STORM CLOUDS - -KITCHEN SINK - - FOR THE BIRDS

Storm clouds building over the north western edge of Lake Massabesic, NH.

Steady rain for two days beginning this week followed by sun and warm summer days. Home gardens and lawns were as happy as can be. 

Bird feeder project ready for sealing, some paint and roof install. I am happy with the design and use of scrap materials from the wood racks.

SUMMER SOUP  everything but the kitchen sink

A pot of summer hamburger/meatball soup with fresh and canned stuff. 

At the ranch in the 1950's, I would pull fresh veggies from the garden, wash and trim as needed near the garden and then set all in grandmother's kitchen sink. By the sink, there would be fresh meat bones and assorted spices. Grandma's lunch soups, stews and family dinner meals actually included everything but the kitchen sink. The flavors of those days can only be approached by using fresh-picked vegetables along with fresh meat and bones. The fun parts of this kind of cooking is that the cook is only limited by his/her imagination and experience.

Hamburger browned and drained; assorted veggies from the fridge chopped and sauteed in olive oil, half-can of tomato paste, splashes of Chianti, garlic, carrots, can of cream corn, canned potatoes cut into thirds, fresh cut basil and thyme, small scoop of beef concentrate, a can of beef broth, a can of chicken broth, water to top off the pot, salt and lots of medium grind pepper, one chopped tomato, half stalk of celery and some love. Meatballs to be added after the first hour simmer on low. 

I think I enjoy this kind of cooking the best, along with home-making bread and pies. There is a lot of room for the kitchen sink along with basic soup stuff. All of this comes from family history of throwing together what was in the fridge and garden to make a meal. The very best meals. 

I miss old-time flavors, especially with serious dieting now. This pot of soup is for the most part low carb per serving. It is purposely designed to be a broth soup, although the first coming to simmer temperature as shown in the photo above does not show that. Soup in quart containers in the fridge also serves an immediate feed when I get hungry and keeps me away from junking. 

A large bowl of soup serves as breakfast, lunch or dinner. This pot will last a week or so. Spin-off is weight loss, appetite control and very little clean up from a hotted-up bowl in the microwave. 

After an hour of simmering and an hour setting, a first bowl tasting was in order. Rarely do I get a flavor just right. This time I did and not by skill. No two batches of soup here are exactly the same. Flavor range charts are according to my palette vary. 

Bird feeder with early morning roof painted. A little white touch up tonight and we will be back in business feeding birds. 

The bear was again back last week taking down the feeder pole. 

I am very happy with this bird feeder from scraps and leftovers. I am hopeful this one will last till the onset of winter hibernation.

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Thanks as always for the visit this week. Enjoy the summer but be mindful of those around you when out and about. Pay attention to things that do not feel or look right. Act immediately and appropriately. 

SAY IT WITH ME! "AMERICA...AMERICAN..

...MALE, FEMALE, STRAIGHT, WAR, CAKE WALK, HOLD DOWN THE FORT, STARVING AND .....* you and the horse you rode in on." I added the last part. 

All this from the inclusive communications task force at Colorado State University. 

From the bias free language guide in my beloved state of New Hampshire, the university of New Hampshire thinks AMERICAN is offensive. 

This Colorado stuff is recent and the UNH is from 2015. Colorado State notes that it is not an "official policy nor required policy..."  

Not a day goes by now, not a day that the core of our countries history, patriotism, love of country is under attack from within. Word police telling us how not to talk so as not to offend and Colorado State charges $30K a year to teach this to our children.

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Our home flag (pictured above) is some what worn; seasonal wear. Faded and on this day resting in the bath of the sun. She is not yet torn or in need of repair, just showing affects of time served. I will admit her grounds are in need of work, cleaning, weeding and sprucing in respect to her plot of land south of the moat. 

This constant crap from the left on my America, my America and pressure to bend a knee at every turn in the road has me getting to work on this overdue project.  Things I have control over.

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BIRD FEEDER BUILD

As noted in previous posts, the bear has done in the last feeder. The pole the feeder rests on is bare and not a bird around. 

Scrap wood, some glue, nails, little band saw work and a new one is starting to come together. Not a work of art because a bear lives here, but strong enough to get us into winter months. 

This one is a little smaller and I have gone with 30 degree cut angles for the roof. Opens up the entrance somewhat. More to come. 

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Short posting. 

Enjoy the warm weather and add a thing or two to the larder. 

Thanks for the visit.

GREEN OAK FIRE WOOD - - - 74 YEAR OLD MAN - - SHORTAGES

WOOD PILE ART

Delivered mid-week and quickly became a work of art. A one-of-a-kind photo. I have always appreciated a pile of firewood. It represents hard work and comforts of a warm home in the winter. In the 1950s, it represented grandma's wood cooking stove producing family meals. For us this summer, it represents another box checked off for being ready and prepared. Heating oil filled, check. Wood stove and chimney inspected and cleaned, check. House exterior sprayed for bugs, check. Little chores left to get to, not checked. Work in progress.

Late afternoon day lilies reaching for the few hours of sun they can get. They were in full bloom the next day. They come and go fairly quickly and are much appreciated for the color they bring to the moat and east bunker. Old age slows me down enough to stop and enjoy simple things like this. Appreciation for the moment and mother nature is a wonderful thing. As a younger man, I never knew that living could be so wonderful moving along in compound low.

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Weekend heat wave and weather folks are all excited and finding new words to explain to us in every way possible that it is: "gonna be hot, damn hot; real hot..."  Great entertainment watching the weather hype up every day weather reporting. Stay hydrated!!

These flowers never made the potting and planting that their peers did when we brought them home earlier this season. The pots we wanted to fill were and were set in place along the driveway and front yard. The flowers above were left in their original grow pots and ignored. I watered them to keep em alive, but failed to get them planted. Guilt won over and I finally threw them in this pot above with fresh potting soil. Stuffed in at random, tapped down dirt and a good watering. 

I think they are the happiest flowers on the hill. All were watered heavily this day and with temperatures approaching 95 degrees, these little guys were struggling to get through the mid-day sun. Yep, they are my favorite.

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"74 YEAR OLD MAN..."

I listened to me being described by my urologist as he dictated too many unmentionables into his computer. The yearly appointment hated by most all men had arrived. More questions continued of things I do not want to explain nor talk about: "yes, yes, no, yep and so forth." Then, sitting waiting for the inevitable  procedure while the doctor dictated more information about me, my age, blood work, PSA and history than I cared to know. But it is a new age and he would be all done with me and the reports when all was said and done. Efficient I guess. 

All in all, a good report.  

Six months follow up. 

I was much like my Golden Retriever when we had to take her to the Veterinary. Hated going in and did everything in her power to get out and get what was going to be done, done. She would literally grin from ear to ear when the doctor finished and could not run to the truck fast enough; even jumping into the back seat with out any help. 

For me, there was no long goodbyes, never is with this particular annual visit. My step was lighter and faster as I excited down the hallway, out the building and into the truck. My Golden would have been proud of me. I just may have matched her timeline from the doctor's office back to the truck. 

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MAYBE SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

POOR HARVEST SEASON. Availability down with a few pics. 

HOMELESS IN CALIFORNIA. Spin-off problems that may become bigger than the homeless problem. These problems will feed upon each other and not for the better. 

Keep an eye out in your local markets. This may be a bump in the road; temporary or could become shortages for all and higher prices. Act accordingly.

(FYI: Middle New Hampshire; just returned from local chain store. Canned vegetables case of 12 up 50% in price. Availability good.)

The homeless problems are excellent teaching moments of bad policy heaped upon bad policy. Garbage pile-ups and human feces can bring on serious diseases affecting the entire region. This problem can turn into a survival problem for the every day citizens over night.

Keep an eye open for upticks in new and growing diseases in your area/near by states and yes, act accordingly. 

Never think because these kinds of events are not close to you or will ever get out of hand to where you will be negatively impacted. These are the days of our lives to stay vigilant and prepare like never before. 

Today items are available on the shelves and affordable. Travel to and from unrestricted. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda." Extra pain meds, toilet paper, soap and if you are at all serious about an after; coffee x a bunch. The list is long.

Coming failures can be seen from afar now. 

Responsible for kids and a family? Just asking!!

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Early morning heat and humidity have arrived. Cat unhappy. Flower pots soaked. Blinds pulled. AC set to 73. 

Have a wonderful week and keep your heads up.

Thanks for the visit. 

INDEPENDENCE DAY JULY 2019 - LEGAL PIZZA

The forest surrounding the compound breaks sunshine all around us this Independence Day. One little flag lives with the basil. Simplicity of mother nature's offerings is much appreciated and to be taken in as a gift these days. Weather has warmed and no more pissing and moaning of being cold, chilled and drizzled on. A stretch of warm warm weather covers middle New Hampshire this holiday on both ends. Many folks passing by on the way to the lakes and mountains to vacation outside. A long 4-day weekend with weather to boot has been a long time coming. 

Wife has been down for a week now recovering from toe surgery. She has been coping with bendy toes (a genetic trait) and finally decided to get the surgery done. She has been behaving herself, following doctors' orders and moving around as best as she can. Her peg leg walking through the house eliminates her ability to sneak upon me. She complains some in that she is dependent upon me for little things. She also shares a common trait amongst the older generations that being dependent upon anyone else for any kind of care is outside of the box of life. She is fiercely independent in thought and actions. Getting any kind of help/assistance this past week has been against her grain. 

BUT, I do not mind as this taking care of each other in times of needed surgery or sickness is a two-way street. Upside here is she is improving and next week will get a walking cast and better be able to move around. Friends suggest I get her back on the lawn tractor as soon as possible, even if I have to rig up a throttle and breaking device. 

This 4th of July found us sitting in porch rocking chairs, enjoying peace/quiet/warmth/ a cold beer and wonderful chatting about things from soup to nuts.  Remembering our history and the sacrifices making this a great country. 

And yes, we BBQ'd. A small roast with baby potatoes and a plate of Caprese salad. Special flavor for the roast this day was dropping the whole baking dish, seasonings and roast on the kitchen floor on the way to the BBQ. Five second rule applied. 

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CHEATING PIZZA

A low carb diet has meant no pizza, until we realized that everything on top of the pizza is legal. A large everything pizza with extra cheese was ordered. Who knew? 

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GOD BLESS AMERICA

Thank you for the visit this week.  

DAYS GETTING SHORTER - - NATIVE HORSE

My wife finished one of our recent lunch chats saying, "you know the days start to get shorter now?" 

No, I have not been paying attention to that. Was not ready to hear that. Had no intention to deal with that change in the yet to come summer months. Winter still is wearing on me and the damn rain and chilly days persisting. 

Wood needs stacking and worry about the up coming snow removal. Snow removal here is not an option. No snow removal, no going anywhere; either one of us. Thinking of how to escape for at least a month this coming winter and have not figured out an answer yet. 

And all of a sudden the days are getting shorter. Crap!!

Early morning and yesterdays mowed lawn. The air was fresh sweet and a deep breath was followed by an audible "awwwwwwwww." Simple things in life and worthy of a moments notice and enjoyment. 

The cat accompanied me outside for the photo above. She too is much older now and exhibits similar habits of aging that I do. No more outings in the woods nor overnight stays outside. No kills yet this season. A first. Spends most of her time in her cat house, coming out only for a momentary touch, neck rub, fresh cream and canned cat food. She meows from time to time about some complaint which I cannot read. Maybe cat pissing and moaning. After all of these years, she has given into a loving touch and resolved the fact that we do love her no matter how she acts. 

She was on her toes in the above photo, looking over her shoulder and peering into the woods she use to own. Her situational awareness skills are still intact and I think now she has resolved to error on the side of safety. No longer able to run fast to escape nor looking for a snack of a smaller rodent or bird. Just happy to be warm, fed and safe. 

She led our way back to the garage, stopping often to look back over her shoulder. She was first in the garage before she sat down, secure in the safety of that space. 

That she has survived all these years on this predator-filled property is testament to her ability to read the land. 

She is our last pet.

Herbs are taking off and we are way behind on harvest and use. I have yet to see the amount of light this little solar led light puts off during the night. I guess I need to walk into the other room, peer out the window once during the night. Sleepiness is getting in the way, though. 

The little basil in the top middle back ground (on the rock) was removed from the main bunch to see if it can fully come to life. A home of its own. 

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EBOLA

........is still fresh in the above blog. I have referred to it often and will refrain from repeating worries about all the possibilities of this outbreak. These are hard reads and most will not want to spend the time. I think it worth sharing, though. Drill down through his current stuff and check his blog site for current information written over the past couple of weeks. 

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FROM NATIVE HORSE

I came across these videos of horse and trainer(s) this past week. Enjoy!

"Its like a dream come true"

"The Horse"

"I am singing a song about you"

"I am the voice of the Wind"

"I live to dance with horses"

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Thanks for the visit this week.   

MORNING SUN - - KEEPING AN EYE ON EBOLA - - STEM CELL INJECTION UPDATE - - LaVAGABONDE - - DANGAR MARINE

Sunday morning sun breaks over the Hostas. 

Quiet week and not wanting to get caught up in the main tides of worldly news.

The weather has finally turned warm with back to back days of sun, blue skies and warmth. Flowers and herbs doing well. Outdoor chores beckoning but the wife and I have found quiet pleasure in sitting in our lawn chairs just looking at it all.  I tell her often that I can teach her how to sit and do nothing and be happy with the time spent. She is working on it. 

EBOLA IN THE NEWS - THE POSSIBILITIES

All it takes is just one case confirmed. It appears from this story that maybe there is a push to get Ebola here via our unsecured borders. By design and on purpose. San Antonio could become ground zero here in the USA.

By the time this is reported, there will be more cases. The Ebola outbreak will be in our lands and I believe we all are going to be on our own to survive this. "Facts are troublesome things." John Adams quote I believe. 

When the news of the first confirmed case comes forward, it will up our game here. The biggest question is when do we pull the plug, lock the gate and stay housebound; and for how long? Will we be over re-acting? 

Can we watch this from our nest and survive? I honestly do not know for reasons and events yet to unfold. 

Many may think this is just one of those things that will comes and goes and no need to worry. Ebola may surface in Texas, but that is Texas and not where we live. That type of thinking may be flawed.

How will government(s) handle such a break out? Think lock down. No coming. No going. Ebola outbreak plus government attempts to manage can turn ugly in an instant. Add public panic. 

Keep an eye on this as I have mentioned. Time will tell.

Enough.

STEM CELL SHOULDER INJECTION - 8 WEEKS - UPDATE

Office visit with the doctor Monday and we discussed a general overview of shoulder recovery. Still some close-in body improvements noticed, slight off-body improvements, but other off-body movements still difficult and painful. A smorgasbord process.

The doctor seemed generally pleased and released me to physical therapy to gain strength in left arm motions and movements.

He explained that the stem cells repair all the way around the shoulder joint. That being the case, there is potential for me get motions back with strength, a by product of therapy.  There were places inside my shoulder joint where cartilage had all but disappeared. I do not expect a perfect shoulder again. But an improvement in everyday living appears to be reasonable and realistic. And no need for the dislocating chicken wing analogy of shoulder surgery replacement. 

Twenty pounds weight loss to boot with sights on the next 20 pounds over the next several months. Making a huge difference in over all health. 

(Wife and I had lunch out yesterday. The waitress brought to our table a hot bread roll, butter and a knife resting on the crisp crust, placed for the first cut. Broke my heart. Just broke my heart!! I have never ever in my 74 years ever turned down hot warm bread and butter. Never ever!! That changed on 061020) 

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FUN STUFF

TV as I use to know it is/has run its course in this household. Maybe a quick weather report and even that tries to be more that it needs to be thus wrecking the simplest of news reporting. The political themes, agendas and flawed story telling openly bleeds on all channels. We still have an off button and am thankful for that.

To occupy my time now, I check a dozen blogs or so for basic current events and how they are unfolding. Just a headline and a few paragraphs here is more than sufficient. From there I go to YouTube for other things of interest. Content developed and shared by normal folks living lives on different and interesting paths. Folks with on-going projects that allow the general public to enjoy and travel with them. 

SAILING LA VAGABONDE

These two young Australians met 5 years ago, have sailed around the world and now have a young son on board. They are currently anchored in the Bahamas and are planning to sail north to New York and Maine. I am guessing they want to get out of seasonal hurricane weather by moving north along the east coast. 

They post every week and offer complete escape for us as they share their lives and travels. I enjoy their accents, story-telling and adventure. Fun to see young folks starting a life and family together and doing it their way.

Can imagine the life stories Lenny will be able to tell?



REBUILDING A STEEL TRAWLER BY DANGAR MARINE

Another Australian and his adventure is purchasing and refurbishing a steel trawler. He has a variety of mechanical skills and shares his story in an interesting fashion. What he does not know, he learns, asks questions and makes a plan. Matter-of-fact and a very good window into buying any boat that one plans to restore. 

I like the simplicity of his story-telling and find interest in all the hard and simple work he is putting in on this project. Weekly reports. I think this is one of my favorite stories to follow and I look forward to his up-dates. 

He is going to have a wonderful little trawler when all is said and done. 

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As always keep heads up, stay aware and avoid crowds. 

Thanks for the visit.

  

BIRDS - -STEAK - - DARPA - - EBOLA - - UFO'S

Full flaps:check; gear extended: landing check complete!

Playing with a new remote attachment for my camera last week. This was one of the best shots of birds hitting the tired bird feeder. 

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LAST WEEKS POST: FLANK STEAK WAS NOT FLANK STEAK.

I mis-spoke last week when home butchering a few slaps of beef and making steak tips. Flank steak is its own cut of beef. I was trying to liken the thin cuts I got from that butchering to be similar to flank steak. I did marinate and BBQ as per the recipe. They turned out delicious and the photo above does that recipe justice for thin slabs of beef off the BBQ. Enough!

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MAMMA ROBIN

After putting the tractor away last evening, I pulled the keys and sat there momentarily inside the wood shed. While looking around I spotted this mother bird, sunk into a nest she has build on top of a ladder resting against one of the wood shed posts. Needless to say the ladder will not be moved until she and her family have moved on. 

Mamma bird barely fit inside the nest, resting on her eggs. She was motionless and it took some time for me to recognize what I was seeing. Out of place inside the shed and a new nesting place for locals.  

Most of the simple things in life are truly amazing. The poop down the sides of my truck each morning, not so much. A small price to pay.

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DARPA BUGS

As new technologies emerge, seemingly daily now, is there anyone in the room who does not immediately think of how to weaponize the new advancement? Of course not. 

Let your mind run awhile on the bat s*** crazies getting their hands on a few thousand of these little fellows. 

After eliminating mice, relocating squirrels and chipmunks before last winter set in, I cannot fathom bugs like this invading. 

But, I still want a DARPA Dog! 

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EBOLA UPDATE  

A June up-date from Raconteur Report. The author terms the potential of this becoming a "slate wiper." It is not like his take on this of how ill prepared we are, is of and in itself a mind opening read, the term "slate wiper" cements an idea of there will not be coming back to anything we know now or have lived our entire lives. No coming back. 

A society hell bent on concerns of the Muller Report, will in an instant realize that "we are not in Kansas anymore" should Ebola seed the smallest number of people. Think just one person crossing from Mexico into the country. Just one, then how many they have been in contact with.Thinking along this line is most reasonable given freedom of current immigration movements and large numbers of people. 

So, what to do? 

Preparing now is by far the easiest of all the worries. Food, water, take care of waste material, communications and the prospect of staying home bound for a long, long period of time. When do we make the hard decision on staying in our homes for the next 6-12 months without leaving AND WITHOUT LETTING ANYONE COME IN TO JOIN OUR/YOUR long term survival? One person will kill the whole survival world you have set up. Just one new person coming in during the after. No coming back!!

So I do worry, but not crazy worry. Prepare somewhat and keep an ear to wall of what is and is not being said regarding this. We all will be on our own and best to lay good ground work now, what ever that may look like. 

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UFO SIGHTINGS

I read this article and was taken aback by the folks who try to explain away what other people have eye-witnessed. I guess because the eye-witness is just not smart enough to know they saw what they saw. It is the these experts  that are completely out to lunch!!

Quite a few years ago, three aviation friends and pilots and I hopped in a Cessna 210 and left the west coast of Washington state to fly a couple hours inland to Eastern Washington. We went to look at purchasing a Cessna 177 RG for our flight club. 

I opted for a back seat ride to Eastern Washington so that I had a front flying seat on the return flight home. 

We took off VFR with a dead-reckoning marker of Mt. Rainier off our right wing. Had Seattle flight following monitoring our flight on radar. Weather was perfect and the flight most scenic. 

We flew the 177 RG and found it to be a sound air craft, but later opted out of the purchase as it was too much aircraft for most of the club flyers. 

The return flight that night gave wonderful VFR weather, Seattle Center flight following and Mt. Rainier off our left wing. With the lights of Tacoma and Seattle in the foreground, we all saw a bright bright light moving from north to south over western Washington. As we briefly visited about what it could be,  Air Traffic Control communications lit up with airline captains talking of the space shuttle re-entering the earths atmosphere. It was then visible north over Seattle and heading for a landing in California.  Much chatter from other pilots watching the re-entry as it unfolded before our eyes. 

The re-entry was fast and lasted only a few minutes. But the glow from that event was what we saw and no one could have talked any of us in our plane out of what we had seen. Had the radios been silent, we would have wondered all the way home what it was we saw. Too slow to be a meteor, but fast enough to be a controlled event. No expert could have ever convinced us it was some kind of aberration.

Experts have long been vocal about UFO's and I believe that they think it is our own best interest and that we "cannot handle the truth". Nice of them to worry so much about the riffraff. 

Hundreds of thousands of folks have seen objects acting abnormal in the sky's above for decades; longer. To think we are alone in this universe is absurd. My opinion. Quite often the space station shuts off live feed whey these kind of objects come into view. 

So what?

I think we are closer than ever to an official announcement that we are not alone. Proof. 

Ought to be a grand comedy show from the media and appropriate agencies. 

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Thanks for the visit this week.