Summer's Last Hurrah

The final week of official summer is turning out to be a masterpiece of weather conditions.  Sunny, quite warm, breezy--in fact, since about mid-July we have had a very fine summer this year, missing much of the heat and humidity usually characteristic of this period.  Although it has been very very wet.  How wet?  Our grass is still growing like it's June, and I'm still chopping it back with the tractor.  The Monarch butterflies seem to be making a comeback, too.  We have seen more of them this year than in many previous years.  Not a small victory at all, but a major one.

Looking at last year's astronomy autumn work, there was none.  I observed on September 3rd, 2018, and then it got cloudy.  Exceedingly cloudy.  I next observed in January of 2019.  It was a nightmare season, and I fervently hope that it never (ever!) happens again.  

This time last year we were on our way to New Mexico for my 65th birthday celebration, which consisted of four very fine hikes, and a very long return drive.

 This a photo from last September 17th, showing me driving west towards NM. 

I timed the trip so that we would be there during a full moon (harvest), and back for some late September astronomy.  No astronomy.  Not even in October, or November.  In December we were off to Vienna, so I may have missed a night or two that week.  Anyway, I have been preparing my observing list for the next session, hoping that it will actually happen.  Autumn skies are often the best ones, as it gets dark earlier and some of the most interesting constellations are up.  There are no bugs, either.  So it will be clear this week, but the moon rises too early.  Next week, we shall have to wait and see.

Today is my mom and dad's wedding anniversary.  I talked to them both this afternoon, and they are getting on fine, though not looking forward to another cruel winter spent indoors.  Enjoy these last days of summer, and with luck it will be a mild autumn, too.  Have a happy day!  

Deb's movie pick last weekend was another Barbara Stanwyck flic, this one called Forbidden, from 1932.  It also stars Adolphe Menjou.  Not one of her best films, nor Frank Capra's.  It was based on a story by the director.  At least it was short.

 Definitely not "her greatest dramatic role."

Speaking of films, Deb went to Shetown in Detroit on Sunday to see her film screened.  That same day the same film was also screening in northern Michigan, and a different film of hers was showing in Europe somewhere.  Hard to keep track of her successes these days.  She won the audience award last week for a short film of hers that showed in Cadiz, Spain!  One would think we would be rich beyond our wildest dreams by now.  I wonder what Deb is doing with all that award money.  She certainly has a lot of certificates and laurels.

I'll try to find time to fit in a DIA painting next time--Canaletto, anyone?

Mapman Mike

Clear Nights Ahead

Two of them predicted, in a row.  That is big news.  And it is cool, so the mosquitoes may not be a problem.  However, the late summer and autumn moon rise timings are the pits.  I will only have about 2.5 hours of darkness tonight before the big white beast rises in the east, and about 3 hours tomorrow night.  Still, I am getting excited!

My movie choice this week was called Our Man In Havanna, a Carol Reed film starring Alec Guinness.  A vacuum cleaner salesman in Cuba is recruited as a British spy, in a very funny film that features great performances from Ernie Kovacs and Maureen O'Hara, along with Burl Ives, Noel Coward, and Ralph Richardson.  From a novel by Graham Greene, the movie was filmed in Cuba.  We have seen the picture a very long time ago, but it still seems fresh and mostly funny.  A nice take on spy movies, from 1959.  This weekend is film festival weekend.  Three films have been chosen, but we'll see how many will get watched on an astronomy weekend.

 My movie pick for this week, from Criterion.

Deb's movie choice was Barbara Stanwyck's breakout film, directed by Frank Capra.  Ladies of Leisure is from 1930, with Ms Stanwyck playing the part of a party girl.  She is rescued very late one night by an artist, and he immediately wants to paint her.  She soon falls in love with him, but he is rich and out of her league.  Perhaps.  Ms Stanwyck gives a tour de force performance, bringing out the complexity of her character.  Of course the film is melodrama, but her performance never stoops to anything less than great stage acting.  This was Capra's 5th sound film, and the restored print was a marvel to behold.  The film is nearly 90 years old, but is now in better condition than when it first ran in theatres. 

 Deb's movie pick this week.  Love that fine print build up!!

In other news, Mogi the cat,who has been with us since September of 2007, has been limping rather badly, having problems with his back right foot.  He seems to have sprained it, as it gets better for a time, then he goes and does something and injures it again.  We are watching him, but he seems comfortable, still eats like a full grown horse, and is very social.

Deb had her infusion on Tuesday, and I had my teeth cleaned.  Thursday I had a follow up with my M.D. regarding my iritis flareup a few weeks ago.  Today, ADT is sending a techie over to reinstall the alarm on our front door, which had to be removed when we had it replaced.  The new door is amazing, and we notice how much quieter it is in the house now, too.  In the summer less cold air will escape, and in the winter less heat will escape.  Though the door will never pay for itself in our lifetime, it will make us more comfortable.

Mapman Mike