…for the iphone. Lorraine is still living in the “dark ages.”  She continues to use a “flip phone.”

Truthfully, I rarely use my cell phone and look at the $38.00 per month as a misplaced expense.

Today is National Camera Day and that is something I can celebrate.

I read the article and decided to follow their suggestion:  “To celebrate National Camera Day, snap a picture of something or someone you enjoy and cherish the memory.  Post photos on social media using #NationalCameraDay.” (1) Dig out the tripod; (2) figure out (again) how to set the timer; (3) snap a dozen pictures in hopes of an acceptable image. FYI: This is where I spend most of my time; this is my work area. “Something you enjoy and cherish the memory.”

Last night: Heavy rain, lightening, thunder, power outage!! No TV, no computer. What choice did I have?  Went to bed at 7:56. Wide awake at 2:00 AM; “up” at 3:00. That’s it; I can’t think of anything witty to write about this morning (at 3:04). However, in my mind, I’m drafting an interesting message: Deja Vu. It’s a horror story about “becoming Aunt Irene.” ~~ Now I’m headed for Ancestry.com to right some wrongs. “Genealogy without valid documentation is mythology.”

It’s possible last night’s storm affected my computer’s extension backup? It isn’t working!! Hopefully, I don’t need to explain the inestimable value of “backups” when I’ve spent months building the digitized library. So I worked, and worked, and worked… and have not reestablished recognizable backup files. Maybe they’re “there” but appearance(s) have changed. **I DON’T NEED THIS PROBLEM!!** Furthermore, suddenly, I find I’m supposed to subscribe to use “My Book“ Western Digital extension hard drive. Why now?? Every time I turn around an Internet giant is asking for money. More money for the digitized library website as I add more gigabytes. Renewal here, renewal there!! Too much on my mind?! Gratefully, thankfully, joyfully, I have free WiFi from the CARE Center. Believe me, no Digitized Library, no Three Quarters And Counting, if I was forced to buy from Verizon. (I went the Verizon route briefly!!)

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I got excited about “free” and that was a buffer for “too much on my mind.” (Bufferin?)

Pulling weeds is a “no brainer.”  However, repairing a garden hose requires more strength than I have!! I need a short piece of hose for a second location (and I won’t bore you with the details). Easy enough to cut a section off my one-hundred foot long hose but “the old lady” can’t get new fittings on the raw end(s). Too little strength!! However–“necessity being the mother of invention”–on my stove, I prepared a pan of boiling water. Great idea, don’t you think? Well the soft end folded up like an accordion and I was not able to insert the plastic connection. The pan tipped over and I was almost scalded!!  ALMOST but not quite, praise the Lord. ~~ Old age is such a bummer!!

My day started at six o’clock, pulling weeds. Repeat: “No brainer.”

Overnight, I bleached the fountain. Constantly running water allows the bleach to saturate the areas with algae. This morning, I (hopefully) washed away all the bleach water so the squirrels and birds have fresh water.

Maybe I should stick to computer/scanner/Internet? (It’s 9:30 and “yes,” I’m on the computer and Internet.)

Postscript: It’s almost Independence Day. I’m thinking “bottle tree” again. I want two that are patriotic red, white, and blue. It is almost impossible to find red bottles. My option over these last several months: Red vases from Dollar Tree. I make a point of stopping… each time I’m in Livingston. I buy all their red vases. However, most recent visits, none available. I’m told they carry them for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Yesterday–via the Internet–I ordered forty-eight from Dollar Tree and they will be delivered “free” to the local store. (Likewise, arranging bottles on “branches” is a “no brainer.”)

Because I subscribe to several plant email newsletters, my mailbox is always full of gardening information. Most of the time, I don’t have time to read them. However, this message about Hummingbirds caught my attention. Of the fifteen plants listed, I only have two. Maybe next summer I can add some of these and, hopefully, attract more Hummers. Right now, due to heat and humidity, very few if any, at my feeders. I regularly change the nectar so I’m not serving “fermented” sugar-water. 

“Burn out” at the computer!! It’s a “love / hate” thing!! I actually “love” the computer but I’m weary (hate) the long hours.

This morning I got an early start in my “yarden”–pulling weeds from the rain-soaked soil. Took a couple of pictures today (and adding several from previous days). So today I’m following my heart: Garden, pictures, and a new blog directed toward those interests.

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The Plumerias has exploded with new growth. On the other hand, the little Christmas tree hasn’t grown an inch.

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Second “burn out”: Too hot and humid to remain outdoors.

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Some of you are, no doubt, looking at the title and saying, “Huh? What does hunting have to do with training?” For those of you who are not privileged to be either from the country or the South, the term “chasing rabbits” simply means going off on a tangent—in our case, in a teaching situation.

Are you familiar with the old saying “chasing rabbits“? Sometimes I use that expressions and people are so puzzled. But I’m going to stick with the title–and add a clip art picture.

I have not scanned a single piece of genealogical resource material for several days!! My tangent started so innocently: Add some Studebaker family information to my “tree” on Ancestry.com. An enormous number of individuals have the “Studebaker” surname but they had a “Frantz” mother or grandmother. Hour after hours, I documented “Studebaker” and then it was “Funderburg.” I entered my dear genealogy friend, Alvin K. Funderburg (1916-2014), to my Ancestry tree. Suddenly “Blickenstaff” was interwoven with Frantz, Studebaker, and Funderburg. Soon I had included my dear genealogy friend, Maxine Blickenstaff (1921-2013). They’re gone now but I fondly remember our correspondence. So many dear folks contributed to the book titled Frantz Families–Kith & Kin. (Check it out on the Internet.)

It’s addictive!! Get started documenting names on Ancestry. com and there seems no place to stop!! At the moment, I have 5,705 people documented in the Lorraine Frantz Ancestry.com “tree.” ~~ I’m writing this at 6 o’clock in the morning and I resolve to return to the “bigger” project of scanning and posting to the Digitized Library.

“Tropical Storm Cindy” did not extend to my area (thankfully). Approximately three-quarters inch of rain in the gauge. Seventy-four degrees outdoors; dark and gloomy, still raining lightly (at nine o’clock). No pictures, no lengthy narrative. Yours truly must get back to the computer/scanning project. (No end in sight.)

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There is a very gentle rain as I prepare this message at nine o’clock PM. So gentle I can’t even hear it on the roof. My tree frogs are singing; it is so interesting to hear the chorus. ~~ I put away potential “flying objects.” I hope, and pray, I don’t wake up to damage in my yard (and CARE community).

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On July first, a tree will be planted in that corner. The woman who had the vision to create the CARE Center recently went to her reward. From the time stamp on the pictures, you see I started early. Even at that hour, it was extremely hot and humid!! By 8:16 AM, I was perspiring profusely and was physically sick. I do not recall previously experiencing this type of sickness!! My homespun solution: A shower to cool my body, and “down time” in my recliner. The heat, and humidity, in southeast Texas will be brutal for the next four months!! ~~ “The old gray mare [Lorraine] ain’t what she usetabe.”