It's January . . .

But who would know!?

Every flowering plant that makes an appearance in mid to late February is now in bloom. My favorite is Flame Vine. Flame Vine is a climbing vine and is found in the oldest trees that have never had benefit of a visit by a commercial arborist. That's a guy who charges you a couple of hundred dollars to give you an opinion on your tree. I know one aborist. He once moved a tree that was a couple of hundred years old on a building site and it is still living. He likes flame vine too. My other favorite is Turkey Oak. Turkey Oak needs some cold weather to get right for a dogwood like bloom. Many plants I like to watch in spring need some cold to hold them in check for a bloom. There has been no real cold to hold anything in check this winter. The azaleas have been showing color since Christmas. Usually they hold off for a spectacular explosion of color. That explosion spreads north and is usually terminates somewhere in mid Georgia. That is sometime in March. From there it is up to the Red Bud (really lavender) and Dogwood to continue the Appalachian show that reaches the Ohio River around the last of April and early May.

So. While midwesterners and upper Sou'easters are enduring ice storms and other northern jet stream misery, we are experiencing an appearance of the southern jet stream or the "Pineapple Express." It is a warm flow that comes across Central America from the Pacific with el Nino and makes for some really strange weather.

Jim and Wilma are getting along in their new routine. Jim, who was near getting his final ticket punched in November, has rallied and is back in his normal humorously snarky mood. He is on on O2 and has a cannula line strung through the condo. As with any therapeutic, it is working so well that he is thinking of ditching it. The adults in charge are not about to have any of it. He dislikes not being the fully functional silver back, but he is well recognized for his position as silver back emeritus. Jim will have a birthday in the Aquarian days of February. He will be 80. His birthday is two days after mine. His quote, "Hell, if I had known that I would have lasted this long, I would have planned better." It is slightly tongue in cheek and foot in mouth.

I endured the State of the Union speech this week. Thanks to the "internets" I had access to the same copy that the President was using. Poor thing. While, the greater part of the American populous may not know what is going on behind the scenes, it is quite obvious that "somethin' ain't right."

Super Bowl? Out of town team, home town hero . . . It is possible to identify greatness by the quality of people who are associated with a particular individual. It is just that way with the coming contest between Tony Dungee and Lovie Smith. I am not a slavish follower of pop sports but when the talent of particular individuals stands out, I pay attention. Unlike many Super Bowls that were a blood lust between sworn rivals, this one is going to be a cerebral scrimmage between collegial Zen Masters of the game. I will be unable to follow it on TV because that medium has become an irritant to me. I will have to search for a more collegial medium to gather my Super Bowl News. Maybe from Oliver Willis.

Take a look at the links on the right under the my del.icio.us heading. It is what I am reading and saving to bookmarks. Some may be of interest to you, some not. They all hold a grain of substance for me. If there is something of interest that you find send it to me. My email is also on the right near the top of the page. I do not post FW: material. I like original material with good links.

This is all for now. The light has become perfect for pics. Gotta go.

LB