Aug 3 2023 - Index Fingers

 

What is it about the index finger?  Why do I use it for so much?  Pointing, pressing, pinching, so many activities it is involved in. It is known as forefinger, first finger, second finger, pointer finger, trigger finger and so on.  We use it so much because it is the most dextrous and sensitive finger of the hand.  Index finger means pointing finger, so that's a lot of activity - identifying an item, person, place or object.  Babies begin pointing to communicate, so it is instinctive.  I wondered about that.  And it is considered to be one basis for the development of human language.   Of course there is that famous The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, 1512 that cemented the Index Finger into history. Index Finger jokes don't seem to be very entertaining.  Here's the example: Jimmy goes to the doctor and says, "Doctor, wherever I touch, it hurts." The doctor asks, "What do you mean?"   Jimmy says, "When I touch my shoulder, it really hurts. When I touch my knee it hurts! When I touch my forehead, it really, really hurts." Jimmy was diagnosed with a broken index finger later that day. And that's the best one... And then I found this picture and it seems a wonderful moment for the Index Finger.  What do you think?   Here we are with a bit of dew on blades of grass.

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Dec 31 2022 - Weird Snow Right Here

 

There's weird snow.  And some of it is right here.  These are things like snow rollers, frost flowers, pancake ice, rabbit ice, penitentes, needle ice, and brinicles.   There are Ontario pictures of ice volcanoes, snow towers,  snow balls , ice caves, crop circles, light pillars, ice pancakes, and so on in the Narcity article HERE.  The article on Treehugger.com describes how they are formed.   There's even better formations from recent storms.  Look at the pictures below.  These came from a lake-front cottage in Dunnville, on Lake Erie in January 2022.  These are formations around Jack's neighbours lamp posts.    For traditional ice formations, the Bored Panda article has beautiful photos of snow formations is HERE.   This next picture comes from that article. I haven't found where this one is located.  So far, the pictures are from Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Michigan.   Our recent storm has resulted in Port Stanley making the news with winter sculptures on the pier.   That was only 3 days ago.  Those pictures are HERE on the CBC website.  And Crystal Beach, just a half hour drive away also made the CBC news with its lakefront homes encased in ice from the same storm.   That picture story is HERE.  These are the Crystal Beach lakefront houses.  They look like they've been painted with Benjamin Moore's Ice Formations 873. And our picture today shows graceful Japanese Forest Grass. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

June 10 2022 - Popsicle

 

Popsicle® is a registered trademark.  I didn't realize that it played a big part in the Frozen Sucker War in the 1920s and 1930s.  This was a battle between Good Humor v. Popsicle.  The origin of the Popsicle sounds so cute: 'After a long day of play Frank went inside, but left his cup of soda with the stirring stick still in it out on the porch. The night got very cold, and when Frank went outside the next morning he found his drink frozen like an icicle.  Frank called his invention the “Epsicle.” It was a hit with the kids at school, and later with his own kids who called it “Pop’s ‘sicle.” The name was catchy and the treat was delicious, so Frank patented it in 1923 to share his Popsicle® ice pops with the world!  Epperson collaborated with employees of the Loew Movie Company to form the original Popsicle Company in 1923, and sold the product to concessionaires at amusement parks and beaches.   Ice cream and frozen novelties were popping up due to advances in refrigeration.  Christian Nelson patented the Esimo Pie in January 1922. Good Humor started by Harry B. Burt also produced a chocolate-covered ice cream bar. The Good Humor truck was everywhere in American neighborhoods.  Good Humor sued Popsicle Corporation.  It looks like Popsicle suede others. More lawsuits took place. Too many lawsuit events to list here and perhaps too many to understand it all. Defending patents was a full-time activity in the 1920s. Ice cream and fruit ices had various definitions in various states.  By October 1925, Popsicle agreed to pay Good Humor a license fee to manufacture what was called frozen suckers from ice and sherbet products. Good Humor reserved the right to manufacture these products from ice cream, frozen custard, and the like. But the Frozen dessert war continued on into the 1930s.  Popsicle put its foot into the ice milk product and that called for more law suits.  The definition of sherbet became the subject of the cases. Was it water sherbet or milk sherbet? Was the shape critical? This went on and on. Eventually, the Frozen Sucker War came to a peaceful end. Popsicle was allowed to continue manufacturing water ices in a keystone design and later developed new forms for its creation, including the familiar double-stick Popsicle. Ironically, today both the Good Humor Bar and the Popsicle are owned and manufactured by the same company, Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream. Read the full story starting HERE.  Where did Frank end up in all of this?  He died at age 89 in 1983.  There seems to be nothing about him after the popsicle invention.  What did he do after he sold the patent and went on to other things?  This is all that is quoted in the NY Times obituary:  In 1925, Epperson sold the rights to the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. "I was flat and had to liquidate all my assets," he recalled years later. "I haven't been the same since." There's nothing like a little clover to cheer up the day. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

The Grass is Green ... Right Now

I found out that firefly larvae spend their first year underground.  As I looked out at the lawn where they would be sleeping right now, I noticed the grass in the front lawn is green.  Its blades are poking out of the snow, making a pretty show.  Why does grass stay green?  How does it do this? Generally we grow cool-season grasses - a mix of full sun and shade species.  These would be fescues, Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrass.  We get a dense turf with a deep-green colour that's considered easy on the eyes.  I expect that it is Kentucky bluegrass that is staying green in winter.  I haven't found out how that works.  I would think if the grass is green that means it isn't dormant. I find out that our nitrogen fertilizers are not really plant food.  Plants make their own food through photosynthesis with the end products being carbohydrates.  That's what is used by plants for energy and growth.  Are our fertilizers harmful to firefly populations?  We know that chemical pesticides and weed killers are harmful.  Firefly larvae live underground, and they are carnivores.  So if they aren't killed by the pesticides, they are impacted by the poisons in their food.  It has also been observed that the harmful chemicals in pesticides are also found in chemical fertilizers.  So it is thought that even fertilizers are harmful.  So natural fertilizers would be the route to go for fireflies.  Where do fireflies live in the day?  On the ground, so frequent mowing would disturb the local firefly populations.  Fireflies prefer to live in long grasses, so having some will bring a boost in population. And of course, native trees are another plant habitat for fireflies.  Pine trees are considered important because they provide shade and low light areas.  They provide litter that is important.  And finally, a pond or stream is also crucial to firefly populations. Today's image of abstract stars was taken on January 1st in Niagara Falls at the greenhouse gardens.