Author: turndoozie

Lise – Thanks for 25 great years. You did something I didn’t think any woman could do. Put up with me in the house for longer than my mother did. The only thing wrong with 25 years is that it ain’t enough. Me and you and a kid named Moo. What a grand adventure.

Been a busy week since our return from the land of lard. I’m thinking of entering detox. Does the Betty Ford clinic take on Lebanon Bologna abusers?

After getting back from Lebanon I had to make a quick trip to the eastern Upper Peninsula to check on some bat monitors we have up there. Lise came with to help out and see some new U.P. areas. Except for some particularly vicious mosquitos, it was a fun trip. We usually head further west to Marquette which doesn’t have the limestone formations. This area had cliffs, sinkholes, and cave openings. Small cave openings. Not the caves with walk-in entrances that TV’s Daniel Boone and Mingo would hide in. These were just small holes in the ground. Good enough for bats though.

After doing the monitors we drifted east along the Lake Huron shoreline. Beautiful area with lots of coastal wetlands, small rivers flowing into Lake Huron, and the Le Cheneaux Islands just offshore. We hit Cedarville and Hessel, the jumping off points to the Le Cheneaux Islands and home to one of the larger antique wooden boat shows in the country. A good number of which are still used to ferry people out to the islands.

Lake Huron wetlands at Trout River in the morning fog.

Looking through the fog to one of the Le Cheneaux Islands.

Eventually we hit De Tour Village, population 325. I’m pretty sure that number includes pets. DeTour Village is where you pick up the ferry to Drummond Island which we unfortunately didn’t have time to visit. Drummond has an area of 249 square miles and a population of 992 people, making the population density less than four people per square mile. Drummond has the distinction of being the last British outpost on what would eventually become American soil after the War of 1812. The Treaty of Ghent ended the war without any territory concessions but a later international commission gave Drummond to America.

I got a merlin and an alder flycatcher during the trip. That brings my total bird species for the year to 201 and Lise’s to 202. We also got to see out first porcupine in the wild. It was easy to see why these are usually seen flattened on the road. This thing slowly ambled across the road, stopping midway to sniff around, and ignoring the cars that stopped to avoid making it one with the pavement. Apparently it thought those quills were sufficient protection against a ton of moving steel. Not real bright but it was pretty cute.

Molly and I just spent a few days in Lebanon County, the land of lard and carbs. The kind of stuff that lives in your aorta. Lebanon bologna, scrapple and sticky buns. You could throw Shuey’s Pretzels in there too. Where else would you find people standing in line to buy their pretzels on a Saturday morning?

Miller’s Restaurant. Breakfast of Hunky eggs and scrapple. Best not to know what is in either. My brother-in-law Jack on the left.

Shuey’s Pretzels. Hard or soft, the best you will ever eat. Period.

I love the food but the coffee situation is a bit lacking. The area has been settled by Europeans since the 1720s and the city of Lebanon was laid out in 1753, but they still don’t have much in the way of coffee shops. Lebanon County, Iran, North Korea and a couple other third world countries are about the only places on the planet where you can’t find a Starbucks. They do have a brew pub, the Snitz Creek Brewery, but no Starbucks. I should add that instead of a hamburger with bacon, the Snitz Creek Brewery serves a hamburger sandwiched between thin slices of grilled Lebanon Bologna. It is delicious and I highly recommend it. You can get cheese on it too.

A two-way street in Lebanon. Oh, I’m sorry, it’s West Lebanon. A couple years ago they put in a light to control traffic. Before that, you honked your horn as you approached. The first one to honk their horn had the right of way.

Our Subaru in the two-way street in Jonestown that my sister lives on, heading towards Jonestown Square.

The turn from Jonestown Square onto the two-way street my sister lives on.

We were back there for a couple of reunions. Graduates of the Lebanon High School class of 1972 turn 60 this year so someone thought it would be a good idea to have a party. It was interesting. Let’s just say that time has been better to some than others. I think what startled me most was that around 30 of my classmates, almost 10 % of the class, are dead already. That was kind of like getting smacked with a 2 X 4 between the eyes for me.

The other reunion was for my paternal grandmother’s side of the family. Grandma Guildoo, as I knew her, was a Stover. Her brother was a WWII Naval Aviator nicknamed Smoky Stover. In a dogfight with the Japanese he ran out of ammunition. Rather than leave the fight he took down a Japanese plane by using his propeller to chop off the Japanese’s ailerons (flaps). Later in the war he was shot down, captured, and executed by the Japanese. One of my second cousins was badly mauled by a car bomb in Iraq. First there were doubts he would survive, and then doubts he would walk again. He proved them wrong on both counts. He came in from South Korea where he is working for a defense contractor. I thought it would be good for Molly to see the stock she comes from. May not be pretty but there’s something to them.

Uncle Don’s 1948 “toy” truck. He has an 8-car garage and used to build and race cars. Now he just keeps the truck around for fun.

A toy of the toy.

Molly wanting the toy.

At the class party, retirement was the primary topic of conversation. More than one person was taken aback that I don’t plan to retire back to Lebanon. It would be easy to go back there. Despite the lack of decent coffee I do still like the area. Maybe it’s the genetic connection. Both sides of my family have been there for many generations. I probably have a genetic connection to a larger percentage of the county than should be allowed by law.

I’ve lived longer away from Lebanon than I lived in Lebanon but I still feel some pull. It’s that sense of place thing. Like Delmarva, or Whidbey Island, Washington, or Sand River in the UP, I feel comfortable there.

Don’t know why. Maybe it’s the water. Lebanon County doesn’t have any big water but lots of small water. Just to name a couple watercourses in Lebanon County there is Tulpehocken Creek, the Quitapahilla (the Quittie), the Swatara (the Swattie), Beck’s Creek, Indiantown Run, Trout Run, Pleasant Run, and of course that watercourse of legend, the Snitz Creek. For those that don’t know, Snitz is dried apples. As kids we were told that babies came from the Snitz Creek. I never could figure out the link between dried apples and babies.

Molly in the Swatara, aka the Swattie.

Waiting to get baptized in the Swattie.

The Union Canal, a circa 1800 man-made waterway connecting Lebanon to the rest of the world.

My baby.

So water polo isn’t completely over. Molly got to play in a tournament called the Spartan Invitational or some such thing. She played on what would have been called a pick-up team when I was a kid. Anyone that was available was pulled in. Most of them haven’t played for weeks and they haven’t played together as a team. Needless to say, they lost to a well organized team. But, they had some fun.

Yucking it up with buds.

What, me worry?

On the D.

Determination.

Hanging out.

Real classy.

I got out to do some odonata photography this morning. A few things were out and about but I didn’t get too many pictures. The bugs were pretty skittish and when they weren’t skittish the breeze was up.

I’m starting to see odenata photography as a Zen kind of thing. It’s not about getting great pictures, something that rarely happens. Rather, odonata photography is a process that can lead one to ultimate enlightenment. The pictures must not be important since you rarely get any. The process is what’s important. It’s the process of taking the pictures you enjoy. The process is an end onto itself, leading to enlightenment. In order to maintain sanity in odenata photography you must realize that you are not in command and everything happens for a reason. You become a part of the process, not controlling the process, living in the moment of trying to capture an image. The heat and sweat running down your back are part of the process leading to enlightenment. You learn to become one with it. Gnats, mosquitoes, poison ivy, and mud are there for your enjoyment and experience. To reach enlightenment you must absorb the experience that many others will never know and make it part of you. Dropping a $400 flash in the water is part of the process. It’s only a material object. Allow yourself to enjoy your freedom from material objects and become invested in the process instead. Besides, your $2,500 in camera gear can be replaced as long as you don’t send your kid to college. When you actually get close enough to take a picture, with perfect lighting and focus, and the odonate flies at the critical moment, it flies for a reason. Because it’s not supposed to be like this. Like the Cubs or the Orioles leading their division in August. It’s not right. There is an imbalance to the harmony of the world that must be righted. And so they fly. Or start losing.

Because if they ever do cooperate, be afraid, be very afraid. It’s probably a trap. The one cooperating and letting you get close enough for a picture is the bait. It lures you into a feeling of pleasure and a false sense of enlightenment. Then the bastards own you. They attack, and like piranha, it’s over in moments. Nothing left but smiling enlightened bones and a Nikon. Then the world is peaceful again. All is right. No great odenata pictures, no pennant for the Cubs or the Orioles. It’s part of the process. As they wait for the next photographer.

Familiar bluet.

Blue-fronted dancer.

Newly emerged banded pennant.

Newly emerged calico pennant.

Halloween pennant.

Unknown skimmer species (female).

A warm sultry day that will likely end in thunderstorms. We are in summer now. I’ll take this heat over the cold just about any time. This may be uncomfortable at times but it doesn’t physically hurt like -20 degree temperatures hurt.

I’ve been buried with work commitments the past couple weeks. There just seemed to be a perfect storm convergence of deadlines with people needing equipment set up, bat monitors needing to be deployed, and a big proposal deadline. Unlike World Cup soccer matches that seem to have pretty arbitrary ending times, proposal deadlines are hard and fast. If you’re a minute late, the proposal is not accepted.

All told, this has made for some long days and working weekends with little time to play. I didn’t even work out for about a week. But, everything got done and the proposal went in hours before the deadline. I am however, getting really really tired of chasing funding. Being entrely soft money isn’t fun. Especially when other people’s jobs depend on your proposal writing.

So this is a kick back weekend. I listened to music on YouTube until late last night. Today Lise and I checked out a new park in Lansing. It’s connected to the River Trail system and I ride right by one entry point riding home from work. It has some real odonate potential. Saw my first of the year banded pennant and eastern pondhawk there. Several other species too.

Banded pennant.

Familiar bluet.

A couple of frisky frogs.

I have gotten out a little the past couple weeks. I got to play at the Bunker property last weekend. Spent a couple hours sitting in the wetland trying to get odonate pictures. Unfortunately it was just too windy to get many pictures. Kind of a Zen thing though. At least I got to while away a few hours sitting in a wetland.

Interesting caterpillar at Bunker Road preserve.

An interesting caterpillar in black and white.

Unknown dragonfly. I think a newly emerged meadowhawk but I haven’t had time to check the field guides.

Lise and I got out to Shiawassee NWR too. Instead of driving the loop we took our bikes and hauled the scope and camera gear in the bike trailer. We did about three miles of the driving loop then cut back through the trail system. I got my dicksissel for the year and we both got marsh wren, yellowlegs, semipalmated sandpiper and cliff swallow.

I wouldn’t say this has been a good odonate or bird year for me. There are some pretty big holes in our bird species list. I haven’t gotten in the bird photography I thought I would either. The cruise was great and we had a few good days locally, but overall things have conspired against us. The winter was just plain brutal. We’re missing waterfowl we should have been able to get fairly easy. Our schedules, especially this spring, have been messy to say the least. We didn’t get to some of the key places at the critical times. Like the UP for winter finches, Mio for Kirtland’s warblers, or Pointe Mouillee for shorebirds. Our trip to Shiawassee NWR was way after spring migration.

Timing is everything. Things are pretty ephemeral in the natural world. There are cycles going on that we have no control of. I kind of like that. If you want to witness them, you have to be there when it’s happening. No instant replays. They don’t wait for you. This ephemeral nature of things is part of the reason I’ve been so busy lately. We had to get bat monitors out at the same time the big proposal was due. Waiting a few days for either doesn’t work. The bat monitor setup I designed had my boss carrying boxes of car batteries through the woods in the Upper Peninsula. That didn’t work too well either. I sure hope that proposal gets funded.

Monday, June 30

We’re past the solstice now so the days are getting shorter. I for one am not happy about it and wish to file a complaint with the management. I was just getting used to long days and warm weather and now we’re sliding back to winter.

Between downpours and other commitments we haven’t been getting out too much. On Saturday I got to spend some time in a wetland chasing odonata. Not too productive but at least I was out there. Got back to the car just as a major thunderstorm ripped loose. I put the hatchback up, put the camera in the car, and down came the biblical rains. I had to change out of my waders under the hatchback. While I was sitting in the wetland I did hear a barred owl calling, my first for the year.

A spread-wing damsel fly I haven’t keyed out yet.

Same unidentified spreadwing in black and white.

Ferns in black and white.

Stefan and I are doing a trip to Peru this September. Since some commitments like water polo and graduation open houses have fallen away, I’ve had some time to work on trip logistics. Like filling little zip lock bags with toilet paper, a paper towel, and an individually packaged, sterilized and sanitized, antibacterial wet wipe. So we are ready to go, so to speak.

On the bus ride to work I was looking at the Birds of Peru field guide. Peru, bigger than Texas but smaller than Alaska, has about 1800 recorded species. That’s a lot of bird species. Just to put things in perspective, for purposes of a “birding big year” the American Birding Association (ABA) defines North America as the U.S. and Canada, and throws in the Aleutian Islands for good measure. The American Ornithological Union (AOU) has about 700 breeding species for the same area. You can get another 100 or so occasional stray species. The record “big year” for North America, is now 749 species. If you were to divide 749 by the ABA area of North America (approximately 7.64 million square miles) you get a species to area ratio of approximately 0.000098. That’s not a very impressive number. Looking at a larger definition of North America, which includes Mexico and Central America (9.54 million square miles), and using the AOU list for the same area (~2000 species), you get a species to area ration of 0.0002098 or approximately twice as many birds per unit area. Better, but that includes species rich Central America. Now let’s look at Peru. With an area of 496,200 square miles, and 1800 species, you get a species to area ratio of 0.0036275. Better than any definition of North America by an order of magnitude.

The Birds of Peru field guide has 22 pages of hummingbirds and similar species. With at least five species per page.  There’s eight pages of parrots and macaws. Apparently ants are a big thing because there are 19 pages of antwrens, antshrikes, antbirds, and antthrushes. Dozens of bird families, genus, and species that I’ve never heard of. If this place has indoor plumbing and scrapple I could consider moving there.

Bob was laid to rest on Saturday. A good ceremony for a good man.

We have great friends. They have helped us considerably since Bob’s passing, mowing the lawn while we were gone and providing food. Really, really good food.  To the point that I’m thinking about offing some of my siblings so the food keeps coming.

Given events and our schedule the past couple weeks we haven’t gotten out much. This evening Lise and I took a little walk at Lake Lansing North. Cut short by thunder and rain but we did get a sedge wren for the year. Lise also got an Acadian flycatcher and a black-billed cuckoo down in West Lafayette. Right now I’m at 189 bird species for the year and Lise is at 186.

Halloween pennant from a quick jaunt on Father’s Day

 I’ve gotten a new phone recently. My 12 year old flip phone fell and broke. Certain demands were laid on me by family and co-workers to get a phone that allows texting. I now have one, and I hate the damn thing. Every time I touch it, stuff happens. Usually stuff I don’t want to happen. I’m a bit concerned that the command to launch SAC bombers on a nuclear strike is buried on my phone. Whenever I try to get the phone out of my pocket it starts making noises and I’m starting WW III. The camera button is right where I hold the phone to talk so I’m always taking pictures of my hand or leg. Or even worse a video. No more using the phone while in the bathroom. God knows what pictures I would be sending around. So much for advances in technology.

Lindsay trying to show her smart phone who’s boss. I feel your pain. Give it a shot for me.

Robert Lee Eichhorn

4/24/24 – 6/15/14

Loving husband, dedicated father, proud grandfather and great-grandfather, decorated combat medic, involved teacher, respected researcher, mentor, friend, and gentle soul.

A good man.

Some people live their lives and leave this world. Some people live their lives and leave legacies that make the world better. Bob left legacies that  make the world better.

Rest in peace. You will be missed.

Why was I foolish enough to think that we could relax after Molly’s commencement? No school, no water polo games, just some time to catch up on things.

We’re done now, right? (Mike Q. photo)

OK, now we’re surely done, right? (Mike Q. photo)

Well water polo keeps coming back like a bad bean burrito. Turns out that the father of twins on the water polo team just happens to be the photographer for the Michigan House and Senate. So on Tuesday the water polo team got a special tour of the State Capitol building. This included recognition in both the House and the Senate chambers, and a photo op with the governor.

In the State Capitol building. (Mike Q. photo)

In the Capitol.

With Sam Singh our local House Rep. (Mike Q. photo)

With Gollum, our Lt. Governor. This guy drips slime. He looks like he is selling insurance or used cars. Or both. Candy little girl? (Mike Q. photo)

Molly shaking hands with Governor Snyder. (Mike Q. photo)

Selfie with the Gov. For a Republican he has a sense of humor. (Mike Q. photo)

The team with the Gov and a proclamation he signed saying how great they are. (Mike Q. photo)

Anita came out for commencement. So of course we had to do the Putt-Putt championship of the world. At an indoor black light putt-putt course no less. It don’t get much better than this. Well, maybe the place in Florida that had alligators in the water trap. I won’t say what handsome, suave, debonair devil won the Putt-Putt World Championship with not one, but two hole in ones.

Lindsay in the giant shark jaws.

Molly checking out the octopus

Molly doing a shot.

Anita sizing up the situation.

Lindsay being eaten by the dinosaur.

Lise doing her hole-in-one dance.

Then Thursday was the end of the season team party. The girls were given their awards, varsity letters, and team gag awards. Molly got her varsity letter, academic all-league, and academic all-state. Not bad at all. Since she always has a goofy face in water polo pictures she was given the bad picture gag award.

Championship game shot with an award winning look. Yes, the opponent’s hand is legal. 

Molly has an interesting corner shot from a really bad angle in what is usually considered a dead corner. The coach said he didn’t want anyone attempting a shot from that corner except Molly. In his words, “Only Molly can hit that corner.” I believe he designed a play around her hitting from what is usually an undefended corner. When the coach was talking about Molly he mentioned her hitting a shot he didn’t think could be hit. He said Molly won the “No. no, no, no, – Oooh good” award.

Getting her awards.

 Water polo buds.

Then we started in to the graduation open house circuit for the weekend. Some of these things are major soirées with large tents, piles of food, and DJs.  We had a “can’t miss” on Friday night and several on Saturday. Just to add to the frenzy, on Saturday Lise and I ran over to Port Huron for a project grand opening ceremony. Two hours over there, attend the ceremony, two hours back, and then hit the next open house. In this case it was for an Indian friend of Molly’s. So lots of really good Indian food. It was all vegetarian which helped average out the large pieces of pig and cow we ate at the Friday open house. Two hours after the Indian open house it was off to a dessert only open house for a water polo teammate. No scrapple at any of the open houses so far. These people just don’t know how to feed a party.

The grand opening was for a habitat restoration project along the St Clair River. The habitat restoration is integrated in with a riverfront walkway right in Port Huron. Lise helped a bit with the planning and she designed the interpretive signs. The whole project was well received and Lise’s signs got rave reviews. This was the first time she integrated sculptures into the signs. People loved them.

Mudpuppy sign.

Mudpuppy sculpture on the sign.

Turtle sign.

Turtle sculpture on the sign. We heard a little girl ask if the turtle was real.

So today was the first day in some time I could get out to play. Dragonflies have been flying for a couple weeks but I just couldn’t get out. Today was way too windy for many odonata or good photography but at least I got to sit in a wetland for a couple hours. Not as good as Sand River but I was happy.

Mating dot-tailed whitefaces.

Damselfly exuviae. The aquatic phase of a dragonfly or damsel fly crawls out of the water and breaks out of its skin to become a flying adult. The remaining shell is called the exuviae. If you have enough of these you could probably make scrapple.

Slender spreadwing damselfly with exuviae still attached.

Newly emerged (teneral) slender spreadwing damselfly. Without its wings spread.

Immature 12 spotted skimmer. The spots will come in later.