Author: James Amos

  • The Elusive Gray Catbird

    The Elusive Gray Catbird

    We hear the gray catbird more often than we see it. When we do see this beautiful gray bird, it’s only a fleeting glimpse. We more often hear it mewing like a cat. It imitates the songs of other birds as well. I have caught sight of it in our back yard trees. It streaks…

  • Acting Up on Scott Boulevard

    Acting Up on Scott Boulevard

    We took a walk on Scott Boulevard used my smartphone for the first time to take selfies with the Sitting Man. Can you believe it? I’ve had that phone for over 7 years and never took a selfie with Sena until then. It was a sunny day and we walked clear out to the intersection…

  • Memorial Day 2023

    Memorial Day 2023

    Today is Memorial Day 2023. A moment of silence. There will be a public ceremony at Oak Hill Cemetery in Iowa City at 11:15 a.m., May 29, 2023.

  • Juggling and The Wings of Change!

    Juggling and The Wings of Change!

    The other day we were at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area mainly to see how juggling goes outdoors for me. We filmed the event for posterity. It turns out that “wings” had a lot to do with it. I juggled next to Hilde DeBruyn’s sculpture “Winds of Change.” It’s my favorite sculpture, although the winds of…

  • Always Wear Safety Glasses When Claw Juggling!

    Always Wear Safety Glasses When Claw Juggling!

    I just got a new eyeglass prescription a few days ago. I figured a year was long enough to wait after my surgery for an acute on chronic retinal detachment of my right eye. My vision in that eye has changed quite a bit, but I think new glasses will help a lot. My old…

  • How Can You Wash Your Face Without Washing Your Beard?

    How Can You Wash Your Face Without Washing Your Beard?

    OK, Sena washed my beard with beard wash the other day and then I hopped in the shower, rinsed off the suds and applied the beard conditioner. Then I got to thinking about what I’d been doing about washing my face (and necessarily my beard) with a moisturizing soap every day. This was before Sena…

  • Sena Letting Juggling Balls Sleep

    Sena Letting Juggling Balls Sleep

    Sena has been letting her juggling balls take a nap lately. The reason is that she has been very busy in her garden. The balls are either on the floor where she drops them—or placed neatly on a footstool. I left my assistant coach to encourage her to practice. Unfortunately, he’s been sleeping on the…

  • Resident Physicians on Strike at Elmhurst Hospital in New York City

    Resident Physicians on Strike at Elmhurst Hospital in New York City

    I read the news story about resident physicians at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City who went on strike this past Monday about low pay. The story doesn’t mention whether psychiatry residents joined the strike. The story did mention how difficult it was to work there during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. I looked…

  • No Swimming Order at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area

    No Swimming Order at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area

    A no swimming order has been issued as of yesterday for Sand Lake at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, due to E. coli bacteria contamination. Updates are on Fridays of each week.

  • Terry Trueblood Birds Show Off in the Spring

    Terry Trueblood Birds Show Off in the Spring

    Just about any time of year is a great opportunity to walk the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. The birds are busy competing for mates and nesting spaces. The nest boxes for the tree swallows are up. Already, vacancies are few. Their iridescent feathers are dazzling. The music in the first part of the video is…