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One advantage to not using lawn chemicals is the random appearance of strange and beautiful creatures. Last evening, we saw a large moth in the driveway. It was a jet black stud of a Promethea Moth-Callosamia promethea. This insect had just hatched and was in the last stages of wing inflation. So beautiful. This picture is from the web and depicts a deceased individual.
A few years ago, my husband and I visited a German Restaurant in Minneapolis, MN. I was doubtful of it as german food is not my flavor fave. However, the whole experience was priceless! During our meal, we noticed the waitresses using a device on the patrons that were in a large group seated at a long table across the room. The waitresses would hold a wooden board up to a patrons face, then let a spring loaded delivery device snap up to the patrons nostrils (making a loud snapping sound). Then the group would yell, toast, and drink. Later, our waitress came over and asked if we would like to try it. This was a snuff delivery device. She insisted that we try it so we said we would if she would do it. She said, no problem, snapped the snuff up her nose, started crying and ran out of the room. We did not see her again. Needless to say, we did not try it.
Since then, I have tried to find out the name of that thing. I talked to people from Minneapolis, Germans, people who hang out in German restaurants, Google, etc. No one knew what I was talking about. It was not until we were visited by an Austrian relative that we found out the name of this snuff snapper, Schnupftabak-Schlender-Kanone.
This restaurant was fabulous for other reasons I may blog about later. The restaraunt's website is (http://www.marioskellerbar.com) Under gifts they call the thing a snuff board. This name is a bland euphemism ignoring the delivery part of it. If you find yourself in Minneapolis for any reason, make sure you visit this place!
Looking through an old book to see if I want to get rid of it. From Good Housekeeping magazine September 1989. In 1989 a typical suburban American household of 3 generated about 40 lbs of garbage weekly. Broken down as:
Polystyrene foam meat trays, cups, egg cartons, and packaging, 3%
Aluminum, 1%
Disposable diapers, 3%
Wood, textiles such as household repair debris, and old clothing, 5%
Metals such as food cans and nails, 5%
Plastic such as soda bottles and bags, 5%
Glass, 8%
Misc. mixed items and conglomerates, 10% (I assume this means packaging)
Food, 11%
Paper such as newspaper, boxes, mail, and magazines, 21%
Yard wastes and grass clippings, 23%
Wow, how wastefull these 800 households in Phoenix AZ were 20 years ago!
In comparison, we are pretty good-
We do not eat meat in the house, so no foam trays, egg cartons get recycled or given to small egg producer.
We rarely use aluminum foil at all, except when camping.
Diapers, not an issue here.
Scrap wood and textiles, all freecycled, reused, or donated.
Metals-all recycled except for a very little amount that cannot be recycled.
Plastic bottles and bags, all reused or recycled.
Glass-all recycled.
Packaging, is our biggest challenge and the bulk of our garbage.
Food, all wastes composted.
Paper, all recycled or in the case of magazines, some freecycled or given away.
Yard wastes and grass clippings, all composted or left in place to be reabsorbed.
To Ms. 95 senate plate, I saw you this am, leaving Springfield on I-72. Swerving all over both lanes, driving down the middle of the road, not signaling lane changes, and then speeding away. Later, beyond Decatur I saw you again, speeding by with your phone glued to your ear. How is it that you can drive that way, recklessly, while passing laws that us commoners have to follow? I have no idea who you are and do not give a damn, but I do know you are a living, breathing, driving, hypocrite.
Just drove from Champaign to Springfield. I made it, many did not. Interestingly, 2 dozen pickup trucks, 1 dozen suvs, 3 vans, 2 small sedans, and 1 jack knifed semi truck were all in the ditch. Also, 2 cars rammed into one another and another van flipped over. Useless damage and possible injuries. Most drivers were using common sense and driving carefully. We made it home with our bodies and vehicles intact. I will never understand why people are willing to wreck their rides and possibley injure themselves or others just so they can drive fast and recklessly through the white and slippery snow.
I have not been able to figure this one out. Our neighborhood is populated with retirees. Some do volunteer type work and what not during the week. However, I assume they have more time in general than this hard working couple. On weekends, these retirees get to it with their leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and other very loud lawn equipment. This sunday morning, 9 am, someone was out with their lawnmower. Lordy- cannot we enjoy some peace on our weekends! What is wrong with a rake?
I have always been bothered by the number of murders in this town. I did some calculations and found that the murder rate for Springfield of late is 8.585/100,000. In line with Belarus.
