Footle and Grok

Today I am tired.

As often happens, I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. We do so much on our trips that sleep is often neglected. I expect to be back to normal by the weekend, but today I still feel a little groggy.

This seems like a great time to find some sleep facts. Maybe it will help me go to sleep earlier tonight. Since this Sunday is Father’s Day and hubby’s birthday, I know I will be busy. 

Some sleepy facts:

• We dream on average two hours per night
• Our body temp drops by one to two degrees Fahrenheit when we sleep
• Most adults need seven hours of sleep or more each night
• 10% to 30% of adults deal with chronic insomnia
• 66% of people take in their sleep sometimes 
• In the U.S., 57% of men and 40% of women snore
• Babies need 12-17 hours of sleep each day
• About half of three to six-year-olds experience nightmares
• Lack of sleep in the U.S. has an economic impact of over $411 billion each year
• 78% say they enjoy going to bed more if they have fresh-smelling sheets
• 54.1% of sleepers sleep on their side, 37.5% sleep on their back, and 7.3% sleep on their stomach
• 28 % of U.S. adults in one study said they used a smartphone app to track their sleep

While on vacation last week, we decided to have quesadillas to use up some flour tortillas and the cheddar cheese in our cooler that was no longer cool. Using the cheese turned out to be a mistake, and we suffered mild food poisoning for a harsh twenty-four hours, but there was a silver lining to this meal. I found a great jar salsa.

We wanted some salsa to add to our quesadillas, so I stopped at a Walmart in Montana. I required a medium salsa that:

• didn’t have corn in it (gross)
• came in a squat wide-mouth jar so it would be easy to get to the salsa with our cheesy tortillas
• didn’t cost an arm and a leg (or even just a leg)

On a whim, I bought Newman’s Own Medium Salsa. It met all my requirements, and I figured it would taste okay.

Actually, it tastes amazing.

The salsa is chunky and smooth, and the heat is a low medium. The price is great, and even though I don’t care about the shape of the jar anymore, it’s a small enough amount for you to enjoy the salsa but not have it in your fridge for so long that it grows entities that might give you food poisoning. (I don’t recommend it.)

If you are looking for a great salsa this summer for your chips or a Mexican meal, I recommend Newman’s Own Medium Salsa. It’s a salsa that everyone will enjoy.

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

I would say if I have my laptop and a library, I have everything I need. Cicero didn’t have a laptop, but I’m sure if he knew what one was, he’d have had one.

I like this quote because it shows that we need very little to be happy and content. How much do you have in your life that does not fit into the category of “everything you need?”

Happy National Nature Photography Day!

I like to take photos, normally of people or pets. I’m not a great photographer, so my nature shots are nothing special. However, I love to look at nature photographs and am quite impressed by those who can capture nature’s beauty, mystery, and power in a static scene.

Do you like nature photographs? Do you take any yourself? What sort of camera do you have? I use my iPhone. I friend of mine just bought more lenses for his SLR camera, but he hates carrying the weight when he goes on six-mile walks with his dogs. I’ve seen his photos, and I think he’s good. Carrying the gear may be heavy, the results can be worth it. 

I currently have a framed close-up of a grizzly bear face by my bed. It came from a calendar, but I loved the picture, so I kept it. I hope the photographer of that bear had a large zoom lens and didn’t get too close. The bear’s eyes seem to be are studying my soul.

National Nature Photography Day was created by the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) in 2006. The group was founded in 1994. I’m sure their pictures are wonderful.

Here are ten ways to celebrate the holiday:

• Go for a walk and bring your camera.
• Read a photography blog, listen to a podcast about taking nature pictures, or watch some YouTube videos about technique.
• Clean your camera lens, either on your phone or with another camera.
• Look at some professional wildlife photograph books.
• Find a lovely nature picture and make it your computer or phone wallpaper.
• Invite a friend to go for a walk and see who takes the best picture of nature.
• Watch a National Geographic documentary, or one like Planet Earth (not all pictures have to be static.)
• With Shutterfly or another company, turn some of your nature photos into wall canvases, mugs, or other useful items.
• If your photos are professional quality, consider using CafePress or TeePublic to put your photos on a shirt for others to buy.
• Post some of your nature photos online for others to enjoy.

This meme always makes me laugh.

I told myself before my three races that I would take a break after. I have to pack, and I have a lot of writing to do (those videos don’t make themselves.) But I’m already looking for another half marathon. 

I’ve been looking for something in October, November, or December. That way, I can take a break before I start training again. However, the first Mt. Rainier Half Marathon is in July. If I’m still in Washington, it could be fun to do. 

Yep, I’m going to sign up for another race.

I watched an awesome DVD about animals in Australia called the Magical Land of OZ (it has an adorable peacock spider on the cover) and learned something brand new. I enjoy plenty of documentaries, so I’m used to knowing a little about a lot of topics. But this surprised me. I felt like I was watching The Jungle Book, not real animals.

What was this mind-blowing video?

It showed Aboriginals doing a controlled burn in the savanna of Northern Australia. As they burned the grasses, small animals and insects escaped. Overhead, black kites circled to catch them. That seemed pretty normal bird behavior. But one black kite picked up a branch that was burning at one end. The bird flew to an area that was not on fire yet and drops the branch. The new grassland began to burn, not because of humans, but because a bird figured out that fire was a guaranteed way to get a meal.

I know that plenty of animals make and use tools and that birds, like crows and ravens, are problem-solving smart. But I hadn’t heard of any animal besides us that used fire. I was quite impressed.

The way the video portrayed it, the birds learned this behavior from watching the humans, but fire has been part of the Australian savanna for thousands or even tens of thousands of years. So the birds might have known about the advantages of fire long before humans demonstrated it.

Now I feel like I’m watching The Jungle Book. Mind-blowing.

Today is my third half marathon in three weekends. It’s in West Yellowstone, Montana, and is probably the hardest race I’ve ever done. But all I have to do is go until I cross the finish line. Wish me luck.

And yes, I ran a 5k last evening. Both 5ks and two of my half marathons were above 6,000 feet, so I think I’m acclimated by now.

We’ve been in Yellowstone for a few days now. It’s an amazing place. Every day we’ve seen different things.

Yellowstone is big, but how big is it? This question led me to other statistical questions. As I went looking for answers, I found a cool infographic from the Yellowstone National Park Lodges (you can see the entire thing here.) These numbers are big, but more importantly, they show how important Yellowstone is and why it should be protected as more and more people visit.

Yellowstone by the numbers

• Yellowstone is 2.2 million acres, the second largest National Park in the lower forty-eight. Death Valley is the largest outside of Alaska.
• There are 310 miles of paved road in Yellowstone. That isn’t a lot for that much land, which explains the traffic jams.
• There are more than 300 geysers in the park. Various apps will tell you when many of them are erupting.
• There are 290 waterfalls. I bet some of them are rather remote, but it would be fun to try and see them all. (Other people agree since there are books and websites for those who want to a challenge.)
• Sixty-seven different mammals live in the park. That is another list I want to find.
• There are 285 types of birds. List!

I’m going to enjoy exploring Yellowstone in the years to come. Visit me and we’ll go find a waterfall together.

Happy Iced Tea Day!

I have only one question in honor of this holiday? Sweetened or unsweetened?

Let me know how you like your iced tea.

I like it unsweetened with lots of lemon. Hubby likes it sweetened southern-style.

I don’t have an interest in gardening, but I do other things that have rewards in the future. I would say working on my health is the most important because I want plenty of tomorrows. I hope you have interests that create rewards in the future, too.

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

Audrey Hepburn