Season of the Pumpkin

Autumn begins today at 4:44 PM EDT (8:44 GMT) and with its arrival, summer departs leaving only its memory behind.

The season of the pumpkin has already arrived. Yes--called Autumn, or Fall by many people, in my house it is actually the season of the pumpkin. I mean, think about it--pumpkins are everywhere. Even in front of my fireplace (or should I write, hearth?).

Pumpkin Muffins Straight from the Oven

Before long, pumpkins, real and artificial, will be everywhere. I will be strolling through cornfield mazes with grandsons, buying pumpkins, eating pumpkin pie, and making jack-o-lanterns. Just this morning Chris made pumpkin muffins for breakfast to celebrate the first day of autumn.

We celebrated the last night of summer by heading out into Baltimore for some evening enjoyment. And it was awesome. Even with the much needed rain complicating the traffic patterns, we rang in the autumn and the family the birthday season which sees a continuous stream of birthdays from now until mid-April.

After yesterday's rain the morning has dawned bright and crisp. Autumn is definitely in the air and swimming in the pool had become a memory of the summer passed. 

The season of the pumpkin has arrived and the season of the surf and sun has departed.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Here Come the Rains

Rainstorm over Stuart, FL

Sitting here this morning listening to the weather report, I was encouraged about the prospect of rain before the end of the day. Unlike some areas north of us, we have been in drought conditions since early August and things are getting really dry.

We need rain--even if it is going to fall on the weekend. I remember the daily afternoon rainstorms while I was in Florida earlier this year. They were little more than a nuisance--but a necessary replenishment of the water that we have seen little of here for more than the past month.

Things are very dry--everywhere. I think the significant stream behind my house had gone nearly dry which is why the wildlife is encroaching on my lawn more and more. 

The woodchuck paid an extensive visit to my yard to eat acorns yesterday. I considered loosing the dogs to chase it away, but decided to deal with it another day. What would I do if they actually caught up with it anyway? That would be a strange situation. And, if the woodchuck eats the acorns, I don't have to clean them up from the yard! 

Bring on the rain!  Maybe the lawn will green up and I will have to mow again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

More Congressional Inaction

Another fiscal year is coming to an end--on the 30th, and Congress has yet again failed the American people who elected them by not doing their job. For the I don't know how many years in a row the fiscal budget year will end and there is no budget. The country is racing towards its debt ceiling and there is no action there, either.

 USA Today reports, in the article titled House heads to showdown over budget. Obamacare, that "President Obama will not sign the bill funding the government through Dec. 15 because "it advances a narrow ideological agenda that threatens our economy and the interests of the middle class," according to a statement from the Office of Management and Budget."

The threat of a government shutdown looms large, yet again. It should't be that way. It is not what is supposed to happen--Congress is holding the country hostage while attempting to implement policies professed by a minority of people. 

The article concludes with the following: "Treasury Secretary Jack Lew cautioned this week that waiting until the eleventh hour to raise the debt ceiling "could be very dangerous" and warned Congress not to "gamble with the full faith and credit of the United States of America."

Gambling!  Interesting thought.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Moon at the End of the Street

 After enjoying a heated 5-year old game of organized flag football last evening and then retrieving one grandson from soccer practice as evening fell too early it seemed, I paused for a moment and noticed the moon hanging at the end of the street. 

It definitely seemed to be a harvest moon--but maybe that is because it is September. 

But there it was--in the sky at the end of the street, laughing at me it seemed knowing that it was only about 7:20 pm and already darkness was beginning to envelop my life as the day slipped into the past.

I had noticed the trees along the roadside beginning to transform from the summer green into the golds and reds of autumn the other day. I snapped a quick image just to remind myself of the scene along my drive home before the trees lose all of their leaves in preparation for winters cold. 

I feel it will be a hard and cold winter this year. I want to remember the scene, before the green is whisked away from view, hiding until the springtime heralds its return to dominance.

That harvest moon though, it just seemed to laugh at me as I looked at it. It seemed that it was telling me to just go with it and find the joy in each season and not continually try to find a way to live in perpetual summer.

I don't know--traveling from the northern hemisphere to the southern to experience springtime followed by summertime then springtime again does not sound so bad. Maybe I could then laugh at the moon.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn Evening on the Deck

Under the stars next to the fire table eating dinner with a jacket on to protect me from the chill. Although autumn doesn't start until Saturday, last evening it was definitely here.

The air was crisp, there were no mosquitos and sadly no bats flying overhead either. Sitting together, Chris and I, with a glass of wine just enjoying being together was a perfect ending to a hectic day. 

It was fun to spy satellites passing overhead in the small chunk of sky that we can actually see from our back deck. The trees are still full with leaves, although I can already see signs of the coming autumn as the canopy is thinning. I could see the moon shining through where before its cold light would have been obscured.

I felt summer's grip being lost on the season as autumn exerted its strength and the temperatures began to plummet. During the morning, I had noticed Orion's return signaling the beginning of the dark season.

The season is changing.

Life goes on.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Another Senseless Act of Violence

It happened again yesterday--another senseless act of violence designed to strike fear into the hearts of law abiding Americans. 

I find it hard to believe that it is happening agains and that 12 patriots are dead at the hands of a fellow citizen. It is a crime--and it should not happen. Yet, it does. The city was closed, civil liberties were abridged, and a manhunt was underway to find accomplices. 

And now, in the aftermath, instead of comforting the victims and the families of those who died, the hand wringing will begin afresh to "do something." As if something could be done to bring back those who died and who are forever scarred by the experience.

Worse, the media will begin dissecting the life of the now confirmed lone gunman looking for reasons which are clear in retrospect, but hidden with his personal demons in realtime and not easily discerned. As a result of the actions of the "do gooders"--more individual freedoms and liberties will be abridged in the name of public safety, when in reality it is a societal breakdown and systemic failure which may have contributed to the senseless act of violence to begin with. 

Now is a time to mourn, to pray, and to help the victims and their families reconstruct their lives. It is not a time to profess political agendas.

I pray for the victims and their families that they may find healing and peace and hope. I pray for our leaders that they may lead with wisdom. I pray for our country and our society that we may find hope.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 16, 2013

1. The second half of September has arrived. Wasn't it August just yesterday?

2. Football Sunday's mean that precious little gets done around the house while the games are on.

3. Baseball is still king--some very important games are being played every day. The Orioles finally won a series again beating Toronto in Toronto. Maybe there is still hope for the post-season.

4. In a perfect world, I'd be driving under this sign, right now.

5. As the available daylight gets shorter, why does it seem that there is more than needs to be done.

6. Why do estimates for repairs sometimes seem to be for more money than a whole new item could be purchased? Chris and I were considering redoing the pool and for the estimate we received, we could dig a whole new pool. Back to the drawing board.

7. My yard is blossoming with wildlife--most of it unwanted. I have seen numerous squirrels gathering acorns, four deer eating my foliage, and most recently a woodchuck has taken up residence in the area. It is doing a lot of eating, too.

8. It is amazing how nice a freshly mowed lawn looks, especially during the late season when it started out strewn with leaves. 

9. Why does the completion of one project make the start of another seem imminent?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Last Ride of the Plum Trees

My favorite first blooming trees of the springtime are now gone from my yard. I used to be able to enjoy the massive blooms which adorned my plum trees as spring arrived. They occupied prime yard real estate. But they are both reduced to a small stump now--and gone. 

I snapped a quick image at the recycling landfill yesterday before off-loading the second tree to be recycled into mulch. I was saddened at having to remove them--they contracted Black Knot and died before I was able to determine a course of action to save them. 

I looked for an image of the plum trees in bloom and I found that while I have a lot of the weeping cherry, the plum trees did not make the picture reel. That saddens me a bit as I know their memory will soon fade.

The yard is very open now--it looks huge. 

I know that I will miss the trees next spring, but new opportunities arise from change--and I already know my next project is to remove the stumps.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Leaves in the Pool

My Pool with Leaves and the Fountain Head

It is that time of year, after all. The temperatures are crashing, it is 52 degrees at my local weather station, and the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees--and into my pool.

They make interesting patterns on the surface of the water extending to the pool bottom as shadows when the sun shines. Yet, they must be scooped out lest they stain the already stained pool bottom even more than it already has been through years of use and abuse.

Although the water is crystal clear in the pool, being warmer that the surrounding air means that my days of lounging on a floatie with a drink in the hot afternoon sun are probably nearing an end. I may squeeze in another afternoon or two--but likely the pool will be closed before the end of September.

We were considering a pool make-over, but our Jaguar taste on a Toyota budget means the dollars and the desires are not congruent.  It has been a good year for house upkeep already--new roof, wood floors in two bedrooms, stained deck, and a shed to open up the garage for two vehicles. Maybe a pool make over is just a few dollars too far! 

I know though, I will be looking at the image in this blog during the dark and cold months wishing that I could be scooping leaves out of the pool in preparation for a party or lounging in the sun.

Once September ends, my thoughts turn to the arrival of April and pool opening which I have already penciled in for April 26th. Yup. Planning ahead for Spring Break, pools, and next summer!

Toilet Trouble--A Rant

I know that this is an unusual topic--discussing the potty habits of people at work, but this just has to be said: Guys Grow Up!

I was appalled the other day upon entering the men's restroom closest to my office and found that many (more than half) of the toilets had not been flushed after use..

What gives? That is just gross!

While I may be talked into a discussion of toilet paper being the greatest invention since the beginning of the world, I don't want the used variety floating in the bowl when I arrive.

Guys, grow up and clean up. Wives, girlfriends, kids, and housemates probably don't flush for you, so don't expect someone at work to follow and flush behind you!

And one other thing--lift the seat if you are not sitting when you use the toilet. That is gross too!

And we wonder why laws are passed governing the most obvious things, like not texting when we drive--if we can't get toilet habits down, how are we ever going to drive a vehicle?

Nuff said!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD