One year ago today: February 28, 2018, it's a krewe of woodpeckers.
Five years ago today: February 28, 2014, A-b-a-a-a-a-a-a-b-a.
Nine years ago today: February 28, 2010, shoulda bought it.
Random years ago today: February 28, 2001, early bank "Internet" problems.
No identification on this new bird yet, the black & white male almost exact center of this lousy picture. There’s a couple, migrants, I suspect, because they are not in my guide book. These are from the security cam so you may have to wait for better quality shots. Here, you have a go at it, if you know this bird, leave a comment. Size is small medium, white with all the black stripes shown here. What I take to be the female is an even colored light grey. The red cardinals, know to be fussy eaters, do not eat at the new bird feeder. Despite using the old unit as a template, this one came out slightly smaller in every dimension and they don’t like it.
I did JZ’s work, that is, insecticide. When he grounds-kept his father’s place, he always mixed the pesticides too strong. Some of you may recall the jokes about the gas chamber, the storage room. Knowing the worst buts are the ones you can’t usually see, I coated the entire south “hedge” with some brand professing to kill 100 species. Next, for the first time since I was maybe ten, I got on my hands and knees and weeded the area. I can now report yes, it is different when it is your own. I doubt forcing your kids to do this type of labor would every teach them anything meaningful. The lesson I learned was that when I work, I expect to be paid. Somehow, I doubt that was what the event was all about.
Hang on, what is that infernal racket? I’m back and what do you know. It was the red cardinals. I had left the window open to dry out some wood I had treated and the birdsong was super loud. Maybe I have not heard them between keeping the window closed and Boss Hogg. They have also taken to feeding just before total darkness. Is there some other stimulus at work? I noticed long ago they like it a few degrees cooler than other birds. They still patronize the bird bath. Here’s an excellent view of what I mean, whoever gets this room gets the front yard circus.
What the picture doesn’t show is the effect of the view. The bird life is trained, including the soon to return hummingbirds, and the birdbath will soon be activated by motion. I’m adding 10,000 wildflower seeds to a patch of soil near the center of this picture, but expect maybe a 1% success rate. With the antics of the squirrels, whoever is in this room gets the full effect, which tells you why that room is so important.
Australian sheep gate.
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During morning break, I used Audacity to change some keys to what’s listed on Rick’s chart. I see he’s got a tendency toward A and C, not knowing those are the two very keys in which I can fancify every note. Not to be confused with showing off, this can be as relaxed as just not standing there like a bump on a log, the usual stage action for most bassists. Never upstage the other musicians, but understand as far as showing off goes, I can do it any time and have no aversion to doing so in retaliation. Like when a guitarist hollers “Follow me.”
Most bassists in that situation memorize verse one and repeat it. I like to let them know who’s boss. Just don’t get uppity about showing off, getting ahead with music is, take your pick, all about either daddy’s money or showing off. And my father considered playing music a waste of time. You’d be of more used mucking out the barn.
Here’s your picture of the new hose being cured. That means take the kinks out of it. The hot Florida sun does most of the work. While waiting, I read an article on smallpox, another “dead” disease making a comeback thanks to all the dorks who are buying into the fake news that vaccination is dangerous. True, there have been a few casualties from the process, but balance that to the hundreds of million of lives saved. This is a connection most of the under-educated cannot make. The article makes the point that smallpox first appeared in humans all over the world in 9,950 B.C. These peoples were not even aware of each other.
This is also the time when civilization began under the same circumstances. Farming, domestication, cities, irrigation, and in some cases, writing, appeared in a wink. Much has been made of the concurrence. They know the date from DNA testing, but I subscribe to the theory that mankind makes many of its own disasters by cramming things together. The plagues have been around since the dawn of time, but they don’t erupt until mankind plants 2,000 fruit trees ten feet from each other, or moves 10,000 people into a city, same distance. Some diseases are nothing if not opportunistic.
Did I mention barn? I threw on a DVD, “An Unfinished Life”, the usual, a pretty farm girl finances her fantasy of love with her youthful good looks. Once that wears off, she’s back on the far broken and bruised, only to take up with the next yahoo. They never learn because it you ever get close enough to tell them, they’ll assume you are after the goodies yourself. That became the subplot to me, since it was all the farm chores and scenery that kept me watching. Never did care for Redford as an actor, but he found a good role in this one. The farm life as portrayed was a little bit too pretty, but it was realistic.
Unpacking groceries, I got a package of what appeared to be candy. Let me say, artificial flavoring has not only changed the industry, it’s changed the neuron connections in kid’s brains. This stuff said very berry, but then “tooth tickling” sweet and sour. Talk about subliminal manipulation, you call this crap candy? It’s so sour it is only borderline edible. Yep, I figure it takes a generation or two to condition kids that this goop, shaped like worms, is a treat. But, after all, this is the same generation that got sold mutant turtles, service contracts, and smart phones.
ADDENDUM
We have a few more DVDs that made the shit-can list. “Inception” with di Capprio. Another one of those “dream” movies that jumps all over the place, where you have to guess which version is real. No thanks, I don’t smoke weed. And “Cocoon The Return” got re-shelved. It was on hold, now it’s collecting dust. How much longer are they gonna milk that one? I have picture proof for you that once you acquire a work shed, you never have enough clamps. It’s impossible.
Actually, a few other things on the radio are bewildering. Like the credit card or medical ads that have that rapid fire disclaimer at the end. Think of the dollars wasted including that five-second clip at the end of every commercial. Just pass a law that permits “terms and conditions apply” but even that is a waste. For crying out loud people, it’s a credit card and they are not giving the money for free. And it is medicine. All medicine has side effects. We know some people never learn these things, but if you don’t let them die finding out, how will mankind evolve? What? They are liberal stations and don’t want people to get smarter? Don’t say things like that while I’ve got a hammer in my hand.
