The Worms Crawl In, The Worms....

So today boys and girls, we will be looking at WORMS!

Glorious wiggly worms!!

Shall we start with a song from my mother's répétiteur?

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me
Think I'll go eat some worms
Long ones, short ones, fat ones, thin ones
See how they wriggle and squirm

I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice
And throw the skins away
Nobody knows how fat I grow
On worms three times a day

Ohh...nobody loves me.

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me
I'm goin' down the garden to eat worms
Long thin slimy ones, short fat fuzzy ones
Ooey gooey, ooey gooey worms

Long thin slimy ones slip down easily
Short fat fuzzy ones don't
Short fat fuzzy ones stick to your teeth
And the juice goes slurpin' (slurping noise) down your throat

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
think I'll go eat worms...
big fat juicy ones, little slimy skinny ones,
hope they don't have germs!"

The above song, children, shows that one should never pout around my mother, otherwise, you shall hear this song, too!

Now lets take a moment to introduce you to a special worm, the gardeners friend, the Red Wiggler:

I have no eyes
I have 2-5 pair of hearts
I have no ears
I eat my own body weight per day
I have no legs
I catch no diseases
I have no arms
I have both male and female organs
I do not age
I am cold blooded
I have a big appetite
I am a tireless worker
I breathe through my skin
I am very strong and muscular
I lay eggs
At birth I am clear to opaque and very small
I am an excellent recycler
I will eat your garbage
I can help the environment

I AM A SUPER HERO!

I AM A WONDER WORM!
\

There are over 4000 species of earthworms but only 3 are considered composting worms. The common names for these three are the "Red Wiggler", "Blue Wiggler" and the "Tiger Worm". Eisendia Fetida is the proper name for the "Red Wiggler" and this worm is more familiar to us in the States.
The Eisendia Fetida has been found to be capable of transforming huge quantities of garbage into something very valuable. They have a very big appetite and can eat 1 to 1 ½ times their weight every day. The "Red Wiggler" excreta, known as "castings", and the washing of the worm urine, known as "worm tea" contain plant growth regulators and other substances. This makes them nature's most remarkable form of bio fertilizer and bi-pest agents.
Your "Red Wiggler" population can grow very rapidly. When worms breed, both male and female have reproductive organs. During mating, two worms align themselves in a head to tail position. A thick layer of mucus is produced and the two worms aligned discharge sperm cells, and then separate from each other.
A broad ring forms around each worm's body which receive the eggs and sperm cells as the worm works its body backwards from inside this ring. Eventually, the ring passes over the worms' head to form a cocoon, which house a number of eggs. (this process is much like slipping out of a shirt over our heads.)

Each worm produces 3-4 cocoons per week. Approximately 83% hatch. Approximately 3 worms emerge from each cocoon. It takes 32-73 days for a cocoon to hatch. It takes 53-76 days for the baby worms to mature and be ready to reproduce. (eggs become adult worms ready to reproduce in approximately 149 days or 5 months.)

The information above on the growth rate of the Eisenia Foetida is from an excellent book, Biology and Ecology of Earthworms, by C.A Edwards and P.J. Bohien

http://www.ourvitalearth.com/index.htm

http://insectlore.stores.yahoo.net/worms.html

Femme Philosophers

I've been honored!

My good friend jugglingpaynes has created a new award for Femme Philosophers!

Here is her explanation of how this new honor came about:

"I've been lucky to find a number of women here and in real life who challenge me to think, but also offer me a secure sounding board. I know they will still be friends even if our ideas differ. It's not as important to me that they agree, just that they are as respectful of my opinions as I am of theirs."

"I don't want to rehash our discussion here, except to say that it ranged from war, tolerance, and supporting our troops to the plight of Afghan women and how to prevent abuse. Weighty topics for late-night e-conversation. Anyway, my enjoyment of our late night talk made me joke that we should have our own Fem Philosophers Club. But my little jest doesn't seem to want to let go of me. So I'm thinking I will turn this into a kind of tag. Don't worry, I'm not going to make you pick 5 people or make a list of your random thoughts." These will be the rules:

Choose a button.

"If you are awarded the Femme Philosopher, you are now able to stick a Femme Philosopher button on your blog. If you are savvy of these things (I'm not) you can also link it on the post that won it for you. Copy these rules to include on your post so that others will know what it's about.

Now you are free to give this award to others! Along with blogs you agree with, please look for blogs that are not necessarily your views, but rather ideas that stir thought and allow for respectful discussion in their comments. We cannot stimulate our own thought processes without running up against some opposing views. (With this in mind, it is not necessary for the Femme Philosopher to be femme. It's named for the femmes that started it.) Use it as often as you like or not at all (killjoy).

I want to start things off by awarding a button to MOMflippedisWOW at her Balderdash & Blokus address. She inspires my thought be it through boiled frogs or patriotic spam. Congratulations, my friend, go forth and inspire others to think outside of their comfort zone."

I would graciously like to accept this award and say

Thank you, Christina.

I, too, enjoy our rambles into provoking thoughts of the whys and wherefores

of life.

You are a treasure!

Battle of the Species

Here's a Video well worth watching!

glumbert.com - Battle of the Species

Ebay Rocks!!

Have you all heard lately of some of the crazy Ebay auctions!
One lady wrote a hysterical account of how she aquired the item she was selling. This lead to over a million hits! Amazing. The winning bid was for around $141.00!It turns out it was a dear friend of hers, so she doesn't plan to cash the check but who cares? Her auction was entertaining to keep up with and she appears to have enjoyed the journey.

So I visited her blog today and someone had commented about the pattern they sold. A fifteen dollar pattern to make a simple purse! She sold it for $291.00!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130145366122&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=003

Well, I can't speak for others, but I think I'm going to start digging things out of my closet. Who knows, maybe I can hire one of these ladies to write my item description and win me so money!!

The Universe, by Leo Marriott

The true beauty of Fun~Schooling is you get to spend your days exploring...

Today's 'lessons' consisted of exploring Science, Geography, and Social Studies via this incredible book called "The Universe" by Leo Marriott. Perusing was interrupted by our yearling practicing being a man!

This Woman Should Run for President!

This woman should run for president!

Written by a housewife from New Jersey and it certainly sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady. The following is her candid opinion:

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol, and in a field in Pennsylvania ?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashedthroat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and - you guessed it - I don't care !!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." --Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this.

"If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day:

In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview.

When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America, he said: "A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in... and how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: 1. Jesus Christ 2. The American G.I.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM. AMEN!

Ebay or For Those Who Need a Laugh

Here's a hysterical yet serious ebay post. Check it out before it's gone!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675&ru=http%25

In case the entry disappears before you've had the pleasure of reading it, here's the author's blog address: http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!!!

'Stardust' A Great Date Movie

I am so easly influenced! A dear friend had a date night with her hubby and had so much fun that she suggested that my hubby and I also make it a date night and go see this movie 'Stardust'.

Well I hymmed and hawed about all the many reasons it was a great idea but it would never happen as I hit the send key on an email to my spouse. REALLY! My spouse and I live such crazy lives that we communicate via email, cell phones and talking while running errands together on the random days we both have off. Dates? Please... We've rarely gone out together since we've been married. We usually always take the kids and make it a family night. Well, last Saturday, my spouse shocked me when he told the kids it would just be the two of us as we had a date! Ten years of marriage and now we're dating! WoW! This also earns a Woot wOOt wOoT WOOT!!! (This Momma really flipped!)

Anyhoo, if you haven't seen 'Stardust', you really must get out and see it. This one is well worth the watching. It has action, suspense, humor, and romance.

It does have witches, so if you're fairy tale sensitive, you might want to pass on this one as it does have the classic evil witches similar to The Brothers Grimm.

Some of the scenes were so hysterical that the whole audience was laughing out loud. Both my spouse and I found this a charming love story well worth watching together.

Lovely Laughing Lynn Says...

Try these Tests and tell me your results at eclecticeducation

Here are my results and they fit rather well!

Your Hawaiian Name is:

Haleigha Akela

What's your Hawaiian Name?

I really agree with this one!! In RED please!!

You Should Drive a Lamborghini

A true daredevil, you're always in search of a new rush. Clearly, you're a total speed demon... just don't get caught!

What Sports Car Should You Drive?

You Are 16% Spoiled

You are definitely not spoiled. You've worked hard for what you have. Down to earth and grounded, you don't need a lot to make you happy.

Are You Spoiled?

You Are 55% Addicted to Blogthings

You're a Blogthings fiend - addicted but not totally dependent. So what if you know your personality type by heart? And while you may feel like Blogthings is crack... There are people much worse off than you!

How Addicted To Blogthings Are You?

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites. And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?

Frog Boiler!

OH MY!!

I've accidentily been accused of posting a video of a horrendous crime!

Yikes!! ~ But then again, it did leave me in stitches!!! ROLFLTSDMFBBBF!!

(and NO I'm not translating.)

Here's what I posted on my innocent site:

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle

www.enjoyparenting. com/dailygroove

:: "I'm Not A Frog-Boiler! " ::


When you reject authoritarian, coercive parenting in

favor of non-punitive, pleasure-oriented parenting,

critics and naysayers will warn you that your child

won't be able to cope in the "real" world.


The assumption is that "it's a jungle out there" and

we should gradually toughen up our kids and get them

used to suffering so they won't be shocked when they

venture out into the big, bad world.


It's like that famous experiment where they tossed a

healthy frog in boiling water and it leaped right out.

But if they put the frog in cool water and raised the

temperature gradually over several days, the frog

would be able to *adjust* and stay in the water.


The slow boil seems more humane, but that

"well-adjusted" frog eventually *died* from the heat!

Whereas the non-adjusted frog's intact sensitivity

protected it from being boiled.


Today, look for evidence that your child's sensitivity

is intact (e.g., negative reactions to unwanted

conditions) and be *grateful* for it! Tell yourself,

"My child will *never* get boiled!"


http://dailygroove. net/frog- boiler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CAPGG3kMKs

And here's the comment that left me in stitches, which lead to this new blog!

Oh B&B.....I just can't bring myself to click on that video. I'm sure it can't really be of a frog boiling, but the image in my mind is taking over! AUGHGHGH!!!!