Jay Taylor

@jaytaylor

Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, Bicycling, Live Music, Film Photography, Mechanical Watches, Dogs, Bourbon, Progressive Independent. 🚫DMs Signal Messages: JayTaylor.56 Session Messages: 05bf5c0f7d68b0105b23bc4d8e4a0b709528b4c44391e3065fb89c4052c7749d6f

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Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· 26d

I’m listening to some MLB baseball and relaxing out in the driveway, and Zoey decided to lie down on the grass - very unusual for her! #DrivewayParty

Zoey the Mini Fox Terrier relaxing in the grass.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· 27d

Frannie the Corgi, from a Fall photo shoot I did in 2023.

Frannie the Corgi sitting in front of trees with colorful Autumn leaves.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· 29d

It’s that time of year again… The local park field has turned yellow with flowers on the spurge that’s growing. Also, the cicadas seem loud and early this year. #Nature #YellowFlowers

The local park covered in yellow flowers.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jul 18

I had a great night playing #AmericanMahjongg this week. I won three games out of four. Up until this point, I had only called Mahjong three times ever. #Mahjong #Mahjongg

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jul 18

Frannie out enjoying the sunny driveway.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jul 17

I’m making up a big batch of vegetable stew for meals for the week. The recipe is in the ALT text. Lots of vegetable plus lentils and tofu for protein and fiber. 365 calories per serving. You can spice to your liking. #VegetableStew #HealthyEating #OffsetsBourbonAndCigars #OrSoIHope

Vegetable Stew

1 Tbsp olive oil
7 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 red peppers
3/4 cup lentils
8 large carrots
1 pound celery
6 small portabella mushrooms
5 oz baby spinach
2 large russet potatoes
16 oz firm tofu
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 can corn, low sodium
1 can peas, low sodium

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jul 14

The next canning project is raspberry preserves. We stocked up at Costco today, and I put up 10 pint jars this evening. #HomeCanning #WaterBathCanning #Canning #Raspberries

12 flats of organic raspberries from Costco, sitting near the canned blueberries and rhubarb sauce canned earlier in the Spring.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jul 10

Back from our cruise to #Mexico and #Belize and had to take care of the out-of-control yard today. The string trimmer that I’ve owned for 30 years or so finally crapped out. It wound down with a gentle fizzle and is now in the garbage can. I’ve resurrected this a couple of times over the decades.

Thank you for your decades of service! The string trimmer is no more.

Enjoying a cigar and some Green River Full Proof Wheated #Bourbon in the driveway after yard work is done.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 25

Today’s project was canning organic blueberries. My wife likes them with her yogurt, and it seems to be peak season for them in the stores. I hot packed these (water only, no added sugar) and put up seven pint jars today. #Costco #Canning #HomeCanning #Homesteading

Organic blueberries are heating, getting ready to hot pack can.

The blueberries are ready to go into jars.

A jar of blueberries ready to seal and hot water can.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 25

My friend @zoorat.bsky.social and I rode bicycles yesterday up to the Saylor Dam marina for lunch. I logged 70 miles for the day. Got home, then mowed the yard. Boy, I slept well last night! Frannie found the last sunny corner on the deck as we sat on the deck admiring my work. #CorgiCrew #Corgi

70 miles logged yesterday on the bicycle ride.

Frannie the Corgi found the last remaining sunny spot on the deck.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 22

Partly cloudy, 77° and a light breeze. What a perfect day it is outside! The wife and I walked the dogs around the neighborhood, and are now sitting on the deck in the shade relaxing. Not to self: It’s time to power wash and seal the deck again. #DeckWeather #Bourbon

Sipping on a glass of bourbon and enjoying the warm temps.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 21

These are the rhubarb sauce jar lids clicking down as the vacuum seals are being made. #HomeCanning #Canning #Rhubarb

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 21

I harvested rhubarb yesterday, then water bath canned the sauce that I made. I chose method this because our small freezer is pretty full, and I hate wasting rhubarb. I got eight 1/4-pint jars and three 1/2-pint jars of sauce. I use this sauce on toast and ice cream. #HomeCanning #Canning #Rhubarb

Freshly picked and chopped rhubarb getting prepared for water bath canning.

The processed 1/4-pint and 1/2-pint jars of rhubarb sauce are being water bath canned.

Done. I ended up with eight 1/4-pints and three 1/2-pint jars of canned rhubarb sauce.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 15

We went out Friday night to see a band from North Dakota called Jennifer Lyn and the Groove Revival. They were great! It was their first time in Des Moines. It was also only my second time seeing a show at the Temple Theater. #BluesMusic #LiveMusic #DesMoines #TempleTheater

A wise shot of Jennifer Lyn and the Grove Revival on stage.

The lead guitarist of Jennifer Lyn and the Grove Revival living his best life. He looked like he was having a blast on stage.

Jennifer Lyn on stage in Des Moines’s Temple Theater.

Bass solo during the Jennifer Lyn and the Grove Revival show.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 10

We’ve moved the MLB listening party inside into the A/C, so I poured myself some Jack Daniels 12-yr batch 03. #JackDaniels #JackDaniels12-yr #TennesseeWhiskey #ControversialHotTake #Bourbon #YesItsBourbonToo

A bottle of Jack Daniels 12-yr Tennessee Whiskey, batch 03.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 10

Many days, Zoey will hide back in the corner of the garage under my workbench. Today, she is snoozing on her carpet squares at the entrance of the garage, right behind the motorcycles. It’s shaded and still catches the breeze. #Dogs #DogDays #SeemsLikeSummer #ZoeyTheMiniFoxTerrier

Zoey, our Mini Fox Terrier, sleeping while I’m outside listening to MLB baseball.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 9

My friend, @zoorat.bsky.social , and I put on about 35 miles on the bicycles today before the heat got too bad. #Bicycles #IceCreamRide

Spent the afternoon riding bicycles today with my friend. Pictured here at the ice cream stop in Dallas Center, IA.

The ice cream shop in Dallas Center, IA.

A little over 35 miles on the bike trip today.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 6

Listening to #DetroitTigers baseball and enjoying a My Father Le Bijou 1922 cigar in the driveway. The #ChicageCubs game starts in a few minutes. 84°, sunny and breezy. It is a good Saturday afternoon! #Cigars #MLBBaseball #DrivewayParty

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 6

The weather is about to get ugly! This is the night sky to the South of our house. Lots of cloud-to-cloud lightning on the way... #Lightning #Thunderstorms

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· Jun 4

I finally bought a humidor for proper long-term storage of the growing supply of cigars I’ve purchased. It has been seasoned and is holding the humidity steadily. #Cigars #Humidor #Padrón #DrewEstate #Oliva #ArturoFuente #MyFather

A small cigar humidor holding my growing collection of good-quality cigars, including some Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series, Arturo Fuente, My Father Le Bijou 1922, Oliva Serie V, Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 28

I was asked to photograph a friend’s daughter’s graduation ceremony tonight. Having done it at the this venue before, I arrived way early, came in the back door entrance, and found my seat on the side of the stage that allows me to capture the grads walking toward me to receive their diploma.

I’m at the Knapp Center at Drake University in Des Moines for a graduation ceremony. I’ve taken my seat on the optimal side of the stage for action photos.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 27

Usually, Frannie the #Corgi carries comically large sticks around on our walks. Not so today. #CorgiCrew

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 24

Setting up for dress rehearsal of the next incarnation of Cover That band. Cover That lost their lead singer, a guitar player, and bassist in 2025. But, they found a new rhythm guitar playing lead singer, who had a bassist for a husband. The six-piece band has now become a five-piece. #CoverThat

The 2026 lineup of the Cover That band setting up for the final rehearsal before gigs start for the year.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 21

The city is redoing the basketball court and hoops in the park near my house. Frannie, always eager to supervise, introduced herself to the workers and inspected their progress. #FrannieTheCorgi #CorgiCrew #Corgi #PembrokeWelshCorgi

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 19

I stopped at a local cigar lounge at lunchtime today. I’m trying a cigar I’ve never had - Liga Privada No. 9. I like it! I’m going to take several home to put in the newly-seasoned humidor. #Cigars #CigarLounge #LigaPrivadaNo9

A relaxing scene at a local cigar lounge.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 16

The 2026 Spring Guy’s Motorcycle Ride is over for me, and I’m back home safely. I logged just under 1,983 miles riding to NW Arkansas, and picked up 4 #Bourbon bottles to bring home. #ElijahCraig #SagamoreRye #RareCharacter #HarleyDavidson

A speedometer showing 1,982.9 miles logged for my motorcycle trip.

Four bottles of whiskey, including Elijah Craig 15-yr bourbon, Sagamore 10-yr Rye whiskey, a store pick bottle of bourbon from Rare Character, and a local Little Rock, Arkansas bourbon called Rock Town.

My 2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited sitting at a scenic overlook somewhere in NW Arkansas.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 14

Frannie the Corgi, half sitting on the stairs.

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 13

Bottle sharing after a day of motorcycle riding, and a friend from AZ brought a SazeracRye 125 proof. I can hardly wait until these hit the liquor store shelves in the State of Iowa. Good stuff! #SazeracRye125 #RyeWhiskey #Whiskey

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 13

Breakfast at The Big Biscuit this morning. We logged about 400 miles yesterday. We also had clear skies and 78°. Today sounds like more of the same weather. #RoadTrip #HarleyDavidson #HD

Jay Taylor@jaytaylor· May 11

Cruising around Arkansas on the motorcycle today, and stopped at a liquor store. I chatted up the owner, and he found an extra bottle of Elijah Craig 15-yr Single Barrel bourbon in the back room. I found a bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel special for Americas 250th - 117.76 proof. #Bourbon