Magazine Posts

"The production of biochar is an ancient farming practice dating back thousands of years to the fertile Terra Preta soils in Brazil. A kind of black powder, used to improve soil health. it is made by heating up organic matter such as wood chips, manure, leaves, or indeed coffee husks, in a process known as pyrolysis. A study in 2010 found that 12 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions could be offset with biochar. Researchers in 2022 also found that mixing wood biochar with cattle manure can cut methane emissions — a huge contributor to climate change — by an astonishing 79 percent"  More at Reasons to be Cheerful ➜

Water coursing.
hill and glen,
eroding soil,
then on
to rivers
and the Sea.

Life goes on,
without the
incessant tug
of politicians.

Have I become calloused,
inured to the pain
of others, here?
Is my empathy feigned?

Sugars sweet,
but you are not.
Your attitude
needs adjusting.

Why,
sayeth he,
what's wrong
with me?

Take deep, slow breaths.
I feel as if my hands,
belong to someone else.
A strange sensation.

Pour my soul, on the ground,
where it will lay, useless,
until it's gone away.
What words do I write?

I'm feeling used, not sure why.
Useless is the word.
I cannot help my wife.
A powerless feeling of sadness,
overcome by anguish.
Why?

Please, no, "Trust in God"
comments. I am slowly losing
my belief in this approach.
Becoming embittered is like
dragging your blanket, for
something uncontrollable.

I still have positive thoughts,
loving life, talking with people.
The missing element, of course,
being unable to have a discussion
with my wife. I miss her.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Big storms are different on Jupiter. On Earth, huge hurricanes and colossal cyclones are centered on regions of low pressure, but on Jupiter, it is the high-pressure, anti-cyclone storms that are the largest. On Earth, large storms can last weeks, but on Jupiter they can last years. On Earth, large storms can be as large as a country, but on Jupiter, large storms can be as large as planet Earth. Both types of storms are known to exhibit lightning. The featured image of Jupiter's clouds was composed from images and data captured by the robotic Juno spacecraft as it swooped close to the massive planet in August 2020.  A swirling white oval is visible nearby, while numerous smaller cloud swirls extend into the distance.  On Jupiter, light-colored clouds are usually higher up than dark clouds. Despite their differences, studying storm clouds on distant Jupiter provides insights into storms and other weather patterns on familiar Earth.  Surf the Universe: Random APOD Generator

I no longer care
about my ineffectual ability,
to accomplish anything.
I sit here, writing and ranting,
about my absurd behavior.
What is wrong with me?

I feel I can no longer,
can control my emotional
reactions to what life has
wrought to my wife and me.
Especially to her, a good soul.
A terrible situation is what I see.
My thoughts rattle through
this old, feeble brain.

A slow descent into madness.
On the road to a life of sadness.
What or why remains the question.
I ponder how our life has fallen
this far into a state of personal
oblivion.

Is this the punishment for some
indiscretion or just fate.
Can't be God's will, can it?
What just God would do this?

Friends for a long time, shun us.
Yet we have friends who still stay
in touch. Even family contact has
deteriorated to the point Ellie is
seldom talked to. There are polite
gestures, but no meaningful visits.
On the other side, one son is
devoted to seeing his mother,
at least once a week, with few exceptions.

Many new residents,
many new faces,
from around the country,
close to their children.

How difficult it must be,
after years in your own home,
to pick up and move across
the country.

Old friends are gone,
new ones to make.
I see many lost souls,
wandering the facility.

Aging at its finest.
Turkey neck or wattle,
Chicken legs,
Pot belly (oink, oink)

Getting old
has wonderful benefits.
See above for just a few
of the specialties for us
so called elderly.

She tripped the light fantastic,
as she stumbled on the stair.
Watch your step, we said often.
She didn't hear. She didn't care.