Our pockets full of nothing

Somewhat hidden in this week’s headlines about the Kleptocrat being roundly booed (and falling asleep) at Game 3 of the NBA finals, him declaring that he “love[s] the inflation” and him getting pissed off that Iran’s not behaving like Republicans in Congress and therefore resuming war crimes was news that America’s farmers are struggling.

He flew to Wisconsin last Friday to rally the racists, where he had to mock up a “panel” of others so he could sit instead of stand at a podium. Then he threw a hissy fit when sitting in a mocked-up barn being interviewed Meet the Press; Kristen Welker kept asking for evidence of his insane claims about rigged elections past and present, so he ripped off his mic, stomped on it and then stormed out with a parting, “Thank you, darling.”

During the “panel”, he announced that he’s going to hawk up another few billions of taxpayer money to help farmers over “the bump” of tariff-tanked soybean sales to China, climate-change-induced drought and escalating fuel prices and fertilizer shortages due to the Iran war. He’ll probably eventually come through with it because the mid-term election is in five months.

Even so—farm bankruptcies are skyrocketing and so are food costs for us, the consumers. It’s not a pretty picture.

So my earworm for today is Nanci Griffith’s “Trouble in the Fields”. Sadly, it’s as true today as it was when she wrote it during the farm crisis in 1987. 

©2026 Bas Bleu

 

New neighbor just hopped

I was out in the back yard the other day and realized to my horror that I had left a stack of empty planters right side up. That meant that it was full of soupy, fetid water and probably about 12 squillion mosquito larvae.

I upended them & unhoused three slugs and this guy:

I dispatched the slugs and set the amphibian on some leaves. Much healthier environment for him.

 

 

©2026 Bas Bleu

 

Milk money

A couple of months ago, I noted in passing that LIDL had the lowest price on milk (of three grocery chains), by a dollar. It was $1.67 per half gallon.

A week or so ago, I noticed that they’d raised the price to $1.87.

(Yeah—you do have to watch out for cartons damaged in shipping.)

Huh, I thought. But inflation, fuel cost increases—I guess 11% is…well, it just is.

So I checked out the other three stores.

Trader Joe’s; actually, no change from March:

But Wegmans is charging almost as much for a half gallon as they are for a full gallon:

They’re now up there with Giant:

(Giant was ahead of the game--$3.29 back in March.)

Folks, I do not know what’s going on, but that delta between LIDL and the other is eye-watering.

 

 

©2026 Bas Bleu

 

Someone else can take care of it

Came across this on my walk the other morning—one of the benches along the W&OD Trail, which overlook the Hidden Creek golf course.

Two different branches of the entitled, littering asshole species.

There’s actually a trash bin in the Asplundh parking lot about 20 yards across the trail.

 

 

©2026 Bas Bleu

 

Gratitude Monday: Polonius and Sinatra

The chalk artists in the ‘hood are out again. Well, really—the chalk philosophers.

I came round the final stretch of my morning walk last week to find this on the path past the tot lot:

Here’s the expansion:

And, finally, this, echoing Polonius:

I have to say that I don’t believe the artist is some random 10-year-old. Not quoting a song that’s been covered by Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.

Then, yesterday, there was this on the path by the neighboring apartment complex’s playground:

With this addition.

Clearly, the Advice from the Universe is to have integrity, practice love and spread joy. I’m grateful for the reminder.

  

©2026 Bas Bleu