Miscellaneous

The Pond

The Pond

The Pond

Cathy and I went up to Pennsylvania for the day. We had a short visit with Dorothy but then she had to go to work. While she worked, we stopped at Ronn Palm’s Museum of Civil War Images (https://www.ronnpalmmuseum.com/) at 229 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg. Cathy asked specifically about the units her great, great grandfather and his eldest son were in during the U.S. Civil War but of course we all talked about more than that. We drove to Devil’s Den and a few other spots on the battlefield. When Dorothy was done working we picked her up and went to the farm. The pond is filling back up after being partially drained for repairs and has reached the lowest rung on the ladder on the side of the new dock.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on The Pond

State Birds and Flowers

State Birds and Flowers Puzzle

State Birds and Flowers Puzzle

We finished another puzzle. This one was a gift from our dear friends Brian and Lisa and it proved to be more challenging than expected. The fact that there was text on many of the pieces helped a bit, since that aided in piece orientation. Some of that text helped us know where in the country the piece went, as well, although it was a while before we had enough pieces in place that we could reliably situate many other pieces. The list of birds differs from what we believe are the proper birds. For example, I think seven states have the northern cardinal as their bird, but it only appears three times in the puzzle. But from the standpoint of the puzzle, that hardly matters. Also, at least one of the illustrations don’t seem right to me, but again, it’s a pretty puzzle and we enjoyed it quite a bit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on State Birds and Flowers

Mendenhall Puzzle

Mendenhall Puzzle

Mendenhall Puzzle

On June 6, 2023, I posted a photo of a common merganser (Mergus merganser) with ducklings on her back. They were swimming on Mendenhall Lake and it was taken at from the glacier overlook. Cathy and I really enjoyed that visit and in addition to the mergansers we saw arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea). Later that same day we returned to the Glacier with our friends Brian and Lisa. The overcast sky had partially cleared and there was a beautiful mix of blue and white, both overhead and in the reflections on the water.

I had this 1000-piece puzzle made from a photograph I took that evening and I’m really pleased with how it turned out. The sky was the hardest part although the water in the foreground was only marginally easier. With our love of puzzles, I think I might make more. But we have a few more waiting to be done, including one Brian and Lisa sent us recently with state flowers and birds.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mendenhall Puzzle

Margansers and Scaup

Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus)

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

We decided to go to the canal today but on the way we were passing the national headquarters of the Izaak Walton League on Muddy Branch Road and decided to stop and walk around Lake Halcyon on that property. It’s a nice little pond with woods on three sides and it’s not uncommon to see ducks there. We were blessed with three duck species. First we saw a pair of hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), which are fish-eating ducks. They were out in the middle of the pond but with my long lens I was able to get a decent shot of them. Then we saw a pair of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis), a type of diving duck. We also saw two pairs of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). There were eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) in the trees around the pond, as well.

We see mergansers reasonably often but this is the first time I’ve seen scaup, so I considered that to be a real treat.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Margansers and Scaup

Snow

Snow

Snow

We’ve had two moderate snow storms in the last week or so. Last weekend we got about five inches of snow. Then starting early Friday we got another four of five inches. When we got up Friday there was a little over an inch of new snow. We had to go about 2 miles for an appointment and at 7:15 the roads were a bit of a mess but we got there without much trouble. The roads were a bit better by the time we came home. The snow continued falling for most of the rest of the day. This photo was taken from out kitchen door the next morning and there was a little blue showing in the sky by then.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Snow

Wildflower Puzzle

Wildflower Puzzle

Wildflower Puzzle

Shortly after Christmas we started a new puzzle (see Wednesday, December 27, 2023). We finished it last night. This was a fairly challenging puzzle due to a combination of reason. First, many of the pieces had nothing on them. Although the background color varied slightly over the width of the puzzle, it didn’t vary much. Furthermore, the pieces were almost all of roughly the same shape. Once we got all the pieces that had any color on them in place, there were about 50 pieces that were pure white. We did eventually get them all together, though. As you can see, there is one piece missing at the top of the white clover. I’m pretty sure we didn’t lose it, but these things happen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wildflower Puzzle

My 2023 Reading

My 2023 Reading

My 2023 Reading

My 2023 Reading

My 2023 Reading

I started the year with enough books waiting to be ready to last me the entire year, unless I really pushed myself. First up, I decided to read volumes two through six of Winston Churchill’s six volume series the Second World War. I read the first volume in 2017 and decided it was time I read the rest. At a combined 4,114 pages, I expected these five remaining books to take me quite a while and would probably have been satisfied if I did nothing else all year. As it turns out, I finished in the third week of February. In all I finished 57 books, the same number I read last year. The books this year, however, were about 30% longer, and I read a total of over 25,000 pages, far and away the most I’ve ever read in a year.

As usual, the list of books is below. This year’s reading included only 3 books by currently living authors (and two of those by the same author). In contrast to previous years, when I read a significant number of translations of ancient texts, the oldest books this year were plays by Shakespeare, written only as early as 1591. As always, you can sort the table by the order read (the default), title, author, and date written by clicking on the headings.

In case you are interested, here are links to my three previous year’s reading lists:


Order   
Read   
Title Author Date    Notes
1 Their Finest Hour Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January, 24 1965) 1949 Churchill’s Second World War series, volume 2. This volume starts on May 10, 1940, the day Churchill became prime minister and the day Germany invaded Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. It ends in the first week of January, 1941. This includes the story of Dunkirk (Operation ‘Dynamo’), the fall of Paris and French capitulation and—as the title implies—Churchill’s speach including the phrase, “this was their finest hour.”
2 The Grand Alliance Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January, 24 1965) 1950 Churchill’s Second World War series, volume 3. This volume covers 1941, from beginning to end, including the Blitz, the sinking of the Bismark, Germany’s opening of the eastern front with Russia, and of course Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the entry of the United States into the war.
3 The Hinge of Fate Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January, 24 1965) 1950 Churchill’s Second World War series, volume 4. From mid-January, 1942 through May, 1943, including the fall of Singapore, the decisive battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the fall of Tabrok to the Germans, Guadalcanal, Operation ‘Torch’ and the liberation of North Africa.
4 Closing the Ring Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January, 24 1965) 1951 Churchill’s Second World War series, volume 5. From mid-May, 1943 to the beginning of June, 1944, including the fall of Mussolini, the liberation of Sicily, the Italian armistice and the liberation of Rome, taking us to the eve of Operation Overlord (a.k.a. D-Day).
5 Triumph and Tragedy Winston Churchill (November 30, 1874 – January, 24 1965) 1953 Churchill’s Second World War series, volume 6. From June 6, 1944 through July, 1945, starting with D-Day (Operation ‘Overlord’) and including the Warsaw Uprising, the liberation of Paris, V-1 and V-2 attacks on England, the liberation of the Philippines, Iwo-Jima, the Yalta Conference, the suicide of Hitler, V.E. Day, the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki followed by V.J. Day. This takes us to the end of Churchill’s second term as Prime Minister and the end of the war.
6 Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare, William (circa April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) 1600 A very enjoyable double love story. Highly recommended, even if you aren’t a fan of Shakespeare (which I am).
7 A Tale of Two Cities Dickens, Charles (February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870) 1859 Ralph, I believe, hated this book, but in his defence, he was made to read it in the equivalent of eighth grade (in England). We all know the first and the last lines but I thought it time I should get to know everything in between. This is arguably Dickens’ best work, although I think David Copperfield, which is a very differetnt type of story, is also exceedingly wonderful.
8 Master and Commander O’Brian, Patrick (December 12, 1914 – January 2, 2000) 1969 The first of the Aubrey–Maturin novels. This is similar to the Horatio Hornblower novels, by C. S. Forester, which I enjoy. I will do what I can to buy and read the remaining 20 stories to read when I need a break from meatier fare.
9 Sebastopol Tolstoy, Leo (September 9, 1828 – November 20, 1910) 1855 Three sketches based on Tolstoy’s experiences during the siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea. They are dated by him as being set in December 1854, May 1855, and August 1855. Interestingly, I had to keep reminding myself that this was in the decade before the U. S. Civil War, not the second decade of the twentieth century. It felt very much like the First World War.
10 Can You Forgive Her? Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1864 and 1865 This is the first of six novels in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels. This book chronicles the stories of three trios, each with two men competing for the affection of a single woman. No spoilers here. Very enjoyable.
11 Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ Bunyan, John (baptised November 30, 1628 – August 31, 1688) 1678 Bunyan is almost exclusively known for his allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress. Come and Welcome is a beautiful exposition of the verse found at John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
12 Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth Tolstoy, Leo (September 9, 1828 – November 20, 1910) 1852, 1854, and 1857 Three short, semi-autobiographical novels. One of Tolstoy’s earliest works, this is interesting for his portrayal of the view of life as seen by a child, boy, and youth. I found it interesting.
13 The Road to Serfdom Hayek, Friedrich August (May 8, 1899 – March 23, 1992) 1944 In his introduction Bruce Caldwell writes, “Reading (or perhaps rereading) The Road to Serfdom will be a pleasurable experience for some, and induce apoplexy in others.” I fall in the ‘pleasurable experience’ camp. I am a wholehearted believer in and supporter of liberalism, which I define (per Milton Friedman) “as Hayek does—in the original nineteenth-century sense of limited government and free markets, not in the corrupted sense it has acquired in the United States, in which it means almost the opposite.”
14 The Federalist Papers Madison, James (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804)John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) October 1787 through May 1788 These were written (under the pseudonym “Publius”) with the express intent to influence voters to ratify the Constitution. I am a strong supporter of the U.S. Constitution and am particularly thankful that the Bill of Rights—Amendments one through ten—were written and ratified. Sorry to say, as good as it is, it had not prevented some encroachment of rights and some deteriorization of federalist principles. I’d be in favor of strengthening the Bill of Rights and of repealing the 17th amendment.
15 Anecdotes of Destiny Dinesen, Isak (Karen Blixen, April 17, 1885 – September 7, 1962) 1958 Five stories, titled The Diver, Babette’s Feast, Tempests, The Immortal Story, and The Ring.
16 The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Franklin, Benjamin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) 1793 This was written from 1771 to 1790 but was not published until 1793, after Franklin’s death. I enjoyed it but would have been happier if it had not ended where it did, before anything relating to the Revolutionary War had started.
17 The 99% Invisible City Mars, Roman (October 16, 1974 – ) and Kurt Kohlstedt 2020 The book is subtitled “A Field Guide to The Hidden World of Everyday Design,” this book was recommended by one of Dorothy’s art professors at Gordon. I have probably noticed more of the things mentioned than most, but I found the backstory behind them quite interesting.
18 Henry VI, Part 1 Shakespeare, William (circa 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) 1591 The play opens with the funeral for Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422). His nine-month-old son, Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) becomes king. The play centers around the battles that end the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453), including the part played by Joan of Arc (c. 1412 – 30 May 1431). It ends with peace being declared between the English and Charles VII of France (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461). At the end of the play, Henry is engaged to Margaret of Anjou (23 March 1430 – 25 August 1482), whom he married in 1445 (see Henry VI, Part 2).
19 Henry VI, Part 2 Shakespeare, William (circa 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) 1591 The original play had the somewhat long, cumbersome, but fairly inclusive title (spoiler alert!), The First part of the Contention betwixt the two famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster, with the death of the good Duke Humphrey: And the banishment and death of the Duke of Suffolke, and the Tragicall end of the proud Cardinall of Winchester; with the notable Rebellion of Iacke Cade: and the Duke of Yorkes first claime vnto the Crowne. In short, the happenings between the marriage of Henry and Margaret and the beginning of the War of the Roses.
20 Henry VI, Part 3 Shakespeare, William (circa 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) circa 1599 This—the third of Shakespeare’s Henry VI plays—continues where Part 2 leaves off, chronicling the next stage in the Wars of the Roses with the houses of York and Lancaster fighting for the crown. These three plays are often grouped with Richard III, which concludes this period of history with the rise of Henry VII.
21 Phineas Finn Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1868 This is the second of six novels in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels. It centers around the title character, his aspirations, acheivements, and loves.
22 Vanity Fair Thackeray, William Makepeace (July 18, 1811 – December 24, 1863) 1848 This book chronicles the lives of Becky Sharp, Amelia Sedley and their friends and families during and after the Napoleonic Wars. It was published with the subtitle A Novel without a Hero, which I think is pretty fitting. I enjoyed it, although maybe not as much as Thomas Hardy’s or Anthony Trollope’s works.
23 Post Captain O’Brian, Patrick (December 12, 1914 – January 2, 2000) 1972 This is the second of 21 stories in O’Brian’s Aubrey–Maturin novels. I find them an easy to read break in what might otherwise be a heavy reading schedule.
24 Schlump Grimm, Hans Herbert (June 26, 1896 – July 7, 1950) 1928 This semi-autobiographical novel relates the experiences of its protagonist, Emil Schulz, known as “Schlump”, a military policeman in German-occupied France during World War I. The work was burnt by the Nazis in 1933 because of its satirical and anti-war tone.
25 The Pickwick Papers Dickens, Charles (February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870) 1836 Dickens was asked to supply descriptions to explain a series of comic “cockney sporting plates” and to connect them into a novel. This is the result and was his first novel.
26 The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare, William (circa April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) circa 1592 I’ve seen two things based on this, Kiss Me, Kate, 1948, by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and 10 Things I Hate About You, 1999, a modernization of the play, set in a late-1990s American high school setting. But I’ve never actually seen nor read the original, until now.
27 Ellis Island and Other Stories Helprin, Mark (June 28, 1947 – ) 1981 Helprin is one of my favorite modern authors and these short stories don’t disappoint. His characters are often larger than life and somewhat fantastical and the stories are often quite improbable, but they are often very poingnant and touching.
28 Leviathan Hobbes, Thomas (April 5/15, 1588 – December 4/14, 1679) 1651 This work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory.
29 H.M.S. Surprise O’Brian, Patrick (December 12, 1914 – January 2, 2000) 1973 The third of the Aubrey–Maturin novels, in which the two heroes transport Mr Stanhope, an ambassador, to the Sultan of Kampong on the Malay Peninsula.
30 Common Sense Paine, Thomas (February 9, 1737 – June 8, 1809) 1776 This book or pamphlet, initially published anonymously on January 10, 1776, presented various moral and political arguments for the common people in the North American Colonies to fight for an egalitarian government.
31 The Eustace Diamonds Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1872 This is the third of six novels in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels. This book chronicles the exploits of Lady Lizzie Eustace, formerly Lizzie Greystock.
32 A Pair of Blue Eyes Hardy, Thomas (June 2, 1840 – January 11, 1928) 1873 I really enjoyed this book, as I do much of what Hardy wrote. He wasn’t afraid to give you a surprise ending and even with about ten pages to go, I had absolutely no idea how the story would end. It ended differently to all of the possibile endings that I had thought of. I made a point not to read the introduction, because I didn’t want to know how it would end until I got to the end.
33 The Complete Prose Tales of Alexandr Sergeyevitch Pushkin Pushkin, Alexander (June 6, 1799 – February 10, 1837) various dates through 1837 I really enjoyed these stories. A significant number of them were unfinished but even those were good, leaving us in the dark as to what happened, which is actually more like real life than most stories, where all the lose ends are tied up. I can see why he was an important author in general and recognize the significant contributions he made to Russian literature in particular.
34 Daniel Deronda Eliot, George (Mary Ann Evans, November 22, 1819 – December 22, 1880) 1876 This is the last novel by George Eliot. It centers around the journey of self-discovery of the title character, as well as the story of Gwendolen Harleth.
35 The Mauritius Command O’Brian, Patrick (December 12, 1914 – January 2, 2000) 1977 The fourth of the Aubrey–Maturin novels takes us, as the title implies, to the islands of Mauritius and La Réunion, about 500 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
36 Ulysses Joyce, James (February 2, 1882 – January 13, 1941) 1922 I cannot lie, this is not the easiest book to read. It is the sequel to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1915). Leopold Bloom, the main character of this novel, interacts with Stephen Dedalus from that earlier work, who has returned to Ireland because of the illness and subsequent death of his mother. The book has many parallels and correspondences with the travels of Homer’s Odysseus (a.k.a. Ulysses) and is .
37 Desolation Island O’Brian, Patrick (December 12, 1914 – January 2, 2000) 1978 The fifth of the Aubrey–Maturin novels finds our heroes on Desolation Island, a.k.a. Grande Terre, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
38 Thomas Hardy Short Stories Hardy, Thomas (June 2, 1840 – January 11, 1928) from 1879 to 1897 This book has the following seven stories: The Three Strangers (1883), The Withered Arm (1888), The Distracted Preacher (1879), The Grave by the Handpost (1897), The Fiddler of the Reels (1893), An Imaginative Woman (1894), and Barbara of the House of Grebe (1890).
39 Phineas Redux Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1873 This is the fourth of six novels in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels. It is the sequel to book two, Phineas Finn.
40 The Gambler / Bobok / A Nasty Story Dostoevsky, Fyodor (November 11, 1821 – February 9, 1881) 1867, 1873, and 1862 Of the three stories in this book, I enjoyed the Bobok—which is also the shortest—the most, followed by The Gambler—the longest.
41 The Voyage of the Beagle Darwin Charles (February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1882) 1839 This was originally published as Journal and Remarks, this was the third volume of The Narrative of the Voyages of H.M. Ships Adventure and Beagle, the other volumes of which were written or edited by the commanders of the ships. It covers the second voyage of HMS Beagle, from December 27, 1831 to October 2, 1836, under captain Robert FitzRoy.
42 The Prime Minister Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1876 This is the fifth of six novels in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels. In addition to the obvious focus on the title role, this novel revolves around the life and loves of Emily Wharton.
43 Walden and Civil Disobedience Thoreau, Henry David (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) 1854 and 1849 In Walden, Thoreau chronicles his experiences living for 26 months in a cabin he built near Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. In his essay Civil Disobedience, Thoreau argues that individuals should obey their consciences rather than their government and that it is their duty to disobey the government rather than acquiesce and thereby participate in injustice.
44 The Oak And The Calf Solzhenitsyn, Alexander (December 11, 1918 – August 3, 2008) 1975 This is a memoir about Solzhenitsyn’s attempts to publish work in his own country, subtitled “Sketches of Literary Life in the Soviet Union”.
45 Go Down, Moses Faulkner, William (September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) 1942 This is a collection of seven related pieces of short fiction whose most prominent character and unifying voice is that of Isaac McCaslin, “Uncle Ike”, who will live to be an old man; “uncle to half a county and father to no one.”
46 The Origin of Species Darwin, Charles (February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1882) 1859 This is another of those books that everyone knows but few have read. I can’t say that I find his argument compelling. That’s not so say I disagree with everything he says, mind you. He talks a lot about variations of animals and plants and it cannot really be argued that they do not vary over time. What I don’t necessarily buy is that they become new species or even new genera or even (eventually) tribe, family, or order. I’m not saying it couldn’t happen, just that I don’t think it’s as obvious as he makes it out to be. I am impressed that he spends as much time as he does on what he admits are potentially serious difficulties with his theory. What I don’t necessarily agree with is that he deals with them adequately.
47 Twelfth Night Shakespeare, William (circa April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) circa 1602 A romantic comedy set in Illyria (across the Adriatic from Italy), this play is the source of the quote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.” It actually appears three times, very slightly each time.
48 The Duke’s Children Trollope, Anthony (April 24, 1815 – December 6, 1882) 1879 This is the sixth and final novel in the Palliser series, also known as the Parliamentary Novels.
49 Kon-Tiki Heyerdahl, Thor (October 6, 1914 – April 18, 2002) 1948 In 1947 Heyerdahl and five others sailed from Peru to French Polynesia in a balsa wood raft. This book documents the building and sailing of that raft and his theories of possible migrations of the past.
50 Adam Bede Eliot, George (Mary Ann Evans, November 22, 1819 – December 22, 1880) 1859 This is a love story with a bit of a twist. I certainly didn’t see it coming and really enjoyed this book.
51 The Well-Beloved Hardy, Thomas (June 2, 1840 – January 11, 1928) 1892 (Serialized) and 1897 (in book form) I have the 1897 version, which has some changes from the serialized version of 1892.
52 Dead Souls Gogol, Nikolai Vasilievich (April 1, 1809 – March 4, 1852) 1842 Sadly, this story is not complete and doesn’t really have an ending. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting painting of early 19th century Russian life.
53 The Intrusions of Peggy Hope, Anthony (February 9, 1863 – July 8, 1933) 1902 While the plot focuses on the life of Trix Travella, Peggy is central in shaping the outcome of the story. Anthony Hope is mostly known for The Prizoner of Zenda but I liked this story just about as well.
54 Refiner’s Fire Helprin, Mark (born June 28, 1947) 1977 This isn’t my favorite of Helprin’s books (I think that distinction goes to Soldier of the Great War) but he paints such beautiful pictures with words, even when the subject isn’t necessarily pretty.
55 An Indiscretion In The Life Of An Heiress and Other Stories Hardy, Thomas (June 2, 1840 – January 11, 1928) from 1865 to 1929 How I Built Myself a House (1865), Destiny and a Blue Cloak (1874), The Thieves Who Couldn’t Stop Sneezing (1877), An Indiscretion In The Life of an Heiress (1878), Our Exploits At West Poley (1892–93), Old Mrs. Chundle (1929), The Doctor’s Legend (1891), The Spectre of the Real (1894), Blue Jimmy: The Horse Stealer (1911), The Unconquerable (written circa 1911, published posthumously).
56 Coriolanus Shakespeare, William (circa April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) between 1605 and 1610 One of four plays by Shakespeare that drew heavily from Plutarch’s Lives. This isn’t a particularly well known play and I guess I can see why. An interesting story without many enviable people.
57 Richard III Shakespeare, William (circa April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) circa 1592–1594 Richard III could be classed as a tragedy rather than a history, such is the life of this English king. I don’t know if he was the most ruthless but he certainly is in the running for the title. The play opens with the familiar lines, “Now is the winter of our discontent, Made glorious summer by this sun of York.” and near the end we get the possibly more familiar, ”A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!” (twice, opening and closing the penultimate scene).


Books by Living Authors: 2

  • 99% Invisible City (2020), by Roman Mars (October 16, 1974 – )
  • Ellis Island (1981), by Mark Helprin (June 28, 1947 – )
  • Refiner’s Fire (1977) by Mark Helprin

Note about dates: Not all dates—either publication dates or birth/death dates for authors—are known with any certainty and some of them are not much more than educated guesses. If the work or collection of works was written over a period of years, sorting by date will use the latest relevant date.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on My 2023 Reading

Starting a Puzzle

Starting a Puzzle

Starting a Puzzle

I’ve posted a pictures from time to time of puzzles we’ve completed. Today’s photo is of a puzzle we’ve just started. It’s got drawings of flowers with some text but looks like it’s going to be pretty hard, with a lot of pure white pieces. This is how we start a new puzzle, though. The first step is to turn all the pieces right side up. At the same time, we pull out any edge pieces, known by their straight side, and put those all together. We also move the pieces towards the edge of the table, so that when we have the edges together, most of the pieces are outside that. All the edge pieces that we had found by the time I took this are in the lower left. After this was taken, I started working on the edges and Cathy started grouping other pieces by color, since it appears that each of the flowers is somewhat unique in terms of flower color. Note that looking at the box once the puzzle is out on the table is cheating.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Starting a Puzzle

Woodlawn Manor Barn

Woodlawn Manor Barn

Woodlawn Manor Barn

After stopping to see Cathy’s mom we drove to Woodlawn Manor. We’ve been there quite a few times but for some reason we haven’t ever walked around to the lower side of the barn. The stone barn was built in 1832 and its three floors house the Woodlawn Museum and Visitor Center. It’s only open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays from April through November, so we were there at the wrong time on all three criteria.

From there we walked on the trail to the Sandy Spring, which is mostly through the woods. We took a short side trail to a hollow tree before continuing across the Northwest Branch Anacostia River and up through a field to the spring.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Woodlawn Manor Barn

Spice Puzzle

Spice Puzzle

Spice Puzzle

We finished another puzzle last night so I took pictures of it this morning. This is one that I got Cathy for her birthday. We’ll take a short break from puzzles because we need the puzzle table on Christmas and can use it for wrapping presents leading up to that. We’ll take it with us when we visit Cathy’s mom on Christmas morning and then have it available if we need more table space when my family comes in the afternoon. This wasn’t a particularly difficult puzzle, but we enjoyed it. We like the bright colors. As for what’s next, who knows?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Spice Puzzle

Netherlandish Proverbs

Netherlandish Proverbs

Netherlandish Proverbs

We finished another puzzle. This one is of a 1559 oil painting by the Pieter Bruegel the Elder titled “Netherlandish Proverbs”. It depicts a scene in which humans and, to a lesser extent, animals and objects, offer literal illustrations of Dutch-language proverbs and idioms. We have no idea what most of them mean. This puzzle was surprisingly hard. At one point we realized we had an entire bock two pieces to the left of where they needed to go. We had a few other incidents where we finally figured out a piece was in the wrong place and that was holding us up. Nevertheless, we finally got it done.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Netherlandish Proverbs

Craftsman Lawn Tractor

Craftsman Lawn Tractor

Craftsman Lawn Tractor

Tsai-Hong’s friend Tina had this Craftsman lawn tractor and wasn’t using it any more. She asked if Dorothy and her friends could use it and they happily accepted it from Tina. Cathy and I picked it up a week or two ago, managing to get it into the back of our van by taking the mowing deck and the rear wheels off. It was about 1.5 inches too tall to fit into the van. At first I tried letting air out of the tires but they were too stiff for that to help much. It turned out they were easily removed, however, and we were able to get it in. Getting it back out was basically the process in reverse. We got it out of the van and put the wheels back on, followed by the mowing deck. This will be a huge help in keeping the orchard clear as things start to grow again in the spring.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Craftsman Lawn Tractor

Widewater, C&O Canal

C&O Canal, Widewater

C&O Canal, Widewater

Cathy and I went to Great Falls this afternoon and had a lovely walk. We went out to the Olmsted Island overlook and I got a few nice pictures of the river, which was quite low. Across the river at the Virginia Great Falls overlook we could see a couple have wedding pictures taken, with the woman wearing her wedding dress and the two of them on the rocks overlooking the falls.

We walked down the towpath as far as widewater, that section of the canal that’s in a more natural channel with rock sides. It’s a beautiful stretch of the canal and was especially so with the fall color coming on. The water there was low, as well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Widewater, C&O Canal

Proverbs and Idioms Puzzle

Proverbs and Idioms Puzzle

Proverbs and Idioms Puzzle

We finished another puzzle in the last few days. This one is another with illustrations of proverbs and idioms and at 1505 pieces, it took us a while. Although areas of bright color are sometimes the easiest to work on, there are times when I get concentrated on things like the sky and for this puzzle, once we had a lot of the easier bits done, I tackled the sky, working primarily with shapes and fine gradations of color. It’s challenging and part of what makes puzzles interesting. The other ‘rule’ we have is we don’t look at the box. That’s cheating, in our book, and it also serves to make the puzzle more interesting, especially with something like this where you have no idea of the overall design ahead of time.

This puzzle is, as you might notice, missing one piece. We actually found that piece after we took it apart to pit it back in its box, so that’s fine. More curious than that, though, is that there was an extra piece that clearly isn’t from this puzzle at all. We’ve no idea where that came from.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Proverbs and Idioms Puzzle

Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial

Theodore Roosevelt Statue, by Paul Manship

Theodore Roosevelt Statue, by Paul Manship

Early this afternoon we took Jim to the airport. We had enjoyed his visit and I know his mom enjoyed seeing him. It was a wet day but we decided to stop at Teddy Roosevelt Island (or, more properly, Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial). This island was bought by the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association in 1931 and owned by the federal government since 1932.

When I was young, we used to put the jon boat into the river near here and my earliest memories of the island include seeing the large, wooden crate with Roosevelt’s hand emerging from the top. The statue, by American sculptor Paul Manship (December 24, 1885 – January 28, 1966), was officially dedicated (out of the crate, in 1967.

We really enjoyed our walk, although the rain turned quit heavy about half way through it and we were pretty well soaked by the time we got back to the car. I especially like the marsh at the southern end of the island, with its baldcypress trees.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial

Heron Sculpture, Parklawn Cemetery

Heron Sculpture, Parklawn Cemetery

Heron Sculpture, Parklawn Cemetery

We went to Parklawn Cemetery today to put flowers on the graves of Cathy’s dad and of the good family friend, Karo (Karabet). It’s been a few years since we’ve been there and the ‘neighborhood’ has changed a bit. Jim’s grave has had another right next to it but now there’s a relatively new grave on the other side. In the past we could look for two markers together but having a third threw us off a bit.

After putting those flowers out, we took some pictures to fulfill requests on Find-A-Grave. We found two of the requested markers and I got photos as well as GPS coordinates. It turns out someone had beat me to it, but it was a good exercise, anyway. While we were doing that I took a few pictures of this Heron sculpture. There were requests for other pictures but it’s such a huge cemetery, without some idea where the graves are, they’re going to be impossible to find. We’d need to go to the cemetery office to get locations and it was too hot to do that today. We may go back, however.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Heron Sculpture, Parklawn Cemetery

Dog Puzzle

Dog Puzzle

Dog Puzzle

We finished another puzzle this week. It was sent to us by our good friends, Brian and Lisa. We really enjoyed hiking with their dogs when we were in Alaska in June. Sadly, one of them is gone now, but Ayla and Lucky made the move with them to Oregon. This was a slightly easier puzzle than some we’ve done lately, being only 500 pieces, but we enjoyed it, nonetheless. We’re hoping to have Brian, Lisa, Ayla, and Lucky visit us this fall. This photo isn’t as good as some of the puzzle pictures I’ve been able to take, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what it looked like. Of course, we never know, in any detail, what a puzzle will look like while we’re putting it together. Looking at the box would be cheating.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dog Puzzle

New Dock on the Pond

The New Dock

The New Dock

Cathy and I went up to see Dorothy today, stopping for a while at Wonder Book in Frederick, where I bought quite a large stack of ‘new’ (used) books. You never want your to-read pile to get too low. When we got to the farm, Dorothy was finishing up a painting she was doing on commission for a friend. The repairs to dam are finished and the new overflow drain had been installed. The new dock, with it’s seats on the side, as you can see, is also finished. Now all we need is rain (and snow in the winter) to fill the pond back up. At this point it doesn’t look like the dock goes out nearly enough, but when full, the water level should be just about where the upper support posts are. We’re looking forward to the pond being full again after quite a few years when it never really filled up.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on New Dock on the Pond

Bird House Puzzle

Bird House Puzzle

Bird House Puzzle

We started this puzzle at the beach. It’s a used puzzle that mom bought. Buying a used puzzle is always a bit of a risk because a missing piece can be so frustrating. As it turned out, there was one piece missing, but of course we didn’t know that until the rest of the puzzle was done.

Last year at the beach we got two large sheets of felt. We put the puzzle together on one of them and when our week at the beach was up we put the other piece of felt over the partially complete puzzle, rolled it up, and put it in a heavy, cardboard tube. That works reasonably well and we unrolled it here without too much fixing to be done. This puzzle in particular was poorly made and the pieces didn’t really stay together very well, but that had more to do with the puzzle than with rolling it up. I’d also put the puzzle on the yellow felt instead of black in the future, because the black made it hard to see where pieces had not been placed. At home, we have a large (4′ by 4′) piece of MDF that sits on a card table and the beige color is generally good as a background.

Another issue with this puzzle, especially while we were at the beach, was that there wasn’t room to put most of the pieces out on the table. So, about half the pieces were still in the box, meaning we’d rifle through the pieces in the box looking for a particular piece. Not idea. Once we got it home, we were able to lay out the other pieces and eventually we finished it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bird House Puzzle

Dam Repairs

Dam Repairs

Dam Repairs

Henry on 'Horse Rock'

Henry on ‘Horse Rock’

I went up to Pennsylvania today to meet with an engineer fro the local electrical coop to talk about getting power to the cabin. I knew it was going to cost a lot. Even so, I was a bit blown away by the estimated cost. With the cable costing upwards of $30 a foot, it was going to be a LOT!

The work on the dam is underway, though, and that’s encouraging. The old, damaged drain pipe, which was preventing the pond from filling up, has been removed and the new pipe will go in shortly.

Dorothy and I took a walk through what we call the Christmas Tree Field to the Wet Field. Neither of them can—by any stretch of the imagination—be described as a field, but that’s what we call them. I can remember when they were fields, but now it’s hard to tell where the field ends and the woods begin.

At the northeast end of the Wet Field there are three large boulders. The one I’m sitting on here (photo taken on my phone by Dorothy) is called—by me, anyway—Horse Rock.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Dam Repairs

Street Repaving

Street Repaving

Street Repaving

If you recall, on Wednesday, July 5 the folks from W.S.S.C. came to repair the pipe leading to our house from the local water main. They dug two large holes, both more than six feet deep in the road. By the time they were done, the holes were filled and topped with fresh asphalt. The next day a crew came and paved them more cleanly, rolling the asphalt. Well, now, less than two weeks later, a third crew came and milled about 50 yards of the road and going about the same distance up the court leading off of it. Once it was milled, the put down new paving. It certainly looks a lot better and takes care of other seams and cracks in the pavement that have accumulated over the years. This is the milling machine, grinding up the top two or three inches of the existing pavement. It’s definitely a small version, only taking up about four feet width of pavement at a time. Nothing compared to those that will mill a full lane of roadway, but it’s more suitable to a suburban street, I suppose.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Street Repaving

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Mom and I came home from North Carolina today, after yesterday’s reunion. Cathy had been to church and was visiting her mom when I got home. We drove to the Ag. History Farm Park where there were a few dahlias in bloom and we walked through the garden to see them and then through the demonstration garden. In the sun it was really hot and the humidity was stifling. Sitting in the shade where there was a slight breeze was bearable, but even that was quite warm. We moved to the other parking area and walked down to the trail by the stream, walking through the woods. We were out of the sun, although the air was quite still. We saw a great blue heron, but only as it flew away. I took a few pictures, but not many. By the time we got back to the car we were drenched in sweat. This monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) was in the meadow as we returned to the car.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

New Cabin Steps

New Cabin Steps

New Cabin Steps

I went up to our Pennsylvania property today to meet with Dorothy and her friends. We had two things on the agenda for the visit. First, we put up the new steps on the front porch. The stringers had finally rotted so I a made new set, using one of the old as a pattern template. I made them with treated 2x12s and they fit pretty well. If they last as long as the first set I’ll be very pleased. The stair treads are untreated lumber and, as you can see, they are entirely un-weathered. They will turn grey over the next year and won’t be so stark. We actually plan to replace the decking on the porch, also, but that’s not a rush. There is a pile of 2x4s in the loft, so we’ll use those.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on New Cabin Steps

Water Main Repairs

Water Main Repairs

Water Main Repairs

Dorothy mentioned, when we were in Alaska, that there was a small amount of water coming out the joint where our driveway meets the road. I asked her to call the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to let them know. When we got home nothing had been done and the water was still flowing, although it wasn’t a huge flow.

This morning the workmen showed up and dug up the road, trying to find the break. They started on our side, since that’s where the water was reaching the surface. They found the pipe that left the main and supplies water to our house but the leak wasn’t in that part of the pipe. So, they repeated to digging on the other side, being careful of the gas pipe running down the middle of the street.

They eventually found the leak almost directly under the gas line between the two holes. They replaced that length of pipe and filled in both holes. Another crew should come to out down proper pavement but we have water again now. All is well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Water Main Repairs

Rock Balancing

Brian and Henry, Balancing Rocks

Brian and Henry, Balancing Rocks

As you might guess, although I take most of the pictures with my camera, Cathy took this shot. We had driven to the end of the road and then walked to the shore just past Echo Cove. This is as far as you can drive from downtown Juneau. It was sunny and hot, which is unusual for Juneau, but we enjoyed being out. Cathy and Lisa were down near the water and Brian and I sat higher on the rocky beach and started balancing stones. It’s a fiddly thing but soothing in its own way. We each managed to get a respectable cairn built and Cathy took a few pictures as we worked on our final stones. The horse flies started to bother us, so we headed back to the car and back to town for the evening.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rock Balancing

Sea–Tac Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

A few months ago Cathy and I bought tickets to fly to Juneau, Alaska. The plan was to leave here on June 17 and return July 3, allowing us to have a free day on July 4 to recover before returning to work on July 6.

Our outbound flight left Dulles Airport at 5:00 PM and we had an uneventful five and a half hour flight to Sea-Tac (Seattle–Tacoma International Airport). As is often the case on travel days, I didn’t take many photographs. I don’t think I’ll be giving too much away when I say that I took almost 2,500 photos during our trip, however, so the posts following this one will give you a very brief glimpse of what we saw and did.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Sea–Tac Airport

Ship Puzzle

Ship Puzzle

Ship Puzzle

It’s time for another installment of Henry and Cathy’s puzzle collection. This one looked nice so I bought it and we finished putting it together a couple days ago. The water in the foreground and the sky were the most challenging parts, which isn’t too surprising. The stern of the ship and parts of the rigging were done first (after the edges, of course, which are almost always finished before much else has been done.

We don’t absolutely always have a puzzle going, but lately we’ve tried to. We’re running out of them, though, with only a few more on hand, so I’m not sure what we’ll do after that. We also like crossword puzzles, sometimes doing them together but more often, separately. We have crossword puzzle books, published by Simon and Schuster and The New York Times. For quite a while now, my mom has saved the puzzles from the Washington Post and gives them to me, so I work through those. They are generally a bit easier than the other two sources and I actually do them in pen (and sometimes without actually making mistakes, although certainly not all the time).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Ship Puzzle

Venice Puzzle

Venice Puzzle

Venice Puzzle

Our most recent puzzle adventure was this scene from Venice. As you might imagine, the clouds and sky were the most difficult part, and took us a while after the buildings had been completed and the water in the foreground got filled in. But, as it usually the case, giving it a little attention each day, finding one piece now and then, eventually it got finished. We have two more puzzles on-deck and will start the first of those shortly. We find it mentally stimulating and something we can easily do easily while chatting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Venice Puzzle

Bible Puzzle

Bible Puzzle

Bible Puzzle

We completed another puzzle this week. I’m not sure where we got this one—illustrating “Great Events of the Bible”—but it’s been in our basement a while without ever being put together. It was a relatively easy puzzle, compared to others we’ve done lately. That’s partly because there is text scattered around and any piece with text on it is easy to orient. With some puzzles it’s very difficult to know which way many of the pieces sit. There also are no large areas of similar color in this one, as there are with images with large amounts of sky, etc. Still, it was fun putting it together. Next we will work on puzzle with a view of Venice, Italy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Bible Puzzle

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)

Cathy and I went to the airport this morning to pick up Dorothy and then dropped her off in Bethesda, where she had left her car. Although it’s a little early for most azaleas, we decided to visit McCrillis Gardens, since we were near by. A few azaleas and rhododendrons were in bloom and there were other things to see. Fern fiddleheads were unrolling, there was quite a bit of Solomon seal (Polygonatum species). In the middle of the yard, under a large tree, there is a huge mound of bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). It’s quite pretty and we probably should plant some, if for no other reason than that it would fill in some of the gap between the early bulbs and the later spring blooms.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)

Proverbidioms Puzzle

Proverbidioms Puzzle

Proverbidioms Puzzle

We finished another puzzle in the last couple days. This one was much, much easier than the previous couple. That’s not to say it was simple, but nothing like the Dahlia, Mandala Stone, or especially the William Morris, “Garden of Delight” puzzle. Some of the proverbs or idioms in the puzzle are obvious. Others are either obscure or were unfamiliar to us. Nevertheless, we enjoyed trying to make sense of the illustrations. As is usual in a large puzzle, the large areas of sky with little to differentiate them was the last to get finished. Next up is a scene of Venice, which will be a little more challenging than this one, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Proverbidioms Puzzle

My Office Building Lobby

My Office Building Lobby

My Office Building Lobby

The building my office is in has a somewhat dated look. It’s exterior is red brick and glass and is even referred to at my company as ‘RB’, which stands for ‘Red Brick’. The lobby had a red brick floor and built-in red brick planters along the front windows and on the interior walls. It wasn’t beautiful but the large plants were pretty nice, as that sort of thing goes. With a two storey height, the fiddle-leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) were especially impressive. For what seems like an eternity, it’s been undergoing a makeover. The new, modern lobby is nearing completion and I can’t say I’m overly impressed. As you can see, there are some plants in containers against the far windows. I assume those will be placed around the lobby once it’s done. But it’s fairly stark, in my view.

Uptate: They added some furniture, so it isn’t quite so empty now. But it feels very artificial and not somewhere I’d go to sit and chat. Time will tell, I suppose.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on My Office Building Lobby

Great Falls, Maryland (from Virginia)

Great Falls, Maryland (from Virginia)

Great Falls, Maryland (from Virginia)

We met our good friend Jean today and went to the Virginia side of Great Falls (which are in Maryland, because the state boundary is the Virginia shore line). It was a chilly day but beautifully clear. Most photos were taken with my long lens, including one of a heron across the river and an immature bald eagle flying overhead. I almost got a good photo of a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) fairly close overhead but it’s only about 60% in the frame. Tracking and focusing such a large, heavy lens on a moving subject is still more than I can do reliably. I switched to my 100mm, which I carried in a pouch on my belt, for two sets of images that I stitched into panoramas. This is one of those two, which I’ve also cropped down and will use as my site’s banner image for a while. The previous banner, of Portland Head Light in Maine has been the banner since late 2015 so I thought it was time for a change.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Great Falls, Maryland (from Virginia)

Another Puzzle

“Garden of Delight” Puzzle

“Garden of Delight” Puzzle

As mentioned, we’ve been doing puzzles recently. We started one with a photo of succulent plants while at the beach last summer and finally got around to unrolling it and finishing it early this year. The next one, the 1,000 piece Dahlia Puzzle (Friday, January 20, 2023) was considerably harder. Then we did the larger, 1,500 piece Mandala Stone Puzzle (Monday, February 6, 2023). We didn’t exactly plan for each puzzle to be harder than the one before but this one, although only 1,000 pieces, was considerably harder than any of the preceding three. It’s a photo of a tapestry called “Garden of Delight” made by William Morris (March 24, 1834 – October 3, 1896). He was, according to the bio on the box, “a British textile designer, poet, novelist, translator, and socialist activist.” There were times when we despaired of ever finishing it, but, eventually we did. There were times when I basically picked up every piece and tried it in every available spot until I found where it went or put it aside and went on to the next piece, starting over once I had been through all the pieces. In that way, eventually, it came together.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Another Puzzle

Glenstone Museum

Glenstone Museum

Glenstone Museum

Dorothy’s friend Tony got five tickets to the Glenstone Museum (https://www.glenstone.org/) for today asked Dorothy if she wanted to be one of the five. She said she did and asked if I could be the fifth. They’ve both been a few times before but this was my first trip to the museum. It’s on a 51.9 acre property on Glen Road in Potomac, Maryland. As art goes, I can’t say that I was particularly impressed. The landscape is very nice, even now, before spring has come, it’s quite lovely. The ‘Pavilions’ (sic) is an interesting building but not at all my style, except for the water-filled courtyard, which I like quite a lot. This room, however, room 7, appropriately called the Viewing Gallery, is very nice. Not so much for the room itself but for the view. The front wall and a portion of the wall on the left is filled with a single, very clean pane of glass. In the room is a lovely, curved wooden bench that is wonderful. I could sit there for a long while. Overall, the landscaping is fairly young but nice and it will improve as it ages. I’d love to go in summer and see how different it is. Again, not so much for the art, which I can take or leave (and would probably leave). But for the outdoor areas. Regardless, I enjoyed myself and I’m quite thankful for being included.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Glenstone Museum

Mandala Stone Puzzle

Mandala Stone Puzzle

Mandala Stone Puzzle

After the Dahlia puzzle (see Friday, January 20, 2023) we decided to put out a new one. This time it’s a picture of painted mandala stones. At a glance Cathy and I thought they were Murano (Venetian) Glass Paperweights but looking a little closer, they clearly are not glass. Ravensburger’s title for the 1,500 piece puzzle is simply “One Dot at a Time.” This turned out to be even harder than the Dahlia puzzle. We’d go for long stretches without finding any pieces and then we’d get a bunch all together. Each stone became a separate entity, although a few of them were similar enough that it was sometimes hard to know to which a certain piece belonged. Especially without the box to look at (because that would be cheating).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Mandala Stone Puzzle

Dahlia Puzzle

Dahlia Puzzle

Dahlia Puzzle

Cathy, Dorothy, and I have been putting together puzzles lately. The first one we’ve done recently was started at the beach over the summer but wasn’t completed. We rolled it up then and it’s been in that state since then. We finished that a while back and put out this as our next. I was pretty challenging. Nevertheless, we made continual progress on it and finally finished it this evening. It’s a 1,000 piece puzzle.

Our family is in the “you don’t look at the box” camp. Yes, that makes the puzzle somewhat harder (and sometimes considerably harder). But it also gives more satisfaction and gratification when the puzzle is eventually completed. I know we were all pretty pleased with ourselves when we finished this one. We have put it away and put out our next one, which promises to be at least as hard. It’s also larger, with 1,500 pieces.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Dahlia Puzzle

Rooster

Ayam Kampung Rooster

Ayam Kampung Rooster

Chickens are thought to have originally been domesticated from the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) native to multiple regions of southeast Asia. The Ayam Kampung chicken is a breed from Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a dual-purpose breed, raised for both meat and eggs. They are considered poor performers in terms of their egg laying ability, providing somewhere under 100 eggs per year. Of course, this one, a male (rooster) won’t lay any eggs at all. He’s a handsome bird, though, I think you’ll admit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rooster

Woodland Detritus

Woodland Detritus

Woodland Detritus

We’ve walked the Kengla Trail a few times, always in the winter. We took this trail from Muncaster Mill Road (MD 115), under the Intercounty Connector (a.k.a. the ICC, MD 200) and then up towards Norbeck Meadows Neighborhood Park. There isn’t a lot to see, honestly, although I wish I had brought my long lens, because we had a flock of bluebirds in the trees just in front of us for a little ways, moving further ahead as we got closer. I took a few photos but nothing of outstanding beauty, I’m afraid. I do like the patterns in these fallen branches. There is one point north of the ICC where the trail crosses a side stream where the steam goes between two very large sycamore trees whose roots have grown into a solid mass of wood. I’ve taken photos of Cathy there on each occasion but decided to go with this photo instead this year. We really should come back and walk this trail in the summer, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Woodland Detritus

View of Venice (Detail)

View of Venice (Detail)

View of Venice (Detail)

Dorothy and I went to the National Gallery of Art today. We’ve been enough ties we generally know our way around but there are always small changes to what’s on display. This year’s big surprise was a woodcut that represents a view of Venice. I took a few detail shots but somehow managed to miss getting an overall shot but there’s a very good image on Wikipedia. The sign for this work read as follows:

Jacopo de’ Barbari
Venetian, (c. 1460/1470 – 1516)

View of Venice
1500
woodcut on six sheets of laid paper

National Gallery of Art, Rosenwald Collection

View of Venice was unprecedented in scale and ambition. To make his drawings, Jacopo de’ Barbari relied upon the work of surveyors, who likely took sightings from bell towers across Venice. They borrowed tools from other trades: compasses and astrolabes were used for navigation, and instructions for measuring angles and distances existed in treatises on gunnery. De’ Barbari’s genius lay in being able to integrate these views to form both an overview perspective and a city map. Master woodcarvers then used his drawings to create blocks for printing. The project took three years to complete.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on View of Venice (Detail)

Freezer Thaw

Freezer, Pre-Thaw

Freezer, Pre-Thaw

Freezer, Post-Thaw

Freezer, Post-Thaw

The freezer that we have in our garage has been frosting up slowly over the years and I’ve been meaning to empty it and get it cleaned up. Recently, the door didn’t get shut properly, partly because of that same ice buildup, and the inside became even more choked with ice. Two days ago I emptied it into two coolers (it’s below freezing outside so I wasn’t worried about losing my food) and moved the freezer out of the garage onto the driveway. I put pans of boiling water in it, replacing them as they cooled, until all the ice was gone. As you can see from the before and after photos, that did the job quite nicely.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Freezer Thaw

Seneca Creek Bluffs Trail

Cathy on Seneca Bluffs Trail

Cathy on Seneca Bluffs Trail

We decided to take a walk on the Seneca Bluffs Trail today, heading downstream from where Seneca Creek goes under Maryland Route 28 (Darnestown Road). We walked about 2.3 miles each way, which was farther than I expected we’d go. For the most part this section of trail is not near the creek. At a few points you can see out into the fields that are on Sugarland Road. The trail has some ups and downs, reaching an elevation of just under 300 feet above sea level, from a low point about 90 feet lower. At one point the trail goes through a stand of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), which is quite different to the surrounding deciduous oak, hickory, and tulip poplar. I’m not sure I’d do this section again unless I made plans to go all the way to Rocklands Farm, another eight tenths of a mile from where we got. If we had a car at both ends then that would have been very nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Seneca Creek Bluffs Trail

Great Falls, Virginia

Great Falls, Virginia

Great Falls, Virginia

After church and also after running a few errands today we drove to McLean, Virginia and took a nice walk at Riverbend Park. We went northwest on the Potomac Heritage Trail about a mile and a quarter. The view of the river isn’t all that good for most of the way, but there were a few good spots for seeing out of the trees. There is a nice bit of trail where it climbs about 50 feet over a knoll into a beech and oak wood before coming back down to the river.

From there we drove to Great Falls Park and walked to overlooks 2 and 3 (where this photo was taken). Because I now have a lifetime senior pass, short trips to parks that we would normally not do to avoid the $20 entrance fee are basically free. As you can see in this photo, the river is quite low right now. We’ve seen it when most of the rocks in this photo are totally covered.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Great Falls, Virginia

Jack-O’-Lantern

Jack-O'-Lantern

Jack-O’-Lantern

Did you know that in 17th century Britain jack o’lantern was a name for lantern-carrying night watchmen? That’s what Webster says, anyway. Reading there I also found out that the first known use of jack-o’lantern in print is in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, The Great Carbuncle (1837), which I happened to read earlier this year. Note that the carbuncle in the story is a deep red gemstone, not an abscess. Anyway, this pumpkin was carved by one of Anna and Greg’s sons and was greeting folks outside their front door. I think it’s a pretty well executed jack-o’lantern.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Jack-O’-Lantern

Crane Outside My Office

Crane Outside My Office

Crane Outside My Office

The building my office is in needs a new heating and air conditioning system and the replacement was lifted onto the roof today. The back door to the building, which I normally use to get in, was blocked off and this crane was in the back parking lot, lifting the heavy equipment up onto the roof. This picture wasn’t actually taken out my windows, because I look out on the end of the building, so I went to a few different offices to take pictures. I admit it, I’m a sucker for heavy machinery. I’ve been told it’s a guy thing but I think it’s just certain people, both male and female.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Crane Outside My Office

U.S. Capitol Dome

U.S. Capitol Dome

U.S. Capitol Dome

We were at an event at the American Pharmacists Association building this evening where a friend of ours was honored by a non-profit that he’s worked with for about 40 years. The initial reception for our friend (and another honoree) was on the ground-floor terrace. Then we moved up to the rooftop (The Potomac View Terrace) for the main event, which was a benefit and fund-raising reception. The view from there was pretty nice, especially as the sun was setting and lit up the U.S. Capitol dome. The smaller dome on the right is above the National Statuary Hall, also part of the Capitol building. Between those two is the dome of the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History bisected by a flag pole on the roof of the FRB Federal Credit Union building, two blocks from where I was.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on U.S. Capitol Dome

Sunfish Pond

Sunfish Pond

Sunfish Pond

We walked in the park this evening, getting as far as Sunfish Pond before turning around and heading back. It was a pretty afternoon and it was really good to get out into the woods. The sun was low in the sky as we approach the equinox but from this side of the pond, the lighting wasn’t a problem. People fish in the pond and with a name like Sunfish Pond, I have to think there might be sunfish in it, but I’ve never actually tried. Maybe I will one day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Sunfish Pond

Dot’s Quilt

Dot's Quilt

Dot’s Quilt

I went over to mom’s this afternoon to take photos of a few quilts that she’s made. One was a fairly old quilt, made in 1996, which was patterned after a photo of Iris and Steve in a hammock. She is giving a talk on that quilt and needed a good picture of it. While I was there I also photographed two other quilts. One of those two is made up of 12 rectangles, each made by a different person. Mom took a photograph and cut it up into 12 equal pieces and enlarged them to the size she wanted the quilt pieces to be. Then each person in the quilt group got one and made their section with the only real requirement being the overall size. Mom combined them to make the completed quilt. The final one was the unfinished quilt shown here. It doesn’t have a name yet (or if it does, I don’t know it). But it’s quite nice, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Dot’s Quilt

Evening Light

Evening Light

Evening Light

We were out at Anna’s for an evening of singing. The light was beautiful as it filtered through the trees onto the lovely, stone building. I was afraid the dynamic range would be too much but this photo captures it pretty well, I think. It lasted about five minutes and then was gone. The structure was built circa 1817 but by 1940, only a stone shell remained. It was rehabilitated in the 1940s for residential use and that’s when the current doors, wi11dows, hardware, etc. were installed. It was built as the Seneca Baptist Church and is one of the oldest Baptist Churches in Montgomery County.

In addition to Dorothy, Adam, Michael, and Andrew came and played while we all sang into the evening. A good time was had by all. At least I think so. I certainly enjoyed myself.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Evening Light

Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)

Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)

Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)

Late this spring we were given a box of dahlia roots by our friend Anna. I planted a bunch of them in what was originally my vegetable garden. That garden transitioned from vegetables to herbs a few years ago and has since been overrun by oregano. I dug out over half of the oregano, which won’t slow it down all that much, to plant the dahlias. We have our first buds and I took a few pictures this afternoon. Then I noticed this variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) in the yard and was able to get one good picture before it flew away.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)

A Grand Day Out

Cathy and Margaret at Rio

Cathy and Margaret at Rio

Cathy and I took her mom out for lunch today, taking her to Rio where we could see lots of people. It was a lovely day and there were plenty of people walking around the pond, playing on the playground, and riding in the paddle boats. The boardwalk wasn’t the smoothest thing to push the wheelchair on, but it wasn’t terrible. We had a really nice lunch at Silver Diner. This little girl (whose mother is just out of the frame) was interested in what we were doing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on A Grand Day Out

Letter Beads

Letter Beads

Letter Beads

We’re back in Lancaster, Pennsylvania today and have a wedding reception to go to later on. We spent the morning getting breakfast and then wandering around downtown. We happened to see this bead store the last time we were here and both Cathy and Dorothy wanted to see if there was anything interesting. They decided that there was. I have to admit the shear variety of beads and the extensive range of colors was really something. I didn’t take as many photos as I might have, but I did take some while the girls went through all the displays and picked out a collection of beads, both for themselves and as specific gifts.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Letter Beads

Fourth Pres. Sanctuary Renovation

Fourth Pres. Sanctuary Renovation

Fourth Pres. Sanctuary Renovation

When I started posting a photo a day, back in 2011, I only posted one photo a day to my regular blog (and that’s all I’ve moved here from that first year). I had a second collection called Project 365 Extra that occasionally had additional photos. Since then I’ve been less strict about it and would post multiple photos for any given day, sometimes as a single post with multiple photos and sometimes as separate posts. This is my third and final post for today. We went to the Fourth Presbyterian Church evening service for a hymn sing. Getting there a little early, I got permission to take a few photos of the sanctuary renovation in progress.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Fourth Pres. Sanctuary Renovation

My Office

My Office

My Office

Like many folks whose work is mostly on a computer, starting in March of 2020 and for about a year I worked entirely from home. Then I started going back into the office a little. Since the beginning of the year I’ve been in more often but still generally only two days a week. If the situation were different at home I’d probably go in more, possibly even going back to full time in the office. Instead, I connect to up to three different workstations from my home computer, switching back and forth between them to get various things done. I’ve had two of them for a long time but the third I just recently got to do some benchmarking on. I won’t have that long term. Anyway. I took a picture of the set up, which also shows some of the photographs I have up on the walls. At the top is Nick Weber’s rose garden, then a nearly 360° panorama taken late in the day at White Sands, New Mexico. Below that is Great Falls of the Potomac.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on My Office

Sanctuary, Pre-Renovation

Sanctuary, Pre-Renovation

Sanctuary, Pre-Renovation

We went to the evening service at Fourth Presbyterian today. There were a few reasons we wanted to go. First, Dorothy was singing in the service. Second, David Frerichs was preaching. And third, this was to be the last service in the sanctuary before renovations begin, first thing tomorrow. We came a little early and I took a few photos of the sanctuary as a set of “before” pictures. There are others, taken over the years, including our wedding photos, which were taken almost 38 years ago but in which the room looks very much like it does here. I don’t know many details of the plans for the renovation except that the stained glass windows is being replaced. I believe the existing window will be installed somewhere else in the building, but I don’t know where. Anyway, it’s going to be a while before services are back in this room.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Sanctuary, Pre-Renovation

Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

In 2020 there was not Easter Sunrise Service, cancelled because of the lockdowns in response to the Wohan Flu. In 2021 we went to an outdoor service but not at sunrise. This year, things have progressed to something approximating how it was in the past. The sunrise service was at the regular 6:00 AM time and we had a breakfast afterward in the Upper Room. It was a wonderfully beautiful day (although Cathy was a bit cold when we first arrived). I had really missed this the last two years and it was great to be back. As usual, I took a few pictures, which I try to do unobtrusively toward the end of the service.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Easter Sunrise Service

An Empty Storage Locker

An Empty Storage Locker

An Empty Storage Locker

I have been working on getting things out of one of our two storage lockers for quite a while now. We started with just one in the spring of 2018 but it became clear that wasn’t going to be enough. By the end of the year, those two were both pretty well filled up. We’ve been slowly moving things out and dealing with them, some going to family, others being dealt with in different ways. Today I loaded a few things into the van and moved a few more from this storage unit to the other, which is as full as ever and was able to shut this one down. It will be even better when we get rid of the first one, but today was a day of triumph.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on An Empty Storage Locker

Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

I bought this Craftsman radial arm saw yesterday off of Craig’s list. I already actually have the radial arm saw my dad bought in the 1960s but we had a small plumbing problem which caused rain to fall in our basement, soaking the saw. Unfortunately I didn’t tend to it in time and two parts of it seized up. One was the column which no longer lets me raise or lower the saw, which is pretty significant. The other is the motor itself, which is even more significant. So, I bought another. While my dad’s was a 10″ saw, this is a 12″, which is a nice upgrade. The downside is that it runs on 220 volts, so I need to have a little electrical work done, but I’m planning to put the kiln near this and they can run on the same circuit, although not at the same time. I’m looking forward to having it working.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

Late Snow

Snow on Maple Flowers

Snow on Maple Flowers

March can be very spring like but can and usually does return to winter conditions again before it’s done. We’ve had some wonderful weather but then we just got a pretty decent snowfall and blustery conditions. Cathy and I went for a walk in the neighborhood and enjoyed the blowing snow and I took a few pictures, including this one of the snow on maple flowers around the corner from our house. It won’t do the tree any harm and it’s actually quite pretty. Within a few days the snow will very likely be gone and we’ll could be back into spring like temperatures.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Late Snow

C&O Canal, near White’s Ford

C&O Canal, near White's Ford

C&O Canal, near White’s Ford

We took an outing to a new stretch of the C&O Canal today. Not that it’s really new and we’ve actually been there before but it’s been a long time. White’s Ford is a little ways upstream from White’s Ferry. We found out way to the parking area and walked downstream on the tow path, stopping to enjoy the large, old maple tree growing at Lock 26. We also ran into a coworker (and her husband) that Cathy knows. We headed off of the towpath and down to the river shortly after passing the marker for White’s Ford. We saw two barred owls (Strix varia), one of whom flew from tree to tree and gave us a really nice view. This photo is the view of the C&O Canal looking upstream from the bridge near the parking area.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on C&O Canal, near White’s Ford

Adjustable Bed

Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

Cathy in Our New Adjustable Bed

We had a really nice windfall this week. A friend of ours helps people get rid of things from their homes and yards. He called me the other day and said he had been asked to take this adjustable bed from a home after the person it was bought for passed away. It’s brand new and was never actually used. We moved it into our garage but between then and when I’m writing this (in April) it has been moved into Margaret’s room and it makes it much easier for her to sit up in bed for eating, reading, or watching TV.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Adjustable Bed

Ice

Ice

Ice

We went to the Ag. History Farm Park today and took a walk by the creek. On the way to the creek I took this picture of ice, which I think is pretty cool. I didn’t take a lot of pictures, otherwise, just a few of a deer skull and a few of the old farm house. It was really nice out, with the sky a deep blue that we only get around here in the winter time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Ice

Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Cathy and I went for burgers at the Rio this evening. It was cold and damp, with a light drizzle coming down, so it’s not too surprising that there were not a lot of folks walking alongside the pond. Nevertheless, we did and enjoyed the brisk and fresh air. The bandstand was, again, unsurprisingly, deserted. It’s a nice design, I think, with good lines. We’ve been a few times when bands were playing, children dancing, and everyone enjoying the show. Tonight, the show was solitude. Not everyones’ favorite performer, but worth seeing once in a while.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Music Pavilion, at the Rio

Frederick, Maryland

FCB Bank building near the corner of Market and Patrick streets, Frederick, Maryland

FCB Bank building near the corner of Market and Patrick streets, Frederick, Maryland

We drove up to Frederick today for a couple things. First, just for something a little different. After parking we walked around a bit and went into a few shops. This photo is the upper stories of a part of the Beaux-Arts style FCB Bank building, which occupies this and the building to the left, at the corner of Patrick and Market Streets in downtown Frederick. Second, there is an store specializing in houseplants and we thought it would be nice to see what’s available. It was, too. Finally, we went to the Frederick branch of Wonder Book. The Gaithersburg location is one of our two local used book shops and we frequent it fairly regularly. But it’s nice to see what this other location has from time to time. As usual, we left with a bag full of books.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Frederick, Maryland

Footprints

Footprints

Footprints

Last night we had a little wet snow. I went out to push a shovel through it so that it wouldn’t be too icy this morning because I knew we’d have someone coming to the house early today. There was a little ice at the bottom, under the snow, so I wasn’t able to get it all up. I went out this morning to put some salt down to melt what was left and make it a bit safer for anyone coming to the house and I saw these footprints in the ice. I’m trying to figure out what sort of creature would leave prints of this sort. Any ideas?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Footprints

Neighborhood Snow Man

Neighborhood Snow Man

We took a walk in the neighborhood today and came across this snow man. We didn’t build it and frankly, I don’t even remember where it was now. He’s gone south for the winter or something since the photo was taken. At least I haven’t seen him around since. We also saw a nice snow fort with walls six feet high, made by filling a five gallon bucket with snow and then turning it out to make a block. These were stacked to make the walls of the fort. Then a smaller bucket was used to make a smaller top tier. Pretty cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Neighborhood Snow Man

Snow

Our Back Yard in Snow

We had a bit more snow fall over night and the back yard is mostly white. It’s not the most attractive garden in the winter, of course, with most of the interest coming in the spring but lasting late into the summer. In the winter it’s mostly brown. The snow help, of course. We have two bird baths set up with heaters in them that keep the water free of ice. So, even on a day where most standing water is frozen, the birds have a source of liquid water. Actually, it rarely gets cold enough around here that all the streams freeze over, but it’s nice to have the birds come here.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Snow

Christmas

Christmas

Christmas

It’s Christmas. This year, like last year, Christmas has been attacked by Covid-19 (a.k.a. the Wuhan Flu). Last year was really quite bad, with our larger family get-together being replaced by a Zoom meeting. It really wasn’t what it should be. This year things are at least a little better, although they are worse than they looked like they would be even a month ago. With what appears to be a much more easily transmitted (although apparently much less severe) strain on the loose, we decided we should all self-administer antigen tests before we got together. Thankfully we were 16 for 16 negatives and no one had to stay home. Annoying but much better than last year.

As usual, we had our immediate family Christmas (just Cathy, her mom, Dorothy, and me) at our house. That included a large breakfast and then some presents from under the tree. Then we went to Dorothy’s house for the extended gathering. All of her housemates were out of town, so we were able to enjoy their large house and it all worked out quite well. Hectic but nice. And certainly better than last year.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Christmas

Ice Runes

Ice Runes

Ice Runes

Although it’s winter and in spite of the fact that there is ice on this sheltered spot on the creek, it was in the 60s today. Very mild and a great day for a walk in the woods. I love these ice crystals. I’m reading a book of essays written by (actually, talks given by) J. R. R. Tolkien. They are to a large extent, about language and if you know anything about him you won’t be surprised that they dealt a fair amount with Old English (a.k.a. Anglo-Saxon). These ice crystals made me think about ancient runes and that may be in part because of the book. I really don’t know.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Ice Runes

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Francis Scott Key Bridge

I drove to White Marsh, north of Baltimore this morning on an extended errand. Cathy was working all morning so I thought I’d add a little photography to my return trip. I stopped at North Point State Park with it’s stone breakwater extending well out into the Chesapeake Bay. I also walked part of the wetland trail but it was pretty quiet, without even many birds. I might return in the spring or summer and walk their Black Marsh Trail, which looks promising. Then I drove across the Francis Scott Key Bridge and found a good vantage for photographs at Fort Armistead Park (which doesn’t have much to recommend it, frankly). The FSK isn’t the biggest or most impressive bridge in the area, but it’s a pretty big thing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Francis Scott Key Bridge

Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery

As mentioned in yesterday’s post of Rehoboth Beach, we were here for a funeral. We came out yesterday and went to the viewing and spent the evening with our friend and some other family members and friends. The funeral itself was late this morning and we went from the funeral home to the cemetery, about a half hour away. I’ve been in funeral processions before but this was a bit different, with multiple vehicles with flashing lights zooming ahead to stop traffic at four-way stops and lights and then, after we were past, zooming past again for the next location. Clearly they’ve done this before. The interment was at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware. Since Veterans’ Day was last week, there were flags on all the graves. After the short program there, Cathy and I walked around the cemetery briefly and I took a few photographs.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Fall Color, Lake Churchill

Fall Color, Lake Churchill

Fall Color, Lake Churchill

We met some friends in Germantown this afternoon and walked with them around Lake Churchill. It was a pretty fall day, a little breezy and with the sun in and out from behind clouds in an otherwise lovely blue sky. The fall color is quite nice and I took a very few photos of trees showing off their finery. For the first part of the walk I mostly talked with Peter and Cathy with Kristen. We talked about the things we’re reading. He’s going through Dante’s Divine Comedy which I finished last year. I’m in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History. We also talked about the books we’ve read recently and what we’re doing to push ourselves to read more. After taking a short break at a bench along the way, we talked more as a group and then visited with them in their home for a little while longer. We really should get together with them more often. It was a lovely afternoon and great to get caught up on each others’ lives.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Fall Color, Lake Churchill

RVFD 100th Anniversary

Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Engine 32

Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Engine 32

The Rockville Volunteer Fire Department was celebrating their 100th anniversary today. There was a parade of fire and rescue vehicles and then they all gathered in the parking lot in front of the old Carver High School (the George Washington Carver High School and Junior College, 1951-1960, now the administrative offices for the Montgomery County Public Schools). I happened to be near by and decided to stop and take a few photos of fire trucks and other vehicles. This is Rockville’s Engine 32, and 1935 Mack BG-6S, a 350 gallon per minute Pumper with a crew capacity of six. In 1936 it cost $6,692. Another favorite was a 1960 Buick ambulance. Classic. There were also a few very old pieces of equipment, some dating back to the 1890s.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on RVFD 100th Anniversary

You Are Enogh

You Are Enogh

You Are Enogh

Cathy, Dorothy, and I visited my mom for lunch today. Mom presented Dorothy with a quilt she’s been working on for a while and we all agreed, it’s one of her very best, which is saying something, because she’s made so many that were amazing. After lunch we went for a walk around a pair of ponds and we happened to see this painted stone, which I’m sure was meant to be an encouragement but which we found slightly humorous. I mean, the U is missing, but it’s ‘you’ that is enough. So, maybe it’s meant to be irony. Either way, we laughed.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on You Are Enogh

Celosia At Sunset

Amaranth

Celosia

We went out to Rocklands this evening and I took a few late-day photos in the garden. I really enjoyed the light and I’m pretty happy with this photo, which I assume is celosia, commonly called woolflowers. Celosia is a genus of plants in the amaranth family. The name is from the Greek word κήλεος (kḗleos), meaning “burning” and refers to the flame-like flower heads. These are growing in Anna’s garden for use in flower arrangements. They certainly are lovely. A little later we met Dorothy and some of her friends and had a nice time eating, drinking, and talking.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Celosia At Sunset

Rocklands Winery

Rocklands Winery

Rocklands Winery

We went to Rocklands Winery this evening with a couple friends, Krystal and Mike. I took a few pictures of them but they aren’t crazy about having their pictures taken and even though they turned out well, I decided not to post them here. We ran into two young women that knew Krystal from her days as a first grade teacher and I took pictures of her with each of them. We were also fortunate enough to have Greg the Elder join us for a bottle of wine and a wonderful evening of laughter and reminiscing. If you’ve never been to Rocklands, I can recommend it quite highly.

Categories: Food/Drink, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Rocklands Winery

Chardonel Grapes

Chardonel Grapes

Chardonel Grapes

I spent some time in the Rocklands Farm vineyard this morning, as well as having a meat photo shoot with Dorothy for their livestock business. Harvest is underway and it appears it will be a good one. These are Chardonel Grapes, which are the result of the cross, ‘Seyval’ x ‘Chardonnay’, made in 1953. It is “distinguished by its superior wine quality combined with high productivity and cold hardiness superior to its acclaimed parent” (i.e. ‘Chardonnay’).

I came early in the day hoping to get pictures with the sun as a low angle. Sadly it was cloudy when I got here. Also, if I had come about a half hour earlier I would have been treated to a wonderful sunrise but I was too late for that. After the meat photo shoot the clouds were gone. The sun was much higher in the sky but the light on the grapes was good and I spent another hour or so in the vineyard. If you haven’t been to Rocklands, I recommend it, both for the wine and for the atmosphere. Tell ‘em Henry sent you.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chardonel Grapes

Backyard Bric-a-brac

Backyard Bric-a-brac

Backyard Bric-a-brac

When we bought our house, the outside portion of our air conditioner was on the back patio. I’m not sure who would ever think that was a good idea. Someone who never sits on the patio, I guess. When we replaced the furnace and air conditioner, we had it moved to the end of the house so we could actually sit outside in the summer and hear each other talk. The concrete plinth that the unit used to sit on is still there and is a sort of stage for assorted bric-a-brac. Rocks, shells, bones, and antlers make up the bulk of the collection.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Backyard Bric-a-brac

Eloise’s First Birthday Party

Seth, Iris, Eloise, and Silas

Seth, Iris, Eloise, and Silas

We celebrated Eloise’s first birthday today with a family gathering. It’s been great to meet together in person again, finally. Eloise is walking, which is very exciting. I took quite a few pictures but I particularly like this family shot of Iris and Seth with their two little ones. Iris made a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake, a la Eric Carle’s book of the same name. The cake in this photo was the secondary cake, made especially so that Eloise could eat it with her hands. The primary cake is just out of the frame. A good time was, I believe, had by all. Certainly by us.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Eloise’s First Birthday Party

Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)

Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)

Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)

This spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus) was making the rounds in our front garden today. It didn’t really stay still and was a challenge to photograph. The wings were going the whole time, even when it sort of landed on the flowers and it didn’t stay on any one flower for long. Getting a picture where it was in profile was hard and any time I got too close, it would move to the other side of the garden. They’re pretty butterflies and I love to see them in addition to the more common tiger swallowtails (Papilio glaucus).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Papilio troilus (Spicebush Swallowtail)

Menkapalooza

Menkis Works

Menkis Works

Menkis Works

Menkis Works

Little Cellar Shop

Little Cellar Shop

Little Cellar Shop

Little Cellar Shop

Sewn & Thrown

Sewn & Thrown

Sewn & Thrown

Sewn & Thrown

We visited the home of some friends today. Three of their four sons and the three sons’ wives had a craft sale today, which we dubbed the Menkapalooza. They each had a booth showing their wares, starting with Brian and Naomi. Their company is called Menkis Works and as you can see, they specialize in hand crafted pottery. Then comes the Little Cellar Shop, run by Jon and Meg. They specialize in handmade candles and carved wooden utensils, as well as various other items. Finally, there is Carol and Joseph with Sewn & Thrown. As the name implies, there are fabric good and ceramics.

All three couples make lovely things and we bought a few. I’m sure they’d love to have you drop in on their respective web sites, linked above. If you do, let them know you saw this here.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Menkapalooza

Rocklands In The Shade

Dot, Margaret, and Cathy

Dot, Margaret, and Cathy

We didn’t do a lot yesterday for Independence Day but we had the day off today so got to go out. It was a typical, hot, muggy July day. Yesterday was actually not as bad as today, when the temperature got up above 90°F. Nevertheless, we got our two moms out and enjoyed sitting outside in the shade, where the temperature was not so bad. Dorothy called while we were there, so it was nice for all of us to be able to talk with her. She and Renee got to Juneau on Saturday evening so were there for their Fourth of July parade.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Rocklands In The Shade

Rainstorm

Rainstorm

Rainstorm

I generally enjoy summer storms. I’m glad, of course, that we don’t live in a place with common tornadoes. I wouldn’t be very psyched about those coming through even occasionally. We had one here, actually, back in June of 2013 but as tornadoes go, it wasn’t terribly serious. Quite a few trees down including some that did extensive damage to houses. Anyway, today’s storm was nothing like that. Just heavy rain for a little while and then before too long, a blue sky replaced the clouds. This is the sort of storm I particularly like, with or without a little wind.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Rainstorm

The Big Train

Walter Perry Johnson Statue

Walter Perry Johnson Statue

Cathy and I spent a good part of the day running errands. Between two of them, I happened to turn on Monroe Street. A few blocks south of the County Courthouse there is a circular piece of land with apartment buildings on it, with Monroe Street going around it. It’s sort of odd and even odder that the circle has been there for quite a long while—it shows up on the 1923 USGS Topographical map. I’ve not found any explanation for the circular road, but I assume someone had property and the road went around it. As I say, it’s an apartment complex now.

At the south end of Monroe Street is Dogwood Park, owned by the City of Rockville. I didn’t know the park was there and I was also surprised to find this wooden statue of Walter Perry Johnson (November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946), also known as “The Big Train”. I’ve taken and posted photos of his grave stone in Rockville Cemetery. I also went to Walter Johnson High School. But I was surprised by finding this statue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Big Train

New Blinds

New Blinds

New Blinds

Dorothy ordered blinds for her the windows in her new room and I went over to install them today. It’s not exactly rocket surgery, but it’s significantly easier after the first one. If you’re ordering blinds, I can sat that it’s a little easier if you make them about a quarter inch shorter (side to side) than what it measures. Every one I’ve put up (one at home and three here) were just a little too long. The plastic end pieces come off and that shortens them just enough, but they’d be better with those still in place.

I also brought over a wall mirror for one of the others in the house, but forgot to bring the mounting pieces, so that will need to wait for another visit. Finally, they had just bought a used refrigerator and have put that in the basement. The doors open the wrong way and I started to switch them to have the hinges on the left instead of the right but some of the screws were just too tight for me to get out with the tools I had on hand. They are square drive screws and I only had the bits for my drill, which are not as strong as those in the Greenlee drivers I have at home. I’m hoping that between those and a little penetrating oil, I’ll be able to get them out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on New Blinds

Rocklands Garden and House

Rocklands Garden and House

Rocklands Garden and House

It was a hot and humid day today. After church, we were home for a while but then decided to drive to Rocklands Winery for the late afternoon. I’ve been asked to take some photos for them, so we wandered around a bit and I took a few of the back of the sandstone house. We enjoyed a beautiful, if somewhat sticky evening before returning home. It’s supposed to cool off in a few days, so we may go back next week. If you’ve never been, I can recommend it. https://www.rocklandsfarmmd.com/

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rocklands Garden and House

Mini Art Gallery

Mini Art Gallery

Mini Art Gallery

We were over at Dorothy’s this evening and enjoyed dinner and a short visit. I only took a few pictures, because it wasn’t really a picture sort of evening but I did take a few. She has put up a fair amount of art in the bathroom nearest her bedroom. This picture doesn’t really do it justice and I’m not sure any would, unless I did a 360 panorama. And even that would be tough. As you can see, it’s a fairly eclectic collection of things, from a key chain to a partially painted deer skull, with various prints and photographs as well. I’ve been to a few art galleries that were more like this, with a wide variety of things on the walls, not just one painting after another, evenly spaced and all at the ideal height. The old Barnes museum, before it moved into downtown Philadelphia was something like that, although it’s collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings are clearly in a class of their own. Nevertheless, it uses a lot more wall space than in a more traditional gallery. I have no idea if the new location has preserved that look and feel, but I would assume so.

Another gallery with the walls more crammed with things is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. This is one of my favorite museums and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Boston, unless of course you don’t care for art. But I love it. Of course, I’m not saying Dorothy’s bathroom reaches the level of the Barnes or the Gardner. But it has that same feel to it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Mini Art Gallery

Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescent)

Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescent)

Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescent)

Our outdoor church service has been moved forward from 10:45 to 9:30 because of the heat. After church we decided to go for a walk on the Blue Mash Trail on Zion Road, behind the Oaks Landfill. We enjoyed being out, although it was a warm day, close to 90°F. Thankfully there’s a fair amount of shade. In addition to this daisy, there was a purple flowered vetch (Vicia species) and a few other wildflowers showing off for the insects. After our walk we stopped at Johnson’s because Cathy wanted to get some black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’). They didn’t have any. Then we had a picnic lunch at Olney Manor Park with sandwiches from Jersey Mike’s before coming home.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Phyciodes tharos (Pearl Crescent)

Seneca Bluffs

Seneca Bluffs

Seneca Bluffs

As mentioned in today’s earlier photo, we walked on the east side of Seneca Creek today, on the Seneca Greenway Trail from Seneca Road to a little ways past Berryville Road. Actually, we went off the main trail shortly after Berryville Road and walked along a smaller trail just beside the creek. That’s where the photo of Rob, Susie, and Cathy was taken and also where this photo of the Seneca Bluffs was taken. There is what appears to be a wier or the remains of a small dam across the creek a little below where this shot was taken. You can see the Canadian hemlocks on the bluff, which doesn’t look nearly as high as it did from the top.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Seneca Bluffs

Meadowside Spring

Meadowside Spring

Meadowside Spring

Cathy and I went for a walk near Meadowside Nature Center this afternoon, heading upstream on North Branch Rock Creek. On the west side of the creek, back into the hillside a little, is this spring. I have no idea how long it’s been enclosed in stone but it has the look of something done quite a few years ago. For all we know, it predates the nature center and was built when there were homes or farms along the creek. There wasn’t a lot of water coming out but there was some, possibly enough for a small home if you work it right.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Meadowside Spring

Lake Wiles

Lake Wiles, Isaak Walton League

Lake Wiles, Isaak Walton League

On the first of January we stopped at this little park owned by the Lake Wiles, Isaak Walton League. We came here again today with Dorothy and walked around the pond again. It was raining both times we visited but I suspect we’ll come again on a nice spring or summer day and it will be a little different. The island in the pond has a sign that says “Lake Wiles”. It’s a pretty place and the trail connects with the Muddy Branch Trail, which goes all the way to the Potomac, apparently.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Lake Wiles

Ice

Ice

Ice

We went for a walk today and I took a very few photographs, including a few of ice along side the path. It’s melting and everything is very wet and cold but there are already signs of spring. Snow drops are coming up and before long there will be witch-hazels (Hamamelis) in bloom. Winter won’t be over for a while yet but the first signs of spring are already staring to appear.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Ice

Rocklands Meat Photo Shoot

Fresh Eggs

Fresh Eggs

Dorothy is working on the web site for Rocklands Lifestock Company, the meat and egg business of Rocklands Farm. One thing she needed was product photos. I took the day off work and met her at the farm and we took a nice assortment of photographs. Food photography isn’t necessarily my thing, but I’m reasonably pleased with how they turned out. We’ll have to do some more, but it was a good start. And I love any chance to be out at the farm. It’s beautiful even in winter and of course, being in the country is almost always better than being in suburbia.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rocklands Meat Photo Shoot

February Snow

February Snow

February Snow

Still catching up on old photos from the winter. It seems weird to be posting pictures of snow when it was nearly 90°F yesterday, but that’s the way it goes. This past winter was pretty mild and we didn’t really have a lot of snow. Writing this in the first week of May, I know how the rest of the winter went and it did seem more like winter in February and and March than it had in December and January. We even had a freeze in the second half of April, although it didn’t do as much damage as the late frost last year, which was even later.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on February Snow

C&O Canal Rocks

C&O Canal Rocks

C&O Canal Rocks

These rocks are south of Pennyfield Lock on the C&O Canal. The photo was taken on the same walk as the previous one of the great blue heron. It’s an HDR composite photo made from three images taken with different exposures. This allows the camera to capture more detail in the shadows and highlights than it would normally be able to do. As amazing as our modern digital cameras are, they still have a ways to go before they can handle the extremes of light that we take for granted.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on C&O Canal Rocks

Bird Tracks

Bird Tracks In The Snow

Bird Tracks In The Snow

We had snow overnight and today and this evening there were lots of bird tracks on our back patio. It was getting dark when I took this, so it’s not as nice as it might have been, but there you are. Also, it feels strange posting this almost three months late, with temperatures in the upper 80s this week. But, it was cold when I took the picture and that’s life. I have ore than 30 pictures to post before I’m caught up.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Bird Tracks

Patuxent River

Patuxent River

Patuxent River

We went up county today and to the border with Howard County. This photo is of reflections in the Patuxent River, which here is the boundary between Montgomery and Howard Counties (taken from the Montgomery County side). We were on Annapolis Rock Road and stopped where it crosses the Patuxent. A little further along we found the parking area for Annapolis Rocks, which we’ll return to at some point. It’s a really pretty area and one we’ve never been to before.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Patuxent River

Rusty Gears

Rusty Gears

Rusty Gears

Cathy and I went for a walk at the Montgomery County Agricultural History Farm Park today. There’s an area with old farming machinery on either side of the road and I took a few photos there. I’ve always liked machinery and sometimes think mechanical engineering would have been a good career choice for me. If I had been a better student when I was a student, it might have been possible, even. There’s not much use playing the What If game, though, I suppose.

Note, I generally try to post photographs at least reasonably close to when thy were taken. In mid January I ran out of space on one of my hard drives and it’s taken me until mid April to get the new one installed (laziness, mostly). It’s finally up and running and I’ll see what I can do about getting caught up. Thanks for your patience.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rusty Gears

Sandy Spring

Sandy Spring

Sandy Spring

We went out for a walk this morning, going somewhere new, but it turned out that W.S.S.C. property requires a paid permit. The signage was very ambiguous, giving regulations for walking on the trails but then with big “No Trespassing” signs, but without an explanation of what constitutes trespassing. We decided to walk to Sandy Spring and enjoyed the walk very much. There is a champion white ash (Fraxinus americana) on the route, as well, which is a very handsome tree. There were other people out but no so many that it really affected our walk. The last time we came here we walked from Woodlawn Manor on the Underground Railroad Trail.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Sandy Spring

Our New Roof

Our New Roof

Our New Roof

The roofers finished late enough yesterday that it was a bit dark to get a good photo of the front of our house, which faces eash-northeast in any case. So, here’s a photo of the front of our house taken this morning and without anything in the driveway. Getting a new roof is one of those things you don’t notice unless you’re specifically looking for it. Or I suppose if the old roof was leaking and now it’s dry inside when it rains. But when we bought the house the inspector told us the roof was pretty warn and we should plan on replacing it pretty soon. Soon became 14 years, but we beat the odds and haven’t had any significant problems. And now we should be good for a long while.

I compared this photo to one taken when we bought the house and the two holly trees, one by the driveway and the other at the left corner of the house, are much larger than they were then. Otherwise, the house doesn’t really look at that different.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Our New Roof

Roofer Madness, Day Two

Roofer Madness, Day Two

Roofer Madness, Day Two

Continuing with our ongoing roof replacement, the contractors were back this morning to handle the “bump” and the garage. Some of the houses in the neighborhood have a one story piece between the main part of the house and the garage and others—like ours— have a two story section. We call the two-story version a “bump”. Anyway, the roofing went on that and the garage today. The garage roof needed more repairs to the plywood but the joists were sound, anyway. Once they finished they spent quite a while on clean up. There’s a fair amount of debris, although they put drop cloths down, it didn’t catch everything. They also went around with a magnet picking up nails and staples. Tomorrow I’ll show you the finished product.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Roofer Madness, Day Two

Roofer Madness, Day One

Roofer Madness, Day One

Roofer Madness, Day One

As mentioned yesterday, we are having our roof replaced. The materials were delivered yesterday and the crew showed up this morning and got to work. Of course, getting the old roofing material off is a big part of the job and we had two layers of shingles that had to be removed. The plywood on the front half of the roof was in pretty good shape although there were a couple places on the back that needed to be repaired with new plywood. We also had them remove the chimney from our furnace, which is no longer being used, so that’s one less opening in the shingles to worry about going forward. It’s a noisy business, especially when they are tacking down the underlayment. Then they start up their compressor for their nail guns and it’s blam, blam, blam, for the rest of the afternoon.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Roofer Madness, Day One

New Roof Rising

Roofing Materials Being Delivered

Roofing Materials Being Delivered

The kid in me still loves big trucks and heavy machinery. Put a crane on a truck and lift pallets of shingles onto a roof, and I’ll watch. Needless to say, I enjoyed the process of preparing for our roof to be replace tomorrow. The truck needed a surprising amount of space, because it has seriously long outriggers so they can reach the crane out to the side as far as this, positioning the materials as close as possible to where they will be needed. We had work done on our chimney in December, so we’re all set to have the roof replaced now.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on New Roof Rising

Burke Lake

Burke Lake

Burke Lake

We met our good friend Jean at Burke Lake this afternoon. We’ve never been there before but it was quite nice. There were a lot of folks there but we walked along the shore on a trail that was less used and it was very nice. The wind coming across the lake was fairly cool but the sun was shining and there were birds and it was lovely. Of course the main thing was seeing Jean, and that would have been nice anywhere, but it’s always better to be outdoors, if you can (unless the weather is really nasty, and then it’s great to be somewhere cozy, instead).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Burke Lake

Rain

Rain

Rain

It was a rainy day today, a quiet way to usher in the new year. In spite of the rain, though, we wanted to get outdoors. We went to a small park owned by the Isaak Walton League and walked around their pond and into the woods for a while. There were hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) on the pond and I got a few photos of them, good enough to identify them conclusively but not really that great. One of these days I’ll get a long lens but today is not that day. We also saw a hawk of some kind, which flew away from us in the woods. We’ll probably come back here in the spring or at least when it isn’t raining.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Rain

Deer In The Yard

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

Cathy called me from the basement this morning as I was finishing up my breakfast. She had looked out the back window and seen these two white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that appear to have spent the night in the pachysandra at the back of our garden. I took a few photos from inside through our not-so-clean windows and then risked opening the kitchen door to see if I could get any without the extra glass in the way. They looked at me as I opened the door and continued as I walked out onto the patio. They didn’t actually get up until I moved out into the lawn and even then they didn’t seem too concerned.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Deer In The Yard

Stuff

Stuff

Stuff

This is the top of a small hutch in our dining room. Most of the things on the shelf have appeared on the blog at one time or another but I thought I’d post a photo of the whole collection (or this shelf’s worth, anyway). On the right is a nurse that my grandmother made the clothes for and that was in a store window during the war as part of a display about collecting for the community. In front of her are three matryoshka sets including a traditional one on the left, one with Russian political figures in the middle (that’s Leonid Brezhnev), and a east Asian one on the right. The wine bottle was found in what is now the ghost town where my grandfather was born. Next to that is a figurine that Cathy got from her family of a baby sucking on its thumb.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Stuff

C&O Canal

C&O Canal, between Violets Lock to Blockhouse Point

C&O Canal, between Violets Lock to Blockhouse Point

Cathy, Dorothy, and I went to Violet’s Lock on the C&O Canal today and walked south past Blockhouse Point. The river was fairly high and very wild looking. It was fairly cold and there were icicles hanging from the rocks on the other side of the canal. We happened to see two adult bald eagles in a tree about where we turned around and then saw two more eagles—one adult and one juvenile—flying overhead. I took quite a few photos and enjoy this one quite a bit. It was a pretty day and nice to be out, although also nice to get warm again afterwards (not that I wore a heavy coat, mind you).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on C&O Canal

Post Christmas

Post Christmas Gift Wrap

Post Christmas Gift Wrap

At Cathy’s parents house, there was a step down to get to their front door. As packages were unwrapped, the scrunched up paper was thrown into that area. Generally at least one photo would be taken of that pile of paper, often with a child, a dog, or even a parrot hiding in with the papers. We don’t have as good a spot for that and there really wasn’t enough wrapping paper this year to justify trying. Nevertheless, in honor of that tradition, I’m posting this photo of a bag full of balled up wrapping paper. Happy Christmas, everyone.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Post Christmas

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

I think I mentioned a while back that we put up our Christmas tree earlier this year than normal. We put it up on the weekend after Thanksgiving, which for a lot of folks is traditional. For us, we generally would cut a tree and putting it up that early is asking for a lot of needles to be down by Christmas. For the last three Christmases we’ve used this artificial tree, so that’s really not an issue. The plan is to keep it up a little while longer, but of course, it won’t have the wrapped presents under it after tomorrow.

We may have gotten the tree up early but we didn’t really do as well buying gifts this year as we generally do. There are a lot of packages under the tree but a lot of them are food gifts. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but we generally try to do better. Still, we’re together and looking forward to our two Christmas meals (breakfast and dinner with enough to eat that we won’t be hungry between them). We also plan on having video calls with our two families tomorrow.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Christmas Tree

Knicknacks

Knicknacks

Knicknacks

I’m nearing the completian of ten years taking at least one photo every day. As you know if you’ve been following me far any length of time, I started this on January 1, 2011, posting the photos on Facebook. I started this blog with my second year (and have posted some, but not all of that first year’s photos, as well). I’m pretty sure that I will stop taking a photo a day at the end of the year. I’ll still take plenty of pictures but perhaps you won’t be subjected to pictures of knicknacks quite so often.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Knicknacks

Potomac River from Turkey Run Park

Potomac River from Turkey Run Park

Potomac River from Turkey Run Park

As I think I’ve mentioned, we’ve been looking for new trails to walk on lately. What with working from home and not being able to go to church or to visit friends much, we really like getting outdoors. Turkey Run Park, on the George Washington Parkway in northern Virginia is one that I’ve seen signs for over the years but we’ve never actually been there. The walk was about 2 miles in total but felt like more than that. Parts of the trail were a bit muddy and slick and there were a few places where we had to scramble over rocks (scramble may be too strong a term, but you had to watch what you were doing, anyway). There were two places where we had to cross a stream on rocks. And coming from the river back up to the Turkey Run Park parking areas was quite a climb. There are wooden stairs where we made that ascent, which helped quite a bit, but it’s fairly steep. Anyway, we had a nice time being out and seeing the river.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Potomac River from Turkey Run Park

Tiny Nativity

Tiny Nativity

Tiny Nativity

A days ago I posted a picture of a somewhat odd, folk art Christmas carol singing figurine (see Friday, December 11, 2020). In that post I said that I’d post a photo of a nativity scene that Margaret’s housekeeper made for her quite a few years ago. Well, here it is. As you can see, most of the people in the scene are made from peanuts, although one is made differently to the rest. The sheep are made with pumpkin seeds and toothpicks. They look a little like pigs to me, but I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt, because this is an scene in Bethlehem and pigs would be out of place. The angel (on the left) is a Hershey’s kiss.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Tiny Nativity

A Leaf In The Snow

A Leaf In The Snow

A Leaf In The Snow

As usual when it snows around here, I took pictures of the snow. They really aren’t all that interesting and I know it’s cliche, but there you are.

I did like this leaf, peaking out from the snow, so that’s what you get for today. Not exciting, but again, there you are. I do remember a friend in high school telling me that shadows are blue. You can see that here, in the shade of the house.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on A Leaf In The Snow

The Year’s First Snow

The Year's First Snow

The Year’s First Snow

We had what the new media breathlessly called “the most significant snow in three years.” Since we haven’t had more than an inch or so in that time, it didn’t take much to make their prediction come true. We got maybe three inches of very wet snow. Not exactly what you’d call a blizzard. We’ve been working from home since March, so it really didn’t affect us at all. We did get a small package delivered that I didn’t find right away because it got covered, but it was in a plastic envelope so that wasn’t a problem. I think the snow was lovely and I’m mostly a winter person, in any case (I didn’t bother putting shoes on to get the mail, for instance).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on The Year’s First Snow

Another Strange Ornament

Carol Singer

Carol Singer

We don’t remember where this little Christmas ornament came from. Cathy thought it was made by the woman who cleaned her mom’s house for so many years but the things she made were more homespun. This is different. Just about as strange but different. It’s a Christmas caroler and it’s one we put out every year, but we don’t really know much else.

It’s a funny little thing but as one person commented on Instagram in reference to the Strange Little Ornament post (see Tuesday, December 01, 2020), our house “is a haven for strange little things.” I think perhaps she was including us in the “strange little thing” category, but I can’t be sure.

I’ll post a photo of a nativity scene that Margaret’s housekeeper did make in a few days. I think you’ll agree that they, along with this, qualifies as folk art.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Another Strange Ornament

Painted Box

Painted Box

Painted Box

I don’t really know anything about this painted box. We assume it’s Persian but don’t know if it was bought in Afghanistan or Iran (Cathy’s family lived in both). It has some writing around the top edge (not seen here) and if I can find someone familiar with the languages, perhaps we can get it translated and that will tell us more. It was difficult to get a good picture of this, because it has a high gloss finish and getting a picture with a large area of reflection was tricky. This one turned put pretty well, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Painted Box

Strange Little Ornament

Strange Little Ornament

Strange Little Ornament

This strange little ornament is one of our favorites. I don’t know much about it. It seems to be made of wool and it’s clearly a man riding on an animal. Beyond that it’s all conjecture. Is he riding on a horse? Who can say? Is there some significance to his pointed hat? What about the stripes on the hat and on his other garments? Is he meant to be someone in particular? We have more questions than answers. Nevertheless, he has a certain appeal.

We have many more ornaments than we can possibly display at once. If we had a huge house with four or five large Christmas trees, then perhaps we could use them all. But unless and until that happens, most of them will languish in boxes. But this funny, little man will always find a place on out tree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Strange Little Ornament

Nativity Scene

Nativity Scene

Nativity Scene

We don’t typically get our Christmas decorations up quite as early as we have done this year. I know some people are good about regularly getting things set up the weekend after Thanksgiving. We aren’t that prompt and sometimes things don’t get set up until the week of Christmas itself. This year, with less ‘out of house’ activities, we put our tree up and started decorating on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Dorothy set up the traditional nativity scene on the piano. As usual, all are welcome at the manger and Dorothy makes sure there are many representatives from various places.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Nativity Scene

Mill Creek

Mill Creek

Mill Creek

We walked down Mill Creek this afternoon, from where it goes under Redland Road to Lake Needwood and then along the shore of the lake as far as Needwood Road. It’s a nice walk and we didn’t see anyone else on the trail. We saw a few white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and at least two pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus). The woodpeckers were far enough away that my photos of them aren’t worth sharing, but it was nice to watch them tap, tap, tapping on a tree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Mill Creek

Potomac River from Blockhouse Point

Potomac River from Blockhouse Point

Potomac River from Blockhouse Point

I took the day off today and spent the morning reading (Rumours of War, by Allan Mallinson). Dorothy is home for Thanksgiving but both she and Cathy worked this morning. In the afternoon we drove to River Road and walked out to Blockhouse Point. It’s a nice walk pretty much any time of year and particularly with the leaves off the trees the view is really nice. We didn’t really have time to walk down the trail to the level of the canal but we will plan on doing that next time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Potomac River from Blockhouse Point

Alta Vista Elementary School, 1935 to 1976

Alta Vista Elementary School, 1935 to 1976

Alta Vista Elementary School, 1935 to 1976

In 1976 I was in high school. The school I went to from Kindergarten through sixth grade, though, Alta Vista Elementary School, was being closed by the county. Demographics change and the need for schools in particular neighborhoods change along with them. Alta Vista was a small school, I think and my memories of it have faded quite a bit but still, it was my first alma mater. My mom was part of a group of parents that tried to save the school. Except for in Hallmark movies, these things never really amount to much and the chances of success here were pretty slim. The school closed and my younger brothers finished their elementary school years at a different school.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Alta Vista Elementary School, 1935 to 1976

Snakeplant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Snakeplant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Snakeplant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Dorothy’s former second grade teacher gave me this snakeplant (Sansevieria trifasciata, also known as viper’s bowstring hemp) when she and her husband moved to Florida a year after Dorothy had her as a teacher. So, I guess I’ve had it about fifteen years. It was in my office most of that time. Then, in March when we all started working from home, I sort of assumed it would die. I happened to go into the office ten weeks into that and was surprised by how healthy it was, although the pot was bone dry. I brought it home, along with a Natal lily (Clivia miniata) and a spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), both of which were also hanging on. All three have recovered nicely and I brought this and the clivia back in for the winter. As you can see, it’s got a few issues, but all things considered, I’m just happy it’s still with us.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Snakeplant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

The Pond

The Pond

The Pond

Cathy and I drove up to Pennsylvania today to replace the locks on the cabin. Over the years, the existing locks have been treated pretty shamefully by those wanting (and generally succeeding) to get in. It was bad enough that they had become loose but recently they got so bent that the door couldn’t be opened properly. Anyway, it was nice to get out into the country for a little while and it was a pretty day. We didn’t stay long but we walked around a bit and I took some pictures, such as this one of reflections on the pond.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Pond

Afghan Wedding Shoes

Afghan Wedding Shoes

Afghan Wedding Shoes

These embroidered shoes were in a box in Cathy’s parents house and along with a lot of other things, they made their way to our garage. We think they are Afghan wedding shoes. They are definitely shoes and they are Afghan. Beyond that, we don’t really know much. They don’t really look comfortable but then wedding clothes aren’t designed primarily for comfort. They would be more comfortable than Afghan pizors (see Wednesday, March 28, 2018), but that’s not saying much. On the other hand, the pizors are pretty durable. The embroidery on these shoes is nice and they certainly are festive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Afghan Wedding Shoes

Stones

Stones

Stones

Sometimes when you travel, you pick up souvenirs. You might buy a post card and you’re almost certain to take a few (or a lot of) photographs, which for most of us really help to keep memories alive. We can look at the photographs and remember what it was like wherever we happened to have been. Or we might buy a small object in a store or at a market to remember the trip by. In our family, we sometimes pick up stones. Sometimes they are selected because they’re a particularly pretty color or have a nice pattern on them. Other times, it’s their shape or the smoothness of the surface. Some here—the green one at the top and the bluish green one on the right—are from the Nevada ghost town where my grandfather was born, 135 years ago.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Stones

Election, 2020

Voting by Mail

Voting by Mail

I’m posting this a week after the fact, on Monday, November 9. We voted today (November 2) and dropped out mail in ballots at our local voting location (which isn’t our normal location, but everything is off this year, as you might have noticed). This is generally a non-partisan blog and I try to keep my politics to myself, so I won’t say anything about how we voted. Of course, in Maryland, it’s sometimes tempting to think it doesn’t really matter, regardless of which side you’re on. Unofficially, as of November 9, the vote was nearly two to one: 1,590,324 vs. 861,861.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Election, 2020

Linsey-woolsey

Linsey-woolsey

Linsey Woolsey is a fabric made with a linen warp and a woollen weft. This is a piece that my mother got as a wedding present from her grandmother’s sister, her great aunt Mattie. It was made either by Aunt Mattie’s mother Eliza Ann (1840 – 1896) or grandmother Elizabeth (1807 to 1855) so it was fairly old by the time mom got it in the 1950s. It would have been made on a relatively narrow homemade loom and the strips sewn together to make a wider fabric. It’s not known for its looks but valued rather for its warmth and durability. It was, however, forbidden to the Hebrews per Leviticus 19:19b, “neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee” (and Deuteronomy 22:11). I find the pattern a bit mesmerizing and a little hard to look at.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Linsey-woolsey

Sand Art

Sand Art

Sand Art

I was working in the garage this evening and had my camera with me, thinking I might find a few interesting things to photograph. We’ve still working our way through some boxes of things from my in-laws’ house and I ended up taking a few photos. This is a small bottle with some sand painting in it. It’s the smaller but nicer of two sand art bottles. The other one has sand that I believe came from Petra, although I’m not sure how you verify that. This one, as far as I know, is nothing special. That is to say, it’s pretty, but we have no idea who made it or where it came from. It’s certainly better than anything I could do but that’s not really saying much.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Sand Art

Saint Mary’s Church and Graveyard

Saint Mary's Church and Graveyard

Saint Mary’s Church and Graveyard

We had some free time this afternoon so we drove to downtown Rockville and wondered around the St. Mary’s Church graveyard for a while. I took a picture of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s grave marker (and their daughter, Francis Scott Fitzgerald Smith). It’s a pretty little graveyard, if you like that sort of thing. We do. I took some pictures of the church reflected in the mostly glass building at Jefferson Plaza across the pike. I also took some general views of the graveyard. I figured for my post, however, I’d use this one, showing both the older church building—now known as the Chapel of Our Lady—and the new domed building, dating from the 1960s. The parish was established in 1813 with the land being bought for $300 and the initial church building costing about $4,000. It has obviously seen a few changes over the years. The old church building was scheduled for demolition but was saved and became the chapel that it is today. I’m glad it was saved, as it’s a pretty, little church.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Saint Mary’s Church and Graveyard

Orchids on Singapore Dollar Note

Orchids on Singapore Dollar Note

Orchids on Singapore Dollar Note

From 1967 through 1972, the Singapore one dollar note featured the Orchid Vanda ‘Janet Kaneali’. I really don’t know much about that particular orchid but the genus has about 80 species. They are mostly epiphytic (Per Mirriam Webster, “a plant that derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and grows usually on another plant”). I was a little stumped for what to take a photo of today. I’ve done pretty well getting outdoors most of the year since the Covidian miasma set it, but it didn’t happen today. It won’t be long before it’s dark when I get off work, so this will get harder going forward.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Orchids on Singapore Dollar Note

The Cabin

The Cabin

The Cabin

In 1964 my parents bought some property in rural Pennsylvania. We’d go there either for the day or camp overnight. Then, in 1974 we built the porch that you see here. Two years later we spent virtually the entire summer there building the cabin. It’s had a new roof put on since then but otherwise, it’s pretty much unchanged. There’s no electricity or running water and the walls have no insulation, so it’s not currently somewhere you’d want to live long term. Still, it’s a great family retreat. Cathy and I don’t officially get Columbus Day off but we took annual leave and went there with Dorothy and six of her friends. It was a bit damp and cool, but really nice to be away from home for a little while.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on The Cabin

Fire

Fire

Fire

I released some stored carbon back into the atmosphere this evening. It’s been cool for a while and I’ve been meaning to have a fire, so today seemed like the perfect opportunity. Also, I’ve been accumulating papers that need to be destroyed rather than just thrown away or recycled (i.e. things that have Social Security Numbers, bank account info, etc.). So, I took this opportunity to burn a box of papers, as well. When I was done with the papers, though, I just enjoyed the fire, watching the wood burn, watching the dancing flames, smelling the wood smoke in the cool, autumn air. It was lovely.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Fire

Crystal City

Crystal City

Crystal City

I went to National Airport this morning (a.k.a. Reagan Airport) to pick up Dorothy. Because I had no idea what traffic would be like I left a bit early and pulled off in the Roaches Run parking area, just past 395 and the Pentagon. It’s billed as Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary and while that’s technically correct, it’s a bit misleading. You sort of expect some sort of viewing area or at least a trail or two. It’s just a parking area near some water. There is one “interpretive” sign, but that’s it. I think it’s mostly used by Uber and Lyft drivers waiting for business from the airport. For that, it’s well suited. Anyway, this is a panorama of the buildings in Crystal City across Roaches Run.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Crystal City

Church Steeple

Church Steeple

Church Steeple

In mid-March, like most churches, our church began broadcasting its services electronically, through Facebook and with BoxCast. Even when they started having outdoor services in the parking lot, we decided to stay home because we’re a somewhat high-risk household. We continued to watch the services on BoxCast through a Roku device attached through a few adapters into our 1986 console television. Nevertheless, we missed seeing people and of course, the service, especially the music, isn’t really the same when watched on TV.

This week the church leadership decided to celebrate communion and Cathy and I decided we would attend in person. We sat in the shade of a small maple tree along with others scattered around the parking lot, some in the sun, some in shade. It was a gloriously beautiful day and we’re really glad we went. We still couldn’t really great people the way we would have and talking with masks is always a bit annoying, but it was very nice to see people in 3D.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Church Steeple

Internet Outage

Internet Outage

Internet Outage

I ran an errand today, going to pick up the trailer from the shop where it was getting new lights. When I got home Cathy told me our internet connection was down. I did a fair amount of checking, since it’s usually something on this end but this time I’m pretty sure it’s Verizon’s fault. We have business FIOS and it’s pretty reliable, I have to say. In fact, since we got that here in 2006 I don’t think I’ve had more than a few small outages until today. I spent a good while on the phone with them and by the end of that I thought the problem was in the wire leading from their box on the outside of the house into our computer room. That turned out not to be the problem, but not until I’d drilled another hold through our exterior (brick) wall. By the time I’m posting this, of course, out internet has been back up for a week, but it was out from Thursday shortly after mid-day until Saturday in the middle of the afternoon.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Internet Outage

Rainy Day

Bird Bath on a Rainy Day

Bird Bath on a Rainy Day

The forecast has been for rain for a few days and as usual, the forecasts were not very good. Today we had rain, however, and it rained pretty hard for a while. This is one of two bird baths on our back patio, surrounded by black-eyed Susans and with sedum growing on the surface of the patio in front of it. The pink elephant watering can adds a nice bit of color. I didn’t really go out into the rain today, standing on the kitchen steps and just under the eaves to get this and a few other photos.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Rainy Day

Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink)

Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink)

Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink)

Here’s a second photo for the day. After our walk in the park, we went to the Agricultural Farm Park and walked through their demonstration garden. It’s really changed since we were here last, about two months ago. There was one plant in bloom that really caught our collective eye. It’s a Maryland native commonly called Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica). What a beautiful flower. This is something I’d really like to get. I’ve done some searching and it seems like finding seeds will be difficult. There are a few mail order places that have the plant but most of them ship in the fall. Hopefully I’ll remember to order some then.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink)

Dorothy’s Quilt For The Yorks

Dorothy's Quilt For The Yorks

Dorothy’s Quilt For The Yorks

Dorothy and three of the folks she’s living with came down for a three day visit. It was really nice to have them here and we had a really good time with them. They left this morning and stopped to see friends in two different places on the way home. One of those stops was to see Andrew and Rachel. Dorothy had made this quilt as a wedding present for them and wanted me to take a few pictures of it before she gave it to them, so we’d have a record of it. I think it turned out quite nicely and of course they loved it. I took one picture with Dorothy looking over the top of it, but we decided to feature just the quilt today. I also took pictures of Dorothy with Peter, Marissa, and Renee before they left (I know you’re shocked that I’d do that).

Beyond simply having them here, which was really, really nice, I really enjoyed our trip to Pennsylvania. It was a lot of fun and yet quite poignant. Memories.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Dorothy’s Quilt For The Yorks

Day Lily Leaves

Day Lily Leaves With Rain Droplets

Day Lily Leaves With Rain Droplets

We had rain today. I have no complaints as we could use the rain. I didn’t go out much, though, so only got a few photos today, taken at about 8:20 PM as it was getting on towards dusk. The droplets of rain on leaves are a favorite subject of mine and today’s are on day lily leaves, right outside our back door. I took others, including some on tiger lilies in the front yard, but those didn’t turn out very well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Day Lily Leaves

Rose ‘Dr. W. Van Fleet’

Rose 'Dr. W. Van Fleet'

Rose ‘Dr. W. Van Fleet’

Last year my second cousin, Lyn, gave me a cutting of a climbing rose he has growing behind his house in North Carolina. It’s been in a pot since then but I finally got it planted this weekend.

Lyn said that the rose this came from was it turn taken from a rose that was given to his mother by Virginia, the wife of my grandfather’s (and Lyn’s grandmother’s) first cousin, Archie.

I’m pretty sure this is the rose ‘Dr. W. Van Fleet’, a repeat flowering sport of which became ‘New Dawn’ and was the first plant to receive a patent (i.e. plant patent ID #1). Interestingly, another rose on his property, one which has been there since it was his grandparents’ house, is almost certainly ‘American Pillar’, a rambling rose bred in the first years of the twentieth century by Dr. William Van Fleet (in Glendale, Maryland).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rose ‘Dr. W. Van Fleet’

Woodwardia Frond

Woodwardia Frond

Woodwardia Frond

I’ve had a few fern photos this spring but here’s another. This is a Woodwardia of some type but I’m not sure which. It’s growing in our shade garden at the north end of our front yard and is quite happy there. We went to the garden center today and I bought a royal fern (Osmunda regalis) to plant in this part of the garden. My thought is to move the Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) to the front of the bed, because it’s too short to be seen well where it is. The royal fern should be plenty tall so that will be nice. It’s something I’ve wanted a while.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Woodwardia Frond

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Like most folks, we’re mostly confined to our house and to walks in the neighborhood. We figured that we could go for a drive so yesterday we went out and about. One place we went was the Montgomery County Agricultural History Farm Park on Muncaster Road. I didn’t take my camera with me, which is pretty unusual, so we went back there today with my camera this time. There were a few others there but everyone kept their distance from one another.

They have a small, woodland garden that is particularly nice right now, with mostly early spring blooms. These Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are just starting to open and are so lovely.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Water Droplets

Water Droplets

Water Droplets

We had another rainy day today, to end March. It’s been so warm and sunny lately that it was a bit of a shock to stay indoors all day. I did get outside long enough to take a handful of pictures, but really not much more than that. These are daylily (Hemerocallis) leaves with rain on them, and the rain continued to fall while I was taking it. I probably should have spent the time to get a tripod and really focus carefully, but I just needed to get a picture. Maybe next time. Sorry.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Water Droplets

Rainy Day

Rainy Day

Rainy Day

After a week of mostly beautiful weather, today was grey and rainy. It was nice to be home from the office, meaning I didn’t go into the basement much, but mostly I just read and dozed and did this and that all day. I did go out in the evening to take a few pictures but there wasn’t much to see and I didn’t feel like walking around in the wet to find something more interesting. This is the view to the southeast from the front of our house, looking past a few large oaks to more trees at the end of the block. The maples are mostly in bloom, which accounts for the rusty red shades. The oaks will be out soon, adding a bit of yellow and then everything will be dusted heavily with pollen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Rainy Day

Dried Amaryllis Flower

Dried Amaryllis Flower

Dried Amaryllis Flower

This is the same amaryllis flower that I posted a photo of a week an a half ago (see Thursday, March 12, 2020). As you can see, it’s dried out but interestingly has retained some of it’s color. Since taking this photo, I’ve cut the stem so we won’t get any seeds. They are so easily available in bulb form late in the year that we buy one most years. This one came back into bloom, a little later than expected but without much of any attention having been paid to it in the meantime.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Dried Amaryllis Flower

Spiraea prunifolia

Spiraea prunifolia (Bridal Wreath Spiraea)

Spiraea prunifolia (Bridal Wreath Spiraea)

Our spiraea is in bloom and it’s really pretty as a background plant. It’s flowers are small but borne in a profusion of white. There are little bits of green in the flowers, but that can really only be seen close up. Spiraea prunifolia, bridal wreath spiraea, is a native of China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan and has been introduced in much of eastern North America. Interestingly, this double-flowered plant has the species name while the single-flowered variety, discovered later, is classified as a variety or form of the species. The name of the genus Spiraea comes from the Greek word speira meaning wreath.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Spiraea prunifolia

Log Cabin

Log Cabin

Log Cabin

It was such a beautiful day that after church we decided to stop at Meadowside Nature Center and take a walk. Shortly after we parked we heard a hawk call out and saw it land in a tree overhead. I was able to get a few photos of it—either a Cooper’s or sharp-shinned—but they were from such a low angle they aren’t really all that good. We continued down past the pond to the Pioneer Homestead, where this photo was taken. There are two log cabins, a smoke house, and a corn crib. From there we walked down to Lake Frank and saw one of the eagles on their nest, which was cool. All in all, a very nice outing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Log Cabin

Cut Tulip Flower

Cut Tulip Flower

Cut Tulip Flower

Cathy bought some tulips at the grocery store over the weekend and we have them in a vase on our dining room table. The stems were a bit long and the flowers drooped a bit. She was looking for deep red flowers but they didn’t have any that were just right so she settled for these very pale pinks. I think they’re quite beautiful and a flower here or there and now and then is worth the cost. Daffodils are starting to bloom around my office building and one or two are about to be blooming in the yard but the tulips are a litter further behind. Spring it on its way, however, and we’re looking forward to working in the yard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Cut Tulip Flower

Bobble Head Dogs

Bobble Head Dogs

Bobble Head Dogs

Not much to brag about today, in terms of my photographic exploits. There are days I just struggle and even when I find something to photograph, it’s only worth posting so I can keep up my photo-a-day thing. This is day 3,344 and this photograph is number 174,241, which is an accomplishment, anyway. We used to have a small collection of these dogs in white, brown, and black. They were in the back window of a car but eventually they went the way of all things, returning to the dust from which they were made (or they’re in the process of that, anyway).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bobble Head Dogs

Linda’s Retirement

Linda's Retirement

Linda’s Retirement

A co-worker is retiring and we had a party for her this afternoon. Not everyone rates a party but she’s been here a third of a century and certainly deserves one. In spite of all the years and although we have the same supervisor, I’ve never actually worked with her, but we’ve seen each other from time to time and we have quite a few friends in common. I changed supervisors in the last year when my previous boss retired and we’ve only had the same supervisor since then, so it’s perhaps less surprising than it might be. Anyway, this is Linda (I’ll let you guess which one she is) with five of our co-workers, including our shared supervisor, Bryan (second from the right). I’ve worked quite a bit with Terry, on the far right and he asked if I’d come and take pictures, which I did and which is why this is my photo of the day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Linda’s Retirement

Tear Catcher

Tear Catcher

Tear Catcher

The story is that this is a tear catcher or tear bottle, used to collect the tears of mourners in Persia (i.e. Iran and Afghanistan). According to tradition, bottles like this (and in other shapes and from other places) were used to catch the tears and the more tears the more regret over losing the loved one. The shape of the opening, theoretically, is meant to fit over the eye, although it doesn’t really fit very well and I can think of much better designs if that’s really what it’s about.

I’ve never been terribly comfortable believing that they were ever actually used for this, but that’s the story. I’ve never found any convincing proof that they were actually used for this purpose. Interestingly, the Wikipedia page on them has very inconclusive and even somewhat conflicting statements about them and most of the statements are tagged as needing a citation, so even those are pretty suspect (not to mention that nearly everything you find there is suspect).

I don’t think this bottle is terribly old. If it is, it’s in terrifically good shape. It is, however, a remarkably beautiful, cobalt blue and regardless of the veracity of it’s origin and original use, it’s a beautiful example of the glass blower’s art.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Tear Catcher

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

I generally try not to repeat the exact same subject in photographs. That’s not to say that once I’ve posted a photo of a sunset, for instance, I’ll try not to post any more. But things like this camera, I try to post only once. I posted one of this same camera in January of last year, I’m afraid so I have to break my unwritten rule (not for the first time, I fear). I mentioned it recently in a post about a Uniflex twin-lens reflex camera. It is a Leica IIIc, which was made from 1940 to 1951.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Portrait Print

Print, 'Henry', by Dorothy

Print, ‘Henry’, by Dorothy

Dorothy gave me a set of four prints for Christmas. Three of them are portraits of the three of us, herself, Cathy, and me. The fourth was also of her so technically a portrait but it’s her walking and not facing the viewer. Anyway, she asked me to take photos of them for her and I did. She also said I could use one of those as my photo for the day. So, while I took this photograph, the actual content isn’t mine.

Of course the actual content of most of my photographs isn’t mine. I just photograph what I see. Sometimes it’s a man-made object and sometimes it’s something found in nature. Rarely is it a me-made object and even then, I only make things with materials that already exist. I like these prints and I think I like the one of me the best, which sounds egotistical but I think it’s the best of the three technically and I just like the way it looks.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Portrait Print

Topaz

Topaz Crystals

Topaz Crystals

In 1974 we took a trip out west as a family. We drove first to Denver where Ralph and our dad met us, flying out a few days after we left so Ralph could finish a class he was taking in summer school (if I remember correctly). We had also stopped in Kansas City because George’s braces broke and he needed to be seen by an orthodontist. Anyway, after we were all together we stopped at a place called Topaz Mountain but now I don’t know if it’s the one in Utah (southwest of Salt Lake City) or in Colorado (southwest of Denver). My memory says Utah but the Colorado site is more likely based on the route we took. I know we went to Mesa Verde and then Four Corners and it would have been on our route out of Denver. Anyway, we spent a good while searching for topaz in the stream beds and these are the nicer crystals that I found. None of them, really, are very suitable for jewelry, although I made a tie-pin out of one but it’s just out of the photograph at the top. I like them, anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Topaz

Advertising Thermometers

Advertising Thermometers

Advertising Thermometers

Cathy has a small collection of advertising thermometers and they are on the wall in our front hall (you can see the bottom of our doorbell in the upper left). They have been collected over the years from various antique shops and generally have been bought for under $10 or so. We’ve seen some that didn’t really fit the pattern and that we passed on. Just being an advertisement isn’t really enough. It needs to have a photo or illustration and preferably that should be mostly unrelated to the company being advertised. So, for instance, a thermometer in a bottle shaped frame with a Coca Cola logo would not qualify. From left to right (roughly), we have Quina & Miller Co. (furniture), B and B Milk Transportation, Santoni Furniture and Salvage Co., R.M. Pile & Sons (manufacturer of concrete septic tanks!), Geo. D. Deoudes Co., Inc (commission merchants), Randolph Market, and Dr. Beegle’s Chiropractic Health Offices.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Advertising Thermometers

Uniflex II

Uniflex II

Uniflex II

This is one of the first cameras I used, back in the early 1970s. It wasn’t new then, as Uniflex cameras were made between 1947 and 1950. It has an aluminum body and a pair of 75mm lenses. I learned to develop the black and white film I used with the camera, winding it onto a reel that goes into the developing tank. I honestly don’t know if any of the photos I took back then are still around. Even if they are, I doubt many are worth looking at. But you have to start somewhere and this is where I started. We had a few old cameras available to use, as my grandfather had upgraded to a Leica and my parents had used both a Canon rangefinder and then a Minolta SLR.

Not surprisingly, I moved to 35mm and in 1979 bought the first of quite a few cameras. It was a Canon A-1. A few years later I got an F-1. That was my workhorse for quite a few years and went around the world with us in 1988. I bought a Nikon body so I could share lenses with my father-in-law. When it came time to move to autofocus and then digital, I went back to Canon and that’s where I am now, having started this “picture-a-day” thing right after getting my current camera, an EOS 60D.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Uniflex II

Van Go

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

1997 Dodge Grand Caravan

I cleaned out the old Dodge Grand Caravan today and took off the license plates, which I plan to return to the Motor Vehicle Administration on Monday. Before I did that, I took one final load of trash to the dump (well, the transfer station, actually). I had a few things of my own in the back but I drove over to Iris and Seth’s house and got the rest of the rubbish that we found under the stairs and loaded that up. That load included recyclables—paper/cardboard, rigid plastic, and metal—along with all the trash. The van has been a really good utility vehicle.

272,000 Miles

272,000 Miles

As I was driving home I notice that I was approaching an even thousand on the odometer so I drove just a little extra to get it to 272,000 just before I backed into the driveway. We bought it from our mechanic in March, 2006 after he bought it from some mutual friends of ours replaced the transmission. I’d say we got our $5,000 worth out of the van (not to say we haven’t spent that much again on repairs over the years). This is the highest mileage of any car I’ve ever owned. The Chrysler Town & Country that died in Chicago last summer was just a little short.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Van Go

Going Wireless

Going Wireless

I know wireless is here to stay, but it just feels weird

I’ve been thinking of doing this for a while. The idea isn’t completely original. I saw a cartoon something like this a while ago (at least a couple years, I’m pretty sure) but I’ve never gotten around to getting a good picture of birds on wires that I could use for it. I think the caption in the cartoon was something like “I know but it’s just felt weird ever since we went wireless.” That’s the caption I was going to use but I thought I’d change it just a little. Obviously this photo has been digitally manipulated slightly.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Going Wireless

Metal Embroidery

Metal Embroidery

Metal Embroidery

This is a detail of a piece of cloth with a sort of metal embroidery on it. The metal is actually wrapped in tight curls around some sort of thick thread which is then sewn into the cloth. There are also clear and blue glass beads, as you can see, and metal sequins. It’s quite intricate, with the small curls of wire being less than a 16th of an inch in diameter. It came from Afghanistan but I don’t know how old it is or much of anything about it, really. The entire piece is about 8 inches across. It sort of looks like it’s meant to be used as a trivet but I don’t think I’d want to do that. It really should be displayed, framed in some way.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Metal Embroidery

Bolt Cutters

Bolt Cutters

Bolt Cutters

I mentioned that Iris and Seth bought a house. There is a shed in the back yard and the sellers left it empty and with the doors unfastened, but with a locked padlock on the door. It would have been nice for them to take the lock off or leave a key for it, but perhaps they had lost the key and couldn’t be bothered to do anything about it. I took my bolt cutter and chopped it off this week and thought I’d post a photo of this handy tool. It’s the sort of thing you only need once in a while but it sure is handy when that time comes. This pair has seen some heavy use and the cutters are nicked pretty badly but when cutting things like padlocks (and bolts, of course), pretty isn’t generally a consideration. It came from my grandfather’s and I worked for him two summers when I was in high school. We did the bulk of the maintenance of the small rental properties he ran in his retirement. I learned a lot those two summers and as much as I didn’t enjoy crawling under a house in the mud to find a plumbing leak, I learned a lot that’s been useful to me in later life.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Bolt Cutters

Hidden “Treasure”

Hidden 'Treasure'

Hidden “Treasure”

Iris and Seth have recently bought a house and are getting ready to move in before too long. I was over there with Seth a week ago to talk about things that should be done and things they will want to do but that are less of a rush. While we were looking around I realized that there was an area under the stairs that is closed in from all sides. I suggested that could be opened up, either from the family room side or the unfinished basement side to make a nice closet. Today they happened to cut a hole in the wall to see what it looked like in side. They were surprised to find that it wasn’t empty. Most of what was there had been taken out before I took this picture, but there was a lot of stuff. It included more than a few boxes of china as well as kitchen wares, a box of canned goods, and quite a bit of rubbish (things the mice have been at over the years). I seems to have been there for nearly 40 years and the house has changed hands a few times since then. We were hoping to find gold and jewels worth the purchase price of the house (or even just the mortgage balance) but no such luck.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Hidden “Treasure”

January’s Books

January's Books

January’s Books

I’ve been busy with my reading list lately, getting through some books that I’ve been meaning to read for a while now. I started reading Anna Karenin, by Leo Tolstoy, just before Christmas and finished it in early January. I enjoyed it quite a bit, although some of the characters were more likeable than others. After that I tackled The Gulag Archipelago: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It isn’t an easy book to read but I think it’s an important book, all the more so as we have politicians who clearly admire the Soviet Union at or near the top of a presidential race. This is only the first of three volumes and I have put off volume two for a little while, but it’s waiting for me when I can handle it. I took a little break by reading Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh, which is an enjoyable book and justly popular. I’m currently working my way into Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, which looks to be a bit harder and will certainly take me into February.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on January’s Books

The Old House

The Old House

The Old House

Cathy and I happened to be in my old neighborhood this afternoon and for the first time since my mom sold the house and moved out we drove past the house I grew up in. It looks basically the same, with the obvious exception to the purple shutters. That certainly is eye catching. The wreaths are nice, as well. They’ve painted the woodwork around the windows and the front door, which is definitely a good thing. The shrubbery was all trimmed heavily before the house went on the market and looks different to what I’m used to, but that was us, not them. Hopefully they are enjoying the house.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on The Old House

Peruvian Mountain Harp

Peruvian Mountain Harp

Peruvian Mountain Harp

Cathy’s grandmother lived in Peru for more than 20 years, running the guest house in Lima for the Summer Institute of Linguistics. She sent and brought home many things over the years, from birds, reptiles, and small mammals to arts and crafts. One thing she brought for Cathy was this Peruvian harp. The harp, in one form or another, has existed as an instrument for more than 5,000 years. They were introduced into South America by the Spanish in the 16th century and have integrated into Andean culture. The Peruvian or Andean harp has a fairly large soundboard.

This one is not in playable condition, due to a large crack in the neck. I’d be very nervous about tightening the strings enough that they could be played. There is also a long crack in the soundboard, between two pieces of wood. Whether or not it can be repaired adequately is an open question. We certainly don’t know. Dorothy asked her college piano teacher if he would be interested in having the harp and he said he would, so today it left with Dorothy for New England and its new home. I took a bunch of pictures of it before loading it in her van.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Peruvian Mountain Harp

Frost

Frost

Frost

There was frost on the ground and on the car this morning and I thought the ice crystals were pretty enough that I took the time to get a few pictures before heading off to work. These are on the roof of the car and are so delicate. I started the car so it would be a little warmed up by the time I got in, then put my bag in the trunk and took a handful of photos of ice crystals. I realized after taking them that the camera was set to manual mode because I had taken flash photos most recently. Fortunately they were pretty close to a proper exposure, so that worked out well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Frost

Pussy Willow (Salix)

Pussy Willow (Salix)

Pussy Willow (Salix)

In addition to the Ranunculus that Dorothy bought for our dining room table, she got some pussy willow stems. Pussy willow is the a common name for various Salix species and Salix discolor in particular, referring to their furry catkins, as seen in this photo. These plants are dioecious, meaning the male and female catkins are on separate plants. In general, it’s the male catkins that are used ornamentally as they are generally the more attractive of the two. They are very soft, like a kitten’s paw.

Winter is, in general, a good time of year for bringing flowers into the home. The outdoors is much more monochrome in the winter, with browns and grey predominating. So, adding a little bit of color to the dining room table it a real plus. One nice thing about pussy willows is they last a good, long while in a vase with water. They make you think of spring, which is still a little ways off in mid-January. So, if you’re feeling the winter-time blues, grab yourself a bunch of pearly grey pussy willow stems and brighten up your day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Pussy Willow (Salix)

Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle

We started working on a puzzle this evening. Cathy had pulled one out to work on over the Christmas break and we finished that in reasonably short order. That one had 500 pieces and was a pretty straightforward task. I bought this one as a Christmas present for Cathy and it promises to be a bit more challenging. It has a scene from Venice, Italy and is cut up into 1,000 pieces. Until the puzzle is nearly done, that’s too big for our card table so I brought up a four foot square piece of wood and put that on top of the table. That’s just about enough room to get all the pieces laid out in a single layer and turned right side up with enough extra space to start putting the sides together.

I happened to read something recently that compared some task with trying to do a puzzle without the aid of the photo on the box. That made me laugh, because that’s the rule in our house. Looking at the box is considered cheating so once a puzzle is put out, the box is put away and not looked at again until it’s all done. You don’t have to follow that rule, if you’d rather not, but that’s the way we work things.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Jigsaw Puzzle

Abstract – Water

Abstract - Water

Abstract – Water

Cathy, Dorothy, and I went to Great Falls today, along with half of the county population. It wasn’t really as bad as that but there were quite a few folks there. Also, the National Park Service, in their wisdom, has not only quadrupled the entrance fee to $20 per vehicle, but they no longer accept what is otherwise considered “legal tender for all deebts, public and private.” This, of course, slows entrance to the park considerably,

It was a lovely, cool, sunny day and we enjoyed walking about 4.5 miles round trip down the C&O Canal past Widewater to the Angler’s Bridge. I took quite a few photographs, including a good number of a great blue heron. We also saw ducks and cormorants and a belted kingfisher. This photo is of reflections in the canal of rocks and trees on the far bank and I really like it’s abstract quality. Dorothy said it reminds her of works by Chuck Close, and I certainly see the similarities.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Abstract – Water

Pecking Chicken Toy

Pecking Chicken Toy

Pecking Chicken Toy

Today I’ afraid it’s going to be another “I have to find something to photograph” type day. At a little after 10:00 PM, I picked up my camera and starting looking around for things to photograph. Dorothy asked me to document the various pieces of the large nativity scene that’s set up on the piano and I did that, but I’ve posted a photo of that already, so I didn’t want to repeat it, even from a different angle. I photographed this little pecking chicken toy that’s been out since Cathy’s brother and nephew were here, so that’s what you get.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Pecking Chicken Toy

Nativity Scene

Nativity Scene

Nativity Scene

This is a close-up of the nativity scene on our piano. The more traditional figures, Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and in this case a llama, are from Peru. Cathy’s grandmother lived in Lima for many years so it’s not surprising that her family had things from there. The “barn” for this set is home made, with sticks fashioned into a sort of timber frame and with a woven mat for the floor, the back wall, and the roof. When Dorothy put this up, she augmented the attendants somewhat and I’m not sure of the authenticity of all the characters represented. The parrot fits with the South American theme, but I think the little Chinese boy may be a bit out of place. Also, when Mary asked Joseph about the tree in the background, he told her it was a Christmas tree. She asked what Christmas was and he said, “I have no idea.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Nativity Scene

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning, otherwise known as the calm before the storm, was nice this year. Santa obviously came and left a lot of things under the tree. He also seems to have finished the puzzle that we were working on. I guess he must have been ahead of schedule and wanted to take a break. It was mostly the sky that was left for him to do, which was the hardest part of the puzzle. Naturally he ate the cookies that Darius left out for him and he the pieces of carrot that were left for his reindeer were also gone, so they seem to have gotten their treat. As you can see, in addition to all the presents under and around the tree, there was one that Dorothy “wrapped” that’s hanging on the wall. Needless to say, this didn’t stay looking like this for too long. But we did have breakfast before diving into all the gifts.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Christmas Morning

Santa’s Pre-Visit

Santa's Pre-Visit

Santa’s Pre-Visit

In our neighborhood, Santa makes a pre-Christmas visit, just to be sure he knows where everyone lives. For all I know he does this everywhere, but we don’t live everywhere, so we only know about here. He doesn’t keep as low a profile on this visit as he does on Christmas eve and morning. In fact, he makes a fair amount of noise, with Christmas music blasting from speakers on his ‘sleigh’ and an occasional “ho, ho, ho“ thrown in for good measure. He and his helpers had bags of goodies for the children in the neighborhood, as well and a good time was had by all. Now, to wait for his second visit in a few day’s time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Santa’s Pre-Visit

Frost

Frost

Frost

There was a heavy frost this morning and I took the time before going to work to get some photos. That meant lying on the ground which was a bit cold and decidedly damp, but I knew I’d dry out before I got to work, so I wasn’t worried. I think ice crystals are pretty cool (no pun intended) and these are pretty nice. I’d like to have gotten closer but I didn’t have the time to get out the ultra-close-up equipment, so this was about as good as I could get.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Frost

Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas Tree

We put our Christmas tree up this evening. I know a lot of folks have a tradition of putting their tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving and I have no problem with such a tradition. Nevertheless, we’re not quite so organized and in any case, the tree was in the storage unit and I didn’t get it until early December. It’s been in the back of my car for a while and this afternoon I brought it in and we set it up. Dorothy and Cathy brought up some boxes of decorations and began decorating the tree, although it isn’t done yet. There are a few boxes that were in storage and I will need to stop there and pick them up before we can consider it finished. Nevertheless, the living room is finally starting to look a lot like christmas. The large nativity scene will also need to be set up, probably on the top of the piano. Dorothy is also planning to make a wreath to hang on the front door. Note that in the past, our tree has stayed up until it really begins to lose needles. Now that we’re using an artificial tree that we brought from Margaret’s, that’s not an issue any more. We’ll probably take it down in early January, anyway. Note in this photo, the traditional peanut butter in front of the tree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Our Christmas Tree

Peanut Creche

Peanut Creche

Peanut Creche

This little creche is made with bits and pieces from the kitchen. Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus are peanuts with Halos made from Cheerios. The magi—or maybe those are angels, it’s in some dispute—are made from Hershey’s kisses. The sheep are pumpkin seeds with broken toothpicks for legs. I’m not entirely sure what is in the foreground. Perhaps that’s food for the animals (and the baby didn’t fit in this manger so he’s next to it instead. The yarn person, which is perhaps a shepherd, is not to scale but is definitely part of the composition. The frog, however, is almost certainly apocryphal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Peanut Creche

X-Ray Screened

X-Ray Screened

X-Ray Screened

Dorothy ordered something from India and it came recently. From “Rupsa, Near Fish Market Hatiadiha, Barhampur, 756028 Balasore, India” to be more precise. On the package was this orange label saying it was X-Ray Screened. It took me a little while to figure out what that shape was to the left of the text. It’s the tail of an airplane with a sunburst pattern on it. Anyway, I liked the label and took some pictures of it this evening. Not, perhaps, the most interesting subject for a photograph but I was fairly busy the rest of the day and it was something that caught my eye.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on X-Ray Screened

Dancers in Mourning

Dancers in Mourning

Dancers in Mourning

With apologies for Margery Allingham (whose book was the inspiration for the title of my post), this is art work in a cemetery near where we live. I went to a burial there today, followed by a memorial service in Clarksburg. I didn’t really know the woman who died but I’ve known her husband for over 45 years. We’ve lost touch a bit but we’d run into one another occasionally. Nevertheless, he’s one of a small number of men who influenced me pretty significantly in my early life. After the service, I drove back to the cemetery and wandered around a bit and took some pictures. This art is in a Jewish section of the cemetery and I really like it. There was another similarly designed piece with Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea. I’m assuming that this is Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, who:

…took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

(Exodus 15:20–21)

She was not mourning, of course, but as this artwork is decorating a cemetery, I thought that title might fit well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Dancers in Mourning

History Books

History Books

History Books

When I was in school, both K through 12 and in college, I was not much of a reader. It wasn’t that I couldn’t read. But I was a slow reader and it took me a long time to get through anything of substance. I don’t think it was because I had a short attention span. It was probably as short as that of many boys but I could focus if I wanted to. The problem was that I didn’t want to. History, among a few other subjects, simply didn’t interest me. Now, things are different. I love history and although I still read slowly, I’m much more likely to be reading history of one sort or another that almost anything else. When I set up my library in the basement I organized my books mostly by subject but there are a few groups of books that are grouped together for other reasons. In the case of these books, they are both historical in nature and unified by their common publisher. To their left (outside this photo) are most of my Modern Library books, also grouped together.

A side note, four of these books, The Song of Roland and the three part Dante series, were all translated by Dorothy Sayers (13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957), famed for her mystery stories.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on History Books

Letters

Letters

Letters

When was the last time you wrote a letter? For me, I know it’s been a while. I’ve sent a few business letters, generally accompanying a check or something of that sort. But a real, honest to goodness, hand-written letter? It’s been a while. I wrote one to a friend who ended up in prison for a little while but that was hard. I’ve probably only written one or two others in the last five years or more. I’m not sure what that means for the future. I guess in one sense it means “less stuff” and maybe that’s a good thing. But it’s sometimes fun to see old letters that were written by our parents or grandparents (or even earlier) back in the day. That’s what these are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Letters

Mugs

Mugs

Mugs

This is one of those photos that’s here just to fill they day. We have a blue hutch in our kitchen, brought from my mother-in-law’s kitchen. On that are two shelves where we keep mugs and these are some of them. The mug on the right holds dry-erase markers that we use to update the calendar on the wall nearby. In the back is a mug I made (the light brown one) back in 1979 or thereabouts. It’s a pretty decent mug, if I say so myself. In front of that and to the left is one that Dorothy got for being in the York’s wedding. And back over to the right is one that dad got at NIH at some point. I think of him whenever I use it (and other times, too).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Mugs

Redbud Pods

Redbud Pods

Redbud Pods

I got out of my office and into the woods for a little while today. I took some pictures of oak leaves, which I fine quite beautiful this time of year. I also took some photos of the stream that flows through the woods next to my office. There was a small oily patch that looked like miniature ice bergs and I thought about posting one of those. In the end, I decided I liked this photo of two redbud seedpods better. It’s a simple picture but I like the lines.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Redbud Pods

Stuff

Metal Deer In a Metal Bowl

Metal Deer In a Metal Bowl

This is one of those times where I was looking for something to photograph and what I found may or may not be of interest. But it’s a photograph. We have some things that were not gotten rid of during the emptying of our two family homes in 2018. Maybe some of them we should have but for now, they are in our house (with other things being in one of three storage units, which is another story all together). I’m not sure how to describe these two items. The first is a deer, made out of metal with small, orange enamel drops and swirls of wire to represent fur. The second is a small, heart shaped bowl, also made of metal, with a subtle pattern on it. It’s pretty tarnished, so perhaps it’s made of silver, but I’m really not sure.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Stuff

Frost

Frost

Frost

It’s turned cold, with morning temperatures in the mid 20s. We had our first hard freeze yesterday and today there was frost on the windscreen of my car. So, naturally I pulled out my camera and took a few pictures. These little ice crystals are pretty delicate and once I turned on the car, they melted pretty quickly (and I ran the windshield washer, which took care of them completely). As many of you know, I don’t mind cold weather too much. I wore a jacket a few times during our ten days in Juneau but that was as much for the rain as anything else. I’ll generally not bother unless it’s below about 15°F or I’m going to be outdoors for an extended period.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Frost

Bananagram Tiles

Bananagram Tiles

Bananagram Tiles

I bought a book from Ikea today. Sorry, the joke isn’t original but very few of them really are. I was looking around for something to photograph this evening and saw this Bananagrams set and thought I could use them to illustrate the joke. Not the funniest joke I’ve every told but certainly not the worst, either. Am I known for telling “dad jokes”? Yes, I suppose I am. It goes along with my “dad bod”, which I prefer to describe as a “father figure”.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Bananagram Tiles

Everlastings

Everlastings

Everlastings

I’ve published a photo of these everlastings (Xerochrysum bracteatum ‘Sundaze Golden Beauty’) before. See Wednesday, June 06, 2018. They aren’t quite as fresh as they were then, but if you can find another flower that looks this good after five months in your back garden, with birds, bugs, and the summer heat, I’ll be surprised. Yellow flowers seem to fool the computer in my camera (a Canon EOS 60D) and they come out with way too much blue. It’s easy enough to adjust them back to the original yellow but it’s a bit funny how strongly it wants them to be blue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Everlastings

Samovar Lamp and Ceramic Dog

Samovar Lamp and Ceramic Dog

Samovar Lamp and Ceramic Dog

a few of Dorothy’s friends are passing through the area and asked if they could spend the night here tomorrow night. Naturally we’re happy to have them and I was cleaning up the guest room, which we have used as something of a store room for things we don’t know what to do with. I was in there this evening and this do caught my eye. I don’t know why but I think the composition with the dog in front of the samovar lamp just works. It’s all I have for today, so I guess it has to.

As I mentioned a few days ago, with the shorter days, if I don’t get out during work and if there doesn’t happen to be a nice sunrise or sunset, I have a hard time getting an outdoor photo this time of year (and for the next few months). Because of that, I’m afraid you’re going to have to put up with this sort of photograph. This happens every year and I really should look back at previous years and see if there is anything I did that I might do again now, to deal with this issue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Samovar Lamp and Ceramic Dog

Bald Eagles in Lemon Creek

Bald Eagles in Lemon Creek

Bald Eagles in Lemon Creek

Well, we landed in Juneau after a long day of flights and layovers in Los Angeles and Seattle. We slept well and didn’t worry about getting up early (although I woke up at 7:00 anyway). We took a walk with the dogs in Lemon Creek, where Dorothy is living with our good friends, Brian and Lisa. The dogs, Kippen and Ayla, are border collies and are a lot of fun. The walk in Lemon Creek is surprisingly pretty for something so close to their house and it was nice to get out. The air was cool and it was raining very lightly but we knew what to expect and were ready for it. I got one photo with three bald eagles in it but I think this one is better. You can see the one at the top of the tree pretty easily but there is a second that’s not quite so obvious a little ways down on the right side of the same tree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bald Eagles in Lemon Creek

Hard Drives

Hard Drives

Hard Drives

I’ve worked my way through quite a few hard drives over the years. When I bought my first computer, a NEC APC. I had the option to buy a 10MB drive for about $5,000. I opted not to spend that much for a hard drive that was only 10 times the capacity of the 8″ floppies it used. My phone now has a 128GB micro SD card that can be bought for $20. That’s roughly 13,000 times the capacity for 1/250th the price or about 3.25 million times the storage per dollar. I have two 5TB and two 6TB drives in my main work computer that cost a little over $100 each, more than 20 million times the storage per dollar. What I really need to do it make sure there is nothing left on any of these drives that I need and then destroy them. But like so much of what needs to be done, it takes time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Hard Drives

Sweat Bee

Sweat Bee

Sweat Bee

I met Cathy outside for a little while early this afternoon. As we were walking back towards the entrance to my building we saw a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) near the parking lot and I was able to get a few nice photographs of her. Cathy went back to her office and I went down near the pond and took some photos of insects. There was a type of fly that I hadn’t seen before. I thought it was a thick-headed fly (Family Conopidae) but it was identified as a Dioprosopa clavata, a syrphid fly (Family Halictidae) that resembles a thick-headed fly. Today’s photo, however, is of this metalic green sweat bee, a female in the genus Augochlorella.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sweat Bee

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

Cathy and I went to Trader Joe’s after work and then stopped at the Rio for a bit. We walked around the pond and I took some photos, mostly of the reflections in the water. This is the Launch Workplaces building near the western end of the pond. I thought the reflections were nice. There was a gaggle of (probably middle school) girls on the bridge posing for group pictures on their phones and we heard the dad of one of them say something like, “Well, we’re eating now. You can take pictures or you can eat.” The girls didn’t seem interested in eating.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Reflections

Oxford Athletic Medal

Oxford Athletic Club Medal

Oxford Athletic Club Medal

My grandfather and his brother were both Rhodes scholars. My grandfather, the older of the two, was at Exeter College from October, 1907 through July, 1910. His younger brother, Ralph, was at St Johns and received a B.A. degree in 1912 and a B.Sc. degree in 1913. They both competed in athletics, and we have this medal that Ralph won in a competition in 1911. It was for second place in the high jump and his height was 5 feet, 3½ inches. That wasn’t close to any sort of record. The world record in 1912 (the first world record in the men’s high jump was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations) was 6′ 6¾”. The current record is 8′ ½” (2.45 meters).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Oxford Athletic Medal

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Staghorn Sumac (<em>Rhus typhina</em>)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

I had hoped to get outside yesterday but didn’t. Today I did, walking up the road and onto the empty lot next to my building. The vernal drainage pool is nearly dry. The small areas with water are interesting because there is something in the water that’s not happy to be quite so crowded. If it rains soon, they may be saved. The fall color has only just started to be in evidence but a few things tend to turn early and they stand out. This staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is an example. They are also crowned with their bright red, annual, pyramidal fruiting clusters.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Old Wrench

Old Wrench

Old Wrench

I had hoped to get pictures outside today but it didn’t happen. I was moving a few things in the basement this evening and I noticed this old wrench and thought it might be an interesting thing for a photograph. Well, maybe not all that interesting but that’s all I have, so that’s all you get. This was one of the tools I got when we cleaned out my grandfather’s work shop back in the early 1980s. I don’t know how old it is, but it’s almost certainly older than I am, anyway. I see similar items listed on web sites specializing in antiques calling this an antique. That may be stretching things a bit, but it’s oldish, anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Old Wrench

10,000 Afghani Note

10,000 Afghani Note

10,000 Afghani Note

I’ve recently been going through some scanned photographs and putting labels on them. These were taken by my father-in-law in the 1950s and early 1960s in Afghanistan, a place many people could not have found on a map until the last 20 years or so. I’ve gotten so I have a pretty good idea where the different photographs were taken and I recognize some of the important personages, such as King Mohammed Zahir Shah, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin of the USSR, and Vice President Richard M. Nixon. I also have gotten familiar with many of the landmarks. On this 10,000 Afghani note (sadly not worth much) is a detail of the Great Mosque of Herat. On the reverse is the Arch of Qala-e-Bost, outside Lashkar Gah.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on 10,000 Afghani Note

Resistance is Futile

Resistance is Futile

Resistance is Futile

“Resistance is Futile. You will be assimilated.” So spoke the Borg when meeting other species. Scott Adams used a variation—“It’s useless to be a resistor”, if memory serves— in one of his Dilbert strips. There are t-shirts with the phrase “Resistance is Futile (if < 1 ohm)” (with some variation in the actual number of ohms required for resistance to be futile). Those, I believe, are aimed at the intersection between Star Trek fans and electrical engineers (or whatever the category would be that will get the electronics reference). Anyway, this is a multi-meter showing a hair over 50 ohms of resistance.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Resistance is Futile

“New” Car

Our 'New' Car

Our “New” Car

It’s been a busy season for us in terms of cars. We’ve been dealing with our aging fleet for some time. In July, Dorothy left with her cousin in what was meant to be the final journey for our 2000 Chrysler Town and Country. The plan was for them to drive via Chicago to Albuquerque and the car would then be sold for scrap. They made it to Chicago and that’s where it died (the brakes failed completely). They made the rest of the trip in a rental car. We replaced that with a 2007 Town and Country, bought from the parents of a coworker. We also need to unload the Mercury Villager that belongs to Cathy’s mom. It’s ready to go. Well, my brother George came to our rescue by offering us his 2006 Honda Accord. It’s in really good shape and it’s our first sedan of any description for quite some time. I got it registered today, so I figured I’d take a few pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on “New” Car

Shady Grove Church Picnic

Shady Grove Church Picnic

Shady Grove Church Picnic

Our church’s annual fall picnic was today and we couldn’t have asked for much nicer weather. I suppose a few degrees cooler wouldn’t have hurt, but it was very, very nice. We ate a great picnic lunch with burgers, hot dogs, and smoked pork shoulder (thanks, Ben!) as well as a wider variety of side dishes than I’ve seen in a long time. After the meal, we had our “regular” church service. Well, it was a bit different because we were outdoors. But otherwise, it was pretty much what we’re used to. It was great to see an old friend (she’s not all that old, but we’ve known her for a while) and I think a good time was had by all, or certainly most.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Shady Grove Church Picnic

Rose In The Rain

Rose 'Perle d’Or' In The Rain

Rose ‘Perle d’Or’ In The Rain

It’s been pretty dry lately. Not drought dry, but normal August in the DC area dry, which is dry enough for me. I’ve never been attracted to deserts and am happy when rain comes (within reason). We had a good rain today. Not the all-day soaking rain we’re more likely to get starting in September but a good rain, nonetheless. When it had mostly stopped, I took a few pictures of water droplets on leaves, starting with the leaves of this rose. It’s the China rose ‘Perle d’Or’ just outside our front door and it’s happily blooming and doing very well after being killed back a little last winter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rose In The Rain

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

No, I’m not in the hospital, at least not as a patient. I met Cathy’s mom there early this evening and then Cathy joined us a little later. As I write this, four days after the fact, Margaret is home and the stay at the hospital is just a memory. At the time, of course, it’s a lot of waiting around punctuated by brief visits from the doctor and slightly more frequent visits from the nurse. We were in the emergency room and everyone was very nice. The sounds of an ER are not exactly conducive to rest. At about 11:30 they decided to admit her to the hospital and the nurse sent us home with a promise to call and let us know what room she has been moved to. I had taken a few pictures on my phone in the ER but took this photo as we left at about 11:45 PM.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Shady Grove Adventist Hospital

Our Own Mound of Butter

Our Own Mound of Butter

Our Own Mound of Butter

For a while now I’ve bought butter in two-pound rolls. It’s a bit cheaper and we go through it quickly enough. In fact, I try to have one roll in the freezer that I take out (and replace) when the one in the fridge runs out. When Cathy’s niece Abba was here last year she took a photo on her phone of my two-pound roll on the counter. Sometime later She posted a photo of this painting on Instagram, titled “Our Own Mound of Butter.” I asked if I could buy it and now it’s hanging in our dining room.

I wasn’t able to get out into the garden to take any photos today. After going to the Motor Vehicle Administration (my favorite place) to register a new old car we bought my back started bothering me. By 1:00 in the afternoon I was having a really hard time. I got on the floor and did my “Say Goodbye To Back Pain” exercises. I went home shortly after 2:00 and spent the rest of the day on an ice pack. Late in the evening I got up and took a few pictures, including this one. I hope you enjoy it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Our Own Mound of Butter

Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spinybacked Orbweaver)

Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spinybacked Orbweaver)

Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spinybacked Orbweaver)

Cathy and I drove to the east end of Ocean Isle this morning and walked on the beach, looking for shells and coral and I took a few pictures. The other day we had noticed a boardwalk going into the scrub off of one of the back streets and we decided to see where it led. from the corner of e 4 sup th /sup and winston-salem streets we followed a combination of boardwalks (over wet areas) and sandy trails that go as far as Charlotte Street (although we didn’t actually go all the way to the end). We saw three species of spider. There were lots of these spinybacked orbweavers (Gasteracantha cancriformis). We also saw a golden-silk orbweaver (Nephila clavipes) and a black-and-yellow argiope (Argiope aurantia). I also got a pretty nice photo of a slant-faced grasshopper (Subfamily Gomphocerinae). It was hot but there were occasional breezes and it was mostly shady, so we enjoyed it pretty well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gasteracantha cancriformis (Spinybacked Orbweaver)

Water Droplets

Water Droplets

Water Droplets

I went out into the empty lot next to my building today but didn’t get a lot of pictures to show for it. There was a small depression in the ground, it looked like it might have been a deer footprint, with a small spider web in it. The spider web had water droplets on it, and that’s what you see here. The web itself is practically invisible so it just looks like water droplets floating in air. Very cool, I think. I didn’t have a tripod and even if I did, getting this close to the ground is a problem. I have a new (used) tripod with legs that spread far enough to get me pretty low but the central post is too long for that to make a difference. In any case, just the tripod head is too tall in this case. A bean bag would have been better, but I didn’t have that, either.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Water Droplets

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

As I’ve mentioned, the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is the most plentiful, large butterfly in our yard all summer. They are followed by the monarch (Danaus plexippus) in a distant second place. They generally are harder to photograph than the swallowtails but this one let me get close and I’m pretty happy with the results. It’s perched on Verbena bonariensis growing in our front yard, near where the Colorado spruce used to be.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

2007 Town and Country

2007 Town and Country

2007 Town and Country

We bought a new car today. It’s new to us, anyway, although it’s a 2007, so not really new. The timing is pretty great, coming as it does shortly after the old 2000 Town and Country gave up the ghost in Chicago, as Dorothy and Abba were driving to Albuquerque. I happened to mention Dorothy’s woes to a few coworkers and one of them said her parents were going to sell their car—also a Town and Country—because they are moving to Florida and already have cars there. We made the transaction today but still need to get it registered, but it’s here. The new pride of the fleet.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on 2007 Town and Country

Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

We hadn’t planned on going downtown today. It was about 100°F late this afternoon and we had not real interest in being out any more than necessary. However, we drove Cathy’s mom to a wedding in Rosslyn so we were pretty close. We went across the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge and parked just off of Constitution Avenue and then walked each to 14th street.

After getting dinner from a food truck and eating it in a pretty, little patio garden next to the African American Museum, we found our viewing spot for the show. I won’t say I remember it like it was yesterday but I definitely remember watching and being excited by the Apollo 11 moon launch and landing. For the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, a Saturn V rocket image was projected onto the side of the Washington Monument, starting at about 9:00 PM.

Then at 9:30, a show began, where they “constructed” the rocket on the launch pad and then it took off. We watched the stages separate and then the command and service modules, with the LEM attached, headed off to the moon, carrying Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. It was very hot and of course there were lots of people. Nevertheless, we were absolutely glad we went and really enjoyed the show.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Salt and Pepper Shakers

In going through things at Cathy’s mom’s house, there was a box of salt and pepper shakers. Unless you collect them, salt and pepper shakers are the sort of things you only need a few of but which you often end up with lots of. They aren’t expensive and they don’t take up a lot of space. And occasionally they are decorative and interesting on their own. These are kind of nice and we assume they are from Thailand, but don’t really know anything about them beyond that. They are quite small and not really very practical, but again, they don’t take up a lot of space.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Salt and Pepper Shakers

Quartz Arrowhead

Quartz Arrowhead

Quartz Arrowhead

One of my great uncles had a small collection of sharks teeth that somehow managed to find its way into our household. I’ve posted a photo of a sharks tooth from that collection in the past. This quartz arrowhead was in the same box. I don’t know where it was found although my guess would be North Carolina. I don’t even know for sure that it was found by him, but I assume it was. It’s a beautiful little thing. I’ve never really tried my hand at knapping stone but I would guess that quartz is not the easiest material to shape. If it’s all you have, however, I guess you’d learn and obviously someone did.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Quartz Arrowhead

Little Things

Little Things

Little Things

Dorothy spent much of the day organizing her things. It’s been a few years since all her things were in one place and she’s taking the opportunity to go through everything and decide what she can get rid of. When I got home today and needed something to photograph she suggested I could take some pictures in her room. Out of the two dozen or so that I took, this one is my favorite. It’s a little shell with an even smaller figurine in it, a mouse (I think), and a metal box with enamel, all sitting on a small Afghan carpet square that she’s using as a table cover.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Little Things

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

We were in the dining room finishing up dinner this evening. Dorothy has gotten home and I fixed Thai curry for her (and all of us). Dorothy noticed this deer walking across the back yard and I grabbed my camera. I figured that when I opened the back door she would run off but she only seemed mildly interested in my presence. At first she was behind a big bush but she wondered out and I was able to get a few pictures. Then she sauntered back across the lawn and into the neighbor’s yard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on White-tailed Deer

270,000 Miles

270,000 Miles

270,000 Miles

Years ago we bought a Dodge Grand Caravan from our mechanic. He had bought it from a couple that we happen to know when they decided not to pay for a new transmission. Eddie put in a new transmission and then sold the van to us. At the time it had about 115,000 miles. As you can see, it now has 270,000 isn’t bad on that second transmission. That’s not to say we haven’t put more into it, of course. In fact, it’s getting pretty near the time when it’s casting too much to keep going. Pretty son we’ll need to replace it. But I’m happy t have reached this “milestone.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on 270,000 Miles

Beaver Attacks Woman

Beaver Attacks Woman

Beaver Attacks Woman

We spent most of the day on the road today, driving up to Massachusetts to visit Dorothy for the weekend and see her senior art exhibit tomorrow evening. It was four of us, Cathy, me, and our two moms (Dorothy’s grandmas). We didn’t have traffic problems to speak of until we got onto Interstate 95 around Boston. Then it took us two hours to go 25 miles. We met up with Dorothy and went to the art building where the final preparations are under way. I’ll post a picture of Dorothy’s art tomorrow. Today, here’s Dorothy pointing out an article about a woman being attacked by a beaver.

Categories: Gordon College, Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Beaver Attacks Woman

Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley

The lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is starting to bloom. This is a great, little ground cover once it gets itself established. That can take a little while and they aren’t cheap when you buy them from the garden center a few pips at a time. They also have a tendency to “migrate” in the garden. In our back yard they are around the two smaller maple trees that we still have. Over the time we’ve been here they have expanded and died out in the central part of the bed. I wish you could make it “turn around” and head in the other direction but short of digging it up and physically turning it around, that’s not really possible.

The flowers don’t last very long but while they are blooming they are really pretty. Note that all parts of the plant are poisonous, containing cardiac glycosides, so don’t try to use them as a salad green. I don’t think that’s something I’d have thought to try anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lily of the Valley

Tulipa acuminata

Tulipa acuminata

Tulipa acuminata

The fireflame tulips (Tulipa acuminata) are coming into bloom. These interesting tulips are listed as species but they are not actually known in the wild and are probably some very old hybrid whose origin is lost in the mists of time. Either way, they are quite beautiful, with the pointed petals. They generally have mostly red petals with yellow towards the base but this variety, from McLure and Zimmerman, are almost entirely yellow with a little green running down the spine of the petals. Every year I wonder if they will come up and so far, they’ve not let me down.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tulipa acuminata

My Friend Jack

Colorado Spruce Stump

Colorado Spruce Stump

Have you met my friend, Jack? That’s him in this photo, in the yellow. He’s a stouthearted lad with a lot of strength. Getting this stump out of the ground was not going to be easy, no matter what. Cathy said I should pay someone to do it and maybe she was right. I had dug all around it a few weeks ago and cut the major roots a little way from the trunk. In years past I demonstrated simple machines to second graders, showing them the brilliance of levers and pulleys. It would have been silly of me to try to get this stump out using brute strength (to say nothing of the fact that I don’t have anything like enough brute strength for the job).

On Saturday I went back to work on it, working smarter and not harder. I dug a hole under the largest root and put my hydraulic jack under it. With various pieces of stump under the jack, I was able to work that end up. Then I started moving around. This evening I got the last side up and sawed the last of the roots that was holding it down. The whole thing is pretty heavy but I was able to get it up on its side. I couldn’t have done it without my good friend, Jack.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on My Friend Jack

Opera Glasses

Opera Glasses

Opera Glasses

I don’t know for sure but I think these old opera glasses belonged to my Uncle Ralph and his wife, Aunt Florence. Technically my great uncle and aunt, because he was my grandfather’s brother. Assuming that’s where they came from, I have to assume also that they went to the theatre from time to time. I can’t say that I knew them well. They lived in New Jersey and he died when I was only ten years old. He grew up in the west, having been born in what is now a ghost town in a mining area of Nevada. After earning an undergraduate degree in Utah, he went to St Johns College in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar where he earned a B.A. degree and a year later a B.Sc. degree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Opera Glasses

Rockville Cemetery

Rockville Cemetery

Rockville Cemetery

I stopped at Rockville Cemetery on the way home today. With the weather turning warmer (relatively) and the sun out, it’s very tempting to be outdoors as much as possible. My job, of course, keeps me inside most of the time and it’s been fairly busy lately, with lots of revisions and bug fixes. That’s meant that I haven’t been out during the day too often. With the time change it’s light later in the day and that gives me more of a chance to get out after work.

Rockville Cemetery, on Old Baltimore Road, is a nice, relatively quiet place. The eponym of my high school alma mater is buried there. The graves of Walter Johnson and his wife Hazel are in a very shady spot under a pair of mature spruce trees. Generally it’s hard to get a good picture of them because it’s so shady but when I was there today the sun was slanting under the trees’ lower branches and lighting up the grave markers. This photo is from another part of the cemetery, though. I really love big, old, white oaks (Quercus alba) and this is a nice specimen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rockville Cemetery

Embroidered Robe

Embroidered Robe

Embroidered Robe

On Saturday we stopped at the storage locker and brought some things home to go through. That included a clothes rack and one of the items on that rack was a large, hooded robe all covered with embroidery. This photo is a part of that embroidery. Neither Cathy nor her mom know where it’s from but probably Cathy’s dad bought it somewhere. It’s in pretty new condition but it’s too long for either Cathy or her mom to wear (and not really their style, in any case). The embroidery is pretty, with flowers and plants in orange, yellow, and pale green.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Embroidered Robe

Old Phone

Old Telephone

Old Telephone

I’m not going to pretend that most of my followers have never seen one of these before, because it hasn’t actually been that long since there were rotary phones in every house. In the 1960s, mom took Ralph and me to the New York World’s Fair and we got to time ourselves dialing our home phone number on both a rotary dial phone and a touch tone phone. Needless to say, the difference was pretty significant. I remember how you hated having to dial numbers with a lot of 9s or 0s in them. We also talked to each other from different booths on a video phone. That took a little longer to pan out, but now, that’s here, as well. The phone pictured here is probably from the 1950s or possibly the 40s. On the other hand, I suspect it still works.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Old Phone

Camel Pendant

Camel Pendant

Camel Pendant

There was a lot of stuff in Cathy’s mom’s house, including a surprising number of things that Cathy had never seen. The jaguar skin that I posted a picture of recently was one example. This gold pendant in the shape of a camel is another. Specifically, this is a dromedary, the one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius), currently existing only as a domestic or feral animal, having been first domesticated in Somalia or the Arabian Peninsula about 4,000 years ago. There are two species of two-humped camels, the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) and the wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus), which until recently was assumed to have descended from feral domesticated Bactrian camels. Genetic studies have shown it to be a separate species.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Camel Pendant

Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy

Dorothy drove down for spring break with five of her friends, arriving around 11:00 last night. Today we drove up to Pennsylvania for the day. When this trip was planned they talked about camping but as the date approached it was clear that wasn’t going to be realistic. When we got there, there was about six inches of snow on the ground. We were able to get a fire going and cleared off the log benches so we could sit around it. We took a few short walks but mostly stayed close. It was cool but the sky was clear and there was no wind to speak of so it was very pleasant. Dorothy set out a beach chair and did some reading. This isn’t the stereotypical spring break but everyone seemed to have a good time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Dorothy

Waltham Crescent Street Watch

Waltham Crescent Street Watch

Waltham Crescent Street Watch

We got this watch out of the safe deposit box recently to show Cathy’s cousin and his wife. It belonged to Cathy’s grandfather, Benje’s great grandfather. It was made by the Waltham Watch Company and is a Model 1892. This is the second version of the model, with the serial number next to the barrel bridge. It’s not in perfect condition but it’s still very nice and we keep it in the safe as much to keep it from being knocked around as anything else. I believe this watch was manufactured in or around 1896, based on the serial number. Because it was made as early as that, when D. B. was only 12 years old, it may have belonged to his father before him or of course he could have bought it used.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Waltham Crescent Street Watch

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

I took a few pictures as I walked across campus to a meeting early this afternoon and then a few more on the way back. On the way over I saw a flock of native sparrows bopping around in the underbrush and took a few pictures but really they were too far away to get anything worth posting. I also took some pictures of the ripples on the stream that flows through the property. On the way back I looked for the sparrows but they seem to have moved on. There were, however, a few American robins (Turdus migratorius) pulling worms out of the grass. Although they are migratory, we have them year round here, with those that migrate from New England and Canada only making it this far south for the winter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

A Little Light Snow

A Little Light Snow

A Little Light Snow

There was snow in the forecast for this afternoon and this evening and we got it. Someone had said that we’d be getting two feet of snow, but nothing approaching that was ever in any official forecast that I saw. We got somewhere under a half inch and that only on grassy areas. The roadways we were on never had any accumulation. It’s also supposed to be colder this week, with temperatures in the mid 20s or even down into the teens one or two nights this week. The forecasters on the radio are breathlessly telling us about the “bitter cold“ weather we can expect. I’m sorry but I can’t get too exercised about temperatures around 20°F. I wouldn’t describe that as warm, of course. It’s cold, but definitely not “bitter cold.“ I’m happy with anything below zero being described as bitter. I might even grant “bitter“ status to single digit temperatures. But not low to mid twenties. Sorry.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on A Little Light Snow

House Closing

House Closing

House Closing

It’s hard to believe the day has finally arrived. Well, actually it hasn’t. The day is tomorrow but I went over to my mother-in-law’s house today to get the very last thing out (a dehumidifier from the basement) and to take one last set of pictures. I could always stop out front and take pictures but it won’t be the same. As of noon tomorrow this house will belong to new owners. We don’t know a lot about them but they sound like a nice family and they seem really excited to be moving into this house. I certainly served Cathy’s family well and was a good home for 50 years. But time marches on and things change. We’re glad it’s going to a young family and we wish them every happiness. While change can be hard, and getting to this day has been a struggle, this particular change is a blessed relief.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on House Closing

That Can’t Be Right

Flat Tire

Flat Tire

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I met some friends from work at Uncle Julio’s for happy hour. It hadn’t been a particularly happy day and I decided I would benefit from socializing as opposed to coming home and reading or more likely dwelling on my frustrations. Shortly after everyone got there my phone rang. It was Cathy saying she had a flat tire. She ended up taking an Uber to where she was going and I picked her up from there a little later.

We went to work together today and I attached a pump to the flat tire to see if it would hold air at all. Almost immediately I notice the head of a screw in the treads and figured it wasn’t worth the effort. It wasn’t going to hold air. Around lunchtime I went over to her building and put on the spare. I would normally joke that the tire was only flat on the bottom but as you can see, it held its shape pretty well. This was taken with the tire in the back of the van. I was happy to find that the spare had air.

Just one of those things.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on That Can’t Be Right

Rio Pond

Rio Pond

Rio Pond

I’m not really a big Happy Hour celebrant and I don’t do a lot with people from work outside of work hours. Nevertheless, I went out with eight others from work today and enjoyed myself. It had been a particularly rough day, with a problem on a system I’m developing that I could not figure out. It made no sense and nothing I did seemed to make any difference. Finally I gave up and figured I’d have better success looking at it again in the morning. Then I went out and took some pictures, including this one, before meeting my friends in Uncle Julio’s for an hour or so. I’m pretty pleased with this picture, showing the pond at the Rio as well as Copper Canyon Grill and various other buildings behind it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rio Pond

Frowny Face

Frowny Face

Frowny Face

This is part of the pattern on a jaguar skin that we found in my in-laws’ basement. It was in a barrel that had been sealed and managed to survive in reasonable condition. We figure that it’s been there since the mid 1960s and have no idea how long before that it was actually brought here. Cathy’s grandmother lived in Peru for many years and brought quite a few animals back as well as some furs. Among other things, she had a pet ocelot, a coatimundi, and a vicuña as well as many birds. The Coati ended up in the National Zoo, I believe. We have the skin from Perla, her pet vicu&#xn1;a. Obviously a jaguar is a whole other matter and as best we know, she never had one as a pet. I certainly isn’t something we expected to find and we’re not sure what to do with it. Since it was brought here, quite a few laws have been enacted prohibiting or limiting sale of such items. Probably most significant is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which was passed in 1973. It is “an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.” It also limits the sale of animal parts owned prior to implementation. Not that we want to sell this and it’s not really in top condition, in any case. As you can see from this picture, trade in furs of endangered species makes jaguars sad.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Frowny Face

Storage Locker

Storage Locker

Storage Locker

We have two storage lockers with things from Cathy’s mom’s house. This is the first of the two and it’s a bit disorganized. That being said, there’s a lot of stuff in there and organizing it would be a pretty big job, probably an all day job. At one point I pulled a bunch of stuff out into the hallway and put together two sets of shelves along the right hand wall. That helped because there are things that can’t really be stacked on top of and the shelf space is much more efficient for those things. That’s not to say that everything that should be on the shelves go move, of course. The boxes in the middle of this photo have books (towards the bottom) and china and other kitchen and dining ware (towards the top). There are also a few slides in boxes through the ten by ten foot room. You can see some of them in the plastic bins and also the Kodak carousels against the back wall.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Storage Locker

50 Watt LED

50 Watt LED

50 Watt LED

I mentioned recently that I’m planning to attempt to retrofit a Kodak Carousel slide projector into a slide digitizer. I’ve begun to make purchases towards that end. I already have a few projectors. The most complicated parts, which are anything to do with electronics, will be replacing the light source. The 300 watt halogen bulb is very bright and very hot. LEDs generate some heat, as well, but not as much. This is the light source I have picked. It’s 50 watts and should give me a nice, even illumination. I’ll put some pearled glass between it and the slide, to further even things out. I also bought a heat sink with an attached fan and a driver for the light that runs on household current.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on 50 Watt LED

Snow

Snow

Snow

The forecast was for snow and freezing rain overnight and the local school systems had already cancelled classes for today as early as yesterday evening. Nothing was coming down when we went to bed, just after midnight. When I got up this morning there was maybe as much as half an inch on the ground. I took a few pictures then out the front door. A little later, just before 9:00 AM, I took more pictures out the back door, including this one. By that point there was maybe a little more than two inches on the ground. By the time I’m actually posting this, about 2:00 PM, the snow has stopped falling and there is about five inches. I’m fortunate in that I can work from home without any trouble. I’d much rather take a day off and go for a walk in the snow, but they like me to work for my pay, so I work.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Snow

Petrified Wood

Petrified Wood

Petrified Wood

This fairly large chunk of petrified wood was used for many years as a door stop at my grandparents house in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and I can still see it there. When we cleaned out their house in the early 1980s, my mom took it and when we cleaned out her house last year, I did. For now, it’s on a shelf in our upstairs office, which is mostly a storage room for various things at present. We’ve slowly but surely (well, slowly, anyway) going through things and reducing the amount of stuff and this room is in pretty bad shape. If I can get my slide digitizer built and working, perhaps I can eliminate a significant amount of stuff in that room, which has all my photographs from when I bought my first camera in 1979 or so to when I switched to digital in 2003. There are also notebooks of slides from my grandfather, various boxes of negatives, and miscellaneous other items to be scanned. It isn’t going to be finished anytime soon.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Petrified Wood

Water

Water

Water

I really enjoy being around water. I especially like moving water but a still pond can also be wonderful. Moving water, though, has so much to offer. There is the texture of the surface, which is moving and yet the patterns are nearly still, frozen in shape by the rocks or logs over which it moves. There are also colors, which are sometimes quite subtle, that dance in the slight shifts of the water’s surface. And of course, there are the sounds. I love the sound of running water, which can say “cool and calm” when the stream is small, like this one, but can roar with power and fury when a larger stream or river drops over an edge. This is the small stream that passes my office building and although its bed has been altered to fit the development, the water and its movement is undiminished.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Water

Ice On My Car Window

The View Through Ice On My Car's Window

The View Through Ice On My Car’s Window

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, it rained pretty much all day yesterday after there was freezing rain the night before. Overnight the water on my car’s windows formed quite large ice crystals. They were hard to get a good picture of but I tried, anyway. The problems is the lack of contrast in the crystals. Thus picture doesn’t actually show much detail in the ice but I like the way the wet ice crystals make the view beyond the window into a somewhat abstract image.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Ice On My Car Window

Ice

Ice

Ice

We had a bit of freezing rain overnight and the trees and bushes were covered with a thin layer of ice in the morning. The local school system had a two hour delay this morning and that meant our commute was that much easier. In spite of the ice on branches and the school delay, the roads were wet but not icy. I took this photo of ice on an Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) twig next to where I parked at work. It rained pretty much all day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Ice

Beech Woods and Stream

Beech Woods and Stream

Beech Woods and Stream

It was cool but nice out today but we were indoors for most of the day. In the late afternoon I really wanted to get outdoors, at least for a little,and take a picture or two. We often walk around the block but I didn’t really want to do that. There generally isn’t much to photograph, especially this time of year, unless I’m willing to walk up into peoples’ yards and possibly lie on the ground. That’s not really my style. I suggested we drive to the other end of the neighborhood, park at the park, and walk a little ways in the woods. We went down stream to where there are two bridges crossing the streams and then back up the other side. The woods are mostly American beech (Fagus grandifolia), various species of oak (Quercus species), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), and a few maple species (Acer species). This time of year, the beeches are the most obvious because they still have leaves on them, although they are dry and pale, golden brown.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Beech Woods and Stream

Post Office Desk and Knicknacks

Post Office Desk and Knicknacks

Post Office Desk and Knicknacks

Some of the individual items in this photograph have appeared here before but I don’t think I’ve posted a picture showing the desk at large. On the left, hanging by one hand from the bookcase, is Edmund, a paper mache (a.k.a. Papier-mâché) monkey. Actually, when I asked Cathy if he had a name she said he did not. Then she said if he did it would be Edmund. Coco the stuffed baboon in 3,5, the bridal couple in 1,3, and the little blue pitcher in 2,4 have been photographed for posts before, so if they look familiar, that’s why.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Post Office Desk and Knicknacks

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver

We don’t have a lot of silver. It just isn’t “in” like it was in the past. No one cares all that much and silverware is generally not worth much (if any) more than the value of the silver it contains. The price of silver is currently at $15.61 per troy ounce (1.097143 ounces avoirdupois) and Sterling is 92.5% silver, so the price of Sterling is about $14.44 per troy ounce (or $13.16 per ounce). Not a huge amount. We use our silver for actual serving, since there isn’t much point in having it and not using it. The very ornate piece here, with the flowers on it, is a serving spoon by S. Kirk & Son and the pattern is called Repousse. Under that, with the grape vines, is a gravy ladle by ‘1847 Rogers Bros.’ The pattern is called Vintage and it was first production 1904.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Sterling Silver

Wire We Here

Miscellaneous Wire

Miscellaneous Wire

Having a small work shop in the basement, I naturally have things that I use more frequently and other things that I use less frequently. Wire is something I use less frequently, but still occasionally. It’s worth having a few gauges of wire around, both stranded and solid, as it doesn’t take up a lot of space and when you need it, you really need it. This wire dispenser sits on a shelf behind the radial arm saw, so the wire tends to get a bit of saw dust on it, but that doesn’t do it any harm. It’s a handy way to store and have wire available on those occasions when I need a little. Admittedly, that’s not very often.

I have a few plans that call for wire and I’d really like to get to them but with one thing and another, I never seem to get to them. One of them involves converting a Kodak Carouse slide projector into a slide “scanner” so I can digitize our fairly extensive collection of slides. Something like this is available commercially but $3,395 price tag put me off a little. That’s about what I spend on a car. Anyway, I have a few projectors lying around and figured it’s worth giving it a go. I don’t actually need much in the way of new wire for that project, but a little. The idea is to replace the high-power halogen bulb in the projector with an LED array and then put a diffusing screen between that and the slide. Mounting my camera with a macro lens pointing into the front of the projector, I should be able to get reasonable photos of the slides. The whole thing would be controlled with a few relays and some relatively simple code. Ask me in a year if I’ve actually gotten around to it, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Wire We Here

Table Inlay

Table Inlay

Table Inlay

Looking around for something new to photograph this evening I decided on the inlay on a small side table brought from my mother-in-law’s house. The pieces of the inlay are pretty small, mostly on the order of 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters. The table has what would be described on Antiques Roadshow as “condition issues” but they aren’t terribly obvious at a glance. Partly because there are always a few books covering them up. It could probably be repaired but it would be fiddly work.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Table Inlay

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

It was a pretty normal, overcast, somewhat dreary, winter’s day today. No rain or snow but cool and damp. The ground is completely saturated and there is some leftover snow scattered around. It’s warmer than it’s been and forecast to be in the 60s this week. This is the remains of a black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia species). We leave them through the winter for the birds, although most of them don’t get eaten by the spring. Sometimes we’ll see goldfinches (Spinus tristis) or dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis up in them, but food is never really scarce around here.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black-eyed Susan

Three (Piggy) Graces

Three (Piggy) Graces

Three (Piggy) Graces

I happened to be a few minutes early for a meeting down the hall from Cathy’s office today so I stopped in to say hello. I had brought my camera with me, as I sometimes do when walking across campus but I didn’t take any pictures on the way. As I was chatting with Cathy I decided to take a few pictures of this small figuring of the Three Graces done as pigs. As you can see, Cathy has put ribbons around their necks and one of them is wearing a fluff of some sort, which I have to assume came from Solomon (our Amazon Parrot). They are sitting on her window sill near two plastic alligators and a gecko.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Three (Piggy) Graces

Snow Squall

Snow Squall

Snow Squall

We had a little snow squall today, starting a little after noon. The temperature was above freezing when it started and when this photo was taken from my office window. The issue wasn’t really with the amount of snow that we were forecast to get, which ranged from two to four inches. The problem was that the temperature was supposed to drop to about 15°F (-9°C) and all the water and slush on the roads would freeze. When it snows at those temperatures, the snow isn’t nearly as slick as snow just below freezing. But ice is pretty slick regardless. Anyway, we’ll see what this does to tomorrows school closings. Not that we care so much about those now. The main effect they have on us is the reduction in traffic for our commute.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Snow Squall

Embroidered Pillow

Embroidered Pillow

Embroidered Pillow

How ’bout some color? This is a heavily embroidered pillow that’s in our living room. I don’t know anything about it beyond that and Cathy says it’s not old. Neither was it bought in some exotic land. Still, it’s quite pretty and in mid-winter, we can use whatever color we can find. After yesterday’s picture of witch hazel blooms, I’m a little more ready for spring. I actually prefer the cold over the heat of August, but we’re not going to do much gardening this time of year. I only took a few pictures today after taking quite a few on both Saturday and Sunday.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Embroidered Pillow

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

I posted a photo of a few old cameras recently, including a few that my mom’s father (one of my grandfathers) owned and used. In my knowing memory, however, he only ever used a Leica 35mm Rangefinder camera. When he died, his son, my uncle, inherited the camera and then when he subsequently passed away, his children let me have one of them (so I’m not sure which one this is). In any case, it’s a Leica IIIc, which was made from 1940 to 1951 and I’d guess this was from after the war. It needs a little cleaning but it’s in basically working condition. It saw a lot of use and it’s a pretty little camera which reminds me pretty strongly of my grandfather.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Leica 35mm Rangefinder Camera

Old Bibles

Old Bibles

Old Bibles

On one shelf in the basement we have a bunch of old Bibles. Some quite old. In fact, when David was working here a little over a year ago he joked that it looked like we had some first editions. They aren’t that old, of course, but they go back a ways. The one on the left in this photo, the Scofield Reference Edition, come to us by way of Cathy’s family. It appears to have been owned by Cathy’s grandmother, with the date December 25, 1919 written in the front, and with the names and birth dates of Cathy’s mom and her siblings. The second from the left is a bit of a mystery, as I don’t recognize any of the names. The two on the right come to us through my dad’s family. The one on the right has the birth dates of my great grandfather and his siblings and with a date in 1876 written in the front (although my great grandfather was a teenager by then). The one next to it, with the fancy binding decoration, has an inscription to my great grandmother from her sister, dated 1873. The one lying on top was my mom’s mother’s and is probably from the second decade of the 20th century.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Old Bibles

Turkoman Style Afghan Rug

Turkoman Style Afghan Rug

Turkoman Style Afghan Rug

I posted a photo of the hardwood floor in our living room (see Sunday, October 28, 2018 ) after I took up most of the wall-to-wall carpet in the room. I had left carpet under a bookcase, the large, console television, and the piano. Last weekend I finally got those last pieces up and put this Persian carpet down in the room. It’s from Afghanistan and was brought from my mother-in-law’s house. It looks really good and fits the room quite nicely, with the edges just under the sofa on one side and the television and one piano leg on the other. I have a small rug over one end so that it isn’t a tripping hazard while it gets itself flattened out again after being rolled up for a few months. The pattern is called Bukhara, named for the Turkoman city of the same name.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Turkoman Style Afghan Rug

Ice

Ice

Ice

It was significantly warmer today and the ice was starting to melt. I had to walk across campus to a meeting (well, I didn’t have to walk but I chose to). After the meeting I went out into the woods for a little while to take some pictures. There is a stream running through the woods and a very boggy area next to it with ice throughout. I took a few pictures of the ice, which to me looks a lot like contour maps, which I find quite beautiful. I think I’m drawn to things that are fleetingly beautiful. Their transient nature hurts because I know they will shortly be gone but perhaps that adds to their appeal at the same time. A sunset, a pattern in ice, a beautiful and dramatic sky, they all last for a moment and then are gone forever.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Ice

Freezing Pond

Freezing Pond

Freezing Pond

The temperature didn’t get as low as we had been led to believe overnight, but it was 10°F this morning, which is chilly enough. I wear a light jacket when it gets this cool out, although really what I needed was gloves. The steering wheel of the car was pretty cold. I took some pictures of the pond between my office building and the next early this afternoon. The water level has dropped a few feet from when the ice started to form, so there were large sheets of ice around the banks of the pond that were left behind as the water moved out from under them. There was also ice on branches that had been underwater but now were about a foot above. It was quite pretty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Freezing Pond

Water Freezing

Water Freezing

Water Freezing

It’s been a reasonably mile winter so far, with only a few really chilly days. The forecast had temperatures dropping this afternoon with a low in the mid single digits (Fahrenheit) tonight. In the last afternoon I went out and it was definitely colder than it had been. The standing water on the lawn in the back yard was starting to freeze and making some really pretty crystal formations. It’s not the easiest thing to photograph but I think this one shows it pretty well. This ice is very thin, less than a millimeter, but by the morning the water will almost certainly be frozen solid.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Water Freezing

Deer In The Snow

Deer Figurines in the Snow

Deer Figurines in the Snow

We’ve had a fair amount of rain lately. In fact, we had a really wet fall and winter so far. It normally rains more here in the winter months but, and I haven’t actually checked the specifics, this year seems worse than normal. There is still some snow, although the temperature has been above freezing. These two brass deer are in among Cathy’s potted plants at the top of our driveway. I like the way they are standing in the snow, looking out at the cleared portion of the drive. They seem pretty unconcerned by the cold. The forecast has a cold front moving in late tomorrow, with temperatures predicted to drop into the single digits tomorrow night.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Deer In The Snow

Nurse Doll

Nurse Doll

Nurse Doll

The original intent of this doll was that the owner could make clothes to fit it. Of course, making clothes that small is not as easy as it sounds. My mom, to whom it was given, says that it’s actually easier to make full size clothes for a person than it is to do the very fine, fiddly work necessary to make clothes for this doll. She doesn’t remember exactly when it was given to her but she knows it was when they lived in Raeford, North Carolina, where her father was the principal of the school. They were there during the second World War and her mother made this nurse’s outfit for the doll and it was displayed in a bank window along with a sign asking for donations for the Red Cross. There was a “thermometer” where they showed the amount that had been given by extending the red line up the middle. As you can see, the buttons are out of scale with the rest of the clothes, but putting scale buttons on something this small would have been pretty tricky. I know people who won’t sew buttons on full size clothes.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Nurse Doll

My Home From Home

My Temporary Office

My Temporary Office

Until the end of next week, I’ve been moved to an office in another building. I’m working with a team of programmers in this building so it makes sense, I suppose. There are times when it’s a lot more efficient to walk down the hall and discuss a change or a problem than to discuss over email or even the phone. I can connect remotely to my regular desktop computer, so I have access to my normal suite of software, including anything I’ve installed that’s non-standard at the company. It’s a pretty bare-bones office. I do sort of like the semicircular window, although the view out of it is of another building rather than the woods that I’m used to. I only expect to be here through Friday of next week, though. That is until the next time, when I get moved back here again. I don’t know if this is a subtle ploy to get me into a different group. I don’t actually think so, but you never know. Time will tell, I suppose.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on My Home From Home

Six Old Cameras

Six Old Cameras

Six Old Cameras

I don’t want to get into a debate about nature verses nurture but photography seems to be a family trait in my family. I knew my mom’s father took a lot of pictures. My parents and brothers got the bug, whether through exposure (pun intended) or a natural propensity. The six cameras show here belonged to family members, although a couple of them I know nothing about.

The camera on the right, with the red bellows, is a Kodak camera (model unknown) which belonged to my (paternal) great uncle Ralph. We have some prints (and some negatives) from this camera taken during his time at Oxford and travels through Europe, Egypt, and Palestine between 1910 and 1913. Sadly, it’s lost most of the leather covering, although I do have the very worn leather case that the camera is stored in.

The Speed Graphic, on the left, belonged to my (maternal) grandfather. I’ve used it from time to time, although it’s a lot of work. Once, when we lived in Alaska, I took multiple exposures on a single piece of film during the Independence Day fireworks display over Juneau. My father-in-law had one of these, as well, and used it in the 1950s until he recognized the advantages of speed to be had with a 35mm SLR.

There is a Univex Mercury II, which is a half-frame camera. That’s the one with the semi-circular bit on top, which made room for the circular, rotary shutter. We have quite a few slides from that, taken in the late 1940s by my grandfather. It uses a standard 35mm film canister but the images are only 18×24mm.

I don’t know much about the other three, in terms of who owned them or where they came from. They were found in basements as we cleaned out the two parental houses. There is a Bolsey Model B2 (1949 to 1956), a Spartus “35” (made by Herold Products in the late 1940s), and another folding camera, simply labeled Vario, which refers to the leaf shutter, not the camera as a whole.

I have a few more, including a panorama camera made by Eastman Kodak between 1899-1928. That’s to say nothing of the various 35mm cameras I have accumulated over the years. None of them are worth very much and almost none of them are in anything close to excellent condition.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Six Old Cameras

Kai

Kai

Kai

The local’s got together for lunch today, ahead of the winter storm that was headed our way. We had a nice time walking though the halls and enclosed, connecting breezeways between the buildings. I took a few photos of one of the long breezeways as well as some photos of mom’s artwork, on display in a case in one of the buildings. When we were back in her apartment, I took a few photos of Kai as he played with his trucks. Silas was asleep by then, so I didn’t get any of him, but I need to make a point to photograph him. He’s really getting big, sitting in a highchair at lunch.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Kai

Pennies

Pennies

Pennies

I was looking around for something to photograph today and came across a jar of coins, mostly pennies. We have a few jars like this around the house and we really should turn them in for cash and be done with it. As someone who collected coins from my youth, however, it’s hard to do that without first looking through them for old coins. When I was a kid, wheat back cents were quite common, being produced up through 1958. Starting in 1959, the obverse was changed to feature an image of the Lincoln Memorial, as you see here. I still come across a wheat cent now and then, but it’s fairly rare. They aren’t all that valuable, of course, unless they are towards the older end of the run.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Pennies

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Poinsettia (<em>Euphorbia pulcherrima</em>)

Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Margaret brought this poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) home from church last Sunday and it’s been brightening our dining room table since then. It’s a particularly nice specimen, although we’ve never had a lot of luck keeping them alive for any length of time. They need to be watered but not over watered and houseplants often struggle with the excessively dry air indoors in winter. Getting the leaves to turn colors again is enough trouble that it’s generally easier to simply get a new one each year and enjoy it while it can be enjoyed. By the way, contrary to what you might have heard, the poinsettia is only mildly toxic, although some people are sensitive to the sap and it’s not something you want to eat. But you don’t need to be terribly afraid of it, either.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Trunk Latch

Suitcase

Suitcase

Dorothy uses this trunk to keep her keepsakes. Today she went through them and got rid of some things that she decided she no longer wanted. It’s good to do that from time to time and after our experience of the last year, going through all the things at our two moms’ houses it’s something we have a little more awareness of. We also watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, which is sort of fun at the same time it’s a little terrifying and voyeuristic. Anyway, this isn’t really a suitcase, although it sort of looks like one. It’s a relatively cheap fiberboard trunk made to look like a suitcase. But I like the color and especially the metal latch.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Trunk Latch

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Well, it’s been another year. Here we are on December 31. In a few minutes it will be 2019 and we’ll all write the wrong year for a few weeks until we get used to it and can’t write anything else without concentrating.

This bottle of Champagne has been in our fridge for a while. It’s pretty sweet and has an almond flavor that’s not terrible but isn’t fabulous, either. But I thought it would make a nice New Year photo.

This is the end of my eighth year of taking at least one picture every day. That’s 2,922 days (but who’s counting?). Will I keep going in 2019? Who knows? Since I got this camera at Christmas, 2010, I’ve taken 161,548 photos on it. That’s an average of about 55 per day, although this year it’s been more like 33 per day. Even in these days of digital photos taken with our phones, I think I’m holding my own. A few of the photos are even worth remembering.

So, here’s to 2019. It’s a new year (just like every day) so make the most of it. Happy New Year.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Happy New Year

Have I Got Dogs?

Dogs

Dogs

When Dorothy was little, one of the books we got from the library that we all really enjoyed was called Have I Got Dogs! by William Cole and illustrated by Margot Apple. It’s a really fun book and we had most of it memorized, as you do with children’s books that you read over and over. Cathy happens to have a small collection of dog figurines and they are on top of a short bookcase in our sitting room. It needs to be dusted and I’m sorry for revealing that even to my very limited audience, but the dogs themselves don’t seem to mind, so why should we. My personal favorite is the dog with the bone in his mouth, just to the right of center in this photo. I also like the little fellow eating or drinking from a plate in the lower left. “Have I got dogs, pedigrees and mutts, I have so many, some people think I’m nuts” (or something to that effect).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Have I Got Dogs?

Black Rock Mill

Seneca Creek

Seneca Creek

This morning, when I went to take pictures off my camera’s memory card, it started with December 25. The last pictures on my computer had been from December 23 and for a little while I worried that I hadn’t taken any on the 24th. That wouldn’t have been the end of the world, of course, but I’ve gone nearly eight years taking at least one picture a day and I was upset to think that I might have missed a day. It turns out that the script I use to copy files started in the wrong place for some reason and I had pictures from the 24th (which I thought was the case).

I worked on Monday and again yesterday but today I decided to take the day off. Dorothy and I went to the Lancaster County Dutch Market in Germantown and then to Black Rock Mill, on Seneca Creek.

Seneca Creek

Seneca Creek

The first picture is looking downstream from the the banks of the creek, standing just below the mill. As you can see, it was a beautiful, cool day. The second picture is just a small bit of rapids in the creek. I think it’s a pretty picture and I love the colors of the water, as they tumble over a few small rocks. I took a few pictures of the mill, as well, and if you’ve never been there, it’s an interesting piece of history. There isn’t a lot to see, but the mill stone and some of the large gears are still there inside the building, which is otherwise basically an empty shell.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Persian Carpet

Persian Carpet

Persian Carpet

After we took up the wall to wall carpet in our living room, we planned to put down a large rug that was at Cathy’s mom’s house. Because I having actually finished, though, we haven’t done that yet. There is still carpet under a bookcase, the TV, and the piano. We could probably fit the rug in already, but simply haven’t done so. In the meantime, we’ve put this rug down in the middle of the room. It’s too small for the space, actually, but it keeps the coffee table from sliding on the hardwood. It’s also a very nice rug in its own right adding color to the room.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Persian Carpet

Christmas Beads

Christmas Beads

Christmas Beads

As I mentioned a little while ago, we didn’t do a lot of decorating for Christmas. We put up the artificial tree, which already has lights on it, and I put up the Peruvian nativity scene on the piano. Other than that, not much. A few days ago, Cathy and Dorothy added a little to the tree. Mostly this included garlands of sparkling tinsel and a few long strands of red and gold glass beads. This is one of the strands of gold, and I like the way it shines in the light of the tree lights. This will almost certainly be the last of my Christmas decoration pictures for the year. Tomorrow we’ll celebrate Christmas first at our house and then at mom’s apartment.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Christmas Beads

Clopper Lake, Seneca Creek State Park

Clopper Lake, Seneca Creek State Park

Clopper Lake, Seneca Creek State Park

We were out and about today. Cathy, Dorothy, and I made a trip to the Lancaster Dutch Market where it seemed half the county had gathered. In spite of the crowds, the line at the butcher was relatively short and I bought a few things. Cathy waited in the much longer line for pretzels and sausage rolls (which are the main reason we went, they are amazing). From there we drove to Seneca Creek State Park and drove through, seeing the lights that have been set up as a money maker for the park (and which we have no real desire to wait in line for after dark). I took a few pictures of Clopper Lake and like this one pretty well. I made bangers and mash for dinner, with roasted garlic and Parmesan cheese added to the mash. Comfort food.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Clopper Lake, Seneca Creek State Park

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

I went out and drove around the neighborhood late this evening to get some pictures. It was raining lightly when I went out but started raining quite hard before I got back. Mostly I took pictures of Christmas lights, sometimes holding the camera steady and other times moving it about a little during a longish exposure. This one was not blurred by movement but is focused on the driver-side window with the lights themselves out of focus, but brought somewhat into focus in the drops of rain on the glass. I also took pictures of the large, old, house in our neighborhood that was built in 1914, predating the major development by more than 50 years. Those look a bit spooky, which I like, although the house isn’t haunted, as far as I know.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Christmas Tree Lights

Christmas Tree Lights

Christmas Tree Lights

These are either Christmas tree lights or we’re making the jump to hyperspace. I’m not entirely sure which. Well I am, actually. I haven’t knowingly been in hyperspace, in months, at the very least. This is our Christmas tree. Technically it’s my mother-in-law’s tree but it’s up in our house, because she lives here now and we weren’t up to getting a live tree. We made room for it by moving the sofa over and pushing the eagle lectern against the wall. The tree has lights already on it, all white, as you can see. Also, we don’t have to keep it watered and won’t have to sweep up the needles that inevitably fall.

It doesn’t have any other decorations or ornaments on it, and that’s fine by me. I’m really not very big on decorations and the fact that the tree is up and there is a nativity scene set up on the piano is pretty radical for me. I don’t dislike Christmas, in particular. It’s more that I don’t associate the colors and decorations with the actual event being celebrated. That goes double for all the “winter holiday” type items and at least triple for anything Santa (especially red-Santa, who traditionally wears white).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Christmas Tree Lights

Peruvian Nativity Scene

Peruvian Nativity Scene

Peruvian Nativity Scene

I posted a picture of this Peruvian nativity scene last year (see: Saturday, December 23, 2017) but that was at my mother-in-law’s house. This year it’s in our living room, on top of the piano. Also, this year I confined myself to just the people and animals that actually go with the set. Last year I included two water buffaloes (one with a boy on its back), three parrots, a llama, a cow-shaped milk-pitcher, three brass monkeys (of the speak, hear, and see no evil variety), as well as various other figures. As you can see, the Pakistani Doll I photographed and posted a few weeks ago (see: Tuesday, November 27, 2018) is still on the piano.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Peruvian Nativity Scene

Safety Pins

Safety Pins

Safety Pins

This is a small box of sefety pins in our bedroom. I really like the stark, hard lines and the different colored pins, as well as the slight variations of color in the metal within each one. It’s also nice that the pins vary in size. I am thinking about making this into a jigsaw puzzle. Or maybe I’ll take another photo with more pins covering more area. I think it would be a pretty challenging puzzle, especially with our tradition of not looking at the box top once you have started the puzzle. Do you do that? We consider it cheating, but apparently a lot of folk look at the photo on the box as a matter of course. To each his own, I suppose. But in our house we follow the rules.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Safety Pins

Cookbooks

Cookbooks

Cookbooks

I know these “shelfies” aren’t really all that interesting but it’s an easy out when I haven’t taken a picture. Work continues to e quite busy and I’m finding it hard to get out during the day. That means I have to take a picture somewhere around the house in the evening, unless I happen to get a nice sunrise or sunset. This is (almost) one third of a large bookcase that I built when Cathy and I were first married and we had it in our apartment in Bethesda. Ralph had it in his basement while we lived in Alaska and while we were traveling. After we got back, I had it in our apartment and then in our two houses. It’s very sturdy, with 2×4 supports sandwiched between heavy plywood for the uprights. The shelves are fixed in terms of their location, although the whole thing comes apart for transporting. There is one more tall shelf space below the five shown here and the other two sections are basically the same as this one.

The books on all but the bottom shelf in this photo are cookery books of one sort or another. Some I use a lot, others almost never. I have pulled out some to give away and will probably get rid of some that are still here. I refer to some of these books quite regularly and others quite infrequently but most of the books have contributed at least something to my cooking know how.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Cookbooks

Watts Branch Tributary

Watts Branch Tributary

Watts Branch Tributary

This is a small tributary of Watts Branch, which comes through a culvert under West Montgomery Avenue (before it becomes Key West Avenue). On the other side of the road is a small drainage pond build for storm water management and in which there were beavers living until a few years ago. It joins a larger creek that flows through another storm water management pond between my cuilding and the rest of our company’s campus. It goes back under West Montgomery Avenue again before draining into Watts Branch near the Interstate 270 interchange.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Watts Branch Tributary

Eagle Reflections

Eagle Reflections

Eagle Reflections

It was getting late and I hadn’t taken any pictures today. I was in the living room a looking at the reflections in the corner cupboard. I posted a picture in August (see Sunday, August 26, 2018) but I thought I’d try to get a shot with a reflection of the eagle lectern this time. The lighting was the tricky part, getting enough light on the very dark wood of the eagle without getting too much on the glass itself. This one works pretty well. It doesn’t show as much of the waviness in the glass as I’d have liked, but some, anyway. I also with the wooden door frame had been in better focus. I took some with a smaller aperture but they were not as good for other reasons. It’s hard to judge these things completely on the small display screen on the back of the camera. Still, it’s better than the old days, when we had to wait to get the film back from Kodak before we knew if we had anything useful.

Also, with the cost of film and processing coming to somewhere around 20¢ per shot, we tended to be a little more careful how many photos we took. The nominal cost for a photograph now is pretty small. Od course, there’s the cost of the hard drive divided by how many photos there are but with a six terabyte drive selling for under $200, even when you consider multiple copies of a file (you do back up your files, don’t you?), the cost is less than 1¢ per photo. If you delete your bad photos, the cost goes down, of course, because the won’t have cost you anything.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Eagle Reflections

Dot’s Plate

Dot's Plate

Dot’s Plate

This is a plate that my mom made in 1955 and I’ve always loved it. She was at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She insists it wasn’t graduate school because she didn’t get a degree, but I still think of it as grad school. She had finished college and was in art school. Ceramics wasn’t her main thing, but they did a little of everything including painting and sculpture, as well. Her interests were in textiles and she did a lot of silk screening. I still have the curtains that she made and which we now use as drop cloths for painting. But this plate is, I think, really nice. I wish we had some clue about the composition of the glaze, which is lovely. We have her wheel and kiln and would really like to get around to using them again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Cathy and I went for a walk on Lake Needwood after church today. It was overcast but pleasant and we walked part way around the lake. I took this picture from near the boat house at the southeast part of the lake, looking north, more of less. The trees are bare and with the overcast sky, they looked particularly stark and gloomy. That’s not to say they aren’t beautiful, though. I think they look pretty nice. The water was quite still, also, which added to the mood.

For the few of you who follow me here, I apologize for the brief hiatus. My main workstation has four hard drives (including a relatively small boot SSD). Two of them, one 5TB and the other 6TB are dedicated to photographs. Unfortunately, I have a lot of photographs and they two drives are full. That kept me from being able to “process” my photographs for about 10 days (not that I rushed to rectify that matter, of course). I ordered another 6TB drive so I should be set for a while now.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

Doors Closing

Doors Closing

Doors Closing

Cathy and I went to the storage unit today to pick up a few things, mostly related to Christmas—nativity scenes, tree decorations, the tree itself— and I decided to take a picture of the automatic doors closing. There is a slight delay after they open (which is nice, because it gives you time to get through them) and then they close. I set the camera to f/22, which gave it an exposure of 0.8 seconds at ISO 100. I moved close enough to trigger the door opening sensor, and then quickly moved back to the wall opposite and positioned the camera against the wall, with the bottom edge sitting on a piece of molding. That allowed me to hold the camera fairly steady for the long exposure. I tried opening them by voice command but all I got back was, “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Doors Closing

Pakistani Doll

Pakistani Doll

Pakistani Doll

This doll was found at some point in the process of clearing out my in-laws house. It has a tag on it that says “Pakistan” so I assume it’s a Pakistani doll, although someone who actually knows these things might say differently. My assumption is that it was labeled by whoever bought it.

Anyway, it’s a little misshapen. Somewhere along the way it seems to have been subject to either excessive heat or pressure or possibly both. The neck is bent into a somewhat unnatural angle the left arm and wrist are effectively broken and the “bones” fused back together with the arm bent twice into a 30° angle or so. Also, the joints, which appear to have been functional at one time, are “calcified” and won’t move. It’s a pretty doll, otherwise, but the angle of the head, in particular, is a bit disturbing.

She is currently standing on the piano but she moves around a bit (not on her own, as far as I know) and she’s been seen lying along the top of the piano and on bookcases, etc. around the house.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Pakistani Doll

Manor Run

Large Rock in Manor Run

Large Rock in Manor Run

After dropping off the Operation Christmas Child boxes we went to the library to return some books and to get a few more. Then because it was such a beautiful day, we decided to take a walk in the park. We drove to the parking area at the park so that half our walking wouldn’t be on neighborhood streets and we could get into the woods right away. It’s been quite rainy this fall and the trail was muddy in places but we managed to get through without getting too wet. I brought my camera, of course and took a fair number of pictures. This large rock on the side of Manor Run marks the spot where you can cross. Just downstream from here the stream is shallow and there are rocks that you can cross on. I think this picture turned out well. As we went around the rock there were three deer grazing and I got some pictures of them, as well. They kept an eye on us but didn’t seem particularly alarmed. We got within about 20 feet of them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Manor Run

Plate of Many Faces

Plate of Many Faces

Plate of Many Faces

We don’t really know much about this plate. It appears to be Japanese, although we don’t actually know where it was produced. We also don’t know how old it is. This is not the whole plate, clearly, but a detail of the center, not quite reaching the edges in the corners of the image. There is a style called “Thousand Faces” and when you search on that, you find a few images that look a bit similar to this but for the most part, that seems to indicate a very particular style (or possibly two styles). Some show many fewer faces than this plate and only perhaps a dozen faces, so I’m not sure where the name comes from. Others fit the name better but not as well as this one, perhaps. On the other hand, this may not be particularly old and doesn’t even qualify as anything in particular. It is nice, though, and I like the fact that most (if not all) of the people depicted are different from one another. In any case, that’s what I have for today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plate of Many Faces

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

About two weeks ago I posted a photo of Lake Needwood that was fairly popular among my small circle of followers. In that photo, the fall color was a day or two short of peak. As usual, the best fall color doesn’t last very long and now, the majority of trees are completely bare. Many of the oaks in the woods are still holding onto their leaves but they have turned from rusty red to dingy brown. The beach trees often keep some leaves over the winter and they turn a beautiful copper color, but it’s nothing like the reds, oranges, and yellows of peak autumn. Some trees still haven’t started to turn or have only just started, so there will be occasional trees yet to enjoy. There are some sweet gums near work that I’m still looking forward to in their deep burgundy red glory. I stopped at Lake Needwood again this morning and it was dreary and overcast. But the skeletal trees were quite beautiful in the quiet of morning. I also startled a flock of at last 15 bluebirds that were gathered in the branches of a bald cypres, with its leaves all turned a pale orange. A fifteen minute walk by the lake is a pretty good way to start the day. I need to do that more often.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some Books

Two Shelves of Books

Two Shelves of Books

As I mentioned in the text on the recent photo of my reading room, I need to organize the books. We’ll, I’ve begun the process and I have a feeling it’s going to be something of an iterative process and will take a while. There’s no perfect organizational structure and since this is my library, I figure I can organize it in a way that makes sense to me. I started with easier sections, because they’re easier. I have a shelf for Shakespeare, another for poetry (with one book of Shakespeare’s poetical works there, instead of with his plays). There is a shelf for textbooks (some of which we’ll probably get rid of), four shelves of cook books, three shelves of “classic” fiction, where the stories need to have been written at least 100 years old to qualify. In this photo are two shelves that are not really quite complete. The books on the right end of the upper shelf are fourteen of my nineteen Kipling books, more books by a single author than anyone but the Bard of Avon (and copies of the Bible, which is sort of a different category). I’m a big Kipling fan and while I don’t have all of his works, I’ve enjoyed what I do have.

At the left on the lower shelf are almost all of my Modern Library books (War and Peace is too tall for that shelf). Those include older works from Homer, Plato, and Herodotus through Roman Tacitus and up to relatively recent including another Kipling (Kim) and the poems of Robert Frost and The African Queen by C. S. Forester. To the right of that are Pinguin Classics including some Greek plays, Dante, and The Song of Roland. It’s a mishmash and as I said, it may not be the final grouping. But it’s a start.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)

Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)

Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)

I was a bit surprised this afternoon to see this butterfly and was happy to be able to get close enough for a pretty good photograph. It turns out that the commas overwinter as adults and they can be seen on warmer days, such as today. The name comes from a curved, comma shaped mark on the underside of their hind wings. Another species in the genus has a question mark (and therefore is called the question mark instead of a comma). It’s a pretty little thing and it really brightened up my day to come across it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)

My New Reading Room

My New Reading Room

My New Reading Room

The room isn’t new, of course, but it’s been in the process of becoming my reading room for about 10 months. There were piles of boxes in it and not a lot of space until recently. There are three full and one half height bookcase on the right, five full height against the far wall, and another full and half height on the left wall (off the left side of this photo). Behind where I’m standing is another bookcase that’s the equivalent of three more full height bookcases). The sofa in the lower left, along with most of what’s on it and the wooden chairs in the lower right are all destined to go away. I may get a more comfortable small sofa or futon at some point but the three arm chairs are enough for now. The books need to be organized, of course, and there are going to be at least a few that I get rid of once I see what’s what. But it’s coming along.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on My New Reading Room

Porcelain Rhinoceros

Porcelain Rhinoceros

Porcelain Rhinoceros

We don’t know a lot about this porcelain rhinoceros. In fact, I don’t know for certain that it’s made of porcelain. It’s some sort of ceramic and it’s white, which generally implies kaolin clay and porcelain. It’s glazed mostly green and it has an interesting pattern in the glaze, possibly from the firing technique. It gives the figurine a more natural appearance, because rhinoceroses are not a uniform color (or course, they aren’t green, either, but that’s another matter). There are currently five extant species of rhinoceros, two native to Africa (the white and the black rhino) and three to Asia, the Indian, the Javan, and the Sumatran rhinos. I’m going to go with this being an Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and guess that the figurine came from central Asia somewhere, but of course it could easily have been bought in the United States.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Porcelain Rhinoceros

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Recently the section of Needwood Road that crosses Lake Needwood was repaved. While they were at it, they repaired and widened the bike and pedestrian path where it crosses the lake. Unfortunately, someone in Park and Planning decided that this park was too nice to allow people to easily enjoy it, so they did away with nearly all the parking that existed previously. They put up guard rails on both sides that don’t let you get your car off the road but they did more than protect cars where the road is above th elake. I don’t want to assume malice when stupidity is to blame, but someone clearly wasn’t thinking. I parked as close to the lake as I could and walked the rest of the way this morning. The water was as still and smooth as glass and the sky was beautiful with scattered clouds. The trees have not quite reached their peak color but it won’t be more than a day or two more. Then they will quickly lose their leaves and the autumnal display will be done.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

Punkin Head Scarecrow

Punkin Head Scarecrow

Punkin Head Scarecrow

When I cut down the tree in the front yard I left a tall stump. I cut it down fairly high so I’d be sure the height of the tree wouldn’t reach the driveway. I actually cut it higher than I should have done and it would have been a lot easier if I cut it about a foot and a half lower. Nevertheless, there’s a five foot stump in the front yard. It wasn’t long before I came up with the idea of dressing it up for Halloween. So, I took a length of wood and screwed it down on the stump with my jacket on it. I added some old work gloves and a pair of jeans that should have been thrown away but were not for some reason (or more likely for no reason). On Sunday I bought a pumpkin and last night I carved it. This morning I found some red Christmas lights and put them in side, adding a hole in the back of the head for the cord.

I took a few pictures this morning but I really wanted to get pictures at dusk, so the light in the face would stand out a bit more. I brought the pumpkin back inside for the day to keep it safe. Unfortunately, I didn’t say anything about that and Cathy put it outside later this morning. When she got home a few hours later, the squirrels had found it and chewed its face pretty badly. The hat helps hide some of the damage but he looks a bit like he’s been punched in the mouth. But I’m still pretty pleased with how it turned out. I’m not a big holiday decorator, so this is a big deal for me. Of course, punkin head is a name that my dad used for my brothers and me and that I used for Dorothy, so now there’s a punkin head in the front yard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Punkin Head Scarecrow

Hardwood Floors

Hardwood Floors

Hardwood Floors

For a while now we’ve talked about taking up the old carpets in our living room. It’s something that you can’t really do a little at a time. Well, you could but it would be a bother. That being said, I didn’t really finish today. I got most of the carpet up in the living room but the carpet under the piano and the old console TV is still there and I haven’t touched the dining room, which has the same carpet. I really didn’t know what to expect in terms of the condition of the floor but I figured it would need at least some work. What you are seeing here is the living room floor after it’s simply been swept. It really doesn’t need any work at all. We plan to put the rug from Cathy’s mom’s living room down here and that will look great, too, of course. But for now, I’m enjoying the bright, shiny wood.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Hardwood Floors

Blue Glass

Blue Glass

Blue Glass

Today was another day when I didn’t really get a chance to get outdoors and by the time I was home it was too dark for much photography in the yard. I looked around for things to photograph in the house and found a few things that were a bit interesting. This blue glass vase is nice. The picture is close enough to it that it’s more an abstract image than anything specific. I love deep blues and in fact I like most colors when they are really deep and rich like this. The darkening sky at dusk, the deep orange or red of a brilliant sunset, all the varied greens on a rainy day in the woods, even some peoples’ eyes. Color is all around and it’s really something to be thankful for.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Blue Glass

Split Logs

Split Logs

Split Logs

I’ve managed to deal with most of the wood from the Colorado spruce tree I cut down on October 6 and that I’ve had pictures of burning on on October 19 and October 10. Today I split up the rest of the logs from the trunk, not counting the part of the trunk that’s still attached to the roots. I cut it off fairly high and I’m planning to leave that at least through the end of the month because I can decorate it as a scarecrow of some sort for Halloween. But these are the logs I split today. I had cut them fairly long and they are pretty knotty, so it was a bit of work. On the one hand, I’m sort of getting too old for that sort of thing. On the other, if I did that every day or two I’d probably feel quite a bit younger in a hurry.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Split Logs

Fire

Fire

Fire

I burned more wood today from the Colorado spruce that I cut down on October 6. I took pictures both when it was in full flame and ffter it had burned down a bit and was mostly embers, but still quite hot. I really love watching the movement in a fire. The movement of the air as it is heated to a shimmering temperature as well as the movement of the flames themselves and the occasional movement of the wood, as it settles. I also love watching the changing colors. The bright orange and the even brighter white of intense flame. The cool blue of the white ashes as seen under a star lit sky. Of course, like many things that are enjoyable to watch, the fleeting nature of fire adds to its appeal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Fire

Square Peg, Round Hole

Square Peg, Round Hole

Square Peg, Round Hole

Cathy’s mom got this in the mail today. A lot of organizations send out solicitations for donations and some of them send “gifts” to entice potential donors. In this case, it was a Catholic charity of one sort or another and their “gifts” was a small, wooden crucifix. It came in a foam board with two places cut out to hold the two parts, the cross itself and the base. They obviously went to a lot of trouble to cut the foam to fit the pieces and they also seem to have gone to a fair amount of trouble in making the pieces themselves. The base, for instance, has a nice chamfer all the way around and the tenon on the end of the cross has been very carefully cut. Perhaps the two parts were made by different groups and they didn’t communicate the plans or perhaps no one happened to actually try to put them together. Whatever the case, we ended up with a very nice example of trying to put a square peg into a round hole. Now that I think about it, sometimes I feel like I’m the square peg an the world is full of round holes.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Square Peg, Round Hole

Bride and Groom

Bride and Groom

Bride and Groom

These little metal bride and groom figurines were in my mom’s house and Cathy liked them, along with another man and woman who are sitting on a park bench. They are now being displayed in the post office that we brought from her mom’s kitchen and is in our sitting room upstairs now. Most of the cubbies are not filled but Cathy plans to move a bunch of things from the old desk that’s also in that room. Once she’s moved them, the desk is to be moved out, which will give some room back to the room. As for this old couple, they are a little worse for the wear, but then, aren’t we all. They’re still together after all these years, though, and that’s something to celebrate.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bride and Groom

St. Rose of Lima

St. Rose of Lima

St. Rose of Lima

I had a dentist appointment today so I was up north of Gaithersburg this morning. After I was done there, I cut trough the woods on Game Preserve Road to Clopper Road. I stopped briefly at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and took some photos in their graveyard, including this one of cross shaped markers seen here against the white of the church building. This is the older part of the graveyard and includes members of the Clopper family, after whom the road was named. This road, although not in West Virginia, is reputed to be the inspiration for Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert who wrote Take Me Home, Country Roads and then finished it with John Denver, who recorded it in 1971.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on St. Rose of Lima

Fire

Fire

Fire

I released a few pounds of carbon into the atmosphere from the logs in which it had been sequestered (i.e. I burned the logs). This is part of the tree that I cut down on Saturday and I only burned one large batch today. It’s a little too warm to be having a fire but the weather is suppose to change later this week and it’s forecast to be cooler, so I’ll probably burn more over the weekend. One of my favorite things about having a fire is watching the sparks above the flames. They are, of course, very transient and you don’t get a lot of time to watch any one spark. Trying to get a picture that captures the movement as well as the transient nature is tricky because the only significant light is from the fire itself but above the fire, where the sparks are there isn’t nearly so much light. I think this one does a reasonable job and I like it well enough.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Fire

Monarch and Bumblebee

Monarch and Bumblebee

Monarch and Bumblebee

I know I posted a photo of a monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) recently but I sort of like this photo of a monarch sharing a coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) with an eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens), so here you are. This was taken in the same garden as the former and like that one it was in the afternoon when the shade of the building was on it, so it isn’t as well lit as I would like.

I walked around the small pond next to my building and saw lots of raccoon footprints in the fresh mud. I took some pictures of those and also of some skippers, a cabbage white (Pieris rapae) and a pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monarch and Bumblebee

Tree Felling

Felled Colorado Spruce

Felled Colorado Spruce

I finally got around to cutting down the dead or nearly dead Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) in our front yard today. I took both before and after pictures and I may put two together into an animated sequence that switches back and forth between the before and after. For now, this is (obviously) the “after” picture. I cut the tree off fairly far up the trunk to be sure it wouldn’t reach the driveway. I could probably have cut it a bit lower and it would have been easier, but I got it down without incident. Since then (I’m writing this on Wednesday, October 11) we’ve cut and dealt with most of the branches although the standing trunk is still there and about 8 feet of felled trunk is still lying next to it. I took one van load to the dump and I’ve burned four wheel barrow loads. I still haven’t decided what I’ll plant in its place or even how much effort I’ll put into dealing with the stump and roots.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tree Felling

Nuristan Chest

Nuristan Chest

Nuristan Chest

This is one of two wooden chests that were in Cathy’s mom’s house that are from the Nuristan province of Afghanistan. This is the larger and less-fine of the two. It’s old, although we don’t really know how old, and it’s fairly “weathered” or worn. This is a detail, obviously, showing some of the carving on the front of the chest. There are two squares like this on the front with a design that I think of as a sort of fleur-de-lis, although I don’t really know what it’s meant to be. The lid to the chest has no hinge and simply lifts off. There is a metal chain and hasp that can be locked.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Nuristan Chest

Black Silk Stove Polish

Black Silk Stove Polish

Black Silk Stove Polish

How often do you polish your stove? Here’s what you need. I’m pretty glad that I don’t have to cook on a wood stove or in a wood fired oven. That being said, there’s something nice about a wood oven in a large, country kitchen. I’m not sure that I’d appreciate it so much if I had to polish it, though. Note that this product has a warning on the side that says, “CAUTION: This polish contains naphtha, unsafe when exposed to heat or fire.” That’s certainly a worthwhile caution. Make sure the stove is cool before using.

Here’s an interesting exercise. Can you name three words that are pronounced differently when they are capitalized as a proper noun? One, obviously, is polish/Polish, with the capitalized version being the adjective related to or the language of Poland. I know of two other such words.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Silk Stove Polish

Widewater Sluice

Widewater Sluice

Widewater Sluice

As mentioned in the previous post, we went for a walk on the C&O Canal this afternoon. It was raining very lightly as we walked out from the parking lot across from Old Angler’s Inn and up to Widewater. This is a sluice used to drain the canal when necessary, about half way up the Widewater section of the canal. There is a footbridge over the section of water and you can just make out the sluice in the center of this photo. After this was taken the rain started coming down quite hard so we made our way back to the car and were quite drenched by the time we got there. But it was really lovely being outdoors and not too hot.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Widewater Sluice

Callicarpa americana (Beautyberry)

Callicarpa americana (Beautyberry)

Callicarpa americana (Beautyberry)

The American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) in our back yard is covered with purple berries. The blooms are pretty insignificant but the berries are quite striking. There are some beetles that I see on it occasionally but today there were none that I could find. I also took some pictures of the rose growing outside our front door as well as some glass fish-net floats in a bowl on the stone table, also outside our front door. Technically, this is a weed, as we didn’t plant it, but I don’t mind it where it is and it’s not terribly aggressive, so I’ll leave it to grow in peace.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Crap Aftershave

Crap Aftershave

Crap Aftershave

Seriously, would you buy an aftershave called “Crap”? I mean, what would you expect it to smell like? I understand, it’s meant to be a reference to craps, the betting game played with a pair of dice. But really, an aftershave, which is meant to evoke a mood by way of an odor, using the name crap? I don’t think so. But apparently someone thought this was a good idea and got it all the way through the corporate process to a finished product. We found this in the back of the closet in Cathy’s parents’ house. I’m not going to comment on the fact that someone obviously bought this. I should also note that it doesn’t appear to have been used. Anyway, maybe it doesn’t smell as bad as it sounds.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Crap Aftershave

Black-and-Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia)

Black-and-Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia)

Black-and-Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia)

Beside the hose faucet on the front of our house is a largish spider web. It’s been there for quite some time and I took a picture of this lady a few weeks ago. She was much smaller then and I might have thought it was a different spider, except Cathy’s been watching her, every time she uses the hose. Needless to say, she comes in from the other side and does her best to keep her distance. The spider, a black-and-yellow argiope (Argiope aurantia), is a good inch or more in length, not counting her legs. She’s a beauty, don’t you think?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Black-and-Yellow Argiope (Argiope aurantia)

Green Ceramic Frog

Green Ceramic Frog

Green Ceramic Frog

This little green, caramic frog is sitting on our piano. I’m not sure exactly where it came from. Cathy probably knows but I haven’t bothered to ask. It probably showed up in a box at her mom’s house sometime in the last nine months. I don’t remember when it appeared on the piano, but there it is. As you may be able to see, it’s front left leg has been broken. It doesn’t affect the frogs ability to hop, though. That’s mostly because ceramic frogs don’t move very much, I suppose.

Categories: Creatures, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Green Ceramic Frog

House For Sale

House for Sale

House for Sale

We’ve been putting a lot of time into getting this house ready to sell. The first step, which didn’t actually affect this house, was getting out house ready for Cathy’s mom to move in with us. Then we she moved in January (with a lot of help from our friends). From them to now there have been many, many days of going through and sorting, trips to the dump, to the thrift store, to our storage units, things brought to our house, two more truck rentals, piano movers, visits from family members, some dot insignificant renovations, lots of cleaning, floor refinishing, painting, yard work, and more. I’ve posted pictures of some of those things (see the list below) but I’ve also posted pictures of some of the many interesting things we’ve found (too many to list below). This week, the house officially went on the market and (as I write this, was open on both Saturday and Sunday, with significant interest). We’re in the home stretch (if you’ll pardon the pun) and really looking forward to turning our attention to the boxes that got moved without really being looked through as well as starting to deal with things like photographs and other documents that need more careful examination.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on House For Sale

Purdah Screen

Purdah Screen

Purdah Screen

I posted a photo of a purdah screen back in 2015 (see Friday, November 20, 2015) but thought I’d share a detail of another one today. This is a fancier screen than was shown then and one of two that we have in our living room with the same pattern. These two are not in as good condition as the one shown in the photo from 2015, but I really love the patina of the old wood and the puzzle-like intricacy of the pieces making up the central design. As noted with the older photograph, the outer rails and stiles of these tessellated screens are held together with mortise and tenon joints but they are held together without any other fasteners or glue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Purdah Screen

Huberd’s Shoe Grease

Huberd's Shoe Grease

Huberd’s Shoe Grease

In general, old stuff like this isn’t really worth keeping. We’ve thrown away old tins and boxes and bottles of stuff that are either unidentifiable or dried out or gone bad. But sometimes the packaging is just classic. After a very quick searched I found that Huberd’s Shoe Grease is still available and the cans are only slightly different to this one, which probably dates to the 1960s. The new cans say “Original” at the top and have the URL for their web site (http://www.huberds.com). Also, new cans come in 1 pound (454 gram) and 7.5 ounce (213 gram) sizes, compared to this old one, which only has 7 ounces. From their web site:

A. E. Huberd founded his shoe grease company in McMinnville Oregon in 1921. In his workshop, A. E. concocted a beeswax and pine-tar formula that he introduced to logging camps and sold to lumberjacks. The lumbermen throughout the region helped Mr. Huberd improve his formula, build his customer base, and establish a thriving manufacturing company. Huberd’s products are made much the same way today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Huberd’s Shoe Grease

A Little More Furniture

Rental Truck Filled With Furniture

Rental Truck Filled With Furniture

We rented a truck today for the third time this year. The first time was on Saturday, January 6, when we moved Margaret from her house to ours. That was mostly her bedroom furniture and boxes of the things she’ll need here at our house. The second was on Tuesday, July 24 to move a bunch more furniture that we will either keep ourselves or get rid of more carefully (i.e. sell rather than give away). Today we moved furniture that was to be given away. We filled a 16-foot truck pretty full and took it to A Wider Circle (http://awidercircle.org/). They took most of what we brought, leaving us with just a few of the things to dispose of (when furniture isn’t good enough for charity, it’s time for the dump). There’s still more at the house, of course. Mostly things that will go directly to the transfer station, either metal (shelves, a dryer, a refrigerator, etc.) or trash (particle board cupboards that don’t last and aren’t really worth anything).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on A Little More Furniture

Cleome and Black-eyed Susan

Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’

Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’

We really should plant more of this. The pink flowers in the foreground are Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’ and they really are lovely. They also bloom pretty much continuously all summer and well into the fall. We have just a few plants growing in a container on the back patio. They are pretty much overwhelmed by the yellow of the black-eyed Susans that are all around. I think if we had a larger container or two filled with Cleome, it would be pretty nice. I should make a point of buying a few packets of next year and getting them started early.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cleome and Black-eyed Susan

Repaired Drinking Glass

Repaired Drinking Glass

Repaired Drinking Glass

We live in a throw away society. In some respects, that’s a sad thing. In general, the quality of some products is pretty low and their useful lifespan is pretty short. People aren’t going to be taking their grandparents’ Ikea furniture to Antiques Roadshow to be appraised by the Keno brothers of the future. On the other hand, this also speaks of unprecedented relative wealth, created by a free market system. Competition has improved quality and reduced cost so much that if a glass breaks, we don’t think twice about throwing it away and getting a new one. That hasn’t always been the case. This glass was broken over 50 years ago when Cathy’s family lived in Kabul, Afghanistan. Rather than throw it away, it was repaired. The pieces of glass had small holes drilled in them, the pieces were glued back together, and metal staples were glued into the holes to add the needed strength to hold the pieces together. Pretty remarkable and something of a glimpse into a different world.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Repaired Drinking Glass

Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Lectern Eagle’s Talons

I’ve posted pictures of this eagle lectern twice before, once on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 and then again on Thursday, January 04, 2018. The first of those is quite similar to this picture, I’m afraid, but it was long enough ago that I’m doubtful that many who are following me now will remember. The other, a picture of the body of the eagle, is more recent. I also took a few pictures of what we assume was an award that was given to my great uncle Ralph. At least it has a brass plaque on the front with his name on it. It doesn’t say what it was for and it may have been some sort of retirement memento. We also are not sure what it is. It appears to be an electronic tuning fork, but we don’t really know. I’ve been meaning to fiddle around with it and see what I can make it do. But as a photograph, it just wasn’t interesting enough so you get a repeat of the wooden eagle talons.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

This evening I was sitting in the living room and notices the reflection of our curtains in the corner cabinet. I don’t know how old the cabinet is but the glass in the doors is not very flat. The reflections were showing a fair amount of distortion and I decided to see if I could capture it in a photograph. Reflections are sometimes tricky, especially when you add flash into the equation, which I did on this occasion. The flash needs to aim both at the reflective surface, to give a little light to the wood around the glass, and to the object being reflected, so it shows up in the picture. I think this one balances them pretty well. Another issue is focus, because you have to decide to focus on the reflected image, which in this case was more than twice the distance from the camera to the glass. In this case, I got the wood of the corner cabinet in sharp focus and the curtains are a little soft. Since they are so distorted, I don’t think that matters too much. There are a few yellow spots at the top of the curtains and it took me a moment to figure out where they were coming from. Those are specular reflections off of the brass curtain rings.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections

China Clipper Model, BWI Airport

China Clipper Model, BWI Airport

China Clipper Model, BWI Airport

I drove out to BWI Airport this morning to pick up Margaret, who returned today from Chicago. I had a little time after I parked so I walked to the international terminal at the end of the building. I’m not sure why but the area was practically deserted. I took a few pictures of this model of The China Clipper (NC14716). The original was built for Pan American Airways by the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland. Per Wikipedia, “In 1961, the Martin Company merged with American-Marietta Corporation, a large sand and gravel mining company, forming Martin Marietta Corporation. In 1995, Martin Marietta merged with aerospace giant Lockheed to form the Lockheed Martin Corporation.” The China Clipper flew the first commercial transpacific airmail service from San Francisco to Manila in 1935. It was lost in a crash on January 8, 1945 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on China Clipper Model, BWI Airport

Fifth Asian Games Palm Leaf Fan

Fifth Asian Games Palm Leaf Fan

Fifth Asian Games Palm Leaf Fan

In 1966, Cathy’s family lived in Bangkok, Thailand. In December of that year the fifth Asian Games, also known as V Asiad, were held there. While going through things from her mom’s house, we found a fan of woven and dried palm leaves, dyed green and pink, with a sticker commemorating the games. The sticker says, “Fifth Asian Games, Ever Onward, Bangkok 1966” surrounding a red sun (the official logo of the games) and with twenty interlocking yellow circles. Interestingly, the logo displayed on the Wikipedia page for the even only has eleven circles and they are blue but all the commemorative coins I’ve found photos of have twenty. Not sure what the deal is with that.

We also have a few t-shirts, souvenirs from both the 1966 games and from the sixth Asian Games, held in 1970, also in Bangkok, Thailand. According to Wikipedia, &#201c;Originally Seoul, South Korea was selected to host the 6th Games but it declined due to both financial reasons and security threats from neighboring North Korea but eventually the city finally hosted in 1986. Previous host Thailand stepped in to save the Asiad. A total number of 2,400 athletes, coming from 18 countries, competed in this Asiad.”

One interesting thing about this fan is the mistake in the weaving. Can you spot it? Once you see it, you cannot not see it, I’m afraid.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Asian Games Palm Leaf Fan

Calcite Crystal

Calcite Crystal

Calcite Crystal

In the process of going through things at mom’s, I spent some time looking through a bunch of rock. I’m not sure what it is about rocks and our family, but it seems we all have a rock collection of some description. Mom also had some rocks and minerals that had been her fathers, including this large calcite crystal. A large section of the crystal is opaque but the left side as shown here is mostly transparent. Calcite crystals have an interesting optical property called birefringence, that is, they have a double refraction, causing two images of any items viewed through the crystal. As you can see here, the word Library (on a Modern Library copy of The Aeneid) is duplicated when viewed through the crystal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Calcite Crystal

Corgi Toys Marcos 3 Litre

Corgi Toys Marcos 3 Litre

Corgi Toys Marcos 3 Litre

I didn’t have any pictures today so I looked around for something to photograph. I have this little, yellow, model car that has been one of two sports cars I’ve owned over the years. I’m not saying that these are models of cars that I’ve actually owned. It’s the models that I’ve owned. The other is an old Jaguar XJ-S that was originally silver but I very carefully repainted a deep, lustrous green. This car, also British, could use a coat of paint. Somehow this is more in keeping with our current fleet, however. Our newest car is 13 years old, our middle car can vote, and our oldest can drink. They have a combined mileage of over 650 thousand miles. That’s not counting the miles on this little baby.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Corgi Toys Marcos 3 Litre

Book of the Black Bass

Book of the Black Bass

Book of the Black Bass

The Book of the Black Bass, by James A. Henshall, M.D., was first published in 1881. The Preface to the 1881 edition includes begins as follows:

This book owes its origin to a long-cherished desire on the part of the author, to give to the Black Bass its proper place among game fishes, and to create among anglers, and the public generally, an interest in a fish that has never been so fully appreciated as its merits deserve, because of the want of suitable tackle for its capture, on the one hand, and a lack of information regarding its habits and economic value on the other.

Cathy came across this 1904 edition in her parents’ basement and we decided to keep it, as much for its lovely cover as for it’s fascinating contents. Although this is the 1904 edition, it’s actually from the eighth printing, in 1915. It details, of course, the largemouth and smallmouth bass, Micropterus Salmoides and Micropterus dolomieu, respectively. According to Britanica, there are “about six species” in the genus while Wikipedia claims 14 recognized species. Regardless, it’s the largemouth bass that I’m most familiar with, having them in our pond in Pennsylvania. I’ve only caught smallmouth bass when traveling, most notably in the lakes of east central Ontario.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Book of the Black Bass

Horseshoe and Spikes

Horseshoe and Spikes

Horseshoe and Spikes

At the top of our driveway Cathy had a few potted plants. Well, I say a few but there are quite a lot, really. It’s actually a nice garden and since we aren’t going to be putting our car in the garage in any case, it doesn’t really matter that it’s blocking them out. On occasion I’ve had to move a few plants just to get something large in or out but generally there’s enough of a path for that. In addition to the plants there are a few “ornaments” of one kind or another. I don’t recall where this horseshoe came from, or the iron spikes, for that matter. I particularly like their color when they are wet from the rain.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Horseshoe and Spikes

I’d Rather Be Fishing, Part 2

Fishing Lure Hooks

Fishing Lure Hooks

The other day I posted a picture of dad’s jon boat on the roof of my van. These are the hooks of some fishing lures, also my dads. When mom and I were cleaning out the garage I came across dad’s old fishing vest. The mice or squirrels had gotten to it first and much of it was shredded. There were some lures in the pockets, though, and a few weights. I took them before putting the remains of the vest into the garbage. This evening I was looking at them and remembering fishing with my dad. I didn’t really have the patience for fishing that he had but I think I’ve gained some over the years. The thought of sitting by a lake or river or sitting in a boat with nothing going on except the occasional cast and even more occasional bite sounds really good now.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on I’d Rather Be Fishing, Part 2

I’d Rather Be Fishing

Jon Boat On The Van

Jon Boat On The Van

There have been many loads of things taken from my mom’s house over the last couple months. Most of them went by minivan, either hers or mine, with the exception of her actual move, when things went in a moving truck. There are two things that can’t be fit into our vans, however. One of them is a small, utility trailer. I plan to put the tiller on that so although that’s two items, it will be moved as a unit. I hope to tackle that in a week or so. The other item is this Sears, aluminum jon boat. I don’t remember when dad bought it but it’s been at least 50 years, probably closer to 55. It’s a bit battered and the wooden transom is rotting out. But it’s sea worthy (or at least pond worthy) and I wouldn’t mind taking it out for a weekend and just fishing for a while. for me, the part of fishing from a boat that I don’t like is being out in the sun, so maybe I’ll wait for an overcast day. That or cooler weather, anyway. I haven’t fished in years and I think it’s time I did. I also have a few of dad’s rods, reels, and various other accoutrements. All I need is a license and a day off. Soon. Very soon. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, that’s not my real license plate number.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on I’d Rather Be Fishing

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Cathy, Dorothy, and I went for a drive this afternoon, going to a pond near Sunset Beach where we’ve seen alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). There was one close to the shore and I got a few pictures of it along with some water turtles. Then we drove back onto the island and to the east end, where I got some nice pictures of this great egret (Ardea alba) wading in the tidal marsh and finding fish in the shallows. We also walked on the beach at that end of the island and enjoyed the wind and the deeply colored, wine dark sea.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Furniture Moving

China Cabinet

China Cabinet

We moved a bunch of furniture today. After work, Cathy and I picked up a rental truck and she followed me to her mom’s house. A half dozen guys came and helped load two china cabinets, a dining room table and chairs, various chests and other furniture into the truck. As we were on our way to the house it poured rain but by the time we were loading the truck it was mostly finished, which was good because most of the furniture was wood. Once we had it all loaded we all drove to our house and the same guys helped unload it and get it set up here. We’re replacing our current dining room table and chairs with the one we brought over and we’ve put two china cabinets in our dining room. The one shown here is the larger of the two, a fairly heavy piece that just fit in the height of the room. These two cabinets along with a glass front cabinet that we have been using (the so-called Uncle Ralph cabinet), there’s probably too much furniture in the room now, but we’ll deal with that when we have the time. I was really grateful for the help we received this evening and it was good to see folks, as well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Furniture Moving

Malachite and Azurite

Malachite and Azurite

Malachite and Azurite

I think I mentioned before that my great grandfather was a miner in Nevada in the late 19th century. He mined two forms of copper ore, green malachite and blue azurite, copper carbonates with formulas Cu2CO3(OH)2 and Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 respectively. For some reason, our family collects rocks. These were gathered on the mountain where my great grandfather lived and where my grandfather and his two siblings were born and raised. We have recently thrown away a lot of rocks that were in my mom’s basement but we kept a few that were particularly nice. Cathy put some in this bowl and they are outside our front door, where the bowl has filled with rain water, which I think makes it especially nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Malachite and Azurite

Gloucester Harbor

Gloucester Harbor

Gloucester Harbor

We had a pretty busy day again today. We went out to Eastern Point Lighthouse and walked out onto the jetty to Dog Bar Lighthouse. There were cormorants diving in the water next to the jetty and we enjoyed watching them, as well as gulls and ducks. From there we went to Rockport and when we came upon a parking spot we took it and walked a while. I took pictures of Motif #1 and thought about posting a photo of that but decided to go with this somewhat abstract photo of reflections taken a short walk from our airbnb as the sun was setting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Gloucester Harbor

Bric-a-brac

Bric-a-brac

Bric-a-brac

I didn’t have anything in particular to take a picture of today and didn’t get outside much, so I took this picture in our dining room. We’ve been moving things from both my mom’s house and Cathy’s mom’s house and adding things to what we already had. The photo in the center of this is a Winter & Pond photo titled “Lights o’ Juneau” On the left, the blue bowl filled with Easter Eggs is from Istalif, Iran. There are two sets of matryoshka or nesting dolls, one traditional (in the back and on the right) and one modern with (from largest to smallest) Boris Yeltsin, Mikhail Gorbachev, Leonid Brezhnev, Joseph Stalin, and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (otherwise know as Lenin).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bric-a-brac

Garden Sculpture

Garden Sculpture

Garden Sculpture

About the time I got to work this morning I got a text from one person and an email from another asking if I had anything to do with the appearance of this little garden statue next to our parking lot. The text message was particularly cryptic, although I suppose if I had been responsible, I’d have known what it was about. As it happens, I had nothing to do with it. Later in the day, two other people asked me if I put it there. I think it’s a little funny that so many people think this is the sort of thing I’d do. Maybe it is, but not this time. One said, “well, okay, I’ll believe you, but I know you’re responsible for the geckos.” I have no idea what that’s about and didn’t even know about the wire geckos that someone has put in trees around the parking lot. But apparently I have a reputation, mostly undeserved.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Garden Sculpture

Edison Phonograph Records

Edison Phonograph Records

Edison Phonograph Records

Among the things brought out of Cathy’s mom’s house were a box of Edison Phonograph cylinder records. There was also a record player. David took that but couldn’t get these into the car, so they will stay here until next time. The two cases shown here are slightly different from one another. On the left is one that says Edison Gold Moulded Record and on the right, simply Edison Record. I would normally assume that the Gold Moulded one is newer than the plainer one, but the dates on them (which are 1906 and 1908 respectively) don’t support that. The disks inside almost certainly don’t match the sleeves. The disks in them, which may or may not be those originally in these sleeves, are Rock of Ages, by the Edison Dixie Quartet and Kitty O’Neill Medley of Reels (violin).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Edison Phonograph Records

Steiff Baboon Coco

Steiff Baboon Coco

Steiff Baboon Coco

This little baboon is named Coco and he was made by Steiff. This is not to be confused with Koko, a current Steiff product. Koko with two Ks is a chimpanzee. Coco with two Cs is a baboon. This little fellow is a little the worse for wear, as he put up with quite a lot of play in his day. As you can see, he is vision impaired, with his left eye completely missing and his left literally hanging by a thread. His hand are also worn through in places. But he’s such a cute little fellow and I remember him well from the good old days.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Steiff Baboon Coco

Top. Men.

Maggie and David in Basement Storeroom

Maggie and David in Basement Storeroom

You can easily collect a lot of things if you live in the same place for 50 years. If you also inherit things from your parents as well, it can really add up. Then, if you have enough space to store it all, its easy to leave it alone. But, as they say, nothing that cannot go on forever will. At some point, there is a reckoning. That day has arrived (that week, or month, or six-month, or year, actually). David and Maggie are here and David has been doing yeoman’s work on the store room in his parents’ house, pulling out bins, trunks, and barrels that have not seen the light of day for many a year. The contents of some were in good condition while others had been infiltrated by visitors and mostly or wholly destroyed.

The title of this post alludes to the final scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Top. Men.

A Fine Summer’s Day

A Fine Summer's Day

A Fine Summer’s Day

I was across campus to have lunch with a few people today and then went for a short walk in the woods next to my office. I took some pictures of tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) leaves and then crossed the creek and went up to the more open part of the property. There were some areas that were still quite wet from the recent rains we’ve had. The ground around here is predominately heavy clay and water doesn’t percolate very quickly into it, particularly once it is waterlogged. This is a drainage catch basin and later in the summer it will likely be completely dry. For now, though, it’s a haven for birds and dragonflies and a small oasis in an otherwise built-up (although suburban) area.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on A Fine Summer’s Day

Oenothera speciosa (Pink Evening Primrose)

Oenothera speciosa (Pink Evening Primrose)

Oenothera speciosa (Pink Evening Primrose)

The evening primroses (Oenothera speciosa) are in bloom and they are quite lovely. They have spread through the garden but I wouldn’t call them an aggressive species, we don’t mind. We can easily pull them up if they show up where they aren’t wanted and generally, our garden isn’t so well organized that it matters. They are native to the southern half of the contiguous United States. They make a nice addition to any garden, blooming in the evening, their airy, pink blossoms particularly lovely in the dusk.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Oenothera speciosa (Pink Evening Primrose)

Loyal Order of Moose

Loyal Order of Moose

Loyal Order of Moose

My great grandfather was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, a fraternal order founded in 1888 and still in existence to this day. It’s not really my cup of tea but he was a politician and public figure and I suspect being a member of this sort of thing was a career move for him. This medal is from the 36th Annual Moose Convention, apparently held in New York from July 27 to 31, 1924, based on what it says on the medal itself. He died in 1925 so it’s likely this was the last big Moose event he attended. We have another medal that says “Past Dictator” on the top and on the back says he was in that position from 1913 to 1915, at Lodge Number 259 in Salt Lake City. He was not, to the best of our knowledge, a Mormon. In any case, his daughter married my grandfather (and coincidentally is my grandmother). I have some other memorabilia from my great grandfather (Albert) and perhaps I’ll share some of that in the future on a day like today when I didn’t get out to take any pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Loyal Order of Moose

Asiatic Lily

Asiatic Lily

Asiatic Lily

The Asiatic lilies are in bloom around the yard. This one is in a container on the back patio but there are a bunch in the front garden, as well. We worry about them being eaten by rabbits or deer but this time of year, fortunately, there is a lot for them to eat and that means less chance of them finding these. We have a lot of rabbits this year. I’ve seen as many as four at once in our front or back yard. The seem to mostly be eating clover, though, and we have plenty of that to go around.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Asiatic Lily

Stained Glass

Stained Glass

Stained Glass

As mentioned in Saturday’s post (the Emergency and Trauma photo), mom was in the hospital for a few days. She was sent home on Monday evening and after doing a little shopping, I made dinner (shrimp and grits and if I say so myself, it was really good). Then, sitting in the living room, I enjoyed the light shining through two stained glass pieces, one flat hanging (shown here) and a reproduction of a Tiffany lamp with dragonflies.

I love the color of pretty much anything with sunlight shining through it. Stained glass is sort of a natural and I’m a big fan. I also like leaves and flowers backlit by sunlight. They are quite difficult to capture on “film”, partly because of the huge dynamic range required. The brightness of sunlight is just too much for film or digital sensor. If you adjust so that it isn’t washed out, then the shadows go too dark. Nevertheless, it’s worth trying and once in a while I get something worth using.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Stained Glass

Glass Duck

Glass Duck

Glass Duck

As you may know, we’re going though things at Cathy’s mom’s house. There have been many “treasures” found and one of Cathy’s favorites was a box filled with little glass animals. They belonged to her dad and she had never seen them before. Presumably they were packed up when the family moved to Afghanistan long before Cathy was born. They must have stayed packed up when they returned and so they were a real surprise. Happily they were all in really good shape, that box never got crushed by other boxes, or anything. This little duck is one of them. I may post more pictures in the future, if I have a day when it’s getting late and I haven’t taken any photos yet.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Glass Duck

Emergency and Trauma

Emergency and Trauma

Emergency and Trauma

I’m posting this six days late because it’s been that sort of week. This morning I helped someone move and then the day got a bit crazy. We took mom to the hospital and spent most of the day in the ER, waiting to find out what would happen. In the end they admitted her and (I can say now because it’s six days later) she stayed there until late Monday afternoon. At about 11:00 I realized that if I didn’t take any pictures at the hospital, I wouldn’t get any pictures today. That’s always a bit awkward, because who wants their picture taken at the hospital. I took a few of things in the ER room but then, when I was leaving, at five minutes before midnight, I took a few out front, including this one. I think Emergency and Trauma would be good names for a pair of dogs.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Reflections on Self-Storage

Reflections on Self-Storage

Reflections on Self-Storage

I’m not really going to reflect on self-storage but this picture is reflections and it was taken at the self-storage facility where we have a unit. I was in a meeting across campus today and when I was walking back to my building there was lightning flashing and booms of thunder all around. Most of them were about two miles away but nearing quickly. When I got to the door of my building there was a flash followed almost immediately by the thunder and before I was upstairs in my office, it was coming down in sheets. By the time I left work it had stopped raining but, as you can see in this picture, the water was still draining from the pavement outside our storage unit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections on Self-Storage

The Reporter

Mom's Stairs

Mom’s Stairs

Back when I was very young my parents papered the wall on one side of the stair well in their house with covers from “The Reporter” magazine. It’s a very tricky thing to photograph because the stair well is pretty narrow and the wall covers a lot of space. From the top of the stairs I was able to get a few pictures that sort of do it justice. At least if you’ve seen it in person, perhaps this will remind you of it. There’s one cover that shows up four places. We’re pretty sure there is another duplicate but we couldn’t remember where and couldn’t find it. It’s faded considerably in over 55 years, especially towards the top where the afternoon sun shines on it. But it’s held up pretty well, all things considered.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on The Reporter

Self Storage

Self Storage

Self Storage

As I think I’ve mentioned, we’re going through my mother-in-law’s house and trying to get things out so we can get it ready to go on the market. We’ve gotten rid of things and we’ve brought a lot to our house (possibly too much for the short term) to go through a little more carefully. We’ve also decided that there are things that will take too long if we deal with them now so we’ve rented a storage unit for things we know we’re going to need to go through and which are going to take a while. The largest collection in this class are pictures. If you knew my father-in-law, you may have some inkling of how many pictures there are. Let’s just say, there are more than a few slide carousels. And that’s just the start. Anyway, this is the hall at the storage facility.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Self Storage

Cathy’s Doll House

Cathy's Doll House

Cathy’s Doll House

We’ve been working on emptying out Cathy’s mom’s house and it’s a reasonably big job. They bought the house fifty years ago, so there are naturally a few things scattered about. The four ground floor bedrooms are mostly done (it’s a rambler but with a large basement). A few weeks ago we moved on to working on things in the basement. Between Cathy, our friend Julia, and me, we’ve made some good progress. Last night, two of Cathy’s nieces came and today they helped us make even more. Maggie and Laura are fun, of course, but this was no pleasure cruise. There were boxes to carry and papers to go through. And go through them we did. It was quite warm today, reaching nearly 90°F. Fortunately we were working mostly in the carport and there was a little breeze, so we weren’t too uncomfortable.

Cathy decided that her old doll house had served its purpose and it was time that it be recycled. It’s made entirely of cardboard, so that works out well. She wanted one last picture of it before it went into the van, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Cathy’s Doll House

‘Dragonflies’ Quilt by Dot

'Dragonflies' Quilt by Dot

‘Dragonflies’ Quilt by Dot

We had dinner at mom’s this evening. My cousin Becky and her boyfriend were there, as well, having come up for Jason’s wedding on Saturday. I took a bunch of pictures in the yard. The camellias are finishing up and the azaleas are just starting. I also took some pictures of Kai. But the picture for today is this quilt that my mom just made. It’s a pretty elaborate thing, with each segment on each wing being a separate piece of fabric. I also think the fabric she chose for the background is terrific, really showing off the dragonflies to good effect.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Pukeberg Bookend Vase

Pukeberg Bookend Vase

Pukeberg Bookend Vase

This was, apparently, half of a pair of bookend vases, produced by Pukeberg, probably in the middle of the 20th century. Pukeberg was founded in 1871. In the 1930s, Pukeberg began producing decorative glass. We don’t really know a lot about it beyond that. We found a pair listed on eBay for $89, so they aren’t terribly valuable. I wanted to show off the various colors of the glass. In everyday room light it is basically amber colored. But I’ve shone a light through the glass and you can see reds at the bottom and greens towards the top. I think a more complicated light set up would do better but this was done with a flashlight sitting behind it and a flash bounced off the ceiling.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Pukeberg Bookend Vase

Lake Frank and Clouds

Lake Frank and Clouds

Lake Frank and Clouds

I stopped at the Avery Road parking lot above Lake Frank on the way home today. It was a beautiful, cool afternoon with—as you can see—billowy white clouds. This was taken with the sun at my back, looking northeast over the lake. I took a few the other direction, as well. This would be a good spot for sunset pictures, although it’s not somewhere you can just drive up to. It’s a few minutes walk down from the parking area. Still, if I am on my way home and there’s a good sunset coming on, it might be worth a try to get here in time. Of course, sunsets around the time I’m coming home are mostly a winter thing.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Lake Frank and Clouds

Rock Creek After a Rain

Rock Creek After a Rain

Rock Creek After a Rain

It rained quite hard over night and into this morning. When I got to work, the drainage pond next to my building was full to the overflow. It was a busy day, though, and I wasn’t able to get out and take any pictures. On the way home I stopped and walked a little by Rock Creek. It wasn’t as high as it would have been this morning but still quite swollen. Also, this is just downstream from Lakes Needwood and Frank, which act as a flow limiter to the stream below them. The stream, seen hear over a fallen tree, is usually about three feet lower than this, though, so it’s still quite high (for a little stream).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Rock Creek After a Rain

Another Daffodil

Another Daffodil

Another Daffodil

The is the other of my unknown daffodil varieties. Like the one pictured three days ago, these bulbs were given to me by a friend and I didn’t make note of the variety name. They were planted in the fall of 2006 and are doing quite well. This particular variety, unfortunately, has a bad habit of not always opening. Also, when they do, as they mostly did this year, if it rains the flowers are too heavy for the stalks and they all droop. But when they are open and upright, they are quite nice. I was happy we got to enjoy them at their best this year.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Another Daffodil

Pizors

Pizors

Pizors

These shoes are called pizors. Searching for pictures online, I found them spelled paizar, and since this is a transliteration, it’s not surprising that there would be some variation. In any case, I haven’t found any pictures online of any as nice as these. They are from Afghanistan in the 1950s, bought by Cathy’s parents in Kabul. As you can see, they are quite sturdy looking, made of very stiff leather and with nails in the soles so they are pretty tough. They happen to be way too small for my extra wide feet and I’m not sure they would be all that comfortable in any case. The flash used when taking this picture shows the sewn decoration quite well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Pizors

Nursery Rhyme Sticker

Nursery Rhyme Sticker

Nursery Rhyme Sticker

Going through more things from Cathy’s mom’s house, Cathy came across a bunch of old stickers illustrating various nursery rhymes. They were printed on foil, making them bright and shiny (and a little more difficult to photograph). Some of them had words printed on them, which made it that much easier to identify the associated rhyme. There was Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack be Nimble, among others (hmm, just notice those are all about Jacks). This one, though, I don’t recognize. It looks like it’s raining under this poor lad’s umbrella. He and his dog don’t seem particularly pleased. Do you know what rhyme this comes from? I’d love to know.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Nursery Rhyme Sticker

Spring Snow

Spring Snow

Spring Snow

Snow in March isn’t that unusual here. Of course, if you listen to the radio this week you might not get that impression. I heard a report that breathlessly told us how long its been since we had a snow like this was forecast to be this late in the year. Well, that’s possible, I suppose. A couple problems. Most importantly, the actual snowfall didn’t live up to the hype. We got maybe four inches of very wet snow. I remember a snowfall on March 18 not that long ago that was two or three times worse. But it’s March 21, which is, as I’m sure you can figure out, later in the year than March 18. Not by a lot, though. Anyway, as usual, much ado about not much. Quite pretty, actually.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Spring Snow

Fire

Fire

Fire

After church today, Dorothy and her friends went downtown to visit another friend who is working on Capital Hill this semester and who also has a part time job at a book show near Eastern Market. They visited some other friends on the way home. I fixed a surf and turf for dinner—flank steak and salmon—and then started a fire going in our fire pit. Most of the kids stayed inside but Dorothy came out and chatted with me for a white. I had my camera and took quite a few pictures of the fire as we talked. I like the pale blue, plasma-like flames in this picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Fire

Matryoshka Doll Set

Matryoshka Doll Set

Matryoshka Doll Set

This set of ten matryoshka dolls is another find from my mother-in-law’s house. Matryoshka dolls were first made in the late 19th century. This set is different in both shape and painted design from any set i’ve seen (although to be honest, I haven’t seen a huge number). Typically, except when depicting actually individuals, the outermost doll is female.

This set of ten nesting dolls range in size from about four inchest for the largest, outermost figure to about five-sixteenths of an inch for the smallest.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Matryoshka Doll Set

Small Change

Small Change

Small Change

As we’ve been going through things at Cathy’s parents’ house, there has been, as there would in any house lived in for 50 years, an accumulation of things that don’t need to be kept. Some of them are just trash that got mixed in with other things. Some are things that were once important but the importance has worn off or the timeliness has passed. There are, of course, things of value, either sentimental value or intrinsic monetary value. And, of course, there are curiosities. David found two little slide mount size holders with sets of miniature US coins. Shown here with a regular quarter and penny for scale are (clockwise from center top), Kennedy half dollar, Jefferson nickel, Roosevelt dime, Eisenhower dollar, Lincoln penny, and Washington quarter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Small Change

Azurite and Malachite

Azurite and Malachite

Azurite and Malachite

The other day I posted a photo of a small souvenir from Republic, Michigan, where some of Cathy’s ancestors lived and at least one was involved in iron mining before moving to Alaska to mine gold. Well, my family has a little mining history, as well. My great grandfather came from England with his parents and at least some of his siblings. They lived in Canada for a while and he was in the military there during the United States Civil War. In the early 1970s he moved to Nevada where he mined for copper and silver. This is a piece of copper ore including both blue azurite (Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2) and green malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2). It’s a small piece found in the area he lived and worked and I think it’s sort of pretty. This piece is wet, which contributes to its shininess.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Azurite and Malachite

Weights

Weights

Weights

I have an old balance that I’ve used through the years for two different things. Back in the days of film, I used to measure out chemicals for the darkroom on it. I also used it for measuring ingredients for ceramic glazes in my pottery days (or daze). I haven’t used it in a while but you never know. Along with the balance, I have a set of weights in various sizes. These range from 500 grams for the largest down to 2 grams for the little one in front. There are a few weights missing from the set, including the smallest (1 gram) weight. Because the balance has a built in rail, however, I can pretty much fill the gaps, weighing anything up to about 850 grams with a pretty high degree of accuracy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Weights

Souvenir from Republic, Michigan

Souvenir from Republic, Michigan

Souvenir from Republic, Michigan

Cathy’s great grandfather (Grant) was born in eastern Pennsylvania during the Civil War. He grew up in the coal mining regions of Pennsylvania before moving to Republic, Michigan late in the 19th century. He and his wife and children lived there and he was employed in the iron mines. Shortly before the turn of the century, Grant left Michigan for Alaska, where he worked at the Alaska Mexican Mine in Treadwell. This was his third mining phase, having mined coal in Pennsylvania, iron in Michigan, and now gold in Alaska. This small pitcher is a souvenir from Republic, Michigan and was given to Cathy by her aunt.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Souvenir from Republic, Michigan

Heart Shaped Burger

 Heart Shaped Burger

Heart Shaped Burger

It’s Valentine’s Day today and you know what that means. Well, for us, it’s not something we spend a lot of effort on, in general. I bought us some new ice packs to celebrate and to sooth our aching selves. How’s that for romance? I made three heart shaped burgers for dinner this evening, along with fries and a chopped salad (which was put on the plate after this photo was taken. Margaret put cherry tomato halves on her burger and I added them to my salad. But this picture shows the heart shaped burger better then those taken after they were more fully condimentised (as it were). They turned out rather well, I thought.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Heart Shaped Burger

Rainy, Foggy Morning

Rainy, Foggy Morning

Rainy, Foggy Morning

It started raining yesterday morning and it’s been raining fairly steadily since. The forecast has that continuing another 24 hours or so before it clears up. It is, however, unseasonably warm. It was cool this morning but later in the day, even with the rain, it was up around 60°F (16°C). The cool morning, however, meant some beautiful fog. I love a foggy morning (or day, night, or evening, for that matter). I especially love being in the woods when it’s foggy. This morning, as usual for a Sunday, I was at church setting up and running the sound system. Nevertheless, I took a short break while the musicians were practicing to walk around outside and take a few pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rainy, Foggy Morning

Little Bird Statues

Little Bird Statues

Little Bird Statues

Cathy has a roll-top desk that we got from some friends who where ready to get rid of it. Along the top of the roll-top, which is never closed, there is a little ledge where the top doesn’t go all the way into the carcass. She has a few little things sitting on that ledge including a line of dice of various sizes and side-counts. In the middle is this line of little bird statues. I don’t rightly know where she got them (I suppose I could have asked) but there they are. They are quite colorful—as you can see—and they stand about an inch tall. This green on is one of my favorites, along with the dark blue peacock colored bird in the center of the photo.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Little Bird Statues

Rockville Cemetery

Rockville Cemetery

Rockville Cemetery

I stopped briefly at Rockville Cemetery on the way home. It isn’t on my normal route home but it isn’t all that far out of my way, either. I had to run to the bank after work, so that put it more or less convenient. The sun was setting through the trees to the west and I got a few pictures of the grave stones lit by the nearly horizontal rays. Then I turned at the upper part of the cemetery and took this one looking into the sun. Actually, it’s an HDR photo, make from three images and then mostly desaturated to produce the nearly monochrome image.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rockville Cemetery

A Few Science-Related Book

A Few Science-Related Book

A Few Science-Related Book

I took some pictures in the basement today. Not surprisingly, where there are lots of things to photograph, few of them are really all that interesting. Recently I’ve gotten a few new (used, thanks, Iris) bookcases and I’ve been able to get books that have been doubled up on shelves or that have been stacked on their sides into those shelves. They are not, for the most part, in any order. There are seven shelves of science fiction, which are alphabetized by author. Most of my Kipling collection (18 books) is on one shelf (there are a few large books that are on another shelf). I’ve started the process of bringing the technical reference books together. Here we have, from left to right:

  • My dad’s copy of Elenents of the Differential and Integral Calculus (Revised Edition) by Granville, Smith, and Longley
  • My grandfather’s copy of Handbook of Mathematical Tables and Formulas, by Burington
  • Two editions (the 9th and 31st) of the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
  • Another Handbook of Chemistry (Eighth Edition), by Lange
  • The Merck Manual, (Fourteenth Edition)
  • Ribonucleases: Structures and Functions, Edited by D’ Alessio and Riordan. Dad wrote chapter two of this book, titled “Barnase and Barstar”
  • Methods in Enzymology, Volume 341, Ribonucleases, Part A, edited by Nicholson. Dad wrote chapter 38 in this book, on Barnase—Barstar Interaction
Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on A Few Science-Related Book

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

I went over to the Rio today to have a cup of coffee with a friend. It’s often good to have an excuse to get away from the office for a little while and doing it with a good friend is even better. We chatted about this and that and then headed back to our respective work. As I was going back, I noticed the reflections in the Sodexo building. I turned around and parked the car along Washingtonian Blvd and then walked down the side of the building. This is a reflection of the BroadSoft building (and a tree).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Reflections

Office Building Art

Office Building Art

Office Building Art

Cathy and I were in a local medical office building today and I, you’ll be surprised to learn, had my camera with me. I didn’t take pictures in the actual doctor’s office but in the lobby of the building was some art. The wall opposite the entrance was covered with these lined, glass panels, lit from behind. So, when it was time to leave, I took a few moments to get my camera out and take a few pictures. I don’t really have a lot to add. It is what it is. I wouldn’t call it high art, but decorative art seems appropriate. If nothing else it did add some color and interest to an otherwise nondescript office lobby.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Office Building Art

Carpet Pattern

Carpet Pattern

Carpet Pattern

I was looking around for something to photograph today and took a few pictures of this carpet in Margaret’s room. It’s not a huge carpet but it’s certainly quite pretty. I love the colors and the fineness of the weave. We have a few carpets but that includes a few imitation Persians. When we got married, Karabet gave us some cash as a wedding present and we bought two relatively inexpensive carpets. They aren’t nearly as nice as this one, but then again, he gave us the gift out of his relatively modest means. We still have them and I still think of him when I consider them. That’s often where value lies (but I’m not saying it lies like a rug).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Carpet Pattern

Burning More Papers

Burning More Papers

Burning More Papers

It was another productive Saturday, getting a few things crossed off the top of my to do list. It was also, if you will, the opposite of productive (i.e. destructive). We burned another three boxes of “shred” papers. It doesn’t save a lot of time over shredding and in fact, if we took them to someone with an industrial shredder, it would much faster. Nevertheless, burning is relaxing. There’s something about flames. I won’t say they’re cool, but if I did, you’d probably know what I meant. The boxes today had, among other things, canceled checks from 1979. I think it’s safe to get rid of those now.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Burning More Papers

Stone Rings

Stone Rings

Stone Rings

Our Community Group (our church’s small groups) met this evening at Kofi and Danielle’s apartment building. It’s a newish building and a lot more swanky than anywhere we’ve lived. I’m not complaining, mind you. We’re pretty happy where we are. All of the apartments we’ve lived in had doors off of (mostly open) stair wells. The first place we lived, which was in Chevy Chase, had an enclosed stair but the others had open stairs. That’s not counting the Quonset Hut we lived in when we first moved to Juneau. After that we moved to an apartment that opened off a balcony across the bridge on Douglas Island. That and the apartment we moved into back in Maryland after our around-the-world trip in ’88 were both on the third floor of three story buildings.

Anyway, we met in one of the common rooms in the apartment building because there were about fifteen of us, which would have been a crowd in their one bedroom apartment. In addition to this stone sculpture on a table, there was a gas fire burning in a long, low fireplace. Needless to say, however, the real warmth came from the people we were with.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Stone Rings

Rusty Chain

Rusty Chain

Rusty Chain

Outside my office, between the parking lot and the woods, there are a half dozen wooden picnic tables, stacked one on top of the other. They are chained together, presumably to keep any of them from wondering off (as it were). The chain is a little the worse for being out in the weather all the time. I didn’t really test it of course, and for all I know it’s still strong enough to stand up to average abuse. Nevertheless, it looks a bit weakened and a strong piece of iron inserted between the sides of a link and twisted might snap the chain quite easily.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Rubber Stoppers

Rubber Stoppers

Rubber Stoppers

You can’t really call them corks when they aren’t made of cork. Note that box on the right, which says “Corks” on it actually contains real corks, made from the bark of the cork oak (which should be called Quercus corkus but is actually Quercus suber). These brown stoppers are made of gum rubber and are good for all sorts of stoppering needs. These are in a drawer in a small cabinet that has a fairly wide variety of things in it. As you can see, a few of them have holes cut through them. Dad used them in his home lab and I’ve found a few uses for them myself, over the years.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Rubber Stoppers

Ashes to Ashes

Burning Card

Burning Card

We’ve got a bunch of boxes in the garage marked shred—old bills, checkbooks, business correspondence, that sort of thing—and we’ve been meaning to get rid of them for a while. There used to be an outfit that allowed individuals to drop off boxes of papers to be shredded for free (making their money from businesses) but they are no longer doing that. Well, what’s better than shredding? Burning. This little fellow didn’t suffer as he was consumed by the flames. Four boxes done. Six or eight more to go.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Ashes to Ashes

Don’t Look Back

Sunset In The Rear View Miror

Sunset In The Rear View Miror

It’s funny how a phrase can call up vivid memories in much the same was certain sounds and even more smells can bring you to a place you haven’t been in a long time. When I was growing up, we’d visit my grandparents in North Carolina a few times a year. It was something I always looked forward to eagerly. Their house was familiar and yet unfamiliar enough to be just a little exciting. It was an old house with lots of character and quirks. There was also a huge shed out back full of all sorts of treasures. One thing I can’t say I always looked forward to was going to church. It certainly wasn’t the fault of the particular church and had much more to do with my age, my inability to sit still for very long, and my general lack of interest. Nevertheless, I actually remember a few lines from a sermon given there, probably in the early 1970s. The phrase that sticks in my mind was “Don’t Look Back” and the sermon was on Luke 9:63, “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’” I thought of that as I took this picture in my rear view mirror while stopped at a traffic light on the way home today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Don’t Look Back

Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom

For more than two years now I’vebeen meeting regularly with a group of (mostly) young men. For over a year we met most weeks. Starting last summer we switched to every other week and during the holidays it was hard to organize. Three of us finally got together this evening for dinner. Mellow Mushroom sounds a bit sixty’s but the food is honestly pretty good. The decor is very much comic book colors and it makes for a good picture. There were not a lot of patrons there this evening, but a Tuesday in the winter isn’t likely to be busy in general.

Categories: Food/Drink, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Mellow Mushroom

Walnut in Asphalt

Walnut in Asphalt

Walnut in Asphalt

I went across campus for a meeting today and on the way back, I walked around the building once to take a few pictures. I came across this black walnut that has been pushed down into a crack in the pavement. I think it’s really kind of pretty. In case you aren’t sure, the pavement is wet. Our weather has definitely warmed up (it was over 60°F today) but it’s very wet out. Tomorrow the rain is supposed to be gone but the temperatures are supposed to drop back to freezing and then colder into next week.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Walnut in Asphalt

Old Glory

Old Glory

Old Glory

It was a mostly grey day today. It’s still cool but it’s supposed to warm up for a few days. It’s also supposed to rain, so we’ll finally have temperatures above 60°F but wet. On the way home, I was sitting at the light and the large American flag at the Ourisman Rockmont Chevrolet car lot was blowing in the wind. The wind was coming out of the southeast, which is a little unusual so it was blowing farther behind the trees. Usually it’s blowing to the right, out from the trees.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Old Glory

Computer Room

Margaret and Cathy In The Computer Room

Margaret and Cathy In The Computer Room

Now that Cathy’s mom has moved in with us, we needed to integrate her computer into our home network. The small office just inside our front door (and now just outside her bedroom) is where my computer has been for over a year and where Cathy’s has been since the construction started towards the end of October. Now Margaret’s computer is here, as well. By the time I’m writing this, on January 14), the table is gone from the middle of the room and it’s much easier to walk around. My computer and the printer is to my right, along with a tall bookcase. We need to put a few pictures up on the walls, but it’s coming together.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Computer Room

Normal

As Far As Anyone Knows, We're a Nice, Normal Family

As Far As Anyone Knows, We’re a Nice, Normal Family

Note the juxtaposition of this pack of tissues with the humorous message and the somewhat creepy heart with a little doll’s head on it. This was intentional, of course. Cathy came across these two things at her mom’s house recently and decided they needed to go together. So, they are in our powder room. I don’t know that it’s true, of course. I think the number of people who both know us and think we’re a nice, normal family is vanishingly small. But who wants to be normal, anyway?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Normal

Move, Part 1

Move, Part 1

Move, Part 1

Today was phase one of “The Move”. We’ve been so long getting to this point that it was a little anticlimactic. Well, maybe. It was still a big day. It went very smoothly, though, largely due to the overwhelming support of those who came and carried and organized and directed. I really didn’t do a lot other than drive the truck, which is about at my pay grade. This was only part one of the actual moving process and really only one phase of many. Nevertheless, thank you to everyone who came out to help on this cool January day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Move, Part 1

Eagle Lectern

Eagle Lectern

Eagle Lectern

Back on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 I posted a photo titled “Lectern Eagle’s Talons” which was a portion of a wooden lectern carved in the shape of an eagle. This is the head of the eagle, which unfortunately has a chipped beak. There is also a large crack across the breast of the bird, but that adds character more than anything. Otherwise, it’s in pretty good shape. There was, at one time, a brass plaque (I’m assuming brass) which probably said who paid for the lectern or something of that sort. There really needs to be a small set of steps behind this, so you can get up high enough to read from it, as the whole things is well over six feel tall.

Categories: Creatures, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Eagle Lectern

Frost

Frost

Frost

It’s finally become what I would call cold. When it gets down into the single digits (Fahrenheit) I’m liable to wear a sweater. So, I wore a light one for my commute. I left it on for the walk across campus to a meeting. A lot of folks are complaining about the temperature in my office building but for me, it was too warm to leave my sweater on. The car windows were all frosted this morning and a few times while stopped at traffic lights, I took pictures of the frost on the passenger side window.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frost

Miscellaneous Foreign Coins

Miscellaneous Foreign Coins

Miscellaneous Foreign Coins

We’ve been going through boxes recently, throwing away old papers, etc. and Cathy came across a small box full of random, foreign coins. We started sorting them and by the time we were done, we had envelopes marked with more than 40 country names from Afghanistan to Venezuela. Most of the coins are from the 1960s but there were a few older coins, like the one with George the Sixth. The coin on the left with an eagle under a sunrise is a 2 Afghani coin from 1961 (۱۳٤۰, 1340 in the Solar Hejira calendar). I see Pakistan, France, Brazil, Vietnam, Peru, West Germany and Great Britain, as well as a 2 Euro coin at the top edge of the photo (the bi-colored coin).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Miscellaneous Foreign Coins

Bird Footprints

Bird Footprints

Bird Footprints

We had a light snowfall overnight. The forecast is for clear or mostly clear skies for a while so we aren’t likely to get more but the forecast is also for relatively cool temperatures for the next week or so, probably below 20°F for the duration and getting well down into the single digits. I’ll probably need to wear a sweater one or two days this week. These footprints are on the back step, just outside our kitchen door. We have a birdbath with a heater in it that keeps the water from freezing, so birds are never in short supply this time of year, particularly when it gets to cold.

Categories: Creatures, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bird Footprints

Super Balls

Super Balls

Super Balls

Cathy was going through some boxes of small objects this evening and among other things, she found a bunch of super balls. I’ve always loved super balls and they are a real fixture of my childhood. What I didn’t know is that I was among the first generation to enjoy these highly bouncy balls. On August 25, 1965, Norman Stingley filed a patent for what he called a “Highly Resilient Polybutadiene Ball” (patent number 3,241,834, issued March 22, 1966). The Super Ball® was sold by Wham-O® and was an instant success. I know my brothers and I got many hours of enjoyment from them. They are made of a synthetic rubber called Zectron® that is primarily polybutadiene molded under high pressure and heat. All I knew as a kid was they really could bounce.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Super Balls

Colors

Colors

Colors

Cathy, Dorothy, and I went to Home Depot this evening after dinner. We went to pick out a couple colors of paint for the living room. In case you don’t know our living room, three walls are white and the fourth, the end opposite the entrance, is painted a somewhat ugly green. The crown and base molding and the molding around the entrances and windows matches that wall. Likewise, the curtains are a similar green with large box valances at the top. The plan is to pain the one non-white wall some new color and also to paint he molding a different color. We decided on a blue color for the wall and a fairly bright white for the trim. That, plus replacing the curtains should transform the room. This photo, which looks a little like chairs in a stadium, are color sample cards.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Colors

Peruvian Creche

Peruvian Creche

Peruvian Creche

We went over to Cathy’s mom’s house this afternoon and set up her Peruvian Creche in her living room. If you look closely (and you don’t need to look that hard) you might notice some less traditional visitors to the manger this year. That’s completely appropriate if not historically accurate. All are welcomed to come to Jesus, young and old from every language, nation, and race. Animals, too, came to adore him. If they hadn’t, the stones themselves would have cried out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Peruvian Creche

Doll Cataracts

Doll Cataracts

Doll Cataracts

We’ve been going through a lot of things, both at our house and at Cathy’s mom’s. In the process, we’ve found a few things worth keeping amidst a fair amount of things to be thrown or given away. Cathy came across two dolls and they have been sitting on a chair in our dining room for a few weeks. This one seems to have some sort of problem in her left eye, a cataract, perhaps. We may need to take her to see a specialist.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Doll Cataracts

Dusk Sky

Dusk Sky

Dusk Sky

There was a potential for an amazing sunset this evening. As it turned out, it was pretty good but not necessarily spectacular. I sat on the back stoop and watched the clouds moving quickly out of the west. As the sun sank below the horizon, there were streaks of color and a little bit more lighting up the underside of the clouds but not as much as we might have had. Are you getting tired of sunsets? I hope not. I’ve certainly enjoyed seeing them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Dusk Sky

Car Head Lamp Bulbs

Car Head Lamp Bulbs

Car Head Lamp Bulbs

As seen on my post for Wednesday, November 22, 2017, I replaced the headlights in my Dodge Grand Caravan. The new headlight assemblies came with new bulbs but I kept the old set, mostly because I thought I’d take some pictures of them at some point. Well, we’re reached that point. The glass bulb around the filaments in these two are slightly different and the precise configuration of the internal connections is a little different, but they are basically the same (which makes sense because they were in the same vehicle). I think they’re kind of cool. The two coils are not as close together as they appear in this photo. The coil on the left in each bulb is slightly behind the one on the right.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Car Head Lamp Bulbs

Croydon Creek

Croydon Creek

Croydon Creek

I mentioned the other day that Cathy has been looking at topographic maps of the area and that Avery Road used continue as far as Baltimore Road. When Norbeck Road was put in, the section from there to what is now the Croydon Creek Nature Center was abandoned. The last quarter mile or so north of Norbeck was realigned so that they would meet at more or less 90 degrees. Today, Cathy and I walked from the Croydon Creek Nature Center down the hill to Croydon Creek and then back up on the old road bed as far as Norbeck Road. It was a beautiful day. We had been to three stores and it was really nice to get away from the crowds for a little bit. It’s a pretty, little park and worth a visit if you want to get away briefly.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Croydon Creek

I Will Survive

I Will Survive

I Will Survive

The renovations going on at home are nearly complete. It would be a bit of exaggeration to say they have been the worst thing we’ve ever been through. Nevertheless, they have been somewhat stressful. Most of the rest of the house has a thick layer of dust and of course we still haven’t found new homes for everything that had to be moved out. It’s worth it, of course, but that doesn’t entirely eliminate the negative aspects. But, as Cathy said by picking this Gloria Gaynor song on the jukebox at the Silver Diner, I Will Survive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on I Will Survive

Grandma’s Bedroom, Part 2

Grandma’s Bedroom, Part 2

Grandma’s Bedroom, Part 2

Nine days ago (see Tuesday, December 05, 2017) I posted a picture titled Grandma’s Bedroom. That showed our former family room full of tools, building supplies, and a bit of waste. The room has changed pretty drastically since then, mostly in the last few days. When I got home on Tuesday the room was empty and the carpet was gone (well, it was in small rolls on at the top of the driveway. Today, the floor was refinished. I have to say, it looks pretty nice. Certainly better than the old carpet. It’s closed up now, so that the top coat can dry. And of course the house smells pretty bad. But that will fade, eventually.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Grandma’s Bedroom, Part 2

ERN

ERN

ERN

It was a chilly day today but I went for a short walk in the woods, nevertheless. Spending all day at my desk is all well and good. It does, after all, pay the bills. But for my own physical, mental, and emotional well being it’s not a bad idea to go outdoors now and then. Cathy has been looking at a couple USGS topographic maps from 1945 that I printed out for her. They cover Rockville and the area to the east and she was interested in the fact that Avery used to go through to Baltimore Road. I knew part of that already because the road that comes out next to Rockville Cemetery is Avery Road. Today I walked down from the Croydon Creek Nature Center on what remains of that stretch of Avery. I came across this piece of rusted metal in the woods and thought it might make a nice photo. It’s from an IntERNational Harvester truck of some sort.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on ERN

Bathroom Progress, Day 28

Bathroom Progress, Day 28

Bathroom Progress, Day 28

The bathroom is very nearly done. In this picture you can see the sink and toilet, which went in on Friday, as well as the mirror and vanity light fixture, which went in today along with the fold-down grab-bar between the toilet and the sink. You can see the hole in the door for the knob in the lower right. That and the knobs in the other doors will go in tomorrow. There is some painting to do in the kitchen, hall, and new bathroom. The shower curtain rod is on order and should be here next week. The curtain should come tomorrow. Once I have the rod and it’s up, the bathroom itself will be done. On Thursday the floor crew should be here to put new hardwood in the hall and to refinish that and the old hardwood in the bedroom (formerly the family room). Also on Thursday the ramp to the front door should be done. We are very close. Of course, the entire house needs to be dusted pretty badly. No point in doing that before the work is finished, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bathroom Progress, Day 28

Winter’s First Snow

Winter's First Snow

Winter’s First Snow

We had the first snowfall of the winter today and it was quite nice. We got at least two inches although it never really amounted to anything on pavement, which was warm enough to melt all of it. That includes driveways and sidewalks as well as roads, so driving was not a problem. That’s just as well because I had to go get a few things for the bathroom and Cathy went to a bridal shower for a friend. The snow was pretty on bushes and trees and this arborvitae (Thuja) looked really nice with fluffy white snow held in its branches.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Winter’s First Snow

Christmas Lights (But Not Ours)

Christmas Lights (But Not Ours)

Christmas Lights (But Not Ours)

I took pictures of some of the Christmas lights in our neighborhood this evening. Pictures of lights at night is a bit tricky, trying to balance the blackness of night with the very bright points of light, which tend to turn white unless you are careful. Then, the in between parts, that should have some light, tend to get a bit too dark. I’m reasonably happy with the way this one turned out. Just so there is no confusion, this is not our house and these are not our lights. We’ve been a bit overwhelmed with everything else that’s going on and Christmas decorations are a bit beyond us right now.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Christmas Lights (But Not Ours)

Grandma’s Bedroom

Grandma's Bedroom

Grandma’s Bedroom

I’ve posted a few pictures of the progress that’s being made on the new bathroom and I’ll put up another one soon, but tonight I thought I’d post a picture of grandma’s new bedroom, formerly our family room. Well, lately it’s been neither. It’s been the storage and work room for out builder, and in this picture you can see tools, two doors leaning up against the shelves, the hardwood flooring for the new hall, and even the bathroom sink faucet in the upper left. Later this week lights will be installed in the ceiling of this room and next week the carpet should come up and the floor refinished (along with the new floor in the hall).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Grandma’s Bedroom

Bathroom Progress, Day 19

Bathroom Progress, Day 19

Bathroom Progress, Day 19

Counting only work day’s, of course, and with some delays in terms of getting the inspections, we’re up to day 19. As you can see, the tile walls for the shower are up. The strip of red showing at the bottom is a rubber sealant that covers the entire sub-floor. That will be tiles over with 18 inch squares of a similar color to the walls. The shower floor will have the 2 inch tiles you can see in this picture (but those are not fastened down at this point, just sitting there and ready to go pretty soon. The two bottom rows of tile on the shower walls will go in after the floor (because they rest on the floor tiles. Anyway, it’s coming along.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bathroom Progress, Day 19

Mack Truck Bulldog Hood Ornament

Mack Truck Bulldog Hood Ornament

Mack Truck Bulldog Hood Ornament

According to Wikipedia, in 1893 brothers John (Jack) and Augustus (Gus) Mack bought Fallesen & Berry, the carriage and wagon company where John worked. In 1900 the first truck to bear the Mack name was produced, the Mack Bus. In 1922 the company name was changed to Mack Trucks, Inc. and the bulldog became the company’s corporate symbol. Since 2000, the company has been a subsidiary of Volvo. My grandfather picked up this bulldog hood ornament at some point and then my mom had it. I’m not really sure what the attraction is but it’s in our house now. So, I thought I’d take its portrait for today’s picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Mack Truck Bulldog Hood Ornament

Replacing Van Headlights

Replacing Van Headlights

Replacing Van Headlights

The headlights on our minivan have been a bit cloudy since we got it, many years and even more miles ago. It had about 115 thousand miles on it then and it’s up to 257 thousand now. The headlights are not terribly effective and on dark stretches of road, where there is no other traffic, they really were not adequate to let you see the road ahead. I’ve been meaning for a while to do something about it. I ordered a pair of lights and installed them today. As you can see, the lenses in these are much clearer than the old pair, sitting on the ground in front of the van. I’ve driven with them and they are a big improvement. Now that I know I can do it, I’ll buy another pair (they were $68 for two, with free delivery) for the van that Dorothy drives.

Each headlight is held in by one screw and three nuts that tighten onto bolts on the back of the lights. The screw is quite easy to get to but at least one of the nuts on each light was a little hard to reach (but not the same one on each). They all have 10mm heads but my 10mm wrench is fairly short (overall length 5.5 inches / 140mm), making it less useful than it might have been (but still my best bet in the tight space. I may get a long handled wrench before I do this on Dorothy’s car, although having done it once, I’m more confident I can do it again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Replacing Van Headlights

Bathroom Progress

Bathroom Renovation

Bathroom Renovation

We finally got the plumbing and electrical inspections needed so that the walls can now be closed up. I had a meeting this morning with Marc, our general contractor, David, who is doing most of the actual work, and Andy, our occupational therapist. We discussed and agreed on locations for grab bars, etc., so proper backing could be installed before the walls are closed. Needless to say, these things have to be done in the right order. Much of the progress over the last week and a half has been in the basement and in the walls. We now expect progress to be much more visible as the walls are closed and the tile is installed.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bathroom Progress

Operation Christmas Child, Part 2

Operation Christmas Child, Part 2

Operation Christmas Child, Part 2

In the continuing story of this year’s Operation Christmas Child boxes, here’s a picture of Cathy amongst her six or seven (I mean twelve) boxes. They are mostly packed and ready to be closed up and delivered. She has a few more things to distribute to the boxes. Cathy is also signed up for two evenings working at the collection center in Jessup, processing boxes for shipment.

Hopefully Dorothy’s room will be back in order before she arrives next week on her Thanksgiving break.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Operation Christmas Child, Part 2

Operation Christmas Child, Part 1

Operation Christmas Child, Part 1

Operation Christmas Child, Part 1

Towards the end of summer Cathy does much of her Operation Christmas Child shopping. The back-to-school sales are a good time for it. I asked her then how many boxes she planned to do this year. She said six but quickly corrected herself, saying, “well, probably seven.” I think she honestly believed that’s how many she was going to make. That was a fiction, however. Her six or seven has quickly turned into twelve. Every year she ends up making more than she planned but this year she really went a bit overboard. She does like Operation Christmas Child. This picture is just a small section of the staging for packing boxes, which has taken over Dorothy’s room for the time being.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Operation Christmas Child, Part 1

Zamboni

Refreshing The Ice, Rockville Town Center

Refreshing The Ice, Rockville Town Center

I met the guys in Rockville Town Square this evening, getting there a little early so I’d have time to take some pictures before they got there. The ice skating rink had been set up and though we’re well into November, there have only been a handful of days that were actually seasonably cold. They can still make ice, of course, and I planned to watched a few people skate for a little while. Just as I got ready to take a picture of two, they cleared the ice to run the Zamboni, so I got a picture of that, instead. I don’t know if this is actually a Zamboni. Apparently there are two other companies that make ice refreshing equipment, but that’s the name that everyone recognizes. Like Kleenex, Band-Aid, and Jacuzzi, Zamboni is a registered trademark but it has become so associated with the product category, it is used in the vernacular for the product.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Zamboni

Bathroom Progress, Day 7

Bathroom Progress, Day 7

Bathroom Progress, Day 7

Today is work day 8 but this picture was taken in the morning before any work had been done today, so it reflects 7 days of work on the laundry room to bathroom conversion. As you can see, the plumbing is pretty much all done in the wall. The electrician came today and removed the 220 volt outlet that was used by the electric drier we had when we moved in (our current drier is gas). That’s right in the middle of this photograph. Another thing to notice in this picture is the joist that would have been directly under the drain in the shower pan. That required a little reworking of the supporting structure. The two joists on either side were doubled up and cross pieces put in to hold the end of the central joist, which had to be cut. The shower pan went in today, as well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bathroom Progress, Day 7

Fall Color In The Woods

Fall Color In The Woods

Fall Color In The Woods

I’m reasonably happy with my commute. On a good day it’s under 15 minutes and it’s pretty rare that it takes as long as 25 minutes. On the other hand, it isn’t the most picturesque commute you’re going to find. There’s are a few bits that are nice, though, including a stretch of woods on both sides of Rock Creek. In my homeward bound commute, that’s also the most likely stretch to have a back up. Today, I stopped part way along that stretch and was able to take a few pictures of the woods before we started moving again. The woods are quite lovely right now and I don’t mind a short stop if I have that to look at. Pretty soon it will be a lot less interesting, so enjoy it while you can.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Fall Color In The Woods

Bathroom Progress, Day 4

Bathroom Progress, Day 4

Bathroom Progress, Day 4

The difference between the beginning of day one and the end of the same day were more obvious than the difference between the end of day one and the end of day four. Of course, day four was Friday and it is now Sunday but of course the bathroom is in the same state today as it was at the end of the day on Friday. In the top of the picture you can see a black box in the ceiling. That’s the new exhaust fan. There are also two recessed light fixtures above what will be the shower. Another not so obvious change is the air duct that used to open in the floor in the far right and which now comes up in the wall in the foreground on the right.

The place where there was a door to outside is closed in, as it was on the first day. You cannot see it in this photo, of course, but the siding is up on the outside of that and if you didn’t know a door had been there, you might not be able to tell. There are a few signs left, but they are minor and will be taken care of in due course.

I picked out floor and wall tile yesterday and bought one of each so the builder could measure the thicknesses and get the transition from floor to shower nice and smooth. He needs that calculation before he can install the shower pan. Also, the plumber is supposed to come tomorrow and we should be able to do laundry again, which will be nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bathroom Progress, Day 4

Laundry to Bathroom Conversion, Day One

Laundry Room, Before

Laundry Room, Before

As some of you know, we have been planning a little construction project for a while now. Initially the thought was that we would renovate one of the two bathrooms upstairs, making it more accessible. This is all towards having Cathy’s mom come live with us. Renovating an upstairs bathroom, which is all we thought of for a while, also entailed putting in something to help her get up and down the stairs. Currently she can do stairs but it’s not easy and it’s going to get less easy as time goes by. We had an occupational therapist out to consult and while he was there, the thought occurred to make a totally new bathroom in our existing laundry room. Once that idea was aired, it was clear that it was the right thing to do.

Laundry to Bathroom Conversion, Day One

Laundry to Bathroom Conversion, Day One

By putting a full bathroom on the ground floor and converting our family room into a bedroom, we eliminate the need for a stair-climbing chair. Of course, the conversion of the laundry room to a bathroom has some costs associated with it, but those costs are going to be reflected in our property value. An accessible bathroom is a valuable asset, after all. Also, there are some tax credits for this sort of home improvement. After a bit of planning and consultation with out contractor (http://mafortierandcompany.com/) we got the building permits and today, the work began. I’ll post updates from time to time, as the project progresses.

Note that the “before” picture was taken after we moved a lot of things out of the laundry room. There were two shelves on the wall above the washing machine and there was a big bin of bird seed under the sink, for Solomon. But it’s “before” in the sense that the construction hadn’t started yet.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Laundry to Bathroom Conversion, Day One

Old Wine Bottle

Old Wine Bottle

Old Wine Bottle

My great grandfather Robert was born in Cumbria in England in 1837. He immigrated along with his parents and at least some siblings to a town on the Canada bank of the St. Lawrence River and served in the Canadian Army during the American Civil War. It was here that he met his future wife, Matilda (whose family we think might have been loyalists who moved across the river during the American Revolutionary War). In 1872 Robert traveled by ship to Panama, crossing the isthmus on horse back. From the west coast of Panama he took another ship to San Francisco. Finally, he traveled inland to Nevada, where he began mining copper, silver, and lead ore. He wrote to Matilda, who joined him there after the railway was completed and they were married circa 1882. Robert and Matilda had three children, Ada, Robert, and Ralph. We have visited what remains of the town in Nevada a few times and on a trip there in 1974 I found this unbroken wine bottle. It’s doubtful that there is any direct connection between the bottle and my ancestors but it reminds me of the place, and that’s important to me.

Categories: Food/Drink, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Old Wine Bottle

Warren Historic Site

Warren Historic Site

Warren Historic Site

After church today Cathy and I went out to Edward’s Ferry and then to White’s Ferry. It was a beautiful day and we walked a little on what’s left of the tow path near Edward’s Ferry. On the way back towards Poolesville we stopped for a few pictures at the Warren Historic Site. The site consists of three old buildings, the Martinsburg Negro School, built in 1886 and serving grades 1 through 5, the Warren United Methodist Church which, built in 1903, and the Loving Charity Lodge Hall, built in 1914. I’m not actually sure which building is which (except the church) but I’m guessing this is the oldest of the three. (UPDATE: Cathy saw a video that talked about this place, as well as others, and this building is the Lodge, not the school.)

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Warren Historic Site

A Little Time for Silliness

Cathy, Being Silly

Cathy, Being Silly

Back in the day (like the mid 1980s) Cathy and I came across a cartoon by Ed Koren that struck a chord with us. It’s a picture of two people, husband and wife, apparently, greeting a woman walking a dog. The husband and wife are wearing typical business clothes except they are both wearing outlandish hats. His has big ears and horns, hers is huge with fruit all over it. The man in speaking and says, “We try to set aside a little time for silliness.”

Those of you who know us very well know that we have taken that to heart and we, like the couple in the cartoon, set aside a little time for silliness. This picture is Cathy being just a little silly. When I got home from work she was out in the back garden pulling weeds. I asked if I could take her picture and this is what she did.

This is Cathy’s Isadora Duncan pose.

Ed Koren’s web site is here: http://www.edwardkoren.com/.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , | Comments Off on A Little Time for Silliness

Utensiles

Utensiles

Utensiles

It was getting late in the day when I realized I hadn’t taken any pictures. Days like this are sort of a write-off, in terms of this one-picture-a-day thing, but if I actually were to skip a day, I’d have to say “I’ve taken at least one picture a day for almost seven years, except a few when I didn’t.” It’s so much easier to be able to leave off that second part so I take pictures of things around the house. Today that meant some plastic utensils in the dining room. I also took pictures of some knobs and of a decorative glass vase, but this is what I decided to share with you. Maybe I’ll repeat the knob pictures and use that the next time I’m in a bind and running out of day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Utensiles

Bethesda Quilters (Jane’s Quilt)

Bethesda Quilters Quilt

Bethesda Quilters Quilt

On Thursday evening I joined a pretty large crew of people setting up the Bethesda Quilters semi-annual quilt show. In the process, of course, I got to see most of the quilts as we were hanging and labeling them. Today I went simply to enjoy the quilts and visit with the quilters (including my mom, of course). This one was made by Jane (I don’t use last names on the blog, but if you’re interested I can let you know. It’s one of the larger quilts in this year’s show and I really love the bright colors. In fact, all three of the large quilts hung on the outside walls (because they are too large for the quilt stands) were wonderful. There was a lot of very impressive work and it’s always interesting to see what people come up with.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Bethesda Quilters (Jane’s Quilt)

Quilt Show

Dot's Quilt

Dot’s Quilt

Every two years the Bethesda Quilters has a quilt show. It’s running tomorrow and Saturday (October 13 and 14) from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Holy Redeemer Church School gym at 9705 Summit Avenue, at the corner of Summit and Saul Road. This evening we put up the frames to hold the quilts and hung them. Others were setting up tables to sell some things. If you have a minute and are in the area I recommend you drop in for a visit. If you do, you’ll see an amazing array of quilts and wall hangings, including this beautiful one that my mom made this summer. I think it’s one of her best yet.

Mom’s been quilting for quite a few years now and in addition to those she made for specific people she had a pretty good pile of them at home. Over the summer she brought them all out, over 60 of them, and had us take what we wanted. Dorothy took one that she has been wrapping herself up in ever since (we keep our house cool enough that a quilt won’t go amiss even in the summer). When Dorothy left for school, I pulled out another that’s always available if you are visiting and feeling chilled.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Quilt Show

Grease Fractals

Grease Fractals

Grease Fractals

I love fractals and fractaly patterns. Nevertheless, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this picture. On the one hand, it’s sort of like a coastline with it’s inlets and estuaries while at the same time being made up of various sized pieces, just the way sand or small rocks on the side of a pool, stream, or beach can form what looks like a larger shoreline. On the other hand, this one is made of blobs of fat, in this case pork fat, with the ocean being made from the gelatinous ‘liquids’ from the same roast. After cooking a 10 pound shoulder roast, I put the meat on a plate too cool rest before carving. When I was done, what was not eaten right away (which was the bulk of the roast, after all, there are only two of us here right now) these juices and fat were left on the plate overnight. I know it’s a little gross but it’s also a little interesting. I’ll just leave it at that.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Grease Fractals

Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Grasshopper

I needed to cut a 4×8 sheet of plywood into 7 pieces today and as usual i did it on the back patio. It’s relatively flat and it’s a lot less work than getting such a large board into the basement. I took a kitchen towel to wipe rhe sweat off my face and when I was done, it was left for a while on a table in the sun. After I had put everything else away, I noticed that this grasshopper had found the towel and was, I assume, eating the salt from my sweat. It stayed quite a while, slowly moving over the exposed cloth. With the camera resting on the table I was able to get some nice close-up pictures of the grasshopper.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Grasshopper

Grandma’s Pipe

Grandma's Pipe

Grandma’s Pipe

It was a busy day, picking up Cathy’s mom, coming back to our house and then going to dinner before taking her home again. When we were back at her house I took pictures of a few things in an old post office desk in the kitchen. This is a desk with an array of square cubbies used for sorting mail. It is currently used to house curios, one or two per cubbie. I’ve been meaning to photograph this pipe for a while now and today I got around to it. Grandma doesn’t actually smoke anything, much less using an Amazonian clay pipe. We aren’t actually 100% sure where this came from but we all assume it was from Cathy’s grandma, who lived in Lima, Peru for over 20 years and that it was made in the Peruvian Amazon region. That’s an educated guess but still just a guess.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Grandma’s Pipe

Water on My Windscreen

Water on My Windscreen

Water on My Windscreen

I met the guys for dinner at Matchbox this evening and was a little early. It was raining quite hard as I drove there and I sat in the car a little while waiting for it to let up before heading in. The store lights across the street were lighting up the water splashing on and flowing down the windscreen of my car and I enjoyed watching the patterns it made. I have no idea, at this point, what the signs say and you certainly can’t tell from the picture, although at the time I remember wondering if I’d be able to read them in the pictures. By the time we were done with dinner the rain had basically stopped and I took a few pictures of the gas fire in the pit outside the restaurant entrance. But fire pictures are easier to come by. It doesn’t often rain as hard as it did this evening.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | 1 Comment

Mont. Co. Agricultural Fair

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and Vegetables

Cathy, Dorothy, Jonathan, and I went to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair this afternoon. I got a moderate thrill being a VIP of sorts, with my four free passes, won last year in a photo contest. That saved us $52 ($12 per person plus $10 for parking). We enjoyed the food and wondering around the barns, especially the rabbits and chickens. We made it up to the craft and photo buildings and looked at the produce and flowers that had been entered this year. I love the intense colors of the fruits and vegetables in this basket. Note that they may all look like vegetables to you, as that’s how most of these items are used, but technically, these are all fruits except the beets and onions.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Mont. Co. Agricultural Fair

Raindrops On A Pond

Raindrops On A Pond

Raindrops On A Pond

It continues to be quite busy at work but today was something of a turning point in the project I’m working on. I made a lot of progress and it’s starting to come together. There is still plenty more to do, but I’m a little less panicked now. At about 4:30 I decided to take a short break and go outside to take a few pictures. I got a few that I think are nice but as I was heading back to my office it started to sprinkle a little. There is a drainage pond near the sidewalk, just through the trees, and I made my way to it and took this picture of the raindrops softly landing on the surface of the pond.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Raindrops On A Pond

Fleabane

Fleabane

Fleabane

At one point today I needed to get out of the office. It was a lovely if somewhat warm day and I went to the empty lot next to my building. The western part of that is mostly woods now, having been empty for about 25 years. The eastern part is much more open and covered with a waist-deep herbaceous perennial of some sort (I really should look it up). Anyway, I took some pictures of this fleabane. I don’t know for sure what it is but my guess is annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fleabane

Afghan Doll

Afghan Doll

Afghan Doll

We went to a presentation by a woman named Ariane from an organization that does work with some of the very poorest people in two areas in Afghanistan. Their work includes education, recreation, providing meals, and vocational training including such skills as sewing and baking. They are teaching sign language to deaf children, as well as ordinary school subjects. Cathy’s mom organized the event and had a combination of Afghan and French themed refreshments at the back of the room. She also brought in a few of her Afghan dolls and had them on display. On the tag attached to this one it says,

This is the national dress of the women of Afghanistan. The bodice is embroidered in many colors and sometimes includes colored stones, bangles, or small mirrors, depending on the area from which it comes. This costume has never been covered by the chadri.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Afghan Doll

Fuchsia ‘Dark Eyes’

Fuchsia ‘Dark Eyes’

Fuchsia ‘Dark Eyes’

Today is Mother’s Day. For many people that means buying cut flowers and taking their wife or mother out to lunch. For us it means a trip to the garden center. This is our third trip in two weeks and we now have enough plants to keep us busy for a little while. Mostly we buy annuals that Cathy will put into containers, including some at her mother’s house. On the two previous trips I bought a shrub each time but I didn’t get anything for myself this time (it’s Mother’s Day, after all). But I did bring my camera and while Cathy made up her mind what to buy, I took pictures.

They had quite a few Fuchsias in hanging baskets. Most of them were this variety, called ‘Dark Eyes’. There was another that had a white part instead of the purple here. I prefer this one over that. There were also a lot of really lovely gazanias and dahlias, which are always quite impressive. They have a few trees and one, a Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) was in full, glorious bloom. That’s a tree I should consider for our yard. Very lovely.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fuchsia ‘Dark Eyes’

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Back in 2009, we were in the suburbs of Boston for Steve and Maya’s wedding. After the wedding we moved to a B&B in Jamaica Plain and one day mom, Ralph, Tsai-Hong, and I went to the two art museums on either side of where mom went to grad school. The first of those was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and I had the pleasure of taking Cathy and Dorothy there this afternoon. It’s quite a place and really worth a visit, if you have the time. The building has a covered courtyard in the center, shown here, and the galleries are around that on each of the first three floors. If you are interested, there are room guides on the museum’s web site.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

“Spirit of Freedom”

'Spirit of Freedom' by Muriel Castanis, 1992

“Spirit of Freedom” by Muriel Castanis, 1992

I’ve driven past the Washington Street side of the Rockville courthouse a hundred times but never noticed this sculpture before. I’m usually just turning onto Washington Street from Jefferson and then paying attention to oncoming traffic because I’m usually turning left again. Because this is on the right, I am generally looking the other way. For some reason I noticed it this evening, though. I parked and went over to get a closer look. Apparently it is titled “Spirit of Freedom” and was created in 1992 by Muriel Castanis.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on “Spirit of Freedom”

Daffodil

Daffodil

Daffodil

It’s high daffodil season and the big boys are out, shining in the morning sun. Unfortunately this one was taken in the afternoon, so it’s not in full sun in the picture, but still pretty nice. These were planted the fall we moved into the house and so they’ve been blooming for ten years now. What was individual tufts of daffodils has become a single, large clump and has spread a bit, as well. They are not actually the most reliable bloomers. If the spring is too wet they won’t all open properly but this year has been quite good for them and they’re looking mighty fine.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Daffodil

Ripples

Ripples

Ripples

It was a beautiful day again today. Very spring-like. Cathy and I went for a walk early in the afternoon, simply walking around my building a few times. I took my camera with me, as I usually do on such outings, but only took a few pictures. This is the surface of the stream that flows between my building and the rest of the campus, below the small pond that was built a few years back. The plants are starting to show buds and a few things even have early leaves out but for the most part, it’s still late winter as far as the plants are concerned. There are some daffodils and a few crocuses blooming closer to the building.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ripples

Senior Crossing

Senior Crossing

Senior Crossing

We were up in Baltimore this afternoon and as we were leaving, driving south on Broadway towards Fells Point, I took this picture while stopped at a traffic light. It’s a good thing this sign is illustrated, because at first I thought it was a crossing of many years, a venerable, old pedestrian crossing. The illustration, of course changes the sense of the phrase “senior crossing” to something very different, a crossing for seniors.

I’ve seen a lot of ‘crossing’ signs in my day, ranging from deer to armadillo and tractor to horse cart. I’ve seen signs for deaf child and even slow children (now that I think about it, “Slow Children” may be another where an illustration could change the meaning). This is the first Senior Crossing sign I’ve seen and I like the addition of the cane. I also like the way this senior’s head is floating above his shoulders. Like they do.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Senior Crossing

Disk Harrow

Disk Harrow

Disk Harrow

It was a lovely day and Cathy and I went for a walk at the Montgomery County Agricultural Farm Park today. They have a garden that we often like to visit but it’s a bit early in the year for that to be of much interest. We walked around in the woods an near the former sites of the three Newman houses. There are some old farm machines lining a part of the road where we walked including this disk harrow and a chain harrow that looked like a giant version of one of those puzzles where you are supposed to separate two twisted pieces of metal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Disk Harrow

Check With Your Doctor

Check With Your Doctor

Check With Your Doctor

I picked up a prescription this afternoon on the way home. It’s one I’ve taken for a long while and I have to admit I don’t read everything on the bottle every time. After all, it doesn’t change much and I know how I react to it (which is not very much except for what it’s meant to do). I couldn’t swear that this notice has been on previous bottles, although I assume so. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to become pregnant, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Check With Your Doctor

A Walk Around Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Cathy and I went up to Baltimore to see Ralph and Tsai-Hong this afternoon and it was such a beautiful day that we took a walk around the block where Johns Hopkins Hospital sits. It’s a largish block and including a bit of wandering in an urban garden and into the front of the hospital itself, we walked almost a mile. On the left in this picture is the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building, the cancer center. The curved, glass-front building at the right is the Bloomberg Children’s Center. You can just see the top corner of the main hospital building, the Sheikh Zayed Tower, above the right hand corner of the Weinberg building.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Walk Around Johns Hopkins

Winter Weather

A Fairly Light Snowfall

A Fairly Light Snowfall

When I got up this morning I didn’t realize at first that it had snowed overnight. I glanced out the kitchen door but didn’t see it at first. A little later I saw that there was something white scattered on parts of the patio table and it was only on closer inspection that I realized that it was snow. I decided I should document our winter weather, even if it was only a light dusting. The snow seems to have formed clumps or pellets and they were evenly scattered over the lawn (but not enough that it didn’t still look green at a glance). Where oak leaves were lying in the garden, the pellets of snow gathered into larger amounts, and that’s what you see here. So, winter, we’re still waiting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Winter Weather

Emergency and Trauma

Emergency and Trauma

Emergency and Trauma

Sometimes I think if I had twins I’d name them Emergency and Trauma. Maybe not. But if I had two dogs I could probably get away with it. I’m not sure what nicknames I’d come up with for them, though. I suppose Emergency could be shortened to Em. May Uma for the other one. But all seriousness aside, Cathy and I were here for a little while with Cathy’s mom. She’s fine and is home again. She probably didn’t even need to go, but better safe than sorry, we always say (always, some people find it a little annoying). As I was leaving I stopped to take a few pictures of the outside of the hospital. It isn’t the most inviting place in the world, but then, when you need it, you’re glad to have it. And this is a good one.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Emergency and Trauma

Soap Bubbles

Soap Bubbles

Soap Bubbles

I think bubbles are cool. Of course some are more cool than others (to paraphrase George Orwell). These are fairly simple soap bubbles in a backing dish that’s been soaking to loosen the grease that was baked on it from a 10 pound pork shoulder roast. We’re all familiar with the rainbow colors sometimes seen in larger soap bubbles. None of that here. I recently saw a video of a soap bubble slowly freezing, and that was very cool (in every sense of the word). But these are nice in an understated way.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Soap Bubbles

Lighting

Lighting

Lighting

We were at Upper Rock Circle again this evening and I took some more pictures of the decor in one of the public rooms of the building. This is a meeting room with a kitchen area and these lights are above the bar that has the stove top and also serves as an eating area.

It’s been quite warm the last couple days, with high temperatures above 70°F yesterday and today. The forecast is for snow tomorrow, and then colder weather for a little while, so perhaps we’ll have some winter for a change. I don’t mind a balmy day in midwinter but 70°F is overdoing it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lighting

My Family’s First Computer

Ohio Scientific Superboard II

Ohio Scientific Superboard II

In 1978 (or thereabouts), when I was in college, my dad bought this computer. It was made by Ohio Scientific and is a Superboard II, a.k.a., model 600 single-board computer. It came by default with 4k of RAM but dad knew that he’d need more than that so he doubled it to 8k. He initially built a power supply for it but the power wasn’t clean enough so he bought one. The computer was connected to a small black-and-white television set and a portable cassette player for program and data storage. I actually did more BASIC programming on this machine than on any subsequent computer I’ve owned, moving on to Pascal in 1984 when I bought my own NEC computer. Although this was the family’s first computer, Ralph had one sooner. I believe he bought it with a friend at school and it was a more powerful thing, using an Intel 8008 processor, if I remember correctly.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on My Family’s First Computer

Wooden Chandelier

Wooden Chandelier

Wooden Chandelier

This isn’t technically a chandelier, because the formal definition includes branching structure to hold multiple lights. The word chandelier comes through the French from the Latin candelabrum or candle holder. Of course we apply it to those that hold electric lights but this only has a single light, as far as I can tell. Still, it’s a pretty, hanging light fixture and the term is fluid enough that it might encompass it. We were at a place on Upper Rock Circle this evening and this is in their lobby above a simple but effective fountain.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wooden Chandelier

Glinda of Oz

Glinda of Oz

Glinda of Oz

We were over at Cathy’s mom’s Saturday a week ago and then Cathy was there with our dear friend Julia again twice last week. It was mostly going through boxes of papers and separating those that needed to be shredded and those that could simply be recycled. We also went through some books, although there are a lot more to look at. We only pulled out a few to bring home. One was this copy of Glinda of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. It is the fourteenth book in the Land of Oz series and was published on July 10, 1920.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Glinda of Oz

Rotary Dial Wall Phone

Rotary Dial Wall Phone

Rotary Dial Wall Phone

A week or two ago I got a call from Ben, our pastor, asking if by any chance I had an oldish phone, preferably one with a rotary dial. I’m not sure why he called me in particular. He wasn’t even sure why he called me. It’s true that we’re in the upper quintile or ages at church and younger people were less likely to have such a thing. And of course I do have a rotary dial phone.

This isn’t the exact phone I grew up with but it’s exactly like two phones we had in our house when I was in high school, when I started using the phone regularly. There was a white version of this same phone in the kitchen and a black one, just like this, in the basement. We also had a regular table-top version, also rotary dial, in the hall. The one in the basement is still there.

The challenge for this photograph was to get the dial in motion. I used the flash to freeze it but also a long exposure so that it’s a bit blurred. It was 1/3 second at f/3.5 with the camera on a delay timer so I could press the shutter and then dial the phone and get my hand out of the way just in time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rotary Dial Wall Phone

Running Water

Running Water

Running Water

I managed to get out of the office for a little while early this afternoon. It’s been a really busy month and of course January often isn’t the best month for walks in the woods. But today was nice and mild, the rain has stopped, and I took a break from work to spend a little time outdoors. I took a bunch of pictures of moving water. I really enjoy the lines of water in a stream or river, especially where the water meets partially submerged rocks. It’s a simple thing and easily found but in my eyes, it’s one of the beauties of nature. Sure, Yosemite and the Tetons are awesome, to say nothing of the Himalayas or the Rift Valley in Africa, but beauty can be found in a stream in an unused building lot, right next door.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Running Water

St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

St. Mary's Church and Graveyard

St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

Two weeks ago, on January 3rd, I posted a picture of St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard. This evening it was a little foggy and I thought I’d stop there again to try to get a better picture. This time I also had my tripod, which made it considerably easier and gave me a lot more options in terms of camera location (I wasn’t limited to using the fence as a support). As it turned out, the fog was less of a factor than I thought and it barely shows up in this picture, beyond the overall haze in the sky. Still, I’m reasonably pleased with how it turned out. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be back when it’s foggier to try again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

&Pizza

My &Pizza Pizza

My &Pizza Pizza

I may have mentioned that I’m quite busy at work. That is still going on and I really don’t mind the business so much as the changes on changes that undo previous changes. That can be a little tedious, but it’s a living, I guess. I’m also not so busy that I couldn’t go to lunch with a few co-workers and my retired, former boss. We try to get together ever few months and I really look forward to those days. There were only four of us this time and we went to &Pizza in Downtown Crown. I had a slightly modified Maverick, which ironically is their take on the ubiquitous meat-lover’s pizza. Still, it was good and I’d have it again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on &Pizza

The Stars and Stripes

The Stars and Stripes

The Stars and Stripes

On the way home this evening I stopped at St. Mary’s Church again. Last week I posted a picture of their graveyard and the church taken at night. This time, the photo was taken from the edge of their property but of a flag flying across the street in the triangular Veterans Park. The flag is well-lit, as the nation’s flag should be when flown around the clock, and it was quite breezy, making it easier to get a shot with the flag mostly unfurled. This was a 1/8 second exposure at f/2.8 and ISO 500, taken with a 100mm macro lens and with the camera mounted on a tripod.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The Stars and Stripes

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

It was back to work again today and a busy day it was. I barely left my desk all day and didn’t go outside at all. Cathy and I went to work together because we have a car in the shop and by the time we left for home it was after 6:00 and quite dark. After dinner I took some pictures of bunches of colored pencils. There are quite a few floating about the house. Actually, they aren’t as scatted as they have been at times in the past. Most of them are in a bin in my computer room.

I took some pictures looking at the pencils end-on but then decided to take a few with them standing in rank. These were just a bunch held in my hand with the yellow wall beyond them. Maybe I should have sharpened them all before I took the picture, or at least the orangish one in the upper right, but I don’t suppose it really matters.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colored Pencils

Fjord

Fjord

Fjord

We had more snow this morning. Still not what I’d call a snow storm but more than yesterday. Also, temperatures have been below freezing for a day and the snow stuck to streets and other paved surfaces this time. When I got up in was 29°F but by noon the temperature had dropped to just above 20°F. In the early afternoon I went out back and took a few pictures. This one reminds me of a coastal valley in Alaska or Norway, with inlets and islands. Of course the entire scene is only a foot across, but nature tends to make similar shapes, whether large or small.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fjord

First Snow of 2017

First Snow of 2017

First Snow of 2017

It was something short of a blizzard but we had our first snowfall of 2017 this morning. It started before I got up but had mostly stopped by the time I got to work. The roads were all perfectly clear, so it had no real effect on my relatively short commute. It’s suppose to snow again tomorrow and it’s gotten colder, so it may stick a bit more, but for today, it was just a light dusting on the grass and in the woods. Quite pretty, actually.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on First Snow of 2017

Cracked Bowl

Cracked Bowl

Cracked Bowl

It was a busy day at work today and I didn’t really get out of my office, much less the building to take pictures. When I got home, I fixed dinner and then sort of crashed for a while. Late in the evening I started looking around for things to photograph. There are some little Greek ceramic buildings on a glass-front cabinet in our dining room and I took some pictures of those, as well as a Cloisonne egg, but those were not very satisfying. I took a few pictures of this bowl, which I made back in the late 1970s, probably 1979. The crack makes it pretty unsuitable for anything liquid but it works well for holding chips or popcorn. I kind of like the crack, which was not intentional. That combined with the darker glaze around the crack gives it some character.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cracked Bowl

St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

St. Mary's Church and Graveyard

St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

It was a bit foggy this evening and as I was coming home from downtown Rockville I decided I’d see what I could get in the St. Mary’s graveyard. I hadn’t thought to put my tripod into the car so I had to brace the camera on the fence on the edge of the yard. This exposure was six seconds at f/5.7 and it turned out reasonably well. Because it’s all lit with artificial light, it was much more orange than this, which I’ve desaturated significantly. I should probably return with a tripod and a bit more time some evening but this was a good first try.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard

Christmas, 2016

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Every year is different. That’s good, in the sense that we want a little variety in our lives. If every day were just like the last, we’d get bored (some of us sooner than others). That’s why so many people love the changing seasons. Autumn and spring, times of transition, are especially beautiful. But even with the change, there is a sameness the overlays it all. Every year has the same four seasons and that repetition is quite comforting. We know what to expect next, at least in broad terms, even if the details are different.

Every year, the details are different. We all know that but we’re still surprised by it, from time to time. Last year was different to all the others (at least all my others) because Albert wasn’t there. This year was different for a totally different reason. Ralph’s son and daughter-in-law (Stephen and Maya) had a son yesterday. What a wonderful combined Christmas and Hanukkah present. They named him Kaien (pretty much rhymes with Ryan) but gave him the middle name Albert. That was a very sweet thing for them to do and a very nice present for all of us.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Christmas, 2016

Tree and Crèche

Tree and Crèche

Tree and Crèche

After work today I did some shopping while Cathy went to her weekly Pilates class. Then I came back and picked her up and we went to her mom’s house to help get some Christmas decorations up. We had put up the tree earlier but didn’t have time to decorate it. I also got out the large crèche which was stored on the top shelf in the basement. Getting a picture with the lights on the tree showing and the rest of the image lit properly is a challenge but I’m pretty please with this one.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tree and Crèche

Ice Storm

Ice on Colorado Spruce

Ice on Colorado Spruce

Dorothy drove from school to Lancaster, Pennsylvania yesterday, getting most of the way home without having to deal with the winter weather that we had today. This morning it started sleeting about the time I got up and came down for a good three or four hours before petering out. There was a nice coating of ice on everything but it didn’t last, having warmed up into the 40s by the afternoon. Dorothy left Lancaster around 2:00 and with the exception of a little back road driving getting to interstate 83, she didn’t have any problem getting here. But for the little time it lasted, the ice was very pretty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ice Storm

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

As I mentioned yesterday, it’s gotten cold. Today I wore a sweater and if you know me at all, you know that means it was below 20°F (about -7°C), which is when I usually will put a jacket on even if I won’t be outside long. Anyway, I also had a glove for my camera hand. That made my foray into the woods much more comfortable than yesterday’s. I walked through the woods and across the creek in the empty lot next to my building. Up on the higher ground across the creek there was a large, flat, open area with small puddles, all frozen. In what was formerly mud, there were these fingers of ice crystal that I thought were pretty awesome.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ice Crystals

Christmas Presents

Christmas Presents

Christmas Presents

Cathy spent much of the evening today wrapping Christmas presents so we could get them in the mail in time for them to arrive before Christmas. Many years she’d be doing this next week, so it’s pretty great that she got them done. I’m not judging, mind you. I barely helped do it, although I did wrap one or two of the presents. I’m a terrible procrastinator. Anyway, she got four (I think) separate boxes packed and ready to mail. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Presents

Oil On Wet Pavement

Oil On Wet Pavement

Oil On Wet Pavement

I went over to one of the other buildings on campus early this afternoon for a meeting. As I sometimes (often) do, I brought my camera with me in case there were any opportunities for photographs. As I walked over, it was overcast and dreary, but that’s sometimes good photographically. By the time I left the meeting, only an hour later it was sunny and clear. The pavement was still wet from the rain overnight and there was a little oil or gasoline spilled on the pavement. That’s what this photograph is of.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Oil On Wet Pavement

Tea Set

Tea Set

Tea Set

I was looking around for things to photograph this evening. The first thing I photographed was soap bubbles in a roasting pan soaking in the sink. They turned out alright but they were not exactly riveting. Cathy had been washing this tea set that she’s had since she was a little girl. It was set out on a tea towel. I moved them to a cutting board and took a few pictures, of which this is one. It’s a dainty, little tea set with cups that are only about an inch across.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tea Set

Santa On A Bike

Santa On A Bike

Santa On A Bike

I was coming home from our weekly men’s meeting this evening and saw that a significant number of houses have been decorated for Christmas. I drove through the neighborhood and took pictures of a bunch of the decorations. Some are simple, with all white lights, others have lights on forms in the shape of animals or people, including one lit up nativity scene. Still others have inflatable figures, such as this one of Santa driving away from the house on a motorcycle. As you can see, he’s left some presents under the tree and the family dog is faithfully standing guard (but knows that Santa is a welcome visitor). This is a nice counterpoint to last week’s Duck on a Bike.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Santa On A Bike

Teabag Gown

Teabag Gown

Teabag Gown

Cathy and I drove down to Richmond this afternoon for our friend Emily’s photo exhibit in an art gallery there. Many of the galleries in Richmond have openings on the first Friday of each month so it’s a bit of a thing. It didn’t seem like there was as much action as there had been on previous First Fridays but that didn’t seem to hurt Emily too much. Her show was pretty well visited for the entire three hours of the official opening. Cathy and I really enjoyed seeing her work and of course also seeing her, her mom, and many of her friends.

We walked west on Broad Street as far as Boulevard, going into a few other galleries. The skirt of this gown is made from tea bags. It is one of two in a shop window and I couldn’t resist taking pictures. I took other pictures throughout the evening, of course, mostly of folks at Emily’s show. We drove back home again that evening so it was a long day, but well worth the drive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Teabag Gown

Duck On A Bike

Duck On A Bike

Duck On A Bike

Back in the second year of my photo-a-day project I posted a picture of this duck on a bike. I’m not sure if it’s cheating to post an almost identical photo today but it was after 10:00 PM and I hadn’t taken any pictures today. I’m nearing the end of six years of taking at least one picture a day and I’d hate to drop the ball as I near that milestone. I reserve the right to stop at any time. A day may come when I don’t take a picture. But it is not this day.

This duck on a bike sits over our main computer in our family room. It’s missing one of the three rotor blades on its head and it has been stepped on at some point so it leans a bit. Because of those two factors, it doesn’t run very well, falling over quite easily. Still, it’s a happy thing to have. I mean, who doesn’t love a duck on a bike (even it it’s really a trike)?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Duck On A Bike

Colors

Pastels

Pastels

Dorothy came home for Thanksgiving, arriving at about 2:30 this morning. We only saw her for a moment before she and Abba, who came with her, went to bed. Today we spent much of the day at her grandma’s house (Cathy’s mom’s) but Dorothy, Cathy, and I went out to run a few errands in the afternoon. Among other things, we went to Plaza to buy Dorothy some art supplies. While she was shopping, I took a few pictures, mostly of colors. I got some of oil paints, colored paper, and color pencils, as well as a few of these shelves of pastel sticks.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colors

Operation Christmas Child

Cathy and Her Operation Christmas Child Things

Cathy and Her Operation Christmas Child Things

In 2014 I posted a picture of Cathy with two Operation Christmas Child boxes, delivering them at the collection center. Then last year, the picture was of Cathy with six packed boxes, ready to take them out to the car. This year, we’re a little earlier in the process. In this picture, Cathy has laid out all the things she plans to get into six shoe-box sized plastic boxes. If you think it unlikely she’ll be able to get it all in, fear not, it was done (with a little expert advice from yours truly). They were delivered the next day (tomorrow when I took the picture, last week when I’m writing this). Has Cathy mentioned that she likes Operation Christmas Child? Well, she does.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Operation Christmas Child

Wedding Reminder

Wedding Reminder

Wedding Reminder

It’s funny, but when I’m going through pictures to post here, I have a fairly strong and only marginally conscious bias towards horizontally oriented photographs. I think (actually, I know) it’s because I feel like I have to fill this space next to the photo with text and a vertical photo takes considerably more work to fill. This photo is the third vertically oriented photo in a row, and the fourth out of the last five. So, what can I write?

This crock, or whatever you call it, was given to us as a wedding present. That’s me on the left and Cathy on the right. Since then, I’ve used it to hold mostly wooden spoons and a few other kitchen utensils. It generally sits back against the wall but I pulled it out for this photograph. Also, I clearly didn’t arrange the rest of the counter for this shot, as you can see a cup with plastic forks and spoons behind it to the right. On the left is the smaller of my two mortar and pestles (or is it mortars and pestles?). I use wooden spoons a lot when cooking. Also, the flat, wooden utensil and the orange silicone spatula get quite a bit of use.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wedding Reminder

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

A short drive (or long walk) from where I work are three connected buildings with great, reflective glass sides. They used to be the office and labs of Human Genome Sciences but they are now identified as GSK, which (a little digging proved) stands for Glaxo-Smith-Kline (although they insist on it being one word). According to Wikipedia, GSK is “a British pharmaceutical company headquartered in Brentford, London. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, GSK was the world’s sixth largest pharmaceutical company as of 2015.” But I’m here for the reflections.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on Reflections

Count on Me

Abacus Lamp

Abacus Lamp

This is an abacus that has been made into a lamp and is in the living room at Cathy’s mom’s house. There isn’t a lot to say about this particular abacus, but as I was deciding which pictures to post for today, I remembered a short video I saw once about doing mental math by visualizing an abacus. I can’t find the video that I saw (I didn’t try all that hard) but basically, kids were shown a series of long numbers (6, 8, and 10 digits long) and they added them up in their heads. The numbers were flashed on a screen and it went so fast I barely had time to read the numbers and certainly not enough time to actually do anything with them. But these kids were able to add them up accurately in their heads. It was quite remarkable. Apparently, learning to do math with an abacus then allows you to do the same thing only without the actual abacus. Subtraction, multiplication, and division are also done on an abacus, both physically and mentally. I wonder if it’s too late for me to learn to do that.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Count on Me

From My Office Window

Fall Color, From My Office Window

Fall Color, From My Office Window

I hope you aren’t getting tired of fall color. It was slow to get started, as I suspect we think every year, meaning it was about normal. But we are in the midst of great beauty. This is the view from my office window. Actually, this was taken from the conference room next to my office, but it’s basically the same view. This isn’t the best example of autumnal glory to be found, but it’s what I have easily available. All too soon it will be gone and we’ll be left with skeletons.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on From My Office Window

Metal Parrot

Metal Parrot Figurine

Metal Parrot Figurine

Cathy and I were at her mom’s house and I was looking for things to photograph among her various objet d’art. I’ve always liked this little metal parrot figurine and thought it would make a nice picture. It was sitting in front of a light colored plate but I moved it to get a better background. Anyone who has spent more than a little time with parrots will recognize this stance and expression. They are often curious birds with a great deal of personality. Of course, Solomon is more timid than curious, but that may say as much about us as about him.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Metal Parrot

Ceramic Bear

Ceramic Bear

Ceramic Bear

I’m not really much of an artist. In particular, I’m not much of a sculptor. But back in the day (I don’t know for sure but certainly not later than the 1970s) I attempted a small figurine of a bear eating honey, a la Winnie The Pooh. It’s a bit crude and certainly won’t win any awards for life-likeness. On the other hand, I’m going to go out on a limb and say I bet you could tell what it was without being told. So, that’s something.

I’ve often admired sculptors and their ability to fashion clay, stone, or metal into such wonderful imitations of life. I think that’s one of the things I like best about Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina. The fact that the sculpture is in such a beautiful setting makes a difference, too, of course. Could I do any better than this bear if I really tried? Possibly. But possibly we’ll never find out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ceramic Bear

A Few Old Coins

A Few Old Coins

A Few Old Coins

I’m not what you’d generally describe as a coin collector. On the other hand, I have a collection of coins. It isn’t very extensive and it’s certainly not very valuable, but it’s made up of coins I’ve accumulated over the years. As kids we would go through mom and dad’s coins looking for any we didn’t already have. Back then, in the 1960s, finding pennies with what are known as wheat backs wasn’t a big deal (they went through 1958) but now, it’s a pretty rare occurrence. Even rarer these days is to come across a steel penny, made in 1943 because of wartime shortages of copper. Pictured here are also two nickels from 1939 and 1941 and a Liberty Head dime from 1942.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Few Old Coins

Johns Hopkins Hospital

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building

A few of you know the circumstances that brought me to the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building at Johns Hopkins Hospital this morning. I came to give some blood for testing. For those who don’t know what that’s about, I’ll just say that I’m fine and I’m here for someone else. This is a pretty amazing hospital in terms of activity. It’s like a hive. Of course it would be great if hospitals were not so busy but there you have it. For more information about the hospital and specifically about the Weinberg Building see this page: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/our_center/facilities/weinberg/.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Johns Hopkins Hospital

Decorative Lights

Decorative Lights

Decorative Lights

I was in downtown Rockville again this evening, meeting a few other guys for dinner. I got there a bit early and took a few pictures but city scenes, even small-city scenes, are not really my thing. The plaza is undergoing it’s annual transformation from an open place where people mingle with a fountain where the kids play in the warmer months into its winter form. A skating rink is built in the plaza with a small pavilion at one end where skates are rented. This evening it was about a third the way through this transformation. On the lines of trees down each side of the plaza are lights, wrapped around the trunks and up into the branches. That’s what this picture features.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Decorative Lights

Gravestone Pedantry

John William Benson, 1861 to 1947

John William Benson, 1861 to 1947

It’s one thing to have an obscure reference or symbol on a grave marker. In fact, it’s fairly common and in consequence, many of the otherwise obscure symbols are documented. You can easily find references that will tell you about them. But what if you want a symbol that no one will understand and few will recognize? Put it in a book and then make sure to reference it. In this case, page 35 of “Principia of Universareology” and it further notes that copies may be found in various public libraries. I’ve checked the library catalog for our public library system and they don’t have a copy. In fact, searching on “Principia of Universareology” only uncovered two links on these entire interwebs. The first is to the Find-a-Grave page for this marker. The second is a PDF of Vol. 13, No. 3, Fall 2005 of the “Coalition Courier” newsletter, Published by the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites, Inc. On page two is the following paragraph (which is also quoted on the Find-a-Grave page):

In the Summer issue we included a picture of John William Benson’s grave marker and asked if anyone could shed light on the symbol. Eileen sent along copies of the pertinent pages of “Principia of Universareology” written by Mr. Benson of R[ockville]. The symbol is a concentric heart. The “heart” has 7 layers and a flame at the top and a circle at the bottom. The flame represents religion-theology. The chambers represent: govern-ment-politics; operatics-operation; body-physiology; animal-zoology; matter-chemistry; astronomical-astronomy; and universe. The bottom circle represents ‘entinal chaos of and before the dawn of the beginning’. So there you have it. Thanks again Eileen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Gravestone Pedantry

Colman’s Mustard

Colman's Mustard

Colman’s Mustard

I know I shouldn’t do this two days in a row, but today I have another example of older packaging. Yesterday is was penetrating oil, today it’s Coleman’s Mustard. On the right is the old, metal container for this powdered mustard. On the left is a new container. In this case, the new container is also made of metal, except for the lid, which is plastic instead of the elliptical metal lid on the old tin. This is the back of the old tin. The front looks basically the same as the new one. On the new tin, the front and back are much more similar to each other, with the red lettering on both sides, although it still has the cow on the back.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colman’s Mustard

Liquid Wrench

Liquid Wrench

Liquid Wrench

We’re in the days of plastic containers and I’m not sure it’s a good thing. It certainly is a less aesthetic time in our history. This is a metal can of Liquid Wrench®, otherwise known as a brand of penetrating oil. This can came from my dad’s workshop and it’s possible that before that it came from my grandfather’s. This isn’t something you go through quickly but it’s a great thing to have around. I’ve ordered another 4 ounce bottle but of course it’s plastic and not nearly so attractive. It’s basically the same, though, although the new bottle says ‘improved formula’ and it doesn’t say deodorized. But, It Melts The Rust Away!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Liquid Wrench

Bumble Bee and Obedient Plant

Bumble Bee and Obedient Plant

Bumble Bee and Obedient Plant

The obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) is finally in bloom in our back yard. I feel like it’s bloomed a lot earlier in previous years but I don’t really know. This is mostly a new location for it, so maybe it will bloom earlier there once it is established. I went out to get some pictures of it late this afternoon, although the light wasn’t all that good. I managed to get this picture of a common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) on it, which I think is nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

An Evening at the Rio

An Evening at the Rio

An Evening at the Rio

I’m posting two pictures from today. After I got that picture of the cricket in the grass, Cathy and I went to the Rio for a while. We walked twice around the lake, hoping to get a good sunset picture. The sky kept promising color in the clouds but it never really materialized. But the buildings and the reflection in the lake made a pretty nice picture, so I’m giving you that. This is an HDR image made from three individual exposures made right together, one under exposed (which supplies detail in the highlights), one properly exposed, and one over exposed (which supplies detail in the shadows). I think it turned out rather well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on An Evening at the Rio

Walter and Hazel Johnson

Walter and Hazel Johnson

Walter and Hazel Johnson

I’ve been meaning for some time to find the grave marker for Walter Johnson and today I actually stopped and found it. I’ve known for a while that he was buried in Rockville Cemetery and I’ve often thought of stopping as I drove by. Today I stopped. There are three markers, the large stone marked Johnson and the two headstones for Walter Johnson (November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946) and Hazel Johnson, who was only 36 years old when she died of heatstroke on August 1st, 1930. The larger stone has baseballs and other baseball related items left on it, presumably by admirers.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Walter and Hazel Johnson

Rockville Globe

Globe by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock

Globe by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock

I was heading home from downtown Rockville this evening and the only pictures I had taken were not worth much, so I thought I’d drive through and see if anything worth photographing was going on at the Town Square Plaza. There were quite a few people about but nothing obvious to photograph. Also, I didn’t find an easy parking space, so I kept going. I came back around and down Maryland Avenue and then turned left on E. Middle Lane, figuring I’d head home and find something else to photograph. While sitting at the light to cross Hungerford Drive I pulled out my camera and took a few pictures of this globe, a piece of public art, at the northwest corner of Hungerford and E. Middle. It is the work of Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock and was installed just over a year ago. My understanding is that there is a button you can push that will change the color of the light.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

New Computer

My New Computer

My New Computer

As I mentioned in the post from Thursday, my main workstation at home crashed. Parts of it are still usable and I may turn it into a Window-only scanning workstation. But for now, I need to get Linux up and running and restore the files on the drive that was lost (a 3TB drive with pictures up through 2011). This is the new computer, pre-assembly. In the past I’ve bought the smallest case that will hold everything I need. This time, I decided to take a different approach. The case is huge. But it made assembly so much easier. I got an AMD FX processor with 8 cores, 16GB of RAM (which may be upped to 32GB at some point), a 120GB SSD for the boot drive and two 5TB hard drives for data (I may need a third soon, but there’s plenty of room in this case). I also have a GeForce GTX 760 graphics card. It will be powered by a 600 watt power supply. An hour and a half later, all the parts were in the case and I was ready to start the process of installing CentOS 7, an upgrade from 6, which I’m sure will cause some pain along the way, but I do have some experience with 7 already, so I should survive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on New Computer

Some Serious Loafing

Huge Loaves of Bread, Rockland Bakery

Huge Loaves of Bread, Rockland Bakery

When we drive to or from the Boston area we often stop at the Rockland Bakery in Nanuet, New York for a bit of bread. Because we’re driving most of the day and it’s not a good idea to take pictures while driving, this is one of my few opportunities to take pictures on those days (I guess I could take pictures at a service area, but somehow…). In the past I’ve tried to come up with bread-themed jokes to go along with my picture (e.g., Home For The Challahdays). Today I’ll just feature a picture of some huge loaves of bread. I have to assume these are a special order item, being too long even for the shelf trolley they’re on. We settled for soft pretzels (which were just coming out of the oven) and a couple rolls. It’s a fascinating place and worth a visit, even if you don’t buy bread (but we always do, of course).

Categories: Food/Drink, Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Some Serious Loafing

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

It was County Fair day for us today. I went from work and Cathy picked up Karlee and Dorothy and came a little later (actually, because of horrendous traffic, it was quite a bit later). Because I had some time on my own, I took a few pictures, including this one of a 1957 Chevy Bel Air parked outside the Arts, Crafts, and Photography building. It’s a beautiful car, wonderfully maintained and restored. Of course I also took pictures of people, animals, and even people with their animals. I also had a chance to visit with some friends who work the photography building and who showed me where my pictures were displayed. Later, when Cathy, Karlee, and Dorothy came, we got caught in the rain and had to wait it out before making our way back to our cars as it let up. Still, I nice evening and one to remember.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

Escalator

Escalator

Escalator

Here’s a question. Should it only be an escalator when you ride it up from one level to a higher level? To escalate is to raise. So wWhen you go down, shouldn’t it be called a depressor or declinator or something? I have the same question about an elevator. Maybe that would be too complicated. I don’t know.

Anyway, Cathy and I were at Dulles airport today to pick up Dorothy. She was returning from Turkey, flying from Ankara to Washington via Munich, a much shorter itinerary than her original Ankara to Istanbul to Moscow to Washington set of flights. In fact, her entire trip from Ankara to Washington was shorter than her layover in Moscow was scheduled to be. I think we were all happy with the change. I suppose I could post a picture of her, back on American soil (or the tile floor of the airport, anyway) but I kind of like this picture of three escalators (two of which are descenders, actually), viewed from above.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Mirror, Outta The Way Cafe

Mirror, Outta The Way Cafe

Mirror, Outta The Way Cafe

We met a long-time friend this evening at the Outta The Way Cafe near Redland and Muncaster Mill Roads (http://www.outta.com/). It was a nice dinner and we had a good time catching up with the friend whom we hadn’t seen in a little while. We talked about the past a little but mostly about the future and even (occasionally) about the present. I hadn’t taken any pictures yet but this friend is not the most eager photography subject you’ll ever meet and, although I sometimes force the issue, I wanted to honor her with to not be photographed this evening. The Outta The Way Cafe has a somewhat eclectic decor, including this large mirror surrounded by a frame covered with glass balls. I’m not as happy with it as I might be. The reflection in the mirror is in focus but the mirror itself, with its colorful frame, it a bit blurry. But if I’m going to post something, this had got to be it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Mirror, Outta The Way Cafe

Farewell to Ocean Isle Beach

Farewell to Ocean Isle Beach

Farewell to Ocean Isle Beach

A week at the beach is never enough. I’m not entirely sure if it’s the shortness of the time at the beach or the shortness of the time away from work, but in any case, our week was quickly over and it’s time to go home. I went out onto the upstairs deck and took some pictures of the fairly calm Atlantic Ocean this morning. Actually, after the storm we had around mid-week (which was a rip-roarer) the ocean has been very calm, indeed. The other thing about the week being over, of course, is that it means we have to drive home, which includes a long stretch of Interstate 95. I cannot imagine that’s anyone’s idea of a good time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Farewell to Ocean Isle Beach

Trigger Warning

Trigger Warning

Trigger Warning

Trigger warnings are nothing new. The practice predates the internet by quite a bit, although that particular name is relatively new. In the ‘old days’ you might hear “parental discretion is advised.” before a particularly graphic or shocking news item, movie, or television show. Even for those without children (i.e., where parental discretion isn’t applicable) these warnings gave notice to all that they might want to prepare themselves for something unpleasant. Whatever you think of the current practice, however, I found the accompanying sign to be a bit funny in this context. Here’s a genuine trigger warning. It fits the old definition, of course—if you trespass you should prepare yourself to be shot—but it also fits the new usage. You might want to avoid this, if being shot at tends to cause you to have a panic attack.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Trigger Warning

Trouble Brewing

Trouble Brewing

Trouble Brewing

This is sort of a running gag with us. Every year we see these signs and chuckle. The title is from a class of Far Side comics by Gary Larson. He would put two things side by side that will inevitably lead to some sort of conflict and then caption it “Trouble Brewing.” For example, “Crutchfield’s Crocodile Farm” and “Anderson’s Sky Diving School” or “Falconers Club Meet Here and “12th Annual Tea Cup Poodle Fancier’s Picnic.” To us, these two signs are similar. Of course, there is a reasonable explanation. The road where this is found is a divided highway and the One-Way sign only applies to the southbound lanes while the Hurricane Evacuation Route sign applies more generally. Still, having them right next to each other pointing in opposite directions is classic.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Trouble Brewing

A Small Basket

A Small Basket's Lid

A Small Basket’s Lid

I’m sorry to say that today’s photograph is mostly filler. I’m tempted to say all filler, because it’s not really much of a photograph. We have this little basket that’s been sitting on our mantle for a while now. I’m not entirely sure where it came from (and Cathy isn’t here right now for me to ask). Anyway, I took some close up pictures of it today and that’s all I have. This is the lid from the basket (which is also woven).

Actually, when I went to get them off my camera, I got a bit worried. I take the pictures from my camera and put them into directories with the date as part of their name. When I went to get pictures for July 22, there were none. I panicked briefly thinking I hadn’t taken any for today. But my computer and my camera don’t seem to be on the same page in terms of daylight saving time and the computer thought they were taken at 12:05 tomorrow morning. The time recorded by the camera within the image was correct, however, showing up as 11:05 PM today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Small Basket

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

We had a nice long weekend away, tracking down some of Cathy’s family history. We also got to see some pretty sights, including the Delaware Water Gap, the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, three very different cemeteries, a train museum, and we even went to a coal mining museum. The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour and Anthracite Heritage Museum were closed by the time we got there but we were able to walk around a little and saw such things as a 13,000 pound chuck of anthracite and the adit where tours go down into the old mine workings. If we’re ever back in Scranton, particularly if it’s as hot as it’s been this weekend, that should be high on our list of things to do.

This morning, I went down to breakfast early and then was back in our hotel room, doing a little writing in my journal. I opened the curtain just enough to give me a little light to work by and these four stripes appeared on the wall. The sun was reflecting off the windscreens of four cars parked outside and shining up through the hotel room window, which was covered with condensation, giving the light the speckled appearance you see here. I took this picture as an abstract, really. It has no real meaning, but I think it’s a pretty pattern.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections

Union Pacific #4012

Union Pacific #4012

Union Pacific #4012

We spent today in Scranton, seeing the house where Cathy’s great, great, uncle lived and the church where his family were members. We also found family graves in two cemeteries. The highlight for Cathy, I think, was finding the death certificate (on microfilm) of her great, great grandmother in the Albright Memorial Library, which is a pretty amazing building.

After that we went to the Steamtown National Historic Site, where we enjoyed looking at old locomotives and other train cars. This is the Union Pacific’s locomotive #4012, a 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, among the largest and most powerful steam locomotives in the world. It is 132 feet, 10 inches long and with a loaded tender weights 1,189,500 pounds, yet it was capable of reaching speeds of over eighty miles per hour.

If you or your kids like trains, you could do worse than spending a half day at this place. Lots of nice equipment in the remaining portions of an old roundhouse. Recommended.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Union Pacific #4012

Glitter

Glitter

Glitter

It was a slow day photographically. That happens fairly often, I suppose. This take-a-picture-a-day thing is great in theory. If I didn’t work or was able to get outdoors to different places every day, it would be a lot easier. As it is, my life isn’t all that interesting. Nine days out of ten there’s nothing of any note to photograph. Oh, taking pictures of flowers, insects, and the occasional sunset is all well and good but some days, even that doesn’t happen. So, I look around the house for something a little different. There was some glitter on the dining room table, left over from a recent baby shower (well, the ‘baby’ is 8, but whatever). So, that’s what I photographed. I like the fact that this one star-shaped piece is standing point down in the tablecloth. You can also make out the reflection of the tablecloth pattern in the center of the star.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Glitter

Shadows Of The Past

Shadows Of The Past

Shadows Of The Past

With David and Maggie in town and having had our fun outing yesterday, today was more work than play. That’s not to say we had no fun together, but we spent much of the day going through Cathy and David’s mom’s shed and throwing away old, sometimes mouse eaten papers, among many other things. There was a metal cabinet outside her kitchen door that at one time had gardening tools, a few buckets of paint, and some small bottles of pesticide, among other things. Many other things, actually. As is often the case with cabinets of this sort, it eventually became a little less organized and there were things there that were long since forgotten and which needed to be tossed. In fact, we decided that the entire cabinet was ready for the county’s metal recycling program. This is the top of one shelf. You can clearly see that there was a can of something brown, viscous, and oily, which leaked out and held some other items in place, including two small packs of fasteners, which still remain firmly attached.

I took two trips to the dump plus one before this, with some yard waste that I had loaded into the van last week. In the evening we came back to our house and I fixed grandma’s famous chicken and pilau recipes, which turned out pretty well. At least no one pushed their plates away in disgust.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Shadows Of The Past

Charcoal Embers

Charcoal Embers

Charcoal Embers

I know that on the Fourth of July I should be able to come up with a better picture than this. In years past I’ve had pictures of fireworks or of people celebrating Independence Day in various ways. This year we stayed home and had a pretty low key celebration. I marinated flank steak and grilled it, along with some slices of fresh pineapple and we had our two moms over for an early dinner. It rained pretty hard and we never really even considered going out to see fireworks. After dinner, I took some pictures of the leftover ashes and embers in the hibachi, but that’s about it. Maybe we’ll do something more exciting next year (but you won’t put any money on it, if you are wise).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Charcoal Embers

210,000 Miles

Chrysler Town and Country, 210,000 Miles

Chrysler Town and Country, 210,000 Miles

Our 2000 Chrysler Town and Country reached 210,000 miles today, which is a milestone, I suppose. It happened to get there as I pulled into my office parking lot so I took a picture. Actually, I the mileage was 209,999 when I pulled into the lot and I took a picture of that before driving around my building a couple times to click it over to 210,000.

I should say, we have two minivans and this is our low-mileage van. The other is a 2007 and has a little over 240,000. Lately I’ve been alternating driving the two of them, one week for one, then a week in the other. Once it really gets hot, though, this one will get less use, as the air conditioning isn’t working. But lately it hasn’t been too bad.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 210,000 Miles

Rockville Town Square

Rockville Town Square

Rockville Town Square

I met my family in Rockville Town Square this evening for what we have taken to calling TND (Thursday Night Dinner). We met at Gordon Biersch but I got there a little early and took a few pictures in the square before heading over to the restaurant. This was taken from the stage, with the camera sitting on the edge of the stage and with a slightly long shutter speed to get some blur into the water (1/13 sec. at f/16.0). I think I should have lightened it up a bit more, but it’s not terrible. Anyway, that’s where I was this evening.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rockville Town Square

Wooden Dog Toothpick Holder

Wooden Dog Toothpick Holder

Wooden Dog Toothpick Holder

Okay, how about a break from flowers and other pictures from the yard? Well, we don’t have any choice because I didn’t take any pictures outside today. I was in the kitchen and I saw this little, carved, wooden dog toothpick holder and though I’d take his picture. It’s a nice little thing that is mostly unnoticed in our kitchen but sometimes I like to celebrate the little things. We don’t actually use toothpicks that often, but when we do (when serving hors d’oeuvres, for instance) we really need to put this little fellow out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wooden Dog Toothpick Holder

Picnics

Watermelon

Watermelon

Today started out quite warm and steamy. I did some heavy yard work (cut a dead branch from a maple tree, about 25 feet up the trunk) and was exhausted by the work combined with the humid heat. In the afternoon, however, a front came through and it cooled off and the air became much drier. After church we had a picnic in the shade behind the building and it was one of those perfect evenings we sometimes have in June. High 70s, breezy, clear, and wonderful. The company and the food contributed to the mood, of course.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Picnics

Rose ‘New Dawn’

Rose ‘New Dawn’

Rose ‘New Dawn’

The Rose ‘New Dawn’ against my back fence has come into bloom. Looking back at prior years, my pictures of this rose have all been in the first week of June but that doesn’t mean it’s actually blooming much earlier this year (June starts tomorrow, after all). I had to cut this rose back hard this spring and actually need to take it out completely. it has become infected with rose rosette disease, which is caused by a virus (Emaravirus sp.) that is spread by a very small, eriophyid mite. There is no cure once a rose is infected and the rose must be destroyed to prevent the virus from being spread to other plants. So, this will be the last ‘New Dawn’ in my yard, at least for a while. Sad, as it’s such a lovely flower and blooms off and on all summer.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rose ‘New Dawn’

Gordon Woods

Gordon Woods

Gordon Woods

We drove up to Gordon to pick up Dorothy today. We had heavy traffic getting around Boston (as expected) but otherwise had an uneventful 9 hour drive. shortly after we got there we went for a walk to Gull Pond and then on from there to Round Pond. This picture is from where we turned around, in the woods around Round Pond (which isn’t round).

I love the quality of the light and especially the colors in the reflection on the water. It was a very beautiful, clear sky day and of course better for us being with Dorothy again. Shortly after I took this, there was a big splash in the pond and we all looked to see what had caused it. An osprey had caught a fish about 25 yards from where we were.

After our walk, we enjoyed hanging out with a few of Dorothy’s friends and taking most of her things from her dorm room to the van. A long day—we left home at 6:15 a.m. and got to our hotel after 11:00 p.m.—but a good one.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Gordon Woods

Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

The spiderwort (Tradescantia) is starting to bloom. This is a great plant to put in your garden if you want something that blooms well into the summer, is very tough and hardy, and that won’t run wild as many tough and hardy perennials seem to do. This will spread but slowly enough that it’s easy to keep up with. It’s also lovely both in and out of flower, although it’s the deep blue (or sometimes pink or purple) flowers that are its real attraction. These are the first flowers we have so far and this plant is in a particularly warm place, right by the west side of our house.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tradescantia (Spiderwort)

Wedding Arch

Wedding Arch Construction Team

Wedding Arch Construction Team

Iris and Seth are getting married in a few short weeks. They chose to get married at ‘the farm’ in Pennsylvania and one thing Iris wanted was an arch or gateway like one she saw on Pinterest. If you search for ‘wedding arch’ there you will see hundreds (thousands?) of different arches made of a very wide variety of materials and decorated in an even wider array of materials. This is the one Iris liked and wanted us to reproduce. The wood was bought last year from a local saw mill and has been outside weathering since then. Today, we erected the gateway. It is not decorated yet, of course, but the heavy lifting (and I mean that literally) is done. From left to right in the picture are yours truly, Dot, Tsai-Hong, Ralph, Seth, Iris (with Bean), and Steve (with D’Argo).

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Wedding Arch

Toad Eye

Toad Eye

Toad Eye

I’m somewhat fascinated by eyes in general and by the eyes of frogs, toads, and other amphibians in particular. We were at the Elwood Smith community center in Rockville today because our church was meeting there (the church where we normally meet is having renovations done). As we unloaded the sound equipment from Marc’s truck, Chris noticed this toad (which I assume is an eastern American toad​ (​Anaxyrus americanus americanus, in family Bufonidae, the True Toads). Not surprising to anyone who has been around me in such a situation, I got out my camera and took some pictures. The eyes, in particular, drew me in. I think they are quite beautiful. Yes, even on a toad.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Toad Eye

Redbud and Forsythia

Redbud and Forsythia

Redbud and Forsythia

We went for a walk along Lake Frank again today, shortly after noon. I got a few pictures of a female eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) but is wasn’t all that great of a picture, so I’m not posting that here. I also took a picture of the first mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) we’ve seen and some marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris). As we left the park and headed back into the neighborhood I took this picture of redbud flowers with a background of forsythia (Cercis canadensis and Forsythia × intermedia).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Redbud and Forsythia

Fight

Cassandra (right) With Her Parents

Cassandra (right) With Her Parents

Our friend (well, Dorothy’s friend but I think she can be our friend, too) Cassandra had a show in Gallery Edit in Richmond this evening. We’ve known it was coming up and this morning as I was driving to work I thought, maybe we should drive down and see it. It would be nice to get out and even though I made the not-so-fun drive to down interstate 95 to Richmond last week, I was up for it again. Also, we wanted to show Cassandra our support. So Cathy picked me up at work at about 2:15 and we headed down, taking about 3 hours 15 minutes to make what could be a 2 hour trip. But we also got to have dinner from Alamo BBQ with dessert from Proper Pie Co. That’s a treat even without the art. This photo is from shortly after we arrived, as the gallery was just opening, and Cassandra was visiting with her parents, who had also come to see her work (and her). Definitely worth the drive (and coming home took the correct 2 hours).

In case you are wondering, the title of this post, ‘Fight’, is the title of her exhibit. It really has very little to do with this photo (i.e., no one is fighting in the picture).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fight

Ethan And A Chicken

Ethan And  A Chicken

Ethan And A Chicken

We were at Laurie and Dave’s this evening for our bi-weekly Bible study and prayer meeting. Ben and Erin came with three of their kids, Grace, Ethan, and Hope. They enjoyed chasing the chickens in the back yard and Ethan was able to catch one. He had it long enough for me to get a few pictures, including this one, which I think is pretty good.

Ethan seems to be settling in quite well and getting along with his siblings. Of course any change like this is going to be an adjustment and will continue to present them all with challenges but we’re so happy it’s been reasonably smooth so far.

Keeping chickens in a suburban setting seems to be something of a thing these days. I don’t know how long Laurie and Dave have been keeping them but I suspect it’s been longer than it’s been a thing. They certainly are not your average, hipster couple. No, definitely above average.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ethan And A Chicken

Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

Easter Sunrise Service

It’s been a very nice weekend so far and Easter Sunday was nice, as well. For a few years now we’ve been going to the Fourth Presbyterian Church sunrise service at 6:00 a.m. on Easter. We woke up at about 5:00 and got there just as the service was starting. Of course it’s still dark when the service starts but by the end the sky has begun to turn an amazingly deep blue (which is when I took this picture).

After the service we went to the upper room for breakfast and to chat with folks that we don’t see nearly enough. I especially enjoyed talking with Greg, Aimee, and Michael, among others. We also went to the 8:00 a.m. service in the sanctuary, their regular early service. Easter music is among my favorite, generally better than Christmas music in my opinion, and Easter music at Fourth is particularly good, being accompanied by an orchestra. Today that included singing Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, Thine Is The Glory, (both of which we also sang outside earlier) and the service ending Hallelujah Chorus.

It’s a very good way to start an Easter celebration that really continued all day for us.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on Easter Sunrise Service

Japanese Garden — Maymont

Japanese Garden — Maymont

Japanese Garden — Maymont

It was a longish day today. I went to work in the morning and got a few things done. A friend brought her two children to work (because it’s spring break) and I was able to get a few nice pictures of them. Shortly after that Dorothy came and the two of us drove down to Richmond, Virginia. Traffic was pretty horrible but we finally got there. I dropped Dorothy off with a couple friends and went off to spend some time seeing things by myself.

I started at Maymont, a 100-acre, municipal park that was the estate of James and Sallie Dooley, which they began building in 1893. It is on a very hilly site and quite varied. There is an Italian garden near the top of the hill and a steep walk down from there to the Japanese garden, which features a number of connected pools, large evergreen and flowering trees, and the waterfall pictured here. There are also some wildlife exhibits and a fairly broad collection of farm animal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Japanese Garden — Maymont

Rusty Chain

Rusty Chain

Rusty Chain

After work and before I drove home I walked around outside my office a little, looking for things to photograph. It’s spring and leaves are starting to appear all over. The maple trees are in full bloom and that gives the trees a beautiful red glow, particularly when the sun is shining on them. There hasn’t been much of a change to the oaks yet, but they tend to come a little later.

One thing that caught my eye this afternoon, however, was the dumpster in our parking lot. I posted a picture of a rust spot on it the other day (see Rust Feather, Thursday, March 10, 2016) but today I noticed this chain is attached to a door on the end of the dumpster. I like the lines in this photo, particularly the arcs made by the chain as it swings, presumably when the dumpster is in transit (it doesn’t move much on its own and it would take a pretty significant wind to blow this chain around). Anyway, I like it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rusty Chain

Ceramic Face

Ceramic Face

Ceramic Face

Many (very many) years ago, I don’t really know how many, this face came into being. It’s a ceramic face, specifically stoneware, colored with iron oxide to give it a more (but not necessarily a lot more) realistic coloration. The eyes are particularly poorly done, but they certainly give the idea of eyes. The hair is pretty special, having been made by pushing clay through a garlic press. It’s very thick hair, I admit, but immediately recognizable. The nose is reasonable but the mouth, which is just out of the frame here, is not good at all. Could I do better now? I like to think so. Should I try? Maybe I should stick to my day job.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ceramic Face

Samsung Galaxy S4 Repair

Samsung Galaxy S4 Repair

Samsung Galaxy S4 Repair

A little while ago Cathy started having problems with her phone. We think it started when she tripped over the cord that it was plugged into. Anyway, it would not charge when the phone was turned on and charged slowly when it was turned off. Furthermore, when it was connected to a computer, it never showed up, so we couldn’t copy pictures and videos off of it to clear up storage.

After doing a little searching and trying a few things that were suggested on various web sites, I ended up ordering a new part, a replacement charging port. It came this week and this morning I installed it in the phone. I took a few pictures of the process, more for my own edification than anything else. It’s not that hard to do although getting the new part in takes a little minor fiddling. Anyway, the old part is on the upper right and the replacement on the upper left in this picture. The replacement is upside down, showing the white plastic strips that are protecting the adhesive on the back of the circuit board.

The phone charges now, whether or not it is turned on. Also it can be seen by our computer, so I was able to clear things off of the phone. But the microphone isn’t working properly. I need to open it up again and take a look at that. The speaker phone microphone works, but not the regular microphone. Small but significant issue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Samsung Galaxy S4 Repair

Rust Feather

Rust Feather

Rust Feather

It was such a beautiful day today and I had gotten to work a little early. So, I decided to leave a little early as well and spend a few minutes taking pictures around my building. I walked in the woods and took pictures of tree leaves sprouting on a few trees as well as some other assorted pictures. Back in the parking lot I noticed the rust stains on the outside of a large dumpster that’s been parked in our lot for a long while now (to support construction that seems to be going on forever inside). Most of them are surrounding places where the metal has been struck and bent, particularly from the inside. This one reminded me of a feather.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rust Feather

Afghan Gun Barrel Inlay

Afghan Gun Barrel Inlay

Afghan Gun Barrel Inlay

I’ve been meaning to take pictures of this for a while now and today was the day I finally got around to it. Cathy’s parents have a few old muskets from Afghanistan. One of them had detailed inlay on the barrel as well as mother of pearl inlay on the stock. The metal work on the barrel is my favorite part of the gun, however. I couldn’t get a picture of all of it without the actual details being way too small to make out, so I decided to post this close up shot. There is some Persian writing on the barrel, as well, also inlaid in brass (I assume it’s brass, anyway). I asked a friend what it said and he translated it as “Made by Fateh Khan, son of Sher Muhammad Khan Babakarkhel.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Afghan Gun Barrel Inlay

Paperweight

Paperweight

Paperweight

We’ve been at Cathy’s mom’s a bunch lately and this morning the sun was shining through her living room window onto a table covered with a wide variety of paperweights. Many of them are glass while others are metal or stone. This is a glass paperweight, but I guess that’s obvious. In addition to the colored glass stripes on it, there are embedded bubbles, which are really pretty in the direct sunlight. It’s hard to see in this picture, but I particularly liked the way the bubbles acted as lenses, showing the other paperweights on the table.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Paperweight

Light Snowfall

Light Snowfall

Light Snowfall

It’s early March so it’s certainly too early in the year to be thinking that we are done with snow for the winter. Today we got a light fall of snow. It wasn’t enough to affect traffic particularly and in fact it didn’t stick to the pavement at all. By early afternoon it was pretty much gone entirely. But it was quite pretty this morning, sticking to all the branches of trees and bushes. I guess I’m looking forward to the flowers of spring and to the bees and insects of summer but I’m not particularly looking forward to the heat that accompanies them. But you cannot have one without the other.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Light Snowfall

Boy and Water Buffalo

Boy and Water Buffalo

Boy and Water Buffalo

We spent much of the day at Suburban Hospital today but were finally able to get someone to sign release papers and we came home to Cathy’s mom’s house at about 2:30. I fixed dinner and we decided we should spend the night here. That meant that I needed to find something to photograph here for this little blog of mine. In the dining room, on a sideboard, is this little figurine of a water buffalo with a boy sitting on its back, playing on a flute. I’ve always liked this little pair of creatures, with the buffalo half submerged in the wood-like water of the sideboard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Boy and Water Buffalo

Mouse Trap

Mouse Trap

Mouse Trap

I’ve just put down two mouse traps. Cathy and I were watching the TV this evening and all of a sudden Cathy started screaming. Well, not quite screaming but close. To the right of the TV, climbing on the bricks around the fire place, was a fairly large and quite healthy looking mouse. There he was, bold as you please. I’ve been aware that we have mice for a while and I bought some traps a few weeks ago but hadn’t put them out. I have now. I’m using peanut butter as bait and we’ll see how it goes. I’ve had mice that could take peanut butter off traps without tripping them, but generally the trap wins.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Mouse Trap

US Flag Through The Trees

US Flag Through The Trees

US Flag Through The Trees

On my way home most days, when I take the shortest route home rather, I pass a Chevrolet dealer that flies this large American Flag. Some days, when there is no wind, it’ hangs down along the pole. Other days it is more active. Today, there was a fairly stiff breeze and it stood out proudly from the pole. As I sat at the traffic light, I enjoyed watching it move in the wind and I decided I’d take a few pictures. It’s a fairly long light, so I had plenty of time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on US Flag Through The Trees

Fire Truck, Rockville

Fire Truck, Rockville

Fire Truck, Rockville

After work today I was in Rockville Town Center to meet up with some guys at Gordon Biersch. After I parked, I was walking around a bit, taking a few pictures before heading to the restaurant. When I saw this fire truck turn the corner onto Maryland Avenue I decided to snap a couple pictures. I didn’t have a lot of time to adjust my camera so I snapped at whatever settings were already dialed in, meaning this was taken at 1/20th of a second at f/5.6. Not ideal and it shows in the camera motion. But it did serve the purpose of blurring the moving fire truck nicely. Note that it didn’t actually have lights flashing or siren wailing, so it may have simply been heading back to its station, the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, at 380 Hungerford Drive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fire Truck, Rockville

Minor Snowstorm

Californian incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) in Snow

Californian incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) in Snow

We had a minor snow storm today (Monday). It’s Washington’s Birthday, which is a federal and local holiday for many people so it didn’t affect school today. Tomorrow is another matter and since I’m writing this on Wednesday, I happen to know they cancelled school, probably unnecessarily. It wasn’t really a bad storm and by the end of the day we had 2¾″ on the ground.

It has been quite cold for more than a couple days, with highs below freezing so the ground was cold enough that the snow began accumulating immediately. There was less than an inch when I got up this morning. I noticed that the water level in our bird bath was fairly low, lower than it had been yesterday (an not frozen because of a heater). There were tracks in the newly fallen snow that might have been from a fox. We saw the fox over the weekend, so we know he (or she) is in the area. I cleared a path to the bird bath with a broom instead of a shovel, and filled it. This was about the time the snow stopped falling and I measured it at that point. I also took a few pictures, including this one of the snow in one of three Californian incense-cedar trees (Calocedrus decurrens) that I planted along the back fence.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Minor Snowstorm

Another Museum Outing

Cathy and Dot in 'Shindig' by Patrick Dougherty

Cathy and Dot in Shindig by Patrick Dougherty

On our Annual Museum Outing (Tuesday, December 29, 2015), Dorothy, Karlee, and I visited the newly reopened Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and I posted quite a few pictures from that outing. Cathy was quite busy at work, as she usually is before and for a while after year-end. Because of that she was not able to join us for that trip. Today Cathy and I braved the cold February weather and along with my mom (Dot) we went to the Renwick. I’ve picked some pictures that I hope are enough different to those I posted last time. But of course they will be similar.

It the first picture, Cathy and Dot are posing in Shindig by Patrick Dougherty, who weaves “enormous pods that offer discovery and sanctuary to visitors“ with “willow osiers and saplings.”

Detail of 'Plexus A1' by Gabriel Dawe

Detail of Plexus A1 by Gabriel Dawe

Our favorite room is the second one, which features an installation called Plexus A1 by Gabriel Dawe. It is made from hundreds of thin, colored threads stretched between hooks on the floor and on the ceiling. In addition to the beautifly rainbow colors, we found the interference patterns of the threads quite lovely. here the red threads in the foreground come together and let the yellow and green show through more clearly in a narrow band that moves up and down as you move along. For anyone interested, from each hook, there appear to be 24 threads running up to the ceiling (or 12 loops over the hook). This took a little time and probably a serious amount of patience.

'In the Midnight Garden' by Jennifer Angus

In the Midnight Garden by Jennifer Angus

My second favorite room, although not to everyone’s liking, is In the Midnight Garden by Jennifer Angus. Otherwise known as “the bug room.” My photo last time was a detail of a skull, made up predominately of electric blue beetles from New Guneau (from the genus Eupholus for which you should do a Google image search, seriously). This time, I’m giving you a more overall view of the room, so you can see all the patterns the artist, who is a textile artist (along with being into bugs).

National Gallery of Art Rotunda

National Gallery of Art Rotunda

We saw all the exhibits, of course, and I took over 200 pictures, so this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. From the Renwick we went to the National Gallery of Art because we wanted to see an exhibit called “Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World.” If you have the slightest interest in Greek history, in sculpture, or art in general, I highly recommend this exhibit, which will be at the National Gallery through March 20 (so go soon).

I think my favorites in the collection are a Medallion with Athena and Medusa, 200 – 150 BC, from the Archaeological Museum, in Thessaloniki; a Portrait of a Man, c. 100 BC from the National Archaeological Museum, in Athens; and the Portrait of a Poet (“Arundel Head”), c. 200 – 1 BC; from the British Museum, London. Don’t be tempted to look for pictures and leave it at that. They are much more beautiful in person.

As is usual for these special exhibits, photography is not allowed, so I don’t have a picture to show you. Instead you will have to settle for another picture of the gallery’s rotunda.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Another Museum Outing

Magnetic Balls

Magnetic Balls

Magnetic Balls

A few years back these were a real hit at Christmas time. I bought three sets of 216 balls each (they came in a cube with 63 balls). One set was colored but the coloring has mostly come off them all and they are plain steel colored balls now. They are not steel, however, being made of neodymium. You will find neodymium on the periodic table of elements with the symbol Nd and atomic number 60. It is one of the lanthanide elements, often referred to as rare earth metals, although neodymium isn’t actually particularly rare. The magnets are actually an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron (Nd2Fe14B). Shortly after I bought them for Christmas, they were taken off the market because they are dangerous if swallowed, particularly if two are swallowed separately. If two stick together with a fold of intestine between them, it can be very serious (seriously bad).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Magnetic Balls

Watching Super Bowl 50

Watching Super Bowl 50

Watching Super Bowl 50

We had a longish day today, leaving Greensboro at about 7:45 and driving home, pulling in at 1:30 after going almost exactly 300 miles. Traffic was quite light, for which I was extremely grateful, and we had no problems on the way. I didn’t have long to rest after getting home, because I had a church leadership meeting at 2:00 and then church at 4:00. By the time we were home again, the Super Bowl had already started.

Because we don’t have cable and our meager antenna only really picks up NBC and Fox, we couldn’t watch the game on our television. Fortunately, in this internet age, the game was being streamed on the CBS Sports web site and we were able to watch in on that. Our computer monitor is small compared to many new television sets but at 21 inches, it isn’t all that much smaller than our old, 1986 television. The picture is quite a bit better.

This picture was taken towards the end of the game (3:13 on the clock) and pretty much sums up the action. Referee Clete Blakeman is announcing yet another penalty against the Carolina Panthers.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Watching Super Bowl 50

Fog

Fog

Fog

When I left work today I was thinking that there might be a bit of fog. Most of the way home, however, there was none. When I got to Norbeck Road, though, all of a sudden, there was fog. Dense fog. From Gude Drive through Baltimore Road, it was quite dense. Traffic stopped a few times in that stretch (as it often does) and I grabbed a few pictures, including this one that shows reasonably well how foggy it was.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fog

Fog In The Woods

Fog In The Woods

Fog In The Woods

In general, the view along my commute to and from work is pretty unexciting. There isn’t much in the way of pretty scenery and almost no real vistas to get excited about. On the other hand, it’s only about a 15 minute commute, and I really cannot complain. This time of year, though, especially when there is snow on the ground and it is a bit rainy, we sometimes have fog. There is a stretch of my commute, a little less than a mile, where there are woods on along one side (and a shorter stretch where the woods are on both sides). There are a few places along that bit of roadway where the view into the woods isn’t obscured by bushes or a steep bank. This afternoon, as I was coming home, I pulled over onto the shoulder to take a few pictures of the woods. I love how the copper colored leaves of the beech trees stand out against the dark trees and the pale light on the fog in the woods.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fog In The Woods

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

As I post this, much of the snow that fell two weeks ago is gone. But this picture is from last Sunday (relative to when I’m writing it), January 31. There was still quite a bit covering most everything all around. Our bird bath heater had become unplugged (the weight of the snow on the cord pulled it out of the socket) but I plugged it back in and it became an attractive destination for birds and squirrels. I’m not an expert on birds so I asked my brother to identify this sparrow. He’s pretty sure it’s a song sparrow (Melospiza melodia). Anyway, it was taking advantage of the open water and seemed to be enjoying itself splashing around.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Song Sparrow

Limited Parking

Limited Parking

Limited Parking

Cathy and I worked from home yesterday, although we could have gotten out without any trouble. We figured we might as well, since we could. Also, I needed to shovel the sidewalk from our driveway to the front door. We have been going in and out through the garage, which is fine, but at some point, it’s nice to have the front door back. Today we went to the office and with the exception of two lanes covered with huge piles of snow at Gude Drive and MD 355, we didn’t have any trouble. The parking lot at work still needs a lot of attention. As you can see, the spaces on the right are only about half way cleared. That’s where I usually park, but not today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Limited Parking

Snow

Snow

Snow

Cathy and I could actually get out of our neighborhood today, which puts us ahead of much of our neighborhood. For the most part, it’s only the primary neighborhood arteries that have even seen a plow. Our street was cleared by someone how lives near by who only did it to rescue a vehicle of his that was stranded in our neighbor’s driveway. Nevertheless, we worked from home today, mostly because we could and the roads still need a lot of work. We took a nice walk in the evening to Bauer and Norbeck. The outbound walk was on cleared roads. Coming back, we trudged through snow up to our knees, which was tiring work, but we enjoyed seeing things buried in snow. I really like shadows on snow and the patterns cut into the snow by wind. That’s what this is, the surface of the snow near the local elementary school, sculpted by the wind.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow

A Bit of Snow

Cathy, Waist Deep In Snow

Cathy, Waist Deep In Snow

When I got up this morning there was just about 20 inches of snow on the ground, give or take an inch depending on where I measured. The wind was blowing it around a fair amount and while there weren’t many drifts in the yard, there were around any large object (car, house, tree, that sort of thing). I shoveled about half way down the drive but of course much of that work will need to be repeated tomorrow, once it stops snowing.

In the early afternoon we went for a short walk out to Norbeck Road. Our street hasn’t been plowed although something had driving down it and there were two large tire tracks we could walk in. The main road through the neighborhood had been plowed once but still had quite a bit of snow on it. We managed to get out to Norbeck, which was quite passable, if you could get to it (which I don’t think we could, even in our four-wheel-drive vehicle.

But it was nice to get out. Of course, after an hour or so in the snow, particularly on the way back when the wind was in our faces, it was even nicer to get indoors again. We did stop to enjoy watching our neighbor kids sledding on a hill their dad had made with a picnic table and piled snow. It wasn’t Vail or Stowe but for little kids, it was just about perfect.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on A Bit of Snow

Snow Flurry

Snow on Monarda

Snow on Monarda

We had our first snow of 2016 today. It wasn’t much to speak of. It came down fairly hard for a while but was more pretty than annoyance. The ground wasn’t cold enough and it didn’t snow long enough for much to accumulate, except where it was kept away from the ground by plants, etc. I went out in the yard and took quite a few pictures. Snow is tricky to photograph because your camera’s exposure sensor wants to make your photo a middle grey while most snow scenes are much brighter than that. So, you have to override the camera. Then, if you make the dark things in the scene a proper exposure, the snow loses it’s texture and detail. In this photo, snow flakes have accumulated on a seed head of beebalm (Monarda didyma).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow Flurry

Frost

Frost

Frost

It was cool this morning, below freezing but not bitterly cold. Yesterday morning it was 24°F when I got up north of Boston and it didn’t get above freezing all day. Today the forecast is for a high well into the 40s if not up to 50°F. But it was cool when I went out and there was a good coating of frost on the windscreen of the van. Before I turned on the heat and started the process of clearing it off, I pulled out my camera and took a few pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frost

Home For The Challahdays

Home For The Challahdays

Home For The Challahdays

It’s a sort of stale joke, I suppose and it certainly isn’t original, but I couldn’t resist. Dorothy was home for the challahdays and we really enjoyed having her here. Of course, having her here means getting used to having her gone again when she goes back to school.

Well, that’s today. We left home at 5:40, met Peter and Porter and loaded Porter’s things into the car and by 6:15 or so we were on our way to the North Shore of Massachusetts. It’s about 480 miles and a little more than half way is the Rockland Bakery. I have posted pictures from there before, on August 23 and again on October 04, 2015. If you are ever in the area around Nanuet, New York (just west of the Tappen Zee Bridge) then I recommend you stop in for a visit. The bagels by themselves are worth the effort, if you can get them as they come out of the oven, so hot you can barely hold them.

I brought cream cheese as well deli meat and sliced cheese for making sandwiches and we made a late lunch at about 2:30, after we arrived at the school.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Home For The Challahdays

My Eye

My Right Eye

My Right Eye

Some of you know that I’ve had some eye problems over the last seven and a half years. About seven years ago I had cataract surgery in my right eye (pictured here). Then in 2014 I had the left eye done. Both procedures went well but in both cases I tore my retina in the weeks following the surgery and had to have a laser procedure to ensure my retina didn’t detach. I had another follow-up appointment with the retina specialist today and for the first time since 2009 I don’t have a follow-up scheduled. I’ll only go back now if I have any further problems. At the bottom of my eye in this picture you can see the edge of the lens that was implanted in my eye.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on My Eye

Getting A Head

Ceramic Doll's Head

Ceramic Doll’s Head

Dorothy has been home and today she was going through a bunch of stuff. For one thing, she went through a huge number of pens, both felt tip and ball point, and got rid of those that didn’t work. It’s always frustrating to need a pen and not be able to find one that works. The odds are now much more in your favor if you need a pen when you are at our house. She also started to go through papers from middle and high school and got rid of a lot of those. One thing she found, and I have no idea where it came from, is this head. It is made of ceramics and I thought it would make an interesting photo for today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Getting A Head

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps

Cathy made my favorite cookies today. Ginger Snaps. That isn’t to say that I don’t like other cookies, of course, and if I only ever had ginger snaps, I’d probably miss other types, but these are, I think the cookies I like best. They are especially good when warm out of the oven, as almost all things are, but they are also good after they have cooled and are slightly hard, with that characteristic crunch (or snap, if you will).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ginger Snaps

CT Scanner

CT Scanner

CT Scanner

I started the day off right with a visit to the radiologist’s this morning. There’s nothing like a CT Scan to get you going. Well, I suppose that’s maybe overstating it a little. But I did have a CT Scan today. All is well, so don’t worry (if you even thought to worry in the first place). This is just keeping an eye on things and things seem to be fine. I snapped a couple pictures of the scanner after we were done and as the images were being copied onto a CD for me to take with me. This machine always looks like an enormous point-and-shoot camera to me (e.g. Canon Powershot E1).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on CT Scanner

Unique Thrift Store

Unique Thrift Store

Unique Thrift Store

Cathy and I went to the Unique Thrift Store this morning to buy a few things. In addition to good bargains, we enjoy it as a cultural experience. There is a store that specializes in clothes and accessories for Latino parties in general and Quinceañera in particular. I particularly like the shelves with rank upon rank of figurines dressed in their quince-best. The varying colors along with the otherwise identical postures and features make for interesting patterns.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Unique Thrift Store

Two Puzzles

Hubble's Galaxy Puzzle and Kepler's Planetary Puzzle

Hubble’s Galaxy Puzzle and Kepler’s Planetary Puzzle

Cathy gave me these two puzzles for my birthday. I do enjoy puzzles and these were quite nice. The first that I tried, on the right, was labeled as Kepler’s Planetary Puzzle. Apparently it is more properly known as a Chuck puzzle, invented in 1897 by Edward Nelson. It is a form of Burr puzzle, a three-dimensional puzzle of interlocking pieces, often made of wood. This was a bit tricky but I managed to get it back together in about a half hour. The second, on the left, was labeled as Hubble’s Galaxy Puzzle and that took me a little longer. It took nearly an hour, with the first 45 minutes or so being trial and error (mostly error). Once I figured it out, it took another 15 minutes or so to actually get all the pieces together.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Two Puzzles

Boiling Eggs

Boiling Eggs

Boiling Eggs

I happened to be hard boiling a few eggs this evening and as I watched the water boil I realized how cool it looks (cool in a hot sort of way). The rolling bubbles, bursting, sending spouts of water up into the air, was just beautiful. But it all happens very fast. So, I pulled out my camera and took some flash pictures, easily freezing the boiling water. I think there’s more to be done here, but this is a reasonable first attempt.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Boiling Eggs

Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning

It was quite foggy this morning as I drove to work. There were a few times on the way in where I would have liked to take a few pictures but there was nowhere convenient to stop the car, so I kept going. When I got to work, though, I walked around a bit and took some pictures of the trees in the fog, which was starting to lift. This photo was taken looking across the road behind my office with a nearby tree backed up by woods in the fog in the distance.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Foggy Morning

Montecristo

Montecristo

Montecristo

I like neon signs. I’m not sure what it is about them. Perhaps it’s the intense colors in the dark. Perhaps it’s the flowing lines of the glass tubing. In any case, whether or not I know why I like them, I do.

This evening I was in a parking lot and took pictures of a few neon signs. One simply said, “open” but I thought this one was nicer. I particularly like the “font” used, especially in the letter M. Montecristo, in this case, refers to the cigar company.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Montecristo

Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

It’s been really nice to have Dorothy home, even if only for a few days. It wasn’t a particularly promising day, weather-wise, today, but Cathy, Dorothy, and I took a chance and went to Great Falls late this morning. We were not alone and it was fairly crowded, at least for late November. Still, we had a great time, walking out to the overlook on Falls Island and then climbing up and over the rocks on Rocky Islands, below the falls. This is from a place we call Sandy Beach, looking towards the north end of Rocky Islands.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People, Travel | Comments Off on Dorothy at Rocky Islands, Potomac River, Maryland

Baby’s Great Turtle Adventure

Baby's Great Turtle Adventure

Baby’s Great Turtle Adventure

If you’ve been following my photo blog, then you’ve met Baby before. In fact, he was in a photo just a couple days ago, along with his new friends, Mr. Beaver and Mrs. Schnauzer. Baby came from Chinatown in New York City, where Dorothy found him. As I mentioned the other day, he travels with Cathy, riding in the bottom of her purse, but getting out to pose for pictures in various locations. Mostly those pictures go to Cathy’s Snapchat friends but once in a while they show up on Instagram. This outing, however, was a bit more adventurous. Baby paid a visit to Fluffy, a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). He hesitated to actually go swimming with Fluffy, however.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Baby’s Great Turtle Adventure

Cathy’s Figurines

Three of Cathy's Figurines

Three of Cathy’s Figurines

I was looking for something to photograph this evening and noticed these three figurines on the stairs so thought I’d take their portrait. The beaver and the dog are new, having been brought by Dorothy as a birthday present for her mom. They seem to have settled into the household routine. The baby was also a gift to Cathy from Dorothy. She bought it in Chinatown in Manhattan. When we were there in May we happened to find the store where she bought it, which I think it pretty remarkable. Cathy carries the baby around with her, taking pictures of it in various places to send to Dorothy and her friends via Snapchat. The ‘rug’ they are all sitting on is actually a paint sample of a color called ‘Hostaleaf.’

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cathy’s Figurines

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child

Cathy’s a fan of Operation Christmas Child. I mean, a huge fan. She collects things over the course of most of the year. In the past, when she starting participating, she did a box with Dorothy and a box with her friend and our next-door neighbor, Amy. When we moved and didn’t see Amy much, they continued to do two boxes, though. This year, Cathy bought a set of five boxes, because it was convenient to buy them that way. Rather than using two and saving the others for the future, though, she decided to fill all six. Wait, wasn’t it just a five-pack? Yes, but she did six. Just because.

We filled them this afternoon, having to “vacuum pack” the stuffed animal in one in order to get everything into that box, but we made it. This is Cathy, with her six boxes, heading off to deliver them to the local pick-up location. Time to start collecting things for next years boxes.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Operation Christmas Child

Wooden Screen

Wooden Screen

Wooden Screen

This is one of three wooden screens we have hanging in our living room. They are purdah screens (which is technically redundant, because the word purdah, from the Hindi and Urdu parda, literally means screen or veil) and were brought back from Afghanistan by my in-laws in the 1960s, when they moved back to the states.

Two of them are similar and this is the third, which is quite different, although they all share a few significant characteristics. They are tessellated screens, geometric designs, made of carved wood, and held together without any additional fasteners or glue. They are held together by the way the wood is cut and carved and fitted together like a puzzle. They are a little bit fragile and there are a few pieces missing in one of them. I’d love to figure out how to repair them, but I’m afraid of doing more damage.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wooden Screen

Rainbow

Rainbow

Rainbow

We had a fair bit of rain today and I enjoyed hearing that against the window in my office. Later in the day, after about 4:00 p.m. the rain stopped and the colors of the trees outside my window were intensified, as they often are in the afternoon light after a storm. At about 4:30, though, the sun broke through the clouds to the west. Apparently it was still raining not too far to the east and there was a lovely rainbow over the trees in our parking lot.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rainbow

Ara and the Band, Open Mic Night, Villain and Saint

Ara and the Band, Open Mic Night, Villain and Saint

Ara and the Band, Open Mic Night, Villain and Saint

We had a nice time in Bethesda this evening at Villain and Saint’s Open Mic Night. We went specifically to hear Cathy’s friend and soccer compadre Ara, who was singing with her band. I really should be able to label this picture with all of their names, but we only know her. It was a rockin’ good time, loud for these old ears, but a lot of fun. In addition to Ara’s set, which included four original songs, I believe, the bands before and after her were quite good, getting a bit of the Doors, Moody Blues, and Chicago into the mix.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ara and the Band, Open Mic Night, Villain and Saint

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

I know I’ve done Lake Needwood recently (see Friday, October 23, 2015) but I went to work that way again today and stopped for some pictures. The sky was an amazing blue and the reflection of the sky was, if anything, more amazing. Many of the trees have lost their leaves but there is still some color left. A little orange, yellow, and red to contrast with the blue. Definitely worth stopping for ten minutes, even if it made me a few minutes late getting to work.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword Puzzles

Crossword Puzzles

I enjoy crossword puzzles. Way back in the early 80s I started doing the crossword puzzles in the Washington Post. I had a friend at work that I’d do them with during lunch. Neither of us was very good at them and we were often frustrated by them. There was another co-worker who seemed to know all the answers and we marveled at his ability. Now, more then 30 years later, I often complete the puzzles in the post. We don’t get the print newspaper but my mom saves the puzzles for me and I work through them when I have time (as well as the puzzles in Simon and Schuster puzzle books). Here’s a stack of recent puzzles that I’ve finished.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Crossword Puzzles

Lamb Chops

Lamb Chops

Lamb Chops

I don’t usually buy lamb chops because I try to stick to the lower priced cuts of meat. There’s generally more flavor in those, anyway, but it’s at least partly about money (actually, it’s mostly about money, in this case). I will, for a special occasion, buy ribeye steaks but that’s an extravagance. The first thing I check at the store is the meat that’s been marked down, usually 30% and occasionally 50%. This is typically perfectly fine meat that’s nearing its sell-by date. Since I’m either going to cook it right away or freeze it, that’s no worry. These lamb chops were on sale this week and I figured it was worth it. They were terrific, broiled until hot and crusty on the outside and slightly pink in the center (except cooked all the way through for Cathy, who doesn’t care for rare).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lamb Chops

Abe Lincoln

Abe Lincoln on The U.S. Penny

Abe Lincoln on The U.S. Penny

Kind of random photo today. I had been at the office a little while and noticed a small pile of pennies on my desk. I thought that would be nice as a still life, so got the camera out with my macro lens and took a few pictures. Some had a bit more depth of field (more of the penny in focus) but this is the one I liked the best (taken at f/2.8). They were lit by a combination of a halogen lamp that was directly over them and a flash, bounced off a white card.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Abe Lincoln

Lake Frank

Lake Bernard Frank

Lake Bernard Frank

Cathy and I drove to the small parking area on the far side of Lake Frank today and walked up toward Meadowside Nature Center and back. It was a beautiful day, although it got fairly hot by the time we were back at the car. I took pictures, as you won’t be surprised to learn, but I wasn’t particularly excited about any of them. This one was reasonably good, although a picture of a muddy stream isn’t all that special. The trees are pretty, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Frank

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II

I know it’s not much of a picture, but on the windowsill in our kitchen is this small tin. On it are faded and worn likenesses of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It was made to commemorate her coronation on June 2, 1953.

Her reign actually began over a year earlier, on February 6, 1952, upon the death of her father, George VI. Today, September 9, 2015, she surpassed her great, great, grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-reigning British monarch in history.

We’re not really into monarchy here in the United States. We think we have a better system, even if it was born out of the Anglo tradition. In any case, I wish her well and many more years of health.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Queen Elizabeth II

Pennsylvania Monument, Monocacy Battlefield

Pennsylvania Monument, Monocacy Battlefield

Pennsylvania Monument, Monocacy Battlefield

It was another fine, summer day. Quite hot, but pretty. Cathy and I drove up to Frederick and visited the Monocacy Civil War battlefield, just south of town. The battlefield straddles the Urbana Pike (now MD 355) where it crosses the Monocacy River. The Confederate troops, under Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, had come up the Shenandoah Valley and into Maryland and approached the bridge over the Monocacy from the north. Union troops, about 2,300 strong, but mostly Hundred Days Men, were commanded by Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace, who is perhaps more famous as the author of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

Wallace’s troops were reinforced by men from the 3rd Division of the VI Corps, under Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts. Together about 5,800 Union soldiers faced about 14,000 Confederates in what became both the south’s northernmost victory of the war and the defeat that saved Washington. Because of the delay to Early’s troops, Union General-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was able to get reinforcements to Fort Stevens in time to meet them on July 12 and on July 14, Early and his men crossed the Potomac back into Virginia at White’s Ferry. That ferry is still running and the boat is called the Jubal Early.

Our connection to the battle is that an ancestor of Cathy’s (her great, great grandfather) was in the 67th Pennsylvania Volunteers, who are commemorated on the Pennsylvania monument at the battlefield. They did not actually participate in the battle, however. They were “delayed” and didn’t arrive in time for the battle. Their commander, Col. John F. Staunton, was court martialed. He was found guilty of the first two of three charges (Disobedience of Orders and Neglect of duty to the prejudice of good order and military discipline) but not guilty of the third (Misbehavior before the enemy), and was relieved of command and removed from service. (You can read the minutes of the court here.)

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pennsylvania Monument, Monocacy Battlefield

123,456

123,456

123,456

It’s meaningless, I know, but I have an unusual (probably) affinity for patterns in numbers. When the odometer in a car turns over to a number with a particular pattern, I’m interested (I won’t go so far as to say excited). Hitting an even hundred thousand is the most obvious. In the first car I drove much, my parents’ 1971 VW bus, the odometer only went up to 99,999 so it would roll over to zero when that happened (it happened twice in the ‘life’ of the car, which made it to about 210,000). This photograph is from our newest and lowest mileage car. It is a long way from an even 100,000, so I look for other patterns. This is a good one, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 123,456

Silver Diner

Silver Diner

Silver Diner

We went out to dinner this evening. Can you guess where we went? If you guessed the Silver Diner, then sorry, your wrong. We were, however, in the same shopping center and I like the lights so I took a few pictures of it before heading home. Also, we do eat at the Silver Diner now and then, it just doesn’t happen to be where we ate this evening (Ruby Tuesday).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Silver Diner

Restarting (Again!)

Restarting (Again!)

Restarting (Again!)

Computers have, as you probably know, become a big part of our everyday lives. Those reading this who are younger than 30 may not realize that it hasn’t been this way for very long. Microsoft has been a big part of the personal computer industry since the early 1980s and continues to dominate the desktop.

I’m not a fan.

I’d be happy if we didn’t have to have any Microsoft products in the house. Unfortunately, in order to connect to work, we need to be running some relatively recent MS operating system. So, my main computer dual boots and I can bring up Windows 7 when necessary. I use Win7 at work, as well, so I’m fairly comfortable with it and put up with it’s (many) annoyances because I sort of have to (unless I want to look for another job). Cathy’s machine used to dual boot, as well, but with Windows 7 being the default. Recently we ‘upgraded’ that machine to Windows 8.1.

I suspect that there are a lot of really smart people at Microsoft. Like many really smart people, however, they often don’t seem to have a clue. This evening I had to reinstall the OS on this machine (don’t even ask about why!). It took hours. All the while the screen displayed very ‘helpful’ (i.e., condescending) messages. What annoyed me most, well, after the amount of time it took, was the number of times the system had to restart. This continues to be a huge annoyance with Windows. What’s with that, anyway? I mean, needing a reboot after a new kernel is installed is one thing but it seems with Windows you need to reboot after just about everything. Anyway, while I sat and watched the computer do very little for a long, long time, I took a few pictures of the screen. This is at least the third reboot, but I can’t say I counted very carefully.

P.S. I’m not much of an Apple fan, either.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Restarting (Again!)

Montgomery County Fair

Cathy, Addie, Evangeline, Andy, Kellan, Kelly, and Ethan

Cathy, Addie, Evangeline, Andy, Kellan, Kelly, and Ethan

Cathy and I wanted to go to the fair this year and it’s always fun to be at the fair with kids. So, we arranged to meet this young family and spend the late afternoon and evening with them. We got there before they did and that gave us time to check out the photography in the Arts, Crafts, and Photography building (building 3). I had entered four photographs and managed to earn a 2nd and a 4th place ribbon for two of them. Not necessarily all I could have hoped for, but not a bad showing for a first time exhibitor. It was nice to see friends there, as well, and to get a personal tour of the photography exhibit from Sarah.

The Swings

The Swings

We met Andy, Kelly, and their kids after that and spent a while looking at animals before heading down to the carnival portion of the fair. We enjoyed watching them ride on various rids and I took quite a few pictures. They were not actually on the swings when I took this. We tired out before they did and decided to call it a night at about 8:20. They kept going and stayed until about 10:00. We were tired from the heat but glad that we went and we had a really nice time with these lovely kids.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Montgomery County Fair

Backyard Rainbow

Backyard Rainbow

Backyard Rainbow

It has been pretty dry recently and the flowers and other garden plants are starting to notice. It isn’t so dry that we are having any restrictions on water use, fortunately, and I decided to turn on the sprinkler this afternoon. As the sun was getting lower, I was walking around the back yard looking for something new to photograph. I noticed that for about a half second, each time the sprinkler went around, there was a rainbow in the spray. I waited a few times and tried to capture it. It was brighter than this in “real life” but I captured it reasonably well.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Backyard Rainbow

Asbury Methodist Village

Asbury Methodist Village

Asbury Methodist Village

Because George was in town, mom thought we should pay a visit to Asbury Methodist Village. She’s thinking about moving there “at some point” and it seems reasonable to see the place and get all the facts and figures. She and I went a few years ago and it looks basically the same, but of course prices, etc. have changed a little in the intervening years. This is the oldest building on the campus, the original living block, now used for administration, as well as outpatient rehab, doctors’ offices and the pharmacy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Asbury Methodist Village

Bojangles

Bojangles

Bojangles

Let me start by apologizing for this blatant advertisement of a fast food chain. Those of you who enjoy fine dining may be aghast that we would even be close enough to a Bojangles to get a picture like this. We left the beach this morning in something of a hurry and it wasn’t a very good day for photography. By 3:00 p.m., near Petersburg, Virginia, we were a bit peckish. The truth is, we like biscuits. I’m not sure I would trust anyone who did not like biscuits. They are not particularly good for you, especially if you need to lose weight (or if you don’t want to gain weight). But there is no denying that they taste good. Especially with country ham or sausage and egg. So we stopped.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Bojangles

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

We have a huge number of rabbits in our neighborhood. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t see at least one in our yard. There’s a very small one that we see in the back yard. When I pulled into the driveway this evening, fortunately with the windows open in my car, this little fellow (or filly) was munching on grass fairly close to the driveway. I was able to pull out the camera and get a few pictures before he got spooked and ran off.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Rockville, Jupiter, and Venus

Rockville, Jupiter, and Venus

Rockville, Jupiter, and Venus

We had dinner with family this evening at a favorite Chinese restaurant and when we came out, the sky to the west was that wonderful, dark, almost-black, blue overhead fading to a paler blue towards the horizon. Jupiter and Venus were quite close together, seen here on the left a little above the center of the photo. In the other direction, the moon was quite beautiful and had Saturn visible right next to it.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on Rockville, Jupiter, and Venus

Immiscible Polarity, Harwood Art Center

Immiscible Polarity, Harwood Art Center

Immiscible Polarity, Harwood Art Center

As mentioned yesterday, we took an unplanned trip to Albuquerque. We were picked up by Cathy’s brother this morning and on the way back to where he lives, we stopped to see his most recent installation. The building is the Harwood Art Center, an outreach program of Escuela del Sol Montessori. The installation is made from old fences. You cannot quite see it in this picture but just out of the frame on the left, the fence comes up out of the ground and grows to a full size fence before reaching the gate and then the building, where it sort of takes off and explodes. Artists: David Cudney, Lance McGoldrick, Christopher Blaz, and Joel Davis.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Immiscible Polarity, Harwood Art Center

Monarda didyma (Bergamot)

Monarda didyma (Bergamot)

Monarda didyma (Bergamot)

The flowers of bergamot (Monarda didyma), also known as crimson or scarlet beebalm, scarlet monarda, or Oswego tea, are quite different. They really stand out in the garden, not only because they are bright colored, but also their shape. Bergamot has antiseptic qualities and has been used in poultices for skin infections and minor wounds. I can’t say I have any real experience in terms of it’s medicinal properties, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Monarda didyma (Bergamot)

Lexi

Lexi

Lexi

Lexi and her mom Jean were up in Maryland late this afternoon and we managed to snag them for dinner at the Silver Diner. It would have been a shame for them to have been this close and not get to see them. Today was Lexi’s last day of high school and as you can (possibly) see, Lexi has had her friends sign her shirt. Graduation is still a few days away but she’s done and looking forward to the summer before heading off in July for early college classes. Because she is on the lacrosse team at school, they take an intensive class during the summer so they can take a slightly lighter load during the fall and still get the required credits in by the Christmas break.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lexi

Red Wing Boots

Kendra's Red Wings

Kendra’s Red Wings

Dorothy and Kendra went to a concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion this evening. When they got home, or when Kendra dropped Dorothy off at home, anyway, we visited with them for a while. These are Kendra’s Red Wing boots. I don’t suppose there is much to say about them, except that they look like well built shoes. Not a lot in the way of traction on the soles, but sturdy and comfortable.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Red Wing Boots

Whelk Spiral

Whelk Shell

Whelk Shell

When I got home this evening I went out back to look for things to photograph. For quite some time now this whelk shell, which I believe is from a channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus), has been on our back patio. I’m not sure where it came from, whether it was found on one of our beach weeks, or if it’s something Cathy has had for a long time, or what. Anyway, I was looking at the spiral at the top end of the shell and thought it would make an interesting photograph. So, I set it on the table out back and set my camera down aimed at it. This is a 1/5 second exposure at f/16.

Categories: Creatures, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Whelk Spiral

Garage Cleaning

Garage Cleaning

Garage Cleaning

In the fall we had an exterminator come to the house to do a termite treatment. The house has had termite activity in the past and we’ve remained clean since we moved in but we wanted to take precautions. In order to treat the garage, that mean we needed to pull everything away from the inside garage walls. If your garage is anything like ours, you know what that meant. By the time I started to get things back to the way they were it was winter and too cold to spend all day working in the garage. So, today we had our good friend Julia over and she helped me empty the garage, swab down the deck, and move everything back in. We even managed to get one of the cars in. That’s something that isn’t going to happen often with us. I figured I better document it. Without the seats out of the back of one van (on the left) and the firewood box (on the right), I could probably have put two cars in. But that’s just not going to happen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Garage Cleaning

Rain On My Window

Rain On My Window

Rain On My Window

Once again I have fallen behind in posting my “photo of the day.” This is being posted almost a week late. We had a bit of rain on the last day of April and I took some pictures of rain drops on my office window. I didn’t notice as I took them how dirty the windows are but I like the organic shapes of the drops of water and the upside down and out of focus images of the woods beyond my window that show up in each drop.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain On My Window

First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit

Alright, I admit it, I think I may have reached another low in terms of the pictures posted to my blog. I took a few pictures earlier this evening but there were not pictures I wanted to share with the world. When I got home, I decided to photograph this old first aid kit that I had taken out of our Honda. I’m glad it was in there last week, because I cut myself while doing a little demonstration at the school and bled pretty badly for a little while. We were out by the car because I had just shown the students how to change a tire and the first aid kit was handy. So, there’s the lesson for today. Always keep a small first aid kit in your car (along with the spare tire, jack, jumper cables, and flares.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on First Aid Kit

Olney Library

Olney Library

Olney Library

Cathy and I stopped at the library this evening to drop off some books and pick up a few more. The library building was recently renovated (actually, totally rebuilt) and was closed from December 2010 through March 2014, which I think is a bit excessive even for a government project. The building is nice but at nearly $13 million, I suppose it should be.

What bothers me most about it is that although the size of the building was increased from 16,825 to 22,574 square feet, there seem to be fewer books that before the renovation. Not what I could have hoped for.

Do I sound like a grouch? Yes, I probably do. Sorry.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Olney Library

Margaret, Cathy, and Dorothy

Margaret, Cathy, and Dorothy

Margaret, Cathy, and Dorothy

I already posted a photo from the sunrise service we went to this morning. After that we enjoyed talking with friends and having ham, deviled eggs (which, come to think of it, is a funny thing to have on Easter), and fruit. At 8:30 we went to the regular 8:00 a.m. service. I say regular but the orchestra does make it a bit more special.

After a nice lunch at home with roast lamb, potatoes, green bean casserole, and asparagus wrapped in bacon, we went to Cross Community Church, which is not the official name of the church plant that we’ve become involved in. After the service there, we all enjoyed the warm afternoon sunshine and I took a few pictures, including this one of Margaret, Cathy, and Dorothy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Margaret, Cathy, and Dorothy

Monuments, by Brian Menkis

Monuments, by Brian Menkis

Monuments, by Brian Menkis

After what can only be described as a terrible drive down the beautiful I-95 corridor between D.C. and Richmond, Virginia, we had a very nice evening at the gallery where Dorothy has been working. Our friend Brian (son of friends Sid and Sherri) had a show at Gallery Edit in Richmond, mostly sculpture but there was one large painting in the collection. I took pictures of individual pieces when the gallery wasn’t filled with people but there were not a lot of times that was possible. He had a pretty good flow of folks throughout the evening. That’s Brian facing the camera in this photo. His web site is here: http://brianmenkis.com/

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Monuments, by Brian Menkis

Leisure World Globe

Leisure World Globe

Leisure World Globe

Over the weekend something came up about old fashioned phones—remember when you had to turn a dial a different amount for each number—and I mentioned that my mom took my older brother and me to the New York World’s Fair in the mid-1960s. Ralph and I saw an exhibit where you could time yourself dialing your phone number on the then-current “rotary dial” phone and then on a newfangled touch-tone phone. We also talked to each other on video phones, which was even cooler, even if it was only in black and white video.

I mentioned that I had heard that the large globe at Leisure World was from the New York World’s Fair. Turns out that is not true. According to this page at the Roadside Architecture site, the globe from the World’s Fair, the Unisphere, was 140 feet tall. The Leisure World globe is only 40 feet tall. They are similar, of course, because they are both based on the same planet, but they are not the same. Someone also mentioned that there was a rumor that Australia is upside down on the Leisure World globe. That is also false.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Leisure World Globe

Shadowy Papyrus

Shadows of Trifoliate Oranges

Shadows of Trifoliate Oranges

Earlier this month I posted a photo of a trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) that I am growing from seed in a plastic bin in my kitchen (see “Poncirus trifoliata (Trifoliate Orange)” on Wednesday, March 18, 2015). Today’s picture is (sort of) of the same subject. The afternoon sun coming in the kitchen door was shining on the tub of little orange plants (there are at least four dozen of them) and casting what I thought was an interesting shadow. To me it looks a little like some ancient artwork drawn with faded ink on a sheet of papyrus. Okay, maybe it takes a bit of imagination to see that, but if we don’t look at the world imaginatively once in a while, what a dull place it can become.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Shadowy Papyrus

Steak, Tomatoes, and Olives

Steak, Tomatoes, and Olives

Steak, Tomatoes, and Olives

I was home alone for dinner this evening because Cathy had a soccer game. She’s also not having red meat for a week. So, I took the opportunity to have a New York strip steak. I had some very nice tomatoes so I cooked one of those and melted some cheese over it. The olives were something of an afterthought but went with this very well. I had both Kalamata olives and green olives stuffed with garlic, both sauteed a bit in the meat drippings.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Steak, Tomatoes, and Olives

Cathy and Broccoli

Cathy and Broccoli

Cathy and Broccoli

I made some chicken for dinner tonight, in a tomato sauce with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and Kalamata olives. To go with it, I cooked a little broccoli. I thought I’d take a few pictures of the dinner to post, but instead I’m going to go with this one of Cathy, being silly with two large spears of broccoli. She has one foot up in some sort of yoga pose, but I didn’t have the right lens on the camera for that, so you just get her and the broccoli.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cathy and Broccoli

Just a Bit

1/2″ Ship Auger

1/2″ Ship Auger

I hope you don’t find this boring. I was looking around for things to photograph this evening and not having a lot of success, frankly. I’m much better off when I get outdoors but it was getting late and I wanted to find something to photograph. I came across this 17″ long, 1/2″ ship auger drill bit. I don’t remember for sure why I first bought this long bit but I think it was drilling a long hole through the corners of a built-up pond I made out of 4″ by 4″ lumber at our old house. In any case, I like the helical flute on this and, whether it’s worth it or not, it’s my photo for the day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Just a Bit

Sculpture In The Snow

Sculpture In The Snow

Sculpture In The Snow

I took only a few pictures today and, not terribly surprisingly, I suppose, they involved snow. Are you tired of the snow yet? I know a lot of folks around here are ready for spring and I’m pretty sure it’s just around the corner. I can almost feel the daffodils starting to push their way up through the cold, wet earth. But for now, we still have a bit of snow. I spotted this piece of natural sculpture when I got to work this morning. Between the stems and their shadows, it paints a pretty picture. Look for spring, but enjoy the remainder of winter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sculpture In The Snow

Snow Cream

Snow Cream

Snow Cream

Without question, proper Italian ice cream (i.e., gelato), with its particular texture (generally no egg and with less fat than “standard,” American ice cream), is just about the best thing in the world for dessert. A close second, and considerably easier to make if you have the ingredients on hand, is snow cream. The recipe is about as easy as anything can be: one can of sweetened, condensed milk mixed with one can of crushed pineapple. Then mix in as much fresh, light, fluffy snow as you can. You want to be ready to eat it right away, because it melts fairly quickly. Of course, the snow is the tricky ingredient, as it’s not always easy to come by, depending on where you live and the season of the year. This evening it was available in abundance. The other two ingredients are easily bought ahead and kept for the occasion.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow Cream

Table Knives

Table Knives

Table Knives

Dorothy and I drove up to Frederick today, but more about that in my next post. We had a little time to kill so we went downtown and wandered into an antique shop. I took a few pictures in there, but this is my favorite, a table covered with flatware. It was laid out with the knives, spoons, and forks in different segments of a circular display, all radiating out from the middle. The knives all range in price from $4 to $6 and the sign said 20% off. All I took were a few pictures, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Table Knives

Icy Trees, Wet Roads

Icy Trees, Wet Roads

Icy Trees, Wet Roads

It stayed cold overnight but got up into the mid 30s (F) fairly early this morning. When I went out to the car, the sky was clear but it was &x201c;raining” under the trees and I got fairly wet. The ice that had coated everything yesterday was melting and coming off in largish pieces. I tried to take a picture of the Zelkova trees on Norbeck, which were glittering in the morning light, but it doesn’t really do the sight justice. The roads were wet, not at all slick, fortunately.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Icy Trees, Wet Roads

Snow In The Trees

Snow In The Trees

Snow In The Trees

We had another little snow fall this morning. When I checked early Montgomery County had decided on a two hour delay for schools. That hasn’t mattered much this year but I was planning to go in to do some things with the fifth grade. Because it was already scheduled to be a half day today, the delay meant school was canceled. Montgomery County decided to close, anyway, a little later. Cathy and I went to work together and had no problems with the snow. The roads were all fine. This is the view from the front of my office building, into the trees beside the parking lot, taken from a third floor window. There are a few mid-sized trees growing on the banks of a small stream. The thickets toward the top of the picture are brambles.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow In The Trees

Broccolini and Burger

Broccolini and Burger

Broccolini and Burger

I’m afraid all I have for a photograph for today is another meal. This evening I decided to make burgers. I topped them with sauteed tomatoes and onions and then melted some Irish Dubliner cheese, which is something like cheddar but a bit more buttery and quite good. I had the burger sans-bun and paired it with some fresh broccolini, boiled briefly just until tender. Turned out pretty well, if I say so myself.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Broccolini and Burger

New Pipe Valve

Before (The Old)

Before (The Old)

Mom sent an email this morning saying that her refrigerator was leaking water. The ice maker hasn’t worked for a while now but it’s still hooked up to the water supply. Unfortunately, it seems somewhere along the way there is a leak and the water is coming out onto the floor under it. She turned the water off at the mains but there is only so long you can have water off and still be considered to be living in modern America. I went there after work and pulled the frig out from the wall. Nothing obvious—the copper tubing comes out of the floor just where it meets the wall and didn’t seem to have any problems.

After (The New)

After (The New)

I took the panel off the base of the refrigerator back, exposing the compressor and the rest of the mechanical workings. When the water was turned back on, I could see the where the leak was, with water dripping from the plastic tubing just after where the copper tube is attached to the system. What to do. The most obvious thing was to find the other end of the copper tube and turn the water off there, to only the refrigerator. It took us a while to find but we finally did, behind the access panel of the upstairs bathroom. Unfortunately, that value wasn’t in very good shape and the handle broke off before I was able to even start to turn it. We ran out to Strosniders and bought a new valve and in a fairly short time I had it replaced. The water is now turned off and all seems well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on New Pipe Valve

Lake Needwood in Snow and Ice

Lake Needwood in Snow and Ice

Lake Needwood in Snow and Ice

It was quite cool this morning. My phone said it was 1°F here and my car agreed. There was a bit of wind, which made it seem a little cooler but the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. I had to drop some papers off at the school so I went to work via Lake Needwood. It’s covered in snow and I stopped to take a few photographs before continuing on to the office. Fortunately, the roads are clear because I needed to drive to Richmond later in the day and bring Dorothy home for a short visit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood in Snow and Ice

Fjords

Fjords

Fjords

So, have I had a trip to the International Space Station where I took this black and white photo of fjords? Well, no, obviously. As you probably guessed, this is a close up of wet and salt encrusted pavement. But to me it does look a bit like an aerial photograph.

This was in the parking lot at work and the patterns were quite varied and (to me) interesting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fjords

Fresh Snow

Fresh Snow

Fresh Snow

We had a small snow squall again overnight and this morning. By midday the sun was out and it was quite beautiful. The roads were never terribly bad but because I had no meetings and what I needed to get done today I could do just as easily from home, I stayed and worked from here.

In the afternoon I cleared the walk and the drive and then went around the yard taking pictures of the snow. It’s notoriously hard to get interesting pictures of snow. It’s sort of white on white, but these footprints that were in the show and that were mostly covered by this recent fall make for nice shadows. Personally I’m not tired of winter yet, although I know some people are. It’s only February, folks.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fresh Snow

Winter Sun

Winter Sun

Winter Sun

It has been cold a bit lately and there is snow and ice on the ground. This evening I was looking out the window of my home office and seeing different patterns of ice on the window. This somewhat abstract image, which I named “Winter Sun”, is actually the out-of-focus light of a street lamp shining on the ice riming the window pane and seen through the screen. The image was much more orange as taken but I adjusted the white balance to get a cooler, bluer color, more evocative of the winter landscape.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on Winter Sun

Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great

Although you may be thinking that this is what I call Cathy when I’m trying to get her to forgive me for something I’ve done, I’m actually referring to “the” Catherine the Great of Russia (2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796), who rules Russia from 1762 until her death.

I have a small (and not terribly valuable) collection of stamps and paper money from around the world. This is a detail of one of my favorite bills, a 100 ruble note from 1910, portraying Catherine the Great.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Catherine the Great

Urban Barbecue

Urban Barbecue

Urban Barbecue

In my four plus years of taking and posting a photo every day, I have a few days where I only take two or three pictures. They typically don’t end up being everyone’s favorite and I have a feeling today will be a perfect example of that. I met a good friend for dinner at Urban Barbecue this evening. We had a very nice dinner and an enjoyable time. I got there a few minutes before he did and that gave me time to take three pictures of the bar from my table (it was the most interesting view from where I was sitting, without aiming my camera at, and weirding out, other patrons). Not a terrific picture. In fact, I’m a bit embarrassed by it. But it’s all I have to show for today. The dinner and visit were much (MUCH) better than the photo.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Urban Barbecue

Quilt

Quilt

Quilt

Yesterday I woke up to find that my back had seized up. I’m not sure what brought this on, other than an aging spine that’s never been exceedingly strong (either figuratively or literally). Whatever the cause, it was not comfortable. I decided to give it a good rest and stayed home today, spending most of the day on the couch reading with an ice pack under the small of my back. That, along with some wondrous pharmaceuticals, helped considerably and by the evening I was able to get up without the aid of a cane. This picture honors the quilt that kept me warm while the ice pack kept me cold. This is one of the many, beautiful quilts that my mom has made over the years.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Quilt

Keys

Keys

Keys

I was messing around with my new macro flash equipment today. I’m looking forward to insect season with this. The extra light means I can take pictures at f/32, which means as much depth of field as possible and with a fast enough shutter to stop the movement of those always moving bees and wasps. Up close like this, Depth of field can be just a few millimeters. At f/32 it is more like 10 or 15. Big difference.

These keys, of course, don’t move much by themselves. With a tripod I could tak as long an exposure as I like. But this was hand held at f/32 and 1/200 of a second.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Keys

A Leeky Kitchen

Leeks

Leeks

Cathy isn’t hugely fond of leeks but I like them a lot. It’s not uncommon to find them in my kitchen but when you have a leeky kitchen, something needs to be done. Tonight I thought a creamy leek sauce would go well with skate wings. I’ve never actually cooked skate before and I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. They are not terribly fishy but have a nice, delicate flavour. The sauce went pretty well with them but I think something a bit tangier might be better in the future. I also happened to have some blood oranges, which I sectioned and put over the fish and that might be a better base than the leeks.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Leeky Kitchen

Fire

Fire

Fire

It’s a bit chilly today and we’re getting ready to watch some football game or other. I thought a fire would be nice so I laid one up and got it going. There’s nothing like a good fire to warm you in a comforting way (a controlled fire, of course, otherwise it is liable to warm you in a very non-comforting way). As the pre-game show droned on and on, I muted the sound and turned to the fire, instead, which was much more interesting. Getting a still picture of fire that is interesting, I think, can be pretty difficult. It’s mostly hit or miss, because the flames are moving so fast. This is my favorite. It’s what you get today, anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fire

Carpet Rainbow

Carpet Rainbow

Carpet Rainbow

I have a 70 gallon fish tank in our kitchen. Late in the day the sun hits the corner of the tank and, all the way down the hall in our family room, this rainbow appears on the floor and slowly moves away from the kitchen for about ten minutes before disappearing for the night. It’s pretty good size, covering about four feet by a foot and a half. It’s quite bright and very pretty, running the spectrum (literally) from violet through indigo, blue, green, yellow, and orange and finally to red (vibgyor).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Carpet Rainbow

Gas Under $2.00

Gasoline, $1.959 per Gallon

Gasoline, $1.959 per Gallon

When we took Dorothy back to Richmond on January 4 I paid $1.979 per gallon for gas in Fredericksburg. But that’s Virginia. Perhaps it’s at least partly a case of supply and demand but it seems that here in Maryland everything possible is done to keep prices of everything as high as possible. If I were more cynical I might suspect that Maryland (and Montgomery County) governments are trying to keep out the hoi polloi (a.k.a. riffraff). If so, they are certainly going about it the right way. I don’t really think it’s a conscious effort but so many decisions have that effect that it’s hard not to think it’s at least a little bit planned. At the very least it’s clear they simply don’t care.

Anyway, today I paid $1.959 for regular in Maryland. I don’t know that I ever expected the price to be that low here again. I’ll be driving to Richmond again before too long and I look forward to how low it might be there, but I could get used to this. Gasoline prices like this are like a tax rebate and the certainly benefit the lower end of the income scale more than the upper.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Gas Under $2.00

Snow on Tree Bark

Snow on Tree Bark

Snow on Tree Bark

We had another snowfall today. It wasn’t enough to close school. Of course, around here, “not enough to close school” is very litte indeed. It just was enough to turn things white. There was talk of it being worse by the end of the day but it didn’t happen. They are also forecasting much more tomorrow. Still, it was pretty.

I took this picture near the parking lot of my office building. This is the bark of a black gum or tupelo tree (Nyssa sylvatica, also known as ). It’s a nice tree with a few things to recommend it including very good fall color a very bright orange-red. if you decide you want one, though, you will want to know that they have dark berries that will drop and be tracked into your house. Also, the birds eat the berries and if they then perch over your car, you might not like the results.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow on Tree Bark

Eagle Statue

Eagle Statue

Eagle Statue

If you’ve lived in this area for any length of time then you almost certainly know where this eagle is. It isn’t a great picture, hurriedly taken before the light turned green for me to proceed. I do like the framing, however, even if the picture isn’t as sharp as it might be, having been taken through my windscreen. In any case, this eagle stands in front of the Jefferson Plaza at the somewhat complicated intersection of Rockville Pike (MD 355) with Veirs Mill Road (to the east, named after the mill owned by the Viers family, but the misspelling is there for good or ill) and E. Jefferson Street (MD 28).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Eagle Statue

Lentinula edodes (Shiitake Mushrooms)

<em>Lentinula edodes</em> (Shiitake Mushrooms)

Lentinula edodes (Shiitake Mushrooms)

Usually when I post a picture of a plant of any kind, it’s in the garden or at least growing in a pot. I haven’t grown mushrooms in a while but we have them in the house quite often, nevertheless. I bought a pack of fresh shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) today and sauteed them in olive oil, seasoned only with a bit of black pepper. They were then piled on burgers and topped with cheddar cheese. I really should have taken a picture of the finished product but at the time I was more interested in eating it. So, you get the mushrooms nearing the “just right” stage.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lentinula edodes (Shiitake Mushrooms)

Fruit and Whipped Cream

Fruit and Whipped Cream

Fruit and Whipped Cream

Our good friend Julia came over again this evening. Actually, Cathy had picked her up to help with a few things at her (Cathy’s) mom’s house. They came back here and Julia helped me carry in a new bookcase and move some books onto it. She stayed for dinner (panang curry) and dessert (fruit with freshly whipped cream). The fruit was apple, plum, cantaloupe, and mango. Not a bad dessert, if I say so myself.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fruit and Whipped Cream

A Snowy Interlude

The View from My Office Window

The View from My Office Window

Traffic coming to work was light today. I’m not sure if the forecast of snow and the terrible traffic the last time it snowed combined to scare people into staying home or what but it had only just started coming down as I drove in. A little later and it was coming down quite hard. The flakes were large and fluffy and it accumulated to about three inches. This is a tree outside my office window (a willow oak) and you can see how well the snow is sticking to every branch and little twig.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Snowy Interlude

Standard Living Room Knickknacks

Portal Guardian from the Palace of Sargon II

Portal Guardian from the Palace of Sargon II

Most of us have bric-a-brac around the house. I find it quite interesting to see what different things people have. So, I don’t doubt, would consider the things we have to be a little odd. For one thing, there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to what we have. It’s fairly eclectic.

Take, for example the things on our piano in the living room. There’s a winged bull bookend, a miniature version of a winged bull portal guardian from the Palace of Sargon II in Khorsabad, northern Iraq (Neo-Assyrian, about 710-705 BC). Behind that is a drawing of Harold, the stylish cat, wearing his trademark Argyle sweater-vest and kilt (although you cannot see much of the kilt in this photo). Dorothy is the artist of the later work, for those not familiar with him.

In any case, I don’t know why anyone would think that was a strange combination.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Standard Living Room Knickknacks

Shelfie

Basement Bookshelves

Basement Bookshelves

We have a few books in our house. Those who have helped us move know this and to them I say, thank you and I’m sorry. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve been working in the basement and that’s where a large number of our books are, probably half or nearly half of what we own. Today I continued working there and made some good progress. I decided to post a picture of one of the two large sets of shelves in the basement and, with apologies to Julia, who gave me the idea for the title of this post, I present you with a “shelfie.” They seem to be all the rage these days, although I’m not entirely sure why.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Shelfie

Heron At Frozen Pond

Great Blue Heron Taking Off from Partially Frozen Pond

Great Blue Heron Taking Off from Partially Frozen Pond

As I got to work today I glanced over at the pond where I photographed some ice recently. The water level was low and it was no longer frozen over but there was still significant ice around the edges. I caught a shape that I was pretty sure was a heron so I got out my camera and went a bit closer. I need a much longer lens if I’m going to do this sort of photography, really, but I moved until the heron took off and got a few pictures as it lifted gracefully into the air. It’s a shame the photograph is so monochrome, I think, butcause it makes it a bit hard to see the bird so clearly, but it is what it is (more or less).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Heron At Frozen Pond

200,000 Miles

200,000 Miles

200,000 Miles

OK, after yesterday’s interesting picture, which I believe is one of my top comment-generating images in just over four years of taking pictures every day, this one will be a bit more mundane.

We now have two cars with mileage over 200,000. When you have cars as old as those we have, it’s a good idea to have at least one spare because the chances of one being in the shop at any given time are fairly high. Right now we have two spares. Because of that, the miles we put on them are spread around a bit. Nevertheless, we have two cars with a total mileage of 440,000. Not too bad. Oh, don’t worry. The engine was still running when I took this but I was parked in our driveway, having reached 200,000 miles just before I got home.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 200,000 Miles

Flintstone, Maryland

Flintstone, Maryland

Flintstone, Maryland

I went on a little road trip this afternoon with Sokho. After church we drove up to Flintstone and from there just across the state line into Pennsylvania. The purpose was for Sokho to see the place we went last year on our youth retreat and where we are scheduled to go again this year. There was a bit of snow on the ground but we didn’t have any trouble getting up the hill. This photo was taken from the meeting room, looking southeast towards Flintstone.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Flintstone, Maryland

Nativity Scenes

Nativity Scenes

Nativity Scenes

We finally got around to taking down our Christmas tree yesterday. It was fairly dry and starting to lose needles in a big way. I put the ornaments on our dining room table and then took the tree outside, doing my best (which wasn’t very good, actually) to keep from spreading more needles around the house. This evening I took a few pictures of the decorations on the table. In the living room we had a few nativity scenes (or crèches, if you prefer) and I like the contrast of these two. The plain, carved, wooden set in the foreground was made by patients at a leprosy clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The brightly colored one in the back is from Peru. The elephant on the right and a few others of that set are broken, but that’s a story for another time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Nativity Scenes

Blue Ice

Blue Ice

Blue Ice

Have you ever noticed that shadows are blue? It’s most obvious in the winter when they are cast on something white (e.g., snow or ice). This morning it was a bit chilly. Our thermometer ready 6°F. That’s cool even for me so I wore a sweater on my way to work. When I got there I noticed the ice on the small pond next to my office building. The water level had been considerably higher a couple days ago and as you can see, it froze over before it completely returned to its normal level. That left sheets of ice on the lower parts of the bank. In the shade of the morning it was quite blue, but as you can see, the sunlit area at the top is colored normally. So, those of you painting scenery, don’t forget blue for shadows.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Blue Ice

Cloisonné Egg

Cloisonne Egg

Cloisonné Egg

I was looking around the house for things to photograph this evening. Among the things I came across were two Cloisonné eggs in a dish in our dining room. I took pictures of each of them and decided I liked this picture best.

It’s a pretty little thing with flowers, stems, and leaves. The other one has white storks on a deep blue background. I don’t expect they are terribly valuable but I don’t really know. We don’t have them for their value but because they are pretty, which they are. Other than that, I can’t tell you much about them.

Other pictures I took this evening were close-ups of two Venetian paper weights and of a Martian Popping Thing, because, well, Martian Popping Thing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cloisonné Egg

Our First “Real” Snow

Our First 'Real' Snow

Our First “Real” Snow

We had our first “real” snow today. That is, it’s snowed already this winter, once quite hard, but we had actual accumulation this time, more than just a dusting that melted as it hit hard surfaces. This time it was about 20°F so it accumulated to about three inches. Not exactly a blizzard, but real snow. This photo was taken from our upstairs window just before I left for work. I got as far as the exit to our neighborhood. The car in front of me spun out going up a short hill. Then the main road was wall to wall cars and I decided I didn’t want to sit in my car for an hour and a half for a 20 minute commute. So, I worked from home, which is thankfully an option.

The snow stopped later and the sun came out, although it was never above freezing today. I like snow and found it quite beautiful out. Naturally I took more pictures but I think this one, of it coming down, symbolizes the day more than snow on leaves in the sun.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Our First “Real” Snow

Plaid Flannel

Plaid Flannel

Plaid Flannel

I don’t wear plaid as much as I used to. I’m not entirely sure why. I think part of the reason is that the best plaid is flannel plaid and the it isn’t often cold enough for flannel. It gets cold enough outside, but when I’m going to work, I’m in an office where I cannot control the temperature and it’s almost never too cold for a light, summer-weight shirt in my office. At home it’s cooler but even there, I’m not usually in need of an extra layer. If I’m going to be outside in the winter for any length of time, I can wear flannel, but even then, it’s usually easier to throw on a sweater than to change shirts for a simple walk outside. This plaid happens to be on Dorothy, who spent the day in Philadelphia with Kendra. She’s wearing it as a jacket, the top layer of about three, which works well. I should buy flannel shirts that are too large, so they can be worn this way.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Plaid Flannel

Four Years Of Photos

Rock Creek Worship Team

Rock Creek Worship Team

Since Wednesday, December 29, 2010, I have taken at least one photograph every day. That means I’ve completed four years doing that. I started posting them on Facebook on January 1, 2011 and then started this blog at the beginning of 2012, but the last three days of 2010 have pictures, as well. I really need to go back and add those pictures to this site so they are all together, but whether they are here or not, they exist. That’s 1,461 consecutive days of taking pictures. I don’t have any inclination to stop and I hope enough people enjoy them that it’s worth my time to continue.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Four Years Of Photos

Macro Flash

Macro Flash

Macro Flash

One of the things I asked for this year for Christmas was a small bracket that holds two flash heads out to the right and left of the camera. I also asked for a flash that will go in one of those two sides and which my camera can fire wirelessly. With this attached to my camera, I will have an easier time getting good lighting on small things when I’m focused very close. With the normal flash on top of my camrea, if I’m too close and if I don’t add an extra reflective surface, the lower portion of the photo is quite dark. With this new rig, it’s not a problem, as you can see in this closeup image of a thistle seed head that’s on our kitchen table. Those of you who are not fans of my insect close-ups may not appreciate this, but I’m chuffed.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Macro Flash

A Very Christmasy Christmas

A Very Christmasy Christmas

A Very Christmasy Christmas

As usual for Christmas day, we had Christmas activities in three phases today and in four stages. We started at our house, opening (or emptying) stockings. Then we went to Cathy’s mom’s house, where this picture was taken. We went from there to my mom’s house where we spent the afternoon with my family. Finally, back to our house where we opened presents from and to each other. All in all, a very nice day.

I often post pictures of family on Thanksgiving and Christmas but decided I’d go with atmosphere this time. So, just the tree in the living room, presents waiting around it to be unwrapped, and the large nativity scene on the table, with the morning light streaming in through the window behind it. You can get this from the photograph, of course, but the smell of bacon, which we enjoyed with pancakes, eggs, sausage, and coffee, adds considerably to the ambiance.

Happy Christmas to all and God bless us, everyone!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Very Christmasy Christmas

Foggy Day

Foggy Day

Foggy Day

It was very atmospheric today in the sense of the second definition in Webster’s, “having, marked by, or contributing aesthetic or emotional atmosphere; also : marked by an emphasis on impression or tone.” Basically, it was foggy all day. After yesterday’s rain it was fairly welcome. This is the view out my office window, which for a suburban office building, is actually pretty nice. Today it was soft and gray.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Foggy Day

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

I know this is a bit cliché but I do like out of focus Christmas lights, at least in small quantities. I try not to take pictures like this more than once a year but, well, here’s this year’s version. I find it interesting how small movement of the camera between images makes such a big difference in the resulting image. It has to do with some lights being behind branches that small movements reveal. Also, the interaction between adjacent lights change a bit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Fire

Fire

Fire

I’ve had fires a few times so far this winter. Today I burned some of the wood from the fig tree outside mom’s kitchen. It died back pretty severely last winter so there was a small pile of wood in the driveway from that. It burned quite well. I took a bunch of pictures of fire, which is one of those things that often looks so much better in reality than in a 1/30th second slice (in this case). Still, I like this image.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fire

A Variation on a Theme

Kielbasa, Pancetta, and Lima Beans

Kielbasa, Pancetta, and Lima Beans

Just a few days ago, on Tuesday (December 16, 2014), I posted a photo of lamb with edamame, which I fixed myself for dinner. This evening I had a similar meal, although only one of the ingredients from the earlier meal was actually involved in this one. This time I had a section of kielbasa (slightly improbably from the Lancaster County Dutch Market), two slices of pancetta (Italian bacon, basically), and lima beans. The ingredient they had in common was garlic, which I sautéed a bit before adding the meat.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Variation on a Theme

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

I’ve been described as The Grinch and as Ebenezer Scrooge because of my attitude towards Christmas decorations. Those titles aren’t entirely fair—I quite like Christmas, I certainly don’t want to rob others of their joy, and don’t even mind Christmas decorations—but it’s true that I could do without a lot of what I call the “winterization” of Christmas. It isn’t just the secularization of what is, first and foremost, a Christian holiday. It’s the transformation of it into a religious holiday of non-Christian form. That probably makes no sense to anyone and I don’t feel like writing a long dissertation on what I mean, so I’ll just leave it at that.

Anyway, we generally are lucky to get our tree up enough before Christmas that the decorations are on by the 25th. This year, however, a week before Christmas and not only is the tree up, but it’s got lights, decorations, and even wrapped presents under it (which are usually done late on Christmas eve). So, Happy Christmas, everyone.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Tree

Simple Can be Delicious

A Simple Meal of Lamb and Edamame

A Simple Meal of Lamb and Edamame

Sometimes simple is all you want and when it comes to fixing dinner after a days work, simple is always appreciated. This evening I had just such a meal. Cathy was going out to play indoor soccer so I was just cooking for myself, which means I can have exactly what I like. This is lamb which had marinaded in a peppery sauce with plenty of Mediterranean herbs. I sautéed a little garlic before adding the lamb to the pan. To accompany the meat, I cooked some frozen edamame (soy beans) and then added them to the pan to get a bit of the flavour from the meat. All in all, I’d say it was as satisfying as any restaurant meal and it was dead simple.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Simple Can be Delicious

A Collection of Creepy Creatures

A Collection of Creepy Creatures

A Collection of Creepy Creatures

I pulled out my camera to take a few pictures this evening, not sure what I would find as a subject. I ended up taking a few of a somewhat random variety of things. I started with a container of variously colored cherry tomatoes. I ended with pictures of two of the three fish in the tank in our family room. Pictures of fish are harder than you might think, particularly when you need flash. It lights up every bit of dirt on the glass and every particle of whatever sustnded in the water. Between these two sets of subjects, I noticed these creatures on our microwave. I really have no comment to make about them, but they probably say something about us.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Collection of Creepy Creatures

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that we cut down our Christmas tree. When I got home, I went to put it up only to find that our tree stand had finally worn out. I probably new that a year ago but managed to forget and not replace it. So, today we bought a new tree stand and I put the tree up in our living room. Then I got out the lights. It’s been a few years since we actually bought any strings of lights and every year I wonder how many strings we’ll have that work. These are some of the strings that worked, either entirely or with only a bulb or two out. The other strings all were about half working.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Sashimi

Sashimi

Sashimi

Cathy and I went out for dinner this evening and I had an assortment of sashimi, one of my favorite special treats. Cathy didn’t partake, preferring a teriyaki chicken to anything raw. But I enjoyed this immensely.

I think mackerel is my favorite and I could enjoy an entire plate of just that, I suppose, but there is something special about variety. I ate all the ginger, as I love the tang it adds but only had a little of the wasabi. I prefer the taste of the fish, and wasabi has much too powerful a flavor and totally overpowers the more subtle flavors. I’ve never really understood its appeal, unless people actually dislike the taste of the fish and want to mask it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sashimi

Starbucks

Starbucks Mugs

Starbucks Mugs

I was going to post a different picture today but didn’t think it would be well appreciated. I drove Dorothy up to this Starbucks in Germantown this morning to catch a ride back to Richmond. After they left I thought I’d go up to Black Hill Park for pictures of the dawn. I wish I hadn’t. After I turned around and was coming down Clarksburg Road towards Clopper Road I deer dashed in front of me. Sorry to say the deer didn’t make it. I was going to post a picture of the deer and the car, titled “Oh, Deer” but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Some of you would have simply felt bad for the deer. For me, I don’t want to look at the car.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Starbucks

Ridgid

Pipe Wrench

Pipe Wrench

I was looking around for things to photograph today and happened to notice a pipe wrench that I had been using a little while ago. Also known as a Stillson wrench for Daniel C. Stillson who invented it, it was patented on October 12, 1869 (U.S. patent #95,744). I like the textures in this picture. My title for this post, “Ridgid,” refers to the brand of pipe wrench that this happens to be, manufactured by the Ridge Tool Company, Elyria, Ohio.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ridgid

Salami and Cheese

Salami and Cheese

Salami and Cheese

We were out until almost 10:00 this evening and I didn’t have time to eat until we got home. We also had friends staying, who got here before we did. I was fairly peckish so I put out some salami and cheese and we enjoyed that while we chatted the rest of the evening away (and a little of the morning). In this picture, we have four cheeses. Clockwise from the left are a wonderful aged gouda, creamy soft butterkase, sharp cheddar with whiskey, and cheddar with caramelized onions. There was also some Gorgonzola, just out of the frame on the right.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Salami and Cheese

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

I’m not a big one for Christmas lights, although I can appreciate them. I’m also not a big fan of putting up Christmas decorations early. I know that it’s after Thanksgiving and that makes it officially Christmas season. In fact, today is the first Sunday of Advent, so there really cannot be any objection to decorations. Along MD 124, Church of the Redeemer has lights on their trees, as you can see. I was going to pick up Dorothy at a friend’s and was a little early so I stopped to take a few pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Nature’s Snow Globe

Nature's Snow Globe

Nature’s Snow Globe

There was a enameled bowl on the concrete bench in front of our house and it had filled with rain water (and a leaf). Dorothy noticed it this morning and turned it out onto the bench and I took some pictures of it. It doesn’t move like a regular snow-globe, but otherwise, it sort of looks like that, I think. Anyway, pretty without much effort, which is always a treat.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Nature’s Snow Globe

Virginia Aviation Museum

1936 Vultee V-1AD Special

1936 Vultee V-1AD Special

I drove to Virginia to pick up Dorothy for Thanksgiving this afternoon. I left a bit early because I knew that traffic was going to be a problem. I also knew that she would not be ready to leave until about 5:30, so I was going to have to find something to occupy my time until she was ready. I decided to stop by the Virginia Aviation Museum at the Richmond International Airport.

My post for Sunday, February 16, 2014 was of an SR-71 Blackbird, on loan to the museum from the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. I thought it might be nice to see what else they have and it’s a nice little collection. This plane, a 1936 Vultee V-1AD Special, was custom-built in 1936 for William Randolph Hearst, Sr. and is the only known surviving V-1AD in the world.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Virginia Aviation Museum

Antipasto

Antipasto

Olives, Chorizo, Tomatoes, and Stilton

When I got home this evening, I knew that Cathy was going to work a bit late. Since I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, I wanted something to tide me over until she got home and we’d have dinner. So, I made myself a plate of antipasti. In this case, it was not a traditional Italian antipasti. There were Kalamata olives (from Grece), chorizo with smoked paprika (from Spain), small tomatoes (which I guess is traditionally Italian, although, of course, they come from South America originally), and a few slices of Stilton (from England). Traditional or not, it was just what I wanted.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Antipasto

Morcela Caseira for Breakfast

Morcela Caseira, Eggs, and Goat Cheese

Morcela Caseira, Eggs, and Goat Cheese

I know this won’t look in the least appetizing to many of you, but this, to me, is just about as good as breakfast gets, particularly when paired with a strong cup of tea with a drop of cream. I have labeled the picture with morcela caseira to spare those of you who would be put off by the term “blood sausage.” For those of you afraid of blood sausage, let me say that there is blood sausage and then there is blood sausage. Personally, I like most of them, but this is probably my very favorite. Find a Portuguese or Brazilian market and give it a try. That’s where I get it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Makin’ Music

Musical Instruments

Musical Instruments

Cathy and I drove Dorothy back to Richmond this evening, having a longish drive down but clear sailing coming back. It’s amazing how even a few short slow stretches seem to make the drive feel worse than it actually is. Of course, in this case, it was over three hours one way and less than two the other. Anyway, I took a few pictures while we were in Richmond before getting back in the car to come home. This is one wall of Dorothy’s apartment, shared with six other women. I think there must be some music coming from this place from time to time. I’d love to stay and hear it, but tonight wasn’t the night.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Makin’ Music

Frozen Peas

Frozen Peas

Frozen Peas

I was fixing dinner and thought about taking pictures of what I was making. Food pictures can be somewhat cliché but then, sometimes, that’s all I think of to take pictures of some days. When I got the peas out of the freezer, I thought, may that would be slightly less cliché. Peas are one of my favorite vegetables (not speaking botanically, of course, where they are seeds, not stems or leaves). They are also nearly as good when frozen as when fresh, so make one of the easiest vegetables to buy a lot of and have on hand for any occasion. I always try to have peas, Lima beans, and edemame in my freezer at all times.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frozen Peas

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

After a busy weekend in Richmond, today was relatively quiet, photography-wise. I didn’t get out of my office except for meetings and didn’t have much opportunity to take pictures. This evening I was looking around for things to photograph and I came across these colored pencils, tied into a bundle with a rubber band. I don’t suppose it’s the most original photograph I’ve taken and I’m not really terribly excited about it, but it’s a picture. The colors are nice, I think, and I like the texture that the sharpener leaves on the conical ends of the pencils.

By the way, I’m posting this on November 22, 12 days after it was taken. Sorry for getting so far behind in my postings but I’ve just taken photos off my camera through today and will do my best to get caught up this week.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colored Pencils

Autumn

Dorothy, Cathy, and Emily Celebrate Autumn

Dorothy, Cathy, and Emily Celebrate Autumn

We had a nice day in Richmond today. Part of the morning was spent at a “Friends of the Library” book sale where each bought a few books. Then we went to the Jefferson Hotel to enjoy its beautiful lobby. After lunch, bought at Nick’s International Foods we went to Hollywood Cemetery. We saw the graves of two presidents among many others (people are dying to get in there) but we also enjoyed the fall color throughout the grounds.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Autumn

Antique Store, Richmond

Antique Store, Richmond

Antique Store, Richmond

Cathy and I went down to Richmond today to spend the weekend with Dorothy. Let’s call it Parents’s Weekend. It wad First Friday and we enjoyed walking through many of the galleries on Broad Street and seeing the sometimes bizarre things that people have created. There are some talented people. Then there are those wo maybe shouldn’t quit their day jobs, unless making those things is their day job.

Later we went up to Carytown, another part of the city, and happened to go into a little antique or curio shop. I didn’t realize it when I was taking this picture but it’s a self portrait.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Antique Store, Richmond

Remembering Zinnias

Cathy and Her Zinnias

Cathy and Her Zinnias

Earlier in the year the county cut down an oak tree (nearly dead) that belonged to them because they had planted it in the right-of-way back when the neighborhood was built. Around the stump, Cathy planted zinnias and marigolds and they did really well this year, blooming brightly all summer. Late last week we got a note to call someone at the county about the stump. They were going to come grind it down and he wanted us to know because it would pretty much be the end of the flowers. They showed up this morning but before they took everything out, I got a few pictures of Cathy with her flowers.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Remembering Zinnias

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

I know you are probably expecting pictures of kids dressed up for Halloween for today’s picture but I don’t have any. We had 49 trick-or-treaters come this evening but I didn’t take any pictures as I didn’t (to my knowledge, anyway) know any of them. They were mostly older kids although some may have been in fourth or fifth grade. So, this is a picture of the tomatoes that I cooked for the omelet I made Cathy for dinner. Tomatoes, spinish, and cheese. I pretty good combination.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cherry Tomatoes

Solomon and Cathy

Solomon and Cathy

Solomon and Cathy

Cathy took Solomon to the vet today to get his nails and beak trimmed. If having your toenails worked on is a pedicure, what’s the word for having your beak trimmed? The Latin word rostrum is the beak of a bird (as well as the “beak,” or prow, of a ship), so perhaps “rostricure.” Anyway, that’s what he had done. When I got home he was sitting on top of his travel cage, which was on the floor of our family room. When Cathy went to put him back in his regular cage, I had them pose for a few pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Solomon and Cathy

Various Vinegars

Various Vinegars

Various Vinegars

I happened to be in a local Asian super market this afternoon and took a few pictures of the aisle of sauces and condiments. This is a picture mostly of various types of vinegar (on the right) with soy sauces to their left. I mostly like the colors and repeating patterns of the bottles. I’m not sure how many types of vinegar I might need. I have three that I usually keep on hand, a plain, white vinegar, malt vinegar (which is fairly plain, also), and balsamic vinegar (although not the really expensive stuff, just the ordinary cooking sort). I usually have two or three soy sauces, as well. A plain sauce, a dark (and quite salty type, and a mushroom flavoured variety.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Various Vinegars

Clear Water

Clear Water

Clear Water

What a beautiful day it was today. We’ve been getting more than our fair share of beautiful days lately (although come to think of it, I’m not exactly sure what our fair share would be, so perhaps we are getting our fair share, I don’t know). Anyway, I had a meeting over in the next building so I brought my camera with me. On the way back, I went out into the woods between our buildings to where there is an old, mostly silted up sediment pond. I took pictures of reflections in that but they didn’t really turn out as well as I had hoped. This is the stream that runs below that pond. When it’s been raining, the water is a murky brown, but today it was as clear as crystal.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Clear Water

Pine Needles

Pine Needles

Pine Needles

It has become quite windy and a bit cooler today. Yesterday started out sunny and warm but today there is a chill in the air. When we got to church this morning, much of the parking lot was covered by a thin layer of pine needles from the trees that surround it. In the bright sun they were quite orange and, to me, very pretty. If only I had my camera. Oh, wait.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pine Needles

Cathy

Cathy

Cathy

It had been a particularly busy day, with lots of things to do after work, as well as during work. Then, at about 10:00 this evening I realized I hadn’t taken any pictures. I generally prefer it when I happen to see something and think to myself, “I should take a picture of that.” Pictures like yesterday’s rainbow are especially nice, because there isn’t any question that I’m going to think about taking a picture. Having to pick up my camera and find something to take a picture of, that’s not so much fun.

Of course, taking pictures of Dorothy or of Cathy is an easy out, but I try not to do it too often, at least not for the purposes of this blog. Rest assured that I take pictures of them now and then, either together, with friends, or individually. This evening, though, I asked Cathy if I could take her picture for the blog and she happily said yes. Well, it sounded happily. I appreciated it, anyway. And if I say so myself, I think it’s a pretty good snapshot.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cathy

Silver Diner

Silver Diner

Silver Diner

We went down into Bethesda this evening. I really needed to buy a pair of dress shoes. My current pair were literally falling apart and it was to the point where even I couldn’t stand it any more (which takes some doing). So, we went to DSW and I found a nice pair for a reasonable price and we were done. I actually took a few pictures of shoes, but, fortunately for you, I’m not posting any of them. They are pretty poor pictures (without any soul, if you’ll pardon the pun).

After that we went to dinner at the Silver Diner. I haven’t been there since they moved, so I know it’s been a little while. Even with a line out to the door, we were seated in pretty short order. The food was good and we had a nice night out. It isn’t the best meal in town, but it’s reasonably priced, a friendly atmosphere, decent service, and the food was certainly good enough. I’d go back again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Silver Diner

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

It was a beautiful day today and although Cathy and I didn’t have a chance to get out of our offices during the day, we did take a short walk in the evening. As usual, I carried my camera with me and took a (very) few pictures while we walked. This sedum is growing next to a mailbox down the street from our house and was particularly pretty in the fading evening light. For us, it tends to flop. This wasn’t tied up or staked in any way, so I’m not sure what the secret is, but it looked good.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

Pond Reflections

Pond Reflections

Pond Reflections

Cathy and I walked around my building a few times today at lunch time. It was a pretty day and we enjoyed looking at berries on various plants along the woods around the parking lot. We also walked down to the pond between our buildings and I took some pictures of the reflections and of the things floating in the water. Color and texture. That seems to be what autumn is about, in terms of photographs. Beyond the camera, though, there is the feel of chill in the air, sometimes a whiff of wood fire smoke (mostly in our neighborhood, not near our office), and often really beautiful light.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pond Reflections

Filling In

Dentistry Paraphernalia

Dentistry Paraphernalia

I had a dentist appointment this morning, to replace a filling that was going on 40 years old but which was starting to hurt a bit. X-rays taken last month didn’t show any significant problems under the filling, so it was just a matter of taking out the old and replacing it. When I got to the office, I have a couple minutes to spare before Dr. T was ready to see me, so I took a couple pictures, including this one of some of his things.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Filling In

Hard Boiled Egg, Cracked

Cracked, Hard Boiled Egg

Cracked, Hard Boiled Egg

I boiled a bunch of eggs today and two of them cracked while the water was coming to a boil. I didn’t watch this one cook, but clearly it cracked and the albumen started seeping out before the water was hot enough to solidify it completely but after it was hot enough to keep it from forming threads through the water.

The other cracked egg was much less interesting, just showing a small crack without the bulging innards spewing out.

This one is a little creepy looking, so that’s why I took a picture of it. It’s perfectly edible, of course.

Egg salad, anyone?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hard Boiled Egg, Cracked

Tree Cutting Next Door

Tree Cutting

Tree Cutting

We had two big trees cut down in our back yard last year. There are still some largish trees in our neighbor’s yard but for a little while now, this one has been dead. Before it fell and did any damage, out neighbor had it cut down (today, obviously).

I’m always impressed with tree cutters. Oh, I know it isn’t rocket science or brain surgery but it takes a fair amount of both strength and agility. Watching this guy get up into the tree with such ease was impressive. Then, he got himself set. A rope was thrown over a higher branch and tied to the branch he was going to cut. The most remarkable thing is how easily he started his saw. I’ve struggled with mine. Even when it does start, it doesn’t happen on the first or second pull. Of course, his is well tuned and well broken in, while mine is not. For the tree work he was using a relatively small saw, and he is a good bit younger than I am, but my arms would be all in after a day of what he’s doing.

Anyway, the tree came down and there is a neat pile of firewood in its place.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Tree Cutting Next Door

Watery Web

Watery Web

Watery Web

All right, no spider today, but still somewhat spider related. There are a bunch of little spider webs in our yard and garden and today they were all holding large drops of water. They’re kind of cool, because you can barely see the web filaments so the water droplets seem to be floating a few inches above the grass or pachysandra. This picture isn’t all that great and I really needed to get a tripod out and use it, but that didn’t happen, so this is what you’re left with.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Watery Web

There’s a Wrench In The Works

Wrenches

Wrenches

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wrench like me? No, that’s not right. Good king wrench’s lass look out, on the Feast of Stephen? No, that’s not it, either. All right, I’ll stop with the feeble puns. I’ve been working on getting my basement organized and one major task is organizing my tools. Since we moved, they have been distributed between a few different cardboard boxes, two tool boxes, and a few wire drawers in an unfortunately flimsy frame. Anyway, I’m going through everything and putting all the tools in one area and will then sort them. This is the wrench box, obviously.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on There’s a Wrench In The Works

Broccoli

Broccoli

Broccoli

Do you like broccoli? I do. It’s one of my favorite vegetables, in fact. I prefer it to not be overcooked but can take it pretty much however. I don’t think it’s nearly as good when it’s been frozen, probably because that means you have to cook it longer to be sure you don’t have any cold spots. My preferred seasoning is a splash of vinegar and a little salt. Actually the one thing I don’t like much about broccoli is the spelling. I have a hard time remembering if it’s two Cs or two Ls.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Broccoli

Bountiful Harvest

Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Beans, and Basil

Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Beans, and Basil

Cathy and I stopped at Albert and Brady’s after work yesterday. It was nice to visit and we ended up loaded with a bountiful harvest, as evidenced by this photograph. Albert and Brady have a vegetable garden and it’s gotten a little ahead of them. As you can see, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and basil all in profusion. We also got a lot of cherry tomatoes, which are really delicious. I made a big batch of tomato sauce this evening with almost nothing that wasn’t direct from the garden, and by “direct” I mean, picked today. Thanks, guys!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bountiful Harvest

Reflected Lights

Reflected Lights

Reflected Lights

It’s been very hot this week, the hottest we’ve had all summer, in fact, and tomorrow is supposed to be the worst yet. Cathy and I talked about taking a walk somewhere this evening but we didn’t feel up to much. We decided to go to the Rio for dinner (Nando’s) and then walk around the pond. There was live music playing too loudly (and not terribly well, if truth be told), and it was still pretty warm but it was nice to see all the people enjoying themselves. This is looking back towards the restaurants from across the pond.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflected Lights

Farm Wagon

Farm Wagon

Farm Wagon

Like the picture I posted from yesterday evening (which was incorrectly dated as September 3), I took a few evening pictures today as the sun was sinking into the west. This time, I happened to be near the Agricultural Farm Park on Muncaster Road so I pulled in to see what I could find to photograph. This is an old wagon sitting near the barn and the late-day sun was shining on it very prettily. After about five minutes of taking pictures, though, the sun was behind the trees and the light was gone. Pretty while it lasted, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Farm Wagon

Drink Coca-Cola In Bottles

Coca-Cola Advert

Coca-Cola Advert

Big day today. We drove Dorothy to her new home for the next nine months or so, dropping her off in Richmond. All went well and we had no trouble with traffic except the last few miles, because it was morning rush hour by the time we arrived. Dorothy got settled into her new room, we met a few of her apartment mates, and we ran a few errands. Many of the old brick buildings have ghosts of painted signs on them but I noticed this one that’s not quite dead yet.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Drink Coca-Cola In Bottles

Dew Droplets on Glass Table

Dew Droplets on Glass Table

Dew Droplets on Glass Table

It’s been hot the last few days and the forecast is for even hotter today, but it was cool this morning and there was a very heavy dew on the ground. We have a glass table on our patio that was covered with large water droplets and I took some pictures of it this morning before heading to work.

I actually took the opportunity to take some pictures at different apertures that illustrate depth of field. This one was taken at f/32 and, as you can see, it’s pretty much all in focus except the extreme foreground and back edge.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dew Droplets on Glass Table

Dripping Water

Dripping Water

Dripping Water

It rained quite a bit this afternoon. I had planned to doing a bit of yard work but didn’t feel like getting soaked. Cathy actually did a fair amount. I preferred to sit on the back patio, under cover of the roof, and read. I took a few breaks to take some pictures, including this one. There is a pile of patio chairs and water was dripping through them, making very nice rings. I like this one, partly because of the extra little rings around the main one.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dripping Water

Great Falls, Maryland

Great Falls, Maryland

Great Falls, Maryland

It felt like fall today, starting out in the upper 60s and only getting into the low 80s, with relative humidity levels below 50%. We went to Great Falls today and were not at all surprised by the number of people there. We walked to the overlook on Olmsted Island. The water level is pretty low, but that’s usual this time of year. In fact, it’s probably not as low as many years this late in the summer.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Great Falls, Maryland

Montgomery County Fair

Cathy and Friend

Cathy and Friend

Dorothy wanted to go to the County Fair this afternoon to meet up with a group of her friends. Cathy and I decided we’d go, as well, and see the place on our own. We started by walking up to the art building and saw some work of a few young people that we know. There were a few very nice pieces. Every year I think I should print a few photographs and enter them in the fair, but I usually think of it the week the fair starts, which is a bit late.

We wandered around a bit, looking at this and that, and stopping for a cone of ice cream. This is a picture of Cathy with a friend she made during our brief visit there. I don’t actually know his name or where he works, but I’m pretty sure he makes pizza.

Of course, we also visited the animals. That’s probably the thing I enjoy the most about the fair. The “new” Old MacDonald’s Barn, renovated in time for the fair last year, was very crowded but it was fun to see a camel, a fairly large Brahman, and a cow and her four hour old calf.

Future Lawn Mower Buyers

Future Lawn Mower Buyers

Walking past the farm equipment display, memories of my childhood came back. In fact, one of my fondest is when, as childred, we climbed over the tractors and associated farming machinery. They are like carnival rides without the cost. I suppose if we had grown up on a farm they might not have the attraction, but we grew up in the suburbs.

I enjoyed seeing these children sitting on the line of bright, shiny, new lawn mowers. Show me a kid who doesn’t enjoy sitting on new farm equipment and I’ll show you a kid who needs to get out more often.

Swings

Swings

Of course, the carnival portion of the fair is extremely popular with the crowds. I like rides as much as the next person and in fact probably more than most. On the other hand, I’m not a big fan of waiting in lines. Anyway, we weren’t really there for the rides, but I did take some pictures (I know that will come as a shock to you). This is one that Dorothy enjoyed from a very young age. I think she first rode on one at Hershey Park in 2003.

This part of the fair is always quite crowded, of course, and even more so if you wait until dusk, when most of the animal exhibits are going dark for the night. Then it really gets jammed. Moving through the sea of people is a challenge, but if you enjoy people watching, this is a great place to be. But we were on our way out by this time, and I didn’t hang around longer than it took to get a half dozen photographs or so.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Montgomery County Fair

Colorful Sea Foam

Colorful Sea Foam

Colorful Sea Foam

It was a rainy day today, not raining all day but off an on. We did go out on the beach but the surf was rough and the cross-beach current strong so we didn’t stay out in it very long. This picture is from a walk along the beach, looking down at a bit of sea foam washed in with a wave. From a distance, the foam is a fairly uniform grey, but up close it’s a rainbow of colors. I think that’s like a lot of what we see in life. From a distance, it isn’t very interesting. But when you get to know a subject or even more so a person, you start to see all the various colors, which is what makes the subject, or person, really interesting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colorful Sea Foam

Ocean Isle Pier

Ocean Isle Pier

Ocean Isle Pier

Shortly after I took the picture of the little sandpiper, on the same walk down the beach, actually, I took this picture of the Ocean Isle Beach pier. I can’t actually remember the last time we’ve gone out on the pier, actually. I guess I don’t see much need. It does add a point of reference when you’re on the beach, though, and give a handy turning around point when walking.

I like the drama in this picture, of the crashing wave. It’s nothing to the waves in the surfing destinations around the world, but it’s a good enough wave for riding and no so big that you are in any danger when out, particularly on days as calm as this.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ocean Isle Pier

Laser Retina Repair

Slit Lamp with Argon Laser

Slit Lamp with Argon Laser

I visited my retina specialist today. The appointment was set up before I even had the cataract surgery scheduled but because of that surgery and the problems I had last week, I was glad to have it set up. The doctor saw a small piece of retina that was torn, so he had me wait a little while and give it a blast with his laser. This is not the greatest picture because of the dark background, but it shows the equipment he uses for this procedure. The box on the right (the lower one) controls the laser mounted on the slit lamp. He gave my eye 41 pulses of the laser to weld my retina to the underlying choroid layer of my eye. Afterward they took a photo of my eye that shows the site and I asked the technician to email me the picture, which is pretty cool. I won’t say I enjoy having a laser shined into my eye, but when it’s a choice between that and a detached retina, I’ll take the laser.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Laser Retina Repair

Turn Left

Turn Left

Turn Left

Dorothy was driving home this evening and I was in the passenger seat so I pulled out the camera and took some long exposure images of signs and lights as we went past. This is sort of a hit or miss process with a lot more misses than hits. One problem is that when the shutter is open, the viewfinder goes black. If you are moving (as we were in the car) it is difficult to keep the camera aimed at any particular subject. These images are more interesting when there is some movement, anyway, but getting it under control is, to a great extent, chance.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Turn Left

Rain

Rain

Rain

I love the sound of rain. Whether it’s beating on a tin roof or dripping through leaves in the woods or splashing on the surface of a pond, the sound of rain is a peaceful, restful sound for me. Of course, I have the option to go inside and get out of the rain. If I didn’t have that option, the sound of rain might be depressing or even oppressive. But, for me, in my circumstances, it is the sound of life and I look forward to it and enjoy it when it comes. Sometimes, I just sit and watch the rain. It may sound like watching the grass grow or watching paint dry, but I enjoy it. Sometimes, I think we should stop and watch the rain.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain

We Delivery, Pastels, and Sunset

We Delivery!

We Delivery!

It was our last full day in Philadelphia and it was a full day. We went to the camp in Camden again this morning and were a little early so we paused long enough to take a picture of this sign. The kids had been commenting about it all week, but since I was more concerned with the left turn I was making, I didn’t actually see it until today. We Delivery. Classic.

We went to the pool with the kids from camp today and had a great time. I got pictures of most of our team splashing around with kids from camp but those pictures of for us and for the kids. Sorry. You’ll have to make do with a picture of a stupid sign.

Pastel Building

Pastel Building

We were in the historic part of Philadelphia for the middle of the day, from about 1:00 PM to 4:30. We were supposed to be on a scavenger hunt of sorts but everyone was so tired and it was so hot, that none of us really felt up to much. We walked up to the Betsy Ross House, went over to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, but didn’t go in any of them. We did go into a 7-Eleven on Market Street to get free Slurpies (it’s July 11). We ended up sitting on benches and on the grass, some playing cards, others napping. I took a few pictures, including a few of this pastel colored building in the 300 block of Market Street. I love old buildings, whether or not they are historic. They remind me of the passage of time and that things change, while they also stay the same.

Urban Sunset

Urban Sunset

From there, we went to a place called Chosen 300 to help serve dinner. The girls were all assigned to the plate serving line while the rest of us helped carry plates to the tables. Over 130 folks were served meals in about 40 minutes. It was a bit chaotic, but definitely a good thing.

We had our dinner after that, picking up cheese steaks that we had ordered earlier, and taking them back to where we were staying. On the way we got a great sunset over the tracks on the west side of the Schuylkill River. A nice way to end the week.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Sunrise/Sunset/Sky | Comments Off on We Delivery, Pastels, and Sunset

Logan Square Fountain

Logan Square Fountain

Logan Square Fountain

We had a longish day today, enjoying ourselves with the kids at camp this morning and then working for a few hours at a thrift store warehouse. In the evening we went to the Logan Square area. Do you know Logan Square? It’s the circle about half way between the Museum of Art and City Hall. Or it looks like a circle, but it’s a circle in a square. Anyway, that’s not really important now.

We had made some extra bagged meals and we were there to share them with people. There was a Shakespeare production of some sort being performed behind the Shakespeare Memorial (which seems like a good place for it). Across the street, around the fountain and in the park between the fountain and the Franklin Institute there were various people on benches. We divided up into groups. Katie, Shelly, and I chatted a while with one woman who had just gotten a phone call from her son saying he was on his way home from Afghanistan. She was pretty happy about that.

We also talked with a man named John. He was just a little younger than myself but was much more fit. He had been doing handsprings earlier, just to keep limber. We talked about the struggles of being homeless, not knowing if it was going to rain, and about young people who wouldn’t just let him be. We shared some food with him and a few others before the evening got too far along. I did pause early on for a few pictures of the fountain, which I think turned out pretty well, considering I didn’t have a tripod.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Logan Square Fountain

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cathy baked chocolate chip cookies today. They were mostly for some neighbors who are going through a tough time, but she put some in a bag for Dorothy and me to take with us when we leave for Philadelphia tomorrow afternoon. Can you almost taste these? They were so good.

Thanks, sweetheart.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chocolate Chip Cookies

Independence Day, 2014

Selfies With Abe

Selfies With Abe

I posted one of the firework photos on Facebook earlier, but now that I’m back from a week in Philadelphia, I’m getting caught up here. So, here are a few pictures from the many that I took on our day in the nation’s capital on the 238th anniversary of Independence Day. Along with our good friends Donna, Stuart, Hannah, and Katie, Dorothy and I went down early in the afternoon and set up our spot just outside Lincoln Memorial Circle near the south west corner of the reflecting pool.

Hannah, Katie, and Dorothy walked to the Folk Life Festival being held on the Mall beyond the Washington Monument. Stuart, Donna, and I talked and passed the time watching people. We all got up and went off at various times, some walking around the tidal basin, etc. I went up to the Lincoln Memorial and took a few pictures from there. My favorite, by far, is this one of three young Americans commemorating their visit with Abe by taking selfies.

Independence Day Crowd

Independence Day Crowd

As the day wore on, more and more people came and by the time the sun dropped behind the memorial, the whole area was packed. One things that’s great about the Independence Day celebration on the Mall is that it’s families and groups that are there to enjoy being with other Americans, including those who started life in other countries. The mood is light and most everyone is happy to be there. It didn’t hurt that is was only about 80°F today, so even in the sun it wasn’t sweltering. In the shade it was almost cool. Usually sitting in the blazing sun all afternoon is the worst part but this year, we were blessed with one of the most beautiful days of the summer so far.

Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks

I’ll finish with three pictures of the fireworks themselves. As you can see, we had a great view from our location. The fireworks are set off from the east end of the reflecting pool, so for us they had the Washington Monument as a back drop.

Fireworks

Fireworks

The firework display only lasted 17 minutes but it was long enough and very enjoyable. We were close enough that I had to use a fairly wide angle lens to get the larger explosions in the frame. These were all taken with the zoom at 20mm. They were all two second exposures (with the camera on a tripod), with the ISO set to 100. The first and third were at f/11.3 and the second at f/7. I’m pretty please with how they turned out.

Getting out of D.C. after they are done, of course, is the hardest part. We got to our car, which was parked on E Street, and found our way to the Roosevelt Bridge and out the G. W. Parkway, which worked pretty well. All in all, I think we all enjoyed ourselves and were glad we went.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Independence Day, 2014

P.F. Chang’s

P.F. Chang's

P.F. Chang’s

Dorothy wanted to meet a friend at Columbia Mall this evening so we all went. Dorothy drove and then went off to find Lauren. Cathy and I went into the mall for a little while and then had dinner at P.F. Chang’s.

This is the candle on our table. There is an interesting mural on the wall over the bar. It depicts eight characters that I assume are from Chinese history or legend. It’s a nice restaurant but I have to admit that I would prefer a small, hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant. Generally the food is better and you aren’t paying extra for expensive decor. But that’s just me.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on P.F. Chang’s

Pin Cushion

Pin Cushion

Pin Cushion

It was a very busy week and I didn’t get out to take pictures today. In the evening I took some pictures of a pin cushion that’s next Dorothy’s sewing machine. It isn’t actually Dorothy’s machine, but rather my mom’s back-up machine, her old Bernina. Anyway, this pin cushion was there and looked like a good subject for a photograph. I’m not sure what the little note says in full. I think the Red Cross pin is one I earned back before the Red Cross decided I was at too high a risk for BSE (too much time in England).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pin Cushion

Balance

Balance

Balance

I was working in the basement this evening, taking apart our dehumidifier to see if I could figure out why the compressor isn’t coming on. Of course, it could be the compressor that’s gone bad, and if that’s the case then it is probably done. But there are two other possibilities, and I wanted to test them out. While I was in the basement, I decided to take a few pictures. This scale is one that I’ve used in the past for two different things: photography and ceramics. For photography, I used it to weigh out chemicals for processing black and white film and prints. For ceramics, to weigh ingredients for glaze. It’s been a while since I did either of those things, but I’d really like to get the ceramic work going again. I have the wheel and kiln here and just need to get a few things in place and I’d be ready to pick it up. I’m pretty much out of practice, but you never know, it might be like riding a bicycle. Or not.

Actually, the balance seems pretty significantly out of balance and I need to figure out what’s going on with that before it will be much use.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Balance

Liquor Bottles

Liquor Bottles

Liquor Bottles

Cathy and I went out for a somewhat late dinner this evening. We decided on Branded 72, a barbecue place that used to be O’Brien’s. The barbecue is good. If you are trying to cut down on carbohydrates, your side order options are a bit restricted. Fortunately I actually like collard greens, although what I had left a bit to be desired. Certainly not as good as the ribs. The restaurant is divided into two sections and we were alone in our half. There was talking and laughter coming from the bar (the other side). This windowed wall separates the two halves of the place and I set my camera on the table so that the 1/3 second exposure wouldn’t be blurry.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Liquor Bottles

Sakura

Sakura, Japanese Restaurant

Sakura, Japanese Restaurant

It was a long day today, but we had a real treat in the evening. We got to see our friends, Jean, Lexi, and Karlee, which doesn’t happen nearly often enough. They drove here from Virginia, which is a serious undertaking, especially anywhere near rush hour. We went to Sakura, a Japanese restaurant in Olney, for dinner, and enjoyed the show. I was ready a few times when our chef lit things that he was cooking and this is the best of those pictures.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | 1 Comment

Hose Faucet and Bricks

Hose Faucet and Bricks

Hose Faucet and Bricks

I enjoy little things. I suppose anyone who has been following my blog for any time already knows that. We were up in Olney for dinner this evening at our favorite little Thai place and had to wait a little while for a table (did I mention that it’s a little place?). I walked around outside a while looking for things to photograph. I like the simplicity of this picture and also the colors. It’s just a hose faucet in a brick wall, but we often forget how convenient life is, when we can get water practically anywhere, just by turning a knob. Life is good.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hose Faucet and Bricks

Ophthalmological Instruments

Ophthalmological Instruments

Ophthalmological Instruments

As many of you know, I had cataract surgery in my left eye yesterday. I had a follow-up appointment this morning and all seems to be going exactly as planned and hoped. Here are three instruments in the ophthalmologist’s office. On the left is a phoroptor, used to determine the eyeglass prescription needed. The instrument is familiar, even if the name isn’t. Then, in the middle, is a keratometer, which is used to determine the shape of the cornea. Finally, on the right is a slit lamp, used to examine eyes. I’ve spent a lot of time behind this last item over the last five years or so.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ophthalmological Instruments

Abstract

Purple and Orange

Purple and Orange

Cathy and I went out to dinner this evening. While I usually have my camera with me these days, usually a crowded restaurant isn’t the sort of place I’m comfortable taking lots of pictures. I had the camera sitting on the table as we waited for our meal, however. I turned on the screen on the back and moved it around. seeing what I could see through the electronic viewfinder and taking a few pictures. This abstract image is one of those pictures. I’m not sure what it is supposed to convey, but there you are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Abstract

Rainy Reflections

Rainy Reflections

Rainy Reflections

Another rainy day today, as we come to the end of April. In fact it was a very rainy day. As I got to work it was coming down quite hard. I sat in my car, enjoying the sound of the rain and the quality of the light. The back of my office building has a large area of mirrored glass that reflects the trees in and around the parking lot. I’ve posted pictures taken in them before and I’m amazed at how different they can look, depending on the time of year and the weather. So, here’s a reflection on a rainy day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rainy Reflections

Loose Screws

Loose Screws

Loose Screws

It’s pretty widely acknowledged that there’s a screw loose somewhere. Well, that’s what I’m constantly being told, anyway. I think I’ve found a few of them. They were in a box on a shelf in my kitchen. That’s probably because I put them there. I’m glad they aren’t with my marbles, because I lost them. These, or some of them, are destined to hold up some brackets that will hold up a ladder that’s taking up altogether too much space in my garage. Hanging it on the wall should make it much less of a bother.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Loose Screws

Wow, That’s Hot!

Hot Sauces

Hot Sauces

Many years ago now we went to dinner with Cathy’s parents, our friends Brian and Lisa, and another couple. Our hosts were from Bangladesh and our dinner was wonderful, Bengali home cooking. One dish happened to be a little spicy. Actually, it wasn’t bad if you didn’t bite into one of the small green chilies. Well the wife of the other couple didn’t realize what they were and had one. Her reaction was the title of this post. We tried not to laugh at the time, and our hostess was a little embarrassed. She said she thought they were green beans. After we left we laughed and laughed. Over 20 years later we are reminded of it when we walk past the hot sauces in the grocery store. We even quote her on occasion. “Wow, that’s hot!”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wow, That’s Hot!

Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs

I’m playing catch-up again, posting pictures well after the dates they were taken. I posted the Easter Flashback but of course, I need to post a picture taken on Easter of this year, as well. We went to the sunrise service at Fourth church, or at least we got there before it was over. I had started to set my alarm clock for 5:00 a.m. so we would be up in time to get to the 6:00 a.m. service. Then, thinking the girls might need a little longer to wake up, I set the alarm “back” ten minutes, changing the minutes to 50. Unfortunately, it was now set for 5:50, not 4:50, and we were lucky to get there before the service had finished completely. We went to the earliest of the regular services, as well, and then came back to our house for a lamb roast and the various fixings. Dorothy and Kendra dyed some eggs and later they were hidden in baskets in the yard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Easter Eggs

Rainy Day Colors

Rainy Day Colors

Rainy Day Colors

Personally, I love a rainy day. We like to complain about rain, especially when it spoils our plans but it’s often quite beautiful when it rains. I won’t say this it an amazing photograph (it’s just the view from the third floor of my office building) but it does, I think, convey some of why I love the rain. The colors of most everything are made stronger and more beautiful by the rain. The browns and greens, in particular, benefit from being wet. Throw in a little brightness from spring blooms and it is even better. Yes, give me a good, wet, rainy day now and then. I won’t complain.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rainy Day Colors

Bricks

Bricks

Bricks

It was a beautiful day and a good day for a drive. That’s fortunate, because I drove down to Richmond to pick up Dorothy. Traffic was heavy on 95 southbound but I didn’t have any real problems. Coming back was another matter. Interstate 95 is grossly inadequate for the traffic on the east coast. Anyway, I picked up Dorothy and we went to get her things before heading back north. This is a brick wall outside where she was staying. I like the warm color and rough texture of the bricks and may use this in an composite image at some point.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bricks

Fresh Guacamole

Fresh Guacamole

Fresh Guacamole

Cathy and I met our friend Collyn (see yesterday’s post) for dinner at Villa Maya Restaurant this evening. Two more friends were planning to join us but things came up (or had already been planned but temporarily forgotten, actually) and they had to cancel. No matter. Dinner was nice and we got to concentrate our attention on Collyn. Well, her and the food, which was very good. They have a cart with all the ingredients for guacamole and a young woman pushes it around from table to table, mixing up the luscious dip to order.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fresh Guacamole

Chair and Coconut

Chair and Coconut

Chair and Coconut

I really don’t know what to write about this one. The title of this post says it, really. This is a chair, or two chairs, really, and a coconut. There’s a clipboard, as well, of course, and perhaps I should have given greater emphasis to that.

I like the fact that the darker floor tiles, the chairs, the coconut and the writing on the clipboard are all in basically the same color family. That certainly provides a unifying element to the picture.

I also like the strong lines of the chair, juxtaposed with the round nothingness and incongruity of the coconut. “Why a coconut and what is the connection between that and these chairs?” And what is the meaning of the cryptic sentence scrawled on the paper, “Where is my Fish spear?”

For now, it will remain a mystery.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chair and Coconut

Wait, That’s Not Rain!

Snow on Rose Branches

Snow on Rose Branches

So, the rain that’s been falling since early Saturday turned to sleet and then to snow this afternoon. Perhaps that was predicted but I didn’t see it coming. I went out to the grocery store and when I got home it started coming down quite hard. At first it only accumulated on the car windscreen but then on the bushes and finally on the grass. I went out to take a few more pictures and like this one of a few brown leaves on the rose bush just outside our front door. This winter has been hard on the shrubs. The leaves on our boxwood has burned quite badly and I have a feeling that both Camellias that I planted last year have died. After so many mild winters, I thought it would be safe but I’m afraid this winter has been a test of their hardiness that they have not passed.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wait, That’s Not Rain!

And Still More Rain

A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It

It rained all day yesterday and everyone was glad it was rain and now snow. Today, people were starting to feel waterlogged and wished it would stop, even for a little while. Tomorrow the forecast is for “sunny, with a high near 59, and breezy.” Today, the lawn is about as wet as it can be. There is a little swale between our yard the the yard next door. When it rains like it has done for the last 36 hours or so, it turns into a bit of a stream. The stream was flowing today, as you can see.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on And Still More Rain

And Yet, One More Snow

Late March Snow

Late March Snow

I feel like a broken record. I don’t know how many times we’ve had a snowfall and thought, well, at least this should be the last for the winter. Each time we are more sure that a snowfall this late is unusual, only to have one even later come along and make us forget the earlier one. I also don’t know how many times I’ve hear people say, “I’m really ready for spring!”

Of course, I don’t know any more than the next person whether this is the final snowfall of the year. I do know that there are a lot of people who seriously hope it is.

It was actually quite lovely out today and the snow came down fairly steadily for much of the day, starting at about 8:00 AM and not stopping until a little before I drove home in the evening. It didn’t really stick to the roads or other paved surfaces, so it wasn’t nearly the bother some previous snowfalls have been. This was the view out of my office window.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on And Yet, One More Snow

St. Patrick’s Day Snow

St. Patrick's Day Snow

St. Patrick’s Day Snow

Well, the snow that started yesterday continued falling this morning, amounting to 8 or 9 inches before it stopped. I was up off the couch a bit today, going to see the doctor about my back (school and just about everything else was closed but the roads were actually fine). I didn’t take my camera with me, which explains why you aren’t seeing a picture of an x-ray machine or something else related to that visit.

When I got home I took some pictures of the snow. It was a very beautiful day today and I enjoyed the snow. I cannot say that I don’t hope it is the last of the spring, but I did enjoy it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on St. Patrick’s Day Snow

The View From The Couch

The View From The Couch

The View From The Couch

As usual, I’m posting this a few days late. This is my picture from Sunday, March 16. As some of you know, I’ve been out of commission since Friday evening with significant back pain. Today I spent most of the day lying on the sofa. This is my view from there out the dining room windows and into the back yard as the snow started to fall this afternoon. From my warm, dry vantage point, it was quite pretty but I was just as glad not to have to be out in it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The View From The Couch

Dorothy and Friends

Dorothy, Hannah, and Tim

Dorothy, Hannah, and Tim

Dorothy went downtown with a few of her friends today, visiting the National Gallery of Art. Since I spent much of the day on my back today, do to back pain, I took a picture from my comfortable position on the couch. In this picture, Dorothy, Hannah, and Tim pose for me.

I especially like it because of Cathy photobombing them from behind the railing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dorothy and Friends

Parking Lot Paint

Parking Lot Paint

Parking Lot Paint

The snow plows are rough on roads and parking lots, scraping up loose gravel as well as paint that’s marking parking spots and that’s on curbs to mark no parking zones. I was out around my building to take a short walk and took this pictures of paint and gravel on the grass. It had been in a pile of snow but as the snow melts, naturally, it is left behind as a quiet reminder of the weather we’ve had.

Actually, I just like the color.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Grease Bubbles

Grease Bubbles

Grease Bubbles

This is most definitely something to categorize under miscellaneous. I cooked a chicken curry this evening, experimenting with a few different combinations of ingredients. It wasn’t a resounding success but I think I learned a thing or two and the next version will be better. The chicken itself was wonderful, it was the sauce that suffered. Anyway, when I was done, I had a bit of grease in the pan and I filled the pan with water to loosen the bits that were stuck to the bottom. This is a picture of tiny bubbles of grease floating on the top of the water. Strange, I guess, but I thought it was pretty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Grease Bubbles

Ashes to Ashes

Ashes

Ashes

On Monday, when we had snow, I thought it would be a nice day for a fire. In addition to logs, I burned some papers. I know shredding is probably adequate for disposing of old, paid bills (and better still for disposing of unpaid bills). I’ve been known to use shredded bills as the paper under the logs when I start a fire, and that works well. Sometimes, though, it’s nice just to burn unshredded papers. When I had the fire going nice and strong, I put a large stack of papers on top and let them go up. These are the remains and as you can see, they were not destroyed as thoroughly as if they had been shredded. Of course, once I move them about a little, they will finish falling apart and the job will be done. Then they will go out into the garden the raise the pH a little and to return to the soil.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ashes to Ashes

Pizza

Sausage Pizza

Sausage Pizza

There isn’t a lot that can or should be said about this picture. It’s two-thirds of a sausage pizza from Papa John’s, one of five pizzas that we bought for WHAT, our youth gathering this evening (yes, we stole the name because we like it). I took a few pictures of the youth themselves but none of them are very good and, contrary to popular belief and with very notable exceptions, I don’t like to post unflattering photographs of people. Much better to post an unflattering photograph of a pizza.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pizza

Snow, Again

Snow, Again

Snow, Again

School for today was canceled before we went to bed last night, so we didn’t set our alarms for this morning. Of course, that means I woke up about three minutes before my alarm would have gone off and couldn’t get back to sleep. The snow had only accumulated to a depth of about two inches when I got up but it started snowing a bit more heavily after that and by midday we had six or seven inches on the ground. Since I can, I worked from home. I did go out to shovel the driveway and clear off the cars but otherwise enjoying the snow from the comfort of my castle.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow, Again

Bombay Bistro

Bombay Bistro

Bombay Bistro

Have you ever eaten at Bombay Bistro? If not, and if you’re in the area, I highly recommend it. I’m not qualified to say whether or not the food is authentic for any particular part of the Indian sub-continent. What I am qualified to say is that it’s really good. The Chicken Tikka Makhani is one of our favorites and I don’t we’d ever consider not including that in an order. We like to try new things and this time we had Saag Ghost, which is “lamb cooked with mildly spiced spinach.” I’m a fan of cooked spinach and liked this one quite well. Anyway, as far as I can tell, it’s hard to go wrong. It isn’t a big place, but that’s part of its charm. Anyway, if you haven’t eaten there, you should.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bombay Bistro

Snow

Snow on Spruce Tree

Snow on Spruce Tree

It snowed fairly heavily much of the day today, although not much accumulated on the ground, at least not on the pavement. It was very pretty and gave me something to look at out the window. This is the spruce tree outside my office with snow starting to cover the branches. In addition to the return of the snow, the temperature has dropped again to well below freezing during the night and only a little above as the high for the day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow

Colors

Colors

Colors

Dorothy was cleaning some dried paint off of her palette and thought it would make a good subject for some pictures. This is my favorite of those I took. I was using flash but bouncing it off the wall and ceiling so there wouldn’t be so many bright reflections, which worked pretty well.

I like the swirling blues the best but the yellow/orange in the middle adds a bit of a kick.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colors

A Walk In The Park

Ducks On Lake Frank

Ducks On Lake Frank

Submerged Sycamore Leaf

Submerged Sycamore Leaf

What a beautiful day it was. The sky was mostly a clear blue, it wasn’t too cold, and it was a great day for a walk in the park. Everything is still very wet because the snow is melting and the ground is saturated, so we decided we’d take the paved route to Lake Frank and from there down to the Rock Creek Trail (or at least a spur of it). Well, that was a good idea but the paved route still had ice and snow on it for most of the way, so it wasn’t the easiest walking we could have chosen, but it was nice to get away from traffic and into the woods.

The lake is quite high, as you might expect with the snow melting and the rain we had. As you can see in the first picture, this little arm of the lake is up into the trees where there usually is just a little stream flowing. There is also still a layer of ice on the lake. These two ducks found some open water where it’s still possible for them to swim around a bit.

The second picture is of a sycamore leaf with water flowing over it. The water is so clear and makes the leaf look so clean and bright. I just love the texture of the water and of the leaf and the picture makes me happy.

Categories: Creatures, Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Walk In The Park

Blue Glass

Blue Glass

Blue Glass

I was looking around for things to photograph this evening, like I sometimes do when I haven’t been outside at all or if I have something going on right after work and don’t get much opportunity to take pictures. This is a close up of a portion of a blue glass vase that’s in our dining room. I like the abstract quality of the picture. One nice thing about pictures like this for my blog is that I could take a picture of this vase again in two months and it would probably a completely different image and it might not even be obvious that it was the same subject.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Blue Glass

SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Blackbird

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we went to Richmond for the weekend. It was Dorothy who had things scheduled while Cathy and I were basically at liberty. Today we took a walk along the James river and saw a pair of bald eagles and also ran into someone we know, which is always surprising. We had a lovely lunch with the folks from Hillside and enjoyed getting to know them a little. When we left there, we went to Chimborazo Park, which has a nice view down onto the city. As we returned to our hotel near the airport, I spotted a black shape over to our right. It was this airplane, one of the hottest designs ever. Cathy was nice enough to let me pull into the parking lot of this small aviation museum and walk around a little. The SR-71 Blackbird is without a doubt the hottest hotrod to fly. It isn’t the fastest thing that’s ever been launched but among production aircraft propelled by jet engines, this two-seater is the king of the road, cruising at above mach 3 and flying up to about 80,000 feet (24,000 meters).

This image is a montage of six pictures that I took. It’s not perfectly stitched together but good enough, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on SR-71 Blackbird

Colorful Fire

Colorful Fire

Colorful Fire

From the blog’s perspective, it’s still Friday, even though I’m actually writing this on Monday evening. This picture was taken the same day as the snow picture also posted on the 14th. While snow doesn’t really make a dull picture interesting, I find that I can stare at flames for a long time and not get bored. It was a good day for a fire and I enjoyed it this evening quite a bit. One log in particular seems to have had something in it that made the flames much more blue than they normally are, which was nice. The flames seemed more ethereal or something (I’m not sure what, really). Anyway, I thought they were pretty and I enjoyed finding shapes, patterns, and creatures in them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colorful Fire

More Snow

Snow On The Ground

Snow On The Ground

We had a little more snow overnight but it didn’t amount to much. As you can see, it was enough to cover the roads, which had been plowed yesterday at about 4:00 PM. One thing about snow in this area is that everyone takes pictures of it. I guess I’m no different (look, here’s a picture of snow!). But snow doesn’t usually make an otherwise dull picture interesting. Perhaps it can make a good picture better and a great picture better still, but a boring scene is usually not much less boring for there being snow in it. So, this is a somewhat boring picture, but with snow. It was actually a beautiful day today, with the sun out (melting the snow on the roads) and a fairly comfortable temperature (for me, anyway—a long-sleeved t-shirt was enough).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Snow

Significant Snowfall

Llama In The Snow

Llama In The Snow

Well, the forecasters got this one reasonably well. We got about as much snow as they were initially forecasting, even though the later forecasts eased up a bit (so I guess they should have stuck to their earlier predictions). Anyway, about 14 inches here, which isn’t a record or anything but it’s enough to cover everything pretty thoroughly. Outside our front door is a concrete bench and Cathy uses that as a place for potted plants. One pot has a llama on the side and this is the llama, looking out from under a pile of snow. Probably reminds him of the Andes.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Significant Snowfall

Winter

Winter

Winter

There is snow in the forecast but as I came home from work today it hadn’t started. It seems that a lot of people are getting a bit tired of winter. This year’s winter has certainly been colder, snowier, and longer than most that we’ve had here in recent years. On my drive home, I was looking at the trees and the slate-grey sky and thinking about winter. While stopped at a traffic light as I neared home, I saw this, which is today’s picture of winter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Winter

Needlepoint

Needlepoint

Needlepoint

I took some pictures of Cathy this evening looking at the world through rose colored glasses. Literally. Dorothy bought them at a thrift store but since they are actually prescriptions lenses, she doesn’t actually wear them much. Cathy decided she should, now and then, rather than worrying about things so much. Those of you who know where my pictures are can find them there.

For my picture here, however, I’ve decided to post this piece of needlepoint. It’s actually a little clutch purse that came from who-knows-where (actually, Cathy and Dorothy probably know). I think the colors are really nice and it’s a simple yet striking pattern. Enjoy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Needlepoint

Fountain

Fountain

Fountain

I had lunch at the Rio today and afterwards I walked around a little and took a few pictures. The fountain in the lake was going and I stopped for pictures of that. It was a very bright day and even with the ISO set to 100 and the aperture at f/32 the longest exposure I could get was 1/15 second. That gave a little blur but I wanted more. I happen to have a neutral density filter that removed nine stops worth of light. With that on, I was able to get this exposure at 1/3 second at f/6.4. Of course, the difficulty was aiming and focusing because I could barely see anything through the viewfinder.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fountain

Snowfall

Snow on Buddleia

Snow on Buddleia

We had a little snowfall today. I must admit that I didn’t expect it. Then again, I haven’t really paid attention to the weather reports lately. It isn’t like I can really change what’s coming and a little snow isn’t going to make much difference. This afternoon the snow was welcome enough, it was a very pretty snowfall and because it’s pretty cold, it was a clean, pristine snow, not all slushy and messy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snowfall

Great Falls

Great Falls of the Potomac

Great Falls of the Potomac

Cathy and I went for a walk at Great Falls early this afternoon. The water wasn’t as high as it’s been but it was still rather high (the reading was 6.4 feet, we’ve been there when it was over 9, 10 is flood stage). It was quite muddy, as it tends to be when it’s high. It was also fairly cold, so there was a bit of ice. In fact. rocks and branches near the water were coated with ice from the spray, which was pretty but hard to photograph well. The first picture here is from Olmsted Island, looking upstream at the main part of the river.

Chairmaker's Bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus)

Chairmaker’s Bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus)

From the overlook, we walked back to the C&O Canal and walked about a mile south. The canal was mostly frozen over, although in the areas where the canal was not filled the running water remained mostly ice free. Obviously this time of year, particularly on an overcast day, there wasn’t a lot of color about the place. This bulrush (chairmaker’s bulrush, Schoenoplectus americanus) was a welcome point of color, even if it was just brown against more brown.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Great Falls

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

It was chilly this morning and there was frost on the windscreen of the car. While the car was warming up enough to melt the ice so I could get to work, I took pictures of the ice on the side windows. I think ice crystals are pretty cool (as in neat, although as in low temperature, as well). These were taken without a tripod or anything, because I was just sitting in the car, so it isn’t as sharp as it could be. Oh, well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ice Crystals

Masks

Masks

Masks

These are hanging on the wall in Dorothy’s bedroom, which, if you recall, is very brightly painted in purple and yellow. These are on one of the yellow walls, obviously. The cat mask is from Venice, bought on our trip there in 2000. The other mask is from last year’s prom. the gold leaved wreath is the laurel wreath that Dorothy made and which was featured here a week ago (see Not Resting On Her Laurels).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Masks

Reflections On a Cylinder

Reflections On a Cylinder

Reflections On a Cylinder

It was a busy day at work and I didn’t take any pictures during the day. In the evening, Dorothy asked if we could have Thai carry-out for dinner so I went up to a little place in Olney that we like. I got there a little early for our food to be ready so I looked around for things to photograph. At night, of course, and without flash, the choices are somewhat limited to where there is enough light. I took some pictures of a building with a sycamore tree behind it but the difference between the light from the building’s sign and the light on the tree was too much to get a good picture. When I opened up enough to brighten up the tree the sign was too washed out to be readable.

I saw this round metal pillar with reflections and decided that would have to do for today’s picture. I like reflections and these are nice, in a somewhat plain way. Anyway, it’s all I have. So, reflections on a cylinder.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections On a Cylinder

Mom’s New Computer

Mom's New Computer

Mom’s New Computer

This is, or shortly will be, mom’s new computer. There’s a case for it, too, obviously, but this is what it looks like before everything has been assembled. In the middle is the mother board. Because this is mom’s computer, maybe I’ll call that the mom board. In front of that is the CPU (an AMD FX-4130 Zambezi 3.8GHz Quad-Core processor). On the right is 8GB of RAM. It’s pretty amazing that so much memory can be so small. In the back, from left to right, are the cooler for the CPU, the main hard drive, and a DVD burner. That’s all it takes, really. It took about 20 minutes to put it all together. Of course, I still need to install an operating system and load some software. Then it will be ready to use.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Mom’s New Computer

Frozen Pond

Frozen Pond

Frozen Pond

I went out to take pictures again today. It was chilly and I didn’t wear my jacket, so I didn’t stay out more than about 10 minutes. The pond between my office building and the next has been frozen over for a while now and we had a little snow this morning to cover the ice. It’s a flowing stream so there is a section that is clear of ice and it makes a nice pattern. The difficulty here was the concrete wall at the lower end of the pond. You can see the base of it in the upper left of this picture. Such is life.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frozen Pond

More Salt

Salt On the Floor

Salt On the Floor

One really nice thing about having a foyer paved with stone is that you can come in with wet, muddy, or even salt encrusted shoes and not worry about doing much damage. This is a little of what’s left on the floor next to where Cathy took her shoes off. As you can see, she picked up a little salty water from the streets. The forecast says we’ll get a little more snow overnight, so it’s not going to get better right away. Still, it makes for interesting patterns on the floor.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Salt

Solid and Liquid Water

Solid and Liquid Water

Solid and Liquid Water

It was another cool day today but I went out for a little while to take pictures. As I came into my office parking lot this morning I saw the pattern made by the ice on the pond next to my building. When I went out I took some pictures of that but I prefer this one, of water flowing in the stream leading into the pond. As you can see, it’s flowing over a rock and that motion is keeping it from freezing, although there is ice all around it. There are more fractal shapes here, as well, in the edge of the ice

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Solid and Liquid Water

Candle Flame

Candle Flame

Candle Flame

I was looking around for something to photograph this evening. I had taken my camera with me all day but hadn’t even taken it out of its bag. In the evening I realized I needed to do something. There is a candle in the mouth of a bottle in our family room. I”m not sure why it’s there, but there it is. I took a few of that and then realized the picture would be a lot better if the candle were lit. So, I lit the candle and then took a few more pictures. These were taken with the flash and I managed to balance the flash with the candle flame, so the candle itself was lit but the flame still showed up.

The next thought was that it would be better with a dark background so I moved the candle to another room. I positioned it in the kitchen with the door to he back yard behind it. I bounced the flash so it lit the candle but didn’t reflect off the glass in the door. I got a few that show the flame pretty well. It’s still a little static and I think I’d like it better if, perhaps, there was the slightest wind making the flame move a little, but overall, I’m pleased.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Candle Flame

Salt Art

Salt Art

Salt Art

Cathy and I took a walk in the neighborhood late this afternoon. It was a mostly overcast day and there is snow on the ground, so there wasn’t a lot of color to be seen. I carried my camera with me, of course, but mostly what I saw to photograph was the patterns of salt on the road.

Mostly, the shapes made me think of Mandelbrot sets (if you don’t know what that is, take a look here on the Wolfram Mathworld site). Some patterns were mostly round and some were more linear but the pattern of the gravel in the asphalt (which is technically called asphalt concrete, did you know that?) helps creates all sorts of patterns in the salt. Anyway, I thought some of them were pretty. Cathy thinks it’s a mess, and I suppose she’s right, but I still find it pretty.

This is one of the last pictures I took on the walk. The ice, on the left, represents the land mass in this map-like image. At least that’s how I see it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Salt Art

Rear Window

Rear Window

Rear Window

With the snow we’ve had, a lot of salt has been put down on the roads. Since it’s been cold and hasn’t enough to wash it away, most cars have a nice coating of salt. It isn’t the best thing for cars and it’s getting pretty bad. I see a lot with back windscreens that look a bit like this SUV that was in front of me on the way home (stopped at a light). It looks like he may have run out of washer fluid in the back. I’m hoping it will get up at least into the mid 30s and then we have a good, soaking rain to wash everything off.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rear Window

Over The River and Through The Woods

A Stream Through The Snow

A Stream Through The Snow

It was another chilly day today. Our outdoor thermometer registered -0.3°F (-18°C). It was partly cloudy and actually snowed fairly heavily between about 2:15 and 2:30. An hour later I walked over to one of the other buildings on campus and then at about 4:30 walked back. As I often do, I carried my camera with me. The sun was reflected in the stream that runs between the buildings and I thought it made a pretty picture. I didn’t bother wading down into the snow for a better angle for a few reasons. First, the the shoes I had on, I almost certainly would have slipped on the hill and landed on my keister. Second, my shoes don’t currently keep water out very well and I wasn’t anxious to have wet feet, especially while walking around in the cold. Bad enough that I wasn’t wearing a jacket.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Over The River and Through The Woods

An Evening Fire

Fire

Fire

When it’s cold outside, and the temperature has currently dropped into the teens, it’s nice to build a fire and feel the warmth on your face. Cathy and I both worked from home today and she was in the family room. That room tends to be a bit cooler than the rest of the house so I build a fire and that warmed her up. As I was building the fire, I was thankful for an attached garage. There are many benefits to an attached garage. I understand that some people claim to put their cars in them, which I think is mostly urban legend. One thing it means for me is that our supply of wood can be got at without going outside. It’s still cold but it is dry and there isn’t any wind. The wood is also kept quite dry, so it lights very easily.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on An Evening Fire

Snowfall

Snow Falling on the Buddleia

Snow Falling on the Buddleia

Yesterday there was that beautiful sunrise, leading one to think that a storm was coming. Yesterday turned out to be beautiful, bright, and clear, however. Today, it was hard to tell when the sun came up because there were thick clouds covering the sky. No red for warning. It started snowing a little before 8:00 AM here and came down pretty steadily all day. the flakes were tiny so it took a while for the accumulation to amount to anything, but it was cold enough that it only melted on roads that had been treated. This was taken out the back door in the early afternoon. I should mention that I really love the fact that I can work from home, when it’s inconvenient to go out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snowfall

Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

Cathy and I took a little outing today, driving across the bay bridge and onto the eastern shore. Just east of Kent Narrows and south of US 50 is the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC). It’s a small, private, wildlife preserve and education organization. Back in 2004 I went there with Brady and Albert for a day-long course on raptors. Two hawk and one owl picture from that day are among my favorites at HartleyPhoto. The CBEC owns approximately 510 acres of land and it’s a good place to see bay wildlife. Of course, the middle of January isn’t necessarily the best time of year for that but it was quiet and pretty and we only saw a few other people. Of course, it was about 26°F (-3°C) and the wind was 15 to 20 mph, so it was a bit chilly. For those of you thinking the question, the answer is yes, I did wear a jacket. On the Marshy Creek Trail as we neared the lake, there were some wet areas that provided great reflections and that’s what I posted for today’s picture. After that, and a brief stop on Kent Island, we went into Annapolis for a hot meal at Chick and Ruth’s Delly.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Comments Off on Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center

Another Eye Exam

Cool Shades

Cool Shades

I had another eye check-up today. After the assistant did an initial test of my vision, I waited for the doctor to come in. While I was waiting I decided to take a picture of myself behind the phoropter. I don’t often take pictures of myself and of course, since the pictures posted here are taken by me, I don’t show up very often. The last time I was at the eye doctor’s, though, I posted a picture of the phoropter so I wanted today’s picture to be a little different. Autofocus is a wonderful thing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Another Eye Exam

The Red, White, and Blue

United States Flag

United States Flag

It was quite windy this evening, as I drove home. While waiting at a traffic light, I pulled out my camera (like you do), opened my window and took about a dozen pictures of the flag flying at the Chevy dealership on the corner. I’m glad I did because I got busy when I got home and totally forgot about taking pictures. As it turned out, the flag pictures were the only pictures I took today. So, that’s what I have to share with you. It’s not bad, considering that it was night time and taken with just natural lighting (ISO 6400, 1/25 sec., f/5.7).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The Red, White, and Blue

Tail Lights and Rain

Tail Lights and Rain

Tail Lights and Rain

Time for another somewhat abstract image. This is rain on my windscreen with tail lights shining through them. As usual, I was not actually moving when I took this picture. I’m not sure what I get out of this picture but I like it, certainly better than the others I took of the same thing. Maybe it’s an alien planet with a red atmosphere and a huge, bright, white sun. Maybe I just like water and red. I don’t know. Do you?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tail Lights and Rain

Dorothy’s Guitar

Dorothy's Guitar

Dorothy’s Guitar

It was a busy day today. I didn’t get out of my office and then came home and made dinner. In the evening I realized I hadn’t taken a picture today so I thought I’d take a few of Dorothy’s new guitar, her big Christmas present for the year. This is the back, which I think is beautiful. The guitar is a Fender and it sounds great. The back is made of bubinga, an African hardwood from the Guibourtia demeusei tree. It is used because of the mellow sound it produces, as well as the fact that is has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dorothy’s Guitar

Burning The Christmas Tree

Burning Christmas Tree

Burning Christmas Tree

One of my favorite annual rituals is the burning of the Christmas tree. As I mentioned a few days ago, we kept it up a bit later this year than last but it came down today. It was a small tree so I was able to cut all but the lowest part of the trunk without a saw. I carried it to the family room, where our fireplace is, and burned it, bit by bit over a small fire I had already started. Naturally I put the camera on a tripod and took a few pictures. Getting the exposure right for flames is a bit tricky. You want the background to be black and you don’t want the flames to be too bright. On the other hand, you have to play with the shutter speed to get the right amount of blur (or lack of blur). This is by far my favorite from the evening.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Burning The Christmas Tree

A Little Snow Left

Snow and Leaves

Snow and Leaves

After a significant but fairly short cold spell, it’s been warmer (but still cool). Last night and today we had a good bit of rain and most of the snow has melted and is gone. Mostly there is only snow left where it was piled up when parking lots were cleared (and there are three snowmen left in a yard in our neighborhood). This picture is by the parking lot at work, where snow was piled, decorated with leaves that were scraped up with the snow.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Little Snow Left

Cold

Frosty Car Windscreen

Frosty Car Windscreen

How do you photograph cold? I guess it’s easy enough if you live in the mountains with lots of snow and ice. But what if it’s dry out? That makes it considerably harder, I think. The ground doesn’t look all that different. The trees and bushes are as bare and lifeless looking as they were when it was considerably warmer. But this morning my outdoor thermometer read 1.3°F (-17°C). That’s cold. Even if the reading is slightly off because the sensor is too close to the house (which would mean it was actually colder than that), it’s close enough to know that you want to do more than just roll your sleeves down. Yes, I admit it, I put on a jacket before going out. This photo was taken in my car while waiting at a traffic light. I like the network of little lines that have formed on the glass.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cold

Shadows

Drinking Glass Shadows

Drinking Glass Shadows

We were having dinner and I noticed the light shining through my glass, after I had finished drinking. The light source is a chandelier with a bunch of small lights, so it throws multiple shadows at slightly different angels. Because the glass isn’t perfectly smooth or pure, and because it is blue, there are bright lines in the light coming through the glass, crisscrossing each other to form these patterns on a sheet of white paper I put under the glass. Naturally, as the glass gets thicker toward the bottom, the light shining through it becomes bluer.

Misty Mountains

Misty Mountains

After taking a bunch of pictures of the shadows of the glass, I tried using a blue glass vase that was in the room. The glass is thicker and the blue is darker so no light made it through to turn the shadows blue. I suppose I could have made them blue after the fact, but this is the color they looked to me at the time.

In his picture, the multiple lights produced shadows that feel to me like mountains fading into the haze of distance.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Shadows

Snow

Snowy Back Yard

Snowy Back Yard

I had the picture of the snow coming down from last night. For today, here is picture of what the back yard looked like this morning. As I said, it wasn’t a huge snow storm but it was enough to cover everything. Although the county can’t clear all their streets in anything like 24 hours, many still had a good bit of snow on them. Not enough to keep us at home, but a few more inches and it gets a bit iffy on the hillier places in the neighborhood, especially when the temperature is right at the freezing (or melting) point. No trouble getting to work, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow

Yummy Breakfast

Sauted Octopuses

Sautéd Octopuses

I bought these tiny octopuses and last night I cooked them because I wanted to try stuffing them with sausage and sautéing them but they turned out to be too small to stuff properly. I’ve also got some frozen squid that I think are going to work better. Since these didn’t work out last night, I figured I should eat them for breakfast. They were quite good, sautéd in olive oil with chives sprinkled over them. Not everyone’s idea of a lovely breakfast bit I enjoyed them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Falling Snow

Falling Snow

Falling Snow

We had our first snow fall of 2014 today. It wasn’t a blizzard, by any stretch, but it was more than was foretold by the weather prognosticators. I opened my garage doorway and set up my tripod and took some pictures of it this evening. The light was interesting. Sometimes, when it is snowing, it seems much brighter out than on a normal night. It wasn’t so noticeable, tonight, but the light was quite yellow, a consequence of being from fairly yellow street lights in our neighborhood. This photo was a 15 second exposure but with several (actually, about a dozen) one-eighth power flashes that lite up the snow as it fell. Without the flash, the falling snow would have blurred into nothing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Falling Snow

Christmas Lights Shining On The Wall

Christmas Lights Shining On The Wall

Christmas Lights Shining On The Wall

Welcome to year four of my photo-a-day life, this is day 1,100*.

To start the new year off, here is a photo of Christmas lights, shining on the wall in our front hall. I had the camera on a tripod and had to be careful to keep the string of lights out of the picture. The circular shape on the right is the shadow of the end of the bulb, which I think is pretty cool.

* Currently, only years two and three are on this blog. I still hope to get year one posted at some point, but it’s a time consuming endeavor and I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights Shining On The Wall

Freer Gallery and Pension Building

Codex Washingtonianus

Codex Washingtonianus

For quite a few years now, I have taken Dorothy and her friend Karlee downtown sometime between Christmas and the New Year. We had talked about going to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore this year but we ended up scheduling our trip for Monday (today) and the Walters is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so that was out. We decided to go to the American Art Museum instead. We parked at 10:45 only to find that it doesn’t open until 11:30. So, we walked to the Freer Gallery across the mall. We were particularly impressed with the Peacock Room and I really wanted to see the Washington Gospels, also known as Codex Washingtonianus (the smaller and darker manuscript in this picture). It is the third-oldest Greek parchment manuscript of the Gospels in the world (late 4th–early 5th century). Also on display is an early 5th-century Greek parchment codex containing the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua (upper right in this picture). I was totally amazed at the quality of these two documents, which were quite readable (well, if you know Biblical Greek, anyway).

Pension Building

Pension Building

From the Freer Gallery we walked back to the Pension Building, which now houses the National Building Museum. The building itself is a treasure regardless of what’s kept there. The huge faux marble columns are great and it’s just a nice room to sit in and rest after walking for a few hours.

From the Pension Building we walked the two blocks west back to the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, which also has a nice covered courtyard in the middle. All in all, we had a great time. It’s an outing I look forward to every year and it didn’t disappoint.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Freer Gallery and Pension Building

Metro Station

Metro Station

Metro Station

Dorothy went downtown with some friends today and I picked her up at the Metro station when she returned. I brought my camera, hoping to get some pictures of them as they walked back to the pick-up area. I was trying out different exposures but didn’t really have time to get it right before they came out. Also, I didn’t have my tripod so my choices of places to rest my camera were limited. The picture I got with them in it was too long of an exposure so even though they walked through the frame, you cannot see them. This one was a shorter exposure and it just blurred the people in it nicely.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Metro Station

Another Walk In The Park

Lake Bernard Frank

Lake Bernard Frank

We took another walk in the woods today, heading down towards the lake and then turning the other way. This took us along the stream and then the lake, which was nice. It didn’t feel like as long of a walk but, according to Cathy’s pedometer, it was just about the same distance (3.5 miles). I carried my camera and one extra lens and took a few pictures. This is a small stream emptying into Lake Frank. The stream is in shade all the time so there is still ice on it, while the lake (which is a pond, of course) has thawed. It’s supposed to get colder again, so we’ll see if it refreezes soon.

I like the sinuous line of the creak leading into the pond. It’s perhaps a little blue, but that’s the color of water generally, particularly when the sky is so blue and is reflecting off of the water. The ducks were not going to let me get close enough to take pictures of them. It was pretty muddy down near the water, in any case.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Another Walk In The Park

Ice

Ice in a Bird Bath

Ice in a Bird Bath

After some quite remarkable warm weather, very unseasonable but welcome, nonetheless, it has turned cold. If I forget to check the outdoor thermometer before I come downstairs in the morning, I often take a look at the bird bath on our back patio to see if the temperature has dropped. Apparently it has, because ice has formed across the surface. It’s just a thin layer so far, but thick enough to mean it’s properly cold again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ice

Oh, My Darling

Clementines

Clementines

Getting Clementines to be associated with Christmas is something of a marketing coup, I guess. Christmas does coincide with their availability, of course, which certainly helps. I wish they would sell boxes that were about half the size, since the last few sometimes have gone bad by the time we get to them. Better yet would be bags so that you could see if the fruit on the bottom was bad. I find it interesting that I associate the red plastic mesh with Clementines, as well. When they are good, they are very, very good.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Oh, My Darling

Santa’s Pre-Visit

Santa's Pre-Visit

Santa’s Pre-Visit

I don’t know if it’s because the kids in our neighborhood have been especially nice or if they need a little more encouragement to be good. Whatever the reason, Santa often makes a pre-visit to our neighborhood and he came this evening, the Sunday before Christmas, driving through around with Christmas music playing and giving out goodies to the children who came out to see him. Generally we hear him in the area long before he gets to our street, so there is significant anticipation among the kids, particularly the younger kids. Note that the reindeer have a very big night ahead of them and they are not asked to pull the sleigh this night, as well. Santa opts for the less traditional but very practical diesel.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Santa’s Pre-Visit

Walking In The Park

Creek Bed

Creek Bed

It was a wonderfully warm day today. I’m posting this five days late and it’s gotten cold, but on the 21st it was amazing for December. Cathy and I went for a nice, long walk in the park today, enjoying the quiet woods. I stopped for pictures now and then, naturally, and this is one that I like pretty well. This is one of the many creeks that drain into the small lake (which is actually a pond, of course), just northwest of our neighborhood. I love reflections, especially on water with ripples. I also like the colors of wet rocks.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Walking In The Park

Stained Glass Black-eyed Susan

Tori with Stained Glass

Tori with Stained Glass`

Every year the group I’m in at work has a silent auction at our holiday party to benefit a local charity. This year, a coworker asked if I would mind if she made a stained glass window of a photograph that I took of a black-eyed Susan. I told her that I’d be delighted and so she did. She donated the artwork in our auction and it generated (I think) the most vigorous bidding of any item sold.

Here’s a picture of Tori, who ended up getting it. In addition to the stained glass window, which I think is lovely, she got a card with the source photograph. Kathy, you did a wonderful job with the glass. Thank you so much for letting me play a small part in its inspiration.

The original photograph can be seen on the HartleyPhoto web site here along with other photographs that I offer for sale (some of them will look familiar to anyone who follows this blog..

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Stained Glass Black-eyed Susan

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights Through Glass Bricks

Christmas Lights Through Glass Bricks

I went to pick up Dorothy at her friends’ house this evening. Before I went in, I took some pictures of the Christmas lights they have on the front of their house. They were mostly out-of-focus pictures that turn colored lights into glowing orbs, overlapping to form a Euler diagram. They are something of a cliche picture, but pretty for all of that. I came in and visited with Maureen and Julia for a little while before it was time to leave and get Dorothy home.

As I was about to go out of the kitchen door, I noticed the colored lights shining through the glass blocks in the front wall and realized that made a much better photograph than the simple out-of-focus lights. I’d like to take more but of the few that I took, this one is my favorite. A few others have great patterns but are not as good for one reason or another. I may try again the next time I’m there.

This is definitely one you’re going to want to click on to see the larger version.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Sand Dollar

Sand Dollar

Sand Dollar

In 1982 I worked as a contractor at the National Weather Service, contributing in a small way to the forecasting of storm surges due to hurricanes. I was in Texas for a couple weeks surveying the coast in support of our forecast model for a few large sections of the coast, basically looking for situations where the coastal terrain was significantly different to what was recorded on topographic maps. We were on a barrier island at one point and came across a huge number of sand dollars, all washed up on the beach. I collected a few and they have been in a ceramic jar ever since. This is the sand dollar at the top of that jar.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sand Dollar

Mars Scape

Paprika

Paprika

Obviously this isn’t really a picture of the surface of Mars. It’s just a little pile of Hungarian paprika on the counter. It’s almost the right color, though, for a Martian landscape. Actually, it was a bit hard to correct the color cast that my camera’s auto-white-balance set. There isn’t anything here that should be white, which is what I usually look for when correcting color shifts. Anyway, I thought I’d share the picture, even though it isn’t worth all that much, artistically or otherwise.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Mars Scape

Cutting A Christmas Tree

Dorothy and Trees

Dorothy and Trees

We went out this morning to cut Christmas trees for ourselves, my mom, and brother. We usually go to Pennsylvania for a tree and visit “the farm.” In the past we cut trees there but they are all to big at this point, so we go on from there to Seven Springs Tree Farm and cut our trees there. This year, we thought we’d head north, even though the forecast was for a significant snowfall. As we came down the hill into the Frederick Valley, the temperature dropped from 36°F to 31°F and the snowfall because significantly heavier. Since we still had a long way to go and it was getting steadily worse, we decided that discretion was the better part of valor and turned around. We ended up cutting the tree at Butlers, which isn’t nearly as much of an outing, but we got our trees.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cutting A Christmas Tree

Bell Peppers

Green, Red, and Yellow Peppers

Green, Red, and Yellow Peppers

I took a quick trip to the grocery store this evening to top up our supplies of milk, eggs, and bread, plus a few other things. I’ve been taking my camera with me everywhere I go for almost three years now and in general, I’ve gotten used to having it. The grocery store is one of those places I still feel a little self conscious about it but there are lots of things to photograph there, so once in a while I’ll take a picture. This evening’s is of green, red, and yellow bell peppers. One of the few things I don’t like the taste of and try to avoid if at all possible, but they sure are pretty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bell Peppers

Sashimi

Sashimi

Sashimi

Cathy and I went out to dinner this evening. Since she asked me to pick the restaurant, I opted for Niwano Hana, a Japanese restaurant in Rockville. Cathy had tempura and I went with the deluxe Sashimi Assortment. As you can see, it has a pretty wide selection of fish and was as good as it looks (or better, if you don’t like the look of raw fish). Anyway, I enjoyed it, as well as enjoying an evening out with my beautiful bride.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sashimi

More Snow

Snow on Black-eyed Susans

Snow on Black-eyed Susans

On Sunday it snowed, then yesterday we had freezing rain, covering everything with a coating of ice. This morning, just after I got up (to find that school was canceled again) it started snowing. I don’t think they needed to cancel school today—late opening would have been enough, but then that’s not up to me. I went out into the yard and took pictures of the snow. I’d say we had between two and three inches. These are black-eyed Susans growing in our front garden, with a little bit of snow added.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Snow

First Real Snow

Snowfall

Snowfall

We had our first real snowfall today. The forecast was possibly a little more dire than the reality but it actually did snow and it make the roads quite slick for a little while. I heard of two people that I know who had accidents and we saw another. We came home by a less windy road than normal and didn’t have any trouble but on at least one occasion I had to rely on my anti-lock breaks to get the car stopped in time. It wasn’t terribly cold, right around freezing, which is when snow is the most slick, of course. Beautiful, too, of course.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on First Real Snow

Christmas Balls

Christmas Balls

Christmas Balls

We helped Cathy’s mom get Christmas decorations out this evening and I took a few pictures. I’ve always loved reflections. Hold on, I’m going to stop and think about that for a minute.

Alright, I’m done. This is a picture of one of those shiny, mirrored Christmas balls, with more Christmas balls reflected in it (as well as the photographer. As you can see, I bounced the flash off the ceiling, which made a bright spot, but not so bright as if I had aimed it straight at the balls.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Balls

Potatoes and Kale

Potatoes and Kale

Potatoes and Kale

I went to the grocery store this evening to buy a few things. Included on my shopping list were potatoes and kale, both of which are ingredients in caldo verde, a Portuguese soup that I plan to make for Sunday. When I was younger, I didn’t care for cooked greens but now I like them quite well. The soup is good, being thickened by the potatoes, which are cooked until they basically fall apart. Unfortunately, I have to make it ahead, and that means that by the time it is served, the kale will have lost its bright green color. It will still taste the same, but won’t be quite so appetizing a color.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Potatoes and Kale

Cracked Crackers

Cracked Crackers

Cracked Crackers

I don’t have a lot to say about this photograph. We had cheese and crackers out this evening, as we often (almost always) do when people come over. Some crackers were broken so they didn’t get put out. Don’t you hate it when you open a box of crackers and they’re all smashed up? But what can you do? Anyway, there were plenty that were not, in this case. Those that were got left in the kitchen and I took this picture after everyone had left. Even little pieces of cracker are fine, though, for some types of cheese, so they got eaten.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cracked Crackers

Wonder Books

Dorothy at Wonder Books

Dorothy at Wonder Books

Dorothy needed a copy of Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, for book club in her literature class. She wanted to be able to annotate it, so we went to the local used book store to buy a copy she could write in. We found that and browsed a little while, coming home with about a dozen books. I love a good, used book store. There are actually two in our area, Wonder Books (which used to be the Book Alcove) on Shady Grove Road and Second Story Books on Parklawn Drive. I can spend a lot of time in either of them, but really, I shouldn’t be buying books when I have so many already waiting to be read.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wonder Books

Thanksgiving Pizza

Thanksgiving Pizza

Thanksgiving Pizza

We had something of a non-standard Thanksgiving today. We usually go to Cathy’s mother’s on Thursday and then to my mom’s on Friday. This year was a little different. I made a casserole with acorn squash, which turned out to be really, really good. The other thing I made was pizza dough. We each made a personal pizza with the toppings we each wanted. This is my pizza, fully cooked and ready for our Thanksgiving meal. Sausage, pepperoni, and anchovies isn’t everyone’s idea of a good pizza, but it works for me.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Thanksgiving Pizza

Tail Light Reflections

Tail Light Reflections

Tail Light Reflections

I hope you aren’t tired of reflections. I really like them so perhaps they show up here more than you’d like. Well, I suppose you could start your own photo blog and take the pictures you want to see online and I’ll keep taking the pictures I enjoy. It rained heavily most of the day today and the lights were reflecting more than normal off of the very wet roads.

There’s a portion of my not-too-long commute where the traffic almost always slows down to a crawl and often stops for a few moments. It isn’t took great a distance so I don’t mind it terribly and it does, on occasion, give me the opportunity to snap a few reflection pictures while I’m waiting. I took a few that show more cars but I like this one, which is mostly reflections.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tail Light Reflections

Water On a Windscreen

Water On a Windshield

Water On a Windshield

We had a little rain today. There was talk of more than just rain but it was never cold enough that it was going to happen. School opened on time and there wasn’t really any problem out on the roads today. When I left work, I noticed the patterns that the water was making on the windscreen and decided to take a few pictures. This is the one I like the best. I think the patterns are cool. I also like the organic shapes and shades of color made by the various thicknesses of water. Maybe I’m just easily entertained.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Water On a Windscreen

Erasers, Pens, and Pencils

Erasers, Pens, and Pencils

Erasers, Pens, and Pencils

I was looking around the house again for things to photograph. Dorothy’s vast collection of colored pencils, pens, markers, and paints often catches my eye in such circumstances. This time, instead of focusing on the pens and pencils themselves, I looked at the erasers.

Something new and with its own set of colors, muted and transferred in the process or removing colors from drawings.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Erasers, Pens, and Pencils

Venetian Blinds

Venetian Blinds

Venetian Blinds

Do you know how to make a Venetian blind? Poke his eyes out. Old joke and not terribly funny. Sorry about that.

I was looking for things to photograph this afternoon as the sun was streaming in the windows on the back of our house. The first pictures were of windows with the blinds open. The sunlight was strong and it was just a little bit hazy and the windows, which frankly could use a bit of washing, actually made an interesting study. Then I noticed the color on these blinds and decided I liked this picture quite a bit more. Also, it doesn’t make us look like slobs quite so much.

Actually, the color is on the blinds themselves. I’m not sure what it is. It looks a little like rust, but I don’t think that’s what it is, because they have a painted coating and the color is on the outside of that and can be washed off. The blinds are pretty old and could probably do with being replaced, but that’s another story.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Venetian Blinds

Bazaar Candles

Assorted Candles

Assorted Candles

After work I met Cathy and Dorothy at the school. Cathy had reserved a space for me for the Christmas Bazaar and Craft Sale tomorrow and when I got there they were working on sorting and pricing things for the Attic Treasures, basically a huge garage sale, in the gym. I brought in some things for my table and will bring the rest in tomorrow. Then I went to the gym and took pictures of people getting ready. These are some candles that I thought would make a colorful picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous, WCA | Comments Off on Bazaar Candles

Cellophane

Cellophane

Cellophane

On May 26, 1914, Swiss chemist Jacques E. Brandenberger applied for a patent (awarded on May 21, 1918 as patent number 1,266,766) for a method of producing composite cellulose film, a.k.a. cellophane. Actually, I have no idea if this is true cellophane or some other film, but I think of it as cellophane, in any case. I spent the evening assembling and packaging photographs for the upcominb WCA Christmas Bazaar on Saturday and this is my trash bin, full of wrapping material.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cellophane

You’ve Got Mail

Chain Mail

Chain Mail

Chain mail, that is. In a few weeks I plan to visit the fourth grade class at Dorothy’s school and talk about knights and castles. When we lived in England we loved castles and I still find them a lot of fun to visit. I plan to talk about some of the design features that are unique to castles. We’ll also talk about armor and I have borrowed a chain mail shirt and a few other things from Steve to bring with me. This is a section of chain mail — actually, it’s more than one thickness of mail, lying on a table. Pretty cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on You’ve Got Mail

Autumnal Cookies

Leaf Cookies

Leaf Cookies

We had some friends over this evening and had a wonderful time talking about all sorts of things. My dinner turned out well, although it took a bit longer to cook that I had expected. Still, we had a few munchies in the meantime and no one suffered unduly. Cathie brought a plate of autumn leaf cookies, which were not only beautiful but also delicious.

Thanks to all who were here. We had a great time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Autumnal Cookies

Cathy’s Birthday (Almost)

Pilgrim Celebrations

Pilgrim Celebrations

Cathy’s Birthday isn’t quite here yet but we celebrated it this evening with her mom and brother, who flew into town yesterday for a few days. I took a few pictures around the house and of Cathy blowing out the candles on her cake (and boy were there a lot of them).

This picture is of one of the celebrants, a wooden pilgrim man wearing a festive, paper party hat. He teetotal wife, also made of wood, had none of it. Actually, I think she didn’t quite approve of the gift that Dorothy gave Cathy. I think, though, that when the xylem starts to phloem, she can party with the best of them. Or maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree.

In any case, we had a wonderful meal and a good visit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Reflections On an SUV

Reflections On an SUV

Reflections On an SUV

Today’s picture is another taken from the car. I was stopped at a traffic light and liked the bright red reflections in the black SUV next to me. Sometimes people paint simple stripes or occasionally flames on the side of their car. I think it would be cool to have reflections painted on the car so I looked like this all the time. Maybe it would be hard to make the painting bright enough, but it would be nice if you could.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections On an SUV

Evening Traffic

Evening Traffic

Evening Traffic

There was quite heavy traffic this evening. Usually it’s only heavy in the direction I’m going (more’s the pitty). This evening it was heavy in the other direction, as well, due to a small accident blocking one lane on that side of the road. While stopped in traffic, I took a few pictures of the lines of cars. Getting the exposure right on a picture like this is a little iffy and of course, I didn’t have a lot of time to fiddle about. In consequence, it’s a little darker than it actually was.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Evening Traffic

Tail Light

Tail Light

Tail Light

Cathy and I often drive to work together on Mondays because she doesn’t have to leave earlier then I do to pick up Dorothy. After work I drove from my building to hers to pick her up and as I waited for her to come out, I took a few pictures. Odd pictures.

This is the wall behind my car, lit up by the car’s red tail light, as seen in the passenger-side rear view mirror.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tail Light

First Quarter Moon

First Quarter Moon

First Quarter Moon

I’ve griped before about the fact that I don’t have a good, long-focal-length lens. In spite of the fact that I still feel that way, I went out this evening and took some pictures of the moon from our front yard. It was high in the sky and just past being cut in half (which is a quarter moon rather than a half moon). I love looking at the moon, don’t you. Still (here I go again), I wish I had a good 500mm lens. Unfortunately, even a mediocre 500mm lens is pretty expensive and not really something I can justify.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on First Quarter Moon

Beer Lights

Cerveza Pacífico and Heineken

Cerveza Pacífico and Heineken

We went out to dinner this evening and I took a few pictures in the restaurant. That’s always a little touchy, because I don’t want people in the restaurant thinking I’m taking their picture (especially if I am taking their picture). I do like lights and the patterns they make when out of focus. This picture if of two of the three neon lights that were above the bar. On the left is an advertisement for Cerveza Pacífico and on the right one for Heineken. I took some that are in focus, as well, but I like the colors in this one better.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Beer Lights

Broken Mug

Broken Mug

Broken Mug

Here’s a random picture for you. This mug got dropped on the pavement outside. As you would expect, it shattered. We have more mugs than we almost ever need but once in a while, lots of people will be over and everyone wants tea or coffee and we’re glad we have them. Then, of course, there is a certain attrition rate, and eventually you have fewer. There is a box with a few mugs in it out in the garage. They were to get rid of but they never made it beyond the garage. Maybe I’ll bring one of those back inside.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Broken Mug

Masonry Screws

Masonry Screws

Masonry Screws

Like yesterday, I didn’t take any pictures until late in the day. In fact, I was thinking of heading to bed when I realized that I hadn’t taken any all day. So, I looked around for something colorful to photograph. I caught sight of these masonry screws and thought they might make an interesting picture. I used a few of them recently to put up a bracket in the garage for hanging shovels and rakes and things. Actually, the first time I put it up, I tried drilling in the bricks but the bit wasn’t sharp enough. I settled for putting holes in the mortar instead. That was much easier but the screws weren’t tight enough in the loose mortar to hold very well. I bought a new bit (a pack of five, actually) and was able to get new holes drilled into the bricks. When these screws went in, they were quite tight. This thing isn’t coming down in a hurry. They’re colorful, too.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Masonry Screws

Squash Seeds

Squash Seeds

Squash Seeds

I got home this evening and hadn’t taken any photographs at all today. Some days it’s easy to take pictures and other days, not so much. Today was a not-so-much day. I got home and started fixing dinner. I had an acorn squash that I had been meaning to cook for a while and decided tonight would be as good a time as any, so I cut it open and cleaned out the seeds. I don’t know of Solomon will get them or if they’d go outside for the wild birds, but they won’t go to waste, I can promise you that. Anyway, it was something to photograph.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Squash Seeds

Lake Needwood In the Mist

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

It rained pretty steadily starting Wednesday evening and continued pretty much all day yesterday. This morning was continued to have rain. I went to the school to have some fun with the first graders (shhhh! they aren’t supposed to know it was me) and I got good and soaked walking around the school dressed as a cowboy (a sheriff, actually). On the way to work, when I was done, I passed Lake Needwood and decided to stop for a few pictures. It’s not as impressive a view on an overcast day but the colors, particularly the grass and weeds in the foreground, are quite vivid in the gloom. The trees are a bit late in turning this year, it seems, but it should be here before long.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood In the Mist

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Somehow I missed posting this and didn’t notice until more than a week later. Sorry about that. I took a few random pictures around the house today, none of which will win any awards. I like the reds of these tomatoes, although I should have turned them so that the stem was behind them instead of out in front. I also have an acorn squash, which you can see on the right, and need to do something with some evening soon.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tomatoes

Engine, Please Start

Chrysler Minivan Engine

Chrysler Minivan Engine

It didn’t though. We were the last to leave church today because I had “door duty.” I walked to our car as the last two cars other than ours pulled out of the drive. I got it and “click, click, click, click, click.” The car wouldn’t start. I expect this sort of behavior from our oldest car. Even the middle car, which has over 229,000 miles. But this is our newest car. Of course, new is relative. It’s a 2000, it’s a Chrysler, and at 190,000 it’s not exactly a low-mileage car, either. Fortunately, our friend and one-time house sitter Tim came to our rescue. Turns out all it needed was a little more juice and a jump start got it going. When we got home I attached a charger and we shold be fine.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Engine, Please Start

Making Chili

Making Chili

Making Chili (click to show labels)

A year ago tomorrow I posted pictures of making chili and described the process. Today I made chili again but didn’t take pictures of the whole process. Here are the ingredients, though, and as far as a recipe goes, “chop everything up and cook it until it’s done” just about covers it. I cut the meat into larger pieces this year and that made a difference to the finished product, in terms of it being chunkier, which I think was good. I also added three cayenne peppers and increased the spices a bit. I doubled the powdered pepper, although part of that is paprika because I ran out of ground cayenne. I thought I had dried habanero peppers and would have added one or two of those but I’m out. I also used meat from the other end of the animal, round instead of chuck, but I don’t think that made much difference (except it was on sale for about 60% of the cost of chuck).

Chili Ingredients

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Making Chili

Scraped Face, A Sketch by Dot

Bob's Scraped Face

Bob’s Scraped Face

In my mom’s basement, we found a large pad of paper that had writing on it saying it was art done with Stephen and Iris (my nephew and neice, respectively). We were looking through that this evening and towards the end came across this sketch.

It’s an interesting sketch for a few reasons. First of all, it is both a profile and a front view of a face, sort of like what Pablo Picasso did in Girl Before A Mirror and The Dream.

Second, there are those odd red marks on the nose, upper lip, and chin. Those, it turns out, are fairly easily explained. There is some writing ont he page, not included in this photograph. It says (in mom’s handwriting), “Bob after he fell + scraped his face – Feb. 7, 1990.” For some reason, and this is a little unclear, mom decided to sketch dad after he had fallen and scraped his face. I suppose I would have taken a picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Scraped Face, A Sketch by Dot

Hazmat

Hazmat

Hazmat

We continued working on mom’s basement. Rather than showing a picture of the basement itself, here is a photo of mom’s van with a load of hazardous materials, bound for the county transfer station. There were cans of paint, stain, and ink. There were solvents and some pesticides. Of course, this load was a mix of things, including electrical parts and wire, scraps of wood, and quite a few bags of rubbish. This was one of four loads that we took over two days.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hazmat

Assorted Coins

Assorted Coins

Assorted Coins

We started working on the basement in my mom’s house today and will continue for the next few days. Don’t worry, I’m not going to show anyone “before” or even “after” pictures of the basement. No one wants that. These are some coins that were in one of the drawers in my dad’s desk. They vary considerably in age and are mostly English and French, although I see a few Austrian and one Finnish 10 markkaa piece from 1958 and two Belgian 5 franc pieces. There is also a medallion with a Delta Sigma (ΔΣ).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Assorted Coins

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Another in my series of pictures to refute my own complaint that I don’t live in a pretty place. I don’t pass Lake Needwood in the middle of the day that often, usually going by on the way to work after dropping the carpool off at school or coming home late in the day. I was fortunate enough to be going by at about 11:00 today and stopped for some pictures. I has stayed cool and the sky has remained a wonderful clear blue that we don’t see in the sweltering heat of summer. This may not be the Rockies but it’s a pretty place, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

The Springs Farm

The Springs Farm

The Springs Farm

It was a wonderfully cool fall day today and I took full advantage of it. Dorothy was away on a church retreat. Cathy had her second soccer game of the fall season. I ran up to Germantown to the Lancaster County Dutch Market to buy a few things. From there I went out 118 to our friends’ farm outside of Poolesville. On the way I passed Springs Farm and stopped to take a few photographs. I complained here recently that we don’t live in an absurdly beautiful place, like some of our friends and relations. I don’t know if this qualifies as absurdly beautiful and it isn’t exactly on my daily commute, but it’s pretty nice. I love the yellowing soy beans in the foreground, the incredible blue of the sky and of course the red barn as a focal point.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The Springs Farm

Westat’s 50th Anniversary

Westat's 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary

Westat’s 50th Anniversary

From the company website:

In 2013, Westat is celebrating 50 years of research and analysis, contributing to numerous advances in health, education, the environment, and public policy. We are commemorating this anniversary with a number of events throughout the year to recognize this milestone, and we have adopted the tagline “50 Years … Improving lives through research” to highlight the year.

One of the events mentioned was a big party under a tent in the parking lot. It was quite a party, actually, and the food was excellent. It would have been nicer if it wasn’t quite so hot, but that’s another matter. Earlier in the day I took this picture of the tent from the rooftop terrace.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Westat’s 50th Anniversary

Sushi

Sushi

Sushi

Dorothy was feeling like pizza this evening but by the time Kendra got here and we got going, it was nearly 9:00. By the time we got to Angelo’s, it was just about closing time. We decided to try Armand’s, instead, since they are open later. We ordered two pizzas and waited around outside while they were made and cooked. This picture is from Wasabi-Zen, the sushi place in the same building. Since the girls don’t really eat fish, we don’t do sushi much, unfortunately. Anyway, the pizza was terrific.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sushi

Wendy’s

Wendy's

Wendy’s

I sometimes wish I lived in Colorado, or Northern California, or possibly Montana or New Mexico. Even West Virginia or the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee. Don’t get me wrong, this part of Maryland has some pretty places. But Rockville doesn’t really stand out as a beautiful place. The route between work and home is mostly filled with commercial buildings — not exactly picturesque. Now and then I think about moving somewhere prettier but we have a lot of friends here. It would be hard to leave.

This evening I took Dorothy to her friend Kendra’s house. On the way home I was thinking about the scenery. While sitting at a light, I decided to get a picture of the Wendy’s with a blurred car in the foreground. So, here it is.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wendy’s

Brookgreen Gardens

Diana of the Chase, by Anna Hyatt Huntington

Diana of the Chase, by Anna Hyatt Huntington

Live Oak Allee

Live Oak Allée

Cathy and I made Dorothy and Karlee come with us to Brookgreen Gardens today. I posted pictures from Brookgreen taken on August 2 of last year so I’ve tried to make this years pictures different from those. The first picture is of a circular pool with water lilies growing on it and with a sculpture called Diana of the Chase, by Anna Hyatt Huntington, in the center. The sign describing this bronze from 1922 says,

The Roman goddess of the hunt has just released her arrow as a hound leaps at her feet. Considered among Huntington’s finest works, and one of the few where the human figure is primary, Diana of the Chase was so popular that Huntington eventually created a second version some twenty years later to satisfy public demand. The example at Brookgreen was the sculptor’s own casting, originally located in the Huntington’s Fifth Avenue townhouse in New York City.

The second photograph is of one of the huge live oaks (Quercus virginiana) that lines the allée that was the land-side approach to the original Brookgreen Plantation house, which is no longer standing. They were planted as early as the 18th century. The trees are decorated with Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) and the branches have resurrection fern (Polypodium polypodioides) growing on them. This spring, 60,000 caladiums were planted under the live oaks and I must say it is a very impressive display.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Brookgreen Gardens

Boat Reflections

Boat Reflections

Boat Reflections

One evening when we’re at the beach we all go to dinner at Dockside, a seafood restaurant in Calabash, almost into South Carolina. Because with a part of more than 20 people we generally have a pretty significant wait to get in, we all walk around on the nearby dock. This picture is of the reflection of a fishing boat.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Boat Reflections

Ocean Isle Beach

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

Our summer was mostly only busy for Dorothy up through this weekend. Cathy and I continued to work. On July 27, though, we began three weeks of vacation, which is something I’ve been looking forward to for a few months. We started with a week at the beach. The beach, for us, generally means Ocean Isle Beach in southern North Carolina. On the day we arrived it was cloudy but very pleasant out. We went for a short walk on the beach just before sunset and I took a couple pictures of the ocean. This one is nice because it has a few birds in it — Least Sandpipers (Calidris minutilla) and a Willet (Tringa semipalmata).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ocean Isle Beach

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This isn’t exactly the breakfast of champions. Nor is it the most spectacular picture for reintroducing my blog after a month. It is, however, one of only a handful of photographs that I took on July 25. The others have a bit more color in them but aren’t much more interesting. I’m just hoping that I’ll be able to keep your interest. Don’t worry, though, because I have some travel pictures coming soon.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Server Crash

I was a few days behind in posting pictures here because I was at the beach, enjoying myself and not thinking too much about responsibilities. While I was in that mode, my server crashed. That actually happened sometime on August 1 or 2. Then, we returned from the beach and left about 36 hours later for two weeks in England. The server was down all that time. I have it mostly back up and running and will begin posting pictures from the missing days.

Rest assured that there are pictures for every day, although, as usual, I don’t promise that they are any good.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Server Crash

Phoropter

Phoropter

Phoropter

I went to the eye doctor today. All seems well and I did very well on the peripheral vision test. He said he doesn’t see a lot of perfect scores but I got one with one eye and only missed one dot with the other, so that’s good news. He’s following two issues but said that neither is causing any problem and I don’t need to come more than once a year. While I was waiting, though I took this picture of the phoropter, although he didn’t actually use it this visit. My eye sight hasn’t really changed since I got my glasses.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Phoropter

Wild Raspberries

Wild Raspberries

Wild Raspberries

The other day I mentioned that I picked and ate some wild raspberries and that I planned to go out to pick more when I had the chance. We’ll, I finally got out again today and picked a nice big tub of them. It was pretty hot out but fortunately I was working mostly in the shade rather in bright sun. Still, I worked for these. I think it was worth the effort, though. Don’t they look good? They aren’t huge but they are very tasty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wild Raspberries

Fountain Splash

Fountain Splash

Fountain Splash

For those who don’t like pictures of the creepy crawlies, here’s a non-insect, non-spider photograph. It’s interesting that people who are given the willies by spiders or most insects often don’t have any problem with butterflies. They are pretty, to be sure, but they are still basically just bugs with big wings.

In any case, this is a picture I took in the evening after dinner. We went to Baskin-Robbins for ice cream and then sat watching the fountain. There were no children playing in the fountain, as there so often are, but Cathy and Dorothy at least put their feet in the spray.

This picture is of a spout of water against the darkening evening sky. It’s a photograph that makes me strangely happy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fountain Splash

Independence Day, 2013

Rockville Fireworks

Rockville Fireworks

We decided to walk with Albert and Brady to see the Rockville fireworks this year. As it turns out, we stopped walking a bit sooner that we probably should. Ralph and Tsai-Hong went on and saw them much more closely than we did, although we got a reasonable view. We were a bit surprised at the brevity fo the show. Well, it turns out that it was due to a technical fault. The City of Rockville put out the following notice:

Due to technical difficulties, the annual Rockville Independence Day fireworks show was shorter than anticipated.

The show, planned to be about 20 minutes, experienced technical difficulties about six minutes after it started.

Unable to diagnose the problem, the fireworks technician made the decision to move directly to the show’s three minute finale, which was unaffected.

Thank you to everyone who attended. We will be working with our fireworks vendor to do everything possible to avoid this from occurring in the future.

Still, considering how little effort we went to, the show was fine and we were with family and good friends. You really cannot ask for much more than that.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Independence Day, 2013

Nando’s Peri Peri

Leather Tiles

Leather Tiles

I happened to be in Bethesda this evening and ran some errands before finding a place to get a quick dinner. There are lots of choices in terms of eating establishments but most of them would probably have taken longer than I had time for. Nando’s Peri Peri looked like it was just what I wanted. It’s name is a misspelling (I assume intentional for trademark purposes) of piri piri, the Portuguese hot sauce made with African bird’s eye chilis (Capsicum frutescens) and often containing some or all of the following: citrus peel, onion, garlic, coriander leaves (cilantro), salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice, paprika, pimiento, basil, oregano, and tarragon.

I found the decor of the place interesting and I took a few photographs with my camera sitting on top of my camera bag to hold it steady in the dim light of evening (and it was raining outside). This column in the middle of the restaurant is covered with beautiful, brightly colored tiles. It turns out, though, that they are not ceramic, as I first thought. They are made of colored leather. I also liked the assortment of incandescent light bulbs. Somehow, compact fluorescent lamps wouldn’t have given the same feel. I wonder where you have to go to get those. They’ll probably be a black market item, soon.

The chicken was delicious, by the way. I got it “hot,” which I recommend.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Nando’s Peri Peri

Severe Storm

Raining Cats and Dogs

Raining Cats and Dogs

Downed Tree, Near Miss

Downed Tree, Near Miss

Since most of my followers are reasonably local, most of you probably already know of the severe storm we had here. For those of you seeing this from further afield (I know there are a few folks in Alaska and England, to name a few places) we had a small tornado touch down about a mile and a half from our house.

We had little or no damage to our trees. The cap blew off the top of our furnace chimney. That chimney isn’t actually used any more, so except for keeping water out, it’s not that bit a deal. There were a lot of trees down in the neighborhood, though. Around the corner the road was blocked and in the evening crews were working. Up at the end of a court a tree was down on a van, but thankfully no one was hurt. Our friends had a tree fall between their house and the neighbors’ house, doing only minimal damage and barely missing one of their cars. Yes, this one could have been a lot worse. To add great news to the good news of it missing their house and cars, it turns out the tree belongs to the county so they won’t even have to pay to cut it down.

Some people were not so fortunate, of course, and our prayers go out for them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Severe Storm

Ivy Hand

My Hand with IV Tube

My Hand with IV Tube

Sort of unexpected turn of events. I had hernia surgery just over a month ago. It wasn’t healing well and seemed to be infected. I went to see the doctor yesterday and we decided he should get in and clean things up. So, I’m back in the O.R. to be reopened. Would have been better if he put a zipper in me so he didn’t have to use a knife this time, but that’s the way it goes. The nurses got a kick out of me taking pictures of the pre-op area and of my hand with an I.V. tube going into it. I didn’t know if I would feel up to taking pictures later in the day, so I figured I better get something done before they put me out. As it turned out, I didn’t take any more pictures, so you’re stuck with this one. The surgery went well and I’m home, recovering.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ivy Hand

A Little Rain

Rain On My Window

Rain On My Window

We had a bit of rain today. I hadn’t realized it was coming because my desk is situated so that I’m facing away from my window most of the time. I also have a fan running most of the time because it’s always pretty hot in my office. A particularly strong gust of wind blew the rain against the window loudly enough that I noticed, so I pulled out the camera and took a few pictures. Rain on a window isn’t all that interesting, I suppose, but it represents today pretty well. If you happen to like water on glass, as I do, then you might enjoy the work of this painter. I have to keep reminding myself that these are oil paintings, not photographs. http://www.gregorythielker.com/Under/unmindingsky.html

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Little Rain

Headless Rabbit

Headless Rabbit

Headless Rabbit

I took a fairly wide variety of pictures today, as well as some video and I wasn’t sure what I should post but in the end I decided to go with something a little off beat. Dorothy and I were coming home from a church meeting and decided to take the scenic route. It doesn’t exactly cross the moors or go through mountain passes but it’s different to our normal route. This picture is something we spotted on the way. I don’t really have any explanation for it or comment on it, though. It is what it is.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Headless Rabbit

Back Patio

Back Patio

Back Patio

This isn’t much of a photograph, I know, but it’s probably going to be an off week for me. I’m home because I’m recovering from outpatient surgery (which went well, thanks) and I’m not supposed to life anything more than ten pounds for a while. Cathy asked me to take pictures of the front corner of our house, because we have some work being done and they will be digging up a little of that part of the garden. Those pictures are fine in terms of documenting what it looks like but they aren’t much to speak of. I also went out back and took a few pictures of the containers on our patio. They are not any great shakes, either, but that’s what you get. Maybe tomorrow will produce something better.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Back Patio

More Water Droplets

Water Droplets on Daffodil Leaves

Water Droplets on Daffodil Leaves

Well, yesterday I commented that I wanted a good, soaking rain. We are getting it and it is lovely. It was still wet this morning so you get to see another picture of water droplets on leaves. This time, the leaves are the long, strap-like leaves of daffodils. The flowers are gone (from these, anyway, there’s one variety still finishing up its blooming) and it’s time for the leaves to do their job of converting light energy into chemical energy, which can be stored in the bulbs for next years blooming. In terms of this photograph, I like that there are water droplets clinging not only to the top surface of the leaves but to the edges, as well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Water Droplets

Trees Coming Down

Tree Cutting

Tree Cutting

When we bought our house almost seven years ago I said I’d really like to take out the two trees in the middle of the back yard. They are poorly placed and the larger of them, in particular, makes me nervous every time the wind gets strong. If it were to fall, it would definitely fall toward the house and it would do serious damage. This morning they came down. This is one of the crew up in the tree cutting off a largish limb. This was taken from out front, looking over the top of the house as I left for work.

I like trees, really I do. But when it comes to small, suburban yards, they need to be the right trees in the right place. If I had a couple acres (or more), I’d be planting trees. But this huge tree this close to the house was an issue.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Trees Coming Down

Stinky Cheese

Stinky Cheeses

Stinky Cheeses

I picked up Dorothy this morning in Bethesda and we stopped briefly at Balducci’s, in Wildwood. I don’t shop there often, or we’d be broke, but it’s fun to go there once in a while. I do splurge and buy some expensive cheeses from time to time. Today, I got a little Stilton, some red Leicestershire, and some cheese called Jasper Hill Landaff, which I knew nothing about. It is made from raw cow’s milk and comes from Landaff Creamery on Springvale Farm in Landaff, NH. I took a few pictures while we were in Balducci’s, including this one of the “stinky cheese section.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Stinky Cheese

7-Eleven

7-Eleven

7-Eleven

When I started this project I said that I couldn’t promise that any of the photographs I took would be worth anything. I flatter myself that there have been some pretty good photos among the considerable amount of chaff. I’ve taken and used my camera in places I never thought to take it before — the dentist office, getting a CT scan, the grocery store — but I recognize that some days it just doesn’t work out.

Frankly, my life is pretty pedestrian and the pictures I take are for the most part pretty run of the mill. Today, I was in my office all day. I looked up and it was 6:10 and I had to be set up for a Skype-based interview at 7:00. I rushed home to get my computer and then to the church and by the time we were done it was after 9:00. I took this picture on the way home. I think it’s safe to say that this one lives down to my promise of not being worth much. But, I took a picture today, my 826th consecutive day taking a picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on 7-Eleven

Corvette

Corvette

Corvette

It’s a little bit funny. I don’t think that I’d be interested in a Corvette even if I could afford to be. On the other hand, I think they make good photographic subjects. I happened to be passing Criswell Chevrolet this morning and decided to stop to take a few photos. Partly it’s because they have a nice, curving line of them along the road. I suppose their bright colors and sleek lines also contributes. Anyway, this photo is a bit more red than I remember the car actually being, which seemed more orange but perhaps that was because of the deep, dark red car that was next in line.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Corvette

University of Pennsylvania

College Hall

College Hall

Dorothy and LKarlee on Locust Walk

Dorothy and LKarlee on Locust Walk

The last of our five college visits was to the University of Pennsylvania, or simply Penn, the only Ivy League school we’re likely to consider. Two of Dorothy’s cousins went to Penn, I have a couple friends who went there, and my grandfather earned his Ph.D. in applied mathematics there, about 100 years ago. I was a little (but only a little) surprised to find that there are more graduate students at Penn than undergraduates (11,092 vs. 10,324).

Like Swarthmore, I think of Penn as an engineering and science school, but only about 1,700 of their undergraduates are in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, with 6,344 in The College at Penn (School of Arts and Sciences).

There is no question that it’s a beautiful campus. It is very different to Swarthmore in being an urban school rather than in a quiet, tree filled, suburban setting. For all of that, though, there is a surprising amount of open green space. While Drexel fills city blocks with buildings, Penn seems to have eliminated (or never had) every other street, filling the space with a quad, either green or paved. This produces a much more pronounced campus feel. The fact that Penn was in session, while Drexel was on spring break contributed to this difference, of course. Penn was teaming with people, Drexel was not, making the comparison somewhat unfair.

Dorothy liked Penn the best of the five schools we visited. I know the Director of College Placement at Dorothy’s school will be excited to hear of Dorothy’s interest. Of course, getting in and paying for Penn is not a given. It’s a tough school to get into and a tough school to succeed at. It’s also not a cheep school, although it’s hard to know how much any school will cost, since few people actually seem to pay the sticker price any more. Still, at about $60,000, that sticker price is pretty scary.

I have mixed feelings about so many schools and about the Ivy League in particular. Intellectual diversity and intellectual curiosity are not encouraged in most departments at most schools. There was a time when “question everything” was a popular idea. Now, questioning the liberal orthodoxy can cost you your education and even your career. And I’m supposed to send my daughter there to learn. And to pay dearly for the privilege. Scary.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

Drexel University

Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

Continuing our two day college visit tour, we dropped Cathy off at her training and then took the train from Malvern into Philadelphia. It’s a short walk from the 30th Street station to the Admissions office at Chestnut and 32nd. What a beautiful building that is. Both the train station and the administrative building are great, actually. They don’t build them like that any more, and that’s a pity.

The girls got signed in and we had a chat with Maggi, who pointed us to various buildings we should visit. Unfortunately Drexel is on spring break, so the campus didn’t really have much of a campus feel. The Chestnut Square buildings are being renovated so they are covered with scaffolding. They are fine inside, but of course, without people, they are just buildings. We did like the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design building, which is one of the places Maggi suggested we see.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Drexel University

Swarthmore

Scott Outdoor Amphitheater

Scott Outdoor Amphitheater

Cloister at Clothier Hall

Cloister at Clothier Hall

Jonathan, Karlee, and Dorothy

Jonathan, Karlee, and Dorothy

Our third college visit today was Swarthmore. It is possibly not so well known as Villanova, at least partly because it doesn’t have a basketball team that features in the NCAA tournament. It’s also a fairly small school with enrollment between 1,500 and 1,600. For all of that, they have a surprisingly broad variety of courses of study.

My contact with the school has been mostly through two friends and two cousins. The two friends were Carol and Erik, a sister and brother who were very good friends of mine in high school. My cousin, David, went there, as well and his son, Jonathan is a freshman there now (and is in the third picture presented here). All four of these folks were on the science end of things (engineering and physics) so I think of it as an engineering school but they have good programs in the social sciences and arts, as well. I just don’t know much about them.

Erik is now a professor of engineering at Swarthmore and he gave us a private tour, which was very nice. We started by walking through the science center and then down past the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater, where graduation is held. What a nice place for a graduation ceremony, unless it’s raining, of course. We walked through a few other buildings including going into a few art studios, which was nice. The second picture here is a cloister that’s part of Clothier Hall. Clothier Hall is built to look like a church but in fact it houses the college bookstore, a snack bar and café, the Intercultural Center, offices for various campus organizations. We also got a slightly different tour with Jonathan, who took us to see his dorm room and a few other places we hadn’t been. He seems to be doing well and obviously likes Swarthmore quite a bit.

The campus is quite pretty and in a few weeks, when everything starts to bloom, it’s going to be really something. There is a lot of space for a school with so few students, so it’s fairly quiet. Dorothy didn’t think it was the place for her, and I think she’s probably right. Still, I’m glad we visited and it was good to see Erik and get caught up a little.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Swarthmore

Villanova

St. Thomas of Villanova Parish

St. Thomas of Villanova Parish

The second of our three college visits today was Villanova. It’s a much different place to West Chester and for a number of different reasons. First, rather than being a state school, it is a private school, founded in 1842 by the Order of St. Augustine. Second, and it’s clear that they have a good deal of money. Considering the tuition at the two schools, there’s no question why. Villanova isn’t a cheap school, by any stretch of the imagination.

Dorothy and Karlee liked the campus and it had “good vibes.” It’s a big enough school (about 6,600 undergraduates) although not huge. It seems to take its Augustinian roots seriously, which I think is a good thing.

It was also great to visit with my old friend Pedro, whom I haven’t seen in far too many years. Thanks for having lunch with us.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Villanova

Plato, Aristotle, Bacon

Plato, Aristotle, Bacon

Plato, Aristotle, Bacon

Because everything goes better with bacon…

I took Dorothy and her friend Karlee on three college visits today. The first was a school I knew very little about but we were going to be in the area and it turned up in a list of schools. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is in, not too surprisingly, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Our hotel was also in West Chester, so it couldn’t have been more convenient. I’m glad we gave it a visit, although Dorothy wasn’t too keen on, it in the end.

Still, any school that recognizes the empirical importance of bacon can’t be all bad. I think Francis would agree.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Plato, Aristotle, Bacon

Surprising Snow

Snow in Tree Branches

Snow in Tree Branches

We’ve had some late snow this year, although the &#x201cbig” snow we were supposed to get on March 6 was a big dud. We had a dusting again four days ago and I posted a picture of the Pachysandra in our back yard with a little snow on it.

Today, however, we got a real snow. It wasn’t a blizzard, by any stretch and I still went to work and had no trouble on the roads, but when I woke up there was already an accumulation of about three inches and it continued snowing for most of the morning. While it wasn’t a problem in terms of traffic, and while it didn’t affect school, since they’re on spring break anyway, it was quite beautiful. It’s hard to get a great picture of snow, though. It’s so white. These are the trees to the south of our house, covered with snow.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Surprising Snow

Sprinkle

Sprinkle

Sprinkle

We were out for a bit today, doing some shopping but not actually buying anything. On the way home we decided to stop at Menchies for some frozen yogurt. I took some pictures from our table of the paintings on the wall, among other things.

This character, sort of the Cousin It of Menchies, is apparently named Sprinkle. I wasn’t sure what she was (and I don’t know for sure why I think she’s female). Odd creatures painted there, but the yogurt is good and we enjoyed ourselves.

Other characters include Kiwi (a monkey with a sliced kiwi fruit for a face), and Mellow (made out of marshmallows and kind of creepy looking). Silly.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sprinkle

Those Canaan Days

Raise your berets, to those Canaan days

Raise your berets, to those Canaan days

This evening we went with some good friends to see a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Covenant Life Church. The cast are high school students and they have a lot of talented kids. The production was very impressive and it was a lot of fun, made all the more so by knowing a few of them.

In this picture, Simeon sings Those Canaan Days, as they contemplate the famine and their fate before going to Egypt and their ultimate reunion with Joseph.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Those Canaan Days

Wintery Day

Wintery Lake Needwood

Wintery Lake Needwood

Although many people hold to the convenient fiction that spring starts on the equinox, I tend to consider March a spring month (and December the first month or winter). That’s not to say we don’t have wintery days in March (or November, for that matter). Today was such a day. After some decidedly spring-like days, it was cold and blustery this morning, with snow blowing around. It wasn’t really cold enough for the snow and Mother Nature gave up trying after a very little while. On the way to work I stopped for a few pictures as I crossed Lake Needwood. This panorama is made from five images taken with a 24mm lens (which is the equivalent to a 35mm lens on a 35mm camera). Often I’d try to increase the contrast in an image like this but this time I left it as it was to help convey the cold, flat light of the morning.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wintery Day

Eggs In Toast

Eggs In Toast

Eggs In Toast

The concept of a fried slice is somewhat out of fashion these days. Nevertheless, cutting a hole out of a slice of bread and cooking an egg in it turns out to be quite tasty. You get the crispy bread, the runny yolk, all wrapped up together. I made this for Dorothy this evening for dinner. She likes it best with strawberry jam on top, which sounds strange but it’s really a very good combination. Try it sometime. You might like it.

Of course, it doesn’t look quite as fancy as this once you flip the eggs, but it still tastes good. For a real treat, cook bacon first and fry the toast and egg in a little of the fat from that. And bacon goes really well with the sweetness of the jam.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Eggs In Toast

Cutting Iron

Cutting Iron

Cutting Iron

I have an iron bar, an inch and a half wide by a quarter inch thick and three feet long. I needed to cut about six inches from that. I wasn’t worried about the cut being particularly smooth so I used a cutting wheel on my rotary tool (I call it a dremel but that’s actually a brand name and mine isn’t that brand, but you know what I mean). I love cutting metal. A hack saw would have worked by it would have been a lot more tiring and not nearly as bright. A little while after I started I decided to take a few pictures. The problem is that the sparks are pretty bright compared to the rest of the scene and getting that balanced would be easier in daylight. Anyway, this one turned out nicely. The disc in this picture is only about an inch in diameter, in case you’re wondering.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cutting Iron

Great Falls, Maryland

Great Falls, Maryland

Great Falls, Maryland

We went from a winter storm, even a poor excuse for a winter storm, to a wonderfully beautiful spring day between Wednesday and today. The sky was a pure, clear blue. The Potomac was a clean, green color. As you would expect, there was a good crowd at Great Falls, but it’s nice to see so many people enjoying such a nice day.

A great blue heron flew past and I got a few pictures of that, as well as an immature red-tailed hawk that landed on a tree right over our heads. I took pictures of water, of rocks, of reflections, and of trees but in the end I decided to go with a standard picture of the falls. Pretty place, Great Falls. We really should go there more often.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Great Falls, Maryland

Snow Storm

Falling Snow

Falling Snow

It wasn’t exactly the storm of the century. If the forecasts were of quantity of snow that fell, they might have been considered reasonably good. If, on the other hand (and I think this is what they were) they were of snow accumulation, then they were pretty poor. We never got more than about an inch on the grass and there was never more than a little slush on our sidewalk. The snowfall itself was quite pretty, it just didn’t amount to much.

Still, it was a good excuse to stay home and work from here. I also decided, in honor of the silliness in Washington, to release some CO2 that had been sequestered for the last quarter century or so. That is to say, I built a fire.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow Storm

Vettes

Nine Corvettes

Nine Corvettes

Our friend Bob loves Corvettes. At least that’s how it seems. He has one in his driveway (yellow), but also has model Corvettes inside. Here are nine assorted models. I must admit that the top center car, the red and white 1956-7 model is by far my favorite. The others are nice but that’s the model I’d really love to have. The slightly newer model to the right of it would be a close second, and I suppose there’s something to be said for having one that’s the same model year I am. Even then, I’d want the red/white combination, which is just “right.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Vettes

Peppermint Sunrise Mints

Peppermint Sunrise Mints

Peppermint Sunrise Mints

They are not as colorful as the Gummy Bears Sour Patch Kids that I photographed a month ago, but they are bright, sweet and minty, which is something, anyway. I think perhaps they might look better if they were not individually wrapped but they are certainly more sanitary this way. Actually, I noticed that one of them is unwrapped. Can you spot it?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Peppermint Sunrise Mints

Burning Log

Burning Log

Burning Log

I’ve built fires in out fireplace the last couple days and this afternoon I took some pictures of the fire. I love the deep red and orange colors of a fire as well as the smell of wood smoke (in limited quantities). The colors are here but I don’t think I can convey the smell. Funny how strongly smells can bring back memories. There are certain smells that take me back to my childhood or to some of our travels more than any picture or sound.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Burning Log

Long May She Wave

Old Glory, By Night

Old Glory, By Night



 

I picked up Dorothy and a few of her friends this evening and while I was waiting for them, I took some photos of flags waving in the cool winter breeze. Most of the pictures are of the Maryland flag but I decided to go full patriot and post one of the US flag instead.

 

Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

John Philip Sousa

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Long May She Wave

Daddy Needs a New Pair of Shoes

My Soul Is Tired

My Soul Is Tired

Actually, daddy got a new pair of shoes and this is the old pair. As you can see, they were starting to get a bit worn. Or, as Larry Norman said in that song, “my souls half worn and my tongue hung about, and with the broken laces I was trippin’ out.” I don’t know how many pairs of laces I went through with those shoes. I paid $25 for them over seven years ago, though, so I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Daddy Needs a New Pair of Shoes

Water Droplets

Water Droplets on a Rose Stem

Water Droplets on a Rose Stem

It was a rainy day today, with the rain getting fairly hard at times and with significant wind. As I left for work this morning, I stopped to take some pictures of water droplets on the rose bush by our front door. They pictures don’t really do justice to it. With the morning light glistening off the water, it was quite beautiful. I do like the way you can see the spruce in our yard through each of the droplets (well, through the few that are close to being in focus).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Water Droplets

Spices

Paprika, Mustard, Turmeric, and Coriander

Paprika, Mustard, Turmeric, and Coriander

I didn’t get a chance to go out today and in the evening was wondering what to photograph to share here. I had some spices out so I decided to put some in measuring spoons and photograph that. I’m not crazy about the composition but I do like the colors of the spices. These are four that I use quite a lot, although not in the proportions shown here (I use much more coriander than turmeric, for instance). They are, from left to right, Hungarian paprika, English mustard, turmeric, and coriander.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Spices

Violin Scroll

Violin Scroll

Violin Scroll

I’ve already posted a photo for today but Dorothy (rightly) insisted that I needed to post a picture that I took, so, this is what you get. It is, obviously, the scroll at the top of a violin neck. I love the colors of wood and the lines of carved wood. So, there you are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Violin Scroll

Snow, Heavy But Brief

Snowing

Snowing

I hadn’t been following the weather forecasts so I was a bit surprised this morning when it started snowing. It started just before I got to work and by the time I pulled into the parking lot it was coming down quite hard. The snow was in big clumps, as well, which was fairly dramatic. This picture doesn’t really do justice to the snow but it’s the best I got. The snowfall only lasted about half and hour and since the ground wasn’t all that cold, it melted on contact. Still, it was pretty while it lasted.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow, Heavy But Brief

Copying Hard Drives

Copying Hard Drives

Copying Hard Drives

Our old computer had three 80GB hard drives in it. Ever since we finally replaced it, which is more than a year ago now, I’ve been meaning to get everything off the drives from the old computer onto the new one. Immediately needed things were copied up to the server and then back down to the new machine but there was a lot of stuff that didn’t fall into the immediately needed category.

So, today I decided it would be a good thing to get done. It was quiet at home, with both of the girls out. That also meant there was no demand for the computer. So, I opened it up and one at a time I connected the old drives and copied pretty much everything onto the new machine. When I say pretty much everything, I mean pretty much everything. I still need to go through those files and throw away anything that’s not needed, which is a significant amount. Still, now when Cathy said, “I had a document on the old computer that I’d like to update,” it isn’t a problem.

You cannot really see it in this picture, thankfully, but the inside of the computer needed to be vacuumed out, which I did once I was finished copying my drives and before I closed it back up again.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Copying Hard Drives

Eye Exam

Phoropter

Phoropter

I had an eye exam this afternoon. Not a big deal and nothing to report, really. I have the beginnings of a cataract in my left eye. Not surprising, really, since I had one in my right eye more than four years ago. That one grew quite quickly, but the thought is that it was injury related. Nothing to do about it at this point so I’ll just keep my eye on it, so to speak, and deal with it when the time comes. A cataract isn’t as scary as it was 30 or 40 years ago. The surgery is simple and quick and the recovery is relatively fast (as long as you don’t tear your retina afterwards).

The eye exam didn’t actually involve using the phoropter in this picture but I decided a picture of the slit-lamp wouldn’t be as interesting. I don’t need new glasses — my vision is basically 20/20 in both eyes. I have driving glasses but I really only wear them when I need the associated sun glasses (and I did when I left this afternoon, after having my eyes dilated). I do need reading glasses but the cheap drug-store variety work fine for that.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Eye Exam

Snow

Snow on Boxwood

Snow on Boxwood

We had a little snow come down overnight. The roads were clear so there were not any changes to school, but it was quite pretty. As I left for work, I paused to take a few pictures. Snow can be hard to photograph. There isn’t a lot of texture to it, unless you get quite close. I didn’t have my tripod and I didn’t feel like lying on the snow-covered ground this morning, so I contented myself with pictures of snow on branches and on this boxwood bush by our garage.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow

More Colored Pens

Colored Pens

Colored Pens

Last Tuesday I posted a picture of Sour Patch Kids which I (in my ignorance) labeled Gummy Bears. Well, I went to pick Dorothy up again this evening and naturally I took my camera with me. It’s nice being in someone else’s house, especially someone who doesn’t mind me taking pictures. This is the first picture I took this evening and the camera was set wrong for the flash so I got a one second exposure, which caused the blur. I could have gone with the “properly” exposed picture but this one is more interesting and a little abstract.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Colored Pens

Ice Cream With Nuts and Honey

Ice Cream With Nuts and Honey

Ice Cream With Nuts and Honey

I had the last of the black-cherry ice cream this evening and I put some nuts over it. Actually, they are nuts that came in a jar filled with honey, so they are quite sweet. I’m not sure nuts and cherry ice cream is the best combination but it wasn’t bad. Next time, though, I think I’ll save the nuts for plain vanilla ice cream.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ice Cream With Nuts and Honey

Gummy Bears Sour Patch Kids

Gummy Bears

Gummy Bears

Sometimes I take pictures of things around the house just because I’m still trying to take at least one picture every day. When I do that, though, I’m never sure if those pictures are enjoyed as much as the scenery or people pictures that I post. This evening, when I was picking up Dorothy from her friend Julia’s house, Julia’s mom, Maureen said she had something for me to photograph. She said she likes the colors of those still life pictures and she brought out a jar of gummy bears. So, today’s pictures is of gummy bears, courtesy of Maureen.

Update: Dorothy told me, in a somewhat exasperated tone, that these are Sour Patch Kids, not Gummy Bears. I’ve corrected the post title.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Gummy Bears Sour Patch Kids

Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

I didn’t feel very well today so didn’t get out much. I seem to have caught one of the three bugs that’s going around this winter. This is the sinus infection and it isn’t very pleasant. Dorothy and I did go out late in the day and did a bit of grocery shopping. When we got home I threw together a simple chicken and cauliflower curry. It was mild but pretty good, even if I say so myself. It also took very little work, which was the main thing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

Tail Lights

Tail Lights

Tail Lights

It was another of those days when I realized that I live in a place that doesn’t particularly scream for pictures to be taken. I’m in an office for most of the daylight hours. The sunrise this morning wasn’t anything like yesterday’s and it rained most of the afternoon and into the evening. It was dark as I drove home but waiting at a traffic light, I decided to take this picture of the tail lights of cars, reflecting off of the wet pavement. That’s all I’ve got.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tail Lights

Making Tracks

Tracks In The Snow

Tracks In The Snow

There is still snow on the ground from Friday evening. It’s not enough to let me take wonderful snowy landscape photographs, though. There is a fair amount of grass showing through, particularly in the sunnier places. There were some people sledding yesterday but there was more grass on the hill than snow. Still, we take what we can get.

There is a cat in our neighborhood who comes to our kitchen door and sits looking in. Not often enough to be a real nuisance but often enough that it’s a little creepy. We haven’t seen her in a while but I’m putting my money on these being her tracks on our back patio. We also had tracks from a deer that ran across our back yard and from rabbits and squirrels. It’s a busy place, our back yard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Making Tracks

Another Grey Day

Snow

Snow

We had snow today, starting at about 2:00 PM and lasting until rush hour. Schools let out early, which the kids were happy about, at any rate. This is the view out of my office window at about ten minutes after four. Fairly dark already and visibility was definitely reduced. My relatively short commute was not a problem, however.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Another Grey Day

Poinsettia Leaf

Poinsettia Leaf

Poinsettia Leaf

I love the deep red of poinsettia leaves. I also love the little flowers, but you have to admit, it’s the leaves that you really notice. This picture is basically a picture of the color red.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Poinsettia Leaf

Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Lectern Eagle's Talons

Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Did you ever notice in the opening scene in Chariots of Fire, in the church, there is a lectern in the shape of an eagle? Eagle lecterns are quite common in English churches and I quite like them. What is a little less common is for there to be one in someone’s dining room. My father-in-law bought this one in the early 1980s and it’s been a fixture in the dining room ever since, so much so that we pretty much take it for granted now. Still, as I said, I quite like it and was taking pictures of little details of it today. This picture is of the eagle’s feet, obviously, which I think are marvelously carved.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lectern Eagle’s Talons

Anna-Gabrielle

Anna-Gabrielle

Anna-Gabrielle

Our lovely friend, Erin stopped by today with three of her four equally lovely children. We were fortunate enough to be allowed to watch the three kids while Erin visited her brother and sister-in-law in the hospital along with their new-born baby, Fritz.

This is Anna-Gabrielle, the youngest of Erin’s children, and a lovely little girl she is, too (it helps to win the genetic lottery and have parents as good looking as Erin and David).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Anna-Gabrielle

Muddy Pond

Muddy Pond

Muddy Pond

It was such a beautiful day today that I went outside for a little break from work. It was cool but the sky was clear and it was lovely. I haven’t been going out much lately, partly because of the weather but also I think I’m a little bored with the empty lot next to my office. So, I crossed the little stream and walked up to the higher ground on the other side.

There are a few small ponds up there that were filled with muddy water, which is what this picture shows. Not a great picture but it was a very nice diversion for me. I like the color of the grass and the color of the water, both in the foreground where it is a sort of milky, blue color and in the top of the picture where it’s a rich, earthy tone, reflecting the pale grass on the far bank.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Muddy Pond

Rat’s Nest

Rat's Nest

Rat’s Nest

I told Dorothy this evening that I was thinking of skipping taking a picture today. It’s been over two years that I’ve been taking a picture every day and I figured I could miss one day without ruining anyone’s life. She said I should take one, that I could take a picture of her, if I wanted. I picked up my camera and took this, along with a few others, of her hair. It’s not as tangled as it might appear, actually.

So, the photo-streak continues.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rat’s Nest

More Colors

Colored Pens and Pencils

Colored Pens and Pencils

Two days ago I posted a picture of colored pencils. We have a lot of colored pencils, pens and markers around the house. Dorothy does a fair amount of drawing and so they are never really put away. As I was looking for something to photograph today I saw this basket full of markers and pencils and took a few pictures of it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More Colors

Subway Lights

Subway Lights

Subway Lights

I was going to pick up Dorothy this evening and it was raining fairly hard. The lights of cars were reflecting in the water on the pavement but of course I couldn’t exactly get my camera out while I was driving and get it set up for pictures. So, before I got where I was going I pulled into a shopping center and took a few pictures of the shop lights reflecting off of the wet pavement. This happens to be a Subway sub shop.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Subway Lights

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

I was looking around for something to photograph this evening and I saw the box of colored pencils. I didn’t want them to be just lying there in their box, so I made a little split-rail fence with them. I like the colors, even if the photo is a little blah.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colored Pencils

Reflections

Reflected Sky

Reflected Sky

Reflected Sky

Reflected Sky

Dorothy and I went for a nice walk in the neighborhood this afternoon. I carried my camera, as I usually do on walks, but didn’t take all that many photographs. It’s not like there are beautiful vistas in our corner of suburbia. The houses are nice but nothing you’re going to want to see pictures of. There are not very many flowers this time of year. Most of the plants are dormant and leafless. So, what’s left?

We’ve had a bit of rain lately and the ground is quite wet. There were puddles along our walk, sometimes in the drainage ditch (or jewie, as we call it) along the road, sometimes on the road itself. The first of these shows the blue sky through tree branches in water in the jewie, with grass on either side. The other is on the street and has the added interest of a little cloud colored by the setting sun.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections

Beacon Of Hope

Beacon of Hope

Beacon of Hope

I went to pick up Dorothy from band practice this evening and there was a little fog, which made the light from the church steeple very pretty. I took a series of pictures with the camera sitting on the roof of the car, braced in various ways against the roof rack. This is the one that turned out the best, I think. I also like the sky in this picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Beacon Of Hope

“Inside Painted” Sniff Bottle

"Inside Painted" Snuff Bottles

“Inside Painted” Sniff Bottle

Snuff was in widespread use in China during the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century. Rather than putting snuff in a small box, bottles were used and the old bottles are quite collectable, I understand. In the 19th century bottles painted on the inside were made and continued to be made up to the present. I was given this bottle by my in-laws quite a few years ago. I don’t really know much about it but have always liked it quite well.

On the front it has a painting of an old man resting under a tree. On the back are mountains and more trees. The brush work is quite remarkable, especially when you realize that the opening through which the brush was inserted is less than a quarter of an inch in diameter. If someone can read the characters on the bottle and tell me what they say, that would be terrific.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on “Inside Painted” Sniff Bottle

ICC Tunnel

ICC Tunnel

ICC Tunnel

I took some pictures with my dashboard mounted camera this evening, including this one in the tunnel where the ICC goes under Olde Mill Run. Turned out pretty nicely, I think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on ICC Tunnel

Drink Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Cooler

Coca-Cola Cooler

I drove out to or friends’ farm today because I left my camera batter charger and extra battery in their barn the last time I was there. I took the opportunity to take a few photographs of ducks, geese, goats, and various other things before heading back to work for the rest of the day.

This is an old Coca-Cola cooler that they found in the woods and rescued.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Drink Coca-Cola

Sprinkler System Pipes

Sprinkler System Pipes

Sprinkler System Pipes

I’ve often thought that the pipes for a building’s sprinkler system would be a good subject for a photograph but usually they disappoint when the time comes. I tried again today, as I was on my way back to my building after a meeting.

I think I like this picture as well as any I’ve taken of the bright red pipes, although that may not be saying much. At least there is a little variation in the color.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sprinkler System Pipes

X-Men

X-Men

X-Men

I think perhaps I was following one of the X-Men home from work this evening. Either that or I need to wash my windshield. Not sure which.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on X-Men

Coke Machines

Coke Machines

Coke Machines

I only took a few pictures today so didn’t have a lot to choose from for my post. I did take a bunch of the octopus that I bought on Friday at the Main Street fish market but I posted octopus pictures recently enough that I didn’t want to repeat them quite so soon.

Instead you get this picture of the soda machines in Five Guys. It’s not exactly fine art, is it?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Coke Machines

New Banner – Winter Lights

Winter Lights

Winter Lights

I had a friend complain about the octopus picture that I used as a banner. She said she didn’t stalk me quite so much with that there. Since she’s a good friend and since I had this picture to replace it with, I made the switch.

As you can see from this original version, I’ve flipped it horizontally so that the brightest of the red lights are not covered up, either here or in Facebook, which I try to keep in sync.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on New Banner – Winter Lights

Union Station

Post Office Pavilion Tower

Post Office Pavilion Tower

Rail Yard, Union Station

Rail Yard, Union Station

Escalator

Escalator

Cattle Chute

Cattle Chute

Dorothy, Karlee, and I went downtown today. We spent a good while in the Natural History Museum, mostly looking at sea creatures and the rocks and minerals collection. We particularly liked the fossils of crinoids and some brightly colored rocks, like rhodochrosite (MnCO3). I took some good pictures of stones but didn’t select any for today’s post.

From there we went to the American History Museum to look at their trains. Karlee is working on a photography assignment and we thought we might find some good pictures there. We took quite a few pictures and some that I like quite a bit but again, I didn’t put any of them in the post, either. You’ll just have to imagine.

On the walk back to the car I took the first of these pictures, the tower of the Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue. I asked if they wanted to go in and get something to eat but Dorothy wanted to eat at Union Station, which was our next stop in any case. We parked on the third level of the parking garage and took pictures of the tracks heading out to the north of the station. We tried to get some that showed motion by using a slower shutter speed so that the moving train would be blurred but Karlee’s camera didn’t give us a lot of control over shutter speed.

We went into the station and the next picture here is of the girls going down the escalator in the parking garage. If I had brought my tripod (which was in the other car) I could have blurred them a bit more as well as having the rest of the picture a bit sharper, but I like the color and the lines of this one, anyway.

We walked all through Union Station. I had been here a couple weeks ago (see White House and National Christmas Tree, December 18) so I knew my way around pretty well. There is a pretty huge food court in the bottom of Union Station and since Dorothy found out that there was a Bojangles she’s been talking about eating there. When we got there, however, she decided to have a gyro instead. I joined her in that and Karlee had a couple slices of pizza. We had a nice (late) lunch and enjoyed watching all the people.

As we were heading back to our car we looked down on a line of people moving through the cattle chutes they use to organize the chaos of boarding the trains. I love watching motion and was able to take a few photos including the last one here, showing the flow of people. Again, a tripod or bean bag would have helped but I’m pretty happy with the results. Having stood in these lines it brings back the feeling of being herded (and wanting to make mooing sounds).

We made one more stop at the Maine Street fish market, where I bought a dozen large clams and one huge octopus.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Union Station

Octopuses

Octopuses

Octopuses

As a gag, Dorothy brought some frozen octopuses as her contribution to the gift exchange at X-Factor on Friday night. Once the game was over, I traded some pop-tarts for them, so the poor guy who got them wouldn’t go home totally empty handed. I had them for lunch yesterday, boiled and then sautéd in butter and olive oil and served with yellow rice. They were delicious and I thought I’d use them for my banner for a little while.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Octopuses

White House and National Christmas Tree

White House and National Christmas Tree

White House and National Christmas Tree

For her birthday we gave Dorothy four tickets to a Grouplove concert at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. If you recall, however, Hurricane Sandy rolled through on Monday evening and much of Tuesday. The concert was postponed and rescheduled for tonight. With Dorothy’s exams yesterday, today, and tomorrow, this wasn’t the best night for us, but she’s doing well in her classes and we knew she’d have had all but the last two of her exams. One friend who had planned to come couldn’t but Dorothy was able to find someone else who could. So, I drove them down in the evening and then spent a few hours wandering around DC. I took pictures of the Capitol, Union Station, and the White House, including this one of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse. This is actually three images with different exposures combined into a single high dynamic range (HDR) image using Photoshop. It’s still not perfect but it’s better than any of the three individual images turned out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on White House and National Christmas Tree

Rain Jewels

Rain Jewels

Rain Jewels

Not a lot going on this evening and I didn’t take many pictures today. When I walked out to my car after work the windscreen was glowing a sparkling gold. I was parked under a lamp and the light was reflecting off the hundreds of tiny drops of rain that had accumulated there. They were big enough to cover the glass completely but not big enough that they started combining into larger droplets and rolling down, leaving streaks down the glass.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain Jewels

Santa’s Early Visit

Santa's Early Visit

Santa’s Early Visit

T.K. With Light Wands

T.K. With Light Wands

In our neighborhood, Santa doesn’t want to take any chances of not knowing where all the kids are so he makes an early run, just checking things out. He doesn’t bother with looking at chimneys or roof tops and the reindeer are still resting up for the big night that is just over a week away. For this trip he uses a bit more modern transportation and he brings some elves with him to help distribute a few goodies to boys and girls who have been suitably good.

One nice thing about this trip is he’s not so silent as he is on Christmas night. In fact, if you are quiet, the music can be heard for many blocks — to say nothing of his “ho, ho, ho!”

This was the first time our new neighbors, Jimmy and Katie and their three kids have seen Santa making his early rounds. Apparently where they used to live he either didn’t feel it was necessary or it was a much quieter affair. In any case, they were excited to go out to see him. Of course T.K. and Piper were here, visiting their grandmother across the street from us. They’ve seen this pretty much every year, so they know how excited they should be. As you can see from the second of these pictures, T.K. has been especially good and got not one but two light-up wands.

Is he excited? Yes, he is!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Santa’s Early Visit

Cutting Christmas Trees

The Cabin and Pond

The Cabin and Pond

Dorothy Cutting A Tree

Dorothy Cutting A Tree

Dot Looking at Jewelry

Dot Looking at Jewelry

We drove up to Pennsylvania with mom to get Christmas trees today and as usual we stopped by the farm. As we got out of the car we startled two squirrels, who ran up the side of the cabin and into holes up at the ridge line. It seems they have been doing a little chewing inside, destroying one chair, but not as much damage as they could have done. There’s not a huge amount we can do about it. If we had time and a long ladder we could put hardware cloth over their openings but that might not do more than slow them down a bit. Still, probably worth doing in the spring.

It wasn’t as cold as some years and there was only the smallest amount of ice on the pond, just at the edges. It was actually a beautiful day with enough clouds to make the sky interesting while still being basically clear. We walked around the pond and I took a bunch of pictures. We haven’t planted Christmas trees in way too long so there are none there worth considering for our houses. We didn’t even go look this year because even the smallest trees will be way too big.

From the farm we drove to Seven Springs Tree Farm to get three trees, one for mom, one for Ralph and Tsai-Hong, and one for us. We got smallish trees this year. Because of that and because there were only four of us in the van we were able to fold the back seat down and put them in the back of the van. That’s even easier than tying them on the roof. In this picture the tree Dorothy is cutting down is in the process of falling. Got to get those action shots.

We went into the shop for hot chocolate and to listen to the little band that was playing folk music inside. The third picture here is of mom looking at jewelry in the shop. She knew I was taking it but didn’t realize that more than her arm was in the picture. Sneaky, eh?

We went to lunch after getting our trees. This is the third year in a row we’ve gone to the Ott House Pub in Emmitsburg. It’s a friendly place with pretty good food. The onion rings were excellent.

Going to get our trees is one of those traditions that I don’t really want to give up. It’s definitely not the cheapest or easiest way to get a tree but it’s worth the extra time and expense. It’s a shame that Dorothy’s friend Kendra wasn’t able to come with us this year, but it was still fun.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cutting Christmas Trees

Frosty Morning

Frosty Morning

Frosty Morning

The temperature has been up and down quite a bit the last few weeks. We’ve had wonderfully warm days in the 60s and a few cold days that made if feel like winter was here to stay. This morning it was cold again and there was a touch of frost everywhere. The grass was a whitish-green and was crunchy under foot. The azalea leaves had tiny ice crystals all over them. This picture is of oak leaves in the pachysandra. I love the way the leaves are outlined in white.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frosty Morning

Potato & Leek Soup

Heinz Potato & Leek Soup

Heinz Potato & Leek Soup

Dorothy has been working for a while on this screen print in her art class at school. It’s printed on the back of a faded blue shirt and I think it turned out very well.

The assignment was to take an every day object and make it ironic in some way and to do it in the style of Andy Warhol. Clearly this makes you think of his Campbell’s Soup cans but with the twist that they are Heinz and the soup is thick potato and leek instead of tomato.

It was actually a pretty ambitious design because of all the colors used, taking 20 screenings in all.

Now I’m a bit hungry. I think I’ll go have a bowl of soup.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Potato & Leek Soup

Lake Needwood on a Clear Morning

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

I’ve stopped a Lake Needwood a few times this fall to take pictures. Once the trees were all in their festive fall clothes. Once it was foggy and mysterious. Today, it was bright and sunny and the blue of the water was enhanced by the reflection of the blue sky. It was a chilly morning but very pretty out so I stopped for a few pictures.

I took some with the longer lens and got some nice pictures with geese on the water. Then I switched to the wide angle and took a few more. This is one of the wide angle shots and it emphasizes the blue of the water, contrasted with the dull brown of the trees on the shore.

I would be pretty awesome to take a picture looking in this direction at the same time every day for a year and turn that into an animation. Not that I’m going to do that, mind you. Just that it would be pretty awesome.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood on a Clear Morning

Do You See What I See?

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

I stopped in front of a house with lots of Christmas lights on the way home this evening and took a bunch of pictures. Some of them were taken with fairly long exposures and I moved the camera around a bit to see what patterns I’d get. In this one, there are two lights that stand out from the rest and you can see the pattern that was made by my movement. What do you see? I showed it to Dorothy and asked her what she saw and she said the same thing that I saw.

Note: This post was originally titled What Do You See? It was quickly pointed out by my brother that, given the season and the reason for the lights maybe the title should be, Do You See What I See? He is right, of course, and I changed the title. I only wish I had been so clever from the start.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Do You See What I See?

Stop

Stop Light

Stop Light

I was waiting at this traffic light on the way home from work and realized that I really liked the rich colors of both the light and the sky. In the picture the light has washed out just a bit and turned slightly orange, but it still works well with the deep blue evening sky.

Then the light changed to green and I moved on.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Stop

Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning

Foggy Morning

It was a foggy drive to church this morning but I headed into the mist without fear. Alright, perhaps that is a bit dramatic. Still, visibility was significantly reduced, particularly in low lying areas, like here as I headed down toward the creek. I like fog, actually, and wish we had it more often, although it does not do wonders to traffic around here. I remember leaving for school in the fog in Cambridge years ago. I honestly don’t remember if that was a happy memory or not, but it is now. So there.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Foggy Morning

Reflections

Window Reflections

Window Reflections

Negative Space

Negative Space

Marsh Reflections

Marsh Reflections

Three pictures today, all featuring reflections. The first is a picture of the sun and clouds reflected in an office building. I had to walk over here to pick something up today and, as I sometimes do, I brought my camera with me. The sun was reflecting brightly in the windows and along with the clouds, I thought it looked nice. I had to be careful to have the sun not quite in one of the windows or it was way to bright. Actually, it’s a bit blown out in parts as it is. Still, and interesting photo.

After that I walked down into the woods between my building and the one with the reflections. The stream that runs between the two buildings has a fairly strong flow here and I was looking for patterns on the surface. This one is a little interesting because where the tree is reflected on the water the reflections are absent and you can see down to the rocky bottom, where I focused. It’s almost hard to tell that the shiny surface is water, because it is ever so slightly out of focus.

The last picture is from a little pool of water that lies just above the stream and yet somehow separated from it. In the summer it is a place of dragonflies and skimmers but it has a very different feel now that the cool weather has come and the insect life is not apparent. I’ve come down to this pool a few times when it is very busy at work and I need a few minutes of quiet solitude. It’s a good place to sit and think.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections

St. Mary’s Church

St. Mary's Church

St. Mary’s Church

The old St. Mary’s Church, shown here on the left, was built in 1817. It is the first brick Catholic church in the county and the oldest church still in use in Rockville. The new church building, on the right was built in the 1960, but fortunately the old church was saved from demolition. Cathy and I were in Rockville for some business this morning and this is the view from the office we were in.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on St. Mary’s Church

Turkeys

Turkeys

Turkeys

Thanksgiving is over and the decorations are being put away. These are three turkeys that Cathy gets out every year. I’m sorry to say that I’m not as supportive as I should be when it comes to seasonal decoration. I’m not really a scrooge but I’m not necessarily affected by the decorations. Still, there’s no real harm in them and decorating makes some people happy. When “some people” includes your spouse, you really should make an effort. Sorry, Cathy. I’ll try harder for Christmas.

And yes, that’s Edgar Allen Poe in the background.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Turkeys

Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers

There are not many foods I don’t like and as I get older, the list gets shorter. Bell peppers are probably at the head of that list, though, along with licorice, perhaps. Unlike licorice, however, I think bell peppers are beautiful, in all their amazing colors. As long as I don’t have to eat them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bell Peppers

Ripples

Ripples

Ripples

It was a beautiful day today, cool but not cold. I went out and took some picture, mostly of ripples in the stream that flows through the empty lot next to my office building. I could sit and watch flowing water for a long time. Of course, during a work day I don’t have any long stretches to spare, so I make do with short stretches, instead.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ripples

Going to the Dogs

Ceramic Dogs

Ceramic Dogs

Once upon a time, Cathy collected ceramic (and glass and whatever) dogs. She still has the collection, although she doesn’t actively collect them any more. A few of them are out in various places in the house. These are on top of a small set of bookshelves in our bedroom. I sort of like the terrier-like dog on the left but decided to focus on this pitiful looking hound in the foreground instead. Sorry the picture is so “grainy.” I still had the ISO set to 3,200 from yesterday and didn’t notice until later.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Going to the Dogs

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Hair and Leaves

Hair and Leaves

By trimming my beard outdoors, I eliminate much of the clean-up process. I do need to move the bulk of the hair somewhere that Cathy won’t come across it by accident. Otherwise she might see it and think a small animal has been mauled. At our old house there was a catbird that built a nest in an eglantine rose every year and my hair played a prominent part in its makeup. It’s nice to find that your hair is going to a good purpose.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Soda Can Flower

Soda Can Flower

Soda Can Flower

Flowers, like many things of beauty, are ephemeral. To me, that only adds to their beauty. Sometimes, however, we come across that most unusual of flower, the aluminum rose. Actually, I’m not completely sure it is a rose, but it looks about right. There are no truly blue roses, but then, there are no truly aluminum roses, either.

Dorothy was at her friend Julia’s house today and when I went to pick her up, I saw this on the kitchen counter. Apparently it was made by the father of Julia’s friend, Rachel. It’s surprisingly delicate looking. Not a lot of fragrance, though. Smells oddly of soda.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | 3 Comments

Setting Sun

Setting Sun

Setting Sun

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was out late in the afternoon. The sun was getting low in the sky and I enjoyed the way it was shining through the trees. It’s hard to get a picture of the sun, as you might imagine, but I took a few, anyway, trying to balance the brightness of the sun without loosing all the yellow in the trees that it was illuminating. This was the best I got and while it doesn’t really look exactly like what I saw, it is enough like it to remind me. Of course, it won’t really remind you, since you weren’t there. Next time you should come with me.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Setting Sun

Fajita Steak

Fajita Steak

Fajita Steak

We had a wonderful time with our great friends, Krystal and Mike, this evening. They hate it when I take there picture so I’m going with this one of my meal. Very tasty.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fajita Steak

Afghan Carpet

Afghan Carpet Detail

Afghan Carpet Detail

This is the corner of a small Afghan carpet that we have in our living room. The carpet is only about the size of a door mat, so it’s more decorative than actual floor covering but it adds color to an otherwise monochrome, carpeted floor.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Afghan Carpet

Tree Reflection

Tree Reflection

Tree Reflection

I love reflections. I think it’s partly because I love the colors and the textures of the surface of moving water. Water that is animated, whether by wind or by gravity creates a surface that turns otherwise mundane objects into beautiful patters. Beautiful to me, anyway. Sometimes it is the motion itself that I love and capturing that in a still photograph is tricky. In this case I think it works. I especially like that you can see ripples from drops of rain among the other ripples.

This is a flood control pond north of Gude Drive between Key West and Research Blvd. It is near where I have walked many times but for some reason I’ve never been this side of Gude. It’s pretty overgrown with brambles, which means it isn’t as accessible as some places but there are things to be seen that might make it worth the effort from time to time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Tree Reflection

Pond Overflow

Pond Overflow

Pond Overflow

We had about 6.5 inches of rain between Sunday evening and this morning. It rained pretty heavily yesterday afternoon and into the night. It was still coming down this morning but not nearly so hard. It will be nice to see a blue sky again.

When I got to work, the little pond between my building and the next was filled up. Normally it is about two feet deep in its deepest parts. When it rains hard, it can get as much as about 15 feet deep before it overtops the spillway built at the lower end. You cannot quite see it in this picture, but there is a notch in the middle of the wall and the water is coming through that. Last year, on September 8, it had overtopped the entire wall and was coming in all around this enclosure. So, this isn’t the highest I’ve seen the water, but it’s close.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pond Overflow

Sandy Prep

Cathy and Tarp

Cathy and Tarp

Hurricane Sandy has reached us although in the morning, when this was taken it was only raining. The rain started last night and was going to be with us for a while. It hadn’t gotten windy yet, but that was coming. We have a little problem with water in our basement and we knew it was going to be an issue today. It only comes in at one spot and part of the problem is rain that falls in this spot, between our patio and the bilco doors and steps down to our basement. So, we put a tarp out to direct the rain out from the house in that area. This is Cathy, pretending to be the intrepid weather man, standing out in the pouring rain to get the forecast out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sandy Prep

Steak

Steak

Steak

I didn’t cook and neither did I eat this steak. But I did take a picture of it. I’ll leave it at that.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Steak

Eating Underwater

Tara Thai

Tara Thai

Of course we were not really underwater but we had dinner at Tara Thai this evening with Mike and Krystal. As tara is the Thai word for water, their decor is water related. This is a semi-abstract photograph take upwards from our table towards the wall.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Eating Underwater

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

It’s my week to drive the carpool to school which means I go by Lake Needwood on the way to work. It was a beautiful morning today with a pale blue sky and the autumn colors just about at peak. It was a bonus to see lots of geese on Lake Needwood, as well. How could I not stop and enjoy it for a few minutes?

I decided that I’ve had that mountain picture up as my banner image for long enough so I took a slice out of today’s picture as a replacement. Gives the site an autumnal feel.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

Still Life, Wires

Still Life, Wires

Still Life, Wires

I took more fall color pictures today but decided to post this picture, instead, for a change of pace. These are telephone wires, I’m pretty sure, on the back of a shopping center. We were waiting for a pizza that the girls bought for lunch. They had planned on empanadas but the place that sold them has closed although the sign is still there.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Still Life, Wires

Rain

Rain

Rain

I stayed home from work today because my back had given out. Eventually I was able to get up and once up I was a bit better. Getting up and down was still pretty hard, though. A little after 5:00 PM it started to rain quite heavily. I took this picture of the rain pounding on the glass table in our back yard. Taking pictures of rain isn’t very easy because if you focus on the rain, everything else is out of focus. If you focus on the background, you cannot really see the rain. Also, if you use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the rain, it doesn’t look like rain. If you use a slower shutter speed, it’s just grey. In this picture you can at least see the water splashing on the table.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain

Messiah’s Covered Bridge

Messiah's Covered Bridge

Messiah’s Covered Bridge

Dorothy had no school today because it was the end of the quarter and teachers were doing grading. She took the opportunity to spend a couple days with her friend, Stephanie, at Messiah College in Pennsylvania. Saturday evening the campus was pretty quiet because it was their fall break, as well, but she was able to get a bit of a taste of college life. Today she went to classes with Stephanie and then I drove up to pick her up after work. Messiah has a pretty campus and before we left I took a minute to take a few photographs including this one of the covered bridge across the Yellow Breeches, which runs through the campus.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Hookahs

Hookahs

Hookahs

I love living in a fairly cosmopolitan area. In particular, I’m glad that we can get ethnic food from the four corners of the globe. Whether we have a hunger for Thai, German, Iranian, Jamaican, Chinese, Ethiopian, Greek, Brazilian, Afghan, Japanese, Italian, or even Burmese (to name only a few), we can easily find it close at hand. There are also small groceries and specialty shops where a surprising variety of products are available. For instance, only about three miles away we can shop for a hookah. It’s not something we shop for often, but if the situation arises, well, we know where to go.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hookahs

Edgar Allen Poe, by Dorothy

Edgar Allen Poe, by Dorothy Hartley

Edgar Allen Poe, by Dorothy Hartley

In her art class, Dorothy has been looking at the works of an artist named Vik Muniz (http://www.vikmuniz.net/, requires Flash). He is a photographer whose photographs are of art that he creates with unique media. For instance, he reproduced a photograph by Hans Namuth of the artist Jackson Pollock making a drip painting. His reproduction was done in Bosco syrup. He “drew” Marlene Deitrich (among others) out of diamonds. And side by side Mona Lisas out of peanut butter and jelly.

In that vein, Dorothy did the portrait shown here of Edgar Allen Poe out of bits of his works. I think it turned out quite well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Edgar Allen Poe, by Dorothy

Water

Water

Water

A man once said, “if there is any magic in the world, it’s contained in water.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Water

Anaheim Peppers

Anaheim Peppers

Anaheim Peppers

I didn’t take many pictures today. That happens when I’m in my office all day and don’t really do much else. So, this evening I took a few pictures of Anaheim peppers that were left over from the chili I made on Saturday (for Sunday).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Anaheim Peppers

Birthday Cookies

Birthday Cookies

Birthday Cookies

For her birthday, our good friend Spencer gave Dorothy a dozen custom made cookies. They were made by a young woman named Mariel who does business as Belle Vie Cookies. I’ve had a lot of cookies in my time and I have to say, these are really, really good. In fact, a couple times we’ve cut one cookie into four pieces because a whole cookie is too much. They are made without preservatives so they won’t last long, although they won’t last long in any case.

http://belleviecookies.com/

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Birthday Cookies

Chili

Chili Ingredients

Chili Ingredients

I find chili interesting from a cultural perspective. Most everyone knows what they mean by chili but it’s fairly common for us to mean different things. One person’s ideal chili is another person’s waste of time. For some, chili has beans, for others (like me) beans are just wrong. I suppose there really isn’t any one chili recipe that can be called “authentic” to the exclusion of all others. That’s not to say there aren’t ingredients that are inauthentic, even if they happen to be traditional in particular places. For instance, cinnamon is certainly traditional in Cincinnati but it’s not particularly authentic. As far as I’m concerned, pasta and beans fall into this category. Chili, to me, never has beans in it. You certainly can put beans in chili but as far as I’m concerned, it ceases to be chili as soon as you do.

Chopping The Beef

Chopping The Beef

Anyway, this is what I put in my chili. We start with about 5 pounds of chuck roast. You can use ground beef but I prefer to start with a known entity. I chop it up pretty fine but you could easily cut it into fairly sizable chunks, since it’s going to fall apart by the time you’re done. The next ingredient is not authentic, I’m pretty sure, but I like to add some salt pork. You could easily use bacon or pancetta if that’s what you have. I cut it up into fairly small (0.5cm) pieces and then cook it until it’s a bit crispy. I add the beef, a little at a time, to that. It’s important to turn the temperature up to high so you get some good browning of the meat. At medium temperatures you’ll just stew the meat.

Onions, Peppers, and Spices

Onions, Peppers, and Spices

While that’s happening, coarsely chop the onions and put them in a food processor with the peppers, minced garlic, fresh thyme, ground cayenne, cumin, oregano, coriander, and salt. Shown here are large, dried Ancho and smaller Chipotle chilis, which are smoke-dried jalapeños, as well as fresh Anaheim chilis. Not the hottest combination but the smokiness of the dried peppers is important. You can control the heat with the ground cayenne. Shown here is a little less than a quarter cup, which means this will be a mild chili (you have to gauge your audience). A full quarter cup or more, or perhaps a chopped up scotch bonnet (Capsicum chinense) or two and you can bring the heat up as high as you like.

Two More Hours and It's Done

Two More Hours and It’s Done

For this amount of chili, I needed to process it in two batches because my vintage Moulinex La Machine II won’t hold that much all at once. If you find that it’s too thick to chop well, pour in a bit of the beer. Once it’s been given a good whiz, add it to the meat that’s been seared in the pot. Add the rest of the beer (or all of it if there isn’t any in the onion mixture). I find that using a pot that’s way too big is easier than one that’s just barely big enough so I use a great big pot. At this point, you can cover it well, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for a couple hours. In this final photograph it’s just started but in a couple hours it’s going to be a rich, dark color and really yummy.

That’s about it. For this batch, Dorothy asked me to add two cans of chopped tomatoes, which is fine. Or you can blend that with the onions so there aren’t any tomato pieces. Or leave it out entirely. It’s up to you. If you must add beans, then I can’t stop you, but it won’t be chili, as far as I’m concerned. I prefer to eat chili with fresh, chopped onions, grated cheese, and sour cream.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chili

Lake Needwood Again

Lake Needwood

Lake Needwood

I stopped at Lake Needwood again today on the way to work to get a brighter picture of the lake. I really need to keep checking to see when the leaves turn, because this is going to be quite pretty then, I think. This morning there was more sun, although it wasn’t high enough in the sky to hit most of the lake. There was a light mist rising from the lake, which gave it an other-worldly feel. Of the left side of this photo there was a small boat with two people fishing. I wonder if they caught anything. To be honest, I’d rather have been fishing myself, than going to work.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood Again

Pad Poh Tack

Pad Poh Tack

Pad Poh Tack

If you like seafood, specifically shrimp, squid, scallops, and mussels, and you don’t mind a fair amount of heat, you could do a lot worse than the Pad Poh Tack at Thai Pavilion in Rockville. You can temper the heat a little by avoiding the “green beans,” as Kendra called them, or you can eat everything, as I did (except the mussel shells, of course). The flavors are quite good, although it lived up to it’s three-pepper rating.

From the Thai Pavilion menu:
54. Trang PAD POH TACK
Combination of shrimp, squid, scallops, and mussels sautéed with lemon grass, galangal, chili paste, and kiffir-lime leaves.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pad Poh Tack

Lake Needwood

Needwood in Fog

Needwood in Fog

I drive past Lake Needwood most mornings that I drive the carpool. Today was such a morning and with the rain we’ve had over the last 24 hours and with the fog that was so thick this morning, I decided to stop for a few pictures. This is a picture of an island in the middle of the lake, looking through the fog. Quite a peaceful scene, but of course I had to leave and get to work. What I need is a laptop and a lawn chair. Oh, well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lake Needwood

Costco

Costco Shopping Carts

Costco Shopping Carts

Interesting to me that I have grocery shopping themed photos two days in a row. Not that interesting, I guess. Anyway, ran up to Costco for a few things after work today. I liked the patters made by the shopping carts in the parking lot.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Costco

Frozen Foods

The Frozen Food Aisle

The Frozen Food Aisle

I needed to stop at the grocery store for a few things on the way home this evening. I sent Dorothy a text asking what she wanted for dinner and she said that for a vegetable she wanted unshelled edamame. For some reason, I took this picture of the frozen food aisle at our local Safeway. So, I give you Frozen Foods.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Frozen Foods

Neon

Neon Sign

Neon Sign

Dorothy finished Driver’s Ed this evening, making up the day she missed back in July. We went to York Castle to celebrate. Actually, she didn’t feel like having ice cream, so only Cathy and I did. Anyway, this is a neon OPEN sign in their window.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Neon

Power Lines

Power Lines

Power Lines

I spend a fair amount of time trying to keep power lines and other utility poles and wires out of my photographs. Sometimes you just cannot and that’s the way it goes but generally when taking landscape pictures, particularly natural scenes, they are a distraction. This evening, though, I was stopped for gas on the way home and decided I’d do it the other way around. So, I give you “Power Lines.”

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

UMBC

UMBC Campus

UMBC Campus

Dorothy had the day off from school today so I took her and her friend Hannah to UMBC for a college visit. Our friend Kadie gave us a nice tour of the campus and then we went up to Stephen’s dorm room for a while. It’s a nice campus. The academic buildings are gathered together but there is a fair amount of open space, as well. It’s a little bit surprising to me that having lived in the area nearly my whole life I’ve never been here before, but there you are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on UMBC

Sushi

Sushi

Sushi

I went to Lowe’s at lunch time today to pick up a few things and decided to go into Whole Foods to grab a few (other) things since I was right there. Whole Foods prices are high and they aren’t really very convenient to where we live. One of the only reasons I ever made the effort was to buy proper, dry cured bacon. Naturally I’d buy a cartload of things while I was there but it was the bacon (and cheese) that got me there. Giant and Safeway (and Shopper’s and Harris Teeter) only carry brine cured bacon, which is fine, but I prefer a good, thick cut, dry cured bacon.

Well, it turns out Whole Foods doesn’t carry bacon any more. In fact, they don’t seem to carry any bacon, dry or wet cured. They have something oxymoronically called “uncured bacon” which is basically sliced pork belly (except much of what they have isn’t even pork!). There was a time when they had a better selection of cheeses, as well, but that’s no longer true, either. So, there is now no reason for me to go out of my way to Whole Foods.

Since I was there and since it was lunch time, I bought a pack of sushi for my lunch. As I got back to work it started to rain very heavily. I decided to run into the building and got soaked for my trouble. I had a nice relaxing lunch, although my clothes were a bit sopping.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sushi

Dodge Pickup Carrier

Dodge Pickup Carrier

Dodge Pickup Carrier

I dropped our van off at the mechanic’s today and while I was waiting to be picked up I took a few pictures, including this one of the carrier and ring gear for a Dodge pickup rear differential.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dodge Pickup Carrier

Al Sospiro Trattoria

Pork and Mushrooms

Pork and Mushrooms

With Dorothy away for the weekend, Cathy and I decided to have a nice dinner together. We sort of skipped doing anything for our anniversary last month so let’s say this was for that. We went to a little Italian place in Olney named Al Sospiro Trattoria. It’s a little on the pricey side but the food was excellent. I mean, really, really good. After mussels as an appetizer, I had this pork loin wrapped in bacon and served with sautéd mushrooms. It was about as good as it gets.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Al Sospiro Trattoria

Clivia miniata

Clivia miniata

Clivia miniata

We’ve had this in our kitchen for a few years now and this is only the second time it’s bloomed. It seemed happy enough but we decided to move it out int the back yard for the summer. We found a mostly shady spot for it, since full sun burns the leaves, and it’s very happy and decided to thank us by blooming. As you can see, the flowers are very bright and cheerful. You’re welcome.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Clivia miniata

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

Colored Pencils

When I got home from work today I noticed this bundle of freshly sharpened colored pencils. They were sitting on the dining room table with the afternoon sun shining in on them and making the colors bright.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Colored Pencils

Clouds

Clouds

Clouds

I almost didn’t take any pictures today but when I realized that, I quickly shot a few of clouds. Sorry, not really much to look at but they were actually kind of pretty in real life. I did also take some dashboard-cam pictures later but none of them are worth much so you’re stuck with clouds.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Clouds

Ikea

Mug Shot

Mug Shot

Dorothy wanted to go to Ikea to pick out a bookcase this evening. She’s finished painting her room and is ready to move back in so we decided a bookcase was a reasonable request. Off we went. We did find a bookcase and Dorothy picked out a mirror but the mirror was out of stock.

I brought my camera, as I do much of the time now and found that Ikea is a great place to look for patterns.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ikea

My Condiments To The Chef

Condiments, Bombay Bistro

Condiments, Bombay Bistro

Dorothy and I went to Bombay Bistro for dinner tonight and enjoyed a meal of chicken tikka makhani and paneer matar accompanied by garlic nan and sweetened with mango lassis. A very nice meal and a nice time with my lovely daughter. I took a few pictures of the meal and some of the decorations at the restaurant but I like this one of the condiment tray best. The green is the one I ate most of.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on My Condiments To The Chef

Night Lights

Night Lights

Night Lights

On my way home this evening, after work and a meeting at the church, I realized I had only taken a couple pictures today and I really didn’t know how good they would be. I don’t promise that my pictures will be good and I think sometimes that I live down to that promise. Anyway, I used my dashboard mount on the way home to get some long exposure, abstract images. As usual, most of them are not worth looking at but I sort of like this one.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Night Lights

Bedroom Painting

Two Different Colors

Two Different Colors

I’ve mentioned a couple times recently that we’ve been stripping the wallpaper in Dorothy’s room and getting it ready to paint. Well, the painting started today. We let Dorothy pick the colors and while I don’t think I would choose them, they look alright. I don’t know that they show up in this picture the same as they do in actuality, but they are reasonably close. We went with Olympic paint and the pairs of opposite walls are each painted a different color. The yellow on the larger walls is called Fall Gold (A17-5) and the purple on the wall with the window and on the wall with the door and closet is Grape Popsicle (A42-5).

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Cleaned Guest Room

Dorothy In The “Flower Room”

Dorothy In The “Flower Room”

From the time we started stripping the wallpaper in Dorothy’s room she moved the lion’s share of the things that had been in her room into what was going to be our guest room across the hall. For about two years that was her dressing room, play room, and basically everything except sleeping room. Much of the time it looked as though a tornado had come through, since she had more clothes than dresser drawers.

On a few occasions she cleaned the room and got things reasonably organized but there was simply too much stuff for the space and entropy inevitably won the day. This week Dorothy began what can only be described as “the great purge.” She went through everything and decided what she wanted to keep and what she was willing to give away. To her great credit, she was fairly ruthless and I would say that about half her clothes and more than half her things were put in the “get rid of” pile.

So, here is “the flower room” in a state that it hasn’t seen since, well, it seems like forever.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cleaned Guest Room

Harold The Classy Scotsman

Harold The Classy Scotsman

Harold The Classy Scotsman

I’m not sure what to say about this post. It’s a photograph of a drawing and while I took the photograph (which earns it the dubious right to be posted here), the drawing was done by Dorothy. We were at a friend’s house and Dorothy started drawing on their whiteboard. This is how it ended up. Interesting.

Note that Harold is wearing argyle socks and wing-tip shoes. Also, I’m informed that he is wearing tails but you can’t see them from the front. He thinks that bow-ties are cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Thumbthing To Think About

In yesterday’s post about the Craigs visiting I mentioned that the visit wasn’t completely without incident. This post explains that a little. Do not adjust your set. There is nothing wrong with your picture. Because some folks will not want to see the pictures, I have hidden even the smaller versions so that you must click on the links to the right to see them (the images should open in new windows/tabs). If you are bothered by a little blood, don’t. They are not really all that bad, but you have been warned.

I was trying to cut the rind off a piece of Parmesan cheese. It was narrow piece and about half rind. I should have laid it on the rind, chopped through that and then cut the rind off the smaller pieces. But, no. I like to claim that I was distracted by the arrival of the entire Craig entourage and their presence in our smallish kitchen but the fact of the matter is that I was being careless. I was also using a large and quite sharp knife. In general, a sharp knife is safer than a dull one, because you don’t have to use so much force with a sharp knife. In this case, there was a lot of force being used and when the cheese fell over and the knife came down on my thumb, naturally it did some damage.

I don’t know if the cut went to the bone or not. It certainly felt like it did, but then, this isn’t a feeling with which I have a lot of experience. Nor do I want to gain such experience. I stopped the bleeding (mostly), washed it a bit, and kept my hand elevated for the evening, which helps explain why I only have a few photos from the evening. Before they left, Kristine helped me change the dressing. The bleeding had stopped by then. The next morning (today, 08/07) I stopped by my doctor’s office and got three stitches, which is when these pictures were taken.

Enjoy, or not, as you see fit.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Two Silhouettes In Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg Silhouette

Fredericksburg Silhouette

Leaf Shadow

Leaf Shadow

On the way home from the beach we stopped in northeastern North Carolina for a mini family reunion. It was wonderful to see so many folks and we are very thankful to those who planned it as well as everyone who could be there. If you were not, we were sorry to miss you.

We drove a bit further north after that and spent the night in Chesapeake before driving the rest of the way home today. Rather than take interstate 64, which had very heavy traffic, we decided to take US 17 as far as Fredericksburg, getting on interstate 95 at that point. That route is a bit longer, distance-wise, than I-64, but I nevertheless recommend it highly. Traffic varied from light to practically non-existent. Definitely a more pleasant drive.

We stopped for a bathroom break in Fredericksburg, Virginia and I took these two pictures near the visitor center. The first is the side of a building, obviously, and I like the simple pattern of bricks against the sky.

The second is a picture of a line painted on the parking lot pavement, marking the space I parked in. As you can see, there was a leaf on the pavement when the paint was put down. The leaf is gone now but it took the paint with it, leaving another silhouette.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Two Silhouettes In Fredericksburg

Pier Patterns

Pier Patterns

Pier Patterns

I already posted the family picture from today but thought I’d also post this one, which I like. It’s just a pier out into the Intracoastal Waterway near where we were at the beach. Actually, it’s the next door neighbors of one of my mom’s second cousins. Mom and her brother had visited earlier this week but we drove out there on our way out, so that the rest of us could see her house and where she lives.

I like the pattern of the crossed boards and the way it’s reflecting in the water.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pier Patterns

Brookgreen Gardens

Live Oak Allee

Live Oak Allee

Dancer, by Edward Field Sanford, Jr. (1886-1951), Bronze, 1917

Dancer
Edward Field Sanford, Jr. (1886-1951)
Bronze, 1917

Reaching, by EvAngelow William Frudakis (born 1921), Bronze, 1996

Reaching
EvAngelow William Frudakis (born 1921)
Bronze, 1996
Gift of Dr. Pierre Rioux

The Diver, by Stephen H. Smith (born 1958), Bronze on granite base, 2007

The Diver
Stephen H. Smith (born 1958)
Bronze on granite base, 2007

Tiny Tree Frog

Tiny Tree Frog

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Ralph and I drove down to South Carolina to visit Brookgreen Gardens today. Brookgreen is the legacy of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. It was originally a rice plantation but was bought in the early twentieth century by the Huntingtons. They turned it into a sculpture garden which their web site describes as having “the most extensive collection of figurative sculpture in an outdoor setting by American artists in the world.”

The old plantation house is gone but the grounds contain an extensive garden with sculpture throughout — some large, some small, some whimsical, and some classical. There is a pavilion with sculpture covered and protected a bit from the elements as well as a pair of indoor exhibits (which are also air conditioned!). There is a wonderful allee (a walkway lined with trees) featuring old live oaks (Quercus virginiana) pictured here and many and varying garden “rooms.”

I can’t possibly show you everything, or even everything I photographed so I’ll limit myself to a brief selection. One of my favorite sculptures is simply called “Dancer” and is a bronze by Edward Field Sanford, Jr. (1886-1951) from 1917. This is in the Brown Sculpture Court so photographing it is a bit more difficult (lower light). As someone or other said (and I have no idea who said it first), “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.” This is one that I like. There are actually quite a few at Brookgreen that I like.

Let me pause here to interject an interesting fact about the Huntingtons. They shared a birthday, March 10, with Archer being born in 1870 and Anna in 1876. Then, they got married on March 10, 1923. From then on, March 10 was known by them at their “three-in-one-day.”

Another work that I like (and this one happens to be in the Brown Sculpture Court, as well, is called “Reaching” by EvAngelow William Frudakis (born 1921). This bronze from 1996 was a gift to Brookgreen from Dr. Pierre Rioux.

The first time we came to Brookgreen, Cathy took a picture of this sculpture and there was a water lily on the surface of the pool. She lined it up perfectly so that her picture made it look like the woman was reaching for the lily. I had no such fortune this year. Still, one that I like.

In addition to the sculpture there are plaques with short poems carved on them. Reading one of them made me sort of chuckle to myself and as I write this on a public blog, I continue to chuckle. Here’s a slightly modified version, with apologies to Emily Dickinson:

I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there’s a pair of us — Don’t tell!
They’d banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
And brag about your blog!*

Cathy asked me if the garden had changed any since last time. There were a few things that have changed since we first came ten years ago. I didn’t recognize this sculpture, called “The Diver” by Stephen H. Smith (born 1958). Since it was new in 2007 (the gift of John Sanders in honor of Ann Beal Sanders) I guess that explains it.

There is also a walk now out to the creek that runs behind the gardens. The creek is actually a branch of the Pee Dee River. Our favorite thing about that was the signs that said, “Swimming and wading are prohibited. It is illegal to feed the alligators.” Enough said.

There is small wildlife throughout the garden. We saw a snake (a little black snake lying on top of a trimmed shrub), lizards, lots of huge grasshoppers, birds, and I saw this tiny green tree frog on a leaf. It’s only about an inch long.

In addition to the gardens there is a Low Country Center (which we skipped this time) and a small zoo which has, among other things, a cypress swamp aviary. That’s where I took the photo here of a black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). There are also ibises and a few other birds. We saw otters and alligators, as well as a few owls and hawks and two bald eagles.

It was quite warm but all in all, I’d say I had a enjoyable time at Brookgreen. I’d come again (and plan to).

* The original last line is, “To an admiring bog!”

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Brookgreen Gardens

The Beach

Ocean Isle Beach

Ocean Isle Beach

It rained a fair amount today so even when I did go out I didn’t have my camera with me most of the time. I did take the camera out for a short while but of course I had to wait for it to warm up a bit after being indoors. It’s so humid here that it fogged up immediately. After that, mom and I left them out on the deck most of the time each day so we could use them at short notice.

This is a view from just in front of our house on the beach. As you can see, it wasn’t exactly crowded today. Still hot but less so after the rain. Very humid, but it’s the beach.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The Beach

Wake Forest University

Taylor and Efird Halls and Wait Chapel

Taylor and Efird Halls and Wait Chapel

After spending a night at the cabin (see Glen Orchard) we stopped to buy a few apples and some damsons from Frank before heading to the beach. Since we were going right past Winston-Salem, and since Cathy and I both spent some time at Wake Forest, we decided to stop and let Dorothy and Karlee see the campus.

It has grown a bit since were where there with a fair amount of construction being done right now, but the central quad hasn’t changed all that much (except there are no large trees on the quad any more). I lived on the second floor of Taylor, the building at the left in this picture. Cathy lived a few years later in Efird, which is attached to Taylor and between it and Wait Chapel.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Wake Forest University

Glen Orchard

Ominous Rain Clouds

Ominous Rain Clouds

In the other post for today (James Madison University) I mentioned that we decided to drive to the beach by way of the mountains. Between JMU and the orchard, though, we stopped for gas just as some pretty impressive storm clouds were rolling in. The first picture here is taken from a gas station on Interstate 81 near Roanoke, Virginia. As we pulled back onto the highway the clouds opened up and it poured for about ten minutes. After that there was light rain off and on but nothing that affected traffic significantly. During the heavy rain, though, traffic thankfully slowed to about 40 mph.

Great Grandmother's Cabin

Great Grandmother’s Cabin

We got to Glen Orchard, know more publicly as Levering Orchard, in the middle of the afternoon. My great grandfather’s brother, Ralph, started the orchard in 1908. It is now run by Ralph’s grandson, Frank. In 1936 or ’37 my great grandmother retired from her position as a dorm matron at Guilford College and her family built a cabin at her brother-in-law’s orchard. It is now owned by some of her grandchildren (Frank’s and my mom’s generation).

I have lots of good memories of the orchard from when I was young. We would either sleep in the attic of the cabin or camp in a flat area just past the cabin and next to the pool. The pool was a roughly made concrete pool fed by a spring and always very cold, even during the heat of summer. An early morning dip was a great way to start the day.

View From The Cabin

View From The Cabin

One of my two favorite memories was a time when I was in high school when second cousins from my grandfather’s side (the orchard is on my grandmother’s side) came and spent a week there with us. I recently came across a slide taken then and it brought back a lot of pleasant thoughts.

The other favorite memory was when my Uncle Bobby and two cousins, Dana and David, took a camping trip out from the orchard. We walked along and over and up the mountain, finally coming back down to the orchard from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

My third picture here is the view from my Aunt Virginia’s house, above the cabin (which is in the trees near the pole on the right of the picture). I can’t tell you how many pictures have been taken of that view and none of them really captures the feel. Montana is known for having “big sky” but this view is pretty big and on a clear day you can see about 50 miles. It was a bit too hazy for that today but still a great view.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Chops

Pork Chop, Tomato, Rice and Beans, Peas

Pork Chop, Tomato, Rice and Beans, Peas

Dad would say, “two legumes.” Not that there is anything wrong with two legumes. It would just be a comment.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures today and I thought two car pictures so close together might bore some people so here’s something very different, if equally boring. This is what I whipped up for dinner this evening. The peas were a bit overcooked but still go. Cooked tomatoes are a family favorite and go well with the chop.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chops

Jaguar XJ XF

Jaguar XJ

Jaguar XJ

Actually, I don’t know if this in an XJ or some other model but it looks a bit like the XJ so that’s what I will label it. If you know better, please let me know.

Like the two Maseratis that I see parked in my office parking lot, I believe the owner of this car works in the law firm on the ground floor. I try not to park my car near any of these because it might get an inferiority complex. Another nice ride.

Update — 08/07/2012 — I looked on the back of the car and it is an XF, not an XJ.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

Maserati GranTurismo

Maserati GranTurismo

Maserati GranTurismo

This is one of two Maseratis that are parked in my office parking lot from time to time. I thought perhaps they were owned by the same person because I hadn’t seen them there together until a few weeks ago, when they were parked next to each other. So, I guess there are two different owners. I like the color of the blue one but this two-door model is nicer over all.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Maserati GranTurismo

Crushed Car, Close Call

Crushed Car, Close Call

Crushed Car, Close Call

I was driving home yesterday and noticed this downed tree. It’s only about 8 blocks from our house but I hadn’t been this way since before last week’s storm. As you can see, the car is finished. What’s amazing, though, is how close the tree is to the house and how little damage there is. To the left of this, there is a bit of house that sticks out to the front and the tree is less than two feet from it. From what I could see, though, there was not serious damage at all.

The neighbor happened to be outside and I chatted with her briefly. Apparently no one was home at the time, so no one was hurt, which is the most important thing. She commented that it would probably be a long time before anyone got to this. Later in the day I went by again and to my surprise, there was a crew working on the tree, about half of which had already been removed. I was able to confirm that there was literally no visible damage to the house. Amazing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Weaving Lights

Weaving Lights

Weaving Lights

I was pretty absorbed in work today and didn’t get out to take any pictures. On the other hand, I got a lot done. This evening when I picked up Dorothy from Driver’s Ed I was messing about with long exposures of car lights. This is my favorite of the bunch. Not terribly exciting but I’m supposed to be taking pictures and it’s a picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Weaving Lights

Storm Damage

Downed Power Lines

Downed Power Lines

The lack of posts here hasn’t actually been to lack of electricity. Our power went out for about 30 seconds and flickered pretty severely for about another minute but that was it. So, we were among the fortunate. When I looked out in the back yard, I expected to see lots of branches down but there was very little and nothing bigger than about an inch in diameter. At that point I thought the storm wasn’t as bad as it sounded, which was pretty ferocious.

When we went out, however, we didn’t have to go far before we saw a little more of the extent of what had happened. Just getting out of our neighborhood took a little doing. Traffic lights were out all over so I figured it was better to stay off the main roads as long as possible. Of course that meant negotiating fallen trees, some of which closed roads off altogether. This is a few blocks from our house but it is a scene that was repeated all over the area.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Storm Damage

A Hot Day

108°F / 42°C

108°F / 42°C

It isn’t particularly original, I know, but this was pretty much the story for today. Obviously this isn’t the official temperature, it wasn’t really this hot except over black paving that was in the sun all day. On the other hand, this was at about 5:00 PM. It actually read 110°F at one point but I wasn’t going to try to take a picture while moving. The air conditioner in my car barely keeps up in 90°F heat, so it was only marginally cooler in the car on the way home this evening.

I have friends living in a part of Africa where it sometimes cools off to this temperature at night. Still, for those of us used to a temperate climate, this is extreme and not very comfortable. I’m very thankful for air conditioning.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Hot Day

Office Reflections

Office Reflections

Office Reflections

I like the reflections in my office building. I know I’ve posted them before but they seem to look a little different from day to day and particularly from month to month. Here’s what they look like now. Nice and green and shady. Of course, at 9:00 AM it was already close to 90°F so it’s not as pleasant as it might be. Still, better in the shade than in the sun.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Office Reflections

Garden Art

Garden Art

Garden Art

It doesn’t have to be a Renaissance sculpture to qualify as garden art. Here, with a couple pieces of stone, a metal pole for hanging plants, and a plastic dinosaur head, we have a whimsical creation to attract you attention and provide a focal point to the garden.

I’m pretty sure this is a work by David Cudney. It had fallen over and when I picked it up and reset it in the ground about a million ants crawled out of the dinosaur head. They were not happy. Apparently they appreciate art in a different way to us.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Garden Art

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

I am really fascinated by reflections but they are surprisingly hard to turn into good pictures. There are some that are reasonably easy, a glass building or even trees and the sky reflected on a clean and shiny car. Puddles are a bit harder, I find. It rained quite hard today and there was a fair amount of water on the parking lot at work. This picture was taken looking almost straight down. The dark area is actually a reflection of me. I think of it more as an abstract, though, a pattern of light and dark and texture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Edumacated Garduates

Congratulations Garduates!

Congratulations Garduates!

Caption Contest…

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Edumacated Garduates

Back to Basics

Bass Guitar

Bass Guitar

Sometimes you have to stop and get back to basics. That is, to the basis of this whole blogging experiment. So, what’s more basic than a bass? I guess I could have gone fishing.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Back to Basics

Glass Bricks

Glass Bricks

Glass Bricks

These are glass bricks that form a divider in the local Cheeburger Cheeburger. I like the patterns in them, which are given depth by the light coming from outside as well as the colored interior lighting.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Glass Bricks

Briggs and Stratton

Briggs and Stratton

Briggs and Stratton

When we moved into out current house in 2006 I decided it was time to retire the lawn mower we had been using at our old house. It was 12 years old and had served faithfully with very little trouble. For the new mower, I thought I’d try a Toro. I can’t say I’m particularly impressed. The engine itself hasn’t had any trouble and I hate to say it’s time for a new one but the rest of the mower could be more robust. The drive transaxle gave up a few years ago. I bought a new one and replaced it and I thought that was going to be the worst of things. Well, a few short years later and it looks like it’s gone again. I don’t really want to keep replacing that. Also, now the bolt the holds the handle to the chassis has come out and disappeared somewhere in the yard. So, I decided to cut my losses and start over. I’m sure there are other people with stories exactly opposite to mine but I’ve gone back to Craftsman. Sorry Toro.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Briggs and Stratton

Air Ducts As Art

Air Ducts As Art

Air Ducts As Art

OK, maybe art is too strong a word here. Perhaps air ducts as design elements. Anyway, I went out to lunch with a couple friends from work today and noticed the nicely painted air ducts overhead. Anyone know where this is?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Air Ducts As Art

A Day At The Races

Potomac Hunt Races

Potomac Hunt Races

Were were invited by our good friends, the Glenns, to come to the Potomac Hunt Races today. The weather was wonderful and the horses were fast. Actually, I have no idea how they compare to any other horses. We aren’t really in the horsey set and I don’t think I’m often described as being racy. Anyway, we enjoyed sitting in the shade of the canopy and eating a nice picnic lunch with friends. It’s always nice to see them and we don’t as often as we’d like. Little Elsie and Benton are certainly growing and are as cute as ever. We also met the Elkans, a name we’ve heard but never had faces to associate.

Potomac Hunt Races

Potomac Hunt Races

I was able to get some nice action shots showing the horses with all four feet off the ground. Of course I was trying to blur them, so I used a much slower shutter speed than I could have done. Photographic technology has come a little way in the last 140 years, I’d say.

From Wikipedia: In 1872, the former governor of California Leland Stanford, a businessman and race-horse owner, hired Eadweard Muybridge for some photographic studies. He had taken a position on a popularly-debated question of the day — whether all four feet of a horse were off the ground at the same time while trotting. The same question had arisen about the actions of horses during a gallop. The human eye could not break down the action at the quick gaits of the trot and gallop. Up until this time, most artists painted horses at a trot with one foot always on the ground; and at a full gallop with the front legs extended forward and the hind legs extended to the rear, and all feet off the ground. Stanford sided with the assertion of “unsupported transit” in the trot and gallop, and decided to have it proven scientifically. Stanford sought out Muybridge and hired him to settle the question.

Potomac Hunt Races

Potomac Hunt Races

In 1872, Muybridge settled Stanford’s question with a single photographic negative showing his Standardbred trotting horse Occident airborne at the trot. This negative was lost, but the image survives through woodcuts made at the time (the technology for printed reproductions of photographs was still being developed). He later did additional studies, as well as improving his camera for quicker shutter speed and faster film emulsions. By 1878, spurred on by Stanford to expand the experiments, Muybridge had successfully photographed a horse at a trot; lantern slides have survived of this later work. Scientific American was among the publications at the time that carried reports of Muybridge’s groundbreaking images.

Categories: Creatures, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Day At The Races

Spring Fall Color

Maple Leaf

Maple Leaf

It’s like fall color in the spring. This little maple leaf was on the ground in our back yard and I liked the color when the sun shone through it. Needless to say, I had my camera with me so I took a picture. What a beautiful day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Spring Fall Color

Ghost Car

Ghost Car

Ghost Car

It isn’t a great picture but I never promised great pictures. I was waiting at a light on the way home and decided to see if I could get a good blur from the cars going across in front of me. If I had taken this picture about a half a second later I’d have gotten a police car with its lights flashing. Oh well.

I also took some pictures of Dorothy and some of her friends but I’ll post a couple of those on Facebook for those of you who see my pictures there.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Ghost Car

Diner

Diner

Diner

We had dinner with Cathy’s mom at a Thai restaurant this evening, beating the Mother’s Day rush. I really like the lighting, the colors, and the chrome of this diner a couple doors up, though. It isn’t an old or historic diner and in fact it just changed ownership. Still, it looks pretty cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Diner

Kendra’s Trumpet

Kendra's Trumpet

Kendra's Trumpet

Dorothy’s friend Kendra came over this evening and played music together, Dorothy on the piano and Kendra on her trumpet. They weren’t tuned together very well but other than that it was nice. Dorothy’s writing a song and they worked out a trumpet part.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Kendra’s Trumpet

‘Vette

Corvettes

Corvettes

Last month I posted a rather pedestrian photo of a line of Camrys. Question: Can a photo of cars be pedestrian? What if the photo was taken from the window of a car? Anyway…

Today, after a short visit to the orthodontist and then another brief visit at Einstein’s we stopped and I took a few pictures of a line of Corvettes. Yes, that’s better.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on ‘Vette

Dorothy Needs a New Pair of Shoes

Dorothy's New Shoes

Dorothy's New Shoes

I don’t know that she actually needed them but she bought them, anyway. Nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Dorothy Needs a New Pair of Shoes

And More Rain…

Rain On The Window

Rain On The Window

I’m not complaining, mind you, but it rained again today. I happened to be out taking pictures when the rain rolled back in, which was a bit of a surprise. The pictures I got were not all that good and I decided to go with this one of rain on the window of my office. I’ll try to get better versions of the picture I tried to take another day.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on And More Rain…

Rain!

Rain!

Rain!

We’ve been hoping for rain for a while now and it finally came, starting last night and continuing pretty much all day today. I don’t know how much rain we got but it was very welcome. We went to Stadler Nurseries this afternoon and walked around in the drizzle. I bought a camellia (C. japonica ‘Dad’s Pink’) and Cathy bought a columbine. It was too wet to plant them today, though. This picture was taken on our back patio.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain!

Camrys

Camrys

Camrys

I gave a friend a lift to pick up his car at one shop and then take it to the dealer for some warranty-covered work. While I was waiting I took this picture of a line of Toyota Camrys.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Camrys

Redbud Hearts

Redbud Leaves

Redbud Leaves

The new leaves on the redbud trees are cute, delicate, little hearts. What a beautiful, cool, spring day we had today. Breezy and fair. We need rain, of course, but I was glad to be out in the sunshine today.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Redbud Hearts

The Dentist

Dentistry Tools

Dentistry Tools

Some people hate going to the dentist. I guess I get that but for me, it’s just something you do. I go fairly often because I don’t take as good care of my teeth as I ought and this is my way of making up for it. I’ve actually had a pretty good history, dentistry-wise. Also, I have a great dentist, which certainly helps. Anyway, I went today for my period cleaning and check-up. All is well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on The Dentist

The Cosmos

We went to the Cosmos for lunch today and had a nice time with our mothers and Dorothy’s cousin. It’s hard to do justice to such a fancy building but here are a few pictures, anyway. The photo of William and me was taken by Dorothy.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on The Cosmos

Reflections, Again

Reflections, Again

Reflections, Again

Just over two months ago I posted a photo that I titled Reflections. It was the back entrance to the office building where I work and it was mostly a study in gray and brown. Well, this morning I was struck by how different it looks now, with blue and enough green to be quite cheerful. I reflected on the reflections and decided I’d take and post another picture.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections, Again

New Aquarium

Lucky Cat

Lucky Cat

We moved the new aquarium into the kitchen today and got it situated. As you can see, it doesn’t have any water in it yet, that will come. For now, it’s home to a lucky cat and some Clementines.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on New Aquarium

Hydrangea quercifolia

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Last year I planted an Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) in a shady part of the front yard. It’s doing well and leafing out and I like the lines of the emerging leaves.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hydrangea quercifolia

National Airport

Dorothy flew to Florida today to visit her friend, Simone. Simone’s brother Eric and his friend Brian were on the same flight, which was nice since it was Dorothy’s first time flying without us. Here are a few photos from Reagan National Airport, the first airport I remember being in as a child.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on National Airport

Duck On A Bike

Duck On A Bike

Duck On A Bike

He used to have propellors on his head that spun around when he moved but they have fallen off. I know where one is but without all three he isn’t balanced properly and he falls over, which is sort of useless. Still, a duck on a bike is a happy thing. Thanks, David.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

International Change

5 US Cents, 5 Danish Kroner, and 2 Canadian Dollars

5 US Cents,
5 Danish Kroner, and
2 Canadian Dollars

I emptied my pocket onto the table this evening and found, among other things, these three coins. Why were there 5 Danish Kroner and 2 Canadian Dollar pieces in my pocket? You may well ask. I assume I had taken them out of one of the pockets of my camera bag recently and they’ve been in my pocket ever since, moving around with the rest of my change as I changed clothes. I’ve always felt that U.S.A. money is not as nice as the rest of the world. I guess I like the idea of different presidents on different denominations well enough, but maybe we could be more creative with the reverse. Also, I like the two-tone Canadian coin. I’m also a fan of the £1 and £2 coins (and the £2 is also two colors). Unlike our $1 coins, the £1 coins can be differentiated from other coins while still in your pocket, which I think it vital. Make $1 coins smaller but thicker and they might catch on. I think $2 and $5 coins might be nice, as well.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Sycamore Seeds

Sycamore Seeds

Sycamore Seeds

It was another beautiful, clear day today, at least in the morning. I went out to see what I could find to photograph and didn’t come back with much. There are a some weeds with tiny white flowers but the pictures aren’t all that good. I also got some more pictures of daffodils but we’ll be seeing a lot of those shortly. Finally, there are these sycamore seeds. I can’t say I’ve looked at them all that closely before although I’ve pulled apart the seed balls from time to time. I’m glad I went out when I did because in the afternoon the temperature dropped and it started raining, sometimes quite hard.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sycamore Seeds

Rainy Leap Day

Traffic In The Rain

Traffic In The Rain

We had a very rainy day today, with it coming down quite hard for a good while. We haven’t actually had a lot of rain lately and nothing as strong as this so it was kind of nice, in a dreary, cold, gray sort of way. I love days like today, actually, but I’m pretty busy at work and didn’t get a chance to go out in it. On the way home, stopped at a traffic light, I did take a few pictures of the colored lights reflecting off the wet pavement.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rainy Leap Day

Sinister Cat

Sinister Cat

Sinister Cat

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Sinister Cat

Old and New Giant

I went to the grocery store while Dorothy was at her art lesson this afternoon and when I came out I noticed the two signs and how different they are.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Piano

I was taking pictures of the piano keyboard this evening, with the camera on a tripod and with a two second delay. Dorothy had a good time trying to photo bomb my efforts. As you can see from the second of these pictures, she succeeded.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Piano

Light Snow and Cool

Light Snow and Cool

Light Snow and Cool

There was a light snow overnight and it was quite cool this morning. Our thermometer said 19°F (-7°C) when I got up although it wasn’t as breezy as it was last night, which made if feel colder when it wasn’t.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Light Snow and Cool

Drowning Trumpet

Drowning Trumpet

Drowning Trumpet

Or maybe it’s just being washed, I’m not sure which. I thought about calling it “The Death of the Trumpet Marat” but that might be a bit too obscure.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Snow Storm?

Snow Storm?

Snow Storm?

You know how beautiful snow is on the branches of spruce trees? I look forward to that and though it’s better with a whole forest of trees, there is a Colorado spruce in our front yard and a Norway spruce outside my office window so I have something specific to look forward to. So when the forecast is for snow I get my hopes up. Not, perhaps, as much as a kid hoping to get out of school the next day but still up. Eventually we did get a little frozen precipitation but mostly this is what the “snow” looked like. Kind of a let down compared to snow, but liquid water is pretty nice, too.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow Storm?

Flag Through The Trees

Flag Through The Trees

Flag Through The Trees

I pass this flag going to and from work every day. Some days it’s hanging straight down while other days it’s stretched out in the wind. Today was a windy day and I took this picture through the trees waiting at the traffic light (I was waiting at the traffic light, not the trees, they were just standing there).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Flag Through The Trees

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger this evening. Green olives are not a hit with the girls so I get them. This is my three-eyed cheeburger monster. Yummy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cheeburger Cheeburger

Obgarch, Pakistan

Obgarch, Pakistan

Obgarch, Pakistan

This isn’t a new picture. In fact, it’s from 1988, taken on Cathy and my great around-the-world adventure. I’m posting it because I’ve switched my banner for the site to use an edited version and thought you might enjoy the full frame. The banner has also been flipped horizontally so that the little note with my name on it doesn’t cover the mountain but this is the way the original looked. It was taken from a little village called Obgarch in far northern Pakistan. When I say little, I mean there were two or three people there. You can find it on Google Maps here:36° 38′ 15″ N, 74° 55′ 30″ E. We’re at about 9,000 feet in the Karakoram mountains which are really spectacular.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Obgarch, Pakistan

BUGSGON

BUGSGON

BUGSGON

Do you enjoy vanity license plates? I do and often think about having a collection of photographs of them but of course I usually see them while driving, which isn’t really the best time to be taking pictures. Here I was stopped at a traffic light.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on BUGSGON

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

This is the back entrance to my building and the way I usually enter and exit. I like the changing reflections through the year. In the spring it’s a very green reflection. Some days blue is the predominant color. Today gray and brown were in force.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Reflections

Traffic Lights

Traffic Lights

Traffic Lights

Traffic was a bit heavy coming home today and I took this picture in my rain spattered rear view mirror.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Traffic Lights

Buckyballs

We each had a set of “Buckyballs” in our stocking this past Christmas and we’ve really enjoyed playing with them. One set was plain steel, another was darker (listed as black but as you can see, they aren’t, really), and the third was multicolored. Dorothy managed to get her colored set back into its cube configuration, which is how it came. Mostly we make a tube or sheet with them, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Buckyballs

A Defence of Skeletons

Skeletons

Skeletons

For Christmas I got a book of essays by G. K. Chesterton. I’ve only read a few of them, because I have a long shelf of books I’m trying to get through and I add to it faster than I can read them. I think this one is next on my list, though. The second essay in the book, and one which I have read (I sneak one now and then), is called A Defence of Skeletons, written in 1901. In it, he talks about the skeletons of trees, as well as our own skeletons. You can read the whole thing here. Anyway, I was thinking about that as I looked out the window of my office at the skeletons of trees outside. I think they are quite beautiful.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Piano and Hands

Piano and Hands

Piano and Hands

I’m working with a friend on the front and back cover for his upcoming CD. It’s piano music and we decided to go with the obvious “hands at the piano keys” for the back cover. This is the image we picked, with lots of room for white text.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Piano and Hands

Miscellaneous Objets d′Art

These are just photos of four random items at Cathy’s mom’s. The two wood blocks were used to print their curtains, which I think is pretty cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Miscellaneous Objets d′Art

Map Mosaic

Map Mosaic

Map Mosaic

I printed this map for a co-worker last week. In all there were 150 pages, although the pages that were only ocean were left off. She spent considerable time putting them together and even more time going over each marked location, categorizing them, grouping them, and figuring out what she needed to figure out.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Map Mosaic

Wallpaper

Wallpaper

Wallpaper

We started scraping wallpaper in Dorothy’s room last weekend. Actually, we started a long time ago but then didn’t work on it forever and we started again last weekend. We’re making good progress, as evidenced by the wallpaper that needs to be cleaned up.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

No. 1, The Larch

No. 1, The Larch

No. 1, The Larch

Let’s face it, you’re either going to get this or you aren’t. If you do, you may find it hilarious. If not, well, then you almost certainly will not. This is an original drawing by Kendra on the white board in our kitchen. Spoiler alert! No. 3 is the Horse Chestnut.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on No. 1, The Larch

Chhutney

Major Simone Chhutney

Major Simone Chhutney

Many of us are familiar with Major Grey Mango Chutney. Well, who knew they made this? Major Simone Chhutney!

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Chhutney

Ice

Ice

Ice

It’s gotten cold again and was a beautiful winter day today. Cathy and I went for a walk in the neighborhood this afternoon. We talked mostly about the things that are bugging us at work, but you certainly don’t want to hear about that. I stopped a few times to take pictures of ice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Urban BBQ

Urban BBQ

Urban BBQ

We stopped at Urban BBQ for carry-out this evening. It was hopping. This picture has Kendra and Cathy looking at the menu. Dorothy sat down as I took the picture, so that’s her knee. This is the Urban BBQ that used to be Urban Burger.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Comments Off on Urban BBQ

Contimplating A Navel

Contemplating A Navel

Contemplating A Navel

I had to run a few errands at lunchtime today and when I went out to my car, there was this orange in the parking lot, just sitting there. Contemplating its navel, I assume.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Montpelier Mansion

I took Dorothy to her art class today. I enjoyed a little time at nearby Montpelier Mansion. I haven’t actually been inside but I’ve walked around the grounds a few times. Here is a sampling of the pictures I took.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Montpelier Mansion

Late Christmas Lights

Late Christmas Lights

Late Christmas Lights

Most of the Christmas lights in our neighborhood are down. There are still some white lights out but all the elaborate decorations have come down, with the exception of one house that still has them all up. I don’t mind, actually. Lights don’t really convey Christmas to me as much as winter, anyway, so what’s the big deal. This yard has lots of color and they are pretty intense, bright colors, too.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Late Christmas Lights

Rainy Night

Rainy Night

Rainy Night

Cold and snowy on Monday, a pretty beautiful day on Tuesday, then rainy and gray on Wednesday. Typical winter weather, actually. The rain was light most of the day but it started raining pretty hard in the evening.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Stop

Stop

Stop

I didn’t have a chance to get out and take any pictures today so when Dorothy went out to run an errand this evening I brought my camera along. We stopped on the way home to take a few photos and this is our favorite.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Snow

Snow

Snow

We had our first real snowfall of 2012 today. It snowed quite hard back on the third but none of that really stuck on the ground. This evening the snow covered grassy areas and certainly made the rush hour traffic a little crazier, as the slightest suggestion of snow tends to do here. We thought about going to the grocery store to buy enough food for a week. Then we decided we would try to survive until tomorrow on what we already have. Tomorrow it’s forecast to be in the fifties, so our mini-winter is destined to be short-lived.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Snow

Guitar

Nagoya Guitar

Nagoya Guitar

This is my old Nagoya guitar. I don’t play it much any more but it gets use when some of Dorothy’s friends pick it up.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Guitar

Teeth

Teeth

Teeth

It has finally gotten a bit chilly here. The temperature was in the teens, although the upper teens, yesterday morning.

At lunch time I went out to the empty lot next to my office building and came across a jawbone with a few teeth still in it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Teeth

Fire

Fire

Fire

Our Christmas tree being returned to its constituent parts.

Categories: Miscellaneous | 1 Comment

International Banking

International Banking

International Banking

Dorothy and I were in Baltimore this afternoon with friends Nancy and Lyla and I took this, my penultimate Project 365 photo, of the BB&T building reflected in a window with flags behind the window superimposed on the building. Obviously I flipped the photo to make the text the right way round.

Oh, I don’t know, maybe I’ll call it quits and stop now. I don’t know that I can take any more pictures…

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on International Banking

Hello world!

Gannets at Cape St. Mary’s

Gannets at Cape St. Mary's

Welcome to my new blog. I’ve been online in one way or another for quite a while but not this publicly before. I’m just finishing a Project 365 on Facebook where I post a photo a day for a year. I don’t plan to continue that, at least not in a formal way, but I do expect to continue taking pictures. This blog is where I’ll be posting them. If you’re a friend from Facebook, I look forward to keeping up the conversation. If you found me some other way, then you are welcome, also.

I can’t promise that this will only be photographs but that’s likely to be the emphasis. I’m not a word person, in general, although I do like reading. I’ve been known, on rare occasions, to be able to explain things using words but in general, if I have anything original to say, it will be an image.

I expect to be changing the banner image from time to time, as well. Currently the image is one I took in 1993 at Cape St. Mary’s in Newfoundland, Canada. Cathy and I enjoyed an afternoon there watching these gannets as well as auks and guillemots and the occasional razorbill.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Hello world!

Bus Stop After the Rain

Bus Stop After the Rain

Bus Stop After the Rain

As the sun set this evening, a break in the clouds opened up and it lit, among other things, this bus shelter.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bus Stop After the Rain

Rain

Rain

Rain

I like dreary days. Colors are more intense (not that there is much color in this photo). The sound of the rain is so relaxing. If you don’t like it, don’t despair, the sun will shine again.

Of course, I would have enjoyed it more out of my office today but it’s been busy at work of late. I’m starting to feel it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rain

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

These are either Christmas lights or a Euler diagram for some complex set of relationships. I’m not sure which.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Cathy and Kristine

Cathy and Kristine

Cathy and Kristine

She was in town and we were fortunate enough to get her for lunch.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Cathy and Kristine

Work After Dark

Work After Dark

Work After Dark

This is my office building as I left work this evening. As you can see, I’m not the last one to leave. I only recognize one of the offices. Two lights in the conference room stay on all the time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Work After Dark

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

As I went to pick up Dorothy from her piano lesson this evening I stopped to take a few pictures of Christmas lights in the neighborhood. This was my favorite.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Christmas Lights

Persepolis Head

Persepolis Head

Persepolis Head

In the ruins of Persepolis there are bas-relief carvings showing delegates of the 23 subject nations of the Persian Empire paying tribute to Darius I. When Cathy’s family lived in Iran, a man stayed with them who (with permission) took casts of the heads of many of the carvings. This is a reproduction made from a set that he made for Cathy’s parents. Along with seven others, it was made for us by Cathy’s brother, David.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Persepolis Head

Camera Graveyard

Camera Graveyard

Camera Graveyard

This is where old cameras go to die (or whatever). The Canon A-1 (top left) was the first camera I bought, back in 1979. That was followed a few years later by the F-1 (top right), which is a really nice piece of engineering. It will keep taking pictures without any battery, although of course there isn’t a light meter without power. That camera has been around the world.

When I married into a family of Nikon users, I bought the FM (bottom left) so I could share lenses. The F-301 (a.k.a. N2000, bottom right) was my father-in-law’s. Not shown is a Nikon FM-2. Also not shown is a Canon (film) Rebel, which was my first auto-focus camera.

These aren’t all out of commission for good, though. Our niece, Laura, has the FM-2 and some lenses in Peru and Dorothy wants me to buy some black and white film so she can play around with them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Camera Graveyard

Fractals

Fractals

Fractals

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Fractals

Ship’s Compass

Ship's Compass

Ship’s Compass

I got this compass from my grandfather. It was his father’s. My great grandfather owned a saw mill in Belvidere, North Carolina on the Perquimans River.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Ship’s Compass

Corona

Corona

Corona

An oldish Corona word processor (a.k.a. typewriter). Note that the apostrophe, quotation mark, and underscore are in the place we now expect to find the asterisk, at sign, and caret.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Corona

Private Eye

Dorothy's Eye

Dorothy’s Eye

This is Dorothy’s right eye.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: | Comments Off on Private Eye

COPIC Markers

COPIC Markers

COPIC Markers

They’re kind of expensive but they really are the best markers around. Dorothy had them out to work on a project for her history class this evening and I was wandering around the house looking for things to photograph. I got a picture or two of Dorothy but she didn’t like them, so you get the markers, instead.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on COPIC Markers

Snowman

Snowman

Snowman

We had an early snow fall today. We didn’t actually get a lot on the ground, although as near as Damascus there was noticeably more. In New Jersey George got a fair amount and further north it was as much as 30 inches. Still, snow in October is reasonably rare here and it was fun to come across this snow man, even if it is only about two feet tall. I think they must have collected snow off their cars, where it accumulated a bit more.

Dorothy said I should mention that I edited out a political sign for a candidate for the upcoming Rockville mayoral election. It didn’t really add anything to the picture. I didn’t bother to take out the wire supports for the sign and you can see them in the lower left.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Snowman

Outlaw Sheriff

Outlaw Sheriff

Outlaw Sheriff

I visited the first grade today, dressed in disguise as the Outlaw Sheriff, hunting those pesky outlaw words (that don’t obey phonetic spelling rules). I had a bandana over my face (riding so far on horseback there is a lot of dust) so the kids didn’t know who I was. It was a fun time and hopefully something the students will remember.

Categories: Miscellaneous, WCA | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Outlaw Sheriff

Plaza Lofts Twenty-Two

Plaza Lofts Twenty-Two

Plaza Lofts Twenty-Two

I was in Hyattsville for a meeting this afternoon and we had lunch in University Town Center. I like the look of this building, Plaza Lofts Twenty-Two, a residential building overlooking the plaza.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Plaza Lofts Twenty-Two

Keep Right

Keep Right

Keep Right

This is a five second exposure with my dashboard-mounted camera, slightly out of focus.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Keep Right

Olney Fountain

Olney Fountain

Olney Fountain

At this revitalized shopping center in Olney there is a new fountain. On warm summer evenings you’ll find children playing in the water but it was a bit chilly for that this evening. Still, there were quite a few people about and a long line for ice cream. The loss of B.J. Pumpernickel (it wasn’t forced to close, but it’s gone nonetheless) still makes us sad, though.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Olney Fountain

Running Lights

Running Lights

Running Lights

Taken on Muncaster Road, a four second exposure. I really need a dashboard-pod to mount my camera.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Running Lights

Henry Road

Henry Road

Henry Road

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Henry Road

BWI Airport

BWI Airport

BWI Airport

It’s not exactly an Eero Saarinen but I’ve always liked BWI airport. Also, dropping people off there is a good excuse to stop take a short detour to G&M to buy some of the best crab cakes anywhere. They aren’t particularly cheap but at a half pound each and almost all crab meat, they’re worth it.

Categories: Miscellaneous, Travel | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on BWI Airport

Dot’s Quilt

Dot's Quilt

Dot’s Quilt

I enjoyed the Bethesda Quilters’ biennial show this evening. This is one of my favorites, called “Let’s Have Some Fun” and made by my mom. On the tag it says, “After taking Sarah Paulik’s class — fun to make free forms. Bright colors.” It is 62″ x 74″.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Dot’s Quilt

CT Scan

CT Scan

CT Scan

I had a follow-up CT scan this morning. Everything’s fine. Anyway, here’s the machine and the nice young woman who operated it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on CT Scan

Spring’s Farm

Spring's Farm

Spring’s Farm

At the corner of Sugarland and Montevideo Roads, just south of Dawsonville is Spring’s Farm. Looks like soy beans this year.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Spring’s Farm

Ball Chain

Ball Chain

Ball Chain

I took our 20 year old car to have its emissions tested today and was quite surprised when it actually passed. I thought about posting a picture of the car or its engine but Dorothy and I decided this was a more interesting picture. It’s a length of ball chain, coiled into a spiral.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Ball Chain

Mosaic

Mosaic

Mosaic

I happened to find myself in downtown Rockville and came across this building with a lovely mosaic on the wall. Then I realized I knew the business housed there. This is the home of History Associates.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Mosaic

Blank Wall

Blank Wall

Blank Wall

I came into the office a bit more than an hour early today so the light was different to what it normally is. There is a half circle window near my office with a pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum) hanging in front of it. Together they cast this shadow on the plain, blank wall.

Categories: Flowers and Plants, Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Blank Wall

Bridge Washed Out

Bridge Washed Out

Bridge Washed Out

The farm where we get our weekly CSA share and where our good friends the Glenns live is on the north side of this one-lane bridge. In fact, their driveway is not far behind me where I took this picture of the washed out road. It went out Thursday afternoon when the level of the water was over the top of the bridge iron-work! Actually, the bridge itself seems to be fine.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Bridge Washed Out

Bundled Sticks

Bundled Sticks

Bundled Sticks

While I’ve been manning the chain saw and cutting up the big pieces, Cathy has had the tedious and actually quite tiring job of bundling up the smaller sticks. Of course, you need to realize that they first have to be cut up into this smaller size, then stacked, then tied. These are piles waiting to be tied — we ran out of twine so we’ll need to go buy some more. Three trees make a lot of bundles.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Bundled Sticks

Glass and Steel

Glass and Steel

Glass and Steel

I had a little extra time this morning because of an appointment with my retina specialist so I drove around a bit. This glass building called out to me and I spent a few minutes photographing it from various angles. I enjoyed it so much I think I’ll post a small album of photos but here’s my favorite (I guess — it’s hard to pick one). I love the way the left edge just sort of fades into the sky.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Glass and Steel

Lounging Wood

Lounging Wood

Lounging Wood

I saw this piece of wood lounging on the patio table this afternoon. Doesn’t it look relaxed? I also have a nice picture of a digger wasp (Scolia dubia) but Dorothy thinks I’ve posted enough stinging things on mountain mint.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Lounging Wood

Logs

Logs

Logs

As I approach the ⅔ mark in my year-long project, I find that I’m not particularly motivated. It isn’t that I’m not enjoying taking pictures and I’ve managed to take pictures every day, I’m just not motivated to go looking for pictures lately. I’m not sure what to do about it. Life is like that sometimes — you just do what you are supposed to do even though you don’t really fell like it.

I did take a few pictures of the trees I’ve been cutting up in the back yard. These range in size up to about 10 inches in diameter. The larger pieces are yet to be cut, though. Still, it’s a start.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Logs

Parking Lot Accident

Parking Lot Accident

Parking Lot Accident

A friend and coworker asked me to take some pictures today of what happened to her car in the parking lot. Someone driving a Chevy Impala hit her car in the rear left corner hard enough to push it (violently) into another friend and coworker’s van. In this picture, you can see how far the car has been moved.

We know it was an Impala and we know the license number. One weird thing about all this is that the driver of the car parked it and walked away. He was watched from a window. He left the car right there. He didn’t leave a note or anything, just walked away. As I was leaving work he had returned and was changing his tire (which had blown in the accident). Yes, I took another picture then. Thanks for asking.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Parking Lot Accident

Colored Chalk

Colored Chalk

Colored Chalk

I was up in Baltimore this evening with Iris, taking a few more pictures for her. While waiting I noticed these pieces of colored chalk and thought they looked nice. I’m glad to see it’s not all white boards yet. I guess I’m old fashioned but I like chalk better. If nothing else, it reminds me of playing in a chalk pit in England as a boy (but then perhaps this should be “coloured chalk”).

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Colored Chalk

Auto Bulbs

Auto Bulbs

Auto Bulbs

We picked up our van from Eddie this afternoon and I took this picture of light bulbs at the shop.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Auto Bulbs

The Abell Building

The Abell Building

The Abell Building

I went up to Baltimore to take some pictures for Iris today. I can’t share those with you but I took this one of the Abell Building near the medical school. The Romanesque revival building was originally built in the 1870’s by Arunah Abell, the founder of the Baltimore Sun newspaper. It has recently been renovated and is an apartment building.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on The Abell Building

Eat Mor Chikin

Eat Mor Chikin

Eat Mor Chikin

Dorothy dressed in a cow costume today and earned a free meal at the Germantown Chik-Fil-A. She also got to visit Lyla, which is at least as big a treat. Oh, and thank you, Megan for the use of the cow suit.

Categories: Miscellaneous, People | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Eat Mor Chikin

Happy 235, U.S.A.

Happy 235, U.S.A.

Happy 235, U.S.A.

Days mixed with sorrow and joy are all too common, it seems. We did end the day with a bang, however, enjoying the fireworks from the 355 bridge over the railroad tracks in Gaithersburg with Rick, Melissa, Katie, and Maggie. A good view and a short half block walk from their house. Happy birthday to the good, old U.S. of A.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Happy 235, U.S.A.

Soap Bubble

Soap Bubble

Soap Bubble

Lea was blowing soap bubbles outside church this morning. Have you ever tried using autofocus on bubbles. It doesn’t work so well. Also, they move out of focus pretty quickly. I didn’t do a whole lot better on manual. Still, this one turned out pretty well.

Does anyone else see a face in this?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Soap Bubble

Marking My Keys

Marking My Keys

Marking My Keys

I’ve been meaning to mark my keys for a while but I actually did it this evening. Each of the steel rods in this set have a different letter or number. They are placed on the surface to be marked and whacked with the metal hammer. I hate having keys and not knowing what lock they fit. You feel like you can never throw them away, just in case.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Marking My Keys

Bluebells

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

Cathy and I walked to Bluebell Island after work today. Unfortunately the rains last night raised the creek too high and we couldn’t get out onto it. I turned around when the water was up to the top of my thighs and I wasn’t even out in the fast water yet.

We enjoyed the flowers on the near bank, anyway, including bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Downy Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens), Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum), Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), and Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides).

This photo was taken with the camera on the ground looking up at the bluebells, which accounts for the white sky.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Bluebells

Tap and Die

Tap and Die

Tap and Die

When I demonstrated simple machines to the second graders a week or so ago, they asked how screws are made. So, I got out my tap and die set to show them how threads can be cut, both on the outside of a screw or bolt and on the inside of a hole to receive it.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Tap and Die

Water Heater

Water Heater

Water Heater

Yesterday I came home to a house with no hot water. Turns out there’s a leak in the tank. It’s not a big leak but with plumbing, a leak is a leak. Anyway, the water leaking out caused a short, blew the breaker. The plumber came today. This is the last I saw of the old water heater.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Water Heater

Chionodoxa lucilae

Chionodoxa lucilae

Chionodoxa lucilae

I thought I’d try some extreme close-up shots today. I can’t say they are award winning pictures but after all, the challenge was to post a picture a day, not to win any awards. Anyway, Chionodoxa, or glory-of-the-snow, is one of my favorite flowers.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Chionodoxa lucilae

Wood Carving

Wood Carving

Wood Carving

This is a wood carving on my mother-in-law’s living room wall.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Wood Carving

Ripples

Ripples

Ripples

I admit that I have a thing for ripples in water. I can just sit and watch them. I don’t really know what it is about them that I like, but I think they are cool.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Ripples

Rapid Oxidation of Wood

Rapid Oxidation of Wood

Rapid Oxidation of Wood

Also known as combustion. Fire, if you will. My mom went with me to the farm this afternoon and we pruned some plum trees, cutting out black-knot (see Project 365 Extras). We burned the cut branches and this is from that fire.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Rapid Oxidation of Wood

Flags at Half Staff

Flags at Half Staff

Flags at Half Staff

In honor of Frank Buckles flags were flown at half staff today. This one is at the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland. To all of our brave men and women in uniform, I thank you.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Flags at Half Staff

Hat With a Hat

Hat With a Hat

Hat With a Hat

When she was in graduate school, my mom made this bust of her classmate and friend, Hat (and Hat made a bust of my mom). Anyway, she was using it to display one of my grandmother’s old hats. So, this is Hat With a Hat.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Hat With a Hat

Rain

Rain

Rain

That’s pretty much the word for the day. It rained all day, sometimes softly, sometimes quite hard. This is the brake light of the car in front of me (stopped at a light — we’re not moving, don’t worry), through the rain on my windscreen. Need to turn on der drizzleflippen.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Rain

Rushing Water

Rushing Water

Rushing Water

After the rain on Sunday the stream in the field next to my office was high. It was still high today (and the ground was very wet). I took quite a few pictures of moving water and like this one best.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Rushing Water

Chandelier

Chandelier

Chandelier

We stopped at a lighting store in Rockville today. It was raining very hard and the light from this chandelier through the water soaked windscreen was beautiful. The chandelier is slowly turning, which made the lights move and sparkle.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Chandelier

18 Markers

18 Markers

18 Markers

This is a set of 18 colored markers that Dorothy got somewhere or other. I really like the bright colors.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on 18 Markers

Glass Anemone

Glass Anemone

Glass Anemone

This is a paper weight that we bought in Venice in 2000. It’s like a little sea anemone locked in glass.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Glass Anemone

Another Blank Wall

Another Blank Wall

Another Blank Wall

took a bunch of pictures of folks after church this morning but can’t pick one of those to post over all the others. I’ll post some of them in the Rock Creek Folk gallery from a few weeks ago. For here, I’ll post another picture in the “blank wall” series. It probably would be better if I put some wine in the glasses and got some color in the picture. Maybe next time.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Another Blank Wall

’63 T-Bird

’63 T-Bird

’63 T-Bird

This 1963 Thunderbird is in the parking lot next to my mechanic. He doesn’t own it. It does need new brake lines at the very least but I understand that for $3,500 it can be yours.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on ’63 T-Bird

Fire

Fire

Fire

I really enjoy watching flames and we had a nice fire in the fireplace this evening. What do you see in this image?

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Fire

Barbed Wire

Barbed Wire

Barbed Wire

It’s gotten cold again and it was raining off and on today but I went out anyway. I took a few pictures of birds but Dorothy and I both like this better than the bird pictures, so this is today’s entry. There’s a picture of a woodpecker in Extras.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Barbed Wire

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

I took pictures at the WCA basketball game today but didn’t get anything I’m anxious to share with the world. The pictures of the fans were better than those of the game but even that’s not saying much. So, here’s a picture of reflections. This is the rec. center at the corner of Key West and Gude Drive.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Reflections

Tree Reflections

Tree Reflections

Tree Reflections

I took a lot of good pictures today of people, mostly friends from church. I couldn’t pick one as being better than the rest so I’ve decided to put them up in their own gallery and just put this picture up as my Project 365 image. I’m undecided as to whether it would look better if the pavement was in focus as well as the trees but I Like it, anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Tree Reflections

Blank Wall

Blank Wall

Blank Wall

The challenge: take a picture of a blank wall and make it interesting. The problem: as soon as there’s any pattern on the wall, it’s not truly blank any more. This is as close to a blank wall as I could get and still have much interest. It’s really bothering Dorothy, so that’s something, anyway.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Blank Wall

Moving Water

Moving Water

Moving Water

The stream next to my office was flowing fast and furious today, with melting snow. I took a bunch of pictures of the stationary waves and this is my favorite of them.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Moving Water

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

Ice Crystals

It was chilly this morning and ice crystals had formed on my car windshield over night. I’m not sure about the color in this but wonder if it has to do with the polarizing effect of the crystals in combination with the safety glass.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Ice Crystals

Shopping Cart

Shopping Cart

Shopping Cart

Yesterday I decided to go into the older woods between my building and Key West Avenue. It’s much different to the empty lot I’ve been visiting. Older (but still not terribly old). It’s interesting what you’ll find in the woods. There seems to be the remains of an old road. I found a deer skin and this old shopping cart.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Shopping Cart

Loch Menk Monster

Loch Menk Monster

Loch Menk Monster

Our friends and neighbors built this creature in their front yard. I’m not exactly sure if it’s a centaur or what so we named it the Loch Menkis Monster. Very nice, guys.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Loch Menk Monster

Parking Garage

Parking Garage

Parking Garage

You’re probably thinking this looks like the exit gate for a parking garage. Well aren’t you clever. That’s exactly what it is. Now you’re wondering if there’s a story behind it. Yep, there is. But I’m not going to tell you. Sorry.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Parking Garage

Eat

Eat

Eat

Speaks for itself, I think. We did.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on Eat

Ice

Ice

Ice

I took pictures of the grass and snow in the lot next to my office but the consensus here was that this was a better picture. Can you tell what it is? It was a beautiful afternoon, although a bit nippy.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Ice

Gears

Gears

Gears

I wanted to take a picture of Dorothy at the orthodontist today but she wasn’t having any of that. In the evening I was looking around for shapes and patterns and I saw this hand drill, which I use when I need to make small holes and don’t need the power of the electric drill. I love gears.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: | Comments Off on Gears

Silo and Barn

Silo and Barn

Silo and Barn

It was snowing this morning. Quite lovely. There’s a big oak tree on Rt. 108 that I’ve thought dozens of times, as I drive by, I really need to stop and take a picture of that tree. So, today I went and I did. But they aren’t as good as I’d hoped, partly because of the power lines running behind the tree. Then I drove around and came across this barn and silo that I think are pretty nice.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Silo and Barn

Oil on Water

Oil on Water

Oil on Water

The empty lot next to my office is mostly brambles and small trees. It was cleared about 15 years ago so all the trees are younger than that. There is a smallish stream running through the property, which I’m sure has been a headache for those hoping to build there. For the most part, the water is beautifully clear but there was this one quiet corner with a small amount of something oily on the surface.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: , | Comments Off on Oil on Water