Gardening

Posted on June 20, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Decking, Facebook, Gardening, Green lungs, Lawn, Ox eye daisies, Patio, Unkind words, Wild flowers, WildlifeLeave a comment

I just read a really sad post on Facebook. A woman had friends round in her garden and someone said her garden was ugly. It was full of flower borders and a neatly cut lawn. There were pots on the lawn and it looked like a proper cottage garden with ox eye daisies.

Unbelievable how unkind people can be. I replied to her post:

“Looks amazing, if you have birds and small mammals you are doing the right thing. I’d rather your garden that something covered in decking! Ours is full of trees, squirrels, hedgehogs, the occasional fox. Loads of birds. Don’t let them get to you.”

I thought about it. We need to make more space for wildlife not less. Somehow patios and outdoor rooms have become the norm. How much money is spent on concrete? Lease think about making a small place in your garden for wildlife.

Shocked

Posted on June 20, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged AI, Alterations, Beautified, Blogging, Faceapp, False, Fun, Humour, Immoral?, Translations, Unreal, Untrue2 Comments

The one on the left is me, the one on the right is the FaceApp thing that is doing the rounds. It’s an android Google app and it uses AI to seamlessly alter your photos. I had a look at me if I was male, older, younger, but I didn’t like them. They were interesting but they didn’t feel true. The only one I kept was the picture on the right hand side (feminine), not sure how that makes me feel. I’m a bit more warty and moley than the world thinks I should be? Ultimately we are all wearing a cover if flesh, but it’s what’s in our minds that counts…

What to do on the Solstice

Posted on June 20, 2020June 21, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Congleton, Double sunset, Hill, Leek, Life, Phenomenon, Seeing, Solstice, The cloud, View, What to do?Leave a comment

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I can remember seeing the sun set and then come out again from behind the Cloud hill, near Congleton, Cheshire.

I could not remember where we were but according to ITV.com there is a place to stand to see it….

‘The solar event which happens just once each year will be visible in the Midlands tonight.

The double sunset takes places during the the summer solstice and can be seen from various locations around North Staffordshire.

According to the Oxford Journals the double sunset can be seen from the churchyard of St Edward the Confessor in Leek. The alignment of a local hill means that the Sun is occulted close to sunset around the time of the summer solstice. This phenomenon was described in 1686 by Dr Robert Plot. Calculations show the phenomenon will be visible for another 500 years.

How does it happen?

The apparent double sunset is due to the rotation of the Earth. As the sun sinks behind The Cloud the planet continues to rotate, allowing the sun to become briefly visible again.’

Apologies for the length of the quote, but it explains what I mean clearly.

Please note I’ve now been advised: due to earth movement and buildings it can no longer be seen in St Edwards churchyard but can be viewed from Lowe hill near Leek. My Dad is Doug Pickford who has written books about local legends (info from a friend)

War of the worlds film

Posted on June 19, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Author, Blogging, Fear, Film, H G Wells, Horror, Scary?, Sci fi, tension, Time, Tom cruise, War of the worlds, WordPress2 Comments

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Going from something I love, to something I hate.

I hate this film, starring Tom Cruise. I admit its very good. But it’s so bleak. It’s a horror road movie, everyone running, panicking, and getting killed.

When I first watched it years ago I was mesmerised by the special effects. But now, it’s on during a pandemic, and I can see how people react to a tiny virus. How would they react to something larger and malevolent.

I don’t want to give too many details as people may not have watched it. But I guess I’ve pretty much explained what happens… Guy meets monster, guy runs away from monster, monster finds guy…. Guy escapes….

There was a version on BBC TV a few months ago. It was more directly based on the original book by H. G. Wells. Set in Victorian times, it was still chilling.

So I really want cheerful films, but hubby vetoed me.

My nose….?

Posted on June 18, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Chinese minnows, Fish, Funny, Goldfish, Interesting, Minnows, Misheard, Odd, Pond, RandomLeave a comment

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My hubby just said (I misheard) can you look up my nose. What he actually asked was could I look up minnows.

Why? He bought a few for the pond and he wanted to know how big they get as they are only about two centimeters.

It’s amazing what you can find on line. I looked u Chinese minnows. They can grow to four centimeters long. They are bread to have some bright colours and they live on insect larvae and fish food for ponds. As we have midge or gnat larvae growing in the pond I hope they will be happy. They are living with a few goldfish and some ramshorns snails. They seem happy.

Sisters photo of poppies.

Posted on June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Blue poppy, Garden, Gardening, Himalayan poppy, Mecanopsis, Photo, Plants, Sky blues2 Comments

I saw these today on my sisters timeline. FB_IMG_1592521493915

I love Himilayan poppies. I’ve tried to grow them on many occasions. One year I bought a plant and for a glorious few days it flowered, but that was it, it withered and died. Too much water? Too little? Too shady? I should have read the instructions. Mecanopsis. Beautiful.

The delicate blues like washed sky after a rainstorm, edged with the shade as the sky starts to darken at nightfall….

What’s in the bag?

Posted on June 18, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Blogging, Drawing, Ink pen, Plastic bag, Shopping, Sketching, Stoke-on-Trent Urban sketchers, Usk challengeLeave a comment

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Today’s Urban sketchers drawing was to draw what’s in a bag. I have drawn a plastic bag containing different items obscured by the plastic.

Ink pen size 0.5,iI think I possibly should have used a bigger nib? But it did mean I’ve goy some nice fine lines. I think we are about half way through this set of challenges. The are happening three times a week. It’s keeping my mind occupied. I have other things I need to get done that I’m putting off!

Betrothed

Posted on June 17, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Betrothed, Blogging, Challenge, Design, Engaged, How do i do this, Idea, Ideas, WorkLeave a comment

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Well this is interesting, I have got to draw a picture using a few symbols based on my alphabet idea. (I had to choose different symbols to illustrate each letter of the alphabet). The challenge only allows me to use the symbols for three letters. I have to come up with an image based on the word betrothed….

It’s going to be hard to come up with an illustration to represent it.

I also have to draw something to the idea crocodile eggs….. I’m not sure what I will do! Wish me luck!

The owl and the pussycat

Posted on June 16, 2020June 16, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Funny, Humour, Playing, Poem, Poetry, Random, Rhyme, Short poem, Silly poem, Words2 Comments

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The owl and the pussycat went to sea

And found they couldn’t swim

They had to call the coastguard out,

The captains name was Jim.

He told them to get in his boat

It was a pretty sight,

An owl, a cat and one old stoat

With souwester and pipe.

Salmon and garlicky pasta (with or without salmon)

Posted on June 16, 2020June 17, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Colourful, Cooking, Food, Garlicky, Made up, pasta?, Random, Recipe, Salmon, Tasty, Without salmonLeave a comment

not neat, but tasty..

Ingredients,

About a table spoon of cooking oil,

Salmon fillet (or not for vegetarian)

1/2 aubergine, diced into small cubes,

1 courgette / zucchini, grated finely

1 sweet pepper cut into small squares

1/2 a can of chopped tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, crushed,

Spiral pasta, 2 handfulls

Method

Heat the oil in the pan, add the aubergine cubes, add the sweet pepper pieces, brown gently then add the grated courgette. Add the tinned tomatoes, mix and cook for a few minutes. Add the crushed garlic and the salmon on top of the mix, cook for a few minutes then turn the fish over. Lower the heat from medium low to low and gently simmer for about 5 minutes.

In the meantime put two handfuls of pasta (I had multi coloured spiral pasta in) with boiling water and cook on a medium heat till softened.

Drain and then add the pasta to the other pan. Serve the fish on top of the pasta and vegetables.

(I grate the courgette because it cooks quicker and makes the sauce feel thicker). You could add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Blogging