Sunday, January 30, 2005
Birds of a feather...
flock together. There's obviously more to wildlife photography than a digi cam can accommodate, but these guys appeared across the pond today and were irresistible
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Inspiration
Andy is so creative that he can be inspired by the cold!
I, on the other hand, find that I soon run out of inspiration during these times when I do not hear from the HLS, nor does the outside world seem inviting.
In light of all this and the world situation, (whether you are Jewish or Arab, voting in Iraq or proud of our new Secretary of State), I'm somehow reminded of the concluding lines in the Moody Blues' song Dear Diary--
"Somebody exploded an H-bomb today. But it wasn't anyone I knew."
Sometimes it seems that I just want to crawl under the covers and kiss my ass good-bye!
I, on the other hand, find that I soon run out of inspiration during these times when I do not hear from the HLS, nor does the outside world seem inviting.
In light of all this and the world situation, (whether you are Jewish or Arab, voting in Iraq or proud of our new Secretary of State), I'm somehow reminded of the concluding lines in the Moody Blues' song Dear Diary--
"Somebody exploded an H-bomb today. But it wasn't anyone I knew."
Sometimes it seems that I just want to crawl under the covers and kiss my ass good-bye!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
It's Just Another Shitty Day in Paradise
Yesterday started out with a ticket.
Yesterday ended up with a ticket.
As JB concluded in "Jamaica Mistacia"-It's Just Another Shitty Day in Paradise!
Yesterday ended up with a ticket.
As JB concluded in "Jamaica Mistacia"-It's Just Another Shitty Day in Paradise!
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Kumquats
Two things interest me about this little, healthy citrus fruit. The etymology of the name and the curious defense growth that appears at the base of the plant when it has fruit (see image below). Don't you think it remarkable that the Chinese "golden orange" sets up such a defense to protect itself? Kind of a "Great Wall" of thorns.
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion (raw)*
Calories 274
Protein 3.8 g
Fat 0.4g
Carbohydrates 72.1 g
Calcium 266 mg
Phosphorus 97 mg
Iron 1.7 mg
Sodium 30 mg
Potassium 995 mg
Vitamin A 2,530 I.U.
Thiamine 0.35 mg
Riboflavin 0.40 mg
Ascorbic Acid 151 mg
*United States Department of Agriculture
Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion (raw)*
Calories 274
Protein 3.8 g
Fat 0.4g
Carbohydrates 72.1 g
Calcium 266 mg
Phosphorus 97 mg
Iron 1.7 mg
Sodium 30 mg
Potassium 995 mg
Vitamin A 2,530 I.U.
Thiamine 0.35 mg
Riboflavin 0.40 mg
Ascorbic Acid 151 mg
*United States Department of Agriculture
Monday, January 24, 2005
Confluence II
I was web surfing earlier and saw an image that reminded me of our new home here. The geography of this part of South Carolina is dominated by the fact that as many as seven rivers have their confluence here.
The image on the left is of this area (courtesy of TerraServer-USA).
The image on the right is from Titan (courtesy of ESA).
This CONFLUENCE is separated by about 800,000,000 miles.
The image on the left is of this area (courtesy of TerraServer-USA).
The image on the right is from Titan (courtesy of ESA).
This CONFLUENCE is separated by about 800,000,000 miles.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Snowman Sculptor?
While exploring the NOAA site, I found this image of snowmen.
![snowpeople012205[1]](http://photos2.flickr.com/3697408_6c98285822.jpg)
(courtesy NOAA)
I think we've encountered the builder before.
The older HLS with a sandman.
(courtesy NOAA)
I think we've encountered the builder before.
The older HLS with a sandman.
NOAA or Noah?
Not quite the Biblical flood, but a big storm nonetheless.
(Forecast for 1/23/2005-image courtesy of NOAA).
(Forecast for 1/23/2005-image courtesy of NOAA).
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Bird Karma (Mercifully) Concluded
Since this Blog series has just about lost the air beneath its wings, it's time to complete the circle within "this family." The HLS have recently grown to be quite attached to hummingbirds. As of late I've been watching a different species of hummingbird. Andy is partial to a variety of bluebirds.
The older HLS is a writer. She has probably had far enough of this big, bad, bird blogging, but it wouldn't be complete without calling attention to her close friend.
The older HLS is a writer. She has probably had far enough of this big, bad, bird blogging, but it wouldn't be complete without calling attention to her close friend.
Not a Whale!
Friday, January 21, 2005
Beached Whales
Last fall I went fishing nearby with the HLS' Uncle Bart. We were in a Hewes Redfisher 21 boat that excited me very much and fueled my desire for O SUN O LUV.
Bart came upon these beached whales...
Bart came upon these beached whales...
More Bird Brained Blogging
This is Cleo. She belongs to the younger of the HLS, but she lives with us.
Just like Curry she likes birds too. Here she is with Marion and a singing bluebird from Christmas 2002.
Marion is the HLS' 84 year old, maternal grandmother and our matriach. Marion loves birds. She has watched them, fed them and even nurtured them for many years. She currently has a "mockingbird friend" that she feeds outside her window. He sits on her windowsill and listens to music with her for hours at a time.
She is the most positive person one could ever meet; "this family" admires her and is inspired by her attitude constantly.
The HLS, Andy and I have some bird karma too, but ("to rock the teaser")...more of that later.
Just like Curry she likes birds too. Here she is with Marion and a singing bluebird from Christmas 2002.
Marion is the HLS' 84 year old, maternal grandmother and our matriach. Marion loves birds. She has watched them, fed them and even nurtured them for many years. She currently has a "mockingbird friend" that she feeds outside her window. He sits on her windowsill and listens to music with her for hours at a time.
She is the most positive person one could ever meet; "this family" admires her and is inspired by her attitude constantly.
The HLS, Andy and I have some bird karma too, but ("to rock the teaser")...more of that later.
Coronation Protest Signs
Dissent was not entirely stifled amidst high security; some protestors were seen carrying signs such as the following:
The morbid truth--"1,369 US Dead in Iraq--Party on George"
The obligatory --"What Would Jesus Bomb?"
The wishful thinking--"Inaugurate, Then Impeach"
The down home--"Nope, No WMDs Here"
And my personal favorite, the tongue twisting (and of course punny)--"Real Eyes Realize Real Lies"
The morbid truth--"1,369 US Dead in Iraq--Party on George"
The obligatory --"What Would Jesus Bomb?"
The wishful thinking--"Inaugurate, Then Impeach"
The down home--"Nope, No WMDs Here"
And my personal favorite, the tongue twisting (and of course punny)--"Real Eyes Realize Real Lies"
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Confluence...
or "What goes around comes around."
Inspired, as usual, by a recent posting by Andy entitled "Scaled Perspective," I checked out the free screen saver "Holding Pattern."
As I looked around the Idle Time web site I realized why I'm so attracted to this egocentric medium called Blogging. More importantly I gained some additional appreciation for the depth of my love for Andy.
The guys at Idle Time are the consumate "artistic geeks". To some extent Andy and I are oxymoronic in this way also...if Andy covers oxy well, I can take care of moronic!
In the late 60's I was a student at Carnegie Mellon University...I was there and I can remember (at least a little) of the 60's. CMU was (and is) one of the best drama and science schools in the nation. In the 60's the student body had such bodies as Barbara Feldon and Judith Light among others and the Geeks included Chuck Geschke and James Gosling (a little later but a Blogger extraordinare).
While the "Nerds, Geeks and Gear Heads" didn't always interact with the "Dramats and Painters" there were a few folks in the middle that crossed over to both groups and produced such inspirational work as Godspell, Hill Street Blues, Lycos and even JAVA.
Well the point of this is that these folks worked well together and shared their artistic and scientific talents.
I have often told the HLS that extreme positions meet. I believe there isn't much difference between radical and reactionary--they meet at anarchist! Talented folks like Andy and those at Idle Time have and will continue to produce a fusion of thought and creativity that will ultimately provoke the world to care...I want to be a tiny little piece of it.
BECALMED
On the way to work this morning I found the view calming.
Made me want O SUN O LUV though!
Made me want O SUN O LUV though!
"...for the Birds (cont')"
This is Curry. He was a Father's Day gift from the HLS in 2003.
As you can see from the poor image below (taken through the far from optical grade glass of our back door), Curry likes birds!
We discovered this concurrently with the Egret!
"Family" Bird Karma...(to be cont').
As you can see from the poor image below (taken through the far from optical grade glass of our back door), Curry likes birds!
We discovered this concurrently with the Egret!
"Family" Bird Karma...(to be cont').
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
This blog is for the Birds!
The HLS' mother, affectionately known as "MamaJama" (about whom the uninitiated will learn more eventually), and I awoke this morning to a number of bird related events. One of these was the apperance of a beautiful egret on the shore of our back yard lake (read: pond or puddle).
While preparing for the day, I read Andy's blog about "Seagulls vs. Pigeons", and inspired by him (as usual), decided to try to photograph said egret.
Of course the egret flew away while the digital camera tried to catch up (see below).
Nevertheless, I realized that "this family" has karma that is very bound up with birds. More to follow...
While preparing for the day, I read Andy's blog about "Seagulls vs. Pigeons", and inspired by him (as usual), decided to try to photograph said egret.
Of course the egret flew away while the digital camera tried to catch up (see below).
Nevertheless, I realized that "this family" has karma that is very bound up with birds. More to follow...
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY!
Andy, another dearest of the loved ones to whom this blog is dedicated, and the inspiration for its entire existence, has recommended a change in the user profile.
It's funny how one never perceives themselves as others do. Whether listening to your recorded voice or looking at your pictures or trying to succeed at work, you never really know what others perceive.
I wasn't sure about this recommendation from Andy and yet I now realize that it is totally me...
DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY!
It's funny how one never perceives themselves as others do. Whether listening to your recorded voice or looking at your pictures or trying to succeed at work, you never really know what others perceive.
I wasn't sure about this recommendation from Andy and yet I now realize that it is totally me...
DON'T WORRY; BE HAPPY!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
O SUN O LUV
Aaron, one of the aforementioned loved ones to whom this blog is dedicated, asked about the boat pursuit. It is an ardous process not unlike buying a car. One must ask what type of vehicle and then which manufacturer/dealer?
O SUN O LUV will most likely be a "Bay Boat" in the 17'-19' LOA. If she comes from a local manufacturer such as Pioneer, she will be a little larger and more heavily optioned. If she comes from a national firm such as Sea Pro she will be, by economic necessity, a little smaller.
Of course she will have the biggest four stroke engine allowable, modern electronics, trolling motor and a T-top.
Other interesting models include the Sailfish 1900 Bay Boat (too expensive I fear), the Polar 1810 BB (also expensive), the Sea Hunt Triton 186 (a local manufacturer), the Sea Boss 19 Bay Boat (another "local"), the Sea Fox 195 Bay Fisher (an up market "local" that may be the answer?), the Parker 2100 Big Bay (maybe too big, but good local value), the Key West 186 Bay Reef (another "local" quality boat), the Sea Chaser Bay Runner 170 (by the well known firm Carolina Skiffs), The Sea This, The Sea That, The Sea Sick...you get the idea.
I also intend to folllow the local used market of reliable dealers such as Consignment Marine with an occassional look at the dreaded e-Bay Motors!
Let me know your thoughts.
O SUN O LUV will most likely be a "Bay Boat" in the 17'-19' LOA. If she comes from a local manufacturer such as Pioneer, she will be a little larger and more heavily optioned. If she comes from a national firm such as Sea Pro she will be, by economic necessity, a little smaller.
Of course she will have the biggest four stroke engine allowable, modern electronics, trolling motor and a T-top.
Other interesting models include the Sailfish 1900 Bay Boat (too expensive I fear), the Polar 1810 BB (also expensive), the Sea Hunt Triton 186 (a local manufacturer), the Sea Boss 19 Bay Boat (another "local"), the Sea Fox 195 Bay Fisher (an up market "local" that may be the answer?), the Parker 2100 Big Bay (maybe too big, but good local value), the Key West 186 Bay Reef (another "local" quality boat), the Sea Chaser Bay Runner 170 (by the well known firm Carolina Skiffs), The Sea This, The Sea That, The Sea Sick...you get the idea.
I also intend to folllow the local used market of reliable dealers such as Consignment Marine with an occassional look at the dreaded e-Bay Motors!
Let me know your thoughts.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
HLS-U's Whore
One HLS says I'm a "Brand Name Whore."
To validate that moniker I offer the following images of their Universities.
To validate that moniker I offer the following images of their Universities.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Welcome
An old scientist begins to experiment with "blogging."
All in honor of the HLS and their loved ones!
All in honor of the HLS and their loved ones!
