Something I have always wanted to do (and at age 55 it is now on my “Bucket List”) is white-water-raft down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (located in the State of Arizona in the USA)! My husband, Paul, and I have rafted down approximately 15 miles of the Colorado River from the Glen Canyon Dam access to Lee’s Ferry. It was a beautiful, peaceful trip, broken up by some mild-to-moderate rapids. Besides the beautiful water, a highlight was seeing a Golden Eagle sitting on its nest! But, what I really want to do is an, at least, 8 day trip which would cover approximately 277 river miles, negotiating approximately 200 sets of rapids! Yeah, that’s what I am talking about!
I have gone online to see just what is offered…one provider ranks this trip up there with a safari to the African Serengti Plain (this is on my “Bucket List” also) or a trek through the Himalayas (too cold for me!) An eight day trip goes for approximately $2550 per person! It would take some serious saving before I could accomplish this! But the things you would see! The excitement! The experience!
I am a wildlife lover! I want to see the bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats that you might be able to see on the Grand Canyon walls, on the riverbanks, or down the tributary canyons! You could also see hawks, golden eagles, falcons, blue herons, and egrets–some of my favorite large birds! But the ever-changing kaleidoscope of colors of the Grand Canyon walls themselves! I know what those stunning walls look like from both the South Rim and the North Rim, but imagine seeing them from the river! How small a human must feel when looking up at those towering cliffs!
I would give praise to a Grand Creator for the animal and bird creation and their design and the effects of water and erosion that He put into existence! Would you?
Michelle
P.S. By the way, while you are on my site please feel free to check out my shopping page. There are 50 online stores from which to buy and choose. There are items from books, printing needs to jewelry. It also includes Home Depot and Amazon for all your shopping needs.
I hope this finds whoever is reading this well and your loved ones too!
Loving wild birds began for me when I was about 5 years old and my Dad brought home a robin’s egg. He gave it to me to take care of it. I put it in my dresser’s drawer amongst a lot of soft clothing items and was so careful with it. I thought that I would be able to bring it to birdhood, but it broke! I was inconsolable! I began to notice that birds were special to me, especially robins!
When I was around 8, an owl flew overhead. I tracked it and it landed on the TV antenna of a house close by. I was on a hill and could see for quite a way–and everywhere I looked there was an owl or a bird of that size on each house’s TV antenna! Later, when I was going on a trip to my grandmother’s–I was around 9 or 10–I noticed owls on almost every fence post (we were in a rural area) for a mile or so! As a result, I became very “into” owls and started collecting items in the shape of owls or that had an owl on them! Then when my friend started counting how many owl objects I had, he quit when he hit 1,000! I still have a lot of these owls, but I have branched off to include other birds and birdhouses in my collection!
The birds I love to see at my feeders are American Goldfinches and Lesser Goldfinches! The American Goldfinch male, in his spring plumage is a sight for sore and winter-weary eyes! I think the House Finch, with his orange/red markings, is striking too. All of these finches are very social and vocal too! From dawn to dusk, my back yard is full of bird song and I LOVE it!
I will post more about my favorite wild birds and back yard birdwatching soon!
I live not too far from Oakland, California! There was another school shooting in Oakland a couple of weeks ago! Why? Why are there so many more occurrences of school shootings in the last couple of decades compared with the 1960′s to the 1990′s?
This puts me in the mind of talking about a book that I read last month that was very disturbing to me–”We Need To Talk About Kevin” by Lionel Shriver. It is about a young man raised with all the love and care that two loving parents can give a child, not outrageously spoiled, as one might assume, not ignored, abandoned emotionally, or any of the things done to him that one would conclude had to happen to him for him to want to go to his school and shoot it up!
The only thing wrong is that Eva, Kevin’s mother, begins to suspect, when Kevin was rather young, a toddler, that something is inherently wrong with Kevin! She tries to convince her husband, Kevin’s father, Franklin, of this, but Franklin consistently takes Kevin’s “side” and feels that Eva is overly critical and a bad mother!
Now this is a much loved and eagerly anticipated child! From the way that Eva describes his upbringing, the only thing wrong is the friction between the parents over the explanation for the somewhat vicious behavior displayed by Kevin. For instance, when he was in a very early grade of school–I think it was preschool–there was a fellow student, a little girl who suffered from psoriasis. Now I know the itchiness of psoriasis and how “good” it feels to scratch at it, BUT then it becomes a weepy, bloody mess! Well, this little girl goes months being good and not scratching her psoriasis which pretty much covers her whole body, then, after being in a private area with just Kevin, she is found scratching at her psoriasis and the evidence is that she has been at it for several minutes! But she is sublimely ecstatic for the moment and Kevin is just feeling–nothing! Eva is not able to get through to him that what he did was wrong, IF he did anything wrong! But Eva suspects he encouraged the little girl to give in and scratch–that it would feel so GOOD! The little girl was never seen again!
The one thing that I can put my finger on is that Kevin’s family did not go to church or Bible Study meetings of any kind! Would that make the difference in a person’s, like Kevin’s, life? I would hope so! All I know is that, as this world goes on, more school shootings will happen! It is up to us as parents or loved ones of a child to nurture the children in our lives and encourage the good behavior and face down any bad behavior! And be the best role model we can be! And inculcate into them that there is a God that cares for them and expects them to be good! Since Bible principles have worked for millenniums, maybe we should stop questioning the Bible’s morals and just practice them! One of the most important is found at Matthew, Chapter 7, and Verse 12: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.”–(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)
I am trying to do some spring cleaning…I have multiple boxes and bins to go through–some as old as 11 years! We went through some real transition times where we wanted to clear out a room so my mother-in-law could move in with us, clear out another room so my father-in-law could move in, the remodeling of our house, and, then, I had some major health issues that caused the back up to start!
I am slowly, but surely, clearing the logjam, HOWEVER, I have five large bins of Beanie Babies to figure out what to do with them! Now, I love Beanie Babies and want to keep one of each of them for my collection (although if I have to move and downsize I’ll be in trouble!)–that is one bin and the fifty or more I have displayed now! That leaves four bins to part with! Do any of you readers have any suggestions of what you would do with them? Have any of you ever had a situation like this and already solved it?
I have Beanie Babies from Broadway plays like “Phantom of the Opera”, “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, “Ragtime” and others which I will NEVER give up, but seconds and thirds and fourths and fifths of individual Beanie Babies are unnecessary! Just how many Snort the Bulls does a person need?
How did I start collecting Beanie Babies? It is all my son’s, Matthew’s, and McDonald’s fault! In the mid to late 1990′s, I was given my first Beanie Baby…Daisy the Cow, by a co-worker! I thought it was cute, but nothing special. Then, my son heard about, at school, Teenie Beanie Babies that were Kid’s Meal prizes at McDonald’s in 1999! Oh, boy, being in line–with men, of all things–waiting for the next Teenie Beanie Baby to be released was a hoot! I remember the excitement of the chase! I had to have every one of them! I even went on eBay to get every Beanie Baby I had missed getting when they first came out that I could afford! The secondary market was alive and strong on eBay! I got the 1996-1997 season of Teenie Beanie Babies through eBay and paid around one hundred dollars for the ten of them! I was addicted!
Then, on January 1st, 2000, Ty retired all Beanie Babies and that did the secondary market in! I stopped collecting Beanie Babies then! It stopped being fun for me! And, now, I have 4 large bins of Beanie Babies that aren’t necessary for my collection!
I look forward to hearing from you with suggestions of what to do with all the extra, adorable stuffed ones!
Michelle
P.S. By the way, while you are on my site please feel free to check out my shopping page. There are 50 online stores from which to buy and choose. There are items from books, printing needs to jewelry. It also includes Home Depot and Amazon for all your shopping needs.
The Avon story is one that can be told one door at a time. The company was founded in 1886 by a door to door salesman – yes, the very first Avon lady was a man. The Avon of today sells clothing, jewelry and toys in addition to cosmetics, perfumes and other personal care products.
Avon is being sold over the Internet, through catalogs and in department stores, although the majority of sales are still being made door to door by a global sales force of 5 million independent Avon representatives. One of the largest sellers of beauty and personal care products, Avon continues to grow each year through good times and bad.
The company was founded by door to door book salesman David H. McConnell. His stock in trade was distributing free perfume samples as a “door opener” to the sales pitch for his line of books, magazines and greeting cards. When he realized that his mostly rural women customers were more interested in his perfume than his books, the concept for Avon was born.
McConnell also recognized that women of the 19th century had few career opportunities, and most of those jobs paid only a fraction of what male workers were getting. Along with his wife Lucy, McConnell created the business model that would give women a genuine opportunity to better their financial lot, who could also relate and appeal to potential perfume customers. Because many of his customers in rural America did not have easy access to stores, the decision was made to focus on door to door selling.
Please, if you get some time, why don”t you check out my other site which is www.youravon.com/mstraube for the 100′s of Avon products that I have to offer.
The Avon story is also the story of the California Perfume Company and the Union Publishing Company. In short, Avon is all about marketing, and its appeal as a cosmetics and personal care products company lie in the marketing strategies of its founder, David H. McConnell. His empire was built on appealing not to the sophisticated city dweller but to the solid middle class woman of rural America.
McConnell began his sales career as a 19-year old traveling salesman for the Union Publishing Company, selling books, magazines, and greeting cards door to door. He flourished and eventually rose to supervisor of 40 traveling sales agents. McConnell purchased a fifty percent interest in the company in 1886.
When McConnell announced his intention to concentrate on selling perfumes, his partner suggested he call the new enterprise The California Perfume Company in recognition of the abundance of flowers grown there. McConnell eventually acquired sole interest, and renamed his organization Avon, after Stratford-on-Avon in England, where a visit to the pastoral English countryside reminded him of his beloved upstate New York.
McConnell had noted the positive reaction of his female book customers to the free perfume samples he distributed as part of his “foot in the door” technique for selling books and magazines. He quickly realized that if women liked the perfume, they would be a ready market for repeat business once the perfume bottle was empty, in contrast to the one-time sale of a book. His perfume empire began with a single product, the “Little Dot Perfume Set,” and a single sales representative, Mrs. Persus Foster Eames Albee. The rest is history.
My husband, Paul, and I just celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary yesterday, March 22, 2012! We had a lovely day which started at 4:30 a.m. We read a daily Bible text and discussion on the Scripture together each week day morning and, then, pray together. We started doing this last year and it is amazing how much better our relationship has been since we started doing this together! I started reading a chapter of the Bible a day around the same time and it is amazing how life is more peaceful and harmonious as a result!
Paul and I have not always gotten along so good! We have definitely hit some rough spots over the years–money problems, stress from us both working, whether or not to have a child, having that child and raising him, not getting along with each other a lot of the time, but, fortunately, no infidelity! I don’t know if our marriage could have survived that! I am now disabled, so that is a challenge for both of us and it amazes me, looking back at it, that our marriage lasted through the last few years while I was extremely sick! Multiple hospitalizations, not being able to work, and it took 4 years to finally receive Social Security, so we were living on one income for that time! Oh, and don’t forget, a mother-in-law with dementia that lived with us for a couple of months and, rest her soul, died of terminal cancer, and a father-in-law with disabilities that lived with us for over 3 years! All while raising our son who is high functioning autistic! It was only by applying Bible principles that we were able to stick together and fall back in love with each other!
Yes, I have fallen out of love with Paul at least three times in the 37 years and, because of what the Bible says about marriage and divorce and separation, felt stuck in a unhappy relationship! And while in that state of mind, I wondered how in the world I would be able to stay with him AND would I ever be happy again! One day I had an epiphany! I fell in love with him once, so couldn’t I fall in love with him again? It’s harder to fall in love with someone you are angry with and have been for a while AND you know all their foibles and bad traits…like I would say: “I have to wash your dirty underwear and scrub the dirty toilet!” And Paul would say: “I made a vow and I am going to stick to it!” Not very romantic remarks, right? Yes, it was harder to fall in love with Paul all over again, but it is possible! We are living proof of this! You have to have a stick-to-it attitude and not give up easily! And you have to have respect for the Maker of the marriage arrangement, Jehovah God, and what He had written in the Bible regarding marriage!
So, Paul and I, after going through 37 years of trials and tribulations told each other that we will sign up for another 37! Happily and lovingly! “What God has yoked together let no man put apart.”–Matthew 19:6.
Behind any of the many books about Avon is the story of its founder, David H. McConnell. He came up with a truly radical idea for 19th century America – financial independence for women.
Only 20 percent of American women in 1886 held jobs outside of the home. Those jobs were confined for the most part to domestic service, agriculture and manufacturing. Working conditions were dirty and sometimes dangerous. To add insult to injury, women’s wages for the most part were only a fraction of what their male counterparts were receiving. David McConnell was to change all that.
McConnell’s experiences as a traveling book salesman was the genesis of the Avon concept. He noticed that his female customers were more attracted to his free perfume samples than his books. McConnell used to make these perfumes himself, using them as an “ice breaker” for his book selling pitch. He also saw the financial desperation in these women, and realized that many could become natural salespeople to whom other women customers would relate – and buy his perfumes.
McConnell’s new company, the California Perfume Company, was an early pioneer in providing inspirational and incentive programs to his growing army of representatives. His program offered an excellent earnings opportunity, provided the public with only the highest quality products with an almost unheard of satisfaction guarantee, and motivated his representatives through positive motivation and stressing their unique contributions as individuals. McConnell’s basic belief was in the potential of people, and in the power of possibility and success that lay within that potential.
In addition to the “adult” bird watching books, there are a number of excellent books written especially for youngsters to help them get starting bird watching. These helpful and kid-friendly guides feature the birds that are easiest to find.
The Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Birds Eastern Edition covers birds of the eastern United States. Written by Donald and Lillian Stokes, this 211 page guide is organized by the bird’s colors, and features full color photographs of more than 100 species with separate photographs of male and female wherever plumage differs. Recommended for children 8 years and up.
The Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Birds Western Edition includes birds of the western half of the United States. This 189 page guide is organized similarly to the companion book Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Birds Eastern Edition.
Taking a Backyard Bird Walk by Jane Kirkland includes funny birding stories, tips on finding birds around your home, bird identification information, full color photographs of birds commonly found in backyards, and a journal section for recording details of your observations. Recommended for kids 8 years and older.
The Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Hummingbirds is packed with information about hummingbirds and how to attract them to your backyard. Includes full color photographs and range maps. Another great book for kids by the popular nature authority team of Donald and Lillian Stokes.
Alphabetical Birds in Color by Lawrence Hohman. Features 26 different birds in full color, each shown in their native habitat. This is the perfect introductory book for younger children.
P.S. By the way, while you are on my site please feel free to check out my shopping page. There are 50 online stores from which to buy and choose. There are items from books, printing needs to jewelry. It also includes Home Depot and Amazon for all your shopping needs.
Another in the “For Dummies” series of reference books, Bird Watching for Dummies is actually one of the best bird watching books for the beginning “birder.” This 464 page book lays out all of the basics that you’ll need to get started in this fascinating hobby that has captured the hearts of millions of bird watching enthusiasts worldwide.
Includes tips and advice from the pros for finding and identifying birds. You’ll also find helpful information on creating a bird-friendly yard, how to choose and use field glasses, buying or building bird feeders, organizing your field journal for recording your observations, finding the best bird clubs to join, and more.
Written by Bill Thompson III and the helpful staff from Bird Watcher’s Digest, this is a great book for novice and seasoned birder alike. Includes tips on dealing with pests and other bird feeder problems, gardening tips to create a more bird-friendly yard, the right and wrong clothing to wear on a field trip, identifying birding hot-spots, calls and non-vocal identifying sounds, and 32 pages of full color photographs.
Bird Watching for Dummies is an enjoyable and easy to read single volume reference containing just about everything you need to know about birding. As entertaining as it is informative, this the one book, besides a good field guide, that deserves a place on every birder’s bookshelf.
Author Bill Thompson III is the editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest. His other published works include The Peterson Field Guide, Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, and Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges.
Something I have always wanted to do (and at age 55 it is now on my “Bucket List”) is white-water-raft down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (located in the State of 
Arizona in the USA)! My husband, Paul, and I have rafted down approximately 15 miles of the Colorado River from the Glen Canyon Dam access to Lee’s Ferry. It was a beautiful, peaceful trip, broken up by some mild-to-moderate rapids. Besides the beautiful water, a highlight was seeing a Golden Eagle sitting on its nest! But, what I really want to do is an, at least, 8 day trip which would cover approximately 277 river miles, negotiating approximately 200 sets of rapids! Yeah, that’s what I am talking about!
I am a wildlife lover! I want to see the bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, and ringtail cats that you might be able to see on the Grand Canyon walls, on the riverbanks, or down the tributary canyons! You could also see hawks, golden eagles, falcons, blue herons, and egrets–some of my favorite large birds! But the ever-changing kaleidoscope of colors of the Grand Canyon walls themselves! I know what those stunning walls look like from both the South Rim and the North Rim, but imagine seeing them from the river! How small a human must feel when looking up at those towering cliffs!
