Spring must be here!
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Garden maintenance
It's that time of year again... Spring is imminent. We had to go out in the garden yesterday to replace the pond netting. It had not survived the winter well what with the snow and ice, and a couple of times this week the heron was spotted in the pond trying to take advantage of his very own 'all you can eat buffet'. Well, no longer. This year we started from one end and then instead of starting again with the second sheet from the far end we started from the middle - we got a good few feet lapped and tied it with plant ties. No way in for the long legged bird!!!
Whilst we were out there we dead headed the rhododendron bush (which badly needed it) making an ad-hoc feeding station for the smaller garden birds!
The robins and all the other garden birds are totally not bothered by our activities... both thin robin and fat robin came to investigate the newly filled food tray!
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Experiments with light and glass
The camera and I were enjoying the sunset... I got up close and personal with the crystals hanging in the window as sun-catchers.
Then the camera and I got up close and personal with the crystal bubble ball... helped by the colour changing light underneath.
Lastly I managed to catch my glow in the dark rubber ducks, well, glowing in the dark!
Then the camera and I got up close and personal with the crystal bubble ball... helped by the colour changing light underneath.
Lastly I managed to catch my glow in the dark rubber ducks, well, glowing in the dark!
Friday, 5 March 2010
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Ecobuild
I spent this morning at Earls Court enjoying the annual event that is Ecobuild. Call it an Exposition or a Convention - the outcome is the same. A large (extremely large) exhibition hall filled with stands populated with manufacturers and suppliers (mostly) along with a few industry bodies, publishers etc.
With hundreds and hundreds of stands it is a tiring morning... especially with my sense of direction. I had thought to be heading in a straight line through the hall - until I ended up back by a very distinctive stand and I realised that I was, in fact, going in circles.
It's a fantastic way to find out about the latest renewable technologies - although for an eco-friendly event I certainly collected a lot of paper, but no plastic bags - one cotton and one hemp. Easy way to become popular at such an event, give away free bags!
With hundreds and hundreds of stands it is a tiring morning... especially with my sense of direction. I had thought to be heading in a straight line through the hall - until I ended up back by a very distinctive stand and I realised that I was, in fact, going in circles.
It's a fantastic way to find out about the latest renewable technologies - although for an eco-friendly event I certainly collected a lot of paper, but no plastic bags - one cotton and one hemp. Easy way to become popular at such an event, give away free bags!
Friday, 26 February 2010
Thinking about the Internet
Over the last four weeks I've been watching 'The Virtual Revolution' on the BBC. The show looks at the way the internet has changed our lives over the last 20 years... and it really has.
The first time I 'met' the internet was at University... yes, I'm of a generation that didn't have computers at school. We did have a computer lab - it was a very small room with about a dozen machines... we didn't have any classes and my interaction was limited to playing a text game at lunchtime.
At University I discovered the joy of email. My school friends and I, having spent five days a week for seven years in each other's company were scattered to the far corners of the country. Email helped keep in touch, although as the shoe-boxes under my bed will attest, letter writing was far more popular... as were calls to the community payphone.
I don't suppose the 'youth of today' can imagine the way it used to be what with the constant connectivity... Facebook, iPhones, and the rest.
I actually suffer from information overload most of the time. During the week I don't always have time for 'leisure' on the internet. Yes, I do use email and the web several hours a day in the course of my work... but Facebook and reading blogs? Forget about it!
Above is the status bar from my Firefox this morning. Over the week I have accrued 257 unread blog posts and over the last day or so 63 unread emails. Oh dear.
It is hard to remember life before the internet. It is hard to remember life before broadband and the wireless connection. I can find what I want when I want it. My first source for any reference, question or problem is the internet. Shopping, booking events, communication, leisure. You name it and it is out there somewhere in cyberspace. When I use the web I usually know what it is that I am looking for and where I'm going to find it... although I get easily distracted by other links ("Hyper-links - innovation or distraction, discuss").
The problem is that I pretty much run my life with the internet. I use Google for just about EVERYTHING... email, contacts, calendar. Keeping stuff in the cloud makes it easy to manage wherever I am. It has got to the point where my laptop and the internet are synonymous. I had to 'like' one of my Facebook friend's status updates earlier this week.
The first time I 'met' the internet was at University... yes, I'm of a generation that didn't have computers at school. We did have a computer lab - it was a very small room with about a dozen machines... we didn't have any classes and my interaction was limited to playing a text game at lunchtime.
At University I discovered the joy of email. My school friends and I, having spent five days a week for seven years in each other's company were scattered to the far corners of the country. Email helped keep in touch, although as the shoe-boxes under my bed will attest, letter writing was far more popular... as were calls to the community payphone.
I don't suppose the 'youth of today' can imagine the way it used to be what with the constant connectivity... Facebook, iPhones, and the rest.
I actually suffer from information overload most of the time. During the week I don't always have time for 'leisure' on the internet. Yes, I do use email and the web several hours a day in the course of my work... but Facebook and reading blogs? Forget about it!
Above is the status bar from my Firefox this morning. Over the week I have accrued 257 unread blog posts and over the last day or so 63 unread emails. Oh dear.
It is hard to remember life before the internet. It is hard to remember life before broadband and the wireless connection. I can find what I want when I want it. My first source for any reference, question or problem is the internet. Shopping, booking events, communication, leisure. You name it and it is out there somewhere in cyberspace. When I use the web I usually know what it is that I am looking for and where I'm going to find it... although I get easily distracted by other links ("Hyper-links - innovation or distraction, discuss").
The problem is that I pretty much run my life with the internet. I use Google for just about EVERYTHING... email, contacts, calendar. Keeping stuff in the cloud makes it easy to manage wherever I am. It has got to the point where my laptop and the internet are synonymous. I had to 'like' one of my Facebook friend's status updates earlier this week.
IE6 Funeral
I don't think I'll be attending (Denver is a long way to go) - but I'm with them in spirit.
I stopped general and daily use of IE a long time ago when I switched to Firefox. The tabbed browsing and the add-ons made for a better browsing experience. Of course Microsoft got wind of this and the next version of IE did get tabbed browsing.
There is one place I do still use IE though. At work. It is the browser of choice there (although I do have Firefox too as the IT manager gave me permission to download it as it was a more secure browser).
Not only were we running IE at work... we were running IE6. For reasons that have been lost in history (literally as the original IT manager has left) we were told not to upgrade due to a 'software incompatibility'. IE7 came and went... still we used IE6. IE8 arrived, but we were still using IE6. I mentioned this to IT support... asking if they knew that this was the situation and citing the imminent demise of IE6. Let's update to 8 and see what happens. So we did... and do you know what happened? Nothing.
I stopped general and daily use of IE a long time ago when I switched to Firefox. The tabbed browsing and the add-ons made for a better browsing experience. Of course Microsoft got wind of this and the next version of IE did get tabbed browsing.
There is one place I do still use IE though. At work. It is the browser of choice there (although I do have Firefox too as the IT manager gave me permission to download it as it was a more secure browser).
Not only were we running IE at work... we were running IE6. For reasons that have been lost in history (literally as the original IT manager has left) we were told not to upgrade due to a 'software incompatibility'. IE7 came and went... still we used IE6. IE8 arrived, but we were still using IE6. I mentioned this to IT support... asking if they knew that this was the situation and citing the imminent demise of IE6. Let's update to 8 and see what happens. So we did... and do you know what happened? Nothing.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Rainy Sunday
Not that the wildlife seems to mind... the squirrels and the birds are all busy stocking up on food, despite the pouring rain.
The ladybugs have decided that it isn't time to hit the garden yet, and are stubbornly continuing to inhabit our bedroom.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
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Saturday, 6 February 2010
Birds and squirrels
They're not all bird brains - the big fat pigeon still can't work it out... but Anthony and Cleo have got it sussed!
The starlings decide to eschew the tray feeder in favour of hanging from the fat-ball feeder... even though they're a bit big - Mr Blackbird just picks up the bits the others have dropped!
My little fat robin is taking advantage of the newly filled seed tray - little red tennis ball with wings! The squirrels, meanwhile, just carry on eating... regardless of just about any other visitors (including me!)
That time of year already
It's been a bit warmer this week - and that seems to have woken up the ladybugs who spent the winter hibernating in our house (and mostly in our bedroom). Today I have already encourage half a doze out of the window (I want them to get cracking on the aphids and whatnot)... but as it is supposed to be getting colder next week I'm sure they will just come straight back in.
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