Bandwidth

I was talking with a pal of mine from Jacksonport the other day who shared with me his oft-repeated lamentation of limited and crappy internet connections.  Of how satellite is his only viable option.  DSL remains limited in scope aside from population centers and building-out of infrastructure.  Cable is non-existent in the countryside.  It isn't just natural gas, city water and sewer - it is technology too.  Such is the lot of many of us who choose to live in rural America.  Reminds me of rural electrification around the time before and after WWII.

Today the CenturyTel (CenturyLink) technician arrived and both connected and activated our new high speed internet.  

I have to tell you it's almost like living with big city urban internet - without all the neighbors.

We'll see how it holds-up under the strain of a household full of guests with all of them staring into their phones.

Raising a toast to broadband.... 

Schneehirsch

Snow deer.  

Sure enough - if you look carefully that deer looks sort of fuzzy or chubby in a winter coat.  

Whitetail deer sport a uniquely adapted winter coat that includes coarser outer guard hairs for added insulation.  The insulating qualities are so efficient that snow on the deer doesn't even melt.  The dull brownish-grey winter coat this time of year is superb camouflage. 

The whitetail deer is a remarkably adaptable animal - all the way down to below zero.

click on images for a closer look

Mr. Fixit

Day two of dysfunctional governance.

Waiting...

Snow Caterpillar

While out for a hike with the dogs Jill spied this critter crawling across the snow-covered trail.

 

click on the image for a better look

 

A caterpillar making its way across the snow. 

 

According to the interweb this is Noctua pronuba.  Sometimes called winter or snow cutworms. They are closely related to other cutworm species found in agricultural fields, feeding at the base of plants and sometimes moving up onto foliage. In large numbers, caterpillars move across fields and roads, similar to armyworm. However, unlike other caterpillar species winter cutworm is very cold tolerant, emerging even in the winter to feed. Thus if a large cutworm-like caterpillar is found late in the fall or during the winter, it is likely Noctua pronuba. 

 

The adult of this species is known as the yellow underwing. It is native to Europe, where it is one of the most common Noctuid moths. In 1979, this species was found in Nova Scotia. Adults are strong fliers, thus it spread rapidly across the northern U.S. Moths are night-active, found commonly around lights in the later summer and fall.
 

Sunset

Sunset is here and gone in a matter of seconds.  Geez.  Almost missed it.... 

Government Open For Business

With the government shut down and Democrats and Republicans blaming each other it is refreshing to know that local government is open for business.

I loaded the pick-up with four barrels of recyclables and went to the dump.

Precautions

As cold as it has been I have moved the strategic and generally scarce-variety-of-beer reserved to the bunker.

It shall remain secure here with the similarly critical canned tomato and canned tomato juice strategic reserve.

Raising a toast to Bloody Marys made with homemade juice and a Yuengling or OV chaser.

 Cheers!