Povey Prattle

..... "what breed is he?"  "He" of course being Zion. For the longest time I've been saying - "maybe a bit of Golden Retriever, and some Brittany Spaniel". I think that I've been correct about the Brittany Spaniel bit, but not about the Golden Retriever. One day last week a couple (probably in their early thirties) hopped off their bikes to take a look at Zion.   Turns out that they own two Great Pyrenees Dogs, and they saw a lot of G.P. in Zion -  his coat and feathering, his stance, and his beard (or ruff).  And they noted his double dew claws (front and back legs) - which is very common in Great Pyrenees. The next day I saw another walker, who said that he had owned two Brittany Spaniels and that he saw some Brittany in Zion. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Great Pyrenees, note the beard/ruff  Brittany Spaniel Pup, note the colouring patterns. Zion, with his beard/ruff and c...

Stock photo' via Google Images Those who follow this blog will know that Zion and  I very much enjoy the City of Sarasota's hidden gem - ARLINGTON PARK.  In truth we have walked there four times today. Once in a while we'll encounter a group of High School Athletes as they run around the park, young men without a inch of fat, and with washboard abs.  (They are probably the cross country team from Sarasota High School - just a mile away from the Park),   (The photo' above is not of them -  it is a stock photo' from Google images which I am using to illustrate this blog). A few weeks ago ,  as they ran,  I heard the team captain (?) sing out  " Jesus loves me this I know" to which the runners responded "for the Bible tells me so" ------------------------------------------------------------- Earlier this week as Zion and I walked clockwise we saw these young athletes as they ran counter clockwise. We stepped to ...

Stock photo' via Google Images. -------------------------------------------------------- On Monday evening (1st April 2019) as I walked out with Zion I saw what I took to be a juvenile Great Blue Heron as he (and it was a he) struggled to swallow a fish from our retention pond. I didn't get too concerned as the the Great Blues often toss fish into the air, and line them up in order to swallow them whole. --------------------------------------------------------------- On Tuesday evening (2nd April 2019) [ twenty four hours later] another neighbour spotted the same Great Blue, but by now the fish (half way out of the bird's beak), was surrounded by flies. I happened be out and about and saw this sad sight. My neighbour 'phoned Animal Services of Sarasota County,(Sheriff's Dept). Their agent (*Amber)  was on the scene within four minutes  (she happened to be in the area). The agent ascertained that the Heron was still alive, but very p...

It's based on the life of Van Gogh. Things did not go well at the rehearsal today. (In truth my Dermatologist took three samples today for biopsy, one on my right ear, one on my right eyebrow, and one on  the left side of my neck. Eleven hours later the three places are still bleeding .)

I rejoice in the memory of Kenneth D Holmes of Cambridge, MA who passed from this life on 30th March 2019.   ---------------------------------------------------------------- Here is how his son-in-law Derrick Z. Jackson (former columnist for the Boston Globe) speaks of him. A quiet, determined patriot, father and community pillar departed Earth after 94 rich years,  my wife Michelle's father, Kenneth D. Holmes. Purple Heart on WWII Italian Front  (Buffalo soldier).  First African American city councilor in Medford, MA. Helped charter his area NAACP. Working class metallurgist and post office worker who put three kids through Harvard, Princeton and Dartmouth. He passed away peacefully Saturday evening after being surrounded by family. He was my No. 1 reader in my years at the Boston Globe, always ending his voice messages with: "Keep Up the Good Work." The best father-in-law a son-in-law could have. Photo is from the West Medford Elders Photo Project ...