Got a chance to get back down to The Hill neighborhood in St. Louis, MO, today again. This area is rich in Italian, Catholic tradition. From fire hydrants painted like the Italian flag to the Italian cuisine, The Hill is an area classified as "must see" for any tourist coming to St. Louis for a visit.
"Shotgun" housing used to be more commonplace here, but has given way to some renovation as the area modernizes with the times. The term "shotgun house" comes from the design of the structure. A long, narrow house with either a single hallway down one side or no hallway at all allowed urban legend to state you could step in the front door, fire a shotgun straight through the middle of the house and out the back door, and not do any damage to the home or it's rooms.
The Hill was home to many Italian immigrants starting around the turn of the 20th century. Not wealthy, these families clung to their communities through some of the tougher times this country, and city, has faced. Where most communities lose their tradition and "keep up with the Jones'," not The Hill. The hold very close to their roots.
Above, is the childhood home of legendary Yankee, Yogi Berra. Yogi lived directly across the street from another Yankee legend, Joe Garagiola. Buddies in childhood, their homes are both honored with plaques out front making them easy to find as you drive around the neighborhood on Elizabeth St.
For more information on this and other St. Louis neighborhoods, check out the following link to my Flickr account and read the descriptions of my "collections," "sets," and individual photos.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
White-Crowned Sparrow
Saw my first ever White-Crowned Sparrow yesterday. There was a pair under my feeder and scratching through the mulch.
I did some research online and found they are not permanent to the St. Louis area. They winter here and farther south, but breed up in Canada. The only resident WCSparrows are in the Pacific Northwest.
They start appearing in April here, but peak in May. By Memorial Day, they are extremely scarce. So, I hope to see these guys this winter along with my Juncos. They were neat to watch for the 10 minutes I had the chance.
I haven't had a chance to get my feeder station plans moving forward. But, pics will follow when I do.
I did some research online and found they are not permanent to the St. Louis area. They winter here and farther south, but breed up in Canada. The only resident WCSparrows are in the Pacific Northwest.
They start appearing in April here, but peak in May. By Memorial Day, they are extremely scarce. So, I hope to see these guys this winter along with my Juncos. They were neat to watch for the 10 minutes I had the chance.
I haven't had a chance to get my feeder station plans moving forward. But, pics will follow when I do.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Here come the Finches..
I frequently see American Goldfinches now (here the female is on left and the male is on the right) along with a male House Finch.
Lately, the bird traffic has been on the light side. But, we have also had very stormy weather for the past few days. Here are some shots of the storm's damage.
Lately, the bird traffic has been on the light side. But, we have also had very stormy weather for the past few days. Here are some shots of the storm's damage.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Shed Demolition..
Last weekend the shed came down. Yay! I hope to get this mess cleaned up soon. However, work is making things tough. Yay, again!
The new shed is a slow-going process, but will be located off the frame to the right along the BACK of the yard. The reason I emphasize "back" is because the fools before us put their shed right smack in the middle of the backyard. I doubt I will offend anyone when I call these folks complete idiots. Once cleared away, I will plant grass seed where the old shed was. And, we will add some Forsythia bushes to frame the new shed next spring. All along the back fence will be a wildflower garden with Shasta Daisies, Black-eyed Susans, Echinechea, Purple Coneflower, and a variety of Sunflowers (that hopefully get huge). The idea is to attract birds and butterflies, and provide some nesting supplies near my bird feeding stations. 
I hope to have my own wild bird sanctuary in a couple of years right in my backyard.
More details to follow....
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time Is Limited
I just wanted to say that my time is limited right now. I have been busy....very busy.
The bird feeder station renovation is beginning. I have removed my ugly shed. I now have two nice piles of wood and debris in the yard. Maybe tomorrow I will put up a pic or two. I need to get this trash hauled off, though, before it rains because I have some things that are now exposed to the weather....like my stash of fertilizer. Haha..I had a bag of quick-set concrete that apparently got wet, and is now a 50lb block of rock. That was a nice discovery today.
I have also bought a nyjer feeding sock for the finches. Yes, I spent $35 on a nice, durable metal mesh nyjer feeder. But, the birds don't seem to care for it. So, I wanted to buy something to compare. Day 3 and I have a pair of Amercian Goldfinches, and a House Finch, that can't leave the sock alone. I caught the Goldfinch male on it three times this morning alone. And, if they were visiting the other feeder while I wasn't looking (doubtful), they prefer the sock since that is all I see them feeding on. I may switch some of the feed to see if it's a "freshness" thing, but something tells me it's the style of feeder. The goal, however, is to get them used to feeding from the station, and pull the sock, leaving them with nothing but the other feeder. Maybe they will get "hooked" on the nyjer seed in this specific location and keep coming around. If not, I will need to sell the other feeder just to get some of the money back. I am not fond of wasting $35.
Now, I have to get some pics up tomorrow....lol.
The bird feeder station renovation is beginning. I have removed my ugly shed. I now have two nice piles of wood and debris in the yard. Maybe tomorrow I will put up a pic or two. I need to get this trash hauled off, though, before it rains because I have some things that are now exposed to the weather....like my stash of fertilizer. Haha..I had a bag of quick-set concrete that apparently got wet, and is now a 50lb block of rock. That was a nice discovery today.
I have also bought a nyjer feeding sock for the finches. Yes, I spent $35 on a nice, durable metal mesh nyjer feeder. But, the birds don't seem to care for it. So, I wanted to buy something to compare. Day 3 and I have a pair of Amercian Goldfinches, and a House Finch, that can't leave the sock alone. I caught the Goldfinch male on it three times this morning alone. And, if they were visiting the other feeder while I wasn't looking (doubtful), they prefer the sock since that is all I see them feeding on. I may switch some of the feed to see if it's a "freshness" thing, but something tells me it's the style of feeder. The goal, however, is to get them used to feeding from the station, and pull the sock, leaving them with nothing but the other feeder. Maybe they will get "hooked" on the nyjer seed in this specific location and keep coming around. If not, I will need to sell the other feeder just to get some of the money back. I am not fond of wasting $35.
Now, I have to get some pics up tomorrow....lol.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Song Sparrow
April 8th.. Saw usual suspects in the morning. But, I put up a Nyjer Sock yesterday, to compare with my other Nyjer feeder, and it got more attention today. I saw a Goldfinch pair both feeding at the same time, and I saw my first House Finch this year. The House Finch was feeding while the Cardinal pair was feeding on the sunflower feeder. The Cardinals jumped to the ground where the male fed the female by mouth again. A squirrel came out of a tree, and, suddenly, all four bolted for the trees. I thought my dog was nearby, but it was the Red-Shouldered Hawk doing a fly through of the yard. Apparently, the hawk has discovered the feeder, too. That may explain a little of the birds’ anxieties. LOL, the squirrel didn’t flinch even an ear for 5 minutes.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
More Expansion..
I have added brush piles to my feeding stations. I have seen lots of different setups, and I like the natural perch pictures I see. To do this, we need to doctor our photos a little with some staging of the area. First, determine where you want your bird to be when you take your shot. Second, look for a clean background about 15+ feet behind where you want your bird to be when you take the picture. Third, place your perches and build your brush around the perch. Place the feed in some flatter spots of the brush and be patient.Brush piles will also bring in birds that don't like to sit on feeders, but prefer to scratch the ground or even eat insects and bugs. Thrushes, nuthatches, native sparrows come immediately to mind.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Song Sparrow
Thought I would share this photo since I did squat today regarding the feeders and/or photography.
I did, however, learn a few things I will pass on. I will go into more detail in future postings.
- Your backyard setup need not be elaborate. I saw a few examples by some phenomenal photographers that have very simplistic setups. One, whom I very much respect, lives in a trailer park and shoots from his window!
The trick is setting up close enough to where you will do most of your shooting....around 15-20 feet or so. And, then, having a clean distance to your background....another 15-20 feet or so. That will blur out most of the distracting things most people don't know how to get rid of in their shots.
Personally, I rely on a tight crop of my photos to eliminate any distracting bokeh....like in the shot I posted. That lime green background is actually my rotten shed in my backyard. But, because I also shoot on a very low f/stop number, I have a very shallow depth of field (what's in focus). The rest of the out of focus stuff blurs out rather quickly, and here, rather smoothly.
I look to put in lots of photos of my birds in the coming months. But, with grass season kicking in, I will have a lot less time, too.
About the photo, though, this is a Song Sparrow. These are native birds to North America. The more common House Sparrow is NOT. He is an invader imported from England to take care of insects that were destroying crops in this new land. I will have to get on of my pics of the house sparrow for comaparison soon.
The song sparrow is (from AllAboutBirds.com): Size & Shape
Song Sparrows are medium-sized and fairly bulky sparrows. For a sparrow, the bill is short and stout and the head fairly rounded. The tail is long and rounded, and the wings are broad.
Color Pattern
Song Sparrows are streaky and brown with thick streaks on a white chest and flanks. On a closer look, the head is an attractive mix of warm red-brown and slaty gray, though these shades, as well as the amount of streaking, vary extensively across North America.
Behavior
Song Sparrows flit through dense, low vegetation or low branches, occasionally moving onto open ground after food. Flights are short and fluttering, with a characteristic downward pumping of the tail. Male Song Sparrows sing from exposed perches such as small trees.
Habitat
Look for Song Sparrows in nearly any open habitat, including marsh edges, overgrown fields, backyards, desert washes, and forest edges. Song Sparrows commonly visit bird feeders and build nests in residential areas.
I have had many house sparrows in my backyards, but have never seen a song sparrow before a week ago. It was a nice surprise to see him/her. And, he/she comes around every day. I assume it is paired up, too, because I saw another for the first time yesterday come along with this one.
I expected to see many common birds when I put seed out, but I am very interested to learn more about this guy as time goes on.
Another thing I will do, at the risk of running boringly long here, is to post the notes I have been keeping while observing my feeders. I try to take notes of what I see each day, and Katelyn helps, too.
For instance, I got to watch once today for about 15 minutes. Here is what I jotted down...
Thursday, April 1st, 2010...7am...Chickadee calling in a longer, more drawn out song than usual...mating call? Titmice eating in a pair, and together, every day now. Saw 2 Cardinals, both male, and neither saw the other....no chasing today....I think all the birds have paired up for mating...Saw a Grackle pair yesterday afternoon and I have Starlings now attempting to take over the House Sparrow nest site from last season.....although the House Sparrows are not giving up.....If the tree gets shared, it will be housing squirrels, sparrows (2), and starlings in it's cavities.
I am trying to get more detailed as I do more of this. But, it definitely helps. Taking notes is showing me what to expect when I have time to look.
Tomorrow, I plan to show you a piece of Juniper tree trunk I found today and plan to implement as a perch at some point.
I did, however, learn a few things I will pass on. I will go into more detail in future postings.
- Your backyard setup need not be elaborate. I saw a few examples by some phenomenal photographers that have very simplistic setups. One, whom I very much respect, lives in a trailer park and shoots from his window!
The trick is setting up close enough to where you will do most of your shooting....around 15-20 feet or so. And, then, having a clean distance to your background....another 15-20 feet or so. That will blur out most of the distracting things most people don't know how to get rid of in their shots.
Personally, I rely on a tight crop of my photos to eliminate any distracting bokeh....like in the shot I posted. That lime green background is actually my rotten shed in my backyard. But, because I also shoot on a very low f/stop number, I have a very shallow depth of field (what's in focus). The rest of the out of focus stuff blurs out rather quickly, and here, rather smoothly.
I look to put in lots of photos of my birds in the coming months. But, with grass season kicking in, I will have a lot less time, too.
About the photo, though, this is a Song Sparrow. These are native birds to North America. The more common House Sparrow is NOT. He is an invader imported from England to take care of insects that were destroying crops in this new land. I will have to get on of my pics of the house sparrow for comaparison soon.
The song sparrow is (from AllAboutBirds.com): Size & Shape
Song Sparrows are medium-sized and fairly bulky sparrows. For a sparrow, the bill is short and stout and the head fairly rounded. The tail is long and rounded, and the wings are broad.
Color Pattern
Song Sparrows are streaky and brown with thick streaks on a white chest and flanks. On a closer look, the head is an attractive mix of warm red-brown and slaty gray, though these shades, as well as the amount of streaking, vary extensively across North America.
Behavior
Song Sparrows flit through dense, low vegetation or low branches, occasionally moving onto open ground after food. Flights are short and fluttering, with a characteristic downward pumping of the tail. Male Song Sparrows sing from exposed perches such as small trees.
Habitat
Look for Song Sparrows in nearly any open habitat, including marsh edges, overgrown fields, backyards, desert washes, and forest edges. Song Sparrows commonly visit bird feeders and build nests in residential areas.
I have had many house sparrows in my backyards, but have never seen a song sparrow before a week ago. It was a nice surprise to see him/her. And, he/she comes around every day. I assume it is paired up, too, because I saw another for the first time yesterday come along with this one.
I expected to see many common birds when I put seed out, but I am very interested to learn more about this guy as time goes on.
Another thing I will do, at the risk of running boringly long here, is to post the notes I have been keeping while observing my feeders. I try to take notes of what I see each day, and Katelyn helps, too.
For instance, I got to watch once today for about 15 minutes. Here is what I jotted down...
Thursday, April 1st, 2010...7am...Chickadee calling in a longer, more drawn out song than usual...mating call? Titmice eating in a pair, and together, every day now. Saw 2 Cardinals, both male, and neither saw the other....no chasing today....I think all the birds have paired up for mating...Saw a Grackle pair yesterday afternoon and I have Starlings now attempting to take over the House Sparrow nest site from last season.....although the House Sparrows are not giving up.....If the tree gets shared, it will be housing squirrels, sparrows (2), and starlings in it's cavities.
I am trying to get more detailed as I do more of this. But, it definitely helps. Taking notes is showing me what to expect when I have time to look.
Tomorrow, I plan to show you a piece of Juniper tree trunk I found today and plan to implement as a perch at some point.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Finch Feeder
Here is my setup in a little more detail....just to accurately describe what we are going for.
I have a couple of metal-mesh feeders. I am not fond of the damage all feeders inevitably face when it comes to squirrels. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the squirrels at all. I love their antics around feeders. However, those little peskies chew and chew and chew on feeders to try and get the seed. If you are not taking ample measures to keep the squirrels at bay you will a) lose feeders to damage and b) spend a small fortune in seed.....enough to drive Bill Gates himself to bankruptcy. My longer term goal is to provide myself some entertainment when it comes to feeding squirrels, but more on that another time.
As for the set up, as you saw previously, I have purchased a long pole with four arms from which to hang feeders. My original plan was to hang two feeders and two hanging baskets with flowers in them. However, after needing a place to put my peanuts where squirrels cannot easily reach them, I decided to really combo up the feeder with the two seed feeders (sunflower and niger), a peanut tray, and a hummingbird feeder. I may move the hummer feeder to another location, but we'll see. First, it has to arrive via UPS.
What are the goals of these feeders? Well, let's run off a brief description of what the feeders attract one by one.
The sunflower feeder (tube type on left) is designed to attract general 
songbirds like cardinals, finches, sparrows, jays, nuthatches, titmice, and chickadees to name just a few that reside in MY area. Sunflower Black oil sunflower seed is the most important seed in any backyard bird feeding plan. Almost any bird that visits a bird feeder will readily eat black oil sunflower seeds, and studies have shown that, given a choice of seeds, more species of birds will choose black oil sunflower seeds over any other food that is offered.
The shell of the black oil sunflower seed is thin and easily broken by birds, even those with small beaks. Once opened, black oil sunflower seeds offer more nutrients than any other type of seed, a higher ratio of nutmeat to shell, and the quality of protein is among the highest of any plant food on earth.
The high oil content in black oil sunflower seed, along with the high fat content, provide instant energy for the birds that eat them - something that is of critical importance in winter bird-feeding. In addition, black oil sunflower seeds are high in fiber and contain Vitamin E, biotin, choline, thiamin, and zinc. (source: http://www.shawcreekbirdsupply.com/seed_black_oil_sunflower.htm)
The other tube feeder is filled with Nyjer seed (title pic of blog post). Nyjer is a tiny, thistle-type seed that the finches go crazy for. For more info look here... http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/feb/08/nyjer-seeds-suit-goldfinches-and-pine-siskins/
And, the peanut feeder is being used to get my Blue Jays out of the treetops and down where I 
can photograph them. Granted, I may be creating more of a noise problem for my house than I want, I just haven't ever seen a feeder w/o these colorful guys close by. From what I have read, blue jays cannot resist a peanut, so I am giving these a go. Just today, though, I saw some Titmice robbing me blind of the peanuts. Quite a treat, however, and upon looking further I have found that these other birds will also dine on peanuts: Some finches, Titmice, Woodpeckers, some Wrens, Blue Jays, Indigo Buntings (which I would love to see), Cardinals, Chickadees, Grosbeaks (also would love to see), Nuthatches, Juncos, and Towhees. So, you can see, I may add diversity just by putting some peanuts out. In fact, peanuts may advertise my other seeds for me, too.
The one thing I am most trying to avoid is the Starlings and Grackles. These birds come in droves and empty feeders incredibly fast. The past couple of years, I have had grackle problems and aim to prevent the same from happening this year.
The main way is to put out feeders that grackles and starlings cannot gain access to food through. Suet feeders (loved by starlings) that can only be accessed through the bottom are one such example. I have very small trays on my tube feeders and NO perches. That alone should cut down on the grackle issue. We will see.
FYI, I just spent 20 minutes learning how to get those other pics in the blog. Now, that we have learned that, I may really start having some fun......YAY technology!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Backyard Birding..
My daughter has taken interest in my little hobby this year. My goal is to set up a feeding station that caters to many types of birds common to our backyard locale. I will try and document the process, with some reviews and photos, of the challenges and higher points of this hobby as I get more involved. I hope my daughter will make some entries, too.
Katelyn is 9 and seems to be enjoying learning about the bird types, listening to their songs, and waiting for the babies to come around. However, she still thinks squirrels are cute (I plan to let her make up her own mind).
A lot of time has gone into which types of feeders to install. And, I can already tell this will become a bit of an obsession over time simply because I enjoy doing the research, and I enjoy learning more about these common birds.
For instance, in this picture, you see two feeders. The left feeder has black oil sunflower seeds inside, which attract a general population of songbirds from cardinals to chickadees to sparrows. The feeder on the right is a little more specialized. It contains niger (nyjer) seed. Nyjer seeds attract the finches. Finches like both sunflower and nyjer, but tend to prefer the nyjer. So, this gives them their own feeder so they don't have to fend off bigger birds, which they won't attempt.
You can also see the birdbath back by the fence. Water is obviously a key ingredient to life. Providing it near feeding stations will increase the diversity and numbers of birds you will see.
This is a very basic setup....for now. However, there is a vision behind all of this. And, you will see it documented and explained as I work towards getting everything established.
Katelyn is 9 and seems to be enjoying learning about the bird types, listening to their songs, and waiting for the babies to come around. However, she still thinks squirrels are cute (I plan to let her make up her own mind).
A lot of time has gone into which types of feeders to install. And, I can already tell this will become a bit of an obsession over time simply because I enjoy doing the research, and I enjoy learning more about these common birds.
For instance, in this picture, you see two feeders. The left feeder has black oil sunflower seeds inside, which attract a general population of songbirds from cardinals to chickadees to sparrows. The feeder on the right is a little more specialized. It contains niger (nyjer) seed. Nyjer seeds attract the finches. Finches like both sunflower and nyjer, but tend to prefer the nyjer. So, this gives them their own feeder so they don't have to fend off bigger birds, which they won't attempt.
You can also see the birdbath back by the fence. Water is obviously a key ingredient to life. Providing it near feeding stations will increase the diversity and numbers of birds you will see.
This is a very basic setup....for now. However, there is a vision behind all of this. And, you will see it documented and explained as I work towards getting everything established.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Housebreaking....again.
Wow, long time-no time.
Just thought I'd add a quick note as to how the dog is going. She is 90% housebroken. Things "clicked" last week. She just started sitting by the door when she had to go. Now, she will go right up to the door when she wants to go outside. WHAT A RELIEF! I had forgotten just how frustrating housebreaking is.
Now, we just need to get back into the training. The walks are great. She really looks forward to them. She also weighs about 25 lbs right now. Things are going very, very well. She is so calm and mild-mannered, especially for a boxer. She just does what we do. If we lounge, she lounges. If we are up and about, she is following us. She just needs to be in the same room as the rest of us. THAT is what I love about dogs.
Just thought I'd add a quick note as to how the dog is going. She is 90% housebroken. Things "clicked" last week. She just started sitting by the door when she had to go. Now, she will go right up to the door when she wants to go outside. WHAT A RELIEF! I had forgotten just how frustrating housebreaking is.
Now, we just need to get back into the training. The walks are great. She really looks forward to them. She also weighs about 25 lbs right now. Things are going very, very well. She is so calm and mild-mannered, especially for a boxer. She just does what we do. If we lounge, she lounges. If we are up and about, she is following us. She just needs to be in the same room as the rest of us. THAT is what I love about dogs.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Autism and Dogs..
Now, I have said for awhile now that having an autistic child is like having a dog. Autistic children may seem like they can't do what we can, but they will shock you with just how much they are in tune with you when you least expect it.
Of course, we have a 12 week old puppy in the house, and this has never been more apparent than today.
When a dog gets unruly, especially a puppy, it's generally a lack of attention or lack of proper physical and mental stimulation. The dog cannot tell you when it needs to run, so it chews on your shoe. The dog cannot tell you when it's bored, so it tears into your sofa cushion while you are away. The "secret" is: A tired puppy is a well behaved puppy. Keep them exercised and have multiple training sessions, and play sessions, with them every day and watch how calm and well mannered they become. (This is also why it's so important to research the breed of dog that best suits your activity levels.)
How doest that relate to autsim? Well, autistic kids cannot tell you when they are upset, bored, or have penned up energy, either. So, you have to get in tune with their non-verbal signs......just like a dog. When that kid starts getting angry, frustrated, and down right belligerent, it is often a sign of lack of mental stimulation or physical exercise. (Of course, it could be hunger, or a broken DVD, or a number of other things.) But, this is where it is up to us parents to get to know our child on a deeper level. We can't count on, or take for granted, the things that our "typical" children can tell us or infer from just hanging around. WE have to watch for the cues in our autistic kids.
Today, our son was very "on edge." All day long. He screamed, stomped, cried, hit, at the drop of a hat. Our dog was chewing on everything, barking (begging to play), jumping on furniture, etc. Both hit me like a light bulb. They are trying to tell my wife and I to take action......DO SOMETHING. So, I grabbed the leash, and Matthew's snow boots, and we headed out for a nice long walk and jog. Matthew really got into the jogging. He thrives on deep pressure techinques when hyperactive, so a good pounding of the pavement was probably great for him. The dog loves her walks, too.
Within 20 minutes, we had the desired affect. I came home and we had two much calmer family members.
I don't mean to compare my autistic son to a dog. Quite the contrary. But, one can't help but notice what works for one often times works for another. And, tuning in to the non-verbal aspects of communication often times reveals a lot.
This time, we learned a lesson: When one or the other acts up.........go for a walk. It's amazing how theraputic a walk can be on everyone involved. Try it sometime.
Of course, we have a 12 week old puppy in the house, and this has never been more apparent than today.
When a dog gets unruly, especially a puppy, it's generally a lack of attention or lack of proper physical and mental stimulation. The dog cannot tell you when it needs to run, so it chews on your shoe. The dog cannot tell you when it's bored, so it tears into your sofa cushion while you are away. The "secret" is: A tired puppy is a well behaved puppy. Keep them exercised and have multiple training sessions, and play sessions, with them every day and watch how calm and well mannered they become. (This is also why it's so important to research the breed of dog that best suits your activity levels.)
How doest that relate to autsim? Well, autistic kids cannot tell you when they are upset, bored, or have penned up energy, either. So, you have to get in tune with their non-verbal signs......just like a dog. When that kid starts getting angry, frustrated, and down right belligerent, it is often a sign of lack of mental stimulation or physical exercise. (Of course, it could be hunger, or a broken DVD, or a number of other things.) But, this is where it is up to us parents to get to know our child on a deeper level. We can't count on, or take for granted, the things that our "typical" children can tell us or infer from just hanging around. WE have to watch for the cues in our autistic kids.
Today, our son was very "on edge." All day long. He screamed, stomped, cried, hit, at the drop of a hat. Our dog was chewing on everything, barking (begging to play), jumping on furniture, etc. Both hit me like a light bulb. They are trying to tell my wife and I to take action......DO SOMETHING. So, I grabbed the leash, and Matthew's snow boots, and we headed out for a nice long walk and jog. Matthew really got into the jogging. He thrives on deep pressure techinques when hyperactive, so a good pounding of the pavement was probably great for him. The dog loves her walks, too.
Within 20 minutes, we had the desired affect. I came home and we had two much calmer family members.
I don't mean to compare my autistic son to a dog. Quite the contrary. But, one can't help but notice what works for one often times works for another. And, tuning in to the non-verbal aspects of communication often times reveals a lot.
This time, we learned a lesson: When one or the other acts up.........go for a walk. It's amazing how theraputic a walk can be on everyone involved. Try it sometime.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Wish I had a photo....
...but, I am wondering how much true is to this winter hanging tough through a lot of March? I gotta admit that I am beginning to doubt what the "experts" (and I use that term loosely) are saying. They are talking, locally, about winter being "far from over." I don't know how much of that I am buying. I am starting to see some other signs......by Mother Nature.
And, we should all know that animals know nature better than a meteorologist thinks HE does. And, I am witnessing large flocks of geese starting to migrate around here. For over a week now, I have noticed flocks of about 50, some over 100, flying north.
Big deal, you say? Well, I am not seeing them just above the treetops, as if they are heading over to another pond or to their night spot to roost. I see that a lot around here, too, and they can fly south in spring and north in fall when doing that. It really means about squat.
However, currently, I am seeing them flying 500-1000 feet high. How am I guessing? Well, they are higher than the STL Arch, for sure, but lower than the cloud decks. And, I am also guessing an individual goose would be hard to spot anywhere over 1000 feet up. And, I can see individuals within a flock almost well enough to count them.
It is really neat to see them alternate the lead as they fly. They have a rotation, and you can also see them ripple as the wind currents hit them up there. And, of course, the honking. OMG, the honking. That is the only way I notice. I will be outside with the dog and hear the honking. I look up and can't see anything. I look higher, and there they are.......WAY up there.....and flying north.
Maybe I'm a dork for noticing this stuff, but I am telling you, it's how the Farmer's Almanac used to do things (watching nature's signals), and it's how the Indians knew what was going on, too. I probably should have lived back then.......but, I couldn't live without the internet.
And, we should all know that animals know nature better than a meteorologist thinks HE does. And, I am witnessing large flocks of geese starting to migrate around here. For over a week now, I have noticed flocks of about 50, some over 100, flying north.
Big deal, you say? Well, I am not seeing them just above the treetops, as if they are heading over to another pond or to their night spot to roost. I see that a lot around here, too, and they can fly south in spring and north in fall when doing that. It really means about squat.
However, currently, I am seeing them flying 500-1000 feet high. How am I guessing? Well, they are higher than the STL Arch, for sure, but lower than the cloud decks. And, I am also guessing an individual goose would be hard to spot anywhere over 1000 feet up. And, I can see individuals within a flock almost well enough to count them.
It is really neat to see them alternate the lead as they fly. They have a rotation, and you can also see them ripple as the wind currents hit them up there. And, of course, the honking. OMG, the honking. That is the only way I notice. I will be outside with the dog and hear the honking. I look up and can't see anything. I look higher, and there they are.......WAY up there.....and flying north.
Maybe I'm a dork for noticing this stuff, but I am telling you, it's how the Farmer's Almanac used to do things (watching nature's signals), and it's how the Indians knew what was going on, too. I probably should have lived back then.......but, I couldn't live without the internet.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Getting bigger now..
i have had problems getting the dog to eat......but not anymore. i had contemplated the BARF diet (raw food diet like whole chickens and beef bones, etc.), but that isnt any less expensive than commercial dog food. i have thought about pouring butter and gravy in her food. she is just so thin.
but, today, the light bulb went on!
i was in petsmart pricing different brands of food. after all i've read about kibble, its all crap. corn, wheat, oats....filler, filler, filler. some of which cause allergies in boxers. purina....crap. science diet....crap. iams, eukanuba, nature's science.....all crap. too many fillers and not enough actual meat. some are $20 a bad, some are $50, but all are crap.
so, if you are going to have to feed your dog crap, you may as well save the money and feed the cheapest crap you can find.
however, i looked at the canned food. how can they put corn in canned food w/o it looking like stew? well, most of them dont. they dont have the fillers. so, we are getting somewhere. and, again, they are all about the same independent of price.
so, why not supplement? you are supposed to vary the diets anyway. so, i bought a can of beef chunkies with gravy.....for a buck....and brought it home.
do you remember the smell of ALPO when the can opens? JACKPOT! an actual meaty, dog food smell. that got her going. but, canned food is not cheap when compared to dry, is it? so, you BLEND the two.......haha YAHTZEEEEEEE!
two tablespoons of meat chunkies and gravy mixed into a 3/4 cup of kibble, and presto. she ate like a freaking champ. she woofed (pardon the pun) that down in less than 5 minutes......licked clean. you couldnt tell the bowl had food in it...ever. a big drink of water, 15 minutes later a big you know what in the backyard, and 30 minutes of romping in the snow, and one hell of a nap!
now, i have a near perfect dog. and, that isn't likely to change soon. there will be no problem getting her to eat 2-3 cups of food per day now. she will fill out and i can easily control the intake now so she wont get too fat.
huge weight lifted off my shoulder because she was looking like one of the Serangheti Lions on nature shows that a vulture can kick the living crap out of. sort of like the kind of target they were looking for in my grandfather's cartoon.
"Patience, hell, let's kill something."
PHEW!!!!
but, today, the light bulb went on!
i was in petsmart pricing different brands of food. after all i've read about kibble, its all crap. corn, wheat, oats....filler, filler, filler. some of which cause allergies in boxers. purina....crap. science diet....crap. iams, eukanuba, nature's science.....all crap. too many fillers and not enough actual meat. some are $20 a bad, some are $50, but all are crap.
so, if you are going to have to feed your dog crap, you may as well save the money and feed the cheapest crap you can find.
however, i looked at the canned food. how can they put corn in canned food w/o it looking like stew? well, most of them dont. they dont have the fillers. so, we are getting somewhere. and, again, they are all about the same independent of price.
so, why not supplement? you are supposed to vary the diets anyway. so, i bought a can of beef chunkies with gravy.....for a buck....and brought it home.
do you remember the smell of ALPO when the can opens? JACKPOT! an actual meaty, dog food smell. that got her going. but, canned food is not cheap when compared to dry, is it? so, you BLEND the two.......haha YAHTZEEEEEEE!
two tablespoons of meat chunkies and gravy mixed into a 3/4 cup of kibble, and presto. she ate like a freaking champ. she woofed (pardon the pun) that down in less than 5 minutes......licked clean. you couldnt tell the bowl had food in it...ever. a big drink of water, 15 minutes later a big you know what in the backyard, and 30 minutes of romping in the snow, and one hell of a nap!
now, i have a near perfect dog. and, that isn't likely to change soon. there will be no problem getting her to eat 2-3 cups of food per day now. she will fill out and i can easily control the intake now so she wont get too fat.
huge weight lifted off my shoulder because she was looking like one of the Serangheti Lions on nature shows that a vulture can kick the living crap out of. sort of like the kind of target they were looking for in my grandfather's cartoon.
"Patience, hell, let's kill something."
PHEW!!!!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Still working on it..
Puppy training is still consuming every waking minute of the day. However, we have begun to see some patterns emerge thanks to logging potty breaks and feedings.
We haven't had accidents in the evening since we've known what to expect. OUR dog goes pee w/in 20 minutes of a huge evening drink. The more she drinks, the more often she needs to pee. Pretty simple, but took us awhile to catch on since she had been going an hour or more during the mornings and afternoons. But, I think we have it under control for the most part now.
She is up to about 3 cups of food per day, but some days she doesn't eat quickly. So, the solution is to put her on a time restraint. She has 20 minutes to finish her food, or she misses the meal. It won't take her long to get with that program because, eventually, she will be so hungry she will scarf her food right down. Today may be that day. She didn't eat well this morning, and she is not interested in eating lunch. So, in about 6 minutes from now, up goes the food. And, I expect she will eat a huge dinner. In a couple weeks, I need to get her to 2X per day anyway, so it isn't as if I am starving her. She is still eating between 2 2/3 and 3 cups per day....plus treats while training. This is well within the guidelines our vet suggests and the guidelines on the bag of food we are using.
Still a bundle of energy, Allie plays hard, and rests harder. The training is going well. She sits nearly 100% of the time w/ or w/o treats. It may be time to introduce distractions now. She is pretty good at "lie down." We, however, still need to use hand signals, as she won't lie down on a verbal cue alone....but we're getting there. I have also introduced "stand" to her so we can break up the monotony with a game of mixing the three commands together randomly. She gets bored easily.....both a puppy and a boxer thing. And, if the darned weather would only improve, we can get better on our walks. She is doing well on the leash, but it is hard to find 2 times (5-10 minutes each only at this stage) every day to walk her around the neighborhood. We didn't get out at all yesterday, and we didn't play in the yard like we have either. If I can get the time to do so, we will get a dog that sleeps through the night. If not, she cries a little when we put her to bed because she just isn't that tired.....and, of course, we are leaving her for the night. She really is glued to us, and this is the only time we spend away from her while we are home. I don't blame her, but as with all else, she will get used to this because there can be no exception. She is NOT sleeping in bed with us.
BTW, I have noticed her beginning (and I use the term loosely) to sit by the door when she needs to go out. It may be more of a coincidence, but I jump on the chance to help her make the connection. (Kind of the "magnet game" trainers use to catch dogs doing something good in everyday life and reward them for it profusely to get them to catch on quicker.)
More later....and maybe a pic.
We haven't had accidents in the evening since we've known what to expect. OUR dog goes pee w/in 20 minutes of a huge evening drink. The more she drinks, the more often she needs to pee. Pretty simple, but took us awhile to catch on since she had been going an hour or more during the mornings and afternoons. But, I think we have it under control for the most part now.
She is up to about 3 cups of food per day, but some days she doesn't eat quickly. So, the solution is to put her on a time restraint. She has 20 minutes to finish her food, or she misses the meal. It won't take her long to get with that program because, eventually, she will be so hungry she will scarf her food right down. Today may be that day. She didn't eat well this morning, and she is not interested in eating lunch. So, in about 6 minutes from now, up goes the food. And, I expect she will eat a huge dinner. In a couple weeks, I need to get her to 2X per day anyway, so it isn't as if I am starving her. She is still eating between 2 2/3 and 3 cups per day....plus treats while training. This is well within the guidelines our vet suggests and the guidelines on the bag of food we are using.
Still a bundle of energy, Allie plays hard, and rests harder. The training is going well. She sits nearly 100% of the time w/ or w/o treats. It may be time to introduce distractions now. She is pretty good at "lie down." We, however, still need to use hand signals, as she won't lie down on a verbal cue alone....but we're getting there. I have also introduced "stand" to her so we can break up the monotony with a game of mixing the three commands together randomly. She gets bored easily.....both a puppy and a boxer thing. And, if the darned weather would only improve, we can get better on our walks. She is doing well on the leash, but it is hard to find 2 times (5-10 minutes each only at this stage) every day to walk her around the neighborhood. We didn't get out at all yesterday, and we didn't play in the yard like we have either. If I can get the time to do so, we will get a dog that sleeps through the night. If not, she cries a little when we put her to bed because she just isn't that tired.....and, of course, we are leaving her for the night. She really is glued to us, and this is the only time we spend away from her while we are home. I don't blame her, but as with all else, she will get used to this because there can be no exception. She is NOT sleeping in bed with us.
BTW, I have noticed her beginning (and I use the term loosely) to sit by the door when she needs to go out. It may be more of a coincidence, but I jump on the chance to help her make the connection. (Kind of the "magnet game" trainers use to catch dogs doing something good in everyday life and reward them for it profusely to get them to catch on quicker.)
More later....and maybe a pic.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Looking Good..
After a day of logging her movements, I realized how much she goes out. WOW!
Here is a copy of the log I took down:
02/02/2010 - 10 weeks 15lbs.; 14”.
6am - potty 1 and 2. 620am - feed 2/3 cup 715am - potty 1 and 2. 1230pm - potty 1 and feed 1 cup. 1pm - vet visit. 240pm - potty 1. 4pm - potty 1 and 2. 615pm - potty 1 and feed 1 cup. 7pm - potty 1 and 2. 730pm - potty 1. 9pm - potty 1 and 2. 1030pm - potty 1.
Total for day… 1 = 10, 2 = 5. 2-2/3 cups food. 1 minor accident, but interrupted and she finished immediately outside.
Now, we just work on getting her to WANT to go outside. However, on the brighter side, she is pretty good on a leash, knows sit and lie down, and sure is a load of fun. Oh, and quite the lap dog, too. Although, I hear that is never going away. Boxers are 70 lb lap dogs...lol.
Here is a copy of the log I took down:
02/02/2010 - 10 weeks 15lbs.; 14”.
6am - potty 1 and 2. 620am - feed 2/3 cup 715am - potty 1 and 2. 1230pm - potty 1 and feed 1 cup. 1pm - vet visit. 240pm - potty 1. 4pm - potty 1 and 2. 615pm - potty 1 and feed 1 cup. 7pm - potty 1 and 2. 730pm - potty 1. 9pm - potty 1 and 2. 1030pm - potty 1.
Total for day… 1 = 10, 2 = 5. 2-2/3 cups food. 1 minor accident, but interrupted and she finished immediately outside.
Now, we just work on getting her to WANT to go outside. However, on the brighter side, she is pretty good on a leash, knows sit and lie down, and sure is a load of fun. Oh, and quite the lap dog, too. Although, I hear that is never going away. Boxers are 70 lb lap dogs...lol.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Changing Directions...
Well, the photo-a-day challenge really fell by the wayside once we bought the puppy. Boy, talk about your full time job! I can always come back to the photo-a-day thing, but for now, this little piece of cyberspace is changing direction.
Since we have bought the dog, and I need to "log" some of her actions, I will be writing a journal of sorts regarding her potty training. Who knows....someday some of this may help someone.
We are crate-training the dog. She has fallen in love with her crate, as predicted. However, bladder control leaves a lot to be desired in a 10 week old pup. We have had numerous accidents in the house. Some due to no muscle control, but a lot due to not watching her closely enough.
I am also "tethering" her when I can't keep my eyes on her 100% of the time. I would highly recommend tethering a puppy because it doubles as leash training. I was having trouble getting her used to the leash......until i tethered her to me. Tethering fixed that issue in 10 minutes...no kidding.
So, to log today's actions:
Allie is 10 weeks old. She can make it for about an hour in the mornings and about 30 minutes in the evenings (when things get more hectic around the house) without going potty. The goal is to start stretching those times out, and to get her going to the door when she wants to go outside.
I reward her for going potty outside with yummy treats w/o fail. I make sure to give the treat to her WHILE she is doing her business....making it easier to associate the action with the reward. We are using the same words, too. "Go outside" is for heading to the door. And, "go potty," is for actually doing the deed. The long range goal is to have her going on command.
Some patterns have already begun to emerge. She will #1 and #2 in the morning when she first wakes up. And, will often do so again after a little breakfast. After that, however, it's pretty random.
I have not been as consistent as I should have been so far with "timing" her potty breaks. I have gone from thinking I was not taking her out often enough to thinking I was taking her out too often and back again. But, this is the reason for blogging the patterns. It will help tone me down and keep me from getting ahead of myself, hopefully.
So, today's goal is to get her on a timer. I have already taken her out twice, as of 8am. Once at 6am when she woke up, and again at 715am after breakfast. Both times #1 and #2. So, off to a good start. (Like I said, the days aren't a problem....it's the evenings.) But, I will still put her on a 45 minute timer for the rest of the week. I plan to stretch it to an hour if all goes well by next week.
The only things that get in the way are naps. When she falls asleep, I take her immediately after waking, and will start the timer after we come in. The problem I anticipate is when she comes back inside and drinks a gallon of water. That usually triggers another potty break, but I can never tell when. So, hopefully paying closer attention will knock that little issue out.
If you read all this, you are a trooper. Entries should stay a little shorter from here on out.
Since we have bought the dog, and I need to "log" some of her actions, I will be writing a journal of sorts regarding her potty training. Who knows....someday some of this may help someone.
We are crate-training the dog. She has fallen in love with her crate, as predicted. However, bladder control leaves a lot to be desired in a 10 week old pup. We have had numerous accidents in the house. Some due to no muscle control, but a lot due to not watching her closely enough.
I am also "tethering" her when I can't keep my eyes on her 100% of the time. I would highly recommend tethering a puppy because it doubles as leash training. I was having trouble getting her used to the leash......until i tethered her to me. Tethering fixed that issue in 10 minutes...no kidding.
So, to log today's actions:
Allie is 10 weeks old. She can make it for about an hour in the mornings and about 30 minutes in the evenings (when things get more hectic around the house) without going potty. The goal is to start stretching those times out, and to get her going to the door when she wants to go outside.
I reward her for going potty outside with yummy treats w/o fail. I make sure to give the treat to her WHILE she is doing her business....making it easier to associate the action with the reward. We are using the same words, too. "Go outside" is for heading to the door. And, "go potty," is for actually doing the deed. The long range goal is to have her going on command.
Some patterns have already begun to emerge. She will #1 and #2 in the morning when she first wakes up. And, will often do so again after a little breakfast. After that, however, it's pretty random.
I have not been as consistent as I should have been so far with "timing" her potty breaks. I have gone from thinking I was not taking her out often enough to thinking I was taking her out too often and back again. But, this is the reason for blogging the patterns. It will help tone me down and keep me from getting ahead of myself, hopefully.
So, today's goal is to get her on a timer. I have already taken her out twice, as of 8am. Once at 6am when she woke up, and again at 715am after breakfast. Both times #1 and #2. So, off to a good start. (Like I said, the days aren't a problem....it's the evenings.) But, I will still put her on a 45 minute timer for the rest of the week. I plan to stretch it to an hour if all goes well by next week.
The only things that get in the way are naps. When she falls asleep, I take her immediately after waking, and will start the timer after we come in. The problem I anticipate is when she comes back inside and drinks a gallon of water. That usually triggers another potty break, but I can never tell when. So, hopefully paying closer attention will knock that little issue out.
If you read all this, you are a trooper. Entries should stay a little shorter from here on out.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Allie Sweet Cheeks
I have obviously been busy this weekend. So, I will introduce why......Allie is our newest addition to the family. A 9week old boxer pup.
We did a lot of research into which breed we thought would fit best into the family and what will be required of us. We spent a great deal of time picking her specifically from her litter, too. She was one of the calmest, most submissive puppies of the litter. And, when we narrowed them down to two, Allie picked Matthew.....and stole our hearts.
Now, for the training and housebreaking. It's been awhile since we've had a new baby (dog or human), so there will be an adjustment period. But, we are excited.....and ready!
Be prepared for updates, and lots of pictures of my newest supermodel.
We did a lot of research into which breed we thought would fit best into the family and what will be required of us. We spent a great deal of time picking her specifically from her litter, too. She was one of the calmest, most submissive puppies of the litter. And, when we narrowed them down to two, Allie picked Matthew.....and stole our hearts.
Now, for the training and housebreaking. It's been awhile since we've had a new baby (dog or human), so there will be an adjustment period. But, we are excited.....and ready!
Be prepared for updates, and lots of pictures of my newest supermodel.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Exploring the Unknown..
The fog gave me a much better opportunity to shoot some fun stuff today. I went downtown and poked around the bridges and the Arch. Here are several of the better results...
There are plenty more on my Flickr pages.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chipnjo_99/page1/
There are plenty more on my Flickr pages.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chipnjo_99/page1/
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Pea Soup..
Ahhhhhh, the dreaded commute. This view is looking east on interstate 270 from the Sappington Road overpass at about 845am. We have had some fog for several days now, and not just in mornings, pretty much all day long.
The lack of wind, and any vertical lift in the atmosphere, has left very stagnant air in the St. Louis area. Not stagnant in the same way as you would think of pollution, but just in the way of no "mixing" of the air to dissipate the fog.
It is rare that we get fog that doesn't burn off, and that sticks around day after day for this length of time. I have been waiting for it to thicken up a bit more to make taking a picture of it easier. Today was that day.
The lack of wind, and any vertical lift in the atmosphere, has left very stagnant air in the St. Louis area. Not stagnant in the same way as you would think of pollution, but just in the way of no "mixing" of the air to dissipate the fog.
It is rare that we get fog that doesn't burn off, and that sticks around day after day for this length of time. I have been waiting for it to thicken up a bit more to make taking a picture of it easier. Today was that day.
Dinner time..
All three of my kids line up on the couch to watch tv during dinner. It isn't often they all sit on the same couch. In fact, this is the first time I remember seeing it.
The coolest part was: Our middle son has autism and usually prefers to watch his DVD movies in his bedroom. He rarely cares to sit around his brother and sister for any length of time, but loves to come and go as he pleases. Last night, however, he wanted to eat out there with them. And, to my surprise, they invited him to sit down before he even asked. I thought that was a sweet gesture and started setting him up with his tray on the other couch. He kind of looked at me confusingly, and, again, before he could say anything the other two said, "Sit with us. Right here on our couch."
My wife and I almost teared up. To see him WANT to be included and to see the others WANT to include him was truly a "kodak moment" for us. And, hence, it lands right in the blog.
Awesome!
The coolest part was: Our middle son has autism and usually prefers to watch his DVD movies in his bedroom. He rarely cares to sit around his brother and sister for any length of time, but loves to come and go as he pleases. Last night, however, he wanted to eat out there with them. And, to my surprise, they invited him to sit down before he even asked. I thought that was a sweet gesture and started setting him up with his tray on the other couch. He kind of looked at me confusingly, and, again, before he could say anything the other two said, "Sit with us. Right here on our couch."
My wife and I almost teared up. To see him WANT to be included and to see the others WANT to include him was truly a "kodak moment" for us. And, hence, it lands right in the blog.
Awesome!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Your Turn
Put a lot more time into today's shot. I was playing Sorry with my youngest son, and saw the opportunity to take some neat shots with my long lens. The longer lens really shortens my depth of field and allows me to blur backgrounds and foregrounds with little effort. This was shot with a very slow shutter speed (can't remember, but i was anywhere between 1/5 and 4 seconds while playing around.) Those speeds are way too slow to keep a steady hand, so I had the camera on the floor since I was too lazy to get out the tripod. Besides, the extremely low angle gives this a better feel than a simple shot angled downward on the gameboard.
I just wanted a shot of my son's finger on the game piece, but while playing with the software in the computer, I came across this while pushing the contrast. I liked it so much I decided to make it the photo of the day. Below is the original photo before any doctoring.
I just wanted a shot of my son's finger on the game piece, but while playing with the software in the computer, I came across this while pushing the contrast. I liked it so much I decided to make it the photo of the day. Below is the original photo before any doctoring.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Punk Funk..
This was a shot of a "face" that isn't human. I love the commercial depicting these, and they seem easy enough to find. However, they aren't easy to find. They seem to require a "vision" we don't normally use when looking at everyday things.....sort of like how a comedian comes up with his material. Either you see it or you don't. Sometimes the vision can be learned, which is what I am trying to do with these "faces."
Anyway, I am going to add some other stuff to the blog as we go along, too. As I said in the intro, I am a pretty big poker enthusiast, and I have discovered a new game to play.....and, a pretty easy one at that. The hyper-turbo tourney. These are filled with action....and fish. And, that is what good poker players look for.....fish. Those people that don't care about getting better, or that think poker is just for the lucky with little skill involved. Those people are the fish. And, over time, they literally buy houses for the pros. For me, they pay my taxes. And, I love them!
I mostly play fixed limit Texas Hold'Em. I used to play a lot of no-limit hold'em, but I feel the fixed limit games contain more fish. So, about a year and a half ago, I started studying the fundamentals of fixed limit games. The differences are subtle, like softball and baseball, but they are important to know.
However, last year, I got a little stagnant with the limit games and found a batch of tournaments called Double-or-Nothing Sit-N-Gos. Those babies were a gold mine for me. The tournament sits 10 players and when the field gets whittled down to 5, the game stops. The 5 "winners" split the "losers" cash. If you can finish in the top half of tourneys most of the time, these are like printing money. Well, at first, these games were full of fish. Eventually, all the sharks found them, and the fish busted out....or got bored. So, the games dried up a bit. I went back to my limit games.
But, the other day, I did a google search for some strategy articles, and found an interesting article on these Hyper-turbos. Shazaam! Crappy players LOVE action, and the structure of these tourneys lends to just that. So, I read up a little more, and dabbled last night.
I found them to be as advertised....full of fish....but, I couldn't seem to get to the winner's circle often enough. I wasn't losing much, and the sample was very small, but I wasn't seeing the results like I thought I would.
But, today was a little different story. I played in 26 of them in about 2 hours, total. And, banked just over $24 by playing the $3.80 tourney level. That comes to about $12/hr. I think $8/hr is sustainable, so we'll see.
I will post more on these as I test them out. But, for now, they seem like a great way for a player to earn some money fairly quickly while sitting around watching some TV. Who doesn't want to get paid to watch TV?
Anyway, I am going to add some other stuff to the blog as we go along, too. As I said in the intro, I am a pretty big poker enthusiast, and I have discovered a new game to play.....and, a pretty easy one at that. The hyper-turbo tourney. These are filled with action....and fish. And, that is what good poker players look for.....fish. Those people that don't care about getting better, or that think poker is just for the lucky with little skill involved. Those people are the fish. And, over time, they literally buy houses for the pros. For me, they pay my taxes. And, I love them!
I mostly play fixed limit Texas Hold'Em. I used to play a lot of no-limit hold'em, but I feel the fixed limit games contain more fish. So, about a year and a half ago, I started studying the fundamentals of fixed limit games. The differences are subtle, like softball and baseball, but they are important to know.
However, last year, I got a little stagnant with the limit games and found a batch of tournaments called Double-or-Nothing Sit-N-Gos. Those babies were a gold mine for me. The tournament sits 10 players and when the field gets whittled down to 5, the game stops. The 5 "winners" split the "losers" cash. If you can finish in the top half of tourneys most of the time, these are like printing money. Well, at first, these games were full of fish. Eventually, all the sharks found them, and the fish busted out....or got bored. So, the games dried up a bit. I went back to my limit games.
But, the other day, I did a google search for some strategy articles, and found an interesting article on these Hyper-turbos. Shazaam! Crappy players LOVE action, and the structure of these tourneys lends to just that. So, I read up a little more, and dabbled last night.
I found them to be as advertised....full of fish....but, I couldn't seem to get to the winner's circle often enough. I wasn't losing much, and the sample was very small, but I wasn't seeing the results like I thought I would.
But, today was a little different story. I played in 26 of them in about 2 hours, total. And, banked just over $24 by playing the $3.80 tourney level. That comes to about $12/hr. I think $8/hr is sustainable, so we'll see.
I will post more on these as I test them out. But, for now, they seem like a great way for a player to earn some money fairly quickly while sitting around watching some TV. Who doesn't want to get paid to watch TV?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Boom Go the Water Mains..
With the thaw in St. Louis right now, the water mains are breaking left and right. 49 broke on Tuesday (close to a record according to news sources), another 23 on Wednesday, and more should go today, Thursday, January 14th. This one was relatively close to my house, so I drove by for a quick snap. This was already the third one reported for today at 8:02am.
Temps are on the rebound, and look like they will hold a little above normal for the next week. I may get out and get some work done now. It actually feels rather tropical outside compared to what we had the past few weeks.
Temps are on the rebound, and look like they will hold a little above normal for the next week. I may get out and get some work done now. It actually feels rather tropical outside compared to what we had the past few weeks.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Victory!
Good ole Christopher. That boy will climb anything and everything he sees. This was a 25 foot high mound of dirt we found as we went walking through our local park this afternoon. There is a project inside the park that has been suspended due to the cold weather, and Chris took full advantage. He climbed each and every mound of dirt in the park....about 15 of them.
We turned a corner, and he saw this one off in the distance. He asked me if we could try that one, and off we went. It was pretty neat to watch because he has never attempted something remotely difficult. This hill was muddy from some melting snow, and he slipped more than a few times. However, he stayed the course and made the summit. It's pretty neat to watch your kids do things they have never done.
Hmm, maybe that's what it's all about?
Good job, buddy.
We turned a corner, and he saw this one off in the distance. He asked me if we could try that one, and off we went. It was pretty neat to watch because he has never attempted something remotely difficult. This hill was muddy from some melting snow, and he slipped more than a few times. However, he stayed the course and made the summit. It's pretty neat to watch your kids do things they have never done.
Hmm, maybe that's what it's all about?
Good job, buddy.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Cold Water..
Finally got down to the riverfront today and, to my surprise, the river wasn't nearly as full of ice as I was anticipating. Imagine that, the local media exaggerating?
Anyway, the weather here has been much colder than average, as with the rest of the eastern half of the US this month. We have been threatening temperatures below zero the past couple nights, but haven't "officially" gone that low. Daytime highs are only hitting the teens and twenties, so we are rubbing against some streaks, climatologically speaking.
Here are the ones we are watching....taken from a local meteorologist's blog:
How Does this Cold Snap Compare to Historical Outbreaks?
BELOW ARE LISTS OF THE TOP 5 LONGEST CONSECUTIVE STREAKS OF
DAYS WITH DAYTIME HIGHS AT OR BELOW 32...25...20 OR 15
RESPECTIVELY. THE DATE SHOWN IS THE LAST DAY OF THE STREAK.
ST. LOUIS...PERIOD OF RECORD: 1874 TO CURRENT
32 DEGREES
1) 30...2/23/1978
2) 26...1/23/1977
3) 22...2/16/1895
4) 17...1/22/1918
5) 16...12/30/1983
5) 16...1/15/1979
5) 16...1/16/1912
5) 16...2/13/1899
25 DEGREES
1) 13...12/30/1983
1) 13...2/13/1895
3) 11...12/24/1989
3) 11...1/11/1979
3) 11...1/27/1940
3) 11...2/2/1936
20 DEGREES
1) 10...2/13/1899
2) 9...1/31/1936
3) 7...12/20/1901
4) 6...12/23/1963
4) 6...2/12/1895
We are ready for a warm-up here, but it is fun to watch when we start talking about historical things starting to happen.
Anyway, the weather here has been much colder than average, as with the rest of the eastern half of the US this month. We have been threatening temperatures below zero the past couple nights, but haven't "officially" gone that low. Daytime highs are only hitting the teens and twenties, so we are rubbing against some streaks, climatologically speaking.
Here are the ones we are watching....taken from a local meteorologist's blog:
How Does this Cold Snap Compare to Historical Outbreaks?
BELOW ARE LISTS OF THE TOP 5 LONGEST CONSECUTIVE STREAKS OF
DAYS WITH DAYTIME HIGHS AT OR BELOW 32...25...20 OR 15
RESPECTIVELY. THE DATE SHOWN IS THE LAST DAY OF THE STREAK.
ST. LOUIS...PERIOD OF RECORD: 1874 TO CURRENT
32 DEGREES
1) 30...2/23/1978
2) 26...1/23/1977
3) 22...2/16/1895
4) 17...1/22/1918
5) 16...12/30/1983
5) 16...1/15/1979
5) 16...1/16/1912
5) 16...2/13/1899
25 DEGREES
1) 13...12/30/1983
1) 13...2/13/1895
3) 11...12/24/1989
3) 11...1/11/1979
3) 11...1/27/1940
3) 11...2/2/1936
20 DEGREES
1) 10...2/13/1899
2) 9...1/31/1936
3) 7...12/20/1901
4) 6...12/23/1963
4) 6...2/12/1895
We are ready for a warm-up here, but it is fun to watch when we start talking about historical things starting to happen.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Winterized..
Mother Nature has forced the lawn equipment into hibernation yet again. This time of year is better for the snow plow, but once the snow melts, the "odd jobs" begin. Several projects still need to get done before we get rolling for 2010.
It's good to have projects to do, but there is usually a lull between plowing and melting. So, anytime it wants to warm up a little is ok with me.
We have our regular Spades Night for this month with our friends. This time.....NO KIDS!!! Generally, about 6-8 couples show up leading to some really gooooood times.
Still trying to get down to see the river. Maybe tomorrow??
It's good to have projects to do, but there is usually a lull between plowing and melting. So, anytime it wants to warm up a little is ok with me.
We have our regular Spades Night for this month with our friends. This time.....NO KIDS!!! Generally, about 6-8 couples show up leading to some really gooooood times.
Still trying to get down to see the river. Maybe tomorrow??
Friday, January 8, 2010
BBQ Shutdown..
3 inches of snow and 35mph winds have temporarily delayed any barbecuing. Wind chills are reaching -10F today. I went outside to take a few shots of the snow.
And, a photo for a contest titled "Animal Portraits." Some times I just can't resist being a Smartass..
And, a photo for a contest titled "Animal Portraits." Some times I just can't resist being a Smartass..
Hmmmm..
The ice here in St. Louis is getting thick. The Mississippi River is about to freeze completely over, and I think it may actually do it. The question becomes: When was the last time it was walked across?
The answer: 1900 (according to the local news this morning). Apparently, people drove horse-drawn carriages across the river without problems. I have also seen a picture from 1900, a couple of years ago in the paper, of a man walking across the river to work. I have been thinking about this since the river almost froze over in that year where the paper ran the picture.
How cool is that?! To say you WALKED across the Mississippi River? I am reminded of a story from my Dad that I will never forget. (Hell, he may not even remember that he told me.)
He and his family used to go up north in the summers to fish. My Dad told me, when I was about 6 or 8, that he once jumped across the Mississippi River! I had already seen the river in St. Louis because my grandparents (on my Mom's side) lived here. In fact, they often took us down to look at the river. Once we "washed our hands" in it during a flood. But, I digress. I remember MY image of the river, and my Dad's story of jumping it. And, I remember vividly thinking my father must be freaking Superman to pull that off. (You know how kids think, especially of their daddies and mommies) Of course, it was years later that either I figured it out, or Dad told me........it was up in Minnesota near the headwaters where the river is only several feet across. LOL. Nonetheless, I would like to try something along these lines for myself.
Of course, there would be pictures. I think this could be a "once in a lifetime" type of opportunity presenting itself. I also think I am just dumb enough to try it....after some precautions have been met first.
There are a couple of things to consider, though. 1) Will local commerce be so diligent as to keep the river open for barge traffic? And, I don't know the answer as of yet. I think they may try, but will eventually stop if it proves to be too difficult. That would make the ice out in the channel thinner than the rest....something to pay attention to. And, 2) The water flowing UNDER the ice. That river won't stop moving because there is ice on top. And, I can only imagine that if one falls through, one is definitely gone until his body shoots out the mouth in New Orleans. And, I can't hold my breath that long....lol. So, my concern is finding proof that it is safe to cross. I can only think to watch the news because surely I can count on some other idiots to try this first. I am a "calculated risk" kind of guy....not a complete nutbag like some people out there. And, I assume when it is deemed "safe enough" that the news will even send someone of there own to either cover it OR walk across it themselves.
Anyway, the daily pic, and more on this story to come........
The answer: 1900 (according to the local news this morning). Apparently, people drove horse-drawn carriages across the river without problems. I have also seen a picture from 1900, a couple of years ago in the paper, of a man walking across the river to work. I have been thinking about this since the river almost froze over in that year where the paper ran the picture.
How cool is that?! To say you WALKED across the Mississippi River? I am reminded of a story from my Dad that I will never forget. (Hell, he may not even remember that he told me.)
He and his family used to go up north in the summers to fish. My Dad told me, when I was about 6 or 8, that he once jumped across the Mississippi River! I had already seen the river in St. Louis because my grandparents (on my Mom's side) lived here. In fact, they often took us down to look at the river. Once we "washed our hands" in it during a flood. But, I digress. I remember MY image of the river, and my Dad's story of jumping it. And, I remember vividly thinking my father must be freaking Superman to pull that off. (You know how kids think, especially of their daddies and mommies) Of course, it was years later that either I figured it out, or Dad told me........it was up in Minnesota near the headwaters where the river is only several feet across. LOL. Nonetheless, I would like to try something along these lines for myself.
Of course, there would be pictures. I think this could be a "once in a lifetime" type of opportunity presenting itself. I also think I am just dumb enough to try it....after some precautions have been met first.
There are a couple of things to consider, though. 1) Will local commerce be so diligent as to keep the river open for barge traffic? And, I don't know the answer as of yet. I think they may try, but will eventually stop if it proves to be too difficult. That would make the ice out in the channel thinner than the rest....something to pay attention to. And, 2) The water flowing UNDER the ice. That river won't stop moving because there is ice on top. And, I can only imagine that if one falls through, one is definitely gone until his body shoots out the mouth in New Orleans. And, I can't hold my breath that long....lol. So, my concern is finding proof that it is safe to cross. I can only think to watch the news because surely I can count on some other idiots to try this first. I am a "calculated risk" kind of guy....not a complete nutbag like some people out there. And, I assume when it is deemed "safe enough" that the news will even send someone of there own to either cover it OR walk across it themselves.
Anyway, the daily pic, and more on this story to come........
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Lazy meals..
After plowing snow for 14 hours today, I decided to treat the family to a fancy schmancy night out on the town.....starting with a Happy Meal and a soda.
I am way too tired to do any thinking today. Time to catch some Z's.
I am way too tired to do any thinking today. Time to catch some Z's.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Footprints..
Starting to snow here now. We are expecting several inches. I just had to go for a test stroll.
Dead Battery..
Brutal cold here in St. Louis this week. At the time I was changing my car battery (God rest it's soul), the thermometer read about 6F (15C). Normal highs are in the mid to upper 30sF around here this time of year.
But, I had to get that battery repaired so I could get the kiddos to school (well, picked up anyway as it was too late to drop them off), and I also needed to get ready for the impending snowfall over the next couple of days.
So, there is yesterday's pic. Better late than never. Check back for what I hope will be some cool snow photos soon....
But, I had to get that battery repaired so I could get the kiddos to school (well, picked up anyway as it was too late to drop them off), and I also needed to get ready for the impending snowfall over the next couple of days.
So, there is yesterday's pic. Better late than never. Check back for what I hope will be some cool snow photos soon....
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Frozen Falls..
I love icicles. And, in the winter, icicles are one of the few things I look forward to. I especially love to see these frozen waterfalls when driving. Our ground in St. Louis is still so saturated (my sump pump has been running for weeks) that the water is still flowing underground where it is warmer. However, once the water drips out from the cracks in the bluffs along the sides of highways, it instantly freezes in the weather we are having (high of 14F forecast today). This creates my frozen falls. They aren't too terribly common, but aren't rare, either. I just like them.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The Last Branch..
Another holiday season is gone, and the last branch of the tree went rather quietly this year.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!!
Well, a new year is upon us. Hmmm, what to do with resolutions, thoughts, hobbies, among other things? I have decided to attempt a year-long photo blog, along with some anecdotal randomness that impresses me as well.
I am very much an amateur photog....with no aspirations of becoming legendary. I am also a poker enthusiast, father of three, husband, ex-golfer, lawn jockey, business owner, and "jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none".....not in order of importance.
My goal is to challenge myself in putting 1-2, sometimes more, pictures on the blog per day. Also, to write some articles (who knows where that will lead if I get on one of my rants) when I get fired up.
Blogs are funny. I am not one of those that thinks he is reaching out to the world. I don't think I have anything particularly inspirational, or interesting, to say. Blogs are some of the most self-centered, narcissistic things in existence, imo, and part of me can't believe I am going to give this a shot.
This blog is purely for me. If anyone takes interest, I appreciate it, but I won't lose sleep if this never gets a single "hit." This is to commit me to photography and to see if I can post a shot per day for the year.....and to see how creative I can get along the way. I just know myself and won't be able to "Keep It Simple, Stupid" for long.
There you have your little introduction. I will be back later with the first pic for the new year. Hope you all have a happy, prosperous one.....and enjoy the ride!
-Chip
I am very much an amateur photog....with no aspirations of becoming legendary. I am also a poker enthusiast, father of three, husband, ex-golfer, lawn jockey, business owner, and "jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none".....not in order of importance.
My goal is to challenge myself in putting 1-2, sometimes more, pictures on the blog per day. Also, to write some articles (who knows where that will lead if I get on one of my rants) when I get fired up.
Blogs are funny. I am not one of those that thinks he is reaching out to the world. I don't think I have anything particularly inspirational, or interesting, to say. Blogs are some of the most self-centered, narcissistic things in existence, imo, and part of me can't believe I am going to give this a shot.
This blog is purely for me. If anyone takes interest, I appreciate it, but I won't lose sleep if this never gets a single "hit." This is to commit me to photography and to see if I can post a shot per day for the year.....and to see how creative I can get along the way. I just know myself and won't be able to "Keep It Simple, Stupid" for long.
There you have your little introduction. I will be back later with the first pic for the new year. Hope you all have a happy, prosperous one.....and enjoy the ride!
-Chip
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