Elephant!

 Hawk moth, that is.  Well, in caterpillar form, anyway:

 

 I whined over at Ms Nations' place not so long ago that I hadn't seen an elephant hawk moth caterpillar in years.  However, while on my way back from the allotment earlier, what should be crossing the track but this enormous thing - it was as big as my finger!

 

 [I was going to put up a Garden Photos Event reminder today, but time has escaped me, so I'll do one next week instead)]

Energise your scrolling finger...

 You know what I haven't bored you with for ages?  Beach sunrise photos! 

 We haven't done one of these since the beginning of the year (if you do click the link to reminisce, just note that in the depths of winter the sun rises behind the cliffs rather than out to sea as in the following photos). And before that there was something in May last year, albeit not quite as spectacular as that one from September 2021. 

 

 Well, I'm here to put that right with some photos taken on this morning's pre-work walk and a little music to accompany your scrolling: Aria on Air by Malcolm McLaren & Yanni

Boys Shorts Total Attraction

"The black snot thing ends immediately north of EN6"

 Oh, shit!  Is it my go?  

 Yes!

 Where's the rota?  Is it really my go?  I'm not ready!

 Oh, for fu-  Here, do one of Jon's laziest most efficient-type posts:

Nine common problems that can be solved by moving the f**k out of London

CAN’T afford a house? Can’t afford a meal out? Travelling six miles takes two hours and costs you £40? Have you considered getting the f**k out of London?

No affordable rents: With the capital full of other young professional housemates stealing your shampoo, have you considered living outside it? In provincial towns like Chorley and Sleaford where rent is low? They’ve got electricity and tapas, allegedly. 

No nightlife options: Restaurants and nightclubs in London are famous and famously expensive. Restaurants and nightclubs in the rest of the country are less so, and often called things like The Wheatsheaf Grill or Zanzibar’s, but you can go to them.

No affordable transport: A system of underground trains in a major city is expensive. Getting the bus in Barnsley is not. Riding a bike in Wrexham is practically free. And have you considered walking to work in Warrington? It can be done, crazy as it sounds.

Overcrowding: It’s impossible to find a patch of London park not commandeered by boot camp fitness twats, rowdy bored-shitless teenagers or mums playing ‘here we go round the Mulberry bag’ for a two-year-old’s party. Could it possibly be because there’s too f**king many of you in the same place?

No time to see friends: Lengthy commutes, long working hours and spiralling service costs mean that even in the same city, you only see friends on Zoom. Are you getting it yet? That the city is a nightmare and you could just piss off somewhere nicer?

Gentrification: Be the gentrifier. Take your fancy arsehole graduate job and go and gentrify Ashton-under-Lyne. All it actually means is buying a cheap house and making the area more pleasant. Is that so evil, or are your values horrendously warped?

Pollution: You know the black snot thing ends immediately north of EN6, don’t you? You sneer when your provincial friends come down and complain about it? Then what’s stopping you moving to Staffordshire? Fear of big cats?

I’ll never get on the property ladder: No, you f**king won’t. Nor will you ever buy in Manhattan, Tokyo or Sandbanks, so have you considered living somewhere you can afford like normal people do?

I can’t talk about anything but living in London: This one is absolutely solved after six months in Stafford after which you will, finally, get over yourself. Unless you move to Cornwall or the Cotswolds. It’s still the sole topic of conversation with the refugees there.

 

The Daily Mash 

Of course.

The Sunday Blogger Club and other stories

 As I seem incapable of putting together any of the blog posts that have been lurking at the back of our mind recently, here is a quick update on some of the books and doujinshi manga we've read recently instead.  

 

 I stopped reading Smoke and Mirrors as it was too miserable and grim.  To help the Host get over it, while I was waiting in the Cusp departure lounge for my portal home, I picked up a copy of The Sunday Blogger Club.  But only because it came with a free blogging rota.

 You see, I've been on a "business trip" Over the Cusp;  The Very Mistress took to her fainting chaise in 1973 and has barely been seen since;  Jon is on holiday and jetting off to Amsterdam or somesuch;  Maddie seems to have only just got back and she's off again;  Mago managed a Sunday Music on Saturday - No, not the following one, Saturday before - which has thrown us all for a loop;  And Ms Scarlet emigrated from Wordpress to Blogger and now needs a prompt to get her going!

 Yes, I think that rota will come in very handy.

 

 Anyway.  Back to the reading material:

 A Fine Life - The story of a nascent witch whose unwanted commitments and obligations are arranged away by an unseen imp.  Although the witch is vaguely aware of the imp and its interventions, they do not know the full extent of the imp's arrangements and the subsequent consequences wreaked upon their friends and family.  Although, they are beginning to suspect.

 

 The Furtherest Ones - A collection of tales of unobtainable love and inappropriate lust in a beautiful but terrible land beyond the reach of mere mortals.  One such tale is about a sea spirit who yearns to touch the sun, even knowing that should it be possible, they'll evaporate.  They are teased by the Moon, and are drawn to him as a tide, but the Moon always releases them before they can overcome their world's gravity and join the Sun and the Moon as they dance together in the sky.

 Spindle: Wind the Thread Around Xem - A book about how to structure and write novels of the classic Karskat genre.  It's a bit awkward - translated as it is from ancient Andorii.

 Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier, by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann

 This is my first Trek book purchase for a LONG time.  And I only got it because it was a fiver instead of £35!

 I've only had time to flick through it so far, and seems not as comprehensive or detailed as I'd like, but it does have some wonderful concept art and gorgeous photographs.  My favourite Trek film, STIII: The Search For Spock appears to be well served with a good covering of the civilian clothing and Vulcan garments. 

 Definitely worth £5.

 T.S.D. Master of Poison Radio Wave and other selected manga of Dokudenpa Jushintei, by Kobucha Omaso. 

 Some of these tales of young men coming to terms with their sexuality and dealing with first love/lust are very dear and quite charming.  They're illustrated with adorable looking young men sporting perfect bodies and seemingly endless reserves of energy - which ends up being used for a LOT of gleefully drawn, enthusiastic sex!  But that's only a part of it - it's the emotional stuff that's most important, of course.

 Only a few are translated into English, and even that's rather hit-and-miss, but it's quite fun to imagine what's going on and what the characters are saying.  (I've run a few through Google Translate images and that's even more hit-and-miss, but I get the gist)

 Oh, and there are some that are definitely not my cup of tea, such as the ones with chibi or too young looking characters, and the ones with tentacles (I just don't get it).

 

Danger: RUDE!  For the gentlemen who prefer to travel up the chocolate escalator or are a receiver of swollen goods*, and anyone else who may be curious, click here for T.S.D. vol.1.  And once you're there, I'd recommend right-clicking any link to open in a new window - even if only clicking to the next page - to prevent unwanted video sex websites opening.  I use Firefox which blocks most pop-ups, but doesn't seem to catch them all on the linked to BaraMangaOnline site.

* Thank you, Derek:

The Birds and the Bees: A Garden Photos Event Q&A

"What if my wildlife photos have critters in them but you can't see the plants/flowers because the critters are sat on a patch of grass or open space?

Does that count as a submission, nonetheless?"

 

asked The Very Mistress in the comments of the previous GPE reminder post.

 

 Yes, it's reminder time again for:

 

the House of

 

I N F O M A N I A C

 

Garden Photos Event 2023

 Well, The Very Mistress raises a good point, and one that's been on my mind lately as I've taken some close-up photos around the garden, but without background for context, they could have been taken anywhere.  So, I have come up with a couple of solutions:

 

I spied this variety of ichneumon wasp (Amblyjoppa proteus - at least I think that's what it is?) while enjoying a G&T in my shade garden

Bitey wishes it to be known that these rather tiny, ambulatory anal beads do NOT belong to him.  And they're certainly not mine, either!

"Admiral! There be whales here!"

 Just popping in to drop off some things I've found:

 

 The lovely Lee Pace in Foundation season 2: "The Fight" (although, he's doing things that are slightly less lovely than those done by Ned the Pieman in Pushing Daisies which is where he first came to my attention) found at Tor.com here.

(I don't watch Foundation - don't have Apple TV - and haven't read the books, but Lee Pace!!!)

 

 

The Bullet That Missed, by Richard Osman.

 

 Well, I didn't find this - my sister, Indescribable, lent it to me (just as she did the first two).  I'm enjoying it just as much as the others, and I'm rather looking forward to the fourth in the series - The Last Devil To Die - later this year.

 

 Also, I think I have a crush on Bogdan...

 

 (Don't mind my Ctenanthe amabilis - it was rather put out that I haven't featured it on the blog yet, so I let it loll around in the background for this shot)

 

 

 . . . 

 

 Let's have some music, shall we?

 

 Röyksopp - 'The Next Day' ft. Jamie Irrepressible (Mind Against Remix)

 

 

 . . .

 

Oh!  Remember to take some photos of fields & grass for Melanie's Nature Led July photo challenge.

 

Skylark field (off Madam's Lane) from this morning's Bitey walk

 

 

 . . . 

 I'll leave you with this exhilarating clip from Fantasia 2000: Humpback whales flying to Pines of Rome, by Ottorino Respighi.

(Now I want to watch Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home!)

[From which this post's title was taken)]

Water, Water Everywhere!

June is Water Month over at Melanie's Nature Led blog, and she wants to see

"your bodies

– of water that is!  Ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, fountains being appreciated by wildlife, your favorite puddle or bog."

(Click the link for full 'terms & conditions')

 So, with that in mind, I set out with Camera yesterday to see what I could snap.  Unfortunately, yesterday lunchtime down on the beach was a bit dismal (but warm), and quite people even though the tide was in!  Suffice to say, the few water-related photos I took were rather lacklustre:

I availed myself of a swim while I was down there.

That's my stuff draped on the revetment on the right.  And, look - on the far left: People!

Because someone wondered where the cormorants were.

Time for Cloverfield...

 ... Just not the one with the gigantic, people-squashing, city-destroying, monster.

I am extremely pleased with how this sun-behind-a-dandelion-clock photo came out.  Extremely.

The clover field in question

Which, thankfully, was "ready for it's close-up, Mr Device"

Lost in the Sunshine

Thank you for sharing your latest tune, Sophie.

And how apt is its title for this sunny Bank Holiday weekend?!

 

 We thought we'd get in quick before the flurry of blog activity that is bound to occur on Sunday.  After Mago's startling Sunday Music on a Saturday he returned to the normal Sunday showing last week, so I expect more of the same tomorrow.  Ms Scarlet has all but promised to publish something tomorrow too (it was too misty to do so on Wednesday, apparently).  And what if Mr Peenee and Dinah make another appearance?? 

 And then, of course, there are the blogging stalwarts who show up every day come rain or shine (except when they're on holiday - remember to fill in the Holiday Rota!): Jon, Mistress Maddie, and Mr Tonking.

 Anyway, in the absence of anything more interesting, may I present the photos of Bertie Bitey on the beach (which I didn't get around to last week), my Little Red Bush, and something from this morning.

 

20th May

 

It Came From the Sea!

It's not all blue skies...

 Eeek!  It's been a week since my last post, so to stave off the non-blogging inertia, here are a load of photos that I've taken so far this month.  Oh, and some new Kylie to listen to as you wade through them:

 

7th May

My Gin Time corner (with a disappearing interferer)

The rest of the shady Gin Time corner

Breaking the Circle

 Enough moping around and using "all" (see previous post for barely any explanation whatsoever) as an excuse for not blogging.  I am determined to, if not make a grand return, then at least dip our toes back in and go from there.  I must admit, we have almost returned several times, but something always cropped up that was an easy target to use as an excuse for not returning.  And if we leave it much longer, everything that we've missed will become too overwhelming, and we'll never come back.

 

 Anyway, yesterday evening while having tea (the late afternoon meal, not the hot drink) I took to my bookmarks and selected a blog I hadn't looked at in ages: Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs, "a blog about the science, art, and pop culture of Mesozoic life" that I find to be witty and educational, plus it contains dinosaurs!  After reading a couple of the recent posts, I slowly scrolled down to see if something would catch my eye, and something did.  I recognised a photo of a family of Triceratops ambling past Dippy's Pizza & Fries and clicked the 'continue reading' thingy.  

Nieces about to be gobbled up like Children McNuggets

 My suspicion was confirmed: The photo was taken at ROARR! the dinosaur park right here in Norfolk that I ended up at for my nephew's birthday back in August 2019, so I read - and very much enjoyed - the article.  So much so, in fact, that I was moved to leave a comment.  And it was then that I remembered I had featured some photos of the park right here on this very blog that I could link to!  So, I found the requisite post - and very quickly became subsumed in our back catalogue of adventures Over the Cusp...

The Blob! (and other Unusual Suspects at Pensthorpe)

 In an effort to get away from it all*, me and my sister Inexcuseable took a trip to Penisthorpe (as she likes to call it - and so now does her son, Count Podgekinson, 5!) yesterday.

 After an underwhelming welcome from a handful of ducks, geese, and a few black headed gulls, we headed out into the reserve.  Much to our surprise/digust/horror, one of the first things we came across was an iridescent alien egg sack (which we later discovered was only a slime mould, Enteridium lycoperdon - the false puffball).

Well, of course we poked it (those are Inexcuseable's fingers, not mine)

Newly hatched ducklings

The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event 2023 Primer

The House of

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event 2023

 

 

 Hello, and welcome to this, the primer for this year's Infomaniac Garden Photos Event! 

 As all the regulars and old hats will already know, the GPE was brought into being by the Infomaniac herself, The Very Mistress, for all of us Blogorati to show off our green (and sometimes brown) fingered/thumbed skills, whether it's one or two photos showcasing a prized specimen, or a whole slew of snaps covering EVERYTHING that you've nurtured and prodded into growth throughout the year.  

My latest purchase: Chocolate vine (Akebia quinata)

 And this year is no different.  As with recent GPEs, this year's will be held in November, so you have months and months and months to capture images of your luxurient growth (if you haven't already started), whether it be in your garden, courtyard, balcony, windowbox, terrarium, or dining table vase.  If there's not much of note going on in your garden right now, and you are prone to forgetfulness - I'm not going to pick out Savvy this year as she defied expectations and got in reasonably early last year - I shall be issuing reminders throughout the yea-

Nagging and haranguing, more like.

Quiet you!

The Sky and the Moon

 Just a reminder for The Nature-led Life's March photo submission request: The Sky and the Moon - as hosted by the delightful Melanie.

 I've emailed my photos in, but narrowing down the many, MANY photos I have of the sky and the Moon was rather harrowing, so I thought I'd create a post out of some of those that I didn't submit.

25 January 2018 : Pre-dawn

[Featured in No Moon At All]

"... the gossip, and a Bertie update!"

 As Jon asked so nicely demanded, here is the gossip, and a Bitey Bertie update.

 

 Bertie first: He is willful, stubborn, hates being told off, bitey (still, but he's started to lose his baby teeth, so hopefully he'll be less bitey soon), and a right little aggravator.  However, he's lovely when he's asleep!

 I took him down to the beach earlier, and here are some photos that document his mischieviousness:

Here he is looking guilty after causing a mud slide with an enormous fart - you can see how the force of the trump has blown all those reeds over behind him.

(Really though, this cliff slump happened as we were walking by, although Bertie was oblivious.  A larger version from 2019 can be seen here.)

Moss Walk for Melanie

A moss island on the Madam's Lane bridge

  What with one thing or another (which I shall elaborate on in a future post), December passed by in a bit of a blur.  This meant that I managed to forget about Melanie's Nature Led photo submission (the theme for which was 'Nature at Rest').  Oops!

 So, as the skies were blue, this morning I headed out with Camera to get some photos for this month's theme: Moss.  And here are the results:

Exposed tree roots near the radar station

Moss lining the edge of the Paston Way path leading up past the radar station

It's Arrived!

 Yes, 2023 has arrived safely upon the shores of Great Britain, only slightly worse for wear after all those libations first in Australia (Dinah!) and then, most recently, The Netherlands.

As per, there's too much cloud cover to actually see the sun...

The Year of the Lazy Baggage*

* No.  Not that one this time.  It's IWeMeUs!

 That's right, We are the Lazy Baggage in question.  I'm sure you can't have failed to notice a glut of lazyitis in the vicinity of Hexenhäusli Device this year?  In fact, I'm so lazy that I can't even be bothered to come up with an excuse think of the reason for not actually blogging that much.  I'm sure there was one, though...

 As luck would have it, a certain someone's penchant for Monday GIFs has come in handy as this one from January illustrates the horror and despair I felt upon opening this draft post and realising that it was so unfinished as to be barely started!

 Look, we haven't got time to appear terrified-yet-glamorous while trotting about in the garden encrusted in jewels and wearing something far too skimpy for this time of year!  We've got to try and remember what happened this year, then wrap it up and bundle it in the back of the sideboard so that the New Year can start on time!

 Oh, cripes.  We'd better get on with it, then.  It's a good job that everyone else has been quite productive:

January

Event : After years and years and years of deliberation, cogitation, and waiting for just the right moment, Ms Scarlet banished her FGES anxiety and launched the New Year by holding the Freakin' Green Elf Shorts Caption Competition!

Rimpy's sigh of relief could be heard across the globe...

 Two weeks later, Maddie, the Mistress Borghese, won the competition and became the 28th person to become inflicted with the 'Shorts!

 

 And two weeks after that, Ms Scarlet prepares herself to go through Post Shorts Syndrome...

 

Discovery : I was almost beside myself when I discovered a modern, live-action clip from one of my favourite 80s cartoons - Dungeons and Dragons!

 My excitement was dulled somewhat when I realised that it was from a Brazilian Renault advert, but I still live in hope of a car-less reboot (fan-edited English language version here).

February

Quotes : "An erect stud at 16 hands is something to behold and rather terrifying I must say!", and...

"Julian fingering Fanny's lip"*

1983 Bantam Books cover

by Yvonne Gilbert

 It's almost the end of the year, so here are most of the things I've read, watched and listened to since my last update back in September.  Unfortunately, I don't have much time to spend on this as I need all the time I can get to work on the end-of-year roundup - which I've barely begun - Eeeek! (The observant amongst you will notice that I copied this intro from last year's end-of-year update because it's still relevant.)

 

Read

Oh, gods, it's been a year and I'm still struggling through Little, Big by John Crowley.  And I haven't even re-read anything either!  We'd better quickly move on to the next category...

Watched

⸰ The Vast of Night (Prime Video) - I could not make out what the male lead was saying for much of this alien abduction film.  His accent and specific 50s dialogue combined to become almost impenetrable to me.

⸰ Star Trek: Lower Decks, S3 eps 7-10 (Prime Video) - Amazing! The finale was so exhilarating, but rather than post a video of that and ruin it for anyone who may want to watch it without spoilers, here is a clip from an earlier episode.

 

"Thanks again for the mimosas."