Can Sunset Lightning Strike Twice? #SkywatchFriday

 Let me assure you first, I'm not talking about actual lightning.  Rather....

Last week, I brought you an amazing sunset from February 9th that I would have missed if not for my spouse, whom I've turned into a fellow skywatcher.  Thank you, spouse!

Can the same thing happen twice?  Judge for yourself.

On February 12, Superbowl night, we were busy around sunset, preparing food for the arrival of our company (only one person, but, for us, that's enough) who was going to visit with us during the first half of the game.

I was totally involved with doing my part of the preparations, when spouse said, "Look out the window!"

Oh no! There was no way I could interrupt what I was doing to get to the park where we watch sunsets.  Instead, I dashed out of the house into our back yard.  Yes, I ran outside, cell phone in hand, with no shoes on.  Fortunately, the snow had melted.

  The best part was behind some houses.

I tried to get a slightly better view, but we have a small yard and I couldn't maneuver far.

I tried to capture the blue of the blue hour.

A reflection from one of my windows - alas, a curtain produced the rectangle in the lower corner.

The sunset started to fade away, and I had to go back inside.

Sometimes you can't be in the right place at the right time.  You just do the best you can.

Joining up with Yogi and other sky watching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday.

Another Backyard Bird Count

One of my fond childhood memories, growing up in a City housing complex in the Bronx, is watching my mother throwing a slice of white bread out the window onto the small lawn below.  I would watch as pigeons and sparrows descended on the bread.

I had no way of knowing that bread was probably the worst thing to feed a bird, but no matter - I was transfixed by the sight below.

Some 60 years later, my spouse, increasingly fascinated by birds himself, bought our first bird feeder.  We've been feeding birds for two years now, and learning more about them.

Now it's time to give back to science.

It's time for the Great Backyard Bird Count.  It starts tomorrow and you can participate from anywhere in the world.  I believe most entries come from either the United States or India, so how about it, my readers in Canada or elsewhere?

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a worldwide event taking place February 17-20.  No registration is required. No experience level is required. No backyard is required.  All you need is 15 minutes of your time, but you can devote as much time (just a minimum of 15 minutes) per watch.  

You can watch anywhere - from your kitchen window, from an exercise walk, from a stroll along a river, on the beach, to a city park.  Anywhere counts, city or country. If you are traveling, no problem!  Any location counts.  All bird lovers are welcome.

Chances are, you already are familiar with some of the birds in your area.  If not, there are various online ways to identify your new friends.

This is the home page of the Count.  There are several ways to report your finding.  Good pictures are encouraged but not required.  (We don't submit pictures).  And, oh yes, you can win a pair of Zeiss binoculars just for posting your entries.

If you already post using eBird (a free app or desktop application) you are automatically entered just for doing what you already do.

This count is important to scientists who study birds to understand bird population changes, and much more.

So, how about it?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day February 2023 #WordlessWednesday

It's February 15 and time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

On this unbelievable sprin...I mean winter's day in my zone 5b garden, I'm going to be far from wordless as I join up with two blogs (more on that at the end of my post.)

Spring is here.  Maybe it's April Fools in February day, but buds on trees are swelling, the sunny days area increasing, Northern cardinals are singing, the snow has melted, and flowers are blooming.

Indoor flowers, anyway.  In a minute, some sneak peeks at outdoors,where it's supposed to be near 60F (15.6C) today.  Some other years, it's been below zero F as a low on this date.

But let's look at the indoor flowers first.

For inside, I can wish that Garden Bloggers Bloom Day took place on February 12, and I will admit in advance that I took a couple of these photos a little early.

I am so proud.  I got an amaryllis to rebloom!  The flowers are wilted now, but this is what it looked like three days ago.  Of course, the amaryllis did all the work but I'm a proud plant parent.

This has never happened before.  One of my Thanksgiving cactus plants, which bloom normally in November, put out two flowers.  I'm not complaining!

Here's an impatien that volunteered itself in a container I grow my airplane plant in.  Nearby impatiens I started from cuttings in the fall must have dropped a seed in there.  Otherwise, I have no idea how it got there.  It is thriving.

My one remaining geranium flower.  This was my Mother's Day basket and I'm overwintering it. It's received some outdoor time recently.  Sorry for the blurriness.

African violet. 

Finally, an airplane plant flower.

As for the outdoor plants, first, some foliage. Our crocuses, which normally bloom in April,  are coming up.

Ditto this Star of Bethlehem.

Our earliest daffodils are poking out of the ground and testing the air.  Those aren't flowers, I (ahem!) uncovered them under some leaves and then covered them back up.

My purple Lenten Rose has flower buds but that is normal for it.  It probably won't bloom until April, unlike my white Lenten Rose that bloomed in January and was caught by a freezing cold spell.  Sorry for the blurry photo. 

There are a couple of flower buds left on the white flowered plant but I'm not sure if they will ever open.

I am joining up today with two blogs:  first, Carol at May Dreams Gardens for her every 15th of the month meme Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, and also Sandee at Comedy Plus for her Wordless Wednesday.

Why don't you join one or both of us?

 

Valentine's Day Memorial

Today is Valentine's Day, a day that has an interesting history.  It's the holiday of love, but today, I'm here for a grimmer reason.

It's also the fifth anniversary of the school shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland Florida.  So many shootings before.  So many shootings after, including one I woke up to this morning, in Michigan.

Each has its unique hurt.  

It is only recently that I learned that the Parkland murderer (I will not name that person), during his spree, shot into a classroom where a lesson on the Holocaust was being taught. The symbolism is not lost on me.

The shooting as a whole took a little less than four minutes, left 17 dead, and a school full of traumatized students, parents, and staff who will remember this day for the rest for their lives.

A memorial is being planned.

More and more, I think we are in an endless loop, not knowing if this national nightmare will ever end.

But who knows when and how the cycle of gun violence will ever end.

Maybe this male bright red Northern cardinal knows.  Back on February 4, it was feeding in our snow filled yard.  Cardinals, many believe, are spiritual messengers.  

On Sunday, a Northern Cardinal male sat on our fence, looking like it was deep in thought.  Perhaps he was thinking of Douglas - the person, and the high school. 

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, the woman this school was named after, was an American journalist, suffragette (she was born 30 years before women got the vote in our country) and conservationist, who was known as the "Defender of the Everglades".  She lived to the age of 108.

I'm sure she would have been heartbroken to know what happened in her namesake high school, but proud of the advocates some of the survivors have become.

There's nothing more to say that hasn't already been said.  Except, perhaps, to note that an end to gun violence would be the best memorial ever to those who have suffered in some way.

Burt Bacharach #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 hostess is Cathy from Curious as a Cathy,  and she is joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and (last but not least) me. 

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.  Without a music video, the post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.  

Every other week (including this week) is Free Choice, and on non-free choice weeks, we invite anyone (that means anyone) to suggest a theme.   That person could be you!

Today I want to pay tribute to one of the music greats of our time.

The incomparable Burt Bacharach passed away on February 8 at the age of 94.  Here are some of the many hits he wrote and arranged music for (with lyrics written by Hal David and others) for various artists. 

It's especially sad because I had just recently watched a special about Dionne Warwick, which featured her singing a number of Bacharach's songs. This special talked about the complexity of some of his music, which only the greatest musicians could do justice to.

Dionne Warwick did this first (in 1967) but I am going to use a live cover by Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer for You.

Always Something There to Remind Me - Naked Eyes in 1983, originally done by Dionne Warwick as a demo in 1963.  It only took 20 years for this to become a hit in the United States.  I love this 1983 cover and its the church bells intro.

What The World Needs Now Is Love - Jackie DeShannon, 1965.  This song was initially turned down by Dionne Warwick, although she recorded it later.

One Less Bell to Answer - The Fifth Dimension's cover, from 1970.

They Long to Be (Close to You) - The Carpenters, a song that had been released before but wasn't a big hit until The Carpenters' cover.

Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) - Christopher Cross, from 1981.

How could I end this post without including a Dionne Warwick hit sung by herself: Walk on By.

That is another sad wrap, as the Music Heaven Hall of Fame inducts a new member.

Join me again next week for (hopefully) a happier Music Moves Me.

Photographer at Work - #ShadowshotSunday

For Shadowshot Sunday, I was out taking pictures on a rare sunny day where I live, and I kept getting my shadow in the picture.  I thought, why not keep myself in the picture?

A fence and me.

My spouse and I, taking a picture of a puddle that will appear in one of my Friday posts.

A fun way to spend the day of the Super Bowl.

February New York Farmers Market

 It's been a while since I took my readers along on a visit to our year round indoor farmers market in the Binghamton, New York area.  It's held every Saturday (except the Saturday closest to New Year's Eve) and we are so fortunate to have it.

Let's see what's for sale.

This is a relatively new vendor.  They have taken over a building occupied years ago on Main Street in Endicott, New York.   They grow herbs and lettuce under lights.  There was a different company doing much the same thing a couple of years ago in that building, so I don't know if it's just a name change or different ownership.

Local organic meat.

Beets and parsnips.  I believe this vendor (who also sells the lettuce below) grows under low or high tunnels.  He also grows mushrooms. 

All are so fresh. A bit expensive but it's worth it, and we are fortunate to be able to afford it.

Also available were eggs, honey, breads, and other baked goods.

Not bad for a winter February.

Sailor's Delight #SkywatchFriday

I was writing a blog post in our bedroom yesterday when my spouse called up and said "I think we are going to have a good sunset".

I threw on my coat and followed him out the door to our local park. It was raining, and I didn't hold out much hope, but then, in the western sky, I saw a blazing sun about to set.  As we approached the park entrance, this is what I saw.

I zoomed in and saw a sailor's delight, a reddish orange that took my breath away.

Besides our amazing still green grass in February, I saw the walking paths glowing orange.

The sun was ready to set, and I zoomed back in.

Just as it set.

The sun disappeared.

I tried to zoom in on the orange paths.  Obviously, not their normal color.

 With the sun behind a hill, the color started to fade.

One last little show as the last of the sunset lighting highlights some clouds.  I returned home to finish my blogging.

What an unexpected treat.  Some sailors somewhere will be delighted.

Joining Yogi and skywatching bloggers each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.

Marcescence and Going Into Reruns #ThursdayTreeLove

I don't know if I'm the only one, but if I look back at my 10,000 plus photos (please don't judge me harshly) on my phone, I find I tend to take the same pictures each year, over and over.

Perhaps it's an azalea or a rose bush I like.  Or a tree. 

Or a natural phenomenon.

Yesterday, spouse and I were exercise walking on the Vestal Rail Trail and I saw this tree.  You'll note it's not an evergreen.  Instead, it's an (I think) oak, holding onto its leaves.  They never fell off in fall.

Turns out, I took a picture of this tree two years ago and blogged about it (complete with snow on the ground).

So here I am again, going into reruns.

This time, the snow has melted (yet again) but the same tree is there, two years (almost to the day) older.

This occurrence is called marcescence, and is explained here.  Interestingly, if you look (using the link above) at the 2021 photo vs. this years, you'll note that in the 2023 photo, more of the upper branches are bare.  This is normal for oaks as the tree starts to mature.

Those leaves can shelter birds, and also provide certain benefits to the tree.  For example, deer are less likely to eat buds off branches that still have last year's leaves.

Trees have a wisdom that we humans could wish for.  As for me going into reruns, sometimes reruns are more fun than starting new.  I've been blogging since 2009, and maybe I'll rerun old posts on occasion during the upcoming weeks.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food for #ThursdayTreeLove.

My 2022 Library Valentine #WordlessWednesday

At least two of our local libraries have Valentine's Day giveaways, where they wrap books and you, the patron, can take one of the books home and keep it.

This was the display at my local library this year, and a post I wrote about their giveaways back in 2017. 

This is the book I picked last year.

To my surprise, when I opened the book, I discovered I already owned it.  I just had never read it.

To my greater surprise, it wasn't exactly the book I owned.  The book I own is on the left.  What I got as a gift is on the right.

Turns out that something rare had happened between the author and her publisher.  She was allowed a do-over, expanding the book,. She also edited or rewrote certain passages, something that was prompted by various book reviewers.

So, I now own two versions of this book called Orphan Train.   The topic has interested me, every since (back in the late 1970's) I met an older woman in Wichita, Kansas (we worked together for a time), who explained she had been a rider on an orphan train.  I don't know when but the last train was in 1929.  She must have been one of the last passengers.

She never gave me many details; her childhood was a painful time.   

Here's more information on the Orphan Trains.

Thank you, library, for this annual book giveaway.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

A Good Man A Good Woman

When did you get in the habit of reading obituaries?

For me, it's been a while, perhaps back when I was in my 40's.  It's always a sad occasion, too, when I see a familiar name in the obituaries.

Sunday was one of those times, with the obituary of Joseph Kovarik, Sr. 

Mr. Kovarik's family owns a hardware store in Binghamton, New York.   It's an old time kind of hardware store, where help is immediately available if you have a question.  It's good help, too, dispensed with the kind of customer service you wish was available elsewhere.

I would always see the same people in the store when we did go there - perhaps family, perhaps employees who stayed on for years.  That says a lot about an employer.

I don't think I ever met Joseph Kovarik, Sr. when I was in there, but let me tell you a couple of things about him.

He was a talented musician who served in World War II, and then joined his father's hardware business.  He worked there for 72 years - my entire life plus a couple of years for good measure.  His son Joseph Jr, who also worked in the hardware store, passed away in 2021from cancer at the age of 63.

Mr. Kovarik, Sr. retired when he was 96, only because of COVID and the danger of a man his age working retail.  When he passed away earlier this month, he was 99.

I can not imagine someone loving what he did for work so much that he worked at it for 72 years.

Which brings me to a Rochester, New York area woman by the name of Edith Lank, who passed away on New Year's Day at the age of 96.

For years, Ms. Lank had a real estate column in our Sunday paper.  No, let's not call it a real estate column - it was more real estate mixed with a little Dear Abby advice column.  I think the column was in our paper when I moved to this area in the mid 1980's.  It was still in the paper in the summer of 2019 when she wrote her last column.  Before then, I had discovered that Ms. Lank was in her 90's and marveled at her stamina.  Like Joseph Kovarik, Sr. she loved what she did.

She was a pioneer in so many ways, and an expert on Jane Austen.

I invite you to read her last column.

When she died, it made the front page of our paper.

This man and this woman will both will be missed.

Silly (or Not) Love Songs #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday, which means 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 hostess is Cathy from Curious as a Cathy,  and she is joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and (last but not least) me. 

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.  Without a music video, the post may be removed, or may be labeled *NO MUSIC*.  

Every other week is Free Choice, and on non-free choice weeks, we invite anyone (that means anyone) to suggest a theme.   There are still several weeks without themes available for someone to suggest a theme for.  The 2023 themes so far can be found here.

Today's theme is chosen by Angelswhisper (Granny with her cats Peachy & Stippie):  "love songs with Valentine’s Day coming up. Other options are to pick Valentine song titles or band names or you can even do a Valentine’s Day musical acrostic."

How about some love songs?

 

I'm starting today with one of the most beautiful love songs of my childhood - 1965's The Righteous Brothers and Unchained Melody.

 

Percy Sledge's When A Man Loves a Woman was not a song I warmed to right away, but over the years, this 1966 hit  has become a classic for my listening.  Maybe, in 1966, I was too young to understand.

 

1984's I Want to Know What Love Is, from Foreigner.

 

From 1988, Never Tear Us Apart by INXS, is just one of my favorite songs, period.

 

God Only Know from the Beach Boys is also a beloved song for me.

 

Silly Love Songs - 1976 from Paul McCartney and Wings, was a reaction to criticism of what some considered "soppy songs" Paul was writing.  The message here is "what's wrong with that?".  Fun fact, Paul loved God Only Knows, the song above this one.

Last but not least - Your Song, from Elton John

 

And that's a wrap! 

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

Bird and Squirrel #ShadowshotSunday

Two winter backyard shadow shots from this last week.  We finally had a stretch of sunny weather, as it was so cold, so I got to see shadows again.

A male Northern cardinal and a grey squirrel on the last day of January.  It was cold, and I took the picture from my house, so, unfortunately there are some unwanted spots in the photo.

More shadows, this time on Groundhog Day (February 2).

Today, joining with #ShadowshotSunday. 

 

Don't Count Us Out

We could call it the Miracle of Oakdale Commons but perhaps that would be too strong a phrase.

As I blogged about back in December, our area's one indoor shopping mall is recovering and growing.  

Back in 2019, I never would have believed it would recover.

Part of the mall was torn down for a two story restaurant and brewery.  One of the anchor stores that deserted the mall was turned into a health club, and next to it is a walk in clinic.  There are some government offices in a corner of the mall now.   

What may be the largest Dick's Sporting Goods in the country (after all, the chain started in Binghamton, New York although the offices are no longer located here) is being built in the space formerly occupied by a Macy's.

An entire wing of the mall has been emptied in the last couple of months. Some businesses relocated to vacant storefronts in other parts of the mall, and a couple closed.   There are rumors about the tenant that will go in - it will be (if true) a national warehouse membership club. One of the displaced tenants, a T-Mobile store, was being disassembled and I got a laugh over the sign that remained. (It was gone a few minutes after I took this picture). Other signs are sadder signs of the times, though.

This local business opened in 2020, during the pandemic.

Alas, it closed the end of last year.

Meanwhile, a sign of the times at another local business in the mall.  I hope Sandy is doing well.

One thing that remains the same, though, is a historic marker that people pass each day without glancing at.  I learned about the USS Monitor in grade school in New York City.  You'd be surprised where you find history - sometimes right in a local mall.

It will be interesting to see the continuing changes in this mall.  

Fortunately, the current owners haven't counted it out, like so many of the now closed malls in our country.

Groundhog Day and Other Skies #SkywatchFriday

Yesterday was Groundhog Day in the United States, and if a groundhog had looked up where I live in New York State, he or she would have seen the sun.

 But the sky had a definite chill.  An arctic blast was on the way.

I took one more picture before I had to put my hands back in my gloves.

Today, though, the arctic blast is here.  It was in the 30's F yesterday. Right now the temperature is 12F (-11 C) and the wind is howling.    We will get close to, or below zero F (-17.7C), tonight.  No outdoor skywatching today or tomorrow. So what I would like to do, instead, is show you the sunset from January 28, another day when the sun decided to show itself.

A contrail in the middle of the photo.  After a sunny day, the clouds are returning.

And the sun says nighty-night, as the clouds build.

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

Will The Groundhog Be Right in 2023?

February 2. The last February felt like just minutes ago.  Why does time speed by so quickly?

I feel duty bound to speak about this weirdest of holidays.

The rules are simple.

If the groundhog called Punxsutawney Phil (he or she lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) sees its shadow, we have six more weeks of winter.  If the groundhog doesn't see its shadow, we get an early spring.  What does the groundhog get out of it?  An interrupted sleep and being held by obnoxious (to Phil) humans.

The groundhog usually sees his shadow because, hey, this is the Northeast United States and we don't get early springs here.  Well, we did get one in 2012, but don't bet on it this year.  We'll know for sure at 6:30 am today and here is the prediction:

Six more weeks of winter! (surprise)

This celebration has its own website.  They've been annoying groundhogs since 1887, when 1887's annoyed groundhog saw its shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.  Well, keep in mind that's its prediction rate hovers around 40%.  But we keep doing it each year.

It also has its own history.  

 In 2013, it didn't see its shadow and we still got six more weeks of winter.

The groundhog almost got the death penalty for that one.

In 2016, it was unseasonably warm for us.  This year?  It got up to 42F (5.5 Celsius) at our house yesterday. This post from 2014 shows a more typical February day.

2020, as we prepared to enter a pandemic period, the groundhog did not see its shadow.  But the weather did not listen, and we had a miserable spring, in the midst of our lockdown.  We even got snow in May, where I live in New York State.

In 2022, I featured a picture of a groundhog.  As I blogged back in 2013: "I must admit, I do not have many warm and fuzzy feelings when it comes to groundhogs.  They have eaten too much of my gardens over the years for me to ever do anything nice for them. It's true the sustainable lifestyle means paying close attention to the clues Nature gives us, but I think dragging one out so it can see its shadow on live TV is a bit much."

But it does give us a moment of levity, something we desperately need.

What do you think of Groundhog Day?

Amaryllis Opening #WordlessWednesday

 For years, I have overwintered amaryllis I bought, hoping I could get them to rebloom.  I've only succeeded twice.  The second time is now.  I had three amaryllis and managed to get one of the three to rebloom

(If you are interested in trying this, here's how.)

This year, as the flower started to open, I decided to take some pictures of the process.

January 28.

The evening of January 30.

January 31, lunchtime. 

January 31, around 5pm.

I am so thrilled.  This is the story of when I bought this bulb in 2021.  It's actually its second visit to Wordless Wednesday.

 

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.