Pigeons

I posted several photos taken of pigeons on buildings on my travel blog, along with some interesting facts about these birds.

They have been around for a very long time, and have been a part of human lives since ancient times as well.

Here are a couple facts:

• The first images of pigeons found by archeologists were in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), dating back to 3000 BC.
• A pigeon can recognize its own reflection in a mirror and is one of only 6 species -and only non-mammal- that has that ability.

Check out my travel blog Boots-On-Dirt-Roads for photos and more fun pigeon facts.

I Was A Band Director For A Day

That’s right. I got to be Band Director for a day at one of the local public Middle Schools where I substitute occasionally.

Now, I must say that I know next to nothing about music. I am more of a visual arts person… but, when in Rome…

I think the teacher was expecting a musically inclined sub when she wrote out her plans, because she included regular rehearsing and helping kids with fingering and toning. Yikes.

The kids were great. These were 7th and 6th graders. I told them I was an Arts person rather than music, and that I would do the best I can to help them get their practice in for the day. One of the kids would give me the beat and I did my best to keep it steady.

We did manage to practice scales a few times over, then get through several of the music pieces they were to review that day.

It was fun. I have a new found respect for music directors. I had no idea it would take so much concentration to keep a steady beat for them. Off course, that was all I was doing really, was keep the beat -no emphasis, no special clue for new cords or new instruments coming in, or any of all those subttle yet important signals the director communicates with his or her orchestra.

New experience for sure. I had fun, and like I said, the kids were great. They humored me through the pieces and we did all manage to get something out of it.

Van Gogh’s Relatives

Going through boxes of old stuff of which a lot needs throwing away. Here’s one thing I found that I just had to post here. Enjoy. 

Van Gogh’s Relatives:

The grandfather who moved to Yugoslavia:  U Gogh
The real obnoxious brother:  Please Gogh
The uncle who worked at the convenience store:  Stop N Gogh
The magician uncle:  Wherediddy Gogh
The cousin who moved to Illinois: Chica Gogh
The cousin who lived in Mexico:  Ami Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach:  Wells Far Gogh
His ornithologist uncle:  Flamin Gogh
His nephew the Freudian psychoanalyst:  E. Gogh
His cousin who loved tropical fruit:  Mang Gogh
His niece who traveled around the US in a van:  Winnie Bay Gogh
His cousin, the rock star drummer:  Ring Gogh
His bouncy young nephew:  Poe Gogh
His other young nephew who loved small colored plastic blocks:  Leg Gogh
His cousin, the language therapist:  Ling Gogh

There ya Gogh!

Do You Scooter?

I absolutely dream of owing a scooter… which I will in the near future, once I move in a couple month.

I think scooters are the most fun mode of transportation. I personally prefer the older classic type style as being cuter and lighter in size.

Some of the bigger models now hardly look like scooters at all. The larger, more modern models are made for travelling in style and comfort, as well as highway speed. Not what most people would picture in their mind upon hearing the word “scooter” certainly.

However, I can see the need for this evolution, when used for commuting or traveling and needed to keep up with traffic for safety.

On the lighter side, the smaller and more traditional models are very handy for town rides, errants, and short trips on country roads. Which is my intended use. 40 mph seems plenty fast to me and I have no desire whatsoever to be going 60 mph on anything with only 2 wheels.

One of the main thing I look forward to is to join a scooter club or meet up groups. Just the idea of getting together with a bunch of other enthusiasts gets me excited. Looking it up I was amazed and delighted to see the sheer number of these throughout the USA and the world. Good! Let’s have even more clubs!

Scooters use less gas and polute less. Weather not withstanding, is there really a need to drive the car so much?

The other thing I want to do is go to one of these scooter rallies and races! Can you just picture the little vespa going 30 mph around the tracks!    I can’t wait. It’s a whole new world out there once you get that first scooter.

What about you?

Do you own / ride a scooter?

Do you belong to a club in one form or another?

If so, check out my scooter lens and add your club to the list.

Having Fun Over At MySpace

I put up a MySpace page just this past Friday and having a blast with it. I had been resisting doing so for a while for the simple fact that all my kids at school (I’m a teacher) have them and talk about MySpace on a regular basis.

That said, I’m now very glad I did. I’ve met some wonderful people already and reconnecting with other, and just generally having a great time of it.

Come check out my page: Find me on MySpace

and be sure to send me a friend’s request if you have a page too.

See you there -