Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[tikay]

Had a great walk earlier - took Kerry out and it was dark, but so clear that the moonlight was enough to not only cast shadows, but even enough to see the shadow of each puff of pipe smoke I exhaled. Took her a couple of miles, walking at a nice slow pace, enjoying views in the moonlight that made the lace I know so well look totally different. While walking along for a brief moment I almost started believing in ghosts, before I realised it was a barn owl, about 50 yards away, almost luminous in the moonlight.

The rain, the storms, the annoyances of living in the sticks, all drift away on a night like that, when I'd not swap my wee bit hill & glen for anywhere.

I'm now googling how I could get a picture on a night like that - because I'd love to show how nice the world looks in silvery tones and darkness (although I know you'll know the same feeling Red).

That's a bit spooky, Rod.

As you may know, the topic is not one that especially floats any boats for me, I just don't have much appreciation for such things. I wish I had, but there you go. 

Anyway, on Radio 4 this morning, they interviewed this mad woman - not mad mad, but struck me as a bit eccentric - who lives in (on?) the Island of Sark.

And she was saying that in (on?) places like Sark, they have a different sky. 

Which is nonsense, of course, but what she meant was that, because it is devoid of light pollution, or industrial pollutants, the sky is visible much more clearly at night in places like Sark. She said she can see all the constellations, Milky Way & everything, with great clarity.

She went on to say that, across the world, there are now several "Sky Parks", places where it is much easier to see the wonders of the night sky.

[tikay]

...and in a weird PS to that, until this morning, I swear to God, I thought Sark was a remote Scottish Island, Western Isles or somesuch.

I was puzzled by her un-Scottish accent though, so googled it. Turns out it's in the Channel Islands.

Which means that every time I read a post by blonde poster Sark79, I always imagined it as if he spoke with a Scottish accent, & when he toild his charming little tales of plumbers & whatnot, I imagined them being in Scotland.

I'm not the only one who thought that, am I?

[TightEnd]

Sark79 is Scottish.

Sark is in the channel islands. feudal government based on laws from the Norman times, iirc. 600 people, or close to

[TightEnd]

" Sark was designated as a Dark Sky Community and the first Dark Sky Island in the world"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark-sky_preserve

[tikay]

" Sark was designated as a Dark Sky Community and the first Dark Sky Island in the world"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark-sky_preserve

Ahh yes, that was the term the Mad Woman used - "Dark Sky Park".

Fancy that - a Dark Sky Park.

Light Day Parks coming soon, no doubt. 

[tikay]

Sark79 is Scottish.

Sark is in the channel islands. feudal government based on laws from the Norman times, iirc. 600 people, or close to

That'll be what confused us all. Glad it was not just booder & me thought it was in Scotland.

[RED-DOG]

did you watch the hunt last night?

no spoilers until you confirm but there was one moment that made me gasp

No Rich, I haven't watched it yet.

[Rod Paradise]

Had a great walk earlier - took Kerry out and it was dark, but so clear that the moonlight was enough to not only cast shadows, but even enough to see the shadow of each puff of pipe smoke I exhaled. Took her a couple of miles, walking at a nice slow pace, enjoying views in the moonlight that made the lace I know so well look totally different. While walking along for a brief moment I almost started believing in ghosts, before I realised it was a barn owl, about 50 yards away, almost luminous in the moonlight.

The rain, the storms, the annoyances of living in the sticks, all drift away on a night like that, when I'd not swap my wee bit hill & glen for anywhere.

I'm now googling how I could get a picture on a night like that - because I'd love to show how nice the world looks in silvery tones and darkness (although I know you'll know the same feeling Red).

That's a bit spooky, Rod.

As you may know, the topic is not one that especially floats any boats for me, I just don't have much appreciation for such things. I wish I had, but there you go. 

Anyway, on Radio 4 this morning, they interviewed this mad woman - not mad mad, but struck me as a bit eccentric - who lives in (on?) the Island of Sark.

And she was saying that in (on?) places like Sark, they have a different sky. 

Which is nonsense, of course, but what she meant was that, because it is devoid of light pollution, or industrial pollutants, the sky is visible much more clearly at night in places like Sark. She said she can see all the constellations, Milky Way & everything, with great clarity.

She went on to say that, across the world, there are now several "Sky Parks", places where it is much easier to see the wonders of the night sky.

I'm just a few miles (walking) from the UK's first Dark Sky Park (Galloway Forest Park), a fair distance driving though. It is amazing how much more you can see when there's not much ambient light.

Next time you come up to Scotland you should visit Dumfries and Galloway, castles, wildlife (they're filming Autumnwatch at Caerlaverock Castle at the moment), the town of Wigtown has a book festival that is very popular, they hold a gold panning championship every year, & lots of other stuff on. Lots think they need to go past Glasgow into the Trossachs or up to the Highlands, but there's lots in the south as well.

[Rod Paradise]

did you watch the hunt last night?

no spoilers until you confirm but there was one moment that made me gasp

I really enjoyed last night's episode -  the flying fish hunt was outstanding. I also personally enjoyed the film of the sargassum fish hunting - as a kid my mate and I found one in a bunch of sargasso weed blown to Bermuda in a storm & were given a guided tour of the marine biology institute as a reward, they'd never had a live one to study at that point.

[TightEnd]

Alan McFadyen has spent six years and taken 720,000 photos attempting to take the perfect shot of a kingfisher diving. As a young boy Alan was taken by his grandfather Robert Murray to see the nesting spot beside the beautiful lakeside location near Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 40 years ago.

yesterday, he got the photo

[Rod Paradise]

Alan McFadyen has spent six years and taken 720,000 photos attempting to take the perfect shot of a kingfisher diving. As a young boy Alan was taken by his grandfather Robert Murray to see the nesting spot beside the beautiful lakeside location near Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 40 years ago.

yesterday, he got the photo

Wow!! What a shot!!

BTW Tikay, Kirkudbright is in Dumfries & Galloway as well.

[RED-DOG]

Mrs Red said the sign over Poundland is duck egg blue.

I said she was a divvy, and there is no such color as duck egg blue.
 
After Google proved me wrong I asked why she said it in the first place and she said, "That picture of Poundland on blonde is photoshopped. The sign should be duck egg blue".

[RED-DOG]

When the microwave instructions say 'Pierce film lid' how many times do you pierce?

Mrs Red and I differ wildly on this one.

Click to see full-size image.

[Karabiner]

When the microwave instructions say 'Pierce film lid' how many times do you pierce?

Mrs Red and I differ wildly on this one.

Click to see full-size image.

I'd say half a dozen or so, but if you think that's tricky could you tell me how you are supposed to "pierce film lid and stir half-way through cooking" as per the instructions for oven heating sainsbury's macaroni cheese.

[RED-DOG]

Leading the witness..


After 27 years with Vodafone I'm leaving and porting my number to 3 mobile.

I spoke to customer support today, which turned out to be a very helpful chap from India. When all my questions were answered he asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with and how very 100% satisfied are you?"