As planned, we ventured forth on a #Sundaydrive. As soon as I got settled in the car, I de-booted, to reduce stress on hip and knee. Better view, too!

Speaking of views, this was what I saw at a vista-view pull-off. Goldenrods, sumacs, asters, tree-tops, and a few peeks as the lowlands below.

In contrast, THIS is what Droney “saw”—different angle, same vista-view. Glorious con-trails, lumpy descending ridgelines, a forest blanket, and a few reservoirs.

I awakened early the other morning and thought, gee, it’s darker than in summer at this wee hour. Then I thought, ah, the season is turning. And we have arrived in autumn.

These are distortions to tree-cover in the 3D presentation of satellite photos by GooMaps. Makes the trees look like distorted broccoli. [No cookbook.]

We’ve been watching some of the hurricane coverage, in periodic batches when there might be news. We certainly are concerned for the people, critters, and plants down on the palm peninsula, and are braced for the economic impact this Beast-called-Irma is generating.

We will get winds overnight and we are told here the worst will be from 8am tomorrow to 8am Tues, approximately. Still, the winds will come in in the lantern hours, so we are hoping we’ll be intrepid.

Proof I can get outside myself: this is a Florida Gulf Coast beach south of Tallahassee, last January.

We’ve got another hurricane headed our way, although the current money is on it coming up the east coast of Florida and not fully entering the Gulf. But these things do change.

UPDATE: This evening I’m seeing more models with tracks up the west side of the peninsula. Either way, bad for Florida.

The Guru made a run with Droney last evening…downtown looks pretty darned picturesque in this light, no?

I meant to post this on eclipse day, but, well, technology (okay, me). So this was an approximation of how dark it was in the zone of totality, with the light remaining along the horizon outside the zone.

Of course the headline of the day is the solar eclipse! We drove about 75mi NE into the total eclipse zone, and got a good glimpse (yes, through eclipse glasses) from our outpost in a Walmart parking lot, along with many others. [No, we did not shop.]

The first photo is from an iPhone. There’s a wee inverted eclipse visual echo below the actual eclipse. Even with only a halo of light, the iPhone sensor was blown out (non-technical phrasing) and couldn’t capture it.

The second photo is from a long lens on our digital SLR—thanks, Guru.

What I didn’t expect is the temps in the high 90s were temporarily diminished…should have, but didn’t occur to me.

Many of the outbound “light” signs we saw leaving ATL reminded people that there was no eclipse-view parking on the interstate. I am outta practice and didn’t capture any of them, even though I tried three times!

Photo from last December.

Without context, this looks like it could be a satellite photo of a bleak landscape with a fault or chasm bisecting it.

Truth is that it’s a not-new chainsaw cut of a redwood, with some fungi or sap or something making the elevated, gnarly formations.

Here’s a wee trip down memory lane, in this case the approach avenue from the north leading south up to the crest of the Hill of Tara, or Irish: Cnoc na Teamhrach. In Ireland. This spring.

The ancient chronicles discuss an over-large banqueting hall at this civic-ceremonial center, and for well over a century this sloping feature was long called the Teach Miodhchuarta, commonly translated as Banqueting Hall, but more precisely translated as circular house of the (mead-) feast. The chronicles date to far later than the Neolithic, but that doesn’t mean they don’t record information of earlier antiquity (presuming continuity).

While I’m sure there were over-large wooden buildings elsewhere on this hill, this wasn’t the banqueting hall of the legends.

Some call this a cursus, a linear ritual complex of ditches and mounds that dates to the Neolithic period, and I’d accept that. The name derives from the linear Roman athletic race courses, which the Neolithic cursuses resemble, but to think the use is the same is inaccurate. Not for races. Avenue is a better label.

This hill is still a locus for rituals and ceremony. Here’s a St Patrick statue, and there’s an active cemetery and church honoring the saint on the hill-flank.

Okay. Enough Memory Lane.

Big birds. A pair of sandhill cranes inspect wavy railroad tracks.

Small bird. Pretty sure it’s a spruce grouse. Eat many pine needles. Interesting choice.

Here’s the east side of West Bay, which I call Grand Marais Bay in my head. From ground level.

Here’s approximately the same direction/angle from Droney. In spite of some serious wind. Tough drone!

On the ground, the water-topping flowers are in full display.

And we found a swan family—four cygnets!—browsing.

And a solo loon…posing…or watching us back.