Margret Sloan

After hours of surfing the net looking for gift ideas for Mother’s Day, I finally found something unique and special that I can get for my Mom (and Dad gets to enjoy it with her!). Since they recently retired and downsized their home, they don’t need or want any more trinkets or knick knacks, and Mother has a lot of nice jewelry already, so I was desperate for a good idea.

Then I came across the website for www.xperiencedays.com and knew that would be the answer for me. I can purchase a gift certificate for Mom for a Hot Air Balloon Ride and then they can call and schedule the ride at their own convenience. This will be something totally unique for them - even with all their travels and adventures, I know they have never had a hot air balloon ride before and I know she will be thrilled to spend a morning floating over the Shenandoah Valley.

I can’t wait to see her face light up when she opens this gift on Mother’s Day!

Having technical problems today so I did a test here to make sure every thing was right. Here I am doing another test line.

Here is a picture just for fun.

Back in the day, lawn ornaments consisted of concrete birdbaths, plastic pinwheels and a little painted concrete jockey dressed in his red and white silks. On the other side of the tracks you might find a yard with pink flamingos, a row of old tires painted white, and for some, a rusting heap of metal that used to be a vintage automobile but broke down and became a “yard car.”

Well, these days, in my neighborhood, everyone is busy planting fancy shrubs and exotic bushes, sticking solar lights in a row across the front or along the walkway, and sticking a variety of different figures in their yard. The lady next door has a 2 foot concrete monk in a long robe, praying. The guy across the street has 5 plastic Canadian geese decoys, permanently planted in the yard as if they were in a corn field, feeding and gathering for their migration.

I’ve decided to put out a variety of critters, with an emphasis on frogs. I’m just starting my collection - we’ll see what cute little froggies I can find while I’m out shopping these next several weekends.

One of the tortured soul type of musicians that I’ve followed for a long time is Doyle Bramhall. He’s a drummer, a singer and a songwriter and he plays a mixture of rock and blues that grabs your heart and soul.

Doyle’s music career started back in the 60’s with some guys he knew in Texas. That turned into a good time with Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan and years of drug and alcohol abuse.

Somehow out of all those coma years he had a son who has grown into a talent in his own right, now playing with Eric Clapton on tour, and Doyle has a new album out that was nominated for 2008 Grammy award, called “Is It News.”

Hey Doyle - way to go!

Last year our Walgreen’s had a weird message on their street sign, “We Have Chicken Poop.”

The first time I saw the sign, I thought what is up with chicken poop? Is is a new fertilizer for your garden? Is it some sick new dietary supplement?

There was no other advertising, no TV commercials, no ads in the newspaper. I had no idea what was the big deal about chicken poop.

Now, just a year later, there is no longer any chicken poop stocked at any of the local Walgreens. And now I want some.