It’s still hot here in the swamp, but the air is a little cooler and drier than it was last week. We went exploring by boat earlier and noticed some color in the leaves:
Signs of fall in the cypress leaves! pic.twitter.com/3xOPNOIhCR
— Betty Cracker ? (@bettycrackerfl) September 26, 2021
Kingfishers were out and about:
We also saw this amazing escargot lunch:
Lucky break — stumbled onto a real National Geographic scene with this juvie female Snail Kite (I think) snacking on a snail delivered by a parent. #birds pic.twitter.com/WUdqe6UE73
— Betty Cracker ? (@bettycrackerfl) September 26, 2021
If I were a better photographer, I’d have managed to capture a scene when three (possibly four) birds where flying at each other and squabbling over a snail. I’m pretty sure what we saw was a parent delivering a snail to one of two mostly grown chicks, neither of which displayed a sufficient level of gratitude, IMO.
Sharper than a serpent’s tooth, etc. Open thread!
Steeplejack
Landscape mode on the videos, for the love of God! Portrait is for people yelling on TikTok.
That s aid, great swamp pics, Betty.
WaterGirl
Kids these days.
WaterGirl
@Steeplejack: That’s what they taught us in all the communication classes – always lead with the criticism! :-)
edit; Make the compliment more of an aside, so the person doesn’t get a big head.
WaterGirl
Love the kingfisher. What a handsome boy.
Doc Sardonic
People that say Florida has no fall color, have never seen a river swamp in October. When the cypress, sweet gum and others I have forgotten names for start turning and reflecting on the stillness of the river, it brings a sense of peace I can’t describe. I think I need to return to the water, maybe then I will be able to rest.
Betty Cracker
@WaterGirl: One of my favorite birds! I think it may be a young female; looks like a rusty belt might be coming in across the belly.
Steeplejack
@WaterGirl:
It’s not Betty specifically; it’s endemic on the Web. You see all of these videos where only the middle third is useful and you miss side detail. Like the sky/ceiling or the ground/floor is going to change?
Sorry, rantings of an aspect-ratio purist here. I don’t like it either when old movies or TV shows get stretched to wide-screen mode.
MagdaInBlack
What a glorious place to live, Betty. I love it ?
Mike in NC
Beautiful day in Boston. Going out for real fried clams tonight, then flying home tomorrow after a good family weekend reunion.
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: Like I said, handsome gal. :-)
I was thinking male because the expression resemblers Tikka’s do not fuck with me look.
I always admire that that, as it’s a trait I do not have.
I can pull out a do not fuck with me voice when needed, which I developed when I managed my IT group and one of my coworkers was getting the runaround on a tech support call with a vendor.
SpaceUnit
Snail Kites are clearly French. Probably washing down those snails with a fine Bordeaux.
J.
Great photos!
Ken
@Steeplejack: Don’t forget the videos that are shot at some random angle. I don’t know if they’re trying for a Dutch angle, or for a Batman 66 villain’s lair look, but it comes off as “how does this thing work?”
Steeplejack
@Ken:
This is reminding me that I have thought about getting a selfie stick for my Samsung Galaxy S10e phone. Not that I want to take selfies, but because I would like to take more videos. I do it rarely—mostly of the niece and nephew—and I am usually surprised at how well they turn out. It’s amazing that I have more capabilities on my phone than I did as a wannabe indie filmmaker back in college. Of course that was a hundred years ago, but still.
So, anyone, recommendations on selfie sticks or “video mounts” or whatever for cell phones?
Damned_at_Random
Escargot sans garlic butter is pretty hard core
mrmoshpotato
@Steeplejack:
Never heard of that happening – the fatheads!
sab
Spanish moss. I know it’s supposed to look romantic, but I can’t help but think “chiggers”.
Quinerly
Sitting at a very Covid aware microbrewery in Mancos, Co. Outside. A very hoppy lPA is my newest friend. Open mic afternoon here. Second live music I have heard since 2/2020 on that last NM trip. Been on the road for a little over 3 weeks. Heading to Santa Fe on 10/1. JoJo las Orejas sez, “Qué viaje tan largo y extraño ha sido.”“Mama” sez, “JoJo is a bed hog who likes his CO doggie hemp treats probably too much.” ?
sab
@Quinerly: Does Jojo growl at you when you try to nudge him over for a bit more room?
Steeplejack
@Quinerly:
Good to hear from you! Keep checking in. How’s the van working out?
WhatMyNym
@Steeplejack: Buy a small camera that is set up for video. Much easier with better results.
Starfish
What does Betty think of the “throwing the sea lion back into the sea to be eaten by orcas” twitter discourse?
Starfish
@WaterGirl: Tikka has resting “do not fuck with me” face.
Yutsano
@Quinerly: They have hemp treats for doggos? :P
So glad the road is treating you well!
sab
@Quinerly: My pitbull has been exposed to too much of that. She gets unruly when she suspects good stuff is in the offing, which in my house it never is.
Quinerly
@sab: we are sleeping on a twin trifold mattress in a Sienna AWD minivan. I have chauffeured him 3600 miles. Our farthest point west and north has been Kanab, Utah. If I had just driven straight there, it is less than 1400 miles. Camped at the North Rim of Grand Canyon. On the second afternoon there JoJo secretly ate a bag of doggie bison treats (bag holds 13 servings), got into the squirreled away hemp treats, turned over my PBR when I wasn’t looking and drank 1/2 a beer and ate Mormon made gingersnaps, and I think on that bender he also consumed deer poop. That was quite a night after we settled in for the night. But to answer your question… . He’s mostly deadweight at night, taking his half in the middle… Except when he pulls a stunt like that one at the North Rim ?
PaulWartenberg
Rooting for the Tampa Bay Rays here, c’mon Rays clinch the AL!
Omnes Omnibus
@PaulWartenberg: The Brewers clinching will be the important baseball event of the day.
MagdaInBlack
@Quinerly: Wow, where’d JoJo learn to party like that !? I’m impressed.
dmsilev
Today was a baking day, making this monster. It’s just about done, needs the second coat of frosting and then the garnish and that’s it. Basically a ‘back to some semblance of normalcy’ celebration at work: we have some actual real in-person visitors this week, and also it’s someone’s birthday. And also, my colleagues are conditioned to expect cake from me around this time of year, which obviously didn’t happen last year…
Steeplejack (phone)
@WhatMyNym:
Which I wouldn’t always have with me, unlike my cell phone. I take your point, but it seems like it would be easier to just carry a stick in addition to my phone instead of of a whole other piece of equipment.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
Alabama has been getting dragged, and rightfully so, over Covid response. I’m noticing here of late that mask usage is up, including in some areas I wouldn’t have expected to see it. Has anyone else in a red state seen this?
Steeplejack (phone)
@dmsilev:
Yum!
Quinerly
@Steeplejack: need truck.
The good news is there is a sellers market for any AWD minivan in CO Springs or Denver. Uber drivers. Probably will bring it back (Co Springs) with seats in it in the early Spring and sell it. Drives like a top. Sleeping in it has been relatively easy (except for bison, hemp, PBR farts and that very near accident at 3:30 AM). It’s the low clearance that is a problem. We don’t mind the pristine Mercedes Pleasureways laughing at us. We wear that like a badge of honor.
#minivancamper
#ihaznotwitter
sab
@Quinerly: Wow , my stepkids would be proud of him.
Another Scott
Great pictures!
ObOpenThread – Spanberger gets a lot of grief in some quarters (e.g. her comments about Pelosi at times), but she’s a sensible person who represents her district well.
Good, good.
Cheers,
Scott.
Sure Lurkalot
@Quinerly: Mancos is lovely gateway to Mesa Verde. Recommend the Absolute Bakery!
dmsilev
@Steeplejack (phone): It’s a tasty recipe; I’ve made it once before. Maybe about 2.5 hours of work, plus some idle time (like now) waiting for things to chill and so forth.
Quinerly
@MagdaInBlack: we could all learn something from “The Ears.” But he is an amateur when it comes to the aftermath. The clean up was brutal. Thankfully he woke me me up just in time or we would have had to a toxic waste dump site on wheels to the highest bidder at the North Rim.
sab
@Quinerly: My Ponyo takes her half of the middle of the bed horizontally. Growls when moved, so I usually drop her demon cat little brother on her to get her to move over a bit.
Wyatt Salamanca
Betty,
I can’t get enough of your amazing bird photos! Please keep them coming!
Recently came across this interesting resource:
Birdwatching Links for travelling birders
http://www.birdingpal.org/birdinfo.htm
Also, the truth about blue bird feathers:
The Secrets of Blue Bird Feathers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6vvRZDorK0
Structural Color in Birds – Blue Feathers Are Not Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LeNWrMu3zM&t=96s
Wyatt Salamanca
One more reminder of why Chuck Todd sucks:
h/t https://www.mediaite.com/tv/meghan-mccain-appears-on-meet-the-press-criticizes-biden-for-not-governing-as-a-moderate/
Betty Cracker
@Quinerly: I love the North Rim — much superior to the South Rim, IMO. Glad you’re having fun — cheers!
@PaulWartenberg: Go Rays! We can’t watch, but I’m tracking the score. Also, Go Bucs!
sab
My late lamented 130 lb German Shepherd and I used to sleep quite comfortably together on a 2’x6′ plywood plank with a foam pad. I don’t know what is wrong with dogs these days.
Steeplejack (phone)
@sab:
Dobby! Earning his keep.
Quinerly
@Sure Lurkalot: great place. Had a wonderful breakfast there on my first pass thru on our way to Marble Canyon/Lee’s Ferry and North Rim. We are on our second pass thru from Page. Did a night Fri night at Mancos SP. Last night in Cortez after Mesa Verde. Tonight back in Mancos SP. Been poking and sniffing around Dolores today. (my inner 12 yo boy giggles) Great park there and river trail. Great sniffy walks for JoJo.
Love this area but the “Trump/Boebert 2024” signs are disconcerting. I knew her district was mostly around Grand Junction. Had no idea here and 26 miles away Durango were in her district. It makes me feel funny about spending money here.
Quinerly
@sab:
?
Quinerly
@sab: that’s “The Ears” on this trip. I’m new at this. I roll him over downhill to the end of the bed where the refrigerator is. And, yes, JoJo’s minivan has a refrig that is the same height as the bed. ?
mrmoshpotato
@Wyatt Salamanca: Noooooo!!!! Not you, Upchuck Todd! You used to be such a good journalist!
mrmoshpotato
Cry harder, Dump-humping fascist shitstains.
Wyatt Salamanca
@PaulWartenberg:
I’ll second this and fuck those goddamn, motherfucking NY Yankees
Starboard Tack
@mrmoshpotato: It’s now a part of their permanent records. Excellent!
WendyBinFL
Thanks for the fabulous photo tour, Betty!
Many years ago, my husband and I took our two young children to Shark Valley in the Everglades. We rented bikes and headed out on the almost-16-mile bike loop. Saw lots of gators, snail kites, and empty apple snail shells, some of which I gathered and keep in a basket to this day. Since I was woefully unprepared for the cardio workout, my pace grew slower and slower, until our daughter announced, “Look, there goes a snail, right past Mom!”
James E Powell
@Wyatt Salamanca:
I hate everybody in the AL East.
Jeffro
Back from kayaking and camping out in Covington, VA! Great time with my son’s Scout troop and made some new friends with the dads to boot!
then the Chiefs had to go and screw up my great mood…?…alas…
(but only by about 5% or so!)
JPL
@Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant): Mask usage is up in my town, north of Atlanta. I did have a friend say that she folks are wearing more masks now, then when the pandemic first started. She lives in a redder than red part of GA. That’s not saying that a lot of people are wearing masks, but just that there are more.
R-Jud
I built a fire in the fire pit in the back garden and deliberately didn’t take my phone with me.
Naturally, the hedgehog who lives in my bamboo decided it would be a perfect time to come out into the light and calmly snack on a slug while I was sitting there, all camera-less.
Rest assured it was adorable and disgusting at the same time.
CaseyL
@Quinerly: oh my God, what a doggy bender! I’ve heard of doggos who got into the kibble so bad they stuffed up their whole GI tract. But I’ve never heard of any who went off on a toot like that. Aside from the Geneva Convention-violating facts, how’s the pup doing? Did he at least have the decency to be hungover?
catclub
I just read this, but it is three or 4 days old, so it might have already been discussed.
I certainly hope it turns out too pessimistic. Any other thoughts?
Kagan at WAPO on our failed national experiment ending in 2024.
Baud
@catclub:
Didn’t click but it sounds like a political prediction, which are as useful as fortune tellers but less entertaining.
Quinerly
@CaseyL: he was hung over as I drove him to Page. Quiet. Burps, lots of pharts (as my mom would say….”more civilized if you spell it with a ‘ph'”).
JPL
@catclub: Without republicans, things won’t change. Mitch could care less about democracy, as long as he has power.
Apparently they thought Alito would rule in their favor..
MeidasTouch.com on Twitter: “Apparently, no one has told these people they have the right to remain silent.” / Twitter
Baud
@JPL:
If I had to pick a justice, that’s the one I’d pick.
Ksmiami
@catclub: get ready to fight – hopefully their numbers are severely diminished from Covid…
Geminid
@Quinerly: Boebert only beat Diane Mitsch-Bush by six points in the Colorado 3rd last year, and I bet the towns you are visiting voted Democratic. So I wouldn’t be too hesitant to spend money. A long you don’t spend any at Shooter’s Grill in Rifle. They are known for their salmonella sliders.
Sure Lurkalot
@Quinerly: We stayed in Dolores at a wonderful cabin on 135 acres hosted by a couple of Democrats. We got along quite well, shared drinks and dinners and talked a lot of politics. They were definitely in the minority but estimated about 40-60 split in their county. They were both actively trying to change hearts and minds.
This was pre-Boebert but I know what you mean about spending money in red districts…
James E Powell
@catclub:
Has Kagan taken the trip to Lourdes to atone for his role in creating the world we live in?
prostratedragon
“Lazy Afternoon,” Morgana King
Geminid
@Jeffro: That sounds like a great trip! You passed through some beautiful country to get to that area.
There is a really nice National Forest campground 7 miles north of Warm Springs. It’s called Hidden Valley, and it’s on a pretty stretch of the Jackson River, home of the red eyed bass. A nice place for car camping, with good walking trails. I’ve made it there from Charlottesville in less than two hours. Rt. 252 through Middletown, then Rt. 39 through Goshen Pass is a neat route.
espierce
@PaulWartenberg:
Rays clinched the AL East yesterday.
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2021/09/25/rays-clinch-al-east-title-after-beating-marlins/
brendancalling
I went to Farm Aid in Hartford, CT last night. Sturgill Simpsons and Neil Young pulled out, but it was still awesome. Willie was great as usual, as was his son Lukas.
J R in WV
Our younger dogs (mostly black bro and sister) get up on the bed, older dog (white lab mix, BIG) is too big to get up without lots of encouragement. Smaller female black dog has white markings on her front legs, really very pretty, agile, will sneak into bed between us at 2 or 3 am, without waking anyone up. Really sweet, actually.
She wriggles slowly up from between our knees to between our faces, but quietly and sneaky. Snuggely. Sweet…
I want a King size mattress, right now. We’re not in a mobile camper, we’re in the homestead!
Betty, great photos, video. Folks, don’t bitch about the video unless you can do better!!
Jo Jo las Orejas
Necesito registrarme con más frecuencia. Mi mamá acecha. Espero charlar en Ridgway.
CaseyL
Quinerly
@Jo Jo las Orejas:
You off the rails, JoJo. You are on time out.
prostratedragon
@James E Powell: Maybe Santiago de Compostela would be better for someone needing to seek penance. Long, ascending mountain route which he could take on his knees.
RaflW
Just had a lovely and surprisingly warm hike on an island at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Not too crowded, but well enjoyed.
The only oddity: at least 4 different Sheriff’s SUVs cruising the dirt walking paths of Pike Island (not even bikes allowed), plus a State Park Ranger stationed in his truck at the island-side of the bridge. One of the Sheriffs was a K9 unit.
After one cruiser trolled by, the young and seemingly multiracial couple near us muttered loud enough for us to hear ’em “Fucking pigs”.
I couldn’t figure out what the heck was going on. The Vikings were playing at that moment 8 miles upstream, should have been the typical overpolicing location. Did the Sheriff get a strange tip-off? Do the deputies like working Sundays in the park ’cause its easy & nice? How to justify the expenditure for an area that at least seems so placid and untroubled.
Part of the park is directly in the approach path of MSP Airport, but not Pike Island. Oh well, it was still a very good walk, but a reminder that law enforcement presence doesn’t feel good – our context in Minneapolis is indelibly colored by both our recent and longstanding history.
PaulWartenberg
@Omnes Omnibus: A Rays-Brewers World Series would force MLB and the major sports networks (ESPN and/or FOX) to have major meltdowns.
PaulWartenberg
@espierce: Today’s game was to 1) tie their regular season wins record at 97, 2) play on to 100-win season which would be awesome, 3) win the AL home-field outright (2-3 games ahead of Houston).
J R in WV
Yeah, I know the puppy would still sneak into bed with us, and as long as she is sneaking in, that’s fine. She’s a really wonderful and affectionate puppy. She really doesn’t wake us up late at night.
We would have more room to maneuver, though, and that would be a good thing.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Wyatt Salamanca:
This is good news for John McCain! ; )
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Steeplejack:
I’m not a big fan of it when it comes to videos
Steeplejack (phone)
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Not a big fan of what? Landscape? Portrait?
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Quinerly:
I can almost top that. Saw an ad in a digital billboard saying recently, “Defund the police!? Stop socialism/communism!”
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Steeplejack (phone):
Portrait for videos
Steeplejack (phone)
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Thanks for clarifying. I was ?.
jeffreyw
@Steeplejack:
May this would suit your needs?
NotMax
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
Digital is so … transitory. Would surmise there are spots where one can yet make out the now faded and peeling Impeach Earl Warren message which once festooned barns in certain parts of the land, Mail Pouch billboard style.
Steeplejack (phone)
@jeffreyw:
Cool cool cool. Thanks! And I see that it has a “thread” on the bottom to mount a selfie stick or tripod.
bluefoot
Those photos made me realize I miss the Mr. Frog photos.
Steeplejack (phone)
@NotMax:
When I was growing up it was “See Rock City” barns all through the Mid-South.
jeffreyw
@Steeplejack (phone):
Meramec Caverns
frosty
@Quinerly:
We were both those places in the Spring. Found a brand new well laid-out private RV campground outside of Kanab, a town with a good restaurant and great cocktails (Wild Thyme). We were going to try for a Forest Service site on the North Rim but got leery of the unpaved road to the sites and stayed in the aforementioned RV place instead.
North Rim was a little more crowded than I expected, but less than the South. Have a great rest of your trip!
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Steeplejack (phone):
NP. I guess I wasn’t clear lol
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@NotMax:
It is, isn’t it? It’s apparently a concern among archivists; digitally-stored information is much less durable than say, information recorded on stone tablets
Steeplejack (phone)
@jeffreyw:
Yes! And it seems like there was another “cave” or “cavern” attraction whose name I can’t remember, and the Google is not helping. Maybe “Crystal” something.
Urban Suburbanite
The dealership I work at currently is in full out ass covering mode because they’ve been pulling their own sweep against homeless people camping in the area (and it sounds like they were shining floodlights at people camping around there last night). I suspect this was done with the connivance of local cops, but that’s just a guess. They’re trotting out lawyers for ass covering statements and ordering everyone not to say about what was done.
Matt McIrvin
@Baud: Kagan argues that Republicans are going to reinstall Trump as President in a legislative coup in 2024, followed by dictatorship, argues that Democrats can’t really do a lot about it at this point by themselves, and is still trying desperately to peel off a few Republicans to prevent it from happening. He makes some stubborn attempts to draw a bright line between modern conservatism and Trumpism.
Quinerly
@frosty: late back to the thread.
Absolutely adored the campground on the NR. On this journey, so far least favorite has been Great Sand Dunes NP campground (young chicks next to us stayed up most the night discussing bidets with the only male camper in their group of 6. No clue. Thankfully the boy in the group explained…. After what seemed like 6 hrs of discussion )
In related news, loving on CO SPs right now.
frosty
@Quinerly:
We stayed at a KOA in Alamosa, which is a more practical solution if your idea of camping involves grocery runs and takeout from restaurants. Spent a day at Great Sand Dunes, which was enough, then headed eastbound for home after that.
As far as CO state parks, we stayed at Rifle Gap which was OK, but took a day trip to Rifle Falls which was really nice. Our best stop in the state was Black Canyon of the Gunnison. After seeing canyons all over the west, this one was really stunning and unique.
I’m currently working out our itinerary for next year. Southbound, then across the southern tier to SoCal, then up to Oregon and eastbound from there. It will probably wind up as another five months on the road, a bit longer than we’d like.
Quinerly
@frosty: so my journey started from St. Louis. Took back roads right out of KC
On a mission to spend a day around Sandcreek Massacre Site.
John Martin Reservoir was our first SP stop. Then a few days in CO Springs at a NM friend’s family home (a step back in time, long story)
Then Lathrop SP and Trinidad SP. Cool areas. Spanish Peaks. I ended up taking most of one day driving the Cordova Pass.
In a minivan.
Mousebumples
@PaulWartenberg: late to the thread, but this seems like shades of the major commentator complaints about the Bucks-Suns NBA Finals.
Not that I’d care. I’d totally watch that.