Summer Flowers

Hydrangea in Front of the House
Elkridge, MD
June 12, 2021

 The hydrangea at the from of our house is magnificent. 

It is not my doing, but Chris's. She manages the hydrangeas--there are two.

I call them the "Hydrangeas that Ate Elkridge" because they are so large and full of blossoms. Things actually get lost beneath the leaves and I am sure there is a whole colony of rabbits living in there somewhere. 

Chris was worried that it would not bloom this year because she cut it back, but I think it got mad and bloomed even more than in previous years. 

I like taking a moment to enjoy the season. My favorite month of the year is almost here--July: the first full month of summer.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cats

Riordin Asleep after Puking
Elkridge, MD
June 15, 2021

 Cats!

They are becoming the bane of my existence. 

Why is it that we encourage cats to relieve themselves in the house, in a box with clay pellets, and then we have to scoop the smelly stuff up and put it away?

Dogs are definitely not encouraged to relieve themselves in the house.

And cats puke!

Everywhere.

I stepped in some this morning before I turned the lights on. 

Ugh--there is nothing more disgusting than stepping into a cold puddle of cat puke being only partially awake  with my bare feet.

We definitely need to do something about thew puking. It has become worse lately.

Don't get me wrong--I love my cats, well, one of them at least. That is why I continue to allow them to cohabitate. The other cat is trying to kill me. He walks in front of me every chance he gets and tries to trip me.

I guess I need to research why cats puke and see if I can mitigate the problem. I have changed foods to some that are better for digestion--didn't work.

I do like the purr that they make when we sleep together, so I guess I will continue to clean the messes and spend money to see if there is a solution.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 14, 2021

 

1. It is the second Monday of June. The month is about half over. There are 28 Mondays remaining in the year 2021.

2. It is Flag Day. A special day to celebrate the banner under which we unite.

3. I had a wild, busy weekend, but got very sitting accomplished in the way of projects around the house. I had a lot of fun, however and was happy to help out family members with the use of my truck.

Cicada Swimming in my Pool
Elkridge, MD
June 12, 2021

4. Cicadas are not good swimmers. They seem to congregate I my pool, but it is fatal to them. I have rescued as many as I can from the clear water. 

5. It is sad to lose both games of a doubleheader to two different teams by lopsided scores. 

6. The Orioles continue to have a firm grip as the 29th best team in MLB. They are currently on a 4-game losing streak, which I hope does not grow into another 14-game losing streak. 

7. Cicadas are difficult to remove from windshields and other car surfaces.

8. I love summer-like days. I forgot to use sunscreen yesterday and am enjoying the effects of the sun on my arms, legs, and face.

9. Today in History. June 14, 1777. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopts a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag, a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes. According to legend, Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross designed the new canton for the Stars and Stripes, which consisted of a circle of 13 stars and a blue background, at the request of General George Washington. Historians have been unable to conclusively prove or disprovethis legend.

Israel Gets New Government to End Netanyahu’s Rule - The Wall Street Journal

How Japan’s Big Bet on Hydrogen Could Revolutionize the Energy Market - The Wall Street Journal

Chip Shortage Brings Frustration but More Business to Middlemen - The Wall Street Journal

Apple Is Said to Have Turned Over Data on Trump’s White House Counsel - The New York Times

Judge Dismisses Houston Hospital Workers’ Lawsuit Over Vaccine Mandate - The New York Times

Attacking Russia appears to be a line ransomware hackers are loath to cross - The Washington Post

A packed funeral, a rollicking bullfight and a message for Kenya’s police: ‘Corona can’t stop culture’ - The Washington Post

China Taiwan says will be ‘force for good’ after unprecedented G7 support - Reuters

Asia Pacific'Divine Vessel' to mark China's first human spaceflight since 2016 - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our national flag. Ever since, the American flag has embodied the continuity of our original ideals and principles.

The stars in varying constellations and the stripes of alternating red and white have accompanied Americans from the Marne to the Moon. The flag was flying when the British surrendered to General Washington at Yorktown, when Admiral Peary reached the North Pole, and when our soldiers battled at Iwo Jima. Recently, we saw the American flag proudly on the side of the Space Shuttle Columbia as she circled the Earth.

Yet the flag flies not only over the great events our history but also over the more personal moments of American life. Who cannot recall the vivid images of children at parades waving small flags in patriotic delight, of immigrants solemnly reciting the oath of allegiance before a flag in a judge's chambers, or of a grieving military widow clutching the folded Stars and Stripes?

Proclamation 4846 -- Flag Day and National Flag Week, 1981 - June 1, 1981

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday 9AM

It is 9 AM Sunday morning as I write this and it has already been a busy day.

I was up before the sun and on the racquetball court at 6 AM to get in the games that I had delayed playing since the rains on Friday and Saturday morning.

And then for fun, I started learning Pickleball--and played three games, if you can call them games, of this new sport.

From there I zipped off to Jeremy to assist with picking up a sofa--which tool until 8:50 AM. Boom!

And now I am home for breakfast and a shower before heading off to a baseball doubleheader.

A busy summer Sunday. What could be better?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Rain has Stopped

 

After the Rains
Elkridge, MD
June 12, 2021

After two days of almost continuous rain, it has stopped. 

Maybe the world will dry a bit today. 

The pool is full and the ground is soggy. I'm glad that I did not plan on golfing today. It should be a soggy round and likely cart path only for the golf carts. 

The temperatures have cooled considerably from the six straight days of 90 degree temperatures. Today will be in the mid-70s--which means my pool will be cooling from the nice 82 degrees it had obtained. 

Well--at least the rain will be diminished for the weekend. 

Today is a lot different from last Saturday when I was on a golf course by this time enjoying the heat and the sun!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Let's Just Move the Moon

 

Our elected officials never cease to amaze me. 

It was reported yesterday that Texas Republican Representative Louie Gohmert asked the Park Service to change to orbit of the moon to help fight climate change. 

I can't make this up--here is the video from a reputable source:

Seriously!

Well, the good news is that Republicans are at least admitting that climate change is real! 

That is something to celebrate--they are beginning to accept scientific fact. 

They are also apparently admitting that the Earth is not flat. 

For those who do not want to view the video, the conversation, as reported in The Guardian went something like this:

“We know there’s been significant solar flare activity, and so … is there anything that the National Forest Service or BLM can do to change the course of the moon’s orbit, or the Earth’s orbit around the sun?” Gohmert asked. “Obviously that would have profound effects on our climate.”

Eberlien said she would have to “follow up with you on that one, Mr Gohmert.”

“Well, if you figure out a way that you in the Forest Service can make that change, I’d like to know,” Gohmert added.

Something to ponder on this Friday.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

At the Ice Cream Stand

 

Cindy's Soft Serve
Elkridge, MD
June 9, 2021

At the end of a long mid-week day last evening Chris surprised me and suggested a visit to our local soft serve ice cream stand. 

It is always a treat to head off to Cindy's because it is a place where Elkridge gathers on hot summer evenings. And despite the fact that it is not yet officially summer, people were gathered there last evening.

The conversations in line are always interesting.

Last evening it was about the bugs, the Brood X cicadas which are everywhere and are being very loud. As we were in live we enjoyed a few of the bugs landing on people and flying through the line. These bugs are generally more accepted than mosquitoes. The cicadas land on people, but do not bite. They are just annoying.

Apparently some people tolerate the bugs better than others. One landed on Chris and a woman in line advised her of the intruder. I calmly picked the bug off her shirt and set it free into a nearby tree.

I do love these bugs. 

I like the clicking sound they make when I pick them up.

Their only defense mechanism is their overwhelming numbers. It seems everything eats them. We even saw a woman harvesting them from a tree as we returned home. I am not interested in eating one. 

Another great evening in Elkridge.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

 

Beware the Wine Tasting

 

The View from an Unnamed Winery
Northern Loudoun County, Virgnia
June 6, 2021

We experienced a COVID-19 modified wine tasting at a prestigious Northern Loudoun County, Virginia, winery the other day.

The facility was beautiful and reservations were highly encouraged for the Sunday tastings. I had made a reservation and the checking in process went smoothly. We were given a nice souvenir glass, which I think we left at the table and went off to the covered porch for a nice tasting. There was pleasant music and everything seemed very nice. 

Then the tasting. 

There were two tastings--the first, for $22 was for six of their normal wines, and the second for $18 was for three of their award winning wines. We did both--starting with the normal tasting. The wines were poured into plastic cups and I have to admit they were very small pours. We then took the tray with the cups and information about the wines to our seats to conduct the tasting on our own.

Here comes the problem. It was a near 90 degree day. Meaning it was hot. With the small pours and all six wines already poured the samples quickly warmed to a temperature which was not suitable for the tasting. We tasted two whites, one rose, and three reds during the first tasting. I have to admit, none of the wines, except for the Meritage tasted well. 

Believe it or not, I then went and bought the second tasting which was the real reason we visited the winery. Same problem. Three wines, all red with price points above $50 per bottle were too warm and were not enjoyable. 

I dearly wanted to buy something and find a drinkable wine, but because of the environmental conditions of the day, there was no way the wines would hold up. 

Note: tasting flights of wines outside on a hot day is not a good way to enjoy the fruits of the winemakers labors.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cicada in the House

It was very creepy last evening as I was shutting down the house for nighttime. 

I turned the lights off in the living room and then heard the distinct buzzing of a Brood X Cicada somewhere in the room. And then I felt it fly past my ear making the awful sound that they make. 

It took collaboration with Riordin, our cat, to find the bug and corral it and then grab it gently by the wings to move it outside. 

Yes, I relocated it and did not flush it like I do the numerous stinkbugs which invade our dwelling. 

I am very respectful of the bugs. They are, after all, 17 years old and I believe have a right to ensure the continuation of their species. Enough of them are being splattered on windshields that I wonder if it will hinder the continuance of their kind at some date in the future. I remember the stories of the passenger pigeon which used to darken the skies, but went extinct in 1914. Perhaps it takes billions of cicadas to ensure the continuation of the species. 

I for one am happy that they are providing free aeration of the soil.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 7, 2021

 

1. It is the first Monday of the month of June 2021. The month is off to a fast start. There are 29 Mondays remaining in the year!

2. Summer officially begins on June 20, which is now less than two weeks away. Prepare for the solstice! Although the day of the solstice is supposed to be the longest day of the year, this year, the 20th and the 21st are within 1 second of each other.

3. Look at the Orioles! After suffering through a 14 game losing streak, they have won 4 of the last 5 games! Amazing! They no longer have the worst record in baseball, that honor belongs to the Arizona Diamondbacks, at least for this week.

Barrel Room at Big Cork Winery
Rohersville, MD
June 6, 2021

4. What to do on a hot pre-Summer Sunday afternoon? Head to the mountains of Maryland and Northern Virginia to taste wine! That made for a great Sunday afternoon. Good food, friends, and of course wine was the star of the show.

5. It is clear that traffic has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels! the roads are jammed again at rush hour. 

6. With the long days for the remainder of the month, I wonder what fun evening activities that we will find in which to engage.

7. Chris and I have been watching a series on Netflix and came to its end. I researched the series and determined that there will be no further seasons to enjoy. It is sad when a good series ends, kid of like ending a book. 

8. Today in History. On June 7, 1913, Hudson Stuck, an Alaskan missionary, leads the first successful ascent of Denali (formerly known as Mt. McKinley), the highest point on the American continent at 20,320 feet.

Stuck, an accomplished amateur mountaineer, was born in London in 1863. After moving to the United States, in 1905 he became archdeacon of the Episcopal Church in Yukon, Alaska. Stuck traveled Alaska’s difficult terrain to preach to villagers and establish schools.

In March 1913, the adventure-seeking Stuck set out from Fairbanks for Denali with three companions, Harry Karstens, co-leader of the expedition, Walter Harper, whose mother was a Native American, and Robert Tatum, a theology student. Their arduous journey was made more challenging by difficult weather and a fire at one of their camps, which destroyed food and supplies. However, the group persevered and on June 7, Harper, followed by the rest of the party, was the first person to set foot on Denali's south peak, considered the mountain’s true summit. (In 1910, a group of climbers had reached the lower north peak.)

Google Settles Antitrust Case Over Online Ad-Practices - The Wall Street Journal

China’s Tech Clampdown Is Spreading - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Aid to Central America Hasn’t Slowed Migration. Can Kamala Harris? - The New York Times

Once a Bastion of Free Speech, the A.C.L.U. Faces an Identity Crisis - The New York Times

Supreme Court begins its sprint to finish — with a retirement decision possible - The Washington Post

Manchin says he will not support voting rights bill, in blow to Biden agenda and a warning to his colleagues - The Washington Post

EXCLUSIVE China policies could cut millions of Uyghur births in Xinjiang, China  - Reuters

Severed head, body parts and kidnappings on Mexico midterm election day - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we are in a time when there are no heroes just don't know where to look. You can see heroes every day going in and out of factory gates. Others, a handful in number, produce enough food to feed all of us and then the world beyond. You meet heroes across a counter--and they are on both sides of that counter. There are entrepreneurs with faith in themselves and faith in an idea who create new jobs, new wealth and opportunity. They are individuals and families whose taxes support the Government and whose voluntary gifts support church, charity, culture, art, and education. Their patriotism is quiet but deep. Their values sustain our national life. 

First Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan - TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1981

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD