Shortest day of the year - yes it was

It was overcast this morning and the wind was blowing the clouds by at an incredible rate.  But I was  quick with my phone and I got a picture of the sunrise:

I decided to go out and get some shopping done as the stores are only going to get more crowded between now and Christmas.

I came home, did some work, cooked and consumed lunch, then went back to work in the shop. I heard what sounded like thunder but thought that can't be right. Well, it was. I went outside and saw that we had a thunderstorm bearing down on us:

That's never good in the winter. Up to that point the temperature was warm, probably in the mid-60s, and when a cold front moves in and collides with the warm air potentially bad stuff can happen.

The storm passed over and what do you know - nothing bad happened, just a rainbow:

So I kept working and finished a bowl for a friend who watches my dogs when I am at market:

It is white oak and I think she will like it. It's good for storing onions and the like. With luck I will be able to give it to her between now and Christmas.

I also put up my Christmas tree, which is something I do on the shortest day of the year. That is my way of ensuring that the sun comes back, and so far my plan has not failed.

We have been having some intense rainfall for the last few days and my front yard is flooded, but at least I don't have to shovel the water. 

I finished a sycamore bowl, and yet another sycamore bowl:

The sky grew increasingly cloudy so I didn't get a picture of the sunset, but as we all know, tomorrow's sunset will be slightly later than it was today. I think we can all agree that is a good thing.

Warm air from the south led to a pressure drop.

Funky Kinston.

Funky Nassau.

Funky Broadway.

WASL

We were working on V-sign words and this song came to mind:

Lyrics here as the words are unintelligible, but hey, it's ASL, right?

Perhaps some of us are standing up for our rights.

A Rastaman friend of mine recently posted this picture and I immediately recognized the bowl as one I had made.

Based on that question the only response is this.

A while ago I asked Chip, the master of the pop-up book how those things work. He 'splained it and I built a display rack based on what I learned. Now that my photo editor allows me to edit details of a picture I can post a pop-up box I made last year. It has three racks to hold my work, the first picture shows it unfolded and unloaded, the second shows it stocked. All three pieces fold into the box which has handles so I can carry it. Think of it as a pop-up book made out of plywood. 

Lastly, my dog looked at me and wondered why I had a spring in my step. Well, sometimes politics can invade even my sequestered life.

Rock and roll! Kick out the jams!

Edit - I just watched that video, and as much as I like the energy throughout, the plasticman dance starting at 2:53 is funny as hell.

Edit.2 - here are two more pictures of my pop-up box - first, closed:

Next, box partially opened:

It's never too early on a foggy morning for a bit of pickin' an' such.

Sunrise this morning.

What a crew!

Music for the previous post

 MAGA.

Bass Lion, Reggae Album, Martin Bashir

Yes, that Martin Bashir. Loves Raggae music. Loves it so much wrote a whole album about it.Wanna hear it? Okay goes like this: https://myspace.com/martinbashirmusic/music/album/bass-lion-16775688

You can listen to his whole album, Bass Lion, and buy songs for 99₵ each.

And it is rather good. Four Amazon reviewers rate it 5 stars. But they could be admirers. They could be crackpots whose political fealty overrides their musical sensibility and honesty. What do they say?

* Wicked and wild
Was thinking what does a journalist know about reggae? This is a serious, quality album. Rich various shades. No joke.
* Love it
Want the CD, love Martin on this album
* Great old skool reggae music
exceptionally good reggae album. For those who like old school style reggae (dub, rock-steady, British-style reggae) Seriously. Sounds like 70's Bashir has really good tenor for most of this, some by female and a toastmaster. Bass patterns are rock solid and very old school. Give it a whirl. Cost is cheap. Listen to solidly for a week. Fun album and uplifting.
* Unbelievably Good
Saw Diana interview and problems with Prince Charles. Think he's best political commentator on TV. Never mis his 3PM show on MkSNBC. Pleasantly shocked and surprised to see this man is top notch musician also. Reminiscent of years in London during late 70's. Get this album.

See? They were doing well until that last one veered off as I was expecting the whole time. That there's what you call a self-fulfilled probability.

YouTube Martin Bashir talks about his love for reggae music (56 seconds)

Lovely song titles. Here are a few:
1.) Inspiration (intro)
2.) Give Thanks
3) Jah Help I From Bout Ya
4) Love Of Your Life
5) Shower of Blessings
7) Evevry Likkle Boy <-- spells it that way
10) High Grade Tree
11) Music Over Evyting <-- spells it that way

Sweet titles. Nice titles. Titles that indicate a touching sensitivity about the human condition, whatever that means, songwriters know what that means, perhaps I don't so much but they do, so I would use their superior human condition knowledge to shame him. Every single time. For the rest of his life. No matter how harmless the occasion. I would slip in one or two of those titles into ordinary conversation. "evevry likkle boy" will stick right out and make him go "uh oh" followed  "shower of blessings" slipped in conversationally will smack him on the head and he will feel it, singularly, more than anybody else would because they are his songs. His own sanctimony assures it. Work those titles into any interview with Bashir, his titles. For fun.

If in interviews you do not hear these titles fed back to him, slipped in surreptitiously, as if by accident, and repeated, hammered, then Republicans are simply not trying.