Musings

We stayed up late (as in: after dark) last night chatting on the lanai/patio. At least three of these little lizards showed up to hunt bugs around one especially bright light. I hadn’t seen these pale ones before. This one has a shortened tail.

This morning I felt like I needed fluids. I doubled up with coffee and kombucha. After two portions of each, I felt not-quite-so-dry.

Our big expedition was to the Pearl Harbor Memorial. They’ve been fixing the landing dock for over a year, and we could not land, so we motored by, with first one side of our boat facing the memorial and then the other side, as passengers were required to stay seated at all times. The flag pole is attached to an original part of the Arizona‘s mast. The white float far right is above the bow. It was a solemn visit. The 20+-minute video before we boarded the boat was excellent; visitors were instructed not to talk during it and indeed (surprise), people were quiet.

Mid-afternoon, the Guru and I entered Puowaina, more commonly known as Punchbowl Crater. More military dead are interred here, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. I believe the current tally of dead exceeds 53K; markers are all flat, which contrasts with Arlington National, for example. We were surprised that the floor of the crater is so high.

Then, we went to the core of the civic-ceremonial and governmental section of Honolulu. This is the ‘Iolani Palace; construction began in 1879. It replaced an earlier building that dated to the early 1840s (if I have it right), built during the reign of Kamehameha III (born 1814; died 1854; reign 1825–1854). This building dates to the reign of King Kalākaua (born 1836; died 1891; reign 1874–1891). TMI?

This fenced area is on the palace grounds; it is a burial mound and super kapu (forbidden—because of its extreme sacredness). The lands around the palace, including other city blocks, was part of a royal sacred area prior to the arrival of foreigners. Behind the fence on the back side, I saw a guy shooting up and that was during an idle glance; that was not something I wanted to see (and have seared into my memory). Elsewhere people were sleeping on sidewalks and on the grass. Homeless problem here, too, in that end-of-the-road way….

Posted at 12:32 AM | Comments Off on Sacred places

I zipped over to the PO this afternoon to mail one of the few bills we can’t pay online. That’s a route I don’t usually take. And on the way back, I found this laggard. Must be in a heavy metal band?

And at the corner gas station, are they replacing the tanks or removing them? Time will tell (since I don’t have the plans).

Oh, and the crape myrtles are blooming.

Posted at 8:21 PM | Comments Off on No lies, big or little

I did not count how many times lately I’ve heard the phrase “feels like” (and its sibling “will feel like”) referring to high temps. And not in the kitchen, but in the everywhere outdoors.

I took heed and stayed indoors (except for the odd outdoor chore). I did not walk. Or do yardwork.

The photo? A three-tired retaining wall under construction along a newly built section of a miscellaneous highway in southern Appalachia. I haven’t seen one built quite like this before. A sign of the future? Stay tuned….

Posted at 7:52 PM | Comments Off on Feels like…

That freighter: Indiana Harbor. I assume it’s a real place. The strange-shaped vessel behind it is working on the disputed pipeline that crosses the straits. I think the white cone is part of the pipeline project.

Sparty. BMOC. You know which C.

Old Forestry building, now called Chittenden Hall. Mom’s office was on the second floor.

Irish nachos. Totally decadent. Happily shared with almost-birthday guy, DeeMickGee.

Posted at 10:03 PM | 1 Comment »

It’s no surprise that when we head off into the woods on dirt roads that we see a deer. This morning we saw five, all singles except a doe/fawn pair.

I think this is a rugosa rose. They were imported from Asia to stabilize dunes. This was flourishing with many rose-kin…surprise, on a sand dune.

We walked from the mouth of the Hurricane River to Au Sable Light Station. Easy. Flat. Nice. Closed Mon and Tues. (FYI.)

Several years ago there was a large, lingering forest fire that blackened this area. This route…hmm, a Google choice we should have not tried. Got stuck on that hill. Got out quickly with some sand removal and pushing by JCB. Yay! Returned the way we came in and tried the road we should have taken. And it became the road taken.

Yup. Crisp Point is not National land, and drone was permitted. Great shot, no? Interior closed for renovations. The lake is gorgeous, eh?

Posted at 9:14 PM | Comments Off on Light station x 2

We trekked to Manistique and parked by the historic water tower and a cozy, small historic house that was the home of a friend of my grandmother’s.

Quelle surprise! Both were open! This is the view from the window at the stairs next to the small bedroom under the roof. I liked the pattern from the lace curtain very much; however, I don’t think it is “antique.”

Those two buildings are right next to the famous siphon bridge, which only did the siphon thing for about eight decades. The surface of the bridge was below the surface of the water (yes, it’s possible), and beneath the bridge the water was deeper, and this “sucked” the water beneath and past the bridge, and removed much of the pressure of the water level being higher than the deck of the bridge. If I understand correctly.

Despite the date on this plaque for construction of the siphon bridge, 1918, the centenary was celebrated this year. All other info we read indicated the bridge dates to 1919. These discrepancies happen with historical archival info.

Posted at 9:37 PM | Comments Off on Manistique news

Rumor around the neighborhood two decades ago (or so) was that Elton John owned this place. It’s not a McMansion so I could never believe he lived here, but maybe someone important to him did…. Anyway, just in advance of the rumor someone put a buncha $$$ into the property, including having this curving staircase built.

I’m going with morning glory and not bindweed, but the purple centers have me confused. Of course, they’re related, so? 🤷 And I’m no taxonomist, no? 🤷

Posted at 7:52 PM | Comments Off on Rumors

I rolled out trying to beat the heat…not possible, but earlier is less humid-dramatic. Car hood had proof that we got some precipitation overnight, but the street was mostly dry.

On up the hill and around the corner, the street between trees was damp, so variable rainfall. Homeowners had a one-car garage replaced with this two-“seater” (!). I fail to grasp the philosophy behind the lone sentinel landscaping. Anybody?

Okay, I gotta give you a Thursday flower—this delicate spike. What a color!

Posted at 7:47 PM | Comments Off on Working the odds

Showing once again that regular plywood is not durable in outdoor situations.

Showing that oak leaves can get beat up by MaNaychur.

Posted at 5:42 PM | Comments Off on Sunstruck

I set off on my walk, and soon was wondering what theme I’d come up with for my walk-pictures.

I thought fence/ivy…and then I found fence/azalea…yay! I thought…then I realized even at two, they had become boring already.

And…I found yellow door…and, aha, new direction to the pattern.

But, no other architectural details…only a shadow in the playground. Still not terribly rewarding.

So, finally, here’s a flower spike on, well, I know it as butterfly bush. Perhaps.

* Progression is not progress.

Posted at 9:25 PM | Comments Off on Progression*