Sunday, May 4, 2025

When You See This...


…do you pay attention?

Not a random inquiry, but relevant to my most recent battle in The Vale of Everlasting Sorrows (also known as my local links where I practice the black art of hickory golfery).


Happily, this was a decent round, much better than my first two because I was consistently finding the fairways.

Credit goes to my therapy session with The Guru...


...to wit:

"I have said earlier that you start the clubhead first by giving the left wrist a gentle half-turn toward the body.

"This is important, because it will put that wrist at the top of the swing into the only position in which it is capable of doing its work properly - that is, arched inward under the shaft, instead of arched outward."


Of course all of this bores you to tears.

He's expounding on some minutia about which only hickory golfers care.

But I mention this because the greatest hickory golfer of his era - the only man to ever win the British Open 6 times, The Stylist himself - specifically instructs the reader "this is important".

So, having read this important advice a half dozen times, have I been "starting the clubhead with a gentle half turn of my left wrist toward my body" ?

Well...until this last outing, nope; have not.

"And why is that, O wise one?" you sneer sarcastically.

I offer by way of excuse this from my Bible college days:

One of our profs told us our brains are like empty tin cans with both ends removed and a light coating of glue on the inside.

Learning is sorta like someone throwing a handful of sand through middle of the empty tin can.

Each time that happens, a few grains of sand "stick" to the sides of the can.

If you repeat that process enough times...

Congratulations!  You learned something!

I know my "brain glue" ain't as sticky as it used to be, but my word is this ever depressing.

Happy to have finally picked up on something that works, but how long have I had this book?

And how many times have I skimmed over that part without heeding its instruction?

As Jed Clampett used to opine:




We've finally arrived at the most beautiful month of the year here in Michigan...

an old pic but serves the purpose

...Magnificent May, when Nature bursts forth in her glorious hymn of florescent regeneration:

two things going on here...the blooming of our lower patio garden thanks to Karen's tireless efforts, and new leaves on the trees finally restoring our backyard privacy.


yes, they're thinking about what you think they're thinking about, and Loki's keeping a watchful eye


if memory serves, these are known as "purple flowers"


oak trees get (and lose) their leaves later, but at least they're making a start


courtyard coming into focus under Karen's consistent care...especially appreciate our pretty little Japanese maple


"wallflowers", aka "where wiffle golf balls go to hide"


our 2nd Japanese maple

The really spectacular thing about this?

May is just warming up...there's so much more to come in the days ahead.

Absolutely love this time of year!


Another event accompanying the beginning of May is either the best or worst week of the year here in Holland, depending on whether you're a retailer or just a regular ol' citizen of this fair town:


Tulip Time!


You're either giddy at the sound of your cash register cha-chinging!  -or-  you're <geergerd> with the unwelcome influx of 600,000 tourists.

here's something you don't see every day - Mexican Klompen dancers, but yep, we've got 'em

Holland, with its odd layout and labyrinth of one way streets can be confusing enough for its 35,000 residents...

how would you like a good swift kick in the <achterste> with a wooden shoe?  yours for the asking at the always popular Volksparade

...but layer on enough strangers to populate a city the size of Las Vegas and you've got a pretty good working definition of chaos.

This year we tried to get approval for a new sign as you're entering town:


...but for some reason, we were denied.

I guess we're reduced...


...to grinning and bearing it for another year.


In the interest of digital humanitarianism (no, I did not just make that up), we are foregoing our usual sashay through 23 Skidoo...


...and instead opting to simply flee the premises.

As you do, consider this truth from God's Word...


...and keep that muzzle handy.

later, mcm fans...



Sunday, April 27, 2025

There's Not Much Prettier...

...than magnolias in bloom. 

We wait all year for this and it's finally here:


Sadly it will be gone within a week or so.

Glorious while it lasts, but like so many things in life, don't blink or you'll miss it.


Stunk up the joint with round 2 of my hickory golf season this weekend, but I did manage to get a couple decent pics while imploding.

the ornamental trees are blooming now

And things actually started pretty well; decent drive off the first tee and a 2 putt for bogey, which in my early season world counts as a win on that hole.

This continued for next 3 holes and then the wheels fell off.

The frustrating part is I don't really know why.

water hazard on the 8th hole...no I did not drop one in the drink.  I chose instead to hit it waaayyy over the green.  that's using the ol' kidneys, hey?

It wasn't as bad as my first round, so I suppose that's "progress".

Time for another therapy session...


...with The Guru.


Back in my "collecting" days, I had a thing for radios; some mid century modern, but mostly from the art deco era.

One that I was really hot for was a 1936 Sparton Bluebird, but 1) they're not easy to come by and 2) they're pretty expensive.

So I scratched that itch for a time with a Crosley replica bluebird radio:


Made in the 90's, they were $40 or $50 when I bought the one you see above; they're 3x and 4x that now on ebay.

About 14" wide, they're a statement piece but they take up some room on a counter, so they also sold a "baby bluebird" version that's only 8" wide.

The most common version of the baby bluebird is in silver; the cobalt blue ones are harder to come by.

Karen enjoys listening to the radio in the mornings when she's getting ready for the day, so I bought her a silver one which she has used for years.

This past week I finally found a cobalt blue one:


Cute little bugger, and Karen's quite pleased with it.

And I did eventually find an original 1936 Sparton Bluebird radio as well, which I had repaired so it's in safe working condition:


The Canadian version was always electrically sound, but the American version was nicknamed "curtain burner" because it overheated and could actually cause fires.

A repair guy I knew in Ohio fixed that on mine so it's not just a "shelf queen".

This detour by the Collector's Corner has been brought to you *Free* of charge, meaning, substance and value.

No need to thank us; it's what we do.


And speaking of, it's time we do that 23 Skidoo:

saw this on a replay of a golf shot.  the commentator said he's hoping for a birdie.


our one and only tulip in bloom


Loki posing on the courtyard wall for his picture


Karen's idea of fun...putting 4 more 800 lb pavers in the ground.  digging in the dirt and lifting heavy objects is exactly how I like to spend my free time.


life is better down that old dirt road.  is that a Model T just around the bend?



Ever feel tired and worn out, sick of working and aching for some peace?

You're not alone of course, and there is good news on that score:

Revelation 14:13

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

King James Version (KJV)


later, mcm fans...



Sunday, April 20, 2025

Happy Resurrection Day...


..."He is not here: for He is risen, as he said.  
Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

   - Matthew 28:6

I hope you and yours experienced a joyous Easter Sunday.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15, if not for the resurrection of Christ, we of all people would be most miserable.

But because of His sacrifice on the cross, "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:37)

Happy Easter, y'all.


Turning to affairs of state:

If you seek a pleasant peninsula...


...you're gonna need a different governor. 

That's normal person and Trump aide Natalie Harpe on the left, and apparently someone with the mental acuity of a 4 year old on the right.

Sorry to say, that's our beloved governor here in Michigan, Wretched Dimwitmer.

You see now the depth of our problems.

It's natural to ask, "what was she thinking?", but that's giving her way too much credit.

No doubt the tangled jumble of neurons misfiring in her brain tapped into her primal fear:

"What if my progressive pals see me kiss the ring of Bad Orange Man?


"I won't be allowed to play with them anymore!"

Thus her knee jerk reaction to hide behind her folder when the White House photogs arrived.

One of the hallmarks of great leaders is the ability to think on their feet and make good decisions.

By way of contrast, what WD did is normal behavior for a half wit.

Obviously incompetent, she shouldn't be allowed anywhere near actual power.



Ah, Springtime!

While a young man's fancy may turn to love, this old man is all in for...


...you guessed it: hickory golf.

And more specifically, pre-1900 hickory golf:


What's a spoon?  A baffy?  A lofting iron?  And where's the golf bag?

All these faskinatin' mysteries and more are sure to be revealed.

Well maybe, if I feel like it and if you're paying attention, neither of which is certain at this point.

For now, let's just dissect my 1st round of the season, shall we?


Ewww...looks like my 1st round of the season, so let's just skim the highlights instead.


That's it; the one and only highlight of today's round, just before I teed off on the 1st hole and ruined the whole thing.

In a previous post, I mentioned if we lived in a perfect world I'd pick up where I left off last year - with nothing but pars and bogeys.

Using that metric, it is safe to say we do not live in a perfect world.



There's plenty to get excited about on the political front, but I say we just fuggedaboudit and 23 Skidoo:

new welcome mat


spring decor


I'm sensing a theme here


if I get tired of being incompetent at golf, I can always switch to being incompetent at bowling


karen and I enjoying a candlelight dinner, sans food and drink, apparently

resurfaced a green this weekend...one more to do this year.


almost tulip time


Easter Peeps - they're not just for breakfast


magnolias are almost ready to pop




We haven't much time here on planet earth.

It seems like we do in our younger years, but then we blink and find ourselves 50 years down the road before we know it.

In the space of that eyeblink, our youth will have fled, we could have married, had kids, welcomed grandkids, worked for five decades and retired.

It's all blue sky until one day when it's not, and then eternity is right around the corner.

"The days of our years are threescore and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

       - Psalms 90:10

So what will you say when you stand before your Creator and are called to give an account for your life?

If we're wise, we will humbly plead the blood of Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary's cross in our stead, that we could be forgiven and have life eternal with Him.



It is an old saying, but true:

"The Greatest man in history had no servants, yet they called him Master.

"Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher.

"Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer.

"He had no army, won no military battles and committed no crime...

"...yet kings feared Him, He conquered the world and they crucified Him.

"He was buried in a tomb, yet He rose again and lives today.

"His name is Jesus."

Do you know Him?

Happy Easter, mcm fans...