Sunday, July 12, 2020

The Glory Of Young Men...

...is their strength...so sayeth the Scriptures in Proverbs 20:29.

Seems pretty accurate, hey? That's #4 son digging out our new patio area.

A day later it was ready to pour...

...and even cement trucks look good next to the American flag, especially since their trucks are mid century modern orange.

Just getting started...

...making progress...

...all done, broomed and cut:

Here's Karen's first pass at decorating / landscaping the area:

More to come, but very happy with our new outdoor living space.

Thank you, Chris!

In the "breaking news" department, I'm still just a hack...

...but one who thoroughly enjoys the solitude, exercise and beauty of my weekly stroll through the countryside...

...in spite of my less than stellar results.

Next outing, for no particular reason, I'm returning to "simple golf" for my weekly round:

That's a mashie, niblick and putter.

I'll swap out my gutta percha golf balls for a half dozen Ouimets...

rest assured the 2 missing Ouimets gave their lives for a good cause...

...the kind they used from about 1910 through 1930.

Should bump the distance I get with my mashie from about 85 yards to more like 125, and my niblick from 50 to 80.

Don't even try to hide your excitement...I'll provide a full report next week.

But speaking of next week...

...we'll be past the halfway point of summer by next weekend.

Go ahead, do what you have to do...

...then get up off your keister...

...and get busy enjoying this gorgeous outdoor weather before Summer packs her bags...

...and heads to the station.

As you try to sneak out the back door...that's right, don't think we don't know what you're up to...here are some parting shots:

a beautiful sunset from Larry's cottage up north...

...and more shimmering moonlight over the water...

3 hops...that's all it took this little guy to get over to the rocks and bushes

Karen's flower garden in front of the wall in all its midsummer glory...

...and her courtyard garden with the yucca plant in bloom

the groundhog twins giving us the stink eye...

We've arrived at the conclusion of this week's masterful blog entry, and though I know you're heart broken...

...there's no need for tears...we'll be back with another spine-tingling edition of the Atomic Monster Cafe before you can say, "Ah, not again!"

later, mcm fans...

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Had Some Chances...

that's my "1 putt for par" position on #2

...but didn't cash in...Calamity Jane done me wrong...thus got skunked in the par department.

What? You didn't think I was going to take the blame for my lousy putting, did you?

Otherwise it was a pretty good round...

another "1 putt for par" possibility...

...hit my repaired mid-iron with some proficiency and did quite well with both my mashie and niblick.

Only real complaint was about the bugs...

...you get the idea...

...it was one of those hot, muggy, still days when black gnats buzz around your head as soon as you stop moving.

Should have remembered the Cutter's but oh well...still an enjoyable stroll through the countryside with my hickories.

Recently had both patios stained to match the trim on the house...

Big improvement.

#5 son and his bride are staying with us for a few days...

...and as always it's a pleasure to see Benjamin and Brooke.

We're in the middle of a heat wave...

...ok, so it's not quite that bad...but it is plenty hot 'round these parts, so they're enjoying Holland's state park on the shores of Lake Michigan during the days and visiting with us in the evenings.

Good company, good conversation, good times.

Today is July 4th...Independence Day...

...our country's 244th birthday.

We're definitely starting to show our age just lately, with civil unrest and sharply partisan politics dividing us.

The Covid scare hasn't helped, with people being locked down and social distanced; a sense of isolation and fear has gripped many people.

In these uncertain times it seems appropriate to remember a famous quote from Thomas Paine - often called The Father Of The American Revolution for his tireless championing of the cause of Freedom:

“THESE are the times that try men's souls.

"The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.

"Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”

We've all heard it said but it remains true today:

Freedom is never free; it's purchased in blood.

So on this day as you enjoy your God given, blood bought rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, give thanks you live in the greatest country on earth.

It's not perfect because it's filled with all of us imperfect sinners.

But we push forward with the Great American Experiment because as Abraham Lincoln correctly noted during the Civil War...

...we will either "...nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth".

We soldier on.

God Bless America, y'all.

Once around the horn...

absolutely love this shimmering moonlight pic from Larry up at his cottage...

...and here's the grand finale from the fireworks display over the lake

our neighborhood fireworks, believe it or not...impressive stuff...

first black eyed susans of the season

view from the command center...

...and the Castle Frankenstein all decked out for the 4th

Benjamin and Brooke relaxing

later, mcm fans...

Saturday, June 6, 2020

June 6, 1944...

...D-Day...the turning point of WWII and one of the greatest sacrifices ever made for the cause of freedom:

The Normandy Invasion

On this somber day as you go about your regular routine, living your life however you wish, enjoying the manifold blessings of your blood bought freedom, take a moment to give thanks for the men who fought and died to make that possible.

NEVER FORGET

Friday, May 29, 2020

Here's Something...

...I've never seen before...our very own personal rainbow in our backyard...sudden rain showers on a sunny day and voila...

...instant pot o' gold.

If only.

Those light showers did eventually turn into a heavy downpour...

Gotta love Michigan weather.

A little while ago I brought hope and inspiration to you, my beleaguered readers, with a heartwarming photo of heroic leaves, still clinging to their tree branch.

When all others had lost hope and been swept away by the cruel winter winds, those determined leaves refused to give in, follow the crowd and succumb. Against all odds they were still hanging on for dear life.

Well today I bring you an update...

Here we are nearing the end of May, and they're still hanging on.

So now I have a new message to share:

Give it up already!

Nobody likes a show off.

It's summer and that dried up dead leaf look is so last fall.

Talk about overstaying your welcome...

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned a beautiful art deco home built in 1926...

shades of American Foursquare

...a very cool Gatsby House available for the paltry sum of $650,000...and today Karen and I walked through it...

me negotiating with the bouncer in an attempt to gain entrance...

Karen standing in the elegant foyer...

...and yes, it's big...

Took lots of pictures and it is, as expected, lovely inside...

...and out.

Even the doorbell is amazing...

...a musical event when someone rings it...which of course I did...twice.

It's wonderful in many ways...

the view from the balcony...which is one of the reasons it's been on the market for more than 210 days now...

...elegant decor, well maintained, spacious without sprawling; but IMHO it's overpriced.

Why?

Because their main view is of the McMansions across the street...while the view from those McMansions is of the lake...and that makes them worth a million plus.

So there it languishes on the commoners' side of the street, flanked on either side by homes valued at half its asking price.

Tough place to be, and I imagine the owners are a tad mystified as to why their spectacular dwelling hasn't been snapped up by someone with impeccable taste (and plenty of money).

And who knows?

Maybe tomorrow someone with deep pockets will do just that...but more than 7 months ago they listed it at $690,000...now it's at $650,000 and still it sits.

One of two things is bound to happen...either Snobbius Foppington III will decide to buy it as a bauble for his beloved daughter Muffy who's currently between husbands and about to marry that worthless lout Biff...

pray they don't have children

...or else the bright rays of reality will pierce the owners' fog of unreasonable expectations and the price will continue its earthward trend.

Eventually someone will negotiate a more realistic price and they'll end up in their very own Historical Treasure.

Either way, it won't be us.