My first view of unEarthly moons

Last Tuesday, for the first time I saw the moons of a planet other than Earth with my own eyes. I heard on Earth and Sky that Jupiter was unusually close to Earth, closer than it has been since 1963 and than will be again until 2022. And also very near the Earth moon. So I whipped out my binos and there Jupiter was in the early night sky. And right near Jupiter I saw three of its moons. Wow. Uranus was supposed to be hanging around within one degree of Jupiter, too, but I didn't see it. That would have been a first for me, as well. Saturn is the farthest out planet I have seen so far.

More info from Earth and Sky.

Here's a neat chart of where these planets are right now.

Over and out.

computer death

OK, this is not about the yard, though this is the yard values blog.

Last week our iMac died and took a lot of files with it. Actually the biggest hunk of stuff was photos that I had in iPhoto. The last photos I had backed up were from September 2009. So a lot of photos.

The last time this happened was when we first bought that iMac, and I lost a lot of photos when the motherboard crapped out--bad capacitors, I guess--then, too. And I was really devastated. But this time, I'm not devastated. Sure, I'd like to have them back, but no devastation. I'll see if I can find someone/thing that can resurrect them--Geek Squad at Best Buy, maybe--but I'm not hopeful. Maybe this means that I'm getting more comfortable with death.

Of course it doesn't hurt that I have a new iMac to play with.

3 months later

Well, the passing of my 65th birthday signaled a change, an elbow, in the direction of my life. Preceded as it was by knee surgery and the death of my aunt, Janet. And followed by rehabilitation of my knee, which is ongoing. And our trip to Seattle and Port Townsend for Janet's memorial service and interment. And returning to work at Olin Library.

The best thing so far about this post-65 time has been swimming in Lake Champlain one or more times a day during the two weeks we were in Vermont at the end of August. And visiting with Clare, a college friend who now lives in Seattle. There is nothing more strengthening and clarifying about swimming as far as I can in that water and playing with its buoyancy. The first few days were very windy, hence really wavy and challenging to swim in. When calmer days came, the strength developed swimming in the wind enhanced my appreciation of the smoother water.

Seems like the end of an era. So where now? A new direction is not yet clear. To experience a tectonic shift in my sense of self does not mean that I know much about it yet. I wonder what will happen.

Meanwhile, I have been enjoying reading two books in the Library of America series: Reporting World War II, Part One and A. J. Liebling's World War II Writings. It is sobering to read reporting. I know how the events proceeded more of less, how they turned out, but the writer has no idea, of course, because their future, and our future, has not yet happened. It rather parallels my present state. Something is going on, and I can only report about what seems to be happening without knowing how it will turn out exactly. Or even approximately.

Turning 65

Today I walked on South Hill Recreation Way from 8 to 9:30 am, then headed to Taughannock Falls State Park to escape the heat (95 degrees in Ithaca this afternoon). I swam in Cayuga Lake a couple of times, read the New York Times, worked the crossword puzzle, and fell asleep in the shade of a locust tree. Foolishly, I neglected to apply sunscreen and the locust shade, being only partial, did not keep me from getting a sunburn on my face. In spite of the sunburn, though, I had a good birthday. Never too old to do foolish things, am I.

O Thistle

The volunteer thistle on the edge of the driveway is back and blooming. Among the most beautiful of flowers, there are the thistles, round scaly spheres bursting with violet. Riding on four-foot spiny stems. Later the seeds are favored by goldfinches.

Investing in the Golf

Just passed through a decision point with the VW Golf. We looked at and Jane test drove one of the new Golfs. Then decided to invest more in the existing car--new tires, fixing the coolant leak and the leaky head gasket. Feels good, once we made the decision. Greener.

Recovery

Slowly but surely recovering from surgery for a tear in the medial meniscus of my right knee. Had a lovely pre-surgery trip to the city and finally got to walk the High Line. Lots of gardening inspiration there. Went to a terrific dance concert in Chelsea with Anna and Kate. And witnessed Kate getting her Masters degree in early childhood education at Hunter College. Momofuku, lots of other good food.