During and after a big series of storms like we've just had, complete with chain control and power outages, we start hearing of a phenomenon known as 'cabin fever.' I've never had this ailment, but it has always made me curious. Some people deal with it by getting out of the cabin. They walk around, commune with nature, meet others at coffee shops and talk about storms of the past, both real and imagined. Others deal with it by having a repertoire of enjoyable indoor activities. While I chose the former path, my young son Ryan chose the latter. While I was at the coffee shop listening to people trade stories of owls hooting before daybreak, my son was home fine-tuning his electric-powered top. Let's call it the Top Photo. He fastened a cylindrical magnet on an axle then bought a concave make-up mirror to keep the top from wandering off. Inside the box are a couple of coils he hand-wound to make, in effect, a step-up transformer. Electricity comes in from a 5 volt power supply, pictured below. The current spins the magnet much like what happens inside an electric motor or generator. My 'technical' description might not be up to his standards, but I hope you've got the essence of it. I am so glad he has perfected the art of turning discarded stuff into interesting stuff, not only preventing boredom and a malaise like cabin fever, but also giving himself self a free education in electronic engineering.
Meanwhile, back at the coffee shop, people were enjoying owl stories. The sun hadn't yet risen above the cloud bank toward Reno, so I obviously have no photos of owls, but it was nice to hear so many cheerful people who enjoy early morning walks and who pay attention to the interesting sounds of nature around them. Later in the day I heard lots of Stellar's Jays in the pines behind our house.
There's supposed to be a break in the stormy weather for a few days so hopefully more of the local wildlife will re-activate.
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