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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Two Bees

I have just returned from the pharmacy with a filled script and two bottles of Woodbridge Pinot Noir --from nearby Lodi. I still have not convinced my medigap insurance to let me buy wine at discount with a small co-pay --even at a pharmacy!  I mean, is this California or isn't it? Well, perhaps by way of apology, they did send me some free face masks with their logo on them --quite comfortable and considerate of wearers who must inhale air sometimes,  in addition to containing their own expectorants.

So yes, I've been outdoors, leaving my shoes in the mudroom --Norma Law, cannot be rescinded-- and reentered our house shoeless but undefeeted-- which reminds me this post was intended to be about bees, or something with lots of "e's" in it. Recent Normaphoto above is of a pumpkin flower and a bee who says, "Hmm." They say that a lot. He heads into this giant blossom in hopes of big rewards.  Then something topples and he says, "Oops!"....
...and activates his antennae. Standard distress call is received and prioritized. Reply:"On my way. What is the nature of your emergency?"

"I'm trapped under a toppled stigma."

"Oooh that sounds serious."

"Could be a style, stamen or sizable ovary."

"En route!"

" I'm  in the nectary at the floral axis and need a hand getting out."

"Hand?"

"Oh that hooky thing on your foreleg, the one you use to groom your antennas."

"Ah, understood!"

"Ewww no! that's your tongue!"

"Sorry, they're all about the same length. I'm sure many creatures have trouble telling them apart."

"That's what they all say...Hey I think we got some leverage here!

"YES!I feel the barriers shifting! I'm Free! How'd we do that?"
"Do what?"
"I dunno. Bees don't have a lot of memory."
"'Cause why?"
"'Cause Shut Up. That's why!"
"Dang, I do believe we're evolving."
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I dedicate this post to the rude imposition
of Google Blogger's new and incomprehensible
format. Anybody else having problems?


Friday, July 17, 2020

Enigmatic Evolution of Pragmatic and Interpretive Philosophies

Let's begin with a couple Normaphotos, which she titled "His and Her Groceries." During this quarantined time, she orders comestibles from our corner store, which I pick up at their loading dock. All I do is pop the trunk and let them earn their pay. Norma checks the garden first and reaps much of the "hers" part.
Then we collaborate on the "his" part and I go get it.
I built that table 40+ years ago after Norma, kids and I repeatedly dined in a Refectory. The tabletops were inset with ceramic Mexican tiles, and that looked practical to me. So we hunted around and found them at Pier One Imports. The rest is local pine with teak stain. By and by we outgrew the thing but it serves still in the back porch. There is a practical logic (set hot stuff on ceramic instead of wood) to it and an abstract principle --I liked how it looked-- which of course brought the James brothers to mind.

William James was a psychologist, paranormalist  and pragmatic philosopher. His brother, Henry James, was a writer who focused upon the mind in moral dilemma. When they were little they had an argument:
Wm.: Life is based on practical logic.
Hen.: Nuh uhh!
Wm.: What then?
Hen,: Abstract principles.
Wm: Nuh uhh!
Hen.: Yuh Huhh!

The rest is history. Other  James brothers went west to investigate more fungible philosophies, like bank and train robberies. Jesse got his brains blown out by a trusted gangster named Bob (it happens sometimes). Then Frank James quit the band to live to a ripe old age. I have no idea what all this has to do with philosophy and let that be a lesson to you.

Friday, July 3, 2020

Pumpkin Demon

It began, safely enough, with a normal Normaphoto of a pumpkin vine but, by and by, my sequestration frustration kicked in...
...and I was agitated into what is medically termed Hallucinatory Apeshitosis and began to see nothing where things aren't (first stage!) followed by seeing something where things are (second stage!). It gets worse from there: Pumpkin Imps!!!! Lookie:
It Changes into something with eyes and hands and boots from my high school drill team!  I suppose these demons can arrange leaves into capes and be little vampires...or umpires --never got that straight. Which one stays up all night, calls plays and drinks blood?

I forget a lot of stuff. Sheltering in place doesn't help. Sometimes I go to the grocery store and forget what we need. So I write a list ahead but, with remembering to wear gloves and mask, I often forget my list. I find myself surrounded by choices but sadly listless. Now Norma orders our supplies and I go pick them up at the loading dock. Listlessness is a big problem generally, and sufferers must marry people like Norma.

I believe I've gone off-subject, whatever it was, something about something's got to restock the shelves our memories fell out of --and pumpkins. If pumpkins really contain demons, be sure to bake the Hell out of them before consumption.