Improvement
Thursday, 7 August 2025
The before-the-sun sky seemed a bit clearer, yet still slightly obscured by the Sky-Smoke deity.
We took a wee drive north to see if the Lake Superior shore breeze would seem even clearer. It did, a bit.
Musings
Odd bits
Tuesday, 5 August 2025
No humans on the beach today, until I went for my late afternoon lake-bath. I’m guessing these are pelican tracks; they’ve been sighted, but not by me.
Great fun dining with the neighbors. Short Stuff created her own midden of mostly brown rice.
Were they posing?
Monday, 4 August 2025
I took a morning stroll down to the beach, because: well, it’s there, and pretty, and interesting, and fine. En route, I found a flitting monarch, just where you’d expect it to be.
At the beach, by the dock, I was surprised to see this guy/gal. I’d seen only a few living ones, and the parts I’ve seen (for years?) have been of much smaller specimens. This one was perhaps 15cm, tail to tips of the claws…and those of lovely blue. You don’t see much blue in critters, no?
Quiet moment
Sunday, 3 August 2025
I went for my lake-bath as the sun was dropping low, here behind the treeline. BTW, those stones were obscured by sand a week ago…the lake, she recreates the shore constantly.
Defocused
Friday, 1 August 2025
All distant views throughout the day were tinged with smokeaze, that is, smoke haze (and thus the AQI suggested lesser activities, with little deep breathing). This photo, however, is just plain out of focus, so not honoring the sweet peas.
Bye-bye heat (for now)
Monday, 28 July 2025
Another hot day, after a not-so-cool overnight, so I sure enjoyed my lake bath, today rather late, around 8pm, when the lake was quiet, as you can see. Tonight’s supposed to be cooler, whew!, and tomorrow the high will somewhat more reasonable…all of, get this: a mere 78°F.
Hmm, I’d better find a blanket, a light one, mind you, but still: a blanket.
Early and late, sampled
Sunday, 27 July 2025
I left my late-day swim duds on the line overnight. Special morning with the dew-fog (which kept the duds over-moist). I’m calling this shot Line Art. 🤣
Elsewhere, this thistle is festooned with spider webs, a big one on the right, and a small one on top. I really do not want the thistle seeds to disperse (they’re noxious weeds!); tomorrow morning, if I get out when it’s still cool, these will become compost or otherwise be…eliminated…from the gene pool.
Again, I took a late-day lake-bath, hence the shadiness in this shot. This feather truly is floating on top of the water, although it looks like it’s airborne and above the surface.
Progress
Friday, 25 July 2025
I always get a bit excited to see this long-view of the mountains, even though the powerlines-strung-with-orange-caution-balls disrupts the skyscape, as it signals that we’re leaving the Piedmont…in short: we’re On The Road!
Not pretty enough? Here’re some asters at dusk three states to the north.
Grass = green
Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Every once in a while, I visit the BBC/Scotland webpage (link), and scroll down to find a selection of readers’ pictures from the week. Some are artistry in heightened saturation, some are long-lens captures (puffins are a favorite), a few are closer to snapshots, and some are of fabulous sunlight or sky moments. The ones I linger on the most tend to be patterns in nature. This is a mediocre example, but you get the idea.
A or B?
Sunday, 6 July 2025
I could write something about fall-blooming anemones, that is: nice flower-talk….
Otherwise, I’ll get into the non-existential (or is it existential?) crisis of the Southern Ocean’s potential transition toward persistently reduced sea ice coverage resulting from rising salinity. Is the latter (link) too boring? Too hard to grasp? Possibly; you have my sympathy—but such salinity shifts and the attendant oceanic changes are way toooo important to dismiss. Important as in global climate change. Bonus: follow the link and you’ll read about polynyas—I’m betting it’s a new vocab word!