Newfoundland flashback

Those lovely stained glass windows in St. John's have been sitting in a folder for more than a year, and were never posted because they just didn't fit any category -- not really reflections, not really urban poetry. But the shape reminded me of the caves in Dungeon Provincial Park, and so here's a double helping of Canadian beauty.

I'm glad to have something to focus on other than the fact that my latest self-haircut revealed that I have two previously unsuspected bald spots on the back of my head. (Fortunately they're invisible on Zoom.)

Or that when I came back from running a couple of errands on Tuesday I left my keys in my apartment door, and didn't discover it until this morning. Ordinarily one of my neighbors would have noticed and knocked on my door, but none of us go anywhere these days. Fortunately, thieves and axe murderers are also apparently in lockdown so no harm done, but I hope I'm not going to make a habit of this.

Astronomy Tuesday

This magnificent view of the Orion Nebula was processed to show only the colors emitted by oxygen, hydrogen and sulfur.

This country, and this world, do not appear to be getting any saner this week -- quite the contrary -- and this picture makes me remember that in the rest of the universe, things not only still make sense, they can be jaw-droppingly beautiful at the same time.

Image Credit and Copyright: César Blanco González

Sunday bird blogging

I love the way this house sparrow was almost hidden in the grass -- the better to have all that deliciousness for himself.

Saturday reflections

 

A shop window in Soho, reflecting some wonderful fire escapes.

I took this picture in 2018, and though I posted it on Instagram for some reason it never made it to the blog.

Urban poetry

Even in a year of non-stop batshit crazy news, this has been an exhausting week.

So here are a few signs from Manhattan Mini Storage that have amused me through the years.

Life in the time of coronavirus

 A woman sleeping in front of a closed restaurant on West 44th Street.

We're a long way from having this damn virus under control; partly because it's extremely contagious and partly because few governments are willing or able to take the draconian measures necessary. (Also, people are really, really stupid.) 

China is currently reporting a dozen or so new cases daily, an impressive accomplishment and one that may only be possible if you're okay with literally sealing infected people in their apartments. But as the scientists fret about colder weather and flu season leading to a new surge in cases, one of many things that has me losing sleep is the economic impact.

So many jobs lost. So many businesses closed for good. And so many people convinced that you can somehow save the world economy without getting the virus under control first. (Have I mentioned that people are really, really stupid?)

American Airlines just offered me a bonus of 2000 extra miles if I booked a flight now. I wouldn't even get on a crosstown bus, and they think I'm going to get on a plane for a measly incentive like 2000 miles? And where, exactly, would I go? Americans are currently unwelcome in almost every country of the world, and cases are on the rise in 31 states. 

I'm worried there's going to be a global depression, and it's going to be a long one. And that by the time we can finally leave home again, there won't be anywhere left to go.

Astronomy Tuesday

I would put this image in the category of Things that don't seem like they could be real. 

It looks like a CGI creation, some artist's attempt to portray a newly-discovered space phenomenon the Starship Enterprise has sailed past while boldly going where no one has gone before, rather than something actually recorded by the Hubble.

But it is real, a closeup of a supernova remnant in the Cygnus Loop. The star in question died about 20,000 years ago, and this is part of the blast wave, still moving at 170 kilometers per second. 

Image Credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA, W. Blair; Acknowledgement: Leo Shatz

Sunday bird blogging

You can see dinosaur ancestry in the scaly, clawed feet of birds -- close up they're quite terrifying.

But when I see a fledgling like this robin, whose neck feathers haven't all come in yet, I marvel yet again at what skinny necks they have, and the absurdity of the plump bodies supported on those spindly little legs.

Life is so fragile, and yet we persist.

Saturday reflections

 

An old image, from the days when I was recovering from my African virus and short walks around the neighborhood were all I could manage.

Urban poetry

 A kayaker enjoying the last days of summer by the USS Intrepid at Pier 86 on the Hudson.

Preppers

The weather had mercifully cooled down even before the welcome arrival of the equinox, but now it is officially Fall. Which, to be honest, is a lot like summer in that I'm mostly appreciating it from my apartment, but at least I can have the windows open and the air conditioning off.

I may not have seen many birds in my short visit to Central Park last weekend, but I did get to watch this squirrel rooting around in the tall grass under a tree, presumably to bury this fine nut he'd acquired.

Astronomy Tuesday

I've posted similar images in the past -- a Hubble deep space image being photo-bombed by nearby asteroids (well, a lot nearer to us than those galaxies) making joyful arcs in the skies.

So much universe.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, and B. Sunnquist and J. Mack (STScI)
Acknowledgment: NASA, ESA, and J. Lotz (STScI) and the HFF Team