Gettin' outta Dodge

Queenee is heading South today. I'll be taking her to the airport in a couple hours and she'll be with Key Dear for dinner! They'll hang for a day or two, then start the drive North with Logito. By mid-week, they will be here. We are all looking forward to seeing them, it's just a shame the WPs are still in school.

3:15pm - She should be on the ground in Miami now...

3:30pm - YES! Just got a call, flight was fine and right on time. Even better, she didn't have to walk the length of the terminal to get to her connecting flight. None of us are fans of the layout of the Miami airport. She has a little time to kill before the short hop that will take her to the land of Villa Villekula.

9am Thursday - Queenee arrived on time, no problems at all. Key Dear picked her up and they went to Logito's graduation. I don't understand this proliferation of gold stars and graduations, but that's another post. A pitstop at Boondocks was next, and they finally got home close to 11pm.

They are getting some much needed rain today. Have a relaxing day, Queenee!

Memorial Day

Queenee and I are spending the better part of this long weekend doing some Spring cleaning and wardrobe shifting. The winter clothes have been exchanged for summer and the large plastic bins are packed and stored. It's been very warm here, in the 90's for a couple days and high 80's for a couple more. I prefer cooler temperatures, but the long days of sun are nice.

PopPop has been working out in the garden, with Eve supervising. Every winter he debates about whether he'll bother planting in the Spring, and every Spring he gets out there and turns the soil and plants. This year its tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, butternut squash, parsnips, beets and pumpkins. He's already harvested the asparagus and it was yummy. The pear trees are loaded with tiny pears and we're hoping we'll get them before the pear thief does this year. We're fairly certain we know who it is, a not-too-distant neighbor who sneaks through the woods and steals the harvest.

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend! I'm rooting for Danica Patrick in the Indy 500, and hope that all three women in this year's race do well. And I don't want to jinx the BoSox, but Manny Ramirez is finally hitting - go Sox!

Hummingbird

The ruby-throated hummingbird appeared this past week. Queenee spotted him first, late afternoon a few days ago. PopPop got within two feet of him on Friday morning. I'll try to get a photo, but the times I've seen him I haven't had the camera handy and he doesn't hang around for more than a minute at a time. Meanwhile, revisit the link from last Spring to see photos.

I spotted a Northern Mockingbird in the redbud tree early this week. He's been singing his heart out for a good week or two, day and night. I've only seen him once, but you can't help but hear him. There are Ovenbirds around, but I have yet to see them. Other birds heard but not seen include various vireos: Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, and Red-eyed Vireo are all likely candidates; and the Veery, his voice is unmistakable. I need to relearn my bird songs, I used to be much better at identifying various birds by their songs than I am now. I'm also going to have another look at some of my photos, I think I may have misidentified a Black and White Warbler as being a female Downey Woodpecker.

Whiners

This shit really fries me. If you want to go out and get drunk off your ass, fine, it's your brain (or lack thereof), but don't get behind the wheel of a car. If you do, and you kill yourself, too damn bad, and thanks for taking yourself out of the gene pool. If you get pulled over and fail a breathalizer, your ass should be thrown in jail. There is NO excuse for driving drunk. NONE. I will not entertain anyone's bullshit about how they are an alcoholic and can't help it. Turn in your friggin driver's license. You do not, DO NOT, have the right to put anyone else at risk for your own problems. I have not one whit of sympathy for anyone who finds themselves in a bind because they CHOSE to drive drunk, or to get into a car with someone who was intoxicated. Boo hoo. What a load of crap.

The father of Josh Hancock filed suit Thursday, claiming a restaurant provided drinks to the St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher even though he was intoxicated prior to the crash that killed him.

The suit, filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by Dean Hancock of Tupelo, Miss., does not specify damages. Mike Shannon's Restaurant, owned by the longtime Cardinals broadcaster who starred on three World Series teams in the 1960s, is a defendant in the case along with Shannon's daughter, Patricia Shannon Van Matre, the restaurant manager...

WTF? Does nobody have the character and integrity to accept responsibility for their own choices and actions? I am so sick of people who blame everyone and anyone for their own mistakes, who refuse to stand up and be accountable and accept the consequences of their actions, who spend every waking moment whining and feeling sorry for themselves and complaining and lying to anyone they can con. I can only hope that their lousy karma comes back to bite them in the ass.

You'll notice that the lawsuit doesn't include anyone who can afford to hire an expensive lawyer. Scumbags. Where were they the last time Josh Hancock was driving under the influence? May you reap what you sow.

Big Pine Key bunnies

We were just discussing this very issue in comments not three weeks ago, and don't I see a brief blurb in the Patriot Ledger about the endangered Hugh Hefner Big Pine Key bunny.

BIG PINE KEY, Fla. -- Hugh Hefner may seem like he will live forever, but the Florida Keys rabbits named after him may not.

The population of rabbits on Big Pine Key has dwindled by about 50 percent in the past two years and is in danger of being wiped out. The Latin name for the rabbit is Sylvilagus palustris hefneri. That's a reference to Hefner, the Playboy magazine founder who financed research that identified the species in 1980.

The medium-sized, dark brown cottontail with a grayish-white belly was put on the federal endangered species list in 1990 when the population in the Florida Keys was estimated at 200...

As if the bunny news wasn't bad enough, the BoSox are not doing too well against Anhaga's Yankees tonight. I'm going to watch the season finale of Heroes.

Preakness Stakes

This time, unlike in the Kentucky Derby, I had the correct order of finish. I fully expected Street Sense to win the Preakness and was rooting for him, but as I said to KeyDear on the phone, I was betting on Curlin and would pick Hard Spun for third. Too bad I didn't have any money on this race.

But it was another exciting race! Street Sense came from the back just like he did in the Derby and flew past Curlin at the 1/8 pole. I doubt anyone except jockey Robby Albarado expected Curlin to come back and get a short head in front at the wire. And they were flying - the race record of 1:53.4 was tied.

Three races earlier, Albarado had been thrown from his mount when Mending Fences broke down in the Dixie Stakes. Albarado walked away unhurt, but sadly Mending Fences was euthanized on the track. Mending Fences, a 5-year-old stallion with seven wins in his career, had sustained a compound fracture of his right front leg.

A happier scene took place when Michael Matz, the trainer of Barbaro, won the inaugural Barbaro Stakes and was presented the trophy by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, Barbaro's owners. The bittersweet reunion occurred after Chelokee, arguably the finest 3-year-old in Matz's stable, won easily as the overwhelming favorite. Edgar Prado, who was aboard Barbaro in the Preakness last year, finished second on Silver Express. Minutes after the race, Matz entered the winner's circle, smiled and hugged the Jacksons. Officials at Pimlico Race Course renamed the Sir Barton Stakes (the first winner of the Triple Crown) to the Barbaro Stakes back in December. The plan was to have Barbaro parade on the track before the race, but he never got the chance. It was nice, if unsurprising, to see Matz win.

Three weeks to the Belmont Stakes. I'll wait to see how Curlin and Street Sense recover, but I've got my eye on a longshot already - Imawildandcrazyguy. He made a big move to finish fourth in the Derby and was gaining on the leaders. Maybe the extra distance will suit him.

Too darn hot

Mr. Bill & Mr. R after a dump run today... They went to the beach afterward for a swim.

Miss P is still in Key West today. Last night she and her friends ran into Paris Hilton at a VIP party. While ordering a drink Paris told Miss P that the VIP party was Not Hot, and said that Miss P and her friends "Were Hot". Miss P told her that they were leaving for the same reason and Paris asked if she could hang out with them, cuz they were so Hot. Off to Mallory Sq they went and played late. Miss P told me they had lots of fun and it was a HOT time for sure. Miss P joked first thing this morning she wanted diet pills cuz Paris looked so dang HOT, very beautiful, tall and thin and believe it or not, very nice and normal. I say, Miss P is very much like her old sidekick and fits in well with the craziness of 'get what you want' girlz. Miss P's friend Pooch disappeared with Paris when they all left...we think she was looking for yet another pet. LOL! Just kidding. We all here think it's funny that she set out last night to party with Paris and did just that - now that's determination!

Mr. R said it is Miss P that looked HOT last night! No pictures of course, because that would have NOT BEEN HOT to do. LOL!

Mr. Bill's b'day!

I think this one is 52, isn't it? Have a happy happy birthday, Mr. Bill, and may they continue for years to come!!

Golf League

Last night was the final night of our golf league. 18 holes every Tuesday. I finished up with a 47. I went out in grand style with 2, yes TWO hole-in-ones! Lots of jumping up and down, high fives, celebration beers during the course.

I signed my score card and handed it in at the golf shack. They recorded my score and promptly threw it out. O-well, after all it's only mini-golf!

We'll all miss our Tuesday's together with friends, but will carry on with Thursday night out Salsa dancing to Latin music. That should be interesting, and a bit more exercise! Note that none of us know how to really do the Salsa. I'm sure after a couple weeks of tuckus shaking, we'll figure it out.

Hamster power!

This very idea occurred to me quite a while ago, and I'm sure other people have thought about it also, but here is a guy who actually made the dream come true - right on, Tom Ballhatchet! Put those hamsters to work supplying themselves with all the shredded paper they need or want!

After the depressing Gonzales copyright news, even Jerry Falwell's passing couldn't bring any psychic relief. But hamsters shredding their own bedding, now that's good news.

This hamster shredder project reminds me of the Flo Control Cat Door. I wish it was on the market, I'm sure he could make some money, even just selling the plans to allow folks to build one for themselves. I'll get around to figuring it out someday. It's just too cool an idea, and very practical, not to build one of my own.

"Attempted" copyright infringement

Ok, this is ridiculous. If our current attorney general has his way, "attempted" copyright infringement will be a felony, using the same logic as criminalizing "attempted" murder. And heaven help you if you have pirated software and use it, because your ass is going to jail for the rest of your life. That's right. Using stolen software is going to draw a life sentence. The Justice Department gives the example of a hospital using pirated software as being reckless enough to cause or attempt to cause death. Huh?

"We are reviewing (the attorney general's) proposal. Any plan to stop IP theft will benefit the economy and the American worker," said Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, who's the top Republican on the House Judiciary committee. "I applaud the attorney general for recognizing the need to protect intellectual property."

I'd like to see any documentation that lifetime sentences meant to placate the RIAA and a handful of Hollywood billionaires will benefit the economy in general in any way. I doubt he has anything to back himself up, this is simply Limbaughering in action. Make up the facts as you go along and repeat yourself over and over until your word is accepted as truth. Proof? We don't need no stinking proof.

Am I the only one who thinks these guys need to get the boot? You can go out and get drunk, kill someone, and get what, maybe five years in prison for vehicular homicide? But using pirated software is worth a lifetime sentence? Do our congresspeople recognize that many, if not most, of their own children are going to have to be locked up for life? Don't we have bigger problems in this country to address before we worry about rich people not getting way more than their fair share? Seriously, I'm not voting for anyone who doesn't really understand this stuff anymore. All incumbents must go.

Mother's Day weekend

We had a busy weekend here. Unfortunately, things got off to a sad start with the death of Piper, who was Pea 2's black hen. We're guessing a hawk, but we'll never know for sure. I found her behind the barn late Friday afternoon. The remaining three chickens were very scared, but are doing better now.

Saturday night was cards at DamCat's house. I was out after about three hands, being neither able nor willing to match Danny's $2 raises every round. One game of that wiped me out. Personally, I think the big bets and raises in a family game like ours should be saved until the end of the night, but that's just me, I'm not much of a playah. It was a fun evening anyway, with the usual complement of good company, good food and plenty to drink (we were bending our elbows a bit).

Sunday brought the DamCat family here for brunch. FluffyDuf joined us. I made Eggs Benedict with too much lemon for Deacon's taste, but we had strawberries and cream and a chocolate coffee cake to fill the gap, so all was not lost. The weather was beautiful and the Red Sox pulled off a last inning win - what more could we ask? I hope all of us, including those among us who are mothers to furchildren, had a great day!

Too late for us this year, but someone mentioned Standing Women in the Mote. You can read their story here. Maybe next year I'll stand somewhere.

I've updated our drink for summer, we now have an Orange Fizz!

Bird Migration radar link

With all this bird talk, I wanted to share the above link from BadBirdz - Reloaded that is so much more than interesting. Because when I say a bird flew in on the wind, I'm not kidding! For the northern birders, you can enjoy the NJ migration site, Woodcreeper.com.

Body Farm Plans Change

News from SAN MARCOS, TEXAS

Texas State University’s plan to build the nation’s largest “body farm” of cadavers is on hold over concerns that buzzards could endanger nearby planes. The university’s scrapped its proposed site and began scouting a new location for what would be only the third body farm in the nation. The farms are used by scientists who bury cadavers to study human decomposition to help police better determine time and manner of death at crime scenes.

Texas State had hoped to begin burying bodies later this year on a 17-acre site on Texas Highway 21 near the San Marcos Municipal Airport.

I've never thought about this before. I'm a donor on my drivers license and have been wanting to remove it for quite some time, after finding out a deceased friend's body was up in Jacksonville, FL being kept "alive" until they could remove all possible needed "parts" before expiring and cremating him - I'm talking 3 or more weeks! I know I know, he didn't know what was going on, he was long brain dead, but still... Maybe I watch too many movies. What if someone who type-matched him had enough money to climb up the list and get what ever they needed. Gross. But money talks these days and ethics don't from what I'm aware of, and enough money may have someone falsely pronounced brain-dead.

At first I thought this was a humorous bit of news, made me think of having the family hide my body when I'm gone!!! For those of you who embrace having your body taken out for the birds, bees, coyote's and buzzards, this San Marcos is your place! But as for me?? Remember ... raft, lit on fire ... out to sea. Thank you!

Pea painting in exhibit

Our elder Wasabi Pea has a watercolor on exhibit! Isn't it a beauty?

This exhibit had pieces from many local schools and included grades K-12, so just being included is quite a coup.

The Baltimore Orioles are back!

I only had a brief moment to grab my camera and hope I could get a somewhat focused shot of him, so it isn't the best photo, but there he is in the Redbud tree! What a gorgeous bird. I haven't seen the female yet, but she must be around. What a treat to see them back, and about two weeks before I expected to see them.

an hour later... He's back, this time on the suet feeder where I have a chance to get a decent photo! I've also got a 30-second not-good video. I'll have to pick up more suet and get some oranges out there.

Then and Now

 

Now is a good time to show the progress since Hurricane Wilma 10/24/05.

The ocean flood of 4 1/2 feet in my yard killed just about all my plants. I saved what I could and replanted the rest. On the left above is a picture taken in December 2005 when we removed much of the dead plants and were in the process of cleaning up the area.

The second picture is the same view, but taken May 2007. Anhaga, Mother Nature has been hard at work for the good!

Plumeria (Frangipani)

On the plant scene ... I have had good luck with my yard, and I'm thankful! The summer bloomers are in full swing. I have two Frangipani, one pink and one yellow, and both are cuttings from other local trees. They are salt/drought tolerant so I may want more! Still no recent rain here on Cudjoe, so heavy water restrictions continue. For the vegetation it is survival of the fittest, but I do give them drink twice a week as allowed.

Kentucky Derby

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News

What a race! This year it was hard to pick a clear favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Last year, Barbaro and Bernardini were the standouts. This year there were seven or eight horses who could have won. I had Curlin and Street Sense in an exacta, and Street Sense 3-way, so I had the first and third finishers, just in the wrong order. My sentimental picks were Storm in May, who is blind in his left eye and gentle as a lamb, and Teuflesberg, who sold for $9000 and has won $385K so far. They finished 16th and 17th, respectively. Curlin got banged around a little shortly after the break by Storm in May, but that's racing. The surprise for me was that Imawildandcrazyguy got up for fourth, especially since he ran on the outside pretty much the whole race. Maybe blinkers would help him.

There were a few firsts. 40-year-old jockey Calvin Borel won his first Kentucky Derby. Street Sense is the first champion two-year-old to capture the first leg of the Triple Crown since Spectacular Bid in 1979 and the first horse to win the Derby in only his third start of the year since Sunny’s Halo in 1983. He went off as the favorite, and favorites don't seem to do well at this race. Trainer Carl Nafzger won his second Derby, his first having been with Unbridled in 1990. He's only got two owners for whom he trains horses these days and he is semi-retired. Todd Pletcher, with 200 horses in his barn and five in the race, still hasn't managed to win this race. His top finisher this year was Circular Quay, who ended up sixth. He did win the Kentucky Oaks on Friday with Rags To Riches. And of course, Queen Elizabeth II was in attendance. I was surprised to learn that she had never been to the Kentucky Derby before.

What a race, though. Borel really knows his horse and is evidently a good judge of pace; he rode a very tactical race - risky, but it worked out. Tom Durkin sounded stunned when he announced that the favorite was in 19th place going up the backstretch. And finally, after years of watching lousy camera coverage, we got to see the critical parts this race from the right perspective, the blimp. It allowed everyone to watch Borel guide Street Sense up along the rail and showed what a truly impressive move it was. He was flying. Just great to see. You can watch it again here.

In less interesting news, 45-year-old Roger Clemens signed a one-year contract to play sometime this year for the NY Yankees. I guess he hasn't figured out that they aren't going to win the World Series, which is his stated goal. I'm actually relieved, I don't think the Red Sox need him and I don't know that he would have been a good fit in the clubhouse. Comradery seems to do wonders for the BoSox. Also, the Sox saved themselves $28 million. If it ain't broke, as they say...

First walk of the year

Queenee and I trudged out for our first walk of the year tonight. We didn't get very far. It's discouraging how out of shape we are compared to last fall. However, it was nice to get out and get some exercise and a bit of fresh air.

As we were returning, I heard a Great Horned owl hooting in a tree behind the houses. I couldn't see him, and didn't have a camera with me anyway, but it was definitely a GHO. No other owl has that same deep hoo hoo-hoo-hooting.

Something I saw yesterday and thought nothing of until today - I've seen grackles doing their mating dance. It was pretty cool. I saw a couple males in the redbud yesterday, all puffed up with their wings and tails spread and moving side to side, and figured they were ready to rumble. I got a quick snapshot of one of them enhancing his calm afterward. When I saw that same behavior this morning, it hit me. They are performing for a nearby female. I spotted it again this afternoon down in the garden and got Dad up in time to catch the tail end of the dance. I'd love to get it on video, if I can.

Saving the coral

Barbara P. Fernandez for The New York Times

Good article in the NY Times about re-establishing coral. It's working; Looe Key was battered with hurricanes these past several years and got covered with sand and a lot was smothered. There are so many factors that have to be taken into consideration. We are just under 7 miles from American shoal and it's good to know that the live rock "takers" are wondering why, after more than 25 years of TAKING, there isn't much left to find and sell. Now, finally, they put their efforts into restoring the balance. If lobster/crab traps are not brought in before a storm, and they roll along the ocean floor, they also do damage. Hopefully, the coral will come back.

Clouds were moving across the sun and a 20-knot northeast wind was stirring a 3-foot chop as Meaghan Johnson headed her open boat into the Florida Straits.

Ms. Johnson, a program coordinator for the Nature Conservancy, headed the boat into the swells, to minimize swamping, as her passengers tried in vain to avoid soaking spray.

One of them, Ken Nedimyer, stood next to her at the console, gazing out at the seemingly featureless welter of waves, seeking signs — a slight change in water depth here, a barely visible underwater patch of reef there — that only he could recognize and triangulate with the rapidly disappearing onshore landmarks of Key Largo.

About two and a half miles out, he told Ms. Johnson to throttle back a bit. "Over there," he said, pointing off the starboard bow. "About 400 yards." ...

Finally.....Easter pictures

Yes, I have finally added the photos to photobucket.....with my little peas help! I did not put all of them out there....I'm afraid I am not the best photographer and not everyone would be happy with the results (you will notice there are no pics of me!!!) Anyway....you'll get the general idea. I apologize to Wabbit for being so damn slow about this stuff. Enjoy everyone!

Burning Man

No, not that Burning Man, but our very own PopPop getting in some burning before the town deadline arrived. The deer seem to like walking through the ashes that remain, they chose the burn pile path rather than walk on the grass.