Squirrel Close Up

This fellow did not notice me on the other side of the window. Apparently when the light is coming from a certain direction, the glass looks like a mirror to squirrels. However, birds seem to be able to see me anyway and will fly away. Their vision is much better than mammal's.

Update: Adie's pupil and other vision oddities

I have posted before about my vision problems and site statistics show that a lot of people hit my blog searching for these terms so I guess they share the same diagnoses: Adie's syndrome, floaters, and visual migraines. So for those folks, here's an update.

First, the Adie's syndrome, aka Holmes-Adie's or tonic pupil. I still have it (haven't heard of any real cure), but I found some details using Google Scholar. First, in NIH's database H.S. Thompson writes on the mystery of it's cause: We know where the damage is, and which nerves are involved. We even know something of how the nerves react after the damage is done, but we don't known what causes the primary injury... Not all "tonic pupils" are due to "Adie's syndrome"; some are due to local injury and some to a generalized peripheral neuropathy.

The writer comments on the lack of reflexes in the limbs that often accompanies the enlarged pupil. (I don't have normal reflexes in my right ankle.) Only 10% of patients with Adie's syndrome had completely normal muscle stretch reflexes... The muscle stretch reflexes in the arms were just as frequently imparied as those in th elegs, but the degree of impairment tended to be more severe in the ankles and triceps.

Some other article on Adie's:

• Neurology.org on depressed reflexes due to loss of large spindle afferents or reduced effectiveness of their monosynaptic connections to motoneurons.


• Is Adie's Pupil Caused by Migraine?
• 
  
• Chronic cough may be associated with Holmes-Adie syndrome

By the way, those who have Adie's and also a lack of sweating should ask their doctor about (or look up) Ross Syndrome.

As for the floaters and visual migraines, I haven't had either in a long time. They coincided with taking HRT, specifically oral progesterone. My opthalmologist did not believe there was a connection, my allergist said it's quite possible. I'm convinced it was cause and effect - I'll spare you the multiple instances.

Oh, and I finally found my lost glasses. They were at the library, where I volunteer occasionally.

Ben and Guppy Photo

Looking out the Sliding Glass Door

Squirrel on the deck

It's not really easy for a squirrel to get on our deck - he has to climb a tree and make a brave jump. But one has made it up there a couple of times to get some bird seed.

Below is Guppy inside the sliding doors, pretty much ignoring the squirrel who is scampering off.

Stuffed Turkey

One of the furnishings that came with our house was a wild turkey professionally mounted by a taxidermist. So far all my females relatives have thought it rather dreadful! Marie wrote about it in her blog.

We took it off the wall for the holidays and replaced it with a wreath. Our state has rules about selling game animal parts so we haven't got rid of it yet. If we don't auction it off, we may donate it where it can serve an educational purpose.

Bernie Boston's Book

I just read Bernie Boston - American Photojournalist by Therese Mulligan. Actually, I spent more time looking at it than reading it. There is not much text, but lots of interesting photographs.

Bernie is an important person here in Basye. He publishes the monthly newspaper, The Bryce Courier. But before he retired he was a photographer who I had actually heard of, a photojournalist who covered the White House and before that, the Civil Rights movement. Those of us who remember the 1960's, 70's and 80's will recognize some of his work. The most famous are Flower Power and Corretta Scott King at the Unveiling of her Husband's Bust in the Rotunda, There are other great photos in this book too. Recommended.

See Bernie Boston - American Photojournalist on Amazon.

Finally, the January calendar

The Spiritual Singles Events Calendar finally got sent out today and I posted it on their website. I know people have been looking for it - several people came to my blog via the SpiritualSingles.org site. I've been doing that site for years now.

Their January events include Movie Nights and an introduction to a Universal Map of Consciousness. And this Friday there is a joint dinner with the Singles Federation.

Resolutions

My resolutions for 2007 are pretty simple.

1. Keep the new dining room table fairly clear of clutter. It's a pretty glass-top table and I need to break my habit of letting mail and books pile up on it.


2. Work with our cocker spaniel until he learns to behave decently. This involves longer walks and repeated training sessions.


3. Get my photo albums caught up. I probably can leave out half the scenic shots to save some time. Other people get tired of them anyway.< (My mother sometimes asked, "Hmm, why did you take that picture?"

It's 2007!

Graphic made using Flaming Text

December draws to a close

It's been a nice Christmas week. I loved seeing my daughters and then we enjoyed having Allison and Dave visit.

Our house looks nice with the decorations. As Frank says, it is a "great Christmas House."

The weeks before Christmas are often a bit depressing for me. Thank goodness for the holiday lights; they help relieve the darkness of the shortest days of the year. Visits with family members always cheer me up.

Well, there's a new year just around the corner. May we make it a good one!

Two book reviews

I wrote two more book reviews on Amazon. The first is for an audiobook, John Muir, Spirit of the Wilderness. It is by John Muir and actor Lee Stetson, who portrays Muir at Yosemite events. I remember reading one of Muir's books in high school, and my mother reading it also. We agreed that it was exciting but Muir was a bit crazy. Climbing a tree during a thunderstorm is not a sane thing to do.

I also reviewed a slim book called Your Liver Your Lifeline. I only gave it 3 stars (out of 5) because part of it is a sales pitch for herbal remedies. However, some of it is interesting, and I appreciate the author's cautions that herbal medicine is meant to be taken on a temporary basis. Eventually it ceases to work or can even cause symptoms.

Charles L. Suiter's modular desk

When we moved we had to reassemble the old desk that belonged to my grandfather. It has three main modules; one is a desktop that is not shown here. On the back is handwritten the following:

Manufactured by Abram J. Townsend
March 1916
Owner
C L Suiter

Grandfather Suiter lived in Michigan. He died before I came along. I don't know anything about Mr. Townsend.

Sunset seen from the car

Conicville Road, Mt. Jackson, VA,
December 28, 2006

Disposable Camera

Whenever we go out in the car for more than a half-hour, I pack a snack bag which includes a bottle of water, an emergency snack, and a disposable camera. Although I often carry a digital camera, the disposable serves as a backup if I forget the "good" camera or if it has a problem such as low batteries.

I finally finished up the film in the disposable and got it printed and scanned. These pictures are among that batch. The camera was a Fuji outdoor model.

Deer beside the road - grab the camera!

The maintenance shed at Sky Bryce has a great view.

Farm scene near Mt. Jackson

From the same spot but opposite direction,
I saw this charming church.

Bows on the Gatepost

Decorating and Photo by Frank

Messy? You say that like it's a bad thing...

The New York Times has a article called Saying Yes to Mess. As a person who likes a certain amount of clutter, I'm glad to see someone finally say that it's a good thing.

Messy desks are the "signatures of people with creative, limber minds." Yes!

Happy Christmas

Marie and Lynn

Benny and Guppy

A Christmas Song Written 12/24/06

There are a lot of not-so-good songs being played just because they mention Christmas. So I'm joining them with a couple of holiday verses to be sung to the tune of MacArthur Park.

Christmas is not waiting for us girl
It's just one day ahead
The season's been a frantic dance
With gifts and social swirl.
I know I should be ready
But I haven't had a chance.

The candy canes are melting in the dark
All the sweet red stripes are flowing down
Someone left the sleigh out in the rain
I don't think that I can trust it
The runners are all rusted
And I'll never get them shiny new again
Oh, no!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hatched Squirrel

Cross-hatched with Photoshop Filter

Prospect Cemetery

I've written about
Prospect Cemetery in Front Royal before. We made a visit there on Sunday and I took some more photos on the hilltop site where there's a marker commemorating some of Mosby's rangers who were executed near there. I kinda liked the image of my shadow on the cannon.