Ummagumma

In early summer Jennifer planted two Moon Vine plants on the west side of our car port.  Throughout the summer we kept them watered and gradually they became more prolific in the hotter months. She strung gardening yarn between the columns of the car port so that the vines could spread out and climb the open spaces between the columns of the car port. Now, in early fall, they completely cover the western side, offering some shade from the evening sun. Right around sundown large blooms of white begin to emerge.  It is quite a spectacle each night, watching the sun set and the Moon Vine blossom. Near dawn the blooms retract and fall off, each enjoying only one night in full flower. The vines are abundant, however, and blooms anew each evening. They have been visited by all sorts of insects these past few weeks, including praying mantises, which are fun to spot and observe. This was the first time we have enjoyed this plant on our property. It continues to be full of life...

The 800-foot long spaceship Discovery I with a space pod exiting the pod bay. This shot gives the viewer a nice perspective of the troubling communications antennae. Note: This is Part Two of my synopsis of 2001: A Space Odyssey .  It is filled with spoilers. At about 54:40 into 2001: A Space Odyssey writer-director Stanley Kubrick begins the film's next section: “Jupiter Mission: 18 Months Later.”  We see a vast dark field of stars. Into this the spaceship Discovery I thrusts, a great long ship in sharp focus and magnificent  detail.  This is accompanied by Aram Khachaturian's wonderful adagio from his Gayne Ballet Suite , one of my favorite pieces of classical music. Essentially, all that has gone before in 2001 is a prologue to the Discovery 's mission to Jupiter and ultimately to the transformation of one of its crew members.  Astronaut Frank Poole is doing a fast-paced workout while literally jogging sideways before our eyes.  We fol...

The triumphant opening title shot. Note:  This post is filled with spoilers about the film 2001: A Space Odyssey Not long after finishing the novel , I watched Stanley Kubrick's brilliant film 2001: A Space Odyssey . But it was a hasty viewing and life got in the way of fully savoring it.  My recent experience with the solar eclipse inspired me to settle myself enough to watch it again and appreciate this great film. I have not watched it since 2009 . While the novel by Arthur C. Clarke is bold and an accurate portrayal of the metaphysical ideas and primary details of the film, it is not one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time.  There are many other novels in that genre that would compete for that title. If Clarke has a great genre novel it is most likely his classic Childhood's End .    Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey , on the other hand, is one of the greatest films of all time and would rank as such on any serious film connoisse...