What I Learned in 2016

     I picked up some new vocabulary in 2016.  Here goes.

     Googie - Describes a style of futuristic architecture - think The Jetson's.

     Poonanny - Lady parts.  Really, how did I live this long and never hear this one?

     Butt Hurt - Getting your feelings hurt or feeling very ashamed.  I can thank my 20-something niece for this one.

     Porch Pirates - People who steal packages left on the porch by delivery men.  Porch pirates are especially active around the holidays.

     I also learned in 2016 that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  More specifically -

     You should probably wear goggles more than you think, and miss a dose of Frontline, and your dog will get fleas.

     Mike also would like to announce that he learned to properly pronounce joyeux anniversaire (Happy Birthday in French).  He has also mastered Windows 10.

Hot Coco Packet Envelopes

     I recently learned how to make hot coco packet envelopes.  Enclosing a coco packet in a pretty paper envelope makes a nice holiday party favor.  The envelopes are also suitable for gift cards.  We give our mailman a Wawa gift card each year for Christmas.  This year, I'm putting the gift card (and a package of Swiss Miss) into a special coco envelope made just for our mail carrier.
     Please note that there are rules for giving gifts to postal workers.  You can give a gift with a value of up to $20.00, but do not give cash.  Gift cards for up to $20.00 are okay as long as they are not redeemable for cash.The cards have to be issued by a single business, not by a bank or a mall.

I googled "Christmas mailman clip art," and selected this image.  See the next picture for an explanation of why the picture is placed in this spot on the 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.  

The finished envelope has to be 4" x 5" in order to hold a coco packet.  Overall dimensions of the template are
6" x 9".  You'll need 2" above the image to make a flap.  You'll need 3" below the image to make the back of the envelope.  Finally, you need a 1/2" white margin down both sides. 

Trim to 6" x 9".

You need to score the paper to make nice, neat folds.  You could buy a scoring machine, but I have a technique that works with my paper cutter.  The paper cutter has grooves at 1/2" intervals.  Grab a plastic knife and position the paper.

Along the 9" length, score at 2" and 6".  Along the 6" length, score down both long sides at 1/2" from the edge.  Use the rounded back edge of the plastic knife blade.  Don't use the jagged side meant for cutting food!!

Fold along all score lines.

Clip away the 1/2" flaps along the score lines from the 2" top section and the 3" bottom section.  Leave flaps only in the 4" middle section.     

Using a circular punch, cut a half circle out of the middle of the 3" flap.

This is just a little detail that makes a nicer finished product.

Rounding the edges of the 2" flap is another nice touch.  You could buy a special paper punch, but I traced around the edge of a plastic container and cut with scissors.

Here are the rounded edges.  To finish the envelope, fold in the 1/2 side flaps and fold up the 3" bottom flap.  You should use a powerful adhesive since coco packets are plump and heavy.  It's hard to see, but I also sniped off the corner of the top of the 1/2" strip. 

I got this at Joann.  The regular price is $9.99.  Be sure to use a coupon.

This is really strong double sided tape that is dispensed on a paper strip.  Cut a 3" piece and press it sticky side down on the edge of the 3" flap.  Repeat on the other side.  Remove the paper strip and you are left with a strong, gummy film that runs down both sides of the 3" flap.  Fold the 1/2 flaps inward.  Hold them in  while folding up the 3"flap.  Press the 3" flap into place, joining it to the 1/2" strips.

Back side.  Now flip the envelope.

If the folds did not line up perfectly, trim any excess paper from the edges. 

I added a snow flake ...

... and added the recipient's name.  I used a sticker to seal the back.

  

Hainesport Turkeys

     It's getting so I don't need an alarm clock.  I have get-up gobblers under the window on some mornings.

     I never noticed turkeys until Long Bridge Park opened (around 2004).  I was so excited to see the birds flapping up into the trees one night that I called my neighbor to tell her to watch.  I recently learned that our fan-tailed friends were extinct in New Jersey until the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation re-introduced the birds in 1977.  They released 22 birds in northern New Jersey.  In 1979 biologists began trapping and relocating turkeys, so the birds would be present in all areas of the state.  The turkey population was estimated at 23,000 in 2014.  We have such an abundance of turkeys that hunters can participate in a spring and fall gobbler hunt.
     Fun fact: A group of wild turkeys is called a flock.  A group of domesticated turkeys is called a rafter or a gang.  I don't know.  After the Hainesport hoopla that resulted in the 2012 don't-feed-the-turkeys-and-they-won't-attack-you ordinance, I think our roving wild turkeys might be traveling in gangs.

White Wine, Red Wine, Blue Wine

     Have you taken a stroll through the wine section of a liquor store lately?  It's as much fun reading the names and appreciating the artwork on the labels as it is to consume the contents of the bottles.  One of my favorite names is Goats Do Roam.

 
 I also like the name Fat Bastard, but their label is boring.

     On the other hand, Il Bastardo has a funny name and an amusing label.  In the interest of gender equality, they offer La Bastarda as well.

 
     I recently attended a party where they served Culitos wine.

Well, culo means ass in Spanish, so this could be Little Asses Wine.  I prefer to call it Little Butts Wine.  This was a sweet wine, not Manischewitz sweet, but still sweet.    

     Culitos' plump butts are cute, maybe even cherubic.  There are other names and labels that are not so ... ahem ... palatable - wines named for body parts and body functions.  You might not want to offer them at your next party.  Leave Big Red Pecker on the shelf.

But do consider Middle Sister, Marilyn Merlot, Pinot Evil (ha, love the three monkeys on the label), or Mad Housewife.

            

Walking Backwards

     I recently finished Yann Martel's book, The High Mountains of Portugal.  The book tells three interwoven stories with a how-about-that ending.  As he did in Life of Pi , Martell writes unbelievable stuff and has the reader believing.  In the book's first narrative, a young man named Tomas grieves the loss of his paramour and son by walking backwards.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that walking backwards is "a thing," and not something made up by Mr. Martell.
     The Chinese have been walking backwards since ancient times.  Backward walking or retrowalking has been proven to be a better cardio work out than walking forward, and the Chinese believe that walking backwards staves off Alzheimer's disease.  It is a common site in China to see seniors gather in the morning and retrowalk around the local track.
     Studies show that walking in reverse increases heart rate, but is the true cause of that increased heart rate from fear of falling?  Anxiety makes my heart race, and marching around blindly would certainly have me in an anxious state.  Some people like to run backwards, and I read that running uphill backwards is "relatively" safe.  Running downhill backwards falls somewhere between imprudent and harebrained.  Another variation is to walk backwards on a treadmill.  That's definitely harebrained.
     Reading books is supposed to provide food for thought.  I started to dwell on all things done the opposite way.  The first thing that came to mind was playing Beatles' songs backwards. Playing recorded music backwards is called backmasking, and the Beatles were far from the first to use it.  Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, found some pleasing melodies when he turned his wax cylinders in the opposite direction.  The movie "Gold Diggers of 1935" included a musical number titled "The Words Are in My Heart" which was filmed backwards with a reversed musical score.  Who hasn't thumbed through a magazine from back to front?  Who hasn't read the last chapter of a book first?  I danced backwards (and in kitten heels) to Mike's lead at our wedding.  The Lakota Indians tell of a sacred clown named Heyoka who does everything opposite of those around him.  Every culture needs a contrarian.
      I'm extremely tempted to contra perambulate around the neighborhood, but I worry that the neighbors will start talking.  Well, slap my butt and call me Heyoka.  Every neighborhood needs a contrarian.  Does anybody out there want to join me?  
     
     

Vikings - Season 4, Part 2 Season Premier

     We were glued to the TV last night watching the Vikings premier.  It occurred to me that our president elect has a Viking frame of mind on the subject or Mexico: "Shield wall!"
     And you don't even have to lick the palm of my hand for that one.

Presidential Election Results

     To quote Tandy:

          "Oh, farts!"

Shirley Template

     Not long ago, I bought some Shirley Temple stamps.  How nice to put her sweet, pure image on a piece of mail, I thought.  I must have been in a different frame of mind today when I stuck one of my Shirley stamps on an outgoing bill.  Shirley Template, I thought, feeling sorry for all the little girls who had to sit still while their mothers wound their hair up in pin curls.  I felt even sorrier for the ones who had to enter Shirley look alike contests where looking like themselves would make them losers.
   

     Banish those thoughts from my head!  Shirley Temple was a good role model.  Though she had a brief teenage marriage, her second union lasted 54 years - until her husband died in 2005. She became a representative to the United Nations and an ambassador.  Shirley served on the boards of several businesses and organizations.  She spoke openly about breast cancer when she was diagnosed with the disease in 1972.  Though she had a life long cigarette smoking habit, she never smoked in public because she knew people might follow her example.  It would have been better if she quit, but nobody's perfect.
     So, Honey Boo Boo, improve your diet and do a little exercise.  Miley, get dressed and put your tongue back in your mouth.  Kardasians, every single one of you, turn off the cameras and enroll in some college courses.  Then maybe, just maybe, you might someday end up on a stamp.

 

Woodpecker Damage

      My April 13, 2012 blog entry was about how the woodpeckers were rat-a-tatting on the shingles.  Here's a link if you would like to check out that article:

  http://happyinhainesport.blogspot.com/2012/04/woodpecker-reveille.html

     Those redheaded nuisances show up every spring.  Each time I cleaned the rain gutters, I inspected the roof.  The damage seemed minimal - a small pea sized hole on the edge of one shingle, a couple of places where the sandy grains were pecked thin.  Okay, that's not the end of the world.
     I decided to clean out the gutters and inspect the roof this week.  Those damned birds had a field day on the garage roof.  I suppose I never heard the racket because all that pecking was not over a living space.
     Here's how I repaired the damage:

The edges of several shingles were pecked clean down to the fiberglass fibers.

I applied a layer of Black Jack All Weather Roof Cement. The product comes in a big bucket or a 10 oz. tube.  I bought the tube and dispensed it with a caulking gun.  The product is appropriate for use on tab shingles.  After squirting a glob on the shingle, I smoothed it out with a putty knife.  Since the garage roof does not face the street, I called repairs on the garage done at this point. 

The one pea sized hole (that I have ignored since 2012) was on the front roof, over the front door area.  I doubt anyone would notice a shiny, black patch, but I decided to do a more cosmetically pleasing repair here.  I used some 100% fiberglass adhesive wall repair tape.  I applied a layer of tape over and under the hole.  Then I smeared the Black Jack Cement on the mesh tape, on the top and bottom of the shingle. 

I got a brainstorm to gather the pebbles that wash off the shingles.

The gutters always have a supply of pebbles.

After sprinkling pebbles on the gooey, black patch, I pressed them in and blew away the loose grains.  It's good enough for me.

Wasp Nest in the Attic

     There was a wasp nest in the attic last summer.  It was tiny, and it didn't bother me, so live and let live.  This summer that nest went from one inch in diameter to four inches in diameter.  It was crawling with wasps, and the critters swarmed in and out leaving their dirt all over the siding.

The nest was over the front porch, attached to the very edge of the roof.  The wasps went in and out through the siding.   

     I couldn't get at the nest from inside the attic.  Others might have soaked the nest with wasp and hornet killer and left it hanging, but I wanted to remove all traces of wasp habitation.  The only way to do that was to remove the porch ceiling.  My success at replacing some of the vinyl siding (September 17, 2015 blog entry) emboldened me.  This job was even easier than replacing siding.

The roof of the porch consists of interlocking vinyl panels.  I located a seam and tried unzipping it by using the tool for unzipping siding.  I didn't have much luck.  I was afraid of cracking the vinyl, so I took a different approach.  I went to the last panel and yanked one end out.     

Dang.  I hadn't seen the nail in the middle of the panel that connected the panel to a 1"x 3" board.

Here's that small, white nail.  I slipped a flat head screw driver behind the panel and tapped toward the nail's shaft.  Once the tip of the screw driver was under the nail head, between the panel and the 1"x 3", I twisted to pry the nail out as much as I dared.  I was concerned I might tear the panel. 

I pried the nail out about 1/8".  Then I used needle nose pliers to pull the nail straight down.  I got the nail out without bending it.  A little push to the left and the Panel # 1 was out.

The panels interlocked on these gray strips.  Each strip was screwed to a 1"x 3" in the middle and on each end.  I removed the three screws, pushed left, and popped out Panel # 2.

I repeated the process and removed Panel # 3.  Now I had enough room to get into the roof space and remove the nest.  I cleared the porch and set up my ladder so that I had an escape route in case of wasp attack.  I should mention that wasp attack is unlikely at this time of year.  The worker wasps or drones died around a month ago, and their bodies littered the attic floor until recently when I swept them up.  Queenie might have been hibernating in the nest, and I did see something fall as I sprayed.  I decided not to go feeling around for whatever fell.

This is a wasp nest remover's best friend.

Everything is soaked with wasp killer.

I put a paper bag under the nest.  Then I used a wide putty knife to scrape the nest off the roof.  Bag and nest went into the trash can.

Going in reverse, I replaced Panel # 3, slid it to the right until it clicked into place on a gray strip, and replaced the three screws.  Then # 2 and # 1.  I used a nail set to replace the nail that holds Panel # 1 in place.  After all that tapping, the white finish on the nail head was worn off.  A dab of white paint made the nail head almost invisible.  Job done.  Cleaning the siding and sealing the bees' access point can wait for another day.

2016 Presidential Election - When You Are Faced With No Good Choices

      The usual advice when you can't decide which candidate will get your vote is to chose the lesser of two evils - vote for the candidate that you dislike the least.  Some people will vote for a third party candidate.  I even read an article advising people to vote for Trump so Clinton will not win by the huge margin that is expected.  Supposedly, a narrow victory instead of a landslide will let Mrs. Clinton know she doesn't have the support she thought she had.  That last tactic seems pretty impossible to pull off, and I think it could be the suggestion of a Trump-ist attempting to grab some of Hillary's votes.
     I think that the "lesser of two evils" approach is wrong for the 2016 presidential election.  I refuse to choose between a nut and a prevaricator.  Casting a third party vote is something I considered, but decided against.  My solution will be to skip casting a vote for president.  My hope is that every undecided voter, every constituent who plans to go with a third party, every member of the electorate who deplores this impossible choice we've been handed will simply refuse to play along.  If enough people abstain, the election statistics will deliver the message.
     There is a ballot option known as "None of the Above" or NOTA.  It allows voters to indicate disapproval of all candidates.  NOTA is standard voting procedure in India, Greece, Ukraine, Spain, Colombia, Bangladesh, and the U. S. state of Nevada.  If the NOTA option receives the highest number of votes, there are a number of solutions - leaving the office vacant, filling the post by appointment, reopening nominations, or holding another election.  In Nevada, if the highest number of votes cast are for "None of the Above," the second runner up wins the election. In this case, a NOTA vote doesn't have a bearing on an election's results, but official numbers send a message.
     If you think a "None of the Above" vote is an option you would like to have, contact your state and federal representatives.  

UPDATE:  On December 14, 2016, the Washington Post reported  that 1.7 million people in 33 states skipped voting for a presidential candidate in the 2016 election.  That's 2% of all voters.  It's also twice as many as in 2012.    
   

                 
   

Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pennsylvania

     The Everhart Museum was established in 1908 by Dr. Isaiah Everhart.  At that time there were only eight other public museums in Pennsylvania, and Dr. Everhart's museum was the only one located in northeastern Pennsylvania.  Dr. Everhart wanted to bring the world to Scranton and to present it to his community.  I suppose he accomplished his goal in 1908.  In 2016, the museum doesn't seem to work.
     Part of the problem is that the institution is both a natural history museum and an art museum.  With the exception of the Bird Gallery, the collections are small and not very impressive.  The current traveling exhibit, Fairy Tale Art, is a combination of pieces on loan from Smith Kramer Fine Art Services and assorted stuff pulled from the museum's collections - taxidermied big, bad wolves, a red cape, fairy figurines, a fun house mirror, hair sculpture, and other items.  Making the connection between the things pulled from storage and the fairy tale theme was a stretch at times.
     I think this museum is best for young children.  I doubt most adults would find it engaging.  Hours vary, so visitors should check the schedule.  http://everhart-museum.org/
     Admission fees are $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for students over age 12 and seniors age 60 and over, $3.00 for children ages 6-12, and free for members of the military and children age 5 and under.
     Photos are permitted only on the first floor.

Dr. Isaiah Everhart used $40,000 of his own money to construct the building.

The statue of Dr. Everhart was dedicated on May 20, 1911.  Dr. Everhart died five days later.

Every natural history museum needs a dinosaur. 

The bird collection was quite nice.  Dr. Everhart was a skilled taxidermist.

They call this "Visible Storage."  They are letting visitors know that the museum has lots of items besides  the permanent displays.  And, I suppose, they had to do something with this room so it wouldn't be empty - just pile in a bunch of unrelated items!

 
     Since no pictures are allowed in the fine art gallery, here are links to some of the artists and their work.

     Jodi Harvey makes sculpture out of old books.  Her mermaid was part of the fairy tale exhibit.
http://www.boredpanda.com/paper-book-sculpture-art-jodi-harvey-brown/

     Kelly Jelinek does faux taxidermy.  That means she covers taxidermied animals with upholstery fabric, making them different creatures entirely.  Her work was also part of the fairy tale exhibit.
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2016/02/upholstered-faux-taxidermy-kelly-rene-jelinek/

     John Willard Raught was born in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, a small community bordering Scranton.  His many paintings of collieries are gray and depressing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Willard_Raught

     If you think you might have an interest in hair sculpture, skip the Everhart.  Instead, go to Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri.  This museum was featured on CNN's "Somebody's Gotta Do It" with Mike Rowe.
http://www.leilashairmuseum.net/




   
     

The Rockwell Museum, Corning, New York

     When Mike said, "Let's visit the Rockwell Museum," I agreed enthusiastically.  I thought I was going to see Norman Rockwell's art.  Never assume.
     The Norman Rockwell Museum is located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  The Rockwell Museum we visited is located in Corning, New York.  It is named after Bob and Hertha Rockwell, an art loving local couple, whose collection of American masterpieces makes up the core of the museum's holdings.  This museum is a gem.  Frommer's describes the Rockwell Museum as, "one of the best-designed small museums in the Northeast."  The museum is a Smithsonian affiliate.  Their partnership with the Smithsonian Institution allows them to share collections and conduct joint research.  Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Admission price is $10.00 for adults up to age 54, $9.00 for adults age 55+, and $5.00 for local residents.  Children ages 17 and under get in free.
     I took some pictures of my favorite pieces.  Photography is okay as long as you don't use a flash.

Montana Winter Scene
1914
Harvey Thomas Dunn

Yosemite
circa 1908
Thomas Hill
This is a very big painting.  If you look at the bottom, center, you'll see a man on horseback and another person.  They are dwarfed by the landscape.  I think Thomas Hill got that point across extremely well.

Here's a close up of the people in "Yosemite."

The Bronco Buster
1895
Frederic Remington
This is one of two on display.

The End of the Trail
1894
James Earle Fraser
I liked this sculpture even more than the Remingtons.

This painting stands alone as a work of art, but it was actually a cover illustration for Outdoor Recreation Magazine in November 1925.  The artist is Phillip Goodwin.  Goodwin was a member of the Brandywine School, an artist's colony for illustrators founded by Harold Pyle.  Pyle taught his students outdoor easel painting and Impressionistic color theory.  He emphasized that they should paint with historical accuracy.      

Here is the magazine cover.  Doesn't the cover picture make you want to read about moose hunting?

Navigating by Our Grandmothers
2000
Rosalie Favell
Native American Artist
Check out the reflection of me (taking the picture) and Mike!  We like being in the scene with the grandmothers.  This work had a dreamy quality.  I felt the connection through time to grandparents and beyond.  

Here's another in the collection of Native American art.  I got a kick out of this piece by David Bradley - a little Indian twist on classic art works.