Sunset on the Coldest Night of the Year
What you can’t see is the wind blowing, and the white caps on the bayou. We had to re-cover and re-clothespin the roses and plumbago, and the ice on our water tubs was an inch thick. No problems with the running water freezing – so far. We have some cold days yet to come, but this is likely to be the coldest day of the year.
We saw One Battle After Another yesterday at the theater downtown that shows art films, foreign films and award nominees. The tickets are $10, the venue is provided free and the guy that runs the show does it for the love of film. Not only do we watch the films, but there are also great discussions.
Friends told me I probably wouldn’t like the movie, but I loved it. Going to Uni on the West Coast, I felt like I knew those people, on both sides. And dark as it was, it held a mirror up to current themes. I love actors who choose challenging roles, and even roles in which they play people who make bad decisions, or aren’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Leonardo diCaprio had his work cut out for him in this role, and I think he nailed it. Yes, it is wacky and violent. We are living in wacky and violent times. Who would have thought we would elect a liar, cheat, and felon to be President of the United States, and that we would stand by, helpless, as he gutted our Constitution? Wacko. It’s all wacko.
Today is a Full Moon, a new month and God willing, a time to turn things around. Bruce Springsteen has the number one song in 19 countries, with The Streets of Minneapolis, a roaring anthem fit for the times, and Minneapolis has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for their activism and self-restraing in the face of the goons of ICE.
Atlantic Monthly has a new article on how the Proud Boys aren’t coming in the counter the hundreds of demonstrators; that the Homeland Security and ICE squads are doing a fine job – and they have photos to show how an organization theoretically doing customs enforcement now looks just like the Proud Boys. When did Customs Enforcement dress like troops going into villages in Afghanistan? What legitimate law enforcement officers wear masks? Who in their right minds arrests little children?:
Proud Boys in Washington, DC
ICE agents in Minneapolis
Law Enforcement officers, in civilized countries with laws protecting the innocent (and who are innocent until the system determines them guilty), are TRAINED to operate with restraint. Trained personnel do not fire on civilian bystanders.
I’ve watched the Minneapolis tapes, especially the one filmed by officer Jonathan Ross. I listened to him as, just after the shooting, he said “F@#king B!tch” and I don’t think he was even thinking about Good; I think he was angry that Good’s wife had called him “Big Boy” and told him to go get a sandwich. Most of the guys we see in those uniforms are hefty, and slow, and clumsy. And they do not respond to mockery with self-restraint – as we have seen. They need training. And it wouldn’t hurt if they had grown-up leadership. The kinds of vague, unconstitutional and inciting instructions they have received seem designed to be incendiary.
Other Than That, Mrs. Lincoln, How was the Play?
That’s the punch line of a really bad joke, and it came to mind today as my good friend from Michigan was asking me, after a long conversation about the current disasterous state of events in our country, how AdventureMan and I are getting through the cold days in Pensacola.
Honestly, the weather is glorious. AdventureMan is busy keeping the bird feeders full (he calls them the squirrel feeders) and breaking the ice in our water barrels. The skies are clear and the stars bright and sparkly when the sun goes down.
It IS cold.We are having waves of cold weather, with a little warming in between. Because it goes below freezing frequently, we’ve got our more fragile plants covered, including 2 avocado trees I’ve grown from pits, that are over 10 feet tall 😊. My roses are the first plants I cover; I brought them with me from our former house. They are white, pure white, with a little bit of pink in the center, only visible when they are first blooming. I try to take good care of these roses! We also cover our plumbago, which grows well in this part of Florida.
“And what are you cooking?” my friend asks, she who made a huge frost covered cake to celebrate the storm in Michigan.
“Pork with Apples and Onions,” I replied, “And an Autumn Plum Torte only with peaches, which turned out to have all the taste of sugar, butter, and flour.” I should have known that the peaches I bought in January would not have much flavor.
The weather will dip even further starting Friday, so I am cooking up a big pot of chili tomorrow.
Waiting for Snow
Lest you think I sit around between trips finding things to rant about, I will share my Saturday with you.
I am religious. I am a believer. LOL, here is where Catholics and Muslims have something in common – when I say “I am a believer” my Catholic friends think I am Catholic, and my Muslim friends think I am Muslim. Sooner or later we get it all figured out. I believe in a Great Creator, without whom nothing was created, and who is magnificent beyone our ability to understand. I believe he cares about us on an individual basis, and that he wants only good for all of us, whether we agree or not. I do not understand why he gave us all free will, and I know it would be a terrible world without it. I believe God is infinitely merciful.
So in the midst of some of the political horrors of January, I texted a friend and said “I need a meet-up.” We met up this morning at a local cafe and hashed out our lives, just normal stuff, families, husbands, children, and what we CAN do to make a difference. I have a friend from high school, and a friend from college, and friends from almost every post where we lived. We don’t always see one another, but when we need a good connection, we get on the phone – yeh, old school – and it’s like we’ve never been apart. When I need to re-balance, when my emotions are unmanageable, my friends help me recenter. Thanks be to God. At the cafe, I also saw another old friend, of a different political persuasion, and we were delighted to see one another, reminding me that our current differences are temporary, and mendable.
I arrived back home to the aroma of garlic and peppers sautéing; AdventureMan is making beans! We have been informed it MIGHT snow tonight, it is hovering just above and below freezing and a big pot of beans is a perfect hot weather meal.
Birds on the Bayou are chowing down, the fish must be running. We have pelicans plunging, an eagle chasing off a hawk, a cormorant and a heron.
Last year, almost this same time of year, we got several inches of snow. In previous years, I have seen a flake of snow here and there, but last year was a special confluence of factors – humidity, cold, polar vortex and a series of cold dry days in which the snow first fell, and then stuck around. It was like wiping away all the bad, a clean, clear new earth, few cars driving, lots of walking and lots of playing. Maybe we all need to play a little more. Pensacolians love a good snow, and it doesn’t stick around long enough to get old.
Our house is warm, we have a big pot of beans cooking, we have friends, I’ve recovered all my lost-for-a-very-short-time passwords and life is sweet. May you be equally blessed; may all your problems be little ones.
The Weather Guesser was Right – 5+ Inches of Snow
Everything looks different when it is covered with snow. Pensacola is having a great time. My grandchildren have experienced rolling in snow, making snow people, trying to sled in snow – shrieking with joy.
A friend sent me a photo of a snowman he made. He has drifts up to his knees – in Pensacola, Florida:
I am seeing my yard with new eyes!
The reason these photos look fuzzy is because it’s still snowing!
My hydrangeas:
We have spread birdseed all around our yard, and we keep trying to keep the ice broken so outside birds and animals can drink. We have a heating pad in a box of outdoor cats, and our storage door is open for the truly desperate. Tonight’s forecast low is 17 degrees F. All the homeless shelters and cold weather shelters are open to welcome in those without homes, or those without heat, God help them in this weather.
Pensacola Gets the Big Snow – The Flurries Begin
We were excited with the first flurries. Even though it’s very cold, the grandchildren and the grand dogs are out playing in the snow – it is such a novelty. And it keeps coming. I went out to take these photos, but it is also becoming slick, and it’s probably not smart for me to be out trudging around with my camera. Few cars on the road. Pensacola, wisely, is staying inside.
Pensacola Gets the Big Snow
Pensacola is known for its sugar-white beaches, sunny skies, and blue skies with lots of sunshine. Not today. Schools are closed, offices are closed, Pensacolians are hunkering down for the expected three to five inches of snow. First thing this morning I had to break the ice in the birdbath and had my first bird arrive before i was a foot away – more thirsty than afraid, I think.
It is not that severe nor will it last that long, but it’s been a long time since Pensacola has had a good snow. I have seen occasional flurries in the past, but never before an accumulation. People of the South don’t have a lot of experience driving in the snow. I’ve had plenty. We plan to stay close to home!
Morocco Malta and the Med: Disembarkation in Barcelona
We have a late disembarkation, but our leisurely morning is not a leisurely morning for the crew. These wonderful people work so hard. They truly do everything they can to ensure their passenger’s happiness and well-being, and today, they say goodbye to us and work to get our baggage off the ship. Then they work like crazy to clean and disinfect every single stateroom and re-supply the food, beverage, and incidentals (like toilet paper and sanitizer, etc) for the next group who will be boarding in just hours. They will do the exact same thing for the next group, welcome them, keep them safe, fed and entertained, and then do the same for the next group. These crews are the true heroes of cruising.
Bags were picked up the night before. We’ve had a quick breakfast. For the only time this trip, this morning there is a passenger at breakfast surrounded by a wide swath of no passengers. He is wearing a MAGA hat. This is the only time this entire trip there has been a hint of politics.
Our group is called and we head for the bus, identify our bags, make sure they are loaded and ride to the airport. It is early on a Sunday morning, the ride to the airport is amazingly quick.
I am a worrier; I don’t see my bags when I exit the bus, but I guess Viking has done this a time or two because the bags are already unloaded and waiting for us in the airport. The line for Delta is long, and chaotic, but we get through relatively quickly. AdventureMan helps me find a Starbucks, where I buy a Barcelona cup. He was very patient. Now he is very glad we stopped; the Barcelona cup is his favorite cup.
The wait in the lounge was comfortable. Our flight was called on time. Everything went smoothly. That seems to be the mantra for this entire trip, every flight left on time, arrived on time, our ship didn’t have to miss any ports, we arrived and departed on time. We had great weather. We had a great trip.
Morocco Malta and The Med: Alboran Sea and the Rock of Gibraltar
Heading out from Algiers, at sea, en route to Casablanca on the Alboran Sea.
This is exactly what our early morning looks like – dark and filmy. It’s not the camera – it’s the reality.
It is a very flat day. It is a great day to read books, listen to some music, eat a light meal or two, hang out in the spa, and snooze a little.
Flat flat and gray gray.
Late in the afternoon, the Captain announces we will be passing The Rock of Gibralter. We have passed the iconic rock many times by ship – but always at night. This is our first daylight passage. But look at the sky, so flat, the light, so flat. Oh well, you take the shot you have.
And then, just as we are passing The Rock of Gibralter, Jebel Tarik, we hit sunset and a band of light shows up, just for moments, the only band of light all day. It’s as good as it’s ever going to get.
Tomorrow we dock in Casablanca.
Morocco Malta and The Med: Marseilles and Cassis and Calanques
It is very early morning as we approach Marseilles, so early the sun has not begun to rise. The infamous Chateau d’If, made famous in Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo looms in the semi-darkness.
We quickly eat breakfast; we are on one of the first tours out today, to Cassis and the famous calanques. What are calanques, you might ask? Here is what the Marseille Tourism board has to say:
What are the Calanques?
A Calanque is a unique kind of geological formation made of limestone. They are big rocky coves forming a steep and narrow valley inland and are mostly found around the Mediterranean sea. Here, the Calanques National Park is a protected and highly regulated area, stretching over 20 km from Marseille to Cassis, with 26 Calanques of various sizes (25 in Marseille and 1 in Cassis). Some are easily accessible and others are a lot less, but regardless, the Calanques are an absolute must-see when you visit Marseille!
I have always loved smaller villages, especially fishing villages, having grown up in one. And it will be Sunday in Marseille, not a great day for a Marseille tour as many of the roads are closed to traffic this Sunday, only open to bicyclists and pedestrians. Great day to get out of town.
The daily question becomes what to wear? What to carry? It is cold in the mornings, but will likely warm up. We will be going out on a small boat. How small? How windy will it be? Will we have any protection? What do YOU think?
I chose a dress that is like a sweatshirt, only with a full length zipper and it has a hood. I carried a scarf as well, and a hat in a go-bag. On the boat, it was indeed cold, and windy, and I put up my hood and tied it tightly so only a small portion of my face was exposed. I suppose I looked like one of those TeleTubbies, but I was not cold.
Sights en route to Cassis:
At the beach in Cassis: “In the town, I wear clothes.” LOL it is forbidden to walk around nude or in a bathing suit.
We have time to roam while we wait for our boat ride, and the fishing boats are in with their haul. Locals (they have bags with them, too) are seeking out the freshest fish for today’s Sunday meal.
We find a table at a corner cafe where we can have a coffee and watch the world go by. A group of four elegant elderly French women settle in front of us, with great red lipstick.
One of the nicest things happened here. Another couple women from our ship settled in next to us; they had been shopping and found some great things. What I loved was the bag from the shop, and when I asked how to get there she laughed and emptied her bag and gave it to me saying she didn’t care about the bag. I love the bag!
The boat ride begins. I can’t believe how many people they got on one small boat – maybe forty people!
We saw people on beaches in swimsuits, and people swimming in the cold water! I am hardy, but this is Mid-November! I am wearing a sweatshirt dress! And my legs are cold!
A very old aqueduct / bridge:
On our way back to Marseille.
The Christmas Market opening down by the port.
Cathedrale La Major: “Huge 1800s neo-Byzantine cathedral featuring an opulent interior lined with murals, mosaic & marble.” (Google Maps)
Viking Saturn is parked right next to the Cathedral La Major.
Our view from our cabin:
There’s No Such Thing as Heat Lightning
Waiting for a lane to open at the Y, my friend and I are looking out the giant windows at the sky, which is violently beautiful.
“I was surrounded by heat lightning this morning, ” I said, “In every direction!”
And my friend started laughing. He laughed so hard, he was bent over.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, fully confused.
“There’s no such thing as heat lightning,” he gasped, “and I just had this same exact conversation with my Lady Love.”
I started to indignantly deny what he was saying, but he is smart, very smart. He might be wrong, but (and I laugh as I say it) I am going to the internet to see what the internet experts say.
This is what those fraudsters at Weather.gov say:
Heat Lightning
Weather.gov > Safety > Heat Lightning
The term heat lightning is commonly used to describe lightning from a distant thunderstorm just too far away to see the actual cloud-to-ground flash or to hear the accompanying thunder.
While many people incorrectly think that heat lightning is a specific type of lightning, it is simply the light produced by a distant thunderstorm.
Often, mountains, hills, trees or just the curvature of the earth prevent the observer from seeing the actual lightning flash. Instead, the faint flash seen by the observer is light being reflected off higher-level clouds. Also, the sound of thunder can only be heard for about 10 miles from a flash.
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