Posted in insects

Dragonfly encounter

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I noticed this impressive insect hitching a ride on the van as I got ready to leave this morning. With a nice four inch wingspan, I doubt he really needed transportation. He was probably just taking a break.

You need some dragonfly trivia, don’t you? Here you go, mostly from the Smithsonian magazine.

  • Dragonflies eat hundreds of mosquitos each day. That’s why they are always welcome in my yard. They are effective hunters, catching ninety-five percent of their prey.
  • Dragonflies can fly straight up and down and backwards at up to thirty-five miles per hour. They can hover, too, so they can even mate in midair.
  • Adult dragonflies only live a few weeks or possibly a month. Maybe that’s why I don’t see them around very often.
  • With lens-covered spherical eyes on top of their body, dragonflies have 360-degree vision.
  • Fossil records of prehistoric dragonflies show some species to have two-foot wingspans!

Their size always startles me, but dragonflies are no threat and nice to have around.

Posted in trash

After being inside all this time, a week in the Florida sun

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The trash collectors only take large items, like furniture and appliances, on Fridays. So when this chair showed up on the curb on Saturday morning, I knew we’d get a lot of good looks all week long. The hot sun and soaking rains will have a full six days to take their best shot at finishing off this recliner. It certainly adds to the charm of the neighborhood, doesn’t it?

It’s a long shot, but someone may take this chair home before the workers compress it in the back of the garbage truck. It’s not in horrible shape. Yet. Passing dogs haven’t yet stopped to mark it. Ants may make their way into the stuffing. Birds perched on the power line above may leave droppings. Once water seeps in metal will rust and mold will grow.

How long ago did those neighbors buy this chair? It’s hard to tell. Would genuine leather discolor in that way? Do you think they tried to sell it at a garage sale or online marketplace? Some thrift stores will pick up used items, but they are picky about condition. I doubt this recliner would make the cut.

So how do you get rid of old furniture? I’ve seen the trash guys pick up sofas, dressers, sectionals, mattresses and box springs, refrigerators, washers, driers, freezers, dishwashers, hot water heaters, dining room sets, desks, lamps, lawn mowers, bathtubs, vanities, doors, countertops, and microwaves. A recliner? No big deal.

Posted in music

Back in the balcony, back on the horn

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s been four years since I played trumpet for Easter Sunday. After that hiatus, I’m at a new church that has a pipe organ in the balcony with a talented organist. I introduced myself and said, “If you a trumpet player for Easter, I’m willing to play.” She immediately accepted my offer, got me some music, and we set up a rehearsal time.

As we ascended the steps into the loft, I thought, “It’s been fourteen years since I played in a church balcony.” That was for my son’s wedding. In the meantime, I usually played hymns and descants for Easter worship. But since my retirement, I didn’t have those opportunities. Until this year.

I started getting into shape after Christmas, hoping I’d have the chance to play. Playing at home is different than playing in a church. At home, my sound easily fills the bedroom where I practice. In an empty sanctuary, standing in a balcony, in front of ranks of organ pipes, it’s different.

As a rehearsal begins, I fight the temptation to over blow, thinking I have to fill the room with sound. I forget how far the sound of a trumpet carries. I’m behind the sound, not out in the space. It’s hard to relax, getting used to a new accompanist.

But after a few minutes, it feels familiar. Air fills horn and the pipes. Music fills the air. I can feel the vibrations from the big pipes. From the corner of my eye, I follow the head and shoulders of the organist. The notes fit together. It’s thrilling and motivating. I love this.

What an enjoyable gift from the Lord to be able to make music. What a gift to give it back to the Lord, too!

Posted in optimism, productivity

What if it turns out great?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Sticker it on Unsplash

I just learned that “overthinking” is a thing. Overthinking is when you can’t stop dwelling on past failures, constantly worry about the future, and accumulate worst-case scenarios in your head to the point where you can’t make decisions.

I don’t think I’m an overthinker. I tend to be decisive.

However, I don’t think it’s unusual for someone to be so afraid of failing, sees all the things that could go wrong, and find the cloud to accompany every silver lining.

That’s why I really like this quote from Tori Simokov. “If you’re going to overthink, at least overthink all the ways it could work out in your favor, all the best case scenarios, and every version of your life that turns out better than expected.” (Who’s Tori Simokov? I don’t know. I forget where I read this, but I think she’s a travel blogger. I jotted this down and figured I should give her credit.)

What if this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted? What if I absolutely love this experience? What if this is my breakthrough moment? What if this is a moment I’ll never forget?

That’s all it takes to turn your mind upside down, isn’t it? What if we changed all our “what ifs” into positive possibilities?

Posted in driving

King of the (lizard) world

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s kind of hard to see, but this little guy is perched on the hood of our car as I backed out of the driveway and headed down the street. He skittered out from under the windshield wipers and stood up like a small hood ornament.

I wondered out loud, “How fast do you think I can go before he flies away?” I couldn’t accelerate much in the neighborhood. But maybe he’d hold on until we got on a bigger road. Or maybe even the interstate. Wouldn’t it be fun to have that wind in your face?

I didn’t get to find out. He didn’t hang on very long. He scooted over to the edge of the hood and disappeared over the side.

I’ll bet he could have hung on. He can climb up the walls of our house, trees in the yard, up the slats of the fence, and he had no problem getting up on to the hood.

Had I stepped on the gas sooner, I could have given him a “king of the world” moment, right?

Posted in shopping

One hour delivery

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash

It’s one-day-old news, but Amazon now offering one-hour delivery on some items in larger cities. That’s fast. In fact, that’s amazing. They have the data to know what to warehouse because that’s what people want and need really, really quickly. For just a few extra bucks.

Like what? What do I imagine myself ordering that I need right away?

  • Maybe I’m cooking for a crowd and I need an ingredient. I used to go across the street to a neighbor’s house for some sugar, baking soda, or garlic powder. Now an independent driver will speed to the house while I’m in the middle of preparing a meal.
  • If I’ve got a couple of little ones in diapers, I won’t have to pack up the kids and run to the store for diapers or wipes. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes.
  • Wouldn’t you love to have someone bring you some pain reliever for your splitting headache instead of having to go out on a cold, rainy day?
  • Instead of that third or fourth trip to the hardware store to finish up that home repair project, someone would bring you the parts you need.
  • What about that time you sat down in the bathroom before you noticed the roll was down to the last sheet?

Remember the early days of Federal Express, when “it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”? Now we take that for granted. In fact, isn’t it irritating when you can’t get something the next day?

Posted in Travel, zoo

A lot of new at the zoo

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We visited the Jacksonville Zoo for the first time in about six months, and wow, has it changed! They’ve finished the new entrance, added many new walkways and a 330,000 gallon manatee rescue/rehab tank. These three manatees sure enjoyed their new environment, as did a large crowd of folks on a cool, sunny, spring break day.

After watching the manatees for a bit, we walked around the back side of the zoo to the tiger exhibit. I’ve never seen any of the tigers this close before. She is a beautiful cat!

The warty pigs gathered at the window for us, too.

Unfortunately, the zoo no longer lets you bring food or drink in. We tailgated our picnic lunch in the parking lot after seeing all the animals, feeding giraffes, and riding the train.

The entrance and manatee upgrade cost $72 million! Quite an upgrade.

Posted in Easter

Peeps!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

On my way to the back of Walmart to get what I came for, I saw this amazing sight: an entire aisle devoted to Peeps. An entire aisle!

All the colors are there. Pink, yellow, blue, and purple are represented. But look at the flavors.

I’ve only eaten traditional Peeps. None of these sound appealing to me. But I have not tried them, so I should reserve judgment. But none of these flavors tempt me.

The first Peeps were hand-piped in 1948 by the Rodda Candy Company in Lancaster, PA. Just Born purchased Rodda in 1953 and automated the production of Peeps. Peeps are the number one non-chocolate Easter candy. The Just Born factory produces 5.5 million Peeps per year.

Peeps retail stores just couldn’t cut it, the last one closing in 2019. But don’t worry. There are plenty at Walmart!

Posted in color

The first color of the day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

When we rounded the corner (the big dogs and I), I caught a glimpse of the first color of the day. It’s usually dark when we leave for our morning walk, and the world is mostly shades of dark, punctuated by white lights on houses, headlights on cars, and the moon and a few stars in the sky.

Then, suddenly, something beautiful happens. Long before the edge of the sun touches the horizon, its light awakens the first color of the day. Light blue is first. Not a deep navy blue like you might expect. Pinks often accompanies the blue, though oranges might greet me as well. It depends on the clouds, the weather, and the season.

That moment never gets old. I always exclaim, “Wow.” The first color of the day takes my breath away. Morning loves to splash color in my field of vision. Yes, it’s a new day!

When God said, “Let there be light,” was it white? Yellowish? All the colors of the spectrum? Did that light explode or take over the darkness gradually, intentionally, and beautifully? God’s creative command echoes every morning as that first color touches the night.