Still Dodging Winter Storms

So far we continue to dodge winter bullets.  The big storm that just passed us was a rain event, whereas further north it is currently an ice, sleet, and snow one.  Score one for the Homestead!  Our temps are chilly, and it is very damp, but we have been getting above freezing during daytime hours consistently so far (today we are way above freezing, till tomorrow).  As long as daytime highs rise above freezing, I don't complain very much.  However, next week and lasting almost to the New Year we are supposed to get a true blast of Siberian air, with temps remaining well below freezing for 8-10 days.  I strongly dislike those days, though my brother in Sudbury, by contrast, is cheering on the snow and cold so he can drive around in the bush on his snowmobile.  Whatever floats one's boat.  I prefer a mostly brown winter, though it was nice to see photos of Britain with people out enjoying the snow on their sleds, skis, and making snowmen in their yards.  It rarely snows in London, and it never lasts, but it did snow this past week, with the usual transport chaos that ensues.  We have not had sunshine here now for almost two weeks, and the astronomy forecast for the next two weeks is a grim one.

We continue to hibernate, however, and the Homestead programs continue as before.  My time is spent practicing music and listening to it, reading, exercising (2 1/2 years strong now!!), studying maps of New Mexico, and watching films, mostly on the Criterion streaming service.  And there is the Wondrium channel, with three college lecture courses always going on here (hundreds to choose from).  We also have weekly gaming sessions, and I am trying to finish a game for PC.  I'm also replaying Riven.  We could cross to Detroit whenever we wish, but for now the urge is not there.  We are happy at home.

Deb's main film choice last week was The Third Man, a film that is fun to watch many times over.  It rates #63 on the S & S list of best movies.  It is filmed with wonky music, and a female lead that needs a good slap to get her head straightened out, but otherwise it is an excellent film, about post war Vienna and the trade in watered-down antibiotics.  Orson Welles is the villain who is responsible for the deaths and trauma of many children. An accurate depiction of post war Austria, with four countries policing the area.  Part of the film was shot at the Prater.  We recognized at least one war torn area of the city, a church we had visited.

Now showing on Criterion. 

Her leaving choice this month choice was a documentary about the Ireland troubles.  The Image You Missed is from 2018, as the young filmmaker tries to follow the trail of his father, who abandoned him and his mother when he was very young.  The documentary is a confusing mix of the son trying to understand his father's life (he was also a filmmaker, who made the important film The Patriot Game in 1979), and a brief history of Northern Ireland's struggle against the British loyalists.  It isn't really good at one or the other, but there is some truly amazing footage, with several unforgettable scenes, such as a small boy trying to find something to play with near a bombed out overturned vehicle, with barbed wire and soldiers in the background.  It did well at festivals, likely bringing unknown history to Americans.  Getting a full understanding of what was going on and why can be a tricky business, but the film does serve as a primer for the Irish troubles.

Leaving Criterion Dec. 31st. 

Following up on my last film choice, I selected Chocolat by Claire Denis, from 1988.  We have seen the film before, likely around 1988 at the Detroit Film Theater at the DIA.  I think the film has even more resonance today than it did back then, as the truth of damage done by colonialism hits a much more aware public.  Thus the film hasn't aged itself at all by telling the story of a very young girl (Denis herself) growing up in French Cameroon while under French rule.  Her relationship with the house boy is a close one, and she knows nor thinks nothing of racism.  He is her best friend, and also a teacher to her.  At least until mommy starts having strange desires for him.  The film is gentle, but it pierces the soul nonetheless.  Though the house boy (he is not a boy, but a very handsome and strong man) is treated well (they even say please and thank you to him), he is still not anywhere near being treated as well as he should be.  And the fact that he accepts his demeaning treatment and does not fight against it also shows his limited choices in life.  Of course he could rebel, but then where would he be?  A thoughtful film, and very well done. 

Now showing on Criterion. 

So far we have seen 2 1/2 episodes of English, and two of Interview With A Vampire.  Both are quite good, though violent beyond belief.  I have more and more trouble with realistic violence in contemporary cinema and series.  It seems we will never be civilized as the glorification of sudden violence is so much in demand by modern audiences.  So far in English there seem to be no decent people in America, only murderers, rapists, and greedy capitalists.  While that might or might not be a true realization, it makes for a very predictable series.  And with a modern vampire tale one might expect violence and blood, this series seems to want to outdo itself.

One of the ships I regularly watch for is called the Mesabi Miner, a massive 1,000' monolith that ends its journey in Duluth.  There is a Facebook group of Great Lakes ship enthusiasts, and the person who runs it lives in Duluth. Here is a great shot of the Miner coming into port in Duluth, with a few December kayakers watching it come in.  Due to gales on the lakes today, many ships are currently waiting in safe harbours.

A terrific shot of the Mesabi Miner arriving in Duluth, Minnesota recently.  So far this season the Miner has passed our house across from Detroit 13 times.  Those little ducks out there in the water are actually kayakers. 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

Kalamazoo via Amtrak

Let's just say that I like Kalamazoo a lot more than Amtrak.  The service between Detroit and Chicago (called the Michigan Wolverine) is the least on-time service that Amtrak runs.  Trains are never on time, and often very late.  This is mostly due to congestion in and out of Chicago.  Our Tuesday morning train departed 30 minutes late.  After Dearborn there are only 3 more stops before Kalamazoo, and there are times when the train is going 175 km/hr.  But there are many speed zones where the train still has to inch across the landscape, especially in urban areas.  So we arrived 30 minutes late.

Our first stop was Bell's Brewery, quite close to the station, where we spent some happy moments drinking their darker ales.  We have visited here once before, many years ago.  The restaurant has greatly expanded, and so has their tap list.  They are one of my favourite breweries, even though they have no Detroit footprint.

 Overview of the bar at Bell's, Kalamazoo, MI.

 That's a lot of taps.  We tried five in 5 oz. servings.

 My four sit on the board.  Deb tried the Porter, in behind.

 There are large and colourful stained glass windows in the pub.

 The moose antlers are real, and attached to the glass. 

In addition to several of the finest ales in the world, their food is pretty good, too.  I had grilled mushrooms over rice, which was really tasty and complimented the dark ales I was drinking.  Deb had a spicy tofu Thai peanut noodle thingy, which was crammed with tofu.

Afterwards we crossed the street to a cool little cafe, called Water St. Cafe.  Kalamazoo is one of those smaller cities that still has active rail lines passing every which way through the city, and things seem to peak near the cafe.  Their coffee is really good, and they also offer vegan food and treats.  We split a scone before heading to our hotel.

 A train rumbles through the center of an active pub and cafe area of Kalamazoo. 

 Water Street Cafe. 

Our hotel, the downtown Comfort Inn, was a one mile walk from the station/pub area.  It is a pleasant enough walk, passing right through the center of the small downtown.  Decorated for Day of the Dead and Halloween, there were dressed up skeletons everywhere, and giant spiders atop clocks and other fixtures.  We rested for a time at the hotel, before heading out on the town.  I had been looking forward to visiting a brewery right next to the hotel, but it was closed, permanently.  Not to worry, as there was another one only a block away!

We visited Saugatuck Brewing, and then went to Tibbs Brewery, before moving on to Central City Taphouse for even more ales (for me) and dinner.  Nearly half their taps were beers from Belgium, and I nearly died and nearly went to Heaven!  By this time I was becoming pleasantly pickled, so I only had three 5 oz glasses.  Details below.

 Bright and cheerful Saugatuk Brewing Co., lying close to our hotel, features floor to ceiling windows on two and half sides.  I found three ales I was interested in, all on the lighter side.

 I had the great pleasure to drink two masterpieces of nano-brewing at Tibbs.  Pumped Up Pumpkin was my first such ale of the season, and will likely remain the best of the bunch.  I also had Ben Jonesin', an outstanding Chocolate Toffee Porter.  I get goose bumps thinking of those two!

 The bar at Tibbs.

 The beer board at Tibbs.  I had the top two choices, 5 oz servings.

 Part of the tap list at Central City Taphouse.  I had a German Weissbock, which was totally incredible, and a Belgian Quad worth dying for.  After dinner I finished up with a local brew, Gose from Bell's named after a Walt Whitman poem called "The Prairie Grass Dividing."

More taps! 

We had Jackfruit Tacos for dinner at Central City Taphouse before the mile or so trek back to our hotel.  I felt very little pain on the way back.  Speaking of pain, I was in pain for some of this journey.  The night before we left I threw my back out, simply by bending down to pick up a cat dish from the floor.  I was in level 9 or 10 pain for about 10 minutes.  The trip was nearly cancelled, but I was considerably better by morning.  It still hurts tonight, but not too badly.

Next morning we checked out, and by 11:30 am were browsing a downtown antique mall.  Deb bought a Shakespeare action figure, a model 1950s convertible car, and a tiny gun and holster.  Look for them in a new animation feature soon.

Deb hangs out with a friend in downtown Kalamazoo. 

 It was a Tuesday night, and not very wild.  

Then, action figure in tow, we went to Shakespeare's Pub, very close to the train station, to spend an afternoon drinking ale (me), and gaming.  We had brought Carcassonne, and a Middle Earth: The Wizards card game.  We were at the pub for about five hours.  It was cold, windy, damp, and we didn't feel like walking around, so we stayed put.  Great beer, and some great food.  And Callie the waitress took great care of us!  I had two flights, one of all pumpkin ales, as well as a 10 oz glass of Atwater's VJP.

The train from Chicago arrived in Kalamazoo to take us home, but it was 90 minutes late.  As we finally approached our station in Dearborn, the train suddenly stopped (in its tracks).  Then all the power went out, except the emergency lights.  Five minutes later, an announcement came on.  The crew had finished their shift, and were not allowed to work any longer.  So we waited for a new crew to arrive, and the old one to depart.  We finally chugged into the station two hours late.  Good ol' Amtrak.  We were home by around 10:40 pm, instead of 8:40.

Kalamazoo Amtrak station, beautifully restored, is halfway between two great cities.  Kalamazoo isn't half bad itself.  

Our train travel was covered by Amtrak points we had saved up from previous travel, and the hotel was free on points, too.  It was fun, but I'm pretty certain we will drive next time.  Today Deb had to get her regular blood work done, then we went for groceries.  Home for lunch, then Deb went back into town for her haircut.  A busy gal.

As for me, I managed a full two hour practice.  Astronomy season begins tomorrow night, and it appears as if it might be clear (but cold).  Be still my beating heart!

Tonight we watched Carol Reed's unique and fascinating film, "The Third Man."  Joseph Cotton plays an American pulp writer offered a job by his best friend in post-war Vienna.  Incredible b & w photography, great story and acting, and a creepy Orson Welles as Harry Lime, a criminal that only an intelligent and beautiful woman could love.  Well, perhaps that is one weakness in the story.  How she could still love this guy after what he did is not really very believable.  Anyway, we had not seen it in many years, and Criterion Channel had a pristine print.  Excellent film, and we recognized several parts of Vienna, despite the aftermath of the bombing.

Signing off for now, this is 

Mapman Mike

Cocteau, Carol Reed, and April Books

My film choice for Beltane was "Les Enfants Terribles," a movie we have not seen in perhaps 35 years.  The Criterion print was excellent, and many parts of the film were brand new to me.  Though Cocteau did not direct the filmization of his 1929 novel, he was on the set a lot of the time.  I just love the whole concept of setting up a bedroom in a vast room, with all of the original bedroom furniture and knick-knacks, screened off from the rest of the house.  It was also fun to watch the film lying in bed, possibly the best place from which to view it.

Tonight we watched Carol Reed's taut thriller "The Fallen Idol," again in a pristine print.  The b & w photography is among the best there ever was, and the deep focus allows us to see everything in the foreground and background.  The setting is the French Embassy in London, and wherever it was filmed it was perfect in every way!  The young boy Phillipe is extraordinary.  He has more lines than Baines!  I had forgotten how many very funny moments there are in the film, too.  It is so great having in-home access to so many wonderful films, all in pristine condition.  We hope to have our first mini film festival this weekend.  More on that later.

I read 12 books in April.  11 of them are realted to my Avon/Equinox project, and one was unrelated.  There are simply too many books to discuss them all here; that is what my Avon/Equinox blog is for.  However, I will mention the highlights.  I finally got around to Book 5 of T. H. White's Arthurian epic.  Published separately, it is called The Book of Merlyn, and is all about what Arthur learned from the animals about war.  It, along with The Once and Future King, is among the finest literature I have ever come across.  The books are absolutely haunting and unforgettable, and worth many readings.  Highly recommended!

I finished John Christopher's young adult series called The Word of the Spirits.  I really enjoyed the first two books, but the third one really went way off the rails.  It was a frustrating ending to an otherwise great series.  The Daleth Effect, by Harry Harrison, is worth a look.  Part cold war spy story and part SF, Harrison nails the impossibility of keeping a wonderful scientific discovery out of the hands of the military, who will turn anything they can into a weapon.  It can't be called depressing, because those are the facts.  A wonderful invention is brought to Denmark by an Israeli physicist, and with their help its full potential to do good is realized.  Enter American and Soviet interests, and Utopia is doomed to failure. 

I continue to be delighted and amazed at the intelligent writing of S. B. Hough, alias Rex Gordon, alias Stanley Bennett (as in this case).  The Ascott Experiment has all the ingredients of a nearly perfect novel, and the mystery of the young girl being held captive by her father, his doctor, and her nurse, is quite extraordinary.  The sea setting is vastly different than any other sea voyage I have read about, and the character of the ship's captain, psychologically scarred by an event during the Korean War, is simply astounding.  Highly recommended.

Probably the SF highlight of the month goes to J. G. Ballard for his "The Atrocity Experiment."  My version has notes after each chapter by the author, helping to explain what he was writing about, and where many of his ideas came from (Surrealist painters!).  This is my 4th Ballard novel to date, and I must say that I am an enthusiastic fan.  "Atrocity" was difficult to get through at first, and had to be read slowly.  Often, passages had to be reread.  But as the book goes on, one's brain slowly adjusts to the avante-garde writing, and I began to really look forward to my next encounter with it.  In the end, it is likely one of the more important books I have ever read.  I don't necessarily go along with much of Ballard's ideas, but his connections between science and pornography, and between violent events and sexual arousal, are pretty much spot on.

Lastly comes a quirky novel by Barry Malzberg, writing under the name of K. M. O'Donnell.  Dwellers of the Deep is a really fun look at fans and collectors of 1940s pulp magazines, with the hero continually being kidnapped by aliens.  They are trying to convince him to give them one of his rare issues, as they need the science article it contains.  Very funny stuff!

Mapman Mike