Three cheers for the red, white and blue. Happy Flag Day

Here's everything you've ever (or never) wanted to know about our flag.

Thirteen Star U.S. Flag, 1777 ~ 1795 The First Official United States Flag: This 13 star Flag became the Official United States Flag on June 14th, 1777 and is the result of Congressional action that took place on that date. Much evidence exists pointing to Congressman Francis Hopkinson as the person responsible for its design.The only President to serve under this flag was George Washington (1789-1797). This Flag was to last for a period of 18 years, until April 30th, 1795. Each star and stripe represented a Colony of which there were thirteen, united nearly one year earlier by the Declaration of Independence. The thirteen Colonies are listed below with the date that each ratified the Constitution and became a State. (1st) Delaware, December 7th, 1787. (2nd) Pennsylvania, December 12th,1787. (3rd) New Jersey, December 18th, 1787. (4th) Georgia, January 2nd, 1788. (5th) Connecticut, January 9th, 1788. (6th) Massachusetts, February 6th, 1788. (7th) Maryland, April 28th, 1788. (8th) South Carolina, May 23rd, 1788. (9th) New Hampshire, June 21st, 1788. (10th) Virginia, June 25th, 1788. (11th) New York, July 25th, 1788. (12th) North Carolina, November 21st, 1789. (13th) Rhode Island, May 29th, 1790. Top of Form Bottom of Form

Fifteen Star U.S. Flag, 1795 ~ 1818 This 15 star, 15 stripe Flag was authorized by the Flag Act of January 13, 1794, and became the Official United States Flag on May 1st, 1795. Two stripes and two Stars were added for the admission of Vermont (the 14th State on March 4th, 1791) and Kentucky (the 15th State on June 1st, 1792) and was to last for 23 years, until April 12th, 1818. This flag is the only U.S. Flag to have more than 13 stripes. During the bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired by the sight of this Flag flying over the Fort to write the song which became known as "The Star Spangled Banner", now our national anthem. The 15 Star Flag is, itself, affectionately known by the same name. The five Presidents who served under this flag were; George Washington (1789-1797), John Adams (1797-1801), Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), James Madison (1809-1817), and James Monroe (1817-1825). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Star U.S. Flag, 1818 ~ 1819 The 1818 Flag of 20 Stars: Realizing that the addition of a new star and new stripe for each new State was impractical, Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818 which returned the Flag design to 13 stripes and specified 20 stars for the 20 states. This Flag became the Official United States Flag on April 13th, 1818. Five stars were added for the admssion of Tennessee (the 16th State on June 1st, 1796), Ohio (the 17th State on March 1st, 1803), Louisiana (the 18th State on April 30th, 1812), Indiana (the 19th State on December 11th, 1816), and Mississippi (the 20th State on December 10, 1817), and was to last for just one year until July 4th,1819. The only President to serve under this flag was James Monroe (1817-1825). Top of Form

Twenty One Star U.S. Flag, 1819 ~ 1820 The 21 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th,1819. A star was added for the admission of Illinois (December 3rd, 1818) and was to last for just one year. The only President to serve under this flag was James Monroe (1817-1825). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Three Star U.S. Flag, 1820 ~ 1822 The 23 star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1820. Two stars were added for the admission of Alabama (the 22nd state on December 14th, 1819) and Maine (the 23rd state on March 15, 1820) and was to last for 2 years. The only President to serve under this flag was James Monroe (1817-1825). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Four Star U.S. Flag, 1822 ~ 1836 The 24 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th,1822. A star was added for the admission of Missouri (August 10th, 1821) and was to last for fourteen years. The Presidents who served under this flag included James Monroe (1817-1825), John Quincy Adams (1825-1829), and Andrew Jackson (1829-1837). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Five Star U.S. Flag, 1836 ~ 1837 The 25 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1836. A star was added for the admission of Arkansas (June 15th, 1836) and was to last for just one year. The two Presidents to serve under this flag were Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) and Martin Van Buren (1837-1841). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Six Star U.S. Flag, 1837 ~ 1845 The 26 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1837. A star was added for the admission of Michigan (January 26th,1837) and was to last for 8 years. The four Presidents to serve under this flag were; Martin Van Buren (1837-1841), William Henry Harrison (1841), John Tyler (1841-1845), and James Polk (1845-1849). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Seven Star U.S. Flag, 1845 ~ 1846 The 27 star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1845. A star was added for the admission of Florida and was to last for only 1 year. The only President to serve under this flag was James Polk (1845-1849). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Eight Star U.S. Flag, 1846 ~ 1847 The 28 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1846. A star was added for the admission of Texas (December 29th, 1845) and was to last for only 1 year. The only President to serve under this flag was James Polk (1845-1849). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Twenty Nine Star U.S. Flag, 1847 ~ 1848 The 29 star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1847. A star was added for the admission of Iowa (December 28th, 1846) and was to last for only 1 year. The only President to serve under this flag was James Polk (1845-1849). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Thirty Star U.S. Flag, 1848 ~ 1851 The 30 star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1848. A star was added for the admission of Wisconsin (May 29th, 1848) and was to last for 3 years. The three Presidents to serve under this flag were; James Polk (1845-1849), Zachary Taylor (1849-1850),and Millard Fillmore (1850-1853). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Thirty One Star U.S. Flag, 1851 ~ 1858 The 31 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th 1851. A star was added for the admission of California (September 9th, 1850) and was to last for seven years. The three Presidents who served under this flag were; Millard Fillmore (1850-1853), Franklin Pierce (1853-1857), and James Buchanan (1857-1861). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Thirty Two Star U.S. Flag, 1858 ~ 1859 The 32 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1858. A star was added for the admission of Minnesota (May 11, 1858) and was to last for just one year. The only President to serve under this flag was James Buchanan (1857-1861). Top of Form Bottom of Form

Thirty Three Star U.S. Flag, 1859 ~ 1861 The 33 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1859. A star was added for the admission of Oregon (February 14, 1859) and was to last for 2 years. The two Presidents to serve under this flag were James Buchanan (1857-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). Top of Form Select your 33 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Thirty Four Star U.S. Flag, 1861 ~ 1863 The 34 Star FlagThis Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1861. A star was added for the admission of Kansas (January 29th, 1861) and was to last for 2 years. The only President to serve under this flag was Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). Top of Form Select your 34 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Thirty Five Star U.S. Flag, 1863 ~ 1865 The 35 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1863. A star was added for the admission of West Virginia (June 20th, 1863) and was to last for 2 years. The two Presidents to serve under this flag were Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) and Andrew Johnson (1865-1869). Top of Form Select your 35 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Thirty Six Star U.S. Flag, 1865 ~ 1867 The 36 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1865. A star was added for the admission of Nevada (October 31st, 1864) and was to last for 2 years. The only President to serve under this flag was Andrew Johnson (1865-1869). Top of Form Select your 36 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Thirty Seven Star U.S. Flag, 1867 ~ 1877 The 37 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th 1867. A star was added for the admission of Nebraska (March 1st,1867) and was to last for ten years. The three Presidents who served under this flag were; Andrew Johnson (1865-1869), Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877), and Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881). Top of Form Select your 37 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Thirty Eight Star U.S. Flag, 1877 ~ 1890 The 38 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1877. A star was added for the admission of Colorado (August 1st 1876) and was to last for 13 years. The five Presidents to serve under this flag were; Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881), James A. Garfield (1881), Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885), Grover Cleveland (1885-1889), and Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893). Top of Form Select your 38 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Three Star U.S. Flag, 1890 ~ 1891 The 43 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1890. Five stars were added for the admission of North Dakota (the 39th State on November 2nd,1889), South Dakota (the 40th State on November 2nd,1889), Montana (the 41st State on November 8th,1889), Washington (the 42nd State on November 11th,1889), and Idaho (the 43rd State on July 3rd, 1890) and was to last for just 1 year. The only President to serve under this flag was Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893). Top of Form Select your 43 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Four Star U.S. Flag, 1891 ~ 1896 The 44 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1891. A star was added for the admission of Wyoming (July 10, 1890) and was to last for 5 years. The Presidents to serve under this flag were Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) and Grover Cleveland (1893-1897). Top of Form Select your 44 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Five Star U.S. Flag, 1896 ~ 1908 The 45 Star Flag: This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1896. A star was added for the admission of Utah on January 4th, 1896, and was to last for 12 years. The Presidents to serve under this flag were Grover Cleveland (1893-1897), William McKinley (1897-1901),and Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909). Top of Form Select your 45 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Six Star U.S. Flag, 1908 ~ 1912 The 46 Star Flag: On July 4,1908, the U.S. flag grew to 46 stars with the addition to the Union of Oklahoma (November 16, 1907). This was the official flag for 4 years. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) and William H. Taft (1909-1913) served as President under the 46 star flag. Top of Form Select your 46 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Eight Star U.S. Flag, 1912 ~ 1959 The 48 Star Flag: On July 4,1912, the U.S. flag grew to 48 stars with the addition of New Mexico (January 6th, 1912) and Arizona (February 14, 1912). This flag was official for 47 years, longer than any other flag before it, through two World Wars and the emergence of the United States of America as the leading nation of the world. Eight Presidents served under this flag; William H. Taft (1909-1913), Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), Warren Harding (1921-1923), Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929), Herbert Hoover (1929-1933), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945), Harry S.Truman (1945-1953), Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) Top of Form Select your 48 Star Flag size here. Bottom of Form

Forty Nine Star U.S. Flag, 1959 ~ 1960 The 49 Star Flag: On January 3rd,1959, Alaska was formally granted statehood placing the 49th star on our Flag. The 49-Star flag was official for only one year, from July 4th, 1959, until July 4th, 1960. On July 4th, 1960, our current 50-Star Flag was born, after Hawaii achieved its Statehood on January 3rd, 1959. President Eisenhower was the only President to serve under this flag.

Donald Trump and his 'People'

The news that Donald Trump opted out of the Paris Climate Accords after his recent trip was no surprise to me.  He's an ignorant fool who is ignoring a mountain of data supporting the claim that burning fossil fuels is largely responsible for global warming. Most republican congressman are in the same boat as him (which is getting higher and higher due to the melting of the polar ice caps).

This morning I saw an example of how this kind of dumb thinking is filtering down to idiots who support Trump.  I got behind a pickup truck equipped with oversized tires and an exhaust stack that was rerouted so it rose up through the bed of the truck.  That too was a  unnecessarily oversized.  The truck had a bumper sticker which read. "I'm proud of my carbon footprint. Don't like it?  Eat my exhaust!"  Lovely.  The truck was driven by a young man in his 20s.  A Rhodes Scholar, no doubt!

Let's hope his kind of thinking is in the minority. Otherwise we're doomed.

The Rules of Life-Dos and Don'ts

I've added a new item to my list of don'ts-Don't watch the morning news.
This morning I was treated to the following items:
-ongoing investigation into recent terrorist attacks in UK
-terrorist attack in Iraq
-ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in U.S. election
-controversy surrounding testimony of former FBI director Comey
-executive branch of government in profound turmoil
-State of CT in budget crises
-Once America's best father, Bill Cosby on trial for sexual assault

That's for starters.  Good thing for the science and history channels.

Happy June

Happy June, one of the nicest months of the year.  Spring flowers still in bloom, temperatures mostly perfect and longer and longer days.  Of course if you're an allergy sufferer you may not be as enthusiastic about June as I am.

Anyway, to learn more about the month of June click here: georgeswebpage.com/almanac

Recent happenings

1. Well, he's home-unfortunately.  Trump has completed his first (and hopefully last) trip abroad and managed to pretty much sever ties with our European allies-or at least what used to be allies.

I've read and heard comments from Trumpies that that's a good thing and he's just doing what he promised, i.e. make America first.  The problem is he's actually damaging America by his actions. Unfortunately he and his supporters are too stupid to realize it.

With any luck at all the independent investigator recently assigned to explore Trump's pre-election connections with Russia will dig up enough to impeach him.  Then all we have to do is deal with the moron currently serving as vice president.

What a mess.

2. On a very sad note our home watch person in Florida recently died.  We had gotten to know her pretty well and she'll be missed.  Now we have to go down and get someone else.  On top of that we still had quite a bit of money left on account with her. 

Her son is handling her affairs but he resides in Indiana.  This too is turning into a mess.  We stand to lose several hundred dollars. We'll see.

3. I've been trying to find airport transportation for our up-coming trip to Cancun.  The vehicle has to be able to accommodate 10 people and their respective baggage.  Such vehicles of course do exist but many of them cost an arm an a leg. 

If anyone out there knows of a service that can do it for a reasonable price, please contact me.
george.stockwell@gmail.com.  Thanks. 

That's all for today.

Pet Peeve # (nevermind. I lost count)

"80 percent of success is just showing up" —Woody Allen

Have you ever arranged for someone to come to your house to give you an estimate on something? You wait around well past the appointed hour and they don't come.  No phone call, text, nothing.

Yesterday a guy was supposed to be at our house at 3 o'clock to price some fencing we want to do.  At 3:30 he called and asked if we still wanted him to come!  We said yes.  He was coming from a town 20 minutes away. He finally showed up at 4:45.

Nothing aggravates me more than people who can't be on time.  Sure, things happen but can you at least make a call?  We live in a time when technology has made immediate communication possible so there's no excuse.

A word to the wise to anyone in business.  Maybe your prices are a little high but I guarantee if you return calls in a timely manner and show up on time, your customers won't mind paying a little more.

End of rant for today but don't despair, there will be more!

New pictures added

I've added several pictures and links to pictures to my web site. Some show the grand children participating in a variety of activities while others are various yard or nature photos.

Check it out. georgeswebpage.com

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you awesome mothers out there. Thank you for all you do. Even though my mother has long passed I think it's entirely appropriate to thank all mothers. As we all know all too well effective, responsible parenting affects all of us.

A special shout out to the mothers shown here-Sandi Stockwell, Becky Stockwell Sullivan and Jen Stockwell.

Home Again

It's back home after 10 very hot and humid days in Naples, FL.  It's good to be home since I'm not really a hot weather person.

Now I can concentrate on some remaining chores that need to be done in my yard-speaking of which this being spring time, my yard is alive in color, as is Florida.

This brings me to my web site.  In keeping with my growing interest in photography I have added several images to the photo gallery in addition to a link taking you to a page picturing Florida flora and fauna.  Please take a few minutes to look at it. 

Also I would appreciate any feedback regarding the ease (or lack of it) of navigating my web site. Thanks. 

georgeswebpage.com

A note on recent events

Well, well, well. All of a sudden Obamacare doesn't look so bad after all. Look, Trump promised lots of stupid things during his hate-filled campaign and now he's making good on those promises-or at least trying to. (The Senate won't support the current version so it's a wait-and-see thing).  The point is people knew what they were going to get with this bozo and they voted for him anyway.  And now here we are.  The sane in one corner and the lunatics in another. At the moment we the sane are out numbered.  And as a little aside, didn't you just love that smirking little jerk standing behind him at the signing.  Paul Ryan is sickening.  He's done a complete 180 and is now Trump's lap dog.  GO COLBERT!

Thus endth my rant. Now it's back to the Naples, FL sunshine.

Another First

A few days ago I announced that I was going to do something I had never done before. That was hire a landscaping company to do my spring cleanup chores and spread mulch.  Four men showed up on time and spent the entire day doing the job.  It turned out great and was worth every penny. That's one more major chore I don't have to worry about.

Now I'm reporting another first.  This is much less significant but still a first.  After a run of very warm spring days, we recently ran into a string of chilly, rainy weather.  Normally I would start a fire in the wood stove but I had already cleaned the stove so instead I turned up the heat for a little shot of warmth.  Certainly not a big deal but maybe the start of a trend.  Am I getting soft and lazy or just deciding not to sweat the small stuff?  I prefer to think it's the latter.

It's off to Florida next week for about 10 days.  I don't think there will be any concerns about chilly weather  there.

Next blog will probably come from our condo in Florida.

Two Days in NYC

I spent this past weekend with my daughter's family.  Sandi was still involved with the end-of-tax season rush so they were nice enough to drag me along.

We visited Little Italy and China Town,  the site of the World Trade Center memorial and the new mall, the Empire State Building,  the NY public library and St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Paul's Chapel among other things.

We did a tremendous amount of walking, riding subways and took Uber a couple of times.

It was a very nice trip and the girls got to see many different sites including a fair number of homeless people which intrigued them very much.  A pleasant outcome of this was the girls realized how lucky they were to have the quality of life they had.

Trips like this are important for kids and adults alike.  They need to see that there's far more to this country or world than their own little corner.  It's an important avenue to learning about and appreciating different cultures.  That in turn leads to tolerance and understanding.  As a nation I regret say many people are in short supply of those things.

To see a few pictures click here georgeswebpage.com

Announcing A First

Something is going to happen tomorrow that has never happened before.  A landscape company is showing up to do my spring cleanup.  With a trip to Florida coming up, I find I'm unable to do everything I want done in a timely manner. 

There will be plenty left for me to do i.e. prepare and plant the garden, repair stonewalls and do some waterproofing around our cellar doors.

I got a better than expected price for the job so I'm anxious to see how well they do.

Update: This is day 5 with my son's dog, Boomer.  Yesterday he got me up at 3:30 A.M. to go outside and then went back to sleep.  This morning he got me up at 5:20 A.M. to go out.  Then he has breakfast and plays for a while.  He's now sound asleep but it's too late for me to go back to bed so I'll be looking forward to a little nap later.

More updates to come.

Our house guest

Beginning today we will be hosting our new grand dog for a week.  Since Sandi is up to her eyeballs in tax returns, the lion's share of the care will come from me.

Boomer is my son's family's boxer  puppy who will be staying with us while they're in Florida for spring break.

I've done a lot of dog sitting over the years for both of my kids.  Becky and her family have a yellow lab.  But this is the first time I'll be in charge of a puppy who has yet to be house broken.

Among the instructions I rec'd are these:
Eats three times a day.
Goes in his cage at about 10 P.M. and is up by about 6:30 (I suspect this is rather optimistic).
Needs to go out every hour and rewarded with a treat when he's done.
Can not be walked in public places where other dogs are walked. He's still too young for vaccinations so he's at risk for parvo, et al.
Not mentioned but assumed is the usual stuff about plenty of exercise and guarding against chewing.

So it will be an interesting week.  When I do go out, he'll have to be caged.  Our house has too many ways for him to get into trouble since it's not really 'puppy-proofed'.

I'll keep you informed as to how things are going.

Cute little guy, isn't he?

Updated website

The photo gallery of my website has been updated with new pictures added. Check it out. georgeswebpage.com

Happy April

Yes, it's April already and that's no joke.  Soon the trees will be leafing, flowers blooming and bright sunshine warming us up.

In spite of two big storms this past winter wasn't all that bad.  There have been far worse. 

To learn more about April, click here georgeswebpage.com/almanac

Two things

1. I just finished reading a book called A Man Named Ove by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman. It is absolutely one of the best books I've ever read.  I'm not going to tell you about it.  Read it. 

2. Have you ever written a letter or email to a Congressman?  I have. Over the years I have written senators and representatives about a variety of issues.  The latest messages were emails to two Senators.  Every congressman has a web site which makes it easy to tell them what you're thinking or ask them a question.

I wrote to Senators Blumenthal and Murphy of CT.  I expressed my outrage over Trump's recent executive order repealing what I considered to be important climate regulations.  

Usually what happens is that you get an auto response thanking you for your input. Whether or not the person it was supposed to go to has actually seen it is anyone's guess.  I did get two responses to the last message I sent to Sen. Chris Murphy before this one so we'll see. 

Still, does it do any good to complain to a congressman?  Especially if that congressman is a member of a minority party?  Probably not but I have to confess it did make me feel a tad better.  At least I got my two cents in. 

Observation

I've been watching the debate in Congress on the Affordable Care Act bill being pushed hard by Trump, Ryan et al.  The bill is a disaster and would be terrible for the poor and elderly.  Ironically, most democrats and many conservative republicans are on the same page on this although for different reasons.

Failure to pass this bill would be a huge defeat for the Trump administration.  Let's hope it doesn't pass.  Stay tuned.

Hello, Spring. Bring on the warmth!

In keeping with my goal of sharing pretty much useless information, here are some spring facts for your enjoyment.

·  The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox. The term vernal is Latin for “spring” and equinox is Latin for “equal night.”

·  According to a Facebook study, couples are most likely to break up in the spring and two weeks before Christmas. The lowest breakup time was Christmas Day and from August through October_.

·  The fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west.

·  On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight. A person at the South Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

*Spring babies are at a greater risk of developing several ills

·  While springtime brings flowers and warmer weather, it may be the worst time for human babies to be born. A large-scale study found that babies born in the spring are more likely to develop schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and anorexia.

·  Holidays that occur in spring include Easter, Passover, April Fool’s Day, Earth Day, Arbor Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Cinco De Mayo, and Holi (festival of colors in India).

·  One long-term study found that, at least in the Colorado Rocky Mountain region, spring begins, on average, about three weeks earlier than it did in the 1970s.

·  Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

·  The first spring flowers are typically lilacs, irises, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and dandelions_.

·  The myth that it is possible to balance an egg on its end on the spring equinox is just that: a myth. Trying to balance an oval-shaped object on its end is no easier on the spring equinox than on any other day.

·  While some people prefer not to feed birds in spring and summer, during the spring migration, a feeder might be a useful source of food for traveling birds.

·  The term “spring fever” refers to a both psychological and physiological symptoms associated with the arrival of spring, including restlessness, daydreaming, and increased sexual appetite. While the exact cause is unclear, scientists believe that increased light, more exercise, and more bare skin influence hormone levels.

·  The word “season” is from the Latin sationem meaning “sowing” or “seed time.”

·  While December is the most popular time to get engaged, late spring (June) and fall (September) are the most popular months to get married.

·  According to the National Association of Realtors, spring is the most popular season to sell/buy a house. Buyers are usually hesitant to move during the winter when the weather is colder and kids are in school. So, while there are lots of houses to choose from in the spring, property prices are at their highest then.

·  A “spring tide” has nothing to do with the season of spring. Rather, it connotes a “springing forth.” Spring tides happen twice each lunar month all year long, regardless of the season.

·  Children actually grow faster in the spring than during other times of the year.

·  The early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising sun on the spring equinox

·  Honeybees are more likely to swarm during the spring. They swarm as a way to start new colonies from successful ones. Surprisingly, swarming honeybees are very docile and the most friendly they will ever be all year.

How old is YOUR snow shovel?

Odd question, isn't it?  The reason I ask is because a few days ago we got hit by the largest snow storm of the year.  As usual, news crews went around talking to  merchants who sell snow shovels.  The common answer is "sold out."   I find this amazing.  Why do so many people need snow shovels?  Do they throw them away after every storm?  Do they get lost? How can you wear out a snow shovel?

I have three snow shovels.  Each one has a purpose.  My oldest shovel is made of metal and it's over 30 years old.  My second one is about 5 years old.  The one it replaced had a cracked wooden handle. It was about 15 years old.  The third one is about 3 years old. It's one of those designed for pushing the snow.  It replaces one that after about 10 years it was so worn down it did practically nothing.  So I suppose stuff does happen but to so many people so often?

Beats me. But this is how my mind sometimes works.  Silly things like this stick in my head so naturally I share it with you.  Now you can think about it too.

So Happy St. Patrick's Day one and all.  Now go find your shovel.  More snow is on the way!
 

Solve all our problems. Send money.

I'll bet I get at least 5 emails a day that are actually for the purpose of raising my money.

Take for example the emails I get from politicians from all sides either criticizing Donald Trump or speaking out in support of his policies.

They usually begin with a headline blaring from the screen saying something like "join me in protesting this dreadful appointment to _________ (fill in the blank)."  Then it goes on to ask how much you're willing to send, be it a lowly $5 or a super supporter of $500. 

I've often wondered how giving them money is going to help.  Are they going to use it to fund a law suit?  Or maybe they're going to hire lobbyists.  Of course in reality, the money is going into their campaign coffers with the argument being if you help them  get re-elected they'll be able to continue the good fight.

Needless to say, I never donate.  But the emails keep coming. Every day.  And somehow they manage to avoid going in my spam folder.  I wonder how they do that.

My web site vs this blog

Every year about this time I have to make a decision as to whether or not I should continue paying for hosting services for my web site.  The blog you are reading now is a separate-and free-web presence. You can get to it from a link I embedded in the navigation bar of my web site or directly by using its own URL.

If you got here directly, you may want to know that my web site address is georgeswebpage.com.
If you got here through my web site you may want to know my blogspot URL
is gstockwell.blogspot.com.   The service is provided Google.

The two web sites serve different purposes.  My blog is 99% text.  As you can see if you've been following it, the purpose is to give me a forum for my opinions on a variety of topics.  My web site does three things.  The photo gallery is the biggest in content with pictures, slide shows and video.  Then there's a link to this blog and finally there's an almanac link wherein I post information on the current month.

My blog is quite a bit newer than my web site but the number of views is approaching my web site.  All of this tells me my blog is seen by more people than my web site.  The almanac link on my web site has very few views so I'm thinking of putting something else there or just eliminating it.

I will definitely keep going with my blog since it's free so now the question is should I continue my web site.  It costs me about $8 a month for the hosting service.  It's certainly not going to break the bank but it does require time and effort-although I have to admit I enjoy doing it. 

My web site gets about 20 views a week so someone somewhere is looking at it.  Recently, I've changed the direction of the photo gallery a little.  I still have family pictures but I've begun to post more nature oriented pictures as well.  This is especially true since I've developed an interest in photography. They are all pictures I've taken.  None are obtained from the internet. If I decide to continue my web site, I'll  continue this trend.

I always ask for suggestions or ideas as to how I could make my web site better.  Check it out and if you have an opinion, let me know.  There's a 'contact me' button in the nav bar.

Thanks.

Pet Peeve number...I've lost count

THE DEMISE OF PROOFREADING!

Proofreading was one of those writing skills we used to drum into our students' heads over and over again.  Reread what you've written.  Does it make sense?  Are there any spelling mistakes or misused words?  If so, FIX IT!  Eventually kids realized that if they didn't do it correctly, they were simply going to get it back to be redone. 

I wish I had a nickle for the number of emails,  text messages and Facebook messages I've received from a variety of people that are total nonsense.  Usually I try to puzzle it out or overlook it but sometimes I question the authors as to their meaning.  I generally get one or more of the following responses:

"You knew what I meant."
"I don't have time to go over everything with a fine-toothed comb.  Figure it out."
"It's not my fault. It's this darn phone. My autocorrect keeps doing it."
"Oops. Sorry, hit the wrong key. Hahaha."
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Perfect."

I'm no more perfect than the next person and I can understand an occasional error that falls through the cracks but the situation has become chronic.  When I've discovered a mistake I have to go back and fix it.  I can't let it stand.

I realize there's a whole new language that has sprung up on the internet.  Texting shorthand has become the norm. I think this is unfortunate.  I think there should be a law against incomplete sentences and misspelled and/or misused words (LOL. JK).  Well, maybe that's a little severe!  Let's just encourage proper usage and let it go at that. 

Buy the way, there's a mistake in this post somewhere.  Did you see it?

Happy March

It's March already.  Spring is right around the corner but as we all know March weather can be full of surprises.  To learn more about the month of March, click here georgeswebpage.com/almanac