One of the local fauna

A common yellow garden spider, guarding a bit of mint.

It's important to note that the spider is actual size on whatever screen you're viewing it, so I recommend looking at it on a phone if arachnids alarm you. 😉

Note: posted on 8/19/2026, backdated to 2018 when I first shared with friends on facebook.  

Today is the 25th anniversary of Nolan Ryan beating up Robin Ventura

Lest it be forgotten, it's time to remind everyone that 25 years ago today, Nolan Ryan (in the final year of a career known for being a wild pitcher) hit Robin Ventura with a pitch, and Ventura decided to charge the mound.

The YouTube video is titled "Nolan Ryan fight Robin Ventura", but really Ventura just gets punched in the face repeatedly by a guy old enough to be his dad.

Apparently this has been a popular subject recently, googling "nolan ryan beats up robin ventura" reveals yearly posts about it in the run-up to the 25th anniversary.