Friday Music

Written, composed, and performed by Bob Dylan this song was released in 1965 on his album Bringing It All Back Home in 1965.  Coincidentally, California folk rock band - The Byrds - also recorded their version of the song the same year.  It has been covered by multiple artists including Melanie, Judy Collins and more.  

The Byrds’ recording reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the UK Singles Chart and (along with Dylan) made Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best songs ever.  

It is also on my personal Top 100 list.

Mr. Tambourine Man...

Return Of The Timberdoodle

While out walking the dog recently she has flushed several doodle birds.  They're common around here because of the remnant alder and willow thickets in the lowlands and younger reforested uplands.  Nevertheless, outside of the local situation this curious bird is becoming less common every year.

The American woodcock - Scolopax minor - also known as the timberdoodle - is a ground-dwelling shoreland bird species found in young forest and shrublands.  Woodcock breed across eastern North America with Wisconsin part of its western range.  This migratory bird winters in lowlands from the Mid-Atlantic south to the Gulf Coast states. 

Historically, woodcock were found in much larger numbers.  This was a consequence of a landscape that included larger amounts of early successional habitat - the technical nomenclature for younger forest.  Not surprisingly those younger forest have evolved and grown to mature forest where woodcock do not live. Fire is suppressed and logging is in decline so the extent of younger woodland habitat continues to shrink.  Urban development also destroys former habitat and because of all of these factors the woodcock population has fallen by about 1 percent each year since the 1960s. 

Aldo Leopold’s - A Sand County Almanac - describes the courtship display of the male Woodcock.  This is one of the true harbingers of spring around here and a delight to observe before sun-up.  From the chapter titled Sky Dance in this excerpt.

I'm tickled to listen to the courtship ritual.  It is another sure sign of the arrival of spring.

 

Talking Turkey

Yesterday was the last day of another Turkey season and it's looking like it's SPAM Aux Gratin for Thanksgiving dinner this year as I am turkeyless.

Saw four jakes, a lonesome hen and had three opportunities to work a gobbler only to have them each hang-up on me.  Jill reminds me that this is why i is called hunting and not shopping.

I also have no recollection of actually hunting in scattered thunderstorms.

Of course, I'm old and forgetful from time to time...

Turn-up the volume for this short digital capture of what a turkey rumble sounds like.  If I had a hand grenade I could have smoked this gobbler.

 

 

Media Circus

Jon Stewart weighs in on the media’s overblown coverage of Trump’s criminal trial, from sketch-artist interviews to following his motorcade via helicopter, and how the airtime contradicts their stated goal to give him less airtime. Plus, Daily Show alum Jessica Williams surprises us with some joyful benefits of following the Trump trial story.

Lighten-up people.

This is funny.......

Optional Equipment

Choosing how to outfit the new Toyota truck you are ordering?

Ask about this.

Tailgater's best friend.....

April Night Sky

If you are reading this you have ample notice about this evening's full moon - called the Pink Moon. 

The term ‘Pink Moon’ actually does not imply that the moon is pink.  The term derives from the spring appearance of native ground phlox and their pink blooms that coincides with the April full moon.  The Full Pink Moon of April rises this evening and will be at peak illumination at 6:49 PM CST. 

The April full moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.  The Algonquin people knew this as the Breaking Ice Moon while the Dakota identify this as the When The Ducks Come Back Moon.  These native tribal themes are certainly true around here.

More here from the Old Farmer's Almanac...

 

Setting The Record Straight

It is not a crime to pay hush money. 

It is a crime to cook the company books to hide it.

It is the cover-up that gets you in trouble.