September Poetry

"the air is different today  
the wind sings with a new tone  
sighing of changes  
coming  
the harvest gathered  
a flower, a nut  
some mead, and bread  
a candle and a prayer  
returning the fruits  
in thanksgiving  
to the grove  
and receiving  
it's blessing  
again"  
-  Rhawk, Alban Elfed 

Around OakMeadows

I wish you could see all the hummingbirds at the feeder on the back porch. There are about 20 of the tiny jewels feeding from it almost all the time. They are consuming a little more than 2 cups of sugar water each day. There are not many flowers blooming other than the salvia, the crown of thorns, and the candelaria for them to feed on so I am glad they can fuel up on my sugar water before the long migration ahead of them.  

Harvey has pretty much dissipated but there is another Hurricane, Irma, developing.  It doesn't look like Irma will come our way through.  

I spent quite a bit of time today getting our finances and household business squared away.  I called Humana and verified that the bill from MHHS was correct and paid that $885.  (This was from my small bowel obstruction last month.) Thank you, LBJ, for Medicare. Then JMM and I did the MasterCard charges for August. Next I sent $125 to Houston Public Media for our September charity contribution. Finally, I wrote JMM a check for $525 ; I need $400 cash for September haircuts, mani/pedi, and yard work and the other $125 for charitable giving.  That done, I was able to clear off my desk. Yea!!

We went to Gringo's for TexMex to celebrate getting through Harvey. More Yea!

Angie pooped in the house while we were at Gringo's. She absolutely never has an accident in the house when we are here. But every time we leave her, she poops.  JMM showed it to her and fussed and put her in her outside fenced area. I don't know what else to do with her. 

I am debating with myself whether to keep on with my Resistance Every Day project because it does no good. With both Senators, my Representative, and the idiot President all Republicans and opposed to everything I support, it is not likely to change their minds on anything. OTOH, it lets me DO SOMETHING about those awful, awful, awful policies against the environment. 

Post Harvey

No rain and blessed sunshine, blue skies, and puffy white clouds.  Thank goodness we have prevailed over the interminable rains of Hurricane Harvey.  We received a total of 34 inches over 4 days. We did not get any water in the house and it didn't really get out of the drainage ditch in our front yard.  We were without electricity for about 20 hours but the heroic linemen restored our power Saturday about 4pm and it never went out again. I have been very concerned about the Brazos River which was at first to crest at 59 feet which is 3 feet higher than the levees which contain it. But at last report, it will crest Friday at 56 feet.  There may be some spillage but nothing that would affect us.  

I have not been able to get to a grocery store and really haven't needed to. We went to HEB on Thursday and bought the usual week's groceries.  I have been able to keep us fed using that and my pantry since then. And I have enough to last until my usual Saturday morning grocery shopping. The key was not losing power for long and keeping my frozen food useable and being able to cook.  It would not have been so easy if we had lost power for the duration.   

The afternoon, I called and found out that Chili's in Rosenberg was open until 6pm. So at 4pm we went to Chili's for dinner.  I was so glad and thankful that I could get out and enjoy a meal out!! Everyone there was asking each other about their house and if they had any damage.  

I was sinking into a mild depression yesterday before the rain stopped. The sunshine helped and the trip to Chili's helped to pick me up.  I hope to sleep tonight and be more energetic tomorrow.  We shall see. 

August Thoughts

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” 

― Rachel Carson

Bye, bye Harvey

We live up the Texas coast about 175 miles north of Corpus Christi so we were spared the strong winds.  We got about 8 inches of rain in the first 24 hours.  It is still unknown what path the remains of Harvey will take and more rain is likely. The creeks and the Brazos River are way up but as far as I know, none are at flood stage. (That may change as more rain falls.) We lost power very early (8pm). It was restored at 4pm. Since we didn't open the refrigerator or freezer doors at all, I don't think we lost any food but I will check tomorrow. I hope we are finished with hurricanes for this year but you never know.

August Poetry

"Summertime
And the living is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Oh, your daddy's rich
And your mama's good lookin'
So hush little baby now
don't you cry

One of these mornin's
You're gonna rise up singin'
Then you'll spread your wings
And take to the sky

But til that mornin'
Ain't nothin' can harm you
With your daddy
And your mammy
standin' by."
-  George Gershwin and Dubose Heyward, Porgy and Bess   

Around OakMeadows

Around OakMeadows

I have recently discovered Hoopla through our library. I can check out up to 6 items per month directly onto my iPad. They have books, audiobooks, movies, and television programs.  I mostly use it for audiobooks. So far I have listened to 3 audiobooks through Hoopla: French Kids Eat Everything, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and White Trash. It is so convenient and I love listening to audiobooks.  Check to see if your library uses Hoopla. 

We had only about 50% of the sun blocked during the eclipse. Our daughter traveled from D.C. to Nashville to see the total eclipse.  

I am gradually getting all the books back on the shelves. Both of us are not just bibliophiles but borderline biblioholics so in 49 years of marriage, we have collected quite a few books. When we had the carpet removed and hardwood put in two weeks ago, we had to take all the books out of the bookcases in order to move the bookcases. Now we get to sort them out and put them back. Some are like old friends who have traveled a lifetime with us.  One of those old friends is my original copy of Jane Goodall's My Life with the Wild Chimpanzees which I think I got in about 1968. 

The hummingbird migration may be just beginning maybe a week or 10 days earlier than usual.  We currently have 3 Ruby-throated hummingbirds.  I have 2 more feeders to put up as soon as I see a few more. I can't tell if the Monarchs are beginning to come through or not as we have had Monarchs all summer.  Quite a few Gulf Fritillaries and Giant Swallowtails.  

It appears that we will be in Afghanistan, et al. for another 16 years because no one seems to have the gumption to declare victory and bring the troops home. So we will continue to waste lives, limbs, and money in one cesspool after another.  At one time, we had civilian control of the military (which I happen to think is a very good idea) but now we don't even pretend that our military is under elected civilian control. 

That's all the news from OakMeadows where the cats, dog, and people are ready for cooler autumn temperatures.