This summer’s spider lilies started blooming in the patio over the holiday weekend. This is a photo of the second bloom on the flower stalk that I took today. Click on the image to enlarge.
Hymenocallis caribeae is an evergreen bulb that is native to the West Indies. It does best in full sun or very light shade. The fragrant 3 to 4 inch intricately designed white flowers are borne on top of 18 to 25 inch tall stalks in midsummer.
For quite some time now, we have been using this fishing tackle box to hold our gun cleaning supplies. We bought the tackle box at a local merchandise liquidation store for under 20 bucks, as I recall, with the intention to use it as a gun cleaning toolbox.
The lid of the box functions as a caddy for patches of various sizes, Q-tips and band-aids. I make most of the patches myself, by cutting up retired T-shirts and other surplus cloth.
Inside, there is a removable tray. That’s where we keep the bore brushes, small cleaning rods, various bits for the rods, cleaning brushes and several small hand tools. We also keep a small bottle of solvent and some gun oil (Hoppes number nine, in this case). Other special tools, like the choke wrench for the shotguns, lives in this shelf.
The inside of the box is used for longer cleaning rods, towels and cleaning rags, cleaner/lube/protectant spray (Strike Hold is what we use), and other goodies like oil wipe packets for the wooden stocks and fore-ends. When we set up to clean the guns, we put the tray on the workbench for access to both the box and the tray.
After our trip to the range today, we took the kit into the patio under the canopy and cleaned up the guns we took with us today. It was a beautiful day for shooting and an outdoor cleanup. Later, we’re going to barbecue a Porterhouse steak.
We hope everyone’ having a great Independence Holiday weekend. We sure are.
We hope everyone is enjoying their Independence Day. We certainly are enjoying ours. I placed this bouquet on the table to add some patriotic decor to our weekend feasting.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Our independence was bought and paid for with lives and lead. Independence is insured by the Bill of Rights and, in our opinion, the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Michael Jackson’s memorial to be opening act for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus – literally! Plus, there will be a $25 cover charge to sit in the stands at Staples Center for the Whacko-Jacko memorial!
Fans who wish to attend Michael Jackson’s star-studded memorial service at Staples Center will have to shell out $25 to sit in the stands, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.
[snip]
The service will be held between 10am PST and Noon PST… with the scheduled Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus on standby, literally.
The parade of elephants, held as circus performers arrive in town is scheduled to take place immediately following the service.
I tried to refrain from commenting on the untimely death of the famous entertainer, but the sheer irony of this made me do it.
After 68 years on the job, 88 year old Jerry Huben is calling it quits. During his career in aircraft engineering, Jerry contributed to the effort in every war since WW2. In doing so, he is just as heroic as many that were on the front lines.
Just like “Rosie the Riveter,” folks like Jerry got us through some pretty tough times and kept us safe and free. God bless him in retirement.
Image: Jerry Huben.
From the Daily Breeze:
Huben’s career at Northrop gave him an intimate view of the aerospace industry from the days when it was dominated by propeller-driven aircraft to the current age of stealthy flying wings.
After receiving a one-year certificate in engineering, Huben took a riveting job with what was then called Northrop Aircraft Co. in Hawthorne. That was Nov. 10, 1941, two years after Jack Northrop founded the business.
Huben was 20 years old.
He had wanted to work as an engineer, but Northrop didn’t have many engineering openings, he recalled.
About three weeks later, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor changed America and the direction of Huben’s career.
He transferred to Northrop’s engineering department as the nation’s aerospace industry kicked into high gear.
“After that, things really took off,” Huben said. “The company was running round the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In engineering, we worked 10 hours a day, six days a week.”
Huben said a hearing impairment kept him out of the war.
America’s involvement in World War II also motivated Huben in his job.
“I felt compelled very much to give it (my) all and follow my imagination and dedication to helping the war (effort),” he said.
Among the planes Huben worked on were the P-61 Black Widow, T-38 Talon, F/A-18 Hornet and B-2 Spirit, which is a flying wing virtually invisible to radar.
This is what we get for letting the inmates run the asylum . . .
Find Global Warming and Climate Change resources HERE.
Especially read how the Sun works and about how sunspots affect global temperatures.