Seattle Spring

Still trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together medical-wise, but it's a great time of the year to be in the Puget Sound area. Spring is 50 degrees and rain, it's 65 and sun, it's blustery and mild. It's all things to all people. My daughter's neighborhood is awash with flowers and green. Today it was rainy until noon, partly cloudy and sun the rest of the day. I'm pretty tired from noon on, but this is a good place to be, however one feels.

I'm enjoying my grands also, will post some pictures of the kids next time. 

Sorry, another Steve Daines post

My latest exchange (if you can call me sending his office an email that he'll never in a million years read) with the 'good senator':

"I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating – Montanans who live and work on the land every day know how to best manage our state’s resources, not federal bureaucrats in Washington who want to regulate every pond, puddle and ditch in our state." This quote is from your latest mass emailing, regarding the EPA.

Seriously?  You think that, just an example, miners (both the workers and owners, I'm sure the owners fit your definition) should decide how the land should be used? Timber workers (again, the loggers and owners) should decided how to use the National Forests?  Bet they'll just be real concerned with the environment, eh?  Well, bet you'll get more lobby money, huh? 
Again, as I've said many times, many, many Montanans do NOT agree with you or your policies. Do not think you represent our views. 
As I said before, I know the good Senator doesn't even come close to reading any of these that disagree with them, or the staffers who do probably get two sentences in before hitting the 'delete' key, but if you get this far, dear staffer, go look for a more ethical boss. You deserve better, as do the rest of Montana. 
Cheers, 
Mike Mulligan

What the hell is 'violent leftism'???

The Cook Down the Street is a left-hander, and I've had my eye on his antics for 40 years, if that's what he means. You just can't trust those damn left-handed university department chairs as far as you can throw them. 

Perhaps an hiatus

Heading to Seattle tomorrow am, seeing my cardio guy who thinks he has a sense of humor: "you have white guy heart: no good rhythm."  Hopefully in another life he'll have to make his way as a stand-up and beg for food.

Been listening to some Springsteen that rings accurate to me lately:

As so many commenters have said, it's the weirdest year in politics ever. No idea what to think, how someone like Trump could have legitimacy, how someone like Cruz could be popular. 

Maybe it's a tidal change, maybe we'll be swept away in some new understanding.  Meantime, I'm going to see how the next few tests go, one I'm not looking forward to is the EP cath, been on the other side of the table, and it's not fun for anyone. 

See you on the other side. 

Cheers

Wednesday Weather

The snow was gone by noon.  Springtime in the Rockies. 

A Place, and a time

It's been a couple years since I've been in Firenze, is a place that didn't meet my expectations. But it's magical, you should go if you can, and stay in the city for days, as long as you can, and see what has captured us for centuries. It's been home to and nurtured people we can scarcely imagine.

Despite what Dante said, sometimes joy is not converted to bitterest tears, sometimes it's just tears, memories of what if, and what could have, and what didn't. Our hearts can be content on what is, what was, and what shall be, eh? I tell myself that, and sometimes it's true. 

Our version of Spring

The end of winter has come early this year, by perhaps a month. The snow is gone from my yard, three months ago there was three feet, now it's brown grass and a couple brave crocus stems peeking up. It hasn't been below zero in over a month.

Yesterday it decided to give us a little reminder that it might be Spring, and that might mean something elsewhere, Father Winter does a layover here (like Atlanta, where every flight to anywhere has a 3 hour stop) before he retreats north.

It snowed most of the day, large flakes that stuck on lawns and cars, but not the streets. I took a drive around five up the hill a half mile. 

This is the backside of the "M", or locally as Big Butte. I live down the hill on the other side. 

This is facing south, the Highlands Mtns are about 8 miles away. 

The snow is already melting as I drink coffee this morning. I doubt very much if this was the last snowfall of the winter/spring. I've seen as much in early June.