| Welcome to VacaChat |
| Where Vriends Gather |
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| VacaChat News | Vriends News | Zorro's Corner | Recommended Watching | Fun Stuff | Newsletter Archives | Vaca Shopping |
May 10, 2015
More graphics and buttons, courtesy of VacaDude, coming soon!
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| Broadcast Schedule |
Channel Links |
Important News |
| Broadcast Schedule |
| Today!!! Sunday, May 10, 2015 |
| 3 PM PST/6 PM PST |
| No Story Writing We'll write again on June 7 |
| 6 PM PST/9 PM EST |
| VacaChat Broadcast.
Zorro will read the story written today and the Dude has a special Mother's Day broadcast planned. |
| Upcoming!!! Sunday, May 10, 2015 |
| 3 PM PST/6 PM PST |
| No Story Writing We'll write again on June 7. |
| 6 PM PST/9 PM EST |
| No VacaChat Broadcast.
The chatroom will be open at 6:00 PM PST (9:00 PM EST; 8:00 PM CST) |
| Channel Links |
| Channel Links |
| The pop-out chat link still uses the old style chat.
If you do not like the changes Ustream has made to chat, use the pop-out
link. The easiest way to do this is to open the pop-out chat in a browser window. Log in. (Type a period in the chat line—hit enter. This will open the login screen.) Size this chat window to equal about 1/3 of your desktop space. Then open a new window or tab (Ctrl-T or Ctrl-N in most browsers) and use it to open the pop-out video. If you opened a new tab, you can then click on the tab and drag it to an open space on your desktop. Size it to about 2/3 of your desktop space beside the chat. Now you have both open and can refresh one without disturbing the other. You can resize either without resizing the other. I hope this helps. |
| VacaChannel |
| http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vacadude |
| Pop-Out |
| If you want to view the chat or video in pop-out screens, use the links below. Some find that this places less stress on their computer and/or its memory. |
| Video: http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/vacadude |
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| If you use the pop-out links, it is recommended that you open two browser windows. That way, if one needs to be refreshed, the other is not affected. |
| Important News |
| Our Furred, Feathered, and Scaled Babies |
| We will soon have a new feature on the VacaNews
website. Send us pictures of you and your pets. We'll have a page
featuring all our animal family members. Send them to
vacachatb@gmail.com. Make sure
you include your chat name and your pet's name. You can also include
your real name and location if you want to. I've only gotten photos from a few people. (The new page will be posted soon—just waiting on some graphics from TheDude.) Surely more chatters have pets that they'd like to show to the world! |
| It's REALLY Gonna Happen |
| The 5th Anniversary International MOD Meet!!! It has been confirmed! Carlos and Donna will be attending. http://www.modmeet.com/ |
| VacaChat Broadcast Changes |
| February's story writing and broadcast will be delayed until February 8 due to the Super Bowl (and Puppy Bowl) on February 1. |
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Chatter News |
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| A Note from the Dude | Chatter News |
Prayer Requests |
Vaca Blog |
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| Hello Vriends, | ||
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A very happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! (And
yes, of course--furkids count too!)
I am sitting here on this warm and breezy morning, with the sound of the 3D printer buzzing melodically over on top of the filing cabinet. Yes, it finally arrived on Wednesday of this week--right when I was in the midst of a huge deadline. So I got it set up on Thursday and have been running prints on it ever since. I have had to learn to be able to work and concentrate with the sound of the printer--it's to the point where I hardly even hear it anymore. The printing functionality is nearly identical to the first printer I got loaned in February. [This printer is the AiO, which stands for All-In-One. It is the daVinci printer--just like the first printer I used--but with some lasers and other hardware crammed into it for the purpose of scanning 3D objects.] I finally got a chance to try the 3D Scanning functionality yesterday. My overall impression of it is that it is...limited. It can only handle objects of a certain size range, light in color, and not too many concave surfaces. That kind of limits things. So for the most part, I will be using this machine primarily for the printing of stuff. It was a busy week, but also a fun week--I have a few things to announce in the chat tonight. One of those things is my winning a space contest! I was pretty stoked about that. I'll get into the details tonight. So that's about it for me, really. The week saw the completion of a couple of big work projects, and the one for the Quaker school should be starting up next week sometime. Aside from that, I'm just continuing on with my education about 3D printing, and getting my little workshop set up for the mass-production (on a limited scale) of resin figurines! (And basically printing everything I need to for facilitating that.) Take care, everyone, and hope to see you tonight! (I hope Ustream is going to cooperate...) |
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| Cheers, VacaDude | ||
| Chatter News |
| Sharoot | Sharoot's featured pictures can be found
at the end of each newsletter, under Photos of the
Week. She says that since they are located at the end, then "Sharoot's
the Caboose!" Today Sharoot shares pictures of another beautiful migrating couple to the Coughlin Birdie Bistro Cafe. She has also shared more about her Harris's Sparrow that visited a few months ago. You can read about that here. |
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| Elsalynda | Elsalynda's latest column entitled Nature in the
City: Enjoying a Waltham Miracle, is available online here: http://waltham.wickedlocal.com/article/20150504/NEWS/150508935 Elsa also tells us that she has had a poem selected for publication. She says she is very excited to be a part of this book and feels like a poet in good company, with known authors. Her poem on Great Horned Owls has a page with a beautiful photo opposite. Her writing group helped her with this piece. The book, Secrets of Wisdom by Joyce Gerrish, is now available at Amazon. |
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| We'd love to include more news of VacaChatters. If you have something you'd like to share (something about you or your family) or if you know of exciting news about another chatter that they're just too shy to share, please send it to us! (We won’t run it without that chatter’s permission, however.) | |||
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| KSBorn | Does anyone have an update? KSBorn was in regression for lymphoma and breast cancer. It has since returned and she's going for Chemo now. She and her doctors are attacking it vigorously and she needs our prayers. She needs our prayers for healing, for the Lord to guide her doctors, and for the peace and strength as she undergoes the treatment. | ||
| VacaDude and his cousin, Kevin | UPDATE: WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!! "Our family got some news this last week from my cousin Kevin, and it was wonderful: the latest tests show that he is in full remission!! So I'd like to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers; it meant a lot to me and to Kevin. If you could extend a few of those prayers to his mother Irene, I would really appreciate it. In a cruel twist of fate, Kevin's mom was diagnosed with lymphoma--very similar to Kevin's--that was located in her abdomen. Last I heard, she was responding well to the chemo. Apparently it made for some lively chemo treatment sessions--mother and son in together! They have always been a fun family, and I really hope Irene pulls through as well." | ||
| TheDaddyBird, | TDB is home! He is doing great! All the
doctors and nurses are thrilled and amazed at his progress. (One doc
said TDB will be their new poster boy.) He's still got a ways to go in
his recovery, but being home is helping a lot. CC has appointed herself his personal home health nurse. I am VERY proud of her. Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and well wishes. I saved every email and message to show to him when he came home. He's not made it through all of them yet, but he is so very overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and care. |
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| Marilyn Crabb | UPDATE:
Hi! I survived six months of chemotherapy. I'll have my breast
tumor and left axillary nodes removed on Friday, Feb. 13. Radiation will
be next. Please pray that the surgeon does a good job and all my cancer
is removed! My screen name was/is MarilynLA on UStream. (Marilyn from Los Angeles) |
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| Littleguys | UPDATE: Littleguys', aka Carlynne's, recovery has gone well. She sends her apologies for missing VacaChat but Ustream won't allow her to chat...or even see chat. She gets to post in MollyMovieNight on Fridays in Ustream, but that uses the Social Stream part of Ustream. And occasionally she posts in the Social Stream part of VacaChat, just to say hi. So we may not see her, but she does think of us. | ||
| Caboval | Joey has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Please keep Caboval in your prayers. | ||
| Elsalynda | Keep Elsalynda in your prayers as she struggles with health, computer and weather related issues. | ||
| GentleDoe | We received this from GentleDoe last week. VacaFamily, My sister has evicted me from my home that my parents & I purchased together. My sister has gotten POA for my father & is now trying to get POA over my mother. I have been with & caring for my mother since the day dad had his stroke. Pray that I will be able to get a good attorney to fight for my mother & myself. My sister is claiming I stole a substantial amount of money & contesting my POA for my mother. I've come to Maryland for job interviews so that I can fight these legal battles & can find a new home. Hopefully I will get a job that I can work remotely. If anyone is in the Maryland area and would like to meet for coffee or something, contact her. For now I need a couple of people to take in my birds temporarily until I can find us a new home. I just can't give up my birds. They are my only family when my parents are gone. Tory has been with me since he was 6 months old & has been with me for almost 20 years. I have 5 birds total: 1 Moluccan cockatoo, 1 sulfur-crested cockatoo, 1 red-front macaw, 1 blue throat macaw & 1 Quaker parrot/parakeet. They are the loves of my life & I just don't think I can take losing them too. I only want this to be temporary & will pay for their food & care. The macaws would be best together in a home but in separate cages. If anyone can help me I can tell them more about each bird. (jan.sc.05@gmail.com) Please keep me & mom in much prayer. This has been an extremely difficult time for her. I'm having some health problems but I have to keep fighting for my mom, my avian/rabbit family & my own life. Thank you (hoot), my VacaFamily! Please keep us in prayer for this to be over soon & a big victory for mom & me. Hugs, GentleDoe |
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| Shari in Memphis | Has anyone gotten any updates from Shari? | ||
| Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for owl our wonderful VacaFamily members! If you have any prayer requests, updates or news of answered prayers, please let us know. Email us with the information so it can be included in the next newsletter. | |||
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Check out VacaDude's blog! Don't forget to send VacaDude your comments to let him know how much you appreciate him, his time & his talent! |
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| http://vacadude.wordpress.com/ |
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| A
Message from Zorro |
StoryTime News |
StoryTime Archives |
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| Recipe of the Week |
| A Message from Zorro |
| Hello there, Everbuddy! | ||
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Zorro the Mouse here. Well, the 3D Printer thingie
finally arrived this week. Yay!! I was so looking
forward to be the guinea pig for the 3D scanning part of
it. I asked the Dude if he needed an actual guinea pig,
because I could have asked my cousin Ricky to come over,
but the Dude said I would do just fine. Well, I kinda
wish I could have deferred that to Ricky, cuz it was not
exactly a comfortable experience. First, I had to
scrunch way down (because I'm apparently rather large
for a mouse) and hold perfectly still for almost seven
minutes. That's really difficult for me! Then these
bright red lasers come on and shoot all over your
body--man, that was bright! I have to say, I was pretty
skeered!
And then the results came out. Let's just say that I hope I don't actually look like that--it is like something out of a nightmare!! Oh well, the Dude says he is pleased anyway, because he can still use the results. So the vapor chamber/mouse apartment is almost finished. All it needs is a few more items, and then I can move my stuff in. I can hardly wait! Of course, I'll have to move out every time the Dude wants to give his printed pieces a bath, but luckily for me I pack lightly. Well, I hope to see you all at the chat tonight, as I get to read the StoryTime that was written last week--our Cinco de Mayo celebration! Happy Mother's Day, y'all!! |
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| Yours Most Whiskerly, Zorro |
| StoryTime News |
| Next StoryTime | Sunday, June 7 3:00 PM PST/6:00 PM EST |
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| Title | TBA | ||
| Invitation | We need story writers! Please consider dropping in and checking out the fun we have writing the stories. Honestly, it's not at all difficult to join in and you'll surely be glad you did. | ||
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If anyone wants to request a recipe or a recipe category, just email me.
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CC's Nacho Bean Soup This is actually CC's recipe all the way. While TDB was in rehab, I had had a horrible day, dealing with nurses and administrators and insurance, etc. etc. etc. try to get him the proper care for his recovery. By that evening, I was totally mentally and physically exhausted. CC told me not to worry—she would make dinner. I was really expecting Brown 'n' Serve sausage and toaster waffles (her specialty) but she decided to make something "different." I give it to you as she told it to me. |
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| Ingredients | |||
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1 pound burger
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| Directions | |||
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Put the burger in a big bowl. Add the onions after Momma chops them.
Cook it in the microwave until it's all brown and there's no more pink
in it. Dump in a can of refried beans and a big can of pinto beans. I guess you could use black beans if you wanted to. Moosh it all together, mashing about half the pinto beans with a fork. Then dump in the chilis and tomatoes. I drained them because it's hotter if you leave the juice in. Leave it in if you want to. Moosh all that around and then stir in the cheese. I used Velveeta because it's easier but Momma says it would be really good with sharp Cheddar cheese too. Stir in the seasoning. Put the bowl in the microwave and heat it all up, stirring it every couple of minutes. When the cheese is all melty and the soup is real hot, put it in bowls and put some sour cream, chopped cheese and green onions on top to make it look pretty. |
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Super-Easy Slow Cooker Roast This is a recipe from my brother Dan. He says it works with just about any kind of roast and he thinks it would work with chops, ribs or even chicken, although he's not tried that yet. |
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| Ingredients: | |||
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1 large beef or pork roast 1 pound bacon (optional) 2 large onions 2 packets Ranch dressing mix 2 packets Italian dressing mix 2 packets gravy mix (brown or pork or whatever) Water |
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| Ingredients: | |||
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Place the roast in the slow cooker. If you'd like, you can wrap it with
bacon before you place in the slow cooker. Arrange onions (cut into
large chunks) around the roast. Combine the dressing and gravy mixes with a cup or two of water. Pour over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. We usually turn it on before bedtime and let it cook all night. In the morning, place the crock with the meat and onions in it in the refrigerator. Let it chill for several hours. Before serving, remove any solidified fat from the surface. Slice or pull (shred) the meat and heat in the microwave. Add some of the juice if making pulled meat sandwiches. Stir a little cornstarch mixed with a little water into the remaining juices and heat until thick to make a wonderful gravy. |
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| Owl Cams |
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Other Nature Cams | Video Picks of the Week | Inspiration | ||||||
| Other Bird Cams |
| Owl Cams |
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| Puffins | |||||
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Shetland Islands Puffins | http://www.shetland.org/puffincam/ | |||
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Sea Island, Maine |
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/puffin-burrow-cam | |||
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Sea Island, Maine |
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/puffin-loafing-ledge-cam These pages also contain links to numerous other nature cams. |
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| Eagles | |||||
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Southwest Florida Eagles
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi6DdvVbbi8 | |||
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Black Eagle |
http://www.africam.com/wildlife/black_eagle_webcam | |||
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Decorah Eagles |
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles | |||
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Berry College Eagle Cam |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/berry-eagle-cam | |||
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http://www.pixcontroller.com/eagles/index.htm | ||||
| Peregrine Falcons | |||||
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PA Falcon Cam |
http://www.pacast.com/players/falcon.asp | |||
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Commerce Tower Peregrines |
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/wildlife-cameras/peregrine-falcon-web-camera Cam not live now but should be returning soon. |
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Pitt Peregrine Falcon |
http://www.aviary.org/PF-NestCam1 | |||
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Gulf Tower Peregrine Falcon |
http://www.aviary.org/PF-NestCam2 | |||
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Emily
Falcon Cam |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/emily-falcon-cam | |||
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RFalconCam |
http://rfalconcam.com/rfc-main/ | |||
| Talking Birds | |||||
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Watch the Birdie |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Watch-the-Birdie | |||
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Disco |
https://www.youtube.com/user/MsJumpinJude/videos | |||
| Other Birds | |||||
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California Condor San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego, California |
http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/cams/condor-cam | |||
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KC Zoo Penguin Cam |
http://www.kansascityzoo.org/penguincam |
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Whidbey Island Back Porch other assorted birds |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/katersch | |||
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Hellgate Ospreys |
http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/27/Hellgate_Ospreys/ | |||
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Ostrich Chicks |
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http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ostrich-egg-cam-live | ||
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Streaming Bird Cams |
http://www.beakspeak.com/ | |||
| Other Nature Cams |
| Pandas | |||||
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San Diego Zoo Pandas |
www.sandiegozoo.org (click
on live cams)
or
http://www.ustream.tv/sandiegozoo. Zoo's
blogs: http://blognew.sandiegozoo.org/category/animals-and-plants/giant-pandas/ |
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Twin Pandas at |
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Giant Panda Cam |
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/webcams/giant-panda.cfm | |||
| Bears | |||||
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Kansas City Polar Bears |
http://www.kctv5.com/category/244581/nikita-berlin-polar-bear-cam | |||
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Brown Bears and Salmon |
http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls (lots of other cams at this site, as well) |
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Black Bears |
http://www.bear.org/website/live-cameras/live-cameras/holly-bears-den-cam-live.html | |||
| Other Animal and Nature Sites | |||||
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Golden Paw-Prints Classic Golden Retrievers Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/golden-retriever-puppy-cam We've got NINE beautiful puppies! |
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San Diego Zoo and Safari Park |
http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/ | |||
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Wild Earth Safari Cam |
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http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wildearth-safaris | ||
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The Pet Collective |
http://www.thepetcollective.tv/livestreams/ | |||
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Critter Chat Cams |
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Friends of Felines Rescue
Center |
www.ustream.tv/ffrc | |||
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Little House |
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CC's Page of Links (scheduled for updating) |
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| Other Sites of Interest | |||||
| This Bird Song Collection Will Get You In Tune With Nature | |||||
| http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=15112 | |||||
| Help in Identifying Birds | |||||
| Try www.whatbird.com It's helps identify lots of birds. | |||||
 Secrets
of the Snowy Owl |
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| http://goo.gl/P0trt0 | |||||
| Meet Zeus | |||||
| http://kittensdaily.com/meet-zeus-blind-owl-gorgeous-eyes/ | |||||
| Some Interesting Information About Someone We All Know Well | |||||
| http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1511369/ | |||||
| International Space Station Links | |||||
| During a recent
broadcast the Dude talked about the websites where one can view the
spacestation and the view that the astronauts have. Here are the links: This one has the map, but no chat. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/ This site has a chat room. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload |
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| A Swimming Owl | |||||
| This came to us
from windbeneathwing. Swimming owl caught on video http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/12/05/swimming-owl-caught-on-video/ |
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| Video Picks of the Week |
The Burrowing Owl's Cozy
Home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4u5p1FgMPk
Squeak!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tdokh1KYuQ
Birds of Paradise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTR21os8gTA#t=314
Cosmic Guinea Pig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUtdR9rkTMs
Slowest Chase Ever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjtCS0EEoC
Owlz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcBlEJRDYUQ
| Inspiration or Things to Make You Think |
Finding The Speed Of Light With Peeps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwREvdUWSKE
Bengal Tigers In Her Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pGTgkcP-RU
Taking Care of Strays
http://twistedsifter.com/2015/04/vending-machine-feeds-stray-animals-in-exchange-for-bottles/
Stars of Beijing's Circus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYiEBFh0_OU
Braigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7fu5uCvQSs
Inside New York City's Most Secret Basement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLPOmtI4W9I
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Fun Animations and Pictures |
Photos of the Week |
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Zorro's Word of the Week | ||||||
| Just for the Fun of It |
Kyle's Jokes of the Week |
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Felt Owl Pencil Holder
http://www.jandofabrics.com/newsletters/felt-owl-pencil-holder-craft-and-fabric/
Easy Little Owl
http://mydiychat.com/diy-crafts/diy-sewing-crafts/easy-little-owl-craft-tutorial
Pretzel Owls
http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/snack/other-snack/owl-snacks.html
Hoot Owl Treats
http://wipkits.blogspot.com/2010/09/owl-inspiration.html
Strawberry Owls
http://meaningfulmama.com/2014/04/owl-strawberries-philadelphia-cream-cheese.html
Paper Owls
Perfect for younger children
http://zen-teen.com/2012/08/10/hoot-hoot-owl-paper-craft/
| Fun Animations and Pictures |
(even lazier and laziest will follow)
(lazier and laziest will follow)
| Photos of the Week |
From the Dude
One of the Dude's bee photos
"I've been trying for three days, and that was from this morning.
I learned a bit about bees in the process--they don't like to hover in the sun
(probably overheat), but they will do it more in the early morning.
So I went out this morning so when the sun was shining, but the air was still cool.
Then they were a bit more likely to hover over the flowers."
Sharoot's Caboose
Sharoot shares,
"These birds stay for only about two weeks each spring. I don’t know why we don’t see them
in the fall on their return trip to their winter home, but here they are.
This is a male and female Blue Grosbeak. They are very fond of millet, nom, nom, nom…!"
| Kyle's well known among his friends for his "triple
groaner" riddles and jokes. Now he shares them with VacaFamily. Enjoy! |
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Why do mermaids wear seashells?
Because B-shells are too small and D-shells are too big. |
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Why did Frosty live in the middle of the lake?
Because snow man is an island. |
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How do you make a baby snake cry? Take away his rattle. |
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| The Bureau of prisons just announced the release of
a serial bank robber who had looted over 30 banks before his capture.
The parole board says he is completely rehabilitated and has found
employment at his home in Prague. Yes, that is correct. They were able
to right a bad czech. |
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What did the cannibal get when he was late for dinner?
The cold shoulder. |
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| Zorro's Word of the Week |
REBARBATIVE
Pronunciation: \rih-BAR-buh-tiv\
noun
Definition of REBARBATIVE
repellent, irritating
EXAMPLES
The cantankerous professor found the music, clothing, and
slang favored by her students to be rebarbative.
"For all the complaints about his abrasiveness, the shadow chancellor is simply
doing his job.…
He once gave me a heartfelt radio interview in which he suggested, like the character in the Roger Rabbit movie,
that he was not so much bad but 'just drawn that way,' and that maturity had taken
the edge off his rebarbative manner."
— Anne McElvoy, The Guardian, February 22, 2015
DID YOU KNOW?
You may be surprised to learn that today's word traces back to the Latin word for beard—barba—making
it a very distant relative of the English word beard. But there is some sense to the connection.
After all, beards may not be repellent, but they can be prickly and scratchy. Another descendant of
Latin barba is the English word barb, which can refer to a sharp projection (as found on barbed wire) or a
biting critical remark, both of which can discourage others from getting too close.
An interesting side note: barber too traces back to barba—but
by way of an Anglo-French word for beard.
Word Family Quiz: What relative of barba is the name for the slender processes
on the lips of the catfish? The answer is …
barbell
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VacaShopping for Mother's Day
Wouldn't Mom love a new Vaca apron, shirt or other gift?
VacaDude’s creations are sure to be treasured gifts for those special people in your lives.
Check them all out at VacaDude's CafePress store! Support our beloved
artist/broadcaster/friend!
http://www.cafepress.com/vacadude
MollyTheOwlBooks
Eric has discontinued the sales of all his books and merchandise.
of that and want one, let DotRot know
and she'll do what she can to make it available to you.
