This year I put out a suet feeder and a seed feeder for the birds.  I had seen woodpeckers feeding on the suet but was surprised to see a Pileated Woodpecker hanging upside down feeding on the suet.  The Michigan bird book indicates that they can grow up to 19-20 inches tall and these guys are all of that if not more.  Not the best video but you can make out mom feeding and her offspring waiting to be fed on the ground and she will come down and feed him/her on the ground.  She has since trained the kid to feed from the caged feeder as well… too cute.  Glad that I put them up.

Last summer I planted a couple of Hibiscus plants that did relatively well do I decided that I would get a couple more for this year.  These guys have a ton of blooms and the color has been attracting the humming birds.  Way to cool.

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Back in the early 80’s a movie with Richard Gere, American Gigolo, was at the theaters (which who wouldn’t want to see a move staring Mr. Gere) anyway a scene in the movie had him hanging upside down while wearing a pair of inversion boots.  I was instantly obsessed and had to have a pair.  Took me awhile to find them and if I remember correctly I paid way too much for them, but after installing a chin-up bar in the hallway I couldn’t have been happier.  I had those things on my legs daily pretending I was getting ready for my own movie!

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So move a head a few years (okay a few decades) and what comes up on Amazon suggestive sell page but a new pair of inversion boots.  Moves a pair to the cart… also searches for a stand alone chin-up bar… moves one of those to the cart… hits purchase and patiently awaits for the UPS delivery.  Merchandise arrives, bar is assembled and placed outside for now and inversion boots are ready to be placed on the legs for a quick tryout.  I actually made it this far before reality kicked in and it dawned on me that hanging upside down on a bar with inversion boots might not be the most practical exercise to attempt with a hip replacement.  Oh well so much for reliving the past. LOL

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One of the activities that we get to enjoy during the summer is kayaking.  Of course the least enjoyable task in kayaking is loading, strapping and transporting to the launch spot then unloading at which point your too exhausted to actually kayak.  So… one of the homeowners associations that I belong to, the one with access to the water, had a couple of spots available on their kayak racks for a small charge.  I couldn’t write the check fast enough!  Now all we have to do is drive to the access point, 3-4 city blocks, and launch right from the dock.  Sweet!

Well it’s been six months in the making but the solar installers finally finished and I’m now making some of my own power.  I was surprised that the panels are able to produce even in Michigan’s dark and gloomy winter days.  The local power company only allows homeowners to install enough panels to produce no more than 70 percent of their annual usage so I am anxious to see what that amounts to.

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Robin did it for Pat’s 50th, 60’th and again for her 70’th all surprise gatherings and Pat was clueless every time including this one.  This surprise started at Detroit Axe for what else but axe throwing and it was a hoot watching those who decided to participate.  Here is Pat practicing before they starting to keep score.

Not everyone invited could attend but was still a good sized crowd.

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