Consider The Larch

They’re late this fall for some reason; so from our walk this afternoon is the last hurrah of fall color in our woods. 

I cannot get enough of my favorite tree.  The tamarack or larch - Larix laricina.  Also called the hackmatack.

The larch can tolerate cold temperatures better than any tree in North America which is why you'll find it in the northernmost tree-line regions of the continent.  Rot-resistant they make excellent shingles and fence posts.  Historically, the bark was used in the leather-tanning industry.  It's a damn useful tree.

I suppose I'm biased since we've nurtured several nice stands of tamarack here.  They're well-suited to some of the soil types and as evidenced by seedlings and saplings popping-up here and there they are thriving.

They sport some crazy branches that would almost make you think they belong in a Dr. Seuss story but the part I like best is the fall color found in this species.

The needles turn a blazing golden color - then they drop.  It's done.  In the spring the tree grows an entire new set of needles and begins the process all over again.

Functional and good-looking; and as Monty Python once said, “Consider the Larch.”

                

Friday Music

Good morning reader-listener.  Today, and for the fourth time, I bring forth a disco tune; all 122 beats per minute of it.

Composed by George Young and Harry Vanda this song was recorded and performed by fellow Australian John Paul Young in 1977.  The song became a worldwide hit in 1978, peaking at No. 3 on the Australian charts and No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart.  In the States it peaked at No. 7 on the pop chart and spend a couple of weeks at the No. 1 slot on the Adult Contemporary Chart; his only US top 40 hit.  Yes a One Hit Wonder.

This is a rather fun cover from the Australian music trivia show RocKwiz; featuring Julia Zemiro who introduces and joins in on the performance, Isabella Manfredi sings portions in Italian and Helen Croome (also known as Gossling) an Australian indie-pop singer known for her distinct vocal style.

Turn-up the volume for Love Is In The Air... 

Let's Hear It For The Boys

By the time this post is published the rut should be beginning to kick it into high gear.  Signs of pre-rut activity materialized by the middle of October including the start of scrapes and rubs.  Everywhere you walk you can find evidence of this out in the woods.

Plenty of the trail camera photos and video captures have been of nocturnal buck movement; and as the rut continues there is going to be more daytime activity.  Time will tell.

Meanwhile, and apologies for the data dump, here is a selection of digital imagery collected on October 24.

 

 

 

Stay-tuned as I shall endeavor to refresh the imagery at a two week interval.

There's room at the inn for any of you deer camp guys looking to unlimber your vertical bow or crossbow.  You know how to reach me.

Raising a toast to the boys.  Cheers!   

Quote Of The Day

 "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.......and we will deserve it."

 - South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, May 3, 2016  

Election Day

  

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. With that same certainty, Trump will interfere with the election. It is an absolute given. 

 

Except for a win on his team he will reject the outcome. 

He will claim it was rigged. He will claim that millions of votes are bad. He will spew out the lies at a machine gun pace. He will use every tool in his power and others that are not to delay the seating of the newly elected officials. He will violate the laws that protect us. He will tie everything up in the courts. 

He will drag this out as long as he can. That is his strategy. The longer he drags it out, the longer he survives in power. 

 

Count on it.

And be prepared for January 6th 2.0

Passing The Smell Test

I don't mean to be picky but what's with Donald Trump's affection for dictators and bad dudes?  Serious, he gets off the phone following a call to Vladimir Putin and almost instantaneously fawning over the Russian autocrat.  And then it bleeds-over to the war in Ukraine; that Russia started.

Recently Mr. Trump told Newsmax that Zelensky is "not a good guy for us to deal with" and "more difficult" than Putin.

Then he goes off running at the mouth and exaggerating the amount of aid the U.S. has given to Ukraine.  Factually, it is more like $195 billion, not $350 billion, with much of it going directly to U.S. defense contractors.

Mr. Trump also claimed that the U.S. had provided "massive amounts" of Tomahawks to Ukraine, therefore depleting our own arsenal.  The Pentagon has provided no such cruise missiles.

Add it all up and it smells bad.  

Putin Trump - photo Japan Times

So what is the explanation for Mr. Trump's affection for a Russian war criminal?  There are all sorts of wild conspiracy theories about Trump being a Russian plant or sympathizer.  Or that Putin has dirt on Trump that has compromised him.  

President Zelensky has a simple and compelling theory; and like Occam's Razor suggests that the explanation that requires the fewest assumptions is usually best.  Zelensky believes that Trump has a fondness for totalitarian authority and wealthy individuals. He speaks about it openly and is likely a wee bit envious of Putin's station in life.  Trump has likely padded his balance sheet since the start of his second term by roughly $2 billion.  That pales by comparison with Putin's estimated $70 to $200 billion; but it's a start.  Besides, the master manipulator has been in power much longer.

Anyway, Trump's willingness to do the former Soviet Intelligence officer's bidding is troubling.  Hopefully, Europe's willingness to step-up and fill the void will save Ukrainian civilian lives.  Having fallen under Putin's thrall I'm not entirely convinced Trump is an honest broker in bringing this war to an end.  It doesn't pass the smell test.  And more women and children will die as a consequence.

Fall Colors

Autumn foliage would not be complete until I posted a photo of my favorite power company tree.

It's a shame it has to suffer the indignity of a pruning job like this as it's otherwise a handsome maple.

Bury your power lines folks or plant a sufficient distance from any overhead power lines.