Uninvited Mantis

It is hard to believe that August is half over.

Praying Mantis
Catch and Release
August 14, 2017

Yesterday was the mid-point of the month. From here on the days grow perceptibly shorter, with the darkness coming earlier every night.

Monday evening, Chris and I were having dinner on the screened porch because of the myriad bugs that were out that evening. And the rain. On the table was a small, no more than two-inch long praying mantis. It was cute to look at, right up until it started crossing the table to enjoy my dinner.

It was a disturbing moment. I was confronted with a small bug that I could easily crush, but a capable predator that eats other bugs. Even though it did not seem that way at the moment, the praying mantis was a colleague in the war on bugs. The mantis was clearly an aggressor on the prowl for prey. My concern was that I, or some portion of my dinner, was the prey.

I decided to conduct a catch and release operation. Going to the kitchen I got a glass and a piece of paper. Capturing the mantis in the glass was easy and I released the bug onto the nearest crepe myrtle, where hopefully it could find some dinner. 

The bug looked at me when I snapped its picture as it adjusted to being on the leaves of the crepe myrtle. 

I sensed that it felt betrayed, but for the life of me I couldn't imagine why! I certainly wasn't going to invite it to share my dinner.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Troy Whittemore Golf Classic 2017

Troy on the Course
Undated photo

The Beautiful Day and the Course
Trumansburg Golf Club
August 12, 2017

It is amazing how quickly the years seem to pass. The now Fourth Annual Troy Whittemore Golf Classic was played on Saturday at the Trumansburg Golf Club in Trumansburg, New York. The tournament raises money to support the scholarship fund established in Troy's memory. 

Despite the weather forecast which called for potential thunderstorms as the day went on, the weather was almost idyllic! The temperature was fabulous and the storms never materialized. 

About 18 teams participated this year. While that is not good for the scholarship fund, it made the pace of play very enjoyable. 

Carts at the Ready

The sponsors and the course did a great job of readying everything. And the hard working volunteers made the day a huge success. As always, the staff at the Trumansburg Golf Club were fantastic in getting everything ready and the course was in great shape. 

Mike Haslup
Closest to the Line Winner
August 12, 2017

The skill games played along the way were a lot of fun. The winner of the closest to the line drive competition was in my foursome and the ball nearly landed on the line. We were all pretty amazed at how close the ball came to being on the line. We knew the shot was good, we just didn't know how good until we got to the spot. It did set us up for a GIR and a nice birdie on the hole!

Hole Sponsors

I learned something about Troy from his friends that I didn't know. Troy hated mulligans! I found that amusing and so like Troy. I can see him espousing that if you make a bad shot, play the ball where it lies or take the penalty. There are no "do overs!"

Golf tournaments provide for friendly competition. The foursome I was with did very well this year, for us, by finishing 6 under par for a 66. The tournament winners, however, were an astounding 17 under par for a 55. The second place team was at 59 and there were two teams tied with 60. In the end, the team I was on tied for 6th place. I forgot to take a picture of the final leaderboard!

I can't believe that the day has come and gone already. I am already planning for next year's Classic. Thanks to everyone who organized, volunteered, and worked to make this year's event a success.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 14, 2017

Dunkin Donuts Boston Cream Donut in a Bag

1. Yesterday was National Left-Handers Day! We lefties are still the only ones in our right minds.

Buffalo, PA
August 13, 2017

2. Hard work brings rewards of a job well done.

3. My optimism about the Orioles post-season chances is beginning to wane as they stumble through yet another road trip. They are now 3-4 on the current trip must win at least two games in Seattle coming up.

4. Driving back from New York yesterday we stopped along the way to enjoy the scenery, and some wine.

5. Did you ever wonder what a Dunkin Donuts Boston Cream donut looks like in a bag? Lonely!

Trumansburg Golf Course
August 12, 2017

6. The Troy Whittemore Classic golf tournament on Saturday was blessed with great temperatures and no rain! We had a lot of fun.

7. Since they are only playing pre-season games, can we really say that football season is here? Yet?

8. I wonder what our cats do when they are alone in the house for a weekend? At least they seem happy to see us.

Headlines

White House Acts to Stem Fallout From Trump’s First Charlottesville Remarks - The New York Times

Charlottesville victim: ‘She was there standing up for what was right’ - The Washington Post

Former spy chief: Denuclearized North Korea not in the cards - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote of the Week

"We're strong because we still believe in a bedrock principle: We are a government of, by, and for the people, not the other way around. And we're strong because we know that true greatness begins with the deepest treasures of the human spirit, with faith and courage, with loyalty and love, with a quiet, unselfish devotion to our families, our neighbors, and our nation."

Remarks at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, August 19, 1984

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Staining Stairs

Freshly Scraped and Being Stained Stairs

Some projects require a significant amount of preparation before they can be executed.

I discovered this on Friday as I was scraping my parents deck in preparation for an updated coat of stain. It had been years since the deck had been stained, and they had been waiting for good weather for at least a year. The decking planks had been stained a week or so ago and now it was time for the tails and stairs.

I spent a good afternoon with my Dad scraping and staining. He was relieved after a few hours by Chris and we nearly completed the project before it was time for dinner and the evening festivities. There remains only one section of remaining. Hopefully we can knock it out the next time we sojourn to Ithaca.

Hard work is good work.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

The Picnic

Luna Moth

Chris and I and the boys went to my office picnic yesterday. We had a lot of fun and it was great to see many of the office family who have retired and moved onto life after work. I'm just a bit envious. But I know that soon enough I will be there, my problem is that I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.

The boys, Ethan, Jax, and Lucas seemed to have a great time playing in the river. I had hoped to play some catch with Jax, but the water got in the way.

As soon as we arrived at the picnic site, we were greeted by a big Luna moth sunning itself on a tree.

Don't worry, the moth was not the highlight of the picnic. Chatting with everyone and catching up on the twists and turns of life since we last saw each other was the picnic's highlight.

It w great to see everyone. I want to give my thanks to all of those who planned and executed the picnic. It was another great event. Too bad we have to wait until next year to do it again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Numbered Milestones

On the Water
Yellowfin Steak and Fish House
Edgewater, MD
August 9, 2017

Numbered events, like birthdays and anniversaries, provide a means to track progress as we journey the pathway of life. 

Yesterday, Chris and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. It is one of those significant numbered events in life, but in doing so we were able to take the evening and enjoy a relaxing meal on the waterfront and reflect on the years we have been together.

Chris Checking out the Menu

Taking time out to remember where we have been and what we have done helps us focus on where we are going. It may seem a bit mundane, but sometimes I find that by looking backwards I can see the path I'm traveling and decide whether a change is needed or whether it is better to "stay the course."

So we took some time out last evening to celebrate ourselves. We enjoyed a great dinner at Yellowfin Steak and Fish House in Edgewater, Maryland. We enjoy Yellowfin because of its broad views of the water and especially last evening as the sun was setting during our dinner. 

From Yellowfin Steak and Fish House
Edgewater, MD
August 9, 2017

But the evening was not over when dinner was finished. We did something really crazy. Upon arriving back home we dialed up the year we were married on our Amazon Echo and listened to the songs that were popular. I was amazed at how we still remembered most of the words to those oldies, even though we hadn't heard many of them in a very long time. 

Wedding Day

All too soon, the clock indicated that our night of memories and remembrances was over and by heading off to bed we would have to return to the daily patterns that we have established. Neither of us wanted to let it go, for the moment was magical. I can still see Chris in her mother's magnificent wedding gown entering the church and being escorted by her Dad down the aisle to meet me. White lace and promises! We were again two young, too young, kids together in a church to say "I do" and then off together, arm in arm, down the aisle to face the realities of life. 

But, here we are! Two kids with a few decades of experience still taking on the world and trying to carve out our place in the craziness that is life. 

And so with a smile and a kiss the fairytale continues! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday Blues

Chris on Hole 7
Willow Springs Golf Course
August 8, 2017

I struggle with Tuesdays. It is the lost day of the week. 

Sandwiched between Monday, the start of the workweek, and Wednesday which is "hump day" Tuesday seems to have no particular identity of its own. 

There are some unking Tuesday sayings out there. For instance:

Dear Tuesday, nobody likes you either. You're just Monday's ugly cousin.

I try to do special things on Tuesday to give the day some character. Most often, the things I do are sports related. I like to go to Orioles games on Tuesdays, but my racquetball league plays on Tuesday nights during the autumn and winter. During the spring and summer I try to get out for a quick round of golf, as Chris and I did last evening. 

Heron Keeping Watch

It made for a great ending to the day. I was amazed, however, that we had to travel as far as we did to find a golf course to play. The close ones all were booked. It seems that every other golfer had the same idea about playing yesterday. 

It was a beautiful day. Low humidity and bright sunshine. 

We saw a lot of animals yesterday as well. There were many woodchucks and this one heron sitting overlooking a pond. The heron did not seem to mind our presence and even posed for my picture. 

It was a fitting end to the "in between" day. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Back at 500

Drum roll please!

American League Wild Card Standings
August 7, 2017
From MLB.com

With their 6-2 late night win against the Angels last night, the Orioles have returned to .500 for the season. Their record stands at 56-56, with 50 games remaining in the season and the Orioles continue to claw their way back into the post-season playoff picture.

The Orioles have not been at .500 since June 29th and had sunk to 6 games below as recently as July 28th. 

For now it is a sprint to the finish line of the season. The Orioles are 1.5 games out of the second wild card and there is now only one team between them and team currently in possession of that magical playoff spot.

I am not going to write about last night's game because I did not get to watch it as it started after I was already in bed. The west coast games are difficult to watch since they begin after 10 PM and I get up about 5 AM to start my day.

Manny Machado

I do want to congratulate Manny Machado for his grand slam homer which secured the victory. It was his 21st homer of the season and he now has 65 RBIs. He is second on the team for RBIs to Jonathan Schoop who has 82.

There is hope for meaningful October baseball in Birdland!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 7, 2017

1. August is passing. One week is gone already.

2. Weekends are pleasantly busy times. There always seems to be so much to do.

1st Tee Box
Maryland National
August 6, 2017

3. Being on a golf course at 7AM on a Sunday morning can't be beat. Sunday it was Maryland National in Middleton, MD.

4. I enjoyed working with Tina yesterday doing the back brakes on her Jeep. Jeeps have enough room to actually get around and work on. 

5. I find it interesting that we need to excavate more coal.

Chewie in a Towel

6. I cannot do a project without bleeding. I was able to cut myself yesterday doing brakes. I guess it isn't a project unless some blood is spilled!

7. What do you do with a wet dog? He loves the pool. Wrap him in a towel of course.

Headlines

U.S. Troops Train in Eastern Europe to Echoes of the Cold War - The New York Times
Let Forest Fires Burn? What the Black-Backed Woodpecker Knows - The New York Times

Kayleigh McEnany appears in pro-Trump 'news' video after leaving CNN - CNN

Quote for the Week

"I believe that we've come too far, struggled too hard, and accomplished too much to turn back now. Once again the world knows that America will stand up for freedom, democracy, and peace with human dignity. And once again America is prepared for peace."

Ronald Reagan

Remarks at the National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Chicago, Illinois, August 24, 1984

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Day Exploring

Yesterday was devoted to wine and cider and friends.

The weather was classic August--clear skies, sun, but not blistering hot. Chris and I took to the road for a day trip to Charlottesville to look at a wine fridge that was advertised on Craigslist.

But the day turned into so much more. 

Bold Rock

We also planned lunch with friends, Mark and Peggy, visited Bold Rock Cidery for the first time and dropped by Keswick Vineyards to pick-up our wine club wines and visit with the winemaker. 

The motivating purpose for the trip was to consider purchasing a wine fridge in response to a Craigslist ad. The price was very enticing as was the size of the fridge. Due to potential structural problems, even after the seller offered to discount the fridge by more than 50 percent, we declined to purchase the item and continue looking. 

As the day progressed, I was amazed to learn that the Charlottesville region has been dry, rain wise, compared to Baltimore. The wine makers actually indicated that they could use some rain. Just a bit because the vines were beginning to shut down from the dryness.

Lunch was enjoyed at Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar in Charlottesville. It was very enjoyable to sit outside, enjoy lunch and catch up on life with Peggy and Mark. 

Bold Rock was the find of the day. Recommended by Patrick, it was no small jaunt from Charlottesville, but definitely worth the drive. The area was beautiful and along the way we discovered more wineries that we will be exploring in the future. I did not realize that hard cider could come in so many different varieties. I also did not realize that apples were as genetically diverse as they are. Apparently even more diverse than people.

Ending the day we stopped by Keswick Vineyards and renewed acquaintances there while sampling the current offering on the wine list. 

Once finished at Keswick, it was travel the almost three hours back to Elkridge after enjoying a great day out and about. 

The day passed so quickly. I wish we could have made it last a few hours longer.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD