Why I Am Blogging Less, and Enjoying It More

By way of explanation to my longtime readers:  when I started this blog on a whim in 2008, in the midst of an emotional election campaign in this country, I had no definite plan of what to say or do with it; but among other thoughts that came to mind, it did seem at that moment like a great new way to excoriate and expose the follies of the world in general.  And for a time I did enjoy having a place to vent and rant and sound off on things that seemed to deserve comment.

But now, with me it's more and more a case of passion spent:  once past the half-century mark, you begin to notice the shadows slowly lengthening as the road turns homeward, the great hopes and adventures of youth all lying behind you now.  And you come to realize that it gains you very little to be continually upsetting yourself over things you can never hope to change.  The world is what it is, and one might as well try to stem the ever-flowing tide as to divert the course of human nature.  Il faut cultiver notre jardin, said Candide, and there is a great truth there.  "Work without disputing, for it is the only way to render life tolerable."

A fatalistic attitude, to be sure; not one that will ever recommend itself to people younger, more idealistic, or better placed to make a difference in the world.  But for some of us, a necessary attitude to retain some semblance of peace of mind through whatever years are left to us to enjoy here.  Unlike Tennyson's Ulysses, most bloodied veterans who have somehow survived the strife and struggles of life are content to sit quietly by their own fireside at the end of the long, long journey - that is, if contentment can be found anywhere in this uncertain, tumultuous world.  The unexamined life is not worth living, most assuredly; but once you have thoroughly examined it - and seen through it - a rest of heart and mind is needed.

I haven't lost all interest in current events, of course, and sometimes I still feel a need to comment on something or other; but less so now than when I started out.  A blog makes a bully soapbox, a miracle that countless writers of all persuasions who lived before the Internet age would have dearly loved to make use of.  But there's not much I have to say to the world that hasn't already been very well said by much greater minds; and if the world at large has ignored their counsel - or indeed, rewarded their trouble with a cup of hemlock - it certainly will take no notice of my small, obscure voice.  Which perhaps is just as well.

So this blog is evolving into something different from what it has been; what that is remains to be seen, and I still have no definite plan.  It remains an amusing hobby, a toy to pass the time with, nothing more.  But I thank my faithful readers for their interest and comments from time to time; even when one is saying nothing of any importance at all, it's always nice to feel heard.

Below, a handful of links to stories that illustrate, in one way or another, the ignorance, the foolishness, the blindness, the ugliness, the cruelty, the unreflecting self-righteousness of the human animal:  the very same stuff that was grist to the mill for Swift, Johnson, Twain, and others so well suited to puncture the pomposity of human vanity.  But the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Another time, I might have commented at some length on the implications of one or more of these items; but now I leave the essential points to the discernment of the reader. 

And if you don't get the real point of these things, which lies somewhere beneath the surface of the texts, well then - why should I spend the better part of a sunny afternoon trying to convince you?  If people lack the wit or imagination or depth of soul to see truths that are self-evident . . . well that's just very sad, isn't it?  The long, sad, troubled story of mankind, which needs no comment from me in the late afternoon of a glorious spring day, with lillies and roses blooming just outside my front door.

The New York Times:  A smoking ban too far

Americablog News:  Coffee, sex, exercise, or blowing your nose can trigger a stroke

The Globe and Mail:  Why the 70s were the best time to be a mom

Andrew Sullivan:  The mindset of Jeffry S. Wiesenfeld

Snow Day in Texas

At the moment, 30 degrees here, headed down to 23 tonight, and a high tomorrow of 35.  First time it's snowed this winter.  Last year by this point it had snowed 6 or 7 times.

The birds are having a frozen dinner.

Back yard, about 4:30 p.m.

Front yard

There was a big bunch of sparrows sitting in the wisteria bush by the curb, but they all flew off the moment before I snapped this pic.

The ex-roommate calls this sycamore a "planet tree."  They're all snow planets today.

And I took these pics before today's snow.  All the time I've been here, there's been a squirrel threesome living in the back yard.  Figures.  I call them Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

As well as a pair of cardinals - but curiously, they only come to eat at dawn and dusk, so it's hard to get a good picture of them.  Here's the mister, rather wary of the camera.

Al Fresco

It was certainly fresco here in Texas this morning, about 23 degrees. Birdbaths were frozen solid. So I made sure my little squirrels had plenty to eat when they came looking for breakfast.

November Flame

Crepe myrtle, my back yard, 8 a.m. today - 32 degrees and drizzling:

Fire and Rain

A couple of rainy days here in Texas.  But between cloudbursts, caught this shot of a crepe myrtle blazing up, undaunted.  The sky behind it was actually a rather dark bluish-gray, which made a striking background, but that didn't come through in the photo.

Scintilla

Suddenly in the afternoon

A spark of joy

Quick

Catch it

Before it flies away

Where all the light goes

When you turn it out

It will not feed you

But you can feast on it

For a moment

All joys are

Like that

Necessarily brief

Briefly necessary.

The Persistence of Memory

Glory

Click to enlarge.

Procrastination Is a Virtue

Skinny, motivated, disciplined people with their right angles and straight edges and bottom lines do not see what is most important in life.  Look what I almost cut down for a weed a couple of weeks ago.  Joy.

Do click to see the fine details.

Update from My Garden

Just sharing some love with ya, fellas . . . .

Click on the images to see full size.

More flora and fauna after the jump --

More Flutterbyes

Believe it or not, your Head Trucker is not really much into bugs, but I'm having a helluva good time with photographing 'em.  Two or three, maybe four new species today. Click on the pics to enlarge. 

These tiny little silver-winged fellows look very elegant:

But they seem to prefer eating their dinner upside-down.  Go figure.

Then there were some striped ones:

Of course, when the dinner bell rings, everybody comes a-runnin':

I felt sorry for this ragged little fellow,

wonder what the other guy looks like?

But maybe that's just the way he's made. 

And then there were these spotted fellas - baby monarchs, maybe?

Digital photography is the best damn thing since sliced bread, and you can quote me on that, guys.  I never would have given a second glance to all these little critters if not for my Kodak.  Which is not the latest and greatest, either:  just a little $150 point-and-shoot, with a close-up setting.

The beauty of this digital stuff is, not only does it make beautiful crisp, clear pics, but it also gives you the freedom to take lots and lots and lots of pictures.  Without having to stop and reload film, and without worrying about the cost of developing.  That's the only way to get really good shots, because the more pics you take, the higher your chances of getting some good ones.  (Conversely, that's also why most of our family snapshots from years gone by don't look so great:  you didn't want to "waste" your film, so you only took a relatively few photos, and didn't give the law of averages a chance to work in your favor.) 

FYI, I took 48 snaps today, got about a dozen good ones out of all that, and as you can see above, 3 or 4 really cool pics.  And I have never had any training whatsoever in photography.  Totally fucking awesome. 

If they'd had this technology when I was in school, think I would have gone in a whole different career direction.  I'm lovin' it.

Flutterbyes

My front porch, 3:30 p.m. today:  a truckload of company dropped by.  Click on any picture to enlarge.

Butterfly to bee: 

Hey, beat it, bud - I'm working this side of the street!

Of course you expect this from me - some gratuitous sex skin petunias:

And finally, the last shot I caught turned out to be the perfect shot.  Enlarge to appreciate the very fine details.

Okay, at least one of you guys must know what make and model butterflies these are.  They're all just 2"-3" across, max.  Little help here?

Update:  The ex-roommate called last night and thinks it's a painted lady, but I'm inclined to go with a red admiral.  What do you think?

After the Rain

You have to imagine here, after a long, dreary day of downpours, the clear, cool freshness that comes wafting along like a sudden gift, and the sweet, homely scent of the boxwood shrubs in full bloom.

Note to the technically inclined:  someone needs to invent a scratch-n-sniff blog.