May 3, 2007 Archives

Last week I wrote about, and posted pictures from, our weeping cherry tree. The blooms are nearly gone now. The tree is fine, but that colorful stage is so brief.

Other trees and bushes have taken its place.

I'll post photos from two right now. I know the yellow one is forsythia. As for the other... no clue. I do know they're both really pretty.

This is part of what makes springtime in Connecticut so amazing. Though short lived, the colors really stand out.

Meanwhile, while all of this is going on leaves on deciduous trees, like our oak trees, begin to unfurl (bottom photo). The leaves seem already full grown, so the transition from bare tree to full leaf coverage is very quick.

With the passing of Wally Schirra, there are only two of NASA's original astronauts left. If you watch TV and they call him Walter in the obituary, you can bet the person saying it isn't old enough to remember.

Wally Schirra trained to go to space before anyone knew if it could be safely done. And after he went once he did it again and again.

When I first heard of his death, instead of flashing back to Mercury, Gemini or Apollo, I remembered Actifed. Wally Schirra was the first astronaut to 'shill' for a product - appearing in commercials for that cold relief medicine.

Of course, that's preserved on youtube. What isn't?

Schirra was a "Right Stuff" kinda' guy, cool enough to fall asleep in the van on the way to the launch pad! I'm not sure if NASA even looks for that kind of astronaut anymore?

Interestingly, it was a surprise Schirra got after landing that is used as proof that Gus Grissom didn't 'blow' his Mercury capsule's hatch, allowing it to sink. Grissom was accused of panicking while waiting to get out - not a good reputation for a spaceman. It's an ugly story that's haunted Grissom's legacy even after his tragic death in the Apollo 1 accident.

Upon slashdown, Schirra's Mercury capsule was hauled up on the deck of the U.S.S. Kearsarge. When he blew open the hatch, the recoil from the switch was enough to leave a nasty bruise. Grissom had no bruise. Proof positive the hatch malfunctioned!