Friday, March 31, 2023

Like Day and Night #SkywatchFriday

Moods of the sky in the afternoon this week.


 Monday noontime - puffy

Later that afternoon - snow coming out of clouds (fell as rain)

 

The best was yet to come, though. I rarely do nighttime photography but Wednesday night was an exception.  We had a snow squall come through after dark.  I was not about to go out but the view through my kitchen window was so spooky I decided to shoot through the window.  The yellow dot is a light some distance away.

I tried to get a good one.

Spooky, no?

I even got a sunrise picture yesterday morning, after the squall.

Joining Yogi and other sky watching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday. 

Note:  due to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge taking place the entire month of April, some of my Skywatch posts may post on Thursday instead of Friday.  My next Skywatch post will be on Thursday, April 6th.  

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Yes We Can

Trigger alert - this is something on the minds of so many people in our country.

If you are not from the United States, you may well be looking at us here in horror.

Hint:  this post is not about crocuses.  I just wanted to provide a spot of beauty before I begin my tale.

I had lunch yesterday with some work friends, including a work friend who is retired.  We try to have lunch once a month, At work, I sat mere feet away from the retired friend. We've known each other for years. 

After lunch, when our other lunch companions had to return to work, we sat in her car a while and talked.

She's a grandmother of several. (I am not a grandmother - yet, anyway).  Her youngest grand lives just a couple of miles from her and she sees him a couple of times a week. 

My friend was telling me about the recent lockdown at her grand's elementary school.  The school had received a threat and the lockdown was a precaution.

We've gotten really good at lockdowns in our United States.

Her grandson explained about the lockdown matter of factly.  "We were told to sit in our cubbies", he explained.  "Our teacher gave us cookies and a book".

Like others his age and beyond, he's already been through active shooter drills.

We baby boomers may have thought our duck and cover drills were bad, but, on the other hand, we didn't live with news about the most recent atomic bombing on the evening news.

Her grandson's teacher says that many of the children in his class are behind where they should be now, emotionally.   The pandemic may have had something to do about it - but.

But.

What kind of country are we if we can't fight for the lives and the emotional health of our children and grandchildren?  The number one cause of mortality in children and teens in the United States is - guns.

This week, it was the turn of Nashville, Tennessee, a state where gun laws were recently loosened (and they want to loosen them even more).  Next week, we, where I live, will commemorate the April 3, 2009 mass shooting in an adult classroom which took the lives of 14.

Yes, it's true that not all mass casualty events are caused by guns.  Some use cars.  Some use other weapons. 

But guns hold a special place in the hearts of enough people in this country that we lack the will to take any kind of measures to try to fight what is happening.  

Mental illness a cause?  Yes, but not just from people pondering that act.  The number of people in this country traumatized by each event is growing by the day.  Some people, now, are survivors of more than one mass shooting.  Sooner or later we will have a Congressman, or even a Presidential candidate who survived one.

We as a country are split about what to do.  Families (including mine) are split, too. 

So why am I writing this post?  Because I heard a Tennessee politician say, yesterday (paraphrasing) that there isn't not a whole lot we can do about the (Nashville) school shooting.  Let's think about that.

If it's mental illness causing all of this, our country's track record supporting those with mental illness and their families is abymsal.  But we do nothing about it.

If our enemy is evil, why would we sit back and accept the victory of evil over good?  Do we want to live in such a world?  Obviously, some people do.

Our children and grandchildren are looking to us.  We can not expect the generation now reaching maturity to do our work for us.  I know I haven't done enough.  

Can we turn this around?  Yes, we can.  But only if we really, in our hearts, want to.

Do we?

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Flowers at Falls Park #WordlessWednesday

 I'm getting myself revved up for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April, and wanted to give my Wordless Wednesday readers a sneak preview of what they might expect.

Most participants in the Challenge use a theme and mine this year will be "Exploring South Carolina and the Eastern United States."

Here's a sneak preview.  There will be a lot more than flowers - you'll see some outdoor art, nature, history, and even a car museum.  I hope you'll join me starting April 1.

And now...

Greenville, South Carolina got my vote for "a nice February escape from a New York State winter."

Instead of snow, we had flowers.

I took this picture in a downtown Greenville park, Falls Park on the Reedy. (Reedy is the Reedy River).

We still haven't caught up with where Greenville was in the third week of February, for whatever that' worth. Spring, please?

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

One More Year of a Blogging Challenge

I have signed up for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge once more.  I finally decided to do it to honor the memory of a fellow blogger, Rena, who passed away March 18 at the age of 53.  Rena was a friend and an inspiration to the many bloggers she befriended, and/or did work for.  She lived in South Carolina, which fit right in with my theme (actually, Exploring South Carolina and the Eastern United States.)

How could I not join the challenge after declaring my theme?

I am also trying to expand who can comment on my blog, by allowing those without a Google account to comment. (Blogger gives us only limited tools to deal with spam.)  Unfortunately, most all "anonymous" commenters are spammers, so we'll just have to see what happens.

Also, a lot of legitimate comments are going into spam, so if it takes a while for your comment to appear on my blog, I hope you'll understand.

I haven't pre written as many posts as I would have wanted, but I think I will still have a good time.

Especially because spring has come to my Southern Tier of New York home, and that always lifts my spirits.

The crocus in my front yard are finally in full bloom.

More crocus.

Still more crocus. 

In a way, crocuses and the first of anything are similar.  You take lots of pictures.  By the time the later spring flowers come along, not so much.  So today, I'll stop at three crocus pictures.

Sunday, when I took these pictures, the sun was out.  It was breezy but I even sat outside (in my coat and gloves) for a while.  Yesterday, it drizzled.  Today won't be pleasant.

So I'm thinking spring, come back!

 I hope you will join me in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, either as a participant or as a reader/commenter.  Reading comments is the chocolate of the blogger.  If you are interested, this is where you can sign up.

And if you read and comment on my posts, I will be so happy.  I am trying, by the way, to make commenting a little easier - I've had my blog comments set to require a Google account, because this blogging platform (owned, who else, by Google) doesn't give users many tools to fight spam.  I have loosened this so you can now comment if you don't have a Google account, but if I start drowning in spam, I will have to go back to previous settings.

Wish me luck!

Monday, March 27, 2023

Stuck in Our Heads #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday.  It's music time!

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and Yours Truly.

Why not join our music loving folks?  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.   

Today is a "freedom of music" week - we can pick whatever music we want. Today I want to blog about - please forgive me in advance - earworms.

We all know what they are.  They are the songs that get stuck in our heads on repeat, and we find them hard to get rid of. 

Science has an explanation of why and a suggestion of how to get rid of one.

This first song, from 2017, isn't just about earworms but about a relationship that is over and done with.  The singer assures his ex that he will be stuck in their heads, just like a song.

Bringing you an on and off earworm of mine from the last two weeks: I Prevail and "Stuck in Your Head".  Let's see if I can get it out of my ear with one of these tunes.

After some research I found some other songs prone to becoming earworms.  

The Proclaimers hit "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", I've read, is played each time the Scottish national football (soccer to us in the United States) scores a goal.  It deserves its earworm status.

From 1993, Los Del Rio and a song that triggered a dance craze (I think when it was re-released in 1995).  I was blissfully ignorant of this song until July of 1996, when we visited San Diego for a week and took a day trip to Tijuana.  We ate in a Mexican restaurant and the waiters entertained my son by dancing this dance for him.  As always, I was late to the party.  Here is "Macarena".

From 1997, Aqua and "Barbie Girl".  This is a song I should detest but I love it.

The Kaiser Chiefs and "Ruby".  This has a chorus that is almost guaranteed to inject an earworm.

Last but not least, a song they used to play at every minor league ballgame I went to back when we had the Binghamton B-Mets.  The team was renamed several years ago,and I haven't been back since then.  I do miss this song.  Rednex and "Cotton Eye Joe".

And that's a wrap!

A note to my readers:  Because of participating in the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge,most of my April Music Moves Me posts will publish on Sunday instead of Monday. I hope you will follow me in April for that Challenge.  So stay tuned, and watch for my next Music Moves Me post on Sunday, April 2.

Have a great week!

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Shadowshot Sunday - First Day of Spring Shadows

We had several days with sun this past week, including the first day of spring.

We took a walk and our first spring shadows were visible.   It was so nice to see shadows and not snow.

 

An overhead line tower.

 And, later in the week, a lone goose in the park swims between tree shdows.

Joining up with Shadow Shot Sunday.

Saturday, March 25, 2023

The Small Beginnings of a 2023 Garden

We (meaning mainly my spouse) are gardening for another year.

In our zone 5b area, it's too early to start most planting, but we are behind on even doing a seed inventory to see what we have on hand.

In the meantime, we traveled to our new raised bed we were able to rent this year from our local community garden.

Right now, it doesn't look like much, but don't be fooled.  A month will make a big difference.

Last year, this new raised bed had been planted and then never harvested.  I remember there being a lot of unharvested yellow pear tomatoes, the remains of which were lying on top of the soil.  Last year's renter even left some nylon (?) fencing, which we may or may not reuse.  These raised beds are prone to deer attacks.  Last year was a bad year for that - we lost all our peas.  Theft, sometimes, too - someone dug up a couple of white eggplant plants with eggplants growing on them.

It's discouraging but my spouse soldiers on because growing things is in his genes.

It will be interesting to see what will come up once we add some soil additives and put in our seeds and plants.  A lot of the new bed will be the home of onion plants that will be coming (mail order) in May.  Spouse uses a lot of onions in his cooking.

Meanwhile, back in the raised bed we've had for several years, plants are coming to life.

The green you see is garlic planted in the fall coming up.

This is a chive plant we rescued (with permission) from a walkway in the raised bed area (apparently someone's chives had seeded the walkway, which was full of chive plants last year) and that is sprouting, too.

Yesterday and today, it's been raining.  It probably won't get into the 40's F today, and as soon as the rain stops, it will get quite windy.  No planting today.

But it won't be long.

Hopefully.

Friday, March 24, 2023

Blue Sky Walk #SkywatchFriday

It was March 22, it wasn't windy, and the sky was blue!  Hello, Mr. Blue Sky.

I got off from work at 12:30 and headed, with my spouse, to a park with various walking trails.

Let's take a walk, shall we?

That sky sure is blue.

A loan Canada goose took advantage of the solitude.

Saying goodbye to the sun, because it just can't stay sunny all day.

It was nice while it lasted.  Yesterday, the skies were back to a grim grey, and it started to rain on us when we walked in that same park.

Joining Yogi and other sky watching bloggers each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Am I Spamming Myself?

 Something interesting to me (and, perhaps other bloggers who use Blogger) has been happening in the past few days.

My spam comments folder has been filling up with comments made years ago - the oldest ones so far are from 2014.  Most all of them date from 2019 and earlier.

Not only that, but most of them are comments I've made responding to other commenters on my blog.

Yes, you read that right.

In other words, I am spamming myself.   Spamming myself, traveling through time, to 2014?

The comments were all made through my Google user name.  Doesn't Google know that this is my blog?  Maybe spamming detection duties have been given over to an AI?

I would rather not go to my blog in the morning and find 14 spam comments from myself, which is what happened yesterday.  I have to reapprove every one of them.

I would much rather be looking at crocus in my front yard and celebrating the arrival of spring.

And you would much rather be looking at my flowers than reading about my blogging problems.

So, let's try this...what is irritating you the most about online life lately?  Please feel free to comment below.

Let's see how many of those comments go into spam.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Spring Mystery #WordlessWednesday

It's time to party.  Spring is here.  It's really here.

It got up to 61F (16.1 C) yesterday.

My crocuses are blooming or nearly ready to.  I have buds on a couple of daffodils.  Tulip leaves are poking above the soil.  We may have chives ready to eat in another week.

But spring also has a mystery for me.

For years, I've wondered what this insect is.  I'm thinking it may be something called a stonefly.

Years ago, when we had almost constant snow cover, these were the first insects we saw.  They reliably showed up in March and would walk on the surface of the snow.

Now the ground is bare part of the month, and I wonder - do they miss the snow?

One even landed on me while I was outside yesterday on my laptop and listening to the birds sing their spring songs.  

Does anyone know what this insect is?  I'd like to finally solve this mystery.

To all those in the Northern Hemisphere, I wish a happy spring.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Does Anyone Know What Day of the Week It Is?

I blogged this back in the beginning of January and on this, the first full day of spring, perhaps it's time to publish this.

The Southern Tier of New York was closed for the winter.

No, not really, but sometimes it feels that way.  Let's pretend it's January.

Days blend into each other.  Normally, skies would be overcast and temperatures would be low, day after day.  Snow would cover the ground, and bare ground would make one feel just a little uneasy.  Many places are on winter hours.  Museums are closed the early part of the week.  Garden centers and some farm markets are closed until April or even May.  Outdoor farmers markets are definitely closed.

Although our temperatures are cooler than last week, they are still above normal.  I am still taking exercise walks outdoors without wearing boots.  The snow is gone.  It will return, I know.  What I am afraid of is January weather in April.  Or even May.  

It's happened before.

Blowing snow (taken December 23)

One loses track of time easier at this time of year although my guess is, it's still winter.

Is it just me, or has it become harder and harder to remember what day of the week it is?  Even Siri is having problems.  I was talking to my spouse outdoors as I took a picture last week and Siri suddenly spoke up, without me prompting it by saying "Hey, Siri".  It started to inform me what the date was.

Did I ask it to?

I have to remember days, as I still work part time.  It would be embarrassing not to sign in Monday because I thought it was a non-work day.  In fact, when I wake up, the first thing I do is tell myself "today is ________".  Like today.  Tuesday.  I work today.

But my spouse, who is retired, doesn't always remember the day of the week right off.  Neither does my brother in law or his wife, both of whom are retired.

And meanwhile, now, it's spring.

The first of the garden centers I frequent opened on Saturday.  

Trees have come awake.  The birds are singing.  Northern cardinals, blackbirds, chickadees, and yes, robins.

And yet, it can still be hard to remember what day of the week it is.

Does everyone forget about time when they retire?  I wonder.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Think Spring! #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time to THINK SPRING.  Musically, that is.

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and Yours Truly.

Why not join our music loving folks?  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.  

Every other week has a theme.  Today's theme was picked by me:  Spring begins today in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern.  Pick songs about spring (or fall, depending on where you live) or that have Spring (or fall) in the title.

It's only March, but we can dream about April in Paris.  This song was written in 1932 for a Broadway play called Walk a Little Faster.  It's been covered many times and I've chosen a cover sung by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in 1956.

With spring comes major league baseball.  1985's Centerfield was perhaps the best song ever written about baseball.  Let's join John Fogerty on the field.

Season Suite:  Spring, from John Denver.

Spring is Here - Carly Simon, to me, has an old fashioned sound, which, to me, is a good thing.

The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)- Simon and Garfunkel just makes you feel so springtime happy.

I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash may not be strictly about spring time, but we can look forward to some bright, bright sunshiny days where the rainbows appear come spring, can't we? 

Let's end with a song inspired by the thought of spring - The Beatles and Here Comes the Sun.

And that's a wrap!

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

Sunday, March 19, 2023

First Signs of Spring 2023

Two days before the calendar beginning of spring, spring finally showed up at my house.  We can't get too excited - I woke up this morning to a dusting of snow.  But still, spring is here.

I had seen crocuses and snowdrops locally before now, but they bloom a little late at my home.

We had seen the buds on St. Patrick's Day, and, yesterday, they opened up.

Yellow

White

On the side of our house, the first daffodil buds (taken on St. Patrick's Day).

Finally, our Lenten Rose is sending up flower buds.

Yes, Nature, you may not be done with us as far as throwing winter weather our way.  We've had snow storms as late as mid April here.  But we also know that some of Nature is stretching and yawning and waking up after its winter sleep (including, sigh, the chipmunks).   Our lilac buds are greening.  We saw a male and female cardinal touching beaks the other day.

Spring really is here.  Despite the dusting of snow.

April will follow March.

April Come She Will.

Join me tomorrow for more spring music and Music Moves Me.

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Sad Thoughts and Irish Whiskey Salmon

Sad thoughts and Irish Whiskey Salmon.  What a combination.

I was getting ready to publish my Saturday post, which was going to discuss a wonderful recipe my spouse made for St. Patrick's Day dinner. (Long story, but the traditional corned beef, cabbage, Irish Soda Bread, and potatoes are waiting for tomorrow.)

Then I opened up Facebook and saw the news that someone I had known through the blogging world (and a Facebook friend) passed away after a short illness.

I didn't know her exact age but I suspect she was at least 15 years younger than I am.  Those are the kinds of deaths, especially when unexpected, that tend to stun me a lot more than some others. 

I didn't know her in the non-virtual world, but, reading her Facebook page and comments from family and friends (and remembering some of the posts in a blog she wrote about caregiving) I am sad that I didn't.

May she rest in peace and may family and friends receive comfort though the memories they have of her.

And now, the topic I was going to blog about today.  Looking for a simple Friday night recipe (for my spouse, not me!) I found this.   Here's salmon marinated in Irish whiskey, honey, cider vinegar, thyme and lemon zest, then baked.  The recipe is in the link.

Turns out this must be a popular dish - there were a number of these recipes online.

The result?

It was delicious.  The whiskey gave it an interesting flavor, one that I wouldn't have guessed.  For two people, we halved the recipe and only had to buy one miniature bottle of whiskey.  We had the other ingredients.

So, a strange combination, these two topics, but they are both part of life.

Friday, March 17, 2023

The Sky As It Prepares to Snow #SkywatchFriday

It's St. Patrick's Day and, here in the United States, many are preparing to celebrate.

Last Friday, though, we were preparing for snow.


Spouse and I went down to the park a little after 10am.   The sun was shining through clouds.

A slightly different view.
We walked some more, where the clouds weren't as thick.  At the bottom of the photo are Canada geese.

A tree.

We went back a little later.  The clouds had continued to thicken as the morning progressed.

Totally clouded over by early afternoon.

About 3:30pm, the snow began.  A male woodpecker pecked at a suet cake as large flakes fell around him.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers, as I do each Friday, for #SkywatchFriday.

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Spring Rewind

 Escaping winter is on everyone's mind where I live in New York State, especially on a day like yesterday with snow and blustery winds.

We had our escape (temporary) already. Because so much of the Southern United States was having early spring, we decided to take a February trip and decided to visit Greenville, South Carolina.

We found spring and I want to share some of spring with you, my readers.  Here's a fringe flower, something that isn't hardy where I live.

A star magnolia, which we do have.

And many, many daffodils.

Alas, eventually, we had to go back home, and, as we drove back north, we watched spring rewind.

Forsythia, Lambsburg, Virginia (near the North Carolina border) Virginia Welcome Center.

By the time we reached the West Virginia Welcome Center in Bunker Hill, all that was left of spring was a stand of crocuses.

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day March 2023

Beware the Ides of March.  It's good advice.  It's nasty outside on this March 15.

Brrrr. 

On this cold winter's day full of wind, it's time for both Wordless Wednesday and Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in my zone 5b Southern Tier of New York garden.

Today, I don't have much to share with you, and it is all indoors.  My one Lenten Rose that had flower buds is buried in snow.  One of my crocuses had a flower bud on it Monday.  It's buried now, also.  We were fortunate - we didn't get anywhere near the amount of snow that others in our state did, and we have power.

This is what I have to share with you:

African violet - common.

A fancy African violet which used to have variegated leaves.  It no longer does.  Its blooms are relatively insignificant.

Flowers can be a surprise.  Here's a reblooming Thanksgiving cactus. A March bloom for the Thanksgiving varieties of this plant has never happened to me until now.  This plant has several buds on it and one of them is just about to open.

Kalanchoe. 

One last flower - a little bit of a cheat.  This is an impatien voluteer that came up in my airplane plant pot.  Good thing I took a picture of it a few days ago (because it was blooming so nicely) because I found it wilted.  Hopefully it's just too dry and the watering I just gave it will bring it back.

And that's it for my flowers this month.  Anything blooming for you?

Joining Carol at May Dreams Gardens for her 15th of the month meme Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I'm also joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Blogging from A to Z Theme Reveal #AtoZChallenge #AtoZReveal

I talked myself into it.  I am going to do the Blogging from A to Z Challenge once again.

For those new to this challenge, (and it's one I highly recommend, especially if you are new to blogging) on April 1 your topic for blogging begins with "A", then on April 2, "B", and so forth.  Sundays are off days (except, this year, April 30), so we get 26 letters in 30 days. 

Does this interest you?  If so, the link to the challenge is above.  You don't have to sign up just yet, but there are deadlines.

AtoZChallenge theme reveal 2023 #atozchallenge

Before I reveal my theme, a bit about my blog and what I've done for past challenges. 

I started to blog in 2009, and started to blog daily in 2011.  I blog about music on Mondays, a Wordless Wednesday on Wednesday, Skywatch Friday on Fridays, and, on the 15th of the month, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day (although I am not a garden blogger, I love flower gardening).  I will keep up this schedule as much as possible in April.

I've taken the A to Z Challenge every year since 2015. 

Most all my previous themes have been related to travel.  I am a confirmed photo hoarder - right now there are approximately 12,000 photos on my phone.  That's about 41 GB worth. 

Wherever I go, I take pictures.  Pictures of things.  Quirky things.  Historic things.  Plants.  Flowers.  Sunsets.  Graves of famous people.  I weave some of these into my daily posts and will this April, too.

Here are my past themes, and you can see a pattern here:

2015:  America the Beautiful

2016:  Days of our Lives (no not the soap opera)

2017 - Traveling Through Time and Space

2018 -  Florida Outside the Theme Parks (this may have been my favorite one)

2019 -  Finding America Through Photos

2020 - America the Beautiful (I never realized I repeated my 2015 theme!)

2021:  New York State

2022:  From Florida to Vermont with Stops Inbetween 

For 2023, I am going to pick (surprise!) another theme involving domestic travel.

Back in February, spouse and I spent six days in Greenville, South Carolina in an effort to escape the New York blahs of winter.  I've been to the Carolinas (our American states of North and South Carolina) several times in the past, although my last time was in August of 2017 for a total eclipse of the sun.

The things I found in the Greenville area are what sparked the possibility that I might join this Challenge again this year.  It's an interesting area.  Since I'm starting on this late (again....) my last minute writing skills will be tested once again.

I didn't want to chain myself to this theme, though. You may find an occasional post not connected to the Carolinas. 

So here's my reveal:  Exploring South Carolina and the Eastern United States.

I hope you'll join me for the journey.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Pi Day and Stormy Music #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday, and it's time for music!

Who  are the Music Moves Me bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and Yours Truly.

Why not join our music loving folks?  It's so easy. All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video.  No music video? Your post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.  

Every other week is Free Choice, like today.

Many of the Music Moves Me folks  are still recovering from losing an hour due to the change to Daylight Saving Time.  Instead, we are looking forward to tomorrow, March 14, Pi Day. Today is also the 30th anniversary of a major winter storm where I live, the Blizzard of 1993, also known as the "Storm of the Century".

First, in honor of the Storm of the Century, a couple of stormy songs.

The Doors - Riders on the Storm, from 1971.  I had the album, and I think I nearly wore it out playing this song over and over.

Stormy Weather - Lena Horne from 1943.  This song originally was recorded by Ethel Waters in 1933.

Let's move on to Things that are Round or Go In Circles, in honor of Pi Day.  First, from 1972, Billy Preston and Will It Go Round in Circles.

Also, from 1972, Harry Chapin and his classic song Circle.  This song was actually first performed by Harry's brother Tom.  It was also recorded by the New Seekers.

From 1984, Ratt - Round and Round.

Last but not least, Pi Day, March 14, is celebrated with a lot of pizza specials.  So, why not end this playlist with Dean Martin's classic That's Amore?

And that's a wrap!  

Join us next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.

And, happy Pi Day tomorrow!

(Tomorrow will also be my Blogging from A to Z Reveal post.)

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Pi Day 2023 Is Coming

Tuesday will be  Pi Day, March 14.  In the midst of so much bad news (weather disasters in parts of the world, the continuing Turkey/Syria earthquake tragedy, the Silicon Valley Bank failure, the war in Ukraine, train derailments, just as some examples) we have something fun coming up on Tuesday.

March 14 is a day to celebrate mathematics. In the American method of day numbering, today is 3-14:  March 14.  This is also the first three digits of the mathematical value "Pi".  3.14

It also would have been Albert Einstein's birthday. (March 14, 1879).  144 years ago today.

Pi Day honors the number representing the radio of the circumference of a circle to its radius.  Pi is an infinite number: it goes on indefinitely, but, not only that, it is a non repeating decimal.  As of 2021, its value had been calculated to 62.8 trillion digits.

Now, it has become commercial, with pie places advertising Pi day specials. 

I'm not sure what we will do this year, but it will be homemade.  It will probably be some kind of quiche, possibly made with frozen spinach and fat free feta, something I haven't eaten in a long time.

Here are some pie recipes from my blog.

Spinach Pie 

Blueberry Pie

Pizza Rustica

"Grass" Pie (from my spouse's childhood) 

A Mock Pumpkin Pie I call Memory Pie

Why not have some fun with math?

Will you celebrate Pi Day? 

P.S. If you are looking for my 2023 Blogging from A to Z Decision and Reveal If I'm Participating, that will post on Tuesday.

Saturday, March 11, 2023

We Asked For It - Will We Get It?

 Savor this weekend.

The American people have asked for it for many years, "it" being the end of the twice a year madness of clocks moving an hour ahead in mid-March.  The next installment of this less popular March Madness will happen tomorrow at 2a.m. local time except in a handful of states (Hawaii and parts of Arizona) which never adopted Daylight Saving Time.

Daylight Saving (not Savings) Time has an interesting history in the United States.

This year, we may get our wish, but, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

Several states have already enacted legislation but it is not simple as states saying their law is year round Daylight Saving Time.  Is it ever simple?

As the laws are written now, a state can stay on Standard Time (the time we in the United States are all on between the first Sunday in November and the middle Sunday of March) if it wishes by legislation - no federal input or law change is necessary.  

That's how Hawaii and parts of Arizona have done it.

However, Federal legislation can be passed and signed into law to create a year round Daylight Saving Time.  Right now, some 19 states have enacted such legislation, and more are in that process, but these laws can't go into effect without Federal legislation permitting it.  Senator Marco Rubio has gotten such legislation passed in the Senate but, to date, no such bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

The year round Daylight Saving Time has been tried before, and I can remember one of those times (January of 1974).  When the year round Daylight Saving Time was put into effect (in late 1973, to be effective in January 1974) there was a high amount of public support.  We were in the midst of an energy crisis (leading to long gasoline lines, and gas shortages) and the extra hour of daylight in the evening, it was thought, would help.  We would have year round Daylight Saving Time for two years.

However, soon after it went into effect, people realized they didn't like the sun rising an hour later than usual.  In fact, it was such a disaster that the experiment was cut short.  That fall, Standard Time returned.

But, we should savor this weekend.  Maybe it really is the last time we will do the time change tango.

Only time (no pun intended) will tell.


Friday, March 10, 2023

Four Sunset Views #SkywatchFriday

Four views of a sunset from March 1, 2023.

The park where we watch sunsets has a circular walking track used just as much (if not more) than we humans by geese.

Canada geese earlier in the day.  At least they weren't on the walking track.

But now, the sun is setting.

We start our walk around the track and are at the far end of the park (it's a small park).

Now we are close to the river.

Final view.

It's cold.  Let's get back inside!

Joining up each Friday with Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.