Merry Christmas - 2025

 

Extra Christmas Trees - before the wind!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Forecast, Shmorecast!

Seems to me local weather forecasts have been "off" as of late, particularly since the federal shutdown. Reports have seemed more and more inaccurate, changing drastically, day to day, even hour to hour. Indeed, it has so seemed ever since this year's dreadful cuts to the government's scientific agencies charged with studying weather and climate.

For example, we were supposed to get hammered this holiday weekend. For crying out loud, people drove home early from the family's Thanksgiving gathering just to beat the impending storm.

Instead of a blizzard, we got a nice, normal blast of cold with an inch or so of snow--completely seasonal for this lat in November. Nothing nobody couldn't handle. And it is already melting away. 

This photograph came from Casper Mountain.

We honestly expected a whole, helluva lot more snow!

Seriously, check the forecast, then check the actual weather, then check the forecast again and see just how close it keeps.

Perhaps we'd have just as much luck checking the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Of course, it's set to close down as well.

Where and when will the weather have us then?

Ace

All night and all day, 

I keep seeing it spin, and I keep hearing play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIRMLBn8SpE

In For the Long Haul

 This is how I spent a whole lot of the Summer -- messing with this rig.

Picked it up right after work, the last day of school. Finally dragged it up the Mountain, squeezing it through a long bower of evergreens and then backing it right into a beautiful spot.

It's nice. We enjoy it. Still, I already miss the pop-up camper.

"Weird Al" In Wyoming

We took the Twins -- or the Twins took us -- to "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Such a brilliant musician and performer! 

Wonderful way to close out the Summer!

Special guest - Puddles Pity Party - intriguingly bizarre, indeed!

https://www.weirdal.com/

https://www.puddlespityparty.com/

Iron Maiden in Ireland

It was but a month ago that my wife, our Twins, and I went to Ireland to see Iron Maiden at Malahide Castle -- amongst other activities, of course. 

What an experience!

Global, Yet Still Local

For an excellent explanation on how and why the solstice arrives on different dates for different places, check out these articles from Space.com:

https://www.space.com/summer-solstice-when-what

https://www.space.com/stargazing/summer-solstice-2025-brings-changing-seasons-to-earth-on-june-20

https://www.space.com/stargazing/summer-solstice-2025-is-here-today-marks-the-longest-day-of-the-year-for-the-northern-hemisphere

I spent the moment of the solstice itself gazing toward the horizon just as the sun was setting.  Truly a spectacular sight.