I have driven by these flowers several times and kept forgetting to take pictures, and finally did today. They’re just on the side of the road- bunch of wildflowers and some amazing irises.
This morning as I was walking the compost out to the compost pile, I heard this horrible screaming coming from the phlox bushes. I immediately dropped the compost and ran over to investigate, looked into the bushes and out trots Thurston with a SCREAMING baby rabbit in his mouth. I yelled at him and he dropped it and I chased him into the house, came back and the rabbit was unharmed but wet from Thurston drool, and after coming out of shock took off. Apparently he found a hole under the fence and came in. Will have to plug that.
It’s been beautiful the past few days, and it feels like I am going to have a slow, relaxing summer. I’m kinda broke with a lot of big expenditures coming up (ring and wedding come to mind, as well as that god damned roof), plus I am on a diet. So I am just going to chill, soak up sun, and not plan any big trips.
Also, fuck Republicans.
Parfigliano
Just being a dog
Baud
This post is a roller coaster of emotions.
Jerry
Been a pleasant Spring down here in North Carolina thus far as well. Except for the Hurricanes not getting the best of that damn Bobrovsky yet. But hey, they took it to the Islanders and Devils. Not bad for not having Svechnikov
Raoul Paste
Isn’t there some old saw about “if you can keep your head when everyone about you is losing theirs, you’ll be a man” ? (or words to that effect.)
Well, congratulations
Anne Laurie
Baby bunny has no doubt learned a valuable survival lesson. And Thurston two lesser ones: First, you’re gonna be unreasonable about him finding his own dinner; and second, those bunny things are impossible to peal…
As for the irises, don’t know about property rights, but those things transplant very nicely!
Manyakitty
I can think of worse ways to spend time, TBH.
dww44
I love your posts, John. They always make me smile. You should do more of them.
It’s far too wet and dreary much further south of you. We’re not supposed to get over 80 til after Memorial Day with a string of overnite lows in the 50’s. Almost unheard of at this time of the year. With a second year of steady regular rain we could almost be living in a green jungle.
Matt McIrvin
@Raoul Paste: It’s Kipling. “If–“.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
Better than fucking cheese?
SiubhanDuinne
John, you live in such a beautiful area! When I do a road trip I always enjoy touring the rough West Virginia because it is just lovely scenery.
Speaking of West Virginia, has anyone heard from or of J R in WV lately? I hope he’s doing okay.
EDIT: “the rough West Virginia” should be “through West Virginia.” Although I guess the autocorrect version also makes sense….
Raoul Paste
@Matt McIrvin: My well-read betters come through.
Ken
I thought it was “if you can keep your head when everyone around you is losing theirs, you probably don’t have all the facts”.
scav
@Ken: Or really excellent armor (bevor especially).
Amir Khalid
@🐾BillinGlendaleCA:
Somehow, I don’t think Cole would really enjoy either experience.
BigJimSlade
@Anne Laurie: Well, that one let out a peal. And Thurston may have had some trouble trying to peel it.
toine
ummmm… did I miss something?
CaseyL
That is a lovely vista. I could feel myself relaxing just looking at it.
Good on you for rescuing the baby bunny! Can’t blame Thurston for obeying his instincts, but hopefully your reaction will make him think twice about doing anything like that again.
We had a couple months in my neighborhood of wild or feral bunnies suddenly appearing everywhere. The phase has passed: bunnies are once again rarely seen, and my neighbors think the neighborhood coyotes had a lot to do with that.
Quinerly
@toine:
Join the club. I missed the original announcement whenever it was.
LNNVA
@dww44: I agree with you. I really miss John’s posts about his daily life. They are what drew me to this site as a lurker years ago.
Another Scott
@toine: @Quinerly:
Howdy Folks.
HTH!
Cheers,
Scott.
toine
@Jerry:
Surely Kotkaniemi is picking up the slack?
signed: Habs fan who had to endure Hurricanes victory dance after successful offer sheet… enjoying aftermath… :-)
frosty
Very nice here on the Mason-Dixon Line too. I’ve become a Full Goose Loony birder, which among other things* gets me out on a trail once or twice a week.
* I had no idea you could spend so much on binoculars!!
HumboldtBlue
It’s like Dr. Seuss death metal.
Just out of tune.
Quinerly
@Another Scott:
Thanks. So Cole is getting nuptualized? Realize now how I missed the announcement…was traveling. February is my birthday month. I prowl about. With my dog. This past February I was in Silver City, Gila Wilderness, and Deming, NM. No internet most of the time.
Want Cole to be happy. All cool. Are we all invited?
Sandia Blanca
@Quinerly: He has indicated that we are most definitely NOT invited.
The Pale Scot
@Sandia Blanca:
I guess +1 is out of the question?
Omnes Omnibus
@Sandia Blanca: One of his better decisions.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@Amir Khalid: Cole did say he missed fucking cheese a few nights ago, so I’m not sure.
NotMax
No “two-bit ring from a Crackerback Jox” for the nuptials.
:)
Ol Nat
I totally missed the news! Congratulations! I’m disappointed we’re not invited but get it I guess…
weasel
You are an inspiration. Thanks for being you and making this wonderful space. Much love from an almost lurker
Rebel’s Dad
@Raoul Paste: I thought it was “in just seven days I can make you a man” ?
Rebel’s Dad
West Virginia is an achingly beautiful state. I lived across the river in Ohio and Kentucky as a kid and I had so many fond memories there. For about a year we lived in a holler in KY. We had an outhouse, a wood-burning stove, chickens, a cow, and even a small creek in front of the house with a wooden bridge across it- we had to cross the bridge to get to the animals. It was also the first time I saw my mom kill a chicken for dinner, so that was interesting. And oh, the winter! We got a snowstorm right before Christmas break started so I got an extra couple of days off. We couldn’t leave the house for several days so Mom and I piled up on the couch watching Christmas movies and cooking popcorn on the potbellied stove.
I wish WV was more progressive because I wouldn’t mind living there again. Maybe if I’m able to retire in 20-25 years I can find a cheap place to buy there. I especially love the Morgantown area.
Rebel’s Dad
@toine: For real, way to bury the lede there, John!
Gwangung
I totally knew the news. And I thought, “How rational.”
Which is why I’m not getting an invite.
Chris T.
@Matt McIrvin: “Do you like Kipling?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never kippled.”
Origuy
@Raoul Paste: I thought it was, “if you can keep your head when everyone about you is losing theirs, you’ve probably misjudged the situation.” ?
sab
@SiubhanDuinne: I live in a part of Ohio that West Virginians migrated to. So we like to mock West Virginia. And in the process of mocking it we forget how gorgeous it is.
We used to feel superior because our politics is better. Not so anymore. Now we are competing to be worse than Alabama.
sab
@Another Scott: Absolutely the most romantic wedding announcement I have ever read. ///
But that guy is a keeper. Proposed in February and she is still waiting for the ring. But I still think he is a keeper.
lowtechcyclist
@Quinerly:
I read Cole’s post where he said this was happening, but I figured courthouse and justice of the peace, not rings and a big to-do.
lowtechcyclist
@NotMax:
I’ll sell it to you for five thousand dollars. ;-)
evodevo
@Ken: That’s the version I learned from MAD magazine back in the day…
Bruce K in ATH-GR
Nice picture, and good that a calm summer is hopefully in the offing for you, Mr. Cole.
With regard to your last sentiment, I agree in principle, but I wouldn’t participate, in practice, even if the Republicans in question were offering to fulfill my every kink dating back to adolescence. Because I’m fairly certain that I’d be the one who ended up figuratively screwed.
sab
@lowtechcyclist: Me too.
We were married at the courthouse with only my parents and his kids in attendance.Weeks later we had a big reception. If we had to do it all over again we would have done it the same.
eclare
@sab:
That is what I wanted to do, just go to a courthouse. Instead my fiance insisted on the big wedding. I should have taken that as a clue, we lasted three years.
lowtechcyclist
@Rebel’s Dad:
“In just seven days (that’s a week!)” – gotta include the audience partici….
…pation.
sab
@eclare: That is so sad.
mrmoshpotato
@Raoul Paste: If you can keep your bones when everyone else is losing theirs, then you’ll still have all your bones.
sab
@sab: My first wedding I did the same but without reception. It didn’t work. Spent the first five years trying to make it work. Spent the next five years trying to safely escape.
I absolutely adored my inlaws. Only problem was with their kid.
lurker dean
omg, totally missed the marriage announcement – so happy for you and joelle!
Jerry
KK is doing fine. He is being asked to be another Jordan Staal is evolving very nicely into that type of role. The Hurricanes have Jesperi signed for a long time at less than $5 million a year and by the time that contract is done, it will have been a steal for the team.
14 periods have been played in three games with only a total of nine goals being scored. It’s been a heck of a goalie duel.
Quinerly
@lurker dean:
Now, I don’t feel so out of the loop.
HinTN
@eclare: Big weddings are usually the doing of the MOTB.
NJHenderson
I almost never post here, but I do check BJ from time to time because it’s always great. I haven’t checked in a while, though, so my question is – is John getting married? The ring/wedding comment caught my eye.
RevRick
This past Saturday, my wife and I joined our daughter and granddaughter at Styer’s Peonies in Chadds Ford, PA for its 5th annual Peony Festival, which runs from Mother’s Day weekend through Memorial Day weekend. It’s an impressive sight, gazing at dozens of varieties spread over 25 acres on the hillside in Chester County. Evidently, this farm and associated fields is the largest provider of peonies east of the Mississippi.
Having done over a hundred weddings in my ministry, I immediately thought “what a spectacular setting for a wedding!”
Miss Bianca
You’re lucky you were able to get that rabbit away from Thurston. My dogs, it would have been over before I was aware it had begun.
Manyakitty
@RevRick: it sounds glorious 😍
Nancy
I liked reading this post. It’s a nice photo. The flowers are lovely, the trees and the mountains are beautiful.
I don’t know you, but I think I do because I’ve been reading Balloon-Juice for a while now. I remember the days when you were discouraged and down. . . and the car was stuck in the field.
So pleased to read about contented John Cole who is anticipating life’s adventures.
Steeplejack
@NJHenderson:
Cole’s wedding announcement.
Haydnseek
Yeah, you don’t cheap out when you’re marrying Betty Jo Bielosky.
RevRick
@Manyakitty: It was!
Manyakitty
@RevRick: kinda makes me feel like a road trip 😃
jnfr
Many congrats on your upcoming life changes, and thank you for saving the baby bunny.