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In: Life, On Buffalo and The 716, On Nature, Photographic Documentation
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I returned to Knox Farm today, for the first time since last year. I’ve been wanting to return to my weekly nature walks; they were always calming and inspiring and gave me moments of quiet to recenter my life. The problem, of course, is that I’d have to go alone. Cane is gone and can’t go with me. The places we go with certain loved ones really hit differently when we go there without them, don’t they? It felt weird just not having a leash in my hand. Being able to walk or stop at will, without having to takeDown the rabbit hole….

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In: Life, On Food and Cooking, Photographic Documentation
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I’m friggin’ tired, y’all. Here’s some pictures. First, cats. Here’s Remy, who is a big weirdo. Look at those mutant feet of his. Here’s Remy and Rosa, in the windows. This week is the first time we’ve been able to keep windows open consistently since last autumn. This is Daisy, my mother’s cat. She lives a life of quiet feline dignity. It’s not all cats! Here’s Carla, being dignified: Here’s Carla not being dignified: How about food? This chocolate bar was awesome. If you love those Ferrero Rocher candies, this is for you–especially if you can’t have the Rochers anymore because theyDown the rabbit hole….

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A possible spring-like Spring? We’re in a stretch of sunny days! After rain for what seemed like seventy-nine consecutive days, we’re finally drying out. Not only does it not look like rain any time soon, but we’re slowly warming up. We may be into the 70s by this time next week. Wow! Today it’s still chilly, but who knows…I may be retiring the sweaters-and-turtleneck look sooner than later, I hope. Also, a long stretch of sun and dry weather will lead to a less muddy yard, which is always a good thing. Here’s the mighty Carla, sniffing the air for aDown the rabbit hole….

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In: Life, On Bib Overalls
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My observation of St. Paddy’s Day this year was limited to what I wore, as luck had it. The Wife and I went out for fish fry at a favorite joint (Frank Gourmet Hot Dogs, if you must kn0w–photo here, though it’s not the best work I’ve ever done in terms of food photos), and then we went to Buff State to see Paul Reiser doing stand-up. (I love Paul Reiser and he’s been one of my favorite people since “This is not my locker!” from Beverly Hills Cop back in 1984 or so and if you don’t like him,Down the rabbit hole….

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In: Born On This Date, Life
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As I keep adding to this post every year, and with cross-posting it and importing it from my old blog to this one, I suppose it gets a bit more ungainly each year. Well, that’s just the way it is. Today is The Wife’s birthday, and I’m celebrating. As always, new stuff added at the end of the list; also as always, I don’t edit what I’ve written before or revise anything that’s out of date. Think of some of that stuff as growth rings on a tree…part of the reason of this post is to preserve memories.  Happy Birthday,Down the rabbit hole….

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In: Life, On Nature
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We had a big ice storm rip through The 716 the night before, and it had the usual effects of ice storms: thick coatings of ice on everything, resulting in tons of power outages from lines collapsing, or tree branches collapsing onto lines, and so on. We were without power at home for thirteen hours, starting about 1am Thursday morning. Luckily I slept through a chunk of that, and then I went to work, so when I got home the power was back on. Oh, and that modification I made a few months back to our back-up sump pump? ItDown the rabbit hole….

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In: Life, On Nature
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Our next-door neighbors have taken to feeding the local deer from the woods behind our neighborhood. It’s nice to see them over there in their yard, eating away. Our Carla, of course, thinks they are Big! Scary! Beasts! that need to be shooed away with much barking, but I think they’re getting used to her because where she used to be able to scare them all off, now only a few go when she goes running out there. (Our yard is fenced, so she can’t actually get at the deer.) (The photo’s resolution isn’t great because I used the 10xDown the rabbit hole….

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And it is time at last for my annual quiz-retrospective on the year just ending. Let me be honest here, folks: 2022 was, for the most part, pretty much of a struggle. It felt like the kind of year where I started to feel things not so much ending, but starting to get chipped away, bit by little bit. I hope that’s not how most years are going to feel, moving forward. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? “Read a lot, write a lot, live healthier.” I did OK by those, toDown the rabbit hole….

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The title of this post has been in my head for years. I think it came from a comic strip years ago…For Better or For Worse, maybe…. Anyway, let’s talk sump pumps. Well, not quite. It’s more a drainage thing. When we moved into this house, the sump pumps on both sides of the duplex needed replacing, and we got it done. At the time there was a back-up sump system that was battery powered, but the guy who replaced the main pumps switched out that system with a back-up called SumpJet, which is powered by the municipal water supply.Down the rabbit hole….