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Good evening blogger friends! The last day of May ... can you believe it? One more month & we will be half-way thorough the year!
John & I did some more work out in the yard this morning. We got an early start to avoid the 93-degree temperatures, but as soon as we walked out the door at about 8 a.m. we thought perhaps our clocks had stopped for a few hours during the night! It was so miserably hot & humid already at that early hour with no breeze whatsoever : ( Still, the work had to be done. We gave everything a good watering & then John, sweetie that he is, finished taking the sod out of the butterfly garden & turned it over. Now it's all ready for me to add the topsoil & organic matter! Another trip to Lowes tomorrow ... lol! While he was doing all that digging, I was re-weeding the 2 beds I had cleaned up a couple weeks ago. Oh how I hate weeds! I have the long bed behind the house to re-weed yet. Maybe tomorrow if it doesn't rain. 50% chance of storms tomorrow & the next day. We shall see. Here's the progress on the butterfly garden thus far ...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A Bit of This, A Bit of That
Good evening blogger friends! The last day of May ... can you believe it? One more month & we will be half-way thorough the year!
Posted by Shirlee at 8:58 PM 2 comments
Monday, May 30, 2011
Happy Memorial Day!
Happy Memorial Day to all my blogging friends! I remember the excitement of Memorial Day when I was a child. Our little town would have a parade & a little ceremony to remember the local veterans who gave their lives for our country. I don't think that happens much anymore. So many people now-a-days view the deaths of these brave men & women as "nothing." It's really a shame.
Well, it's good to be back even though I only last posted on Saturday morning. I had some computer issues which were finally resolved this morning, hallelujah : ) I will have to play catch-up with the blogs I follow to see what everyone has been up to.
Over the past 2 days my husband & I planted 6 trees, 3 bushes, & we replanted the 5 large Japanese variegated willow bushes into larger pots awaiting the landscapers to come work on our foundation area. Once again the central Kentucky tradesmen are a mystery to me. Those 3 contractors who said they'd come to give us an estimate for paving our driveway never showed up & never called to say they weren't coming. Two weeks ago when I talked with the landscaping company, the boss told me that he'd call me "at the beginning of the week" to schedule a time to do the work. I assumed that would've been the beginning of the following week, which was last week, but I guess I should have said "the beginning of what week exactly?" Sigh! If I don't hear from him by Wednesday I guess I'll have to give them a call.
Also yesterday I planned out my new garden & John dug it up to loosen the sod. I am now in the process of removing the sod, then I'll need to get some good soil & organic matter in there & then I can start planting! Here is a photo of the view from a bit beyond the back porch of where the garden will be ...
I am making this a butterfly garden & I'm really excited about it! I've been buying some plants which are indicated as plants that butterflies love : ) This is rather slow going though because our temps have been in the low 90s! It is way too early in the year for such hot weather. I hope this is just a fluke thing & not a premonition of what the summer is going to bring! We can only work outside in the mornings ... it's just way too hot after that.
I had mentioned on Saturday morning that I was going to pick a pattern & start in on some crafting but that didn't work out because of the computer issues. Maybe today : )
Once again I hope you are all having a great Memorial Day! Do remember to thank God for those brave men & women who gave their lives so that we could enjoy the freedoms we have today.
Posted by Shirlee at 8:47 AM 3 comments
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday Morning
Good morning! Just finished making a pot of tea ... Hot Cinnamon Sunset again. Doesn't it seem "odd" that I have a "sunset" tea every morning??? Lol! It just ended up being my morning tea & I hope you will join me in a cup : )
I really hadn't intended on posting anything today. Thought I'd give us all a rest ... lol! But when I came out to the kitchen & looked out the back door, this is what caught my eye ...
Posted by Shirlee at 8:10 AM 1 comments
Friday, May 27, 2011
Too Many Interests!
It dawned on me yesterday ... or maybe it was the day before ... that it is almost June & the fall/winter craft show season will be here before we know it! My friend & I used to work a lot of craft shows "back in the day" when I lived in North Dakota & I enjoyed it immensely! However, after leaving there I ended up moving to places where craft shows didn't seem to exist or they just weren't profitable. I have toyed with the idea of signing on with Etsy or another craft selling site ... maybe even making my own website for sales ... but thus far my motivation has been lacking for a number of reasons. Recently I seem to have been bitten by the motivation bug (maybe it has something to do with losing some weight?) & I am actually quite anxious to get started crafting again! Unfortunately I also have about a billion other things to do (okay ... maybe only a million) so as excited as I am about this, I'm also thinking "Shirlee ... are you out of your mind?!?!?"
Last night I learned that one of my very favorite people in the crafting business, Trudy Honeycutt (owner of Crows in the Attic Primitives), sells patterns! I've started paging through her patterns ... & others ... at Patternmart & I keep finding more & more wonderful things that I want to make!
I am one of those people who are "cursed" with a lot of interests. I enjoy making dolls & ornaments & such. I enjoy quilting. I make wax tarts & other wax items. I knit. I braid rugs. I paint. I own & know how to use a scroll saw. I make signs. I'm using the present tense here but I actually haven't done any of these things for months or more for a variety of reasons ... but they are among my favorite things to do! I like to garden. I like to read. I like to travel. I like to learn things ... currently German & gemology. In the past I did counted cross stitch, crocheting, rug hooking, glass bead making, jewelry making, bobbin lace making, tatting (actually taught tatting for a while), & other things I'm sure. I've often wished that I could stick with "just one thing" & get really good at that ... but then I'd miss out on all this other stuff ... lol!
Then of course I've got my collections ... lots of different primitive things for the most part. Old school readers & Honey Bunch books, sifters, cream & green enamelware, mixing bowls, crocks, jugs, chairs, spice bottles & packages, medicine bottles & packages, kitchen items, laundry soap boxes (unopened), wooden advertising boxes, & brooms ... just off the top of my head : ) I'm sure there are several others. Maybe I ought to read that Amish book of mine a few more times where it talks about not having anything that you don't use : ) I don't collect things just to see how many of something I can get. Whatever I bring home has to "speak" to me.
It was so nice visiting with you today! Do you have any special plans for the holiday weekend? Nothing special planned here at the farmhouse although the weatherman is predicting 5 straight days without rain so I'm pretty sure all these flowers & bushes & trees we've been accumulating recently are going to get planted. I hope you will have a wonderful weekend spent with family & friends or just enjoying the peace & quiet of your home : )
Posted by Shirlee at 1:13 PM 4 comments
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Guten Morgen!
Yes, I have started my German language course : ) Thus far it is going well although my voice box isn't used to making some of these sounds ... lol! I have already learned the names of some things, some colors, & how to ask a couple questions & give a couple answers. This is fun!
As I posted yesterday, it was predicted that we would have an un-rainy day. John & I both had this "accomplishment thing" going on & we were looking forward to planting some of the trees & bushes we bought in the past week or two. First things first though ... we had to make a trip to Walmart to pick up a few necessities. While we were there, John tells me that we probably need to pick up some "dirt." "Dirt," to me, is topsoil. I knew that our Walmarts here do not sell topsoil. I told him we'd have to go to Lowes for that. Lowes is at the very end of our nearest town, & the Walmart we went to is in another town in the opposite direction. He decided he didn't want to do all that driving so we'd just work with what we had. I knew that we had several bags of topsoil in the garage so it didn't strike me as odd that he wanted more because we had a lot to plant. I figured we had enough to plant most of the trees & bushes we had bought. Well, we get home & we put on our working clothes & we head outside & he looks & says "We're not going to get much planted with this 1 bag of dirt!" When he said "dirt," he was referring to Miracle-Gro. As I said up above, my thoughts are that "dirt" is topsoil. Miracle-Gro is Miracle-Gro. A rather "lively discussion" ensued & we began planting. We got 4 things planted ... a Knock Out rose bush, an old-fashioned snowball bush, a green smoke tree, & an Eastern Redbud ... before the Miracle-Gro ran out. John will not plant anything without adding some Miracle-Gro to the planting area. Our soil is very clay-like & it's difficult to dig in the best of times. We usually throw the clay-like stuff away & replace it with a mix of bagged topsoil & Miracle-Gro. Anyway, by this time, after working in the 86-degree temperature, we were both dirty & sweaty & we really didn't want to get cleaned up to drive all the way to Lowes to buy more Miracle-Gro so we ended the day's planting. At least we accomplished something! Sadly, we had some storms last night & today we are under a severe weather alert so nothing will be accomplished today ... but the weekend is supposed to be rain-free so hooray! Looks like a busy weekend ahead of us : )
I also posted yesterday that I'm still awaiting delivery of my treadmill, but UPS did come visit to deliver the treadmill mat. Perhaps this will be a good day to go upstairs to clear out a space & put down the mat ... then everything will be ready when the treadmill arrives so I can get it assembled & up & running right away. Here at the farmhouse I am in charge of assembling things, attaching things, & taking things apart & putting them back together because I have a "knack" for that ... but it drives me crazy sometimes ... lol!
Right now I am sitting here looking out the diningroom window. My laptop sits on our dining table. I told you that we haven't really "moved in" yet : )
Posted by Shirlee at 9:25 AM 1 comments
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Surprise Giveaway!!!
Posted by Shirlee at 9:17 AM 6 comments
Weight Loss Update
Good morning! I hope you are doing well! I've just made a fresh pot of Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea so please help yourself a cup & join me out on the front porch for a little visit before we both have to start our work for today : )
Can you hear all those animal sounds? They are coming from our neighbor across the street & just down a little ways ... there behind that row of trees.
Since I mentioned movies, it occurred to me to tell you about a WONDERFUL movie ... one of my favorites ... that I think is very entertaining. It's an old black & white film called The Egg & I starring Fred MacMurray & Claudette Colbert. They move to the country to raise chickens. All the neighbors are very friendly & stop by to welcome them & help them out when needed. This movie marks the first appearance of Ma & Pa Kettle. I've always loved them & I especially enjoy seeing them in this movie. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it : )
As you know, I have embarked on a weight loss program under the care of my doctor. I wasn't going to bore you with my weight loss journey here on this blog but I received several comments saying that my journey would be of interest ... therefore I will share : ) I won't go into all the details but just give a brief update every Wednesday. Today marks the completion of my first week & I must say that it went very well. My treadmill hasn't arrived yet so I haven't been doing the walking that my doctor wants me to do but I've been getting a bit of exercise doing yard work (when it hasn't been raining) & working here in the house which is a LOT more activity than usual. I'm eating lean meats, fresh fruits & vegetables, & drinking 80 ounces of water per day. There are very few meats, fruits, & veges I can choose from but I'm not minding it at all. I feel so much better! I definitely have more energy, I'm breathing a bit better, & all in all I just FEEL better! I have a long road ahead of me (I need to lose 80 pounds) but I will see the end of that road one step at a time : ) As of today I have lost 12-1/2 pounds! I know that during the first week of a weight loss program ... especially when you are as overweight as I am ... you lose quite a bit of weight at first & a lot of that is water weight. I don't expect to lose 12-1/2 pounds every week (although it sure would be nice if I could) but I'm off to a good start : )
It's been so nice visiting with you! Are you sure you don't want another cup of tea? Yes, I have to get on with my work too : ) Since it appears like it's going to be an un-rainy day, John & I will need to get out in the yard & plant at least a few of those trees we've bought recently! I hope you have a very good day! Do stop by again : )
Posted by Shirlee at 9:07 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Where Does the Time Go ... & Why Is There So Much to Do???
How did it get to be Tuesday already?!?!? I know it's been busy here at the farmhouse but honestly! Tuesday! I mentioned to John yesterday that it's almost June! The time seems to be literally flying by! Do you remember when you were little ... it seemed to take "forever" for your birthday to come around, or Christmas, or summer vacation. Not anymore ... lol!
Added to the time passing so quickly, it seems that life is busier than it has ever been ... & it seems it keeps getting busier! I remember when our children were little. We didn't have a car back then & some people were kind enough to drive us to church each Sunday. Naturally I was kept very busy with 2 little children to take care of & I said something to these people one day about how I was looking forward to when the kids would be a little older & there wouldn't be so much to do. They both got a good laugh out of that & one of them said something like how there's always going to be more & more to do. I didn't believe that at the time. I believe it now! I'm not talking about things like overcommiting yourself by volunteering to head up too many committees or not being able to say "no" when someone asks you to do something. I'm just talking about everyday life. John retired 3 years ago & I retired along with him. You would assume that when you retired you would have all this free time on your hands, but that isn't the case at all ... lol!
I did finish the mowing last Saturday but we haven't been able to do any planting since then. Although it hasn't been raining during the day, we are having heavy downpours in the evening hours which make it impossible to dig the next day. Yesterday we actually had to go out & repot 3 of the variegated Japanese willow bushes we bought last week. They had grown too big for their pots & some of the branches were starting to dry up & die although we kept them well watered. Luckily we had larger pots left over from previous purchases. We moved them into those pots, trimmed off the dead/dying branches, & they look very happy now : ) We asked some landscapers to come here to dig out a planting area around the front of our foundation ... way too difficult a task for us old fogies ... & I sure hope they call & tell us they're coming soon. There's no way we can repot these willows again.
Thanks for visiting this morning! It's always nice to have you stop by for a cup of tea & a little chat : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:26 AM 0 comments
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Whatever Happened to "Good" Produce?
Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your Sunday! John & I had hoped to get outside to do some planting but the rain poured down last night so that put an end to that : ( Instead I decided to sort of rearrange our gathering room. John helped. I must say that I'm not all that thrilled with the results. When we moved here we tried putting the furniture every which way & there only seemed to be one place to put the sofa. Lately I've been feeling like I need a little variety in the house so what we did today is we took the TV & VCR off the coffee table (we had been using the coffee table as a media cabinet), moved the coffee table in front of the sofa, & then moved a buffet-type cabinet from the third & only other wall in the gathering room & put the TV & VCR on that against the wall opposite the sofa. Well, actually we put the TV on there. The VCR wouldn't fit so John suggested we take an end table, clear it off, & put that alongside the buffet to hold the VCR. As I said, I'm not all that thrilled with it but it's done & it will stay this way ... at least for now. Guess I'll have to be on the search for a primitive looking media cabinet again. Never could find one when we moved in. Maybe I'll have better luck now : )
As you know, I have started a weight loss program. Of course I'm allowed various fruits & vegetables to eat & that's good ... I like fruits & vegetables : ) I had to make a quick trip to the market this morning to pick up some celery & lettuce. Here is where I ask the question "Whatever happened to 'good' produce?" When I was growing up, I don't ever remember going to the market with my mother & her standing there picking up apple after apple after apple ... or lettuce head after lettuce head after lettuce head ... looking for a "good" one, but it seems I have to do this every time I go to the market! I'll buy a bag of potatoes, start cutting them for dinner & usually find a few that are rotting inside. When I was little, I used to grab a potato from the bin, ask my mother to pare it for me, & then sit with the raw potato & a salt shaker & eat the whole potato! Never, ever worried about biting into a rotting area. There never was one! If mom wanted apples or oranges or celery or whatever, she'd go to the produce section of the market, grab whatever she needed, & head off to another aisle. The other day I needed lettuce & I went to one of our local markets. They had a huge display of lettuce but I walked out of the store without buying any. Each head was turning brown. I went to a different market this morning for my celery & lettuce. They had only a few heads of lettuce, & after looking at each & every one I did find one that looks like it will be okay. The celery was, as usual, in a plastic bag with advertising on it. It's hard to tell what the celery looks like behind that advertising. Again I looked through all they had & picked out 2 bunches that looked like they'd be okay. When I made my lunch I got one of the bunches of celery & was dismayed to find it turning brown here & there. After cutting & removing all the browning pieces I was left with just a few stalks from the middle of the bunch that looked "good." However, when I started to eat it I found that it was very tough. I wonder if it's the pesticides they're using now-a-days, or ??? I just don't get it. I've had this same trouble in various states we've lived so I can't just attribute it to where we live now. Doe anyone else have a problem finding "good" produce?
I think I will go find something else to do here in the house. I might not be thrilled with how our gathering room looks right now but it also got a good cleaning along with the rearranging so that's a good thing : )
Posted by Shirlee at 2:26 PM 2 comments
Friday, May 20, 2011
Oh So Many Things to Tell!
Here I am, back this evening as promised ... & do I have a lot to share with you! You might want to get yourself a cup of tea before you start reading : )
First of all, John & I went back to the nursery/landscaping/gifts/antique place I told you about earlier today. Yesterday we had purchased 5 variegated Japanese willow bushes but couldn't fit them in the van with the other things we purchased so had to go back ... & here's a little side story concerning these bushes. As you can probably see by the photo of our farmhouse, we have a very tall & very "blah" foundation in front. I have been wanting to find something big to plant there ever since we moved in. Well, last week we went to a nursery & there was this huge bush that I fell in love with & I thought having a few of them along that blah foundation area would be perfect! I asked one of the workers what it was & she told me it was a variegated Japanese willow bush. They had small ones available ... maybe 12"-14" tall ... for $30 each. I wanted 5 of them but just couldn't bring myself to spend that much money on such small plants. I thought I'd try to find them online ... & I did! I found a mail-order nursery that had them, 18" bare root, for $15.00 each. I thought about ordering them but hesitated because the term "bare root" kind of worries me. I did sign up for that nursery's email offers though. A few days later I got an email advertising a big sale on selected items. You guessed it ... they had the variegated Japanese willow bushes half off ... $7.50! Once again I was tempted but once again hesitated because of the "bare root" thing. Then yesterday we went to that Lowes store out of town & lo & behold, they had them there ... small ones (maybe 16" or so), very scraggly, for $6.98. They were all piled together & difficult to get at so I decided not to bother with them figuring that if they have them this year, they'll probably have them next year. I also thought that maybe if I was lucky, the first nursery that had the nice-looking small ones for $30 might put them on sale at some point. Okay ... as you know, we stopped at the nursery off the beaten path yesterday on the way home from Lowes & what did they have but a bunch of these variegated Japanese willow bushes! They were all about 4' high & about 3' wide & they were $20.00!!!!! I couldn't pick out 5 fast enough ... lol! Anyway, we went to pick those up this morning & also ended up getting a maple tree to replace one that was planted last summer but died.
Here are a couple photos of the trees we've purchased recently along with the bushes. You can't really see much of anything since they are all piled together but I thought I'd share anyway : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:52 PM 4 comments
An Apology
Hi everyone! Just wanted to stop by early this morning to say I'm sorry for freaking out in yesterday's post about my chapter exams. I really wasn't whining or complaining ... just letting you all in on the absurdity of the testing practices at this school. I had posted about how I can't print out the test questions ... not by choosing to print them directly from the pages nor by copying & pasting them into Word ... & because the tests are timed, there is no way to write them down as I go along. Well, last night I was thinking about this while I was in the shower (a great think tank) & it occurred to me that as I'm taking my chapter exams I can be sitting here with a tape recorder & just dictate each question as I go along & then I can transcribe them! This way when I get that ridiculous screen after my completing a chapter exam telling me "You have 1 incorrect answer: #15," I will know what it is I didn't understand! Oh happy day! How I wish I had thought of this a year ago!!!
Today is going to be a busy day here at the farmhouse or at least out in the farmhouse yard! It's dry enough to start mowing again so I'll be doing that. We also have a lot to plant. We purchased several things a few days ago, then yesterday picked up 2 trees at Lowes (they have them for half price now ... you might want to check out your local Lowes if you are looking to buy some trees) & something called a Sweet Bush I think (of course I picked one of the plants without a card). This Lowes was in a nearby town & we had never bothered stopping there before. Now ... about a week ago we had to go to Louisville & we took the back way which passes right by this townn. The reason I'm mentioning this is that on the way there we passed a sign pointing up a side road advertising a nursery. I mentioned to John that we would need to stop by there one of these days to see what they've got. We did that yesterday on our way home from Lowes. You drive way back off the main highway & go up a hill & it's just beautiful up there! Beautiful scenery! Anyway, we got to the nursery & the sign indicated they were a nursery & landscaping business & ALSO a gift & antique shop! First off, they have a lot of really neat trees & bushes! We found several things we just HAD to bring home. However, the icing on the cake was the teeny-tiny antique section of the shop. Prims galore! I was checking them out while John was paying for our stuff when the owner, Sarah, asked me if I was interested in prims. I said "Oh yeah!" Well, it turns out that Sarah's husband has some health issues & they can't continue to live on the acreage they have now in that area. Sarah said she has collected prims & antiques for something like 40 years & she is planning to sell a lot of things because they will be moving to a smaller place where there isn't so much yard to deal with! It took a moment for me to be able to speak! I don't usually run into opportunities like this! I told her I'd probably be interested in some of the things she will be selling. She mentioned maybe having a yard sale this summer. I'm sorry to say that my brain was totally overloaded at this point & it didn't occur to me to say "I wouldn't mind seeing what you're going to be selling before then if you wouldn't mind?" Like RIGHT NOW ... lol! I kicked myself all the way home! Well, this morning we have to go back there. We bought 5 bushes that wouldn't fit in the van yesterday because we had it too full of other stuff (more about that tonight). I am going to give her my name & phone number & ask her if she would be interested in showing me the stuff she wants to sell before she has her yard sale! Keep your fingers crossed for me : )
Okay ... gotta get ready to go! I'll see you all again later!
Posted by Shirlee at 7:37 AM 2 comments
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Convoluted Logic
Here's a real head-scratcher for you. I mentioned in my first posting that I am studying gemology. It's an online course which is to be completed in 2 years after which I will move on to a jewelry appraisal course. I like jewelry & gems & thought it would be fun to learn about them. The courses are offered by a very reputable school headed by a very reputable instructor. I checked this all out ahead of time.
I love the course! I love learning all these things about gems & jewelry! Makes me wish I had thought to pursue this course of study when I was younger rather than waiting until it's almost time for Jesus to come get me. The only problem I have with the school is their exam process ... not the final exams but the chapter exams. The chapter exams are given every 2 or 3 or 4 chapters, they are timed, & they usually consist of 20 questions. One question appears on your screen, you answer it, & then you are taken to the next page to answer the next question ... & so on it goes until you reach the end. So far, so good. Well, at one point I was taking one of these chapter exams & immediately after completing it was informed that I had answered one of the questions incorrectly. Was I informed of what that question was or what the correct answer should have been? No. The only feedback I received was that I had answered Question #7 (or whatever the number was) incorrectly. I wrote to my instructor & asked him how I was supposed to know what I had answered incorrectly when I wasn't told the question. He said that if students were given the questions with the answers they should have chosen that they could then go back, retake the exam & get 100%. Here is where the logic starts to get convoluted. Some time later I was taking another chapter exam & after completing it & being given my grade, my computer screen turned white. I wrote to my instructor to ask him if he received my grade for that particular exam. He must have been feeling talkative that day because when he responded he told me that he never receives chapter exam grades, they are never recorded, they don't count toward your grade, & they are just given so you can see how well you are understanding the material. I wrote back & asked that if they are not recorded, why are students not informed of the questions they answered incorrectly so they can go back & see where they misunderstood something so they can then learn what they should have learned. I wasn't even asking that the school give us the correct answers along with the questions ... only the questions! I pointed out that when you are sitting in a classroom & you take an exam, you get your paper back with any incorrect answers marked wrong & then either the teacher will explain why you should've answered differently or you can review the subject material & see where you misunderstood.
Yesterday I took another chapter exam. I studied hard & felt comfortable that I knew all the material perfectly but much to my dismay I answered 2 questions incorrectly : ( They were questions #14 & #19 ... that's all I know. Once again I wrote to my instructor & asked how in the world I'm supposed to know where I went wrong ... what didn't I understand? I pointed out that he told me himself that the chapter exams are not recorded so therefore it wouldn't make any difference if someone took them over again anyway. I said that surely I am not the only student who has ever been frustrated with this setup. Today I received his response. He totally ignored the fact that he told me these exams are not recorded. Once again he told me that if students are given the answers they should have chosen that they could then go back, retake the exam & get 100%. (Once again I didn't ask for the answers, only for the questions.) He then said that since the school has been in existence, he only remembers 2 other students expressing their frustration with this process.
I know that this is a rather lengthy post on this one subject & I apologize for that ... but am I crazy? Does his reasoning make any sense to you? I know I'm "stuck" with this setup ... it's his school after all ... but it sure doesn't make sense to me.
Posted by Shirlee at 8:23 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Blackberry Winter
Posted by Shirlee at 11:48 AM 5 comments
Monday, May 16, 2011
Making Headway : )
Unfortunately I did not heed yesterday's posting yesterday although I hoped I would (didn't do much more than 2 loads of laundry & succumb to a 2-hour nap), but this morning ... ah, this morning I thought "I will accomplish at least one necessary thing today!" I stood at the kitchen counter looking hither & yon & decided to tackle cleaning off the dining table. Now to most of you this might not appear to be that great of an accomplishment. I really should've taken a before & after photo. For some reason my dining table is a catch-all for just about anything waiting to be mailed, filed, paid, looked at, responded to, etc. For those of you who are familiar with Fibber McGee's closet, it sort of looked like that closet door opened & everything fell onto my table. Well, I am proud to say that it is now clutter free : ) I even finished packing a flea market box that was sitting nearby & managed to do a bit of decluttering of the kitchen counter as well! Perhaps I'm on a roll ... lol!
It's another cool day here at the farmhouse with the promise of more rain in the forecast but that's okay ... I feel good. I've accomplished something : )
Posted by Shirlee at 12:47 PM 2 comments
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Amish Peace & the Mulberry Bush
It is rainy & rather cool here at the farmhouse this morning. The weatherman is predicting a temperature of 56 which is quite welcome after the few days of temps in the high 80s last week. Of course the rain means no gardening will be accomplished today. I remember reading a quote recently ... unfortunately I don't remember where I read it or who said it ... that went something like "God sends rainy days so gardeners can do their housework." I got a kick out of that : )
Yesterday was a rainy day but sadly I didn't accomplish any housework. I have so much to do in here that it overwhelms me at times. I will get up in the morning & think about all there is to do, wonder what I should do first, & before I know it the day has passed me by & nothing has been done. I've heard it said that you shouldn't focus on the "big picture" ... the many, many things that need to be taken care of. You should instead make a list of what needs to be done, pick something & concentrate on just that one thing, taking it one step at a time until it is finished & you can move on to something else. In the book Amish Peace (referred to in an earlier posting), it states that the Amish do not get up in the morning & wonder "What will I do today?" They already know what they are going to do. They have certain tasks they do each day. For example, Wednesday might be baking day. When the Amish woman wakes up on a Wednesday, she knows that she will be baking that day. And while she's baking, she is not obsessing about the floors she has to scrub on Thursday or the beans she has to can on Saturday. She is giving all of her attention to the task at hand. The Amish "enjoy the journey" to complete a task as much as they find pleasure in completing it.
I was thinking along these lines yesterday & was reminded of an old nursery rhyme song I used to sing when I was a little girl. It was called "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush." It went something like this ...
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush early in the morning.
This is the way we wash the clothes,
wash the clothes, wash the clothes.
This is the way we wash the clothes early Monday morning.
The song described a "task" for each day of the week ... ironing on Tuesdays, mending on Wednesdays, sweeping on Thursdays, cleaning the house on Fridays, baking bread on Saturdays, & going to church on Sundays. I wonder if life followed this type of pattern back in "the old days?" It would certainly make things a lot easier. I think this "modern age" is both a blessing & a curse. So much has been invented to help us do things more easily & quickly, but it seems there are more things to do!
Mother Goose & her nursery rhymes. I don't know anything about Mother Goose, nor do I know when she may have written her rhymes, but I wonder if she wasn't feeling a bit like Solomon when he wrote Ecclesiastes? Now there's a comparison I bet you don't see every day ... lol! One of Solomon's observations was that nothing in this life is really new; everything has been done before, everything has been said before, life is the same thing over & over. Have you ever thought that about your life? I'm wondering if when Mother Goose wrote "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush," she wasn't thinking "Here we go again. Wake up in the morning, brush my teeth, get dressed, do a little house cleaning, cook some meals, clean up after cooking them, take a bath, go to bed. Get up tomorrow & do the same thing." Maybe for her, going round & round in life was like going round & round a mulberry bush.
I think I will go try to heed my own posting & accomplish something. I'll let you know tomorrow if I succeed : )
Posted by Shirlee at 10:56 AM 2 comments
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Hello Again!
Happy Saturday morning everyone! After a few days of no rain the farmhouse is being showered upon this morning. I must admit I'm happy to see it raining again. It's very odd but after all the rain we had for weeks on end ...so much that I could hear squishing noises when I walked on the grass ... it dried up pretty quickly & I was actually needing to go out & water things each evening! I'm sure a few of the new plants we've put in are happy with this shower not to mention the ones waiting their turn for planting. I still haven't made up my mind where they are going to go yet & I actually ordered more yesterday from Gurney's website!
It's good to be able to post & read everyone's blogs again. I missed being able to do that while the Blogger site was down for maintenance or whatever it was they were doing. I do have a question for those of you who are blog savvy. I notice that when I visit some of your blogs, you have an area where it shows your favorite blogs & I can just click on a blog name & visit those as well! Some even include a sort of ... I don't know what to call it ... notification of the last time a post was made so that you will know if something new has been added recently. How can I put a list like this on my blog?
I've been thinking a lot lately about how God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) ... how He is there for us when others are not. It's probably not the best trait to have but I am one of those people whose feelings are hurt rather easily. The older I get, the better I am able to not let these hurt feelings get the best of me. Unfortunately there are still times when they do. One of the times they surface is when I take the time to write a long letter or email to a friend or family member & it is either (A) ignored totally or (B) the person writes back but does not comment on anything I wrote to them. Of course there are some things that you just don't comment on. If I were to mention that I made taco salad for dinner & had a lot of dishes to wash, I wouldn't expect the person to comment on my cooking or cleaning chores. However, if I write to someone & go on for a couple paragraphs about something that happened that made me upset, a new remodeling project I'm planning, etc ... if the person does not comment on any of that, it's like they can't possibly care less about what happened or what I am planning. Once I moved to another state & it turned out to be a real nightmare. I could tell you everything that made it a nightmare but this post would grow very long. Just imagine the worst place you've ever lived & multiply that by at least 50. Anyway, I wrote a 9-page letter (typed on 8.5 x 11 typing paper, single spaced) to my best friend in the town we had moved from telling her what we were dealing with. When I received her response, the first line was "Wow! I've never received a 9-page letter before!" ... & then she went on to tell me about what she was doing & never mentioned anything I told her. I never bothered to confide anything to her again. Recently this situation ... where I've taken the time to write to someone about something important to me & they haven't bothered to comment on what I wrote or to respond to it at all ... has happened 3 times & involved 2 friends & 1 family member. I started feeling very hurt about this but then God reminded me that people are always going to disappoint. It doesn't matter how much they love us, it doesn't matter if they are our sister or our best friend or our husband or our child, there are times they will hurt our feelings because they are people. However, God will never disappoint us. We can go to Him at any hour to tell Him what we are doing or what is bothering us & He will listen & He will care. We can go to His Word & search for answers that we are seeking & we will find them (Matt 7:7). If any of you have feelings which are hurt rather easily at times, this is a good thing to remember : )
Posted by Shirlee at 10:48 AM 1 comments
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A New Obsession
It appears that gardening is getting to be an obsession with me. Well, maybe the word "obsession" is a bit strong. I just know that gardening is something I've been thinking about quite a lot lately & gardening itself appears to be bringing me some contentment. I don't know why that is since gardening is a LOT of work ... lol! Maybe there's some sort of hidden key here though ... hard work equals contentment?
Phyllis McGinley, a poet & writer of children's books, said "The trouble with gardening is that is does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession." Maybe I didn't choose too strong a word : )
Posted by Shirlee at 5:49 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
My husband & I had fun running errands in Lexington today but all the running around coupled with the 84-degree temperature really did us in! We got back home around 2:30 & went to bed for 3 hours! You can tell we aren't used to being very active ... lol!
One of the places I visited while we were there was Whole Foods. It's a wonderful organic market. There used to be one near us when we lived in Virginia & I really enjoyed shopping there. I needed to pick up some oat bran to sprinkle in my shakes that I'll probably start having next week per the doctor's orders. In the meantime I also picked up some sesame flat bread (love that stuff), chocolate cookies, & a huge soft pretzel which is calling to me as I write this : ) I truly am looking forward to starting my weight loss program ... it will be nice to have an easier time buying clothes & wearing things in my closet that haven't fit me for years, not to mention having an easier time breathing & walking across a room! However, giving up all my comfort foods is going to be a bit difficult at first. I do know it all will be worth it in the end.
I was just out in the yard watering the gardens where new things have been planted recently & now my nose is running like crazy & my chest feels tight. Looks like allergy season has arrived! I don't know yet what tomorrow is going to bring but that's life, isn't it. The older I get, the more I'm learning that I need to live in the present. As Joyce Meyer often says, if we are always looking ahead to the future ... how wonderful things will be when ____________ (fill in the blank) ... then we are missing all the good things happening now!
Okay, pretzel time : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:09 PM 1 comments
Monday, May 9, 2011
Life After FarmVille
I admit it ... I used to be a FarmVille addict. For those of you not familiar with FarmVille, it is an internet game which can be a lot of fun to play & you can become friends with some very nice people from all over the world. It can also be very addictive, very annoying, & very expensive. After 19 months of playing, 9 days ago I decided I had enough & left the game ... & I've got a life again! I think I've gotten more things accomplished in the last 9 days than I've accomplished in the last 19 months! It's a good feeling : )
It took 3 days but I'm finished mowing our yard turned hay field. It was a difficult job but well worth the effort. Hopefully the grass will never get so out of hand again! Thus far I've gotten 4 flower beds weeded & cleaned up after winter's neglect. John & I purchased a few new trees & bushes this past weekend which we've planted along with some new flowering plants. I have 3 more flower beds to get in shape as well as the rose garden. We bought 2 new rose bushes today to replace 2 that went to that big rose garden in the sky. There is still a lot of work that needs done & everything is a long way from magazine quality, but it's all coming together little by little : )
I have a problem with depression. There are a lot of reasons I can cite for causing this sometimes but at other times it doesn't seem to be connected to anything ... I just "feel depressed." I've tried various medications over the years & have not had good results with any of them, but this isn't the point of my mentioning this depression thing. Like I said, sometimes for no apparent reason I just "feel depressed" & I will say to my husband "I'm depressed" or "I feel depressed today." Well, yesterday I was on the riding mower just mowing along when suddenly I thought "I feel happy." Almost knocked me off the mower! If you were to ask anyone who knows me what is the least likely thing they think I'd ever say, I'm sure "I feel happy" would be among the answers you'd get. It's like I don't know what to do with this ... lol! I'm very thankful for it though : )
Tomorrow we are going to Lexington to run some errands so that will cross a few more things off my to-do list. Isn't it funny though ... we get various things done but there's always other things to do that take their place. Such is life : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:56 PM 1 comments
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother's Day ... & More
Lots has been happening here the past couple of days. On Friday my husband surprised me by stopping at a used car lot & buying a van. This is one of the lots owned by the dealership that had been working on dad's van. It's a 2006 Dodge Caravan. It seems to run well, has a 2-year warranty on all the major stuff, & has just enough wear & tear on it that it still looks nice but we can haul bags of dirt & trees from the nursery & pieces of furniture & other things without worrying about "messing it up." They actually allowed us $1000 as a trade-in for dad's van & they waived the money we owed them for the work they had done on it & that was a real blessing! The hardest thing was having to go to the main lot to empty dad's van. When you open the doors it still smells just like it did when dad had it. I cried as I took out our personal things & said my goodbyes but I think dad would be pleased that it served us for as long as it did & that it helped us get a new van a little cheaper.
After making several attempts to contact that man who mowed our hay last year to ask if he would mow our overgrown yard, I gave up & went out to continue mowing myself. There was a 50% chance of rain & the clouds did toss out a few sprinkles a time or two while I was mowing but I prayed for God to please let the rain pass us by & it did : ) It took a long time making overlapping cuts but I managed to get the left side of the yard mowed. Today I will be going out to mow the right side which won't be as bad because it did get cut a month ago before the riding mower broke down. No rain in sight today ... hooray! I'd like to get the side & back mowed too but that might be stretching it a bit, especially since I also want to do some planting. Bought a few new plants recently & need to get them in the ground before it starts raining again : )
Last night I climbed into bed & within a couple minutes went into a-fib. I have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation which has been under control with medication for a long time (my last a-fib episode was 2-1/2 years ago). I couldn't understand why it was suddenly breaking through like this. After about half an hour I told my husband we needed to go to the emergency room. When we got there, they took me back immediately & hooked me up to all these monitors & did all these scans & asked me all these questions & I'm thinking "just make me better & let me go home." I did tell them that the last time this happened I had been injected with something that should have helped but didn't & I was then put into ICU & had to remain in the hospital for a couple days. Shortly thereafter the nurse came in & gave me an IV of amiodarone. Within 10 minutes my heart rate was coming down & within 30 minutes I was back to normal. They kept me for a little while longer to make sure I stayed that way & then released me. It was 2 a.m. Like I said, I couldn't understand why this had happened. I told the nurse that I had been taking my a-fib medication as directed & the last time I had taken a pill was that evening at about 8:30. Well, on Sunday mornings I always put my pills for the coming week into my pill minder box. I started doing this & realized that I had refilled a few prescriptions last week but had never taken them out of the bag when I returned from the pharmacy. I was busy with other things & figured I'd take care of them today. I did not remember that my a-fib medication only lasted me through Wednesday night. I had made a note on my old pill bottle to put more pills in the pill minder starting with Thursday but I totally forgot to do this! This means I had been without my a-fib medication for 3 days! No wonder I ended up in the emergency room! Thankfully I'm fine but I caused my poor husband so much worry : (
Posted by Shirlee at 10:18 AM 1 comments
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Mama Said There'd Be Days (Weeks) Like This
Sometimes it seems like someone scoops up trouble with one of those old-fashioned ice cream scoops & just throws it on our plates, doesn't it?
My trip to Knoxville was very nice yesterday although I was in the doctor's office much longer than I had anticipated ... 1-1/2 hours to be exact. Lucky me, I've got interstitial cystitis & my thyroid is dying (the thyroid thing is called Hashimoto's thyroiditis). I've also been having some fatigue issues & trouble breathing & she indicated losing weight (a lot of it) & exercising is a must. Added to all the other wonderful medical care I disperse to myself will now be vitamin B-12 shots 5 mornings per week, pills for the IC, a diet that a bird could barely exist on, & the purchase of a treadmill.
Our riding mower broke down a month ago while mowing the lawn for the first time this year & it has been in the shop until they brought it back to us today. It seems to be working fine but it's hard to tell because the grass is so tall. Because of all the rain we've been having, the lawn looks more like a wheat field. I thought I'd go ahead & attempt to cut half of it after the mower was delivered. After struggling to get through some areas where the grass is honestly as high as the top of the mower, my husband said to call the man who mowed our hay last fall to see if he would/could mow the grass. I've been trying to get in touch with him but thus far there has been no answer (he has no answering machine).
I also have sad news about our van. It just died one day last week (wouldn't start). We had it towed to the dealership & they thought they knew what the problem was but the part they thought was causing the problem is no longer made. The mechanic made several calls trying to find one without success. He thought that maybe if they took the bad one apart that they might be able to see where it had gone bad & fix it. They took it apart but couldn't find the problem. He said he'd make more calls to try to track down the part. He called this morning ... he still couldn't locate a part so they tried running a wire from the bad part to the starter relay which would mean I could start the van with a switch instead of a key. This should have worked but it didn't. This means there's another problem. What they now think happened is that the power drive train blew & shorted out this part. They can replace the power drive train for $1000 but this still might not fix the problem. Our only other choice is to junk the van. I'm a very emotional person & started crying on the phone telling him how we've put so much money into this van already, just bought 4 new ties, etc. I asked him how we would junk it. He said they could tow it back here & we could try to sell it for parts, or we could get in touch with a salvage yard to pick it up. Still crying I told him I had no idea how to find someone to call, etc. Poor guy ... he took pity on me & said he'd make some calls & get back to me. I'm upset about losing the van for many reasons, the main one being that this was my dad's van. He passed away 3 years ago next month & had always said he wanted me to have the van. It was like I had a little part of him with me & now that will be gone : (
I did get out to plant some flowers & do a bit of weeding today but I'm still rather bummed about all the above. Believe me, I am very thankful that the health problems I have can be fixed with medications, diet, & exercise ... & I am thankful that we have our mower back even if it's not up to the job of mowing wheat-like grass ... & I'm thankful for the 3 years I did get to enjoy the van. I know that I have many, many blessings, & I also know that we aren't supposed to focus on the temporary things of this earth, good or bad, but keep our eyes on the heavenly things before us. I am striving to do just that : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:06 PM 3 comments
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wednesday Morning Musings
Good morning everyone! The sun is shining brightly here in central Kentucky this morning! It would be a lovely day to get out in the yard & do some planting but instead I must travel down to see my doctor in Knoxville .. 3 hours there & 3 hours back. That's okay though ... it will be nice to be back in the old stomping grounds again for a little while & I'm sure it will be an enjoyable drive with the new car : )
Can you believe that not ONE contractor showed up yesterday to give us an estimate for our driveway & not ONE of them called to say they wouldn't be here??? It did rain in the morning but around 11 o'clock it stopped so the weather couldn't have been a factor. I just don't understand the work ethics of people anymore : (
I have been thinking a lot about Amish life lately. I admit that I haven't known much about the Amish ... just the basics that everyone knows I suppose ... but I just finished reading a book that has really opened my eyes. The title of the book is Amish Peace & it is written by Suzanne Woods Fisher. There are various sections focusing on one aspect of Amish life & in each section are a few factual stories, each consisting of 2 pages or so, given to illustrate these aspects. At the end of each story the author gives you some thought provoking questions to mull over to see how you can find Amish peace in your own life. I highly recommend it! Anyway, as I read through this book I constantly wondered what is wrong with midstream America's way of doing things, treating others, etc, that it is so very far removed from the Amish way. Can you imagine hiring a contractor & having them do perfect work for you, as unto God? Or having someone forgive you for an offense & never, ever, ever bring it back up to you again? Or living life not focused on what kind of house you have, what kind of clothes you wear, what kind of degree you earn, how much money you have stored away for yourself in the bank, etc??? It boggles the mind.
A lot of times when a person states that they wish they were Amish, there are people who quickly agree that the Amish life is a good life but they themselves could NEVER give up ___________ (fill in the blank). However, I think it would be worth giving up anything to be a part of this life. Just think of it ... I might have to give up my new car, but in return I would have a horse & buggy & no car payments, no insurance payments, no worries that someone is going to scratch the car, no worries about its upkeep. I might have to give up my jewelry, but in return I would be free from the worries that someone might steal it or I might lose a treasured piece one day. I might have to give up all my crocks & dolls & sifters & enamelware & all my other collections, but in return I would be free from wondering where I'm going to put the next piece I find & doing all the dusting I have to do & wondering what will happen with all this stuff when I die. I might have to give up movies & television shows, but in return I would have so much more time to spend with my family & friends ... taking walks along a country lane, spending time talking & listening, getting exercise, enjoying God's creations. I could go on & on but you get the idea.
I think Amish life is, in a way, like the parable Jesus told in Matthew 13:44-46 ... "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, & then in his joy went & sold all he had & bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away & sold everything he had & bought it." (NIV)
I do believe the Amish life is a treasure in plain view of our modern society. Many of us admire their ways but few of us embrace them ourselves. I, for one, am determined to bring more of the Amish life into my own life.
Posted by Shirlee at 8:28 AM 4 comments
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Good soggy morning to you all! I can't believe the rain we have been having for at least the past month ... probably longer. I went out in the yard the other day during a rare day of no rain & the ground makes squishing noises when you walk on it! This can't be good.
Our driveway washes out every time it rains. It's a nice country gravel driveway when it's in good repair, but right now it's an obstacle course to drive on because of the deep ditches left by the running water. It was fine when we bought the house. However, when we came here for closing there had been a heavy rain & it looked as it does now. Our realtor & her husband, a contractor we hired to do some work for us (& what a nightmare that was), said that it was a very rare thing for it to rain so hard here & it was no wonder the driveway looked the way it did. The husband said he could get a couple loads of gravel brought in & regrade it himself & it would last for at least 2 years. Liar, liar, pants on fire. We told him to go ahead & add this to his work list for us & the first time it rained it started washing out. Last year we hired an honest man to regrade it & he did a beautiful job but said we would continue to have this problem as long as we had the gravel. He told us we really needed to have it paved. We got a couple estimates for blacktopping it ... one was $11,000 & the other was $13,000. After the shock of those estimates we decided to make do with the gravel. It is now obvious to us that we can't make do anymore & must use our "fix up the house" money to get the driveway taken care of. Yesterday I called 3 more contractors to get additional paving estimates. My hope is that at least one of them will be on the less expensive side. As you can see in the photo below, there's a lot of driveway to pave. Sigh!
Posted by Shirlee at 8:01 AM 2 comments
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Garage
It's been a busy day here at the farmhouse. This past weekend we had to buy a new car. Long story. Of course because it's a new car it needs to be parked in the garage. Our garage hasn't been organized since we moved here 2 years ago. It's a 2-car garage with a little side part that you can use for extra storage or as a workshop if you wish. You can only imagine the disarray. (You will need to use your imagination because I didn't think to take a "before" picture prior to tearing it apart. I really need to be more forward thinking in the future!)
It started getting late ... a storm was rolling in & I still wasn't finished. I didn't want the things I had temporarily placed out in the driveway to get caught in the rain so I hurried up & brought them inside, just placing them here & there to keep them out of the way of the car. When the muscles in my arm started complaining when I once again went to pick up the broom, I decided that enough was enough & I would finish the work tomorrow. I confess that I have been a very sedentary person for the past 2 years. Most of the things I enjoy doing are connected with sitting. I really need to make a change there.
Have a blessed night everyone!
Posted by Shirlee at 9:53 PM 1 comments
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Hello everyone!
This will be my first attempt at blogging so I hope you will all bear with me until I get my bearings. My husband John and I live on a small farm (17 acres) in central Kentucky. We don't operate it as a farm however. I like to fantasize about sheep grazing out front and collecting eggs from the chicken house out back, but the only animal we will probably ever have is our indoor cat named Sophie. We moved here 2 years ago and getting used to the area has been quite a journey ... but that's a story for another time.
I have not done much in the way of decorating the farmhouse because we weren't sure at first that we would stay here. In reality we still aren't sure but, as the Magic 8-Ball might indicate, our staying here is "Most Likely." There's a lot of work ahead of us if we do stay.
I enjoy quilting and making other things from fabric, painting, woodworking, and knitting. My quilts and fabric art are created on an old Singer treadle sewing machine. I love sewing on that machine : ) I have suddenly become fascinated with gardening. I'm told it's quite therapeutic and, as anyone would tell you, I need therapy ... lol! I am studying gemology. I love the primitive/country look in decorating. I love my husband ... my high school sweetheart. And last, but certainly not least, I love God.
I hope you'll come visit often! I'm always ready to put the kettle on : )
Posted by Shirlee at 7:33 PM 7 comments

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2011 Editorial Awards
ASBPE National Award, Bronze, Best Regular Department (Forensic Casebook)
ASBPE West Award, Silver, Best Feature Article, "Arc Flash Review" (June 2010)
ASBPE West Award, Gold, Best Feature Article, "Minority Report" (June 2010)
ASBPE West Award, Gold, Best Original Research, "Fast Forward" (May 2010)
ASBPE West Award, Silver, Best Original Research, "Higher Stakes, Lower Margins" (Sept. 2010)
ASBPE West Award, Silver, Best Regular Column, Contributed (Illustrated Catastrophes)
ASBPE West Award, Gold, Best Technical Article, "2011 Code Changes" (Nov. 2010)
Maggie Award, Finalist, Best Non-Paid Trade Magazine (Circulation Over 50,000)
About the Awards
For more than 30 years, the American Society of Business Publication Editors' (ASBPE) Annual Competition has honored work and commitment to excellence by business-to-business editors and graphic designers. The organization was founded in 1964.
The Jesse H. Neal Awards were instituted by the American Business Media in 1955 to recognize and reward editorial excellence in independent business publications. They are considered the "Pulitzer Prize of the business press."
The Maggie Awards, presented by the Western Publications Association since 1952, honor editorial, design and promotion excellence in magazine, tabloid, newsletter and online publishing published or exclusively distributed west of the Mississippi river.


text:
The ancient art of qigong uses breath and fluid to increase the flow of energy throughout the body.
Knocking on the Door of Life
Brings circulation to the lower back, kidneys, and adrenal glands while firing up the central nervous system; stimulates a pressure point located directly behind your navel on the spine called the Door of Life.
Awakens inner vitality and helps you cultivate positive energy. "In less than a minute the veil between your mind and body just lifts," Holden says.
What You Need
Enough space to swing your arms.
How to Do It
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms and upper back relaxed. Slowly turn from left to right, rotating from the hips and waist. Allow the momentum to move your arms so they gently knock across the lower back and abdomen. Look over your shoulder as you turn. Continue the rotation for 30 seconds to a minute. Slowly unwind and bring your arms back to your sides.
More of Our Confidence-Boosting Workout
Strengthen with Weights
Tone with Pilates
Strengthen with Pilates


text:
Ice Skates trivet
Ice Skates trivet
Trivets are 6" square tile with cork backing to prevent slipping and scratching. Trivets are sold individually and come packaged in a sealed clear sleeve with an artist bio. Images are permanently sublimated onto the tile, leaving a glossy finish.
Trivets can handle both hot and cold temperatures.
While they are food safe, please do not submerge in water, put in microwave or in the dishwasher.
Additional photo is just to show the trivet in use, it's not this specific trivet.


text:
Fall Photography - my last photograph
Fall is always a crazy time of year for outdoor photographers who focus on nature, wildlife and commercial outdoor photography. The subjects change from one day to the next and sometimes from one hour to the next. The perfect scenario is when the light, weather, and subject(s) all come together in the same image. That's more of a challenge than one might think. Now throw in video, like this short video clip of raging bull elk that came right into my lap, and the demands for motion in today's fast paces word, and things get complicated quickly! As I pack my gear for another trip I'm reminded of why I love this place and this profession so much. Change - it's about change and the real, raw truth that surrounds us every day. North America is full of opportunity. It's all out there, you just have to get after it!
This was my last fall photograph. Today it's snowing, time to go hunting and then break out the skis! Bye, Bye fall, hello winter!
I just beta tested a great new portfolio app and would like to know what you guys think. It's downloadable as an app if you have a mobile devise. Here, you can view a small portfolio of Tony Bynum Photographs. If you are interested in creating your own portfolio, use this link.
Tony Bynum
Remember, always be real, relevant and right!
Oil Drilling - the Rocky Mountain Front and Blackfeet Indian Reservation
Wide open, roadless spaces, wildlife, and the people who depend on them and energy development along the Rocky Mountain Front: A Photo Record of "Progress."
"Documenting current conditions on the Blackfeet Reservation and Rocky Mountain Front today is a very high priority. The landscape, Native American cultures, small towns,
sensitive and endangered wildlife and their habitat, are part of this complex puzzle and being altered at alarming rates." - Tony Bynum 2010
Introduction, Setting and Scope The eastern front of the northern rocky mountains in Montana and southern Alberta occupies the interface where grizzly bears still freely move back and forth between the mountains and the prairie, is on the brink of massive change, particularly along Glacier National Parks east side. An interactive map of the current oil drilling on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation will help orient you. The eastern side of the crown of the continent ecosystem starts at the sharp jagged peaks in Glacier National Park, Waterton National Park in Alberta, CA, and the Rocky Mountain Front of Montana, where water flows to three oceans and literally divides the east and west. This area was known to the Blackfeet People as the Backbone of the World. More recently it has come to be included in a larger region known today as the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. The geographic region of concern stretches about 150 miles north to south, and 100 miles east to west. It includes the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the Rocky Mountain Front, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and southern Alberta, Canada.
The focus now is on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation simply because that is where all the activity is now occurring. The Blackfeet Reservation maintains a rich, rare, and relatively intact system of short grass prairie, and associated wildlife, along with the steep jagged mountain ecosystem of the Rocky Mountains. In addition to the prairie-mountain landscape, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation supports a unique Native American and mixed non-Indian culture that is sure to see change as the demand for energy increases, and the oil boom progresses.
The driving force for change is the global, relentless demand for energy. In many ways, this force is impacting every system on earth, not only biophysical systems but social as well. In some real ways, the industrial oil complex holds the keys to the fate of the planet and its inhabitants. The "oil-boom" has reached this land. The industrial oil complex is already solidly established on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and in the lands to the north in southern Alberta, Canada. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park shares a common border with the Blackfeet Reservation.
Oil and gas infrastructure development and wind turbines around the Blackfeet Reservation, and in southern Alberta, are expanding rapidly. Development of both resources is expected to increase markedly though the coming years. Full build-out is expected to be hundreds of new oil wells and pump-jacks, acres of wind turbines and associated infrastructure consisting of hundreds of miles of new roads, work camps, and support facilities which may including new hotels, and associated structures. Estimates are that 100-700 wells will be drilled over the next few years (12 wells are complete already with many more scheduled). Changes to this area will be unprecedented. It is not possible to know in advance exactly how the changes will play out in this setting. Still, there are enough other "oil boom" cases to safely assume they will be dramatic.
Importance of this project At this moment an opportunity exists to capture for educational and historical purposes, images of this mostly healthy, open and "intact" place. Today, we can still document the rapid transition of this cold, short grass prairie. There are progressively fewer such opportunities anywhere in the world. Such an opportunity not only is rare, it is perishable. All too commonly, journalists are in the position of creating the story after the fact, when the "good stuff is gone." Here there is a rare opportunity to capture images of important landscapes and people before impacts occur. In this area, we still have a relatively intact mountain/prairie interface ecosystem that is home to grizzly and black bears, bull trout, Canada lynx, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and other elements all destined to change.
I want to emphasize that documenting current conditions on the Blackfeet Reservation and along the rocky mountain front today is a very high priority. Native American cultures, small towns, sensitive and endangered wildlife, open and un-tattered ecosystems are part of this complex puzzle and being altered at alarming rates.
The Local Aspect Small, rural communities in remote areas experience firsthand the most direct effects of commercial energy development. The Blackfeet have been on this particular landscape for at least 12,000 years. It now is a remote, mostly intact, relatively peaceful, Native American Reservation. It is the Blackfeet Nation. Now, that Nation appears to face a major energy boom and likely bust as the area changes to become an industrialized tapestry of roads, pump-jacks, evaporation ponds, cars, trucks, houses, stores and whatever else goes with it. At a minimum, it seems certain that once the fields are fully built-out, not only will the land not look the same, it's people will never again behave the same. This project will document and share images of this landscape and its people before, during, and after the build-out of an intensive, high-cost, industrial energy system comprised of wind turbines, drill and "fracking rigs," new roads and facilities, along with other associated activities and change. Already, some images of current conditions have been produced in anticipation of this larger project. They form the beginning of a vital baseline that must be established before the land and the people are dis-aggregated, the roads are constructed and the land, water, and wild grizzly bears become scarcer or worse, memories.
The anticipated time frame for my project is 2010-2020. Filming is already underway with about two years completed. The first images are of a relatively intact landscape followed by photos of "progress." Drilling, drillers, the local economy and the social impacts over the lifetime of the project will follow. The photographs will be used now to help educate people about this threatened region. At the same time, the project will build a digital archive for future generations who can better understand what the land looked like before and during the period of disturbance. Both digital and print images will be created and widely shared with organizations and the public though online media, social networks, web blogs, and personal presentations. Once the road's are in, the well pads created, the drill rigs erected, ponds dug, the power lines strung and the turbines begin churning, the current largely unobstructed landscape will be a memory. Memories are all that is left when you no longer can see something in person. Images sharpen and stimulate memories. Images are likely to persist through longer spans of time and are more dependable than memories.
To document the entire build out over the coming years I plan to photograph the story from both the land and the air, and with both stills and video. I will follow and record a few specific people as well. I'll shoot and post/publish regularly in order to generate and maintain interest. The campaign will be driven both online and in person. As is so effective today, social media: for examples, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, will be an important vehicles. I will employ my personal network along with the much larger network of the people and conservation organizations who care about this place and project - basically everyone who pays attention to natural ecosystems, and likes cowboys, Indians, wildlife, and glaciers.
Cost of this project for year one and two is estimated to be $40,000. The costs include expenses for local travel, fixed wing airplane rental, assistance in the field and office when necessary (mainly web design and development, and continued costs for hosting and management), some special equipment including a ground based radio controlled aerial platform. The aerial platform will enable me to capture low level aerials that offer a better perspective of the relationship between the development and the landscape. It will also be more cost effective, and I can react to local weather conditions and shoot aerials without always the need for a fixed wing aircraft. The remainder will pay for time to capture, process, market and produce the project.
About Me Education, Science and Business Tony lives in East Glacier Park, MT on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with his 9 year old daughter. He has more than 20 years of professional and executive environmental management experience. He holds a Master's of Science in Resources Management degree, an undergraduate degree in Geography and Land Studies, and a minor in Environmental Studies from Central Washington University. Tony has managed more than 30 complex scientific research projects for the Environmental Protection Agency from coast to coast, he's worked in the private sector and for Indian Tribes and non-profits. Over his 20 year professional science career he has participated in the development of countless environmental policies and/or regulations from the EPA, to the USFS, BLM, DoD, DOE, BOR, Washington State's DOE Wetlands mitigation banking regulations, air and water quality plans, and more. Tony's a board member of the professional outdoor media association, the East Glacier Park School Board, and a current member and former officer on the East Glacier Park Volunteer Fire Department and a principal member of the Glacier Two Medicine Alliance.
Tony owns Tony Bynum Photography & Glacier Impressions Gallery. In 2004 Interior Secretary Gail Norton appointed Tony to the Montana Resources Advisory Council (federal advisory committee, member 2 years, chairman 1). During that time, from 2005 until early 2010 he also managed complex scientific research projects at Portage, a private consulting firm. From 1999 to 2001 he was a special assistant and the acting Senior Indian Program Manager at EPA in Washington, D.C., responsible for a $2 Million budget, implementing federal statutes, strategic planning, GPRA reporting, and federal rule making. In 1997 and 98 he was the co-chair of the technical oversight committee of the Western Regional Air Partnership.
Bynum's images have appeared on the covers and in copy of many of the countries major traditional outdoor recreation focused magazines, including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, Fair Chase, Texas Sporting Journal, Eastman's Hunting, and Eastmans Bow hunting, Bugle, Bowhunt America, Montana Outdoors, Montana Magazine, Western Hunter, Western Horseman, and many more. Tony recently became the photo editor for Elk Hunter Magazine and In 2010 he was selected to produce commercial advertising images for the State Of Montana's Office of Tourism. His images are currently display on buses, trains, billboards, windows, skylights, and elevator doors from Chicago to Seattle, WA.
His list of publication credits is extensive including other industry publications like, National Geographic, the NewYorker, The Food Network Magazine, Popular Photography, Digital Photographer (UK), Delta Sky, Empire Builder and many, many more (complete list between 2009-2011).
Tony's often hired to produce unique, compelling, thoughtful images to compliment editorial writing in magazines and books. He has worked or traveled to all of the lower 48 states, Mexico, and much of Canada, and writes regularly for his blog. He's active on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Behance, and moderates and edits photography, outdoor activities and hunting forums on several very popular websites.
Current Interests and Positions 1. conservation photography and the Rocky Mountain Front 2. board member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association 3. board member of the East Glacier Park School District 4. member and past training officer on the East Glacier Park Volunteer Fire Department 5. principal member of the Glacier Two-Medicine Alliance. 6. Author of the blog, www.glacierparkphotographer.com 7. regularly consults with the TWS, the Montana Wilderness Associating, the Montana Wildlife Association, the Coalition to Protect the Rocky Mountain Front, and many other state and national conservation and resource management organizations/groups.
Personal Commitment Central to Tony's lifestyle is giving something back. As a young man he decided that giving was an essential part of his core belief. To him, giving is a lifestyle choice; it's more than a duty. There are few things more rewarding or more valuable than offering yourself up to help others. If his entire life were mapped topographically, the ridges would represent the edges of his experience, while the blue line in the valley bottom would signify his giving; it's central to his life and like the river at the bottom of the valley, all things run though it.
Tony has a unique, and truly authentic set of real-time, current and tested skills in business, management, governance, science, writing, communications, technology, social leadership and teaching. He's a trained facilitator and has served on three boards where consensus was the agreed processes for decision making. He's an educator, a leader by nature, a father, and a great friend.
"In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand."
- Baba Dioum
A Blackfeet Oil Drilling Press Kit containing project information and photographs to accompany your story is available.


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Can anyone tell me what those bumps on the dress are? I'm taking guesses!
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: Natalie Portman attends New York City Ballet 2013 Fall Gala at David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center on September 19, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)


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Article 503 gives you the option of using the Zone system (Art. 506) instead of the Division system [503.6]. Article 506 applies to Class II and Class III locations; we'll discuss it in a future installment.
Article 501 and Art. 502 present many requirements with a Division-based pattern, but Art. 503 does this only once (for the wiring methods). Mostly, the requirements are the same, regardless of Division.
Wiring methods
The requirements for Class III wiring methods are the same whether it is Div. 1 or Div. 2 [503.10(B)], but there is an exception. In Div. 2, you can run open wiring on insulators if the wiring is:
• Only in sections, compartments, or areas used solely for storage and containing no machinery.
• Installed per Art. 398.
• Protected per 398.15(C) where conductors are not run in roof spaces.
• Well out of reach of sources of physical damage.
Other than this exception, the wiring methods for Class III locations must comply with the following.
In Class III locations, you can use:
• These types of raceway: rigid metal conduit (RMC), intermediate metal conduit (IMC), electrical metallic tubing (EMT), PVC, Type RTRC, and dusttight wireways. You can also use Types MC and MI cables [503.10(A)(1)].
• Type PLTC and Type PLTC-ER cable (installed per Art. 725).
• Type ITC and Type ITC-ER cable (as permitted by Art. 727.4).
• Type MC, MI, or TC cable in cable trays (under specific conditions).
• Boxes and fittings, but only if they are dusttight.
• Flexible connections that comply with 503.10(A)(3).
• Nonincendive field wiring installed per the control drawings and complying with the requirements for unclassified locations.
Sealing requirements
Nearly half of Art. 501 is devoted to sealing requirements, and Art. 502 contains about a quarter page of those requirements. There are no such requirements for Class III areas. However, from an engineering standpoint, strategic use of seals often makes sense and can lower total cost of ownership.
Spark prevention
Like Art. 501 and Art. 502, Art. 503 provides requirements to prevent ignition, and the first requirement is "no uninsulated exposed parts operating at over 30V" (15V for wet locations) [503.25].
As in Art. 501 and Art. 502, Sec. 25 mixes grounding in with bonding. In all three cases, a quick visit to Art. 100 helps clear this up. It's critical you don't ground where you should bond.
Unlike Art. 501 and Art. 502, Art. 503 makes no mention of surge protection, nor does it impose limits on multiwire branch circuits.
As with Art. 501, Art. 502 provides extensive requirements for transformers, but Art. 502 requirements are less rigorous, because you're dealing with dust rather than gases.
Transformers in Class III locations must be treated as if they are in Class II, Div. 1 locations. That is, whether Div. 1 or Div. 2, they must comply with 502.100(B):
• If a transformer contains a liquid that will burn, then its vault must comply with 450.41 through 450.48.
• If a transformer rated over 25kVA contains askarel, it must have pressure-relief vents. It must also have a means of absorbing gases created by arcing — or be pressure-relief vented to a chimney or flue that carries the gases outdoors. Finally, the airspace between the transformer case and any combustible material must be at least 6 in.
• Dry-type transformers must be in vaults, unless their windings and terminal connections are enclosed in tight metal housings with no vents or other openings, and they can't operate at more than 600V [502.100(A)].
You must provide dusttight enclosures for switches, circuit breakers, motor controllers, and fuses. This rule also applies to pushbuttons, relays, and similar devices [503.115].
Control transformers and resistors must also be in dusttight enclosures, and the enclosures must comply with the temperature limitations of 503.5. Basically, if the equipment:
• Is not subject to overload, the maximum surface temperature cannot exceed 329°F.
• May be overloaded (e.g., it's a motor or power transformer), the maximum surface temperature cannot exceed 248°F.
Motors and generators used in Class III locations must be totally enclosed pipe-ventilated [503.125]. They don't have to meet temperature limitations, as do those in Class II locations. Further, Art. 503 provides three exceptions to this requirement:
1) Self-cleaning textile motors of the squirrel cage type.
2) Standard open-type machines without switching mechanisms.
3) Standard open-type machines with switching mechanisms, if those are enclosed in tight housings without openings.
The ventilating piping requirements of Art. 503 are similar to those for Art. 502. But in Class III locations, the requirements are the same, regardless of Division. As with Class II locations, the vent pipes for enclosures and rotating electrical machinery in Class III locations must be metal and lead directly to outside air [502.128]. Like Class II, this pipe needs a bug screen.
The pipes must be sufficiently tight to keep appreciable amounts of flying fibers from entering. They should also prevent the escape of ignition sources, such as sparks.
Miscellaneous equipment
Heaters must be identified for Class III locations [503.135].
The rules for Class III luminaires, receptacles, and cranes are found in 503.130, 503.145, and 503.155, respectively. These sections require you to minimize the entry of combustible fibers/flyings and prevent the escape of combustibles. For each type of equipment, you'll find additional requirements.
Flexible cords used in Class III locations must be listed for extra-hard usage [503.140]. These cords must also contain an equipment grounding conductor, be supported to eliminate tension on the terminal connections, and be terminated with a listed dusttight cord connector. Yes, that connector must be dusttight even though this isn't a Class II location.
If you install a battery backup system, locate the batteries in separate rooms built with (or lined with) substantial noncombustible materials. This would, for example, preclude a woodframe room with drywall panels. But a cinderblock room is acceptable.
Ensure the battery room is constructed to prevent the entrance of ignitable amounts of flyings. It also must be well ventilated [503.16], whether in a Class III location or not [480.9]. Complying with both the ventilation and "keep the fibers out" requirements may call for some extensive ducting. Also, keep in mind that you must locate the intakes such that fibers won't continually clog up their filters.
The trio compared
The three NEC articles providing requirements for Class I, II, and III locations have similarities and differences. One way they differ is the requirements decrease in size and number as you progress from Art. 501 to Art. 502 to Art. 503 (see the Table).
But why aren't the requirements just different, rather than become dramatically less as you go from 501 to 502 to 503? It's because of the physics involved. Gases (Art. 501) are very tiny particles compared to dust (Art. 502), and dust particles are smaller than the fibers/flyings of Art. 503. The smaller the particle size, the harder the particles are to control, contain, or keep out.
This particle size difference is why, for example, Art. 502 has you using fittings, and Art. 503 does not. It's why Art. 501 and Art. 502 have transformer requirements, but Art. 503 doesn't.
These Articles are similar in that they have the same structure, and a given subsection in one Article covers the same topic as its counterpart in the other two. Another similarity is before you apply one of these Articles, you first apply Art. 500.
In addition to providing requirements for controlling ignitable particles, these Articles provide requirements for controlling or eliminating ignition sources. For example, the bonding requirements are the same for all three Articles. What they prescribe is a practice you should follow for all equipment, whether in a classified location or not. Eliminate dangerous differences of potential by bonding all non-current carrying metallic objects.
Class III caution
Article 503 differs from the other two in a very important way. It often makes financial sense to classify a location based on likely use, not just intended use. Instead of trying to minimize the hazardous location size to save money on construction and maintenance, you expand it to save money on operations.
Suppose a company stores its fibrous product in bales. You're doing the electrical work on a new warehouse. The client tells you they'll be storing this product on the west end only. But the warehouse is a simple structure, and moving the product to the east end is easy. There's no physical reason lift truck operators can't routinely take product across the warehouse to trucks waiting on the east end.
If you classify the whole warehouse as Class III, rather than classifying only the west end, this small investment frees operations managers to use the building as needed. They don't incur operational hassles and costs simply because receptacles specified for the west end weren't also specified for the east end.
Lamendola is an electrical consultant located in Merriam, Kan. He can be reached at [email protected].


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February 8 - March 7, 2019
Within our offices, m ARCHITECTS has created a dedicated gallery and exhibit space. We extend our design philosophy beyond architecture to the richness of 2 and 3 dimensional works by local and national artists. Several times a year we highlight an artist with exceptional talent and host showings to provide our clients and friends an opportunity to engage the artist in casual conversation. Below are representative samples of past exhibits along with links to the artist's site for more information.


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syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a mental health problem in which a caregiver makes
up or causes an illness or injury in a child under his or her care. The
caregiver is usually a mother, and the victim is her child. Because children
are the victims, MSBP is a form of
child abuse.
The caregiver with MSBP
Victims are most often small children. They may get
painful medical tests they don't need. They may even become seriously ill or
injured or may die because of the actions of the caregiver.
Children who are victims of MSBP can have lifelong physical and emotional
problems and may have
Munchausen syndrome as adults. This is a disorder in
which a person causes or reports his or her own symptoms.
aren't sure what causes it, but it may be linked to problems during the
abuser's childhood. Abusers often feel like their life is out of control. They
often have poor self-esteem and can't deal with stress or anxiety.
The attention that caregivers get from having a sick child may encourage
their behavior. Caregivers may get attention not only from doctors and nurses
but also from others in their community. For example, neighbors may try to help
the family in many ways—such as by doing chores, bringing meals, or giving
A person with MSBP often:
Checking a child's medical records for past tests, treatments, and hospital stays may help a doctor or nurse find out if a health problem is real.
Doctors or nurses may suspect a problem when:
Child protective services, law enforcement, and doctors are all involved in treatment for Munchausen
syndrome by proxy. Caregivers who have this condition need long-term
counseling. They may resist treatment or deny that
there is a problem. Medicines are used only when the caregiver has another
health problem, such as anxiety disorder, along with MSBP.
after treatment, caregivers may repeat their behavior. So doctors, counselors,
and family members need to closely watch how the caregiver interacts with her
For victims, the first step is to protect the child by
moving him or her into safe custody. Then a doctor will monitor the child for symptoms. Most
of the time, the child's symptoms stop after the child is away from the
caregiver. Some children need counseling or other help.
MSBP is child abuse. If you suspect that a child is a
victim, don't confront the suspected caregiver. It might make the problem
worse. Instead, think about these options:
Learning about Munchausen syndrome by proxy:
The Child Welfare Information Gateway is a national
resource for people seeking information about how to prevent, identify, and
treat child abuse and neglect. The Web site has information about family
support services, fostering and adopting a child, and child welfare issues.
There are also links for many toll-free crisis hotline numbers.
Childhelp is a nonprofit agency that provides parenting
advice, child abuse prevention, and basic information about the normal growth
and development of children. Also, Childhelp provides telephone numbers
and information about how to report suspected or observed child abuse or
neglect. Hotline counselors and referrals are available. The agency also
supports abused children through abuse prevention programs, preschool programs
(including Head Start), and community outreach. Other services include
referrals to residential treatment facilities, child advocacy
centers, group homes, and foster care.
This website is sponsored by the Nemours Foundation. It
has a wide range of information about children's health—from allergies and
diseases to normal growth and development (birth to adolescence). This website
offers separate areas for kids, teens, and parents, each providing
age-appropriate information that the child or parent can understand. You can
sign up to get weekly emails about your area of interest.
This organization provides information on topics
related to child abuse and neglect. It offers various programs on child abuse
prevention, and it also directs efforts toward increasing public awareness of
child abuse and neglect. You can find out whether your state has a local
chapter by going to the website.
Other Works ConsultedJohnson CF (2007). Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) section of Abuse and neglect of children. In RM Kliegman et al., eds., Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 18th ed., pp. 182–184. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.McDermott BE (2008). Factitious disorder by proxy section of Factitious disorder and malingering. In RE Hales et al., eds., The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry, 5th ed., pp. 649–652. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.Wang DL, et al. (2009). Factitious disorder. In BJ Sadock et al., eds., Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 9th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1949–1964. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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July 11, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
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