Fared A Little Better...

 

...on the links today...1 par, 6 bogeys and 2 triple bogeys.

Was actually on the green in one - like you're supposed to be on a par 3 course - 6 out of 9 times, a minor miracle in my world.

If I could learn how to putt these fast greens - a vain hope, apparently - that would have been 6 pars.

Alas, the 3 putt remains the bane of my golfing existence...

The 2 triple bogeys were back to back...the 1st one was just a lousy tee shot into the weeds, so I intentionally took my drop into a sand trap...a mixture of punishment for being a jackwagon and a desire to practice sand trap shots.

The 2nd one was just me continuing to kick myself instead of letting it go and focusing on the task at hand.

After that little bit of nonsense I righted the ship and finished with a par and 2 bogeys...the last one especially frustrating since it was a 2 inch tap in.

Oh well...as always, it was some solitude, some exercise and a (mostly) pleasant stroll through the countryside.

Since it's the July 4th weekend...

...I would normally start this blog entry with a tribute to our country, but we're a year and a half into the post-America puppet regime of SloJoe...

...the cognitively impaired criminal illegally occupying the White House.

During his short tenure as faux-president, we've gone from:

- a booming economy

- efficient supply chain

- low inflation

- energy independence

- secure borders

- and a strong military

to where we are today:

- entering a recession

- empty store shelves

- record high inflation

- gas prices twice what they used to be

- porous borders flooded with illegal immigrants

- and a woke military...

...more focused on proper pronouns than defending our nation.

Every time the lunatic opens his mouth...

...he spews more lies, disinformation and unintelligible word salads.

No idea when this disaster will end, but guaranteed once his dementia finally renders him incapable of reading the teleprompter, his own party will get out the long knives and cut him loose.

Lord have mercy on our once great nation.

On a happier note, #5 son and his wife joined us this holiday weekend for fun and relaxation around the pool…

...around the fire…

...and, well, I can’t explain this:

Benjamin and I walked 9 on Ryan's Hickory Golf Course...

...where he actually chipped in for eagle on the par 4 #7...

...particularly rude if you ask me.

They also enjoyed time at the lakeshore...

...as well as our usual neighborhood fireworks:

As always it was a delight spending the holiday with them.

Already looking forward to next year!

Meanwhile, up north...

...the Cherry Fest is underway and Larry is livin' the dream, enjoying the excitement of the Blue Angels...

...and the serenity of life at the lake:

It's not all fun and games since there is actual work to be done...like putting in the dock each year...

...and cleaning up after the beavers:

Minor inconveniences when compared to the view from the Command Center North at the end of another beautiful day by the lake...

The good life.

And now for a quick fox trot...

ah...dinner!

...through the Parting Shots Department...

memories

Marilyn in 2012, about to sing at the President's retirement party...the uber cool frame is from Make It Midcentury

love these flowers

like I said...

but you knew that

We leave you with this thought from God's Word:

later, mcm fans...

Happy Father's Day...

...Repeats:  <click here>    and: <here>

Hey, it's Father's Day...you didn't think I was going to work on this blog, did you?

Now get out there and get busy obeying the 1st part of the 5th Commandment (Exodus 20:12, which the Apostle Paul noted is the first commandment with a promise attached to it).

later, mcm fans...

D-Day...

          <NEVER FORGET>

It's Memorial Day Weekend...

...when we pause to remember...those who gave all in defense of our nation.

This holiday began as "Decoration Day" - when towns set aside a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers and honor their sacrifice.

Because the losses from the bloodiest war in American history were so staggering - more than 620,000 dead - NOT pausing to remember and honor those who perished was unthinkable.

But for obvious historical reasons, the observance of Decoration Day took different forms in Southern states than those in the North.

Neither side wanted to be told by the other when or how they should remember their fallen heroes.

After WW1 it changed from honoring the Civil War dead to honoring any who died in our nation's wars.

Finally, in 1971, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday.

And while it's common to celebrate the day as the kickoff of summer with parades, ball games, camping and cookouts...

...all of us should stop and reflect on its somber and sacred essence.

Men and women - most in the bloom of youth - gave up their futures, their families, their hopes and dreams to lay down their lives in defense of our country.

Whatever freedoms we have were purchased in their blood; gratitude and reverence should be the prevailing sentiments on this day.

Canadian Lt-Colonel John McCrae captured the soul of their sacrifice in a poem he penned during WWI, after the second battle of Ypres in 1915:

Always Remember.

Turning now to domestic affairs...

After calm and reasoned negotiations...

 ...Karen and I have reached an equitable agreement:

There will be NO golf holes in the front yard.

I tried to be gracious in defeat, but it was tough when she started singing "I got my WAY-ay, nyah nyah nyah NYAH nyah..."

Have to admit, her point that the backyard is for fun while the front yard is for curb appeal was tough to argue.

“You don’t go skinny dipping in the FRONT yard do you?” she demanded.

“Of course not my Darling Kumquat,” replied I.  “After taking pictures, the neighbors would have me arrested since the pool is in the backyard.”

“Game, set, match!” she exclaimed with both clenched fists thrust skyward.

I was going to suggest my DIY putting greens equate to "curb appeal", but that’s when she started singing and doing the Chicken Dance and I surmised my cause was lost.

So...plan B is I'll have 5 putting greens and 9 tees, ALL in the back yard.

Basically I'll play 1 through 5, then "turn the corner" and go back through holes 4, 3, 2 and 1 (read: 6, 7, 8 and 9), using different tee placements to make each hole "unique".

End result will be a 9 hole, par 32 hickory wiffle golf course.

What’s the overarching lesson here?

Staying with the golf theme, almost done with this year's 1st putting green installation:

it's #1 when you tee off...

...and #9 on the way back

Just laid the rug on there for the pics...still have to put sand down, compact it, then swap the paint can placeholder for the actual cup you see there, and finally spike down the carpet and carefully cut out the hole.  A little mulch around the edges and voila, new putting green.

Hoping to get the final one (hole #5) - planned as a 9' diameter circle - in place by end of June.

In the "whooda thunk it" department...

got to the lanes with a "full" scoresheet so had to improvise

...I actually rolled two 200 games back to back this week.

And...if I hadn't chopped the 10 pin on an easy 6-10 spare in the 10th frame of my 1st game - or done THE EXACT SAME THING in the 7th frame of my last game - I would have had my 1st 600 series, instead of falling short by 5 lousy pins.

Been trying to learn something from every outing, to pick up a tip or pointer from that series that will help me improve.

Admit it; you're fascinated by this.

I know Karen is.

Whenever I start mansplaining stuff to her she practically tingles with excitement.

Oh well...as with all of life, bowling is a...

And now boys and girls, it's time for a leisurely stroll through the Parting Shots department and this week we’re trying something new.

Just send me your email address, a valid credit card number and your power of attorney and I’ll email you the hand curated pictures I’ve…

What?

Hold on a sec…

Ok, scratch that.

Karen says to avoid prison time I should just do it the usual way, so here goes…

morning fire on the lower patio.

our "snowball tree" (latin: aboretum snowballus) in bloom.

looks like hasenpfeffer and duck risotto for dinner.

buddy and mr. squirrel in a staredown at the bird feeder...

...and mr. squirrel staring down at buddy from the bat house a moment later.

mr. mouse taking a dip in the pool.  never fear, I flung him to the (relative) safety of dry land, so he lived to swim another day.

gotta love the pink bird.

some mcm styling for you.

they have to be else I can't golf here.

Enjoy your Memorial Day holiday and remember those who gave their all in service to our country.

later, mcm fans...

Gotta Love...

...the month of May...when the mercury rises and life bursts into full bloom again.

The ornamental apple tree we planted in memory of Ryan is glorious right now...

...as all of Nature blesses us with a florescent symphony of colors, foliage and blossoms.

Oh yeah...and pollen...

...lots and lots of pollen.

Oh well, it's the price some of us pay for this beautiful weather.

Wasn't so very long ago we were pollen-free but enduring this...

...so pass the Zyrtec (and a tissue) and quit yer kvetching.

Guess who provided a couple more signs for Ryan's golf course?

Cool, right?

Mid Century Modern Tee signs for each hole; two down, three (or four, depending on progress this summer) to go.

Thank you, Holly.

We rock on.

We're behind in our outside work this year...lost at least 2 weeks with the crappy April weather, but a certain slave driver I know...

the mistress of the landscaping

...has been working someone like a borrowed mule to catch up...

the borrowed mule

...and she's on to my usual hidey holes so there's been no escape.

We are making progress...

...in spite of my best efforts.

We've now arrived at the part where I take a formal bow, announce in my best French accent, "Ta da!" and you all clap in wild appreciation for the awe inspiring events you've just experienced...

Yeah...like that.

later, mcm fans.