Pic Today 1/16/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEARNING THE COMPLEXITIES

OF COFFEE

Friday night "Class No. 1" at

Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company,

learning the complexities of great coffee.

Thanks to master barista, Adam,

who taught us about the 3 fundamental

flavor and tasting components of coffee:

sweetness, acidity and bitterness.

Teaching us how to identify

and appreciate these complex tastes.

Adam calls this "palate development."

OK, we're ready for "Class No. 2."

(Maybe we'll actually get to taste

some coffee next time.)

Pic Today 1/15/16

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRINGS BACK MEMORIES

I tried a hand at teaching 

a high school Spanish class

(filling in as a substitute teacher),

and found things to be

      very much the same . . . 

with one major exception.

Everything's gone digital!

Computers, I-Pads, and cell phones

have taken over.

Lessons, videos, tests.

Students depend on their digital devices

to transcribe, view, type and record.

I really enjoyed the experience.

MANTENER

LA CALMA

y

HABLA

ESPANOL

Pic Today 1/14/16

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

CARBON CONTRABAND

On a recent flight

over St. Louis,

I saw this view of the

Mighty Mississippi River.

. . . and saw this

"log jam" of coal barges,

loaded and en route to New Orleans.

A careful count (just in this single image)

shows 199 barges, waiting their turn,

to be "pushed" downstream.

Each barge carries 1500 tons of coal.

That's 298,500 total tonnage.

"Steam coal" destined for power usage

in Asia and Europe.

The Mississippi is the most economical

mode of transportation,

shipping coal to international customers.

That's a giant carbon footprint.

(Hopefully, we're coming to the end

of our dirty coal burning era.)

Pic Today 1/13/16

 

DREARY DAYS

OF WINTER

Our weather paints a dreary scene

   these gray days . . . 

rainy, cloudy, freezing,

followed by balmy thaws.

Makes me dream of an early Spring.

 

Pic Today 1/12/16

 

MYSTERY ROCK

 Recent floods have deposited

new and unusual rocks

along area river gravel bars.

I discovered a curious "rock"

this past week,

and am hard pressed to classify

this specimen.

Possible considerations:

(  )  Missouri limestone

(  )  Stalagmite from a local cave

(  )  Alien navigation device

(  )  Ancient Egyptian sculpture

(  )  Future paper weight for my desk