SPRINGTIME 2021, Week 6: I see I've been not blogging a lot this last week since there's been so few posts between my weekly updates. I'll try to correct that but there's been so much going on....

Here's the usual pond view taken from the deck. Not that much visible in the picture has changed over the week but Mother Nature is clearly gearing up for an opening celebration. The flowers are gone on the tulip magnolia and leaves are showing; the perennials are popping up; and all the trees except the larger deciduous trees have buds showing.

Here's an example taken from the stairs down to the pond. The weeds in the foreground are popping up everywhere -- and growing faster that I can keep up.

The pond, with its fountain, was spectacular today. While there's still no leaves to speak of, the pond view is always greener because of the number of pine trees along the commons/boat dock area. Even though our next-door neighbor has cleared most of the brush so he can see the pond, his house (top left) will be nearly invisible by summer.

The same is true of our house, seen here from the pond. Even with my brush-clearing last winter, it will be nearly invisible when the deciduous trees turn green.

And as a finale, the dogwoods (we have Florida dogwood trees -- not nearly enough) have finally begun to blossom. Hopefully they will be spectacular this year.

Until next week, then.

I DON'T THINK THE CONSTITUTION GIVES BIDEN A SAY: Biden to let Justice Breyer decide when to retire from the Supreme Court.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON:

Wokeness is not really about fairness for minorities, the oppressed and the poor, past or present. It is mostly a self-confessional cult of anointed bullies, and hypocrites of all races and genders, who seek to flex, and increase, their own privilege and power.

Period.

Read it all.

IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE DRONES THAN TO BE ALIVE: Big Tech’s ‘trust’ problem will soon cost lives by scaring people away from life-saving technology.

But what good are dead drones?
[Answer: they don't vote against the drone maker.]

WOKENESS IS NOT ABOUT TAKING POWER FROM THE MAN. Wokeness is The Man’s way of securing his power over the rest of us.

Just say no. Say Hell, no!

SPRINGTIME 2021, Week 5: This week I revert back to my more-or-less standard practice of the pond view first.

Here it is, from my usual place on the carport deck. The brush and other ground cover I pretty well suppressed over the winter, so it still looks winter barren but the trees have actually started to bud out. Not visible in the picture yet, but certainly will be by next week's pictures.

Here's the fire pit/hopefully soon-to-be north lawn. Still pretty much barren, especially since so many trees were taken down to make room for the hopefully soon-to-come barn, but as above the trees are just now starting to blossom.

A view from the north, looking back at the barn pad. Easter has been a gorgeous day out.

Finally, a view I don't expect to see again until next winter - a 'skyline' of the next ridge to the south. If the trees blossom as I expect, by next week the ridge (and sky, mostly) will be obscured by the leaves from the trees downslope.

Until next week, then.

IS BOTH AN OPTION? Democrats: Stupid Or Liars?

WELCOME to Woke America.

WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED? Study declares AOC one of the least effective members of Congress.

THEY SURE DO LIKE SPENDING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Biden's $2.2T infrastructure package: 'Not nearly enough'.

INSTAPUNDIT DOES HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS: Totalitarian cockswaddle.

THIS IS SATIRE -- 15-Year-old boys' soccer team demands equal pay for beating U.S. women's team.

Except that it isn't; the boys team did in fact beat the women's national team in a recent scrimmage.

CANDACE OWENS: Democrats represent Black America 'like plantation owners represented slaves'.



It's a Fox News video clip from Life, Liberty, and Levin. Normally I don't embed videos, but Candace Owens is special.

IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN. Run to the nearest private school.

DONALD TRUMP to visit border in next few weeks. Invited by ICE and CBP.

NO! NOT ONLY NO, HELL NO! Biden White House plans 'vaccine passports'.

If you want to understand what to expect, remember Dr. Anthony Fauci at the Washington Nationals opening game this season, and read Ward Moore's Caduceus Wild.

If there is anything that will drive me from the U.S. permanently, 'vaccine passports' are it.

SPRINGTIME 2021, Week 4: Last week's Early Bird, er, Bush, is doing well, so let's start this week with the Tulip Magnolia, which I call the butterfly bush since it attracts them in droves. The flowers have begun to recede, partly because it's time for the leaves to appear and partly because the rains have taken quite a few as well. In the background is the pond, which will begin to disappear next week. The trees are all budding out, although they can't be seen in the pictures yet....

Next, a second view of the tulip magnolia, taken from the walkway to the fire pit. The perennials in the foreground have all started popping through the mulch bed and begun to blossom. Unfortunately so have the weeds....

Here's my usual pond view, taken today from the lower deck area (that's Rusty in the lower left checking for intruders). If you look carefully, there are hints of green in the trees in the distance. I also expect the ferns that are below the retaining wall where Russ is sitting to make their appearance soon.

And finally -- our future yard, once the barn is in place, the gravel from the old driveway removed, and fresh lawn soil put down.

Maybe by the time for 'falling leaves' pictures....

MALLARD FILLMORE EXPLAINS UNITY: Democrat style.

THE BIDEN PRESS CONFERENCE in one simple cartoon.

RANDOM THOUGHT -- an update to an old reliable: To err is human; to really fuck things up requires a smart phone.