Supersonic Week

I cannot believe how quickly the week is rocketing by. It seems like just yesterday I was driving home from a relaxing and enjoyable weekend of wine tasting in the Finger Lakes region.

Every day and evening the week has been chocked full of activity. And today is Thursday, already.

Where is the week careening off to?

Who is in charge?

I remember a saying from years ago: "stop the world I want to get off." It seems appropriate.

This morning I am charging off to play racquetball, leaving just enough time to get to work and then as soon as I get home Chris and I have another full evening planned.  At least we did get to enjoy a glass of wine around the fire pit last evening.

The daily recipe seems to be constant activity, sleep, repeat.

I see Sunday on the horizon! Maybe a change is coming!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Return of Star Wars

Yes, I stayed up a late Monday night to watch the new Star Wars trailer. The trailer has over 25 million views, as of this morning, on You Tube.

No, I haven't purchased my opening day tickets, yet.

I can see, by the article in the New York Times this morning titled 
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Is a Hit at the Presale Box Office that I am one of millions of fans of the Star Wars series and that the upcoming release os on track to become the biggest opening movie of all time and possibly ever, well at least until the next movie in the series is released. 

The movie is slated for a December 18th release and it may well provide a much needed temporary distraction from a governmental shutdown of galactic proportions. 

The inaugural Star Wars film was released on May 25, 1977, and it was an unheralded film in advance of its release. But once audiences grasped the magnitude of the struggle between good and evil as brought to life by the "Force" and the realistic nature of the characters an "empire," so to speak, was created. In an unusual twist, at its release the original Star Wars film was simply titled, Star Wars. Subsequently, as the juggernaut grew, it was renamed Star Wars Episode IV, A New Hope!

Yes, I am excited. It has been 38 years since I walked into a movie theater in Denver, Colorado, yes I remember where I first saw the movie, to view Star Wars. I remember I missed the opening sequence because the popcorn line was incredibly long. I had no idea that evening that my entire family, including children and grandchildren, would be caught up in the Force and the magical story that is Star Wars.

May the Force be with you!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

William Seward House, Auburn, NY

Statue in the Garden of Seward House
Auburn, NY

During a lull from sampling Finger Lakes region wines, we headed to Auburn, NY, to visit the Seward House. 

Seward, as in William H. Seward, is a name most often associated with the purchase of Alaska from the Russians, but as an able and apt Secretary of State for President's Lincoln and Johnson, he represents so much more.

The house appears frozen in time. The furnishings are nearly complete and the staff of the house were knowledgeable. The one-hour tour went more than an hour and a half, mostly due to my questions and push for more depth and detail in the stories and anecdotes. 

It is one of the few museums where pictures are allowed and encouraged. Turns out that I didn't take many images because I was fascinated with looking at everything in the house. The homestead was converted to a museum before everything could be sold off and therefore everything has a story. The current exhibit regarding the assassination of Lincoln along with the attempted assassination of Seward is excellent and helps to historically align Seward's life and times.

I highly recommend a visit to the Seward house for a fun afternoon of history and connecting the pieces of history together.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 19, 2015

Snow on the pines along Route 15 in PA
October 18, 2015

1. Snow! For real! I experienced snow in Central NY and Pennsylvania yesterday. Ugh. Winter is too close.

2. The Ravens effectively ended their season with a loss yesterday. A 1-5 record is going to be almost impossible to overcome, unless they decide to go on an 10 game winning streak.

October Fire in the Fireplace

3. One of the joys of a weekend away is discovering new things that were there all along.

4. I didn't play golf this weekend, but I saw a lot of empty golf courses in Upstate NY.

5. The results of my weekend confirmed that New York vineyards continue to improve and develop their wines. The whites are among the best in the country for Rieslings and there are other varietals coming close behind.

Boat Lift in the Early Morning Light

6. Sometimes I run across scenes that are just beautiful. I'm glad that I always have a camera to capture them.

7. Impatient and aggressive drivers are a distinct problem on the highways.

8. Why are some people so willing to give away civil rights that they personally don't appreciate?

9. I have discovered a new style of leadership--leadership by confusion.

10. Transparency is something that we at the same time desire and despise. We want others to be transparent while we work to conceal our own lives and interests.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Along the Lake

Sunrise Seneca Lake
October 18, 2015

Spending four too short days in a cabin on a lakeshore provided me with the opportunity to watch the changes as the world wakes and how it affects the beauty of the world that I am watching.

This morning, for instance, I am watching the sunrise behind the hills as the world wakes. The colors are building as the dawn creeps closer and I can see autos driving along the roads across the lake from me.

Sunrise Seneca Lake
October 16, 2015

It is quiet, more quiet than I am used to back home. And it is cold this morning, 31 degrees here, but I am sure it is much colder up the hills away from the stabilizing microclimate that the lake provides. There is a frost! The leaves are turning to greet the rushing end of autumn.

Soon the trees will be naked and stark in preparation for the harvest celebrations and the winter ahead.

Geese over Seneca Lake
October 17, 2015

But just yesterday, I stood on the dock and watched a flock of geese fly overhead. Their squeaking and honking filled my heart with excitement as they gathered together in flight and headed off to find food in preparation for their trek south for the winter.

The lake was calm and the sky clear blue as I stood there. I wished, as I always do, that I could experience flight the way that they do. Together in a flock working together against the elements not even aware of the laws of flight working to keep them in the air. They are just free and flying.

I admit, I have seen the lake slate gray and cold as well, although I did not take an image of it. It was a foreboding sight.

I have appreciated this long weekend because I have reconnected with the scenic beauty of upstate New York and enjoyed one last visit before the harshness of the dark season begins. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Dundee, NY

A Pause to See the Beauty

Watkins Glen

I can joke about the gorges of Ithaca and Watkins Glen principally because I grew up here and only recently realized how special they are. I remember the saying "Ithaca is gorges." It is of course a play on words--but true nonetheless.

Last year, I was amazed at the waterfalls along the Columbia River in Oregon. I remember their magnificence and beauty. But right here, in my old backyard are also some of those same wonders of the world.

Watkins Glen up the Trail

Yesterday, I was privileged to visit two of those spectacular creations of nature: Watkins Glen and Taughannock Falls. 

Have I been there before? You bet. Did I remember the magnificence of the water rushing over the falls? No.

I admit, I am pretty focused on wine tasting and gathering material for my wine blog, but it is good to take some time to appreciate the natural beauty around me. Especially during the autumn when the colorful leaves about and provide a once-per-year view of the world.

Hiking just a short way into the Glen (as in Watkins Glen) took me into a place that I rarely visit anymore in the deep woods of a rushing New York stream and the life around it.

Taughannock Falls form the Overlook
October 16, 2015

Similarly, as the group I am traveling with visited Taughannock Falls, I remembered not only standing in the very spot on other occasions in my life, but also hiking the trail in the gorge below to the falls. 

Taughannock Falls framed in Autumn

Framed in the autumnal foliage  I am sure that I had forgotten the beauty and the power of the place. 

A stunning reminder of the beauty that resides just around the corner, if only I take a moment to pause and consider it.

Something to consider. 

Pausing on the path of life to enjoy the scenery.

-- Bob Doan, writing form Dundee, NY

Waking up on Seneca Lake

Route 15 in Pennsylvania
October 15, 2015

I am enjoying the second day of a weekend get away to upstate New York with friends to enjoy wine and the scenery as the autumn slips away into the dark period.

Yesterday was mostly a travel day, but we did manage to visit three Finger Lakes wineries to sample some of the wares and found some very nice wines. The weather was idyllic--a crisp and clear autumn day, for the trip. It was a beautiful day for travel.

View of Seneca Lake from Route 14
October 15, 2015

Of course part of the trip encompasses research for my wine blog, the time with friends and enjoying the scenic beauty of the region is  an equally good reason for a few days away. I admit, left to my own devices I would probably visit as many wineries as possible and miss the gorges and beauty of the region. I am told that balance is what is important.

Chris on the Dock of the Beach House

As day two dawns along the shores of Seneca Lake, the clouds are a bit thick and the high temperature is expected to be in the low 50s for the day. We will be heading off to Cayuga Lake to visit a few wineries there as well as visit some of the natural wonders.

For now, I am enjoying the scene of the lake outside the windows of the beach house as the dawn breaks. There is a fox checking out the the beach hoping for a duck for breakfast. 

I hope he finds something other than duck.

And the day is upon me.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Dundee, NY

It Could Happen . . .

Although the line, "It could happen" was from a movie titled Angels in the Outfield, it seems that another movie, Back to the Future II is having a greater impact on predicting the outcome the current MLB playoffs. 

In Back to the Future II, the main character travels into the future to the year 2015 where the Chicago Cubs have won the World Series. 

Sounds crazy, except that the Cubs are playing in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) right now and the winner gets a spot in the World Series. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was 1908. The last time they played in a World Series was 1945.

I guess, therefore, I am cheering on the Cubbies! Especially since the Orioles didn't make the grade this year.

It is time for the Cubs to win again. They are the ultimate underdog!

Let's go Cubs!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday Night Lights

I had a rare opportunity to enjoy youth football under the lights last evening as the GORC Wildcats played a make-up night game. 

GORC Wildcats
80 lb Central Team
October 13, 2015

The 80-pound Central team, with Jackson playing both ways, offense, defense, and on the kick-off team made their under the lights debut at 7:45 PM on a beautiful October evening in front of tens of adoring fans, mostly parents hoping to get them home to bed before it got too late. 

That, sadly, was not to be the case as the game which started early went into double overtime before the conclusion. Who even know that there was overtime in youth football? What happened to the days of ending in a tie and having to live with the realization that the other team was just as good, on this night! I remember my high school football days and the only non-win during my entire high school career, was a 6-6 tie (my high school football team went 36-0-1 for my four years). Of all of our high school games, that is the one game I definitely remember.

But, the game did not play out that way. GORC took a 12-6 lead at the half after falling behind 0-6, and then played a sloppy second half where the offense was totally inept and the defense, although giving up a lone score, saved the day by stopping the other team twice inside of the red zone. 

Their red zone defensive prowess would serve the team well as the game went into overtime. Overtime is a college-like possession affair. Each team gets alternating possession of the ball from the 10 yard-line. The defense shone for the Wildcats. They stopped the visitors on the first possession, but they, likewise were stymied on their attempt to get into the end zone. Alternating for the second possession, the Wildcats scored on their second play and turned the game over to the defense to preserve. The visitors came up inches (and I mean inches) short on 4th down and GORC won 18-12.

And the time was 9:15 PM, well after most of the players' bedtime. At least the coach gave them today off from practice to recover.

But it was a badly needed and hard fought win! 

Tuesday night under the lights.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

When the Majority thinks they are the Minority

Last week, I read an article about human networking, people and voting. The article titled, A quick puzzle to tell whether you know what people are thinking, was published in the Washington Post on October 9, 2015.

The puzzle that introduces the article is interesting and innocuously complex. The details behind the analysis are even more complex, but they apparently show how a minority can affect the voting of a majority because the majority thinks they are in the minority. It phenomenon even has a name, the "majority illusion," as it is called by network researcher Kristina Lerman. 

One paragraph from the article I thought summarized the underlying science behind majority illusions. "A person with a large audience spreads his or her opinions much more widely than the average person does. By definition, he or she has many more connections, which means more people are on the receiving end of the opinion. This gives a celebrity’s opinion outsize influence, affecting the local perspectives of many."

A very interesting concept which I believe we have seen occur during elections in this country. I think it also explains why so many organizations intent on changing public opinion use well known celebrities as spokespersons.

The article suggests that understanding the majority illusion has implications understanding important social issues like fighting HIV in Africa, understanding the role of the mass media, and fighting alcohol abuse on college campuses. 

Food for though on a Tuesday morning.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 12, 2015

1. Happy Columbus Day! Really?

Renditions Golf Course
Davidsonville, MD

2. I have played two rounds (36 holes) of golf during the past two days, instead of getting better, I got worse! Golf can be frustrating.

3. Sundays during this time of year are reserved for birthdays! We celebrated two more yesterday.

Jeremy Finishing a Drive in the Morning Light
Renditions Golf Course
Davidsonville, MD

4. Watching the day dawn from a golf course is an incredible experience. 

5. I realized the other day that the idea of a republican party is just that, in reality the republican party if many smaller factions who are trying to think big.

A Near Perfect Cheesecake

6. I made a cheesecake for Chris' birthday celebration! No cracks! Yay!

7. Did you ever wonder--when someone says they will pray for you if they really do?

8. Football season is off to a rather poor start. The Ravens are 1-4.

9. Federal holidays are great because there is no mail delivery.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Football from the Sidelines

Jax Taking a Knee at Halftime

Being a typical October Saturday, I spend part of my day on the sidelines at the GORC Wildcats football game. 

Sadly the homecoming game turned into a 13-6 loss with some critical late penalties and confusion in the lines, but the game was fun not watch and Jax made some great plays and moves. 

What I noticed, however, was that the hardest working people on the team sideline was not the players or the coaches. It was the team Moms. The Moms are responsible for almost everything, except play calling. They soothe hurts and injuries, they ensure the players remain well hydrated. They are the busiest people on the sidelines. 

Nicole Racing to the Sidelines

Nicole is one of the team moms paired with Shannon. I thought the image I took of her racing back to the sidelines after a timeout on the field late during the game says it all. She is running and the players are, well, standing around!

Ethan with a Snow cone Tongue

Way to go team mom!

And very color coordinated, too!

And why is she running? She gets to get back to the sidelines to face Ethan who was busy sampling every kind of snow cone available!

It was a beautiful autumn day for a game and some memories.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn Color

Autumn Arriving in
Ellicott City, MD

I noticed it for the first time last evening. A storm was brewing behind the trees and I noticed that they were beginning to show golden color rather than the cool green of summer.

The growing storm behind the trees was especially dark and helped to highlight the autumn colors.

Today is going to a classic autumn day with temperatures in the low 60's and sunshine to help highlight the changing leaves across the countryside. 

I would be happy to have them stay green, but I see the color beginning to arrive in the trees surrounding my yard. I know that the dark season is rapidly approaching and with it the cold, rain, snow, and generally foul weather.

But first, at least, I will enjoy the changing leaves as I bid good-bye to the last vestiges of the summer past.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Unplanned Day Off

I had an unplanned day off yesterday!

Wow! What a gift! I was able to catch up on a multitude of small projects around the house, including having the driveway people return to examine the situation.

It is really incredible how many small things need to be accomplished.

Decorated Fireplace

It was a beautiful day and I was thankfully able to enjoy that as well instead of being stuck in the closet which is my office--truly a small room without windows.

One of the different things I accomplished was to measure the fireplace so that it can be converted to propane. That was more difficult that i thought and I wound up with quite a drawing and a series of measurements. I only hope I got the right ones!

I was even able to play a round of golf! And I was part of the last group off the course as night fell. I could almost see my ball to make the putt on the 18th hole--but I got it in. That was the exclamation point on a nearly perfect day.

Back to life today, but the memory of yesterday lingers.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Driveway Woes

Good Looking Driveway

The process of rehabilitating my driveway has taken a detour.

You may remember that we had the potholes fixed a few weeks ago, and that process came out great. It is really nice not to have our drive look like a beat-up back road in some rural county.

Rough Area
Still Wet

But then we went one step further--we decided to have the driveway sealed to help stem the deterioration and restore it.

Cue the rains!

Another Rough Area

The sealing was supposed to happen last week, but a week of rains intervened and delayed the process. The rains, it seemed, soaked into the ground and have delayed the sealant from properly drying in some places. This means--no driving on the driveway, going on to four days now.

For the three homes that share the drive, this means that 7 vehicles are displaced! Aside from having to walk the length of the drive, the cul de sac is jam packed with vehicles.

Hopefully the drive will be functioning soon--before the rains tomorrow night. 

I hope we didn't break something that didn't need to be fixed.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Reviewing the 2015 Orioles Season

Autumn has definitely arrived. The leaves are beginning to change and fall from the trees. Various animals have been seen in the yard stocking up on the acorns falling from the oak trees. 

It is also the time of year when the 20 MLB teams that did not make the post-season do a self-assessment and try to make sense of their finish.

Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette

I reviewed the commends of Dan Duquette, the General Manager, from yesterday's news conference on the 2015 season and the future. He was fairly uninspiring and continues to tote the organizational line regarding players, salaries, and finances. I was not encouraged by his comments. 

Here is my view:

Last off season, coming off a 2014 campaign that saw the Orioles win the American League East division and narrowly miss playing in the World Series, the job was to keep the team together for a successful 2015 run. In the end, three key players were in play: Andrew Miller, a lefty relief pitcher; Nelson Cruz the long-ball hitter, and Nick Markakis the long-time right fielder for the Orioles. Duquette lost all three!

Nick Markakis

I believe that the Orioles overcame the loss of Miller and Cruz, but the loss of Markakis and failing to acquire a right fielder with an arm and a bat is directly responsible for the team not making the playoffs. In Markakis the team lost a lead-off hitter who made good contact and got on base as well as one of the most feared right fielder arms in all of baseball--especially in playing the difficult corners on Orioles Park at Camden Yards (OPACY). OPACY is tough on right fielders and I watched many of the replacements misplay balls and then fail to have enough arm strength to keep runners from advancing home when rounding third base.

The task for this off season is even greater and more important to the Orioles. The Orioles have more free-agents and less depth. Here is my three-step recipe for 2016 Orioles success:

1. Retain Chris Davis, Wei-Yin Chen, and Darren O'Day. Catcher Matt Wieters is also a free agent and it would be nice but not critical to retain him, too. 

2016 Goal!

2. Here is the harder part, in addition to keeping the big three (Davis, Chen, and O'Day) the Orioles need an ace pitcher--it would be great to have someone on the staff who can win 16 or more games a season.

3.  AND the Orioles still need a real right fielder and lead-off batter.

I'm not going to postulate who the Orioles should be going after, I looked at the free agents lists and there is no clear pitcher out there. The right fielder could be someone like Colby Rasmus, but he's only batting .238.

It is a tall order for the Orioles--but their 2016 success depends upon it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Awash in Pumpkin Pie Spice

What is it about this time of year? Pumpkin Pie spice flavor is everywhere. Retailers and shops promote the "return of pumpkin pie spice!" Really? It sounds like some kind of horror movie!

Why are people so infatuated with the flavor, which by the way I do not fully appreciate?

What is pumpkin pie spice? It is a combination of common spices: cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger! Some of the most common cooking spices to be found in the most basic kitchen. 

Here is the really funny part: there is no pumpkin in pumpkin pie spice! It is the collection of spices which go into pumpkin pie to give it that down home, Thanksgiving-memory-smell that just screams: "eat me!" And don't forget the ice cream and whipped cream!

Well, for some people. 

I think America has gone overboard with the seasonal spice. I think there are even beers which advertise a pumpkin pie spice variety. 



I searched on pumpkin pie spice and  found some amazing products that are laced with the seasonal concoction. Among them marshmallows, cough medicine, and cookies. There are also liqueurs, ice creams, and yogurts! I saw an advertisement for pumpkin pie wine--seriously, made in Texas, of all places (get a grip!).

I believe that the love for this spice is out of control. The marketing machines have created a monster!

Yes, it is likely a comfort concoction to help sooth the transition from the warmth and excitement of summer to the day and dreary days of winter, but I thought that's what falling leaves were created to help us with.

All things in moderation, I seem to remember the old colloquialism. Back off on the pumpkin pie spice and enjoy the season.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 5, 2015

 

1. I watched the last Orioles baseball game of the 2015 campaign yesterday. I was saddened that season had ended and the Orioles were not going to be participating in post-season baseball. At least they managed to salvage a non losing record of 81-81 and swept the Yankees to close out a season of unmet high expectations.

Eisenhower Golf Course
October 4, 2015

2. Even though the weather was cool (low 50's) and overcast yesterday, I managed a round of golf at Eisenhower Golf course in Crownsville, MD. Even thought at one point it was raining, because so many other golfers had canceled it was a pleasant round and a great start to the week.

3. Watching some of the NFL games yesterday, I was amazed at how inconsistent the officiating can be especially when penalties are called during critical situations. Even the video review does not get the call right many times.

4. I am already beginning to plan my Sarasota, Florida, Spring Training get away. Sunshine, warmth, baseball and golf what could be better?

Deer in the Driveway
October 4, 2015

5. The deer are getting ready for winter. Yesterday there was one in my driveway nibbling on the acorns which had fallen from the oak trees. 

6. Interesting read: participation in children's organized sports is falling. 

7. Does anyone else think that the infatuation with pumpkin pie spice has gone a bit too far? Interesting piece, Enough with the Pumpkin Pie Spice Americas. It's Getting Embarrassing. I agree.

Arc de'Triomphe
Paris with no cars

8. On Sunday, September 27th, Paris, France, banned all automobile traffic within the city. The resulting almost 40 percent drop in pollution and noise was so astounding that more auto-less days are considered.

9. Does anyone else feel that big business is really out to get us? And it isn't just American companies as we saw with the Volkswagen diesel car scandal! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Martian - Movie Review

I have been waiting for the movie The Martian, starring Matt Damon, to hit the big screen ever since I read the book last year. The movie opened this weekend and I was sure to see it yesterday.

I was not disappointed! The movie tells the story of the first man stranded on Mars. He is the Robinson Crusoe of Mars, stranded with little hope of rescue and out of touch with NASA and earth who believe that he is dead. What happens is a resourceful story of pure survival. I especially liked the book and generally the movie because the underlying science is solid. I did not have to check my intellect at the theater door to watch the movie.

The movie has a simple plot, how to survive when the odds are almost 100 percent against you. I was generally pleased with the film adaptation of the book. Obviously, the book is far more complex and in places more suspenseful. I'm not sure the movie crowd could handle the suspense of some portions of the book.

Is the book better? You bet! Is the movie great! Definitely! 

The acting is exceptional and believable. The scenes are filmed and completely made me believe that I was on Mars. I believe that there is an academy award or two hiding in this movie.

RECOMMENDATION: See this movie. Today! Yes, it is that good.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Seasonal Dysfunction

Despite the rains yesterday, we had a coffee crisis that had to be alleviated before this morning and that meant heading out to Costco for supplies.

The trip was wet, but uneventful. As an aside, I am continually amazed by the ignorance of some drivers who do not understand how to efficiently traverse a "Four Way Stop" and who also cannot park their cars. We waited in the row at Costco for a few minutes while four drivers attempted their rendition of a water ballet with vehicles while trying to exit and then drive into parking spaces. Ugh! Chris and I just parked and walked in the rain.

Christmas at Costco
in October

Costco is a warehouse store and what greeted me as I cleared the check-in line was truly a sight that I had not expected during early-October. Christmas!

Yup, Christmas is alive and well at Costco. I did not hear any Christmas music. I had expected Halloween decorations, but found Christmas--already and completely deployed! Interestingly, I did not find any Halloween decorations or costumes in the store, although they may have been strategically displayed somewhere.

I was truly amazed, and saddened. The commercialism and the loss of the Christmas's identity is complete and the season has been reduced to a retailing frenzy. 

I must confess that we even purchased two Christmas gifts because of the "if you don't get them now, they won't be there later" mentality. I'm sure that they will be lost and forgotten before the season finally arrives.

Here we are, still at the doorstep of Autumn and the leaves have not even fallen from the trees and Christmas is already displayed in the stores. What is wrong with this picture? Even worse? I have added to the problem by purchasing gifts!

I am so conflicted!

I have entered the seasonal dysfunction zone where I no longer look to the weather or the calendar to tell me what season it is, but rather to the retailers who are working to separate me from my earnings.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Hidden in Plain Sight

Eastern Box Turtle

I was in the yard the other evening, hitting golf balls into the net with my 3 wood, when I missed the net and I went into the wooded area near my house to retrieve the ball.

I was a bit startled when I went to pick-up the ball and I noticed something that I was not expecting. There among the leaves and the gathering autumn was a turtle. I believe that it is an Eastern Box turtle. 

I don't see many turtles wandering through our yard. I see frogs and toads, occasionally snakes and worms; but this is the first turtle.

When I was younger, I would have picked the turtle up and carried him to the house to chow off to Chris, but now, with the salmonella scare and trying to be respectful of other creatures, I called Chris down to see the turtle as it was trying to blend into the background.

It just pays to keep my eyes open and notice the wildlife lurking about because somethines, they are hidden in plain sight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

October Arrives with the New FY

Happy New Year!

It is October 1st and the US government is still running as we start a new fiscal year!

Cue the noisemakers for the arrival of FY (Fiscal Year) 16!

Yay! Congress salvaged the beginning of the year by not letting the government shut down! We are good until December 11th when we get to watch our own version of brinkmanship funding happen all over again!

There was a lot of concern about another furlough--the last one coming two short years ago when Congress failed to accomplish their Constitutional duty and fund the government.

Except for the prospect of rain, I was a bit excited about the prospect of making some early morning tee times. 

But, I get to go to work and try to take care of the myriad of things accumulating on my desk as a result of an extremely heavy meeting week.

And so, yay! Happy New Year and let's keep the government functioning.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD