Open Thread – Better Consumers Fair
A great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon! Click the ad in the sidebar —-> to visit the website for Grassroots – one of my favorite stores here in Anchorage.
Open Thread – Likin’ the Lichen
The snow is melted from the lower elevations of my little valley, but it’s that strange inbetween time. There is still a hard frost at night, but days are getting increasingly sunny and warm. And we’re still waiting for the emergence of any kind of significant green things from the ground and on the trees. But, you can always count on the lichen. Once the snow is gone, all the fallen trees and stumps reveal their secrets. Somehow through the dark cold winter, all this miraculousness survives. And in the spring, out pop mosses and lichens, and fairy cups and…
Open Thread – Happy Mother’s Day!
My mom saved everything. And so did her mom. I come by my pack rat nature honestly. As many of you know, my mom recently passed away, and this is the first Mother’s Day that I don’t have one. So, it was bittersweet when I got something back from her belongings recently, that I’d given more years ago than I can remember. Like many moms, she saved every macaroni necklace, every hideous Christmas pin, every project made of popsicle sticks, every finger painting and every card I ever sent her. But, for some reason this one struck me most. Maybe…
Open Thread – Rain
It’s been a very rainy couple of days here in Anchorage, and frankly… I love it! Why? Because it’s precipitation that isn’t white! Yes, it’s May 6th, but I’ve seen it snow far later in the year than this. A couple years ago we even got feet of snow on May 1st. Regardless of what kind of precipitation we have here, it does share something in common. It looks lovely on trees. I thought this picture of a young spruce tree taken today was sort of funny because even though it is covered with rain droplets, it still manages somehow…
Open Thread – Baby Anteater
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Here’s something completely un-Mexican, but it will start your day with a smile. It’s way better than the creepy-toed American Coot from last night. (Thanks to AKaurora and all who identified it!) Check out the painfully adorable baby anteater in this video. Dare you not to smile!
Boots on the Ground – Tuscaloosa
Mudflatters will remember ‘Mrs. D’, also known fondly as the Chair of the Mudflats History Department. She has reported on various locations from around the globe, with a historical perspective and our mascot Brian the Moose in tow. This past weekend, she had booked a flight to Alabama for a family wedding. Little did she realize when she made travel plans what would await when she got there. ************************************** By Mrs. D I had always heard that if you want to see the indiscriminate wrath of mother nature, take a look at the destruction of a tornado. As we drove…
Open Thread – Semi-Creepy Yet Fascinating Dino-Bird
OK, it’s still bugging me weeks later. I saw this bird last month in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I was sitting on a bench, enjoying a moment in the warm sunshine, looking at a beautiful little water feature with a bridge. There were laughing children nearby, and people out enjoying the idyllic day. And I was entertaining myself by looking at the waterfowl. I’ve done a bit of birding, but I’d never seen anything quite like these black “ducks” with the white bill that seemed to be having just as good a time as the people. Then, perhaps…
Open Thread – It’s a Rough Life
I managed to catch this shot of Buf the Dog catching a few Z’s in the midday sun today. When she heard my phone make the clicky picture-taking noise, she opened one eye, then closed it, and resumed her nap. Life is rough.
Open Thread – May Day!
~The old-fashioned way Whether you choose to celebrate May Day the old fashioned way, by dancing around a pole and getting frisky in the woods, or the modern way by celebrating the importance of unions and the history of the labor movement, (or both!) may you have a happy and productive one. ~The modern way
Open Thread – Spring Flowers
As I sat looking out the window this morning, something began to happen. At first it wasn’t really clear. I could have perhaps explained it away, or thought maybe my eyes were playing tricks. But, within 5 minutes it became clear that this late April morning looked more like a Christmas snow globe. Yes, it was snowing. Fortunately the snow didn’t last long, and it did not stick, but I won’t delude myself into thinking that it couldn’t happen. A couple years ago we had a huge dump of snow on May 1. So, instead of getting angry at the…