Check out our good pal Deek “Whirlwind” Diedrickson’s latest video:

Rain, rain, go away — just kidding — it’s wonderful. More rainfall as of this date (December 17th)  than in the last 10 years. 20-1/2″ so far, and TOTAL rainfall for the past 3 years has been 23-24″ per year (June is end of season). California (at least coastal) is starting to pull through. The big boy, Shasta Lake (visible from Interstate 5) is 32% full as compared to normal of 52% this time of year; it’s a good start. Come on low pressure, stick around, keep on keepin the storm track open…

Last night I was driving home about 9:30 in the pitch-black rainy night along the coast, Billy Boy Arnold playing a blues song, when a coyote appeared, trotting along the left side of the road. I pulled alongside him, rolled the window down and turned up the music full blast. He ambled along, glancing over at me, seemingly unconcerned, for 20-30 seconds before veering off into the coyote (sic) brush. Wily, mos def…

Old Time Lovin' by Al Green on Grooveshark

https://www.theshelterblog.com/chicken-coop-recycled-materials-austin-texas-greg-geisler/

In 1989, I drove my Tacoma truck to Arizona to visit my cousin Mike, who had created a sculptural complex in the desert near Sedona. Mike and I had hung out together as kids; he was a year younger, and we looked a lot alike. He was an artist from early on. We’d each gone off with our different lives, then got together in the mid-60s when we were both feeling the stirrings of the cultural revolution, and this was the first time I’d seen him since then.

He created the room shown here out of used automobile windshields, with stained glass glued on with silicone caulk.

Swarms of monarchs used to pass through town on their southerly migration, but in recent years there have been hardly any. This chrysalis appeared in our garden a few weeks ago and when it got knocked off the plant, Lesley tied it back and put the pot in the greenhouse. (Note the gold dots.)

We kept watching it and a few days ago, the transformation had taken place. (The second shot is a bit blurry.) Within a day or two, it had taken off into the wide outside world.