What a difference in a few hours – weather and a Spring Snow


March 21, 2018

Pulled up Tuesday 3/20/2018 afternoon’s Raspberry Pi Cam photo of the backyard and Wednesday 3/21/2018 morning’s images (click for larger) — what a different a few hours makes.

Spring weather is fickle — cold and snow or sunny and warm


April 17, 2016

What a difference a week can make come April here in Cincinnati. Last Saturday we woke up to snow (backyard photo below) and this weekend after cutting grass Friday night has the grass green and tulips blooming yesterday morning.  Instead of shoveling snow that means yardwork and time to think about spring cleanup. Also wanted […]

Snow again? I’m ready for spring


March 15, 2007

Posting from Palm Treo this morning as I looked out the hotel window in Akron Ohio to something white on the ground. Hmm … I walked in last night sweating in a tee-shirt and this morning its snow and cold again. Someone tell mother nature to make up her mind! EDIT: Post from flickr didn’t […]

Bummer, we didn’t plan a winter or spring break this year


March 20, 2022

Photo from February 2013 in Delray Beach while visiting Brenda’s parents For years … well decades really … we have been fortunate enough to escape winter in February or sometimes March or April and head to sunny or warmer climates for a week. Often it was to visit either Brenda’s or my parents who would […]

Come on, it is late April 2021! Is Spring really in the air?


April 22, 2021

After just finishing cutting the lawn on Tuesday night and working on our landscaping this past weekend in anticipation of a cold front with some “expected rain,” it ended up coming down as SNOW! I mean, come on, it is the time of year to be thinking sunshine, warmer weather and flowers .. not snow.  […]

It looks like spring is not quite ready to arrive this year


March 21, 2018

Wouldn’t you know it … as soon as I take the snow blower and chains off our multi-use John Deere tractor  that I use to clear our driveway … we get a forecast of more snow. Murphy’s Law I suppose? Earlier in March as the weather warmed, so Brenda asked when I would have the […]

Spring pool opening has turned into pool repair season


May 18, 2015

In the heat of a Cincinnati summer, owning a pool is great … but when closing and opening an “aging” pool that needs a bit of TLC, I begin to wonder if the extra work is worth it? This year has been the latest we’ve ever open our pool here in Cincinnati (perhaps we were […]

The winter that will not end adds another inch of snow


April 15, 2014

From weekend spring brush clearing to snow. It doesn’t look as if the 2013-1024 winter wants to leave? I was out feeding Tootsie this Tuesday morning in just a sweatshirt, and although it wasn’t necessarily springtime warm, it wasn’t really “wintery cold” either. The fresh overnight snow was wet enough for packing so it gave […]

More snow, you must be kidding?


April 1, 2011

Woke up this morning to protesting snow-people … we’ve had far too much winter weather this year here in Ohio (and I suspect many other areas feel the same way). It started at the beginning of December and didn’t give us much of a reprieve … unfortunately the forecast isn’t for spring quite yet either. […]

Snow, Snow, go away and a nice dinner out


March 31, 2011

Isn’t it about time for this long winter to end? It was a slippery day of driving and another couple of inches of snow while making my way around northeastern Ohio on Wednesday. About the only positive was an enjoyable “Two for $20” dinner with my daughter at Applebee’s. A couple of spring 2011 snow […]

Winter weather has just arrived, but I’m ready for spring


January 9, 2010

It is good to be in a warm home after a challenging week. The weather has been less than perfect for driving and most of Ohio has received a little snow. Click image for larger In our house, the family Christmas cheer has given way to winter doldrums; one of my two children is back […]

Just a light snow but a traffic nightmare


December 7, 2009

Who would have thunk it … the first dusting of snow across the Cincinnati area that looks so harmless and traffic nightmare ensues. Good news for automotive body shops and tow truck operators … and probably far better than the “cash for clunkers” boondoggle forced on taxpayers by Washington this year? I went out to […]

Just another ‘snowy’ Thursday


February 19, 2009

Posting a Palm Treo 700p photo from the road … heading south from Cleveland on I-71 Thursday afternoon. Enough is enough with winter and snow; I’m ready for spring. Here’s a morning photos after the “lake effect” snows blanketed NE Ohio.

Is spring around the corner?


February 14, 2008

Here’s a Canadian Newsroom spoof on “snow” that is too funny not to share. Must have been a slow news day? (BTW … Happy Valentine’s Day)

Spring is on the horizon


March 12, 2007

This past weekend was enjoyable; I had an opportunity to be outside, take a few photos and contemplate the work ahead in the yard. The grass and trees were still brown of course, but signs of spring were all around — including the smell. In Cincinnati, we had a mild December and January for the […]

Keeping up with Taylor, Megan, Annalyn, Katelyn and Drew


April 3, 2019

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Our Mallard Duck is back. How long do they live?


March 30, 2024

Seeing Mallard Ducks show up in the spring “like clockwork” had me wondering just how long this particular pair has been showing up at our pool (still covered) and landscape pond … and how long they live (see below)?  For years ducks show up in the spring, have been chased by our dog Tootsie (for […]

Expensive maintenance: Let the pool opening repairs begin


April 10, 2022

We have put off replacing the pool tiles long enough as I’ve long ago burned through the spare tiles and have made repairs and replaced the damaged tiles so far myself, but there is only so much that can be done to salvage what still exists. It is time … or as most rational people […]

Music Monday: That sorrowful bluegrass sound from Alison Kraus – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Catfish John” for the slew of bad news


March 9, 2020

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What makes the Mississippi River important and so big?


May 5, 2019

Every student learns just how big and important the Mississippi River is in our country. From transporting materials from the America’s breadbasket to markets throughout the country and beyond … to draining the snowmelt and rainfall off the land so it can be cultivated (was reminded of this with all the flooding this spring). It […]

Banished words, phrases and slang from 2015


January 5, 2016

It has been an annual tradition to look at the overused terms, words and slang at the end of a year … this years Lake Superior State University’s list wasn’t that impressive in my opinion, but tradition continues: BAE One of the top nominees. “Meaning ‘before anyone else.’ How stupid! Stop calling your boyfriend ‘bae’.” […]

Photos: Our resident Red Shouldered Hawk stopped to say hello


January 27, 2015

Our mouse and rodent catcher made an appearance on Monday afternoon just after the snow had finished up for the day. The bright afternoon sunshine came out and must have brought out both the hunter and his prey? Normally our previous Hawks will sit back on the fence or spend time circling looking for varmints. […]

The 40th annual LSSU list of banished words


January 3, 2015

In keeping with tradition this time of year, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) has released their “banished words” for the 40th year.  The nominees totals “tens of thousands” but were narrowed down to 800 of the most annoying words and phrases in 2014 before giving them to the committee. Yes a few were appropriate for […]

SOLD: Katelyn’s 2001 VW Jetta TDI and a family weekend


March 3, 2014

The snow has returned again to stretch out this already long and cold winter. March has always been one of those questionable months, but one I generally associate with “spring” … so far not this year. Katelyn and Drew were home for the weekend and we had a great time together as usual. Besides talking […]

Scheduling appointments for service


January 20, 2014

Ignore this if you aren’t in the mood for ranting about scheduling practices by many service companies.  Why is it that companies who handle home services can’t do a better job of scheduling their appointments? Last Thursday the garage door spring broke on the overhead garage door and realizing it was not something I was […]

Learning a little about The Code of the West and planning


August 16, 2013

While helping my son bone up for an interview for a planning job west of the Mississippi … and well north too, he began reading a bit of information on the county so he can at least talk intelligently with the interviewer. He researched the area, included cities and towns, geography, political make up, culture […]

Our White Star Magnolia has bloomed super early this year


March 18, 2012

Since each year I’ve either looked at, blogged about or taken a photo of the White Star Magnolia we planted for Brenda back on Mother’s Day in 2008, I’ll include a macro video test  with the little waterproof Kodak Playsport Zx5 pocket camera. (hint: don’t use the macro setting for this) The flowers have been […]

This winter has been tough on our swimming pool


February 9, 2011

I didn’t put the cover on the pool this winter and so I’m able to see the damage to the ceramic tiles as it happens. With all the snow, rain and freezing temps, the winter weather is having fun snapping off tiles more than usual. Looks like I’m in for some work and pool repair […]

There’s little humor in my procrastination


December 14, 2010

I started to clear a little snow away from the pool skimmer lids this evening and fitted my compressor to blow out the water lines … but it’s just too cold to continue on. It might be better to wait a couple days and keep the pool from freezing by running the pump. I was […]

Beware of your dependence on technology next year


December 31, 2009

A strange GPS story and follow-up courteous of the Air Forces Space Command Twitter account to usher out 2009 and welcome 2010 … Happy New Year, by the way.  GPS strands couple in snow for 3 days GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A Nevada couple letting their SUV’s navigation system guide them through the high desert […]

The Columbia River Experience


March 11, 2009

Keel Brightman, the son of a friend of mine (Donna Lange’s) is participating in an adventure of a lifetime this spring in the Pacific Northwest. He is part of a small group who has started in British Columbia, Canada this March and is hoping to paddle the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The team […]

Rain, Rain … go away


March 18, 2008

It’s wet outside … but I suppose it is better than more snow? When our dog no longer has a place to do her business because the ground is so saturated, we’ve had too much rain! (Palm Treo 700p photo) 🙂 EDIT: Tinkering with a Twitter script in the right sidebar tonight. I’m sure the […]

Slow progress on our Back Porch project


October 30, 2007

(New Palm Centro smartphone photo test – click photo for larger) The weather is starting to turn a bit nippy and our back porch project is still without an outdoor fireplace, not that you’ll catch me sitting out there at 32 degrees. (temperature this morning) According to the the builders, waiting on the stone masons […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog