Computer woes solved!

I cannot begin to total all the hours I have spent trying to get my ancient computer to operate efficiently, or at some times, even at all. My husband and I, each have at least 20 years experience with computers. We devoted countless hours and all we have learned over the past 20 years to try to solve my problems. It still wasn't enough. Last Saturday, thanks to an offer at Staples that we just couldn't refuse, we broke down and bought a new computer.



That was a week ago. I am now happy to say that I've finished downloading, transferring, and even tweaking some of my favorite old programs. I am writing this blog post on my new computer (and old software). I'm getting to know and understand Windows 7. I'm sure that in time, I will be as thrilled with it as I have all the previous versions I've used (all of them). 


It is pure joy to be able to turn the computer in the morning and watch it start, as it was intended. My old computer refused to do that. It would restart itself, intermittently, sometimes six or seven times, before it finally loaded my desktop.


This new computer, by Hewlett-Packard, has much more memory on board too, so I can listen to music, play a game, and download incoming mail, all at the same time.


I've decided that one of my favorite things is tweaking software. I might even be addicted to it, if that is possible. While function of a program is of course the most important, to me, that is followed only by how it displays. With a tendency toward art, color is very important to me. The right color can change my mood; brighten my day. It can also have the opposite effect, if it just isn't right. 


I tweaked my new Windows 7 to use a desktop theme based on my favorite photo--a sunflower that I shot myself and that I happen to love. Other colors are set to a pale lime green with partial transparency. Nice!


When I started my Microsoft Office 2003 software, I opened MS Word. The program displayed a hideous bright blue color that was painful to look at. It was oblivious to the pretty theme I had just created. I'm a writer. Trying to write when the ugly color on the screen stabs the eyes is not a good thing. When I ran this program on my old Windows XP-loaded computer, I was able to tweak all the colors of the various components. But, with Windows 7, the theme default colors don't translate into Office programs.


So, to have that bright blue from MS Office in the way; well, that would never do. I finally found a tweak online that I tried and it worked. It involved changing the setting for default colors in the Office 2003 settings back to a more pleasing gray that blends nicely with my other theme colors. 


By the way, I've tried to retrace my steps so I could give a shout out and hearty thank you to the brilliant person that revealed this illusive tip, but I can't find it again. 


If that person ever sees this post, my heartfelt thanks. 

This summer sucks!

It's official--I don't like summer--at least not this summer anyway. 


With temperatures hovering well into the triple digits for days--as high as 114º yesterday--things are looking pretty grim around here. Most of my plants are dead; only one or two flowers remain close to the porch. That is only because I water them. Even my house plants on the shaded front porch are suffering even though I water at least every other day. There will be no fresh tomatoes to can this year--at least not from my garden. I am beginning to feel like a shut-in because it is just too hot to go outside. 


Thank goodness for Netflix. We have taken to watching movies during hot afternoons or evenings. 

The weather has taken its toll on the wildlife as well. Deer have actually come onto the front porch to eat my flowers. That may not be weather related--it might just have to do with the rascals thinking they can get away with gourmet dining at my expense. They already ate a hibiscus and newly-planted crab apple tree. 


Their behavior does seem rather odd, however. For a time they were here every day. There was a buck, a doe, and two fawns. I haven't seen any of them lately. I'm sure they abandoned our desert landscape in favor of river or lakeside property. And who can blame them? 


The hummingbirds which generally flurry from flower to flower and to the sugar-water feeders we keep on the porch, are now just sitting listlessly on the feeder, their long beaks parted. It is so sad. This morning while watering my plants, I found one had died in a pot of coleus. Just yesterday I saw her perched on that pot. 


We have tried to keep the bird bath full and cool.


I have always been fond of the rain, which is now so scarce. The drought is getting very serious. The last nice rain we had was in June. I can barely remember the dance of the raindrops and gentle sounds, not to mention the smell of it. Chanel No. 5 has nothing on the scent of rain in the woods.


There has been some rain in the area; showers and some storms have popped up on radar images. And we did get a few drops the other night, but it was hardly enough to wet the sidewalk. The clouds seem to form close by only to go some place else to release their precious moisture. Instead, the outdoors now smells like a newly-mown hay field--which is in reality just dying Bermuda grass. It is hard to believe that we enjoyed 11 straight days of rain yielding more than 30 inches just a few months ago. 


As August marches on, there will be more moderate temperatures, at least for a little while. It won't be long before I harangue about how cold it is outside and how I feel like a recluse again. Funny how that works?


It isn't just the weather that promises annoyance. During this respite from the out of doors, the news was all about our country's political divide and lack of compromise among the nation's leaders. During the winter months, we can look forward to the 2012 campaign season which promises to highlight perhaps a greater political divide.


Yes, thank goodness for Netflix.

I've lost my best friend.

At the risk of sounding like one of those crazy old cat ladies, I can honestly say that my heart is broken by the loss of my best friend--my cat named Emily.


Emily died of natural causes, at home, Monday, July 11.


I'm proud to be a crazy old cat lady. I have no shame in saying that Emily was my beloved pet and trusted companion for more than 16 years. Through thick and thin, she has always been a comfort. We seemed to simply understand one other. 


For the last couple years, Emily's health was failing. She no longer used the litter box, but instead, became paper-trained. It was difficult sometimes to care for a sick cat, especially since my husband and I have four others in our household--kittens whose birthday was the day Emily died. Their mother lives here too, but she lives both inside and outside.


Despite the extra work and mess, I refused to end Emily's life for my own convenience, especially when she was still able to find pleasure in living. She had good days and bad days, but I believe she remained a happy cat until the end.


I gladly did whatever I could to make her comfortable. 


Emily didn't just like to be held, she liked to cuddle. She would reach her paws around my neck, like a hug. She came when I called her. So many times she curled up on my lap as I read a book or watched television. When quilting, she always laid on the fabric. 


Emily came into our family many years ago to fill my heart after the loss of another beloved pet, our collie, Howard. Howard had a story too, but that is for another time.


A friend took me to the home of a woman who ran a shelter in her home in Kankakee, IL. She had many cats, but I felt indifferent; perhaps it was too soon. She said she had one more, but she was in quarantine. She was recovering from an eye infection, but was due to be introduced back into the 'population.'


One look at this beautiful, little, grey fur ball, and my heart melted. It really was love at first sight. She was the one. I named her Emily after a dear friend. 


Emily has always been there. When my daughter got her own apartment; when my son moved away; when we relocated from Illinois to Arkansas, Emily was always a comfort. I can't count how many times I cried into her fur. I recall the long drive when we moved--her cat carrier was buckled into the seat next to me. For most of the trip we held hands. I was so worried about her, but she did great. We had many conversations in those long hours. 


Emily is now buried at the edge of our cedar grove in a grave marked with a bouquet of pink, plastic carnations, in full view of the back deck. 


Rest in peace, my Emily.

Stuffed Portobellos just the way I like them

I just love mushrooms; they can be cooked just about any way. 

Last week at the Farmer's Market, I came across these beautiful portobello mushrooms, discounted because they were picked the day before. Gotta love that kind of value.

I looked through cookbooks to find a recipe to use for stuffing them, but none of them appealed to me. Since none of them quite fit the bill, I decided to improvise.

First, I cut off the mushroom stems, and put them into the freezer for soup stock. I brushed the caps to ensure they were clean. Using a spoon, I gently scraped out the gills, which makes more room in the caps for the stuffing. I brushed them with olive oil and placed them into the oven, cap side up at 350º for 10 minutes while I made the stuffing.

I used a tomato, diced; a garlic clove, finely diced; a few fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips; 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar; a splash of Extra virgin olive oil; a handful of Panko bread crumbs, enough to balance the liquid consistency; some salt and pepper.

Depending on your taste, any of these ingredients can be varied. 

Upon stuffing all of the mushroom caps, I topped them with shredded Mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese. 

I returned the mushrooms to the oven to cook until the cheese melted. 

These were so delicious. Now that my tomatoes are starting to ripen, and the basil is growing well, I think it will be back to the Farmer's Market this week for more mushrooms. 

Visit the caves--a must see

My daughter, Jenny and her fiance, Mike came to visit us from Illinois this week. 

One of the places we had to visit was Blanchard Springs Caverns. They had never been there before, though my husband John and I are frequent visitors. Just about whenever anyone comes to visit, the caves are always a must see.

The caverns are spectacular, but they aren't the only draw. The scenic drive on  AR 5 from Mountain Home is so beautiful. 

I have lived in Arkansas for nearly seven years, and I will never take for granted the beauty that is all around me. It abounds here in the natural state. By the way, I love calling Arkansas by its moniker because to me, there is nothing better than 'natural.' I am honored to live in a state that prides itself in being natural.

The caverns' environs were even more enticing than normal, since we've had  such an abundance of rain. The creek was rushing and was so typically Arkansas--beautiful. I truly love Blanchard Spring and Mirror Lake. I wish such a setting was in my own backyard. We have the forest, and even a similar water feature, but only when it rains. It has been pretty spectacular lately, keeping the window open at night as the water rushed rapidly down the hillside and on to the river. 

I feel such a sense of pride when I visit this government facility. Our national parks and its amenities are something to be heralded, especially in these times of economic stress, foreign intervention and all other national issues. 

I think Jenny and Mike were surprised by what they saw. A living cave is not something that is easily imagined. The tour is always informative, professional, and interesting.  

The Ozarks has endured a very rainy season

Despite the sunny skies and warm temperatures, north-central Arkansas is still reeling from the effects of a series of torrential rains. Flooding continues.

Debris floats in the murky floodwater; a public dock is too far away to access

The White River basin has experienced so much rainfall that the flood-retention potential of the reservoirs on the White River system have exceeded their capacity. There has just been too much rain resulting in too much water.

Following one of the many articles in the local newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin recently, I noticed a comment about the dams not having any effect at all on flooding. The commenter suggested that it is almost like there aren't any dams at all.

I have to take issue with that. The dams have worked well. Yet, when they were designed, it was impossible to predict the kind of rain that has been experienced this year. I cannot imagine how horrific and widespread the flooding would have been without them. More lives would have been impacted and undoubtedly more lives would have been lost.

Controlling the White River basin is complicated, but basically, it began at Beaver Lake. With so much rain, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to release water from the spill gates from the dam at Beaver Lake (near Eureka Springs, AR). The rush of water compromised the storage capacity downstream at Table Rock Lake, (Branson, MO) which also experienced record rainfalls. Those flood gates too had to be opened. When that occurred, people living along Lake Taneycomo, near Branson, endured major flooding. Because of the economic impact to Branson, affecting numerous homes and businesses, this became a huge news event.

The torrent continued to make its way into Bull Shoals Lake, which caused a need to open the spill gates at the dam there.

As I write this, the flood gates remain open at Bull Shoals, allowing 58,000 cubic feet of water per second to rush into the White River below. All 17 flood gates are open. It is a sight to see and hear.

Bull Shoals dam releases water into the White River

Awesome power was evident in sight and sound

Sadly, the result is high water in the generally tranquil waters of the White between Bull Shoals and Norfork. Homes and docks have been inundated by the swiftly rushing, but crystal clear, cool water.

We had almost 40 inches of rain in a less than two-week period. The rain was amazing. I have never seen anything like it.

While I feel for all those whose property is in a low-lying area, I have no sympathy for the arrogant and/or foolish people who built homes practically on the water's edge. The smart people, such as the pioneers who built the Wolf House, built it on a bluff overlooking the river. They still had their view of the river, but were protected by the nearly annual occurrence back then. They knew then and we should know now that rivers will always flood despite man's efforts. Man cannot overpower, out think, or out maneuver Mother Nature, so he shouldn't even try.

Except for the last day of this rainy spell, I have to say I enjoyed every minute of the rainy weather. Before this started, we were suffering from mild drought conditions. Rain was not something that came easily last summer. I used to watch out the window as clouds formed and then poof--they dried up and disappeared. It was depressing to watch all my plants shrivel and die. Flowers failed to bloom. Trees went into early dormancy. We even lost some. The vegetable garden was the worst of all. So, when the rains began this spring, it was time to rejoice. I had just planted the garden. It was thriving; everything was lush and green. We needed the rain.

Somewhere along the way, we crossed the line. I recall being just a little cranky on that last rainy day. I'm not sure if it was because I knew the rain was going to end, I missed seeing the sunshine, or if I had just reached a personal limit. I'm sure I would have continued my enjoyment of those dark, moody days, had it not been for the severe storms that accompanied  the heavy rain. The severity of the weather hit way too close to home, as we are only 80 miles from Joplin, MO where the death toll continues to climb, a week after the storm.

I have always been fascinated with flooding which hearkens back to when I was a small child, living on the south side of Chicago. My family lived on a street that dead-ended at a set or railroad tracks. A pedestrian viaduct below the the tracks allowed access to the other side. It was the way my brother and I walked to school every day. When the viaduct was flooded, we had to walk over the tracks instead. That was normally tabu, but was the only way during a flood. Such a forbidden trek was very exciting to a six-year old child. Apparently, that stimulation has followed me to adulthood.

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• Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime (rural01.blogspot.com)

Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime

It was so dry earlier this year that the water level in the lakes nearby were so low that watery coves dried up. Some boats, like these at a marina in Udall, MO still moored at their docks, sat in the mud.

It all began to change in mid-April, when the rain began.

Image via Wikipedia The rain promised to aid the annual resurgence of flora and fauna. Trouble is, it didn't stop raining. At one point after a night of heavy rain, the rain gauge read '14 inches.' That was followed by four inches and then three inches. That continued for almost two weeks. I've since lost count. Suffice it to say we are now close to 40 inches of rain in a little over a month. Because we live on a hillside, we have had no ill effects from all that rain. In fact, I loved every minute of it. Our backyard resembled a tropical rain forest. To me, there is no better smell than the woods after a rain.  
  
Such heavy rain combined with a huge snow melt in the northern states, all draining into the Mississippi River, caused record-setting flooding in the nation's largest river and its tributaries. The great flood of 2011 has claimed thousands of acres and produced millions of dollars in damage in several states. 

In mid April, heavy moisture rising from the Gulf of Mexico with unseasonably warm temperatures collided with the cold dry air from the north. Fueled by an ambitious jet stream the result was an outbreak of severe storms.  
Image via WikipediaOn April 26, a tornado aimed at a major population center. Severe damage occurred in St. Louis, MO. Though there were no serious injuries or deaths reported, the 22-mile storm path devastated property. Even Lambert Airport took a direct hit. Both the airport and the interstate highway that feeds it were closed for a time.

A day later, a severe weather outbreak wreaked havoc on the southern states killing 232 people in six states. It seemed to zero in on Tuscaloosa, AL when an EF4 twister claimed 131 lives.

On Sunday, May 22, Mother Nature's destructive side spawned the devastating EF5 tornado that decimated huge chunks of Joplin, MO. To date, 126 people are known dead with hundreds still missing or unaccounted for. The Joplin tornado now eclipses the death toll from the 1953 tornado in Flint, MI, making it the eighth-deadliest U.S. tornado on record. More than 500 people have been killed in tornado outbreaks this Spring.

 

A rain-swollen White River downstream from Bull Shoals dam

In my locale, the tremendous amounts of rainfall has caused local flooding in low-lying areas. Dams built throughout the White River basin to store flood water until it can safely be released have filled to their brim as heavy rain has been relentless. Just a few months ago we couldn't wring a drop of moisture from the sky. Now it seems as if a spigot is stuck in the 'on' position.

Even though our little acreage has been relatively untouched by the most severe weather, these events have been too close for comfort. It has been unnerving to be suddenly awakened during a sound sleep by the blare of the weather radio toning its many warnings. From flash flooding to severe thunderstorms to tornado watches and warnings, the nerves are frayed by this very active season.

I am grateful for the technology that warns us, allowing enough time to take action to protect ourselves. In Joplin, there was about a 25-minute warning before the storm hit. Undoubtedly lives were saved.

During a severe weather event, I monitor the events all around. As long as the satellite receiver can retain a signal, the television is tuned to the weather channel. When the weather is severe, the local stations break into regular programming and provide minute-to-minute coverage. Even though we are in Arkansas, our local channels originate in Springfield, MO. I have to give a shout out to KY3 which seems to do the best job for us. I noticed that even some of my favorite stations returned to regular programming once Springfield was out of danger. We were still threatened however. KY3 continued its weather coverage until the threat had passed. I also keep my laptop computer on Intellicast, my personal favorite weather site. It updates the radar regularly and allows me to zoom into my own backyard. I can literally watch the radar as the storm approaches our house. My personal preparedness also includes a portable police scanner, so we can monitor local emergency traffic.

I am not complaining. For me, the more than thirty inches of rain that has fallen over our little five acres on a hillside has brought nothing but personal pleasure.

Trees once ailing from drought conditions are no longer stressed. In fact, all of the plants in the yard this year are thriving. The vegetable garden shows great promise.

There was one storm during these numerous events that produced gusty winds and quarter-sized hail. Even as we cringed at the ice balls hitting our windows, we know we were lucky.

The damage was obvious, but not severe. The bleeding hearts come to mind. Beneath the eaves, I would have thought they would have been protected. Instead, their once show-stopping beauty was marred by the overnight storm. They looked as though they were trampled upon. A beautiful crop of purple iris and their neighboring Mock Orange and Azalea bushes were broken and more horizontal than vertical. Some of the tomato plants in the vegetable garden had been broken and battered. A few petunias showed some battle scars on their otherwise velvety-textured petals. Fortunately a quick pruning was all they needed. Since it is early in the growing season, they will easily compensate for the damage.

Probably the most obvious resultant was the scattering of new and fully-grown oak leaves. The trees had finally fully dressed with its neon foliage--in a process that seemed to last an eternity after their long winter of nakedness. The hail pelted the trees as the wind whipped the tree tops. Small branches were broken. Leaves, filled the yard. No single area was spared from the lawn, to the gardens, and even onto the covered porch.

We have been lucky. Tornado season is not yet over. I hope that luck holds out for the rest of the season.