC Subway and scream at the world for a couple of hours.

In July of 2003 I joined the campaign of Howard Dean and became very active in the BFA Blog. By mid August of”A Ch that year I started parodies like “The Deaniac’s Theme Song” and “The Vermontster Mash”

Earlier this year due to the fact that the BFA is infected by one of the best trolls in cyberspace, I stopped by here to see whazzup and found it to be kinda like the old BFA, so I decided to hang out.

My main interest is the impending evolution of our species to what Jesus referred to as “Son of Man.” A time when humans will become very much like the character “Q” in Star Trek, as we awaken to our natural, pan-dimensional nature.

This year, my election effort “Goper’s Lament” and “50 Ways To Dump The Dubya” were downloaded over 40,000 times combined, (including nearly 16,000 downloads of the “Goper’s Lament” video.

I also wrote “A Christmas Card To The World,” in 1994, which has been downloaded 3,400 times in 17 countries since it was web published on Nov 18.

I would most support a Gore/Dean ticket in ‘08

Christy Hardin Smith @ 41

South Orange County Dem — Boy, do you live in the right place for trophy wife research, or what? *g*

Sure do, but I’ve interviewed trophy wives from Newport Beach to Newport, Rhode Island — and lots of places in between.

I’ve seen and done some amazing things, all in the name of “research.” :)

Lindy @ 43

twolf1 @ 32

PSA – residents of Louisiana – tornado watches and warnings throughout much of the southern part of the state. Tornado damage in Acadia (sp?) Parish. NOLA now under tornado watch. Keep your eye on the sky!

Thanks. I need to call home.

The watch/ warnings currently extend from west of Lafayette LA past Mobile Alabama. from the coast north to McComb/ Hattiesburg

Angry Old Broad at 38 — Oooh, I haven’t read any of her books. But I’m sure I will be taking a peek now. *g*

I’m the 52 year old mother of a ten year old boy, so I live in the State of Exhaustion.

Actually, I’m an Orange County trophy wife and have been waiting for SOCD to call me.

On second thought, at 52, with menopausal psychosis, I’m not much of a trophy any more.

I clicked over to FDL from somewhere else and have enjoyed the commentary here ever since.

Re gardening: artificial plants die in my care.

It’s great to learn more about the people behind the comments here. It’s nice to meet everyone. I’ll jump in this afternoon when my time/wordiness ratio is more forgiving. I’ve already made myself lat by reading what I missed last night.

The comment for this thread suggestion is in the same thread (I think) that I opened the windows on my life a little bit so if anyone recalls that, the other comment should be there too.

Good compost from the kitchen is the answer and a power tiller. I used to do it by hand but I’ve acheived better results with the power tiller. Besides, I’m 46! ;)

Snowbird42 @ 34 -
Well, Christy already asked about what kind of ceramics……….Ever do the Piedmont Park craft show in Atlanta or the Biltmore Village Craft Fair in Asheville?

Christy I make garden sculpture and sinks as well as a series of story tellers.All are stoneware.
You should do some clay. The peanut would like it too. My granddaughter (3) loves to play in clay.
Ill be back at work next week.

WitchyWoman@ 44

In addition to the seven mature camellias (which are currently in glorious bloom – pink, white, red, read & white striped), we have a number of baby camellias

Total jealousy as I sit here in 35 degree CT!

And Christy @39

Glad you loved your library…me too! My treasured memento is a piece of paper signed by Amy Goodman (of Democracy Now)…she wrote “Librarians are the freedom fighters of our time”. Sigh…

I do “Barefoot in the Park” in Duluth, GA in April and the Biltmore show is way too expensive so I do one in Hendersonville NC the same weekend.
I live an hour from Asheville NC, my favorite place.

snowbird42 @ 37

Thanks so much for this topic. Im sickened by the Saddam hanging. Shocked at our country and overwhelmed by politics right now.

Anybody hear some of the call-ins on CSPAN this morning about this? Had no idea how many people drank Kool-aid for breakfast.

snowbird42 @
54

Christy I make garden sculpture and sinks as well as a series of story tellers.All are stoneware.
You should do some clay. The peanut would like it too. My granddaughter (3) loves to play in clay.
Ill be back at work next week.

Snowbird, I always wanted to try my hand at garden sculpture, but I have no idea how I would fire the stuff, so it’s just a wish. Do you have a website?

snowbird42 @ 56

I do “Barefoot in the Park” in Duluth, GA in April and the Biltmore show is way too expensive so I do one in Hendersonville NC the same weekend.
I live an hour from Asheville NC, my favorite place.

Hi, I love to visit Asheville. I live in ultra-conservative Greenville, SC and a trip to Asheville is like zooming to the other end of the spectrum! It’s so strange to be able to drive just 1 hour and walk into a completely different atmosphere from the one you left behind.

My mom and sister are the gardeners in the family, though I’ve had two plants that thrive on benign neglect. When the one droops, both get watered. My cat Samson comes running to nose around as the water pours. He can’t stand to be shut out of the bathroom either. Lucky for him, I live alone (except for him and my girl cat) so the door is always open.
I have a fine arts degree, majored in ceramics, but later learned computer aided design which I used for 12 years of employment in the auto business in MI. I’m now back to school to learn speech pathology. I’ll be applying to grad school any day now so wish me luck.
My favorite thing to do is to take pictures of my cats (now that my nephews have decided smiling’s not cool).

Hi Christy,

I’ll be in Savannah visiting family January 9 – 15. If this coincides with your time on HH, I would love to have coffee — Hilton Head or Savannah, if you haven’t been there. It’s about a 50 minute drive.

mandrake @ 59
ike a.

snowbird42 @ 56

I do “Barefoot in the Park” in Duluth, GA in April and the Biltmore show is way too expensive so I do one in Hendersonville NC the same weekend.

I live an hour from Asheville NC, my favorite place.

Hi, I love to visit Asheville. I live in ultra-conservative Greenville, SC and a trip to Asheville is like zooming to the other end of the spectrum! It’s so strange to be able to drive just 1 hour and walk into a completely different atmosphere from the one you left behind.

I lived in Greenville SC in the Historic District about 5 years ago. I reccommend Asheville to anyone. Lots of great food and galleries everywhere.

My site is neglected and a bit out of date plus it gives my phone.

Good Morning! Pull up a Chair is one of my favorite weekly posts, Christy. I particularly enjoy the recipes that come up, but all of the topics seem to reinforce community and our humanity.

I live in NM. We have a load of snow here today, maybe more in Albuquerque than I have seen ever. The city is pretty much shut down, I-40 going east to TX has been shut down for about 2 days, so there are a lot of people who wanted to be somewhere who are not there. I think of the ones who can’t afford the extra expense of motel rooms and such.

I am an artist, a sculptor. My work is basically conceptual. I use any materials, lots of recycled stuff. I have cats.

I have been against the death penalty and have testified about it and attended hearings at the legislature in Santa Fe lots of times. Today is a depressing one. The high profile deaths always bring out the worst in us, as humanity.

Thanks for being here. I too came to FDL for Fitz, have stayed for much more.

Snowbird42 & Mandrake………….we’re a bit far from Hilton Head but surely the three of us constitute a drinking liberally subset……I’m also an hour west of Aville. Would love to met up w/you progressives for lunch sometime if you can fit it in.

I, too, am getting my catalogs and I’m gearing up for a wonderful summer!!!
Didn’t do to much last year, since my mother was ill and passed away.
One of the best things I did was to take the pictures of my garden from the year before, blow them up and put them on her walls.
She was in ICU most of the time and could not have real flowers.
Not only did it make her space bright, it brought lots of people in to talk about gardening. I ended up writing the name of the flower and a little write up about each one on the back of the picture. A little education never hurts!
If you really like gardening I urge you to check out your state’s Cooperative Extension for their Master Gardening program.
I became a Master Gardener through Cornell University 3 years ago and it is one of the best things I have done.
I learn so much and have a fun time volunteering teaching people about gardening.
The Cooperative Extension’s usually have great web sites where you can get lots of info.
Have a Happy New Year
Diane

Riesz Fischer @
8

Damn you, egregious.

well well, g’mornin’ folks. i see someone woke up on the wrong side of the rock.

woohoo! Congrats egregious. Sun’s out here, and gorgeous. ‘ere. have a cuppa.

Christy. So glad to hear you guy’s are getting away to do a little vacating. So typically generous of you to want to share some of even your vacation time with local pups. May you enjoy a smooth, safe trip, and abundant balmy sunshine. ;->

Hi Everyone. Thanks Christy for the post. I’m female, and a prof, married several decades, and a parent to a great kid. I check into FDL most days first thing then in the day when I can, or when I’m stuck writing. I also read raw, huff, C&L, Kos but only comment here, and rarely, appreciating the sense of community, shared interests & concern of other pups. I’m a political junkie (though its not my subject). I wish I had time to volunteer more on political things (my relatively high profile job also makes it difficult). I love my urban garden – mostly shade – which each year recently I have expanded by poaching a bit more ungardened land outside, transplanting bushes and plants, and adding winding walkways with field stones. It looks nice, and also keeps the band of local drug users at bay (while gardening here I’ve found heroin needles).

Richmond–

Great idea! Keep on poaching…er, ah, posting.

Waccamaw @ 64

Snowbird42 & Mandrake………….we’re a bit far from Hilton Head but surely the three of us constitute a drinking liberally subset……I’m also an hour west of Aville. Would love to met up w/you progressives for lunch sometime if you can fit it in.

Now Im curious. Where west of Asheville? and lets meet for coffee in Ashville but I have no idea how to share e-mails

In my spare time I make loopy droney noises with guitars, bells and electronics.
A New Years Resolution is to produce and publish moreagain
At present, this 100% gameboy non-representitive piece is all i have floating out there
http://www.geocities.com/Squon…..tomper.mp3

Hi Christy,
Until I started this job and started traveling so much I was an avid organic gardener and lived for the seed catalogs every winter. I would plot and plan where each new variety of vege would go and then wind up violating all my plans in the excitement of getting stuff in the ground and growing.
I have been an FDL’r since early on when it was just Jane, the dogs and a few regulars. This place has exploded and rightly so.
Good luck with the seed catalogs and don’t forget to check with some of the old time gardeners there in the West by God. Some of them will have some old heritage seeds that they will share.

JML at 64 — Love Savannah. We could move the date to after the 9th if it works for everyone else. The scheduling on this is pretty fluid. :)

Good morning from Somerset, KY! Enjoying a few days at the in-laws, cooking and eating and drinking and just generally chilling out.

I am a digital color printing specialist by day, been in the digital printing business for about 12 years now. I’m also an aspiring art publisher, which is what twistedmartini.com is. I live in Fishers, IN which is a suburb of Indy, represented by the odious Dan Burton.

I have been reading FDL for about 2 years, but jumped into the comments after meeting Jane for coffee last June, along with *ilson, Fini, and poputonian. I am married with 2 kids ages 10 and 7 and am a huge college football fan, seeing as I am a Michigan alum. Go Blue!

I am thankful every day for this amazing community that Jane and Christy have put together, and look forward to seeing you all at yearly Kos!

diane @ 65

[snip]
If you really like gardening I urge you to check out your state’s Cooperative Extension for their Master Gardening program.
I became a Master Gardener through Cornell University 3 years ago and it is one of the best things I have done.
I learn so much and have a fun time volunteering teaching people about gardening.
The Cooperative Extension’s usually have great web sites where you can get lots of info.
Have a Happy New Year
Diane

Three good friends in various parts of the state have become Master Gardeners; I know it’s demanding so far as qualifying & afterward, volunteer committments, but they all LUV it!

Christy. I’ve got a question.

I always thot FDL had been around for a long time & I just must have been missing it as I cruised around. But I think I found the Lake about a year ago, and I just read your comment this week that FDL “started” about a year ago?! Get.OUT!!! When & how? exactly? Just curious.

Also, did you wonderful guys have any idea FDL would grow as it has??? Anyway CONGRATS and, ahem, THANKS! You might just save the world. eh pups? too much? naaaah…

*note to self: do not gush so much next year – maybe….*

stuck in the tubes, please release me, let me go…

I hail from the very red state of Oklahoma. In 2004, all counties voted for Bush at about 64%, which is odd considering we have more registered Democrats than Republican. Dean has his work cut out here.

I currently drive an oilfield truck and haunt the natural gas fields of America. An added benefit is several dinners with our hostess and Mr. Smith, as gas seeps from the coal beds of West Virginia (think Sago).

Christy always enjoys seeing me, because that means dinner out!

I have about 20 years in virtually all aspects of the oilfield, but have dabbled in other professions as well. From real estate, to marketing, to political campaigns, to being a reporter.

My hobby is writing. I have written three plays that were performed and published short stories and poetry.

I wrote a fiction manuscript about 15 years ago. I have no idea what happened to it, but no matter, it was really bad.

The story was good, but the characters were flat and lifeless, with vrtually no sub-plots. I intend to take that project up again in the future.

Seems like I know some people in the business now, so publishing something that is not a piece of shit should not be too difficult.

Good Morning Firedogs !

aaccckk!!! there’s a neo con snuff film on the teevee, make it effing stop !!!

thanks honey, phew. beautiful clear morning. had 2 tornadoes within 4 miles of us last night – hope all firepups are safe

Christy – loved that PJ ! – doxies are like orchids, never had one in the house b/c I knew I’d never stop at one :)

thanks for the gardening thread – it inspired me to finally look up seeds for baby vegetables -love ‘em, love ‘em, love ‘em – can eat ‘baby version’of any veggie

oh, and I’m, 24, 5′ 10″, 125 lbs and a pediatric neurologist (okay, okay, 5′ 4″ texas hash slinger – feel better now ?!?!)

Adie @ 66

Riesz Fischer @
8

Damn you, egregious.

well well, g’mornin’ folks. i see someone woke up on the wrong side of the rock.

woohoo! Congrats egregious. Sun’s out here, and gorgeous. ‘ere. have a cuppa.

Christy. So glad to hear you guy’s are getting away to do a little vacating. So typically generous of you to want to share some of even your vacation time with local pups. May you enjoy a smooth, safe trip, and abundant balmy sunshine. ;->

I was just ribbing her for being first.

egregious knows that I really like her.

Adie at 77 — Well, FDL started just with Jane in 2004 — December-ish, just after the elections. For about a year it was just Jane, with the occasional post from her BIL when she had to go out of town or something. Jane and I met on DKos, talking about the Plame case (no surprise there!) and I started blogging here at the end of September/beginning of October of 2005. And here we are. :) We’ve added some great voices along the way, I think, but this blog has been up and actively going for about 2 years plus about a month (give or take).

Twisted — you are freed, along with a few other comments that had gotten stuck as well. If everyone could refresh their whole page, you’ll get everything at once. :)

On Gardening and Catalogues. Last year Park sent a bunch of dead or near dead plants – and way too late. I’ve had it with them. But I found a couple of great things on the web. Most importantly there is a site called Garden Watchdog which evaluates various catalogue and other long distance plant stores in terms of quality & customer satisfaction. They also show plant availability so that if, for example, you are hungering for an amethyst wisteria as I was (blooms in relative shade, and is less invasive) they will point you to the companies that have it. Through this site I also found Bluestone Perennials. They sent a range of great plants. (Sorry I don’t have web addresses at hand, but you can easily google them). By the way, this gets to be a VERY expensive hobby, even with serious transplanting. However satisfaction is high too, and last year our place was included in the local “secret gardens” tour. By the way, I loved that book as a kid, and always wanted a garden of that sort.

Oilfieldguy 79

I have visions of you barreling along in yer big truck with dust billowing in your wake, scribbling madly on a notepad in your lap. You wonderful big artsy galoot you! Stay safe out there fella. *g*

Richmond at 84 — Me, too! That has always been one of my all-time favorite books. :) I wonder if a lot of folks who like gardening got their start that way? (btw, have you ever read Mandy — it’s a book that Julie Andrews wrote [yes, THAT Julie Andrews!] about an orphan girl who finds a little cottage and begins her own garden. Love it as well.)

Riesz Fischer @ 81

Riesz Fischer @ 8

I was just ribbing her for being first.

egregious knows that I really like her.

i know *g* just gettin’ a kick outta the puppygames… heh!

I visited Savannah recently and really loved it. I have a friend who just joined the SCAD faculty. I have to read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil now.

(waves to witchywoman) I work in Long Beach at an elementary school, running the computer lab… mostly I work and take care of OldMother and play with my dogs… today we (the dogs and I) are running up to the local mountains to play in the snow. I’ve been hanging out here at fdl for more than a year and a half…

coffee anyone?

OldCoastie at 89 — Would love some…

Thanks Christy, I’ll look for Mandy. Julie Andrews is another great fantasy figure. I always wanted to have a Nanny growing up, because I assumed it would be HER, singing “Doe a deer” and “Chitty Chitty” all day long.

Good morning all! I got to sleep in for the first time in….well, ages!

Gardening – so not my forte. I plant things and pray. Sometimes they live. I actually got my best results with a bunch of $1 mixed-seed boxes from Walmart. I just dumped them in the front flowerbeds and, amazingly, they not only survived, but flourished.

I work from home – selling on Ebay. Not quite a ‘good’ living yet, but since I’ve had a whole five interviews for jobs in the last year (out of some 500 applications) it’s better than nothing.

But the real job is being mom of three – 19 and 17yo sons and a 14yo daughter – and mom/aunt to two – 10yo niece and 4yo nephew – who are staying with me till mom gets her act together. (Which after 8 months, doesn’t seem to be happening.)

Snowbird @69 -
“Valley of the lilies” = Cullowhee = home of WCU. I’m basically ignorant also about how people like us share e-mail or phone#s w/o setting the info loose in the toobz. Maybe someone else in the thread knows a safe way………firepups?

Or, given degrees of separation, there’s GOTTA someone we know in common ;-) Need to make a grocery run……back in about 15…..in the next thread if we get EPU’d.

My name is Josef; I am separated and live in Santa Monica, CA. When I was with my family, we had a tradition of going to the Rose Parade on New Years day. It was so much fun watching my small children looking up to the “giant” floats in awe. Going alone is not nearly that much fun, so I have missed the Parade for the last few years.
This year, my friends invited me to attend the Rose Bowl game with them and I can’t wait until Monday – Go USC!!

I have been coming to FDL for about a year and am addicted. During the last campaign I organized two big rallies for our candidate here in NW Illinois, and did lots of phoning and whatever else. Politically it’s very depressing being in a deeply Republican part of the state.

I have a degree in fine art which I’m mainly using in garden design right now. Watercolor doesn’t inspire me like it used to. Botanicals are my subject matter and now I work in a much broader palette with the added dimension of time. I’ve been doing mosaic for a few years now, it is a fabulous hobby. I use tiles,old, chipped plates and other bits and pieces of shiny baubles that I come across. I’ve done two walls in my house and will try some outdoor columns this year.

My husband and I have 2 acres of organic gardens. Worked to revive our farmers market for a few years, but now we grow more perennials and shrubs, herbs, grasses, etc. for my garden jobs. We still grow a great portion of our vegies, but have great competition from the wildlife.

Much of my money is still earned by training (presentation skills, facilitation, ethics, etc.) for a large corporation. They downsized horribly in 2001 which led me to extra training in garden design.

I still love cooking, gardening, reading, politics (arghhhh), singing in the choir, community arts organizing and libraries.

My secret: 30 years studying astrology. Saddam had the same planetary line-up when he invaded Kuwait as Bush did when he invaded Iraq. I’m not for the death penalty, but I am for payback.

FDL has kept me sane and connected this year. Thanks. I’ll probably be EPU’d, I usually am.

PA Lady, Successful gardening as with life, I find, is alot about accepting losses, and cherishing the things that work. I am in awe of people like you who raise not only your own kids, but also others.

Carmen–wow, the stars. Interesting.

Titanyum, I will expect a full report on Michigan’s victory…

Christy Hardin Smith @
83

Adie at 77 — Well, FDL started just with Jane in 2004 — December-ish, just after the elections. For about a year it was just Jane, with the occasional post from her BIL when she had to go out of town or something. Jane and I met on DKos, talking about the Plame case (no surprise there!) and I started blogging here at the end of September/beginning of October of 2005. And here we are. :) We’ve added some great voices along the way, I think, but this blog has been up and actively going for about 2 years plus about a month (give or take).

Thanks Redd.
Well! !!!HUZZAH!!! to you Jane for initiating FDL, AND especially for sticking with it until it grew into what it is today. Must have been lonely and grueling for a long time.

Thank you Jane, from the bottom of my heart.
Thanks to Christy, Pach. Thanks everyone. Can’t tell you how happy I am to have found this place.*settles back happily on silk pillow, purring*

Mornin’, y’all! I’m a 52 year old government statistician and former math professor. Married, no kids (considering adoption), Virginia expat living across the river in southern MD. Seeing all the posts from SC residents makes me nostalgic – I got my doctorate at USC, which is where I met my wife. (Gamecocks won, Clemson lost in yesterday’s bowls!)

For fun, I do a lot of bicycling, and enjoy hiking if it’s somewhere with a lot of natural beauty. My perfect day would be to hike the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park during the day, then wash up and have dinner at Truby’s in Whitefish, MT, which has raised pizza to an art form like I’ve never experienced elsewhere. In my younger days, I used to go caving in the limestone belt that runs along the VA/WV border.

I read a lot, I’ve been debating politics online for the past 7 years at the Straight Dope Message Board where I post as RTFirefly (I’m a Marx Brothers fan, and enjoy many other kinds of comedy, especially Firesign Theatre and Monty Python), used to have a veggie garden, but it’s getting shaded out by the ever-taller trees in the woods behind the house, and I’ve been known to juggle. My wife and I have three cats, because life without felines would be a poor life indeed.

raw story reports the saddam video is already leaked

sick stuff here

perris @ 102

raw story reports the saddam video is already leaked

sick stuff here

If you follow the link, it says – “This media item has been removed.”

I am Jim Clausen, prefer to let the NSA have my real name. Former Humanities Professor, 1/2 of a law degree from ASU, lived three years in Libya(during the 1979 hostage crises). done just about everything, married late, three kids with my Peanut graduating when I’m 68. Lived trhough the Nixon nightmare and because of my extensive social science background have predicted most of what has occurred. I got tired of yelling at the TV and now hound my Senators and Representatives at least once a week. I would be certifiablely insane but for firedoglake. Terrible typist, so too slow to comment most times.I am doing this for my childrens future. I like Edwards with Gore and Feingold as my heroes. Thanks Jim C

well, I gotta get out of here… beautiful day here and I worn down to a little nub by the last few days… maybe we will find a little retirement property somewhere quiet and pretty!

have a good one, pups…

Re: the Snuff. Off with the tee vee.

welcome Jim….

Richmond @ 96: Thanks. I’m luckier than so many who do this – I have a big family with lots of support, and my kids are great helpers.

Im off to work on my kitchen remodel.
Love meeting all of you, thanks Christy

For fun and food I have really been enjoying breadbaking over the last two years. I tried to bake bread several times over the last 20 years with no real success, but two years ago things clicked and I have been baking regularly since. Much of this is due to careful reading of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s _The Bread Bible_, followed by just deciding to bake 1-2 times per week for 6 weeks in a row regardless of the results (and I only had a few real clunkers during that starting period).

If you are interesting in baking bread, a good resource is The Fresh Loaf web site, as well as Rose Levy’s own site.

Cranky

italics off. Refresh all.

Carmen at 92

How do you adhere the tiles to the wall?

Greetings, all!

Well, now that we know Christy’s weakness for gardening porn, Christmas shopping just got a lot easier, eh?

My name is John, I live in Los Angeles and have for 21 years, but have spent chunks of time in NYC, Minneapolis, & Rhode Island. I came out here to get an MBA from UCLA (Basketball – Go Bruins! / Football – Wait ’till next year!) and have worked in finance for various studios since. I left my last gig, at 20th Century Fox, in July, and have been enjoying an extended sabbatical while I figure out what’s next. I am going to the Rose Bowl on Monday – my girlfriend went to Michigan, so I get to root against USC twice in a month in the same venue. (Sorry, Trojans – I rooted for you against Texas, but I have my priorities.)

I started coming here for the clear-eyed writing and strong voices that make me pay attention and think. I have stayed because I enjoy the community and the mostly self-depracating way folks interact here in comments.

And I have no poodles. My posting name is courtesy of my cat, Bob, who, after having a cyst removed from his tail, had a 3″ shaved section of tail between sections of severe fluffiness. I thought he looked like a mutant poodle. So there you have it.

Jim Clausen @ 104

I got tired of yelling at the TV and now hound my Senators and Representatives at least once a week. I would be certifiablely insane but for firedoglake. Terrible typist, so too slow to comment most times.I am doing this for my childrens future. I like Edwards with Gore and Feingold as my heroes. Thanks Jim C

Whoa Jim! May I join MANY others here in hoping you’ll feel free to comment more?! We share a lot of the same feelings. Only incredible typists around here are maybe egregious & a couple others (live-bloggers-extraordinaire!).

Take yer time and comment freely, PLEASE. Some of the most fun these days is happenin’ in former EPU-land, heh.

Surgical update:

A new record for the St. Petersburg congenital surgery department: 354 operations, including 202 open-heart.

High percentage of these are newborns, our specialty, the rest of Russia doesn’t have such good outcomes so parents come to us.

Think of the happy mothers and fathers this year! It’s what keeps me going back. Heck, it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Thanks for putting this in a numbered list form, I can’t write a bio in paragraph form :
1)So, what do you do for a living?
I teach high school social studies. I’m also the guy that got slimed running for state assembly. (If you donated, the thank you notes are on the way!)

2)How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL?
A little more than a year.

3)What do you like to do for fun?
Read, sing karaoke, play in a jazz band, birding & gardening

4)What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?
I voted for Bush Sr. twice.

5) What’s on your mind this morning?
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

Happily married with two peanuts, two kittens and two dogs living in NE Wisconsin.

5) What’s on your mind this morning?
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

In our experience, at some point one of the kittens will have to establish dominance because in a mixed environment, the feline personality will prove out to be the big dog.

Christy Hardin Smith @
14

I know someone suggested that we do an “introduce yourselves” Pull Up A Chair the other day, but I cannot for the life of me remember who it was. Whoever you are, it is a great idea, and I’d love to hat tip you — but I couldn’t find the comment. So fess up, so I can say thanks!

Christy – I believe that it was I who suggested that we introduce (or, in some cases, reintroduce) ourselves.

I live in upstate South Carolina (Spartanburg, to be exact) and am a practicing certified public accountant with a wide variety of interests. I have a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in accounting.

I’ve been posting at FDL for a year.

What do I like to do for fun? Among other things, when time permits, I like to read. I also like spending time outside. I have recently started spending some time trying to put my family tree (including about ten generations of Quaker ancestors on my father’s side of my family) on my computer.

egregious @ 115

Surgical update:

A new record for the St. Petersburg congenital surgery department: 354 operations, including 202 open-heart.

High percentage of these are newborns, our specialty, the rest of Russia doesn’t have such good outcomes so parents come to us.

Think of the happy mothers and fathers this year! It’s what keeps me going back. Heck, it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

egregious. Wonderful news! Thanks for sharing!

Chiming in late. Computer meltdown right before Christmas means I haven’t even been lurking for a couple of weeks, but have been lurking/commenting occasionally since the old web site. Christy, I have a masters degree in plant pathology and spent 13 years as a Master Gardener, so will be happy to answer any questions on plant selection, health and care, keeping in mind that my area of expertise is primarily zones 5-6, so your W. Va. climate may be a little warmer than what we see here in the Midwest. After many years in corporate management, I took a 25-year passion and created a new career for myself as a kitchen and bath designer. Nothing like doing what you love.

Thanks for posting a topic that helps those of us who infrequently comment, come a bit out of our shells. I love to garden also and spend most of my free time playing in my several plots (I rent an old farmhouse on 170 acres so there is plenty of room). I live in western Jersey (along the Delaware) with my love, Susie, and dog and three cats (Jack (dog), Rose, Bobby and Ted – see the theme?). I spend my professional time as a freelance writer (training mostly) and digital media developer.

What’s on my mind today?
I think Atrios or someone over at AmericaBlog asked the question this week: how can someone who is against the death penalty, be happy with Saddam’s execution? I can’t understand how…

Noonan:
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

A kennel will do it. The puppy won’t mind (maybe will take a little time to adjust). Honestly, the doggie will feel safe. If you cover with a blanket the cats won’t totally tease the pup.

Christy -
Give yourself, Jane & the rest of the crew a big pat on the back………don’t you just want to burst w/pride when you see what a wizard & multi-talented batch of people you’ve attracted to the Lake?

FDL…….the . best . blog . ever!!!!

Good morning everyone.

Hobbies: Main love is horses – riding them or just looking at them. I have plans to start riding again in February as I have now lost 95 pounds. :))))

When I became handicapped in 1993, I took up quilting and have made well over 100 quilts – one in honor of Howard Dean which (I think) still hangs in the BFA office.

Things people would not know: I taught myself to read while never saying a word for the first 5 years of school. Everyone thought I was ’slow’ and never asked anything of me which was just fine by me. But I went to school, listened intensely, and spent every evening in my closet with books. The Flicka books, Betsy/Tracy/Tibb books, any dog books – I read in a day or 2.

I am an only child born to older parents (almost 40 when they had me). I never really knew how to socialize because I was always alone but I did not care as I had my precious books.

Unfortunately I made the mistake of taking a test for highschool placement and getting the highest score in the school. Thus ending my adventure of peace and solitude and they put me in accelerated program.

retirin’ in five @ 117

5) What’s on your mind this morning?
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

In our experience, at some point one of the kittens will have to establish dominance because in a mixed environment, the feline personality will prove out to be the big dog.

translation: nothin’ quite as sobering as a lightening-fast swat on the nose with an extended claw. it’ll happen one-a these days.

retirin’ in five @ 117

5) What’s on your mind this morning?
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

In our experience, at some point one of the kittens will have to establish dominance because in a mixed environment, the feline personality will prove out to be the big dog.

GREAAAT… Right now they both lay on the ground and let him drag them and lick/nibble them. They seem to enjoy it because when they get tired of it, they let him know. At least our 6 year old Springer is mellow enough to sleep through the night.

bg @ 122

Noonan:
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

A kennel will do it. The puppy won’t mind (maybe will take a little time to adjust). Honestly, the doggie will feel safe. If you cover with a blanket the cats won’t totally tease the pup.

We tried that. He’s a yipper (maltese-poodle mix) and he wakes up the kids. He’s a cute dog, just obsessed with chasing p*ssy all night long…

Waccamaw @ 123

Christy -
Give yourself, Jane & the rest of the crew a big pat on the back………don’t you just want to burst w/pride when you see what a wizard & multi-talented batch of people you’ve attracted to the Lake?

FDL…….the . best . blog . ever!!!!

purrrrrrrrr…….

So, what do you do for a living?

I’m a newly-minted archaeology PhD, teaching night classes at the University of Iowa while trying to get my name out. My interests lie in Iron Age and Roman Period Western Europe–my dissertation concerns changes in the domestic cattle economy of the Lower Rhineland during the late first and the second century AD. I’ve puttered with ritual use of animals a little bit, and this spring I’m teaching a full-to-capacity Celtic archaeology course.

How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL?

I started reading FDL regularly about six months ago and started posting in July.

What do you like to do for fun?

What is this thing you call “fun?”

Lately, I’ve been listening to lots of Irish music to get myself geared up for my class. I read a fair amount, mostly favoring the harder end of science fiction, but a good historical period piece can get my attention too. Hanging out with GoodMrsPuma.

What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?

I don’t think I’m all that unpredictable…ermmmm…I can be bought with pizza?

What’s on your mind this morning?

The Saddam execution. I despise the idea of celebrating the death of even a despicable bastard like Saddam, and I don’t fancy capital punishment in any case, certainly not a shoddily-tried case that counts only marginally as due process of any kind.

A bit more about what I’m pondering this morning: GALLOWS HUMOR

It always starts with a similar refrain: “I know this is sick and insensitive, but…” And the “joke” that follows is, indeed, wretch-worthy.

Saddam was executed last night, and already, people are dancing on his grave, laughing and whooping it up. I’m shocked and sickened. I need the celebratory noise to dissipate so I can think.

I understand that this isn’t a black-and-white issue, that the man who swung from the gallows last night was indeed guilty of atrocities against countless innocent victims. For crimes against humanity, people want justice. But given our gladhanding of Saddam during the time he was committing his atrocities, do we bear any responsibility for his heinous crimes? And in any case, is capital punishment a means to justice or revenge?

When we hear or condone levity about Saddam’s lifeless body swinging from the gallows, are we laughing in the face of our own humanity, thereby making a mockery of our principles and ourselves? If so, the consequences are no laughing matter.

Mornin’ Pups!

I don’t think I ever told the story of how I came to FDL. Shortly after Christy began blogging as ReddHedd, people began making red head jokes at me. I am strwberry blondish. Anyway, Christy was still an anonimous (behind the screen name) former prosecutor with a daughter and a fascination for the Plame case.

Which pretty much described me as well. So finally one person too many called me red head and went wink wink and I blew up and demanded to know what in hell he was talking about.

This collegue replied, “I’m talking about your blog!” I didn’t even know what a blog was back then. He told me how to search for firedoglake at the old address. I took me a bunch of tries, then I remembered that he had told me he found it through dailyKos, so I finally got in that way.

When I first started reading, I thought I must have a split personality or something because clearly this ReddHedd person WAS me. Of course, ReddHedd turned out to be Christy, so I didn’t need to find a shrink after all. Nor was I having an out of body typing experience.

It really is odd, because as time has passed an I have learned more about Christy, it is really amazing how many interests we have in common.

I came for the Plame, stayed for the snark, and grew to be so attached to all of you and to value this community so much.

Good morning all. I’ve been lurking here for about a year, but started checking in and reading comments more this past summer during the Lamont campaign. I live in CT deep in socceresque suburbia, and Jane, Christy, TRex and all of you in the FDL community bolstered my optimism often during those months.

I enjoy the feeling of community here, mostly because it’s one of the few genuinely nice places in the blogosphere; other blogs make me feel like I did in high school – I was a pariah, wasn’t cool enough. FDL is always warm, funny, welcoming and informative so I visit a couple of times a day.

The garden catalogs have arrived, and although I’m excited about the spring (especially since it’s very cold here now) for me it’s more about the vegetables than flowers. My husband is the flower/shrub/grass guru, and I’m the chef. My vegetable garden is usually full of weeds and it’s not too pretty to look at, but I’m still using the basil/olive oil cubes I froze in September! His plantings are so lovely people slow down and point when they drive by.

Currently trying to figure out the next chapter of my life. During the last year or so I tried to open a bar, but found 1) no matter how seriously the town zoning commission took me and my ideas/location choice etc. (they were very excited) the bank is the one that didn’t, and 2) you really have to be rich to try to start a non cottage industry business. Haven’t given up on the idea yet, but rethinking my strategy to make it happen.

So here I am with my coffee, but no scone (I’m type 1 diabetic), and on Tuesday I’ll go back to the cube farm (I’m an administrative professional), maybe over the weekend I’ll go for a run (try to on a regular basis) and today I’m making a mole sauce to bring to a party tomorrow (mole takes about 4 hours to make). Thanks for letting me share!

Noonan @ 126

retirin’ in five @ 117

5) What’s on your mind this morning?
How in the hell can I get our puppy to stop chasing the kittens all night long so I can get some sleep?

In our experience, at some point one of the kittens will have to establish dominance because in a mixed environment, the feline personality will prove out to be the big dog.

GREAAAT… Right now they both lay on the ground and let him drag them and lick/nibble them. They seem to enjoy it because when they get tired of it, they let him know. At least our 6 year old Springer is mellow enough to sleep through the night.

kittens & puppy at the same time… what were you thinking?! *g*

Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 117

I have recently started spending some time trying to put my family tree (including about ten generations of Quaker ancestors on my father’s side of my family) on my computer.

I’ve been trying to find my paternal grandmother’s Irish ancestors, since all the other grandparents’ families had been done. Such fun…not. I’ve found a few hundred “Patrick/Pat/Patk Malloy” and “K/Catherine/Kate Clark/e- but no clue which ones are mine.

I don’t know how long I’ve been lurking…long though. I started commenting probably a couple of months ago.

I’m an onery little old lady with a big mouth, but introverted for all that. I’m (thankfully) retired. I was in social work, children’s protective services and welfare fraud investigations at different times. Stress to the max.

I have more hobbies than I ought to ’cause I hardly ever get any housework done, but who cares? I’m a quilter, dollmaker, and I make dollhouses and miniatures.

I’ve been in a constant state of rage since Bush got selected in 2000. I’m politically active in real life, but I love FDL and other blogs. You guys reinforce my determination when I get tired, and give me hope that there are still sane people in the world.

How could anybody who even supports the death penalty be happy with this travesty of justice? Why didn’t they just send him to North Jersey and have him go for a ride with Silvio? What a fucking joke.

Born and raised in a rural town in southern Illinois. After college, drove down to New Orleans to visit a former roommate for Mardi Gras. Wound up staying 10 years. (This was not an uncommon phenom for Nola. And, yes, it saddens me to use the word “was.”)

Dreamed of living in NYC since I was a kid. I blame Buffy & Jody and classic B&W movies. Moved here 13 years ago and am now editor-in-chief of a trade newspaper that covers the globalized textiles industry.

I am also the hardest working aunt in show biz. Some call it spoiling, others call it bribery. I call it Fairy Godmother time!

I piddled around just a bit on the tubz until Katrina. Then I became glued. First delurked right here at FDL the Saturday morning after Yearly Kos because Christy noted that a number of attendees had never posted before. The sign said Pull Up A Chair, so I did.

Mutant Poodle @ 113

Well, now that we know Christy’s weakness for gardening porn, Christmas shopping just got a lot easier, eh?

Gardening porn…you mean like this?

egregious @ 115

Surgical update:

A new record for the St. Petersburg congenital surgery department: 354 operations, including 202 open-heart.

High percentage of these are newborns, our specialty, the rest of Russia doesn’t have such good outcomes so parents come to us.

Think of the happy mothers and fathers this year! It’s what keeps me going back. Heck, it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Congratulations on the good news about your neice. Can I tell you how glad I am to hear you so happy today? I’ve been worried. Now that Soltice is past and the days are getting longer, maybe we will see more or it?

Waccamaw @ 122

FDL…….the . best . blog . ever!!!!

Absolutely!! I think I wandered over from C&L about this time last year. Fitz brought me, but every post was – and is – a reason to come back.

Let’s celebrate life.

Just for you guys I called for a Boris update. He is still in the hospital and will likely recover fully except for his feet. He will need artificial feet because of the loss of circulation during his sepsis.

He will be able to walk but not run. But he is ALIVE!

dipper @ 111

Carmen at 92

How do you adhere the tiles to the wall?

dipper @ 111

Carmen at 92

How do you adhere the tiles to the wall?

I use premixed thinset adhesive. Some people use PVA (white craft glue), but I haven’t tried it.

There are many great sites online. Just google mosaic. One highly recommended book is Making Mosaics by Leslie Dierks. I’m ordering Creating with Concrete by Sherri Warner Hunter to figure out how to make outdoor mosaic.

South Orange County Democrat @ 129

But given our gladhanding of Saddam during the time he was committing his atrocities, do we bear any responsibility for his heinous crimes?

We’re the unindicted co-conspirator. As a result of the US’ basic foreign policy, (the enemy of my enemy is my friend) we gave him the means to do what he did. Same with Osama.

lhp at 139–Can I tell you how glad I am to hear you so happy today? I’ve been worried.

You and me both, sister. Life returns. I am—what’s that word—happy. Kids are doing well, Russian work is good, physical and mental lethargy slowly melting away.

Adie @ 133
kittens & puppy at the same time… what were you thinking?! *g*

Oh, it’s better than that!
The three of them came the week before the election. I stopped at a farm outside a town, wound up talking about their crop, green farming & biodiesel. Noticed some small kittens (of course the kids love kittens) and they said they were free, but not available for a few weeks.

My wife called me at work one day (in the middle of a lecture, as is usual) and asks if “we can get a puppy” too. I said, in no uncertain terms: “NO”. Needless to say, she had already paid for it (which upset me even more, because our first dog came from the local animal shelter), but I didn’t know that until I came home to a new puppy.

When she went to get the kitten, she took our kids and her sister. The intent – to get one for us and one for her sister. Didn’t work out that way, we got both of them (one for each kid).

Except for the nighttime hijinks, things are fine.

egregious–was going through the seasonal mail at my parents’ recently–thought of you when reading the Norwood’s card. . .more light, yes!

Hi, I’m Julie, but I call myself Strategerie. I’m glad our cable IP is finally back so that I could participate ;-). Mr. Strategerie and I live 30 miles east of Seattle in a small rural town with our three uncivilized felines. The last two weeks for us has been, shall we say, interesting?

>So, what do you do for a living?How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL?What do you like to do for fun?What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?What’s on your mind this morning?

bg @ 146

egregious–was going through the seasonal mail at my parents’ recently–thought of you when reading the Norwood’s card. . .more light, yes!

You guys know Norwood?

[bowing]

christof @ 121

What’s on my mind today?
I think Atrios or someone over at AmericaBlog asked the question this week: how can someone who is against the death penalty, be happy with Saddam’s execution? I can’t understand how…

My daughter called last night from a H.S. Basketball tournament at Disney in tears about this, wondering how a Christian could support the death penalty even here. I bet there was some wrangling among the team members over this. And yes, I swore never again to support Disney after the ABC Clinton bashing on the 9/11 film. It is the whole team go or no one goes, and, well, I caved. Sometimes kids ARE more important than a political stand, particularly if the impact is uncertain.

egregious, they lived across the street from my family for years. Of course that was before the heart surgery fame.

AldeaMB @ 128

[snip] today I’m making a mole sauce to bring to a party tomorrow (mole takes about 4 hours to make).

What is this “mole sauce” of which you speak? Sure hope your party friends appreciate the time it takes to make! *g*

Evil Dr Puma

I’m a newly-minted archaeology PhD, teaching night classes at the University of Iowa while trying to get my name out. My interests lie in Iron Age and Roman Period Western Europe–my dissertation concerns changes in the domestic cattle economy of the Lower Rhineland during the late first and the second century AD. I’ve puttered with ritual use of animals a little bit, and this spring I’m teaching a full-to-capacity Celtic archaeology course.

You are after my own heart. I have probaly rad 300-400 books onthat period. My family thinks I’m nuts. On of my best friends is married to an archeoligist who specialized in that period. When he was a brand new archeoligst he helped build a replica smelting kiln using only time period appropriate techniques and materials to try to recreate the processes by which bronze was alloyed back then. Really neat stuff.

So, what do you do for a living? I work in statistics at a Federal Government agency. I have been a fed for 30 years and look forward to retiring in two years and returning home to Tacoma, Washington.

How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL? I have been reading FDL for about two years and participate sparingly. The youth of the commenters tends to scare me off.

What do you like to do for fun? I love movies and go as often as possible. I love hot baths and a good mystery to read while bathing. Right now, I am reading the Rebus series by Ian Rankin. I also love football and become a little sad at this time of year when football season is ending. I also like to shop; but, have some serious knee problems that have curtailed that activity much too much.

What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years? I am a twin. My twin sister is 15 minutes older than I. We are fraternal twins and the experience is totally different from being identical twins.

What’s on your mind this morning? Trying to decide whether to go to a movie or not. It is warm here and when December ends, it will be the 8th warmest December ever for the Washington DC Metropolitan area. It’s hard to tell it is the end of the year or even winter–except that football season is almost over.

bg @ 150

egregious, they lived across the street from my family for years. Of course that was before the heart surgery fame.

Eeeeeeeek! [teenage girl scream]

For the nonsurgeons here, the Norwood procedure is the cutting edge of technology for children born with only one ventricle. A lot of these kids still die but the techniques, and the rate saved, get better every year.

I love hearing about this operation at our annual conference because there is always something new.

lina @ 53

I’m the 52 year old mother of a ten year old boy, so I live in the State of Exhaustion.

HA! I can trump that one. I’m 54 with a 7 year old son. My initial handle here was menopausal mommybrain. I don’t think I slept more than two hours a night, between hot flashes and waking baby. I sleep better now, so I dropped the menopausal. Thinking better? Not so much, so I’ll keep mommybrain.

I live in SoCal, in the San Gabriel foothills. I work part time at a little cafe in my town, make olive oil soap to give away (I seem to be an anti-capitalist – please don’t ever ask me to run your business) and am working on the great american novel (who isn’t) and writing certificate from UCLA.

I’ve been at FDL a little more that a year, after I heard Jane on KTLK one morning and came to check out the Fitzing. I spend way too much time here.

I like gardening, yoga and I used to weave but put my loom away when the Sprout was born. The fibers in the air are terrible for little lungs and our house is too small for a dedicated space. My husband and I met on a whitewater rafting trip and we still go several times a year with our friends. We have a permit for a private trip down the Grand Canyon. Launch date June 22, 2011. We’ve been on the list for 13 years.

I don’t know if I meet the minimum requirement for posting here, but I don’t care. I can type pretty fast and no one has asked me to stop yet.

My family was very political when I was a tadpole and I’m used to lively political discussion, which seems to have died out in the real world. It seems we aren’t allowed to challenge others’ opinions without starting a war. I’m so grateful to have found a community of like-minded (sometimes bloody-minded) folks with whom to chat. It really feels like family here.

On my mind right now: Scarecrow’s addition to the front pages has made me very happy. Saddam’s execution has made me very sad. I guess that’s a balance?

I would love to have a gathering in the new year of the SoCal chapter of FDL. Anyone else?

egregious, to be clear, it is his parents who send the card. . .

bg @ 156

egregious, to be clear, it is his parents who send the card. . .

Close enough. Must be mighty proud parents.

Bonnie 153

I have been reading FDL for about two years and participate sparingly. The youth of the commenters tends to scare me off.

-uh- hon, there’s a couple 50-somethings just above this in the list. I’m mid 60’s.
‘jus sayin’…..

jump on in. the water’s fine ;->

DrEvilPuma:

have you been to Hadrian’s Wall?

it’s quite fabulous.

Mommybrain at 155 said, “I would love to have a gathering in the new year of the SoCal chapter of FDL. Anyone else?”

Count me in!

lina @ 159

DrEvilPuma:

have you been to Hadrian’s Wall?

it’s quite fabulous.

They really have dug up so much more of it in the last 10 years and begun on some of the towns along it as well.

OT – Park Service Can’t Give Official Age Of Grand Canyon For Fear Of Offending Creationists…

Due to pressure from Bush Administration officials, the National Park Service is not permitted to give an official age for the Grand Canyon. Additionally, a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah’s flood is for sale at the National Park’s bookstore.

As WAPO reminds us today:

In the long war between Iran and Iraq, the Reagan administration helped Saddam get international loans, restored formal relations in 1984 and secretly provided Iraq with intelligence and military support.

It sent Donald H. Rumsfeld, who had served in the Nixon and Ford administrations, on a tour in December 1983 that included a stop in Baghdad and meetings there with Saddam and his foreign minister, Tariq Aziz.

Just sayin…

Hey, I haven’t seen my profile yet so let me introduce myself. I’m the crazy old cat lady of the bunch. I take care of a colony of feral kitties. That includes, feeding & neutering. They are amazingly intelligent, and come by when they are ill and when finished nursing their babies, bring em to me for further care. Can’t keep em all, so have a special rate with the vet, he gives the tests and shots and helps find the babies forever homes. I’m also a knitter and enjoy cooking. Neither of which works out too well with my feline friends. What I really like about FDL and some of the other progressive blogs is the notion of so many young people being involved in this country’s political discussion. As an older American, I’m impressed by your intelligence, energy and credentials. When our government screws up as it has since the Bush administration, it gives me great hope to visit here, knowing the future will be secured by your commitment to the truth, our Constitution and building of a just society. That’s the kind of world I want my grandchildren to live in. So thanks to all of you.

lina @ 159

DrEvilPuma:

have you been to Hadrian’s Wall?

it’s quite fabulous.

I’ve yet to get to Britain at all (believe that or not), but I may get there in the not too distant future. I’ve been emailing back and forth with an English archaeologist about the need for a better treatment of the relationship between British livestock raising and the Roman army. I’m eager to get over there, and Hadrian’s Wall is on my tourist itinerary (so is York!).

looseheadprop @ 161

lina @ 159

DrEvilPuma:

have you been to Hadrian’s Wall?

it’s quite fabulous.

They really have dug up so much more of it in the last 10 years and begun on some of the towns along it as well.

Thank God archaeologists in Britain and Europe are moving away from such a tight focus on fortifications and cemeteries…

twolf1 @ 162

OT – Park Service Can’t Give Official Age Of Grand Canyon For Fear Of Offending Creationists…

Due to pressure from Bush Administration officials, the National Park Service is not permitted to give an official age for the Grand Canyon. Additionally, a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah’s flood is for sale at the National Park’s bookstore.

Anyone want to hold your breath until they announce they won’t sell pepperoni pizza at NPS parks for fear of upsetting Muslim visitors?

Strategerie @ 147

Hi, I’m Julie, but I call myself Strategerie. I’m glad our cable IP is finally back so that I could participate ;-).?

Okay, I had to quote myself, because the toobz ate my comment. (All apologies.) To quote looseheadprop, I came here for the Fitz and stayed for the snark. This is a truly wonderful, informative community, and I feel lucky to be here.

I formerly owned a yarn shop. I’m now attempting to become a published romance novelist. When I’m not writing around the clock, I’m doing the usual suburbanite married fortysomething Fun Stuff: Going out to dinner, watching sports, movies, reading. I wish I gardened. The local deer eat everything I’ve tried to grow. Along with my friend Joy upthread, I enjoy spending time at the Patrick Fitzgerald Fan Club website. (No, we’re not obsessed, and we can stop at any time. Really.)

If there was one thing about me that nobody here would either guess or believe, I announce cat shows for fun.

What’s on my mind this morning? It’s a beautiful Pacific Northwest winter’s day. I’m hoping that 2007 will bring all happiness and success for firepups everywhere.

-S

Lindy @
18

In the spring after we evacuated New Orleans…so that in the midst of all that mess I could at least look at some beauty.

I’m so sorry for your loss, maybe gardens are truly never lost. Just lost to us, the earth still keeps them somehow i think.

I’m a child psychologist with my own practice not really IN sanfrancisco, I live with my husband and dog in a creaky victorian, I do have a garden and recently got the “Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds” catalog which is lovely and makes me fantasize about purple carrots and orange beans.

Last night I was reading the coolest christmas present called “Appalachian Toys and Games”, which came out of students interviewing their grandparents and relatives about what they used to play. The most touching thing I read was an 80 man named Bill Henry describing a game he used to play called “Terrarium”

“Something I remember was some of my brothers and sisters would go out in the spring of the year when violets and little wild flowers begin to bloom. We’d just dig a little hole in the ground, and line it with moss and pick flowers and put a little arangement down there, and if we had some kind of old broken window glass we’d put that on top of the hole, then we’d cover the raw edges with moss and make a pretty scene in the woods. I don’t know what the deal was or why it was significant to me, but I know we did that”.

I loved the idea of his creation, being as its my profession to believe in the healing power of play. I remember being committed to FDL when Christy gave her powerful post about the mining accident, and I read through the comment section of so many people, like me, children of blue collar familes who became professionals. I thought then that this was an untapped resource in the political world, and a bond that could stretch between very wide and disparate experiences. Where we come from — where we are.

Something you would never know, is that a few years ago, I made a lovely snow castle using an square ice chest to make “bricks”. I stacked the bricks in castle shape until it was large enough to go inside. Then I put birthday candles on the tourets and when it got dark, I lit them. It was lovely.

Thanks for everything,

lurker for over a year, living in denmark… met some of the amazing FDL’ers while volunteering for the Lamont campaign last month– RevDeb, Scarecrow, Lisadawn82– and had a sincere blast!!

ugh, about moi… rescuer for DKos, will be at YearlyKos in August, work in the biotech arena, have a black thumb. if you want to know how to more efficiently and quickly kill your plants, just give me a holler.

Waccamaw @ 151

AldeaMB @ 128

[snip] today I’m making a mole sauce to bring to a party tomorrow (mole takes about 4 hours to make).

What is this “mole sauce” of which you speak? Sure hope your party friends appreciate the time it takes to make! *g*

Hi Waccamaw

Mole (mo-lay) is a Mexican sauce made with chile powder and chocolate. You serve it with chicken, enchiladas etc. There are lots of different recipes and can be very time consuming, but delicious. (Just jumping in because it looks like Aldea may have gotten sidetracked somewhere.)

First, are there any lurkers in Boulder, CO, who are up for snowshoeing on over to Caffe Sole? We’ve been housebound WAY too long. Double whammy is over now (they say). Sorry to you pups in Louisiana who are getting our storm today.

I’ve been lurking since I think before election time of this year. I was so glad to find this community because I thought I was going nuts with anger and grief over the 2004 election, and fear about the 2006 one.

My real name is Leslie, but when I was a pup a little friend couldn’t say it, and called me “Weffie.” I’ve revived the name several (!) decades later.

I’m a meeting planner for a higher ed technology association and do 95% of my work online with people all over the country. So the four snow day office closings this month have been barely a glitch in my, erm, productivity.

My lastest passion is fostering kittens for our local humane society. In fact, I picked up three kittehs the day before this latest snow blast so at least I can be housebound with plenty of felines. I have two cats of my own, but I have to keep the fosters separate from my own. They have a cozy nursery in our finished basement.

Other than that, I love geocaching and am kind of a flickr fanatic even though I’m not a very good photographer. I read constantly and am just finishing “The Kite Runner.” And, oh yeah, I’m suddenly obsessed with nanoparticles since my last read, Michael Crichton’s “Prey.”

I’ve been involved with MoveOn since the 2004 elections and worked locally trying to help Angie Paccione unseat Marilyn Musgrave. Didn’t happen, but there’s always next time.

Thanks, Christy and fellow firepups. Maybe I will be brave enough to comment more in the future. I join you all every single day, and feel like I know many of you. In a good way, not creepy. :-)

Evil Dr.
I didn’t see it, and haven’t been able to buy is on disc yet, but the BBC did one of those “reality” show recreations (you know like “mansion House” and “Pioneer House” that were on PBS?” for the Bronze Age.
A bunch of modern day Brits agreed to live for IIRC 3 months in Bronze age conditoins doing the daily rutine and tasks that would have been performed then.

I have been trying to locate it ever since I read about it. The other series of this type, boith the BBC versions and the PBS versions, were fairly well done.

If you come across it, I would love to know where you found it.

Boudica @ 164

Hey, I haven’t seen my profile yet so let me introduce myself. I’m the crazy old cat lady of the bunch. I take care of a colony of feral kitties. That includes, feeding & neutering. They are amazingly intelligent, and come by when they are ill and when finished nursing their babies, bring em to me for further care. Can’t keep em all, so have a special rate with the vet, he gives the tests and shots and helps find the babies forever homes. [snip]

There’s a lady who sounds much like you in my former home town…….thanks so much for taking care of the homeless & helpless critters!

carmen @
142

dipper @ 111

Carmen at 92

How do you adhere the tiles to the wall?

dipper @ 111

Carmen at 92

How do you adhere the tiles to the wall?

I use premixed thinset adhesive. Some people use PVA (white craft glue), but I haven’t tried it.

There are many great sites online. Just google mosaic. One highly recommended book is Making Mosaics by Leslie Dierks. I’m ordering Creating with Concrete by Sherri Warner Hunter to figure out how to make outdoor mosaic.

I took a class with her last year. She and the book are the best. I bought it for my step daughter.

looseheadprop @ 158

lina @ 159

DrEvilPuma:

have you been to Hadrian’s Wall?

it’s quite fabulous.

They really have dug up so much more of it in the last 10 years and begun on some of the towns along it as well.

Yes! I was at Housesteads last year and it is amazing.

G’Morning

So, what do you do for a living?
Work for a medical management software company for hospital and insurance companies. Nurse for 30 plus years. Live in the Phoenix AZ area for the last 10 years and before that near Portland Oregon for 19 years.

How long have you been reading and participating here at FDL?
About a year…. first heard Jane in a radio interview on the old Phoenix Air America station.

What do you like to do for fun?
I have 20 plus rose bushes front and back yard, love colors of the Arizona sunset and scents. I was elected as a Precinct committee person for the AZ Dem Party, Chair for our DFA chapter and active in PDA and the peace movement in Az. Is that fun? Well, since I got started I have met tons of very interesting people, lately it was Col. Ann Wright & Cindy Sheehan.

What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?
That 4 years ago I lost 85 lbs and so far I have kept it off. Got sick of not being able to walk up and downstairs, huffing and puffing just to walk 2 blocks. Started walking everyday and lost 27lbs in the first 3 months.

What’s on your mind this morning?
I am in a morbid mood this morning. I feel just like I did just before the Iraq war started, the calls, protests, signs and the letters did nothing to stop the war. I feel the same right now.

looseheadprop @ 173

Evil Dr.
I didn’t see it, and haven’t been able to buy is on disc yet, but the BBC did one of those “reality” show recreations (you know like “mansion House” and “Pioneer House” that were on PBS?” for the Bronze Age.
A bunch of modern day Brits agreed to live for IIRC 3 months in Bronze age conditoins doing the daily rutine and tasks that would have been performed then.

I have been trying to locate it ever since I read about it. The other series of this type, boith the BBC versions and the PBS versions, were fairly well done.

If you come across it, I would love to know where you found it.

I hadn’t heard of that, but it might be fun to track down. (I’m still waiting for “Inquisition House,” too.)

Noonan @ 167

twolf1 @ 162

OT – Park Service Can’t Give Official Age Of Grand Canyon For Fear Of Offending Creationists…

Due to pressure from Bush Administration officials, the National Park Service is not permitted to give an official age for the Grand Canyon. Additionally, a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah’s flood is for sale at the National Park’s bookstore.

Anyone want to hold your breath until they announce they won’t sell pepperoni pizza at NPS parks for fear of upsetting Muslim visitors?

The most awesome thing about floating down the Colorado thru the Canyon is trying to get your mind wrapped around the fact of its age. I guess it’s just too much for some people;-)

My parents did a canyon trip, too, in ‘86. My mom said that all the others spoke of how insignificant they felt in the presence of all that nature and geology. My mom? She felt enormous, a part of the whole scene, at one with the universe. What a gal. I miss her so much.

Waccamaw @ 151

AldeaMB @ 128

[snip] today I’m making a mole sauce to bring to a party tomorrow (mole takes about 4 hours to make).

What is this “mole sauce” of which you speak? Sure hope your party friends appreciate the time it takes to make! *g*

Shhh…No one except my husband knows how long it takes :) Mole is a Mexican tomato based chile (mulato, ancho, pasilla negro) sauce that’s thickened with nuts and seeds (instead of the usual suspects flour or cornstarch) and sweetened with a touch of Ibarra chocolate. YUM!

new thread

Christy @72. That’s great! We have no firm plans other than my mother’s usual “make a list of what you want to eat” and one of my daughters and I want to try a short kayaking outing, guided of course, through some of the tidal creeks.

How shall we plan this? Did we find other FDLers in the area?

my global conscious @ 170

…have a black thumb. if you want to know how to more efficiently and quickly kill your plants, just give me a holler.

I can be your assistant. I share your, er, “talent.”

mommybrain: my hat is off to you. i’m in so. cal. and would do a meet up in ‘07.

mommybrain…. I will be driving through SoCal next weekend on my way home, let me know if you plan to do it that soon…

more OT – Mild weather sends bald eagles inland

State wildlife officials say many eagles remain near inland waterways because of the mild weather. Normally, Iowa’s cold, icy winters drive the birds to rivers to forage for food when inland waters freeze over.

“Typically, most of these lakes would be frozen, but these guys are really catching fish right now … so that allows for the birds to be spread out,” said Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Bruce Ehresman.

Witchywoman & AldeaMB -

Tks for the info. East coaster here so my knowledge of Mexican/western cuisine is limited. Chile & chocolate…….now there’s an interesting combo ;-)

oh, more info…

i love FDL, it is a lifeline for me. MSM?! what is that?!

interesting tidbit… i went to NCSU and followed the SNZ from day one!! i have all the CD’s, and i remember the first SNZ concert I went to in ATL.. wow, wow wow!!! In fact, i whip out *Hot!* once a month to get me rolling in the morning as I drive to work on the grey dismal Danish mornings of winter– we have less than 3 hours of sunlight a day right now!!

other than that, I like to volunteer (hard to find here, for the gov’t takes care of everything)– I go back home to do so, for diabetes related things and political as well. Looking to enhance my culinary skills with Indian cuisine, so if anyone wants to help..!!

I like poetry and connecting with people one on one to learn more about who they are, their passions and how they want to contribute to our world, and if interested in conversation please e mail me!! or, comment on my net thoughts as well.

hugs to you all and have a splendid new year!

THANK YOU FDL for all your contributions, as well as for calling people on their shit.

Mole chili is to die for.

(still learning this site…)

katymine @ 185

mommybrain…. I will be driving through SoCal next weekend on my way home, let me know if you plan to do it that soon…

katymine – probably not that soon, but IF we make it home (we’re in Nebraska, it’s all icy and snowy here), I’d love to grab a cuppa with you. Email me at crayon52 at earthlink dot net.

Waccamaw @ 67

Snowbird42 & Mandrake………….we’re a bit far from Hilton Head but surely the three of us constitute a drinking liberally subset……I’m also an hour west of Aville. Would love to met up w/you progressives for lunch sometime if you can fit it in.

I’m game! Can come up to Asheville if that works best.

I have been reading FDL for more than a year and am grateful every day for such a wonderful source of information. I am a retired educator having retired in June of 2000. I appreciate the reasoned and intelligent discourse that I find here every day.

I live in the West End of the Poconos in Northeast Pa. I live with the result of my most consuming hobby. I breed and show Airedales and wire dachshunds so live in a log house in the woods with lots of room for them.

My Dad was a landscape gardner so I of course resisted learning about the topic. I am now playing catchup because my house really had to have a garden with lots of flowers.

I am working on being mostly energy independant. This summer I had an outside wood burning furnace installed. I am really enjoying collecting the downed and dead trees and providing my own heating source.

Thanks for FDL.

Yikes,Morning Glory seed packet image brings back haunting memories of time we built a gargen structure in the middle of my vegetable garden.The structure was made of old architectural elements, the roof was open and the floor was sod.Some of the walls were made of corrogated metal which had been removed from our old barn years earlier BUT some walls were left open and here we planted morning glory seeds and yes with the aid of string we were able to create living walls of morning glory. The effect was stunning.We hung votive candles from the roof supports and the room created would easily accomidate twelve around a dining table. HERE is the rub. We created this room nearly six years ago and to this day I am constantly trying to remove morning glory WEEDS from my vegetable garden.It is nearly impossible to get rid of this plant once you intoduce it into your garden.You have been warned…AS an aside ,I was making a presentation to a dental study club on meth mouth and in doing research came across a site describing how to extract the powerfull hallucinigen from morning glory seeds.Yep, there are reasons morning glory seeds cannot be shippped to all states.Keep those seeds out of the hands of peanuts everywhere.

Hi there firepups.
You all rock. I’ve been lurking here for little over a year. My morning cuppa is how I keep my sanity. I stumbled over from c&l. Hooked the minute I read Jane, Christie, Trex.

Me… middle aged wilderness manager for the feds. I live in rural WA. Queer. Partnered although we don’t live in the same towns…

Its a beautiful but cold morning here in the foothills of the Cascades. I love everything about nature. I’ve been blessed to spend many years wandering around in gaia’s gardens.

Mommybrain @ 197- Yep, insignificant. I always say that hanging out in all these beautiful, awesome places has helped me maintain my “cosmic humility.” I wish more of humanity could get it.

snowbird42 @ 72

Waccamaw @ 64

Snowbird42 & Mandrake………….we’re a bit far from Hilton Head but surely the three of us constitute a drinking liberally subset……I’m also an hour west of Aville. Would love to met up w/you progressives for lunch sometime if you can fit it in.

Now Im curious. Where west of Asheville? and lets meet for coffee in Ashville but I have no idea how to share e-mails

I don’t know how to do it either. I thought I could click on the person’s name in the comment and it would take me to their e-mail, but that doesn’t work. If someone will post that on here for dumb me, I will check back after I am done nursing my sinus headache (wah).

mandrake @ 192 -
Aville’s a neat meet-up place. Snowbird & I were trying to figure out how we exchange info safely re. getting together; think she has gone off-line; threw out the question earlier but no responses; do you have any ideas?

burlygrl, “cosmic humility” – what a great term! And I agree with you, I wish more people would get it.

Christy. You still there?

I’m still trying to recover from the global warming thread a couple days ago. Very hard to read, but I do thank you for covering the subject. Been tearing me apart for some years, especially since the gang of thugs took over D.C. (goodgawd. scientists were worried back in the sixties!)

Would there be any chance for, or interest in, trying to get Al Gore to visit the Lake for an interview session sometime soon?

Don’t know about others, but I’d really appreciate seeing that happen, and we know a lotta scientists who would also.

Thanks for thinking about it, anyway. Going out on a limb as usual, so to speak, I’d guess global warming dwarfs all other world problems combined, in serious consequences – e.g., whether our species will survive or not. seriously.

But everyone knows I tend to exaggerate sometimes. How say you, other biologists?
Wanna tell me for sure I’m wrong?

We’re retired now, and have been taking some long-overdue trips (really tied-down bigtime with work & family responsibilities in previous years).

With our interest in all things nature, especially birds, we’ve been to quite a few states birding, plus Costa Rica & Ecuador. Unbelievably wonderful, and yet unsettling, trips.

We’ve gloried in seeing every beautiful, multi-colored trogon, hummingbird, honeycreeper, tinamou, and ornate hawk-eagle(!), albatross, antpitta, Sapphire-vented Puffleg & White-browed Purpletuft (I kid you not! google em. *g*)… not to mention the hundreds of other species also new to us (& dear hubby’s been ornithology prof. 30 yrs).

The experiences have been wonderful but, at the same time, are always bittersweet – I feel as if we’re saying hello AND good-bye-forever to all of those glorious creatures.

Even the most knowledgeable scientists don’t know if we have time, or if it’s already too late to save the world from horrible effects of human-activity-accelerated global warming. But we just MUST try.

I’m sorry. Gotta quit rant for now, *dang sniffles* but I’d appreciate your thinking about the suggestion above in re: Gore. Thanks. ;-

loosetooth @ 194 — Sorry it turned out to be such a headache, but the initial effect sounds beautiful!

No really safe way. just type you email addy, spelling out at and dot instead of using the symbols. At least that way your email addy can’t be mined.

Waccamaw @ 174
I have always felt it is better to have healthy animal communities than otherwise. So, it is not so much more than that belief, coupled with the joy of becoming a trusted friend to these critters that motivates me. We all get something from it, so I don’t think I’m too wonderful, but thank you for your kind comments. So many of you here perform important work. You are role models for the peanuts of the world and I so enjoy reading your contributions. Now, about you folks with dogs and cats. You need more cats. When the dog no longer believes it is a dog, but rather identifies with the felines things become much more harmonious.

mandrake @ 196 -
Think people have to have their own web site or somethin’ in order to do the click business. If we don’t find out today (b/c most everyone’s probably gone on to the next thread), you can usually catch me here most mornings & ALWAYS for “Pull up a chair”. Hope your headache gets better soonest!

Hello, Cupcakes! I’m contributing to the librarian/gardener theme. I have a degree in the former but have worked for 25 years in information technology, and this month I am following my dream by resigning/retiring to become an antiques dealer. Bless me, why did it take this long? While I am not a gardener, my identical twin brother is so that counts for something. The librarian in me filed away a gardening tidbit for you: Jamaica Kincaid, who writes about gardening in the New Yorker, years ago wrote an entire essay on seed catalogs. Not only is she an avid gardener but she is a wonderful writer as well. Go to your library and look for it!

I live in San Francisco where one of my favorite places is the Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park. This thread has prompted me to go there today as there is always something in bloom any day of the year. Today I expect to see lotus trees (a type of magnolia, maybe?) in bloom: just the big white flowers–the leaves come later. Why they bloom this time of year beats me. The Arboretum also has an incredible LIBRARY which is free, as is the park. Let’s hear it for the appreciators of gardens who are themselves not gardeners!

Three cats (Jack (Siamese), Larry and Jojo); been reading FDL for over a year and enjoy the intelligence found within; musicians may detect from my moniker that I’m a musician (an augmented fourth–a tritone or “the devil in music”–is the sound a train whistle makes and was once considered very jarring) who sings at church, in the symphony chorus and plays a mean Bach as well as James P. Johnson; consider myself very liberal and still cannot fathom the mind of a wingnut; I hate George Bush to such a degree that it’s not good for either my mind or my soul but God does it feel good; passionate about Chinese food above all other cuisines; wish Gore Vidal was President; enjoy contributing to races where a bit of money can help make a difference.

Happy New Year, FDL and all you readers. Keep up the meaningful work. Remember, next week the games begin in DC! Go get ‘em, Nancy!
p.s. “Dreamgirls” really is a dream. Go see it this weekend! This old white boy grew up on the sounds of Detroit. The songs aren’t exactly Detroit but the look and feel is there!

Hi y’all,

My handle pretty much gives away my occupation. I’ve been practicing tax law for far longer than I care to admit. Have over time come to specialize, as most tax lawyers do, in a small subset of the Internal Revenue Code — in my case, it’s transfer pricing, the regulation of how much tax multinationals pay to which countries on transactions within the enterprise. Intellectually challenging, and reasonably remunerative.

Born in Albany, did most of my growing up in northern New Jersey. Played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse growing up — none well enough to play in college, alas. Undergrad degree in economics from Union College, J.D. from Southern California (Fight On! all you Michigan fans are in for a rude awakening on Monday), and a masters in tax from NYU.

I work in downtown Los Angeles and live in central Orange County (we can watch the fireworks at Disneyland from our front yard, and faithfully vote against the truly awful Ed Royce every two years). My 13-year-old son is a seventh-grader studying dance at the Orange County High School of the Arts.

Don’t clearly recall how I stumbled into the lake, but am sooooo glad I did. It’s become one of the blogs I visit on a daily basis. As far as my politics are concerned, I’m probably pretty far to the right for this crowd. I’ve come to refer to myself as a “Goldwater Democrat,” in the sense that I’m for a lot of things that Republicans used to stand for, but no longer do.

It’s a pleasure to know all of y’all.

Mommybrain at 201 -
Tks for the info……guess I’m just way too hinky (read computer illerate) about putting personal data on-line ;-)

Waccanaw @ 205: “Hinky” is one of my favorite words!

Waccamaw, ‘welcome. I’ve done it a few times and had no adverse consequences. You are right to be hinky in general, but i believe you’re pretty safe here.

I’ve been a 78 yo Indianapolis lurker for some time and the gardening topic hit a nerve. I used to be a huge veggie gardener in Illinois but after moving here all I could grow was a weedy lawn. About three years ago I started rototilling up my very large back yard and started planting wild flowers. Each spring and fall I would plow and plant more till now where I have very little back yard lawn but a marvelous wildlife habitat and always something in bloom during our growing season.

Since I’m also into photography I spend many hours in my back yard taking pics of the birds, butterflies, squirrels and new blooms which appear almost daily. A gazebo would be a nice touch to add to the backyard environment and be able to wait for that ideal wildlife shot and that is a future goal.

I got my backyard habitat certified with the National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org and have started a small gallery (I.D. 48687).
And as far as those veggies go, the farmers market down at the corner has very nice ones.

I sure do hate to see this thread go quiet. I’m enjoying everyone’s stories.

Wally @ 208 — How’s the weather in Indy today? I’m a southern Illinois native who got married 5 years ago in Terre Haute. (And if you know why Indy folk call it Hootyville, I’d love to know. Never found anybody who had the answer.)

I love this site, come to it a few times during the day for a little check-in and always thoughtful perspectives. I, too, found it during the CIA leak pinnacle, referred by HuffPo, I think….

So, what do you do for a living?
My husband and I own a restaurant in San Jose, really fun, my dream job :) Before that, I worked at Apple for about 17 years, also great job. Life’s too short to have a job you hate, I always say!

What do you like to do for fun?
I too love gardening but have much less time than I used to. The restaurant really is a 24/7 liefstyle even though we’re only open for dinner, there’s always something that needs to be done to get ready each night. Love the catalogues too and always over order! I love to start seeds and then I usually give away most of the plants to neighbors and friends and they can grow the tomatoes,etc….Ideally someday I want to be able to grow all our herbs and veggies for the restaurant…
What would you like us to know about you that we wouldn’t guess in a million years?
Hmm…I own a restaurant and had never even worked in one before I opened it!
What’s on your mind this morning?
Everything! I’m hoping Elizabeth de la Vega comes in to the restaurant tonite so we can meet in person. We met via email earlier this week after she was on a local radio talk show where the host was a jackass and I emailed her my support for her new book “U.S v. BUSH”, which is really great, I highly recommend it. We’re planning on having a wine/cheese book event some Sunday afternoon in the new year. If it comes to pass I”ll post the details here for any Bay Area locals….
Happy New Year Everyone!

Pardon my age-ist comment, Wally, but you’re a pretty hip 78 year old. Love your blog and the fact that you did that to your back yard. I wish I lived near you – I’d come help you build that gazebo.

is this your first comment here?

mrsmarks -
Unfortunately, way too many of my words are four letter these days.

Well, now that’s interesting……..I keep wondering why the message numbers aren’t always identical….my screen says 206; your note says 205.

Was it you who posted a recipe for drunken meatballs recently? If so, that was some goooooooood stuff; polished off the entire batch all by meself in two days.

Waccamaw @ 212

mrsmarks -
Unfortunately, way too many of my words are four letter these days.

Well, now that’s interesting……..I keep wondering why the message numbers aren’t always identical….my screen says 206; your note says 205.

Was it you who posted a recipe for drunken meatballs recently? If so, that was some goooooooood stuff; polished off the entire batch all by meself in two days.

Drunken meatballs was my mom’s. Glad you enjoyed!

I don’t understand what’s up with the numbers, either. But as I always say — I’m not a numbers gal; I was an English major!

EvilDrPuma – I’ve been wondering about your handle for a long time now. I get the doctor part after today – love your enthusiasm – and I’m glad to hear there’s a goodmrspuma. So, ‘fess up now, in which ways are you evil or puma?

mrsmarks @ 214

Waccamaw @ 212

mrsmarks -
Unfortunately, way too many of my words are four letter these days.

Well, now that’s interesting……..I keep wondering why the message numbers aren’t always identical….my screen says 206; your note says 205.

Was it you who posted a recipe for drunken meatballs recently? If so, that was some goooooooood stuff; polished off the entire batch all by meself in two days.

Drunken meatballs was my mom’s. Glad you enjoyed!

I don’t understand what’s up with the numbers, either. But as I always say — I’m not a numbers gal; I was an English major!

As comments are added or removed from moderation, the comments numbers change accordingly.

The Lurking Mod @ 215

mrsmarks @ 214

Waccamaw @ 212

mrsmarks -
Unfortunately, way too many of my words are four letter these days.

Well, now that’s interesting……..I keep wondering why the message numbers aren’t always identical….my screen says 206; your note says 205.

Was it you who posted a recipe for drunken meatballs recently? If so, that was some goooooooood stuff; polished off the entire batch all by meself in two days.

Drunken meatballs was my mom’s. Glad you enjoyed!

I don’t understand what’s up with the numbers, either. But as I always say — I’m not a numbers gal; I was an English major!

As comments are added or removed from moderation, the comments numbers change accordingly.

Asked & answered. Thanks, Lurking Mod!

Dear Mod -
You guys are wonderful! Gotta a feeling there would be a lot less traffic at FDL were it not for all your work managing some of the trolls.

Sometimes I use the time stamp vs. comments number; does that stay consistent or change also?

mrsmarks @ 210

I sure do hate to see this thread go quiet. I’m enjoying everyone’s stories.

Wally @ 208 — How’s the weather in Indy today? I’m a southern Illinois native who got married 5 years ago in Terre Haute. (And if you know why Indy folk call it Hootyville, I’d love to know. Never found anybody who had the answer.)

It’s cloudy and 55 degrees!!! Unreal for this time of year. Never heard the term Hootyville. I’m a transplant to Indiana and I still don’t know what a hooooooshiiiiirrrr is.

Waccamaw @ 218

Dear Mod -
You guys are wonderful! Gotta a feeling there would be a lot less traffic at FDL were it not for all your work managing some of the trolls.

Sometimes I use the time stamp vs. comments number; does that stay consistent or change also?

Even we can’t change time.

Mommybrain @ 212

Pardon my age-ist comment, Wally, but you’re a pretty hip 78 year old. Love your blog and the fact that you did that to your back yard. I wish I lived near you – I’d come help you build that gazebo.

is this your first comment here?

I think it is but you know at my age I can’t remember if I had breakfast and it’s just 1pm.

Wally @ 218: I never heard the term Hootyville when I was growing up in Illinois about 90 minutes away from Terre Haute. After my sister and her husband moved to TH (they’ve since moved on), I would fly into Indy to drive over, and some native Indy folk at the airport brought it up.

Can’t believe it’s so warm there at this time of the year.

And thanks for replying!

Wally @ 221

Mommybrain @ 212

Pardon my age-ist comment, Wally, but you’re a pretty hip 78 year old. Love your blog and the fact that you did that to your back yard. I wish I lived near you – I’d come help you build that gazebo.

is this your first comment here?

I think it is but you know at my age I can’t remember if I had breakfast and it’s just 1pm.

LOL!

Waccamaw @ 218

Dear Mod -
You guys are wonderful! Gotta a feeling there would be a lot less traffic at FDL were it not for all your work managing some of the trolls.

Sometimes I use the time stamp vs. comments number; does that stay consistent or change also?

Timestamps are relatively constant. Can be altered by lurking mods but aren’t.

Hi I’m back!
I didn’t realize we were talking about other stuff too.Had not finished my first cup of coffee!
I’m Diane from Up up state NY. I live about 20 miles south of the Canadian border.We are having a lt snow right now, perfect for keeping the plants protected when it gets really cold.
I do volunteer work for “work”. I’m on full disability due to a back injury/surgeries for about 6 years now. I deal with pain chronic pain, so I never know what my day will be like!
My 3 children are all grown and semi out of the house. They come back alot which my husband and I love.
We live in a small city and I love the community, the people are friendly, honest and concerned about each other.
When I first realized that I would not be returning to my job as a school nurse, I knew I had to find a way to be productive and keep myself busy.
As I mentioned above, I became a Master Gardener and I also became involved with my church. Both places have allowed me to stay busy and feel like I am contributing to my community. One of our requirements to be a MG is that we have to volunteer 50 hr/year.
So I have learned new skills and met some really facinating people.
I also volunteer at my local hospital once a week.
My hobby is sewing. I love to make things! I am learning to quilt and bought a new sewing machine for Christmas.
I have met quite a few gardeners that also sew.

I really enjoy this blog and thank all the people that take the time to keep it going.
I also enjoy those of you who write in with your comments.

Lurking Mod -
“Even we can’t change time.”

Most excellent answer! {{{{{{{{{{{{{{*g*}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Well I rolled out the door early this am and I’m late to the party. I was out searching for the materials that I’ll need to make a 30″ brim for a hat. That’s a big hat.

The local theater company is premiering their season, and the first season of leve performance on Jan 12 in the renovated vaudvile theater here in town. It’s the perfect show to kick the renovation/season off. What a 1,000 seat theater is doing in a town less of 13,000 is any body’s guess.

Since my moniker is Millienryman, and I make hats, it seemed like it was good fit for me to do this.

While out I did find a 2007 Farmer’s Almanac Calendar for .50. It’s so funny, if I bought this calendar last week, it would’ve been $10.

At age sixty-six I am a progressive in the middle of Texas, San Antonio to be exact. I graduated from the University of Texas, School of Business where I learned all the tricks of marketing which I grew to hate. More money spent on packaging than on product — what’s up with that. Oh, I feel a rant coming so I will change the subject. I had a very good TV program interrupted by CBS last night to announce Saddam’s death — media news is helpless. However the question I shouted at the TV was “who’s next?” Meaning, of course, if we are about hanging war criminals, there should be some of our own administration going to the gallows! How about Rumsfield for setting Saddam up and selling him all his war machinery? Or Bush for an illegal war of aggression? I have to thank Firedoglake for keeping me sane in the middle of Texas with these thoughts! I have been an insurance underwriter, dental office assistant and a call center bandit. The call center bandit allowed me to practice my acting skills in learning scripts that allow the employer to steal from the public. I assisted moveon.org with their political calling during the last election and was overjoyed at the outcome across the board. The most enjoyable victory came right here in Texas when Ciro Rodriguez defeated Henry Bonilla in our house district 23. I will be moving in the middle of January to a compound of friends about seventy miles south of Alpine down 118. Almost to Big Bend National Park. There I can live on my SS income and of course my health insurance provided by the US Military (my late husband was retired military) Little did we realize what a wealth those military retirement benefits would be in a desert of health insurance maladies. Thanks for the invite to post, I rarely do. Been reading FDL for about a year.

Millineryman -
Did you major in theatre at university or is the hatmaking something you picked up later in life? Taught textiles & apparel at university for 30 plus years & really enjoyed interacting with the costume faculty tho’ we were in different departments. Those guys could create the most fabulous outfits from the strangest materials!

Wally

We need ta talk! s-e-r-i-o-u-s veg gardener many years, finally winding down, but still have to keep our hands in the dirt, & gardening a little less vigorously but maybe smarter in mid 60’s young *g*

We’re doing same wild-plantings gambit in various “edges” around our lawn. Much less mowing. Much more wildlife to enjoy. Happy choice, easily made.

Recent checkup, doc asks, “Do you exercise? How?” Apparently the bone-density measurement was dandy to the point of puzzling him, for the age level. So there are secret benefits, I guess.

Keep it goin’ fella. And keep commenting. Don’t just lurk, ‘kay? ;->

We’re n.e. OH. Weather also WEIRD this year – way too mild – pussywillow buds starting to fatten up thinking it’s spring… not good…

see ya!

Phyllis Culbert @ 227

At age sixty-six I am a progressive in the middle of Texas, San Antonio to be exact…

What’s that like? Is everybody around you drunk on Bush Koolaid, or are some of your neighbors starting to spit it out?

BTW, has anyone seen huckermill lately? I’d love for him to pull up a chair and tell us about hisself.

Mommybrain — Thanks for sticking it out on a pretty nice thread.

Lurkers — Come out and play!

Weffie @ 172, I read “The Kite Runner” and immediately read it again to savor the writing. Lovely book.

Reply to mrsmarks: The neighbors are beginning to spit the Bush Koolaid out. The Ciro Rodriguez landslide victory represents the turning. The Hispanic vote will be their undoing here in Texas. There will always be the religious finatics, drunk on Bush Koolaid but I really think they are a very vocal minority led by the infamous Tom Delay. His arrogance angered the Democrats into action. Also the national level democratic party with their grassroots campaign took over for Congressman Rodriguez and ran his campaign. If that’s what it takes, so be it!

Heirloom potatoes. The variety is stunning and, to my great surprise, home grown potatoes stand above storebought as much as do tomatoes.

They’re versatile, tasty and way better for you than storebought, too.

I have been a FDL reader for at least a year, probably longer, hardly letting a day go by without scanning the site for the latest gems. Today’s post (and, indeed, last year’s similar post at this time) piqued my interest.

Christy, we share,perhaps, a bio-region—I live just east of Columbus, OH, in Bob Ney’s district but, more happily,in Zone 6 on the planting maps—and a passion for and commitment to gardening. I practice both ornamental and food gardening (of course, not mutually exclusive) with a focus on the healing aspects of gardens as well as the importance of farms/gardens in community food security. Lovingly preparing the food from the garden is another passion, not surprising to those with a foot in both the garden and the kitchen.

Beside my stack of garden catalogs, most with pages flagged with sticky-notes, sits the book that chose me when I was at the library yesterday, Defiant Gardens—Making Gardens in Wartime by Kenneth I. Helphand (Trinity University Press, 2006)…It promises to be an intriguing lens through which to observe the juxtoposition of destruction/death and creativity/life.

Thanks for the invite to join the FDL family.

It’s probably too late to post to this thread. I’ve been reading FDL for about six months,and contributed for the first time yesterday. I lurk because I’m not as articulate as the majority of FDL posters.
For a living, I am retired and I work part time as an online instructor for a medical program. I have a master’s degree in health administration. My favorite subject to teach is medical law and ethics.
For fun I read, play with my grandchildren, talk to the two dogs and four cats that have somehow ended up living in my house, and I am nearly obsessed with all things political.
On my mind this and every morning, how soon will Bush, Cheney, et al go on trial for war crimes?

joie de vivre @ 234

I have been a FDL reader for at least a year, probably longer, hardly letting a day go by without scanning the site for the latest gems. Today’s post (and, indeed, last year’s similar post at this time) piqued my interest.

Christy, we share,perhaps, a bio-region—I live just east of Columbus, OH, in Bob Ney’s district but, more happily,in Zone 6 on the planting maps—and a passion for and commitment to gardening…

Joie de Vivre, I’m an actual “Joy” (my real name), and I also live east of Columbus! Actually, immediately east in Reynoldsburg. FDL is like a lifeline for us, eh? Hey, Clear Channel is looking to pull our progressive talk radio away on 1230 AM, so if anybody wants to petition against it, go here.

Lulubelle @ 238

Hi. Happy to meet you!

Please don’t be shy about posting. Yes indeed, there are some incredibly talented and knowledgeable folks who frequent the Lake.
Precious few ego hangups though, and an abundance of welcoming spirit. So dive right in.

My only experience with politics is with school board, ha ha, but I too am a political junkie. So this place is just golden. I hardly turn on the tv any more.

Nice thing about “Pull Up A Chair” is that comments stay open all day, so it’s always worth writing s’more on it. Someone’s bound to come back to see what’s up.

Gotta go for now, but hope to see you again soon. ;->

JoyB

Fellow Ohio-an. n.e. part of the state.
Crazy weather this year means we’re probably getting the same sorta weather, or even milder, than you. Weird.

Like you, I dash to FDL every day. Tw’ it and Huffington, I get more important news than from a whole day of C-Span.
Thanks for the link to petition site.

This is probably too late, but I’ll try anyway. I have been out in the garden this morning and feeding the dogs so I didn’t get to the computer until now. I have been reading FDL for a long time now and everyone usually says it better than I could so I just read all of the great articles from Christie and Jane and all and the equally great comments.
I am an artist, and art teacher in elementary school and teach adults. I am also a gardener and collector of Bamboo plants which I use in my art.
And I have been raising and showing a few Komondor dogs.
My art is mostly involved with woven tapestry and bamboo and lately I have been learning to turn wood on a lathe to use as well.
I am a political junkie and a horrified observer of this administration (and Ragan’s, and Bush 1’s etc.)

Hi Adie! You get snow at least! All we get in Columbus area, it seems is gray, cold RAIN.

Just got back from some after-Christmas shopping (next year’s cards 50% off — WOOHOO). I’m so glad to be able to “meet” so many new folks. Y’all gotta keep on posting.

Before anything about me, a comment or two in response:

Looseheadprop said at 130: “I came for the Plame, stayed for the snark, and grew to be so attached to all of you and to value this community so much.” Just exactly what he said, twice!

Bonnie at 152, “youth” is a state of mind. I’ll be 61 in 3 weeks. Sometimes I have NO IDEA what is going on (mostly when the topic is music), but other than that the water’s fine!

As for me, I’m a medical transcriptionist by trade now, but have done a whole bunch of stuff in the past. I like this best, but if this taps out I’ll go back to doing just about anything in a print shop, pre-press to bindery.

I read and lurked for over a year, intimidated by the brains and talent. I forget what my first “toe in the water” was, but so many people said nice things and encouraged me to post I stayed. This really is a community/family, and as a “terminal loner” I really enjoy it.

For fun I read, and read, and read, and read… I also do counted cross stitch embroidery when the cats allow it. Mostly they think I need their help keeping those threads straight…

What you might not know is that at 61 I’ve just spent the first year in my very own house and I have more fun and delight than you can imagine watching the birds at my 8 feeders in the back yard, which my desk looks out on. The cardinals are especially chubby this year…

What’s on my mind? Hoping for the best for the new Congress. Also, pondering the fact that I get a real “Bobby Kennedy” feel from John Edwards. Voted for him in the 2004 primary, and hope he gets a chance to say what he really has to say without being “Swift Boated.”

Jane and Christy and Pach and TRex and Jordan and everyone else, THANK YOU!

Marion, I always read your comments.

For fun I read, and read, and read, and read… I also do counted cross stitch embroidery when the cats allow it. Mostly they think I need their help keeping those threads straight…

And DON’T cats have to lay on your work?!

Hi Christy. I’m one of the watchers out here who feels like you and Jane are friends and a part of my life. It is strange to have such a kinship with people I have never met but I thank the lucky stars the day I found you. I’m a retired civil servant who finds so many things to do in a day. I have just finished my favorite project, which is to write songs for my grandchildren, record them on CDs, and give to them for Christmas. This is a tradition I started when my first grandchild was born over 18 years ago and now has continued on for 5 grandkids. I’m no singer, but think I have done some really catchy little songs for them and they and my kids do seem to like them. I have tried to instill my values and show them my love in my songs. This is my quiet little talent. I am so grateful to you for sharing your talent for writing and expressing your thoughts with all of us.

JoyB @
245

Marion, I always read your comments.

For fun I read, and read, and read, and read… I also do counted cross stitch embroidery when the cats allow it. Mostly they think I need their help keeping those threads straight…

And DON’T cats have to lay on your work?!

Well, sure…! They also tend to want to sprawl all over what I’m reading!

Marion in Savannah @ 247

JoyB @
245

Marion, I always read your comments.

For fun I read, and read, and read, and read… I also do counted cross stitch embroidery when the cats allow it. Mostly they think I need their help keeping those threads straight…

And DON’T cats have to lay on your work?!

Well, sure…! They also tend to want to sprawl all over what I’m reading!

In our house, we call this the Kitty Anti-Literacy Campaign. They are fierce in their battle against the printed word!

Mrsmarks, are you sure it isn’t the Cats Against Unbridled Literacy Kampaign? I hope it is CAULK, because I’ve got this little place in my bathroom by the tub…

LOL! It’s not so bad being epu’d sometimes!

Joy, you’re just learning the secret joys of EPU-land! Shhh…. don’t tell anyone!

Marion in Savannah @ 249

Mrsmarks, are you sure it isn’t the Cats Against Unbridled Literacy Kampaign? I hope it is CAULK, because I’ve got this little place in my bathroom by the tub…

Friend, I’ve got the same place by my tub. Nothing like tubs and print to stir up the meowers. (Mine actually sound like they’re saying “NNNNNeeeeeoooooow. As in NOW!!!!!!!)

Mrsmarks, I think it was Kliban, of the Kliban cats, who elaborated on their vocabulary. He quoted his as saying: “Me out. Me out. Me out now. Me out, prowl now.” He said that rarely they would say “wacka wacka,” and I swear to heaven above I once had a little male tabby who looked me square in the eye and said “wacka wacka.” Life would be so diminished without cats!

Marion in Savannah: What happened to the Kikban cats? When I mention ‘em these days, even to cat owners, I hear crickets.

Ooops. KILBAN.

I don’t know where Kliban and his cats went. He might have decided that he had said what he wanted to say. I used to have a set of placemats with one of them sitting on the fence singing his song:

Love to eat them mousies,
Mousies what I loves to eat.
Bite they little heads off,
Nibble on they tiny feet.

And the Kliban cat in love, saying to his lady fair “If I had two dead rats I’d give you one.”

He’s still funny… Come to think of it, I haven’t really seen any Kliban stuff for oh, gosh, over 20 years.

catz! wunnerful aminals. Got two older cats this summer – one 8 years, 19.9 lbs., the other 5, a little scrawny – from the family of their previous owner who passed in April. Lucky, the monstercat, has a Hilter moustache sliding off his nose.

He’s lost almost 5 ibs living with us, being outside and chasing mice and gophers. Sunny (now Nick, for the missing piece of his ear) is filling out nicely and a perfect role model for our new kitten, Toby (October Kitten), also an orange tabby. I like dogs OK, we have several of those also, but I’m crazy about catz.

Kliban, BTW, passed in 1990. Love to eat them mousies..

Well, mommybrain, I guess that would explain why we haven’t seen new Kliban work… I envy you the orange tabby. They’ve always been my secret favorite “flavor” of cats. (Not that I don’t love my black and Meezer, you understand…!)

Hi Marion, Merry and Happy to you. I guess the flavor of cats is akin to breeds of dogs. I noticed that almost all the tuxedo cats I met had similar personalities, perhaps due to the Siamese in ‘em. Ditto orange tabbies and Russian Blues,which I suspect Lucky is, partly.

I hope to get some pictures of my “new” old kitties to share, when I get home again.

RT @ 101

Mornin’, y’all! I’m a 52 year old government statistician and former math professor. Married, no kids (considering adoption), Virginia expat living across the river in southern MD. Seeing all the posts from SC residents makes me nostalgic – I got my doctorate at USC, which is where I met my wife. (Gamecocks won, Clemson lost in yesterday’s bowls!)

For fun, I do a lot of bicycling, and enjoy hiking if it’s somewhere with a lot of natural beauty. My perfect day would be to hike the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park during the day, then wash up and have dinner at Truby’s in Whitefish, MT, which has raised pizza to an art form like I’ve never experienced elsewhere. In my younger days, I used to go caving in the limestone belt that runs along the VA/WV border.

I read a lot, I’ve been debating politics online for the past 7 years at the Straight Dope Message Board where I post as RTFirefly (I’m a Marx Brothers fan, and enjoy many other kinds of comedy, especially Firesign Theatre and Monty Python), used to have a veggie garden, but it’s getting shaded out by the ever-taller trees in the woods behind the house, and I’ve been known to juggle. My wife and I have three cats, because life without felines would be a poor life indeed.

Go Gamecocks! I’m from Camden, right outside of Columbia. Considering moving back there.

Waccamaw: will be looking out for you and snowbird when I can get this e-mail thing figured out! I didn’t notice a new thread on here which is why I am posting here. Still popping Sudafed!