Shadowy Park #ShadowshotSunday

March has arrived where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State.  The sun reappears, along with shadows.

Let's take a walk in a local park.  I took these pictures the last two days of February, but that's close enough to March, right?

Hard to see, but there is also a reflection of the sky on ice in the middle of the snow sandwich.

The snow is melting, although we got another dusting this morning.

Joining up with Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
 

 

Skies of Almost Spring #SkywatchFriday

In three days, where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, it will be meteorological spring.  

The sky is starting to change.  True, enough times it is still the white-grey that so many of us dislike.  But then there are days like yesterday. 

You can't see it in the photo, but tree buds are swelling.  The sun is less shy.

The sunlight seems brighter.  The clouds are more varied.

Snow is melting.

The clouds and blue make a delicious sky layer cake. 

Look over to the right. There is a dot. The dot is the moon.

All the while I was walking, and taking pictures, I heard at least one Northern cardinal singing.

We still have weeks of winter yet, but I thank Nature for the sneak preview.

Joining Yogi and other sky watching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday. 

Snow Now Roses Later #WordlessWednesday

Back in July of 2023, my spouse and I visited Plymouth, Massachusetts, a historic city in a beautiful, scenic location.

If you went there today, it would be scenic, but for a different reason. 

Snow, and a lot of it from a recent storm that created blizzard conditions, blankets Massachusetts.  Portions of the county the city of Plymouth is in got up to 36 inches (91.4 cm) of snow.

I don't have pictures of the snow but I do have pictures from my July 2023 visit.  

 No snow here.

Do February snowstorms create July flowers?

What a difference several months will make. Hang in there, Plymouth!

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Songs of Billy Steinberg #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for music! 

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers?

We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)   We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your choice.  Why not join us?  You don't have to sing, or play an instrument.  All music lovers are welcome.  

Today, our theme is:You Pick. Sadly, it's time for another induction into Rock and Roll Heaven.

William Endfield Steinberg, who wrote or co-wrote the lyrics to some of the biggest hits of the 1980s, died February 16 from cancer.  He was 75.

Here are some of those songs: 

Like a Virgin - Madonna, from 1984. 

A beautiful song from Cyndi Lauper -True Colors, from 1986.  I do love the 80's. 

One of my favorite Heart songs.  I chose a live version of Alone, a song released in 1987. 

I Drove All Night has been sung by many artists.  I chose the cover by Roy Orbison. This was actually recorded (1987) before Cyndi Lauper's original, but wasn't released (1992) until after her recording was released.

Last but not least, one could call this song off color, but, well, this was a hit for the Divinyls and it's tame compared to some hits that have come after.  Here, from 1990, is I Touch Myself. 

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me. 

Snow Step Shadow #ShadowshotSunday

Taken February 8.

 

Much of our snow has melted in the past few days, but Nature has determined we need to get a snow refill.  Hopefully, the nor'easter hitting the East Coast won't bring too much snow to my inland area.

And, here's a bonus for you for this historic Sunday. 

Years ago,  February 22 would have been a holiday celebrating our first President, George Washington. Here's a picture I took of a Gilbert Stewart painting of George Washington while my spouse and I were visiting Arkansas in 2013.  This portrait was painted in 1797. 

More on this particular painting.

Joining Lisa at This and That:  A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.

A Touch of Blue and Grey #SkywatchFriday

We still have lots of grey and white skies where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, but blue skies are making an appearance from time to time. 

For example, I took the first two pictures on Friday the 13th.  Lucky day for blue skies, I guess.

Later in the day, though, it increasingly became cloudy.  I know this sky looks ordinary, but it is also cherished.

By Sunday, the grey had returned.

We missed the Thursday lineup of the planets and the crescent moon.  Of course we did.  It was cloudy.  I didn't even feel like trying to take a picture of the sky we did have.  I hope someone else had better luck.

But spring is really coming.  I heard a Northern cardinal sing briefly again yesterday and the male red winged blackbirds should be here in the next three or four days.

Joining Yogi and other sky watching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday. 

 

Pancake Race #WordlessWednesday

My spouse and I had pancakes for breakfast yesterday.  

Something seemed familiar about pancakes on the day before Lent begins, and then I remembered. 

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday.  It was also Pancake Day in Liberal, Kansas.

Years ago, when we lived in Wichita, Kansas, we learned about a pancake race each Shrove Tuesday between Liberal, Kansas (which is about 200 miles from Wichita) and Olney, England. This race is followed closely all over Kansas, including Wichita.  It takes place in both cities.

So how did this tradition start?

In Olney, the tradition is some 600 years old. Making pancakes used up rich ingredients such as butter and eggs forbidden during Lent.  As the legend goes, a woman was making pancakes in 1445 when the church bells rang.  Realizing she was going to be late to church, she ran still holding her frying pan, flipping her pancakes as she went. The next year, the townswomen mocked her with their own pancake runs, but the church vicar thought it was a great idea.  The race became an annual event with women running the race to the church while flipping pancakes. The official race course is 415 yards.

In 1950, someone in Liberal, Kansas saw a magazine article about the race, thought "why not get into the fun?" and contacted the good folks of Olney.  He proposed a friendly pancake competition.  Olney accepted the challenge, and women of the two cities have been competing ever since.  Here is more on the topic.

So far, Liberal has won 43 races, Olney 31, but it's all in fun, right?

Since I didn't take a picture of the pancakes, I'll just post a picture of a pancake mix with local maple syrup I received as a Christmas gift.  But the racers make their pancakes from scratch, not a mix, and here is a recipe.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday