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| 28 May 2013 © smck |
Scarred Tree Trunk
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| 28 May 2013 |
This, the original photograph of a scarred tree trunk, I edited with Picasa in the posting Out of the Blue yesterday, 29 May '13
Scarlet Tanager ??
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| 28 May 2013
I am not certain but I believe these are snapshots of a female Scarlet Tanager (Piránga olivaceá). I was some distance away when I took the photographs - and these scenes are computer croppings to enlarge the bird. The size and coloration are very similar to the book description and the beak seems to be right for the Tanager. Years ago when I first moved here there were Scarlet Tanagers (as well as Baltimore Orioles) every summer but for a long time now I have never seen either bird. Hopefully it is the Tanager nesting nearby once again.
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Visitors This Week Ending 27 May 2013
Very welcome visitors this week include Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the U.S.
and today we have Japan
and today we have Japan
p.s. check out the translation button at the top of the left column
One Eye Open
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| April 2013 |
Some animals, like these two ducks, sleep with one eye open and functioning to detect possible danger. While one-half their brain sleeps the other half processes incoming data.
Reading Books
I was browsing my own blog and noticed that my listing of books that I have read is about a year or more out of date - I read voraciously, many 'light' novels, some supposedly more serious or thought provoking than others, and lots of non-fiction from history to the physical world and how we think about it with popular books on mathematics being my favorite 'real reading' relaxation. So I might delete the present listing and start posting current reading with my review - or take - on same. No doubt it will be as sporadic as my reviews of good Scotch whisky. The Scotch review are slow to appear because I do not drink a lot, just the occasional finger or two, a few times a week. While the book reviews will be slow because even though I read more books than I drink my occasional tot of the peaty malt I find it more time consuming to put 'pen to paper' on my feelings about the good read.
Corporate Coelacanth
Corporate
Coelacanth
Who works there?
- in boredom all enthralled
Ah! The Man With Electronic Hoe,
eats white bread,
watches plasma tv,
glides on petroleum wings,
but the stupor of the mind still imbues within.
For Serfs we were and Serfs we are
and Freeman seldom found.
(Save off the coast of Africa where one – long thought extinct -
was hauled, screaming, up from the debts)
- in boredom all enthralled
Ah! The Man With Electronic Hoe,
eats white bread,
watches plasma tv,
glides on petroleum wings,
but the stupor of the mind still imbues within.
For Serfs we were and Serfs we are
and Freeman seldom found.
(Save off the coast of Africa where one – long thought extinct -
was hauled, screaming, up from the debts)
© smck
Visitors This past Week Through 22 May 2013
Welcome Brazil, Columbia, France, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Moldova, and Turkey - hope you become regulars - other regular visitors this week include Canada, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and the U.S.
and today we have Slovenia, Poland and Egypt
and today we have Slovenia, Poland and Egypt
p.s. check out the translation button at the top of the left column
Wren In A Hemlock
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| 18 May 2013 © smck I had just returned from a walk through the wood with Elijah when I heard a half-familiar bird song quite loud in the over hanging Hemlock - I still am not sure if it was Mrs Jenny Wren or not as another small bird flew rapidly away as I crawled under the overhang. |
Ducklings
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| 20 May 2013
About a hundred yards (little less than 100 meters) from the geese on the river but up a small tidal side creek the mallard pair (well a male mallard and a possible hybrid) and several of the little ones gave me the wary eye as I snapped away
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Visitor Update - 22 May '13
Welcome Brazil, Columbia, France, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Moldova, and Turkey - hope you become regulars - other visitors this week include Canada, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and the U.S.
and today we have Slovenia
and today we have Slovenia
p.s. check out the translation button at the top of the left column
Mossy Roof
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| 19 May 2013 |
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| 19 May 2013 |
Our neighboring town across the river is pleasant and quiet and while my wife hosted a meeting of the book club I and my faithful Elijah went out for a drive there in the greyness of the wet day. This well tended small house situated in front of one of the marinas gave me pause with it's covered roof. I have seen it before and always admired the homey beauty of the moss. This day I also noticed some small lifting of the shingles (on the left) and wondered if such a well tended little cottage would have to have the roof repaired. I photographed it while I and the roof still carry on.
Welcome - New Visitors and Old
Welcome Columbia, Moldova, Israel and Malaysia - hope you become regulars - other visitors this week include Canada, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and the U.S.
p.s. check out the translation button at the top of the left column
White-tail Deer - Odocoileus virginianus
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| 18 May 2013 |
Screech Owl
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| Photo and caption by Graham McGeorge |
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/photo-contest/2013/entries/202869/view/
A Heronry of Ardea herodias
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| 18 May 2013 |
The Great Blue Heron’s range is located throughout Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America, and many territories in North America. These include Alaska, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They prefer to live near bodies of water, both fresh and salt varieties. This species is commonly found among marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded meadows, edges of lakes and shorelines. Nesting takes place in tress and bushes near these sources of water. Their diet consists of shellfish, insects, rodents, amphibians, reptiles and small birds. The current conservation status of the Great Blue Heron is Least Concern.
Four on the Floor
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| May 2013 |
I never find a four leaf clover when trying to see them - it's always a corner-of-the-eye thing when I'm doing something else in the yard
Zelda
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| @ 1961 |
I believe that this photo was taken when she was about two and a half years old.
Idus Martiae
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| La Morte di Cesare (1798) by Vincenzo Camuccini The Roman calendar organized its months around three days, each of which served as a reference point for counting the other days:
Days in March
March 2: VI Nones; March 3: V Nones; March 4: IV Nones; March 5: III Nones; March 6: Pridie Nones (Latin for "on the day before"); March 7: Nones; March 15: Ides | |||||
The Balvenie Port Wood 21 Year Old - II
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| 13 May 2013 ©smck |
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| 13 May 2013 ©smck |
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| 13 May 2013 ©smck |
Here are a few photos of The Balvenie miniatures in a package of three - 12, 15, and 21 year old - that I mentioned in my review of 06 May 2013 - front of package, back of package and the then the now empty 21 year old miniature. -
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| 13 May 2013 ©smck |
- and here the 21 year old miniature is juxtaposed next to a 750 ml bottle of the lovely CAOL ILA - which I hope to review in due course - to give some perspective as to their respective sizes
Please bear in mind that the miniatures are certainly an expensive way to buy good Scotch whisky but they do serve an admirable place in letting one try an expensive Scotch without investing a large sum of money into the unknown.
For the review on The Balvenie, Port Wood 21 year old please see the 06 May 2013 posting.