Wyze Cam Smoke Alarm notifications and spring has sprung

| March 30, 2023

It may not be pretty with the old mulch, leaves and dirty sidewalks … but spring has sprung in 2023. The old-ish bulbs are up and the buds are on the magnolias and lilacs.  On another subject, I’ve contacted Wyze about one of my newer cams triggering a RED “Smoke Alarm” message which definitely caught […]

A March snow, tweaking MarsEdit 5 and Kid-genuity

| March 12, 2023

Now that I own a MacBook Air M2, it is time to get it set up for a few of the daily computer chores … like posting to My Desultory Blog. I’m still trying to get comfortable using MarsEdit5 blogging app, but do enjoy the ability to be able to write custom macros that helps […]

Interesting information on Summer vs Winter Solstice

| June 21, 2022

On Tuesday’s solstice, everywhere north of the equator will receive at least 12 hours of daylight and everywhere south of that point will get less than 12 hours. The continental U.S. will get 14 to 16 hours of daylight, compared with eight to 10 hours on the winter solstice. “All the planets orbit the sun […]

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 […]

It is semi-officially spring when our lilacs bud

| March 18, 2022

Each year I think I take a photo of either our flowers or trees coming back to life in the spring. I know from a quick search that there are at least ten posts similar to this one over the years … here is one from February 2017.  Since this particular lilac plant can’t be […]

Flowers, some Kubota service and waking up the Packard Hawk

| May 11, 2021

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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.  […]

Yardwork and getting ready to freshen up our mounds

| April 17, 2021

It’s that time of year … cleaning up, getting the landscaping mounds ready for new mulch and of course, Brenda has to burn something … decorative grasses go up fast. Let’s hope she doesn’t burn the fence again. For my part, I’m digging out older stone (what a pain) and prepping to put down some […]

Weddings and Nice Weather indicates Spring 2021 has arrived

| March 23, 2021

Besides what has become an annual photo of one of our lilac bushes pushing out buds, this past weekend was the first weekend of spring. Besides the new growth and greening lawn, we celebrated with our neighbors of 25 years, Pam and Jim by attending  their son’s wedding in Cincinnati. It was a beautiful wedding […]

Handy IFitIt tools for gadgets and Spring 2021 family photos

| March 13, 2021

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Out and about, yardwork, flowers and more rain

| May 24, 2020

It has been a slow start to getting our yard in shape. By now we usually have the pool open and flowers planned, but for some reason (probably rain) we are not ready for summer. Thankfully though, Saturday was nice most of the day. I waited as long as possible to add a few brown […]

Bookshelves artwork display area update and spring flowers

| April 11, 2020

The bookshelves have been on-again, off-again as the laborious painting and improved spring weather dictates my indoor verses outdoor activities. I did get a chance to finish the “art display area” in the center bookshelf section … and so far, so good. My plan was to create a little depth perception by bring the art […]

Spring had definitely sprung for Easter Sunday in 2019

| April 23, 2019

Although Brenda worked Easter Sunday this year, the weather could not have been more beautiful in Cincinnati for a few chores. I buffed out the oxidation on our 2002 Honda Odyssey, as the Florida sun is hard on paint. After buffing, I wax and buffed again in order to add a layer of protection … […]

iPhone photography and seeing signs of spring

| April 3, 2018

The other day I mentioned “selective focus” as a photography technique to my son … so I took advantage of the low light and ugly rainy weather to use the “longer x2 lens”on the iPhone7plus to hide the ugliness. The telephoto lens on any camera, especially in closer up photography), is that it is easy […]

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.

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 […]

Learning the Lumix GX8 – Prime lens and flower pictures

| April 16, 2017

With the buds and flowers popping this Easter weekend around Cincinnati, a sunny morning was a great opportunity to put the lesser used prime lens on my new Four Thirds Lumix GX8 camera. The 14-140 stabilized zoom is usually on my camera for convenience, but today I suspect the slightly faster f1.7 prime lens might be sharper […]

Our Spring landscaping could use some sprucing up

| April 12, 2017

It’s not exactly pristine landscaping this year at the Corbett abode, but seeing the rapidly growing grass and spring flowers popping out feels good. This is the first year that I recall actually missing winter.

Weather: Surprisingly warm temperatures all February long

| February 25, 2017

The weather in much of the midwest … and in particular Cincinnati … has been exceedingly mild this February 2017. The groundhog may have predicted a bit more winter, but he was way off this year. As a nasty looking weather front heads our way, the temperature Friday was downright balmy. I rolled down the […]

How-to: Early spring cleaning chores and practice run

| February 18, 2017

We have high ceilings in a couple areas of our house and one of the challenging chores is dusting or "de-webbing" the corners and edges some 20 feet up. Oh you would think it would be easy with a ladder, but you would be wrong. First, I don’t have an indoor ladder capable of reaching […]

No swimming in the pool yet as there is still snow in the forecast

| March 20, 2015

One of our resident and noisy Mallard ducks woke me up early this morning. He thinks it is time for us to uncover the pool so he can take his partner for a swim as in years past (Link one and two). It’s still early since snow is still being seen across our latitude.

Spring weather and “I’ve got the music in me”

| March 22, 2014

With the improved weather (70 degrees in Cincinnati on Friday) and spring smell in the air, its feels like it is past due for some music on the blog. Here’s a mystery tune for the day, which of course from the 1970s, but this is one hit that I’m sure everyone has heard. The first […]

Mother Nature has turned up the thermostat this afternoon

| March 11, 2014

With today’s temperatures in the 70’s, I can help but start thinking about longer days and warmer evening. Ah … it will be nice to put this winter behind us. Tuesday afternoon is sunny and down right warm. Unfortunately the weatherman says not so fast Ke-mo sah-bee (remembering The Lone Ranger). Maybe it is spelled […]

Don’t forget to “spring forward” for DST this weekend

| March 8, 2014

We’ve changed the Federal DST law quite a few time (surprised me) and I learned a few more things about Daylight Saving time this week … starting with that there isn’t an “s” on the end of “Saving” … duh! Daylight Saving time, or its abbreviation "DST" was an idea first proposed by Benjamin Franklin […]

Green grass and ground cover flowers are growing fast

| March 27, 2012

I was out at dusk trying to get a little more of the grass cut again. The grass is green and growing fast … I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep up with it if it rains. Thankfully it was dry enough (barely) to get some of the longest and thickest cut, […]

Clean up on this unseasonable 80 degree first day of spring

| March 21, 2012

The unseasonably warm weekend prior and first day of spring brought a bit of clean up to the Corbett yard and with that our semi-annual bonfire (we have one spring and fall – or kid gatherings). While we are probably burning the dead wood and yard debris in violation of some kind of local township […]

Heading south for a couple days of warm weather and sun

| March 5, 2012

… and hopefully sailing. Since Taylor is on spring break and isn’t heading with is Fraternity buddies to a drinking location with half of Miami University (and that half may be an under-statement), I suggested he and I drive down to Encore and spend a few days on the boat. Cheap trip for him, worthwhile […]

Green grass and Magnolia flowers proclaim Spring is here

| April 8, 2011

After arriving home late last night Brenda wanted me to see the flowering White Star Magnolia flowers … so I indulged her and walked out to look at them with her … and snapped a weak LED flash photo with my Palm Pre smartphone. Little did she know, I had already been looking at them […]

Great day to be at the beach

| March 8, 2010

We’re enjoying a relaxing spring day listening to the wind and waves in the Florida sunshine. It is a welcome change from the 2009 – 2010 winter that seemed to have lasted long enough, at least in our corner of Ohio. Hopefully we will return in a couple days feeling regenerated … I’m sensing my batteries […]

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 […]

The Ultimate Sacrifice

| April 16, 2006

The weather here in Cincinnati has take a sudden switch to summer this past week as both the temperature and humidity are as if it were July or August. As I left the VA Hospital complex in Dayton, Ohio I decided to drive the slowly through the cemetery and take the long way back to […]

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.
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