tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30549302024-03-07T00:38:45.048-06:00RANTOMATRantor, founding member of the International League of Luddites, headquartered in South Austin, Texas 78704, celebrates National Indignation Week every day of the year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3033125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-9741395174691425222017-04-05T09:41:00.001-05:002017-04-05T09:42:45.944-05:00Farm auction in 1947Below is a list of items put up for bids following the end of dairy operations at a farm belonging to one grandfather:
Hay Loader, 6' Mower, Hay Rake, Disc Harrow, 2 sets Spring Tooth Harrows, 2 Farm Wagons, Hay Rack with Sides, Set Heavy Bob Sleds, Wood Rack for Sleds, 2-row Cultivator, Walking Cultivator, Garden Cultivator, 2 Walking Plows, 2 Heavy Team Harnesses, Rake Harness, Single Driving Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-80027774632958146892016-03-08T15:31:00.003-06:002016-03-08T15:31:44.182-06:00All together now in the springtimeAnemone coronaria St. Brigid has gone to town this year, showy and prolific and long-blooming. Visitors marvel. The Bradford pear has come into bloom soon enough to join the redbud tree next to it in a great floral show. The flowers are beginning to drop only now, as the leaves bud out. Many different varieties of Lilac Wonder species tulip are in bloom, some each on a single stalk and others Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-20078332518239448012016-03-08T14:36:00.003-06:002016-03-08T14:37:49.336-06:00Furniture with many an aliasThis common article of furniture in the category of case goods was first known to me as a chest of drawers, but others call it a bureau or a dresser.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-38426096553733457822016-02-26T09:30:00.001-06:002016-02-26T09:30:17.610-06:00Spring's moving right along
Anemones have been in bloom for almost a month. This week has brought more hyacinths and more narcissi, along with redbud blossoms, leucojums, single jonquils, and more. Ice Follies daffodils are beautiful, but not prolific this year. For the first time in ages, they were not yet open on Valentine's Day and so the flowers have not been stolen. This morning we could see buds on the Japanese Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-81194543818019043972016-01-05T13:58:00.000-06:002016-01-05T16:24:02.806-06:00Cassette tapes: an inventoryThe household stock of recorded music is chiefly on vinyl, and there's plenty of it, even though the most valuable LPs were sold long ago. CDs are in moderate supply. Seeing a couple of pieces about cassette tapes recently prompted a listen to what's on hand in that format.
La Leyenda; Vicente Fermandez; MusiTex, San Antonio; 1985: contains old favorites Volver and El Rey
Conjunto volume 3, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-30569822254101317742015-05-14T11:03:00.000-05:002015-05-14T11:03:44.159-05:00Loquat bonanza draws gray fox activityThis morning at about 6:45 am there was a gray fox in the pleasure grounds, drawn by the giant, juicy fruits of the loquat. Figs are forming; so are squashes, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, cucumbers, and passion fruits. We have greatly enjoyed dining on yellow bush beans. There is an On Deck ear of corn, appearing just days after the first tassel. Both orange and yellow Bright Lights cosmos are in Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-62494744513595290492015-05-04T14:51:00.003-05:002015-05-04T14:51:54.756-05:00Crepuscular visitorAt just about 8:30 pm on Friday, May 1, when it was not quite entirely dark, we were sitting outdoors when the largest gray fox we've seen yet came sauntering into the yard apparently headed either for water or for the loquats near the basins of water set out. The stripe atop the fox's tail was very clearly to be seen, as were black spots on the fox's face. The fox was aware of our presence, but&Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-54224928983911754202015-05-01T14:09:00.000-05:002015-05-01T14:09:18.790-05:00Butterflies, loquats, nigellaAlthough a frost took some potential loquat fruits, those remaining are very large and juicy. They have been attracting clouds and clouds of red admiral butterflies, which drink directly of the fruit's juice via any breach of the skin. Also seen in the vicinity, although to a lesser extent are many question mark butterflies. Every day we see some gulf fritillary butterflies among the passion Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-220920362728013532015-05-01T08:36:00.004-05:002015-05-01T10:30:59.898-05:00The perfect bowl for breakfast cereal, hot or coldWhy did Bennington Potters discontinue these? This is a Bennington bird bowl in blue in blue; there were also speckled greenish-tan Bennington bird bowls. The perfect size, the perfect depth, the perfect everything. The number on the unglazed bottom is 1808. Some call these porridge bowls, fish bowls, or fish soup bowls.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-16346143299856911242015-04-15T10:15:00.000-05:002016-03-08T15:32:55.971-06:00Passion vine, for the gulf fritillary butterfly
To the left of this passion flower a bud can be seen. These don't flower all that often and, when they do, the blooms are often way up in a tree, and there's no way of seeing that there has been a flower until the spent remains drop to the ground. To see this bloom in all its spectacular glory, click on the image.
The passion vines most often seen here in Austin produce flowers that Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-37833174475701482782015-04-07T10:10:00.000-05:002015-04-07T23:30:29.172-05:00As spring progresses
New arrivals this morning were the first rose, the first sweet pea blossoms (three different colors), the first nasturtium, and the third stalk of old-fashioned standard iris in an anise-scented mauve color with a golden tinge. Remaining are Dutch irises (now yellow, cream with a lavender tinge, and yellow-and white, preceded by crimson, blue, and white), several kinds of narcissus (some Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-48374712333979068132014-09-25T16:03:00.003-05:002014-09-25T16:03:49.095-05:00Wonders of the seasonSeptember 9 brought the first oxblood or schoolhouse lilies (rhodophiala bifida); two days later, on September 11, the pink version of these beautiful flowers appeared. White rain lilies have been everywhere, and during the past two week we have seen seven of the beautiful small pink rain lilies in the side yard, in addition to one saffron golden rain lily nearby, and one butter-yellow rain lily Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-59903019528484025802014-09-25T15:22:00.000-05:002014-09-25T16:05:17.803-05:00Department of bad proseThese examples are all to be found in an article reviewing a book about Scalia written by a prose stylist at Chicago Law:
(a) "Perhaps as importantly,"
(b) "More tellingly still," and
(c) "The fundamental facts of Bush v. Gore are plenty discrediting; there is no need for larding such additional sorts of dismal motivations."
The third item is an example of the English language as it may exist in Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-77016969236727842412014-09-07T11:06:00.002-05:002014-09-07T11:06:47.044-05:00Tallest tithonia toppledThe world's tallest and most bloom-laden tithonia plant went down, snapped off by the wind. All figs have been consumed, and the pecans are going fast. The ground is littered with bits of shell. Yesterday brought the very first spider lilies (lycoris radiata); this morning we found three stalks of oxblood lily flowers (rhodophiala bifida). Because they began anew after the harsh winter, lantanas Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-81083738066141683562014-07-09T10:32:00.002-05:002014-09-07T11:02:00.206-05:00For the first time this seasonThere were two zebra longwing butterflies working the lantana flowers. A black-chinned hummingbird lingered among the Turk's caps. Flowers of the hyacinth bean have opened way up the cable, near the tree limb.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-83324736770954712092014-07-03T11:14:00.001-05:002014-07-03T11:14:25.261-05:00By the light of the silvery moonThere's at least one moonflower blossom each night, but we often see only the spent remnants, because we end our days too soon and sometimes don't begin them soon enough. The pot hanging from the long cable contains vines that have run all the way up to the oak limb from which the cable is suspended. There are now Grandpa Ott morning glories every day up and down the cable, and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-67370293599421581032014-06-16T12:43:00.000-05:002014-06-16T12:43:00.724-05:00BountyThe first ears of On Deck corn have been harvested and consumed. The cobs are small, but the kernels are very tasty. Each day threatens to bring the last sweet pea of the season, but there are still one or two. Every one of the specimens of pride of Barbados has now returned from the roots. Fennel blossoms are everywhere. Coreopsis has a second flush of bloom. The first ruellia ("Mexican petunia"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-27065048102777642122014-06-05T14:01:00.001-05:002014-06-05T14:01:14.484-05:00They weren't there yesterdayToday brought the first tithonia flower ("Mexican sunflower") and the first figs. The figs are small and far from ripe, but yesterday there was not one fig visible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-84326059486005337202014-05-30T12:30:00.002-05:002014-06-05T13:59:31.163-05:00A slithery visitorWe were surprised to find a juvenile Texas rat snake back near the compost pile. We've only ever seen an extremely large adult example of this snake, and only once. They appear when the rats are plentiful, as they must be, in the wake of all the demolition and remodeling everywhere nearby. Ponder Lee, a neighborhood cat, has brought no slain rats to the yard, though. We continue to enjoy lettuce Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-89214777229355609112014-05-20T14:33:00.002-05:002014-05-20T14:33:51.044-05:00Keeping up with the spring arrivalsBulb foliage has died back enough and grass has grown enough that the trusty non-power mower came into use this morning for the first time this year. Only leaves of the Dutch iris have not yet turned brown. A good-sized opossum was seen yesterday morning next door. Our newest arrivals in the flower world are nasturtiums (orange), cultivated rudbeckia, two colors of four o'clock, both yellow and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-11458954934080678952014-05-15T09:58:00.000-05:002014-05-15T09:58:49.917-05:00In the pleasure groundsSpring progresses. The pecan flowers have all dropped; there wasn't much sassafras scent this year. A great resurgence of Erlicheer brought the last narcissi. Only two of our Saint Joseph's lilies bloomed, but the ones across the street were spectacular. Among the poppies, we've seen showy Hungarian bread poppies, Shirley poppies, Iceland poppies, corn poppies, and true red old-fashioned poppies,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-37014560304700940482014-04-22T15:00:00.000-05:002014-04-22T15:00:08.156-05:00Since last weekIt was Tuesday a week ago that a tally was last taken. Since then, there's been a large flock of cedar waxwings seen and warblers heard although not seen. There's still one fresh Erlicheer, and anemones continue to appear. Pollinated oak flowers are still dropping; tassels of pecan flowers are fresh on the tree. We see at least one anole every day. The beautiful St. Joseph's lilies are very showyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-30457553882916880192014-04-15T10:09:00.001-05:002014-04-15T10:09:45.332-05:00The day before yesterday and about a year agoThis is Tuesday; Sunday brought us our first bearded iris (see a heritage iris from a year ago). It has stood up very well against the extremely high winds and rain. On Sunday before the winds and rain of Monday we also saw an anole and a pipevine swallowtail butterfly, along with some gulf fritillaries. We know that there are larvae of giant swallowtail butterflies here, because they're Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-90384173582263672262014-04-12T10:03:00.001-05:002014-04-12T10:03:17.519-05:00Spring in progressThe pollinated flowers are falling from the live oak tree in the front yard. Sweet peas are in bloom in two places, in pots and behind the house. There is one true poppy flower open. The roses that reverted to the root stock variety are covered with flowers. The pansies and violas in pots are getting leggy but continue to do quite well, thanks to faithful deadheading; They are a great attraction Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3054930.post-46243793185042697122014-04-09T13:52:00.001-05:002014-04-09T13:52:14.483-05:00Stormy weatherMonday evening unexpectedly brought hailstones the size of peas, and lots of them. The ground was left white and, in shady spots, the slushy residue did not melt until mid-afternoon yesterday. (Speaking of peas, the pods of Wando were battered and almost shaved.) The accompanying exceptionally high winds brought down trees in some places. Here, the pollen and many new leaves from the live oak Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0