May 16, 2020

I find many of Jack Black’s movies to be inane.  It is not that they are not funny, it is more I find them nonsensical.  An exception is a movie he did with Steve Martin called, The Big Year.  I have never seen the start of the movie, but I have watched the last half at least 3 times.  The premise is two men who join forces to defeat their nemesis, played by Owen Wilson, in getting the most bird sightings in North America for the year.  While Martin’s character is wealthy and unemployed, Black’s is a full-time computer programmer.  As the year ends the race is tight.  All three men must make decisions that alter their lives.  One finds love, another family, and a third throws everything away to win.

As I thought about the movie and the birds coming to my back yard, I decided to keep track of the birds I see.  I have two lists.  One is the birds in my yard and the other is birds I see elsewhere. I just started keeping track this month, but I am already up to 14 different species of birds.  Since I do not get out of the house often, I am grateful so many types of birds are attracted to our yard.  My feeders attract some birds, but they seem more of an addition for birds that are already here.  Sadly, I have yet to see any hummingbirds, although Melissa says she has.

Yesterday as I worked on my crossword at the kitchen table a large gray bird with a reddish neck flew in and landed near the pool.  My father in law became unable to maintain the pool and left it abandoned for several years before we moved to the house.  We have not been able to repair it yet, so it sits in the back and fills with rainwater.  The moss and algae are growing fine and this attracts the frogs and turtles from the surrounding fields.  This tiny ecosystem is what brought the bird.  I watched as he dove time and again and came up with a tasty frog.  He was there almost an hour and I scoured the internet to find out what it was.  I finally found an image on the Audubon Society website.  It was a Green Heron.  I was happy to see him back again this morning.

THOUGHTS:  Life presents each of us with a series of choices, and how we choose takes us the direction we travel.  Martin’s character was laid off by his firm but rather than feeling discouraged he used this as an opportunity to start an adventure he had never had time for.  Black’s character found new meaning in life even while he kept his same dull job.  We can do the same by not letting what we do become who we are.  Wilson’s character gave up everything to win.  We are often tempted to do the same to accomplish the goals we either have set for us or set for ourselves.  Even as the crisis keeps me home, I find pleasure in the little things.  I work from home yet have time to tend my garden and watch the birds.  Melissa and I have time for conversation and “just sitting.”  Perhaps life is really about finding what makes you happy.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 15, 2020

It seems no matter what the latest fad is someone finds a way to ruin the experience for others.  Taking selfies became the rage several years ago.  People purchased selfie sticks to get better angles and spent hours taking and posting pictures of themselves in interesting (to them I guess) poises.  I remember sitting behind one such woman when Melissa and I attended a Royals game in Kansas City.  She constantly scooted around in her seat and must have taken thirty pictures over the nine innings.  I am sure I was in more than a few.  The response to the selfie craze was the origination of the photo bomb.  A few scalawags would make a point of getting in the background of the selfie and unknown to the taker, would be digitally immortalized.

Zoom calls have now become the norm and these calls are used for both business and family conversation.  This week I was in a Zoom call with about 20 other people when suddenly a new person was added to the group.  We all stopped and wondered who this was.  Then two more people were added and then fifteen.  Then all at once all the new participants cameras came on at the same time.  Some of the people were inappropriately dressed and none of them were known.  The host commented, “O NO!  We have been Zoom Bombed!”  We all left the conversation without being asked, waited a few moments, and then returned to the call.  It happened again a little while later and we all just left.

I have never understood the logic behind bombing someone.  While I do not enjoy taking my picture and sharing it with 300 of my closest friends it must bring satisfaction to those who do.  Even when the bomb has a humorous result, it is always at the expense of the one taking the picture.  The Zoom bombs are not even intended to be funny.  They are intended solely for disruption.  With all the business that is being conducted by streaming, bombing is a way to do something at the expense of another.  Maybe I would feel different if it were not a call I was participating on.

THOUGHTS:  Getting bombed on my call did not irritate or shock me, but it did cause a disruption.  When I was in High School and College a pre-digital fad called “streaking” was all the rage.  This was essentially a live bomb performance and the results were the same, shock and disruption.  Even Richard Nixon was streaked while enjoying a dinner party in Southern California.  During my day, the bomb was generally performed by those who felt they had neither power nor voice and was often issued as a protest.  It makes me wonder if the same can be said of Zoom bombers trapped at home in a pandemic.  Or maybe it is just to prove they can.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 14, 2020

Melissa is going to try and move some of the heartier succulents into a spot of shaded ground outdoors.  The tree will keep them from getting burned by the full sun, although they will need to compete with the croquis bulbs she had me plant in the same area earlier this year.  She has been reading online and believes they will have a good chance of surviving the moderately cold winters of Arkansas.  We have temperatures dip into the 20’s, but they rarely go lower.

Melissa explained to me this would be a process that would take over a week to accomplish.  I was told this as I am sometimes skeptical about whether the flowers and plants we buy will actually make it into the ground.  We have purchased a variety of plants that sit on the back porch until they die, and then we throw them out.  To be honest, I have been guilty of this as well.  I can start a project with great expectation and lose drive along the way. I also know even getting them into the ground is no guarantee.  All six of my new musk melons have succumbed.  Now I am banking on my watermelon.

The other reason I was told it was a process is because right now we have a box of succulents sitting on the chair at our front door.  Melissa knows they are an eyesore for the lawn I try care for.  It seems the plants need to take time to gradually acclimate to their surroundings.  They will sit at the front door for about a week to get used to being outside.  Then they will be moved to the spot under the tree for several days to get used to the morning sun.  Finally, they can be planted and begin their new life in the ground.  We realize we are taking a risk by planting them outside, but if they can survive, they will flourish beyond their ability in containers.

THOUGHTS:  The expectation Melissa holds for her small succulents is they will take over the entire plot under the tree, eventually pushing the bulbs aside.  Charles Dickens penultimate work is called Great Expectations, published in 1861.  The novel depicts the education of an orphan boy, Pip.  This was a time when the colonialism of Europe was at its peak, and many nations had great expectations of wealth and power.  Critics say the book is a statement on British Imperialism and affirms the idea of keeping the Empire and its peoples in their place, at the exploitable margins of British society.  Both dominant plants and people can overcome those around them.  For plants it is self-survival.  For people it is a choice.  We can choose to elevate others rather than use them for our own ends.  Now is a good time to make our choice.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 13, 2020

My brothers and I had a paper route when we were in grade school that covered our entire town.  I have to say it was a small town but still, we split the one square mile area into three different routes.  My older brother got the largest area (and probably the best) but he divided the outlying areas to myself and Dan.  One of the houses I delivered to was located about a half mile outside of town and the road crossed a tree covered bridge.  Since this was a morning delivery, I had to traverse this path in the dim light of dawn.  It always made me nervous wondering what might be in the wooded area.

As I carried my papers there were several dogs along the route who were aggressive.  What I found was if it were a big dog, I could usually bluff my way past them as long as I stood my ground and let them know I was not afraid.  It is like the story of the silver backs in the jungle.  If you stand your ground, they will leave you alone.  If you run, they will chase you down and stomp you.  It was different with little dogs.  I guess one reason was they did not strike me with fear.  The other is they always seem to have something to prove.  I have only been bitten by big dogs one or two times.  I cannot count the number of times little dogs have run up and nipped me on the calf.

It is not just little dogs that I have found to be aggressive, the same is true with fish.  My favorite fly rig is a #10 black wooly bugger with #16 elk hair cadis (I know, purist do not like drops).  If that does not work, I often change the drop to a #20 bead head.   Rarely is one of these combinations not effective.  What I have found is the larger fish (and almost always the trout) tend to ignore the wooly bugger.  My thought is the larger fly gets their attention and then they strike the small trailer.  Small fish seem just the opposite.  They are more aggressive and go directly for the larger fly.  I have caught pan fish barely big enough to take the hook.  I guess small fish are like the small dogs.

THOUGHTS:  As we go about our business, we often find ourselves in situations that make us nervous or even cause fright.  Some of these situations are like walking through the woods and our anxiety is more subconscious than real.  Other situations are like the big dogs and you need to stand your ground and face them head on.  When I think about our current crisis, I see it more like the small dogs.  It is real, even if we do not acknowledge it as a threat.  That means we need to be cautious as we move forward.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 12, 2020

Over the last 10 weeks my garage has been filling up with trash.  This is good trash, not bad trash, but it is still trash.  What I am talking about is my recycling.  I already had about three weeks stored when they closed our Recycling Center seven weeks ago.  I believe this is an important service so rather than just putting these items in the trash to go to the dump, I have been dutifully sorting, separating, and storing ten weeks’ worth of trash.  You can imagine my relief when I learned over the weekend the center was reopen for collection.

I try to be very conscientious about my recycling.  I break down my cardboard boxes so more can fit in the shredder bin before it needs to run.  I have stopped putting cardboard that contained food (like pizza boxes) in the bin since I spoke with the attendant and she told me this contaminates the cardboard.  The recycling companies have refused to accept whole loads because of intermixed food items.  I separate my glass from my tin (including taking off the lids) and pull the denser lids off the plastic bottles.  I have felt good about the work I put into recycling and believe this is one way to help save our planet.

That was until I loaded my Jeep with 10 weeks of recycling.  It filled every nook and cranny of my vehicle and did not include the tin cans I take to another recycling spot.  In my defense much of this was cardboard and most of that has arrived at our house in shipments of succulents for Melissa’s garden.  Still, I was surprised by the amount of glass, tin, and plastic I had accumulated.  At least it did not go to the landfill.

THOUGHTS:  I am amazed by the amount of trash we collectively accumulate.  There have been legal battles fought over where to dump trash on land and whether it is safe to dump trash into the ocean.   Landfills create controversy by producing smelly mountains of trash that drive down property values.  Cities transport trash to rural areas and let others deal with the problem.  We dump trash into the ocean but rather than sinking to the bottomless depths (to impact life forms there) the ocean currents accumulate the trash in areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  This vortex spans from the west coast of America to Japan.  Some are voicing concern and trying to clean these areas.  Perhaps an additional solution is to find a way to create less trash.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 11, 2020

Melissa and I traveled to Northwest Arkansas yesterday to attend an appointment that could only be accomplished on Sunday afternoon.  This area is an hour and a half from our house and located in a larger city. The business she visited asked you to pull up outside and phone to let them know you were there.  We were early and sat in the car for a bit before Melissa called and went inside.  Since I had several hours to kill, I decided to fish one of the local lakes.  The lake I choose sounded promising as the description mentioned it had year-round trout.  Did I mention I happened to bring my fly rod?

The short drive through town to the urban lake was bustling with traffic.  It took twenty minutes to get to the lake, but would have been shorter if my GPS had not taken me in a huge circle that veered off to the left and then took me back to my original spot (Does this ever happen to you? )  When I arrived at the park where the lake was located, I was in dismay.  There were 100’s of people out enjoying the day.  I drove through four different parking lots and every space was filled.  I was almost to give up when I saw a single spot on an access road into the park.  I stopped, set up my rod and began the walk to the lake.

The number of people made even this difficult.  I am limited in the places I can fish because I need to account for my back cast.  That ruled out the steep treelined banks around most of the lake.  The spots I could fish were already taken by other fisher people.  As I took the half mile walk along the trail to the dam, I noticed three turtles equally spaced on a log.  It seemed they had a better concept of social distancing than any of the humans I saw.  The water in the spillway was shallow, but I could see fish darting in the water below the bridge that spanned the spillway.  I tossed out my line and immediately got strikes.  They were small.  After my ordeal I knew it would take me awhile to get back to pick up Melissa.  I left happy knowing I caught fish.

THOUGHTS:  I was surprised by the difference between my town and the city we went to for Melissa’s appointment.   Few wore masks and even less kept distanced.  The trail I took had a line down the middle and as I approached another group, I would step off the trial and let them pass.  Another difference was the lack of greeting along the trail.  Most either talked with themselves or ignored me as I walked by.  There were two notable exceptions.  On my way to the spillway I passed a man carrying a bucket and a pole.  I asked if he had any luck and he showed me the crappie he had caught.  Then on my way back another family group with poles asked if I had any luck and I assured them I had.  It seems even though the times have changed, and way of life may be different, people who fish are still bound together.  I hope you can say this about your groupings as well.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 9, 2020

I have watched and wondered at the commotion around whether to hold graduation ceremonies.  I might think differently If it was my graduation, but I do not think so.  I recall my older brother being “punished” for not cutting his hair for his graduation.  The principal refused to let him walk. When he asked if he would still graduate, he was told he would.  His response to the demand was, “OK, I guess you can send it by mail.”  This was the early 70’s and attitudes toward authority were different.

I did not attend Prom either my Junior or Senior years in High School and the reason I attended graduation both years was because I was part of the program.  I missed three of my four college graduations.  The first time it was rained out, but the second I did not bother to attend.  My third graduation was with a small class and I was informed if I did not show they would not give me my diploma.  My parents also showed so I was sort of obligated.  The final time was with a college I completed as satellite classes.  I could have gone back for a weekend of celebration with my cohort, but it was 2000 miles away and I choose to spare the expense and stay home.

Amid the pandemic all kinds of celebrations are being held virtually.  I have heard of Zoom call graduations complete with cap and gown.  Others are graduating seniors and planning to hold ceremonies during the summer.  Another is planning a drive through graduation with seniors lined up in cars to be handed their diploma.  Similar ways are devised for other celebrations.  I saw two families celebrating birthdays at the lake where I fished yesterday.  They seemed to ignore any of the social distancing requirements except to hold the event outside.  My granddaughter’s birthday was last week, and their decision was to hold a “drive by” birthday party.  All her five-year-old friends were driven by the house at a certain time to wish her a happy birthday.  Although she does not yet have a lot of experience with birthdays, my son told me she exclaimed, “This is the best birthday ever!”

THOUGHTS:  Melissa and I received good news on Friday, and she wanted to celebrate.  During normal times we would have gone out to eat.  While restaurants have been cleared to open at 25% capacity in our state, most are refusing to put their workers at risk.  I decided to cook up a pot of beans, make potato salad, and grill hamburgers outside.  When she arrived home from work, we went out on the patio and spent a relaxing evening enjoying the nice weather.  We lit a fire as it got darker and Melissa exclaimed, “Thank you for making this celebration special!”   Perhaps the key to special celebrations is who you spend them with.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 8, 2020

Today is Friday and every Friday my mind rolls around to TGIF, the acronym for “Thank God it’s Friday”. This is used to express the joy one feels in knowing that the work week has officially ended and that they have two days off to enjoy.  This is a phrase that was popularized by the restaurant T.G.I. Friday’s in 1965.  The restaurant chain T.G.I. Friday’s asserts that it stands for “Thank Goodness It’s Friday”.  It is the partiers of the 70’s and 80’s that gave it the more emphatic name.

The term was rephrased in 1989 with the launch of “Thank Goodness It’s Funny”.  ABC started this Friday night programming and it ran until the year 2000. This block of TV was full of family friendly comedy shows.  This is represented by shows like Full House and later Family Matters.  I admit I was not a fan and cannot remember watching any of this fare, but I was aware of their popularity.

What the phrase TGIF means to me is “Thank God I Fish”.  The great part of making this transition is that I am not longer confined to a single day.  I can fish on any day of the week and still proudly declare, TGIF!  My fishing time has been curtailed lately.  I have gone back to work part time and my garden needs daily tending.  I enjoy what I do but it is a people-oriented task, something hard during our time of closure and social distancing.  Today is Friday.  Maybe this is a good day to put a line in the water.

THOUGHTS:  I find it interesting the different ways we are all affected by the current crisis.  We have 33 million people who are out of work and living on unemployment.  This ranges from low paid restaurant staff to high paid jobs in the travel industry.   Depending on states, we have sectors of jobs that are closed and others operating at 25-33% capacity.  I have gotten so I do not like to even write the name.  We will reopen eventually; I just hope we do not get stir crazy and force it too soon.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 7, 2020

While I was watering this morning, I noticed two tiny buds on one of my pepper plants.  These are the beginning of the first fruits of the work that has gone into my vegetables.  Even though they are barely big enough to see they give me hope for a productive summer crop.  I have noticed Melissa is just as excited about the plants as I am.  One of the first things she does after changing her clothes in the evening is to go out and see how the plants have grown.

The buds are on a plant called a Mexibelle Spicy Bell Pepper.  The picture shows both green and red fruit and the tag says this produces a spicy bell pepper, hence the name.  I had never heard of this type of pepper before, but I am interested in my first taste.  We eat a lot of green bell peppers, but they always seem a little bland.  Both Melissa and I eat a lot of jalapenos (and we have two different varieties of those growing along with a Tabasco pepper plant) so this seems like a good fit.

The first fruits, or the first yield from a plant, is an exciting time.  With our current food chain, we are isolated from the farms that produce our food and we do not experience the joy of raising our own vegetables.  Most are not even grown locally but come from California or Mexico.  During the present crisis, these vegetables are becoming scarcer.  The pickers are no longer working and the truckers to move the goods are harder to find.  I have seen photos of ripe vegetables piled up and rotting in the field.  I am glad I have a potential supply in my containers.

THOUGHTS:  I am not sure why, but home-grown food seems to taste better.  I am not one who frets over organic or pesticide free labels and let price guide my eating habits.  When I do buy the organic, I cannot tell any difference in the taste.  I guess I think the pesticides are the price of having enough food to eat.  Now we are finding another price for food.  The cost to produce, process and ship our food comes down to people willing to risk their own safety.  Sometimes the price is too high, and the food is left to rot, even as people in the cities are going hungry.  Even as I grow my own vegetables, I know there are other things I eat as well.  As always, these come at a price.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

May 6, 2020

Last night was the coincidence of two of my favorite traditions.  Taco Tuesday fell on Cinco de Mayo.  That meant it was a great time to serve up some Tex-Mex fare.  I prepared the fixings for the tacos and the required side dishes, the guacamole, chips, and refried beans, and these were ready for Melissa when she got home from work.  My preparation of dinner is not unusual, but it has become part of our new normal.  We used to watch the news and then decide what we wanted to eat.  The conversation generally wrapped around, “No, I asked you what you want to eat.”  With her new job Melissa now texts me as she leaves work and I know I have about an hour and a half to get something ready.

My new role as chief cook and bottle washer gives me the opportunity to try new dishes.  These are also from the food supply or staples we already have on hand.  I have been looking at recipes to get new ideas for different meals.  I have never been good at cooking by a recipe.  I usually just think what might go well together and make the meal.  This rarely comes out bad, but it does have its drawbacks.  Several times Melissa has really liked what I made and asked me to make it again.  Then I must confess I do not remember what I put in the dish.

Even though tacos are a go-to meal at our house, I felt sort of sheepish about the limited menu.  I got sidetracked and did not even put out the salsa, lettuce, and tomatoes I usually serve to dress them up.  I never even thought of it until after I had already eaten my first taco.  The real reason I felt sheepish is because of the meal provided by Melissa’s work.  They had ordered takeout from a local Mexican restaurant and Melissa sent a picture of the fajitas she ordered.  They really looked good and Melissa said they were excellent.  I was told my tacos were good as well, but I had to wonder.

THOUGHTS:  As the world changes around us it is good to hold onto our traditions.  Some traditions have been in our families for many years.   Others are things we have started to help bond together.  Making tacos is one of the ways Melissa and I have found to gather around the table.  Another tradition is to attend an IMAX movie on Christmas day.  We no longer live in a town with this format, but there is one in the area.  Whether our traditions are time-honored or derived recently, they serve the purpose of bringing us closer together.  I hope we will be able to create new traditions and honor the old ones as we move forward.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.