December

2025: November -  December - January 

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January update: I'm still adding videos from Dec 30, but instead of adding every video (which I may or may not play or sing in) I'll just put the PLAYLIST link here.

Ramble On Rose, warts and all. A Grateful Dead fave.

Another attempt at the Dylan/Byrds classic, this time with Nat and Ginny (even if you can't hear them). Open mic at Kent Lanes.

Dec 30

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I've been sharing this picture for a few years now on this date. I have no clue if anybody gets it.

Dec 24

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Original song by Joey Andrasik, to which I added bass the next day.

Get Together

The Dolphins

Open mic at Kent Lanes, Daydream updated with "Director's Cut" in which I added harmonica the next day.

Dec 23

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Somebody was industrious in the kitchenette. Not one baked thing but two (another cheesecake). For most of my adult life the venerable (but highly variable) eggplant parmesan has been my favourite dish but I've never actually made one myself until now. Not from scratch Ok, baby steps, but I grated the parm. cheese. Tastes pretty good but nothing like the world standard from up in Cleveland's Little Italy.

Dec 22

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Another example of another kind of symmetry (odo reads the same upside-down).

Optional soundtrack by Paul Butterfield:
https://youtu.be/TRzPk6VeFtI?si=pKw6PtkIB8AdZXIl

Didn't get spooked when I opened the window for a clearer shot, but the wind was on my side.

Dec 21

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When the hawk lifts off toward the window I switch to half-speed.

I knew this was either a Coopers or Sharp-shinned hawk, was hoping for the latter since I'm not sure I've ever seen one. It was intent upon the bathroom window, or its reflection I imagine. When I noticed  blood on the window I switched from my photo-op mindset and went outside to chase it off. When it flew from the pumphouse roof I thought it was gone, but it didn't go far. So I got the camera again and managed the tree shot. Later on it was at the bird feeders. Experts agree it's a young Coopers hawk. I rigged some chicken wire over the window to discourage future antics.

Dec 19

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Smile frame (end of Alabama Song I think)

Portland Woman

The Dolphins

Alabama Song at Tavs open mic in Ravenna.
Dec 18

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I'll Tag Along (Richard Thompson) Video pasted from another song.

It's All Over Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)

Jealous Guy (John Lennon). Open Mic at Kent Lanes with Ginny.
For these I recorded audio directly from the board and mixed it with Jesse's video.
Dec 16

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Snow doing a cool bendy thing on the railing.

I've photo-documented a few kidney stones in my time. I'm sure you all have spent time marveling at the exhibits in my historical Kidney Stone Museum, am I right? But I digress. My point is I don't think I've ever seen one quite like this. Good chance it is a fragment of the much larger stone that predicated the recent laser surgery. Perched on a Q-tip.

Dec 15

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The PVC project revealed: It's a prototype adaptor to change the angle of a sax stand. Why not mod the stand itself you ask? Because the *stand as-is works well for tenor sax but the alto sax needs to be in a different position in order for the mouthpiece to be near the same place the tenor presents. 
Note: Still incomplete, I don't know yet if it will work.

This is not on the regular sax stand but on my horn-tree where a microphone and mellophone mouthpiece are in close proximity to the sax mouthpiece.

Another InGroovement-in-the-studio flashback (2014), You Look Like Rain.

Must have been my last Christmas at work. (8 year FB memory)

A congregation of Cardinals.

Dec 14

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Sometimes I slice my bread in a *multi-scale kind of way. My bass is that model but the picture isn't mine (but the bread is, I sliced it but didn't bake it). *Sometimes called fan-frets.

I've missed some symmetrical ones lately but was waiting for this sequence.

Flashback to 2014 when InGroovement was still together. This is one of my favourite songs by Richard Thompson.

Dec 13

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This is not a challenge (nobody could guess what it is) but the start of a project that I just though looked like a cool photo. Although originally intended to part of it, the cardboard bits are only there because I liked the Sydney opera house effect. I might reveal more about this in a few days. Especially if it works.
Dec 12

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Open mic with Steve Baggett at the newly reopened "Tavs" (formerly 1888 Tavern) in Ravenna. 

I posted this on FB after our pizza party when we discussed mice.
I got a humane mouse trap. Instructions say release 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 away...???! But just last night had a conversation with a friend who released a mouse less than a mile away and swore the same mouse kept coming back in his house.

My favourite FB response so far (from Randy Frost):
"My scientist father did an experiment with this. He would catch a mouse and then put a spec of paint on it's tail. Each mouse would get a different color and he'd keep a log on each one so he knew how far away it was released. Like Lynn Smith they would show back up from over twenty miles away! I have discovered the most humane way to deal with them is an electronic trap which electrocute them instantly. I also quit feeding the birds because of rats. I really miss feeding the birds."
Dec 11

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From an open mic video frame at Kent Lanes. Link should take you to "playlist" of the two songs Jesse recorded which I copied to YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ce_0OPgLBJutBQuFqngEA8HPTQNazQz

Mk II is less flimsy
Dec 2

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Invention du jour: Harmonica rack adaptor for wireless (sax) microphone.

One expects mice in the house. Snakes we've had a few of over the years but not lately. Not to mention the bees that set up shop between the walls and even a tree frog one winter. But a mole? That's a first. This one managed to survive a mousetrap so it was set free in the yard. I couldn't get a good photo but one video frame caught what I think must be tiny nose tentacles (2nd picture), suggesting it might be a Star-nosed mole. 
𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐧 𝐢𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭-𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐰 (𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐚).  

Dec 1

November

2025:  October - November  - December

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Yay!
Often after getting the first clue I'll impatiently put in the first word I think of. Not today.
Nov 27

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I think this is a really cool potato that speaks for itself while remaining somewhat dull. I thought maybe I'd submit it to the Dull Men's group but amongst their rules is "Avoid minimal-effort or random posts, such as: (blah blah)" . So unless I come up with some way to make it less interesting while putting more effort into it they'll be missing out on it. Completely! Another reason I re-read their posting rules was in search of bananas. Curiously, many if not most posts there include mention of a 'banana for scale' along with the poster's shoe size. Being disinclined to do either (while still not wishing to offend or break rules) I am glad to see neither of these stipulated. (Perhaps all this extra verbiage will qualify as 'effort'?)

Update: how about this.
Nov 26

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Nov 25

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In my pursuit of odometer symmetry I found this one of particular interest. It reads the same upside-down! At least I thought it would, not that I could actually view it thataway being too old for such gymnastics. Taking this picture and turning my phone upside down was sufficient proof for me.

Nov 19

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Mike Z posted 22 songs on Youtube in a playlist.
The only song I sang (#12, Like A Rolling Stone, which we'd never played together before) was too slow. Bass could have been louder. There were several songs we'd never practiced together.

Today's music gang at Cafe 14, season finale.
Lisa & Kurt go south for the winter so that's it for this bunch.
Nov 16

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Stolen from somebody's FB post.
Nov 15

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Lovely warm day today, in the fifties. At first I thought get that fly out of there but now I think its a pollinator of some kind. Either way, can't believe how long this hanging flower is hanging in there. (No pun intended.) Not just surviving but thriving in 'photograph me!' style. The label on the pot says Calibrachoa.

While the White-throated sparrow is a common seasonal visitor I usually see them on the ground under the feeders.  This is my first time seeing one who's discovered the window tray of dried worms. It was back in the afternoon and the next day too.

Getting a boost from little things.

Nov 14

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Curtis Conser, Keep the Wolves Away (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel).

Curtis Conser (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel).

Nick Shutey, Dylan's Knocking On Heaven's Door (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel).

Nick Shutey, Wallflowers 6th Avenue Heartache (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel).

Dylan's If Not For You (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel)

Dylan's I Shall Be Released (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel)

Jimmy Reed's Insurance (on Mr. Z's Youtube channel)

Screenshot from one of Michael F. Zitello's videos. Sitting in with Jeff Lopez.

Maybe Nick Shutey took this picture.

Insurance (Jimmy Reed), first of three songs I did at open mic tonight. 

Open Mic at Cafe 14. I always enjoy joining Nick Shutey on this Wallflowers song.

Too bad my GoPro battery expired before Curtis Conser took the stage.
(Maybe Mr. Z. got that.)

Ms Bluebird in flight (composite) Nov 13

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A highlight of the evening: Willin', with Steve and Chris.

Alabama Song, open mic at Kent Lanes. Second video from Jesse's phone.

Glad to have had a safe place to pull over for this landmark shot.

Nov 11 (Veterans Day)

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𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮. Being fuzzy of face, harps with hair-snagging gaps tend to spoil the fun for me.
Don't know why I didn't think of this before - 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞! If it works on this new Seydel maybe Lee Oskar can be removed from the shit-list too. Nov 10

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Crappy out-of-focus video but it's the only one I sing much on. Mr Tambourine Man.
First song we played today. I made this video because Nick Shutey submitted some footage from his phone and in spite of being incomplete it was better than my cameras got. Maybe I'll do Mr Tambourine man too (but not today), the only song I sang a verse in, but it won't be pretty.

An asymmetrical surprise on the way home. Won't be long now.

Today's Wordle was nicely musical and arguably Halloween-related. That said, some people are already in Christmas mode now that spooky-season is over. Yes, I saw my first Xmas lights today. Noooo! Too soon!!!

Nov 9

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I've already forgotten what kind these berries are.

Half-speed bonfire at family gathering, Export Pa. Nov 8

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After voting, more back-road luck. A few hundred miles to go before the BIG ONE! Hope I'm awake.

Experimenting with 15 frame dissolve in Kdenlive video editor.
Junco, better shots than I had before. Nov 5

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Open Mic at Kent Lanes

(Dull Men's Club)

Small victory: more than a month to go through this fifth of vodka. The previous one lasted 25 days. Correction: NOT a fifth but 1.75L. A fifth lasting that long would have been monumental. Nov 4 (election day)

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I'm starting to think our Eastern Bluebird pair is back for the season. This is a composite, He in the middle and She being the outer two. They're acting possessive of the BB house and come to the kitchen window for dry mealworms. As in the summer, if I'm nearby She will look me in the eye but He'll leave in a hurry, leading me to think it's the same pair. In the past it's been the other way around, at least in nesting season. Update: By the end of the day I confirmed two females and a male. Nov 3

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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. Worthy of posting in Dull Men's Club perhaps.

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

Put the clocks back they said. An extra hour of sleep they said. Yeh right - tell that to my bladder!

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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

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