Musings

Plenty of remodeling* going on in our neighborhood. Here the backyard was almost full with a large trampoline, and to allow access for workmen, well, it had to be moved. Stand-up option!

Here’s a re-shingling job close by.

Time is passing…the dogwoods are winding up their glory days. [BTW, we got stimulated this week. The $$ will help with the groceries…we’re buying plenty of them!]

I think we’re in the not-quite-spring/not-quite-summer transition. The temps are spring, and the leaves are out like summer. I like this changeover interval.

* Also some new construction, I think jobs that began in Before Times.

Posted at 5:48 PM | Comments Off on We are stimulated

Iris, supported by the fence post after last night’s storm.

Flower unknown to me; white on white.

My hypothesis: tree awarded white ribbon for excellence in lichen nurturing.

Red, red car with ribbon reflection from rear-view mirror, and pollen sprinkles.

Posted at 9:38 PM | 1 Comment »

Most often I present photos in the order taken. Sometimes I change the order to better fit the “story” I develop.

Sometimes I just throw ’em at the wall…as it were…no order.

So this trio is tree-branch-shadows, cat-mailbox-with-bow, and flowers. The tree is crepe myrtle, not yet leafed out. The cat looks like a paint-by-number home project…and endearing, with lovely whiskers; the bow…flamboyant…and mysterious. The flowers…hmm, some kind of ornamental super-flowery lavender?…friend to bees today….

Posted at 6:55 PM | Comments Off on No story

Beribboned cherub. Welcome, April. We’ll see what this month brings…and I say that from the unprecedented perspective of these Interesting Times. Interesting and chaotic. Also rather quiet.

Ferns. With red azalea neighbors across the street.

Weed wall. The old definition of weed. Spring weeds, these are; the ones that come in the first flush of spring growth.

Just saw the March statistics from my activity device: 115.3 miles…just from “activities,” not from generic footsteps. Footfalls totaled 420,197, if you’re curious. Foot is doing sooooooo well!

Posted at 6:44 PM | Comments Off on Strolling into April

First pink dogwood I’ve noticed. As I recall, they often come after the white ones.

Leafing-out redbud…a very red-leaved redbud.

Fancy azalea, with less compact plant/branches, and longer blossoms. And, today, with leaves.

Story photo: evidence of serious weekend mechanic-ing—all tires off to the shop—looks like, to improve the car’s racing form.

Posted at 6:54 PM | Comments Off on Shrubs leafing out

My hypothesis is there’s no pandemic in mushroom-house world.

Reverse upward mobility of a sort…no?

Posted at 7:29 PM | Comments Off on Read the fine print

Gutter penny! In these days of heightened awareness of germs, I let it lay.

I think of this as a tulip poplar petal, but that is not probably the proper name for the plant part to a botanist. Which I am not.

I wasn’t only looking down today (so as not to trip). Perfect backlighting on this plastic US flag. It appears to be an all-weather flag, despite that proper flag code/protocol, as I was instructed anyway, means that when the sun goes down, a flag must be lit if outdoors….

Posted at 7:29 PM | Comments Off on Look down! Look up!

One more last-bulb-blooms shot….

Emergent leaves…and that means shadows…yay—perfect timing for the high-in-the-80s expected at the end of the week.

Dogwood’s is a scene-stealer at this free-library-with-reading-bench.

Interesting genetics.

For a palate cleanser (currrent events, ya know), we just watched a couple of “Republic of Doyle” episodes. Comedy in Newfoundland.

Posted at 7:00 PM | Comments Off on Har har

Petals aboard.

Topics I spent time/energy on today, in no particular order….

Petals adrift.

Stress…the basic physiology of it…from the what-happens-inside standpoint. This lead me to stress reduction…deep breathing techniques to calm the vagus nerve and reduce heart rate variability (aka HRV). My health tracker reports “stress” and HRV is what it measures. And my HRV numbers could be improved…so the lesson is: breathe differently. Well, how? Nasal breathing…for the inhale (new vocab: aka inspiration [haha; not kidding]), especially nasal diaphragmatic breathing, especially when exercising (expect a learning curve). Point of information: parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems—they work together/offset each other, and both are components of the autonomic nervous system—ANS)—you want to enhance the parasympathetic to reduce HRV. Somehow this also relates to fat-burning*. Man, this is a complex subject. Still learning/processing. Rather confused as the “breathing on the parasympathetic side” means increased HRV…I think. On the other hand, decreased HRV is not good as higher HRV is associated with reduced morbidity and mortality. Arrrrgh! Wait…a clarification: higher HRV with physical activity is fine/expected; it’s too-high HRV during rest/relaxation that is not-good.

Coffee mug, portrait/stage light. #computationalphotography

Ben Macintyre’s “The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War” (2018). True story. Read to learn about the KGB. For example…once KGB, always KGB…also: the KGB has been practicing effective “fake news” for generations. Are you thinking about the mental habits of VPutin? I am. [He joined the KGB in 1975, mind you.]

Fringe tree, also portrait/stage light (iPhone 11 Pro).

Social distancing; life/love in the time of pandemic. Ancillary topic: soap is not detergent. Context: people keep saying wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Common phrase. HOWEVER, if the cleaner you are using is liquid, you may be using a detergent. [First-world whine, I know. Do not get me started on podium/lectern.]

Magdalenian lifeways in the Paris Basin. [You KNEW archaeology would be in this list somehow, didn’t you?]

Darning mushroom. I inherited one from Mom, but I think it’s up north, although I could use it now.

* Topic shelved for another day: fat-burning happens on exhale.

Posted at 6:23 PM | 1 Comment »

Closeup of mottled paint on a mailbox.

Sidewalk chalk art.

The crazy, topsy-turvy, chaotic, yea dangerous times…a version of the blues…and blues in the photo selections…somehow these linked in my mind.

Posted at 8:03 PM | Comments Off on Rampant ’rona