Sunset, moonscape and a new weather instrument

Sky Castle has a new anemometer... a wind speed gage.  This model is an Inspeed Vortex 2. Thanks to help from Evan, I was able to get this heavy 30' section of galvanized pipe mounted to my deck.   Spend a good part of the day creating a support for it and then, at dusk, I checked my mail and the anemometer was there.  I HAD to mount it that night.   A High Wind Warning was forecast.   So there we were, me and Evan holding this 50 lb, 30' section of galvanized pipe in a stiff wind in the dark.  It was a challenge but we got it up there.

The height of my anemometer is 39' off the ground, 27' higher than the floor of my deck, just clear of the tree tops.   The World Meteorological Organization has set the international standard height for wind measurement devices at 10 meters (33 feet) above ground, so I'm doing pretty well.  Of course winds from the W/SW are completely unobstructed.  Last night the wind was blowing from east so the readings weren't as high as they would've been if it had been a westerly.  It blew an Adirondack chair off my bluff.

Last night, the Vortex2 got a workout -  the maximum gust recorded was 37.6 mph from the east.

Anemometer mount

Display gage - current/maximum

 The sky brought some amazing beauty again this weekend.   Friday night the near full moon was so intense you could see fog forming in Lost Cove.

The sunset wasn't too shabby either.

Next project - planning to build a screen house with a cone fireplace in a few weeks.   That should be amazing.

Moonscape - Lost Cove

Firewood, snow showers, and sunsets on the mountain

Thanks to a little help from my Dad, I replaced my stolen chainsaw with the best - Stihl MS261 Professional model.  It was the best 18" saw the dealer had on the shelf.

Stihl MS261 - the Mercedes Benz of chainsaws

With the temperatures dipping into the teens Saturday night, I had both my fireplaces cranked (although not at the same time).  My bedroom fireplace really takes the chill out of the air.

Spending nearly $700 on a professional chainsaw and accessories is a little over-kill for my needs, but I had a professional model chainsaw stolen, and I wasn't about to accept a downgrade.  This saw should last me for life.

Saturday, I spent hours cutting and splitting firewood.   It was blustery cold with snow showers.

It was cool watching snow showers blowing through Lost Cove from my perch up in Sky Castle.

Snow shower blowing through Lost Cove, 2-16

The weekend offered some spectacular sunsets and sunrises. Last week I photographed the sunrise so today, I'll offer up a sunset. The sun is setting further north on the horizon and soon it will move behind the ridge.

Painted sky over Lost Cove

Random photos

Just another sunrise from my deck.   Happy Fat Tuesday.
Looking over my shoulder from my bed this morning, I was stunned at the beauty of this morning's sunrise, though I did go back to sleep.

Sky Castle, Sewanee, TN - 2/12

Sewanee house.

Murfreesboro house, kitchen.

Ground hog day 2013 - light snow in Middle TN

A little more beautiful snow this saturday morning.

Winter in the mid-south

What seems like an increasingly rare event... snow in middle TN, just a dusting, maybe an inch before it melted. Typical tumultuous weather pattern... warm 70º tropical air, 4am tornadoes Wednesday morning, then a blast of winter. We had big beautiful flakes falling for over an hour.  Sewanee had 2" predicted but was thwarted again.  The snow missed them and went east.  All schools were cancelled anyway.   That's a southern thing.   It IS cold.  May not get above freezing today.

Full moon weekend

Sunset and the first full moon of the new year.

This house on rugged cliff doth sit. Within, a crackling fire is lit.

Happy birthday to my dear mother.  Happy winter and full moon to all.

Sky Castle art

On this 16th day of January, in the year of our Era, 2013; I hereby christen this noble dwelling, a grand observatory of sun, sky, nature, and the elements as:

Sewanee, Tennessee.

After 3 straight days of cold rain, my foray into the visual arts came to fruition today as I hung my art piece on my castle wall.  It is plywood with a nicely flamed wood grain which is highlighted by a two-tone semi transparent wood stain.   It is triple coated with spar varnish to withstand the elements.  The design is my own, inspired by some similar metal art that I had seen.  It is roughly 9' x 7'.  I thought I could hang it myself but I found it impossible.   Evan Jones came to my rescue, it took us just a few minutes to hang it.  

Long live Sky Castle.

The hearth at Sky Castle

I never get tired of looking at the ever changing fog and clouds in the land down hither.  It's magic. 

Kaleidoscope of clouds on the mountain

A moment in time during the ever changing kaleidoscope of clouds on the mountain on this rainy day.

Peace from Sewanee.

Weather blast

2013's first sounding of the MTSU tornado siren came today with tornado warnings for Rutherford County, TN.  No touchdowns unfortunately, but it did bring a wild end to the 70º+ temperatures we had this week.  Freezing temperatures expected again soon... not looking forward to bringing all my plants in again.

UPDATE:
NWS reports there was a minor tornado (EF-0) in Rutherford County:

"Tornado, reported by NWS storm survey. EF-0 tornado with maximum winds near 85 mph touched down along Floyd Road just southwest of Eagleville. Approximately 100 trees were snapped... and a residence suffered roof and window damage... along the approximate 1.5 mile damage path. Maximum path width was near 100 yards."



  Wild Turkey behavior
My woods serve as home to a flock of wild turkeys.  I don't understand their behavior.  If you were a large, heavy, ungamely bird... where would you go in a severe storm?   Perhaps shelter on the ground under some low lying branches?  No... during the height of the severe storm, in the 50+ mph winds and rain, these big birds perched on the highest branches of my oak trees, faced into the wind, and hung on for dear life.  Maybe they just wanted to 'experience' the storm?  Or maybe they just have very small brains.

What a FUN band!!

The Jake Leg Stompers

They describe themselves as: "Chicken-fried, Pre-war, Hokum-billy Jug Music". Playing blues and old time acoustic music, it's about as fun as it gets. You'll hear fiddle, banjo, tuba, trombone, washboard, spoons, guitar, bass, accordian, jugs, mandolin, great singing, jokes, and then some.

Awesomely fun!!'

France? No...

This is a street in the Bluff Arts district in Chattanooga, by the Hunter Museum on the Tennessee River.

There are some really nice restaurants and cafes in the area.  We ate at Tony's Pasta shop.   They even have a gluten-free pasta menu.

Upon arriving there, there was a large family speaking Italian, I guess a good sign for an Italian restaurant.

Below, a statue of Icarus on the riverbank.  (cell photos, not so good).

Great town, even in the rain.

New Years morning in cloud land

A rainy start to 2013.  Cool, but not cold up on the mountain.  An ever changing kaleidoscope of clouds, sky, and valley.

Champion Cove, Sewanee, TN

January 2 - still fogged in.   I took the above photo through my bedroom window.

Birthday of Kristiano Rafael Yelverton

My brother's son Kris became a dad at 3:31am this Saturday morning.  

The big healthy boy was 9 lbs and 10 oz.  

My dad and Great-grandson

My mom and Great-grandson

Winter hike photos

Photos from a 'snow hike' today in snowy upstate NY.   We got 8 - 9" of snow last night.  It's cold, in the teens tonight.

By the Susquehanne River

Canadian geese on the river

Late night walk in the snow...

In a steady snow tonight, a walk to the river.

Several inches of light and powdery snow down and a steady fine snow coming down like a fog.  My brother created a little winter wonderland with Christmas lights in the back yard. The night sky had just enough light to produce a photo of the river that appears like an impressionistic canvas.

The scene was serene, silent, beautiful.

Today is my parent's 53rd Anniversary and our family awaits the birth of my brother's grandson, Kristiano Rafael.

Christmas in snowy NY - 2012

Christmas photos of the Yelverton clan.   

Yelverton clan - Christmas 2012

Tom's reconstruction of the Conklin house is amazing, and the old family room's woodburning fireplace was restored.  The floor is now heated with pipes as well.  Pretty cozy.  

We're bracing for a major winter storm on Wednesday night.  We could get a foot or more of snow.

Kris and Sabrina are expecting their new son any moment... Kristiano Rafael Yelverton.

I spent some of my Christmas morning on the track at my old highschool (after sweeping a lane clear of snow).

Too many presents!

Sweeping a path to sprint on

Cold on the bluff - Winter Solstice

Very windy and cold on the bluff this weekend before Christmas.  Some gusts reached 50 mph yesterday and there was an occasional snow flurry last night.  The combination of wind and rushing water from recent rains sounded like a roaring train coming from below the bluff last night.   It was truly ominous.

Below is a photo of my first Sewanee Xmas tree, complete with decorations, thoughtfully brought from FL by my Mom.   What would I do with out her?  I love her dearly.

Icicles on my bluff

My first Christmas tree in Sewanee, thanks to my Mom!

Beginning of the longest night of the year

Tribute: Saudade

Tribute to the victims and families in CT.  When I saw the President cry, I cried.  Upon hearing the news, I immediately thought of a young boy I once knew.

Back in the 'Boro from out of town.   Saudade?  It's a Brazilian thing...

Saudade: a unique Portuguese word that has no immediate translation in English. Saudade describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves. It often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing will never return.  Saudade was once described as "the love that remains" after someone is gone. Saudade is the recollection of feelings, experiences, places or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, well-being, which now triggers the senses. It can be described as an emptiness, like someone or something that should be there in a particular moment but is missing.

 


 I like this tune... but I really should stop recording pieces the same day I learn them!

Shakerag in winter

Ok, it's not quite winter yet... and it sure didn't feel like it this past weekend with temperatures in the upper 60sº.   A great day for a hike with John, Nancy, and the Nelsons.

Looking up to Green's View from the Shakerag trail...

Quintessentially Dixie...

Two photos from Franklin, Co. TN...

First is from Cowan, and the second... which I found amusing, from the Franklin Co. Courthouse.

A pleasure to register my vehicles in Franklin Co.  Cheaper, no waiting in line.

Please do not spit in this water fountain!!  No tabacca juice please...