Sweets for the sweets (I’m included here too) …
It is a time for sharing the love and the food, or, in this case, the apples. Another Fall ritual, just like the mini pumpkins, is that I dispense apples to my furry friends. Michigan is a big apple producer (900 million pounds, give or take a million), so once Fall rolls along, apples are fairly cheap at Meijer. It is then I take advantage of the sales and get a bag for me … and a bag for my friends.
While walking around the produce section, I decided to get a second treat for myself, after reading a detailed description of a harvest dinner attended by fellow blogger Joni. One of the treats set beside each person’s plate was a huge candy apple. I have never had a candy apple, as my parents drilled into my head at an early age, that candy = cavities and I was only allowed to have the occasional hard candy. What my parents never knew is that my grandmother always buried wrapped Laura Secord candy treats in her apron pocket and they were thrust into my hand when my parents weren’t looking. So a candy apple treat, with its colorful candy that encased the apple, was a definite no-no for me. But I’ve had plenty of caramel apples, before and after having braces on my teeth. My mindset when I saw the display of caramel apples next to the healthful apples was “why not?” Then, if you are going to have caramel apples, might as well kick it up a notch and get the variety with chocolate chips and peanuts on them if you’re going to splurge on calories. Just brush your teeth afterward … old habits never die.
It was a gorgeous day for late October and I stopped to take a photo of the trees which, coincidentally, were the exact same color as those Rome apples.
Although I was wearing my “Peanut Lady” hat, I toted along the bag of apples. I was eager to offload the apples first – they were heavy. I left a few here on the picnic table for the squirrels and the birds. As an enticement, there had to be a few peanuts. I did this on a weekday morning, so I did not have time to stick around for three hours to get cute poses munching on apples. I do have some cute photos from last year of the squirrels smiling while enjoying their apples – you can click here if you’d like to view that post. Guess they liked the Jonathan apples better. 🙂
The view of the peak colors at the Park was worth a shot to show off those pretty leaves.
I supposed the squirrels and birds would have glommed onto an apple pie more readily – how thoughtless of me not to bring one! When we first moved here from Canada, I remember going to a restaurant with my parents and my mom glanced at the dessert selection. She said “apple pie à la mode … fancy that, these Americans don’t put cheese on their pie?” She was aghast. Apple pie with a slice of Black Diamond cheddar cheese was the only way I ever ate apple pie that Mom baked … and warm pie and melted cheese. Wow! I like my apples with a chunk of cheddar alongside them. (No, I did not bring along cheddar wedges for the Park furry and feathered pals.)
Hmm – if a thought bubble appeared over this sparrow’s head it would read “I hope Linda brought birdseed for us too and quits catering only to the squirrels, blue jays and cardinals.”
Well they checked the apples out … would they pass muster?
It appears there was some dissension in the ranks. Looks like somebody was about to get outta Dodge! The picture is kind of dark as it is under the pavilion roof, but you get the gist of the angry sparrow and one about to take flight – the others are nonchalant.
I continued on my good will journey, dispensing apples and taking a load off my arm, which had the tote bag with the remaining apples swinging on it … try carrying a tote bag with apples, a Ziploc bag with peanuts and the camera … I need another hand to get it all done with ease.
Aah – the special, custom-made memorial plaque, shows a tribute to a nature lover, like myself, thus a perfect spot to place these treats.
It wasn’t long before a squirrel came over to investigate and give the apple the sniff test.
Obviously he or she preferred peanuts, and though the apple may have some worth, peanuts rule in this Park.
I had a multitude of squirrel and Park photos taken so far this Fall and my picture folders were groaning with photos, separated into future posts, and I have finally reached the end of my Autumn Park photos. While I will always carry along the camera, I likely won’t be dragging it out as often on my walks, though I hope to capture more antics of my furry and feathered pals in the snow in the coming months, likely on weekends, when I have more time.
As we near our Thanksgiving holiday, I hope that your harvest is bountiful, your table will be laden with holiday fare and you’ll be surrounded by those you love.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
In all species, the healthy food gets eaten last! 🙂
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That’s for sure – as that bumper snicker says: “always eat dessert first!”
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Bumper snicker? I know what’s on your mind!
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Ha ha – love Snickers and Payday bars, but never eat them anymore – worry about a crown coming out from the chewy candy. Life just isn’t fun anymore!
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Thanks for the link/shout out Linda! Those apple pictures are gorgeous! I much prefer a caramel apple myself to those hard red candy things, but have not had a fancy one with peanuts etc.
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You’re welcome Joni – it prompted me to get those caramel apples and they had the plain caramel, but I of course had to be like a kid and get all the extra stuff on them. We used to go to a frozen custard stand – they are known all around my part of town and the custard is so creamy and tastes delicious all on its own. But I laugh at the kids sometimes who have all the extras on their cone – everything that they dip them in, they want. 🙂 We had a week or ten days in October that was just spectacular. I walked and walked and kept taking pictures every day. I always know what comes down the pipeline, so I have to seize the day.
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I missed all the lovely October weather, the nicest month of this year, so I don’t have any pretty pictures of trees at all.
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Yes, you had an eventful October and not in a nice way and your Summer was consumed with the reno and the wasps. That week to ten days were the best of our entire Fall … tomorrow is not looking good with the 45-50 mph winds and an all-day rain … it could be worse and be snow, so I’m grateful for that.
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Really amazing post friend, I like your work. Here is a new friend, Stay connected always.
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Thank you.
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My husband loves candy apples but won’t eat them any more because he is afraid of breaking a tooth and having to go to the dentist. I prefer caramel apples.
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I’d be afraid of that too Ruth. I won’t eat anything that would break a tooth and when I had braces on my teeth for three years, gum and anything sticky was forbidden. I one time had a loose wire (I had the wraparound braces – they don’t exist now) … my father took tin snips as it was a long holiday weekend and we covered the wire with dental wax. The orthodontist insisted I ate caramels or chewed gum – silly man. I hated going there as he would have a rubber mallet as would his two assistants and they would pound in new hardware or restring wires. Not fun. I never ate hard candy, yet I got cavities and what my grandmother gave me was not enough to cause that to happen. When I was a kid, we went to the dentist and got fluoride painted on our teeth – it was a clear coating like nail polish and the dentist painted your teeth and you had to clamp down on cotton balls to help it dry without your teeth touching. It was once a year – is this a Canadian thing, or did they do this here too? (I am mindful you are younger than me.)
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They do fluoride treatments here. They are recommended every 6 months up to a certain age.
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I didn’t know that – I don’t know anyone with kids who would have mentioned that to me. I thought it was something they did years ago – I don’t know if they had fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash back then?
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An apple a day … Cute pictures of all your fury friends, Linda! I’ve never had one of those candied apples either. They just never appealed to me. Lucky squirrels and other critters to be treated to such a feast! You are a kind woman! 🐿
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Thanks Sabine – last year I got much cuter pictures as they sat and ate the apples and dragged them around first while I was still there. I wasn’t allowed hard candy growing up, so it would not appeal to me either. I was allowed a candy cane at Christmas and that was about it – my grandmother had Lifesavers and would give them to me or Humbugs (those were buttered rum hard candies) … you think I could remember that name to put in my post … now it comes to me. They were brown and white striped, little pillow-shaped hard candies and one of Laura Secord’s biggest sellers. They were like a Russell Stover or Sanders. I like feeding them and get a kick out of those squirrels – they enjoy and need the food, so it is a win-win!
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I wouldn’t think squirrels eat hard candy, but then again they probably eat just about anything. I hope winter won’t be too harsh for you and your furry friends! ☃️
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I think they eat about everything too Sabine. My neighbor used to feed them Christmas cookies. She liked to bake, but also got a lot of phone calls. She would put a batch of sugar cookies in the oven, then get a call and they would burn on the bottom – not burnt black, just brown, so she’d wait til they cooled and then line them up along the deck railing and she had “takers” in a matter of minutes. Never the birds because the squirrels would rush over. I decided to try feeding Parker some M&Ms one time after researching to ensure the chocolate or candy was okay for him. Always curious – they were a hit, but I don’t think he associated the fact there was a nut under the candy/thin layer of chocolate underneath. I think this is where I introduced Parker, though not by name,
I hope Winter is kind to us too. The last three, maybe four years have been pretty rough.
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I know the little critters love to see you coming. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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You are right Rebecca, especially after that unexpected cold and snowy week we had recently. You have a happy Thanksgiving as well.
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The colors in your photos are brilliant.
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Thanks Anne – the apples and those leaves were exactly the same color. That was a beautiful weather week we had … we’ll wait an entire year to have a stretch of warmth and color like that again.
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I hope you are wrong about the weather. You deserve more lovely weeks.
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Thank you Anne – it seems the forecast gets worse each time I hear it. We are going to have very high winds tomorrow beginning at 9:00 a.m. and lasting through the day (40+ mph winds) and Saturday will be a sleety mess. Much too early for this wintry mix to be going on, but it is more reasonable now, than on Veteran’s Day when we had 8.8 inches of snow … that was downright ridiculous!
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Miss Linda…………………….it was a pleasure reading your beautiful November day at the park feeding the park critters treats that they liked
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Glad you enjoyed it Ann Marie; I know they enjoy the apples, not as much as last year though … at least when I was around. Last year they were chomping on their apples before I left. I’m done dispensing treats (other than peanuts) until Christmas week; I got a little something to put out for the birds and the squirrels, though I know the squirrels will likely take it for themselves. They cannot be respectful and polite, like at Elizabeth Park at the tree where all the feeders are and everyone awaits their turn … do you notice that little feeding station when you and Steven drive by?
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I can’t wait to see what they get on Thanksgiving…lol
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Ha ha – mini pumpkin pies perhaps? No, I am done with treats (except peanuts) now until around Christmas time. I got something to leave for the birds and squirrels, though the squirrels are piggy and will try to eat it first. The sparrows nest underneath the pavilion – I may try to hook it under there somehow. It will keep the seeds dry. Last year the squirrels ate the seed bells and sunflower seeds I left for the birds – and the suet too. Someone strung some string between two trees. I don’t know why as it is not strong rope that would hold a tree upright if it was listing. Can’t figure it out, but it’s too high to reach to put a feeder and besides it might pull the string down and the birds will fall and the bell treat on top of them and maybe they’s be injured. I am thinking about putting it in the water fountain – it’s been broken for years so no one drinks from it … anywhere else the squirrels can access it.
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The squirrels are so smart when it comes to food!
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sounds like you need to get a back pack Linda. I carry one each day.When your in the Park just sling the camera around your neck to keep your hands free.
I can’t believe you’d eat all those candy apples!
Peanuts are their own trading currency, like smokes in jail and a much healthier choice too!
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I do have a lightweight waterproof backpack I got a few years ago at back-to-school time and got another one from one of the 5Ks I was in this year.
That is a good idea instead of using the tote bag on my arm, especially if I lug along the crampons, which are heavy and I put them in heavy bubble wrap so I did not gouge myself on the “teeth” walking to and from the Park a week ago after the big snow storm. I’m not into my heavy squall jacket yet and it has big cargo pockets. I’ve been feeding them more than I usually do due to that storm and the frozen ground. I didn’t eat those apples over one day – in fact, when I went to eat them, they had turned mushy and each one fell off the stick – grrrr. I ended up chopping them up and having them that way. In the end, I think plain apples with cheese are a better treat!
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you should make your own with fresh apples!
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Yes, because these were mushy as they likely were made weeks before they were put on the shelf. They should use a crisper apple, like a Granny Smith.
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yes,they recommend Gala’s or Grannies.
Heres a recipe https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21130/caramel-apples/
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Have you ever made these Wayne? Wondering if it is difficult – I am no cook – I even messed up tapioca one time. Bought the pudding mix and made it up, but it was gummy and like wallpaper paste. In my blog post, I wrote I could use it to seal up the wallpaper seams that kept coming open. Thank you for the recipe. Here in the States, you can “cheat” and just buy caramel wrappers where you just warm them and wrap them around your apple. I have been tempted to try that because I like crunchy apples too.
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No,never made them before,but am positive you could! However not practical for you. How many can you eat?
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This is true – I cut those up and they were so soft that they weren’t really enjoyable. I wouldn’t give them to the squirrels – might get on their fur. One time I gave Parker a clementine and he got pulp all over his face, so no more. I got the first clementines of the season last week – finally the California ones are out. I love those.
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Oh I bet Parker loved it!
I bought some small oranges the other day. Not sure if they Clementines? I’d classify them as “one bite” oranges!
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They likely are Clementines – it takes longer to peel ’em than to eat ’em. I was waiting for the California “Cutie Clementines” (that’s the brand that Meijer carries). They have Clementines from Chile and South Africa the rest of the year, but they have thick skins and no taste (that’s the equivalent of a mushy apple).
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ya,they probably are Clementines. They taste great at any rate!
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Yes, very sweet.
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yes,I absolutely hate mealy apples! Did you take the sweet stuff off before giving it to your furry friends?
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Yes, me too – I like Honeycrisp apples and get them when they are on sale. There is a new apple “Cosmic” that just came out recently and supposed to be the crispest apple ever and so named as it has little yellow dots all over it. I bought two brown sacks of apples – they prepack them. Meijer had the buy one bag, get one free sale and they were $0.57 a pound. But I usually buy a plastic bag of them and this time I had to stop and take all the labels off before I gave it to them.
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Your generosity to the critters is so nice. Around our yard, they get the apples that are not so fresh and ripe – they are easier for them to break into (I hope!). I love all the pops of red in your photos. And that you treated yourself to some caramel apples. We grew up with the cheese on the apple pie too. But the alamode is nice with French vanilla bean ice cream! Now I’m hungry – and feel the need to burn off some calories… Happy Thanksgiving week to you, Linda. I hope you get to take plenty of enjoyable walks and that the snowstorm holds out and misses your state.
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I enjoy feeding them in the Fall Shelley. I know they are putting away peanuts for the Winter, but feel they should have some other treats too. Like us humans – “man cannot live on bread alone” – but they resist and are always stubborn initially. I will return at Christmas with more treats (for the birds too) and have to devise a trick to keep the mischievous squirrels away. I like that flavor of ice cream too. Actually I’ve not had pie in years, since I won’t buy a whole one, although Meijer has the mini pies you can buy. Enjoy your holiday with the girls and your big 55 b’day as well!
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You’re so kind, Linda, your efforts warm my heart! Thank you for the holiday wishes. I hope you enjoy that mini pie!! It’s the perfect size if you ask me. The big pies lead to too many servings!!
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I am glad to read that you bought yourself a treat along with the treats for all of your furry friends. I didn’t see anyone actually eating the apples. Did they take them? We grew up eating apple pie with either ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Mmmmm… I am hoping for some apple pie for Thanksgiving dinner!
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Yes, I had read that fellow blogger’s “harvest dinner” and they had candy apples as appetizers. I don’t even think they sell candy apples anymore – bad for the teeth. I ended up cutting mine up with their caramel, nuts and chocolate still on them as they all fell off their sticks! Hope you get that apply pie Laurie for Thanksgiving. I also hope your son/family got there safely. The radio station I listen to regularly, the morning anchor/husband have been visiting their son in Denver and planes have been grounded due to all the snow for hours, maybe a day! She called in and tweeted a picture of the snow at the airport. The squirrels did not lunge for the apples, preferring the peanuts instead and I waited a while and had to leave as it was during the week and I had to get to work. Last year, I was lucky to get several photos of them lugging them around or pushing them and also eating the apples and enjoying them – they were very cute doing that!
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I did not get apple pie for Thanksgiving, but I did get a really yummy S’mores pie made my my niece.
I don’t know if I told you, we had a tornado warning early Friday morning (4 a.m.) There were some tornadoes spotted in Scottsdale!
My son and his family did get home safely but they got a bunch of snow yesterday in Steamboat springs.
I guess the squirrels eventually ate the apples. Peanuts are more calorie-dense and that is what they want at this time of year@!
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Wow – I didn’t hear about the tornado warnings – the news was full of stormy weather last Wednesday and today, but Friday it was ad nauseum about Black Friday. (This year it was the lack of people at the malls – a little twist.) That is scary and I heard that a family was crossing a swollen creek in a Jeep and a child was lost in the water. I never heard that story until today though. Is Steamboat Springs having a bad Winter?
When you visited at Easter they still had the snow as you said it was a white-knuckle drive getting to the airports through the mountains. Perhaps that is the norm.
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There were lots of people out shopping in Scottsdale. Thank goodness I didn’t have to be among them. I am not a good shopper!
Steamboat Springs had their snowiest month of October ever. I am not sure about November, but they seemed to get a lot of snow then too.
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I am not a good shopper either Laurie. I went one year on Black Friday to try it out and Black Friday was a fairly new concept then. This was before the stores were not open on Gray Wednesday, nor on Thanksgiving Day as they are now. Just a throng of people at Fairlane Mall and you moved like in a herd of cattle and had to extricate yourself from the crowd to get into a store … never again! At least in Scottsdale they are not bundled up, feeling bulky with winter clothing, before they even start hauling around their bags of bargains. Snow in October would not sit well with you nor me – we are snow haters, although I must admit it must be pretty if you don’t have to drive in it or shovel it.
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I would imagine the crowds for Black Friday are not what they once were. I am doing most of my shopping online this year and I imagine lots of people are like me. So much easier! I shop in our small town as much as possible, but there are no toy stores, so those I have to get online!
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You cannot beat the deals online, Black Friday or otherwise – Amazon dangles their variety and low prices, all just a click away, in front of you so who can resist? And the great sales are just an added bonus. The retail workers will rejoice when the store owners have a heart and let them enjoy their holiday at home, and not waiting on customers.
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So true! They even have to work on Thanksgiving these days!
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Your grandmother sneaking you treats made me laugh. I love reading their thoughts 🙂 l. You took great pictures as usual. Cool that you’ve gotten all the August pictures! No need to take your camera always ‘m- unless you’re doing cool stuff in the snow. You can probably get awesome photos from just outside your door and now that it’s colder you need to keep warm!
Can’t recall what else I was going to say…
Love, light and glitter
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Yes, she was funny about that – and it was “our secret” – my parents were very strict about eating candy when I was growing up, a candy cane at Christmas and a chocolate bunny at Easter but the jellybeans, well I was lucky if I got one of them as they were pure sugar.
We had a gorgeous day today, very mild and felt like Spring or a September day … it all goes bad though tomorrow, it was fleeting but nice.
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I hope it was still okay! (((hugs)))
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Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a blessed one! … we have a candy making whip near us who makes “turtle apples.” Those are caramel apples that are then drizzled with chocolate and dipped in chopped pecans. Oh. My. They are absolutely delicious, and it’s hard for me to not eat the whole entire thing, especially, when I’ve convinced myself it’s healthy because after all, it’s an apple! 🍎🍏🍫😂🤣
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Oh. My. Indeed! Mia – I would not be able to tear myself from that treat either and I would definitely use the same reasoning as you – it’s an apple after all! That sounds wonderful. I used to work with a girl who made chocolate as a hobby and a side job as well. She would make these cute bunny and chicken chocolate lollypops for Easter in white chocolate and a pastel yellow. She sold more for Easter than Christmas and took orders a month in advance. I used to get some for the two little boys down the street as they were too cute to pass up. 🙂
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Yum! I love fresh, homemade chocolate! 😋
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Me too!!
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love this post! Check out my food blog http://www.tasteandcompany.food.blog
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Thank you – I will.
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I love seeing the photos of the wildlife eating the treats you take to them. When I am home I keep a compost can in my kitchen and put any veg and fruit peelings and cores in it and take out to the backyard group. In the summer the raccoons come finish off what they don’t eat. I sometimes throw extra lettuce and garden veg. out in the winter for the local rabbits.
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Glad you liked this post. That is good of you to do that Sandra. They do like their natural treats – in fact, there is an apple tree in the Park and because they don’t spray it, it has some wormy apples, but they otherwise grow big and fall off on their own – the apples are okay except for the small wormy area. The squirrels can be seen chomping on them up in the tree or on the ground, so I knew they would like apples – the pumpkins are a little harder to bite into, but they will eat them too (after the peanuts are gone). We also have mulberries in the Park and they climb up and eat them as does the woodchuck. We have lots of bunnies there in the warmer months – I have never seen them eating anything but grass. Love to see the bunnies and they stay still to get a shot of them.
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That sounds like so much fun to watch them all so close to your home. At my cabin up north I have not seen one sparrow. There are a lot of deer and a few bears that wander by though. And wolf tracks every where but I have not seen a wolf yet.
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At Kensington Metropark where Jocelyn goes, there was a white deer last year – she had two fawns which were both the regular brown color with spots. But she was pure white. There were several sightings of her. I went to Grosse Ile last Summer as there is a wooded area there where lots of deer go. I was driving on the island and saw two of them in the road (going slow, the Island perimeter road speed limit is 25 mph, so no worries of a car/deer crash). They are there all the time, but I never saw any more that day – went back a couple of times and didn’t see any unfortunately. One of the walkers at my Park lives there and says he sees whole families crossing the road every morning. You are lucky to see them The bears too (at a respectable distance).
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I love seeing the baby deer, there are black bears up north, they are not very big. And usually only one at a time, they dont hang around people much.
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One of the bloggers I follow, Tofino Photography, photographs black bears. He has lived in that area many years and has known many generations of bears and their cubs … he has some cute photos of one named “Piglet” and the mom’s name is “Peggy” … that little cub is so sweet. Good the bears stay a distance away from you.
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I think I have seen his post, that name looks familiar. I have my favorite post saved, like yours, so I can find them easier. But wordpress on my phone does not always cooperate with me. I only use my phone this time of night to read post.
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I started following Wayne after I went to see the eagles at the River and another blogger said “go here to see eagles” as they are his specialty. But the bears are cute too. I searched for “Peggy and Piglet” and found this post, but he does lots of them once they are done hibernating and out and about again. I only use a laptop as I have a flip-phone (yes, a dinosaur!)
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I will look up his site again and get it saved, I was toting a flip phone until last year, I crossed over to the I phone, not the smart phone. It is so much better and faster for using GPS when traveling.
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I can tell you when he starts posting the bears/bear cubs if you want. He does love his eagles and has called them by names and he says it will be mating season soon so his last post was two of them perched close by but he has them sitting side by side (female is larger) and up-close shots of one of his favorite eagles, “The Daredevil” … when the salmon spawn he gets shots of the bears eating salmon. I think eventually I will have to get a smartphone as one day it will be necessary for everything – when I booked the sunflower festival for my advance ticket to the event, as well as some 5K events last year – they send your ticket to scan on your phone – each time I have to write back and get “permission” to just bring the registration number as I don’t have a smartphone. I understand a lot of concerts and sporting events do the online tickets that way now and I don’t have GPS in my car, but bought a paper map after I got lost … I am not good with directions to begin with. I have Onstar but don’t travel around enough to get the turn-by-turn navigation in my car … when I bought it in 2009, the saleswoman turned the turn-by-turn on for me to drive home (I knew my way as it was just about 6-7 miles away) and the voice/directions drove me nuts – it was the first new car in 21 years and all I could see was a car with lots of bells, whistles and buttons.
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There does seem to be to many bells and whistles in the new cars. To many for me. I will stick to the older models. But the navigation on the phones does work well. I do see that, everyone is paying for stuff with there phones, scanning and all. I do not do that. That is for the younger generation I guess. I don’t have a lot of people texting me and calling all the time. I socialize on this blogging, and that is about it.
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I feel exactly the same way – we are transitioning to Windows 10 soon and I am dreading it and Office 365 and a new accounting system. I really like Windows 7 so I am not looking forward to it at all. I have had the Windows 10 laptop here awhile, but I don’t like the interface – guess I am stubborn. I text my boss, the computer guy and a few friends from the laptop to their phone. I don’t know how to text on the phone. What happened to me was I had a small cellphone for years and years. Then AT&T no longer supported 2G phones in 2017, so I had to get a new phone. I got an AT&T smarphone as I had a voucher since it was a mandatory upgrade. I said I don’t call anyone, nor text anyone and I only want to use a weather app (I’m a weather worrier) and nothing fancy. So he sold me a smartphone and I tried texting with a friend of mine but that was it. It dropped calls and texts while I was getting used to it and it never had any data room so I got rid of it. I really only keep a cellphone for an emergency and it if didn’t work most of the time, I didn’t want to keep it. So returned it and got a flip phone.
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I still have my flip phone, I did have it for emergency only. I dont text much, my siblings like to text me and that is about it. I enjoy emailing the most because I like to type. But my siblings wont answer emails, only text. Technology is always changing.
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Yes tech is changing and hard to keep up with it all. I don’t have a tablet and I’ve never had an iPod. I keep in touch with some high school classmates that I found on Facebook when I joined … they do not use e-mail anymore at all.
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I guess we have to change a little with the times. Except for tv, I am not wanting to stream movies or pay for movie channels.
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Not, it is expensive. My internet, since I don’t have Comcast cable TV or phone, is steep – it just went up another $4.00 this past month. That is bad enough.
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And we do have to have internet, that is the way of the world. But I just can’t see paying for TV when the majority of it is commercials or not that good of shows. Remember when our older relatives use to say, ” When I was younger we _____” Now I am saying that, when we were younger we did not have to pay for TV and it turned off at midnight. I love telling my nieces and nephews that stuff. This generation is growing up with it is ok to pay monthly for everything. Times are sure different.
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I often say I wish I lived in an earlier time Sanda – the 50s would be fine with me to be honest. I like things simple, Yes, I heard that story growing up too and I find myself saying it too, that would be me muttering to no one in general. I get frustrated with the internet too. I don’t know what service you use when you are in Michigan but Comcast is often problematic for me at the house and we have Comcast for internet/phone at work. It seems there are problems with work or mine at least once a week. Internet is a blessing though for many other things … social media when people are not bashing each other. The comments I read in our City forum and on news sites, even weather sites is ridiculous and beyond rude. I recently started following Mlive weather with Mark Torregrossa. They bash him behind their “fake profiles” and criticize him … yesterday when he predicted a brief warm-up someone said “you said we’d have a brutally cold and snowy Winter – what happened to that?” I would like to ask this person if he wants a Polar Vortex, the possible loss of power, freezing pipes and resultant damage, snow as high as Newfoundland to make him happy? I think they (weather folks) get it wrong now that they rely on the models too much, but to criticize him directly is unconscionable. Where are people’s manners. The younger generation don’t think twice to pay for streaming services, cable or DVDs that cost an arm and a leg to binge watch. When I’m retired, I have a slew of books that my mom and I bought together and she read, but I did not – paperbacks when they used to have bookstores where you could walk around and select books – now there is just Barnes and Noble I believe and very pricey. Also Amazon or the grocery store – I indulged and bought a few books in the Fall at Meijer in an effort to return to reading again. A few titles caught my eye but I do have those books from before … my mom used to call them “Linda’s Retirement Bins” … I was not blogging then, so anticipated much more quiet time to read, etc. My mom also used to like to do jigsaw puzzles and I’ve saved a lot of them too so I hope that I can continue to walk and enjoy those walks in nature just like you do now that you have more free time and that will be enough for me. As to computers, I worked til 7:00 last night troubleshooting issues with our computer guy and just checked in and I can’t get in this morning … first frustration of the day. I will wait until I return to contact him … I am looking forward to getting out and clear my head, get a walk in and feed those furry and feathered critters as long as there is no ice at the Park – if there is ice, I’ll leave peanuts strewn on the picnic tables under the pavilion roof – there are about six tables and I know the geese won’t fly up there and eat them. Like I said the day we “met” … simple joys keep me humming along and you too.
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I have never heard of com cast, I use verizon for everything, they are pretty reliable. I have not had any issues. It seems like people are more irritated these days. You sappose it is that they can say what they want when they are not in front of people? I don’t know, the weather people can not predict weather perfect. No one can, weather changes like the wind blows. Most of the weather people have to fill in their time slot and just talk extra I imaging. I just look at the radars all the time. That is pretty accurate. I guess for me, I don’t worry about the amount of rain, snow, warm and cold. It seems pretty simple to me, Winter will probably cold, Summer will be hot. The way the seasons were intended to be. The simple things of life, stepping outside to get fresh air eases the mind. Maybe people need to just step away from electronics more often.
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My boss uses Verizon and has for his cellphone for years – he got a smartphone a few years ago, but relied on a Blackberry for years. He uses a satellite device in his laptop to access internet when he is out of town. Never had an issue with Verizon to my knowledge. Our computer guy is supposed to get a similar device for me as my Comcast has so many issues. Last week they did an upgrade and I could not get into work. This happens every few months unfortunately. He had to set me up with what’s called a VPN (virtual private network) to get into work until Comcast corrected it. Now Comcast is offering free virus protection for people who have smart TVs and Alexas, etc. – great and this is why they no doubt raised my internet $4.00 a month, but it does not provide extra protection to laptops, phones or tablets, just “gateway devices” according to the news story. I am going to head off here now as I need to get out once it is light to get to the Park and back here … I suspect I’m going to need to contact the computer guy as soon as I get back here. Have a good day Sandra – will catch up later. Hopefully I can tell you I fed those hungry little guys that I worry about in Winter. Summertime they can forage – the ground is way too cold now to be able to find anything they buried.
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Ok Linda, have a good day. I am going to start taking seeds and or corn with me now after reading your post.
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Sandra – I was happy to get to the Park and a few minutes onto the pathway, first two squirrels came over and soon the area was flooded with squirrels of all types and colors … I took out more peanuts and then the camera. Took a lot of shots and hopefully they should come out because they stayed in place, up in a small tree, or in the snow, only moving to grab a peanut. I’ll bet they hadn’t left the nest since Friday with the precip and brutally cold weather. One of the walkers at the Park does feed then peanuts but at home has a corncob holder and some sunflower seeds. I never think about taking sunflower seeds, but he says they love them.
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That is what I am thinking, some birdseed mix and peanuts. I always put it out at the cabin, there are no sparrows but a couple of chickadees and lots of blue jays.
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I like the chickadees – I went back to the place at Elizabeth Park that I wrote about in Nature’s Gifts … such a peaceful place with the birds around the feeders and it was full of chickadees. They are so cute. I don’t see them at the Park where I go daily. And the noise they make is so unique as well. The birds clearly enjoy anything they can get since foraging is rough now. I saw a few blue jays hanging around as well but they were on the move and they swoop down and grab a peanut and are back to the tree in a few seconds. Wish I could have taken their picture – maybe tomorrow.
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Yes the blue Jay’s dont stay around long. They are so pretty though, even in winter. There is one giant woodpecker up north I have not got a photo of him yet. Not sure what it is called.
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Yes they are – they were calling to one another this morning so I knew they gathered in the tree and would make a swoop down, but sometimes fumbling to get the camera out or a squirrel comes moseying over and I blink and miss it. I never knew my woodpeckers until I started following Jocelyn Anderson – I thought the Red-Bellied and Downy Woodpeckers were the same, but they are not … I hear them in the neighborhood while walking, drilling into trees and telephone poles.
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yes, let me know when he post with his link if you have it. Sometimes it is hard to find them again, if you don’t have there exact page title.
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Okay, will do Sandra – it will be a while til those bears and cubs appear; they sure were sweet. The cubs are so inquisitive and the mom is comfortable with him being around so it makes for good pictures.
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Thanks Linda, it is bed time for me. Have a good night. Looks like more snow heading towards Iowa, it might head your way.
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I’m off here shortly as well – I was late getting here tonight as we had a computer server issue at work and I was here til 7:00 with our computer guy. We are getting rain and snow on Friday afternoon unfortunately. Winter is asserting itself!
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Me to, have a good night Linda.
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You too Sandra – I’m stopping in Reader to see what you wrote today, then calling it quits for the night too, though I am behind in Reader.
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