Glitch

My computer screen has popped up sideways. If anybody knows how to fix this, e-mail me @ jimmy.dewar@dewarproperties.com

NOTE: After I posted this, I got an e-mail from Jay Shaw advising me to Google " How to fix a laptop screen", which I did, then followed the directions, and it worked! Took all of 30 seconds - you're the man, Jay! Thanks!

Bear with me

About 10 o'clock tonight, we were driving up the mountain, and rounding a curve near our house, we came upon a magnificent large black bear crossing the road. We stopped the car, and the bear just stood there in the headlights, nonchalantly staring at us while I fumbled around in my pocketbook for my iPhone.

By the time the phone was retrieved, the beautiful creature had lumbered back into the bushes, leaving me without a picture.

Undaunted, I found this photo on the Internet. And if I HAD been able to take a picture, it would have looked just like this, I'm sure.

Critters abounding

Unfortunately, I didn't have my iPhone with me when I saw these fellows. The rain had probably driven them out, and they would never have attracted my attention, had they not been skittering across the pavement.

Snake #1 was about the size of a pencil, and snake #2 somewhat smaller than that. Makes you wonder about all their siblings lurking around, not to mention Mama Snake and Daddy Snake.

Up close

On bright sunny days, the distant vistas catch your attention, but when the skies turn gray and foggy, like the past few days have been, you look more closely at your immediate surroundings.

2 years and 413 posts later...move over War and Peace

"The Blog" is two years old today. Jimmy had broken his back in late March, had been diagnosed in mid-April, and by the time we'd started writing it in 2007, we were already well into treatment.

It has been a godsend in many ways: it's kept people who love us in the loop, has been a great journal of our trials and tribulations, and has been wonderful therapy for both of us.

Natural forms

I picked up these two beautiful leaves on our afternoon walk yesterday.

They're so reminiscent of the American majolica that's often seen in homes in the mountains.

This Griffin, Smith and Hill (also known as Etruscan) majolica dish was made in Pennsylvania in the last half of the Nineteenth century.

Ironically, this happy, whimsical, and colorful earthenware became very popular with the staid and somber Victorians.

Early this morning, after the rain