I didn't remember that I forgot the pictures until I got to the office this morning. And as of 11 minutes ago, I was supposed to be on vacation, so this post is super short.
I'm going dark for a week.
See ya'll in August!
Dawn
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Busy before vacation
I am taking a much-needed vacation next week, but like many people who are going to be gone for a few days, there is a pile of work to get done BEFORE the blessed event.
So I have been up to my eyeballs in member benefit updates, convention updates, web updates, publication updates and updates to my updates! I didn't even have time yesterday to update this blog. I was going to photograph -- yet again -- my very tall wildflowers so I could get some feedback on what you might think they are, but I forgot to take the camera home at noon not one, but two days in a row, so I still have no photographic documentation. They are well-over five feet tall and sprouting little white flowers.
I've never seen a weed or flower like these, so I'm thinking it must be a product of the Texas wildflower packet I got at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January. I threw a few of the seeds in the bed, just for fun, and now I have a mystery bigger 'n Dallas! : )
I will try to remember tomorrow!
Until then.....
Dawn
So I have been up to my eyeballs in member benefit updates, convention updates, web updates, publication updates and updates to my updates! I didn't even have time yesterday to update this blog. I was going to photograph -- yet again -- my very tall wildflowers so I could get some feedback on what you might think they are, but I forgot to take the camera home at noon not one, but two days in a row, so I still have no photographic documentation. They are well-over five feet tall and sprouting little white flowers.
I've never seen a weed or flower like these, so I'm thinking it must be a product of the Texas wildflower packet I got at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January. I threw a few of the seeds in the bed, just for fun, and now I have a mystery bigger 'n Dallas! : )
I will try to remember tomorrow!
Until then.....
Dawn
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Learning from the past
You know, every once in awhile, it's good to take a look at what we've done to see where we are going.
I was doing that the other day when I ran across an editorial from an old North Dakota Farm Bureau News. (From July 1973, to be exact.)
In the editorial, the NDFB President at the time, Francis Simmers, started off by noting, "One of the identifiable forces in our society is a big octopus called consumerism...Whichever way a person tries to go these days, he is entangled by one or more of its tentacles."
He went on to describe some of the concerns of the day: clean air, cheap, safe food, limiting offshore drilling and refineries.
"Somewhere, we have lost our common sense -- public office holders are yielding to the fantasies of the idealist. They have forgotten the reality of the fact that you can't have something for nothing."
I read that and thought, "Wow! Thirty-six years later, we're STILL arguing about the reality of the fact that 'you can't have something for nothing.' "
There is ALWAYS a price.
Food for thought.
Dawn
I was doing that the other day when I ran across an editorial from an old North Dakota Farm Bureau News. (From July 1973, to be exact.)
In the editorial, the NDFB President at the time, Francis Simmers, started off by noting, "One of the identifiable forces in our society is a big octopus called consumerism...Whichever way a person tries to go these days, he is entangled by one or more of its tentacles."
He went on to describe some of the concerns of the day: clean air, cheap, safe food, limiting offshore drilling and refineries.
"Somewhere, we have lost our common sense -- public office holders are yielding to the fantasies of the idealist. They have forgotten the reality of the fact that you can't have something for nothing."
I read that and thought, "Wow! Thirty-six years later, we're STILL arguing about the reality of the fact that 'you can't have something for nothing.' "
There is ALWAYS a price.
Food for thought.
Dawn
Monday, July 20, 2009
That's one small step....
40 years later, I still get the shivers when I hear "That's one small step for man...."
I was just a kid when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. But for many, many years after that, I wanted to be an astronaut. What a cool thing to put on your resume, eh? "I walked on the moon."
It wasn't until I got a little older and realized my inner-ear imbalance (read, "gets sick on swings") would probably preclude me from moonwalk training in the vomit comet.
And because of the resounding success of the moonwalk, we forget that there was a real chance things could have turned out much differently. Disastrously, in fact. But they did not. In fact, I never really thought about the possibility of disaster until I ran across this article by written by William Safire in 1999 in the New York Times about the Disaster that never came.
It is an interesting read, considering that the "in the event of a moon diaster" contingency plan never had to be used.
It makes you admire the guys who took the risk just a little more.
Happy moon-watching!
Dawn
I was just a kid when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. But for many, many years after that, I wanted to be an astronaut. What a cool thing to put on your resume, eh? "I walked on the moon."
It wasn't until I got a little older and realized my inner-ear imbalance (read, "gets sick on swings") would probably preclude me from moonwalk training in the vomit comet.
And because of the resounding success of the moonwalk, we forget that there was a real chance things could have turned out much differently. Disastrously, in fact. But they did not. In fact, I never really thought about the possibility of disaster until I ran across this article by written by William Safire in 1999 in the New York Times about the Disaster that never came.
It is an interesting read, considering that the "in the event of a moon diaster" contingency plan never had to be used.
It makes you admire the guys who took the risk just a little more.
Happy moon-watching!
Dawn
Friday, July 17, 2009
Weed Whacker
I'm not sure when or how it happened, but at some point, I was transformed. Transformed from a Whiny Weeder (you know, someone who whines every time she has a couple of weeds to pull) to the proverbial Weed Whacker. Oh, I'm not militant about it or anything, but I could actually spend the whole day pulling weeds, by hand, for as long as my hands held out.
I get substantial gratification yanking something out by the roots, particularly the nasty ones, like Canada Thistle. (Sometimes with gloves, many times without, mostly because I don't want to run all the way back to the house to get the gloves when I'm out by the wildflower bed.) I guess that makes me a Willing to Wince, Weary of Walking Weed Whacker.
I don't know what all this says about me, but I like to think it's my wish to make the world a more beautiful place.
So, let's see, that would make me the Wishful of a Wonderful World, Willing to Wince, Weary of Walking Weed Whacker.
Whaddya think? : )
Dawn
I get substantial gratification yanking something out by the roots, particularly the nasty ones, like Canada Thistle. (Sometimes with gloves, many times without, mostly because I don't want to run all the way back to the house to get the gloves when I'm out by the wildflower bed.) I guess that makes me a Willing to Wince, Weary of Walking Weed Whacker.
I don't know what all this says about me, but I like to think it's my wish to make the world a more beautiful place.
So, let's see, that would make me the Wishful of a Wonderful World, Willing to Wince, Weary of Walking Weed Whacker.
Whaddya think? : )
Dawn
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Weed? I think not!
Remember a while back I asked if ya'll thought something in my wildflower bed was a weed? Well, I'm happy to report that, upon close examination, those very tall -- some are five feet now -- plants are sprouting tiny clusters of flowers. It's still too early to tell what kind of flowers they are going to be, and yes, I do know that weeds can have flowers too, but I'm thinking positive and holding out for beautiful results.
I tried to get a picture of one close-up, but I couldn't get focused because the darn wind was whipping the plants this way and that.
If you look real close at the blur, you can see there are some buds.
So I'll either wait until they are in full bloom, or until we have a less windy day, whichever comes first. (Hey, we have had a few calm days now and again. It could happen!)
Many thanks to ND Garden Girl for encouraging me NOT to pull them.
Happy flowering!
Dawn
I tried to get a picture of one close-up, but I couldn't get focused because the darn wind was whipping the plants this way and that.
If you look real close at the blur, you can see there are some buds.
So I'll either wait until they are in full bloom, or until we have a less windy day, whichever comes first. (Hey, we have had a few calm days now and again. It could happen!)
Many thanks to ND Garden Girl for encouraging me NOT to pull them.
Happy flowering!
Dawn
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The national debt
I just watched a video that explained through a "to the moon and back" graphic just how much our federal deficit equates to right now. It used dollar bills stacked one upon the next. Now, we're not talking end to end. We're talking stacked upon one another. And it is absolutely astounding and scary.
Our national debt in dollar bills would stack all the way to the moon, back and to the moon again. Over $11 trillion. The average distance to the moon is (from the center of the Earth) 238,857 miles. Of course, because the moon travels in an ellipse, that distance varies, but I'm guessing the folks that put this video together used the average distance. If you are more into how long something takes than mileage, consider that it took the Apollo 11 astronauts about three days to get to the moon.
The video went on to note that my share of the debt (and yours too, by the way) is about $37,000. I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to write a check for that amount to the federal government.
All this because we've become a nation who expects to be entitled to all kinds of stuff and not have to pay for it.
Phooey. I don't even like to carry over a balance on my credit card. This is not sitting well with me.
How 'bout you?
Happy back-to-responsible-living!
Dawn
Our national debt in dollar bills would stack all the way to the moon, back and to the moon again. Over $11 trillion. The average distance to the moon is (from the center of the Earth) 238,857 miles. Of course, because the moon travels in an ellipse, that distance varies, but I'm guessing the folks that put this video together used the average distance. If you are more into how long something takes than mileage, consider that it took the Apollo 11 astronauts about three days to get to the moon.
The video went on to note that my share of the debt (and yours too, by the way) is about $37,000. I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to write a check for that amount to the federal government.
All this because we've become a nation who expects to be entitled to all kinds of stuff and not have to pay for it.
Phooey. I don't even like to carry over a balance on my credit card. This is not sitting well with me.
How 'bout you?
Happy back-to-responsible-living!
Dawn
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Business tip
I'm not one to give a lot of business tips. I mean, I don't own my own business. I can't tell a 401 K from a K-car (Okay, it's not quite THAT bad, but let's just leave it at, "Not quite businessly astute.")
So you know when I give you a business-related tip, it's gonna be one that is simple, straightforward, and a sure-fire way to save a few bucks.
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
Okay, here's my tip: When the speaker on your phone goes haywire and makes a funny buzzing sound, and you can't hear people talking to you, but they can hear you talking, hang up. Unplug the phone. Wait for 10 to 15 seconds. Plug it in again. Dial and press buttons normally.
Problem solved.
No more not being able to hear. No more funky scratchy buzzy ringing sounds.
Yep, that's my tip. I told you it would be simple and straightforward. And maybe, just maybe, I have saved you from an expensive service call, although I guess if you try to look at it from a positive standpoint, I provided a local business with some business, so I'm helping our economy.
Yeah, I'm not buying it much, either.
So, let's paint that unplugging concept with a mightier brush. (Another metaphor just waiting to be metaphorized!)
Unplugging once in awhile is good advice for a lot of situations. Unplugging from your computer. Unplugging from your work. Unplugging from stuff that stresses you out. Just like the circuitry in my phone reset itself, unplugging gives you an opportunity to reset yourself.
You never know. It might just give you a better perspective on things.
Happy unplugging!
Dawn
So you know when I give you a business-related tip, it's gonna be one that is simple, straightforward, and a sure-fire way to save a few bucks.
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
Okay, here's my tip: When the speaker on your phone goes haywire and makes a funny buzzing sound, and you can't hear people talking to you, but they can hear you talking, hang up. Unplug the phone. Wait for 10 to 15 seconds. Plug it in again. Dial and press buttons normally.
Problem solved.
No more not being able to hear. No more funky scratchy buzzy ringing sounds.
Yep, that's my tip. I told you it would be simple and straightforward. And maybe, just maybe, I have saved you from an expensive service call, although I guess if you try to look at it from a positive standpoint, I provided a local business with some business, so I'm helping our economy.
Yeah, I'm not buying it much, either.
So, let's paint that unplugging concept with a mightier brush. (Another metaphor just waiting to be metaphorized!)
Unplugging once in awhile is good advice for a lot of situations. Unplugging from your computer. Unplugging from your work. Unplugging from stuff that stresses you out. Just like the circuitry in my phone reset itself, unplugging gives you an opportunity to reset yourself.
You never know. It might just give you a better perspective on things.
Happy unplugging!
Dawn
Monday, July 13, 2009
Weeding the food
When it comes to weeding the food or weeding the flowers, it appears my son will work much harder on the food.
This past weekend, his help weeding my flower beds -- okay there are A LOT of them -- was half-hearted, at best. But when it came to weeding our little garden, his dedication was pretty impressive. Even when I had to run, not once, but twice, on daughter-related errands, he stuck it out.
By the time I got back to help him, he was almost done and our little garden of corn, radishes, lettuce, carrots and pumpkins was looking pretty impressive, even though a large part of our "produce" hasn't really come up. I think some of it washed away in a heavy rain that we had three or four days after we planted. My evidence? One lone carrot plant sandwiched within the lettuce row.
As we were pulling out the last of the weeds, I commented to him about how much more dedicated he seemed to be in weeding the garden as opposed to the flowers. He said matter of factly, "Mom, it's food!"
Leads me to believe that I have a budding farmer on my hands. He even said at one point, "Maybe I should be a farmer."
Maybe he should.
Happy farming!
Dawn
This past weekend, his help weeding my flower beds -- okay there are A LOT of them -- was half-hearted, at best. But when it came to weeding our little garden, his dedication was pretty impressive. Even when I had to run, not once, but twice, on daughter-related errands, he stuck it out.
By the time I got back to help him, he was almost done and our little garden of corn, radishes, lettuce, carrots and pumpkins was looking pretty impressive, even though a large part of our "produce" hasn't really come up. I think some of it washed away in a heavy rain that we had three or four days after we planted. My evidence? One lone carrot plant sandwiched within the lettuce row.
As we were pulling out the last of the weeds, I commented to him about how much more dedicated he seemed to be in weeding the garden as opposed to the flowers. He said matter of factly, "Mom, it's food!"
Leads me to believe that I have a budding farmer on my hands. He even said at one point, "Maybe I should be a farmer."
Maybe he should.
Happy farming!
Dawn
Friday, July 10, 2009
When the power goes out
It's amazing just how little I can do at work when the power goes out, even for a short time. Yesterday afternoon, as I was trying to get out an electronic version of a county publicity newsletter, the power went off. It was probably off for only a second, but it was long enough to shut down my computer and the server. And it wasn't once, but three times.
Now, this would not be such a bad thing if it didn't take ten minutes to reboot everything. Ten whole minutes, people! And THEN, about the time I got back to the newsletter, the power would flicker again. Needless to say, when it happened a fourth time, I threw up my hands in disgust and decided to call it a day.
That was yesterday. Today, I'm feeling a little silly about my reaction. Why? Because it got me to thinking about just how much we take for granted and how much we expect on a daily basis.
We expect the lights to come on when we flick the switch. And we expect it to stay on, until we flick it off. We expect water to come out of the faucet. We expect to have gas when we need it, heat when we need it and we even expect to have abundant choices at the grocery store.
I'm wondering, though, if we are expecting too much and not being grateful enough for what we have. When is enough, enough? When do we start to say, "Wow! I'm grateful I live in the most prosperous, successful country in the world, instead of complaining about what we don't have?"
When do the expectations override the personal responsibility?
Just food for thought for the next time the power goes out.
Happy gratefulness!
Dawn
Now, this would not be such a bad thing if it didn't take ten minutes to reboot everything. Ten whole minutes, people! And THEN, about the time I got back to the newsletter, the power would flicker again. Needless to say, when it happened a fourth time, I threw up my hands in disgust and decided to call it a day.
That was yesterday. Today, I'm feeling a little silly about my reaction. Why? Because it got me to thinking about just how much we take for granted and how much we expect on a daily basis.
We expect the lights to come on when we flick the switch. And we expect it to stay on, until we flick it off. We expect water to come out of the faucet. We expect to have gas when we need it, heat when we need it and we even expect to have abundant choices at the grocery store.
I'm wondering, though, if we are expecting too much and not being grateful enough for what we have. When is enough, enough? When do we start to say, "Wow! I'm grateful I live in the most prosperous, successful country in the world, instead of complaining about what we don't have?"
When do the expectations override the personal responsibility?
Just food for thought for the next time the power goes out.
Happy gratefulness!
Dawn
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Rural internet services
I received a bulletin today about economic stimulus funds being used to provide grants for increased broadband services in rural areas.
According to the bulletin: "A total $4.04 billion dollars will be allocated under the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), including $2.4 billion for RUS Broadband Infrastructure Program and $1.2 billion for the NTIA Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program. The deadline for grant applications is August 14 with award announcements expected September 15-November 7, depending on the grant program. State officials will be consulted as part of the process to help insure that funds are allocated consistent with local priorities."
That got me to thinking....what is the situation in North Dakota? How many areas are underserved? Just yesterday, a co-worker told me that, three miles out of a medium-sized North Dakota city, they could only get dial-up.
The bulletin also suggested those who are in underserved areas contact our state's USDA State Rural Development Director. So I figured I'd pass along that link, just in case you are in an underserved area and would like to see a change.
Happy high-speed surfing!
Dawn
According to the bulletin: "A total $4.04 billion dollars will be allocated under the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), including $2.4 billion for RUS Broadband Infrastructure Program and $1.2 billion for the NTIA Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program. The deadline for grant applications is August 14 with award announcements expected September 15-November 7, depending on the grant program. State officials will be consulted as part of the process to help insure that funds are allocated consistent with local priorities."
That got me to thinking....what is the situation in North Dakota? How many areas are underserved? Just yesterday, a co-worker told me that, three miles out of a medium-sized North Dakota city, they could only get dial-up.
The bulletin also suggested those who are in underserved areas contact our state's USDA State Rural Development Director. So I figured I'd pass along that link, just in case you are in an underserved area and would like to see a change.
Happy high-speed surfing!
Dawn
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Cause and effect
What really brings a smile to a child's face? If they happen to love smoke bombs and other 4th of July fireworks, your husband lighting a smoke bomb in the culvert, your son blowing into the culvert (who KNEW that kid had so much extra air in him?) will illicit delighted giggles from your daughter as the orange smoke exits the other side of the culvert.
See for yourself....
Lighting "the bomb."
The big smile at the other end of the culvert.
As we celebrate Independence Day with friends, food and fireworks, please take a moment to say thank you to those who had the vision and fortitude to make this country a shining example of unparalleled progress and freedom.
Happy Independence Day!
Dawn
See for yourself....
Lighting "the bomb."
The big smile at the other end of the culvert.
As we celebrate Independence Day with friends, food and fireworks, please take a moment to say thank you to those who had the vision and fortitude to make this country a shining example of unparalleled progress and freedom.
Happy Independence Day!
Dawn
Friday, July 3, 2009
The lawn tonic
Have you heard about the lawn tonic that is supposed to make your lawn green and lush and stuff?
The idea is, by mixing a bunch of common household items, you can get your lawn looking tip-top in no time.
And I quote from the KVBC TV online article we got our information from:
"Each ingredient does something different, it feeds the lawn, penetrates the roots and promotes growth, and even kills bugs and grubs."
It has been almost a week since we applied the concoction, which by the way required a six-pack of pop and a six-pack of beer, among other things, for our jumbo-sized lawn. I don't see a difference, but we haven't had any rain all week either, so maybe if we HADN'T applied the concoction, we would've had a browner lawn.
Here's the recipe:
One can of soda - not diet
One can of beer - not light
1/2 cup liquid dishwashing soap (don't use anti-bacterial soap!)
1/2 cup mouthwash
1/2 cup household ammonia
Mixed in a 10 gallon hose end sprayer
Mow lawn in evening then make application
Anyone else tried this? If so, did it work for you?
Happy green lawns!
Dawn
The idea is, by mixing a bunch of common household items, you can get your lawn looking tip-top in no time.
And I quote from the KVBC TV online article we got our information from:
"Each ingredient does something different, it feeds the lawn, penetrates the roots and promotes growth, and even kills bugs and grubs."
It has been almost a week since we applied the concoction, which by the way required a six-pack of pop and a six-pack of beer, among other things, for our jumbo-sized lawn. I don't see a difference, but we haven't had any rain all week either, so maybe if we HADN'T applied the concoction, we would've had a browner lawn.
Here's the recipe:
One can of soda - not diet
One can of beer - not light
1/2 cup liquid dishwashing soap (don't use anti-bacterial soap!)
1/2 cup mouthwash
1/2 cup household ammonia
Mixed in a 10 gallon hose end sprayer
Mow lawn in evening then make application
Anyone else tried this? If so, did it work for you?
Happy green lawns!
Dawn
Thursday, July 2, 2009
We've fallen behind, and we aren't catching up
At least that seems to be the case when it comes to agriculture online.
I just listened to an online report from American Farm Bureau, and the individual interviewed, Randy Krotz, Senior Vice President of vFluence Interactive, said that people are looking at the Internet as their key source of information. This is not particularly great news for agriculture right now.
"More people go online than listen to the radio and read newspapers and magazines combined," he says. "It's a trusted source, because people perceive, right or wrong, that they can separate the wheat from the chaff, and that they can tell what's accurate and what's not."
That all sounds great. But what he says next is what is frustratingly problematic. "Maybe we can, but when the content is all one-sided, that's going to drive your opinion."
And unfortunately, the one side being presented is not agriculture's.
Case in point: Remember the food versus fuel debate and ethanol? Krotz says you had to go back to page four -- "and nobody goes to page four in Google or Yahoo," -- to find content that even began to balance the discussion.
The solution, Krotz says, is having online content from organizations and policy makers that represent the other side of the discussion.
We can even go further. Individuals involved in farming and ranching need to write blogs, post tweets and participate in social networks and online forums. Debunk the myths. Tip the discussion. And don't be afraid to use words like animal rights or factory farm in your comments, because those are key words people are searching for. They aren't -- unless they are already on your side -- searching for animal welfare.
We've fallen behind, but I think we can catch up.
Happy catching up!
Dawn
I just listened to an online report from American Farm Bureau, and the individual interviewed, Randy Krotz, Senior Vice President of vFluence Interactive, said that people are looking at the Internet as their key source of information. This is not particularly great news for agriculture right now.
"More people go online than listen to the radio and read newspapers and magazines combined," he says. "It's a trusted source, because people perceive, right or wrong, that they can separate the wheat from the chaff, and that they can tell what's accurate and what's not."
That all sounds great. But what he says next is what is frustratingly problematic. "Maybe we can, but when the content is all one-sided, that's going to drive your opinion."
And unfortunately, the one side being presented is not agriculture's.
Case in point: Remember the food versus fuel debate and ethanol? Krotz says you had to go back to page four -- "and nobody goes to page four in Google or Yahoo," -- to find content that even began to balance the discussion.
The solution, Krotz says, is having online content from organizations and policy makers that represent the other side of the discussion.
We can even go further. Individuals involved in farming and ranching need to write blogs, post tweets and participate in social networks and online forums. Debunk the myths. Tip the discussion. And don't be afraid to use words like animal rights or factory farm in your comments, because those are key words people are searching for. They aren't -- unless they are already on your side -- searching for animal welfare.
We've fallen behind, but I think we can catch up.
Happy catching up!
Dawn
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A virtual farm tour
My son and I visited a farm last week to do a video about bison and horses. The interviewees, Megan and Krista, were great. I hope they had as much fun explaining what they do as we had learning about their farm. Here's the video...
Red sky at night...
Ever heard that saying, "Red sky at morning, sailor's warning. Red sky at night, sailor's delight."? (And is that the proper punctuation when you are asking a question about a quote?)
Here are a couple of links explaining the saying, first from The Old Farmer's Almanac:
http://www.almanac.com/question/oneanswer.php?questionnumber=12223
And from the Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/weather-sailor.html
I thought the sky was particularly delightful last night, so I took a picture. My photo really doesn't do it justice, because I'm really kind of a point and shoot kind of picture-taker, but I think it's still pretty nice, nonetheless. The photo was taken from our front porch.
Here are a couple of links explaining the saying, first from The Old Farmer's Almanac:
http://www.almanac.com/question/oneanswer.php?questionnumber=12223
And from the Library of Congress:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/weather-sailor.html
I thought the sky was particularly delightful last night, so I took a picture. My photo really doesn't do it justice, because I'm really kind of a point and shoot kind of picture-taker, but I think it's still pretty nice, nonetheless. The photo was taken from our front porch.
A closer look
Here is a closer look at the green-leafy things growing in my wildflower bed. There is quite a bunch of them. They are tall and liatris-like, but have no visible buds, or even a suggestion of a flower anywhere. And I just assumed a wildflower would have a "flower" on it. Wouldn't it?
(Click on the picture for a closer, closer view)
If it's a weed, I'm going to have some substantial "holes" in the bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)