Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Here's another live cam for you to enjoy. A mother Bald Eagle with chicks.

Stream videos at Ustream

Monday, March 29, 2010

this is the now time video seccions of a barn owl in the next box with the chicks...It is great stuff

Live streaming video by Ustream


www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

is their homepage, where you can comment and see other shots.

Friday, March 26, 2010

This is from a friend of everyone here at Lookout, that's representing our Women's Hang gliding team this year at the World competition. I've bought a couple of shirts trying to help out, and that's all that I can do. Except,,post this here for a cry for help for her. Do what you can,, the shirts look really good. Guys,,,the girls shirts will look great on your lady friend !!! Highly suggest it for your enjoyment & theirs,lol.


Hi, I'm Linda Salamone and I am the entire US Women's Hang Gliding Team for 2010. The Women's World Championship is in Tegelberg, Germany this year- May 8th through May 22nd. Here is the website:

http://www.wmtegelberg2010.de/typo/

My budget is just over $4300. This is the main reason I am alone representing the United States. Not too many people can take unpaid leave from work after exhausting all vacation and digging into their non-existant personal funds to go. Some of you may have already purchased a T-shirt, and a few (awesome) people have simply donated some money to help offset some of my expenses. The Foundation for Free Flight has granted my registration fees, and USHPA has provided some free advertising for my fundraiser T-shirts. I don't really have a lot of creative ideas about how to raise funds besides selling some pretty awesome T-shirts, and in the past, it was pretty successful. This time around, however, I have just this week broken even on what I spent on producing the shirts. I do have a few opportunities coming up at the demo days and the comps in Florida to sell some more, but I'm beginning to panic and I'm certain I'll have to take out a personal loan to make this event happen. I know a lot of people are cutting back on non-essential expenditures, and I get that, but if you're not in a horrible financial mess like a lot of people are, please take a look at this page and see if you might want a shirt- for you, or your wife, or your teenage daughter (the girly camis are super cute- plus when is there a time when you can buy your S/O something hang gliding related at all???). There are some on display and sale at Quest and at Lookout Mountain, too.

http://www.rochesterareaflyers.com/GOTTAFLY.html

It would be great to not have a HUGE box of shirts to haul around until I actually leave for Germany.
Also, if there are any business owners or entrepreneurs that would like exposure in the Bavarian Alps, I'm willing to advertise on my glider/face/chest/butt (half kidding) and I've been told by Corinna that this is likely to be a media circus. So any potential sponsors out there-let me know.
Help me keep the US Women's Team viable, this year and in the years to come.
This shameless post was incredible difficult to send. But I'll only apologize to the HPAC group... they're Canadians...
Thanks for reading this whole thing.
Linda Salamone

gottafly@frontiernet.net

www.gottafly.blogspot.com

Thursday, March 25, 2010

A couple of pics from my work days in Memphis area.
This was the sunrise Wedsneday morning.


This was the entrance to a community in Collierville. The cops in that area are great, and many ! So, keep your speed down !

Sunday, March 21, 2010

These pictures are to wish my friend, Ann a happy birthday. Thanks for a good time.
Barry and Ann

There was a great sunset to end the day

Wishing you many more happy ones to come !

Friday, March 19, 2010

Guess where I was working last night. Didn't even have the desire to go in and check them out. Progress rather than perfection !



On my way home, I was amazed by these two turkeys. They were as close to being tame, as I have ever seen.
I practically walked up to them. Makes me think that someone around there was feeding, or raising them.
I finally had to chase them away from the street. I admit, I "briefly" thought about bringing them home with me as,, mmm,, pets??? lol When the feeling passed, I chased them to safety.

The sunset tonight was pretty. I was expecting it to do something spectacular, the way the clouds were formed, but, alas,,,, just a pretty one. I'll take it, and be thankful for the sunshine we got to enjoy today.

Tomorrow is shaping up to be the nicest day of the year, thus far. It may be a fly day also ! I'm missing my jeep, big time . Hopefully, it will be ready next week.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Tom was in town this weekend. It was really good seeing him, and finding out just how good is actually doing. He looked Great,,,,for Tom that is, lol.

I hope that the Dr.s find a cure for this disease. It has taken too much life from people, and taken many lives before their time !

Monday, March 08, 2010

Nancy had a birthday party, and every hang gliding pilot within 200 miles showed up, it seems. It's been a long, long, cold winter, and with spring just around the corner, everyone was itching to get together for any reason.

The only way more people would have showed up Saturday night,,would have been if there had been a keg of beer, lol.




Everyone is getting excited about our drought almost being over.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

This song is so well done, with so much feelings, it just moves my spirit. I don't know all the words, nor do I think it really matters. It's about the music. Do we always understand Opera? No,, can you listen to it, and feel it, feel the emotion,, feel what the composer is trying to relay to the listener,,,who ever it may be? This one allows me to travel, feel, soar, fly,weep, smile,,,,to love.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

I'm in Laurel, Mississippi tonight due to the fact that all the cell towers didn't pass phase 2, and the work that needs to be done on them will have to be done by the night crew and tested tomorrow.
I just had an eye opening experience, that don't set well with me. Mainly, because of my ego, pride, or just call it what you will.
I left my hotel room on a quest to find something to eat for supper. The last time that I was here, I remembered eating at the Western Sizzler, and it was okay for some relatively inexpensive food, and it's all you can eat at the buffet. So, I come beeboppin' in, told the attractive young lady taking the money that I would have the buffet and a sweet tea. Tax and all was just over $8. I thought that was a dang good price for supper, especially when a big mac combo was almost that much, and went on in the dining area. I noticed right off that the place was pretty crowded, and that to me, that's a good sign. When the locals frequent an establishment, then most of the time, the food is good. I noticed something else. Most of the people in there reminded me of my Grandparents, or what grandparents are suppose to look like. Walkers, white hair, silver hair, sweat pants, ball caps, hearing aids, etc.... I found myself a table a little to the back, since I really enjoy watching people, so I could enjoy my meal, and have some entertainment as well. I like to imagine where people are from, what their lives had been like, what they had done for a vocation, etc....
This young lady approaches me, and asks what I would like to drink, and I tell her. Then, I said something to the effect of it being Geritol night?? Without a beat, she looked at my ticket and said, '" You got the Senior Discount, also Sir", smiled and went off to get my tea. I stood there, probably with my mouth hanging open at what she had just said.
O M G,,, my secret is out. Does everyone on the planet know I'm over 50???? Does AARP call everyone to let them know this kind of information??? My insides wanted to yell out,,,,But, I don't feel 50,,, why is this happening so soon?? I know life is like a roll of toilet paper, get faster the closer to the end, but come on. I didn't know if I should be offended, or flattered, or what.
So, I did the only thing that I could do,,,Sat down, ate supper, and was thankful for the $4 off of my meal. Just had to call my Dad,,,,He just laughed at me, told me to save my receipt, frame it as my first Senior Citizen's discount. My Dad's kind of brutal sometimes.
What I took away from this, more than anything, is a passage from the Bible. Judge not,,,lest ye be judged. I'm just learning all kind of lessons on this trip ! argg

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Today was a very trying day for me. I got up early this morning, for me that is, at about 8:30am. I'm having real trouble sleeping now days. Yet I digress. I woke up to a winter wonderland, again. I had about 5 inches on the deck when I got up, and it was still coming down hard. My neighbor told me later that when it stopped snowing,,he measured it at 7 inches total for about 12 hours worth.
I had to head out to Mississippi, for work on Weds., so I headed out early. The roads were in great shape. The temp was over freezing, and I didn't encounter any slicks spots on the pavement(kinda slick in the ditch,tho). As I descended in altitude, the snow cover dissipated significantly. Road was totally clear. I was coming around the last sharp curve which is heading away from the mountain, and I see a long Fed-Ex truck leaving a house. It went the entire length of the drive way, and they never stopped or even looked out the passenger window. I was watching for the look, and the brake action,,,,it never came.

The drive way was right across from the mailboxes. I was very proud that I missed them. The driver pulled out and almost stopped, I can only surmise that she saw me in her rear view mirror and that I was heading in the ditch. She stopped where I did.
I was able to see another example of how people's thought patterns, and their essence are portrayed today. I'm not talking about all people's characters,, just this person's example.
When I was able to get out of my jeep, I didn't say anything at first, I was just shaking my head. She had gotten out of her vehicle, hands together checking on me. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't see you. Are you okay?" I told her that I was fine, and asked about her. I then called 911, for real and not a test call, and gave them the information. The cops show up, get out of the car and they joking asked what happened. I jokingly said," just got run off the road". At this point, not 10 minutes later,, things started to change.
The lady has time to reflect on her situation, and in the company truck, loss of job, time,,,income,,etc... I'm sure that's what cause her to start in saying,, "I didn't run you off the road, etc.." I didn't say anything. I was just waiting on the State Police which was going to have to do the paperwork on the accident, I was told. The State Trooper showed up, and she made a beeline straight for him to give him her side of the story. When finished, he came over to me, and I said, she pulled out, didn't look, and you can see what happened. At which point, he went back to the cruiser to do his paperwork.
He came out, gave us our credentials, and told her to sign her citation for failure to yield. She started jumping up and down spouting off how this and that,,,until he told her to shut up, sign the paper,,, tracks in the snow doesn't lie. At which point,, she just signed and left me to my wreck & wrecker. I was told by David, at Collision repair in Trenton,,that the cost of repairs is going to be well over $4,000. I have a $1,000 deductable, to be able to afford the insurance, and they only pay 80% after that,,,so not a good situation.
There was a split second that I thought about plowing into the truck, out of anger, but then thought better of it,plus my luck, I would wind up in the hospital or worse, and thought I could pull off one of those Hollywood stunts --in and out of the ditch---flip her off, and continue with my day. As you can tell from the pictures,,,I'm not a stuntman from Hollywood. I just thought it was the correct action at the time. Just about halfway thru the ride in the ditch, the left side of the jeep got light, felt like it was coming up, and about to roll over. I believe, and like to think, that my Guardian Angels were on duty, and had a helping hand when it was needed. Also, they may have had a hand in making that woman stopped when it happened. Because, if she didn't it, it would have been tough to prove, my word - against hers. For I firmly believe, if she would have had time to think about it,,,,,she never would have. Lesson learned. PTL !