Quiet, Colorful Evening, with Butterflies

Who knows why these butterflies love our trees to roost in? Maybe because they have such a great view of the house at sunset?

The Gift of a Fallen Tree

We thought we heard a boom and half the other night, and I was fearful there was a tree poised to fall on the house, but the casualty was a tree in the lot next door, which I discovered when I heard my neighbor's chain saw. With the offer to cut the tree up myself, the wood became mine. Look how nice and ripe that wood is, winter fuel coming up.

Note too the dotted lines of the sawdust leading up to the remaining tree stump.

Back to the Office

It's back to work again after a long and lazy summer full of heat and rain. It looks like I've got a good crop of students, plenty of them to keep me busy, and ready for good work. A good place to be.

Dumped On

Last night the thunderstorms rattled the windows with their big booms, lighting up the night and dumping rain in a driving wind. Our porch took a big wet lick, but when I checked the rain gauge, I wondered whether I'd filled it up half-way before I went to bed. But nope. It's reading--4.5 inches overnight. I think three separate storms rolled through, each pouring more rain onto our yard that had been getting blown dry for several days as the hot winds blew.

Little W doesn't like storms, and these had him in a near panic state--not a pleasant situation the night before classes all begin.

Signs of the End of the Empire

What do you see when you spot a little red wagon like the one in the photo, a Radio Flyer that has stood up over the years and pulled many a kid through many a yard?

What, you see a burden, a load too hard to pull? A barge too heavy to tote? Bring on the Razor, the electric wagon (junior) like the one I spotted outside Lewis Drug today. Why is it better?

Here's your answer:

Add a boost to your kids' traditional wagon ride with the Razor Jr. electric wagon. Perfect for walks in the neighborhood with your kids in tow the wagon is equipped with dual 30-watt motors that cruise at up to 3 miles per hour--an ideal cruising speed while on a stroll. The long-lasting batteries meanwhile keep the wagon running for up to 90 minutes at a stretch. And thanks to the pair of built-in seats and the blow-molded plastic wheels the wagon is comfortable and smooth throughout.

In other words, you don't really have to PULL the wagon. Keep the batteries charged up and it will follow you. Just don't get crazy and try to walk four miles per hour. Somebody save us.

In a related story, the NY Times reports that new military recruits are bigger lard buckets than ever.

The Weight of a Good Party

We hosted a party this weekend for members of the College of Arts and Sciences at DSU, and it's a happy thing to have it be so successful that our lawn furniture just couldn't bear the load.

Folks from the old College of Liberal Arts and the College of Sciences, now combined into the one, have managed to come together. Since there's no college of engineering, or any of the "applied" arts, I'm going to have to remedy the old picnic table myself. No sweat. Unbolt the two-by-four, cut a new one to match, and bolt it back on. We'll be ready for next time!

Walter and the Bluebird of Happiness

Walter loves the little toys that crackle inside and have a tough canvas outer. The toys mostly appear to be designed as road kill, so that makes me like them, too. Here, W guards his bird.

Walter also has a frog from the same FatCat toy manufacturer. They come with my highest recommendation!

Prairie Village Horse Caravan 2010

Cleaning in the yard yesterday I heard the clatter of horse hooves out on the street and ran to get my camera, as this year's edition of the Prairie Village caravan of buggies, wagons, and riders came by. It was a warm afternoon, but these folks were clearly having a good time, headed for Prairie Village Days this weekend, out west of Madison. It's been a warm and windy few days, so I hope they have a great time out there. Snowcone, anyone?

Got Your Pencils Ready?

School's about to begin. Have you prepared your writing instruments?

Digital Cookery in Our Old House

It was time for an update in the kitchen, and Lakebrook appliance store downtown Madison had the answer, a new LG stove that offers an easier, more efficient, and more variable cooking experience. The guys from Lakebrook came and set it up and took the old stove, and the wife got right to some salsa canning this afternoon. Goodbye, old stove.

The Pasta Queen and Her Noodle Prince

That's me, the noodler, with the shiny chromium Pasta Queen, which recently rendered the live Queen's dough into noodles. They may look wimpy here, but wait until they stiffen up!

At the End of a Long Day, Tomato Heaven Awaits

Yes, it's been a while since your two lucky stars have shone upon you, but then something comes along that cannot be denied. The B, the L, and the elusive T. When they come together, it's a little mouth festival. Where shall we set up the tent? How about, over here by the beer? What's that? Chips as well? And homemade bread? I must be living right.

I Write Like

I write like
Stephen King

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Righto. Thanks, I Write Like. Don't I wish? Meanwhile, my brain is Cujo brain.

A 35 Mile Pencil, With Ants

Back in the old days, a Cracker Jack box contained a toy. Yes, sometimes there was a little lame tablet or flip book, but often, inside the little package was a snap-together toy car or action figure, not big, really, but a tiny little plastic toy that you had to put together. Not any more. The candy-covered popcorn still seems to taste the same--yay!--but the "toy inside" is always a lame little bit of paper like this "pencil topper" that really makes my pencil look like it has ants on it, right? Right. Has anyone had a real toy inside lately? If so, tell me.

I did learn that a typical pencil could make a line 35 miles long or write 45,000 words. But, I have to supply the pencil, and the ants do squat.

Our Own Recovery Plan--Completed

Our home's previous owners Francis and Nancy decided their dining room furniture looked just fine in their previous home, so when they gave us call, we jumped at the chance to put furniture and dining room back together. But we wanted different covering on the seats, so a trip to some "fabric barn" in Sioux Falls got us this nice print, and we transformed the chairs with a little elbow grease.

Best of Craigslist--The Camera Thief

On Craigslist, if you don't know, viewers can recommend posts for the "best of Craigslist" category, and this one from a guy in NYC who's torqued because someone stole his cameras I thought was a fun rant against the thief. Here: You stole my freakin' cameras.

Spicy Library Commercial

I love this version of the Old Spice ad, touting the value of studying in the library. Thanks, Lea!

Los Lonely Boys and Other World Wonders

Here are some images from our two days at Jazzfest in Sioux Falls, both with great music, good food, good times. The music was consistently amazing. My favorite and a cool surprise for me--Los Lonely Boys. They were tight and energetic, cool tunes, fun, playful. They put on a great show. But the lineup was outstanding, the best yet in my book. Now, next year!

Tonight We Run with The Wolves

Los Lobos, that is, along with Davina and the Vagabonds and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Sweetness!

Here Comes the Trekkie

Here's my new Trek 1.1 road bike, just after the first ride of about 18 miles. It's a sweet machine, only 22 pounds (much less than the 31 of my previous machine, durable as it has been). I'm very fond of it so far. I need to learn a little more about its shifting characteristics to keep things smooth, but the rest is very fine. Aluminum frame, carbon fork, and very road-friendly.

I got the bike at Scheels in Sioux Falls, which I did not expect to do. I checked the local bike shops, but their prices were higher and some of the phone conversations were unpleasant. Too bad. Some were very good. Anyway, the Scheels folks treated me right from start to finish (or at least until now). Thanks, Travis and Matt!

I'm looking forward to seeing how this changes my biking!

1st Ever Bike Race, Senior Style

After hemming and hawing all day about whether I was going to take my bike and ride in the Heart of the Lakes Senior Games, I guess I hawed. I took the old Schwinn World (circa 1970's) and zipped through the 10K in 18:49, clocking a 20.1 mph average, not too shabby, worth the $1.00 entry fee and the sweat on this fine summer evening. It was a small field, only me and two others on the 10K, with each of us winning our age groups. Sweet!

The Pressing Matter of Flowers

The wife has been braving the skeeters and came back in with a range of flowers to press. Here's just some of them. What will she do with them? We'll have to wait and see.

The Jacks Put the Hammer Down

Here's a photo of brothers Jay (left) and Justin (right) with their band The Jacks, playing at the Sockeye in Boise, Idaho.

Big Muddy Boat Ride

The wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Stanley County High School all-school class reunion last weekend. It was my 35th, and there were 20 of 51 (46 still living) of us there, so we can call it a success. Among the activities available in Ft. Pierre, where SCHS still rules, was a ride on the Capital City Queen, which took us from the mouth of the Bad River, up the Missouri north of the cities, then back again. We also visited the newly opened Casey Tibbs Center, which was a surprisingly well-done tribute to the world champion bronc rider from Ft. Pierre and those who have followed in his footsteps.

If you're ever in town, it's worth a visit. And tell me whether you or the kids were able to handle the mechanical buckin' bronco.

A trip to the Zesto will have to wait until next time, alas.

Foot Troubles Not My Own

My hotrodding, motorcycle-man brother dinged his foot in a crack-up at AHRMA races in Grattan, Michigan, last weekend, and he's hanging around town, just spending his time, out commission, not earning a dime. . . He asked for, and got, a CD with his greatest hits, the photos of his foot taken at Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls. It doesn't look good. I captured these photos, which seem to show some breakage. Let's hope he gets up and running soon.

Hikes, Car Time, Fractures, Father's Day

I'm here at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls where my brother Jess, the fireman/bike racer, is awaiting surgery on his heel. Bummer. He was out in Michigan, where a racing mishap has turned into a need for some cutting and repair. So here we are.

No pictures at hand, but it's been a time over the past couple weeks while the wife and I went out and ran (oh?) the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Half-Marathon, then headed west, into the Bighorn Mountains. Snow kept us from where we were aimed, but we camped up west of Buffalo, Wyoming, then in Hyattville, and we traveled to Yellowstone, Thermopolis, and points out west. It was a good time, to include an overnight at Old Faithful Inn, with lots of wildlife sightings (but no bears). About 2500 miles?

It's summer! In the meantime, we've done good work too in hiring a promising colleague to replace a long time collaborator.

Finally, it's Father's Day, so that keeps us all humbled by the shadow of our fathers and how becoming one opens the door to a whole new life.

Memorial Day in South Dakota

We took in some Memorial Day events in Howard yesterday, including the dedication of their new memorial in town complete with bronze statues of military personnel. The American Legion served lunch, and then it was off to the golf course, then a nice drive in the convertible on a beautiful day as the sun lit up the clouds.

I love this old vet's cap, and he was sitting next to me at the ceremony, so I took his picture. The one of the flag display is in Madison.

Big Garden, Many Blooms

Here is a panoramic shot of the backyard garden in its present form . . . We've been hauling in flowers from a donor garden in Howard, saving them from destruction that awaits them in August (or the neglect of summer in South Dakota).

May Flowers in the Yard

Here's a quick walk around the house taking note of just some of the flowers now in bloom. Some are fading (lilacs) and some are just on the verge (snowball bush) and some are just right.

Preparing the New Garden

With school out, what are we to do except work on the house? Enjoy the outdoors! Play with software! What if you could do all three at once?

In other words, I continue to play with the time capture software on my computer. While I'm working! Wish I would have had it when I was moving all the sod LAST summer.

An Alternative to Facebook? It's Coming.

There's really nothing new about Facebook. My family and I were networking on a site named eCircles.com years ago, but it couldn't pay, and the phone lines people were using then just couldn't keep up with the message boards, photos, music sharing, etc. But Facebook gathers up all you tell it and puts it to their own uses, and that's got some people a little frazzled. So, here come the nerds to sort it all out. Check out there story in the NYTimes article "Four Nerds and a Cry to Arms Against Facebook."

Embrace This

My sister sent me this. Thank you, sister. Click on the video if it doesn't display the whole thing.

Swarm of the Moped Army

Not sure who the Whiskey Business boys and girls are (an offshoot of Moped Army, apparently) , but this video captures the fun of riding a moped. In swarm.

This second video is uploaded by a fellow who looks to be from Sioux Falls, but I don't think there are Marathon gas stations in SF, and I would wonder where so many mopeds were hiding.

Flowers for Mother's Day

Even as we wait the years it will take for our newly-planted apple trees (one last year, one this), we are enjoying the one old-timer that is blossoming like crazy this spring--promising, perhaps, a bountiful crop of apples. It depends, though, on whether the few tentative blossoms on the youngsters will be enough to pollinate this experienced producer.

In the meantime today, we planted other things for mothers--some ornamentals for KH in a pot, and a snowball bush for RN in her front yard. We also put a new lilac in our yard as well. Now for rain.

Apple Tree Planting

The wife and I put an apple tree in the ground tonight to replace a tired old fellow who died last year and will never blossom again. Here, however, is how you deal with that. Plant a new one.

The Catch : Poetry Everywhere : Video : The Poetry Foundation

The Catch : Poetry Everywhere : Video : The Poetry Foundation Good stuff.

May 4 Morning

Here's what morning looks like from our red-room window in May.

40 years ago today four students were killed and nine injured when National Guard troops shot into crowds of students on the Kent State campus. They're holding commemoration events to remember those who died and were injured.

The days keep turning. Morning comes again. While I went off to swim this morning, I set my Perios time lapse software to take shots every 30 seconds. Here's daybreak to remember those kids.

Why Didn't They Stop for Coffee?

Part of the plan for the day includes heading to Aurora, SD, for some landscaping plants, and when I checked out the route there (52 minutes by car, over 3 hours by bicycle unless the wind is howling like it is today), I noticed that the Google folks had driven by taking photos.

By all signs, they came by last fall (after our mailbox was annihilated but before the snow flew). Thus, here we are, our house newly shingled and painted, largely obscured by trees and plants just the way we like it. But, peeking through, the peak of the grey lady, working on her second century.