. I took the chance that
1CatOverTheLine
has been workin' too hard lately to pay me a whole lotta mind...
Furballsmom
--Oh man, you're playing with fire. 
... I wish it would storm here. I need some rain. 
Is that storm coming or going?
Furballsmom
- It's actually just over the river in that shot. In Summer, when Lake Erie is warm, the water from the Lower Niagara is even warmer as it's spread over the three shallow branches, and pressure ridges form over the warm water as it flows into Lake Ontario, pushing storms apart all across the isthmus between the last two Great Lakes. There's a Summer microclimate on the south shore of Lake Ontario much warmer and drier than it is even a mile to the south - inland - and storms often break apart, sometimes raining like mad in the woods at the west end of the back yard, while the east end of the property remains dry, only a thousand yards apart. 
1CatOverTheLine
Happy 600th!!! 
Speaking of micro-climates, I often thought it felt different out back from out front, in the Mojave, as the back was very close to the mountains and the front was close to "the flats" and one could see El Mirage dry lake out to the north. Maybe it was just psychosomatic, but still. Really like your anecdote about the hang gliders! and so all the windows and doors are open. The birds are not fighting in the hedge today, which is a good sign. Yesterday afternoon I thought I might have to send out a cat or two to break things up. 
1CatOverTheLine
That's fascinating - I love weather watching, --thank you for the description, and the bonus photograph! ...gee whiz, and here I thought the weather coming off the Rockies was odd LOL
Furballsmom
--All that weather stuff went right over my head, so I'll just enjoy the pretty pictures. I wish I could get inspired like you guys over the weather. I haven't written a poem since 2005 when my sister-in-law died. I need something to inspire me. Nothing exciting ever happens out here in the boondocks. Hopefully I can move soon.
tarasgirl06
--I'd love to visit California again. I've only been to San Francisco.
I really like that poem from when you were a teenager....ummm, what about cats?
Furballsmom
- Years ago (1985, I believe) there was an Erma Bombeck article in Reader's Digest about, "Hidden Zucchini." One of the paragraphs regarding these behemoths (and how to divest yourself of them once the neighbours had banned you from their property if you showed up with any more zucchini) found lurking under the leaves at the season's end was, "look hard at those zucchini and think sports. Here are a few to consider: Whitewater Squash. One large zucchini will make two canoes. Haul the squash into a clearing and split it with an ax. Hollow out the halves with your adz and set them in the sun to dry. The sport is simple: put your canoe into swift water. If it floats downstream and disappears, you win." "Zucchini Baseball, "Zucchini Skeet," and, "Zucchini Housing Developments" (for the truly enormous ones) were also mentioned.
Somewhere I have a picture from a couple of summers ago; that one really was a baseball bat, in all seriousness.
That's a LOT of squash!
Furballsmom
- When I was a kid, Dad used to just run 'em through the table saw, raw. Today, it's a lot easier - put 'em in the microwave for 2½ to 3 minutes. At that point, they're about one-third cooked - and soft enough to slice in half with any good sharp knife.
Furballsmom
--Thanks, I'm glad you liked the poem. There's no notes written on it saying who it was about, but it was probably exaggerated or even made up, you know teenagers. I haven't written a poem about my cats yet, thanks for the idea. Maybe I'll write one about the changing Seasons too. 
I looooove butternut squash and I have several recipes that use it, so it's pawsitive to learn an easier way to cut them!
I put them back in face down with just a little water then, and nuke 'em three or four more minutes. Then it's just butter and brown sugar, and into the toaster oven they go. When the butter melts, they're ready. Ten minutes well-spent. Mucho pawsitivo - and beats the heck outta paddling a zucchini!
.
ooo, great idea - I've done a super simple version of one once or twice. I'll have to do that again
1CatOverTheLine
, for the great tutuorial on butternut squash. No more wrassling with the sharp knife and the hard-as-a-rock squash skin!
tarasgirl06
--I suppose you're right. I do keep myself out of trouble out here. I love the acoustic guitar! It has the prettiest sound.
Jcatbird
You're one of those lovely people who never takes any credit for being the connecting force in so many situations and an enormously positive influence for so many cats.
1CatOverTheLine
, that is really a good way to easily cook and enjoy the butternut squash. I've heard a lot of my customers remark over the years about the difficulty they have preparing this delicious vegetable (probably one of my favorite vegetables of all) and this is a great preparation method to pass along.
