Eclipse

Did you get to see the eclipse today?  I sort of did. 

See, since it was only going to be 60% totality here, I decided not to buy any eclipse glasses -- a decision I would come to regret.  Once it started, I realized I wanted to see it after all.  Alas, that was not to be, since I couldn't find the glasses I'd bought for the one in 2017.  I tore up my house, but I'm pretty sure I tossed them shortly after that eclipse. 

So, I did the next best thing.  I made a pinhole viewer with a paper plate and a piece of cardboard.  It worked pretty well. 

Holding the paper plate, the cardboard, and my phone at the same time in order to take the photo worked less well, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.  Since I didn't have glasses, I didn't stay outside to watch the whole thing.  I just walked out and checked on it periodically, but I did notice the light got a bit softer.  

I'll be sure to have some glasses for next year's total eclipse.  I was hoping I could drive up to Missouri and be in the path of totality again, but I'm not sure that's going to work out.  I'd planned on driving up to Memphis and staying with Cody and Brennan, then it's only about a 2 hour drive from there to Jackson, MO where my friend Peggy lives.  I'd watch the eclipse, then drive on home afterwards.  

When Cody and Brennan moved to Jackson, MS, that kind of threw a monkey wrench in those plans.  I'll have to keep an eye out and see if I can get a hotel room, though I'm hearing they're all pretty much booked up already.  Heck, it's only 4 hours...

OK, in other news, I finally got out and moved my little flag pole to the front post on my car port.  

The previous owners had put it on the second post -- not sure why.  I've been saying for a while now I was going to move it and I finally did.  Now  it's much more visible from the street, and I can get flags for all seasons top put out there.  Heh, the one I have now I found out in the woods after a pretty strong windstorm three or four years ago.  Nobody on the street claimed it, so there's no telling where it came from. 

While I was piddling around outside, I found a second little spider lily bravely blooming.  

I found this, too, but I'm not sure exactly what it is.  It's a daisy fleabane, which is a surprise because  I thought those only bloomed in the spring. 

The only other thing I did was to try to start digging a hole to re-set the pole I hang my bird feeder on, but I didn't get very far.  As I suspected, the ground was hard as a rock.  I'll have to find somewhere else to hang the feeder for the time being, or just scatter the seed on the ground.  

And finally, I've cast on a bright orange hat this time. 

The yarn is Red Heart and the colorway is Pumpkin.  Knitting is going pretty slowly, as my right wrist and thumb are very sore.  I'm not sure what I did to them, but I'm taking it a bit easy until they start feeling better. 

Oh, and one more thing, happy 30th birthday to this little man!