Interestingly enough, at least to me, is that I took one picture of this sunrise, emailed it to myself, took a second picture, emailed that one, then when I glanced back up to see how the scene was progressing, bam, it was gone. Just like that. In seconds it had turned into overcast with no interesting light or colors. Even a minute before the sun shone under the clouds it was dull, and a minute later it was dull again. I might as well have been photographing the moonrise at Hernandez New Mexico. Take that, Ansel!
This is the barcarolle, or, if you prefer, barcarola from Jacques Offenbach-earlier's Tales of Hoffman. The musical form is based on the songs sung by Venetian gondoliers, and, at least for me, it has a rolling nature, going with the flow, as it were, paddling right along, no fuss, no muss.
I hope everyone's day is on a similar roll - it will be above freezing here today, I guess some of that Rocky Mountain heat has drifted east, so I hope to get some work done. Work is good.
32 comments:
You have that Protestant work ethic. It's getting down to -15 where AllenS and I live. He's across the Great River. People who can handle harsh conditions are better for it. We have become a sissy culture. It doesn't bode well for future generations.
That is way too cold, just sayin'. Next week the forecast includes three or four days when it will not get above freezing. That's plenty cold for me, but downright mild compared to below zero. I still think I should have moved further south.
But, I do have to say this - I don't miss insect bites one bit. And those little f*ckers are all frozen now, so that is a real big plus that comes with cold weather.
I agree my friend. Mosquitoes and black flies are a real pain in the ass. One of my fantasies is living a year in northern Alaska. I can handle that extreme, I couldn't handle a year in the desert. Although I keep planning on stopping in Death Valley during my sojourns w2est. Just to do it. It would be in the cooler season, but just to say I was @ the lowest elevation in the US. I have been in Denali National Park and almost seen the highest elevation. But that fucker is shrouded. We had friends who lived on a higher elevation in Anchorage. Once in a great while they could see Denali from there house. I've been to the southernmost point in Key West. I have been close to the easternmost point in Maine, but not quite. The northernmost point in the 48 states is here in MN. I plan on going there but not during bug season. Of course the westernmost in entire US is in Hawaii and northernmost in Alaska. The latter is where I would like to live one year.
"their" house.
I did some mountain biking in Death Valley one February. It was 85 degrees. I drove through there in the summer, it was over 110. But, as those who live in the desert say "It's a dry heat". Yeah, so is a freakin' oven!
Maybe I will do a post about DV - one of the things I like about it is that all of the geology is right there on the surface - you can see what has gone on, unlike around here.
Key West sounds pretty good about now - much warmer.
Key West is also much gayer. NTTAWWT.
It's been over 40 years since I was last there and I heard it was gayer than Provincetown, Fire Island and San Francisco combined. That's a shame, as it is a great island that has Hemingway's house with polydactyl cats and Audubon's place, as well, with one of his folios is on display.
It's been so cold, that I wouldn't mind temps at least above zero.
Work ethic....DP has it! He is working today and tomorrow and if anyone calls who is out of water the next day and the next.
This morning is much warmer than it has been. We are at 28 degrees! A heat wave. Because the ground may not be frozen as deep this afternoon, he and his helper are going to drive about 45 miles to the next and higher elevation valley over to the East, using his backhoe,dig out a busted waterline between the wellhouse and the actual house to repair and reconnect the house with water. The people have been out of water for a week or more and because the ground is frozen solid. (night time temps at 10 degrees or less and daytime highs at 23 there is permafrost).
Tomorrow, same thing but for cattle watering in our valley. The cows have only been out for a day, and the rancher is hauling water in tanks with his tractor.
If the people or animals are out of water, there is no way to, with a clear mind, decline to do the work. Plus....the are so grateful, you get paid immediately.
People know. Don't mess with your plumber or your well man.
Death Valley:
My Uncle Bob and his buddy lived in Parump, working in a newspaper in LV. During the weekends, in the 70's, did a lot of prospecting in the DV area, The Jubilee mine, was theirs and one of the largest lead producers. The Federal Government decided that they would seize the mine and just robbed them of it. Fucking thieves.
Uncle Bob was quite a character. (maybe I'll write a post about him) Bob also had an abandoned school building in Shosone where he lived while prospecting.
They also had discovered a Talc mine which they were able to sell, before the government decided to steal that too. Revlon was one of the biggest purchasers of the talc which was used for all sorts of powder and makeup.
It's true. I make use of warm winter days and certain types of chores that get done on those rare days. Yesterday it was 60+ degrees. Right now it's 12. The warm Chinook winds are gone and the cold yucky moved in from behind. Enjoy it Sixty and you're welcome.
I had the exterior hose hooked up yesterday. The hose and the driveway are my dirty job utility sink for a day.
DBQ - glad uncle Bob was able to sell before the government stole the talc mine. F*ers.
Sixty, Never been to Fire Island. Trooper goes there on the down low so he might speak to that. I have been to Key West, SF, and P-Town recently..well, within the last 5-6 years. SF is a big city so while there are many of the gays there, they are diluted by the breeders. Key West and P-Town are similar, smaller population and at the tip of a long, hard, pulsating strip of land. P-Town is much gayer than Key West. P-Town is hostile to all breeders, yelling "Breeders" at straight couples and families. They have not driven out all the Portuguese fishermen, but they're working on it.
DBQ, The new miniseries Get Shorty on the new network, Epix, is set in Pahrump. It was a quality production w/ some great writing and acting.
Would love to read about Uncle Bob.
Sixty, Since you've been to Key West cockfighting was made illegal. So all the Cubans just released their cocks. They roam the streets and are protected by the govt. You hear them crowing all fucking morning.
My late ex-FiL used to drive us out to Jones Beach back in the early '70s. My wife and I would walk along the beach, then eventually you would notice only guys sitting on towels together. That was how you knew you had reached Fire Island. Turn around, head back to civilization...
All beauty is fleeting said Keats, or he shoulda;
Look away for a sec and it's all woulda coulda.
We'll be lucky if we see freezing before Epiphany. Single digits the middle of the week.
And it isn't sissy to stay out of the cold. Read a little Jack London. You may have to go out in it, but you spend as little time there as you can. One thing (among many) Kit Carson loved about his Arapaho wife, she had a tub of hot water waiting so he could warm his feet after setting his traps.
And the Protestant work ethic isn't always what it's cracked up to be. Always liked what James Lee Barrett wrote in The Alamo, "They ain't afraid to die, but they ain't afraid to live, either. It's today they live for, not the dollar tomorrow might bring".
PS Nice pic, Sixty.
To all genuine New Yawkers like moi it's Joneses Beach. I can still remember how stunned I was as a kid by the beauty of those Long Island sun kissed yutes who practically lived at the beach and had that sandy haired golden thing down pat. Of course to a ten year old twenty year olds are gods anyhow. Everyone has labelled Robert Moses a devil but in Jones Beach he created a true People's Paradise. You often had to park two miles from the beach in summer but even the walk through the parking lots to get to the beach was intoxicating because everywhere these fragrant beach flowers - don't ask me what they were, to me they were beach flowers - were perfuming the air.
After scooping snow last night I gazed at that cold cold moon. Today's high will be -8 but I'm still glad to be here.
One thing to keep in mind is that humidity intensifies the fell of the cold as much as the heat.
Living just outside Philadelphia, the Alberta Clipper had a bite a lot of you Plainsmen might not appreciate.
LOL! Horseshit from Cliff. I grew up in the northeast and you don't know WTF you're talking about. Always the know-it-all, the guy who can top or correct anything someone says. I just got back from a 6 mile walk in -12 temp. My nose hairs beard and eyebrows were all caked in ice. The windchill is even worse, but wind chill is for sissies.
"Single digits the middle of the week." LOL! We won't get ABOVE zero all week. The lake ice is thick enough to drive your car out to your ice fishing shanty. This was a pleasant thread until you brought your borderline personality into it.
Dad Bones, Where is "here?"
Northwest Iowa. It isn't northern MN or WI but it's cold enough for me. One little town that I often drive through, Washta, even has a sign boasting about being the coldest town in the state in 1912 with a temp of -47.
Dad, Northwest Iowa is plenty cold. The coldest I've been in is -28 in Madison back in the early 80's. And, it was windy.
Frozen nose hairs. that is REAL man-stock right there.
ndspinelli said...
LOL! Horseshit from Cliff. I grew up in the northeast and you don't know WTF you're talking about. Always the know-it-all, the guy who can top or correct anything someone says. I just got back from a 6 mile walk in -12 temp. My nose hairs beard and eyebrows were all caked in ice. The windchill is even worse, but wind chill is for sissies.
As always, nd has to react by shooting off his mouth. I was only making the point that the dry prairie air might not have the bite more humid air does, but some people have to be jackasses about everything because not everybody buys their drug rap.
They also project all over the place.
Dick, It reminded me I needed to trim those bad boys. They were merging w/ my goatee.
What the h? Anyway, last winter in NE Ohio there was one long cold snap after another, not much snow. Rather have that than a of messy snow in the thirties!
Happy new year to my fellow Lemuelites. I have a great affection for you all.
Scusie, I have more than one email account.
Post a Comment