Monday, 10 May 2021
Every once in a while you can find a spot where you can see a great distance. There are mountains beneath that lowest bank of clouds, which are obscuring their tops.
No mountains here, but more of a lake view.
No distance here at all. What a careful, artful hedge-trimming job. The notch on the far right is to the depth/line selected by the trimmer working on the neighboring lot.
Thursday, 6 May 2021
We crossed no state lines, although we did change time zones.
The high point was partying with old friends, and later new—so so many laughs. Such good company. Such lovely eats. So special-precious.
Title refers to second photo comments, but you already figured that out.
Wednesday, 5 May 2021
First, we were headlight-flashed by a semi. Then, we saw a large, propped up, plywood sign with crookedy letters, “Sheep on road.” Okay, we’re wide awake; we saw this in Scotland, and usually the signs are not Fake News™. Next, we saw sheep evidence (like the black smears in the left lane), then we popped over a hill, and voila! sheep, all on the left side of the road, and extending for a LOOOOONG ways up the highway. We carefully crept along, alert to Stupid Sheep Behavior—that is, stupid from the vehicular point of view. Sure enough, we were most of the way past the flock, and a few decided to cross in front of us, and instantly were head-down browsing. Like…um…sheep, soon dozens more followed. We inched along on the far right as a semi was in our lane, heading toward us and trying to make headway against the flock drifting into his lane. Surely there’s room for all, no? Just so the sheep part.
The size of the flock suggests it was being relocated for summer forage at higher elevations. With all the fenced land, the only possible passage was via the highway right of way. In Europe, it is possible to find the networks of drove-ways that have been used for thousands of years for seasonal movement of domesticated herbovores.
Scenery.
Snake River, where the banks are not cliffs.
Snake River making Shoshone Falls, and the Falls making rainbows. The River has cut through a lava bed from long ago that blankets the area. If you’re back from the rim perhaps a quarter mile on that flattish lava bed, you can’t see the cut the river has made, making it rather like a giant ha-ha. This falls is so high that the progress of spawning fish is halted, and this is an excellent hunting spot.
Sunday, 2 May 2021
The Big Muddy dominated half our driving day. It was big and it carried sediment. “Formidable” seems rather tame for summing it up, although it carries the appropriate tenor.
This is on the north edge of Alton, Illinois, where the river slid along limestone bluffs that Euroamericans heavily mined. I assume these are abandoned mine entrances.
For the other half of our driving day, we pushed west, to stop in La Plata, Missouri, pronounced like plate, so: lah plate-uh.
Rather unremarkable town with an Amtrak Stop [that I assume Joe Biden has never visited] and an art deco style station that is suffering genteel decay (the exterior, anyway, as we didn’t get inside—yet).
These two also live in the town. It is bucolic, with frequent train whistles.
Saturday, 1 May 2021
This magnolia is rather small as magnolias go, perhaps not quite four inches across…so…vente?
Looks like a lake…looks like a river…um, impounded river…still great for boaters and kayakers on a lovely Saturday afternoon.
Dusk sky hues, stripes, and graduations…such lovely eye-candy.
Today’s state count: four. PS: title has nothing to do with baseball.
Friday, 30 April 2021
This is a kousa dogwood flower; they have the pointy petals. Only they aren’t petals; if you’re wearing your precise botanic hat, they’re actually white bracts.
No idea what kind of insect is visiting that right bract.
Bract. Bract. Trying to remember that word and its meaning.
Monday, 26 April 2021
While I found a very quiet alley-space that is reverting to nature…
…on a secondary artery, I saw fire-truck action. And heard.
Saturday, 24 April 2021
I saw this robin fly in and immediately begin bathing, splish splash. At first a brown thrasher watched while perched on the cone. A noisy dog was coming down the street, so the robin didn’t bathe much longer.
This guy came by me and it took me a second look to figure out what he had underfoot…that is: carefully stacked scooters. He rode one and was transporting two more stacked underfoot. As he came down the hill behind me, I thought he’d be stopping to add them to this parking spot, but he continued onto the BeltLine turning toward Piedmont Park and Trader Joe’s.
Thursday, 15 April 2021
There are bamboos native to this region, yet I’m guessing this one is an invader.
No bamboos in this shot. See how leafy and green this boulevard view is…and it’s not just due to the evergreen magnolia in the median.
Saturday, 10 April 2021
Some rain overnight and through mid-day, fortunately bringing down the pollen levels.
Oak overstory, dogwood understory. Is this the start of a poem? Anyway, not my story.
Title refers to my standard response when “Only Connect” produces words and phrases that mean nothing to me. Plus they’re talking about rugby on the rerun of “As Time Goes By” that’s rolling now.