USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Foxfyre]

Again we welcome Ridgerunner to the Coffee Shop family. I think he's settling in really well.

Good night darlinks. I really do love you guys.

And we keep vigil for:

Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
TK, and TK's grandma,
Becki and Becki’s hubby,
The Ringels in difficult transition,
Mrs. O and SFCOllie,
GW's daughter, her friend Sachendra, and Sachendra's husband Bob and son Gary.
Noomi!!!
Ringel for wellness, rest, healing, and extra strength,
Nosmo's mom,
Mrs. Ringel's knee,
Ernie's stop smoking project,
For every happiness for Sherry and WQ,
Sherry’s Mom,
Gracie's fur friend Karma,
Mr. And Mrs. Gracie in difficult transition
Gracie's eye surgery and stop smoking project,
Mr. Kat and Kat's mom,
Nosmo's eye surgery,
Sixfoot's bad back,
Rod, GW's partner,
Peach and her family for comfort,
All of us and those we care about who are looking for work,

And the light is left on for Alan, Noomi, Freedombecki, Oddball, and all the others who we miss and hope to return.

The thing that fascinates me most about this one is there are actually utility poles and power lines going to it:

 

[Ridgerunner]

All right someone did not unplug the coffee pot and the bottom of the pot was burnt. Had to soak it for a while before could make the first pot.

Morning folks...

 

[Foxfyre]

Are there any other Spotify listeners in the ole CS?

Okay, classic rock? Blue grass? Blues? Country? Pop? What?

Oh... I love the Americana... ole spot plays better music than siriusxm or the dishcd. I don't know how they dig it up but holy cow they do a good job.

Oh, its a radio program? Not a group? I haven't heard about it.

 

[Foxfyre]

Good morning Ridgerunner. That's the downside to the Coffee Shop. First one in has to make the coffee.

And good morning everybody. Busy day today for a Friday but it's Friday. Even though we're pretty much retired now I feel less guilty goofing off on Fridays.

 

[saveliberty]

All right someone did not unplug the coffee pot and the bottom of the pot was burnt. Had to soak it for a while before could make the first pot.

Morning folks...

Traditionally, a small saucer of milk (2%) has been set out for me...

 

[Nosmo King]

Again I rise to sing the glories of a Rust Belt Spring! Dogwoods are now in bloom. Dazzling in linen white, hot pink and magenta these little trees get all their attention this time of year. There is one dogwood in the cemetery that some skillful gardener plied her mastery to years ago. A brilliant white flowering tree was grafted to a magnificent pink tree when they were the same size. After years of growing together, they retained their individuality and half of the tree bursts forth in white while the other half balances the act in pink. It's nothing short of stunning. As my sainted Uncle Ducky would quip: do you know how to tell a dogwood tree? By its bark! yuck yuck yuck.

The azaleas are blooming too! Yellow, pink, white and deep red, they look like Walt Disney got sick on them. The little pollinators, honey bees, are busy assuring us of future generations of azalea colorfulness. Squirrels are awake much to Daisy the Mutt's delight. She has something to look for and chase while we are at the park. Daisy~ the Great White Hunter intimidates no one but the squirrel and the chipmunk.

The tulips are nearing the end of their run. Petals are getting knocked off by the persistent April breezes. Irises are showing leaves, but their blossoms won't be here until at least mid-May.

I know it seems as if I spend a lot of posts on the glory of Spring. But it is a glorious season. Like a grandchild frolicking in the back yard, it's both beautiful and reassuring. Beautiful in its freshness and innocence. Reassuring in the realization that we have survived another bleak, dark and cold winter. Summers are fun, but humid and sometimes oppressively so. Autumn brings some hard facts in its unique beauty. Winter is to be survived.

So here it is. High Springtime! More and more trees are leafing out every day. Lawns have been mowed at least once and are showing that both grass and dandelions are still alive. The road salt and gravel spread out during winter has been washed away to clog up catch basins. A new crop of potholes has sprung up on the pavement to challenge drivers and suspension systems and tires. The sight lines on the ridge tops are now thirty feet taller because rather than skeletons of trees running along the tops, there are now bushels of leaves to obscure the true elevation. Car windows have been rolled down so that teenage drivers can share their taste in music with everyone, not just their passengers. And baseball season is in full swing.

Ah! Spring! There's nothing like it!

 

[saveliberty]

...Summer...

 

[Dhara]

We're on to spring activities here too! Working on the beds nearest the house, then on to tackle the orchard and garden area. Still some frost at night here in the mountains.

On a few hot days the kids filled our small pool and pretended they were at the beach! Too cold for me, but they're hearty.

So many incalcuable blessings. May you all be so happy!

 

[Dajjal]

Well Coffee Shoppers, today is April 28, 2016. 28 years ago today I drank 3 shots of Jack Daniel's and 4 Budweisers and headed off to Edgehill in Newport, Rhode Island. I have not had a drink since. Damn! I'm thirsty!

For me, it will be three years without a drink on the 23rd next July. I sometimes wish I could get drunk, but then I remember what it did to me and I resist.

 

[Dhara]

Well Coffee Shoppers, today is April 28, 2016. 28 years ago today I drank 3 shots of Jack Daniel's and 4 Budweisers and headed off to Edgehill in Newport, Rhode Island. I have not had a drink since. Damn! I'm thirsty!

For me, it will be three years without a drink on the 23rd next July. I sometimes wish I could get drunk, but then I remember what it did to me and I resist.

Good for you! Awesome accomplishment.

 

[Foxfyre]

...Summer...

Summer is too hot for me here. During most spring days I'm happy to be out and about and the car doesn't feel like a ceramic kiln when we get back in it. During the summer not so much--I don't tolerate direct sunlight well or extreme heat and dislike driving with two fingers. Around here the best parking places are those that are in the shade, however minimal and you'll park a fer piece from your destination to get one. And it seldom gets as hot here as it does in many places.

 

[Foxfyre]

I just heard that they're changing the immigration policy. Instead of deporting illegals they're going to start deporting senior citizens to save on Medicare, Social Security, and other expenses. They figure old people are easier to catch and less likely to remember how to get back home. I'll see some of ya'll on the bus. . . .l

 

[Dajjal]

I had a dream about painting last night and woke up thinking I might try and get back into it. So I spent the day looking through my large canvases to see if I could finish any of them. But I decided they are not worth bothering with, so I might get a tin of primer and white them out so I could start new paintings. They are an average of five feet wide and I don't have the energy to make stretcher frames and buy new canvas. So painting over them seems the best option.
I had this idea that I could paint large pictures and give them to hospitals, because we have a project of art in hospitals in England. I would not attempt to get them into art gallery's in the commercial world of art, but hospitals have lots of wall space, and they would be on public display.
Trouble is I seem to have run out of steam so I probably won't do it. But at least I am going to buy some primer and white some of them out, so I have blank canvases to start on if the mood takes me.

 

[Dajjal]

Here is one of my large abstracts which I may try and finish. I will not paint over this one. It's five feet wide.
It's called ' the war between blue and yellow'

 

[Againsheila]

Looks like we will be in Anchorage on May 30th, all day. What shall we do???

Excellent! That's a regular day off and no school, so I have all day. There's a zoo, or a more natural animal park. We might drive to Talkeetna for the views of Denali, if you haven't had that pleasure yet. Of course, weather can be a factor. What kind of things interest y'all?

Nothing too athletic, the views of Denali sound great. My husband votes for the zoo over the natural animal park.. I don't really care, just someplace I haven't been before and we have zoos here.

 

[Foxfyre]

View attachment 73359

Here is one of my large abstracts which I may try and finish. I will not paint over this one. It's five feet wide.
It's called ' the war between blue and yellow'

I love that, Dajjal. Don't you dare paint over it. It is framable and marketable as is.

 

[Dajjal]

Yes, I am not going to paint over anything good. I painted over the one above and I have regretted it ever since. All I have left of it is this photograph of it when it was still unfinished.

 

[Nosmo King]

We're on to spring activities here too! Working on the beds nearest the house, then on to tackle the orchard and garden area. Still some frost at night here in the mountains.

On a few hot days the kids filled our small pool and pretended they were at the beach! Too cold for me, but they're hearty.

So many incalcuable blessings. May you all be so happy!

It must be grand to have an orchard! My yard is about the size of a postage stamp. I'd love to have apple and peach trees around.

 

[Foxfyre]

Looks like we will be in Anchorage on May 30th, all day. What shall we do???

Excellent! That's a regular day off and no school, so I have all day. There's a zoo, or a more natural animal park. We might drive to Talkeetna for the views of Denali, if you haven't had that pleasure yet. Of course, weather can be a factor. What kind of things interest y'all?

Nothing too athletic, the views of Denali sound great. My husband votes for the zoo over the natural animal park.. I don't really care, just someplace I haven't been before and we have zoos here.

But I would imagine you would have to walk the zoo--making it through our Rio Grande Zoo here is a pretty good hike. Most natural animal parks you can drive through.

 

[ChrisL]

View attachment 73359

Here is one of my large abstracts which I may try and finish. I will not paint over this one. It's five feet wide.
It's called ' the war between blue and yellow'

Very pretty! Thanks for sharing.