Wednesday, 20 September 2017
I browsed the Ireland photos from this spring looking for a nice image for this space…and, in near-thumbnail, I thought this shield highlighted binoculars. I zoomed in. Nope, castle towers.
This decoration is high on the wall of a building facing Grafton Street in Dublin, between the second and third stories (by USA count).
Tuesday, 19 September 2017
This painting is by the English painter Joseph Gandy (1771–1843), and is called Jupiter Pluvius, and is dated 1819. We saw it at the Tate Britain last spring, on loan from Ray Harryhausen (1920–2013), a legendary stop-motion animator. Harryhausen took “a huge inspiration” from this painting.
You can tell by the image that Gandy and his brothers were architects, no? The setting is an ancient Greek town named Lebadeia, and now called Livadeia. I can’t tell why this place appealed to Gandy as a setting for this imaginary architectural complex, as there are no heights next to the real river. Maybe the name was what appealed to him? Given how many figures are on the bridge, it’s interesting how many areas there are basically empty of humans.
This is an appeal to the imagination and being calm, as we hear about real-world destruction by earthquake and hurricanes, as Jupiter Pluvius is the rain-giver version/aspect/epithet of this god of sky-weather-thunder.
Monday, 18 September 2017
During our adventure yesterday, we passed through the hamlet of Brooks and saw this classic clapboard church, white with green trim and a neon cross atop the steeple tower. I just checked GooStreetView, and not too long ago a stately oak stood near the stop sign in front of the church’s main portal.
You did get that this is the booooot of yesterday’s blog-title, ¿no?
Sunday, 17 September 2017
Unlike most recent days, we ventured OUT, heading south to Zebulon to see the fantastic Diane’s fantastic photography…and that of a few other folks, too. The show was called SlowExposures, subtitle: A Juried Exhibition Celebrating Photography of the Rural South. In part, the show is an effort by residents of a rural county to generate business and art—inspiration. Diane got a primo location, in the lobby of the courthouse…it’s not often you get to be in a courthouse on a weekend…no?
Diane named her collection of large, square-format images “Concrete Convictions,” funny and thoughtful juxtapositions of cement sculptures she discovered in unintentionally unexpected contexts…. 💙
We came back into town hoooongry, but didn’t stop at Daddy D’z even though it was highly enticing….
Saturday, 16 September 2017
Heh. My latest book requests came in at the library and the Guru picked them up for me. Starting to think about being ambulatory! and taking another big trip.
Looking around in GooStreetView, you can find unexpected details…like these security cameras above a street light…in a darned small hilltop town, in this case still with most of its medieval walls and gates.
Town name: Vézelay, in central France..
Friday, 15 September 2017
My current recovery focus is on returning my foot to be an active part of my body…even though I can’t put weight on the front of the foot for a while longer.
The front of the foot—arch, ball, toes—is still easing back, still some prickles, especially late in the day. Who knew?
So, through judicious rubbing and massage, I’m trying to bring my lower right limb back from being rather a stump…haha. And I see considerable progress over the last two days. Yippee.
Thursday, 14 September 2017
Inside of ankle…no tips from surgical team on skin care….
Today is seven weeks from surgery.
Two days ago I began to get my toes prepared to walk again…toes are important to walking/the gait, especially the hallux (aka big toe). My toe awakening is beginning with mostly manual manipulation, and a teensy bit of me actively moving them—teensy because the brain is slow to catch on.
I see the surgeon next in two weeks.
BTW, the bill for the surgery/followup is already in excess of $30K, almost all of which (so far), insurance is paying. BIG yay for the ACA.
Also, millimeter-stones are metric milestones.
Wednesday, 13 September 2017
January 2017 snow, in ATL.
Thinking for a moment about snow today, one of those unpredictable mental wanders…. Our temps did climb out of the “high in the 60s” of the last few days to creep into the 70s. This is a slower than predicted pace toward the “normal” 80s we may well see tomorrow.
No snow, however.
Tuesday, 12 September 2017
Maple tree from the archives….
Yesterday’s cool weather continued today…high only in the mid-60s…tomorrow, too, I think. Then, back to the normal 80s. The cool temps have me thinking of autumn.
So, what season is it? Hmmm. No longer Irma season….
Do not ask me about today’s reveal of the dingle arm. Hint: it’s an X thing.
Monday, 11 September 2017
This morning it was rather light out, but still very overcast. Nice azalea blooms, no?
Then, about noon the winds kicked up and about 3pm our power went out…it was kinda dark and the Guru rounded up candles so we could read dead-tree books.
I’m wrapped in a blanket in both photos because the high today was about 2am, 63°F according to the report I heard, and I’m wearing leetle shorts because foot. So, brr.
Power back on about 9:35pm, earlier than I’d let myself hope. Summary: sigh of relief.