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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Al's Art Gallery

I SOMETIMES WONDER WHERE I HAVE BEEN ALL MY LIFE

 A REFLECTIVE FARM POND THIS MORNING

For some reason or another, I thought today was supposed to be rainy.  Nope, bright sunshine all day.  I do get myself a little mixed up some days.  Well okay, quite a few days then.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the rainy one.  A nice morning walk and a wee drive around the countryside kinda kept me on track for most of the rest of the day.  Couldn't seem to drum up much energy for getting interested in anything productive, though, so I sat on the porch reading for a while.  Of course, with peanuts in my pocket, I didn't have any shortage of furry company.  I inherited my love of animals from my Mother, and I do believe it was from that side of my family that I inherited my love of music as well.  

A FEW SHADOW AND LIGHT PATTERNS AROUND THE FRONT YARD FROG POND THIS AFTERNOON

Thanks to my son Sean for wishing me a Happy Father's Day today.  I'm afraid I haven't been much of a Father over the years. I sometimes wonder where I have been all my life...................

AT ONE POINT THIS AFTERNOON, I HAD 3 FURRLY LITTLE PALS ON ME ALL AT THE SAME TIME....ONE ON MY SHOULDER LOOKING FOR THE PEANUT I HAD PUT ON MY HEAD, ONE IN MY LAP ALREADY EATING A FOUND PEANUT, AND ONE CLEVER LITTLE SHYSTER RIGHT IN MY PANTS POCKET SNITCHING THE PEANUTS RIGHT OUT OF WHERE I THOUGHT I HAD THEM SECRETLEY STASHED

Al's Music Box:: Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny

 AN OLD ABANDONED FARM TRUCK CAB FROM LONG, LONG AGO

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Three guys die together in an accident and go to heaven. When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: Don't step on the ducks!"So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first guy accidentally steps on one. Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest woman he has ever seen. St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly woman! "The next day, the second guy steps accidentally on a duck, and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing, and with him is another extemely ugly woman. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first guy. The third guy has observed all this and not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly woman, is very, very careful where he steps.  He manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to him with the most gorgeous woman he has ever laid eyes on: a very tall, tan, curvaceous, sexy blonde. St. Peter chains them together without saying a word. The guy remarks, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?" She says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck!"

Familiarity:: You look familiar, did I see you in the zoo parade? I think you may have seen me at the zoo, and I was the one who was feeding you peanuts.

- That's funny, you calling me an animal, and it's you who has the webbed feet. You look familiar, too, but that's not surprising; I collect bugs for a hobby.

- You look familiar. Have I ever seen you hanging by the tail from a tree in my garden ? Didn't I dissect you in a biology class one time?

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A rookie police officer was out for his first ride in a cruiser with an experienced partner. A call came in telling them to disperse some people who were loitering.  The officers drove to the street and observed a small crowd standing on a corner. The rookie rolled down his window and said, "Let's get off the corner, people."  A few glances, but no one moved, so he barked again, "Let's get off that corner...NOW!" Intimidated, the group of people began to leave, casting puzzled stares in his direction. Proud of his first official act, the young policeman turned to his partner and asked, "Well, how did I do?"  "Pretty good," chuckled the veteran policeman, "especially since this is a bus stop!"

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Al's Doggy World

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Al's Art Gallery