What to do?

Mount Katahdins' Knife Edge, early winter - click to enlarge

  It's 8 degrees outside right now.  That means this old man isn't walking outside today.  It was 12 yesterday and I didn't walk either.  I got some time in a Walmart and Lowes and Linda and I did a half mile or so in one of Bangors "Nature parks".  That was in the afternoon and it was 20 degrees with a breeze from the northwest, a bit chilly.
  I need to find something to do to fill the "empty time" of not walking.  Suggestions?  What is there to do at 1:30 to 5:00 in the morning, except this.  That's it!  I just write longer and bitch because the weathers not fit to walk in.  Or...I could walk even if it's cold; I used to...why can't I do that now.  I think it's because I'm 4 or 5 years older now and I just can't take it like I used to.
  Oh, well, I'm sure someone has a suggestion.  Please don't suggest sleeping that's impossible for someone with Advanced Sleep Phase (disorder), we go to bed early, 7:30 for me, and get up at all hours, for no apparent reason other than our body clocks are off.

A short run at the Kennebunk Trolley Museum.
Bangor Daily News photo

Green spaces and conservation

Monte Bello section of Mid-penninsula Open Space Project
Photo by Deane Little

  The Mid-penninsula Open Space Project is a part of the San Francisco Area Greenway, and consists of several sections that together make up 61,000 acres, all for public access for recreation, bird watching or just laying around and taking photos.  I'm sure the photos here though are the product of many hours of waiting and watching.  Plus, nature certainly had it's imprint on each of the photos.
  Who wouldn't like to see such sights.

Young Northern Harrier hunting.  Photo taken at Windy Hill
Photo by Karl Gohl

Flying on the fog. Photo by Ichiro Asao
Also taken at Windy Hill

In or out?

Some people back in to parking spaces, most don't.
Or is it half and half?
Photo: Kasey Crabtree blog

  When I park I drive in to the parking space.  On a separate subject: I drive in to the space, not into the space, there's a difference.
  Anyway, why do some people back in every time, every season and, I suppose, every day of the week.  Is it because they always have a weak battery and need a jump to get started every time?  Is it because they used to it, because they are truck drivers?  Or, is it just because some people, me included, like to be a little different?
  I have no answers, only questions.  If you have the answer why people park the way they do, please leave a comment.  There are three photos today, the last one is :)

Never use the corner spot in a parking garage, never.
www.dudelol.com photo

www.omaha.com Jeff Koterba editorial

In the world of a National Wildlife Refuge

En mass flyout.  Sacramento NWR, California

  How many thousand ducks and geese are in that photo?  I don't know either.  What I do know is that I would love to have been there, but probably wouldn't have like the noise.  There are abundant opportunities to visit a National Wildlife Refuge they are plenty in number and have locations, if not in every state, at least in most states.  The NWR fill a purpose by saving up land to use for bird and animal breeding or stop-over places, or even places where birds over-winter.

Another California NWR with Mount Lassen in the background,
ducks and Canada and Snow geese in abundance here.

What an opportunity for a bird watcher or just for a casual visit.  We once saw a flock of Snow Geese while driving into New Hampshire from Vermont.  The birds overflew us and were close to the ground landing on the Connecticut River.  We were just about to cross a covered bridge.  Nice sight those mostly white geese are.

River Otters in the Colusa NWR in California.
Lots of different animals in the NWR too.

The photos in this posting were taken by the Mike Peters Organization, and were posted in www.sfgate.com

Six miles, one way or the other

 Too bad I never thought of this when I was working.
A Bob Zarn cartoon

  It was a bit chilly yesterday morning, about 19 degrees with a breeze from the west.  I have noticed that after walking a mile and a half or so is that I warm up.  My hands don't feel as cold as they had, maybe it's explained by some many lettered thing or maybe it's all in my head.  Who knows?
  I went ahead and walked about four and a half miles, stopping for water after three miles.  I went to coffee with the guys that hang out at McDonalds at 5AM and talked with Harry until about 6:45.  I walked another 3/4 of a mile, it felt way much colder then - don't know if it really was.
  About 9:30AM I walked to the Post Office and back, about a half mile total, then discovered I had failed to mail the outgoing, so had a sandwich and repeated that walk.  Total 6.34 miles, that's according to my wrist instrument which records such stuff along with telling me my blood pressure if I choose to ask for it.  (Made in China, of course)

Monday/yesterday

What today is supposed to be

Out looking around

A historic house in Carmel, Maine decorated for Christmas 2012-click to enlarge
Photo by Linda Grant

  Funny that after I wrote yesterday upon leaving to drive into Bangor shortly after there was a snow flurry.
  We took a ride down to Belfast in the late morning from Levant it's a great ride, lots of the "Dixmont Hills" and the Coastal Range make for great viewing.  When we arrived we stopped in at Reny's (the Maine Adventure) Store.  Then on to the Goodwill Store looking for a bargain.  We bought 3 CD's one of them with music by Pat Boone.  It reminds me of a story on the radio within the last few weeks. A guest is a professor of Political Science in the advanced classes.  Of a class of 29 only 3 of the students had ever even hear of Pat Boone, none of them knew what he did.  Showing my age there am I not?
  It was on the way home that Linda stopped to take photos of the historic home in Carmel, always decorated for each season, and always tastefully done in my opinion.

Q  Where does the King put his armies?

A  In his sleevies.

Our daughter is working on decorations down in Florida
Photo by Rhonda Grant Langley

It's on the way! I ain't talking about Santa either!

The Piscataquis River, Medford Maine - click to enlarge, it's beautiful in detail

  Last year, 2011, we had more snow in October than in any other month; this year October was snowless and bare.  We have had only a couple of inches in November to date - but it looks as though that's going to change, sometime.
  Yesterday was an unbelievable day, at 3:00AM it was 42 degrees and a slight breeze, by days end at 6:00PM it was 30 degrees with a "promise" of snow showers.  There were no snow showers.
  But today; today at 2:00AM it's 26 degrees with wind from the west at 8mph.  Throughout the coming week we have a forecast for snow.
  I must be honest and say that I am not a great fan of snow, I do not like the stuff.  But, I realize the the snow is needed as insulation for some crops and as moisture when it melts; besides that Maine has a ski industry that is now operating on "man-made snow".  Even with the improved snow guns it's costly to operate that way.
  Anyway, my wife has two little signs up that say "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow".  I can't win.

The church at Medford Center Maine