Creator: How close can you get?
Saturday, July 25, 2026 . It's the Satyr's day . . . Extreme heat warnings are in the forecasts for Green Country today. Real temperature of 100º and an index of 113º with moderate Southerlies visit TulseyTown this afternoon. The triple digit index extends until midnight tonight. A heat dome is settling over the area and likely to keep this pattern for the next week, at least.
You're closer than you may think. – Mark Manson, Breakthrough, 7.23.26
On this day in 1965, Bob Dylan walked onstage at the Newport Folk Festival and changed popular music.
It's the birthdate of Maxfield Parrish, born in 1870 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was an illustrator and painter and perhaps the most popular commercial artist in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. If you don’ t have one of his prints, many of his images will be familiar to you.
Philosopher/writer/longshoreman Eric Hoffer was born on this day in 1902 New York City.
The first human conceived using in vitro fertilization (IVF), Louise Brown, turns 46. She was born on this day in 1978, Lancashire, England.
And, its the birthday of master saxophonist Johnny “rabbit” Hodges, born in 1906 Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1906. He joined Duke Ellington’s orchestra in 1928, and he was a soloist and mainstay of the ensemble for over 40 years until his death.
The wiggly world of life, “pee-mail,” and politics
Friday, July 24, 2026. It's Freya's day . . . Rain is in the forecasts for Green Country and TulseyTown around the noon hour. Moderate Southerlies maintain afternoon temperatures at a cooler upper 80's with a heat index in the mid 90's.
“You’re trying to straighten out a wiggly world—no wonder you’re in trouble.” – Alan Watts, You Are the Universe In Motion, Shambhala, 2026.
Today in 1911 the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu was discovered.
Jennifer Lopez is 57 today. The global superstar was born in 1969, Bronx, New York. She has built a massively successful triple-threat career as an actress, dancer, and musician.
It's the birthdate of novelist Alexandre Dumas. The author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo was born in 1802 Villers-Cotterêts, France.
Poet, novelist, and mythologist Robert Graves was born on this day in 1895 Wimbledon, England.
Anglican clergyman and hymn writer (Amazing Grace) John Newton was born in 1725 London.
And, mystery novelist John D. MacDonald was born today in 1916 Sharon, Pennsylvania. He gave us the houseboat dwelling Travis McGee.
It's also the day in 1847 that Brigham Young and his fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) arrived in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Valley. The influence of the Mormons on Salt Lake City, Utah and beyond can’t be overstated.
While the GOP is spreading the email about all democrats being communists, it bears recognizing that the closest thing to a communist in the U.S.A. is Donald Trump's worship of Vladimir Putin. So said Joyce Vance, Mary Trump, and Katie Phang who joined in an excellent discussion (video) posted yesterday on Civil Discourse, about life, dog “pee-mail,” politics and “communism.” Worth your time. FYI 3,000 tune in for these.
A wonderment . . .
Thursday, July 23, 2026. It's Thor's day . . . Easterlies and a mild – for Summer – day are in the forecasts for Green Country. Sun, summer clouds, low 90's are predicted for the afternoon in TulseyTown. Heat index in the upper 90's.
Light is in both the broken bottle and the diamond. – Mark Nepo
Today is the birthday of the novelist who gave us the detective Philip Marlow, Raymond Chandler, born in 1888 Chicago.
Have we stepped into a time machine? – Heather Cox Richardson, in Letters From An American.
Robert Reich is wondering if he's being unnecessarily alarmist about Ai. The Crash of 2026. Posted on substack today.
Having It Out With Melancholy. A poem by Jane Kenyon.
For The Poet
– after Louise Glück's autobiography for the Nobel Prize
What does not change are the terrible extended periods of silence, the anxiety. And, periodically, the elation of discovery, the strange embarking, the adventure that writing is, each poem a journey into unknown territory. Accompanied rarely and only by music. Mahler is good, the Tchiakovsky, Rachmaninoff, Russian Pantheon, as well as the Scandinavians, Leif Ove Andsnes, La Pietà, Bill Evans. Except when it is insanely easy, writing remains elusive. The random has a mind of its own. Always, I am someone longing to be a poet, to make something never heard before, to be taken out of myself. It’s a wonderment.
– jab