On This Day In History

On July 2,1982, Larry Walters, a 33-year-old truck driver from San Pedro, California, redefined the meaning of homemade adventure. From his backyard, Larry tied 42 helium-filled weather balloons to a lawn chair, packed a parachute, a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a pellet gun—and took off into the sky. His plan was simple, if wildly optimistic: to gently float a few hundred meters above his neighborhood, enjoy the view, and then use the pellet gun to gradually pop the balloons and descend.

But things didn’t go as planned. Larry shot up rapidly, reaching an astonishing altitude of 4,900 meters (over 16,000 feet), unintentionally entering the controlled airspace of Los Angeles International Airport. Commercial pilots began reporting a man in a lawn chair floating near their flight paths, and air traffic control was thrown into disbelief. Eventually, Larry drifted into power lines, causing a blackout in parts of Long Beach. Miraculously, he landed safely and was immediately arrested by the Long Beach Police Department.

Despite the chaos, Larry Walters became an instant folk hero. His story made headlines worldwide, he appeared on Late Night With David Letterman, and his now-legendary lawn chair was later displayed in the Smithsonian. Though his flight was illegal and dangerous, Larry captured the imagination of millions—a symbol of daring, eccentricity, and the kind of wild dream only someone with enough courage—or enough curiosity—would actually try to live.

 

Later in life he later broke up with his girlfriend of 15 years and could only find work sporadically as a security guard.  On October 6, 1993, at the age of 44, Walters died by suicide.

Summer Blooms

From our early walk this morning it was already 75F and forecast  to rise into the mid to low 80s. Whew!   We ran the trail camera trapline too so there are more critters to follow,  

There was also silky dogwood - Cornus amomum. 

 
This deciduous shrub has an open-rounded form and features tiny yellowish-white flowers in flat-topped clusters in late spring to early summer, followed by attractive berry-like drupes that ripen from white to blue in late summer.

It is typically found in moist lowland areas, such as swamp borders, floodplains, and along streams and ponds. 

The berries are edible for birds and wildlife. The berries can be used in teas or other preparations when ripe but are otherwise toxic to people. 

Lots more blooming in the pollinator habitat; and monarch butterflies, pardon the pun, are king.

Stay cool

 

Summer Blooms

False Sunflower (Heliopsis Helianthoides), is a perennial native.  

It is characterized by its bright yellow petals surrounding a darker orange-yellow center.  It prefers full sun and average to dry well-drained soil.  It's a good pick for pollinator habitat or a butterfly garden because it provides abundant amounts of pollen and nectar. 

Ruby Tuesday

This field golden retriever joined came home to live with us on a Tuesday.  Hence her name.

Anyway, here's a photo dump from the trail cameras...

  

June Night Sky

 

The June moon - typically the last full moon of spring or the first of summer - is traditionally called the Strawberry Moon.  With origins traced to the Algonquin people this was a sign to commence gathering wild strawberries.   

Following European settlement alternate names included the Meade moon and the Honey moon were introduced.  

Because the Roman goddess of marriage is Juno – namesake of this frequent month of marriages - we have the honeymoon.

 

Managing Pond Scum

Schadenfreude is the pleasure we feel when witnessing the misfortune of others.  While it may seem mean-spirited, and even vindictive; if you feel guilty about the satisfaction you experience when someone else messed-up don't be too hard on yourself.  It happens.  I admit to feeling a wee bit mirthful over the president's ongoing battle with pond scum.

Anybody who has lived on a farm, had a neglected backyard pool, pond, gone fishing or otherwise been anywhere near a body of water knows that algae happens once the weather warms-up.  Where I live excess nutrient runoff can create entire dead zones in Green Bay and close beaches to swimmers.  When that happens both us and our dogs stay out of the water until the danger passes.  Hey!  What about your ponds and creek?

Good question.  All three bodies of water on our property support a wealth of diversity including aquatic plant life to animals.  There is no excess nutrient runoff in the ponds because we don't apply any.  Natural algae growth and protozoans support insects and animals on the low end of the food chain. Which, in-turn, support amphibians and reptiles and birds like cranes, ducks and herons.  I can't speak for runoff in the creek because I cannot control agricultural applications upstream or downstream; but it certainly supports bait fish and crawdads.  Speaking for myself, we use best management practices (BMPs) for riparian habitat.

Does the water on my ponds and creek look like drinking water?   Nope.  Would I drink it?  Nope.  Does it look better than the Reflecting Pool water?  Absolutely.  The biophilia is in balance.  You cannot win a fight against Ma Nature and science.

Algae blooms have long thrived in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool since it opened in 1922.  It is filled with stagnant tidal water from the Potomac River further enriched with excess nitrogen and phosphorus runoff which algae loves.  Mr. Trump's own Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will tell you that the water in the pool is unsafe for swimming, fishing or supporting aquatic life.  It is hazardous.  

The president has insisted that his $14 million renovation this spring would forever banish the cloudy, algae-infested water as a consequence of sealing the leaks, filtering the water and painting the bottom American Flag Blue.   

Following the renovations it was refilled with the same nutrient-rich tidal water (not treated city water), wildlife defecated in the pool, it is shallow, fetid and foul and warmed-up in the summer sunshine.  Summers in D.C. are sweltering and the dark blue bottom exacerbated the problem by absorbing more heat and voilà, the largest algae bloom in recent memory!

Mr. Trump wanted blue and he got green.  And lots of it. 

He looked at the algae and blamed imaginary enemies, because enemies are easier than learning.  In the last five days it seems at least five individuals have been cited, arrested or otherwise detained for poisoning or vandalizing the Reflecting Pool.  I don't believe the Reflecting Pool was sabotaged; because I haven't been witness to mug shots or the drama of  a Trumpian perp walk.  The real cause is usually the obvious; it is simply dirty water, full of food for algae, followed by hot weather and now the bottom is delaminating possibly because of shoddy installation by a no-bid contractor and/or the president's own motorcade driving across it.   

 

The president called it an attack because the real answer is too complicated for him to grasp.  Another excuse from the man who shouts at people but cannot shout science out of the water. I guess he missed the class. 

The toxic Reflecting Pool is actually a perfect metaphor for Mr. Trump; and he created it himself. He's gonna drain it, repaint it and start over.   All the while expecting a different result.

So here we are; the National Guard has been tasked with watching paint peel from behind a newly-installed chain link fence and Donald Trump may go down in history as the only US President to be outwitted by a single celled organism.

You can't make this stuff up if you tried.... 

 

Birthday Girl

Relentless flusher and retriever of pheasants, this field golden celebrated her third complete navigation of the sun today.

Nevertheless, this working girl still has enough puppy in her to unload her entire basket of toys and plush animals.  

Anyway, while mom and dad were in Milwaukee to visit friends from their decades of curling, she scored a staycation at her favorite place; Red River K-9 II.  Ran with her people, got a manicure and a shampoo and blow dry.  

And after dinner at home this evening and everyone had settled-down to watch world cup soccer, scored licking someone’s ice cream bowl.

 
Happy Birthday Ruby the Red Rocket!