Musings

Hello, moon

2nd 15 photo

Here’s my second photo with the Guru’s new phone. The wide framing is better than the first one’s zoomier perspective. That’s the moon, BTW. I will study the documentation to see if I could adjust this or that and get it to capture the shape of the bright moon properly.

Waiting day

Waiting for the sun to rise. Note fallen apple limb; smells like cider out there. Didn’t go down to the lake to see how spectacular the sunrise was; I could see orange through the trees, so I think it was rather sensational.

Waiting for the UPS guy to bring the Guru his new phone…and watching the moon. He arrived about ten minutes after I took this; we were not quite in despair. Yay!

Serendipity: fog and vistiors

I went out very early this morning, before the fog burned off at all, and before the light increased beyond a hint.

That’s because last night we received a text from ATL friends that they were in Manistique! Were we nearby, they asked. Why, yes! So we arranged to meet them there for b’fast, and so it was. Since they were on a clockwise loop around Lake Michigan, from/to Chicago, we persuaded them to stop by the cottage afterward. Of course, I’d say the highlight was that we took them down to the lake/our beach before sending them on their way to cross The Bridge and head south. They’re doing 200mi/day, very civilized; that pace leaves time for exploring.

Enjoying the North

As the light increased, looming cloud-cover muted the beauty and I knew the ground fog would not appear. Yet, it was very still, no breeze, so I went to the lake before coffee (again) to see the mirror-lake.

The stillness began over a day ago, so that my new tracks and my old tracks co-existed. That is rare—that no waves erase tracks at the water’s edge in days. [You can’t see it, but the lake is just out of this image, left.]

The rest of the day I was in the cottage or doing outdoor chores nearby or in the field. The ferns by the door a fading, and I clipped some brown fronds, but left others that were merely brownING, as I often find the full pruning saddening…it means autumn and our exit is looming.

Photo morn, plus one

Before I had a chance to fire off the coffee maker, I saw the fog gathering.

I spotted this spider web and looked for more. How could there be none? Yet I saw no more.

I followed the quiet to the beach, and saw the color changing in the sky, but no fog on the water.

Come afternoon, I ventured across the road to the Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher-Farmer’s garden for a bouquet of lettuce. Opening the gate, I spotted this colony of Cladonia cristatella, so lovely with their dramatic red caps ornamenting the top bar.

Contrail morn

As the daylight increased and night faded, I looked out the kitchen window and saw these parallel contrails, like etchings against the sky.

Bracketed photos

My photo excursions bracketed the sunny part of the day. Here’s morning light on a cold-stunned insect. It was about 48°F.

And here’s the oblique late-day sun illuminating the woods. Note all the fall color easing in and screening the green.

As you might guess, it was darned pretty all day, sunny and felt warmer than the thermometer indicated. It had the high at 64°F, but, ooh, I love solar gain [under such conditions].

Covid concern

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.

Morning joy

Every time we have these morning fogs, I feel compelled to stand in awe of the tree line and the sky color.

This time I also looked down and enjoyed the dew on the lupine leaves.

Late-blooming tales

The too-hot is gone and the rain is gone. This is the early morning sunlight on the cardboard-walled ringfort. In the foreground are miscellaneous escapee plants, and probably weeds. In the center are many basil plants, and I’ll harvest one or two tomorrow for the appetizer I’m taking to a potluck that evening. In the background are some “wild”flowers; blooms so far are white (three types) and pink (one species). Outside to the right are rhubarb leaves.

Here are exploded lupine pods, still furry. I also found some blooming lupines in the field where I had cut the grass—and lupines—earlier.