Showing posts with label flower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flower. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Apr 15 2025 - Guessing Your Weight

 

It used to be that when the Carnival/Circus came to town, there would be someone who would call people up and guess their weight.  Then they would stand on the weight scale and he'd usually be right. If he was wrong, they got a prize.  I remember the carnival came to the parking lot/field of  the Fairview Mall in St. Catharines.  And the picture below, from 1939 is on Welland Avenue at George Street - that's near where Brian's office was in downtown St. Catharines. That article says the Pen Centre and Lincoln Mall parking lots were regular locations.  

A novel item in the article was that Mayor Joseph Reid rode the elephants before the 1976 circus.  Got me on that one.  Circuses discontinued  in the 2000s with animal rights concerns. Finally.

So we need one of those Carnie guys now to tell us what Donald Trump really weighs.  There's lots of discussion on it - or rather, his height and weight spark debate. This has been under debate for a long time.   Not just the latest medical results.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in October 2023 had an opinion.  

Asking Schwarzenegger to clarify, Kimmel pressed, “So you think that it’s possible he weighs 215 pounds?”
 

“Yes, as much as it is possible that there is no climate change,” the former bodybuilder quipped. “And as much as it’s possible that we don’t need to reduce pollution.”

“Look, we all know the way he is, and if it makes him feel good to tell everyone he weighs 215, I think everyone laughs about it because he does not look like he weighs 215,” he went on. “He’s a little more like 315.”

He's the only one quoted so far.  No one else seems to want to "weigh in."

Isn't that interesting, given every carnival came with a person who would guess your weight.  There must be lots of experts out there.  Everything is going quiet on the Trumpian front.

The Himalayan Poppy in a watercolour version. 
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Saturday, February 15, 2025

Feb 15 2025 - Sofas So Cute

 

Look at these cute seats/chairs or whatever we'll call them.  Aren't they creative!  These are showing up in the Pinterest feed.  My Pinterest pictures have wreaths, gardens, and water colour prints.  But weird ads show up regularly now.  I call these weird because of the ludicrously low prices.

There are all kinds of pictures like this - a bed that is a grand piano with the keyboard at the foot of the bed.  A bed shaped with lotus petals, a bed shaped like a violin, even a pizza bed.  

Alvanila - the site where  sofa seats like this are for sale says it is a grocery site.  And then the prices - they missing at least one zero, and possibly two zeros at the end?  Could these turn out to beminiature seats for a doll's house?

There are more and more of these selling sites appearing in Pinterest  The one that got my attention previously was women's clothing with a pretty Chinese flower print.  It got my attention sufficiently that I have painted some Chinese branch watercolours.  

You can find the sofa/seat images on stock photo websites and they have the heading royalty-free AI generated. How interesting things have turned out:  It used to be that I would look at gorgeous pictures of sofas and chairs in British House and Gardens or Architectural Digest, knowing they were priced far beyond my means.  Now I see gorgeous sofas and chairs priced below my means, but alas, they exist in pictures only.  I could never have guessed this would happen.  
 

 

Here's one of the Chinese flower branch water colours
 
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Friday, October 4, 2024

Oct 4 2024 - Goat Runs Half-Marathon

 

I saw this article yesterday - a pumpkin patch goat left the patch and joined the run in a half-Marathon in the Town of Conception Bay South in Newfoundland.  It ran 3 miles, at times in the lead position.  

He joined the race when runners went past his home, Taylor's Pumpkin Patch. He has a full-time job, greeting visitors.  But this looked special, so he broke free from his tether and joined the racing crowd.  He was covered on Facebook live.  His owners realized what had happened.  He'd been so popular that they let him finish the race.   The Mayor awarded him a medal, and pictures were taken with the runners. 

Joshua has been invited to the Saturday hockey game to drop the puck.

Here's a Magnolia flower macro image.

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Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Jan 3 2024 - First Chapter, First Page, First Line

 

New Year, New Month, New Day, New Beginning.  It makes me think of first chapter, first page, first line of a novel. 

Are there first chapter first pages that are famous?  Besides "It was a dark and stormy night."  What about the most famous opening lines of novels?  Can a few lines be so compelling.  Let's look at some from the Penguin UK list:

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect."
- from Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 1915. 

"124 was spiteful. Full of Baby's venom."
- from Beloved by Toni Morrison 1987

"'The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation."
- from The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)
 

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

What do you think? I say "Yes, a compelling set of of first sentences."

Here's the site if you want to read the summaries.  HERE

Here's another version of the Petrea - with the watercolour software Wsaterlogue Pro and paint platters using photoshop paint splatter brushes by French Kiss.   So cheerful on a Dull January morning.

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Sunday, October 29, 2023

Oct 29 2023 - What else might we be wearing?

 

It got me wondering what other things are people wearing that I hadn't thought of.  Welcome to the world of weird wearables!  That's one of the headlines.  9 Wonderfully weird wearable devices, 21 weird and wacky wearables you'll actually want, and so on.  

I think I found the best article:

Nestle's Tweeting bra raises breast cancer awareness in 140 characters.  How it works is simple: whenever it’s unhooked, it sends a tweet; something along the lines of  “Maria has just unhooked her bra. When you do the same, don’t forget about your self-exam.”

The Hovding Cycling Airbag Might Make Bike Helmets Obsolete. It’s a wearable airbag that springs to life to protect the wearer’s head, neck, and shoulders in the event of an accident – it’s often more effective than a traditional helmet in the case of the former.

The Ritot Watch Tells Time on the Back Of Your Hand.  Ritot is a new piece of technology known as a projection watch. Resembling a simple sports bracelet, a simple tap or shake of one’s hand will cause the device’s internal pico projector to spring to life, projecting the time onto the back of the wearer’s hand. It can also be synced with a smartphone to display details such as text messages, caller ID, weather alerts, social media alerts, and emails. 

Diffus Is A Dress That Informs Its Wearer of Harmful Pollutants. The dress contains sensors which measure the Carbon Dioxide concentration in the air. Depending on how much CO2 there is, it’ll activate LEDS woven into the fabric, creating a light show that ranges from slow to hectic and chaotic.

I realize I've missed the Hamilton Chrysanthemum Show.  Here are some pictures from a past show.

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Sunday, August 13, 2023

Aug 13 2023 - Hip Hops Birthday

 

o we have the inception dates of music styles/genres generally?  

We can tell you the rock and roll era emerged in the U.S. in the early to mid-1950s.  Wikipedia says:  "In 1951, Cleveland-based disc jockey Alan Freed began playing this music style while popularizing the term "rock and roll" on mainstream radio."

 And Jazz?  While one article says late 19th to early 20th centuries, another says 1819 in Congo Square in New Orleans where slaves gathered on Sundays.

Hip Hop has an actual birth date:  "On August 11, 1973, Clive and Cindy Campbell threw a party in their apartment building in the Bronx, New York. DJ Kool Herc's beats that evening marked the birth of hip-hop. In 1973, the Bronx in New York City was one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the United States."  And the actual address is known too:  1520 Sedgwick Avenue.

And it is a big news story.  From Wikipedia:  "It has also been argued that rap music formed as a "cultural response to historic oppression and racism, a system for communication among black communities throughout the United States". This is due to the fact that hip hop culture reflected the social, economic, and political realities of the disenfranchised youth."  So hip hop is important socially. 

Snd there are lots of hip hop jokes -
  

I will never give Hip Hop to my friends for Christmas again...
Every time they open their presents, they immediately trash the 'rappers!

Albert Einstein was a musician throughout his life. He had a phase where he experimented with hip hop. His rapper name was
MC squared

What do frogs and rabbits have in common?
They both like hip hop.

I am in a watercolour class and this was the topic a few weeks ago.

 
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Sunday, May 14, 2023

May 14 2023 - Mothering vs Nurturing

 

Here we are at Mother's Day.

Who knows where Mother's Day will end up.  There was contention this year over the "Mother" part.  What about gay fathers raising children? What about transgender men who have given birth?  
 

Services Australia, which runs Medicare, has previously provided data showing 22 transgender men gave birth in 2018-19. This made them among the 228 who had been pregnant during that decade.  

Can you imagine 100 years ago - there would be no consideration to collect the gender of the person giving birth. This discussion was in the Daily Mail article: 

"Last month Brendan Murphy, the secretary of the federal Department of Health, was unable to answer a question from Liberal senator Alex Antic about the definition of a woman.

'No, well there a variety – it's a very, it's a very … it's a very contested space at the moment, Senator,' Dr Murphy said.

'I mean there are obviously biological definitions but there are definitions in terms of how people identify themselves, so we're happy to provide our working definition on notice.'"

Wikipedia has lots of information about transgender pregnancy. I can't imagine how complicated this will make the anti-abortionists in the US who are using Mother's Day as an opportunity to have protests. 

And the alternative name that's been proposed?  "Nurturing Day" or "Nurturer's Day".

A Mother's Day wish today.  Enjoy the special day.

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Saturday, April 1, 2023

Apr 1 2023 - April Fool's Etiquette

 

The year's April Fools' Pranks happen like New Year's.  There's a wave around the world as the day blossoms and the pranks unfold.  I guess there is some etiquette - making fun of one's own brand and not the competition.  Here's how Australia did so far this year: 

"Royal Caribbean International unveiled a new Australian-only “Quantum Class” ship called Crikey of the Seas, with features including a cricket field, BBQs on the balcony suites, and cocktails including Vegemite mojitos, lamington mudslides, fairy bread margaritas and a pavlova spritz.

"The beloved ice cream brand announced their Giant Twins ice cream was getting a new flavour: Sweet Spiced Gherkins.

“When you bite in, you’ll experience a tangy and pickled flavour explosion, teamed perfectly with Giant Twins’ signature choc coating,” their social media post said.

“Hurry, this is a limited release only and when stocks are gone, they’re gone!”

"No longer just a doughnut store, Krispy Kreme unveiled an ambitious plan to open a series of fine dining restaurants across the state, combining their delicious pastries with high-end ingredients such as lobster, caviar and Wagyu beef.

“Culinary perfection meets Krispy Kreme confection,” their post said.

Moving on to Britain, there must be some Harry and Meghan pranks.  Well, so far only one that has made the top spot on the headlines in Britain.  I guess the etiquette of not making fun of others goes out the window there:

"The Sun have gone all-in on their prank this year which is a report on a Prince Harry and Meghan Markle video game in the style of Grand Theft Auto. The 'game' called 'Harry and Meghan: Call of Duke-y' has been mocked up with realistic looking video game graphics and is apparently due for a release in May - just a week before the King's coronation."

Let's see what the US does as the day progresses.  They have a lot of Fools to make Pranks of.  And etiquette does not rule there.


Here's one of my favourite flowers - a Fritillaria.  I've given it a background in keeping with its colourful square pattern.  Who would guess this is real?
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Monday, February 6, 2023

Feb 6 2023 - Official State Aroma

 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The sweet smell of green chile roasting on an open flame permeates New Mexico every fall, wafting from roadside stands and grocery store parking lots and inducing mouth-watering visions of culinary wonders.

Sen. Bill Soules’ visit with fifth grade students in his southern district sparked a conversation about the savory hot peppers and the potential for New Mexico to become the first state in the nation to proudly have an official state aroma, a proposal now being considered by lawmakers.

For New Mexico, chile is more than a key ingredient for every meal. It’s life. It’s at the center of the official state question — “Red or green?” — and is one of the state’s official vegetables.

Read more about it HERE

An update on Groundhog Day: consider this for your next vacation:
"In real life, like in the movie, the Victorian is actually a bed and breakfast, and you can stay there still! The Cherry Tree Inn bed and breakfast sits in Woodstock, Illinois not Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The spectacular house is worth a stay if you find yourself in that suburb of Chicago.  344 Fremont St, Woodstock, IL 60098"

If you'd prefer Home Alone, it is located at 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093

Here's a favourite Dahlia picture from a few years ago.

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Monday, January 9, 2023

Jan 9 2023 - Silk Journeys On

 

I have a continuing complaint about the poor quality of fabric used in clothes today, so thought I would find out about the timeline of these significant changes in 50 years.  I started with silk.

Excerpts from retinkdisruption.com Dropping Silk Stockings Created an Oral Health Revolution from June 30, 2022 by Bradd Libby HERE:

"The leading export from Japan and China from 1850 to 1930 was silk. 

"According to Debin Ma of Hitotsubashi University, scientifically produced hybrid silkworm varieties, which accounted for less than 10% of Japanese silk production in 1914, were more than 80% just eight years later and over 90% of production by 1924. The Lower Yangtze region of China saw a similarly dramatic change in silkworm varieties, albeit about thirteen years after Japan’s transformation, going from less than 10% hybrid in 1928 to more than 90% in 1937.

"Japan’s lead in both the mechanization of silk reeling and in the adoption of hybrid worm varieties gave it the edge to outcompete China. In 1873, China was exporting three times as much raw silk as Japan. By 1930, the situation had completely reversed, with Japanese exports tripling those of China.

"The is another part of the ‘pattern of disruption’ we have seen: new technologies are often adopted by outsiders, and the winners from one era of technology can become the losers in the next. Japan adopted machine-reeling of silk fiber before China, and led the development of scientifically bred varieties of silkworms, and so dominated the silk market by the early 1930s.

"But this new era would not last long. DuPont first brought Carother’s nylon fiber to market in 1938. DuPont’s nylon stockings first went on sale in May 1940.

"But the attack on Pearl Harbor brought Asian exports of silk to a sudden halt. Soon after the introduction of nylon stockings, the sales of all women’s stockings collapsed as both the supply of Japanese silk abruptly ended and as DuPont diverted all nylon production to the manufacture of parachutes, rope, aircraft fuel tanks, flak jackets, hammocks, mosquito netting, and other products.

"Nylon became known as “the fiber that won the war.” For four years American women had to ‘make do’ the best they could with substitutes like leg make-up, a cosmetic painted onto the legs to make it look like the user was wearing stockings.

"When the war ended, there was such a rush to buy nylon stockings again that fights broke out over the limited supply, the so-called ‘Nylon Riots’. The sales of silk stockings never recovered."

And silk today?  

"Several companies, including the San Francisco Bay Area’s Bolt Threads, are attempting to use genetically modified microorganisms to produce silk proteins.

According to Virginia Postrel, “if the endeavor succeeds, silk won’t need to come from insects. It will be brewed in giant fermentation vats like beer. And the process has implications beyond silk. Wool, too, is a protein polymer. So is cashmere. So are countless other fibers we can barely imagine.”

And that's just silk!



Perhaps it is the silky petals of Dahlias that make them so beautiful.
 
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Tuesday, June 15, 2021

June 15 20321 - Join jeff and Mark in Space

 

It's actually a "spare ticket" and it auctioned for $28 million.  It is an 11-minute trip into suborbital space alongside Jeff Bezos. Jeff will be with his brother Mark, so don't think you'll get some special treatment.  There were 7,600 people from 159 countries who registered to bid in the auction. The Blue Origin flight is expected to take off on July 20th.  

Jeff is on the flight because Blue Origin is the rocket venture Bezos founded in 2000. It has spent almost a decade testing New Shepard, the 60-foot-tall rocket and capsule system. It will mark the first time humans have flown aboard the fully autonomous New Shepard vehicle after 15 uncrewed test flights carried out by the company since 2015.  The $28 million price point the ticket sold for is far more than what Blue Origin's direct competitor, Virgin Galactic, has sold its tickets for. Though Galactic has yet to fly paying customers, it has already sold roughly 600 tickets for between $200,000 and $250,000 each.

Now I wonder what makes him want a rocket venture?  Shipping things from the Moon to Earth?  Here's a quote from when he was 18 and interviewed as the valedictorian of his high school class: The 18-year-old Bezos said he wanted "to build space hotels, amusement parks and colonies for 2 million or 3 million people who would be in orbit. 'The whole idea is to preserve the earth' he told the newspaper ... The goal was to be able to evacuate humans. The planet would become a park.

A happy flower day - this is a Gazania - they open with the sun.

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Sunday, April 25, 2021

April 24 2021 - Astounding

 

Here's today's question:  What is the current trend in "astounding"?  Is there something in the news that meets the criteria of surprisingly impressive?  Would you consider architecture to have astounding developments?

Here's one listed for Toronto:


In a Toronto neighbourhood defined by converted 19th-century brick warehouses and sleek glass condos, award-winning local studio gh3*’s bunker-like Storm Water Quality Facility is set to become a unique and imposing landmark. Following in the footsteps of the city’s numerous iconic infrastructure projects (from the massive Hearn Power Station to the art deco R.C. Harris Treatment Plant), the faceted 279-square-metre concrete structure similarly marries cutting-edge aesthetics with state-of-the-art processes. Its austere form and monolithic skin conceal a discrete four-part water treatment scheme — a strikingly simple choreography of elements that will purify urban runoff from the new West Don Lands development and return it back to nearby Lake Ontario. 10 years in the making, it’s been well worth the wait.

 


Doesn't that look like the Gardiner Expressway? Yes.  It will be at Lakeshore Boulevard and Cherry Street.  You can see the story and pictures HERE

It is among 10 world projects for 2021 from Azure HERE



 

A pretty Hibiscus flower this morning.
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Thursday, November 19, 2020

Nov 19 2020 - A Rose in Mathematics

 

Here we are with the Christmas flower - the Poinsettia.  This one is a rose form.  It is petite and delicate.  Roses are so beloved that many flower hybridizers try to create 'rose form' flowers.  Begonias and Camellias have forms that are especially like roses.

There is a rose (mathematics) entry in Wikipedia.  The link is HERE.   I expect the picture below is an excellent overview of rose flower petals, although the first few look more like daisies to me than roses.  And the references say see also:  daisy and shows a picture of "a figure resembling a daisy or sunflower which has circles placed along a spiral.

The definition of rose in mathematics is: A curve which has the shape of a petalled flower. This curve was named rhodonea by the Italian mathematician Guido Grandi between 1723 and 1728 because it resembles a rose (MacTutor Archive).


I encourage you to look at the animated examples of roses created using gears with different ratios.  

Today's picture comes from a few years ago, but I can tell you the Poinsettias are blooming at Sunshine Express.  I was there a month ago and they had replaced the Chrysanthemums in the greenhouse. 




 
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