Camano Island

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Want to watch a solar eclipse safely? Try looking down instead of up, though you might discover you have a plethora of images to choose from. For example, during the June 21st solar eclipse this confusing display appeared under a shady bamboo grove in Pune, India. Small gaps between close knit leaves on the tall plants effectively created a network of randomly placed pinholes. Each one projected a separate image of the eclipsed Sun. The snapshot was taken close to the time of maximum eclipse in Pune when the Moon covered about 60 percent of the Sun's diameter. But an annular eclipse, the Moon in silhouette completely surrounded by a bright solar disk at maximum, could be seen along a narrow path where the Moon's dark shadow crossed central Africa, south Asia, and Ch

Photo by Somak Raychaudhury

Made with simple, high quality ingredients. Tender noodles tossed in a two-cheese blend with a hint of cream and freshly cracked black pepper. Click the image below to see Jessica Gavin's recipe at Simply Recipes

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

On June 21 an annular solar eclipse came soon after the solstice and our fair planet's northernmost sunset for 2020. At maximum eclipse, the New Moon in silhouette created a ring of fire visible along a narrow path at most 85 kilometers wide. The annular eclipse path began in central Africa, crossed south Asia and China, and ended over the Pacific Ocean. But a partial eclipse of the Sun was visible over a much broader region. In Hong Kong, this busy section of Jordan Street looks to the northwest, well-aligned with the track of the near solstice afternoon Sun. The street level view was composited with an eclipse sequence made with a safe solar filter on the camera. For that location the eclipse was partial. The Moon covered about 90 percent of the Sun's diameter at maximum, seen near the middle of the eclipse sequence. Gallery: Notable images of the Annular Solar Eclipse of 2020 June submitted to APOD

Photo by Gary Chan

The Avatar was off his game.
He was looking for you,
as he wanted your name.
Pay attention to him,
for this I will exclaim,
"He will seek you out",
as he needs you to blame
for the ills of the World,
he says he's trying to tame.

Nobody cares,
Not anymore,
If the words
You do write,
Are by your feet,
Down on the floor.

Here comes that feeling.
I've had it before.
A feeling I may soon
be down on the floor.
I am not dizzy,
nor lightheaded, no more,
but this apprehension;
If I fall, I'll be sore.

"Will you dance with me?"
I said, being quite bold,
expecting no answer,
receiving a shoulder, quite cold.
I went to another,
saying the same
words to she.
Then I knelt on the floor
and asked her "Please?"
She said, "no thank you,
for I made a vow
to not dance with men,
that's you, I see now.
I am sorry for you on this day,
now if you would leave,
please just go away."
I left with my Ego,
broken and found
with embarrassment of myself
and to my friends all around.

When the words in your head
are spoken out loud,
there are no filters,
of this I can say.
I do not apologize for you;
not any more.
for I just say, "She has Dementia"
as I head for the door.

Revenge is mine,
sayeth the Lord,
so at this time
please fall on your sword.
You need forgiveness,
for this fix you are in.
Please do not lie to us
and not one word about Sin.

She wore jeans,
tight to the skin.
It was then I knew
the fix I was in.

My bib overalls,
were not her style,
but when you're young,
everything is a trial.
I said to her,
"would you like to dance?"
No answer was given;
not anything more,
but she walked out
to the dance floor.
I was clumsy, not quite an oaf,
but I did my two step
to her quick step, a loaf
of bread could have
moved faster than I.
I stepped on her foot.
She let out a cry.
I said, "I'm sorry;
I didn't lie.
We danced for a while,
she said " I must leave."
Before I knew it,
she left the dance floor,
and there I was alone,
still looking for more.

It's not the same,
when you accept the blame,
for something you didn't do.
When in command it is up to you,
to fix the problems that come
up and protect the Citizen's home.
Don't tell lies or pass the blame
on to the shoulders of others.
Do what is right for
our Sisters and Brothers.

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

How could that city be upside-down? The city, Chicago, was actually perfectly right-side up. The long shadows it projected onto nearby Lake Michigan near sunset, however, when seen in reflection, made the buildings appear inverted. This fascinating, puzzling, yet beautiful image was captured by a photographer in 2014 on an airplane on approach to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The Sun can be seen both above and below the cloud deck, with the latter reflected in the calm lake. As a bonus, if you look really closely -- and this is quite a challenge -- you can find another airplane in the image, likely also on approach to the same airport.

Photo by Mark Hersch

Your story about the Porsche reminded me of this -- One of the team get togethers from the old KCMBS days

I am uncertain
as to what's going on,
for part of my Dahlias,
lie broken on the ground.
A dog or raccoon
or something quite big,
has walked through my garden,
like a clumsy, old pig,
with Salvia branches,
broken pieces and twigs.

Words are coming to me,
without a plan.
Words with a meaning
I don't understand.

So many years have passed, from the time I
was a Manager. I had several Supervisors and
they were taking me out to lunch for my birthday.
I like sports cars and had a beautiful framed
photograph of a Porsche 911 hanging on a wall
in my office.
We had a very enjoyable lunch at a place I do not
recall. Then they surprised me with a multi day
rental of a Porsche 911, Cabriolet. I was speechless.
It was December and I asked if I could delay using
the rental until the weather warmed, in June or July.
They said I could. The Agency was in Pioneer Square.

At last it was time and the Rental Agency said that the
Porsche Cabriolet had been involved in an accident
in Yakima but they could offer me the use of a
Porsche 911 Targa. I signed the paperwork and
the Agent took me to the car.
He asked me if I had ever driven a Porsche? I said no.
Do you know how to use a stick? I said that I did and
said I had owned a Fiat 124 Spyder, that had stick
shift. He also told me that it was same shift pattern
as a 1956 Chevrolet.
I opened the door and got in to this "dream car", hooked
the seat belt and started the engine. The sound of the exhaust
accompanied by the cam drive chain sent a chill up my
spine. Porsche engine noise is like adrenaline to me.
I drove up 1st Ave only killing the engine a few times at
stop lights. The clutch mechanism is stiffer than the clutch
on the Fiat. So I was trying to get use to that function.
I reached work and parked in the Garage.
When the day was over I drove to my Son's work place
and parked on a hill. Oh, oh.

With a stick shift, parked on a hill you must put it in gear, with
foot on the gas and a hand on the parking brake. The trick
is to rev the engine and "pop" the clutch at the same time that
you release the parking brake. I did that, but not perfectly and
laid a strip of rubber, for a few feet, up the hill. I live on the
Eastside and only killed the engine a couple of times as the
traffic was stop and go. I drove the car over the weekend
and took a trip with my wife to Ellensburg, with the Targa Top
stored in the trunk.
The memories of this event lives on and will always have a
special place in my heart for the generosity of my friends.