Musings

Well, now; my yesterday oops meant we spent our money from the Pres, that really came from you and me and you and you and you over there, too. And some savings.

Woo-hoo.

And this consumer jaunt meant We Went To The Mall. We had a mission: to pick up a new laptop. We parked, we went in headed to the Apple Store…which was no longer across from Macy’s…wha?

Oh, “down the hall.” Cast our penetrating gazes about…there THERE it is!

But, nice lady says, no, you want downstairs…wha? Apple Store is now on two levels (mall has three). So much for our in-and-out without distraction strategy.

DOWNstairs. Yup. Nice man made the transaction happen…while I peeked around the corner at the new-device check-out area, presently closed to consumers because…Covid.

The six lovely trees poke up into the second story space reserved for tech assistance. Yay, nature.

In mall behavior footnote: every—EVERY—one I saw was wearing a mask. HOWEVER. Most people were wandering lackadaisically about…having totally missed the message AFTER Wear A Mask…the one that went: and Stay At Home and Away From Other People.

No wonder Covid rates are phenomenally high.

In other news, today I found an Iron Age twirly-horned cow sculpture behind a fence. That’s what I’m calling it.

Although: perhaps a lady-aurochs not a cow.

Posted at 10:26 PM | 1 Comment »

Fortified: by a fort.

Invigorated: by socially distant socializing with a long-time friend over cocktails.

Enriched: by a wide expanse of beauty.

Posted at 9:53 PM | Comments Off on Enriched, invigorated, fortified (not in that order)

We felt the need for an outing today—a gen-u-wine Sunday drive. We stopped first at these charcoal kilns (at least, they’re for charcoal if I remember correctly). The smelting facilities were up on Lake Superior, but they established industrial-sized charcoal-making stations at some distance—this one is just a few miles north of Lake Michigan. And on private land, so I looked from the road.

And the Guru looked from above. The overhead drone shot shows the foundations of buildings that surrounded the kilns, and makes the complex look tiny rather than imposing. The arches in the shot above are probably 10 feet across.

Since we were close to Lake Michigan, we went down to Seul Choix lighthouse, although we didn’t go in. I wonder what the lighthouse staff would have thought if you could go back in time and show them GPS navigation….

And finally: Lake Michigan. This view is to the ENE, which is tricky on the north shore.

Posted at 7:23 PM | Comments Off on In which we see a Great Lake

Lately, about once a week I traipse by this building to see if it’s still standing. It began as a light industrial nexus adjacent to a railroad track.

Now the railroad track is gone, and the right-of-way is an artery for foot traffic, segways, bicycles, and the like. And the edifice was long ago converted into artist studios and apartments.

Such is the evolution of land use.

Posted at 6:54 PM | Comments Off on Look fast

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 »

I’ve been a bit antsy for several days to get out of town, that is: OTP—outside the perimeter. No rain today, so we scooted. And headed to Russell Cave, owned by these United States, up in far northeast Alabama. This is the view from the cave, used by way-back peoples. Today it was a bit damp, and the creek below had water, but was not in flood.

We took what I thought was a short nature trail; I had it wrong. We went up and up, switchback after switchback. I kept thinking, “I’m glad it’s not wetter; this moss must get slippery!”

With the leaves off, we had some views of Doran’s Cove, the valley below.

And, as we left the cove, we saw a flock of wild turkeys. They were jumpy and headed for the woods when we stopped…only a few stragglers left. Pretty birds, these gals.

Physiographically, this area is Ridge-and-Valley. Here we are heading up the west flank of Lookout Mountain, working our way back toward the ATL. Sun’s out!

The Guru mentioned how great the light angle was, so we headed over to that big mound site just outside Cartersville on the bank of the Etowah (clue there!). The Guru was right; the light was fantastic, and there was some wind, but Droney got the shots. And video (not posted). That line of trees between the plowed field and the grass around the mounds is in a massive ditch—defensive, plus where the fill to build the mounds came from, no?

Posted at 9:32 PM | Comments Off on OTP Saturday

The former Masquerade club opened in the former DuPre Excelsior Mill (opened 1911) decades ago, and stayed groovy there for 27 years before mixed-use gremlins got the property. That transition has been underway for a while. The other day that rehab project…uhm, fell apart. haha Ooopsy.

Here’s part of a mural on the wall under the bridge between the old Masquerade and the new Kroger.

And this is a reflection on a glass wall bordering a terrace above the Kroger. Not sure why the plastic grass.

From the other end of the terrace, we could see through the legs supporting perhaps six stories of—not sure…office space? apartments? to…Ponce and beyond.

As we returned to the house, I heard sandhills above. Yay! Probably followed a different flyway than those we saw in Texas and New Mexico.

Posted at 6:20 PM | Comments Off on Urban edits

Unseasonably warm today, and I found bees busy on the neighbor’s rosemary. None of the Wise Dudes carried rosemary…too plebeian?

Possible proof that the critters in the manger (probably actually a house) included a Levantine wiener dog?

Outdoor bow…strong backlight…robust color…okay, I went for the EZ snapshot. Especially liked the twist tie.

Posted at 7:57 PM | Comments Off on Refinement search

During today’s walk, I passed the NM Supreme Court building, with an entrance overlooking the Santa Fé River. I know it just looks like channelized run-off, but this river was a main water supply for pre-modern visitors.

I wound my way up Marcy Hill, and had this view back at the city. Fogged in. Fort Marcy is up here, just foundation ruins now, being worn down by foot traffic. A sign said it was the first fort built west of the Mississippi by the US military. It was not where the troops lived, but a place of secure refuge if needed. The star fort was built in 1846, and abandoned in 1868.

I checked out a little-traveled area, and found this trio. Notice how the young one is trailing the adults and not so alert. Checking social media, perhaps.

Homeward bound, I checked out the rear of the capital building. Looks like children engaged in tug-a-war. Metaphor for activities in the building?

At some point I followed the Old Santa Fé Trail, and found this marker.

And a faux stable. No flies, I’m guessing.

Posted at 11:23 PM | Comments Off on Marcy Hill ramble

Proof that we’re southbound. Also, proof that it was sunny early on.

We drove into rain, and never out. Some stretches had incipient rain, but the perception was that rain would restart any moment.

We made the NC transportation museum our big stop. It’s centered on a roundhouse, but I even saw a dugout canoe and motorcycles. My digital dictionary indicates cow-catcher is hyphenated; coulda fooled me.

Wagon hub. Looks like a fancy locking pin.

Have no idea why forty men and eight horses.

Dusty, chrome-laden car.

Aha! Stone Mountain.

Aha! Atlanta traffique.

Posted at 9:41 PM | Comments Off on Homeward (no angel)