Women's Basketball, World Cup, USA 55 Italy 52

      It was painful to watch. USA's shooting was badly off. Numerous missed layups. The score would not have been very close had USA made the eight free throws they missed. No USA player was shooting well. Italy's best player plays in the WNBA. She played for the Lynx until she was taken in last year's expansion draft. Now she plays for the Golden State Valkyries.

   USA beat China previously. The China team featured Han Zu, who is 6'11" and plays for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. Then there is Ziyu Zhang, 7'3", and 19 years old. You thought Chinese were short! Minnesota Lynx player, Napheesa Collier said she knew she couldn't drive to the basket against Ziyu Zhang.

Takk for alt,

Al

Ziyu Zhang

New Faces!

      For one reason or other inmates vacate their apartments in the OFH.  In my hall alone I can think of six, or more persons who've vacated an apartment. There's a waiting list for the building so as quickly as possible maintenance readies the apartment for the next occupant(s).  As regular absentee upon my return newer arrivals asks if I'm new here? "No" I say. "I was the last of the first residents, claiming the last apartment after the building opened." It's a good place and I'm happy to be here.

     When I return for a few days acquaintances remark on my presence. My rejoinder is, "This is my vacation home, so I'm here for a few days. If many others were not so fixated on their house they too could life this life of leisure.

Takk for alt,

Al

Remembering fondly the students I taught in Thailand (I'm the one wearing glasses.)

Rat does his inner work.

 

     This is one of those days lacking an original thought. So, this comic will be it for today, while I continue to live the good life in the OFH.

Takk for alt,

Al

Medical Appointments

     In the last years of her life Joanne often remarked, "It seems all I do is go to medical appointments." That's also a common refrain of inmates in the OFH. That's not my situation. Because my clinics and doctors are in this vicinity, I do reschedule routine appointment for the times I'm resident in the OFH. So, there was one today and another tomorrow. Barring anything unforeseen the next ones will be in January when I've come north for the winter.

   Blessed with good health, and yes, I'm grateful.

Takk for alt,

Al

 A couple of days ago I posted about Tom helping remove Russian Olives. This is a picture of him at work.

Could have been worse!

     My driver's license expires next month, and because it's a Minnesota license, I went for a renewal today. There was a bit of a wait until I was summed by a very friendly, kind clerk. It's been years since I needed my CDL (Commercial Driver's License) so chose not to renew it. Honestly, I've only kept it for bragging rights. It costs more than an ordinary license, so it was expensive bragging.

   There were a few surprises. One surprise is that I have a year to change my mind about relinquishing the CDL. I was also surprised to be asked about my veterans' status. The VA issued me an ID card and that was sufficient, but why the question? Then, too, there was no vision lest and that surprised me.

   Here's a couple of CDL stories. Several years ago, driving in a Mpls. suburb I was stopped for speeding. The police officer said, "You have a class A license; I don't want to give you a ticket." He gave me a warning. Last year in the Sinai Grain Elevator there was sign. "Wanted, part-time help with a CDL." It occurred to me that I could do that. The deal breaker was that they'd expect me to show up." 😉

Takk for alt.

Al

Old Adage

    The old adage, "What goes around comes around" never resonated with me. Perhaps that changed today. When I left the condo downtown to move to the OFH Joanne's cedar chest when to L's house. Now L is preparing to sell the house so, today, the cedar chest came to the storage unit in the OFH.

   Leaving the downtown condo, I'd downsized enough so there wasn't much in my storage unit. The cedar chest and a huge box with large, framed pictures of ancestors, fit easily. Among the heirlooms in the chest is Joanne's Norwegian bunad. Her mother's friend, Inger Marie, sewed it in the Gubransdal pattern.

Takk for alt,

Al

OFH

       Odie and I motored to the OFH this afternoon. This morning Tom helped me cut Russian Olives that are invading the grass. Being deciduous it's necessary to treat the stumps to prevent their growing back. Back in the early forties when there was a massive tree planting effort to restore the land after the dust bowl Russian Olives were one variety planted.

    The decision to plant them was made a by a person who knew neither cattle nor trees. Planted on the edge of a multi-row of trees they were intended to fence cattle out of the planting. It takes much more than a row of trees to deter cattle. Planting them also assume that none would die thus making an uninterrupted barrier. There always some die off and even if there wasn't they wouldn't repel a determined cow. 

   Like Cedars they have berries eaten by birds. Again, like cedars, birds defecate the seeds far and wide, so the trees invade grasslands. 

Takk for alt,

Al

The Russian olive tree is a fast-growing, thorny, and silvery-leaved tree native to Asia and Eastern Europe, valued for its ornamental flowers and fruit but considered invasive in many regions.

Rooster Crowing!

       Now that I think about it, I haven't heard the rooster crowing across the street from the Little House for a few days. Hearing it brought back memories of Thailand. For ten or twelve years I lived with the same Thai family while I taught English in a local elementary school. For the first several years I slept on a floor mat. About the time I was thinking that I was getting too old to sleep on the floor they bought me a bed. It wasn't much softer than the floor mat but at least I was off the floor. It was in a tiny room upstairs that had just enough room for the bed and a fan. No air conditioning in that tropical climate but there were windows I could open.

   Possessing a good internal clock I've not used an alarm for many years. The house was toward the end of a quiet street so there was no vehicle noise. On occasion the Buddhist temple, a few blocks away, would broadcast a chanting monk. They had a metal gong, that when struck, sounded like a gunshot. Nighttime quiet was sometimes broken by dogs barking or dog fights. In the mornings I knew it was time to arise when roosters crowed and the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast from the local mosque at 6:00 am.

  The local rooster primed these memories.

Takk for alt,

Al

"My" house in Thailand.

This and that...

      Some welcome rain fell last night. The town fain gauge showed .85". Three miles away the rain gauge at the pasture recorded .6" Reports suggest that Brookings, 15 miles away received over 2", I'm jealous. It's very dry and crop yields will likely suffer.

    Beanfields are turning yellow before they drop their leaves. Some corn fields are showing brown while others are totally green. Pasture grass is short and some cattlemen are offering hay to cattle on pasture. Diesel fuel is over $5 a gallon so farmers fuel cost for harvest will be very high.

   Odie doesn't like thunder. He hears it long before I, which is no surprise given my hearing impairment. The sound of thunder interrupts his desire to play. When I go to the bathroom in the night, he grabs a toy hoping to play. He doesn't understand that he's eight. He almost caught a neighbor's Guinea Hen in our yard.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

"Inner Work"

       Working to prepare candidates for pastoral ministry I emphasized the importance of doing one's "inner work."  Without that preparation pastors are likely to be triggered to emotional reactions rather than wise responses. So, what is "inner work?"

" Core Concepts of Inner Work

Self-Exploration: Uncovering the root causes of intense emotional triggers rather than just reacting to external circumstances.
Shadow and Inner Child Work: Engaging with disowned or unconscious parts of the psyche to heal past hurts and recover lost vulnerabilities or strengths.
Mind-Body Integration: Moving from automatic, habitual reactions to thoughtful, conscious responses." Internet
Why is this important?  Perhaps a pastor has an emotional response to a member of the church council. If he/she has done inner work, he/she is perhaps able to trace the response to a difficult sibling. Then rational response rather than emotional reaction is possible.
So why do I bring this up now? It's triggered by a short video clip on the internet. Olivia Miles is a rookie (first year player) on the WNBA Lynx. She's having a phenomenal season. She'll almost certainly to selected "Rookie of the Year". There's also conversation that she may be chosen WNBA Most Valuable Player.
When she was asked in the video why she's so confident she replied. In college I had a significant knee injury. During rehabilitation I did my inner work. I let go of caring what others think, etc.
Never before have I heard of an athlete crediting inner work. To see the actual interview go to my Facebook page where I've reposted the video.
Takk for alt,
Al
PS The Monday edition of The Wall Street Journal had a third of a page article about Miles.

Time for some poetry!

 David Whyte (b.1955)

Fire in the Earth

And we know, when Moses was told,
in the way he was told,
“Take off your shoes!” He grew pale from that simple

reminder of fire in the dusty earth.
He never recovered
his complicated way of loving again

and was free to love in the same way
he felt the fire licking at his heels loved him.
As if the lion earth could roar

and take him in one movement.
Every step he took
from there was carefully placed.

Everything he said mattered as if he knew
the constant witness of the ground
and remembered his own face in the dust

the moment before revelation.
Since then thousands have felt
the same immobile tongue with which he tried to speak.

Like the moment you too saw, for the first time,
your own house turned to ashes.
Everything consumed so the road could open again.

Your entire presence in your eyes
and the world turning slowly
into a single branch of flame.

David Whyte (b.1955) is an Anglo-Irish poet who moved to the United States in 1981 and works for a deeper incorporation of poetry into American life. This poem is from River Flow: New & Selected Poems Revised Edition (Many Rivers Press, 2012). 

All's well with Al and Odie!

Takk for alt,

Al

Late summer 1959.

       At my age memory stretches back a long time. In late summer 1959, enlistment in the Marines was looming. Enlisting in the spring for a September 19, report date, gave me enough time to wonder what I was in for. My life to that point was as provincial as provincial could be. Minneapolis/St. Paul was as far from my South Dakota home as I had been.

    On the day I left for Boot Camp, Dad took me to Arlington to catch a bus to Omaha. Meeting several other recruits, we were taken to taken to the airport. Boarding DC-6, for the flight to San Diego we had our last freedom until after graduating from Boot Camp. Enjoying my first airplane ride was tempered by wondering what awaited at the end of the flight.

   In the San Diego airport, we were met by a Marine Seargent who quickly demonstrated that the honeymoon was over. At Marine Corp Recruit Depot, we were formed into platoons and housed in Quonset Hut barracks that would be our home for the next twelve weeks.

  At the recent family reunion, I was asked why I chose the Marines. The military draft was active in 1959. Wanting to take a break from college the draft would have come for me. Army, Air Force and Navy were also options. The Marines had a provision that recruits with two years of college could enlist for three years instead of the standard four years. Navy and Air Force were both for four years. The Army was two years but didn't appeal. The challenge of the Marines appealed foe I enlisted for three, and the rest is history.

Takk for alt,

Al

The Marines were not all 'spit and polish' but there was also some of that.  Okinawa 1962

Four Followers?

       Perhaps the number of blog followers has doubled.  At the recent reunion at least two persons said they were going to follow my blog, thus doubling from you two faithful followers to four. WOW! So, this post will attempt to bring them up to speed on the need to cut cedars.

    Much of my hobby farm is planted to native grasses. Near these fields are rows of cedar trees planted for the benefit of wildlife. They have several advantages for this. Deer do not like to graze on them as they do on other coniferous trees. Their bushy growth provides winter windbreaks to shelter pheasants and deer. Pheasants often roost is them at night safe from predators such as fox and coyotes. Their berries provide nesting habitat and food for songbirds.  

    It's that later reality, food for songbirds, that prove to old adage that "no good deed goes on unpunished."  Birds consuming the berries defecate the seeds over the grassland and many cedars take root. If they are not removed the result is compromise of the grassland. Cedars growing randomly in the grass destroys the integrity of the grass for ground nesting birds such as pheasants. Prior to white settlement cedars were controlled by bison, who will not tolerate them, and prairie fires. With the bison removed and fires suppressed cedars are now a major problem on western grasslands. 

   Today, Odie and I, walked a section of grass near rows of cedars. This grass was cut for hay in July. When cedar seedlings were found I cut them off below the bottom branch. Coniferous trees cut that way do not grow back. Deciduous trees, on the other hand, will simply resprout.  

Takk for alt,

Al

Some of my grass.

Success!

       The Bergh Family Reunion came to a successful conclusion this morning.  Joy Ranch, the retreat center with a western theme, about 20 miles NW of Watertown SD, is an ideal setting. The family members attending chose between two alternatives. Some, such as I, arrived Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday morning. Others, living in some closer proximity, spent Saturday at the Ranch.

    Odie spent the time at doggy camp, aka., Canine Country Club Kennel in Brookings. Apparently, it was a good experience for him. While he greeted me warmly when I recovered him, he wasn't wildly enthusiastic. The kennel staff reported that he did well with the other dogs. 

Takk for alt,

Al

One of the Ranch staff took this picture of those of us who remained until Sunday. She did a good job of ascertaining every person can be seen. 

Joy Ranch

       The bi-annual Bergh, my mother's maiden name. reunion is on at Joy Ranch 25 miles northwest of Watertown, SD. There must be almost 100 persons here. A contingent came from Seattle, a couple form FL., a couple from MI, many from Minnesota and south Dakota

    There are five surviving grandchildren of my Bergh grandparents, four of whom are here. I'm the youngest of the five. Four generations are represented. There's no drama and all happily relate to each other. Perhaps the harmony in enhanced by it being alcohol free. Joy Ranch is a great retreat center and has been the site of the last several reunions. Joanne and I sponsored the first one, perhaps thirty years ago and they've been held every two years since.

Takk for alt,

Al

This plaque is in my bedroom ar Joy Ranch.

Book Report

      

   Thanks to Peter and Sandy giving it to me, I read a book I would never have found. It was delightful, thanks! NORDIC TALES; FOLKTALES FROM, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, illustrated by Ulla Thynell is organized by Chronical Books. Interestingly no editor is credited.

   None of the tales were familiar to me. They are delightful reading and have similarities from country to country. Magic is common to them all. Trolls appear but are not as ubiquitous as I expected. Likely some of these stories were known to my grandparents, all of whom grew up in Norway. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Tree Picture!

       The tree picture below was taken at the very southern tip of South America. It was on Terri del Fuego, Argentina. L had been in the northernmost city of the world, Hammerfest, Norway, so in Argentina he wanted to visit the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia. From there we travelled south to the southern tip where the tree picture was taken. Obviously, there was prevailing wind to shape the tree, and it was blowing while we were there.

   We began our trip in Buenos Airies. From there we bused through Patagonia to El Calafate. After hiking a bit in the Andes, we continued by bus through Patagonia to Ushuaia. Only once on the trip, when I aksed the same question once too often did L say, "Welcome to elder hostel."

Takk for alt,

Al

We also visited a penguin colony is southern Argentia.

The Gift Of Rain!

      After breakfast. as I was reading the paper online, it darkened outside.  A rain shower moved in and blessed us with the gift of rain. We've had a couple of light showers, .2" or so. This was a bit more serious than that. My gauge, and the one downtown, both showed .7". That's not enough but certainly enough to do some good. It was gentle and very welcome.

   Perhaps it's time to do a reveal. No, baby is due, but a reveal of the picture below. MKV took it in, of all places, Iceland. When I saw it, I thought it so untypical of Iceland that no one would guess it, and no one did. Though I've not been to Iceland it certainly doesn't fit my image.   

    Now, does anyone want to guess where that windblown tree pictured a few days ago was taken?  No, not in South Dakota.

Takk for alt,

Al 

Perhaps If there had been sheep in the picture it would of been a helpful clue. MKV said she took the picture out her hotel window in,,,,,,,,,,,,,ICELAND!  😀

Neighbor to Neighbor

       Driving down a neighbor's field road to access my pasture to search for pocket gophers, I drove by his pasture. When his cattle saw me, they quickly moved to their empty water tank. When I returned, they were still there. There was large container of water on a trailer by the empty tank. Thinking to save the farmer the three-mile trip from his home, and relieve the thirsty cattle, I filled their tank from the container on the trailer.

   A couple of years ago the cattle in that pasture drank from a large slough. When that dried up the farmer dug a deep dugout to provide drinking water. Now that dugout is dry, so he needs to haul water to them.

   When the cattle had drunk and the tank was filled again, I texted the farmer to explain what I'd done, to save him a needless trip. His cattle were in my pasture until early July. The two pastures are only a couple of hundred yards apart. There's sufficient water in my pasture because there's large dam across a waterway.  To save him the necessity of hauling water I suggested he move the cattle back to my land. He's thinking about the offer.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS Also on my mind as I saw the cattle's thirst was the experience of another neighbor, whose pasture is separated by a fence from my land. He, too, hauls water to his cattle. Neglecting to keep them supplied, the cattle broke out of the fence unto my land looking for water. They did not cause as much of a problem as did his hired men driving trucks and four-wheelers through my grass to round up the cattle.

This is similar to the tank from which the cattle drank.

My Bad!

       The other reader pointed out that I didn't blog last night.  Sorry! I'm OK.

Takk for alt,

al

Alone again!

        Well not really because wonder dog, Odie, is here. Unusual as it is for me to have company I just hosted for a week. We laughed a lot, ate well (out), she tolerated my critique of her driving and generally enjoyed ourselves. Two creaky old folks who grew up together and still like each other in our dotage

    It's times like these that Odie's company keeps me from being lonely. Comfortable being alone Odie is a great companion. He proves himself anew every day.

Takk for alt,

Al

Still no winner on the photo contest.

Random photo of Santorini below, which I like.

 

Facebook Follies!

      For many days, weeks? I was locked out of Facebook.  It caused me to think "perhaps I should just live without it." The downside of that it is my connection to friends far and wide. It's my only connection to the teachers in the Thai school where I taught for many years. It's also the conduit to friends in Norway and other countries. Not to mention friends in America.

  Finally, I decided to open another Facebook account to try to maintain that connection. So, what happened? Suddenly I had access to my original account. It's good to have the connection restored.

Takk for alt,

Al

No one has yet guessed the location of the photo poster earlier, so give it a try.

A tree shaped by South Dakota wind.😁

Brief

      

As guests at a lovely dinner, it's now late so this is a brief post to let you know that I am well. More later.

Takk for alt,

Al

Still no winners on the photo contest.

Seaborn Memories!

      A friend, in conversation today, recounted the odd sensation of land after being on a cruise ship. Land seems to rock for a while.  How well I remember that sensation. While in the Marines I spent months aboard ship. The first exposure was the 28 days it took us to go from San Diego to Okinawa on a liberty ship. The trip from Okinawa to Japan didn't take very long but the sea was rough, but calm on the return trip. 

     Our battalion spent weeks aboard ship as the "Ready Battalion" in the Western Pacific. Were any military emergency to happen we could quickly deploy. We mostly floated around the South China Sea. There was a stop in Hong Kong for a few days. In the Philippines there was time ashore for jungle training. Our station was at Subic Bay. 

   The USS Princton LPH 5, (LPH=Landing Pad Helicopter) was the ship (pictured below). It was a WW II, aircraft carrier, the first Princeton was sunk in the war, converted to carry helicopters. Because of its size its ride was relatively smooth, although the South Pacific was usually calm. It was the ship that took us home from Okinawa to Long Beach, in two weeks...much faster than the liberty ship going over.  the USS Pickaway which transported us to Okinawa travelled at 13 knots, imagine 13 knots for 8000 miles.

   Every time we disembarked the ground rocked under our feet.

Takk for alt,

Al

3 guesses so far, 2 ND, 1 NB, none correct.

 This is a picture of the Princeton which I took from a helicopter. It's in the Philippine Sea. 

Book Report

         This novel is different from any other that I've read. What makes it different is that it's about a dog, told by that dog. ETNA, Paul Yoon, is the name of the dog and the book. He's taken from an animal sanctuary while young to be trained to aid soldiers in combat. Because of his abilities he's attached to a sapper unit for combat in an un-named war in an un-identified country. Surviving, as the war ends, he runs away to search for the home where he was born.

     The essence of the book is his journey looking for his birthplace and all the adventures which ensue. It's all told in his voice and there are persons in his life who understand and can converse with him. He also converses with other dogs and animals.

    If the reader accepts the premise that he can converse the book is fascinating. Published this year, it's only 195 pages long, and reads quickly because there is much white space on the pages. M. lent it to me and I'm glad to have read it.  Thanks M.!

Takk for alt,

Al

No guesses yet on yesterday's picture so I'm not telling.

Photo Quiz...

      This day, lacking an original thought, I'll post a little photo quiz for entertainment.  Any person surmising the correct answer, and communicating it to me, excepting the photographer, will be entitled to an exotic coffee of their choice. Simply tell where the photo was taken to be eligible for the prize.

Where do think this photo was taken? Submit your answer.

Next Step!

      Terry, Odie's previous owner, advised that I keep Odie leashed for three weeks. Purchased dogs think they've been kidnapped and let loose too early they may head for their previous home. All indications are that Odie and I are bonded. Today was the day to test that assumption.

    In the field that's been recently hayed, I turned Odie lose as I cut cedars. Sniffing up a storm he had a delightful time while he stayed in my proximity. Previous dogs have ranged at a distance. Kaia would run actively a distance away but, almost always, keeping me in sight. As long as I walked, she ran, when I stopped, she'd come to me.  Odie just actively explored nearby. His previous home must be a distant memory to him.

  "Things happen," redux...the windshield was replaced today. I'd forgotten what it's like to have a perfectly clean one, which lasted about three miles.

Takk for alt,

Al

Where am I?

        The easiest answer to that question is, "I'm here."  Where's here?  The Little House on the Prairie."  Odie and I motored out this afternoon. In a crate in the back with his favorite blanket and his new favorite toy, he's totally silent. Now he's exploring the guest room which is new space for him, The very dog friendly guest will be here soon, Odie's in for a treat.

Takk for alt,

Al

Odie on his favorite blanket holding his favorite toy.

"My" basketball team!

     I've been following the Lynx of the WNBA for many years. A few days ago, in a lackluster performance, the Lynx the #1, team lost to the L.A. Sparks, #9. The coach, a member of the Hall of Fame, wasn't happy. Apparently, the team took their chastisement to heart. Today they played the #3 team, the Las Vegas Aces. The outcome? Lynx won 98-87, in a nationally televised game. A busy social schedule prevented me from watching so, in my leisure, I'll watch the replay. The Lynx record is 26-7, and they've now clinched a spot in the playoffs. The next best team, Golden State is 22-9.

    Odie has a new fan club in the OFH. As an expression of their esteem, they presented him with a toy squirrel, which quickly became his favorite. Just now he figured out it's a squirrel and is nose to nose challenging the squirrel to move.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

Odie and his squirrel.

Benefits!

     Every week the free, ag focused, Farm Forum, known as "The Green Sheet," because the front page is green, is delivered to the OFH. Returning to the OFH the number of accumulated Green Sheets tells me how many weeks I've been absent. There were four waiting for me this time.

  In addition to the large advertising section there's also a news and information section in the Forum. Looking at the July 10, issue I discovered this article: The 'pet effect' and how animal may boost your heath. There were two headlines introducing columns: Improved Physical Health, and Improved Mental Health. Often, in reference to Kaia, and now Odie, Id' remark, "She/he keeps me from being a slug." This is true because of their need for exercise, and in the OFH, going outside to go potty, thus improved physical health.

   How does a pet improve mental health?  A pet is always present no matter what kind of day one has had. They also cause the owner to live in the present moment. They reduce loneliness. After Kaia died, I was lonely in The Little House for the first time. Pets can improve one's mood, Kaia and Odie certainly have for me. Caring for a pet creates healthy routines. Arising at 6:00 every morning, as I have for over 50 years, has been reinforced by the need of the current dog to get outside after a night indoors. For forty+ years I ran with the dog, or dogs, after the 6am arising. Now it's the time for a walk. Neurological studies have found that walking has significant health benefits.

   "A 2022 study published on the NLM found having a pet is associated with better cognitive and brain health in adults, especially dog owners. Some of these benefits include:

    >Better story memory

   >Better processing speed

   >Younger 'brain age'

....Pets teach us many valuable lessons--to love unconditionally, live in the now, and find joy in the little things."

   It's nice to have the benefits enumerated. The one's I was acutely aware of were the loneliness, and the stimulus for physical activity.

Takk for alt,

Al

With thanks to Thor, Bjorn, Kai, Gunnar, Kjell, Trygve, Kaia and Odie, 1976-2026.

Guess where we are?

       Yes, you guessed correctly...we're here! 😀 Where's here you ask? Why, it's the OFH.  Odie's being introduced to the OFH. There's a huge difference between how he entered The Little House and how he entered this apartment. Now, an hour after we entered, he's happily playing with his toy. At the House he was very timidly exploring. Why the difference?  My guess is that he now trusts me; we've bonded. 

      He was reluctant to enter the elevator. Not surprising because it was his first ride. Comfort will come with experience. Because he's reluctant to approach other persons that will make him a good OFH dog. When we return to the prairie, I will gradually let him off leash in controlled situations.

    Let the good times roll!

Takk for alt,

Al

Overheard!

       It was a very small waiting area. There were four chairs, two on each side with just room for a person to walk between. There were three of us. The other two were an elderly mother for whom her daughter was filling out a lengthy form. The daughter's tee shirt proclaimed, GRACELAND MEMPHIS TENNESSE.

    Up wheels an electric wheelchair carrying a woman, perhaps seventy. Addressing the women in the Graceland tee shirt she speaks, "I loved Elvis, I really love Elvis, I so loved Elvis, but you know he isn't dead. The deep state wants you to think so. It wasn't John Kennedy who was shot in Dallas, it was a mannequin. Michael Jackson isn't dead either. I learn a lot from listening to Robert Kennedy, Jr. I learned this from TV. Now write this down, write this down where you can learn all this." The women feints writing it down. With a few more bizarre assertions wheelchair woman finally departs after about ten minutes of monologue. 'Graceland' wrote nothing done and laughs when I say, "Maybe you should be careful where you wear that shirt."

    Wheelchair woman totally ignored me. If she would have addressed me, I was prepared to quote Abraham Lincoln, "Don't believe everything you see on TV." 

Takk for alt,

Al

Some of the grass has been hayed so now I can return to my favorite hobbies, picking rocks and cutting ceders. Odie will have space to run.

A tale (tail?) of two dogs!

     Kaia loved the truck. Open the door and she's bound from the ground to the seat. While the truck rolled, she wriggled and moved with excitement splashing everything with dog slobber. A hand placed on her would calm her a little.

   Then there's Odie. Prior to his coming to me all of his rides had been in a crate in the back of a truck. During his first ride on a truck seat, he was obviously mystified. Mostly he lay anxiously with an occasional peek out the window. Entering required my help. With his front paws on the door sill, I'd boost him up to the seat. After a few rides he evidenced his comfort on the ride settling down to lie contentedly. Today, after completing our daily walk, when I opened the door of the truck he jumped to the floor and up unto the seat.  His face said, "I can do this". From that perch he looked proudly at me as I entered.

Takk for alt,

Al

Rest in peace, good and faithful dog, Kaia.

Things Happen, department.

        A few weeks ago, driving US 14, from the OFH to The Little House, a rock from a gravel truck struck my windshield. It caused a little chip in the lower lefthand corner. That morphed into a crack which eventually became a foot long. Collecting on insurance took some twists and turns, "take four pictures..." the difficulty of which was a weak cell phone connection. Finally, I was directed to the auto body shop of my choice in Brookings. Then a wait ensued while the proper windshield was delivered. Today was to be installation day, 'was' is the operative word here.

     Delivering the car at the appointed 8:00 am hour, I was given keys to a loaner car. Heading for Chicago in the rental car...or Sinai which ever was closer, I settled in to wait for an "all done" call, predicted for mid-afternoon. Windshield replacements now have to be 'calibrated.'  At noon the body shop called to report that the replacement window was defective, thus couldn't be used. Returning from Chicago, or Sinai, a new appointment was scheduled for next Monday...8:00 am of course. This then falls into the category of, THINGS HAPPEN!

   So why suggest heading for Chicago?  While living in Golden Valley, MN., I habited a small, locally owned car repair shop near my work. They had one older car they used as a loaner. Once a customer was given the keys to this loaner. When they called him to report that his car was ready for pick up he replied, "It will take me a little while to get there because I'm in Chicago." This is true and Chicago was 500+ miles away. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Today's random picture is of Joanne with her late sister, Mary, and brother, Mark, at the time of our 50th wedding anniversary.

 

Life In Sinai!

         Odie and I were headed for some exercise. Upon opening the door of the truck, I saw something on the seat. It was a loaf of zucchini bread, fresh from the oven, and a jar of peach/rhubarb jam. Knowing the likely suspect, the rhubarb came from the large rhubarb patch in the backyard of The Little House. She's been given unlimited access to it. She's also the town's quintessential good neighbor. Many other town occupants are frequent recipients of her largess. It adds sweetness to residing here.

    Joanne frequently distributed from her baking to neighbors in each place we lived. New residents in her proximity were treated to a care package from her containing something she'd baked. She certainly lived generously.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

Sunset over the Aegean Sea.

Now what?

         Recent posts have been all about Odie.  Yes, I'm besotted.  Now what? More about Odie, or move on to a new topic? Well...let's stay with Odie. He was sort of leash trained when he came to me. Previous owner, Terry, warned me not to let him off leash too early. He said that Odie might think he'd been kidnapped and head for his old home. That means that our daily walks have been on a short leash.

     Because he wasn't well leashed trained, our walks have been leash training. He's responding so well that when I walked to the truck with him on a retractable leash he stayed right by my side. It won't be long until he can run freely in the field.

   One of these days I'll think of a new topic.

Takk for alt,

Al

In repose near a toy.

Flying Colors!

        Today was the day for Odin, aka Odie, to meet a new vet. He's a very solid 36lbs. The vet poked, prodded, manipulated, looked and injected. Odie disliked the nose vaccine the most. He didn't even flinch for the injections. The vet reports no arthritis, heart and lungs sound good, good teeth with one chip, and perfect ears. Ears are amazing because Spaniels are prone to ear problems. Their floppy ears trap moisture which can lead to problems.  The vet's summary: "He's obviously been well cared for and he's an excellent dog."  Think I'll keep him. Proud papa.

Takk for alt,

Al

Today's quote: “Monsters exist, but they are too few in numbers to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are [those] ready to believe and act without asking questions.” Primo Levi, Holocaust Survivor 

Odie at rest after what, seems to me, endless games of fetch.

The Other Reader Asked!

       The other reader asked a very good question. The question was about Odie. "Why was an 8-year-old dog for sale?"  There was so much dog conversation at the kennel that I'm not absolutely sure what I'm about write is correct, but I think it is.

     Odie was sold to a person who had a medical crisis and couldn't care for him. It's the custom of reputable kennels to re-claim the dog in such circumstances, so back he went. Terry, the owner of the kennel provided guide service for pheasant hunters and Odie accompanied the hunts. Now Terry no longer offers guide service, so Odie had no role to play. Consequently, I was the lucky buyer.

    Odie is my eighth Spring Spaniel.  They arrived a variety of ages from puppy to Odie at eight. He's the only one whose been very playful at older middle age. Almost every waking moment he's carrying something hoping to play. Usually, he carries a chew toy, but if he's ignored, he'll take a slipper, book, etc. until he gets attention.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS Whooo hooo it's raining!

Odie chew toy in mouth, "let's play"!

"A man and his dog...."

    "Read A Man and His Dog by Katherine Mansfield. Full text of this classic short story, free to read online at American Literature."  Have either of you read this story?  I haven't but I'm living it. Odie and I do some circumambulating the cemetery every morning. This, largely black, dog gets hot very quickly, so we don't stay too long. Frequent bouts of fetch in the air-conditioned house supplement his daily exercise regime. 

    It's a steep learning curve for an older dog. Out of a kennel into a strange home, a new owner, and today he had his first ride on the seat of a truck. His response seemed, "this is different, but I could get used to it." Possible anthropomorphizing here. Chickens across the street tempting him. Lots of new experiences but he's a happy boy.

   This hot weather keeps us inside more. But he's not ready to be off leash in the field yet. He may think he's been kidnapped and head for his former home. The time will come that he can run freely while I attend to duties in the field.

Takk for alt,

Al

After playing fetch.

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First full day...

       Last night Odie slept contently, with his blanket of course, in a kennel in my bedroom. Upon arising I opened the kennel door and he sped out ready to play. He'll play endlessly. When play time is over he'll rotate four times, lie down and fall asleep. He certainly loves attention which will help with any necessary training.  Odie is a very happy boy. The bathroom still spooks him a little but he owns the rest of the house, small as it is.  He's fascinated by the chickens across the street, the rooster of which reminds me of  Thailand when he crows. Not having a clock in my bedroom the roosters and the Muslim call to prayer at 6:00 am, were my signals to get up in Ayutthaya.

Takk for alt,

Al

PS I solved the blog site problem by switching browsers.

When I'd go to my recliner Kaia would want to play fetch once, Odie 30 times.

My site has gone wacky and until I can solve iit I will be unable to blog.

Coincidence!

       Because it was less than 100 degrees today I decided to take a drive to Lake Andes, South Dakota, 170 miles away by the Missouri River. 

     This sweet little dog followed me home.  Can I keep him? He's an eight year old French, Springer Spaniel, who was looking for a new home.  He's quite small, I'd guess about 30-35 lbs. At the vet he'll be weighed. Now here's the sign that I should keep him. 

     When L and I discussed possible names for a potential new dog we decided on "Odin." It also occurred that very likely Odin would be nicknamed "Odie". The name of this dog who followed me home is "Odie." Wouldn't you consider that a sign?

   He's very attached to his blanket which came with him. He's fond of carrying it around. It will accompany him in his crate at bedtime.

Takk for alt,

Al

Family Time!

       L always like so see the extended family when she's here. So we gathered, at the place of my choosing because it's relatively quiet, last night. With the temperature in the 90s no one elected eat outside on the nice patio. Because three were missing, two in the Cities with their children, and the youngest one at work, we were eight diners. There were six r.s.v.ps when making the reservation so I requested a round table. But they seated all eight of us at a round table. Typically they don't do that thinking it's too small for eight.

    The table accommodated us fine. It was a gift because it facilitated conversation. With the proximity it offered each person could converse with any other person. When there was group conversation all could be involved.  Consequently, a very lively and helpful conversation ensued. A good time was had by all and that includes Al,

Takk for alt,

Al

Our venue last night.

Cool Cribbage!

       The joys of A/C.  A survey of the big bluestem was conducted from the cab of the air conditioned truck. It is beautiful and helps one to imagine when the entire country hereabouts was covered with this marvelous grass.

      Then there was the sight of four acres of Bee Balm, aka. Wild Bergamot. There are number of other flowers interspersed, such as Black-eyed Susan. It's a pretty thing to behold, again from the cab of an air conditioned truck. There should be many, many happy insects. As a perennial with a rhizome root structure subsequent years should be even better.

    With the temperature at 98 and the dew point 79, it feels just like Thailand, but a long walk was forgone. 

Takk for alt,

Al

  This is the stand of bluestem that grew after the field was burned in May.

Brief..

      Yesterday in preparation for company I cleaned in the truck, notice "in". The truck may not be clean but it's cleaner. Now it's time to clean "in" The Little House for company.  Consequently this will be a brief post. I'm still upright, which is a good thing.

Takk for alt,

Al

The Little House with Kaia.

Cleaning Memory!

         In my boyhood Uncle Henry and Aunt Inga lived across the road. Inga was a fastidious housekeeper. Apparently that was not her self image. Frequently she'd remark that she cleaned house "and I had to scoop out the dirt." None of us could imagine any dirt in her house.

       This came to mind when I scooped out the dirt from the truck. With distaff company coming it was time to do some cleaning. Kaia always rode in the passenger seat. You can imagine what she left on seat, dash and windows. Perhaps I should have left a corner so there would be a 'before and after'. It can't be said that it really sparkles but by contrast....

     Once I did some dusting but it all came back, so, no more of that.

Takk for alt,

Al

The late Kaia, wonder dog!

Basketball

      The Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, my team, are leading the league at 22-6. Until today there were without their superstar. Napheesa Collier, had surgery on both ankles in the offseason. The team has thrived because of a rookie point guard, Oliva Miles and the play of two veterans, Natasha Howard and Kayla McBride.

    Today Phee (Collier) returned to play for the first time. She had 24 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of play. The Lynx beat Los Angeles Sparks by 10 points.

   It's now mid-point of the season. The All Star game is in Chicago on July 25. The Lynx have two starters, Olivia Miles and Natisha Howard and, Courtney Young is also participating. Last year Phee was the most valuable player of the event.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

Napheesa Collier

Eerie!

            Living alone now has created an experience best described as 'eerie'. When completing a task what comes next feels strange,  like, "now, what do I do?"  It's hard to explain. The best I can make of it is, with Kaia present I often went from doing a thing alone to doing something with her. It's an empty house with just one old guy rattling around in it.

         In the field this morning I saw several monarchs. There were many milkweeds in the area. During WW II, our entire country school, about twelve students, were excused to pick milkweed pods. We were taken to the teacher's farm a couple of miles away. There was some low ground of several acres that was solid milkweed. The teacher's father had a team of horses hooked to an empty wagon. It didn't take long to fill the wagon with pods. They were used to fill flotation devices on ships. How they got from the farm to the packing areas I never thought about. Likely they were shipped by train. "Better than school" was my main  impression.

Takk for alt,

Al

Milkweed pickers at a later date.