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 |   A Journal to impart knowledge and facts |
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July 22, 2015 I'm going to start today to record on a daily basis whatever happens to strike my fancy. So, it is a very cool breezy day. I just posted 5 short book reviews to The Monthly Reading Challenge. I'm suppose to put away some winter wood today from the woodpile outside but I'm playing hookey from work to write so starting this blog will get done. I'm having a daily fight with a flock of English Sparrows that are trying to take over my barn. They are making a terrible mess so they have to go. I have destroyed several nests so far they don't leave but they get out of the barn when I am around. I'm just starting the fight so I guess I don't know how far I have to go to discourage them. I'm trying not to spread myself to thin on WDC because I find so many things that are interesting here and I am trying to work on a new story. I really enjoy sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and reading blogs on WDC. |
BCoF for August 5. 2020. BCoF prompt is about Opals:Weave us a tale about an opal heist.  Heist or Accident? Purdy had caught a ride to the mining camp one morning. He thought it would be fun just to see how the mining was done. After all, today he was just another tourist looking for information about how to mine Opals. When he arrived he realized it was not a good day for tourists. When he inquired about the mining tours and other tourist attractions he was met with suspicion and even lots of hostility.  One shop keeper called the local law enforcement who took Purdy to a little under ground office and drilled him for several hours about why he was in the mining camp. Eventually Purdy was let loose with a warning to stay away from the mines. Everywhere he went he was met with paranoia and hostility. I don't know what's going on here but it doesn't make me feel safe. In the afternoon when people were resting from the heat he left. No sense waiting for the tourist ride to come back for me. Thought Purdy.  A piece of rock fell from the dusty rocky mountain as Purdy was stealthily moving away from the small mining village. If he could get away quickly he would be able to make good time on the camel trail that led into the desert. He stopped to pick up the rock. If he was followed it might come in handy as a weapon. Grasping the stone in his hand he trotted down the trail. The heat of the day would help cover his movements. Most people were resting until the sun went down enough to resume a scheduled work day.  Purdy was so glad he had brought lots of water. He trudged all day until he saw the greenery of the landscape as it hit the edge of the desert trail. He had fingered the rock in the palm of his hand all day. Now, he was pretty sure he would not need it. No one seemed to be following him. When he reached the wooded green section of the trail he sat down to rest and watch the desert trail that led to the mining camp. No one else was out and you could see the heat shimmer across the trail that led to this part of the landscape. Behind him he could hear the water as it fell from cool rocks into a river. All he had to do was follow the river. It would be cooler and well traveled. His escape was assured.  looked down at the rock in his hand. As he rubbed it in his palm, mountain grit and dirt began to crumble off it. In the end, pieces broke off and fell to the ground. As the mountain detritus crumbled away, it left a veined stone which caught the light and sparkled with color. Purdy held it up toward the sun. He rubbed it and exclaimed as the light danced and whirled causing him to draw in his breath as the stone produced a magical aura. "What have I found?" he exclaimed.  |
| 30 day prompt. From your morning stop at the outback outpost of Manguri, you’ll venture into the weird and wonderful opal mining township of Coober Pedy, where more than half of the residents live underground. Here, you’ll enjoy a day of discovery, and a gourmet lunch in the most unique of locations: underground. Dinner is served back on the train where you can enjoy a nightcap as your journey continues. We'e going to get dirty today. But maybe we'll score an opal.   Opal? MY favorite opals are the ones with stars in them. Some opals are more rare than others. Some are worth more than others. The Aurora Australis is valued at about $1,000,000. I started looking at the science of gemology especially as it pertained to Opals. Soon I realized that it is a very serious subject. To understand a lot about it will take hours and days of study. I gleaned these particular facts about Opals. Opals are valued by their shape of cut and size. Shape and size are a factor in the way light disperses around the stone, Overlaying light rays give the stone its magical affect. You may become fascinated by a particular stone when you see how it looks to your eye. Fiction: A piece of rock fell from the dusty rocky mountain as Purdy was stealthily moving away from the small mining village. If he could get away quickly he would be able to make good time on the camel trail that led into the desert. He stopped to pick up the rock. If he was followed it might come in handy as a weapon. Grasping the stone in his hand he trotted down the trail. The heat of the day would help cover his movements. Most people were resting until the sun went down enough to resume a scheduled work day. Purdy was so glad he had brought lots of water. He trudged all day until he saw the greenery of the landscape as it hit the edge of the desert trail. He had fingered the rock in the palm of his hand all day. Now, he was pretty sure he would not need it. No one seemed to be following him. When he reached the wooded green section of the trail he sat down to rest and watch the desert trail that led to the mining camp. No one else was out and you could see the heat shimmer across the trail that led to this part of the landscape. Behind him he could hear the water as it fell from cool rocks into a river. All he had to do was follow the river. It would be cooler and well traveled. His escape was assured. He looked down at the rock in his hand. As he rubbed it in his palm, mountain grit and dirt began to crumble off it. In the end, pieces broke off and fell to the ground. As the mountain detritus crumbled away, it left a veined stone which caught the light and sparkled with color. Purdy held it up toward the sun. He rubbed it and exclaimed as the light danced and whirled causing him to draw in his breath as the stone produced a magical aura. "What have I found?" he exclaimed. Back to the Ghan: Some of the things we experienced as a group when the Ghan stopped at telegraph station were the wonderful sights of the starry night. It has been along time since I experienced the clear vision of an immense starry sky. We ate so well at the barbecue. We had choices of sausages, burgers, steak, fresh baramundi,served with barbecue sauces, beet root, avocado, tomatoes and breads. By the way, baramundi means large scaled silver fish, it is a sea bass. I wonder if you can get this in Canada or the North East parts of the USA coast? I was surprised by the fact that I like Vegemite since it has a reputation about its flavor not being sweet. I like salty foods. I ate it on bread with avocado. One thing I was surprised about and very happy with is the use of beet root in sandwiches. I think I might try this at home since I really like beet root. I use to go out into my grandmothers garden and pull the young beets, clean the dirt off and munch on one. Not a favorite thing to do when grandad was around but grandmother did not mind. Pickled beets are pretty good too. I like coconut but I'm not fond of it slivered. Nevertheless, I had lamington for desert with a cup of green tea. It's like a sponge cake covered in chocolate or raspberry sauce coated with coconut shavings. They served a big bowl of TIMTAMS and encouraged us to take a few with us for the journey so now I have a stash of them in my backpack for the rest of the journey. TIMTAMS are a packaged chocolate biscuit made by Arnotts. I'm especially amazed by the underground society at Coober Pedy. I really admire the inoventive ways to keep cool. The rooms are remarkable. Back on The Ghan and away we go. I'm going to sleep awhile need to catch up. |
| BCoF:Day 2818: August 4, 2020 Day 4 we catch a Ghan train in Adelaide. Have you ever ridden a train? What was it like? If you haven't ridden a train what do you think it would be like?  *flower*Trains K and I were celebrating one year and we rode the Oil Creek Railroad. It is a refurbished train that was running when Oil was discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania. The train ride is accompanied by lots of history about the area. It goes through a park that has walking trails and bicycle trails and the train will stop in one place to pick up bike riders with their bikes to transport them back to the trail head. You can stop and tour through a museum then pick up the train when it comes back through. There is a lot of scenery. I took pictures with my camera. I believe there are pictures of some fisherman standing in French Creek casting his pole. The train also follows French Creek for a long time. There is a lot of wildlife to see. White tail deer are plentiful in the region. The ride is about 3 hours long. As a tourist attraction the train sticks to its real heritage. There is a conductor dressed in period clothing complete with a big pocket watch and chain hanging from a pocket in his vest. There is a open air car at the end of the train with out seats where people with cameras can stand to take pictures. At one point there is a curve where both the Engine and end car are both visible at the same time because of the deepness of the curve. The seats on the cars can be opened to face each other if you are traveling in a group. Travelers are cautioned to wear warm clothing and bring blankets since the cars are open air and do not have heat. You can bring picnic baskets of food and drink but there is a car where sandwiches, coffee, and soft drinks can be obtained. In the fall they have a mystery train ride. It includes actors who play out a murder scene and passengers try to help solve the murder. I always thought that would be a fun one to go on. I 'm not sure but, I think there is a Christmas ride but maybe that one isn't run depending on the weather because the train is not available in the winter months. Another feature is the train car motel that is on the tracks for tourists who want to spend the night. They are real train cars outfitted for over night stays near the gift shop. Of course there is also a great gift shop where I bought a crochet piece of lacy fluff that is mounted on a circular metal ring. I found a large green butterfly and mounted it in the center. It's very pretty hanging near my desk. Today's virtual train ride was nice. Lots to see. Happy Train riding. Woo woo chuga chuga.  |
We're hoping on The Ghan for one of the world's great train journeys. Travel through the heart of Australia in luxury while enjoying the all-inclusive food and beverages, well-appointed cabins and the Off Train Excursions that allow you to get a feel for the places the train travels through.  I jolly well know that Australia is large with a lot of outback land area. A fleet of seventy seven airplanes are covering the whole country. RFD medical is up to date about covid 19 and flies patients in and out of hospitals. I watched them put together some of the aircraft needed to maintain this service. Really it is so cool that they take the medical service right to the patient. The Ghan takes us through the blue mountains and shows us the depth of the country as we view wheat fields and plains. I really like seeing the red and beige earth tones contrasting with green plants as the train rolls along. There is such a culinary choice from the chef. Did anyone try the aborigine dish of kangaroo and bush chutney? When we rolled through the national park we saw how the termite mounds align north to south as an environmental action caused by exposure. Sandra and I compared notes with a Canada train ride we took on one trip. A train ride gives me the best views of landscape from the comfort of a room and a window. By the way the word Ghan is defined as an Afghan or as a persistent person. It came from the fact that the first trekkers on this trail were camels driven by afghan managers who persisted in taking needed goods to people along this route. We are definitely riding in more comfort than a camel train would give. The train let us wander around Alice Springs desert park. Prosperous Snow, Sandra Lynn, Blue Moon and several others gathered for food and refreshment later and compared notes on what we saw. So many beautiful birds. There were little parrots I see for sale in local stores at home. The love birds were hatched and raised for the pet trade at home; it is nice to see them flying free in their natural habitat. There was a barking spider, a barn owl (i think barn owls are in every country), and of course dingos. Beautiful plants abound fox tail, desert petunia, and bush banana to name a few. Another place we could spend a lot more than one day just looking at what lives here if there was time. I guess that is the downside to being a tourist. Once again we come into contact with the Aboriginal people who own this place. Their knowledge of the environment and how to control it to the best advantage is something else. Some of their ideas are something to take home with us. Until tomorrow time for rest. K had a Dr. appointment yesterday so I am behind in commenting on everyone's blogs. I'll be around to comment even if it is catch up on other dates. See Ya. |
| BCoF August 3, 2020 BCoF Let this quote inspire your entry: Sydney in general is eclectic. You can be on that brilliant blue ocean walk in the morning and then within 20 minutes you can be in a completely vast suburban sprawl or an Italian or Asian suburb, and it's that mix of people, it's that melting pot of people that give it its vital personality. Baz Luhrmann The diversity of society in Sydney is so obvious as you walk through Paddy's Market or Darling Square to the Harbor. It's a place where you get lots of encouragement knowing so many different people who originated in different parts of the earth find a place to live together. in cooperation. Even during pandemic there is a sense of busy people meeting the day with a busy sense of importance. If you look you can find wonderful people of all races helping each other. One time when I lived in Texas we were transporting two horses to a horse show in a two horse trailer. A tire blew out on the trailer as we rounded a curve. The horse trailer with horses inside tip over on its side. This was before cell phones. We were on a stretch of road far from any towns. The truck we used to haul horses was instantly incapacitated. No one was injured. The horses were frantic. An older model truck with Mexican workers aboard stopped as soon as they saw the problem. One young boy sprawled across the top of the horses still stuck and laying on their sides struggling and kicking. The horses calmed immediately. Another worker brought out medal cutting tools from the truck. They and my husband went to work on the top of the trailer to cut it off.. When the top was removed as a group they rolled each horse over and out of the trailer onto their feet. It was done with such speed and flexibility. Such efficiency of mental process. The hoses were bruised but not broken. The men jumped back in their truck and drove away. No one even caught their names or destinations it was done so quickly. When I was in the Panama Canal Zone in the 60's riots broke out in Panama City. My 9 month old son and I were in a rental apartment. My husband had reported earlier in the morning to the Airbase for work. We had a black landlady. She came to the apartment door to take my son and I to her apartment for safety. she hid us there for 2 days until the Guadia National could take us out in safety. I could name other numerous times when I was helped in some way by someone from another ethnic group. Because of my life experiences I'm startled by all the news of so many murders perpetuated on black people in the USA. Startled by the media that makes it seem as if people in the USA cannot abide each other. I just don't think the news tells the real story often enough. The truth that people are people. Some good experiences, some bad but, not all bad, and not all inadequate under stressful situations. I guess I like what Ellen De Generes says, "Be Kind To One Another." |
| 30-Day Challenge: 30 day prompt: There are a lot of great things to do and see in Sydney but you have one day so pick from the links what appeals to you and discuss what you discovered. Make us envious. Let your imagination get carried away. Only One Day? I only had one day so I crammed it with the many things I wanted to see. First I centered on the Darling Harbor. I took some time to Brose part of Paddy's market. I bought a bracelet with rhinestones and garnets set as flowers and green glass leaves between each flower, then I found some dark glasses just right for viewing Antarctic coldness on a sunshiny day and a small stuffed kangaroo. There was so much see at the market but I could not stay to see it all. I simply had to check out the Chinese garden of Friendship. It was so beautiful with Chinese architecture and plants; birds and ducks; in a water setting complete with water falls. Perfect peace after the rowdy busy market place. These gardens are a picturesque model formed to show the way the Ming dynasty gardens are modeled. Next, I checked out the Choo Choo express at the Botanical Gardens. It was a perfect way to rest and view the Botanical Gardens. And, it's the only way to see as much as possible of the gardens during the time space we have. There are 45,000 species of plants on 75 acres in the Gardens. The Choo Choo express drives through, with a guide that explains each part. The Choo Choo stops to pick up passengers. You can disembark and walk around any particular place, than get back on as the next Choo Choo drives through. I saw a herb garden with so many herbs from around the world and a special rose garden. There are streets with street signs for walking running all through the gardens so you won't get lost if you have a guide. The ferry ride from wharf 3 stops at Linn Park and the Toranga zoo. It also goes by the opera house which is a beautiful opera house. Then of course the specialty of the day was the blue mountain tour. Blue Mountain By the end of the day I was happy to settle into the hotel. It is very clean and takes many special troubles because of pandemic. The views from the rooms are beautiful. I'm looking forward to the extra large breakfast since I will need lots of food fuel for tomorrow. I could only fit all this site seeing in on a virtual tour and live to tell about it. In reality it would take a week to do all the tours and see so many sights. Time to rest. Lights Out. |
| BCoFBCoF prompt: Let this quote inspire your entry: “ i had a dream when I was 22 that someday i would go to the region of ice and snow and go on and on till i came to one of the poles of the earth”― Ernest Shackleton Have you ever dreamed about seeing one of the poles? Where's your ideal dream place? This entry needs to be minimum of 100 words if you're participating in the challenge..  Quote: “Antarctica is otherworldly, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Stark, cold, beautiful desolation.” — Mark Hoppus https://medium.com/@StephanieHuston/11-travel-quotes-about-how-bad-ass-antarctic... ANTARCTICA DAY 2 Please follow the above link for some awesome pictures of Antarctica, maybe with a hot cup of tea.  Even in pictures you can visualize the deep silence and cold of the terrain. There are ways to live in cold environments. Just looking at these pictures makes me look forward to warmth. I've never dreamed of going to the lands of Ice and Wind. Years ago I was taught in a dream how to look for growing green things outside in the winter wonder land of Pennsylvania, USA. Yes, grass actually grows in sheltered places in winter where I live. Since then, I know that winter is only a season around here. It actually does not stay forever. Some years we experience longer cold than others. Never say never. I don't believe I would actually seek out the coldest frozen places of the earth like Antarctica and the North Pole. I don't remember ever having a dream about cold lands other than the one I mentioned above. Most dreams I have would not influence my travel plans. I'm not especially fond of extreme snow and ice accompanied with extreme wind. Wind actually makes the normal temperature drop, its called wind chill factor. I'm living where I want to stay. I have traveled to other places with different types of environmental challenges. Northern North Dakota is one. Below zero temperatures. I once had a cat that spent a night out when I lived there. One of his ears froze and eventually fell off. I liked Panama. It was very tropical and hot. I liked the buildings of brick and stone floors to keep people cool in the hottest part of the day. Dangerous insects and snakes. A lot of rats in the city. Still the good parts outnumbered the bad. Texas was fun also. Lots of warmth from the people and the climate. The awesome zoo in San Antonio was great. Like all tropical places snakes and insects abound. I was born in Florida. I have not been back since about 1957. It has grown up a lot since then. Maybe too many buildings for me? I like where I am now. Even in a bad year deep winter is usually only 4 to 6 months long. Spring and Fall are compatible with lots of time to get out of the house before summer sets in with heat and humidity. So, I juggle temperatures and life style. No matter where I would be forced to live I would try to live within the constraints of the environment. That's aging, it makes you acceptant to the whirl of life around you. I like geography. When I travel virtually, I try to learn all about the place I am traveling to and the social aspects of living in that environment. Antarctica has a lot of social aspects as well. It is a totally different type of living and I'm enjoying learning about the culinary and living conditions. Look, it has a four different bars and a restaurant where I stopped today. |
ZODIAC CRUISING -- 30-DAY Zodiac Cruising The title Zodiac is used for a lot of different types of pontoon boats. It is also a brand of craft that starts at about USA dollars, $11,000.00. The argument is that the Zodiac pontoon craft may be more important than the cruise ship when you sign up for an expedition. A nice Zodiac is the Mark 5. It is a heavy duty, rigid hulled cruise vessel. As an environmentally friendly vessel it will get you closer to the sea and land life with its Yamaha 4-stroke engine. Used in the polar regions, they come with durable synthetic rubber which resists damage when pulling onto a stone or gravel base. Kayaks are also made of this type of material. Pontoons on the Zodiac are built with different chambers which keep the boat floating under adverse circumstances such as a puncture. Comfort for passengers is created by rigid floors and specially shaped hulls; ending in a safe ride combined with maneuverability and speed. Now you understand the craft you are about to depend on, let's go out and take a ride. The kayakers will depart first. Kayaks will be drawn up against the Zodiac and paddlers will sit on the side of the Zodiac and shift themselves over the side down into the kayak in a safe mount. Then passengers will take their seats. There is a short film to teach you the basics of Zodiac cruising. Then, we will commence a cruise. During the cruise keep a sharp look out for seals and other marine life that may approach to look us over. Be especially attentive to how calm and smooth the waters around us will be. There is seldom as peaceful and quiet a place as these waters and land can be. Keep your cameras dry and enjoy the cruise. |
| 30 day Activities :Kayaking with the whales and watching penguins and sampling local cuisine. Kayaking with Kate Kayaking for me today will be a one day trip because I like the paddling around and the atmosphere of smooth water boating, quiet of the cold, and companionship of other kayakers as we explore the area. I want a lot of pictures of the wildlife and that will be difficult from a kayak. Don't need to drop the camera overboard or have to many shaky pictures. Before we left I stocked up my dry pack with lots of chocolate and the bread that was recommended. I hope its true that the high fat and caloric counts of the food will burn off because of the cold. Just think a real reason to eat a lot of sugar and chocolate instead of trying not to eat it. I'm really nervous about kayaks and whales in the same waters. Although whales are known for trying to protect boaters from predators like the leopard seals. Antarctica was discovered by Whalers. If we are going to spend the night there, sleeping out under the stars. We will probably dig a trench or sleeping hole, spread our mat and polar sleeping bag, Then snuggle down into the bag and watch the awesome polar sky full of stars overhead. After it was discovered the land was claimed by numerous countries. Among the claimants Chili is actually the closest one to Antarctica. this surprised me because I thought it was closest to Australia. Ten Chilean children have actually been born on the cold continent. At one time there was, of course, a lot of hostility about who would own this frozen land and ice mass. This prompted the USA to issue this statement of policy in 1924. It is the opinion of this Department that the discovery of lands unknown to civilization, even when coupled with a formal taking of possession, does not support a valid claim of sovereignty, unless the discovery is followed by an actual settlement of the discovered country. The area south of 60 degrees South is designated by the Antarctic Treaty is a scientific preserve, and military activity is banned. The treaty came into force in 1961 and is currently signed by 50 countries. The treaty encourages scientific cooperation and does not recognize, dispute nor establish sovereign claims. 50 different survey stations have been established by 12 different countries for research of the continent. Antarctica is a land mass that holds approximately 80 percent of the fresh water reserves of the entire earth. One of the concerns presently is that those reserves will melt into the salt water seas. I found a lot of You tube information about recent discoveries of new melted holes in the ice pack, under ice caves and tunnels that are actually warm enough to possibly have living organic creatures which have not been yet discovered. However there are organic DNA that have been discovered there but are presently not identified with any DNA on the earth. So, science is working on the mysteries of Antarctica. A couple called Kara and Nate have posted travel videos on You tube of their adventures on cruise ships, that travel to Antarctica. You can learn a lot about how to dress for the cold, see penguins, seals, and killer whales. One of their videos is about an actual cruise they took complete with a polar plunge. Another is a sleep over on Antarctica. There have been 1600 meteorites collected on Antarctica since 1976. They are easily spotted because the makeup of the meteorite causes the ice to melt off it leaving it visible to the collector. One of these pieces of rock from outer space has been accurately identified as being from Mars. Another mystery not yet solved. How did we get a piece of mars on planet earth. The biggest bird, with the capability of flying, in residence. is the albatross. A special thing that is present in the atmosphere of this frozen land is the silence. It’s a deep beautiful quiet extending over the land. Broken only by the sea creatures when they chatter, calling back and forth as they rest from swimming in the sea. There is a special current that flows around Antarctica that keeps the cold into the land mass. Another interesting scientific feature. As the ice melts and science discovers more about the continent it will be newsworthy. I’m off to dress warmly for a day of exploring the continent. As a group we can dig a trench and sleep out in polar bags tonight. Let’s take some photos of the stars tonight. I wonder if you can feed the wildlife? As long as it isn’t me they are eating. Bye Till Later.  |
 DOWN UNDER Quote I Used: “Antarctica, you know, that giant continent at the bottom of the earth ruled by penguins and seals.” by C.B. Cook, Twinepathy. Antarctica is the 5th largest continent. The largest land animal is a wingless midge, Belgica antarctica. It’s about 0.5 inches ;able to survive through winters on the continent and lives to eat other types of insects that live there during the summers. As for penguins and seals they mostly live in the oceans off the coast of Antarctica. They eat the krill and other small ocean inhabitants. They rest on the land, birth and raise their young there. But, truly inhabit the sea along the coast. The most dangerous mammal is the Leopard Seal which will eat anything and has been known to attack humans. It is also known to attack small boats sometimes. So, beware kayakers. I guess the very fact the animals can withstand the climate makes them rulers by social abilities. Twinepathy sounds like a story to be read. According to C. B. Cook , from his blog World of the Writer, found at Wordpress.com, Twinepathy is now on the shelves for 4 years and a new book is coming out soon. There is more to learn about the continent down under than I ever noticed before. I’m on my way now to do more research. Until another day; Happy Trails in the snow. (Then why is it so warm here?)  |
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