tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56635256423427431102024-02-21T08:31:20.467-05:00Mad Beach MavenMaven: (Yiddish), "One who accumulates knowledge"Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-84364262769190800052010-01-31T14:01:00.001-05:002010-01-31T14:03:39.868-05:00Sometimes . . .Back when I was a kid there was a poster with (I think) a gorilla with a serious expression on his face (kind of like that kitten hanging from a branch by his front paws with the caption "hang in there) - and the caption on this poster said "sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits". This has sort of become my mantra, especially on those quiet weekends and weekday evenings. AndKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-44098417671688228812009-11-15T13:23:00.000-05:002009-11-15T13:23:28.438-05:00I'd like to introduce you to . . .Her new name is Angel. I don't know her story, or how she came to be left off in the alley behind the office where I work. The only things I do know are that someone must have loved her at one time, and whoever that was had her front claws removed (and I hope had her fixed as well). It was Monday and I had stepped out back to have a smoke at mid-morning break. I heard a faint "meow" Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-72825802112274041712009-10-18T12:39:00.000-04:002009-10-18T12:39:20.535-04:00And now for something completely different . . .The Trip of Fools
"Throw 'em over," hollered the captain for the fourth time that day. I was wet and tired, but then all of us were. Only a week into the trip and I was wishing for home. It wasn't because we weren't catching fish either. We were on 'em pretty good. Nice big blackies too. But I couldn't shake that feeling of foreboding I'd had in my gut since we threw the lines and left the dock Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-5254004457151782532009-09-30T20:10:00.008-04:002009-10-03T13:57:27.803-04:00What really happened . . .In my previous post I thanked the captain and crew of the Jill L for taking my sweetlove out to his resting ground. Well, to be honest, I made that post the night before we were supposed to make the trip, and, well, the trip just never came off. I couldn't get hold of the captain to cement any plans, and I took yet another day off from work waiting for something to happen. I finally gave up and Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-91457504122288541112009-09-26T21:27:00.010-04:002009-09-27T00:54:30.052-04:00The Sendoff and the story of the Dixie BelleThe usual sendoff for a fisherman who is lucky enough to have a girlfriend is to wave to him and blow kisses from the dock until the boat is out of sight - then walk or bike or drive down to John's Pass Bridge and wait for them to come around the bend, under the bridge, and out to sea. You can stand out on the jetty and watch until the boat is past the horizon, or, if your eyes are bad, at least Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-6826756801423923422009-09-12T13:36:00.018-04:002009-09-14T16:28:20.834-04:00"Because I'm not ready to go yet"Those words were spoken so clearly and distinctly that for a moment I thought a miracle had happened and my sweetlove was somehow well again. But then reality set in and I realized that they were his last words . . . spoken to someone that only he could see. Someone who was trying to lead him into the next life. I did not go to him when I heard him speak. Perhaps because I didn't want to see him Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-35672228640792667562009-08-09T13:59:00.003-04:002009-08-09T20:26:08.476-04:00Flash forward . . . 2009Waiting has got to be the hardest thing to do in this world. No matter whether it is waiting for something really good, like your birthday or Christmas, or something really sad.That is what I am doing now. Waiting for something really, really sad.My sweetlove, my partner and best friend for the past 20 years, is in the throes of end stage liver disease. This is not a surprise for me. He first gotKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-65998367116177496442009-07-19T22:18:00.007-04:002009-07-20T08:13:51.756-04:00Once upon a time . . . 1988He was standing on the deck of a small boat wearing nothing but a dark tan, a pair of Levi's turned up twice at the cuff, a baseball cap, and sunglasses. My eyes were drawn to the line of sun-bleached hair that trailed from just below his bellybutton past the unbuttoned waist of his jeans. Lost in thoughts of what lay beyond that zipper, I was yanked back to reality by the sound of his voice. It Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-2567476997757808082009-07-12T13:46:00.011-04:002009-07-16T18:04:11.729-04:00Oh the Wells Fargo wagon is a comin' down the street . . .I don't know about you all, but I just love getting things in the mail. Especially things that surprise and amaze me. I must admit that I hate going out to shop - the crowds, the parking, the traffic - all tend to make me not want to go even when it is necessary, like grocery shopping. Although, if I could order those online I probably would.But I just love online shopping! And when I found that Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-47094293533976882492009-07-04T09:59:00.005-04:002009-07-04T10:36:27.091-04:00Have a safe and loving 4thFor those who don't know or who have perhaps forgotten, the following is a partial list of the correctness for displaying our flag:Time and occasions for display(a) Display on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in open; night displayIt is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect isKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-62047346823332675012009-06-27T13:04:00.007-04:002009-06-29T19:20:17.314-04:00Shhhhhh...What a week, huh? Starting with the sad, but not unexpected, announcement of Jon and Kate's breakup. Then the passing of first Ed, and then Farrah and Michael, and on the same day no less. I have to say that the coverage of Michael Jackson's passing has become somewhat redundant, don't you think? I mean, so much for Iran and the citizen's fight for democracy. Do I care that Michael is $4 million Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-3350238466171719372009-06-21T23:00:00.010-04:002009-06-21T23:38:50.505-04:00Heaven, I'm in heaven... Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!!! This is Dixie Belle's very favorite place in the world! Ft. DeSoto Park in St. Petersburg is one of the only doggie paw parks in this area that has a beach just for canines and their humans. We try to get there early, before the mobs come so she can acclimate herself. As you can see from the above picture that there were others of like mind! This was about 9:30 in the Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-53107523988980606642009-06-20T14:19:00.018-04:002009-06-21T00:09:31.718-04:00Things I have learned If you look right in the middle of the above picture you will see a tomato plant surrounded by some very healthy parsley. It's a Big Boy and is doing quite well just outside my kitchen door. I was thinking about moving it out to the front where it would get more sun, but right now it is cooler in the back and although it is mostly shade, the tomato does get alot of afternoon sun. For now, I Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-57339272721055973282009-05-24T20:36:00.017-04:002009-05-30T10:32:12.512-04:00Just want to say "thanks"Soooo much rain! I saw a weather channel update that said we were more than 10 inches over our normal rain amount here is west central Florida. That's alotta rain!!!!! My container garden has been trying to take in all that good rain water, but some faired better than others as you can see by the pictures. My poor zucchini and yellow squash leaves have had it, but the beans are setting more Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-21569467570715037782009-04-19T11:03:00.018-04:002009-05-03T22:58:47.462-04:00Shingles (not the kind on your roof!) Hello and welcome to all who visit here. I must apologize for being away for, gosh, almost, well actually over a month now. But I have very good reasons. There has been much personal drama going on at home, which I will share at some time in the future. But the most interesting, albeit painful, experience has been my bout with shingles. For those who are not familiar with this malady (and I hopeKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-30592437772648657252009-03-25T09:29:00.019-04:002009-03-25T11:20:04.839-04:00Easter's Past Aretha Franklin move over - now THESE are hats!I have no idea who these ladies are other than my ancestors and from my mother's side. But I had to save them and they are pretty old. How fancy our photos used to be. Had a very productive two days off. Going by my "Stars/Moon/Astrological Signs" chart, Tuesday was a planting day. Started two hills of yellow crookneck squash and zucchini, Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-30532762988711375322009-03-20T21:25:00.005-04:002009-03-21T19:24:10.119-04:00Kudos to the First Lady Hello and welcome. It has been awhile since I have added anything to my blog. Partly because I have too many things that I would like to write about and partly because I have been really busy at work and things have been kind of crazy at home. I did start several articles, but because I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to say, unfortunately they were abandoned.However, with the news Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-23936995788704306342009-03-09T17:46:00.012-04:002009-03-09T18:37:03.609-04:00Botanical Gardens Can anyone tell me the name of this beautiful blooming tree? I keep wanting to say a Jacaranda, but I'm pretty sure those are purple.Well, I'm disappointed to say that the Pinellas County Extension Botanical Gardens was not what I had expected it to be. But I'm not giving up. I figure I may have just gone at the wrong time of year and should have waited unti next month. I also think that the Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-72521644915706627942009-03-01T13:06:00.013-05:002009-03-03T20:43:47.995-05:00On ChickensGood morning to all who visit! It is a rainy Sunday here on Mad Beach, but I am grateful for the free water and I know my seedlings are enjoying it also. We started carrots and bush beans this weekend. The Ol' Salt was happy drilling holes in the containers and cutting up some leftover 2 x 4's to set the containers up off the ground. I think the idea of me retiring next year is starting to sink Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-90127999687724442662009-02-22T22:53:00.007-05:002009-02-22T23:41:35.059-05:00Sunday Dixie's favorite day of the week!Making sand angels - Dixie's homage to snow! Our weekly Sunday visit to the local dog beach is her favorite activity. And she knows what day it is because she gathers her tennis balls together and throws them in our laps as a hint that she is ready to go. Usually, after her first dip in the water she likes to make sand angels, always just on her right side, but lately she has been rolling on her Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-83766634710747976072009-02-21T16:37:00.010-05:002009-02-21T18:04:28.272-05:00My Back Yard What a beautiful a day it turned out to be, albeit a little chilly inside. Nicer outside in the sun. I live on a barrier island just west of St. Petersburg, FL. I am two blocks from the beach and two blocks from the Intercoastal Waterway. When I first came here (I followed the love of my life here from Connecticut . . . story to come at a later date!), Madeira Beach was a nice mix of Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-61073883954565100252009-02-20T20:50:00.003-05:002009-02-20T21:16:40.882-05:00Ah! The weekendMaven: a trusted expert in a particular field, who seeks to pass knowledge on to others. The word maven "comes from the Yiddish, and it means one who accumulates knowledge. (Wikipedia)That would be me. I can't believe all those blogs out there. I am addicted! I start with one, but as I am learning, you just can't stop at one, because there is that Blog Roll, with so many interesting sounding Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-36632939882613532362009-02-18T19:17:00.003-05:002009-02-18T19:19:48.874-05:00camerasWow, my new camera just arrived. Now to figure out how to work it! It is a Canon 590IS with all kinds of neat buttons and such. It's too dark out now, or I would be outside shooting pictures to post. Stay tuned . . .Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5663525642342743110.post-74997935917993012462009-02-17T20:19:00.002-05:002009-02-17T20:22:02.755-05:00Hello and welcome!This is a test run to see how this is going to look. Will be writing much more on future posts. Besides, I don't get my new camera until Wednesday! Stay tuned . . . will be back soon :)Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044755968190353358noreply@blogger.com1