Autumn's Arrival

Today at 10:21 AM EDT is the seasonal end to summer.

It is over.

Those lazy, hazy crazy days are a memory until next June, although we usually herald summer's arrival during May. 

As I looked at the autumn images, I noticed that the characterization of the world seems to change from green to orange and red during autumn. And then the trees go bare.

There is a Washington Post article titled Fall begins Thursday: Five questions and answers about the autumnal equinox that goes into some of the interesting and fun facts about the start of the season.

The increasing darkness has already made its presence known. The table shows the average daily loss of light by latitude (or city). I'm glad that I am not in Alaska! But the days are shortening to the point where trying to get in a round of golf after work is impossible. I'm lucky to get nine holes in, although in reality I haven't been able to get to a course after work for a few months. Losing about 2m 30s of daylight per day means that I won't be playing evening golf again until May.

Yesterday I arrived at work during darkness and soon, I will be going home in darkness.

Another year is heading to a conclusion. I can already feel the cold winds of winter waiting just off stage to make their presence felt.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Staggering to the End

From mlb.com

Last evening Chris and I went to see the Orioles play the division-leading Red Sox. 

It should have been a great game, except that it wasn't. 

The Orioles have dropped three games out of the division race since last week and look listless on the field. Last evening they again could not mount an effective offense and the pitching failed at all of the wrong times. 

I had to suffer through another David Ortiz homer, a three-run shot that put the game out of reach. 

Trey Mancini

I enjoyed seeing the Orioles Trey Mancini hit a homer in his major league debut. His was one of the few bright spots for the team.

The stadium was not full and wild as I would have expected for a match off between division rivals vying for playoff spots. It is as if the listlessness of the team has taken over the fans as well.

How do I define listless? The Orioles have scored two runs in each of their last four games and are 1-3 during that time. 

The hitters are not getting the job done. Case in point--last evening Adam Jones came to the plate in the 7th inning with two on and two out. The Orioles were down 5-2 and had already scored one run during the inning. Instead of working for a single that would score another run, Jones swung for the fence on a 2-0 count and while he gave the ball an exciting ride, it became the third out and crushed the rally.

The season is not over. There are 11 games remaining, but being 5 games out of first is beginning to make winning the division seem out of reach. The Orioles still possess one of the wild card spots and so, hopefully, there will be Orioles post-season baseball this year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Life with Dogs

Makayla after a Hard Day of Work

I love my dog. I can't imagine not having a dog and sharing life with a dog. (I wonder if that double negative makes sense?)

My dog, Makayla, like all of my dogs since I've been an adult, is a full fledged member of the family. Sometimes maybe too full-fledged. She makes her needs known and even forces me to get some exercise as I walk her around the neighborhood. 

Chewbacca -- Waiting Patiently

I wish I could take her with me to more places when I am out shopping or dining. She is calm and well mannered. I would enjoy taking her to restaurants where she would wait for the morsels from my plate that I enjoy sharing with her when I eat at home. She has become and expert at eating spaghetti and corn-on-the-cob. Whenever I get to the last corner of a sandwich or piece of bread, I share it with her. 

I read an article titled The Speakeasy Underworld of the Dog Bar in the New York Times this morning. The article describes how more restrictive laws are forcing establishments to exclude dogs from inside areas while at the same time allowing more dogs at outdoor tables. The article describes the reporters undercover work "sniffing" out bars which defy the health code and allow dogs with their owners.  I applaud those establishments.

I remember traveling Europe and seeing dogs more freely allowed in eating establishments. 

I believe well mannered dogs should be freely allowed to accompany their owners in all establishments. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 19, 2016

1. Autumn begins on Thursday this week, let the leaves fall where they may!

Maryland Wine Festival
September 18, 2016

2. Chris and I went to the Maryland Wine Festival in Carroll County with Patrick and Tina yesterday. Fantastic! We enjoyed the festival. It was a beautiful day. Maryland wines are growing up!

3. What happens if there no one is medically suitable to be the next President of the US?

4. An interesting article in the New York Times describes how the Chinese are buying tech companies. Given that the Chinese own a massive amount of U.S. debt, all I can think is that it is just our tax dollars at work.

Patuxent Greens Golf Course
September 18, 2016

5. Pre-dawn on a beautiful Sunday on a golf course with Jeremy. We had a great round together.

6. There is rain forecast for today! Yay. The region is very dry. Although there were some sprinkles yesterday, there was no meaningful or measurable rainfall. Officially we have had 0.09 inches of rain fall during September. How do you measure less than a tenth of an inch?

7. I got up this morning and wondered how many leaves I would have to take out of the pool. And then, I remembered that I had closed the pool.

8. I can begin to see autumn in the weather forecast--there are no 90's or even high 80's in the 10 day forecast and some of the daily highs are in the 70's.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Heralding Autumn's Arrival

Chris Preparing to Help Place the Cover

Although autumn does not officially arrive until later this week on September 22--or Thursday, it arrived at my house yesterday. 

The pool was closed yesterday for the season and that marks the beginning of autumn for me. Why did I close the pool early this year when I normally keep it open until the last week of September or the first week of October? The dry heat caused me to close early.

Pool Ready for the Dark Season

It does seem a bit strange that dry heat would cause me to close early, but the arid conditions have caused many of the trees to start dropping their leaves--many of them still green and I could not keep up with the maintenance on the pool. My pool is a collecting point for leaves.

I always gauge closing the pool with the numbers of leaves falling to the ground. I mowed the lawn yesterday not because the grass was long, but to remove the leaves from the yard. Its sad that summer is ending so abruptly. I had hoped for a smooth slide into autumn.

While it was sad to place the cover and say another long good-bye to summer, I hate to admit that it was time. Pool season has effectively ended with morning temperatures in 60's the water temperature is getting to cold to be enjoyable. 

On a good note, we moved the fire pit into the yard to begin to enjoy the autumn evenings on a more personal basis! 

That is a lot like trying to find a silver lining in a black storm cloud.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sitting by the River

Along the Magothy River

This time if year is perfect for evenings outside as sunset arrives.

Even last evening on the Magothy River. We enjoyed a great Friday evening with friends at a restaurant in a marina watching the evening fall. The clouds arrived and blotted out the sun before the sunset. 

Too soon the weather will be too cold to allow for enjoyment such as this on a Friday night. 

I enjoyed the moment! Along a river on a Friday afternoon as the day is ending and night is falling with friends. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying into the Sunset

Chris and I went out on a date night last evening to Annapolis. We decided to enjoy dinner at Cooper's Hawk Wine Bar and Restaurant which recently opened. 

Flying into the Sunset

We chose to sit outside to enjoy the evening. It was a beautiful late summer evening. One of those times when the heat and humidity of the summer begins to give way to the dryer cooler evenings of the autumn.

Cropped Version of Image

Dinner was great but the transition from day to night was occurring as we ate and I had a ring-side seat to observe evening arrive. 

The restaurant is near the approach patten for BWI airport and every few minutes another plane would fly into view. I could not hear them as they were still a good distance away, but the clouds made it appear the the planes were flying into the sunset. 

I imagined, for a moment, my own travels returning home at sunset and flying the same route. I wondered how many people looked at the jet that I was on and thought similarly.

The scene provided a canvass of reality which stimulated our conversation during a pleasant dinner for two. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Stop for the Bus

There is a problem in our area, and perhaps, across the country. The problem is that people are not respecting stopped school busses. 

An opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun, titled School bus danger ahead, describes the incredible problem of people not stopping for school busses on-boarding or discharging passengers. 

I was amazed at the sheer numbers of people who ignore the flashing lights and risk injuring a child. In Baltimore County there were 1,002 incidents on one day!

I admit, I get impatient around school busses. The numbers of children getting on or being discharged from the busses can be quite large and it takes a lot of time. If I am stopped by a bus in my neighborhood it means I am already late leaving for work and the last thing I need is to be slowed further by a bus making four five minute stops going down the street.

Regardless--I stop. Kids are unpredictable and busses have a lot of blind spots. Ignoring a stopped bus is dangerous.

Stop when the lights are flashing.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Barely Staying in the Race

It has been a frustrating baseball week. 

From MLB.com

Last week the Orioles had clawed their way to within a game of the AL East Division lead and this week finds them two games out with 18 games left to play. 

The Orioles have been flirting with disaster at almost every turn. After making it to one game out of first the O's have fallen as low as three games out on two occasions during the week. At some point they will need to get the wheels turning again. 

Looking to the future, the O's still have 5 games remaining against the division leading Red Sox, four at home; and 3 games against the Blue Jays in Toronto. The remaining games are against Tampa, 4 at home; Arizona, 3 at home; and finishing the season on the road with 3 on the road against the team whose name shall remain unspoken.

Last night's 6-3 win over the Red Sox game was a model for success. Take an early lead and depend upon solid pitching to get a 1 in the win column. They will need that tonight as they face a 20 game winning pitcher.

This is the final push to the playoffs--and I'm expecting a division championship not just a play in wild card spot.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Keeping the Old Phone?

I reviewed the details of last week's iPhone 7 release. 

Usually when Apple releases a new iPhone, I get excited and try to determine how soon I can get the new model. I confess that I have had at least 3 iPhones (4, 5, and 6) and have adapted to the phone's peculiarities which integrates very well with the electronics in my home.

I'm not as excited about iPhone 7. 

The advertisements have not created a need for me to spend hundreds of dollars to replace my perfectly functioning iPhone. 

I even found an article which encourages keeping the old phone alive and working!

That's where I am. The commercialization of my life has not made me a willing consumer for an upgrade. I, at least right now, am content and even though my phone is over two years old, it is my phone and it works great.

It is a liberating feeling not to be enslaved to a technology upgrade. I think Ill wait and see what the iPhone 8 has to offer in a couple more years.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD