Overgrown and Outgrown

The need to communicate may be timeless, but the means of doing so have changed with the years. This picture is several years old, but from the looks of the untrampled greenery, it is apparent that the phone booth hadn't been used for quite some time.   The advent of the cell phone certainly foreshadowed its eventual decline and, perhaps in the near future, it’s total demise.  I resisted buying a cell phone for several years, but purchased one after trying to make a call and using up all my spare change on pay phones that didn't work.  Once I owned one, however, I was sold on them.

A Clever Thief

Over the years, our squirrels have provided a lot of low cost entertainment.   While our feathered friends  haven't appreciated their adeptness in snatching seed from the bird feeder, I thoroughly enjoy the antics of these clever little thieves.   A friend now purchases special ears of corn designed just for feeding the squirrels and a quick internet search turned up dozens of squirrel feeders.  I’ve no plans to buy one, however.  I think they get a bit of a thrill from stealing it out of the bird feeder.  They’re a bit like our dog, who loves to swipe food from the cats’ dishes, but displays little interest, when we put the same food in his own bowl.

Silence Is Golden

This post brought to you by Vipre. All opinions are 100% mine.


I have to confess that I've always preferred the strong, silent type.

No, I'm not talking about guys, I'm talking about software.  That's especially true with internet security software.  I don't need dozens of little popup windows interuppting my work to tell me that my virus definitions have been updated.    Sure, I want to know when there has been a threat, but otherwise I'd like my security software to quietly do its job.  It doesn't seem like a lot to ask.  For a while I just tried to ignore them,  but as the popup windows doubled in size and escalated the frequency of their annoying appearances, I knew I needed to find a new security product.,

I was a bit nervous about downloading the free 30 day trial of VIPRE Internet Security and antivirus software. I use my computer a lot and I don't want any software installation to slow down my PC or cause problems that cost me a lot of computer time.   I didn't need to worry.  Vipre even offered to remove my old antivirus software.    The download didn't interfere with my work and the installation was almost pain free.  I did have one small glitch.  It was not caused by Vipre, but by a setting on my computer.  Vipre provided both an error message and a very clear solution that I was able to implement in less than a minute.  After that, it was smooth sailing.



Vipre displays some informational tips during the installation that are worth reading, but I was also able to continue my work as it completed the installation.

Post installation, I can say that Vipre is just what I was looking for.  It does it's job quietly and  the only message I received was about a malicious site that was blocked.  Scans run quietly without slowing down my computer. I can even schedule my scans using Vipre's easy interface.  The interface also provides a lot of information on history and quarantined files as well as letting me change the software settings.  It's simple and I choose when I want to do it.   That''s just what I was looking for.

You can download and try Vipre at no cost.   You should certainly give it a try, if you are unhappy with your current software.  Even if you're satisfied, you should visit http://www.vipreantivirus.com/   to learn more about this great product and see how it compares to other security software.  I'm guessing you'll want to try it too.

Feedback

Are you watching the Super Bowl today? I’m not a big sports fan and I must confess that I’d rather watch a Little League game. 

Jungle

This pair doesn’t seem too happy. I can almost hear them saying “It’s a jungle out there.”

Colorful Design

Things are looking quite bland outside my window these days and the cold weather has barely begun. By spring, I'm sure I'll be more than ready for the reappearance of Mother Nature's colorful palette.

Safe Storage

All summer, squirrels ventured onto our deck, as if to taunt our cats. We've seen less of them there, since colder weather has arrived, although we see them foraging on the ground and racing up the trees. I suspect they are storing acorns and other food in a safe spot for winter.

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Picturesque Monkeys

How many monkeys can you stuff in a photobooth? 

As you may have guessed, I didn’t find a jungle photobooth or convince these guys to pile in.  While my picture involves some photographic monkey business, a photobooth does seem to bring out the monkey in most humans.   From stuffing the booth to making funny faces, people just naturally get into the spirit of posing for pictures. 

Spider Design

A web is truly a design masterpiece, combining beauty and functionality.