Kayak Fishing
a welcome relief from those fishing platform boats that cost more than my truck - I think my grandson who kayak fishes would like this
Vespor Sparrow - Pooecetes gramineus
I am fairly sure that I have identified this sparrow correctly - but should have taken several shots so as to see for sure that 'the outer' tail feathers are white - just need a tiny bit more definition
Second Day of Spring - II
Carol was up about 5:30 to work at home to update files at work but our reception wasn't working well so we drove into her office where things went better - when the snow started in earnest we headed home about ten -
Swirling Snow
the storm sweeping up the east coast of the United States is bringing a mixture of snow, rain, and sleet to the Maryland area today with only a small accumulation expected this early - though by tomorrow evening we should be loaded with eight to 12 inches (@25 - 40 centimeters off the top of my head)
BUT while driving home from the orthopedists, the precipitation though mild was making lovely swirls across the highway as I drove, reminding me of long ago in January of 1974 when I was driving a U-haul Truck loaded with house furnishings as I drove from Maine to my newly acquired farmhouse in the rural environs of Cape Breton - only the swirls were larger and lasted for hours getting larger and larger until I was driving in a complete white-out doing about 10 miles an hour - what an adventure, I drove across one bridge not even knowing it was a bridge until the wind ceased enough to let me see that I was coming off the bridge driving in the 'oncoming lane' - eventually I made it to the causeway to Cape Breton still in white-out and with the Mounties letting me cross but closing the road behind me to all traffic for the night.
I had pulled over to take this photograph but not quickly enough to capture the great swirls I had just drove through here in Maryland.
How I Injured My Right Arm - II
this is a continuation of the earlier post of 15Mar'18 - best news of the equinox for me
"some good news for 'yours truly' - went to see the orthopedist that did
rotator cuff surgery for me some years ago, about my recent right arm
and shoulder damage that I did just under two weeks ago with visible
large hematoma and displaced bicep - about a two inch drop. After
discussion and examination of both the arm and the rotator cuff he told
me that if I did not mind having a 'Popeye' (the sailor guy) muscle then
I could just simply let it heal on its own along with physical therapy,
YEAH!!"
p.s. Now I have to remember NOT to attempt too much too soon - and that 12 tons of quarry crushed rock is out there waiting.
Taming The Genie: How Fear of the Atom Threatens Our Future
Nuclear Power Plants
I have been reading a science fiction magazine, presently called
Analog Science Fiction and Fact, since about 1946 without ever missing
an issue. This great science fiction magazine started in January1930 as
Astounding Stories of Super-science - four years before I was born - and
has survived in the publishing business that has seen many great
magazines, of all ilk, flourish and then disappear. The Science Fact
portion of the magazine - usually one fact article per issue - are
truly about science and touch on many fronts that are at best only
mentioned in passing in the world of publishing for Mr.and Mrs.
Everyman. And they are well documented as to source of information.
The reason for this long build-up is that their most recent issue
contained a science fact article called 'TAMING THE GENIE, by C. Stuart
Hardwick', which is an article on nuclear power plants and their
importance to the world at the present time. I have been anti-nuclear
power plant for sometime and was surprised to find my mind's horizon be
so changed by this presentation of facts - in particular about power
generation with associated deaths, and secondly but most importantly
about radiation hazards.
This first post is a quick look at the ratio of deaths to power generation - data from National Resource Council, Natural Academy of Sciences
This first post is a quick look at the ratio of deaths to power generation - data from National Resource Council, Natural Academy of Sciences
Snow Bird
Ever since I was very young the people in this area called this bird 'The Snow Bird' as, at the time when snows and cold weather came earlier, it always showed up in the yards, and fields, and woods when the winter set in - and only in later life did I realize that the true name was'Junco hyemalis'. And this, not too well focused shot, is the last photograph of the season for I have not seen this cheery little fellow for a few days now and we had dozens coming to the feeder - so he must be moving back north to summer in Canada - keep a sharp eye for me Shamik for he'll be there soon.
Great Scotch Whisky Tasting
I went to a 'scotch whisky' tasting at State Line Liquor Saturday
evening, 10 Mar ’18, and was really surprised at how much I enjoyed the
evening. There were 8 whiskies ranging
the spectrum from Japanese rice based scotch to quite expensive Islay peated
malts all of which were upper tier in my estimation (by my amateur rankings they
ranged from 75+ to in the low 90s) and ranged in price from about $45 to $120 –
all of which were great values because they were Exclusive Cask bottlings from
well known distilleries not sold under the distilleries name. . The presenter, Jared Card, was extremely
well versed in information and quick to give reasoned – though occasionally
flippantly humorous - answers to question from the attendees. Two Islay malts in the $45 range were superb,
tasting like those normally priced in the hundred dollar area. I learned some interesting new facts about the
Scotch world that had never occurred to me to consider before.
Scotch Tasting: Jared
Card, Mid-Atlantic Manager, ImpEx Beverages
(all products
discounted 10% this evening)
Saturday,
March 10, 7-9pm Seated Event $15 Pre-Paid Tickets
1. Ohishi Rice Whiskey Brandy Cask ……………………………
$69.99 ˃ $62.99
2. Ohishi Rice Whiskey Sherry Cask ……………………………. $69.99 ˃ $62.99 3. Tipperary Watershed Irish Whiskey ………………………… $64.99 ˃ $58.49 4. Exclusive Malts Regional Speyside 8 year old ……………… $49.99 ˃ $44.99 5. Exclusive Malts Regional Peated Highland 8 year old ……… $49.99 ˃ $44.99 6. Exclusive Malts Regional Islay ………………………………... $49.99 ˃ $44.99 7. Exclusive Malts Highland Park 14 year old Single Cask …….. $129.99 ˃ $116.99 8. Exclusive Malts Islay 9 year old Single Cask ………………… $119.99 ˃ $107.99 |
Never having been to a Scotch Tasting before (and only once
to an open-air Wine Tasting event - which was a kind of unguided, untutored,
and wandering sort of find the way as the spirit guided from tent to tent.) I
found this evening’s event nicely structured with some number of tables in rows
with a central isle and isles down the sides along the walls. I took a central isle seat near the front
only moments before Jared started his presentation using mainly his spoken
voice and references to still photographs displayed on large TV computer
display. Each seating had a small
bottled water along with a small stemmed wine-like glass (probably designed
specifically for Scotch tasting – although I personally like my small 4 ounce,
more bowl shaped stemless crystal wine glass) along with two printed listings,
somewhat as above, with a small map of Scotland showing the various Scotch
regions, the lowlands, the highland, the isles, etc.
Each of us were to be served ½ ounce of each listed Scotch
during the course of the evening, which in total means we would all be drinking
4 ounces of Scotch, ranging from about 82 to 118 proof, say 50% average over
all – and Jared reminded us of this in a low-keyed kind of way but straight
forwardly enough for us to take it as the ‘drive
sensibly when you leave here’ admonition that is needed at events like
this. That ½ ounce of Scotch is just
enough for several savoring sips to give one a reasonably true feeling of how
this particular Scotch appealed to one’s taste.
The first two Japanese Rice Whikeys each gave a surprisingly scotch
taste though being rice based. Other
than colouration – with the Brandy cask being a lighter colour than the Sherry
cask, the two Ohishi, both greater than 7 years old but with no definitive age
listed, were mild but pleasant indeed. Although not appealing to my particular
malty, smoky liking they both rated well with me otherwise – with me giving the
Brandy cask a 75+ and the Sherry cask an 80- rating on their great delicate
flavour.
Next in line was the Tipperary single malt – and here an
Jared gave an aside about how difficult it can be with Irish Whiskey to know
just what it is in the bottle, and that unless the words ‘single malt’ are on
the bottle then odds are that you are drinking grain, or a grain, malt blend –
this one got a nice 85 from me.
Then came three Exclusive Malts in the $45 range , all 50%
APV, all natural colour, all non-chill filtered (more about non-chill later)
and all single cask bottling which is a great pedigree indeed and all three
were well worth the evening’s tasting:
4. (Glentaucher)
Speyside 8 year old – great finish – 80 minus
5. (Ardmore) Peated Highland 8 year old – over all great –
85 plus & to buy
6. (Laphroaig) Islay no age
statement – 85 plus & to buy
The last two were both 90 plus but out of my dollar bracket
sorry to say:
7. Highland Park 14 year old,
single cask, 54.5%, extremely nice, great finish –
90 plus
8. (Lagavullan) Islay 9 year old,
single cask, 58.9%, Great opening, nice finish – 90 plus
I did not get to take more detailed notes sorry to say, but
all of the malted drinks were very good or better – and I figure the small fee
to enter the tasting was well spent. I
spent my next four months whisky allowance on #5 and #6 and have been trying
them on for size every day since then.
If you ever have a chance to attend a ‘Scotch Tasting’ give it a try for
as I know from experience that buying an untried whisky can often leave you
with a ¾ full bottle that is too good to throw away, but too poor to drink – my
$15 tasting fee steered me directly to two really fine whiskies so that my
average price per bottle was less than $50 each for two whiskies that would be
on the store shelf in the 70 to 100 dollar range. Give it a try.
Norvell Himself!
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