Quandary

Funny how things turn. I might have heard this from Cavalleria Rusticana somewhere, sometime in passing on a classical station but it didn't register until Scorsese used it in Raging Bull. Enthralling piece of music. It's a brilliant day but indoor activities mostly. Housekeeping. LOL I got done what I needed to do and got in the vehicle to go for coffee.

The radio came on with the overture of this opera... the Metropolitan broadcast. I've been listening to it all the way through. Exquisite. I think it's all Mascagni is known for, unlike Puccini who's got so many renowned operas. My Italian stops with capisce? My mother-in-law was an opera soprano... does she need to be exed as well?

Got all the photos caught up. Need to do housekeeping there too. Back ups. Organization. One master file of original shots. Then all the subfiles of processed images. When I was taking film photos, tried to do the same with negatives and prints - usually kept in shoeboxes.

This turned out pretty good from one of the apps on the phone. You just have to feel your way through them as there aren't any instructions or tutorials. You can tweak it too much.

Now, the matter is - shall I watch football?
I may as I do things around the house.
How's that? No dogs in hunt. Ho-hum.

Well, the fat lady has sung but the show goes on! 
They're doing highlights of Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci too. 
Precious. OK, you clowns; we've got work to do.

Clear the Air

Did take a ride up towards Lake Pleasant. 
You can see a sliver of it.
We are in saguaro country. 
I am watching for hawks.

There are none. No wildlife whatsoever evident. What else to look for? Same old. They say it takes 70 years for a saguaro to grow arms. These look about that. Many nearby are older. Looking for the oldest one.

Took a bunch of ubiquitous shots but will do the up in this oil effect in a series. Should keep me occupied. Still have pictures of cloudy mountains to process too.

This turned out pretty good. Shadows.
Stark coloration.  Soft detail. Print it!

Here I wanted layers of texture.

Getting the tumble weeds just right.

Many shots the other day after the rain.
Low ceiling, much cloud movement.

This one leading up to Piestewa Trail
just about the best of them. Rich.

First Bloom

'Tis a splendid day out there, all tempest past, the clouds gone. I wonder if the Bradshaws or Mazatzals got dusted... don't think it was cold enough. Thought for a moment to take a ride but need to do oil change. Frankly, I'm just fine where I am on my arse. But have to get moving soon.

The rain has got the ground charged. We need more. Where the sun is peeking over the eave on the northern exposue, oleanders beginning to bloom. What am I going to do? Stay here or get to Oregon?

Precipatory

After getting into the vehicle after the test, I felt like driving on and on way out of town, where I stop nobody knows. But didn't. Maybe take a ride over the weekend. Drove up a hill over Lincoln Drive on the way to mountain park for hike. Took this.

Good rain last night. Clouds still moving through but I figure it's done raining. Went on to take shots of cloudplay on the ridges. Bible study this evening. Need a nap. 

We Rolllin'

Isn't this what bloggers do, detailing their thrilling lives? Well, there is some drama here. Will the warranty cover? The manager said something about the diagnostics, that 'maybe' it's something else making the catalytic converter go out. Sounds like 'building the sale' as they are wont to do.

Midas was recommended two years ago because the part needs to be welded correctly to the exhaust system. I had the same problem 15 years ago. When I had it checked they said it wasn't installed correctly by the garage mechanic who did the initial work. If it's not one thing... always something.

I'm just whiling away the time until they let me know what's going on. I mean to get through emission Friday. Will change the oil and filters tomorrow. The way it stands with the test is all they do is plug you into the diagnostic telemetry. They don't test the exhaust itself. Hope it all expedites.

Once had a conversation with a pastor about this sort of thing. How does one 'pray over' such an instance. That was about praying that the air conditioner held up during the long summer of a lean season. Is it superstitious? To think that God will suspend the realities of wear and tear in one's favor. Well, Heavenly Father... see me through, please, with a minimum of expense. I just need to get through emissions.

It all sounds silly but the Red Sea parted, the sun stood still and the loaves and fishes. Is it vain? I think so. Better to have God's help to have the provisions to deal with circumstances.

The drama unfolds. After the simple diagnostic read, I'm told it isn't the catalytic converter causing the 'check engine' light to go on. He needs to do a full diagnosis - $100 up front, half credited after work done. He suspects it's a sensor. The gas mixture is running lean. 

OK. No charge so far. I ask if I can have the indicator light turned off and try to get through emissions; you definitely will fail if it's on. He says he can but doesn't know whether the indication will remain in the vehicle's memory causing a fail as well.

I decide to take a chance. I can get the problem solved later when I have better cash flow. So I head on over to the inspection station directly. Hasn't cost me anything. If I fail, I've got two weeks to get it fixed.

High drama now as I go through the process. Some little tension. I pass. Praise God. Thank You, Jesus!

Patch of Blue

Was that an album? Or a movie? Ah, yes... A film. Sidney Poitier. Blind girlfriend. (Get the message?) Fairly decent soundtrack. Quite a ways back.

Right now, clouds all about. Going to rain. We could use it. Except to grocery store, didn't go out today. Finishing the de Gaulle book. Have skipped about quite a bit, jumping ahead to the Algerian crisis. (Another good film.) He saw himself as the embodiment of French grandeur, but his daughter had Down's Sydrome and that humbled and humanized him in his affection for her. I remember when he came over for the JFK funeral; marching the procession. He was quite impressed with Jackie after state visit the previous year.

Some germane information about how the former French colonies in Southeast Asia - Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, looked to the United States in guaranteeing their nascent independence after the French were utterly spent and defeated in the 50s. At home and abroad, the French politicians sought to keep the communists out of government. What they installed in their wake did so, the subversive activity persisting led to our involvement.

I've got a bunch of books downloaded but maybe a movie tonight. I started watching this but got bored. I like Branagh but they all seem to be going through the motions. Might finish it. 75% of movies are lousy. I've got no patience with them. Over the past 20 years, between VCRs to Netflicks to downloads, I've just about seen everything in the cinematic library.

Brilliant

The last of autumn leaves are falling as the sun heads back to it's zenith. Nothing else happening as the rest of creation recycles. I layed back a few moments and just was. What am I to do? Eh... wouldn't worry about it.

Had a thought to go to a Blues showcase this evening but do not wish to complicate my life. If I had a tune in mind presently, this would be it.