XWord Muggles Forum

LadyBird wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:07 pm I'm ashore!

I joined this merry band of muggles around EASTEr time this year and here we are at the tuRN of the year. Even when hit with a bout of the BLUEs, I enjoy printing out the meta and (usually) chasing a rabBIt ot two in search of the woRD or phrase (or is it frays).

What I enjoy the most, though, is checking in to this forum and your wit and banter and poetry and just general good-heartedness. Thank you and happy new year!

Hidden in 3D wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:33 pm

LadyBird wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:07 pm I'm ashore!

I joined this merry band of muggles around EASTEr time this year and here we are at the tuRN of the year. Even when hit with a bout of the BLUEs, I enjoy printing out the meta and (usually) chasing a rabBIt ot two in search of the woRD or phrase (or is it frays).

What I enjoy the most, though, is checking in to this forum and your wit and banter and poetry and just general good-heartedness. Thank you and happy new year!

When I saw your "birdie-gram" this week, I remembered that I wanted to ask you a question about these beautiful and fascinating birds. I was going to send a PM, but thought that other bird-loving MUGgles might enjoy reading, too, so here is the story: A few weeks ago, I witnessed some interesting bird behavior that captivated me on two consecutive afternoons. There is a lovely dogwood tree outside our sunroom, the site of a robin brood last spring. (That provided much happy bird-watching, in itself! But the fledglings are long gone and the nest has mostly fallen apart.) I noticed a male robin, however, who seemed to be using the tree as a look-out post. Had there been any red berries left on the tree, I would have understood, but those had already been eaten by our bird population. Then the fun started. At least 6 of this week's birds, both male and female, were either trying to perch in the dogwood tree or hopping about on the ground below. I typed "at least" because it was difficult to tell exactly how many birds there were. The robin insisted on chasing them out of "his" tree or dive-bombing them as they tried to approach from ground-level. Had this happened in the spring, I would have chalked it up to daddy robin guarding the nest, but this almost appeared to be some sort of game. The robin was greatly outnumbered and the "others" seemed to be teaming up against him. One would fly in from one direction while the robin chased another in the opposite direction. The birds on the ground would move in from different sides when the robin was occupied in the sky. When he returned, he would dive and then hop and run under the tree to make the interlopers scatter. I'm not even sure how long this continued as a phone call interrupted my viewing. Then I witnessed the exact same behaviors the next afternoon from my laundry room window, which also looks out on the dogwood. I've searched my book on "this week's subjects" to no avail and I'm probably applying some anthropomorphism to these delightful occurrences, but would love your thoughts if you have any!

Other MUGgle birders, feel free to chime in!

Bob cruise director wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:32 am

Kris Zacharias wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:07 am I know what the answer is, but typed it wrong in my submission and only noticed the error as I heard the little whoosh upon sending. So I'm not on shore, but should be. Is there a blog category for this? Some sort of cruciverbalist purgatory? Oh well. Happy new year!

You are on the shore in our hearts

Hidden in 3D wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:33 pm

LadyBird wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:07 pm I'm ashore!

I joined this merry band of muggles around EASTEr time this year and here we are at the tuRN of the year. Even when hit with a bout of the BLUEs, I enjoy printing out the meta and (usually) chasing a rabBIt ot two in search of the woRD or phrase (or is it frays).

What I enjoy the most, though, is checking in to this forum and your wit and banter and poetry and just general good-heartedness. Thank you and happy new year!

When I saw your "birdie-gram" this week, I remembered that I wanted to ask you a question about these beautiful and fascinating birds. I was going to send a PM, but thought that other bird-loving MUGgles might enjoy reading, too, so here is the story: A few weeks ago, I witnessed some interesting bird behavior that captivated me on two consecutive afternoons. There is a lovely dogwood tree outside our sunroom, the site of a robin brood last spring. (That provided much happy bird-watching, in itself! But the fledglings are long gone and the nest has mostly fallen apart.) I noticed a male robin, however, who seemed to be using the tree as a look-out post. Had there been any red berries left on the tree, I would have understood, but those had already been eaten by our bird population. Then the fun started. At least 6 of this week's birds, both male and female, were either trying to perch in the dogwood tree or hopping about on the ground below. I typed "at least" because it was difficult to tell exactly how many birds there were. The robin insisted on chasing them out of "his" tree or dive-bombing them as they tried to approach from ground-level. Had this happened in the spring, I would have chalked it up to daddy robin guarding the nest, but this almost appeared to be some sort of game. The robin was greatly outnumbered and the "others" seemed to be teaming up against him. One would fly in from one direction while the robin chased another in the opposite direction. The birds on the ground would move in from different sides when the robin was occupied in the sky. When he returned, he would dive and then hop and run under the tree to make the interlopers scatter. I'm not even sure how long this continued as a phone call interrupted my viewing. Then I witnessed the exact same behaviors the next afternoon from my laundry room window, which also looks out on the dogwood. I've searched my book on "this week's subjects" to no avail and I'm probably applying some anthropomorphism to these delightful occurrences, but would love your thoughts if you have any!

Other MUGgle birders, feel free to chime in!

Kris Zacharias wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 3:29 pm

Kris Zacharias wrote: Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:07 am I know what the answer is, but typed it wrong in my submission and only noticed the error as I heard the little whoosh upon sending. So I'm not on shore, but should be. Is there a blog category for this? Some sort of cruciverbalist purgatory? Oh well. Happy new year!

Thanks! A very long time ago I took a class in typing on a real typewriter, a mechanical one without letters on the keys at that! The exercises had endless repetitions of letter combinations (ar ar ar,at at at, etc.) so that letter combinations became automatic. 40 words per minute with no mistakes was the goal, if I remember correctly. With the advent of computers I have found that my fingers have their own mind. So they went to work sans input from the brain as I emailed the WSJ my answer. I can now type so much faster than 40 words per minute, but alas, with much less accuracy.

Al Sisti wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:06 pm

Nlobb wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:06 am Cheers to 2021!! Prohibition has ended in Mississippi more than 90 years after it did for the rest of the country. It is now legal to possess liquor in all counties, although you can't buy it in all counties. Residents of dry counties will have to vote for that right. Luckily our county is not dry, so here's to 2021!!!

Anyone want to take a guess as to which was the first beer to be sold when prohibition ended? Yep, Utica Club, from the West End Brewery in Utica, NY. They had the paperwork submitted and were the first brewery nationwide to get approval to sell and distribute beer... within an hour and a half of the repeal of the amendment. Now, how they happened to have beer ready to be distributed is another question...

John77 wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 8:25 pm

Al Sisti wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:06 pm

Nlobb wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:06 am Cheers to 2021!! Prohibition has ended in Mississippi more than 90 years after it did for the rest of the country. It is now legal to possess liquor in all counties, although you can't buy it in all counties. Residents of dry counties will have to vote for that right. Luckily our county is not dry, so here's to 2021!!!

Anyone want to take a guess as to which was the first beer to be sold when prohibition ended? Yep, Utica Club, from the West End Brewery in Utica, NY. They had the paperwork submitted and were the first brewery nationwide to get approval to sell and distribute beer... within an hour and a half of the repeal of the amendment. Now, how they happened to have beer ready to be distributed is another question...

They had Shultz and Dooley working for them, of course they were prepared!

Bob cruise director wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 8:27 pm

John77 wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 8:25 pm

Al Sisti wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:06 pm

Anyone want to take a guess as to which was the first beer to be sold when prohibition ended? Yep, Utica Club, from the West End Brewery in Utica, NY. They had the paperwork submitted and were the first brewery nationwide to get approval to sell and distribute beer... within an hour and a half of the repeal of the amendment. Now, how they happened to have beer ready to be distributed is another question...

They had Shultz and Dooley working for them, of course they were prepared!

The best thing about Utica Club (besides the price) was the Shultz and Dooley commercials

SewYoung wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 7:59 pm I have the "Meta Blindness", too. So many thought this one was easy, but I am just not seeing it....
This week's was too easy and I got the HEX cryptic, so the weekend is not a complete bust.

Dow Jones wrote: Sat Jan 02, 2021 12:58 pm After almost 3 days of "meta blindness", I believe I have solved this "easy" puzzle. I will enjoy a Harvey Wallbanger this evening.