According to my mother, there are still nearly half a million people without power--she wasn't sure if that was in Southern New England, or the whole region. It's getting hard to tell the nor'easter damage from the hurricane damage from the tornado damage around here--just how long has that tree been down ( Read more... )

Today, my dear Mr. Lynch and I tried very hard indeed to contribute to the post-Irene revitalization of the northern New England economy by doing a little leaf peeping. But despite a determined effort, and the assurances of the local foliage maps, we found... a hell of a lot of green.

Excuse me, October, you seem to be a little late this year ( Read more... )

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Maybe it's just my inner Yankee, but (if there are any Hells) I'm far more inclined to believe that there are hells for people who don't shovel their walks than for homosexuals. Okay, sure, homosexuality banned by various ancient world religions, whatever.

Not shoveling? That's not neighborly.

This is an insanely cool view of a part of where I live that doesn't often get seen: New England wildlife, filmed in ultra hi-def.

"Wild View" on the web.

I think Channel 5 in Boston is airing some of it, but I heard about it because an acquaintance's husband is involved. Seriously, this is likely to kill your morning for you. It's just gorgeous.

Today I went kayaking on Union Pond with The Jeff. We made it a bit of the way up the Hockanum River--the water was pretty high, so almost to the porn store. Well into the derelict mills, which we beached near and (gingerly) explored a bit.

Photo essay follows:


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Four random things do not quite make a post, but maybe I can pad them out somehow.

1) This is in part for stillsostrange, in case she needs djinni reference footage (I know I did.):

Click to view

2) Hurricane Earl reaches category four in the Atlantic. If I'm offline for an extended period later this week, this would be why. This thing is kind of a monster, and feeding ( Read more... )

Here are some far far better photos of yesterday's whale watching expotition, taken by a far far better photographer than I am.I was so tired last night I forgot to mention how huge the pod was--something over a hundred individuals, and I got clear glimpses of several calves ( Read more... )

Today, there was a trip to New Hampshire for a friend's Birthday Party And Whale Watch.

We saw minke whales, seine whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

Have a blurry photo of a dolphin:


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Item the first: NEW SHADOW UNIT!Today my usual partners in crime and I went to visit friends in Guilford who have a really cute tiny house right on the sea, no doubt complete with the sort of insane property taxes that have been driving normal folks off Connecticut's coastline for the last decade or so. (Thank you, housing bubble ( Read more... )