Basketball

     Today was a good day for WNBA Basketball.  Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever beat Phoenix. That's the Fever's first win this year over a .500 team. Clark does as much with her passing as she does with her shooting. The Minnesota Lynx, "my team", beat Chicago today. Chicago's rookie, Angel Reese, is having a good year. Not being able to watch the Lynx live today I watched the Fever. Tonight I'll watch the replay of the Lynx game. 

   Mostly I watch basketball by streaming. Because I'm at the OFH with cable I was able to see the Fever on Joanne's big screen TV.  Streaming the Lynx tonight there is at least a decent size monitor in the OFH. It's easier to concentrate on the fine plays of the game when I know the outcome in advance. 

   Living the good life in the OFH.

Takk for alt,

Al

OFH

        After the Sinai reunion last night, Kaia and I motored to the OFH today.  I saw many dead spots where water flooded farm fields. In one large flooded area the water was so deep and wide that today's wind was whipping up whitecaps!

     The 4th of July brings out the fireworks in Sinai. That's agitating for Kaia because she thinks it's gunfire and she should be retrieving birds. Thus, we retreat to the quiet of the OFH.

    It occurred to me that I'm too old for the school (?) reunion. With the school closing 60 plus years ago the majority of the persons at the reunion were too young to have graduated in Sinai. True, there were several even older than I, but most of the participants were significantly younger and busily engaged in conversation with their peers. There were only 8 in my graduating class; 2 girls and 6 boys, and I'm the only surviving male. The girls are alive but were not in attendance. 

   It's nice to drop in on the OFH occasionally.  Scheduled medical/dental appointments Mon.., Tuu., Wed., and Fri....actually 2 on Friday, will structure my week.

Takk for alt,

Al

Ya then, again

 

Ya then

 

Patched

      The roof on The Little House was quite new when we bought it in 2007. It still appears to be in good shape. However, yesterday water began to leak through the wainscoted ceiling of the porch. Apparently the porch on the north side was an add on to the original house and it sprung the first leak since we occupied the place. Roof leaks are exceedingly annoying.

    What to do? Roof climbing is in my past. A text to Montana, the neighbor who replaced my roof ventilator, brought him over with a ladder when he got home from work. The only eve trough is a short section over the front door. Montana removed some old fasteners for the trough and caulked the holes. Then he crawled up in the attic and inspected the roof from that vantage point. Entering attics via minute trapdoors is also in my past. 😃  The roof looked good from that view. After removing a few more old trough fasteners and caulking the holes he took his ladder and went home.

   Last night it rained again .7" and there was NO LEAK!  "Good fences make good neighbors" Robert Frost.  No fence but I have good neighbors!

Take for alt,

Al

Recent Book, Copyright 2023

       Michele lent me The End of Drum-Time, and she was correct when she said she thought I'd like it This one will stick with me for a long time. Author Hanna Plyvainen has set this historical novel in the 1850s. The locus is the artic area where Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia converge. It is a sympathetic treatment of the plight of the nomadic Sami people at the time of the Laestadian awakening led by Lutheran Pastor Lars Levi Laestadius. 

    Laestadius success in converting the Sami, to the effect of arresting their alcoholism, raises the ire of the Swedish state church. The Sami are also caught in the rivalry between Russia and Norway. Russia's response to Norway's refusal of fishing rights is to close it's northern border threatening the Sami's traditional migration to route to the sea.

       Plyvainen, who grew up in Laestadian Lutheran Church, is a gifted writer who weaves an engaging tale of the plight of the Sami. Her characters caught in the cross cultural conflict are sympathetic. The title, The End Of Drum Time, refers to the imposition of Christianity, ending the indigenous use of drums in their native worship. It is a very readable book, engaging from the first page that gains more strength as it progresses. This is a significant contribution for anyone concerned about the plight of indigenous peoples anywhere.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS Rain at The Little House.  

Reunion

       It's been many years since Sinai's school closed, maybe 42?  Consequently the school reunion has devolved into a "Sinai Reunion."  It happens Friday when many lies will be told:  "You haven't changed a bit!"  "Yes, I've always been fat, old and grey."  Well, they mean well.  Sounds as if many persons have registered so 'a good time will be had by all'. 

      At the banker's meal today I suggested they set up a booth at the reunion and sell CDs!  Told the butcher to stay open for meat sales. The venue for the reunion is the Fire Hall across the street from the butcher shop. The postmistress says she's been recruited to take pictures. 

      Two structures remain from the school. The dinning hall, which was affectionally called "The Soup House" was a reconstituted school building. The dinning room was on one side of the main floor and the  Superintendent's Residence on the other. In the basement was the school's wood shop, where I quickly learned that woodworking was NOT my future. That building is now a private residence. 

     The other building still standing is the WPA built gym. Compared to surrounding school's gyms in the '50s it measured up quite well. It's now used as a warehouse.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

Argentina

        A friend is planning a trip to Argentina early next year. Conversation about it brought back memories of travel there. Twenty-five years ago Lisa and I climbed African Kilimanjaro, 19,340 feet. After that trip I said to Lars, "If we're going to climb Kilimanjaro we should do it before I get much older." He replied "I don't want to do that, I want to go to Argentina."  So we went, it was in 2000 I think.

      We flew into Buenos Aires and spent some days there. We then bused into Patagonia to El Carafate. This put us in proximity to the Andes so we did some mountain hiking. Was it from there we visited Petito  Moreno Glacier? Bus then took us to Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, at Tierra Del Fuego.  Lars wanted to go there becasue he'd been to the world's farthest north city.  Ushuaia is 600 miles from Antarctica.

    Our visit to Argentina followed their severe economic crash so the peso was weak and the dollar strong.  Other than Greece, I've never eaten so well in my life.  A meal for two with appetizer, salad, grass-fed beef (it is better) steaks, side, dessert and a carafe of fine Argentinian wine was about $12.00.  With a large Italian population the Italian food was also superb. 

    Lars was a good and, mostly patient travel companion. Once when I'd asked the same question too many times he replied "Welcome to elder hostel." 😀

Takk for alt,

Al

     Visiting the penguins on Tierra Del Fuego.

Mail Call!

         A year ago, Emma, began her duties as the Sinai Postmistress, she lives a few doors from The Little  House. It was my luck to be  her first customer. She often treats me to samples of her baking, e.g., chocolate chip cookies, and I reciprocate by bringing her chocolate, because I don't bake. As a resident of Sinai I'm entitled to a free P.O. Box. Her window is open 10:00-12:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday. With the opportunity for pleasant exchange with her I often pick up my mail while she's there. 

     While in the Marines Ed and I were office clerks in a rifle company, Marine parlance for infantry. One of our duties was to distribute mail to Marines in the company. We'd assemble the troops late in the day, and, holding the days mail, we'd call the names on the envelopes. 

    Were I to do that today I'd have more sympathy for the Marines who waited and hoped day after day for mail that did not come. Whether they were hoping for mail from family or a girl friend they were often disappointed.

    Today's visit to the P.O., brought treasures from Ed's attic.  One gift was a copy of the February 1954, Science And Mechanics: The Magazine That Shows How, Price $.25. On the cover "Performance Tests on 1954 Nash Rambler" with a picture of one. The article states "Whipping through sharp dips...the Rambler showed good springing characteristics and settled down quickly after the bump."

     But that's not all that Ed's envelope contained. Also included was an April 1960 copy of  Leatherneck: Magazine Of The Marines. That month Ed and I were six months into our enlistment.  There were a surprising number of cartoons contained in its pages. There was also a 10 question quiz with questions like this: "Marine Corps Leadership is based on the premise that....

            a) men can be trained to be leaders

            b) leaders are born not made

            c) strong, tall men make better leaders"         p. 8   

   Very delightful to peruse these archival magazines!  Thanks, Ed!😀 

Takk for alt,

Al

Another one!

       Learnings keep happening. Again it was a gift of the Merlin App. If you're an outdoors person with an interest in wildlife and have a smart phone I highly recommend this App. It's easy to use an opens up new vistas in the identification of birds.

    So today's new bird species was a sedge wren. When's the last time you saw or heard one?  They're secretive so seeing one is not highly likely. Out near a wetland a couple of years ago I saw a bird with the vertical tail common to wrens. Now I think it was likely a sedge wren. Live and learn....😀

Takk for alt,

Al

PS The sun's out!

                   The sedge wren's a cute little tweety isn't it?

Summertime...

      "Summer time and the living is easy." The truth is that my living is always easy. Summer solstice is always a bit sad for me. It's the knowledge that daylight hours now shrink for six months. After another .7" of rain last night the Sun is out! April, May and June, thus far, have not been very warm but that looks to change next week. I'll by happy for some hot!

     Living, and also reading, are constant reminders of what I don't know. The Merlin Bird App on my phone teaches me much. Now that the grackles have departed with their offspring the cemetery allows many other species to be heard. It's no surprise to me to learn of the variety of sparrows; chipping, song, grasshopper, swamp, because I knew there were many indistinguishable to me. Previously I recorded a yellow throat, new to me and it was singing again today. The recording also identified a willow flycatcher.  It's a species totally new to me yet is very common across the U.S. 

     My Dad was interested in birds so from him I picked up the interest. The Merlin Bird app, thanks Lisa, is expanding my knowledge. Now I can even recognize chipping sparrows by their call. Learning keeps life interesting. The book I'm reading has frequent foreign words so I make frequent reference to Google.

Takk for alt,

Al

                       The willow flycatcher is a cute little bird I likely mistook for a sparrow.

Memories of the USMC

         Camp Pendleton, CA., where I was stationed stateside in the Marines, is semi-arid. In the winter months there would be occasional rains. Raining while we were in the field (Army I think calls it bivouac) I have no memory.  Okinawa, where I was stationed in Asia, had significant rain. It's a semi-tropical climate. While in our barracks there a typhoon, Eastern Hemisphere name for hurricane, struck. It rained and blew with fierce winds for 12 hours, paused, then blew the opposite direction for 12 hours. Concrete barracks kept us safe. 

     Where I remember the misery of rain while in the field was in Japan. Sent there for cold weather training the months of November and December it was moderately cold. It was  nothing like mid-west cold. Temperatures were in the 40s and 50s with occasional night-time frost. It was in Japan that I remember the misery of marching in the rain. The end of the multi-hour-march brought us to two-man pup tents. That's not the environment to dry off after hours in the rain.   

    So, in yesterday's rain, 2.5", I was snuggled into The Little House where there's always a book at hand. So happy to be dry!

Takk for alt,

Al

This picture which you've both seen before was at the conclusion of a two-week field exercise. It looks like I could have used a little rain!

1987

      What where you doing in 1987?  In the fall of that year Joanne moved to her position as Vice President of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. A few months later I followed her to Minnesota. In 1987 the late Wallace Stegner copyrighted a novel he called Crossing To Safety.  In 2024 I read it and was much impressed.

     Safety is the intimate story of a long friendship of two couples. It's told in a non-linear fashion. For example when Sally gets sick on a camping trip told early in the story we're not told until much later in the book that she had polio. The book's culmination is with the death of Charity, one of the friends. This is not to give too much away because her terminal illness also begins the book. As her friends and spouse convene in her bedroom towards the end of her life she says "'Dying's an important event....You can't rehearse for it. All you can do is prepare yourself and others. You can try to do it right. In a way cancer is a blessing, it generally gives you a little time."'  P. 290  The book is filled with profound reflections on life, work, disability, university life, art, grief and dying. It's a book worth recommending to those concerned with death and dying.

    I'm glad I read it!

Takk for alt,

Al

PS 1:  I saw a pheasant chick yesterday for the first time this year. It appeared about three weeks old meaning an early hatch. It was in tall grass so there likely were siblings.

PS 2; With rain all day it occurred that it's news when it's not raining.    

No wind!!!!!!!!

     At least no wind to speak of, flags hanging straight down.  A good day to spray the weeds in my corn. One field should have been sprayed last week when I was at the OFH. Some areas showed no corn at all. It will be interesting to see if corn emerges as the weeds die off. Fields were a little muddy but with rain predicted tomorrow best not to wait. But now they are sprayed!

Takk for alt,

Al

                          Can you see the corn?

One of those days!

      June's been beautiful but this is one of those days without an original thought. When all else fails talk about the weather.  The day began warm and humid. Keeping the house closed to remain cool and dry seemed appropriate. Then, mid-day, the wind switched from south to north and it became cool and humid. Now the house's closed to keep out the cool humidity.

      You both have better things to do than read my ramblings without any thought so just know I am alive, well, upright and grateful.

Takk for alt,

Al

Accurate!

         For over a week meteorologists have been forecasting that there would be significant rain here today. That was an accurate prediction!  The rain began around 3:00 a.m. and continued for almost twelve hours. It was the kind of rain about which farmers dream. It was steady with no drama, only a slight rumble of thunder occasionally and negligible wind. 

       The gauge by The Little House registered two inches. Tomorrow I'll check the gauge by the pasture. This didn't appear to be a spotty rain so there may not be much difference between gauges. Farmers are done with the first cutting of alfalfa. This moisture will ensure a good second crop. Two inches is about all the soil can absorb at one time..."when farmer's eyes are smiling!"😀 

Takk for alt,

Al

Little House

       Eastern Minnesota is inundated from the recent rains. The western half looks as if there has been rain but in the east every low spot in the field is full of water. Ducks are swimming among the corn. With this much standing water there will be huge bare spots at harvest as the corn and beans drown. It's the most standing water I've seen. The drought is over! 

     Meanwhile The Little House was reported to have .3", though rain is predicted overnight. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Reading List

        After reading MJV erudite reflections on Jon Fosse's Septology, I'm seriously considering rereading it's 600 plus pages. Then a friend at the OFH lent me a book highly recommended. A Father's Day gift is James, a retelling of  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. from the point of view of the runaway slave, Jim. MJV advises re-reading Huckleberry before reading James.  So I'll look for a used copy. Reading these three, plus finishing the book I'm about half through, will take prescience over Fosse.

     So many good books even with the time I have!

Takk for alt,

Al

Thriving!

     As a contributor to Central Asia Institute, (CAI) (Three Cups of Tea) I received their annual report for 2023. It appears that CAI is thriving. They report 4,673 donors. Some statistics: funding for overseas programs increased 17% in a year, 1,135 teachers received support, 42,108 were reached through direct programs an increase of 41% in a year, 14,085 students enrolled including 9000 girls an increase of 35% in a year, 4,314 woman who participated in job skills and livelihood training, and 52 women who participated in apricot processing program increased their income and average of 180%. They reported fund raising cost of seventeen cents to raise one dollar. 

    A major emphasis of CAI has always been the education of girls. This has expanded to major support for women. There are also over 5000 boys in CAI Schools. CAI does good work!

Takk for alt,

Al

Stunning!

' “Songs of Earth” portrays the bond between the endangered Norwegian nature and Olin’s (the director) 85-year old father. The documentary shows how nature is threatened by climate change, while also depicting the passage of generations.

   The film had its world premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival and marks the first time a documentary film has been selected as the Norwegian entry to the international feature film category." Variety

    Lisa took me to this marvelous movie from 2023 newly released in America. Filmed in Oldedalen, Nordfjord, Norway it combines spectacular photography with the reflections of the director's 84 year old father, as he hikes the mountains, and her 76 year old mother. It's in Norwegian with English subtitles, a great gift to this hearing impaired viewer.  "Breathtaking" said one reviewer.  Unfortunately it was the final showing in Minneapolis but if it shows near you GO!

Takk for alt,

Al

PS I think the last time Lisa and I attended a movie together was in 2008, we saw Gran Torino!

OFH

   So discombobulated by arrival at OFH yesterday I forgot to report!  My bad and apologies to both of you.

Takk for alt,

Al

Absent grackles!

         Many grackles nest in the fir trees that surround the cemetery. While they are nesting they are very raucous when Kaia and I get near the trees. They create such racket that the only other bird loud enough to be heard is a nesting robin. Today the grackles were all gone.

       In the absence of their noise it was possible to hear many other birds. Using my phone's Merlin App from Cornell I made a  recording and these are the birds I heard: song sparrow, blue jay, common yellowthroat, red-winged blackbird, eurasian collard dove, chipping sparrow, house wren, american robin and grasshopper sparrow. Not a single grackle was recorded. Perhaps there could have been more varieties because this recording was less than five minutes. No ducks, geese or pheasants today. 

     The app is a free download from Cornell. Being able to identify species by their song adds to my outdoor pleasure.

Takk for alt,

Al

                                    Grasshopper sparrow.

 

Joanne's Magic

        It was summer Greek that kept me on campus the summer of 1963. Dr. Orvis Hanson was my teacher and he was tutoring me in Greek for college credit. At noon I went to the cafeteria at Augustana College for lunch. There I encountered two uncles and aunts who were visiting campus. Joanne was with them because her family was neighboring friends in St. Paul of one couple; uncle and aunt. So I was introduced to Joanne and joined them all for lunch. A few days later, again at the cafeteria, I encountered Joanne and we lunched together. That was the beginning.

     From the first time I met her I found Joanne very engaging. Throughout our life together there were countless times I saw Joanne work her magic on others. Often I've pondered what it was about her that was so engaging to people. Certainly her interest in the other and her willingness to listen were very significant. Reading the description of a woman in a book gave me an insight to understanding Joanne. The woman was described "...as full of vitality as her smile was full of light..."

    VITALITY...that I think is the word that describes Joanne.  She was full of vitality and that is much of what others responded to.  It was her vital energy and interest in others that made her a people magnet. Blessed I was to share so many years with her and I live with rich memories.

Takk for alt,

Al

At our fiftieth celebration.

Gift

      One of the gifts of life in The Little House is proximity to extended family. Today was the celebration of my sister-in-law's milestone birthday. There were about thirty persons present. Several of whom live away so I don't see very often. Three toddler great-grandchildren upped the energy significantly. The energy they bring is infectious. 

    Naturally there was good food which was nice. Yet, the best part was conversation. It gave the opportunity to check in with the younger generation and their lives. At least two have new jobs about which it was interesting to learn. It's a blessing to gather for something other than a funeral.

Takk for alt,

Al 

So many good books!

        This is the first one that I've read by the late Pete Hamill. It's not new, copyrighted in 2007, but it's a timeless story. North River is a love story set in New York City in 1934. Fallout from WW I and the reality of the depression are large in the book. It was a national bestseller many years ago. Hamill tells an engaging story one that's a pleasure to read. He's more famous for Forever and Snow In August.  Perhaps I should look for them. Reading keeps me off the street.

Takk for alt,

Al

Two images from my walk this morning, a sea of grass.

Unusual Sighting!

       Badgers leave their marks on my land. One spring there were seven sites on a hundred acre field where badgers had dug out pocket gophers. While the gophers are subterranean these leave multiple mounds above ground that are a real nuisance. Badgers are nocturnal, so while I see where they've dug for gophers, I've seldom seen them.

    Today I did see one running on the road just ahead of the truck. Judging from its size it was probably a young one. It ran down the road a ways on its stubby legs before plunging into the tall grass in the ditch. Unfortunately, there is a bounty on them. East of my land is a 480 acre pasture. The badger's den might be in that space.

    I also saw a killdeer chick. They're the cutest things. Little round, fuzz balls, on long legs. 

Takk for alt,

Al

PS I did see a badger on Crete last fall. We were driving from town to the farm after dark and it was on the road.

                                                 Badger

Killdeer chick.

June 6, 1964

      Sixty years ago on this day Joanne and I were married at First Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D. Pastor Marcus Gravdal presided, Joanne's father, the late Rev. Oscar C. Hanson, did the homily, Roger Hatlestad was the organist and the Augustana College Choir sang. The late Mary Hanson (Trodahl) was maid of honor and the late Jenine Peterson (Jordahl) and the late Maxine Amundson were Joanne's attendants. David Negstad was the best man and the groomsmen were the late Richard Negstad and David Halvorson.

    Joanne had resigned her faculty position at Agustana College to accept a position has a counselor at St. Louis Park, MN. Senior High School. Joanne had a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She lacked one course for certification by Minnesota as a high school counselor. That course was available in summer school at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. Our wedding was on Saturday and that summer course convened on Monday. Consequently there was not time for a honeymoon. Uber responsible Joanne never considered not being present for the beginning of classes.😀

    For 54 years we were blessed in our marriage. There are myriad things in our life together for which I'm grateful. Among those blessing was a wonderful celebration on our 50th anniversary. It's especially significant because Joanne did not live to see our 55th. A day such as this today is filled with fond memories and also the presence of absence.

    Recently a friend posted on Facebook a reflection regarding his gratitude for his wife.  He said when you choose a wife you also choose a mother for your children. Joanne's children, Lisa and Lars, have risen up to call her blessed.  God bless her memory.

Takk for alt,

Al

                                                                                 1964                                                  

                                                                             2014

1962 Con't...

        Yesterday's blog mentioned my USMC discharge, car purchase and trip to the Seattle World's Fair. Ed had a year left on his enlistment when we returned from Asia. For that year he was assigned to duty at the base in San Francisco; Treasure Island. That's where I met him for our trip to Seattle.

    Driving up the Coast Highway from San Francisco took us through the Redwood Forrest. Farther north we went inland until we reached Seattle. When we had completed our visit to the World's Fair we drove to Port Angeles, WA., out at the tip of Puget Sound. There my cousin Leslie Negstad, and his wife Esther, operated a Motel. Staying with them Leslie showed us the sights.

    He drove us up the Olympic Mountains and brought us into the rain forest.  Leslie was an avid fisherman and, when he farmed across the road from my boyhood farm, had introduced me to fishing.  Taking Ed and me to the Straits of Juan De Fuca, he rented a boat to which he attached his two and half horse Johnson outboard motor. With this tiny engine we were off to fish for salmon on the Straits. Never mind the ocean liners passing by.  Leslie landed and 18lb salmon and I a 5lb one. Easter cooked it for us.

    After our stay at Port Angeles Ed returned to Treasure Island. I, accompanied by Leslie's 16 year old son, Paul, drove to my home in South Dakota. Paul spent the summer with us. My brother, David, the farmer, had been activated with his National Guard unit and was stationed in Colorado. So I farmed for the summer until he was released from duty. In the fall I re-entered Augustana College to complete my degree.

Takk for alt

Al

                      It was a fun trip up the coast is this car.

Nesting Season

      Nesting season changes the dynamics of our life. Kaia is a hunter and given freedom to run she's always hunting. Consequently, it's not good for her to be loose in the grasslands while pheasants and ducks are nesting. That limits what we do for activity.  Several days lately we've walked in the cemetery. One loop of the path that circles inside the cemetery is a quarter of a mile. With the large fir trees surrounding the cemetery ground nesting birds avoid the area. The trees offer perching sites for hawks and the nesters know enough to avoid the area. So, it is a good place for Kaia to run.

   She did find a nester there recently. It was a moderately, large painted turtle that had left the slough near the cemetery to lay her eggs. Kaia was fascinated but I called her off and when we came around the circle agian she was gone.

   Bored of doing loops in the cemetery today I took Kaia to a pasture. The grass was grazed short last fall so it isn't a nesting site.  The pasture fence  has many cedar trees. With that in mind I carried a bow saw and cut cedars out of the fence while Kaia ran. That's a more productive activity than walking circles.

   The corn I planted was very slow to emerge, but it's up now.  Perhaps planting in cold ground when the weather's been cold slowed it's growth. The ground was covered with chopped stalks reflecting the sunlight. One day I plowed, the next I tilled and the following day I planted. Likely the soil was cold.

  On this day in 1962 I was honorably discharges from the United States Marine Corps. Discharged in San Diego, I purchased a car in Long Beach. Meeting Ed at Treasure Island, San Francisco, we drove to the World's Fair in Seattle. 

Takk for alt,

Al

The 1954 Austin Heally we drove to Seattle.

2

Prairie Ragwort growing in the pasture.

Bow saw

Dodged a bullet...

        Last night about 9:00 constant lightening was observable to the north of The Little House. It was far enough distant that a rumble of thunder was barely audible. The lightening was so steady that flashes were occurring simultaneously.  The map on my weather app showed it moving toward the north-east, so, away from Sinai. An un-official report this morning said that Willow Lake, about 40 miles northwest of here received four inches of rain in a few minutes. That would be very destructive. The reporter also said there was some wind damage at Lake Poinsett, about 30 miles to the north. Thus far rains here have been gentle.

Takk for alt

Al

Karma

       Caitlin Clark probably needs no introduction to you after all the hype about her basketball skills. Drafted first out of University of IA, she went to the Indiana Fever.  The Fever got first pick in the draft because of their dismal record last year. This means that Clark went to the weakest team in the league. The team still struggles having won only two games this year.  It's not Clark's fault. She has put up amazing statistics as a rookie but it takes a whole team to win.

     Yesterday I watched a replay of the recent Fever game with the Chicago Sky. Clark was double-teamed defensively and the three point shots she manage to get off weren't falling. In the third quarter play was stopped and the Fever had the ball out of bounds. The referee was about to hand the ball to the Fever player who was prepared to pass it to Clark in-bounds. Sky player, Chennedy Carter, approaching behind Clark, threw her shoulder into Clark and knocked her down. The Chicago coach should have benched Carter for this un-sportsmanship action, but perhaps, because Carter was a leading scorer for Chicago, chose winning over ethics. 

   It was ruled a flagrant foul and Clark was awarded a free throw, which she made. Play then resumed with the Fever having possession. I once heard my dad say "Be certain your sins will find you out." The game had frequent lead changes and at the end the Fever won by one point. It's not a stretch to think it was won by that free throw by Clark. Not only did the Fever win, Carter's action was called out in the paper's report of the game.

Takk for alt,

al

"What is so rare as a day in June?

       This is one of those rare days! The sun is out, the wind is moderate the temperature mild, it's perfect. It's also the day for which I've been waiting.  All of my tractors are open station, i.e., tractor-speak for no cab. That exposes the operator to the elements of weather. Heat is no issue for me but I don't like being cold nor do I look being wind buffeted. There was one machine that I wanted relocated so today was the day to get it done, and it is.

     The WNBA offers a season league pass for only $39.44. With this subscription I can live stream many WNBA games on my computer. Those that I can't live stream I can replay later. Consequently, my substitute for watching TV, other than reading, is watching basketball. An advantage of replay is that a game which typically lasts two hours replays in an hour by speeding through time-outs. quarter-breaks and half-time. It's also possible to replay situations to see more clearly what happened. This is a busy season for games before the league suspends for a month during the Olympics.  My favorite team, the Minnesota Lynx, are in third place with 5 wins and 3 losses

    Have a thought for Caitlin Clark, whose team, the Indian Fever, has only won two games, second to last place. 😞 

Takk for alt,

Al

Interesting Theology!

 

Answer to why I don't go to coffee question in comments:  I don't do circle time willingly.