"A Kitchen Knife?"

 

Good "I'll fix it" Monday Morning, everyone!

Well, you see, what had happened was the carafe to our Braun Coffee Maker of about fifteen years couldn't be put back together again. Kinda like Humpty Dumpty!

Why was it disassembled in the first place, you might ask?

The carafe seemed to be taking on water and not just the water that turns into coffee when brewed. Every month or more, the carafe kept getting heavier and heavier and soon could easily used in my kettle bell exercises.

So, I decided to slowly investigate the problem with every handyman's favorite tool, a kitchen knife! A kitchen knife is perfect because I didn't want to go to the garage to find an appropriate tool for just such an event like this.

Besides, a kitchen knife is so non-committal, ya know. Hunting for the right tool to use is not only time wasted, but finding one means I really am serious about fixing the problem. Easy solutions are just perfect for kichen utensils... Right?

Well, Therese went on Amazon and purchased a new coffeemaker, but she hates it. Amazon Man will return it... happily!

No matter which utensil I used, I never did find a way to drain the water locked up in the bottom of the pot. I must admit, though, the sketch came out pretty nicely, so it wasn't a total loss.

First cup... any way I can get it!

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III

"Sometimes, The Mindless Doodle Is The Bestest!"

The Elusive Bird..

 Good "Friday" Morning, all bodies!

Well, I reluctantly left the coffeehouse knowing that there was so many things I needed to do that I just didn't want to do. Like a buddy of mine, who decided to leave as I did, admitted he, too, was just procrastinating.

As I drove along the driveway, a small branch from one of the oaks, brushed along the roof of the car a bit more heavily than the day before... and the day before that, and the day before that.

"Okay, okay, I said to myself, that'll be the first thing I will tackle this morning!"

But, when I opened the car door, there was that bird song that some folks tell me belongs to a wood thrush... and maybe it is. I took out the pole mounted pruning saw and headed straight for that driveway branch, but the bird's call seemed to get closer and closer.

What IS that bird?

I can't miss an opportunity like this, I thought. I need vindication!

So, I headed back into the kitchen to grab the best of the three binoculars I own and headed back out to get a glimpse. Oh man, it was so close... so close as I carefully maneuvered my way into a shady position where I could comfortably hold up the binoculars and scan the mid morning sunlit trees.

At 10:30, I was already feeling the heat.

With my back up against a pine tree, I followed the song with every move from one branch to another, but never found the sound. Within ten minutes of my aerial pursuit, the treetops that surrounded me, became silent. The bird's warbling song was not gone, but migrated from one tree to another and every momentary peek I had following that noise produced one regular yardbird after another.

I snuck up onto some commotion in one of our blueberry bushes, only to see a female cardinal fly away with a big, ripe berry in her beak.

"Hey, Lady, I said, glad to be of a service to you!"

The bird call became distant, then, just above me. Then, to the left of me, then, to the right. There had to be more than just one "cheep, cheep, cheree!"

For over three summers now, from late Spring to early Fall, there's a vibe that I can hear, but can never see and maybe, for me, it is just not meant to be. So frustrating!

Seems like we, as a species, always have to find a solution, fix the problem, make all the pieces fit logically, have some sense of reasoning, attempt to explain or justify our existence, and maybe, to seek and inadvertently, destroy.

I don't know, but once again, after wasting about an hour chasing that sonic dream, maybe, just maybe, I'm better off allowing some mysteries to stay mysterious... and magical.

It was something to contemplate indoors, in the air conditioned studio, with a ginger ice tea. And, ya know, that hanging tree branch will still be there hanging tomorrow!

First cup!

Copyright 2022/ Ben Bensen III

"Egads Fly!"

Egads!

 Good "a bit bugged" Friday Morning, y'all.

Well, we used to get annual visits from the Eastern Kingbirds that would sit along the fences to intercept the flies midair. Their aerobatics are fun to watch and their presence certainly makes a difference, but I haven't seen them around this year.

I decided, after getting bit a second time so far, I'd immortalize the incident with a sketch, but one week later there was still no "gadfly" to torment me... until yesterday morning. In its usual way, the bug zips into the car the moment the door is opened. Then, it flies frantically into every window in the car bouncing off each with a hefty sound until you open up a window to release them.

But not this time.

I never understood why it needs to enter the car only to struggle to get out. The fly zipped pass my nose, hit the driver's side window and then, ricocheted off the rear view mirror to settle itself on the dash board after slamming head long into the dash board window. After a couple of misses with my fist, a karate chop here and a karate chop there, I jammed it in between the door panel and the driver's side window with my elbow.

Fears of crushing the bug were totally unfounded because as soon as I lifted my elbow away from the glass, the fly took off and headed straight into the passenger side window and after bouncing off the dash board window, again settled itself into the crevice.

A momentary truce was called.

A bit later, losing my patience with the idea of not smashing it to smithereens, I threw across the front seats, a folded up small umbrella in hopes of dislodging the bug. For the next five minutes it was truly air to air combat but, at long last, I managed kill the blood sucking beast with one final swat...

... Or so I thought!

First cup!

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III

1

"What To Leave In And What To Leave Out!"

Peggy Sketch#2

 Good "Workout" Wednesday Morning, y'all.

Was invited to attend a sketching class yesterday evening with some friends, but inertia got the best of me after a doctor's appointment.

So, I decided to post this "doctored" ( on Photoshop! ) prismacolor sketch that was a preliminary study for a painting I'm currently working on.

And yes, the age old question is, what to leave in and what to leave out...

First cup, y'all.

Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III

"One Hell Of A Sermon!"

There's another one somewhere in Montana!

 Good “wrasslin’ Wednesday, all bodies.

When I arrived, Badass was sitting by himself. His buddies, Herb Galloway and Tom Burns was ensconced in our normal sitting area talking cattle… like they always do. Larry didn’t wanna impose, he said.

As we so often do, old Badass drifts into theology with me. I think he’s trying to save me before he kicks the bucket. Today, Larry gets the lowdown on his health and although he says, “it don’t mean nuthin’“, I know it does.

Because one of Larry's pet peeves is priests preaching about things they don't know, I proceeded to aggravate and distract him by asking to explain the difference between priests and pastors being ignorant of real people and how they live their life, or are they being just plain stupid.

Analogies abound, but...

“Although, when we was younger, me and my buddy were at Mass at St. Peter’s in Covington and this man started to nod off,” he said.

“Mustah been one boring ass sermon,” I replied.

“No, he said. The guy, who was sitting between me and my buddy, slid into my friend’s shoulder and he didn’t know what to do, so he pushed the man’s head over toward me and my shoulder!

“Freaked me out 'cuz that man was out cold,” Larry said.

“Aw, c’mon now, man,” I replied. “He stayed there on your shoulder through the entire rest of the Mass?”

“No, we called a priest to come check on the guy. We were nervous that someone would think we killed him... Or sumpthin.”

“And, that priest checked the man out and declared that, indeed, he was dead!” Must have had a heart attack right there in church,” he said.

“Now, Badass continues with a laugh, that’s a priest that knows the difference from being ignorant or being just plain stupid!”

Playing along as best as I could, I replied,"In that case, it mustah been one HELL of a sermon!”

I know, I know, but just couldn’t help myself…

No cups, yet!

Copyright 2022/ Ben Bensen III