The Slog of War

Mauree Naree Ablaze
Straits of Hormuz

Beware Friday the 13th

It is apparent that the war being waged against Iran was woefully under-planned. 

How else would Iran have now become one of the leading oil exporters in the world and is exporting more oil than before the war? (Hindustan Times) We won't sink their tankers because we don't want to upset China; the primary recipient of Iranian oil. (Reuters)

Or even more concerning, the U.S. has dropped sanctions against Russia to allow them to ship oil! (Business Insider) Really, so the aggressor in the Ukraine conflict is getting a free pass because the U.S. didn't plan ahead on how to keep the Strait of Hormuz open?

Our adversaries are profiting from the war while U.S. military personnel are dying and the treasury is being drained.

What is the endgame?

Where is a battleship when we need one! I would think that one battleship could defend the Strait. Wait we retired them all. We have no way to pummel the defenders of the Strait with monstrously-huge conventional munitions. 

Strait of Hormuz

Why didn't the United States deploy sufficient naval ships to escort tankers? Under-planning! Everyone with a brain knows that Iran's best move in a conflict is to shut the Strait of Hormuz. We don't have sufficient naval vessels because there was no prior planning to create an international coalition to provide security for the 20 percent of the world's oil which transits the Strait of Hormuz daily.

I am not suggesting our military is under-performing. No. They are magnificent! Our brave service members have been let down by leadership which has ignored decades of assessments about how a conflict with Iran might proceed. 

If only we had an identifiable objective then we could really decide when we had completed it. 

Welcome to the quagmire. God help us!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Look, up in the Sky

Pelicans on Patrol
Juno Beach, FL
March 7, 2026

 This is a fun time of year to keep an eye on the sky. The pelicans are gathering in squadrons. Big squadrons! 

Sometimes they fly low over the water; between the waves looking for their next meal. More often though, they are flying together in the sky. Of course, there is often one pelican sitting on a piling in a marina showing off. 

Osprey with Fish
Hobe Sound Nature Reserve, FL
July 13, 2012

We also enjoy watching the ospreys hunt. They fly deliberately and often dive for fish in the ocean. That is exciting, but hard to capture on camera. One of my best was a few years ago when I imaged an osprey coming out of the ocean with a fish in its talons. They truly are magnificent birds. 

Something to scan the sky for. 

-- Bob doan, Tequesta, FL

Mid-week Thoughts

Stunning Orchid
Tequesta, FL
March 7, 2026

Happy Hump Day!

The middle day of the week is upon us. I'm glad everyday that I am happily retired and don't work through the workweek the way I used to. 

George and Sue departed yesterday after spending a great week with us and the house seems very empty this morning. They had both a good and bad trip home, as it was relayed to me. Getting through security and the flight was great, the fact that the battery was dead in their car on arrival to Baltimore was bad. Fortunately, they had a portable charger in the car and were not long delayed on their return home.

Traveling comes with a lot of challenges. 

Pelican at Jupiter
Henry Starter
Norton Museum of Art
March 8, 2026

I was happy to hear that TSA-pre is still functioning as Chris and I have planned travel for the Easter holiday. Hopefully, things will go smoothly for us.

It is orchid season. We were out the other night and I was very impressed with Mary's orchid. It was stunning and I had to get an image of it. 

While at the Norton Museum of Art on Sunday, we toured the permanent collections after visiting the Rembrandt exhibit. I came across this painting with the Jupiter Lighthouse as a subject. It was done by Henry Starter in 1935. I found the depiction of the lighthouse to be very interesting because there is no large tree around the base. Any modern image of the lighthouse will show the base obscured by a huge ficus tree.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friends on the Beach

Six Friends on the Beach
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
March 9, 2026

 Celebrating the end of a beautiful day and the sad close to a vacation for two friends, we met on the beach last evening for Happy Hour and dinner. I decided to take an image of the six friends on the beach, but it was a bit different from most. As we sat there, I saw our shadows on the beach in front of the ocean. I decided that would be our good-bye portrait. It is kinda obvious which shadow is me, lol.

Heston Kjerstad
Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL
March 9, 2026

We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Sue and George and it sadly is coming to an end as they fly north today. But, we will be heading North ourselves in a few weeks for Easter.

We also attended a Spring Training Game between the hometown Cardinals and the Orioles yesterday. It was a solid game for about 5 innings until the Orioles gave up 5 runs in the 6th and 7th innings to lose 7-2. But we had fun seeing the Orioles for what I believe was their first trip to Jupiter since moving to Sarasota from Ft Lauderdale during 2010.

It has been a fun and busy week. We will miss Sue and George. Here's hoping for smooth TSA processing at PBI and a refreshingly boring flight.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - March 9, 2026

 1. The second Monday of March is upon us. We have survived the Daylight Saving Time transition and are moving deeper into the month. There are 42 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Minerva in Her Study
Rembrandt
Norton Museum of Art
West Palm Beach, FL
March 8, 2026

2. We are at war, declared or not. Out tax dollars are being consumed to the tune of about $1B per day to pursue a war that the American people do not want. Nothing good is happening and perhaps the greatest travesty of the war likely committed by American forces is being covered-up by the administration. American military personnel are dying for a cause that has yet to been defined. My thoughts and prayers are with our service men and women and their families for protection.

3. We visited the traveling art exhibit Art and Life in Rembrandt's Time at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach yesterday. The exhibit was well planned and seeing the paintings in real life was an experience. I spent some extra time considering the painting of Minerva in Her Study given that she is the Goddess of War, among other titles. 

4. Was anyone else appalled at our president's lack of respect for our fallen military members when he attended the Dignified Transfer wearing a campaign ballcap. “Trump just wore a campaign hat to a dignified transfer for fallen U.S. soldiers that were killed during his Iranian blunder,’ Chris D. Jackson wrote on X. “These are the same people who spent week attacking Biden for briefly glancing at his watch. The hypocrisy is absolute. There is no bottom for these people.” (Penn Live Patriot News)

5. We have been enjoying a great time with friends. When we get together, it is like no time has passed at all. It also gives us an excuse to do experience new activities or to revisit places that we have not visited in a while. Heading off to the Norton Museum of Art yesterday is one such example. Today we are planning on seeing the Orioles Spring Training Game against the Cardinals. 

6. Riddle me this. How is it we have enough money to wage a war most Americans do not want, but not enough to provide sufficient medical care and subsistence that most Americans want?

7. Today in History On March 9, 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display at the American Toy Fair in New York City.

Eleven inches tall, with a waterfall of blond hair, Barbie was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with adult features. The woman behind Barbie was Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945. After seeing her young daughter ignore her baby dolls to play make-believe with paper dolls of adult women, Handler realized there was an important niche in the market for a toy that allowed little girls to imagine the future.

Iran defies Trump by choosing hardline leader, oil prices soar - ReutersOne vote to lose: Life inside a chaotic House GOP majority - CNN
‘A very dangerous person’: alarm as Pete Hegseth revels in carnage of Iran war - The Guardian
‘Putin smiled’: Ukraine hurries to adapt as US focus moves to Iran - The Guardian

Airports see hours long delays due to TSA shortages as Homeland Security shutdown shows no sign of ending - CNN

‘Dark, like our future’: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran’s oil depots bombed - The Guardian

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

ArtFest by the Sea 2026

 Welcome to Daylight Saving Time 2026

It is that time of year when we cast off the dark season and begin to enjoy the light. I have been wanting to sleep in later and this morning I did not wake until after 7:30--which is a big event for me even though aided by losing an hour during the night. 

ArtFest by the Sea 2026
Juno Beach, FL
March 7, 2026

Yesterday, we wandered off to the 2026 version of the ArtFest by the Sea. It was a more typical Florida Day with high humidity and bright sun and 80 degree temperatures. The show takes place on Ocean Blvd in Juno Beach, Florida. While there is normally a nice ocean breeze, the bushes along the road blocked the breeze and it was really hot where the artisans were set.

Flower Stems
Tequesta, FL
March 8, 2026

The show is impressive in its size. It is about a mile long with booths lining both sides. The variety of artisans is impressive as are the prices. I often see works that I would love to own, but I either don't have a wall big enough for them or my wallet is too small to care for them. We did, however, find a glass artisan from whom we purchased a couple Chihuly-esque flower stems.

I talked to the artist, Christopher Belleau of Providence, Rhode Island, about the Chihuly influence I thought I detected and he was adamant that he was making glass flowers before he even knew of Chihuly. I believe him. His flowers are realistic whereas Chihuly's seem more fanciful. Regardless, I don't have to water these flowers. We will likely be adding to our collection in the neat future. 

It was a busy and fun day which we ended with a sumptuous dinner hosted by Fran and Mary. Today a trip to the Norton Art Gallery in West Palm Beach to view Art and Life in Rembrandt's Time.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friday on the Water

Cato's Bridge from the ICW
Tequesta, FL
March 6, 2026

 We enjoyed another Friday on the water boating the ICW. I had reserved a boat out of Jupiter North, which is really close to the house. I had been expecting about 6 people on our cruise and had reserved a pontoon boat because they are really comfortable. Even though only four of us were able to make the trip, we still had a very enjoyable time on the extremely comfortable boat. 

Our Boat for the Day
Jupiter, FL
March 6, 2026

We boarded our trusty vessel, named very aptly Let it Slide, about 9:45 with a day of touring the ICW towards West Palm Beach with a lunch stop at Season's 52 before returning to the marina planned. We managed some beach time as well. Yes, our boat for the day had a water slide--too bad there were no kids along to enjoy it. During our time on the water we passed a number of other pontoon boats, but we were the only ones with a waterslide.

Jupiter Lighthouse
Tequesta, FL
March 6, 2026

I had considered spending time on a local sandbar, but as fate would have it, the tides were wrong. We were boating around high tide for the day.

Of course, I had to take my obligatory image of the Jupiter Lighthouse from the water. It was a beautiful morning and the colors were beautiful. 

We had hoped to see some manatees or other marine life along our journey. Aside from fish jumping periodically and a few seabirds, we did not see other marine life. But, even so, it was a great day on the water. 

Note: ICW is Intracoastal Waterway

Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Angry Ocean Beach Day

George, Sue, Chris
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
March 5, 2026

What could be better than experiencing the full power of the Atlantic on a beautiful beach day? 

Probably nothing. 

Portuguese Man o' War
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
March 5, 2026

With the temperature approaching 80 degrees on a partly cloudy and very windy day, we headed off to the beach to chill and enjoy the day. On arrival, we were greeted by two warning flags: Dangerous Rip Currents and Dangerous Marine Life. OK, so the ocean was rough and only 73 degrees; we were not likely to venture into the surf.

The dangerous marine life were Portuguese Man o' Wars which we saw on the beach. They were not particularly dense, but we did stop walking along the waterline when we began to encounter more than a few of them.

It was too windy to put up our umbrellas. I actually did put them up only to have the wind take one airborne--including the anchor I placed into the sand to hold it down. Fortunately, the clouds kept us from being in direct sun too often and we were slathered with copious quantities of sunscreen so that fear of sunburn was remote and we did not feel as if we were baking.

We ended the day at our favorite watering hole, Tiki-52, with other friends joining us for the evening. We endured a brief rain shower while there, we were at an outside table under an umbrella when the shower began. We sought refuge in the covered stage area; returning to our table after the shower passed. 

It was a great Thursday, or Friday eve, and we are expecting an enjoyable boat and sandbar adventure today. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Cooper's Hawk - Palm Beach Gardens

 Wine tasting is an activity that Chris and I enjoy. It is difficult to enjoy wine tasting in South Florida due to the lack of wineries that produce grape-based wines. There are plenty of places that produce fruit-based wines for which we have not developed a taste. 

One place where we enjoy tasting is Cooper's Hawk--a national wine producer and retailer as well as restaurant. It would be easy to write that perhaps they try to do too much, in terms of wine varieties. But there are definitely gems in the tasting. We also enjoy the restaurant because they serve creative meals and the menu changes frequently. 

Chris and I are members of the wine club through which we receive three bottles per month that we get to select. We also receive two free tastings per month which can be exchanged for a glass of wine if we choose not to enjoy a tasting. 

We sullied up to the tasting bar on Tuesday to sample some of the current offerings. I have included the tasting sheet that Cooper's Hawk provides to guide the activity. We enjoy our tastings because the wait staff are usually a lot of fun and make the event enjoyable. Plan at least an hour to enjoy the offerings. On this particular day, we tasted seven wines. The sparkling wine, Blanc de Blanc, was very nice with light fruit and solid minerality. In my mind beginning a wine tasting with a crisp clean sparkling is the best because it purges the mouth and prepares me for the selections to come.

With the exception of the Lux Cabernet Sauvignon, the other wines we tasted were not in our wine wheel-house. My favorite wines at Cooper's Hawk include Super Tuscan, Pinot Gris, Barbera, and the Lux Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Cooper's Hawk is an experience and given the huge variety of wine they offer, there is sure to be more than one that makes the palate tingle. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Rough Night with the Dog

Finn Finally Calm at 5:08 AM
Tequesta, FL
March 4, 2026

 Finnegan had a rough night. 

I was reminded of rough nights decades ago when our children were young and had bad dreams or were sick. 

Finn apparently had either a bad dream or heard a loud noise that neither Chris nor I remember. Finn gets freaked-out by loud noises like thunder or firecrackers. He woke us during the 4AM hour bouncing around on the bed trying to hide. I took him outside, thinking he had a gastronomic issue--but he didn't. 

I tried to go back to bed, but he still wouldn't settle. He wanted to be under my feet or in my lap. So, we went downstairs and he sat with me for a while before finally heading to his nearby bed and relaxing a bit. Even so, he really didn't sleep, but kept a watchful on me for quite a while. When he finally went to sleep during the 5 AM hour, I moved to the sofa and went back to sleep myself in the 5 AM hour. Chris says she checked on me after Finn came back to bed and saw me sleeping. I woke on my own about 6 AM and went to bed until 7:30 AM.

He seems better this morning, but still a bit out-of-sorts.

It was a long night. I'm feeling a like a nap will be needed later. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL