Outside My Windows V - R9 Friends Unite

[MountainMan]

All of our neighbor's dogs are female.  Spencer, who just got back from his hair stylist, is ready to go out and court the local ladies.






Well my dad, who lost his wife of many many years on Easter,  and almost died himself in early July, is back at my brother's home from first the hospital then the personal care facility.  It is possible that he can go back to his own house in about a week.  The pictures below are from his belated 80th birthday last weekend.  He still has a very serious heart condition, but for now can get around.

He will be taking Chuck home with him.  The sad thing is that Chuck has been at my brother's home for many weeks - was only at my dad's for a week before he had to go to the hospital.  Dad got Chuck at the animal shelter as a kitten to keep him company in the empty house.


My brother has a large house with two dogs that Chuck has bonded with and moved in - interpet runs the house.  Below is a picture of Sam - the oldest of the two dogs, 12 years, who has lost his hearing.   Chuck seems to sense that Sam can't hear and when he is by him he keeps body contact - as can be seem in the second picture.

[R9SCarry]

Dave - glad to hear your dad is doing better now and wow - hasn't Chuck grown up - very fine looking cat.

Hope the transition from bro's house to dad's is not too troublesome for Chuck.  Great pics as always

[theirishguard]

Dave, so happy to hear about your dad's health. I will continue to pray for him. Chuck will be fine once he learns to give your dad his love.
Spencer is one hot dog.
Tom

[Richard S]

Dave:

Beautiful photographs and great news about your father's improved health.

Dan:

Welcome back from the mountain.

____________

News from the Labor Day weekend at Critter Creek.  

Joyce spotted a black bear behind the larger pond last Friday evening.  By the time I could get there with a camera he had disappeared into the woods.  Our neighbors confirmed that he had been seen in one of their fields the previous week.  

A great blue heron brazenly relieved us of one of our newly stocked rainbow trout as we were having breakfast.  Again, he was gone with his breakfast before I could retrieve my camera.

My little flock of mallard ducks, the ones which had survived the coyotes and wild dogs, moved on to parts unknown.  Yesterday I replaced them with four larger semi-domestic hybrids, one drake and three hens, to see if they can successfully homestead the place.  They at least were willing to have their picture taken.

 

[MountainMan]

Nice Richard - have that camera ready when that bears looks in the window.

Dave

[Richard S]

My mother was born in 1906 and would be 100 years old if she were alive today.  Thinking on that made me look up a few statistics about life in the United States that year.

THE YEAR 1906
· The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
· Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
· Only 8 percent of the homes in the U. S had a telephone.
· The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.
· The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
· A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost $11.00.
· There were only 8,000 automobiles in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.
· The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
· Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.
· With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
· The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
· More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.
· Sugar cost 4 cents a pound; eggs, 14 cents a dozen; coffee, 15 cents a pound.
· The leading causes of death in the U.S. were pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis, diarrhea, heart disease, and stroke.
· The American flag had 45 stars (Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska were not yet states).
· The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30.
· Two out of every 10 U.S. adults were functionally illiterate.
· Only 6 percent of all Americans had completed high school.

Considering all of the changes which have occurred in the past 100 years makes one wonder what life will be like in 2106.

[Michigunner]

Very interesting, Richard.

My mother was just 98 years old, born in 1908.

At age 97, she switched box springs and mattresses between two bedrooms, all by herself.

They made things stronger back in those days.

Bill

[R9SCarry]

Fascinating Richard - in particular - just 30 souls in Las Vegas.  Oh boy - have things ever changed

As often I see what pics I can add to this thread of variety - so - first another rainbow taken an hour ago as sun was getting low - not overly remarkable but always like them

Other pic is my still quite new recent plane build - a SIG (no not the gun!) 4 Star - powered by a .75 turning a 13x6, for those who fly models!!  Span about 72"

Had about 12 flights and getting to push the envelope a bit - nice plane with plenty of aerobatic potential.  Just finished another too actually - much smaller but ultra aerobatic - will take a pic sometime.

[Richard S]

Beautiful work, Chris.  So here's a video link for you:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8185503357916397815&q=model+airplanes

Now, can you tell me how you all get these models to stop and reverse in midair?  

[sslater]

Richard S,
That's the most amazing model airplane flying demonstration I've ever seen.  How can a fixed wing model do that?  I have a friend who flies model helicopters that can't maneuver like the fixed wing model in your link!  

[Michigunner]

Outstanding!

I didn't  know such things were possible.

Bill

[R9SCarry]

Great link Richard - and yes some very fine flying there.

Let me explain this one - last coupla years or so have seen the emergence of not just more elctric powered stuff but also small ''foamies''.

These planes - about 15-18" span are thin sheet foam entirely, except for usually a carbon fiber tube leading edge.  They use mini servo's and receiver - small but good capacity Lithium batteries and a brushless motor.  The motor has an ESC (electronic speed control) - also pretty small.

So - they weight mere ounces and are very manouverable - power to weight usually leaves a power surplus thus prop-hanging is possible.  I suspect here the set-up included an option to switch motor rotation so briefly it became a 'pusher'' rather than ''puller''.

Due to the low mass and large control surface throws - these things can do seemingly impossible, crazy manouvers - lot's of fun and certainly great to watch.  The pilot here was probably a young guy and well practiced.

Couple more pics today - one is simply a spider web this morning - as per time of year, dew covered - tho pic hardly does it justice really.  This was round at my flying field where I had a few flights in my new small aerobat - now taken a pic.

Small plane - 48" span and .46 motor.  Large surfaces and throws - I reckon I can on high rates do three 360's rolling inside one second!!  Blink and you miss it!  

I still enjoy my large 1/4 scale planes but these small ones are great for doing tricks

[Richard S]

I've stumbled onto this great one-bedroom, high-rise condominium on the island of Oahu.  Admittedly, it lacks a few amenities, such as indoor plumbing, and occupancy is not recommended during tropical storms.  However, the view of the ocean is said to be teriffic!    

[theirishguard]

Richard, how do you know it has no head?
Tom

[R9SCarry]

Dang Richard - you found my time-share!!!