Debra LaValley's Blog

June 1951 Ken Ross

My parents’ let me borrow a couple old photo albums, and I have been scanning some of the photos. I had not seen this particular photo of my Grampa Ross before. I knew that he could play the guitar and harmonica at the same time even though, I never remember him playing. In fact, I was the only grandchild that he ever knew. He died too young of stomach cancer on December 24, 1958. I turned one on December 26, 1958. I think that I would have really loved spending time with him. From what I have been told and from the photos that I have seen – he was FUN! On the back of this photo is written (in what looks to be my Nana’s handwriting) “June 1951 – One man band – Doughnuts and Coffee Ken Ross.” I wonder what silliness he had on his head?

I can see my mom and brother Tom in his face in this photo too.

Another photo that I came across:

Ross and Preve Family

Top row: Ralph, Nana, Uncle Leo (Preve), Aunt Cookie, Grampa Ross
Bottom row: Rich, Mary Jane, Jim, Ken (Preve)

One more photo Down Memory Lane – before I was on the Lane! 🙂

1953 Prom Penacook High School

My mother said she was thrilled (not really) that her parents were chaperones for the Prom. I am sure every high school senior would want his/her parents to join them at the prom. 🙂 Pictured – Ken & Alba Ross (aka Grampa Ross & Nana), Betty Ross & Tom La Valley (aka my parents).

Have a great day everyone! I will be posting more old photos soon on my other tabs – so check back!

Hot Cuisine

HOT CUISINE

Today is day two of temperatures in the 90s and very high humidity. I am not a fan of this kind of weather. Yesterday, my parents invited me over to supper – so I didn’t have to think of what to have for supper.

I arrived home tonight around 5:30 PM – my apartment a comfortable 74 degrees with the AC on. I knew that I would be having a nice cool salad for supper. You wouldn’t catch me heating up the apartment by using the stove. So, I fed the cat. Molly always has to eat first because she is STARVING to DEATH from not having me around during the day to beg snacks from. I took out a plate – filled it with prepackaged salad and crumbled up a slice of 50% Cabot cheese on top. I then opened the refrigerator to get the salad dressing and noticed that I didn’t have any! What to do? What to do?

Luckily, I am known for my Haute Cuisine, and looked at what I had. Hmmm – a half jar of RAGU No Sugar Added spaghetti sauce! That would do. I measured out a 1/2 cup (1 Weight Watcher point – much better than the 3 points for 2 tablespoons of a low calorie dressing, by the way). I poured it over my salad.
(Yes, I live a lone … I don’t know how a spouse would take such a meal – would one of you try it out and let me know how it goes?)

I was brought up to always clean my plate, so I got out one piece of diet bread (1 WW point) and spread some Smart Balance margarine on it to soak up all the goodness left on the plate. Viola – a clean plate.

Don’t knock it until you try it. It was not bad at all! Any port in a storm as they say. By the way, if I had cottage cheese in the house, I would have had cold baked beans and cottage cheese for supper. Now that is GOOD food!

Keep cool!

Our perfect weather is about to leave us. I can feel the humidity creeping into the air. We are entering a heat wave. It is going to be in the mid to high 90s in the next couple days with high humidity. I have already started whining! 🙂 I despise heat and humidity. UGH! I don’t know how people live in places where heat and humidity is almost a daily thing. Give me SNOW over HEAT any day! I am thankful that I bought an air conditioner a couple summers ago and also happy that the heat wave is only lasting a few days.

Have a great day and stay hydrated and cool!

Uncle Bob from AZ – Out in the Snow 🙂

McKenzie – The Sweetest Dog Ever

Our family lost our furry friend McKenzie last Thursday (5/24/12). She had been very sick – and in fact a year ago last February was only given a couple weeks to live. McKenzie was the sweetest dog ever. She never growled, was friendly to everyone, and would take food out of your hand very gently. She was one of 6 puppies found abandoned in a parking lot on St. Patrick’s Day 12 years ago. An employee at Riverside Veterinary Hospital found them – scooped them up and brought them to Riverside! They were all given Irish names and loving homes were found for each of the puppies. My parents were the lucky ones to adopt McKenzie.

McKenzie had a great life filled with love. Everyone loved McKenzie. It was sad to see her slow down the last few months and especially the last week or so. She had a large tumor pressing against her heart. We were all fortunate to have her the extra 14=15 months after the diagnosis – especially after she was given two weeks to live.

Riverside was wonderful when the time came to help McKenzie find peace. They took her around to see all of her friends at Riverside both human and furry friends she used to play with at daycare. She was a very special dog, and we will all miss her.

I think even Molly my cat will miss her dog cousin. McKenzie was so gentle with Molly even though Molly could be a little bit of a wench to McKenzie. I love this photo below where McKenzie was trying to sleep and Molly was about to give McKenzie a little tap to wake her up.

“Waki-Waki”

This was taken 5/22/12. Rest in Peace – McKenzie

Olympic Dive by a Snapper

This female snapping turtle was quite large! Her shell must have been a good 18-20 inches long. She was on the footbridge that leads over to the Hannah Dustin Monument. I was with my nephew and his girlfriend. We snapped some photos and then the turtle did the unthinkable – she slowly turned and started toward the fencing on the side of the walkway. We watched in horror! There was enough room for her to go under the fencing! Suddenly, she was half over the edge! I was torn to either photograph the plunge or try grabbing its tail. I was too chicken to grab her tail. I have only picked up baby snapping turtles.

Then everything seemed to move in slow motion as she slipped off the bridge and took about a 25 ft plunge to the river below. Unfortunately, she landed in the very shallow water near the muddy shore. I think we all screamed and the thud was like a giant belly flop. Hesitantly – we looked over the bridge. I expected to see something quite horrible! However, much to our surprise – the female snapper – was right side up and moving. She walked/swam off under the bridge. We are hoping she is ok – but it must have caused some damage.

Easter 1968

I love photographs – a moment in time – captured forever! I especially love old family photographs. I am a little late with the above photograph. I was hoping to post it for Easter – but I couldn’t find a copy. Recently, while visiting my parents – I found the photo along with some other old photos and scanned them. This particular Easter photo really makes me smile. I believe my mother made our dresses. The groovy hats are a sure sign that the photo was taken in the late 60s! We posed for this photo at my grandparents’ house at 98 Washington Street in Penacook. We certainly looked cool – right down to Tom Jr. in his suit. Ken wasn’t even a sparkle in my mother’s eye yet. He was born in 1971.

1968 Easter w/ Grammy & Pepe

Below is an older Easter photo that I came across.

Easter – Early 1960s

You don’t see many families gathered together in their new Easter clothes posing for family photos. It was a simpler time back then. I am glad that I grew up during this simpler time, and I am glad that many of these moments were captured in photos.

Have a great day!

Banded Sub-Adult Bald Eagle

I am truly amazed and thrilled that bald eagles have made such a great come back. Growing up, we never saw bald eagles around Penacook/Boscawen. My first sighting of a wild bald eagle in these parts was many years ago, and it was a rare sighting. In the past few years, I have regularly seen bald eagles in the area. They love hanging around the Merrimack river. During the late winter Eagle Count that I was a volunteer for – I saw 7 different eagles that day. I never tire of seeing them.

Yesterday, I swung by Crete’s farm and a banded sub-adult was perched in the dead pine branches in a tall pine tree. There is a small pond below the tree. It is a great place for the eagles to grab a quick meal of fish. Luckily, I had my camera in the car and could snap some photos.

I have also been watching the eagle nest in Decorah, Iowa. Again this year, there are three eaglets. It is fascinating to see the parents feed and protect the youngsters. It is amazing how clean the nest is kept and how both parents share the responsibilities. I also find it interesting that even the smallest eaglet knows not to poop in the nest … they back up and “shoot” out of the nest. It must be a natural instinct – interesting. They parents also keep the food “pantry” away from the sleeping area – to keep the little ones clean. Dad makes sure the nest is keep strong and repairs any damage. He also regularly brings food. Mom likes to feed the eaglets – dad likes to as well – but Mom appears to rather do it herself. The interactions of the eagles are addicting. The sight has had millions of viewers.

If you would like to watch the Decorah Eagle’s nest click here.

I can’t believe tomorrow is May! I hope everyone is having a great spring!

Happy Earth Day!

Our planet is such a gorgeous place! We need to be better stewards! Every day should be Earth Day!

I recently went to Bermuda! What a paradise! I have been to Hawaii three times, and it too is gorgeous – however, all around – Bermuda wins. The flight is quick from NH (under 2 hours), the people are so friendly, the water is beyond words, and public transportation is a breeze. I will be going back!

It is raining today – and we certainly need the rain. Have a great evening.

If you want to see more Bermuda photos and other photos of mine – click here!

Debbie 🙂

Mothra (aka Giant Cecropia)

I was reminiscing the other day about miller moths. As far back as I can remember, my mother has disliked (read afraid of) millers (those pesky moths that tend to get into the house and are often seen on the inside of lights). I like moths and would capture any that happened into the house and release them outside. Often, my mother would comment that “Glen Miller and his orchestra” were in the light. Cue Moonlight Serenade. This was the signal for my dad to take off the glass light covers and dispose of the millers.

Yesterday, I gazed up into the large kitchen light at my parents’ house – hoping to see remnants of millers so I could take a photo for this blog – but alas – there were only a couple silverfish corpses in the fixture. Now – they are some freaky bugs. Why they are called silverfish – I don’t understand since they bear no resemblance to fish and do not live in water. The silver part, I get. They are very strange indeed and seem to be sculpted out of silver dust. According to Wikipedia they are also known as fishmoths or carpet sharks (I like this one and see a horror movie in the making. Was that a dorsal fin that I just saw in my living room rug?). It seems they get the “fish” part of their name due to their fish-like movements. I can’t say that I have ever thought they moved like fish. The article stated that they like carbs! I can relate to that – I have never met a carb that I didn’t like. In fact, right now, I am craving something chocolate! Is that a knock on my door? “Candy-Gram!” (Land Shark) . . . I digress (one of Saturday Night Live’s best skits back in the day when SNL was REALLY funny).

Silverfish/Wikipedia

I can’t really think of much else to say – hope you all have a great day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Yes, I am having a green beer. I dropped some green food coloring into my Twisted Thistle Belhaven Ale (Scottish Ale). I am of the Ross and Grant Scottish clans. I also have some ancestors from Wales – so there really must be some Irish in there somewhere too. Believe it or not, I think this is only the second green beer that I have ever had. It looks pretty vile – but it still tastes like a great Scottish ale! I am wearing my Ross clan t-shirt today too. It is green. The Ross motto is Success Nourishes Hope.

Spring has sprung here in NH! Tomorrow is supposed to be around 70 degrees and it may hit 80 this week! We certainly have had a very weird winter.

Enjoy your day, everyone! Slainte Mhath! To your good health!

Debbie 🙂