Musings

The two-kay mixed use complex on the other side of the connector is anchored, in a sense, by the blue-white place (aka Ikea)…

…and the red-white place (aka Tarzhay). We walked between the two…

…and saw for the first time on foot a two-kay arc de triomphe…which, surprisingly, has a museum downstairs. [Why?] That we didn’t enter, leaving a mystery.

Got passed by a three-locomotive train when we were afoot. Wooooo-ooooo.

Confession: only shopped in Ikea; bought batteries that the Guru wanted and a plastic cover for use in the microwave. They don’t last forever, you know.

Further confession: it was a grey grey grey day, overcast and precipitating…but, somehow, okay even so.

Posted at 6:58 PM | Comments Off on Not a downer

The first outing doesn’t count, blogwise. Errands.

The second outing: a walk. I dodged raindrops for most of it (truncated), but the precip caught me about 10 min before I got to the front door. A bit damp…

…but nothing like the rain that accompanied the front that came through just as we were leaving for our dinner reservation, moving at 60mph. Whew. So, we got seated, ordered a bottle of prosecco, and immersed ourselves in chatting and laughing. Great fun.

* Credit to JPB for the riff on Dry January.

Posted at 8:12 PM | Comments Off on Moist January*

Friday snuck up on me this week. Or, I was too distracted to grasp it had arrived. Along with our flowering quince, honoring my parents and a gift from D&F. This plant is in the Rosaceae family, so the thorns are appropriate.

I took this photo when I was leaving to begin my walk. The sun was tepid. I could see a broad greyness to the NNW. Over time, the grey seeped east, and about 10 minutes before I got home I felt a few drops. But, no follow-through/still dry. Expecting a serious storm tomorrow, early evening, however.

Posted at 7:05 PM | Comments Off on Thorns!

Apologies for going on about the weather, but today’s highs and lows were about 20°F lower than yesterday’s. Didn’t have frost on the car window yesterday….

Cold snap may have played in this camellia flower drop.

Random artsy photo: close-up of rusty yardart.

Rotate ninety photo: nothing more needs to be said. [Shadow has a lumpiness because I had lifted my hoodie sweatshirt to around my neck; gives me superhero shoulders.]

Title refers to a general lack of intellectual astuteness evidenced lately on this-here blog, and hypothesizes about why.

Perhaps the warming weather trend will provide a boost? On the other hand, we already have more rain this month than the January average, and more is coming this week. Eek!

Posted at 6:42 PM | Comments Off on Circulation restricted?

Big Bud to Little Bud: “How you?”

Little Bud to Big Bud: “K. How you?”

🤣

Went for my walk earlier than usual, had a hunch the weather would get worse…so I ventured into sprinkles and Seattle-type mist…and accomplished my HR* goals. Can’t say I got my Vitamin D for the day, however.

🤣

* Heart rate.

Posted at 6:00 PM | Comments Off on Short play; weather

Shhh: quietly…from what I saw, the wind last night and today brought down only small dead sticks…thankfully.

Some free libraries are so cute! The octopus-pirate connection is a mystery to me.

Posted at 6:27 PM | Comments Off on LibrARRRRy

Winter has arrived, emphatically. Here that means rain. Today’s rain is supposed to be accompanied by wind overnight (oh, no). I suited up for my walk with waterproof shoes (purchased for a Scotland trip) and wool socks. Not fashionable or handsome, but perfectly functional.

This was not the day for outdoor seating. Nope.

Posted at 7:03 PM | Comments Off on Nope

While the coffee was brewing, I stepped outside. The birdbath was frozen solid.

We’re somewhat overdosed on driving, so we didn’t today. Walked to do our errands. Mini-crabapple?

Sample of the residential architecture in our neighborhood; these units are a bit larger and fancier than ours. Same feel, however.

First chore trek took us to the Farmers’ Market. I talked to a bean guy, and bought some black beans from him. Also got a turkey leg, butchered yesterday (TMI?), the grower said. Stew to come. This is a watermelon radish, the sign said, with black radishes on the left edge. Did not buy or taste either one.

Near the FM is the northern terminus of the Railrunner commuter train that goes down to Albuquerque and beyond largely in the Rio Grande valley. Love the roadrunner graphic that flows from the locomotive across the trailing cars.

During a later errand trek, we found a largely untended urban cemetery behind a Mickey’s and similar fast food places, nail salons, and the like. On a slight hill.

Companion shot to the first one from the cocktail hour.

Apparently this sky warns of ❄️. The highest peaks nearby are already 🏔.

Posted at 6:41 PM | Comments Off on No driving

Or is it an easy one?

Watch the rain fall…or watch the bread cubes for the dressing dry?

Posted at 7:16 PM | 1 Comment »

Does rubbish weather mean just rainy, or rainy and windy, or even more than that happy pair? Today was rainy, but not really windy. At least when I was out. I’d say rubbish-y, but I don’t know British slang….

Posted at 1:00 PM | Comments Off on Fortitude