Welcome, October!

Farewell, September!

Photo by VT*Grand!

Alan's Pen Grip...

                          "From The Palmer Method of Business Writing (1935)

                       Note that most of the students are using the Spencerian grip."

I was looking through my copy of The Palmer Method of Business Writing (1935) and when I closely examined the classroom illustrations I realized that the students were, for the most part, not using the grip usually taught today (body of pen resting on web between thumb and index finger), but as illustrated in the Spencer book!  I attach one of the illustrations to this e-mail.  Upon carefully reading Palmer's instructions, I saw that he recommended Spencer's grip, but said some people wrote perfectly well with the more modern grip.  Well, I'm working on it and making progress;  a practice of sixty-three years duration is not going to change overnight.                                                                                                                                      ~ Alan

    Try it!  It's a lot lighter on the hand.  I like a good nib with a flowing ink and just wish I could write

    from right to left, being left-handed.  It can be very messy for a left-hander to use ink because one's 

 hand has to cross the area just written upon.  But I once had brown ink, and even a dark blue-green. :-)

                                                                                                                                 ~ listener

Are you Ready for 9/28/15?

Predictions are running rampant about what will happen today. 

Some say the world will end when a giant asteroid hits planet Earth.
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2015/03/earth-to-be-destroyed-sept-27-28-2015-from-erasmus-of-america-exclusive-details-march-16-2015-358-pm-3123196.html

Some say the world will be enlightened as a massive wave of light radiation bombards us.
http://prepareforchange.net/2015/08/02/global-mass-awakening-predicted-september-28-2015/

Seems to me either way it's a win-win.  But it really would be nice if Enlightenment happened one moment before Obliteration, eh?  ;-)

Blood Moon

Where and when to watch:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2015/22sep_lunareclipse/

Can you believe, I took this photo with my little Sony H20 camera, Saturday evening? I was surprised!

33 years ago today...

             Somebody sure looks a lot like her Daddy!!     Daddy ^      BabyGrand with BigBrother v

Sailing makes for slow and interesting racing

The Figure 8 Race is a race through a Bay, then out onto the broad Lake and sailing a figure 8 around two large islands, as well as a very small island between then, then back to and through the Bay.

It takes 3-6 hours, depending on wind.  Here's is listener's family's boat out in front

More boats coming along behind

The lead boat on the right got hung up briefly on some rocks and the second boat nearly caught up.  That made the last leg of the race a bit more exciting!

Here's the finish line! (Well, that little motorboat is the finish line.)  

And the family won! Yay!

The Narrows

Close up of The Narrows: the space between two islands where boats may pass through.

. Note the mirage effect, as the water was not becalmed! 

In fact, the waves were splashing hard against that left bank! 

But there is much distortion over water.

Good-Bye Summer! Hallo, Autumn! The Autumnal Equinox is at 4:21am EDT

Photos by VT*Grand!!!

The autumnal equinox arrives precisely at 4:21 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23. People celebrate this moment across the world because that is exactly the time when the sun passes directly over the equator. As you may recall, this happens twice a year — both in the spring and fall.

In Latin, the word “equinox” means “equal night” – “equi” meaning “equal” and “nox” meaning “night.” This signifies the equal parts of daylight and darkness. However, this is not always the case.

The sun will rise at 6:56 a.m. on Wednesday and will set at 7:04 p.m. This isn’t exactly equal. In fact, you will have to wait until Saturday, Sept. 26 to get the full equal light, equal night. The sunrise on Saturday is at 6:59 a.m. and the sunset will be at 6:59 p.m. EDT.

Sunset!

Lake Memphramagog

Cathedral at Sunset

Irish Rose

♥ Happy Birthday, PUDDLE!!! ♥

Sunflowers

Playing Trains

Shelburne Shipyard

The Shelburne Shipyard in Vermont is the oldest continuously-running shipyard in the United States!  Ships were built here for the War of 1812!!

Blue Sails

Races Today

Rock Dunder

Singer Treadle Sewing Machine, Tiffany design, parlor cabinet

   Isn't she beautiful?   I call her Comfort, after Louis Comfort Tiffany.   But her nickname is Blossom.

In Memoriam

http://www.biographile.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/World-Trade-Center-Tribute-in-Light-NYC.-Photo-via-WikiMedia.jpg

It's listener's 60th today

LOL!  :-D

Incase you need a little Sun...

Stephen Colbert's first Late Show is tonight!

   Watch whole episodes here:   http://www.colbertlateshow.com

   The Stephen Colbert on Late Show Youtube link:
                                   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtFAi84ehTSYSE9XoHefig

You've Earned It...

The Spirit of Ethan Allen cruising on Lake Champlain

The Gardens by the Round Barn at the Shelburne Museum

Petunias at the Bookshop Door

Goddard College in Vermont

    This is my alma mater as it looks today.  ~ listener           ~ Photo from the Goddard College Facebook page.

Crabapples in all their Glory

Hallo September! (VT*Grand turns 8 today!!)

Farewell, August!

Mr. Downey