Weather now
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
That line of storms that devastated places to our WNW is coming though now, fingers crossed, as rain. And wind. We’ll see how our blooms and buds do.
Musings
Eyes alert
Thursday, 23 February 2017
Those white blobs center right and right background are white azalea blooms. Spring is waaaaay too early for the nonce. Mid-70s tomorrow, then the temps are to back down closer to normal. Global warming is climate not weather, but can be observed in weather patterns.
Embracing the bracing cold
Sunday, 8 January 2017
Here’s a close-up of frost heaving…the water in the soil freezes and expands and the crystals move the soil around, which can affect the disposition of artifacts…. Sunny today, but not much above freezing. I heard melting, but in protected places the evidence of a winter snow/ice event remains.
Photographic proof of the heavier snow load in the north GA mountains…what the neighbors brought back on the roof of their SUV…looks like about four inches…far more than the dusting that happened hereabouts.
Sea to inland
Saturday, 7 January 2017
We made it out to the beach for a bit of a stroll. Almost no beachcombers, and few birds….
The last hurricane damaged the pier, and apparently also most of the walkways across the dunes to the beaches. Visitors just walk through the dunes (the walkways were to protect the dunes, so total failure with that maneuver), but this barrier is more robust. We could see that the end of the pier was missing…yup, dangerous out there.
I don’t remember seeing these huge round cotton bales before. Round hay and straw bales, yes. I think these are larger—and far larger than the old hand-picked bales, too!
We found ice still glittering in Atlanta’s trees where it remained protected from Mr. Sun. We found a dusting of snow remaining in our yard, to be sustained overnight with the below-freezing temps predicted for us.
I remembered another pork item from yesterday’s breakfast buffet, bringing the total to nine, seven of meat, and two dishes with some meat added….
Peeks into several worlds
Friday, 6 January 2017
I found this collection of mementoes pacifying, although the figure has a rather serious mien. We had great fun visiting the legendary Al and Jill, and their younger generation, and a sample of one from the grandchild generation…so homey.
We saw the last night of Xmas lights, and these outlined the trees in an interesting distortion of the natural arrangement of the large and small branches.
Hmm. Wintery mix is pretty and contrastive in the spectrum of colors chosen to represent segments of the continuum from not freezing to freezing…. Stay warm, everyone.
Not mentioned, another world was the small-town breakfast buffet we hit (coffee and juice extra) that included pig in these forms: ham slabs, sausage patty, sausage links, bacon, sausage gravy, fried pork chops, hash, and a mixture of chopped canned tomatoes, onions, and ham. [UPDATE: also another sausage, perhaps Italian and something like andouille?] No one had a heart attack while we were there, but I worried that a regular might….
Close-up experimentation
Monday, 2 January 2017
I left the house and I was happy that it was misting. I didn’t intend to adventure for long, but I thought I was safe from rain. No such luck.
I did wear my raincoat, and my down puffy-coat, so I was toasty and dry for the length of time I was outside.
I experimented with the new macro lens that clips on over my iPhone…. I will have to work on steadying my hands….
A wander ending at a seat of government
Saturday, 10 December 2016
We rolled away from our hipster hotel on wet roads in light rain, headed for the ocean and points north.
As we climbed the West Hills, we found the clouds, and more moisture, still with temps well above freezing.
All the info we had suggested that the higher elevations of the coast range would still be above freezing. Fortunately, the predictions held, although we could see plenty of snow on the trees and along the road.
We stopped for a nosh in sunshine, and the mixed weather yielded a rainbow!
As we continued north, we crossed the mighty Columbia. Two sections have arched bridges, and the colors are slightly different shades of green. I have no idea why…
The next section of road crossed and skirted many rivers and creeks headed for the ocean. The tide was out and we saw many waterfowl and a few herons. And mud.
I cannot explain why, but I wanted to see Washington’s capitol. Rain had returned, but we risked melting to roll down the window and take a couple of shots. Almost no traffic on this Saturday evening. We saw a few bits of snow along the curbs, indicating that the weather has been colder. We are happy it has tempered; we are happier to tolerate rain than ice.
Beverages and more
Thursday, 8 December 2016
In this luxe (for us) boutique hotel, the coffee is made by the cup—from the grinding forward—in a bath of pink light. The perfect consumer must be tech-oriented and younger than we are…no?
We headed out in the cold wind, with complementary trolley tickets from our hotel to get us out of the weather as we moved via electricity toward downtown.
Our goal was to wander the many aisles of Powell’s Bookstore. The rooms are color-coded. We spent considerable time in Purple, Red, and Pearl. I can’t remember the color of the room where I found this title. I don’t know why I photoed this. Something to ponder, I guess.
We took the street-car the long loop to return (using same tix), and even crossed the Willamette twice. I chose this for my first afternoon drink. Hands-down, the best mint tea I’ve ever had. I couldn’t say that I perceived that I was smelling a fine Oregon mint farm as I smelled the tea.
Our hotel has a complementary cocktail hour. Yesterday it was wine, a choice between two whites. Today, it was Ten Barrel products. I had Honey Bear Rye Barley Wine (I think that was it). Never heard of this or similar. Tasty. So, that was my second afternoon beverage.
As we were on the trolley returning toward our hotel the precip shifted from little flakes to huge flakes, and we knew we were in for it (as predicted by the weather-oologists). We ate a half block away (both icy and slushy underfoot) at a Moroccan restaurant—a cultural learning experience and very tasty. We chose lamb and fish entrees. I’m still full. The dessert, baklava of course, came with a different mint tea that neither of us fancied—I think because it had a touch of rose water in it.
Uh-oh
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
View out motel window, well after dawn. Ruh-roh. We did online chores and let the snow taper off before heading out.
When we got out of town and on the open road, we even found sunshine melting the bits on the road, even though the temps remained below freezing. Good sign: trains are still getting through.
Hmm. In the next valley, snow on the next ridge, but only wet road here. Great LTE, so quick check of DOT website on road conditions…bits of red ahead on the pass, but no closings. Crossed most of the valley, and whoops, orange cones across the road, and all traffic must exit. We crowd into a handy truckstop along with many other travelers, and get a bit to eat and listen to the chatter. Word is that they’re clearing highway-type flotsam/jetsam off the road. We have hope that we’ll get through before the temps begin to drop.
I finish my meal and head to the restroom. Sign over cash register says it all. Traffic cams show lines of semis on the highway along our route over the pass. We figure they’re trying to get the accumulated vehicles out and don’t want more arriving. We will not get through tonight.
Fortunately, this town seems prepared for just this situation, and there are several mom-and-pop motels. We are in one, very handy next to the Burger Something drive though. Walls are thin and the TV is not a flat panel, but heat, electricity, and wifi are working fine. We are recharging and hopeful. Movie time?