Nov 6 2021 - Gone Dormant

 

Where do mosquitos go in the winter? Do they hibernate like a bear or go dormant?  There's some magic that keeps them surviving and thriving.  I went to mosquitoauthority.ca to find out everything Canadian about mosquitos .  "Once temperatures start staying consistently below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), mosquitoes start to go dormant in preparation for winter. They will often find holes to hide away in until warmer weather returns. Mosquitoes can also lay eggs in frozen water. That way, the eggs are perfectly preserved and can hatch when the water thaws and warms to the right temperature. New mosquitoes will be growing and getting ready to feed as soon as winter ends. It might seem impossible that such a small insect could survive a Canadian winter, but after all, mosquitoes are as old as (or possibly older than) dinosaurs. Evidence shows that mosquitoes date back to at least the Triassic Period, so they’ve survived a lot more than few icy months." Mosquitoes have a particular appetite for delicious type O blood. What about the biting black fly - I thought they were only out in spring in cool temperatures.  That's not the case as I have a big blister scar on my foot from a bite a month ago.  They can go through multiple generations in a year, - so that means one can be bitten early, mid and late in the season. And how about the fly swatter experience:  Flies experience time in slower motion compared to humans. So that lightening fast fly swatter of yours is often little match to them. We now have sufficient information to compare mosquito vs fly jokes: A young mosquito returned to its mother.   How was your flight dear? asked mom. It was great mom, everyone was clapping for me! A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter. "What are you doing?" She asked.  "Hunting Flies" He responded.  "Oh. Killing any?" She asked.  "Yep, 3 males, 2 females," he replied.  Intrigued, she asked. "How can you tell?"  He responded, "3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone." Our last train show was in Sacramento - here are a few images from it.

Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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Sep 15 2021 - Pope urban

 

I find that there was a Pope Urban.  Urban's Latin origin means "of the city". It turns out it was a regular sort of name into the 20th century.  One of Paul's epistles was named Urban.  There were seven popes with that name.  And there turn out to many people with Urban as a surname.   Ancestry.ca says there are 429,000 records for Urban.  It has all kinds of tidbits for someone researching the Urban family tree.  They include photos and records, the top occupations in 1921 (surprise!  it is farmer), geographical distribution, and member trees. There was a surge in DNA tests in 2018 and 2019.  "For consumers, the tests—which cost as little as $59—offer entertainment, clues to ancestry, and a chance of discovering family secrets, such as siblings you didn’t know about. But the consequences for privacy go well beyond that. As these databases grow, they have made it possible to trace the relationships between nearly all Americans, including those who never purchased a test." Over 30 million people globally have taken a DNA test.  The promoted benefits are awareness of genetic diseases, allowing a person to make more proactive steps about their health. With the rise in DNA tests, there has also been a rise in surprise family secret stories.   Great headlines abound:  The Christmas present that could tear your family apart or Your father's not your father, and 20 most shocking DNA test discovered. Even AARP weighs in on advice to consider. The train module that Gerry and the Maple Leaf Mafia group have built is going to a new home next week.  Here they are at the 2018 convention where I got this panorama and some shots of the layout.

Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Train Narrow Gauge Convention 2014

We were in Kansas City for the Narrow Gauge Train Convention last week.  There were lots of trains to see and things to buy.

Here are a few of the trees you can buy.  I really enjoyed the little Cypress Gardens scene with the palm trees and bikini girls.

This is the module that Gerry and the Maple Leaf Mafia group have created - a tremendous length!