I live in the suburbs. For over 20 years I lived so far out in the forest that it took half an hour to get to town, and if there had been a storm recently I wasn't getting there at all. Two weeks without electricity was not a burden. I miss living in the forest. Anyhow, I live in town now. My husband and I can't afford to live on our own (damn economy) so we live at a woman's house and trade paying some of the bills for a room. So, for the birds. The last few days the wild birds h...

One thing that usually happens right away is someone says, "She has Tervurens"  No, I have Tervuren<-- singular  Tervuren are Tervuren. One, two, twenty. It is one of those rare words that single and plural are the same. I guess perhaps because the breed is named after an area in Belgium. There are four currently existing varieties of the Belgian Sheepdog ( Chien de Berger Belge ) - Groenendael, Tervuren, Malinois, Laekenois. Although in other countries the dogs are considered ...

All photos linked from articles that are public domain or similar.   May 20, 2012 is an annular total solar eclipse. The last visible in the US was 18 years ago, the next will be 14 years from now. The path takes it right over the USA and I guess people living in Oz with have a good view too. I live in Oregon, of course it is going to rain. There are some wonderful articles about the phenomenon and how to observe it safely. I remember as a little girl turning my back to the sun a...