The next time we find ourselves on a kayak camping trip at dinnertime with no corkscrew (cough Norwalk Islands last weekend) we’re going to try this (click for video):
This week’s TBD, “To Be Done!”
The next time we find ourselves on a kayak camping trip at dinnertime with no corkscrew (cough Norwalk Islands last weekend) we’re going to try this (click for video):
This week’s TBD, “To Be Done!”
Today, we celebrate the second full day of Spring with the cutest video you will ever see on this blog. Hands down, cutest. A big shout-out to J, our young friend and fellow water-loving ACA member. (She points to a bird at the end.) Click arrow for video, then scroll down 🙂
Evidently, there are some things one never outgrows.
Rye, NY. Alex playing in an overflowing drain. The snow is melting, hurray!
How could we ever forget this wall? This week’s photo challenge conjured it up for us—sound effects and all. We’re copying this post from June, 2013: The infamous and tasty (or so people say, anyway) 17-year cicadas. 🙂
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They’re baaaaack! The 17-year cicadas (aka, magicicada septendecim, aka, Brood II) were on hand (and on footpaths, trees, the restrooms, the sinks, our tent, the car, and everywhere else!) to welcome us to Prince William Forest Park campground, just south of Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 1. Driving home to New York after vacationing in South Carolina, this is a favorite “halfway point” of ours. Just pitch the tent and go to sleep. Or not. Listen…this is the sound of one very, very long night:
[audio http://www.magicicada.org/about/magi_sounds/m_sdecim_chor.mp3]Where do they come from? Why now? Why us?! These are questions that plague (ahem) you as you hunker down in your sleeping bag, wondering if you’ll get eaten alive if you dare feel around outside the tent for your flip-flops. Fortunately, no. They don’t bite or sting. Their worst—aside from keeping you up all night—is suddenly buzzing over and landing on your shoulders and legs and head (in their creepy red-eyed view, every vertical thing is a tree). Not a happy thing at 5 a.m. as you shuffle off to the cement-block ladies’ room to brush your teeth.
But from the safety of the good ol’ Subaru, Brood II cicadas are awfully interesting! This from wync.org: As many as one million to five million cicadas can be found per acre, according to research scientist John Cooley from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He also runs the website Magicada. When the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees, they start to make their way out of the ground and into our world. Cicadas live in the ground, near trees. They feed off the roots of trees. And they only come out for a few weeks, during which time they will molt and then mate. The females will lay eggs that hatch and the nymphs will then burrow underground to start a new 17-year-cycle.
That is, unless “foodies” like Gene Kritsky have their way. A cicada expert, he tells the Daily News: The key to harvesting the bugs for eating is when they are newly hatched, called tenerals, sometime in the early morning. They should be white and still soft, with the females and their distinctive pointy abdomens the most appetizing and nutritious because of their protein-filled eggs.
Ummmm, WHAT?! You mean, we could’ve done better than Egg McMuffins?! Apparently so. In 2007, when the 17-year cicadas struck the Chicago area, cook Marilyn Pocius held a “cicada potluck” (tagline, “I ate a cicada and I don’t have to eat another one for 17 years”). The resulting entries were an incredible array of creativity — cicada sushi, JELLO, pizza and even chocolate chip cookies.
“I will say that they tasted pretty good—mild and nutty like peanut butter,” Pocius told the Daily News by email. “And of course they were delicious when battered and deep fried. But then what isn’t?”
And get this: they’re kosher! Bon appetit.
No, we did not buy a drone. But lucky for us, this guy did! A gorgeous video of Manor Park (home of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club, where we keep our yaks) by John O’Sullivan. The boathouse, the snow, the music…we love everything about it. Hope you will, too. 🙂
THE WIND STORM YESTERDAY.; Great Excitement in the Harbor Damage to Shipping, &c. THE GALE IN THE CITY. IN BROOKLYN. IN WILLIAMSBURGH. IN JERSEY CITY.
Published: November 7, 1863 (New York Times) Yesterday afternoon the City and harbor was visited by one of the severest storms we have had in this locality for several years. About one o’clock a strong wind set in from the west, which in less than an hour increased to a violent gale. So suddenly did the storm come up that many of the craft in the harbor were entirely unprepared to meet it, and in consequence drifted about the Bay in the wildest confusion. Three lighters were dismasted on the North River, and a schooner, while trying to reach the Atlantic Docks, lost all her sails. The ship Atmosphere, bound for Liverpool, was struck by the gale, and although she was being towed by a powerful tug, went on to Coenties’ Reef. The vessel was subsequently got off without much damage. A man was capsized in a small boat near Governor’s Island, and it is supposed was drowned, as no one was seen to go to his assistance. The Russian steam “clipper,” (so ranked in the Russian navy,) Almaz dragged her anchor and came near going on shore at Castle Garden. Fortunately the vessel had steam up, which saved her from disaster.
1/26/2015: New York City skyline is invisible
The canal-boat E.B. Simons broke from her moorings, and when nearly on shore at Castle Garden was taken in tow by the tug William Foot, and saved from wreck. The most serious disaster that happened during the day was the sinking of lighter Norma by the Russian corvette Wariag. During the heighth of the gale the latter vessel broke from her anchorage, and before any assistance could be rendered drifted rapidly on to the bar at the foot of pier No. 13. Before striking the bar she came in collusion with several vessels, but did no considerable damage until she strock the Norma, which she sunk. The accident happened about 3 o’clock, and was preceded by the wildest excitement. It was thought the Wariag — one of the largest class of war vessels –would come in contact with and sink four or five small vessels in her way, and, as many of them were crowded with people, loss of life seemed imminent. Fortunately, however, the corvette, after sinking the Norma, struck on the bar and there remained. The Norma, at the time of the accident, was discharging freight on to the brig Cyprus. In the collision the Cyprus sustained some damage, as well as the propeller Thomas Swan, lying at the opposite pier. The Wariag lost a man overboard and one of her lifeboats; she was also slightly damaged in her rigging.
1/26/2015: Kuno cooly watches the storm
NYT 1863: The new propeller El Cid was in considerable danger at one time, but escaped without injury. The Wariag was finally got off, by the combined assistance of three tugs, and towed into the stream. During the storm, which did not abate its violence until near sundown, the Italian man-of-war Italia dragged her anchor and nearly went on shore. No further accidents of any importance have been reported. We shall probably hear today of many casualities outside of the harbor.
1/26/2015: The view from home, mid afternoon
NYT 1863: During the entire afternoon pedestrians found it exceeding inconvenient, and sometimes dangerous, passing through the streets. Several signs were blown down on Broadway, and in the upper part of the City two or three new buildings suffered considerably. With the exception of mishaps to luckless individuals, who were obliged to seek shelter behind all sorts of structures, the falling of a few chimneys, and such other incidents of slight importance, there was nothing to mark the great “blow.”
1/26/2105: “Birdzilla!” Newspapers abroad referred to our storm as “Icezilla.” The eye of this storm—annoyed parrot vs point-and-shoot camera—was centered in New Rochelle.
NYT 1863: The wind yesterday not only filled the streets with clouds of dust, and proved a source of great inconvenience to pedestrians, but caused considerable damage throughout the City by the blowing down of fences, chimney-tops, awnings, trees, &c. Several buildings also were damaged, and two persons injured. The engine-house of No. 17, in Jay-street, near Willoughby, is undergoing repairs. The roof is being raised, and a new story added. The sidewalls had been erected, but the front and rear were still open. One of the end walls gave way, and fell with a tremendous crash upon the roof of an adjoining house, (No. 287,) occupied by Mrs. S.W. TOWNSEND as a boarding and day school.
There were some fifty scholars — young ladies engaged at their studies at the time, and the crash of falling bricks caused great consternation among them. It appeared as if the whole house was coming down. The roof, covering two attic rooms, was smashed in. One young lady, who felt unwell, was lying on a bed, and another was resting on a lounge; both were injured; one was cut on the head and the other sustained an injury of the spine; they were covered with rubbish, but managed to save themselves. The day scholars were on the lower floor, and escaped unhurt. The damage to the building amounts to about $100. The engine-house was injured to about the same amount. The wind blew with tremendous force in some exposed places. A car, in turning the corner of Prospect and Main streets, was blown off the track, but no further damage resulted. A frame house, No. 126 Meserole-street, was blown down by the gale. It was unoccupied. Damage about $500.
1/27/2015: Storm over. We took an evening stroll through snowy Hudson Park in New Rochelle, NY
NYT 1863: The lofty hickory pole at the corner of North Fourth and Fourth streets, was blown down, and it came very near annihilating several horses. The same storm unroofed a house in First-street. Brooklyn, E.D., damaging it to a considerable extent. Near by two little children were under a wooden awning when it fell to the ground, but strange to say they were neither of them injured.
NYT 1863: A fatal accident occurred at the lumber yard of KEITH & Co., foot of North First-street, about 2 1/2 o’clock, to a teamster named MATHEW CONROY, in the employ of Messrs. JOHNSON & SPADER. The injured man was crushed by a pile of lumber blown over by the force of the wind, and so badly injured internally and about the head that it was the belief of several physicians he could not survive the night. He is married and resides in Kent-avenue, near Willoughby-street. Officer VAN DYKE took him home.
NYT 1863: As far as could be ascertained the only damage done in Jersey City was a considerable destruction to the trees and shrubbery. On the river, however, where the gale had clear scope, it was far different. The Russian war vessels dragged their anchors, and also the Italian war vessel, and for a while it appeared their course would not be arrested until they came against the docks on the New-York side; the second bow anchors were let go, and finally all the vessels came to except the Admiral’s, which went in stern first at Pier No. 13, New-York, crushing and carrving down a lighter which was lying at the dock.
1/27/2015: The New Rochelle Marina
NYT 1863: The Admiral’s ship was lying against the pier apparently aground, but did not seem to be injured. Steam was got up and two tug boats were employed, and eventually the vessel was hauled out.
1/27/2015: Sun sets over the Manhattan skyline
For us, every New Year itinerary is the same: 1) Fly back from visiting family in landlocked Arizona, and 2) “fly” as fast as we can, via MetroNorth, to Bird Camp, a bird boarding shop on East 53rd Street in NYC, to pick up Kuno (our 20-year-old African Grey parrot and blog avatar) and “the pinks,” Floyd and Isadora (Australian Rosy Bourke parakeets).
Bird Camp is tiny storefront between 1st and 2nd Aves. You have to ring the bell for admission (prevents winged escapees!)
Jan. 2: Roz, the owner, beams as Alex says “Hi!” to Kuno (and vice versa).
New York City is a very noisy place, and Bird Camp is one of loudest within it. Rows and rows of “campers” line the walls. And just like people camp, they all go home singing new songs. In the video below, Kuno bobs excitedly and reconnects via The Andy Griffith Show theme (we always whistle it in the original key of F, by the way!) and Floyd and Isadora are politely escorted to their carrier. (Click white arrow to play.)
Kuno, Floyd and Isadora are regulars here. Name tags at the ready.
If the tag didn’t say so, Kuno certainly would.
Kuno in his “backpack.” Ready to take the train home (birds ride free!).
Alex and Kuno say “Good-bye” to the other campers.
Bird Camp recently created new business cards featuring happy customers. Anybody look familiar??
Happy 2015 to you and your family, from all of us at 2G3K 🙂
Top Ten Signs You Might Be A Geek:
10. You have geeky friends. With cool jobs, like “toy inventor.” And they invite you to join them at the New York Maker Faire, “part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new… an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors—‘makers’ who come to show what they’ve made and share what they’ve learned” at the old NY World’s Fair grounds in Queens.
9. You go.
8. This video fills you with awe.
7. You wear your heart on your geeky chest—from birth, on.
6. You make prosthetics. For ducks. With your 3D printer, of course!
5. You know people who say, “Well, it ain’t rocket science. This is hard!”
4. Who cares that you missed Woodstock? Missing this makes you cry!
3. You fantasize about flying a drone around your apartment (‘til your significant other shoots that stupid idea down).
2. This photo makes you feel kinda nostalgic…
1. You read this blog! Here’s to this week’s Photo Challenge: Signs. And to Gary and Ivy, who introduced us to the NY Maker Faire and the whole Maker Movement. More pics of the day, here:
Turns out yesterday was International Talk Like A Pirate Day. This would explain why your coffee-cart guy on 14th Street yelled “Ahoy!” when he saw you coming and “Avast!” when you ordered something other than the usual. (Or, “Da fällt mir doch der Papagei von der Schulter!” if you asked for two sugars instead of one in Hamburg.)
But Arrrrr! Who needs to talk like a pirate when you can sing like a Brit? A big shout out to our friend Nick—with whom we paddled and camped in Maine, and recently raced in Norwalk—for the new, official 2G3K Theme Song. Perfect for good weather, yes, but especially comforting in dicey situations! Jolly death-defying lyrics below. (From British Music Hall composer, John A. Glover, 1907.) Take it away, Nick! 🙂
Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside
I do like to be beside the sea!
I do like to stroll upon the Prom, Prom, Prom!
Where the brass bands play: “Tiddely-om-pom-pom!”
So just let me be beside the seaside
I’ll be beside myself with glee
For there’s lots of girls besides,
I should like to be beside
Beside the seaside! Beside the sea!
It seems that Kuno, our parrot, has made a new friend in the building (Perry the peregrine falcon?). We can only imagine the inner dialogues going on around here when we’re not home…
Kuno (far right): Good morning, cousin! Millet is delicious, don’t you agree?
Perry: (very far left, silhouetted on window ledge): !!!!!!!!
Pink Floyd to Isadora: Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got this.
We’re getting into shape for the Lighthouse to Lighthouse race in Norwalk, CT in early September. So, going with the early theme, we logged a few fast (um, fast-ish) miles, pre-work, Tuesday morning. It was inspiring, to say the least.
The grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls. —John Muir
All you umpires, back to the bleachers. Referees, hit the showers. It’s my game. I pitch, I hit, I catch. I run the bases. At sunset, I’ve won or lost. At sunrise, I’m out again, giving it the old try.
—Ray Bradbury
Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever. —Horace Mann
I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am. —Sylvia Plath
Rise early. It is the early bird that catches the worm. Don’t be fooled by this absurd saw; I once knew a man who tried it. He got up at sunrise and a horse bit him. —Mark Twain