Red Flag Conditions

Extreme amount of warm dry air moving north in a hurry.

On my walk around the block I had the wind to my back on the return route, but it almost seemd like I was standing still. The big, roundish, seed-heads of trimmed hydrangea came bounding and rolling past me like tumble weeds.
Luckily, no sources of ignition, such as in the Texas panhandle.

Pretty Loud…

…in Noisy Village.

Pleasant spring weather in a college town brings out the noisemakers, along with the blackbirds. Day-long, outdoor, well lubricated, audio-amplified, front yard parties at many, if not most, frats and boarding houses—even with no holiday to celebrate.
Still, it was nice to sit out on the back patio to watch the chiminea make short shrift of birch twigs and dried faggots (made last fall from excess redbud). Birch twigs snap, crackle, and pop as they incinerate. That’s a very nice sound.

Yard Signs

Fell into a trap and got drafted to deliver yard signs around some neighborhoods. (For Common Council and School Board, in this case.)

I’m not a big fan of yard signs. Perhaps necessary, but not sufficient, and always annoying. Yard signs lead me to think about the upcoming general election, and that leads to thinking about the necessity of winning. Democracy at stake, IMHO. I think Dems need to get loud, contest the info space, and form a counter mobilization. The Dems around here seem to think that the best approach is to be nice, be sweet, and be quiet—hoping a majority of the voting public will appreciate it.
Pretty sure Rachel Bitecofer has the right idea with her book Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts.

Four Down…

…one to go.

Wild black cherry

Speaking of my Nature Writing class. Fun, but intense and exhausting. Too much to cover, not enough time. Conversations to manage—encourage, but delimit. Important points to make, but not force, and not forget. Feels like a gym workout. But, as I said, fun and—a chance to re-engage with the great literature, and to spend time in conversation with smart, well educated, and well meaning folk.

Excursions and Explorations

Perfect day for it—cloudless sky, middle 50s.

Sue has been going through old files and folders, organizing things and weeding out ancient detritus, and in the process came across some correspondence from May, 2011, some time before I began this blog. Here is an excerpt:

May 8, 2011
Today started out dreary and drizzly, but after our morning walk and a bit of breakfast, Pax and I went at the cedar mess again. When the rain got too heavy we came inside for a rest. We will be all done tomorrow. 
By noon we were feeling hungry, and we realized that we had absolutely nothing on hand in the way of dessert, so the logical thing was a trip to Gore Bay where we could get both lunch, and, for later (after dinner) dessert. We had lunch dockside at the Gore Bay marina, where things are starting to happen. Today was the day they hooked up the marina water system; every spigot was open and fizzing while they cleared the lines. About half the CYC boats are in the water. 
On the way home we stopped by the Kagawong river again just to view the awesome scene. The little picnic area at the start of the trail, by the bridge, is under water, and the river itself is a torrent of jade. You can see the current quite a way out into the bay. 
Back home, I installed, in the powder room, the new light fixture we got off the sale table at the Milwaukee store, and I have to say it looks perfectly fine. Sue will get used to it in about two days. It provides plenty 
of light. 
And, the sun came out just in time for cocktails (or marrow bones, if you are a dog). I took my beverage out to the porch and fired up the infrared heater. It works great. Positively radiant. 
I'm listening to country music on the radio right now (because there is nothing else), and I’m about to fire up the grill for the first time.
And for dessert…oatmeal cookies and ginger beer.

Periodicals

Some time spent this morning hanging out at the library in Fort.

Me mostly looking for essays as examples of modern writing (to reference in my Nature Writing class). What I found is that the periodical section is almost entirely composed of how-to, self-help, health and fitness, home and garden, and cooking. Actual essays are scarce. (I do have to admit that I have never been a reader of periodicals, and maybe lots of other people aren’t either.)

Later, early evening, we picked up birch twigs shaken down by the recent wind and rendered them back into their component elements. Got the e-bike up out of the basement, a month earlier than stipulated.