NATURE NOTES

Judy ventured carefully out onto our rear patio last night and we sat in chairs observing nature.

Mostly crabgrass that has spurted up and needs to be "Round-Up'ed".

We kept hearing an insistent rat-a-tat sound coming from our next door neighbor's tree and finally Judy spotted the culprit briefly before he flew away.

Then today she spotted either him or another one in the tree just above our bird bath.

I spotted him from my window, which is closer, and identified him (with the help of "Sibley's Birds of the Arizona Central Highlands") as a Ladder-Backed Woodpecker.

He's easy to identify with his distinctive black and white striped coat and scarlet top-knot.

(And no, I didn't take the picture, I swiped it from the Web.)

Now on another note I just realized that the day I'm having my pacemaker replaced is the day of the total solar eclipse!

I'm not sure how I feel about someone messing with my heart on Eclipse Day but I'll just have to trust him.

The eclipse will only be a partial one here in Arizona but I was lucky enough to witness a total one back when we lived in Mexico.

It must have been 1991 because it was at our last residence down south in San Antonio Tlayacapan.

(Try saying that after a couple of margaritas!)

We shared the experience with a couple of friends, Lori and Hugh.

You can see the sky darkening behind us and this was at around high noon, I believe.

We have our dark film viewers to safely look at the sun.

Another safe way is by viewing the sun's reflection in a bowl of water, which is what we were doing here.

One interesting sidelight: our yard boy was an educated lad.

He was going to college but he still held onto some of the old superstitions of the native people.

One of these was that a red cloth should be tied to any fruit tree to keep the fruit from falling off during the eclipse.

Our backyard had probably 20 or 30 fruit trees and each one got a red cloth tied to it.

Superstition or science, it must have worked.

None of the fruit fell.

Maybe I should tie a red flag around my wrist when I go in for my surgery on the 21st!

FRIDAY FUNNIES

Yeah, me too!

Judy (SWMBO) continues to make improvement and I am scheduled for a pacemaker replacement in a couple of weeks.

What could be better, eh?

And most of all it's Friday.

So, Gentle Readers, let's dive in and see what's here.

O.K. Walmart (I'm sorry), I'll leave you alone now (for this week anyway.)

Are your sides aching?

I may have overdone it this week.

A way overdue thanks to all my contributors who continue to supply me with the makings of these End-of-the-Week Entertainments.

You know who you are but this reminder is for all of you Gentle Readers: this weekend - - ENJOY yourselves.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, no, not again)

MONSOON SKIES

I sat out on our rear patio last night gazing at an impending rain storm as the clustering clouds filled the sky.

Here's how it looked before the rain began.

To those who fear storms that produce crashing thunder, brilliant lightning and heavy downpours of rain these clouds may appear frightening.

Other denizens of my backyard can't wait for it to begin.

Of course he carries his own protective roof to pull in under if the weather gets too bad.

SWMBO'S FAITHFUL COMPANION

Gentle Readers, you have been inundated with photos of MY Faithful Companion, the legendary Blackwell.

But, you may be surprised to learn (or not) that the woman I currently live with (and have for 46+ years) ALSO has a Faithful Companion.

It is the Adorable One, whose given name is Muggles.

Like any cat, she knows instinctively where she looks best and settles there and preens.

Muggles is less of a photo-poser than Blackwell, hence the dearth of pictures of her on this blog.

But when I get one . . . it's a good one.

SWMBO called my attention to this pose and commanded invited me to take a photo as the Little Darlin' lay next to her on the bed.

She's a good 'un.

THE MOOCH GETS MOOCHED!

Not really breaking news: White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci was fired today, after less than a week on the job, by new Chief of Staff John Kelly and escorted from the grounds.

Oops!

My lips are sealed.

Ta-ta, y'all.

Love ya!

PUSSYFOOTING

We have a neighbor who comes to visit.

The previous tenant told us he used to feed her.

We haven't done that but she keeps coming back.

Like others of her breed, she is a master of balance.

I opened the window I was shooting these pictures through and her tiny comments attracted Blackwell.

When her antics finally convinced her that she wasn't going to get a treat, she got off the fence and went on her way.

TRUMP'S ACHILLES HEEL

Aside from the MSM (Main Stream Media) railing on about President Donald Trump's "West Wing in Chaos", the Prez has another perhaps hidden danger lurking in his administration.

I could say lurking in his ego but that wouldn't be kind.

What I am talking about is the imminent threat of a secret group (perhaps) plotting a takeover of the fedrul guvmint (previously known as the federal government.)

What I am talking about is a military coup.

We have heard about it for years, decades even.

The military branch finally has had enough of incompetence at the executive level and takes control to "make things right."

("Right" is not meant here as a perjorative term.)

For decades, we have read, thought about and generally scoffed at that possibility.

But could it be nearer than we think?

The President has just appointed retired Marine General John Kelly as his new Chief of Staff, the office closest to the president, at least in the past.

His National Security Advisor is Army General H.R. McMaster, who is NOT retired from the military.

His Secretary of Defense is retired Marine Corps General James Mattis.

And way down the line but we're just conjecturing here anyway is his Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, a 20 year veteran of the Navy Seals.

Now let me be the first to say it: that's a lot of military heft in the Trump hierarchy.

Granted, it is known that Trump gets an erection from has a fond sense of military leaders, especially considering he never served in the military himself, due to claimed bone spurs in his feet or some such silly excuse.

But I wonder if he's ever read Seven Days in May or seen or understood Dr. Strangelove.

Maybe, like Reince Priebus, I'm just a paranoid schizophrenic but there could be some things to think about there.

The generals are gathering.