Winter Sunset

Sun came out briefly before sunset. It was glorious. Picked up .08" of drizzle. It drizzled even when I was taking these pictures except for when the skies briefly parted (the 3rd shot).

No Sun

Another day of no sun -- just high clouds that became slightly lower when the drizzles started.

Bringing rainfall totals current: The rain gauge appears to be working again (well, at least this week). Received 3.24 inches of rain since I last updated -- bringing the total rainfall since October 1st to 40.42 inches as of yesterday.

Feeling Good Again

Robert Earl Keen -- Feeling Good Again.

So am I.

Bug

Sorry for the lack of posts -- been fighting a tummy bug. This was Tuesday's sunset. Weather dood said clear skies (sun!) for the next couple of days but those clear skies mean cold nights. Looking forward to feeling better and a few days of sunshine.

As always, click on the photo to see full size.

Ruff Nite

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Pretty much says it all.

Balls Beer For Healthcare

Ball Beer For Healthcare. Maybe this will show the D's how its done.

WooHoo!

Color instead of gray at sunset.

Ahhhhhh.

Rain Behind The Spit

It was raining behind the spit Thursday toward sunset. The skies had finally cleared about an hour before and I thought I would have a chance to see the sunset. The skies were a fabulous blue. As I waited for sunset, the clouds behind the spit darkened, grew in height, and swallowed the sun. As with all pictures I post, if you click on the photo, you get to see the picture much larger. You can then sosrta see the rain falling behind the spit on the right side of the photo.

The rain gauge portion of my outdoor sensor is getting very wonky. It has served me well but is definitely on its last legs. *sigh* Jen got me this weather system many years ago as a Christmas present (she gives the best gifts!). I was living at the cabin and had been recording rain using one of those tube gauges out on the deck. Since it could only hold 6" of rainfall before overflowing, I got wet quite a few times quickly checking the rainfall amount before emptying it, replacing it in its holder, and then scurrying back inside. This automated battery operated rain/outdoor temperature gauge has been wonderfully reliable (and kept me drier).

I'm thinking of getting an automated 'professional' weather system that includes a rain gauge, wind gauge, barometer, humidity, indoor/outdoor temps, etc (and is sturdy enough to withstand Oregon winters). There are several that are out there and I don't know enough to make an informed choice. Still have a lot of research to do but I do know that I want to be able to upload the info into either Weather Underground or Weather Bug. Then I could have my own icon for weather here on Netarts Bay over in the left hand side bar instead of that one for Tillamook. Gotta figure out which software (they use different programs) works well with which systems, and of course, the wifi and my computer.

Been real busy at FireDogLake so I've not gotten out much this week. Was able to make a quick run into Tillamook Wednesday to grab the essentials but next week I will need to do some serious grocery shopping and stocking up.

I'll get the updated rainfall totals figured out and hope to have them posted soon. The winds have calmed down, as has the high surf. Was enjoying watching the occasional breakers' spray above the spit this week. Hope to get up on Cape Lookout soon and take some pictures of the spit and the Pacific.

Spray Above The Spit

That is not a white cloud above the spit -- tis spray from the high surf action going on on the other (Pacific) side. Waves are crashing against the spit and the spray was visible above it today. Haven't seen it before but then again, I wasn't looking for it during prior High Surf Advisories. Sure will be looking for it in the future. Was way cool to watch the spray rise up and then dissipate. Sorry it is not as clear as it should be -- was pretty close to max'd out on the zoom.

Got windy last night. Highest gusts recorded around me was gusts of 83 mph at both Garibaldi (at the mouth of Tillamook Bay) and Cape Meares. Picked up a total of .40 inches of rain last night. Not a big rainy storm -- twas a windstorm with some rain.

Starting to rain sideways. Guess round two is arriving.

Misty

Twas a misty and foggy gray day here on the bay. Could barely see the spit through the mist when I took this. Twas a day spent watching the spit (and the trees on the far point) fade in and out of the fog. Sound is dampened down so the roar of the ocean is muted when it could be heard at all.

Picked up 2.16 inches of rain, the majority of that coming in Friday. Total annual rainfall since October 1st is 37.18 inches.

Another storm coming in tonight but the one to watch is forecast to hit tomorrow night. Weather doods have already issued a high wind watch for the coast. How it tracks up the coast and where it comes ashore will determine how strong the winds will be. Winds will be coming up from the south so that hill I'm tucked into on the north ain't gonna offer much protection (laughing). Luckily I've got Cape Lookout to the south and am hoping that offers some deflection of the winds and I end up in the wind shadow for the worst of it.

Since everything is coming up from the south tis a warm storm -- currently 48 outside and not likely to get down past the low 40's at all tonight.

Wind On The Bay

Took this short video this afternoon. I love watching the wind blowing towards me. The way the wind wave moves...

A fine day to stay inside, lounging about in fleece and warm socks, while the wind and occasional rain shower blow by. Was able to tinker with the rain gauge and believe I have it working again (whew). Had to use the Tillamook Airport totals (usually less than what I get here on the bay) for yesterday through this afternoon. That amount was 1.23 inches yesterday and 0.35 today at the time I got the gauge working again. Since then, I've gotten 0.28 inches for a grand total of 1.86 inches since I last recorded.

Total rainfall to date from October 1st is 35.02 inches.

Decompressing

Been decompressing the past couple of days. I was so tired after Saturday's book salon and then hosting my regular Late Late Night post, I was in bed shortly before 1 am (a rarity). Sunday I drove over the Coast Range to Jen's, where we celebrated our delayed Christmas. It was so good to see her and Mike -- ya can tell by the way they look at each other how much they love each other.

Today I had another dental tweaking. I'm still having some gagging problems (but not as bad as I originally did). We are hopeful that it will continue to improve with time. Dr. A said I am healing well but still a little ways to go until that side of my mouth is completely healed and tweaked the right side around one sore spot by a former back molar. I've not had any troubles with the plate on the left side of my mouth -- those teeth were pulled over the summer. Fit hasn't had to be tweaked at all on that side which makes me confident the right side will settle down soon. I go back again in two weeks.

Afterwards, I had a way-overdue haircut in town. Hair is back above my ears and not so shaggy on my face -- woohoo. Finally got the kitchen back into shape -- I had sorely neglected my chores last week and it feels good to have things put back into order. Still gotta do the laundry tho (laughing) but the rain has convinced me to wait until after this storm passes before I venture up and down the stairs carrying a full laundry basket each trip.

Was under another high wind watch last night which has expired. There is still a high surf advisory and its raining pretty steady tonight. When I posted Saturday nite, I neglected to include the rainfall totals -- at that point I had received an additional 1.62 inches. So far today, I've received .70 inches, bringing the year to date total to 33.16 inches since October 1st.

Token has been spending most of this winter under the wood stove or next to one side of it. Bailey cat is usually laying on the other side of the stove (laughing) or curled up on the back of a chair on the other side of the room. Bailey is now 6 and Token will be 5 next month. For being such little critters, they sure do own a big chunk of my heart.

Whew

The FireDogLake Book Salon went well. Here's the link -- go check it out.

I was so nervous -- twas my first time hosting and such a serious topic. Thank goodness for the help and coordination by Bev Wright and the best-behaved readers and commenters on the net.

Ethan Brown wrote a great book -- be sure to check out Shake The Devil Off.

Shout

Hallelujah -- the Book Salon post is written and ready to go.



The Beatles -- Shout.

Apologies

Sorry for the lack of posts. I have been reading, researching, and writing in preparation for hosting FireDogLake's Book Salon this Saturday at 2pm (Pacific):

Shake the Devil Off: A True Story of the Murder that Rocked New Orleans

Chat with Ethan Brown about his new book. Hosted by Suzanne.

From the Amazon page for the book (the title link above):

A charismatic young soldier meets a tragic end in this moving and mesmerizing account of the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, and no-safety-net America

Zackery Bowen was thrust into two of America’s largest recent debacles. He was one of the first soldiers to encounter the fledgling insurgency in Iraq. After years of military service he returned to New Orleans to tend bar and deliver groceries. In the weeks before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, he met Addie Hall, a pretty and high-spirited bartender. Their improvised, hard-partying endurance during and after the storm had news outlets around the world featuring the couple as the personification of what so many want to believe is the indomitable spirit of New Orleans.

But in October 2006, Bowen leaped from the rooftop bar of a French Quarter hotel. A note in his pocket directed the police to the body of Addie Hall. It was, according to NOPD veterans, one of the most gruesome crimes in the city’s history. How had this popular, handsome father of two done this horrible thing?

Journalist Ethan Brown moved from New York City to the French Quarter in order to investigate this question. Among the newsworthy elements in the book is Brown’s discovery that this tragedy—like so many others—could have been avoided if the military had simply not, in the words of Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, “absolutely and completely failed this soldier.” Shake the Devil Off is a mesmerizing tribute to these lives lost.

Ethan Brown has written for New York magazine, The New York Observer, Wired, Vibe, The Independent, GQ, Rolling Stone, Details, The Guardian, and The Village Voice, among other publications. He is the author of two previous books, Queens Reigns Supreme and Snitch. He lives with his wife in New Orleans. (Amazon.com)

I hope to resume my regular posting schedule after the book salon. Stop by FireDogLake on Saturday to see the fruits of my labor.

A Non-Sun Sun Break

Storm came in last night -- so far I've picked up 3.26 inches and it looks like the majority of the rain has fallen. The heavy bands appear to have moved east and the rain isn't drumming as loud on the windows. Yearly rainfall total so far of 30.86 inches. Still getting whipped by the wind making tonight a dark stormy night here on the coast.

Took this picture yesterday shortly after the clock said sunset had passed. The clouds parted just enough for a wee bit of color before the evening's darkness descended -- I would have called it a sun break but the sun was already gone.

Been busy trying to finish a book before Saturday's FDL Book Salon. A good day for reading but I haven't been able to sit and read as much today as I hoped. My landlady and I went out to dinner tonight -- my first attempt eating in public with the upper plate. A said that my nervousness and awkwardness wasn't noticeable to anyone other than myself and swore up and down that I am the only one that can hear a 'whistle' when I pronounce "S" sounds.

Weather dood said rain likely off and on all week but is forecasting Thursday to be partly cloudy instead of the solid overcast and gray that it has been lately. Looking forward to the hopes of more color at sunset.

Hippo Gnu Deer

Wind blew over my rain collection station so my rain totals are all forked up. Had a hella time getting the fire to start today -- there was a huge downdraft blowing down the chimney that kept blowing smoke into the room. Once I finally got the flue heated the smoke started going up instead of out :)

Uprighted my rain station but the screen cover is probably somewhere in Kansas. I had 2.62 inches of rainfall when I went to bed last night -- no data for today but the airport in Tillamook received 0.72 inches so far today. Not an accurate reading for here -- I usually get more rain then they do but it will have to do. Rainfall total so far for the New Year's storm is 3.34 inches bringing the year to date total of 27.60 inches since October 1st.

No picture up top -- too windy out there and there really isn't much to see -- everything is gray, wet, and wind whipped. Wind gusts in the 20's and 30's -- a great day to stay inside with the fire blazing (finally) and Token curled up on my lap. He still doesn't like the wind but has finally stopped barking at it.

Hippo Gnu Deer -- I can't believe I've had over 25,000 visitors since starting this wee little blog. Thanks to all that take time to stop by and a special thanks to those who say howdy in the comments.