The Symposium for 2016 is over. This is one of the main events and projects I have to prepare for and work on each year. It is a lot of work yet it is nice when it comes to a conclusion and the audience is happy with the results.

Tags: Winn Feline Foundation, Meetings

Today was getting some relaxation in before ramping up to the Winn board meeting at 5 p.m. Always plenty of details to pay attention to there. One last look at the pool and all the hotel guests who were enjoying it.

Tags: Meetings, Las Vegas, Winn Feline Foundation

Another hot day in Las Vegas so we went out and found a spot under an umbrella to enjoy the pool and sun. Bob went swimming and I just dipped my feet to cool off.

Tags: Meetings, Las Vegas, Winn Feline Foundation

Bob and I got up at 3 a.m. today to drive to Portland and catch an early morning flight to Las Vegas. The flight was a good one, no problems. Vegas temperature was up around 110 degrees today so it was a hot and tired pair that got to the hotel about 1 p.m. We could check in and cool off. We didn't make the pool today and it closes at 6 p.m. Bummer

Tags: Las Vegas, Winn Feline Foundation

One of the most interesting engineering marvels and changes to history of commerce was the building of the Panama Canal. It marvels those who see it today. Yet, it is not without its controversy and problems today. Read it here.

Tags: Current Affairs, Panama Canal

PaPa does a great job with taking care of his boys. When Jesse got hungry after exploring the house, he finished off one jar of squash fast and was very upset there wasn't more food right there and PaPa had to get more. He does like to eat and makes it a task that he tackles matter of factly and finished.

Tags: Children

One reason I said Jesse was a mimic is that he enjoys mimicking actions of his brothers. Ryan likes to chase the grandparents with the fly swatter. Jesse likes to wave it at us too.

Tags: Children

Archeologists have found evidence of ship sheds off the coast of Greece that may have held ships that fought the Persians in the Battle of Salamis (one of the greatest battles of all time). More detail about the finding is here.

"Although the Greeks were outnumbered, they won the battle, which took place in the straits between the Greek mainland and the island of Salamis.

"This naval battle was a pivotal event in Greek history; it is difficult to predict what would have happened if the Greek fleet had lost at Salamis, but it is clear that a Persian victory would have had immense consequences for subsequent cultural and social developments in Europe,” said Loven. “The victory at Salamis rightly echoes through history and awakens awe and inspiration around the world today." "

Tags: Ancient Worlds, Archeology

Our two lovely rose bushes with apricot and mango/peach colors along with our herb beds sure look lovely. The creeping red thyme ground cover is also growing and blooming!

Tags: Gardens, Berlin Oregon Community

I caught this photo while at Suttle Lake of a family enjoying the water, the view of the lake and time together.

Tags: Photography, Lakes, Oregon

Went over to Bend today to see our attorney for the Estate. On the way home, we stopped to eat at a picnic table at Suttle Lake. It was peaceful and beautiful as always.

Tags: Oregon, Lakes, Photography

While we had the thunderstorms going on near the mountains the other night, there was a short wide rainbow that cropped up over the hills and mountains to the east.

Tags: Weather, Photography

Our English garden parterre looked quite lovely last night while sitting on the deck and enjoying the twilight.

Tags: Home, Gardens

Thunderstorms off in the mountains to the east. The sun streaming from the west. I caught the Douglas fir trees glowing in the twilight.

Tags: Photography, Berlin Oregon Community, Trees

Having a surprise edge in battle or war can be the key to victory. They have found that the Romans had "whistling" sling bullets they used to terrorize their barbarian foe. More about it here.

"Some 1,800 years ago, Roman troops used "whistling" sling bullets as a "terror weapon" against their barbarian foes, according to archaeologists who found the cast lead bullets at a site in Scotland.

Weighing about 1 ounce, each of the bullets had been drilled with a 0.2-inch hole that the researchers think was designed to give the soaring bullets a sharp buzzing or whistling noise in flight.

The bullets were found recently at Burnswark Hill in southwestern Scotland, where a massive Roman attack against native defenders in a hilltop fort took place in the second century A.D."

Tags: War, rome

I have had to work with colors with my work with Winn. I also have had to deal with Pantone color which we have a color for Winn materials. Some researchers in Australia believe Pantone 448C is the ugliest color. If you are curious and want to know what that color is, check it out here.

Tags: Color, Trivia

So how did the prehistoric Britons get the stones of Stonehenge to there from a quarry in Wales. You have to read this link to find out.

Tags: History, England

A significant archeological finding was recently discovered in London offering more information on Roman London times.

"Archaeologists announced Wednesday they have discovered hundreds of writing tablets from Roman London — including the oldest handwritten document ever found in Britain — in a trove that provides insight into the city's earliest history as a busy commercial town.
Researchers from Museum of London Archaeology uncovered more than 400 wooden tablets during excavations in London's financial district for the new headquarters of media and data company Bloomberg. So far, 87 have been deciphered, including one addressed "in London, to Mogontius" and dated to A.D. 65-80 — the earliest written reference to the city, which the Romans called Londinium."

Tags: History, Archeology, London

What with our luggage getting soaked on the outside last night, Bob was unpacking and one of our new books he had taken on the trip got wet around the edges. As we sat it out in the sunlight to dry, Oscar decided he needed a good read.

Tags: Cats, Books

Last day in Denver and it has been hot. Hot enough that when we were at the Denver airport this evening to catch our flight home, a thunderstorm passed overhead with a heavy downpour. Our luggage got quite wet from sitting outside while this happened.

Tags: Travel

I got to take my huge help, Dr. Matthew Kornya, with the Winn blogs out to dinner here in Denver. It was great getting to know Matthew better. He is a true cat lover and sharp guy on medicine.

Tags: Winn Feline Foundation

Went out to food and drinks with the VIN crowd in the evening at a nice French bistro restaurant. While eating and drinking (sparkling water) there was a pretty loud thunderstorm that broke overhead with wind, rain and noise.

Tags: Travel

Headed off to Denver for the ACVIM meeting today but not until we made our first batch of canned strawberry jam from our berry plants this year. Before it was freezer jam, this year it is onward and upward for canned.

Tags: Food

I didn't realize that transfer of DNA occurred at times so significantly that DNA could implicate and then allow conviction someone of a crime. It has likely happened and did almost again before this was found to be at times flawed and not infallible. Read about how DNA can implicate the innocent.

Tags: Science, Crime

Photography: analog versus digital. Photography has come a long way from when I got my first camera and especially the Olympus 1 which I loved. It is great to delete bad pictures versus printing poor ones yet one wondered if print film was a better quality. This article indicates the answer is No. We are still maintaining a good bit of quality, or even better.

Tags: Photography

An interesting piece about how a literature professor helped the FBI narrow down the suspects, catch and convict the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. True crime is an interesting read when it is kept to the the facts and not Hollywoodized.

Tags: Crime, Current Affairs

Today was a very hot day for the first part of June. I had to drive to Sherwood for the Volunteers Brunch for Cat Adoption Team. The Strawberry Festival held their parade today and the afternoon was a second birthday party at Century Park for Nicolas. The kids were soaked with cold water using water pistols or water pumps. Ryan though he could just dunk his pistol in the water to fill it but he had a blast.

Tags: Children, Birthday

Ryan does love his watermelon and fruit to eat. Here he is eating a wedge of melon while watching TV. Ah, the life!

Tags: Children, Food

I love this time of year where we have fresh strawberries from the garden and one can make homemade shortcake from Bisquick. Yum.

Tags: Gardens, Food, Berlin Oregon Community

Bob and I followed one of the carnival rides coming to town on Monday after leaving the birthday party. Getting ready for the Strawberry Festival.

Tags: Lebanon Oregon