eReader or Hard Copy?

I'm putting my front room/office back together after cleaning the carpet and I'm just not sure what to do about the bookcase . . .
It seems crazy to take up all that space on the shelves when they could all be on an eReader. On the other hand, I'd have to buy them all again. Yet, I could put pretty things on my bookshelf. Still, there's something about holding a book, flipping the pages, resting it wide open on your chest when you get drowsy.
I'm not sure if I'm ready to make this switch. Have you ditched all your hard copy books?

Yellow Jacket Wasps

It seems that metro Toledo has a yellow jacket problem this year. A few weeks ago, I mowed over what I thought was a bees nest. I looked down after a sting on my leg and saw about 50 of them on my pants! I ran to the house while stripping down and got out of it with only 5 stings – LUCKY. It could have been so much worse, especially since I’ve found out that they are yellow jacket wasps!
I noticed lots of small holes in the yard, but I have snakes, ground moles and God-knows-what-else out there, so I didn’t think much of it. But, my housemate, Nance, found another ground nest yesterday and I’ve been hearing from others around Toledo with the same problem. I guess it’s just a good year for them.
These are some aggressive little pests which I’ll have to destroy. Thankfully, in the internet age, you’re never alone with a problem, and I've already found lots of advice.

The Great Lakes

I want this on a sweatshirt:

Camping, Anyone?

I went camping over Labor Day weekend. Wow, I remember why I quit camping 15+ years ago!
When we were kids, Mom took us camping often and we nearly always went on the shore of one of the Great Lakes. Years later, I camped inland on my own and realized that I didn’t particular care for it. All along, it had been the lakes that I liked.
So, while camping is an affordable and bug-free alternative to staying in a motel, it’s not a hobby that I enjoy. I can cook over a fire and sleep in a tent in my own yard. I’m too old to be sleeping on the ground!

My Great Grandparents

Well, my find-a-grave project has already led to some ancestors! I found a 12-year-old online post made by a not-so-distant relative who has been working on her family tree for years. Last night, she sent me pics of ancestors that I've never met. She also sent my grandfather's lineage traced back to the 1600's!
I had previously known about only one of my four grandparents, so it's really exciting for me to learn more and see their faces. This couple, which lived through the Great Depression, looks far less stern than I was expecting. His cigar-puffing swagger cracks me up!
I can't wait until my new-found cuz gets the rest of them scanned.

Beauty Happens . . .

Nature always wins.
At my place, that results in an entire treeful of mulberries that never ripen because the Virginia Creeper overtakes the tree and blocks its sun. I just happen to be allergic to this stuff that is ALL OVER the property . . .


Sometimes, though, Nature's supremacy is beautiful, despite mankind's attempts to contain her.

Dr Doolittle

Mom and I took a long ride, through Ohio’s rich farmland, to Pemberville. We visited her aunt’s grave, which is next to a horse barn.
Mom was determined to get this guy to come to the fence for a visit.

She stomped her foot and snorted a bit, just like him.

Before long, her communication efforts worked.