Views of the Neighborhood – Deer check

July 10, 2022July 9, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 87 Comments

Since it is fawn time again, it seems we should check to see how the deer are getting along. Today we are catered by Paperboys in Austin. Our entertainment is Big and Rich.

BRUNCH

classic breakfast -two eggs, maple sausage, potato wedges, buttered toast, strawberry preserves

quiche -smoked eggplant, summer squash, onion, feta, red pepper, dressed arugula salad

paperboy pancake – warm maple syrup, brown butter, sea salt add blueberries or chocolate chips

texas hash-braised pork, sweet potato, onion, kale, poached egg, pecan mole

migas – goat carnitas, pico de gallo, cotija, serrano hot sauce, grilled tortillas add avocado

steak & eggs -44 farms steak, chimichurri, sunny eggs, potato wedges, secret sauce, arugula

chicken & biscuit – crispy-fried chicken, country gravy, sunny egg, spicy honey

pastrami cured lox.

So let’s go.

Looks like dad had babysitting duties.

A newborn in our Agave bed.

Another in the rocks. (Why stones, you have to wonder?)

Bigger and doing our own thing.

Mama with her twins.

Mama with her only baby on the driveway.

Boys’ night out. (Notice the velvet on the antlers.)

“Hey, you. Contact my agent if you want photos.”

Twins on a sunny morning.

Well looks like the deer are doing fine. I hope you have a good week. Now listen to Big and Rich and enjoy the brunch.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Make a Note

July 9, 2022July 9, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments

A nice sit on the back porch and a concert by the cardinal intent to broadcast his availability is interrupted by a tone on my phone. (I didn’t mean that rhyme.) A quick look on the screen shows a large box on the porch. Thank heavens it didn’t fall into the backyard, is my thought while going through the unlock process.

A gate of steel rolled back, four bolts unlocked, two crossbars lifted, and the front door is thrown open. A mental note is made to replace all this stuff with a security sensor. There is nothing on the box to indicate the contents or sender, but the assumption is it’s from Linda Hill. A walk around the box reveals nothing.

All of a sudden (Love that), a whirring noise accompanies the slow rise of the top of the box. The decision was made to step back just as the top fell to the driveway. Inside the box, a strange green color glows as a hand clutching some kind of gun rises from within.

Soon a green helmated character in a green skirt follows the hand. “Where’s the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom,” says the character. The realization comes to me that this is Marvin the Martain in person. I immediately apologize for the lack of a kaboom, and Marvin hands me an envelope. (Of course)

Marvin continues to rise and disappears in a large fluffy cloud. I open the envelope to find a message. Here is what it says, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “make a note.” Do with it what you will. Have fun!

If you would like to have fun, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/07/08/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-9-2022/

“I don’t even remember Marvin the Martain.”

“I made a note to look up the Warner Brother’s characters and was surprised that he’s been around since 1948.”

“That’s hard to believe.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“What is the fascination with these characters anyway?”

“No real explanation other than I always liked them and find them fun.”

“So they become part of your intro.”

“Exactly.”

“And you aren’t nuts.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I’m going to make a note.”

“About what?”

“To ask for an appearance by Foghorn Leghorn.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“That is so easy to arrange.”

“I would love that.”

“Consider it done.”

“Calls for a Voo Doo Ranger.”

“Or two. I’m buying.”

“Even better. I’ll do Über.”

“Done.”

Friday – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

July 8, 2022July 7, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 75 Comments

Today’s good news comes from the good news network. Here is the story in its entirety.

Airline Captain Writes Note to Tooth Fairy For Girl Who Lost Tooth on Plane

Andy Corbley

–

Jul 5, 2022

Captain Josh – courtesy of Laura Larmon

A 6-year-old who realized after disembarking that she had lost a tooth aboard a plane was desperate to get it back.

Seeing this, a passing captain, with his jacket, cap, and epaulets, stepped in to write a note to the Tooth Fairy explaining the situation.

Lena and Laura Larmon were at the tail end of a long travel period, with a return leg from Norway to Greenville-Spartanburg Int. Airport, South Carolina, interrupted in New York with a 36-hour delay. Finally, stepping off the plane must have felt like bliss, until at the baggage claim, when 6-year-old Lena realized she had lost a tooth.

“We tried to walk back to the airplane, but security was closed. It was 2 a.m.,” mom Laura told Good Morning America, adding that Lena was “crying and very emotional” when she realized that, without the tooth to place under her pillow, there would be no corresponding visit from the Tooth Fairy.

That’s when United Airlines Captain Josh Duchow, seeing Lena’s distress, stepped in to help. With his captain’s bearing and official uniform, there would be no doubt that a quick written explanation from “Captain Josh” would be an acceptable receipt for the Tooth Fairy’s records.

“Dear Tooth Fairy, Lena had a tooth fall out on her flight to Greenville,” wrote Duchow, who piloted the flight. “Please take this note in place of her tooth.”

Note to Tooth Fairy – courtesy Laura Larmon

Mother Laura later shared the story on Instagram and Facebook as a break from “a world of bad airline stories.”

United Airlines released a statement on Duchow’s part, declaring: “we’re proud to see moments like this that underscore our commitment to going above and beyond for our customers and creating an airline where Good Leads the Way.”

The good news here is it doesn’t take much to show kindness. Thank you, Captain Josh, for your kindness toward Lena. Today’s JohnKu talks about being kind. I hope you have a great weekend.

Kindness by John W. Howell

It does not take much,

To make the day of someone . . .

Who needs a kind act.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy’s Ball

July 7, 2022July 6, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 88 Comments

“Let’s go outside and play while it’s still cool Little One.”

“I gotta find my ball.”

“So you have your ball. Let’s play.”

“Yeah, but something’s different.”

“What do you mean?”

“It smells different.”

“I don’t know, kiddo. it looks the same to me.”

“Yeah, it does look the same but trust me, something’s off.”

“How does it smell?”

“My ball always smells like bacon. This one smells like old feet.”

“Old feet? How can that be?”

“I think I know the reason. I must have grabbed the old ball.”

“The old ball? How many do you have?”

“Just two. After a while, the bacon smell disappears, and I whine until mom gets me a new one.”

“So you grabbed the old one. Can’t you make it work?”

“You don’t understand, Lucy. This one is a stranger to me.”

“I detect an element of spoiled here.”

“Not spoiled. Discerning.”

“Sure. There are underprivileged dogs who would love to have that ball.”

“I know, and I would love to give it to them too.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #367 by Keith Channing

July 5, 2022July 4, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments

In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below)as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”

The Photo.

“Well, boys, I never expected this.”

“Oh, Sir. You deserve a surprise.”

“Since I’m leaving the school, it was nice of you to think of me.”

“We have thought of you every day, Sir.”

“How lovely. Hear that, staff. These boys have me in high esteem.”

“I would say we constantly have you in mind, Sir.”

“That is so nice. By the way, why did you insist that this be opened out of doors?”

“The sentiment contained inside need not be confined by restricted space, Sir.”

“I am overcome with such a kind thought. I hope you didn’t spend a lot of money on this.”

“No, Sir. That is a natural gift, and we made it ourselves.”

“Even better, boys.”

“Yes, Sir. A couple of servings of toast and beans, and we were all set.”

“Oh, your lunch before you made the gift?”

“Yes, Sir. Seems you are having difficulty opening that.”

“Yes, quite.”

“We wrapped it quite well so the surprise would not be given away before its time. Maybe a pocket knife would help.”

“Do you have one?”

“Not with us. We will be right back.”

“Look at those boys. It just makes your heart sing with such dedication. Do you smell that? I say, check your shoes, will you, chaps?

Top Ten Things Not to Do on July Fourth.

July 4, 2022July 3, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 59 Comments

All ten are the same.

Do Not Take Freedom for Granted.

Happy Fourth of July to you, and Happy Birthday, United States of America.

One of the best versions of Our National Anthem.

Views of the Neighborhood – Fourth of July Decorations

July 3, 2022July 2, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 65 Comments

This is the day before the Fourth of July. So I thought it would be interesting to see some decorations around town. We are being catered by Better Half in Austin. Today’s entertainment is who else but Lee Greenwood.

BETTER HALF BREAKFAST SANDWICH English muffin, crispy hash brown, smoked paprika aïoli, arugula, fried farm egg CHOOSE BACON, BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, BEYOND SAUSAGE, OR AVOCADO

CHICKEN BISCUIT southern fried chicken breast, jalapeño-honey butter, curry bread & butter pickles
PASTRAMI BISCUIT house cured & smoked brisket pastrami,
creamy Swiss & horseradish pimento cheese spread, fried egg

GRANOLA BOWL oats, nuts & seeds, pomegranate molasses,
local Greek yogurt, seasonal fruit & berries, Thai basil & mint

WAFFLE IRON HASHBROWNS coffee & cream gravy, cotija, farm egg, pickled onions, scallions

NEW SOURDOUGH PANCAKES strawberries, coconut lime streusel, vanilla whip

NEW BIG SUMMER SALAD sweet corn purée, power greens & romaine hearts, heirloom cherry tomato, avocado & yellow squash, summer shoots, creamy cotija chimichurri & spicy pepitas
BETTER HALF CHICKEN BURGER house ground chicken, Duke’s Mayo, Swiss, LTO

BETTER HALF CHEESEBURGER 44 Farms ground beef, Dijonnaise, American cheese, LTO

BEYOND MEAT VEGGIE PATTY AVAILABLE

So, hop on, and let’s go.

This is a repeat of a prior year. I thought it was funny and a good use for a poor departed palm tree.

Several mail toppers in town.

From Sea to Sea decoration.

A stylish bunting on stylish home.

The ultimate topper. Armadillo, cactus, and flags.

The Lakeway Heritage Center celebrating the Fourth of July.

The Freedom Memorial is all decked out too.

Lakeway city lines all the thoroughfares with flags. This is the sculpture garden.

A close look at the plaque.

Guardian angel.

Girls with arbor rope.

Girl with Teddy bear.

Boys balancing.

Tennis boy.

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July celebration. Now enjoy the food and Lee Greenwood.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Amble”

July 2, 2022July 1, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 75 Comments

A quiet Saturday morning with the sounds of birds adding to the peaceful feeling. Inhaling the aroma of freshly brewed coffee as it is being made adds to the overall feeling of contentment. The temperature is below the blast furnace level, so an excellent opportunity exists to sit on the patio and enjoy the morning.

Twiggy and Lucy decide to come with me to the outside. They are busy reading their nose e-mails, and I’m occupied with mine. A fairly loud noise interrupts us all. Lucy and Twiggy do the instinctual reaction to warn the noise that the suburbs of St Louis are closer than they think. To be barked to St. Louis is a treat no intruder should miss.

The noise repeats, and this time the location is determined to be from the front yard. If this is another Warner Brothers character, I’m going to demand a royalty, I think, as I amble to the front door. After the disarm and unlock process, I’m standing on the front porch face to face with a mule.

Not knowing how the thing got there, I look around for a note. I’m assuming this is another delivery of the prompt from Linda Hill. I go around the back of the mule, and for whatever reason, I lift its tale. “Watch it, buster.” The words seem to come from a loudspeaker somewhere. Moving around to the front, I say maybe the dumbest thing that has ever been said under the circumstances. “Who said that?” Were the words.

“You must have seen movies in your day and know you are in the presence of Francis the Talking Mule.” I look around, thinking that maybe there is a camera somewhere. “Just pay attention, buster.” I look the mule in the eye and puff my cheeks. “Who you calling, buster?”

“The one who needs a prompt I have in my pocket.” The mule drops an envelope on the walk and ambles down the driveway. Not knowing where the envelope came from, I was reluctant to pick it up. Finally gathering the courage, I did a two-finger pick up and opened it. Of course, there was a note from Linda Hill which said:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “—amble.” Add letters to the beginning of “-amble” to make another word or use it as is in your post. Enjoy!

If you want to enjoy, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link.

https://lindaghill.com/2022/07/01/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-2-2022/

“Francis the flipping Talking Mule?”

“Yes. A problem?”

“How many years back was Francis the Talking Mule?”

“The 50s.”

“You getting senile in your old age?”

“No, why?”

“To bring up that character. Must have been popular when you were a kid.”

“In fact, Francis was popular when I was a kid.”

“I knew it. Senile.”

“Quit that. Just a memory is all.”

“It is a break from those Warner Brothers characters.”

“So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“Francis the Talking Mule.”

“You better clean your driveway.”

“I’m serious.”

“That was a preamble to the advice to forget about Francis.”

“Fine, done. Any more advice.”

“Need to sit with a cold one and think.”

“You are buying, so let’s go.”

“My car is in the shop. Can you drive?”

“Better yet, let’s catch Francis the Talking Über.”

“Very funny. Just call the real one. I think I’m going to be overserved.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Friyay/Good News

July 1, 2022June 30, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

Today’s good news story comes once again from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.

Floating Drones Are Swallowing Tons of Plastic Waste Before it Reaches Ocean

By Andy Corbley

June 24, 2022

From Chennai to Trentino alto Adige to Baltimore, inventors are churning out methods of stopping plastic pollution from entering the ocean by picking it out of riverways.

They come in different shapes and sizes, and a Dutch company just added a whale-shark-inspired drone that can cobble 160 liters of waste to the mix.

Developed by RanMarine in Rotterdam, the drone project was both straightforward, but with a pretty long checklist. It had to be automated, zero emissions, easy to use, economic to deploy and maintain, and be able to clean a freshwater environment without harming it.

The result is WasteShark, which is about 4 feet long and quietly captures trash in a tray between its two pontoons. Like the whale shark that provided its inspiration, a grid stops anything sizeable from entering its mouth, until it detects trash and the grid is lowered.

Once the drone is filled, it’s steered back to the water’s edge, where the tray can be easily removed, and emptied into a larger receptacle.

Watch the video

The good news here is around the world people continue to work on keeping plastic and trash out of the ocean. Today’s JohnKu talks about problem-solving.

Solving a problem,

Even the impossible . . .

Takes a dogged heart.