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Random thoughts, life lessons, hopes and dreams.

Eye doctor office

One or Two? — 1LinerWeds

Dan Antion
2 minutes

Yeah, I had my annual eye exam yesterday.

Which is better, one…or two?

Eye doctor for One-Liner Wednesday by Linda G. Hill

I’m not quite sure how it worked out like this over time, but it seems all my annual doctor visits happen in October.

Meanwhile, we’re starting to get this place ready for winter. It’s been hard this week, as summertime temperatures returned. It was 87°f (31°c) on Monday. That shouldn’t happen in October. Baring a fluke storm, we should still have about two months before there’s any chance of snow. But, I’ll be testing the weather before walking in the morning. Which jacket is warmer, number one or number two?

gray squirrel
Begging for attention and a few more peanuts
corn
Sammy’s cornfield. The squirrel has been planting the corn in the “Critter Crunch” feed
Bunny
“I’m just going for my walk. Let me get a picture and I’ll be on my way.”
Colt dome
The Colt Dome is emerging from behind the trees
leaf bags
Signs of autumn
black squirrel
“Thanks for the peanut, buddy!”
Ducks
Ducks heading up stream
Hartford crew practice
Crews out for morning practice
shadow animal
My initial thought was coyote. The audience spoke, and said Elephant!
bunny
Bunny heading back under our porch
orange leaves
One of the first trees to start changing colors
korean dogwood seeds berries
the Korean dogwood berries are turning red
backhoe loader
This guy pulled up right behind me. He was making a pitstop.
Marigold bee
Bee on the marigold
dandelion
Dandelion at sunrise
memorial flags
Memorial flags

Six of Dan's books
The Dreamer’s Alliance and Rascal Todd Mysteries on “display” on the Gateway Clipper.

If any of those look interesting, you can find them all here. PS, they are all also available in audiobook format. I used KDP’s Virtual Voice, but I edited each book in its entirety, and I really like the way they turned out. And, as far as audiobooks go, they are a bargain.

63 responses to “One or Two? — 1LinerWeds”

  1. wrookieschu Avatar
    wrookieschu

    Hopefully both eyes were ok Dan…and those squirrels are so darn cute! Hot here too but still cooler than you over there, plus we’re heading into spring.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Eye are OK, Wayne, thanks. It’s supposed to be getting cooler here, but we’ll take whatever comes. Not much we can do about it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. bushboy Avatar
    bushboy

    A good mix Dan
    Where do the bags of leaves go?
    Your leaf’s shadow looks like an elephant 🐘

    I went to the Optometrist and said my distance vision wasn’t that good.
    He took me outside and pointed to the sky and asked “What’s that?”
    “The sun” I replied.
    “Well”, he said “How far to you want to friggin’ see” 😁

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Our town has a leaf compost site. The leaves are piled up, turned and ground (often) and eventually turn into compost that the town uses in parks and around buildings and other planting sites. Town residents are also free to take compost for home use. We can also take our leaves there and dump them ourselves (if we don’t want to use bags).

      93,000,000 mi (150,000,000 km) is pretty good distance vision. As long as you can see the stop sign up ahead.

      I suppose the shadow does look like an elephant more than a canine, hmmm. Thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. bushboy Avatar
        bushboy

        That is a good program to deal with the loads of leaves you would have this time of year

        Like

        Reply
  3. restlessjo Avatar
    restlessjo

    I vote elephant for the coyote too. Have a good week, Dan xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Jo! I think I’m getting on team Elephant, too.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. robbiesinspiration Avatar
    robbiesinspiration

    Hi Dan, there is no normal with weather any more. Have a great day.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      You are correct, Robbie. Nothing about it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. hilarymb Avatar
    hilarymb

    Hi Dan – it’s good to keep up with the necessary appointments; but the weather is the weather … it is still relatively warm here – for which I’m grateful! Cheers and love the pics – Hilary

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Hilary. Yes, we’ll take whatever weather rolls in. We certainly can’t change it.

      I hope you have a good rest of the week

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. Murphy’s Law Avatar
    Murphy’s Law

    I’m not seeing a coyote Dan, I see an elephant in that leaf. I need to make appointments for both of us for our eye exams.

    Love the ‘critter crunch’ garden. Bagged up leaves are everywhere here too. There was a time when you only needed to rake or blow them to the curb and the town would come by and vacuum them up.

    The Korean Dogwood berries are such a vibrant color, no wonder they attract the attention of the critters. I like the bee on the pretty marigolds and that lone Dandelion at sunrise.

    Raining here. Hallelujah! We’re expecting a freeze tonight, possibly as low as 28*F. Yikes.

    ginger🦋

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Ginger. I think I’m going with the crowd on this on. Elephant it is. I’ll edit the post accordingly.

      The corn crop is popping up all over the place. The squirrels plant the corn. It sprouts and when it actually develops a little ear of corn, we think the bunny eats it. IT’s a funny little cycle.

      It’s supposed to be raining here, but nothing yet. From 80 to 28 is quite a shock. I guess we need to be ready for anything these days.

      Fall colors are coming, but may be muted this year. Oh well, I’ll take what comes. I hope you have a nice rest of the week.

      Like

      Reply
  7. GP Avatar
    GP

    Happy about your doctor appt.

    Are those dogwood berries eatable?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      According to Chef Google, the berries are edible if you remove the skin and scoop out the inside. They say you can eat the skin but the texture is tough. The squirrels sit in the tree and eat one after another, so I guess they’re pretty good.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  8. Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread Avatar
    Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread

    Thank you for the chuckle – jacket one or jacket two. :-) Temps have dropped here today, and we’re actually getting a little rain which is greatly appreciated.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Glad to add a chuckle, Judy. We’re supposed to be getting rain, but it’s not here yet.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  9. Rivergirl Avatar
    Rivergirl

    Nice portrait of Smokey. Too bad the bunnies wouldn’t walk with you…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Smokey is always willing to pose for a peanut. The bunnies just want me to move along. They have to be on their guard out there with the hawk flying overhead.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. Frank Hubeny Avatar
    Frank Hubeny

    I especially liked the first two photos of the squirrel (who I assume is Sammy) and his cornfield and that you let the cornfield grow.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Except for a couple specific squirrels, we call all the gray ones Sammy and all the black ones Smokey. Those are historic names from some of the first ones to visit our yard. Our back yard has turned into its own little ecosystem, Frank. It works for the critters and the birds, so it works for us. I’m glad you like it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  11. Dave Astor Avatar
    Dave Astor

    Dan, the eye doctor undoubtedly found that you have a real eye when taking photos.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Dave.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  12. Suzette Benjamin Avatar
    Suzette Benjamin

    Hi Dan, I hope all went well with your eye appointment.
    Love the great photos of the water, the river, and the ducks. The cute critters do so well in gardening as your assistants. Great work by the squirrels in the corn patch they planted…!

    The bunnies seem to blend so well into the ground and grass, great photos. I am no expert but the bunnies do not appear to be in their winter coats there as yet…so maybe your forcast of two months before winter arrives there is probably not wrong.

    My favorite photos are the bee in the Marigolds and the star photo…the dandelion seed pod in its splendor with the sun as the backdrop… superb.

    Thank you, Dan for sharing your wonderful photos of the seasonal transitions in your area….always nice to see a tree or two in the midst of change. I love autumn! Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Suzette. I walked by the dandelion and went back for the photo. Sometimes, I realize after the fact how nice it looked.

      The squirrels are pretty goo gardeners. In this case, I think they lose out because I’m pretty sure the bunnies eat the corn. But they seem to be one big happy family out there. It’s always amazing to see birds, bunnies and squirrels out at the same time.

      We’re not seeing as many bees, but I’m glad they still have blossoms to visit.

      The bunnies this year all seem to have darker, more interesting coats. I’m not sure why.

      Happy Wednesday!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Suzette Benjamin Avatar
        Suzette Benjamin

        Thank you Dan. Happy Wednesday to you as well.

        The bunnies are being blessed by the squirrels labour… how lovely a partnership! Thanks to your care for the critters, bees included.
        The bunnies have darker coats…fascinating!! I wonder that means for us for winter…?
        Cheers, Dan.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
        1. Dan Antion Avatar
          Dan Antion

          Everybody is working in harmony out there, Suzette. Squirrels plant, bees pollinate and squirrels and bunnies harvest. It’s fun to watch.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
          1. Suzette Benjamin Avatar
            Suzette Benjamin

            Fantastic! You are blessed indeed, Dan.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply
  13. John W. Howell Avatar
    John W. Howell

    Most of my annuals are in October too. I can’t figure out how that happened. Great photos, Dan

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Everything seems to settle in ways we never understand, John.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. John W. Howell Avatar
        John W. Howell

        So true.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
  14. marianallen Avatar
    marianallen

    Just had my ocular inspection, as well. No change, which is fine by me. Great temps here today, with a sky so clear and deeply blue, you’d think you could dive into it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      That sounds like a beautiful day. I hope you enjoy it. No changes for me, but I am getting a new pair of safety glasses.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. lois Avatar
    lois

    Your squirrels are planting a vegetable garden for you?! First pumpkins and now corn–I am so jealous! What a sweet way for them to say thank you for feeding them. That is just the cutest thing!

    My husband and I are due for eye exams, too. But since our downtown went to paying app only, we are trying to find where we can park (and walk) for free. One app is for the city; one is for some company out of town. Follow the coded signs, use the app…. UGH! I just want to park and get my eyes checked! Number one or number two? Can’t tell the difference? Wishy-washy. haha! My eye doc is a riot.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      The squirrels also planted some sunflowers that are coming up. They’re great little gardeners. We give them anything that comes from the crop. That’s where they got the pumpkin Sammy was rockin’ last week.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    I absolutely heard that question in my optometrist’s voice.😂 The annual visits do seem to clump together. I’m torn on whether it’s efficient to commit one block of time to waiting rooms or spread out the annoyance of “the doctor’s running a little behind”…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      I do hear it in her voice, Laura. I think I’d rather get them all out in the same short period. I try for early appointments, so less waiting unless my Doctor is late (which he often is).

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  17. bruce@ssa Avatar
    bruce@ssa

    October is “Medical Month” here as well, Dan. It serves a specific function as Mrs. B’s company wellness plan kicks into high gear come the beginning of November, so we stack the testing, blood draws, etc. up against that “due date” so we get a meager deduction on coverage. That being said, it has worked out well carving out a specific period and just getting all of it done aka out of the way. It rained and got cooler overnight, so all the Smokeys are going “nuts” here. Feels a bit more like Fall.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      All the annual wellness kickoff. I remember those. We always included a contest of sorts, usually steps, where we were put in groups and walked for prizes. I don’t miss those. I do like getting everything out of the way in one go.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  18. circadianreflections Avatar
    circadianreflections

    I’m asking myself the same question this past week about which jacket. We’re also starting to get ready for winter here. Late last week and early this week we dropped down to 34-35 degrees F for our overnight temperature.

    Brrrr!

    I’m way overdue for an eye exam, but I put that one off all the time because out of all the doctors…those freak me out the most.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      We’ve had nights in the upper 30s and days in the upper 80s in the past couple weeks. I’d like some steady movement in one direction.

      I tend to keep everything on schedule. They made next year’s appointment before I left

      Like

      Reply
  19. Suzette Benjamin Avatar
    Suzette Benjamin

    So nice to hear that they are one happy family of critters Dan. What a wonderful space you have created for them in your yard! Fascinating about the bunny coat color, I wonder too what that means…weather-wise.

    Thanks Dan. Have a good one. Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  20. petespringer Avatar
    petespringer

    One or two? I always want to ask the optometrist, “Is there a three?” I’m now a prisoner to my glasses. In fact, I always travel with two pairs in case I somehow lose one.

    We went to an outdoor wedding near Bend, Oregon, this past weekend. We woke to a sheet of ice on the windshield.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      I was coming home from Iowa about 8 years ago with a layover in Chicago. When it came time to boar our plane, I stood up. My glasses fell off and I stepped on them. Fortunately I was traveling with our daughter and she was able to drive us home from the airport. I’ve been carrying a second pair when I travel ever since.

      I’m not ready to scrape ice off the windows yet (and I haven’t cleaned the garage to get the cars in.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  21. House of Heart Avatar
    House of Heart

    Eye exams take so long and if you get them dilated all day! Enjoyed this Dan. Btw, I learned that blue eyes do not stay dilated as long as dark eyes. 👀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      I did not know that. I hate having my eyes dilated. I hope you’re having a god week, Holly.

      Like

      Reply
      1. House of Heart Avatar
        House of Heart

        not too bad , have a great week ahead Dan.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
  22. J-Dub Avatar
    J-Dub

    Oh, the joy of an eye exam. As for which is better …. both. Everything is better than my impaired vision. Ha! Great gallery today. Especially that bunny!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Thanks Jill. It’s amazing how I can’t remember from 1 to 2 which I liked better.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  23. Author Jan Sikes Avatar
    Author Jan Sikes

    The calendar says October but near 90 degree days feel like summer. I am longing for autumn leaves. Great photos!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      It was cooler this morning, and we have a freeze warning tonight. That’s more like normal for us this time of year.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  24. Teagan Riordain Geneviene Avatar
    Teagan Riordain Geneviene

    Interesting about all your appointments gravitating to October, Dan. I love the gallery. It’s a lovely preview of fall. And now I wonder… what the heck happened to my Wednesday? LOL. Off to your Thursday Doors post. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Wednesday slipped through without notice? That happens. It’s why Linda wants to get rid of calendars.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Teagan Riordain Geneviene Avatar
        Teagan Riordain Geneviene

        Haha. I guess I’m just peddling as fast as I can, but the rest of traffic is going around me in the fast lane. How did it get to be Thursday? How did it get to be October? But I’m afraid I need the calendar — otherwise I’d end up letting my car battery die. :/ :D

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
  25. Tails Around the Ranch Avatar
    Tails Around the Ranch

    It’s always a roll of the dice during the transition from autumn to winter when taking early morning walks and deciding on which coat to wear. I’m usually shedding my jacket by the time we get home. Sorry summer has returned there-it’s gotten warmer here but barely reaching 80 which is just fine with Wilson and me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      We have a freeze warning tonight, so maybe we’re heading back to normal.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  26. dennyho Avatar
    dennyho

    One or two gets so confusing….I feel like there is only one correct answer.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  27. Prior... Avatar
    Prior…

    great images and relly smiled with the coyote leaf shadow

    Like

    Reply
  28. Jennie Avatar
    Jennie

    Sammy’s corn is really growing! You know I love your Korean Dogwood.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Corn, pumpkins and sunflowers, Jennie. The squirrels are becoming real gardeners. The Korean Dogwoods are looking good this year, and the seed/berries are feeding a lot of critters.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Jennie Avatar
        Jennie

        Wonderful all the way around!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
  29. Oddment Avatar
    Oddment

    Those dogwood berries are beautiful. Lovely early autumn/early morning pictures! As for that eye exam, I think I want to go to your optometrist just for the wallpaper.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dan Antion Avatar
      Dan Antion

      Ha! My previous eye doctor would like that comment. He put the wallpaper up and the new doctor kept it. The berries are being consumed steadily. They must be good.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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