WATCHING THEM FLY OVER IN THE NIGHT SKY, I THOUGHT, HOW STRANGE

A LARGE SHIP AT THE GODERICH GRAIN TERMINAL THIS MORNING

After my phone call to Aunt Jean Friday night, (she's doing okay) I hopped into the car and headed out to my new favorite stargazing spot on Tower Hill Road.  Had I had the forethought to check the night sky before leaving, I might not have gone.  It had been a clear sunny day, so I figured it would be a clear dark night.  Not so, silly me.  Stepping out of the car at my site, I was disappointed to see a hazy cloud cover obscuring large sections of the sky and especially along the horizon in all directions.  However, directly above me, visibility was relatively good, and looking up, I immediately spotted a satellite coming out of the northwest heading southeast.  And then, I saw another satellite following about 30 seconds behind the first satellite, and on the same track heading in the same direction.  About 30 seconds later, I saw another one, same thing.  Then I saw another one, and as I stood there counting, a total of 17 satellites passed overhead, each about 30 seconds apart and in single file.  I don't know how many I may have missed at the beginning of that satellite string.  Watching them fly over in the night sky, I thought how strange, until I remembered a string of much closer together satellites I saw last summer.  These were most likely Starlink satellites I was seeing tonight.  From the internet....'A Starlink satellite train is a temporarily, visible formation of SpaceX satellites seen as a line of lights shortly after a launch. These closely grouped satellites are in a low-Earth orbit and are illuminated by the sun when the ground below is dark, making them visible. You can spot these trains a few days after a launch, typically at twilight, by tracking them on websites like Space or Find Starlink.' While watching these go over, I saw five other satellites going in various different directions which made a total of 22 satellites, and the most I've ever seen in such a short 10 minute time frame.  I also saw three aircraft, and two Iridium flares while there.  An Iridium flare is a bright flash of light caused by sunlight reflecting off the polished antennas of iridium communication satellites. These flares can be surprisingly bright, even reaching magnitudes of -8, which is brighter than Venus. They are predictable and can be observed by anyone with a clear view of the night sky and some basic knowledge of when and where to look. 

 THE BULK CARRIER BLACKY BUILT IN CHINA SAILS UNDER THE FLAG OF CYPRUS

Al's Music Box;))  Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two buddies are fishing, but they haven’t caught anything all day. Then, another fisherman walks by with a huge load of fish. They ask him "excuse me, but where did you get all those fish?" The other fisherman replies,” If you just go down the stream until the water isn't salty, there are a ton of hungry fish." They thank him and go on their way. 15 minutes later, one fisherman says to the other "fill the bucket up with water and see if the water is salty." He dips the bucket in the stream and drinks some. "Nope. Still salty." 30 minutes later, he asks him to check again. "Nope, still salty." One our later they check again. "Nope. Still salty." "This isn't good," the fisherman finally says. "We have been walking for almost two hours, and the water is still salty!" "I know," says the other. "And the bucket is almost empty!"

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True hospitality is making your guests feel like they ARE at home...... all the while you really wish they WERE at home!

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Q) Why did the policeman ticket the ghost on Halloween?
A) It didn’t have a haunting license.

Q) What are a ghost’s favorite rides at the fair?
A) The scary-go-round and rollerghoster!

Q) Why couldn’t the ghost see its mom and dad?
A) Because they were trans-parents!

Q) Which ghost is the best dancer?
A) The Boogie Man!

Q) Why do ghosts like to ride in elevators?
A) It raises their spirits.

Q) What do you get if you cross Bambi with a ghost?
A)Bamboo.

Q) Why don’t ghosts like rain on Halloween?
A) It dampens their spirits!

Q) What part of a house do ghosts and spirits avoid?
A) The living room.

Q) Why are ghosts such terrible liars?
A) Because you can see right through them.

Q) How did the little ghost learn to play the piano?
A) By using sheet music

Q) Why did the ghost go into the bar?
A) For the Boos.

Q) Where does a ghost go on vacation?
A) Mali-boo.
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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery

AND, TO ANY BLOG READERS IN MY AREA

 THIS IS AN iPHONE PHOTO AT MY WALKING SPOT THIS MORNING

After posting Thursday night's post, and with daylight hours steadily becoming shorter, I barely made it out to my walking spot before Old Sol had dipped below the horizon.  After my walk, I followed a familiar route as of late, which led me over to the tall Eastlink tower on Tower Line Road.  Stopped for a bit, gazing over the countryside as dusk slowly settled over the land. To the east, I can see for five or six miles (further with binoculars) and to the south, about three miles.  I like to sit here listening to my soft music, and the crickets outside my window, while seeing all the red blinking lights on the horizon from the communication towers and wind turbines in the far distance.  And, I like to watch for the first visible stars and constellations appearing.  It is a favorite spot of mine now, and it brings me peace and quiet thoughts when there as late evening quietly slides into night.

 HEADING TO MY FAVORITE 'QUIET' SPOT NOW ATOP THE HILL iPHONE PIC

Another sunny and beautiful late August morning.  A slight northerly breeze remains from yesterday so it was a might fine walk I had this morning.  I could have gone for a leisurely country drive after my walk, but my heart wasn't into it, so I came home.  Spent the rest of the morning puttering around in the yard until shortly before noon, when the humidity drove me inside.  My on-and-off puttering continued through the afternoon, but at a rather slow pace.

WHEN ALL THESE BEAN LEAVES TURN FROM GREEN TO YELLOW, THE BEANFIELD CAN BE HARVESTED

 THERE IS A LITTLE BEE ON THE LOWER LEFT FLOWER

With Kelly's room looking so bare now, I scrounged around today looking for things to hang on the wall hooks in her room just to give it a feeling of her presence.  I'm feeling better about it now as I add a picture here, a wall hanging there, a colorful vase on her desk, a colorful comforter on her bed, etc.  I had previously thought I might take everything out of this room and use it as a storage area.  I've changed my mind on that thought and her room will now remain as you see it here..................

 I HAVE KELLY'S ROOM LOOKING BETTER NOW WITH SOME ADDITIONS OF COLOR AND THINGS

And, to any readers in my area, if you know of a middle-aged, medium to small-sized doggy in need of a good home, I'd sure be interested in hearing from you.  I can be found at stargeezerguy@gmail.com.  

 OUR BACK YARD IS A QUIET AND COZY PLACE

Al's Music Box:)) Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson.  For me, this is always a 'feeling good' song, and I especially like the short instrumental section towards the end.  I would always crank the volume for this:))

 WOODSY TOOK THIS PICTURE OF ME LAST WEEK ON BAYFIELD'S SOUTH PIER

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A Chinese Doctor can't find a job in a Hospital in the US, so he opens his own clinic and puts a sign  outside,'GET TREATMENT FOR $20 - IF NOT CURED GET BACK $100.' A local lawyer thinks this is a great opportunity to earn $100 and goes to the clinic......

Lawyer: 'I have lost my sense of taste.'
Chinese: 'Nurse, bring medicine from box No. 22 and put 3 drops in patient's mouth.'
Lawyer: 'Ugh. this is kerosene.'
Chinese: 'Congrats, your sense of taste is restored. Give me $20.'
The annoyed lawyer goes back after a few days to recover his money.
Lawyer: 'I have lost my memory. I cannot remember anything.'
Chinese: 'Nurse, bring medicine from box no. 22 and put 3 drops in his mouth.'
Lawyer (annoyed): 'This is kerosene. You gave this to me last time for restoring my taste.'
Chinese: 'Congrats. You got your memory back. Give me $20.'
The fuming lawyer pays him, and then comes back a week later determined to get back $100.
Lawyer: 'My eyesight has become very weak I can't see at all.'
Chinese: 'Well, I don't have any medicine for that, so take this $100.'
Lawyer (staring at the note): 'But this is $20, not $100!!'
Chinese: 'Congrats, your eyesight is restored. Give me $20'

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The husband and wife were playing on the ninth green when she collapsed from a heart attack. "Please dear, I need help," she said. The husband ran off saying, "I'll go get some help." A little while later, he returned, picked up his club, and began to line up his shot on the green. His wife, on the ground, raised up her head and said, "I'm may be dying and you're putting?" "Don't worry dear. I found a doctor on the second hole who said he would come and help." "The second hole??? When in the hell is he coming???" "Hey! I told ya not to worry." he said, practice stroking his putt. "Everyone's already agreed to let him play through."

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery