May 22 2025 - Queen Landslide

 

wo days ago a landslide occurred in Quebec - the CBC coverage is HERE.  Can you spot the house at the bottom?  It is next to the tree at the bottom.  It is a 300 metres across. A loud noise alerted the residents who fled.   I associate a landslide with a slope, but it is hard to see a slope in the pictures.  Rain was the cause for this landslide where slate exists.  You can see the grey in the picture.  A factor in Quebec is the clay soil which can retain a lot of water. The warning signs?  Big cracks in the ground, bulging ground appears at the base of a slope, changes in landscape such as water drainage on slopes, land movement, progressively leaning trees.  What about this?  Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.  What are you supposed to do with this much land missing?  I haven't found any answers beyond call your insurance provider and similar activities.  What do you do?  Maybe put a thousand metre fence around the "big hole".  There are provincial and federal initiatives to stabilize slopes and support revegetation.   Landslides occur all over the planet. The worst landslide in terms of recorded devastation was the Frank Slide in 1903 in Canada.  It buried the town of Frank, Alberta under an 92-million tonne rock avalanche. There were 75 deaths in that landslide.  In Haiyuan, China in 1920, landslides resulted in 200,000 deaths.  There were 50,000 landslides at the epicentre of the Gansu earthquake, with 675 big landslides that spread throughout the province.   There were aftershocks that lasted three years because of the widespread breaking of the ground. And the death toll of 200,000 lives is an estimate because it happened during the Chinese Civil War.   I wonder what that our Quebec farmer is going to do with the new big hole in the ground.

I checked out the Wisteria in Jordan on Monday but it didn't have the floral display worth photographing.  This year with the warm/cold variations, the leaves have started to come out while the wisteria is blooming, interrupting the pure purple blossom display. This picture is from last year.

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Feb 28 2025 - Cute Food Time

 

As Spring approaches, cute food starts to show up in the Pinterest feed.  So I guess It is time for some cute kid's food tricks.   What about these?  Toothpicks that look like ants, and strawberries turned into goldfish.  I think these are all Temu ads - cat-shaped rice molds, Easter Bunny silicone mold, and what about this muscle-building chicken.  I expect that's an AI generated image, but entertaining nonetheless. Don't click on these pictures to see more. They never seem to get to products that would be found in Temu.  It takes me to other places.  So enjoy the pictures and stay away from the clicking.

Beautiful food seems to come more from Asian culture than western. Japanese food carving tools create beautiful swans out of apples. And in between are recipes such as Pecan Pie Dump Cake.   What about these recipe names?  Just enter dump cakes and you can get 32 easy dump cake recipes that require "no effort."  What does into a dump cake?  Canned or fresh fruit or pie filling, boxed cake mix and butter.  They are so easy to make that you aren't supposed to ever mix it. Sprinkle the boxed cake mix on top and add the butter.  DO NOT STIR IN.  What if the cake mix powder is sitting on top after it has baked.  Should have used more butter - is the answer.   And there's an answer to the question "do dump cakes really work?"  The answer is: "Besides the cringe-worthy name, most dump cases are way too sweet and can be kind of a one-note experience." Continue down this U.S. food trail and find celebrity-named cakes - what is the  Elvis Cake? It is a single-layer classic yellow cake that's topped with a pineapple glaze.  "Much like a poke cake."  That's a cake that calls for holes to be poked in it after baking.  The article says to use the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer - that would be pot hole cake, wouldn't it?  Anyway, liquid is poured over the cake to soak into the cake/pot holes.  There is an American cake ethos. So many cakes have been invented in the U.S.: Election Cake Indian Pound Cake Angel Food Cake - yes they did invent this 1,2,3,4 Cake Tomato Soup Cake Cherry Cola cake  I realize there is an ironic tone in this post.  And with this difficult political time we are in, there may be more irony to come.  That is in part because it is so easy to find source material on the internet. Here's the question on Quora about cakes:  "Was the USA the first country to make a cake?" Definitely tomato soup and cherry cola cake. But are these things cakes?   A wisteria image. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Apr 7 2023 - What's in a title? Lots

 

There's news that Queen Consort Camilla is now being called Queen Camilla by King Charles.  A queen consort doesn't have any political or sovereign power.  Queen regent  "has an entirely different meaning - regents can exercise royal sovereignty in the king's behalf. This would happen if the king was absent or if a king were too young to rule." Queen Elizabeth was queen regnant.  This is a titled for a woman who inherits the British crown by right of birth.  A queen regnant has full sovereign powers.  The change of title is considered "primarily" symbolic.  "Queen Camila" is the appropriate title to set agains "King Charles" on the invitation to the coronation.  All former Queen Consorts have been known as "queen" plus their first name.  I wonder why their indicated primarily?  What is it secondarily?  No word on that. There's a lot to find out about the Monarchy - one can find out more at monarchy-of-britain.fandom.com.  There we find out there's queen dowager - widow of a king, and queen mother is a queen dowager who is also the mother of a reigning sovereign.  There's a new photo of the King and Queen looking shiny and new with photoshop kindly removing wrinkles and giving them each a glow.   And the invitation to the coronation? It's beautiful.  "The invitation for the Coronation has been designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. Mr Jamieson is a Brother of the Art Workers’ Guild, of which The King is an Honorary Member. The original artwork for the invitation was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, and the design will be reproduced and printed on recycled card, with gold foil detailing. Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom.  The British wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, together with wildlife including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren and a robin. Flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying The King becoming the third monarch of his name.  And so on. This is our neighbour's wonderful Wisteria, blooming the second year after they trimmed it. The Good Earth restaurant is in the process of trimming theirs this spring as it is attempting to demolish the arbour structure.  So next year we are hoping to see this kind of display on a much larger scale  as it is a huge arbour all along the building.    Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Apr 5 2023 - Rethinking Cheese

 

"Where previous plant-based meats and cheeses have been made from plant materials manipulated to resemble animal products, molecular farming uses plants as a “machine” to produce actual animal proteins." And one of the hard parts of reproducing cheese is that distinctive stretchiness and meltiness.  “Plants, in particular soybeans, are very efficient at making proteins,” says Richani. And they’re flexible: by modifying a plant’s protein-encoding RNA, scientists can direct it to produce any kind of protein desirable. This can include casein, the main dairy protein found in milk that gives cheese its unique properties. Once plants expressing the casein produce seeds, the protein can be harvested, and then combined with plant fats and minerals in a cheesemaking process. Then there will be competition for the already available nut-based "cheeses" that are advertised to have the meltiness qualities. One of the luxury alternative cheese brands is SriMu.  Look at the reviews of their products: "Founder Julie Piatt makes the Rolls Royce standard of dairy-free cheeses. It’s luxury at its most delicious. This isn’t everyday cheese—it’s an indulgence, and it’s meant to be savored. ... most of her sales are based on a subscription box service online (she ships nationwide). The flavors are intense—this is not your American-style mild cheddar—they hit you in the face and evolve as the cheese melts in your mouth. Varieties include brie (Elder), smoked gouda (Gold Alchemy), blue (Spire), camembert (Bertie), gorgonzola (Dolce Vita), red pepper cheese ball (Bonfire), and fresh mozzarella (Cloud 9). Just be warned: it’s easy to get hooked on the life of luxury cheese." This is so amazing - to be able to create the texture and appearance of cheese with whatever flavour combinations you want.  This is food wizardry.  This is the website HERE.   There's a location in Canada - Teas 'N' Cheese in Port Stanley.  But a mere 2 hour drive for an alternative-dairy cheese.  Or we can order online with delivery to Canada. One of Longwood's great gardens is the Wisteria Garden.  These are vines trained as trees  in a Japanese style. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 2 2023 - Ground Hog Day Again

 

How did ground dogs get their name?  I don't think they eat dog food. They are marmots and closely related to squirrels.  They are closely related to Prairie Dogs.  They are both in the Marmotini tribe. The Groundhog that we celebrate today is a Marmota monad, or a woodchuck.  Groundhog Day was a "calling card" script - a showpiece to get a producers interest for Danny Rubin. When it passed to Harold Ramis who was to direct it, he took it over and rewrote it, a few times, it looks like.  Who did they want to play Phil?  Kevin Kline was Rubin's choice and Tom Hanks was Ramis' choice.  Michael Keaton rejected it - he did not "understand" the film.  Bill Murray's brother played Buster Green - the presider over the Groundhog Day festivities.  The production company trapped a while groundhog in the woods, named it Scooter, and it became the famous groundhog. Even Bill Murray tried to rework the script, in an attempt by Ramis to appease Murray, who was so difficult to deal with that Ramis and Murray didn't speak again until before Ramis' death in 2014.   Mention the movie and don't you hear "I Got You Babe" immediately? Danny Rubin had chosen the song from the beginning.   Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney became a tourist destination with tens of thousands of visitors rather than hundreds.   Of course, the time loop remains the wonderful mystery at the movie's core.  "In an early draft, Rubin had Phil estimate he had been there for 70 or 80 years. Later in life, once Ramis had married a Buddhist woman and adopted some of that philosophy, he started to quote a Buddhist doctrine that says it takes 10,000 years for a soul to evolve to the next level. In the end, there is no definitive answer." Isn't that such a satisfyingly answer, and perfect for the real Bill Murray.  He's made headlines repeatedly over the years.  Last year, the film he was on was suspended over his behaviour issues.  Chevy Chase gossiped on Stern's show in 2008 about Murray's behaviour.  "Charlie's Angels" director McG claimed Murray head butted him once.  Richard Dreyfuss had negative words hurled to him. Inexcusable and unacceptable language was used on Lucy Liu.  I guess there's more.   Would that be 70 years of bad behaviour with no change? It might be 10,000 years before Bill Murray evolves to a next level.  And in the end, we won't be here by then.   If Bill Murray sees his shadow today 6 more years of Covid. Why wasn't Bill Murray cast as Thor? Because nobody likes an electricity bill.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

June 18 2022 - Weighing In

 

Body weight.   This is something women think about more than men.  I expect we think about total weight, proportions and dimensions.  But I hadn't thought about how much the various body systems and parts weigh in relation to the total. Below is a chart of the percentages of total body weight for the various sections of the body. Being in percentages, choose 200 pounds for a male  to double the percentage number, and  choose 100 pounds for a woman for the numbers to be equivalent.    And what about this view of a body.  Based on a 180 pound male, here are some numbers for body systems and organs.   1. Blood, water, and lymph system: 100 pounds Equivalent of: filled 10-gallon aquarium 2. Bones: 21 pounds Equivalent of: Road bike 3. Brain: 2.5 pounds Equivalent of: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 4. Heart: 0.25 pounds Equivalent of: Burger King Double Whopper 5. Other Muscles (Everything from your stomach to your biceps): 52 pounds Equivalent of: A small boxing heavy bag 6. Carotid-Artery Walls (in the Neck): 20 milligrams Equivalent of: Half of a staple 7. Kidneys: Half pound Equivalent of: A small chili at Wendy's 8. Liver: 3.25 pounds Equivalent of: Four 12-ounce cans of Budweiser 9. Lungs: 1.8 pounds Equivalent of: A basketball and a football 10. Pancreas: 0.2 pound Equivalent of: 28 sugar packets 11. Prostate: 18 to 20 grams, or just barely an ounce Equivalent of: About three cherry tomatoes 12. Skin: 12 pounds Equivalent of: The clothes you're wearing, plus heavy boots and an overcoat 13. Spinal Cord (Nerves, Not Bone): 1 ounce Equivalent of: A short phone cord 14. Testicles: Less than 2 ounces Equivalent of: Two squash balls    I know the human body is mostly water - up to 60%.  All parts have of water - the brain and heart are 73% water, lungs about 83%, and so on.  A water molecule is capable of performing so many functions in the human body. On to a lovely June Day where Grimsby celebrates 100 years as a town.

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May 23 2022 - How Clear is that Water?

 

Bing had a recent feature about one of the world's strangest rivers.  The Rio Tinto - Red River - gets its name from the reddish hue of its water, with high levels of iron and sulphur.  That's in southwestern Spain. What about the opposite?  Where is the clearest water in the world?   The clearest water in the world is located in New Zealand - Blue Lake.  What is the visibility?  Up to 262 feet.   "Because it's considered sacred (or tapu) by the Maori locals, humans are not permitted to enter the water, so you'll be forced to either admire the clarity from the shore or check out an aerial view by booking a scenic helicopter flight." No long flights for a while, given our travel challenges.  If we lived in Alberta, Peyto Lake is said to have the clearest water in Canada.  Surrounded by glaciers that keep the lake filled with pristine glacial water, Peyto Lake is situated near Banff, and famed for its clear, deep-blue water. But a short flight is no better.  Let's consider travel by car - closer to home. Where is the clearest water in Ontario?  Tobermory, Elora Quarry, Topaz Lake in Sudbury, Katherine Cove in Wawa, Canatara Beach in Sarnia.  The addresses are HERE.  There are quite a few and the pictures are splendid.  Mostly they show mid to late summer swimmers. I think it might be too cold to go swimming over the next few weeks.  I wold like to settle on Ontario's blue water views that are just like the Caribbean.  There's Lions Head Lookout, Devil's Monument Loop on the Bruce Peninsula Trail, Halfway Log Dump (what a name!) in Tobermory, along with Overhanging Point, and of course, Flower Pot Island loop.  The addresses and instructions are HERE.  But we interrupt these beautiful views with a story on celebrity geese.   Go to Drake's backyard where he's seriously upset because two geese are pooping on his lawn.  He lives in the Bridle Path.  There's an article about the huge mansion and his noisy parties of up to 100 people.   "When asked what he’ll do if the neighbours complain about his huge home and the potential noise that comes along with Drake living next door, he says he’ll buy their damn house! And he’s not joking. He’s already done it in Hidden Hills".   But aren't geese protected? How do you buy out the geese? I have a great idea. He can start up all of his cars.  The noise would drive them out: Bugatti Veyron Bentley Continental GTC V8 Brabus 850 6.0 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Rolls Royce Phantom McLaren 675LT Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

It is Wisteria Weekend and this is the large shrub that lives around the corner.   It is very accessible and I spent some time yesterday morning taking multiple exposure shots.  The top photo is my version of May 24th Fireworks.

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May 21 2022 - The Sounds of Summer

 

The sounds of early summer - what are your favourites?   Sizzle of a barbecue Waves breaking on a beach Fireworks Bees buzzing Outdoor music A thunderstorm Crackle of a bonfire Pitter-patter of a rain shower Frogs and birds If you are older, the sounds will include bike bells and the ice cream truck music.  Yesterday, I realized that when I hear house flies buzzing, it means that summer is here. The temperature was aligned, and the  Lilacs are blooming, so it made sense.  What about those house flies?  How is that they buzz so loud? "To generate the buzzing, flies’ wings knock together. The speed at which their wings move determines the frequency of sound waves and the pitch released.  When flies buzz they gain a positive electric charge." And what about all the really silly fly jokes?  Here's the best one: Cockroach: What is 12×13?  Housefly: 156! Cockroach: What is 188×254?  Housefly: 47,752! Cockroach: What is 3541×798?  Housefly: 2,825,718! Cockroach: It’s true, houseflies can multiply very fast!   This ini the long pergola of Wisteria in Jordan.  I expect it to be in full bloom today.  This is from quite a few years ago - the best bloom I've ever seen on it. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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May 20 2022 - No Mow May

 

Is the Jordan front lawn part of the No Mow May movement. This movement was started in Britain in 2019 by the U.K. conservation charity Plantlife.  The movement has grown to include thousands of lawns in the U.K. in 2021, and the charity’s head of participation Felicity Harris said 2022 is expected to be the biggest year yet. The campaign is gaining steam in Canada, as municipalities and environmental activism groups across the country champion the cause.  The movement is rooted in research: several studies show that less frequent mowing can be a boon for biodiversity.  Findings from the U.K. suggest that allowing plants to flower in May can create enough nectar to support ten times more pollinators. A 2018 study from Massachusetts found tremendous rise in abundance and diversity of bees in lawns that are mowed every second week instead of every week. “People want to do things to help, and No Mow May is an easy thing to pick up,” said Ms. Knight, “but I think it’s more of a feel-good initiative than a helpful one. We need to do more than just not mowing – first and foremost: planting native.” So let's draw our attention here in Ontario to the lawn campaigns.  First and foremost is the Dandelion - we love and hate them in the lawns.  We see campaigns to save the Dandelions. However, they are not considered great contributors to bees.  Their pollen is not the first, the ideal, mor most nutritious food that bees look for.   What about Creeping Charlie?  It is all over our lawns (especially mine). Creeping Charlie has an ok pollen count.  One of its characteristics is a strategy called "Lucky Hits" where one flower out of many will have much more pollen/nectar.  A U.K. researcher (Southwick et al. 1981) found that bees foraging on Creeping Charlie for 5.9 minutes obtained enough nectar from the flowers to make foraging on Creeping Charlie energetically profitable.  Something tells me that it isn't a significant contributor - I just don't see bees in the lawn on the Creeping Charlie. Bees need a variety of food sources, and the best lawns have many kinds of flowers, hopefully with a range of bloom times.  The flowers recommended for the bee-friendly lawn include English daisies, Speedwell (Veronica) Buttercup, Clover, wild Violets, Thyme and Chamomile.   That makes me think of the realm of the English Cottage Garden.  It seems to me that the Jordan lawn is pretty, but not really a "no mow" poster child garden.  Even Randolph's naturalistic lawn around the corner needs more variety of flowers.   What do you think?   The Wisteria is just starting to open here in Niagara. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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