My little dog Arlo was attacked by an off-leash 60 lb dog 2 weeks ago. I am happy to report he is making a fast recovery and will live to fight another day. Confusion to the enemy ( and anyone who would use “like a dog” as a pejorative.)

#3 Fresnel also saved many lives by improving lighthouse lenses. This First Order Fresnel lens, Umpqua River, OR, was made in 1890 by Barbier-Cie in Paris, FR. Gold chloride was mixed with molten crystal to create the ruby color of the hand-cut prisms. Fresnel died 199 yrs ago, 7/14/1827, age 39. 🇲🇫

#2. But science doesn't work that way. It took his friend, Count Arago, just a few days to show, with a point source & proper distances, there IS a light spot in the shadow center. Fresnel was right. It is called Fresnel Spot, Arago Spot, or Poisson Spot (he did predict it).⚽️🇫🇷🗽 Happy Bastille Day!

# 1. OTD,July 14,1827, AJ Fresnel died. In 1818, he wrote a paper showing light diffraction was caused by waves, not particles. Poisson mathematically proved that, if this were true, the shadow of a disc would show a bright, on-axis spot of light. Since this was absurd, his theory had to be wrong.

Have a Swell Solstice ! Picture taken 6/20/21. A mirror on the ground reflects light. Everyday at Noon a mark was made, making an analemma. On the solstice ,sol=sun,sistere=to pause , the sun stops its northern trek and turns to the south, directly overhead at 23.44 deg North, the Tropic of Cancer.

Like this .

HAPPY EQUINOX ! The March Equinox arrived at 7:45 AM PDT today, just 35 minutes after sunrise.The Woodland Polar Sundial showed long shadows and documented the arrival of Spring. See woodlandpolarsundial.com , Topic " March Equinox 2026" for more. Equinox time lapse videos also available there.

Lark Sparrows are one of the treats of Spring. The handsomest sparrow, their bold head pattern makes sparrow ID easy for once. They will soon head to their summer grasslands and oak savannas. Like other grassland species (shrikes,kestrels,meadowlarks) they have seen long-term population declines.

Woodland Polar Sundial confirms March is here. This picture was taken yesterday at 8:00 AM PST - no sun today. The gnomon shadow tip is just above the 3/1 ball marker and is just touching the 8 AM analemma. On to the Equinox, when the shadow will be horizontal. Woodlandpolarsundialcom

Happy BD. There is no substitute for reading his own words. Contemporaries referred so often to “Gentle Darwin,” you’d think that was his given name. Yes, painful passages about race and gender can be found, but he was nothing if not data-driven. There is no doubt where he would stand today.

Charles Darwin b. 2/12/1809 “He thought, and his thoughts have passed into the substance of facts of the universe. A grass plot, a plant in bloom, a human gesture, the entire circle of the doings and tendencies of nature, builds his monument and records his exploits.” — Obituary, London Times, 1882

RIP Jimmy Cliff (1944-2025) “And I keep fighting for the things I want Though I know when you’re dead you can’t But I’d rather be a free man in my grave Than living as a puppet or a slave”

Sagittarius Has Arrived ! On 11/21/2025 , the earth’s declination is -20.0 deg. A Polar Sundial delineates the transition from Scorpio (blue) to Sagittarius (violet). The gnomon will track this line all day. Clockwise from the top, the photos were taken today at 7:44 AM PST, 8:00 AM, and 12 Noon.

Remember to reset your sundials! Fortunately, the Woodland Polar Sundial has an autocorrect. Taken today at 8:00:05 AM, PST, the gnomon shadow is on the analemma defining the 8 AM shadow course throughout the year, near the 11/1 ball marker, well within one minute accuracy. Woodlandpolarsundial.com

On the June Solstice, a polar sundial tracks the lower brass hyperbola, the +23.44 declination line, the highest arc of the sun. A polar sundial demonstrates the beautiful symmetry and cycle of our solar system. Videos & more at woodlandpolarsundial.com. Enjoy This Hour & Have a Swell Solstice !

Ready for tomorrow

“There was so much excitement around Usha’s visit to Greenland this Friday that I decided that I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself and so I’m gonna join her.” — JD Vance. Your dream getaway awaits ! Would you like to see the runway ?

Happy Equinox ! The March Equinox occurs tonight at 2:01 AM, PDT. A polar dial simulates a perpendicular pole on the Equator, with the gnomon shadow tracking west to east all day long. Further explanation and 50 second time-lapse videos of the entire day can be seen at woodlandpolarsundial.com

There are two life-sized portraits built into the wall of the U.S. House Chambers at the entrance. One is George Washington.The other is Lafayette, a foreigner; an ally, from another country,who helped our fledgling nation fight a superior power to secure our right to survive. How can we forget ?