Sandra in SW VA

KW Randomness

2010-08-02T21:49:00.003-04:00

Another day in the Keys...

2010-07-31T23:18:00.001-04:00

Back in the Keys...

2010-07-30T07:21:00.001-04:00

2053 Full Moon Sky View

2010-07-27T05:30:00.003-04:00

Cucumber Blossom

2010-07-26T07:29:00.001-04:00

As seen from my front door...

Strange Fruit...

2010-07-15T20:28:00.001-04:00

Okra Bloom

2010-07-15T08:18:00.000-04:00

Local Summer Harvest....

2010-07-07T20:06:00.004-04:00

More randomness...

2010-06-22T17:32:00.003-04:00

Random Scenes...

2010-06-14T21:10:00.003-04:00

Home Scenes...

2010-05-06T20:32:00.003-04:00

What I Came Home To....but I'm home....

2010-02-11T07:30:00.003-05:00

Key West Last Day ....

2010-02-09T20:04:00.003-05:00

More Key West...

2010-02-06T15:30:00.002-05:00

A fine home on Solares Hill once owned by Shel Silverstein - the huge trees covering the front certainly provided the seclusion he was rumored to crave...
A modest tiny home in need of roof paint - but when would the roof be cool enough for that chore...I once owned a similar house .....but not in Key West...
Overlooking the main entrance to the cemetery one could easily place this house in SW VA with the plain design and the front porch clothesline...
The rebar, concrete, mirrored barrier would be at home as well...

Key West Cemetery

2010-02-06T08:48:00.003-05:00

Key West, again....

2010-02-05T08:07:00.003-05:00

I was planning to fly down last Sunday but that flight was rescheduled for the following day due to snow - so now I am here and guess what? More snow back home in Virginia - so I will stay here a couple more days to avoid being stranded in some airport....such a sacrifice I know...

Again...

2010-01-30T10:10:00.001-05:00

The Wonderful English Language....

2010-01-03T17:34:00.001-05:00

A New Year...

2010-01-01T15:19:00.003-05:00

To capture any lurking evil spirits as I venture forth in this new year...

More this time around...

2009-12-19T12:23:00.001-05:00

Seventeen inches or so this time - so they say...

And here....

2009-12-05T11:23:00.001-05:00

Visiting the West Virginia Fair

2009-08-23T19:56:00.001-04:00

Another hike - Rock Castle Gorge

2009-08-23T19:49:00.002-04:00

Catching up - Charlottesville and Monticello

2009-08-23T19:37:00.005-04:00

Quick overnight trip to Charlottesville Va a while back to hear Jackson Browne and revisit my old college grounds...

Sharp Top Hike

2009-07-19T23:46:00.006-04:00

Another lovely natural resource in my neck of the woods...

The (Roanoke) Towers Come Down...

2009-07-12T19:57:00.004-04:00

Another casualty in the ever expanding Carilion empire...

Dry Tortugas

2009-07-06T05:50:00.002-04:00

I returned home several days ago but continue to post photos taking during the week spent in Key West....

More Key West...

2009-07-04T15:26:00.007-04:00

Key West Houses - worn, simple and magnificent - a thrift store I discovered on Center Street, shop sign noted in this John Hersey short story .... I will return soon...

Key West....continued...

2009-06-25T11:32:00.001-04:00

A couple of self assured Key West felines and the homes of James Merrill and Elizabeth Bishop....

Key West - Day 2

2009-06-23T22:06:00.004-04:00

Chicken folk art, vivid colors both natural and not and a Cuban plane story - yep, just another day in paradise...

Key West - Day 1

2009-06-22T17:49:00.003-04:00

Wildly bright flowers, free range chickens, fine Green Parrot music and folk art water hydrants - all in the first day in Key West....

Savannah

2009-06-21T07:02:00.004-04:00

On my balcony...

2009-06-10T19:25:00.003-04:00

Seen From My City Apartment...

2009-06-08T20:12:00.002-04:00

My father has told me this story again and again - so much that I seem to remember the event....On a warm sunny day when I was 2 years or so, my mother sit me on a blanket under a tree in the yard of the small, simple country house they were renting. I was a quiet, happy child outside and my parents took advantage of my contentment to catch up on chores. Mom was inside and Dad was tinkering on some car. He happened to look up and saw a snake hanging from the tree and he was certain the snake was out to do me harm. He grabbed me from the blanket, ran inside the house with me and returned to hack the snake to death with a hoe and throw it in the ditch....this is how he tells it...

The answer to the question posed earlier today..

2009-04-25T21:09:00.000-04:00

Celebration of Wonderful News...

2009-04-21T06:37:00.006-04:00

I received the phone call that that my body is not harboring any malignant, wildly multiplying cells just before I headed out to hike Devil's Marbleyard....wonderful news to ponder as I rejoiced in this fine spring day...

I shall know by Friday...

2009-04-14T14:06:00.000-04:00

And how will they....

2009-04-13T19:08:00.000-04:00

weather the elements?

I want to know...

2009-04-12T19:43:00.003-04:00

Seen along Fenwick Mine Road in the Jefferson National Forest ....a sibling? a lover? a spouse? What love compels a person to construct and maintain such a memorial?

Saturday Morning Diversion...

2009-04-11T08:57:00.000-04:00

Your rainbow is intensely shaded white, gray, and green.

What is says about you: You are a contemplative person. You appreciate tradition and wisdom that comes with age. You depend on modern technology and may feel uncomfortable without it. Those around you admire your fresh outlook and vitality.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Sanguinaria canadensis

2009-04-02T22:22:00.011-04:00

Bloodroot blooms in late winter, early spring and is found in rich woody soil usually clinging to banks or slopes. A blood red liquid extracted from the plant's rhizome can use used to produce a fabric dye with a fast yellow orange color.The escharotic properties of the rhizome's liquid has been used to treat skin conditions such as ringworm, warts and fungal growths. Small doses taken internally may cause visual disturbances. The FDA has sanctioned the use of bloodroot in toothpastes and mouthwashes to fight plaque and gingivitis but discourages use by herbal healers due to the unpredictable nature of its escharotic properties.

Veronica persica

2009-04-01T19:59:00.003-04:00

When I was a child I delighted in picking tiny bouquets of these early spring flowers...

A Home Once Much Loved...

2009-04-01T17:59:00.004-04:00

Sometimes this is just the way it is...

2009-03-15T13:53:00.000-04:00

Hummmm...

2009-02-26T21:54:00.000-05:00

You're a Horse!

Versatile, powerful, and true, you have quite a reputation for hard
work and a certain unbridled spirit. Many look up to you as an example of what
people can really become, though somewhere deep down, you admit to feeling a little
bit broken. You hate racing, but are still exceptionally good at it. Beware broken
legs, dog food, and glue. If your name is Ed, you do a surprising amount of
talking.

Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Listen to this Fellow...

2009-02-21T21:29:00.003-05:00

And yes, I have survived the first week of my management position....

Risky move?

2009-02-12T16:37:00.002-05:00

Dare I take on that professional challenge again? I find my confidence is significantly wounded and tender after the implosion of my last (and only) management position...stay tuned...

Hello Out There...

2009-01-07T16:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm still here - just every single piece of my life is changing. Goodness, I've heard of midlife crisis but I thought that was when you bought a red sports car, or moved to the Bahamas or took up with a younger man....nope, I haven't done any of those things. Some choices I made for myself and some were made for me. For now let's leave it at that...

Cold,Gray Day at Carvins Cove

2008-11-24T17:15:00.004-05:00

Such days have a certain raw beauty for me...

What the Day May Bring...

2008-11-23T20:45:00.010-05:00

I read this poem aloud this morning though I barely needed to look at the printed page...I've loved poetry since the day my third grade teacher, Mrs. Gray, introduced me to Carl Sandburg. As I reflect on the sudden, but not completely unexpected, death of a relative today I ponder this poem yet again.

Because I could not stop for Death (712)

by Emily Dickinson
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

Building Character....

2008-11-10T21:36:00.001-05:00

I've heard it happens to most everyone at least once....

Waking up to

2008-11-05T05:52:00.001-05:00

A brand new day...

Mount Airy, NC aka Mayberry

2008-11-02T16:34:00.007-05:00

I have loved the Andy Griffith show since I was a child - I wanted to marry him when I was a kid, heck, I'd still like to marry the Andy on the show. The local CBS station has shown Andy Griffth reruns for years and they dare not cancel it. TV lore has it that Andy Griffith based the show on his childhood in Mount Airy, NC though he has denied that over the years. No matter, a couple of weeks ago I took a bus trip to Mount Airy, NC to enjoy the fall colors and delight in all things "Andy".
A huge granite quarry is located in Mount Airy as evidenced by the many granite buildings in the town...

Painted sign ...
"Barney's" car and yes, that was a mighty comfortable tour bus...

Wally's Service Station stuffed with all sorts of Mayberry memorobilia and ice cold Nehi sodas...
Cinema on Main Street..
Source of any John Deere item you could ever desire..

Arcade and wedding chapel???

Snappy Lunch - Home of the Famous Pork Chop Sandwich and no, I did not have one for lunch..
The barber looked much like the Floyd on the show...
Maid's quarters in an historic home we toured...

Rustic, outdoor decor...

Granite home lovingly restored...what a fun day.

Outer Banks

2008-11-02T08:04:00.008-05:00

Bikes awaiting riders at the Inn at Corolla Light..

One of the many fantasy horses dotting the Northern Outer Banks...

Dusk in Corolla...

Produce market along the way...

Bridge near Pea Island...

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse...

Visitors Center near Orcacoke Ferry...

On Orcacoke Beach...

Orcacoke church...

One of the many family cemeteries in Orcacoke...

Oyster shell walkways...

Home on Howard Street...

A suitable end to a quick pictorial tour of Outer Banks. I will return...

Birthday at Virginia Beach

2008-10-31T20:22:00.004-04:00

Nursing the aftermath of a few too many jagermeisters, I traveled to Virginia Beach on my birthday for the first day of our shore vacation. Arrived around 5p, we were late to visit the annual Neptune festival - but I was able to snap a few photos...>

The next morning we headed south to Corolla...

Birthday Eve

2008-10-12T09:44:00.006-04:00

On September 27 I spent the day at the annual NoSo Knit...

And the night at the Mountain Lake Octoberfest indulging in too many jagermeisters and otherwise having great foolish fun...

The next day we headed out for a shore vacation...

Outer Banks - Day 4

2008-10-02T20:19:00.000-04:00

Outer Banks - Day 3

2008-10-01T18:42:00.002-04:00

On to Ocracoke Island...

Outer Banks - Day 2

2008-09-30T18:01:00.002-04:00

The rare opportunity to see the wild horses of Corolla...

Outer Banks - Day 1

2008-09-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

Autumn's Arrival...

2008-09-26T10:10:00.004-04:00

Chilly, rainy weather to nurse a cold by...the stacks of books, a warm grandmother made quilt and a cup of hot tea are my companions today...

I did complete this mint green baby sweater today in time for the annual NoSoKnit extravaganza...

The Past Ten Days or so...

2008-09-21T17:45:00.007-04:00

Sunset at Smith Mountain Lake...

Produce on the Roanoke City Market...

A child's sweater I found on the side of the street in my neighborhood...

Two little friends enjoying the annual Greek festival...

A building in some disrepair...

Behind a house that reminds me just a bit of Grey Gardens...

A walkway across Williamson Road I use as I walk/run ~4 miles around the neighborhood...

Diner with a hot car parked out front...
Trees throughout my neighborhood...
Black walnuts I found on my way to class at the community college ...

Remove the outer shell...
Crack open the shells carefully removing the nuts...
My black walnut harvest...
And work on the motion assignment for photography class...

Fortunate Son

2008-09-21T10:41:00.002-04:00

Heard this fellow last night on "Backroads and Blue Highways" - I couldn't help but think of the scene in "Farenheit 911" where Michael Moore is asking the government official about their children serving in the military...be cautious where you listen to this video - his opening statements may offend some...

:-)

2008-09-13T19:26:00.001-04:00

Spotted on my walk home from the Greek Festival today...

Depth of Field

2008-09-07T19:05:00.004-04:00

First assignment in the photography class I'm attending this semester - learning to adjust shutter speed and aperture. Using automatic settings is much easier...

Sign of the Times

2008-09-06T10:27:00.001-04:00

Hope that all stay well...

???

2008-08-31T21:10:00.003-04:00

Taken today in the Hollins Kroger parking lot...

Only the Tip of the Iceberg...

2008-08-28T18:35:00.002-04:00

From today's Wall Street Journal:

Nonprofit Hospitals
Flex Pricing Power
In Roanoke, Va., Carilion's Fees
Exceed Those of Competitors;
The $4,727 Colonoscopy
By JOHN CARREYROU
August 28, 2008; Page A1

ROANOKE, Va. -- In 1989, the U.S. Department of Justice tried but failed to prevent a merger between nonprofit Carilion Health System and this former railroad town's other hospital. The merger, it warned in an unsuccessful antitrust lawsuit, would create a monopoly over medical care in the area.

Nearly two decades later, the cost of health care in the Roanoke Valley -- a region in southwestern Virginia with a population of 300,000 -- is soaring. Health-insurance rates in Roanoke have gone from being the lowest in the state to the highest.

Carilion's market clout is manifest in other ways. With eight hospitals, 11,000 employees and $1 billion in assets, the tax-exempt hospital system has become one of the dominant players in the Roanoke Valley's economy. Its dozens of subsidiaries include businesses ranging from athletic clubs to a venture-capital fund.

The power of nonprofit hospital systems like Carilion over their regional communities has increased in recent years as their incomes have surged. Critics charge this is creating untaxed local health-care monopolies that drive the costs of care higher for patients and businesses.

"It's a one-market town here in terms of health care," says Sam Lionberger, who owns a local construction firm. "Carilion has the leverage."

Carilion acknowledges its influence in the local community but says there is nothing untoward about it. The hospital says it doesn't have a monopoly over the Roanoke Valley health-care market because it faces robust competition from Lewis-Gale Medical Center, a hospital located in nearby Salem, Va., and owned by for-profit chain HCA Inc.

Carilion says it charges more for certain procedures because it has to subsidize operations such as an emergency department and treatment for the uninsured. Edward Murphy, Carilion's CEO, says the high cost of health care in Roanoke reflects the national increase in such costs, which he says is driven by overutilization of medical services. Carilion is converting to a clinic model, in which doctors are employees of the hospital system and work more closely together to coordinate care, in an effort to cut down on unnecessary tests and procedures, he says. "Fragmentation is the enemy of quality" and affordable care, Dr. Murphy says.

The Roanoke City General District Court in downtown Roanoke devotes one morning a week to Carilion cases -- lawsuits the hospital files against patients who haven't paid bills.
However, the clinic project has provoked a backlash from a group of local independent doctors, who say it is designed to stifle competition.

Originally set up to serve the poor, nonprofit hospitals account for the majority of U.S. hospitals. They are exempt from taxes and are supposed to channel income they generate back into operations, while providing benefits to their communities. But they have come under fire from patient advocates and members of Congress for stinting on charity care even as they amass large cash hoards, build new facilities and award big paychecks to their executives.

Fueled by large, untaxed investment gains, Carilion's profits have risen over the past five years, reaching $107 million last year. Over the same period, the total annual compensation of its chief executive, Dr. Murphy, nearly tripled to $2.07 million. His predecessor, Thomas Robertson, received a lump-sum pension from Carilion of $7.4 million in 2003, on top of more than $2 million in previous pension payouts.

Carilion says Dr. Murphy's compensation is in line with comparable health-care organizations and notes he doesn't receive car allowances, a spousal allowance or club memberships. It says Mr. Robertson's pension accrued over a 32-year career at Carilion.

Carilion estimates it receives about $50 million a year in tax exemptions. It dispensed $42 million in charity care in 2007 and $30 million in 2006.

After the 1989 merger, Carilion continued to operate Roanoke's two hospitals separately. It later consolidated the hospital boards and in 2006, transferred most of Roanoke Community Hospital's staff and services to a renovated and enlarged Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

The moves eliminated any hospital competition in Roanoke proper, enabling Carilion to raise its prices and contributing to a spike in health-insurance rates in the region, one of the least affluent parts of the state, according to local doctors and health-insurance brokers.

The construction of a new medical campus around Roanoke Memorial Hospital began several years ago.
Alan Bayse, founder of a local benefits-consulting firm who has sold health insurance in the area for 30 years, says health-insurance rates in the Roanoke Valley used to be 20% lower than in Richmond, Virginia's capital, and the lowest in the state. Today, he says, they are the highest in the state and 25% higher than in Richmond, citing rate information from insurer Cigna Corp. Anthem, another health insurer, says its rates are 6% higher in Roanoke than in Richmond.

Mr. Lionberger, whose construction company has about 100 employees, says his health-care costs have risen 50% over the past three years, hampering his ability to compete with contractors from other parts of the state. "It's frustrating," he says.

While Carilion strengthened its power in the hospital market, Roanoke continued to be home to a community of independent doctors numbering in the hundreds.

Taking the Helm

In 2001, Dr. Murphy took the nonprofit hospital system's helm. Dr. Murphy, who has a medical degree from Harvard but doesn't practice medicine, says he was convinced that the cost and quality of care in Roanoke could be improved if doctors worked in a more centralized system. In June 2006, he announced a seven-year, $100 million plan to transform Carilion into a multispecialty clinic, like the Mayo Clinic.

Stephen Voss/WpN for The Wall Street Journal
Carilion is building a state-of-the-art new medical campus in Roanoke.
Carilion began approaching private physician groups, offering to buy their practices and pay their salaries. Some accepted, but others balked. Some doctors who chose to remain independent say the number of patients referred to them by Carilion physicians plummeted. Carilion controls a large proportion of Roanoke's referrals because it employs a majority of doctors who make them, such as family practitioners, pediatricians and emergency physicians.

Joseph Alhadeff, an orthopedic surgeon who is a member of a private practice called Roanoke Orthopedic Center, says the number of joint replacements he performed dropped off sharply after he stopped getting such referrals from Carilion doctors, prompting him to plan to relocate to Pennsylvania. "I spent seven years building up a practice and watched it evaporate in six months," he says.

Carilion spokesman Eric Earnhart says the hospital system didn't engage "in any activity to reduce or divert" referrals from Dr. Alhadeff. Mr. Earnhart adds that Carilion continues to refer numerous cases to Roanoke Orthopedic Center.

Geoffrey Harter, an ear, nose and throat doctor at another Roanoke private practice, Jefferson Surgical Clinic, says Carilion-employed colleagues told him the hospital system asked them not to refer patients to doctors it didn't employ, calling such referrals "leakage." Keeping referrals within Carilion is lucrative for the hospital system because it ensures tests and procedures performed on patients take place at Carilion facilities.

Dr. Murphy says Carilion uses the term "leakage" in internal marketing discussions and that he would rather see its doctors refer patients to other Carilion doctors to optimize their care. But he says Carilion doesn't require its doctors to keep referrals in-house even though it would be legal to do so.

As tension between Carilion and Roanoke's independent doctors grew in 2006, a group of 200 doctors formed an organization called the Coalition for Responsible Healthcare to protest the Carilion Clinic plan. The group posted a petition on its Web site and put up billboards around Roanoke that read: "Carilion Clinic. Big Dream. Big Questions." The local newspaper, the Roanoke Times, covered the controversy in a series of articles written by its health-care reporter, Jeff Sturgeon.

A few months later, in March 2007, the Roanoke Times moved Mr. Sturgeon off the health-care beat after Carilion complained repeatedly about his coverage. Carilion says it communicated its displeasure to the paper's editors, but never asked that Mr. Sturgeon be reassigned. Carilion withdrew most of its advertising from the paper, but says it did that as part of a reallocation of its ad budget. "Any friction that exists between an organization like us and the media is entirely appropriate," Mr. Earnhart says.

Mr. Sturgeon, who now covers transportation, declined requests for comment. Carole Tarrant, the Roanoke Times's editor, said: "We're covering Carilion like we always have and always will, and have no plans to change how we cover Carilion." She declined to elaborate.

New Campus

A large part of the clinic conversion's costs have involved the construction of a new medical campus around Roanoke Memorial Hospital that began several years earlier.

The lead contractor building the site is Swedish construction giant Skanska. But one of the project's biggest beneficiaries has been J.M. Turner & Co., which is owned by Carilion board member Jay Turner. Carilion says it paid J.M. Turner a total of $14.9 million in direct contracting work from 2004 to 2007.

Dr. Murphy says Carilion's board authorized "arm's length work" with J.M. Turner, but adds that "a case could be made that we shouldn't award work to J.M. Turner to avoid the appearance of impropriety."

Carilion also paid Skanska, the lead contractor, a total of $120.8 million from 2003 to 2007. Some of that money flowed back to J.M. Turner as subcontracting work, according to Skanska and J.M. Turner. The companies and Carilion declined to say how much.

In an email, Mr. Turner said he recuses himself from all Carilion board decisions that involve his company. He added that his firm passed on much of the $14.9 million in direct contracting work it received from Carilion to other subcontractors.

Mr. Turner isn't the only Carilion board member with a financial stake in the new medical campus. Another board member, Warner Dalhouse, has invested in a hotel being built on the campus to accommodate patients and their families. HomeTown Bank, a local bank Mr. Dalhouse founded and of which he was until recently chairman, is financing the hotel's construction. Dr. Murphy and Mr. Turner sit on HomeTown Bank's board.

Carilion and Mr. Dalhouse say he didn't make his $130,000 investment in the hotel until after Carilion sold the parcel to Texas developers in early 2006. "I wasn't dealing with Carilion. I was dealing with the new owners of that land who had paid fair market value for it," Mr. Dalhouse says.

Carilion says its transformation into a multispecialty clinic will eventually lower local health-care costs. But many patients say they have yet to see relief from Carilion medical bills.

Stephen Voss/WpN for The Wall Street Journal
Carilion awarded J.M. Turner & Co., which is owned and run by Carilion board member Jay Turner, at least $14.9 million in construction work.
The Roanoke City General District Court devotes one morning a week to cases filed by Carilion. In its fiscal year ended Sept. 30, Carilion says it sued 9,888 patients, garnished the wages of 5,478 people and placed liens on 3,920 homes. Carilion says the people it takes to court have the means to pay their bills.

On a Thursday morning in June, a Carilion representative waited outside a courtroom to intercept the half-dozen patients who had responded to summonses to appear in court. She took them to a side room to work out payment plans. A judge later called out names of close to 100 patients who didn't show and, one-by-one, entered judgments against them.

One of the patients who came to court, a 32-year-old housewife named Christie Masellis, faced a $12,137.12 bill. She had gastric bypass surgery at a Carilion facility in 2005. After developing complications, she required two more surgeries. She says her insurer covered the first surgery but not the two follow-ups because it changed its coverage policy.

Mrs. Masellis has two children. Her husband, Mark, earns about $49,000 a year working for an auto-parts distributor. Mrs. Masellis says she inquired about qualifying for hospital financial assistance, but the Carilion representative told her she was no longer eligible for charity care because her account was past due. The representative agreed to put her account on hold until Sept. 30 but offered her no discount. The bill included $2,514.82 in interest charges Carilion added to the original debt of $9,622.30.

Carilion's Mr. Earnhart says Mrs. Masellis had already received more than $15,000 in charity-care discounts. The suit Carilion filed is "for the remainder of the bill," he says.

Mr. and Mrs. Masellis have begun the process of filing for personal bankruptcy. Mr. Masellis says the hospital bill was a big factor in the decision, though the couple has other debts, including a $68,000 mortgage.

When some patients don't pay their bills, Carilion places liens on their homes. Carilion says it doesn't track how many liens it has outstanding, but the close to 4,000 it filed in 2007 "is representative of a typical year," Mr. Earnhart says. Carilion doesn't foreclose on homes and only collects when properties are sold, he says.

Dr. Murphy says Carilion only sues patients and places liens on their homes if it believes they have the ability to pay. "If you're asking me if it's right in a right-and-wrong sense, it's not," he says. But Carilion can't be blamed for the country's "broken" health-care system, he says.

Write to John Carreyrou at john.carreyrou@wsj.com

...some rain must fall...

2008-08-26T16:48:00.001-04:00

Taking a Quick Break...

2008-08-24T16:20:00.003-04:00

First heard this music on one of my favorite knitting podcasts - now I must return to my long overdue writing...

Home Day...

2008-08-17T21:22:00.003-04:00

The Assignment ....

2008-08-12T22:01:00.002-04:00

A 200 word (or less) essay to follow...

Perfection...

2008-08-09T23:28:00.008-04:00

I consider this after a few of my recent work days...

Today...

2008-08-09T18:28:00.002-04:00

Home Day....Work Night

2008-08-08T18:42:00.007-04:00

From the garden...
A sachet of lavender wrapped in a vintage hankerchief..

The last of the green beans...
Refrigerator pickles from garden cucumbers...

Pesto cubes to enjoy this winter...
Dried organo, thyme and bay leaves for cooking...
Virginia drugged on catnip...

And I'll be thinking about this at work tonight...

Lovely Surprise

2008-08-07T06:01:00.003-04:00

Hidden among the green beans in my garden...

Too Sexy For...

2008-08-03T14:52:00.002-04:00

I spotted this ripped t shirt, framed by electrical line shadows, near the doorway of a popular dance club in downtown Roanoke.

Under 13th Street/Memorial Avenue Bridge

2008-08-03T14:46:00.001-04:00

Buying a Nikon doesn't make you a photographer. It makes you a Nikon owner.

2008-08-03T10:14:00.007-04:00

Taken at a friend's home with this...

Taken at home with this...

I have much to learn...

Along Williamson Road...

2008-07-29T20:15:00.003-04:00

Populated with all manner of businesses, Williamson Road is considered by many of the residents of this city to be an eyesore because of the jumble of signs and building signs that predate ordinances. Living on side street in a quiet neighborhood off Williamson Road I have come to enjoy the charm and earnestness of the area. Today I took a walk along the road with the intention of delivering a package to a friend that works in an office that used to house the automotive department for Sears but apparently arrived a few minutes late because the office was closed. Oh well, I had a great five mile walk and snapped some photos along the way.

One more...

2008-07-26T20:18:00.002-04:00

While reading this column earlier today, I was reminded of a man twenty years my senior I worked with a few years back. Following his example, I learned to be at ease with my southwest Virginia upbringing and my unmistakable accent. If only all lessons were so positive...

A couple of quick notes...

2008-07-26T16:53:00.005-04:00

Here is the recipe for the zucchini muffins several people have requested ....

I need to ponder this a bit .... what is the honest motivation here?

In the Kitchen...

2008-07-24T05:35:00.003-04:00

Last night, I grated eight cups of zucchini to freeze in two cup quantities to be used for zucchini muffins.

One more to go...and now the tomatoes are arriving...

Zucchini continued...

2008-07-19T21:06:00.007-04:00

Cold Sesame Noodles are one of my favorite summertime dishes - the zucchini and carrots add just enough crunchiness and sweetness to offset the heat of the crushed red peppers.

I grew up making many casseroles for the family dinner using canned mushroom soup. This zucchini cheese casserole is reminiscent of those comfort foods but somewhat lighter with the addition of whipped egg whites and sour cream subbing for the soup. I added onion and mushroom, used quark made from my home made yogurt as a substitute for the sour cream and skipped the bacon.

Two remain...

Garden 15.07.08

2008-07-15T20:12:00.002-04:00

At Leisure

2008-07-13T18:28:00.006-04:00

Finally a stay at home weekend .... I put this knitted square in the mail for a charity afghan project. For those of you who knit you will recognize the aran design and the somewhat intricate work necessary in making this square. I need a challenge from time to time in my knitting. I tend to made easy, repetitive items that require little concentration and can be worked while talking or watching a movie but a project requiring more attention helps in maintaining and further developing my skills.

After a short but challenging run/walk up and back Mill Mountain I headed to the Roanoke City Market. I picked up the fresh ingredients for my dinner - eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and fresh bread. I admired these garnet raspberries although I did not purchase any.

I did bring this cheerful trio of sunflowers home.

The above mentioned vegetables along with basil, thyme and rosemary from my garden and onion and garlic from the grocery compose this delicious ratatouille.

That yellow bloom from the renegade plant in my garden,well, here it is today - a watermelon perhaps? I shall see...

Mid July Child's Glove...

2008-07-11T21:40:00.003-04:00

Must have been some cold air conditioning in that minivan...

Another glove - single this time

2008-07-10T05:25:00.001-04:00

Another glove to add to the collection...

Muffins for Everyone

2008-07-09T21:33:00.004-04:00

Remember these?

I used one of these in making 72 muffins to take to work tomorrow.
Looks as if I'll be looking for more creative ways to prepare zucchini squash...

Oneirology

2008-07-08T21:17:00.003-04:00

I vividly remember the morning I read of Susannah McCorkle's suicide...

More...

2008-07-06T09:36:00.004-04:00

Zucchini continue to multiple...

And I wait in anticipation of what this volunteer plant may produce...

Local Harvest...

2008-07-04T20:44:00.002-04:00

Onions and the first green beans from my backyard garden...

Honey harvested from a friend's local hives...

Catnip I've clipped for a friend's harlequin kitten...

Craig's Creek

2008-07-01T17:35:00.004-04:00

Last weekend my husband and a group of his friends meet for their annual golfing/canoeing/fishing/card playing weekend on the banks of Craig's Creek in Eagle Rock, VA. We put in the canoe at this store with the colorful sign promoting their rib dinner night....
The creek level was down considerably so a bit of creek walking was done...
This couple were relaxing Jimmy Buffet style...
An Airstream lurking among the vegetation...
I did some knitting while sitting in the creek post canoeing....
Oh, I neglected to mention bonfire building is also part of this tradition.

Over and Through the Fence...

2008-06-30T13:09:00.003-04:00

Harvest begins...

2008-06-27T05:21:00.009-04:00

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables - their nutritional punch makes their sweetness all the more enjoyable. The greens are also tasty prepared as one would cook swiss chard. I picked up these locally grown beets at the downtown market the other day. I sauteed garlic and onion in olive oil, adding thinly sliced beets and beet greens to the mix once the onions had carmelized. After a bit, I added sundried tomatoes and served over whole wheat pasta with a liberal dose of capers and fresh basil to offset the sweetness. Kalamata olives would also complement this dish nicely.

For a snack that satified my cravings for potato chips I thinly sliced beets and sweet potatoes roasting them in a 375 degree oven with olive oil and kosher salt. Yes, I did add four slices of Yukon Gold potato to the mix....

Now what can I do with these two huge zucchini squash?

Oh, I seem to be included in that 10-14% of the population that experience beeturia...

For a moment...

2008-06-25T20:28:00.015-04:00

A friend recently commented that she wondered if I was still knitting given that I seldom post my projects here as I once did. Well, of course I am but now my life is threatened to be taken over by Ravelry. My projects (and a lot more fiber related stuff) are posted there now. This latest project is such a departure from my usual that I am compelled to post it here as well. Furthermore, my recent posts have tended to be rather dark and brooding so let's lighten up for a moment...I crochet less than I knit but I must say that this amigurami doll I made for Rebecca of Soap Deli fame came out wonderfully - and I received two pounds of fragrant home made soap in return. Besides knitting (and a little crocheting), I'm working quite a bit both at my job and in my garden...more later...

May I Be as Outspoken...

2008-06-23T14:08:00.001-04:00

Stuff

2008-06-23T07:51:00.002-04:00

You'll never hear this piece in a mall or mortgage office - I often think of this monologue during those rare times I find myself at the mall. George Carlin's take on consumerism and censorship will be missed.

Lists of five...

2008-06-21T18:54:00.005-04:00

Based on the five criteria vegan ruthie listed I've been tagged for this meme.

What were you doing five years ago?
I was working as a staff nurse after my clinical research job was eliminated. I was also in a tormented relationship that I thought I could never escape...not true.

What are five things on your to-do list today?
1. Laundry
2. Fix dinner.
3. Upload more photos to my flickr account.
4. Wash hair.
5. Get a restful night's sleep in preparation for a 12 hour shift tomorrow.

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Chips and home made salsa with lots of cilantro
2. Crisp, tart apples
3. Licorice
4. BBQ chips
5. Lemon bars

What are five things you would do if you were a millionaire?
1. Meet with my financial advisor and determine if I could quit working - depends on the number of millions.
2. Pay off my financial obligations and invest more in retirement.
3. Donate much more to public radio.
4. Fund a program to promote reading and physical education in the school system.
5. Work with a trainer to improve my running endurance and ability.

What are your 5 bad habits?
1. Not exercising enough.
2. Having high expectations of my coworkers' job performance and dedication.
3. Over committing to charity knitting projects.
4. Holding grudges.
5. Not returning emails and phone calls in a timely manner.

Where are five places you have lived?
1. Blue Ridge, VA
2. Roanoke, VA
3. Floyd, VA
4. Charlottesville, VA
5. no fifth place

What are five jobs you have had?
1. Landscaper
2. Waitress
3. Short order cook
4. Restaurant food delivery
5. Registered nurse

A spot of loveliness

2008-06-21T05:41:00.003-04:00

Found growing near the gravel parking lot at work...a random dropping of seeds perhaps by the wind or a bird.