Saturday

Is it just me, or does there seem to be an awful lot of volcanic activity happening in the world just now? According to this list, it seems like this year isn't much different compared to surrounding years, but I really don't remember seeing the word "volcano" in the news quite so often as I have lately: the recent eruptions of Marapi, current lava flows of Karangetang, and imminent dangers of Matavanu bookend continuous headlines. What volcanoes are happening right now? Mayon, in the Philippines, Galeras in Colombia, Tungurahua in Ecuador, and also Popocatépetl (po-po-ca-TEP-ettle), right down there in central México. Now, Mt. Popo (she's thankfully nicknamed) might not be pyroclasticly flowing into Pueblo just yet, but she's been burping up ash and steam the last few days, so maybe there is more in store. My question: with all these mountains going off everywhere, isn't it tempting fate (or at least in bad taste) to pick now to announce this, the reopening of Mount St. Helens to climbers? Anyway, here is a continuously updating web cam, where, if one gazes long enough, it may be possible to glimpse the mountain through the current thick cloud cover, and with luck, maybe catch images like this. Either way, it should maintain your interest better than a summary of my day. I’ve watched some Hill Street Blues on DVD, wasted a shocking amount of time on the computer watching web cams, and once again resigned myself to watering the yard because I fear that our rainy season stopped last Thursday afternoon. By this afternoon, I started feeling a little better again, and I made spaghetti and a mixed-green salad with breadcrumbs in hollowed-out loaf ends (with a basil yogurt and fresh rosemary dressing). Let's be careful out there. [Cavin]