Will the Rains End Soon?

Northeast Weather Map
August 4, 2018

The rains across the Northeast may finally be ending today.

I know that my lawn is drenched, but I was able to get the tractor out and mow yesterday during a break in the storms. At least I will not be faced with a jungle when the sun finally dries the grass.

Trees have been falling and doing lots of damage during this wet period. The floods are real and the threat of dams breaking are likewise real. It has been a very wet period in the Northeast while the west is suffering from incredible heat. I wish we could even it all out.

I had thought that it would be dryer this morning, but that does not seem to be the case. The lawns were drenched by overnight rains. It remains dark and gloomy.

There is a rumor that the sun may shine soon. I am anxiously waiting for it in a too wet world. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Broken Glass--The Saga Continues

The project of last evening was to determine the best approach to fix the broken glass in the sliding patio door.

Me Taking and image of the Broken Glass Pane

Through an unfortunate accident that occurred two weeks ago and detailed in my blog entry titled Broken Glass, one pane of the double pane sliding glass door leading to the pool was broken. We have been living with the glass pane taped to allow use of the door and to prevent the tempered glass from falling out. 

It is a trashy, unkept look and it needs to be corrected--especially before the hot weather returns or winter arrives.

It is hard to find companies that can replace broken glass. We received one estimate and it was over $600 and would not restore the insulating gas between the glass panels of the door.

We remembered that we bought the sliding door unit at either Lowes or Home Depot and last evening we visited both stores to see if we could find a matching door. We struck out at Lowes, but hit what we believe is the jackpot at Home Depot. We were able to purchase just the moving panel with blinds for the unit that we believe is the same, or nearly the same, as ours. We knew we purchased the new sliding patio door unit during 2014 or 2015 and so it was not all that old. 

Installation will be attempted on Saturday! Hopefully. If it all works, we will have replaced the door for about $330 and it will be just like new. Or better.

Here's hoping!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Where has the Week Gone

Possible Spotted Beet Webworm Moth
July 21, 2018
Danby, NY

I can tell that I am having a busy week at work. I am coming home tired and have not snapped an image on my phone since the one on Monday morning of the bushes to be recycled loaded and ready in my truck.

Some weeks are just like that, busy. It does make the work days fly by, however.

I was reviewing my images from the past month and ran across this moth/butterfly imaged in Upstate NY. I did my best to identify it and believe that it may be a spotted beet webworm moth. I thought the identification would be very easy given the white spot on the underside, however, the identification charts seem only to show the top view of the insects.

I have not flown Radio Flyer in almost two weeks! Although my drone accompanied me on the weekend trip to Antietam and Harper's Ferry, it is not legal to fly in a National Park Service controlled area. I would have flown around the hotel we stayed in, but it just wasn't not that photogenic.

I hope to change that this evening. It is Thursday.

As an aside, the Orioles are 5-5 for their past 10 games and have lowered their expected loss total to 112! How exciting is that? They remain the 30th best team in MLB and are only 1.5 games from being the 29th best team.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

July is Gone

Fireworks at Big Cork Vineyards
July 28, 2018

August has arrived! There is just no way to stop the progression of the months.

Looking Down the Tracks
Harper's Ferry Station
July 29, 2018

Of course, July is my favorite month of the year! And now it is gone. 

I am amazed how quickly July passed. Perhaps it is because I was busy and there were some nice periods of good weather, although it was the second wettest month on record in the Baltimore area. Interestingly, July 1955 holds the record for the wettest July on record with two tropical storms/hurricane remnants passing through the region.

We just had a lot of rain during July.

July 2018 was a busy month. It started with a visit from Mom and Dad to enjoy the fireworks and the 4th of July and it ended with fireworks at Big Cork Vineyards after the concert. I guess the month was full of explosions.

Radio Flyer
July 4, 2018

Radio Flyer also got a few good flights in during the month. It is unfortunate that it cannot fly in National Parks, as there would have been some great shots this weekend.

My drone did have some issues during the month in terms of losing connection, but all-in-all it was a solid month of flying. 


July brought friends and family together for the Independence Day celebration, which was just awesome. Independence Day is fast becoming my favorite holiday as Christmas moves farther down the list. I suppose that if I lived in Australia or somewhere south of the equator that Christmas might be a more enjoyable holiday. But Independence Day in July in the Northern Hemisphere provides the opportunity for swimming, family, baseball, and fireworks. 

In the news, one of the greatest stories on the planet unfolded as 12 boys and their coach were rescued form a cave in Thailand. The drama of that situation played out for weeks before finally ending with the successful rescue.

Sadly, the month ended on a low note as the Orioles dismantled the team by trading Machado, Schoop, Brach, O'Day, and Gausman. The team is rebuilding and the hopes of playoff baseball are now at least four to five years away. 

And that, as Walter Cronkite used to say, is the way it is, July 2018.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

1964 the Tribute

Concert at Big Cork Vineyards
Rohrersville, MD
July 28, 2018

Chris and I had the opportunity to enjoy some authentic Beatle's music Saturday night at our favorite Maryland vineyard, Big Cork Vineyards as we attended a concert by 1964 the Tribute. 

It was a beautiful Maryland evening with moderate temperatures, low humidity, and almost no bugs. The wines were flowing freely and the venue was spectacular--especially the view of the mountains across the valley which made perfect backdrop for the concert.

It was a perfect blending for the evening. Wine, either, and music.

We had seen the band on two other occasions, a few years ago, but this performance on the lawn was definitely memorable. And enjoyable.

The concert was the reason we went "west" and spent the weekend in the area, but it was a lot of fun and was definitely worth the effort. 

The band sang most of the classic Beatles songs from their early years after landing in America. The show was full of humor and the performers aptly reproduced the spirit of a real Beatles show although, bring much younger during 1964, I never actually attended a Beatles concert in person.

We had fun and we would definitely do it again. Thank you Big Cork for staging the event!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 30, 2018

Church in Harper's Ferry from the Railroad Bridge
July 29, 2018

1. The last Monday of my favorite month of the year has arrived. August is waiting in the wings for a grand entrance on Wednesday.

Fence Lining the Sunken Road
Antietam Battlefield
July 28, 2018

2. Chris and I spent a weekend immersed in history. We walked the Antietam Battlefield as well as wandering around Harper's Ferry.

3. I am glad the rains stopped for the weekend. We enjoyed a concert by 1964 the Tribute at Big Cork Vineyard on Saturday night. What a great idea, hold a concert on the grounds of a vineyard with a generous supply of great wine available!

4. The rains are expected to return this week. Sadly. I was enjoying the sunny skies.

5. Our dogs and cats are tired of Chris and I taking off for the weekend. I think they will be happy when remain are home for a while. 

1964 The Tribute
Big Cork Vineyards
July 28, 2018

Truck Loaded with Bushes Ready for Recycling
July 30, 2018

6. Despite the travel, Chris and I managed to remove three unsightly large bushes from the side of the house. Their time had come and it is now time to refresh the appearance.

7. On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare, a health insurance program for elderly Americans, into law. At the bill-signing ceremony, which took place at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, former President Harry Truman was enrolled as Medicare’s first beneficiary and received the first Medicare card.

8. Joke for the Week: Why shouldn’t you write with a broken pencil? Because it’s pointless.

9. The Orioles just won three games in a row all by scoring 10 runs or more and, weirdly, they had 15 hits in each of the three games. That has to be some kind of record. The three successive wins have lowered their projected season losses to 113! They are over .300 in winning percentage for the first time in a long time and are making a push to get out of last place in MLB.


Headlines

G.O.P. Faces Another Midterm Threat as Trump Plays the Shutdown Card - The New York Times

Air marshals have conducted secret in-flight monitoring of U.S. passengers for years - The Washington Post

'Happy with tariffs': Steel industry emerges as trade war winner - CNN


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"But if we remember that freedom rests, and always will, on the individual -- on individual integrity, on individual effort, on individual courage, and in an individual faith in God -- then we will have met the challenge of our generation and brought our great nation safely through our turning point in history."

Address Before a Joint Session of the Iowa State Legislature in Des Moines, February 9, 1982

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Civil War History

Burnside Bridge
Antietam Battlefield
July 28, 2018

The Antietam battlefield is close to where we live and on Saturday it was the destination of choice.

It is important to immerse in history and honor the past. Burnside Bridge was the scene of fighting and I was amazed to learn that the tree at the end of the bridge was there during the battle. It was a fascinating piece of history.

Returning to the battlefield is sobering. Recounting the struggles that happened during that fateful day during September 1862 remind me of the past from which our nation is forged. The 23,000 casualties are mind numbing.

And now the landscape is bucolic and peaceful. Only hints of the horrors of that day remain.

An important piece of American history that needs to be remembered.

— Bob Doan, writing from Harpers Ferry, WV

Twilight Flight

Looking up the Street at Sunset
July 27, 2018

Looking to the Sunset
July 2Nd 7, 2018

The weather cleared enough last evening for a quick Radio Flyer flight as the sun was setting.

I enjoyed the colors of the sunset and was anxious to get my drone airborne before they faded away.

I intended to fly to the end of the street and take a few shots looking over I-95, but due to the rain, the trees were impeding the quality of the signal between Radio Flyer and my controller. I kept losing contact at the target location and so I brought it back where I had full control and took some evening images.

I especially like the one where the golden colors of the sun are reflecting off the houses along my street.

It was a relatively short flight all-in-all, but I enjoyed the final results. It was a nice way to watch the end of the week fade over the horizon.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Made it to Friday

Moon from Elkridge
July 26, 2018

The rain is back this morning, but I made it to another Friday.

That is a cause for celebration--even with the ever pervasive rain. I had hoped the day would be clear and sunny!

Chris and I have another busy weekend planned and hopefully the rains will hold off.

Moon
July 26, 2018

Last evening as Chris and I were walking the dogs, we noticed that the Moon was especially beautiful.

I now realize that photographing the Moon is difficult. The camera never really captures what the eye sees, especially with a dog pulling n the leash as the hand attempts to snap and image.

But I tried.

The good news is that the skies at the time were mostly clear and it was not raining for the first time in about five days. It had dried out enough for me to cut the lawn and begin to get it back into shape.

I was beginning to feel like I was living in a rainforest.

All of that written, and even with the rain, it is still Friday and we are on the cusp of the weekend!

Why does Friday seem to make is all better?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Rain--Build an Ark

Sun over Cayuga Lake near Ithaca, NY Looking East
From Radio Flyer
July 21, 2018

The rains continued pounding the region last evening and rained out the Orioles baseball game that I had tickets for but decided not to attend because of the storms. Unfortunately, they rescheduled the game during the Troy Whittemore Annual Golf Tournament in August and so I have another group of tickets to exchange. 

Oh, boy!

It has been a tough season. Last evening was the third rain out from my 13 game package.

The rains, which hopefully are ending today, have been wrecking havoc on the area with flooded homes, roads, bridges, and downed trees abounding.

I was beginning to think about ordering some gopher wood, but since no one seems to know what gopher wood actually is, it is hard to order some to construct an ark.

I don't have the time anyway. And who wants to clean up once all of the animals show up?

I am hopeful that the rains will end today and some drying will occur. My lawn looks like a jungle and needs to be mowed! The pool is in good shape, but requires constant attention to ensure the skimmers are clear. Radio Flyer, my drone, has been in its storage case since the weekend. I am itching to get it out and do some flying.

Maybe the sun will shine today, somewhere near where I live!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dismantling the Team

The Orioles continue to dismantle the team by trading off the best players to in the hopes of creating a winning future.

Last evening my favorite player, Zach Britton, was traded to the Yankees. I cannot believe that the Orioles would do business with the Yankees who are in their own division, but it happened. Maybe he will be back?


Last week the Orioles traded Manny Machado to the Dodgers. 

Who is next? I expect Adam Jones, center field; Brad Brach, reliever; and Mychal Givens, reliever; will also soon depart the sinking Orioles ship.

The Orioles did manage a win over the Red Sox last evening. I know that for many people, their favorite team is whomever is playing the Red Sox and so I am glad the O's could finally manage a win. They are now 29-73, .284 and have fully descended into last place in the major leagues.

The Orioles, with the win last evening, remain on pace to lose 116 games!

I wish there was a way to get a refund for my season tickets. Since the team did not show up for the season, why should I have to pay to watch them play?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Spur of the Moment

Chris with the Sign in the Theater
July 23, 2018

The rains have returned to the region and are drowning out any idea of outdoor activities.

I had experienced a long day at work, getting home much later than normal, and after a fantastic dinner that Chris had prepared I knew that it was going to be another evening in the house. I surprised Chris and suggested that we go to a movie.

She was elated and we headed off to see Mama Mia!: Here we go again!

It was not so much which movie as it was any movie. And I stumbled onto a great deal. Monday was senior night at the movies. For $16.75, we both attended the movie. That is not each, but both!

Parking was easy, traffic was light, the theater was empty, and the rains did not bother us while we were watching the movie. It was a win all the way around.

Yes, I like Mama Mia! and I enjoyed the movie. Will it win an academy award? Probably not, but it was fun and took my mind off the ever pervasive rain for a couple of hours.

We are going to remember senior night at the movies. Both of us attended the showing for the price of one regular adult ticket!

On to Tuesday, and more rain!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 23, 2018

View from Four Friends Vineyard
Williamsport, PA
July 22, 2018

1. The month is cruising along. This is the fourth of five July Mondays this year. 

2. Chris and I took a relaxed approach to the drive from Upstate NY back to home yesterday. We stopped at a winery which had a magnificent view and we also stopped to enjoy lunch rather than eat while driving. It took longer but we enjoyed the drive a bit more

Mom and I on the Back Deck
From Radio Flyer
July 21, 2018

3. Although we frequently make the trip along U.S. Route 15 south of Williamsport, we had not stopped at one particular vineyard advertised from the road. Yesterday we changed that and stopped at Four Friends Vineyard. It was a nice respite from the drive and we enjoyed a stunning view along with some very drinkable wines.

Bluebird
July 21, 2018

4. I enjoyed flying Radio Flyer over the weekend and took some very nice images. I am hoping to begin to take some flights into the gorges of Ithaca next time I visit. 

5. If the contractors are replacing Federal employees, is the size of the Federal Government really shrinking?

6. I was able to snap a quick image of a Bluebird on a weather vane on Saturday. I am glad it posed for a brief second.

7. On this day in 1976, members of the American Legion arrive in Philadelphia to celebrate the bicentennial of U.S. independence. Soon after, many began suffering from a mysterious form of pneumonia. Their ailment would come to be known as Legionnaires’ disease.

8. It looks as if it is going to be a rainy week out there. Total rainfall totals are expected to be 6-12 inches. Ugh!



Headlines

Trump Threatens Iran on Twitter, Warning of Dire ‘Consequences’ - The New York Times

Donald Trump Has Endangered Species in His Sights - The New York Times

While federal employment shrinks in D.C., government contractors are on a hiring spree - The Washington Post

Mexican League Umpires Suspended After Making Terrible Check Swing Call - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"For all Americans, we want to open more and more paths of opportunity in education and expanding scientific literacy and fostering new technologies and, through new technology, new jobs for the future; and building a fair, free, and growing world economy that gives hope and opportunity to all Americans, all mankind."

Remarks at a White House Meeting With Members of the Council for a Black Economic Agenda, February 24, 1987

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Beautiful Day

I spent most of yesterday at my parents in Danby, NY.

Radio Flyer spent a few minutes touring the area and I snapped this image looking North. Cayuga Lake is just visible on the horizon and the blue sky was welcome.

It was another great July day. This July has seen one great day after another. Although today has seen some much needed rain, the days remain the stuff that great memories are made from.

I was happy to help mom and Dad with a few chores around their house yesterday. It is too bad that the drive to see them eats up the better part of the day.

I am going to be very unhappy when July slips away next week. It has been a month to remember.

— Bob Doan, writing from Williamsport, PA

Danby Sunset

It was a beautiful sunset last evening. It was a work of art to be admired as the colors deepened.

I enjoy the blending of the ending of the day colors.

I just stood there and admired the work.

I will keep a piece of this sunset in my mind for a long time.

— Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

I'm Heading to Work, Why?

I had a moment yesterday.

The Sky from the Instrument Console in Cat
July 19, 2018

I was in Cat, my Jaguar convertible, with the top down heading to work on I-95 after playing racquetball at the club. It was early, about 7:01 AM, and the day was beautiful. The sky was crystal clear, the humidity was low, the temperatures were cool. It was going to be an idyllic July day.

And I was heading to work and spend the day in a building with no windows!

Traffic was slow and so I snapped a selfie of the sky and the top of my windshield so that I could remember the day and the moment.

In Bob's perfect world I would be on a beach somewhere enjoying the sounds of the ocean lapping against the sand and watching the pelicans formation fly along the beach in search of breakfast. It is July and that is what I normally do for most of the month of July--but not, sadly, this year. We are waiting to vacation until late-August.

Why do I feel that I am missing valuable beach time?

I'm not really missing any beach time, but the blue sky was calling to me yesterday as the traffic was creeping along I-95.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Broken Glass

Broken Sliding Door Glass

Sometimes I wonder what happens around the house while I am away at work.

Broken Sliding Door Glass form the Outside

Last evening, I came home after a challenging day to face broken sliding door glass!

Yup, Broken, completely. 

Chris was home most of the day.

She was watching two of the grandsons and a friend. 

How do these things happen? Inquiring minds want to know.

Victims of circumstance? The inner pane is intact and the outer pane is totally fractured but not, as of yet, displaced. Chris taped it to provide some additional support until the broken glass can be repaired or the door itself replaced.

Ugh! Summer fun?

I think not.

Now I am looking for a glass replacement/repair establishment. If it is not one thing, it is another.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pick Up Stix

I remember playing a game, during my youth, called Pick up Stix. 

Yes, the name was intriguingly misspelled! 

I remember that, although I wasn't sure until I found the image on the internet to confirm it. 

I remember the cardboard tube that held the sticks used in the game and how the challenge was finding and retrieving sticks that had been put down in a bundle without moving any other stick.

It was a simple game in theory, but hard to complete.

Spaghetti on the Floor

Last evening, I had the opportunity to play the game for real. Chris and I were making a new dish with pasta and I was in charge of cooking the spaghetti. I had no problem getting the water boiling, but during the intervening time before adding the spaghetti I was helping Chris prepare the remainder of the dish. 

I forgot that the box of spaghetti was already open and picked up the closed end to open it, whereupon all of the spaghetti fell out and onto the floor.

The scene was funny in its simplicity and mess on the floor. 

Chris was not amused, but, hey, it happens. Fortunately we had an unopened box of spaghetti in the pantry and so there was no need for an emergency run to the store for more.

I find it is almost more fun to laugh at myself than to laugh with someone else. 

And I was immediately reminded of the game Pick up Stix. 

In the end, the pasta dish was awesome, even after the short delay to clean the kitchen floor.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Break

It is mid-July and we have arrived at MLB's All-Star Break!

The big game is tonight and it likely will be the last game that Manny Machado plays wearing Orioles colors. A trade to Philadelphia seems almost certain within the next few hours.

The Orioles have managed to crawl out of the cellar. They are no longer the worst team in baseball, by virtue of their recent 4-4 homestead they have become the second worst team in baseball by .005 percentage points. 

It is possible, but not likely, that the  Orioles (28-69, .289) will win 30 games before accumulating 70 losses. They remain on track to lose 115 games this season and it will likely get worse as the fire sale gets underway. 

The Orioles are chasing the 1962 Mets (40-120, .250) for the most losses in baseball's modern era (since 1900). The worst team of all time are the 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134, .130). I think that record is safe.

It is sad that this season, which began with so much promise and a win has devolved into wondering if the O's will set a modern era record for the most losses and trying to divine which three or four starters may return next season. 

I'm not sure I want to learn the names of another all new lineup. The abysmally poor season has sapped my interest in baseball.

Can I get a refund on my partial-plan season tickets?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 16, 2018

Geese on Hole 1 at Eisenhower
July 15, 2018

1. Unbelievably, July is half over already. It seems like the month started just yesterday.

Radio Flyer over Piney Orchard
July 14, 2018

2. Yesterday was a beautiful golf morning. I played my best round of the year. I also enjoyed the wildlife on the golf course as well.

3. I flew Radio Flyer in Nicole's neighborhood on Friday and obtained some very nice images of the houses. I enjoy flying in different neighborhoods, but I am mapping out a more complicated path for Radio Flyer in my own area.

4. Found an interesting lizard Odenton the other day. It apparently is an Eastern Fence Lizard--I was impressed, I had not seen a real lizard in the area before.

5. Congrats to the French for winning the World Cup! And on the day after Bastille Day! What a great French weekend. Vive la France and drink some French wine to celebrate.

Eastern Fence Lizard
July 14, 2018

Finnegan with a Flower

6. In other sports news, the Orioles, mystically, took a series from the Texas Rangers over the weekend winning two of the three games. That lowered their expected losses for the season from 117 to 115!

7. It is time for baseball's All Star break! At least the O's won't lose the next three days.

8. Sometimes animals do the cutest things. Finnegan and Makayla sat in a flower bed the other evening. It created some unique images.

9. Planning a cruise with 8 other people is a lot like herding cats.

10. On this day in 1945, at 5:29:45 a.m., the Manhattan Project comes to an explosive end as the first atom bomb is successfully tested in Alamogordo, New Mexico. (from History.com)


11. When all is lost, ask the I.R.S. - they'll find something. Douglas Horton 


HEADLINES

Just Sitting Down With Trump, Putin Comes Out Ahead - The New York Times

France caps a frenetic and fabulous World Cup by blazing past Croatia for the title - The Washington Post

China's economy slows just as the trade fight begins - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"There can be no freedom without order, and there is no order without virtue...Yet how often this simple truth, the importance of this belief in basic values, is overlooked in a society of high technology and mass communication and bewildering, everyday events."

Remarks at the Centennial Meeting of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus in Hartford, Connecticut, August 3, 1982

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD