Wednesday, 7 October 2020
Well there’s a computational photography experiment that was a flop. Portrait mode with spotlight. Not a real spotlight, but an apparent one. Clearly, this technique does not work on a complex subject like these tiny flowers.
However, I do laud such experimentation.
Yes, lots of important current events…just not aired here.
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Daylight began with piercing quiet and heavy ground-fog.
As the day progressed, overcast and intermittent precip alternated with streaks of sunshine—you can see one of the latter illuminating a sand dune in the distance.
Today’s big chore was heading to town for groceries and a raid of the hardware store. Instead of the direct road, 44 miles round trip, we took the long way, up to Lake Superior in a big loop—a detour that took us 111 miles. Well worth the miles of mud puddles and bumps on the unpaved stretch between Grand Marais (where I took the photo) and Deer Park. Great names, no?
I walked subsequently, toward the end of the daylight portion of the day, when it was windy and sunny and surprisingly pleasant, quite the opposite of the morning.
Now, as darkness closes in, it’s less windy and threatening rain. Soooo good to be indoors.
Friday, 25 September 2020
It is Apple season, too. I/we splurged on the new 6 (the first AppleWatch in our household), and originally delivery was promised Oct 3–5. It came today. In fact, it went from Mt Pleasant to Rudyard this morning, then out for delivery. Just days ago it was in Alaska, Singapore, and China—in reverse order.
So far I can confirm that I have a heartbeat and that the device counts my steps, plus I have received and sent texts. You can “write” a text by bringing up this zone for you to finger spell in. My letter shapes were darned crude, yet it got every one correct immediately. Yup, Apple season.
Thursday, 24 September 2020
We got up and did our usual ablutions, breakfast, and getting on the road northbound. More, more! Found fall color…even shadows.
And closeup sumac at a rest area.
Then: the Big Bridge. With cloud cover and intermittent moisture.
Today’s mystery object…remains a mystery.
Traditional stop for lunch at Clyde’s, bison-burger with, wait for it, fries! Fresh, hot fries are a rare treat during this pandemic.
This is where we stop to get milk, the local paper, and necessities for our first overnight.
And the lake. One of many in the region, but for this locale, this is the lake.
Feels soooooo good to be here.
Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Guru report: almost 800 miles today. Handy Hero the Handyman Hammerman ushered us onto the interstate.
Much later, at a Ohio rest area, we didn’t rest, but did get in a few steps and used the facilities. And grabbed a few snaps of a fine orange sun, peeking through a relatively complete cloud layer.
Despite today’s many miles, I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s drive!…well, more tomorrow’s destination…teehee
Tuesday, 22 September 2020
We think this cell tower’s…uh-hem…adornments…are new since we cruised this neighborhood last. It had three large construction cranes around it (only one and an edge in photo), and I said, “It’s a crane nest.”
Buh-dump-bump.
I guess you had to be there.
Monday, 21 September 2020
I must be doing something right. Despite all the upsetting, stressful, and chaotic news emerging day after day (and I am paying modest attention to current events), my blood pressure has been “okay” every morning lately.
Thursday, 17 September 2020
We managed to time our run to early-vote* to between rain bands. Sally, doncha know. Some rainfall was windy and would have been yucky to venture out in.
But it stayed wet even so, witness that magnificent droplet on a wee magenta-pink basil blossom.
* Not lucky that we had to vote because John Lewis died, and we need a representative to finish his term.
Wednesday, 16 September 2020
We took a Sunday-really-Wednesday drive, just to get out of the city. We really didn’t get far.
We stopped in a small town, now well within the metro area, and strolled down the high street…parallel with the railroad. Look: a cell tower; there’s really almost no farmland—the terrain is either floodplain or waiting to become housing and business developments, and the web of connecting roads and parking lots—if not already built on.
See: the small town has a bank. Or was-a-bank, with an oozing-financial-security chandelier. It’s now a restaurant and salon, but maybe the restaurant is covid-closed? Didn’t check; moved on.
