Musings

Maple.

Barberry.

Posted at 5:09 PM | Comments Off on Autumn shift

I went out very early this morning, before the fog burned off at all, and before the light increased beyond a hint.

That’s because last night we received a text from ATL friends that they were in Manistique! Were we nearby, they asked. Why, yes! So we arranged to meet them there for b’fast, and so it was. Since they were on a clockwise loop around Lake Michigan, from/to Chicago, we persuaded them to stop by the cottage afterward. Of course, I’d say the highlight was that we took them down to the lake/our beach before sending them on their way to cross The Bridge and head south. They’re doing 200mi/day, very civilized; that pace leaves time for exploring.

Posted at 7:05 PM | Comments Off on Serendipity: fog and vistiors

As the light increased, looming cloud-cover muted the beauty and I knew the ground fog would not appear. Yet, it was very still, no breeze, so I went to the lake before coffee (again) to see the mirror-lake.

The stillness began over a day ago, so that my new tracks and my old tracks co-existed. That is rare—that no waves erase tracks at the water’s edge in days. [You can’t see it, but the lake is just out of this image, left.]

The rest of the day I was in the cottage or doing outdoor chores nearby or in the field. The ferns by the door a fading, and I clipped some brown fronds, but left others that were merely brownING, as I often find the full pruning saddening…it means autumn and our exit is looming.

Posted at 9:49 PM | Comments Off on Enjoying the North

Before I had a chance to fire off the coffee maker, I saw the fog gathering.

I spotted this spider web and looked for more. How could there be none? Yet I saw no more.

I followed the quiet to the beach, and saw the color changing in the sky, but no fog on the water.

Come afternoon, I ventured across the road to the Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher-Farmer’s garden for a bouquet of lettuce. Opening the gate, I spotted this colony of Cladonia cristatella, so lovely with their dramatic red caps ornamenting the top bar.

Posted at 8:50 PM | 2 Comments »

Every day is different. Trite, you may be thinking. Also, it’s true.

Posted at 10:10 PM | Comments Off on A few clouds

As the daylight increased and night faded, I looked out the kitchen window and saw these parallel contrails, like etchings against the sky.

Posted at 10:22 PM | Comments Off on Contrail morn

All grass day…. Cut it (using The Beast). Raked it (using an old wooden rake that works much better than the current fan-shaped version). Stacked it. So much grass. Also apples.

Posted at 9:19 PM | Comments Off on Autumn commodities

My photo excursions bracketed the sunny part of the day. Here’s morning light on a cold-stunned insect. It was about 48°F.

And here’s the oblique late-day sun illuminating the woods. Note all the fall color easing in and screening the green.

As you might guess, it was darned pretty all day, sunny and felt warmer than the thermometer indicated. It had the high at 64°F, but, ooh, I love solar gain [under such conditions].

Posted at 9:25 PM | Comments Off on Bracketed photos

I heard/read various sorts of news today, including multiple examples of the power of MaNachur, and also of spineless federal politicians spending OUR money frivolously.

In our living room, we talked more about the annual September Apple presentation. This is an Apple promo photo of the two sizes of the newly announced iPhone 15 Pro Max (larger on the left) and 15 Pro. Our phones are still fine, but venerable at four years old. I am most attracted to the Pro Max, as the Apple lens developers have managed to create, in that teensy thickness of a smart phone, a lens that will telephoto to 120 mm, at ƒ/2.8 aperture. Wow. [No comment on buying (lusting after? hah, I exaggerate) a product called a phone while valuing more an additional capability called a camera. 😎]

With the phones and with new models of watch/fitness devices, I heard reapeated mention of nits. To me nits are louse eggs, so that threw me until I figured out that nits are also brightness units, although my APPLE DICTIONARY does not include that definition. 🤣 So, the new phones have 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoors). Woohoo.

Posted at 9:28 PM | Comments Off on Nit counts

On the calendar, a visit to the small-and-wonderful local library to meet the State Librarian of Michigan. Unfortunately, he had to cancel last night: Covid. Maybe it’s just as well that we didn’t join the crowd that would have included three school classes…and possibly get exposed to Covid ourselves. However, we did get new library books.

I’m concerned about this new Covid, and will dig out my N-95 for future face-to-face activities. And avoid gatherings.

Later, the overcast became drippy rain while the car recharged. Drops and dust make art.

Posted at 5:16 PM | Comments Off on Covid concern