This time of year brings exceptional opportunities to view the night
skies without humidity, light clutter and skeeters. All with only your
eyes.
This is my pal Orion - The Hunter - an easily identified winter
constellation in the southern night sky. Doggo and I say good night to
him before turning-in most nights.
I’d like to take the last few moments of 2025 to wish all my friends,
neighbors and acquaintances best wishes for good health, prosperity and
community in the New Year.
On this last day
of the year it seem appropriate to share some highlights of those brief,
fleeting, moments associated with family, travel, food, community and more.
Google Photo periodically furnishes unsolicited photo vignettes using their AI platform
Happy New Year and thank you for reading, following and sharing. See you next year on the flip side....
A couple of weekends ago Ruby and I set out for a walk and a circuit to swap out the SD cards on the trail cameras. Periodically, the dog would stop in her tracks on the trail, give a certain location a long and deliberate sniff followed by peeing on that specific spot. Having accomplished that task at various seemingly random locations we would continue on our way. I had my
suspicions about this scent marking behavior and after I uploaded the
photos from the memory cards onto the laptop sure enough; both red fox and our resident ditch tiger stopping to mark their spot on one of the trails.
Sorta like leaving a business card in someone's door jamb to let them know you've paid a call while you were out.
The close of 2025 is nigh upon us. Looking for something to occupy your time and give you a break from the fire hose gush of nonsense coming from Washington?
Get out and chill out.
The evenings of December 30 and 31 present an opportunity to view both Aldebaran and the star cluster Pleiades.
Aldebaran is the 'eye' of the constellation Taurus - The Bull. In Greek mythology, Atlas' daughters turned into this group of stars. Tonight and tomorrow the moon and Pleiades will cross the sky together in the southeastern sky. Both will be visible for a few hours past midnight. The chart is courtesy of EarthSky.
Fun Fact:
Subaru is the Japanese word for 'unite' as well as a term identifying
this cluster of stars. In 1953, five Japanese companies merged to form
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. The resulting corporation adopted the star
cluster as the official logo for its line of automobiles. Fuji Heavy
Industries, known as Subaru since 2017, is a global leader in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation.
On the road to independence we find ourselves in the winter of 1775-1776 and the patriot cause has ground to a halt. The Continental Army had surrounded and laid siege to Boston but lacked the heavy artillery necessary to drive the the British garrison from the town.
Enter Henry Knox, a Boston bookseller and aspiring artillery officer who proposed a daring solution. Knox would lead a force north; to march 300 miles to Fort Ticonderoga in New York. From there he would disassemble and pack cannon, powder and shot and return across 300 miles of rivers, swamps and frozen wilderness to Boston; bringing the weapons of deliverance to Washington's army.
Knox lacked any formal military training; nevertheless, he had proven himself the previous May when he, Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen ambushed the small British garrison at the fort, capturing it intact, including its artillery. Washington approved the plan and sent newly-commissioned colonel Knox on his mission in late November.
Arriving at the fort, Knox did not delay. Within 24 hours he selected 59 pieces of artillery, including brass and iron mortars, howitzers and cannon, each ranging in weight from 100 lbs. to 5,000 lbs. That was the easy part. Now he had to figure out how he would bring this enormous weight of firepower 300 miles back to Boston in the dead of winter. It would prove to be a logistical challenge like no other: a feat of endurance, ingenuity and sheer determination. Knox's expedition is often referred to as the Noble Train of Artillery.
Image Credit: Tom Lovell (American, 1909-1997), The Noble Train of Artillery, 1946
Knox packed everything on wooden sledges pulled by teams of oxen. While the frozen ground and ice made travel easier than wagons on muddy roads nothing was straightforward or without enormous challenges.
The return route wound south along Lake George, across the Hudson River and east through the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. Conditions were brutal and took a toll on men and beasts.
December 16, 2025 Reenactors
Sleds broke through the ice dumping cannon into lakes and rivers that had to be recovered. Steep hills were a challenge to surmount and a more formidable challenge to descend as the drovers struggled mightily to keep both teams and cargo from cascading out of control.
Against all odds, and in just over two months, the artillery arrived in late January 1776.
On March 4 - 5, under the cover of darkness, Washington's troops positioned the Ticonderoga artillery behind earthworks on the Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston Harbor. When British General William Howe woke the morning of the 5th he arose to the sight of his army and fleet now withing range of cannon positioned on the high ground.
Faced with assaulting fortified positions or evacuating, on March 17 British troops including their Loyalist followers sailed out of Boston Harbor without a fight.
Henry Knox's audacious plan became one of the most celebrated logistical feats of the American Revolution. Knox commanded the Continental Army's artillery for the duration of hostilities and later served as Washington's Secretary of War.
Notably, Knox had never received any formal military training. He owned and ran one of the best-stocked bookshops in Boston: the London Book Store. Knox regularly placed orders to London on behalf of occupying British troops. And when British military technical manuals arrived Knox made a point of putting them aside, reading them and taking copious notes. In particular anything and everything to do with the Royal Artillery. Only after he was finished with his studies did he deliver the order to its British soldier.
Henry Knox's London Book Store on the corner, left.
When the Ticonderoga guns were emplaced on Dorchester Heights and trained on British forces Knox organized the construction of fortifications, fields of overlapping fire and prepared for siege warfare. He supervised and drilled the gun crews on powder load, shot size and fuse timing. He taught the mathematics of trajectory, range and elevation and drilled the crews in the discipline of loading, firing and safety.
At the time America had no formal military academies - Knox
was entirely self-taught. He turned imperial knowledge against the
empire itself; essentially beating the British at their own game. A home-schooled artilleryman and military commander.
National Museum of the United States Army
Fun Facts: Knoxville, Tennessee, the state's first capital, was founded in 1786 and named for Knox while he was Secretary of War. Fort Knox, Kentucky was established in 1918; named for Henry Knox and his role as Washington's chief of artillery and the first Secretary of War. Eight states are home to counties named after Knox.
This ends the short series on the Semiquincentennial as our trip to Boston essentially ended with the end to the Continental Army's siege of Boston. I had high hopes for a post featuring Old Ironsides; alas, the USS Constitution was closed to the public as it is undergoing extensive refitting likely in preparation for being under sail during next year's festivities.
If you're like me and
don't head south for the winter months winter warmth is found in a walk
in the woods with the dog, whipping-up terrific food in the kitchen and
sitting fireside by the wood burner with a book or to watch British
detective series or a good movie.
The
critters that make their home in our woods have their own survival
strategies to get thru winter. Including the addition of new winter
outerwear. They do so by means of molting (shedding) their summer coat
and swapping it out for winter pelage that is a thicker, denser, water
repellent coat of fur that provides superior insulation and
camouflage.
When
you live half-way between the equator and the North Pole the fall molt
is especially important to animals adapted to cold climates. That new
winter coat serves two purposes - warmth and concealment.
This time of year the ubiquitous deer appear fuzzy or chubby in their cold weather wardrobe. Whitetail
deer sport a uniquely adapted winter coat that efficiently absorbs
scarce winter sunlight. Solar heat is trapped by coarse outer guard
hairs - each of which is hollow. For added insulation the layer beneath
is dense and soft - retaining heat close to the skin. Deer also
produce an oily substance that works thru the entire coat to enhance
waterproofing. These insulating qualities are so efficient
that falling snow will collect on the animal without melting. Furthermore, the dull brownish-grey winter coat this time
of year is superb camouflage.
The long-tailed weasel changes into all white winter coat. Brown in the summer months with an
identifying field mark in the form of a black-tipped tail year-round.
This species is larger than the short-tailed weasel and the least weasel - who lacks a black-tipped tail.
Then there is the larger mink who does not sport a
white coat in the winter.
Indeed,
like the mink, the fisher also does not sport white winter camouflage either. One
of the largest members of the weasel family the fisher's coat is
characterized by a soft suppleness and so prized as a fur bearer that is
was oft referred-to as the American Sable.
A few days ago I had to run into town on some holiday errands and encountered this.
One of our resident bald eagles. The bird casually allowed me to snap photos and even reposition the car on the road. As I departed the bird did too. I wonder if he/she deliberately allowed me the convenience of observation and study. Naw. That would be too much Disney-like anthropomorphism.
Thirty years ago these weren’t as common as they are nowadays.
On the south side of County D a short distance from my front door…
From the Gospel of Matthew we all know of the the story about the Magi or the Three Kings. In three paragraphs it goes like this:
Kings? Wise Men? More likely priests or wealthy astrologers who journeyed from Arabia, Babylon or Persia. More importantly, they came to pay homage and to worship Jesus. And they came bearing gifts; rare and expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Symbolically, some would suggest this is significant proof of gentiles recognizing Jesus as king; thus marking a turning point in Christian tradition.
After their arrival the Magi were warned in a dream to avoid King Herod and to return via a different route to throw-off snooping Romans with murderous intentions. An angel also appears to Joseph in a dream with a warning that Herod intends to slay his child. Consequently Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt. They return home only after there is news of Herod's death.
With the passage of time the 'Three Kings' received names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar even though the bible is silent about their identities. Their appearance along with shepherds in nativity scenes is a bit of a historical mash-up; but more about that in a bit.
What about the star?
Was the appearance of the star a literal event or a symbolic literary device?
There is no scientific astronomical evidence to suggest a star moving as described. Due to the Earth's rotation a real star (fixed in the heavens of the northern hemisphere) would be unable to move east to Jerusalem and stop over a house in Bethlehem. It is possible there may have been a supernova, comet or planetary conjunction - naturally-occurring astronomical events - explaining its appearance. Needless to say, some faith traditions suggest the appearance of the star was divine, a genuinely miraculous event.
Only the Gospel of Matthew mentions it; the Gospel of Luke does not. Some biblical scholars have suggested that the appearance of the star may have been a later addition to Matthew's narrative to serve as a literary device - a metaphor or allusion for his audience.
The bible does not specify tell us when Jesus was born. There are only clues such as Herod The Great's reign and a census facilitated under Syrian Governor Quirinius. The Scriptures are silent as to a specific year and date. The birth story of Jesus is found only in the Gospels of Mathew and Luke 1-2 and place his birth during the reign of King Herod. Herod died in 4 BCE; consequently, Jesus was likely born between 7 and 2 BCE. Naturally, this conflicts with the later Christian calendar system. A calendar miscalculated in the 6th century.
Matthew 2:1-12 informs us that the star appeared at Jesus' birth and appeared from the east. Upon the arrival of the Magi; Joseph, Mary and Jesus are living in a house (not a stable) and Jesus is referred-to as a child. Furthermore, Herod orders the slaying of all boys two years of age and under.
The implication is that the star materialized shortly prior to or at the time of Jesus' birth, hypothetically 6–5 BCE. The Magi arrive months or possibly 1-2 years later. Herod dies 4 BCE. The adoration of the Magi would be unlikely to coincide with the visitation of the shepherds.
So why is it only Matthew mentions the star and Luke mentions shepherds instead of Magi?
The answer may be found in their respective audiences. Inasmuch as there was no single and consistent birth narrative in very early Christianity both Matthew and Luke tell a true story as they understood it, using different oral and written traditions shaped by purpose; and complementing one another.
Matthew was preaching to a Jewish audience; consequently, he focused on the fulfillment of old testament scripture and prophecy. Numbers 24:17: A star shall come out of Jacob; symbolism and prophecy signaling the birth of a Jewish king.
Luke was preaching to a Greco-Roman audience; consequently he places an emphasis on shepherds, angels and census records. Stars and astrology add little theological substance and are avoided. Luke explicitly says he chose what to include in Luke 1:1-4; an orderly account of Jesus' life.
In closing, why December 25? First-off it's not a historical date and was likely adopted somewhere around the 4th century. This is because Christian holy days and important events were intentionally chosen over many years to supplant pagan holidays, Roman festivals and themes like those of the triumph of light over darkness. The Winter Solstice comes to mind. This was done for theological, liturgical and evangelical reasons. To be clear, it is not historical conflict; rather it is the intentional telling of Christian theology.
The story of Jesus' birth, the Magi, shepherds, Herod, Matthew and Luke have captured the hearts of untold millions of believers, wanna-believers and the attention of some non-believers. It is a a story rich in drama and allegorical symbolism. It is a fun story readily embraced by children. And as with many things in life; parts of the story are supported by history and science and other parts are articles off faith. Neither are irreconcilable.
Happiest of holidays to all my readers however you celebrate them; or not.
Scored a five pound Amish chicken, humanely-raised and hormone-free.
Stuffed with homemade dressing made last evening. Popped it into the oven on the Convection Roast setting at 12:30 PM. Another bonus crock of additional dressing and a humongous yam anointed in bacon drippings went in 45 minutes later.
Finished everything by 3 PM, including pan dripping gravy and whole kernel sweet corn from the garden.
On account of today being Christmas, Friday Morning Music arrives on Thursday this week.
Composed by Greg Lake with lyrics by Peter Sinfield this tune periodically gets an undeserved anti-religion rap. The truth of the matter is Lake wrote the song in protest of the commercialization of Christmas. Sinfield has insisted that the words are about the loss of innocence and childhood belief. So, I dunno. Combination of the two?
Released as a debut solo single in 1975 it reached Number 2 of the UK Singles Chart. This happens to be a YouTube Short compilation - full length recordings are available on YouTube.
The Bible story of the virgin birth is at the center of
much of the holiday cheer this time of year. The book of Luke tells us that
Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus decreed a census
should be taken. Mary gave birth after arriving in Bethlehem and placed baby
Jesus in a manger because there was no room for them in the
inn.
Some people think Mary
and Joseph were mistreated by a greedy innkeeper, who only cared about profits
and decided the couple was not worth his normal accommodations.
This version of the story (narrative) has been repeated many times in plays,
skits, and sermons. It fits an anti-capitalist mentality that paints business
owners as greedy, or even evil.
It persists even though the Bible records no complaints and there was
apparently no charge for the stable. It may be the stable was the only place
available. Bethlehem was over-crowded with people forced to return to their
ancestral home for a census – ordered by the Romans – for the purpose of
levying taxes. If there was a problem, it was due to unintended consequences of
government policy. In this narrative, the government caused the problem.
The innkeeper was generous to a
fault – a hero even. He was over-booked, but he charitably offered his stable,
a facility he built with unknowing foresight. The innkeeper was willing and
able to offer this facility even as government officials, who ordered and
administered the census, slept in their own beds with little care for the
well-being of those who had to travel regardless of their difficult life
circumstances.
If you must find
"evil" in either of these narratives, remember that evil is
ultimately perpetrated by individuals, not the institutions in which they
operate. And this is why it's important to favor economic and political systems
that limit the use and abuse of power over others. In the story of baby Jesus,
a government law that requires innkeepers to always have extra rooms, or to
take in anyone who asks, would "fix" the problem.
But these laws would also have
unintended consequences. Fewer investors would back hotels because the cost of
the regulations would reduce returns on investment. A hotel big enough to
handle the rare census would be way too big in normal times. Even a bed and
breakfast would face the potential of being sued. There would be fewer hotel
rooms, prices would rise, and innkeepers would once again be called greedy. And
if history is our guide, government would chastise them for price-gouging and
then try to regulate prices.
This does not mean free markets are perfect or create utopia; they
aren't and they don't. But businesses can't force you to buy a service or
product. You have a choice – even if it's not exactly what you want. And good
business people try to make you happy in creative and industrious ways.
Government doesn't always care. In
fact, if you happen to live in North Korea or Cuba, and are not happy about the
way things are going, you can't leave. And just in case you try, armed guards
will help you think things through.
This is why the Framers of the US Constitution made sure there were
"checks and balances" in our system of government. These checks and
balances don't always lead to good outcomes; we can think of many times when
some wanted to ignore these safeguards. But, over time, the checks and balances
help prevent the kinds of despotism we've seen develop elsewhere.
Neither free market capitalism, nor the
checks and balances of the Constitution are the equivalent of having a true
Savior. But they should give us all hope that the future will be brighter than
many seem to think.
While out running errands today I gassed-up the Missus' Honda and paid a whopping $2.299 per gallon for unleaded regular. Full disclosure, I used a BP/AMOCO rewards card saving 15 cents a gallon at the pump and also good for all sorta cash back on other purchases like groceries, Fleet Farm, restaurants or Costco stuff. The card is free and everyone should have an rewards program in their gas fueling protocol to bring the everyday price per gallon even lower.
You're probably thinking, why are prices lower anyway? It depends who you talk to. If you speak with an economist the answer is supply. The world oil market is awash in crude oil and as a consequence the price at the pump has fallen. If something were to change; either on the supply side or on the demand side it will impact the price for good or bad.
If you talk to a MAGA idolater it is because the president controls the price at the pump. Just like magical wishful thinking the president can dial it up or down at will. I'm not making this up. I can think of six people I am acquainted-with on a personal basis who believe this like it was an article of faith. Oh well.
The bottom line is this is a great time to be a consumer and not so much if you operate an oil services company or energy company. Persistent low prices over extended periods of time create a disincentive to exploration and drilling which catches-up to supply, eventually.
Learn more about the risks and opportunities here...
Originally a traditional German folk song this tune had
little if anything to do with Christmas - or describe a decorated Christmas
tree. The original lyrics had everything
to do with a fir tree’s evergreen quality as a symbol of constancy and
faithfulness.You see, a Tannenbaum is a
fir tree. The folk song eventually
became associated with the celebration of Christmas when Ernst Anschütz added
two additional verses of his own to the traditional verse in 1824. The custom of the Christmas tree developed in
the course of the 19th centuryand with Anschütz’s
changes the song came to be seen as a Christmas carol early in the 20th
century. Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles. My contribution to getting my friends in the spirit of the holiday...
The hiemal solstice or hibernal solstice, sometimes
called midwinter or astronomical winter. More commonly known as the winter solstice this event occurs when the
Sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.4 degrees. It is that point
in time when the sun is exactly over the Tropic of Capricorn.In other words - when the North Pole is
tilted furthest away from the Sun. If you are persnickety we will enjoy only 8 hours and 46 minutes of daylight today.
Meteorological winter is the three coldest months of the year which happen to be December, January and February in the northern hemisphere. This system is used by meteorologists because it groups seasons into tidy 90 day temperature cycles convenient for tracking weather statistics.
This is different from astronomical winter - which is based on the earth's position relative to the sun. As a consequence, on this date for anyone residing in Antarctica (the South Pole) - the opposite is true. Today you would observe the
Midnight Sun and enjoy 24 hours of sunlight.For us living in the northern hemisphere tonight will be the longest
night of the year. This is to say that
after this evening the daylight hours will begin to grow longer in the days and
weeks to follow leading up to the Summer Solstice in June and the longest day of the year.
If today is nice and
sunny be sure to go outside at 9:03 AM to observe your shadow.On the solstice your shadow is the longest it
will be all year.
Before bedtime you may want to go outside to
observe the heavens and raise a toast to the winter solstice. And maybe howl at the moon.
Fingers-crossed for cold, clear, winter night skies.
Cheers!
*Edit to add: I was up before sunrise, poured myself a cuppa joe, and shot an azimuth of the solstice sunrise.
Most stargazers consider the reliably prolific Geminid meteor shower the final act for any given year. Yet, there happens to be one more notable meteor shower on-deck that is frequently overlooked.
The Ursids.
With 5 to 10 shooting stars per hour the peak of this meteor shower will occur during the overnight hours of December 21-22 as it passes thru the debris field of Comet 8P/Tuttle.
The Ursids get their name as their radiant is located in the constellation Ursa Minor (Little Bear). This constellation moves in a circle around Polaris - the North Star. The New Moon is December 19 so we're assured of dark skies. Activity can be viewed all night.
Fingers-crossed for cold, clear viewing conditions.
For some odd reason it occurred to me the other day that the movements in the title of this post have spanned a significant portion of my life and most of my career in the financial services business as a Registered Investment Advisor.
The common acronym for socially responsible investing is SRI and the concept has been around for awhile. SRI utilizes a screening process that excludes investments in industries or specific companies engaged in business or activities that an individual may consider undesirable. Varying by individual investor, SRI popularly excluded companies engaged in the manufacturing or sale of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, gambling and the like.
The movement has its roots in faith-based investing and the anti war movement during the Vietnam conflict. In 1971 it led to the first ethical mutual fund - Pax Fund (renamed Impax Funds in 2022). By the time I joined the fray in 1980 popular divestment campaigns in opposition to South African apartheid raised the profile of SRI and its potential for drawing attention to social change. The movement achieved broader recognition with the adoption of the Domini Social Index in 1990 - recognizing the US Social Investment Forum and the growth of assets in this sector.
In 2004 the acronym ESG was coined. Named for a new emerging movement known as Environmental, Social and Governance; it introduced specific environmental, social and governance factors into traditional financial analysis to better assess a company's risks, opportunities and long term sustainability. Financial considerations have continued to remain the primary focus of ESG. In its nascent years ESG was a niche or boutique movement - a small frog in an enormous investment pond. Notably, SRI didn't go away; as a matter of fact it persists to this day.
By 2010, driven by global climate crises and events along with growing corporate support driven by evidence that sustainability improved returns; ESG entered the mainstream.
ESG initiatives have boosted profitability by means of reducing waste and improving operating efficiencies. They also enhance brand imaging which improves market position and attracts customers and talent. Stock prices benefit from enhanced stability as a consequence of managing risks associated with everything from labor issues, to brand loyalty to long term climate-smart resourcefulness.
For sure there are mixed results among specific industry sectors including emerging vs. mature markets; and there is not universal success in every single company. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that ESG may provide a strategic advantage leading to long-term value creation over short-term gains.
click on image to enlarge
While the terms SRI and ESG are frequently
used interchangeably there are nuanced differences. SRI is
values-driven (who you won't invest-in); while ESG is data-driven (evaluation
of risks and opportunities).
Why is this important? When evaluating the application of the former vs. the latter in the drafting of an investment policy consider a very common misconception about the ownership of common stock. Aside from an IPO (initial public offering) your purchase of a stock does not 'support' the company. Nor does your divestment of a stock 'undermine' the company. This is because it is not a transaction between you and the company; it is a transaction between you and the previous stock owner.
If you don't care to own shares of an armaments manufacturer because it is cross-ways with your value system that is perfectly OK. The company will pay dividends to whomever owns the shares on the record date and it cares little for whom that person or entity happens to be unless you are amassing so much stock that you are approaching majority ownership. This is why companies are generally mum in response to divestment campaigns. They're a welcome distraction from other, more potent, forms of activism such as a product boycotts. A scenario altogether better managed by means of the latter vs. the former.
Don't take my work for it, speak with your trusted financial advisor about how this may, or may not, impact you.
Composed by the songwriting duo Lou Adler and Herb Alpert (who knew?) this was released April 1960 by Keen Records. It had been recorded during an impromptu session a year earlier during Sam Cooke's final recording session at Keen. By the time 1960 rolled-around Cooke had signed with RCA Victor and the previously unreleased cut was released as a competitive single. Cooke subsequently revised the lyrics to make it his own.
The song ended-up performing substantially better on the charts that several of his early RCA singles becoming Cooke's biggest single since You Send Me (1957). The single peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit number two on Billboard's Hot R&B chart.
Nice cover of Wonderful World by Richie and the High Street Rockers.....
Likely I haven’t enjoyed this since traveling somewhere. It’s been awhile.
Clockwise from 6 o’clock: Salade César, baked tater (butter, sour cream
& scallions) and locally-sourced lamb. Medium to medium rare.
A special treat.
Cheers!
Beginning last month and through February this constellation can be found traversing the southern night sky.
Orion - a familiar image situated on the celestial equator -
is one of the most recognizable constellations in the
night sky. Finding Orion's Belt is the easiest way to locate the Orion
Constellation. Orion's Belt is formed by three bright stars; Alnilam,
Mintaka and Alnitak.
Named for Orion 'The Hunter' of Greek mythology the
constellation's brightest stars are blue-white Rigel and red
Betelgeuse. The most noticeable part of Orion is Orion’s
Belt – with the alignment
of three stars sure to catch your eye. Hanging from The
Hunter’s belt is a sword identified as three fainter stars. The
central star of the sword is actually not a star at all – it is the
Great Orion Nebula.
In the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere
this time of year Orion appears to be lying on his side – with the
Belt stars pointing upward – when he rises in the eastern sky.
click on the image for a closer look
This photo was taken a couple weeks ago with my iPhone 14 Pro at midnight, from the porch, looking south. The unusual brightness is the timing of the photo with the December Cold Full Moon. A larger and brighter Super Moon.
As the story goes - Orion hunted along the river Eridanus along with his ever-present dogs – Canis Major
and Canis Minor. With his dogs Orion stalked various celestial
animals including Lepus the rabbit, and Taurus the bull. In the
mythology of the ancient Greeks Orion was in love with Merope - one
of the Seven Sisters forming the constellation Pleiades. Alas,
Merope spurned Orion’s advances. Tragically, the heartbroken Orion met his end
when he was stung by Scorpious the scorpion.
Nevertheless, the gods were kind and they consequently
fixed Orion permanently in the heavens with his two dogs. The
creatures he hunted were placed in the sky as constellations as well.
With foresight the gods exiled Scorpius to the opposite side of the
heavens so that Orion would forever be safe from harm.
Visibility peaks this month and January. Raising a toast to cold, clear skies and star gazing.
From time to time I have discussed the interactions of red fox and coyotes if their territories overlap and share the same turf. It's generally not collegial.
I cannot speak to the nature of their coexistence around here inasmuch as I have no evidence of it being good, bad or inconsequential.
Here are some coyote trail camera images and video retrieved from the most recent batch. This afternoon I'll publish fox imagery taken from the same batch and same time span.
Between you and me Old Wiley has probably robbed that loose cat around here of a couple of her lives....
If you are on the receiving end of several inches of overnight snow and have a leftover stale baguette laying around; here's a tip for a snow day breakfast.
Cut your baguette in half inch slices and soak in a batter of two beaten eggs, a splash of milk, and a couple dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Fry in butter to make miniature French toasts.
I like mine with a drizzle of maple syrup and it occurred to me I should have added a dash of vanilla extract. A FB friend suggested almond extract.
If I hadn't done this that baguette might have gone to the birds.
I 've been thinking about this off and on for a couple of days and initially concluded that drawing any further attention to this perversity was a waste of valuable bandwidth. But after 24 hours of observing a (thankfully) small number of my MAGA acquaintances using Face Book to ghoulishly bask in the reflected glory of the murder of an Hollywood liberal this is my conclusion.
I take no issue with satire, sarcasm or general snarkiness; I use it myself. Nevertheless, I was raised to not gloat about murder or another family's very personal tragedy. It is inconsistent with expectations of a Christian. Trump's Tweet is not tone deaf; it is wrong. And while I personally consider this over the line and unpresidential; I fully expect more of the same from Donald Trump.
Posts
