The Drive By Rockies

Although I know how you people live for my pictures of roadside research photos, there is more to life than great smelling, fantastically happy, moth-laden research systems such as these. While my plants may grow in the ugliest of places, if you just turn around, you are usually rewarded with one of the world's most spectacular vistas. Such is the life of these little gems. The habit of a vagabond, the outlook of a king.

But today was a driving day. And though I know Bin would not approve, I thought I'd give you a taste of my drive-by shooting. If it is any consolation, I merely hold up the camera in the general direction and click the button. I get what I get. Sometimes I get a picture up my nostrils. Sometimes I get a picture of the dashboard. Sometimes, nothing but road. And keep in mind, I am cognizant of traffic at all times.






Here we go:

Jake likes snow

Since there is no way for me to put things up in order, I'll just offer this nice video of Jake at 9600 feet or so and this fine photo of me. =]

This is what I did today

First had to get the back ramp clear. It is never in the sun all day, so I'm sure it's slicker than snot.


And that driveway is a lot longer than it looks.


And getting the walkways done....whew!


Jake shovels snow with his nose.

It looks good until you have to shovel it.


Even the birds were bogged under.


It looks so much nicer before anyone has tracked across it.

Ice Ice Baby

This is what they call in southern Illinois parlance, a storm event.

They had predicted the end of the world as of yesterday. So on the way home, I stopped by Rural King and picked up 80 lbs. of rock salt and 14 lbs. of icy melt.

It started to sleet about 7 pm. Jake was not at all amused by the fact that we were having a storm that actually caused the room air conditioners to make an odd pinging noise.

I stayed up playing on the computer until my cable went out and then that was it for me. Bedtime. Snuggled up under the thick covers.

At 4 am, I got a text message alerting me that the university was closed today. Wooo hooo! Snow day! I forwarded the message to Liv, turned off my alarm clock, and went back to bed. Jake didn't even wake me up until 8 when he wanted to go out. This is what we found.

About 3/4" of solid ice. I went out to shovel the walk. The city of Do-well was already on the job.


Still, the streets were pretty empty, even by Do-well standards.

And since we were out and all bundled up, I figured a walk to the post office was in order. For those of you who haven't been so lucky as to personally experience the full cultural experience that is downtown Do-well, let me enlighten you. You have a number of options. There is the Veterans Bar to your left. Or the post office further on up on your right. Don't be confused by the plethora of choices. Take your time.


This picture reminds me of on of those westerns. I can just hear that lonesome whistle from a Clint Eastwood movie just before the two gunslingers meet in the road for their gunfight. Except in my movie, there is no snow plow.


Watch out where those huskies go.

Don't you eat that yellow snow.


Except there was no mail. I don't know if I just didn't get any mail today, or whether I got there before she finished putting the mail up, or if the mail truck hadn't yet arrived. I yelled toward the back, but no one answered me. So I'm not really sure what was going on. Came back home mail-less. Well, at least the birds have been enjoying the seed I put out.

Well, that's about it for snow days. I hope you have enjoyed your guided tour of Do-well. Please, come back during our next ice storm. It's a lazy day for hanging out and eating leftover cinnamon rolls.