Color Photos of The Great Depression 1939-1944/The Heat Lingers On...

I heard the other day that this Summer is on course to be the hottest in the heartland of the USA since the Great Depression beginnings of 1932.  I have little doubt that it may indeed be.  Of course the so called "Global Warming" crowd is using the prediction as "proof" of Climate Change...I say "Bullshit"!

If the current hot spell is "proof" of Global Warming or man-made Climate Change...what the Hell was last year's record cool Summer proof of?  What is the record cold winter of the southern hemisphere this year proof of?  My advice to these so-called experts and Al Gore is..."Shut the F__K up"!!  We aren't buying your leftist, Chicken Little tactics, so stuff em'

It is indeed hot and humid, just like the summer's of my youth, growing up on the Gulf Coast of Venice, Florida...and the extended forecast does not provide much relief.  A couple of days next week and predicted to be less humid, but for most of the next 2 weeks, there is not much relief in sight.  I'm just hopeful that when the high school football season kicks off in full(August 20th) that things change for the better.

The Great Depression and WW2____

As a student of American History, I have always found the period from 1930 through the end of the 1940s of most interest to me.  I guess maybe that since it was before I was born(March 1949), that I can look at it with such interest...I was not born until the end of those 2 fascinating decades, but the photos, stories, and history of both are foremost in my mind when I think of true American History...that history not corrupted by left wing revisionists and historians. 

Yesterday my Vietnam buddy, like me a former Air Force Sky Cop, and unlike me, a retired State Trooper(Kentucky) sent me a link to some rare color photos taken by historic photographers.  The photographs are in vivid color and can be found here: (may take a few seconds to load)

http://extras.denverpost.com/archive/captured.asp

I've gotta say, despite the starkness of the times, depression, war, polio, poverty, etc...I find the photographs of the era, and the history themselves, to be among my favorites.  Men were men, women were housewives, providers, and took over the factory jobs while the men were at war.  I love that America, and it's people,  from the stories that were passed on from my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.  Sadly today we have become a nation of whiners and wimps, led by a sorry son of a bitch, so far radical left, that he puts even FDR to shame.  And make no mistake, FDR was an evil, piss poor Prez who, if not for the Second World War would have done to this country, what Obama is trying to do now.

By I digress, despite my dislike for the policies that Franklin Roosevelt wanted to force down the countries throat, I love reading about, and viewing the history of that 20 year period, when true Americans were at their finest, and America was at it's best.

I will try to figure out how to stay out of the heat for the rest of the day....

back later>>>>

Photos-Top, the first photo in the collection, I'm sure Faro Caudill and his wife Denise of Pie Town, New Mexico, never dreamed that they would live on in history, given their humble lives...but photos of the couple, dwelling, and family are all over the Internet, when you "google" Depression Photos.   The Caudill photo gives a unique color perspective when compared to the classic black and white photo on the right side of the post.

Celina, Grand Lake, Ohio, Self Destruction or Reds/Cardinals Basebrawl?

I just looked outside and here it is 8:45am and it looks like a half hour after sundown...almost pitch black outside.  Looks like we are in for a good downpour and more to follow this first salvo. 

I was first going to write about our twin "issues" in the Grand Lake area...those being the destruction, or supposed destruction via pollution of Grand Lake, and the bold destruction of the finances through incompetence of the City of Celina.

Yesterday I headed over Nick's, it was hot, humid, and hazy, with some thunderstorms pushing through the area....I stopped took a couple of nondescript photos of the "street repairs" going on downtown.  A mass of repairs that, thanks to the city leaders and the mayor's hired henchman, masquerading as "development directors".  The city leaders seem intent to stepping on dollars(i.e. wasting tax payers money) to pick up dimes(grant monies).  Layoffs(which are needed) to save a few thousand bucks, while spending more to purchase overpriced property and useless building to tear down and put in parking lots, that won't be used because there will be no businesses left downtown for people to shop at.  Large cities have their corrupt politicians, Celina has incompetent leaders, that will fall for any BS the State of Ohio and/or the Ohio EPA mandates.  Meanwhile the heart and soul of Celina slowly is destroyed.

A few years back the Celina decided to put all their eggs in one basket...that "basket" was the pursuit of grant money(with matching taxpayer contributions of course), for the glory of the West Bank at Grand Lake.  No need to go into details...suffice to say, it was a simple minded folly to say the least.  It was never going to work, but the real estate agents and lake development folks loved it...after-all, it lined their pockets, and the dupes running the city were more than willing to fall into line....and a line of BS it was!

Now the lake is dead, at least for the time being.  Polluted by the green Algae, in the pursuit of green money, by area mega-farmers that are content to destroy a 13,000 acre landmark.  That landmark, Grand Lake, has become a huge cesspool of animal manure, farm chemicals, and bad management from the state.

Those were the items I was going to write about this morning...and I probably will expound more on them after this weekends Bar Stool Open.  Yes, despite the scares and claims from citizens, with accompanying cheerleading from the state officials, the Bar Stool Open will go on.  Oh sure, they are advising not to travel by boat this year...instead they say, drive it by car, and use a 'designated driver".  Some will to that, some have cancelled, but Nick and Company, we will go out on his pontoon, and take our chances.  It will be interesting to see how many will follow our lead and join us on the boats, and how many will buy what the State BureauRats are selling.

Anyway that was what I was going to write about...the city streets, Main and Buckeye basically rendered useless for who knows how long?(Buckeye has been shut down for over a year, and is still not near completion)  The Main Street repairs will be done by next Memorial Day, so the "city leaders" say....anybody want to make a bet that doesn't happen?  The Lake may be re-opened by next Spring....any bets on that?  Not much the average citizen/voter can do, except defeat the 1/2% income tax increase on November's ballot, then vote out every single local politician that is voting for these projects and increases.  What Obama is doing on purpose to this country, is what our local politicians are doing to this city...I hope it's by ignorance and not on purpose.  That was what I was going to write about...I think I said that a few times already?  But instead I'll talk about the Reds vs Cards "Brawl" last night.

I've never been a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals....think they are a bunch of whiners and over hyped wimps.  No, I don't hate them like I do the Yankees or Cubs, but never liked them...especially since they came into the Central Division of the National League with the Reds.  The manager, who I call Tony LaWussa, the steroid suspect Albert Pujols, and the she male Chris Carpenter especially rub me the wrong way.

Well the Cards came into Cincinnati a full two games behind the upstart Cincinnati Reds....the Redlegs were on a roll, having taken 5 of 6 on the recent road trip, including 3 straight from the Cubbies.   To SL's credit, they bashed the Reds 7-3 in game one, and came into last night's contest just a game behind.   Cincinnati second basemen Brandon Phillips has stated after game #1 that the Cardinals were wimps and crybabies, and he "hated" them....that set up this confrontation when Phillips came to bat in the bottom of the first inning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf52e2X0Rgk 

Too bad the Cards won again, this time 8-4 to tie the teams for first place, the Reds need a win to gain the top spot back, as they play again today in Cincy at 12:30 EST.

This kind of stuff is great for MLB and the Reds and Cardinals in the pennant race. It takes the talking heads on ESPN and elsewhere off jock sniffing the Yankees and/or Red Sox. 

Go Reds!  For more on the Reds-Cards, stop by my alter-ego Riff Reff...click on the blind ref>>>>

back later>>>>

Photos-Looking out across polluted Grand Lake St. Marys with Safety Island in the distance...Some Green Algae washing up against the north shore.  US 127, Main Street, will be a business killing mess for the next year or more.  And the Reds/Cardinals "Brawl" was the highlight of last nights Major League games.

Cell Phones, Grills, Sunflowers, Monarchs, Football, Beer, and Cigars....

The title about sums up my weekend.....

Except for the Cell Phone, and that took place this morning....My 2nd AT&T Phone, by Nokia, has lasted me three and 1/2 years, without a hitch...no battery replacement, no problems....until I left it in my PJs this morning and it got washed!  That was the end of it.  So Patricia and I headed up to the store and looked for a new one for me....finally decided on one, another Nokia, that is somewhat like the drowned one....I guess I should feel lucky, since the boys usually go through 2 or 3 a year...this is only the 3rd one since I retired in 2002 and considering I traveled the country for 5 years, to having never lost or destroyed one...I hate to lose the phone, but w-t-h, sheet happens!

Saturday, Sam and I headed to Lima Shawnee for a 5 hour State Interpretation Meeting for the upcoming football season....$20 for a chance to cover the required meeting, plus breakfast, drinks, and door prizes...not a bad deal.  Some of the meeting material was well worth the time.  My first scrimmage is August 20th...and with the heat and humidity building for the next week or so, I'm glad I didn't take any sooner.

When that was completed, I pretty much planted myself in the back yard for the rest of the weekend....way to many beers, to many cigars, and not enough exercise....Nick stopped by Saturday night, and we downed a few and smoked a couple of Free Cuba hand rolleds.

Yesterday I was grilling pork steaks, and with the fire hotter than eternal Hell, I noticed the glass window on the grill exploded....thus ruining the steaks...damn!  Patricia headed back to the store while I cleaned up the mess...window or no window on the aging grill, we were going to BBQ....

She got back with the resupply,  and I fixed burgers, chicken, and more pork steaks....they came out fine, and mine went well with more beer....looks like next summer, I'll be investing in a new grill.... however, the old windowless one will do for now....it is still serviceable.

Yesterday while grilling, listening to the First Place Reds sweep the Cubbies, and downing some Miller Lites, I got a chance to check out how my 4 varieties of Sunflowers were doing.  I had planted 5 types, but only 4 have shown thus far....still waiting for the "puffy' variety...not sure if they will make it, but the rest, Mammoth, Moonwalkers, Evening Shade, and Mexicans, are going great guns...I guess I should say five are going great, because the one large Wild Stalk that a bird or something dropped along the fence line, produced 30 flowers....plenty of seeds for the varmints are on the way for this fall and winter.

I did get a chance to click some photos, including one of a Monarch Butterfly that had landed on the Mexicans.....some are included here.

Meanwhile my hand rolled cigar stash took a hit....and I may have put a dent in the Miller Lite and Guinness Extra Stout supply in the local stores...

A couple of meetings today, Mercer Residential and MacOnline gang....soooooooo I'll be back later>>>>

Photos-All taken in the backyard yesterday afternoon....A Monarch Butterfly hangs out with the "Mexicans"....the "Moonwalkers" have taken flight, and one of the Evening Shade Sunflowers  in all it's glory....

Michelle Antoinette Obama and her Posse' in Spain

A pretty nice day yesterday, and today and tomorrow look to be the same, before "Hell"(as my friend Bruno for Missouri calls the Summer heat and humidity) returns next week.  80s today through tomorrow, with somewhat lower humidity levels.  As I mentioned yesterday, I actually am pretty sick of the summer heat and especially the humidity that has been with it....but it still beats winter.  I love late September and the month of October weather wise, I just don't like the 3 months that precede or follow those.

Our Queen Michelle Obama in Spain___

I despised the Clintons and still do....I despise Jimmy Carter, but I think I've never disliked any couple in the White House as I do Barry and Michelle Soetoro Obama....and it has nothing to do with the color of their skin.  The fact that they are Marxist millionaires that treat the average folks, and those that disagree with their Republic destroying policies like dirt, and with contempt, is my primary reason.  Add the fact that the media, {other than talk radio, Fox News, and a few right leaning blogs}, are slavish in their coverage of this unholy couple, ads to my dislike of these two phonies.

King Barry celebrated his 49th birthday the other day, without the company of Queen Michelle, who jet setted off to Spain with a daughter and 40 members of her Posse'....throw in a few dozen Secret Service types, and it's "Bend Over Taxpayers"...the Chicago trash that sent their dog on a separate jet on our money, is now bilking the citizens of America out of millions, so Michelle and Company can act like royalty...

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/08/04/2010-08-04_material_girl_michelle_obama_is_a_modernday_marie_antoinette_on_a_glitzy_spanish.html#ixzz0vka65lxZ

I've got news for our self proclaimed "Queen of  No Fat Foods"...you are not royalty.   You are are nothing more than a Chicago Lawyer, who if not for the luck of the draw{and the support of Marxist Radicals, like Billy Boy Ayres and George Soros), would be slaving in some non descript law office in your dump of a hometown....So get over yourself.

You two self important clowns do remind me of a couple I have read about in my History Research....Benito Mussolini and his upperclass whore and mistress, Clara Petacci, and we all know how they ended up after treating the citizens of Italy like dirt in World War II:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Petacci

Is Obama another Mussolini?

http://gi.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_mussolini.html

Decide for yourselves....

I've seen him compared to Hitler, Stalin, and others....I say he's more like Benito however...not really all that bright, and propped up by a group of handlers and puppet masters that are pulling all the strings for our Kenyan-in-Chief....

Meanwhile his wife and her Posse' spend like drunken sailors in Spain, as Barry drives the country towards another decade like the 1930s.....

Not one of my more pleasant rants of late...but sometimes you need to get things off your chest, and what this administration is doing to this country, with the willing help of the lap dog media, makes me want to puke!  Hell, that got my blood pressure up a few notches...guess I'll mow the lawn.

Back later with hopefully more pleasant subjects>>>>

Dog Days keep rolling along!

Not much going on...last night Garry, Sam, and I headed to our first local rules meeting for High School Football, where about 19 members of the Van Wert Association were present to begin discussion of the new mechanic and rules changes for Ohio HS Football for this coming season.  As we finished up, another blaster of a thunderstorm came roaring through West Central Ohio...and we waited for about 20 minutes to make it to the cars....

This made the 4th heavy storm in less than 36 hours to hit the area....our yards are now back growing, as the mini drought is finished for now. 

Sam and I will attend a State Clinic on the rules changes at Lima Shawnee High School on Saturday...a 5 hour session, which takes care of our required State Meeting for the season.  Meanwhile Sam headed back to Columbus this morning, where he is doing camera work for the Big Ten Network as they prepare for the upcoming fall football season.  Today is the day the network interviews the Seniors that will don the pads and helmets for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, in quest for another Big 10 title and a possible shot at another National Championship.....time and the season will tell.  For Sam, it's a great opportunity to work and see the sports at OSU, and get paid as well.

Meanwhile the heat and humidity show little signs of relenting anytime soon....we get a less humid day on occasion, but the heat remains, and the sticky humidity returns in short order.  Unlike last years cool Summer, this one has been pretty miserable, unless you are into 90 degree and above temps and humidity to match...I'm not, I'm ready for Fall, which will come when Mother Nature decides it's time.

back later>>>>

My Alter-Ego "Riff Reff" has a new post at the MacOnline...click the blind official to go there>>

Moonwalkin' ... Sunflowers that is...

I left the Jeep Wrangler out last night, with the top down...the forecast called for a chance of rain by this afternoon...guess what?  The forecast was running a little late...the Jeep got the seats soaked, as well as the floor and carpet, and I got a wet ass when I pulled it into the garage...oh well, it's a damn Jeep,  a little mud and rain never hurts those things....plus we needed the rain...something I would have never said back in mid-June.

Having planted 6 varieties of Sunflowers back in May, 5 have had at least one bloom, plus I had the rouge Wild Sunflower that blew in with the Mammoth ones out back by the Dog Kennel, and that has 30 flowers already bloomed on it.  Last night while drinking a few pints of Guinness, enjoying a hand rolled Free Cuba Cigar,  and listening to the Reds win at Pittsburgh...I grabbed the camera, and decided to take a few photos of my favorites, the "Moonwalker".  As tall as the Mammoth stalks, but with smaller circumference, the Moonwalkers come with 5 or 6 flowers on each stalk, unlike the big guys, which are usually limited to one big flower.  They also have a large face and a lighter yellow color scheme.

Anyway, as I mentioned the other day, no horticulturist am I...but I am kind of getting into this Sunflower thing each Summer....I think I'll do a little research this fall or winter, and see exactly how many different kinds I can plant in the back yard...no sure if I have enough Full Sun areas to get more stalks in, but I can always diversify by growing fewer of each...one thing I do have, is time...the next planting season for the garden is at least 8 or more months away.

Tomorrow night is our first local Football Rules meeting at Van Wert..then Sam and I will head to Lima Shawnee on Saturday for the mandated State Rules meeting, which includes a clinic from the OHSAA.  That will take care of most of Saturday.  My first taste of 'real' football comes on August 20th when Celina's Freshman team is scheduled to take on Greenville in a scrimmage....after that, a full season of JV, Freshman, and Middle School games will follow, as well as the Celina Recreational League games on Sundays through mid October.  I will probably be asked to fill in on a Varsity game or 2 as well...but those usually come on the spur of the moment.  Unlike Baseball, I really have little interest in doing a full schedule of Varsity Football games.

Baseball is my main sport...I enjoy Football and Basketball, but really don't want to get overly involved in the Varsity grind at my age...baseball is a different story, I consider myself one of the better Varsity Umpires around(although I'm sure some disagree), and will do that level until I retire from the officiating wars.....hopefully about the time I hit 68.  That sound like a plan, God willing of course, because only he knows what's in store for me....especially at my age(61).

Enough Rambling...

back later>>>>

Photos-The Moonwalkers as they look against the night sky in our backyard....many more yet to come out in bloom.

Good Bye Baseball, Hello Football

Between late Friday afternoon, and early Sunday evening, I finished off my baseball umpiring season...7 games, 6 behind the plate.  The event, The Dale Harter Memorial Little League Tournament in Celina, went on with only a 90 minute rain delay on Saturday, and was completed on time...Teams from Miami Valley, and Wapakoneta, were the winners in the 12 and 10 year old divisions respectively....Sam and I did many of the games in the 12 year old division, including the Semi and Finals.  This 61 year old body feels every inning behind the plate in his upper back and legs this morning.  The tournament was played in hot and humid weather, and that is one thing that saps the strength out of even a 12 year old...so you can imagine what it did to this old man.

I tried a new stance this year for the Little League games and those I worked last weekend at the Pony League games in Minster...it proved much easier on my legs...sure they ache, and the back has major issues this morning, but the stance was much better than trying to get down to the little guys level.  Working High School Varsity and American Legion games for most of the season, doing the dozen or so lower level games for the 14 and under kids, at the end of the season, requires a different style and approach.  From Strike Zone to temperament(did I mention many Little League parents are idiots?), it is a different game from an umpires perspective.

95 or so games between mid March and August 1st....a few less than last year(110-115), but still plenty of wear and tear on the old body...now a couple of weeks rest(and the back needs it), and football begins.

Today, I will gather the baseball gear and clothes, clean and inventory same, and pack and hang them away for the year....6 1/2 months from now, baseball meetings begin, but for now Football, followed by winter time Basketball looms on the horizon.

Next Saturday, Sam and I will attend a football clinic at Lima Shawnee High School....the OHSAA(Ohio High School Athletic Association) has foisted 20 pages of mechanics changes and a few new rules on the football officials.   Not being with a regular crew on Friday nights, they won't affect me as much as the guys who work together every week...but the changes will come into play on occasions, especially those when I fill in on a crew, that needs some help.

But for now, I plan on resting up, and trying to get this pain in my back in control....before that first scrimmage on August 20th comes along.

back later>>>>

Is it Blogger or the Computer Store?

We got the computer cleaned and added some new power....so I check out the blog and see half the photos are gone....was it them or Blogger....

back after repairs to the site....

It was Blogger...what else is new? 

Baseball all weekend at the Dale Harter Tournament in Celina, my one Little League gig of the year....1 game last night, 3 today, and 3 or 4 tomorrow....sooooooooooooo, I'll be back on Monday, enjoy the weekend!

back later>>>>

Road Trip 2011/12...Moonwalkers vs Mammoths

Some needed rain(considering how things looked back in mid June, never thought I'd say we needed rain by the end of July) came rolling through west central Ohio last night.  Most of the recent storms had by-passed this portion of Ohio and moved to the north, south, and west...heck!  East too....we just didn't get much.  A storm with some rain on Saturday night, but not enough to make the grass green, until last night when we received a couple of good storms and showers.  It was enough to delay the State ACME Baseball Tournament again, so they will move those games(postponed in the 2nd inning of game #1 last night) to this evening, and push the Championships back at least until Friday evening, and depending on outcomes, it may be until Saturday before we know a State Champion.  Celina still is alive and will play in game #2 tonight.

Sunflower Update_____

After the rains last night, I figured to walk around the back yard and beyond the aging wooden fence that surrounds the back yard of the property....a chance to see any limbs that were dropped by the storms(and there were some), pick those up and check on the condition of the blooming Sunflower population.  I planted 5 or 6 varieties, and a rouge wild plant also appeared...so far 4 types have bloomed, and another is about to.  The only one I have no seen hide nor hair of is the "puffy sunflowers"....no horticulturist am I, but I do appreciate the hardy Sunflowers.  During my time in Dodge City, Kansas, I marveled at the fields of them that dotted the farms and roadsides of southwest Kansas...plus they are so damn easy to grow and and take care of....they don't need much care.  Pull some weeds, pick off the plants that may be too close to the others, and watch them grow...fast!  I noticed the first "Moonwalker" has bloomed...as tall or taller than the Mammoths, the Moonwalkers grow multiple flowers on each stalk, and even though as tall, they are not as big or are the stalks as large in circumference....which lets them reach to the sky, them bend over when the flowers are in full bloom....

Our planned Road Trip for 2011_____

Patricia and I have decided, now that the kids are grown and on their own, even Anissa lives away most of the time, we will do some major traveling the next couple of Summers.

After retiring from the Environmental Health field in 2002, I spent the next 5+ years driving the highways of the country, delivering RV Motorhomes....if you count my Air Force years, I have seen 48 of the 57(right Obama?) States.  The only 2 I have not at least stepped foot or landed in are South Dakota and Montana.  Alaska I have to admit was only for a 15 minute stop over in my Sky Cop days.  Anyway, we have decided to take off for at least 2 weeks in late July through mid August of the next 2 summers to "see the USA".  The first year we will head west, then in 2012, we plan on going south then up the east coast towards New England, and back across the eastern Great Lakes area.

Although I saw much in my RV Driving, I really never got to stick around places for very long...time taken was money lost....I did hang out in Las Vegas on occasion, but for the most part, a few hours spent at any one location was not in the cards.   So next year, we will visit her folks in Wisconsin for a day or 2, then on to South Dakota, Deadwood, and Mt Rushmore, then head west through Montana, Idaho, and south to Vegas, the Grand Canyon, back to Colorado and the Rockies, Dodge City, and back east towards home....2 weeks to 17 days should do it.  Of course it all depends on cash, time, and health....and if the Kenyan Bastard in the White House hasn't locked down the country.

More on the trip(s) as I begin to see the plans come to clearer....

back later>>>>

Photos-The Wall Cloud from last night storms moves through Celina(looking north from our porch), The First of the "Moonwalker" Blooms...and Mount Rushmore, is one of the early stops planned for our 2011 Road trip through the west....The Marxist Sanctuaries of California, Washington, and Oregon, are not on the vacation agenda, but most of the other states west of Ohio are.

Jumping into politics...for just a minute/Obummer The Snake Oil Salesman

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been staying away from talking much about politics of late on this blog....for the 100 or so folks that stop by here per day, you already know where I stand.  That being somewhere to the Right of Attila The Hun.

But I did want to reinforce this morning just what a snake-like crooked son of a _______ our Kenyan President is(don't be shocked, I'd say the same thing to the bastards face if I ever was given the chance).  The latest news in circulation for the past couple of weeks is the rumor that Obummer and Company stole the Democratic Primary from Hillzilla Clinton.  Now this does not surprise me one iota, nor do I care.  For you folks that look at not electing Hillary over Barry as a lost opportunity...I say "Get Over It"!  Hillary and Billy are just as left and just as corrupt as The Obummer.  So even if the following Fox News report is true..I don't care...one corrupt Marxist or the other corrupt Marxist...What the Hell is the difference?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wziSNkTaeyo

Left Wing is Left Wing...and both Obama and Hillary are...both a couple of crooked snakes in the grass, one as evil as the other.  As long as those that support either of these ideologues, are in the majority of people that vote, the former Republic known as the United States of America is in deep dung.

ACME Baseball___

I headed to Eastview Park last night as the loser's brackets continued in the State ACME Tournament.  My 2 partners from this Spring's High School Districts(and Regional), Mark Weidenhammer and Bob Grubaugh, were working the games...Host Celina came from behind to defeat Napoleon 3-2 in the first game, and Lima Shawnee was eliminated by Vandalia in the nightcap 11-6...those two will face off tonight in another elimination game, after the winner's bracket final between Anthony Wayne and Perrysburg.  Things will wrap up on Friday Night...and that will be the day Sam and I begin our last weekend of baseball for another season, working the Dale Harter Memorial Tournament on the other diamonds at Eastview.

Politics and Baseball....now that is a strange mix, and enough for today.

back later>>>>

It's still a Jungle out there!

"It's a Jungle Out There", I could be talking about politics, Obummer the Kenyan's evil mind, or our nitwit left wing media that worships his sorry ass.  I could be talking about the Islamic Trash that wants to infiltrate this nation and eventually make it like those dumps that they run(into the ground), or I could be talking about inner city America, which have become cesspools of violence, poverty, perversion, crime, and mayhem.  But nope that crap is too depressing...so I'll stick with my summer time theme, away from politics and terrorism, and instead write about my mundane life of baseball umpiring, and keeping the flowers growing, and trying to stop the weeds from taking over the yard in it's entirety.

With no baseball until Friday at the Dale Harter Memorial in Celina....I've got to shift my thought process a bit.  So yesterday I wandered around our large city lot....not big by living in the country standards, but large enough so this corner lot with fence, trees, and shrubs can house not only flowers, but weeds, and rouge trees by the hundreds....so for the second time since winter ended, I headed into the shrubs to fight the dreaded rouge Maples...what a mess!  I spent the next 2 hours or so, cutting back on the Maples, most with roots and circumference to large to pull out of the ground, so I just looped them off, as close to the base as I could...it still made an impressive pile.

Meanwhile the 5 or 6 varieties of Sunflowers I planted are starting to grow at a quicker rate.  When I planted them back in early May(later than most folks), I didn't bother to mark or make note of where I planted what...so except for the Mammoth species, I guessing as they come up to what is where.  I have figured out the Mexicans, and the Moonwalkers, but the rest I will have to wait until the actually produce blooming flowers. So that will be my week...the rain we had over the weekend was still not enough to get the grass into mowing size...just a few weeds to knock down.  So both our and mom's yards will have to wait until a few more sprinkles hit, before getting the mowers out.....

For now I will continue to ignore politics, why bother?  It just pisses me off anyway, and as I said before, life and God will sort this son of a bitch named Barry out, sooner or later, and may he help the fools that support him and his corrupt, Marxist policies....just lock, load, and be aware of the evil that he and his subordinates are bringing to this republic.

back later>>>

Photos-top>not sure what variety this one is, it appears that I will find out soon enough.  And the brush pile that I gleaned out of the "shrubs" that act as a private border from the duplex apartments east of my yard.  The Wild and the Mammoth, as well as the Mexicans(fighting the weeds) continue to bloom...

And if you are really bored, or have time to burn, click on The Official View(on the right side), and read the latest about umpire work in the rain and lightning.