Lillie Park South - December 4, 2021

Some leaves just keep hanging on...

I like the bark on this tree, I don't know what kind it is.

I really hope that birds aren't responsible for the damage to this birdhouse. If they are, then I need to start walking in a park where the birds are more mellow.

A nice fall water scene in the early morning light.

A smaller pond with some waterfowl and some nice trees. 

You can still find some color out there!

I am post number 8! I am post number 8! I am post number 8! Who the heck are you?

This picture didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but it's pretty good in its own right, so here it stays.

There were many of these little branch/vine wreaths all along the paths at the park. This was near one of the path entrances. I have another shot where you can see my shadow, which I would submit as evidence if my shadow needed an alibi for Saturday, December 4. 

More Flat Things Turned Into a Circle

 

Circuit board in a tube?

Using the "tiny planet" idea, here's a part of a circuit board that has been spun around. I like to imagine the pointy ends of the components in this image could all shoot a laser at once and produce a Death Star-like ray of destruction. Or toast a marshmallow. 

Where the Geese are Going

 

Source: https://twistedsifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/basically-december-138.jpg

A Lot of Links

I have been saving up a lot of links lately, here they are. 

A really neat weather map. Change the settings and see how much there is to show. 

Here's a meditative game. Stack the rocks on top of each other - click and drag the rocks with your mouse, then drop them into place. 

A "pie" that looks awfully familiar. Call 911 to give them a heads up, and dig in!

More Boats? Really?

For some reason, I keep blogging about boats. I like them, and at the same time, it's entirely possible I'll never own so much as a kayak. 

Yacht 1. Sweet!

Yacht 2 which is not a yacht that exists, but if it were manufactured, it would have zero emissions, which is great because you wouldn't pollute the air as you run over dolphins and whales. Boom! Biff! Comes with long-handled nets for collecting plumes of floating ocean plastic.

A sub, which we can all agree would be a lot more fun than floating on top of the water in luxury, although there is the downside of meeting your maker if you spring a leak or forget to close the hatch or a yacht runs over you.  

Get Yer Free Hug! 

Source: https://twistedsifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/november-rain-147.jpg

Camera Walk: Rest In Peace, Dad

 

The morning after dad's service I went for a walk in a wooded area just outside town. I hadn't been on a camera walk in a long time. The last time was when I found the green heron strutting around on the bridge at a different park. 

It's not the greatest time for outdoor photography in Michigan - most of the fall colors are gone now, or they're attached to the leaves on the ground. Some green foliage is still around, and it might stay green all winter - those plants forget to change, or no one told them they were supposed to. 

There had been a light snow the night before my walk, and the water on the ground had a very thin layer of ice, as did the small ponds. My hands got cold but it felt good, and breathing the outdoor air after spending so much time indoors in the prior weeks was refreshing. 

Football Saturday Roundup

Read This Book

Many people know about Bletchley Park and Alan Turing, but did you know about the United States' similar successes in codebreaking during WWII? 

This book about a female codebreaker, Elizebeth Friedman, is well-written and exciting. Her husband is also a codebreaker for the US government, and as you might expect from the time, he usually receives recognition, while his equally-capable wife remains in the shadows.

Miscellaneous Links and Information

Pickles tells us about being happy,

Follow Anthony Bourdain through a day at his New York restaurant - a classic from New Yorker magazine.

I need to try this punctuation map on my whole blog someday...

Does your country have a wizard? Why not? 

Down the Path

 

Now Playing

The road well-traveled

When I woke today, suddenly nothing happened. 

But in my dream, I slew the dragon. 

And down this beaten path, up this cobbled lane, 

Walking in my old footsteps once again.

- "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" by Colin Hay 

Source: https://xkcd.com/2492/

Some Links

This car is very cool and the closest I'll come to owning an Aston Martin. "Bond. Don Bond."

If this speaker sounds as good as it looks, it sounds pretty weird.

Spartan Marching Band

 

M leads the alto saxes during warm-ups before the first home game

Football has returned to Michigan State's campus, and that means the marching band is up and running! M is a co-section leader this year for the alto saxes, and he and Rachel led the alto saxes through fall practices. 

After a year off due to COVID-19, everyone was more than ready to go. 

The band marches from the practice field to the stadium before the game.