A Nature Post
A great day to get out and really observe the yard. Ok, so I do this almost everyday as I have not much else to do (or that I have to do). Today, however, is cooler (a much needed relief) and grey, so it is thoroughly enjoyable. We do have multiple broods of cardinals that keep up a constant shrill chatter all day as they dart back and forth foraging etc. I did have the pleasure during lunch of observing a wood pecker succeed in capturing some sort of bug in our pear tree, and devouring it. The woodpeckers around here tend to enjoy most the half dead tree across the street, but every once in a while they try their hand at some hardwood in our yard, without much success. The tree across the street really resonates with lots of rotten, hollow wood, and it is a unique sound. Not something heard much of in other places I've lived, just a coincidence that we live near an active wood pecker hovel. Discovered a colony of bees living in a former animal burrow in our front yard, it was fun watching them work (I would call them bumblebees, but I don't think that is the correct category these bees fit into...let me check. OK, I was correct and to verify that, here is a link in case you want to observe the bee type I love interacting with http://www.cirrusimage.com/Bees_bumble.htm
They tend to absolutely love the purple flowers that have sprung up all over our yard borders. It is quite invigorating, as I can usually be sitting reading a book within inches of these flowers when the bees are active. I just sit and watch them hover in and out of the little flowers, absolutely content. I am also happy that our yard, free of pesticides, herbicides, weed killer, grass enhancers and all sort of chemicals, can be a safe haven for bees, especially as bees are rapidly in decline across the world (in fact many bee keepers in Germany are suing a major chemical manufacturer to recoup losses accrued because of the damage a pesticide supposedly "harmless to bees" has done in decimating the population by at least 33%). Anyway, I just feel it is such an issue of vanity that we spread so many chemicals to try to make our lawns look great...so utterly unnatural. Anything growing to hold the soil in is doing it's job. At what cost to we want green, uniform yards? It does nothing but makes us feel like we're keeping up with the Jones'. Ah, well, I could rant and rave for a long time. I will instead rapidly shift gears and offer one insight into how I sometimes classify people: Those who wear ankle socks...more specifically, guys who wear ankle socks. I find this fascinating and disturbing. Not that wearing ankle socks makes you bad, but I have had a tendency to NOT get along with guys who wear ankle socks, nor do I think they look particularly comfortable. But, that's just my personal bias. The other category of dude that I lump people into, are those who wear loafers without socks....YUCK. I do find that this crowd does tend to have unifying characteristics beyond just wearing loafers without socks. I wonder what observations other people make as means of classifying individuals (and I don't mean by race, ethnicity, etc.). That's about it. Ciao.
They tend to absolutely love the purple flowers that have sprung up all over our yard borders. It is quite invigorating, as I can usually be sitting reading a book within inches of these flowers when the bees are active. I just sit and watch them hover in and out of the little flowers, absolutely content. I am also happy that our yard, free of pesticides, herbicides, weed killer, grass enhancers and all sort of chemicals, can be a safe haven for bees, especially as bees are rapidly in decline across the world (in fact many bee keepers in Germany are suing a major chemical manufacturer to recoup losses accrued because of the damage a pesticide supposedly "harmless to bees" has done in decimating the population by at least 33%). Anyway, I just feel it is such an issue of vanity that we spread so many chemicals to try to make our lawns look great...so utterly unnatural. Anything growing to hold the soil in is doing it's job. At what cost to we want green, uniform yards? It does nothing but makes us feel like we're keeping up with the Jones'. Ah, well, I could rant and rave for a long time. I will instead rapidly shift gears and offer one insight into how I sometimes classify people: Those who wear ankle socks...more specifically, guys who wear ankle socks. I find this fascinating and disturbing. Not that wearing ankle socks makes you bad, but I have had a tendency to NOT get along with guys who wear ankle socks, nor do I think they look particularly comfortable. But, that's just my personal bias. The other category of dude that I lump people into, are those who wear loafers without socks....YUCK. I do find that this crowd does tend to have unifying characteristics beyond just wearing loafers without socks. I wonder what observations other people make as means of classifying individuals (and I don't mean by race, ethnicity, etc.). That's about it. Ciao.