Robin Hardy's Abbey Lands
The Stories of the Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea
Random Mutterings
God Only Knows, Part 2
August 7, 2026: We're continuing my obsession with The Beach Boys' song "God Only Knows" (see Part 1 below).
There’s also a haunting aspect to the lyrics, due to that ambiguity again. The words communicate a tension between doubt and belief: “I may not always love you”—but I will forever, essentially. “If you should ever leave me”—well, I’ll survive, but I’ll pout about it. In all that wind-tossed turbulence, it seems that he keeps returning to his anchor: “God only knows what I’d be without you.”
Now watch what happens when I try to scan it. (For auditory clues, I followed Brian Wilson singing it in this video.)
God Only Knows, Part 1
Try making sense of that. The verses don’t scan at all; they’re too irregular—you know, like life. But look at the rhymes: they’re entirely composed of three words: it, you and me. How perfect can an uncertain love song be?After all, it’s not a poem, but a cri de coeur—a cry from the heart. In this video, Naete says, “This is the first example of what Beach Boys manager Derek Taylor would refer to as a “pocket symphony.” Brian Wilson himself called it a “teenage symphony to God.”
Here is their official version, which has the cleanest audio.
"God Only Knows," Part 1
Not only is "God Only Knows" a theological truth, it’s the title of one of the greatest songs ever written. (That’s according to Paul McCartney) When I started researching this Beach Boys song (written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher), I found so much worth sharing that I broke the post into two parts: the music and the lyrics. Brian used sleigh bells, paper orange juice cups, clarinets, flutes, and strings to produce the orchestral sound he wanted. Click on the links below for more that's beyond me to explain.
On guitar and piano, Rick Beato analyzes the chords, whose unique structures account for the musical hooks. And here’s a deep dive by David Bennett Music Theory exploring the sheet music (sample below). He notes the unusual pairing of a harpsichord and accordion, followed by a bass. His discussion of the song's structure is fascinating, even for a musical illiterate like me.
Larry Hardesty on The Arts Fuse explains the uniqueness of the song's motivic patterning: “Every phrase of the main melody — the first four lines of the song, before we reach the tag line — begins with an oscillation downward by a half-step and back up, followed within a few notes by a melodic leap. This general pattern helps listeners orient themselves within the flow of the melody; at the same time, the pattern changes enough with each iteration to avoid being boring.” Mission accomplished.
See Part 2 above
Kiss of The Oceans
August 1, 2026: Our American forebears were awfully romantic people (or natural showmen) as you can see from this postcard celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.
Digging was a costly endeavor, as "an estimated 25,000 to 27,000 workers died during the construction of the Panama Canal, spanning both the failed French effort and the successful American completion. The vast majority of these fatalities were caused by tropical diseases like malaria and yellow fever, alongside workplace accidents." (Google)
Was it worth it? Due to the geopolitical significance of the canal, President Trump has stated his intention to acquire it.
King of the Rednecks
July 29, 2026: While I was minding my own business browsing online, I caught this bit that made me laugh out loud, as it reminded me of my dad:
Now, Dad was not a redneck, but a mid-level manager at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (before they became AT&T). But he was a hands-on guy, a do-it-yourselfer to the point that he refurbished an old Frito-Lay van to take his wife and kids all over the country (and Canada) on summer vacations:
Can you dig it?
Unrelated Update: Since you seem to be enjoying the audiobook of Streiker's Morning Sun, I'm about halfway through recording
The Indestructible Buster Keaton
July 26, 2026: In the 1920s, Buster Keaton became one of the most famous acts in the country because of his amazing stunts. As he got into film, he mastered special effects that no one else could replicate at the time. This 45-minute video biography gives a comprehensive view of his career. If you don't have time to watch it right now, check out the 10-minute video below.
For all that, he died at age 70 of lung cancer.
For Your Safety, Know the Difference!
July 23, 2026: After a grandfather was recently tossed by a bison at Yellowstone National Park, we thought it best to share this advisory:
Fortunately, the grandfather was not severely injured. Now recuperating from several broken bones, he says, "they move faster than you can ever imagine." Words for the wise.
Here's My New Yard Sign
July 20, 2026: And as soon as I get a yard, I'll put it up. What do you think? Revolutionary, isn't it?
Jordan Peterson Bringing the Fire—Twice!
July 17, 2026: Clinical psychologist and cultural critic Dr. Jordan Peterson has some thoughts about (1) No one gets away with anything, and (2) a good person is both dangerous and self-controlled. Click the images above to watch, then see more on Jordan Peterson Nation.
Vindicating Scripture
“What has been will be again,
What has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.” (Ecc. 1:9-11, NIV)
July 14, 2026: This is one of those Scriptures that atheists scoff at: it’s obvious that ancient cultures didn’t have the knowledge and technology that we have now. Isn’t it?
Wellll…. A few archaeological finds call that assumption into question. For instance, the Antikythera (AN tik uh THEER ah) mechanism, created by the Greeks in the 2nd century BC, has been described as the first analogue computer, capable of predicting astronomical events years before they happened.
Then there’s Roman concrete, which formula was used to build road and structures that have lasted for thousands of years. After a long period of trial and error, researchers were able to replicate the hot-mixing process by which the Romans created a concrete that was actually self-healing.
How about the Byzantine Empire’s Greek fire? It was a chemical packed in tubes mounted on the prows of warships and set on fire before being shot at enemy ships. Because it was liquid, it couldn’t be extinguished with water. “Historians and chemists largely suspect it was petroleum-based—likely using crude oil or naphtha extracted from the Black Sea region—mixed with ingredients such as resin, sulfur, and pitch.”
Those are just a few examples; I’ve glanced over other ancient technologies originating in China (paper, printing, gunpowder, and the compass), Tasmania (Spongolite Tools), Mexico (the Aztecs’ Floating Gardens) Bengal (Dhaka muslin), Macedonia (torsion-powered artillery), and Egypt (Alexandria, home of the aeolipile, or first steam engine).
And if you bring up AI, I’ll find a precursor for that as well.
Catch-up Catchall
July 11, 2026: Thank you for your patience while I get my shyte together. First, the audiobook of Streiker's Morning Sun has been approved by ACX on its technical aspects, and now awaits a human hearing.
Assuming that it gets approved, I'm already looking at making an audiobook of If Only for This Life. This is one of my favorite books—not only does it tie into The Streiker Saga and The Sammy Series both, but it has two sequels.
The only problem with recording audiobooks in mid-July is that I have to turn off the air-conditioning (to prevent noise pollution). So I try to record early in the day, after I get back from my morning walks. Regardless, I sweat. A lot.
In other news, a wasp has somehow become trapped between one window pane and screen. Since it could not have gotten there from the outside, it must have flown in when I had the door open, then found its way to the open window. And the only way to get it out is remove the screen (which I've done once and am not doing again) or let the wasp back into my study (which is also not happening). So if anybody has any suggestions, let me know.
(looking from the outside)
UPDATE: WD-40 did the job.
What Fresh Hell Is This?
July 8, 2026: Rube that I am, I tend to buy trusted products without a glance at the labels. So when I brought home a new tube of toothpaste and opened it up, I saw this:
I stood there gaping at it for a little while, then looked at the label:
Since then I've found out that charcoal is in a bunch of personal-care products, but nobody asked me if I wanted it in my toothpaste. I don't.
Get it out of here
The Cost of War
July 5, 2026: The late, great comedian George Carlin was famous for his acerbic wit, especially in regard to social issues, such as... war (click the pic to watch):
Another commenter on that issue was this young man:
Google explains: "The man in the photo is Evgeny Stepanovich Kobytev (often translated as Eugen Stepanovich Kobytev). [1, 2]
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The 1941 Photo: Taken on the day he left to go to war. At the time, he was a young artist who had just graduated from the Kyiv State Institute in Ukraine. [1, 2, 3]
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The 1945 Photo: Taken at the end of the war. The dramatic transformation in his face reflects the heavy physical and psychological toll of the conflict. In September 1941, Kobytev was wounded and captured, spending two brutal years in a notorious Nazi concentration camp known as the "Khorol Pit". He eventually escaped, rejoined the Soviet Red Army, and fought through the rest of the war. [1, 2, 3, 4]" (emphasis mine)
So having seen the worst of war, despite the personal cost, Kobytev returned to the battle because the threat to his country was too dire to ignore. This is the last word on the cost of war—and the reason that up to 57 million like-minded United States soldiers have agreed, ensuring the survival of our country.
Abu the Winner
July 2, 2026: Everybody loves a winner, so meet Abu. In the clip linked above, he's singing on Season 3 of The Voice Kids Flanders. After you watch him blow away the judges, I'll give you his background.
After fleeing their war-torn hometown of Kabul, Afghanistan, Abu's family resettled in Belgium as refugees. While Abu misses his friends and homeland, he appreciates their new home, and continues to pursue his music career in Belgium. He is working as an independent singer and music producer under his full name, Abobaker Rahman.
Something real and wonderful
So Many Books, So Little Time
June 29, 2026: I’m on Chapter 18 recording the audiobook of Streiker’s Morning Sun, with about a third of the book left to go. I would’ve been farther along, but got distracted when I noticed the advantages of listing books of a series together on Amazon. So I did that with The Sammy/Streiker Salmagundi: If Only for This Life, Abby’s Monsters, and Today and Forever. They’re all available in paperback and Kindle format.
And when I finish recording Morning Sun, I’ll move on to all three books of the Salmagundi, if I survive. I still hate my voice, but readers really seem to like the audiobooks.
Texas State Mushroom
June 26, 2026: Texas is so special, we have our own state mushroom. May I present the Chorioactis geaster, also known as the Devil's Cigar or Texas Star (depending on its state of development).
Image by Tim Jones
According to the Mushroom Expert, "At first, this mushroom looks like a tiny, fuzzy American football—but it soon begins to expand and peel back into star-like rays, as the color of the upper surface progresses from whitish to brownish orange to, finally, dull yellow.
"Under the microscope, Chorioactis geaster is truly fascinating. Its spores are enormous and shaped like stretched-out footballs; its paraphyses are multi-septate, and they develop swollen, chained-together cells; its asci are thick-walled and funky; and the hairs on its outer surface are double-walled and minutely prickly."
Aren't we special?
Cool Trick Photo
June 23, 2026: Done without Photoshop! See how she did it here.
Now do somebody's mouth
In other news, I'm on Chapter 10 (out of 14) recording the audiobook of Streiker's Morning Sun. Am now taking bets on my finding a catastrophic mistake so that it all has to be redone.
What Is it About Dogs and Their People?
June 20, 2026: Did you ever wonder why dogs are man's best friend? Wonder no more (click the image to watch):
In other news, I'm up to Chapter 6 in recording the audiobook for Streiker's Morning Sun. I've would have been farther along except that I discovered there was a Prologue and Epilogue that had to be recorded. Who knew?
The American Revolution
Is Still Smoking
June 17, 2026: —as British youths learn the proper way to eat ribs in America. (Click on the pic to watch the wonder spread across their faces.)
I understand they were in one of the U.S. host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (International Federation of Association Football).
Southern ribs kills 'em every time.
In other news, I'm up to Chapter 4 on the audiobook recording of Streiker's Morning Sun. We'll see how the rest goes. I just wish I had the sophisticated British accent you hear here instead of my Southern drawl.
You could call it Chataine's Guardian 2.0