Do You Have A Favorite Season Of The Year?

Seasons

To me it would be difficult to have a favorite month, for I would have to wait eleven months for it to come again. I have many things I like about every season... 


I am not sure I actually have a very favorite month. I love something about every month. Since it's easier to describe the seasons:


Spring: 

Blooming Spring Flowers

Spring Foal

I love spring, for all the new growth, new leaves popping from the trees awaking from the dormancy of the winter, chilly mornings, with warming days. Birds gathering the materials for new nests, and nurseries selling seedlings of practically everything from veggies, to seasonal flowering colorful plants for those who enjoy adding the seasonal colors to their yard, welcoming warmer weather on the way. 

Canada Goose With Goslings

Bear Cub in Spring

Wildlife is showing it's newborn also. Fauns, tiny baby cottontails, and depending on where you live, or vacation, you may see even young moose, elk, and bear cubs. 

Summer: 

Ahhh, Summertime

Running in Park

Now is the time when people go camping in places like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and even into areas of wilderness, such as Alaska. Wildlife is showing all it's newly growing flora and fauna.






Autumn: 

Changing Colors of  Autumn

Now  that summer is on the wane, temperatures begin to take a downturn, and the mornings begin to have a crisper feel.   Evening temperatures quickly begin to head downward, inviting evening fires, with the wonderful aroma of burning wood, as smoke lazily rises from chimneys and and leaf burning fires. 

Of course before those leaves can be burned, they first take on an entirely different array of colors, ranging from yellow, to red and purple, and finally dead, dry brown and tan. As they fall from the deciduous trees, they begin to float on gentle breezes, until the days cool even more, and the air takes on a new feel, with falling leaves taking flight on the now gusting chillier wind. Animals are now in a hurry to gather and eat all they can, for soon winter will be here.   

Autumn on a Country Road

Winter:

Hoof prints
in the snow

Now millions of trees are bare. Their hauntingly beautiful bare branches reaching skyward in the light of the moon and stars.  Bears and many other mammals go into their dens, some to hibernate, while others have dug deeper underground, living off the bounty of roots and nuts they have gathered while there was still time.  Now, they all await the warmer day so far off.  


Many bird species have long since left in flocks to warmer weather in more southerly climates. 


All trees except for firs and related evergreens bare. 

Shoveling Snow in Winter

Snow is finally falling, covering mountains and everything there with the most beautiful blanket of white that is like a lovely dream.  The earth takes on an eerie silence, save the sound of an occasional cracking branch, while hungry herds of deer and elk, search, pawing at the snow covered frozen ground for any tid-bit of plant life to satisfy the stomach and it's rumbling sound. 


Winter's snows also bring days for people to go skiing, snowball fights, ice skating on frozen ponds, chains on tires of the vehicles they use to get from here to there. 


Heaters and radiators are busily pumping heat into the millions of homes, where people take refuge from the freezing cold. It's also the time for all those lovely pumpkin pies, and heart warming meals, that may add a few pounds to be shed when warmer weather eventually rolls around.

Winter Walkers

Children are all bundled with warm winter clothing, and snow boots, on their way to school. When they get home in the cold afternoon, it's time to play outdoors in the soft crunching snow, with all the running and sledding they can cram into the shorter hours of daylight.


Hot chocolate, hot apple cider warm their tummies when the finally go back inside, and have a wonderful stick to your ribs dinner. It's a good time for families to sit around the evening fire, and read bedtime stories, or watch some TV before going to bed, and waiting until the morning's light, to do it all again, until finally some warmer days begin to start melting the snow. Now, slowly, spring is again on the way.

Winter Foods

                    

All seasons of the year

Is Buying A Repossessed Home A Good Investment Or Not?

This Lovely Ranch Style Home
is
"The Money Pit"

I started on this topic as the result of reading a news story about many banks that are beginning to demolish many repossessed homes all across the United States, but especially in areas where the market on real estate   has pretty much crashed to levels most of us have never before seen, or care to see again.  I am readdressing this topic, as in the first installment on this subject, I mentioned someone I know through Pet Pig rescue and adoption who had within the past year invested into a repossessed home on about an acre or so in Nevada.  The place looked rather nice, that is from the outside.

Matching Tile Roofed Gazebo
in rear of the home

They took some bids for fixing the place up, and the one they decided to go with was in the neighborhood of $20,000. That, to me, sounded like a red flag, right off, but I'm not the buyer, nor have I seen the place personally, except from photos which I received, every now and then as work progressed.

As it turned out, the "contractor," failed to perform, and they were forced to actually complete everything themselves, buying materials at local hardware stores, such as Home Depot and Lowe's.  The finished, or nearly finished product has now cost them in excess of $60,000.  They ended up cashing in their retirement funds, as well as about every penny they had in savings.  The wife, had to take a two month leave of absence from her day job, which also amounted to a significant amount of money.

A Real Mess

I have been given permission by the buyer, (or victim) of the once lovely tile roofed home, with a matching gazebo in the back, to share their story and their photos, in hopes it may help others learn to be more careful about this kind of investment, as well as the warning to be sure to make sure that the contractor you hire, is a state licensed contractor, with a General Contractor's State License,  and not just some person who says he is a contractor, or even someone who was recommended to you.

Make sure they actually do have the required state license,that they are bonded to perform as a contractor  and that they have workers compensation insurance to cover any injuries that may be sustained by any employee they hire to work on your property, all city or county building permits, and city licenses required, as well.  Be sure that you also get a signed paper which all employees have personally signed, to verify that they have been paid in full for work performed on your property.  This should be done weekly, as most people in construction are paid weekly.  Be sure you get releases from all material suppliers from which they may have purchased materials used on your project.

Notice all the walls and plumbing work being ripped out
so pipes and other damage can be replaced or repaired.

This is exactly a great part of the reason many banks are demolishing many homes which they have already repossessed.  Sitting gutted, and damaged, they will never get their money back.  Most people don't have the funds to perform these major repairs to bring the home back to a habitable condition.

Sometimes, squatters will just move in to places like these, calling them abandoned.  There are legalities which may or may not allow a person to do so successfully.  Even if they can stay, they will either have to live in unsafe, and possible unhealthful conditions until they can complete needed repairs.

In any case, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and anyone thinking about buying a repossessed residence should be extremely careful, and fully investigate before you invest in such a shaky situation.

Tub/Shower Finally Finished

When I first heard about so many new homes still being constructed, I wondered why on earth would they continue to build, when there are millions of empty homes, from coast to coast, already.  What I did not take into consideration is the fact that many, if not most people who lose their homes, whether through circumstances beyond their control, or by design, literally rip out nearly everything they can take from the interior, as well as the exterior of these homes, leaving them in horrific condition. The home is then, nothing but an empty shell.

Most home buyers, are not prepared to do the needed repairs.  Some more adventurous ones, may have the skills and knowledge to do most of the work themselves.  But, most  people who are looking to buy a home, would prefer it be in move in condition, or nearly so, at least.

As they say so often, INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU INVEST.  That goes for houses, as well as for stocks and bonds, gold, or even insurance.  Be a smart shopper, and don't set yourself up for a hard fall.

Watch Which Way the Wind Blows

It Was Supposed To Cool Down Today

August 3, 2011 @  212.8 degrees
©PK Hawk

Try this one for comfort.  The last two days were at 110 degrees, and the weather reports said it would be in the 90s.  Today was supposed to be cooler. That's something just about everyone was looking forward to.  However, right this minute, it's 2:04 PM, on Wednesday, August 3, 2011, and it is now, 112.8 degrees under my gazebo, and only 2% humidity.

Inside, with the air conditioner running, it's 82 degrees with 29% humidity.  I was planning to go out for Chinese, at my favorite Chinese buffet, but just as I was contemplating actually going anywhere, I opened my e-mail, and there, just waiting for me was the Wednesday Papa John's Pizza Online special for the day, a whole 25% off of any pizza they make.

My Lunch Today
Papa John's Thin Crust Pizza
©PK Hawk

I ordered a large, thin crust pizza, with extra sauce, double Roma tomatoes, double Bell Peppers, Portabella  mushrooms.  I also ordered it double-cut for smaller slices.  I even got my 25% discount, to boot.  A very sweet young lady delivered it, and although I was planning to just eat three slices, but something in my stomach was gnawing away, so I ate half of it.  You must bear in mind that this was like a cracker crust, and all veggies, save for the cheese and sauce.

My dogs are again just lying about the house, and  enjoying the air conditioning, except for Sequoia Dawn, of course.  She was snoozing right in front of the screen door,  with the sun shining almost directly on her.  I guess indoor temperatures in the mid 80s isn't warm enough for her.

Peanut, my five pound Chihuahua is lying right snuggled up next to me in my seat, and shows no sign of discomfort.  Snow Bear is again crashed out on the carpet next to the sofa.  Buddy Cat, as usual is lounging on my bed, much as he did yesterday, and the day before that.

Buddy Cat on My Bed
©2010 PK Hawk

The weather forecast for tomorrow again says it will be slightly cooler, but personally, I think I will just wait and see for myself.  After all,  once Monday's 110 temperature hit, we were told it would be slightly cooler on Tuesday.  When that didn't happen, they gave the same story for today, Wednesday.  Well, they sure blew that call, didn't they.  The last time I looked, and simple math tells me that 112, and almost 113, is hotter than 110 degrees.

The hottest I have seen it in this area was in 1993, when it hit 115 degrees one day, and 118 the next.

Happy summer, everyone,
PK Hawk

Sunny Southern California's Weather, July 31, August 1, and 2, 2011

Rain in the gutters, but what a nice day
©2011 PK Hawk

Well folks, to begin, on Sunday, July 31st, we actually got rain, and a decent amount at that.  It was from the monsoonal flow creeping up from the Gulf of Mexico, or Sea of Cortez.  Ordinarily, I would take a look at Weather Underground , but I was not at home, and no, I don't have a smart phone.  I'm cheap, and have the one that's only semi-literate from Straight Talk.  I hate the quality of surfing the Internet on those phones, so I don't do it.

Back to the weather:

I went out for breakfast, and just before I left home, it began to do slightly better than a sprinkle, then, the longer I was out and about it started raining in earnest.  I drove to my bank, to deposit a check in the ATM, and drove past my old place, just to see how things are coming with their landscaping and remodeling, etc. All was quiet on the old homestead.  But, when I went the Post Office to check on my mail, I was surprised when I opened a letter which had originally been put into the wrong PO Box.  I had completely forgotten about a phone call I had received about a week or so ago, from someone who had gotten a letter meant for me, in their mailbox.   They were kind enough to call me to let me know they had opened it before they realized it was not theirs.

Muddy dirt road
©2011 PK Hawk

There was a nice little note in it, with their address, and telephone number, too.  I nearly fell over, when I saw the address...  It's only about half a block from my new home.  I called them, to thank them for redepositing the letter at the Post Office, and then it was actually put into my correct mailbox.

When I returned home Sunday, I checked on the lake shore campers who had come for the weekend.  They had all left for dryer accommodations. Some of them had slept in tents, so that I could understand.

Back to the weather:  It was actually quite a relief getting that rain, and it allowed for some breathing time while it also made the atmosphere seem so much cleaner, too.

Now, yesterday, Monday, August 1, it got to 110 degrees where I now live, and only after it cooled off, did the humidity get a little back to more or less normal for here.  The humidity was high enough to make it somewhat uncomfortably sticky.

Today the weather people said this area would be getting a little break from the heat we had yesterday, but no, it still hit 110 degrees, and that  was in the shade of my gazebo, too.  However, the humidity is only at 8% right now, and the temperature has dropped to just under 108 degrees.  Of course, that's at 3:11 PM, local time.  We do have some breeze, which helps quite a bit, but at this elevation, we are actually closer to the sun, which makes one's skin feel as if it is burning, when the skies are clear.

Snow Bear
Sleeping Away the Heat of the Day
©2011 PK Hawk

My dogs have wanted to go out a few times today, but they were certainly glad to come back inside, to escape the heat of the middle of the day, into the air conditioning, which is still pretty warm comparatively speaking, as I really don't like refrigerated air, so I keep it running on low.

Peanut, the five pound Chihuahua is sleeping in my lap while I write this, Snow Bear, my larger dog is sleeping on the carpet next to my feet, and Sequoia Dawn, the Chihuahua/Basenji mixed, it lying on the kitchen floor looking for anything that she hears of sees outside.  Buddy Cat, is sleeping on my bed, so all seems fairly right in their world, at least.

It's beginning to look like we are going to have a warmer than usual summer, out here in Sunny southern California, especially here in the Inland Empire.

Happy vacations, and beach days, everyone.  I hope all the folks in the Midwest get some relief from their 100 degree, high humidity weeks.

Tomorrow is hump day, and the weekend will be here soon, so if you have a weekend trip planned to the beach, or even to the lake shore where I live, have a good time, and remember, don't drink and drive, or even drive your boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Many lives are lost, and/or forever changed like that.

A Place To Check Out Possible Spam and Internet Scammers

Don't take the bait!!!

As long as there have been warnings about Internet scammers, there are still people who are falling for their schemes.  They try to find and scam people who are trusting and wanting to help others, so they word their messages so that you might feel that you are doing them a favor, and may be able to help others, less fortunate in the process.  They also play to the greed of people, who thinking they can get more money for themselves.

These people always eventually ask you to put up some money of your own, either to supposedly be able to transfer funds into your bank account, or to show your good faith. DON'T FALL FOR IT.

Several of my online FaceBook friends have been contacted recently by someone claiming to be widowed or abandoned by "her husband. "  She/he has been using  the name Ming Chang, or Chang Ming.  This person has been traced to Nigeria, or one of the nearby countries, which have been a hotbed of email scams for years.  If you happen to be contacted by anyone claiming to have a few, to several million dollars in some bank, or from an inheritance that they want to either share, or give you, because they "are dying," and want it to go to someone who will help the poor less fortunate, delete the message, and please, DO NOT REPLY to any such message.

Alluring bait

The following is copy/pasted from the page in the link, for your information:

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.


Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.  The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.  Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

LINK TO VERIFY SCAMMERS:

Joewein.deLLC Internet Scam Warnings

Are You Seeing This in Your Area? Banks Bulldozing Repossessed Homes?

Part of a property purchased from foreclosure in Nevada.
It will become a rescue sanctuary for Pet Pigs in need of homes.

If you care to read a most enlightening article about the real estate market, bank foreclosures, and what they are doing to not only get rid of homes that aren't selling, but to also help the price of real estate properties possible rebound, as well, click on the link below:

News article about bulldozing some repossessed homes across the United States

I know that I ended up selling my home for about one third of what I paid for it in the year 2000, and there were three more, which had been repossessed sitting on about one acre just up the road from mine.  Another, manufactured home, just two properties over from mine, was also repossessed.  It had been well cared for, so hopefully it will at least get sold.  It was only about six or seven years old, too.

Piggy Wind Vane 

When those people moved out, they cleaned it all up, inside and out, even removing a shed that didn't look as good as it might have.  Of course that man probably wanted to be sure there was no bad reflection on him or his family, because he was a deputy sheriff locally.  I was sorry to see them leaving.  They had put so much into the property, landscaping and fencing that looked fine for the area, which is semi-rural.

The people who bought this place are practically rebuilding it, inside and out.  It had been pretty much trashed when the people moved.

Ready to bulldoze under

Many people who lose their homes to foreclosure simply gut the place, leaving little more than the walls, and concrete, and, O yes, the roof.  Most seem to tear out the carpeting, or ruin it beyond redemption, remove all appliances, crown molding, and many even break the windows.  Some are just worth nothing more than what it takes to bulldoze then over, like the three on an acre up the road from the home I sold.

Only one of those houses, even had been permitted, while the other two were build without the necessary permits.  So, no one can live in any of them, as the only one that had permits was trashed inside, and there is only one electric meter, water meter and gas meter for all three places.  It certainly can't have sufficient water pressure, or pressure from the gas meter, and it is obvious that the electrical is way, way insufficient for three homes, with breakers too small for today's needs.

Maybe you are looking for a repossessed home to buy.  Let the buyer beware, as it can turn into a "Money Trap,"  like the movie of the same name.  I think you can find that movie on Netflix, if you care to see it.

How Do You Feel About Consulting a Fortune Teller, or Medium For Advice About Your Future?

Life has lots of twists and turns.  We make
 choices that can affect the rest of our life.
Anything can be just around the curve
in the road, or around the corner.

As a True Christian, I believe the Bible when it tells us that we are not to consult with mediums, or professional foretellers of events, as those who are faking and scamming people are enriching themselves. Others, who actually consult spirits, are in league with Satan the devil's wicked spirit creatures, who would operate in ways that not only are meant to lead people to think that either GOD does not exist, or that he doesn't really care about people. If you have a BIble, please take a few minutes and look up these few scriptures: (Leviticus 19:31; 2 Samuel 21:1; 2 Chronicles 20: 14), so you can read it in your own Bible. He is also influencing people into think that GOD actually causes disasters, and other bad things that happen to people, and nations all over the earth.  If you have read in the Holy Scriptures, or your Holy Bible that GOD is love, then how could you even consider that he would bring down hurt and death on anyone who is his sheeplike ones that Christ Jesus taught? 

Who is he consulting?

In most things in life, we are the cause of most of the results of our own actions and choices, and unforeseen things happen to everyone, just by happenstance, i.e. being in the wrong place at the time something happens that can change the course of our life. Accidents happen. (Ecclesiastes 9:1)  Bad things happen to even good people, or I should say, to people who try to live good, and exemplary lives.  The Bible says that no man is good.  Even Christ Jesus said that no one is good, except the Father.  When so called Ministers tell people that GOD needed another angel, so he took their child, or spouse, that is another example of Satan's lies being perpetrated upon people who really should look into their Bible and read for themselves, that man dies because we all sin, and we 

Praying and reading your Bible daily,
you will find things your minister
never told you.

inherited sin and death from Adam and Eve, because when they stole fruit from the tree in the Garden of Eden which GOD told Adam, his first human creation, that they were not to eat from, or even tough that one particular tree, under penalty of death. Obviously, Adam had tole his wife, Eve what GOD had tole him, because when Satan asked Eve if it were true that GOD had said not to eat from the tree, she told him that GOD had said not even to touch it. Satan, speaking through the serpent, told Eve, "GOD knows in the very day of your eating from it, your eyes are bound to be open, knowing good from bad." That was the first lie ever told, and Satan intimated that GOD had lied to Adam and Eve. So she ate from the tree, thereby sinning against her Heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, and everything in it.

Who is the Mediums contact?