Quiet, Please

I find cemeteries fascinating. I don't know why. Is it the historian in me? Is it the engineer in me that can appreciates the symmetry of the straight rows? Is it the artist that marvels at the beauty that is all around? Or is it the quiet solemnness that lets my brain relax?

This cemetery sits east of Nesquehoning, Pa just off of Route 209 in Carbon County.

Daffodil Time

Daffodils seem, to be all over the place. The grape hyacinths are blooming also. the lilies are shooting up, the clematis is greening up and I only saw one dandelion so far. Bought some hollyhocks today. I had some of those once upon a time. I think the deck erased them. Bought some dark pink daylillies, too. Maybe once I get the deck rebuilt I'll have a relaxing summer and can enjoy them.

The Downy's

It's always nice to see the Downy Woodpeckers at the feeders. I may be done with the suet block for the summer, though. the starlings and grackles swarm on them like it's a government handout. I bought a finch feeder this morning, so we'll see it I can bring the Gold Finches in. Still a little early for the hummingbird and oriole feeders though.

Engine 55's House

This is Engine 55 on Broome Street in Little Italy, NYC. No facts about E-55 here. The facts are for this blog. I originally posted pictures of Engine 55's house back in May of 2010, three years ago and three years into this blog. It is my number one viewed post of all time. Half again more than number two (Dragonfighters: FDNY Engine 9, Ladder 6), twice as many times as number three (FDNY 9-11 Memorial Wall) and three times more than number four (FDNY Squad 18). Notice a pattern here? Nearly 2 percent of my page views are my May 2010 Engine 55 post. I find that amazing, sorry if I bored you.

High Country Lenticulars

A lot of this past years trip to Colorado involved wind. It was warm, it was windy. The clouds you see here are commonly known as alto cumulus standing lenticular. Created when "relatively stable, fast moving air is forced up and over a topographic barrier that is oriented more or less perpendicular to the direction from which the upper level wind is blowing." (Remember this it may be on the test later) This explains clearly why you see them out there in the high Rockies on windy days.

"BOYDIE'S" (PG 185)

I know the Painted Gentleman have been few and far between for a while now but once you've saturated an area you need to make bigger and bigger circles. This circle landed me in Littlestown, Adams County. Pa. 15 minutes from Gettysburg. I found Boydie's  Sandwiches just off of what I guess you could call the square. Had to do one of them We're-On-Vacation-U-Turns, if you know what I mean. There is no longer a Boydie so I have no Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Guy-isms to attest for the Sandwiches or Homemade Soups. But it was Sunday and I see they're closed nights and Sundays, so maybe I didn't miss out. I'll check the Front Entrance again.

April 8, 2012

Flash forward one year. The bleeding hearts are about 2 inches out of the old mulch, the grape hyacinths are barely 3 inches up, the cherry tree just started to bud and, thank God, no dandelions yet. What a difference a year makes.