The family that bloggs together... learns a whole lot!

Here is yet another Blogging adventure. Since my blogs have no particular importance or significance to anyone but myself, the only people who actually read and comment on my blogs are my relatives. Yet, this tiny information sharing network has expanded into a much bigger world of family information. Point of fact, I have learned more about my two nephew-in-laws through reading a few pages than I have during all the years that they have been attached to the family. It's strange (if not a bit scary) to think that I share some of the same favorite movies with one nephew (minus some notable exceptions). Additionally its exciting to read extensive thoughts by the other nephew because I don't think he's ever talked to me more than three sentences in a row. I'm sure I'm just one of those aunts who has no appreciation of the socio-economical, philosophical, and political world wide impact when the SF Giants lose a game in the last inning.

By the way, why is it that I am the only one of my generation of this family to actually have a blog? Where are my sisters and brother? Are they letting me break new ground to see how big a fool I can make of myself before they jump in? Or are they just self assured enough not to have any need to see their own thoughts spread across the internet? Nonetheless, this blogging adventure, is just that.... an adventure.

They have found me

It has been an interesting experience, this blogging. I was introduced to the world of blogging just recently by my daughter who had the best intentions of expanding my world and helping me at a time when I did not feel well. I entered the world a bit reluctantly, fearing that here was yet another way that the less than honorable computer hackers might find a way into my personal computer universe protected by the ever delicate, ever vulnerable "password(s)". But, I threw caution into the pixels and didn't look back.

I learned the ropes through my vast computer intuition and a few cross continental emergency phone calls to my daughter. As I became savvy, I wrote a couple of entries and added a few pictures. What I had not expected or been prepared for was the fun of seeing comments. After reading other blogs and their comments, I found the interactions of bloggers and commenters to be a surprising delight. As remote and electronic and time warped as this process is, it is amazing to me that it can feel so personal and humanly connected. That is . . . . until to day.

I opened my blog, saw that there were two new comments and rushed to see who had written what. It was to my horror that both new comments were an advertisement for making money. That was bad enough, but the insult continued. The comments were both the same, complete with an embedded web link. But it was the subtle manner in which the way the comment was worded that fried me the most. First, it is written as though it was from a friend and then it contains no words that enables me to turn on the blocking mechanism. If I used any of the words in this deceitful notation I would block at least 80% of all future comments.

Hence, they have found me and have reminded me yet again, that all of life's little pleasures come with a cost.

November Days

Life in rural New England has settled into the "between seasons" routine. Old pumpkins still sit upon house steps, but they are a bit saggy and have lost that bright freshly harvested look. The mums hanging from the porches hold tightly to the last dull hues of their once vibrant colors. Those that hate the snow are happy because global warming has led to above average temperatures and those who live in New England so they can ski and snowboard are upset each morning as the temperature rises and the ice formed on top of standing water melts. The evergreens look more vivid because the leaves on the other trees have given us their colorful autumn gifts and have fallen on the ground to provide the sound effects of fall. The cars and trucks parked along the road sides are the tell tale signs that the hunters have disappeared into the woods. But underneath it all is a feeling of anticipation, the anticipation that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Thanksgiving, the holiday of New England, boosts the pride of all of New Englanders, or so I like to think.

The picture on the left is our lane (with the playhouse) and the picture on the right is our house looking out into the west side of our property.