He's doing it again

Oh, no. It's happening again.

Hi, Luna here. I'm taking over my Daddy's blog since he's totally ignored it and I have some sad news.

Remember at this time last year when I wrote about how he was going crazy? Well, eventually, he settled down and things returned to normal, if you want to call a tree inside the house normal.

Well, anyway, he's started acting crazy again. There's tubs filled with plastic bags out on the carport and he keeps carrying these things he calls lights out to the trees in the front yard. Worse, yet, he's putting the lights on the trees.

Now, my understanding is lights are used inside the house when it gets dark. Why would he want to light the outside. See what I mean. He's going crazy again.

I'm going to set here in the window and keep an eye on things. Hopefully, he'll come to his senses soon and I won't have to conduct an intervention.

I'll let you know what happens.

Luna

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Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Navy

I had my morning coffee in my favorite Ohio State mug. By game time, Gidget and I had our Ohio State jerseys on, prepared to watch the first game of the 2014 season. Usual protocols followed for an Ohio State football game.

After a week of reading all the pregame analyses and musings of various sportswriters, I was prepared to watch this game with the same uneasiness I think most Buckeye fans were experiencing. After all, we'd lost senior quarterback Braxton Miller to a shoulder injury in practice two weeks earlier forcing Urban Meyer to start a freshman quarterback who hadn't taken a snap from center in game conditions since the middle of his high school season in 2012. The offensive line was a rebuilt unit replacing four starters from 2013. There was only one returning starter in the defensive backfield, which now featured a new coverage scheme. Then, there was the porous linebacking corps, which hadn't looked like OSU linebackers of old for several years.

All in all, the Buckeyes came away with the win, quarterback J.T. Barrett, while no Braxton Miller, looked steady and the defense, although it gave up a lot of yardage to Navy's triple option attack, showed why it's to be regarded as one of the premier defenses in the country. Still, there are some areas of concern for the Buckeye coaching staff.

The offensive line remains a work in progress as the unit gels into a cohesive force, although halftime adjustments had this unit playing sharper in the second half. With a new quarterback, the passing attack was conservative, featuring short but safe slants. Barrett only threw deep once, a bomb to Devin Smith that resulting in a touchdown. The rushing attack (no Carlos Hyde this year) using a committee of running backs performed well, but was nothing to write home about, although there were glimpses of exciting things to come as these guys gain experience. It was a relief to watch receivers actually catching the ball this year instead of dropping them as it was last year.

Defensively, Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington were a force to be reckoned with, as well as Joey Bosa lurking in the background. When Noah Spence returns after serving one more week of his suspension, this unit will be the strength of the Buckeyes.

The officiating was okay with a crew from the Big Ten, and a replay official from the ACC. There were a couple of close calls on replay that didn't go the Buckeye's way that had the fans in an uproar (me included). Then, there was the strange play where it appeared the Buckeyes running back had made the first down but the call on the field was that he was short. The replay official never stopped play to review the call, nor did Urban ask for a review. Hope he doesn't make that mistake again as the back clearly had made the first down.

So, next up is the Virginia Tech Hokies on Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. This prime time game will be on ESPN.

And a shout out to my Ohio U. Bobcats, who opened their season with a 17-14 win over MAC rival, Kent State.

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Ten Years Later

Ten years ago today, we knew our Friday the 13th (Aug. 13, 2004) would not be a normal day.

Hurricane Charley was churning through the Gulf of Mexico along the southwest coast of Florida, with expected landfall somewhere in the Tampa Bay area. With that in mind, we were not overly concerned, but of course, had made appropriate preparations just in case. Boarding up the windows, gas in the cars, cash in hand, etc.

Employed as a reporter with the Charlotte Sun-Herald and working out of the Englewood office (our hometown), my beat was Sarasota County to the north of Charlotte County. I'd talked with my editor that morning, and secured her consent to work from home that day. So I proceeded to make calls to Sarasota emergency management officials to see what preparations were being made and had my story filed well before my mid-afternoon deadline. We kept our TV tuned to the local news station out of Ft. Myers to monitor Charley's progress and throughout the morning and early afternoon, it appeared to remain on course for Tampa.

Then, around 3 p.m., Jim Reif, the chief forecaster for the NBC affiliate in Ft. Myers, made the frantic announcement that Charley was turning into Charlotte Harbor and residents should take cover immediately. Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and our subdivision of Rotonda all bordered Charlotte Harbor with the Peace River and Myakka River being its two main tributaries. We had no idea where Charley would go.

My wife and I tried to remain calm so as not to frighten her young son, who has spina bifida, although we were both scared out of our wits at the potential danger we were facing. At one point, while we were waiting, my cell phone rang and I answered. It was Jim Ley, the Sarasota County Administrator, calling to ask if we were okay, which at that point we were.

Then Charley hit with 100 mph winds blasting our house and rain pouring outside. We lost power, but my wife found a radio station, so we could track Charley's progress. Fortunately, we didn't take a direct hit in Rotonda; that was reserved for Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda and other towns inland. Again, after the storm passed, Jim called again to ensure we were all safe.

The next day, I reported to the newspaper's temporary office and received an assignment to cover the three large hospitals. The Port Charlotte hospital was empty, halls dark with the loss of power. The two hospitals in Punta Gorda had sustained damages and were in worse shape. Outside, of one, I saw a FEMA team begin setting up operations. I've never been to a war zone, but from the carnage and damage I saw that day, that's the only way I can describe it.

Charley was a lesson. Pay attention during hurricane season. Have a plan, and know what to do if you're in danger of a hit. And listen to the emergency management folks. They're training professionals and know what to to in the event of a disaster like Charley.

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The New Colored Pencil -- A Review

I am a novice artist, teaching myself to draw, sketch and paint, using either a pencil or watercolor paints. I have a set of colored pencils, but have only attempted one piece with those, a rendering of a bloom from our orchid tree.

To my delight, "The New Colored Pencil" by Kristy Ann Kutch, opened my eyes to the vast possibilities of this medium.

Filled with gorgeous illustrations, Kutch explores the traditional color pencil, water-soluble colored pencils, and wax pastels and combining colored drawing media, explaining the uses of each and techniques to get the most from each method to create stunning pieces of art. The illustrations alone are sufficient to draw any artist into exploring this medium as Kutch demonstrates both traditional and modern styles in the uses of colored pencils.

"The New Colored Pencil" is definitely a book that will appeal to artists at all levels, no matter the area of their focus.

Kutch, a notable expert in colored pencil, is also the author of the popular "Drawing and Painting with Colored Pencil" and a contributor to several colored pencil publications. She also has a DVD called "Colored Pencil Landscapes: Beyond the Basics," and a series of instructional videos on YouTube.

By way of disclosure, I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

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Quirky places

Anyone who reads my blog routinely sees this photo, the office of the Longaberger Basket Company in Newark, Ohio.

Now, this unique office building is an entry in USA Today's10Best Reader's Choice for Best Quirky Landmark in the United States. As this was near my hometown during my youth, you know this gets my vote. Voters can vote once a day until June 23. The winners will be announced at noon on June 25.

Other nominees for best quirky place include:

Ave Maria Grotto - Cullman, Ala.
Beer Can House - Houston
Big Tex - Dallas
Cabazon Dinosaurs - Cabazon, Calif.
Cadillac Ranch - Amarillo, Texas
Carhenge - Alliance, Neb.
Dog Bark Park Inn - Cottonwood, Idaho
Enchanted Highway - Regent, N.D.
Farnham Colossi - Unger, W.V.
Foamhenge - Natural Bridge, Va.
Fremont Troll - Seattle
Galleta Meadows Estate - Borrego Springs, Calif.
Goldwell Open Air Museum - Rhyolite, Nev.
Hood Milk Bottle - Boston
Longaberger Home Office - Newark, Ohio
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox - Bemidji, Minn.
Peachoid - Gaffney, S.C.
Prada Marfa - Marfa, Texas
South of the Border - Dillon, S.C.
World's Biggest Bat - Louisville

 

 To vote, go to http://www.10best.com/awards/travel and remember to vote for your favorite quirky place among the nominees (The Longaberger Basket, hint, hint) by June 23.

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Father's Day

I've been blowing hot and cold for the past few days about writing this particular blog post. You see, even though I'm a father and step-father, my own father has been gone for the majority of my adult life, 36 years now. And for the first time that I can remember, I'm really missing him this Father's Day.

My dad passed away from cancer when I was 28 in 1978. He was young, I believe (blame a faulty memory) only 48 years old. I remember we got the diagnosis in October 1977; by March, he was gone.

From the time I was 18 and going forward, we had little interaction. I was away at school, then marriage and my own sons followed. I do remember the joy he had at seeing his grandsons. So, my real, now vague, memories of him are during those first 18 years of my life.

My dad was the best, yes, a strict parent, but also tolerant. He provided for us, took care of us and managed to see me and my two sisters through all the activities we engaged in. I remember his misgivings when I told him I was going to law school, but how proud he was when I graduated. In high school, during football season, my sister and I (we were both in the marching band) would find him waiting patiently in our Rambler station wagon for us to return from the away games, no matter how late it was.

He was a great dad and I still love him deeply and wish he hadn't left us so soon. Happy Father's Day, Dad.

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Morel heaven

When I was a teenager back in Ohio, I loved this time of year, or maybe two weeks earlier, depending upon the weather. No, it wasn't spring fever or the nearing end of the school year that made May a favorite month. No, it was the growth of one particular plant and the hunt for this elusive, epicurean delicacy.

I'm talking about mushrooms, or morels.

I forget when my father first took me mushroom hunting, and like most mushroomers, he had a couple of favorite spots. As I grew older and weather turned warm in May, I'd rush home from school grab a paper bag and venture out on my own, confident in my ability to return with the treasured prize.

Morels are the easiest of all the wild mushrooms in North America to detect. Although the colors may vary, the tell-tale sponge-like quality makes them stand out. But standing out and finding them are two separate things. It just depends upon where the mushroom spores land. I remember finding a few in a small, and I mean small, grove of trees near our house one time. My dad's favorite spots were in a wooded area along a creek or the abandoned fruit farm near our home. Either spot could usually be counted on to provide the bounty we sought.

Thinking about those days brings back warm memories of the time I got to spend with my dad, whose been gone for most of my adult life. And for all the times I returned home with an empty bag, the time spent with him or by myself, searching for morels is something I'll never regret.

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Monuments Men

Although I haven't seen it yet, the new George Clooney film, "The Monuments Men," has drawn attention to one of the little-known stories of World War II, the effort by the Allies to save precious cultural treasures from the ravages of war. The film, which is based upon a book of the same name by Robert Edsel, follows a platoon of soldiers as they attempt to discover and retrieve artwork stolen by the Nazis.

But while Monuments Men, who were officially members of the "Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) section under the auspices of the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the Allied Armies" according to the Monuments Men Foundation, fanned out across France and Germany, another group spread out across war-torn Italy. Nicknamed the Venus Fixers, these curators, art historians, preservationists sought not only to recover artwork, but to preserve ancient and historic structures and works of art, alerting the troops about the existence of the pieces in the vicinity of the fighting. An article in the January 2014 issue of the "Smithsonian" magazine discusses their efforts.

While the film has drawn attention to this story from World War II, the work of the MFAA continues today, according to the Feb. 17, 2014 issue of "Time" magazine. They worked to preserve ancient treasures in Iraq and brewing conflicts in Syria and Mali have drawn their attention aw well.

If you want to learn more, the Monuments Men Foundation (www.monumentsmenfoundation.org) has information on its website along with listings of works of art and even documents that remain missing all these years later. It's worth a look.

Now, on a personal note, I know it's been a while since I updated this blog. It wasn't that I didn't have things to write about (and thanks to Luna who stepped in during my absence), it was just a lack of the urge to write. Blame it on the holidays and post-holiday letdown. I'll try to resume a normal schedule again.

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