Good Morning
Yesterday was a wonderful sunny warm day and I am hoping that today will be similar. Blue skies and some wafty clouds are always a good sign and as long as the rain stays away I am happy. Since no longer having a car it certainly makes travelling more on the dry side. I do not get so wet, but my scooter does.
Yesterday I was off into town, but more for the ride than to actually buy anything, As usual I entered through the back door taking the circular road around the town. It is where we have our parks and various green parts. Here I was scootering past the old fortifications which have now been transformed to something green with grass and trees.
Travelling further I pass the museum garden with its various water features. Actually just a couple of fountains in an oblong pond, but good enough to sit and relax in the surrounding benches.
Eventually I get to the outskirts of town with its old houses, all under monument protection. It's good to see how their appearance is maintained with renovation.
And now I reach the side street leading to the main two stores. One is on the left and the other where you can see the crane at the bottom of the street. The hotel that was next to the other store is being renovated and turned into an apartment block. The hotel was there for many years, part of the tourist scenery, but the owner retired and had no-one interested to carry on. Another part of a disappearing fixture.
I decided to pay a visit to the store on the left. I do not often go there, but was interested to have a look at what they had to offer. I noticed that their veg was looking very fresh and good, and that they also have a butchers department where I can buy my meat over the counter. I decided to go there more often. It is also a little more modern than the other store and the infrastructure is larger with more natural light. Generally they are larger and have more choice. My time is my own, and it is sometimes positive to change your routine.
I was really only planning on a quick visit, but got distracted with wandering around the store and generally enjoying the weather and atmosphere of the town. There were more people on the streets as you can see when I was approaching the cathedral. I generally take the road through tow on my home journey. The sun really makes a difference.
I eventually reached my village, which is next to the town. This is the estate where I live as I am entering it. You can see the garage entrance at the end of the street on the left side. My apartment is also on the left side so out of the picture.
I had now had my breakfast, done a little computer work, and it is now time to go. Today I will be shopping in the store locally, so not such a long journey. I have really had difficulty in knowing what to cook for the week-end meals. Some items I already have in the deep freezer, so I am half way there.
I now leave you and hope that you will have a good day, no stress or unexpected problems, but there is always something that turns up unexpectedly.
pictures
He is back at work at outdoor sporting venues. He came across this fine crop of fungus on a Scottish golf course
We had another generally fine day today, although it inconsiderately started to rain just at the right time to spoil the chances of morning coffee in the garden with Margaret. It was quite breezy too so I was happy to have my coffee indoors even when the rain stopped.
I looked at the birds. They were frequently coming and going at the feeder.
And sometimes going and coming.
Goldfinches showed that siskins aren't the only ones who can start a fight to the disgust of a greenfinch...
.and another greenfinch vented its frustration at this continual bad behaviour.
then took a walk round the garden to check how the garden flowers were doing.
Pretty well on the whole. And there were butterflies too.
Having done that, I went for a short three bridges walk before lunch.
These are the three bridges which I crossed today.
Autumn is definitely getting into its stride, and although we don't have the vivid reds of New England, we are starting to get some really lovely mellow tints such as these along the Lodge Walks...
and others across the Castleholm.
I passed the Lodge and took the low road towards the pheasant hatchery...
..where I exchanged a nod and a wink with a bullock
I liked the picture made by this tree as I turned to walk along the top of the hatchery...
admiring the trees....
After a last look across the field...
.I put my camera away as I found that I had already taken over 100 pictures.
Only to take it out a few minutes later when I passed a fine clump of fungus which I have added to one I saw earlier in the walk,
This time I really did put my camera away (almost).
I crossed the Duchess Bridge and got home in time to make some lentil and chicken soup for lunch.
The afternoon was spent driving to Dumfries where Mrs Tootlepedal had a hospital appointment. One of the benefits of driving an electric became evident when we were able to find a empty parking space reserved for electric vehicles in an otherwise packed car park at the hospital. An added bonus was that we could plug the car in and get some free electricity while we were waiting for the time for the appointment to arrive.
The drive home was very restful, and we arrived back in time for me to have a quick look round the garden and add a fine red poppy to some weigela flowers which I had photographed after my walk in the morning to make a final flower panel for the day.
All the remained was to eat the meal and sample some of the new cheese. This was no hardship.
The flying bird of the day is a goldfinch.
good morning
Looks good, but who knows, altough for a change no rain for today according to the weather prophets. A good cloudy sky with plenty of blue in between. Yesteday was a bad day for going places, but i really had to get to the store in town. It was not so bad, but no point in wating for the rain to stop, although in between in did make a pause. I arrived a bit wet, but not too bad. It was on and off all afternoon-
This one was also still hanging around this morning, shining quite brightly. I think he had an arrangement to catch some light from the sun before it decided to travel to the other side of the world.
I did manage a couple of photos yesterday in town, mainly of people walking around with their umbrellas. It was really an ideal day for Noah to build his ark.
The side streets were empty the rain reflecting on the cobble stones. Lights on everywhere and this was mid afternoon. I was glad to arrive home, although that was a good journey as it had stopped raining in the meanwhile.
I then had to deal with a chore that had cropped up. The neon light in our parking space in the garage had been giving up the ghost for some time, so I had to call the building administration to get it fixed, as that is a space belonging to everyone and it is their job. What an exciting life I lead.
I am not sure what today will bring. I might hop off into town this afternoon, altough no great tasks to deal with. It is a rain free day it seems, so I will make the most of it. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
I ordered myself a food cutter yesterday. My old one was integrated in a machine I once had, but that went kaput a few years ago and now I really miss it. It will be handy for chopping my herbs in the garden, and also milling almonds for in a cake recipe. The cut almonds you buy are milled with the skins on which are not as good as when they are peeled. I can now mill my own skinless almonds. It will be useful for many jobs in the kitchen. I should have organised a new one some time ago. I ordered it about 4.00 am in the morning in a sleepless few minutes whilst still hugging the bed on my iPad. Amazing what modern day life has for opportunities.
And now to get down to some serious work like organising my home. I cannot sit on the computer all day.
And look who turned up a few minutes ago. He came to pick up the breakfast snacks that I usually have ready. He has to work for them. I toss them outside and then the search begins, but he or she finds them all. I must really ask the lady the cat owns if he or she has a name.
Have a good one everyone, whether still hugging the bed or awake and ready to go. It seems that Mr.Trump now has discovered a miracle cure for his Covid, being one of the few that can try this new medicine and is feeling fine, ready to become the chief again and sitting in his oval office munching hamburgers. If only we all were so brave as he is (am being sarcastic of course).
See you around
Deep Roots
They lived under ground. They had been for as long as anyone could remember, for as long as their legends and myths could tell. Outside the moon was shining, creating beautiful silhouettes of the tree tops towards the night sky.
They were waiting. Waiting for the sign.
-The roots will some day speak, the Elder said, as he had done so many full moons. -That's the day we will move out into the open.
-How do you know? a little child asked, looking at him with big, curious eyes.
-It's the prophecy, my child. The prophecy says that one night, at full moon, the roots will speak. Then we will **know** it's time to move on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostradamus#Scholarly_rebuttal
They waited for a long time, until the moon **went down** and the sun was lighting up the sky in the horizon. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/12/before-fake-news-came-false-prophecy/511700/
The roots hadn't spoken tonight either.
**Galleries** https://fictionspawn.com/galleries/
Doudna and Charpentier win Chemistry Nobel for CRISPR-Cas9 method of gene editing
This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry was long anticipated, for the **CRISPR/Cas9 system of gene editing** was a tremendous accomplishment in biology and chemistry. It promises a lot, including curing human genetic disease (see the first five posts **here**). Remember, Nobel Prizes in science are designed to reward those who made discoveries potentially helping humanity, not those who just made general scientific advances. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR https://whyevolutionistrue.com/?s=CRISPR&searchsubmit=Find+%C2%BB
A prize for developing the editing system was, then, almost inevitable. The only question was "who would get it?", since several people contributed to the work that led to CRISPR/Cas9. It turns out that the Prize—in Chemistry—**went to the two frontrunner**s, **Jennifer Doudna** of UC Berekeley and **Emmanuelle Charpentier** at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. Other serious contenders were George Church of Harvard, Francisco Mojica of the University of Alicante, and Feng Zhang of the Broad Institute (the dispute was largely over whether those who developed ways to use the method in *human* cells also deserved the Prize). There will be a lot of kvetching today, but if I had had to pick two to get the prize, given that only three can get it *au maximum*, it would be Doudna and Charpentier. (They could have awarded up to six prizes if they'd split the CRISPR award between Physiology or Medicine and Chemistry.) https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2020/press-release/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Doudna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuelle_Charpentier
The press release from the Nobel Foundation says this:
**Genetic scissors: a tool for rewriting the code of life**
Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna have discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. This technology has had a revolutionary impact on the life sciences, is contributing to new cancer therapies and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true.
Researchers need to modify genes in cells if they are to find out about life’s inner workings. This used to be time-consuming, difficult and sometimes impossible work. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors, it is now possible to change the code of life over the course of a few weeks.
“There is enormous power in this genetic tool, which affects us all. It has not only revolutionised basic science, but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to ground-breaking new medical treatments,” says Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
As so often in science, the discovery of these genetic scissors was unexpected. During Emmanuelle Charpentier’s studies of *Streptococcus pyogenes*, one of the bacteria that cause the most harm to humanity, she discovered a previously unknown molecule, *tracrRNA*. Her work showed that tracrRNA is part of bacteria’s ancient immune system, *CRISPR/Cas*, that disarms viruses by cleaving their DNA.
Charpentier published her discovery in 2011. The same year, she initiated a collaboration with Jennifer Doudna, an experienced biochemist with vast knowledge of RNA. Together, they succeeded in recreating the bacteria’s genetic scissors in a test tube and simplifying the scissors’ molecular components so they were easier to use.
In an epoch-making experiment, they then reprogrammed the genetic scissors. In their natural form, the scissors recognise DNA from viruses, but Charpentier and Doudna proved that they could be controlled so that they can cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined site. Where the DNA is cut it is then easy to rewrite the code of life.
Since Charpentier and Doudna discovered the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors in 2012 their use has exploded. This tool has contributed to many important discoveries in basic research, and plant researchers have been able to develop crops that withstand mould, pests and drought. In medicine, clinical trials of new cancer therapies are underway, and the dream of being able to cure inherited diseases is about to come true. These genetic scissors have taken the life sciences into a new epoch and, in many ways, are bringing the greatest benefit to humankind.
I haven't looked it up, but I think this is the first time that two women have been the sole recipients of *any* Nobel prize.
Here are Doudna and Charpentier from **the Washington Post** (the paper's caption): https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/07/health/nobel-prize-2020-winner-chemistry-scn-intl/index.html
FILED - 14 March 2016, Hessen, Frankfurt/Main: The American biochemist Jennifer A. Doudna (l) and the French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, then winners of the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2016, are together in the casino of Goethe University. The two scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2020. Photo: picture alliance / dpa (Photo by Alexander Heinl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Here's the live stream of the announcement from Stockholm. The action begins at 11:45 with the announcement in English and Swedish, and the scientific explanation starts at 19:10.
Once again, although seven people, **including Matthew**, guessed the winners in our Nobel Prize contest (**here** and **here**), nobody got the Chemistry or Physics prizes. Given your miserable failures, I may have to have contest for the literature prize alone. https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/10/04/guess-the-nobel-prizes-redux/#comment-1879620 https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/10/02/guess-the-nobel-prizes/
Matthew was also prescient in his book, *Life’s Greatest Secret* (2015), which includes this sentence:
“Whatever happens next, I bet that Doudna and Charpentier—and maybe Zhang and Church—will get that phone call from Stockholm.”
In 2017, **I reviewed (favorably) Jennifer Doudna’s new book on CRISPR**, *A Crack in Creation*, for the *Washington Post*. (Samuel Sternberg was the book's co-author). The book is well worth reading, but I did have one beef connected not with the narrative, but with where the dosh goes for this discovery. Here's what I wrote then: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/new-gene-editing-tool-could-cure-disease-or-customize-kids-or-aid-bioterrorism/2017/06/28/fbe33258-463e-11e7-bcde-624ad94170ab_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a99871108ddc
. . . this brings us to an issue conspicuously missing from the book. Much of the research on CRISPR, including Doudna’s and Zhang’s, was funded by the federal government — by American taxpayers. Yet both scientists have started biotechnology companies that have the potential to make them and their universities fabulously wealthy from licensing CRISPR for use in medicine and beyond. So if we value ethics, transparency and the democratization of CRISPR technology, as do Doudna and Sternberg, let us also consider the ethics of scientists enriching themselves on the taxpayer’s dime. The fight over patents and credit impedes the free exchange among scientists that promotes progress, and companies created from taxpayer-funded research make us pay twice to use their products.
. . . . Finally, let us remember that it was not so long ago that university scientists refused to enrich themselves in this way, freely giving discoveries such as X-rays, the polio vaccine and the Internet to the public. The satisfaction of scientific curiosity should be its primary reward.
I'm not sure how the legal battle between the participants (via Harvard and MIT) has shaken out, and can't be arsed to look it up, but surely a reader or two will know
wildlife photos and videos
I can always use more photos, and get nervous when the photo tank is low. If you have some *good* photos of wildlife (including landscapes and "street photography"), please send them my way.
Today's contribution comes from **Robert Lang**, physicist and origami master. I had the pleasure of meeting him at Kent Presents in Connecticut (go **here** to see photos of his conversation with Harold Varmus and some of Robert's great origami). Today he's sent us both photos and videos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Lang https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2018/08/24/kentpresents-report-day-3/
Robert's notes and IDs are indented.
Sending some more pix (and videos) of the local Altadena wildlife. Most of these were shot through my office window, which looks out onto the Angeles National Forest. This is the type of terrain you may have been reading about in California fire news these past few weeks: beyond the mowed-to-the-ground meadow is chaparral, dense brush that is pure tinder. Fortunately, the closest fire to here (the Bobcat Fire) was held off by the incredible efforts of the unified fire command to about 4 miles away and it’s now on its way to full containment.
All of these images are of the **California Mule Deer** (*Odocoileus hemionus californicus*). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_mule_deer
We’ll start with two images from early summer. First, a fawn, still with its spots:
*And then what is likely a yearling male, just starting to show spikes, still in velvet:*
*Two older bucks are still in velvet:*
Although the grasses have been cut down by this time (for fire suppression), the garden still has plenty of big juicy weeds in it, and the locals are only too happy to help with the weeding:
*As the season moves on, the deer get bolder and more inventive in their search for tasty tidbits. This one has learned a new trick to reach tender olive shoots:*
So they are developing new skills, but I’m not going to start worrying until they develop opposable thumbs.
Back to pictures. The most common visitors are young (~4-point) bucks and does, like these:
*But now it’s the fall; the acorns bring multiple visits per day to the trees, and it’s also the time when a young male’s thoughts turn to does in heat. I see a lot of this pose (the does act annoyed and spend a lot of time running away)*
*Eventually, though, the Big Guy shows up to make clear who’s the Boss of the Meadow:*
enjoy
Going to churches
..and the little red poppies and the orange hawkweed continue to delight.
More colour was supplied by elderly hostas and Icelandic poppies. It speaks for itself.
I made a honey sandwich and then started my ride by visiting the shop to get two bananas and a KitKat biscuit bar. Armed with these and a few dates, I took the Solwaybank road to get me going, a wise choice when it looks like this...
..and this..
..and this...
..and there was a peacock butterfly waiting to be photographed by the side of the road as a bonus.
After such a good start, the ride could only go downhill. I was very grateful for this as the Solwaybank road is quite undulating. The local lady who told me that they were only going to build nine turbines at the new windfarm seems to have got her information wrong as I counted ten as I went past with at least one more tower to complete. I have spared the patient reader yet another turbine picture as it has to be admitted that one turbine looks very like another.
Once I had gone downhill as far as Gretna, I crossed into England and took the road to Rockcliffe. Once again, this proved to be a good choice because at the corner near Rockliffe Cross there was a fine display of autumn colour.
Another elderly cyclist had stopped and was snapping away with his phone camera but we managed to keep out of each other's shots.
There were many possible shots to choose from.
It was hard to tear myself away. Indeed I met the other cyclist, who had left before me, coming back to take a few more shots.
I had a last look round, including a very fine yellow wild flower in the verge...
and rather reluctantly pedalled onward. As the sun was behind clouds while I was there, I was tempted to wait until the sun came out, but I had miles to cover and other things to see.
I had thought of going down to the seaside on the English shore of the Solway but a look round at Gretna had showed that once again the tide was so far out that i could probably have walked to Ireland. Instead, I made a circle round inland and followed a route that took me past three English churches.
I stopped for a snack at Blackford Church (built in 1870) as it has a handy wall, just right for leaning on, paused for a glance at Scaleby Church (possibly 13th century, major restoration in 1861) and got off my bike for a look around at Kirkandrews-on-Esk (built in 1776).
They appear in reverse order in the panel below.
Kirkandrews is one of my favourite churches, sitting in a park beside the river and overlooked by a old peel tower.
met a lady who was painting the gate to the churchyard and she told me the she and her brother used to cycle to the church from Gretna in the 1950s, crossing the suspension bridge over the river on their way there.
The church is very plain and rectangular but attractive all the same.
The first thing that caught my eye was a red admiral butterfly on the sedum outside the back door.
And when I looked around some more, I discovered two more on the new tall Michaelmas daisy which was very satisfactory.
There was time to watch the birds for a while.
It was a peaceful scene at the feeder, with goldfinch, greenfinch and sparrow nibbling in harmony...
.until the siskins arrived and the shouting started.
It was a day when the action was often going on behind the feeder just to annoy the photographer.
The flying, or rather diving bird of the day is a siskin which got such a shock that it dropped its supper.
enjoy your day
Good Morning
Let us see what I have here to show today - not very much and yesterday I spent the day in isolation, going nowhere in particular and thus not seeing very much. Of course I managed to snap the sky this morning, but the sun has not yet arrived and is still hiding somewhere behind the clouds. We have enough clouds but at least they have contours in between, so it is not the dull heavy weight over our heads.
One of my first actions this morning was to go down to the communal garage as I hung my scooter battery on the electricity yesterday evening to charge up and I had to detach it as it is now fully charged. It is amazing the action in the garage so early in the morning. I thought I would be alone, but the work brigade were already beginning to give the first power to their cars, leaving the garage and going to their various work places. My neighbour gave me a cheery good morning greeting and he was gone. My work was also completed so I returned to the apartment to get some breakfast and generally start the day normally.
I was not just sitting around yesterday, or even reading a book. I baked my first Swiss apple tart of the Autumn and here it is fresh out of the oven still enshrouded in its paper in the baking tin. It was well accepted by Mr. Swiss and No. 1 son. I quite enjoyed making it as I am in a baking phase at the moment. I am now planning on the next cake for the week-end. I think it will be something with pineapple.
Actually I have been busy lately re-organising my kitchen. The local store chain had a special offer of airtight boxes in various sizes for storing food and they are ideal. I now have all food items packed in these boxes and I am am quite pleased with the result. I now have more room in my cupboards and find everything quicker. Mr. Swiss is not so happy about opening a box if he wants something to munch in between, he is a man, and they like everything to be ready and in a box - no comment. Whilst I should have been sleeping early this morning I was planning a few other cupboards in the kitchen. I realised I have so much wasted space and with a little logistic organisation, everything would be an improvement. I now have to see if I can fit my two toasters together in a cupboard. Now I am in action, but it will have to wait. I have a little organising to do in the apartment first of all.
The new cat in town (actually not so new, about a year) now realises that there is something to be had at my place. He is the first visitor in the morning and waits patiently outside for his first tit bits of the day. Yesterday he returned in the evening and Mr. Swiss decided he also wanted to give him some feline delights. This was wrong as when Mr. Swiss left him he still wanted more and I had a meowing cat outside. He even jumped up to try and reach the window grip. I stayed hard and eventually he gave up.
And now to move on. Although rain showers were still prophesied for today, I think it may stay under control meaning I might be able to get into town this afternoon. I was going locally, but there is a little more action in town.
Have a good day, make the most of it, and keep your mask on where necessary. Not everyone lives in a presidential palace and can allow themselves to throw caution to the wind.
**#good-morning** http://angloswiss-chronicles.com/tag/good-morning/
Wild life photos
We had a great surprise in one of our planter beds recently, and I thought you might find it interesting.
About 10 years ago while out shopping with the kids—they were about 5 years old—we came across a display of those little colorful grafted ornamental cactus plants. The kids had to have one, so we let them each pick one. Each of these was a small cactus "trunk" with a brightly colored round cactus grafted on top. Within a few weeks the colorful balls fell off. Instead of just throwing what was left away, (the trunk part) we just set them in the back of one of our planter beds in the front yard under a robellini palm (*Phoenix roebelenii*). They were no more than about 3" or 4" tall (7.6 cm to 10.1 cm).
*Fast forward 10 years and one of these cactus remnants has grown up one of the trunks of the palm tree with parts hanging nearly all the way back down to the ground. In all that time it was a plain, simple cactus. Then one morning I walked out the front door on my way to work and was stopped in my tracks by a large white bloom. I had never noticed the bulb forming and this was a complete surprise. I took pictures but unfortunately the bloom was already deteriorating and mostly closed. Within a couple of days it fell off.*
I then started to check the cactus regularly for any signs of another bud, and a couple weeks later I found another starting to grow. I watched it daily waiting for it to bloom so I could get some good pictures. One morning it had bloomed! Unfortunately, like the first one it was already pretty sad looking and closed up.
*A couple of weeks later there was another bud forming. Again, I was determined to get some good pics as soon as it bloomed. Now, I know that you have probably already twigged to the obvious, and I should have as well, but for some reason the obvious answer never occurred to me. Until just the other night. That night for some reason, probably because she knew, my daughter went out the front door at about 11 PM to take a look at the flower bud that I was sure would bloom the next day. And then came right back in and ran around trying to find her camera. "The flower bloomed!" Of course. It's a night blooming cactus, as so many cactus are*
busy afternoon
We had what looked as though it was going to be a good day here, but it flattered to deceive and if there was any sunshine around making colours look bright on the other side of the river when I cycled to the shop...
it had given way to rain by the time that I had got my mask on and was ready to make my purchases.
And the pattern of alternating sunshine and frequent rain showers kept me tied to the house for the morning.
I passed the time by watching the birds...
..among which was a redpoll, an infrequent visitor lately....
his poor chaffinch not only had the rain to contend with but the characteristic rudeness of a siskin too.
A couple of starlings dropped in, but after a quick look round...
..they went on their way without eating any of my seeds.
I got two views of a robin at different times during the day...
After watching a goldfinch show off its clinging skills...
.I noticed that it had stopped raining and went out for a wander round the garden in one of the dry spells.
It has warmed up a bit and the flowers are showing their gratitude.
Once again the purple sprouting broccoli was looking good enough to get in with the flowerbed specialists.
.I combined a visit to the High Street on business with a walk to stretch my legs a little.
I passed a lichen rich wall and a fungus encrusted tree stump....
.on my way up Hallpath and on to the track to the Round House.
It was a bit soggy in places after the recent rain but I got a splendid view of Warbla....
..and the sun shone on me as I walked through the woods....
..so I didn't mind a little puddle jumping here and there.
The Round House and its bench tempted me to dally for a while...
.but I didn't trust the weather and I had an appointment to keep, so I pressed on down to the river....
.and noted the advance of autumn there. I crossed the bridge when I came to it..
.and walked home along the Murtholm track..
Good Morning
How misleading can the sky be in the morning. When I stopped hugging the bed and took a look out of the window at 7.40 in the morning light, I saw a wonderful sun rising.
When I had a look at the other side where the Jura mountains are, they were reflecting the sun light in all its burning glory. And now? A good question as this all disappeared half an hour later, and now approaching midday we are left with rain, cold and grey skies, with a good portion of strong winds. Never trust the weather. I should have taken the early morning weather with me.
In the meanwhile action has come into my home in the shape of a cleaning lady busy tending to my shower and bath. The kitchen is already finished. What a wonderful pearl she is. She even climbed the ladder to have a look what I had at the back of one of my kitchen cupboards. It is quite high up and I have not been there and seen it for some time. Certain objects had disappeared. Some I know I have to my daughter in law. I was quite surprised at what she found. A wonderful backing try to fit in my oven with an attachment for measuring the temperature of the meat. Also a super cake baking tin appeared that I do not even remember buying and a few other articles. It pays to have a cleaning lady I must say. I love that lady.
Otherwise I did go into town yesterday on my way to the store. You have to pass through a passage to get into the town. I was actually planning on visiting the nearer store along the road, but although there was rain in the air I decided to chance the journey to the town store by scooter. It was raining on the way, but nothing drastic or life threatening and I arrived in one piece when the rain had paused in the meanwhile. I wanted to buy some fresh meat for today's dinner and I also had to call in at the other store where they sell alcohol amongst other grocery items, as a large bottle of red wine was necessary for cooking purposes. Otherwise I do not drink alcohol, just like to cook with it now and again. I also wanted to call in at the chemist for some medicine for Mr. Swiss. Actually the medicine could have waited until tomorrow, but whilst the weather was co-operating I decided to take the chance whilst it was there. It looks like it will be a rainy week and I can tell you if you are in a scooter you can really get wet it starts to pour.
The restaurants are now emptying in town and there are mainly empty tables and chairs. This colder unfriendly weather is not so encouraging for a drink outside, even if it is a warm one. The steps to the cathedral were not attracting anyone to sit and relax.
I had completed my shopping, and decided it was now time to take the home path. It strikes me how many people do their travels with a bicycle in our area. They are parked everywhere in town, these outside a street café. I have never been able to ride a bike, although often tried. I always had a problem with the balance, my whole life. Perhaps my future with MS was then already decided.
Today I am living in isolation. I am not going anywhere. I have decided to bake one of my famous Swiss apple flans this afternoon. I must do something with the 200 apples I have from my tree.
I definitely will not be occupying any local benches today. Have a good one, keep safe, apart and wear the mask If you are in isolation due to the dreaded do not go for a drive in the car, even if it is a luxury limousine with a chauffeur, you could spread the your germs to others. There are always some idiots that think they are invulnerable.
Beatiful world
After yesterday's gloomy weather, we woke to brilliant sunshine today. For once, I didn't waste a lot of time doing nothing, and was out on the hill before ten o'clock. This is the crack of dawn for me these days.
It was a good day to be out on the hill, whether walking up it....
.or looking at views from the top. I could take the long view...
.or look down a bit.
I took in some details.
And I looked back at the trig point and thought that it might be cloudier in England than it was on the top of Timpen.
It can't be denied that autumn has touched our hills and turned them brown...
.but we have a bit to go yet before winter comes and there are still greens among the brown.
and we paused for a socially distanced chat.
I headed on down the track through the woods..
..and added a picture of ragwort to the scabious that I had seen on my walk up the hill.
I also saw toadstools on the edge of the wood beside the track. They appear in the header picture.
I got home after 3.8 miles of sheer enjoyment. You can pack a lot in to a short walk round Langholm.
There was time for a late cup of coffee and some shopping before I made a lentil and sweet pepper soup, well seasoned with chillis from the greenhouse for lunch.
..and a siskin wasting time shouting when it could have been eating.
I was keen to get out for a short ride on my bike, so I left the siskin to its bad behaviour and set off to go round my 20 miles Solwaybank loop. Sadly the sun had got overtaken by clouds and was only shining were I wasn't. When I was on Callister under a cloud, I could see it shining on the sea past the remains of Chapelcross power station on the shores of the Solway...
.and I really do mean shining on the Solway.
New turbines keep appearing at the Solwaybank Windfarm but I never actually see any action as I cycle past. It was the same today, so I cycled on and only stopped when I spotted a buzzard in a tree. With characteristic disdain, it waited until I had nearly got my camera in focus before it flapped lazily off, circling just above me while I twisted and turned in a vain attempt to get the camera refocussed in time. Uncharacteristically though, it perched on another tree a bit further away and let me take a picture.
I never got any real sunshine on my ride but I didn't get any rain, in spite of some serious looking clouds at times...
.so I wasn't complaining. Once you get to October, any dry and not too windy cycling day is a bonus.
And the sun did shine when I got home and had a walk round the garden.
And there is still quite a lot to see.
The sun was out now and it was a lovely afternoon for a tour. When we got to the windfarm, it was a hive of activity. The first stage of the first tower has been erected..
and we could another section of tower...
Up and down and round and round https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Ftootlepedal.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F10%2F01%2Fup-and-down-and-round-and-round%2F&sr=1&signature=6dab655b172b18791fa00e846538607d&user=68477391&_e=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&_z=z
by **tootlepedal** https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Ftootlepedal.wordpress.com%2Fauthor%2Ftootlepedal%2F&sr=1&signature=a5b475f511345193a44ec756bfeab4ac&user=68477391&_e=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&_z=z
Today's guest picture comes from a walk in Warwickshire which my brother Andrew took last week. I have been trying to work out what is going on at the end of the field but have failed.
After yesterday's gloomy weather, we woke to brilliant sunshine today. For once, I didn't waste a lot of time doing nothing, and was out on the hill before ten o'clock. This is the crack of dawn for me these days.
It was a good day to be out on the hill, whether walking up it....
...or looking at views from the top. I could take the long view...
...or look down a bit.
I took in some details.
And I looked back at the trig point and thought that it might be cloudier in England than it was on the top of Timpen.
It can't be denied that autumn has touched our hills and turned them brown...
...but we have a bit to go yet before winter comes and there are still greens among the browns.
On my way down the hill, I met Nancy and Jenny, two friends and ex colleagues,...
...and we paused for a socially distanced chat.
I headed on down the track through the woods...
...and added a picture of ragwort to the scabious that I had seen on my walk up the hill.
I also saw toadstools on the edge of the wood beside the track. They appear in the header picture.
I got home after 3.8 miles of sheer enjoyment. You can pack a lot in to a short walk round Langholm.
There was time for a late cup of coffee and some shopping before I made a lentil and sweet pepper soup, well seasoned with chillis from the greenhouse for lunch.
There wasn't much time for a look at the birds today and there weren't many birds to see when I did look at them, just a chaffinch on Mrs Tootlepedal's fake tree...
...and a siskin wasting time shouting when it could have been eating.
I was keen to get out for a short ride on my bike, so I left the siskin to its bad behaviour and set off to go round my 20 miles Solwaybank loop. Sadly the sun had got overtaken by clouds and was only shining were I wasn't. When I was on Callister under a cloud, I could see it shining on the sea past the remains of Chapelcross power station on the shores of the Solway...
...and I really do mean shining on the Solway.
New turbines keep appearing at the Solwaybank Windfarm but I never actually see any action as I cycle past. It was the same today, so I cycled on and only stopped when I spotted a buzzard in a tree. With characteristic disdain, it waited until I had nearly got my camera in focus before it flapped lazily off, circling just above me while I twisted and turned in a vain attempt to get the camera refocussed in time. Uncharacteristically though, it perched on another tree a bit further away and let me take a picture.
I never got any real sunshine on my ride but I didn't get any rain, in spite of some serious looking clouds at times...
...so I wasn't complaining. Once you get to October, any dry and not too windy cycling day is a bonus.
And the sun did shine when I got home and had a walk round the garden. Mrs Tootlepedal and I have a different view of the garden at this time of year. She looks around, sighs, and sees all the things that are over or going over, and I look around, smile, and see all the things than I can still photograph.
And there is still quite a lot to see.
The reason for my short cycle ride was that I wanted to take Mrs Tootlepedal out for a drive. She was more than happy to come, and we decided to drive round a scenic route that I had cycled a few days ago and see the new windfarm at Crossdykes on our way.
The sun was out now and it was a lovely afternoon for a tour. When we got to the windfarm, it was a hive of activity. The first stage of the first tower has been erected...
...and we could another section of tower...
and one or possibly more blades waiting to be used.
We dawdled down the Esk valley back to Langholm and got there in nice time to start cooking our tea of salmon with the final courgette fritters of the year.
With a four mile walk, a twenty mile bike ride and a twenty five mile drive, I am pretty confident that I did a day of good weather justice. Oh, and I mowed the middle lawn while the soup was cooking.
The flying bird of the day is just a glimpse of that annoying buzzard when it was flying around me
Good Morning
I have two morning photos. That is nothing really new, there are two sides to my home and I always have a look at both of them. The photo shows the East Side, which is always the side where the sun arrives first. I was a little disappointed to see some dismal still hanging around, although there is a bright glow further towards the East. I did not want this so decided to try and cheer myself up by taking a walk to the other window on the West side where my morning blogging happens. And what did I see.
Yes, signs of blue and now, half an hour later, even the sun has appeared, so what could be better. Come on East side, show yourself from your better angle. It might, most probably, be rain free today and I will be all set for a shopping store journey with my trusty scooter.
I did escape yesterday with my wheelchair as it is easier to manoeuvre on the narrower paths and ventured into the wilds surround our village. The first thing I noticed as I wheeled through the neighbouring path next to my garden, was that there were still a few apples hanging on my tree. These two had intentionally been left hanging as they were no longer so inviting for a bite. However when I got home I picked the remaining apples, together with Mr. Swiss, and we found another 20 apples that had escaped It looks like I will be baking apple pies until when the next spring arrives
I journeyed up to the local farm across the main road to see what the chickens were doing. There were a few hanging around and this one decided to have his portrait done by my camera. The normal average chickens are kept in the own two houses with attached garden in the lower fields, but the special chicks, the so-called silkies with the punk feathers, live in the grounds of the farm house. I always have a wheel around to see what they are doing. There was no rooster around. I think he was having his afternoon rest.
There were also a few ducks. I just love watching animal life at the local farm.
Even the pony was outside having a graze on the grass. What a wonderful world I live in. It did not really rain, although there were a few stray drops in the air.
I notice there are still some WordPress disciples that are still having problems with the new so-called Gutenberg version when writing their blogs. I must admit at first it was a shock to my well organised blogging system change, but I decided to go for it as one day there will no longer be a choice. I just wrote as always and searched for the parts to organise photos. In the meanwhile I have even managed to include videos from YouTube and HTML links without a problem. Like many phases in computer organisation, you just have to get used to it. I did try at the beginning to remain with the old system, but it works less well as time goes by and it seems the old one now does not work at all.
Perhaps the word "block" was wrongly chosen. I am no expert, but I found if your substitute that word for "paragraph" it boils down to the same thing. I just write as usual. My paragraphs are now outlined by a square outline, but that is only superfluous for me. If I need to embellish my post with images or other fancy stuff I just pick them from the block choices. Perhaps it is easier for me as I always tended to rely on HTML to solve any problems, which was the result of once doing a web assistant course, but I am managing OK up to now.
I have discovered that life is full of changes and you just have to adapt. Perhaps I am still influenced by my dear old dad who refused to change his life style to new things. He did not want a microwave, but had to have one when he moved to his sheltered accommodation. I could never persuade him to open a bank account, so he remained with cash drawn from his pension money until the end which was a bit complicated. I am now determined to integrate all new developments in my life, although perhaps one day I will also be pushing a brick wall that may tumble.
And now to move on to my newly developing modern life full of novelties. Unfortunately I still have to apply the iron to my freshly washed bed linen, but no problem. I have a new iron, although that still needs elbow grease to use it.
My advice: none really, every golden oldie has to find their own way to make life easier, but do not be afraid. Your computers and household appliances will not explode just by looking at them and there is always a telephone to request help from somewhere, although I must admit that some of the delivered instructions seem to be translated by persons not so good in the english language.
Stay safe everyone, life is not easy, but we can conquer the problems eventually. Otherwise just hug the bed a little longer, it might help
“Now October has come again”
I've put up the words of **Thomas Wolfe** several times on October 1 (he was born on October 3, 1900, and died of tuberculosis at just 37). **This is a repost** from exactly ten years ago. The prose is gorgeous and evocative, and of course appropriate to the day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Wolfe https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2010/10/26/october/
*********
No writer has better captured the color and *feel* of America better than Thomas Wolfe. From *Of Time and the River:*
*Now October has come again which in our land is different from October in the other lands. The ripe, the golden month has come again, and in Virginia the chinkapins are falling. Frost sharps the middle music of the seasons, and all things living on the earth turn home again. The country is so big that you cannot say that the country has the same October. In Maine, the frost comes sharp and quick as driven nails, just for a week or so the woods, all of the bright and bitter leaves, flare up; the maples turn a blazing bitter red, and other leaves turn yellow like a living light, falling upon you as you walk the woods, falling about you like small pieces of the sun so that you cannot say that sunlight shakes and flutters on the ground, and where the leaves. . .*
*October is the richest of the seasons: the fields are cut, the granaries are full, the bins are loaded to the brim with fatness, and from the cider-press the rich brown oozings of the York Imperials run. The bee bores to the belly of the yellowed grape, the fly gets old and fat and blue, he buzzes loud, crawls slow, creeps heavily to death on sill and ceiling, the sun goes down in blood and pollen across the bronzed and mown fields of old October.*
*The corn is shocked: it sticks out in hard yellow rows upon dried ears, fit now for great red barns in Pennsylvania, and the big stained teeth of crunching horses. The indolent hooves kick swiftly at the boards, the barn is sweet with hay and leather, wood and apples—this, and the clean dry crunching of the teeth is all: the sweat, the labor, and the plow is over. The late pears mellow on a sunny shelf, smoked hams hang to the warped barn rafters; the pantry shelves are loaded with 300 jars of fruit. Meanwhile the leaves are turning, turning up in Maine, the chestnut burrs plop thickly to the earth in gusts of wind, and in Virginia the chinkapins are falling.*
Decidedly damp
Today's guest picture comes from Gunta in Oregon, who kindly responded to a hinted need, and shows that they have some seriously destructive forestry practices there too....but on a bigger scale than ours. The impressive photo was taken by Eric with a drone.
After yesterday's brilliant sunshine, we got wall to wall cloud today, with the morning offering persistent rain. Under the circumstances I took things very gently. Dropscone remarked in our recent phone conversation that he hadn't needed to read my posts during the past six months as they have always been the same; crossword, coffee, visit to the shop, look round the garden, lunch and then some exercise. I fear that he may have truth on his side but this morning was different; crossword, coffee, visit to the shop BUT no look round the garden. How about that for an exciting life!
I did watch the birds though and saw both blue tit and coal tit visiting the feeder several times during the morning.
A sparrow and a green finch took contrasting views of the day.
And a dunnock posed so politely that I took two pictures of it.
It looked up...
.and it looked down.
With great precision, the weather forecast said that it might stop raining at one o'clock and it did stop raining at one o'clock. I wasn't entirely convinced by this, so I put on wellies, overtrousers and my big coat before I went out for a walk.
I tried to inject a little brightness into a dull day by taking a couple of flower pictures before I left...
and then set off to see how far I could walk before it started to rain again.
I went along the track to the bridge across the Becks Burn, passing a selection of cattle on my way
.and checking to see of any of the tubes which were stuck in the ground when the wood beside the burn was felled were being productive. They do work....
but there are quite a few still to show any great growth inside them.
I crossed the burn, looked back down the stream....
.and walked back down to the road, keeping an eye out for small treats in the absence of much in the way of sunlit views.
did take in a familiar view of the Auld Stane Brig, with its backing of trees just hinting at autumnal colours....
.but mostly I kept my eyes down.
It hadn't started to rain by the time that I got to the Wauchope road, so I crossed the Auld Stane Brig and walked up the path on the lower slopes of Warbla where the local population looked at me with suspicion.
It is quite hard work walking up hill with wellies and waterproof trousers on but I made it up to the track and was happy to pause for a moment when I got there to admire a tree on a wall.
where I was glad to have my waterproofs on as I brushed through dripping undergrowth which was encroaching on the path.
There is no shortage of mosses here and they make tiny forests beside the track.
I noticed that I was not the only one clad in rainwear...
but by this time, I had got so warm in mine that I had had to unbutton my jacket to stop cooking myself.
I saw a few wild flowers on my walk...
.and a single really ripe looking sloe which the gin drinker picking sloes last time I passed this way had obviously missed.
The only bit of semi-cheerful colour came at the end of the walk when I passed a rose hip at the Stubholm and some Himalayan balsam beside the park.
Decidedly damp https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Ftootlepedal.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F09%2F30%2Fdecidedly-damp%2F&sr=1&signature=6d6be0d84652b638e8ace93535f835a1&user=68477391&_e=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&_z=z
by **tootlepedal** https://public-api.wordpress.com/bar/?stat=groovemails-events&bin=wpcom_email_click&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Ftootlepedal.wordpress.com%2Fauthor%2Ftootlepedal%2F&sr=1&signature=a5b475f511345193a44ec756bfeab4ac&user=68477391&_e=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&_z=z
Today's guest picture comes from Gunta in Oregon, who kindly responded to a hinted need, and shows that they have some seriously destructive forestry practices there too....but on a bigger scale than ours. The impressive photo was taken by Eric with a drone.
After yesterday's brilliant sunshine, we got wall to wall cloud today, with the morning offering persistent rain. Under the circumstances I took things very gently. Dropscone remarked in our recent phone conversation that he hadn't needed to read my posts during the past six months as they have always been the same; crossword, coffee, visit to the shop, look round the garden, lunch and then some exercise. I fear that he may have truth on his side but this morning was different; crossword, coffee, visit to the shop BUT no look round the garden. How about that for an exciting life!
I did watch the birds though and saw both blue tit and coal tit visiting the feeder several times during the morning.
A sparrow and a green finch took contrasting views of the day.
And a dunnock posed so politely that I took two pictures of it.
It looked up...
...and it looked down.
With great precision, the weather forecast said that it might stop raining at one o'clock and it did stop raining at one o'clock. I wasn't entirely convinced by this, so I put on wellies, overtrousers and my big coat before I went out for a walk.
I tried to inject a little brightness into a dull day by taking a couple of flower pictures before I left...
...and then set off to see how far I could walk before it started to rain again.
I went along the track to the bridge across the Becks Burn, passing a selection of cattle on my way....
...and checking to see of any of the tubes which were stuck in the ground when the wood beside the burn was felled were being productive. They do work....
...but there are quite a few still to show any great growth inside them.
I crossed the burn, looked back down the stream.....
...and walked back down to the road, keeping an eye out for small treats in the absence of much in the way of sunlit views.
I did take in a familiar view of the Auld Stane Brig, with its backing of trees just hinting at autumnal colours....
...but mostly I kept my eyes down.
It hadn't started to rain by the time that I got to the Wauchope road, so I crossed the Auld Stane Brig and walked up the path on the lower slopes of Warbla where the local population looked at me with suspicion.
It is quite hard work walking up hill with wellies and waterproof trousers on but I made it up to the track and was happy to pause for a moment when I got there to admire a tree on a wall.
It still hadn't started to rain, so I took a diversion through the Kernigal wood on my way home...
...where I was glad to have my waterproofs on as I brushed through dripping undergrowth which was encroaching on the path.
There is no shortage of mosses here and they make tiny forests beside the track....
I noticed that I was not the only one clad in rainwear...
...but by this time, I had got so warm in mine that I had had to unbutton my jacket to stop cooking myself.
I saw a few wild flowers on my walk...
...and a single really ripe looking sloe which the gin drinker picking sloes last time I passed this way had obviously missed.
The only bit of semi-cheerful colour came at the end of the walk when I passed a rose hip at the Stubholm and some Himalayan balsam beside the park.
My walk had only been three miles but in my heavy clothing it had felt longer and I was happy to flop down on the sofa and join Mrs Tootlepedal in watching an interesting programme on some Holbein drawings of women when I got in.
I was pleased to have got in without being rained on and even more pleased when it started raining soon afterwards.
After a reviving cup of tea, I went on to the computer and put most of a week of the newspaper index into the Langholm Archive Group's database.
I couldn't quite get the whole week in because the time came round for the regular sibling Zoom meeting before I was finished. The highlight of the meeting was a lovely selection of shots of St Paul's cathedral, inside and out, and parts of the almost deserted City of London nearby which had been taken by my sister Mary.
I made a mushroom, sweet pepper and tomato risotto for our evening meal and ended the day, as I always do, by writing a post.
No flying bird today as the light was too poor to tempt me to waste a lot of time waiting for one to hover for long enough to make a decent shot. I have put in a shouting siskin at an innocent chaffinch instead. Why it was shouting is a mystery. There was no competition for a perch on the feeder, but siskins seem to like a shout.
Throwing the bum out
have a look to what is to come in America
Good Morning
I know, the same old grey sky and nothing new, but that is all I am getting at the moment. At least it is not raining. Yeterday my online weather told me a sunny afternoon, but online weather afternoon time is from 4.00 p.m. it seems and then I was already back at home after my visit to the store when the sun appeared. I now have a slight change to my routine. I usually hugged the bed after lunch, buy my collectors organisation are having problems with delivering my shopping from the store so late in the afternoon as they are slightly understaffed at the moment, so they kindly asked me if I could organise my shopping to be picked up an hour earlier, meaning no early afternoon sleep. It means for me only three times a week, so I tried it and it does work. I catch up on the missing sleep when I get home from the store. I just have to have a rest during the day.
I still managed to have a look around in town if there is anything interesting happening when I visit the store. This time I saw two guys in front of our cathederal looking up with a remote in their hands. It was then I saw that they were guiding a so-called drone. I do not think it was a drone you could use, perhaps it had a hidden camera somewhere, but it was my first live drone so of course I took a photo. It resembled some sort of flying spider hovering next to the pillars of the cathedral, but most interesting.
I saw a live drone as I was touring around sitting on the roof of one of the town buildings. Now the time is approaching when our roofs will be crowded with pigeons and gulls during Winter.
Yesterday afternoon I was quite busy. I decided to prepare Sunday dinner in advance to save time and work which is now nicely frozen. Afterwards I made a celery salad. I found a recipe (online of course in my cooking ap). I even had a cutter on my cooking apparatus to shred it. Of course when I say celery I mean celariac and not the silly stalks which are absolutely not designed for a salad. Some people cook the stalks, but I prefer celeriac. I must say it turned out very well with some added apple and pineapple and I will probably do it again. For some time now I have been making efforts to spruce up the evening cold cuts by adding some sort of salad, although now the time is coming for an evening soup now and again. I usually make the soup from a packet, but I am also thinking about cooking my own from time to time. I do try to avoid ready made foods from packets where I can. I like to know what I am eating.
Wild life
***Stick Mantis*** *(Archimantis latistyla). This is kind of a cheat since mantises have what is known as a pseudo-pupil that, like the Mona Lisa, makes the eyes seem to follow you around the room. It’s actually an illusion made by the way light refracts in the compound eyes.* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimantis_latistyla
*A small unknown fly. I was lying in the leaf litter looking for small spiders when this little fly landed and stared straight at me; and I decided to take the shot.*
*More illusionary eyes. These are eye spots on the wings of the* ***large-eyed box owlet moth*** *(Grammodes ocellata), presumably to deter predators.* https://www.ellura.info/Insect/Moth/DSC07253E-Large-eyed-Box-owlet-Grammodes-ocellata.html
*The* ***Grey Huntsman*** *(Isopeda vasta) is a very large spider that one often finds peeling away eucalyptus bark. They are very sedate (until they aren’t) making close up portraits very easy as long as you hold the piece of bark steady and are willing to risk one suddenly running up your sleeve.* https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders/Modern+Spiders+Infraorder+Araneomorphae/Huntsman+Spiders/Grey+Huntsman
One of my favourite animals of all are ant-mimicking spiders and some of the best are jumping spiders. This is one of the common ones, a polyrhachis ant mimic (***Myrmarachne luctuosa***). This one is a large gravid female I found while looking for peacock spiders. I could fill this whole post with jumping spiders; they are very aware of their surroundings and find camera lenses extremely intriguing, possibly seeing their reflection in the glass. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmarachne_luctuosa
*Another animal that is always very aware of you are bull ants, which will watch you closely. This one is known as a* ***jumping jack*** *(Myrmecia nigrocincta) but they display this terrifying behaviour only if you disturb the nest. Otherwise they just watch you warily.* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_jumper_ant
Another common species is the small **variable lynx spider** (*Oxyopes variabilis*). These too can jump wildly to get away from you, but if you're careful you can catch their typical ambush pose, seen here. http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2552
*A very handsome* ***lion*** *(Panthera leo) at Melbourne Zoo. I love the calm disdainful look on its face.* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion
***Little red flying-foxes*** *(Pteropus scapulatus). I just love that these animals are happy to live in cities and we get to see and hear these amazing beasts nightly.* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_red_flying_fox
*A beautiful* ***Spectacular Crab Spider*** *(Thomisus spectabilis). These are large for a crab spider, usually hiding flowers waiting for visiting insects, I’ve seen them take prey many times their size, including praying mantis and butterflies.* http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1031
beautiful world
In a break with tradition, I looked out of my upstairs window at the birds at breakfast time.
The birds were up early too....
It was a misty morning and as I walked across the town, the church looked almost monochrome.
I passed a dipper and a selection of bejewelled webs on my way across the river and back.
…and by the time that I came back across the suspension bridge eight minutes later, there was a definite hint of colour about.
Looking straight up into the sky, I could see blue so when I got home, I jumped into the Zoe and drove up the hill in the hope that I could get above the mist and into the sunshine.
By the time that I was half way up the hill, I could look back down on the mist over the town in one direction and see it drifting up the Ewes valley in the other.
The mist lying in the Esk and Wauchope valleys..
.was flowing over the town on two levels....
It was one of the days when it was just a wonderful privilege to be alive and after a rather miserable night's sleep, I was completely cured of grumpiness as I walked back down to the car, looking back at the monument as I went.
he mist was retreating as I drove down the hill...
After an early lunch, I got my bicycle out and went for a targeted ride. My targets were to do enough miles to complete 600km and/or 400 miles for the month. As I was only 4km short of the 600km target before I set out, this was an easy target. I needed 30 miles to get to the 400 miles though so I chose a varied route that took in the new windfarm, Gretna Green (with people getting married), a railway bridge with a passing train, and some gentle flat roads with a helpful wind to get me home.
Since I had already taken over eighty pictures in the morning, I was sparing with the camera as I went round.
I saw a red admiral butterfly on the well established Michaelmas daisies but the new tall variety doesn't seem to have the same appeal and I haven't seen an insect on it yet.
The evening was brightened by a telephone call from Dropscone who was doing his lockdown bit by contacting elderly people who might otherwise be bored.
The flying bird of the day did not match up in satisfaction to the rest of the day but it was the best that I could do as I didn't have a lot of time to look at the birds today.
Footnote: I almost got a flying robin late in the day but not quite.
Good morning
And now I am here, after a busy morning. The cleaning lady is here and so my routine is a little different. While she is busy putting things in order in my shower and bathroom, I am usually busy polishing up my windows. As I do one set once a week they never give a lot to do. This week the living room and kitchen had their turn with window cleaning. It's raining again, although yesterday the weather behaved.
I made the most of the weather and scootered off into town after lunch. There were a few heavy clouds hanging around, but nothing drastic and above all it was dry. I approached the store via our main square just outside of the town walls.
The usual musician was somewhere in town. Yesterday it was a harpist and I must say he played quite well. Makes a change with some soft gentle music. It seems that everyone that has a music instrument plays it on the street in town, but they have to get police permission
just had to take a photo of this wonderful majestic dog. Am not quite sure what it is, could be a huskie perhaps. Some dogs leave a lasting impression when you see them.
Today I received a parcel from the post, and he did not even bother to ring. Actually since covid we have parcels every day in the entrance to our block. Everyone buys online. I now have a new water heater. I think the other one was no longer doing the job it should. It was heating the water with no problem, but the indicator for the water filter was no longer working and it was an older model. The new one now works perfectly. Since my new life of semi isolation I have time to do things I have meaning to do for some time. I also got myself a new iron, which is one of the reasons I wanted a new water heater to keep the calcium out of the iron.
It is raining again, a constant drizzle: nothing too bad but not so encouraging to go places and see things. I have decided to have a relaxing day today and make myself comfortable with a book, although probably I will find something to get busy with. Tomorrow is predicted to be a sunny day so let us hope.
Enjoy the day everyone or sleep well, whatever is relevant. I have dinner already cooking, so everything under control.
beautiful stuff
the drawing that accompanied John McCormick’s patent application.
John Buchanan McCormick in his workshop.
One of Smokey’s cousins in a neighbor’s yard.
We haven’t seen many dandelions this year due to the drought. Do you see the face? (upper left)
At first, I thought this was a seagull. It’s actually an interestingly arranged pile of litter. I hate litter.
Leaves are starting to turn.
The past few days have been around 80°f (27°c) but with over 90% relative humidity. Yuck.
MiMi is trying to figure out this whole going-for-a-walk thing. Particularly why I needed to wake her if I’m walking Maddie. I like to give her a scritch.
We went for a long walk this day.
“Sunset is coming earlier these days,”
The bunny is our earlier. I love how the setting sun is lighting up his ear
One of the smaller Rose of Sharon blossoms growing through the fence between our back and front yard.
Good Morning
At least it did not rain yesterday, but it was an unfriendly day so I decided to stay at home. Accoding to my online weather forecast today will be a sunny day with no rain which I do not mind, as today is a trip to town and a visit to the store in my plans.
And yesterday was a day for collecting the apples from my tree. Some had already fallen off the tree, but were not so edible, being attacked by various insects and turning brown and soft on the ground, I decided yesterday it was now or never so organised No. 1 son to help me. Mr. Swiss also volunteered but again his work was more of a logistic nature, organising. I must say he did wash a few apples, but so did I and son. Eventiually we were finished and I am sure it was more than 100 apples that we gathered. It looks like we will now have a Winter partially filled with Swiss apple style flans.
The garden is now almost organised. My orchids are now enjoying a warmer life inside and I also cleared away my smaller table where they lived during the Winter. I now just have to wait for a some plants to decide to retire. My gardener's next visit will be in March. I will be clearing the remains of the hostas when they begin to shrivel and cut down a few plants that are no longer producing anything worthwhile.
also decided to bake a fruit cake. I think the last fruit cake I baked was at least ten years ago, but life changes and so do moods. At the moment I am having fun discovering my cooking again. Life is not only blogging and computers.
My complete attitude towards food and its organisation has changed. I am really no longer as mobile as I was and although I still do my own shopping, I now buy for the future that I will not be so isolated and stand before empty cupboards or fridge. If there is a special offer on meat, I like to buy some and freeze it for a later date. I am a member of my supermarket online shop and their new scheme no longer delivers from a central place, but from one of the larger supermarkets in my area which functions quite well. I have no delivery charges to settle, which is also quite good. The only thing I do not buy so much online is fresh veg and meat, but I do that when I am in town. The quality is quite good and they have a butchers department where I can pick and choose the meat I want and even have it sealed for freezing, although I have my own sealing machine at home when necessary if I do happen to buy prepacked.
Life changes constantly and you have to adapt to it. Shopping routine from 10 years ago has changed considerably and I notice in towns that it is only the large stores that now survive and they also are adapting to modern ways. I realised how thoughtless people can be when covid broke out. There was panic buying for no real reason and various shelves were emptied in the store, although we were assured by our suppliers that there was plenty of food for everyone. Now that symptom has disappeared, but we must learn from our mistakes. I now have a good store of rations in my laundry room which also contains a deep freezing chest and really no need to panic. I am almost ashamed to say I have 60 rolls of toilet paper in reserve - you never know.
Yesterday was a voting week-end yet again in Switzerland. I cast my vote by post, as did Mr. Swiss and No. 1 son. There were a few Swiss based subjects. One was whether we should buy new aircraft for our air force. It was one of the subjects where Mr. Swiss and I had different opinions. Not wanting to go into details but it was accepted by less than 9,000 votes which was very narrow. Afterwards there was an immediate new plan by those that did not want the money to be spent on new aircraft for a new vote. We take our direct democracy seriously.
I am now off to begin the week in my little village in Switzerland. Have a good one, may the rain go away and wrap up warm. The days of t-shirts and sunburn on the skin are over. Get your gloves and woolly has ready, you will soon be needing them.
Biological sex
There's lot of confusion among laypeople, and even among scentists, about what "sex" is, in the sense of "what do we mean by a biological sex?" This goes along with questions like "Is sex binary?", "How many sexes are there?" and so on.
For a scientific but accessible discussion of how biologists construe sex, the article below from *Aeon* (click on screenshot) is quite good.
What do biologists mean by "the sexes" of an animal or plant?
Why do we have sexes in the first place? Why doesn't everything just reproduce asexually by budding or parthenogenesis (production of an offspring from an unfertilized egg)?
Why are there only two sexes in the vast majority of animal species? Why can't there be three or more sexes?
Are hermaphrodites or developmental anomalies members of other sexes?
Why do biologists define the sexes by gamete size rather than by chromosomal constitution or characters like sexual organs?
Why doesn't the existence of individuals with combinations of male and female traits prove that sex is a continuum?
Why we can't necessarily extend biologists' views of sex to questions like "who participates in women's sports?" or "who goes to a women's prison?"
I have a few minor quibbles with the piece, but they're so trivial that they're not worth mentioning. What especially interested me was the evolutionary question. Biologists have long wondered "Why did sexual reproduction evolve in the first place?", and, truth be told, we don't have an answer everyone agrees on. There is more agreement on why there are just two sexes in the vast majority of animals, although some organisms like protists have dozens of "mating types" that might be seen as sexes (Griffiths doesn't).
Have a read of the piece if you want to be informed about biological sex before you wade into the gender wars.
pictures
***Tree Swallow*** *(Tachycineta bicolor):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tree_Swallow/id
***Black-necked Stilt*** *(Himantopus mexicanus):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/
***American White Pelican*** *(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_White_Pelican/
*Dowitcher - I am not sure if these are* ***Short-billed*** *(Limnodromus griseus) or* ***Long-billed*** *(Limnodromus scolopaceus). Maybe some astute reader can enlighten me?* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Short-billed_Dowitcher/ https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Long-billed_Dowitcher/
**Cinnamon Teal** (*Spatula cyanoptera*): https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/cinnamon_teal
***White-faced Ibis*** *(Plegadis chihi):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-faced_Ibis/
A view of the wetlands with the Santa Ana Mountains in the distance.
Good morning
It has only rained once since yesterday late afternoon, trouble being it has not yet stopped. Who knows what the day will hold for us. Will it be a rainy one, or might it just ease up for me to go shopping with my scooter today. Otherwise it will be a local train journey for a few minutes and in the next supermarket store for a few bits and pieces. I am almost covered for the week-end already and tomorrow morning I am getting a delivery from the new local store system with a few large items. Old age really has to be combined with logistics today, but I enjoy it. Keeps the brain active.
Today I have to battle with this monster for a veg to accompany today's lunch. I know it as a butternut squash, but various countries have various names it seems. I will have to peel it first of all, almost needing a sharp razorblade as the outside skin in very tough. the next problem will be cutting it in half, for which I should probably use a chain saw. Eventually I get to the fruity flesh which should be no problem to cut in slices, perhaps with a machete. Yes, it is a tough veg and fights all the way until being cooked. I want to try the slices in my newly acquired air fryer. All beginnings have their problems.
wildlife pictures
***birds***
***American Kestrel*** *(Falco sparverius):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_kestrel
***Swallow-tailed Kite*** *(Elanoides forficatus):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swallow-tailed_Kite/
***White-tailed Kite*** *(Elanus leucurus):* https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/
***Pied Kingfisher*** *(Cercle rudis), South Africa:* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_kingfisher
local gardens
I took a wander round the garden when I had finished, enjoying some colourful corners.
There were asters and astrantia....
...rudbeckia and verbena....
.and sedum and fuchsia....
...and I was surprised to find a small tortoiseshell butterfly on the sedum when I looked more closely.
This is about as late as I usually see these butterflies (though occasionally one does appear in early October in some years). It was the only one in the garden today.
There are still some poppies still doing their best to entertain.
good morning
I was expecting a dull grey sky this morning after the cloudburst I heard during the night where it rained so much I expected to see an old man building an ark in my back garden. However, apart from the grey lid, I noticed a low cloud in front of the local backdrop of mountains. At least something interesting. Actually I do not mind the rain in the night, it is the afternoon rain that bothers me. Yesterday afternoon was perfect, no rain and now and again some sun, although it is now time to wear something a little warmer when cruising around in a scooter.
There was nothing special in town yesterday, and very few people. I sometimes have the feeling we are developing into ghost town. When the sage brush starts blowing through the streets it will be a clear case, although at the moment we only see piles of leaves falling from the trees
Autumn is now upon us and the weather is changing. This restaurant in town had already decorated the window with its pumpkins and autumnal decorations. I even bought a butternut squash in the store yesterday. It is now the season, but I had to search until I found the squash selection. I saw a recipe in Internet for making squash fritters in my new air fryer. The main work is peeling and cutting it into pieces, as those squash can be quite tough to cut. Otherwise just pop it in the fryer, coat it with oil and aome herbs and spices and give it 20 minutes and you have your result. Also advised was some garlic, but that is not problem I put a crushed garlic clove in almost everything. It keeps the vampires away. At least that is the way the internet video showed it, and I am always ready for something new
The town concert hall was looking quite good yesterday as I wheeled past, amongst the surrounding trees.
Yesterday I tried our new online possibility for ordering from the central hub of our local stores. It is a pilot project and I am one of the lucky invited to try it. In the advertising they were saying same day delivery if you order in the morning by 10.00 am.I placed my first order with this system yesterday evening, as it was just a trial for me and had nothing I was waiting for immediately. I got a delivery slot for Saturday morning earliest from 10-11 am. A little disappointing after all their information. I wrote to them this morning (in my best German which they even understood) and got an answer that as it is a pilot project, our Kanton of Solothurn is not yet fully developed. It seems Bern are first of all being preferred, and the other Kantons of Aarau and Solothurn where I am, are still being developed. It is all quite new and October will be better.
I was thinking in the lines of my winter shopping where it would be a great help. Ordering meat to receive it three days later would not be very good However, I wrote to them this morning at 6.00 am, from my iPad in bed and already got an answer at 7.00 am and a personal one: not a preset answer from a machine, so they are doing their best.
Today I do not have to go anywhere or do anything in particular, so I will see how it develops. My wheelchair is fully charged on the battery, and I will be recharging the scooter this evening, although I do not have a lot to shop for tomorrow.
Got an interesting view of clouds over our local town yesterday. And now to leave my computer for a rest until this afternoon. Have a good day everyone, wherever you are, and sleep well if you are in that part of the world that is sleeping
Wildlife
Today pictures
If this really was the last day of summer, the garden still had plenty to show, both in clusters...
and in singles...
.and ever hopeful roses.
...and a welcome sight at any time of the year.
@craigy
