She's Come Undone! #Cleanup #Storms #WeatherGeek

What can I say except that yesterday was beast. I'm completely knackered. Pup and I will have to recoup. It'll take a minute to clear up the debris. (As there's a Wind Advisory in effect until 10:00p tonight, we probably won't be able to do any meaningful cleanup until tomorrow at the earliest. Howling wind tends to blow debris right at you. Go figure.) It's a mess here, but many of those around us got hit worse. Overall, the South was pummeled. Chin up. We'll rise, again.

#SevereWeather Sign-Off #WeatherGeek #Georgia #StormWarning

Another severe weather system is approaching right now and it has the potential to be bigger and badder than yesterday's. Considering yesterday's storm system produced 20 odd tornadoes in the state of Georgia, this is serious --- and expected to impact the state for much of the day.

Pup and I are hunkering down to ride it out. I don't expect to get much done on the work front. Safety takes precedence. Be weather aware, folks (in the path of these storms). We hope tomorrow is a new day. But first, we have to get through today.

#SevereWeather #Storms #Tornadoes #Flooding #Lighting #WeatherGeek

Yesterday was a dozy across the South. We were pummeled, socked and kicked. Rain, wind, hail, flooding, lightning and tornadoes. We get a day's break, before the next round is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday afternoon morning (the next weather system sped up). Followed by a drop in temperatures over Thursday and Friday before a rebound this weekend. I'm exhausted after a tense day yesterday and so is Pup. (She does NOT like storms.) I think I need a lay in, but I need to clear up debris before the next storm system. No rest for the weary. (My thoughts are with those affected by the severe weather. It's been rough.)

Ordered #Drinkwell Multi-Tier Pet Fountain! #Pets #H2O #Rewards #Furbabies #PetParenting #PurinaPerks

Finally crossed the threshold of rewards points necessary to order my #1 Wish List item on Purina Catchow Perks. Decided that I (or more accurately, that my furbabies) wanted the Drinkwell® Multi-Tier Pet Fountain [MSRP $59.99] when I first joined the Catchow Perks rewards program. (This fountain is supposed to be perfect for cats or small/medium sized dogs.) My furbabies can't wait for it to get here!

Drinkwell® Multi-Tier Pet Fountain Reward

#Bunny in the Back Forty: Oh #BeatrixPotter!

For the last several years, a family of rabbits have taken up residence in the back yard, up near the woodland. One day when out walking with pup, I spotted a good sized rabbit. The backyard trail we were following is along the edge of a wooded area, but also in the middle of a fairly developed neighborhood. I thought perhaps a child's pet had escaped back into the wild, as the bunny seemed only mildly curious at our presence.

Originally, it seems there was but a single rabbit, a pregnant mother that gave birth (or such was my assumption). But each Fall since this first encounter, whenever we're out walking around daybreak or dusk, we'll often spy several young rabbits of varying colors hopping about eating grass and seeds. (As it has been several years hence, these are presumably the children or grandchildren of the original rabbit.) I guess there's good eating in our woods, enough to sustain several generations of bunnies, at least.

They drive pup bonkers! I think she has dreams of coursing after hares (like those dogs do in Snatch, one of my favorite flicks), but luckily so far I have been able to prevent her undertaking of the sport. I have a fondness for Peter Rabbit, after all.

The #Weather Gods Are Haters. #WeatherGeek #Tornadoes #Thunderstorms

Boy howdy was it one heck of a weekend! In case you haven't heard, the Southeastern United States got pummeled on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (There were a reported 15 tornadoes in the state of Georgia alone on Saturday. Fifteen!) Seems we're experiencing our normal Spring weather instabilities in January. We saw thunderstorms, wind, rain and flooding in the metro Atlanta area.

This, came right on the heels of a record nine straight days of 70+ degrees temperatures. We needed the rain, because of the ongoing drought, but the rest was overkill, and we didn't get the worse of it. Places to the south and east of us were really put through the ringer, on repeat, with the Georgia coast getting kicked in the gonads for good some measure. (My thoughts are with all those around the globe affected by the crazy storms and natural disasters of late; it's been a beast of a weather year already.)

Personally, I'm still out of sorts. Pup hates storms and as we had several roll through during the overnight hours, this meant little to no sleep for several nights in a row. (She comes to find me whenever a storm gets going and we sit curled up, riding it through together.) During lulls we'd venture out to canvas the neighborhood, checking on neighbors and inspecting for damages. We were pretty lucky around here (sadly, others were not).

There will be a Wind Advisory in effect until 7:00p, but today is predicted to be drier eventually --- after a few morning showers. (Mere rain doesn't usually rile pup, but the last three days of high water storms proved stressful for her, thus, when it suddenly started pouring down around 2:30a, pup hopped up and came down the hall to get me and we've been up ever since.) Hopefully, I'll be able to crank things up a notch once she heads back to bed --- the rain sounds as if its finally tapering off --- and get stuff done. At the moment, however, all I want to do is crawl back in bed and do crosswords until the sun rises.

No such luck for me though. No rest for the wicked er, weary. Guess, I'll make coffee... On the bright side, the Atlanta Falcons are headed to Super Bowl LI --- a legitimate excuse to throw a party --- and I made Overnight Oats for breakfast. Small steps, small steps....

It's on! @Quaker #OvernightOats -- #Oatmeal #Nutrition "Cooked" While You Sleep! #oats #milk #fruitarian

I absolutely love oatmeal! I should probably own Quaker Oats stock at this point as I practically grew up inhaling the stuff.

Oats are low cost yet nutritious, can been eaten cold or hot and can be added as an ingredient in many other dishes. Oats are also shelf stable, with a long shelf life, and are easy to store. In other words, oats make a perfect staple for poor folks, as we were, or anyone for that matter.

The most awesome part about oatmeal is that it actually tastes good! So it wasn't a chore to eat, and I looked forward to it as a child. So good is oatmeal that it can be made with either water or milk and it's still edible, though, of course, making oatmeal with milk is preferred. (And it needn't be cow milk either. Oatmeal is very versatile.)

Lately, in many of the magazines to which I subscribe, I've been seeing a bunch of Quaker Oats advertising featuring Overnight Oats recipes, it's basically a cold oatmeal "parfait" wherein uncooked while rolled oats + milk form a base (as opposed to the ice cream used in a traditional parfait, meaning "perfect" in French) which is then layered with other add-ins like yogurt, fruit --- I'm secretly a fruitarian masquerading as a vegetarian --- and nuts. Afterward, the whole concoction is put in the fridge overnight to set. I've been salivating at the thought of making myself some, saving any recipes I came across and jotting down my own ideas, excited to try my own variations. In preparation, I made a verbal note for Alexa to "add oats or oatmeal to my shopping list."

The next morning, as I was browsing via AmazonSmile looking for doggie stuff and checking on pup's Subscribe & Save subscriptions --- by the way pup often gets more mail and shipments than I do --- I noticed an Amazon on-site ad that stated Quaker Oats products had a 30% Off coupon available. Needless to say, it worked, I surfed over to the Grocery department and found a bulk box (128oz) of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats that was only $6.56 after the coupon. Click! And just like that, oats are on the way.

This happened yesterday morning and I've been gathering other ingredients to get ready ever since, because (to quote Donkey from Shrek, which happens to be one of my favorite animated films) "You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits! ...Parfaits are delicious! ...Parfaits may be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet!" You got me, Donkey. I'm so there. I can almost taste the oatmeal layered goodness... Yum!

Are #Bats #Bootiful? @USGSWildlife #BatHouse #Entomology #Halloween #HelpfulMammals #OrganicFarm #WhiteNoseSyndrome

Eek! What's that? A flying bat. Run for your lives! Or preferably, one could display some uncommon sense. The motif of a swooping bat as an object of fear and terror is so common that children's cartoons and youth comics employ it regularly, indoctrinating us early, implanting an idea that bats are to be run from, are to be reviled, are to be eradicated. I'm Batman, anyone? The entire concept of a "batman," a vigilante crime fighter who strikes bad guys under cover of darkness, relies heavily upon our collective fear of bats. (In fact, this misguided fear is literally what inspires the comic book character Bruce Wayne to take up a bat's image.)

How many Halloween cartoons did you view as a child that featured at least one scene with a swooping black cloud of bats? (Every "spooky" one of them.) And what is always the response of anyone encountering a bat/s in any of these cartoons? (Abject terror. Shrieks and screams.) Bats rely on bio sonar or echolocation. When sound is how an animal "sees," can you imagine what it must be like to have nearly every human contact involve bombastic tones? Poor bats. Traditional Halloween imagery has unfortunately done a great disservice to bats. (Don't even get me started on the whole vampire bat thing.) We have taught the common man that bats should be avoided at best and dispatched on sight at worse.

As misfortune oft has it, bats desperately need our help these days. Enclaves of bats are being wiped out wholesale by a horrid spreading disease called White Nose Syndrome which is caused by Pseudogymnoascus desctructans, a cold-loving white fungus that burrows into the hibernating mammal and kills indiscriminately. [See NWHC WNS data.] In many areas the bat populations have thinned considerably and the disease is not yet contained. It does not aid the situation to have humans be squeamish (and shrieking) on top of things. These are dire days for bats. We must step up to find a cure obviously, but we must also try to bolster healthy bat populations in the meanwhile in order to prevent the possibility of a catastrophic extinction level event for bats. This is happening on our watch. Therefore, we must deign to stop it.

It is well past time, we citizens reclaim the bat for the good side. I will lead the charge, as someone must. Here's a tidbit: a single insectivorous bat will eat approximately 1/3 its weight in insects each night of a successful hunt. You heard me. This is nature at its finest, natural pest control. A word to the wise, if one plans to farm organically then there had darn well better be some bat houses placed strategically throughout his farmland. Not a farmer? If one is a proactive community resident, a so-called good neighbor, it wouldn't hurt to build a bat house or two around his property. In this new Age of Insect-borne Pandemics in which we live, the benefits of cultivating animals which help control insect populations cannot be stressed enough. If you're unable to build a bat house, consider surveying bat populations in your area and submitting your findings to the National Wildlife Health Center [Go to www.nwhc.usgs.gov for further instructions]. As if chowing down on pests weren't sufficient to make us adore bats, these helpful mammals also pollinate flowers and disperse fruit seeds. (There goes your food chain.)

Bat drawing, vintage sketch

Time to spread some bat love! As much as I would like to believe otherwise, I do realize it may not be feasible for everyone to build a bat house in his yard; however, there is something that anyone can do and that is to work to reclaim the bat's image, restoring its identity as a helpful mammal that should be appreciated. We don't have to remove bats from Halloween celebrations, we merely need to adjust our thinking. If we must think of Halloween when we think of bats, then let's create anew, coining positive associations. I'll start. I declare bats are bootiful! Hopefully, the next time someone encounters a bat/s unexpectedly, the person might recognize that the bat is likely as startled as he, and respond accordingly, by stifling any screams. Remember, be kind to bats!

P.S. It's my hope to write and illustrate a children's book using the term "bootiful" as an image altering descriptor of bats. I have a rough idea for it in my mind now --- it'll make for a perfect Halloween book release, providing the entire North American bat population hasn't been wiped out by then. In order to truly counteract the negative imagery of bats in our society, we've got to (re)educate everyone, starting with our young.

#Dogs and #Thunderstorms Are Not Friends. #WeatherGeek

As a weather geek, I used to like thunderstorms, but this was before I got a dog. Having a pup who does not enjoy booms, claps and rumbles, changes a perspective. (And this, quick on the heels of the "bombs bursting in air" which constituted New Year's.) We need the rain, because we're still recovering from extreme drought, but... Thunderstorms have become a source of trepidation. But alas, pup is tucked in and finally off to sleep, I hope, as things seem to be settling down. Last night into this morning was a crazy, rainy, cold, clammy, foggy, thunderous mess --- and as I also got little to no sleep due to my sitting up with a worried pup, I am off to bed.

May the Sun gods shine today!

The Legend of #Tarzan Blu-ray #MovieReview #CGI #MatingCall @wbpictures

On Christmas Day, I watched The Legend of Tarzan at the behest of one of my sisters who'd brought along her personal copy. (At family holiday get-togethers, we generally watch movies for at least a part of the day traditionally.) She went to see it in the theater, had previously said it was one of the better movies she'd seen this year, and bought a copy of it during Black Friday sales. Having seen several versions of Tarzan (including a Saturday morning cartoon that I watched as a child on our little B&W television), I was skeptical that this particular film could hold any charm, but I underestimated David Yates (the director).

It was a surprisingly decent movie. Not perfect (the overdone CGI featured in the end "grand fight" sequence seemed especially ham-fisted, for instance) but entertaining overall, mainly due to its sweeping lush scenery, CGI animals, a few inspired performances and some wry humored dialogue. It was a story told with a bit of umpf and I enjoyed it enough that I would purchase my own copy for a fair price.

I had never considered Alexander Skarsgård as a potential Lord of the Jungle. I've seen a few of his Swedish flicks (he wasn't nearly as buff in those days) and one or two things he's done since arriving in Hollywood, but he had not the gravitas of his father, Stellan. But he embodied Tarzan all out in this. His height and size were exactly what was called for, and his grace, in spite of the aforementioned traits, made the perfect counterpoint for a long lost English lord.

Skarsgård and Margot Robbie had a warm chemistry, and Robbie, in her turn, brought enough of an edge to Jane that the character was rescued from the ashpile of annoying females and reinvigorated as a sensible woman with spunk. (A welcome respite from Jane as pitiful damsel in distress.) Samuel Jackson brought his own brand of craziness as usual and Christoph Waltz proved that he is once again an enjoyable despot. To a man, the casting was spot on.

The humor was both unexpected and well-placed. The action punchy, sharp and at times laughable (purposely). The animals majestic, if unreal. And the use of the natural order, from fights for dominance to mating calls, to create tension and resolve plot was a deft touch. You could have pinched me. (My sister and I often disagree on films.) A good Sunday afternoon flick arrived unexpectedly and I'm glad I answered the door to admit it.

When #Nature Calls, Sometimes It's a Wrong Number #GoodDog #Dogs #Wilderness #Fauna

So last night, er correct that, as 'twas 1:00a, so this morning. My pup comes to get me. (By the way, I will generally refer to any dog as puppy or pup, regardless of its age, because each is someone's furbaby --- or should be. To say, I'm a dog person is, putting it mildly.) Anywho, she's all frisky and dancing around and nudging me. So I ask her, if she needs to go out. Instant tail wag.

Know that normally, she sleeps through the night without incident, but like her human counterparts she sometimes over indulges during the holidays --- everybody who visits us these days brings treats, or so it seems --- and occasionally needs "an extra go." All she has to do is ask. I will get up and take her out, day or night. No argument.

She knows this, and as I found out this morning, counts on it. (We've had a few coyote sightings in our area recently, so I don't allow her to range unattended at night, though she'd no doubt be a proper match for any coyote. I'm not faulting the coyote, mind, we humans are the culprits who've encroached on his habitat.)

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Temperament: Dignified, Intelligent, Loyal, Mischievous, Sensitive, Strong Willed

So we go out at 1:00a-ish. It's already dropped down to 30 odd degrees outside. In other words, it's as cold as a witch's tit. But pup, my pup, she's out strolling like we're taking a Sunday morning constitutional, leisurely checking each and every tree, sometimes doubling back, pausing here and there. After a bit of this, I start to get the sneaking suspicion that I'd been snookered.

Of course, it being in the thirties outside is no matter to her. She has a nice full length fur coat, so frolicking in cold weather is nothing to her. I stop mid-step, I'm like pup, "Do you actually need to go?" She turns around and gives me the doe eyes, like "Whatdayamean? I thought this was a walk..." And there you have it. I discovered I live with a con artist.

We turned around and headed back toward the house. She came back in and went straight off to sleep. I, on the other hand, was wide awake from the effects of the bracing cold air. Shaking my head and laughing to myself. The rascal. Rhodesian Ridgeback for the win!

There Be Monsters Here. Pete's #Dragon & the Remaking of a Beloved #Disney Classic #Movie

I'm wary of seeing remakes of movies. Hollywood has been on a rampage, seemingly determined to remake every movie in recent (and not so recent) history; sometimes rebooting films mere years after the last remake. As a result, the quality of films being put out is at an all time low, in my opinion. There is little original, and the remakes are uninspired derivative drivel (for the most part).

Considering the landscape, it's a pleasant surprise when one discovers a remake with some merit. Sadly, this is not that tale. On a bit of a lark, a few days ago I rented the remake of Pete's Dragon (2016) on Google Play.

Google Play gave me $1.00 account credit + an "$0.99 Any Movie Rental" promotion = Free Movie Rental w/ 1-cent leftover.

I LOVE DRAGONS! Thought I should state this up front. I wanted a pet dragon as a wee tot, was fascinated with them and was sorely disappointed to be told such creatures did not exist. My personal video library is heavy on dragon flicks. I like them animated, animatronic and/or CGI. I will check out a movie merely because I heard a dragon makes an appearance in it.

Thus, I decided to take a chance on this new version of Pete's Dragon in spite of my distaste for remakes. Since it was a free movie rental, I figured if I absolutely hated it, I'd just stop watching, but I wanted to at least see the updated CGI Eliot. (In all honesty the original wasn't a spectacular film, but it gets a pass due to the gloss of my childhood nostalgia and because... DRAGON.)

Well, the movie started off very slowly. And initially I didn't gel with the fuzzy green CGI Eliot. Frustrated, I stopped watching for nearly 24 hours.

By the way, thanks for the longer active viewing window, Google Play --- so much nicer than "you only have 24 hours to view this title".

But I eventually went back, gave it another chance and finished watching it. Eliot grew on me, the human characters did not. (I actually desired to inflict violence upon several of them.) The storyline employs a good deal of heavy handed over-dramatizations, not to mention its plethora of "stupid human tricks".

I wouldn't purchase a copy and I probably would not watch it again --- unless babysitting a child who was interested in viewing it --- but there were moments of charm (mainly concerning the dragon). However, if Eliot does a spinoff without those pesky humans, I'm so there.

Order Process Shortsightedness @Amazon Ignores #AmazonSmile

Dear Amazon,

Why do you keep pushing me to shop in-app or order with Alexa when neither of these entry points allow me to generate AmazonSmile eligible orders? What was the point of creating a charitable program allowing customers like me to give back, if you weren't going to support this program across the board? I will not shop using the Amazon app. I will not ask Alexa to order items for me. I wouldn't consider it.

I start all my shopping sessions at the AmazonSmile portal for a reason --- to support a cause, a charity I've chosen. It was incredibly shortsighted of you to ignore AmazonSmile when developing your apps and your voice controlled platform. Get with (your own) program and fix this! Or simply accept that I will never use your apps to generate orders, so stop flashing those "download our app" advertisements at me.

Sincerely,

Uncharitably Peeved

Easy #GivingBack w/ @Kroger #CommunityRewards + #AmazonSmile

If you happen to shop at Kroger (or its family of stores) or online at Amazon.com, there's an easy way to donate to charity!

Kroger has a program called Community Rewards [kroger.com/communityrewards] which donates a percentage of your purchases to the designated charity of your choice (picked from a list of charities that have registered with the program). Purchases are tracked via your Kroger Plus card, so as long as you scan it with every transaction your purchases will be credited to your tally. Any funds for which you qualify are donated quarterly. It's free to join and makes for a simple way to send automatic donations to a cause you wish to support.

Amazon has a similar program called AmazonSmile [smile.amazon.com] which also donates a percentage of your qualifying purchases to the designated charity of your choice (picked from a list of charities that have registered with the program) as long as you start every shopping session at the AmazonSmile URL above. If you shop at Amazon a lot (and I do) you can easily generate tidy little sums for a favorite cause. It's free to join, too.

I have the same charity, a local Boxer Rescue, designated on both programs. If you know me, you know that I'm a dog person. I like dogs more than people generally and I specifically support rescuing Boxers in honor of my boy, the big brother of my current doggy, who's unfortunately no longer with us. (My girl was a stray pup on the streets who followed me and my boy home from one of our daily sojourns. My boy took her in and treated her like a little princess from day one.) 

My boy was generous to a fault --- a true Great Dog, whose memory deserves every honor I can bestow upon it. My neighbors still reminisce about him. They've all got hysterical stories featuring the big lug. He was a treasure of epic proportions, literally a big dog with a giant heart. I can't thank him enough for blazing a path of light through my life during the time I was lucky enough to share with him.

There's no excuse to prevent you from signing up and supporting a cause as dear to you. No excuse!