from Michael Yon

A new piece from Michael Yon in Iraq. I don't know why, but I always get very emotional when I read his articles. I think it might be because he is committed to being there, with the men and women serving our country, taking risks, but always unafraid to tell it like he sees it. I find him credible because he does not hesitate to tell both the good news and the bad news. The photos of the children will get you.

A Surprise Visitor!

I put my foot up against the edge of the bathtub in our bathroom this morning to tie my shoes and had the distinct and unshakable feeling that I was being watched. Unlikely as that was, I glanced over my right shoulder to the window just inches away and immediately jumped back about two feet in surprise. There, literally inches from my face through the glass was a small eastern screech owl perched on the edge of the eave trough and staring right at me. He had probably been sitting there watching me curiously for sometime as he certainly didn't seem surprised to see me! He (she? they look alike) was adorable with huge eyes, tilting his head to get a better look at me. I sat there for twenty minutes, afraid that the moment would pass and he would fly off. Four hours later, and he is still there, nicely sheltered by the overhanging roof, tucked into a protected corner, with sweeping views of the driveway and all our resident chippies. Sorry, chippies, cute is as cute does, I guess... 

Worth reading on the Middle East

Caroline Glick is a foreign policy analyst who specializes in the Middle East. This opinion piece is fascinating, thought-provoking, terrifying, and truly required reading to gain a larger perspective on what is going on over there.
It makes me ask, once again, where is Ronald Reagan when we need him?

Major Merger

Big news out of the Big Apple this week: two major powerhouses on the scene have taken initial steps toward what most analysts believe will be one of the historic mergers of our time. Though neither party involved in the proposed Duffey-Thermansen merger is providing a detailed timeline at this point, experts are saying that there is every indication that the deal will be done by the approach of Q3 2008. "It is a classic 'brains and beauty' deal, with each side bringing something useful to the table" one analyst opined on the news. "A win/win situation and the growth potential is sky high," another stated. The market as a whole reacted favorably to the news, while certain related industries were going on record as early as yesterday with marked enthusiasm. The sharp rise in champagne futures and the major price bump in silk textiles were only two of the early indicators of the sustained impact this merger will have. 

more from Marco

 
Great Egret,macro shot of the flower of this annoying shrub I keep hacking back because it grows so dang fast - flower is pretty though... 
Clare and Molly enjoying the sun in their chaise, 
and a male Red-Bellied Woodpecker. 

pics from Florida in March

A few random shots of our time in Marco, where all three girls managed to squeeze us in at least for a few days. We had beautiful weather which made my immobility far more pleasant than it would have been stuck inside on a rainy day.
Harry who just had to get in the pool to "rescue" his ball that he had dropped "accidentally." A blurry, through the screen shot of the mom and dad osprey, whom I had shot in January sitting on the egg, now chatting amiably with Junior. An "arty" shot of a bromeliad. More pics coming!
 
 
 
 

April 1

Ok, for all (3) of my faithful blog readers, I admit that I have been less than forthcoming with entries. That changes today, when I am recommitting myself to the blog. I have explanations for my faithlessness - that google's blogger is now utterly frustrating to use (how do you in this day of miraculous technology make something that worked seamlessly and without effort into a tedious string of steps that fail regularly??) is one of those explanations. Another is that I was out of town visiting my girlies (for which I have not one photo - traveling light and didn't bring my camera) and then shortly thereafter away again for two weeks in the land of dial-up where no blogger with any sense dare go. And did I mention that I had knee surgery? I know it sounds impossible to have this many explanations for my prolonged absence - but they are all true.
But, as my mother always said, "those are explanations, they are not excuses." Enough.
My first topic is related to two stories that have been in the news this past week. Both of them were very quietly reported but for entirely different reasons. This photo, which accompanied a report about the honoring of two dozen or more Tuskeegee airmen for their service and sacrifice was utterly striking to me on two levels. The first was that the only man (and a Democrat) serving in the U.S. Senate ever to have been a member of the Klu Klux Klan, Robert Byrd, was there to do some of the honoring and NO ONE, NO ONE said a word about that! The second was seeing President Bush holding the hand of the very elderly and infirm Byrd to assist him entering the room. President Bush helping in such a gentle, kind way the man who has never missed an opportunity to personally vilify the President - out of plain simple human kindness. The best measure of a man is that taken when he doesn't know anyone is looking.
Which brings me to my second news report: a FOX television investigative report into the stealing of highly classified documents from the National Archives by former NSA Sandy Berger of the Clinton administration. According to members of the Archives' staff, the extent of the crime is far greater than anyone knew at the time it first came out. The additional details reported are fairly shocking (Berger stuffing some of the stolen documents under a construction trailer parked on a street near the Archives - for someone else to retrieve? why wasn't this news??)
I mean, really. The contrast is dramatic. In one small gesture that just happened to get caught by a photographer (and many, many news outlets did not show it) you see the basic decency and goodness of one man and in the other, rather dramatic, gesture, the stealing of classified documents by President Clinton's National Security Advisor, presumably to destroy documents that made that President look bad in some way (what way we will now never know)you see people whose highest priority is to protect themselves, no matter what.