Monday, June 08, 2009

They grow and they go….

Howdee all,

Its all about Family now… for two more weeks we will be parked in Jeff's sister and brother in laws driveway. Low rent district…

Thanks Margie and Sandy the use of your drive and the beautiful setting.Dans grad_20090607_085

Ballie loves to be outside looking for critters..He is always leashed and so far no critters harmed.Dans grad_20090607_099 Two of the three boys remain at home….not for long…

Weren't they just youngsters,yesterday?

Daniel being Daniel…always a clown.

chathamdaniel

Senior Prom..Dans senior prom..jeffs_20090604_007Mom, Margie…helping when she canDans senior prom..jeffs_20090604_009 How is it that in 7 months Matty grew 5 inches? Shouldn't that hurt?

Dans grad_20090607_061He was once much smaller…….chathammatthewNow he towers over Mom….Dans grad_20090607_007 But look…doesn't he still look small when he sits next to me?

Hi auntie Gail!Dans grad_20090607_068 We can still act 10 years old!

and our feet start at the same height..Dans grad_20090607_008 Soon one more boy will leave home ….

Mom and Dad look for him in the crowd.Dans grad_20090607_032Daniel has graduated …a new horizon…a new adventure

Dans grad_20090607_035 Nana and DanielDans grad_20090607_040Good luck Dan! You too Sophie!

Dan,

I know you will continue to crack me up…and be the silliest boy ever!

I say boy…because even as a man you will always be my sweet,comedian boy nephew!

Enjoy this next stage in life….as you leave your home and go off to college.Dans grad_20090607_031 The Smoot household will be much quieter without you.

Dans grad_20090607_001Congratulations Dan,

 

Connecticut College here he comes!

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Look whos coming to Dinner! BwBTC

Howdee all,

Well not dinner , but to....

The Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp, birding get together.

Christopher from Picusblog has been working on our itinerary..
check here to see what is planned so far.

We have a nice group so far.....and
Its not to late to join us! Just head over to Christopher's blog and sign up or send him an email.


Christopher from Picus blog Twitter Picusblog

John Briggs and his wife Sharon from Birding in Maine on Twitter MaineBirder

Laura & Mark from Interstitial Spaces on Twitter beeebuzzz , Strack16

Bev from Behind the Bins Twitter: BirdingBev Chirptracker Bevson

Catie from Birding Girl Twitter & Chirptracker: BirdingGirl

Janet Egan from Plover warden diaries Twitter hammerchick (working on Plum Island in the morning)

Andy from Nature Potpourri

Sharon from A new England Life on Twitter: ANewEnglandLife

Lauren from Worn Field Guide and on Chirptracker: Lakras

possibly Catherine from birdspot
Twitter birdspot

Jeff and myself

Hope you can join us!

If not...stay tuned for more
Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp...get togethers.

Friday, June 05, 2009

Bloggers...Add Email subscription form to blogger

Howdee all,

I have a wish...and it is a selfish wish.

But I think it will also be a benefit to bloggers.

I would like bloggers to use three different ways to subscribe to their blog.

If you check out my blog...in the sidebar to the right I have a few ways to subscribe to my blog.

One is to be a follow my blog via blogger.
Another is to subscribe with a feed...like google, yahoo..etc.
and another is Email Subscription.


I think all three are important.
What I find is that most blogs leave out Email subscriptions.
My mother and other friends and family prefer the email subscription..as it is a reminder that I have made a new post.

Here comes the selfish part..
I don't like using google reader or other readers...They just dont seem to work for me.

As you see I have a blogroll that if you roll it out can go across the USA..ok I exaggerate..but you get the idea..

I have tried to organize my blogs according to type and area...but still I miss posts from my favorite blogs.

So....I think I may have a solution...

I created an email address just for blog updates..
I will subscribe just to blogs with this email address.
When the blogs have a new post, I will be emailed.
Emails are in chronological order..so I can read according to date.
I click on the email..go to the blog and read.
I am using it now for a few blogs that have this capability. and I like the way it is working for me.

So........ i am wishing
Hoping
that some of you will add this to your blog.

I am adding a few links here that will help you do this.
You first need to set up a feedburner account.

Picture tutorial on setting up Feedburner for Blogger


How to start a feedburner account and add to your blogger blog.

How to add feedburner to Wordpress blog

then set up the email capabilty and add to your blog

How to add email subscription form to your blog


Another site on how to add subscription form to your blog.

If you would like the emails only to include a teaser of your blog...
Go to feedburner...Optimize tab...then lower left hand side click summary burner..
Your subscriber will be directed to your original blog post.

If any of you do this...let me know..I will subscribe via email!

I am wishing
and hoping............



Thursday, June 04, 2009

Skywatch Friday, NYC

Howdee all,

When we were in NYC last week I spent allot of my time looking up through the skyscrapers …… to find the sky.

NYC_20090601_025

Backdrop to amazing man made creations…NYC_20090601_027I found it….by looking up…NYC sams grad_20090531_008 Hello there sky!  way up there…NYC sams grad_20090531_007

Hello there…above the buildings…

NYC_20090601_011  And sometimes…..

I could look straight ahead and see it reflected in front of me!

NYC_20090601_026

Happy Skywatch Friday!

May you all see the sky!

Check out all these others who saw and photographed the sky!skywatch

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

A week in the Big Apple

Howdee all,

It was a whirlwind trip to NYC, I left a limp noodle, tired and drained.

We came to the city to visit our daughter, go to her graduation, and help her plan and enjoy her grad. party.

We met up with Birders from Twitter and Chirptracker, I saw Adam Lambert, we ate, We hiked, we ate, we gardened, we ate, we shopped for party goodies, we ate, we spent time with family, we ate, we walked Central park, we ate.

It was fun, it was exhilarating, it was exhausting…and I didn't gain weight…tee hee

We always stay at the only RV park around, Liberty Harbor Marina and RV park. The location is great. We are in Jersey City, we overlook the harbor, NYC_20090601_031

Boats

Liberty rv park_20090528_003

and The Statue of Liberty

NYC_20090601_032

In the grit and the grime a few birds make their home..

If you click on the photo below…about  eight Mallards are using the concrete and asphalt pond.

Liberty rv park_20090528_005

Barn Swallows perch on boats.

Liberty rv park_20090528_008

  Distant foggy view of NYC from the RV Park

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Every day we took the Holland tunnel to the city..

NYC_20090601_029

This view taken from one of the many Whole Foods markets in the city.IMG_0768 Central park is always a great visitNYC_20090601_022 Lovely time of year..not to hot and flowers delighted.cENTRAl park_20090524_003City birds…strong…street smart.NYC_20090601_017

The meat lovers in the family always go to the Carniegie Deli for PicklesNYC_20090601_001For huge sandwiches…this is Jeff's corned beef. A sick amount of meat.NYC_20090601_006

I had matzo Ball soupNYC_20090601_003

Here you are sickstas..click on these masterpieces of dining..

( Samarrah is our NY veggie restaurant guru..she knows the best places to go!).

Jeff and I shared an amazing beet salad and a Seitan dish that looked and tasted like Peking duck..the crisp duck skin and the moist inner…amazing.

We drive to Brooklyn most days to visit Samarrah.    

A garden is growing in Brooklyn..

Our daughter is thrilled…she has a garden plot …a short walk from her home in Brooklyn.  She opens the lock to her Garden oasis.Sams garden _20090524_022

This is her big boy Shem..he would love to visit the garden..Samarrah is going to get the big boy a harness and let him visit.

Sams garden _20090524_024

Look at this green loveliness in the city. A community garden..in a city of Brick and Concrete. A nurturing place.

sams garden_20090528_020

Roses and barred windows

Sams garden _20090524_002

  Roses and Fences

Sams garden _20090524_001

Samarrah’s Garden plot before our weeding.

Sams garden _20090524_010

   Weeding, removal of bulbs and potting them up..sams garden_20090528_008

sams garden_20090528_007

The finished product..tomatoes, peppers, collard, pole beans, cucumbers, swiss chard, radish, beets and love…

sams garden_20090528_010

    Robins nest in the Garden Oasis and raise their young

sams garden_20090528_015

Beauty in a concrete jungle….

sams garden_20090528_017

      We walk along the river in Brooklyn in the evening..and watch the big city across

the water…lights flickering…sun setting…

The Brooklyn bridge on the right…carries us from the city to Samarrah…NYC_20090523_007

  To her home in the city…and her piece of green.

Goodnight Big Apple…

the sun sets over the glow of the city…

NYC_20090523_024

Monday, June 01, 2009

Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp June 13 Join us!

Howdee all,

As some of you know Christopher from Picus Blog and I are planning a get together for Birders, Bird/Nature bloggers, and or those that use Twitter and or Chirptracker for birding.

You are welcome to join us if you have a website or use any of these venues for birding.

I cant wait to meet everyone!

I designed this button on Zazzle for the get together.

  My gift to my birdie friends

My mom, sicksta and a few others think it is scary. tee hee..

But you know us birders can be intense while staring down a bird…so I think this fellow is appropriate.

I just hope they can be made in time…

birders_who_blog_tweet_and_chirp_button-p145664733167229518tmn2_210

So join us if you will for a nice birdie outing to Plum Island!

Wouldn't it be cool if we saw a Green heron?