FIVE SECOND STORIES

In the Neighborhood:

2/19-the weather turned chilly and a bit rainy. It tried twice to snow but it was too warm. Nice morning sun:

And more in the afternoon: 

2/21-more snow:

2/24: blue skies and some melt:

2/25:

I put out some old arugula and spaghetti on the giving stone. As we turned in for the night, 2 Rockys-a mom and youngun I think, were having the feast of their lives. They ate everything (hopefully leaving a positive review on CritterYelp).

2/26: I saw some geese in the field behind Farm Bureau for the first time in weeks. I wondered where they had gone when I remember reading about their habits overwintering in snow country: they'll hang around if they have access to open water. With the frigid weather we have had, all the local ponds, including the one behind FB were iced over-until now.

Towards sunset, I spotted a heron flying westward. They are probably happy to have open water as well. 

As we were turning in, I let Bud out the slider. The dogs from 2 doors down were barking and running around-I noticed behind Benny's was the independent twin doe trying to graze. Bud immediately took notice of the commotion and hunkered down on a dry patch of deck to observe. The dogs raised such a ruckus that soon the doe moseyed on, probably feeling vulnerable thanks to all the attention she was getting. We haven't seen her Mum and sister in weeks.

2/27: cold and sunny morn with 50's promised for the day.

I think I can speak for most people: we're done with Winter and the high heating bills. But, if the past is any kind guide, we know that Old Man Winter is likely to put on a final show of strength. Oy! 

~

#cutebuddypics: how he often greets us when we arrive home:

So happy to see you! Please express your happiness with belly-rubs and pate!

Hodgepodge for $500:

1904 portrait of Louis Coulon who grew his beard to the length of 11 feet. It made a nice cuddle spot for his kitty:

Mt. Athos, Greece: This peninsula is a autonomous monastic state that has strictly banned women from entering its territory for over 1,000 years. This religious tradition, known as Avaton prohibits female presence to ensure monastic celibacy and honors the belief that the peninsula is the Virgin Mary's domain. The rule applies to both humans and female animals although birds and insects are exempt. Over 2,000 Orthodox monks live there.

The first photograph of a television image- from Wiki: It was taken on October 2, 1925 by Scottish inventor John Logie Baird in his London laboratory. The image, which was very crude, showed the head of a ventriloquist's dummy named "Stooky Bill".  The image was captured using a mechanical television system based on a 30-line vertical scan.  

Purple honey: Produced mainly by bees in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. Known for a sweet, fruity, and slightly grape-like flavor, this unique honey is a mystery to scientists and beekeepers, though causes are rumored to be kudzu flowers, sourwood trees, or huckleberries.

Standard honey and Purple honey

 

The Carolina Sandhills is a 10-35 mile wide area in Georgia, South and North Carolina.
 

Woolly mammoths were still on the planet while the pyramids were being built:

While most mammoths went extinct around 10,000 BCE, a small, isolated population survived on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean until roughly 1650 BCE. The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed around 2580–2560 BCE

What happened with New Coke?

From Wiki: New Coke was a 1985 reformulation of Coca-Cola, launched on April 23 to combat sliding market share against Pepsi, featuring a sweeter taste. Despite positive blind taste tests, the product failed due to immense public nostalgia and backlash, resulting in its withdrawal after only 79 days and the return of the original formula as "Coca-Cola Classic". 

 

Mr. Clean announces his retirement:

After 68 years of service, he has thrown in the towel. Weirdly, his corporate masters at P&G, treated his announcement as they would for a human employee. It was posted on a number of social media accounts, statements went out to news media like Entertainment Weekly. So, what are his plans? The company shared snaps of their former mascot DJing at a nightclub, hitting the slopes, running a marathon, experimenting in the kitchen and going on hikes. 

 

Hopefully, his leaving isn't the result of being mentioned in the Epstein Files.

 

~  

Catcentric car rear window with wiper tail:

Leaf veins align with human hand:

 

Clever visual pun from Pecos Hank's Tornadoes of 2016- lightning in Salina, KS on April 24:

Hank Schyma

Stone Baby:

This CT scan belonged to a 73-year-old woman in whom doctors discovered a 30-year-old calcified fetus 

Also known as a lithopedion, is an extremely rare phenomenon occurring when a fetus dies during an advanced abdominal ectopic pregnancy, becomes too large for the body to reabsorb, and is subsequently calcified by the mother's immune system to prevent infection. It can remain asymptomatic in the abdomen for decades, often discovered during imaging for other issues. About 300 cases have been documented.

Petrified wood containing turquoise opal from Queensland, Australia:

The Thar Desert, or Great Indian Desert, is a massive 200,000+

arid region primarily in Rajasthan, India  (NW India), extending into Pakistan. The Raika nomads show their cultural pride by shaving detailed designs into their camels’ fur, especially during the Bikaner Camel Festival. These precise patterns on dromedary camels display artistic skill and the strong connection between the nomads and their animals, which are essential for transport, milk, and trade in the desert. Done for festivals or competitions, the designs—geometric or floral—reflect the herders’ heritage and craftsmanship. 

~

Fun vids:

Ancient Lights of London, England: 

~

Interesting film: Rental Family (2025) Brendan Fraser stars as a struggling actor trying to find work in Tokyo after an initial success in a toothpaste commercial. His agent finds him a job with a rental family agency where he plays roles in the lives of strangers. 

A snapshot of Japanese culture with a mixture comedy, sadness, morality issues, commentary on loneliness, community and aging. 

Whiffs of Twilight Zone, Murakami novels, Lost in Translation and clever modern comedies are present. Fraser is the ultimate outsider-white, huge in a non-Sumo way, he is a rubber-faced Sad Sack. A very lonely dude.

Such agencies exist, beginning in the early '90s, providing workarounds for individuals trying to cope with the strict rules and etiquette of Japanese culture. 

I thought this was quite an original story (although attempts have been made in the past concerning this topic, notably by Werner Herzog in 2019). There are some nice quirks and surprises within and gives one some relief from our current madness.

Highly recommended. View on Disney+. 

FUBARland:

Roach has ordered this banner installed in front of the DOJ featuring the slogan Make America Safe Again.

Allison Robbert

Typical of the regime to present another phrase steeped in irony and 1984 concepts. Like DOGE, which in reality was committed to make government much less efficient. They think they are so clever and knee-slapping funny.

The former Prince Andrew was arrested over suspected misconduct in public office after revelations in the Epstein files. An anti-royal organization called for police to investigate documents indicating that Andrew shared confidential government information with the late American sex offender when the royal worked as a British trade envoy. 

Phil Noble

The former prince, slouched in the back of a cop car, looking dazed and confused. Poor baby-you don't have Mummy around any more to protect your entitled, worthless ass.

Designated Survivor: since the Cold War of the 1950's and fears of a nuclear strike, a cabinet secretary would stay in a secure place while the rest of the entire US government hierarchy attended the State of the Union address. This year's DS was Doug Collins, the Veterans Affairs secretary who, not surprisingly would not be my first choice to lead our country after a disaster. Look him up (shudder).

POS Mike Johnson, most likely following the orders of a racist president, refused to allow the body of the late Jesse Jackson to lie in state in the US Capitol. Once again, any way the Roach can piss on our culture's traditions, he will.

Gavin Newsom on J.D. Vance: JD is a unique fraud and phony and it makes him a little more dangerous. ...Vance put on a mask and his face grew into it. 

I was reminded of all the craziness of this administration when I came across this in my YT feed:

Album cover for Shawn Colvin's 1996 work featuring Sunny Came Home where the title character is nutz, nihilistic and feels the whole world needs to be burnt down.
 

 

NO PEACE

Today marks the 4th anniversary of the beginning of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. The cost of Putin's aggression:

Key Casualty Estimates (as of Jan/Feb 2026) from Wiki:

• Russian Military: Reports indicate around 1.2 million total casualties (killed and wounded), with fatal casualties estimated between 275,000 and 325,000. Some estimates suggest over 200,000+ combat fatalities.
• Ukrainian Military: Estimates suggest 500,000 to 600,000 total casualties (killed, wounded, and missing), with 100,000 to 140,000 fatalities.
• Civilians: The UN has verified over 14,500 deaths, including over 700 children. The total number of injured civilians exceeds 35,000. 

The toll on the face of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

This reminded me of Abraham Lincoln before and after the Civil War:

 

FIVE SECOND STORIES

In the Neighborhood: 

2/15-a couple of days in the lo-50's and the snow is disappearing fast:

A Rocky came out to forage:

2/17: the meteorologists are calling this string of days in the 50's a false Spring. Most of the snow is gone and the critters have been busy fueling up. 

Grandfather Birch and the Gnomes enjoying some warming sun:

Something got Mr. Redbird and M/M Purple Finch's attention:

click for larger view 

The local Redbird Carusos are up high in the trees announcing their egg-making abilities.

2/28:rain overnight into the early morning. Snow gone except for the parking lot piles. Back to the usual weather on Friday with rain changing to snow and temps in the 30's.

A group of robins in my crab apple tree today! Poor souls, not much fruit left as it was eaten early during the Summer/Fall drought of '25. Past couple of years, the first wave arrived here around this time.

 

60+°!!

 

A new squirrel-small tail and rounded ears. C and I saw it by Mr. Locust while out in the garage. It was eating and didn't pay us any mind or run off:

A tiger in my backyard:

In the late afternoon, the sky cleared. I was surprised to see a live MI Storm Chasers on my feed. Two large t-storm cells-one over Mason and another heading for Owosso. I checked out the slider-sho' nuff:

 A cold front had swung through so that meeting of cold and warm air fired up the storms. Don't see this very often in the middle of February!

 

 ~

Buddy has healed up quite well from his wound. He is back to patrolling. His new title is simply Head of Security as he does not want any association with the human DHS. 

Chillin' with his Dad:

I've seen The Black Kitty nearly everyday. Yesterday, he was traveling along the berm over to Benny's Diner. This morning, he was trotting behind Johnny's as I was going outside. I yelled at him and he fled back to the West. 

~ 

Quite a week: 

-start of the Chinese New Year (year 4724), year of the Fire Horse.

-beginning of Moslem Holy month of Ramadan, a 30-day period of fasting, prayer and reflection to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.

-Ash Wednesday-beginning of Lent, which lasts 40 days, continuing until the evening of Holy Thursday, symbolizing Jesus' 40 days in the desert. The season emphasizes prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (charity) and a time for spiritual renewal, conversion of heart, and preparing for the celebration of Christ's resurrection at Easter.

The above holidays are based on the lunar cycle, in this case a new moon.

-2/17-annular solar eclipse mainly visible in the Southern Hemisphere

Coming up on 2/28-planetary alignment of naked eye items Venus, Jupiter, Saturn: binocular/telescope Mercury,Uranus and Neptune. They will be strung out together in the Western sky. Go out about a half hour after sunset (6.26 pm). A crescent moon will be joining them.

~ 

Fun pics:

Skeleton Flower ( Diphylleia grayi) Japanese perennial known for its petals turning translucent when wet:

Saturn with moon Titan in daytime:

The eight of diamonds-squint and you will see the figure 8 created by the pattern:

 

World's shortest verified woman-Pauline Musters from The Netherlands, died at age 17 in 1895. She was 24" tall.

World's tallest verified man-Robert Weadlow from the US, died at age 22 in 1940. He was 8' 11.1" tall.

 

~

I was watching a spy show Jack Ryan when one of the characters made this statement:

The thing about being an exile is just not being away from home, it's not having a home to go to. 

FUBARland

 

FIVE SECOND STORIES

In the neighborhood: We're finally getting some milder weather with no snow. Business at the Diner has been variable. We had 2 Mourning Dove couples stop by for an early supper:

Slowly, the snow is beginning to melt:

The driveway and street are clear and dry:

Mr. Redbird having a bite:
 

As we near Valentine's Day, temps are close to 40° with rumors of 50's coming next week! Woot woot! The woodland gnomes basking in some sunshine:

This late week, we saw the return of our friends, some of whom are Winter sleepers. After dark, we've seen a couple of Rocky's, a Blossom and a small Stampy. Curiously, we have not seen any deerskis as of late.

~ 

We are sad to report that Lord Bertram Longfellow was wounded in action as a result of a skirmish on the nights of 2/9-10. He was bitten in his armpit (or axilla on a feline) during close-quarter fighting under one of the house foundation pines-one of his outposts-located by my bedroom. 

 

The sound of fighting woke both C and I in the middle of the night. His injury was not apparent until C came home in the late afternoon of the 10th-our vet did not have an opening until the following afternoon so we rushed him to MSU Animal Clinic. They could not find any wound and wanted to do x-rays and extensive blood work for...$1000-1500. Due to the late hour, we had them do just a basic blood draw and obtained pain meds. The next day, we took him to our vet. The wound had puffed up his left front leg and our vet found the scabs from the bite and began antibiotics. Friday, Buddy and I were hanging out-both under the weather and despite his limb, he badly wanted to go outside. Meowwwwrwww, Dad, I want to go outttttttttt!. He's better on 2/14 and his Mom gave clearance for him to go out. 45° and Sunny. His patrol was extensive. Here, he was by the shed, walking rather gingerly. 

Who was here?

He walked further and returned and rubbed his cheek glands:

Take that, you trespasser!

He went over to Benny's Diner which is part of his realm:

In the tree to his left was a very unhappy squirrel who was chattering and tail switching:

Look closely, that tree is showing the beginnings of red buds!

He was out on patrol for nearly 2 hours before coming back in. A nice, warmed meal of fishy shreds with sardines with a garnish of treats was awaiting him. Well done, old son! 

Who was the culprit? At first we thought it was the tailless black kitty we had seen a few times at night. Poor thing. But then on 2/12, I spotted this cat by the shed:

The next late afternoon, I was checking on Buddy who was snoozing on the couch and I happened to look out the garage-side door and this guy was lounging on the step! WTF! That takes some stones, pal. I banged on the door and he took off towards the West.
 

Today, when I let Bud out this door, I saw him sniffing intently around the step. In the early evening, when we were all gathered around the hearth celebrating V Day, C and I spotted the Black Kitty who had come out from one of the shed apartments. He hung out for a bit and went on patrol, going over to Benny's Diner. Oh boy, looks like we have a problem. He looks to be pretty healthy (has his tail). No collar but then Bud doesn't have one either. A new cat looking to expand his realm? Just passing through? We've had that happen in the past. I'm posting a lost cat query on the FB Delta Community page. Stay tuned.

Lord Bertram's well-deserved medal for his bravery and sacrifice.

This event reminded me of when Bin got trapped in a snowy canyon that I had shoveled to reach the Diner. I think it was the Winter of 2016-17. Anyway, he met up with another cat and got his ass kicked. He was bitten in his side and had part of his fur shaved. Poor guy.

 

 ~

Fun vids: 

The Sled and The Ant:

We've been watching Futurama-a sci-fi cartoon about a pizza delivery guy who is transported from 1999 to the year 3000 and a dramatically changed Earth. Made by Simpson's creator Matt Groening with David X. Cohen. One of the billboard ads seen in the show opening features Bachelor Chow:

Both the Simpson's and Futurama are noted for a number prescient ideas. Just this week in the Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/style/boy-kibble-ground-beef-protein-dinner.html?searchResultPosition=1

 

Speaking of dinner, a new ad from Stouffer's where a woman is walking her dog and begins to hallucinate:

Gawd, what is implying? This anxious Mom is so suddenly  guilt-ridden about not thinking about dinner? Sheesh, give the lady a break. Hell, that kid of hers can use a friggin' microwave can't he? And let's guilt-trip down the wellness road. Just how healthy is Stouffer's for you and your child? 

~ 

FUBARland: 

For those of you who missed it, here is Bad Bunny's half-time show:

Hats off to him and to his set designers: an inventive and joyous show filled with symbols of his homeland and people. He single-handedly has brought more attention to the island and its people than anyone in ages. Puerto Rico, a commonwealth and its people considered American citizens, has been for years the red-headed, left-handed stepchild of the US. It was criminally ignored after their devastating hurricane in 2017. Our government didn't want to spend much money there (for the record, joining other hurricane hit areas-New Orleans, Asheville etal), sent businessmen (investors) in to rip them off (especially in the electricity sector) while leaving the island with Third World conditions to this day.

 

I was very happy to see that the "alternative" half-time show featuring numbskull Kid Rock was a fucking shambles, although at least in English which pleased Roach and MAGA.

 

Meanwhile:  

What a fucking insane week in Fubarland. Gawd, the Pam Bondi hearing: ahh yes, performative political theatre that ranks up there with Watergate as well as the McCarthy hearings during the Red Scare in the 50's. 

Donnie Demento can barely put a sentence together. He continues to dismantle and shit on everything. This week, it was EPA rules especially those mandated during the Obama years. Oh, fuck the rules. Learn to love the beauty of coal. I don't care if pollution kills-there's money to be made!

 

El Paso airport was shut down briefly due to some crazy shit with laser beam weaponry depending on which BS version one wants to accept from the govt.  I wondered if it was a twofer: the weapon and let's see how the air traffic system reacts to a sudden shutdown. In case we need to close certain major hubs for whatever reason. Keep people from leaving, facilitate troops being deployed etc.

 

Not related but still damn strange-the "kidnapping" of news host Savannah Guthrie's elderly Mom from her home in Tucson. I guess someone is try to get a bitcoin payment but it all sounds nebulous. The poor woman has been gone since 2/1 and the authorities seem not to be making much progress. Her home is just a few miles north of where my brother and wife live: across the Santa Cruz River and up in the foothills.

 

There is good news though: evidently it finally dawned on the Roach (or his handlers) how bad the optics and public reaction to the ICE gestapo actions in Minneapolis have been. He replaced that murderous asshole, little dick Greg Bovino and had ICE acting director Homan end the Surge. 

 

A grand jury declined to indict our Senator Elissa Slotkin, Arizona's Mark Kelly and 4 other senators for seditious conspiracy for the vid they made pointing out that military personnel are required, under military law, to disobey unlawful orders.

 

And yet, polling continues to show that 1/3 of the population still say that they support the Orange Cockroach. Gee MAGA kool-aid drinkers, how did things work out in Jonestown?