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Who is this grand feathered creature?     Well he’s known as an EAGLE OWL

Where does he live?     I don’t really know, but he visits Central Park from time to time.

What does he do?  He sits and watches everything that goes on around him.

Why does he have such big orange eyes?  All the better to spy dinner when it wanders by.

Where are his wings?  Are they big?

Take a look at this magnificent bird in flight !!! You may have to copy and paste.

 http://youtu.be /LA6XSrM0V_0?hd=1

WHO oo took this fabulous photo?  Why Murray Head of course!!


Eagel Owl, central park, new york city

Whhhooooo are YOU?


My own Work کار شخصی

A Bunch of Resveratrol

Lately much has been written and talked about  natural remedies especially in the form of the food we eat.  Nature’s own painkillers are in our pantry not our medicine chests.  Last week on one of the major broadcast stations, there was a segment on the importance of eating healthy healing foods and they’re not green.  And this ties into just what foods can  we eat that will actually help alleviate certain ailments, diseases and conditions.

  1. RED GRAPES:  Red grapes are rich in resveratrol, a powerful compound that blocks the enzymes that contribute to tissue degeneration.   In addition, resveratrol is known t to protect against the kind of cartilage damage that causes back pain.
  2. GINGER:  Ginger has long been associated with aiding indigestion, however, ginger is an effective pain-killer.  People suffering from knee pain greatly improved once they started taking ginger extract.  “Ginger relieves pain by blocking an enzyme that’s a key component of the inflamatory process”, so says investigator Christopher D. Black, Ph.D., assistant professor of kinesiology at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia. Two to three teaspoons a day should do the trick. “That’s not an overwhelming amount,” he says. “You could easily add that to a stir-fry or soup.” Other options include ginger tea and beverages made with fresh ginger.
  3. SOY:  If you add soy to your diet, your osteoarthritis knee pain should lessen by at least 30%.  Consuming 40 grams of soy protein daily for three months patients were able to cut their use of painkillers in half.  Soy’s isoflavins, hormones with anti-inflamatory properties.  I’m hoping that a combination of ginger and soy will alleviate my bursitis which is now in both hips.
  4. TUMERIC:  Tumeric, a spice commonly found in much Indian food fights the pain of rheumatoid arthritis as much as ibuprofen.  I mentioned this at my weekly Mah Jongg game and found out that one of our players has been taking it for years and she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritisl
  5. CHERRIES: Anthocyacins are the reason cherries are a pain killing food.  Anthocyanins are antioxidents and they reduce inflammation and you know for the past several years inflammation has gotten a lot of attention in the press.  Apparently there is inflammation in many parts of our bodies where it’s presence can be a host area for disease.  In a test study, participants who ate 45 bing cherries every day for 28 days dramatically reduced their inflammation.
  6. CAFFEINE:  Do you wake up achey and stiff in the morning? And yet you always feel better after your first cup of coffee?  That’s because caffeine reduces your pain especially aches caused by exercise.  Caffeine has also been purported to increase your threshold of pain, so you might want to grab a cup of coffee on the way to your workout.
  7. FISH:  We all know that fish is a dieter’s favorite, that fish and its omega-3 oils are good for your heart.

Taking all this information to heart, I had salmon for dinner,  bought frozen cherries and blueberries for my morning Greek non-fat yogurt and fruit shake.  I hope my bursitis gets the message soon but if relief wants to start high up, then I would welcome some relief from my achey-breaky neck.

FEMA seal (old)
FEMA is True to BLUE

FEMA is NO’T giving aid to Texas because it is a RED state and Obama knows that they won’t be voting for him! Now, that’s a good one.  I wonder if Rush Limbaugh lies awake at night dreaming this crap up OR does he have writers?  He actually stated this untruth on his show May 5th.  Poor Texas, they are not getting the help they deserve except that they ARE!!

Although FEMA has not issued a disaster declaration which would allow it to provide aid to civilians, it has in fact supported Texas with 22 FMAG – Fire Management Assistant Grant declarations including 15 since the beginning of April.  

The following is from a report by NBC’s  Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate; FEMA has provided aid that “[helps] firefighters pay for things such as equipment repairs, food and shelter.” As The Houston Chronicle states: This aid covers “75 percent of Texas’s costs for emergency response work.”

RED is RED whether it’s pink, wine, cardinal or scarlet and in case Rushie couldn’t recollect which states voted for Obama and those that didn’t, that is, besides Texas, he need only look south.  Obama lost Alabama by 11 points in 2008 but when the tornadoes hit that state, the President signed a disaster declaration for Alabama, that little ole Southern redheaded belle of a state.

Well so much for that Swiss cheesey conspiracy theory – it stinks and is full of holes

Toiletpaperwhitebg

Mom to the rescue

SIX WORD MEMOIR MONDAY

Yesterday was the official pay back day – the day we Moms get recognized for years and years of picking up, wiping up, cleaning up your toys,  planning meals, shopping for meals, driving kids to whatever, going to PTA meetings, helping with homework, cleaning the house, taking the dry cleaning in, doing the laundry,  standing on the sidelines cheering our kids on in their chosen sport, making birthday parties special, putting the new roll of toilet paper in the bathroom, taking temperatures, wiping noses, bringing tea and toast to the sick ones in bed, walking the floor in the middle of the night with the crying baby, changing our clothes 3 times a day because of spit up on our shoulders, buying the Easter candy and hiding the baskets, putting band-aids and kisses on knees and elbows, bathing and washing more than one person and not yourself, cooking dinners, making lunches, buying the sugared cereal once in a while, baking cookies and cupcakes for school parties, sitting by the pool while you have your swim lessons, taking you to the playground, filling your Christmas stocking, sending you birthday cards even though you’re in your 30’s, helping to plan a wedding, buying a wedding gown, helping you write the entrance essays for college, making French toast or pancakes for your sleep-over guests, car-pooling you and your friends to nursery school,  teaching you how to knit, sew, garden or cook, insisting you make your bed so you learn some sense of responsibility, taking you for your first real haircut, waiting for hours to use the phone while you chatter away to your friends (pre-cell phone days), reading books to you, singing lullabies when you couldn’t or wouldn’t sleep, taking you for your check-ups and consoling you with a Happy Meal when you got a shot, driving 15 miles to a special store because you only liked to wear certain corduroy pants,  wiping away your tears when you had a fight with a friend or worse – a break-up, giving you as much advice about love and life as you would listen to, making sure you were safe by calling even when you didn’t want me to, teaching you how to tie your shoes, cleaning up the vomit and accidents from your pet, buying a prom dress, telling you from the day you were born how pretty or handsome you really are and loving you till the day I die.

Now having said all that, I hope all you mothers reading this got at least a card, maybe a gift or a dinner or brunch – BECAUSE we deserve it, don’t you think?

And these THREE, only THREE  Six Word Memoirs were sent this past week, oh woe is Mom!

Mom’s – the do all, end all – Susan Celtic Lady

My wonderful mother was Auntie Mame – Gail

A mother, someone I never wanted to be – Anonymous

My mother myself, good or bad – Me

My mom is gone, not forgotten – Me

Well my theme idea didn’t fly this past week but I’m going to try again and this time in sight of the recent major political event – the assassination of Osama Bin Laden; maybe we can sum up our feelings about this in Six Words, no more, no less. Could be you’re ecstatic, disappointed, relieved, glad, sad, angry, upset or whatever…try to express it in just 6 words.


If you or your son/daughter/husband waited until the last minute to make a brunch or dinner reservation for today – don’t fret there’s always a way in!!

Take it from a wise old owl!

Central Park

"Do You Have A Reservation?"

Owl

"Well, Do YOU??

"Sorry. Oh, why thank you. Let me check again"

Central Park, New York City, owl

"Table for Two, right this way"

All photos courtesy of Murray Head.

Blue grass, bourbon and branch water, Mint Juleps, silks, jockeys, thoroughbreds, on the rail, wreath of roses and the Winner’s Circle – This is the stuff of The Kentucky Derby!!  NOT QUITE!

True, watching the pounding hooves, sleek spectacular horseflesh, hearts pumping, binoculars moving in unison following the race is fun BUT really, it’s all about the HATS! Take a look at some of the best of the best Kentucky Derby Day creations.

Kentucky Derby, original creation by Dee

Pink Hat with Huge Gray Flower

Kentucky Derby hat, Dee's hats

Yellow Hat with Red-Orange Flowers

Kentucky Derby hat by Dee, peacock feathers

Peacock Feathers

Kentucky Derby hats by Dee

White Broad Brim with Lime Green Bow

Kentucky Derby, polka dot bow

Pink Broad Brim with Polka Dot Bow

Kentucky Derby hat, Dee's hats

Black Hat with Yellow Flower

Dee's hats, Kentucky Derby Day

Pale Blue with White Cabbage Rose

All these beautiful hats were created by Dee’s Crafts except for one and I bet you can guess which one.

Kentucky Derby Day,

I Love My Hat!

FAB FOTO FRIDAY

Seems like there was a Summit Meeting going on in New York City this week.  While it’s true that the President was here TWICE this week tying up traffic all over the place, he wasn’t in attendance with these heads!

Ai Weiwei, a renowned sculptor from China, famous for his past exhibition of Sunflower Seeds, is missing! His whereabouts are unknown; he was arrested by the Chinese Government supposedly for tax evasion and destroying evidence.  However, it is widely believed that his criticism of the Government is the real reason behind his disappearance.  The United States, Germany and Britain have openly called for his release.

But the show must go on and we are thankful that it has. 

Chinese zodiac, central park, Pulitzer fountain, Ai Weiwei

The Tiger

central park, Pulitzer fountain, chinese zodiac, Ai Weiwei

The Boar

Chinese zodiac, central park, pulitzer fountain, Ai Weiwei

The Serpent

chinese zodiac

The Dragon

Ai Weiwei, chinese zodiac

The Rabbit

Ai Weiwei, central park, chinese zodiac

The Ox

chinese zodiac, Ai Weiwei

The Horse

Chinese zodiac, Ai Weiwei. pulitzer fountain

The Rat

The Goat

Chinese zodiac, Ai Weiwei,

The Rooster and The Dog

The Monkey

Thank you Murray Head for all of these great photos!

Last year I posted a blog about how Cinco De Mayo was celebrated, its origin and how we have adopted and adapted this holiday today.  I thought re-posting it would be a good idea and informative to my newly-acquired readers!

Cinco De Mayo! Then and Now

May 5, 2010 by pbenjay | Edit

May 5th, battle of Puebla, cinco de mayo, celebration, Mexico, French forcesThis is Why We Celebrate Victory

If you’ve noticed a sudden dearth of avocados, limes, Corona Extras and Jose Cuervo at your local grocery store over the past couple of days, don’t panic — no one is conspiring against you. Instead, your neighbors are simply stocking up to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a holiday celebrated in Mexico and all over the United States with delicious Mexican cuisine, far too much alcohol and plenty of fanfare.

But Cinco de Mayo (“the fifth of May”) is much more than an entertaining way to forget an entire day’s worth of events. The holiday owes its origins to the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when the Mexican army overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to defeat invading French forces from conquering the state of Puebla. The victory remains a cause for commemoration nearly 150 years later.

Interestingly enough, Cinco de Mayo isn’t celebrated in Mexico nearly as much as it is in the United States, as the country’s most widely recognized national patriotic holiday is actually the Mexican Independence Day on September 16. But Cinco de Mayo gets plenty of attention in the U.S. not just from Mexican-Americans, but also from anybody interested in seeking out new forms of cultural exposure — largely due to the efforts of liquor companies and Mexican restaurants.

Last year, MTV Tr3s sent comedian Cristela Alonzo to Los Angeles’ historic Olvera Street to report on the community’s deep understanding of Cinco del Mayo. While the holiday has historic roots, Alonzo acknowledged that many participants view Cinco de Mayo as “an excuse to get drunk and party.” But as Alonzo learned, enjoying the rowdier aspects of Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to come at the expense of forgetting the holiday’s cultural significance.

“What’s important is to remember the meaning behind the holiday,” she reported of her findings. “It’s about freedom and to celebrate those who had the courage to defend it.”

So as you immerse yourself in today’s festivities, make sure to put your ice cold cerveza down for long enough to acknowledge the true meaning of Cinco de Mayo, a holiday built on the foundation of freedom. ** This article is from the MTV website

And today!

Corona, Dos Equis, beer, fiesta, Mexico, Battle of Puebla, cinco de mayo, jose cuervo, tequila, limes, margharitasCha Cha Cha It’s Fiesta Time

You know what they say: Drink responsibly, Drive safely –  OH WAIT, we live in New York City, we can be totally irresponsible – BUT then again  here is May 6th to think about!

“In fact, Osama bin Laden is a pilot of Americ...

Conspiracy Theory - Osama was really an American Airlines Pilot

Conspiracy Theory Wednesday

Great timing, that’s what I say… at least for me!  It couldn’t have been better timing; Thank you President O’Bama! I do worry that a Conspiracy Wednesday will come and go and no new conspiracy theory will crop up.  AND then I discovered the Tea Party theories which seem to spring forth like the fountain of youth.  AND NOW!!! It couldn’t have been more than a New York minute after the announcement that U.S. forces had conducted a ground attack on a house where Osama Bin Laden was residing/hiding, that the conspiracy theories burst forth.

Where was the body?  Why did they drop the body in the ocean?  Why doesn’t President O’Bama  release the photos?  How can we be sure that the DNA is really Bin Laden’s? OMG, it just goes on and on.  I’ve saved the best for last;  The raid was arranged so as to insure O’Bama’s re-election.  Wow, you gotta have a LONG memory from now to the next election day.

So which one should we explore? I don’t know that it makes any difference because those that believe it to be true cannot be confused by the facts.  Here are the facts as presented by those that should know and do know as opposed to those who don’t know anything for sure but have no compunction about casting aspersions and veiled falsehoods  taking skepticism to art form.

The body of Osama Bin Laden was washed according to Muslim tradition, wrapped in a white sheet, prayers were said, and as Muslims strive to bury the body as quickly as possible after death to avoid embalming, the body was disposed of at sea.

Sounds reasonable to me.  I am one of those people who kind of wish we could have seen the body- NOT because I’m into gore, BUT because I knew they would never believe anything that could possibly put our President in a good light.  Some of them are claiming the glory of the kill should go to George Bush.  And why I might ask?  He said he didn’t give OBL much thought and he wasn’t that important after all!!! Oh but then that must mean that Osama was killed after all.  Well really you can’t have it both ways.

I hate to give SP any air time at all, so suffice to say she tweeted some disdainful remarks  on Twitter.  Well what can you expect from  such a twit?

Let me end this blog with what I consider to be the quote of the day.  It’s from Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for George W. Bush;

“If you doubt he’s dead, no photo will satisfy. For the rest of us, Navy SEALs don’t miss,” Fleischer wrote on Twitter.

Six-Word Memoir book cover image

"The Book"

One Life, Six Words, What’s Yours?  The quest continues and the challenge remains – can you? Will you? – try to put your life into just six words, no more, no less!  Well my life, you say, is way too big and complex to distill into six words! Maybe, maybe not.  Some GREAT writers have done and each week I post about 5 Six Word Memoirs from the book, Not Quite What I Was Planning. 

Some weeks we focus on a theme and this week’s was supposed to be about FOOD, our love of, our abstinence from, from taste sensations to tasty tidbits and tasty recipes and of course the throes of dieting. WHATEVER you are thinking or feeling about food is your source of a Six Word Memoir.

This is what I received last week:

A pinch of this and that – Heather

Packing my bags. The adventure continuesWeez

Far away California, grandkids, Jersey coast – Heide

Diet ice cream flavor? Green Tea! – Me

And from the above-referenced book…

I hope to outlive my regrets. – Bob Logan

All night phone calls complete me – Harry Manning

Texas childhood can lead to wisdom – Kristen Ahlemeier-Olfe

Sweet life, good sons – I’m rich –  Roger Waggener

Barrister, barista, what’s the diff, Mom? –Abigail Moorhouse

Ok readers, I’m going to try again and this one is for EVERYONE! Mother’s Day is around the corner, let’s sum up Mom in SIX WORDS!