IT IS WHERE MY INTERESTS ARE NOW

 SPOTTED THESE TWO TURKEY VULTURES DRYING THEIR WINGS IN THE EARLY MORNING SUN AFTER A GENTLE OVERNIGHT RAIN

With Sunday being the Summer Solstice, and the longest day of the year, I had hoped skies would remain clear for me to slip out last night (Sunday) and enjoy the evening sunset and later see what celestial delights I could find in the night sky.  Alas, it wasn't to be as a solid cloud cover rolled in late afternoon, and that was it for that idea!!

 FARMERS ARE BEGINNING TO CUT HAY

SPRING'S CORN CROP IS ALREADY UP ABOUT TWO FEET

Fully expecting a rainy day today, I was again surprised by sunshine.  I like surprises like that.  Aside from my morning walk, spraying some weeds, and chatting with my chipmunk pals, my day was very low-key.  And by golly, I think I am kinda getting to like these kinds of days because I again sat quietly on my front porch reading with soft ambient music coming from my iPhone on a table beside me.  An afternoon coffee added to my enjoyment.  Seeing me slip a few peanuts to my Chipmunk pals, a Blue Jay glided down from one of the tall front yard trees and landed with a shrill squawk on a porch railing a short distance from me.  The boisterous squack startled me from my reading, but I knew right away what that squack was all about and tossed the blue-suited handsome chap a peanut.  And, with that, off he went back up into the trees with his treasure.  I have lived here now for twenty-three and a half years, and I must say that I have not enjoyed my front porch more than I have these past couple of days.  There has been just something so peaceful in the air as I sit here with my music, re-reading my book, Anne of Green Gables.  A westerly breeze whispers through the tall pine trees, rustling early summer's sunlit leaves in an old Sunburst Locust tree.  And in these front yard trees are the sounds of the many birds who call my front yard home.  Sitting here with what's left of my memories, I truly realize how fortunate I really am. Then, to add to my bliss, from out of the iPhone comes a favorite piece of feeling-good music of mine called Mountain Ride by Ariel.  Sometimes it seems things just can't get any better.     

 ENJOYING MY RELAXING PEACEFUL TIME ON THE FRONT PORCH

 IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR MY CHIPMUNK PALS TO FIND ME

 'PLEASE, SIR, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER PEANUT'

'I KNOW YOU HAS MORE PEANUTS MISTER SO DON'T TRY TO TRICK ME'

THE BLUE JAY LANDED ON THAT PORCH RAILING

 I THINK BETWEEN THE CHIPMUNKS, SQUIRRELS, AND BLUE JAYS, THEY ARE ALL CALLING ME MR. PEANUT HEAD

A few weeks ago, our good neighbor Andrew installed via Apple Box the YouTube channel on my TV, and I have been getting into the habit of watching things I have a particular interest in.  As it goes, I am not much of a TV watcher anymore, what with all the wretchedly poor programming, so with YouTube I've been able to narrow my preferred interests down to not only watching, but educating myself in things that I feel are interesting and current.  Of course, I have been interested in the whole UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) UFO (Unidentified Flying Objects) for quite some time now and have read many books on the subject.  It was my interest and reading in this area that naturally led me directly into the subject of NDE's (Near Death Experiences) I believe the two subjects are somehow definitely related.  So, the YouTubes I am watching now at the end of the day are people's believable stories of their near-death experiences.  Years ago, my interests, like many people, were on a whole host of other things, but now at this age and stage, and having been treated for prostate cancer a few years ago, this subject for me is front and center.  I had an experience forty-six years ago (not an NDE) that, for me, lends credibility to what all these countless thousands of people around the world are talking about.  It's a fascinating subject, and it is where my interests are now.  I am definitely enjoying my new-to-me YouTube channel:))    

 A NICELY KEPT FLOWER GARDEN IN OUR PARK

Al's Music Box:: Our Day Will Come by Ruby And The Romantics.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man in Topeka, Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and worked east from there. Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall of one church and was intrigued by a sign that read: "$10,000 a minute." Seeking out the Pastor, he asked about the phone and the sign. The Pastor explained that the golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God. The man thanked the Pastor and continued on his way. As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, Greensboro, Tampa and all around the United States, he found more phones with the same sign and got the same answer from each Pastor.  Finally, he arrived in Texas. Upon entering a church in Dallas, behold, he saw the usual golden telephone. But this time, the sign read: "Calls: 35 cents." Fascinated, he asked to talk to the Pastor.  "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone. I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but, in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 35 cents. Why?"  The Pastor, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in Texas now... It's a local call."

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Q: What is even dumber than a little Moron trying to build a house underwater?
A: Another little Moron trying to burn it down.

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While proudly showing off his new fraternity house to friends, a college student led the way into the den. "What is the big brass gong and hammer for?" one of his friends asked.  "That's the talking clock", the man replied, with a grin. "Let me show you how it works!" And with that, he gave the gong an ear-shattering pound with the hammer.  Suddenly someone screamed from the other side of the wall, "KNOCK IT OFF, YOU IDIOT! IT'S 2 AM!"

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Al's Doggy World

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