Musings, Commentaries, Photos and Reviews

I can't make sense of this. Damsite 35 has a small parking area and a nice path to a beautiful shaded area with access to a fishing area. Why would someone who enjoys the natural environment be willing to dump their trash in the parking area  

My daughter Emily is going to participate in the Falmouth Road Race this August. Here are the details: I’m training to run the 2008 Falmouth Race to benefit Tedy's Team! Your donations mean so much to me! Through Tedy's Team, I have a coach, a team, training schedules, and special clinics – and I’m raising thousands of dollars for stroke research and education programs. That’s important, because someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds and someone dies of one every 3.1 minutes. And 29 percent of people who have strokes are under age 65. I’m asking for your support through your good thoughts and a generous contribution to the American Stroke Association. I am especially proud to run on behalf of many who’ve had a stroke and desperately need our help. You can run with me in spirit. P.S. Your tax-deductible contribution, sent as soon as possible, is greatly appreciated! Every dollar makes a difference toward stroke research and education. If your company has a matching gift pro...

I like bluegrass music but gravitate to the older more traditional forms. I guess I feel the same way about country and rock music. Of course this music is impossible to find on any radio station. Once again I'm saying "Thank God for the Internet!" I'm a member of bluegrasscountry.org and recently discovered a GREAT show for lovers of what is sometimes called "Old Timey" music http://bluegrasscountry.org/programs/old-time-jam/ Here is a description:   Old Time Jam Mon. 6 p.m. ET, Thurs. 6 a.m. ET Banjo player and old time enthusiast Hubie King highlights the genre that preceded bluegrass; old time. But this isn’t just a historical show! Hubie will feature field recordings of old time jams and the oxymoronic new old time musicians.

"In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country," President George W. Bush told the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln May 1, 2003. Right, what a disaster. I hope that history will make the final judgement on this guy. I have nothing to say or add except profound sorrow at the misery that his incompetence (and his staff) to the families of the 4000+ American dead, the wounded and the Iraqi people that may have been better off with the "Butcher of Bagdad". McCain has made somewhat of break with him, but still talks of "victory" without defining what that means. (PTA meetings? acceptable death by suicide bombings?) Guess I'm a little down about the whole fiasco, it doesn't help to see the Bush guy joking through his final months and cutting up the crowd at the Correspondent Dinner. Maybe he should crack a few jokes for the families of the dead.....

I wish I had kept better records. Over the years I would order fall bulbs from FEDCO and get a nice flower display in the Spring. Some of these have died out over the years but one variety has actually spread outside it's planting bed. I suspect it may be a Scillia Siberica (Alba). It does have a wild hyacinth appearance. After experiencing the winter that wouldn't leave,  these flowers were a most welcome sight. Picture 1 (original plants) Picture 2 (The "volunteers" spreading into the lawn) Picture 3 (Detail of this delightful flower)

I thought of a song by Lou and Peter Berryman yesterday. I finally tackled my broken attic stairs chore which I have been avoiding for weeks. I chose Saturday because the weather prediction was for heavy rains. Once this task was underway with the help of my friend and I found myself in the attic, the sun broke through the clouds, the temperature soared and spring made it's appearance. In the confines of the attic I could hear the birds singing, flowers blooming and somewhere a bluegrass band playing along a bay. Here is segment of the lyrics. "...Holes in the ozone the size of Brazil Barges of trash in the chewable breeze Pools of industrial wasteland paté Sulfur dioxide dissolving the trees Pretty soon it will all end with a boom Why am I painting the living room? I have the whole day off Cause it's a Saturday There is a bluegrass band Somewhere along the bay Look at the lilacs ...

"A lot of the way this whole campaign has been covered has amused me," he said. "But there was a lot of fulminating because Hillary, one time late at night when she was exhausted, misstated and immediately apologized for it, what happened to her in Bosnia in 1995. Did y'all see all that. Oh, they blew it up. Let me just tell you. The president of Bosnia and Gen. Wesley Clark -- who was there making peace where we'd lost three peacekeepers who had to ride on a dangerous mountain road because it was too dangerous to go the regular, safe way -- both defended her because they pointed out that when her plane landed in Bosnia, she had to go up to the bulletproof part of the plane, in the front. Everybody else had to put their flack jackets underneath the seat in case they got shot at. And everywhere they went they were covered by Apache helicopters. So they just abbreviated the arrival ceremony. Now I say that because, what really has mattered is that even then sh...