Early Voting in NC - Death Panels?

Folks,

I was a Democratic greeter for 2 hours yesterday at an early voting location in a Republican area of our county. I usually spent most of my time in Durham and Chapel Hill which is 80% or so Democratic. So I'm in a Democratic bubble so to speak. We have 5 early voting locations in Orange County(100 counties in the state), this one being the most remote, I was voter 1275 at this location.

I have a question for you and I do not intend to offend any of you. I feel everyone is entitled to there opinions. One of the Republican greeters had the entire back window of his truck with a sign saying "With Obamacare I'm a Dead man". I inquired politely as possible about the sign. Angrily he replied that he'd had his chest cut open and dozens of surgeries and complications  and with Obamacare the death panel would mean the end of him. That 15 men would decide his fate, do any of you believe this fantasy? The other two greeters seemed to agree with him on his stance about Obamacare.

 Another big question I have is how can the local Republicans let this man work as a greeter and not inform him that death panels are an out right falsehood.

Explained to him that Obamacare has lifted his cap on insurance monetary limits and pre existing conditions. But he dis claimed all that I told him. Later he came over and thanked us for coming out and we shook hands.

Sorry to go off topic here, with trying to understand this.

Fall Camellias & Puffballs

Today it is a perfect fall day, leaves falling and overcast. The overcast is due to Hurricane Sandy I think. Was checking the hellebores and found lots of masses of edible mushrooms Pear-shaped Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme) under the dying hickory tree in the hellebore garden. No I'm not going to eat them, though I am tempted. Went to get the camera and found two lovely camellias in bloom.

  Camellia sasanqua 'Pink Butterfly'  This is one of my all time favorite camellias, at Duke Gardens they have two of the near the pond they are 4 ft around and 12 ft tall. Planted in our garden last fall.

 Camellia sasanqua 'Pink Butterfly'

  Camellia sasanqua  'Moon Festival'

  Camellia sasanqua  'Moon Festival' with a Clouded Skipper butterfly!

 Camellia sasanqua  'Moon Festival' Planted in our garden last fall, we bought this in Wilmington last fall.

Pear-shaped Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme)

 Don't call me cross-eyed!! Here is Manny, he was helping me in the yard with the mushrooms.

 Manny is a Red Point or Flame Point  Siamese cat. When he is bad I call him Manfred. He loves getting on counter tops in the kitchen and scratches the glass doors while standing on his hind legs when he want out or in. Yes we have a pet door Manny, get with the program will you!

That's it for today. I'm going to early vote. And I'm going to be a greeter for the democrats. Please don't forget to vote no matter who you choose.

Homemade Parade part 2

As promised more photos from the Homemade Parade in Hillsborough, NC.

The ice queen?

More of the five-lined skink.

I really liked the blue winged women.

This face was 6 foot tall or so, huge!

Lots of drummer at the parade, really enjoyed watching and listening to them.

Kissing frogs!

Handmade Parade 2012

Yesterday I just happened into the Homemade Parade in Hillsborough, NC. Meg and I were at the second Handmade Parade in 2009, see my blog post. Meg was visiting with her Mom and got there just in time for the parade with a back up camera, I did not have my camera with me.

This heron was as wide as the entire road!

 The Five-lined Skink was my personal favorite this year!

 Lots of kids had their handmade costumes.

The parade seemed to be about twice as big as the Homemade Parade was in 2009. Sure wish I could keep up with stuff like this so I never miss it.

Thanks to Meg for saving the day and bringing the camera! I have more photos if you would like to see more?

Last Posting Perhaps.....

Today the Safron Crocuses were showing their stuff. See the red threads, the spice of the gods.

Anyone else loose all their stats on blogger? As of right now I have nearly 400 posts over 5000 comments and just 68 visitors in all time history. OK now they are returning.

Fall at Mabry Mill

Two years ago on my way back from Ohio I stopped at Mabry Mill in Virginia and took some photos. The mill is about 100 years old and 5 minutes out of the way on our way home. Meg had never seen it so I took her there yesterday as we returned home. It was chilly, my hands were nearly frozen taking these photos.

This place is a huge photographers stop as it makes great landscapes. Funny people have sold post cards stating it was in Iowa and Connecticut. Take it from me it is in southern Virginia.

As you can see the leaves are coming down and it looks like fall already. Felt like winter the past few days.

Finally the Dainty Sulphur

Folks,
Reporting from Ohio. Meg and I did a little butterfly watching on the way to Cincinnati today. I found a Dainty Sulphur in Adams County Ohio and Meg found one in Clermont County Ohio. I read that up until 1999 Dainty Sulphurs  had not been found in good numbers for 68 years. I read at Jim McCormac's blog Dainty Sulphurs have been seen a lot in Ohio during 2012. Jim's blog post from August and July tells of many of these rare butterflies have been showing up in Ohio, our sightings still could be county records.

 Dainty Sulphur, Nathalis iole from Adams County, Ohio on October 5, 2012. Just so you know these little butterflies are about the size of a dime, very small and low flying.

This  Dainty Sulphur, Nathalis iole  Clermont County, Ohio October 5, 2012. Meg found while talking on her phone to her mother. She was jumping up and down pointing at it to get my attention. I managed to get this back lit close up photo from one inch away!



It took a lot of chasing and waiting to get both of these photos, this last one I set the camera to focus at one inch and nailed it.

We also saw an Ocola Skipper in Clermont County Ohio, which could be an even better record than the Dainty Sulphurs. No way did it pose for my point and shoot camera. OK so I just found a recent county record for Clermont County, Ohio September 29, 2012.

Bottle Flowers from Kure Beach

We spent the weekend in Wilmington and did a little exploring and looking for butterflies and fun gardens. You might recall the bottle flowers I took photos of in Durham back in February. For some reason those crazy Pinterest people have turned my bottle flowers posts into my top post having had 7100 visitors since February 2012. For the life of me I can not comprehend why people would have photos by others as the focus of there personal web sites.

 We found another bottle flower around the corner from these in another yard, so maybe someone is selling them.

These seem to be made fairly simple, looks like a 7 or 8 inch PVC sewer pipe with bolts set in it to hold the bottles by their corks. If this is PVC pipe I don't think the bolts or screws will stay firmly mounted a long time. The stem looks to be a section of steel pipe that is bolted to the red ring. If these rings are made from steel and bolts might hold the bottles a very long time.