Red-headed Woodpecker Regular Visitor

  While a Red-headed woodpecker is considered a common bird in Ohio, they aren't here. I hadn't seen one at Pinehaven in the almost forty years I've lived here ... until two days ago. And since then, its been returning daily, usually with another woodpecker (a Red-bellied), to visit our suet feeder.

 I first saw it two days ago while I was doing dishes. I was most surprised by it's snow-white belly. It's a hard bird to miss.

 My camera died earlier this year but I've managed a few shots with my cell phone, all cropped.

 Ah, the joys of bird-watching. We never know what will show up next. But each is a colorful mystery that often arrives unawares.

Farmersville 250 Held

  Though Farmersville held a 250th celebration yesterday, neither Tom nor I attended. Instead I walked into the back yard at 10 pm to see if I could view the fireworks show. I could ... and quite well.

 Tom went over to feed his cats before 10 am because Center Street was to be closed between 10 am and midnight. That's hardly convenient for those who live on that street; many do not have driveways nor garages. Tom said just after 9 am there with concessions being set up.

 Neither of us enjoy crowds so this year's event was no different for us.

 I did have a good view of the fireworks show from my back yard. It was being shot off south of where I'd have expected.

 This shot is from my weather camera mounted in the garden.

Eye Wounded by Spruce

  How does a spruce cause eye damage? Yesterday morning I was mowing on the south lawn and passing beneath the spruce closest to the garage. As I passed by, a spruce branch swiped across my eye. It seemed a dead-center bullseye hit, too.

 It began tearing and I could barely mow with all the water running down my face. But I finished half the yard since that was my goal.

 When I came in the house I cleaned the eye as bet I could and washed it out with a commercial eye drop. It didn't feel any better but I couldn't see any real damage. We wanted to shop at Meijer and I knew I couldn't go anywhere with tears streaming down my face so I placed a cotton ball there and taped it in place.

 I took a nap in the afternoon, thinking having the eye closed and resting would be a good thing. I can't say the eye ever felt much better afterwards but I think it was improving by small degrees. I wanted to avoid the ER if possible.

 I continued adding over-the-counter lubricating drops to the eye and also Systane, a greasy substance in a tube that my eye doctor suggested for my dry eyes after cataract surgery.

 When I went to bed I took a second Ibuprofen and slept well. I woke with my eye no longer in pain and my vision seems about normal. I'll monitor it today and see whether things continue to improve.

 My friend, Alex, sent me this picture of how he sees me at the moment.

 That's exactly how I felt at Meijer yesterday.

Trying to Attract Monarchs

  This is the third year Tom has a "flower" bed devoted to Ohio native plants. Top of the list was milkweed. He dug up samples from nearby fields and planted then here. This is the first year they're really done well. The whole idea is to attract Monarch butterflies.

06-02-26

06-02-26

06-05-26

06-08-26

06-09-26

06-09-26

06-09-26

06-09-26

 I've been carefully watched the undersides of the leaves to see if I might find a Monarch egg. But so far nothing. How is this done? Check here.

 The plants are beginning to form the seeds pods. We'll probably collect seeds and expand our plants:

06-29-26

06-29-26

06-29-26

 I'll post more here as it happens ...

Catalpas Trimmed ... again

  How long has it been since the power company sent tree trimmers around to trim our catalpas? One year? Two years?

 "Trim" isn't a descriptive enough word. "Murder" is closer to the truth. You've surely seen trees under power lines completely gutted. They leave a branch perhaps on one side of the power line - sometimes on both - while the center is completely removed. They're silly looking things when they get done. They're hard to look at. And they surely can't be healthy. Or safe for passerby's or traffic.

 But I suppose in the interest of economy that's their only choice. The trees were planted beneath the power lines and that is the right of way. Proper trimming would take too long. So they hack.

 I have to show some compassion for the trimmers. It's been into the low 90's every day they've been working in this area and that has to be a miserable job.

 We first knew the trimmers were making the rounds on 06/11/26. I was cooking lunch when a man knocked at the door and explained what they would be doing "in about three weeks". He handed me this:

 I've heard them working all week. First down the road near Carla's house and later north of us on Mink's woods. This afternoon I heard the chipper getting ever closer.

 The trimming they did was relatively minor, at least to the trees in front of our house. I'll have to withhold my opinion until I drive north and see how the woods looks. But here's in front of the house looking north:

 One way I know the surgery was minor is that there is not a pile of logs at the base of either tree. The notice says "All debris will be chipped and wood will be left at the base of the tree". The last time we were here I had to have help (Jarred) moving the massive logs. This time I see none.

 Tom particularly hates seeing the trees trimmed. Today, I think, was minor enough that he won't be too upset.

Later (07-07-26): They're back trimming in Millie's lane and that includes my sycamore an a hackberry. It doesn't look terrible, though it isn't natural to have just one side of a tree removed:

Still later (07-08-26):

 The trimmers worked yesterday in Millie's lane but didn't get all the limbs cleared. I suppose they'll be back today. Back near Millie's house limbs are still lying on both sides of her lane.

Top Bucket List Item Checked Off

  I don't have a written bucket list but I've told plenty of people what the top item on that list is: Paul McCartney's autograph.

 Last Friday (06/26/26) Tom went out to pick up a package that the USPS placed on our brick steps while we were at the Y. I saw him take it into the garage where he remained for some time.

 When he came into the house he was carrying something. "Be careful what you wish for," he said as he handed it to me.

 It was Paul McCartney's autograph in a Lucite case (magnetic closures so it can be easily opened).

 He ordered it online some weeks ago. And it looks just like other autographs that are posted:

Credit: RR Auction

Credit: Autographia

 I've always been into The Beatles since I saw them on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. I attended a Beatles concert in Cincinnati in 1966 (click here) and a Paul McCartney concert in Green Bay in 2019 (click here).

 Those are both highlights of my life but a McCartney autograph is in yet another special category.

 How can I ever thank Tom for something of this caliber?

Paul McCartney - ©2019 William G Schmidt

Lunch with the Millhouse's

  I met Rich Millhouse when he was still a student at Centerville High School. That would have been about 1979. At that time he was starting a job at JCPenney at the Dayton Mall and  soon he was working for me in the Photo Department.

 We quickly became good friends. Myself and Loren Shade visited him at Bowling Green State University when he was a student. One year he accompanied me on vacation to Bear Lake, Michigan. Another year we climbed Mount Katahdin in Maine. And I visited his home many times (and vice versa) getting to know his family ... and he mine.

 Rich was not just any friend. And when he married Martha, I gained two of my dearest friends.

 Nowadays they live in Budapest, Hungary. He is the pastor of the Danube International Church.

 Tom and I don't see them often but they're currently in the United States for six months. Rich contacted me to see if we might have lunch. So today we met at Fazoli's in Moraine.

 We were tying to decide when we got together the last time. Was it five years ago in 2021? In any case, we had lunch at the same place.

 He's nearing retirement (he'll be 64 in September). The pair will probably return the US to live sometime in the future.

 Our lives are regularly brightened by many events. But none, I think, mean as much as close friends.