Friday Music

Not much to say about this except one of my top ten musical artists.

Great cover of a great Steve Earle song.

Performed by an angel...

Critter Buffet

It occurred to me the other day that there are more than a dozen species of tree in the space between the house and the county road - our front yard.

And several are bearing fruit.

Pin oak

Mulberry

And an unspecified variety of apple

The critters gonna be happy.  And I hope the birds leave some mulberries for our ice cream...

Update From The Oriole Ranch

Business here at the Oriole Ranch has been slow of late.

 

When the orioles first arrived - activity on the feeders was fast and furious. The hungry migrators were intent-upon gorging on fruit and grape jelly.

 

With the orioles raising their broods their feeding habits have switched to abundant high protein insects and insect larvae as they rear their young high in the tree canopy. They continue to visit early and late in the day - but only sporadically.

 

 

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. 

 

Baltimore in the foreground - red-bellied woodpecker in the background

In the interim, the red-bellied woodpeckers continue to come around to indulge their sweet tooth.  With all the dead and dying ash on the landscape the resident woodpecker population has soared to record numbers.

 

Side Note:  Indigo bunting sightings continue to grow year-over-year.  Uncommon a dozen years ago nowadays they are a daily delight.  I've learned that the  prior year recruiting class of this species have a tendency to return to within a half-mile of the location they fledged.  We suspect we've slowly but surely encouraged a localized population to take hold.

 

Who knew?

 

A few more action shots...

 

 

 

 

 

Making Hay

There is an old saying about making hay while the sun shines - recognition that farm chores last as long as there is daylight.

We know that the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year yet the latest sunset of 2023 occurs today.

The solstice marks the farthest point of advance in the sun's relentless march to the north. A week ago , June 21, the advance ceased.  The word solstice literally translates to: sun standing still.  Following this event the sun begins to march in the opposite direction and heads south with our daylight hours getting shorter.  Daylight will continue to dwindle until December 21 - The dark days of the winter solstice - and the first astronomical day of winter after which the process reverses and repeats itself.    

All of this aside, there is a curious paradox in play as a few evenings immediately following the solstice seemingly and inexplicably get brighter.  

If you were to check your Farmers' Almanac sunset tables on pages 146 and 148 you would note that from June 21 thru July 3 the sun wil set a few seconds later today compared to yesterday or tomorrow.

What gives?

We all know that following the solstice the day grow shorter so logically the sun should be setting earlier, no?

Here in the northern hemisphere, where you live halfway between the equator and the north pole, on the 26th, 27th and 28th of June the sun will set just a few seconds later.  While this would seem to defy both logic and the science about days getting shorter; as a consequence of our elliptical orbit around the sun and the phenomenon astronomers call analemma the earth is several million miles farther from the sun and moving at the slowest speed around it.

Most of you may not be making hay today; nevertheless, enjoy a couple of extra seconds of sunlight as you take-in another sunset.

 

Daily Dose

Is it just me or does social media seem to have an overabundance of grievance?

Since the beginning of this year I have endeavored to be a better person.  Not a Mother Theresa - just better.  And as a consequence I truthfully don't have very many grievances.  I have opinions; but that's not the same as full-blown grievance.

As a public service and in the interest of spreading positivity on the interweb here are some critter babies from the woods here at The Platz.

A periodic dose of goodness and cuteness....

 

Palace Intrigue

Beginning Friday evening and extending into all day yesterday what appeared to be a fast-moving mutiny in Russia unfolded and was resolved in a matter of hours.

Was Wagner Group strongman Yevgeniy Prigozhin fomenting an insurrection or a putsch?

The march on Moscow came to an abrupt halt with what appeared to be a deal brokered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.  Prigozhin will live in exile in lovely Belarus, Wagner Group mercenaries will alternately be disbanded or absorbed into the Russian command structure.

What does this mean for Vladimir Putin?  What does this mean for Prigozhin?  Does this development have meaningful consequences for Ukraine?  Does Russian instability impact their unprovoked invasion of a neighbor?   What red lines have been crossed?  What are the implications for gangster loyalty?  What next?

Or was this a non-coup?  A deep fake choreographed by Putin and Prigozhin?  A retreat from defeat in Ukraine disguised as a coup.  Or an excuse to consolidate Wagner into the regular Russian army? 

Speculation and conspiracy theories are cheap.

Churchill said it best -

I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia.  it is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but there is a key.  That key is Russian national interest.

Who Started This Anyway?

Among other expert podcasts I digest among my favorites includes Peter Zeihan.  Zeihan is an American geopolitical analyst.  He  studies how place impacts financial, economic, cultural, political and military developments; and makes them understandable to a layperson. 

This is the fifth question of his Q&A series:  Who is the ultimate provocateur in the Ukraine War?  He doesn't think his answer will surprise anyone.

If Russian propaganda has led you to believe that nazi-jewish-gay-demons run Ukraine maybe this isn't the video for you.  Equally as absurd is the idea that NATO and the US are responsible for Ukraine being in this situation.

The US has seen NATO growth since the Cold War's end; roughly 20 countries have joined, and many of them are former Soviet territories.  But joining NATO is no cakewalk.  It's a grueling process and must be unanimously agreed-upon by all members.

So the idea that NATO started this war and has been plotting to eliminate Russia is a stretch.  

Besides, when you actively send tens of thousands of troops into another country, it's pretty hard to get the red off your hands.

Take time to watch.  Five minutes well-spent.....

Muddle Or Puddle?

While fishing in Canada recently my pal Braumeister and I observed a vast number of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies taking flight just about everywhere.

It was stunning as I had never observed them in large numbers in Wisconsin.

Then there was this...

On the shoreline of the lake were were fishing was a gathering of swallowtails that were feasting-upon the salts and minerals in the sandy cobbled beach.

This behavior is called a puddle and north woods beaches are known to draw large numbers of butterflies that gather to absorbed needed salts.

Just about every species of butterfly engages in the habit of puddling.  I've observed small numbers alight-upon the damp soil of my garden to partake.  And when we had Labrador retrievers the monarch butterflies were fond of dining on fresh dog turds.

This was quite an amazing congregation to observe.

If you find yourself on an inland lake or Great Lakes shoreline be sure to cast an observant eye for more of the the same.

Friday Music

This song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, recorded at RCA studios in Hollywood and release in the UK in early 1965.  

I was surprised to learn that the refrain in this song is similar to This May Be The Last Time - a gospel song recorded by the Staple Singers in 1954.  Richards has subsequently acknowledged they they wrote an adaptation of the Staple Singers song which for legal purposes goes back further in the past.  The Stone iteration includes a base melody and a distinctive riff not found in the Family Staple version.

This is some particularly excellent footage of a 1965 concert in Ireland. There is Wyman, Jones, Jagger, Richards and Watts.  This bluesy, gritty, break-up song with a hard-driving guitar riff is one of my all-time favorites.

The Last Time.....

Post-Burn Update

There's an old saying about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence.

On May 10th of this year we conducted a prescribed burn on the seven acres of pollinator habitat out back.

And at the seven weeks point post-burn things are greening-up rather spectacularly.

View east, north-east....

 

 

 

Fishing Southern Ontario

A couple of weeks ago my pals Smokey Joe and Braumeister traveled to Ontario on a fishing vacation.

Some observations:

• When the fishing was good; it was really good.  

• Unlike north woods Wisconsin lakes Canadian lakes are not packed cheek by jowl with dwellings crammed into the shoreline.  With the exception of an occasional cottage, camper trailer or resort the shorelines are ringed with beach and forest.

As a consequence, the clear, clean lakes supports ample food resources to sustain a large population of native fish.  If you want to chuck a crank bait for muskie or northern pike have at it.  If you want to catch jumbo perch all you require is a rod rigged with a slip bobber and a supply of leeches.  There are walleyes (pickerel) too.

And when you catch a pile of fish you have a big fish fry with all the fixns'.

 

 

 

 

It was a productive and relaxing week of fresh air in a rustic cabin and creaky resort boat.

I'd do this again...

The Redcoats Are Coming

molting

Most of the resident whitetails have completed their molt of the dull, drab, grey winter coat and
they're now sporting the handsome, ruddy, rusty-red of summer.  Stunningly beautiful in my estimation and when these deer move into a hay field they're easy to spot up to a half mile away contrasted against the bright green of the clover or alfalfa. 

You be the judge.  

 This is also the time to see the new recruits of the year as the resident does have begun dropping their fawns.  Not dropping literally - but birthing their offspring.  Singles and twins -  Jill spotted a fawn at the edge of the yard the week I was off fishing.   

 

Summer Solstice

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice here in the northern hemisphere which means that on Wednesday we receive more sunlight than any other day of the year.  Naturally, you would conclude that this date would have the earliest sunrise and latest sunset, no?  

Don't jump to conclusions.  Even though the solstice has the greatest amount of daylight - the earliest sunrise occurs before the solstice and the latest sunset falls afterward.  The occurrence of those events is dependent upon how far you are from the equator – a function of the tilt of the Earth on its axis.  

Here is an interesting factoid – I went to the US Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department and looked-up the Sunrise and Sunset times for The Platz before, during and after the solstice.

June 17 Sunrise 5:03 Am Sunset 8:38 PM

June 18 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:38 PM

June 19 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:38 PM

June 20 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 21 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 22 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 23 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

June 24 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

June 25 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

 

 

Notice that the three dates preceding the solstice have almost the same amount of daylight.  The implication is that the solstice lasts more than half a week. 

 

What's the explanation?  Does it have something to do with our location being almost equidistant from the North Pole and Equator?  Or is it a consequence of rounding the precise times?  I think it is the latter rather than the former.

 

Nonetheless, any difference is the amount of daylight will not be discernible to this old guy’s eyes.

 

New York Minute

A day in the Big Apple reduced to 55 seconds.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Apple.

 

Hillary, Bill, Mike, Joe and Donald Walk Into a Bar

Thursday afternoon I learned that Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman was indicted on charges of mishandling secrets.  The filing of criminal charges comes only two months after FBI agents arrested him at home on April 23.  The circumstances of this case are far different from the circumstances of former President Trump's handling of secret documents but I am reminded about the whataboutism that has overwhelmed the news space and interweb recently and sucked all of the oxygen from my living space. 

The former president has reminded anybody willing to listen that he is the target of witch hunt by the Department of Injustice and that Joe Biden is personally criminalizing his behavior while others are given a Get Out Of Jail Free Card. 

For myriad reasons I do not believe that Donald Trump will ever see the inside of a prison; nor to I believe he should.  But that is a different discussion for a different day.

What is the crux of today's post is that the Trump case differs from that of other politicians who have retained documents without suffering significant legal consequences.

Hillary and Bill Clinton, Mike Pence and Joe Biden have all been scrutinized for records-keeping related to their public service.  Trump suggests that the only reason he's been indicted is that he has been singled-out for persecution by an out-of-control FBI and Biden's Department of Justice.  

He is a victim.

This narrative is perfectly understandable for the politics and appeal to his supporters; yet it is a false equivalency as none of these individuals defied a federal subpoena and sought to conceal documents from law enforcement and their own attorneys.  To be fair, if Trump had complied with the subpoena in August of 2022 this entire matter might have blown over as a misunderstanding and avoided in its entirety.   

Karma.

The Trump case is all about the retention of documents that he was not entitled to keep; and that he did so willfully and defiantly thereby putting our national security interests at risk.

The Clinton private email server case was reviewed multiple times by the Trump DOJ in 2016, 2017, 2018 and, again, in 2019.  The conclusion was that while she may have been recklessly negligent she cooperated fully with the the investigation and it was determined that there was no intent to commit a crime.  Then FBI-Director James Comey reopened the investigation in October of 2016, weeks before the election, likely upending the election outcome.

Karma.

Trump has groused about secret documents that Bill Clinton retained.  This is a falsehood - not a double standard.  Clinton had interview tapes of his discussions with historian Taylor Branch which formed the basis of her 2009 book:  The Clinton Tapes - Wrestling History With The President.  Judicial Watch sought a court order requiring Clinton to turn the tapes over to  the National Archives.  The archives had already concluded that documents related to a president's official duties are Presidential Records and thus property of the National Archives.  Diaries, journals and book material are personal property.  A federal judge during the Obama era agreed.  I do not know if the tapes are still in Bill's socks drawer as Trump has claimed.

We have learned that both Biden and Pence had small numbers of classified documents in their possession.  They invited, and voluntarily complied with a search by FBI and turned everything over.  AG Garland has appointed a Special Counsel to conduct an investigation of Biden and the Republican House is investigating as well.  As there has been no obstruction no warrants have been issued.  Pence is not going to be prosecuted - he's a Boy Scout for God's sake!

The bottom line is that while all of the foregoing plays well in political and social media absolutely none of it is relevant in a court of law.  

Whataboutism is inadmissible as evidence in the Trump case as neither Biden, Pence or the Clintons are targets in this case.

Will we ever know why Donald Trump has, again, turned out to be his own worst enemy?  I dunno.  Part of me thinks he's a hoarder and his recklessness predictably got the best of him. My attorney has reminded me that a bad deal is always better than a good trial.  WTF - listen to your lawyers.

If you have nothing better to do, take some time to read the unsealed Trump indictment.  I did.  It's only 44 pages long.

Mrs. Robinson

At the end of last month Jill discovered a robin nest in the ancient pump house.

Having left the windows open to air the shack out a robin determined that a most excellent spot for a home was to build a nest in a basket on a shelf in a building.  

A house, in a house, in a house.

Brilliant.

Monitoring the three eggs laid in the nest there are three babies now that are close to fledging.

It will be interesting to see if mama chooses to raise a second brood in this location......

Friday Music

Composed by Chip Taylor and originally recorded by Evie Sands this song first charted in 1968 with a version recorded by Merrilee Rush.

It was originally pitched to Connie Francis who declined the offer considering the tune was too risqué for her image.   

It has been covered by countless artists since then  including PP Arnold (backing vocals on the on the first recording), Billie Davis (UK), Liliane Saint-Pierre (Belgium), Bettye Swann (soul), Connie Eaton, Olivia Newton-John and (famously) Juice Newton. 

The Rush recording peaked at the No. 7 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the No. 1 spot in Canada, Australia and New Zealand and No. 4 in the Netherlands.  

The summer of 1968 it was featured multiple times a day on the PA system at Camp St. Michael.  It was here that it was permanently seared-into my brain.

My favorite cover of this tune is by this favorite artist.

Angel of the Morning.....

The Garden Chronicles

Lettuce, spinach, beets, radishes and carrots have been resown. 

 

These are small on account of the recent drought conditions. 

Nevertheless, first harvest of 2023!

Recent rains have been a Godsend.

 

Vive le Jardin Magnifique!

Making Hay While The Sun Shines

If you open your copy of the 2023 Farmer's Almanac you will note that in the Northern Hemisphere the earliest sunrise for this year is tomorrow - June 14.

You're probably thinking:  Shouldn't this coincide with the summer solstice next week?  Nope, the dates for the earliest sunrise (June 14) and the latest sunset (June 27) do not coincide with the Solstice (June 21).     

The principle cause of this is the slightly elliptical orbit of the earth around the sun and the tilt of the earth's axis.  The earth moves a bit faster in its orbit during the month of January when we're closest to the sun.  In July we are further from the sun and moving a bit slower.  If you chart the path of the sun across the sky on a daily basis it will appear to travel in a figure-eight pattern that astronomers call an analemma.  This is the Word of the Day.

Because of this, the notion that when the sun is directly overhead at noon, thereby slitting the day into to precisely equal parts, is not true.

The midday sun comes later by the clock on the day of the solstice than it does a week earlier.  As a consequence of this the sunrise and sunset times differ on a clock.  It is the sun's looping path that explains this difference.

I'm sure by now your head hurts a bit by this explanation so don't sweat the details.  Take my word for it. 

When you get-up tomorrow morning grab a big cuppa joe and watch the early sunrise.

New York Minute

A day in the Big Apple reduced to 55 seconds.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Apple.

 

Sunday Morning Deficit Hawk

Speaking of the 800 pound gorilla in our government's living room that nobody wishes to acknowledge here is something you can do on your own to see how you measure-up on the debt ceiling discussion.

I've been called a lot of names in my life but this is something that I'm actually proud to be called

Deficit Hawk

How much would you cut the national debt? 

You can play the game over here at the Washington Post. 

Update From The Oriole Ranch

Some more shots of various song birds visiting the irresistible feeder on the west side of the porch.

Predictably, action has slowed considerably in the last week compared to the rush of business immediately following the arrival of these hungry birds. 

Nests are built, and they're preoccupied with setting on their eggs or feeding newly hatched babies.

All of this is predictable.

The selection below includes male and female Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles and Indigo Buntings.

Use your bird ID skills to pick them out of the line-up...

 

Friday Music

A favorite of mine going back to the day.  It remains apropos.  And the irony is palpable.

I said ‘mama I come to the valley of the rich,  myself to sell’

  She said ‘son this is the road to hell’

The Road to Hell" is a two-part song written by Chris Rea and released on the album of the same name. It was released as a single, with only part 2 on the A-side of the 7". The single was his biggest success in the United Kingdom, peaking at #10 on the UK Singles Chart.

Very early Paul Shaffer and The World's Most Dangerous Band.  David Letterman's house band for 33 years....

Pizza Man

Attempted an experiment a week ago for the backyard brick oven.  

 

Homemade, cold fermentation dough, garlic alfredo, fresh basil, sliced whole milk mozz, fresh mushrooms, sweet onions and shrimp. 

 

 

Two minute bake in the Forno.

 

Drizzle of EVO before serving.

 

Yummy result. 

 

After discussing this with my sidekick spouse we concur that chicken would work too. 

 

I’d also consider substituting chopped scallions for the sweet onion.  Rather than put them on before the bake I'd sprinkle them on with the drizzle of EVO before serving.

 

Crushed red pepper would also amp-up the flavor profile.

 

Big Orange Taxi

The Staten Island Ferry, one of the last operating ferry systems in New York, transported people between Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs long before bridges were introduced. Since 1817 to be exact.

1895

Nowadays, the Staten Island Ferry provides almost 22 million people with ferry service annually: taking almost 70,000 passengers daily between St George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in Manhattan. 

The ferry is the only non-vehicular mode of transport between Staten Island and Manhattan. The New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for the maintenance of the ten-vessel fleet along with numerous facilities including the St George and Whitehall terminals in Staten Island and Manhattan respectively, the City Island and Hart Island facilities, and the Battery Maritime Building including all floating dock equipment.

The Staten Island Ferry is run for one simple reason, to provide transportation for those who need it. However, the Staten Island Ferry offers so much more, including a scenic view of the New York Harbor and a no-hassle way to view the city, for free! 

During the 25-minute ride, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are visible from on deck. The skyscrapers and bridges of lower Manhattan are there to see you off as you depart and welcome you back as you return. The weekday schedule of the Staten Island Ferry employs four boats that make a total of 117 trips a day - or about 40,404 trips year-round.

Between rush hours, the boats are refueled and maintained to ensure safe travel for all its passengers, terminals are routinely cleaned and maintained as well during the day shift. Weekends feature a similar schedule, employing three boats and only 96 trips daily compared to the frenzy of activity required during the workweek. In the post-9/11 world, passenger cars are no longer authorized to ride the ferry.

About twenty years ago I happened to be in Sturgeon Bay and was witness to a big, orange Staten Island Ferry cruising east in the direct of the ship canal.  Having completed its sea trials it was heading out for travel thru the seaway for delivery the the New York Department of Transportation.  I cannot recall which one it was but it was constructed and launched here in northeast Wisconsin.

We've been to new York many times of the years for business and travel.  Until this recent trip with the family I have never ridden the ferry.  About time to scratch that itch.

Since 1902, Fincantieri Marine Group has been designing and constructing some of the world's most advanced marine vessels ranging from small passenger ferries to large cargo ferries.  

Return Trip On The Spirit Of America

There are ten ferries in the current fleet and three were born and launched here: Guy V. Molinari, John J.Marchi and Spirit of America.  The keel of the Spirit was built with steel from the Trade Center Towers.  The vessel honors the spirit and unity of America following the attacks and the memory of all who were killed and the Civil Servants who perished trying to save them.

You can learn more here.

photo - Fincantieri Marine Group

 

 

Eat

When we're in town for whatever and there is time there is this.

 

 

If you have reason to visit Green Bay make a point to go to Al's.

 

 

Since 1934, 0ne of the better burgers in northeast Wisconsin. Maybe the planet for that matter...