Update From The Oriole Ranch

When the orioles first arrived activity on the feeders was brisk with the migrators gorging on fruit and grape jelly. 

 

Business recently has been quiet. The orioles haven’t entirely disappeared - but their feeding habits have switched to abundant high protein insects and insect larvae as they rear their young high in the tree canopy. 

 

Predictably, by July the adults will return with their fledglings to introduce them to the decadence of grape jelly and oranges. 

 

This is always a hoot because the fledglings will find a perch and beg mom or dad to feed them. By the time they’ve figured out how to feed themselves the orioles beat it out of dodge to wing their way to their wintering grounds.

 

Last to arrive and first to depart. 

 

In the interim, The indigo buntings continue to come around to indulge their sweet tooth and partake of the thistle seed in the two finch feeders and ordinary wild bird seed along with most everyone else.

 

As a four year-old visitor recently put it:  What is the blue canary bird called? 

 

 

The Folly of Impulsive Indifferrence

 

The reckless nonchalance with which leaders like Trump and Putin launch wars speaks volumes about their judgement. 

Meanwhile, playing the long game, China bides its time as Russia and the US burn thru lives, resources and treasure.

 

Not only are the Chinese backing their Iranian allies, China's leadership appears to be better-read than Putin and certainly Trump.  

 

True victory comes not from defeating others, but from arranging circumstances so that victory becomes inevitable before conflict arises.

- Sun Tzu 

 

 

 

PS - An MOU is a start; nevertheless, the deal, if it comes, must hold every red line; no enrichment, full removal of the existing stockpile, verification with teeth, the Strait open and free, permanently.  Nothing less.

Rinse and Repeat

Our dogs have always taken to water.  Our big black Lab famously liked to swim in the big pond before the ice was completely out.  The blonde Lab wouldn't stay out of the creek; and if she got close to a lake it was all over.  Our field red golden retriever has continued the tradition embracing mud season with such gusto that she's earned the nickname: Swamp Collie.

The best part of it is now that it's warmed-up last month we hauled-out her pool and set it up on the patio.  If she returns from a walk all muddy and gross in the pool she goes!

Rinse and repeat.  

 

 

 

Spring Blooms

From our walk to check the trail camera trapline yesterday there was Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis).  A native perennial.

Friday Music

Produced and directed by Peter Jackson and making reuse of unused footage and audio recordings covering the making of the Beatles' 1970 album Let It Be in a colossal three episode documentary distillation of 21 hours of studio time.

Co-produced by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison this series was delivered by Disney in association with Apple Corps and WingNut Films.  It premiered in three installments on Disney+ in November of 2021.  I remember watching the Rooftop Concert series back then.  It was subsequently released international in February 2022 and DVD and Blu-Ray the summer of 2022.  You can still find it on various streaming services and for any of you collectors, there is always Amazon Prime.

They don't make musicians like this anymore. 

Here's a teaser; The Beatles: Get Back.....  

Melt Down

The face of an abuser when confronted by a confident female news correspondent....

 

Wash, Rinse and Repeat

 

When I had a day job I used a Bluetooth device similar to this to talk on the phone. Hands free I could access a file, use my desktop computer or walk about the entirety of the office suite and speak with anyone on the phone. 

Naturally, when I retired I purchased one so hands free I could putter-about my workshop, the machine shed, the garden and make or answer a call. It’s slicker than snot when you're sitting in a deer stand. Best of all with satellite radio and YouTube apps on my device I can listen to music, talk radio or a podcast without bothering anybody.

Last weekend it went missing. And it was maddening to not have a clue as to where it went. So we ordered a replacement from Amazon which arrived the day after the missing device turned-up.

In the dryer.

Apparently I put it in the cargo pocket of my shorts and it went thru a complete wash and dry cycle.

And following a stint on its charger it still works!

Tough device the Plantronics Voyager Legend is.  It earns the absentminded old guy seal of approval.