Just arrived from the Netherlands (via Etsy), a beauty of a typing machine, Olympia SM2 1952. On my desk in the library, ready for Saturday-morning creativity.
Can’t put up with this any longer: I hate the keyboard on my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017).
Real Friends at Cat’s Cradle, 11.09.2018 (Boston Manor opened and was quite good).
My brother and sister-in-law are visiting from Austin (the ‘live music capital of the world’). They wanted to catch a show at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, so we went to hear a punk rock show (my first) last night. My daughter, Anna, came along. Loud and fun.
My trip to Austin gave me flight-time to finally write a long post about our homecoming to Vanuatu this summer : A return to Paama
I am in Austin for AAMC (medical schools) annual meeting, and we are hearing from Dallas Street Choir (homeless outreach program) singing You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen. What a way to start a conference that calls itself Learn Serve Lead. I am inspired. (@manton)
Michael came through Chapel Hill as s tropical storm and we lost power late yesterday. Been out since. Beautiful cool and sunny day. I just set up the BioLite stoves to boil water for a bucket shower later, now warming baked beans. And power just came back on.
Awaiting more heavy rains, this time from Hurricane Michael. On my way up the gravel road tonight, saw a copperhead snake slithering into the grass.
I was researching invasive paper mulberry trees - we have a bunch out by the carport - when smoke alarm in daughter’s bedroom sounded loudly. No smoke, no fire, stopped after a minute. Later, looked up to see a long, thin centipede near alarm.
Bouncing to ska at the annual Carrboro Music Festival, free music all over town.
Fun with the ios12 comic mono filter, on a selfie with Oliver at Maple View Dairy ice cream store.
Heaviest rains yet from Florence, this morning in Chapel Hill. The deluge reminded me of the rains in Vanuatu during cyclones, so heavy and loud on the tin roof there we couldn’t hear each other speak. Chapel Hill and Durham roads are flooding, so I’m at home still.
Still raining in Chapel Hill. I’d be frustrated at having to be inside for 4 days straight but I know much of our state is in bad shape. Bring back Carolina blue skies to dry us out! I used the time to finish a blog post about the summer trip to the South Pacific.
A Walk In The Woods
A pre-hurricane walk on the property, with plenty of life and decay and interesting contours, including a rough earth snake and Cantharellus cinnabarinus.
As the trees outside are starting to sway in hurricane breezes, I’m inside trying to get the scuppernong grape juice canned before we lose power.
Hurricane Florence is coming right for us here in the Triangle.
A big hurricane is headed our way. An email from the public schools superintendent is a great example of the ‘small just, just ahead’ communication strategy I’m always hyping. I’ve reprinted her message here.
Cooking more scuppernong grapes for juice this morning. Doing too much in the kitchen yesterday and mixed the roselle simple syrup into the grape juice; wonder how that will change flavor. Will also finish hot sauce with Calabrian chiles I smoked over hickory chips. Experiments.
Another big rain, another box turtle on the move, this one in my path as i walked to retrieve the Sunday NYTimes.
Home from my morning excursion to the Carrboro Farmers Market, Gray Squirrel Coffeeshop, and Home Depot. Enjoying a PB&J and the last of my sour cherry shrub. Later will make osso buco, syrup from rosella flowers (wild hibiscus) bought this morning, & hot sauce with hot chiles.