Why?

I am a fan of air conditioning.  Willis Carrier is my hero.  Yet I ask "Why?" is this wonderful convenience so often and so severely abused?  This is primarily in reference to public spaces.  How you use your unit in your own home  or in your automobile is  your business.  Enjoy.  But it is essential, at least in the Midwest where summer temperatures typically hover in the nineties that one carry a jacket or sweat shirt with him if he is planning a foray into a restaurant or public office.

Following a number of wonderful days in Kansas where the temperatures were often in the low nineties we headed homeward.  Typical Midwestern day, we stopped in Springfield, Illinois for an evening repast.  We were seated eight feet, literally eight feet, from the device pictured here.  Observe that  it is set calling for 70^oF and that the thermometer component records 70^oF.  I had to get up, go outside in the ninety degree heat, walk to my vehicle and get a jacket so that I could partake of my meal.  Hands were still cold, but my heart kept beating.

County Fair Time, 2017

The annual 4-H Fair has come and gone.  Typically the weather was only semi-cooperative.  A significant portion of the time was too hot and/or too wet.  But it is now history.  Someone suggested the dates might be shifted in hopes of somewhat cooler weather.  But it is Indiana, so . .  .

 This little piggy wears her heart on her shoulder.

 The merchants displayed their wares.

The kids submitted their projects for judging.

And a good time was had by many.

Amphibian

We were in the sitting room watching TV when BBBH turned toward the window and saw that we were being watched watching TV.

 If you biggify the pictures, you can see that he is watching us.  Look at those eyes!

After taking a few shots through the screen, I went outside to get this shot from the other side.

We've listened to his song several evenings, but this is the first time he joined us for a movie.

What do you think, Lin?  Our toad is cute, too.  Right?

Strolling Around the Yard

 BLT time!

 The hen's brood of chicks.

What the heck? "Banana pepper"?  I think not.

Off to the Fair!

 Where have we been?

We've been to the fair!

 To the fair?

What saw we there?

Little Lamancha goats.

Aren't they cute?

No ears.

And lots of other animals, ovine, bovine, porcine, and feathered.

Then after Sunday brunch we return to the car

to find this little green passenger awaiting a ride.

Green?  I have seen black spiders, and brown, grey spiders and white.  

But green?  Not until now.

The American Lamancha is a breed of dairy goat.  While most goats have long, droopy ears, Lamanchas have a mere button on each side of the head.

Zip a Dee Doo Dah

Can you believe it?  It is July again.  Seems only, oh, a year ago that it was July.

And what is it with Zippy?  Well, and I know you will want to celebrate this major advancement in communications, the Zip Code system was introduced by the United States Postal Service on July 1, 1963.

I can remember a day in which the Post Office would deliver your mail if it was addressed to the right town (okay, if the town were not really big).  Now they will not deliver your mail if the street number is one digit off the correct one.  I can also remember when the carrier walked his route twice a day to see that your mail was delivered in a timely manner.

The Service makes rules even they cannot follow.  I have a post office box, by choice-- I also have a valid street address.  One of the rules, posted prominently, is that the clerk is prohibited from handing mail across the counter, "don't forget your key."  Now stick with me.  If you were to address a package to me, the size of which would preclude its being stuffed into my p.o box, the mail clerk will put a little orange note into my box, which I am to take to the clerk, who in turn will hand me the package over the counter.  See what I am saying here?

Well, I guess I see the world through jaundiced eyes, and I am easily amused.  I am so fortunate.

Oh, yes.  I can also remember when a first-class letter could be mailed for three cents, and a postcard cost a penny.  But then, you did know that I am pretty old.

(Also, I know the guy's name is Mr. Zip, but you will excuse me if I continue to refer to him as "Zippy.")

Snark

Yep, cruised around the lake in a Snark.  The guys with their cats might laugh, but I wasn't the one out there trying to right a capsized boat in a windstorm.

Just far enough into Spring to recall the joys of Summer.

History and Agriculture

 We have passed this marker literally dozens of times.  Time to scrutinize it with more care.

 Seems that June 3 is the appropriate time to observe the anniversary of the organization of the county, so herewith we will remark the organization of Tipton County.

Our spin on the scooter took us through miles of corn and soybean fields.  The browning at the base of the plants is evidence of a soon-coming fall.  This field is quite typical of the corn in the area.  The tip of the fingers on my right hand is seven feet, eight inches from the ground.