Twenty-three D 17

Christmas minus 2 (-2) & counting. Cold here at the cloud this morning and before anyone axes ‘how cold is it?’, I am at a good point, in a great place and spirits are flatline/center. That would be neither too high OR low, confident, content and in a word, (drum roll whilst I summon the last ounce of courage to verbalize … por favor) ... happy.

The ‘pursuit of Happiness has been realized’. Certainly NOT permanent, NOT totally for things do change and of course even now as I tap away we all realize that things WILL CHANGE. However my contentment stems from knowing, JUST knowing, that the things I have control over, the most important things, are OK.

SO HOW COLD IS IT ? POR FAVOR ?

It was 9 crib-side, 11 in the suite proper/upper deck and 12 on the main/lower deck.

WHAT IS THAT IN AMERICAN ?

Doil, you tool. You NEED to get with it or all your arteries are going to harden up and you will be moving from ‘early-onset’ to full-blown senility/dementia.

Briefly, 48, 52 & 54 from the top down. In Farenheit.

Delightful day yesterday spilled over into the darker evening hours. I turned in rental Rogue I, finished and dropped of the hummingbird carving, touched base at the library in McK, (FYI the Hall not the Gay library) exchanging audio-books & dvds & cds and got supplies. Oh, I stopped over at Donnie’s and did some woodworking, commiserating & left with a load of firewood which I am watching disposal of out of the corner of my left eye.

One of the dvds was two (2) episode from ‘Nature’. Not sure nor do I even care if it as a PBS program or a network. It was a NatGeo-type pair or programs and very cool.

HOW COOL ?

One was ‘Wild & Dangerous Hawaii’ only so-so. Recall I had been there and was slightly ‘up’ on it. Nothing really new or exciting unless you were either ignorant OR clueless on the volcanic formation & forces over time that create the archipelago. It was a marginal yawner.

But the second episode I watched TWICE. You know how unusual that is for your correspondent.

SO WHAT WAS IT ?

Cuba:Wild Caribbean Paradise. It looked at the unusual wildlife, geologic history and only a grain or two of politics. A couple of very interesting birds, humming and others. A very large and the most aggressive crocodiles on the planet, some colorful land crabs and bats. There were underwater reef shots but no really new fishes. The waters are pristine due to island economics low fishing pressure so the water was very clear & fish abundant. I did see a couple I recognized and had done.

Todays image is recently completed hummingbird, the ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris). Completed yesterday at exactly 11:30 AM central, delivered in the driving rain at 2:38 PM central. Partial term reveled customer was NOT to tell ANYONE what they paid for said sculpture. Price range now is $4-500. It is a LOT OF WORK time wise. Very small and fragile.

I am thinking a Cuban emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) might be a good candidate for my own private collection of rare & uncommon species if, when, until or unless I get an order for one OR a couple hummers.

Anyway, now I KNOW I can do one and can add hummingbirds to my ever-growing product offering.

I went to bed fairly early after the show and amused self with google searches, youtubeing, amazon music & product reviews and some reading before slumping over shortly after midnight.

YOU'RE READING AGAIN ? HOW IS IT YOU ARE FINDING TIME & WHAT ARE YOU INTO ?

I haven’t mentioned the latest read ?` Dear PD from MN, It is far more likely that you FORGOT vs my neglect but I WILL repeat myself here once & just for you OK ?

‘The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman’ by Laurence Sterne. Thomas Jefferson always took a copy & would read it while he was traveling.

YOU DID MENTION IT. SO HOW IS IT ? POR FAVOR ?

It is a tough read. While I didn’t have to wait to finish the first 100 pages to arrive at my own opinion, I recently reached that milestone and can make said opinion public.

It is a difficult therefore a slow read. Sterne wrote the classic in the 18th century & the Oxford U Press does a great job keeping the writing in tact and period authentic. In other words, the narrative is not familiar with regard to vocabulary, flow, punctuation and in a number of other areas too numerous to list. It is a satire of the day which is far, FAR removed from 21st century events but interestingly in addition to Jefferson also read and admired by Karl Marx, James Joyce & F Nietzsche.

I will struggle thru it.

Frequently stopping to feed the fire. Intermixing Don’s better wood with the cabinet & furniture reminents from Randy.

That’s about it. Must post, find images, stay warm and develop a plan for the day. Projects … the beach scene, correspondences, sustenance all the usual. Laundry manana.

I discovered & rediscovered some cool & interesting items I jotted down in the wee hours of the morning to investigate further.

LIKE WHAT ?

Next time PD.

My fingers are stiffening up and turning blue.

I may have to resort to sitting inside to get any advantage from the fire & the heat is producing.