A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT MY BLOG

Well, here it is Canada Day week-end already.  This summer is certainly slipping away.  Before we know it, it will be the Labor Day Week-End, Thanksgiving, and then good grief it will be Christmas again.  Oh well, at least after Christmas we will all be looking forward to Spring again and the May 24th week-end.  We gotta stay positive eh:))

A FROG'S EYE

 A NEWLY PLANTED BEANFIELD

 BY GOLLY I THINK THERE IS A SHEEP OUT THERE

 CORNS UP ABOUT FOUR FEET NOW

I had to take our hanging birdfeeder down again.  No, not because of the Grackles this time.  It was because of a sly and cunning predator!!  I knew a month or so ago we had a dozen or more frogs in our front yard frog pond and they were quite tame and didn't panic when we walked by.  We also had maybe half a dozen friendly little chipmunks scurrying about as well.  I always made it a point to feed the chipmunks birdseed.  But then, this past couple of weeks or so I'd noticed we were seeing fewer frogs and chipmunks.  It was about a month and a half ago I first saw a nice looking black and white cat hanging around our yard.  It was leery of me but liked hanging around underneath our Rhododendron plant directly in front of our sunroom.  Often times walking by that plant the kitty cat would run out from under the Rhododendron.  I didn't shoo it away because I like cats.  But, a couple of feet in front of the Rhododendron plant and straight up, there hung our birdfeeder.  Grackles and Bluejays would get on the feeder and swoosh out the birdseed with their bills in search of certain seeds.  Those swooshed-out seeds would fall to the ground in front of the Rhododendron and always make a big mess.  However, chipmunks, squirrels, and an assortment of birds would come there to feed on the fallen seeds.  Sitting at the computer a couple days ago I noticed movement in the flowerbed out front near the road.  It was the black and white cat and it came forward across our small patch of grass heading straight for the Rhododendron bush and sure enough, it went in underneath.  Curious to see if I could see where it was under there I stepped over to one of the sunroom windows and looked down.  The only thing I could see in the dark shadows under the bush was a white paw.  While looking at this I saw movement a couple feet away under the hanging birdseed feeder.  It was a chipmunk who had slipped out from under a large bundle of Hosta leaves to have himself an afternoon birdseed snack.  In a flash, the cat ambushed the little fella and ran away across the yard with the chipmunk in its mouth.  I instantly knew why so many frogs and chipmunks had been disappearing.  That was it, no more Mr. Nice Guy from me towards that cat!!!!  Within an hour I had raked up all the fallen birdseed under the feeder, loaded up a number of large rocks in the wheelbarrow and placed them under the Rhododendron shrub.  I also scrounged up some chicken wire and stretched it across in front of the plant anchoring it down with some old plastic milk crates with chunks of concrete in them to hold the chicken wire in place.  I also tossed half a dozen old plastic flower pots under the shrub as well to eliminate any space the cat could use for its nefarious deeds.  And, so far I have not hung the birdfeeder back up yet, nor have I seen the black and white cat back either.  Unfortunately, I have not seen any more chipmunks either.   Pheebs and I had stopped in to see Richard this morning on our travels.  Richard has lots and lots of friendly chipmunks at his place and I was tempted to ask him if I could borrow some of them.  But then I thought better of it.  No point in risking any more chipmunk lives until I know for sure that our cat problem is solved.

 THIS WAS A KILLING GROUND FOR THE CAT

 THE BIRDSEED FEEDER HUNG UNDERNEATH THAT RAIN-PROTECTIVE GARBAGE CAN LID AT THE TOP

My apologies to readers and especially to my last few die-hard readers who have stuck with me here on my blog over the years.  I know I haven't been holding up my blogging end lately and I know I haven't been very communicative with my readers regarding comments, and emails, etc.  And lately again my heart hasn't been in my blog like it was for most of my blogging years and I'm struggling.  I have let too many things weigh me down as of late.  Some things you know about, some things you don't,  On the positive side, I thank all of you who are still here for giving me the inspiration and confidence to keep this blog going for as long as it has these past nearly 18 years.

 THERE IS A BUTTERFLY INSIDE THE DAY LILY

Al's Music Box:))  The Hockey Game by Canada's own Stompin Tom Conners.  Also by Stompin Tom are, Big Joe Mufferaw, Sudbury Saturday Night, Bud The Spud, I've Been Everywhere, Canada Day, Up Canada Way  These are but a few of Stompin Tom's songs:)))))

 A LONG SHAKEY 600mm TELEPHOTO SHOT THROUGH SUBIE'S WINDSHIELD OF THE COUNTRY ROAD AHEAD THIS MORNING

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A Canadian went into a Tom Horton’s and noticed there was a “Roll Up The Rim To Win” Contest. So, he rolled up the rim of his coffee and started yelling, “I’ve won a motor home! I’ve won a motorhome!”  The girl at the counter said, “That’s impossible. The biggest prize is a car.”  The person shouted, “No, it’s not a mistake. I’ve won a motorhome!” He handed the Cup to the girl who read............“W I N A B A G E L”

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Whoever said, “Do the job right the first time and you’ll never have to do it again” never shoveled snow off a Canadian driveway.

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An angel asked God what He was doing.

"Making Canadians," He said.

"Awwwww, their so nice," said the angel.

"Oh ya? watch this," said God as he dropped a hockey puck.

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A French guest, staying in a hotel in Edmonton phoned room service for some pepper.  “Black pepper, or white pepper?” asked the concierge.

“Toilette pepper!” replied the Frenchman.

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- Name the two seasons of Canada.  Winter, and July.

- Did you know that Canada has a real hard water problem?  Most of the time, it’s frozen.

- In New Brunswick, I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.

- I love hockey, but I want to follow a sport that’s a little less violent. Now I’m into kickboxing.

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A man was strolling along the Beaches area in East Toronto when he spotted a bottle floating in Lake Ontario. The bottle drifted ashore.  He picked up the bottle and opened it, and out popped a Genie.  “Master, Master you have released me from my bondage in this bottle, ask any three wishes and I will grant them to you.”  The man thought for a moment and said, “I would like the following three things to happen this year — The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup, the Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series, and The Toronto Raptors to win the NBA title.”  The Genie thought about this for a moment and then without a word hastily retreated back into the bottle.

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Have a great day eh:))

AN ELDERLY ALFALFA

How nice to have cooler weather upon us again. 

 A DAISY PATCH ALONGSIDE A WHEAT FIELD

Al's Music Box:)) We'll Meet Again is a 1939 song by English singer Vera Lynn with music and lyrics composed and written by English songwriters Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. The song is one of the most famous of the Second World War era and resonated with servicemen going off to fight as well as their families and loved ones. The song was published by Michael Ross Limited, whose directors included Louis Carris, Ross Parker and Norman Keen. Keen, an English pianist, also collaborated with Parker and Hughie Charles on "We'll Meet Again" and many other songs published by the company, including "There'll Always Be an England" and "I'm In Love For The Last Time". The song's original recording featured Lynn accompanied by Arthur Young on Hammond Novachord (an early electronic keyboard), while a rerecording in 1953 featured a more lavish instrumentation and a chorus of British Armed Forces personnel.  The song gave its name to the 1943 musical film 'We'lll Meet Again', in which Lynn played the lead role. Lynn's 1953 recording is featured in the final scene of Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film Dr. Strangelove – with a bitter irony, as the song accompanies a nuclear holocaust that wipes out humanity. It was also used in the closing scenes of the 1986 BBC television serial The Singing Detective. British director John Schlesinger used the song in his 1979 World War II film Yanks, which is about British citizens and American soldiers during the military buildup in the UK as the Allies prepare for the Normandy landings.  During the Cold War, Lynn's recording was included in the package of music and programmes held in 20 underground radio stations of the BBC's Wartime Broadcasting Service (WTBS), designed to provide public information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a nuclear attack.  The song reached number 29 on the U.S. charts. Lynn sang the song in London on the 60th anniversary of VE Day in 2005.

 I WONDER WHY IT IS THAT I WAKE UP MOST MORNINGS LOOKING LIKE AN ELDERLY ALFALFA  (LITTLE RASCALS)

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man and his son were standing in line at the bank. In front of them was a very large woman. The boy tugged on his father's pant leg and said "My God dad, she's really fat".  "Be quiet and don't embarrass me" replied the father.  Then all of a sudden the woman's pager goes off and the boy furiously pulls at his father and says, "DADDY! WATCH OUT! SHE'S BACKING UP!"

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Tony was a pianist and was practicing late one night. There was a tap on the door, when he opened it his landlord was standing outside the door. He asked; you know there is a sick lady upstairs?"
Tony answered, I haven't heard that song. Can you please hum it a little?"

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- What do you get if you cross a centipede and a parrot?  A walkie-talkie.

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A man told his doctor that he wasn't able to do all the things around the house that he used to do.  When the exam was complete, he said, "Now, Doc, I can take it. Tell me in plain English what is wrong with me."
"Well, in plain English," the doctor said, "you're just lazy."  "Okay," said the man. "Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife."

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A NICE WALK THIS MORNING

 A NICE WALK IN THE LINWOOD WILDLIFE AREA FOR PHEEBS AND I THIS MORNING

Al's Music Box:)) Don't Worry About Me is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Marty Robbins.  It was released in February 1961 as the third single from his compilation album 'More Greatest Hits'. The song was Robbins' seventh number-one on the country chart and stayed at number one for ten weeks. The single crossed over to the pop chart and was one of Marty Robbins' most successful crossover songs, peaking at number three on the Hot 100.  The track has an early example of guitar distortion. A faulty channel in the mixing desk at Nashville's Quonset Hut Studio unexpectedly transformed session musician Grady Martin's Danelectro six-string baritone guitar tone in the bridge section and brief reprise right at the end into an unusual distorted sound.  Although Martin did not like the sound, Robbins' producer left the guitar track as it was. The effect was eventually reverse-engineered and developed into the Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone, one of the first guitar pedals, produced by Gibson under the Maestro brand name.  In a 1968 report on sound effects in pop for Beat Instrumental, Crotus Pike believed the effect to be a result of the guitar being "played at a half speed", describing the resulting solo break as exhibiting "the tones of a rich, deep cello–a beautiful sound which no doubt attracted many buyers." 

 FOUR MILKWEED PLANTS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH A WHEAT FIELD

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A mother's dictionary::

Bottle feeding: An opportunity for Daddy to get up at 2 am too.

Defense: What you'd better have around the yard if you're going to let the children play outside.

Drooling: How teething babies wash their chins.

Dumbwaiter: One who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.

Family planning: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster

Full name: What you call your child when you're mad at him.

Grandparents: The people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.

Hearsay: What toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.

Impregnable: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.

Independent: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.

Look out: What it's too late for your child to do by the time you scream it.

Prenatal: When your life was still somewhat your own.

Prepared childbirth: A contradiction in terms.

Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

Show off: A child who is more talented than yours.

Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.

Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything.

Top bunk: Where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.

Two-minute warning: When the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.

Verbal: Able to whine in words

Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.

Whoops: An exclamation that translates roughly into 'get a sponge.'

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Wife: Whatcha doing?

Me: Nothing.

Wife: You did that yesterday.

Me: I wasn't finished.

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THREE BLUE OBJECTS MOVING FAST THROUGH THE NIGHT SKY

It was 10:25 when I slipped out the door last night, hopped into Subie, put the front windows down, slid the moonroof back, turned up my ambient music, and headed out into the countryside to do a little stargazing.  It's the same spot I always go and I wasn't there five minutes standing beside the car with my 7x50 binoculars when I saw something moving swiftly through the dark night sky.  I had spotted the flashing lights of an airplane overhead heading west and while looking at it (without binoculars) I saw a faint movement in the stars.  Figured it was a satellite so hoisted up my binoculars and locked onto it.  Remember me saying about a month ago of seeing a 'blue object' in the night sky??  Well, this one was blue as well and moving fast.  It doesn't appear blue to the naked eye but as soon as you get binoculars on it the color blue becomes very apparent compared to the white stars in the background.  It came into view from the northwest and was heading into the southeast.  I watched it for about 10 seconds and then realized it was on the same flight path and in the same area of the sky as the one I saw a month ago.  Then, about a minute later I saw a second 'blue' object traveling in the same direction as the first one and in the same area of the sky.  Upon seeing this second one I now had a clue as to what they might be.  About 30 seconds later I saw another one.  Same trajectory, same fast speed, and same blue color.  My guess is that they were 'Starlink' satellites.  There are over 6,000 of them orbiting the Earth now.  Anyway, it was really neat to see them and so nice to be out under a starry night sky again.  I would like to live in a house with a big glass dome for a roof and tip back in my recliner every night, stare at the heavens, and let my mind take me on wondrous travels through the stars to faraway stars, planets, and glowing Galaxies. 

Al's Music Box:)) Blackbird is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album 'The Beatles' also known as the White Album. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney and performed as a solo piece by McCartney. When discussing the song, McCartney said that the lyrics were inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird.  McCartney explained on 'Chaos and Creation' at Abbey Road that the guitar accompaniment for "Blackbird" was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Bouree in E minor, a well-known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar. As teenagers, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a "show off" piece. The Bourrée is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney said that he adapted a segment of the Bourrée (reharmonised into the original's relative major key of G) as the opening of "Blackbird", and carried the musical idea throughout the song. The first three notes of the song, which then transitioned into the opening guitar riff, were inspired by Bach.  The first night his future wife Linda Eastman stayed at his home, McCartney played "Blackbird" for the fans camped outside his house.  Since composing "Blackbird" in 1968, McCartney has given various statements regarding both his inspiration for the song and its meaning. He has said that he was inspired by hearing the call of a blackbird one morning when the Beatles were studying Transcendental Meditation in Rishikesh, India, and also writing it in Scotland as a response to the Little Rock Nine incident and the overall Civil Rights movement, wanting to write a song dedicated to people who had been affected by discrimination.  In May 2002, following a show in Dallas Texas, McCartney discussed the song with KCRW DJ Chris Douridas, saying:  I had been doing some [poetry readings] in the last year or so because I've got a poetry book out called Blackbird Singing, and when I would read "Blackbird", I would always try and think of some explanation to tell the people … So, I was doing explanations, and I actually just remembered why I'd written "Blackbird", you know, that I'd been, I was in Scotland playing on my guitar, and I remembered this whole idea of "you were only waiting for this moment to arise" was about, you know, the black people's struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird. It's not really about a blackbird whose wings are broken, you know, it's a bit more symbolic.  In 2018, McCartney further elaborated on the song's meaning, explaining that "blackbird" should be interpreted as "black girl", in the context of the civil rights troubles in the southern 1960s US.  His stepmother, Angie McCartney, has claimed that McCartney wrote it for her elderly mother, Edith Stopforth, who was staying at Jim McCartney's house while recovering from a long illness. Angie recalled that McCartney visited the house and sat at Edith's bedside, where Edith told him that she would listen to a bird singing at night.  Although McCartney has been consistent in the meaning, there are still varied interpretations – as a nature song, a message in support of the Black Power movement, or a love song. Writing in the 1990s, Ian MacDonald noted the theory that "Blackbird" was intended as "a metaphor for the black civil rights struggle", but pointed to the composition's romantic qualities, arguing that the early-morning bird song "translates … into a succinct metaphor for awakening on a deeper level". However, during an informal rehearsal at EMI Studios on 22 November 1968, before he and Donovan took part in a Mary Hopkin recording session, McCartney played "Blackbird", telling Donovan that he wrote it after having "read something in the paper about the riots" and that he meant the black "bird" to symbolize a black woman.  The song was recorded on 11 June 1968 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, with George Martin as the producer and Geoff Emerich as the audio engineer. It is a solo performance with McCartney playing a Martin D-28 acoustic guitar. The track includes recordings of a male common blackbird singing in the background.  Apart from the blackbird, only three sounds were recorded: McCartney's voice, his guitar, and a tapping that keeps time on the left channel. This tapping "has been incorrectly identified as a metronome in the past", according to engineer Geoff Emerick, who says it is actually the sound of Paul tapping his foot. McCartney also said the same in The Beatles' Anthology documentary. Emerick recalls [Paul's foot taps, presumably] as being mic'd up separately. Footage included in the bonus content on disc two of the 2009 remaster of the album shows McCartney tapping both his feet alternately while performing the song.  

GROANER'S CORNER:(( An amateur golfer goes into the pro shop and looks around frowning.  Finally, the pro asks him what he wants. "I can't find any green golf balls," the golfer complains.  The pro looks all over the shop, and through all the catalogs, and finally calls the manufacturers and determines that sure enough, there are no green golf balls.  As the golfer walks out the door in disgust, the pro asks him, "Before you go, could you tell me why you want green golf balls?"  "Well obviously, because they would be so much easier to find in the sand traps!"

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Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

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A pastor was opening his mail one morning and one envelope had only a single sheet of paper with a single word printed on it: “FOOL!” The following Sunday the priest announced, “I have known many people who have written letters and forgotten to sign their name. But this week I received a letter from someone who signed his name and had forgotten to write a letter.”

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COOLER WEATHER

Al's Music Box:)) Tainted Love by Soft Cell is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of the American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964.  In 1981 the song attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synth-pop duo 'Soft Cell'.  Buoyed by the then-dominant new wave sound of the time, 'Tainted Love' became a major hit in the US during the Second British Invasion, with the song spending a then-record-breaking 43 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The businessman dragged himself home and barely made it to his chair before he dropped exhausted.  His sympathetic wife was right there with a tall cool drink and a comforting word. "My, you look tired," she said. "You must have had a hard day today.  What happened to make you so exhausted?"  "It was terrible," her husband said. "The computer broke down and all of us had to do our own thinking."

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