Apple

Sunday, March 10, 2024 →

Conical perforated metal strainers are pretty great for pulpy food compared to fine mesh wire strainers (impossible to clean!). We just juiced all our backyard-grown Meyer lemons, got 8 cups. Now the juice has been heat pasteurized, portioned, and frozen for summer lemonade. A person is pouring fresh Meyer lemon juice through a conical fine mesh strainer, or chinois, into a stainless steel pot.

Sunday, March 10, 2024 →

Daylight Saving Time means more energy use. The heat pump works harder w/hour longer low temps before sunrise. In summer, later sunset means the ambient air temperature won’t drop so windows must stay closed longer. I’ll be in bed during daylight, with the heat pump cooling longer to sleeping temp.

Saturday, March 9, 2024 →

Our full bloom nectarine tree Branches of pink nectarine blossoms against a blue sky with bokeh clouds.

Saturday, March 9, 2024 →

We were barely tolerated by a pair of nesting Osprey at the refuge today. 😬#Osprey #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm An osprey landing on its large nest built atop a wooden pole. Another osprey peaks over the rim of the nest.

Saturday, March 9, 2024 →

Yesterday I picked up our wine club box at the New Clairvaux winery in Vina, CA. Couldn’t beat the weather! #Fujifilm A vineyard with dormant grapevines supported by trellis systems, numbered sign “34” in the foreground, clear blue sky above. Bare tree branches against a clear blue sky, dotted with round, brown seedpods or growths. A row of red brick buildings with closed white doors reflected in a large puddle on a sunny day. A red barn with an open door beside a large tree, with green grass in the foreground and solar panels in the background under a clear blue sky.

Monday, March 4, 2024 →

A Glossy Ibis at the refuge yesterday #GlossyIbis #Birds #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge A glossy ibis in flight against a clear blue sky. It has metallic blue wings and a slight metallic red color. Its bill is long, slender, and curved. Its legs are pointed straight back.

Saturday, March 2, 2024 →

Some photos my awesome wife took at the airports she traveled through for a work trip. A319s and a 737-8. #AvGeek United A319 Airplane at airport gate with jet bridge connected, ground support equipment nearby, clear sky. A United A319 airplane parked at an airport gate during sunrise, with ground support equipment and jet bridge visible. Reflections and interior lighting elements are seen on a window. Airport tarmac with deicing ground support vehicles, a Southwestern Airlines plane in the distance, and a snow capped mountain range under a clear blue sky.

View from inside an airport terminal with large windows overlooking a United Airlines 737-800 aircraft parked at the gate with ground service equipment nearby.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 →

Today, our nectarine had its first bloom #BloomScrolling A close-up of a pink nectarine blossom on a tree branch with buds and a bright blue sky in the background.

Friday, February 23, 2024 →

A Golden-crowned Sparrow 🪶 #BirdPhotography #GoldenCrownedSparrow #Fujifilm A Gold Crown Sparrow, mostly brown but with a gold stripe on its head, is perched on a bare tree branch, with green vegetation and other branches blurred in the background.

Saturday, February 10, 2024 →

On our induction stove, just a regular silicon mat under heavy cookware is good to protect the surface. EM easily passes through the mat & still direct heats the cookware. Those mats are useful! Baking, candy, and now this. A cast iron skillet on an induction stovetop with a silicone mat underneath and a perforated stainless steel utensil holder at the side.

Monday, January 22, 2024 →

Turns out a 2023 model year dishwasher is quite the upgrade to a 2003 model year dishwasher. Oh the new possibilities for loading dishes when there is a 3rd rack for flatware! And tines that flatten! And it’s super quiet! 🥳 But will it last 20 years?

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 →

Just had my first flight with the Yawman Arrow flight simulator controller. It is so nice. I’m impressed with its smooth axes operation and their sensitivity. I’m very happy with this and, on first flight, was worth the wait. #YawmanArrow #FlightSim #XPlaneE175 landing almost on center at Kona, Hawaii with a giant shield volcano in the background.

Sunday, January 14, 2024 →

Compared to German Non-Alcoholic (NA) beer, Sierra Nevada Brewery’s NA Trail Pass beer is fine. The IPA is too bitter and like hop water. Malt flavors should be highlighted more in Golden and IPA. Will buy Golden again; it’s most like beer. Big leap over previous NA beers

Saturday, January 13, 2024 →

Here’s a Western Meadow Lark photobombing a White Crown Sparrow. Or was it the other way? #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #WesternMeadowLark #BirdPhotography #AvianGeek #Fujifilm Two birds perched in dry brush. The closest bird displaying yellow markings. That one is a Western Meadow Lark. The farthest away bird looks like a small white crown.

Monday, January 1, 2024 →

Some birds spotted today at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge: a Bald Eagle, a Merlin, and a Black Phoebe. 🪶 #Birds #SacramentoNationalWildlifeRefuge #BaldEagle #Merlin #BlackPhoebe #Fujifilm Bald eagle, looking left across its left shoulder, perched on a Willow tree branch surrounded by foliage.

A Merlin perched on a leafless tree branch against a clear blue sky.

A Black Phoebe bird in mid-flight over a calm body of water with light ripples and reflections of vegetation on the surface.

COVID Sucks (Stay Fully Vaccinated )

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Glad I’m fully vaccinated as my post-Germany COVID symptoms/disease could be lots worse. Took several days to test positive. The infection started with an on/off fever, sore throat, cold-like symptoms, & general malaise. My finger tips tingled for a few hours (immune system must have gone after my nerve myelin)! Two weeks later, my head is congested (ears not at right pressure) and I’ve a minor cough. Get vaccinated & protect yourself.

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Friday, December 15, 2023 →

Love getting out of the bus at the departure stand. Returning today to SFO from Germany. #Travel #Deutschland #B77W #Fujifilm #AvGeek ✈️

United 777-300 engine on a damp tarmac 777 wheel undercarriage with a man next to them for scale.Front nose gear of the 777 with the aircraft ID of 2143. A bus is driving off on the background.

Saturday, December 2, 2023 →

My 3-year old 777-300 ride tonight to Frankfurt. SFO gate G9 has decent views of that gate’s aircraft. Lucky me! (Not sarcasm; most gates here are awful for avgeeks) #Avgeek #B77W #Fujifilm United 777-300 parked at SFO gate G9 just as it’s towed in. It’s a cloudy day and the tarmac is wet and shiny.

Sunday, November 26, 2023 →

#SilentSunday It is night in the city where there’s a five story building where the front is only lit up. Small li windows reveal shops are along the dark street. There are a few red unlit Chinese New Year lanterns strung across the street.

Friday, November 24, 2023 →

Yellow-Rumped Warbler was on the backyard cultivated Native California Grapes just long enough for this fortunate shot. #Birds #YellowRumpedWarbler #Fujifilm 🪶A Yellow-Rumped Warbler in a grape vine that’s losing its red to brown leaves. The pointy beaked warbler has a yellow neck and chest. It’s gray and white elsewhere. The bird is staring at something off-frame to the left.

Monday, October 9, 2023 →

I guess it’s good that the lost Budgie (parakeet) keeps returning to our bird friendly backyard. The neon green bird seems to be flocking with house sparrows. The sparrows constantly move while the Budgie preens.

A parakeet is perched on a Ceanothus branch. It has a neon yellow head and green body.

Sunday, October 1, 2023 →

Happy new water year! According to WeatherCat software, my wx station recorded a total of 27.91” for Oct 1, 2022 - Sep 30, 2023 water year. Compare that to 13.66” for Oct 1, 2021 - Sep 30, 2022 water year! Nature gave us a 0.5” boost yesterday. I’m in the N. Sac Valley #CAWx

Saturday, September 30, 2023 →

Someone lost a parakeet or a small parrot 🙁😳 #BirdsOfMastodon #NotFromAroundHere A bird with a green body and yellow head perched on an elderberry branch. It has black markings on its wings and tail. There are elderberries behind it.

Saturday, September 23, 2023 →

Got out to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge this morning. The White Fronted Geese are here (along with many small migratory song birds)! #WhiteFrontedGoose Five Greater White Fronted Geese flying in a clear sky. They have bright white chests and tails. Their belly is striped with black. Their wings are gray. The photo is very soft or slightly blurry.

Thursday, September 14, 2023 →

Covid booster and flu shots scheduled for next Friday! 🎉

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 →

I finally deleted my Twitter account. Even having an inactive account felt icky. And really really awful and gross over the last couple of days.

Thursday, August 24, 2023 →

I managed to write an ugly Python script that converts MesoWest (via Synoptic download; nice people there btw) CSV weather data to WeatherCat (macOS software) data. I did some QAQC and it’s a good conversion. I’m pleased. Nice to finally have locally stored & accessible historical weather data.

macOS WeatherCat and Meteobridge with any Supported Wx Station

Sunday, August 13, 2023

I figured out how to have WeatherCat work with my Meteobridge that connects to my Ambient weather station. Turns out it is easy to do with Meteobridge’s template system. In the WeatherCat Station Communications dialog, for Station Type select Generic XML (HTTP) and then enter your Meteobridge’s IP address appended with a URL encoded XML template... user:password@192.168.x.y/cgi-bin/template.cgi?%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EAirTemp_C%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[th0temp]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EIntTemp_C%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[thb0temp-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3ESolar%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[sol0rad-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EUVIndex%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[uv0index-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EBarometer_hPa%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[thb0press-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EWindSpeed_ms%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[wind0wind-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EWindDirect_deg%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[wind0dir-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3ERain_mm%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[rain0total-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3ERH%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[th0hum-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E%3Cvalue%3E%3Cname%3EIntRH%3C%2Fname%3E%3Cdata%3E52%3C%2F[thb0hum-act]%3E%3C%2Fvalue%3E  If you want more information on this XML format, see the WeatherCat 2.

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Tuesday, August 8, 2023 →

A female Oriole having a nice evening Mantis snack in our backyard tonight. A female yellow and gray Oriole with a praying mantis in its beak. It is mostly yellow on the underside and gray on its wings. It is perched on top of a blue wire tomato cage with a tomato plant pushing through the top.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 →

This morning, House Finches were breakfasting on ripe elderberries in our backyard. #HouseFinch #BirdsOfMastodon #BirdWatching #Fujifilm Two house finches are on top of two bunches of ripe elderberries, feasting on them. The upper most Finch has a Elderberry in its beak. The lower most finch is on a branch, reaching up into a bunch of berries.