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Monday, August 07, 2006

Breathtaking OC Sunset

Full Moon Over Ocean City

Assateague Ponies


Year after year, it's always a pleasure seeing these ponies along side of the road while visiting the Island.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Photos Of Hoopers Even The Newspapers Didn't Have



It Seems To Be That Time Of Year



The Butterflies are coming out of nowhere and they sure are cool looking. Enjoy!

Hoopers is burned out!


I can remember the day Hoopers burned down like it was yesterday. This restaurant was right down the street from where I lived on the Bay and we watched board after board floating by our home as this building burned almost to the ground. In my own personal opinion they should have kept it closed as it has to be one of the lousiest restaurants in all of Ocean City. I have never once received a decent meal here and anyone who lives in Ocean City wouldn't be caught dead eating there. Which brings me to what's left. As condos go up, local restaurants keep coming down and there's very few places to eat any more. West Ocean City real estate has gone through the roof and everyone seems to be relocating there. If you had a choice and we could bring one restaurant to Salisbury, which one would it be? I'd say, the heck with the food, bring me a Dumsers Ice Cream Shop!

Saturday, August 05, 2006

More Trivia



















Since Anonymous Poster was getting close, here's a few more shots to hopefully help you get closer to who the mystery people are, except now I've thrown in a new face.

Uh Oh, Look What I Found!


Look at the little babies! Just more proof Jennifer raised the Sun Conure Chicks at the Salisbury Zoo.

Who's Having More Fun?


Our Grandson gets a back scratch, a belly scratch, an arm scratch etc., etc., etc.........

City of Salisbury Auction!





















I just received word that the City of Salisbury is getting ready to Auction off two of their horses. If it's any one of these two I'll take one or both!

The Pot Of Gold At The End Of The Rainbow!


This is living proof that Ocean City makes more CASH than any other place in the world!

Do You Know Who These Three People Are?
















It's not Curly, Joe & Larry of the Three Stooges. This should get interesting.

Today's Wildlife Photo


Great Blue Heron

Deer Santa,














All I want for Christmas is for Joe Albero to tell me where these deer are located. I hear he has 32 acres in Wicomico County, could it be there? I promise I'll be good until I shoot every one of these varmits, only to make sure that one day they don't learn to fly and interfere in your air space while delivering presents. I'm there for ya Santa!

Friday, August 04, 2006

I've Got Butterflies!






















Believe it or not there were a total of 6 Butterflies together in one area but too spastic to get into one shot.

Bury Me Here, Please!














Not only were there fabulous sunrises in West Ocean City, there were breathtaking sunsets as well! Click on the photo to enlarge it and enjoy. My guess is that this one makes the wallpaper on at least 10 computers today?

Rise And Shine!




















Finally some relief today! I hear it's supposed to be only 92 degrees today. Things are finally starting to cool off but we might not start out the morning with sunshine, so here's the next best thing. Have a great day everyone.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

One Of My Favorite Wildlife Photos










To think that only 30 years ago these guys could land just about anywhere in Ocean City and not have to worry about people bothering them. The background shows things being quite different today. There are very few sanctuaries left on the Bay to protect so much of the waterfowl, birds and other forms of animal life. My neighbor Bruce Moore had the perfect set of small islands just off our propertied that allowed me so many opportunities to catch these really cool shots. I often blew the photos up and gave them to him as a gift.
You can click on any one of these photos to enlarge them. It makes a huge difference.

Prehistoric













I've always enjoyed this picture because it is an animal in which one could look way far back into the history of the world and imagine this animal as one of the original beginning of time animals. I didn't see them often on the Bay when I lived in Ocean City and I was very pleased to catch this shot early one morning just cruising by.

Another Fine Catch!














As if to show off once again, this Osprey Eagle cruises by once again with yet another fine catch. I know some of you have said that Flounder are bottom fish and I truly cannot answer as to why this fella kept coming by with such incredible meals, but he did. Maybe, just maybe, we've been the stupid ones fishing down bottom all the time and all along the Flounder have been staring us in the face right on the surface the whole time?

Beau Oglesby, Candidate for Worcester County States Attorney.





















Tonight kicked off the beginning of Beau's campaign running for the States Attorneys Office running against Joel Todd. It's my understanding this seat hasn't been challenged in some 28 years! There were plenty of happy faces and lots of Police Protection for anyone and everyone! The Old Mill served wonderful food and the Staff were some of the kindest people I've ever dealt with. Great Fellowship once again.

Stop The Butcher of Horses For Human Consumption!


Last year, three foreign-owned slaughter plants cruelly butchered more than 90,000 horses to be served on dinner plates in Europe and Asia. Tens of thousands more of America's horses were exported from the U.S. and slaughtered in other countries. Say NO!

The transport of horses to slaughter houses is often extremely inhumane. Many horses are injured en route to the slaughter plant due to overcrowded conditions during transport. Some are shipped for more than 24 hours without food, water, or rest. The methods used to slaughter these horses can be exceptionally inhumane. Frequently, they are forced to endure repeated stuns or blows and often times remain conscious while being killed. Take action.

A bill is being proposed in Congress that would put an end to this cruel practice by permanently prohibiting horse slaughter for human consumption in the U.S.

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would prohibit the transport, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of any horse to be slaughtered for human consumption.

Sign this petition now and urge your representatives to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/159614943?z00m=96392&z00m=96392&ltl=1154634893

You Wanted Proof, Here's Proof!


Not that long ago I was being critisized as well as Jennifer that we had no proof we had raised some and or many of the Sun Connure Chicks at the Salisbury Zoo. This photo was taken in our home of one of the birds that I was handling at the time. The truth hurts, doesn't it?

Meet Nemo


















WOW! I have been absolutely overwhelmed with telephone calls and e-mail messages about our Yorkie Puppies. Above is a photo of Nemo, who is only 2 points, (one major) away from becoming a World Champion. Cassandra Williams from Salisbury is his Professional Handler and if you're wondering why his coat looks so good, that's thanks to Coast To Coast Soapworks Etc. on South Division Street right here in Salisbury as well. They custom make some of the oils we use and now everyone else is interested in where we get our stuff, so there it is, the secret is out.

Hummingbird Teases Cat


















Notice around 12:00 on this photo the Hummingbird, (not in focus) teases the Cat, (in focus). Now put on your glasses and notice how the Hummingbird now comes into focus and the Cat goes out of focus! Just Kidding! Drink that coffee and have a great day. Stay Cool!

Yorkie Puppies



















They're so unconditional! Our last batch of 5 puppies are coming along wonderfully. Puppies are great, aren't they?

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Black Squirrels



















Joe,

Having been born, raised and educated in Salisbury many years ago, I read all the local blogs (daily and have done for months) with interest and I must say, with some sadness, for what Salisbury and Wicomico county have become.

I grew up in the City Park area and swam there near the bandstand and Beaverdam everyday, every summer, of my childhood. Those days I was in the park from 9AM till dinner time.

The Zoo was one of my daily visits. (used to be able to ride my bike through there then) I knew the names of every animal in the Zoo and everyone of the homeowners on both sides of the park. (Kids have a way of that you know) In the winter I used to ride my snow sled down the steps of the hill to "Picnic Island" and over the footbridge. (Never once got hurt) The park was so clean and well maintained. I still remember the city workers with their Gravely tractors cutting the grass on those hills.

Bamboo used to grow high on Picnic Island next to Beaverdam and the ducks would lay eggs in there. We would make up flour and water and fish for Sunfish around the waters of Picnic Island. (no license required)

In my teenage years I would walk from house near the park to Bethesda Methodist Church every Friday night (during school term) to a dance. It cost a dime to get in and the music was provided by a juke box that cost a nickel a song. No fear walking from home to the dance, Salisbury was a nice place.

When I married, my wife and I bought a house in Salisbury and lived there 4 years. As I look back I can fancy myself a visionary. I saw what was happening to the city and sold out (35 years ago) and moved to Worcester county.

I just wanted to say these things because I remember how nice the city used to be. All I really wanted to do was send these pictures of the black squirrels but a flood of memories rushed in and I couldn't resist. (I could go on for hours but who would believe that Salisbury was actually like that)

According to the info that I have these are grey squirrels but they are melanistic. For 35 years we have been enjoying them now you can enjoy them too. I have attached pix of my squirrels along with some support info below. We actually have more black ones that grey.

Loyal Reader
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanistic

Now Here's A Cool Story!














Remember back in the day, oh, let's say June 13th & 14th of 1996 when Cal Ripken was tying and then breaking the World Record for most consecutive games ever played in Baseball?

Considering those games in which he would tie and then break the World Record were not at home and were in fact being played in Kansas City it wasn't as exciting as if he was about to do so at home.

Nevertheless, I got this thought in my head, I wonder how sold out these games are? I made some phone calls and ultimately reached the Ball Park and asked what was available. They said, well, the first night is Family Night and those tickets are half price and there are plenty of tickets available. Hmmmmm, nice! The following night cost more but there are also plenty of tickets left over for that game as well. I responded, how many tickets are available? How many would you like Sir? All of them! Ha, ha, ha, ha, no, seriously Sir, how many would you like? ALL OF THEM!

Low and behold the manager gets on the phone and said, this is very unusual Sir, did you say you'd like ALL of the tickets to Friday Nights Game? Yes Sir, I would. I'd also like all of the available tickets to Thursday Nights Game. May I ask what this is for Sir? I replied, I'll tell you once I have the tickets in hand. This is my UPS Account Number and I'd like ALL of these tickets sent to me Next Day Air on my account. Yes Sir.

No one had thought of calling the Stadium and buying up whatever was available and when you look back to that Baseball Game for the rest of your life and you see the multiple empty seats throughout the Stadium, just know you know the guy that bought all those tickets and never attended the game. However, you'll also know who owns all those tickets that are easily worth $2,800.00 a piece several years ago. Who knows what they're worth now. One day I hope to work a deal with Cal to autograph each one of them and sell them at Auction.

I told you it was a cool story!

Today's Wildlife Photo




















Once the Osprey Eagle got used to visiting my Pier in West Ocean City, seeing him with a regular catch of flounder was not unusual. However, they're easily spooked. I caught this shot as he left my Pier and headed over the the small Island just off Bruce Moore's home, next door to me. It's not as clear as I'd like but it certainly brings back great memories.

"National Night Out"
























Although they were expecting around 1,000 people to show up for each event in Salisbury and Fruitland there were less than 200 at each location. However, the Politicians were there in full force.

Who Let The Dog Out, Rough, Rough, Rough, Rough!

Children And Politicians Were Out To Pop One And Others Bubble!




















From Salisbury to Fruitland, adults and children were being entertained through "National Night Out" sponsored by local Police Departments. The Politicians were coming out of the wood work like there was no tomorrow.