JSS: Illinois State-- Jonquils-- Crazy Weather-- Deja Vu All Over Again-- Robins

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  ILLINOIS STATE--  You'd think with a 27-6 record that it would get you into the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  It didn't.  So ISU in the NIT.

2.  JONQUILS--  I have two jonquils blooming in the house.  I picked them while frozen Saturday.  I didn't think they would make it, but their blooms opened and I got to enjoy their color and smell.  Monday, they would have been under four inches of snow outside.

3.  CRAZY WEATHER--  Sure has been since we got back from Florida.    First, it was warm, but the windiest I've ever seen.  Then, it got cold and then we had 4-5 inches of snow this past Monday and Tuesday.  It has also been highs in the upper 20s until today.

4.  DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN--  Monday I saw the movie "Before I Fall."  Thought I was seeing "Groundhog Day 2."  But without the happy ending.

5.  ROBINS--  We saw our first robins of the year over the weekend.  Guess they must have gotten fooled by all that warm weather in February.

YOU'RE DRINKING TOO  MUCH COFFEE WHEN:  You name your cats "Cream"and "Sugar."

Good to have Them Back, Though.  --RoadDog

JSS: No Such a Thing-- Robins Gone-- A Legion Win-- Ania's Polish Deli-- Stoplights on US-12

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  NO SUCH A THING--  Liz is putting together the table for our new 32-inch HD TV.  The instructions say easy-to-assemble.  No such a thing!!

2.  ROBINS GONE--  We believe we had two baby robins in the nest over the porch light to our back deck.  They both flew away last Tuesday.  These were the first robins hatched there in several years.  We enjoyed watching them.

3.  A LEGION WIN--  I drove to Lake Zurich, Illinois, last night to see the Fox Lake Bulldogs (sponsored by our American Legion) play the Lake Zurich Bears.  because of stoplights on US-12, I didn't get there until the top of the second inning with our boys down 4-1, eventually down 5-1.  Things looked bleak.  But they came back and ended up winning 7-6.  Way to go Post 703 Legion baseball team.

4.  ANIA'S POLISH DELI--  Before going to the game I went to Ania's Polish Deli and Grocery next to the Lake Zurich Wal-Mart to use an Entertainment Book coupon at 50% off.  I order a tenderloin sandwich and this was one really, really big sandwich.  I've eaten on it twice and still am not finished.

5.  STOPLIGHTS ON US-12--  Like I said, there are a REAL LOT of stoplights on US-12 between Spring Grove and Lake Zurich and I caught most of them just as they turned red.

Sure Made My Day.  --RoadDog

SILLY PUNS:  A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

JSS: Conversation With a Robin-- Cut the Grass-- Movies

JSS--  Just Some Stuff (Life Around Here)


1.  CONVERSATION WITH A ROBIN (BOTHERING A SQUIRREL)--  This morning, while sitting out on the front porch eating my honeydew melon, I had a discussion with a robin actively pursuing some of my worms out in the yard.  I told him to leave them alone as they are good for my dirt.  He (or she) didn't listen a bit.

Then, I bothered a squirrel running through the yard making "schticking" noises.  He treed himself for awhile, then took off for another tree.  I love to bother squirrels.

And, speaking of robins, Mama Robin is still sitting on the nest on top of our deck light.  We're hoping to see some mouths in the nest soon; kind of expectant parents of sorts. 


2.  CUT THE GRASS--  Finally got a break from all the rain and actually had a sunny day yesterday, so was able to cut the grass which was really high and no easy task (I had last cut it May 20th and you don't want to get behind on cutting inthe spring). 

I was worrying about cutting the grass as forecasts called for rain all the way through Monday.  I don't know what I would have done had it gone that long.


3.  MOVIES--  I like all sorts of movies.  Case in point, the movies I have seen the last two days:  "Hangover 3" and "Epic."  I really enjoyed both and they were definitely of different genre.  I couldn't believe that a dad brought his 8-9-year-old daughter to "Hangover."  These new animated films are something else.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog


TOO PUNNY:  The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

We've Got a New Crop of Baby Robins

Mr. and Mrs. Robin were actively building a nest over the past month. Almost every year they build one on the light leading out to the deck, a very protected spot. I try to scare them off and even destroy the nest, but they are quite persistent.

We're not sure if it is the same pair or even perhaps the baby robins from previous seasons. It does, however, mean that we can't use the main door we usually use to get out to the deck, but we sure have a great time watching our adopted little family.

Monday, both robins were constantly flying back and forth with worms and once I saw a head pop up. Well, actually more of wide-open beak which I think makes up most of just-hatched robins.

Yesterday, Liz was watching and saw two more beaks rising out of the nest and she got some pictures. Today, when I returned home from the movies, she had photographic evidence of a fourth beak in the nest. Last year, we only had three (and for a long time thought there was only one).

We Are Quite Proud of "Our" Babies. --RoadDog


OXYMORONS-- Why is the third hand on a watch called the second hand?

It's a Lost Cause-- The Robins Are Going to Beat Me Again

Currently I am involved in the annual battle with the robins to try to convince them to build a nest somewhere else other than on the lamp by the sliding door from the sun room to the deck.

i have a pair actively building a nest right now. Even though I have walked up to the window and door and jumped at them, that just makes them flutter away and come back a short time later.

The nest is about a quarter built and I have chased them away with lots of twigs in their beaks.

I actually don't mind if they build there, but the problem is the hassle every time I walk out the door or onto the deck. If they could only realize I mean them or their babies no harm we wouldn't have a problem. But every time I'm around, its fluttering all over and lots of fussing.

Looks like something else I'm just going to have to live with.

Perhaps These Are Some of the Baby Robins That Hatched Last Summer. --RoadDog

Officially Empty Nesters-- Part 2

At first, we thought we had just one baby robin, but after awhile, I saw a second beak, and last week, a third one. Talk about scrawny and all beak!!!

The last several days, we've really enjoyed watched those babies grow and get stronger. There was lots of scratching in the nest as they grew their feathers. By yesterday, one robin was perched on the side of the nest, so we figured it was about ready to go.

This morning, I only saw two, and actually mistook one for one of the adults at first. It was also perched on the edge. The other one appeared to be pushing it out. At some point, it flew off.

I woke Liz up so she could see the last one, who now also was perched on the side. He was smaller than the other two and didn't seem to be as developed so figured he might remain, but, suddenly, off he flew.

Bye Bye Birdies. Good Luck on Your Lives and Hope None of the Neighborhood Cats Get a Meal. --RoadDog

Officially Empty Nesters-- Part 1

The last baby flew off earlier this morning. That would be baby, as in robin baby.

While I was on the Mediterranean cruise and in North Carolina, a pair of robins built a nest out by our deck light. When I'm home, I strongly discourage this action as this is the main way out to the deck. Mom and pop robin just don't seem to grasp that I mean them no harm, and any trip outside is accompanied by a huge fuss.

That means trying to scare them off and dismantling the nest on occasion.

We have other doors we can use, however, and that is just what I do.

Don't get me wrong, I do like watching the nest and sure did that a lot these last several weeks. I have nothing against robins there, but I really hate the fuss. Have you ever been "fussed out" by a robin? Quite loud and a hassle I don't need.

More. --RoadDog

Dumb Baby Robins

This has definitely been the year to have problems with robins. First, I had the mama robin who built her nest on a deck floodlight. I couldn't even go near that part of the deck without a big fuss. Then, there was another mama robin out by the southeast corner flowerbed. Then, another robin tried to build a nest on another deck light, right by the main sliding door we use to come in and go out. I was OD (on deck) enough that she gave up the idea.

Now, I am having problems with young robins while working in the yard. These are ones right out of the nest who don't quite have their wings yet and can't just fly away. They normally manage to slam into something, occasionally me. Their sudden movement also startles me a bit. Then, of course, mama and papa robin start their squawking.

Three times in the last week, I've had these young robins fly into the garage, panic, and then flutter around and making noise. Even with the garage doors wide open, they don't seem to grasp a possible escape route. Today, I had to get an old tee shirt and actually grab it, which got quite noisy. I took it outside, released it, and the dumb thing flew right back into the garage. I had to catch it again, and this time it stayed out, but I did have the parents swoop down on me.

Nothing Like a Dumb Robin to Make Your Day. --RoadDog

More Mama Robins, Gigantoraptors, Mallards, and Cicadas

While working out in the part of the yard I call Frances' Back 40, after her suggestion, I had a run-in with another Mama Robin. I'm really getting tired of these Mamas. If they want to have a nest in my yard, that's fine with me. However, I could really do without the commotion and fuss when I get too close to all those wide-open young mouths, er, beaks.

This one flies up into the maple tree, squawks loudly, and ruffles her feathers. Sometimes, she does the injured ground walk. When I have the hose, I try to cool her off.

I see where scientists have discovered a huge bird like dinosaur in China's Gobi Desert. I'm sure the Mama Robins would like to bring back their long-gone ancestor to do me off. The ingrates.

Last Wednesday, I had a pair of mallard ducks floating around in my little pond (about 5 by 3 feet). When they saw me, they indignantly got out, shook their tailfeathers, and waddled off.

Also, this past week, while working in the yard, I heard something off in the distance which sounded like someone screaming, or, sometimes, crying. I have decided that it must be the cicada sound I've heard so much about.

A five-year-old boy in a Chicago suburb found a cicada with white eyes (they are really bright red), a one in a million chance. He says he is going to keep it until it dies, then let it go. I'm sure the cicada will be happy to learn that.

Trying to Live with Those Mama Robins. --RoadDog