Amazing Greenery: Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail

Every time we visit the beautiful Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail we are struck by the great variety of greens that we find there.
The mountains are rich in luscious greens of every variation including blue-greens, deep hues, bright spring-like greens, variegated patches and the sort of greens that were meant to stand proudly and boldly against an azure sky.
Yes, the Gardens have many flowering plants that incorporate the full range of other colors (and we'll show you those in a later post) but these greens always captivate us with their richness, their differentiated texture and their pure, pristine beauty.
Today was a perfect day at the Gardens.
And we are happy to share these photos with you.
All photos copyright 2013 by Dan Cirucci.

OMG! Is it STILL Monday?

Photo copyright 2013 by Adam Cirucci.

Christie Partners With Feds On Ways To Strengthen NJT

U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Governor Chris Christie today traveled to Secaucus, New Jersey, to announce a memorandum of understanding at NJ Transit and discuss making the region’s critical infrastructure more resilient in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. 

As part of its ongoing commitment to provide support to communities affected by Superstorm Sandy, the U. S. Energy Department announced that it will partner with the State of New Jersey, NJ Transit and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to assess NJ Transit’s energy needs and help develop a conceptual design of an advanced microgrid system. Under this partnership, the Department’s Sandia National Laboratories will assist NJ Transit in its efforts to enhance the reliability and resiliency of electricity used for its rail and system operations.

“As we rebuild New Jersey from Superstorm Sandy, I am committed to making our state stronger and more resilient. NJ TRANSITGRID is an important step in that process,” said Governor Christie. “This first-of-its-kind electrical microgrid will supply highly-reliable power during storms, and help keep our public transportation systems running during natural times of disaster, which is critical not only to our economy, but also emergency and evacuation-related activities. The Obama Administration has been an integral partner with this innovative project, and we will work closely with them in the months ahead to make NJ TRANSITGRID a reality.”

“The President’s Climate Action Plan calls for making our nation’s infrastructure smarter and stronger so that it can withstand new and more serious environmental threats and increasingly severe weather events,” said Secretary Moniz. “The partnership announced today marks an important step in this direction by working to improve the electric grid system in New Jersey and the broader region so that it is more resilient and better equipped to maintain power during natural disasters.”

The NJ Transit system is a critical transportation corridor and evacuation route for Manhattan. Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and other natural disasters have exposed the vulnerability of the transit system to power outages.

Through this agreement, the Energy Department and Sandia National Laboratories will work with NJ Transit and the Board of Public Utilities to design a dynamic microgrid to power the transit system between Newark and Jersey City and Hoboken as well as critical stations and maintenance facilities. This project will make it easier to get the power back on after a major disaster – and it will also help improve public safety throughout the region.

Sandia National Laboratories has already designed advanced microgrids that are up and running at more than 20 military bases across the country. This partnership will utilize a quantitative risk-based assessment tool, entitled the Energy Surety Design Methodology (ESDM), that was developed at Sandia National Laboratories and allows communities to evaluate their regional energy needs, identify advanced solutions to improve the reliability and resiliency of their electric grids, and understand the most cost-effective strategies for system upgrades.

At the core of this methodology is the use of advanced smart grid technologies and the integration of distributed energy resources such as backup generators, wind generation, photovoltaics, and storage. Previous applications of the ESDM have shown enhanced reliability and resiliency, improved integration of renewable and distributed energy, and cost-effectiveness.

For more information about the benefits of a modern grid, visit the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability's website.

Christie Video: 'I'll Never Give Up On The Mets'

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie this morning on WFAN's Boomer and Carton out of NYC.

Photo Essay - Summer In The Mountains: Wondrous!

All of these photos were taken today in the beautiful village of Vail, Colorado; elevation 8,150 feet.
Photos copyright 2013 by Dan Cirucci.

Democrats Vote In Surprising Numbers....Hmmm.....

In some districts President Obama apparently managed to garner 108% of the vote. You figure it out.

Vail: A Charming Alpine Village For Every Season

You may think of winter when you think of Vail.
And, in truth it is a mecca for skiing and all sorts of winter sports and activities.
In many ways, snow is what created Vail and it remains part of its essence.
But when we think of Vail we think of green, not white -- lots of greenery along with the bright colors of wildflowers and perennials. We also think of wistful alpine trees and tall pines, long walks along Gore Creek and a charming village setting that welcomes all.
Summer in Vail is all of these and more.
Here are some of our first views as we've just arrived in Vail for yet another stay at one of our favorite places on earth.
All photos copyright 2013 by Dan Cirucci.

Final Act For Legendary Star Of Broadway, Movies, TV

On Broadway, a bright shining light has gone out.
Julie Harris has died.
She was simply born to act.
And she was justifiably one of the most honored performers in Broadway history.
Her roles ranged from the flamboyant Sally Bowles in "I Am a Camera" to the reclusive Emily
Dickinson in "The Belle of Amherst." She was 87.
We had the good fortune to see her in "The Belle of Amherst" at the McCarter Theater in Princeton. It was a performance we will never forget -- a one-woman tour de force in which Harris commanded the stage every minute and gave new meaning to the term "suspension of disbelief." She was Emily Dickenson.
Harris died at her West Chatham, Mass., home of congestive heart failure, actress and family friend Francesca James said.
This great American performer and beloved Broadway star won five Tony Awards for best actress in a play, displaying a virtuosity that enabled her to portray an astonishing gallery of women during a theater career that spanned almost 60 years and included such plays as "The Member of the Wedding" (1950), "The Lark" (1955), "Forty Carats" (1968) and "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln" (1972).
She was honored again with a sixth Tony, a special lifetime achievement award in 2002.
Her record has not yet been equaled.
Audra McDonald has five Tonys, and Angela Lansbury has four Tonys.
Harris slowed down in recent years. She suffered a stroke in 2001 while she was in Chicago appearing in a production of Claudia Allen's "Fossils." She suffered another stroke in 2010, James said.
She also starred in the long-running TV show Knots Landing as the free-spirited Lilimae Clements, Valene’s mother. She played Lilimae from 1980-1987.
Harris leaped to fame at age 24 playing a lonely 12-year-old tomboy in “The Member of the Wedding.” She repeated the Broadway role in the 1952 film version. She was also James Dean’s romantic co-star in “East of Eden.”
As a young woman, Julie Harris declared in high school "acting is my life." She had the good fortune to be blessed with a natural talent, to recognize that talent at an early age and to embrace it, cultivate it and make it her life's work as she shared it so generously and lovingly with others over so many decades, so many performances and so many treasured moments.
RIP, Julie Harris.

Video: Woman Found Alive After Her Own Funeral

Three weeks ago her family thought they had buried her.
More than 50 friends attended the viewing for a troubled, 50-year-old mother of five. They said their last goodbyes to Sharolyn Jackson.
Or so they thought.
But on August 15, the woman was spotted at an area shopping mall by a person from a social-service agency who saw to her needs.
And indeed, Jackson is very much alive.
So, who was the woman in the casket -- the woman now buried?
Click here for the details.

US, Russia, Germany, France Lead Visits To Blog

Top ten sources by nation visiting this blog  during the past week.

Entry    Pageviews

United States    1557

Russia    245

Germany    183

France    106

Poland    102

China    42

United Kingdom    40

Slovenia    27

Bulgaria    26

Sweden    17