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While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics



 
 
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  #151  
Old August 15th 08, 12:25 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Trish Brown
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Posts: 464
Default OT: Garden talk with Trish (was) While you stitch - who'swatching the Olympics

Jangchub wrote:


snip

Brugs are woody, Datura are herbaceous.


snip

Ah! Thanks for that. Yes, I've looked them both up and see what you
mean. D. stramonium is a serious pasture pest over here. It only takes a
small amount to do serious injury to stock. Isn't it funny that potatoes
and tomatoes belong to the same family, yet are not poisonous?


Yeah, they're Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. Great big fellas that weigh a
kilo or two and hit the roof like a ton o'brix!


I've had one on my arm. Intimidating, they are. But I know they are
mush pots.


Hah! Don't bet! Ever been bitten by a cranky one? Their bills are very,
very strong! Not so long ago, I had occasion to rescue one from Alice,
who had plucked it from the backyard. I nearly lost both thumbs as Cocky
chewed on them!

Sadly, people are very unkind to animals and don't do a page of
reading before buying a parrot. They are not an easy pet to have. If
I told you what I had to cook and prepare for Mika you'd think she
was a child I was caring for!


Pets are just like children aren't they? When you take on a pet, you're
taking on responsibility for its entire life, just as you do with
children. My sister cooks up the most amazing smorgasbords for her dogs
and we put a lot of effort into exotic meals for sick horses back when
we had them.

snip

Yeah, see. Poor things. It is illegal in the US now to take them
from the wild. I'm sure it doesn't stop people from stealing the
Hyacinth Macaws from the wild. Those sell for thirty thousand dollars
each in many cases for a mating pair, more than twice that. They are
the largest of the Macaws and can easily take a hand off at the wrist
with one chomp.


Oz parrots are very much sought-after on the international black market.
People are getting nicked all the time for illegal bird smuggling and
there are still filthy sods who trap them illegally from the wild. We
have strict licensing laws and you can't buy or sell one unless you have
a permit from Parks and Wildlife. Some of the more common species,
though, like Galahs and SCresteds, aren't regulated because they're so -
well - common!

When I was a kid, you hardly ever saw a parrot around the towns. They
were only to be seen way out west in the farming country. I think the
ongoing drought has brought them ever closer toward the coast in search
of food and water so that now we get quite large flocks in the cities.
These days, we regularly see rosellas, galahs, corellas, lorikeets and,
of course, the cockies. Probably about twenty or so species in all. I've
even seen Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying up my street (which is PB
remarkable, as they're a rainforesty species and the nearest thick
forest would be an hour away).

snip

I have been trying to teach Mika that she is a bird and should be
chewing stuff. I buy her chew toys, balsa wood, puzzles, etc. She
only wants her bells to dingle all day. She can drive me crazy when
she gets her ding on!


LOLOLOL! Don't try too hard - she might learn to chew on you and that's
not desirable.

We have problems here in TX with vultures collecting on
electrical towers by the hundreds. Huge birds which they are afraid
will topple towers. The only wild parrots we have here are ones which
got out of their cages. In Austin in the City Park is a flock of Monk
Parrots aka Quaker and in San Francisco they have a flock of Cherry
Headed Conures. There is a film about them called "The Parrots of
Telegraph Hill."


Cherry Headed Conures are just gorgeous, aren't they? Will trot off to
Google your Monk Parrots - I don't know them.

I get excited when the Cedar waxwings come. Nomads they are.


I've seen photos of those - they're so pretty! We have nothing remotely
like them here in Oz.

The main attraction here are our Mexican freetail bats. We live in
the path they take every night. There is an overpass on the highway
which is built exactly the way bats like it. Bat houses look similar
underneath. This is known as the McNeil Bridge Bats and is the second
largest urban bat colonies either in the US or it could be in the
world. The first largest is downtown under the newly named Ladybird
Johnson Bridge, formerly The Congress Avenue Bridge. There are a few
million bats there. That is a sight at dusk.


Bats are cool! I mean, I won't be sorry to wave 'bye-'bye to the colony
in our palm tree (mostly on account of all the b@tcr@p) but I still like
their feisty little natures. The Mums with babies on their backs are
great to watch. The tiny batlets are sooooo cuuuute, my kids want one
for a pet. Erk. I do draw the line there. Imagine shovelling b@tcr@p on
a daily basis!

snip

They love to fly through mist, so I stand
there like a nut with the hose nozzle mist thing on waiting for them.


Heeheehee! You sound just like me! That's exactly the sort of thing I
would do. DH can't believe that I'm willing to stand, motionless, for
half an hour just to get a glimpse of some creature or another. But
every living thing is fascinating and I'd rather watch that that stupid
telly.

snip

I have a friend who bought two hundred acres in Costa Rica. On the
property are three small houses and ten of the acres have a vanilla
orchid production. I wonder how many people know that vanilla beans
are the seed pods of the vanilla orchid. When I get organized I will
give it another try. I do like them very much.


Oo! Oo! Me! I knew that! I'd like to have a go at Stanhopeas, the ones
that flower out the bottoms of their pots. And Oncidiums, the dancing
ladies. They grow wild in gardens here in N'cle along with the
Epidendrums, which grow like weeds. Our native Dendrobiums are lovely,
but the flowers are very small - only a centimetre or two across.

Once, we went on a family picnic to place called Boarding House Dam. I
took the kids on a bushwalk and found an incredible glade of mountain
beech trees just *dripping* with all sorts of orchids. None were in
flower, but I could just imagine how they would look in season. I'm
hoping to have another trip up that way in the Spring so I can see the
flowers. Sadly, people are usually all too ready to nick the epiphytes
for their gardens so it's pretty special to find such a place still intact.

snip

I like grey-green. I have several artemesias which are actually
thriving on neglect. Do you grow Phormiums there? In New Zealand
they have wonderful flax plants.


No, I think Phormiums are a notifiable plant. That is, they're likely to
achieve pest status. We have a few noxious imports such as pampas grass,
lantana, ipomoea, yucca and brambles. There are no natural predators of
these and so they just go mental in the bush, choking it up and
squidging out all the native plants and birds.


They build new houses here like that. Big giant McMansions with ten
feet between them.


I always wonder who vacuums those huge places. I've only got a
pocket-hanky to vacuum and that suits me fine. ;-

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  #152  
Old August 15th 08, 02:36 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Karen C in California
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Posts: 1,010
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

I like my age until the knee pops.

Cheryl


Mine's been popping since I was 17. I don't let THAT make me feel old.

--
Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/
  #153  
Old August 15th 08, 02:50 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Karen C in California
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Posts: 1,010
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

lucretia borgia wrote:
You don't know they are, anymore than I know they are not. I merely
pointed out that most Chinese women are far smaller than their NA
counterparts. So because these gymnasts look too young, it doesn't
mean much in talking about Chinese women.



In a sport dominated by extremely short people, one of these looks
extremely short compared to her teammates. She looks extremely young
compared to her teammates who are supposedly the same age.

And, as the article points out, there was an article on China News
Service saying that she's 13 which suddenly disappeared from their
website this morning. Someone has also found her name in a birth
registry which would also make her under the legal age to compete.

The issue is that there are legitimate reasons to believe that they were
using at least one underage gymnast, and therefore, should forfeit their
medals because they broke the rules.

--
Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

Finished 7/27/08 - MLI Christmas Visit

WIP: Oriental Kimono (Janlynn), MLI The Teacher (gift to
the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://journals.aol.com/kmc528/Lifeasweknowit/
  #155  
Old August 15th 08, 05:47 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Trish Brown
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Posts: 464
Default OT: Garden talk with Trish (was) While you stitch - who'swatching the Olympics

Jangchub wrote:

snip

People. Don't get me started. I'm supposed to be a practicing
Buddhist and I suppose a way to describe a big part of that practice
is kindness. People, not so much YET.


One thing I've learned after too many years of ranting about people is
that most of them *just don't know* about the natural world. Only those
brought up on farms or trained from youth to look closely at living
things have the faintest clue about it all. I never ceased to be amazed
by how little people notice around them. Today, while our tree was being
chopped down (Hooray!!!!!) an Australian Hobby (falcon) flew by, hot in
pursuit of some poor bird or other. Of the eight people in our yard, I
was the only one who noticed it swoosh by! Not one other person even
looked up to the flurry of its wings or the loud cry it was giving.

So don't be too hard on people. Just teach them when you can.

No, I think Phormiums are a notifiable plant. That is, they're likely to
achieve pest status. We have a few noxious imports such as pampas grass,
lantana, ipomoea, yucca and brambles. There are no natural predators of
these and so they just go mental in the bush, choking it up and
squidging out all the native plants and birds.


Yes, I can understand. We have the same plant problems with the
Pampas grass, especially in California. The biggest problem pest is
purple loosestrife
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environmen...osestrife.aspx

Too bad, it's such a pretty thing.


It *is*! We have one with an equally romantic name. In it's native UK,
it's called 'Viper's Bugloss', which I think is a hoot. Here in Oz, we
call it 'Paterson's Curse' because it's not too good for the cattle.
Over in South Australia, though, they call it 'Salvation Jane' because
it saves the sheep from starving during drought.

http://www.dungeness-nnr.co.uk/image...rs_bugloss.jpg

Also a pretty thing, IMHO.

I always wonder who vacuums those huge places. I've only got a
pocket-hanky to vacuum and that suits me fine. ;-


Ya got me. One of my friends has a 3500 square foot house with five
bedrooms and four bathrooms all for two people. The vacuum in my moms
house is built into the wall and the canister is in the basement, but
she lives way up on Long Island which is thousands of miles away.


Holy Dooley, I could make great use of such a large space. All our stuff
has to be packed in boxes and tubs. If you need to get at anything, it's
like playing Chinese Puzzles. Then again... that vacuuming...
Naaaaahhhh... LOL!

Well, off to do the day. After I water outside I plan to stitch all
day and night. Have a goodie.


I'm sitting here at 2.30am listening to Rammstein with my DH and
watching the Olympix on and off. I might toddle off to bed! Enjoy your
stitchin'!

'night! ;-D
  #156  
Old August 20th 08, 07:47 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
ellice
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Posts: 2,939
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

On 8/13/08 4:41 PM, "Joan E." wrote:

On Aug 13, 3:08 pm, lucretia borgia
wrote:

I guess I did quite often speed up when I saw an MP jeep behind me lol


Unlike these days????

Joan (rdh!!!!)

Funny, something like I was thinking

Ellice, also rdh

  #157  
Old August 20th 08, 08:48 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Dr. Brat
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Posts: 803
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

lucretia borgia wrote:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:47:07 GMT, ellice opined:


On 8/13/08 4:41 PM, "Joan E." wrote:


On Aug 13, 3:08 pm, lucretia borgia
wrote:


I guess I did quite often speed up when I saw an MP jeep behind me lol

Unlike these days????

Joan (rdh!!!!)


Funny, something like I was thinking

Ellice, also rdh



Maligned again while in my dotage lol


Dotage, my ass!

--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
  #158  
Old August 20th 08, 09:57 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Joan E.
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Posts: 978
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

On Aug 20, 2:09 pm, lucretia borgia
wrote:

Maligned again while in my dotage lol


I can only hope to be as feisty as you in *my* dotage! LOL

Joan
  #159  
Old August 20th 08, 10:35 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
Lucille[_3_]
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Posts: 1,234
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics


"lucretia borgia" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:48:38 -0400, "Dr. Brat"
opined:



Maligned again while in my dotage lol


Dotage, my ass!


I had my dental check this a.m. and when I was leaving the
receptionist said to me "All well?" and I said "Yes, healthy again, if
anybody is waiting for me to die they are **** out of luck so far"
this poor man in the waiting room nearly passed out laughing.

That's what left for us old 'uns, catch you young 'uns unawares
(rare Canuck smiley)




Good for you, you gotta keep them on their toes.



  #160  
Old August 20th 08, 10:45 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.needlework
ellice
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Posts: 2,939
Default While you stitch - who's watching the Olympics

On 8/20/08 3:09 PM, "lucretia borgia" wrote:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:47:07 GMT, ellice opined:

On 8/13/08 4:41 PM, "Joan E." wrote:

On Aug 13, 3:08 pm, lucretia borgia
wrote:

I guess I did quite often speed up when I saw an MP jeep behind me lol

Unlike these days????

Joan (rdh!!!!)

Funny, something like I was thinking

Ellice, also rdh


Maligned again while in my dotage lol


We should all have such dotages.....

(don't faint - I think that's a compliment)

Ellice

 




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