Word of the Day...

[blunthead]

LOL great, Frank. You could probably say that word at random in someone's presence and just about watch em drop over dumb.

...because they know me and thought I used only one-syllable words.

[blunthead]

bouldering (bōlˈdər-ĭng) noun, Basic or intermediate climbing carried out on relatively small rocks that can be traversed without great risk of bodily harm in case of a fall.

She changed into workout clothes, grabbed her backpack, and headed to a little park down the hill to go bouldering.

[Haunted]

frondescence \fron-DES-uhns\, noun:

1. Leafage; foliage.
2. The process or period of putting forth leaves, as a tree, plant, or the like.

What we found were three hundred pristine, mostly level acres with a forty-five-acre pond, completely undeveloped, covered with exquisite wildflowers and frondescence.
-- Paul Newman, In Pursuit of the Common Good

I now become aware of the sound of rumbling water, emanating from somewhere inside the rain forest next to my tropical rest stop. I approach the wet and abundant frondescence of the forest.
-- Richard Wyatt, Fathers of Myth

Frondescence is from the Latin root frondēre meaning “to have leaves.” It is clearly related to frond meaning “leaves.”

[blunthead]

udon (o͞oˈdŏnˌ) noun, A thick Japanese noodle made with wheat flour, usually served in soup or broth.

Hot tea, a hot shower, a bowl of udon noddles--that's what she needed, and now.

[Haunted]

boscage \BOS-kij\, noun:

A mass of trees or shrubs.

In places the park and the site itself were edged right up to its rubble and boscage by the rear of buildings...
-- China Miéville, The City & the City

Plunging along a narrow path thick-set on each side with leafy boscage, Paul caught sight of the two retreating figures a few yards only in front of him.
-- John R. Carling, The Shadow of the Czar

Boscage comes from the Middle French word boscage, from the roots bosk meaning “a small wood or thicket” and -age, a suffix that denotes a general noun, like voyage and courage.

[blunthead]

sotto voce (ˌsä-tō-ˈvō-chē) adverb or adjective, Under the breath: in an undertone; also: in a private manner.

His voice was heavy with resignation. Jo's spirits slid a little deeper. Sotto voce she said to Gabe, "Thanks again."

[J.T. Adams]

Hildegarde - Hil-de-garde

- a female given name from Germanic words meaning "battle" and "protector"

[blunthead]

six (siks) noun, The lower part of the human body; support for our military members; fighter pilot slang - means, “I’ll

cover your Asinus; "I’ve got your back".

I've got your six, Gabe said.

(...and I was regular Army in 1967, and we all used the term all the time. I never got near a jet except for my ride to and back from RVN. I never personally ran into an ex-military person who didn’t know the phrase. So, I’m puzzled by so many who have never heard it.)

(6 is also unit c.o.s radio call sign.)

(for us we would ask the Iraqi’s if they had Victor Delta on their 6...they never got it but we thought it was funny:
Victor Delta on your 6=crotch.)

(12 was your head, 6 was the lower part of the body, 3 and 9 were your arms.)

[blunthead]

HALO (ˈhā-(ˌ)lō) noun, an acronym for High Altitude Low Opening, that describes a method of delivering personnel, equipment, and supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion.

Herc (herk) noun, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a military transport aircraft.

carabiner (ˌker-ə-ˈbē-nər, ˌka-rə-) noun, an oblong metal ring with one spring-hinged side that is used especially in mountain climbing as a connector and to hold a freely running rope.

Better to drop in by parachute... Says the man who HALO jumps out the back of a Herc. No way. Ropes, belt, carabiners. Chalk bag and a good pair of climbing shoes. It would be awesome.

[blunthead]

ruched (ˈrüsh-d) noun, pleated, or gathered into pleated, fluted, or gathered, strips of fabric used for trimming.

Sun and the foghorn were tangling again, and she opened her eyes to see the white ceiling, the red comforter ruched around her, orange pillows heaped by her knees, the bed warm and piled with everything except her man.