HOPING TO GET OUT E-BIKING TOMORROW

A MARSHY AREA MEANDERS THROUGH A CORN FIELD

Well, not wanting to miss another nice evening now that the days are already getting shorter on this first day of summer, I grabbed my camera Monday evening and headed out into the countryside.  My first stop, of course, was my walking road, where for the second time on Monday, I did my quarter-mile stroll up the gravel road and back.  From there, it was into Clinton for a Tim Hortons coffee to go before slipping northeast out of town and driving northward along the west side of the Hullet Marsh.  How many times over the span of fourteen years had Pheebs and I traveled this stretch of road to the Marsh for our morning walks.  Turning left, I then headed westward into the sunset.  As darkness descended, it wasn't long before I began seeing glowing diamond-like fairies along the roadside, floating about in the tall grass and woodland trees.  At one point, I stopped, turned the car off, and got out to just stand quietly and watch them.  They were Fireflies, of course, but I preferred to imagine them as woodland fairies.  I remember reading somewhere recently that it is believed that we will be the last generation to see them, as it is believed that because of environmental issues, they will soon be lost to history.  Eventually, I arrived at my night sky spot, stayed for a while, took a couple of pictures, thought about things for a bit, and then headed home.  It was nearly 11 p.m.  Another fine evening well spent.  My fav:))

Kind of a quiet day here in my jungle of greenery as something keeps draining my energy.  Lorraine rolled in around noon today, and we're hoping to get out E-biking tomorrow. (Wednesday)

 

Al's Music Box:: Sealed With A Kiss by Brian Hyland.  A timely song for younger school-aged folks at this time of year.

 A COUPLE OF FRONT YARD FROGS

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two businessmen in Florida were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new store. As yet, the store wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up. One said to the other, ' I bet any minute now some senior citizen is going to walk by, put his face to the window, and ask what we're selling.' No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious senior citizen walked to the window, had a peek, and in a soft voice asked, "What are you sellin' here?" One of the men replied sarcastically, "We're selling Idiots"  Without skipping a beat, the old timer said, "You're doing well. Only two left."

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A minister stood in front of his congregation and announced, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is that it’s still in your pockets.”

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- “What do you call a tissue that is sleeping? A napkin.”

- Charles Dickens walks into a bar and orders a martini. The bartender asks, "Olive or twist?"

- Why do people go to Burger King and Order a Double Whopper with a Large French Fry and insist on getting a Diet Coke?

- If you got into a taxi and he started driving backwards, would the taxi driver end up owing you money?
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A three-year-old went with his dad to see a litter of kittens. On returning home, he breathlessly informed his mother there were two boy kittens and two girl kittens.
"How did you know?" his mother asked.
"Daddy picked them up and looked underneath," he replied. "I think it was printed on the bottom."

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery

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

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery