Traffic Cone

Traffic cone

Snowball Viburnum

I planted an Eastern Snowball (Viburnum opulus 'Sterile') in the backyard last summer. After dormancy, it has a very showy spring, and then disappears into the background.  I was happy to see that it will someday hold its own in the garden in the fall, as well.



There's potential in that showy little shrub!

The leaves remind me of poison oak.

Location

In a few years it will fill the space like so..

I'm looking forward to a spring display like this..

It looked like trash to them

Milan artists  Sara Goldschmied and Eleonora Chiari's avant-garde exhibit Where Shall We Go Dancing Tonight? at the Museion in Bolzano, northern Italy,  was meant to represent the hedonism and corruption of the 1980s.

             

The museum cleaning crew, however,  thought that a party had taken place and discarded every bit of the exhibit.  Here's what the exhibition room looked like after the clean-up.

The exhibit has been restored (how hard would that be?), and the artists are loving the publicity. They swear it wasn't a stunt. 

I wonder..

From the movie "The Black Robe" (1991)

Red-Orange Crayon

When I was in the 2nd grade at Garden Hills Elementary School in Atlanta, red-orange was my favorite crayon color.

I found some cool pictures of a 24-count box of crayons as I remember them in 1954.

I can still smell them.

kudos to Jenny

Vine Maple

The Vine Maple in the front yard is getting showy..

Vinton

We left Quincy (1) on my FLH Electa Glide traveling southeast on Highway 70 on our way home to Santa Cruz via Stockton.  My plan was to take 70 to Blairsden (2), and then Highway 89 to where it meets Highway 49 near Sattley.  Unfortunately, several huge RVs arrived at the intersection of Highway 70 and 89 at the exact same time as I did, and to avoid a crash, I stayed east on 70 across the Sierra Valley to Vinton (3), and then southwest on Highway 49 to Sattley and then over the Sierra Nevada.  I had studied the map that morning, so I knew it wouldn't amount to much of a detour---perhaps 50 miles.

Approaching Highway 89 (Google street view).  This is where there was a confluence of enormous and slow-moving recreational vehicles with lowly me and my ex on a motorcycle.

Highway 70 to Vinton (3) and then to Sattley turned out to be one of my most enjoyable motorcycle rides.  It was a straight road with very little traffic and unlimited visibility--my favorite conditions.

Annotated

Here's a to topographic map of the area.

I took this picture outside of the gas station in Vinton (3).

A current Google Street View of the same place.  It's now a church.  What a difference 30 years makes.

Two pictures of a young Joe at the Vista Point (4).  You can see the Sierra Valley which stretches out to Hwy 70  behind me in the first picture.  I'm pointing toward Vinton in the second picture. Highway 49 hugs the Sierra foothills.

Looking back (Google Street View) toward the Vista Point and Sierra Valley beyond. 

Homeward bound.

1016 E400 Coupe

If I had to spend a great deal of money on a car, today it would be this one.

осень в Сибири

Autumnal Equinox

Autumnal Equinox--Rachel Derstine

Mosaic Tile Craftsman

Blessed is he who in the days of God will engage in handicrafts. This is a bounty from God, for in this Most Great Dispensation it is acceptable in the sight of God for man to occupy himself in a trade which relieveth him of depending upon charity. The craft of every craftsman is regarded as worship.
    --Baha'u'llah


Mosaic tile craftsman.

Split trunk repair

Not sure whether the split maple will ultimately survive, but I've secured it with nine 1/2" diameter all-thread rods through the trunk.

Meanwhile, it's time for the redbud to put on a show.