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Saturday, March 10, 2018

1963

In the summer of 1963, I was standing atop Parnell Tower with my siblings and cousins. Parnell tower is a 60-foot wooden observation tower in the Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The forest is flat, having been scraped ahead by a glacier. It is part of the Ice Age National Trail --where glaciers leveled Earth in search of the sea.

I suspect glaciers could think, but am not sure they were compassionate. They did, however, provide places for towers from which fluids could be discharged and observed --this of course was in 1963, when there was far less chance of people being below. I noticed droplets assumed a spherical shape which they maintained so long as they were falling weightless. I noticed this again 55 years later, in little, from a Normaphoto: 
 This illustration of spherical droplets required somewhat less altitude than can be achieved at Parnell Tower. Observe:
The little solar-powered fountain is presided over by a concrete goose who, in my capacity of Goose Repair Technician, received a new head in return for its future vigilance. I hope, someday, that same kindness will be conferred upon me.

25 comments:

  1. You are a man of many talents. And as a Goose Repair Technician I would give you an A plus.
    And Normaphotos always rate at least that highly.

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    1. EC, thanks. It was not until the digital age that I realized Norma is one of the most accomplished photographers I've encountered. My own experience in film photography is now obsolete, but I rejoice in Norma's affinity to the newer electronic medium.

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  2. Head replacement (or restoration) should be on the list for every man or woman going through medical school.

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    1. I was 16 in 1963....pretty shallow as I recall.

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    2. It was a routine recapitation with some cranial reconstruction. I turned 14 that year and sometimes needed the same procedure.

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  3. As to being 'conferred' the same kindness, not much on the horizon except cryogenics, and the general idea is not one i recommend.

    I just looked up the weather on the central california coast, and you all are over 50 degrees warmer then here, yet we have real live geese that hang around all winter. I've meant to stop and ask them why, but gangs of teenage geese have caused trouble locally.

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    1. Mike, you know I consider your medical recommendations axiomatic. I will not burden my descendants with my frozen head. I'm sure people hate when that happens.

      As to geese: I used to care for an athletic field that Canada Geese would convene upon and regroup. I'd go out there with a box of Cheezit crackers and shout, "Honk if you love Cheezits!". They'd all quit running at each other and come see me. Peaceful things, once they get religion.

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  4. Amazing picture of the water falling. I always just assumed the drops would be teardrop shaped and couldn't see quickly enough to learn any different.

    I have no doubt that someday in the not too distant future there will be head transplants. Wasn't there something in the news about that within the last year? I don't think it was made of concrete, though. Maybe you could give lessons?

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    1. It's always amazing to see a substance escape gravity, even while falling in its force. As to head transplants, Jenny, I doubt they'll be commonplace until improvements are made in Stucco Patch, which is what I use.

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  5. Towers are fabulous constructions - but so is your concrete goose, I'm glad it could be mended. I see you have grape hyacinths in flower - I am waiting to see if mine will bother as they are grumpy about being moved, even though the cotton lavender was squishing them.
    May your current head not require repair nor replanting!

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    1. Dear Lisa, concrete goose was a present to my friend and father-in-law 45 years ago. When he passed away, Norma found it in his garden and brought it home. Its poor head had weathered away, but a bit of iron rebar remained to show where it should go. I found the repair cathartic. When I go, I hope someone finds a likewise enchanted object to fix and feel better.

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  6. It must be a peaceful place to enjoy a cold drink and meditate.

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    1. It is, Emma. Some of the thoughts I've had out there have changed my life --usually for the better.

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  7. That picture of the water falling is a one-in-a-million shot. Perfection. We are gonna get 5 inches of snow tonight!

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    1. Dear Keith, so good to hear from you! Will pass compliment on to the photographer --who is also a one-in-a-million shot. Hope you enjoy your snow --we have mountains for that, but it's the best we can do.

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  8. A replaced head for future vigilance sounds like a good deal to me.
    And what a lovely setting in which to be vigilant. I trust your gander certification is in good standing as your technicians skills were certainly good for the goose.

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    1. Tom, unfortunately my gander-certification depends on a consensus of goose-votes, which can be a protracted referendum. I usually go ahead and recapitate them illicitly, but don't tell anybody!

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  9. Geo, when we lived on t'other side of the mountain, we had a huge flock of Canadian geese that would come squawking in and land on a large plot of greensward about 100 feet below our backyard. They were a joy to see every year and, until I learned of your tinkering with goose brains, I always wondered how they found the same spot every year. But maybe they learned navigational skills from the amazing Monarch butterflies.

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    1. Bruce, I took care of that particular campus for 26 years and the geese always came. They had 44 acres to congregate in and somehow got used to me. They'd eat out of my hand sometimes, after about 5 years, but I never tried to touch or pet them --to survive, they needed to stay wild.

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  10. I don't think you'd look good with a goose head, Geo! Too much quackery for my liking. :)

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  11. Who doesn’ need their head screwd back on at least one time in their lifetime? I have needed reattachment often as Elmer’s Glue is not reliable and am in need of a stronger compound these days.

    Norma’s photographs are outstanding, as usual and always a delight to see.

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    1. Thanks, Arleen. There are stronger compounds in our local liquor store, but Medicare doesn't cover them --is anybody working on this?

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  12. Wow! That photo of the water droplets is fantastic! Too bad it doesn't get cold enough there for Norma to take pics of frozen soap bubbles. I bet she'd do a great job of it.

    When watching the news... or trying to avoid paying attention to it... my head sometimes seems to be on the verge of exploding. Perhaps I need to add a bit of stucco to my diet to prevent it from flying off entirely.

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    1. Dear Susan, I have relayed your compliment to Norma. You might be surprised at how hard she works at photography, and why. As to Stucco, I believe it will be pharmacologically vendicated as a miracle drug --for recapitation or at least a threat of it.

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