What this country is still needing
Little Sister writes: “The windows need washing . . . again. And we have a lot of them.
“This is just about my most dreaded chore. I put it off, knowing that the fruits of my labor won’t last past the next good rainstorm.
“For sure, in short order, the living-room windows will show the artfully placed dabs of pooch drool and slobber. From their respective perches, both dogs stand at attention, watching for the next squirrel or feathered friend to pass by. Getting up close and personal with the glass in the process is essential for sentry duty.
“If only someone could come up with windows that would defy dirt, grime and nose prints — glass that would remain spotless, streak-free, and allow the sun to stream through unabated! I would be more than happy to be their first customer!”
BULLETIN BOARD SAYS: May we be second?
Our birds, ourselves
Our Official Ornithologist, Al B of Hartland, reports: “I drove by a harvested field of sweet corn that had become a field of Canada geese.
“There was a single common grackle in the field. It was odd to see just one grackle.
“Take a good look at a grackle. It really is a beautiful bird.
“Common grackles are abundant and widespread, though their populations declined by nearly 2 percent per year between 1966 and 2014, resulting in a cumulative decline of 58 percent according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey.
“I see them here from early March to late November. They nest in May through July. The young leave the nest in 10 to 17 days. As soon as the breeding season is over and the young birds are well grown, they begin to gather in the summer roosts to form immense flocks. During October and November, these great flocks wander about over the country, often joined by starlings, cowbirds and other blackbirds, seeking suitable feeding places in grain fields, grasslands and swamps.”
Older Than Dirt?
Or: Know thyself!
Norton’s mom of Eau Claire, Wisconsin: “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed changes in the way I think and act.
“A couple of weeks ago, I saw an older couple walking down the street holding hands. My reaction to seeing something like that in the past has been ‘Oh, how sweet.’ That day, my initial reaction was: ‘I wonder which one of them tends to wander away and get lost if the other one doesn’t hold their hand?’
“I also caught myself paging to the end of a couple of mystery novels I was reading to see ‘who done it’ way before I got to the end of the book. I guess I was worried about going to ‘that big library in the sky’ (which I would guess has no penalties for returning overdue books, just forgiveness) before I was able to finish reading the book.
“Ahhh . . . the ‘Golden Years.'”
Our pests, ourselves
Charlotte of Inver Grove Heights: “Subject: Japanese beetles.
“Some people pick them and put them in soapy water. I, in spite of what other people are doing, use the bags. The best ones are the brand (Bonide) advertised on TV. Yes, they bring more of them into my yard, but only to be trapped! Sometimes I’ve had to change a bag after less than a day. Each female lives a short life of 30 to 45 days, BUT can lay 60 eggs in that short lifetime! They’re NOT like bees where there’s a queen and a lot of workers! It’s male and female like us!”
Our flora, ourselves
Mounds View Swede writes: “While visiting friends in Missouri who are serious gardeners, I noticed three rows of zinnias in their garden and went to take a look. I was intrigued by the variations in the blossoms.
“This one seemed to emphasize the petals . . .
“. . . while this one had more of them in a slightly different color . . .
“. . . while this one really ‘went to town’ with the petals.
“They also had different color blossoms. I hadn’t seen an orange one before . . .
“. . . nor a brown one. Perhaps it was just old.
“They also varied greatly in the ‘core’ or center area. This one had few petals and lots of core . . .
“. . . and this one had even fewer petals and more core. That’s a ‘painted lady’ butterfly on it.
“And the one of the right seemed to have a basement layer of petals.
“The lady of the garden said she planted a variety pack of zinnia seeds. Variety is right! She uses them to make bouquets to use in the Sunday services in their small church, so there is a purpose to this beyond just enjoying them in the garden and providing food for the bees and butterflies.”
Everyone’s a critic!
Sports Pages Division
Donald: “Subject: The highlight of the game?
“It happened again . . . this time on Page C9 of the Sports section in Sunday’s edition of the paper west of St. Paul.
“On the page containing the Twins/Diamondbacks box score, along with the completion of the article about the game, plus another article about the Twins, and the Major League results, standings, and upcoming games, was an ‘action photo.’ Did the photograph capture an offensive highlight? A defensive gem? A post-game celebration? The correct answer was: (d) none of the above. Here is the caption: ‘Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco fielded a ninth-inning grounder from A.J. Pollack on Saturday night.’
“Such drama! Such excitement! Such a waste!”
BULLETIN BOARD MUSES: And such a surprise that any photographer was still taking pictures of routine plays in the ninth inning of a Twins/Diamondbacks game!
Never woulda happened in the pre-digital, film days.
The kindness of strangers
Jennifer writes: “Beautiful things happen!
“I had a knock at my door on August 9th. My oldest son answered the door. A gentleman a bit older than him was standing at the entryway and said that he ‘found your wallet’!
“The gentleman had a bright sunny smile and a great laugh! They shook hands. My son had no clue he had lost his wallet on his walk home, well over a mile away.
“My son was in shock that he had lost his wallet! Also, trying to comprehend that someone would be so kind to return it!
“My son told the gentleman that if he had any cash, he would give him a reward. This guy said didn’t want a reward. He said: ‘I’m just happy to return it to you.’
“Nothing was missing from my son’s wallet.
“Amazing. Great strangers exist!”
Our community of strangers
LindaGrandmaSue of St. Cloud writes: “How I admire the BB community. Thank you for your stories, your chuckles, your knowledge, your wisdom, your creativity.
“I’m especially enjoying the shared nature pictures this summer. Thinking of where those monarchs in the last post are heading boggles the mind. (Although I admit mine is easily boggled.)”
Ask Bulletin Board
Doris G. of Randolph, Minnesota, writes: “Subject: Wonder what these are.
“We spotted these on the side of our flower box near a tree. Looks like the top of the shell is opened up, and something must have crawled out of the shell.
“Any readers know what this was, or what it is now?”
Band Name of the Day: Who Done It
Law Firm of the Day: Pooch, Drool & Slobber
Website of the Day: Common Grackle
Bulletin Board 