FIVE SECOND STORIES

6/26-it's been roastytoasty out there with high humidity and temps in the 90's. And, lots of thunderstorms with the atmosphere being so juicy. Of course, they all seem to miss us. One aspect not only here but across the Eastern half of the country, is that because of the heat, the rain has been intense, dropping inches at a time. Flooding is a serious concern.

C out for a quick dip before a storm came-with little rain.

6/27-finally, we got some rain...2.30 am this morning with lots of thunder and a good downpour of .65". Yay! 

The big lilies out front:

In the East Garden: 

MamaC enjoying a crust of bread:

Over at Johnny's with a chuckette-one who tends to stay close to Mum:

Fireflies are here!

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It was Mediterranean buffet night at the Diner-C had cleaned out the Department frig filled with Woody's leftovers. MamaC was right there, snarfelling the tabouli and hummus:

Whisker-lickin' good!

We were surprised she sampled the chicken shawarma-we knew she wasn't totally vegetarian-she eats insects, grubs and snails-but chicken? Maybe it is the spicy seasoning-after all, she devours the snow-on-the-mountain which contains an substance that can cause irritation in humans. 
 

Damn! that's tasty

 

6/28 Summertime! A cold front came through and the day was pleasant with low humidity with temps around 80°. After a dip in the pool, C on the deck catching some final rays and hanging out with Buddy:

Sunshine highlighting the hydrangeas:
 

3 silverback chuckettes and M/M Mourning Dove at the Diner:

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I had a CAT scan which involved injecting a radioactive isotope into my veins. After the procedure, I was encouraged to drink a lot of fluids in order to pee it outta me and to avoid coming into contact with children and pregnant women. I can confirm that my pee did not glow in the dark.

I am Radioactive Man! 

A couple of cultural references:

Marvel Comics-character Chen Lu

 

The Simpsons-character Claude Kane III 

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Fun vids: 

A couple of nice AI vids by Kelly Boesch

Jellyfish beings:

 People and Their Pets:

From a security cam in Inner Mongolia documenting sheep freaking out in their pen as a tornado strikes close by-poor creatures:

A 2023 Winter storm in Crystal Beach, Ontario left the beachfront properties wrapped in glaze of ice and snow:

Packaging hacks:

 

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Music vid from French/Armenian group Ladaniva from 2023 filmed in Armenia when warm weather has arrived. The title Saraiman in Roma culture, refers to the overwhelming feeling of being in love akin to the Portuguese Saudade.

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FUBARland

Roach, cabinet members and MAGA surrogates publicly attacked the press who questioned how successful the Iran Nuclear facility airstrikes actually were. 

In a typical fit of narcissistic hyperbole, Roach tells the Iranian ayatollah: "I saved your ass (from being bombed)-you owe me!"

Meanwhile, jumping on a comment by the NATO secretary-general about his use of the F-bomb, Roach wants to be referred to as "Daddy" and of course, there's merch already for $27: 

Daddy will reward those who are good,

Daddy will whip with his belt those who are bad.

After all, Daddy knows best.

An ode to MAGA, from The Beatles Hey Bulldog 1969:

Sheepdog
Standing in the rain
Bullfrog
Doing it again
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles
What makes you think you're something special when you smile?

Child-like
No one understands
Jack knife
In your sweaty hands
Some kind of innocence is measured out in years
You don't know what it's like to listen to your fears

You can talk to me
You can talk to me
You can talk to me, if you're lonely you can talk to me

Yeah hey, oh!
Ho, ho!
Yeah!
Ho, ho, ho, ho!
Ho, ho!

Big man (Yeah)
Walking in the park
Wigwam
Frightened of the dark
Some kind of solitude is measured out in you
You think you know me but you haven't got a clue

You can talk to me
You can talk to me
You can talk to me, if you're lonely you can talk to me
Hey!

Wahoo woof! Woof!

Hey bulldog! Hey bulldog!
Hey bulldog! Hey bulldog! 

 

 

 

FIVE SECOND STORIES

6/21-first full day of Summer and it's steamy with temps approaching lo-90's. Warmer tomorrow. 

Mr. Redbird joined M/M Finch at the feeder:

LG keeping an eye on the Avians. An empty peanut butter jar lies in the back, clean as a whistle. He also helped out the recycling by peeling the label. Good lad.
 

The big day lilies out front:

A LongTail splooting on cool cement behind the garage:

One of the coneflowers by the pool was straining against its cloche corset so I removed it and wondered if it would be attacked. The next day, I had my answer:

I reinstalled the cloche.

Surprise! A couple of the new Rose of Sharon are early bloomers!

 

Meet our new residents in the East Garden:

Cyril:

and his younger brother Michal:

They have taken up residence in the morning glories. While there are no garden gnomes in Slovakian folklore, they do have a gnome-like creature called the Permoníci who inhabit and guard mines. I'm invoking this mojo to help out against the hungry critters.

 

Both brothers face East, Cyril with his coffee in a rocking chair-he's retired; Michal carrying a snail and leaf-he's the gardener. Welcome and best of luck!

 

About the names-they are my Eastern European grandfathers-Cyril from Slovakia and Michal from Croatia. 

  

I was weeding in the East Garden and came across wild strawberries: 

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A painting by Kit Williams-1974-Advancing Ripe Harvest: 

 

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6/21-23 Pool days! As usual, the water was chilly but one gets used to it especially while in the sun. The Watergirl, returning to her element, announced how invigorated she felt with the pool dip followed by a nice shower. With the wind, it was comfortable on the deck. Bud was sprawled out-tough having furry PJs in such weather.

He likes going under C's chair-close and shady: 

We had salads for supper and I made non-alcoholic sangria using a n/a version of Triple Sec. Like so many recipe conversions, this mix was so-so compared to the original-the Triple Sec had a funky undertone. However, like sangria, the drink was fruity and refreshing on a hot evening.

 

Our robin Caruso in the early evening flies to various performance houses in the neighborhood to sing. He has started something new when we are having supper: a quieter, lower key, tableside serenade. What a new special feature for our guests at the Diner!

 

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Motz Lake-2023

 

 

Her hair was turning tawny from the sun
like the cat's belly
She insists it is only grey, smiling.
 
I gave her a young peony blossom in a small vase
with a kiss
while our robin soloed in the background.
 
The peony on her desk opened, revealing its inner self
a brilliant yellow center 
matching her own radiance. 

Mid Summer, the Watergirl swam in cool water 
on a hot, windy afternoon
all the leaves fluttering against a blue sky.

I had found wild strawberries in the grass and watched her
pluck them out of bowl
Her hair wet, the caftaned Watergirl savored the tart sunshine within. 

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Meanwhile, somewhere in America...THEY'VE ARRIVED!!

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In October of 2017, the first confirmed interstellar object was detected passing through the Solar System by an observatory in Hawaii.  It was dubbed Oumuamua, meaning in Hawaiian a messenger from afar arriving first. Its elongated shape and lack of tail ruled out that it was some sort of comet. Things really got exciting for scientists as it accelerated after passing the sun causing all sorts of wild speculation, especially amongst UFO fans, who thought this action meant it was an alien spacecraft. Years later, a reasonable explanation was revealed.

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The Vulcan hand salute, was inspired by a Jewish priestly blessing that Leonard Nimoy witnessed as a kid. 

In Jewish tradition, the Kohanim (priests) perform a blessing over the congregation, extending their hands with fingers spread in a similar manner to the Vulcan salute. The hand position, with the thumb and fingers creating a V-shape, resembles the Hebrew letter Shin (ש) which symbolizes one the names of God-Shaddai-which often translated as Almighty or The Almighty.

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Civilizations wax and wane-I doubt ours will be any different. A familiar pattern is found in the example of Carthage:

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Have you been wondering what critter is hollering in the late afternoon/evening?

https://www.froggyvoice.com/froggyBetaTest/indexReal.html?fbclid=IwAR2TNA8SAjVQ5CTL_3Yx1BYqxkvQHqqRLZEgjIQYHn3UzYs-iGpSlDj5cCc 

We've been wondering about a very loud, high pitched call...and it's our buddy the Copes Grey frog who is about the size of a half-dollar. A big voice for such a little guy!

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FUBARland: Roach, feeling bummed about his lackluster birthday parade while millions protested his mere existence, humiliated at G7 conference and openly mocked by leaders across the planet, decides to put on a show of strength with BOMBS on Iranian nuclear development facilities.

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA!

with the best of intentions.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

The Iranians, their cities under attack by the Israelis and having few pieces of leverage, retaliate by giving the world's monied elite a kick to the kiwis. They reportedly have decided to close down the Strait of Hormuz-which, is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and 20% of the world's oil transits the waterway.

HELLO $5/gallon gas!

Brilliant! 

HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!

 

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FIVE SECOND STORIES

6/19-chilly, drizzly day after a hot (84°) and muggy day preceding a cold front that brought a lot of storms and tornadoes especially to the SW of us. Here, we had enough rain to get things wet. I was watching the storms live and it was amazing how the cells either dissipated before they reached us or split and went around this part of Lansing. Sheesh. 90° temps coming for a stretch Saturday-Tuesday. The pool is finally opened up so hopefully the water will warm so we can enjoy it.

Young Nutkin and LG enjoying peanuts at the Diner:

 Mr. Redbird at the feeder:

First big daylily out front is blooming:
 

The Stella D'ora lilies marking Molls' grave have begun:

As well as in the West Garden with the salvia:

In the East Garden, the Rose of Sharon fence line is complete:

The East Garden beds: 

Earlier in the week at the Diner:

Mr. Jay and young Nutkin at the spa: 

M/M Redbird having a bite:

The Nutkin siblings on a branch with one holding a bread crust in his mouth-he's not sharing:

A constellation of peony blooms-just about finishing up for the season: 

A young chuck, LG and a bunch of sparrows at the Diner:

Mr. Jay flying off with a peanut: 

Three BigTails in the birch:

Later, two got into a heated kerfuffle, chasing each other on the small branches on the backside of the birch. It was a warm afternoon in late Spring and the lads perhaps had drank too much beer and something was said.

Buddy on the deck:

and chillin' on the grass:

I made vegan OK onion smash burgers:

Again, LG-bold as brass-comes right up on the deck looking for peanuts:

Buddy kept up the pressure by scenting the ground by the Chipper hole in the calla lilies:

and since he's there, well why not get some grooming in?

We had cleared the table and were washing up when I noticed him on the grass tossing something in the air-it was a chipper-most likely the chipper. I scooped the corpse up and buried him in Claw Hill Cemetery where I inter Buddy's kills. Mixed feelings: hope now Buddy will stay out of the callas and I won't miss the chipper who had stomped down half of my cosmos seedlings in a planter.

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Fun MI fact: only 3% of our population lives in the UP which through the years has tried to secede and created the State of Superior.  The last organized attempt was in 1962 although in the 70's, a prominent UP politician tried to legislate the move without success.

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Fun vids

Animals that are plants:

 

The Curious history of Newfoundland: