Diane and I stopped at Concord Teacakes for coffee this morning and I caught this guy on a shelf in the window, and standing right next to him were these glasses.

They could be two of my most useless photos, but I’m posting them because that’s all I’ve got.

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We stopped in on Flo tonight to deliver her pills, milk and to say hello. She complained that she had trouble kneeling for any length of time. She’s thirty-four years older than I am and I bet she can kneel painlessly longer than I.

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Matt and friends are at Ed’s place in NH tonight using the brand new eight person tent I bought at Costco for only a hundred bucks. If they stay over Saturday I may join them as it’s a perfect time of year given the dry weather means no skeets.

Some photos of the almost finished house before the final photos of the finished house.

Diane’s father tenderly cared for many varities of roses which he would then cut and display on their piano. I didn’t see it first hand; Diane told me many years ago. Because of that history I tried to imitate her father, and lord know I tried hard, or atleast I shelled out many dollars at K-Mart for small plants. But I never got them to winter over, or I’d forget where I planted them and mow then down the following spring. Anyway, I’m a better photographer of roses than grower, and this one, my most recent, is for Diane. You see, I forgot about our anniversary on the 23rd of this month and truth to tell, she might have too had pesky godson’s parents not sent us a card which arrived a day early.

While I’m rambling on, we hired a pianist to sing Bette Midler’s rendition of The Rose at our wedding back in 1984. It’s a good song, worth listening to even if you don’t like The Divine Miss M.

Hi Mike,

Today, an old friend, Steve Nerney, who moved out here to Boulder from the East late last year, came with me up to Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park for a hike. For our jaunt, I had selected Granite Gorge, a spectacular canyon ending in a Yosemite-like cirque at 10,200′, just below Long’s Peak. Ten years ago, I had hiked in the same area to do a climb of the monolith called Spearhead up there, and remembered the Gorge and the high cliffs very well. Steve has not yet acclimated completely to Boulder’s altitude, so he has to stop and catch his breath a lot on hikes. But he is utterly tireless, and he carries on a stimulating conversation where ever we go. During the hike he kept remarking on the outstanding beauty of the scenery, and I couldn’t but agree!

Here are some pics.

The last picture, taken at the YMCA next to the park, is where Steve’s wife is attending a meeting, and their son, Eddie, is climbing, rafting, and hiking to his heart’s content.

Ed/rakkity

I think that you, Ed, and a lot of other people on Mainecourse would find this program really fun: The best part is that it is completely platform-agnostic.

pesky godson

You don’t normally see downed power lines on fire – Central St. a couple blocks from our house.

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 All of the so-called peaks have been painted. The purple towel, in case you’re wondering, is drying in the sun.

I’m beginning to think that they will really be done someday. And that day is not too far off. Then what?

How’s this for color? Check Matt’s shoes.

By the way, I’m trolling for parents who’d like to go camping with me and the gang – Saturday to Sunday of next week. The young ‘ens will probably go up Friday night.

Mike,

There is so much flagstone and granite in the Boulder area, the city government uses it for trail and park signs.  So do churches (“Carved in Stone” must have biblical significance, I guess). City schools all have their stone signs, and a number of business and private individuals do, too.  Many, if not most, stone signs have some kind of artistic design in addition to the words.  I’ve singled out a small fraction (40 out of 1000s) that have some artistic flourish to them.  Many have some deep significance I haven’t uncovered (like the Mason’s Time Capsule, to be opened in 2080).

A few signs are carved in Marble, which is soft and easy to cut, so it has been used for some intricate designs (The Time Capsule, and the Kingsridge sign).  But acid rain (yes, Virginia, even the cerulean skies of Boulder do drip some acid rain) will do them in within a century or two.  The flagstone and granite signs, however, will survive until the next 500-year flood in Boulder Canyon washes them out into Kansas.

Enjoy them while they last!

–rakkity

Now here are some great moon/venus pictures–particularly the first one.

Matt’s photo.

Fingerstyle guitar playing

His webpage.