Blog posts by Peter DeHaan, many of which are in his book Woodpecker Wars.
Many people concur that at some point in the future we will receive all our television and movie transmissions over the internet. This is often called convergence. Personally, I’m ready and anxious for that to happen. However, there is a stirring afoot that could dampen my enthusiasm—the elimination of flat rate internet access in favor of […]
For the past several years, at about this time, leaves fall from my trees in alarming quantities. Yes, leaves falling in the spring—enough that they should be raked. In our yard are ten Maple trees, which are the culprits (victims) of this phenomenon. Apparently, an insect lays eggs in the stems of Maple leaves in the […]
After my Gopher post on Friday, I was contemplating a clever tongue-in-cheek entry about the assortment of “wildlife” in our back yard. You see, we live in a subdivision in a decreasingly rural setting, which limits wild creatures to decidedly smaller and less wild varieties. In addition to gophers, rabbits are the most common, as […]
Last week something outside caught my eye. Every few seconds some dirt would fly through the air. It was emanating from grass level in the middle of my back yard. Upon further investigation I discovered an industrious gopher furiously cleaning out the entrance to his subterranean abode. I stealthy approached the nexus of the activity […]
My yard is coming alive with color. In addition to the greening of the grass (winter-brown was getting old), I’ve been enjoying flowers of all colors. This starts each spring, reminding me of new life. First up is my Flowering Crab Apple Tree. It has lush white flowers every spring, which last for two or three weeks. […]
Last Saturday, we motored south to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana to watch Chris (our daughter, Laura’s, betrothed) graduate. The drive there was overcast and dreary, but the sun emerged about when the outdoor festivities began. The campus, at least the part we saw, was most impressive. The ceremony was in two parts. The […]
I’m so excited; my first outdoor flowers are in bloom—primrose. Seeing my yard’s first flower of the year and with daytime temps finally in the 60s and 70s, I know that spring is actually here—not because the calendar says so, but it actually looks and feels like spring! However, the primrose shouldn’t be my first […]
Let’s play word association. I say “St Patrick” and you might say “March 17,” “shamrock” (three leaf clovers), “Ireland,” “leprechaun,” or “adult beverages” with a green hue. To be cute, you might even answer with an Irish brogue. Just like Christmas and Easter, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of religious origin, of which the […]
I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have a favorite pen. And I am quite attached to her. Although I have a couple dozen in my desk drawer, I only have one on my desk—my favorite—her. I know that you’re not supposed to have favorites, because it can really mess up the other […]
As I mentioned on Valentines Day, I bought my bride a printer to express my deep and abiding love. That’s quite romantic of me, but I can’t help it; that’s just the way I am. I actually hooked up the printer early—I had plenty else planned for V-Day itself. My intent was to get up […]