Joan from West Virginia, USA

Gday and to Joan.
Great to have you here with us.

Joan, thank you. My recovery is a handicapped by a bit of a viral infection I picked up somewhere, but each day is better than the last.
Of course, my lovely wife, Anne is delighted to have her husband back.

Hi Joan!

Belly rubs for your Sandy!

The full extent of Schultz' friskiness is to roll on his back - which he can probably only bear to do because of his arthritis medication (rimadyl) which, I understand, packs a pretty good painkiller. He's also on cartrophen injections to keep those back legs working - down to fortnightly now! He basically walks only to do his business and get a drink of water and to move into a sunny spot. We keep a towel handy to help with steps. He'll be 14 in the last week of October.

Kate

Hi Joan
I just read your comment about Gerald Durrell and wanted to say that I love his books but I haven't re-read any. What a good idea to go back and visit an old friend. I spent many hours laughing at his books.

Hi Joan
I first read 'My family and other animals' for my English class at school (I was 14 then and am now 51) I decided that the english teachers were not out to bore me to death! It was the first time I laughed out loud at a book.

Hi Joan,
Yes, I really am a flower-challenged person! I grew up in a funeral home, and from the time I was about 10 until I found the jigsaw site a few months ago, I had the idea that I did not need flowers in my life. I saw and smelled them daily for many years growing up. To this day, the fragrance of carnations is irritating to me, LOL. But, all of these beautiful jigsaw puzzle photos have awakened the gardener in me that I never knew existed! My Mom would be astonished, since she had a magical green thumb as opposed to my two black thumbs....

Hi Joan, so glad you visited my page. TKR = total knee replacement... a painful op. but 12 months later, a great blessing.

Joan, great avatar.

Hello Joan! I was just visiting Gail's page, where I read about your home and the wildlife you see around it - your writing was so lyrical and the scene sounds so beautiful! It actually reminded me of some books I've read, and I had to check a map to see if they were set in the same area - different state, (Tennessee) but same mountain range. It sounds like one of those places I must visit one day!
I see you haven't been around this site very long - but you already have one of those picture thingummy watsits (ok, an avatar!) That sounds very technologically advanced to me!
Well, welcome to this site, which is a very friendly place to visit - I hope you have fun here! :)

Joan, what an idyllic start to your day! Here it is Spring, but we are having a period of one day hot then several days of having the fire lit again. Very confusing. It is 8.30am and it is very quiet in the house, a time I love. My youngest is on school holidays so I don't have to wake her...yet.
I saw your avatar when I went to the members page to see what your post was about. Very impressive. I am also a techknow-nothing, so I figured if I can get photos up on my page, you can too.
Have a great day/night.

Hi Joan
Let me begin with "welcome to Sudokuland", and my apologies for not dropping in sooner. Thank you for your kind words on the Help and Info page, and I'm really glad that they helped you.
If at any stage you need any help with anything, please just drop a line in there, and I'm sure that one of our members will help you out.
Have a wonderful day
Angie.

Hi Joan and thanks for your message yesterday on the jigsaw puzzle,
hey maybe you can help, would love to know how to say Liz's house in Italian,
I work in aged care and we have a few Italian residents, and a few of them have lost their english, so would be noice to be able to say a few things to them........
hopefully will get to chat soon

Hia Joan or I could say
"hoe gaat het er me" thats dutch of course, and translates to "how are you going"
but then you need to be able to get the G out ha.
I was born in The Netherlands and my family migrated in 1967 when I was 8 years old, I have been back for holidays 3 times.
Interesting you saying "casa elisabetta", as my name is Elisabeth spelled with an S.
ok thats it from me
ciao ciao per ora - Daag - see ya Liz

Gee! You are right! Sandy looks a LOT like Schultz! But for the colouring they could be twins! I look forward to more!

Hello Joan, and a belated welcome to the site! I'm sorry I missed your grand entrance. Enjoy my traditional page warming gift, a double chocolate fudge beavertail pastry from Ottawa. I checked out your phots, and Casa Giovanna looks like a lovely spot. Cheers!

Hi Joan, many thanks for your thoughts, Anne and I are both well and we are recovering from our recent visit to Brisbane. Today, however is crunch time when I visit my cardiologist for his verdict on how well I am recovering from my recent surgery. In the meantime, I remain 'warm and vertical' - which is about all I can hope for at the moment.
The photo was just one of those lucky ones that appear from time to time. I always keep my eye open for the unusual and sometimes it works out.

Hello again Joan! Thanks for your kind words about Jack - he already seems to have passed into the family's history, with lots of "do you remember when ...?" I still look around for him sometimes, especially when I drop something on the floor - it used to be a bit of a race to get to it before Jack scoffed it down - now I have to pick it up myself!
We seem to be getting close to the finish of the renovations. The painter is at work right now, and everything is looking so much better, though it's hard having all your stuff in disarray - more than it usually is, I mean - I'm not the world's best housekeeper! :( The best thing is having everything looking so clean and nice - four kids growing up in a house certainly leaves it's mark, or many marks!
I really envy you spending time in Italy - we did a short tour recently, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and one day in northern Italy. The scenery was so beautiful, but everything is such a rush. For me one of the highlights was seeing the "Iceman" exhibit - I had read about it and seen several TV shows about the poor chap, but I didn't even realise we were spending a night in the town where he finished up. A small group of us (mad tourists!) ran through the streets to get to the museum with minutes to spare before closing time. In the end I had mixed feelings - it's a fascinating look into the past, a great scientific discovery, perhaps a murder mystery, but ultimately just a very sad ending for another human being. On the other hand I did buy all the touristy souvenirs...
If you come "Downunder" do let us know - this is a very friendly place and people seem to be happy to meet fellow sudokoists, as long as the distances aren't too great - I recently met up with some from Melbourne, and I'm happy to report that we had a great time and they were all very friendly - also, as my husband would say "as mad as snakes!" Which is a good thing! ;)

Back again! Just looked through your photos - some great shots there! :)

Joan, just popped in to have a look through your photos. I love the ones of your furry babies, but the ones of Italy made me sigh...one day!
for sharing them with us.

and hope all is well. I spotted your queries on the forum, help page, and have tried to answer your question about the "friends" feature. If you still need more clarification, please just drop me a note, and I'll see what I can do.
Have a wonderful day.

Dear Joan.
Very glad and thank you visiting my page.With all my pleasure I stopped by your home page and very pleased to see your area ofSouthern area of Italy.I like Italy too much and had visit it many many times during my 20eh years old as I used to do my University trainning in Germany every year .My route was always by Sea from Alexandria-Egypt to Naples (Italy)and by train to all Italian cities(Rome/Milane) crossing to Swiss,Austaria to Germany.
Oh, Joan You has return to my mind all the lovely memories of my visits to Italy.
Concerning my life You are correct I like my country home even I missing my Son and his family in USA but I used to visit them every year.Living in USA for me and my family is too expensive for a retired man of 68 years old.I am happy hear and try not to listen to the idea to migrate to USA .
Joan You are welcome to my page and to Egypt any and every time you wish.

Joan, thank you fro visiting my page. The sculptures are in Oslow in Sculpture Park (I think from memory about 80 acres). There are hundreds in the park all by the same artist. All are nude but some are also in bronze. If you google the sculptor you will get more information.

Hi Joan, Thanks for dropping into my gallery, glad you enjoyed the photos you could see. pop in at any time. Cheers.

Hia Joan
Im so sorry it has taken so long to answer you
Yes this is one family in the picture
I was very close to them when I lived up there.
this community is in the Northern Territory,
Half way between Darwin and Kunnunnurra,
Thanks for checking out my pics and showing an interest in the aboriginal family.. ciao for now

Joan! Can't believe I didn't make it here to welcome you...it was great to find your post on my page.
Sounds like you live a very interesting life between West Virginia and Southern Italy!
I loved viewing your pictures and especially meeting your beautiful "children"

Hi, Joan!

I left you a long comment about mushrooms and WV, but I don't see it on your page! Did you get it? -Cyn

Hi, Joan!

Well, I wonder where that message went? Oh, well ...

Several years ago, a fellow from the local mushroom club gave a talk at my garden club. After that, I went to a few mushroom classes they had, and then bought a mushroom identification guide. Some of the mushroom club members came up to our place in WV once, and we found and identified (and ate!) several types of mushrooms, especially the honey mushrooms. Delicious!

I never eat anything without being absolutely sure of its identity, since most of the good ones have poisonous "look-alikes" (except for morels -- nothing else really looks like a morel!). Once we found a large orange mushroom near the climbing area we frequent in WV, and it reminded me of the yummy chicken mushroom. It smelled good, and I picked it and took it back to our cabin. There I identified it as ... a poisonous Jack-o-Lantern mushroom! Oops! But the name is very apt, as it is not only large and orange ... but, when freshly picked, gives off a glow in the dark! So we took it into the bathroom and closed the door, and sure enough, it DID glow! (The book said an eerie green light, I think, and it didn't look too green to me, but definitely eerie!) How cool is that!

Anyway, we have a place in WV, with about 11 acres and a stream. Most weekends when the weather is good, my husband and I go rock-climbing in the New River Gorge. (I never would have thought I'd still be climbing at 61, but I do!) Where in WV are you?

I'm pretty good at some computer things, but others I'm pretty ignorant. I tried some time ago to figure out how to upload a photo to the site, but the restrictions on size and resolution seemed to be mutually exclusive. Maybe I'll try again. And it sounds like some of YOUR photo gallery would be great puzzles!

I love your fritilaria ... I also have a passion for wildflowers (well, flowers in general, too, but especially these ephemeral beauties). Take care! -Cyn

Hi again, Joan!

I had fun visiting your gallery, meeting your furry companions, and seeing your log home and your Italian connection!

I know my husband had a contraption at work that he used to convert slides to digital images, but that was a while back. They probably have something better now.

A while ago, CopyMax had a big promotion, where you could get a poster 18"x24" for $6 (usually $25, I think). District IV of the TN Federation of Garden Clubs was having its Flower Show, and I did the signs and schedule. I used that poster at the entrance to the show, and they did a GREAT job! I had worried that the photo and/or text would be pixillated, but they were wonderful. When I saw how good it looked, I wanted to make some posters of some favorite photos, but by then the promo was over. It seems that they repeat it every so often, so that would be a good way to get large prints for your gallery!

Well, I found Hedgesville on the map, and you are about as far from our WV place as you could be and still be in WV! Darn! I was hoping I might stop by and see some of your photos sometime ... but probably not.

By the way, I LIKE your big photos -- you can really see the detail! Though some of them are too big to fit on my screen, and I just upgraded (after 10 years) to a really BIG screen!

While my body certainly isn't what it was 20 or 30 or 40 years ago, I'm actually climbing better than I was back then! The more you do, the more you CAN do, as you obviously believe, Joan! "You rest, you rust!" I've gotten out of shape lately, but am starting to work on it again. And I have some older friends who are amazing, and continue to be an inspiration. (And some of the "kids" on the rocks say my husband and I are an inspiration to them...)

I DO find that my memory isn't what it used to be, though! Sometimes I have to relearn just the common names of the wildflowers each year before they stick, let alone the botanical names. I once tried to figure out WHY I like knowing the names of the flowers, and I decided that it's like having them as friends. Just by saying the name, you (and I) know what (or who) we are talking about. I don't have to say, "that bright red flower that grows by streams and flowers in late summer and ..." I can just say "cardinal flower", and you know which one I mean. Like just saying "Sue" when you are talking about a friend, rather than trying to describe her.

Thanks for the advice about the site and reducing photos for it. I know in PhotoShop, you can go to "Image size", and specify the size in inches and the resolution you want. So maybe I'll try that soon, but not tonight. I have to help put in some native plants at Girls Inc. tomorrow, and get ready to go to Knoxville and be part of a floral design program, so I have some work to finish getting ready for that. But it has been really nice to chat with you, Joan! And nice to know a "n

Hi again, Joan!

I didn't realize there was a limit on post size, so I just dithered on...

I led a hiking group for a while, and it was interesting to see the different interpretations of a "moderate" hike, since what would be a moderate hike for me seemed VERY strenuous to some, but pretty easy for some hard-core hikers! And I think those young women who learned that they COULD haul the dirt themselves learned a valuable lesson. If you know you CAN do something, you can accept the courtesy of someone helping you, but it is from a position of strength, not of weakness.

At East TN State University here, folks over 60 can take classes for FREE if there is room (you have to pay lab fees, etc.). So last spring I took ... horseback riding! While I wasn't a star pupil, I certainly wasn't the worst! They were kind of amazed that I could get up on the horse by myself, but there my rock-climbing experience helped. The stirrup would be a BIG ledge, and the horn on the saddle a BIG handhold. By the end of the class, a canter was fun instead of scary!

I'm "TerrierCyn" because I've had terriers all my adult life. First Scotties, and now Westies. I have 2: Ceilidh (a gaelic word for a party with singing and dancing -- pronounced "kaylee") is 6. She has a novice obedience title (first title I have ever put on a dog) and a novice rally obedience title. She is also a Certified Therapy Dog (with Therapy Dogs International), and we visit a nursing home most Thursdays. It takes about an hour and a half to see all the residents who want to see her. She's cute and she does tricks, which they enjoy. Her daughter Pooka is 3, but I haven't spent as much time training her, and haven't entered her in any trials. I've found the training to be something that brings us together and bonds us. Of course, training a terrier is a bit different from some of these other dogs that want so much to please you. So it's been a challenge and fun.

Hope THIS one isn't too long! -Cyn

Joan, so much for dropping in with your kind words about Scrap.
Funny you should mention nurturing, he was named Scrap for a very good reason! He first came to us as a very friendly feral kitten who used to try to steal my cats' food. Even though he wasn't 'mine', I trained him to wait until the cats had finished eating before he was allowed to lick their bowls clean. I already had several cats so I wasn't really wanting to fully adopt him...yet! Soon after he appeared, he disappeared and I didn't think much about it because he was a feral anyway. Many weeks went by and he reappeared from out under the house, and he was in a very poor state. He must have been caught in some kind of trap because both of his front legs had been broken and had healed in a very gnarly fashion. He was hungry but still very happy to see us. I just looked up at hubby with puppy dog eyes and he knew instantly what I meant. Another cat! Then, of course, we had to come up with a name for him...Scrapheap was ours!
Sorry for the rave, I just needed to share him with someone. I have stacks of stories about him!

Hi, Joan!

I answered your question about "surprises" when climbing, but it was late and so I don't know if you ever saw it. So here it is ... didn't know if I should answer you on YOUR page or on the site with the photo!

Well, Joan, I haven't happened upon many surprises, since most of my climbing is in areas that have established routes up the cliff. I've had a friend who was very surprised to find a SNAKE sunning itself on a ledge when he peeked over -- about as surprised as he was. He grabbed the snake and More...

tossed it off - maybe not very ecologically minded, but he didn't take time to think or identify it. His belayer was very surprised to see it fly by! And I've heard bats squeaking in a crack I HAD to use -- just found out how high I could place one hand without causing it TOO much distress, and then put my other hand as high as I could (hopefully well above the bat) -- and moved FAST!

Hi, Joan!

I also like bats, since they eat all those pesky mosquitos! But some do carry rabies, and I just didn't want to be bitten and have to capture the bat and/or undergo those rabies shots!

I suspect we have bats in our WV attic, as evidenced by the pellets that we find under the light fixtures on the porch. I guess when they squeeze in the little opening between the light and the attic floor/porch roof, it just presses the poop out of them!

When I acted as a docent at the Tipton-Haynes Historical Site here, I would take folks into a small cave on the property. Sometimes there would be a few bats in the cave. I'd tell my charges, with a smile in my voice, "Oh, look! A cute little bat! Be quiet now, this is HIS home, and we are just visiting!" Whether kids or adults, they would get the idea that screaming and carrying on was just not appropriate, and they would actually look at the bat fondly (well, SOME of them would!).

Like most living things, they are just trying to make their living. About the only things I kill on purpose are mosquitos, fleas, and ticks (and poison ivy). None of them appear to be endangered species!

I suspect your friend found a niche working with beloved bats. More folks appreciate them now, even putting up fancy bat boxes for them. We don't worry about destroying bat habitat (or anything else, it seems) until we suffer the consequences.

Hi Joan,
Thank you for your message. Those are not the sand sculptures that we did some time ago, the photo is from a separate festival of sculptures called 'Sculpture by the Sea' which is held annually along the cliff walk between Bondi beach and Tamarama Beach on the ocean suburbs of Sydney.
There are photos at a number of sites and I have picked one for you http://photo.net.au/gallery/sculpturebythesea/
some of the work is quite imaginative.
As for my health, you caught me at a 'down' moment because I am suffering the effects of a 'cleansing' day in preparation for a colonoscopy tomorrow. I can live without it, but it is a necessary evil.
We have been away in our motorhome several times in past weeks and go away next week to inland NSW for a couple of days. We are both enjoying the freedom and companionship these journeys bring. Buckets of fun!

Joan, I'm not sure I would recommend it to my friends.

BTW, I love your photos, they are very good.

Hi again Joan! Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you - real life getting in the way again! Sometimes you just do the puzzles and run. Well, our renovations are pretty much finished - now if my darling would just do whatever arcane magic needs to be done so the pictures could go back on the walls, instead of being stacked up all over the house - yes, you are not alone in running obstacle courses getting from one room to another! (I feel your pain - ouch, my shins!) The problem seems to be that as one thing is fixed another gets messed up - our nice new front door is lovely, but of course now we need to repair the wall beside the door, and it will need to be repainted (again) - it seems to be never-ending. On the plus side, the door is a very nice, stained wooden one - it looks, as my daughter says, very spiffy!
I'm sorry to hear about your little dog's arthritis - it's very hard when they start getting old - all you can do is give them lots of love. :) (And biscuits!)
Just remembered - tomorrow we get our new fridge!!! (Very excited, you may have noticed!) Rob is staying home to help - in case they can't get it round the corner and into the kitchen, they may have to lift it over the bench and through the servery! Or Rob may take the sliding door out so the fridge will fit easier... Feeling a wee bit anxious about it all, don't know why.... Oh well, either it will fit or it won't, no point worrying about it, a watched pot never boils, etc ... (Actually, that one is wrong, because I've tried it) And speaking of kitchen things, guess I should make a move on dinner - burritos tonight, nice and easy! :)

Hi Joan, I'm so glad you are finally on DSL - it makes so much difference that you wonder how you ever survived without it.
As for my photos, they are but humble examples of what can be done with a good camera and a bit of luck.

Hi, Joan!

Thanks for the compliments, Joan! I put a few poems on the site before, when some "outsiders" complained about the comments being boring (all "nice photo" kind of comments). So I tried to be a bit more imaginative. But when you had to sign up in order to leave a comment, I just got out of the habit. I enjoy doing it, but it DOES take time, and I'm way behind in other things I need to do. Like those bulbs ... though I DID get mine in. However, I neglected a few of my indoor plants. I had some Gerber daisies in pots, and they hadn't flowered much lately. So I brought in ONE, and left the others out. Two nights ago I was watering, and that one had flowered! So I took pity on its sister plants, and brought them in, too, though the frost has pretty much killed the foliage. I'll see if they come back from the roots.

Better close this -- don't know how close I am to the limit!

(continued...)
Your Thanksgiving parties sound like a blast! A lot of work for YOU, though a labor of love, it sounds like. I don't cook much, but enjoy eating more than I should! (that "more" applies to the "enjoy"!).

Yesterday you asked me to be your friend, and I accepted, though I've never "signed up" to be a friend before! I don't know what that means in this context, but I've enjoyed our "conversations"!.

Well, TWO Thanksgiving feasts this year -- and one where YOU don't do most of the work! Enjoy!

I would always like my house to be in its most pristine condition for guests, but if that happened, I would never be able to have any guests! If they are really friends, they won't mind (and might be more comfortable than if everything were immaculate!). My motto used to be "If a seed could sprout in the dust, it's time to dust!" A friend's motto is "If you have to decide whether to mop the floor or plow it, it's time to mop!" By those standards, your house if probably quite acceptable!

I like to visit Florida, but wouldn't want to live there (even if they didn't have hurricanes!). There's something about mountains that speak to me, even if they, too, have their downside. I love the outdoor activities in WV and NE TN. I lived in Wisconsin for 40 years, and while I loved the cross-country skiing there, the long and sometimes extremely cold winters would be hard to go back to. Here we have the changing seasons, but none of the brutal extremes of other climes.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, as well!

Hi Joan. Thanks for visiting my page. I have quite a few more pictures in Flickr, if you follow my Flickr link, but I really haven't added many new ones lately. I guess I should get around to doing that. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Ottawa, but it's sad we didn't communicate before you came as I would have enjoyed touring you for a day. Cheers!