Friday, August 22, 2025

Curious sights along the way

I'm guessing this is a water tower, but it's unlike any I'd seen before. Maybe it's a leftover ship from the War of the Worlds, although that happened in New Jersey and, if I read Wikipedia right, the site of the original novel's invasion was in Surrey, England. But, I digress.

I can't read the road sign, so I don't know where this is. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

Our mornings feel quite autumnal at the moment. And the sun comes up later and later. Let's cross our fingers for a little more summer weather before pumpkin weather moves in.

UPDATE: I found it! Google Maps helped me to find this location. It's Chapel Road at I-470 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Cool!

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Mountain Mama

Our route took us through Wheeling in northern West Virginia, not far from Pittsburgh, PA. Ken drove for a while while I snapped photos out the window.

Wild and wonderful. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

I've decided to continue with these photos in sepia tones. The black and white versions feel a little cold to me. I like the warmer sepia.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

On the road again

We left Washington early one morning after having packed up the Subaru, including a car-top carrier that we got for the move. If memory serves, we drove out to the Beltway then up to I-270 toward I-70. Then it was onward to our first destination: Champaign, Illinois. Ken went to grad school at U of I Champaign and had friends in the area.

My 1982 Subaru three-door hatchback with a car-top carrier and a bug net on the front grille. It was a good little car.
At a rest stop, somewhere on I-70, going west. Digitized B/W print, August 1986. 

Yes, that's my faithful 1982 Subaru hatchback. I bought it, used, in DC (I still remember the name of the woman who sold it to me) and it served me well through the mid-1980s on multiple trips to upstate New York and my home town. Now it was taking us to San Francisco! I remember replacing the in-dash radio with a new radio/cassette player and speakers (in the back). I did the install myself, in the street in front of our apartment. I wouldn't know how to start doing that these days. Although you probably can't buy a car now without internet and digital music software built in. LOL

Same photo, with sepia treatment. Closer to the actual color of the car.

 

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Gathering under the dome

These people look like a group, but of what? Tourists? Constituents? Protesters? It's anyone's guess. They are 39 years older now. Yikes!

Going to see their representative or to attend a committee hearing, who can say?
Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

I think I heard thunder this morning. There are wet spots on the deck, so we had some rain. More rain is predicted for Wednesday and Thursday. Our heat wave is officially over. 

Monday, August 18, 2025

Library of Congress

Across from the US Capitol's east front, on the House side, stands the Thomas Jefferson Building, the oldest of the three main buildings that house the US Library of Congress. It's built in the Beaux Arts style of architecture. At the building's entrance is the Court of Neptune Fountain, completed in 1898. I didn't take any photos of the Adams or Madison buildings on this walk. However, they are equally impressive in their own architectural styles, Art Deco in the case of the Adams Building and a more contemporary 1970s style for the Madison.

The western façade of the Jefferson LOC Building. Digitized B/W print, August 1986.

By the way, most of the info about these buildings comes from the LOC's Wikipedia page. 

It was chilly this morning. I wore jeans and a sweatshirt (!) on my walk with Tasha. Is there a hint of fall in the air?

Sunday, August 17, 2025

Cannon or Russell?

When I worked in DC back in the mid-1980s, I was in the Cannon House Office Building on Independence Avenue and 1st Street, SE, a stone's throw from the House in the capitol. It's twin, the Russell Senate Office building, is located on Constitution Avenue and 1st Street, NE. The buildings are nearly identical and I can't tell from the photo which one this is. I think it's the Russell Building, but I wouldn't swear to it.

The Russell SOB is almost identical to the Cannon HOB. This is the former; I worked in the latter. Get a load of that station wagon!
Digitized BW print, August 1986.

Our heat wave is showing signs of breaking. The mornings are getting cooler and the afternoon highs are getting lower. It's still hot, though. 

Saturday, August 16, 2025

Memory Lane

Set the WABAC Machine to August 1986! Ken and I lived in Washington, DC, on Capitol Hill, just a short walk from the US Capitol. That month we were packing up and otherwise preparing for our big move to San Francisco. I had a roll of black and white film and decided to use it up, first for this stroll around the capitol and later during the first leg of our drive to California. I'm digitizing most of those photos now, to have if I somehow lose the originals. I'll share a few of them here.

The East Front. Funny, I just noticed that I have a paperweight on my desk with this exact view on it.
That's the US House of Representatives on the left, the Senate on the far right. Digitized BW print, August 1986.

This, as most people might recognize, is the US Capitol building. I worked in a nearby building in the office of a member of Congress (now deceased). I took a short walk around the buildings, kind of a good-bye after our four years in Washington. I know a lot has changed since we lived there, but it was fun while we were there. I've been back for fun and for work a few times in the decades since. Good memories.

Friday, August 15, 2025

Chicorée sauvage

Wild chicory is plentiful out in the margins of the vineyard parcels out back. I've featured it here many times. So here it is again, photographed as the sun rose, before their characteristically blue flowers opened for the day.

Wild chicory.

Today's a holiday: l'Assomption, the Assumption of Mary. There are two weeks left in the summer vacances scolaires; September 1 is back-to-school day for the French kids. Meanwhile, the heat goes on. Nothing new weather-wise. 

Thursday, August 14, 2025

The fig tree giveth...

... and the fig tree taketh away. Well, not really. But what it gives is harder than igneous rocks and inedible. By humans in any case. Insects and birds seem to enjoy it all.

They sure look tasty, but they're inedible.

Eyeglass Chronicles, part 78. I had an appointment to see the ophthalmologist yesterday, but when I got to the medical building, the lights were off and the place was locked up, more or less tight. Turns out that they made my appointment at their other offices, about 40 kilometers away. Why they would think I wanted that, I cannot say. The appointment was made for late in the day, after their phones went off line, so I couldn't even call them to let them know (no voice messaging available after hours -- that's helpful). So today I've got to ring them back* to let them know what happened. All they know at this point is that I was a no-show. Will this never end?

* Chose faite (done). No problems. 

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

The ants go marching two by two

It's easy to see anthills in the vineyard road. The road is covered with gravel of different sorts and colors, most frequently white limestone. The soil beneath that gravel is red clay. The ants dig down into the clay and carry it out of their nest before dumping it around the entrance.

Red clay marks the entrances to this ants' nest.

Our weather forecast predicts highs in the upper 30s through the week and morning lows above 21ºC (about 70ºF). That, after three days of the same, is officially une canicule (heat wave) in our part of France. Ugh. We won't be able to complain that we didn't have a summer this year. August has turned out to be a scorcher, even if it started out cold and rainy.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Stuff it

Before I tore out the half-dozen or so grape vines in our back yard, we used to harvest the leaves for that famous Greek dish called dolmas or stuffed grape leaves. I kind of miss making them, but I don't miss those old vines at all. They did produce some grapes, depending on the year. Before we moved in, the vines had been neglected for a while. They were, as in the larger vineyards, supported by stakes and guide wires that formed a barrier across the yard. They were planted in the shade of several large trees, so they never got the sun that they needed. They were likely planted before those trees got huge. Three of them are gone now, too.

We don't eat the leaves from the vines out in the vineyards. For one thing, they don't belong to us, and for another, they get treated with chemicals to prevent fungus. Yuck.

I got up around midnight last night and noticed that it was raining. It lasted about five minutes, then the moon came out again. This morning the sky is clear. It's going to be another hot one today. 

Monday, August 11, 2025

Among the vines

Here's a recent look at the newest vineyard parcel out back. I think the vines are busy growing roots. They have no grapes this year, and likely won't next year, either. Later this fall, the leaves will turn and drop and the vines will resemble little more than sticks in the ground. The leaves will sprout again in the spring (as leaves do) and the stems and vines will get stronger and longer. I'm not sure when the first pruning will happen.

New grape vines, planted last spring, about a foot high now.

As usual in hot weather, our windows and doors are opened in the early morning to allow cool air into the house. There's no wind, nary a breeze outside today. But if you stand next to an open window or door, you can feel the cool air creeping in. Until mid-day when we close up to minimize solar gain and keep the hot air out.

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Nutty

It's that time of year. Acorns are forming and falling. I'm sure they're good food for many wild critters like deer, squirrels, and birds.

Acorns are called les glands in French.

We're expecting a high today of 32ºC, close to 90ºF. The hardest part of the heat is how it affects sleeping. Not in a good way, that's certain. It's such a relief in the morning when the cool air comes in. By mid-day, it's time again for closed windows and shutters.

Saturday, August 09, 2025

Signs and portents

I didn't really see any portents. Thank goodness. What could S A mean? I'm guessing "Saint Aignan."

Signs in the Artsy Organized Neighbor's collection.

They're forecasting a heat wave for the next week or so. The forecast also includes cool mornings, so that will help make the heat bearable. Highs are expected to hit the low to mid 30s all week, going up to near 40ºC (104ºF) by mid-week. Yikes! 

Friday, August 08, 2025

I can see clearly now

The blur is gone. Well, almost. Yesterday's foray into the optical shop was interesting. I saw the third optician in four weeks, so I had to tell the whole story from the start. Fortunately, she was very nice and patient and quickly understood what I wanted done. She asked a few questions before replacing the old lenses with the new prescription and made a few adjustments to the fit. Suddenly, or so it seemed, most of the problem I had  (blur and distortion) was gone. She said that all she did was to change where the glasses rested on the bridge of my nose, but it seemed to make a difference. I don't really know how or why.

Hollow terra cotta bricks.

I'll see how it goes until my appointment with the doctor next week. I thought about cancelling, but decided it would be better for the doctor to have a look sooner rather than later. I wore the renewed glasses out of the shop and drove home with no problem. I could see and read the road signs again. And I can see the computer screen without tilting my head up to the sky.

Thursday, August 07, 2025

Log in

The stacks of meter-long logs among the Artsy Organized Neighbor's collection of mysterious things are impressive. The stacks are piled roughly two-plus meters high and the logs are crisscrossed at each corner for stability (something I do on a much smaller scale here at the house).

Logs.

A couple weeks ago, I was trying to figure out what to do with my new eyeglasses. It felt to me like my vision was worse with the new glasses than with the old, even after a generous adjustment period. The woman helping me at the optical shop said that the first thing to do was to see the ophthalmologist about the problem. Then she offered to put the old lenses back in their frames for the interim. Better than nothing, I thought, and agreed, and have been wearing them since. My world has been very blurry of late.

Well, I can't stand the blur any more, so today I'm going back to the shop to let her know that I'm seeing the doctor next week (appointments are hard to get, especially during the summer breaks) and to ask her to put the new lenses back into the frames just in case the doc wants to see them that way. This will be a challenge for my language skills, if only because situations like this tend to make me very nervous. Wish me luck!

Wednesday, August 06, 2025

Oil spill

Here's the last of the oil barrel (or drum, if you prefer) photos. I call it "The Last One."

The Last One. Oil on steel. Maybe.

We're losing about three minutes of daylight each day now. It's most noticeable (to me) in the morning. The sun used to be up when I get out of bed. Yay summer! Now it's dark when I rise. Happens every year.

Tuesday, August 05, 2025

Drowning her past regrets

Another piece in the "Oil Barrel" series. I call it "Coffee and Cigarettes."

It's an obscure reference. Did you look it up?

Not much to report today. I got the south forty cut yesterday, so that makes the mowing done in three stages. There's a lot of trimming work to do, but not today. A rain system is blowing through as I type (7h20) and things might be a little damp after it goes.

Monday, August 04, 2025

What's in a name?

Tasha and I stopped by the Artsy Organized Neighbor's property the other day to see what's new. A few nouveautés have appeared, including this one. If these works have names, they aren't displayed. So I can call them whatever I want. "Oil Barrel with Orange" is my name for this one. Until I forget it. By the way, this week's Image of the Week is also part of the AON's work. I call it "Art Like a Wheel."

Oil Barrel with Orange.

I got the west forty cut yesterday, as planned. Only the south forty remains. Maybe today? It'll depend on how fast the dew dries.

Sunday, August 03, 2025

What? No crossbones?

I thought this little rock in the vineyard road looked like a deformed skull. At first. The more I look at it the less it does.

Kind of like Munch's "The Scream" without the hands. I need to get out more.

So far, the promised warm up hasn't been so warm. It's about a degree warmer this morning than it was yesterday. Sheesh. I hope it'll warm up to a higher high than yesterday's. I'm planning to do some mowing later on. The noise rule is that we can make noise between ten and noon on Sundays and holidays. I didn't do any mowing yesterday. I just didn't feel like it. 

Saturday, August 02, 2025

More grapes

The grapes are starting to ripen out there. Red grapes are turning purple, and white grapes are shifting out of green toward, well, another, but warmer, shade of green. The harvest is still quite a way off.

Bunches of grapes.

It's a chilly morning. I'm just about to head out with Tasha and the thermometer reads about 13ºC/55ºF. More like September than August, it feels like "back-to-school" weather where I grew up in upstate NY. We're still expecting a warm-up this week.

Friday, August 01, 2025

Something white

I have no idea what kind of flower/plant this is. It grows wild in a small patch on the edge of a vineyard parcel, very close to the lone walnut tree.

White flower in the vineyard.

Summer's warming up again. It won't be nearly as hot as it was during our June and July heat waves, but it looks more like summer again than it has recently.