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| The northeast corner of M-50 and Vermontville Highway in Eaton County, Michigan. A small, stuffed "Snoopie" figure, a balloon, a tiny baseball hat and a cross. |
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| You don't need a college degree in Mechanical Engineering to figure out what happened. Somebody on Vermontville Highway who was heading east decided to blow-through the stop-sign. It is likely they slowed down a bit but did not stop. Whoever was traveling north on M-50 at 60mph T-boned them. |
Prayers for the families involved. One family lost a son. Another family (likely) is bearing a heavy burden of guilt.
It makes my personal problems seem small.
Apples
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| Seven gallon tubs hold between 30 and 35 pounds of apples, which is enough to make ten quarts of apple sauce. |
During Belladonna's senior year, at the Winter Sports Awards Banquet, her basketball coach had an epiphany while handing out the awards.
Bella didn't get a lot of playing time. The coach loved a certain type of player and Bella didn't match that cookie-cutter image.
Bella got play time every game but it came in dribs-and-drabs.
At the Banquet, the coach was clobbered between the eyes that on a per-minute basis, Belladonna was either her top, or second most productive player.
It didn't matter if she was outmatched for height or if they were playing a "fast" team or a "physical" team, Bella got results.
That doesn't just happen in high school basketball.
The apples in the seven gallon containers are a variety called Melrose. It is the Ohio State apple and is not fussy. It produces in good years and bad. It is not considered "scab-resistant" but the apples shown above were never sprayed.
It isn't a perfect apple. The taste is a little bit bland but there is nothing to really dislike about the apple. And this summer really accelerated the ripening cadence. Melrose is usually an October 1 apple in my area and I am picking them the first week of September because the Liberty I wanted to turn into applesauce are on the ground and rotting.
Melrose is not the first apple I would suggest for a "survival" orchard but it is a sleeper, sort of like Belladonna was in her senior year playing basketball.
Bees
I think I found out where the bee swarms were originating.
About twenty years ago I became interested in beekeeping. Heavy losses in the winter convinced me that it was not the hobby for me. While messing around with the hobby, I constructed several top-bar hives.
A swarm of bees found one of those old, top-bar hive bodies and decided to make it home.
I wonder how long they have been in it. It COULD be full of honey comb.
My condolences to both families. One lost someone forever and the other family will probably lose someone who's fate is still to be determined. Those 'Crossing Traffic Does Not Stop' have recently appeared in my neighborhood on the side street exits to the main feeder street. They are absolutely a bad thing unless redone. They should read, 'TAKE CARE . The Crossing Traffic Is Probably Speeding and EXTREMELY DANGEROUS'. Speed limit on the side streets is 25 MPH and on the feeder 35 MPH. Traffic on the feeder is virtually always speeding, sometimes in excess of 88 fps.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of a multi sign campaign as you approach the intersection. 1) T-bone is a 2) lovely meal 3) miss this stop 4) and you ARE 5) the T-bone!
DeleteYes I know the loss of life is not funny, but funny and multi part might catch enough attention to save a life or two. Is there a better copyrighter in the house?
4) and you ARE 5) Steak Tartar!
DeleteRoadside memorials are common throughout the Latin-American world and places that formerly were, like here in S. AZ, New Mexico, southwest Texas, etc. Every memorial is a sad story of tragedy we can all consider when we pass. I witnessed the aftermath of a few nearby which still hit home when I pass. Others make you wonder when you see them being maintained for many decades by family or friends. In many of these largely Catholic countries the drivers cross themselves as they pass by. I take them as constant reminders to slow down, look both ways, expect the unexpected, and be thankful for the many years of incident free driving my family and I have enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteMy land is across the end of a crossing traffic does not stop intersection. Many signs have been erected, and knock on wood the last few seem to be working so far. Many times I've had to go up and repair fence corner posts, etc. where someone either drove through without stopping, or were knocked into it. I used to resent it more; but now I am in a more contemplative mode and just thankful it wasn't me, no one was hurt, etc. Getting old, I guess.
Bee boxes make great passive security measures. I have no interest in beekeeping (saw my uncle do it for decades, no thanks.) But placing an easily visible bright white box in a remote area where people tend to wander in seems to discourage them .
ReplyDeleteLots of those 'markers' down here in Texas. Always wonder what happened, and a quick prayer.
ReplyDeleteLike others, I do think of the people behind those small roadside memorials when I see them.
ReplyDelete