Category Archives: Weather +Climate

Asia, Cinema and Television, Family, Humanities, Literature, Weather +Climate, World History

Still Reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms

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Summer                                   Waxing Strawberry Moon

Hot today.  At least by our standards.  85.  Plus a dewpoint of 70.  Not outside weather for this gardener.  I did work outside this morning, weeding in the orchard and checking the trees.  I’m going to need a consultation with Ecological Gardens because some of the stuff they planted, I don’t recognize and I don’t want to remove friendlies out of ignorance.

Kate’s off getting a pre-op physical, having dental work done and nails and hair.  A sort of clean up, paint up, fix up day for her.  Her surgery is a week from tomorrow and can’t come a day too soon for her.  The pain in her hip gives her fits during the day when she walks and at night when she sleeps.  She looks forward to having more than two sleeping positions.  So would I.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms has held me for several weeks now, though I’m not reading in large chunks.  It’s a three-volume work about the end of the Han Dynasty and the emergence of the three kingdoms of Wu, Wei and Shu.  This period only last for about 45 years, but it holds a position of particular importance in Chinese culture, with many of its figures like Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Zhuge Liang and the three brothers:  Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Liu Bei attaining iconic and archetypal significance.

(Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu)

It’s not an exact analogy at all, but it resembles the mythos of the American West, a time when men were men and some men were very good and others were very bad.

If you enjoy political and military tales or have an interest in the logic of other cultures, then the Three Kingdoms may enthrall you as it has me.  If you’re not sure, I recommend seeing the Red Cliffs, the two disc version.  The movie showcases all the main characters and records a pivotal battle, one that has ongoing importance in Chinese culture.  Not to mention that it’s great fun.  Again, if political and military intrigue fascinate you.

Asia, Weather +Climate

Well, You See, Officer…

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Beltane                                   Waxing Strawberry Moon

Every once in a while the universe reaches out and shakes you a bit.  Just to make sure you’re paying attention.  In this case the universe came into my life via a Roseville policeman who pulled me over for a passing violation.  I was guilty, guilty, guilty.  Here’s the message from the universe:  Slow down, take a breath, get there when you get there.

As a German influenced guy, punctuality is important to me, perhaps too important.  In my desire to make it to a meeting when road construction had already made being on time unlikely I passed a woman on Rice Street by going out in the turning lane.  It had a clear yellow stripe and under normal circumstances I would never done anything quite that stupid. But I wanted to get there on time.

“In a hurry this morning?”  The nice man in blue asked.  Yep.

Oops.

After that further delay, I spent the morning at the Minnesota Environmental Partnership in a brainstorming meeting about energy policy issues for the upcoming elections and legislature.  I had volunteered to fill in for Margaret Levin, executive director of the Northstar chapter of the Sierra Club, so some of it went over my head, but it was fun to sit with a bunch of very bright people sifting through routes to a sustainable energy future.

When that meeting finished at noon, I drove (sedately) over to Minneapolis to the Rainbow Chinese restaurant on Nicollet and had lunch with several docent colleagues.  That was a definite switch in tone, though it was still a group of bright folks.  After lunch we all went over to the Art Institute for a lecture on the Matteo Ricci map of the world recently purchased by the James Ford Bell museum at the University of Minnesota.

Now I’m home blogging for the Star-Tribune as a parade of thunder storms march across our area.

Dogs, Faith and Spirituality, Weather +Climate

Rain

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Beltane                                                  Waning Planting Moon

Today I looked up at the sky while weeding.  Gray clouds covered it all and rain drops had begun to splash on the brim of my hat.  The sky and I, it felt, were sad and crying, both of us, on this June summer morning.

It was an odd sensation that did not last.  As the day has gone on, I’ve had a nap and feel refreshed, but  the rain continues.  A soaking rain, a kind we’ve had too little of of late.  Now we often get thunder, lightning and torrents, often producing more erosion than watering.

All the dogs have been subdued yesterday and today, adjusting to Emma’s absence.  Marking her passing.  Me, too.

Weather +Climate

Cooler, But Dry

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Beltane                                           Waning Planting Moon

Ah.  Those of us who prefer the northern to the southern breathed a sigh of relief today as the weather pattern changed and the jet stream bowed to the south.  A dew point of 47 feels pretty good, too.

No one finds drought as interesting as tornadoes and hurricanes and snow, but nothing impacts those of us who garden and care about our landscape as personally as drought does.  The yellow on this US Drought Monitor Map covers all or almost all of Anoka County.

The state climatologist says:  “Portions of east central Minnesota are…depicted as experiencing Moderate drought. This is the result of long-term dryness that began in June of 2008. This long-term precipitation anomaly is responsible for very low water levels in larger lakes and wetland complexes across portions of Anoka, Ramsey, Chisago, and Washington counties.”

A large portion of the Arrowhead has extreme drought conditions.  In fact, streams up there are at the 5th percentile for drainage into Lake Superior for this date.  That’s low water.  Superior is six inches below last year and well below historic levels.

My vegetables have required some extra irrigation to keep them on schedule and able to endure the heat.

Aging, Faith and Spirituality, Family, Friends, Holidays, Humanities, Weather +Climate

The Residue of Sacred Time

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Beltane                                           Full Planting Moon

I’ve done some weeding, well, a good bit of weeding, but the heat, now 89 and direct, drove me back inside.  At least the dew point is reasonable, but over 80 and I begin to wilt.  Three cheers for central air conditioning.  Over the years I’ve adapted to the Norwegian lifestyle, that is, living like we were in Norway with no windows or doors.  Now it’s important to me.

That holiday penumbra has fallen over time, a sense that fireworks and hot dogs, or gods on pedestals carried by shouting crowds, or parades with car after car of  young women doing the wave or a hushed night filled with candles and quiet might break out at any moment.   Sacred time comes to us in many guises and its residue, as we grow older, collects on our soul, offering us a taste of eternity each holiday, birthday, anniversary.  This residue is one of the unexpected and great joys of aging.  I can hear the marching bands passing, the quiet congregation praying, family members talking while decorating the offrenda, the winter winds howling on a solstice night.

A weekend to remember.

Holidays, Memories, Weather +Climate

Starting back up with Strib blogs

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Beltane                               Full Planting Moon

“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.” – Confucius

The dew point has dropped into  northern numbers.  The sun shines, but the heat has not cranked up into Louisiana bayou territory like it did on Monday.  We have good daytime dew points through Sunday, though nighttime dew points will be high Friday and Saturday.

No severe weather in the forecasts for the next few days with the exception of possible thunderstorms later Sunday and Sunday night.   This looks a genuine outdoor grillin’, bike ridin’, gardenin’, relative visitn’ holiday weekend on this the school kids’ usual date marking the beginning of summer.

The Celts, who divided their year into four parts, saw May 1 as the beginning of the summer season while   more astronomically inclined cultures made it toward the end of June with the solstice that has become known as the summer solstice, on or about June 20th.  As a kid in central Indiana, where Memorial Day and Labor Day were the twin gate posts to Summerland, this was the true start.  Funny how it’s remained that way for me over all these years.

cnsw527

Weather +Climate

Hot and Humid

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Beltane                                         Waxing Planting Moon

Savannah has moved into the twin cities.  The jet stream has a ridge bulging into southern Canada and right over our northern border.  That sucks the hot, sticky Gulf air right up the mid-section of the country and plops it on us.  Some weather service sites have us exceeding the all time high of 87 tomorrow, perhaps 88 or even 90.

While those of you in the humid tropics, say Singapore or Bangkok, or even Georgia, may laugh at such a high, temps above 75 are serious business here in the northern heartland.  We don’t mind a few each year, just to remember; but when they come early and stay late like a guest overstaying their welcome, well, sir, we’d prefer they just kick back on down to the Big Easy.  We don’t need their kind in our state, not for long.

No bee work today.  Rainy and overcast in the am while too windy this afternoon.  I’ll head out tomorrow or Monday if we get half an hour of calmer weather.

Garden, GeekWorld, Weather +Climate

Fly Dragon Fly

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Beltane                                    Waxing Planting Moon

Under the cover of a cloudy sky and a gentle rain I planted tomatoes, peppers and alyssum, spread moss as a mulch and cut the scapes off the garlic.  It’s hard to believe but the garlic will be ready to harvest the middle to late part of next month.

I always turn my computers off during a thunderstorm.  Better safe than sorry.  When I came down at 2:30 to crank them up again after the loud thunder bangers we had crashing through around noon, the clouds had dissipated.  I looked up and saw a fleet of winged insects flying to and fro, everywhere, just outside the windows to my east and to my south.  I went out to see what they were.  Dragonflies.  They flew in various directions, scouring, I imagine, for recently hatched mosquitoes.

The dragon fly has a warm spot in my heart not only because they eat mosquitoes, though that’s enough, but their bi-wing construction and hovering flight also appeal to me.  They have just a tinge of magic and the exotic.

As I planted the tomato and pepper transplants in the suntrap, I happened on a small dark toad.  He had been happily ensconced under the bale of sphagnum moss that I moved when I begin to spread it.  He looked around, hopped a bit and stopped.  I told him I didn’t mean to uncover his hiding place and that I was happy he had chosen our garden in which to live.  He acted like he didn’t hear me.

Aging, Art and Culture, Weather +Climate

All Miked Up

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Beltane                                 Waxing Planting Moon

I completed my last tours for three weeks this afternoon.  This was an Elderhostel group, now called Exploritas for some reason.  They fitted me up with a microphone and transmitter; I tuned to channel E and began the tours.  As a hearing impaired person, I know how valuable these things can be, especially if there is any echo or other transient noise.

The Asia tours went well with lots of questions, interest and stickiness in that some folks kept with me to one more set of objects after the tour had already gone over 20 minutes.  The second, a treasures of European art, felt less vibrant, but it was at 1:00 pm, after lunch and 3 hours into the groups stay at the museum.  I know I collapsed when I got home, tired from all the time on my feet.  My suspicion is that they were also tired.

Kate takes off on Tuesday for San Francisco, so I’ve planned a couple of weeks close to home.

Looks we may get some free irrigation, cloud style, not piped.  I’m in favor.

I’m awake now, my nap was deep.  Onto the treadmill.

Aging, Art and Culture, GeekWorld, Weather +Climate

Hostel Elders

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Beltane                                  Waxing Planting Moon

Two tours today with an elderhost group from Portland, Oregon.  The first involves the Asian collection, the second highlights of European art.   I enjoy Asian tours since I have spent a lot of time with the collection, Asian history and literature.  I also enjoy the freedom of selecting objects for a highlights tour, which can include objects that seem interesting at that time.

My brand new router acted up yesterday and I lost my internet connection.  Minny, an Indian young woman working at 8:30 pm her time, walked me through how to resolve the issue.  Took the usual hour or so after calling Comcast, eliminating the modem or their servers as the problem.  They connected me to Netgear.  It was, as far as tech service goes, a quite reasonable process.

Looks like we’re about to have hot, muggy weather.  That’s the good part about living in Minnesota, without leaving home we can visit several different climates over the course of the year.  This week we will imitate the muggy south.