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Our thrice delayed trip to Germany has this year’s three of my top four aviation photos — from SFO and FRA. And then one for a trip back from Montana (the two 787s, the only one taken with an iPhone 11 Pro). #2022Top4AviationScores #Fujifilm #X100V

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Randomly thinking about my first A340-600 flight in 2013 SFO-Munich. I love that plane - especially if fitted with lower lavatory hall that also has random snack & drinks. First aircraft I ever flew with stairs and it was great for stretching the legs in economy.

SFO gate view of a Lufthansa A340-600. Its night & the craft is being readied for boarding.The stairs down to the lavatories & snacks

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ginger bread people with snow balls, Lindtt chocolayes, all in a red and white basket.
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Some flyover photos from 12/24: United 777-200 LHR-SFO at 37,000 ft; Emirates A380-800 DXB-SFO at 39,000 ft; Qatar A350-1000 DOH-SFO 41,000 ft; SW 737 OAK-BLI (Bellingham) at 38,000 ft. #Fujifilm X-T5 at 300mm (35mm equiv is 450mm). I’m impressed

United 777-200 flyover with contrailsEmirates 380-800 flyover with contrailsQatar A350-1000 flyover with contrailsSouthwest flyover with contrails

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Yesterday: Red-winged Black Birds at the local wildlife refuge. Likely some Starlings in there too.

dozens of black birds in a bare tree top
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I’m rather impressed with how popular #caturday is on Mastodon.

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Our cat’s 2nd preferred winter sleeping area. #caturday

a tuxedo cat loafing in the middle of random objects including a Python refebcd book, a box, and a basket
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Snow Geese flying overhead at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. #fujifilm

3 snow geeze flying above in triangular formation below cloudy skies. they have white bodies with black wing tips
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Just had a leak detector go off. This time a toilet water line started leaking at its connector to the tank. I’m very pleased with this result!

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Here’s a Red Tail Hawk from today’s visit to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

underside of a mottled red tail hawk, soaring in a cloudy sky.
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Chef’s treat: caramel scrapings from the pan!

caramel drippings on a silicone sheet with the candy thermometer near by.
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Done. Just need to salt the caramel in 30 minutes.

a parchment lined pan of fresh poured caramel. The pan is atop a grate and a cuttingboard.
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Almost done making the caramel. Just needs to hit 250°F

a candy thermometer in a 4 qt sauce pan of almost done caramel colored caramel. At about 230°F
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I’m going to make caramel today. Alton Brown’s Dark Caramel recipe never fails. Though I prefer a little less dark so I cut the highest temp from 350 to 340°F and then the final temp to 250°F (makes them a tad softer).

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The 2013 Dresden Christmas Market. Guaranteed to make you cheerful no matter how cold it is.

dark evening at the Dresden Christmas Market with a lit up buildings, trees, the tops of sales shacks and a crowd of people
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A ravenous Yellow Rumped Warbler visited our grapes again. Eat up, little bird!

a grey bird with yellow patches investigates a clump of dessicated grapes
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My RaspberryShake detected the M6.4 earthquake in Ferndale, CA. Sounds like a lot of important infrastructure damage, like the main bridge into town is cracked and closed, but not injuries. I didn’t feel it. #RaspberryShake #earthquake

earthquake signal
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Frankfurt International last June. I knew there’d be no shortage of 747s there but was still gobsmacked by their numbers.

A Lufthansa 747 at the gate and a 747 taxiing behind it. Mulitudes of intersecting contrails mark up the hazy blue sky
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This Yellow Rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) is yet another bird feasting on our raisins. Yesterday’s Ruby Crowned Kinglet might actually be an Orange-crowned Warbler. No bars on its wings! 🤷‍♂️

yellow patched neck & chest, this warbler is looking for the perfect raisin on the ground.
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Tried the first “Phat Tyre” ale I bottled. It’s good! The batch can use one more week to bottle condition.