Today is Neil's 65th birthday.  

Terry said something about baking a chocolate cake for the occasion.

It's also Neil & Terry's 38th wedding anniversary today.  She says they "needed a Wednesday in August" that year... but I'm guessing it was also "insurance" that Neil would never forget the date!

Yesterday was a sadder anniversary for a man who was also starting his morning in the Apple Pool yesterday; it was the 3rd anniversary of his son Odin's death.  

Tis a Fearful Thing
by Yehuda HaLevi (1075 – 1141)

‘Tis a fearful thing
to love what death can touch.
A fearful thing
to love, to hope, to dream, to be –
to be,
And oh, to lose.
A thing for fools, this,
And a holy thing,
a holy thing
to love.
For your life has lived in me,
your laugh once lifted me,
your word was gift to me.
To remember this brings painful joy.
‘Tis a human thing, love,
a holy thing, to love
what death has touched.

The dad mentioned there was a memorial chair for his son down at the Astronomy pad, which I checked out this morning.  Don't know any details other than that 10-year-old Odin had been on dialysis before his death.

There was a steady light rain most of yesterday afternoon.  When I walked Brownie after it stopped I got to see the most incredibly dramatic sunset!!!  There were amazing "different" cloud formations, mist wafting through the ridges, fog in clumps of puffs on valley floor, and more interesting clouds on the San Juan Mountains on the western side of the valley. It was not at all surprising that EVERYONE was out watching and photographing and painting.  I did not have my camera with me, though seriously doubt it would have captured the amazing view in any real sense.

On my way to soak this morning I did capture more fun bumper stickers.

At least this guy wasn't raised in a barn... <g>

And just a few cars away I saw this one:

Terry knew about Meow Wolf in Santa Fe:

Meow Wolf creates immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. This includes art installations, video and music production, and extended reality content.  Our first permanent installation, the THEA Award-winning House of Eternal Return, launched in March 2016 with support from Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin.  Inside, guests discover a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and an expansive narrative amidst surreal, maximalist, and mesmerizing art exhibits. Located in Santa Fe, HOER features a children’s learning center, a café and bar, and a highly-rated music venue. 

This morning I remembered to bring the wire brush with me up to the Party Pool, and worked on removing the slippery algae from the steps.  Also chatted with Gracie, one of the camp hosts who is leaving today.

And now I have another book rec:

On the way home I came across this car, 

which reminded me of my polka-dotted car.

Hard to see here, but the oval sticker on the right 

proclaims the owner to be a National Park Geek!

Here's one for Mom:

Other animals made an appearance:

There's the night sky to enjoy -

as well as scenery -

and special days, such as Indigenous Peoples Day, to promote: