The 30th of the 4th

FRIVOLITIES AND SUCCESS

 A hundred years ago when I played sandlot and high school baseball, my favorite team was the

St. Louis Cardinals.  Now this was not a easy feat, being from New Jersey where one could have rooted for the New York Yankies, Da Bums the Brooklyn Dodgers, or even the New York Giants.  Could even have been the Philadelphia Phillies.  That all serves to date me, but my new (Last couple of years) best baseball friend is the Gamecocks of South Carolina.  In fact I have all but given up on pro sports.  More like the coliseum with the Lions and the Christians.  And most of those pros just don't seem to give a darn after they get their paychecks.

If you go back an look up the history of this blog, you will find that I have written about these players more than a couple three times.  This year they rank number five, but from what I saw this weekend may be a hint of "Look out Omaha"!  The swept, all three games, from Alabama. Alabama!  My most favorite team to beat in all sports.

The current Gamecocks baseball team has a bunch of clean cut no nonsense kids coached by a no nonsense coach, Ray Tanner.  No huge player salaries here.  No huge thug tattoos that one cannot read or decipher.  Hair that actually fits under a baseball cap.  And pure baseball drama every time they take the field.  For instance, Thursday night the Alabama freshman pitcher had a no hitter going into the 8th inning when the game got rained out.  I do feel sorry for the kid, freshman and all.  They finished the game on Friday night early and we won with a walk off home run given up by a relief pitcher.  One nothing final score.  Just too bad for the kid, good for us.

Then on Friday night, we went to the game, both teams scored six runs in the first inning and I said this was going to be no pitching duel..........duh.  I fore casted it to end up as an 11-9 game before it was all over.  South Carolina won it in the ninth inning (the last) with a walk off single to win it 12-11.  I was close in my predictions.  But it was a fun game to watch.  On Saturday, South Carolina beat them 9-1 for the sweep.

As an aside and update, I finally got him at the feeder tray. 

This is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak who along with another male and a female have been visiting us.  They are one of those birds that get your attention right away and you need to head to the "Sibley" guide to birds to figure out what it is you've seen.  First one I have ever seen, but the heavy seed breaking beak gave away it's type.  I'll be listing one or two on FAA, so be sure to stop in there for some really good artwork.

So here we go with another Monday morning.  A lot to do.  Have a good week!

The 27th of the fourth

DISCOVERY

I guess one of the cool things of being retired, or as my Maryland friends say "Retard" is that you can take the time to stop and smell the roses.  One of my bird feeders, actually both, have been visited in the past two days by a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  I saw him there this morning again and sure hope he becomes a resident.  I have never seen one before.  Bright red, bright white and black.  Fantastic colors.

Not a great shot but you will get an idea of the beauty of this bird.  I guess my urban, back yard, wildlife habitat is beginning to pay off.  We still have some more "Urban engineering" to do.

Eventually the patio will be enlarged.  So like the rest of the world, we are paving over nature.  Well not likely, the habitat will remain and be expanded in a micro fashion.

My "Victory Garden" is coming along fine.  Although the "EPA" has thrown a monkey wrench in my plans by saying that farm kids cannot now work on the farm.  They probably want them to all move out of the rural areas of the country and live in the Gulags of Washington, DC.  God, when are the elections anyway.  Just more rural decay created by our leaders.  As far as "Preppers" are concerned, this is not going to feed us too much but it is fun.

Tonight we go into town and see the USC Gamecocks play baseball.  We'll be in the nosebleed section, $5 seats.  Don't think it will be televised.  But, last night's game was televised until it was stopped because of rain or more specifically lightning.  Too bad too.  The Alabama pitcher, a freshman, had a no hitter going into the 7th inning when it was stopped.  South Carolina is now fifth in the SEC and has won the College World Series in the last two years. Wonder if there will be a three-peat?

4TH MONTH, THE 26TH

ENDUREMENT!

Late April.  Temp in the 30's.  Let's go fishin.

OK, when you live within a few miles of water and the land lock salmon are on....you go fishing.

Don't need a boat.  Just a rod, reel and something shiny to put on the end of your line.  Oh yeah, and enough clothes to keep you out of the bars to warm up!

Ugly day in Wolfeboro, NH but a beautiful day to fish.

Not sure endurement is a word, but point made.

The 25th of the 4th

NINE YEAR OLD OLYMPIAN?

Well maybe not yet and maybe only in my mind.  This is one of the most fantastic kids on the planet.  Along with three others who just happen to be my grand kids.  So no bias here.  The photos are not even mine, but my daughter Heather's.  She is a pretty good photog as well. 

Isabelle competed in her first horse show.  Six ribbons-----One Grand Champion, two firsts, two thirds and one fifth.  She rode a horse named "Sting".   

I'm not proud....no!  This is really going to cost her father, who is the guy leading the horse around in some of the shots. 

Way to go Issy!

Sting

That's a big horse and one little girl! She sure doesn't get it from her grandfather....they scare the heck out of me.

Getting a ribbon!

That's big brother Ben.  He was there because his parents made him go.  Wish I had been there!

The 24th of the 4th

Water!

So far this morning has been devoted to chores, which means some alone time for my brain.  Generally, a bad thing but today I got to thinking of the bodies of water I have lived near, swam in, fished in, boated in and yeah probably drunk.  Did you know that 53% of the population of the US lives in the coastal counties of this country?  Now that doesn't include the lakes, river, streams and muddy ditches found in some back yards.  I guess I find my love of all places water with good reason.  Well at least I am not alone. 

I cannot stand on a dock or water side without thinking about the mystery that lies just off shore of wherever I am.

Now just look at this mountain pond.  Water clear enough to search and see stuff beneath the surface but deep enough just out of sight to conjure the Sasquatch of the deep.  Or some other description.  Along those lines, what's your opinion of the Sasquatch, any way?

  As a life long angler (that's fisherman for those of you with public educations), I cannot but wish to be sitting there contemplating life of our planet with a fly or spinning rod in my hand.  What fish lie just out of sight. 

Perhaps....

The acrobatic small mouth bass?

A dainty trout to be taken only with a fishing rod weighing five ounces or less and a fly smaller than a pencil point?

The mighty land lock salmon waiting to tear off a hundred feet of line in the first run?

Maybe a pickerel or nothern pike laying in the weeds in ambush mode?

Jeeeeeeeeeez, either I have to stop doing chores or thinking.  One or the other.  Cause now I have to walk ten blocks to go and contemplate the Congaree River.  Shame!

The 22nd of the 4th

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

I apologize for the long delay in contributing to your entertainment alternatives, but travel and chores have taken priority here.  Last weekend we spent time with my kids and grand kids.  Doing things like beaches.

The Delaware Bay at Pot Nets.

Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse at Cape Henlopen, DE.

Entertaining pets.

Understanding the dynamics of flight!

We also had an awesome lunch with three of the sweetest girls on the planet.  That would be daughter Heather, grands Elizabeth and Emily.

We did contribute to the coffers of the oil companies by driving over a thousand miles up and down the "Blue Hair" highway (Rt. 95), making ourselves very road weary.  Back in Shangra La South now and will be writing more, posting more, and (here it comes) promoting more.  Got to do something to pay for all that gas.  Need more trips to see these great people, so back to work.  Get your wallets out cause it will be the only way to shut me up.  No, wait a minute.  Sales only get me going.  Either way ......I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

So, for those you who just stumbled upon me.........take a look!
http://skip-willits.artistwebsites.com/

The 13th day of the 4th

I will be in Maryland and Delaware for the next five days visiting kids and grands. 

Maybe make some nice photos.

Be back atchya!

In the meantime, I will leave you with the moon over Gatlinburg.

The eleventh day of the fourth month seventy two years later

These are the two people responsible for me being on this planet and celebrating a birthday 72 years later.  Rest in peace Mom and Dad.  Bless them.

I was going to sleep in this morning, but my stupid brain started to do some funny things and that was the end of any hope of additional sleep.

I started to remember all the things that I put those two people through over the years.  I was/am never easy.  But I still muddle along.  You know they say the good die young!  And that says something about this black sheep. 

The vacations to places with names that are not on the tips of everyday folks.  Wilson Pond in Maine.  Lake Meddybemps (yep, that's right).  Nova Scotia and an Atlantic salmon my father almost cried over when he tied him off on a snag and was lost.  The UP of Michigan and more summers than seem right on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  My two parents and sister....we did it all.  Bless them.

A great home in an upscale bedroom town in New Jersey.  Public schools and two degrees at a major college.  We were well provided for as kids.  Bless them.

Then I got lucky.  Married a woman who was/is more saint than sinner.  Then I got stupid, again!

 Two kids without the usual "Kid" problems and four grands that are coming along just the same way.  My ex wife did good...and maybe I had some little part of all that.  Bless them.

Now I spend my time peddling pictures, talking to old friends, taking photographs, screaming at the TV,  tending a garden, yard and house.  Being polite and loving to my newish better half and trying to keep up with what the grands are doing.  Bless em and I miss em every day.

Thank you Mom and Dad, Sue, Heather, Todd, Elizabeth, Emily, Ben and Izzy.  A particular thanks to Sheri, who for some reason sees some worth in this old hide.  Bless em all.

And to all the "New" doctors who are working so hard to keep this old carcass on the streets, thank you.  You say that the seventies are the new fifties.  Well just see to it and keep me going cause I got a lot of people I still want to irritate. 

And I am not ready to sit, rock, slurp and drool!  Yet!

The fourth of the fourth

BAIT THEM AND THEY WILL COME

Sounds like a movie somebody once made about a corn field and baseball diamond.  But in this day of $3.75 gasoline we all have to figure out ways to entertain ourselves without too much travel.  And I guess $3.75 is cheap.  But I don't want to get started on full bore a rant.  Doesn't do any good when we are surely going over six.

 My backyard bird feeder needed some tending this year.  It has been a good source of entertainment while being a good source of sustenance for the birds.  The back yard has become a wildlife sanctuary.  Just last week we found a homeless man in the hammock one morning.

We have been able to lure all kinds of unsuspecting victims to this simple tray of seed.  From mice, squirrels and rats (another story), to locals like this female cardinal and the transients such as the Baltimore orioles.  Its fun but I needed to go a step beyond.  Just for my own "I'm bored and have to do something" sanity. 

So in a good old fashioned North East, bless yur hearts,  answer to expansion. I added another floor to the feeder.  Building up rather than out and thus maintaining my tiny footprint.  A little Eco, liberal, save the habitat lingo there.  See we got a little bit of somethin for everybody here.  Including the horticulturists.

 

So, in adding the second story I provided a roof to keep the bird seed dry and some flowers to keep it pretty.  Planted some alyssum sweet tiny tim (white flowers) and some love-in-a-mist just because it produces a blue flower.  Bet you didn't think I knew all those fancy flower names.  It's on the bag of seed ya know.

My better half says that the tray isn't deep enough and the plants will all die in the heat here on the south side of the sun.  What is it with built in critics?  If that happens, I just give it another five inches and start over again.  It's not like I'm on a strict schedule here.  I have spent my whole life in and around mediocrity, why should I get this right the first time around now?

So far everything is growing and the fat old doves love to sit on the new plants.  I guess it feels like astro-turf to them.  The red belly woodies look great peaking through the plants to get at the suet.   Good picture in the making there.  It all looks a little rough right now, but just wait till the thing blooms.

You can see parts of the victory garden in the back ground.  We'll probably need that when fuel becomes too expensive for the trucks to deliver fresh produce to the supermarkets which we couldn't  get to anyway because we had no gas for the cars.  Am I watching too many "Preppers" shows?  And they still haven't found "Sacquach"!

Which reminds me that I need to expand the sign in front explaining that the place is protected by Smith and Weston to include some other things like Napalm and high voltage electric fencing.  I am already thinking of driving a point in the back yard for water.  We found water seven feet down in Maryland which was potable for 35 years.  When the state fair opens later in the year we will go to look for the proper breed of chicken and goats to put on the mini-range next to the victory garden.

But I figure, when the occupiers come,  that a snare hidden amongst the flowers could produce a dove or two during the lean months.

  Hell, they all taste like chicken anyway.

OK, I'm off the start digging the tornado cellar just to the left of the bird feeder. 

Too much to do here to be bored!

April Fool

Well the first of April finds fools who are, as we speak, in the process of finding and creating other fools amongst their friends.  Cheers, I shan't succumb!

Today is the first day of Salmon and Trout fishing on the big lake.  Ice was officially declared out on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 9:30 am.  This is the earliest record of the event since they have been keeping records.  Now for those of you who foolishly hang on to the "Earth is warming and it's all our fault theme", the next earliest was 2010 on March 24th. Hey is there a trend there? But here's the real proof, he next earliest was March 28th in 1921.  So there!  Happy April one fools.

Here is a cam of the lucky fisherman this morning at Weirs beach on Lake Winnepasaukee, NH.  Wish we were there!

The air temperature is 29 degrees and the water temp is 41.  After a couple hours of that, you need a good warm cup of coffee.

To the more mundane, by way of catch up because I have been neglectful of the blog, the victory garden is once again in the process of growing weeds.

At the risk of the sounding like the old joke "Mary, Mary, how does your garden grow", suffice to say

---

With

Green Beans

Tomatoes

Carrots

Potatoes

Onions and garlic

Cukes and squash

A border of wild flowers just sprouting.

And some other stuff which I have already forgotten what and where.

I think I forgot the peppers.

I wish you all a great April, and if someone tells you that Mr. Bear called and to please call him back.  Check the phone number of the local zoo before you do!