Musings

We arose to dense fog. By the time we came across these wind turbines, just the up-tips were obscured.

Part of our route was along the present interstate incarnation of Route 66, and we found lovely displays in a rest area that included many metal logos.

The crowning event was socializing with a bride and groom and their loved ones at a pre-wedding barbecue at a brewery. Great combination! The B&G are both scientists, geneticists in fact. Perfect cupcake decoration, ¿no?

These three images are just a sample of the variety in our interesting experiences this day.

Posted at 10:42 PM | Comments Off on Variety all day

Autumnal subsistance agriculture activity day…we made cider, which is unfermented, fresh apple juice. We all agreed that this was the most cider we had made at one time, at almost nineteen gallons.

We used this machine. Here’s where the apples are loaded. Not shown is prior apple collecting and washing. Also not shown is cleaning all the containers, and this mill.

Cranking the handle chips the apples. Gravity is crucial to depositing the chips in the bin inside a heavy-duty filter cloth.

Then, more cranking to squeeze the juice out of the chipped apples.

We created several wheelbarrow loads of compressed, dry apple chips.

The last major step is filtering the cider. This involves multiple washings of the filter cloth, as it gets clogged.

* Note that this is very different than yesterday’s Apple processing.

Posted at 7:01 PM | Comments Off on Apple processing*

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

As to today’s military vehicle sightings: we saw flatbeds in sand camo paint, empty…the reverse of yesterday.

And we found a whole dashboard’s worth of rubber duckies and their friends. It did perk up Ohio.

Much farther up the road, we got a good view from the north shore of Lake Michigan. If we could see around the curvature of the earth, we’d have a very distant view of Chicago (more or less).

And we have arrived! Very dry, so dry that the lilac leaves are hanging limp, and the grass is mostly brown.

Posted at 9:01 PM | Comments Off on More road report

We’ve seen military convoys now and then on the move on Interstate right-of-ways here and there, now and then. Today was the first time either of us could remember tanks on flatbeds that were not also military vehicles. It’s another thing our military is outsourcing, perhaps, skeptical me suggests, because outsourcing money comes from a different pile than straight military that’s easier to recharge (or get the votes to recharge).

Posted at 7:15 PM | Comments Off on Tank you

Last night we finished binging on “The Night Agent” (got the Bad Guys), and tonight we watched the first episode of “The Green Glove Gang.” Very different. Both hugely fictional.

Posted at 9:00 PM | Comments Off on Fairy-fiction

Good to know that our federal legal system is defending our nation and our constitution. Also, pretty sure Jack is no relation.

Posted at 9:26 PM | Comments Off on Important fact(s)

There’s no reason you should remember that I received a packet of “wild”flower seeds at the baby shower back in late May. Here’s the first bloom they produced. BTW, the baby has arrived and is about a week old! From the two photos I’ve seen (sleeping in both), she’s a cutie!

I learned the word rubisco from a WashPo article by Michael J. Coren. Somehow I only came across it this week, although the publication date is 27 June. Rubisco is a protein officially named Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. It’s the chemical catalyst for photosynthesis and is found in leaves (apparently all leaves). As I’ve mentioned before, my ignorance is vast.

Posted at 6:24 PM | Comments Off on Rubisco

We’ve been watching what to me is the “new” series in the StarWars franchise, Andor. When I hear it, I hear and/or (like and/not and similar). When I read it, I can see it as Andor. Anyway, mostly a pretty good story…grim world, but decent story/characters/writing.

Posted at 9:29 PM | Comments Off on Andor

People say age brings wisdom, but for most of us that really isn’t true, when we get old we’ve just accumulated more experiences, good and bad. The result is more likely to be cynicism than wisdom.*

I have to go with Backman on this. We age into cynicism?

*Text is on page 30 of Neil Smith’s translation of Fredrik Backman’s The Winners (2021; hardback version; title in Swedish original: Vinnarna).

Posted at 4:08 PM | Comments Off on Aging into…