Unloaded fifty bails of Hay with my Pop at the Auction mid-morning, and another two pick-ups worth from other farmers dropping off hay,

Shift at JMH early.

Beaver Pond Wildlife: Part 2 - Late Spring

Watched Part 2 today with DL.  It is a wonderful video from RA at New England Forests.

According to the webstite, this film series spans a year's time at typical beaver ponds in New England. In Part 2, we follow wildlife in late spring, as nesting season progresses, new life develops, and young beavers disperse. 

Also, attended my scheduled MRI for the sore right Ankle / Achilles tendon in the morning.

Beaver Pond Wildlife: Part 1 - Early Spring

Watched Part 1 today with DL.  It is a wonderful video from RA at New England Forests.

According to the webstite, this film series spans a year's time at typical beaver ponds in New England. In Part 1, we'll look at what takes place in early spring, as the pond comes back to life after a cold winter. 

Visit with my Mom and Pop today.

Brought our bird "Teeter" with me to leave at her new home with cousin W.

After much thinking over the past three or four years, we've decided to finally transfer ownership of our yellow nape amazon "Teeter" to cousin W.

Not easy decision, we've had Teeter for thirty-years.

But,  we are getting older, and we are trying to travel as much as we can in the next decade or so.  So it seems we are constantly either leaving home or planning to.  Not exactly fair for a bird who enjoys companionship.

Counting on W providing a long friendly relationship with our bird.

Truthfully, I try to adhere to the idea that it is better to make a change when things are going well, not when they are not or you are backed into a corner and have to react.  All is well, this change in home for Teeter should be a wonderful move.

"Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #13 for 2025...

"The Fifth Woman" by Henning Mankell, published in 1996.

6th in his acclaimed Wallander series.

Swedish: Den femte kvinnan

The English translation by Steven T. Murray, 2000.

Guitar II

The first Lesson Book I completed thoroughly was:

A Modern Method for Guitar by William Leavitt.   

This is published by Berkley.  

I managed to complete Book I Section I.  

I feel I can play all the material well.

Shift at JMH & TA.

PT at LED late afternoon.

Visit with my Podiatrists today, for the right achilles tendon.

MRI scheduled.

Had front door and storm door key issues addressed later in the day. 

Unloaded fifty bails of Hay with my Pop at the Auction mid-morning.

Shift at JMH early.

PT at LED early afternoon. 

Guitar I

I have been working on learning guitar.

This is something I began making a priority for several years now.

It was a few years ago when I realized it was time to get serious, stop strumming the same passages over and over, and learn the guitar, rather than learn parts of songs or melodies.

It's slow going.  Taking this serious is not something that offers shortcuts.

It was time to learn to read music, rather that use tab to make things quicker and easier.

It was time to devote myself to good technique, especially when it came to finger-picking and using all my right hand fingers.

It was time to have dedicated, slow, steady practice.

I began with a guitar lesson book, worked through it a bit, added a second manual of differing technique, and kept at it.  Continually adding more "work" to my daily practice.

I am at the point where I can read music fairly well for the guitar.

Often, I can find notes on the fretboard quickly and easily.

My plan is to continue just like this, slow and steady, constantly learning.

It is enjoyable.

"Non Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #12 for 2025...

"Everybody Dies" by Lawrence Block, published in 1998.

Matthew Scudder #14.

Williamstown for a lunch visit with my Mom, followed by a stop to visit Pop as well. 

Heavyweight Boxer Big George Foreman passed today.

He was a two-time world heavyweight champion and the 1968 Olympic gold medalist.

George Foreman maintained that earning the Olympic gold medal was the achievement he was most proud of in his boxing career, more so than either of his world titles.

Foreman dominating his first Championship fight against Joe Frazier by TKO. Before the fight, Frazier was 29–0 (25 KO) and Foreman was 37–0 (34 KO). Frazier was knocked down six times by Foreman within two rounds (the three-knockdown rule was not in effect for this bout). After the second knockdown, Frazier's balance and mobility were impaired to the extent that he was unable to evade Foreman's combinations. Frazier managed to get to his feet for all six knockdowns, but referee Arthur Mercante eventually called an end to the one-sided bout.

First Retirement

Foreman became ill in his dressing room after his bout versus Jimmy Young. He was suffering from exhaustion and heat stroke and stated he had a near-death experience. He spoke of being in a hellish, frightening place of nothingness and despair, and felt that he was in the midst of death. Though not yet religious, he began to plead with God to help him. He explained that he sensed God asking him to change his life and ways whereupon he said, "I don't care if this is death – I still believe there is a God!"

After this experience, Foreman became a born-again Christian, dedicating his life for the next decade to God. Although he did not formally retire from boxing, Foreman stopped fighting and became an ordained minister, initially preaching on street corners before becoming the minister of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston and devoting himself to his family and his congregation. He also opened a youth center that bears his name.

The Comeback Trail

In 1994, Foreman again sought to challenge for the world championship after Michael Moorer had beaten Evander Holyfield for the IBF and WBA titles. Having lost his last fight against Tommy Morrison, Foreman was unranked and in no position to demand another title shot. His relatively high profile, however, made a title shot against Moorer, 19 years his junior, a lucrative prospect at seemingly little risk for the champion.

Foreman's title challenge against Moorer took place on November 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Foreman wearing the same red trunks he had worn in his title loss to Ali 20 years earlier. This time, however, Foreman was a substantial underdog. For nine rounds, Moorer easily outboxed him, hitting and moving away, while Foreman chugged forward, seemingly unable to "pull the trigger" on his punches. Entering the 10th round, Foreman was trailing on all scorecards: two judges had it 88–83 and one had it 86–85, all to Moorer. However, Foreman launched a comeback in the 10th round and hit Moorer with a number of punches. Then, a short right hand caught Moorer on the tip of his chin, gashing open his bottom lip, and he collapsed to the canvas. He lay flat on the canvas as the referee counted him out.

In an instant, Foreman had regained the title he had lost to Muhammad Ali two decades before. He went back to his corner and knelt in prayer as the arena erupted in cheers. With this historic victory, Foreman broke three records: He became, at age 45, the oldest fighter ever to win a world championship; 20 years after losing his title for the first time, he broke the record for the fighter with the longest interval between his first and second world championships; and he also became the oldest winner of a major title fight.

Rest in Peace Champ.

"Non Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #11 for 2025...

"The Black Ice Score", by Richard Stark published in 1968.

Parker #11.

JMH Early followed by TA.

Having been born in 1962, and liking and listening to music from the early sixties onward, I thought it might be fun to attempt a listing of my favorite albums each year since birth.

The initial post for this series of ideas began on December 26th, 2023.  You can look it up....

This time, I present my "Weird Things Worth a Listen (I love ‘em)" 

(those that didn't make the list, in no particular order.

...from the Year in Music 1969!

1. Cromagnon Orgasm

2. David and Tina Meltxzer Poets Song

3. David and Tina Meltxzer Green Morning

4. Fever Tree Creation

5. Os Mutantes Mutantes

6. Spiral Starecase More Today Than Yesterday

7. Idle Race The Birthday Party

8. Elyse Elyse

9. The Carolyn Hester Coalition The Carolyn Hester Coalition

10. The Charlatans The Charlatans

Despite these records being non-commercial, I have grown to appreciate each a great deal.

"Non Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #10 for 2025...

"Con Man", 87th Precinct #04.

Written by Ed McBain, published in 1957.

JMH Early.

PT @ LED later.