Music and Native Americans - #MusicMovesMe

Welcome, Monday!  It's time for Music Moves Me.

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please! Non-music posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me. 

This month our guest conductor, Stunning Keisha, Cathy,wants us to celebrate Native American Heritage. Put together a playlist of songs written/performed by Native Americans or inspired/about Native Americans.

It's an interesting topic.

When I lived in Wichita, Kansas in the late 1970's, I worked or interacted with various people, all who identified as white, yet claimed some Native American ancestry.   Every one of them was proud  of that ancestry.  Also, for a time, I lived in walking distance of Wichita's Mid-America All-Indian Center (which is still in operation) and attended a pow wow there.

Where I live in New York State, we are surrounded with names taken from Native Americans (some mangled). Allegany, Otsiningo, Chenango, Susquehanna, Owego, Apalachin, Keuka, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca, Skaneateles, Canandaigua, Chemung, Genessee, Ontario, and others.  Where I grew up in New York City:  Canarsie, Manhattan. Where my spouse grew up:  Tuckahoe, Mahopac, Poughkeepsie

I wanted to share a couple of photos with you,.  This is a photo taken at the Allegheny River rest stop on I-86/NY Rt 17 in western New York State.  I don't remember if this is on land owned by the Seneca Nation but it is a beautiful place with plaques explaining their culture.  Some road signs in this area are both in the Seneca language, and in English.

Here is one of those road signs.

One of many plaques at the Allegheny River rest area

I also highly recommend a visit to the Ganondagan Historic Site in upstate New York, near Victor, New York (about 20 miles to the south of Rochester).

But back to our topic....

It turns out there are quite a number of rock performers who are either Native American, or have a degree of Native American ancestry.

Redbone was a band composed of various Native Americans, including Pat and Lolly Vegas, that had a big hit in 1974 with "Come And Get Your Love."

But before then the Vegas brothers had performed with several other bands.  I found this song by Pat and Lolly Vegas, called The Robot Walk.

Randy Castillo, who drummed for Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue, was of Apache descent.  And, since I've had a hankering lately to hear Ozzy's 1991 song No More Tears...well, here Randy is.

And, from his one Motley Crue album, Hell on High Heels.

Lead singer Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is said to be part Mohican on his mother's side.  I thought of picking a song called Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky, but decided on one of my favorites of theirs, Californication.

How about James Brown, who is part Apache?  What great song should I choose?  OK, I chose "Living In America".  This is also Veterans Day, and I this song that celebrates our country.

Last but not least, Jimi Hendrix, who had a Cherokee grandmother.  Here, a live performance of "Freedom".

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next Monday - same time, same place.

Don't Just Thank Them For Their Service

Tomorrow is Veterans Day in the United States and Armistice Day in many other countries,

This holiday was originally to mark the end of World War I (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month) but, now, we honor veterans of all wars. 

Tomorrow, as I do on all Veterans Days, I will think of my late father.

My late father suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during his World War II (non-combat) service, and lived with seizures and other side effects for the rest of his life.  After he came back from war he found it near impossible to find employment, a fate that too many veterans of our modern wars suffer.  For a time, he ran a newsstand with another veteran.  Finally, he found a civil service job but was never able to rise too high in the ranks, due to his disability (we are, after all, talking of the 1950's and 1960's).

When I visit a city or town, I tend to gravitate to the war memorials.   For some reason, I feel like I am in touch with my father.

I've written several posts about veterans and war over the years, many Civil War oriented.  Here are some.
Blood chits.
Fighting the Civil War at a VA hospital
Veterans Day and Andersonville
Veterans Day

Which bring us to "Thank you for your service".  I've always been uncomfortable with this phrase, and I am not the only one.

I'll never know what my Dad thought about it.  He died over 30 years ago, before this became common.

But I am uncomfortable with it for the same reason that I always point out that my Dad did not serve in combat.  Not because my Dad's role as a support person (a mechanic, which led to the injury that caused the TBI) was unimportant and possibly dangerous.  But because a person in combat experiences things that change him or her forever.  They may be here physically, but in spirit is a whole other thing.  They pay a price that only other combat veterans, and those civilians who have suffered in war, can understand.  I know several mothers of combat veterans, and it gives one a whole new perspective into how lives can change forever.

I would say "Don't just thank them for their service.  Do something that helps them or their family - not charity, which they don't want, but offer them a role, a purpose, in their lives after their military service.  Let them know they are thanked, not just with several ritualistic words"

Tomorrow, let us pause and remember.

Local Saturday - The Anniversaries

November 9.

In 1620, those aboard the Mayflower see land (Cape Cod).

In 1862, Union General Ulysses Grant bars Jews from southward travel - perhaps a precursor to the infamous General Order 11 on December 17 of that year.

In 1921, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

In 1923, the second day of the Beer Hall Putsch, a failed attempt of the Nazi Party to seize power in Munich.  But history didn't count the Nazis out, no, far from it, leading up to....

In 1938, Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass.

In 1960, John Kennedy is elected President.

In 1965, the Great Northeast Blackout, extending into November 10, during which my mother passed away.

Kings of Freedom, University of Virginia, Berlin Wall Fragment

In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down.

It's strange, thinking that historical events seem to favor certain dates.

My lawn, November 9, 2019

But this year, at my house, it was calm, as winter had collided with Fall Thursday night and Friday.

Fall is trying to reclaim itself.

But watch out for history.

RIP to my mother, who helped encourage my love of learning and writing.   It took me a long time to realize that her death shaped me, in ways it took me years to understand.  I was a motherless daughter.

And that, too, is part of the legacy of November 9.

Seventh Floor Color #SkywatchFriday

I was so undecided today - I had so many sky photos to share.

But I can't let go of fall, even though we got our first snow yesterday.  I decided to show these pictures, from a couple of weeks ago, taken in the room where a Weight Watchers meeting I was attending was held.

Beautiful downtown Binghamton with our hills beyond.

State office building and Broome County Courthouse, Binghamton, New York

This morning, there is snow on the ground.
Fall, I miss you.

Join #SkywatchFriday, hosted each week by Yogi, and admire sky photos from all over the world.

Voting for Library Funding

We parked at the library for early voting and realized how full of potholes the parking lot was.

Within the library, two election workers blocked access to the main library - you could only go down to the voting area.  But if you could have entered the library, you would have entered a warm and welcoming place.  Local art always lines the wall leading to the checkout section.  

I've had a library card for the past - oh, 60 years, I figure.

But what if you came one day, and the library door was locked?  It's almost happened where we live, and in many other communities.  Just think:

Children with no place to go after school. No where to listen to story hour.  Nowhere to enjoy performances by local talent on summer evenings.

No one to help people looking for a job.  No one to help those with research questions.  Nowhere to borrow a pass to a local museum so you could get in for free.  Nowhere to borrow a wi fi hotspot.  Or to do research on any one of many databases.

No one to see local history, in the other of the two libraries whose funding we were voting on today.

Just think, having to do this every several years.  There had been no increase in five years, yet the demands on the libraries has only increased.

Our election results - the library funding passed.

The libraries can breathe relief.

Until next time.

Last Fall Foliage #WordlessWednesday

In another day, winter will be upon us where I live in the Southern Tier of New York.  Many parts of central/western New York have already experienced snow.

It will be our turn, but I wanted to close out the season with some of the last pictures of fall foliage.

Even last Sunday, there were still traces of green.

Gingkos on the edge of downtown Binghamton, November 1.

Hostas join in.

 A majestic tree, Vestal, New York.

One more, downtown Binghamton, New York

Alas. Our first snow should be tomorrow.

Farewell, autumn.

Linking with Sandee for #WordlessWednesday.

Fighting the Season for Sadness

You may think it's too early to think about Christmas.  After all, today is Election Day and I should be writing about elections and voting.  Not "The Holidays".

You'd be wrong about Christmas not being here yet.

All over the grocery stores, Christmas candy quickly took over the Halloween seasonal aisles.

Our local large grocery store, I noticed today, has already installed its Christmas wreath over the front entrance wall.

Well, more so than ever, Christmas is not a happy time for our family.


In 1998, my father in law died in his sleep on Christmas night.  In 2015, our family (inlaws) experienced holiday death in the family again when my brother in law's mother in law passed away right after Thanksgiving.  An aunt's sister died on Thanksgiving Day (November 26).

In 2018, my mother in law died on Black Friday (the day after the American Thanksgiving).   Two weeks later, one of my spouse's first cousins, someone he grew up with and knew all his life, died unexpectedly. Now those anniversaries draw near.

I so didn't want anything to do with Christmas last year that (with the help of an understanding cousin I will always be grateful to) spouse, son and I escaped to New York City (where the cousin lives) and did a bunch of non-Christmas things.

Even though I was sick for part of the visit, it has become a fond memory.


Now, it's time to remake holiday traditions.

Yes, now.  In 2019, even as we are telling relatives we don't want to exchange gifts this year. Maybe it's just time to step back.  So far, not that much blowback.  Well, a little.

Thanksgiving, we will do with pleasure.  I need to share a lot of gratitude.  After all, many have it worse than my spouse and me.  It's a major holiday for us.  Black Friday?  Well, we'll see.

Hanukkah, I will light the candles and visit Hanukkah House in Binghamton, New York (a seasonal museum), a tradition for myself and my spouse.

Christmas, we are hoping to have one of my spouse's cousins up here and also spend it with my autistic brother in law  No travel this year to see family.

The holidays.  Our way. We will not be bulldozed by what has become an out of control culture.

Do you face a similar situation?

Time Is On Our Side #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and you know what that means - time for Music Moves Me.

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please! Non-music posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me.


Our honorary conductor this month is Cathy from Stunning Keisha. She has chosen as her theme:  You Pick!

This week my theme is "Time".  It's on my mind today because of our switch from daylight saving time back to standard time.

You're never too old to rock.  Time is on the side of these rockers, all of whom (OK, except one of them) are younger than I am.

The group these rockers in their 60's has formed is called Your Mom.  The group is real but it becomes, at the end, a commercial for Medicare supplements.  I can forgive that - I love this song of rockers that time hasn't tamed.

Time for a little nostalgia.  Anyone out there remember the TV show Gilligan's Island?  Those people also had a one year series in the mid 1960's called  It's About Time.  Check out the opening.

Time Is My Side - Rolling Stones. I chose this demo rather than the version that was finally released because I enjoyed its different vibe.

Cyndi Lauper and Time after Time - a song that always leaves me with teary eyes.

It's time to go, so I will end with two songs.

Pink Floyd and the iconic "Time", from their Dark Side of the Moon album.

I end with Clocks by Coldplay, a song that causes nostalgia to wash over me. 

That is a wrap.  See 'ya, same time, same place, next Monday.

Happy Belated 50th Birthday Internet!

On October 29, 1969, the Internet was born.  I'm just a few days late celebrating.

Back in 2009, I wrote a blog post called "So How Did the Baby Boomers Get Online in 1958?"  Since then, my then teenaged son has grown up, but he maintains his interest in Internet history.

As for me...I was late to the computer world.  I bought my first computer in December of 1996, and went online in January of 1997, as I explain below.  My amazing computer, which cost nearly $2,000. with a service plan, had all but a 1.6 GB hard drive.  I got online using a service called CompuServe.

For my browsing, I used a browser called Mosaic, and things looked just a little different.  You can still use Mosaic, too, via something called a "Browser emulator".  I tried it and...oh those memories.

And if you want to see how the Internet looked back in 1997, you can, too.  This is the archived page of Yahoo from January 9, 1997.

But, about 1958....

So How Did The Baby Boomers Get online in 1958?

First, I am not trying to mock my teenage son. But it shows how, in some ways, the mindset of the present generation is so much different from those of us born only 35 or 40 years earlier.

My son knows about what the computers of the 1950's looked like. People of my generation remember the UNIVAC.  My son has studied it.

Do you remember the famous "hoax" picture of the 1954 RAND prototype of the first home computer? Maybe that was what son was thinking about when he asked his question.

One evening he asked me "how did you get online when you were growing up? Did you have one of those huge computers in your bedroom?" I thought he was kidding me.

He wasn't.

Although he intellectually knew there was no "internet" as he knows it back in the 1950's or 1960's, he had to believe that there was something out there that I used, something very clunky, using technology full of vacuum tubes.

He couldn't believe I grew up in an era without home computers. 

Interestingly, son is also interested in "old technology". For example, he is looking for a good Betamax player (and has several Betamax tapes). He just couldn't make that intellectual leap of "no computer, no Internet".

Let's think about this a minute. I bought my first home computer (a bit later than other people, I admit) in late 1996 and went online in January of 1997. So my son was in kindergarten at the time.  That computer connected through a 14,400 baud modem,  and used Mosaic as its browser.  (How dated can you be?)

From his viewpoint, there was a computer in his life "forever".

This leads to another question.  When did the Internet start? The answer is complicated. This link has quite the discussion and the answer is..."it depends".

But no, we didn't have either the Internet or home computers in 1958.  Just typewriters, carbon paper and long distance.


So....did you get online in the early days of the Internet?  If you did, how was it?

When Will We Stop The Time Switch Madness?

It's so ingrained in us that we can't stop, even if some states have passed bills to ditch the switch, or lock the clock.

October, please come back!

I find myself writing these posts twice a year.  Tomorrow, I will wake up, and my spouse will reset our clocks, gaining back an hour we lost in March of this year.  And then, the sun will set just before 5pm to my delight (not).  Monday, when I go to work, I will not see full daylight at my house again until next Saturday.

Twice a year, our country goes through this agony (spring ahead, fall back, stumble around disoriented for a couple of days, then forget about the whole thing) as we discuss:

Why are we doing this?
Is it really necessary?

Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands don't do it.  Why should we?

Why must we?

                             Leonid and Friends cover of Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?)

It does make for some interesting quirks in travel.

I remember, back in the early 1980's, traveling through Indiana several times.  Indiana has a time zone line go through the state. Part of the state is on Eastern time and part on Central time.  Back then, there were counties on year round standard time and counties that observed daylight saving time.  As you drove through the state you gained and lost and gained and lost and could easily find yourselves two hours behind where you thought you should be.

There is the "daylight time doughnut" in Arizona.  The state is on standard time year round, but the Navajo Nation observes daylight time. But then, the Hopi Nation, whose territory is completely surrounded by the Navajo's territory, observes year round standard time like Arizona in general.   The Navajo's decision to not follow the State of Arizona (which they have the right to do) was made because portions of their territory extends into neighboring states that do have daylight time, and the Navajos wanted to be internally consistent within their nation.

Seven out of ten Americans support not changing our clocks during the year but most of us disagree on how to do it.  Even my spouse and I disagree.  He supports year round standard time, for the sake of children getting to class in the light, which about four in ten Americans agree with.  Another three in ten want year round daylight time.  I would rather we "split the difference" - advance 1/2 hour next spring and stay there with no more changes.

Although, truly, I wish October would return.  

What do you think about the time changes, if you live where Daylight Saving Time exists?

Criss Cross #SkywatchFriday

November 1.  Where does the time go?

On Sunday we will get our hour back and the sun will set at 4:54 pm.  I can't stand it.  I hate the transition back to Standard Time so much, and I know I'm not alone.

But, on the other hand - it will make sunset photos a little easier.

Today, we are under a flood warning until 5:22 (?) PM.  When the sun come up I don't know what I will find from the storms last night. Not hearing much on the news, so hopefully the news is good.  We got up to 72 degrees F (22.2 C) yesterday.  Our expected high for today is 45F (7 C).

Let's rewind fall slightly, in the meantime, to happier days.   A rare cloudless day and an uncommon bright somewhat cloudy day await.

Let's go back a few days and take a walk on a couple of mild late October day in the Southern Tier of upstate New York.

A magnolia turns yellow.

Not too much red this year but here is a good example of red.

Contrails criss-cross.

Join Yogi and other bloggers watching the sky each Friday at #SkywatchFriday.

Scarecrow and Dragon #blogboost #RMF2019

Today is the last day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge and it is also Halloween.

The weather has been giving nothing but tricks to most of our country - Santa Ana winds and terrible fires in California, lots of snow in Colorado, unexpected early snow in many other places.  For us, we'll get rain and wind.  Fortunate, as things go.  The rain has already arrived.

But that doesn't mean we can't do a little Halloween decorating on my blog.  Many of these are courtesy of a scarecrow contest earlier this month at a local park.

A grim reaper scarecrow.

Owego, New York

A black cat.

A Halloween garden

Time to feed the dinosaurs. (The late Johnny Hart, who wrote the B.C.and Wizard of Id comics, was local and, in fact, worked (before his days of fame) at one time in my neighborhood.)

And one with a broomhead.

But most of all, don't forget to feed your dragon.

With that, I say goodbye to October and fall, as it seems winter always starts in November.  It is time for the gales and snows of November. 

We'll end it with a song - from 1958, Purple People Eater.   Linking with Mary at Jingle Jangle Jungle for the last day of her Rockober Music Festival.

Day 31 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Last Flowers of Fall #WordlessWednesday #blogboost

Normally, we would have had at least a light frost by now where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, but this has not been a normal year.

Last night, around sunset, I took these pictures.

Nasturtiums won't take even a light frost, and here they still are.

These are hardy mums (they overwinter and come back) late to bloom but are starting to bloom just in time.

Pineapple sage, blooming like it never has for us.

Yes, these are white marigolds (with a yellow one at the bottom).

All around us, frost and freezes have hit, but somehow, my immediate neighborhood was spared.  I'm amazed.  And, unlike the beginning of October, I'm mentally ready to say goodbye.

I share with you a last look, because we will have heavy rain tomorrow and a killing frost by Saturday at the latest.

Goodbye, summer.

Joining Esha and Natasha, and Sandee, for #WordlessWednesday.


Day 30 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

The World's on Fire #blogboost #RMF2019

Living on the East Coast of the United States, I watch the fires in California in horror.  I am used to seeing red skies for sunrises and sunsets, but I am almost afraid to ever post such a picture again.

About as red as I want to post - Skaneateles Lake, New York

The numbers are staggering, hard to imagine.
Over 200,000 evacuated.  People fleeing as fire approaches the major highways they are fleeing on.

My spouse was reminded of the lyrics of the Doors song "LA Woman", a song about Los Angeles.

It contains these lyrics:
"I see your hair is burnin'/Hills are filled with fire..."

But Jim Morrison didn't live long enough to see this, or to experience a modern California which is on fire or is without electricity.

Only time will tell what will end up happening - this is only the beginning of the California fire season.

Is this our future?  Horror?  Something that you wish was a Halloween horror movie but is too real, for some bloggers I have interacted with?


Posting as part of Jingle Jangle Jungle's Rocktober Music Fest 2019.

Day 29 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Songs of the Spooky Season #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and you know what that means! It's time for Music!

Who are the #MusicMovesMe bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please! Non-music posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me. 

Our guest conductor this month is Robin aka Songbird at Songbird's Crazy World.  Her theme this week is "Songs of the Season - Halloween or Autumn or both".

My songs aren't going to be necessarily spooky but will feature elements of Halloween - spiders, blood, horror, costumes, werewolves.

Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon.  This 1978 song is such fun and it has such great lines in it.

Ghost - Square Hammer.  This is not a Halloween song but it has so many Halloween like elements (and, I love the song and the video both.)

Give Blood - a live performance by Pete Townshend, featuring David Gilmour.   Again, the only Halloween element here is blood, but it's a great song.

Psycho Killer - Talking Heads, the song my spouse can't resist making chicken sounds to when he hears it.  

Apparently someone else had the same idea - and it was a hit in certain parts of the country in 1979 and 1980. Psycho Chicken by the Fools - it's scary how some people make money.

From 1966:  Boris the Spider from The Who.

There are some really freaky songs I could have featured.  Instead, one more, one that I bet more than one music blog will feature this week.

Michael Jackson's Thriller, featuring Vincent Price. This mini-movie is a masterpiece.

And that's a scary, scary wrap.

You know what is next:  same time, same place, next Monday, more music from #MusicMovesMe.

Day 28 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

I Vote for Fall Color

A quiet Sunday that started with pouring down rain, then got sunny, then got cloudy and drizzly, and now it can't make up its mind.

Endicott, NY near library 10-27-19

Golden and red trees celebrate the fact that New York State officially has early voting.

For us this is an off year - we voted for two countywide positions (the district attorney and one other) and one funding initiative for the two libraries located within our county.  Perhaps "ironically" is not the right word here, but two of the three polling places for early voting in my county was located in one of the libraries whose funding we would be voting for.  Ironically.

The only people there when spouse and I arrived were eight election workers - four Republican and four Democrat.

Instead of signing a book by hand, we handed over our drivers licenses, which were scanned in (this is a one-time thing) and then we signed a pad (like one you use when making a purchase with a debit or credit card). Our signature was then compared with one they had on file.

In the alternative, we could have given our names and addresses verbally.

Once they knew where we lived (anyone in the county could use any one of the three polling places), a ballot was printed out for each of us, with the races we would be voting in.  These races vary by town or city.

After we cast our ballots, we were given our "I Voted" sticker.

And that was it.  Took maybe ten minutes.  It worked flawlessly.

If we had waited for the official election day, we would only have been voted in our normal polling place, so there wouldn't have been a printer needed.  Otherwise, one of the election workers assured me, the procedure would have been the same.

So that was it.  No bugles or drums or cheering throngs.

As we left, several other people arrived.

I liked it.  But I could see how easily it may have gone wrong - if the printer had stopped working, for example.

Only time will tell how well early voting works statewide.

So I went home, sat in my backyard, and then went in and baked an apple crisp.

Day 27 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Early Voting and Fall Color

New York State sometimes is way behind the times.

So many states have had something called early voting for years. It's a system where you can cast your vote "early", a few days before the official election day.  Of course, once you vote, you can't change your mind, but it allows people to vote at times convenient to their work or living schedules.

New York finally got early voting this year.  In fact, today is the first day of early voting.  How many people will notice that, in-between all the Halloween events, is another story.

Oh, we've had innovations years after everyone else for some time.  Like electronic voting.  
One thing true about our United States is that there is much inonsistency in voting rules, which makes years where we elect high officials (like next year, which is a Presidential election year) interesting.  In some places, polls echo with the sounds of crickets.  In other places, people wait on line for hours.  In several states, people vote by mail.  This is a brief insight into New York's system - until today.  

Early voting is going to cost taxpayers a lot of money, because that is what happens in New York.  One of the reasons why is because the polls will be open an extra 10 days, but another reason is that people are not going to vote in their normal polling locations.  We now have an electronic system for verifying our registration when we enter the poll, rather than the "sign a physical book by pen".

I wonder how much confusion this is going to cause.

In my county, Broome County, there will be three polling sites open.  Two of the three sites are libraries.  The third is in an indoor mall, the Oakdale Mall, which has a place in history for another reason.

I am not sure about the libraries, but I am positive the Oakdale Mall has never been used for voting. The hours are limited, too - most days voting only occurs from 12pm to 5pm.

But I thought, why not check it out?

Well, on my way to early voting, I got a little distracted by fall color. 

When I arrived at the library in Endicott, the voting place wasn't set to open until noon and it was 11:40 am.  Poll workers were arriving.  I figured, maybe another time.

So we decided to look at some more fall color, instead.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, so maybe I'll try again. 

Whatever the outcome, I hope this is running smoothly by November of 2020, when we vote for our President, Congresspeople and 1/3 of our Senators.

Do you have early voting or postal voting where you live? 

Fog and Sun #SkywatchFriday #blogboost

It's not unusual, this fall season, to have thick fog in the morning and sun by afternoon where I live and work, in the Binghamton, New York area.

Wednesday, the fog was so thick I decided that, combined with fall foliage, would make a great contrast with what the same area looked like around 1pm.

Buildings in the mist.

Somehow, this turned out like a black and white and yellow picture, but not on purpose.

The tall building in the background used to be where our newspaper, the Binghamton Press, was published.  Now, it's student housing called...The Printing House.

Now for the sun pictures.   They aren't the same views as in my fog pictures, but are within the same couple of blocks downtown. I was more trying to capture fall foliage.

Beautiful red against a blue sky.

The building to the left (you see just a piece of it) was on the right in the second picture, but barely visible there.

Today, it's back to rain.

Join Yogi and the other bloggers who watch the sky each Friday on #SkywatchFriday.

Day 25 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Ginkgo in Color #ThursdayTreeLove #blogboost

The ginkgo biloba tree.  Wonderous and hardy.

Some say it has medicinal qualities.  What is certain is that this Southeastern Asia native is hardy and suitable for urban streets here in the United States.  It can even change its gender, which is not necessarily a welcome thing.

They sure are beautiful in fall, though.

Join Parul at Happiness and Food each second and fourth Thursday of the month for #ThursdayTreeLove.

Want even more fall color? Come back tomorrow for Skywatch Friday!

Day 24 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost