It's Halfway Day. Half of the year has passed,
and half awaits...



It's also DUCKTONA 500 Day! (Whatever that is?!)

Happy Halfway day, Rusty!

Whould that make the year half full or half empty?

HAHA, Renee - you missed International Joke day by a day, tho. LOL



What's happening in the Windy City?

Did I catch a boid here on the beach?

Hey Rusty and Renee,

Morning all....Half full of course...this year flew by!!!! time for Christmas layaways....

Ducktona 500...rubber duck race held in Sheboygan,Wisconsin...."Get all your ducks in a row"!

LYN! MERYL! Good morning, buddies! Christmas already. Eeeek! LOL



That's one way to stay cool today - HOT HOT HOT!

scary how quick the year goes! Weather here is gonna be in the 90's just finished watering the flowers!

The tast of Chicago is going on today in the Windy City, Rusty. It's a pig-out fest we have here for about a week every summer. All kinds of restaruants serve "samples" of their specialties, and of course there's music and carnival rides, etc. I haven't been in a few years though because it's usually too hot (like today - 90's with high humidity) and CROWDED!

I much prefer the crowds of fish in Bonaire.

Thanks, Meryl. I wonder if it's a charity thing - like dropping rubber duckies into the river and hoping your duck wins?!

I find it gratifying that a couple rivers that were serious health threats when I was a kid have been reclaimed for wildlife and humans - the Kennebec (ugh, paper waste!) and the Connecticut.

Hi all,

Still a sauna here. Another four shower day!

Despite efforts to avoid it I have some work to do so I can't just sit and BT all day!!

Half way through the year! Better revisit those resolutions.

Hope the cammers come out to play.

Cheers,

Bill

Rusty,,,thats what I think it is ...we have a ducky regatta here...
Bill...Morning...don't work too hard!

Renee - even our dinky little town has a TASTE now for a couple days - we had ours a month ago - the weekend I got home frm my surgery so we couldn't go. It's on the green in the center of town and has music and FOOD, too - tho nothing exotic. Wonder where the TASTES started - they seem to to have crawled across the country over the past ten years.



Northampton, our local avant garde and college town (among other notorious identifiers), always seems to have foods I've never heard of and fancy nibblies (and BEER)! They bring in bands like the Saw Doctors and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Our town has local garage bands! LOL

Rusty have you heard from Cindy and Freddie? They must be pretty busy these days? Or are they on vacation?

Meryl - Cindy popped in a couple days ago and Freddie posted at the end of yesterday's thread and she included some sunsets for us - including my DARK ones. LOL She's a sweetie!

"Can Billy come out and play?" Come on - you can work LATER! Who's to know? Unless Mrs. Bill monitors the CHAT board? LOL

We should all meet at Freddie's house and each throw a rubber ducky into the ocean and the first one that reaches Jake and Linda's beach - WINS!

Thats a cute idea Rusty....or however south they turn up.....
Come on Bill throw the work to the wind!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

OK!, OK!

I'll "work" extra fast this morning and try to get back before noon!!

Bad influences!! It's the red head thing.

Bill

More

Be Nice to New Jersey Week Begins - According to Chase's Calendar of Events, New Jersey is the most "maligned" state in the Union. So, pick on someone your own size! Go, Meryl!



Today is I Forgot Day - This is day you can make up to your friends and relatives for forgetting their birthday, anniversary, graduation, whatever. Have a big party for all of them with cake, gag gifts, etc., and you're done until next year.

Bill...Im a brunette!

Yay! Bill... that's the way to think. You're getting this goofing off thing down purty good!

Good day to sit inside - already heading to 90 degrees out there. Fan is running full-bore and the A/C is not too far behind!

Good Morning all.

Hot and humid here in the Nashville area. 93 for the top end today. Isn't if funny that it's 88 most of the year round on the island, and get's hotter up here. Who's going swimmin' today?

The Clownfish.

Hi Brian - long time no see!

Extreme close-up:

Beach does look inviting...lots of people though! Anyone having a pool party?

Great close up Rusty!

It's strange to me that Key West is 75 or so average temp year round and Bonaire is 88 and they are WAY closer to the Equator than the rest of us. Must be the ocean breezes?!

You're all invited!

Putting my suit on now! Wish we lived closer! I'd settle for a little blow up pool....

Think COOL!

They DID IT! Snorked on down to the reef cam!!

Good job!!

Very impressive!!

I wouldn't get down to the cam, I bet! I seem too buoyant for my own good!

Speaking of floating:

KALGOORLIE, Australia, July 2 — American adventurer Steve Fossett drifted into aviation history Tuesday, becoming the first person to fly a balloon solo around the world. MSNBC

Violin Lovers Day

The violin can be traced back to the 9th century in Europe, with its origin probably in Asia. It took at least 450 years to devolop, but is a great example of the artistry learned over the centuries by people making stringed instruments. Today, violins are made of wood with steel strings and have a range of at least 3 octaves. They have to withstand the strong downward force of the strings on the bridge - which is about 17lbs (7.7kgs) of pressure. ~hicards.com

Lovely!!

Hip, Hip Hooray for Steve Fosset!

Steve really believes in try, try again! I didn't see which effort this was - but I know he's landed all over the world short of his goal. It'll be a while before someone tops that accomplishment, I bet.

I think it's his 6th attempt, but I'm not sure.

You're right Rusty, he sure knows the meaning of perseverance!

Guess it's time to HOP to a new thread, Renee!

Hi Rusty, and all.

Been travelin' a good deal. Unfortunately not enough to our fav. island.
We do have a pool though. I'm stocked up on beer and chips. Everyone come on down!
What's everyone's (anyone's) favorite outdoor snack? Looking for original stuff.

Clownfish is immersed.

For a pool party? Cut up fruits, with a cream cheese dip.

Let's see - I love these soup cracker things that my stepmom used to make with Orville Redenbacher Popping Oil and garlic salt and some other goodies and now we can't find the oil anymore. Guess microwave popcorn replaced the need for oil and stovetop popping.



So I guess I'll have to settle for teriyaki baby back ribs, Brian! Can you do that?

Oh Yeah!

We know a bit about ribs in Tennessee. We'll just take a bit of dry rub and work it onto the slabs, and set the smoker for about 110 degrees. Kick back and quaff a few of whatever our favorite beverages are, have a few snacks - maybe a bit of crab and spinach dip, and/or some artichoke and vidalia onion dip while keeping an eye on the pool full of kids, and telling some stretchers about the great dives we've had. After about 4 hours, we'll mix up some Jack Daniels grillin' sauce with a tetch of soy sauce, and baste those rascals for the home stretch. We'll leave a slab or two for just the dry rub, as some purists seem to like it that way. After about an hour, we'll lay out the baked beans laden with more sauteed vidalia onions and some canadian bacon chips, mustard based potato salad, some cucumber/tomato/onion/vinegar and spices cold salad ( if the garden's still producin' ), and as my african american friend Jiggs used to say....get ready to greeeez! After all that has a chance to settle, we'll have some homemade peach pie with peaches from Breeden's pick-em-yourself orchard, topped with some Breyers vanilla bean ice cream, or if I can get enough kids to turn the old hand cranker, some sure 'nuff vanilla/pecan in honor of Meryl. If anyone's feeling froggy, we'll break out the guitars and mouth harps, and play some sing-along oldies and soft blues through the twilight. By then half the kids will be asleep, and we'll bid good night 'til the next gatherin.
Clownfish likes 'em tender.