Category: Pondering

Perspectives – From Earth to the Moon and Beyond

On By mvschulzeIn Astronomy, Jersey Shore, Observation, Perspectives, Photography, Pondering, Science, silhouette, Uncategorized2 Comments

About 6 weeks ago, , the near full moon was hiding behind clouds as Jupiter and Saturn were at about their closest positions to earth this year (opposition) …as seen below. (Saturn was the fainter of the two, centered just above a cloud to the left of Jupiter.)

Apologies ahead of time for difficulty in seeing this in a bright setting. 😦


Thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome, and zoom in for a closer look. M 🙂

Resilience in the wake of Hurricane Isaias

On By mvschulzeIn 1950's, 1990's, 2020, Automobile, Car, Color, Flower, Garden, MGB, New Jersey, Photography, Pondering, Storm, Trees, Weather7 Comments

About one month ago Hurricane Isaias brushed our area with 70 mph wind gusts carrying an abundance of salt water onto vulnerable trees and shrubs. Our Red Maple Tree suffered a significant loss of foliage facing the east side.

BELOW: One week after storm, 8/4/2000

                       BELOW: Five weeks after storm, 9/8/2000 

Below: Normal view at this time of year, (from a previous year.) Original leaves would already have been losing color saturation.


Thanks for viewing.  Comments are always welcome. Zoom in for a closer look.  M 🙂 (The old car was included to show something more interesting than an old tree!)

 

Tokyo, Pan Am, the SST and Hawaii

On By mvschulzeIn 1980's, Adventure, Airplanes, Beach, Career, Hawaii, Photography, Pondering, Travel5 Comments

          As a follow-up to my previous post here back in the 1980’s, I departed from Narita Airport in Tokyo on an overnight and almost empty PAN AM 747 to Hawaii. I would meet my wife, Jeanne, as she arrived from New York, where there was a glimpse of the British Airways Concorde Super Sonic Transport, at that time providing regular transatlantic service at over 1300 MPH (~ 2100 kph.) 

Above: British Airways SST as seen landing at JFK, NY, March, 1981

Above: From the waiting room at Narita Airport, …my overnight ride to Hawaii.

Sleep, stretched out on empty seats, was easy on the overnight, above  …and  approaching Honolulu, below.

39.120 3-7-81 Hawaii Approaching Oahu_edited-1

Above: Jeanne arriving from the mainland, later that afternoon.

Above: From our balcony in Waikiki. Rainbow courtesy of “Pineapple Showers.”

Thanks for viewing, …and comments are always welcome. M 🙂

PANDEMIC BLUE

On By mvschulzeIn 2020, Back Yard, Color, Observation, Pandemic, Photo, Pondering7 Comments

            Yes, a new world-wide color: Pandemic Blue. Particularly those in urban areas have likely noticed what is one of the effects of significantly reduced airline and surface-traffic exhaust.

             Doesn’t the sky in this image, taken this morning in my suburban backyard,  look …nice?  Pandemic Blue. AND, as a bonus, if you are into “star-gazing” or astronomy, check out the night-time skies. Yes, …it’s more transparent! Pandemic Black! 

A small silver lining to an event that has become almost incomprehensible worldwide! 

Thanks for viewing. Hope all is well with you and yours during this thing! And you can zoom in for a closer look.  M! 

 

 

Strength!

On By mvschulzeIn Gratitude, New Jersey, New York, Perspectives, Photography, Pondering7 Comments

        Sitting here at home during the Corvid – 19 Pandemic, I looked back on an image taken ten years ago, on Mother’s Day, May 8th, 2010. It was right out of the camera, with really nice lighting and conveyed a simple thought about …strength from above, the highlighted cables holding up the mighty George Washington Bridge. Today we reflect on the strength of our first responders and health care workers; and the universal pause for Mother’s Day, as we endure this most unprecedented time.   
Thanks for viewing. Zoom in for a closer look, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂

 

Fly-Over Salute to First Line Heroes

On By mvschulzeIn Airplanes, Buildings, Close Up, Corona Virus, Coronavirus, Corvid-19, Daytrip, Geology, Hiking, Hudson River, New Jersey, New York City, Perspectives, Photography, Planes, Pondering, sadness, Skyline photos, Telephoto, virus, Weather6 Comments

Most of the country, and particularily cities like New York, continue in a state of shut-down due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Today, a most welcome and meaningful show of support was heralded simultaneously by the Navy’s Blue Angels, and Air Force’s Thunderbirds, seen below flying from just south of the George Washington Bridge, to The Freedom Tower in lower Manhattan.
I joined about 30, mostly masked onlookers atop a basalt outcropping near Goffle Road, Hawthorn, NJ, to witness the event some 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) distant from Manhattan. Close-ups are seen through ground haze, and a 600mm  lens.


Thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome, and zoom in for a closer look. M 🙂

Feeling the Pain – Pandemic At Home

On By mvschulzeIn coping, Corona Virus, Coronavirus, Corvid-19, Crisis, Family, Flower, Home, Hope, isolation, Memorial, New Jersey, New York City, Photo, Photography, Pondering, sadness13 Comments

From our home in western Bergen County, N.J. a neighbor’s half-mast flag seems to echo sadness and guarded apprehension, as our budding cherry blossoms perhaps offer at least a small glimmer of hope for the months ahead.           

Statisitics for our town (population about 13,000) – 4/16/00:

141 confirmed “Corvid – 19” cases, 11 fatal.

Comments are always welcome.       Marty