G's Blog

Saturday, November 1, 2025

November

2025: October - November

I have a bag of XLR cables that's been in my car for years. I recently needed a cable and wouldn't you know it the little tiny screw was missing from the connector. It occurred to me later that the vibration of driving probably loosened it and the screw might even be still in the bag. Well lo and behold, I found it!! That's my small victory du jour.

Whoops. I somehow managed to miss posting this dull sequence last month. Now I'm seeing more Dull Men's Club posts I'm pleased to report that some other dull men are posting pictures of odometer readings (usually all the same digit). While on the subject of dullness, I'd been wondering if any dull women were miffed about the D.M.Club but see now there are indeed lady names among the posters. Nov 2

I'm on a roll! All those Jumbles paying off.

I think Dee took this, intended to show the owl (upper left) on my shoulder.

Music fun at Cafe 14 with Breakfast Klub and friends

Nov 1

Sunday, October 5, 2025

October

2025: September - October - November

Meanwhile today this exciting event happened, I even got to document it while parked. Won't be long now.
Oct 31

"Big thanks to Sub Station 46 for having The Breakfast Klub return tonight for another great evening. Special guest Gareth Ridout on bass." Oct 30

Cars these days! Tech is getting just too connected. I don't even have a fitness tracker and my car is telling me what part of my physique to focus on.

Oct 29

Wrapping up my lucky day was a symmetrical odometer reading that happened just seconds before turning in my driveway. What are the odds???!!!!

Seems like a bright sunny day after washing my hair is a good enough excuse for a lucky-day-car-reflection-selfie. I liked the cropped as well as uncropped version. Looks like I didn't try hard enough to smile for the camera (I tried, honest).

It's my lucky day!!!!! But wait - there's more: I'm 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥!

Oct 27

Some dirty-window shots of the Purple finches that showed up today. Haven't seen them in a while.

Male House finch on left, he eventually chased Mr Purple off

They say the House finch has a more curved upper bill but that's hard for me to spot.

Male Purple finch looking a bit more like his name. I haven't adjusted colour on any of these, just a brightness boost as they were in shadow against a pretty bright background.

The female was the first I noticed.

Oct 26

I have yet to be accepted into this hallowed group.

Not a "FB memory" as it certainly predates FB. My guess is it's around the time Shoemaker-Levy smacked into Jupiter (July 1994). Will Rupley: I've been looking for this photo (found it on the wall at Dad's) since seeing shots of your Unitron.

Oct 24

Sitting in with the Breakfast Klub

Open mic at Cafe 14, thanks to Dan Gilbert for the shot of me. Oct 23

At the Melchers estate. Oct 20

Light at the end of the tunnel

Youngster in the yard. Oct 17

Love those shiny frets. This is for the double-neck project, can't wait to see how it plays.

Not-so-small victory: doing my own fret-work (leveling, polishing). Very satisfying. I bought tools/supplies for this so long ago (before my summer got derailed) it's a miracle I was able to find them.

Lowest I've seen in a while. Oct 16

Small victory. Managed to catch it a hundred later too (65356). Hoping for 65432.

The first of several Kinks songs that were performed at Kent Lanes open mic. Oct 14

𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑘𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔

(Wasn't sure I'd be able to remember the lyrics it'd been so long.)

Another view.

Oct 12

I didn't think I'd do better than the Bluebird-berry-BIF, then this White-throated sparrow posed for me.

I haven't seen our Bluebirds since July.

Hadn't seen a Robin in a while either.

Just for grins I asked ChatGPT to remove a twig that was in the middle of this shot.

FB says this Summer Knights gig was 5 years ago, putting it at Oct 9, 2020. Oct 9

The lovely Cedar Waxwing, a 7-year FB memory. Oct 7

Harvest/Hunter's Moon, first supermoon of 2025, she is still in the trees at my house at 8:30pm. Arguably more interesting that way. I thought Saturn was supposed to be nearby but I'm not seeing it. Good thing I looked when I did because it clouded over later. Oct 6

Longer clip (about a minute and a half). Photo by Raakesh Blokhra on Unsplash.

Short clip.

Merlin app says this is the sound of a Great Horned Owl, at 4:05am. (Star photo from another night.)

Oct 5

Monday, September 1, 2025

September

August - September - October 2025

Today's migrant mystery bird I'm told is Bay-breasted warbler. I'm puzzled because of the white on the tail.

(Merlin app says Bay-breasted or Pine warbler.) So adorable, I wanted to pick it up for a cuddle. I was surprised it didn't seem to smell/see/hear me, even when I started talking to it through the screen. Update: it's an escapee from next door. Update 2 (next day): caught & now back home. I got to pet it after all.

Sept 25

Open Mic at Kent Lanes, first appearance of new Alvarez, open D tuning.

An 8 year FB memory, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Sept 23

Rainy but a good day for warblers. All through the kitchen window.

I'm told this is a Tennessee warbler.

Tenn.

Nashville

Nashville & Tennessee

Experts confirm the upper of the pair (white eye-ring) is a Nashville warbler and its buddy is a Tennessee warbler. What are the chances?! I don't think I've ever seen a Nashville before.
Sept 22

Video & still views from two cameras.

Drying his wings.

I had to go out for an hour or so after taking the flower photo. When I came home and was pulling in the driveway I saw him flying towards me, I jumped out of the car and he was gone. What are the odds of that?

A two minute time-lapse of today's main event.

Chrysalis/pupa changes. Sept 20

Chrysalis definitely darker now (day 16).

Moon and Venus with Earthshine (from my porch ramp)

House-shine

Moon and Venus and Regulus, lower right. Had I waited I wouldn't have had to drive anywhere for these shots. Taken with Canon SX60 Powershot between 6 and 6:30am in Paris Twp., Ohio.
Sept 19

Some pictures from open mic at Cafe 14. Sept 18

My lone chrysalis pupated 14 days ago and is still quite green. If he doesn't start to darken soon I'll be worrying (OK I'm already worried). Experts say not to worry, it's just the cooler nights dragging things out a little. Someone else said "If you look closely, you can see the color of the monarch wings just starting to appear. Think of it as dark, green stripes and light green, where the orange should be and perhaps you can see it." Sept 17

After missing some I got lucky driving home last night and caught odometer 64146 (with 66 temperature). Didn't stop to photograph, they don't do well at night anyway. I have an argument for paying attention to such minutiae: good practice for when a significant one rolls over, like 66666!

Another FB memory from same day 2019. Two out, two to go. I've been worrying my current lone chrysalis is taking too long but I just read they can take 10 to 15 days so there's still hope. The countdown started Sept 3.

Sept 16

Whoops, forgot yesterday's anniversary (the big four-oh). But I'm not in the doghouse, she forgot too! Photo from 9 years ago at Outer Banks.

I'll get confirmation but sure looks like another Tennessee Warbler to me.
Sept 15

I took this hummingbird photo in poor light. Today I stumbled on to an effect I'd not tried before and quite like the result. She's still around this evening BTW.

Milkweed seeds trapped by a spider's thread. Rose of Sharon in background.

Mourning Dove basking in the sun. I think we got into the eighties.

Milkweed pod doing its thing

My chrysalis is still quite green, here's a FB nine-years-ago memory where one is starting to show the colours.

Sept 14

I thought I'd seen the last of these guys then this one showed up today. Who knows maybe she's just passing through (rather than a local who didn't leave yet). Checking out the same wild lettuce pictured earlier.

Bird Splat Angel reimagined

Male Goldfinch feasting on seeds of "Lactuca species, wild lettuce". That plant is seven feet tall and there's a nine foot one nearby.

Leaves of said plant.
Sept 13

Unretouched, on recycling dumpster.

A five-year-ago FB memory, young Coopers hawk (trail-cam). Sept 12

Tufted Titmouse doesn't usually favour the camera but this one did.

Female Cardinal

I'm saying immature Magnolia warbler until someone says otherwise.

Same Magnolia showing wing bars.

Merlin IDs this as Tennessee Warbler.

Same Tennessee with lovely purple Ironweed

I cheated on this one a little bit.

It's two-for-the-price-of-one day. Two female Hummingbird composites of two shots each, split seconds apart. All through the kitchen window.

Sept 10

This underwing shot confirms my ID. Here's a page showing how to tell between Black and Spicebush swallowtails.

Perhaps the biggest Black Swallowtail I've seen in a long time, a female I think. Sept 8

Wishing the safest of travels to my friends on the move this week. Some are driving and some are flying, like this little fellow who appears to have departed sometime since yesterday. I think his mate is still around but soon she'll be gone too. Sept 7

Six year FB memory, playing 6th Avenue Heartache with Nick Shutey at 1888 Tavern.

It's always fun to catch birds passing food. Sometimes between mates or prospective mates, or as in this case between an adult and a youngster. What surprised me was the fledgling appearing to check Pop's tail for edibility.
Sept 5

Cremaster and button

I'm officially no longer hands off as of today, I relocated my first wild Monarch chrysalis to a protected enclosure (still outdoors though). Here's a close-up of the velcro-like cremaster secured to the "button" of silk stuck to the vinyl siding. Also another view revealing the sex if you know what to look for, which was embarrassingly hard to image. I spent quite a while messing with light angles hoping to bring out the relevant detail. Experts agree it's a boy BTW. I was asked for specifics on the sex indicator. This page explains it for Monarch butterflies as well as the chrysalis. Sept 4

I feel so lucky that this cat picked such a visible spot and did the magic when I was ready to watch and film. This is a combined image with the first 3 images (left to right) spanning about 3 minutes. After about 30 minutes we see the far right shape. Of interest in the 3rd image is the unattached cremaster, the little black stem which is about to stick velcro-style to the button before the discarded skin drops away. In the video (which is slightly sped up) that happens around the 1:33 mark.

Sept 3

Taken yesterday but other than being flipped around it's the same as this morning.

Sometimes wishes do come true. This Monarch caterpillar made his way at least 9 feet from the nearest Milkweed plant. I hoped he was going to pupate (turn into a chrysalis) at that spot so I could keep an eye and possibly witness the butterfly emergence (in about 10 days). I've never before found a Monarch chrysalis in the wild, if all goes well now I will. This hanging "J" position precedes the pupa/chrysalis stage.

Sept 2

Facebook memory: 3 years ago today doing exactly the same, fussing with guitars. Kind of a seasonal thing for me since it's hard to find indoor space to work when the weather isn't friendly.

Sept 1