Our new serviceberry bloomed briefly, but because of the high winds we have had I didn't even get a chance to photograph it. Oh well, I'll just wait till it gets berries and hope that I can photograph the birds that eat them. I heard that the berries taste good in jams but doubt that I will get enough to go through the trouble. After all, we planted the serviceberry to attract birds and wildlife.
Most of the trees on our hillside are still bare, which is really weird when it's 88 degrees out. I think spring happened sometime between 10 and 12 o'clock on Friday. This is unfair! I've been looking forward to spring for a while and now it's over already?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Kitty Recovery
Our cat, aka Chubby, survived her teeth cleaning. The tooth fairy had to take away two of her teeth. One would think that she would eat less during her recovery, but no. The first thing she did when we brought her home was walking to the kitchen where we keep her food bowl. Reluctantly, I gave her a bit of canned food later and she chomped it down without any upset stomach. She is now on a canned food only diet for a while. However, since we also learned that she has arthritis she is on a permanent weight loss diet now. She just doesn't know it yet! Another reason we're trying to make her lose weight is that I couldn't even carry her into the vet's office but had to ask the assistant for help. You know your cat is too heavy if you can't even lift her. So, a diet it is and I'm going to be firm about it.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Take me out ...
When it comes to meetings and appointments, my weeks are usually feast or famine. Last week was particularly crammed. I had four meetings (including three in one day), an appointment, and a workshop to attend. Everything was very enjoyable and instructive. This week, however, it's famine again. The only appointment I have on my calendar is taking the cat to the vet for a teeth cleaning and possible teeth pulling. I'll keep you posted on the outcome.
Because the weather was beautiful on Saturday, we went to a Pirates game. Finding a park house was easy, getting out of it after the game less so. The biggest problem I encountered, though, was finding appropriate food for my sensitive stomach. My husband asked me in jest whether I wanted to buy an all-you-can-eat ticket. I replied that I wouldn't be able to eat anything but salad and ice cream. Yep, ballparks don't offer food for health conscious people and I finally settled on a grilled chicken sandwich. Our biggest challenge, however, was trying to avoid getting fried by the sun. Who would have thought that we could get roasted in April? Next time we'll sit under the roof.
Now, how was the game? I confess that, after having been married to a baseball fan for almost twenty years, I still don't have a clue what baseball is about. The reason is, of course, that I come from a country where soccer (Fußball) is king. That explains why I didn't even know which team the Pirates were playing until we bought our tickets. For the first few innings the crowd was strangely quiet until it finally got exciting. And the Pirates won!
Because the weather was beautiful on Saturday, we went to a Pirates game. Finding a park house was easy, getting out of it after the game less so. The biggest problem I encountered, though, was finding appropriate food for my sensitive stomach. My husband asked me in jest whether I wanted to buy an all-you-can-eat ticket. I replied that I wouldn't be able to eat anything but salad and ice cream. Yep, ballparks don't offer food for health conscious people and I finally settled on a grilled chicken sandwich. Our biggest challenge, however, was trying to avoid getting fried by the sun. Who would have thought that we could get roasted in April? Next time we'll sit under the roof.
Now, how was the game? I confess that, after having been married to a baseball fan for almost twenty years, I still don't have a clue what baseball is about. The reason is, of course, that I come from a country where soccer (Fußball) is king. That explains why I didn't even know which team the Pirates were playing until we bought our tickets. For the first few innings the crowd was strangely quiet until it finally got exciting. And the Pirates won!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
The Estimate
On Tuesday evening, we took our older cat, aka Chubby, to the veterinarian for her annual check-up and shots. We learned that not only does she need a teeth cleaning under anaesthesia, she might very well need to have two teeth pulled. Until now, the only health problem she had was her excessive weight and, we suspect, arthritis. In other words, she mirrors our own problems, especially the arthritis part.
The veterinarian printed out an estimate of the cost for the procedure and her assistant handed it to my husband. He studied the total amount and finally uttered, "Ninety thousand dollars?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, grabbed the paper from his hand and disappeared. We glanced at each other, wondering if the real total would amount to the price of a row of houses around these parts. It turned out that the final estimate was also a hefty sum, hefty enough for a cat with some annoying habits. For one, she has become very vocal, particularly when we are trying to sleep. Since she snoozes all day, she does not find anything wrong with meowing at the top of her lungs when we retire for the night. Another problem is that she is scared of everything. I believe the term "scaredy cat" was named after her. She is even afraid of plastic bags. As far as her diet goes, she has not lost as much weight as we had hoped. I will have to feed her even less than before. I'm sure she has a loud answer for that!
The veterinarian printed out an estimate of the cost for the procedure and her assistant handed it to my husband. He studied the total amount and finally uttered, "Ninety thousand dollars?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, grabbed the paper from his hand and disappeared. We glanced at each other, wondering if the real total would amount to the price of a row of houses around these parts. It turned out that the final estimate was also a hefty sum, hefty enough for a cat with some annoying habits. For one, she has become very vocal, particularly when we are trying to sleep. Since she snoozes all day, she does not find anything wrong with meowing at the top of her lungs when we retire for the night. Another problem is that she is scared of everything. I believe the term "scaredy cat" was named after her. She is even afraid of plastic bags. As far as her diet goes, she has not lost as much weight as we had hoped. I will have to feed her even less than before. I'm sure she has a loud answer for that!
Friday, April 03, 2009
Cat tales
We recently switched to corn based litter because our younger cat was always sneezing after using the litter box. Now, she doesn't sneeze at all and the scratches in her eyes are pretty much healed. To think that we used to complain about the cost of clay litter is a joke now. But we'd rather pay it instead of paying the veterinarian. It is a bad sign when your vet sends you a Christmas card...
Our older cat, also known as 'Chubby', has been on a diet for two months now and I believe she has lost some weight. That doesn't mean she likes it. This morning, for example, as I was getting the cats' breakfast ready 'Chubby' licked out her empty bowl. Who knew that cats can be sarcastic?
Our older cat, also known as 'Chubby', has been on a diet for two months now and I believe she has lost some weight. That doesn't mean she likes it. This morning, for example, as I was getting the cats' breakfast ready 'Chubby' licked out her empty bowl. Who knew that cats can be sarcastic?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
History Lesson
The other day, I was on assignment to the Soldiers & Sailors Hall. To get an overview of the museum, I received a tour by the curator. He told me that they wanted their showcases to tell the human story behind the historic events. Apparently, it works because I was compelled to talk when we came to the Berlin Wall exhibit. I was shocked when my guide told me that kids nowadays ask him, "What's the Berlin Wall?" It seemed so much a part of my younger life that I never expected it to fall. I told my guide that back in the early Eighties, I had been to the wall on the West Berlin side and two months later I saw the Brandenburg Gate from the East Berlin side. Life in a divided country was certainly different than what Americans are used to. For example, there were only three corridors to drive to West Berlin. We were even told what reading material we could take along on the bus so we wouldn't get into trouble. Of course, I didn't need any reading material to go to West Berlin because I didn't go there to read. Why would I when the pubs are open all night? Nowadays, I wouldn't even make it till 11 o'clock, but that's a different story.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The days are just packed
I have had a very busy week so far. On Monday, I took the plunge and booked a flight to Germany this summer. First, I had to confirm dates with my family. And because there are no more direct flights to Germany from here, I had to find connections that would neither give me too little nor too much waiting time for my next leg. I am not fond of sitting at some airport for over four hours, but I also don't want to sprint through an airport to catch my flight. So, the new flight to Paris is out because it only gives you one and a half hours to catch a connection and immigration and customs take at least one hour in a perfect world. After checking all my options I decided to use one airline for the first leg and come back on another airline. Now, I just hope that none of my flights get canceled as was the case the last time I traveled.
Yesterday, I was working on a new assignment and had a great time doing it. It was good to be photographing again and museums are always happy for the publicity. I also had a letter to the editor in yesterday's Post-Gazette and received a very positive response so far.
Yesterday, I was working on a new assignment and had a great time doing it. It was good to be photographing again and museums are always happy for the publicity. I also had a letter to the editor in yesterday's Post-Gazette and received a very positive response so far.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The eyes have it
The car radio played Shout and the cat on the backseat howled. Playing the radio is absolutely essential when I take Roxy for a ride because there is only one reason I put her in a car: We're going to the dreaded V-E-T. This time, the problem is that she has two ulcers (aka scratches) in her eyes.
To help our other, big cat with her arthritis, we had put a litter box upstairs so she wouldn't have to climb stairs. That plan backfired because 1. Big cat still went downstairs most of the time out of habit; 2. The floor was a mess; 3. Roxy started sneezing soon after we brought up the litter box. Then her eyes became watery and she rubbed them. I had to get an emergency appointment at the vet to check her eyes. Now, I have to find some clay based litter so we can get rid of her allergies once and for all. Will old cats learn new litter? I'll keep you posted.
To help our other, big cat with her arthritis, we had put a litter box upstairs so she wouldn't have to climb stairs. That plan backfired because 1. Big cat still went downstairs most of the time out of habit; 2. The floor was a mess; 3. Roxy started sneezing soon after we brought up the litter box. Then her eyes became watery and she rubbed them. I had to get an emergency appointment at the vet to check her eyes. Now, I have to find some clay based litter so we can get rid of her allergies once and for all. Will old cats learn new litter? I'll keep you posted.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Update
Yesterday was my birthday - again - and we went to the Amazon. Okay, so it wasn't the Amazon in South America, but the new exhibit at Phipps Conservatory. We hadn't been there in years and after we finally found a parking spot, it was a nice respite from the cloudy weather. I liked the new Amazon exhibit and the orchid show the most.
Last Saturday, I received an early gift when we went to see Topol in his going away tour of "Fiddler on the Roof." Even though we could only get seats on the second tier I enjoyed it immensely and am wondering who can fill Topol's boots now.
Last Saturday, I received an early gift when we went to see Topol in his going away tour of "Fiddler on the Roof." Even though we could only get seats on the second tier I enjoyed it immensely and am wondering who can fill Topol's boots now.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Outings and Outages
A side effect of the recent bout of snow and ice was that many of my meetings were canceled. I'm making up for cabin fever this week. On Monday and Tuesday, for example, I attended three meetings. Talk about information overload! It was a welcome change that I had no appointments yesterday. However, due to the storm that rammed through here (there is that evil weather again!) we had two major power outages and lots of flickers. Luckily, they didn't last long enough for me to shiver, but the second one meant that I had no computer and Internet for a while. Nonetheless, I got lots of writing done and am making great progress on a big writing project. How I miss German utilities!
On the home front, I'm getting ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count which starts today. The worse the weather, the more birds visit our backyard. Yesterday, they were particularly ravenous and I had to make a run to the feeder as soon as the power came back on. That's the disadvantage of an electric garage door.
On the home front, I'm getting ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count which starts today. The worse the weather, the more birds visit our backyard. Yesterday, they were particularly ravenous and I had to make a run to the feeder as soon as the power came back on. That's the disadvantage of an electric garage door.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The Diet
At the beginning of a new year many people resolve to go on a diet. I'm not sure how many cats make that same resolve. My guess is, not one. However, I know one cat who is on a diet as of now, like it or not.
For the past few weeks we suspected that our older cat - aka Chubby - has arthritis because she was having increasing difficulty jumping and climbing the stairs. So, last night we took her to the vet on what could only be described as "black dog night." One technician even complained that all she saw that day were black dogs. They ranged in size from handful to big Labrador. It was quite entertaining for us, but quite traumatic for our cat who doesn't like any change.
So, Chubby hat a hissy fit when the vet began her exam. We learned that our cat had gained one and a half pounds since last April. At one point, she (the cat, not the vet) howled, confirming our suspicion that Chubby has indeed arthritis. The culprit, however, was the food we gave her. Because our other cat, Roxy, is on a special IBS diet we decided to give both cats the same dry food so Roxy won't steal food she shouldn't eat. We learned last night that that dry food is very rich in calories and we should feed Chubby a diet of nothing but canned food sprinkled with glucosamine. Feeding our cats in separate rooms seems to be the only solution. Roxy, of course, gets her dry food at an elevated place where Chubby can't get to.
In addition to our cats, we are also feeding plenty of birds in our backyard. Yesterday, I saw to my great shock that a squirrel was on our squirrel-proof feeder not once, but twice. I wish I could catch him in the act so I can see for myself how it gets around the squirrel guard. I guess we could add another section to the pole but how am I supposed to fill the feeders then? Life with animals is certainly interesting and, at times, challenging.
For the past few weeks we suspected that our older cat - aka Chubby - has arthritis because she was having increasing difficulty jumping and climbing the stairs. So, last night we took her to the vet on what could only be described as "black dog night." One technician even complained that all she saw that day were black dogs. They ranged in size from handful to big Labrador. It was quite entertaining for us, but quite traumatic for our cat who doesn't like any change.
So, Chubby hat a hissy fit when the vet began her exam. We learned that our cat had gained one and a half pounds since last April. At one point, she (the cat, not the vet) howled, confirming our suspicion that Chubby has indeed arthritis. The culprit, however, was the food we gave her. Because our other cat, Roxy, is on a special IBS diet we decided to give both cats the same dry food so Roxy won't steal food she shouldn't eat. We learned last night that that dry food is very rich in calories and we should feed Chubby a diet of nothing but canned food sprinkled with glucosamine. Feeding our cats in separate rooms seems to be the only solution. Roxy, of course, gets her dry food at an elevated place where Chubby can't get to.
In addition to our cats, we are also feeding plenty of birds in our backyard. Yesterday, I saw to my great shock that a squirrel was on our squirrel-proof feeder not once, but twice. I wish I could catch him in the act so I can see for myself how it gets around the squirrel guard. I guess we could add another section to the pole but how am I supposed to fill the feeders then? Life with animals is certainly interesting and, at times, challenging.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Exciting Times
It has been an exciting week. On Sunday night, the Steelers snatched a ticket to the Superbowl. While I don't watch sports at all I am happy when my new hometown's teams do well. I have proudly supplied my nephew (and subsequently, his younger cousins) with T-shirts and/or hats from Pittsburgh's sports teams.
On Monday, I gave my second speech at Toastmasters. The theme was "A Day of Service" and I spoke about attracting birds to your backyard. I stressed that I hope that my bird and nature photos will encourage other people to protect birds and their environment. Naturally, I took along photos of birds at feeders. The speech was well received and I even had to answer questions afterward. A friend in Germany e-mailed me that she recently put up a birdfeeder and that it was one of the best investments she made recently. She greatly enjoys watching the birds and thinks of my photos while doing it. What a great compliment!
On Tuesday, of course, was Inauguration Day. My writing critique group, which meets every second Tuesday, decided to meet at a friend's house to discuss our writing and watch the swearing in and speech afterward. Later, it occurred to me that three of us weren't even born here. Pittsburgh is indeed a melting pot.
On Monday, I gave my second speech at Toastmasters. The theme was "A Day of Service" and I spoke about attracting birds to your backyard. I stressed that I hope that my bird and nature photos will encourage other people to protect birds and their environment. Naturally, I took along photos of birds at feeders. The speech was well received and I even had to answer questions afterward. A friend in Germany e-mailed me that she recently put up a birdfeeder and that it was one of the best investments she made recently. She greatly enjoys watching the birds and thinks of my photos while doing it. What a great compliment!
On Tuesday, of course, was Inauguration Day. My writing critique group, which meets every second Tuesday, decided to meet at a friend's house to discuss our writing and watch the swearing in and speech afterward. Later, it occurred to me that three of us weren't even born here. Pittsburgh is indeed a melting pot.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Great Backyard Bird Count
If you care about birds, please put the Great Backyard Bird Count on your calendar. It takes place February 13 - 16 this year. For instructions and checklists, read www.birdsource.org. Basically, all you need to do is to count birds for at least 15 minutes. You may, of course, count them much longer.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Squirrel Update
This morning, we woke up to a sight we never expected to see again: There was a squirrel on our squirrel-proof feeder. We have no idea how it got up there, but suspect that it jumped from the ground. The neighbor's barn and pear tree are a bit too far away for a squirrel to jump over. So, we might have to add another piece to our bird feeder pole. The only problem is that, at my short stature, I might not be able to fill the feeders anymore. Oh well, those little critters sure can make life difficult.
Our bird feeders are very busy this time of winter. They have been raided by a flock of grackles this week. Yesterday, we witnessed a huge flock of red-winged blackbirds in our yard. We have never seen any blackbirds at this time of year and have no clue where they came from or where they're heading. Spring and fall are their usual migration times. Where they lost or trying to avoid bad weather elsewhere? Other than that, we see the usual suspects: lots of cardinals; chickadees; tufted titmice; downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers; juncos; finches; and, of course, sparrows and doves. Not to mention squirrels...
Our bird feeders are very busy this time of winter. They have been raided by a flock of grackles this week. Yesterday, we witnessed a huge flock of red-winged blackbirds in our yard. We have never seen any blackbirds at this time of year and have no clue where they came from or where they're heading. Spring and fall are their usual migration times. Where they lost or trying to avoid bad weather elsewhere? Other than that, we see the usual suspects: lots of cardinals; chickadees; tufted titmice; downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers; juncos; finches; and, of course, sparrows and doves. Not to mention squirrels...
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Published Again
Last summer, I sold three photo features in quick succession. The wait between contract and publication is always a long one. Finally, yesterday I received the January/February 2009 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine with my four-page article "Beaks to Bills." It looks very nice and includes some of my favorite bird photos.
Now I am waiting for the other two articles to be published. They feature, of course, more birds. One highlights the festival of the birds at Presque Isle, which will take place again next May. The other article will be published in Pursuits Magazine, a magazine issued by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
Do you see a pattern here? Well, I'm now working on an idea that has nothing to do with birds, just to break the monotony...
Now I am waiting for the other two articles to be published. They feature, of course, more birds. One highlights the festival of the birds at Presque Isle, which will take place again next May. The other article will be published in Pursuits Magazine, a magazine issued by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
Do you see a pattern here? Well, I'm now working on an idea that has nothing to do with birds, just to break the monotony...
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
End of Year
The year is almost over, and I can honestly say, "good riddance." It has been a challenging year all around. The headline news kept getting worse and worse and my private life has had ups and downs too. I observed my 50th birthday in the middle of a family crisis and an overall lousy month weatherwise. Arthritis in my knee kept me sidelined for several months and I haven't been photographing nearly as much as I would have liked. A couple of close family members spent weeks in the hospital and our cat has been sickly since spring. I had to cancel a photo workshop I had looked forward to, but made an unexpected trip to New York instead.
On the plus side, I finished three assignments last summer which should all be published shortly. That gives me something to look forward to. All in all, my photos have appeared in four Pennsylvania Magazines this year. I also started working on a big writing project and am busy sending out queries. I joined Toastmasters and am looking forward to the Pennwriters conference next May. Will everything go according to plan? Probably not, but at least I have set goals for myself.
On the plus side, I finished three assignments last summer which should all be published shortly. That gives me something to look forward to. All in all, my photos have appeared in four Pennsylvania Magazines this year. I also started working on a big writing project and am busy sending out queries. I joined Toastmasters and am looking forward to the Pennwriters conference next May. Will everything go according to plan? Probably not, but at least I have set goals for myself.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
My first Toastmasters speech is over and it went very well. Luckily, I had practiced at home. Everybody liked my cookies, and rightly so.
I finally wrote all my Christmas cards and greetings. It must be a Murphy's Law that the one person you forget to write sends you a long letter. Such was the case today when a long-lost friend in Australia send me a long chain letter e-mail. Chain or not, I was happy to hear from her and quickly wrote her back before I forgot again. She is one of only two people who went through 13 years of school with me. Apparently, we both got the travel bug because I ended up here in the U.S. and she's in Australia.
Today is Christmas Eve and we open our gifts tonight, as is the German custom. Tomorrow, we eat turkey--an international Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!
I finally wrote all my Christmas cards and greetings. It must be a Murphy's Law that the one person you forget to write sends you a long letter. Such was the case today when a long-lost friend in Australia send me a long chain letter e-mail. Chain or not, I was happy to hear from her and quickly wrote her back before I forgot again. She is one of only two people who went through 13 years of school with me. Apparently, we both got the travel bug because I ended up here in the U.S. and she's in Australia.
Today is Christmas Eve and we open our gifts tonight, as is the German custom. Tomorrow, we eat turkey--an international Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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