June 30

Last day of June!!

The US Geological Survey team is checking the water table in Western Nebraska. The equipment includes a helicopter and some odd contraption that is hauled along like a banner towed over a sports arena.

Except this looks really weird and it's difficult to figure out how it works. And it's huge like a pivot sprinkler. This is going to take some investigation.

And on closer view from right to left;

More to follow, I hope.

June 29

Old Blue.

A truck very similar to this one appeared in the novel, bearing three characters, just before a hand-carried missile launcher blew out the driver's side door.

This car was parked right outside the bank this morning, and carried a red 5-gallon container of gasoline in the front passenger's seat, a dirty rag stuffed in the spout. It reminds me of one of my old cars impounded for ugliness. No word if there was a bomb threat in front of the bank today.

Traveling again today. This time away from Denver, and the high plains.
Nothing so rare as a day in June.

June 28

There is a beaded doorway leading to a banquet.

It's a June wedding reception!

Preceded by a wedding kiss.

Followed by wedding cake, of course.

I'm not making this up!

June 27

Loons. I had a loon video. However, ...

This alien loony computer doesn't have video capability. Maybe this should be a words only entry. After all, the novel is not going to have videos or pictures or multimedia performance art. OMG. "Can this really be the end? To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again."

Sure enough, driving through Sterling, CO, the bank clock thermometer blinked 103. Hot and dry. Loons cannot survive here. But the wheat fields are turning from bright green to yellow. They are a beautiful chartreuse, the color of lies. That's just what the color wheel says.

So, no loons, just lunacy. Wheat the color of lies. And a novel that refuses to be written.

June 26

Fuel tank contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

The fuel valve must be open. "Open wide, thanks."

The fuel strainer must be operative to keep the gunk out of the fuel. Liver, spleen, intestines and kidneys in working order.

Carburetor, carburetor...

The carburetor is the reservoir that serves two purposes. First it increases the speed of airflow through a restriction (venturi) and second, it draws the fuel into the flowing airstream. The airplane needs an air to fuel ratio of 15 to 1. More than that, it's leaned. Less than that, it's rich.

Of course this means to get lean what is required is more breathing, less eating. Duh, brilliant.

Hikers need somehow to compress the air at altitude to better mix with the fuel and provide combustion. Forced compressed air. Turbo charge!! Hyperventilation and breath holding, or bottled oxygen and a positive pressure breathing system. That's it, I've exhausted my fuel.

.

June 25

How's your summer going for you? It's Christmas in June.

Traveling to Denver today, hot and dry by weather.com information.

Here's a Christmas tree and a video of ice chittering during ice-out at the lake.

Keep cool!

June 24

Every time I park in this lot under the tree for shade, the same sparrow perches on a side mirror of the car, sizes up his companion in the mirror world, and does his dance. Is he trying to chase Mirror Sparrow away? Maybe he's in love instead. Maybe he's singing "It had to be you".

I've seen people look in mirrors like this. Fluff fluff, peck peck. Classic obsessive behavior. It's why I always park under the same tree.

June 23

"Buk Buk"

my brother said, in reference to his buddy resting instead of climbing to 14,000 feet.

My flight instructor has named one of his chickens Barby Q.

This entry is scratching at the dirt in the bottom of the coop.

June 22

Mount Chocorua

Elevation 3,500 feet

Brook Trail up

Liberty Trail down
7.5 miles total

In honor of summer

Chocorua is an Indian word that, on this hike, means

"Clouds of ear-loving gnats"

Claymore Brook, 1.0 mile

Juncture of Brook and Liberty Trails, 3.4 miles


Viewing Pleasant Mountain from the summit, 3.7 miles


Descending via Liberty Trail, 3.9 miles

Summer

"Summer, a fat horse, tender against the spurs" Wm Kloefkorn

A recipe sent by a recluse who secretly wishes to be a warlock.

Although this will be made with all the true ingredients, it kinda makes one want to add tincture of ticks and ants in honor of the summer cauldron. Today promises hazy, hot and humid. And dreaming of what you don't have, like winter, won't help. Which brings me to cake. The reason it's been on my mind is just that; dreaming what I don't have.

This book contains no SUGAR!

Well, carrying the least amount of weight while hiking at altitude, got me to thinking about high protein, low carbohydrates to drop pounds. Hence the South Beach Diet. And, cake came up on Day 3. It is now Day 11. Climbing Pleasant Mountain is not easy without sugar. In fact, it's near impossible, and I'd like to discourage myself from trying it again. But it's summer, a fat horse, tender against the spurs. And muscles require fuel, and fuel most readily accessible is sugar. Get going, girl.

Knock Knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Knock Knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Knock Knock. Who's there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad I didn't say banana?

This should be the last cake entry for those who tire of obsessive behavior.

Happy Summer. May you live happily in the fullness of the season.

Fathers Day and Anniversary

Every time we drive by this sign, I think we should express some over-the-top emotion. Instead, we both shout out "Gushee!" and say it like Gooshy. Of course it reminds me of cake. But Father's Day and Wedding Anniversary should be both gushy and gooshy. Flowers, poetry, paper cards, wrapped gifts, a candlelight dinner, Gushee!

Victoria's Secret is having the semiannual sale. Staples is having a sale, ending today. Hmmm pretty lingerie, or paper products. Gushee!

Golf will be on television for 18 hours. Pleasant Mountain is within 45 minutes drive time. There's an airplane floating right outside the lake house. Gushee!

All you Fathers out there, have a Gushee day. I'll choose the irises please, Gushee!

June 19

Cake Counter at Hannaford's

It's easy to dream of cake when you're hiking without it.

Also ice cream and pizza and fresh salad and bananas and anything in a bottle or can.

June 18

This is what I wrote on the napkin tucked into the windshield wiper:

"Woman in white, Q: 'How long does Love, with a capital L, last?'
Woman in purple jacket, A: 'Love, with a captial L, is outside of time. Love is not bounded by time. Love has always been and will always be.'"

I am very pleased with my answer. In lieu of the Cheshire Cat, Buddha appears, grinning:

June 17

How long does Love, with a capital L, last?

On one of the recent practice hikes up Pleasant Mountain, I overheard part of a conversation between three college-aged women who were climbing up as I was descending. The three women were physically disparate. The first was a tall blonde with a scalloped and scooped neckline that showed off her bosom in the style of young women today. The second was dark, petite, wearing a dark brown pork pie hat, and climbing with a 6 foot walking stick. The third woman wore a long unbecoming white T shirt with some orange lettering. She had long light brown hair and was the one talking.

To the leader I said, "Good morning" and stood aside to let them go by.

As they passed, I heard the last woman say, "How long does Love, with a capital L, last?"

And then they were gone. There was only a quarter mile left for me in the descent, and I thought about this question. Who was she talking to? What did they answer? Who was she talking about? What would be my answer to a question like that?

So at the car, there was just one other vehicle, a silver SUV, in the lot. It must belong to them, right? I got a napkin out of my glove compartment, a pen out of the cup holder, and wrote my answer. I folded the napkin, and lifted the windshield wiper of the SUV to secure the note. Then I drove off. Can you imagine what they might have thought on arriving back at their car and discovering the napkin note?

What would your answer be?

June 16

Raktabija was one of the Hindu demons who rose up to battle the gods. His name means Blood Seed. A thousand demons sprung up from the spilling to earth of one drop of his blood. Imagine the battlefield, the horror! You'd better not lop off his head or chop off any limb because you'd have a million more demons to contend with.

Kaali was summoned and drank all the blood of the Raktabijas while they were killed at battle, before any blood reached the ground. She saved the day, the fierce and bloodthirsty Goddess of Destruction and Darkness.

This morning a sneering picture of Raktabija was hanging on the walls of all my cells. Not good. For Raktabija, that is. Steak for breakfast, blood pudding for lunch and blood sausage for supper. And not a drop was spilled. But was that steak, or cake? Blood pudding or chocolate pudding? Blood sausage or Polish sausage?

June 15

Studying engines again.

It doesn't get any easier. The brain runs from image to image, flitting, unable to concentrate. This picture looks familiar. Something I've seen before.

The last cycle of a 4-stroke engine.
Exhaust!ion.
What was it this reminded me of?

Underside of a Dust mite

See how this looks just like the 4-stroke engine? Just put these images side by side. One could become exhausted trying to keep up with the brain and its dusting.

Best go eat more cake.

Flag Day

This wasn't exactly the picture I had in mind for Flag Day. But it's not bad. I have a little flag pin bought from Avon years ago, that I used to wear every June 14th. Things disappear, people disappear, and suddenly St. Anthony, patron saint of misplaced items, brings them back.

Happy Flag Day!

June 12

This has a lot to do with that cake I've been dreaming about.

"Here, honey, would you like this cake?"

"Yes, maybe later."

"Yeah, good luck with' later'."

No wonder we never have company.

The only food we have to offer is pear jam and dates.

June 11

Ganesha - Remover of Obstacles

More Cake

Obstacle to carrying less weight.

Is the obstacle:

1)The cake itself?

2) Getting over or beyond the cake?

3) The idea of cake?

or 4) Me looking at the cake?

Become the cake. The cake and I are one.

June 10

Drop some muscle to carry less weight.

That's rock climbing advice for those who require strength to lift themselves, but also need less weight to lift. Instead of crash dieting, the suggestion goes, lose muscle. In other words, stop training so hard. Trade a few muscle fibers for a few pounds. It's better to be thinner than to be muscular. All this is if you're a rock climber, or disciplined enough to eat less, or less often. Fine.

Sometimes we do what it takes. Sometimes we eat cake.

June 9

This reminds me of that drink that used to be sold in Ashland;

A BigOCanaWhoopass

Caffeinated

Outshone the sun

Produced rainbows on its own

Didn't care what you thought

June 8

Today the wind blew the pines, and a sheet of yellow covered the roads, the puddles, the shores, the cars, just like yellow paint, or mustard dust.

Sneezing got worse, sniffles increased, eyes itched, and still the yellow dust blew.

A few years back, when I had a microscope, I gathered the yellow stuff in a jar of water and put a drop on a glass slide to look at under a 100x ocular lens.

This is what it looks like. Eegads! This is what's in my nose and eyes?? Pine pollen!

At least they don't have spikes.

June 7

At Borders waiting for the doors to open. Of course, the hours online are given as 8:00 AM.
But the doors say 9 AM
A new journal awaits inside, then on to Cabela's for antibug stuff for clothes, and maybe new pants and a shirt for hiking. Can't very well have the same outfit as the previous year.
The parking in this lot is choice.
Maybe have to go next door to Macy's for the prom dress sale.

June 6

Red Sky in the morning,
Sailor take warning.

One hour ago a red sky,
Now sprinkling,
Listening to "96 degrees in the shade",
Planning the day.

June 5

Dedication: 1) Training for a hike.

2) Studying continuing medical education.

3) Memorizing Yoga Sutras.

4) Writing a novel.

Questionable: Posting in a thunderstorm.

June 4

Searching for the Red Feather is a book of poetry, now a limited liability company in aviation.

This should have been a Cardinal, but the pretty 170 will have to do. Wasn't this a grass strip outside of Rumford? Was it the Two Fools fly in? Or Bowman Field?

The point is everything should have a touch of red in it, to represent the fire element.