THROWBACK THURSDAY

Today's Throwback Thursday isn't really about me.  Have patience, you'll see.

Three young buddies enjoying my dog, Honey, outside the home I grew up in, Stanley, North Dakota.  Left to right, Jim Burbidge, Me, Jerome Larson.  I don't know the year or their ages.

A little later.  Me and Jim (now wearing glasses) and a stringer of perch at Lake Carlyle in Saskatchewan, Canada.

This one I'm sure of.  April 24, 1951.  My 11th birthday.  My pal, Jim, waits to help me devour the cake.

Many years later, just a few years ago.  Me and Jim at a reunion of former residents of Stanley held annually in Mesa, Arizona.  Wow, the beards are both white!

And finally, just a few days ago, Jim celebrating his 75th birthday. In Portugal!  Way to go, Jimbo, and once again . . Happy Birthday.

I think we've both had pretty good runs.

HISTORY

A little bit of baseball . . .

On this day in 1961, Roger Maris of Fargo, North Dakota, hit his 61st home run of the year for the New York Yankees.  He became the first player to break the record of 60 round-trippers set by the great Babe Ruth in 1927, 34 years before.

Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds all later hit more than 61 in a season but their performances were tainted by rumors of steroid use.  And they were all in the National League.  Maris' record of 61 home runs still stands as the American League record 53 years later.

In tribute to a fellow North Dakotan, here's a great baseball tune.

LIFE IS A STRUGGLE

If one pays too much attention to the daily news, cycled and recycled endlessly on television, newspapers and the Internets, it can become almost a struggle to get out of bed some days.  So I urge you to take a break or take it in small doses.  Do something else with your time. Create something perhaps.  Or just appreciate something of beauty.

Even in the most desolate of places, we can find Mother Nature coping and manifesting pretty objects.  We can too.

GOLDEN FIELDS

After our recent rains, in the area to our east that my poetic wife refers to as "The Savannah", the growth had turned a dark Irish green.

In more recent days, the color had changed to this rich golden hue.

It reminded us both of the day in 1985 when we took the TGV high speed train from Nice to Paris and went through the wild mustard fields around Dijon.

These golden fields, I fear, are just weeds.

RAINY DAYS AND BEETLES

Here's what the street in front of my house looked like yesterday afternoon after a tad of rain.

While we were in a nice dry house watching the rain, there were other creatures caught outside in the downpour.  One of them was a fat black beetle, slowed down by his drenching but still keepin' on.

Today the sun is back out.  And why not?  It is Sun-day.

KING BLACKWELL

A somewhat indelicate story.

Our black cat, Blackwell, coughed his cookies twice on the bedspread on my bed this summer.  I cleaned up the first mess but the second time was too much and the cover went into the washing machine, then the dryer, then was folded up and placed on an unused corner of the dining room table prior to being packaged up and put in storage for awhile.

A few minutes later I walked into the room and here's what I saw.

I don't know why cats do those types of things.  It must be something about claiming its territory.  Or a somewhat familiar smell.  Or, most likely, just seeing something unfamiliar and having to test it out.

At any rate, when I showed SWMBO this picture she shooed him down to the floor.  And he ambled away.  Sometime I'll have to shoot a video of his amble. When he's not in any hurry he walks just like John Wayne.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Ah, we're back once again with some chuckles, guffaws and horse laughs for your weekend.  

My next door neighbor's yard crew with their VERY noisy leaf blower cranked it up at 7 o'clock this morning.  Grrrr.  I had to find some way to keep my (and SWMBO's) temper under control.  
So . . . . . . . 

I feel better now.

And to put a tail on this collection, a different kind of cat tale this morning.

Have a totally splendid weekend, folks, and keep smilin'.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Days of wine and madras.  One of my proteges, Bob Barclay, and I. Note the sunglasses atop heads.  Note, also, that it is night outside. Two wild and crazy guys.

COOLING OFF

High (for him) atop a wall in my back yard, a lizard rests in the shade, taking a bit of relief from the sun.

Here's a closer look.

As I watch him, he glares back.  The question becomes . . who's watching who?

I wonder, if lizards think . . what does he think of this huge human approaching him?

HOUSE PROUD

This lovely old cottage is near Prescott's Victorian homes area and directly across the street from the Public Library and that cat.  I wouldn't mind living here.

YUM YUM BRUNCH

Here is just one reason that I refer to my wife, Judy, as SWMBO or She Who Must Be Obeyed.  When proper attention is paid to that title, she turns out dishes like this.

That, my friends, is what I used to refer to back in my bachelor days as a Puffy Omelet.  But this went far beyond my attempts in a tiny kitchen.  This was a recipe from "allrecipes" magazine and was called a Baked Denver Omelet.

The egg mixture contained ham, cheddar cheese, sauteed onions and peppers.  Paired with a side of hash brown potatoes it was a brunch fit for a king.

I warmed up some of it today that was leftover and spiked it with Sriracha sauce.  My tongue is tingling but my tummy is smiling.

SUNDAY, SWEET SUNDAY

PRESCOTT WILDLIFE

Spotted in Prescott yesterday . . .

Not to fear.  He's been bronzed.

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Once again, same as last week, it's the day you've all been waiting for.  And in honor of TGIF, here are a random selection of signs seen outside pubs.

And my personal favorite . . .

I probably shouldn't make so many jokes about alcohol.  As we all know it can cause problems.

Just to mix things up a bit, an early visit by the kitties.

The overabundance of pet cats may not be the only reason for that.

In tribute to the historic vote in Scotland yesterday (voter turnout over 80 per cent!)  and anyone who hates bagpipes . . .

And finally, one any cat owner can appreciate . . .

That's all, folks.  Have a gorgeous weekend and thanks once again to all of the contributors.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

This photo of me was taken around 1958 or '59 at Jamestown College (now the University of Jamestown) in North Dakota.  So why, you might wonder, am I so full of glee and not at my desk poring over my lessons?

Because this was a time of crazy pranks, like seeing how many adults (!?) could cram themselves into a Volkswagen Beetle and still make it move.

My memory may be foggy all these years later but I believe our figure was 16.  Truly a clown carload.  (Check out those snazzy argyle socks.)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

RAIN, YOU SAY?

Bring it on!

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Rainy skies and a bit of a rainbow just to the east of us.

A slightly closer look.

Another hurricane over Baja apparently is driving some rain ahead of it up into Arizona.  The next couple of days may be wet and wetter.

SUNDAY NIGHT THANKFULNESS

Things that I am thankful for this evening.

That the Arizona Cardinals beat the New York Giants today and are 2 and 0 on the year so far.

That Billy Horschel won today's golf tournament and also the Fed-Ex Championship as Player of the Year.  Oh, and about 13+ million dollars.  His wife is due to have their first child in about two weeks. He'll need all that money.

That the Arizona State Sun Devils beat Colorado last night and are now 3 and 0 on the year so far.

That my wife, who wrote to a friend today that I have been hogging the living room t.v. watching football and golf all weekend so she's been holed up in her bedroom, hasn't said one cross word about it to me and came out to make us a fabulous dinner tonight.

What more can one man ask for?

FAVORITE MUSIC

It's a special Saturday treat.  (or not)  

This is some of my favorite music.

and . . .

and also . . .

and then, there's . . .

Yes, I know about "The Thrill is Gone" and I love it but I like that one, too.

And if you're still with me, a change of pace . . .

and I haven't even really got to the jazz or some of the country yet.

Now laugh if you will but I grew up on this on television . . .

Let me tell you, I could have been (was) a great disk jockey on one of those free-form radio stations.