Read em' and weep, Folks.
From today's MAINLAND headlines:
1. Toilet Explodes, Lands Woman in Hospital
2. Woman Sent to Morgue While Still Living
3. Michael Jackson Injected Himself With Deadly Drugs, Doctor Says
4. Woman Gets Shock on Starbucks Cup - Barista Scrawled Obscenity on Cup
And drumroll, please:
5. Law Enforcement Accused of Eating Suspect's Pot Brownies
Ok, that one could theoretically happen on a bohemian island, lol.
Have a safe one. :)
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Finished Object Friday: The Derby and The Best Knitted Man Hat EV-ER!
If you spend any time at all on the Vineyard two words eventually pop up in conversation.
"The Derby."
As in: The Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby.
The Derby is an annual fishing competition from way back - 1946, in fact.
Anyone can participate, and eventually everyone does.
Each year the entrance fee gets you the following: a cool hat, a neat circular numbered pin for the cool hat and a chance to beat anyone at the fishing game.
Stakes are high.
For the overall winner of the Shore Fishing division, first prize is a new EASTERN 22 Center Console with option package, motor, and trailer, compliments of Eastern Boats.
And for the Boat Fishing Division - a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pickup, compliments of the Clay Family Dealerships.
Each evening, the Weigh-In Shack is packed - waiting to see who took first place and fish weights - gotta know what the competition is, after all.
It's all the talk around town, too. Even if you aren't entered. The grocery line, the Bank, the Post Office and at Mocha Motts. Everywhere. (Even in church!)
Though it would be typical to have such a competition being it's an island and all, and the fishing is great, and everyone wants to catch a Striped Bass at least once in his/her lifetime, what really impresses me is the community comradery.
People actually taking an active part, no matter age or gender in the whole shebang.
I like that.
The Derby is a month-long fishing fest, so I will be reporting in over the next few weeks.
But to celebrate, I have made a hat for a certain someone's birthday (sh! It's a secret until tonight's bash), and I have to say, it is the best Man Hat EV-ER. Handknit, to be sure, by moi :), and the design? Oh La La. Hip enough to please every age, practical enough to quell any weather.
So for my Finished Object Friday, I present:
The Man Hat!
Have a good one. :)
 | |
| MVDerby.com |
As in: The Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby.
The Derby is an annual fishing competition from way back - 1946, in fact.
Anyone can participate, and eventually everyone does.
 | |
| Andy with Grand Slam pin |
 |
| MVTimes.com |
It's all the talk around town, too. Even if you aren't entered. The grocery line, the Bank, the Post Office and at Mocha Motts. Everywhere. (Even in church!)
Though it would be typical to have such a competition being it's an island and all, and the fishing is great, and everyone wants to catch a Striped Bass at least once in his/her lifetime, what really impresses me is the community comradery.
People actually taking an active part, no matter age or gender in the whole shebang.
I like that.
The Derby is a month-long fishing fest, so I will be reporting in over the next few weeks.
But to celebrate, I have made a hat for a certain someone's birthday (sh! It's a secret until tonight's bash), and I have to say, it is the best Man Hat EV-ER. Handknit, to be sure, by moi :), and the design? Oh La La. Hip enough to please every age, practical enough to quell any weather.
So for my Finished Object Friday, I present:
The Man Hat!
Have a good one. :)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
525,600 Minutes or My Blog: A Work In Progress - WIP Wednesday
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of my blog, I give you the year in my island life.
I know, I know. It's a crazy life, but it's my life, and I love it. Enjoy!
I know, I know. It's a crazy life, but it's my life, and I love it. Enjoy!
Have a good one. :)
(music by the cast of Rent - Seasons of Love)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Skunk Bucket!
Yep.
A very necessary item on this island if you own a dog.
And said dog likes to play with young skunks, who know no better.
At 6 a.m. as in this morning. :)
This emergency item includes the following:
1 empty bulk detergent bucket
several bottles of hydrogen peroxide
a large box of baking soda
paper towels
Stop & Shop plastic grocery bags
the most important item DAWN Liquid soap detergent
a fresh loaf of bread (yes, you read that right)
*bonus item: Skunk Off spray from the vets/Amazon.com
Things I have learned at 6 a.m. in the morning:
1. The internet is a beautiful thing for research
2. Skunk spray is actually an oil and needs to be wiped off with paper towels first, before any other procedure, including chasing the dog through the house to catch her and tie her outside
3. Commit to memory the following recipe:
Skunk Odor Antidote
1 Qt 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp. liquid soap DAWN
(Wet down the dog with a hose, mix the ingredients together in a container, and then slowly pour the mixture over the dog while rubbing it into the fur. After the dog has been bathed in this solution rinse it down with the hose and the dog will be odor free. Our rescue dog weighs about 65 lbs so we do double recipe, but if you have a small to medium size animal, the recipe as listed should do just fine. Also, keep care to avoid the inside eyes, ears and mouth, and note that hydrogen peroxide does bleach things out, including some dog furs. Skunk Off can be used after, as a "chaser" of some sorts, following bottle directions.)
4. DAWN liquid detergent is most important as it handily cuts the skunk oil, just-like-that.
An aside: When we lived in Cincinnati where Proctor & Gamble is headquartered (DAWN Liquid dish detergent is their product) a DAWN truck was kept at the ready and sent out for any highway wrecks or spills where oil was involved, and it works like a charm.
5. Keep a SKUNK BUCKET handy at all times - time is of the essence
6. Skunk Off spray works inside the house for lingering odors in the air
7. What's the fresh loaf of bread for? Well, since most dogs get sprayed mainly in the face, And most dogs are barking at the skunk while getting sprayed in the face, most dogs will get skunk spray/oil in the mouth. Feeding the dog bread over the next few days helps eliminate "skunk breath" lol.
They say that this island has no more or less a population of skunks than the mainland. (They have even taken to studying our skunks (NY Times article here) and (MV Times article here) in particular.)
But I beg to differ on that.
Woof.
Have a fresh and clean-smelling one. :)
 |
| The Victim |
And said dog likes to play with young skunks, who know no better.
At 6 a.m. as in this morning. :)
This emergency item includes the following:
1 empty bulk detergent bucket
several bottles of hydrogen peroxide
a large box of baking soda
paper towels
Stop & Shop plastic grocery bags
the most important item DAWN Liquid soap detergent
a fresh loaf of bread (yes, you read that right)
*bonus item: Skunk Off spray from the vets/Amazon.com
 |
| The Culprit |
Things I have learned at 6 a.m. in the morning:
1. The internet is a beautiful thing for research
2. Skunk spray is actually an oil and needs to be wiped off with paper towels first, before any other procedure, including chasing the dog through the house to catch her and tie her outside
Skunk Odor Antidote
1 Qt 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp. liquid soap DAWN
(Wet down the dog with a hose, mix the ingredients together in a container, and then slowly pour the mixture over the dog while rubbing it into the fur. After the dog has been bathed in this solution rinse it down with the hose and the dog will be odor free. Our rescue dog weighs about 65 lbs so we do double recipe, but if you have a small to medium size animal, the recipe as listed should do just fine. Also, keep care to avoid the inside eyes, ears and mouth, and note that hydrogen peroxide does bleach things out, including some dog furs. Skunk Off can be used after, as a "chaser" of some sorts, following bottle directions.)
4. DAWN liquid detergent is most important as it handily cuts the skunk oil, just-like-that.
An aside: When we lived in Cincinnati where Proctor & Gamble is headquartered (DAWN Liquid dish detergent is their product) a DAWN truck was kept at the ready and sent out for any highway wrecks or spills where oil was involved, and it works like a charm.
5. Keep a SKUNK BUCKET handy at all times - time is of the essence6. Skunk Off spray works inside the house for lingering odors in the air
7. What's the fresh loaf of bread for? Well, since most dogs get sprayed mainly in the face, And most dogs are barking at the skunk while getting sprayed in the face, most dogs will get skunk spray/oil in the mouth. Feeding the dog bread over the next few days helps eliminate "skunk breath" lol.
They say that this island has no more or less a population of skunks than the mainland. (They have even taken to studying our skunks (NY Times article here) and (MV Times article here) in particular.)
But I beg to differ on that.
Woof.
Have a fresh and clean-smelling one. :)
Saturday, September 10, 2011
An Island September
 |
| Geoff Wheeler |
The island in September.
Breezes, cool and comforting -
The air "brims with smells to feel."
Crisp leaves ready for the crackle of Fall,
Sooty odors, burning bush and twigs.
Salt waves, briny, textured with mermaid's hair - brown and gold and titan red,
Filled with mermen's ware -conch shells to make the siren call of winter storms.And the deep blue sea - not the azure of late spring or the cyan of a hot summer,
But inky - like brand new school jeans or the sapphire of night reflected back, diamond tops sparkling.
 |
| Anne Marie Brown/MVTimes |
the soft blanket of memories to climb under and remember.
And the flowers.
Oh, the flowers.
readying for a departing summer,
Ah, September.
Have a good one, call your mother and put your sweaters on. :)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Problem With Doing Nothing...
... is you never know when you are done.
Right?
And, I am certain that difficulty finding motivation from time to time is not wholly the fault of living on an island.
But it's close, lol.
What with Hurricane Irene and Labor Day Weekend, the last several days bringing gray skies, rain, and more rain, it is becoming Letdown Central around here.
Now normally, one would tend to push beyond the abyss, "man" up and get a butt in gear.
But today, I take a different approach.
What if, for today, being productive is actually counterproductive?
When I lived in America the Mainland, it was go, go, go, make the most out of every day, because, frankly, who else is going to do it? We have to make a living, keep the house going, and take care of others.
But what if, I stop a moment, and look towards improving my day rather than my productivity?
What if I put the breaks on speed and downshifted into slowing down, just a bit, and find the joy in whatever it is I am doing?
So in that light, I offer the following:
1. Just for today, stop trying to arrange the clutter, but clear the clutter instead.
Take the wastebasket, throw 5 things into it and be done with it.
Because, really, if you have less around, there's no need to arrange, store or otherwise fiddle with the extras, right? 5 less pieces of paper, 5 less things in the frig, 5 less outgrown, outworn, or out-of-style wardrobe pieces means less to deal with.
2. Just for today, list 1 to-do, not a dozen, and hey, what a concept, DO only it.
3. Just for today, when on that treadmill, don't, I REPEAT, DO NOT count the minutes, the mileage, the more, more, more in my head. Just run like the wind, and enjoy the feeling ( ok walk like the wind, but you get the picture). Stop when you feel the urge, not when the clock tells you to.
4. Just for today, work on something I love, something I can't stand another minute without working on. I know, I know, I hear you saying "But the other needs to get done." I get it. See, if it can wait, just one day, just a day to regroup, or if not a day, a morning, or an afternoon. Allow myself a piece of time to do that thing I love, and I bet I will see an uptick in overall productivity in the end.
5. And Just for today, stop multitasking and take on the moment for being in the moment. Just sit and be.
So that's it. Maybe the point is to do nothing you normally do, and see what gets done.
Better.
It might do a body good.
Anywhere.
Have a creative one. :)
Right?
And, I am certain that difficulty finding motivation from time to time is not wholly the fault of living on an island.
But it's close, lol.
What with Hurricane Irene and Labor Day Weekend, the last several days bringing gray skies, rain, and more rain, it is becoming Letdown Central around here.
Now normally, one would tend to push beyond the abyss, "man" up and get a butt in gear.
But today, I take a different approach.
What if, for today, being productive is actually counterproductive?
When I lived in America the Mainland, it was go, go, go, make the most out of every day, because, frankly, who else is going to do it? We have to make a living, keep the house going, and take care of others.But what if, I stop a moment, and look towards improving my day rather than my productivity?
What if I put the breaks on speed and downshifted into slowing down, just a bit, and find the joy in whatever it is I am doing?
So in that light, I offer the following:
1. Just for today, stop trying to arrange the clutter, but clear the clutter instead.
Take the wastebasket, throw 5 things into it and be done with it.
Because, really, if you have less around, there's no need to arrange, store or otherwise fiddle with the extras, right? 5 less pieces of paper, 5 less things in the frig, 5 less outgrown, outworn, or out-of-style wardrobe pieces means less to deal with.
2. Just for today, list 1 to-do, not a dozen, and hey, what a concept, DO only it.
3. Just for today, when on that treadmill, don't, I REPEAT, DO NOT count the minutes, the mileage, the more, more, more in my head. Just run like the wind, and enjoy the feeling ( ok walk like the wind, but you get the picture). Stop when you feel the urge, not when the clock tells you to.
4. Just for today, work on something I love, something I can't stand another minute without working on. I know, I know, I hear you saying "But the other needs to get done." I get it. See, if it can wait, just one day, just a day to regroup, or if not a day, a morning, or an afternoon. Allow myself a piece of time to do that thing I love, and I bet I will see an uptick in overall productivity in the end.
5. And Just for today, stop multitasking and take on the moment for being in the moment. Just sit and be.
So that's it. Maybe the point is to do nothing you normally do, and see what gets done.
Better.
It might do a body good.
Anywhere.
Have a creative one. :)
Monday, September 5, 2011
A Versatile Blogger Award - Kicking A** and Taking Names lol
I've been recognized!
No, silly, not for that.
And besides, I said I didn't do it, lol.
For this:
Yep, nominated for a Versitile Blogger Award.
A big hug and a thank-you-very-kindly goes out Erin who writes Knitting in Beantown, and who also nominated me here.
Erin was one of the first blogs I ever read about two of my favorite things - living in New England, Boston Town Proper, and knitting. And by reading her blog religiously, I somehow got the hang of this blogging thing - I'm coming up on a year and I'm still on the blogwaves!
Erin's life in Beantown inspires me to be a better knitter and person. And can she pick out color to match a knitting project! Experience Erin's Beantown (that's Boston for the rest of the country lol): http://knittinginbeantown.blogspot.
To pay it forward, anyone receiving the award is asked to:
7 Things and More You Never Need Know About Me, but It's Too Late Now
1. I like reading in bed with the lights out, using only a book light because it reminds me of reading under the covers past bedtime when I was a kid.
2. I occasionally like a little cigar with a glass of wine when I'm feeling rebellious.
3. I used to tap dance in the elevators at the downtown Columbus, Ohio Lazarus Department Store when I was little, because I liked being airborne for a moment while I tapped.
4. I don't like doing dishes when I'm tired and will avoid it like the plague.
5. I, at one time, contemplated being either a Radio City Rocket or a missionary when I grew up.
6. Word I'm not fond of: trending.
7. I don't like following directions sometimes. So, I'm adding 3 more here, lol.
8. My guilty pleasure in the midst of intellectual greatness is to read trashy beach novels and cozy mysteries, to my chagrin.
9. According to the lines on my hands that form a 5-pointed star a fortune-teller told me I have saved 5 peoples' lives.
10. Contrary to popular belief I don't think that Tom Cruise is all that. Not really. Ok, maybe a tiny bit, but not that much.
Since as I see it this “award” is really a way of calling others’ attention to bloggers, I feel those who need it most aren’t well-established blogs but rather ones which are newly discovered, multifaceted blogs and aren't yet well-known.
Here are some to check out:
Its Own Reward
Slipper Moon Studio
Serenity Farms
Cats and Casseroles
Have a good one. :)
No, silly, not for that.
And besides, I said I didn't do it, lol.
For this:
Yep, nominated for a Versitile Blogger Award.
A big hug and a thank-you-very-kindly goes out Erin who writes Knitting in Beantown, and who also nominated me here.
Erin was one of the first blogs I ever read about two of my favorite things - living in New England, Boston Town Proper, and knitting. And by reading her blog religiously, I somehow got the hang of this blogging thing - I'm coming up on a year and I'm still on the blogwaves!
Erin's life in Beantown inspires me to be a better knitter and person. And can she pick out color to match a knitting project! Experience Erin's Beantown (that's Boston for the rest of the country lol): http://knittinginbeantown.blogspot.
To pay it forward, anyone receiving the award is asked to:
- Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
- Tell your readers seven things about yourself.
- Give this award to up to fifteen recently discovered bloggers.
- Contact those bloggers to tell them the news.
7 Things and More You Never Need Know About Me, but It's Too Late Now
1. I like reading in bed with the lights out, using only a book light because it reminds me of reading under the covers past bedtime when I was a kid.
2. I occasionally like a little cigar with a glass of wine when I'm feeling rebellious.
3. I used to tap dance in the elevators at the downtown Columbus, Ohio Lazarus Department Store when I was little, because I liked being airborne for a moment while I tapped.
4. I don't like doing dishes when I'm tired and will avoid it like the plague.
5. I, at one time, contemplated being either a Radio City Rocket or a missionary when I grew up.
6. Word I'm not fond of: trending.
7. I don't like following directions sometimes. So, I'm adding 3 more here, lol.
8. My guilty pleasure in the midst of intellectual greatness is to read trashy beach novels and cozy mysteries, to my chagrin.
9. According to the lines on my hands that form a 5-pointed star a fortune-teller told me I have saved 5 peoples' lives.
10. Contrary to popular belief I don't think that Tom Cruise is all that. Not really. Ok, maybe a tiny bit, but not that much.
Since as I see it this “award” is really a way of calling others’ attention to bloggers, I feel those who need it most aren’t well-established blogs but rather ones which are newly discovered, multifaceted blogs and aren't yet well-known.
Here are some to check out:
Its Own Reward
Slipper Moon Studio
Serenity Farms
Cats and Casseroles
Have a good one. :)
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