A 70th Birthday for Chris and our first REAL snow in December

| December 19, 2023

This past weekend was enjoyable for our family as we celebrated Brenda‘s sister Chris Skinner‘s 70th Birthday. It was a surprise party planned by her grown children and it was pulled off wonderfully.  Ann and Gary drove up to our house from Atlanta and we drove 30 minutes to meet up with the family and […]

A March snow, tweaking MarsEdit 5 and Kid-genuity

| March 12, 2023

Now that I own a MacBook Air M2, it is time to get it set up for a few of the daily computer chores … like posting to My Desultory Blog. I’m still trying to get comfortable using MarsEdit5 blogging app, but do enjoy the ability to be able to write custom macros that helps […]

Our Echo Show continues to remind us of family

| January 28, 2023

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Solar panels aren’t the solution for every home and climate

| January 10, 2023

As I commented on Twitter … “until nuclear fusion arrives in bulk, there are limits to living without fossil fuels.” We need political leaders, climate activists and business leaders restricting capital through ESG measures who can exercise a little bit more commonsense when it comes to restricting and going to war with US domestic energy […]

Amazon book order delay and leftover snow mailbox photo

| December 6, 2022

No … we don’t have snow in Cincinnati just yet, but the snowbelt areas of western New York sure got their share in November. I’ll include a leftover Twitter photo from the Buffalo NY area that is sure to make someone smile (very creative snowman or mailbox)? On the Amazon rant subject, I ordered an  […]

Is it going to be a wet or dry winter?

| October 22, 2022

The answer from NOAA is that it depends on where you live. The general prediction is for a bit dryer in the south and a bit wetter in the northwestern US and Great Lakes .. but perhaps we should check with the authority? 🙂

We can hope that April 2022 Flurries don’t kill May Flowers

| April 18, 2022

For a day after Easter, the weather sure doesn’t look like spring! https://myarchive.us/mp4/April2022FlurriesBringMayFlowers.mp4 Also testing WordPress automated mp4 plugin with added gray vs black border than my normal hardcode video from iPhone7plus in slow-motion with poster image below the break)

Archive: Last weekend’s birthday party for our granddaughters

| March 15, 2022

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Talking Alaska and snowmobiling when I was a kid #TBT

| February 24, 2022

Last week I was talking to an online friend from Alaska about outdoor cold-weather activities who shared a winter camping photo. He was complaining about the freezing rain and less than ideal weather this year on his 20 mile snowmobile trip, so he cut it short and drove to Wasilla to watch the start of […]

A big snowman GIF triggered Ford 800 tractor memories #TBT

| February 10, 2022

In early February 2022, most of the U.S. received a heavy ice and snow storm. There were quite a few shared photos on the social networks and an animated GIF of a huge snowman triggered memories of our Hudson, Ohio winters in NE Ohio. Back then I had an old Ford 800 that I used […]

Starting a woodworking project on a cold winter weekend

| February 8, 2022

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A first light snow of the season and a truck in the ditch

| December 9, 2021

Since the post scheduled for today is for those who have signed-in (you should register) … I’m adding this one as a public filler for the day. These week we had our first slick road for the season with a touch of snow … and as it does every year, triggered an accident on the […]

A couple days of photos leftover from the weekend: Part 2

| December 9, 2021

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Come on, it is late April 2021! Is Spring really in the air?

| April 22, 2021

After just finishing cutting the lawn on Tuesday night and working on our landscaping this past weekend in anticipation of a cold front with some “expected rain,” it ended up coming down as SNOW! I mean, come on, it is the time of year to be thinking sunshine, warmer weather and flowers .. not snow.  […]

Music Monday: Johnny Nash recorded “I Can See Clearly Now”

| March 8, 2021

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Winter weather for mid-February 2021. More snow.

| February 15, 2021

Click here for ani-gif above for full 25 second iPhone slow-motion video The icy sleet on top of our existing snow and pre-cleared roads has made travel dangerous this Monday afternoon in southwest Ohio. Thankfully for President’s Day Brenda and I are home (although it was by chance and not planned) and are able to […]

The coyotes in southwestern Ohio are healthy and active

| February 13, 2021

We live in a fairly developed area and yet the variety of animals surviving amidst the traffic and people continues to amaze me. When we built in Liberty Township, Ohio in the mid-1990s you would have called our area “developing but rural.” Now, there is no question we are suburban and “in my opinion” … […]

A snowy 2021 February stay-at-home day and a few idea photos

| February 10, 2021

We received a surprise snowfall on Monday night this week and it caught most of us, including the weather people and snowplows off-guard. Brenda worked until close in Oxford, Ohio and it took her nearly an hour and a half to drive home .. no salt on the roads and very few snowplows were out. […]

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Slick roads and an accident.

| December 19, 2020

Although this is the second snow of the season, the weather has turned colder and we ended up with a touch more of the white stuff this week … and with it, yet another accident on Bethany Road to our rear. I saw the flashing sheriff’s car lights and since I’m working from home, I […]

First Snow December 1st 2020 … and another backyard accident

| December 2, 2020

December 2020 rolled in with a light white blanket of snow and colder weather to let us know that winter is probably here for a while. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the temperature change, but I really don’t mind the hushed beauty of a “new-fallen snow” … as Clement Clarke Moore wrote […]

Photos to keep us up-to-date with our growing granddaughters

| April 19, 2020

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Not much snow in Cincinnati for 2019-2020, but it is pretty

| February 26, 2020

We haven’t had much snow in SW Ohio this year .. so before it is totally gone for 2019-2020, I’ll share a few flakes above … after the “BIG FLAKES”  bickered last night in South Carolina (a list of Democratic Presidential Candidates debating in 2020). Democrats jockey for support ahead of S.C. primary The Democratic […]

Winter weather, driving and fun babysitting Annalyn

| February 8, 2020

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“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” … but not like this! #video

| December 21, 2019

I love these motion-sensing Wyze Cams …   Now what if someone happened to be coming to the front door? Yikes … although more than likely it would just be funny.

A peaceful quiet surprise snowfall and quality steel in tools

| December 16, 2019

December is here … and the snow arrived last night (snow 9 years ago), although it isn’t anything drastic, just peaceful and quiet. Actually the heavy snow surprised me considering Sunday afternoon was relatively pleasant and I was in the home theater watching Sunday Night Football (Bill beat the Steelers). When the game was over, […]

Keeping up with Taylor, Megan, Annalyn, Katelyn and Drew

| April 3, 2019

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It is cold and windy. Another layer of warm clothes please.

| January 30, 2019

An ani-gif of our Canary driveway cam early Wednesday Morning – 1/30/2019 The … dare I say a hated and banished phrase … “polar vortex” has swooped down from the north and frozen everything. It is brutally cold, but then it is winter. Schools, of course, are closed and even mail delivery in Cincinnati has been suspended. […]

Appreciating a heated garage after the first big winter snow

| January 15, 2019

With a “heavy snowfall” that amounted to about 10 inches before melting a bit, I was thankful to have put the snow blower on the tractor last week.  It was about the wettest snow I’ve ever tried to blow and that’s saying something since I’ve been removing snow with the John Deere 330 since the […]

The wet, heavy snow might be too much for the John Deere?

| January 12, 2019

The Raspberry Pi Cam photo automatically captured the backyard snow during a break in the falling snowflakes. The storm was well forecasted, so decided it was time to put the snowblower on the old John Deere 330 diesel tractor. I hope the wet snow will “blow” as my preliminary shoveling has me thinking it might […]

The snow is here, but the Pi cam still shows an autumn sky

| November 29, 2018

The weather has turned this week with temperatures in the 20s and our second snow in Cincinnati for winter 2018-19 (here’s first). My automated Raspberry Pi cam regularly tweets out a photo with this one still looking like an autumn sky … or perhaps winter since the sun looks pretty low in the southern sky? […]

Heavy ice in the morning and snow tonight …

| November 15, 2018

Winter is here as the ice came in the morning bringing down branches and knocking out power all around Cincinnati … and just when I thought it was over, the Dark Sky app indicates the heavy snow is beginning in Liberty Township. Ugh! (I’m also playing a little bit with the slow-motion settings on the […]

A lesson in effort, persistence and perseverance #video

| November 6, 2018

“IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN” Don’t give up too easily; persistence pays off in the end. The proverb has been traced back to ‘Teacher’s Manual’ by American educator Thomas H. Palmer and ‘The Children of the New Forest’ by English novelist Frederick Maryat (1792-1848). Originally a maxim used to encourage American […]

What a difference in a few hours – weather and a Spring Snow

| March 21, 2018

Pulled up Tuesday 3/20/2018 afternoon’s Raspberry Pi Cam photo of the backyard and Wednesday 3/21/2018 morning’s images (click for larger) — what a different a few hours makes.

It looks like spring is not quite ready to arrive this year

| March 21, 2018

Wouldn’t you know it … as soon as I take the snow blower and chains off our multi-use John Deere tractor  that I use to clear our driveway … we get a forecast of more snow. Murphy’s Law I suppose? Earlier in March as the weather warmed, so Brenda asked when I would have the […]

Would you tow an 18-wheeler with a Tesla?

| January 9, 2018

It may be winter in Cincinnati, but better here than in Savannah

| January 4, 2018

The new year has certainly started out cold in Cincinnati. We’ve been below zero every night this week and now that the frozen pipe is behind me (I hope), I was able to get back to some sense of a normal routine since I put off meetings and a pile of work until after the […]

A snowy winter day, a warm fire and distractions

| December 10, 2017

The first cold snowy winter day was the perfect time to fire up the woodstove in the poolhouse garage … unfortunately the distraction of a warm fire lead to other distractions and  keeping me from the day’s list of projects. Instead of finishing the Corbett Christmas letter, updating the mailing list, decorating and working on […]

Cute video of Annalyn with a little bit of snow

| March 16, 2017

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It is never too early for Annalyn to start reading a GOOD book

| March 15, 2017

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Spoke too soon – it is back to snow and winter

| February 25, 2017

Last night while posting about the shockingly mild February 2017 and “hinting” at the front rolling in, the change came. Nothing major, but definitely not 77 degree! After the sunrise, the gray sky move from west to east brought a late morning snow shower just to remind me that it is still winter — put […]

A little SNOW country #humor

| January 22, 2017

Really just a filler post since we were in snow country this weekend for my mother-in-laws funeral. The “more realistic than we care to admit” chart is just a bit of humor that will likely have you nodding your head no matter where you live. Winter weather reactions definitely differs depending where you are located.

Quick snowfall test video from Panasonic Lumix GX8

| January 5, 2017

A little snow arrived today (maybe 2-3″), so while waiting for the follow-up call on our new furnaces in the afternoon, I shot a 10 second video and encoded with Handbrake to cellphone size for web streaming. Quality is still decent, but not the HD video that the Lumix GX8 is capable of.  

The snow is starting … says the Raspberry Pi GarageCam

| December 13, 2016

Morning … Afternoon…

Spring weather is fickle — cold and snow or sunny and warm

| April 17, 2016

What a difference a week can make come April here in Cincinnati. Last Saturday we woke up to snow (backyard photo below) and this weekend after cutting grass Friday night has the grass green and tulips blooming yesterday morning.  Instead of shoveling snow that means yardwork and time to think about spring cleanup. Also wanted […]

A peaceful morning snow — in black and white

| February 9, 2016

A bit of overnight snow freshened the air, quieted the surroundings and made the morning commutes in southwest Ohio a little more interesting. Although I tweaked the early morning backyard photo since is was still dark (click photo for larger), I enjoyed remembering what it was like to work in tonal photography – it has […]

First nasty winter drive of 2016 was not too bad

| January 14, 2016

This weeks trip back and forth from SW Ohio to NE Ohio was the first with slippery road and winter snow in 2016. There are sure to be a few more winter days this year, but glad to already be into mid-January. This drive was also the first winter driving for the BMW X5 35d. […]

Clearing snow again and again this February weekend

| February 22, 2015

  As predicted, we pick up our share of snow in the Cincinnati area on Saturday. I was hoping to make it through the winter without having to put the chains and snowblower on the old John Deere, but realized Friday night that it was not to be. Thankfully all operated as it was suppose […]

Music and weather: Dave Loggins 1974 – Please Come to Boston

| February 20, 2015

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An update on my dad and checking the weather

| February 16, 2015

On a personal update, my Dad is doing a better with a bit of supervision and improved eating and sleeping habits … thanks to my brother Ron and his wife Claire. The last couple weeks instead of living alone at home, they have moved him in with them temporarily (we’ll see?) in order to get […]

So much for cheering on global warming. Winter has arrived.

| November 17, 2014

I was hoping the global warming climate change gurus were right … and that at least those of use living in the midwest would have a little longer autumns and milder winters. Just joking, if you are planning to remind me just how serious an issue climate change is. Nevertheless, winter weather has arrived in […]

Snow and cold in the upper midwest, but still mild in Cincinnati

| November 10, 2014

One of the highlights for parents who have “some” technological prowess is that we can stay in touch with our children no matter where they are living and working. Between instant cellphone, emails and text messages with our kids, Taylor, Katelyn and Drew, we also enjoy sharing photos and Facetime calls even for small things. […]

The winter that will not end adds another inch of snow

| April 15, 2014

From weekend spring brush clearing to snow. It doesn’t look as if the 2013-1024 winter wants to leave? I was out feeding Tootsie this Tuesday morning in just a sweatshirt, and although it wasn’t necessarily springtime warm, it wasn’t really “wintery cold” either. The fresh overnight snow was wet enough for packing so it gave […]

As the song goes: It’s beginning to look a lot like Easter …

| March 26, 2014

Ok … so I have the holidays confused, but then so does Mother Nature. While driving around on Tuesday afternoon the squalls started and figured it was a perfect opportunity for an animated GIF. We can’t seem to shake off winter.   I expect to see a few flurries when I’m in northeast Ohio (had […]

Valentine’s Day and winter in the eastern half of the U.S.

| February 15, 2014

  OK … enough already! Winter continues to blast most of us in the east and has been particularly brutal for those in the SE generally immune to heavyt ice and snow. Here in Cincinnati we’ve had our share of cold weather and a lot more snow than usual … and it has even been […]

Winter daze and contemplating more Encore projects

| February 13, 2014

Winter seems to be dragging on this year perhaps because it started earlier and has not let up. The “daze” have been colder and snowier than usual without the usual intermission of warmth and melt. It is notable that even in Cincinnati snow plow companies have adopted the practice of piling the snow in parking […]

More snow and more ice. When will this winter end?

| February 5, 2014

The winter of 2014 has been one of the colder and snowier in southwestern Ohio that I can remember (although we had some snow in 2010). In previous years, putting the snow blower on the old John Deere 330 was almost optional, but this year it has been used and abused more that any since […]

Winter has arrived. The rain turned to ice and is now snow.

| December 6, 2013

Tried posting a photo to the blog on my way home from Cleveland on Thursday night, but the WordPress Postie plug-in failed to cooperate. The thursday night rain (left) gave way to ice and now snow (below the break).  Forecast: A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 1 am EST Saturday for SW Ohio. […]

Opened the pool this weekend … before the snow started

| March 24, 2013

I took advantage of a nice Saturday afternoon to open the pool before the snow started on Sunday. I’m adding water at the moment and am watching the snow at the moment … maybe I should take a swim? I’ve finally got the hang of closing with the right chemistry which makes turning things on […]

Rip roaring a rally car on the snow covered Alps

| March 15, 2012

The Top Gear crew filmed a Peugeot 207 S 2000 racing down the snow covered twists and turns near the ski resort Ravascletto (Monte Zoncolan in the Alps). The video below displays some pretty impressive driving with drifting and high speeds by the 6 time Italian rally champion Paolo Andreucci. Beautiful scenery that … debatably […]

Winter is finally here with a little snow and colder weather

| January 14, 2012

I’m thankful for the mild weather so far this year and it’s not realistic to think we’ll make it through winter without snow or cold weather. Still, waking up on Friday to 35 mph gusts and temps in the teens was a shock to the body as I haven’t adapted to winter yet, have you?  […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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