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Crown Point Vista House

Just returned from a road trip through Oregon and part of Northern California. On leaving Portland we followed the route of a tourist trolley and started out at Crown Point Vista House. The views of the Colombia River were indeed impressive and well worth the twisty drive up to its height. The structure itself with its stone and stained glass was also interesting to see. The bathrooms on the basement level were all marbled -- not the usual for tourist stops!

Above is the overall view east. ( Read more... )

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Sunset between storm fronts, en route to Publix and Walgreen’s.

Taken on 21 June 2024 at 20:33 US Eastern Daylight Savings Time, as I hurried up the street through the break in the rain.

My limited equipment does the scene nothing even remotely resembling justice: neither the gauzy rainbow-sherbet luminosity nor the grand theatricality of the skyscape, with the air of a vintage book illustration or a meticulously painted film backdrop. A detail I particularly like is the small dark cumulus cloud at bottom center that suggests a person astride a charging (pig? bear? huge dog?)

Current Mood: accomplished

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Photos: House Yard

These pictures are from Sunday, but it's after midnight, so the post says Monday.

( Walk with me ... )

Check Engine

https://xkcd.com/3096/

They say it's probably safe to keep orbiting for a while, but if it stays on or starts flashing we might have to call someone.

https://xkcd.com/3096/

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Wiscon Vid Party 2025 complete playlist with warnings

Surprise! By a heroic effort of

eruthros, a virtual Vid Party happened at this year's Wisconline.

Here is the playlist for the whole show, including warnings/notes and links to watch the vids.

I want to highlight one Premiere: Deep Space by

garrideb

If you check out and enjoy any of the vids from this show, I know the creators would really appreciate a comment!

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(no subject)

RETROGRADE EXOPLANET. REALLY.

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(no subject)

COULD BE WORSE. COULD BE TELEDILDONICS INSTEAD OF A TOOTHBRUSH THEY'VE BEEN LOGGED OUT OF MID-COURSE. (ALTHOUGH NOW THAT I THINK OF IT, THESE MAY OVERLAP SOME.)

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Osprey nesting

I got to see an Osprey sitting on its nest!

brown and white raptor sits on a nest at the top of a wooden pole

When I came back later to show my partner, we talked to another birder who said this nesting platform has been there for a long time but in past years Ospreys have only stayed for a short time and not fledged any young. This year they've stayed much longer than usual so hopes are high for a baby! The other adult was perched in a tree nearby.

Ospreys eat only fish. (The platform is above a river.) It's interesting that small birds seem to realize they're no threat, and completely ignore them. While we were there, we saw a flock of blackbirds furiously mob and chase away a Cooper's Hawk while the Ospreys calmly looked on.

Archaea

https://xkcd.com/3095/

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animal: turtle

Turtle from the Kyzylkum desert

For more details about our trip to this desert (in Russian), see here: https://pilottttt.dreamwidth.org/445028.html

Current Music: “Underground” by David Bowie

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Burrowing Owl nesting site, taken 28 April 2024 at 19:24 EDT.

Taken last year, this is pictorial tax for my previous post; this little guy was one of a family headquartered in a vacant lot along one of my habitual shopping routes.

Note the ropes cordoning the space off, as well as the designated perch set up for the owls. In the upper background, across the path, is another staked-off owl nesting site; unusually for birds of prey, Burrowing Owls are social animals who sometimes form communities of multiple families.

(If I’ve slipped into Earnest School Essay Mode, it’s because this is stuff I myself am very much newly learning.)

Mass Spec

https://xkcd.com/3094/

Patients at least found it to be an improvement over Millikan's incredibly messy and unpleasant oil drop suspension procedure.

https://xkcd.com/3094/