the afternoon moon -
shines in the icy blue sky …
winds whirl up the snow.

Well to keep things exciting – The weatherman is now talking about a ice storm with 1/2″ inch accum. and 45 mph winds.  So we are are busy gathering extra water, extra hay to bed down the animals, setting up candle stations (for power outage) and stocking the front porch with plenty of firewood (our heat source).

Joshua landed this morning and has had to transform from Coast Guard officer to country son and help out – he is loving it.  Big change from combat training in Washington State and Calif.

Started the day with pancakes and bacon for six at the breakfast table (I loved it)  Lunch will be a spread of the week’s leftovers – roast ham, roast beef and chicken cutlets.  Breads and spreads or leftover salad-makings fron last night – if chosen, then a well earned nap.

Melbourne New Years Eve, Docklands 2009 by The Starry Eyed

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Major and memorable events – focusing on Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia, 2009:
(I’ve only included news that I care about, so sorry the AFL and other sporting events don’t make it in)

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January

- Heatwave, causes train chaos, blackouts, fires, breaks power usage records, tops of 45 degrees.

- Darcy Freeman, 4, dies after being thrown off West Gate Bridge into Yarra River by her father.

- 2 Melbourne brothers killed in New Zealand glacier collapse.

- student activists squatting at Melbourne University evicted.

- Melb writer Harry Nicolaides released from Bangkok prison after 5 months in jail for insulting Thai royals in a book which sold fewer than 10 copies.

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Day Fifty-Four | Earth Fire Wind Water Heart., originally uploaded by The Starry Eyed.

February

- Melbourne’s Southern Star Observation Wheel closed after only a month of operation. As of dec 2009, has been disassembled and is being rebuilt, is yet to reopen.

-underworld killer Lewis Moran sentenced to life in prison.

- Victorian Bushfires – 173 people killed and 413 injured after bushfires (up to 400 individual fires) raged throughout the Yarra Valley, Gippsland, Dandenong, Beechworth and Bendigo regions in Victoria. Bushfire smoke seen as far as New Zealand.

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Southern Star by The Starry Eyed

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March

- Coldplay come to Melbourne, perform at Rod Laver Arena.

- Sound Relief concerts held in Melbourne and Sydney to raise money for victims of the Victorian Bushfires and the Queensland floods. Features artists such as Midnight Oil, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Jet, Wolfmother, Kings of Leon, Jack Johnson, The Presets, Architecture in Helsinki, and many more.

- Earthquake felt across Melbourne and Victoria, 4.6 on richter scale, epicentre just north of Korumburra in South Gippsland.

-Emirates plane almost crashes at Melbourne airport during takeoff due to the wrong numbers being entered into an aircraft computer, pilots forced to resign.

-Man attacked with meat cleaver in Port Melbourne has face slashed, case of mistaken identity.

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Coldplay by The Starry Eyed

April

- a gorilla, named Yakini, uses a palm tree to escape from Melbourne zoo enclosure.

- storm crosses Melbourne with winds reaching up to 150km/hr.

- major heroin ring smashed with arrests in Sydney and Melbourne, heroin seized worth AUD$9 million.

- announced that new suburb to be created in Maribyrnong, in Melbourne’s inner west, potentially size of Castlemaine or Lakes Entrance. Construction to begin in 2012, to cost up to $1 billion.

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Swine Flu Hanky / Design Glut

May

- Indian Students start rallying over ‘Indian related’ attacks.

- Swine Flu starts spreading in Melbourne, first cases reported are from a primary school. As of Dec 2009, over 37,000 Australians have been infected (of those reported), and 191 people have died.

- Melbourne woman arrested in Thailand for stealing a bar mat.

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June

- first death from Swine Flu reported.

-Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise and daughter Suri arrive in Melbourne, stay at Crown, visit Aquarium, watch AFL, Katie films ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark’.

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July

-Swine Flu at its peak during the winter months.

- a pet dog returned to Melbourne owners after being found in QLD 9 years after going missing.

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August

- 7 Chinese films withdrawn from thr 58th Melbourne International Film Festival.

- Four Melbourne men arrested, members of suspected terror cell, in second-largest counter-terrorism operation in Australia’s history with 400 police raiding homes across Melbourne and Victoria.

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September

- Michael Jacksons white glove sold in Melbourne for $49,000.

-Swine Flu vaccinations begin.

- First case of Tamiflu resistance found in Australia.

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October

- Metropolitan Train hits baby in pram at Ashburton Station, baby ok.

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November

- Conjoined Twins joined at the head, Krishna & Trishna, separated.

- Britney Spears performs in Melbourne, and other Australian capitals. Holidays in Sydney, turns down a marriage proposal.

- Tiger Woods plays in Melbourne.

- Schoolies week in Gold Coast labelled ‘worst ever’.

- Tony Abbott becomes new liberal leader of the opposition.

- Kevin Rudd apologises to the Forgotten Australians.

- Fire out of control on an oil rig off the coast of Western Australia, has been leaking for 10 weeks into the Timor Sea.

- Asylum Seekers leave Oceanic Viking after more than a month, which created debate over immigration policy.

- Metro Trains (operators) take over from Connex, delays reported.

- Heatwave.

- Thunderstorm, 100km winds, worst damage in Eastern suburbs

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December

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The deck has been making popping sounds all night. With temperatures dropping fast, the water that was absorbed by the deck boards was expanding. The deeper the ground freezes. The colder the air feels. And the more the deck pops. I keep picturing nails shooting out.

I nearly forgot to check the mail today. I put on a heavy flannel shirt with my stylish orange coat, my black waterproof old boots. Wrapped a scarf around my neck, and stuck a grey knit hat on my head and pulled on my over sized brown gloves…

I have to stop here, because my younger male cat, walked off with one of the gloves and I had to sweet-talk him to get it back. I was a bit overheated by the time I grabbed my ski pole walking stick, and called to Uriah to follow me down the driveway.

 Just outside the garage doors, Uriah stopped, lifted his face to the winds, and promptly turned around and asked to go back into the garage. I bribed him with a few, six to be exact, Liver Snaps.

 Closer to the house, on the left side of the driveway as you face west, is a very tall Blue Spruce. It blocks the wind and cold beautifully As soon as I passed that tree I readjusted my scarf and gave Uriah another biscuit.

 The sun was shining brightly and the air was freezing.

Uriah decided if he had to follow me he would stay behind me the entire time.  This way I was blocking the wind.

“Uriah, you can’t be cold.” I scolded him; he grinned and listened for the word treat, or biscuit.

I showed him my gloved hands were void of treats.  “You don’t need any more. You have too much body fat!”

Uriah must have taken offense at that, because he sneezed and wandered over to the fence line and urinated. He waddled back, but never looked at me.

 I made him stop and sit before we got all the way to the road.

The thirty feet before the driveway ended, the blacktop ended. The next twenty feet was dirt and gravel. Tire ruts were filled in with smooth solid ice and banked with craggy ice patches. 

The last ten feet slopped upwards. I trudged up that slight incline at the end of the driveway.  Then stopped and tried to plan out my path.  Those few feet to the mailbox were littered with large chunks of shining, grayish white, ice.  Slick and jagged!  If I wasn’t careful I would fall.

I waited for three cars to past, before I moved up and left, towards the mailbox.

The mailbox door was open. That’s not unusual, trucks speed along this road. Add in winds and I’m surprised they don’t rip out the entire box, post and all.  So far this winter, knock on wood, my mail hasn’t gotten blown out onto the road.

  I checked inside the box, nothing!  I slowly moved back towards my waiting dog.

“Hey! Uriah, do you know how to figure out a formula for Relative Velocity?”  I grabbed his muzzle with both gloved hands and rubbed his face as I continued talking. “Take a truck, a mailbox, and add in wind speed …”

Uriah looked at me, lowered his head to the ground and started to jump around alike a puppy.

“Okay, I get it! You want to go back home!”  I headed towards the house as Uriah happily trotted directly in front of me.

On the way back, I noticed a large softball size piece of ice sitting on the side of the driveway. Stupidly, not realizing it was frozen to the ground. I kicked it trying to get it off the blacktop.  I made a mental note never to do that again. My boots helped to protect my toes. Uriah looked like he was laughing at me…

I live near a small town. I am two and a half miles out of town into farm country. The town was built on a lower section of land and its only 5 sq. miles.   So when the winds are blasting my home, the  town has a nice breeze.

  Only once, that I can recall, in the past fourteen years did the town get hit ‘hard’ with heavy winds.

It was a couple of years ago; I was heading into the small grocery store.  As I walked into the store, I could hear the townspeople talking about the winds.

 (Townspeople that word sounds like they have torches and pitchforks and are shooing out the monsters)

“How horrible!”  I heard, as I moved up and down the aisles.  

“Have you ever seen anything like this? “ Someone else asked me, as I stood paying for my groceries. 

Now, I didn’t want to start a conversation that sounded like I was in kindergarten. My winds are stronger than your winds, type of argument. Instead I held up my hand, palm towards her, in a signal for her to wait a minute.  I walked outside the store, a few seconds later I came back in and answered.  I said, “Seen worse.”  

A farmer was in the line behind her, he just nodded in agreement.

She looked confused.  I got a good look at myself in the front window. My hair was standing on end. Smiling to myself I collected my groceries and walked out the door.   

I check online for the daily temperatures. Then, I step outside to see if the winds are blowing.

 Or if it is summer… or is the sun shining?  Or not!  

In town they also have more tree coverage. All this gives them a slightly warmer winter temperatures than where I am at, just mere two and half miles ‘down the road.’ 

 Heavy sigh!

What does all that mean?  Well, when the temperature online is 11 degrees above zero. Like it is right now! Where I’m at it’s … 5 degrees.  Heat wave!

It will get colder….

 Years ago, I made a bright yellow garden sign with this poem;

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”

~John Ruskin

Yawning, I glanced out the window.  Ice crystals had formed on the outside of the window, my breath steamed up the inside of the glass.

This morning the sun was shining brightly, and diamonds glittered off the pristine white snow. I stood there for a moment, shivered, as I admired the designs in the snow. It looked as though someone had dropped pebbles in water and the white ripples froze in place. They  seemed to appear randomly throughout the yard.  I knew the patterns were formed by very cold ground winds as they jumped from one high patch to the next.

Outside temperature was 0 degrees…

Inside the house I heard the winds howling as they moved under the eves and around the chimney, and then tried to push in through the gaps in the old windows.  I heard the sound of the deck popping from the cold. The boards were freezing.

I grabbed an old purple sweatshirt, pulled it on over my head and shuffled to the kitchen.   Before I do anything I need my morning coffee, at least a sip.  

 A short time later I was standing out at the end of the driveway in three feet of snow. Not too bad, considering yesterdays snow fall. This was soft; at least the snow blower might be able to plow through this.  It will be slow going. All that snow I couldn’t remove yesterday was frozen solid and lined the driveway in slippery uneven miniature icebergs.  

I lowered my scarf from my face and allowed the blast of cold to hit me straight on. It felt like my eyes froze. Ouch!

I made sure no cars were coming and stepped out of the drive looking down the road to the north. The street was a slick, sheet of ice. Then to the south where it was patchy, strips of ice and blacktop.

The winds raced across the road at ground level.  It looked as though someone had put dry ice in the ditch for miles in both directions. A snowy mist poured over the ditch onto the road, and raced along the ground to the other side.  

It did look a bit eerie.

I started laughing, my imagination was running wild, “Keep to the road, don’t walk in the moors, the werewolves will get you!”   Oh! That would look great! Trying to out run anything in this cold would have to happen in slow motion- by both parties.

The cold had to be freezing my brain!  There was no other explanation…

The tips of my fingers were hurting; I curled my hands up in my gloves.

Uriah paced in the snow, lifting one paw then the other. His head was covered in snow. He had been rolling in a snow drift.

“Come on, Uriah! Let’s go back in where it’s warmer.”

Good Morning to all of my wonderful friends! 

For those of you following our weather  in the Southwest, it’s been a crazy month.  Two days ago, we had close to 90 mph winds.  Last Monday, we had snow.  The daytime temperatures didn’t rise above 37 degrees.  For us, that’s freezing, we’re used to the high 30’s during the morning hours and warm up to the mid 60’s.   To top things off, it rained and snowed last Thursday night.  Horrid cases of black ice, which caused traffic problems, downed internet lines and delays in school openings.

I won’t complain, the weather was perfect!  I spent the weekend baking my holiday cookies, in a warm and toasty house.   If not writing, I can spend an eight-hour day baking non-stop and snacking on the cookies that didn’t come out perfect.  I’ll be the first to admit I have a case of OCD that would rival even the most obsessive television detective.  By the end of the day, you wouldn’t believe how many cookies didn’t meet my strict roundness guidelines. LOL

This morning was a debate when it came to what recipe to post for my holiday blog.  I was thinking I should post a side dish for your reading pleasure but the cookies began to call me from across the kitchen.  They did that enticing little plea some of you must know, that little seductive whisper of your name that swirls about the room, pleading, saying come on, just one nibble, it won’t hurt …

Because those little butterscotch demons beckoned to me at 2 a.m., I will give you my recipe for the Kitchen Sink.  Yep, I said the Kitchen Sink.  These are cookies I whipped together one year when there was just a little oatmeal, chocolate chip, and butterscotch cookie dough left but not enough to make full and individual batches. 

Instead, I threw all the batter together and these were created.  I hope you enjoy the cookies as much as my family and friends do.

KITCHEN SINK COOKIES

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnut)

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 package butterscotch chips

1 package chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs (one at a time) and vanilla, mixing thoroughly until well blended. 

In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients (excluding chips, nuts and oatmeal)

Blend together the creamed mixture and the dry ingredients.  When thoroughly combined, add the chips, oatmeal and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoons on a  cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Cool and serve.

This recipe will make over 5 dozen cookies that can be stored in an airtight container.

All wounds?  Times heals all wounds?

Surely that’s the old adage.

But like most bits of wisdom, it says one thing while meaning another.

Time?  No, time heals nothing – at least not the things that matter.

What have you lost?  A wallet? A watch?

Time can heal that.

What have you lost?  A lover?  A friend?

Time can’t take back the part of you that lived with them.  The part that made you care for them so much.

The part you lost with them.

Ironic, that they say time heals, because over time, as we lose more and more of ourselves, the part of us

that is so good and bouncing back, at picking ourselves up off of the floor, – yea, that part- well that part gets lost too.

It becomes embittered, rebellious, and eventually, forgotten.

We slide back into our mediocre pocket of the world, a place we know is safe because nothing changes.  We

don’t change.  The only things that don’t change in life are dead, but the winds have already blown us away.

A state of emergency has been called for the State of Wisconsin by Governor Doyle because of the blizzard conditions that began early last night and will continue until Thursday.

If and when needed, the National Guard will be called up to help clear roads and otherwise restore order.

We’re digging out now, but nothing is moving around here except EMS people, and taxicabs that will take only the most vitally important folks, like hospital workers. Everyone is staying the hell home. Nobody is open; state, Feds, local; schools, colleges, banks, shopping centers and malls. Madison Metro Buses aren’t running for the rest of the day; airports half-way open or closed. There are reports of power lines down, but most MG&E customers are receiving services. County roads are in poor condition. And the winds are picking up.

If you don’t have to go anywhere, stay home.

More later; refer to this link, Live Blogging at Weather 3000, as a gateway to other local news and information.

oh, lovely nature …
just to sit and watch the world -
carried on the wind

dressed in dread, the dawn -
awaiting the high plains winds …
hold on to your head

Icy and Dangerous Roads at this time. If you have to travel in the morning, take your time and start out early. School delays possible. Check local news for details. High 60 degrees on Tuesday with 60 mph winds expected in the afternoon.

A storm packing blustery winds and driving rain knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses in the Northeast on Thursday before giving way to sunny skies and record high temperatures — all in the same morning.

Utility officials reported sporadic power outages from Maine to New Jersey after wind knocked down trees and power lines early Thursday. Winds reached up to 49 mph in Brunswick, Maine, while the Isle of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire recorded a 61 mph gust. In New Jersey, wind speeds topped out at 45 mph.

But the rain and wind that battered the region early Thursday gave way to sunny skies and unseasonably high temperatures by mid-morning.

Visitors to Fort Williams Park watch the heavy surf explode onto the rocks, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

In Boston, the temperature hit 69 degrees, breaking the old record of 65 set in 1932. In Portland, the temperature climbed to 68 degrees — crushing the old high of 55 for the date. Providence, R.I., had a record high of 66, and Concord, N.H., set a record at 65.

“It’s not right. It’s December. It’s supposed to be snowing,” said Jennifer Sporzynski, who sat on a park bench Thursday in Portland’s Old Port. “I like warm weather — but not in December.”

But for others, the balmy weather was just fine.

In Boston, joggers ran downtown in shorts and T-shirts, while walkers strolled through the city with jackets tied around their waists.

David Montero, 36, exited his Downtown Crossing apartment Thursday morning wearing a heavy coat to walk his 2-year-old Boston Terrier named Bolt.

“I personally would take this all week, if we could have it,” Montero said as he watched Bolt play with two other dogs in the Boston Common.

Still, Montero said he couldn’t get over the sight of seeing people in the grassy park exercising in shorts. “Totally bizarro,” he said.

For many, the day started with lashing rain. Central Maine Power, the state’s largest electric utility, reported 6,700 customers in the dark at the storm’s peak. In New Jersey, more than 10,000 homes and businesses lost electricity. Other northeastern states, including New Hampshire, also suffered power outages.

High winds disrupted some ferry services from Cape Cod to the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Two scheduled passenger ferries and a freight ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket were canceled Thursday morning, while ferries from Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard were running on a trip-by-trip basis, the Steamship Authority reported.

Heavy waves pounded the shore, causing beach erosion up and down the Atlantic coast. Coastal flooding closed several roads in New Hampshire at high tide late Thursday morning.

Jim Brown from the National Weather Service says the cooldown will be nearly as swift as the arrival of the record warmth. Seasonably cooler weather is expected by the weekend in the Northeast.

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Wind born out of the heights of Antipolo rushed swiftly down to the lowlands passing through sleeping towns east of the metropolis. It crossed a mighty river who just recently wrought havoc and distress. The wind continued to flow along the city avenues and elevated roads made of steel bars, concrete and asphalt. In the heart of the wide expansive land of Bonifacio where a running event has just started, the wind blew strong and cold. It hit the masses of runners excitedly starting their day with the usual festive Sunday race. The wind was chilly producing shivers and goose bumps. Autumn was about to end and the big guns of October have fallen silent. Amidst the settling dust, runners were left gaping and wanting. The promise of excitement and triumphs were replaced by remarks of mediocrity and stories of horror. But November has come and brought new wind.

Timex Run. I was climbing Kalayaan Bridge when light started to invade the dark. The sky was slowly transforming from blue-black to light blue. At the top of the Bridge before the sharp decent to Buendia Avenue, I spied on the cityscape dotted with small lights from houses like tiny twinkling stars. The chill of the wind has lessened to a welcome cool breeze. At the foot of Bridge, I met the lead runner on the return route, a Kenyan running easily with two more Kenyans and a local (Alley Quisay) hot on his trail. Then the first of the water stations appeared and it was a sight to behold. Long tables with hundreds of cups grouped alternately with water and 100Plus. A setup long requested by runners and tenaciously drawn attention to by noted bloggers. Same water station arrangement would be found throughout the course at unbelievingly close intervals.

The sun was already shining brightly when I entered the Heritage Park. Somehow, the heat was not so hot even in the absence of the wind. The Park was still and quiet as if afraid to wake its residents. Sparse trees, neatly manicured lawn and the calm waters of a pond further highlighted the required serenity of the place. The soft woosh-woosh of running shoes from hundreds of odd feet discretely invaded the silence competing with the chirps and strange calls of birds. The two-kilometer run inside the Park was enough respite from the oft-used worn-out route.

Chasing my shadow

The last kilometers took an interesting detour around the entrance of the American Cemetery and Trion Towers. On the last turn, the sun was high on my back casting long shadows in front of me. I was running strongly

as I chased my shadow to the finish line with a new PR.

NB Power Run. The sun was already a third to its zenith floating like a molten ball above the thin clouds. We just passed the U-turn at C5 when,

JI, my companion suddenly attacked the long incline after Heritage. I was reluctant to go after him; I should be taking it easy being in taper mode but the thrill of the chase got me going. At the top, we paused to catch our breath and waited for our other companion, NH, to catch up. We would repeat the hill assault like madmen at Bayani Road exiting to

Lawton and at the dreaded long McKinley Hill. At each the peak, JI and I would stop, rest and chat idly like oldwives having coffee while waiting for NH. Runners that we overtook along the rise would look at us in askance as they passed us again. What are these two doing?

Like returning soldiers

JI and I were preparing to attack the hill along Essensa when suddenly, NH sprinted away like a boar chased by feral dogs. At the top, he roared in triumph, spent and wincing in pain. We finished the race side by side, waving to our friends like relieved soldiers coming home from a war.

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Two pristine races left runners in delight and full of hope. The winds of November have swept the dust of past disenchantment. Redemption was served cold.

skies wet and weighty -
winds howl, send cats to hiding …
bunchy and scrunchy

“He sleeps after having played his flute, a tender youth lying on tender flowers, whilst the moisture on his forehead mingles with the dew of the meadow; and Zephyros summons him by breathing on his hair, and he breathes in response to the wind, drawing the air from his lungs.”

In the second of a three part special about climate change, BBC Scotland’s social affairs reporter Fiona Walker travelled to South Uist to learn about the rising seas which threaten to erode the coastline…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: trips. The blog is also related to: airport tickets.

soft dawn light glows pink
a new day begins gently…
after the fierce winds

a cold, windy night–
lonely sounds of a train horn
blow in on the winds

This day started out with bright sunshine, and warm breezes. By mid-afternoon the sky was a haze of grey clouds that stretched across the sky and touched the horizon.

I watched the mist, as it rolled across the choppy fields, and felt the air pressure settle in behind my eyes.

With my blurry eyes to the ground I headed back home. Stepping carefully around holes and dried leaves; I noticed the moss growing in the bald areas on the path. The same type of moss grew prevalently in the low areas. It was the only thing that made and attempt to grow while ignoring the on coming winter. It stood out nice, bright Easter grass green.

I stopped and stooped down to get a better look. Uriah wasn’t watching were he was going and ran into me. Then, quickly he caught himself and put his nose to the ground. He looked up at me, when I didn’t respond, then he stood directly over the moss I was examining.

“Hey, Uriah! A rabbit!” I pointed to the tall grass. He didn’t believe me until the grass shook a little. “Thank you chipmunk!” I muttered, as he took off happily. Which gave me a chance to take a good look at the moss.

It resembled fine, green string with evergreen type of leave. I used the end of my ski pole/walking stick and got underneath the patch, I lifted up a piece that fit in my hand. It was a lot easier to look at the moss with Uriah’s nose further away.

I headed into the house with my little mossy friend in hand, and I checked my books. Then I looked on line. I thought my moss might be a “common feather liverwort -Plagiochila porelloides”

I may be wrong. There are over 16,000 Different types. Not all in Illinois and where they grow depends on the soils pH, how acidic or alkaline. Do they like sun or shade?

This section is from a nice PDF, “Illinois Bryophytes” (1)

“Bryophytes, numbering about 16,000 species in three phyla of the Kingdom Plantae, are second only to flowering plants (about 250,000 species) in the number of plant species known to exist on earth.”

I pulled out my trusty notebook and made a notation- to crawl around and list all moss and ferns on my property in the spring. I will check out areas, before the snow hits, that may be inaccessible to me later on.

But for now, that name- ‘The Kingdom Plantae’ sounds like a great start to a story…

This site shows pictures of different types of moss.. http://www.andrewspink.nl/mosses/thumbnails.htm#l