Hailstoned

I've got a battery that drives an electric chain saw-- am equally impressed and will never use a gas powered one again-- and also powers any other small size yard equipment made by that company. In addition, I've been using an electric powered rider mower that runs on conventional car batteries, and has plenty of charge to handle in one mowing, a couple of acres of lawn on varied terrain.

Hurricane forecasting: Cone of Probability. "Stable Genius" as weatherman: Conehead of Improbability.

Gusty line just gone through, Monson, MA-- heavy rain, occasional lightning including one earth thumping cloud to grounder.

October, 1869; Saxby's gale in that it was predicted by Saxby, a British naval officer, using calculations based on moon patterns. Aside from devastating gales from southern New England to the Maritimes (Where it made landfall as a full-fledged hurricane) its "freshet" caused widespread 55 flood type damage; for one taking out the mill that used to exist on the stream that flows through my property in Monson; and its winds taking down the steeple of the First Church in town; a feat repeated twice more thanks to the 38 Hurricane, and the 2011 tornado.

AND it's a super moon; AND it's a full eclipse. Lot's of twists and turns ahead, and likelihood for memorable mayhem.

It was one of those situations where the info was available and disseminated, but many paid little heed, despite the big January storm of a few weeks previous. Kind of like 38, it's hard to buy the seemingly improbable until you're wading in it, thigh deep.

78 announced itself with plenty of fanfare. The models (and W.D.) were on to it days in advance.

To master the art of writing, you must worship at the altar of reading.

Finally, a good one in Monson, MA where the summer rains have not been all that generous. Active yellow/purple gust front, some vivid cloud to ground, and an intense downpour that continues.

Termite in the Board

Never fertilized and never shall. Cut only as needed, and it's patchwork as I try to preserve blooming wildflowers. I have both an artesian well and property by a stream. A whole ecosystem including human, lives downstream.The rewards of minimal invasiveness: A variety of grasses, wildflowers, leopard frogs, snakes, dragon flies, fireflies, brook trout... far more lively a landscape than the chemically shepherded, monochrome green of the typical lawn squire. There are many passing by diverse, nature friendly yard spaces who will tip their caps as opposed to laughing. 50 years from now-- hopefully sooner-- the Round-Up mentality of the typical lawn squire will be seen in the same self-destructive light as we now see smoking. (Oh, and many weeds, not least the dandelion are both nutritious and therapeutic.)

Prepared. But it needs to be said. For the sake of the homogeneous green carpet, there is endless noise pollution, gas emissions, chemical pollution, run-off into bodies of water leading to weed explosion/eutrophication; endangerment of beneficial and beautiful insects such as buttterflies; fireflies, bees... As this article mentions, there are better ways to have a yard, and, a natural wonderland as a bonus. The language may be a little dramatic in spots, but the points are well made.

As wx people, presumably lovers of nature and sensitive to the dangers of climate change, this read should be informative: https://earther.com/lawns-are-an-ecological-disaster-1826070720

Got the suck-model, come-on blues. NAM, HRR, all the rest, dressed up like tarts in Canal Street display windows-- all for 2 inches of cheap thrills.... Suckered. Never again...