Block Party

Our second annual block party took place last evening. Two families grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and everyone else brought a dish to share. It was a cool, cloudy evening, but we had a pleasant time visiting and meeting the three new families that moved in since our last party. We're fortunate to have a bunch of nice people living in our little development and the new folks fit right in.

Just as we were cleaning up, a few drops of rain arrived, but the forecast had been for thundershowers, so we lucked out.

I mowed the lawn again today and it looks nice and green after the rain...probably as nice as it will look all year. The day lilies and irises are beginning to bloom, so Judy took pictures of the house and yard. I'll download them from her camera and post some in the next few days.

Goodbye Nancy?

I found this lovely photo of the Speaker at:www.westernrifleshooters.blogspot.com/



I think Nancy Pelosi has finally crossed the line between political rhetoric and outright fabrication, and I believe there’s a chance the scandal will require her removal from the House Speaker’s chair. As long as the slavish media were ignoring her lies and protecting her, there was no way she would be called to task for any of her numerous lies. However, this time it looks as if the story is just too juicy for the media to ignore. Her news conference had her sweating bullets and stammering like a kid with a hand in the cookie jar. Unlike the usual Democrat/media love fest, the questions came fast and furious, and they weren’t worded to give her cover.

I might be wrong, but I believe the media smells blood in the water, which puts her future beyond their control, and they are now willing to accept her political sacrifice in order to protect their president. If questioned why they don’t attack Obama for his multitude of transgressions, they can always claim that destroying Democrat Pelosi proves they are unbiased.

The next few days should be interesting

A Message to the GOP

The more I see of the Republican Party’s responses to the Obama putsch, the less faith I have that they will get their act together before the mid-term elections.

Even the fair-haired youngsters like Governors Jindal and Crist, are about as thrilling as a case of dyspepsia. Their handlers are touting them as fresh faces from the conservative wing of the party, but their performance shows little more than conservative rhetoric and tepid accomplishments. Think John McCain without the Geritol.

The party need eagles and all they can seem to find is parrots. They need party leadership with the passion of B-1 Bob Dornan, but they elect caricatures of Don Knots. They need a General Patton and they offer Gomer Pyle. Instead of mimicking Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, they act as if they were tutored by the horse whisperer. Is there no one in the party that can beat Chuck Schumer in a footrace to a TV camera? Isn’t there anyone in the Republican Party with even a spark of fire in his or her belly?

Where are the statesmen with the daring to spit in the eye of the socialist hordes that are trying to ravage our Constitution? Where are the leaders who can explain to the base that there is more to running a country than mouthing platitudes and taking the “right” stand on abortion? Who will stand up and convince the party that to win, they need to put righteousness in the platform, but leave God in church? Fundamental Christianity in your heart and in your deeds is admirable, but on your sleeve and from the podium, it’s mostly a pain in the ass to Jews, Mormons, Catholics, Agnostics, Pagans and even Atheists, many of whom share the conservative values of the born-again, but refuse to put up with proselytizing.

Who in the Republican Party will lead by example, instead of political expediency? As Glenn Beck pleads..."Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

Elected politicians of the GOP…it’s time to lead, follow, or get out of the way!

Komodo Dragons Battle on the Patio

We had a battle royal on the patio today and I learned something about lizards . Two male Green Anoles were locked in a life or death battle. Both had turned on their bright green fighting colors and their red fans were on display. One had the other by the throat and the victim was thrashing about as he was caught in a death grip. I wrestled with the idea of breaking them up, but decided that they would eventually decide who was king of the hill and that my intervention would only delay the inevitable.

After a few minutes, the victim began to turn color and soon faded to a dark brown. I was sure he was dying, but somehow he managed to escape the jaws of the smaller animal. He quickly scurried out of range and the winner sat atop the hose reel puffing and strutting. I checked him over and found his only injuries appeared to be some scales missing from his nose. The loser remained out of sight, but a half-hour later, he was back sitting beside the one who had just kicked his butt. He wasn’t strutting, so I guess he was being submissive to the new champion of the patio.

Besides the obvious lesson that not every animal battle is life threatening, I also learned that I had mistaken these little critters for chameleons. I didn’t know that any other lizard could change color so even at my know-it-all age I learned something new.

Tired and Retired

You’d think that being retired means you have all the time in the world to do the things you want, but that never seems to be the case. I’ve been wanting to fix a few things on the convertible before the show season arrives, but something else always has priority. I’d feel guilty playing with the car when there is so much to do and not enough time or energy to do everything.

Flowerbeds have to be finished and flowers planted before it gets hot, and my building project list is as long as my arm. Among the first things I should do is get my workshop enclosed and air-conditioned so I can work there in the heat of summer. I can’t make up my mind what type of overhead door to buy, nor can I decide on an A/C unit. I had better decide soon, or I’ll be doing that job in 100-degree heat too.

On the nature front, both Bluebird pairs are refurbishing their nests in preparation of raising another brood, but I don’t think the Titmouse family was as lucky. I saw only one baby bird outside the hollow tree and he looked as if he left the nest too soon. He couldn’t fly and the parent birds were no place to be seen. I put the youngster in a heavy shrub so he could hide, but the next day I found him dead a few feet away. He probably died from not having food or water. At that age, they need food constantly.

"All The News That's Fit To Print"

One of the signs at the rally...thanks to:http://www.resistnet.com/

I believe the New York Times still claims that motto, but you'd never know it.

When several hundred gays marched in Philadelphia last weekend, it made national news via the Associated Press. When a similar number of people hold a post-tea party rally in Tyler, TX, the only place it’s reported is in the Tyler newspaper. I'm sure the Tyler story and photos were offered to the AP, but a google search failied to pick up anything about it from any of the news sources on the Internet.

According to media predictions, thousands were expected in Philadelphia, but only a few hundred turned out. Pre-rally expectations for the Tyler event were in the 500 range, but nearly twice that made an appearance.

Which event was the most newsworthy? Media bias? Draw your own conclusions.

The Week in Review

It’s been a busy week and weekend. Between rainstorms, I dug a large flowerbed, enlarged another, mowed the lawn, pulled weeds, spread mulch, transplanted mums, replaced a failed hard drive in my computer and began transferring data from my backup. I also attended the Grassroots America-We the People rally in Tyler on Saturday.

The rally gave me hope that the tea parties were not a flash in the pan. I estimated about 1,000 people attended to listen to several patriotic speeches, and learn plans to educate and train people how to organize. The group is also planning future events to take place in June and July.