August 2, 2023 · 23:13

Buzz Cut

No, not me! (Well, okay, me, as usual, but that’s not what the post is about.)

If you read this site regularly (and thank you!) you’ve seen pictures of the western horizon from my front yard. There are usually clouds or sunsets or stars or mountains or ISS passes or planes or Vandenberg launches or something off in the distance. But in the foreground are the cluster of seven tall palm trees in my neighbor’s yard across the street. Today they got trimmed to within an inch of their lives.

The bad news is that there were often crows and mockingbirds hanging out and possibly/probably nesting in those treetops. It make take a while for the fronds at the top to grow back enough to make a decent crown and a place for nests to be built. And my front yard, already dealing with being way too dry and roasted in this summer heat, is going to get that much more sun every day.

The good news is that the trees didn’t get cut down entirely, just trimmed. And since this is also exactly where the Falcon 9’s launching out of Vandenberg show up, it will be easier to see them.

We’ll call it a draw!

 

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August 1, 2023 · 23:12

July Monsoon

Yeah, I know that it’s August NOW. But yesterday it was still July, and in addition to that great full moon, around sunset we had a surge of monsoonal moisture pass through.

Of course, WE got zero-point-zero rain.

I guess we should have been grateful for the humidity. At least for a couple of hours the sun wasn’t frying the vegetation and sucking every last drop of moisture out of every leaf.

And the sunset was definitely beautiful, even if it was restricted to shades of yellow. No oranges, reds, or purples for us today.

That’s okay. It was a good end to a so-so month. I’m trying to learn to take what we’re given and make the best of it.

Check back with me later and see how that goes…

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Filed under Photography, Sunsets, Weather

July 31, 2023 · 22:11

July 2023

There was definitely room for improvement.

But the view of the full moon rising through the clouds doesn’t suck. Maybe August can take a hint.

We’ll know in 31 days!

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July 30, 2023 · 23:31

Moon & Scorpion Head

The sort-of-not-really-full-for-two-days-yet Moon was rising in the southeast. There are layers of spotty clouds overhead (no rain in sight, but the humidity’s up) and the moon was lighting them up nicely, so let’s see what ye olde iPhone 13 can do!

Sweet! But in that clear spot in the lower right, facing due south… Could we be picking up the bright stars in the “head” of Scorpius? (Star chart diagram here.)

Why, yes! Yes we are! We can even see some of the reddish tint to Arcturus! (Near dead center.)

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July 29, 2023 · 19:47

Good Thing We’re Not Still In Canada!

Because we have tickets at the Ahmanson tonight!

Granted, Canada has more (and probably better) woods than LA does, nevertheless, THIS is where the Sondheim is tonight.

“1776” was a huge highlight of this season for me (a truly outstanding production!) but this is a close second.

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Filed under Entertainment, Los Angeles, Photography

July 28, 2023 · 23:47

GREAT! Now The Sky Is Splitting In Half!

As the pilot said the other day when they shut down MSP due to weather when we were on final approach and we had to go circling for a while when we were already well over two hours late – “We just can’t catch a break!”

Not sure if it’s that Nexus thing from “Star Trek: Generations,” the portal that the Ghostbusters opend up for Zuul, or something new. I haven’t been keeping up on my paranormal interdimensional portal identification classes.

It was actually very pretty, but I’ve always suspected that the end of the world will be visually stunning.

At least, I hope it will be. It would be so boring and blase to have 8 billion folks being sent off into the afterlife by something tedious, boring, and mundane.

You know, like, say, the oceans boiling off due to our own stupidity and killing all of the plankton and sea life so that there’s no more oxygetn being generated, with a side effect of weather patterns becoming obscenely unstable, the temperature rising to the point where nothing bigger than ants and cockroaches can survive, and then starving to death while gasping for oxygen. (Wait…what?!)

Instead let’s split the sky, have legions of alien spacecraft pour through (or demons, or dragons, or dinosaurs) and then just have to deal with the Apocalypse. Given how bravely and intelligently we’ve dealt with COVID, alien spacecraft piloted by dinosaurs should be a piece of cake.

Or, and hear me out here, it might just be a weird contrail left behind by some unknown aircraft, probably something really big and really fast.

How droll.

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July 27, 2023 · 23:56

No Context For You – July 27th

How does one tell the difference between having long-COVID brain fog and just being tired, exhausted, overwhelmed, and confused?

I’m one of the lucky (or obsessive paranoid) ones who has never yet (as far as I know) had COVID. I’ve never tested positive, I’ve never had any of the bad symptoms, just the odd cold once or twice a year like normal. I’ve never had the fever, breathing problems, or any of the other major symptoms of COVID. I mask pretty religously out in public, still. On all of the flights to Winnipeg and back I was usually one of the only three or four folks on the entire plane who was masked. I’m vaxxed, with a full set of boosters.

So I’m guessing it’s just still that “burning the candle at both ends” habit. Although I’ve always said that for me it’s more like just sticking that sucker into an industrial strength microwave and melting it down from every direction.

I guess in theory one could get some rest, catch up on sleep, figure out how to eliminate (or ignore) the stress and deadlines, and see if it goes away – but we all know that’s not ever going to happen.

So – little steps. Try to get a bit more sleep. Try to take a few more breaks and maybe use some of those meditation apps. Some more exercise, eating better, and losing a few pounds from that vacation wouldn’t hurt.

Can’t hurt!

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Filed under CoronaVirus, Health, Paul, Photography

July 26, 2023 · 23:21

Fine Feathered Friends – Winnipeg Version

The parks and grounds along the river and near the Parliment Building were absolutely infested with Canada geese.

Noble beasts all, and fortunately calm.

I knew they were big, but while I’l see them off in fields in the distance from time to time, it’s rare that I’ve seen thim this close. They may not be “osterich big,” but they’re not “chicken big” either.

Not only on the shore, but also flocks of dozens of them at a time out on the water when we took the river tour of the city.

Much like the legendary Chicken Man, “They’re everywhere! They’re everywhere!”

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Filed under Birds, Photography, Travel

July 25, 2023 · 23:08

New Canadian Friend

Yesterday we knew that we would be in the Winnipeg airport for something on the order of four hours. With the delays caused by mechanical issues in the aircraft coming from Minneapolis St. Paul to pick us up, it ended up being way over seven hours.

I get bored easily.

I’m easily amused.

I don’t get embarrassed easily.

This is a bad combination.

I went looking for new friends. The good folks who designed the “holding pen” (I think that was actually their term) which is two or three gates at the Winnipeg airport for flights going to the US, where they can isolate the folks who had already cleared US customs) knew there would be people like me. So they put a friend there to find.

And what does one do with new friends? TAKE SELFIES!

Suffice it to say, the BEST part of this was watching the faces of many of the other travelers waiting in “the holding pen”. Particularly the ones who were likely from other cultural backgrounds, where a certain amount of decorum and cooth is expected, especially in public. There were people who were openly horrified to think that they were getting on the same plane as I was and then being locked in with me. Others were snickering and trying not to get caught pointing because that would be “rude,” but it was a losing battle.

My work was done – I had helped ease their boredom for a tiny bit of those seven-plus hours. “Ooh, look at that lunatice American!”

Yep!

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Filed under Paul, Photography, Travel

July 24, 2023 · 23:55

Day 533 – Home Again

A long, “adventerous” travel day. Our 2023 Canadian excursion is at an end.

You name it, we had it! Mechanical delays! Customs!

(Image from Wunderground)

Weather delays!

(Image from Flightradar24)

After about a three-hour delay we were off and only about ten minutes from landing when those thunderstorms forced MSP to wave off all flights. We went into that paperclip-like holding pattern, then when there was a small gap between storm cells we did the “Rattler lift hill approach” (see Six Flags Fiesta in San Antonio for the reference).

Despite all of the adrenaline, we made it home, and on time to boot thanks to a couple of 4:30 layovers built into our schedule, of which we needed almost every minute.

Tomorrow – back to work for me.

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