Why December Has The Longest Days

MinutePhysics explains why the holiday season is more complicated than you might think.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Scale, Or: Bottlebrush

This week’s photo challenge is all about scaling, so I took this close-up of a bottlebrush plant. These are normally quite small, but they look amazing (if a bit bizarre) up close. For reference (and to mess with the perspective), there’s a car parked just out of focus.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Express Yourself, Or: Winter Rose

This week’s challenge is all about expressing yourself. I remember this photo I took a little while ago; it’s a beautiful rose exposed to the winter elements. It’s a reminder to strive hard and fully live, even when it’s difficult to do so.

Daily Prompt: Autumn Remnant

Today’s Daily Prompt asks for the last photo you took, and the story behind it. Well, it’s the middle of January, and most of the trees around here are bare. However, there are some out back that still haven’t given in to the ravages of time. I looked out the window and was struck at how beautiful and colorful the fallen leaves were. It also reminded me of a certain song…

Weekly Photo Challenge: Warmth, Or: Winter In The Backyard

This week’s challenge calls for something warm, and the afternoon sun here in the Bay Area is definitely a welcome source of heat. The recent rain has been rather kind to the countryside as well…

Soundtrack Saturdays: Donkey Kong Country – Ice Cave Chant

With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to find a video game song to fit the season. Last year, I went with the iconic “Phendrana Drifts” from Metroid Prime. Many games have snow-themed levels, but finding one with a good song is a little trickier. The Flanoir theme from Tales of Symphonia was a close choice this time, but I decided to go with Donkey Kong Country again. There are actually two winter themes; the “Northern Hemispheres” track is much better known and more atmospheric, but the “Ice Cave Chant” is far more upbeat. The brief melody in the middle only hints at the underlying danger and difficulty of its stage.

If you want more Donkey Kong Country, you can find the full OST here.

Good gaming, good music.

BRB, Going To Hawaii…Again!

Hey, folks. Happy Thanksgiving! Things are going to be a little quieter on the blog this week, because I’m heading out to Hawaii in just a bit. If you recall, I went to Maui back in May. This time, I’ll be headed to the Big Island itself. I expect to have lots of adventures, and to take tons of awesome photos! If you want to stay in touch, my Twitter will still be working. Have great, safe holiday. Take care of yourselves and those you care about. I’ll be back soon!

Where Do Birds Go In Winter?

You probably already know, but it’s more complicated than you might think. Joe at  It’s Okay To Be Smart breaks it down.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Minimalist, Or: Unlit Candle

This week’s challenge is all about minimalism, something which my photo collection surprisingly lacks. Until I find something better, here’s a candle currently decorating my entry hall.

Valentine’s Sunset