HAPPY NEW WEEK!
Finally getting some warm weather on my patch. The grass turned green in 24 hours!
I hope everyone has a joyful, peaceful spring week!
I'm going to write a mystery novel: The Attack of the Aphid Killer. Who knew Heather was capable of such violence? LOL LOL!
Annette: That link you provided -- about what happens if you fall into a black hole -- is the most fascinating, wonderful article I've ever encountered on the Internet. I've read about this subject, but I've never seen it explained in such a clear and entertaining way. I really enjoyed that. I smiled the whole time I was reading it, so thanks for making my day! "The instant you entered the black hole, reality would split in two. In one, you would be instantly incinerated, and in the other you would plunge into the black hole utterly unharmed.... What happens here, no one knows. Another universe? Oblivion? The back of a bookcase? It's a mystery."
Diane: That black hole video I couldn't find has shown up again on the BBC's Reel section: www.bbc.com/.../the-strange-fate-of-a-person-falling-into-a-black-hole. Incidentally, I like the Back of the Bookcase suggestion. Heather: It was Aphids Under Attack day here too yesterday. They were on the rose buds but I just shot a jet of water from the hose at them (will probably have to do the same today!). I also cut back the olive trees, which have gone mad and were in the face of anyone walking along the sidewalk. Have a huge pile of stuff to cut up for the green barrel and a sprained thumb and, of course, apart from the fact that people can walk by the house without getting slapped in the face, you'd barely know I'd done anything. Just remember to engage your tummy muscles when you bend over to support your back. :-)) I see Julian Assange has been arrested and is now gone from the Ecuadorian Embassy. I can imagine they're over the moon to see the back of him judging by their complaints about his personal habits and attitude over the last year. Wonder who got the cat.... I went off to the very traditional-looking Presbyterian Church downtown last evening to hear the New College Choir from Oxford (wonder what happened to the old one...). Anyway, the performance (all church music and mostly in Latin) was completely sold out and they'd put up folding chairs in the aisles to accommodate the folks who hadn't bought tickets but just turned up. First part was very modern and what I assume they call atonal? I might call it discordant but I'm sure there's a musical distinction. Second half was more melodic and traditional and easier on my ears. They got a hugely positive response from the audience and sang Shenandoah as an encore. Some of the boys in the choir were so tiny you could barely see them over the pews; I wondered if their parents had come along on the tour. I spoke to one boy after the performance and asked if they were having fun on the trip - "Lots," he said and that they were going to the beach today. Big smile. They're off to St. Louis, Missouri next. EDIT: I see the New College was founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham, so "new" by Old Europe standards. The choir master mentioned that at the beginning and got a laugh when he said he suspected that William didn't anticipate the choir visiting Santa Barbara......
Hello... replies from me, later. But I've come on to put up more pics, whilst my beef stew is simmering & before my OH returns home from the allotment. We stayed in a new apartment and loved it. The view of the mountains out the window and from the terrace was great. Pics of that later. First, here is a trip we took South of where we were.
Hmmnn... my first pic has come out at the top of the post, but never mind. This is a view from a favourite Mirador, or viewpoint of ours, where you can see in several directions for miles across the valley behind and the coast in front. I have in fact posted pictures of this before, but this year the flowers were really good, planted around the place. Close up of them:
View from one of the terraces (you can see some of the others in the front of this) over the valley and towards where we are staying, on the coast, miles away.
- - Inside, a very good exhibition of the flora and fauna on the island: I took pics of the interesting bits. Some of the birds which can be found there.
Then a good one of the white Egrets which we see along the seashore.
And the main Raptor, an Egyptian Vulture, who we saw last year circling the sky when in a main valley.
more of the pretty yellow flowers, planted around the main building there. There were hordes of coach tourists, coming in and milling around. Sadly, we found the coffee shop to be closed, just when we had promised ourselves a treat!