37th-Frame

Spring has Sprung

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:47:35 +0000

What little Winter we had appears to be on the way out. It was a strange year, we had more snow in March then we did the previous four months but a weekend of warm temps has turned the yard into a pond. The robins are other songbirds have reappeared, and with the time change, it’s now light out past 8 o’clock.

Frost

admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:22:56 +0000

Someone flipped the Fall switch, because we went from comfortably warm (for the U.P.) to frost on the windshield today. Trees have already started to turn, but there has been very little rain. We’ll see what the next few weeks will hold with regard to Fall color.

Spring Chicks

admin — Sat, 28 May 2011 18:10:32 +0000

We’ve been feeding the local wildlife for about a year now. Last Spring we had a pair of Sandhill cranes become regulars for a few weeks, before they departed for destinations unknown. Early this Spring they both arrived back again, but somewhere along the way, one of the pair disappeared. The mate kept coming back for an early morning meal, but they were always alone. Today when I looked out at the feeder, there was a different pair of cranes there, and they brought with them a couple of orange, fuzzy chicks! I’ll have to keep my eye out for the pheasant brood now, they usually have a clutch running around about this time as well.

Funny Photography Video

admin — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:13:43 +0000

The Battle at F-Stop Ridge

The King’s Speech

admin — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:26:48 +0000

I thought The King’s Speech was going to be a real snoozer, but it is an excellent movie. Pay attention to the dialog. Geoffrey Rush was robbed though – he should have won the Oscar!

Bits and Pieces

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:26:52 +0000

Three days of rain brings the grass back to life. Hello green Spring – finally!

I’d prefer to see all the time, effort, and money used by the media to cover to the Royal Wedding spent on education, helping the tornado victims, or just about any other worthwhile cause.

Why did Martha Stewart do time in the big house, while the people responsible for the economic meltdown are still running around in positions of power and collecting BIG paychecks?

Hey politicians – wake up! Instead of talking taxes constantly, let’s consider cutting entitlements and spending. When money is scarce, I’m thinking of ways to tighten the belt, not how to spend more. Do I really need that HD cable package; I rent from Redbox instead of going to the theater; and there is less non-essential travel and eating out. Businesses cut discretionary spending and take a hard look at capital investment. It seems that our government continually tries to wring more income out of an already overtaxed source. We are living in a time where, for the first time in decades, we will not be financially better off than our parents.

After further review, breaking an ankle still stinks! I can not wait until I’m able to start walking again.

Either the birds are really hungry this time of the year, or my feeder has a hole in it – it needs to be refilled every day!

April Snow

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:21:12 +0000

One week before Easter and I wake up to snow on the ground. Surprised? No. It is the U.P. after all.

Surgery Noob

admin — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:31:12 +0000

Forty-one years into this journey and I had my first surgery experience. All went well or at least what I remember of it went well, and I suppose that’s the most important thing. I heard the anesthesiologist say I’ll be feeling a slight chill in my arm with the IV, and to take deep breaths from the oxygen mask. Two breaths into it and I awoke in recovery trying to bring the room around me into focus. I knew where I was (kinda), but didn’t know how I got dressed – one of life’s little mysteries.

Spring Break

admin — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 18:56:10 +0000

It’s that time of the year when those of us in the more Northern climes are thinking about escaping to a place with sunshine and warm weather – it’s Spring break! My spring break, or breaks to be exact, wasn’t what I had in mind. While dusting off a layer of snow from my car, I turned to go around the other side of the 4Runner and ended up on my back on the concrete. It was one of those “things slow down” moments where I realized I was slipping, felt my body twist to the left, and heard a distinct “pop” from my right ankle before feeling the icy chill of the driveway penetrating my clothes.

After a couple of screams I ended up in the turtle position figuring out my next move. I knew it was bad when the ankle felt mushy. A trip to the ER resulted in several x-rays indicating three fractures in my tibia and fibula. Instead of forward to Lake Havasu, Daytona Beach, Hawaii or South Padre Island, I’ll be thinking about surgery and hobbling around for the next few weeks.

It Never Fails

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:05:22 +0000

I feel like Pigpen with the little black cloud hovering over me. Whenever I wash my car, it either rains or snows within 36 hours. In this case the 4Runner was coated with road salt from the past weekend’s snow. I waited a few days for the roads to dry, and then took it through the wash. The following morning the snow began again. Forget, cloud-seeding with silver iodide – the next time you need precipitation, just give me a call.