Lost in the News

If someone is making the news, then they are controlling the news.

Most often we look at making the news as a bad thing and that is because it seems that the news media likes a juicy story that is full of poor decisions and subterfuge. 

In reviewing the headlines form the past few months, there have been hurricanes, Charlottesville, Las Vegas, New York City, Sutherland Springs, Russian meddling in the election, tax plans, Obama-care repeal and the list goes on.

The hard part is finding out what happens after the events are over are no longer in the headlines. 

The recovery from the recent hurricanes continues. People are still putting their lives back together--yet I cannot find any more coverage of that in the news.

As for the shootings--many people will be living with the pain of loss or the recovery from wounds for years.

I constantly remind myself that the news stories are about people and that once the reporters have departed from the scene, the people remain. The people are the story--be they the perpetrator or the victims.

Lost in the news are the people and they remain after the lights have turned off.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Crisp Autumn Day

Yesterday was a crisp autumn day yesterday. It was perhaps a bit colder than crisp. The high temperature crept out of the 30's topping out at 41 degrees.


This morning the temperature fell to 20 degrees before dawn. It fell almost a degree during the hour I was awake from 5:30 to 6:33. Dawn was only beginning to grace the morning sky as the the temperature fell. I can feel winter wrapping its tendrils around the thermometer.

At least the morning fire in the fireplace began to chase the cold from the house.

Yesterday it was too cold to work outside. I usually put up the outdoor Christmas lights on Veteran's Day. We don't illuminate them, but I get them in place and ready for the coming season. That did not happen yesterday. The lights remain safely in their container. It is likely that we will be changing the exterior lighting this year and no longer using the icicle lights that have decorated our home for the past 17 years. I guess they are getting a bit dated.

Autumn Tree
November 10, 2017

Yesterday, however, did provide some stunning autumnal beauty. 

I came across this tree, which against the backdrop of the clear sky provided the perfect advertisement for autumn. It is the color that people look for during the all-to-brief autumn season.

Today should be an equally spectacular and cold day. The sky is clear as sunlight begins to tickle to tops of the trees.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Veteran's Day 2017

Veteran's Day, officially, is tomorrow, but today is Veterans Day Observed--for those of us lucky enough to get a holiday. 

It is an important day to honor those who have served our nation in the military.

It is an honorable endeavor and I am proud to be a veteran. 

An excerpt from military.com about Veteran's Day is below:

A Brief History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.


In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

My recommendation: Say thank-you to a Vet!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

First Fire of the Season

First Fire of the Season
November 8, 2017

Last evening marked the beginning of the cold season. 

The day represented the first day since April 7th that the temperature did not climb to at least 50 degrees!

Ugh!

It was raw and cold. Ten degrees below normal and just miserable.

It was a good evening to begin burning the recently delivered hals-cord of wood. And so we did. Chris and i enjoyed the first fire, in the fireplace, of the season.  It took the chill out of our living room and warmed our hearts.

It was dark by 5:30 PM. With the coming freeze, the lines to the pool house needed to be blown out and the hoses uncoupled from the faucets. 

There is so much work to get done before the winter actually arrives. We still need to get the frost sensitive plants inside before the upcoming freeze. 

And then we need to hunker down and plan a strategy to survive another winter. 

Too soon, I fear there is snow coming, but then there will be more fires in the fireplace.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Midnight Madness

Nothing good happens after midnight.

Makayla and Finnegan 

That is a phrase that I believe in strongly. When I hear reports about accidents and shootings, it seems that many of them happen after the witching hour, while it is still dark.

The same is true around my house. 

The photo of Makayla and Finnegan is proof. That photo was taken in the morning, about 6 AM after they had been up since 3 AM playing with Riordin, the cat. The three of them were everywhere and it was as if the day had dawned. It was nice that they could curl up and go back to sleep, while I had to leave for work. 

Being a pet in my house is a cushy assignment. I remember that years ago I had a friend who was a fellow officer in the Air Force and he would joke that after he died he wanted to come back as an officer's dog. 

It is a good gig.

I just wish they would sleep through the night. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Darkness Arrives

The return to standard time has happened. 

I got to sleep an additional hour on Sunday morning. I can't for the life of me remember actually enjoying the additional sleep. The penalty, however, was that it gets dark by 5:30 PM, which is great for sitting around the fire pit but not much else.

And the weather is getting colder.

We are expecting our first no kidding freeze on Saturday morning. The projected temperature is now down to 24 degrees! That, friends, is cold. I have a lot of work to do around the house, including getting in some of the not-freeze tolerant plants inside to escape Jack Frost's touch.

The march of darkness continues. The days are progressively getting shorter, and darker.

I think I need a trip south of the equator! Maybe the wine country of Argentina or South Africa where springtime is fading into summer.

It is nice to remember that while we are devolving into darkness, elsewhere the sunlight is strengthening. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 5, 2017

1. November has arrived, but fortunately the weather has been wet it has been warm. Our first hard freeze is expected Saturday morning.

2. It was interesting to see the transition of autumn leaf colors during our trip to New York. In Maryland, the leaves are just past peak while in places north the leaves are gone form the trees. Orange and yellow are the predominate colors.

3. Winners and Losers: Winners: Cowboys, Redskins. Losers: Ravens, Penguins. DNP: Steelers.

Doe at the Neighbor's Garden

4. I have noticed that some drivers are becoming more aggressive on the roadways. They are driving at unreasonable speeds and making dangerous maneuvers.

5. Traffic is more frustrating when tie-ups happen during a long trip.

6. Winter is coming. The deer are getting pretty bold. This one let me within 10 feet of her while she was eating.

7. It must be late-autumn, I have not played golf on two successive weekends.

8. With the return to Standard Time, the dark season has arrived! Ugh! I'm not sure what happened to the extra hour.

Headlines

Trump Opens Asia Trip Talking Tough in Campaign-Style Rally - The New York Times

At least nine people in Trump’s orbit had contact with Russians during campaign and transition - The Washington Post

US, Australia and South Korea hold joint Navy drills - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote of the Week

"Democracy cannot be imposed from outside and it frequently evolves only after patient, incremental steps. It must be the product of free institutions -- churches, labor unions, independent judiciary, and the press -- and its life-giving, rejuvenating process is a citizen placing his vote in a ballot box -- the subject of this Conference."

Remarks at a White House Luncheon for Delegates to the Conference on Free Elections, November 4, 1982

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn Vines

Vines at Magnus Ridge

We stopped at Magnus Ridge, an upstate New York winery. The vines were displaying their autumn colors. The vineyards are beautiful this time of year after the harvest and before the leaves are gone.

We did a tasting at Magnus Ridge and and found solid wines up and down the tasting list. Our favorite was the Reserve Riesling. A very nice wine with 0% residual sugar and nicely rounded flavors centering around pear.

Although the leaves have fallen from most of the trees, the vineyards are still exciting places to visit and enjoy the lingering autumn colors.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Puppy Love

Dad with Finnegan

Who doesn't love a puppy? They are just cute and adorable, mostly. Yes training can be trying, but rewarding.

Dad and Finnegan bonded yesterday. But then, Dad has always liked dogs. I was the cat lover when I was a kid. I always thought cats were more affectionate. I was wrong.

It is a rare cat, our Riordin for instance, that is more affectionate and caring than a dog.

Bring on the puppies!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Car Talk

On the Road in PA

We started the day departing under the cover of darkness as we left Baltimore in our rear view mirror.

The day dawned clear around Harrisburg but turned cloudy and overcast near Williamsport.

The traffic was light and the conversation in the car covered a wide range of topics. We also discuss seed which wineries we should visit on this trip north. There was also some discussion about next summer's cruise. Yes. Ten months away and already a topic of discussion.

We talked about how the trees have already lost their leaves here. Where did autumn go?

Car talk. Trapped together less than three feet apart for almost 6 hours. At least we still talk.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Route 15 north of Williamsport, PA