Orioles Training

BWI Preparing for a Pre-Dawn Departure

I arrived in Sarasota well in enough time for lunch and a ball game yesterday. Thankfully, the flight from Baltimore to Tampa was on time, even early.

I thought the view in the morning light was especially interesting with the sunrise behind the jet that carried me south. It is amazing what 2 hours and a few minutes can do to change the temperature and the scenery.

View from the Standing Room Only Seats
Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, FL
March 10, 2016

Those of us traveling together arrived in Florida with the idea that we could bring some magic into the 0-9-1 start and even more importantly break the string of 9 consecutive losses. And we did, partly. The Orioles did not lose, but they tied the team whose  name shall remain unspoken from up north. That was a good thing. The stadium was sold out for the game and that always makes it exciting when a large crowd is on hand to view a contest.

Manny Machado and Adam Jones Warming Up

We had the opportunity to see many of players and even saw one of the Orioles new acquisitions get his first ever hit off U.S. major league pitching! That was exciting.

Even though it ended in a tie, the game was exciting. The weather was fantastic--a strong breeze kept the temperatures feeling cool.

Observation. The Orioles bats are still coming around. They had a lot of hits but could not string them together to secure enough runs to win the game.

It was a great day to be in Sarasota, Florida.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Sarasota, Florida

Attack of the Drones

One of my favorite toys from this Christmas is my drone.

I have been learning how to fly it while also checking out the legalities of flying a drone in my area. Since my drone weighs in at only 4.2 ounces, it is exempt from the new federal registration requirements which apply if it weighed more than 9 ounces (or 255 grams). 

I have been learning how to fly it and I found it works better outside where small gyrations in the flight do not seem to be as evident as in the house cashing into the Christmas Tree or someone.

Look Who is Flying!

I am impressed with its resilience. It has taken a beating and come through the learning to fly process pretty well. 

I have managed to leave it hanging in more than one tree, sadly, but I have some long painting poles and a ladder so it has been rescued each time.

Around the Yard

The drone has an easy but sophisticated flight control system primarily because it also has a camera on it. I finally felt comfortable enough with the drone yesterday that I snapped a few images with it around the yard.

I need to work on stabilizing my flight a bit more when I take images--but it is a lot of fun to think that I am controlling my own reconnaissance platform. It also can take video. I will work on some of that today. I really need a larger SD card for that, however, as it fills up quickly.

I guess I will just continue to drone along.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Back into the Fray

2015 The Family

With Christmas now firmly behind me, it seems that it is back into the rhythm of life for me.

I am still enjoying my gifts and also enjoying seeing others with the gifts that I provided, but tomorrow is, after all, Monday and I must head back to work. I am blessed that the entire family was together. 

The Guys in Ugly Team Sweaters

I relish these moments, especially with Mom and Dad, because we can't get everyone together that often any more.

We had some fun. And we ate a lot of food.

We enjoyed some awesome wines like Barboursville Octagon 2005.

I also watched some sports.

But mostly, we were just together and did not have the TV on with the rotten news of the day. The world did not impinge upon our celebration.

And so, tomorrow, it is back into the real world, at least for a couple of days. I will  start listening to the political news and world news and the international news. I am grateful for the respite.

Happy New Year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas 2015

In the quiet of the morning, before the day begins, I have been thinking about the blessings that I have.

Cooking in the Kitchen

They are many--fantastic family, great friends, and great prospects.

Yesterday we cooked, laughed, went to church, played games and enjoyed each other. 

Today? More of the same!



I saw some geese flying overhead as I was walking into church yesterday--their wings beating against the dark sky carrying my spirit with them above the ground. 

I will carry that vision with me today as I enjoy watching the family interact with each other and know that we are all soaring through life, with nothing to keep us down except ourselves. 

Merry Christmas. 

It is not over! It is just beginning.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Last Gifts of Christmas

Poinsettia Tree
Columbia Mall, Columbia, MD

It happened overnight; Autumn surrendered and Winter arrived. 

To celebrate the event, I sojourned to The Mall in Columbia to complete my Christmas shopping. I especially enjoy viewing the poinsettia tree that adorns the mall each year. I only needed a couple of items to finish my shopping.

As cashier handed me the bag containing the gifts that I had purchased, I told the her that I was going to do something crazy--and I did.

Santa announces the First Gift of Christmas
The Polar Express

I held the bag above my head and announced, "The last gifts of Christmas."  In my mind I was replaying a scene from The Polar Express, where Santa awards the first gift of Christmas--but I am sure the reference was lost on all of the startled shoppers except myself. They did give me a polite chuckle.

Unfortunately, my Mom had to witness the entire event. I'm sure she thought I was crazy.

But--as winter has finally arrived, I have completed my shopping and starting tomorrow, the days will begin getting progressively longer as the dark season wanes.

The celebration is underway!

I've already hauled out the holly, which is part of a classic Christmas song that was actually set in July. Maybe that is why I like it--the song is really about summer. More like how it would be to celebrate an Australian Christmas.

Let the holiday get underway--winter has arrived. Springtime cannot be more than about 90 days away!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Apple Tree in Snow

A few weeks ago, I snapped an image of this apple tree as autumn was ending.

I happened past the tree again yesterday and saw it again during a snow storm. The same tree, with apples on its branches still, standing against the onslaught of winter.

It was a cold day. The snow was falling, but not accumulating in any great amount. The sky was dark and gray. But the tree stood strong.

I liked the apples still clinging to the bare branches. Holding on against the dark season.

It certainly isn't a Christmas image. But it is life.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Birthday season

It looks like a Christmas tree. But in reality, it is a birthday tree and the presents under the tree are not Christmas presents.

We celebrated another family birthday last night. Celebrating birthdays in the middle of the Christmas season helps restore normalcy to the frenetic pace life.

Did I mention that it was a surprise birthday celebration? That made it even more fun. At least for those of us who were in on the planning. I'm sure that Tina had other plans for her evening after a tough week.

Considering the pace of life for a moment, I am writing this morning from the car racing along route 15 somewhere in central Pennsylvania headed to Ithaca to retrieve mom and dad for the holidays.

The week ahead is already crammed with excitement and activity leading up to next Friday, when it all really begins. That being, I can take a deep breath and look forward to the ending of the year and doing it all over again.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Central Pennsylvania

Pre-Christmas Birthday Season

Nicole's Birthday Celebration

Birthdays are fun--and when they occur during the Christmas season, they can be all the more fun.

Nicole and Chris

Last evening we celebrated Nicole's birthday. It was fun to have a non-holiday focused, holiday season get together! The houses are decorated and the neighborhoods are bright with lights, but we obtained a much needed respite from the hustle and bustle of the shopping/holiday season.

As family and friends gathered together, there was the obligatory cake and rendition of Happy Birthday--and then it was to a local establishment off for adult beverages and munchies.

The gathering was well attended as everyone else seemed to have the same idea--enjoy a great happy hour and celebrate a very special person in our lives.

Nicole and Me in a Selfie

I guess that is really the whole idea for take time out of our too busy lives to celebrate others. In a perfect situation, we change the focus of our lives from self-centered into a other-centered.


I really enjoy hearing the boys sing Happy Birthday. And so, I captured their rendition below.

What else did I learn last night? I am really bad at taking selfies!

Happy Birthday Nicole!!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Midnight Madness in Ellicott City

Ellicott City Midnight Madness 2015

How do I know the Christmas season has really arrived? Midnight Madness in Ellicott City, that is how I know. 

Last evening Chris, Patrick, Tina, and I headed down to the city to experience this annual event. The weather was awesome and we arrived early enough to obtain some prime on-street parking. We noted as we were leaving, after 11 PM, that some people were parking over a mile away! We parked in the middle of everything.

Ellicott City Midnight Madness 2015

The shops are all open and the throngs of people move en masse from shop to shop. There are goodies, too. We have gone almost every year, in recent memory, but this year at least two places were providing wine. But cookies and cider were everywhere. I admit, there is something pleasant about shopping with a glass of wine in your hand. It makes it all seem a little bit better.

As most people know, I am not a big fan of shopping, but a glass of wine or champagne really makes it more palatable. It was hard last evening, however, because it got a bit too cold outside, but the stores were a bit too crowded and hot to hang around inside them for long.

I guess I failed at midnight madness shopping since we left shortly after 11 PM instead of after midnight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

170,000 miles

As I got into my truck yesterday morning to head off and play racquetball, my eye caught the odometer.

It read 170,000 miles!

I was shocked. How did my truck get that many miles on it?

2000 GMC Sonoma
Showing a bit of wear

I admit, I have put only about 62,000 of those miles on the truck. I bought it used to replace my stolen truck. I can't even remember what year it was when I bought the truck.

It has ben a good truck and has been borrowed by many of my family and friends.

I think every family needs a truck!  I know ours does.

I wonder when I should consider another one?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Old Guy Down

I had a scary experience while leaving work yesterday afternoon in the rain. Crossing one of the streets, the crosswalk ends with a slight incline that I know is slippery even when dry. Yesterday in the rain, it was even more slippery.

Elbow Damage from Fall

Even though I was being careful, I slipped and fell landing on my left hand, left elbow, and left hip. It is amazing how quickly it happened and how the actual event occurred is slow motion.

Ouch!

Another person came over and immediately asked if I was OK. I got up and said that I was fine, even though my hand, elbow and hip were banged up. I was surprised how much the pavement hurt my hand even though there was no obvious damage.

My pride was hurt the most.

The voice in my head was screaming, "Old guy down in the parking lot!"

Fortunately, I am mostly OK. I skinned my elbow, but I played racquetball last evening and don't seem to have any lingering pains this morning except for the usual ones I wake to every day.

Note to self--be MORE careful! Actually I think I slipped because I was being careful.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Decorating Day--Done!

Christmas 2015 Decoration

It is mostly complete. A day long event dedicated to transforming the house from Thanksgiving into Christmas.

It took most all of the day. Two Christmas trees were erected, decorated, and even redecorated. We did have remove the icicles because the cats thought they were candy--and that is a bad thing.

Snow Village Wonderland Under Construction

During the day, Chris and I listened to Christmas music, watched a campy Santa Claus movie and consumed a bottle of wine. We kept the pace slow and the mess, associated with redecorating

Mountain Snow Village
Nearing Completion

As we were preparing to do dinner and nestle down together for the evening,  we got a call from Patrick and Tina to come visit with them and lend assistance in creating their Snow Village wonderland. That was a lot of fun. They were in the middle of a mountain scene that took an incredible amount of planning and construction. That, and it also has a voice activated computer controlled light system. Pretty cool!

It was a full decorating day! The Christmas season is in full swing and the best part was, with the exception of running out to a pharmacy to pick up a prescription, I didn't grace a store or shopping mall. A nearly perfect day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday Golf and Cows

Golf Clubs Waiting the for the Next Round

This is now the second consecutive Sunday that I have not headed out to the golf course for an early morning round. The weather report made it seem like the prevailing cold would to be too numbing to attempt golf without risking the integrity of my hands and ears.

That is unfortunate, but it is a fact of the season.

My clubs are sitting patiently in the garage looking forward to their next outing. I did sneak in 12 holes on Wednesday when the temperature approached 70 degrees. I enjoyed being the only person on the course and therefore able to play at my own, relatively quick pace. The group ahead of me had teed off an hour before me. I caught up with them on the 10th hole.

Large Holstein Print

So the weather, and the season, means that I will be homebound more. 

That usually means shopping. 

Yesterday while out sampling the retailers wares, I came upon a large print suitable for hanging in someone's house. I'm not sure exactly whose house it would be suitable for. 

Would I want a cow in my living room? No, but perhaps whomever buys it (note the price $179) has never enjoyed a close up and personal experience with a holstein?

I'm pretty sure, no I'm definitely sure, I rather be golfing.

Still, that cow certainly is staring at me for some reason.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Grandparent's Day

Lucas and I Cutting Pieces

I am still stretching myself and growing into the role of a grandparent.

Yesterday I went over to the local elementary school and joined Lucas as he started his day in kindergarten.  The school had a special program arranged and both Chris and I were able to encourage Lucas as he constructed a thankful Thanksgiving turkey. 

Chris and Lucas and the Feathers

The construction project was preplanned and well thought out. The pieces were big and the supplies readily available.

I was impressed with the school, in-processing was smooth and I though the little pink tags were genius. 

I have been to schools before where they have no concept of smoothly in-processing people and it can become a real mess trying to get parents into the classrooms. 

Lucas' Turkey of Thanks

I enjoyed the story, it has been a longtime since I have had a story read to me. 

I was happy to have made one of the feathers! And an orange one at that!

Thanksgiving and the season of the turkey. A great time of the year and I am very happy that i could take a couple hours out of my too busy day to visit Lucas at school and help him to complete his very special project.

I wonder if the turkey made it home alive?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Apple Tree

I came upon an apple tree yesterday that caught my eye. It was sitting at the corner of a country road prepared for the winter season ahead.

Apple Tree in Danby, NY

I had forgotten how starkly pretty apple trees were after their leaves had fallen and only a few apples remained on their branches.

I would have liked to walk up an grab a truly fresh apple, taken a bite and savored its smell and crispness. But as the tree was clearly not on public property, it would have been wrong.

Looking at the ground under the tree, I gained a renewed awareness for the phrase that apples don't fall far from the tree.

Autumn is rapidly fading into winter. There was some snow on the hills above Cayuga Lake yesterday. And while pretty in a surreal way, it was a prelude of the coming season.

The apple tree reminded me of the summer behind and the cold season ahead.

And it stood tall with a few apples remaining on its branches, braced for the snows I know are coming.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Holiday Busy Day

I have to admit, I look forward to the autumn holidays. They allow me to get projects done, especially in preparation for the upcoming season. Yesterday was no exception. 

Makayla had a dental cleaning and so I didn't even get to sleep in. She had to be at the vet by 7:30 AM. She did very well and her teeth look great!

Christmas Lights Installed and Checked

Veteran's Day is the day I use to get the outdoor Christmas lights hung and prepared for the season which begins two weeks from tomorrow. The weather is usually nice and I can work on the lights at my leisure during the day. It took over four hours this year to get everything accomplished. But they are ready for that day after Thanksgiving when the "most wonderful time of the year" arrives.

And then there were the leaves on the lawn which needed to be repositioned. Fortunately, my tractor does an excellent job of moving the leaves from the lawn and back into the forest from which they came.

Believe it or not, I had a couple of gifts that needed to be wrapped. Christmas is closer than I think, I guess.

I had hoped to get in a round of golf, however, by the time I got everything done the course was busy and I decided to go to the driving range instead to work on my swing. Working out at the range is not nearly as much fun as missing a short putt on a green at the course of driving a ball into the deep woods off the tee, but after 168 shots, followed by about 40 putts, I had accomplished a pretty good workout and wrung out some of the problems I had been experiencing.

On the way home, I picked up Makayla dropped her off at the house and then, given a small window of opportunity, I decided to get a haircut. Later that same evening,  Chris and I had a dinner date with Patrick and Tina followed by some entertainment back at their house. 

All-in-all, it was a busy and great day. A lot accomplished and I even took time to thank a few veterans along the way!

When is the next holiday? Oh yeah, Thanksgiving when I give thanks and eat too much!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As the Cactus Blooms

Cactus Blooming

One of the interesting things that happens each year as Thanksgiving approaches is that our cactus blooms.

It is another one of those autumnal events that mark the ending of another year and the approach of the holiday season.

It is funny that the cactus sits around all year apparently doing nothing and unaware of the beauty of summer, but once November arrives it blossoms. 

We own two of the cactus--originally we thought that they were Christmas cactus, but now they apparently have become Thanksgiving cactus. Turns out, there are both Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus varieties AND it is possible to tell the difference between them! The linked article from the Clemson Cooperative Extension describes the cactus and an Easter relative as well. 

Another sign of the season--flowering cactus! 

Enjoy November. Well, as much as possible!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn's Blast

My Neighbor's Trees in the Evening Light

Green has departed the forests, except for the evergreens. All of the leaves around my yard have turned and many trees are rapidly becoming bare as autumn hastens into winter. 

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

I ran across this quote by Albert Camus yesterday and I was surprised that I never had heard it before. 

It is definitely true this autumn, when I have been appreciating the leaves as they don their autumn colors before falling into piles on my lawn ready to be swept back into the forest near the bases of the trees from which they fell.

Trees around my yard
November 2, 2015

Last evening was especially stunning as the setting sun accentuated the colors. I caught the sun reflecting off the clouds, silhouetting the nearly devoid of leaves trees around my yard. 

Sunset in the Window

It was a stark scene that foretells the winter that is to come.

I captured an interesting view of the sunset reflected in the window of Chris' car. I thought it to be interesting view of the sunset. 

And as the autumn deepens, sunset comes earlier and earlier, the dark season is at hand stifling the brilliance of the leaves.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Season of the Turkey

With the arrival of November, the Season of the Turkey is upon us!

As the Halloween decorations find their spots in boxes and before the onslaught of the Christmas season, there are a couple weeks of respite when the Season of the Turkey provides comic relief culminating with the celebration of Thanksgiving!

Wood to be Stacked

In preparation of the beginning of the Dark Season, coincident with the Season of the Turkey, I spent most all of yesterday working in the yard. There was wood to stack and grasses to cut from around the pool. It was a solid day of work, but the results were worth the effort.

Stacked and Ready for Winter

There is always so much to do to get ready for the season ahead and I was glad for nice weather to get most of it done. I made two trips to the landfill with trash and of course the grasses from around the pool to be recycled. I forgot to snap an image of the truck overloaded with the grasses, which were tightly strapped into place. It is always a bit comical to see how high they stack.

It was a bright and sunny autumn day, the culmination of which was Halloween and Trick or Treating. The numbers of children seemed lower this year, but the neighborhood parties were definitely increased. I was amazed at the obvious presence of the police to ensure the festivities were celebrated without incident. 

Autumn View of the Lawn
October 31, 2015

In the end, I was even able to hit a bucket of golf balls into my net and help my sore muscles stretch out after the stresses and strain of the day.

With each passing day, I am more ready for the Season of the Turkey. 

For now, I will take a deep breath and enjoy the pause before the craziness of the holiday season crashes upon me!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Spectacular Saturday

It was a busy and enjoyable Saturday that started early and finished late.

I am amazed how many things we can cram into a day that, while related, require travel and preparation.

GORC 80 Lb. Wildcats
October 24, 2015

First up was the last regular season game for the GORC Wildcats 80lb. football team! Go Cats. Unfortunately Jax's team suffered a crushing defeat at the early morning game. It was cold on the field as the sun was rising over the trees in Crofton, MD, and that did not help the play of the Wildcats.

Look at how long the shadows are in the image. Yes, it was that early, especially considering that the sun went behind the clouds for the rest of the day about 9:30 AM. Did I mention cold? It was pretty cold, too!

Jeremy Walking to the Green
Eisenhower Golf Course
October 24, 2015

From the gridiron to the golf course was the next part of my day! Yes, somehow I tried to squeeze in 18 holes of golf. I wasn't entirely successful because the groups in front of us were playing slow and I had to leave after 4 hours and 10 minutes and 15 holes for my evening dinner engagement.  Jeremy and I were teamed up against the Haslup brothers and although we were tied at the turn, the match got away from us and we were too many holes behind when Jeremy and I had to leave. We will get them, next time!

It was a beautiful autumn day, a bit overcast, as the image shows, but a nice day for a round of golf. I wish we could have played better, but it was good to get out and play. The course was in good shape and made for great competition.

After dinner in Baltimore

The evening included a dinner at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Baltimore. The Syracuse phenomenal restaurant has made it to Baltimore! And it was great barbecue. We were out with Jeremy and Nicole to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary! hat an awesome evening in Baltimore enjoying great company. 

What a busy day. But what great memories. 

I wonder what is in store for today?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD