We have another rock slide in North Carolina right at the Tennessee border that has traffic routed on another road.
In 2009 we had a rock slide that wiped out both east bound and west bound traffic on I-40 for months and months. It came down on the westbound side at mile marker 3 and went across all four lanes of traffinc so east bound traffic also had to be sent around it. The current rock slide is in the same area but not exactly at the same mile marker.
If you are driving a semi it is best for you to not try to go the detour at mile marker 20 as it is a very narrow and windy 2 lane road. The state of NC is asking you to get off at Asheville and take I-26 to I-81 then you can pick up I-40 at that point. For people heading east bound on I-40 you will just reverse the above directions.
They have not given a date for having it fixed but they did say it was because of the rain we have been getting and the fact that some of the big boulders shift on their own and then when it rains it starts a slide. This section had been inspected while they were fixing the 2009 slide and it was reported on the news last night that this one had been spiked and netted to avoid this. This one is totally unexpected as they checked miles of the mountain in 2009 both east bound and west bound and the netted most of it.
At the same time of the 2009 I-40 rock slide there was also one on highway 64 which was just a 2 lane windy road going through the gorge toward Tenn also. So if you were in Tenn and wanted to go east you would add 2 hours to your trip time. If you were in NC and wanted to go to Chattanooga, TN you were in for a shock as this one was not advertized as much as the other one was. We got caught in that one as sometimes we would take the gorge road just because it is such a beautiful drive.
We usually go to Knoxville and pick up I-75 going north. So we could not get there either way and being adventureous we got used to taking some backroads which was kind of nice as we saw things we would have never seen at all if there was no slide. What truly amazed me is that one time we went up and over the Smokey Mountain Parkway and came out at Pigion Forge. Now the parkway is also a 2 lane highway and it is well traveled with many turnouts you can use if you get tired of the traffic pushing you around some of the curves.
We had just pulled out onto the road again when we had to stop the motor home (pulling a car) as all traffic was stopped in both directions. My first thought was a wreck, howeven when we got out to see what the hold up was we were told someone saw a bear and wanted to get a picture of it. Now I am thinking to myself here is this guy running up the mountain trying to catch a bear for a picture and the guy has no idea that bear will kill you and eat you for lunch. There was about an hour wait as monkey see monkey do......and there were lots and lots of people going up to help this guy get his picture. Is it really worth your life or the life of those trying to help you just to get a picture of a bear? At the visitors center you can buy them and it is not like this bear is gonna say "come here little buddy and I'll hug you while your friends get a picture". That was our last trip taking the motor home over that mountain.
To wind up this story that started out to be a warning about the road closures turned into a lesson on bears. Here they are black bears and usually hungry. The main thing I want you to be aware of is if you are taking I-40 east or west you should check it out first. The length of the closure is unknown.
Thank you my friends for reading this blog and I hope it helps some of you. And if you cannot get where you want to go well just stay on your computer and on OLA and visit my store at http://ola.com/store/chateycathey and get in on some great deals as I am having a 50% off sale until February 8th at midnight EST
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Barbie's Beginnings
Ruth Handler was the woman who came up with the idea of Barbie after watching her daughter play with paper dolls. She noticed she gave the dolls adult roles. At the time, dolls were styled as infants. There weren't any adult dolls for little girls to play with. Ruth suggested the idea to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company but at that time, he was not enthusiastic about the idea.
Ruth came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli in 1956 when she was on a trip to Europe with her children. The doll, adult figure, was the type of doll she had in mind so she purchased three of them. One was for her daughter and the others she took back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was a "blonde bombshell, a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it." The doll first sold in Germany in 1955 and even though it was sold to adults, it became popular with children. They enjoyed dressing her up.
When Ruth returned to Mattel, she reworked the design with help from engineer Jack Ryan. They named the new doll Barbie after Ruth's daughter, Barbara. The doll made its debut March 9, 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
The first Barbie was sold with a zebra stripe bathing suit and was available as either a blonde or a brunette and they had a topknot ponytail. Charlotte Johnson, a Mattel fashion designer, designed Barbie's clothes. The dolls and clothes were first produced in Japan.
The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model" and underwent many changes over the years with the most notable change in 1971 when the doll's eyes were adjusted to look ahead instead of the demure sideways glance.
I remember the Barbie doll after it came out. I had to be about 10 at the time. The doll I had was a brunette with short fluffy hair. Even though I was a little older, I played with her for several years even trying to make new fashions for her. I wish I had held on to her! I really haven't seen a doll like her since.
The closest I came was this little beauty from Pwittsstuff.
Her hair is a touch longer than the doll I had but she really resembles my Barbie. The eyes, of course, look straight ahead instead of to the side.
Barbie is still a wonderful doll for little girls to dream with and for grown women to collect!
Here at OLA.com, we have a lot of different Barbie dolls, Ken dolls and more!
Vintage Brazillian Barbie N155 also from Pwittsstuff.
So, whether you are looking for the fashion doll for your daughter or enjoy collecting these beauties, check out OLA.com! We have a lot to choose from!
And if this isn't what you are looking for, check out our store, KornKountryTreasures!
Thank you!
PETER MAFFAY
Here is one of my favourite German musicians: PETER MAFFAY.
Video 1 (Karat & Peter Maffay)
Video 2 (Solo)
Born in Brasov, Romania, the son of a German (Transylvanian Saxon), he was 14 when his family relocated to his parents' (West) Germany in 1963. In the same year, he started his first band, The Dukes. After completing his education and working for Chemigraphics, an art manufacturer, Maffay worked in clubs, where he distributed his music.Peter Maffay's career started with the publication of his first single, "Du" (You in German). It was the biggest German hit in 1970 and brought Maffay instant fame. With the album Steppenwolf in 1979, Maffay became a major music star in Germany. The album sold 1.6 million copies, making it the best selling LP at that time. In 1980, the album Revanche (Revenge) broke his previous record, selling 2.1 million copies.Maffay holds the German record for the most number one ranked singles in the single and album sales charts, including 12 albums. In addition, most of his studio albums reached the top ten. He also holds a German record for most albums to have sold over one million copies, with 14. His latest album,Laut und Leise (Loud and Quiet), became the fourteenth.Altogether, Maffay has sold over 35 million records. Since 1980, each of his 13 tours (roughly every 2 years) has ranked among the three most visited attractions each season in Germany, with nine of them ranked first in that category.Maffay also created a string of fairy tales about a little green dragon named Tabaluga, which was spread out onto five albums. The piece was also turned into a musical. Maffay went on tour individually with Tabaluga & Lilli in Germany; he later released a live album, DVD and live TV broadcast. The tour included Peter Maffay, Alexis, Nino de Angelo, Rufus Beck, and Carl Carlton among others.In 1998, Maffay created an album in collaboration with artists from all corners of the world, including Aboriginal singers and musicians from Israel, called "Begegnungen". Julia Neigel, another famous German artist, is one of the musicians he usually works with in lyrics and singing in duets. She wrote two of his top singles - "Freiheit Die Ich Meine" and "Siehst Du die Sonne", a cover of Michel Polnareff's "Le Poupeé qui fait non".He also starred in two films directed by Peter Patzak: The Joker in 1986, and Captured in Yemen in 1999. In addition, Maffay played a supporting role in the feature "The Polar Bear".On 12 March 2011, Maffay received the Steiger Award (Germany).
Peter Maffay is active in politics and sometimes inserts his own political stances into his music. He is a peace activist, and in 2005 he performed a concert for German ISAF troops in Afghanistan. Maffay also donates to projects for traumatised and abused children. On the Spanish island of Majorca, he established a ranch where traumatised children from all over the world can have a free two-week holiday to help them cope with their problems. For his social commitment, he received the Bundesverdienstkreuz in 1996, and, in 2001, he received an award called "Goldene Henne" ("The Golden Hen").Peter Maffay has been married four times, has a son and lives with his family on a farm on Majorca. One of his hobbies is motorcycle riding. In 1972, Maffay was severely injured in an accident after crashing his Harley Davidson. Later in life, he crossed the Sahara Desert several times on an off-road motorcycle.
Since the beginning of Maffay's musical career, Carl Carlton has played guitar in many projects. Likewise, for many years, Bertram Engel (drums), Ken Taylor (bass) and Jean-Jacques Kravetz (piano) have worked with Maffay as well. Some time later, Jean-Jaques Kravetz brought his son Pascal Kravetz (guitar) with him into the fold. In 2004, Frank Dietz, Andreas Becker, some of Maffay's friends from the band left to pursue other projects. The newest addition to the band is the Hamburg guitarist, Peter Keller.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Story From a Minnesota State Trooper
Remember the old rock 'n roll song 'Go Granny go Granny go'?
Now this little pistols (no pun intended) eyes are just flashing with determination and fire....ya gotta notice those pearl button earrings. Why, I'll betcha if she's wearing Depends they're thongs! I personally would not have a concealed carry permit for anything....that's why we live in a town of 400. Everybody knows I wield a 'mean' broom!
I'm getting off track a little bit but it seems like every senior citizen I know always has on the same pearl button earrings...cept for me...I still like the 'wild' ones. I'm wondering where we go to get those pearl button earrings and at what age should we start wearing them? Does anybody out there know?
OK, back to the story....read this and study the white haired little lady...then think how the heck did that Trooper keep his composure?
!!!!!
CLICK HERE for my store Supergrannys Treasures
The Decorah Eagles
Last year, people were amazed and glued to the computer, watching the Decorah Eagles. Just click on the Decorah Eagles for the link. This is a part of the Raptor Resource Project. I copied this from the site to give you an idea of what the Raptor Resource Project is:
The Raptor Resource Project
Established in 1988, the non-profit Raptor Resource Project specializes in the preservation of falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks, and owls. We establish and strengthen breeding populations of these raptors by creating, improving, and maintaining nests and nest sites. In addition to directly managing over 40 falcon, eagle, and owl nest sites, we provide training in nest site creation and management across the United States, reach more than 85,000 people each year through lectures, education programs, and our website, and develop innovations in nest site management and viewing that bring people closer to the world around them. Our mission is to preserve and strengthen raptor populations, to expand participation in raptor preservation, and to help foster the next generation of preservationists. Our work deepens the connection between people and the natural world, bringing benefits to both.
This camera was set up by the nest of eagles near Decorah Iowa. Last year people watched in amazement as the eggs were laid, hatched and the eaglets flew! This was all over a period of time so people continually viewed the site. It was amazing!
There are links to other sites from the Raptor Resource Project, also!
The broadcast started again yesterday! And there will be updates throughout! This is an amazing site to keep an eye on!! This morning when I opened the site, the eagles were there but they have since flown off. There is a video, however, with an update! Check in periodically! It's fun, informative, and absolutely amazing! Oh, the wind can really make a noise on your speakers, so you may want to adjust the sound until you know how noisy it is.
Enjoy!!
Now, I love eagles! So I took a peek to see what OLA.com has to offer this morning! Wow!!
AKelly110 has these great American Eagle Bandannas - Lot of 18 and TONS more items!!
I love this Glass Eagle Beer Stein, Pewter Eagle & Head , Italy
Wow! I know we have LOTS of eagles on dollars but this
1857 Flying Eagle Penny *** NO RESERVE *** Our AUCTION # 269 a from 1967P4 is unique!
And if you're sports minded, check out Yogisportsden for these NFL Salt and Pepper Shakers - Philadelphia
Morerivethead has these neat 6 Porcelain COASTERS with Eagle & stars unknown!
And our store, KornKountryTreasures has this fabulous Eagle in Flight Statue!
So, while watching the eagles, check out OLA.com!! You'll be glad you did!
Thank you!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Beautiful!
This was sent to me and I wanted to share it with all my friends at OLA.com and beyond!
A Birth Certificate shows that we were born
Pictures show that we live!
Have a seat. Relax . . .
and read this slowly.
I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.
I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.
I Believe....
That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you,
every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe.....
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.
I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.
I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with Loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I Believe....
That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.
I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe....
That heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I Believe....
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing
and have the best time..
I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're
down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry, but that
doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I Believe.....
That it isn't always enough,
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn
to forgive yourself.
I Believe...
That no matter how bad
your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are, but,
we are responsible for who we become.
I Believe...
That you shouldn't be
so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.
I Believe...
That your life can be changed
in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
I Believe...
That even when you think
you have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.
I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe...
That the people you care about
most in life are taken from you too soon.
I Believe...
That you should send this to
all of the people that you believe in. I just did.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything they have.
Nice words to live by...... Enjoy.
Please share this with your friends!
MY FAVORITE BIRD
Hello my friends,
do you have a favorite bird? Well, I have. - Please have a look at the picture. Do you already know him? - No? Then please continue reading. ...
The Kakapo also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand. It has finely blotched yellow-green plumage, a distinct facial disc of sensory, vibrissa-like feathers, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and wings and a tail of relatively short length. A certain combination of traits makes it unique among its kind—it is the world's only flightless parrot, the heaviest parrot, nocturnal, herbivorous, visibly sexually dimorphic in body size, has a low basal metabolic rate, no male parental care, and is the only parrot to have a polygynous lek breeding system. It is also possibly one of the world's longest-living birds. Its anatomy typifies the tendency of bird evolution on oceanic islands, with few predators and abundant food: a generally robust physique, with accretion of thermodynamic efficiency at the expense of flight abilities, reduced wing muscles, and a diminished keel on the sternum.
The Kakapo is critically endangered; as of June 2011, only 131 living individuals are known, most of which have been given names. The common ancestor of the Kakapo and the genus Nestor became isolated from the remaining parrot species when New Zealand broke off from Gondwana, around 82 million years ago. Around 70 million years ago, the kakapo diverged from the genus Nestor. In the absence of mammalian predators, it lost the ability to fly. Because of Polynesian and European colonisation and the introduction of predators such as cats, rats, ferrets, and stoats, the Kakapo was almost wiped out. Conservation efforts began in the 1890s, but they were not very successful until the implementation of the Kakapo Recovery Plan in the 1980s. As of January 2009, surviving Kakapo are kept on two predator-free islands, Codfish (Whenua Hou) and Anchor islands, where they are closely monitored. Two large Fiordland islands, Resolution and Secretary, have been the subject of large-scale ecological restoration activities to prepare self-sustaining ecosystems with suitable habitat for the Kakapo.
The conservation of the Kakapo has made the species well known. Many books and documentaries detailing the plight of the Kakapo have been produced in recent years, one of the earliest being Two in the Bush, made by Gerald Durrell for the BBC in 1962. A feature length documentary, The Unnatural History of the Kakapo won two major awards at the Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival. Two of the most significant documentaries, both made by NHNZ, are Kakapo - Night Parrot (1982) and To Save the Kakapo (1997). The BBC's Natural History Unit also featured the Kakapo, including a sequence with Sir David Attenborough in The Life of Birds. It was also one of the endangered animals that Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine set out to find for the radio series and book Last Chance to See. An updated version of the series has been produced for BBC TV, in which Stephen Fry and Carwardine revisit the animals to see how they are getting on almost 20 years later, and in January 2009, they spent time filming the Kakapo on Codfish Island. Footage of a kakapo named Sirocco attempting to mate with Cawardine's head was viewed by millions worldwide, leading to Sirocco becoming "spokesbird" for New Zealand wildlife conservation in 2010, as part of the International Year of Biodiversity.[ The kakapo was featured in the documentary series South Pacific (renamed Wild Pacific) episode Strange Evolutions, originally aired on June 13, 2009.
The Kakapo, like many other New Zealand bird species, was historically important to the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, appearing in many of their traditional legends and folklore. It was hunted and used as a resource by Māori, both for its meat as a food source and for its feathers, which were used to make highly valued pieces of clothing. It was also sometimes kept as a pet.
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