Detective Day Celebrated on the birth anniversary of Allan Pinkerton.

Grendel is greeting the visitors!

Whoops - ya missed the cam!



TODAY'S TRIVIA:

1916 - Dept of Interior forms National Park Service
1920 - 1st US woman to win in Olympics (Ethelda Bleibtrey)
1932 - Amelia Earhart completes transcontinental flight
1940 - 1st parachute wedding

Hiya Rusty, Today is also:-

LOL Hi Annie - doesn't look like Mr. Green is ready to make up!

(I love this one)

Grendel's as tall as the folks she's greeting!

Faith

Hi Faith - beautiful day outside today, huh? Feels like spring in MA - sunny and cool.

Not too many fishies on cam this morning... sleeping in?

mornin' all...ok, annie b. have you heard of this? and what is a "bog?"
http://llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk/bog.htm

Cynde - you don't have bogs? Highly acidic habitat, called a quaking bog because it's very, very wet but appears to be solid ground. The substrate is made up of sphagnum moss yards thick and is home to pitcher plants and sundews, tamarack and cotton sedge.

It's one of my favorite places to visit during the muggy, hot days of the year, always seems cooler. Gotta stick to the path tho, I've lost a couple of shoes over the years by stepping off the path and sinking hip deep!

It's also where our bagged peat moss for the garden comes from - mostly UK. I guess you could only snorkel after they cut a swath out. Strange sport.

Oh yeah, and the insectivorous plants live there and thrive since they have a source of nutrients - bugs. There's very few plants who can survive the high acid/low nutrients of the bogs.

Under cover day is right. I crawled back in bed for as long as I possibly could this morning-of course after I had fed Mr. Horsey.

Well, I did not win the lotto jackpot last night. Though this is okay, for the jackpot went up to $40 million which means I'll win all that much more on Wednesday, & thus shall be afforded an even a bigger house on Bon-right?!!! **big grin**

Maybe now you can afford the private jet without giving up the single life, Rtshineto!

rusty, no bogs around here...i can't imagine snorkeling in that...aren't there a lot of mosquitos and bugs that bite around them? are they smelly?

you had to remind me that i didn't buy a lottery ticket last night...ours was up to 130 million or something...dang!

oh, had a little critter action again last night...michael is building a built in bbq on the back patio, and i saw georgie (cat) in the dog run stealthing something in the grass...he had a little itty bitty mouse, so i was yelling at him to "drop it now" he politely did, and it was still alive, so of course i began to squeel like a pig...buttercup (dog) grabbed it and ran through the doggie door into the house (again, i squeel)...michael came running out to see what all the comotion was about, and buttercup was sitting in the living room, very gently holding the little critter in her mouth (she once woke me up at 4 in the morning with a dead mouse on the bed...she was "grooming it.")...michael got it out of her mouth and put it on the hill out back...georgie wasn't very happy!

Poor Georgie, lucky mouse!

My friend at work had a weird story for me the other day. She lost one of her ferrets a month ago at a local park. It's a state park so she told the rangers and the lifeguards and psoted LOST signs and finally got a call the other day. She rushed over to the park and saw a crowd standing in the bushes. She blasts her way in and there in the middle of the circle is a MINK! It had to be ill or it never would have let her pick it up by the scruff of the neck and put it in a carrier. She took it a local wildlife rescue.

Lovely sport, snorkeling through cold chocolate milk. Looks like as much fun as snorkeling in the Potomac or Colorado River. Gives me the willies just thinking about it.

Oh my, you haven't priced out jets recently have you? *gasping at prices* Afraid we shall have to leave the jet purchase to Cynde's lotto win. Win Cynde win! Even with time sharing a plane, picking up all the regulars upon this board would be a handsome chunk of change. Yes, one can time share private jets, sort of like a condo. Oh, they have a fancier word for it now, but they started out calling it time sharing. Guess the jet set did not like the social stigma associated with the words "time share." LOL

PS: Cynde, PLEASE win, so I do not have to break down & finally get married just in order to obtain us a jet to use! Thanks!

ok Rtshineto, if noone won, i WILL remember to buy a bunch of lotto tickets! we pooled our money at the office last wednesday, and won 14 bucks, so we went and bought a bunch for last night...when i get to work tomorrow, i may be a millionaire! if i am, i will buy a beach house on bonaire, and all btalkers will be welcome

snork, i lived in dc for a few years...snorkeling in the potomac...yuck!

Bogs can actually catch fire. They will burn underground for years, often creating major havoc upon the quality of local water wells. There is an underground bog fire in a famous ecological bog in the Fraiser Valley of British Columbia. Then south of the border a bit in Washington state a smaller bog in Marysville, WA has been burning underground for several years now.

In WA state bog soils are big for commercially growing blue berries. In BC, the same, plus some major commercial cranberry farms.

What a team player Cynde is offering us a house! One question though, does Annie still have to cook? *giggle*

Well, Annie considers making SALAD to be cooking. Need robust chow if we're going to be snorking and diving all the live-long day! I come out of the water HUNGRY! Of course, I'm hungry every fifteen minutes even if I'm sleeping.

Would you believe it, I got bombed out and it's taken about two hours to get back.

Thanks for answering the bog question from Cynde. Yes it is horrible soggy ground that you would sink into if walked upon.

I have never heard of this kind of snorkelling in my life. Looks and sounds disgusting. Annie B.

PS If I go, you will know why!

Cynde, while the Potomac has improved some over the last 20 years and we do get our drinking water from it (not with out massive filtration), it still is a river I would not voluntarily jump in…

How rude of me, Hello Rtshineto and also Snork. Annie B.

You know, that weird Cynde article - it said snorkel and fins. NO MASK? Ugh - you'd need cornea replacement if you tried to see where you were going.

Don't worry rusty, I'll make some nice chow for you. Annie B.

Now we're talking serious chow - two grills full of MEAT! Grrrr. Let me at it! And a salad. LOL

We can always have Bas over once in a while to cook for us, too. A man who cooks something more than spaghetti sauce and chili!

TWINS cooking dinner. It gets cooked in double quick time. That's my excuse, and i'm sticking to it. Annie B.

Oh gosh Annie, it takes me forever to put my thoughts to "paper" I don't even bother to list ALL the names to say hi too, for some have left & others have arrived by the time I finally hit the send button! *must think faster, must type faster* *nah, simply just must stop changing my mind about what i am going to post* LOL

Let's not forget Glenn is buying the steaks! Is bbq'ing a guy thing anyway? So he can man the grill?! (Ha, now I see you guys have me buying a grill too! Suppose Glenn will want one of those fancy 10k grills too. *gulp*) Well, at least Annie doesn't have to do the bbq'ing! *giggle*

I just looked at Cynde's snorkelling bog again. The person in the photo IS wearing a mask, I swear it. Annie B.

Do ya'll eat goat? I ate a LOT of goat whilst living in East Afrika. I suppose I shall be eating goat again in Bon. Actually, I am going to eat what ever my hosts cook. I just hope none of it tastes like poi!

Years ago when living in Hawaii for the first time, I met up with some Samoan's whose father knew my father from before I was even a twinkle in anyone's eye. So of course they took me under their wing & brought me to a HUGE luau, where I was not too enthused about eating a lot of the foods I saw before me. Anyway, I finally happened upon what I thought was chocolate pudding, so I put a huge ol' glop of it on my plate. Turned out to be poi. Hideous, hideous stuff & I had to eat it all.

Rtshineto. What is Poi? Annie B.

Are you sure it wasn't POO? LOL

Annie B., poi is a reddish-brown pudding consistency food made from ground taro root. Very high in starch. Personally, I can't stand the stuff, & I have been known to eat flying ants & fried grubs-not really by choice, though sometimes if that is all there is that is all there. (Hint: Use garlic salt when frying the grubs.) Funny thing is that I like taro root potato chips. Well, if they are seasoned right, otherwise they are boring. The chip remain blonde too as the is the original meat colour of the taro root, not the dark colour that poi takes on. Someone correct me, please, if I have remembered my foods with less than accuracy.

Rtshineto, Urrrrrrgh!

This one did not hang around for long

Gonna go watch some TV. Catch up with ya all later. Annie B.

I'm not big on root veggies anyway, beets, sweet potatoes, turnips. I steer clear on mooshy squashes, too. Thanksgiving I go for a wing or two, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. Little cranbery and boiled onions on the side. That's it. Nothing ORANGE and mashed.

Little sunshower on Bonaire:

Come back Annie B. come back! I promise I will NEVER ask you to fry up any grubs! LOL

Hmm, I don't think Annie B. would like some of my travel adventures. Frankly, I did not like some of my adventures. *groan*

Well, I am going to go hop in the pool for a bit, otherwise I shall show up to Bon white as a ghost & sun burn. Boo-Boo can play life guard watching me from the edge. The barn cat will follow us over & hang out with Boo-Boo. There is a little tree frog that lives inside the hollow of my pool "noodle" (foam floating toy like a huge piece of brightly coloured spaghetti). Tree frogs aren't big on swimming, & I really am not into giving mouth to mouth to a drowning frog, so I need to shake him out of my noodle first.

See ya'll in a bit.

Here's one that I hear is pretty weird and gross to palates unaccustomed to it - vegemite. Had some buddies visit Oz and come back ranting about how disgusting vegemite sandwiches were. LOL

I wonder if the gems are beginning to move South again?



One of our coneys passing thru:

Lucky Annie!

Rusy, I love vegimite. Over here it is known as Marmite. You either love it or yo hate it.

Rtshineto. I'm sooooo glad I don't have to fry bugs. Annie B.

Some gems and a face - maybe Charlotte?

Just captured Charlotte.

Hey Annie, figures - I was out grilling burgers and we get the first good shot of a fish all day! Lucky you!!

I was so surprised when I saw her that I nearly fluffed it.The cams have been really quiet. Annie B.

Rtshineto must be having a good swim in her pool.

With Boo-Boo playing lifeguard, no less!

Got Blikje on street cam watch and a sailboat passing thru:

Nearly time for bed here. Let the sunsets begin. Annie B.

hey ya'll..anyone still here? just got back from having brunch at the beach with a couple of high school chums...i swear, sometimes when us girls get together you would think that no time has passed (until we get on with our stories of husbands, divorces, children, ex's, in-law!) As we were walking out of the restaurant, i said "our moms never told us how hard it was gonna be!" lol! we were laughing as we are all starting our "second life" now...we are going to try to pull a "mini" reunion next month when another one of our chums will be visiting for the month of september (she lives in Austraila)...amazing how many of us have hung around or ended up back within a 100 mile or so radius of where we grew up on the san diego beach

couple of sunsets and blijke kickin' back

annie b. you are there! that bog thing did look disgusting!

oh, speaking of bbq's, whilst i was out having fun, michael has been building a bbq on the back patio...better go check and see if i can help hold a brick or something

Bon Noche all. Hope everyone's having a great weekend. Here's a dive report from my Sunday dive (Click Here).

Poor Michael - stuck at home with all that peace and quiet! Just him and the bricks!

Cynde, I am still only just here, nearly my bed time. You had a great brunch by the sounds of it. It's always good to meet old friends and catch up on things. We bought a new BBQ this year, but have only had the opportunity to use it twice.

Hi Cecil, I don't undestand all the divin' terms, but I always enjoy you photos, and your slide shows. I'm still tryin' how to save a slide show and post it. Annie B.

Forgot the sunsets.

cecil, how big was that sea raven...and it certainly isn't a "ravenous beauty."...arg...rusty, lol...he was much happier with his brick and mortar than sitting with a bunch of chatty girls! the man is truly amazing..."how to build a built in bbq in 2 days!" all that will be left this week will be to tile the counter and grout...the poopie dogs kept him company rusty, or well, rather were a pain the last couple of days as they keep walking through the cement and i keep having to clean them up!

Time for beddie byies for me. See you guys tomorrow. It's been fun as usual. Annie B.

The sun hid behind a very dark cloud that appeared out of no where about the same moment I hit the pool. Boo-Boo thought we were headed to the koi pond & kept on going past the pool. *giggle*

So, after I bored of paddling around all by myself I decided that since I was already wet I may as well wash down the barn aisle. Then I decided to wash the fancy golf cart that is mine to drive for the summer. Too bad I simply cannot hose out my apartment. A maid I do not make.

I'll pass on the vegemite/marmite. I rank it with poi.

Which speaking of food, what is the yogurt like on Bonaire & where odes it come from? Finnish yogurt is my all time favorite, Swedish second & Bulgarian the worst. American yogurt, one may as well be eating straight from a sugar canister.

Amazing the graphic's ya'll come up with for our conversations!

Night Annie B.

Cecil...great photos..as usual....good to see another dive site up and running...I guess it is impossible to have a cam with the visibility we have on the east coast!

night annie b.

Rtshineto, if you want good yogurt on Bonaire, stop by the Garden Cafe. I believe Raja makes his own, and I'm told it's excellent (I don't do dairy, so I can't vouch, unfortunately, but it's supposedly authentic Lebanese, and Raja was very disappointed when he found out we didn't eat dairy!)...

And the bog snorkel -did- look exceedingly disgusting. Interesting what the folks in Powys do for sport. I can't quite picture any of my Welsh relatives up in Gwynedd doing anything quite that weird...

Faith

Faith, thank you so much for the yogurt hint. Boo-Boo & I shall have to go buy some yogurt from Raja.

Hi everyone! Hope a good weekend was had by all! The steaks turned out great on Saturday and I had an excellent local dive this morning. Had 15ft. of viz (excellent for a lake) and 73 degree F water temp. I lost track of how many northern pike and large-mouth bass I saw. Of course the sunfish were aplenty as always but I was really amazed at how big the bass were. Next time I go to this lake I'll bring my camera.

I'll "see" everyone tomorrow....

Old joke: how can you tell when yogurt goes bad? Or tofu?

I don't know the joke

Cynde, did you forget about the 'mud run' that the Moreens used to have every summer at El Toro. I guess they have to have down at Mirimar now.

Could you have your Aussie friend bring me some Vegemite? I will repay her. I got hooked on it years ago when I visited the land of OZ. My grandfather used to eat something similar called Bovril and I aways thought it was a treat to have some. I bought a bunch of jars of Vegemite when what's 'er name the Aussie singer's boutiques closed down, but I finally ran out.

American yogurt isn't sweet if you get the plain. I get yogurt chesse, also called Kefir or Lebni at an Indian market, it is thicker and saltier than ordinary yogurt.

'night all, i'm off of work now.

linnea...i keep thinking of "vitametavegamin" the old i love lucy episode!