Blues on The Green

I had a great time at the last show and can't wait to go again. I'm a sucker for free concerts in the park. :)

For my Gluten Intolerant Readers

I noticed some new folks have been stumbling onto my blog who are gluten intolerant. I am by no means the expert on the subject, but I have been finding out information bit by bit and am happy to pass along anything that might be helpful to you handful of folks when you end up finding me. With that said, here two words you need to know....Tinkyada Pasta! It is great stuff and made from brown rice flour. There is absolutely no wheat anything in it and is a safer alternative for those of us who love pasta. It seems no different from skinner as far as taste and texture go in a dried pasta. Be sure to rinse it well though after cooking...I think that makes a difference. Good luck and enjoy! :)

Tilikum I Hear You

I have a subscription to "Outside" magazine compliments of my sister(yep Lynn I'm still getting them), and in the latest issue was an excellent article about the exploitation of Orcas in the wild for mega profits. It closely examined the death of a top Sea World trainer not so long ago when she was finishing up after a killer whale show. The article exposed industry practices as well as the lifestyles and deaths of Killer Whales used in theme parks, including a detailed account of one whale's life in particular. His name is Tilikum. This orca has killed two people and injured countless others.

Very important questions were posed and I can never step foot in a Sea World again. They have done an excellent job of hiding the horrors these animals have suffered touting the importance of their sacrifices for educational purposes. For that reason alone I have gone to Sea World in the past because I believed I was helping to support a good cause, but damn was I naive about it all. True they have done some very good educational things and made great strides in breeding programs, veterinarian medicine, etc...but is it acceptable how they got there?

In a nutshell no. The article outlined the history of how these whales became captive and I have to believe things could have been different were the motivations different. But throw in human greed and animals lose out every time...in turn we lose out too. Seaworld no longer use captured whales in their facilities other than the ones they already acquired. They at least breed the animals now, but again I still question the purpose other than money of course. I think the public is pretty aware by now the importance of nature conservation and the need for places like Seaworld seems outdated.

I hope readers will seek out the article I read and decide for themselves. In the meantime there are some human deaths to deal with. The bottom line is humans are not supposed to swim with killer whales as death and serious injury can occur. We have labels on everything now days warning us of dangers. I think it is a no brainer that extreme caution must be used in the presence of such natural power these animals possess. It is painfully obvious in fact, and wild animal trainers know the danger is real.

I don't think this has ever been a matter of question, but one huge question the article posed is this. Did Tilikum kill his trainer on purpose? In my mind the answer is hands down yes. After reading the article and doing a little research, I believe these poor whales have gone insane as a result of their captive lifestyles. I believe that orcas and other higher brained sea mammals are intelligent sentient beings who kill as a regular part of their existence. Changing the playing field doesn't change millions of years of instinct. And when conditions are right, disasters are easy to come by.

"You Disappeared"

I believe those were the exact words in my recent communication with a blog fan who also happens to be a dear friend whom I love to pieces. It is true, I do disappear from time to time but only because the real world beckons and I no longer have the luxury of not working. Sadly blogging often takes the back burner. Suffice it to say however, when this particular person calls me up and wants to know where I've been, I snap to attention and post something. For you dear friend...

Life is trucking along at an okay pace and for now I am content. Yesterday I sat by the pool for about six hours relaxing and enjoying the company of my friends who live in the complex. It is nice to be able to walk out the door and know I will see two or three people down at the pool who will be glad to see me. We have sparked up the grill a few times and had a great forth of July. One of our friends bought fireworks and set them off for us. The kids had a blast.

I've been busy producing art work, and not so busy taking photographs. It is what it is. My apartment however had a makeover. I have a new girlfriend who does re-designs and staging for the real estate market, both commercial and residential. I should at least take a few photos of how great everything looks and post them. Although it was a collaborative effort, most of the credit goes to her. The really cool thing is I didn't have to buy a thing. We used all of my own stuff, just grouped it all together differently.

I miss hiking and backpacking but know I can always get back to it. I'm certainly geared out for the occasion. I have managed a couple of camping trips with friends here and there which is always fun. I'm waiting patiently for my favorite boyfriend to come back into town so we can go camping again. There are so many choice places to go and the decision is always a tough one.

Speaking of choices, I have many choices of what I can do with my time today. Earlier I did a little house cleaning(I love to clean my house, especially when no one is here). I might head down to the pool for a while after the strongest of the suns rays have waned a bit. Admittedly I did get on the pink side yesterday from not being diligent with the sunscreen. One thing is for sure, I do have a killer tan developing from all the sunshine I've been getting lately.

Later I might head to the grocery store after the heat has relaxed. I am craving good veggies and fruits and may get in the kitchen and whip up something yummy. Who knows I might even invite some friends over. So I guess that is it for now. I will try to stop in more often and post at least a photo or some kind of update. Maybe I will simply share some random thoughts.

I love you guys!