Spiders

What fears have you overcome and how?

When I was little I would jump and scream if I saw a spider. They scuttle, they crawl, they shake their webs to make it hard to see them.

Then I did biology and found out about them. They have little boxing glove shaped things on their front legs called pedipalps, they have eight eyes, they catch and eat flies and other pests. They come in all shapes and sizes, but British ones are relatively safe and garden spiders are quite interesting to look at with patterns on their backs.

It got to a point where my manager, who was arachnophobic, would ask me to catch spiders if they were in her office! I also like snakes after a wildlife talk at school where they bought some in for pupils to see. I was at a festival today and got to hold a snake. Once you get over the initial fears you can do it.

Spiders and snakes are part of nature, kill off insects and spiders die, if spiders are gone birds have less to eat, and what do snakes eat? Birds and small mammals, soon we would be left with nothing. We need to care….

When did life get so complicated?

Just read a fellow bloggers post about the paper trail (or lack of it) to get her vaccum cleaner fixed. It reminded me of recent interactions with the Internet where I have struggled to find out information.

First you have to find the right website, then you have to register, add a password, make sure it’s strong enough, accept cookies…

Then you have to find the right section of the website to fill in. I thought I’d done that, but when I visited the place I was trying to register with they didn’t have my information. Turns out I’d registered to get special offers not service!

Back to the website. I found the right section after ringing the helpline and waiting 40 minutes for an answer. So I had to attach documents. Luckily I have a printer/ scanner. So I created .pdf files.Is everyone following so far?

I sent the documents only to get a message back saying one of them was too old. I found the up to date one (which inconveniently had tea spilt on it) it was still legible.

I had to send it off again, hopefully they have it now.

Then, a friend who has no Internet rang. Could I help? She’d had a letter telling her to go to a council office. But she couldn’t find out where? I checked the Internet and got a phone number, rang it, after twenty minutes I got an answer. Sorry this department doesn’t deal with that… You need another department. (the select number 3 option did not include the right section) She gave me the direct phone number (wow!) but there was only an answer machine so I left a message. THEN I turned the letter over…. The address she needed was on the back…. I could go on, but everyone probably can relate.

Why is this happening? Cost cutting, cheapness and a belief that everyone is computer literate….

Seed card

A nice idea. A piece of thick paper with wild flower seeds pressed into it. My friend ladybird Su had a workshop stall today at Etruria festival today. I used a black ink stamp of a tree and then I coloured it in with felt pens. The wildflowers will be wending their way by post to my sister. I hope she likes it. The card and envelope are so small that the stamp is almost too big for it.

Steam punk morris dancer

We went to Etruria canal festival today. It was a brilliant sunny day, huge crowds (that made me anxious) (I still haven’t learnt to feel safe again after the pandemic). But there was lots to see and some incredible exhibits. There were hawks and snakes and a puppet theatre which made huge insect puppets. Lots about climate change and Morris dancers too! The industrial museum was open for free to the public and there was a massive queue for the cafe. B’arts were involved in a lot of the work and Etruria Artists had a stall there using clay to create objects children could take home with them. @ladybirdsu had her little caravan there and was running a little print workshop. You could print on cards that have wild flower seeds pressed into the paper. You literally plant them to grow wild flowers…

Overall it was an enjoyable experience, although I did tear up for a while. Something set me off and I needed a hug. Life can sometimes jump out on you when you’re not looking and hit you between the eyes!

Anyway, the photo is of a lovely steam punk, (I think he’s with the Doomsday Morris who were performing at the festival).

Listening to birdsong

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

He often sits up in the tree

Ot atop a chimney pot

He starts to sing

His voice raised

In skirls and slides

Whistles and trills.

Old blackbirds sing longer

And better, complications

Added each year.

Attracting and announcing

Territory and partnership.

His music gives me joy

Taking the time to listen

Releases peace,

Simple and sweet.

Faces

Experimenting again, Artrage app

Another couple of drawings/experiments, I do love learning and playing with art, but then I want to know how do I optimise my photos on my phone? My old antivirus used to do it, but now I’ve changed phones I can’t seem to work out what to do.

Should I use something in settings, or will there be an optimiser in my gallery. It’s worrying because my media here keeps telling me it’s full. When I upload optimised photos it’s not as bad. And along th e same lines, how do I sync my phone and my PC? It would help sort things out….

Unplugged

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Sometimes I’m on my phone for hours, scrolling, flicking between pages and videos. Watching, absorbing, wasting precious time!

How to stop? I have to think about the time. I look at the clock and if its after 1am I leave the sites I am on, close them. Retreat back into reality.

The trouble is it’s cozy having online friends. People that think the same way, or slightly differently to how I do. Lucky to not have too much animosity. I know when to ignore rude comments, not get drawn in. But the Internet is easy to get embroiled in. You just have to switch off “and go and do something less boring instead” as the phrase went on an old TV show called “Why don’t you?”.