The past couple days have been spectacular weather-wise. As i’ve said before, clear blue skies and day after day of calm winds and cloudless nights are the absence of weather. What we’ve had in Ashland, and as reports point out Boise too, has been real honest to goodness weather.

Massive clouds tower over the surrounding hills, suddenly rain pours down, but tapers off after only seconds. Moments later sun breaks through the clouds and droplets clinging to early leaves sparkle like polished prisms. In the later afternoons, just about the time i’m heading over to the library for my afternoon coffee, the air becomes cool and still. Layers of clouds vie for position over Grizzly Peak while strings of misty cloud seem to emanate from the hillsides and cling to the pines.

Coffee in hand i hustle back to my office as wind begins to sweep the pines on the hills above campus. Once in my office i open the pitiful little porthole of a window that faces where i just walked and watch as gusts catch students unaware and send the ubiquitous baseball caps flying. The view of the hills beyond the library suddenly turns solid gray and seconds later sheets of rain are lashing the window. Everybody scatters for cover, most heading to the library. The pounding rain is now mixed with small hail that bounces off my antique air conditioner with a sharp crack like ball bearings. In less than a minute the most of it is past. Literally… as in “oh look it’s now raining/hailing over there.”

This has been the routine all week and it has been glorious.

The cold that simply wiped me out Monday and most of Tuesday is finally departing with pleasing alacrity so that’s always a good thing to report. My immune system might be lazy, but it rallies given time.

I’ve now tried pizza from three different places, comparative reviews are in process.

Bagels of decent quality (but unfortunate price) can be had from Little Shop of Bagels or from any of the local supermarkets since they package and sell by the bag. They’re ok as bagels go, but they’re not boiled long enough (if at all) and like all non New York bagels the people making them are far too concerned with the hole and overall symmetry. Bagels do not need to have a perfect 1 to 1.25 inch diameter hole. Round bread with a hole in the middle does not define the bagel. Rather, high-gluten dough that has been allowed to rise and is then boiled in seriously hot water so that when baked a full 1/8 inch thick skin of a crust forms thus holding moisture inside for improved shelf life in a desert climate (hello? who invented these things anyway!) informs the true bagel.

And lastly for today, i’m tickled to report that i’ve found perfectly serviceable asian/chinese/thai fare. The place is very tired inside; it’s not particularly inviting for a sit-down meal, but for take out i’ve now had two experiences that absolutely fit the bill. As all good asian restaurants go it’s owned and run by a small family. Given my cold of late i craved thai coconut soup and some spicy noodles to help clear the sinuses… i should stop by tomorrow night and tell the wife her soup cured me.