Archive for the Category ◊ Children ◊

Goodbye to Molly the World Famous Barn Owl

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People in fifty different countries around the world bid Carlos and Donna Royal goodbye last night. They have done a most excellent job of hosting The Owl Box in San Marcos, California since February 2010. It was truly an amazing experience to watch Molly and McGee (the parent owls) mate, hatch and nurture four owlets. There were six eggs, however one egg broke and one never hatched. We were able to watch this process from day one. Molly was a very nurturing mother and McGee was a good provider. Did you know that owls can swallow a rat or rabbit whole? The owlets grew too quickly and it was not long before they were leaving the box. Now they have all left the box and can be seen residing in a nearby palm tree. Research shows that barn owls will reside within a five mile radius of where they were born. It was very difficult to say farewell.

My daughter introduced me to Molly’s adventure on the Sportsman’s Paradise website. Molly the Barn Owl became one of the top sites viewed on UStream and she even has her own “room” there. By the time it was all said and done there were over 14 million views.

Carlos and Donna have dealt with all of the technical paraphernalia in their dining room, entertaining the news media people, national television for the Morning Show and virtually taking this experience worldwide. Carlos is retired but probably worked harder than he ever has. He scheduled time via Skype for classroom discussions across the country. The children learned a great deal about barn owls. If Carlos did not know the answer the first time around, he would do his research and knew the answer the next time it was asked. In fact, we all have learned a great deal about barn owls. They are beautiful caring creatures.

Carlos has been on duty 24/7 making sure that the cameras were adjusted properly and everything was working properly. He provided viewers with night vision cameras and day time cameras. There have been times when the owls have landed on the cameras sending what we saw askew necessitating Carlos climbing a ladder in the early morning hours in his pajamas making the necessary adjustments so we could all have a “bird’s eye view”!

Most people left their Molly webpage up and throughout the day and evening you would hear Carlos’ voice as he would bring up up to date on the latest developments with the owls and activities. I will certainly miss that.

Carlos definitely went above and beyond what most people in his position would have done. When people in the chat room were concerned that the owlets might fall out of the box, he built and added on a little porch type attachment. And then he added a platform that the owlets were able to fly to close by the owl house and play.

Austin, Carlos and Donna’s grandson, was a big help with setting up the technical aspects. He is still working on putting all the videos and photos that have been taken (and believe me there are a lot) for people to purchase copies of.

Eric Blehm, a renowned author and personal friend of the Royal’s is currently finishing up writing a book, “Molly the Owl” detailing the entire experience. The book is illustrated by Christopher Adams. John Atkinson has kept us rolling in laughter by creating ecomics of Molly, McGee, the owlets, Carlos and Donna. We all grew to love these owls. You can read more about Molly the Barn Own of San Marcos, California and see photos at http://mollysbox.wordpress.com/blog/. On this site you can actually see a photo of the actual owl house which sat 15 feet above the ground.

Besides being able to purchase the book, “Molly the Owl”, ecomics, and fine illustrations, we have also been able to purchase many other items of memorabilia. A portion of all of the sales will go to barn owl habitats in the area.

Carlos and Dona put their vacation on hold to share this experience with the world. We are all hoping that there will be another episode in the future. The night before we said goodbye, Molly and McGee were seen in the owl box “bonding”! Who knows there may be new little owls in the near future. We are all hoping this will be the case. There are many people who are currently suffering owl withdrawal!

In closing, on behalf of many people, I want to thank Carlos and Dona for opening up their home to all of us for these past four months. Also, much appreciation goes out to Austin, Eric, Chris and John. Thank you all for making this all possible. I can honestly say, “Gee that was fun, and I was part of it!”

Happy, safe travels Carlos and Donna!

Judy Conway

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Category: Birds, Children, family, home, Inspirational, Mother Nature | Tags: Austin, barn owls, Carlos and Donna Royal, Christopher Adams, ecomics, Eric Blehn, John Atkinson, Judy Conway, Max, Molly the World Famous Barn Owl, Pattison, Skype, UStream, Wesley | 4 Comments

Obesity in Children

Author: Judy Conway

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The news has been laden with the fact that obesity in children is reaching overwhelming percentages. I hope the following information will be helpful to parents seeking solutions to this situation. I would like to preface this article by saying I was an obese child. At the age of 13 I was around 5 feet tall I weighed in at 160 pounds. My heart goes out to children in this category as I know it was not a happy time in my life.

As was my case, research shows that the root of the problem with our children, as with adults, is that we are suffering from emotional eating. My mother, unfortunately, was not well versed on healthy nutrition and if I was having a difficult day or feeling upset her usual solution was, “Go get a dish of ice cream.” Now truthfully, that was the last thing I needed!

Childhood and adolescence obesity increases the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes as a youth. One disease of particular concern is Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and has increased dramatically in children and adolescents, particularly in American Indian, African American and Hispanic/Latino populations.

Family environment can definitely add to emotional eating problems. With the divorce rate on the rise as well, a lot of children are dealing with split custody situations. Or, if the parents are choosing to stay together for the sake of the children, the increased tension in the household between the parents does not promote a healthy environment.

Lack of healthy communication and support between parents and their children creates insecurity within the child and only adds to the challenges they are facing in their lives. Quality time spent with your children is much more important than quantity of time. With a lot of parents having to work two jobs to make ends meet with our economic crisis it is difficult to spend quality time with their children. Let’s face it by the time you get home after working two jobs you barely have the energy to climb into bed let alone have a good one on one conversation with our children.

While on the issue of time this prompts another issue. Fast- food, or prepared foods you pick up at the grocery store are not going to be as healthy as meals you personally prepare taking into consideration the nutritional value of what you are eating. Remember excessive calories and lack of exercise is going to result in stored fat!

Children who come home after school and spend hours alone may not be making the healthiest food choices. Be sure that the snacks that are available are not going to sabotage a good eating program. It might take some extra planning on your part, but it will definitely be worth it. The internet is full of tips and suggestions for making right food choices.

Being overweight causes self esteem problems amongst peers causing self-induced pressure and leading to a child feeling very overwhelmed. Overweight children lack popularity with other children. It is sad to say, but it is true. They end up feeling “different” and alone.

When children are experiencing these situations they turn to something to lessen these feelings. Some children turn to “comfort food”. This is a real problem. Instead of being able to sit down and talk over what is bothering them, children turn to a dish of ice cream, a bowl of cookies and a glass of milk, or other less than nutritious food choices.

Before dealing with the food issue, it is important to recognize if there are other issues involved. Create a healthy communication and support system for your child. Once that is established it will be a lot easier to get the message about healthy nutrition and exercise across and show them the process that will benefit them, not only now in their younger years but even as an adult.

Healthy, fit bodies fill our air waves putting more stress on those of us, children and adults alike, whose bodies are not picture perfect. Vitality takes second place to physical appearance.

Living a healthy life involves much more than just your appearance. Exercise, healthy food and nutrition choices will play a big part in the quality of your child’s life now and later. It is important to get your child’s attention by sharing with them the illnesses mentioned previously in this article that can be directly related to obesity. Choose the tactics you will use with your child before you delve into your conversation. Perhaps there is a family member that suffers, or suffered from illnesses related to obesity.

There are many mixed messages out there. It is important for parents to be involved with proper education in helping their children. Too often the blame is placed on the school lunch program or someone else responsible for caring for the child.

In closing, I personally feel that a good way to approach a situation with an overweight child is to make it a family effort. Everyone in the family can do well to learn better eating habits and a healthy exercise routine. Our children have an overabundance of video games. Unlike the “days of old” when kids were out playing ball or other outdoor activities, many children sit for hours in front of video games. The Wii System can be an asset with its many programs that get children up and moving.

Yes, obesity is a hard thing to deal with. As I am finishing up this article the thought crossed my mind that this is a situation that can be challenging to deal with, but the same situations that cause emotional eating habits can also drive children into much more serious problems, like drugs.

Our children are valuable human beings. God has put them in our lives to raise and help them grow up to be individuals that will add value to this world. I hope that you will find the time and joy to develop a happy, secure lifestyle with your children. I wish you success in dealing with obesity in children.

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
http://beadazzledjewelrycreations.com
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
Skype ID: judy.conway

How To Be A Proficient Camper

Author: Judy Conway

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I was introduced to camping when I first got married many years ago. It was a delightful experience until one occasion when we were camping on Cape Cod and were surprised by an approaching hurricane!

We had returned to using a tent. A word of advice to people who hang their towels to dry over the frame of the tent … DO NOT do this. As the wind picked up the towels were blown on top of the tent and this negated the waterproof properties and the rain began pouring inside the tent. We had suitcases filled with wet clothing and everything else inside the tent was pretty soaked. It was a long uncomfortable drive back to Providence, RI. We looked liked pathetic drowned rats when we stopped to get breakfast (take out, of course) at McDonald’s. At this point I vowed never to go camping again!! Of course that is not true. I have since gone camping with my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Once our daughters were born we changed from “tenting” to a Cox Pop-Up Tent Trailer. Being off the ground was easier with the children.

You need to develop a system to make life easier when going camping. A system will save you a lot of time and confusion and help you get on the road without raising your blood pressure!

We had a large basket that perfectly fit between the two fold out beds (with room to spare) where we kept cookware, dishes, silverware and miscellaneous items such as salt and pepper and other items that would keep well left in the camper outdoors. This made our weekly packing a lot easier.

Strip your beds when you are folding up the camper and wash the bedding when you get home and it will be ready for your next trip. Items that needed more rigorously cleaning was removed and cleaned. The floor was swept and washed and we were basically ready for our next weekend. We actually camped almost every weekend.

I would go shopping and slide the food bags and clothing bags right in the camper. We packed an ice chest in the trunk of the car to hold items that needed to be refrigerated. My husband got home from work, changed his clothes, hooked up the camper and off we went for another exciting weekend. At the time we were living in an apartment and we really looked forward to our weekends away.

We camped in many different areas from Cape Cod, to Vermont and Canada. It was great fun. We had best friends who had three children that usually packed up their tent camper and went with us. What a great experience for the children.

There is nothing quite as wonderful as the smell of coffee brewing on the camp stove and breakfast cooking. The smell of bacon and eggs awakens any sleepy appetite.

Before we purchased our Cox Camper we had a couple occasions to camp with the girls when they were quite young. I must admit that the tent camper was a lot easier.

As you become proficient at camping you will learn many useful tips. One time in particular the temperatures were cooler than we had expected. With the girls in their flannel pajamas, and sleepers we were concerned that they might not be warm enough in their sleeping bags. An older seasoned camper gentleman told us a wise old tip. He told us to be sure the girls, or anyone for that matter, are warm to make sure they are wearing socks and eat a candy bar before going to bed. It worked like a charm every time.

Before you leave on your camping trip check out the park you are planning to go to. Nowadays, with the internet, it is easy to preselect your desired site, or at least get an idea of where you want to stay. If you have small children, it is a good idea to plan to stay nearer the bathrooms! My daughter is a real pro at choosing the “best” site.

Although I personally enjoy just getting away from the everyday rat race and just spending time with my family, you might want to take into consideration activities in the area where you will be camping. Make a list of “things to do and places to go” and in this way you will be ready to have a lot of fun.

Board games, cards, bubbles, and balls are good things to pack. If camping with older children you may want to make sure the MP3 (or whatever digital sound device you have) is well changed and packed. By all means do not forget to take sunscreen and bug spray. Take along a camera (batteries charged/charger to charge) to capture all those special moments.

It is a good idea to make a list of things you will need. The following list will grow as you continue to camp and realize items that you “miss” from home. In addition to those things mentioned above here are a couple of suggestions:

Tent/tent camper
Sleeping bags
Hammer
Towels,
First Aid Kit
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Toiletries
Benadryl (just in case you encounter some poison ivy)
Cleaning spray
Salt and pepper
Cookies and crackers
Packages of oatmeal
Coffee
Coffee French Press (we enjoy the finerthings even when camping!)
Marshmallows
Candy bars
Graham Crackers (anyone for s’mores?)
Skewers
Cocoa
Cereal
Citronella candles
Table cover (plastic or cloth)
Plates, silverware, cups
Paper towels
Napkins
Dish detergent
Dishpan to wash dishes
Container to carry water
Charcoal
Lighter Fluid
Matches
Bathing suits
Rain Ponchos
Appropriate clothing and shoes
And whatever else you think you will need

With technology being what it is today, you will be able to take a TV, but I would suggest enjoying being away from those types of things that demand your attention at home and just enjoy spending time with your family.

I was amazed at all the new camping equipment that is on the market. Fancy coffeemakers, and really great collapsible water carriers and double dish washing basins and even portable toilets!! You can decide for yourselves how rustic you want your experience to be.

I wish you a fun filled camping trip that will supply you with memories for years to come.

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
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Category: Camping, Children, family, Helpful Hints, Mother Nature, Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, become a proficient camper, Camping, camping equipment, clothing, Judy Conway, Outdoors, Sleeping bag, tent camper, water | Leave a Comment

Ways to Cut Expenses and Save Money

Author: Judy Conway

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: Image by voobie via Flickr

I am writing this article to provide you with some suggestions for ways to cut expenses and save money in your daily life. For those of us who have been laid off, had to take lower paying jobs or been faced with not being able to find a replacement job and opted to take an early retirement … corners need to be cut for sure.

I do not think that many people are prepared for the day when they find themselves with an almost empty bank account and the pantry in a shape of hungry despair.

It is amazing how much you can save at the grocery store if you choose not to purchase prepared foods. Not only do you save money, but in the long run it is healthier for you.

Check your supermarket sales for the week and plan your meals using items that are on sale. If there is a really good sale on chicken, seafood, or whatever, perhaps you may want to stock up on these items. You could spend a little bit more one week, but the next week you would have already purchased your meat items, so it averages out.

The internet contains a wealth of information for cutting food costs. I just Googled “recipes that allow you to cut food costs”, and the page that came up provided me with recipes for when you are on a budget, how to cut food costs, cheap and healthy (15 nutritious foods for about $2.00), a website that provides a weekly inventory management system to cut food costs and even a site to guide you on making your own baby food. One of my daughters made her own baby food. She saved a lot of money and her children are not picky eaters and are very healthy.

Be sure to sign up for the coupon sites. It is absolutely amazing how much you can cut off your grocery bill if you take the time to clip coupons. You can even go to a specific site, like Kraft, Maxwell House, or many others, and get additional coupons that you do not find in your weekly newspapers or at other coupons services. I have saved at least half of my total grocery bill just by clipping coupons. Nowadays, clipping coupons should be a requirement if you are trying to save money. Get your kids involved. They love to clip coupons.

Make it a family project and plant a garden. It is a fun experience to see the plants grow and be able to harvest your “crops”. I bought a spaghetti squash last fall and dried and saved the seeds. I planted the seeds last week and I already have the plants coming up. Spaghetti squash is healthy and tasty. If you were to buy this in your grocery store it could be costly at $1.50 a pound and for one big enough to feed your family could weight three to four pounds. Just by taking a few minutes to rinse and dry the seeds you have saved a lot of money.

The wildlife (birds, squirrels, chipmunks) are a big help in spreading the seeds of various plants in your yard. A couple of weeks ago while cutting my grass I discovered there were many little blackberry bushes sprouting in my lawn. I have two bird feeders and thanks to the birds this year I have a many blackberry bushes that will be providing fruit this year growing under the bird feeders. I am going to dig up these new little plants and plant them in a more appropriate place than the middle of my lawn! These bushes will provide blackberries for eating, or making preserves and pies. The best part is I did not even have to purchase these bushes.

Make use of the internet to save on other items you need. Amazon has very reasonable prices on many items. In most cases if you spend over $25.00, your shipping is free. Please check out the Amazon link on this page to compare prices.

eBay is another site that can save you considerably. I recently found a seller for the ink cartridges for my Cannon Pixma 530 printer. We all know how expensive these cartridges can be. I have ordered cartridges from various suppliers. I have even used Staples, who provides good service. However, I found an eBay auction and have been extremely pleased with the product. I discovered that you can order directly from the company.

I know we are all apprehensive about trying “other than manufacturer’s brand” of ink cartridges. These cartridges come with the chips in place. You simply have to take them out of the box, remove the plastic wrap, usual tab and cover from the cartridge and you are good to go! They come with a one year money back guarantee. I have saved a remarkable amount buying my cartridges from this company. Check out their products at compandsave.com. I recently ran out of one of my cartridges and was pleasantly surprised at the great customer service and speed in which I received my order.

You can cut your utility bills. If you have ceiling fans be sure they are running 24/7. In the winter you will save on your heating expenses and in the summer you will save on air conditioning. Be sure your blades are set to go in the correct direction … counter clockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter. I have vaulted ceilings and when I first moved into my house my electric bill was outrageous. I called the electric company and was told the tip about running my fans. It has made all the difference in helping me cut costs in this area.

I could go on and on about saving money. You see I had to learn this talent when my children were nine and ten and I got divorced and became a single mom. There are some every day expenses that are pretty much fixed but if your search hard enough you will find ways to cut costs.

I hope this information will be helpful in ways to cut expenses and save money. If you have other suggestions please contact me at Skype (my Skype ID is listed below) and I would be happy to share your ideas in future articles.

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
http://homebusinessinatlanta.com
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Your Past Goodbyes Can Add Meaning to Your Future Hellos!

Author: Judy Conway

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We all have been faced with having to say goodbye. Saying goodbye usually produces great heartache. I hope this post will help you reflect on your past goodbyes and help them add meaning to your future hellos.

I was born in Nyack, New York. I only lived there for approximately 6 weeks. My dad was an operating engineer for Esso, working in Aruba. So I spent the first 5 years of my life living on the “non-tourist” end of the island. When we left for another job assignment I can remember saying goodbye to all my friends. I especially remember saying goodbye to Billy, the black goat in our Kindergarten class!

As we grow older our goodbyes get harder. With the nature of my dad’s employment I spent 17 years of my life traveling worldwide. I attended many schools, and said goodbye to many friends. Looking back, it was an education in itself being able to travel worldwide, but it also meant that I missed out on the normal growing up functions of life. Longtime childhood friends, school activities, such as a prom, and your high school friendships rank on the top of the list. I became a pro at saying “goodbye.” I truly believe that leaving so many friends is the reason I place such importance on relationships.

I recently received a notice about the death of one of my high school classmates. He had lost his battle with cancer. This prompted me to reflect on my life and thus wanting to share my feelings with others.

Goodbyes are an integral part of our lives. We all go through changing jobs and saying goodbye to people we have worked with and grown close to. My relationships with people are very important to me. I can remember one job in particular. I worked for SMRT, Inc. in Portland, Maine. On my last day I managed to sob my way around 42 desks saying goodbye. These people still hold a warm place in my heart. This was my most gratifying, favorite job, other than being a mom!

Being a mom of two girls who loved animals, as do I, I have said many goodbyes to parakeets, dogs, cats, fish, rabbits and the list goes on. I am one of those people who gets extremely attached to a pet so these were hard times. I had a dog, Benson, I got as a puppy right after I was divorced who was a true, loyal friend. He was always there to listen to the hard times I was going through. After twelve years he became very ill, lost control of his bodily functions and was going blind. I could not see him suffer any more so I had to have him put to sleep. That was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I still to this day get teary-eyed when I think of him and that was 18 years ago.

It is a devastating goodbye that we say to our parents when they die. When our close friends pass away it is very hard. I feel when we lose these people we suffer more from our loss. These special people have gone on to a better place!

Two more hard goodbyes to express are those at the time of a divorce (or an intimate relationship), and also when your children grow up and get married and you say your goodbyes and wish them well in their new lives. That is a bitter sweet goodbye because as parents it is our goal to raise our children to be independent and be able to leave home to start on their own journey.

Yes goodbyes are difficult. Hopefully, we learn something from each one of these losses (or changes in our lives). As with my dad, he was the one who truly taught me the meaning of love. I lost him when I was only 22 years old. That left an enormous void in my life. He never got to see, know and impart his wisdom to my children. These losses have helped me grow stronger in my life.

Because of my goodbyes I look at the new people that come into my life in a whole new light. I wonder why I have met them, what I can learn from them, and how can I make a difference in their lives? I always ask, “Why has God brought this person to me?” when I meet someone new. Nothing happens by accident. I look forward to where this new relationship will take me. I want to add value to the time spent with people in my life. I want to leave a loving legacy behind me. I do not want to live my life thinking about what I could have, would have or should have done!

Life goes by much too quickly. Never miss the opportunity to tell someone how much you care for them. Never miss the opportunity to help another person. Live your life making a difference in other people’s lives. Remember to live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and leave the rest to God.

I wish you a life full of opportunities to share your love with others!

Judy Conway

Email: judyconwaymarketing@gmail.com
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Category: Children, Christian, family, home, Inspirational, Uncategorized | Tags: animals, death, divorce, family, home, Inc, Intimate relationship, Judy Conway, legacy, love, opportunities, Saying goodbye, Skype, SMRT | Leave a Comment

Remember Your Mother on Mother’s Day!

Author: Judy Conway

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: Image via Wikipedia

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. I hope that you will take the opportunity to remember your mother on Mother’s Day for all that she has done.

This year it is observed on May 9th. I would like to offer some recognition to mothers and state some facts about how Mother’s Day was started.

Mother’s Day is celebrated to express our appreciation for our mothers. Although it falls on a different day each year, it is always on the second Sunday of May.
Research shows that the Greeks were the first to celebrate Mother’s Day. With the spread of Christianity throughout Europe it became a celebration to honor the “Mother Church”. Then England in the 1600’s started celebrating “Mothering Sunday” on the fourth Sunday of lent to honor mothers in England.

In 1872 the United States, through the devotion of Julia Ward Howe began celebrating a day honoring peace and motherhood. The idea did not catch on until 1907 with a campaign by Anna Jarvis for national Mother’s Day. Unlike the endeavors by Julia Ward Howe this was now celebrated in almost every state. In 1914 there was a Presidential Proclamation by Woodrow Wilson stating that the second Sunday in May would be celebrated as Mother’s Day.

Originally Mother’s Day was spent going to church and writing letters expressing sentiments to mothers. Throughout the years this has evolved to include cards, presents, flowers and dinner. Mother’s Day now ranks as the second highest gift-giving holiday in the United States. Many restaurants have their busiest day on Mother’s Day. Many cards and e-cards are sent. In addition it is the busiest day for long distance calls. Sons and daughters take this opportunity to call and express their love and gratitude to their mothers.

On this day other countries, such as Denmark, Belgium, Australia, Turkey, Italy and Finland, also celebrate Mother’s Day. Other countries honor their mothers but do so on different dates.

A quote by Anna Jarvis, “Mother’s Day is in honor of the best Mother who ever lived – the Mother of your Heart.”

Mothers (and mothers-in-law) have various meanings to us all and are the basics of many jokes. No matter how good, bad, loving or not so attentive you think of your mother we do owe much to our mothers for bringing us into this world. We would not be who we are without our mothers.

Think of all a mother does. She sits by your bedside when you are sick. She is always there to listen to your problems, share in your excitement, teach you good manners, keeps your clothes clean and ready to wear. The list goes on and on. I was a single mother and I know personally there were many days there were not enough hours in the day to get all I had to do accomplished. My two daughters were the glue that held my life together. I was truly honored to be their mother.

I would like to share a story I came across many years ago. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

“The Meanest Mother”

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate
candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others
had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can
guess, my supper was different than the other kids’ also.
But at least, I wasn’t alone in my sufferings. My sister and two
brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You’d
think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and
where we were going. She insisted if we said we’d be gone an hour, that
we be gone one hour or less–not one hour and one minute. I am nearly
ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each
time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was
used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy’s pants. Can you
imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now
you can begin to see how mean she really was.
We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always
wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because
she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we
have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends?
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night
and up at eight the next morning. We couldn’t sleep till noon like our
friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break
the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make
beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid
awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, even if it killed us and it nearly did.
By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life
became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for
us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates
and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a
girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really
there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I’d had a
boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were
dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused
to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you
dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn’t improve a bit. We could not lie
in bed, “sick” like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends
had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home
from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends’
report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for
failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for
nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put
to shame. We were graduated from high school.   With our mother behind
us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the
pleasure of being a drop-out.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four
children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us
have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate.   Each of my
brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we
have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You’re right, our
mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a
protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a
million and one other things that our friends did.
She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.
Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three
children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my
children call me mean.
Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest   mother in
the whole world.

written by Bobbie Pingaro (1967)

In remembering my mother (she passed away in 1997) I do not remember someone who expressed great love or concern. Nonetheless, I remember her as my mother and thank her for all she did for me. Do not look at the negative things you remember or think of your mother or your growing up years. Take those things and turn them into positive aspects in your life. You can still embrace your mother with love. It is your choice how you want to deal with those memories. Because of my mother I have become the person I am. I value the importance of loving my children and grandchildren and finding beauty, excitement and blessings in every day of my life.

I hope that you will take the opportunity to reach out to your mother on Mother’s Day. There will, unfortunately, come a day when she will not feel your touch, nor will you feel her touch. Be sure to remember your mother on Mother’s Day!

I wish a very happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere. Thanks for all you do!

Judy Conway

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Category: Children, Christian, family, holidays, home, Inspirational | Tags: Anna Jarvis, Children, England, family, grandchildren, holidays, home, Julia Ward Howe, mother, Mothering Sunday, Mothers Day, Parenting, The Meanest Mother, Woodrow Wilson | Leave a Comment

Things You Should Know About Poison Ivy

Author: Judy Conway

•

In writing articles we are encouraged to write on subjects we are passionate about. As I sit here with my right eye half swollen shut, I am VERY passionate about poison ivy. I would like to start this article by quoting the saying, “Leaves of three, let them be.” My goal is to provide you with information on the things you should know about poison ivy.

Here is a picture of poison ivy climbing a tree to help you identify the plant that can cause you a great deal of pain and money. Poison ivy also be a free standing plant.

Poison Ivy on a Tree

In my entire 64 years I have never been allergic to poison ivy. That was until about two years ago. I was using the weed whacker in my back yard. I was wearing shorts and upon cutting through numerous poison ivy plants and flinging these pieces of plant up and down my body.Let me tell you I ended up being covered in a severe poison ivy rash. I never traveled far from my spray bottle of alcohol. It took several trips to the doctor, a shot and then a two week regimen on steroids before I began to find comfort.

For this reason, I am extremely careful trimming around this area in my yard. I was working at eliminating new growth the other day when the end of one of the vines hit me in the face under my eye. I had gloves on, long pants and a long sleeved shirt and was still attacked by this obtrusive plant. I instantly came in the house and took off the gloves and put those in the trash, put my clothes in the washing machine and began washing my face and body with cool water. The are various schools of thought on washing to rid the skin area of the urushiol oil that causes the rash. Some advocate the use of soap and water, while others say the soap just spreads the oil on your skin.

I really thought I had been successful until the next morning when I got up and saw a bright read blotch under my eye. Before long the blisters appeared. I am including below some facts on the rash:

The poison ivy rash typically starts one or two days after exposure, though the delay between contact and its onset can be longer, up to several days. This may lead to confusion over where the exposure took place. The first signs of the rash are curved lines of red, itchy bumps or blisters. These continue to appear for many days, depending on how much resin touched the skin at a given point. This makes it seem as though the rash is “spreading,” although the fluid in blisters is just part of the allergic reaction and contains no chemicals or bacteria. It also makes it appear that there may still be poison ivy in clothes and/or on pets. Although this is theoretically possible, repeated washing of these often produces no improvement.

I am thankful that I escaped with only the one area being affected. Not being able to totally see out of one eye is the biggest inconvenience as I work on the computer. It was good to read that poison ivy is not contagious, neither from one person to someone else nor from one part of the body to another.

I would like to insert a word of caution here. Even though you do not make contact with the poison plant yourself, the oil can get on your dog or cat’s fur and they can bring you the gift of this lovely rash without your even knowing it.

The best precaution you can take against this is to be certain you do not have this plant in your yard. There are a few products that are good at eliminating the plant from your yard all together. Make sure you read the label to see if it will destroy any of your other plants. I used the spray a couple of years ago and I eliminated all of my blackberry bushes!

Glyphosate- The product is sold under the trade names of Roundup, Roundup concentrate and Kleenup. It is applied to the foliage of poison ivy but is trans-located throughout the plant, including the roots. Glyphosate has no soil activity. It will kill or injure all plants contacted by the spray, including grasses. Applications near the foliage of desirable ornamentals should be made with extreme caution. Glyphosate should not be applied when rain is expected within six hours of application because its effectiveness will be reduced. After treatment, the vegetation should not be disturbed for several days. Remember, dead poison ivy still contains poisonous oils and should be handled with care if the soil in a treated area is to be worked. When glyphosate is the active ingredient listed on the label it is identified as Isopropylamine salt of glyphosate.

Amitrole - Amitrole is sold under the trade names of Amitrol-T, and Weedazol. It is applied to the foliage and is translocated throughout the plant. It is nonselective, therefore it will kill or injure any plants to which it is applied. It also remains active in the soil for several weeks after application, therefore it is important not to use it near other desirable plants. The soil activity also prevents the planting of new vegetation for several weeks.

It should not be used in areas where food crops will be raised or animals grazed. When amitrole is the active ingredient listed on the label, it is identified as 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole.

2,4-D - This product is sold under many trade names and is often mixed with 2,4-DP to improve its effectiveness on woody plants. Weed-B-Gon Jet Weeder is a 2,4-D product for use around the house that can be purchased at most lawn and garden centers. It is not the most effective treatment for controlling poison ivy, but it does not kill grass.

I am taking Benadryl and a triple strength antibiotic ointment with pain reliever. Here are some other suggestions for treatment of the rash:

Once it begins, the rash will usually clear on its own by 14-21 days. Treatment is directed at controlling the itching. Oral antihistamines (like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help the itch somewhat, but often they do no more than make people drowsy. Cortisone creams, whether over-the=counter or by prescription, are only helpful if applied right away, before blisters appear, or much later, when the blisters have dried up. Compresses with cool water or Burow’s solution (available without prescription) can help dry the ooze faster.

When the rash is severe, such as when it affects the face or causes extensive blistering, oral steroids (for example, prednisone) can help produce rapid improvement. This course of therapy should be maintained, often in decreasing doses, for 10-14 days or even longer in some cases, to prevent having the rash rebound and become severe again. Patients who are given a six-day pack of cortisone pills often get worse again when they complete it, because the dose was too low and administered for too short a time.

Here are some cases where you may be best to consult your physician. Far more powerful agents are available by prescription for the rash and itching of poison ivy.

Facial or genital involvement. The skin in these areas is easily damaged and scarred, and swelling from rhus dermatitis can be dramatic.

Involvement of large areas of skin. Ten percent of the body’s surface, or about the size of the entire front abdomen. This is too large of an area to self-treat.

Signs of infection. These include pain and tenderness, growing redness around the rash, or pus. Clear or slightly yellow transparent fluid is common from poison ivy blisters and is not a sign of infection. Be cautious if you find yourself scratching the rash as dirt and bacteria can be under your nails and cause infection.

Extreme itching. Itching which disturbs sleep or normal daily activities despite using OTC treatments should be treated by a physician.

I hope that you will find this information on poison ivy helpful. Ideally, I hope that you will never have to use it. The internet holds a plethora of information on this topic.

Happy gardening and I wish you a summer that is poison ivy rash free!

Judy Conwway

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Category: Children, family, gardening, health, Helpful Hints | Tags: 2, 4-D, alcohol, Allergy, Amitrole, Benadryl, Blister, Conditions and Diseases, Cortisone creams, Glyphosate, health, Itch, Judy Conway, physician, Poison ivy, Roundup, Urushiol, water | Leave a Comment

Are You A Bird Watcher?

Author: Judy Conway

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Camera #1 – Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam, Santa Catalina Island, Ca
Live Videos by Ustream

Camera #2 – West End Bald Eagle nest on Santa Catalina Island, California. What a view!
Live video by Ustream

Live Eagle Nest Duke Farms, Hillsborough NJ
Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Lately, I have gotten involved in the world of watching birds through the amazing work and efforts of people installing video cams in various locations allowing me, and many others to drop by and watch the amazing action of Mother Nature in progress. From the building of a nest, or moving into a prefabricated owl house, to mating, and getting the “dwellings” ready to welcome the family, right through to the hatching of the eggs and watching the growth of the little ones …. It has been a really enjoyable experience.

It is truly amazing to see the amount of people who sit in front of their computers watching these birds, especially the viewers of Molly the Barn Owl (my previous post). I work at home online and keep a window running in the background so I can keep up to date on the latest happenings.

I must admit I recently starting watching the Eagles on Santa Catalina Island, CA. I love to see and hear the ocean in the background. The two baby eaglets have hatched and mom and dad are doing an awesome job! The eagles are great as both mom and dad contribute to the work of the little ones. The dad, #81, Justice flies off to bring back fish. Nothing like fresh Sushi! Mom, #82, Liberty welcomes the food and they both feed the babies. (The eagles have identifying numbers on their wings. Liberty is marked on both sides – #82) Justice even takes turns sitting on the nest and keeping the babies warm. I love to listen to them calling to each other when one is off on a flight.

Then there is another bald eagle nest at Duke’s Farm in Hillsborough, NJ. This is a totally different atmosphere from Santa Catalina, CA. These are fun to watch. This is quite an elaborate nest. Today, as I am writing this post, it is a tad bit windy and the nest is swaying.

There are many other animal web cams you can watch on http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com. You will find anything from Bald Eagles, to Molly the World Famous Barn Owl, a new Cardinal nest, to a very comical Grey Squirrel and African animals. This is a great site.

This is truly a great experience for adults, adults that are house bound or bed ridden, and children to see these activities first hand. Although Molly eating her tantalizing meals of mice, rats and rabbits can sometimes make me a little nauseous, this is truly a great education.

With regard to education, Carlos Royal the owner of Molly’s Owl House, is a very gifted speaker and comes on often with updates. He even has a widespread audience with school classrooms and homeschoolers. He holds an information update and then a question and answer session with these groups. What a blessing Carlos is, and I want to thank him personally for all he does to contribute to broadening our knowledge on barn owls. Molly, McGee(daddy owl) and the four little owlets (Max, Pattison, Austin and Wesley) are very fortunate to have found Carlos’ owl house.

I have included the web cam feed for the Bald Eagles above. I hope that you enjoy watching all of these birds as much as I do.
If you are not already a bird watcher, I think you will become one soon!

Judy Conway

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Who Is Molly the World Famous Barn Owl?

Author: Judy Conway

•

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

A few days ago my daughter sent me a link she had come across on a site that was featuring Molly the barn owl who was sitting on five eggs. Carlos and Donna Royal are the owners of the owl house on their property in San Marcos, California.

She is a beautiful owl. Her mate, McGee, hunts nearby fields and bring her food several times a day. Her menu ranges from rodents to rabbits. This has truly been an amazing experience watching her diligently sitting on the eggs and waiting for them to hatch.

People from all over the world (over 20 countries) have found Molly’s world. She is truly a world famous owl. Today I have seen the number of visitors go over 13,000 to the site. At one point there were so many visitors that Carlos had problems with the web cam.

Here is a description of facts about the barn owl.

They range in size from 13 to 20inches
They weigh 8 to 21 ounces
They have a wingspan of about 3-1/2 feet
They do not migrate
Their habitat is in farmlands, marshes, prairie, and desert locations
Barn owls have the sharpest sense of hearing of any bird in the world

In appearance, the barn own differs from other owls and is characterized by its heart-shaped face and small black eyes. The round shape of their faces amplifies sounds, while its silent flight helps to keep the background noise to a minimum allowing their ears to search out their prey. It has been documented that the owl’s ears are not symmetrical on the head. The left side is higher on the skull than the right. This makes the sound traveling from above or below to arrive at one ear before the other, which allows the owl to know which direction the sound is coming from. The Barn Owl has three-dimensional hearing. With its keen sense of hearing, the barn owl can catch food in total darkness.

Although its name, “barn owl” denotes that it lives in barns, this owl can also be found residing in churches, natural sites, such as caves and tree holes and other buildings.

Owls eat their food whole. They do not have teeth and cannot chew their food. They rip their prey apart and they swallow large chunks whole. This food goes from their mouth to their gizzard. The gizzard uses sand particles, gravel and digestive fluids to grind and dissolve parts of the food that can be digested. After the various parts of the food has been broken down by the owl’s gizzard and intestines, the teeth, claws, bones, fur and other indigestible parts of the owl’s prey are compacted in the owl’s gizzard into a neat mass which is better known as an owl pellet. Baby owl’s do not produce owl pellets until they begin eating their prey whole.

An owl pellet is usually formed after a few hours of eating. This pellet will remain in the body for several hours. The pellet is stored in the proventriculus part of the owl’s body for up to 20 hours. The owl will not be able to eat again until this pellet is disgorged as it blocks the entrance to the digestive system.

Molly at one point was regurgitating an owl pellet. It appeared that she was coughing or choking. The actual process is when the esophagus spasms forcing the owl pellet out. The owl pellet is soft at this point and does not cause the owl any pain. This regurgitation process can take anywhere from a few seconds to two or three minutes.

The barn owl does not build a traditional nest. The female lays 4 to 7 eggs right on the floor, usually among old owl pellets. The eggs will hatch after about 30 days. Molly has been a diligent mother sitting on her eggs. She gets up from time to time to stretch her legs and eat whatever prey McGee has brought to her. Carlos comes on throughout the day and evening giving viewers updates on Molly. He mentioned at one point that he has seen Molly leave the owl house once or twice after dark.

The owlets fledge 7 to 10 weeks after hatching but do not usually leave the area until the are 3 to 5 months old.

The breeding pair may lay a second clutch of eggs after the young leave the area. A barn owl is capable of reproduction at less than a year of age.

Recent studies have shown that males prefer to breed with females with plenty of spots on their thighs. This is a unique feature that indicates a bird’s good health!

I am looking forward to the hatching of the remaining 4 eggs and the development of the owlets. It has been a real joy being allowed to have a “bird’s eye view” of this process. Carlos and Donna are wonderful for putting in all the effort and expense that they have so we can enjoy seeing Mother Nature and God’s creatures in action. If you would like to check in on Molly and her family of owlets please check out http://eCa.sh/KQyk. I hope you will enjoy this as much as my family, friends and I have.

Judy Conway
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Category: Children, family, home, Mother Nature, Uncategorized | Tags: Barn Owl, Bird, CA, Flora and Fauna, Judy Conway, Max, Mother Nature, owlets, San Marcos | 3 Comments

What Does Sacrifice Mean to You?

Author: Judy Conway

•

: Image via Wikipedia

What does the word “sacrifice” conjure up in your mind? What Does Sacrifice Mean to You?

To our military personnel sacrifice is giving up their personal lives to fight for our country. It means leaving spouses, children, family members and friends, and sometimes it means never coming back. That is truly an enormous sacrifice.

The spouses of these individuals are faced with the burdens of maintaining a household and the needs of their children single handed. Although my husband did not go into the military, I was divorced and left to be a single mother for two beautiful daughters. I know first-hand what this entails. It is not an easy task.

It seems recently there has been a lot of mention on TV programs about World War II and those that lost their lives. Mention has been made of all of the medals they won and what heroes they are. But what a void remains in our hearts for those that never returned home.

I was barely born during World War II, but I do remember the Viet Nam War. I remember holding my breath as my husband’s draft number came within two of the cut off. Our daughters were just babies. I lived in fear of losing him.

We do not even have to relate the sacrifice to war. How many people serving our communities as police officers, firemen/women have lost their lives to save the lives of others? Sacrifice is a daily part of our lives.

Another sacrifice that was brought to my mind was those who lost their lives under the cruel rule of Adolph Hitler. Lisa Kudrow was on the TV show, “Who Do You Think You Are”, and traced her ancestors. She learned the fate of those who were stripped of their clothing, executed and pushed into the pit of destruction. Imagine if you were a child who had escaped and were watching this from a distance. The horror of seeing your parents or family members lose their lives in this fashion is incomprehensible for sure. There was a joyful discovery in locating her father’s family members who are still alive. This brought tears of joy to my heart.

We are faced with various degrees of sacrifice in our lives. With the economy the way it is many families have been faced with losing their homes, cars and other possessions just to have money enough to buy food and feed their children.

Single mothers go without food themselves so that they children will have food to eat. Homeless people go without shelter, food, clothing never losing sight of the hope of finding assistance.

As parents we sacrifice our desires to fulfill the needs and wants of our children. These are joyful sacrifices, as far as I am concerned. We are truly blessed to have these children, if only for a short time.

With Easter approaching my thoughts and heart are awakened thinking about the supreme sacrifice that God made for us. Sending his son Jesus to show us the way and then Jesus’ supreme sacrifice of dying on the cross to save us from our sins. I am sure you will agree that Jesus’ sacrifice can never be duplicated. I am forever grateful for Jesus and the cross at Calvary.

As a final thought, I recently heard it said that the greatest gift of love is not what someone is willing to give, but what they are willing to give up …. This is a true sacrifice.

I hope that your sacrifices will be few and your lives absent of want and filled with His many blessings. Ultimately, I hope you will never have to ask, “What Does Sacrifice Mean to Me.”

Judy Conway
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Category: Children, Christian, family, home, Inspirational | Tags: Adolph Hitler, calvary, Children, cross, families, food, friends, God, History, homeless, Jesus, Judy Conway, Lisa Kudrow, militarypersonnel, parents, Police officer, sacrifice, shelter, spouses, Viet Nam War, Who Do You Think You Are?, World War II | Leave a Comment