Naming Clouds in Latin

It is 1803. There is an English pharmacist. His name is like two first names. It is Luke Howard. He decides to establish a convention for naming clouds. He uses Latin. There is nothing unusual about this. You too can make such decisions.

cirrostrattus
strattonimbulus
fracctostrattus
Altocumulus nimbulatis

All in all there are ten main cloud types. They are subdivided into subtypes. See what havoc you can reek when you name things?

A two-egg, one-egg omlet.

Suppose for a moment that your hens are not laying eggs as large as this one. I wouldn't worry about that.

Radio Frequency

I suppose it will be inevitable that a personal narrative will evolve unless there is care to obscure things. But would a reader ever know that?

I feel most comfortable when listening to a good radio show on tube driven sound. And since I prefer comfort I make sure there are radios around. Nearly every room and my desk at work has one.




I have now learned to download some of my farvorite shows, such as This American Life, onto an iPhone (that's another story) and send them to my radio with a doohickey. (Bottom picture)
I like that crossover of new and old technologies playing nicely together for my enjoyment.

Whiskey makes all that even more fun.

A dark winter night sipping a little good whiskey by the warm glow of a tube radio playing nice music is tonic.

Tube tone is mellow. Some people prefer different whiskeys with different foods or cigars. For me, I prefer bourbons with tones that match the radio frequencies.


Are your ready to play the fun Crows Nest weekly blog game? We are starting simple by playing everybody's favorite Bejeezus Heros game.

Find Otis.

Steam Heat and Afternoon Tea

I have decided to use this blogging experience as a sort of meditation on daily living. Being present.

By luck I was able to come home in the late afternoon. Tea time. I put a kettle on to boil and trudged through sloppy wet snow to feed and water the chickens. They seem happy enough and happier still when the lid is lifted from the can of cracked corn. They cluck contented upon seeing me but that is only because I am associated with food. I don't fool myself into thinking they like me.

Back in the kitchen I am met with the steamy warmth of a kettle left to boil. Today I fill a cup with a teaspoon of honey from a neighbors hive. I live smack in the city but within hundreds of feet we have local honey, fresh eggs, produce and the trappings of country fare. We are lucky.

The sound of water boiling meets the soft clink of tin lid on tin kettle as I pour water in my cup. My red tea (rooibos) and yerba mate makes me think of Che Guevara. I sit now typing this. My meditation over. Or... just beginning.

Four Non Related Images

Spit Freezin Cold

It is the kind of cold when spit freezes and the chickens stand on one leg. Of course, there is colder than that. Just not today and not here.

Co-mingled Books

To announce a committed relationship to your friends:

• host a party and let them see that your books are shelved together.
  
• give away duplicate cd's and albums
  
• allow the one moving in to repaint every room
• put away one of your collections to make room for one just arriving
• move your favorite reading chair
• serve tasty things on toast

Otherwise, it's just a charade.