2012's Previously on Previously on Driveway Cam




Monday, December 31st, 2012 ~ Fast away the old year passes ~ but before we even get to the New Year tomorrow, Drew is at his New Year today! Happy Birthday Drew!!! Hope it's a great year for you!!! And while we once again will miss the partying in KY this year, we also, once again, have a link to New Year's Celebrations all over the place, (just watched the fireworks in Sydney!) and in almost every time zone ~ so you really can rock around the clock if you want to! :) Google has a nice doodle today that is a review of their 2012 doodles, and we have previously on driveway cam (slide down the page) and previously on previously if you'd like to review driveway cam's dabblings. We wish all of our viewers and viewees a very happy Last Day of Viewing 2012 ~ have a safe celebration and we'll see you here next year ~



Sunday, December 30th, 2012 ~ In one of the fastest quizzes ever we got 2 correct answers yesterday within lightening strikes of each other. While an official inquiry is underway we are awarding points to both contestants ~ and urge them, and you, to work on the remaining unanswered quiz from 2009! A little more snow today, the perfect way to wind up the year on this busy day. It was in 1924 that Edwin Hubble announced we have neighbors out there and the number of known galaxies doubled (to two). So, in honor of Hubble it's also Celebrate Double Letter Birthdays Day ~ with happy birthdays (and 2 pieces of cake) to Tracey Ullman, Bo Diddley (who gets in on his real name as well ~ Ellas Bates), Simon Guggenheim, and Rudyard Kipling (okay not doubled but there are 2 ii's (and we like Rudyard)!). It is also Take A Deep Breath Day for all of us, but mostly for canaries as on this day in 1986 (!) the BBC reported that the British government planned to replace about 200 canaries used in mining pits with modern electronic gas detectors ~ the 2 birds per pit were replaced gradually starting in 1987. So take a deep breath, visit the neighbors, and enjoy the views on the penultimate day of 2012 ~

Saturday, December 29th, 2012 ~ Woke up to the quiet that is more snow! We hope you did too. To celebrate we have a new trial link (see below), AND, a new quiz (perhaps the last one of the year)(and don't worry, if you were hooked on the UK's Shortest Pier watching, the old trial link is over on the retired links page). So though fast away this old year passes, it's not too fast to sit back, have a cup of tea, and enjoy the views ~

Friday, December 28th, 2012 ~ The last Friday of the year is upon us (and upon the driveway along with all the snow(Yay!)). With only 4 days left in the year it's a good time to catch up on all your favorite views ~ be sure to check in on the penguins too (there are rumors of a chick there!) And if you feeling the need for some pre-new-year celebration, and our snow isn't quite enough for you, it was back in 1869, on this very day, William Finley Semple of Mount Vernon, Ohio, was issued the first U.S. patent for chewing gum (No. 98,304). Party on!

Thursday, December 27th, 2012 ~ It SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!! Enough to get the driveway plowed!!! It's so beautiful out on the driveway, and all around as well, makes you want to get up and dance (which they were also doing 80 years ago today when Radio City Music Hall opened (If you go today, the Christmas Spectacular is still showing)). We hope everyone stays warm and safe while enjoying the snow in person or online. It's been a nasty storm system so let's be careful out there but do enjoy wandering the views as there is plenty of winter to watch almost any where you look! Traffic cams are always a good fall back when you've been through the other cams ~ and as of this morning the far north east (from eastern NY to Maine) is still under a winter storm watch so viewing should be interesting in those areas too! (With any luck the window here will thaw a little and the driveway will be better in view soon) ~ Enjoy the Snow ~

Wednesday, December 26th, 2012 ~ Today's word is weather ~ whether you are in it or not. There is crazy Kwanzaa (which starts today) and Boxing Day (which ends today) weather all over the place today...perfect for staying inside and watching. There are even rumors of snow for the driveway (but the current best guess by the skeptics here in the office is 3 inches, maybe). There is lots of snow to watch through Indiana and Ohio, strong winds and storms in the south east, even Texas has a winter weather watch in place, and as always there is snow in the mountains (all of 'em!) :) So now that the rush has quieted down a bit, take some time to enjoy the views (with, of course, some cookies, hot chocolate, any other left over Christmas treats, and all the new toys too) today. Stay safe and warm and keep an eye on the weather ~

Tuesday, December 25th, 2012 ~ Merry Christmas ~ among all the birthdays today is included that of Robert Ripley, founder of Ripley's Believe it or Not. And a current oddity for his collection would be the fact that it snowed here last night! Such a lovely Christmas Gift. Hope all of our viewers and viewees find everything they are hoping for today as well ~ we'll leave the Seasonal Views, including Snow Watching and Ice Skating links here to watch, along with (a little) snow on the driveway ~ Merry Christmas and enjoy the views ~

Monday, December 24th, 2012 ~ Happy Christmas Eve ~ we hope everyone has their running around done so there is plenty of time to enjoy the day and the views (to say nothing of the evening!) As always NORAD is tracking Santa this year and you can keep tabs on him right here ~ when last we looked he was in the Solomon Islands headed towards Papua New Guinea! It's the perfect day to check out all the Seasonal Views (where things are hopping at the Christmas Fairs), including Snow Watching and Ice Skating! Whatever sites you visit we hope all your sights, and sounds, are good ones today ~ Enjoy!

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 ~ Tonight is Noche de Rabanos ~ Night of the Radishes (in Oaxaca, Mexico) ~ as soon as you are done with your Christmas decorating, wrapping, baking, and jingle belling you may want to work on getting your radishes carved! :) Today is also the day in 1893 that Englebert Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel first premiered, as well as the day in 1823 that the poem titled 'Visit from St. Nicholas' but known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' was published for the first time. So be sure to leave a trail of bread crumbs while you are out dashing about so that you can get back home and settle in for a long winters nap ~ And for a tasty treat while enjoying the views on this Christmas Eve Eve change the visions of sugarplums in your head, to actual sugarplums ~ Enjoy!

Saturday, December 22nd, 2012 ~ It snowed!!! Not a lot ~ but it's a start and maybe someday there will be more but for now the ground is mostly white and there is joy in mudville!!! A little solstice miracle :) Hope your short day's journey through the long night was a good one and that you are enjoying (so far) the new season, the new track of the sun, and the fact that slowly the days will start to get longer now. If you are out hustling and bustling (we will be joining you shortly) or even if you are all done and get to spend this weekend inside enjoying some spiced plum tea (we really would like a cup) take some time to catch up with your favorite views and/or all the seasonal views out there ~ the Snow Watching, the Ice Skating and all the Fairs for a fair-thee-well with the rest of the Seasonal Links ~

Friday, December 21st, 2012 ~ A short blurb for a short day! The storm marches on (we've heard of snow in eastern KY!) and the rumor is snow here this evening ~ please keep your fingers crossed! You can follow the weather here, and check for snow depths here to find where to check the views. Use the links below (don't forget the previously on links all the way at the bottom too) for all sorts of seasonal views. Hot chocolate and/or peppermint tea ready? Let your light shine and have a very Merry Solstice ~ Enjoy the views ~

Thursday, December 20th, 2012 ~ A beautiful sunny day although extremely short (5 seconds shorter than yesterday we've been told) day on the driveway today ~ in fact they won't get much shorter this year! The Winter Solstice is racing towards us and arrives tomorrow at 6:12AM (eastern) as the earliest Solstice since 1896! So quickly now, before the sun sets, enjoy watching the views as the penultimate day of winter (!?) unfolds today ~ the storm continues to march across the country so check here to find where to check the views, there is peppermint tea to be drinking, snow that needs hoping for, there are penguins to watch, and purchases to review and check in on (Christmas shopping for the US, 209 years ago today, included France handing over the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the country and cost us less than 3 cents an acre. (great bargain shopping and even if extremely hard to wrap, it is extremely easy to watch, from Montana to New Orleans)) ... so much to see, so little time! Enjoy ~

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 ~ We would like to thank Brenda and Emily for making it snow inside yesterday! Rumors of snow here continue, meanwhile actual snow continues to fall, and in some cases clobber, the West, heading into the plains and towards the East Coast. Traffic cams in the snow/blizzard areas are a good place to start your viewing. It is the birthday of the man who helped measured the speed of light ~ A.A. Michelson born in 1852 ~ luckily the speed of light leaving us is slowing down a bit as we race towards the solstice. On Michelson's 19th birthday Mark Twain set down his pen long enough to pick up his first patent (#121992) this one for detachable and adjustable suspenders! As the days still are getting shorter, we turn you over to the views and please note: this time of year, viewing is always enhanced with some hot chocolate (really, give it a try) ~ Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012 ~ We're still hoping for snow and enjoying watching where they are getting LOTS of it so we are turning today's views over to traffic cams (various mountain passes in Utah and Colorado could be fascinating) ~ as well as bringing our Christmas fairs, skating, and HEY THEY'VE GOT SNOW links back, along with of course, all the views, still nestled all snug in their spots as you slide on down the page ~ while we try to imagine what snow in upstate New York might be like ~ Enjoy!

Monday, December 17th, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday Haydon! How does it feel to be a teenager no more?? We are all shocked, if I may speak for the masses ~ it can't possibly be time for you to turn 20 already, and yet, so the story goes, you are!!! We hope today, the new year it begins, and the start of your 20's are all wonderful for you! In your honor some other stories have been told, (well, told slightly before you were born), as it was on this day in 1892 (okay, so 'sightly' here means 100 years before you were born, but still) that The Nutcracker ballet premiered at the Maryinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Also on this day, in Haydon's honor, and also a few years before Haydon was born ('a few' here means 149 years before), back in 1843, Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol" was published. So hot chocolate and cake all around and a winter's tale or two while we celebrate birthdays and the snow the mountains out west (and Maine for that matter) are getting ~ pick a mountain or traffic view in those areas and enjoy ~

Sunday, December 16th, 2012 ~ Apparently we are going to remain snowless ~ so it's time, viewers of driveway cam, it is time for us to make our own snowflakes! You can practice and or make them online right here (a favorite for years), and there is a new site we found and like a lot too right here ~ more snowflaking here and there is one (with a different perspective) here, and a whole 'nother approach here. We'll have a blizzard in (s)no(w) time! (you can make a snowflake and see it in a blizzard at this site). Rumor is there is actual snow out and about, check here to see where and then check out the views in that area or check in on some known snow sites here ~ have a very flaky day and enjoy the views!

Saturday, December 15th, 2012 ~ Today is the birthday of Gustave Eiffel who, along with his somewhat familiar tower, also made the framework for the Statue of Liberty ~ sadly no view today as it's still closed due to damage by hurricane Sandy. It is also the very day back in 2001 that the Leaning Tower of Pisa reopened after a team of experts spent 11 years and $27 million to fortify the tower without eliminating its famous lean! The question remains, did they figure out why it leaned in the first place? From whatever angle, enjoy the views ~

Friday, December 14th, 2012 ~ It's actually a Happy Birthday to Adam today!!!! We had a trial run for it yesterday....we're blaming the confusion on the lack of snow and that's all we're saying. But what's wrong with having a 2 day celebration anyway??!!?? Why, that just means more cake and ice-cream which is always a good thing! Hope this is a great birthday Adam and the start of a wonderful year for you!! Before the blurb division gets anything else confused it's on to the views ~ hope there have been meteors a plenty for everyone (not so much here but we're hoping) and whatever you do today ~ Enjoy!!!

Thursday, December 13th, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday to Adam today!!!! Hope it's the start of a great year for you Adam ~ cake and ice cream all around!!!! And in his honor there is a new Trial Cam (link below), but don't panic, the previous trial cam is over on the Retired Links page. The Geminids Meteor Shower peaks tonight and tomorrow so if you have clear skies get out and take a look, up. The search for snow continues here, as does the search for penguin chicks ~ if you find either let us know! In the meantime, grab a cup of hot chocolate (to go with your cake and ice cream) and enjoy the fairs, the skating, and the snow elsewhere, and of course, all the views ~

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 ~ Doesn't get much better than being 12-12-12! And it won't get better the rest of this century today being the last triple repeating date until 01/01/01 (!). Of course, if you sprinkle a meteor shower (or 2) on it ~ it does step it up a bit, and that's what we have. Get outside after 9:00, stay as long as you like, tonight and through the week, as the Geminids Meteor shower peaks. They are expecting up to 130 meteors an hour ~ Cloudy skies? You can listen to them here, and/or watch a trailer (!) for them here. Have a wonderful 12-12-12 (it's a good number, 12 months in a year, 12 ribs in our body, 12 Days of Christmas, 12 eggs in a dozen, 12 people have walked on the moon... ***...) and today at 12 mins,12 secs after 12 o' clock on Dec 12th, the time will be 12:12:12,12/12/12 with 12 more days to go before Christmas ~ enjoy the views (the driveway appearing every 12 minutes today just because) ~

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012 ~ It's 12-11-12 today, which has a nice oscillation and sine wave look to it. And, in fact, it's always been an up and down sort of day ~ amid the ups, downs, and both in the past are: in 1769 venetian blinds were patented in London by Edward Bevan, and in 1874 James Lewis Kraft was born (he would later go on to form the Kraft Company, and is known for his invention of (and patent on!?) a processed cheese formula aka American Cheese), and it was this very same day in 1972 that Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt landed on the moon to become not only the final Apollo mission, but also, to date, the final humans to be on the moon. (That was (count 'em) 40 years ago that we could make it up to the moon and back down again...) Tonight, on this side of the driveway, it is decorate the tree night ~ some snow falling down to go along with that would be nice but we aren't getting our hopes up just yet ~ so it's back to enjoying views of snow or whatever else might wander by ~

Monday, December 10th, 2012 ~ It's a busy Monday for birthdays, for prizes, and for statehood. You can watch the Nobel Prize awards and ceremony, right now, right here ~ it was 106 years ago this very day that president Teddy Roosevelt became the first American to win a Nobel Prize. It is also the birthday of Melvil Dewey (of Dewey Decimal fame), and of Emily Dickenson (who hangs out in the 800's of Mr. Dewey's universe). And it is also the birthday of Mississippi, which became our 20th state this day back in 1817. And of course there are lots of views just waiting for you, (including some new traffic cams for even more snow watching!) anywhere you look (or click).... Enjoy!

Sunday, December 9th, 2012 ~ We're baaack... and slightly discombobulated (which actually has very little to do with the trip but we're blaming it on that anyway). Driveway Cam apparently got tired and shut down but is back and ready to keep you apprised of all the goings on in 10 minute slices. We wish there was going to be snow to watch but mostly it will be many trips out and back as we (finally) gear up for the holidays. Rumor has it a Christmas tree will be coming to visit today ~ we're very excited and hope that is true. Because of our lack of winter weather we'll leave the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links available right here (and they are below too of course) today to help us get in the Winter mood too ~ enjoy the views and keep your fingers crossed for snow!!!

Friday, December 7th, 2012 ~ Having to work ocean side can be hazardous ~ especially this morning when it's so foggy outside (this morning's first picture)....who knows what might be lurking out there! But we're going to weather through it as today is the last day of the conference, and then we head back to the driveway and relative safety from the perils of the beach. (Just wanted to reassure Pebble who has expressed her...concern...yeah let's call it that...with our location) :) Hope you all are weathering through as well ....enjoy the driveway and the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links, and we'll be back blurbing on Sunday. Enjoy!

Thursday, December 6th, 2012 ~ Still out of town but had to pop in to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER!!!!!! Hope it's the start of your best year ever! We are currently stuck in a hotel on the beach (see the AM picture) but learning to adjust. :) Meanwhile......enjoy the driveway and the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links, and we'll be back blurbing on Sunday. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012 ~ Some of the crew here are off for a couple of days, but drivewaycam has volunteered to stay behind and bring you the driveway while we're gone. Enjoy the driveway and the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links, and we'll be back blurbing on Sunday. Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 4th, 2012 ~ While we called yesterday balmy...this morning (already) it is 61 ~ so we are off to find winter via the links ~ between the penguins (well, okay, so they are having spring as well, but they still have snow!), and the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links, and with all the mountain links hopefully we will weather through until our winter gets here (we hope). This morning we are not using our earmuffs, but we are tipping them in the general direction of birthday boy Chester Greenwood ~ while he accumulated over 100 patents in his lifetime, and is ranked by the Smithsonian Institution as one of America's 15 outstanding inventors, Chester Greenwood is perhaps best known for his invention (at age 15) of Earmuffs!! Thanks Chester!!! We are hoping we'll need to wear a pair soon ~ enjoy the views ~

Monday, December 3rd, 2012 ~ With the balmy weather round these parts, turns out it is time to brew up some iced peppermint tea and/or iced hot chocolate, and then sit back and enjoy the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching links posted this weekend. And with spring (?) moving in across much of the eastern portion of the US (they are expecting 70 in Chicago) it's a tip of the birthday hat for Cleveland Abbe ~ who is regarded as the “father of the U.S. Weather Bureau” (now the National Weather Service). In 1867, he made an early evaluation of the Magellanic Clouds. On 1 Sep 1869, Abbe began with his own private weather reporting and warning service at Cincinnati, Ohio, issuing bulletins of his weather reports. Shortly thereafter, on 9 Feb 1870, Congress authorized the Weather Service of the United States. With fog and rain due in Cincinnati this morning, it is the perfect day to check the weather where it all started ~ enjoy ~

Sunday, December 2nd, 2012 ~ Happy Birthdays today are for Amy! Hope it's the start to a wonderful year for you Amy ~ in your honor we are posting the December/Seasonal Links, as well as the Snow Watching Links! (snow watching has replaced leaf peeping in the table below, leaf peeping (good for snow watching too) is on the retired links page) While wandering the links note that tho' it's a bit early for the snow on lakes link, of the snow watching links and views only 3 did not have some snow in them ~ already! (we are so jealous, as we head up to the 60's over the next couple of days). There is much skating to watch, the Christmas Goat is up in Sweden, (no wagering please on when it will be attacked and burnt down this year), and fairs are under way and/or are being assembled all over the place ~ links will be added to all along the way so check in frequently ~ enjoy all the views and the snow, wherever you find it ~ (here is a lovely view from VT yesterday) ~



Saturday, December 1st, 2012 ~ Hear the tinkle of the bells, silver bells!, what a world of merriment their melody foretells! ~ as well as foretelling a big welcome to December on the driveway! (apologies to Edgar, the actual whole poem is here) Enjoy the couple of flakes out on it today because it's supposed to heat up again soon. However, in other places where they have winter there are Christmas Fairs getting underway, skating happening, and of course snow to watch ~ and the drivewaycam elves are currently verifying those links and will post them tomorrow. Today we offer up a) our favorite village in Germany to watch and 2) new traffic links added for California for more rain watching today (all the traffic links are in their usual spot in the table below and/or right here) and iii) the penguins because they are so cute (and have snow). If you are out and about in the traffic today let's be careful out there and eyes on the road (not on your palmsized version of the internet), you can catch the views here when you get back ~ now it's back to humming "please let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" ~

Friday, November 30th, 2012 ~ Last day of November right here, on the driveway, all day just for you (even if it rains, or maybe even if it snows (a bit, it could)). As November skips on out of here, there is lots of rain on the West Coast, and wind and snow out west as well to watch (pick your favorite western view below). In honor of Mark Twain and Winston Churchill, who share this date as their birthday, we suggest also keeping an eye out for rafts on the Mississippi or any rivers for that matter ~ and check out this camera about 2 miles from where Winston was born, or these cameras elsewhere in Oxfordshire. Whatever views you take in today ~ enjoy ~

Thursday, November 29th, 2012 ~ A very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY today to Cheryl and Mary Quinn! Hope it's a great day for both of you and the beginning of a wonderful year ahead. And it is also the birthday of Eugene Polley, inventor of the TV remote. (Born in 1915 he passed away in May of this year.) So let's celebrate from the couch and cake all around. Speaking of all around, it was just 51 years ago today that the first U.S. satellite carrying an animal was launched and Enos, a five-year-old chimpanzee, went on a 2-orbit ride for 3-hr 20 min paving the way for John Glenn's orbit mission 3 months later. So much to celebrate, so little time ~ time to get started........

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 ~ In honor of Magellan, who was looking for the western route to the far east, getting to the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean, for the first time back in 1520... don't miss the opportunity to go strait (sic)(sorry it just slipped out) to this view and be the first on your block to see the Pacific Ocean this morning by checking that link or here [or any of the west coast links below] ~ and since it's a good day for exploring, get out there and enjoy all the links whatever direction your headed!

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 ~ Late start today so just a quick Happy Birthday to two very cool guys ~ Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius, after whom the temperature scale is named, was born this day back in 1701, and Jimi Hendrix who would have turned 70 today if he could have. Both revolutionized their area of expertise and while one put us in a purple haze the other helped us measure coolness, as well as (among other things) the magnitude of the stars around us.... Enjoy the views ~

Monday, November 26th, 2012 ~ Rumor has it that it is Cyber Monday but please don't spend all your time (or money) buying things online...be sure to take some time to enjoy the views which are free and are delivered right to your desktop as soon as you click on them ~ let's see AMAZON do that! (oh wow, wouldn't that be fabulous (and oh so dangerous) if they could (but we digress)). It's been 1 year (today) since Curiosity blasted off to Mars and it was very busy over the Thanksgiving weekend (sending greetings with another lovely self portrait)(we are so very glad that the so very charming Curiosity is not camera shy!) Meanwhile, the Curiosity science team is also busy still ‘chewing over’ the meaning of the results from the first ever scoopful of soil spooned up and ingested by the SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) as they prepare for a December 3rd news conference on findings ~ hmmmmm

Sunday, November 25th, 2012 ~ It's Build A Better Mousetrap Day here on the driveway ~ which actually can't be done because it's also the 60th (!!!) anniversary of the first performance of the STILL RUNNING play The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie. Can't get better than that. Today marks the official birthday, achieved after more than 25,000 performances, 400 actors and two dozen directors. The Queen had her Diamond Jubilee, and now it's time for Agatha's. :) If you haven't read it, get thee to a library or bookstore (if you haven't seen it ~ call me, I haven't either and I'd love to go!). Enjoy the views ~

Saturday, November 24th, 2012 ~ Oh Happy Day ~ a little bit of snow graces the ground this morning. While this may be all the flakes we get this round, we are hoping for more flakes to fall and with any luck they will bring more of their friends next time they visit (and hopefully they will visit a lot this winter!) And speaking of dropping from the sky...today is also the 41st anniversary of hijacker D.B. Cooper parachuting out of a 727 and into a mystery, never to be seen again ~ although.... $5000 of the $200,000 he had was found 9 years later, buried near Vancouver..... so if you spot DB today, wave! (and let us know). Another gravitational mystery to look into: if you look closely at the 60 year old birthday boy today, underneath all those years you'll find, Cole! (we think he's still there anyway)(if you spot Cole today, wave!! But don't be surprised if he doesn't wave back, he's getting on and can't exert himself) :) Enjoy the snow, more leftovers, and of course, the views ~

Friday, November 23rd, 2012 ~ A slow start after some delicious sleeping in ~ and may be off to once again stretch out on the couch for a nap, soon ~ however there are colder temperatures on their way and snows on their way or already dancing about for viewing ~ check the North Woods, the North Shores, and any of your favorite mountains for some lovely views in between leftovers, and naps. Caught this interesting view of Yosemite yesterday ~ enjoy ~ (click picture for a larger view)



Thursday, November 22nd, 2012 ~ A very Happy Thanksgiving to all of our viewers, and, viewees. Thanksgiving has been celebrated since 1621, and as a national holiday on different dates, but on October 3, 1863, in the wake of victory at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln decided to issue a Thanksgiving Proclamation declaring the fourth Thursday in November national Thanksgiving Day. In 1941, Congress made it official, and here we are ~ Thanks for dropping by the driveway and watching the absurd with us ~ we hope your feasts and celebrations whatever form they take are delicious and full-filling! Enjoy the parades (haven't found a cam for any of them yet (Macy's, Detroit's (which has run just as long as Macy's), Chicago's...) but then again that's what earthcam and traffic cams are for!), the pies, and of course, the views ~

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012 ~ 135 years ago today Thomas Edison announced that he had invented a new device for recording and playing back sound, which he called the phonograph. And with his recording of "a piece of practical poetry" our lives would (eventually) never be the same. This 326th day of the year has been a big one for firsts ~ on it, in 1783, Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier, and the Marquis Francois Laurant d'Arlandes, became the first humans to fly. Their balloon lifted off, above spectators that included Benjamin Franklin and King Louis XVI, and flew nearly 6 miles in 25 minutes (faster than some of the roads you may travel this Thanksgiving week). You can google it, and should, as this is also the 43rd birthday of the Internet (more or less, well, actually more more than less) when "the first permanent ARPANET link is established, after a bit of tweaking, between UCLA and the SRI machine at Stanford over a 50Kbps connection". (so we're thinking listening to Up Up and Away online, while viewing, should cover it all) Lots of trips out and back today as the first round of 'Running to Wegmans for 1 More Thing' gets underway. Enjoy ~

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 ~ While the countdown to Thanksgiving continues (are your turkeys defrosting?) we want to take a moment to wish Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip a very Happy 65th (!) Anniversary ~ and here's to many more! Here is also to many more penguin eggs ~ the first one may have been spotted!?! It is also the birthday of Edwin Powell Hubble (born 1889) who expanded our minds (and our universe as it turns out) with galaxies beyond our own and whose namesake continues to amaze us. And for weather watching, pull up a chair and settle in as there are gale warnings on both coasts, (east and west that is, not north and south) winter storm warnings in the mountains, blizzard warnings in Montana, and views everywhere (check below) just waiting for you ~

Monday, November 19th, 2012 ~ It has been 40 years (!?) since anyone (that we know of) has visited the moon. And 42 years today since the 2nd Moon Landing when Apollo 12 astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean became humans 3 and 4 to walk on the lunar surface (with Astronaut Richard Gordon aloft). Be sure to get out this evening to check out the moon ~ currently a waxing crescent at about 38% full (could be at 39% by the time this actually gets pushed out there). But why wait for a walk? Check out the moon right now, right here, and/or here and wave at it whenever you see it! Today is also the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address ~ such eloquence in under 300 words is worth a re-reading or two as the run up to Thanksgiving begins ~ Enjoy ~

Sunday, November 18th, 2012 ~ It's a beautiful day on the Driveway ~ and with 1 or 2 trips out (and back) planned you may need to pace yourself when viewing today. And speaking of pacing themselves...Mickey Mouse turns 84 today as it was on this day in 1928 that Mickey Mouse was born when the first sound-synchronized cartoon to attract widespread public notice, Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie," premiered in New York at the Colony Theater. It is also the birthday of one of the people who made that possible ~ and who was the first human being ever caught on film ~ Louis Daguerre. Born in 1789, Daguerre announced his invention in 1839, and the images he produced became known as daguerreotypes. Since it looks like a picture perfect day out on the driveway, we'll leave you to enjoy the views ~

Saturday, November 17th, 2012 ~ It was 42 years ago today that a patent (No. 3541541) was awarded for the first computer mouse ~ or an "X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System" ~ first demonstrated in 1968 it helps driveway cam, along with almost every other computer user, every single day (well, one of it's descendants does, as the original mouse was made of wood and had one button). And in a happy coincidence (?) it's also National Homemade Bread Day and here is an easy recipe to make some bread that non-computer mice would love almost as much as you will. No knead to panic, it really is easy ~ and if you aren't up for making your own, you can watch breads being made here ~ enjoy the views and the smell of bread baking...

Friday, November 16th, 2012 ~ We made it to another Friday ~ and it's a sunny (albeit cold) one here on the driveway this morning. We've decided to make it corn day on the driveway as it was this day back in 1620, the first corn (maize) found in the U.S., by British settlers, was discovered in Provincetown, Mass., by sixteen desperately hungry Pilgrims led by Myles Standish, William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley at a place they named Corn Hill. Not finding a camera there, here is a lovely shot of the Corn Hill District, in the UK. (it gets dark early there, check in soon!) Enjoy and have some corn ~ it's amaize-ing how versatile it is ~

Thursday, November 15th, 2012 ~ Frost on the Pumpkins this morning! Okay, well, frost on the grass anyway ~ as driveway cam starts the morning looking at 29 degrees all over the driveway. May we suggest you add some Downtown viewing to your selections today in honor of Petula Clark's birthday? And while your feet are tapping to the beat (that's the greatest there), we'll just mention that another old quiz was answered this week ~ Quiz 2 of this year ~ so there is only 1 still unanswered, which has been languishing for the last 3 years (and 6 days!) ~ Quiz 10 of '09 should you be interested in getting this one solved.

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012 ~ We're celebrating Whale Watch Day here on the driveway (in honor of the publishing of Moby-Dick, in 1851, by Herman Melville). If you don't find one there (or here) you can always check out your library for one (in honor of Louis Timothee (the first professional librarian in the US, hired this day back in 1732 in Philadelphia)). And our raison d'cake today is 3 fold ~ it is the birthday of Aaron Copland, Edward White (first American to walk in space), and the ever luminous Louise Brooks ~ (and if you do make that cake... let us know!) Enjoy ~

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012 ~ Today is Grandma Scorse's Birthday ~ and in her honor the sun will be tipping its hat. True, it's mostly Australia that gets to see that, but that's okay because no matter where it is, or we are, we all can watch the total eclipse of the sun thanks to Slooh Space Camera (starting at 2:30 Eastern, November 13), as well as right here. So HAPPY BIRTHDAY VAL, and Happy Eclipse viewing to all ~

Monday, November 12th, 2012 ~ Almost 40 percent of Americans can trace their ancestry through the gates of Ellis Island, which formally closed its doors on this day in 1954 after processing more than 12 million immigrants to the United States in its more than a half century of service. Ellis Island underwent a $160 million renovation, the largest historic restoration project in U.S. history, in 1984 and the museum now there has had over 30 million visitors. It is hard to find a working web cam in NYC (and area), and in fact Ellis Island (and the Statue of Liberty) are closed due to damage from hurricane Sandy. However, you can check here on the progress of repairs (and to donate to them). And it was back on this day in 1892 that William "Pudge" Heffelfinger (!) became the very first professional football player when Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Athletic Association paid him $500 to play as a ringer in a game ~ the practice caught on. We got an answer to the current quiz (after only 5 months(!)) over the weekend, and want to point out that Quiz 10 of '09 and Quiz 2 of '12 are still unanswered ~ we're just saying. :)

Sunday, November 11th, 2012 ~ A Thank You to all Veterans and good Veteran's Day to all ~ hope it is a reflective day for everyone. A little Heads Up for some sky watching events coming up next week ~ starting at midnight, looking east, tonight and tomorrow, the Taurid Meteor Shower peaks ~ not many per hour but their fireball appearance said to be worth the wait. Check spaceweather.com for details. And if you are one of our Australian viewers (you never know, there could be one) you have a total eclipse of the sun coming up just after sunrise on the 14th (there). You can watch it online at Slooh Space Camera (starting at 2:30 Eastern, November 13) ~ Still trying to figure out if the penguins get to see it too (if you figure it out before we do please let us know). In between views today hope everyone can donate time, energy, or money, to either the VA or your local disabled Veterans.) ~ Enjoy the day ~

Saturday, November 10th, 2012 ~ The week is winding to a close here on the driveway ~ you might want to check out Lake Superior today on the 37th anniversary of the disapperance of the Edmund Fitzgerald in a November gale (and check out the rest of the north coast, along with other lake views just because). And it is the birthdays of Martin Luther (1483), the U.S. Marine Corps - Semper Fi, hoo-rah! (1775), and Sesame Street (1969) today (if you can think of a cake that covers all of them, please let us know). Meanwhile, it's back to watching the driveway and waving goodbye to the 3 minutes of today's daylight that are heading south for the winter and won't be back 'till spring ~ although the penquins say thanks, and they'll take good care of them.... Enjoy ~

Friday, November 9th, 2012 ~ 23 years ago today East Germany opened the Berlin Wall and for the first time since 1961 East Germans could cross freely into West Germany. To celebrate that, and the birthdays of 2 of our favorites Hedy Lamarr and Carl Sagan, may we suggest a cake? A tasty treat that is made with Condensed Milk (an invention by another of today's birthday boys ~ Gail Borden.) Doesn't matter if you don't want to celebrate any birthdays, this cake will let you celebrate nothing at all and will go great with checking out the views (just keep an insulin chaser handy!) ~ Enjoy ~ "Matter is composed chiefly of nothing" ~ Carl Sagan

Thursday, November 8th, 2012 ~ If you can find a working camera (a lot of them are still out) among the various Eastern coast leaf peeping, traffic, lakes, coasts and general views ~ there is a lot of snow to see, courtesy of Athena. Snow due to plow into the plains out west too (there courtesy of Brutus) ~ check here for snow forecasts etc. With a lot of wind everywhere ~ courtesy of them both and of birthday girl Margaret Mitchell (sorry couldn't resist, and it really is her birthday). It's also National Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day today ~ might be right tasty thing to do (in between watching the views). Here is a yummy sounding dish that fills both those categories, or make your own favorite boldly pungent delicious *something* for the day. It's supposed to warm up over the weekend so everyone be careful and hang on just a little while longer ~

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012 ~ Seems as if the weather isn't done pounding the East Coast as they brace for the Nor'easter headed there today ~ if you are in any of the storm areas today we hope you can either get somewhere warm and safe or can stay in and stay warm and safe. For those of you with power check out warm views or just let the fireplace below play on your computer (no it's not live, but we're looking for a fireplace cam that is. Until then, stay safe and enjoy the views).



Tuesday, November 6th, 2012 ~ We are back ~ in time to vote. We urge you all to get out there and vote early, and often. :) Had a great weekend down in KY ~ the concert was EXCELLENT (and so was getting to meet some of the band (and their fans) after the show). Such a quick trip meant we didn't get to see everyone but had a good time visiting where/when we could. While we were off Snow Patroling, we heard there was some snow flaking 'round these parts ~ we are hoping for some more... But not until everyone casts their vote. Enjoy the views, AFTER you've voted ~

Friday, November 2nd, 2012 ~ Check for snow flakes (there could be 1 or 2), and Jim partying, on the driveway this weekend as the entire office staff at Driveway Cam International (as well as Haydon and Lindsay) head to Louisville in search of Snow Patrol (who is playing there) ~ the staff opted for tickets to the concert in lieu of a paycheck (they really did, ask them). With luck Driveway Cam will keep rolling (it doesn't do well in the car and opted to stay here for your viewing pleasure). The rest of us will be back sometime Monday ~ until then, you know the drill, we'll be on traffic cams through NY, and Ohio, and KY, hoping to be heading over the bridge around 9'ish (Haydon should be heading this way over it shortly before that!) We'll wave as we go by the cams ~ Enjoy the views! a little more Snow Patrol ~ here; and here; and here; and here; and here (doing One Day Like This by Elbow); and here; and you get the idea (google away, enjoy)

Thursday, November 1st, 2012 ~ It's All Saints Day , a favorite day for looking up, and a new month ~ All of which brings us, besides leftover elevated blood sugar levels, the start of National Roasting Month *and* Sweet Potato Awareness Month. (these can be quite tastily combined too). The first day of the 11th month is also National Author's Day, established in 1949 by the U.S. Department of Commerce. So in between roasting and viewing, don't forget to celebrate your favorite author (and let us know who your favorite author is) ~ Enjoy ~

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012 ~ BOO!!! And a very scary All Hallows Eve to all ~ sadly, our refugee is heading out today even as a virtual jet stream of ghouls is forecasted to be heading in. We are still jack-o-lanternless, so still in virtual carving mode. If you have a spare moment or two in between your carving and viewing please vote on your favorite trick-or-treat candy (vote early, vote often for)(good practice for next week) ~ Reese's; or Butterfingers; or Snickers; or Kit-Kat; or Milky Way; or 100,000 Grand; or All of the Previous... ~ and by any, and all, means possible ~ have a delightfully frightening Halloween!

Tuesday, October 30th, 2012 ~ Hope all of our viewers got through the storm without damage (or at least not too much of it) ~ we lost power overnight, but it's back. Our high wind warnings have been dropped, will go outside at some point to see how the siding fared but we're good, fine, no problems. Haven't heard how much snow Russell ended up getting ~ hey Russell-ites, please let us know! Stay warm and dry today as Sandy moves out and the clean up begins ~

Monday, October 29th, 2012 ~ Camera was up and at'em, the blurb-ites weren't. Rain, rain and more rain and winds are moving in. Any east coast views you find will be interesting viewing. Everyone needs to brace themselves and get through the night, and/or however long it takes. We heard it's snowing in Russell Ky!!! Hope where ever you are, you are all staying safe and warm (and dry) until Sandy moves on out of here(we need every single one of our viewers!) Back to your viewing ~ have a good evening ~

Sunday, October 28th, 2012 ~ Dragon is on it's way home ~ splash down is 3:20 this afternoon (in the pacific) ~ no live pictures, but mostly live news is here. Sandy is on it's way too... but for now, just some light pre Sandy showers here so far. We hope everyone stays safe, and that it's not as bad as they are predicting.... but any Eastern US or East coast views (as long as the electricity holds) and traffic cams as well as the usual views (leaf peeping etc) should be really interesting (and we'll be inside (hopefully) anyway right?). There is also snow in the mountains out west and in Wisconsin for a break from viewing wind and rain. We may have some Sandy refugees blow into town (and onto the driveway) this evening...stay tuned and let's be careful out there people (while enjoying the views of course)



Saturday, October 27th, 2012 ~ Whether you are into weather or not, weather is the not the only topic of the hour ~ our headline reads "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!!!!" Hope it's an excellent day and start of the new year for you. In other news, Hurricane Sandy is approaching (in case you hadn't heard (!)) ~ we hope that everyone in it's path(s?) stays safe. Could be a bumpy, and scary, couple of days so be careful out there. If you are up tomorrow morning at 6AM (Central) (and have electricity, rumored to soon be a scarce commodity) check out NASA TV here, or on your TV, to watch the Dragon leave the ISS to return home. And in light of Sandy's potential for leaving the driveway, and you the viewers, in the dark, may we suggest you start work on your candle holders now. Check here for ideas, and then try them out here before you attempt the real thing. Remember, please, no carving in high winds.

Friday, October 26th, 2012 ~ The last Friday in October is prancing about the driveway today ~ Friday's love to prance ~ unlike the horses of the Pony Express these days...their last run was 151 years ago today which was also (not too coincidentally perhaps) the day the first continental telegraph news dispatch was sent. In keeping with the season (atmospherically anyway) it's also the day back in 1886 that Mussorgsky's "A Night on Bald Mountain," premiered in Russia, inspired by a short story by Nikolai Gogol ~ which you can read, and/or listen to, while you enjoy the views and the start of the weekend ~

Thursday, October 25th, 2012 ~ Today on Pat's Blog we learned that it is "The 299th day of the year; If a cubic cake was cut with 12 straight cuts, it can produce a maximum of 299 pieces... a good day to let 'em eat cake." While not entirely sure what that means, we do like the idea of 299 pieces of cake ~ yes, even as Hurricane Sandy slams Cuba, continues to grow more powerful, and turns her sights towards visiting the eastern coast ~ But that's early next week for us (and will be the first Nor'easter of the season, sort of exciting(from this distance anyway)) so for now we're going to say Fiddle-dee-dee and just enjoy the incredible weather (here), and views (everywhere), and maybe even eat some cake!

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012 ~ We are one week away from Halloween, and scary thoughts have begun to haunt us all ~ today however those thoughts turn to some non-scaredy cats: 63 year old Annie Edson Taylor who made the first ride over the Niagara Falls, in a barrel, 111 years ago today (on her 63rd birthday)! Headed in a whole 'nother direction of transportation, it was exactly 9 years later that (Rochester's own) non-scaredy cat Blanche Scott became the first woman to make a public, solo airplane flight, reaching an altitude of 12 feet (!) at Fort Wayne, IN. (Quite the character, on the ground or in the air, she was not just the first woman pilot, she was also a stunt pilot and a test pilot, she also became the first American woman to fly in a jet when she was the passenger in a TF-80C piloted by Chuck Yeager!) Wherever you go today we hope you don't get scared and that you enjoy the ride and the views ~ [The legal department just ran up here screaming (and gasping for air after the dash up the steps)(talk about scary!) that we indicate we are in NO WAY suggesting you emulate the actions heretoaforementioned and that they remind you it is illegal to travel over the falls in a barrel (or in a kayak, or on a jet ski)(those spoilsports in Legal really are scaredy cats)]

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012 ~ Reality is in the eyes of the beholder (even through a web cam) so we have no idea what you may see on the driveway today (you'll have to let us know what the view is from where you are) ~ you may see a duck, or a rabbit, just as readers of the magazine Fliegende Blätter did back on this day in 1892 when the Duck-Rabbit double illusion was first published ~ you're bound to see a mole or two as well since it's National Mole Day! (with thanks to Avogadro). And who knows you may even see the Capistrano Swallows leave as we hear they are packed and ready to go. Whatever you do, or don't, see today ~ enjoy the views :)

Monday, October 22nd, 2012 ~ It's the start of Free Speech Week, and while we encourage you to get out your soapbox, we would like to gently remind folks (not viewers of driveway cam of course, whose measured, thoughtful, emailed, suggestions and thoughts on our endeavor are always most welcome (and whose access to leaving a rant, er um, comment is restricted)) that it is Free SPEECH not Free SCREECH. It is also the birthday of Karl Jansky today ~ the man who discovered the universe freely speaks out too. He discovered celestial bodies could emit radio waves when he found certain radio waves coming from a specific region of the sky every 23 hours and 56 minutes, from the direction of Sagittarius toward the center of the Milky Way. (a galactic Hyde Park Speakers Corner perhaps?) Speak up, be heard, and enjoy the views ~

Sunday, October 21st, 2012 ~ It was back in 1879, this very day, that Thomas Edison finally figured out the carbonized cotton filament which gave him (and us) workable electric lights (with many thanks to him for keeping us from watching Driveway Cam in the dark). So it is the perfect day, naturally, for everyone to check in on our favorite light bulb: the world's longest burning light bulb, now in it's 111th year of shining on! It is also take a Dragon To Lunch Day (not that every day isn't) as Reptile Awareness Day shines the spotlight on them. (and they do love being seen! (they also love a glass or two of gewurztraminer, and are fond of Asian Fusion fare, so if you can find a place with both....)) ~ Enjoy ~

Saturday, October 20th, 2012 ~ It is Sweetest Day today ~ a regional holiday sort of thing. [If you're in range of its region, or even if you're not, enjoy your revelings]. Today is also 20th Anniversary of the first World Series game ever played outside the United States (the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2). It was outside the United States because 174 years before that (to the day) the U.S. and Great Britain established the boundary between the U.S. and Canada to be the 49th parallel*. In any case, today is a date that has shaped both our nation and baseball in other ways too ~ it was this date in 1803 the Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase (some of that purchase then given to Canada in the 49th parallel deal), and it is Mickey Mantle's birthday! Most importantly, today is an autumn Saturday ~ get out there and enjoy the views ~

Friday, October 19th, 2012 ~ As the weekend gets underway (sure we're rushing it, why wouldn't we?) we wish David Cornwell a Happy 82nd Birthday! [You may know him as John le Carré]. An autumn weekend (especially one now suddenly baseball-less for some of us) is a perfect time to curl up with one of his books (or the many movie adaptations there of) on the moral and ethical dilemmas that arise from the world's second oldest profession ~ Espionage. Movie versions made possible by another of today's birthday boys Auguste Lumière ~ co-inventor of the motion picture camera and producer of the very first commercial motion picture ever. You may want to covertly try this birthday cake while you enjoy the views ~

Thursday, October 18th, 2012 ~ Wednesday seems to have wandered down the driveway blurblessly, we're hoping today doesn't do the same. Mainly because we'd like to celebrate the fact that 145 years ago we (the collective we) purchased Alaska! (whose average October rainfall in it's capital city is 8.3 inches) ~ We'd also like to celebrate the 4th (and sadly, possibly the final) game of the ALCS series in Detroit (whose average October rainfall of only 2.2 inches is putting quite the damper on the games). And while we are celebrating please also keep an eye out for anyone named Ishmael wandering on the driveway (and the white whale that may be close behind) on this the 161st anniversary of the publication of Moby Dick (you can read the 212,758 word version right here or if you are in a hurry here is a 12 word synopsis (Sailor. Boat. Captain. Leg. Mad. Sail. Find. Whale. Chase. Smash. Sink. Float.) as presented in a children's board book version available from Cozy Classics ~ which leaves lots of viewing time to check in on both Alaska (where they are expecting a rain and snow mix) and Detroit (where it is currently raining) and the driveway (awash in sunlight at the moment). Enjoy ~

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 ~ A very Happy Birthday to Donna today! Hope it's the start of a great year for you Ms. Patrick! And a very merry Feral Cat Day to us all ~ While celebrating and perhaps looking for a feral cat to take to lunch, you might also want to look for a brooding, (byronic) hero type to join you as well, to help celebrate the 165th anniversary of the publishing of Jane Eyre! (those brooding mysterious types often excel at finding (and tending to) feral cats, even if they aren't the best conversationalists at lunch). If you haven't read it at all, or recently (or seen one of the 16 variations of movie versions), you can read it right here. Enjoy ~

Monday, October 15th, 2012 ~ Middle of the Month Monday is up on the driveway today ~ it's sharing the driveway with I Love Lucy Day (in honor of the premier of her show this day in 1951) and National Grouch Day (we aim to embrace this one) in honor of Grouch on the Muppets and of Grouches everywhere (wave if you are one)(and we will listen for reports of wind storms...because we know there are lots of you out there). Have a very Grouchy Monday and enjoy the views ~

Sunday, October 14th, 2012 ~ In other sports news (because we are still trying to process last nights playoff events) (with congratulations (albeit subdued) to the Tigers who won the first one but will not (we hope) win the last one....(sorry Pebble)) today is the World Conker Championships! We hope the birthday of e.e.cummings, the anniversary of the publishing of Winnie the Pooh (in 1926), and the 946th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings doesn't get lost in all that Conking! Wrist guards on and enjoy the views ~



Saturday, October 13th, 2012 ~ The playoffs continue with the start of the American and National League Championship Series ~ grab a nap today, could be another late night of baseball when the Tigers and the Yankees take the field tonight (at 8:00). And it's a grand day for looking for Pooka's on this the 62nd anniversary of the opening of Harvey, with Jimmy Steward as Elwood P. Dowd. If you can find it, watch it (same goes for a Pooka of course). If you can't find it, there are clips all over youtube, and you can enjoy checking all the views for wandering Pookas, there might even be 1 or 2 at Fall Festival Days at Bristol Mountain ~ where the leaf peeping sky rides will be in full swing (you can watch right here). "You see, science has overcome time and space. Well, Harvey has overcome not only time and space, but any objections" ~ Elwood P. Dowd

Friday, October 12th, 2012 ~ It's Take A Cobbler To Lunch Day! It was just (?!?) 52 years ago today that Nikita Khrushchev took off his shoe and used it to pound a table top at the U.N. (some good orthotics could have shortened the cold war by years...) And it was just 520 years ago today that Christopher Columbus wanted to take his shoes off and wade to shore to what he thought was Asia, possibly even China, but was actually the Bahamas (where shoes were considered très passé). Happy viewing to you and all your cobblers ~ (link provided in honor of the cobbler Haydon made us on Sunday that is long since gone but will never be forgotten! Yum!)

Thursday, October 11th, 2012 ~ A beautiful day in the neighborhood both numerically and meteorologically ~ wish we were going kayaking... Besides being 10/11/12 (it takes so little to amuse us) it is also World Sight Day so get yourself (and your eyes) up and out (so to speak, don't get too literal with your eyes on this one) and take in some sights. If you are stuck inside this lovely day, don't worry, you can take in some sites right here. Enjoy ~

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 ~ Okay, not only is it International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction, it is also Emergency Nurses Day too! Working on reducing disasters would certainly give those ER nurses a break... and in one of those perfect alignments, it's also the birthday of Earle Dickson, born in 1892, who invented the Band-aid! So...get out there, reduce natural disasters whenever you can, and celebrate! (safely of course) ~

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 ~ In 1888 on this day, the Washington Monument was opened officially to the public. [Just 40 years, 3 months and 5 days after the cornerstone of the monument was laid. Lack of funds and continued interruptions delayed completion (and dedication) until February 21, 1885.] Here is another view of it ~ And it was this day in 1976 that President Gerald Ford set October 9th aside as a day "To give special recognition to a game that generates challenge, intellectual stimulation, and enjoyment for citizens of all ages." ~ aka National Chess Day which calls for a live look in at a human sized chess board in Italy (doesn't it?). So now, it's Driveway Cam (DC,B1) to Driveway's B4

Monday, October 8th, 2012 ~ The launch was beautiful, but we saw no meteors here (a little busy watching the playoffs). So a very slow start here after a late night of baseball... there are views out there for whatever speed you are moving today (even if you are not moving because you have the day off!) ~ there are leaves turning and falling at an increasing rate, the penguins are slowly returning, there are mountains moving even more slowly, and/or there is snow (for you adrenalin junkies) lurking about the northern boarder which might be found on camera, you never know .... happy napping, or surfing!

Sunday, October 7th, 2012 ~ Apologies to the post season games yesterday we thought weren't happening, and congratulations to the Tigers and the Reds for win #1. (4 more games today (yay!)). It's a busy day from the ground up as tonight is the launch of the Dragon, heading to the International Space Station (on NASA TV and here, liftoff is set for 8:34 p.m. EDT, coverage starts at 7PM). And ~ Northern-hemisphere sky watchers should be alert for slow-moving meteors emerging from the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon (!!) (not far from the North Star) on Sunday night, Oct 7th, through Monday morning Oct. 8th. Check out SpaceWeather.com for more details ~ enjoy it all, the playoffs, the liftoff and of course, the views ~ (apologies too for the still blurry view, a new driveway cam is imminent)

Saturday, October 6th, 2012 ~ A late start to the viewing day but a hearty Happy Mad Hatter Day!! Based on the illustration in Alice in Wonderland by John Tenniel (original illustrator of the first edition) it's best celebrated with a tea party, and some general silliness (you can never have too much of that). In case you missed them last year here are some perfect cakes for the occasion ~ they'll suit you to a tea... The WILD card playoff games lived up to their name last night and the playoffs begin again tomorrow. Along with a launch of the Dragon, once again on it's way to the International Space Station (you can watch here, liftoff is set for 8:34 p.m. EDT, coverage starts at 7PM). But that is tomorrow ~ today it's pinkies up and Enjoy the views ~



Friday, October 5th, 2012 ~ 430 years ago, in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Poland, this was the first day after ten days were skipped with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. In those four countries, this date became Friday 15 Oct ~ We're very happy that we are not losing 10 days out of the month this year, as that means Banned Book Week is still going on. And it was also on this 279th day of the year, 42 years ago, that the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) officially became a network (it was a Monday that year) ~ Some of the leaves out there are now about the color of Big Bird, which makes for lovely viewing ~ enjoy!

Thursday, October 4th, 2012 ~ Congratulations to the YANKEES, the TIGERS, the REDS, and the NATIONALS (and good luck to the Cardinals, the Orioles, and the Rangers (sorry, can't even pretend to type good luck to that other team))!! :) And a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY (indirectly) to Bert, Nan, Flossie, Freddie, Richard and Mary Bobbsey, Frank, Joe, Fenton and Laura Hardy, Aunt Gertrude, Nancy, Bess, George, Ned, Carson Drew and Hannah Gruen (just to name a few), and of course directly to Edward L. Stratemeyer ~ creator of those characters among so many others! He rejected what he called the "namby-pamby" in children's literature of his day and had to begin a syndication of writers to keep up with the demand for his wildly popular books. Cake all around ~ and enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012 ~ The driveway is not shrouded in fog and you do not need glasses...it's not your eyes seeing things blurry (although if you've been staying up watching baseball you might feel a bit blurry and foggy!), it's driveway cam's eye. We're working on it. The other views are clear (ok, except those that really are in fog), so enjoy wandering today. It is the last day of regular season play in Baseball ~ things are still crazy in the American League. Congratulations to Detroit who clinched their division on Monday while Baltimore and the Yankees, along with Texas and Oakland will play their deciding games tonight! (TX/Oak is at 3:35, the other 2 are at 7:05 and 7:10). Then there is that debate thing happening at 9:00, going up against the season finale of MLB... well, a blanket good luck to all (especially the Yankees!)(sorry Pebble) ~ and Enjoy the Views ~ :)

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012 ~ 2nd day of the 10th month has been an interesting one through the years ~ the first record of an African camel being imported into America was this day in 1721 with the announcement that it was being exhibited in Boston (and here). And in 1895 the very first comic strip was printed in a newspaper paving the way just 55 years later (to the day) that the Peanuts Gang first appeared, then called the "Li'l Folks". It's still Banned Book Week (in case you were wondering) ~ so take one to lunch, (and have some cake and ice cream, courtesy of the birthday of Graham Greene and the 1959 premier of The Twilight Zone) and/or read it in between watching the views ~ and watching the penguins ~ because they are back!!!! :)

Monday, October 1st, 2012 ~ We heard a whisper that October is now appearing on the driveway (and all its environs) ~ we're very happy and most excited as the autumn winds begin to blow with more conviction. Driveway cam had a few issues yesterday, we're hoping we can get that sorted out so you get a clear view of the first day of month as it wanders by. Because anything can wander by in October and we want to make sure you don't miss a thing. There are 3 games left in the regular season for most of the MLB ~ and things are pretty exciting (and scary) in the American League right about now too. Banned Book week is underway (with the specter of banned books being more than enough scare all around) Read a book, kick some leaves, or... just watch some leaves ~ they are peaking in the east!

Sunday, September 30th, 2012 ~ Wow ~ just that fast it's the last day of September. Honestly don't know how that happened. Found some of the VERY elusive (this year) Empire Apples yesterday at Herman's Market on 5 Mile Line Rd ~ in case you are in need of them too ~ and got the first of the season's Cider and Doughnuts to go with them. :) Today is the start of Banned Book Week so grab a banned book and get out there and read ~ here is a list of some frequently challenged classics and here are lists of books challenged over the past few years (at the bottom of that page) ~ "The good of a book lies in its being read." ~ Umberto Eco



Saturday, September 29th, 2012 ~ We are quickly spinning our way to the end of one month and the start of another ~ and while the days aren't getting shorter (they are still just about 24 hrs long), the daylight is fading some. We do have (starting at 12:01 AM this very morning) about 48,000 miles left to go to get to October (and will lose about 5 minutes of daylight along the way). And we are getting there at about 1,000 miles an hour so let's be careful out there people. That means only 48,000 miles left to get your library card too, (haven't you gotten it yet?) and just 24,000 miles until Banned Book Week. (small note: the MLB teams are going to be racing 'round too, at least around the bases, with only 5 games left in their season!) So enjoy the weekend, the views, the miles ~ curl up with a good book today and enjoy wherever you end up while spinning..... “A book burrows into your life in a very profound way because the experience of reading is not passive.” ~ Erica Jong



Friday, September 28th, 2012 ~ Driveway cam has had a rough week from the technology side of the driveway but is working on getting it's eye back on the driveway ~ and just in time for Catherine's Birthday!!!! Many many Happy Returns today and every day of this new year for you!!! September seems to be in a hurry to get out of here but, there are still 3 days to get your library card in Library Card Sign Up Month (who knew?!) (and while you are at the library check to see if they have any of Catherine's books) :) Have a great Friday and enjoy the views (leaf peeping is picking up as they begin to fall down) ~ "If you didn't want them to think, you shouldn't have given them library cards." ~ Robert Kaufman



Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday to Johnny Appleseed! (aka Johnny Chapman) As we are having a very bad apple harvest up here, due to the uncooperative weather over the summer, we suggest keeping whatever apples you can get for eating ~ and using a can of apple pie mix for a delicious apple cake! (because you really don't have to make it from scratch (see below)) Try this recipe for almost instant apple cake or go use your library card and/or google away to find another ~ but for goodness sake enjoy an apple in one form or another today. The ice cream with the cake should be for our other birthday boy T.S. Eliot. Last words today are to Carl Sagan because we couldn't resist ~ "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." ~ Dr. Carl Sagan



Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 ~ It's a double birthday cake day (we do love those!) for 2 of our favorites ~ William Faulkner and Shel Silverstein! You can get all of their books at your local library and all you need is a library card ~ which, as luck would have it, is available at your local library (they make it so easy). It is a perfect day to go to the library with friends, or meet some friends (old and new) on the shelves at the library (when you aren't enjoying the views of course) ~ "A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life" ~ Henry Ward Beecher



Monday, September 24th, 2012 ~ The last Monday of the first "ber" month is here ~ and it's 44 on the driveway this morning. (yay) It's also National Punctuation Day and it is birthday cake day for Greta (yay! (times 32)). You can find a ga-zillion (a technical term) recipes for birthday cakes along with an almost equal number of how-tos for punctuation at the library (and can even take them home to read when you use (and or get) your Library Card). There is a great contest going on at NPD ~ check it out (you have until the 30th to enter) and check out some great haikus from their 2010 contest right here. Have an exclamation mark of a day enjoying the views ~ "If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all" ~ Oscar Wilde



Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 ~ The 266th day of the year is here and it brings us great gifts ~ As the subsolar point pauses before moving south today, for those of us North of the Equator it brings us Autumn (YAY!!), to the South it brings Spring (encouraging news for the penguins and penguin watchers), it brings 1 of the only 2 days in the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west and to anyone standing on the Equator it brings 1 of the 2 days each year they can see the sun passing directly overhead! But the big news is ~ Autumn has arrived. Go get some cider and donuts and get peeping! (and if you didn't take a hobbit to lunch yesterday, do so today as it is the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, per the book published 75 years ago yesterday, and as such it is Hobbit Day) ~ Happy Equinoxing ~ (and good luck on the move today Hannah!) “Now autumn curls around us, the fall into reading is come.” ~ Anon



Friday, September 21st, 2012 ~ At 10:49 AM (eastern) tomorrow the Autumnal Equinox will be dropping off fall on our doorstep ~ so today is the last day of summer! To celebrate it's Take a Hobbit (with a pocket watch) to Lunch Day ~ in honor of the publishing of The Hobbit in 1937, and the birthday of HG Wells in 1866! Not sure why the Hobbit needs a pocket watch? Well, you can ask your Hobbit over dessert, and make it a BIG DESSERT as The Hobbit turns 75 today!!!, or you can check in at the library ~ with a wave of your magic card, a.k.a your library card, you'll have any answers you need ~ Enjoy the fall of summer, the 75th anniversary of being able to read The Hobbit, your lunch (Hobbits are very good conversationalists when you feed them) and of course, the views ~ “The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past centuries.” ~ Descartes



Thursday, September 20th, 2012 ~ Enjoy the views today ~ some of us will be stuck in a meeting where we'll be wishing we were: a) checking out the views, b) going to the library, c) sitting in a comfy chair reading the book(s) we get out of the library (using our library card (of course)), or d) all of the above. We'll be thinking about ways to get some "action" cam views of the meeting ~ but for now, enjoy the views here for those of us who can't ~ "What is more important in a library than anything else - than everything else - is the fact that it exists." ~ Archibald MacLeish



Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 ~ Ahoy! If ye aren't already talking like a Pirate ye best get at it for it's the 10th anniversary of the worldwide celebration of International Talk Like A Pirate Day. So no matter if you are ye hearties or ye scallywags get your eyepatches on (may limit viewing a bit but that's okay) and enjoy the views ~ and, if you are looking for more swash to buckle or need more help with the lingo you and your library card can get all the help you'll need on shore, at your library. “A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints” ~ Wilfred Peterson



Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 ~ It's rainy and it's Tuesday ~ two perfectly good reasons to go to your library, get a copy of Breakfast At Tiffany's and curl up in a chair (with a cruller, of course!) and enjoy a good read. It's a good workout for your happily used or your brand spankin' new library card because billed as a "stationery and fancy goods emporium" at the time, the jewelry store Tiffany & Co. was founded in New York City on this date in 1837 ~ It's also Greta Garbo's birthday so have 2 crullers and remind people that you 'Want to be left alone' while you read ~ "The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn't know how to read." ~ Benjamin Franklin



Monday, September 17th, 2012 ~ And we're back (even if we aren't sure why). Maybe because it's Constitution Day? (on this, the 225th anniversary of the completion and signing of our Constitution), or maybe because ... nope, we really aren't sure why we came back. We had a great time reading, napping, watching the lake, and napping while we were gone. But now we're back, the driveway is here, your libraries are here, and, there is still plenty of time in Library Card Sign Up Month to sign up for yours. Meanwhile ~ it's the start of leaf peeping season, and there is a new panda cub at the Smithsonian Zoo ("as far as we can tell, the cub was born at about 10:46 p.m. on September 16" (YAY!!)) and so it's back to the views, back to work, waiting to hear more about the panda cub(s) and back to reading and napping whenever we can (as well as back to watching the lakes by proxy) ~ "That perfect tranquillity of life, which is nowhere to be found but in retreat, a faithful friend and a good library." ~ Aphra Behn



Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 ~ Last update for a while ~ but we're still here ~ at Honeoye, where the camera seems to have stopped (and now restarted! (at least as of 9/13/12 AM))... but here are some other nearby lakes :) ... and we're still having a lovely vacation. Enjoy the rest of the week whatever your views are and go get your library card if you haven't already ~ we'll be back on Monday (.... maybe) "Reading takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere." ~ Hazel Rochman



Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 ~ It was 45 this morning lakeside, and beautiful ~ see for yourself... but now it's back to some pumpkin bread, another chapter or two and maybe another nap ..... "Your library is your paradise." ~ Desiderius Erasmus



Monday, September 10th, 2012 ~ From the south shore of the lake seen here, and from its northern shore ~ Happy Monday ~ :) “Reading... a vacation for the mind....” ~ Dave Barry



Sunday, September 9th, 2012 ~ It's off to the lake today for Emily, Greta, and the drivewaycam staff ~ we'll be on the north shore of this lake ~ don't know exactly where this camera is but if we figure it out we'll wave when ever we paddle by. Driveway Cam itself however is once again foregoing the pleasure of going to the lake to keep you up to date on the driveway doings (and on Jim's partying we're sure). If you haven't gotten your library card yet ~ well what are you waiting for? This would be a perfect week for that and while you take care of that, we will check in when we can ~ we hope you all have a wonderful week that is full of reading and naps too... Enjoy the views :) “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” ~ Frederick Douglass



Saturday, September 8th, 2012 ~ Turns out that day 8 of Library Card Sign Up month is also International Literacy Day ~ on this overcast Saturday we are taking our card on the road and to the library ~ and you should too (it's not your grandmother's library card...) Today is also the 82nd anniversary of the invention of Scotch tape ~ developed by Richard Drew (as well as the 46th (!?) anniversary of the very first episode of "Star Trek" to be aired (check out google)). It's not your grandmother's scotch tape anymore either come to think of it! Go, visit a library, get a book, and read today ~ you'll enjoy the views ~ "We read to know we are not alone" ~ C.S. Lewis



Friday, September 7th, 2012 ~ It's FRIDAY (reason enough for cake, but there's more!) *AND* it is the birthday of darling Bess (known to her friends as Elizabeth Tudor) It is also the birthday of Luther Crowell, holder of over 280 printing press patents including the one that created the first rotary folding machine which made sure the newspapers, delivered to driveways everywhere, were complete and folded ~ Don't have a newspaper thrown on your driveway either? No problem ~ your library does and your library card gives you the pass key to newspapers from all over the place. So a toast to Luther and Elizabeth and maybe even a piece of Simnel Cake (rumored to be a favorite of the Queen's court then) and it's on to the views ~ "Libraries are starting places for the adventure of learning that can go on whatever one's vocation and location in life. Reading is an adventure like that of discovery itself. Libraries are our base camp" ~ James H. Billington



Thursday, September 6th, 2012 ~ It is a quiet day on the driveway and so a perfect day to wander the views, and the world if you exercise your library card, (and/or get a library card, and/or help someone else get one) since not only is Autumn working it's way across the views, but it is already day 6 of Library Card Sign Up Month ~ and the weekend is coming up ~ so stock up on some library books and get traveling ~ with a special look in 'towards' Plymouth on the anniversary of the pilgrims and the Mayflower leaving port there, heading west, bound for our east coast. (with other views of the area here) "We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth." ~ John Lubbock



Wednesday, September 5th, 2012 ~ A very Happy Be Late For Something Day to all ~ we've been wonderingly lately what sort of things happened on this date and we've found it's been a busy day... It was this day back in 1666 that the great fire of London was extinguished after four days and nights, and 32 years to the day later, in Russia, Peter the Great imposed a tax on beards (!), no surprise then that just 76 years after that the first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia, leading directly to Babe Ruth hitting his first home run as a professional player 140 years (to the day) later which, turns out, was just 43 years before Kerouac's "On the Road" was published ~ the reading of which gave the guys at NASA a great idea and 20 years later (to the day again, coincidence? we think not) they launched Voyager I (now 35 years later, still on the road, and ready to cross over into insterstellar space!!) So celebrate, but don't be late in getting your library card, it is already day 5 of Library Card Sign Up Month ~ "I'm sure we would not have had men on the Moon if it had not been for Wells and Verne and the people who write about this and made people think about it. I'm rather proud of the fact that I know several astronauts who became astronauts through reading my books.” Arthur C. Clarke , Address to US Congress, 1975



Tuesday, September 4th, 2012 ~ Alrighty, it's time to get back to work! ~ We know that because it was on this day, back in 1842, that the U.S. Naval Observatory was authorized by an act of Congress ~ and because of that you can check your watch against their coordinated universal time in all sorts of ways right here too. And just in case it's a picture perfect day we should remember that back in 1888, on this date, George Eastman was issued a landmark U.S. patent No. 388,850 for his box camera. Making photography available to everyone with the simple instructions: "Pull the String, Turn the Key, Press the Button." It was the same day that he registered the trademark name KODAK ~ which you can read about at your library when you go today to get a library card (you may have heard it's Library Card Sign Up Month) or to use your library card (your card and your library will appreciate it) Before you go and/or when you get back, enjoy the views ~ "When I step into this library, I cannot understand why I ever step out of it." ~ Marie de Sevigne



Monday, September 3rd, 2012 ~ It's Labor Day ~ so get out there and don't labor! Read a book, watch some clouds, bake a cake, take a nap, go for a walk, and whatever you do.... enjoy the views ~ “I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage.” Charles De Secondat



Sunday, September 2nd, 2012 ~ Midway through the Labor Day Weekend and we're going to try a Lock on the Erie Canal ~ which leaves the entire driveway available for viewing this lovely Sunday. It's the 2nd day of Library Card Signup Month! If your library is open on Sunday take your card for a visit, or, if you are cardless, go get one. There are a more than a ga-zillion books there waiting for you! (with an extra day for reading this weekend!) "'Let's try the library,' I tell him. 'We can find out anything there!'" ~ David McPhail



Saturday, September 1st, 2012 ~ And just that quietly Autumn moved into town ~ Happy September! In honor of the birthday of Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974), born this day in Minneapolis, we are doing a little maintenance around here. The exterior of the house behind the driveway will be power cleaned this afternoon (should be some interesting viewing), and we've repaired some broken links, posted a new trial cam (the link from the old trial cam made it to the big leagues and is in the table of links below), and nest watching was retired for season with leaf peeping now in it's place ~ Speaking of places...September is Library Card Signup Month! If you don't have a library card ~ go get one! (we'll be right here when you get back) And if you do have one ~ be sure to take it out and exercise it a lot this month. (visiting libraries to flex it's muscles is it's favorite thing (it also loves to go to lunch!)) With many thanks to Benjamin Franklin for starting public libraries we turn our sights on September ~ "With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one - but no one at all - can tell you what to read and when and how." ~ Doris Lessing



Friday, August 31st, 2012 ~ The last time one occurred was December 31, 2009.... The next time one occurs will be July 31, 2015 ... But we don't have to remember or wait because we have one, today, and we get to see it twice (!) as it was out this morning (between 6:30 and 7:00) and will be out again when it rises this evening. If it's cloudy don't worry. In honor of Neil Armstrong (whose funeral is today) the 2nd Full Moon this month will also be viewable live online starting at 6:00 PM. There is another traditional definition of Blue Moon - the 3rd Full Moon of a season that has 4 Full Moons was originally called a blue moon - but we're sticking with the 2 in 1 month definition. So it is a day to bid farewell to Neil, to August, and to Blue Moons for 35 more months after this one sets.....

Thursday, August 30th, 2012 ~ Once again, as August works on getting packed up so it can leave, it's take a monster to lunch day on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's birthday and Frankenstein's birthday too (well, sort of). Ms Mary was born London, England in 1797, and wrote Frankenstein in 1818, which is considered the first science fiction novel ever written. Way to go Mary! In her honor we should all put together a monstrously good day of viewing ~

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 ~ Isaac continues to pound the Gulf Coast, and New Orleans. Keep a good thought for it to move, and weaken, quickly. We hope those in it's path stay safe and dry. Besides being a terrible day for hurricanes past and present, it was on this day in 1893, U.S. patent No. 504,038 was issued to Whitcomb L. Judson for the "Clasp Locker", which was later to become known as the "Zipper". With many thanks to Mr. Judson, we'll close this up now and return you to your views, already in progress....

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 ~ We are all keeping an eye on tropical storm Isaac and hoping that everyone in it's path has battened down and/or gotten to a safe place ~ While we surf the headlines and wait for news on the storm, keep in mind it is Eat Crackers Over Your Keyboard Day *AND* Race Your Mouse Around Your Icons Day ~ both of which we always thought were just other terms for EveryDay (but apparently we were wrong).

Monday, August 27th, 2012 ~ Weather story continues to be Isaac ~ now unfortunately with it's sights on New Orleans unless it changes course, again. We hope everyone in it's path stays safe and or gets to safety. It was 101 years ago today that the NY Times headlines proclaimed Martians had built canals on the red planet ~ Curiosity will help with the fact checking on that story (stay tuned for updates). You may want to check in on the South Coast Waves over the next couple of days ~ along with all the other views ~ and have a lovely last Monday of the month.

Sunday, August 26th, 2012 ~ Isaac is working on becoming a Hurricane today, it's the 92nd anniversary of the adoption of the 19th amendment (but only the 28th anniversary of Mississippi voting to ratify it(just saying)), and the 119th anniversary of the largest eruption of Krakatoa ~ but mostly it is a day to remember Neil Armstrong and how he took us all to the moon 43 years ago. And taught the entire planet where Wapakoneta is ~



Saturday, August 25th, 2012 ~ The last Saturday of August is upon us and it looks like it will be a lovely one here on (and around) the driveway. We wish it could be for all the folks in the path of (for now) tropical storm Isaac - for you we hope it passes quickly. At some point we'll all have to face the fact that summer may start winding down, but it shows no signs of that yet around these coordinates (as long as you don't look at the neighbor's maple tree and it's spate of orange leaves). There are cherry pits and watermelon seeds a plenty for the spitting, beaches waiting for toes, grass (where it hasn't turned to straw) to be laid upon for cloud viewing, and there is still some lazy hazy crazy waiting out there. So take it slowly, and get out ~ to the views real and virtual, and hopefully to an enjoyable (late) summer Saturday ~

Friday, August 24th, 2012 ~ Hey! It's Bogdan's Birthday! Hope it's a great one Da-veed ~ It is also the 6th anniversary of "Jeer at the IAU Day" as the very date Pluto was demoted from Planet to dwarf planet has arrived once again. They are currently meeting in Beijing ~ fingers crossed they don't get up to more hijinks, but you have to wonder, who's next? While jeering you might want to try our favorite Pluto Cake ~ which also works as a general Friday Cake as well. Enjoy it and the views ~



Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 ~ We can't help ourselves ~ we're bringing back the King to wish Charlotte a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Have a wonderful year Chuk!!!! And it's a great day for exclamation marks for another reason too because Curiosity is on the move! YAY!!!! Pictures of it's tracks on Mars and as it goes along are available here and the latest raw pictures (sort of like curiosity web cams!!!) are here ~ Enjoy the views from Mars!!!



Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012 ~ Today is the anniversary of the birthday of Ray Bradbury (would have been his 92nd). Dandelion Wine will be sipped in his memory, and stories will be read in his honor. Here is one that appeared in Esquire ~ The Last Night of The World ~ or there is The Veldt, The Murderer, A Story of Love, and just in case you need some more (wish they were all online!) some we've posted before: The Pedestrian, A Sound of Thunder, There Will Come Soft Rains, The Fog Horn, or All Summer in A Day and of course... the original Dandelion Wine short story/article ~ and if you're in the neighborhood, c'mon by for some wine and stories here.

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 ~ 53 years ago today we added another star to our flag as Hawaii joined the Union! Might as well spend the day checking in there (even if the sun isn't up yet) along with the other views. You can watch Hawaiian Helicopters on Maui, or on Big Island or if you slide down the pages and click on webcams you can check out their other sites, or one of a thousand (zillion) beaches, or a look at Hilo Bay or a check in on their air quality ~ and don't forget to peer in at some other volcano cams there (always exciting!) And maybe even enjoy a little Pineapple Zucchini Bread while viewing ~ Aloha ~

Monday, August 20th, 2012 ~ Curiosity zapped it's first rock on Mars yesterday! It is scheduled to start the first walk about very soon (this week?)(on Tuesday was one rumor we read) - until then we wait, and while we wait we remember that it was 37 years ago today that Viking I launched and would eventually become the first spacecraft to successfully land on the surface of Mars. And don't forget to tidy up as with any luck, while we are visiting Mars, some one will come a'calling because we sent the invitations out 35 years ago today ~ launched on Voyager II. Still sending signals from 11.184681 billion miles away (as of about 8:27 est this morning)(getting very close to crossing over into Interstellar Space!), scientists believe it will be able to continue sending back signals until at least 2025. Meanwhile, as we wait for Curiosity to get rolling, and our RSVP's to arrive, which hopefully won't start off with zapping rocks here :) ~ its back to views a little closer to home...



Sunday, August 19th, 2012 ~ Sure, the Olympics are over in London, and the Paralympics haven't started yet ... but here on the driveway the competition continues. Last week's high soccer score goes to Team Emily ~ and is the current High Score to beat! Other scores to aim for are: Basketball high score is 21, Kayaking best time is 26.8, Hurdles time best time is 14.6 ~ so play on. (and send us your scores) It was this day back in 1819, when the New York City's Common Council passed a law to "prevent the use of velocipedes in the public places and on the sidewalks of the city of New York." (velocipedes being the first bicycles seen in NYC just prior to this date). It is also the birthday of Charles E. Hires who came up with a recipe for a combination of over twenty-five herbs, berries and roots that he used to flavor a carbonated soda water drink ~ Hires Root Beer ~ so enjoy the views, the games, and a frosty mug of root beer today (and keep your velocipede off the sidewalks would you?)

Saturday, August 18th, 2012 ~ Running late and behind and it's all the fault of Katniss Everdeen and friends (and Hannah who introduced me to them). Hunger Games was released, on DVD, at midnight (in case you were wondering) ~ But now it's on to some Saturday viewing and running around to try to catch up. Enjoy the views, and may you never have to worry about the odds being in your favor!

Friday, August 17th, 2012 ~ It's Friday! The perfect day to watch the sun come up (and later go down) across the country ~ where to check? Start here to get your bearings then wander the views ~ It's always fun to try to guess when you'll first catch the sun as it wanders into the views (but please, no wagering!). And today is the birthday of Ms. Hazel Gladys Bishop the American chemist who made her mark by inventing something that didn't ~ non-smear ("stays on you not on him") kissproof lipstick! Not much can follow that so enjoy the views!



Thursday, August 16th, 2012 ~ In Kentucky (and maybe other places too....) school started yesterday ~ so while students there hit the books, the rest of us will just have to step up and take over the rest of the week's hanging around, and enjoying of all the views! Are you up for it? Then it's on to the views ~

Wednesday, August 15th, 2012 ~ Middle of the week, middle of the month, not too far past the middle of the year ~ we need to celebrate something to get us moving on down the driveway today. Luckily we have the perfect birthdays. It's the birthday of Stieg Larrson (who would have been 58 today) ~ author of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo!! Cake all around ~ and none better to help us with that then Julia Child on what would have been her 100th birthday!!! ~ so some ice cream too! Guess the rest of the week, month, year will get here soon enough, here's to enjoying today ~

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012 ~ A slow start to a slow day on the driveway ~ kind of day to catch up on whatever views you've been neglecting. From our raison d'cake department comes the reminder that it was 59 years ago this very day that the wiffle ball, a ball that curves when it is thrown, was invented by David Mullany for his 13-year-old son. Thanks David for the wiffle ball and for a reason to have cake! (okay, sure, we never need a reason but thanks anyway) Enjoy whatever turns your day takes ~ but wiffling or not, let's still be careful out there :)



Monday, August 13th, 2012 ~ A quiet day as Olympic fever abates and we return to our regularly scheduled viewing ~ a tip of the cameo hat to Alfred Hitchcock on his birthday today, with a revival of a round of Hunt for Hitch (where did he appear in all of his movies?) ~ spoiler alert: they are all listed here. And we take a look in at Berlin today on the 51st anniversary of the beginning of the Berlin Wall, when in the early hours of the morning, East German soldiers quietly began laying down barbed wire: a hundred miles of it just inside the border of East Berlin. West Berliners began knocking the wall down by hand in 1989, and it was formally dismantled, and Germany reunified, in 1990. Enjoy all the views today ~

Sunday, August 12th, 2012 ~ The kaleidoscope that has been the Olympics is almost over ~ the closing ceremony is this evening (starts at 4:00 online)(7:00 on NBC) and then the torch is passed to Rio ~ going to miss these Olympics and all the sights of London they've brought. Thank goodness for the sites of London! And it turned out, you should have all come over last night, as we actually ended up with clear skies somehow and a nice selection of Perseids overhead. If you have clear skies get out there again tonight it really is some great viewing (dusk till dawn, north east sky, towards dawn is better as the Moon, Jupiter, and Venus get in the act for some even lovelier views). Have a good Sunday, a good end of the Olympics, clear skies for catching some meteors, and as always, enjoy the views ~

Saturday, August 11th, 2012 ~ First off it's Happy Birthday to Marty today! We all hope it's a great year for you Martha!! Secondly it's on to the news ~ The Emilyan's final round of soccer yesterday came in with a score of 33! The gauntlet has been thrown. No new googlegames today so it's a chance for us all to practice up on the previous games of Hurdooles, and Basketball, and Kayaking as well. Good Luck to all here, and in London, as the Olympics continue to march to their closing tomorrow. The Perseids Meteor shower peaks this weekend as well (with up to 90 meteors an hour possible if you have clear skies)(the driveway sadly is not supposed to or we'd invite you over)(you are of course invited anyway, just bring an umbrella). Enjoy the penultimate day of the Olympics, the 32 medal events that are happening there today (including women's high jump and rhythmic gymnastics), and all the views too ~

Friday, August 10th, 2012 ~ The Olympics begin their last weekend :( ~ but there is still much to see and many medals to give out. :) As they wind down, the views do not, so check in on the London views and especially the Tower Bridge view between 4:30PM and Midnight (eastern) to see the Dazzle: Bridge Illumination (which will run even after the games, until September 10th). Besides these lovely Olympics, we can also thank the British for The Smithsonian Institution ~ founded this very day 166 years ago, for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge" from a bequest to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the new nation. Besides all the great animal webcams they run, there are 4 at the Air and Space Museum and a very nice underwater reef cam at their Tropical Research Institute in Galeta. ~ Today's google game is soccer ~ good luck and let us know your scores (undocumented (so far) current score to beat is 12 goals!)(by Team Em) ~ Enjoy!

Thursday, August 9th, 2012 ~ An inquiry update - Cheryl Jones (of Russell KY) has been cleared (pending blood test results) with submission of the photo phinish of her Hurdooles race. The race isn't over yet so get out there and give it a go and let us know how you do on Hurdooles, and in Basketball and in Kayaking today!!! (current time to beat is 29.0 seconds). Perseids Meteor Shower is peaking tonight so if you have clear skies get out there and enjoy the falling views ~

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012 ~ An inquiry has been filed, but at the moment the fastest time reported to us on yesterday's Hurdooles was 14.6 seconds by Cheryl Jones of Russell KY. The Olympic committee suspects doping as the next closest time is a good 4 seconds longer than the alleged time of Ms. Jones. We'll keep you posted on the outcome of the inquiry ~ in the mean time we hear that Google has upped the ante with Basketball today! [Ms. Jones first score returned was 18* ~ asterisked at this point, pending blood test results] For those of you not locked into beating the record in Hurdooles and Googleball ~ track and field continues in London along with many other events happening there. Enjoy the views and let us know your Googleball scores ~

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012 ~ The Olympics continue to be some of the most exciting viewing currently showing on this planet. [Looking forward to some great off planet viewing too as Curiosity adjusts to it's new surroundings and begins exploring.] There are 21 medal events today including the last of all the events at the Velodrome, men's 400 hurdles and the women's steeplechase (can't say we understand this one but best of luck all around)(and let us know your hurdles score)(gotta love the google) ~ and for something not completely different but sort of, a non Olympic, live view of London's, and in fact the European Union's, tallest building: The Shard (a name it was given by detractors but which stuck and was adopted as it's official name!) right here. Enjoy this and all the views ~

Monday, August 6th, 2012 ~ Curiosity is on Mars and so we are too! (or as close as most of us are going to get) It is amazing that it all worked, but it all did. Pictures were back fairly quickly and now that the terror is over the fun can begin ~ hopefully we'll have some great Martian viewing for a LONG time! (a few simulated views of the landing this morning are here) Track and field at the Olympics has been providing some great views as well ~ medals in women's pole vault along with 17 other medal events today will be keeping London hopping. And it's Alfred Lord Tennyson's 203rd birthday today ~ so he gets the floor for the last words ~ "Come, my friends, ’Tis not too late to seek a newer world" ~ from Ulysses



Sunday, August 5th, 2012 ~ It's Curiosity-is-just-about-to-land-on-Mars Day!! (if you are on the west coast it is Curiosity Landing Day, here on the East Coast we have to wait until 1:31 tomorrow morning). Join NASA and the JPL as they await the results of the seven minutes of terror, the (fingers crossed) successful landing at Gale Crater, and the start of Curiosity's new life on Mars!!! Watch on NASA TV if you have it, on the NASA/JPL site, as well as this site to watch. Or wander outside and look up (pre landing) ~ Mars is the reddish, bright 'star' low in the western sky at sunset. It's shining out there this week awaiting the arrival of it's newest pilgrim and in formation with Saturn and Spica ~ and don't forget the Perseids Meteor shower is getting ready to peak in competition with the Olympics for viewing! Want to know if you'll have clear skies? You can check here. And check here to get Curiosity's tweets. Fingers crossed and enjoy the views! (Our apologies to Neil and Wendell ~ today is their birthday, not yesterday ~ the proofreading staff is sufficiently mortified to allow them to keep their jobs, at least for now)

Saturday, August 4th, 2012 ~ The first weekend in August is here - with 90+ degree weather, 46 medal events at the Olympics, *AND* the arrival of Curiosity on Mars!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big weekend all around (even on the driveway? (well, you never know, it could happen)). To get your Curiosity viewing ducks in a row here is one place to watch starting at 11:30PM tomorrow night! (It lands at 1:31 AM (eastern) Monday morning) And here is another place to watch. As well as on NASA TV. With the heat due in here as elsewhere, staying in and checking the views is one of the best things you can do. You can also check out your local library to borrow their AC as well as read about today's birthday boys Neil Armstrong and Wendell Berry ~ Whatever you do let's be careful out there people ~ Stay cool, stay hydrated, take it easy, and, enjoy the views ~

Friday, August 3rd, 2012 ~ Curiosity lands in 2 days! It's Martha Stewart's 71st birthday! And track and field gets underway at the Olympics!! ~ all of which are good things and make for a fabulous first Friday of the month. We stop to remember it's also the anniversary of the first traffic lights in Britain being installed ~ on this date in 1926, in Piccadilly Circus. You can go take a live look in there to see how the traffic continues to fare. All of our London Views are here and we'll add to them as we go along ~ We're thinking the perfect cake for Martha and today's viewing would be a lovely Battenberg Cake and will spend the day remembering how tasty they are and hoping someone brings one over!

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012 ~ Perseids Meteor Shower is back and will peak on the 9th ~ but don't let that stop you from looking now (okay, the full moon might be an issue but otherwise.....). Heads up too for the Curiosity Landing in just 3 days. And while we are staring up at the sky a tip of our collective caps (and sun visors) to today's birthday boy John Tyndall who is the person who first explained why the sky is blue ~ And some good folk lore news (?) as we head into a steamy August ~ if the first week in August is unusually warm, the coming Winter will be snowy and long. (and folk lore wouldn't lie) For now, it's back to the Olympics (Great Britain won it's first gold of the games yesterday in women's pair rowing!!! (have to root, root, root for the home team too)) and all the other views ~

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 ~ Welcome to August on the driveway ~ Some whale watching for birthday boy Mr. Herman Melville (but please, call him Ishmael). Off in London, where the "new" London Bridge opened for traffic this day in 1825 (it's now in Lake Havasu City, Arizona (you can check in on it here), the current London Bridge opened in 1973) the Olympics are still raining oooohs and aaaahhhs on us, with 20 medal events today! (including the women's singles in ping pong ~ where it's China vs China for the gold?!). And in case you are curious ~ Curiosity's landing on Mars is only 4 days away!!! Yay for August ~

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012 ~ And somehow, just that fast, the last day of July is rolling down the driveway ~ how did that happen?? It's the birthday of Stephanie Kwolek, inventor of Kevlar (which after being spun is five times stronger than steel and has half the density of fiberglass)(and is the stuff of light kayaks 'round these parts)(Thanks Stephanie!). The Olympics continue with medals being awarded today in weightlifting, judo, shooting, gymnastics, fencing, diving, equestrian events, canoe/kayaking, and swimming (with Mr. Phelps, among others, trying to swim into the history books). But take a break from viewing and before July is completely gone, to take a deep breath and celebrate this very day back in 1774 when Joseph Priestley discovered there are "Different Kinds of Air" [one kind of air later named Oxygen] ~ enjoy the views ~

Monday, July 30th, 2012 ~ It's Gymnastics, Gymnastics, swimming, Gymnastics ~ as the last Monday of the month (and the first Monday of the Olympics) gets a start tumbling down the driveway. In between events you might want to pick up a penguin today ~ as it's the 77th anniversary of the day Penguin Books was established, beginning a new era of great, inexpensive, paperback books. And why not make it 'Wuthering Heights' in honor of Emily Brontë's birthday today too (she turned to writing because she never could stick her landings). Enjoy the views ~

Sunday, July 29th, 2012 ~ First ~ Happy 54th Birthday to NASA! (Curiosity starts it's final approach today and is, at the moment, 7 days 17 hrs away from landing!!). Closer to home, the Olympics are well underway ~ and today the men's canoe and kayak event heats begin. In their honor (okay, not really in their honor) Loretta and I are going to yet another of the Finger Lakes (Hemlock Lake this time) to practice our kayaking, just in case Reading While Kayaking in Quiet Water ever becomes an event. Hey ~ don't laugh ~ it could happen! In the midst of watching the Olympics you may also want to check in on Waynesburg, PA where it's Rain Day (named such because 113 of the last 137 July 29ths...it's rained). So while many today are going for Gold ~ Waynesburg is going for #114 and cloudy! (with there being an 82.5 percent change they'll do it!)

Saturday, July 28th, 2012 ~ Loved the sheep, the bicycle doves, the torch ~ nothing beats an Olympic Opening Ceremony ~ but now... Let the games Begin! If for some reason you aren't an Olympics fan there is the Blueberry Arts Festival, in Ely MN, now underway and/or there are the traffic cams in London to watch (although driving through London the next couple of weeks could also be an Olympic sport we hear)(here's how to find your way, and maybe even your cam) ~ Some more London Cams to watch include the Albert Bridge ~ and a busy Saturday on Oxford Street (you don't need the add-on) ~ [9/26/14 West London College, the host of this Oxford Street site, requested that we remove the link, so we have] ~ Enjoy ~



Friday, July 27th, 2012 ~ ~ BAHM, BAHM, BAH-BAH-BAH-BAH-BAHM, BAHM BAHM BAH-BAHM, BAH-BAHM BAHM BAH-BAH-BAH-BAH BAHM ~ It's here! The opening day of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London (yay!!!!). A video with the torch relay song is here and here is a little teaser of the opening ceremony tonight (starts 7:00 Eastern, on NBC). Until then let the London web cam watching begin too! To start ~ a look in at the Olympic Stadium!(link removed by request of owner), and or Aquatic Center, and/or Trafalgar Square, and/or Hyde Park. For viewing the rest of the olympics, what is happening and when can be found here, and where you can watch what's happening is here, by date/sport. It's going to be a great couple of weeks ~ enjoy the views!

Thursday, July 26th, 2012 ~ Time is running in both directions today as the years add up with the 69th birthday of Mick Jagger (!?!), 104th anniversary of the creation of the FBI, and the 65th anniversary the National Security Act [which created the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the CIA ~ any of whom might actually be watching the driveway today][insert wave here]. It's also the anniversary of the premiere of Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' just 59 years ago today in London (maybe Mick saw it when it came out?) And speaking of London, while time may be piling up for (and on) some, it is also running out on the countdown clock for the Olympics which have their opening ceremony tomorrow night! It's also counting down to Curiosity's landing on Mars in just 10 more days! All of which means, by all accounts, it's time to enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012 ~ A little test of your knowledge today (in a non quiz fashion) ~ what is it the 34th anniversary of (and not too coincidentally the 34th birthday of one of the participants?) If you don't know, can't guess and google lets you down... mouse over here. The last full week of National Blueberry Month is racing by ~ they are getting ready in Ely, Minnesota for their annual Blueberry Art Festival (starts Friday) so it's time to break out the annual look in at Ely's Whiteside Park before preparations get started. And not for nothing, a little musical interlude while you view ~ Enjoy ~

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012 ~ Good Morning Driveway Cam ~ only 3 days (and about 8 hrs as we type) until the opening of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London! But even sooner (as soon as right now) is the 62nd anniversary of the first successful launch ever made from Cape Canaveral as well as the 43rd anniversary of the day the first men to walk on the moon (or star in a moon walking movie) successfully returned to earth splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean (or on a sound stage somewhere on the west coast). ~ And, maybe most importantly, (with thanks to Pat's Blog), this is the 206th day of the year and 206 is the lowest positive integer (when written in English) to employ all of the vowels once only (who knew?) as well as there being 206 bones in the typical adult human body. It all has to mean something ~ if you figure it out let us know but for now it's off to the views ~

Monday, July 23rd, 2012 ~ Today is the 1st anniversary of Mr & Mrs Jones of Russell KY becoming said Mr & Mrs Jones (of Russell KY) ~ Happy Anniversary!!!! It's also the 109th anniversary of the day Ford Motor Company sold it's 1st car (a Model A) ~ it was red, cost $850 (about $20,000 today, adjusting for inflation) ~ and apparently it's also Hot Enough for Ya Day, National Hot Dog Day, **AND** National Vanilla Ice Cream Day!!!!, all of which leaves us overwhelmed so we're going to sit in the shade and watch the driveway while the rest of the country parties on. However you celebrate today, enjoy the views ~

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012 ~ Welcome to Sunday on the driveway ~ temperatures head back towards the 90's today 'round these parts and many other parts of the country. But relief is coming (?) so mark your calendars.... okay, maybe not for us, or very soon, but the total eclipse that will happen this very day in 2381 will be the first total solar eclipse in Amsterdam since 17 June 1433! Which can only mean ~ Road Trip!!! A bit closer to home (in at least 2 dimensions) it's all things Cleveland today as it was this day back in 1796 that Cleveland (Ohio) was founded by General Moses Cleaveland ~ so make some ice tea, find a tree with some shade, and check out the Elephants in Cleveland, A street in Cleveland, A lovely construction site, and/or check in on the skyline and the air quality on their Haze Cam ~ you might also try some Cleveland Indians baseball (they are playing Baltimore today at 3:05) ~ Enjoy!

Saturday, July 21st, 2012 ~ Another early (remember, it's relative) morning, heading back to Canadice Lake ~ doing the perimeter today and hoping for a little more sunshine than last week... To those of you not flinging today (wish we were!) if you are in the area with your boat.... c'mon down! It's quiet, lots of wild life (and eagles) (tho' relatively few flamingos) to see, and you'll absolutely enjoy the views ~




Friday, July 20th, 2012 ~ It was 43 years ago today, at 10:56 p.m. EDT, that astronaut Neil Armstrong, then 240,000 miles from Earth, took that small step and giant leap for all of us back here on Earth. So it's all things moon today ~ with a look around the landing sites, no not a back lot somewhere in California, a nod to it's phases, a live look right here, and of course a link to make up a batch of Moon Pies to munch on while viewing and wondering if we'll ever get back there.....

Thursday, July 19th, 2012 ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY MS. LEXI!!! And congratulations on losing your first tooth!!!! Have a wonderful time being 7 :) In Lexi's honor today museum officials and three of the four original Enterprise pilots will officially open the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum's new Space Shuttle Pavilion. You can watch here (!?) ~ ceremony is at an 11 a.m. EDT. Or head on over to Intrepid’s Flight Deck, located at Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue) in Manhattan! (Just 4 blocks north of here) When you get there, wave at us and we'll all wave back ~

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 ~ We're off to Rome today ~ to take a live look in to see that it is NOT burning today, which it started doing this very day back in 0064. Nero may or may not have fiddled away while events unfolded ~ but we know for sure that Nelson Mandela (turning 94 today!) has not during his lifetime and in his honor today is International Mandela Day. Please note that enjoying the views is not considered to be fiddling away under any definition of those words, so however you help out the universe today, don't forget to take in a few views along the way ~

Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 ~ A very Happy Anniversary to Aunt Joyce and Roger today! And while we are celebrating, it's also a very Happy Birthday to Phyllis Diller who is turning 95! Our visitors from the south (Amy and Tim) are sadly heading home today ~ now that you have caught glimpses of their car on the driveway you should have no trouble finding them as they wander home past these cameras in NY, OHIO, and KY. Enjoy trying to track them, and of course, all the views ~ Last words to our birthday girl: I never made “Who’s Who” but I’m featured in “What’s That?” ~ Phyllis Diller

Monday, July 16th, 2012 ~ Happy Monday and Happy 43rd (!!???!) Anniversary of the liftoff of Apollo 11 on it's way to the moon for what many believe to be man's first trip to the moon surface (check out here for more details) (of course many also believe we never got there too so believe what you will). In other space news mark your calendars because on this very day in 2186 will be a solar eclipse with totality at 7 min 29 sec in the Atlantic Ocean!! This will be the longest total solar eclipse between the dates of 4000 BC and 6000AD ~ and we don't want to miss that!!! Until then, totally enjoy a lovely Monday, and all the views on the driveway ~ [Hey - if you were out lake watching yesterday, did you catch this view from Montana?!]

Sunday, July 15th, 2012 ~ Quick update as Loretta and I are off to kayak (fingers crossed that the thunderstorms stay away from the Finger Lakes)(or at least off of the smallest finger!)) And if you can't be out on a lake today, you can always (always!) check out the lake views ~

Saturday, July 14th, 2012 ~ Un jour Bastille très heureux à chacun! And so a look in at Paris and the Eiffel Tower ~ check here for catching some fireworks. Some birthday cake for Jay Wright Forrester today, born in 1918 he is the man who invented random-access magnetic core memory (helping bring driveway cam to billions of potential viewers (he'd be so proud) and to the 1 or 2 actual viewers (we too are proud))! It's the anniversary today of the first close-up photograph of Mars taken of Mars back in 1965 by Mariner 4. [ Curiosity lands on Mars in 22 days ~ can't wait! ] Sit back, relax, keep your storming to a minimum today, et maintenant, sans agitation de plus....appréciez les vues :)

Friday, July 13th, 2012 ~ Have no fear, Friday the 13th is here! This is our 3rd and final one for the year. Each of them has been exactly 13 weeks apart! Next Friday the 13th is 14 months from now, so get through this one and you can relax. Probably should relax anyway because in a 400-year period, the 13th falls on a Friday more than any other day: 688 times. And while Three (!) Friday the 13ths happen every few years, the last being in 2009, and the next is 2015, what's special about this year and what won't occur again until 2040 (mark your calendars, meet us back here) ~ is that this is happening during a leap year. So enjoy and instead of avoiding the day...get out there and dance with a black cat under a ladder (okay, don't push your luck THAT much, but embrace the day (even if it is from under your bed) :)

Thursday, July 12th, 2012 ~ The driveway is about to get busy as travelers from the south head up... you can track their trip on these cams (KY, OHIO, NY) details are sketchy but they should be hitting Cincinnati 'round about 10 ish (don't know what they are driving so spotting them may be tough, but our viewers are up to the challenge we're sure!). And besides being the birthday of our own George Eastman (born back in 1854) it's also the day that the first Etch-A-Sketch went on sale, back in 1960! So watch a movie, watch for cars, etch some sketches, and above all, enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 ~ Late start, but today we are celebrating the 153rd anniversary of the day Big Ben was first heard ringing in the Westminster clock tower ~ can't see the bell but we can watch the newly renamed Elizabeth Tower for a fair-thee-well, right here, and listen to a recording of Ben right here. Here's hoping we all fair well on this lovely summer day, and enjoy the views ~

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012 ~ Happy All Star Day ~ today the American League battles the National League for home field advantage come October. We don't want to pick sides but GO A.L.!!! Should be an entertaining game whatever side you are on. 87 years ago today another clash of opposing sides got underway as the Scopes Monkey Trial began in Tennessee. (Monkeys on both sides of the issue were captivated (and or enraged) by the implications of the trial, and, strangely enough, still are) You can check in on some folks, who seem to have gotten over it, right here (it's like looking in a mirror at times isn't it?) ~ Enjoy ~ :)

Monday, July 9th, 2012 ~ Hope the heat is backing off a bit for all our viewers now. The start of a new week (and the All Star break (Homerun Derby is tonight!)) is at hand, so take a deep breath and enjoy the cooler temperatures (well, the overall map is less orange in any case). Looks like a beautiful day in the neighborhood on this the 191st day of the year ~ (which, as it turns out, is what you get by adding up the values of the common US coins you may have handy (silver dollar + half dollar + quarter + dime + nickel + penny)). What ever change you have (in the weather or in your wallet) we hope you enjoy the day and the views ~

Sunday, July 8th, 2012 ~ It was 236 years ago today that a 2,000-pound copper-and-tin bell now known as the “Liberty Bell” rang out from the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, summoning citizens to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. If that doesn't call for ice cream, what does? Turns out it was also this day back in 1881 that: "a patron came into Edward Berner's drug store in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and sat down at the soda-fountain counter. Since it was the Sabbath, the customer couldn't have the desirable, but scandalous, flavored soda water. Berner compromised by putting ice cream in a dish and poured over it the chocolate syrup that was previously only served as flavoring in ice-cream sodas" ~ and with that the "Sundae" was born. So, in true driveway cam tradition, here are some live views to have along with your ice cream: a view from an ice cream shop in Portugal, a view from one in Montana, a view of a closed (it is Sunday) Ice Cream Cam at the University of Wisconsin Food Sciences Department, and a live look (at 5:00 ish?) from an Ice Cream Truck! Enjoy the views and the ice cream ~

Saturday, July 7th, 2012 ~ We're so excited ~ it's raining on the driveway!! It's the 2nd best thing to happen since bread was wrapped! (the only thing better was when bread was sold as sliced for the first time, this very day back in 1928 in Chillicothe, Missouri (with many thanks to the ever helpful Writer's Almanac)) And if we had microphone you'd get to hear the thunder too ~ but for now enjoy the view of the much needed rains here. We hope the views are as pleasant where you are this first Saturday of July ~

Friday, July 6th, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday to the old guy in Oldham county who answers to the name Mark! Hope it's a great year for you! Meanwhile, the heat continues (but not for much longer, hang on, it will cool down a bit) so get thee to some shade (and take your pc, your birthday cake, your ice-tea, and a radio for listening to some baseball (little known fact, baseball on the radio is very cooling)). Coincidentally, or not, it was on this day in 1933 that the very first All-Star Game took place at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. Billed then as a one-time “Game of the Century,” it is now a permanent (and much-enjoyed) fixture of the baseball season (this years All Star Game is Tuesday July 10th). For now, relax, stay cool, check out the various beach, river, lake cams all below, as well as the Penguins cam (it's winter there), the Denver Doggy Day Care Pool Cam, and/or pools in NY, and/or in CA, and/or in MO. Take it easy and enjoy the views ~

Thursday, July 5th, 2012 ~ In getting with the whole snap, crackle, pop of the fireworks thing, or maybe to celebrate today being the aphelion [the point in the year when the Earth is at its farthest distance from the Sun] "Sunspot AR1515 has grown into a behemoth more than 10 times wider than Earth. The active region is crackling with M-class solar flares and seems poised to produce even stronger X-flares in the days ahead" ~ which may play havoc with radios, power lines, and satellites, but also makes for some good sun spot viewing and/or aurora watching (check out the aurora cams below). You may want to take some time out from viewing today to take a crack at making (and eating) some cake and ice cream for birthday boy Sylvester Graham (inventor of the graham cracker) ~ but whatever you do, put on your aluminum foil hats and enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 ~ Happy 4th of July and a very Happy Birthday to Ellie (turning 15 today!) ~ and as the US is turning 236 today on it's birthday too, we say fireworks all around! This side of driveway cam did NOT make it up for the sky show this morning, if any of you did...please send pictures. The rest of the month pre-dawn viewing is good as well so maybe one of these mornings....? But now it's on to the parties, picnics, parades, phlag wavings, pyrotechnics, and, of course, the preamble. Enjoy the day ~ We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 ~ Sorry we're updating so late ~ the prefull Thunder Moon (want to know why it's named that? ask the midwest and east coast...) got in our eyes and kept us up last night (that's our story and we're sticking to it). The moon is actually full tonight so get out there and howl ~ howl too for the Dog Days are here. The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 ~ and they won't be over until August 11 (no matter what dear Florence and her Machine tell us), coinciding with the ancient heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. These are also the days of the year when rainfall is at its lowest levels (unfortunately so, for so many). What ever you do this holiday-eve day we hope you enjoy the views ~

Monday, July 2nd, 2012 ~ It was 75 years ago today, in 1937, that Amelia Earhart was last heard from, somewhere over the Pacific. We continue to hope that the mystery of what happened is solved (new expedition this year to find her), and, also, that the mystery of what happened is not solved (driveway cam likes a good mystery). In the new (to the driveway) word department we're told the storm in the Midwest on Friday was a 'derecho' (which is good to know, but doesn't help the millions still affected). The heat advisories continue ~ so enjoy the views from the veranda, or some other shady spot, with a glass of icy blueberry ice tea (it's day 2 of National Blueberry Month after all) ~

Sunday, July 1st, 2012 ~ Bunny Bunny Bunny and Welcome to July on the Driveway! We hope you'll stick around since it was on this day in 1847 that the US Postal Service issued its first postage stamps (sorry, we thought we'd licked that little problem). We also hope you stick around because it's still nasty hot out there, and, for many people, it's dangerous with all the downed trees. We hope all our viewers made it through the storms safe and sound and are able to find relief from the heat. If you are one of the thousands heading to the beach to day to cool off be sure you take your 100+ sunscreen (Hannah can tell you where to get it) and be careful out there ~ (driveway cam is a worrier when it comes to it's viewers)



Saturday, June 30th, 2012 ~ As June rolls on down the driveway and out of here, it's not going without a fight. It's continuing to clobber most of the country with insane temperatures, and it's sticking around for 1 second longer today as the good folks at the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (what? you thought it rotated without help?) in Paris ~ those grand arbiters of time on our big blue marble ~ have declared that a leap second will happen (at 7:59:60 (!) Eastern) this evening to help keep up with the slowing of our spin. Hey we all slow down a bit as we age ~ just how fast do you think you'll still be when you are 4.5 billion? (not sure? could ask birthday day girl Louise (still crazy after *all* these years) who is closing in on that figure, or ask a Corvette, as they turn 59 today, the anniversary of the first production of a Chevrolet Corvette.) So enjoy the one brief second when time will quit slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. Meanwhile ~ take it easy in the heat, stay out of the midday sun (unless you are a mad dog or Englishman), drink plenty of fluids, and be careful out there people ~

Friday, June 29th, 2012 ~ The very last Friday of June is upon us and we have to wonder how it got here so fast ~ maybe on the Interstate Highway System? (possible since it was on this day in 1956 that President Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act, which established it). But we say let's slow it down a little ~ it's summer *AND* National Ice Tea month after all ~ so make up a pitcher or two (exactly what the Yankees are trying to do) and find a shady spot to sit, relax, and enjoy the views of those who are not in a shady spot relaxing ~

Thursday, June 28th, 2012 ~ A very late start to the driveway's day ~ but still lots of good viewing left in the day. Back in 2007 there was excellent news on this day as the American bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list! In their honor, some looks at some empty eagle's nests ~ not empty because eagles have disappeared but only empty now because the chicks have flown the coop. They will be inhabited again next nesting season. This camera still does have eagle fledglings showing up on it ~ the rest are empty nests (some with sound!) One of our favorites, in Colorado (pick the Fort St. Vrain nest) each nesting season and another favorite in West Virginia. June is racing out of here so enjoy it's views while you can ~

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 ~ Thanks to one of our favorites, and today's birthday boy, Augustus De Morgan, we can (among other things) describe fractions with a slash (didn't you always (or at least 1/2 of always) wonder where that came from?). He'd be 206 today if he could. In other news(?) it was this very day back in 1941 that the BBC began using the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as a morale-boosting motif (in Morse Code, "dit-dit-dit dahhh" stands for the letter "V" as in "Victory") ~ and we hope you enjoy it being stuck in your head all day (no, no, there is no need to thank us, just enjoy the views) ~ :)

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 ~ Happy Stripes Day! (a new Holiday we're working on getting recognized officially, just as on this date in 1870 Christmas* was declared a federal holiday in the States)(*only 181 days away now but who's counting?). It's also known as Meridian Day ~ to those around Greenwich anyway (chosen not because it's the date the Prime Meridian was established but because it was the date the weather was most likely to be good for the centennial celebration!) It's also the 38th birthday of Derek Jeter ~ Captain of the New York Yankees, *AND* it is the 38th anniversary of the day a package of Wrigley's chewing gum, with a bar code printed on it, passed over the scanner at Marsh's Supermarket in Troy, OH, becoming the first product ever logged under the new UPC computerized recognition system. So...



Monday, June 25th, 2012 ~ The last Monday of June is here, and if you are feeling like it's 1984 it's no wonder (some folks would say it feels more like that now than it did 28 years ago but that's a whole 'nother discussion). For it is the birthday of Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell) today. So cake and cameras all around. Big Brother may be watching ~ but then, that's why we watch back ~ :) And watching in England still proves to be the easiest (they are the biggest of brothers it seems) and some of the most fun. So in honor of Eric (one of their own) and of the start of Wimbledon today ~ watch on (and click on the Live tab)!! ...(and on)...(and on).......

Sunday, June 24th, 2012 ~ Stealing is not a good thing, unless you are stealing home in the midst of a ball game ~ which Jackie Robinson did for his very first time on this date in his rookie year ~ 1947. He would go on to steal home 19 more times in his career including the [famous] swipe against the Yankees, which is (as of this date) the last straight steal of home in World Series history. [Which reminds us ~ there is still time to vote for your favorite MLB All Stars (or ours (let us know if you need suggestions)).] You can steal a look at the International Space Station, gliding over many of driveway cam's viewers tri state areas the next few days ~ it was a beautiful pass last night ~ check for times in your area here and then get out there and wave as they go by (and when you are done with that... you might want to steel yourself and sneak a peek at the latest quiz)

Saturday, June 23rd, 2012 ~ A merry and madcap Midsummer's Night Eve and/or St John's Day Eve to all. In Finland (and elsewhere) bonfires will be lit tonight in celebration ~ prior to that you can catch what's happening at a Saturday Market there (and for more summer insomnia viewing (as well as cloud watching) try their other cam). For your bonfiring tonight try out the topical 'St. John's Night on the Bare Mountain' (commonly known as Night on Bald Mountain) ~ always a favorite and actually finished (but not Finnish) on St John's Eve in 1867! Throw in that the typewriter was patented (U.S. No. 79,265) on this date in 1868, by Christopher Latham Sholes (we do thank him, we love it and it's qwerty keyboard!) and it's an excellent penultimate Saturday in June ~ be sure to check out the huh below for even more celebrating ~ (with many, many, thanks to Mr. Turing too) ~ The summer night is like a perfection of thought. ~ Wallace Stevens


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Friday, June 22nd, 2012 ~ The heat has abated, a bit, in some areas ~ which is good because it's Take Your Dog To Work Day and dogs are not fans of working when it's hot (they are much more into sleeping in the noon day sun don't cha know). You can take a look in at doggy day care cams (for those dogs who do not get to go to work today...) all over the place, including here (the Denver link has a pool that's fun to watch) And it was this very day back in 1675, that the Royal Greenwich Observatory was established in England by Charles II ~ so in honor of his foresight, and of the Observatory, we're taking in some live views of the sky through telescopes ~ one aimed at the North Star in Tenerife (which also has an excellent observatory dome cam during the day there) and one with the sky (and maybe some moon glow) in Missouri. As well as some live observations of observatories ~ in California (which also has an excellent sky cam at night there!), and in Arizona ~ to celebrate. Have a happy Friday and enjoy the pre weekend views ~

Thursday, June 21st, 2012 ~ Welcome to the first full day of Summer! Much of the country is about ready to holler Uncle from the heat already ~ with the Midwest and the Northeast sweltering and looking for shade. Check out the southern most views (like Antarctica) or any of the lakes or mountains or rivers for some cooling views if you find yourself wanting to escape the rising temperatures. It's also insomniac's viewing season in the far northern views, try Aurora Cam 2 or Cam 5, as well as any of the Alaska views or Iceland, here ~ and/or here ~ where it is bright enough to watch 24 hrs a day ~ if you find yourself wanting to escape the setting sun. And lastly but not leastly, we would be remiss not to add: take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, sit back with your shades in the shade and be careful out there, and of course, enjoy the views (we need every one of our viewers, and don't want either, er um, any of you on driveway cam's DL).

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 ~ It's here ~ the day that holds the instant when the sun climbs to its farthest point north of the equator ~ and the summer solstice will occur at 7:09 p.m. EDT, today. Spring will end, summer will begin, and, interestingly, the days will start getting shorter. But let's not think about that aspect of it all. Instead it's dancing, bonfires, and lots of great viewing on the longest day of the year! (which is to say there is a lot of time for a great deal of viewing!). However you spend your 15 hrs and 23 minutes of daylight (the amount the driveway will be having ~ find your amount here) this Solstice ~ enjoy the views!

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 ~ Not sure the day is big enough ~ to hold both the birthdays of James and Karen today that is! (and, as days go, they don't actually get too much bigger what with the Summer Solstice wandering into view). We wish them both the happiest of days and great years ahead. A few years behind today... 71 years prior to today to be exact... Cheerios whole grain oat cereal was invented, called Cheerie Oats until a naming squabble ensued and they were forced to change their name. So enjoy some Birthday Cherrios today along with the views ~

Monday, June 18th, 2012 ~ Part of the driveway cam staff is traveling today ~ not as far as Sally K. Ride did back in 1983, when she became the first American woman to go into space on the Space Shuttle Challenger's second flight ~ but traveling none the less. (Just as an aside, it was 110 years (to the day) before Sally launched into space, that Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote) And, we'd like to wish Paul McCartney a very happy 70th birthday! Updates this week may be sporadic, we'll do our best. Fingers crossed the pc and driveway cam will play well together while we're gone. ~

Sunday, June 17th, 2012 ~ Happy Father's Day to all ~ 127 years ago today would have been a good time to break out the tool kit or new tools you may be receiving today as the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor, in 350 individual pieces packed in more than 200 cases ~ There is viewing from near and far of the since completed Statue. 84 years ago today Amelia Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic by plane, as a passenger. (4 years later she'd be the first woman to actually fly a plane across the Atlantic). And our raison d'êcake today is the birthday of John Gregg who invented a shorthand still in use ~ we hate to cut this short but get out there and Sunday ~


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Saturday, June 16th, 2012 ~ Off for some early morning (it's relative) kayaking on a lovely Bloomsday ~ AND ~ on the even lovelier HAPPY BIRTHDAY of Uncle Ed!!!!! Pints (of Stout of course) around, in both of their honors ~ many of which will be consumed at our favorite [Bloomsday] pub ~ O'Shea's. ~ While in New Orleans a 12 hr marathon, participatory reading of James Joyce’s “Ulysses,” open to all ages, with food and drink sold, will be happening at The Irish House, 1432 St. Charles Ave. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you go please (oh please) take pictures. Have a great Saturday of viewing (and if you haven't voted for your favorite MLB All Stars yet, today would be a perfect day to do that)

Friday, June 15th, 2012 ~ Around 10PM tonight Nik Wallenda will attempt to walk Niagara Falls ~ it's on several TV channels (ABC for sure), but haven't found a webcam specifically for the event yet. However, the wire and some of the bru-ha is viewable on a couple of our favorites: like this one and there is this one. We wish him well, and sure footing. Don't know exactly what his footwear will be but we're pretty sure it won't be flip flops which is too bad because today is National Flip Flop Day! Let's all walk carefully out there today people ~ watch your step (and the views of course) ~

Thursday, June 14th, 2012 ~ Happy Flag Day! ~ held in honor of the Stars and Stripes being officially adopted as our national flag on this day back in 1777. Elsewhere, the turkey, while not adopted as our national bird, is appearing on incubator cam hatching there, right now (!) And, this evening, around 8:00 pm (EDT) a visitor to our neighborhood will be passing by, and may even be close enough to be on camera. An asteroid the size of a city block is going to fly by this evening ~ Slooh's website is going to try to catch this near-Earth asteroid, 2012 LZ1, which astronomers think is about 1,650 feet wide, on their telescope and will broadcast live starting at 8PM. (thanks for the heads up(!) Allen) ~ Enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012 ~ Welcome to a sunny 165th day of the year on the driveway ~ right smack dab in the middle of the week we find ourselves still waiting to hear some RSVP's from the first invitation we sent to the universe on Pioneer 10; which became the first man-made object to leave our Solar System this very day in 1983. (last heard from in 2003 from 7.6 billion miles from Earth!) As for other firsts this day ~ in 1842, Queen Victoria became the first British Royalty to ever ride a train (her journey lasted 25 minutes) ~ and on this day in 1970 the Beatles had the No. 1 song with ‘The Long and Winding Road’ (their last song to ever reach that spot). Hope you enjoy all the views today from first to last ~

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012 ~ An early work at the condo all day dawns for some of us on this side of the driveway ~ with rain due upon the driveway (seems fitting). Meanwhile, on the past side of the driveway, it is the birthday of John A. Roebling known for his wire rope suspension bridges including the Brooklyn Bridge and the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati (haven't found that one on a camera, yet). It is also the birthday of Anne Frank, and it was on her 13th birthday, 70 years ago today, that she received a diary... Enjoy the views on your side of things today ~ take notes and let us know how it is out there! :)

Monday, June 11th, 2012 ~ Ha'oli kamehamehada la ~ We are celebrating here with some live looks in at Hawaii, right here (the surf at Diamond Head), or at Oahu here and of course at Honolulu (remember we are 6 hrs ahead of them here in the east). And it was 242 years ago today that Capt. James Cook, commander of the British ship Endeavour, discovered the Great Barrier Reef off Australia by running onto it. (you can watch the reef here live and add to your "to remember" list that they are 14 hours ahead of us!)

Sunday, June 10th, 2012 ~ Today is National Ice Tea Day so throw together a few pitchers, sit back and enjoy letting the earth spin under you. After all it was back in 1854 on this date G.F. Bernhard Riemann first proposed that space is not flat, but curved ~ throwing Euclideans into a tail spin. It was also this day back in 2000 that the Millennium Bridge (seen live here), the first bridge over the Thames in 100 years (can that possibly be right?) was opened by Queen Elizabeth. As the first few thousand people crossed the bridge, it developed an unexpected and potentially dangerous lateral "wobble". that caused people to unwittingly walk "in step", which only increased the oscillation. Built to car bridge standards the foot traffic bridge did not take into account the lateral forces associated with human walking! (it closed for repairs and reopened 2 years later). And, if you haven't voted for your favorite pitcher (or other player) for the All Star Game July 10th ~ it would be a good day to get around to it. [You can vote a maximum of 25 times, and voting ends on Thursday, June 28, 2012.] Enjoy the ice tea and the views 'round the driveway ~

Saturday, June 9th, 2012 ~ The Hyundai is back in the driveway (for those of you who may have noticed it was gone) ~ and enjoying a lovely rainy Saturday morning on the 121st birthday of Cole Porter, the 78th birthday of Donald Duck and his first film appearance, as well as the 39th anniversary of the day Secretariat won the Triple Crown in '73. There will be no triple crown awarded today at the Belmont Stakes sadly, but a good time will be had by all we are sure. Hope you have a good Saturday too and enjoy the views ~

Friday, June 8th, 2012 ~ Its Friday ~ the end of a pretty busy week on camera and off. And that makes it the perfect day to sit back and enjoy the views. It is also the birthday of Frank Lloyd Wright born this day in 1867, and, it was 65 years ago today that "Lassie" debuted on ABC radio, then a 15-minute show. However, the day may be best remembered as the anniversary of the publication of 1984 ~ in 1949 and if you haven't read it, there is no better time than the present ~

Thursday, June 7th, 2012 ~ A very good friend we never met but who we've traveled with, extensively, passed away yesterday. At the age of 91 Ray Bradbury leaves us ~ we miss him and will only miss him more, with little more than a loss of words to offer as the news sinks in. Fortunately he left his writing behind, and that's where we'll be for a while ~ catching up on the latest, the as yet unread and the old favorites ~ Many thanks Ray Bradbury, for the millions of miles and all the amazing sights you shared ~ From the blurb on his 91st birthday: Monday August 22st, 2011 ~ Today is the 91st birthday of Ray Bradbury ~ c'mon over, the Dandelion Wine is chilling and will be sipped in his honor, and stories will be read. There are several short stories online: The Pedestrian, The Sound of Thunder, There Will Come Soft Rains, The Fog Horn, or All Summer in A Day (3rd link from the bottom in the table, click to read online or download), and of course... the original Dandelion Wine short story/article ~ or better yet, go visit his whole universe of books and stories and poems at the library (ps - while they really would understand, please don't take the Dandelion Wine with you to the library) "And suddenly everything, absolutely everything, was there." — Ray Bradbury (from Dandelion Wine)



Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 ~ Due to weather and some wing damage from sailing down the Hudson (and into a bridge!?) the Enterprise was delayed and will arrive at the Intrepid today ~ some of us still can't watch it so we hope all of you can (is scheduled to arrive at the Intrepid museum at roughly 12:30 p.m. EDT and craned onto the flight deck by 4 p.m. EDT according to museum officials). Google, in it's efforts to stay current with Driveway Cam, (we like that it tries even if it's years behind) has a cute doodle today celebrating the opening of the first Drive In (click on the ticket) ~ and if you get a chance visit your local drive-in ~ always a good time and now without the DDT trucks roaming the aisles... :) enjoy the views and the movie ~

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 ~ A very Happy 2nd Birthday to Chase today! It is his Cherrio Jubilee! And we all hope it's a great year for him :) Across the pond Elizabeth II is saying cherrio to the weekend celebration of her Diamond Jubilee ~ (back to school tomorrow all you English school kids) today a service at St. Pauls, then later in the day, the Royal Family will travel from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace by carriage, along a processional route. Shortly after their arrival, the Royal family will appear on the balcony and an RAF fly-past will take place. Buckingham Palace has published full details of the processional route, and the events will be shown on big screens in Hyde Park, St James's Park and Trafalgar Square. And don't forget the BBCA channel ~ great watching with a bowl of Cherrios at your side :) (and don't forget the Enterprise arrives at the Intrepid today!)(watch it for those of us who can't)

Monday, June 4th, 2012 ~ Select your views today in honor of the birthday of Socrates, and of the number 19 ~ and a good place to start is ~ along the river banks because June National Rivers Month ~ Today is also the anniversary of the inaugural awarding of the Pulitzer Prize, in 1917 (that year no award was given for the Novel (now called Fiction) which is true this year as well). And today is a boon day for shopping history as in 1937 the first shopping carts were introduced (at the Humpty Dumpty supermarket in Oklahoma City) *AND* in 1973 the ATM was patented! Coincidence? We'll never know ~ but we can all enjoy the views (and pick our favorites) anyway, because..."The unexamined life is not worth living" ~ Socrates

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 ~ Our blurb today is about the future ~ On June 5-6, Venus is due to cross the face of the Sun again. It last cross in 2004 and will next cross in in 2117 ~ The 2012 Transit of Venus will last nearly 7 hours, but is not well positioned for audiences in the continental United States. Luckily (and for safety sake (staring into the sun is NEVER a good idea)) the transit will be web cast all over the planet. Live coverage here starts at 5:45 EDT on June 5th. ~ Our blurb today is a bit about today as the Shuttle Enterprise takes to the seas (!?) heading upriver to it's new home at the Intrepid Museum (arrives Tuesday). Even as the Queen is making her way up the Thames (check out BBC America too) for more of her 60th Diamond Jubilee Celebration ~ And our blurb today is also a little about the past as it was this day in 1769 that Capt. James Cook completed the mission England's Royal Academy hoped for when they sponsored the trip; circumnavigate the globe and observe the transit of Venus in Tahiti. While it was in 1965 on this date, Major Edward H White II paused his ride around the globe in Gemini 4 to step outside and become the first American to Walk in Space ~ wherever and however you travel today, enjoy the views ~

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012 ~ While Elizabeth II became queen in 1952, it was on this day, in 1953, that she was formally crowned monarch of the United Kingdom ~ a great day for the United Kingdom and a busy day in employment history ~ for as Elizabeth offically started her new job on June 2nd, it was this very same day back in 1935 that Babe Ruth retired from his. And today is also the birthday of Edward Elgar who has given much pomp to all our circumstances and deserves a toast of cake and ice-cream of his own ~



Friday, June 1st, 2012 ~ Enjoy this day not only because it's Friday and the 1st day of June, but also because not a single other month has, or will, start on a Friday this year ~ It is also 45 (not 20) years ago today that Sgt. Pepper Taught the Band to Play! (ouch) ~ And to top it off, today is NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY!!!! (there are rumors of free doughnuts at Tim Horton's, Dunkin Donuts, and Krispy Kreme (you can tell 'em we sent you)) as well as National Go Barefoot Day (even though it is for a good cause...please wait until you get back from getting your free donut to take your shoes off!) ~ So a welcome to "Weyd-monath" (as those zany Anglo-Saxons liked to call it) now appearing on the driveway, and enjoy the views ~

Thursday, May 31st, 2012 ~ What a day, what a day ~ May is on it's way out of here (it seemed like such a quick visit this year!) ~ The dragon is on it's way home, due to splash down in the Pacific at 2:11 p.m.(EDT) ~ And it is get out in the Leaves Of Grass Day (and if you feel like singing a song of yourself please do) as it's Walt Whitman's birthday (it is also the nonbirthday day of our good friend Pat, but you didn't hear that here). So celebrate by watching some Leaves of Grass, on a webcam in Australia, or on the watch grass grow link we've watched for years out in Colorado.

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 ~ A little early note for tomorrow (as the blurb division certainly won't be up and about in time) ~ NASA TV begins live coverage of the departure of Dragon at 3:30 a.m. EDT tomorrow morning. Coverage continues through the release of Dragon from the station, currently scheduled for 6:10 a.m. EDT and will resume at 10:15 a.m. EDT with deorbit and splashdown coverage. The capsule is scheduled to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at 11:44 a.m. EDT most likely out of range of live television. In more pressing news for today ~ it's National Hug Your Cat Day! Rumor is this is supposed to promote health and long life in both cats and their humans, but based on cats we have known (Twisty and Lucretia spring to mind, both only huggable during Blood Drives) we think an adrenalin junkie came up with this particular holiday. However, hug'em if you have'em ~ :)

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 ~ In the How Is This Possible Already catagory for today we have (center stage)... BRANNAMAN'S 16th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope it's a wonderful year ahead for you Brannaman ~ and to the rest of you (especially in the KY tri-state area) it's time once again to pack up the babies and grab the old ladies and get off the road as Brannaman gets ready to get behind the wheel....

Monday, May 28th, 2012 ~ A very Happy Memorial Day to all ~ hope you have a great day, full of great views (and to those of you kayaking for the first time (Hi Carl!!!) ~ you'll love it!). Here on the driveway we are hoping the rain clouds either do their job and move on, or just move on so kayaking can commence here as well at Turning Point Park ~ Don't forget to wear your poppies and as the heat wave continues, keep some shade and some ice tea handy at all times ~ :)



Sunday, May 27th, 2012 ~ Today is the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge (doesn't look very busy so far this morning, but it's worth checking in on it). If you aren't in San Francisco to visit the bridge you can do a virtual walk of it right here. Or, if you'd rather watch the bay from a-far, here is a nice view, or you can check out the fog cam right here and/or in it's usual spot below ~ Meanwhile the heat wave continues, so try to find a shady spot to sit back and enjoy the views ~ that is what we are doing on this side of the driveway today ~

Saturday, May 26th, 2012 ~ Running late (and it's not even 8 - whose idea was this?) so a quick blurb and it's off to Irondequoit Creek for a paddle ~ if you can't join us, with the heat that is monkeying around much of the country, we suggest a pitcher of ice tea, a shady veranda and some cooling views ~ Hope you caught the view of the Dragon successfully docking with the ISS yesterday!!! Check out the schedule for fly-overs (or check here for outside the US) and you may catch a glimpse of them wandering by (the Dragon is there until Thursday). Enjoy ~



Friday, May 25th, 2012 ~ Last Friday of the month is here and the promise of a long weekend awaits, so kick up your heels ~ and break out your tap shoes 'cause it is also National Tap Dance Day ~ on the birthday of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (1878-1949). Meanwhile overhead, about 240 (ish) miles up, the ISS crew may be tapping their toes awaiting the docking of the Dragon! The docking maneuvers have already started — and the ISS’ robotic arm is expected to grab hold of Dragon at 9:10 a.m. EDT. The Dragon capsule is due to dock with the ISS about 11:20am EDT. If everything goes as planned, (fingers and toes crossed) SpaceX will become the first private company to ever complete such a feat. You can watch it live here, on NASA TV, and here on a livestream site. A great day for viewing is ahead, no matter how you look at it ~ Enjoy ~ and for goodness sake don't forget your towel!

Thursday, May 24th, 2012 ~ Some where, on this very day in the deep dark recesses of history: the MLB held it's first ever night game in 1935, the Marx Brothers first film opened (The Cocoanuts) in 1929 ~ the Brooklyn Bridge was opened over the East River in 1883 (it's a bit socked in this morning) ~ Samuel F. B. Morse dispatched the first telegraphic message in 1844 ~ Manhattan was purchased for a load of cloth, beads, hatchets, and other odds-n-ends (valued later at about $24) in 1626 ~ and ~ there was a Jimbobillybob born in 1950. Happy Birthday Jim ~ hope it's a memorable year for you ~

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 ~ A very Happy 101st to the New York Public Library which was dedicated by President William Howard Taft this day in 1911! And luckily for some of us, 227 years ago today, Benjamin Franklin first documented his bifocals invention (very handy when visiting the NYPL with it's 19+ million books (not counting maps, magazines or anything else...)) It's also World Turtle Day so take your favorite Testudine with you to the library and let them know you care. Maybe we'll meet you there in or around the 597.9's Enjoy ~

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 ~ The Dragon lifted off this morning at 3:44 AM! There are some excellent pictures here, and all over the web. The Dragon is currently in orbit on it's way to docking with the ISS. As the world turns under the Dragon (and us all come to think of it) it brings around the final appearance of the Subaru on the driveway ~ the replacement will be here this evening making it's first appearance should all go well. And, as it turns out, today is the 51st (!) anniversary of the day the Top Of The Needle restaurant in the Space Needle in Seattle, Wash., was dedicated. It was the first revolving restaurant in the U.S. and still rotates 360 degrees every hour ~ Cake today (and a tip of the deerstalker) to birthday boy Arthur Conan Doyle born this day in 1859. Enjoy today's revolutions, and whatever sites come into view ~

Monday, May 21st, 2012 ~ A lot of ups and downs on this Monday ~ It's the day that Lindbergh landed in Paris (1927) after the first solo flight across the Atlantic, and the day Earhart landed in Ireland (1932) after becoming the 2nd solo flight, first by a woman, of the same. It's the day in 1908 Glenn Hammond Curtiss, American aircraft manufacturer, took off for his first flight in the first plane in America to have wheels and be controlled by ailerons (it was also his 30th birthday!). It's the day German psychiatrist, Hans Berger, was born in 1873. He gave us and recorded the first human electroencephalogram (EEG). *And* the birthday of Dutch physiologist, Willem Einthoven, born in 1860 who invented the electrocardiograph (EKG) Throw in that it's the day back in 1957, that George B. Hansburg of Walker Valley, N.Y. was issued a U.S. patent for his invention of an improved pogo stick (No. 2,793,036) and it just has to be the perfect day for viewing whatever peaks and valleys you may find ~ Enjoy!

Sunday, May 20th, 2012 ~ In ancient China, a solar eclipse was called the “sun-eating dragon” ~ and the dragon will be feasting as there is an annular solar eclipse today! [Not a total eclipse, an annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon and sun are directly in line, but the size of the moon appears smaller, resulting in a “ring of fire” in the sky] Most of us (in the US) won't see it, but out west there will be some great viewing. The rest of us can watch online: right here, or right here as well as here.(and you can track it here: nice map, loads s l o w l y) ~ And take a moment to mark your calendars, the next total eclipse we'll all (at least in the US) be able to see live is August 21, 2017 (a Monday night). If any of our viewers are in the path today please send us a picture of the dragon's treat ~



Saturday, May 19th, 2012 ~ Frantic doorbell ringing and knocking on the door awoke and reminded us today is MOVE THE CARS SO WE CAN SEAL THE DRIVEWAY day. (oops) After said cars were moved it was another Olympic record resealing...synchronized sealing really should be a sport... Speaking of Olympics... there are 69 days left until the summer Olympics in London and the torch arrived and started it's relay through Great Britian today. The Dragon, alas, did not start anything today including it's launch this morning. With 1/2 second (!) left before liftoff computers shut it down because of a high pressure spike in one of the engines. Next available launch date is the 22nd. Fingers crossed and enjoy the views ~



Friday, May 18th, 2012 ~ It's Ride Your Bike To Work day today, and the last day of Ride Your Bike to Work Week ~ so clothespin some baseball cards on your spokes and lets get out there people! And then get to bed early tonight because tomorrow morning at 4:55 AM ~ The Dragon is Lifting Off!!!! The SpaceX capsule is launching from Cape Canaveral and heading to the International Space Station for a test docking!! You can watch on NASA TV, or right here from the driveway on NASA online (their coverage starts at 3:30 AM), and on the SpaceX website (their coverage starts at 4:15 AM). More coverage on Tuesday and Wednesday for the capture and berthing of the Dragon to the Harmony Node and then for the hatch opening. Details to come. Go Dragon Go!



Thursday, May 17th, 2012 ~ It's Discovery of the World's Oldest (and our favorite) Computer Day. Also known to its friends as Antikythera Mechanism Day ~ said mechanism being the ancient beginnings of Driveway Cam. We'd like to thank those 2nd century BC Greek geeks for starting it all and providing us with the groundwork to bring you the views ~ In return, we'd like to provide a view they would enjoy, a live look in at the Temple of Apollo (built just 200 years before the approximately 2300 year old computer that was found this day in 1902) ~

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012 ~ It's 2-Fer Day on the Driveway ~ Back on this day in 1866, his version of root beer was invented by Charles Elmer Hires ~ and root beer always goes well with surfing the views. The second part of this 2-Fer day came this date in the exact same year when the nickel was first minted. It would eventually replace the half-dime coin then in use. So gather up some of those nickels and head to the store for canned, bottled, or the ingredients to make some, frosty frothy root beer to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of them both ~ Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 ~ Ack! Late start - but better late than never... so, without further ado ~ the driveway, and all it's associated views, are here for your viewing pleasure ~ Enjoy!

Monday, May 14th, 2012 ~ A sunny Monday to make up for the rainy Sunday that a lot of folks had yesterday. Getting underway today is National Bike To Work Week! We here at driveway cam are going to take it a step further and walk to work all week (only partially because the Stupidroo is currently doa)(and then partially because we don't have a bike)(oh alright, there's a little bit of that riding-on-carpet-up-stairs-is-hard thrown in there too) but if you can, get out there and peddle your... self... to work! And in another mode of transportation news, if you find yourself humming Those Were The Days My Friend just go with it as it's the 39th anniversary of the day the United States launched "Skylab One," our first manned space station. Enjoy the views from whatever viewpoint you find yourself today ~

Sunday, May 13th, 2012 ~ Being a mom is a wonderful marathon of puzzles and no one runs that marathon alone ~ so a very Happy Mother's Day, and a big thank you to everyone who has been a mom, helped out a mom, or had a mom! Have a great day, check out google, and enjoy the views ~

Saturday, May 12th, 2012 ~ The Lilac Festival continues, there is wall to wall sunshine in the forecast, and, it is Florence Nightingale's birthday ~ which of course means that it is National Hospital Day (which this year marks the end of National Hospital Week). To celebrate we heartily suggest not getting sent to one today, along with a chorus or 3 of Happy Birthday (it's also the birthdays of Katherine Hepburn and Yogi Berra). Instead, get out there (or in here if weather dictates) and enjoy the views ~

Friday, May 11th, 2012 ~ The Lilac Festival starts today! Hope you can get over to Highland to take a deep breath ~ It's been 120 years since the first lilacs were planted in Highland Park, which, along with the festival, is reason enough to enjoy the fragrance of the 1200+ lilac bushes there (or the memory thereof), and, to try some Lilac Ice Cream along with the views! For some a/b testing, here is another version to try, as well as an easy recipe for candied Lilacs ~ It's a delicious festival no matter how you take it in ~ and a great way to start out the weekend. Enjoy ~

Thursday, May 10th, 2012 ~ Looks like it might be a lovely day on the driveway ~ guess we'll just have to watch to find out if it stays that way. So grab a cup of tea and settle in. A cuppa Lipton in honor of Thomas Lipton's birthday would hit the spot. Another spot hit this very day in 1869 (on Thomas's 21st birthday!) was the top of a spike in Promontory Summit, Utah ~ as the first transcontinental railroad was completed. Amidst a crowd of dignitaries and workers, with the engines No. 119 and Jupiter practically touching noses, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were joined together. Telegraph operators transmitted to both coasts the blows of the hammer as they fell on the golden spike. The nation listened as west and east came together in undivided union, and the 6 month cross country trip was reduced to 1 week! Another cup of tea then with a look in at Utah ~ (unless you happen to be in Utah and then you might want to head on over to the celebrations!)

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 ~ Welcome to Wednesday on the driveway ~ a quiet day around here leaves lots of time to celebrate the birthday of Richard Adams ~ who wrote, among other things, the epic tale of ‘Watership Down’. Closest cam we could find to Watership Downs is about 2 miles away, but you never know who or what you may see hopping by ~ Enjoy ~

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 ~ May is channeling April with showers today ~ may be a good day to stay in and catch up on the nest news. Be sure to check in on the incubator as the chicken eggs there are due to hatch today ~ and the Columbus falcon eggs are due to hatch this week. While there has been some speculation that something happened to the male of the nest, we're keeping our fingers crossed that there are soon chicks there ~ Running late here so it's on with the day's viewing. Enjoy! ~

Monday, May 7th, 2012 ~ Don't know if Robert Browning ever met Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, or Johannes Brahms, but they all share a birthday today, and it is Robert's 200th birthday (had Pyotr and Johannes known we're sure they would have written a tune)!! Given it is also the 412th anniversary of the day Isaack B Fubine of Savoy, in The Hague, patented macaroni ~ it only seems right to have Macaroni Birthday Cake with your ice-cream today!? Enjoy ~

Sunday, May 6th, 2012 ~ It's day 1111111 (well in binary it is) of the year already and the anniversary of Babe Ruth's first home run, hit back when he was not a Yankee, off of Yankee right-hander Jack Warhop. The soon-to-be-back-as-a Yankee left-hander pitcher, Andy Pettitte is pitching in Rochester today (!!!!) ~ right here ~ and by an amazing coincidence (and by Loretta standing in line a couple of hours) we'll be there too! Hope you got to see some of the Super Moon last night ~ if not try again tonight (7:45 and on'ish). Don't forget the Meteor Shower peaking this weekend too! ~ and stop on by the ballpark in person (there were still some standing room tickets left as of last night), or via the driveway, and be sure to wave ~

Saturday, May 5th, 2012 ~ It's a beautiful day on the driveway, day number 126 so far this year ~ a perfect day for Cinco De Mayo, for the 138th Kentucky Derby, and for the anniversary of the first American astronaut to travel in space when back in 1961 Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was launched into space. It's a good bet no matter what view you chose today you'll pick a winner ~ (and if you take (126 + 5 + 138 + 1) / 5 and add the resulting digits you get 9 (just saying)) ~

Friday, May 4th, 2012 ~ May the Forth (!) be with you on this lovely Star Wars Day ~ in Kentucky they are gearing up for the running of the Ky Oaks today, in Orlando, Hannah and Carl are gearing up for Hogwarts, and here on the driveway we are gathering up our coffee and bag of crullers and heading to Tiffany's for a little Breakfast and then a round of Charades in honor of the birthday of Audrey Hepburn ~ however you spend your day today, enjoy the views ~

Thursday, May 3nd, 2012 ~ The driveway is back (almost) front and center as we bid welcome to Croon-a-Tune day in honor of Birthday Boy Bing Crosby ~ and while crooning out Happy Birthday, do at least one more chorus (or maybe 99 more?) for Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith who would be 15 years older today than the number of dalmatians in her novel "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (Harry Lillis Crosby's (aka Bing) age is Dalmatians in the book +8). Turns out it's also National Two Different Colored Shoes Day (which happens more days than we like to count sometimes, just without the celebration) so dare to be different ~ and enjoy the views ~

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 ~ It's take a monster to lunch day as we celebrate the first official reporting of a sighting of the Loch Ness Monster! Nessie had been seen (on and off) for over 1500 years but a sighting in April was reported in the Inverness Courier on May 2, 1933 and there was no turning back. Looking for her/him/it (?)(we're going with her) took off ~ and to this day even looking long distance is quite addicting ~ and it is a beautiful day there for looking. If you find her today (or any day for that matter) save the screen and let us know, please oh please. (below is what we like to think of as a 2008 drivewaycam sighting of Nessie with the sun shining off her head, click for larger view to see what you think) ~ Enjoy the views ~



Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday Hannah!!!! Hope it is a great one for you!!! In other May 1st news ~ just 58 years before Ms. Hannah joined us, or 81 years ago(to the day), the Empire State Building was dedicated; you'll-always-be-a-planet-to-us-Pluto was officially named 82 years ago today (one of these would help to see it); 143 years ago Paris saw the premiere of the Folies Bergère; and 172 years ago today, the Penny Black, the first official adhesive postage stamp (ever), was issued in the United Kingdom [you now need a 60p (green?) to mail the same letter, so it's only up 59 pence in 172 years!?)(such a deal)(however, to buy the Penny Black unused today would be $3000+, where as you could get the 60p Green for about 98 cents!)] But enough of that, it's on with the views (and some cake and ice cream of course!) ~



Monday April 30, 2012 ~ A very Happy Walpurgis Night Day to all! As you wander the views today a small reminder that it was 11 years ago today that California businessman Dennis Tito arrived at the international space station, aboard a Russian spacecraft, as the first space tourist... While the price has come down a bit from the $20 million he paid, round these parts we're still waiting for another little price dip before buying our ticket. Enjoy the views as April rolls on down the driveway and out of here ~

Sunday April 29, 2012 ~ If you are feeling a bit chaotic on this 5th and final Sunday of the month ~ embrace it ~ and make your own ripple in the universe today. After all, it's the birthday of Henri Poincaré, the father of Chaos Theory, who taught us (and all the butterflies flapping their wings out there) that: "small differences in the initial conditions produce very great ones in the final phenomena". It's also the perfect day to document some of the chaos by making a small change in an oatmeal box, as it's Pinhole Camera Day! Instructions on how to make and use your own here, and/or here. (Send us any pictures you might get if you do make one) Enjoy the views here and through the pinhole ~ "It is a mathematical fact that the casting of this pebble from my hand alters the center of gravity of the universe." ~Thomas Carlyle

Saturday April 28, 2012 ~ We're stopping in to check out (the far eastern side of) the Pacific Ocean today in honor of the 65th anniversary of the day the Kon Tiki, Thor Heyerdahl and a crew of 6 left Peru for Polynesia. [Their balsa wood raft made it 101 days later.] We're also celebrating the 242nd anniversary of Captain Cook discovering Botany Bay in Australia. Then there is the 223rd anniversary today of the Mutiny on the Bounty, which put Captain Bligh (and 18 others) adrift in a small open boat in the same neighborhood. (hey when you are talking Pacific, 1000 + miles is right next door). Throw in that it also may (or may not) be the 75th anniversary of the first Pan AM commercial flight across the Pacific ~ and there has to be a quiz. No matter what ship you find yourself in today, smooth sailing, and enjoy the views ~

Friday April 27, 2012 ~ The shuttle Enterprise is making it's way to (and around) New York City today on it's way to it's new retirement home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum (watch for possible flyby). If you are out and about NYC today look up! Also may be able to catch sight of it on the cams on this site (try them all!), or here (and here, or here). If all goes as planned, Enterprise's final flight will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. Today is also Arbor Day ~ which means when you aren't Shuttle Spotting (for your notebooks, this one is OV-101) plant a tree! Trees prevent soil loss, filter pollution from the air, help recycle water, give shelter from wind and rain, provide homes for animals, and create shade for us all ~ hmmm, maybe we should all plant two?! ~ Happy Arbor Day ~

Thursday April 26, 2012 ~ Time to get out people and visit a park today ~ as it is Frederick Law Olmsted's birthday. If you are in the neighborhood, there is a guided tour of the Poet's Garden and cake (!) to celebrate, tonight at 7:00, at one of Mr. Olmsted's designs here ~ Highland Park (and the lilacs are in bloom so c'mon over). If you are in DC ~ it is the penultimate day of the Cherry Blossom Festival, so get out and festivate, and if you aren't, at least the Festival Cam is working ~ Where ever you are today ~ enjoy the views ~

Wednesday April 25th, 2012 ~ Welcome to World Penguin Day ~ and we have penguins a plenty for you ~ live views (and addicting to watch) in San Diego (an excellent new penguin cam), as well as in Monterey Bay, in Japan, in Texas, in London, in Indiana, in Dublin, at the California Academy of Sciences (loads v e r y slowly, be patient) and of course where our favorite penguins hang out in Antarctica, a nice place to check on even thou' the penguins are gone for the season. If you happen to be reading this in Dubai, get on over to Ski Dubai for the World Penguin Day festivities there! (how could we make that up?) And not that you'd want to eat penguins on World Penguin Day(!?) but if you are channeling an Orca Whale today... there are a zillion recipes out there (the official google count) and some of them are pretty cute, check here, or here, and/or here. Enjoy the sites and sounds of World Penguin Day ~

Tuesday April 24th, 2012 ~ A very Happy Birthday to Allison today! We all hope it's a great year ahead for her (and thank her for this opportunity for cake and ice cream!!) On Allison's 10th birthday the Hubble Telescope was launched and continues to treat us to many amazing views, and, 180 years (to the day!) before Allison was born the Library of Congress was established. So much cake and ice cream today ~ yum! Along with a Coke we think, as it was this day in 1833, so the rumor goes, that Jacob Ebert of Cadiz, Ohio, with George Dulty of Wheeling, West Virgina, patented the soda fountain. [side note: which is the same year John Pemberton, creator of Coca Cola, was born, and whose famous new drink, in the form of a syrup mixed with soda, was first served in a soda fountain, at Jacobs' Pharmacy in Atlanta on 8 May 1886.] Enjoy ~ and don't forget to brush your teeth! :)

Monday April 23rd, 2012 ~ Snow and winds out and about today make for good viewing but have postponed the transfer of the shuttle Enterprise for now. In other news, today is Shakespeare's birthday and St. George's Day! St. George, we are told, killed a dragon to save a princess, and was so revered he was named Patron Saint of England. However, as it's the Year of the Dragon ~ just this once we are celebrating because brave George, beseeched by the fair minded princess to spare her captor, actually just banished the dragon (it could happen), who was never to be seen or heard from again. (And they all lived happily ever after and there have been no princesses abducted by dragons in England (anywhere else for that matter), since). Thanks George! Stay warm, enjoy the views ~ and the return of winter (?!)



Sunday April 22nd, 2012 ~ Happy Earth Day! From River Watching, to watching the Rain Forests, to a Sky Rail ride through a rainforest (in Australia so viewing hours are flipped (but the view is great)), to a look in at a Watering Hole in Africa, to Watching Lakes, or watching any of the myriad of mountains, forests, shorelines, nests, clouds, and open plains views around the Earth, you've come to the right place ~ even if you can't get out for Earth Day, don't worry ~ we'll bring the planet to you and we've got the views for you starting just below. This is an excellent and beautiful planet we find ourselves on ~ enjoy it's day and the views ~ Click to enlarge pictures of Lake MacDonald in Montana, and the Columbia River this morning from links above and below on Driveway Cam ~



Saturday April 21st, 2012 ~ Busy day ~ first and foremost are pints all around (with pinkies up) for the 86th birthday of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, or Queen Elizabeth II (who is in her diamond jubilee year of reigning!)(quite the year for England, they are also hosting the Olympics in just 97 days!)(watch them get ready here) ~ it's the start of National Parks Week (April 21-29), so run don't walk to your nearest National Park and get in free (if it's one of these) (can't go? watch here) ~ The Lyrid meteor shower continues (and peaks tonight) with best viewing after midnight (in non rain soaked areas), look towards the east-northeast ~ And in honor of Her Majesty, the National Parks system, and a bit in defiance of the Lyrids, tonight is Thunder Over Louisville as the Official Countdown to the 138th Kentucky Derby kicks off ~ we're in need of a nap just thinking of it all (or maybe it's all the birthday pints?) ~ Enjoy ~

Friday April 20th, 2012 ~ It's time to pack up your meteor watching kit bag and head outdoors ~ for the Lyrid Meteor Shower, at it's best after midnight (and until dawn) tonight and tomorrow night. You'll want to look up and in the general direction of east-northeast. But before you head out to watch ~ first things first ~ Today is the 100th anniversary of the 1st game at the Red Sox Fenway Park (rumor has it Fenway park is in that view?) ~ Today is the 100th anniversary of the 1st game ever played at the now defunct Tiger Stadium in Detroit ~ Today is the 96th anniversary of the 1st game the National League Cubs played at Wrigley Field (though it was still called Weeghman Park at the time) ~ Today is the 171st anniversary of the publishing of the 1st ever detective story, Edgar Allen Poe's, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, which you can read there while watching Baltimore here ~ and ~ it is the 111th day of the year ~ so make it a good one, and enjoy the views ~

Thursday April 19th, 2012 ~ A very good Thursday all around ~ to all our viewers, and viewees. It's a quiet day on the driveway, around the blooming tree and maybe even where you are ~ which is to say it's a great day to catch up on the nests complete with chicks and eggs as they are. And, it's a good time to check out all of your favorite views and maybe even find a new favorite (if you do, let us know!) More on this later but this Saturday night is Lyrid Meteor Shower peak night and to start getting prepared check out this video ~ in between surfing the links of course ~ Enjoy ~

Wednesday April 18th, 2012 ~ The blooming tree reminds us that it's time to get Spring cleaning underway at Driveway Cam ~ to that end the snow watching, ice skating, and fairs and snow links have been moved to the retired page for the seasons. (check them out there if you can't do without) In addition, the previous trial site earned it's way to the spot left vacant by the snow watching links ~ and is now appearing, full time, as Empty Lot Cam. In other news, it was this date back in 1923 that the then "new" Yankee Stadium opened for the very first game there ~ complete with John Philip Sousa leading the Seventh Regiment Band in playing The Star-Spangled Banner ~ in what would become their very first World Series Championship season. [The Yankees cleaned up that day too winning 4-1 against the Red Sox] So dust off your plates at home and enjoy the views ~

Tuesday April 17th, 2012 ~ The Shuttle Discovery is on it's way to the Smithsonian today (you can watch it's flight on msnbc.com)(or on NASA without the annoying commercials) and next Monday the Shuttle Enterprise is off to it's retirement home and will buzz NYC along the way. While that makes it a very sad day, here in the midst of The International Year of the Bat today is also: Bat Appreciation Day! *And*, as it turns out, (speaking of bats) it is the birthday of Alexander Cartwright ~ also known as the father of baseball ~ throw in that it's the 202nd Anniversary of the first (!?!) U.S. patent for pineapple cheese(!?!)(this one issued to an L.M. Norton of Troy, Pennsylvania) and there is some cause for celebrating on the driveway ~ plus the driveway's tree is ready to burst into bloom so we'll watch that happen 10 minute increments (and try not to think about space programs and mothballs)...

Monday April 16th, 2012 ~ There are a lot of centennials being celebrated this year ~ among recent ones, the Yankee's Pin Stripes are 100 years old this month, Fenway Park is 100 years old this month, the Titanic set sail and sank 100 years ago this month, and Harriet Quimby (one of our favorites) became the first woman to fly across the English Channel, solo, on this very day 100 years ago ~ Her accomplishment got lost back then in the crush of news about the sinking of the Titanic. However ~ as she was the first American woman to get a pilot's license as well as the first woman to fly the English Channel, we'd like to celebrate her flight today with links to views similar to hers that day, these being in the 'general' areas of where she took off and where she landed. Enjoy ~



Sunday April 15th, 2012 ~ Late start on Driveway Cam's blurb (sorry!) The forth dimension escapes us sometimes, and marches on ~ but as it was this day in 1912 that Einstein referred to time as the 4th dimension (tho' not the first to do it, as HG Wells had also said that in 1895 in The Time Machine) we are working on it. Amy and Brannaman are on their way home (check out the traffic cams in Ohio and Ky; they are south of Columbus by now (as of 4:06)) and for the rest of the day's viewing, well, enjoy Leonardo DaVinci's birthday any way that you can ~

Saturday April 14th, 2012 ~ [Somehow lost the actual blurb for Saturday but we are pretty sure it had to do with the patent on the modern printing press, back in 1863, the publishing of Webster's Dictionary in 1828, the publishing of the Grapes of Wrath in 1939 and the Titanic hitting an iceberg in 1912, all happening on Saturday's date, and which all nicely coincided with the last day of National Library Week ~ along with a suggestion (or maybe 2, we know how we are) to visit your local library for more information on any of those subjects.] We hope you enjoyed the blurb and the views ~

Friday April 13th, 2012 ~ 13 weeks ago today we had our first Friday the 13th of the year ~ and we have another one coming up in 13 more weeks! While having 3 Friday the 13ths this year seems a bit odd, it really isn't. There were 3 in 2009, and there will be 3 in 2015. In fact, in a 400-year period, the 13th falls on a Friday more than any other day: 688 times actually, so.... lets buckle down people, take it easy today, and we'll get through it. We just need to follow a few simple rules ~ well 1 rule really should do it: Don't walk under any ladders that are sitting on shards of broken mirrors and/or that have black cats sitting on them! The Yankees are laughing in the face of superstition by having their home opener today. You can watch the pregame festivities live, right here, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at mlb.com and with any luck, spending the day watching any of the views will keep you safely at home and out of trouble. We'll keep our fingers crossed. Enjoy ~

Thursday April 12th, 2012 ~ We're not sure there is a cake big enough for all the candles that need to go on Pebble's cake today ~ we're not saying how many candles that is, that would just be rude, but, it was just a mere 3/5ths of a century ago that Pebble started out on her journey to today (which just so happens to be the last time it was the Year of the Water Dragon too!) If you still aren't sure you can check with the Tigers ~ for in her honor they have gotten just enough hits so far this year that when added to the number of those hits that got the batter to 2nd base, you'll get Pebble's age. And if you haven't guessed yet, her age is also: The total number of years in a Sexagenary cycle, the atomic number of Neodymium, the most home-runs hit in a 154 game season, the sum of a pair of twin prime numbers, the highest score achievable with a single dart, the route number from Brest, France, to Constanta, Romania, as well as the route number from Virginia Beach to Quartzsite, Arizona, and lastly, if you use her age as an international dialing code....you will end up talking to someone in Malaysia (tell them Hello from all of us!) So it's cake all around! ~ Happy Birthday Pebble! ~ and Enjoy the views ~ :)

Wednesday April 11th, 2012 ~ Good Morning Driveway Cam! Some April showers will not dampen our spirits today (at least not those of us inside), but will dampen the driveway a bit. Luckily for us we know about what's coming because of today's Birthday Boy: Alexander Buchan ~ who is credited with establishing the weather map as the basis of weather forecasting. One thing Mr. Buchan's maps didn't predict was the lacrosse game that Amy and Brannaman are attending at RIT this afternoon (no, that link won't show you the game, but you can watch the campus). Enjoy ~

Tuesday April 10th, 2012 ~ It was a mere 379 years ago today that the first banana was seen in Britain ~ an unripe bunch of bananas was given to apothecary Thomas Johnson who hung it at his shop in Snow Hill, London, where it ripened and lasted until June causing quite a stir. The stir goes on! (although usually it's now done with an actual spoon, and in many cases with ice-cream (Abbotts is open and at least one Banana Milk Shake will be consumed by the travelers from KY)). (No mention of bananas aboard the Titanic when it set sail, 100 years ago, this day back in 1912, but they did have 36,000 oranges, 16,000 lemons, 1000 lbs of grapes, and 50 boxes of grapefruit). So today, have a banana while you enjoy the views ~

Monday April 9th, 2012 ~ While it is the 100th day of the year today ~ it is not the 100th birthday of Ms. Kathy T (at least we don't think so...) So a very Happy Birthday to her and a Happy Dyngus Day to the rest of us. Gather ye pussywillows while you may and watch the day polka on down the driveway, all day. Our weary travelers made it and will be out hopping around (and in and out of the driveway) for your viewing pleasure ~ Enjoy ~ [But, how did the pussy willow get its name? According to Polish legend, many springs ago, baby kittens fell into a raging river while chasing butterflies. The mother cat sadly wept at the river’s edge, pleading for help for her drowning kittens. The willows heard her mournful cries and swept their long graceful branches into the water. The kittens grabbed the branches, held on tightly and were safely brought to shore. Every spring, from that day on, the willows sprouted fur-like buds where the tiny kittens once clung.][text from everything you should know about Dyngus Day][still looking for picture source]



Sunday April 8th, 2012 ~ Happy Easter! We here at Driveway Cam International hope that the Easter Bunny brings you lots of good treats and that you find all your hidden eggs before summer sets in! Easter is bringing the driveway (and us) some visitors from the south ~ as Brannaman and Amy wend their way up (YAY!) they bring with them the promise of fast paced viewing this week (or maybe just an extra parked car to watch?!?). They will be crossing the bridge sometime after 7 so keep an eye out on, as well as click on, the dot in the middle of the Bay and have a very delicious Easter ~

Saturday April 7th, 2012 ~ It's a beautiful springy Saturday on the driveway and hopefully where you are too ~ in local news; the home opener for The Rochester Red Wings is today and the ball park is getting ready (they were watering just a moment ago when we looked). If you'll be there too come say hello ~ we'll be in section 103 row E, seats 1 and 2 ~ if you can't join us in person, join us from where ever you can. In who-are-we-having-cake-for-today news; it's the birthday of Ms. Eleanora Fagan (known to us all as Billie Holiday) and of William Wordsworth which besides cake means a look in at some daffodils of course (if you don't have any in which to gambol) ~ however while we haven't found any online, you can watch (live!) the space where daffodils used to be ~ hard to beat that on a Saturday morning....

Friday April 6th, 2012 ~ So, what do '"I'm always exhausted by Friday," said Tom weakly.', and an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles, have in common? It's not a what so much as it is a who. The adverbial pun (a Swifty) was originated by Edward Stratemeyer in a series of strip cartoons about a character called Tom Swift, and the ever increasingly used weapon (a Taser) was named from the first letters in the words 'Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle' adapted from a favorite science fiction book, "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle", of it's inventor, and today's birthday boy: Jack Cover. We are shocked and don't know what to say except ~ have a good Friday! :)

Thursday April 5th, 2012 ~ We don't care what the MLB folks say....it ain't baseball until Cincinnati says it's baseball and Today is Opening Day!!! The Cincinnati Reds square (or is that diamond) off with the Miami Marlins at 4:05 (the official start of the season, ask anyone) GO REDS!!!! We sure wish we were in Cincinnati today ~ There are other games in, among other places, Detroit at 1:05 (GO TIGERS!), Pittsburg at 1:35 (GO PIRATES!), Cleveland at 3:05 (GO INDIANS!) and Chicago at 4:20 (GO CUBS!) (there is also a game between Atlanta and the Mets but....). Baseball is back. Enjoy ~

Wednesday April 4th, 2012 ~ It's a splendid day for watching cameras ~ especially for you conspiracy fans (we know you are out there (we saw you at the Conspiracy Coffee Klatch last week!)). And to all those of you classified as unpersons, we'd like to say (quickly, before the thought police get here (and discover how little thought there is around the place)) that it is on this very day that the book Nineteen Eighty-Four begins. It is also the birthday of the man (Ananda Chakrabarty) who patented the first genetically engineered life-form (U.S. No. 4,259,444), which he created while working for General Electric. Coincidence? We think not (just ask the police). Throw in that it is also the birthday of Moses Teichmann, the shadowy puppet master who orchestrated the movements of millions of citizens ~ including Eleanor Roosevelt, the Duke of Windsor, Barbara Hutton, John D. Rockefeller Jr., and Jack Dempsey ~ and you'll want to waltz on over to the views as soon as you can. Today's honorary site is from the country that most loves to keep it's eye on things ~ Enjoy ~

Tuesday April 3rd, 2012 ~ And then there was 1 ~ the madness is officially over with congratulations to the Kentucky Wild Cats! ~ Before you start your viewing today a tip of the hat (or mug) to James Carrington who patented his coffee mill 183 years ago today (thanks James!). And now, it's on to the views. It's prime nest watching season if nothing else catches your eye. There are some lovely eagle chicks in Iowa, and some in West Virginia as well, some chicks hatching in the incubator, and falcon eggs in Cleveland, and Rochester, and Columbus ~ Enjoy ~

Monday April 2nd, 2012 ~ Hope everyone had a phabulous April Phools day yesterday ~ but now it really is Monday morning ~ and time to get back to the very serious work of driveway (and it's environs) viewing. It's also take a dollar to lunch day as it was this very day back in 1792 that the US established the dollar as the unit of currency when congress passed the Coinage Act. [If you can't take one to lunch, you can send them on holiday ~ just send your dollars here and we'll show them the town.] And for lunch today may we suggest Grilled Cheese? For besides being cruel, and National Poetry Month, April is also: National Grilled Cheese Month ~ can Tomato Soup Month be far behind?

Monday April 2nd, 2012 ~ As the first Monday of the month gets underway we recommend buckets of coffee to counteract the no-sleep hangovers from the NCAA Championship game last night that went into 63 overtimes ~ in an NCAA record the 2012 National Champion Kansas Jayhawks finally beat the KY Wildcats when the last Wildcat on the floor, Anthony Davis, missed his first free throw and then had to leave to attend his own graduation. The final score was Kansas 187 Kentucky 186. The dome was packed with over 79,891 rabid fans as the game got underway. The thrilling finish, witnessed by the 2 fans who didn't leave, was said to be "Hey did I miss my Bus? Where did everyone go?" So coffees all around as the madness finally ends ~ Congragulations Jay Hawks and Enjoy the views ~

Saturday March 31st, 2012 ~ March is rolling down the driveway and out of here today ~ and you have a front row seat to see (almost) every roll! (in 10 minute increments of course) Some other good views for the day include the Eiffel Tower, inaugurated and opened 123 years ago today, and then of course there is that Final Four thing happening in New Orleans (click on the arrow, wait through the commercial, and you will get to Jackson Square) and well, it's just a great day of viewing, all around ~ Enjoy ~

Friday March 30th, 2012 ~ Why today isn't a holiday we'll never understand for it is the anniversary (the 155th anniversary to be exact)(oh wait, it's the 154th) of the first U.S. patent for a combination lead pencil and eraser! It was issued to Hyman L. Lipman, of Philadelphia, Pa. (No. 19,783) and freed us from having to use breadcrumbs to correct mistakes. Which works out well because it's also the anniversary (the 221st) of the first accepted definition of the length of a meter ~ then it was 1/10 000 000 of the distance between the north pole and the equator ~ which has been erased and replaced 6 times(!)(so far) since then. It is also the birthday of Vincent van Gogh ~ a favorite of many impressionable art fans ~ and on that note it's time to enjoy the views ~

Thursday March 29th, 2012 ~ While the Cherry Blossom Festival goes on (even if their web cam doesn't), we also celebrate another DC event today ~ the 83rd anniversary of the President getting a phone on his desk in the Oval Office! Before that he had to go out into the hallway to use the phone. Rutherford Hayes had telephones and a switchboard put in back in 1878, but Herbert Hoover had the Oval Office phone installed in 1929. And while we can't find that number....you may want to celebrate by calling the White House today! And here is the switchboard number: 202-456-1414. Meanwhile here on the driveway, snow flurries are in the offing. Makes it a good day to stay in if possible and/or just grab a cup of joe where ever you are and enjoy the views (in between phone calls of course) ~
:)

Wednesday March 28th, 2012 ~ Rain is due on the driveway this extremely strobogrammatic 88th day of the year ~ the very day of the year back in 1930 that Turkish authorities officially turned everything there upside down here when they issued an edict that requested foreigners cease referring to Istanbul as Constantinople ~ working Istanbul (not Constantinople) web cams are hard to come by, but we did find this one (!), right up driveway cam's alley, for your viewing delight. Enjoy ~

Tuesday March 27th, 2012 ~ Ack! The blurb division got their calendar hosed up and the National Cherry Blossom Festival they thought was starting today (in DC) started *LAST* Tuesday!! (heads will roll). Meanwhile ~ check in here for a look (or as close of a look as we've found so far) at the blossoms on the over 3,000 trees ~ the first of which were planted 100 years ago today ~ and if you were wanting to go, you still can (!) as there are 4 weeks left in the festival. Plenty of time to try out some cherry cuisine, and to answer the newest quiz (yes, we know the previous quiz hasn't been answered yet, but the quizzes must go on!) ~ Enjoy the views ~

Monday March 26th, 2012 ~ Did you get up this morning and feel as if you are in a fog? Well it may not be a result of a weekend of March Madness ~ you may actually be in a fog! It was in 1923 on this very day that the BBC began its daily radio weather forecast to help us sort out Monday Morning Fog from Actual Fog and today there is an additional tool to help your figure it out. So, before you take recovery measures check here . [and of course you can always listen in to the BBC here to double check.] However, if you find it is a Monday March Madness fog after all, try either this hair of the dog, or this dog hair free cure ~ and as soon as the fog lifts, enjoy the views!

Sunday March 25th, 2012 ~ Happy Våffeldagen!!! ~ that's right, it's that time again. The Swedish holiday, to mark the start of spring, which begins (and ends) with heart shaped waffles (Våffeldagen means Waffle Day). And who are we to argue with such a delicious tradition? So break out your Våfflor irons and whip up a stack. They'll be a delicious 2nd breakfast too while reading the Hobbit because... it's also Tolkien Reading Day (!) and this year's theme is The Hobbit. (hard not to love a people who have 2nd breakfast). And if you are looking for Hobbits (who isn't) you might check out these gathering spots (in Sweden) ~ you never know, you may just find one! Hobbit Gathering Spot I, and of course, Gathering Spot II (a well known hangout for adventuring Hobbits) ~ Njut av vyerna och våfflor ! and here is a Våffeldagen tip: don't flip your waffles....



Saturday March 24th, 2012 ~ And then there were 8 ~ A little NY state of mind viewing today in honor of Lawrence Ferlinghetti (he'd be 93 today), along with a little slight (movement) of hand (or mouse in this case) in honor of Harry Houdini (he'd be 138 today) with a look in at Coney Island. And a big tip of the hat (or telescope) to Miss Venetia Burney an eleven-year-old schoolgirl in Oxford, England who proposed the name given to the then Planet X this very day back in 1930 ~ so thanks Venetia, for naming Pluto!

Friday March 23rd, 2012 ~ A late start for the blurb division ~ but hopefully in time for Stay in and Cook day(or take a cook to lunch day) as it's the birthday of Fannie Merritt Farmer [She's known for publishing the first cookbook in American history that came with simple, precise cooking instructions.][with thanks to Writer's Almanac] ~ (and was the inspiration for the name of the Fannie Farmer Candy Company, started right here in Rochester) It's also Friday which means it's come and take a blurb division worker to lunch day too! (well, it was worth a shot). Happy Friday ~ Happy Madness ~ and Enjoy the views ~

Thursday March 22nd, 2012 ~ A quiet Thursday on the driveway ~ but the madness resumes (yay!) so it's good that it will be calm viewing. [49 years ago today there was significantly less quiet about as the Beatles debut album (Please, Please Me) was released in the UK.] And while it is quiet and calm it's a good time to go nest hopping (before or even in-between games) ~ there are already 4 falcon eggs in Cleveland, 3 eagle eggs in Colorado, chicks to watch in the incubator and at least one very cute owl chick in Colorado. All the nest watching links are here (and below) and all the views, everywhere, hope you'll stop by. Enjoy ~

Wednesday March 21st, 2012 ~ Not only is it the first full day of spring ~ it is the day that our own darling Lydia turns 21!!!! When you are done being shocked that she can have aged that much in the same time that the rest of us only aged maybe a year or two.... please join in the celebrations and in wishing her the best year ever!!!! Love you Lydia!!! Happy Birthday!!!!! :)

Tuesday March 20th, 2012 ~ It's Spring! Embrace the tilt ~ the equinox got here at 1:14 A.M. EDT this morning. The sun crossed the equator heading north ~ but just for now, a slight pause, and a sense of balance. Balance is, perhaps, a relative thing so luckily it was on this day in 1916 that Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity was published helping us come to understand "Die Grundlagen der allgemeinen Relativitästheorie.” (without Al's take on it, it's quite possible that eggs would be falling over all over the place) Enjoy the equinox ~ and whatever physics (!?) you may happen upon today ~ :)

Monday March 19th, 2012 ~ It's Return-To-Sender day here on the driveway as we celebrate the birthday of David Livingstone who was found, after being lost for 6 years, by Stanley, with the fabled greeting: “Dr Livingstone, I presume?” ~ It's the day the swallows traditionally return to the San Juan Capistrano Mission in CA each year ~ and it's the day many of us return to work while all of us return to a little eye of sanity before the next round of Madness begins. After sweeping up your brackets, get out and enjoy the views as we continue our hurtle towards the equinox and our return to spring ~

Sunday March 18th, 2012 ~ Take a deep breath ~ it's a beautiful Sunday out on the driveway at the moment (and hopefully where you are too? Though there are storms a'brewing) Depending on where you are, part of that deep breath may include a trace of the legacy of one of today's birthday boys: Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel ~ inventor of the engine that bears his name. You'll want to put on your dancing shoes today because it is also the birthday of Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ~ (Or maybe your moon boots, because it's also the anniversary of the very first space walk - taken by Aleksey Leonov in 1965 when he left his spacecraft, Voskhod 2, voluntarily.) And while there are 1001 reasons to enjoy today, 8 of those are the games to decide who else moves on to the Sweet Sixteen. Enjoy the views and the games ~

Saturday March 17th, 2012 ~ Happy Birthday to Mike and a Happy St. Patrick's Day to us all ~ things are hopping at our favorite Pub in Dublin...O'Shea's (and will only get hoppier through the day there). If you have lots 'o running around to do today here is a handy treat to take with you so you don't miss out on any of the St. Patrick's day experience and can celebrate Mike's birthday with the addition of a candle (or 2, or many many more!) Plus ~ St Patrick's Day bonus ~ there is a prize waiting for anyone who tries them and sends us a picture!! :) ~ Happy Viewing and enjoy Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

Friday March 16th, 2012 ~ A very happy St. Urho's Day (St. Urho saved the grape crop in Finland by chasing out all the grasshoppers! (you can't make this stuff up (without lots of the by-product of that saved grape harvest))). So proudly wear your Purple and Green and take a grasshopper to lunch (or maybe just take one to the bus station for a ride out of town..... with the traditional grasshopper chant of "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" (loosely translated as Grasshopper Grasshopper Go to Hell (not one to waste words that St. Urho))) When not watching basketball today take a spin through Finland ~ and if you find a grasshopper let us know! Enjoy the views ~

Thursday March 15th, 2012 ~ Wary is as Wary does on these Ides that are upon us ~ and with the ides, comes the madness!! Are your Brackets ready? If they aren't ~ no views for you till they are! Go now, and brack 'em. And with the madness comes the buzzards (due back today in Hinckley Ohio)(wish there was a cam 'round there). Lets be careful out there people (especially if your name is Julius), good luck with your picks, and enjoy the day ~ (heard a rumor that the fauna pages weren't working yesterday, try them, both indigenous and imported again, should be working now)

Wednesday March 14th, 2012 ~ The blurb division has returned from its fact finding foray into Florida....and the facts are that Florida is fairly fabulous this time of year! Saw an amazing array of fauna both indigenous and imported ~ but we are back, of course, because we didn't want to miss Pi Day!!!!!! To celebrate it, and Einstein's birthday, at every 1:59 today, throughout the time zones when it is PI to 5 places [3.14159]... try some pie ~ We have it on (relatively) good authority that Einstein's favorite was Chess Pie. In between bites of pie and calculating pi (it'd be irrational not to) check out some live PIE views too ~ Enjoy ~

Saturday March 3rd, 2012 ~ We are leaving driveway cam under the watchful eye of Jim for the next week while we wander to Florida to visit Jim's mom and the Yankees ~ We hope they'll play nicely together (Driveway Cam and Jim that is, we're sure the Yankees and Jim's mom will). The camera is set up to run by itself so no first picture of the morning, but there should be updates all day, every day. Will post updates if/when possible, but until we get back ~ enjoy the views ~

Friday March 2nd, 2012 ~ It was back in 1904.... On the second of March, near the jungle of Nool, In the cool of the day, by the shade of a school, There was laughing, and enjoying, of the spring day's great joys, When Theodor's relatives soon heard a small noise.... A small little cry, like a gnat on a hook, It was Theodor's first noise!! (just 33 years before his first book!) (with apologies to Horton and Dr. Seuss!) A very Happy Dr. Seuss's Birthday and Read Across America Day to all ~ enjoy all the wonderful views, here of course, but more to the point, enjoy the views in Seussville ~ open a book, or just click, and be whisked away! Reading to and with someone today is an excellent way to whisk them away too. (If you find yourself Seussless just head off to your local Library ~ they have Seuss for a fair thee well just waiting for you ~ and your reading friends)

Thursday March 1st, 2012 ~ For many people, March, in full lion's uniform, got here early and swept through yesterday. With winter storm and high wind warnings continuing to prowl about...pin your leeks on securely and let's be careful out there people. If you don't have any leeks, there are daffodils a'plenty in the greenhouse to view. Along with St. David's Day, today is the 140th anniversary of the day President Grant signed the bill creating the nation's first national park at Yellowstone ~ which has a lovely mobile volcano monitoring cam to watch along with their other cams here and below. (and it's the 320th anniversary of the start of the Salem Witch trials ~ however as the time traveling cam still isn't functioning we refer you to a previous years cautionary tale site flashback) ~ Hang on to your hats and enjoy the views ~

Wednesday February 29th(!!), 2012 ~ A very happy Leap Day to all ~ As we use up the extra .242190'ths of a day that we've been banking for each of the past 4 years here is hoping this extra day is filled with excellent views all around ~ Some leap cams for perusing: in Shrewsbury, and in North Carolina, and of course all the other cams out there that leaping today too! Enjoy ~

Tuesday February 28th, 2012 ~ It is once again take your Double Helix to lunch day in honor of the day 59 years ago that Watson and Crick announced that they had found the structure of DNA. Which of course brings us to the yearly test - Their discovery brought us answers to many questions through the ages, today's question is does your DNA include the combination to keep you from finding out the answer to the question: How do you eat a DNA spaghetti? (click or ignore this link) And enjoy the views ~

Monday February 27th, 2012 ~ Finally have the Nest Watching links up ~ the link is now in the slot where the Corn Cam was (which quit working sadly) ~ and not a moment too soon as the eagles, the owls, some of the falcons and the storks are back! (or are at least visiting their nests in some cases) And now, you can visit their nests too. (price of the visit from here is totally free - no charge) Which works out well since today is the 80th anniversary of when Dr. James (Jimmy Neutron) Chadwick discovered the neutron ~ and that calls, of course, for ice cream! Enjoy ~

Sunday February 26th, 2012 ~ It was this very day that two national parks were established in the United States 10 years apart ~ the Grand Canyon in 1919 and the Grand Tetons in 1929. And it is this very day today that you can check in on both of them (and watch the sun come up, the day progress, and the sun set on tiny slices of both of them) even if you can't get out to them today to visit in person. There are all sorts of other National Park web cams to check out too, (as well as Glacier NP, and Yellowstone NP, and Rocky Mountain NP) and since they are our parks, why not enjoy the views ~

Saturday February 25th, 2012 ~ Welcome to the last Saturday of the month here on the driveway ~ it's blustery, and cold, and the perfect day for staying in, drinking hot chocolate, and enjoying the views. (we have some running around to do but hope to join in those activities at some point today) Stay warm and happy surfing ~

Friday February 24th, 2012 ~ It's the birthday of a couple of favorites 'round these parts, Jacques de Vaucanson (1709), the inventor of the punch card (patron saint of key hags everywhere), as well as the creator of several automatronic wonders (Had the idea way before Hugo did) ~ Driveway cam's favorite of his creations that sprang to life being The Digesting Duck . And it's the birthday of Wilhelm Grimm (1786), co-author of many delightfully dark and violent tales of children and animals often told to children to help them sleep (!?). Another animal associated with this day is the terrier Nipper ~ the model for the picture that became one of the most recognized trademarks in the world. It was 78 years ago today RCA's (Victrola Talking Machine Company) "His Master's Voice" was trademark registered (#71195205). So a toast (on a punch card) to animals, real, and less so, everywhere ~ Enjoy the views ~ (best to leave a trail of bread crumbs as you wander the sites to help find your way back....)



Thursday February 23rd, 2012 ~ Two words this morning people ~ it snowed! There is much jubilation! Over the snow of course, and also because it is the 557th anniversary of the date recognized for the publication of the first printed book in Western culture – the Gutenberg Bible ~ which, as luck (and maybe even irony) would have it, you can read right here, right now, courtesy of one of today's Birthday boys: Michael Dell (founder of the company that gave driveway cam the tool to bring you the driveway). Throw in that it's also Curling is Cool Day and the jubilations can go on all day ~ Enjoy ~

Wednesday February 22nd, 2012 ~ Yesterday in all the parading around we neglected to wish Aunt Joyce a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We all hope it was a great birthday for you Aunt Joyce, and hope you enjoyed all the parades held for you!!! :) The parades yesterday really were fun to watch. They lasted for hours ~ Hope you caught them (a small substitute for catching beads, but exciting none the less) ~ we even saw a dragon at one point. Besides being the day after Aunt Joyce's birthday, rumor has it that it's also the day, back in 1630, that popcorn was introduced to the English colonists by an Indian named Quadequina. Would loved to have seen that first demonstration of popcorn! (and as soon as TimeTravel Cam is up and working, we'll post the link). But now, it's on to the views ~ Enjoy ~



Tuesday February 21st, 2012 ~ Happy Mardi Gras! And while we are at it ~ Happy Fat Tuesday! Happy Shrove Tuesday! Happy Viewing! Check out all of the New Orleans Cams today (the Rex Parade starts at 10:00AM (central)) ~ and have some King Cake while you watch ~ Party On ~

Monday February 20th, 2012 ~ 50 years ago today(!) John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth ~ last night there were flamingos orbiting the Uptown Parade Route in New Orleans ~ and it's the birthday of Canadian Joshua Slocum (born 1844) who was the first to single-handedly orbit the world (at a slightly lower elevation than Glenn) on a sail boat (back in 1895). Without further ado it's time to start our daily orbit of the views ~ Enjoy ~



Sunday February 19th, 2012 ~ It's another Parade Day in New Orleans ~ check out Parade Cam view where you can catch 5 parades marching by today, starting at 9AM Central, last one starts at 5:15PM (complete with sound). The driveway will be marching around today as well, along with all the rest of us, as we revolve around the sun celebrating the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus (seems only fair since he was the first to point out it is the parade route we're on). At approximately 67,062 miles per hour we're not sure what the band will be playing for tempo, but we hope we'll keep up! (good news is, so far, we haven't missed a beat on any of the 539 trips on this route we've taken since he was born). If all that makes your head spin check out the Greenhouse Cam where Daffodils are in bloom ~ Enjoy ~



Saturday February 18th, 2012 ~ A new schedule on this side of driveway cam has us dazed and confused and we almost missed getting to see *ANY* of the Mardi Gras parades online at all! (sacré bleu!!). However, there are still a few we can all catch ~ check out the Parade Cam view any time as it's always entertaining, and during the parades, ~ priceless! There are 9 parades left ~ on Sun., February 19, 9 a.m. catch 4 of them, and at 5:15 p.m. it's Bacchus ~ On Lundi Gras., February 20, 3 p.m. catch 3 parades, and on Mardi Gras., February 21, 10 a.m. it's the Rex parade!!! And for some planetary parading be sure to wander outside at sunset, and look west to catch the Venus and Jupiter Convergence Parade ~ starting tonight you can watch them marching (in formation) towards each other every night until March 12th & 13th when they will be only 3 degrees apart. We are not sure beads will be thrown but it never hurts to get out there ready to catch any just in case. :) While you are out there be sure to wave at Pluto as it was discovered just 82 years ago today ~ which deserves cake and ice cream to go along with the wave ~ Enjoy ~

Friday February 17th, 2012 ~ Yay! It's Friday! And Driveway Cam's PC had the good sense to decide to play with us again. It's been a good day for almost all the senses through the ages.... it was this day back in 1876 that sardines were first canned (!), it was this day back in 1817 that the very first public gas street light in the U.S. was lit in Baltimore, Maryland and it is the birthday of René Theophile Hyacinthe Laënnec (!) who is the French physician who invented the stethoscope just a year before the lights came on in Baltimore. You can build your own stethoscope and listen to your heart beat while viewing, or you can listen here. Enjoy the all the tastes, smells, sounds, and of course the sites today ~
:)

Wednesday February 15th, 2012 ~ It's a sparkly day when worlds collide (well, figuratively speaking). And today is such a day. There is twinkling all over the place ~ as today is the birthday of astronomer Galileo Galilei (he'd be 448), as well as the birthday of Charles Tiffany (of Tiffany & Co fame)(he's turning 200 today!), and, it is the 7th anniversary of the launch of YouTube ~ which is where they are colliding (stars, diamonds and video that is). Hopefully there will be fewer collisions on the driveway, but hey ~ you never know with all that twinkling going on. Enjoy ~

Tuesday February 14th, 2012 ~ Happy Valentine's Day to all ~ hope your day is filled with chocolate and good views (which actually is what we hope for all of our viewers, everyday...) Enjoy the day, the views ~ (and the chocolates!). If the sweetness overload (that could happen today (especially if you haven't been training for it)) is too much, we have the antidote ~ Creepiest Valentine's Day Card ever is right here [warning, not for the faint of heart].

Monday February 13th, 2012 ~ A very happy Monday morning to all, and especially to all you Triscadecaphobics out there. You're in luck today ~ looks like the snow survived over night and is here for all day viewing! A few quick clean up notes to start the week: The answer to the mini quiz last Thursday (see below) is ~ the letters in the number 40 are in alphabetical order, and that is the only number (in the English language) where that occurs. The question for the current quiz had a slight error ~ there are 25 states with a town or city named Lincoln (not 24 as previously rumored). Before we can introduce any new typos/errors lets just get to the viewing ~ Enjoy ~

Sunday February 12th, 2012 ~ There is great joy in Mudville as some snow has wandered into town ~ an actual plowable amount has fallen on the driveway so far, and there are still a few flurries prancing about. There is also joy today for the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Known for many things he was also known to wear a shawl and given the arctic air all over the place it's probably not a bad idea for the rest of us to wear one today in his honor! Be sure to take your shawl if you decide to do a tour of Lincolns (towns and statues) today. Here is a map with a few places to start Looking for Lincoln ~ But if it's too cold to contemplate going out you can still wear your shawl while you check out these cameras to help you with your Looks at Lincolns, in New Hampshire, or in Nebraska, or in Oregon, or in Montana... Or watch Looking For Lincoln, right here. Keep a count of all the Lincolns you find ~ it just may help you on the quiz ~

Saturday February 11th, 2012 ~ HAPPY 19th BIRTHDAY to Jessie!!!! We all hope it's a wonderful day and year ahead for you Jessie ~ and the icing on this birthday cake of a day is... Snow! There is snow all over the place from Chicago to Maine (and even in KY!) so grab some hot chocolate, a warm blanket and settle in for some great viewing. Try the snow links, the traffic cams, and/or any of the views in the Weather Watch areas (or any where else your viewing takes you). And if you get some pictures of snow on or about your driveway (or on or about your person, or persons) send 'em in! And now.... back to our regularly scheduled viewing and YAY!-IT-SNOWED dancing ~

Friday February 10th, 2012 ~ While this year is the centennial year for the Girl Scouts, today marks the 98th anniversary of when the the Girl Scout’s patented the trefoil design for their membership badge. And if you should see any Girl Scouts on, or about, the driveway ~ let us know! We are in need of, and looking for, an out-of-season cookie connection... Here's to it being Friday, and to good views all around

Thursday February 9th, 2012 ~ Not sure where yesterday went, but today is here and the sun is shining on it...well at least it is shining on the part of today that is currently visiting the driveway. Rumor has it that on this day back in 1942, Congress pushed ahead standard time for the United States by one hour in each time zone, imposing daylight saving time which was then called at the time "war time." And, according to Today's Creators, it was on this day back in 1895 that Volleyball was invented by American William Morgan who back then called the game mintonette... Today is also the 40th day of the year (already!?!) which brings us to a mini-quiz: what is special about the 40th day that isn't true of any other day, or any other number in the English language for that matter? A little something to mull over while enjoying the views ~

Tuesday February 7th, 2012 ~ There is a full moon scheduled for tonight ~ According to the Farmer's Almanac it's the Snow Moon (which around these parts is sadly misnamed) ~ And, not too surprisingly, there is a Farmer's Almanac TV spot on today's Birthday Boy John Deere (who was born in 1804, 4 days before the full moon that year) right here. And while we are more or less almanac'ing it today ~ we can keep an eye on them there, right here. Enjoy the views ~ and the moon shine ~

Monday February 6th, 2012 ~ Appearing yesterday on this very site Babe Ruth is back today for his birthday! While celebrating that, be sure to raise a cup of tea in honor of Queen Elizabeth, who is only the 40th British Monarch since William the Conqueror(!!?!), and who became queen on this date back in 1952. Thirteen years later, to the day, The Maasdam sailed out of NY to begin steaming it's passengers toward her realm. Neither they, nor the realm would ever be the same as it turned out. However, as she is still Queen (way to go Bess!), it's pinkies up and enjoy the views ~



Sunday February 5th, 2012 ~ It's a great day for sports here in America as on this day in 1934, Henry Louis Aaron Jr., the baseball slugger who broke Babe Ruth's legendary record of 714 homers, was born in Mobile, Alabama. A little farther back in time it was on this day in 1788 that Sir Robert Peel, the English Prime Minister who instigated the Police force in London (and caused the name Bobbies to apply), was born near Bury in Lancashire. And while we are on that side of the pond, it is also the day in 1924 the hour time signal, the pips, was inaugurated – by BBC radio in England. You can listen to their pips on that link, and our pips here. Which ever side of home plate, the law, or the Atlantic, you're on today we say Toodles ~ Pip! Pip! and Enjoy the views ~



Saturday February 4th, 2012 ~ Not only is it Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (!) (may we suggest you throw some scrambled eggs in with the bacon ice cream?), but it's also high flyers day here on the driveway as we celebrate the birthdays of 2 of our favorites, Charles Lindberg, born on this day in Detroit, Michigan (1902) and Clyde Tombaugh (who discovered the always-round-here planet Pluto). It's time to check in on Clyde again; he has 1255 days before his closest encounter with Pluto (on 7/14/15 so mark your calendars), heading now towards the orbit of Neptune. It is also the birthday of the man who may have figured out (though he didn't know it) the actual cause of global warming ~ so dish up some more ice cream and party on!

Friday February 3rd, 2012 ~ Emily doesn't have internet access at the moment which is why I can get away with posting this picture on this Happy Birthday to the Divine Ms. Em Day!!! Happy Birthday Em ~ Enjoy all the views and all the Ems on the picture ~ :)



Thursday February 2nd, 2012 ~ A very Happy GroundHog's Day to all ~ by the time you read this no doubt it will all be over but the shouting...however we are writing this pre ground hog prognostication and in honor of Phil (who will be prodded and poked and pulled out through his Punxsutawney portico) we say Let There Be Light (please!) Run Phil Run ~ back to the burrow, back away from all those prying eyes and that scary shadow, make your prediction, and run!! (and please, oh please, let us get at least 6 weeks of winter). (please?) We leave you to the views on this cross-quarter day that marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox as we're off to hope for a very bright sunrise in Pennsylvania...

Wednesday February 1st, 2012 ~ We need to clear the slate for the start of a new month ~ a long time viewer (and contributor) pointed out that yesterday's posting had a bit of an error* ~ in between Ham and Shepard's launches another primate became the 2nd primate in outer space thereby making Shepard the 3rd primate to go where so few opposable thumbs had gone before. (Thanks Allen!) We hope everyone's views today are error free ~ Enjoy ~ *We apologize for the mis-information and want to assure our viewers that our primate counters (who both count, and are of, the anthropoidea/catarrhini/hominoidea/hominidae/homininae/homo/sapiens order of primates) have been reprimanded with a rolled newspaper to their short snouts)

Tuesday January 31st, 2012 ~ While Ann doesn't come to drivewaycam very often (maybe never) we'd still like to wish her a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It is also the birthday of Sam Loyd (1841) ~ creator of many puzzles including (so he claimed) a favorite: the Loyd 15 puzzle which you can play here or here. And, it is the anniversary of the first primate being launched into space as on this date back in 1961 the U.S. launched a 4-year-old male chimpanzee, named Ham, as a test run 3 months before Alan Shepard was launched to became the 2nd primate to go into outer space. A particularly good day for space travel ~ in 1958 the US launched it's first successful orbiting satellite, Explorer 1, and in 1971 Apollo 14 blasted off for the moon ~ and/or for viewing ~ Enjoy

Monday January 30th, 2012 ~ A late start, but a beautiful day out there ~ complete with snow!!! So without further ado ~ the last Monday of the month, as it slides on down the driveway ~

Sunday January 29th, 4710 ~ Happy National Puzzle Day ~ while working on puzzles big and small today, you may want to ponder the puzzle that one of today's Birthday Boys, Lawrence Hargrave, figured out when he invented the box kite...how can drag lift so well? Last words to another couple of today's birthday boys Thomas Paine and Edward Abbey ~ "One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork" ~ Edward Abbey "The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that it is difficult to class them separately" ~ Thomas Paine

Saturday January 28th, 4710 ~ The last Saturday of the first month of the new year... is here. For your viewing pleasure and because it is the 205th anniversary of London's Pall Mall street becoming the first street to be illuminated by gaslight ~ and we couldn't find a camera working on Pall Mall: a static look at Charing Cross Rd here, and a streaming look at Abbey Road here (both of which are hopping today). Should if you need reason d'cake today (although, it merely being a day should cover it) it is the birthday of the first of the Captains Piccard. (Auguste was born in 1884 and held height and depth records for his missions both in balloons and submarines; Bernard, his grandson, was the first person to first to complete a non-stop balloon flight around the globe; Jean-Luc, his namesake, boldly went where oh so many had gone before, and would go after) ~ Enjoy the views ~

Friday January 27th, 4710 ~ Be on the lookout for white rabbits on the driveway today ~ it is the birthday of Lewis Carroll and they have been known to bound about on his birthday. It is also the day, back in 1880, that Thomas Edison received a patent (#223,898) for his electric incandescent lamp which makes it the perfect day to check in on the Longest Burning Lightbulb in History (it's been on for 111 years, and counting)! Even before Mr. Edison illuminated the dark, Mozart (who would turn 256 today if only he could) was writing incandescent music ~ enjoy all the views and humming some Mozart today ~

Thursday January 26th, 4710 ~ If you woke up thinking the hills were alive...it may not have been Stephen King invading your dreams ~ it might have been because today is Maria Von Trapp's birthday. In her honor some live looks (take your pick) of Vienna (practically her birthplace) and of Salzburg (where the Von Trapp's lived) today, the whole city as well as Mozart's monument there (with other choices down the left side of those pages). Sing out (keep checking there may be a sing along coming to your town) and enjoy the views ~

Wednesday January 25th, 4710 ~ Good day for conspiracy theorists ~ Back on this day in 1915 the very first US Transcontinental call was made (yet another famous call between Alexander Graham Bell and his friend Thomas Watson), and just 30 years later (to the day people) Grand Rapids, MI, became the first U.S. city to begin fluoridating the drinking water! Coincidence? Or shadowy truth. You decide. And after you've decided.... be sure to enjoy the views ~

Tuesday January 24th, 4710 ~ Today is the birthday of Publius Aelius Hadrianus (of the Roman Emperor Hadrian's) known to his friends, and to his wall, as Hadrian ~ he would be 1,936 years old today if only he could. The wall helped protect his interests in England, helped to keep out dragons, and still mostly stands, some 1900 years later. It's existing length can be walked or part of the area can be simply viewed if you can't find your walking shoes. The wall, in it's prime, was 73 miles long from east coast to west. Which brings up an interesting question that seemed just right for the first quiz of the years (2012 AND 4710)(and no, there be no dragons in the quiz)(tho' there should be). Enjoy the views and the quiz ~

Monday January 23rd, 4710 ~ Happy New Year! First to Patti Beth (who is starting a brand new year as it is her Happy Birthday Today!!!) and then to us all as The Year of the Dragon has begun ~ and we are as pleased as punch! This particular dragon year is the year of the Water Dragon ~ last one of those was in 1952 ~ but we are an equal opportunity group here and all dragons will be celebrated. It's also National Pie Day !!! The perfect opportunity for making (and/or eating) your favorite pie today as well as trying some Red Dragon Pie for dinner. If it's an all dessert day for you (and why wouldn't it be?) forget main courses and go straight to some Dragon Fruit Pie ~ Whatever your pie preference is today, enjoy the views ~



Sunday January 22nd, 4709 ~ As the last day of the year hops on out of here we hope you are getting ready to join the celebrations with the more than a billion Chinese who will ring in the new lunar year ~ the 4,710th of the Chinese calendar ~ tonight (well, their tonight, which was our today). The festivities will run over the next 15 days until the first full moon, with events across the mainland and Hong Kong. Of course it is already New Year's there but we still have a few hours here to enjoy the last views of the year and to get ready for 4710 and the start of The Year of the Dragon ~ Enjoy!

Saturday January 21st, 2012 ~ It is the penultimate day of the year (and you thought the Mayan's were calling for a short year?) ~ fast away the old year is passing, but before it goes .... there are some end of the year views to take in (both urban and rural (Candy, object of the rural view, was sleeping under the ladder this morning...but may have wandered outside?)) Along with some moderate running around on the driveway (okay, more driving than running and more down and back than around) it all adds up to a good day to enjoy the views ~ and our snow (!) while we have some. The good news is ~ we are now only about 41 inches below normal snowfall amounts.

Friday January 20th, 2012 ~ Here we are at the end of the 3rd week of the year ~ time to sit back and relax. If you are wondering what the white stuff is out by the driveway... we weren't sure either so we googled it. Turns out it's some of the only snow that hasn't fallen on Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. We don't know how it got lost and wandered here, but we're glad it did! And, as it is National Hot Tea Month ~ we suggest we all pour a cuppa, any flavor, to help keep the US average at 9 gallons of tea per person per year (!), check in on a tea shop in Scotland, sit back, and enjoy the views. (ps - here is a link on how to read tea leaves for you loose leaf tea-ers out there)

Thursday January 19th, 2012 ~ A cold start to the morning here ~ be sure to pack some warm clothes when you go out viewing and don't forget to take along some Poe. Edgar Allan would be 203 today, what with being born on this date in the year 1809 (same year as Abraham Lincoln and Lord Alfred Tennyson as it would turn out to be). Now off to the views ~ the views that always beg the question: Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream? ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Wednesday January 18th, 2012 ~ Not only is it the birthday of the first person ever summoned to their bosses office by phone (Thomas Watson of "Come here Watson..." fame) ~ it is also the birthday of Jacob Brownski who brought us The Ascent of Man (watch it online if you haven't seen it since it was on in the 70's or at all!). Take a deep breath, enjoy the views and last words today to Dr. Bronowski ~ Sooner or later every one of us breathes an atom that has been breathed before by anyone you can think of who has lived before us - Michelangelo or George Washington or Moses. ~ Jacob Bronowski

Tuesday January 17th, 2012 ~ It is the 306th birthday of the man who, grasping the fact that by united effort a community may have amenities which only the wealthy few can get for themselves, helped establish institutions we all now take for granted, including public libraries. And it's also the 27th anniversary of the very last day at the New York Public version of one of those libraries that the card catalog was used. It contained 10 million dog-eared cards in 9,000 oak drawers, and was replaced by 800 bound volumes of photocopies of the cards and a computer catalog. Card catalogs may be gone, but we do have our browsers, and our views ~



Monday January 16th, 2012 ~ A late start on this Martin Luther King Jr Day ~ enjoy the views ~

Sunday January 15th, 2012 ~ It's the anniversary of the very first Super Bowl back in 1967 which pitted the Packers against the Chiefs (Packers won 35-10) ~ the Packers are on their way to defend their current Championship today playing the Giants at Lambeau Field (those cams should be hopping). And it's the 151st anniversary of the patent for one of our favorite inventions that pitted Newton's laws of motion against gravity and it's free falling ways (Newton won 1000-0) ~ as in 1861 the safety elevator (with it's brake) was patented as a "Hoisting Apparatus" by Elisha G. Otis (No. 31,128) Thanks Elisha! [If you have 5 minutes this is an interesting clip on the worlds tallest elevator ~ or if you only have 95 seconds you can ride along and see the view from the top!]

Saturday January 14th, 2012 ~ More snow today ~ there is much joy in Mudville. Enjoy watching our snow, and you can get ready for tomorrow's Packer game early by checking in there today where they are expecting some flurries too. And since it's National Skating Month you may want to re-visit the Online Skating links as well. If you are wanting cake while you watch the snow and ice skating (and who wouldn't?) bundle up and go right ahead ~ it's the birthday of David Wesson after all. Enjoy!

Friday January 13th, 2012 ~ It's Friday the 13th which of course means good things! We woke up to the quiet that only snow can bring ~ Snow! Glorious Snow! Wind, whiteouts and drifting... :) (feel free to sing along with us). They are not predicting much, which given the record of weathermen around here could mean a record-breaking blizzard, but we are hoping for at least a plowable amount (3 inches)(as are most of the plow people who have had a rotten season so far). Thinking of you today Pebble. And to all ~ enjoy the snow!

Thursday January 12th, 2012 ~ On this day back in 1966 the Batman television series debuted on ABC. Two years later, to the day, with the bat signal not turning out to be as reliable as portrayed, the Bell Systems adopted "9-1-1" as the emergency telephone number. But most importantly on this date, in 1992 (or was it '97?), HAL 9000 (of 2001 fame) became operational ~ Happy Birthday Hal! (we miss you!)(well, some of us really do)(you may want to break out the hankies and watch 2001 if you can). No matter what the day brings, stay clear of the pod doors, and enjoy the views ~



Wednesday January 11th, 2012 ~ An early start here on the driveway which makes it a good day to watch the sun come up 'cross country from here (and from there too if you are up)~ it's only just getting started (pictures below are at 7:30, in Maine, DC, and Tennessee) so try any of the links, but the air quality ones are always good for that ((from the map, here) or (from the list, here)) ~ Rise, and shine, and enjoy the views ~ larger views of pictures are a click away



Tuesday January 10th, 2012 ~ It's the birthday of the current national poet laureate, Philip Levine, today. He was born in Detroit in 1928, worked in various car and car parts plants (Cadillac and Chevrolet) while writing poetry in his spare time. In his honor, it's cake (with a side of poetry) all around! They've been combined here and here(!), or, you can even make a cake that will make you want to write your own verse. And, of course, while eating your cake (since you have it) for your viewing pleasure: Mount Lemmon, Az, and a look at the weather 6 miles from Lemon Grove, Ca ~

Monday January 9th, 2012 ~ Hope you brought your sunscreen for viewing the driveway today....temperature is climbing to 40 so we may see the last of the current snow covering (?) melt away throughout the day. Excitement like that on a Monday can be dangerous ~ pace yourselves (maybe even switch to de-caf). We leave you with the driveway below, and a live look at the Lake Ontario shoreline ~

Sunday January 8th, 2012 ~ What a day, what a day ~ it's physics (rocking) 'round the clock today ~ not only is it the birthday of Stephen Hawking (70 today!) one of the world's foremost theoretical physicists, it is also the birthday of Elvis Presley (one of the most famous empirical string-theory physicists ever) *and* it is the exact day back in 1928 that, lesser known but equally as groundbreaking in his field of quantum chromo-dynamics (QCD), Walter E. Diemer sold the first batch of his invention ~ bubble gum! (an accountant, who accidently invented bubble gum while experimenting during his spare time with recipes for a chewing gum base) (and the QCD isn't much of a stretch... google it with: gluons, quarks and gum (oh my!))
:)

Saturday January 7th, 2012 ~ Another sunny day in the land that winter forgot ~ to escape all this lovely weather it's off to the views ~ 227 years ago today Frenchman Jean Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries were off to the skies as they made the first international flight ever by crossing the English Channel ~ in their hot-air balloon. (*interesting side note: it was also the first case of lost luggage on a flight ~ over the channel the balloon almost fell into the water and they were forced to throw everything out of the basket to regain altitude, including the clothes they were wearing. It worked and the balloon rose enough for them to arrive in France ~ in their skivvies. To date it's the last known case of losing *all* of ones clothes on a flight!) You can see what is crossing the channel, right now, right here. Enjoy ~

Friday January 6th, 2012 ~ It's Epiphany, as we know it, or Trettondedag jul (in Swedish), Drie-koningendag (in Dutch), and Hellig-tre-kongersdag (in Danish) ~ and is also a feast day that was called denho (up-going) among the Syrians, a name connected with the notion of rising light. No matter what you attribute to it ~ the arrival of the Magi, a great realization made, the end of Christmas, or just that is is the first Friday of the year ~ here is to an enlightening day, with enlightening views all around. It's bright on the driveway this morning (of course, it'd be brighter if we had some snow), and the days are continuing to get longer 1 minute at a time as the sun rises higher in the sky ~ enjoy the additional minute of illumination today and the views...

Thursday January 5th, 2012 ~ Time zones tripped us up and it seems that yesterday (at 8:00PM (eastern)), not today as we had figured, we hit Perihelion (did you feel the brakes come on?) ~ time zones get us every time. Fortunately, the planet knows the drill and stopped falling towards the sun yesterday despite our calculations ~ and now, thankfully, we are pulling away from it once again. Have to love a good elliptical orbit. Our fall took us to our closest encounter with the sun this go around, just about 91,245,873 miles away from it, and as we pull away we will end up 94,507,988 miles away at aphelion (which we think is July 4th but will check our work). In other news... Hey Wait! WE DIDN'T FALL INTO THE SUN!! What other news do you need? Enjoy the views ~

Wednesday January 4th, 2012 ~ Penguin Chicks!!! (a new traditional shout on every January 4th if it hasn't been shouted previously in the new year) We saw our first chick yesterday (clearly by size it's been around awhile, but it was the first sighting here) ~ there is joy in mudville. And today is the birthday of Louis Braille, born in Coupvray, France (1809). Blinded at age 3, his 6 dot raised dot coding system brought the ability to read and write themselves to the blind. It has fallen out of use in these days of audio books and language to text converters and only about 10 percent of blind children in this country learn to read braille today. However, we'd like to be among the first to say:



Tuesday January 3rd, 2012 ~ We got some flurries. A bit shy of the 6-14" that were being promised last night, but we did get some flurries. Mostly what we got was cold, it's about 11 out there is the rumor. A perfect day to stay in and enjoy the views ~ which we will be doing too, as soon as we get back from the morning journeys. Stay warm if you are in the areas currently being visited by Canada's air mass and Enjoy the views where ever you are ~

Monday January 2nd, 2012 ~ And while it's back to work for most of us...driveway cam has been stamping it's feet and refusing to play ~ however, it may have been convinced to stay up and running now... It's take a robot to lunch day in honor of Isaac Asimov's birthday today (or maybe just watch a robot movie at lunch?)(can't get out? then listen to his story NightFall right here) The sunshine belies the Lake Effect Snow Warning that was issued last night (which currently ends at noon today). It's no snow for us again at the moment :( But, so far, a beautiful day for driveway watching (with a new trial link below put up last week that you may have missed). Enjoy ~

Sunday January 1st, 2012 ~ A late start, but that's okay because it's a New Year (and no one is up yet anyway!). In honor of New Year's Eve celebrations (or maybe because of them?) Aspirin was made available for the first time in tablet form this date back in 1915. Throw in that Betsy Ross was born this day in 1752 (always good to start out a new year with cake and ice cream), it's the 70th birthday of the UN today, and back in 1983, this very day, the ARPANET became known as the Internet, and the celebrations can continue. With hopes that the penguin chicks appear soon we say welcome to 2012 and all it's views ~



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