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

No More Weekends

Weekends at Lone Mtn Homestead have been cancelled until further notice.  At least when I was teaching one day a week, it still felt like a (6-day) weekend when it was over.  Now what do I do?  How do I unwind?  From what do I unwind?  Can I really celebrate a 7-day weekend, perpetually?  I'll get back to you on that, after a bit more experimentation.

It began to storm and rain Thursday at 2:30 pm.  By 6 am Friday morning, we'd had 2.6" of rain, which is a lot.  We got hit with storm after storm, one following another.  And guess what?  Beginning Friday around 5 pm, more storms are scheduled.  With higher temps recently, the grass is growing like its June again.  It will likely be a rather green start to autumn next weekend, rather than the burnt brown we are used to.

My film choice for this week, from the Criterion Channel, was an oddball French film from 1943.  Called Lumiere D'Ete (Summer Light), it told a simple tale of older girl loves older boy, younger girl loves middle-aged boy artist, and a younger boy also loves younger girl.  Older boy does not love older girl, but also loves younger girl (boys are rather predictable, apparently).  Middle-aged boy artist does not really love younger girl, but loves himself.  And round we go.  Sure, the plot is rather silly, but the setting for this movie is unbelievable!  A hotel with a fabulous glass front, for the restaurant and bar, is perched high on a mountain in Provencal.  The scenery is spectacular, as is the hotel.  Nearby are two other points of interest.  A vast dam is being constructed, and often towers over the characters in the movie.  It seems like a project that Saruman would be working on, with its night machinery, incessant dynamite blasts, a speeding narrow gauge steam train, vast elevators, and towering cliffs.  It's quite a contrast to the idyllic hotel.  Some symbolism going on here?  Methinks yes.  The young girl is being slyly seduced by the older boy, who we find out is quite a rascal.

 From 1943, and directed by Jean Gremillon.  All five main characters are shown on the poster.  The artist is top left.  The bad guy weirdo pervert has messy hair and a bleeding mouth.

The other big attraction up here is the castle of the older boy, who is quite rich, spoiled, and eccentric.  He hires the boy artist to work for him at the castle, so that he will bring along the young girl.  The artist , as it happens, is quite a bad one, with balnd indeas.  As the plot thickens, a masked ball of particular insanity is held at the castle, as the movie hurtles to its climax.  Unfortunately, the climax is pretty lame.  But some of the goings on beforehand are worth watching.  Again, unfortunately, the creation the artist is working on at the castle is a complete dud--he takes a beautiful gallery sized room and paints it all white.  The old guy agrees to anything, as long as the younger girl stays there.

A very strange film but it will be awhile before I forget that hotel, or the dam.   Speaking of films, Deb is showing (and talking about) And She Road Forth on Sunday at Detroit's Shetown Festival at Cinema Detroit.  That film looked so fantastic on the big screen in Cincinnati, it should be a hit here, too.  It was also chosen to play in the touring "Best of the Best" films from the Women Over 50 Festival in Brighton.  It will play in London and around the UK over the next year.

My arm is still sore and red from my Shingrix shot on Monday.  Hmm.  Haircuts for both this week, and the car just had an oil change.  Excitement never stops at Lone Mtn Homestead.  Come back for more adventure sometime, you hear? 

Mapman Mike