Archives for Uncategorized
SHORT LITTLE ROAD TRIP
<BELOW> A rear-end crash between a BNSF and Union Pacific train happened near the Tehachapi Loop on Monday May 20th, 2013 @ 0300hrs.
MPG (MILES PER GALLON)
<Above> Driving is fun. Refueling is not. NOTE: The T-shirt is displayed for humorous purposes only and does not suggest a viable remedy to the current high cost of fuel. If you or someone you know is abnormally depressed about fuel prices and is contemplating self inflicted injury or death with a fueling nozzle, please seek immediate professional assistance. Also, that is not a (landed) UFO and missle complex to my left in the distance.
Don’t you love the smell of the desert?
I’m beat – later.
My best to you and yours, Lew
COOL PLACE TO BEAT THE RECENT HEAT
ONE OF THE CLASSIC VIEWS OF YOSEMITE
My best to you and yours, Lew
http://youtu.be/cz9F1WlTikI – “Camp Deer” Wawona, Yosemite National Park 051313.
RAIN AND A LIGHT SHOW
Although it probably won’t make much difference with the projected water shortfall for this Summer, last night’s rain sure sounded and smelled great.
I shot hundreds of single photos trying to catch the lightning with disappointing results. Here are a few photos looking to the east of my place. I will likely be able to pull a few decent shots from the video when I have a chance to review those clips. [UPDATE
NOTE: There is now a short video clip of some of the lightning lastnight (050613) at normal, .5x, .25x and .125x speeds posted under the top bar menu item: BETTER CLARITY.
My best to you and yours, Lew
Little Camaro Modification
Still can’t seem to get rid of my 1978 Chevy Camaro. Every time I clean her up; throw “for sale” signs in the windows; and go for a hundred mile or so spin, I do the same thing when I get home. Take the signs out, park it, cover it, and talk about selling the darn thing some other day.
Since I am the original owner I decided to do what would likely make me the happiest. Getting older I realized I was going to need some specialized transportation around the hilly terrain and usually I joke about creating my own four wheel drive type Hoverround or Lark personal access vehicle. Why not make use of what I already own? A few homemade modifications and the old Dead Sled might be transformed into the Tarantu-Rattle Erosion Hauler. LOL
My best to you and yours, Lew
PS- Yes this is a joke.
MEET “SLINK”
“SLINK” (actually a brown Gilbert’s Skink) was kind enough to allow a close up photo/video shoot while he was sunning. The male’s head will continue to become red during the mating season, after which the color will fade back to normal.
SHORT VIDEO OF “SLINK” KICKING BACK ON A SUNNY DAY (yes, he’s missing his right index finger): http://youtu.be/uOCR1wOwPjA
Doesn’t really matter
What I think, say or write
There’s always one to argue
They only want to fight
Perhaps I should protect myself and
Clarify the last blog?-
This website does not guarantee
The absence of mutant grubs……LOL
My best to you and yours, Lew
Really don’t know the difference?
I need to take care of two little issues before proceeding with any further posts on this website. Evidently there are some extremely confused viewers in the Lake Don Pedro area. So,….
1) A disclaimer for the previous attempted humorous photograph of the large grub found under the Oak stump — there are NO GIANT LARVAE IN LAKE DON PEDRO, and
2) my sincere apologies to those Don Pedro residents who may have panicked and packed the family vehicle, snatched kids from school and evacuated the area in fear of enormous mutant grubs infesting and roaming the Don Pedro area. I am so sorry.
So for the record: there are NO GIANT GRUBS in Lake Don Pedro. The photograph was an amateurish digitized manipulation of two different photos in an attempt to humorously exaggerate the size of the rather large grubs found under a rotting Oak stump. Please remain calm. Stay in your homes. Do not flee in fear.
And no. I will not pay for your temporary housing in motels, hotels, or your cousins’s place. Lol
My best to you and yours, Lew
WHAT THE……..???
But it was rather large – approximately six inches! Not sure what it would have eventually matured into but it would have been pretty big.
[larva (s), larvae (pl): Usually a motile feeding and developing stage in the life cycle of certain insects which follows the egg stage and precedes the pupa. Larvae of some kinds of insects are known as caterpillars, maggots, grubs, and worms.]
I remember a few years back observing a very large black and brown beetle walking across the driveway that had big antennas resembling fern leaves – kind of hairy looking. (Reasonably sure I have some old VHS or 8mm video tape of the insect but don’t have the time to rummage through boxes of tapes right now.) Wonder if this larva would have matured into that night-time walking monster?
“How big of a beetle was it?”, you might ask….
“Big enough to leave clear tracks in the dirt driveway”, I would respond.
Anyway, discovered a few of these bad boy larvae under a rotten Oak tree stump while digging up the roots last weekend. Unfortunately, most of them were discovered a piece at a time with a shovel. (Gross) Tried to save two of them that appeared uninjured (one slightly more mature) but they also later died – probably because of removing them from their buried, dark, moist nursery underground.
When first removed from the ground and still moving you could see the darker interior portions of the creature slinking through its cream colored – fairly translucent skin. Creepy in a way.
Oh well. I have been digging holes and trenches on this property for 21 years and have never run across something like this — pretty strange. Just wanted to share the find.
My best to you and yours, Lew
PS: Here’s a short video of the insect: http://youtu.be/hcgfZBpX9Cs
COMET
COMET THE COMPOUND CAT
The last few weeks have been kind of tough
Regarding geriatric pets
First the loss of Zack the Conure
And now Comet the white compound cat.
Just like the astronomical entity
A dirty snowball she could be
Her bright white fur and waving long tail
Picking up environmental debris
She wasn’t purchased at a pet store
Or picked out from a litter with care
Just showed up one morning at my parent’s house
Meowing for food with “that stare”
The poor little thing was covered with mites
Fleas and other parasites
She fell sound asleep as we cleaned her up
Total surrender without any fight
That tiny fur ball didn’t stand a chance
In a family of established canines
So up to Don Pedro to a fenced hillside lot
The best home as if by design
Every few days I would check on Comet
Her activities clearly defined
Gopher heads and lizard tails
Her trophies in a neat little line
When camping out Comet would sleep
Purring through the night by my side
But in the morning she was always found
Inside the warm sleeping bag
When I finally moved up to Don Pedro
I was greeted by my resident cat
Who, with no doubt, was doing quite well
Judging by the layers of fat
Once for a month she was missing
We called and searched in vain
The worst part was not knowing her fate
If deceased or suffering in pain.
But then on a warm sunny afternoon
Just as quickly as she’d gone away
There was my malnourished Comet
And she had much to convey
Judging by the grease all over her fur
And the time to took to come home
Perhaps an accidental ride she had hitched
After which she never did roam
Comet had several homes built outside
Even a catwalk from the deck to the roof
She preferred her outdoors to being inside
Sometimes appearing aloof
Comet’s exact age was hard to determine
At minimum over fourteen for sure
And to my surprise after a lifetime of dogs
My love for that cat does endure
So here’s to Comet the compound cat
Who survived Rattlesnakes, Coyotes and Owls
Although she is gone, in my heart she still lives
With that comforting sound of me-ow.
——————————————————
Comet was being treated for a sinus infection when it was discovered she had terminal cancer which had already caused severe internal damage. She was euthanized on April 16th, 2013 and buried next to Zack, who like a beacon, probably “squawked” directions home during her 28 day disappearance.
My best to you and yours, Lew