Last of the Leaves Again

My earlier post had iPhone photos only, as I forgot to pack the connecting cord for the Cannon. Here are a few photos I took November 4 near Ithaca, New York, walking or with the car stationary.

These are in the order they were taken.

Lake Cayuga

Lake Cayuga closer

Lakeside park

Again, Lake Cayuga is in the background.

Back yard 11-14-13

In Alaska it’s above freezing (rare for this time of year) and we had mixed rain and snow last night — enough that schools are closed again today, driving is extremely hazardous, and power is out rather spottily throughout the area. (Mine went out around 1 am and came on just before 7. ) My regular station is off the air — lacks power to broadcast, according to their e-mail  — and the ones I could get were intended to be music. I did manage to get a bit of news around 7 which was all I heard about school closing, the fact that many traffic lights were out, and the widespread local power outages. I’ll add an up to date shot of my yard with the current storm when it gets light enough to take a picture, just for contrast and “Why did I fly home?” The water content of the snowpack has actually increased a lot more than the relatively minor increase in depth would suggest, and the wind and the warm temperatures (it was actually above freezing when I took the picture) have pretty well removed the snow from the bushes.

Quotes from Jane Austen

These are the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling from November 7 through November 13, 2013. All but the first are from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

“Angry people are not always wise.” Caroline Bennett persists in making unfavorable comments about Elizabeth, which are not advancing her case with Darcy.

“If she heard me it was by good luck, for I am sure she did not listen.” Elizabeth’s Aunt Gardiner in a letter to her neice mentioning Lydia’s behavior before her marriage.

“We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing.” Elizabeth to Jane, who has been trying to convince her that she and Bingley meet only as indifferent acquaintances.

“Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me.” Jane after her engagement to Bentley, when her father says they will be so generous as always to exceed their income.

“Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I can never have your happiness.” Elizabeth to Jane, shortly after Jane’s engagement, when Jane is hoping Elizabeth might someday be as happy.

“What did you say of me, that I did not deserve?” Darcy to Elizabeth, speaking of the first time he took it for granted she would accept his proposal.

“What can I do to help?” Tourist Trap, by Sue Ann Bowling. Penny is wondering if there is any way she can help Roi to Heal the stricken horse, Token.

P.S: That second winter storm (snow mixed with rain) has hit, and the roads are so slick school has been cancelled and the DOT is advising everyone who can to stay off the roads.

Betrothed to Mr. Darcy by Violet Bedford (Review)

The engagement of Elizabeth Bennett to Mr. Darcy must have had some rocky spots, especially considering Mrs. Bennett’s partiality (and willingness to express it) toward Lydia and her husband. Ms. Bedford has written a book covering the time between Elizabeth’s acceptance of Darcy and the actual wedding (if it takes place at all) in which the truths of Darcy’s first proposal and those expressed by Lady Catherine de Burgh, and the possible effect of the marriage on Georgiana, come home to both Elizabeth and Darcy. Georgiana cannot bear to hear Wickham’s name; how will she react to having him as a brother-in-law, especially when Mrs. Bennett is so fond of him and completely oblivious to the pain she may be inflicting on others?

Mrs. Bennett is wonderfully drawn, and if possible even more difficult than she was in the original book. Elizabeth, Darcy, and Georgiana remain true to their characters also. Mr. Bennett I am not so sure of. In the original book he is if anything relieved to be indebted to a “violent young lover who will carry everything his own way;” in this he is more jealous of his own pride.

The story perhaps has a tendency to quote too much from the original Pride and Prejudice, and the ending is a little abrupt. But on the whole it was an enjoyable read.

(I should mention that I was introduced to this book by a blog hop in which I regularly participate: the Weekend Writing Warriors. I first saw it eight sentences at a time, and was intrigued enough to get the book on Kindle when it came out.)

North Pole Weather, 11/11/13

I’m home again, and back on standard time. The sun will rise this morning at 9:14 am, and will set after 6 hours 41 minutes at 3:55 this evening. It’s only about 7.6° above the horizon at noon, now, and there’s enough snow on the ground that what little radiation reaches us is mostly reflected right back to space.

We had a winter storm over the weekend. Snow this time of year is welcome; it helps insulate the ground and keeps the frost from getting too deep into the ground. This storm, however, had enough warm air aloft to produce freezing rain mixed with the snow. Not a good start to the winter. Luckily, I restocked the refrigerator and freezer Friday, so I just stayed home and avoided the slippery roads Saturday and Sunday. But we did go from about an inch of snow when I got home to nearly 8” by sunset yesterday. Today? I’ll find out when it gets light.

I think my balance is a little better, and my hair is still returning.

P. S. As of 11:30 am it looks as if the snow has settled a little, to about 6″ depth. But we are also being told to brace for another winter storm later in the week.

Weekend Writing Warriors: Homecoming

It’s Sunday again, and time for Weekend Writing Warriors (click on the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click on the logo below.) Today I’m posting 8 sentences from my first published book, Homecoming available in all formats from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

Continued from last week: Nik is speaking to Derik.

Photo Source

“And you’re dead right about the muscle tone. He’s moving his body entirely by telekinesis and levitation – no muscle control at all. I didn’t catch on because he wouldn’t let me into his mind, I didn’t think he was capable of that kind of esper control, and I was giving him some electrical stimulation to keep the muscles from wasting too much until he regained control. Five months without that – he’s a mess physically.”

“And he’s obviously not properly blocked,” Derik added. He was thinking faster than he could move, stunned by Nik’s insistence that they’d caught only a fraction of the boy’s possible reaction. Like Lai and Nik, he had assumed that the boy was a latent – carrying almost the full suite of R’il’nian genes, but expressing only a fraction of them. He’d caught only a fraction of the reaction – not nearly as much as Nik.

And even that fraction was enough to flatten Derik.

Jarn’s Journal Year 8 Day 195

Year 8, Day 195

The landscapes and shorelines are very different on this northern side of the tideless sea. Not only is the ocean bottom so jumbled it produces a maze of inlets and islands, the land mass to the west is cut into a similar form, with peninsulas and water surrounding a mountainous interior. Farther west, the coast again trends northward and west.

Wild Boar (photo credit)

The animals differ, as well. There are creatures like zebras, but only faintly striped and making quite different sounds. Others vaguely resemble buffalo, while still others look rather like antelope with branched horns, or warthogs without the warts.

The trees are similar to those I’ve been seeing since well north of the salt lake, including two varieties with large seeds which are now turning from green to brown and dropping to the forest floor. The warthogs-without-warts were gobbling them up with great enthusiasm, so I put samples of both types in my collecting bag. Given their tusks, I was glad of the warnoff.

It was close to evening and I was resting with my back against a tree when one of the hogs came staggering into the clearing where I sat, straight towards me. Blood was dripping from its mouth, and while I was not sure whether it was its own or if it had used those formidable tusks on another, I stopped its heart in self-defense. Warnoffs don’t always work on an animal already in a blood-lust.

What to do with the carcass? Warthogs can be good eating if they have been feeding on seeds and fruit, though if they have been eating carrion or fish – well, I prefer my fish first hand. If this one had been eating the large seeds, however ….

I decided to see what Rainbow could do with it, and teleported the hog, which turned out to be a fairly young sow, to her.

Quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien

These are the contexts of the quotes tweeted from @sueannbowling from October 31 though Nov 6. All but the last are from The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Map of the Misty Mountains, from the original English version of the book.

“They delved too greedily and too deep.” The dwarves mined too deep in Moria, looking for mithril, and awoke Durin’s Bane.

“They came beyond hope under the sky and felt the wind on their faces.” The fellowship has just escaped from Moria.

“We dare not by our own trust endanger our land.” Haldir, explaining why Gimli, and thus all the fellowship, must go blindfolded through Lorien.

“I can’t bear to think of bringing the news to him.” Frodo, thinking of bringing the news of Gandalf’s death to Bilbo.

“It’s like being at home and being on a holiday at the same time.” Sam’s remarks on Lorien, as they prepare to leave.

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.” Sam’s gaffer’s advice, very apt to their having to leave Lorien to go on with their quest to destroy the ring.

“It’s far too much responsibility to be anything but voluntary.” Homecoming, by Sue Ann Bowling. Derik, assuring Flame that Roi would not be forced into the responsibility he fears.

End of the Leaves–Ithaca

Yesterday the sun shone in Ithaca, and my brother-in-law took my suster and I for a drive to see the last of the autumn leaves. It froze hard last night, so leaves were falling fast, but there was a little color left. I took about half of the photos with my iPhone (for which I remembered to bring the cable) and half with my Cannon, for which the cable is back in Alaska. I thought I’d share a few of the iPhone photos.

Most of the iPhone photos were taken through the windshield while the car was moving.

On the streets of Ithaca. Notice how many leaves are on the ground.

Road on the west side of Lake Cayuga.

Weather in North Pole, AK, Ithaca, NY, and Sierra Vista, AZ, 2/4/13

The sun rose in North Pole at 8:50 this morning, and will set 7 hours 27 ½ minutes later at 4:18, never rising more than 9.6° above the horizon. There is only a trace of snow on the ground, but this time of year even a little change in the reflectivity of the ground keeps the temperature down. Cloudy skies and occasional snow or freezing drizzle seem to be all that is forecast until I return home. I hope the snow isn’t too deep by the time I get back, though temperatures are still forecast to be above 0° F.

In Ithaca, New York, where I am right now, the sun rose at 6:43 this morning and will set 10 hours 13 minutes later at 4:55 after a maximum height above the horizon of about 32°. It was in the 50’s last week, but Sunday was snow (non-sticking) with temperatures in the 30’s. Today it’s supposed to be sunny, with temperatures in the 40’s. Sadly the leaves are well past their peak, but there is still enough color to enjoy.

It’s still quite a change from Sierra Vista. Sunrise there was 6:44 am, sunset will be 5:31, and the day length will be 10 hours 47 minutes. The sun has a higher arc, too, reaching 42.2 minutes, and the temperatures should be in the 70’s today. North Pole is really going to seem cold when I go home.

And my hair is still coming back from chemo.

Weekend Writing Warriors: Homecoming

Photo Source

It’s Sunday again, and time for Weekend Writing Warriors (click on the logo above) and Snippet Sunday (click on the logo below.) Today I’m posting 8 sentences from my first published book, Homecoming, available in all formats from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iUniverse.

This is a continuation from last week, and Derik is speaking. Intense esper activity lowers blood sugar, by the way, so “esper shock” (hypoglycemia or insulin shock) is a constant danger for espers. Derik is responding to Ander’s dumping Roi in the pool when things went south.

“Good thinking. Now get some food into him. Get his blood sugar up,” Derik replied. He straightened up cautiously to stagger past Vara, on her way to the service pillar, and dropped to his knees by Nik’s side. “How bad?” he asked.

“Broken collarbone, some bruises, and one hell of a headache, but I suspect every esper on the island shares that. Derik, he pulled most of it. It was a brainstem reaction, and the instant he was aware of it he pulled it.”

So it wasn’t deliberate on Roi’s part, just lack of control.

Incidentally, last week’s image was of V 838 Monocerotis, taken April 30,2002. This week’s is the same star taken May 20 the same year. I’ll have more shots taken in September and December the same year, as well as one from 2006.