Updated Webpage

http://bosquefarms.us/GBagendas.htm

Take a look at this. The Council holds meetings at 6pm, a time when most people are on the road on their way home (if you believe the latest traffic studies) and now? They won't even post updated minutes and agendas.

So you have no way of knowing if you want to go to the meetings, unless you happen to stop by the post office (and we all know that not everyone has post office boxes) or the Village office for some reason.

What are they thinking?

You have no way of knowing what happened at the meeting either. Isn't that just dandy?

Of course it is not. Where is Mayor Ake? Is he checking on the details and making sure his employees are updating this webpage? The answer is obvious isn't it?

With Sympathy

This author has been saddened to hear of the death of a long time resident.

Beth Tietjen was a resident of Bosque Farms and played a large part in the local community as a volunteer, political participant, and general good neighbor. If there was a fire, Mrs. Tietjen was there as a Red Cross representative. She worked to teach people how to live off of the land, and she survived the West Nile Virus. She was also, if this author remembers correctly the first dog catcher of Bosque Farms.

Beth was well known for her love of horses, animals and people in need. She worked with the Red Cross for several years. She was also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. She would never hesitate to go and help with a sick horse or someone that was down on their luck. She loved to "nurse" a horse back to health, and many people bought their first horse from her.

http://www.news-bulletin.com/obits/default.html

http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/34733-09-03-03.html

It seems...

One employee is getting a nice big truck, fully loaded.


This same employee has started to not carry the tools needed to do the job because "it is not seemly for the 'boss' to carry tools".

This same employee also smokes in the Village vehicles and isn't that against village employee regulations?

Guess who?

This is the same employee you used to see out doing work all the time. And now, this author never sees him and now it seems this is why... it's unseemly.

Dogs and Reading in the Library

Lest some of the more cynical of you believe this blog has not changed completely the stance on dogs and pets in the library- read this.

Libraries and Schools schedule reading hours for children and Therapy Dogs. Children and dogs bond together over a shared story. The children's confidence and reading skills grow in a relaxing environment. It's that simple.

http://www.tdi-dog.org/childrenreadingtodogs.htm

This author must just not be seeing the reading time of the therapy going on because this author is visiting the library at times other than the scheduled reading time. Right?

Thanksgiving

Did you know that during the first year the pilgrims were in Plymouth they had roughly five kernals of corn a day for their daily rations? Of the 102 bodies who sailed here only 46 people survived.



Once they had a good harvest and had survived another year, they held a feast. The feast didn't have forks, pumkin pie, dairy or even rolls.

the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.



And if you read this website you will even learn why a day in June was declared as Thanksgiving at one point in our country's history.



http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm

Recipes

In the time honored tradition of this author, it is time for a new recipe. What a better time to share a recipe than close to Thanksgiving. This post is in honor of the long ago reader who made many comments alluding to the person this author might be. While, this reader was wrong, every recipe post is made especially for her, even now.



While Pomelos are in season and easy to buy at the grocery store, let this author share one nice and easy recipe. Cut a pomelo into thick slices, maybe an inch thick. Put these slices on the grill and top with a nice chicken breast (one from Sam's for instance). Let them grill on a low heat for several hours.



These chicken breasts will come out with a nice flavor and very tender as the juices of the pomelo will tenderize the meat during the cooking process.



Here is another recipe that is a nice show off recipe for Thanksgiving.

Take some sugar and some mint leaves. Put these in your blender and blend. The result will be mint sugar.



Cut up several oranges, pomelos, and grapefruit and sprinkle the mint sugar on the citrus fruits. Serve with a sprig of mint.



Very Yummy and easy too.

Fireworks and New Years

"Been Around" asked : May one shoot off fireworks for New Years? Would one be breaking the law?"



This seems easy, the ordinances are posted online correct?


http://bosquefarms.us/codes.htm



Except not the fireworks ordinances. Nope. You can search the ordinances listed and in the "Comprehensive Zoning" law you will find a reference to an ordinance 5-5. And guess what?
It's not listed!



It should be. This is a question that comes up every fourth of July and New Years Eve and every year we get to read the signs implying we shouldn't use fireworks, but we are unable to look at the ordinance ourselves. We just have to rely on the signs the Village decides to put up.



Makes you wonder why doesn't it?

Craft Fairs this Weekend.

Getting ready for the holidays has never been so easy, thanks to three different craft fairs happening in Bosque Farms this weekend.

http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/75815-11-14-07.html

This author attended all three craft fairs. They were all lovely with much to offer. This author hopes the people selling sold a lot and the people buying found something they liked. This author liked some of the jellies. Yum.

Forgot to Put This up. Sorry.

Getting ready for the holidays has never been so easy, thanks to three different craft fairs happening in Bosque Farms this weekend.



http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/75815-11-14-07.html



This author attended all three craft fairs. They were all lovely with much to offer. This author hopes the people selling sold a lot and the people buying found something they liked. This author liked some of the jellies. Yum.

A Fur Free Day

November 23, 2007 Fur Free Day.


Of course this is put on by the animal rights activists and of course, this website is a bit extreme (for this author) in some cases. However, it's a great opportunity for the librarian again to plan some great community events.

This author would suggest getting with the local animal shelters and allowing them to set up booths to pass out information. Maybe having the community center director arrange for someone in her kitchen to demonstrate cooking with no meat. You get the idea- anything about saving the animals.





This author would like to again express the appreciation for having such a forward thinking librarian that she willingly ignores the people with dog allergies to take care of her dog and the animals. (Ok, a bit of sarcasm there!)





http://www.furkills.org/feature_071010.shtml

Water and Watering your Lawn

This author recently noticed while running in a neighborhood that something unusual and unfair was happening.

Some people have been allowed to hook their house water to their sprinkler systems. And some people have not been allowed to do this.

You can see this by the pipes coming out of the house and going into the ground and the green grass around the home. These are the people who have their home water hooked up to their sprinkler system. Some others have pipes that are just about hooked up but not yet. Most of these people have been stopped from finishing their hook ups.

The question is why? Why do some people get to use their house water for their plants and others not? Why is the law unfairly enforced?

As it is, the law does not say you must use well water to water your yard. It says city water is for domestic use only.

Domestic: of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation; "domestic issues such as tax rate and highway construction (From the Princeton Online dictionary).

Domestic Animals: Animals cared for, reliant upon humans.

Domicile: The place where you live.

Fireworks Signs and Not Thinking

This author would like to revisit an issue that came up when writing about the fireworks and allowable use of fireworks.

Every year the Village has put up these large signs that say "Please, use of fireworks prohibitied" or some other such wording.

First a little history: These are a leftover from the Mayor Baldwin years. He had these signs made up without the please and then when he was called on it because the fireworks were not completely prohibited then he added the please. That was his 'give' but the intent of the signs was to make people think fireworks, all fireworks, were illegal.

Since then, ban or no ban these have been pulled out of storage and put up. And they make an impact when you see them it makes a person think fireworks are illegal in Bosque Farms and that you had better not use them.

Except, now the truth is out and others are learning that even if fireworks are prohibited, it is hard to catch those using the fireworks (per Chief Stidham on the front page last year!)

So now, the question remains, and it is an important question in light of the facts about the fireworks signs: When there really is a drought and we really don't want people using fireworks, will they believe this sign?

Answer: Nope!

So why put up the signs each year? Why not put them up when they mean something? What other signs are useless in the Village? (More later!) In the words of a previous reader "DUH!"

November 11, Veteran's Day

Thank you to the brave men and women who have served in the armed forces of this country.
Thank you to every one of them, those that fought, those that served behind the lines, and those that didn't fight but were prepared to do so.

Do not forget, President Bush has decreed this whole week to be Veteran's Week.

High Flight
By John Gillespie Magee, Jr
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward, I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds-and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there,I've chased the shouting wind along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

A little about this poem. Be sure to visit the site this poem was from and read all the information and poems there.
http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/SpecialDays/Veteransday/Veteransdaypoetry.html

On September 3, 1941, Magee flew a Spitfire V test flight which inspired him to write his poem. That same day he wrote a letter to his parents which included this now famous poem. Three months later, on December 11, 1941 (three days after the US entered the war and four days after Pearl Harbor), John Gillespie Magee, Jr., was killed. He was just 19 years old. John Gillespie Magee, Jr. is at Scopwick, Lincolnshire, in a churchyard cemetery.

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Pets and the Library

While this author is thinking and commenting on the pets in the library think about this.

When you go into the park by/behind the library it is nice and green and lush. And if you look directly behind the library it is a bit 'wild'. This area has been barked over and allowed to grow a bit wild. But think about this great idea:

What a wonderful way to honor our pets that have joined us on so many visits to the library as to let them be buried in the pet cemetary behind the library.

Of course it's not there yet, but it should be.

The area is already upkept so no added expenses would be added. All that would happen is those of us who enjoy taking our dog or cat or lizard or snake to the library would then be able to request a burial plot behind the library.

Some basic groundrules could be laid down like horses would not be buried but would have to be creamated, at the owners expense and through the owners planning (sorry Councilor Wallace, no help for the dead horse issue here!) but the ashes could be scattered there behind the library.

And there could be a fee. An up front, all inclusive fee- say $200. Surely it wouldn't cost that much to dig a hole, put your pet in the hole, and continue maintaining it as they have been the past years. If everyone pays the fee up front then you wouldn't have to worry about them paying for plot space for forever.

Markers could be bought by the owners provided they are no bigger than some set size. Or maybe the Village could make some signs, like little street signs with the name of the pet on it.

Just a few thoughts. This could be a great idea- A nice place to bury dead pets that is near to a place the pets have loved to visit and a little bit of revenue for the Village.

And look at this- it could be a tourist attraction


http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/


And look, other communities do it- so we should too. Right? That is how that line of reasoning works.

http://www.petcem.com/

http://www.petcemetery.org/

The Library and your Pet

This author had decided it is all about the spin you take- so here you go folks, a new stance.

The Village of Bosque Farms and those of us who live here are very fortunate to have a library that allows for pets. Most libraries don't. Most libraries are concerned about allergies, safety, etc

Instead this librarian has been forward thinking and positive in her consideration of pet owners who don't like to leave their dog (or other pets) at home.

Go for a walk with your dog and drop by the library. Maybe your dog will find a book he would like also?

Let's look at some of the special holidays that can now be celebrated at the library. What a wonderful idea and we have the librarian and her forward thinking ways to thanks for this- dogs and books, pets and books, what a great idea.

Print up this list for future reference.

January 5 National Bird Day


http://www.nationalbirdday.com/

January 14 National Dress up your Pet Day
And what a better way to celebrate than to bring your pet all dolled up to the library. Bring your lizards and your frogs and your dogs and show us how cute they are.

January 22-28 National Rabbit Week (It's in the UK but what the heck right? Our librarian brings her dog to work every day she goes to work, so lets join her!)


http://www.nationalrabbitweek.co.uk/index.php?page=healthybunny&section=healthybunny

August 1- National Girlfriend Day.

Ok, that is stretching it a bit, but some of the 'girls' in this house are dogs and they are girls and they are friends...

August 26- National Dog Day

http://www.nationaldogday.com/
October 26- National Cat Day


http://www.nationalcatday.org/about.htm

And don't forget there are other animal oriented days- national save the species day, national save a threatened animal day, world animal day, national homeless animal day, and the all important


National Corn Dog Day.

http://www.corndogday.com/

M

Do tell. How does someone get an M designation on their property?

And once you have an M what can you do with it?

According Councilor Proctor- just about anything you want. And guess who has an M now and guess who has left some of his property just sitting there waiting for something?

There are no current ordinances for M.

The Library Dog Mascot

"EyeCare" had several valid thoughts about the librarian dog mascot.

I mentioned "several" months ago that because some people have allergies to dogs, or animals in general, that the librarian should not be allowed to bring her dog in, but that situation seems to have NOT changed. Why was it ever allowed to start in the first place? Does the mayor have no say-so in the matter or does he even care? Does the librarian even care that she could be placing people in a potentially allergic reaction situation? Could the Village be held liable if such a situation were to take place and hospitalization were required? Just some questions to think about...

http://bfgovernment.blogspot.com/2007/10/to-do-list.html

The Time Change

"An extra yawn one morning in the springtime,

an extra snooze one night in the autumn

is all that we ask in return for dazzling gifts.

We borrow an hour one night in April;

we pay it back with golden interest five months later."

-Winston Churchill

The Librarian (Gossip)

This author has heard recently the ugly gossip that the librarian (not the assistants mind you) has been showing up late to work and getting paid for the hours she doesn't work.

Is this true? It doesn't seem to be.

This author has no way of knowing for a fact. But this author will say that the five days in a row that the library was open that one of the authors poked his/her head in the building, or looked for the librarian- she was there.

The big problem is not if the actual librarian is there or not because the library is open when it is supposed to be and closed when it says it will be closed. So for the public it really doesn't matter.

The gossip didn't start here and maybe this is the wrong place to mention it. But there it is.

Good News

The News-Bulliton is full of good news online today.

Congratulations to the Chavez family.

Congratulations to the paper for their awards.

It must be good news that there is a free legal workshop and clinic offered to seniors.

Good Luck to Belen in getting the Bugg Lights.

And from the last issue, this author meant to give a big high five to Mrs. Mildred Chavez. What a principal.

The Library

This author also would like to add that the library, with three librarians (one official librarian, two aides) could easily stay open more hours. It could be open one of the days it is closed or it could stay open later.

There are many arguments for why the library should be open more often and/or open later. The most basic one being that then more of those of us who live here could enjoy the library services.