Hey… It Might Work !

Haven't been away from the house for over a week now.  And I'll admit, that could make one just a little crazy.

But there doesn't seem to be an end in sight at this time.

I try to stay caught up on the news and all - although there are times I wonder just how good an idea that is.

Apparently it will be awhile until there is a vaccine or treatment for this plague.

But now, perhaps there is hope with a more unconventional treatment!

Now, I realize this idea has been widely disparaged.

But perhaps it should be reconsidered.

For one thing, it has been suggested by someone that has been heralded as a genius!

And then, it does kill germs.  It says so right on the bottle!

Being stuck here at the house forever has given me a lot of time to think this over, without any distractions.

And in a strange way, it does make sense if you think it through.

I mean, if it works on countertops, why not on people.

Or even in people.

Once the virus is inside a person, it's just a matter of getting the treatment in there too.

It's remarkably simple, so easy to understand.

It shouldn't have taken such a great genius to realize it.

Maybe some sort of inhaler to get it into the lungs.  That way we probably won't even need all those ventilators.

Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't.

But I think it could be very effective as a prevention.

A few CC's in a concentrated form, injected into an artery, could prevent one from even contracting the plague.

And maybe anything else as well!

As for myself, guess I'll just keep socially distancing for now, and hope for the best.

Stay well, y'all.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Cultural Appropriation?

I find myself wondering if this is a case of Cultural Appropriation.

What you see here, may appear to be merely a jar of mayonnaise.

But no.  This is Dukes!

When the Covid-19 panic hit, not only did the toilet paper disappear, but the Dukes!

At my local grocery store, all the other, off brand stuff, was still there.  But the Dukes shelf was picked clean.  People around here know what is an essential.

I'm sure this is common knowledge.  But that is not what this post is concerned with.

Back in the day, we were, for a time, temporarily living in another state.  It was shocking to find that Dukes was not carried by the local super market.

But now, it seems that our Dukes has become more widely available.

While I can appreciate other folks wanting to get in on a good thing, I can't help but wonder if this is a clear case of Cultural Appropriation.

I present as evidence, these two lids taken from Dukes jars.

First the current lid.

Now a more traditional one.

(although it is plastic - I apologize, but it was all that was available)

Notice a difference?

In another time, Dukes was the secret of "Great Southern Cooks".

Whereas now, simply, "Great Food".

What is going on here?

Does this mean that even yankees are being privileged with our Dukes?

Where will this end?

Will they be dipping Tube Rose in Seattle?

Well, I suppose it would be wrong to begrudge folks enjoying a superior product.  But lets admit, that we are dealing with a clear case of Dukes Appropriation here.

Be sweet y'all,

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Waiting It Out

Being "socially distanced", with a stay-at-home order in NC, one has plenty of time to waste.  So I spend too much time wondering about my mild symptoms.  Is this runny nose just a cold, or pollen?  Or am I actually about to die?  And what about this persistent cough?  Of course in saner times, these things would only be an inconvenience.  I bought one of those fancy digital thermometers.  If anything, my temp is on the low side.

I try not to get paranoid.  Really, I'm no longer an essential worker, so I do stay home, except to venture out for supplies, necessities, like food… and of course, beverages.  

This is a mostly rural county.  I live close enough to walk into town if I wanted to.  But this place is hardly a thriving metropolis.  Of course the "thriving metropolises" these days are having a pretty hard time of it.  Guess it's too many people in one place.  Anyhow, I never have liked crowds that much.

I live by myself here.  I miss being able to go into town for a beer.  Sure I can drink one at the house, I have, and will do so again.  But it's just not the same as being around people.  There have been times in my life when I thought being a hermit would be nice.  I came to realize that I really miss people, even when I'm only sitting back and watching.  I'm not a hermit.

Really, there's not much I can do about all this.  I think that sooner or later we'll all be exposed to this stuff.  Maybe it won't kill me when it happens… but then, maybe it will.  For now, we'll just have to wait it out.

Hang in there, y'all…

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Just for Fun…. A MYSTERY PIX REVIVAL !

I don't really normally get a whole lot of social interaction, living alone here.  But what little there is, has been severely limited with this Covid-19 business.

And I can only look at so much Youtube without completely loosing it.

So, I resorted to playing with Photoshop.

So here…

I think it looks prettier than all those corona virus things we keep seeing everywhere.

The Fuzz used to post "Mystery Pix" here at Kinda Fuzzy.

Maybe it's time to bring that back.

Of course, that was back in the days when people actually still looked at this blog.

But, I'll throw one out there.

If anyone happens to see this, they can post a guess in the comments.

Sooner or later, we'll have an exciting reveal of this latest

Mystery Pix!

A Bright Spot

Here in The Old North State we're under a stay-at-home order.  This has put a damper on a lot of things.  I did slip out to take care of a few necessary things though.

Got the car inspected - necessary to renew the tag which is about to expire.

And then over to the tag office.

At the inspection place, there were signs posted to stay in the car.  So I got to enjoy the nice car seat whilst the Inspector-Person went about his business.  They even brought the bill to the car for me to pay.

Curb Service!

At the tag office, each had to wait outside for their turn.  I, of course, wore my spiffy home-made Covid-Mask.

On the plus side, there were not many people there, which was unusual, but also made for a conveniently short wait.

And since I was already out, I stopped by the feed store to pick up a couple of tomato plants.

A quick stop at the rather empty grocery store, and then home to the socially distanced house.

And here's a little bright spot for these troubled times, another sign of springtime!

The Fuzz got this cool Iris from an older lady at the farmers market a couple years ago.

It's done rather well.

Hang in there

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

A Visitor

I guess this little one didn't get the message on social distancing.

Heard a bit of noise, and looked up.  Found this one trying to find a way back out.

With this nice warm weather, the doors and windows are open.  The fresh air is nice, but the truth is that the screens and screen doors are not particularly tight in this old house.

I was just minding my own business, trying to get caught up on email and other stuff, when I started hearing some unusual sounds.

Here we go again.

I like having birdies around.  I have some feeders outside, and usually toss some sunflower seeds out in the yard for them.  But they don't really belong in the house.

When I first moved back in, I had one in a nest in my bedroom window - on the inside.

Since she was already there, and sitting on eggs, I didn't have the heart to evict her.

She had a way in and out, where the screen had come loose.  So we pretty much co-existed for a time.  I admit, I wasn't always thrilled to find little bird spots now and again.  But we managed.

When the babies came off, I made sure they got out okay, and fixed the gap in the screen.

It was kinda cool and all, but I don't really want another go at it.

So sorry, but you got to go.

Funny how they'll fly from window to window and never realize that the door is propped wide open.

But eventually, whether on purpose or by accident, she made it out the door.

These guys like to nest in buildings which is fine.

But on the outside please.

Well, being stuck at home, we have to take what diversions we can get.

Stay healthy…

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Early Peppers

Well, NC goes under a statewide "stay at home" order starting on Monday.

Some of the counties already had this, so… Okay.

It was inevitable of course.

But the weather has been pretty nice.  So it was a good time to get out in the garden.

I broke up and cleaned out the last of the raised beds.  And I snuck over to the Home Improvement Store where I was able to pick up some pepper plants.   Never have had much luck starting them from seed - although apparently, it is possible.

I put a couple of them in the fresh bed, and potted this Tabasco plant.

The sun was kinda hot.  That's one thing about this time of year - no shade.  But I managed to avoid a sunburn.  It's easy to get a bit crisp after spending the winter covered up.

It seemed a bit early for peppers to me.  But with all the climate stuff, things could be changing. And of course, if they call for frost I can put a bucket or something over them.

Exciting times, these.  It's a weird combination of tension and boredom.

We did get to have a zoom family meetup today.  That was nice since we can't travel.  Technology has it's good side, even if it can be frustrating at times.

Guess that's about it for now…

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Staying Out of Jail

Under the present Covid-19 conditions, we're all supposed to stay home.  It's no secret that this gets old after awhile.  And can be a bit depressing.  You might wonder what's the point of getting out of bed.

I was feeling that way.

But then I remembered there was an important task just waiting for me!

I received this official piece of mail the other day, and promptly forgot about it.  Actually, that was pretty easy with the many years of perfecting my procrastination skills.

But then I received another little reminder.

And since…

"SU RESPUESTTA ESREQUERIDA POR LEY"…

had been conveniently translated into english, it seemed that I should finally have a more serious look at it.

Let's face it - the Covid-19 restrictions aren't all that bad, compared to jail time.

So I got the stuff out to have a look.

It wasn't all that intimidating.

It directed me to go to a special website, that it appeared google already knew about.  (Imagine that!)

Anyhow…

It was pretty easy to fill out the questions, especially since I am the only one living here.  And so, now that's done, and I have a better chance at staying out of jail.

Another job, well done!

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Beautiful day here in the Old North State

Beautiful day here in the Old North State.

Of course with this Covid-19 stuff we're supposed to stay home.  So I missed out on my afternoon uptown wandering around drinking coffee and beer.  Did sneak over to the grocery store for a look at the empty shelves.  Still can't figure out this toilet paper thing tho.

"N.C. Sheriffs Find 18,000 Pounds Of Toilet Paper And Other Products In Stolen Truck"

I have to admit, I never would have expected a blackmarket for toilet paper.

But apparently it has a lot of unexpected uses.

Unsurprisingly, it's been a quiet day around here, a couple of lawnmowers, but that's pretty much it.  I fixed me a mess of pintoes.  And I caught this guy red handed- or feathered or something.

But now I know who's been finishing of the kitties dinner.

Admittedly, it's not a great shot, but I had to be sneaky and shoot through the screen.

Well, I'm still here, and relatively healthy so far.  And just glad for this nice weather.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Trying to Keep Up

Having been retired now for a number of years, not going in to work is not all that novel.  But not going anywhere might take some getting used to.

To make it worse, Thursday is discounted pints at the JBirds - or rather was.

Well, we'll just have to trust that the Governor knows best in this case, and raid the fridge.

But to be honest, we have cheated just a little.  As was previously mentioned, there was the Windshield Transplant.  And then a necessary trip to the bank in a tax-related affair.  But the trip to the laundromat has been cancelled.

Here at the house things are a little primitive.  There is no hot water unless it's heated in a kettle.  (Or on the heater in cold weather)  Consequently, a washer is not an option.  While some clothing can be worn more than once, there are some items that it is best to have clean.  So in the interest of not contributing to the pandemic, we opted for hand washing this time.

But the weather has been warm, and Spring is definitely here, even officially now!

Some of the salad fixings are starting to make an appearance.

But it will still be awhile before they make it to the table.

But these guys are ready now.

It's always nice to supplement the store stuff with something from the yard.

Especially if trying to avoid the store.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Transplant

Another sign that Spring is on the way

Not a lot going on around here today.

Can't really go anywhere I guess.

Well, of course I could, but it's kinda being discouraged.

Still, they haven't hid the key to my car yet.

But I did go out for a bit yesterday.

Had to take the car for a windshield transplant.

A couple of years ago, while driving on I 85 a rock (I assume) popped up and into the glass.  It made a huge noise and scared the fool out of The Fuzz.

But rather than shattering, the only damage was a nasty little ding right in front of the driver.

It certainly could have been worse.

But lately this harmless little ding had begun to expand into a crack.  And since it was time to take the vehicle in for it's annual inspection, something would have to be done.

So an appointment was made at the local windshield place for a transplant.

They do make house calls.  But due to the possibility of rain, it needed to be done under cover, and the only cover here is a oak tree without leaves.

I'm happy to report that the transplant was successful.

On the down side…

Just heard the Governor announcing that they are closing the restaurants and bars.

Oh well…

Looks like going into town for a beer is out for now.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

River Trail - Post Flood

A few years ago, the Fuzz put up a post about the new (at the time) 1st Broad River Trail.

Well it was pretty nice, and a good place to have a bit of a nature walk, and a little gentle walking exercise.

Well, not too long ago I went down there to enjoy the river and all.

This was shortly after all that rain we'd had.  I was surprise to find this scene.

This sign was also posted.

Well, a sign like that would never keep The Fuzz from having a look (as long as no cops were around) and me either.

Living a ways from the river, I hadn't realized just how much of a flood it had been.

One of the first things I noticed, other than the sand, was just how high the river must have been!

You can see the debris caught in this tree.  Probably 6ft above the trail level.

The river banks are a mess of twisted up trees.

And a lot of the bank has been washed away.

The arrow is pointing at a post that used to be one of the trail markers.

But one of the saddest sights was the cool suspension bridge.

Here's what is left of it now!

Bummer!

Closer look.

I don't know if there are any plans yet to fix this.

It will certainly be a big job - and expensive.

But I, for one, will miss it.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Passing the Torch

Well… seems like forever since that Fuzz put up a post here - some thing like a year and a half!  There has been a lot going on with his life, and he just hasn't done very well with it.  But the Fuzz is still living, more or less.  However he feels like the time has come to pass this blog on.  And so now he is turning Kinda Fuzzy over to Jandi in the hope that she will do a bit better with it.  She says she will try to keep as much continuity as possible, but time will tell.

The Fuzz says thanks to everyone who followed over the years.  Looking back, Kinda Fuzzy began on August 21, way back in 2006.  But these past couple of years have been a time of struggle and change for The Fuzz.  And he feels that it is time for him to get out of the picture.  He hopes that this change will work out better for the blog.  So he wishes the best for Jandi and Kinda Fuzzy.

Hi guys!

Here in NC spring seems to be coming early.  This peach tree is blooming here by the house.  But it is still a month till our official "frost free" date.  We'll have to see whether it manages to hang on and set fruit, or gets clobbered by a (not all that) late frost.

But the blossoms are pretty.

We have managed to set out some Lettuce and Napa Cabbage as well as planting a bunch of seeds - which somebody dug holes in during the night.

Weather has been nice lately, haven't needed a fire for a few days.  But it's bath night, so I lit one just for the occasion.

Thanks for the good wishes, Fuzz.

We'll try not to mess things up too badly.

𝕵𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎

Morning Visiters

Well geez…

It's been a while since we heard from that elusive Fuzz

But he is still hanging in there.

His life has been taking some unexpected turns, but that is a tale for another time-

if ever.

But there is a morning routine, at least for most mornings

And a big part of it is sitting out on the porch enjoying the birds

His sister, before she passed, had enjoyed watching the Hummingbirds at her feeder.  She kinda influenced The Fuzz to try one himself.

He had already been feeding the other birds with sunflower seeds, but decided to add the hummingbirds to his guest list.

It took a few days, but before long, they started showing up regularly.

These guys are a trip, their metabolism is something else.

"Hummingbird has incredible high heart rate. Average heart rate during the flight is 1200 beats per minute. When resting, heart rate reaches 250 beats per minute"

They are usually the first to show up in the morning…

usually when it's just starting to get light.

Here's a shot of one coming in for some breakfast.

The Fuzz tried to tweak it a little to show the details-

These guys move so quickly it's hard to see them!

Here's one landing…

Wings slowed down enough to almost see them.

But they are a lot of fun to watch and can get kinda feisty with each other-

Which surprised The Fuzz a little.

And here we have a last look at this guy enjoying a nice little morning drink.

Thoughts on Gardens

A few gatherings from the garden

Got some Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and a Squash along with some Sage & Rosemary.

Since moving back to the Old Place, The Fuzz has been trying to work the garden a bit.

At one time it was rather large as one might expect with a large family and low income.  But all that is not needed for an old guy by himself.

Along with downsizing, The Fuzz installed 3 raised beds which make it a bit easier to work with.

But this got Our Fuzz to thinkin' about things.

There was a time when a lot of folks worked a backyard garden- even in town.  Seems like you don't see that much these days.

When The Fuzz went to work for the city back in the "day"as they say, summer was the "heavy time" for garbage.*  This was because in this mill town most- or at least many people still worked those backyard gardens.  And that meant it was canning season.  And that meant lots of heavy sloppy remains in that bright Summer NC sunshine.

But now, with apartments and Farmer's Markets and such, this is no longer the case.

And while The Fuzz does not miss the heavy lifting, he does lament the fact that a lot of people have lost touch with the earth and her seasons.

But enough said for now.  The Fuzz says he doesn't want to go off on a rant today…

So enjoy your fresh veggies no matter where they came from.

*For those unfamiliar with The Fuzz, he collected garbage for over 33 years.

Birdie Breakfast

Long time since The Fuzz was here.  Sorry about that… sorta.  But The Fuzz has been dealing with a lot of personal issues this year - which we won't go into at the moment.

So anyhow…

The Fuzz likes to get up kinda early and experience the sunrise when he has the chance.

Here's a look at this morning's pre-sunrise.

He also gets off on watching the birdies.  So he has made a habit of putting out some sunflower seeds on this stump.

Here's a look at that proverbial "Early Bird".

Wasn't a worm, but the guy seems satisfied anyway.

Of course he didn't have the place to himself for long…

it didn't take long for the rest of the crowd to join in…

for a Birdie Breakfast!