By Paul Goldfinger. Click to enlarge. Super Bowl 2021.

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Shadberry tree blossoms in Firemen’s Park. April, 2021. Paul Goldfinger photo. ©  Click to see details.

The tree, the Shadberry,  is also called Serviceberry, Shadbush, and Amelanchier arborea.

The tree blooms in mid-April with its 5 petaled white flowers.  The bloom coincides with the up river run of the American shad fish which heads up the Delaware to spawn.  Fishing during the shad run used to be a big commercial endeavor in Pennsylvania, but the shad was almost wiped out due to over-fishing and pollution. It is making a comeback, and there is a shad festival along the Delaware in late April.

This tree was planted in Fireman’s Park by the neighbors. They feed it and watch for it to bloom each spring, although the bloom only lasts for a few days. Later there will be red berries.  So far, no shad fish have appeared in Ocean Grove.

ANITA O’DAY

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The word on the street is that there aren’t enough vintage car showers (ie pleural of those who show vintage cars)

But don’t worry baby, everything will turn out all right without this tourist magnet.

We Grovers will have our town to ourselves for a potentially beautiful May Saturday. We can go to the beach–so sayeth the Beach Boys. And our streets will remain open—perfect for riding our bikes down to the oceanfront.

Or just walk or bike around our historic small town and smell the flowers.

Maybe some of you might picket the North End to turn it into a park for the public—-air, views, light, and joy for all.   Protect our little piece of the Jersey Shore!

It’s time for the citizens who actually live here and pay taxes to take back this town.  It’s time for a change, and not the kind that will turn the North End into Disneyland or the downtown into an advertising venue for the Chamber of Commercials.

PG  of  Blogfingerland.

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“The VA is now scheduling vaccines, and the program is now open to all registered veterans, spouses, and caregivers. They have appointments available at East Orange, Lyons, Brick, Hamilton, Hackensack, and Piscataway.”

“Call 800-315-7909 East Orange

Lyons 855-301-3490

Or Brick 855-672-1982

“If you are not registered for the VA, you may register through the site:   COVID 19 at VA|Vaccines.

“If you have had your shots, notify your VA primary care of which shot you received—-( Moderna, Pfzier, J & J) , when you got your shots (dates), and  the location.”

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Blue and green show up at Tent Village, rear view, April, 18, 2021. Paul Goldfinger photograph. ©

We took a stroll through the tent colony.  We saw green shoots popping out of the ground in front and in between the wooden framework which will soon be hung with canvas, and painting touch-ups and repairs will begin as well.

It’s a spring ritual in Ocean Grove.  The tenters traditionally check in on May 15 and then the community comes to life.

We’ll see kids on their bikes and we will hear Gordon Turk warming up the Hope-Jones organ.

We don’t know if tenters will wear masks outside, but they should, and we don’t know how lively the signs of life will be. But we suspect that this summer will be better than last.

Eileen and Paul Goldfinger,   Editors  Blogfinger.net

A tribute to all the musicians including Gordon Turk, Phil Smith, Ronald Naldi and all those others  who pour their hearts out sharing the magic of music in Ocean Grove:

“Tu Che a Dio spiegasti l’ali”    performed by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

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(Frolm RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is doubling down on its efforts to approve COVID-19 tests.  This information is from the Oakhurst Pharmacy web site:

Blogfinger photos April 20, 2021.

Oakhurst Pharmacy, Oakhurst, NJ. 15 minutes from Ocean Grove. Blogfinger photo.

The FDA said in a recent press release that it is pushing to bring more COVID-19 tests to the market. This effort, meant to support the fight against the pandemic, includes all kinds of screening tests but focuses on over-the-counter tests for asymptomatic individuals.

To that end, the agency approved several new COVID-19 tests for over-the-counter use.

“Screening testing, especially with the over-the-counter tests authorized today, is an important part of the country’s pandemic response — many schools, workplaces, communities, and other entities are setting up testing programs to quickly screen for COVID-19,” said Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in a press release. “With the FDA’s authorization of multiple tests, the public can be assured these tests have met our scientific standards for emergency use authorization.”

The FDA said it has approved three COVID-19 tests to test asymptomatic people multiple times. These include the following:

• The Quidel QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 test
• The Abbott BinaxNOW test
• The BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

The FDA approved the first two tests for over-the-counter use. The third test was approved for use in a point-of-care setting (like a pharmacy or doctor’s office) without a prescription. The FDA had previously approved all three tests for use in people who are showing COVID-19 symptoms. Now, these tests can be used in people who show no symptoms at all.

Blogfinger medical report:    Paul Goldfinger, MD

The ability to easily obtain Covid-19 testing will be useful in many scenarios.  Since you don’t need to have symptoms, you can go if you are a college kid about to head home, if you are in a relationship where you are contemplating intimacy, if you think you were exposed, etc. etc.

Regarding the sexual aspects of all this, saliva is the main source of viral exposure.  Covid-19  virus has been found in semen, but there is no proof so far that the disease can be transmitted this way.

So if you are a male, you can be careful and place a mask, of sorts, on your hoo-ha.  It’s unclear if a  female can transmit the virus via vaginal secretions, but studies are ongoing.

As far as viral transmission via saliva, that is a risk, especially during close sexual contact

Harvard.edu recently says,   “If both of you are healthy and feeling well, are practicing social distancing and have had no known exposure to anyone with COVID-19, touching, hugging, kissing, and sex are more likely to be safe.”  This will be appreciated at the Harvard dorms.

Avert.org says,  “There are lots of ways to have sexual pleasure without physical contact– try having fun with lone masturbation, sex toys, and phone or webcam sex.”    Really?  Try reading this to your next first date—ie plan ahead.

I think there is room here for common sense—so good luck.   —PG

By the way, the Oakhurst Pharmacy is on Rt. 35 north, diagonally opposite BJ’s—-1915 Rt 35.

THE BEACH BOYS    “Heroes and Villains.”

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