Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Nancy discussed gluten-free as a dietary maneuver, possibly unrelated to a “real” allergy, this morning. The NYTimes discussed the joys of eating goatmeat today.
Me, I tend to crave chocolate (say: cliche!). No gluten. No cabrito. To split the difference, our dinner menu: BBQ tofu. Made sorta like the version I posted.
Monday, 30 March 2009
This morning we enjoyed Fun with Delta.
They sent us to stand in the hallway, having checked our tickets, but without letting us out of the building. Then after maybe ten minutes while JetBlue passengers to Orlando were sent ahead of us, they let us out of the building and onto the tarmac. And stopped us again. We waited in the cold breeze, most of us underdressed home-bound Atlantans (I’m guessing). After maybe five minutes, they sent us back into the boarding lounge. Not good. After a couple of minutes they said the flight was indefinitely delayed. Really not good. Then they told us to line up for them to find us alternate flights. Majorly not good. And this was in an airport already backed up from flights that were cancelled the day before. Super not good. Then, the dam broke and they wisely wheeled a plane over from the opposite side of the field, and let us board. Happy people! We got seated and the pilot came on and said that the toilet was leaking in the discarded jet, and they couldn’t get it stopped. For our flight anyway. Lucky us, there was a backup plane!
We walked home from the MARTA station, noting that pine pollen season has begun and that the, tada!, dogwoods are almost all in bloom!
So, today we left the ice-storm weather behind and returned to springtime!
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Despite the in-and-out/now-and-then rain, we did get a good walk in, well, good if you’re a young toddler—fine for the rest of us. Still, we got to hear the wind in the treetops and to scuff our feet in the muddy road, and we noted that the puddles that had been almost dry yesterday had been renewed.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Visited a working sheep farm today, and saw the new crop of lambs and some of the milking process. My conclusion about the shift to pastoralism (from gathering and hunting): you get to deal with a lot of crap.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Here’s something in the realm of historic architectural trimmings that I’ve never read up on—windvanes. I saw this one in rural NY state, when we were looking for the cats.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
This is the kind of thing that gives you confidence in TSA. Not.
We were in line at the airport, waiting for the guy to check IDs against our boarding pass. I realized the fellow in front of us had a passport, maybe with French on the cover. The TSA guy greeted him and saw the passport, then began fumbling in his chest-pocket—and then got out and put on his reading glasses.
I’m still shaking my head. Love spending our tax dollars on schlocky security. Not.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
When the flowering trees and bulbs, etc., are so showy, it’s easy to skip by the less flashy plants. Here’s our hosta, just leafing out, christened by the rain….
I was confused by the word “burgeon” when I first encountered it because several of my schoolmates had the family name Bergeon, so the word was anchored in my brain as “just a name.” How many times did I go wrong with assumptions like that?
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
“Beware bears” doesn’t really cover it.*
We’ve been hearing about legislative budget dickering at the Federal level. It’s also happening at the state level here in Georgia.
The legislators seem to employ this logic: cut the heck out of everything, and then wait for the constituent backlash, and use that to decide what “has” to be put back in.
Late afternoon’s breaking news was that the Georgia House has cut the archaeology program to the tune of $279K-plus, including the Federally-mandated State Archaeologist position.
So, the backlash begins. The SGA story is here, and there’s more on the GCPA page here.
Fellow Georgians, please start dialing for dollars….
* Bears are harassing hikers and breaking into their gear along the stretch of the AT we hiked last Friday…. Our companion F added the drawing….
Monday, 23 March 2009
Six years ago this day we wandered the Bot Garden. Outside we saw redbuds and ornamental fruit trees. Indoors we saw orchids orchids orchids. The waxiness of their petals amazes me (some species, anyway).
Sunday, 22 March 2009
The landscape we saw on Friday had a lovely blue cast, supporting the name Blue Ridge Mountains. Scenery around here today: leafing out and springlike. Or becoming green.