Boys, Dogs, and January

Ethan with Arthur (a selfie)

January's last day has arrived. Hopefully, soon, we can put the snow behind us and move into February, where we usually experience our largest snowfall.

Arthur giving Ethan a Fist Bump

Over the past few days, Chris has been spending quality time with grandchildren and their dogs,  mostly because school has been in recess due to the historic snow storm.

It is hard to look forward to Springtime when there still remains so much snow on the ground.

The harder part is what to do with the boys and the dogs with all of the snow! Staying inside, playing games and watching movies only lasts so long.

Spring is coming and we will get the groundhog's prediction on Tuesday. Here's hoping for an early and long spring!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

An Evening with Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks concert
January 29, 2016
Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore

 I last attended a Garth Brooks concert was almost 20 years ago, during April 1996, at an arena in Landover, Maryland, that no longer exists.

It was worth the wait. Some things, like fine wines, get better with age and maturity. 

The Line Waiting to get into the Arena for
Garth Brooks
January 29, 2016

Garth Brooks is one of those things.

The setlist from last night shows the diversity of the music and the experience. I was amazed that there were 33 songs on the setlist because it seemed to rush by so quickly. During April 1996, according to the records that I can find, there were only 22 songs on the setlist! And they were not so nearly diverse.

Garth is a showman and he connects with the crowd. I felt that he was truly dedicated to ensuring everyone in the arena had a great time with his music. Like he said, he was going to do all the old songs that everyone knew--and he did. 

Garth Brooks
Royal Farms Arena
January 29, 2016

People had lined up well in advance of the concert to get inside and I stood in line for about 30 minutes. I was glad that I was not disappointed. I have read reports of performers who play the setlist while watching the clock waiting for the concert to end. Garth definitely did not do that. He was on stage and fully engaged the entire time, with the exception of when Trisha Yearwood sang a few of her hits,  demonstrating the showmanship the took him to the top of his craft during the late 1990's. 

Garth Brooks
Royal Farms Arena
January 29, 2016

He is back. He has been back for a while now, but last evening was his inaugural concert in Baltimore! I know, he was supposed to perform last weekend but the blizzard forced a reschedule and so I was at his first ever performance in Charm City, AKA, Baltimore.

There are four more concerts left for Baltimore to enjoy. The energy and the excitement are difficult for any entertainer to match and my recommendation is simply--get tickets and go see Garth!

Whatever the cost, the show is worth it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

January Slips Away

Amazingly, January 2016 is almost complete. It is hard to believe that the New Year just began and we have already completed the first month of the year. 

Yay!

From the Blizzard

The recent blizzard and ensuing nor'easter snowfall have made getting out of January something to be remembered.

The Presidential olympics have been amped up to deafening levels and the candidates do not seem to understand--I don't want them to talk louder, or meaner, I want them to show leadership and support for the Constitution!

Primary season begins in ernest on Monday (which, according to my calendar in February 1st). It is time for the voters to begin to narrow the field a bit, or as they say in the livestock business: thin the herd.

It has been a fast January, and it is hard to believe that the decision making time is finally arriving after more than a year of posturing and positioning.

Why am I excited about February? Baseball begins again, of course. Spring Training starts with the arrival of the teams and the excitement of a new season. January was standing between the beginning of the year and Spring Training--and now that impediment has been removed. I long to hear the words, 'Play Ball!"

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Into the Electoral Fray

The drama is almost underwhelming. Trump is passing on the final Republican debate before the Iowa caucasus. 

I am appalled that the other candidates are not seeing the advantage that this gives them and are complaining about his absence.

Instead of bashing other candidates, they should be taking the opportunity to clearly state what they believe in and how they will uphold the Constitution.

That does not seem to be happening. 

I want a President who, despite what they personally believe, recognizes diversity and will uphold the Constitution. That means acknowledging differences and allowing dissension. 

Trump comes across as not been able to handle dissension. Our president should not be surrounded with "yes" people. His whole reason for not attending the debate is predicated on that idea that someone wasn't fair to him. Stop whining! Lot's of people aren't fair--that is the root of dissent and disagreement. 

Other candidates are small minded because the want to bash Trump rather than describe what they believe in and stand for.

We are a society in disarray.

We want to elect people who will cater to our individual biases.

We need a uniter, and not a divider!

E pluribus unum! Out of many, one. 

Remember that!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Snow Plow Freedom

The Street before the Plow

It may seem like a very small thing. A snow plow finally opened the street in front of my house yesterday morning at about 7 AM. With that important event, the neighborhood could begin to find an ending to the "historic" storm.

When the morning began, although it was dark, the street was jammed with ice and snow. The driveway was open, but there was nowhere to go. 

Snow Plow Salvation

And then--out of the pre-dawn darkness it appeared. The sounds of scraping and flashing yellow lights. I imagine the entire neighborhood cheered. I know I did. Freedom from the snowy prison was in sight.

And then, of course, the real work began. Clearing the plow snow form the drives. It was a funny scene late on Monday. The driveways were clear to the pavement which was drying, yet about 30 inches of snow presented anyone form actually going anywhere. Yesterday, after the plow cleared the street, the job was to remove the snow dams remaining in the driveway to allow full access to the street. My neighbor and I started up the street with her snow blower and began clearing the driveways. 

It felt good to work up a sweat, and having to take my coat off, by freeing our neighbors from the snow.

And then it was off to work to resume some normalcy and make Winter Storm Jonas a by-line in the history books.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Surviving a Snow Day

Snow Days, when I am trapped in the house because the roads are impassable, happen only rarely. It is interesting what I find to do to fill the time.

To pass the time, Chris and I decided to watch the birds. 

Chris put some peanuts atop the snow pile on the deck hoping that  the blue jays would come and feast. It was a nice diversion. The sky was blue and the sun was bright.

We had pulled out all of the cameras and video gear that we own and laid in wait for the blue jays to arrive--and they did!

They are cautious birds, but fun to watch as they begin to get familiar and comfortable with a situation. Even after we had put the dogs out, they quickly came back once the dogs were inside.

Of course, at the feeders there were some "non-birds" doing their best to snatch a snack. Squirrels are creative creatures. This one almost was posing for the event, looking straight into the camera. But, undeterred, it continued feeding.

I retrieved my GoPro and took some video of the blue jays arriving and departing. I admit, it is not a great video but it took over an hour to process and edit and that helped take use some of the time I had with precious little else to do.

Something to enjoy.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - January 25, 2016

Blue Jay at the Feeder during the Storm

1. In addition to the birds we enjoy feeding, bird feeders can bring unwanted visitors as well. We had to witness a hawk feeding on one of the mourning doves that had come to our feeder during the storm. Nature is hard.

2. Yesterday morning, a deer had made a nest under one of our trees in the snow. It stayed there for most of the morning until the dogs began to get worked up.

Mockingbird at the Feeder during the Storm

3. As computers get easier to use, they become harder to understand.

4. Someday I'm going to own a car that will drive to me when I summon it. 

5. Update from the storm--the street in front of the house has not yet been cleared. There is 30 inches of snow in it meaning that I am not going anywhere. Even the Jeeps get stuck because of lack of ground clearance.

6. Leading the news again this morning, at least in the Baltimore-DC region is the storm and the clean-up. Ill equipped as the region is to handle this much snow, it could take all week to get back to normal--and then there is another storm on the horizon.

7. The Washington Post called the storm "Snowzilla."

8. It was 11 degrees this morning. Ugh! I guess winter just wants to remind me which season is currently driving the bus.

9. I thought we could all use a joke this morning, and so from Joke of the Day, here it is:

A blonde goes to her doctor and says that every time she drinks a coffee her eye hurts. The doctor prepared her a hot, fresh cup of coffee to see what really happens. She took a sip of the coffee and screamed, "Ouch, that hurts!" The doctor said, "I know your problem." The blonde asked, "Is it bad, doctor?" The doctor replied, "No, you just need to take your spoon out of your cup before you drink your coffee."

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dawn After the Storm

Looking up the Driveway
January 24, 2016

I had the dogs out this morning and was able to enjoy the pre-dawn clear sky. I saw stars and the moon which was casting its light upon the white world.

The snow finally stopped falling overnight and the wind has ceased creating drifts across the land as well. The snowfall totals across the area ranges from 20 to 30 inches. Officially, the snowfall total made the storm the biggest in history with over 29 inched of snow falling. Scary enough, as they were showing the top five storms of all time, I have been living here for four of them. The only top five storm that I wasn't here for occurred during 1922.

I Need to Clean the Truck
January 24, 2016

The fire is no longer crackling in the fireplace, I need to start one.

The biggest positive from surviving the storm is that for the past couple days the news media has been solely focused upon the weather and not the political olympics. It has been a much needed respite from the constant droning and sniping of the candidates 

That written, the news media have been describing the storm as both epic and historic. Fortunately, they did predict it and we are warm and fully stocked with food. Locally we are calling the storm snow-zilla!

Another day and more shoveling. Our street has not yet been plowed and so there is no where that I can go whether I need to or not.

I will enjoy the snow day.

From the bulls-eye of the now departed storm.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As the Storm Rages

We thought it was ending, but not.

The storm has been raging for almost 24 hours and it seems to have intensified. At least the blowing has gotten worse. It is about 2:45 PM on Saturday. I can almost see where we shoveled 14 inches of snow earlier along the fence line.

We are calling it Snow-Zilla. Sitting in then house watching the storm rage while listening to The Beach Boys with a fire in the fireplace.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

From the Bullseye of the Storm

Yes, lest those of you not in the Baltimore-Washington region wonder--it is snowing!

As the Storm Begins
January 22, 2016

A lot. Hard! Continuously.

We have had lightening and thunder during the snow as well. I wonder why we usually write it "thunder and lightening" since it is the lightening that causes the thunder?

Morning
January 23, 2016

We cleared about 3-4 inches from the driveway last night hoping to make today's efforts somewhat easier. It was a nice 30 minute test run for today so we could understand how much fun clearing snow form the driveway isn't!

It is just socked in. I'm glad I don't have to travel, unlike some of our family who are returning from an enjoyable Caribbean cruise and trying to fly into the region which is paralyzed by the snow!

Plan for the day? Hunker down and stay warm. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD