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Match day at the GB Talent Squad training camp at the British Wrestling Academy on Thursday 24th February 2022.
The Wrestling Academy
41 Great Clowes St
Salford
M7 1RQ
The British Wrestling Talent Pathway.
The pathway will still consist of two tiers for those in secondary education with Regional squads leading to selection for the GB Talent Squad. The changes come in the change of focus to time spent on the mat working on technical and tactical skills and learning what it takes to be an elite athlete.
The Regional Squads consist of U13, U15 and Cadets with training on a monthly basis between September and April. Numbers will be limited to ensure that every athlete on the squad receives focused coaching to develop and improve. Club coaches are invited to attend along with their athletes to work alongside regional and national coaches.
The GB Talent Squad, for U15 and Cadets, will meet less frequently but with a focus on more time spent on the mat at three camps across the season in October, February, and April plus a summer camp. Numbers will be limited to approximately 18 in order that National coaches can work closely with the athlete, their club and regional coaches to develop and improve.
Those Swedes.... in the middle of absolutely nowhere in the bottom on Sweden, next to the highway, is this ... well, is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a ...
no, it is a candy shop. In a small life size airplane. 4,90 per 100 grammes.
Shot with a Lubitel 2, on a roll of 100 iso fomapan, developed by the skilled necator.
Lubitel is strange - there is a lot of guesswork at the moment, since I have trouble seeing, when something is actually in focus, and I have problems holding it still and straight, and the whole thing with looking down into the camera is most unusual .... and the picture in the viewfinder is mirrored, which results in a lot of extra moving around, since i motorically can not relate to it at all... not to speak of the fact that I never before had anything to do with shutter speed and sunny-16 - or as it is called her, sunny-11....
PORTLAND, Ore. - The strength of the Army Reserve is only as strong as the relationships that support the Soldiers within it. The Army Reserve works to improve the resiliency of those relationships with a chaplain-led program called Strong Bonds.
The 88th Regional Support Command conducts more than 20 Strong Bond events a year, the most recent hosted 32 couples in Portland, Ore., April 4-6.
During the event, participants were given tools and information to enhance communication and healthier relationships with a nationally recognized curriculum called Prevention Relationship Enhancement Program, or PREP. Using this curriculum participants are led through video and workbook-supported discussions on various aspects of communication, personalities and problem solving.
This is especially important for Army Reserve couples according to the 88th RSC Deputy Command Chaplain, Lt. Col. Robert Brady.
“Army Reserve families have a much more complex set of circumstances than their civilian counterparts,” said Brady. “They must balance not only their civilian careers and relationships, but also manage and navigate through deployments, battle assemblies, annual training, schools, and various other military obligations which cause interruptions in life.”
“Additionally, Army Reserve families are typically geographically dispersed and don’t have ready access to resources available on active duty installations such as Army Community Services, behavioral health services, and family life chaplain counseling,” said Brady.
Maj. Virginia Emery, chaplain, 88th RSC Strong Bonds Program manager, said this program is open to and applicable to all couples no matter where they are in their relationships.
“This training is for everyone from newlyweds to those celebrating their 30th anniversary,” said Emery. “It’s also great to have couples who have not been together long to see and gain insights from those who have,” said Emery.
Sgt. Maj. Andrea Jusino and Sgt. 1st Class James Jusino, of the 75th Training Division, are a dual military couple who live in Damascus, Ore. Though married for 31 years, they said the Strong Bonds training benefits them directly as well as gives them tools to help others.
“Many of the things taught at Strong Bonds are applicable in all aspects of life,” said Andrea. “We both have our civilian jobs and children, but we are also Soldiers and can share the tools we have been given with all of them.”
“The communication tools very relevant,” said Andrea. “Life happens and the longer you put something off the more it festers and I think that’s why couples get divorced – because they don’t know how to communicate.”
Although the training is led by chaplains, Strong Bonds is not a ministry event said Emery.
“Strong Bonds is a skills-based training event designed to enhance relationships – regardless of theologies or beliefs,” said Emery. “It is run by chaplains, but the training is not coming from a theological standpoint so that it can reach out to all Army Reserve relationships.”
First Lt. Paulo Quijano, of the 334th Chemical Company, and his husband William reside in Seattle and were married last year upon the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Like many of the other newlywed couples, they decided to attend the training to learn some useful tools and be able to incorporate them in their relationship early on.
“It’s good that you don’t wait till there is a problem,” said Paulo. “A lot of this program is about being able to identify problems and frame them correctly. If I can identify issues and define them before they become a problem, then we can work on it before it turns into a bigger issue.”
Will said he was surprised and happy that it wasn’t just another class that focused on how to incorporate the Army into your life.
“It’s not just about military skills,” said Will, “but teaches and gives tools on how we can grow as a couple – and how we can improve our marriage.”
According to Brady, the Strong Bonds program has a substantial impact on the force because of what it does and also what it prevents.
“Who cares if you have the best Soldier in the world if he is consumed with a disintegrating relationship,” said Brady. “If you don’t care for the foundations of our military it will suffer. Every leader realizes that it doesn’t matter if you have bullets if you don’t have a shooter who is focused and able to do his job.”
Cpl. Michael Greenman, of the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and his wife Eve reside in Oakridge, Ore., and decided to attend the Strong Bonds event after being told about it at their unit.
Michael and Eve have been married for two years, but have known each other for 22 years. Eve said in that time they had developed a very strong friendship and were gratified by the program’s emphasis on that aspect of relationships.
“One thing that it really enforces is friendship,” said Eve. “You have to have that in a relationship otherwise you don’t have all that special stuff. It’s not just about being married, it’s about being friends – that’s what’s important.”
Everyone can benefit from this type training and it is truly worth the investment said Brady.
“Life is busy and we have to prioritize where we spend our time, but sometimes we take for granted the one person who said I will be there through thick and thin,” said Brady. “If you have made a self-chosen commitment and obligation to try and live out your days with someone else - why wouldn’t you want to invest your time into it any time you had the opportunity.”
Signup and learn more about Strong Bond events by visiting www.strongbonds.org
Read more: www.dvidshub.net/news/124597/army-reserve-couples-strengt...
Those attendees with Ambassador Club ribbons received first-class treatment at each cocktail reception by moving to the front of the line. TCA thanks those members that have been with the organization for 25 years or more.
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Its been a while since I've done some Model Photography... Came across one of my old shots so thought of posting it.. I thought of giving the 1960s look to this picture mainly because of the classic wall on the background (I thought Black & White would also had been a good choice)..I loved how the light comes from the left, falls onto the model's face and then fades off on the right.. Also, her blue eyes shine quite nicely against the sun... I told her not to smile in the photo.. Some pictures are meant to be smile proof.. :)
Hollywood Vampire e Those Damn Crows in concerto a Marostica foto di Cesare Veronesi per www.rockon.it
The European herring gull (Larus argentatus) is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. Common in coastal regions of Western Europe, it was historically more abundant. It breeds across Northern Europe, Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltic states. Some European herring gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate further south in winter, but many are permanent residents, such as in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or on the North Sea shores. They have a varied diet, including fish, crustaceans, as well as some plants, and are also scavengers, consuming carrion and food left by or stolen from humans.
Taxonomy
Their scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird and argentatus means decorated with silver.
The taxonomy of the herring gull/lesser black-backed gull is contentious, with different authorities recognising between two and eight species
This group has a ring distribution around the Northern Hemisphere. Most adjacent populations interbreed; however, adjacent terminal populations do not.
The Association of European Rarities Committees recognises six species:
European herring gull, L. argentatus
American herring gull, L. smithsonianus
Caspian gull, L. cachinnans
Yellow-legged gull, L. michahellis
Vega gull, L. vegae
Armenian gull, L. armenicus
Subspecies
L. a. argentatus – Pontoppidan, 1763, the nominate form, sometimes known as the Scandinavian herring gull, breeds in Scandinavia and northwestern Russia. Northern and eastern populations migrate southwest in winter. It is a large, bulky gull with extensive white in the wingtips. The outermost primary, p10 often has a large white spot (called a mirror) that extends to the wingtip. The bill is longer and forehead flatter than argenteus.
L. a. argenteus – Brehm & Schilling, 1822, sometimes known as the Western European herring gull breeds in Western Europe in Iceland, the Faroes, Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Many birds are resident while others make short-distance migratory journeys. It is smaller than L. a. argentatus with more black and less white in the wingtips (p10 mirror is distinct from the white wingtip spot) and paler upper parts.
These taxa are classified as subspecies of Larus argentatus by some authorities such as the American Ornithologists' Union and Handbook of the Birds of the World. Others such as the Association of European Rarities Committees, British Ornithologists' Union, and the International Ornithological Union now regard them as one or two separate species.
L. (a.) smithsonianus, the American herring gull, breeds in Alaska, Canada, and the Northeast United States. Many birds migrate southwards in winter, reaching as far as Central America and the West Indies. Immature birds tend to be darker and more uniformly brown than European herring gulls and have a dark tail.
L. (a.) vegae, the Vega gull, breeds in northeastern Siberia. It winters in Japan, Korea, eastern China, and Taiwan.
Several other gulls have been included in this species in the past, but are now normally considered separate, e.g. the yellow-legged gull (L. michahellis), the Caspian gull (L. cachinnans), the Armenian gull (L. armenicus) and Heuglin's gull (L. heuglini).
Description
The male European herring gull is 60–67 cm (24–26 in) long and weighs 1,050–1,525 g (2.315–3.362 lb), while the female is 55–62 cm (22–24 in) and weighs 710–1,100 g (1.57–2.43 lb). The wingspan can range from 125 to 155 cm (49 to 61 in). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 38 to 48 cm (15 to 19 in), the bill is 4.4 to 6.5 cm (1.7 to 2.6 in) and the tarsus is 5.3 to 7.5 cm (2.1 to 3.0 in). Adults in breeding plumage have a light grey back and upper wings and white head and underparts. The wingtips are black with white spots known as "mirrors". The bill is yellow with a red spot and a ring of bare yellow skin is seen around the pale eye. The legs are normally pink at all ages, but can be yellowish, particularly in the Baltic population, which was formerly regarded as a separate subspecies "L. a. omissus". Non-breeding adults have brown streaks on their heads and necks. Male and female plumage are identical at all stages of development, but adult males are often larger.
Juvenile and first-winter birds are mainly brown with darker streaks and have a dark bill and eyes. Second-winter birds have a whiter head and underparts with less streaking and the back is grey. Third-winter individuals are similar to adults, but retain some of the features of immature birds such as brown feathers in the wings and dark markings on the bill. The European herring gull attains adult plumage and reaches sexual maturity at an average age of four years.
At least in the south-west part of the Baltic Sea and surrounding areas, the European herring gull (L. argentatus) actually can be seen with yellow legs. They are not considered as a subspecies, since they regularly breed with grey/flesh-coloured legged herring gulls. The offspring may get yellow or normal-coloured legs. They must not be confused with the in general yellow-legged gull (L. michahellis), which are more common in the Mediterranean area, but single birds may reach more northern seas.
Similar species
Adult European herring gulls are similar to ring-billed gulls, but are much larger, have pinkish legs, and a much thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. First-winter European herring gulls are much browner, but second- and third-winter birds can be confusing since soft part colours are variable and third-year herring gull often show a ring around the bill. Such birds are most easily distinguished by the larger size and larger bill of European herring gull.
The European herring gull can be differentiated from the closely related, slightly smaller lesser black-backed gull by the latter's dark grey (not actually black) back and upper wing plumage and its yellow legs and feet.
The smaller silver gull is largely confined to Australia.
Voice
Herring gulls are noisy, gregarious birds with distinctive vocalisations. Their loud, laughing call is particularly well known, and is often seen as a symbol of the seaside in countries such as the United Kingdom. The European herring gull also has a yelping alarm call and a low, barking anxiety call. The most distinct and best known call produced by European herring gulls – which is shared with their American relative – is the raucous territorial 'long call', used to signal boundaries to other birds; it is performed by the gull initially with its head bowed, then raised as the call continues.
European herring gull chicks and fledglings emit a distinctive, repetitive, high-pitched 'peep', accompanied by a head-flicking gesture when begging for food from or calling to their parents. Adult gulls in urban areas also exhibit this behaviour when fed by humans.
Behaviour
European herring gull flocks have a loose pecking order, based on size, aggressiveness, and physical strength. Adult males are usually dominant over females and juveniles in feeding and boundary disputes, while adult females are typically dominant when selecting their nesting sites.
The European herring gull has long been believed to have extremely keen vision in daylight and night vision equal or superior to that of humans; however, this species is also capable of seeing ultraviolet light. This gull also appears to have excellent hearing and a sense of taste that is particularly responsive to salt and acidity.
Parasites of European herring gulls include the fluke Microphallus piriformes.
Distribution
Ireland: Copeland Bird Observatory, Co Down.
Britain: Since 2009, herring gulls in the United Kingdom have been on the red list of birds of conservation concern, including County Durham.
Europe: Recorded from all the coasts of Europe including the Mediterranean and occasionally inland.
North America: A permanent resident in the Carolinas.
Diet
These are omnivores and opportunists like most Larus gulls, and scavenge from garbage dumps, landfill sites, and sewage outflows, with refuse comprising up to half of the bird's diet. It also steals the eggs and young of other birds (including those of other gulls), as well as seeking suitable small prey in fields, on the coast or in urban areas, or robbing plovers or lapwings of their catches. European herring gulls may also dive from the surface of the water or engage in plunge diving in the pursuit of aquatic prey, though they are typically unable to reach depths greater than 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) due to their natural buoyancy. Despite their name, they have no special preference for herrings — in fact, examinations have shown that echinoderms and crustaceans comprised a greater portion of these gulls' stomach contents than fish, although fish is the principal element of regurgitations for nestlings. European herring gulls can frequently be seen to drop shelled prey from a height to break the shell. In addition, the European herring gull has been observed using pieces of bread as bait with which to catch goldfish. Vegetable matter, such as roots, tubers, seeds, grains, nuts, and fruit, is also taken to an extent. Captive European herring gulls typically show aversion to spoiled meat or heavily salted food, unless they are very hungry. The gulls may also rinse food items in water in an attempt to clean them or render them more palatable before swallowing.
European herring gulls may be observed rhythmically drumming their feet upon the ground for prolonged periods of time in a behaviour that superficially resembles Irish stepdancing, for the purpose of creating vibrations in the soil, driving earthworms to the surface, which are then consumed by the gull. These vibrations are thought to mimic those of digging moles, eliciting a surface-escape behaviour from the earthworm, beneficial in encounters with this particular predator, which the European herring gull then exploits to its own benefit in a similar manner to human worm charmers.
Whilst the European herring gull is fully capable (unlike humans) of consuming seawater without becoming ill, using specialized glands located above the eyes to remove excess salt from the body (which is then excreted in solution through the nostrils and drips from the end of the bill), it drinks fresh water in preference, if available.
The opportunistic diet of the herring gull has consequences for egg traits. A study found that larger eggs were laid in colonies where females consumed either a higher proportion of marine resources or terrestrial resources; smaller eggs were laid in colonies where females had an intermediate diet. In colonies where females consumed more marine items, they also laid eggs with higher maculation (intensity and size of spots) compared with colonies where females mainly consumed terrestrial food.
Courtship and reproduction
When forming a pair bond, the hen approaches the cock on his territory with a hunched, submissive posture, while making begging calls (similar to those emitted by young gulls). If the cock chooses not to attack her and drive her away, he responds by assuming an upright posture and making a mewing call. This is followed by a period of synchronised head-tossing movements, after which the cock then regurgitates some food for his prospective mate. If this is accepted, copulation follows. A nesting site is then chosen by both birds which is returned to in successive years. European herring gulls are almost exclusively sexually monogamous and may pair up for life, provided the couple is successful in hatching their eggs.
Two to four eggs, usually three, are laid on the ground or cliff ledges in colonies, and are defended vigorously by this large gull. The eggs are usually olive-brown in colour with dark speckles or blotches. They are incubated by both parents for 28–30 days. The chicks hatch with their eyes open, covered with fluffy down, and they are able to walk around within hours. Breeding colonies are preyed upon by great black-backed gulls, harriers, corvids and herons.
Juveniles use their beaks to peck at the red spot on the beaks of adults to indicate hunger. Parents then typically disgorge food for their offspring. The young birds are able to fly 35–40 days after hatching and fledge at five or six weeks of age. Chicks are generally fed by their parents until they are 11–12 weeks old, but the feeding may continue for more than six months of age if the young gulls continue to beg. The male feeds the chick more often than the female before fledging, with the female more often feeding after fledging.
Like most gulls, European herring gulls are long-lived, with a maximum age of 49 years recorded. Raptors (especially owls, peregrine falcons, and gyrfalcons) and seals (especially grey seals) occasionally prey on the non-nesting adults.
In the UK, the species, when taken as a whole, is declining significantly across the country, despite an increase in urban areas. The UK European herring gull population has decreased by 50% in 25 years and it is protected by law: since January 2010, Natural England has allowed lethal control only with a specific individual licence that is available only in limited circumstances. Natural England made the change following a public consultation in response to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in 2009 placing the species on its 'Red List' of threatened bird species, affording it the highest possible conservation status. (Previously, killing the species was allowed under a general licence obtainable by authorised persons (e.g. landowners or occupiers) under certain circumstances (e.g. to prevent serious damage to crops or livestock, to prevent disease, or to preserve public health or safety) without requiring additional permission beyond the general licence.)
The European herring gull is an increasingly common roof-nesting bird in urban areas of the UK, and many individual birds show little fear of humans. The Clean Air Act 1956 forbade the burning of refuse at landfill sites, providing the European herring gull with a regular and plentiful source of food. As a direct result, European herring gull populations in Britain skyrocketed. Faced with a lack of space at their traditional colonies, the gulls ventured inland in search of new breeding grounds. Dwindling fish stocks in the seas around Britain may also have been a significant factor in the gulls' move inland.
The gulls are found all year round in the streets and gardens of Britain, due to the presence of street lighting (which allows the gulls to forage at night), discarded food in streets, food waste contained in easy-to-tear plastic bin bags, food intentionally left out for other birds (or the gulls themselves), the relative lack of predators, and readily available, convenient, warm and undisturbed rooftop nesting space in towns and cities. Particularly large urban gull colonies (composed primarily of European herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls) are now present in Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester, Swindon, London, and Aberdeen.
Where not persecuted, herring gulls can become tame in the presence of humans, and may live in proximity to certain humans they learn to trust, and may occasionally enter buildings to receive or steal food.
The survival rate for urban gulls is much higher than their counterparts in coastal areas, with an annual adult mortality rate less than 5%. Also, each European herring gull pair commonly rears three chicks per year. This, when combined with their long-lived nature, has resulted in a massive increase in numbers over a relatively short period of time and has brought urban-dwelling members of the species into conflict with humans.
Once familiar with humans, urban European herring gulls show little hesitation in swooping down to steal food from the hands of humans, although a study conducted in 2019 demonstrated that some gulls are more averse to snatching food in proximity to humans if the experimenter made eye contact with the bird. During the breeding season, the gulls also aggressively 'dive bomb' and attempt to strike with claws and wings (sometimes spraying faeces or vomit at the same time) at humans that they perceive to be a threat to their eggs and chicks—often innocent passers-by or residents of the buildings on which they have constructed their nests. Large amounts of gull excrement deposited on property and the noise from courting pairs and begging chicks in the summer is also considered to be a nuisance by humans living alongside the European herring gull.
Nonlethal attempts to deter the gulls from nesting in urban areas have been largely unsuccessful. The European herring gull is intelligent and will completely ignore most bird-scaring technology after determining that it poses no threat. Rooftop spikes, tensioned wires, netting, and similar are also generally ineffective against this species, as it has large, wide feet with thick, leathery skin, which affords the seagull excellent weight distribution and protection from sharp objects (the bird may simply balance itself on top of these obstacles with little apparent concern). If nests are removed and eggs are taken, broken, or oiled, the gulls simply rebuild and/or relay, or choose another nest site in the same area and start again.
Man-made models of birds of prey placed on top of buildings are generally ignored by the gulls once they realise they are not real, and attempts to scare the gulls away using raptors are similarly ineffective. Although they are intimidated by birds of prey, European herring gulls, in addition to being social birds with strength in numbers, are large, powerful, and aggressive as individuals and are more than capable of fighting back against the potential predator, particularly if they consider their chicks to be at risk; in fact, the gulls may actually pose a greater threat to a raptor than vice versa. European herring gulls are also naturally accustomed to predators (such as skuas and great black-backed gulls) living in the vicinity of their nest sites in the wild and are not particularly discouraged from breeding by their presence.
"Let there be light." Thomas Alva Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory and Memorial Tower. Those of us on the Jersey Shore call it the "Big Ass" Lightbulb!
The Edison Tower, located on the site of the original laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey, to which Thomas Alva Edison moved in 1876, was erected in 1937 as a monument to the great inventor. The Tower is the gift of William Slocum Barstow to The Thomas Alva Edison Foundation Incorporated, of which˙ he is President, in behalf of the Edison Pioneers. It was dedicated on February 11, 1838, the ninety-first anniversary of the inventor's birth.
Rising 131 ft. 4 in. above the ground, the Tower looms as the highest discernible object for many miles. Surmounting the 117 ft. 8 in. concrete-slab structure is a 13 ft. 8 in. replica of the original incandescent lamp which, illuminated nightly, can be seen for a distance of several miles, serving as an airplane beacon. The foundation of the Tower consists of a structure. The Tower is designed for pressure of wind at a velocity of 120 miles per hour. In its construction, which consumed slightly less than eight months, there were used approximately 1200 barrels of Edison Portland cement and 50 tons of reinforced steel.
The large bulb atop the Tower was cast by the Corning Glass Works, which fifty-nine years ago,, in 1879 furnished from a sketch the first commercial electric light bulb. The replica bulb contains 153 separate pieces of amber tinted Pyrex glass, 2 in. thick, set upon a steel frame. The bulb is 5 ft. in diameter at the neck and 9 ft. 2 in. in diameter at the greatest width and weighs, without the steel frame on which it is placed, in excess of three tons. Inside this Pyrex glass bulb are four 1000 watt bulbs, four 200 watt bulbs, and four 100 watt bulbs. A duplicate of each is so arranged as automatically to cut in should its companion bulb fail.
Date:Oct 20 2013, 11:53 PM
Subject:
Re: Catching Up
Show full header
Hi Alan
You poor guy. Not a lot of luck. I hope you are not too sore after those bangs. Take care. Hopefully our paths will cross at some point soon. I was due to have another bladder check under G/A on 5th November but that has now been postponed to 19th and then 26th November. It is a pain all this hanging around anticipating as I am sure you know far too well.
Best wishes
John P
========================================
Message Received: Oct 20 2013, 11:15 PM
From: "Alan Outen"
To: "John Pitts"
Cc:
Subject: Re: Catching Up
Hello John
Glad you enjoyed your Kent viist. Our son is a Friend of the Secret Garden and we go there every time that we have stayed with him in Sandwich Bay or now Sandwich. It is only just along the road from Sir Roger Manwood Scool where he teaches and now also lives.
We had an IoW excellent foray with wonderful weather and a good turn out. I have made a lot of great friends there over the years. We have a total of well over 200 species at Briddlesford Copse on the Saturday whilst the total for Sunday at Parkhurst Forest looks likely to go over 150 once all the identifications are in and this foray is only until 13.30 so those from the mainland can get the ferry and get home in reasonable time. That way I and others are then able to set things up dropping spores over-night etc. I then spent three days identifying the following week! There were also some excellent finds with many new to the IoW. Following my arrival at lunchtime on Friday four of us went to Culver Down in the hope of seeing the Ring Ouzels that had been there the previous two days, or one of the regular Peregrines. We didn't get either but had a good list of fungi there as well including an inkcap species on cow dung pats that I have identified as Coprinopsis pseudonivea with only 26 previous UK records and of course new to IoW as were two other species. This set the pattern for the weekend as there were plenty of other exciting finds. When I was first shown the bracket fungus Phellinus robustus in the New Forest some 20+ years ago it was only known on that single tree in the UK. There are still only some half dozen trees there and just two other UK sites known for this species so this was a surprise find at Bridddlesford. It will take some time before I have all the records in from others who visited for the weekend but it certainly looks like being the most successful ever in terms of good finds.
You are correct in thinking that you are incorrect that the Woburn Fungi are Russula!! Russula's do not grow in clumps and nor do they have aring on the stem (note the one standing up in the c/u) apart from a host of other reasons! This is definitely a Honey Fungus Armillaria sp. but I cannot see the detail of the ring nor the base of the stalk both of which would be necessary to ascertain the species with certainly. As such it could be either Armillaria mellea or A. ostoyae as the two most likely options!.
I went to Colworth Park to lead a lunchtime foray for Helen M-H and the Unilever NHS last Wed but as it was raining heavily I gave them a slide presentation instead as arranged just before I was about to leave here! On the way there a lorry overtook a parked vehicle on his side of the road when there clearly was not sufficient room. He clipped my wing mirror and totally removed the one on the parked vehicle. I had already had to take evasive action, hit the kerb and the bumper apron detached from my car also damaging the inner plastic mudguard. The rain, and the speed at which it happened and the need to avoid a major collision left me no opportunity to get his number and by the time I could safely open my door and get out he was way down the road. It has proved to be an expensive free lecture! I am not best pleased. Two days later a women backed her car out on the Forecourt at Clifton Post Office without looking and knocked me over as I innocently walked to the pillar box. If I hadn't hammered on her boot she would have run me over as well! She must have seen me coming as she was getting into her car as I saw her do so but she slammed her door, started up and reversed all in one move. She had not even put her seat belt on! It was not a good week!
I have a foray at Harpenden Common on Wednesday morning. Next Sunday to Tues there will be a big display etc on Fungi at Ashridge by the monument. I will be 'on duty' on the Monday. The BNHS/ RSPB Foray at Sandy, always a big one, on 3 Nov will be my last of the season.
Best wishes
Alan
On 20 Oct 2013, at 20:49, John Pitts wrote:
> How are things going Alan? We had a very pleasant few days based in a
> cottage at Ash near Sandwich last week but although we collected a lot of
> ancient building I didn't get near any nature reserves while there. We
> particularly enjoyed the Secret Gardens of Sandwich (despite the heavy rain)
> but Dover Castle was pretty dismal.
> Today we went to Woburn to renew Jane's access card and drove around the
> park watching and listening to the deer rut. While looking around the
> Duchesses's garden I noticed several impressive clumps of fungi as per
> above. I thought they might be Russula sp but I am sure this will be a
> totally incorrect guess.
> While checking dormice boxes yesterday in Maulden Wood there were fungi
> everywhere. Looks like a good period while it stays damp and warm.
> I hope you I o W trip went well even if you missed Steve P.
> Best wishes
> John P
> You have been sent 4 pictures.
Statue of St George killing the dragon in memory of those men who gave their lives in the Great War and in thankfulness for those who returned
A Barker, E J Colbert, G Maile, W Wilson - Church of All Saints Broughton Huntingdonshire / Cambridgeshire
- Church of All Saints Somersham, Huntingdonshire / Cambridgeshire
I still feel new to this 'parenting' thing, in some ways... there are still 'firsts' to yet be experienced and this is one of them. This photo was taken a short while after hearing from my teen son, who is getting into dating, that he asked a girl he knows to be his girlfriend today... she said yes.
I do wonder how this will go for him. I know dating can be fun, but too it can lead to heartbreak. I think I have prepped him in some ways... told him that between now and adult life he will probably date many so don't look at this one as the only one... it is very likely only the start. Too... I don't want him to be too fickle and not take time to get to know people ... I don't want him to be the one that dates many and comits to no one. I hope he can find the middle ground... and be a decent person to those he chooses to date and spend time with. I think hubby and I have set good examples.
I just love them! And they're particularly funny across her bum--those horizontal strips do NOTHING for her! Heehee, or perhaps everything. :D
For those that have not heard of Chinese "Hot Pot", it is a type of restaurant where you cook your own food. The square "pot" in the center of the table is heated to a boil with an electric element built into the table. The left side of the split "pot" is a mild broth or soup, and the right side is very spicy (my favorite, YUM). The various meats (fish, pork, beef, etc) are delivered to your table raw. You then use the utensils to lower the raw meats into the boiling broth/soup, and cook it until it is ready to your preference.
Those among you who follow my posting of Pluto Valve control blocks will soon realise this is again another setup and might also think that I am a weirdo to keep testing new arrangements of the necessary components. Unfortunately, that has been indeed true and the reason for changing has always been the lack of rigidity of the block carrying Pluto trigger and its valves due to the quality of the roller heads I used and of some of the remaining components. Also, I have been trying to minimise the size and number of total components used, while maintaining and also improving the block functionality, ease of operation, and its global stiffness. The current block is built around, in this last version, a camera rig I once used to operate a video serving GH4, but not anymore... There are still a number of areas where the current block can be further improved, but for the time being this is my most rigid and most accommodating configuration ever. I also ordered a Keiser RS1 (5510) system with an RA1 mount head as my currently use Falcon-eyes is not too rigid either.
Those seeking the inspiration of nature are embracing a natural, woodsy approach. Incorporating branches into floral designs for home or event décor delivers the theme and is a popular trend in Europe as seen during one of the world’s largest horticultural fairs in Essen, Germany. www.ipm-essen.de/en/ipm_essen/index.html
The best artists will be those who ask the best questions. Some of the major questions that produce fruitful answers are asking what artists have in common, how artists become artists, how artists secure time to pursue their own work, and how artists create work that satisfies them.
~~~ Art and fear
Those communications between kids and Santa have changed a bit over the years. This would confuse a 14 year old me. At that time, cell phones were installed in cars, and normally expensive ones. Reading a text involved picking up your Science book and reading the printed pages.
Yes, I'm old.
Merry Christmas And Happy New Year To All On Flickr.
In 1985, Dublin 6 was divided, with some areas, such as Templeogue, Kimmage and Terenure becoming part of a new district in order to facilitate processing of mail by a new delivery office for those areas. Residents of some areas objected to the assignation of the next available number, "Dublin 26," for the new postal district, citing property devaluation: the higher numbered districts typically represented less affluent and less central areas. An Post ultimately relented, and the district became known as Dublin 6W. However, the eastern half of the old D6 postcode area remained "Dublin 6" rather than "Dublin 6E".
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Posting with my new watermark and framing.
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Those 2 will be 2 in august, they are still with us from a clutch of eggs that my adults laid in 2016. 3 left and 3 have found new homes :-)
Common Brown (Heteronympha merope). A great many butterflies accompanied us on our walk to Green Hillock. [Kanangra-Boyd National Park, NSW]
Julian is a very easy person to work with. Pull up to a spot, he straps his skates on, handles business and works on it until it is correct. Well done Backside Royal in an abandoned building I use for many different types of shoots.
This young girl was doing her weekly washing at the river.
She was pleased to pose for a portrait, once I promised to make sure she got a copy.
An abandoned factory
This abandoned factory was pretty cool tho , there was a lot of stuff still inside here. But damn i hated those pigeons in here...