What Am I ?

1. I can be 25 times the size of my mate. Once he attaches himself to me his circulatory system fuses with mine and everything except his reproductive organs shut down, providing a permanent sperm bank.

2. When my jaws open it creates a suction that draws my victim inside. My expandable stomach can hold a meal much larger than I am.

3. I live in dark water that hovers just above freezing and exerts pressures of thousands of pounds per square inch.

4. Over millions of years of evolution, the front-most spine of my dorsal fin has developed into a fishing rod with a fleshy "bait" dangling at the end. It glows with light that is generated by an enzyme called luciferase.

Have you figured out what I am from my clues*? Scroll down for the answer.

I am a female Anglerfish!

*Facts provided by the June 2010 issue of Discover Magazine.

Musical FreeVerse with Edgar Allan Poe

One of my favorite albums is Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe by The Alan Parsons Project. It's the debut album from the group which was formed in the mid-70s. At that time it was popular for prog rock groups to put out what were known as "concept albums" in which a central theme would be explored though music. Rick Wakeman from Yes had some good ones and Alan Parsons followed this one with several more. I've always been a fan of Poe and that's what led me to take a chance on the album.

I've chosen two of the poems featured on the album for my FreeVerse entry today. Click here to find more FreeVerse selections at Cara's place, Ooh...Books!


To One In Paradise

Thou wast all that to me, love,

For which my soul did pine-
A green isle in the sea, love,
A fountain and a shrine,
All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers,
And all the flowers were mine.

Ah, dream too bright to last!
Ah, starry Hope! that didst arise
But to be overcast!
A voice from out the Future cries,
"On! on!" - but o'er the Past
(Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
Mute, motionless, aghast!

For, alas! alas! me
The light of Life is o'er!
"no more- no more- no more-"
(Such language holds the solemn sea
To the sands upon the shore)
Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree
Or the stricken eagle soar!

And all my days are trances,
And all my nightly dreams
Are where they grey eye glances,
And where thy footstep gleams-
In what ethereal dances,
By what eternal streams.


A Dream Within A Dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
Your are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep - while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

Koontz and Harris

I've been a Dean Koontz fan for many years and look forward to reading each of his novels as soon as they come out in paperback. Obviously some are better than others, but the last few (with the exception of the "Odd" books) have not lived up to my expectations. His most recent paperback, Relentless, turned out to be the best one I've read in awhile. I was a bit surprised to see so many negative reviews at Amazon since it kept me in its grip to the last page. Even the editorial review used there was negative. No matter. I read for pleasure and escape and this one gave me both.

Today I finished the latest Sookie Stackhouse book by Charlaine Harris: Dead in the Family. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but once again...not the best reviews at Amazon. I've mentioned this series before, both when Charlaine Harris spoke at our community college and when I attended a book signing. What I love most about the books is that they take place in my neck of the woods. I'm quite familiar with most of the real-life places mentioned and can definitely relate to a few of the characters. I've yet to watch the HBO show based on the books and don't imagine that I ever will. Still.... I've learned never to say never.

A Mother's Day Repeat

I'm repeating this 2006 Mother's Day post from my old 360 blog. Happy Mother's day to all the mothers reading this!

Here's what my namesake (Kelly the cow) gave me for Mother's Day. In honor of her new little bull calf I'm posting this wonderful poem Marion had on her blog recently.

The Pasture
by Robert Frost

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;
I'll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):
I sha'n't be gone long. You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf
That's standing by the mother. It's so young,
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I sha'n't be gone long. You come too.

(Least) Favorite Five - Bugs!

If you are an entomologist you probably like bugs, but I'm not and I don't. In fact, I don't think I could come up with five that I do like. So instead of making this a favorite five entry, it's going to be a least favorite five entry!

1. Worms - I can't stand any kind of worm. That includes millipedes, centipedes, earthworms, inchworms, tapeworms, any worms. The only kind of worm I want to come into contact with is the plastic variety I bass fish with.

2. Horse flies/ deer flies - The former are quite large and often found around swimming pools or watering holes. The latter are smaller but more aggressive and seem to be everywhere! I remember seeing horse flies when I was growing up in town, but don't think I ever saw a deer fly until I moved to the country.

3. Fire Ants - These vicious things are next to impossible to get rid of. Destroy a mound and it just pops up somewhere nearby. One of my worst encounters was the time I thrust my arms into a hay bale not realizing it was loaded with ants. I stopped counting the bites when I reached 100. The bites itch and sting for days! I've had more than my share on my feet, too. Oh, and when they do get on you... they stick like glue and have to be brushed off.

4. Fleas - With all the dogs we've had over the years it's a wonder we haven't had more problems with fleas than we have. They're definitely a nightmare to deal with when they get in the house... not to mention how miserable it is for the poor pups.

5. Ticks - Ticks are bad enough, but what I really hate are seed ticks! It's one thing dealing with a bug or two that is easily seen, but tons of them that are almost too small to be seen without a magnifying glass? Ewwww! I shudder at the thought!

This certainly doesn't cover all the bugs I hate, but these are the ones I hate most. Care to share any that bug you?

Oolong Dead by Laura Childs

Oolong Dead is the tenth installment in the "Tea Shop Mystery" series by Laura Childs and my third book for the Cozy Mystery Challenge.

Marion introduced me to this series because she knew how much I loved tea. Each book revolves around Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC, and her eclectic group of friends. In addition, there is a section at the back of each book featuring recipes from the story and "Tea Time Tips".

This one begins with Theodosia riding in a steeplechase event. Something causes her horse to shy as they take one of the jumps and Theo is thrown from her mount. Not only does that "something" turn out to be a dead body, it's her ex-boyfriend's sister...a local media personality with whom she didn't get along. Things get complicated as Theo sticks her nose in places she shouldn't and ultimately finds her own life in grave danger.

As with most of her Tea Shop Mysteries, Childs does a good job of describing Charleston and the surrounding "low country" areas. I've never visited that part of the US, but I feel like I can visualize it from her writing. If you enjoy light, fast-paced cozies, I recommend this series.

FreeVerse - Haiku for Mother's Day

Hosted by Cara at Ooh...Books!
(click on image above)

What a pleasant surprise to find out I had the winning entry at Cara's! I don't claim to be a poet, but I really enjoy Haiku and have tried my hand at writing it a few times. You can see samples here, here, and again here.

In memory of my mother and my aunt, I've attempted a series of Haiku for this week's FreeVerse. To give some background, my mother died when I was seventeen and one of my father's sisters stepped in to try and fill the void. Some of these may not work that well individually, but I hope as a grouping they convey some of the emotions surrounding these events.


I was seventeen
When she departed this world
I still needed her

Taken far too soon
Thirty-four years have gone by
Time eases the pain

No kids of her own
She only wanted to help
I pushed her away

She is gone now, too
I hope she knew in the end
How much I loved her

It wasn't until
I had children of my own
That I understood

Each one leaves the nest
Taking with them as they fly
A piece of my heart

Favorite Five - Board Games

I've mentioned before that I like to play board games. Part of our Christmas Eve celebration is pulling out Holiday Bingo followed by other games once the gifts have been opened. Each New Year's Eve we gather with two other couples and play Trivial Pursuit and Pictionary. Occasionally we try a new game, but always come back to those two.

Here's my list of favorites. Note I'm not including any card games. That will be for another time.

1. Masterpiece - The Art Auction Game - I was amazed to find this game listed at Amazon and even more amazed at the price! I guess it's so expensive since it's out of print (according to Wiki). I have the original 1970 version which features paintings from the Chicago Art Institute. I visited the Art Institute while in college just so I could see the paintings from my game!

2. Scrabble - I've played this game since I was a kid. I remember what a thrill it was to beat my mother for the first time. Thanks to a marathon evening of Scrabble on one of my sister's visits, my kids hate the game! I'll admit, she was pretty vicious and cut-throat.

3. Pictionary - My strength lies in the drawing rather than the guessing part of this game. Either part is fun, though. Of course it helps to have a good partner!

4. Pente - I love this game so much that I devoted an entire blog entry to it here.

5. Hey Pa! There's a Goat on the Roof - This was my favorite board game as a kid, but unfortunately mine got lost or given away at some point. I would have enjoyed playing it with my kids when they were growing up. I could probably find it at E-Bay if I really wanted it, but it wouldn't be the same. Mine had a tin can stuck under the well. Sentimental value.

Worth mentioning: Facts in Five, Clue, Acquire, Trivial Pursuit.

Friendship and Fun (and food, of course)

First of all, thanks to Petty Witter , for awarding me the Panda Super Comments Award*. She has a fun blog filled with humor, trivia and books reviews. Always a pleasure to visit! (* These bloggers leave awesome comments - they make you laugh, think, and offer encouragement and support. In other words, they're freaking awesome) Though this award has no "rules" for passing on, I thought I'd share it with Marion. I can count on her (and Petty Witter) to visit me here most every day! Thanks, Marion.... I appreciate you!

It's fun to make new friends in blogosphere. Sometimes those friendships become more personal such as when Marion, Quid, Pam and I got together for a weekend in Louisiana. I managed to dig up the post from my old blog here telling about that meeting. Then, occasionally an old friend from real life will also become a blogging friend. I'm referring to Bob, who is one of my oldest friends (old in the sense we probably first met as toddlers in the church nursery).

Thanks to one of my friends for organizing get togethers when she comes "home" for visits, there is a group of us from high school (and earlier) that try to connect at least once a year. Last night was one of those times. I especially enjoyed the evening because when they gathered last year I was at my WI BOW event and missed it. We had one missing member this year, too..... she had to be in Orlando, FL for a work related event. Maybe next time we'll all make it. It was a great evening packed with lots of talking, laughing and, of course, eating. Everyone contributed and one of the recipes I took was this one that I clipped from the May issue of Simple & Delicious.

Spinach Cheese Dip
(contributed by Christine Cragan of Salem, MA)

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
Tortilla chips

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, spinach and 1 cup cheese blend. Spread into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.

In conclusion, here's a photo of Bob and me along with a group shot.

How stressed are you?

I first saw this several years ago. I received it again in an e-mail today and thought it was worth sharing.

I am not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate.

Read the full description before looking at the picture.

The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital. Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact the dolphins are identical, a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins.

The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing. Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation...