Picture Thread 2017

Then how do they know to cross the road at the DEER XING signs?

in the south, armadillos tell them - they speak from experience.

They were gathered in my neighbor's back yard yesterday. He tried to shoo them by hitting his car alarm remotely. Scared the crap out of me, sitting on the back deck reading. The deer startled, but then just stood there staring at the car, like, "What?"

I has a tree!!


No, you can't eat it! Just be happy pooping in the neighbor's yard.

The instant I finished, it started raining. Unusually good timing!


It may not look like much now, but some day it'll be, eh, a little taller. Or dead.

I just have back yard dirt packed in there for now, but I think I'll get some good soil on Saturday, dig the crap out, and put the good in.

Just be patient - before the tree starts "growing"/getting taller it will be using it's energy to establish it's roots. Once the roots get established then it will start to grow taller. If you have loose soil (sandy for example) the tree doesn't have to use as much energy as it would busting through clay, so it will start to grow in height sooner. There are many variables involved. That said I hope you chose a species that doesn't get too big - here's why: the roots of a tree spread as far as the crown. So if the circumference of your branches (the area that provides shade in other words) is 30 feet in diameter, then the roots underground are spreading 30 feet in diameter. So eventually the roots will reach your underground plumbing, gas lines, your driveway asphalt, etc. Thus you should either choose a "dwarf" variety of tree or plant that tree well away from your house or driveway.

It's a Japanese red maple - very slow-growing, and it doesn't get too big.
Mind, what was on that spot until a few years ago was a 75-foot-tall beach tree.

good choice! The Japanese red maple is beautiful and pretty hardy once established. You'll love it! Deer aren't too fond of the leaves either. Yeah if that beech tree's roots didn't bust anything up, this new tree sure won't.

I watered it when I got home yesterday and found a half dozen baby deer tracks in the dirt around it, all point inward . Only a few missing leaves around the bottom, though, do I guess they don't like it. Yay!

The deer next door:



Peek!




What was that skittering sound?...

CHIPMUNK PHOTO-BOMB!

The damn things use the horizontals on my fence as a roadway. They'll go halfway around sometimes. It's hysterical.

Stepped outside for some fresh air at 11:00 PM Sunday night, and he pale backlight of the streetlamp outlined the slingshot-shaped-ears of a deer eating my new tree.

Clouds are kinda low today.

hmmm......well the tree is young, so even the tender leaves of "non preferred" species might get eaten. Deer are why NOBODY in my neighborhood whose property is adjacent to the woods has a garden. There is no possibly way to keep them out. The homeowners association won't let you build a 12 feet tall fence around your yard. Sure you can hunt them with a bow, but if the deer drops dead in someone's yard they don't have to allow you on their property to retrieve it. 99 percent of people don't want a dead deer rotting in their yard, but they might be anti-hunters and will not let you have the deer out of spite. The suburban deer invasion is a growing problem everywhere. Okay New Jersey has bear invasions too, you lucky folks!

Have bow, will travel.

There's a photo from Florida - a woman put a 4x8 plywood sign on her lawn: "Hot single girl looking for sexy lineman to electrify her life."

Me with my bar partner (the blurry guy) and our security staff, just before opening.



when two people simultaneously say to themselves "Next chance, I am gonna wreck that.".

also from last night's usual shenanigans...

Our friendly staff is here to help you...

Sour cream blueberry muffin French toast!

I want this bookshelf

Pretty, but impractical. Our bookshelf motif is complete coverage of every available wall, plus some sticking out into the basement as room dividers full of books. And we're still running out of room for new books.

My wife's little sister was in town for her 40th high school reunion, so she dropped in for an evening. My honey on the left, the sisinlaw on the right.



Her sister has turned into a dead ringer for their mother!

Nice sky over the office lot the other day...

I jus stayz here until rain stops, k?

It was harder than it probably looks for me to find an angle to get the fern to stand out properly.


I go back and forth on which of these I like better.


Such a happy, healthy place to spend a couple of days in.

Stand on that big rock so the sky isn't as prominent in the frame.

Dark background > bright background.

Cell phone shot - Sunrise this morning over the parking lot at work. Unretouched!