STANDING ON A COUNTRY ROAD IN MY PAJAMAS AND HOUSECOAT UNDER A COLD NIGHT SKY

So it was 10:45 last night and there I was in my pajamas and house coat about a mile from home standing on a country road under a cold night sky.  Kelly and Pheebs didn't even know I had left the house.  Oh geezzz, was I running away from home??  Nope, a friend had just sent me a picture of the Aurora Borealis solar storm and I suddenly remembered hearing something about a serious solar flare happening this weekend.  Not being able to see much here in the pine forest and despite being dressed for bed I quickly slipped out the door, hopped into the Subaru, and headed out into the countryside east of our Park to have a look.  I could see the green and burgundy Northern Lights stretching up out of the north and flaring right up over my head and a touch southward.  Not the most spectacular Northern Lights I have ever seen but still very impressive. I thought to myself, 'I hope a police car doesn't come along, pull over, and ask me what I'm doing standing on the road in my pajamas and housecoat with untied shoes, and no socks'!! I took a few shakey pics (I forgot to take my tripod) which aren't the best but I've included them anyway to demonstrate something. 

 THIS IS CLOSE TO HOW MY EYES SAW THE BRIGHTNESS AND COLOR OF THE SOLAR STORM....THE ORANGE COLOR BLOB AT BOTTOM LEFT IS A FARM ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY AND THE WHITE DOT IN THE SKY IS THE MOON

 THIS IS WHAT THE SKY LOOKED LIKE AFTER USING MY PHOTO EDITING PROGRAM TO LIGHTEN THE SKY A TOUCH AND ADD SOME 'CONTRAST' TO BRING OUT THE COLORS

 HERE'S SOMETHING FROM MICHIGAN WEATHER TO EXPLAIN THE SOLAR COLORS

For me, it was all systems go this morning with no disturbing or distracting aches and pains.  A true but temporary bonus now for so many of us at this stage in these aging days.

A RAINY MORNING ALONG BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

A cloudy wet and rainy Saturday morning but at least the temperature was at 52F instead of Friday morning when it was 43F.  However, with all the moisture in the air, it felt cold and damp all day.  Regardless, Pheebs and I followed the Jeep's windshield wipers into Bayfield and back for a short Jeep ride.  Home again, I fired up our little gas stove in the sunroom and mainly spent the rest of the day tipped back in my recliner reading.  Thank heavens for my reading hobby or I would have been climbing the walls because it pretty much rained for the rest of the day.  And, at publishing time tonight....it's still raining.  Needless to say, with the thick cloud cover over us there will be no seeing the solar storm phenomenon tonight:((

DESPITE THE POURING RAIN, THIS HARDY FISHERMAN ON BAYFIELD'S SOUTH PIER WASN'T GIVING UP

BOATS ARE BEGINNING TO FILL UP THE BOAT DOCKING AREA ALONG THE BAYFIELD RIVER

Al's Music Box:)) Born Free was written for the 1966 film of the same name and won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song.  The song's composers, John Barry and Don Black, asked British singer Matt Monro, who was managed by Black at the time, to record the song for the film's soundtrack. The producers of the film considered the song uncommercial, however, and deleted it from the print shown at its Royal Command premiere in London. When Monro, who attended the event, made Black aware of the edit, they successfully lobbied the producers to restore it. Monro's interpretation appeared over the closing credits in a shortened version recorded especially for the film, which enabled it to qualify for the Academy Award. Monro's complete commercial recording was released on the film's soundtrack album and became the singer's signature tune for the remainder of his career.

 I NEONIZED THIS LOWER ARM AND HAND REACHING DOWN OUT OF LAST NIGHT'S SKY..... IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY SHAKEY THROW AWAY SHOT I TOOK OF THE HALF MOON

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Throughout the centuries, mothers have been given their children plenty of good advice and notable quotes. Here's just a small sampling:

PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER: "I don't care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!"

MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY'S MOTHER: "I don't mind you having a garden, Mary, but does it have to be growing under your bed?"

MONA LISA'S MOTHER: "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that's the biggest smile you can give us?"

HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER: "Humpty, If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!"

COLUMBUS' MOTHER: "I don't care what you've discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!"

BABE RUTH'S MOTHER: "Babe, how many times have I told you -- quit playing ball in the house! That's the third broken window this week!"

MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER: "Mike, can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

NAPOLEON'S MOTHER: "All right, Napoleon. If you aren't hiding your report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!"

CUSTER'S MOTHER: "Now, George, remember what I told you -- don't go biting off more than you can chew!"

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER: "Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"

BARNEY'S MOTHER: "I realize strained plums are your favorite, Barney, but you're starting to look a little purple."

MARY'S MOTHER: "I'm not upset that your lamb followed you to school, Mary, but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you."

BATMAN'S MOTHER: "It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?"

GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER: "I've got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"

LITTLE MISS MUFFET'S MOTHER: "Well, all I've got to say is if you don't get off your tuffet and start cleaning your room, there'll be a lot more spiders around here!"

ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER: "But, Albert, it's your senior picture. Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?"

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOTHER: "The next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance good-bye!"

JONAH'S MOTHER: "That's a nice story, but now tell me where you've really been for the last three days."

SUPERMAN'S MOTHER: "Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and we've decided you can have your own telephone line. Now will you quit spending so much time in all those phone booths?"

THOMAS EDISON'S MOTHER: "Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!"

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