Good morning, friends. 🌻🌻🌻

4 December 2025

Well, where do I start? I just fed Charlie, and now he’s here angling for a head scratch. He positions himself neatly over my left hand, the one that often dangles from the arm of my chair. And then, just as quickly, he’s gone—probably to the back door to stare out at the birds and keep watch for those bad squirrels.

I really need to get moving today. I have things to do—or rather, one thing to do. Most tasks can wait, but some demand a touch of urgency. I could have handled it yesterday, or even tomorrow, but no longer. Today I’ll do the thing and get it out of the way. Hurray.

Speaking of yesterday, I completely blew it off. I worked on my blog, of course, but then I ate lunch and reclined for a series of power naps—each one interrupted by Charlie or my wife needing something. By the time I finally felt awake and ready, the sun had already set. Darkness had arrived, and I remembered that Dr. Seuss line: “How Did It Get So Late So Soon?”

Even so, Charlie and I trekked down to the end of the driveway to check the mail. There was only one item in the box—a notice from the Sheriff. Not of Nottingham, but of the parish where we live. He’s demanding payment of our property tax for the year. So perhaps there are two things I need to do today. Tasks are beginning to pile on.

“You may delay, but time will not.” — Benjamin Franklin

“My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet.” — Edith Wharton

“I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #flower #task #tax #nap #dog #time

Good morning. 🏠👨‍💻☕

30 November 2025

Well, we got back home yesterday evening. It’s Sunday today, which means Charlie (my dog) has to spend one more night in the slammer. I’ll be rescuing him first thing in the morning.

Before we left, I told you about that squirrel who had gotten into the attic of our little Georgia house and chewed holes in the waterlines. We had those replaced on Monday, so Thanksgiving food prep could finally begin on Tuesday.

That same day, a wildlife specialist from our exterminator company came out and sealed the house so critters couldn’t get back in. He installed a clever little trap-door contraption on one side of the roof—designed so anything inside could get out, but nothing could get back in. I’d never thought about something like that before, and it was surprisingly interesting.

Tuesday evening, just at dusk, my wife and I were wrapping up for the day and had just gotten into the car when—who do we see? Mr. Squirrel himself, bouncing across the yard toward the house and up to the roof. We watched as he tried to get back in, only to discover he couldn’t. It was almost as if he saw us leaving and thought, “Well, now’s my chance to sneak back inside.”

The next day, my sister noticed a leak spraying against a back window. Turns out the exterminator had accidentally nicked a water line that ran along the outside of the house to the kitchen. I called the plumbers back, and they were kind enough to fix it without charging us extra.

It’s a small cinderblock house with a very low roof, and there are plenty of places where things like that can happen.

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” – Robert Frost

“In the hustle of life, be like a squirrel: playful, curious, and always seeking the next adventure.” – Henry David Thoreau

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #flower #squirrel #house #thanksgiving #plumber #exterminator

Good morning. 💮💮💮

18 November 2025

When I drive through a larger city, I notice far more electric cars than I ever see around my own area, where hybrids are more common.

Whenever I spot an electric car, I think it’s cool, but I can’t help wondering: what do the owners do when they need to take a road trip across the country? Most electric cars only get 250–300 miles per charge, with premium models stretching to about 500. Recharging can take hours, though a Level 3 fast charger can deliver an 80% charge in just 15–45 minutes. Still, I can picture a future where long lines of cars wait their turn at charging stations.

For everyday errands and driving around town, an electric car seems fine—as long as you keep it charged. My guess is that most owners don’t rely on them for cross-country trips. They probably keep a conventional car for that purpose, or maybe rent one. That’s just speculation, though; I don’t personally know anyone who drives an electric car. My nephew once had a Tesla, but he sold it and now drives a pickup.

All that said, I know the future is arriving—well, it’s always arriving. Some might argue there is no future or past, only the present moment. Still, in the larger scheme of things, it won’t be long before electric cars dominate the roads, and internal combustion engines are displayed in museums as relics of another era.

I imagine that not so long ago, a cowboy on horseback caught sight of his first automobile and thought it was astonishing—though not yet practical. He may have wondered where one would even find petrol along the open roads.

“The world’s transitioning to sustainable energy, and there’s really no other way.” — Elon Musk

“You can’t change the conditions of a system without damaging a lot of people, business, practices and habits that go w
ith it.” — Ann Norton Greene, historian of transportation
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #flower #electiccars #technology #future

Good morning, friends. 🌸🌸🌸

15 November 2025

When I was a kid, I had a Yamaha 250cc motorcycle—rode it like a dirt bike, though it wasn’t one. I’d take it up the trails of Dictionary Mountain in Spring Valley, California. I fell often, but that never stopped me. 🤔 Well, technically it did stop me—but only briefly. I’d get right back up and off I’d go again.

I rode that motorcycle until it wouldn’t ride anymore. When it broke, that was the end of it. I didn’t have the money to fix it. By then, I’d moved north to the big city of Keyes, California, where I once got a ticket for riding it fifty feet on a road.

Years later, the lessons of that motorcycle stayed with me. Just because you can afford to buy something doesn’t mean you can afford to own it. Ownership means maintenance. It means repair. It means responsibility. That’s especially true of mechanical things—and homes. They require care over time. It’s a dilemma for folks who need a car to get to work: they may afford the purchase, but can they afford the upkeep? Or will they drive it until the engine seizes—and then what?

You know, I don’t even remember what happened to that old motorcycle. I joined the Marines in 1971 and leaned into a different life. Those things just faded into the past.

The world turns.

“Responsibility equals accountability equals ownership. And a sense of ownership is the most powerful weapon a team or organization can have.” - Pat Summitt

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” - Confucius

“Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.” - W. Somerset Maugham

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature #morning #ownership #accountability #maintenance #motorcycle #movingon #flower #plant

Good morning. 💮💮💮

7 November 2025

Hills and Problems

When you set out walking, you inevitably come to hills. You climb one, no big deal—but sure enough, there’s always another waiting on the other side.

That’s life.

We face problems. Some loom larger than others, demanding our attention. We fixate on the one that feels most urgent, believing that solving it will lift a great weight off our shoulders. And it does—briefly. But that’s the thing about problems: solve one, and another steps up to take its place. It’s like reaching the top of a hill only to find another rising beyond it.

So what do you do?

You keep walking. You face the next hill. The world doesn’t pause for our troubles—we all carry them. It’s just that our own burdens often feel heavier than they truly are. So take a breath. It’s not the end of the world.

Remember how you felt when you were young. We had problems then too, but somehow we were better at keeping them in their place. We compartmentalized. Our troubles stayed in their box while joy, curiosity, and play lived in others. We dealt with what needed dealing, then moved on. We didn’t let worry steal every moment.

Learn to do that again. Learn to stop worrying.

“Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” — Steve Maraboli

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — Joseph Campbell

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #flower #worry #resiliance #compartmentalizing

My #JerusalemArtichokes for #FlowerFriday 🌻🌻🌻🌻

They're a lot taller than me, so I could only photograph them from below. I took this photo 2.5 weeks ago, when they fiiiinally bloomed. Now, with the first night frosts, they're already dead. I probably should dig out the tubers, though. Last year, I had two plants and only dug up one of them. Its tubers were so tiny and unusable that I couldn't be bothered to dig out the other. But this year, a whole forest of them popped up! They even grew on the neighbouring plot, oops. 😅

They're nice in a salad of shredded carrots and apples, though the taste is quite earthy. I've never tried them cooked. My rabbits loved them back in the day. I remember shipping a shoebox full of tubers to another member of an online rabbit forum I used to frequent, because my parents had so many #JerusalemArtichoke plants. 😁

#Topinambur #HelianthusTuberosus #sunroot #sunchoke #wildSunflower #flower #flowers #Blume #Blumen #Natur #nature #Garten #gardening #florespondence #bloomScrolling

Good morning, friends. ☕🧢⚾

2 November 2025

Last night, I stayed up late watching Game 7 of the World Series—Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays. Final score: 5–4 Dodgers, crowning them champions once again. Yay, says this hat-wearing Dodgers fan.

I have to admit, the outcome caught me off guard—oh me of little faith. The Blue Jays’ offense was formidable: a lineup of heavy hitters, big-bodied sluggers who looked capable of launching baseballs into orbit.

At the top of the ninth, with one out and the Dodgers trailing 4–3, Miguel Rojas stepped to the plate. A light-hitting utility infielder, Rojas hadn’t even cracked the lineup until Game 6. Then, out of nowhere, he delivered a solo home run—tying the game 4–4 and keeping the Dodgers alive. But survival hinged on their ability to hold.

Hold they did. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, calm and consistent, took the mound. In my view, he was the Dodgers’ sovereign anchor throughout the series. Under immense pressure, he pitched through the ninth and tenth innings without surrendering a run.

Then came the top of the 11th. With two outs and Shane Bieber pitching for Toronto, Will Smith stepped in and launched a solo home run—Dodgers up 5–4.

The Blue Jays responded with their intimidating offense. In quick succession, they placed runners on first and third. A sacrifice bunt left one out. Then came Alejandro Kirk, whom I personally dubbed Mighty Casey. The tension was thick. Cameras panned to Blue Jays fans—some clutching their heads, others clasping hands beneath their chins as if in prayer.

With the count at 1–1, Yamamoto delivered. Kirk hit a ground ball between second and third. Mookie Betts, now playing shortstop, fielded it cleanly and triggered a game-ending double play.

And just like that, the Dodgers won.

“It ain’t over till it’s over.” — Yogi Berra

“But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.” - Ernest Lawrence Thayer

#morning #friends #flower #basebass #WorldSeries