Magazine Posts

Through the smudged window,
past the looking glass,
that this current situation,
it too will soon pass.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Big, bright, beautiful spiral, Messier 106 dominates this cosmic vista. The nearly two degree wide telescopic field of view looks toward the well-trained constellation Canes Venatici, near the handle of the Big Dipper. Also known as NGC 4258, M106 is about 80,000 light-years across and 23.5 million light-years away, the largest member of the Canes II galaxy group. For a far far away galaxy, the distance to M106 is well-known in part because it can be directly measured by tracking this galaxy's remarkable maser, or microwave laser emission. Very rare but naturally occurring, the maser emission is produced by water molecules in molecular clouds orbiting its active galactic nucleus. Another prominent spiral galaxy on the scene, viewed nearly edge-on, is NGC 4217 below and right of M106. The distance to NGC 4217 is much less well-known, estimated to be about 60 million light-years, but the bright spiky stars are in the foreground, well inside our own Milky Way galaxy. Even the existence of galaxies beyond the Milky Way was questioned 100 years ago in astronomy's Great Debate. Experts Debate: How will humanity first discover extraterrestrial life?

Photo by Joonhwa Lee

Classic Caprese salad with tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese, tossed with fresh corn. A delicious summer salad that requires no cooking! Ingredients and instuctions below. See other recipes from Cooking Mamas  at https://www.cookingmamas.com/

Ingredients:
3 c. whole kernal corn fresh or frozen, thawed
1 1/2 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 c. small mozarella balls cut in half
1/2 c. Basil ribbons
3 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil. Gently toss to combine; set aside.
In a small jar, combine white wine vinegar, olive oil Italian seasoning, garlic powder; cover with lid and shake until well combined.
Pour dressing over salad, gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Refrigerate if not serving immediately, do not add dressing until ready to serve.

The Moon is full,
all silver and bright
on this early morning,
before first light.

After World War II, my Father
purchase, The Orchard Trailer Park,
in Riverton Heights, about a
block off of Highway 99.
He had left his job at
Todd's Shipyard, where he was
an Electrician; a Supervisor.
He also built a small building,
on Highway 99, where he opened
a store selling electrical products.
I recall one product, a radio,
manufactured by Gilfillen.

I would ride my bicycle, with my
friends, South on Highway 99 to
Angle Lake to swim. On occasion
we would ride to Bow Lake, more
of a pond, and fish.
Bow Lake today, is where the
Hilton Hotel is located. It is across
Highway 99 from SeaTac International.
Several years ago, I attended a
meeting at the Hilton. When we
had a break, I walked out the back
and there it was. No rushes or
Cat Tails, or noticeable weeds.
My of my, what a change to
the Old Fishing Hole.

Where do you go, every day?
You're not here, your far away.
What thoughts run through your head?
Watching TV, you'll ask of me,
"What did they say?"
I don't know if you can see
when you ask and it's on TV.
I do know that if I say," give me the remote",
you will pick up everything but
and ask, "Is this it?'
I can't imagine what I would do
if it was me, in that state,
instead of you.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

The most distant object easily visible to the unaided eye is M31, the great Andromeda Galaxy some two and a half million light-years away. But without a telescope, even this immense spiral galaxy - spanning over 200,000 light years - appears as a faint, nebulous cloud in the constellation Andromeda. In contrast, a bright yellow nucleus, dark winding dust lanes, expansive blue spiral arms and star clusters are recorded in this stunning telescopic image. While even casual skygazers are now inspired by the knowledge that there are many distant galaxies like M31, astronomers debated this fundamental concept 100 years ago. Were these "spiral nebulae" simply outlying components of our own Milky Way Galaxy or were they instead "island universes", distant systems of stars comparable to the Milky Way itself? This question was central to the famous Shapley-Curtis debate of 1920, which was later resolved by observations of M31 in favor of Andromeda, island universe. Experts Debate: How will humanity first discover extraterrestrial life?

Photo by Yuzhe Xiao

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Newly discovered Comet SWAN has already developed an impressive tail. The comet came in from the outer Solar System and has just passed inside the orbit of the Earth. Officially designated C/2020 F8 (SWAN), this outgassing interplanetary iceberg will pass its closest to the Earth on May 13, and closest to the Sun on May 27. The comet was first noticed in late March by an astronomy enthusiast looking through images taken by NASA's Sun-orbiting SOHO spacecraft, and is named for this spacecraft's Solar Wind Anisotropies (SWAN) camera. The featured image, taken from the dark skies in Namibia in mid-April, captured Comet SWAN's green-glowing coma and unexpectedly long, detailed, and blue ion-tail. Although the brightness of comets are notoriously hard to predict, some models have Comet SWAN becoming bright enough to see with the unaided eye during June. Experts Debate: How will humanity first discover extraterrestrial life?

Photo by Gerald Rhemann

A friend of mine, once said to me
I need to talk to an adult,
not to a child or a dog.
Not funny, but I understand,
for I have found. I have a need.

Grabbing a skillet, by the handle,
when in an oven,
without benefit of a oven mitt,
is painful and unwise.
Shouldn't be a surprise.

Be Prepared,
is the watchword for today.
Be prepared,
in each and everyway.
Be prepared,
to do what you say.
Be prepared,
that was the Boy Scout way.
Be prepared,
now that life has gone away.

I've traveled the World,
across the blue sea,
courtesy of Uncle Sam,
and all for free.
No amount of money,
will keep me away
from the memories
of the U.S Navy.