Category Archives: Technology

2025, Mysteries, Technology, Travel

The Waiting Game

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People watching at the airport is almost as much fun as at the State Fair – if you’re not stressing out.  I take a page from my mother’s playbook and always get to the airport with way too much time so I’m not usually too worried about time in the TSA line. 

There was a pretty long line on Saturday so there was plenty to watch.  The most interesting was the young couple in front of me.  When I first noticed them, the young man was wearing a fairly large, stuffed backpack and handling a big carry-on as well.  The young woman was unencumbered.  Before I had a chance to process that, she tried to take over carry-on duty.  He wouldn’t let go of the bag.  She was mad.  She ripped it out of his hands and if looks could kill, he would have been a goner.  Then he made two really bad mistakes.  First he tried to take the bag back and when she spoke to him in a stern voice, he smiled.  I wanted to say “ooh, buddy, bad move” but I didn’t need to.  She blasted him and they didn’t speak for  minutes until they got right up to the TSA desk.  I didn’t see them again.

Our plane wasn’t at the gate on time – late from its last stop I assume.  There was a red-haired woman who was just freaking out about this.  Not enough to get security called on her, but enough that all of us in the waiting area heard every word.  She somehow seemed to think that the gate agent could magically make a plane appear.  After venting her spleen she wandered off; I didn’t see her come back.  There weren’t any other flights that were leaving any time around the time of our flight so I don’t know what she did.  Maybe she had a couple of stiff drinks and was the last one onto the plane?

Of course when the plane did come and we were all loaded, the pilot made an announcement about some outside door flap being frozen.  Twenty minutes they said, which is airline speak for “at least an hour”.    We were going to St. Louis, so I’m guessing from the flurry of panicked phone calls, there were quite a few people with connecting flights.  The woman in front of me was positively melting down about it.  I wasn’t connecting although my sibling gathering was planned for that afternoon.  No meltdown from me. 

We made most of the hour up in the air so I was in time for the sibling gathering but not enough time to stop at the deli to pick anything up for the party!

How do you like to pass the time while waiting?

2024, Family, holidays, Technology

Gifting

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I can’t remember the last time I set out of the house to go shopping for Christmas presents for our family and loved ones. I spent much of my morning yesterday scrolling through the Amazon lists and other lists of things our son, daughter, and daughter in law wanted and conveniently sent to us. A few clicks, and their gifts were on the way. Later this week I will fill the treat boxes for our far flung friends and family and get them to UPS to deliver.

Husband and I told the kids we didn’t want any presents this year as we don’t want more possessions that we will have to move. I don’t think either of them listened to us, and we will get books at a minimum. I also told daughter that bubble bath and toiletries were good options for me if she really wanted to get me something.

Right now I don’t have the time or the energy to go physically from store to store in a mall or in a big box store shopping for people. Is that a sad commentary on our current state of affairs, or something to rejoice over? I am not sure.

How does your family gift one another? What are you hoping for this Christmas?

2024, Family, History, Technology, Uncategorized

Gateway Arch

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When  I was nine, the St. Louis Arch was completed.  Not the whole she-bang (viewing room, elevator, greenway, museum) but the structure of The Arch.  It took 2½ years from breaking ground until October 28, 1965, when the last piece was put in place.

Although my family was actually living in Jefferson City at the time of the completion, we were St. Louis folks through and through.  The Arch was a big deal back then and we had been down to the site a couple of times during the build; it was exciting to see the two legs each inching up. 

As a child it seemed impossible to me that they could build each leg separately and actually have them meet in the middle.  The day that they put the last piece in place, joining up both legs, it was big news and as a family we watched it on television.  Here’s a short version:

At the time there were a lot of folks who thought once they put the last piece in place, The Arch would just fall down.  My father was not in that camp, asserting every time it came up in conversation that it would be an engineering marvel.  I guess he’s right – it’s been standing 59 years now.  Growing up mostly in St. Louis, I’ve actually been up in the Arch about a dozen times; it was always on the agenda when folks visited from out of town.  Since it’s my “home-town” monument, I’m pretty proud that it’s still standing!

Any monument you think is particularly impressive?  Or not?

2024, animals, Mysteries, Nature, Technology, Uncategorized

Amazing Cell

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Yesterday I trekked over to Gertens; I had a great coupon.  Normally just a coupon wouldn’t get me to drive over there but they do carry that hot bird seed that I like, so figured a chunk of change off one of those cylinders would be nice. 

It took me a bit to find the seed cylinders – they’re ramping up their Christmas stuff and have moved a lot of the endcaps around in the feed department.  When I did come around the corner, what confronted me was a TON of products from the company who makes the hot stuff.  The photo above is the endcap with all of it.

Right next of my Flaming Hot Feast there was another big cylinder called Burning Love.  I looked at them both, different ingredients although both seemed to have the hot pepper that deters the squirrels.  But at the price point, I didn’t want to make a mistake.  As I stood there considering my options, it occurred to me that I could check online to see the difference.  And then I had the ephiphany that I could just call the company directly.  A helpful woman answered the phone right away and let me know that the difference was that Burning Love is just safflower seeds with hot pepper.  Flaming Hot Feast has a bigger variety of seeds with hot pepper. 

The Burning Love was almost a pound heavier at the same price point, so I decided to give it a try.  As I walked away, I thought about the amazing thing I had just done – used a small hand held device to call a company in Texas for no cost to get an immediate answer.  (Yes, I am aware I could have found someone who worked at Gertens and asked them, but I think this was faster.)  While I sometimes think technology is too big for its britches, yesterday I loved my cell phone.

Any technology that has amazed you recently?

2024, animals, Family, Farming Update, gardening, Nature, Technology, Uncategorized

False Fall

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The weekend Farm Report comes to us from Ben. 

First false fall, I believe that’s what we’re in. 
I’ve seen a few soybeans turning color, the leaves are starting to drop, and it sure is getting dark sooner. The temperature has been very nice the last week. I don’t know if the barn swallows have all moved on, or if it’s just because I’m at work and I don’t see them so much. I did notice a couple flying around the other day.  

The deer are really doing a number on the soybeans. It’s surprising how many leaves and beans a herd of deer can eat overnight. Most of my beans are over my knees, but that one field I rent, the beans are barely to my knees there, and the top of the entire field has been nibbled by the deer. It’s a lot of dollars they’re eating.   

I spent a few hours in the tractor Thursday night going over the oat ground a second time. The second time, I worked the field perpendicular to the way I worked it the first time. All an effort to work it up better. And I used the boating app to find my way again.  

I’m hoping to have started planting winter rye by the time you read this. I use it as a cover crop to keep some roots in the ground over winter, and to hopefully provide a little extra nitrogen come spring. 
Daughter and Bailey joined me in the tractor as my tractor buddies for a while. That gave us some nice time to talk about her day and I shared random tidbits about the crescent moon.  

 I’m sure I’ve mentioned before how I have the entire audio recording of the movie All That Jazz in my music library. I hadn’t listened to it for a while and I had it on the tractor that night. I can recite it line for line and every time I hear it I pick up something different. It’s loosely based on the life of actor, dancer, choreographer, director Bob Fosse. He wasn’t a real nice man, but he was a very talented man. In the tractor, and later, wearing earbuds, I could hear subtle background noises I hadn’t detected before. It makes me appreciate him more as a director for the details he added.  

Sometimes while driving down I35 or Highway 52, I wonder how many of my fields a highway like that would take up.  It makes me a little sad, to think about how quickly a bulldozer can change the landscape and erase any memories of a farmstead that may have lasted years and raised generations. It should still be called progress that it doesn’t take as many small farms to produce the food we need, but the lost memories still make me sad.  

* * * * * * *
 
I feel fortunate that I’ve made some pretty good business connections over the years and I’m lucky that one businessman has let me borrow his scissor lift for a few days. Kelly and I used it to paint the front of the theater last Saturday.  

A year ago we did this with an extension ladder on a day it was about 90°F And the whole thing was just hot and miserable. This second time around we were much more prepared and it was almost fun. My nephew let me borrow his paint sprayer and we knew how to tape off things a little better (or at all)  and it went pretty well.  I’m also using the lift to swap some lighting in the theater. The Rep Theater was fortunate to receive large grant to purchase a new Lighting Console and some LED lighting. I’ve been having a good time getting that set up, and when I got the lights to turn color the first time I let out a big “YEAH BABY!”.  

At one point I knocked over a riser section and wedged it under part of the scissor lift. I swear, there are days I should not be left alone.  

At home I am rarely left alone thanks to my white shadow. 

Unless she’s on a walk with daughter, she’s not far from me, hoping I’ll be doing something interesting soon.  

DO YOU SWEAT THE DETAILS? I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY’RE NOT IMPORTANT.  

2024, Business, Family, Food, home, Technology, Uncategorized

The Yeast Of My Worries

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We typically have pretty good luck with orders and deliveries here, that is, until recently. On July 30 I ordered six, 2 oz packages of fresh yeast on Amazon. Husband has a Nordic baking book that uses fresh yeast in the recipes. Since I had thrown out the remainder of a huge shipment of fresh yeast that I had ordered about a year ago (it got too old in the freezer) it was time to order a more manageable amount.

The order was supposed to arrive on August 5. I tried to track it on Amazon as soon as I got notification that it had shipped, but had no luck. The 5th arrived, and still no yeast. I knew it had to be kept cold or it would start to do its yeasty thing and start growing and expanding. I received a notice that it would arrive on the 9th. It didn’t. By this time, I knew something had gone amiss, and finally Amazon said that it was lost and I could have a refund. It was a bit of an ordeal, but I got the refund and ordered more. This time around I have been able to actually track where it is. It is to arrive today or tomorrow.

The most unreliable delivery service seems to be the US Postal Service. UPS, FEDEX, and Speedee Delivery all do a good job. The latter always makes me think of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Husband is excited that the yeast will arrive soon. I worry that it hasn’t been kept cold. We shall see.

What delivery disasters have you encountered? What are your favorite memories of Mr. Rogers or other children’s programming? What are you worrying about these days?

2024, Farming Update, gardening, Technology, Weather

Survey Says

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Man, it just keeps raining. Thursday afternoon, we were headed to my sister’s house a few miles away, and it rained so hard we could barely see to drive. We had gotten .2″ of rain in the morning, came home to see we gained another 1.6″ which came hard and fast. I could see where it overflowed some culverts, and backed up behind others. We had some washouts on a couple township roads, and I was out Friday putting warning signs up to alert drivers until we can get them graded on Monday. And I said it was wet LAST week. This latest rain came with some wind too and the oats are a little ruffled. Once it starts to turn color and the stalks are dying and turning yellow, it becomes more brittle, and the oats are more likely to shell out. It may rebound a little bit at this point. About a month to go yet before the oats are ready to harvest.

The corn is nearly as high as an elephant’s eye, to quote Oscar Hammerstein.

The soybeans are looking good, but that one low spot has been wet long enough, and a couple acres are turning yellow. There is water standing in a lot of fields now. It’s just plain wet enough, for now.

I finally finished that fence. Glad to have it done.

Building that brought back a lot of memories. One of the things I bought in preparation of making this fence, was 3 pairs of leather gloves. Good cowhide leather gloves. Deer skin is too soft for working with barb wire. As are plain cotton and canvas gloves. I bought extra pairs in smaller sizes for my helpers. (Photo credit to Kelly)

To attach the wire to the steel ‘T’ post, I use wire clips.

They used to be included with each 5-pack of posts. Now they cost extra, of course, and are not nearly so well made. I found it curious, the previous batch wasn’t made as well as the batch before them, either. I can see the companies cutting costs with each manifestation!

The clip should hook on the fence like the previous photo, then I use my pliers to bend the end around the wire.

The new ones are lighter wire, and they don’t snap on like the old ones. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Course, we didn’t always have the clips. In that case, we would cut a piece of wire about 20″ long, separate the strands of wire, (barb wire is two strands twisted together: one with barbs, and one without) wrap one end on the wire, go twice around the post and over the fence wire, and attach to the wire again on the other side of the post. Doing that on a post this week, I heard my dad’s voice teaching me how to do it. The old fence ends up in a heap and will go to scrap metal.

A new roll of barb wire is 1320′ long. I used two full rolls and was about 150′ short. Good thing I had an old roll left in the shed. I think it was from Kelly’s Dad. I had to use that to make the gate, and to finish one narrow end of the fence.

1320′ is 80 rods. 80 rods is a quarter mile. One rod is 16.5 feet. Dad used the term ‘rods’ when describing the size of fields, but I don’t think anyone uses the term anymore, maybe not even surveyors.

When I was measuring fields for the ASCS office, I had an actual metal wire that was 66′ long- a “chain”. And a rod is a 1/4 of a chain. And I had a belt pack with 10 metal hooks in which to pass the wire through as I walked a field. I only used it a few times because it would snag and slip out of the loops and it was a huge pain in the tuckus. Mostly we used a measuring wheel that counted in chains. The wheel itself was maybe 2 1/2′ feet in diameter, so I don’t know how it figured out the distance, but it was the official tool for measuring fields.

Curiously, most township roads have a 66′ right of way. Thirty Three feet from the center of the road including the ditch. 33′ is two rods. Coincidence??

The ducks are doing well and enjoying their new pen.

Wild black raspberries are turning ripe. Yummy on vanilla ice cream. 

Any unusual units of measurement you use?

2024, books, Kids, Media, Stories, Technology

Letters

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The rabbit hole that is the internet never ceases to amaze me.  A few days ago I stumbled across a YouTube video called LettersLive.  It was Oliva Colman reading a 17th century letter from a wife to her husband.  It was hysterical.  Since then I’ve found several other clips of letters ready by other celebrities.  I adore letters – some of my favorite books are epistolary (Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society, Daddy Long Legs, Cold Comfort Farm and Julie Schumacher’s Payne University series).  Turns out that LettersLive is actually a series of live events that began back in 2019.  I’ve found four of them so far. There are usually 20 or so letters read during the evening, many of them funny, many of them insightful, some of them incredibly touching and almost all thought-provoking.

Letter-writing is certainly one of our lost arts.  I remember Steve writing to his friend every week until his friend passed away; it was an amazing feat.  When YA was young, I used to send a letter to Nonny and JB every week – mostly just bullet points of the week along with a page of photos.  I send a lot of cards these days, but don’t consider them letter-writing.   Watching the LettersLive has made me think maybe I should start up the Nonny habit again.

LettersLive is sponsored by Montblanc, which seems perfect but funny.  Celebrating letters is “write” up their alley but what they are sponsoring are live performances and a technology-fueled YouTube site.  I can’t think of anybody better!

The only problem with LettersLive is that there aren’t endless quantities; they are not putting up new YouTubes every week.  Once I’ve listened to all the letters read at the four events, I’ll have to wait until the next one which is in Berlin sometime later this year.  I’ll have to dole them out to myself carefully!

Do you remember the last hand-written letter you received?  Or wrote?

2024, Family, home, Technology

It’s the End of the Line

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Year after year people I know have been dumping their land lines.

For awhile I kept ours because I hate putting all my eggs in one basket, even if it’s a mobile-phone-basket.  Then right about the time I was ready to let go, my mom decided to drop hers.  Why would this matter you ask?  Well, my land line was saved in HER cell phone contacts and no matter how many times I said “you know, you should probably just call my cell….”, every 3rd or 4th call went to the land line.  Along with a voicemail saying “Oh, I guess I’ll try your cell”.   Except for picking up calls from Nonny, I’m not sure eitherYA or I have touched the handset in over a year.  Sigh.

Finally I took things into my own hands in January when I was visiting.  I deleted my land line from her contacts and changed “She” to “She-Cell Phone”.   One and done.  If she has even noticed that I don’t have two numbers any longer, she hasn’t said anything.

That was the easy part.  Now I have to figure out all the various reward programs that still have my old phone number attached to them.  Every time I think I have them all, I stumble across another.  The Container Store just two weeks ago still had the land line!

Do you still have a land line?  

2024, Family, Food, Technology, Uncategorized

Death By Toaster

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Husband and I got a new toaster the other day, trading in our British-made Dualit for an Italian SMEG. The Dualit worked great for about 20 years, but finally gave up.

One feature I really liked in the Dualit was the ability to raise up the finished toast over the top of the slots with the lowering lever after it was done. No need to stick your fingers in the hot slot to retrieve the toast. The SMEG doesn’t have that capability. The other day I was fishing some toast out of the SMEG with a fork when I heard a voice from the past, my mother’s, saying:

“Stop! You’re going to get electrocuted if you stick that fork in there!”

I think my mother said that to me every time she saw me making toast. I don’t know if anyone ever died by sticking a metal implement into a toaster after the toast was done, but she sure was going to make certain I didn’t.

I ignored the warning from the past and fished out the toast with the fork. I didn’t get electrocuted. The toast was good. Sorry, Mom. I am just going to live dangerously.

What safety admonitions did you get as a young person? How do you live dangerously? How do you like your toaster?