Views of the Neighborhood – Earth Day Planting

~ John W. Howell ~ 87 Comments

In celebration of Earth Day last Monday, the Swim Center and the Department of Parks and Recreation of Lakeway held a planting event. Volunteers signed up to plant blooming plants throughout the center. So, we will step back in time and witness the event. We are catered by the 24 Diner of Austin, and our entertainment is The Beetles.

Menu

CHEDDAR BURGER Brioche bun, cheddar, pickles, red onion, roasted tomatoes, smoked aioli

BACON AVOCADO BURGER Brioche bun, bacon, avocado, charred poblanos, smoked aioli

24 BURGER
Brioche bun, swiss, house pickles, sauce gribiche, bibb lettuce, tomato

THE 24 VEGGIE BURGER Brioche bun, Havartii, vegan mayo, spicy pepper relish, avocado. Housemade veggie patty: beets , mushrooms, lentils, bread crumbs, rice, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds

WAGYU SLIDERS Blackening spice, bacon, caramelized onions, blue cheese

PATTY MELT Rye toast, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, smoked aioli

M’S GRILLED CHEESE Sourdough, cheddar, havarti, roasted tomato

THE B.L.T. Ciabatta, bacon, tomatoes, arugula, basil, oregano, roasted garlic, aioli

MEATLOAF SANDWICH Sourdough bread, pickles, mustard, ketchup, red onion

CHICKEN CLUB SANDWICH Ciabatta, avocado mash, bacon, tomatoes, bibb lettuce, tomato vinaigrette

BUFFALO CHICKEN SLIDERS Crispy chicken breast, house Buffalo sauce, pickles, blue cheese

FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH Brioche bun, apricot slaw, chipotle remoulade, choice of white or dark meat

BLACKENED TUNA SANDWICH Brioche bun, cabbage cucumber slaw, jalapeno remoulade

Picture of an old time school bus

Jump on the bus, and let’s go.

There is the entrance to the park.

The Parks and Recreation table so we know we are in the right place.

The plants were all laid out ahead of time. Here’s a hibiscus ready to be planted.

More plants are laid out in a bed.

More.

Here is a bed that has roses but is going to get company.

The volunteers get briefed.

And so to work. Hibiscus and lantana are being put in.

All ages are participating.

Lots of ground to cover.

The boss seems pleased.

The hibiscus we saw earlier is getting settled.

Everyone is pitching in.

It is time for us to enjoy the food and music. I know you’ve worked hard, and you need to relax. I hope you have a great week.

 

 

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Show

~ John W. Howell ~ 71 Comments

When will the brain-saving liquid show up? It has been an eternal minute since the process was engaged. It seems to me there might be a glitch in the brewing mechanism. No wait. There it is, the first few drops of Elixer slowly making their way to my cup. Finally complete, the first sip is a reminder to grab that clock. I set it for April 26th, 1924, with the location in London. The duration is two hours. When the plunger is pulled, we are immediately transported to Aeolian Hall in London.

Lucky us because we get to witness the first performance of Tzigane, a rhapsody for violin and orchestra by French composer Maurice Ravel. Tzigane, the title of which is derived from the generic European term for “gypsy,” was composed in a short time in 1924. The violinist performing is Jelly d’Arányi, who is of Hungarian descent. He is joined by Henri Gil-Marchex at the piano.

The premiere piece’s performance lasts eleven minutes, and the audience applause is deafening. Maurice is most famous for his Bolèro, which was written in 1928, so he clearly has a great career ahead of him.

Just as the champagne is served, the alarm goes off, and my usual high dive into the couch is accomplished with plenty of welcome barks from the resident pouches.

My text notification goes off, and it is Linda Hill, our prompt for this week. Here is the message: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “show.” Use it as a noun or a verb. Have fun!

To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-27-2024/

Show by John W. Howell © 2024

“Well, that was some show.”

“It was terrific.”

“How did you know to go there?”

“I Googled it.”

“I would say that worked ten.”

“Would you like to hear the music?”

“Um, you know I’m not big on classical.”

“Okay, then we will skip it.”

“Well, I don’t want to stand in your readers’ way. Maybe they would like to listen.”

“For those who would, here it is.”

“While they are busy, what say we hit the pub.?”

“Uber?”

“Over there.”

Photo by Resa McConaghy

“What on Earth?”

“Don’t be hasty.”

“It is a moving van.”

“With lots of room.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that.”

“Think of pulling up to the front of the pub in this.”

“Yeah. Quite a scene.”

“Maybe we could convince the pub mates to join us on a roadie.”

“Hold it right there.”

“What.”

“No roadies.”

“How about a parkie.”

“What’s that?”

“Where we just stay at the pub but invite everyone to sit inside the truck.”

“Redneck fun, I suppose.”

“Don’t you know it?”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 90 Comments
Jem and Zoe, rescued from Tiger King Park – credit: Lions, Tigers, and Bears Animal Sanctuary

Today’s story comes from the Good News Network.

Two Big Cats from Infamous Tiger King Captivity Thriving in San Diego After Sanctuary Helps Save 69 Tigers

By

Andy Corbley

A San Diego wildlife sanctuary is proud to report that two of the 69 tigers rescued from the infamous collection of the ‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic are thriving at their Alpine, CA location.

Participating in the rescue of the cats, Lions, Tigers, and Bears Animal Sanctuary took three years to help the pair of Bengal tigers, Jem and Zoe, put on normal weight and get back to their wild ways, but that perseverance has paid off.

Netflix introduced the world to the US tiger trade with a landmark docu-series, Tiger King, in 2021. The series centered around Joe Exotic’s private menagerie collection and his difficulties with a woman named Carole Baskin, the owner of Big Cat Rescue.

Exotic is now in prison, serving 21 years for conspiracy to commit murder after attempting to hire two hitmen to take Baskin out. Tiger King Park in Oklahoma was closed for ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act.

An organized effort to relocate his 69 captive tigers to sanctuaries around the country saw Lions, Tigers, and Bears (LTB) take in two adults, Jem and Zoe.

“Their condition was dire, marked by severe malnutrition, emaciation, dull skin, and other issues,” LTB told Fox News 5 San Diego. “The trauma from long-term abuse led to the development of uncharacteristic behavior, such as not eating for days at a time.”

However, LTB’s efforts succeeded, and after three years, the pair are “living their best lives in their forever home.”

People can visit Zoe and Jem at the LTD Sanctuary by reservation only. Still, the sanctuary relies on visitors and contributions to perform life-saving rescues like those from Tiger King Park.

As their name implies, there are more than just tigers there. Visitors can see lions, bobcats, and leopards, along with other large animals beyond the Panthera (big cat) genus.

The good news in this article is over 69 tigers were saved from suffering in a deplorable situation and two of them are thriving. Also, here is a link to an article that will update you on how well the other tigers are doing (Hint: Real well) https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/60-minutes-shares-happened-rescued-144437817.html#:~:text=60%20Minutes%20did%20a%20short,really%20changed%20for%20these%20tigers.

Today’s JohnKu talks about shame. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Captive by John W. Howell © 2024

It made great TV,

Tigers and crazy keeper . . .

The shame of Netflix.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Tempeste in the Yard

~ John W. Howell ~ 127 Comments

“Why did Mom let us out in the yard?”

“So we can run and play together. Besides, she picked up all the leaves.”

“What is that fencing doing there?”

“That is to keep you from eating leaves on the other side.”

“How about a race.”

“Okay, I’ll race you to the other fence.”

“Hey, no fair. You are bigger and faster.”

“Also heavier, I might point out.”

“Okay, then I’ll race you back.”

“Hey, I didn’t even get a chance to run.”

“And you don’t get a chance either.”

“Okay, you win this one.”

“The panther and the puma sniff the ground looking for prey.”

“That is a nice story.”

“The panther decides to take out the puma.”

“I have to say the panther has a nice spring.”

“Time to give up Miss Puma.”

“You have not seen my secret move.”

“Come on. Show me the move.”

“Maybe when you get bigger.”

Aw, come on. Cough it up.”

“You are not old enough for my move.”

“I will keep bugging you until you show me the move.”

” I must say you are becoming very persuasive.”

“Whoa. What was that?”

“That dear heart was the move.”

“Can you show me again?”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“No, I would like to see it again.”

“I think you should quit while you’re ahead.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #429 by Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments

In Keith’s words. “Using this image (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before the end of the week. 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. Thank you for taking part.”

Here is a link to Keith’s post. https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2024/04/22/kreative-kue-429/

The photo.

Professionalism by John W. Howell © 2024

“So, guys. As you know, this podcast is heard around the world. I want you all to enjoy the discussion but watch your language.  Although we are not FCC-regulated, our audience expects a high degree of professionalism. We will be live in one minute. Are there any questions?”

“Er, I have one.”

“Sure, Jerry, go ahead.”

“The subject today is the mating behavior of the yellow banana gnat.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“When it comes time to talk about the actual act of reproduction, what words can we use.”

“Well, Jerry, as you know, our audience is made up of knowledgeable and sophisticated listeners. I would use the proper terms where necessary.”

“That is helpful. What about the terms for the gnat’s body functions?”

“Again, Jerry. I would stick to the terms that are recognized by professionals.”

“Thank you. I just don’t want to make any mistakes.”

“Jerry, you are a renowned Entomologist. You are one of the few who have studied the yellow banana gnat extensively. You have nothing to fear in terms of your knowledge and respect in the field. You are a special guest, and we are fortunate to have you on this broadcast today. There is no reason to be nervous. Whatever you say will be taken as gospel. So I hope you feel empowered to relax and share your knowledge.”

“I do, Ralph. Thank you.”

“All right, we are live in three, two, one. Good afternoon, listeners. Welcome to our podcast ‘You, Me, and the Insect Makes Three. Today, we are broadcasting in the open air from the village green and are especially pleased to have Jerry Manning, Chief Entomologist with the US Forest Service. You all know Jerry’s background, so without further ado, welcome Jerry.”

“Thank you, Ralph.”

“So tell us, Jerry. What makes the yellow banana gnat so special?”

“In a nutshell, Ralph, the yellow gnat is special in two areas.”

“Two areas. That is different. What are they?”

“The way it poops and the way it lays one on it’s mate.”

“Oh, I have just been informed that our transmitter has gone down. I’m sorry to say the broadcast has been canceled.”

“Was it something I said?”

“No, Jerry. Not at all. You were great.”

 

 

 

 

 

Top Ten Things Not to Do If You Are Called for Jury Duty

~ John W. Howell ~ 82 Comments

 

This post ran on March 12, 2018.  I think jury duty is still a thing so it may have some use.

* * *

Top Ten Things Not to Do If You Are Called for Jury Duty

The inspiration for this list was reading about Dan Antion’s experience being called for jury duty. I asked Dan if he wouldn’t mind sharing what it was like. He graciously sent the rules of jury duty for my review. I have to tell you, Dan is the kind of person who would never do any of these.

10 If you are called for jury duty, do not ignore the summons. If you do, at best, the sheriff will greet you before you go to work. At worst, your co-workers will be entertained by the process known as the “perp walk.” (Who takes official papers seriously, Dubhgan? It looks like the courts do.)

9 If you are called for jury duty, do not forget to wear your “jurist badge.” If you do, at best, someone may confuse you with a lawyer. At worst, Tiny, the WWF champ and northwest member of the sheriff’s department, will have you on the floor with your hands zip-tied behind you. (You do look good in that jumpsuit, Dughall. I know it would have been kind of Tiny to ask who you were, but he had a job to do.)

8 If you are c lled for jury duty, do not forget to check in with the clerk when you go on breaks or leave for the day. If you do, at best, you’ll be marked absent and will have to serve again. At worst, an overzealous us judge will think you are ignoring your duty and issue a summons for your arrest for contempt of court. (Now that past due parking ticket takes on a new meaning, right, Duran? BTW what is a SWAT team doing at the front door with that battering ram?)

7 If you are called for jury duty, do not park anywhere but in the designated juror parking lot. If you do, at best, you might get a ticket or be towed. At worst, you’ll return to your car and find it up on cement blocks. (Why are courthouses in the worst neighborhoods, Dusty? Oh, look, your engine is gone, too. )

6 If you are called for jury duty, do not think being excused early means you don’t have to return to work. If you do, at best, your boss will get a report of the hours. At worst, while you are celebrating the half day off in your favorite place, your boss and the boss’s boss all come in for lunch. (Kinda hard to explain why you are not at the courthouse, Devyn. Especially since it is after 1:00 and ten miles away from here.)

5 If you are called for jury duty, do not turn on the news in the juror’s lounge. If you do, at best, the burley bailiff will turn it off. At worst, you will be singled out as the person responsible for the motion by the defense for a new trial. (Of course, the trial has been going on for four weeks, and now all your fellow jurors have you to thank for the huge waste of time, Dixon.)

4 If you are called for jury duty, do not forget to turn off your cell phone. If you do, at best, you’ll get no calls. At worst, just as the defense has concluded an emotional final argument, your phone goes off, blaring your cus om ringtone by the Who. (That long, grave silence the defense was counting on just evaporated in laughter, Daegan. I’m not sure how they will feel about that move. I do know the judge just pounded the gavel head into sawdust.)

3 If you are called for jury duty, do not forget to bring your lunch. If you do, at best, there will be a vending machine. At worst, there will be a vending machine but no way to make change. (You can still use that fiver, Dallen, but I agree—five bucks seems like a lot for a Snickers bar.)

2 If you are called for jury duty, do not ignore the rules for walking around the courthouse. If you do, at best, you may wander into the wrong court. At worst, you may go through a door that closes and locks behind you. (This is great, Damak. You have entered the private chambers of the judge and are being asked your name and what you are doing there. I think the next step is forced removal by that burley bailiff.  Yup, here he comes.)

1 If you are called for jury duty, do not think you can leave without completing the attendance report. If you do, at best, you’ll have to serve again. At worse, you won’t have proof you spent the last three weeks as a juror to give to your employer. (You thought the bureaucracy was terrible during jury duty. How about the red tape at the unemployment office, Danhy?)

 

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Enchanted Forest Walk

~ John W. Howell ~ 99 Comments

Each year the Lakeway Parks and Recreation Department installs an Enchanted Forest Walk. It features tiny fairy and gnome homes that line the way as you stroll under a canopy of magical trees and twinkling lights. We are going to visit it today, but since it is daytime, there won’t be any twinkling lights. We are catered by Suzis China Grill of Austin. Our entertainment is Don Ho.

Menu

Moo Goo Delight – shrimp, chicken and fresh mushrooms in brown sauce
Seafood Delight – shrimp, scallops & krab with vegetables in brown sauce
Three Delight – beef, chicken & shrimp sautéed with vegetables in special sauce
Sautéed Trio – beef, chicken & shrimp sautéed with mushrooms & scallions in spicy burgundy sauce
Home Style Bean Curd – stir-fried with fried tofu, vegetables, chili & garlic
Broccoli with Garlic Sauce – sautéed with garlic, ginger & chili
String Bean Szechwan  – sautéed with garlic, ginger & rice wine
Picture of an old time school bus
Let’s go
We are welcomed by a happy bear.
A long view of the trail showing flowers and mushrooms
One of the Fairy communities from afar.
A close-up of the fairy homes
Cinderella’s coach.
Two gnomes in the tree.
Fairy boots and Texas stars with wagons.
Cattle and a wagon train.
Tooth fairy hangout.
Gnome blowing bubbles.
Butterflies and ladybugs.
Flower fairies.
A group of gnomes giving us a wave goodbye.
We do have one nighttime photo courtesy of the city.
That is the walk in the Enchanted Forest. The time now for food and entertainment. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Grate/Great

~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

Reaching for the freshly brewed coffee, the cup catches on the small grate that supports it. The cup turns sideways, and all the beautiful, brain-soothing liquid pours onto the floor.

“Great” is the only expletive that comes to mind. Now, the process must begin again. Sopping up the coffee as the machine goes about business, my brain turns to the clock. The cup is finished, and the spilled coffee is cleaned up. One sip and the clock is set. April 19th, 1924. The time is 9:00 o’clock in the evening, and the duration is two hours. The plunger is pulled, and my destination is the studios of WLS AM radio in Chicago, Illinois.

We arrive in time to witness the first broadcast of the National Barn Dance, a show thought up by Edgar L. Bill, the station’s director. As we listen, the tunes are definitely country-oriented. I pull Bill aside and ask, “Why country here in the city.” Bill explains that the station is able to broadcast over the entire Midwest and, at night, pretty much over the whole country. “We had so much highbrow music the first week that we thought it would be a good idea to get on some of the old-time music. After we had been going for about an hour, we received about 25 telegrams of enthusiastic approval. It was this response that pushed the Barn Dance!”

The alarm goes off, and as usual, a soft landing is on my couch. My text tone tells me I have a text from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ends with “grate/great.” Use one or bonus points if you use them both. Enjoy!

To see what other bloggers do with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-20-2024/

Grate/Great by John W.Howell © 2024

“That was fun.”

“I never knew the National Barn Dance had been going since 1924.”

“Yup. It kept broadcasting until 1968.”

“Wow, that’s great. A lot of stars appear?”

“Everyone appeared on the show. It was very popular.”

“I’ll bet a few copycats, huh?”

“The biggest was the Grand Ole Opry.”

“No kidding.”

“Started off as the  WSM Barn Dance in Nashville and later changed the name.”

“In its heyday, the National Barn Dance was broadcast across the US.”

“I can’t figure out how to fit the word grate into the conversation.”

“Yeah, it has been a hard day. Let’s hit the pub.”

“I ordered an Uber. It’s over there.”

 

“Oh, super. A 1924 truck.”

“I had to order that special.”

“It should be fun. I see one of us needs to ride in the back.”

“Yeah, but it’s not so bad; there is a grate to sit on.”

“A grate?”

“It’s a bench but has holes in it. More like a grate.”

“What about my bottom?”

“Might get sore.”

“You take the grate.”

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA -TGIF – Fri-YayGood News

~ John W. Howell ~ 90 Comments
The Houston skyline darkened – Tendenci CC 3.0.

Today’s  good news story comes from the Good News Network

Millions of Birds Now Migrating Safely Through Darkened Texas Cities After Successful Lights Out Campaign

By Andy Corby – April 18

Texas is in the middle of the most critical migratory pathway for birds moving up and down the Americas—nearly 2 billion birds, or 1 out of 3 in the US, will pass over Texas during their spring and autumn migrations.

To safeguard the over 400 species of birds that migrate through Texas, the Houston chapter of the Audubon Society and their partners in the state have been running the Lights Out! Texas campaign for two years, and they’re seeing remarkable results.

With the prestige that owning and operating a skyscraper confers it may be surprising to note that dozens of building managers have been convinced since 2022 to turn off non-essential outdoor lights.

“We issued the proclamation, and they… found out, ‘Oh, wow, I can do these simple things, and it actually helps the birds when they’re migrating,’” Houston city hall spokesperson Sarah Osborne told KHOU 11.

“We’re seeing communities all across the state join in on this effort,” adds Anna Vallery, a Conservation Specialist with the Houston Audubon.

Researchers working in Chicago and studying the effects of Lights Out campaigns and other phenomena impacting migratory birds found that reducing the reflections from exterior lighting on tall buildings worked to prevent 60% of all bird collision deaths.

Since most birds migrate at night by the light of the stars and moon, the shining lights of a city in the distance can attract them. But once lost in the photo-soup of a shining skyline like Houston or Fort Worth, they can become extremely disoriented, smash headlong into buildings whose glass is reflecting light from the city, and die.

Fort Worth is participating in Lights Out! Texas and the skyline looks decidedly different in this short CBS bulletin.

The Texas Audubon has all the information a resident might need to do their part or organize municipal efforts to help our winged brothers and sisters safely pass by.

Spring migrations last only about 70 days, from the start of March to the middle of June, with a slightly longer period during autumn migration of middle-August to the end of November.

The good news in this article is that cities and individuals are cooperating to ensure a safe migration for our bird species. Today’s JohnKu discusses the importance of bird life. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Birds by John W. Howell ©2024

Birds are critical.

They are an important link  . . .

In the chain of life

 

 

I am guesting with Barbara Vitelli known as Book Club Mom

~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

If you do not know Barbara then this is a good time to become acquainted. She is a librarian, avid reader and big supporter of Indie authors. She also has a YouTube channel and has a wide variety of subject featured. Please give her a visit and explore her site. Be sure to wipe your feet and tell her I sent you.

Thank you so much for the feature, Barbara.

Who’s That Indie Author? John Howell