Happiness

 

Found this on the internet this morning. Nothing could be more true. 

We are each responsible for out own happiness. 

So this is my thought for the week.

We are each responsible for our own happiness--don't let someone else decide if you are happy or not.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

How Many Fit in a Tree

Cicada Brood X in a Bush
Elkridge, MD
June 1, 2021

 

Cicada Brood X Copulation
Elkridge, MD
June 1, 2021

This could be called cicada Part 3, but I took a couple images last evening that show just how massive the Cicada infestation has become.

Aside from the noise, they are literally everywhere. 

They are in the bushes, on the trees, in the grass and even on the sidewalks. 

I came upon two of the bugs copulating last evening on the sidewalk. 

As I wrote--they are everywhere. It is an infestation of biblical proportions. 

And I still rescue the ones that fall on their backs.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Lunch and a Movie

 We did it!

Our first post-COVID movie and food. 

Chris and I went out to lunch followed by a movie at a no kidding movie theater on Sunday afternoon. It was a freeing experience. Our first post-COVID movie.

We saw the movie "A Quiet Place Part II." It was a great afternoon and the theater was practicing both good physical distancing and enforcing facial coverings. 

We felt safe and even though we are both fully vaccinated we did not mind wearing the facial coverings. 

We felt normal for a while. 

I recommend the movie, but ensure you see the first installment before seeing the sequel. There are some references that are cleared by remembering the storyline.

And--go to the movies!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - May 31, 2021

 

1. It is the fifth Monday of May. The last Monday of the month. June begins tomorrow. There are 30 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. It is Memorial Day. Time to remember and celebrate those who gave their all in service to this great Republic.

3. The rain and cold have given way to a bright, sunny morning. 

Cicada on the Wall
Elkridge, MD
May 28, 2021

4. The Orioles have secured the bottom position in baseball. They are currently on a 13 game losing streak. I really don't know what else to write. If this is rebuilding, I think the materials being used in the construction precess are flawed.

5. It was quiet yesterday as the rain and cold made the cicadas take a day off from their breeding. 

6. I am enjoying a quiet Memorial Day. No big family gathering and definitely no time in the pool. Hopefully the cicadas will be quiet enough to allow outdoors activity. 

7. Our friends are selling their townhome, and it became clear that home inspectors must be held accountable for wild and woefully inaccurate statements based upon nothing more than uninformed conjecture made during the reports to prospective sellers. Suffice it to say, I spend part of yesterday holding a ladder while a particularly damaging part of their home report was proven to be untrue.. 

8. Today in History. Beginning on the night of May 31, 1921, thousands of white citizens in Tulsa, Oklahoma descended on the city’s predominantly Black Greenwood District, burning homes and businesses to the ground and killing hundreds of people. Long mischaracterized as a race riot, rather than mass murder, the Tulsa Race Massacre stands as one of the worst incidents of racial violence in the nation’s history.

China to Ease Limit on Births to Tackle Aging Population - The Wall Street Journal

Tulsa Race Massacre Sidelined Legacy of Black Wealth in Greenwood - The Wall Street Journal

Israel Moves Toward Coalition Deal That Could Sideline NetanyahuI - The New York Times

As U.S. Air Travel Surges, So Do Mask Disputes - The New York Times

A ski company built a power plant fueled by methane. It’s a success, but can it be replicated? - The Washington Post

Memorial Day weekend brings big travel uptick  - The Washington Post

Intel reiterates chip supply shortages could last several years - Reuters

N.Korea slams end to U.S. guidelines limiting S.Korea missile range - Reuters

A Proclamation: Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2021

{Note: It is Memorial Day and I though I would change it up a bit and instead of quoting Ronald Reagan, I would present President Biden's Memorial Day Proclamation.] 

On Memorial Day, we honor and reflect upon the courage, integrity, and selfless dedication of the members of our Armed Forces who have made the greatest sacrifice in service to our Nation.  Whether in the waters of the Pacific, on the beachheads of Europe, in the deserts of the Middle East, or in the mountains of Afghanistan, American service members have given their lives to uphold our Constitution and to defend the safety and freedoms of our citizens.  These patriots embody the best of the American spirit. They put themselves on the line for our shared values — for duty, honor, country — and they paid the ultimate price.  Our Nation can never fully repay the debt we owe to our fallen heroes and their families.

Jill and I know what it means to have a child serving in a war zone — the ever-present concern for your loved one and their fellow service members.  Today and every day, we ask God to protect our troops.  We also recognize the tremendous loss endured by America’s Gold Star families — the families of military members who died in conflict.  We have a sacred obligation as a Nation to support those families and to always honor the memories of their loved ones. 

That is the vow we make each year on Memorial Day.  Our Nation will never forget the courage and patriotism demonstrated by the countless women and men who laid down their lives so that we may continue to pursue a more perfect Union and to protect the unalienable rights Americans hold dear.  They came from every part of the country, of every background and belief, united by a shared belief in our uniquely American creed — that all people are created equal.  We will honor their legacy by continuing our work to live up to that commitment and to advance the values they lived and died to defend.  We will continue to fight for equity and inclusion in our country and institutions, and ensure every qualified American who is willing to serve our country — regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background — has a fair and equal opportunity to do so. 

We will continue to honor our fallen service members through the actions of a new generation who volunteer to serve in uniform, who anchor our military to our democratic values, and who stand ready to deter aggression from our enemies and, if required, fight and defend our Nation.  Today — as we keep true to the memory of our fallen heroes — we will endeavor to meet their legacy and once more lead the world through the power of our example and not just the example of our power.

As our Nation’s service members continue to risk their lives to protect our homeland and thwart our enemies, we must not lose sight of our desire for enduring peace.  Every day, countless Americans pray and work for peace so that we may one day live in a world where American patriots need not make the ultimate sacrifice, and where all people live in freedom and prosperity.  As a Nation, we are grateful to the brave members of our Armed Services — both past and present — who have forged the legacy for that possibility.

In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer and reflection.  The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 31, 2021, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer and reflection.  I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information media to cooperate in this observance.  I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I request the Governors of the United States and its Territories, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.  I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Rainy Saturday

Another cold, dreary day
Elkridge, MD
May 30, 2021

A cold rain fell most of yesterday.

It put a damper on outdoors activities. It was so very cold for late May. It is too cold for the holiday weekend which marks the unofficial beginning of summer!

The cicadas were, however, quiet. I am sure that if they could think they would be wondering why they waited 17 years for this cold, wet weather. It certainly does put a damper on breeding season.

The dogs didn't want to go outside.

I didn't want to go outside, for that matter. I was fortunate to have been able to mow the lawn Friday before the rains arrived and the temperature dropped. 

It was a bleak and dreary day. 

Today is beginning much the same as yesterday. The pool sits empty, the water warmer than the air which is too cold to swim. I am glad that I have not yet fired up the heater to bring the water to full swimming comfort. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cicada, part 2

 

Cicada Brood X Hiding in Hyacinth
Elkridge, MD
May 28, 2021

Since they only visit every 17 years and there is a high probability that I will not be living in the region for their next visit, I am truly fascinated by the bugs.

It is amazing how much I have forgotten of their last visit. I had forgotten that they are everywhere, and I mean everywhere. As I mowed the lawn before the cold and rain arrived yesterday, I noticed the bugs and their discarded shells covering almost everything. I found the cicadas hiding in flowers and the grasses surrounding my pool. 

I even found them crawling up the outside wall of my house in great numbers!

And so it continues and then, it will be gone and we will have to be content with memories form the visit of the cicadas.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cicadas Everywhere

 

Cicada Brood X Nymph Shells
Elkridge, MD
May 27, 2021

In an effort to document the Brood X arrival, and subsequent departure, I have decided to provide periodic updates for those who are not enjoying (I use the term facetiously) the arrival of the bugs. 

They are loud and they are nearly everywhere. I do not rememberer the piles of empty nymph shells lying at the bottom of the trees from 17 years ago--but even after the ferocious rains of the night before, there are piles of the shells at the bases of trees in the neighborhood. 

Brood X Cicada
Elkridge, MD
May 27, 2021

I confess, however, the bugs are not a large as I remember. Maybe they are still young and will continue to grow during their short 2-4 weeks above ground eating and breeding.

But they are definitely here and I am not too sure why I was so excited about their impending arrival. 

It is an infestation of biblical proportions. The Egyptians had nothing on this!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Lightning

Lightning Lit Storrmy Night Sky
Elkridge, MD
May 26, 2021

 The storms blew through last evening providing a spectacular display of lightning. It was fun to watch. Our dogs and cats also joined us for the shows, compliments of nature. I learned, however, that it is very hard to actually get an image of lightning. 

I tried.

My camera has a night mode that meant it wanted to make the scene bright--but I wanted it dark. 

I missed the actual lightning bolts streaking across the sky.

I need to do some research about how best to capture lightning on camera.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday

 

Jupiter Island Beach
Jupiter, Florida
October 6, 2020

It is one of those mornings.

My laptop is restarting and I am not getting anything accomplished. 

I love my Apple Mac, but some mornings when it loads new software it is just painful. I am on my iPad trying to recollect my thoughts to no avail. 

I was supposed to play racquetball this morning, but I had to call it off because I was up late last evening. 

And it is a gloomy day outside. 

So I went to my happy place for respite. 

Enjoy the view.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday Morning at the Ballpark

Jax Swings and Misses
Pasadena, MD
May 23, 2021

 Well, it wasn't really a ballpark, it was a field with fences and dugouts behind a middle school in Pasadena, MD. That is where Chris and I found ourselves in the heat of Sunday morning watching baseball with other parents and relatives. And that is probably the truest form of baseball--a rough field, two teams, boys living a dream that may not be their own, and dedicated fans.

As Chris and I walked across the dry grass of the adjoining playgrounds to the baseball field, I though about the many other players and parents across the country who are doing the same thing this morning, other mornings, and evenings to enjoy the game of baseball. And I do enjoy baseball. The boys are getting to the age where the game is much more than try to hit the ball and hope something good happens. There are plays and calls and strategy. And often just plain old good hustle will turn into a great play. It is fun and frustrating because we want the boys to play like professional baseball players and sometimes forget that they are still boys who are learning. 

But it was on this Sunday morning that I realized how special it was to be able to enjoy the game of baseball as it was being being played on a hot, dusty field full of hopes and dreams.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD