Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Watched Monday’s keynote for WWDC with one ear (as in partly listened, and minimally watched), and a couple of sections featured the phrase “natural language.” As in, talk to this new enhanced Siri or just the phone as if it were a person. The phrase sounds faintly spooky to me. Languages other than English coming soon.
Monday, 8 June 2026
From what I’ve read, the dominant deciduous canopy tree in southern North America several hundred years ago was the American chestnut (mixed with oaks). Now, it’s just the many species of oaks. Looking up, oaks, shown here, do not look like the maples I grew up with. I do not know what a group of mature American chestnuts look like; I guess very few do, as the chestnut blight fungi have nearly extirpated the (eastern) populations.
Monday, 1 June 2026
Despite it being dry, the lupines are rolling into blossom-time.
I discovered this decoration after driving to Marquette via the Seney-Shingleton stretch; clearly, it has lasting power.
That distorted building in the reflection houses the Vierling, a long-time restaurant-bar on the corner of Front and Main. We’ve been going there since the first time the Guru came to the UP.
Here’s the view from the Vierling. That construction site will be a five-storey Hilton property atop a parking garage, which means it’ll block this view of the Marquette harbor. Progress.
This is the remains of the ore dock, with no attachment to the land that would facilitate human exploration. I guess the powers that be figured these ruins were safe to leave unsupervised.
On our return leg, we stopped on the dune-top on the west side of the Au Train River, where it dumps into Lake Superior. The lake-ice has shifted the river mouth so that there’s no beach on this side. That winter-ice is powerful.
Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Bug pile, east Defiance, Ohio.
Construction crew, southwest Archbold, Ohio.
Train, west Archbold, Ohio.
The Bridge, Straits of Mackinac.
Lake Huron, view east from St. Ignace.
Tuesday, 19 May 2026
If you know this statue, you know two things. One is that the accompanying golden mare has been missing for several years; there’s no information about what happened. The other is that the golden foal is at the entering-Kentucky-northbound-on-I-75 rest area. Yes, we are northbound!
Saturday, 16 May 2026
I took the coffee grounds out to the compost early this evening, and could hear music in four different directions. It seems the civic association is scoring big (they organize PorchFest).
Friday, 15 May 2026
It’s PorchFest in our neighborhood this weekend. When I went on a quick errand, I could see terlets and supplies and road blocks and stages and golf carts here and there. Rah! Wait, I don’t remember seeing garbage cans…must be they’re on the late delivery list.
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
I’m convinced that I met the Guru because of Ted’s choice to become a media guy. Of course, it wasn’t that simple! RIP, Ted.
I asked the Guru to create an image that portrays the intersection of his design work and Ted’s stations. There’re interesting visual tidbits.
Monday, 4 May 2026
Detroit style is what? Extra oily? Dunno. Is there Grand Rapids style, too?
Monday, 13 April 2026
I spotted The Moment when the dawn-pinks were raging, although I didn’t linger to discover if the sky would get brighter.
We got to watch the sign painters in action while waiting at a traffic light.