ness

They already have here largely. I will say they seem to be out in the open fields, along roadsides or forest edges, not so much penetrating into the woods.

The problem is, in my experience, the root systems will send up suckers long after the tree is down. I've been spraying the suckers that come up from the ones I took out for a few years. It's getting to be less and less and maybe none this year, but they're a bugger to get rid of.

The area around me was developed 20+ years ago. I haven't been by any newer developments this week to see if they're still planting them. I hope not. It does seem like a lost cause here.

Each year there are more and more of these things around here. This year seems to be the worst I've ever seen by a bunch. The office park where I work has them planted around the campus, and they have expanded to the frontage road, highway edges and undeveloped areas nearby like crazy. There are several spots I drive past regularly near where I live that are currently white forests. Crazy, and it will only get worse. Does anybody else think this year is the worst ever by a large margin?

Myself, of course🤪 It was almost forgotten about a week ago. Then I walked into the lunchroom at the office and I hear this guy say, ‘It’s like that song ‘It’s hard to be humble.’’ I kid you not. Thanks a lot Jerry C!

Here’s what I’m listening to, and I’m not happy about it. It’s been running through my head, uninvited, for at least two weeks. Press play, if you dare😀

Enjoy your telephone!

I really love my Fujifilms but I bought both before in-body image stabilization was available. Being an old-school photographer, I’m wired to hold it steady, use something around me to stabilize or a mono/tripod. But I’m kinda tempted to upgrade for IBIS, more mp, better battery, film sims and other stuff. Let’s talk about something else please 😀

I’m not your man for that.

Let me see if I can explain this in terms you might understand 🤪 Enhanced image stabilization is achieved through coordinated control when Canon's RF lenses with optical IS are combined with the EOS R5 C camera's electronic IS when shooting XF-AVC or MP4 formats. With an RF lens that has optical IS and the electronic IS in the EOS R5 C camera, coordinated control helps achieve the optimum hand-shake correction effects. This helps achieve better anti-vibration performance than with conventional IS-equipped EF lenses (using optional Mount Adapter EF-EOS R) and electronic IS together. Back to me talking now: what the he77 is all that about?😀

Better than the excuse given by that scoundrel @ColdWaterFshr and his phony friend!🤪

Just got back from lunch with broom-wielding former bank president not 15 minutes ago! We've been friends for 40 years and counting. Get the work done, do some extra, have some fun too.

Dog? Cat?

Oh, man -- those smiles!!

Speaking of chili… The missus was over in Independence today and when I got wind I asked her to bring home some Dixon’s chili. Dixon’s has been around for over a hundred years and was a favorite of Harry Truman, and more importantly, my dad. It’s very different. Lightly seasoned beef, kidney beans cooked separately and you order the mix the way you want: meat only, juicy with meat juice (grease), with beans, soupy- with bean juice, over spaghetti or a tamale. There’s no tomato in it. If you want ketchup, there’s a “fine” or extra charge. It’s about how you dress it. I do ketchup and pepper vinegar but they offer diced onion, cheese, etc. To us, it’s the perfect chili dog topping because it’s not too wet. So that’s what we had tonight. Freakin delicious. You’ll have to use your imagination though because there are no pics.

Holy cow that looks good!!

When I was a senior in college I needed one more class for a biology minor so I took Prairie Research. You had to be a senior and have a bunch of prerequisites, and it was known as an easy A. We worked on reestablishing native prairie on a plot of ground south of Lawrence, KS. We cut out trees, planted native grasses, etc. In the spring we were tasked with burning a few acres on the north edge of the tract. Well, the wind picked up and changed direction and we ended up burning something like 90 acres. The five of us, armed only with wet burlap bags, just couldn’t do it. LFD finally got there and got it out. No structures were in immediate danger but it could have been much worse if they hadn’t showed up. The area eventually became The Baker Wetlands, in case anybody here knows where that is.

Happy birfday, Pat!

I didn’t think to say it last night, but he didn’t just last, he later became president of the bank! He left after 30+ years and is now CFO of a global non-profit institution.

We’ve all lasted and, well, done pretty good.

Oh geez. You’d have never lasted 🤪

Back to working extra for a minute...I had dinner with one of the old timers last week. One of the things we discussed was working Saturdays. It's always nice to work without the interruptions -- you get a lot done, and there was a chance at some fun too! What was great was when you pulled into the parking lot and the other guy was the only one already there. You always parked where your car couldn't be seen from the windows. Only one other person in the building meant there was a real chance at scaring the @#$% out of the other. But if you got there first, your head was on a swivel You never took the elevator -- that made noise -- you took the back stairwell. Then it was just a matter of how far you could go with it. Best one ever: He hid in a closet and waited for me to go down the hall to go to the loo. He jumped out with a broom and screamed, and I about had a heart attack This is the kind of work ethic that’s missing with today’s kids!

Nah, not me. I just love an underdog. Or anybody playing Mizzou

It's always fun to see the initial bracket. I counted 12 colleges I don't remember ever hearing of before. It's also fun to see a smaller program make a run for it. Go Drake!

Irish soda bread with cranberries Guinness beef stew over some Champ (mashed taters with onions) An annual tradition here