Out the Hotel Window - Construction Site Huntsville

Pre-Sunrise View of Huntsville from Hotel Window
August 9, 2019

After I decided not to take the image of the construction site out the hotel window, I looked out the window yesterday morning during the dawn of the day and noticed that the scene was complex and interesting to observe. 

The lights of the site were still illuminated and the light of the scene was building. I also caught the fo on the hill in the background. It was an interesting view just on the cusp of day scene. The day was a busy day with meetings followed by travel which saw me arriving home right at midnight to begin today as home and put the travel behind me.

And now for the weekend! Bring it on. Today has dawned clear, bright, and cool. Cool being 63 degrees! I can tell that mid-August has arrived and with it, tomorrow, the Dog Days come to an end. 

It is almost as if Autumn is struggling to begin a month early.

And all of this from an image I snapped yesterday in Huntsville, Alabama.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Out the Hotel Window - August in Huntsville

Huntsville from the Hotel
August 8, 2019

I am traveling and this morning I awakened in Huntsville, Alabama.

The hotel is a relatively new structure and very modern. I have a corner room, which is different and have views of the parking lot, as shown, and a construction site--which was too mundane to photograph. 

My room, while nice, lacks some warmth and creature comforts like coffee cups. It has a coffee machine--but no cups. That is frustrating because I will have to walk down to the lobby to retrieve my morning coffee.

Charlotte Airport E Terminal
August 8, 2019

The city of Huntsville is as I remember it and the walk to and from dinner last evening was enjoyable because it allowed me to stretch my legs after being crammed into small airline seats for much of the day. 

I did get to experience the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport yesterday. It remains one of the worst airports that I traverse. I snapped an image of the area where I waited for my connecting flight, which of course was delayed. Each of the monitors in the scene represents a flight that is scheduled to depart within minutes of each other. The people are attempting to get on one of those flights, hopefully, the correct flight. Some of the gates have letters associated with their names, for instance there was gate E33A, E33B, and (you guessed it) E33C. At least the gate people had enough sense not to try to talk over each other when announcing which of the nine boarding groups for each flight was allowed to board at that moment. 

To say that confusion was the word of the day is an understatement. I was very glad to get to my hotel and head out to find dinner. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Huntsville, Alabama

Frustration at the Yards

Sixteen in a row.

That is how many home games in a row the Orioles have lost to the Yankees. 

Camden Yards could be called Yankee Stadium south. The Orioles have now lost sixteen home games in a row to the Yankees. 

That is terrible. It is unfathomable, well unless the team is one of the worst teams in the history of baseball--which the Orioles are. 

The Orioles are now 2-5 for the month of August. After coming off a 12-12 July with the hopes of the franchise lookin up--the Yankees came to town and demonstrated with big bats why they are one of the best teams in all of baseball. The Orioles were outscored  32-12.  Last event's 14-2 blowout was embarrassing and demoralizing. 

Well, at least pre-season football returns tonight. Maybe I can get my mind off the train wreck that is the Orioles.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Show

Chris sat out on the deck last evening as a thunder storm passed through the area. Fortunately, the center of the storm did not pass over us and we were spared the deuce and winds that others in the area had to deal with.

We both love a good storm and the lightening makes the sky come alive. 

Sadly, last evening I had some work to do on my laptop and rain, thunder and lightening do not mix with electronics. So I was inside and missed the height of the storm. 

Overall, it was a quiet evening at home. When I first arrived home, the weather was still very nice and I was able to enjoy time in the pool for a while. Chris and I actually enjoyed happy hour in the pool as we discussed the happenings of the day. Then the weather turned a bit wild. 

But the light show in the sky was something to see.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Changing Society

We are pausing this week to remember those who lost their lives in the twin tragedies of El Paso and Dayton.

The violence of our society continues to astound and amaze all of us. That someone would walk into a store and shoot and kill 22 people mystifies me. And then that someone would kill 9 people outside of a night club, including his sister that same evening is equally unfathomable.

When did society lose its moral rudder? And with it our sense of decency and of right and wrong? 

How can we continue to allow this carnage to continue? While there are many thoughts and ideas out there, the fundamental problem is not with guns--but with people. We have changed as a society. We are no longer kinder and gentler. Many among us are feeling threatened and some of the people who feel threatened are lashing out irrationally. 

Our society needs to change and return to a more gentler and respectful time. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 5, 2019

1. August has arrived and is already slipping away. It is the fifth day of the month and the first. Monday. In four all too short weeks, it will be Labor Day.

2. What could be better than visiting wineries and enjoying great wines with friends on a Sunday afternoon?

Butterflies on Flowers
Hiddencroft Vineyards
Lovettsville, VA
August 4, 2019 

3. Yesterday, while visiting a winery in Virginia, I happened upon a flower garden that was supporting a large number of butterflies. It was fun watching the butterflies flitter around the flowers. They seemed completely disinterested in my presence so close to them.

4. Spending time with friends and enjoying wine seem to go hand-in-hand. What a great way to enjoy life!

5. The Orioles have managed to split the first four games of August and are not 38-73, .342. Even more astounding, they are 6-4 for their last 10 games! They are on place to finish 56-106. 

6. The NFL football pre-season is underway and since the Orioles are a bust for the second year in a row, I am guessing that I will soon be watching the Ravens. 

7. The days are getting noticeably shorter. Dawn is later and sunset is earlier. Summer is too quickly beginning to slip into Autumn.

8. Today in History. On August 5, 1962, movie actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room. After a brief investigation, Los Angeles police concluded that her death was “caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death is probable suicide.”



Headlines

Iran Says It Has Seized Another Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf - The New York Times

S. Korea to reconsider military info-sharing deal with Japan: Cheong Wa Dae - Yonhap News Agency

Democrats aim their outrage at Trump after two mass shootings - Reuters

Turkey to launch offensive in Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria: Erdogan - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Indeed, we gave birth to an entirely new concept in mans relation to man. We created government as our servant, beholden to us and possessing no powers except those voluntarily granted to it by us. Now a self-anointed elite in our nations capital would have us believe we are incapable of guiding our own destiny. They practice government by mystery, telling us its too complex for our understanding. Believing this, they assume we might panic if we were to be told the truth about our problems.

Why should we become frightened? No people who have ever lived on this earth have fought harder, paid a higher price for freedom, or done more to advance the dignity of man than the living Americans the Americans living in this land today. There isnt any problem we cant solve if government will give us the facts. Tell us what needs to be done. Then, get out of the way and let us have at it.

 -- To Restore America, Ronald Reagan's Campaign Address, March 31, 1976

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Welcoming Rain

It rained overnight. 

The Crepe Myrtle
August 3, 2019

That in itself is not a monumental occurrence, however, it has been a few weeks since we had measurable rain and things are getting very dry. It is hard to say if we received measurable rain, but at least there was evidence of rain this morning. 

The crepe myrtle at the corner of the pool near the covered porch is in full bloom adding its splash of color to the scene. This is the time of year that crepe myrtles take over the landscape and provide color to the scene. The crepe myrtles are everywhere along the streets and the yards. 

This first Sunday of August continues the heat of the summer and that is what I love. 

Enjoy the day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Patterns in the Night

Light on the Table
August 2, 2019

Last evening was Friday--and that meant happy hour with friends. Although it rained earlier in the day, the evening was clear and dry. I was very Ince to sit on the deck of one friend to talk, enjoy some fine wine, and eat a fantastic meal highlighted by ribs. 

The conversation, as usual, was lively and wide ranging. As the evening deepened into darkness we lit candles around the table to continue talking. One of the candles provided an especially interesting pattern of light. I decided to capture the candle lighting the darkness. With the lighting of the candles, though, the evening together began to end and it was all too soon time to leave.

Another great evening with friends came to an end as the candle burned, but the memories continue.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

August Arrives

Well, it has arrived. The last full month of summer has dawned and portends the rapid darkening of the days and loss of daylight. 

I am hard pressed to find much good about August. 

For instance, after posting their first non-losing month since August 2017, the Orioles got thumped by the Toronto Bluejays 11-2 last evening. 

The Sycamore trees near my pool think that it is September and are dropping their leaves. Into my pool!

The lawn is getting that brown summer look to it. I still have to mow, but I create. huge cloud of dust because we actually need rain!

The first Friday in August has arrived and with it the first weekend. At least we will be able to enjoy the weather and the pool. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Update - July

What an amazing month! 

Did I just say that about the Orioles? Perhaps. It was the first non-losing month since 2017. The Orioles finished July with a 12-12 record. Notice I carefully did not say a winning month, but they at least stopped the string of losing months. 


The Orioles, as of this morning, stand at 36-71 .336. An amazing turn around. They are no longer the worst team in baseball. At this rate, the Orioles could end the season at 55-107 .339.  A great improvement and back to near the 105 losses that I predicted at the beginning of the season. Of course the bottom could drop out of the season. 

Since the All Star Break the Orioles have managed to win or split four of six series!

This is not the Orioles team that began the season. They are beginning to play interesting baseball. On Tuesday, for instance, they managed to come from behind, scoring 5 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to win the game. 

Maybe they could salvage a winning month during August!

As they say in baseball, there is always next year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD