Various Sites Around Bonner Manor

We had a soaker rain last weekend. After the rain stopped and the sky started to clear, I found a beautiful Cardinal singing.



This morning I woke extra early hoping to catch the Lyrid meteor shower. I didn't see any meteors, but I did catch this beautiful shot of the crescent Moon and Venus in the eastern sky.

Elliot is still here with us, and has made himself home. I have called my Mom and asked her if she would like to have her cat back, but as you can see his perfectly happy, considering that's Emma's bed that he has taken over. Emma sleeps with us, and she won't let Elliot on the bed while she's on it. I moved his, correction, Emma's bed, to our bedroom and put it next to my nightstand. When I got scared and couldn't sleep, I would take my pillows and blanket and make a pallet next to my Mom's side of her and Dad's bed, curl up on the floor and go to sleep without even waking them. Elliot does the same thing. He quietly comes into the room and curls up in "his bed" on the floor that is next to me and goes right to sleep.

The Mad Scientist Part Duex

Just about everyone in my family knows I call my brother-in-law the “Mad Scientist.” I say this because we all have nicknames for one another, and because I really do respect the man’s work. So, it should come to no surprise that his offspring likes to do scientific things. This is particularly true when it comes to my niece, Taylor, who is on her way to Bob Jones University for the AACS National Competition in science this week.

I was thinking back to my elementary school days at Hyer and remembering doing those dreaded science fair projects. Taylor has been working on her project since last summer. I thought four to six weeks was long enough time to come up with a hypothesis, and gather enough data to write a five paragraph paper. I guess not! At any rate, this is a big deal for Taylor. She has been fighting her way through many of “life’s not fair” incidences when it comes to various projects since the 8th grade. Last year was especially brutal when she decided to study the habitat of crawfish, and did a great job on her project. When it came time to present the project to judges, one judge said to her, “I don’t know what your project has to do with environment. The only good thing about crawfish is eating them.” Get that lady a craw boil, and a bib, because I guess she was ready sit down and have herself a food fest like they do in Louisiana!

This year, Taylor came back fighting and placed 1st in her category in her school. She advanced onto State where the judges felt her work was excellent, they felt it wasn’t good enough for her to go onto compete at the National level. I’m not exactly sure where they came up with the silly idea to technically give her first place, but not let her advance. Nevertheless, it all got worked out and she is on her way.

To my sweet girl (she loves the fact she is only girl cousin in the family, which I hope to change someday). I love you, and am so very proud of you. Always remember to be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished.

Ode To Josh

Last week in my niece Taylor’s English class, she was given as assignment to write a poem about herself. Since she didn’t want to write about herself, she decided to write about the people in her life. Sister Michelle e-mailed me the poem that she wrote about her cousin, Josh. Josh and Taylor are six weeks apart in age. Their relationship has always gone beyond the realms of a cousin you see from time to time. They’re like brother and sister, a friend you can count on, and one of the joys of my life has been watching them grow up. I can hardly believe they’ll be 17 this summer.

Ode to Josh

Oh cousin, how I love you.
Even though you smashed your face in my cake when we were two.
Or five...

The age escapes my mind.

I love watching you run from Emma the cat...
I can always find humor in that.
Every morning you play XBOX Live in your underwear...
And it always made me feel scared.

Because you seem to think the XBOX is a whore...
Or some other cuss word that would come through my door.

I remember tent time

Oh I am so happy you were born.

Now that I have written you this ode,
Will you please tell me,
What you were to tell Bree-Bree?