One of the incredible things about Montana is how the rain comes in. Getting to see rainbows? That’s just a bonus.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Sundial Bridge on the Sacramento RIver
Yesterday I really enjoyed seeing and photographing the Sundial Bridge, a dramatic pedestrian and bike bridge over the Sacramento River in Redding, CA. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, this bridge uses a working sundial gnomon to attach the cable supports. If you are in the area, it is a great place to stop!
The bridge has a number of asymmetrical features, including the truss below the bridge. If you take the trail down to look at it, there’s also a nice pavilion area for gatherings.
Houston Art Car Parade 2015
Sometimes, I get lucky – like today, when I found out that Houston’s 28th annual art car parade was happening! Who doesn’t want to see dinosaur cars?
Or how about a Viking head?
Beware the Trojan horse.
If you’re getting peckish, maybe this fellow will help you out:
If you can’t tell by now, the art car parade cars range from the everyday-driveable to sculpture. I love folk art, and this is one of those wonderful celebrations of it! Check out more photos (including a toilet car, a fancy suspension with a nice paint job, dragons, a toaster with butter dish, running motivators, and luchadors) on the flickr photo stream.
Art Car Parade happening today
Houston is holding its annual art car parade today from 2-4pm. If you’re in town, stop by!
Feeling Greatful
After spending time in places where the tap water is not potable, it feels like such a privilege to be able to casually rinse off my toothbrush under the faucet here at home.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to the other side!
On this trip, we’ve seen plenty of chickens crossing the road, and much bigger animals as well. Matt got this great shot of a cow walking on the streets inside the Golden Fort, Jaisalmer.
There was a whole herd of cattle being driven down the street in a town we drove through near the Tamil Nadu/Kerala border. (The street was also decorated for a festival!)
And of course, while in the Thar Desert, we saw camels crossing the road (also shaggy goats and donkeys)
Jali: Beauty with a Purpose
If you do some traveling in North India, you are bound to see jali on historic buildings. Jali (also spelled jaali), is latticed stonework. Some of my favorite examples were at the Amber Fort near Jaipur, where the jali was used to provide ventilation and privacy for the ladies of the palace.
Walking through the interior hallways, I was impressed by how much the breeze came through and how well we were protected from being baked by the sun.
Many of the places we visited had a vast array of jali designs.
Jali works like blinds as well – it is much easier to see out than to see in!
Mongoose on the Loose!
It was dusk when we first spotted it. It quickly ran across our path into the hedges. We searched for any trace to no avail. The following evening, I heard a rustling. It was there! It appears to be a common Indian Gray Mongoose. Look at his little nose!
Kathakali Dance of Kerala
We had so much fun seeing a Kathakali dance performance! The Cochin Culture Center did a wonderful job introducing the dance, the story, and the skills of the dancers.
Breakfast in Tamil Nadu
There are a few very common choices for breakfast in Tamil Nadu. Here’s what I ate one morning:
Sambar is a soup made with vegetables and lentils and spices. It is very popular here, and everyone makes it a little differently. For this breakfast, I ate it poured over idly, which are very soft, fluffy, porus cakes made with rice flour. They are slightly tangy and soak up the sambar like a sponge.
If you like, you can pour sambar over the vada, which is in the shape of a donut but is savory, with minced vegetables and spices mixed in. Vada has a very crisp outer shell.
The coconut chutney is as ubiquitous as the sambar here, but be warned that it is sometimes spicy!
The rava kesari is sweet, with cashews or rasins mixed in sometimes. I think it is a nice way to end the meal.
the mint tea drinkers society 