Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Roe is not about choice. It is about freedom.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

All hail the time of the bunny!

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty. ~Thomas Jefferson

This chaos was totally avoidable.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Rupert, come get your orange boy, you petrified old dinosaur turd.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / Another Nice Spring Day

Another Nice Spring Day

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Another Nice Spring Day

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.

Reader Interactions

63Comments

  3. 3.

    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

  4. 4.

    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

  5. 5.

    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!

  7. 7.

    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.

  10. 10.

    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….

  12. 12.

    Ken

    @Raoul Paste: “if you can keep your head when everyone about you is losing theirs, you’ll be a man”

    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”.

  16. 16.

    toine

    a lot of big expenditures coming up (ring and wedding come to mind…)

    ummmm… did I miss something?

  17. 17.

    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.

  19. 19.

    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.

  21. 21.

    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… :-)

  22. 22.

    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!!

  23. 23.

    HumboldtBlue

    It’s like Dr. Seuss death metal.

    Just out of tune.

    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.

  24. 24.

    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?

  30. 30.

    Ol Nat

    I totally missed the news! Congratulations! I’m disappointed we’re not invited but get it I guess…

  31. 31.

    weasel

    You are an inspiration.  Thanks for being you and making this wonderful space. Much love from an almost lurker

  33. 33.

    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.

  35. 35.

    Gwangung

    I totally knew the news. And I thought, “How rational.”

    Which is why I’m not getting an invite.

  38. 38.

    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.

  39. 39.

    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.

  40. 40.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Quinerly:

    Join the club. I missed the original announcement whenever it was.

    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.

  41. 41.

    lowtechcyclist

    @NotMax:

    No “two-bit ring from a Crackerback Jox” for the nuptials.

    I’ll sell it to you for five thousand dollars. ;-)

  43. 43.

    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.

  44. 44.

    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.

  45. 45.

    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.

  46. 46.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Rebel’s Dad:

    I thought it was “in just seven days I can make you a man” ?

    “In just seven days (that’s a week!)” – gotta include the audience partici….

    …pation.

  49. 49.

    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.

  50. 50.

    lurker dean

    omg, totally missed the marriage announcement – so happy for you and joelle!

  51. 51.

    Jerry

    Surely Kotkaniemi is picking up the slack?

    signed: Habs fan who had to endure Hurricanes victory dance after successful offer sheet… enjoying aftermath… :-)

    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.

  54. 54.

    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.

  55. 55.

    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!”

  56. 56.

    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.

  58. 58.

    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.

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