Monthly Archives: August 2025
The Year Of A Tree
There's a tree near the eastern-most point of Jamestown Island, Virginia at the parking area for the trail to Black Point. I spent a fair amount of time on the island when I lived in the area and sort-of accidentally took pictures of this tree at various times of the year.
Here's a piece of "getting to know DT" for those curious - you know who you are :)
I lived in Tidewater, Virginia for near-on 10% of my life but never considered it home, never considered it "permanent"; went through the required rigamarole to maintain Idaho residency and paid out-of-state taxes to Virginia. Unlike Maryland where I also spent too much time, I'd consider re-visiting parts of Virginia. However, like my feelings for Florida, I hope to never set foot in Maryland again.
Two Tunes For Tuesday – Beau Brummels
A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Beau Brummels "Laugh, Laugh" & "Just A Little" 1964 & 1965
"Laugh, Laugh" was the first "hit single" of the 1960s to come out of San Francisco in response to the onslaught of the British Invasion.
An early "psychedelic era" San Francisco band, their early work was produced by Sly Stone - before he became Sly Stone. Laugh, Laugh was released in late 1964 and achieved it's highest level in February 1965. One of the promotion events for Laugh, Laugh was an appearance on The Flintstones as the Beau Brummelstones. Just A Little was the follow-up hit, released in April 1965 and hit its highest ranking in June 1965, becoming the Beau Brummels' highest rated tune.
Although the band released other compositions, none achieved the status of these two songs. The band underwent personnel changes in 1965 due to medical conditions and military induction; the band finally fell apart in 1969.
Continue reading →The end…
A post by Jean
How many marbles
are we supposed to have?
A handful?
A headful?
A mouthful?
I can't find mine.
Anywhere.
Not in the closet.
Not under the bed.
Not out on the sidewalk
where I played with them last.
Did they roll away
or did you hide them?
It's your fault
I lost them.
It's your fault
I'm sad.
You don't have to admit it.
I know what I know.
Playtime is over.
You need to go.
Thunderheads Brewing
Mid-August. Time for the beginning of change of seasons. I'm ready for Memorial Day.
Summer isn't over - temperatures in high 90s this week - and temperatures into 100s possible into September, but the beginning of the end-of-summer thunderstorms - sometimes without water reaching the ground ("virga") - is a sign that autumn is beginning to force its way into planning.
During my recent journey, I noticed the trees beginning to change color. Early August seemed a bit soon; perhaps a hard winter is coming. Haven't had one of those in a while.
I don't go into the high country after mid-August without being prepared for freezing rain and snow. Not likely but not unheard of either. I was in Denver one year when the snowfall before Labor Day was heavy enough to cause significant tree damage - the leaves were still green - and that was only at 6000 ft.
My honey locust is beginning to show signs of yellowing ....
Green River – Green River, Wyoming
The primary tributary of the Colorado River, drainage of the region where Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah join. The confluence of the rivers is near Moab, Utah.
Historically, the Colorado River began where the Green and Grand Rivers joined ... then politics got involved in 1921 when a Colorado Representative petitioned to have the Grand River renamed to the Colorado (over the objections of representatives of Wyoming and Utah as well as the USGS).
John Wesley Powell took a party down the river by boat (and through the Grand Canyon) in 1869 and named most of the features along the river(s)
Not that this fellow cares a whit about any of this.
Continue reading →Cross-Country Driving
Though I ended up stopping at Loves more often than Pilot/Flying J
I found the food at these major truck stops cheaper and better* than what's found at McDonald's et al ... though Runza's through Nebraska are worth a stop.
*though there's still plenty of junk food available as well
Continue reading →Back In The Saddle Again
Haven't noticed this much construction on the Interstates since they were being built in the mid-70s.
Did my thing, saw some people I see only once a year, then headed back to civilization ...
"Can you hear me now?"
Why no ... no I can't.
But then I finished my trip, came home, and fired up the computer ...
Back in the saddle again ...
Continue reading →Out For A Ride
I was back near the land of my birth one time, visiting places I had once played in. This land had been the grounds of a hunting lodge when there were far fewer people and far more open country than now. The hunting lodge faded away sometime when I wasn't paying attention and was taken over as a metropolitan park. Hiking/biking trails now wind through the woods and along the lake where I had once enjoyed skinny-dipping with certain friends.
Can't do that now ...
And I must have been immune to the mosquitos back then ... or they're newcomers.
So I was wandering around the paths - observing remnants of fences that I had once crossed over (the lodge grounds were private), mostly cut-off pieces now grown into what were once saplings, now mature oaks and maples..
These girls came up over the hill and stopped when they saw me coming the other way. We talked a bit, I took this photo, and we went on our ways ... I'm sure I was gone from their minds by the time they got to the bottom of the hill; myself at least thinking of the time when I'd have been of an age to want to get to know them in a completely different manner than I feel now.
Continue reading →