THE WATERGIRL AND LAKE SUPERIOR

 

When she was eight years old in 1967, her family were traveling in the U.P. When they reached Lake Superior, she wanted to swim. It was October so no one thought of bringing a swimsuit but she insisted. Her father gave her one of his undershirts which she put on over her underwear. Mother was annoyed with both of them and said sourly to her husband: "You'll have to wear one shirt without an undershirt now".

The sky was grey and the wind had kicked up the waves. She walked in, ankle deep at first to get used to the numbness, then up to her waist and finally slide her whole body in and swam.

She was shivering when she came out, with a grin on her face as she met her Father waiting on the beach with a big towel. He was smiling as well. For years he had written Young Adult historical novels about the early American West and heroes such as Jim Bridger. He knew what courage was and he saw this in his young daughter, striding confidently out of the cold waters of Lake Superior.

THE ELEPHANT'S FOOT AT CHERNOBYL

 

The Elephant's Foot was created as the result of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor core meltdown becoming a lavalike substance Corium that burned through nearly seven feet of reinforced concrete. This photo was taken by sending a remote device as it was determined that the radiation was so fierce that a human standing next to it would receive a lethal dose in less than 300 seconds.

Ten years later, the radioactivity had decayed so scientists had a bit more time to take readings. The photo below is a timed selfie taken by Artur Korneyeu. The blurred figure is the result of movement in the time-lapse. The graininess is from the radiation.

Thirty years later, one had 60 minutes before receiving a lethal dose of radiation. The radioactivity continues to degrade but this object is still considered extremely dangerous.

FIVE SECOND STORIES

 Writer Leonard Michaels (1933-2003) observes:

A cat is content to be a cat.

Nothing is more at home in the world than a cat. Flowers, compared to a cat, seem too assertive, even vulgar — their peculiar colors, their showy shapes. Sprawled in sunlight, a cat dissolves, pours free of its shape, and becomes one with the ground. Sliding along your leg, it gives you a sense of fusion. A cat makes itself one with anything. It is at home in the world. A cat defines a home.

꩜

Sticker shock: I was looking for king size pillow cases at Kohl's. Sonoma didn't sell just the cases so I looked at Vera Wang's offering. 2-800ct Egyptian cotton: $95!!! Yep, the cotton was picked by one-armed Egyptian nanas. Good grief. 

Also at Kohl's: the first time I have seen in a local clothing shop here in little ole Lansing MI-African-American mannequins. This has taken place since this Spring. Now, I don't shop for clothing much so other places may have introduced these earlier. I was only in Men's so I don't know what was going on in the Women's section but the percentage of white to black seemed to be about 50/50. Sheesh, it's about time, right? 

I chuckled to myself thinking about the inevitable committees at corporate who made the recommendation to management. I wonder about the discussion about how dark to have the mannequins. It's gonna offend someone-hell, I am sure the White Nationalists are throwing a fit and point to yet another erosion of their primacy. Too light and the company gets accused of waffling. In the end the color looks to be milk chocolate-no mistaking here. No high yaller. One wonders if this is nationwide or Kohl's quietly drops the B/W percentage the further South the store is. Regardless, a big step as far as I am concerned.

꩜

C is taking a solo trip to Saugatuck to participate in a workshop at the Ox Bow school. This is her second solo adventure, the first being to Saginaw. Curious that this will complete her MI circuit: drive East 100 or so miles and meet a lake, drive West the same distance and meet a lake. She does not like the high speeds of the freeway so she is going overland. The route is convoluted with weird twists-a road "t's", take a right for 2/10s of a mile and it picks up again with a left turn. It's like driving in the 1940's! But, going overland has its pleasures-a good chance to see the state at a slower pace. Tiny villages and small towns like Burnips and Overisel.  From home going West: flat farm land gradually becoming rolling hills and valleys with lots of cattle farms, open pit mining where the glacier left gravel and sand; as you get closer to the lake, agriculture is more specialized due to lake influenced micro-climate: fruit and vineyards. Finally you reach Lake Michigan. 

꩜ 

Insane tourist ripoff: The Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island boasts that it has the World's Longest Porch-660 feet. But if you ain't staying there, they're gonna charge you 10 bucks for the pleasure of stepping foot on it. I'm sorry, it's an effin' porch. I have one at my house. Gawd.

꩜

A drink I had never heard of-C mentioned it while having artichoke for supper. From Wiki:
Cynar is an Italian bitter apéritif of the amaro variety. It is made from 13 herbs and plants, predominant among which is the artichoke (Cynara scolymus), from which the drink derives its name. Cynar is dark brown, has a bittersweet flavor, and its strength is 16.5% ABV. It was launched in Italy in 1952.
Cynar is an apéritif (low sugar, low alcohol, meant to stimulate appetite), and can be consumed by itself, or in a number of cocktails.

꩜ 

Crazy DeSantis: New Florida school standards teach students that some Black people benefited from slavery because it taught useful skills. "Why yassir! I woulda neva known how to pick cotton if it wern't for slavery!" 

Yep, going right down that worn mythological Confederate assertion about the "happy darkies".

 ꩜

How we talk about the weather now:
What's the weather there? 

On a day like this (July 22) pleasant temps, enough rain and no smoke.

꩜

Tribal knowledge: how to make a critter disappear according to C: Say its name 3 times while pointing at it in the setting sun.

꩜ 

I rewatched this the other day. It struck me how optimistic we were in 1968 about space exploration. Now, it seems like a huge financial folly to spend money on this considering what we are facing to keep our planet habitable. We really could use an alien monolith to appear.

꩜ 

A lerp is a structure of crystallized honeydew produced by larvae of psyllid bugs as a protective cover. These animals are commonly referred to as lerp insects, of which there are over 300 species in Australia.

Lerps are energy rich, consisting mostly of starch, with some proteins and fats. They are eaten by flying foxes, possums and birds such as pardalotes and honeyeaters.

A couple of jokes:

No insurance company will provide homeowners insurance to a Lerp. "What? Your home is a meal for others? Getouttahere!"

Unknown lesbian garage rock band from the '60's: The Honeyeaters.

꩜ 

We were watching something and a reference was made to Scottish mythological creatures-the brownies. This lead to her remembrance of being a Brownie in the Girl Scouts and she told me about the rituals. Not ever been a Scout of any kind, this news gobsmacked me. Here is an overview of Girl Scout Rituals: https://www.gsnorcal.org/content/dam/gsnorcal-redesign/documents/volunteer_resources/troop/bridging-ceremonies.pdf

Now, the Scottish myth from Wiki:

A brownie or broonie (also known as a brùnaidh or gruagach (Scottish Gaelic), is a household spirit or Hobgoblin from Scottish Folklore that is said to come out at night while the owners of the house are asleep and perform various chores and farming tasks. The human owners of the house must leave a bowl of milk or cream or some other offering for the Brownie, usually by the hearth. (ed. note-sounds like leaving Santa some goodie on Christmas Eve) Brownies are described as easily offended and will leave their homes forever if they feel they have been insulted or in any way taken advantage of. Brownies are characteristically mischievous and are often said to punish or pull pranks on lazy servants. If angered, they are sometimes said to turn malicious, like boggarts.

꩜ 

A zucchini lesson: I have plenty of blooms but no fruit. The culprit: lack of pollinators. Next year, I'll plant something to attract them nearby.

꩜ 

C experiencing a Pythonesque moment with a very helpful but poorly trained/dim clerk at a eatery which mainly sold pre-packaged dishes:

C-hi-I'm vegan-what can you recommend?

DC-how about a Caesar salad?

C-well, no-that would have eggs, cheese and anchovies, wouldn't it?

DC-hmm, yes. How about fettuccine alfredo? 

C-that would have cheese and cream.

DC-yes, well we have pre-cooked pasta and jarred sauce?

C-(getting annoyed) Sir! I am in a hotel and I only have a microwave. Just how is this going to work?

DC-hmm, I see your point.

She ultimately found some roasted veggies and some rice. 

A COOL SUMMER'S EVENING

 

 

"One For Daddy-O" from 1958 written by Adderley's brother Nat for Chicago DJ "Daddy-O" Daylie. Cannonball Adderley-alto sax; Miles Davis-trumpet; Hank Jones-piano; Sam Jones-bass; Art Blakey-drums.

C and Bud doing deck yoga

Deck garden

Bin's Rose of Sharon

 "Lonely in New York" 2004 Sophie Milman

 

East Garden

 

Our new squirrel buddy, Freddie, v friendly and a lover of peanuts

C finishing putting out peanuts (red triangles) for Freddie, who became hesitant and wary. He/she saw something and did not partake.

Like Bin, Buddy has figured out the joy of a cushioned deck chair-a good enough proxy for a tree limb in Africa.

"It's Not Too Late" 1992 Written by Burnett, Elvis Costello and Bob Neuwirth

The wind turns like a dagger
The rain falls like a hammer
The sky has grown dark
But it's not too late

 

The weather crashes down
What's lost cannot be found
The night is closing
But it's not too late

 

It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
The atmosphere is lethal
But I will fear no evil

 

The ocean rolls like thunder
The tempest pulls us under
The dogs are howling
But it's not too late

 

As broken structures rust
False idols turn to dust
All lies in ashes
And it's not too late

 

It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
The atmosphere is lethal
But I will fear no evil

 

In the dark before the dawn
The echo of the siren's song
Dies away like a ghost
As the day breaks

 

It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
It's not too late
The atmosphere is lethal
But I will fear no evil

Extraordinarily prescient for 1992 as we are experiencing in 2023 what may be the beginning of a climate apocalypse. Meanwhile the world's leadership, greedy and beholding to Big Business donors, waffle, deny, lie and ignore with lethal cruelty upon the masses. 

I think to save one's sanity, enjoy what's left while one can. It's only going to get worse.

IN REMEMBRANCE: TONY BENNETT

Singer Tony Bennett died July 21, aged 96. His signature song from 1962 was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

My folks loved this song especially my Mom. San Francisco is where Mom took a train to from Lansing, to be with Dad, marry and make my brother Mike.

Victor and Bette-1945

FIVE SECOND STORIES

 
At the Diner...

MamaChuck, Skye and Stubbs at the Diner on a hot late afternoon

Lil Bun having a safe snack along the grassline

Stubbs having a drink. He's a Tiny Tim whose leg got fixed. Since he's managed to grow back his tail, we felt a new name was in order. C suggested René which translates as "reborn". I'll probably spin it silly into Renetail.

It's Stampyfest! There was a fifth, who scampered out of the shot. Looks like another species had a large brood this year although not the kind I would attempt to relocate!

Lord Bertram continuing to be a bully at the Diner although one bird came to the feeder with an attitude of "I ain't 'fraid of no cat" while Skye on the pool railing gave a his Lordship a continual scolding-"Bad show, sir, bad show indeed." Sigh.

A most curious event: we were having supper on the deck when we saw Mrs. Mallard land on the pool. She proceeded to flap onto the deck, then onto the ground where she walked around the birch, stopped by the Diner then over by us. Eventually, she flew off. My take on this was she was saying: have you seen that man of mine? We hope nothing tragic has happened to him.

꩜

Fun facts: only about one half of cultures kiss intimately and 10% don't smooch at all.

꩜ 

We've been watching compilations of Rocky and Bullwinkle, a show both of us enjoyed in our childhoods which was written to appeal to adults as well. It struck me how there were subtle educational moments infused such as word play, puns, rhymes, ridiculous non-endings of episodes and big words not usually found in kiddie shows of the era such as Captain Kangaroo and my most loathed Romper Room.  Where else would have used the word "purloined"? I think my Mom, aside from her own enjoyment, figured out that the show inspired a lot of inquiries from little Jeffrey: what does this word mean? who is this person they mentioned? what is the joke here?

Then there was the mysterious narrator of "Fractured Fairy Tales", Edward Everett Horton 1886-1970. Turns out he was a famous actor who had a long career beginning in vaudeville and film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. 

Here he is mugging for Ann Arbor News photographer Eck Stanger in 1957 while in town for the Summer Drama Season.

꩜ 

cutebuddypix:

Tucked in for his morning nap.

Mr. Longfellow indeed

When asked about the recent capture and consumption of a dragonfly, Lord Bertram replied "They're small and they move. Fair game in our world. Besides, sometimes I get a craving for something "snappy". They're like Doritos".

꩜

 

The hydrangeas are beginning to blush. One wonders if the same species of flowering shrubs flower around the same time, at the same latitude (both North and South) around the world.

꩜

We were watching "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret" which in part documents the trials of young girls and their bodies coming of age: getting breasts and having their first period. I thought back to my youth and for a guy, a body event that came close in terms of embarrassment were the spontaneous erections. When stricken, you walked around with a notebook covering your bulging crotch. Fortunately, the problem was universal in Guydom so at least in this case, you didn't feel like a freak. Another remedy was to wear a jockstrap under your unds to help contain your monster. But this was a Hobson's choice: a jock is pretty snug and a PIA to wear ALL day, much like Margaret's reaction to her first bra. Or you walk around with the notebook but of course, everyone knows.

At the time, the Burger King slogan was "it takes two hands to handle a Whopper". In my sophomore year, I was in art class and one of the rougher freshman was holding court with his buds before class began. He was boasting that he had his "whopper pants" on that day, nice and baggy to accommodate his big boy and was rewarded with a large round of guffaws from the lads.

꩜

Lost pastime: one day C pulled out a cinnamon toothpick and mentioned that during the 70's, she and her younger brother Craig would make flavored toothpicks by rolling them in cinnamon and peppermint oil.

꩜

A mourning dove couple did some Astaire/Rogers moves as they fluttered down on a wire.

꩜

It's time for half of the world's population, women, to start running things. Men have for centuries proven themselves unworthy and continually effed life up with their ego, arrogance, greed and cruelty. Now, because of them, the planet's climate is changing to the point of making life unlivable. It has to go further than Lysistrata-it is taking over government and business. Many will be lost in this revolution but I see no other remedy to our crisis. Otherwise, it's all over for us and a large chunk of other species on the planet.

꩜

A symbol of my depression-era parent's post-war ascension to the middle-class: they could afford to not eat liver and tongue.

 

THE WHEEL OF TRADE!!!! SHOW

Wheel of Trade!!! Guests compete for prizes with items they've brought to trade!! Recently...

Mortimer Hedless from Ishpeming is playing. Johnny the host asks the show's catchphrase (audience chants along): Mort-"whatta got to trade??"

"Well Johnny, I have a pair of big buns" replies Mort.

Host and crowd explode into laughter.

 

FLYING WITH BIRDS

Since 1995, Christian Moullec has been flying with birds. He figured out how to imprint young birds to him, then helped them with their annual migration by flying alongside in a microlight airplane. In 2006, he began to offer paying customers to fly with along with him. Currently, such a voyage costs around $700 USD. In this vid, you can see how close he flies with the birds, close enough for the passenger to touch them! Check out the woman at 2.45 who has an accordion strapped to her chest!

Truly unique visuals.

HAPPY 64TH C!

 Bin's burial bush began to bloom!

Rose of Sharon

Happy birthday, Watergirl from your favorite guys!
 

THE MACAQUES OR SNOW MONKEYS OF JAPAN

Macaques live throughout the Japanese islands including the snowy regions where, other than humans, they are the only primate who can live that far North. 

Arthur Morris

The Japanese macaque  has featured prominently in the religion, folklore, and art of Japan, as well as in proverbs and idiomatic expressions in the Japanese language.

In Shinto belief, mythical beasts known as raijū sometimes appeared as monkeys and kept Raijin, the god of lightning, company. The "three wise monkey", who warn people to "see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil", are carved in relief over the door of the famous Tōshō-gū shrine in Nikkō built in the 17th C. This was not the origin of the saying-this philosophy is credited to China, perhaps in the 8th C.

Something that macaques enjoy is communal bathing in hot springs. This is a bonding time for the troop, families and children with lots of mutual grooming and hanging out together.

In a 2018 article in Smithsonian Magazine, researchers found that "taking the waters" produced a stress-reducing hormone in macaques.

Kento Mori

One wonders at what point, early humans on the islands witnessed the macaques behavior and found that it was a pretty good idea. Communal bathing and enjoying the hot springs are quite entrenched in Japanese culture.

 

 

FIVE SECOND STORIES

It's annoying to have YT trying to entice me to speak to the Smart TV.

"Find: watch faster with Voice" 

Try Voice

Be more productive! Be Efficient! Why waste Time! Bad work habits begin at home!

꩜

American neurosis with smells: the huge market of plug-ins and sprays, some containing micro-chips that will notify you when it's time to replace so you don't go a single second without this device pumping some weird, industrial "natural scent" continuously into your environment. 

Now, you just gotta wonder what are the long-term effects on your health (gasp, and your family's)? And you also have a gas stove? Oi Vey! 

꩜

Misseen while out and about: we were on a road trip to familiarize C with her 2-laner route to Saugatuck where she is taking a workshop later this month. In the village of Middleville located South of Grand Rapids, we saw a sign for Beefer Gore Funeral home. Now, there's a lot of cattle raising in the area and I thought "wow, there are so many deaths from cattle horns that there is a funeral home dedicated to these poor souls." Well, no. The  cursive "f" was actually a fancy "L" so the name is actually Beeler Gore. 

꩜

When we reached the Ox Bow workshop compound, we were greeted by a very tame doe.

꩜

Finally, we have had several days of showers. Yesterday, we had 2 downpours that brought .75" in a half hour! I had finally gone out and mowed the lawn. People moan and cry about their brown lawns yet after a week with a scant accumulation of half inch of rain, they were greening up nicely. Relax folks, it doesn't take that much!

꩜

I learned a new word: when squirrels flop like this when it's hot out, it is called "splooting".

꩜

cutebuddypix.com

A warm and muggy afternoon

He like to make "Os" with his tail

꩜

One early evening, it was evident that Buddy was in a hunting mood. Normally, he doesn't mess with customers at the Diner but this day, he scared a couple of patrons out of their minds by sitting under the feeder and looking up. After 10 minutes, he sauntered under the Birch and over to the corner of the shed to give it a sniff to see who may have marked it. He disappeared behind the shed, then returned walking the grassline in front of the honeysuckle and went behind the pool. We are not sure if he was successful but he was out all night.

꩜

Like Bin and Molls, Buddy enjoys getting damp, then coming in for Mom for a drying session. Mom was busy and I heard her say "we only offer a limited drying service, sir. You may finish up using the carpet."

꩜

Blue Mantis shrimp found in subtropical and tropical waters

Front view

And, if you have kids interested in such things, here's a Blue Mantis from Palaeoplushies!

https://www.palaeoplushies.com/shop/peacock-mantis-shrimp-odontodactylus-scyllarus

Who knew?

꩜

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest of all living turtles.

 

Curious evolutionary fun fact: if an egg is incubated in temps below 81.86°F, it will be a male. If the temps are above 88.8°F, it will be female.