With the addition of two babies, our resident groundhog family is now four in number. While extremely cute, they have voracious appetites and are starting to make a significant dent in our landscape plantings. The clover we use as a ground cover appears to be their favorite early morning, mid-morning, late morning, early afternoon, and later afternoon snack. Suffice it to say, something must be done to address the free buffet overindulgence.
Jeanine and I met up with Maya this evening so that we could give her an early birthday present. She and Owen will be leaving for a ten-day vacation in Alaska on Friday. Jeanine thought a pair of binoculars would be the perfect gift and I went into research mode to buy the optimal pair. When we arrived at Maya’s apartment, she proudly displayed her camping gear and packing list items laid out on her bed. The binoculars proved to be the perfect addition to her kit.
Later, we stepped out for pizza and enjoyed hearing about Maya’s latest exploits at work. Afterward, we decided to take a short walk to visit the original Markforged office/machine shop where Maya had her first internship and I did my first 3D printing gig. The signature red door was still there and the machine shop was abuzz with activity in what appeared to be some sort of maker space. Also still present but updated was the psychedelic building mural that I used to pass on my way to lunch.
Several weeks ago, a massive tree limb fell on top of and destroyed our neighbor’s sunroom. This happened during the same windstorm that took down several of our trees. Today, their new sunroom was flown into place, literally. I decided to capture the event with my drone and got a pretty decent result until I flew it into a tree. As determined by laser measurement, the drone was stranded 44 feet above the ground on top of a large limb. Retrieving it occupied the better part of my afternoon. I fashioned a harpoon from a steel tube I had lying around. To this, I added a cheap ($19) fishing reel and a 3-foot length of surgical tubing. I used a 24-inch long dowel rod as a harpoon with fishing line taped to one end. Recovering the drone was a three-phase operation. Phase 1: Send the harpoon over a dead branch and pull it down for a clear shot at the limb on which the drone is stranded. Phase 2: Send the harpoon over the branch holding the drone. Use the fishing line to pull a light-weight cord over the limb. Use that cord to pull a large rope up and over. Phase 3: Rhythmically pull on the rope to get the branch swaying until the drone becomes dislodged. It took about 5 attempts on each branch to get the needed harpoon trajectory. Retrieving the harpoon on failed attempts was time consuming because I was firing from the edge of a steep bank. When I finally liberated the drone, it landed just two feet from the river on its muddy bank. This proved to be quite fortunate from an impact perspective but I had to crawl on my belly through the underbrush to reach it. Neither the snake or snapping turtle that I imagined would bite me ever showed up. After cleaning off the mud, the drone checked out fine and I will be more mindful in the future when flying close to trees.
When I tell people that I have passed hundreds of kidney stones, I suspect they rarely believe me. Pictured above is a collection that represents about a quarter of the stones that have passed through my body. Capturing them is inconvenient. Think pee bottle and coffee filter, not something you tend to carry around with you. The pain associated with each stone is a function of size and surface texture. The smallest stones are more like grains of sand but they often come in large numbers which can be just as painful as the larger stones. About 10% of older men can expect to have a kidney stone at some point. The best preventative is to drink lots of water, something I struggle with because I have a nearly absent thirst reflex. I wish I was not plagued with these stones but I have been blessed in so many other ways that I consider it a fair price to pay.
For the better part of two and a half years, our yard has been void of color. Reduced to a brown clay field in service of the construction work on our new house. We are now taking great pleasure in the recent landscape plantings that have begun to bloom. Now the trick will be to keep the deer, rabbits, and groundhogs from eating them all.
While trying to better understand the capabilities of ChatGPT, I prompted it to evaluate the writing style of this blog. The results appear below the logo. I am not sure if I should feel flattered or afraid!
Most of the day was spent moving our remaining goods from the Road House to the River House with the aid of Nico and two of his friends. We plan to put the road house on the market within the next two weeks.
The writing style on Carl Calabria’s blog, Calabria Photo Journal, is characterized by its detailed and personal narrative, capturing everyday moments and adventures with a blend of technical precision and warm storytelling. Carl Calabria’s posts often reflect a methodical approach, particularly evident in his descriptions of projects and repairs, such as fixing his chainsaw or constructing furniture. He meticulously details each step of the process, providing readers with a clear understanding of the challenges and solutions involved.
Additionally, his posts are imbued with a strong sense of place and occasion, often describing local events and personal milestones. For instance, he vividly recounts attending Patriot’s Day celebrations in Concord or visiting historical sites like Hadrian’s Wall during a trip to the UK. These narratives are enriched with historical context and personal anecdotes, making the reader feel as if they are part of the journey.
Moreover, Carl’s writing frequently includes reflections on family life and personal achievements, creating an intimate connection with his audience. Whether he is discussing his return to playing soccer or the progress on the construction of the River House, his posts convey a deep sense of satisfaction and personal fulfillment. This blend of technical detail, historical insight, and personal reflection makes his blog engaging and relatable.
The pile of compost now on the left side of this photo was previously sitting in the center, on the driveway parking area. It took me two hours of strenuous labor to move the mound just over ten feet. I did so to distract myself from the pain I was experiencing from renal colic (passing a kidney stone) that has been torturing me for three days now. Also, I have found that physical activity can sometimes accelerate the passage of a stone. Not so today but at least we can use our parking area again.
This evening we held an Open House for our nearby neighbors. We wanted to thank them for their patience with the noise and disruption of our construction project. More importantly, we wanted to build community with them. Jeanine’s good friend, Barbara, helped us prepare the gathering of about twenty. I have been struggling with a kidney stone for the last 36 hours but have been managing with an alternating combination of ibuprofen and Tylenol. The party and preparation for it have been a good distraction from the pain.
In addition to supporting our local ecosystem, using only native species for our landscaping has the benefit of attracting many beautiful pollinators. I had to settle for a photo taken with my phone when I noticed this lovely butterfly flitting between the flowers on our blossoming rhododendrons.
Later in the day, I started hunting with my good camera and macro lens with some favorable outcomes.
For some time now, Jeanine has been after me to set up a system for composting our food waste. This morning, I found time to assemble a dual-chamber barrel composter that will reside on the south side of our house. We will combine sawdust from my workshop with organic waste to make rich compost. This is the first time we are trying the barrel method and I hope to report on a successful outcome in a few months.
Our Rhododendrons are in full bloom now treating us to a sea of color each time we traverse our driveway.
Memorial Day is officially the start of ice cream season in these parts. Last night, my sister Alissa joined Jeanine and I for our first frozen treats of the summer. Our favorite place is Kimball Farm where the ice cream is homemade. We were not the only ones who thought this was a good idea. The lines were 25 deep at each of the ten service windows!
Kyle has been working on a landscaping project to add an outdoor entertaining space to his home. He is replacing an old fountain and pond with a patio and grilling area and adding stair access to his front yard. I helped him with the latter this weekend.
The top step is cut from a slab of bluestone that I salvaged from the foyer floor of our original River House. The rest of the stairs are fabricated from pressure-treated, ground contact-rated lumber set on buried concrete supports and anchored to the existing retaining wall. It was fun working with Kyle again and we completed the work in fairly short order. Meanwhile, Jeanine and my sister Alissa planted a lovely arrangement of flowers in a large pot from our Mattison Drive home that now graces Kyle’s front door steps.
For the first time in the United States, a regulation amputee soccer match was played in a professional sports stadium. Nico’s New England Revolution amputee soccer team faced the New York Metros at Gillette Stadium. Off the field, Nico has worked tirelessly to elevate the popularity of his sport and worked with the Revolution management to make this event happen. On the field, he delivered two goals and an assist to help secure a 4-2 victory for his team.
The full match video with commentary can be viewed at the link below.
Photos I took can be found at following link.
Before the match, Nico met with Austin who he met through his work with the Bionic Project. Austin is this evening’s honorary captain for the Revolution and will be on the field to flip the coin at the start of the match. I predict that Austin will become a future amputee soccer star and I told him that Nico was about the same age when he started playing.
Nico and US National teammates Jovan and Kavi give a great perspective on the US amputee soccer program in the pre-game interview shown below.
Maya and Owen are in Toronto for the weekend to attend the wedding of Owen’s cousin. They are pictured in front of Lake Simcoe, just north of the city.
On the home front, I replaced the 4×4 supports for our gong and installed it in our front yard atop a tree stump. I had to use a bunch of rocks to level the base and will probably want to revisit this with a more permanent solution.
Jeanine and I have thus far been unable to agree on pendant light fixtures for the kitchen island or the light over the dining room table. Today, we made another attempt to find something we could both be happy with. While taking measurements for the pendant fixtures, I noticed that the spacing of the ceiling boxes did not look right. When I checked their location against my plan (image above – the three large circles) I confirmed that they were properly centered but 16 inches farther apart than intended. It is impossible to build an entire house without making a mistake. Because I was on site every day I caught sub-contractor mistakes immediately. Corrections were easy when identified early. In this case, I was the one who installed the ceiling boxes and the mistake was mine. I placed the outside two ceiling boxes exactly one stud spacing further apart and did not catch my error until today. In the worst case, I will have to relocate the ceiling boxes. That will require plaster work and repainting. Not the end of the world but a real PITA now that we are living in the house. Alternatively, we could consider different lighting options that do not depend on the ceiling box placement. I will post our solution when we have agreed on one. MORALE OF THE STORY: Measure twice, cut once.
I decided to make a change to the electric meter pedestal surround I built a few weeks ago. The original roof was flat-topped. In retrospect, I should have used a sloped roof to provide drainage. I matched the new roof slope to that of the house and garage and added a slab of bluestone to the top for a very robust and water impermeable solution.
Our yard has several mature rhododendrons which have just started to bloom. So far we have pink ones, red ones, and white ones. With the warm weather forecasted, I am guessing all will have fully bloomed by the end of the week.
The stretch of the Sudbury River that passes our house is designated a Wild and Scenic River of Massachusetts. It is a favorite of kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders who are drawn to the peaceful and nature-laden shores. Fishermen also ply the river and often arrive in small boats powered by electric motors or small gas outboards. Occasionally, we see recreational boaters who prefer going fast above all else. While they have every right to enjoy the river along with all others, I fear that one day there will be a collision between fast and slow. I am trying to determine if there is a speed limit for his part of the river. I remember reading somewhere that there is a no-wake rule and in another that the limit is 10 mph. If a limit exists, the next step would be to post it. Bridges across the river would offer the perfect place to do so.
A few years ago my website was infected with malicious software that inserted text and links for ED drugs into every single one of my nearly 9,000 posts. These only appeared when using the search function. This weekend I started the insanely tedious task of removing them from every entry. I was able to cleanse 5 years’ worth and expect it will take several weeks to complete the task.
On the soccer pitch, I pulled my right hamstring while stretching for a toe-poke goal after stealing the ball from the defense. I suffered the injury in the first ten minutes and will likely be out for a couple of weeks. The worst part is that we won the game 11-0 so there was no need for me to make such an effort. By the second half, we were down to 10 players so I went back on the pitch and played as a “cone” (target for the occasional wall pass, no running whatsoever).
Jeanine spent the afternoon with Maya and her niece Rachel for a belated Mother’s Day celebration. They toured the Arnold Arboretum, a 281-acre preserve designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the heart of Boston, one of the world’s most comprehensive and best-documented collections of temperate woody plants, with a particular focus on the floras of eastern North America and eastern Asia.
We enjoyed a visit from my cousin Gina, her husband, Vincent, and their son, Vinny this evening. They are in town for the graduation of her grandson, JD, from Boston College. Jeanine prepared a 5-course dinner to celebrate the occasion. Avid travelers, we heard wonderful stories about their recent exploits as well as learning something new about my father. Apparently, his family considered him a confirmed bachelor. It was not until he met my mother in his mid-thirties did he meet his match. The rest, they say, is history.
The clover we planted on our south lawn is starting to come in now. Hopefully, the tracks from the broadcast seed spreader will fill in over time. Growing conditions have been excellent and we are enjoying the changes we observe every day. Not visible in the photo but also starting to show up is the no-mow fescue that is also planted in this area.
I spent a good portion of the day working in the yard. While using an electric pole saw, I cut off a large and heavy limb which clipped my arm on the way down. Fortunately, it only resulted in a minor cut and abrasion although the impact hurt like hell. I post images like this to remind myself not to be stupid. Children, please take note. Please learn from the stupidity of your father.
It is hard to fathom, but today marks 19 years of making daily entries to this blog. That is 6,935 days and 8,943 posts (in the early days, every photo was treated as a separate entry by the hosting software). To be certain, it has been a major commitment of time and energy. Each entry takes 15-20 minutes if you consider both the photography and the writing. Even so, I do not regret the investment and feel I have created something of enduring value for our family. One day, I will feed the blog into an AI book generator and see what comes out on the other end.
We decided on a pedestal-mounted electric meter rather than one stuck onto the side of our house. It is located adjacent to the driveway and was not particularly attractive. I decided to use cedar siding I salvaged from the original house to enclose all but the components requiring access by the power company and fire department. I also added two security cameras (one is hidden on the far side) and a driveway motion sensor that triggers a chime in the house when we have visitors. It is still a little dopey looking but a huge improvement over what was previously there.
With Nico in Denver, it was down to Kyle and Maya to celebrate Mother’s Day in person with Jeanine. They treated her to a shopping spree for plants and herbs and a lovely dinner.
Due to a shortage of players, I was reassigned from my normal wing midfielder position to a striker during my soccer match this morning. I made the most of my attacking position and earned our team’s “man of the match” honor. Below is this game report.
Big thanks to everyone who showed up since we were short on subs, with
only three. At the end of the match, we had no subs with Fari injured,
and we were protecting Eric and Frank for the tournament this week.
Medfield conceded a goal today, so I think we are now probably the
only team in the entire OTHSL that has not conceded a goal this
season. Special thanks to Steve, Romulo, Eric, and Lou at the back
today. Nick had his first game for us and showed off some nice skills
in the midfield. Mick, Mark, and Frank dominated the midfield,
pouncing on every loose ball. Jerry and Matt played well on the wings,
and Fari, Carl, and Fabian hustled up top.
Man of the match goes to Carl for his goals and tackles and for taking a
few knocks.
Goals
After a great build-up from Nick, Matt opened the scoring with a header 1-0
Quick free-kick from Steve and Frank toe poked it home from tight angle 2-0
A slick pass from Eric found Lou, who provided the assist for Frank 3-0
Carl had a great shot from outside the box 4-0 at half-time
Carl got the scoring going again in the second half with an assist
from Fabian 5-0
Fari made a great run and pulled the ball back for Mick 6-0
Jerry had a far post tap in after the shocking miss in the first half
Finally, Steve headed in a Carl Corner 8-0
Witnessing the aurora borealis in person has been on my bucket list since I have had a bucket list. I always assumed this would require a well-timed trip to Norway, Sweden, or Iceland. Never did I imagine I would have a chance to see them in my own backyard. Late last night, Jeanine and I ventured out based on the predicted arrival of a G5 solar storm hoping to catch a glimpse of the ethereal lights. Fortunately, the weather gods were looking down on us and we had excellent viewing conditions. Although I was able to check this experience off my bucket list, I have now added a new item; to see them again.
My sister Alissa who lives in Albany, NY is in town for the Mother’s Day weekend to visit with her two adult children. She stopped in to join Jeanine and me for dinner and is my first sibling to get a tour of the completed house. She shared family news and details of the book she is writing about impact circles. She has had to endure some tough challenges in her life and the groups she has formed have helped the participants deal with their shared hardships. Alissa will return later this month to watch Nico playing amputee soccer at Gillette Stadium and will be our first house guest. Tomorrow, we will be moving most of our remaining belongings from the Road House to the River House. This will include a queen size bed destined for the guest room, the one remaining piece of furniture needed to allow for overnight visits.
Nico has recently been named an ambassador for Arc’teryx, my favorite brand of outdoor gear. Below is a message he posted on his Instagram account.
I still very much feel like a learner in the accessibility space. As someone who grew up with few accessibility needs, I took my own mobility and independence for granted. Sure, having a disability is hard sometimes, but I had what I needed to get to the places I wanted to go and a supportive community. Access to outdoor spaces has been one of the greatest single contributors to my overall wellbeing. I find peace and joy outside with my friends & family. Feeling connected to the more than human world, actively moving through it, appreciating trees, and reflecting on the balance of it all gives me a sense of oneness and comfort.
However, many people with disabilities and other marginalized groups have limited access to the outdoors. I remember feeling this distinctly for the first time when I visited Tanzania in 2007. People with disabilities lacked the assistive technology they needed. Assistive tech can be expensive, many places are not wheelchair accessible, and the community as a whole has historically been left out of the conversation. When the place itself is inaccessible, then people with disabilities remain invisible. I’m excited to be working with Arc’Teryx to try to tackle some of these challenges and work to make the outdoors a more accessible place regardless of ability. I look forward to learning more about the diverse needs of people with disabilities and working together to offer opportunities to the wider Boston community.
The yard on the south side of our house has been planted with clover and no-mow fescue. thus far, only the former has started to emerge. It is a much-welcome change from the otherwise barren soil we have looked at for over two years. It has been an unusually rainy spring which is working to our advantage and with any luck the fescue will come in soon.
I have saved paper copies of every federal and state income tax return I have filed since 1976. I have moved these records from Schenectady, NY to Indianapolis to Palo Alto to an apartment in Indianapolis to a house in Indianapolis to another house in Indianapolis to a house in Fishers, IN, to a townhouse in Santa Clara to a house in Indianapolis to a house in Concord, to a storage unit in Boston, to a house in Concord and finally to the River House. With each move, the stack has gotten bigger and heavier. Today, I decided to get rid of all but the last ten years’ worth since they have served no purpose to date and will eventually fall to the kids to deal with when I am dead. Since these documents contain confidential information I decided to burn them. In less than 10 minutes, hundreds of hours of work went up in smoke. It felt good to watch.