kinder in their natural habitat capturing the ever-elusive giant stick
—
“live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink,
taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the Earth.”
-henry david thoreau
Apr22
Tag Archives: adventure
Dec6
up for a stroll?
The longest road in the world to walk is from Cape Town (South Africa) to Magadan (Russia).
No need for planes or boats, there are bridges.
It’s 22,387 km and it takes 4,492 hours to run it.
It would be 187 days walking non-stop, or 561 days walking 8 hours a day.
The route passes through 17 countries, six time zones and all seasons of the year.
—
“all walking is discovery, on foot we take the time to see things whole.”
*-hal borland
*Harold “Hal” Glen Borland was an American author, journalist and naturalist. In addition to writing many non-fiction and fiction books about the outdoors, he was a staff writer and editorialist for The New Yorker.
—
credits: united humanists
Jun24
best gift.
on an adventure on glen lake
—
“actually, the best gift you could have given them was a lifetime of adventures.”
-lewis carroll
Apr19
please don’t ask for extra glasses.
it is my great pleasure to introduce you
to humor writer and fellow blogger Barb Taub’s latest book
PLEASE DON’T ASK FOR EXTRA GLASSES
it’s a rollicking tale of friendship, fun, travel to India adventure and misadventure
all taken with a tiny grain of salt and huge dose of humor
it’s a wonderful multi-cultural mashup of history, color photos,
travel tips, shopping advice, food suggestions, language and negotiation skills,
and chock full of ‘I wish we’d known that/what not to do lessons’
even if you never plan to travel to India, you’re sure to enjoy this read.
—
“she generally gave herself good advice, though she very seldom followed it.”
-lewis carroll
Mar21
digging.
grandie j and friends have been busy building a bunker fort
every digging tool, even the snow shovel, is in play
lots of work and fun ahead.
—
“hold the fort! i am coming!”
-william tecumseh sherman
Aug3
down to earth.
a sidewalk homage to success
as the first spaceX crew dragon spacecraft “Endeavour” with a human crew
returns american nasa astronauts and best friends, bob and doug, to earth
—
“i don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets.”
– john glenn, american astronaut
—
photo credit: nasa.gov (Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley- astronauts)
Jul28
secret forts.
grandie j heads out
mohawk helmet on
backpack filled
with pokemon cards, water, hope
off on his bike to meet friends
at their ‘secret fort’
in the neighborhood.
after he makes his grand exit
grandie b, left behind, shares –
“we all have the same secret fort, but no one knows it.”
—
“well i know the secret places. and the nests in hedge and tree;
at what doors are friendly faces, in what hearts are thoughts of me.”
-henry wadsworth longfellow
Jan19
bread.
one of my dreams this year
is to learn to make bread from scratch
I look forward to
the peace, the poetry, the adventure.
the crust.
—
“peace goes into the making of a poem as flour goes into the making of bread.”
-pablo neruda
—
image credit: lamag.com
Dec8
behind wall.
always a good rule I think, in general.
—
“now I know that anytime you see a “no trespassing” sign,
it means you’ve got to go in and take a look.”
― I’ll Be Right There
― I’ll Be Right There
Nov17
300 club.
Membership to one of the most exclusive clubs in the world takes place around a short red and white striped pole in Antarctica. Only those who endure an atmospheric difference of 300 degrees Fahrenheit are granted entry.
To join the elite 300 Club, residents at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where on winter days the outside temperature dips below -100 degrees, must bare it all. It’s an odd tradition, one that comes with a high risk of frostbite in rather sensitive, traditionally clothed areas.
To join the exclusive group, the scientists must first spend time in the station’s 200-degree sauna. Once they’re fully cooked, they dash outside (at a brisk walk, because running is dangerous) wearing nothing but shoes and an optional neck gaiter to circle the ceremonial South Pole marker, which is hundreds of feet from the station. They then get back into the steamy sauna, which helps thaw their outsides while a bit of alcohol warms them up inside. Those who complete the challenge even earn a commemorative patch.
Though the thought of a naked scientist racing across the ice in dangerously cold temperatures to circle a pole may seem simply absurd, it’s actually a beloved ritual. The temperature only gets low enough a handful of days each year, giving the wacky tradition an almost ceremonial feel. Participants are usually cheered on by bystanders who use flashlights to guide them to the pole during the perpetual winter blackness.
The marker isn’t even the true location of the South Pole. Antarctica is blanketed by massive chunks of moving ice sheets that move about 30 feet each year. The ice’s inability to sit still makes pinpointing the world’s most southern spot with permanent precision impossible.
Finding and marking the accurate geographic South Pole is an annual (fully clothed) New Year’s Day tradition for those staying at the station. Every year since 1959, South Pole residents erect a new temporary marker at the spot and retire the old one into a display case inside the station. The ceremonial South Pole remains where it is, flanked by the flags, awaiting the next group of winter scientists hoping to join one of the world’s weirdest clubs.
—
“we take to the breeze, we go as we please.”
― E.B. White
—
story credits: Atlas obscura, kerry wolf
photo credits: martin wolf – national science foundation,
craig knott – national science foundation, alan light
I didn't have my glasses on.... 