B is for Bald Eagle.

I had noticed in this area we have been seeing a lot more bald eagles lately. (I live in the Willamette Valley, in Oregon.)  I didn't think much of it, just that is terrific to see them, but hadn't really given a thought to WHY I was seeing so many more.

I was listening to an article, I believe on the radio, mentioning that the Willamette Valley has high sheep rates.  With lots of babies.  That are born in early spring.  For anyone that has been around sheep, they aren't the most hardy of babies, and the weather can be bad on them.

Terminally bad.

But, this is why the eagles are so prevalent.  They have found the lamb mortality to be great for feeding baby eaglets.  This, of course, leads to more eagles, and so on, the old circle of life bit.

While I am saddened for the loss of the lambs, I am so glad that it doesn't go to waste, and that other lives are the better for it.

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Ugh, what a day yesterday.  I had a class, on Child Abuse Prevention.  While it is an important topic, I wasn't doing really well by the end.  I mostly did it because it will be one more thing I will have information on to assist in my Neighborhood Watch duties.  It was a tear-jerker in several spots, anger inducing in others.  But, it was a good turnout, and a vibrant bunch of people, so hopes that it will do well.

Tell you what though, one problem I had was the CHAIRS.  I don't know why, but it seems like the general use chairs make me ache by the time I am done...  The fact it was multiple hours parked with no breaks didn't help.

The lunch was good, mixed greens salad and wraps...  And now, on to the next thing.  Whatever said thing will be...

B is for...

Bags.

I love containers.  Baskets are fun, buckets are essential (especially when feeding), but I love bags.

Am I referred to as the Bag Lady? Yes, indeed, and at oh, about 40 or more, weeellll...  Ahem.

As you can see by the picture, I have a variety.  Mom, (one of my enablers), made me a feed bag bag, which is on the left.  This has led to several others.  I have one that is a cat food bag, the poor clerk asked why the bag was open.  I couldn't help it, I shrugged, then said I was snacking while I was in the store.

I think she was ready to call security.

Mom also made me a couple "hippie" bags (one on the right).  I like it for my knitting, also, it doubles as a pillow...

Bags can make for interesting conversation.  The center bag reads "Notorious Knitters World Domination Tour".  When your 90+ year old grandmother reads this, there is LOTS of conversation!  The feed bags have led to discussions on crafting, animals, and family.

Other bags have led to conversations on what's "old", conservation, strength, weight, and brand loyalty.  (Do NOT get me started about using brand X bag at brand Y store!  The blasted money is green, so shush!)

I guess bags are my method of keeping my 'stuff' handy, but they've turned out to be a great way for me to talk to people, have fun, and attempt to keep organized.

Pretty good for a bag, huh?

B. Bowls

The 4 on the left are a set of bowls that my Grandma used, and was given to me after she died.  The red bowl on the right is one I picked up at a garage sale, it had hardly been used, so you can see the difference in color...

The Yellow bowl is our potato salad bowl.  Grandma used it for that, and now I do.  It holds a LOT of apples when I am making applesauce, as well.  

The Green bowl is the oddball bowl.  I used it for apple peelings this year, but it's nearly pristine.  I think it's because it's too big for most jobs, but not big enough for things like... potato salad.  It is a pretty bowl, however.

The Red bowl is the do-all bowl.  Leftovers, mixing cornbread, holding messy food, some soup makings, it runs the gamut.  I know Grandma used to make her chicken flour mixture in this bowl.  (Can you tell what kind of food our family does? Cornbread, fried chicken, potato salad? Heh...)  

The Blue bowl didn't seem to get a lot of use, but I have found it's terrific for making sandwich spread.  Eggs, mayo, relish, ta da, lunch fixin's.  (Or tuna.  Husband likes tuna a lot...)

And here is the "nesting" picture of the bowls.  I found out you can't put two bowls of the same size in the nest, they want to stick when you try to get them back out!  OOPS!  So, the other little red bowl sits beside.

I have no idea if these bowls are even very valuable, I wouldn't sell them, anyway, there is too much family history for me in them.  But I thought they would be a simple, pretty blog for today.

(Oh, and when you are writing your blog list ideas, the word is "BOWLS", not "BOWELS".  Husband was really curious what I was going to blog about on THAT topic...) sheesh...

B. Blooms, blossoms, beans, and... Blarney?

I have travelled more in the last week or two than I think I have in the last several MONTHS.  I went to Aurora, Oregon, for an event called "Gardenpalooza", and though it was about a 2 hour drive, it was so pretty.  I had wanted to see this, as I had heard about it for some time, but had always had other commitments on the day it was held.  I fought it out with the Universe, and managed to win this round.  I walked my feet off today, there was flowers, there were garden tools, there were trees, there was host of the show Garden Time, Willam McClenathan and Judy Alleruzzo.  (Which while it won't mean a darn thing to people outside the local area, I thought were pretty neat folks!)

This is the picture I got of them, after Willam had mentioned something about going out to have a smoke, and Mom made the comment that I'd mentioned the name sounded like a hippie gathering, so what was he going to smoke?  He did assure us it was Marlboro's...

I didn't take many pictures, but here is a little sample of some of the pretty things...

Mom and I talked about several of the items, and decided that a whole lot of them must have been forced, so they could have them blooming, as a lot of them were waaay early for this time of year.  Daffodils, yes. Roses?  Not that I know of...

And for any that were confused by yesterday's blog link, or couldn't get it to work for whatever reason...  It was a video of Rick Astley, and it is a play on a computer joke, being "Rick Rolled".  That's about as thrill packed as my jokes get, sometimes.  I really wish I had thought of Louise's idea.  Horse stall, apples.  I tip my hat, that would have been great! 

So, I am going to go rest my feet now.  Oh, and I am going to have to explain to Husband about the finer points of dried beans.  I was going to make bean soup.  He said that I should just wait until I got home.  Ahem.  Anyone else have no desire to eat pea gravel?  I also didn't want to make dinner AFTER returning home...  Poor guy, he just doesn't know the finer points of cooking things, on occasion.  Of course, this is the man that told me that the recipe for cheese soup is  to melt Velveeta. (Yes, I do the majority of the cooking, why do you ask?)

(He was a bachelor for quite a while...)