Most days I am like But some days I am

Trader Joe’s really brings it for flowers, but my wife takes it next level in arrangement.

Weihnachtstod, “Christmas death,” is traditionally celebrated in Germany on the first Sunday after New Year’s Day by “casting out” the spirit of Christmas anxiety with hot cocoa and inviting calm and order into the home. But since we have a second story deck, I like to go big.

Sublime sweet potato chai at Ashville Chocolate, subtle sweetness, lightly spicy, a treat too good for this world, yet here it is.

Is this a glitch? Is Charlie Brown Thanksgiving the new U2 album? Or is Apple testing content insertion into the watchlist on the Apple TV app? Don’t eff with my queue, Eddy Cue.

#AppleTV

At Dobra Tea in Asheville, green tea for my wife, I partook of Masala spiced(!) chai, cut with milk and dark, dark chocolate sugar. Three cups later my chest is vibrating like a tuning fork–love it!

I’m pretty sure psych grad students are doing A/B experiments between the smell in the orthopedist’s office, which smells like someone set off a lysol bomb, and the lobby of the medical office building blaring 80s pop music through ceiling speakers.

One last fine day. If only human senescence was as beautiful (and quick) as a Japanese maple.

Along the French Broad River in Ashville, a chain leak fence repurposed as community art and therapy. Tie a ribbon and let it go.

Reconstruction of the Black Creek Greenway is leaving it less green, deconstruction of the trees that overhung the trail being well underway. It used to be a shaded valley stroll during summer days, and maybe it be will again in 50 years, glad I got to experience it, sad I will not again.

Fish are nice, but these turtles got a real Gamera vibe at Pine Knoll Shores aquarium.

From the mountains to the sea, the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium covers a lot of exhibit ground in North Carolina, this being a sleepy screech owl all screech out.

Ten seconds of video from the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium because river otters.

#Animals

A Gulf Fritillary doing brunch outside the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium on Emerald Isle, NC.

#Butterfly

Another Sandpiper at Emerald Isle with acquaintance in background–there are no friends among beach feeders.

Getting a close-up with a Sanderling at Emerald Isle takes patience, or its evil twin obession, and some ancient personal tech, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 lens camera attached to an iPhone 16e.

Looking a little more weathery early in the morning at Emerald Isle doesn’t close the beach for breakfast.

A surprising number of deer strolling about Emerald Isle. I guess they prefer the off season for beach vacations too.

Emerald Isle, not exactly sunrise, four minutes later, but still.

They blend right in.

Tis the season to enjoy fried dough with sugar, lots of sugar, and pumpkin spice while hiding from my wife.

Looks like it’s Boogen season.

#RickandMorty

A sign of the times at the downtown arts festival.

Too far for a decent photo (AI “enhanced”), but plenty of time to do off-ramp math: 5 minutes per red light, one scruffy cuteness, 3 handouts. I figure $60 to $120 an hour easy. The unseen dude holding the leash has cracked the code on supplication.

The Gleaners Branta

#Art