Postcards from Central Florida

Natural attractions include the beautiful Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area. Mom and Dad were disappointed that the lake was completely dried up, but I was not...

Along the way you spy what appears to be sea foam washing up alongside the trail, but you are in sandy pine lands far from shore... it turns out to be ground-dwelling deer lichen...

Speaking of lichen, I learned that Spanish moss are not lichens (let alone moss) but a kind of bromeliad, an air plant. Mom and Dad probably take their beauty for granted by now...

On the cultural side, on the drive home from Ocklawaha one should join the folks for a beer and burger at friendly Gator Joe's on Lake Weir...

 ... where the sun is always shining and the tats are enviable...

And plan a trip to the nearby Florida Carriage Museum and Resort, with its rather mindboggling collection of historical carriages and an authentic Poitou donkey, which is mighty friendly if somewhat flea-ridden...

I'm not sure what this is, but if you move to central Florida you definitely need to get yourself one...

Hat tip to LMK for photos!

Levon, RIP

Among the immortals, to be sure, but mostly because he played in a back-up band for God himself. Otherwise, the Band reminds me of the Dead: talented but soporific. I'm sure I am missing something... zzzzz...

Working women

Katha Pollitt kind of says it all.

Edgewood!

Edgewood County Park is a Bay Area treasure. Spring brings brilliant floral color painting the rolling hills, native plants thriving on the serpentine soils, but the best rewards come from looking down. Lovely brodeia...


An itsy-bitsy sedum...


Do glance up now and then for a view of the fine and abundant rat dens...


And then back down... watch your step!

Can Music Be Perfect? Vol. 14

It's not very easy to find recordings by The Ravens these days, although they were mighty big 60 years ago. Back then they recruited Ben Webster to play a little solo for them on this track, which James Carter kindly included on his Webster best-of. Gosh it's a sweet, sweet sound.

Say you, say me...

Say, am I mistaken, or is Lionel Richie suddenly everywhere? And if so, why?

Tornadoes and big gummint

I suppose the feds could stop issuing weather warnings in states whose public officials have declared that they do not believe in science, but this would hardly be fair to the minority (?) of residents who do, unless one could selectively issue the warnings just to the rational people. The fact that you can't is an example of what we economists call non-excludability, a defining property of public goods. Which are, you know, one of those reasons we want to have gummint...

Menuhin Violin Competition winners, Beijing

Congratulations to Kenneth Renshaw for winning the senior competition! A helluva violinist and a nice guy to boot. Congrats to the runner-up, Anna Lee, and to fourth-place finisher Siyan Guo. But especially congratulations to the third-place winner, Alexi Kenney, offspring (third from left). I leave it as an exercise for the reader to figure out where he got his talent and good looks...

Can Music Be Perfect? Vol. 13

This has to be the best movie theme cover ever recorded. What makes it so good is a mystery. I guess it's a joke, but by a guy who takes his joke music very seriously. And frankly, it is musically perfect, from the ridiculously excellent banjo to the tuba to the tasty strings and impossibly silly vocals. Eat your heart out Shirley Bassey. Actually, I hope she approves.

Peter Stampfel, "Goldfinger"

Goldfinger

Offspring fiddling Round 2

Good enough to advance to the Menuhin Competition finals this weekend. I especially recommend the Piazzolla with guitar starting around minute 14.

It's alive...!

My sourdough starter from scratch... whole wheat flour, pineapple juice, and whatever critters are floating around in my house... weird...

From

Can Music Be Perfect? Vol. 12

The pulsing, supple bass, the appealingly cheesy strings, the propulsive, funk-inflected drum machine (or artfully machine-like drummer!)... but most of all that confident, soulful, powerful female voice... it's disco, baby, and no, it does not suck!

Resembles a chanterelle...

... but the jack-o-lantern mushroom will make you pretty sick, they say...

From Hidden Villa, April 7, 2012

April is also the month for lilies, including the fantastic star lily (Toxicoscordion fremontii):

From Hidden Villa, April 7, 2012

Offspring plays fiddle in Menuhin competition

Round 1 was all good, in fact good enough to advance him to the semi-finals. Most competitors seem to play it safe (straight) with the Bach... Alexi likes to add some ornaments that don't appear on the page. And he owns "Liebesleid" (minute 20:50).

Obedience vs. caprice?

The Pope maintains that Christ’s concern “was for true obedience, as opposed to human caprice.” The notion that the alternative to obedience is caprice says a lot about what is wrong with the Church.

"Aw, Mom, Dad, could you PLEASE turn down...

... the feedback, I'm trying to study for my math test..."

On the plus side, you'd have the coolest parents in history, even if they are old enough to appear on PBS now... and when you throw a party in your freshman dorm, you could invite them to play a set. They are after all the best rock band since the Stones...

Go ahead, eat your bluefin, as long as...

... you know it was caught by salty New Englanders in a U.S.-managed fishery. But if your local sushi purveyor even knows where it actually came from, will s/he tell you the truth?

Early spring in Yosemite Valley

Most of the vascular plants are still matted and brown, barely waking up from a mild winter's nap, but the mosses are lush and beautiful...

From Yosemite Valley, March 29, 2012

From Yosemite Valley, March 29, 2012

... and complemented by the occasional fungus in unnatural colors...

From Yosemite Valley, March 29, 2012

You'll need to remind yourself that you are not here for the food, but at least a pricey breakfast at the Ahwahnee is not nearly as pricey as dinner... and you'll still enjoy a very nice cup of Peet's...

From Yosemite Valley, March 29, 2012