Catching up

The hummingbirds managed to devour nearly twenty pounds of sugar this fall, but we were down to two birds today. I imagine they'll be gone in a couple of days. I already hate winter.

As the hummers leave, the Monarch butterflies begin their migration. I'm seeing more and more every day. We're a ways off their main migration route, but still get to see quite a few.

I mowed the lawn today, but it was mostly a leaf chopping exercise. At least it goes fast with the mower in high gear.

Speaking of mowers, mine has developed a starting problem after only two years of moderate use. I guess I'll worry about that when the grass cutting season is done. Fixing it will be a good winter project.

And speaking of winter projects...I'll be working on my '64 Valiant this winter. I'm upgrading the brakes to discs in front and 10" drums in back. When you had to stop fast with the tiny 9" drum brakes all around, you needed more hope than an Obama voter.

After the brake upgrade, it goes into the shop for a new paint job. The previous owner gave it a cheap repaint over 20 years ago, so it really needs some TLC.

I see GW Bush is being blamed for Chicago losing the 2016 Olympics. Thanks, W, you probably saved the taxpayers several billion dollars and kept a few hundred terrorists out of the country.

After record cool weather in much of the country this summer, several states are already reporting record lows this fall. That's a sure sign of global warming. Meanwhile, sunspot activity remains at a low ebb. Of course, that has nothing to do with our weather. It's those damn SUV's and George Bush.

Heard a Republican politician bragging today that the socialist Obama agenda means great things for GOP candidates next year. Apparently he hasn't paid any more attention to the tea parties than Obama and the Democrats. I'm as fed up with spineless, incumbent Republicans as I am with Democrats, and many I've talked to share my opinion. It should be a good year for Libertarians and primary challengers in both major parties.

I'm off to the Pacific NW on Tuesday, so won't be blogging until I get back in about ten days.

When Government Bureaucrats Control Healthcare

The rhetoric over this Obama care/health insurance reform/health care reform, is getting ridiculous. Are people so stupid that they can’t understand basic facts, like the laws of supply and demand, or that the government has never, ever, overestimated the cost of a purchase or service? Despite that record, some fools still believe government mandated universal health care will be cheaper than what we have now.

First, consider Medicare. The Democrats argument is that they can reduce Medicare costs by offering more and better coverage. Is that patently stupid, or what? The fact is that if they cut the cost of Medicare, some people, or some maladies, will not be treated. If their plan is to lower cost by eliminating waste, what exactly do they plan to fix that couldn’t have been fixed in the past 40 years?

Death Panels. The Libs claim opponents are spreading lies. Of course, a panel of experts is not going to look at each person’s case and say yea or nay about pulling the plug. There will simply be a rule that after a certain age, or if the chance of a successful recovery is uncertain, some treatments will not be approved for payment. That means that if the treatment is not approved, the patient will suffer with it forever, or if it’s a serious ailment they will die. Life and death will be meted out by a bureaucrat with an instruction manual. It’s not exactly a death panel, but the results are the same.

Jail sentences for those who don’t buy insurance. The leftists pooh-pooh this claim, but if it’s not true, what will be the punishment if someone can’t, or won’t, pay the fine? Isn’t imprisonment the usual punishment after fines? Maybe they will send a harshly worded letter.

The Democrats don’t want health care reform, they want power over people.

Two North Dakota Crops

Flax and oil. If I knew who to credit for this photo, I'd do it, but it's too good not to share.

Muslim Day of Prayer in Washington DC

On Friday, 9-25-2009, organizers are expecting up to 50,000 Muslim faithful to gather on the mall to pray. Perhaps they will pray that their leaders clean house and purge the looneys from their faith.



If I haven't posted this before, this is a running body count of the peace-loving Muslims. Makes it difficult to maintain religious tolerance.
Link to the religion of peace

Semi-annual Doggy Rodeo

Whenever it’s time for the traveling vet to visit, it turns into a doggy rodeo around here, and today was the day…a day I always dread.

Because we have three dogs, it’s easier to bring the vet to the house than it is to take each dog into town and sit with them in the waiting room while they shiver and slobber all over. They still shiver and slobber, but they only do it for the few minutes they are actually getting poked, prodded and injected, not all during the trip and while waiting to get in to see the vet.

Cricket and Bonnie are finished rather quickly, but since Belle is too big to carry out to the van, we corner her in the house, tackle her and then hold her down so the vet and her assistants can come inside to administer to her. Of course, she always leaves a puddle when you catch her, so we try to make sure she is on the tile when we catch her.

After receiving her scheduled treatment, we have the vet clean her ears. Some Shar-Pei’s have strange corkscrew-like ear canals that are extremely difficult to clean, so we prefer to let the experts do it instead of possibly hurting her. This process takes three of us about twenty minutes, and when done, we’re covered with hair, slobber, and the cleaning liquid she shakes from her ears. All this time, we’re sitting or kneeling on hard tile, and I’m too danged old to take that for very long.

All the dogs checked out healthy this time, so now we can relax for a few months before their rabies shots are due again.

If anyone wonders why we love Shar Pei's, this should give you an idea. How could you not love something that looks so goofy?

Invasion of the Wild Mushroom

The week of rain we just experienced brought a crop of mushrooms like I've never seen before. Most are Fairy Rings, and in places the entire lawn is white with them. A few brown ones are also popping up in places, but I have no idea what variety they are.

I don't enjoy eating mushrooms, so I have no interest in picking them. Tomorrow, or Monday, they get mowed along with the recuperating grass. That should spread enough spores to grow a serious crop next year. Maybe I can get an agricultural tax exemption for our acre of mushrooms.

Weather and Wildlife Report

Last Friday morning, after putting off watering because of the daily promises of thundershowers, I began dragging hoses around to water our parched St. Augustine lawn. That afternoon, It began raining and dumped over two inches before it temporarily stopped. Saturday evening, it began again and has been raining off and on ever since. We've now accumulated over seven inches and the forecast is for three more days of showers before it clears up. Just north of here, they have had over eleven inches. After so long without rain, I'm not going to complain.

When the dozens of hummingbirds left a couple of weeks ago, I thought we were pretty much done feeding for the year. For several days, a half-dozen birds were all that visited our feeders, and that's typical of what we've experienced in the past. Then one day, we suddenly had dozens of birds again and it's been like that for over a week. I've been making a gallon of sugar water every day and some days I've had to make more than one. I think they are waiting out the rain and the southerly winds before continuing their migration. When the wind switches to the north again, I suppose this big batch of birds will leave too.