Dan Antion

Less Important Things

We’re trying to figure out where these carpenter bees are living.

My regular readers are a savvy group. Yes, spellcheck, I know, two ‘Vs’ in savvy, not two ‘As’ – still, I should get partial credit for remembering that it had two of something. In any case, No Facilities isn’t the place to come to catch up on the pandemic, the protests, forest fires, plane crashes or hurricanes. Others research and write about that stuff much better than I could. Speaking of hurricanes, though, did you know that we, well, they, them down on the east coast of Florida, already had a big tropical storm? In fact, there were two named storms, Tropical Storms Arthur and Bertha, on May 16 and 27 respectively, before the hurricane season even started. They, the storms, didn’t make much of an impact on our news here in the northeast. It doesn’t pay to be early.

News seems to be single-thread these days. Sorry, that’s an old computer term describing early, less sophisticated computer processes where instructions were handled sequentially and exclusively. It was also a locally derisive term used to describe consultants or technical workers who could only focus on one project at a time. That’s why I apply it to the news. For months, it seemed there was no news, other than Corona virus news. Now that has been displaced by protest news. Sad that it takes a man’s murder at the hands of police to dislodge a story that offered about fifteen minutes of new facts each day. Perhaps if Arthur and Bertha had waited until June 1st, when the weathermen took their ponchos out of the closet, they could have had people standing in the waves on the streets of Miami. Then again, CNN says “Tropical Storm Cristobal will make landfall today” (Sunday, June 7th) but our local news is offering nothing. I guess it’s up to Dolly (the next name on the list) to make a big enough splash to get noticed.

By the way, if you’re waiting for your name to be used, you might be out of luck. It seems they recycle the storm names every six years. Maybe they should contract with John Howell. He comes up with ten new names each Monday. That’s about three times the total number of storm names in use. Of course, I’m not being fair, there are the cyclones on the west coast, and northern Pacific basin storms – they get names, too. But one of those guys/girls has to womp up some serious damage before we hear about it over here. As for locally (i.e. this blog) important names, sorry, there is no storm Cheryl, David or Skippy. There is, ahem, however, a storm Daniel – he comes around again in 2024.

Note-1: Not all storm names are recycled. The really bad storms have their name retired.

Note-2: Not all letters even get six names. X, Y and Z are recycled every other year – Xavier and Xina; Yolanda and York, and Zeke and Zelda. Zelda makes me think of the Twilight Zone episode “Mr. Garrity and the Graves” where Zelda Gooberman plans to break her husband’s arm after having been inadvertently resurrected in Happiness, Arizona.

Speaking of odd connections to TV shows, Maddie and I noticed piles and piles of, I think the term is ‘catkin’ in the park today. It reminds me of the worms the admirals at Starfleet Headquarters tried to get Captain Picard to eat in “Conspiracy” – easily the creepiest STNG episode ever.

See, this is where my mind goes. This is why people don’t come here for breaking news and biting, albeit sometimes curious and often inaccurate analysis of old news.

In new-ish local news, restaurants in Connecticut can partially reopen for inside dining on June 17th. I spoke to one of the bartenders on Saturday. She says they will have a few tables available for seating in the bar, but they won’t be allowed to serve at the bar top. Sorry, but that’s where I like to be. The bar top, with my butt ever-so-slightly overhanging the edges of a stool. I guess I’ll stick with takeout.

The gallery is looking a little redundant these past few posts. This is due to the limited amount of travel I’ve been able to do.

The Korean Dogwood is close to its peak.
Carpenter Bee
There are carpenter bees buzzing around our front porch. I was trying to find out why.
This might be the last picture of the rhododendrons. They are about to fade.
One of the babies.
This is the newest baby bunny. Not much taller than the weeds it’s eating.
This flag has been up and down like a yo-yo lately, It’s good to see it flying high.
Nothing going on in the park. The tent in the distance is where they’ve been conducting the Covid-19 testing.
I think this is called ‘catkin’ perhaps from Poplar trees in the park. Light and fluffy, unless you’re a fan of Star Trek.
I know, Another picture of the sprinkler spray. I seem to be fascinated by this.
One of the new baby squirrels in the neighborhood. It’s hard to gauge his size in this picture.
Maybe mom? Dad?
“Maddie, you don’t really fit that way.”
The sun is rising on the Korean Dogwood

 

83 comments

  1. The dogwood is looking beautiful, the bunnies are cute as ever, and I’m fighting the carpenter bees myself. I found a DIY carpenter bee trap with a ball jar on line, and my husband built me two. I hung them up near the holes they are drilling, and for a few days there was nothing. Then I had one in the small unit, followed by several others, and now the population has been reduced. I’m waiting until there is an all clear though to fill the holes and paint them with the hope that these helicopter bees won’t show up again next year. I’m not writing or commenting on current events – too volatile even among blogging friends. Maddie should get in some good sitting and walking this week. Have a good week, Dan. :-)

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  3. I get you, Dan. There’s nothing like your butt on a barstool and leaning on the counter and sipping your beer or a gin and tonic with conversation flapping around your ears. You can’t beat it.

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  4. My news channel does the same, Dan, and I find it quite aggravating. They grab hold of story and hang on until something bigger comes along. The only “new” news I heard this morning was: on today’s date, the novel, “1984” was written. 8 June 1949.
    What’s up with that? This station never mentions book anniversary’s or any such trivia.

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    • They probably read that at John Howell’s place 😏

      I don’t watch our local news anymore. But what drove me crazy was the “coming up in the next half hour” and “tonight at 10:00” teasers. It’s like they don’t know there’s an internet. If it’s important, I’ll look it up way before 10:00, while these guys literally repeat the same story at 4:30, 5:00, 5:30 and 6:00.

      Did you get hit by any of the storms?

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      • haha, I read the book years ago, but I can’t see celebrating its anniversary! haha
        We had about 4 days of very heavy thunderstorms. My neighbor (a snowbird) got stuck here because of the flu lockdown and asked me how much worse a hurricane was. I said honestly that a hurricane doesn’t last this long or drop this much rain, but much more wind.

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  5. “If I sits, I fits!” I could never fathom some of the positions my cats seemed enjoy. Maddie understands. I am glad there are no major storms called ‘Pamela’. oops! I looked it up, I’m a Typhoon. Damn, I hate sharing the stage.

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  6. You do understand, Dan, that it is because of NYC and who is in Albany that we and you are about the only states who are being forced to live by rules that are absolutely absurd? IMHO. I’ve turned the news off and I am SO glad you have too. Perhaps when the RATINGS drop and those who back with big monies these news stations begin to loose money, um, yep the god of this 3D world, perhaps then they will change tactics and begin broadcasting REAL news and even [gasp] happy news. My brother was in a serious gas leak explosion (now what I’m about to say to you will hurt!) and he being a carpenter, lost ALL his tools, equipment and his customers’ work. He lost his entire life’s work and sustained serious injuries. Do you think I could find THAT in the news? Um, no. For you see it wasn’t C related or rally related.
    Gallery ….. bless you for posting everyday normalcy!! THAT is what we all should be focusing on. Yes shut that damned news off, and begin to LIVE the way you want. And pray that these inhumane conditions the restaurants’ employees and hair stylists will soon STOP. I figured out a way how to cover my face when forced to. I’m using a one layer bandana. I can breathe with that on my face!
    Weather …. it’s been gorgeous here and I’m soaking up every minute I can!!! Happy Monday, Dan!! xo

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    • I am so sorry to hear about your brother (and yes the part about his tools hurt). I hope he is ok. It would seem that that would be newsworthy.

      We have some nice weather coming this week. I hope to make the best of it. I can wait for the bar to open.

      Take care, Amy.

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      • Dan, my heart so totally goes out to you. I know how I’ve been feeling waiting for the library to open and the gym as well. These places IMO should never have closed. And that goes for your bar too. Imagine the JOY you will feel the first time you walk into it. Oh yes, friend, I don’t think you will ever take that bar for granted again. SMILE!
        Thank you about my brother.
        This week weather gorgeous and I am going to drink up every single moment of it. GRIN!!! xo

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  8. Your photo of a bee buzzing is a good one. I have a love/hate relationship with bees. Maybe we all do? I didn’t know about the naming of Hurricanes. Of all the things I’ve strived for in life I’ve never even contemplated my name being the name of a hurricane. Perhaps I don’t dream big enough.

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  9. There is no actual news to listen to, so why bother? Any commentaries or videos are the same ones we’ve watched for the past 3 months. The murder of George Floyd is heartbreaking, but all the media does is fan the fires for the agitators, not the peaceful protesters trying desperately to get their message across. If it weren’t for my husband, the tv wouldn’t even get turned on.

    The Korean Lilac is magnificent. All the bunnies are too cute and the squirrel has a very long tail. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Maddie has found a way to sleep on her steps in any position she chooses!! I love it.

    I hate to admit my ignorance, but I’ve never heard of carpenter bees. 😳 Now I have to look them up and educate myself. They sound like serious trouble.

    And Dan, as a faithful reader of yours, I appreciate that your posts don’t consist of you standing on a soapbox cramming your theories on current events down our throats.

    Maddie, MiMi, MuMu, the bunnies and squirrels, your projects, great pics of sprinklers, waving flags, tobacco barns and so much more…..these are the current events I want to hear about and see photos of……..everyday “normal” life. Thank you for giving us a place to go to find it.
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • Thank you so much for saying that, Ginger and for visiting here on a regular basis. If I wanted a soapbox, I’d only show how I made it. I have no desire to push an agenda (other than DIY, Irish Setters and Tuxedo cats). People say we should be actively engaged, but that’s not why I’m here.

      I’m making the best of the situation we’re in. I think we all are. I hope I can offer a few minute diversion.

      Maddie finds either the sun or the shade and finds a way to sit. She’s funny, she points with her nose to where I’m supposed to sit. Sometimes, she takes the shade and points me to the sunny spot 🙁

      I have a rotten hunk of a tree that was cut down. I’m going to put it out for the carpenter bees to dig into. I hope that will keep them from eating our house.

      I hope you have a wonderful week ❤️

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  11. I’ve had similar thoughts about the news, Dan. I hate to think what combination of stories could be gruesome enough to make them share more than one…
    The dogwoods are gorgeous, and thanks for the new bunny photos. I’m a fan of the way the water spray looks in photos too. Hugs on the wing.

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  12. Cristobal landed on the LA/MS border yesterday, and with the FL Panhandle being on the west side, we had stormy weather all day yesterday. Power kept going out until we decided to just keep the computers off. Gloomy, rainy day today but then gradually getting better. Poor LA, they seem to get hammered every single time. Oh, the baby bunny….so cute! The bees……we have to keep a watch on wasps over here. My outdoor cats like to guard my front door and I noticed a wasp. It found a hole in the concrete right by the front door to build a home. Luckily we caught it before it could sting my watch cats! I hope you catch those carpenter bees, Dan.

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  14. Hurricanes are always on our radar because we still have family and friends in Florida. We were all aware of the recycling of names. Once you have experienced a few, you never forget. We had three consecutive storms on year — Charley, Frances and Jeanne. Ivan hit that year, too, but we were spared that one, unlike a lot of other people. I always adore seeing your photos. It keeps the promise of normalcy in the viewfinder. My mind went directly to my computer programming days and a few team members when I saw the term single-thread. Some things never leave us.

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  16. I’ll take reading your blog and following your train of thinking any day over the news on TV. Love the photos, especially the baby bunny, flying flag, Maddie, and flowers. Thanks for a great post, Dan.

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  17. The Koran Dogwood is gorgeous. I love the white blossoms against the dark green leaves. Speaking of sprinklers you remind of my first underground sprinkler installation. It was. a house in Indiana. We had had the yard professionally landscaped and the architect was not a fan of sprinklers. This was the best architect in town and so we okayed the plan without the sprinklers. We then went to a lawn sprinkler contractor to have them installed. By the way, the architect had the downspouts from the eves connected to underground pipes that lead to the street. Well, you know what happened. The sprinkler contractor and his four foot deep Ditch Witch (permafrost line) chopped those pipes to pieces and made a mess out of the newly done lawn. I had to call the architect back to repair the damage and eat a big helping of crow. I had to promise the guy that his word was law including lawn and shrub care. When the sprinklers went off they looked like your picture. I loved them. The architect hated them. Thanks for the mention today and I hope you enjoy this story. BTW I had a beautiful yard.

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  18. Oh em gee. You hooked right in before sliding into info mode a out hurrucane names. Lol. Breaking news as far as Cristobal. We have had heavy rains off and on near the beaches but South and West Central Florida faced off a couple of gnarly tornadoes The storm has moved on to my home state of Louisiana. I keep wondering now what’s going on with all the caged immigrants down on the Mexican border that saturated the news until something more ratings worthy showed up. 😏😔

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  19. Gonna make a mad dash to mow Mom’s yard this afternoon before the after effects of this latest Hurricane enter Missouri. Looking forward to the cool down in temps.Weather is about the only tv news I watch anymore. Reading for myself is much more dependable. Or at least I hope.

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  20. The way your mind words and wanders and wonders is a lot like mine, which is why I always enjoy coming here, even though sometimes it gets too technical. But that’s OK. I like geeks and have one of my very own. :-)

    Whenever I hear “Bertha”, I’m sorry to say that a few lines from a song I don’t really know come to mind: “Bertha. Bertha Butt. She was one of the Butt sisters.” And then I thought I was glad your storm wasn’t Big Bertha, which is also a golf club, I think. (See what I mean about my mind??)

    I enjoyed the photos until I got to the one of all that water being sprayed into the air!!!! If it were here, it might all evaporate before every hitting the ground. :-) Ok, I do exaggerate, but not too much.

    Anyway, have a marvelous Monday and may it be followed by Terrific Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Fantastic Friday, Satisfying Saturday, and Sublime Sunday.

    janet

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  21. I think you anx I could be good friends, you have the type of humor I enjoy. . .that pic of catkins gives me the creeps. It makes me think of the summer days walking on dirt roads where you’d get hit in the face by a tent caterpillar.  Do you have those?  Yuck!

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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    • Thankfully, we don’t have those to walk into. I have enough trouble with the spider webs that spring up overnight between the bushes and the fence (higher than my wife is tall, but the right height to hit me in the face). I’m glad you enjoy my humor. I do think we could be friends. My best friends are the ones I can laugh with.

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  23. Your gallery is just fine, Dan. You’ve probably noticed that my photos are fairly redundant, too. The news is the same here – first the virus, then the protests – as if nothing else in the world matters. I wouldn’t even have known about the Florida storms were it not for a Facebook friend who posted about it.

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  25. The simple-mindedness of the news these days is due to ill-educated reporters who are taking the lazy way through their days. It isn’t that they weren’t able to get a good education either. They just choice not to give the career of reporting the news their full attention. Many are not even trying to find new slants. Is it a case of them being too busy texting friends and family? Possibly, although it could be just a case of slothfulness.

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  27. I’m quite late, Dan. Going to blame it on work and a messed up time/space continuum. I hope to read your one-liner tomorrow, rather than Friday, to make up for this.

    I haven’t been paying attention to the weather at all, other than noticing the days that are good for biking. It’s about all there is these days with continuing to stay close to home. I know what you mean about the photos. I haven’t had a whole lot of new to photograph either. Same old, same old. I hope that changes before winter comes around again.

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  30. I was surprised the name, Bertha, wasn’t retired. I seem to remember her doing a fair amount of damage. Ah, but you have such beautiful and abundant wildlife in photos to help us forget what we don’t want to think about.

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  32. Remember when I emphatically told you dessert has two Es? Good times.
    That place Benson and I met, where I then took The Mister, they’ve got every third or fourth table open and it’s a big place. It feels okay to eat there. We haven’t eaten anywhere else since reopening.

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