The river got cold

The Penobscot River and Milford Dam appear frozen in this photo - click
Photo: Barb Sosman

It looks like the river froze,
by God I think it did.
You think it's frozen?  You think it did?
I didn't know, I went and hid.

I needed an escape, just what could I do?
The damned river froze. Yup, that's what it did.
It snowed forever here, how about you?
I froze the river over. Yup, that's what it did.

Now you could walk to Milford, couldn't you?
All the way from Old Town, if you watched your toes.
It was cold and snowy, we didn't know what to do,
We may be "up the creek" now that the river froze.

Disclaimer: This is pure fiction, the "river froze" in top photo was a cold and snowy day
in 2009.  This last snow was only about 9 inches.  You can't believe much of what my
imagination writes.

The same site - unfrozen - click to enlarge
Photo Linda Grant

Seen from space, Milford top right, Old Town bottom left
photos above taken from or near that little green tree. - click to enlarge
Photo: Google Earth

It ain't a whole lot. Yet.

Not the right kind of biscuits
www.offthemark.com

A pan of pretty biscuits, just waiting for me,
to shovel all the snow from underneath the tree;
the tree is large and mighty, with a large spread.
Shovel all of this?  To earn my daily bread?

You see, now, what this storm means in all our lives,
a chance to shovel 'til hearts content, and get some cold hives.
Fun for all the way I see it.  It's money in the bank.
But I don't understand at all, and that's being frank.

Useless work on useless stuff, unless you ski a lot;
hey, it's them ski guys, I think I see a plot.
Ski guys, they wear those masks when they rob the banks;
catch them, catch them all and give them 30 spanks.

DISCLAIMER:  This is a work of fiction (as if you didn't know).  It is not intended to cast
blame on ski guys.

www.cartoonstock.com

It's going to snow.

Some snowflakes (real ones) - click to enlarge
Photo: noaa.gov

It's going to snow today, I read it in the paper,
maybe a Noreaster' and a foot or more,
it's going to snow today, just a friendly caper,
I just don't know what people worry for.

It's going to snow today, several feet or more,
I hardly believe it, but I'll wait and see,
I'm beginning to understand what people worry for,
it's going to snow today, I saw it on TV.

It's going to snow today, nobody knows when it's gonna end,
maybe four feet or more, and that's a real good bet;
now I know why people worry - oh, we're 'round the bend,
it's going to snow today, it's on the Internet!

Shoveling makes the blood flow like a fountain,
it's going to snow today - go tell it on the mountain.
Photo: toonvectors.com

Senior coffee, black

Black coffee in a paper cup
Photo: visualphotos.com

When I go for coffee, each day at five AM,
the orders the same, as it's always been,
senior coffee black, it's not hard to understand;
no cream or sugar NO, I like mine kind of bland.

I don't want banana-licorice, or coconut toast,
just the kind of coffee like you used to roast,
no orange marmalade double cream parfait,
senior coffee black, it's real easy to say.

Senior coffee black - no, nothing on the side,
I don't want strawberry creme double scoop slide,
no espresso supreme chocolate surprise,
and thank you no, I don't want any fries.

I'm a plain coffee guy, that's just the way I am,
and I kind of think, this coffee stuffs a scam.
Why all the excitement with plain old black joe,
without all the extras, and I don't want it to go.

By this time I'm excited, or pissed off if you please,
I'd grab his skinny throat and give it a squeeze,
when he finally hands me - now get ready for this...
...a senior coffee black, ahhh! Sweet bliss!

A Christmas Story, really

You need to read this in Maine language.  Remember the letter "R" is pronounced ahhh not are.  OK?

I was afraid they'd seen me working.

Larry Grant, the geezer

 

Downeast in Maine it was Feliz Navidad,
And I was at work getting the car from the yard.
Come Hell or high water, I was going to go,
ridin' around, just going to and fro.

 

Wa'nt nobody with me, so nobody could see,
all of them reindeer, up there in a tree,
there was a red sled too, but nobody around,
then I just happened to look, down there on the ground.

 

They must have been some guy, that fell from the sled,
his face was all white, but he was covered in red.
then he stood up, scared the hell out of me,
asked me to help him, get his sled out of the tree.

 

So there's me working.  Working right hard,
got my old chain saw from out of the yard;
chopped down that tree just quick as a wink,
and they was all gone, all in a blink.

 

Down at the store, the very next day,
I told 'em about it, to see what they'd say,
they all laughed out loud, not even a pause,
told me "you must have seen old Santa Claus!".

The Christmas Bird Count

Belted Kingfisher - click to enlarge
Photo: Dave Small, Photos by chance

  In 1900 the American Audubon Society started to take a count of birds on Christmas day.  This was done to combat the habits of "hunters" who went out and shot birds and animals on Christmas and just left the dead birds and animals in piles to rot.
  Of course there are rules and regulations now and hunters are much more responsible, but the census of birds continues throughout the Western Hemisphere during the Christmas Season.   You will find bird watchers with sound recorders, telescopes, binoculars, notebooks and cameras out and about, busily tracking any species of fowl that they come across.  This is blog number 1300.

                               Hope is the thing with feathers,
                               that perches in the soul,
                               and sings the tune without the words,
                               and never stops at all.

                               And sweetest in the gale is heard;
                               and sore must be the storm,
                               that could abash the little bird
                               that kept so many warm.
                                                     Emily Dickinson

Evening Grosbeak
Photo: Dave Small, Photos by chance

Freeze Frame, Northern Cardinal (female)

  And a couple of birds who flew the coop, and left their work undone:

Not watching out for the little guy

Nearing years end

March 23 2012 in Racine, Wisconsin - click to enlarge
Photo: www.nbcnews.com

  I could put photos on here of all the horrors we've seen unfold during 2012, but I won't.  We've seen enough of that stuff already in my opinion.  2012 was a tough year weather wise, crime wise and with the never ending war this country continues for no good reason.
  So I'm choosing to focus on some "happier" moments (it wasn't for the worm).
                          A bird came up the walk,
                          He did not know I saw,
                          He bit an angleworm in half,
                           and ate the fellow raw.
                                             Emily Dickinson

March 8 2012, Faskusfjordur Iceland
Photo www.nbcnews.com - click to enlarge

  Some of natures finest fireworks were seen during the year, the suns surface was active with eruptions.  Long ago in Norway people thought the Northern Lights were the reflections of herring in the ocean.  Inuit people (Eskimo) said the lights were caused by the Gods playing ball with skulls.
I'm sure many other peoples had their own explanations. 
  Can you find the eagle?

I don't know where this was. - click to enlarge
www.nbcnews.com

  This cat is doing what most cats do, he sees the little bird, a chickadee maybe, and tries his damnedest to catch it.  The bird got away, and the kitty got on with life, he looks to be well fed anyway, so it wasn't life or death.