Mostly about my backyard chickens. (Boring, I know), but there are a lot of us out here. Mine are only kept as pampered pets. I could eat a neighbor's chicken, but not MINE. There may be a comment on current events only if I get riled up enough. And there will always be a cartoon or a joke to cheer us. I promise to try my very best to respond to comments. Now I have to figure out how this blogger thingy works....
Found this wonderful video of freight being pulled by steam engines.
Sit back, go to full screen and enjoy!
(and don't forget to turn up the volume!)
A
compilation of clips of steam powered freight trains operating on
preserved lines. We are fortunate that our preserved lines restore and
operate the goods vehicles as often no revenue is earned from them, but
they do give an excellent impression of how things used to be. Locos and
locations in the video as follows;
'Vulcan' - Foxfield Railway 5542 - Winchcombe Tunnel - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway 63395 - Darnholme - North Yorkshire Moors Railway 61264 - Burrs - East Lancashire Railway 78019 - Woodthorpe - Great Central Railway 7812 'Erlestoke Manor' - Hay Bridge - Severn Valley Railway 3850 - Splash Point - West Somerset Railway 4566 - Bewdley - Severn Valley Railway 44806 - Beck Hole - North Yorkshire Moors Railway 49395 - Burrs - East Lancashire Railway 90733 (as 90711) - Haworth - Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 47406 - Quorn - Great Central Railway 4160 - Leigh Bridge - West Somerset Railway 61994 'The Great Marquess' - Esk Valley - North Yorkshire Moors Railway 825 - Water Ark - North Yorkshire Moors 78019 - Kinchley Lane - Great Central Railway 4566 - Bewdley - Severn Valley Railway 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' - Great Central Railway 8274 - Dixton - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway 31806 - Oakamoor - Churnet Valley Railway 'Florence No.2' - Foxfield Colliery 90733 (as 90711) - Damens Loop - Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.
I really could live in a house like this. All that wonderful, wonderful stone!
And that roof and the fireplaces - oh, my!
The house is designd by:
“Dimitri Philippitzis and Associates” is a full service, highly
personalized architectural firm, established in Volos - Greece in 1985.
Since then, our office has been responsible for a number of design and
construction projects.
The office also collaborates with a number of free lance
professionals who expertise is called upon, according to each particular
project. The construction teams consist of varied skilled workers and
artisans who have worked with us on a variety of projects from civic
buildings to country residences.
Dimitri Philippitzis was born in Volos, Greece in 1956. He studied
Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.)
from 1974-1980 and fulfilled his Master’s Degree of Architecture and
Urban Design at the University of Toronto in 1982.
From 1985 to 1995 was a founding member of “Synthesis Ltd.”, a
company focusing on public buildings and civil construction in which he
attained numerous merits and awards whilst many of the team’s projects
were realized.
Since 1985 he has been running an architectural office in Volos
specializing in private buildings. His work has been exhibited in
architectural magazines and exhibitions.
Since the year 2000 he has been teaching “Constructions” and
“Elective Design Studio” at the Architect School of Volos University.
Lots of fog yesterday morning - I kind of liked it. All you could hear were the birds
(and Charlie's big mouth, of course)!
It gently rolled through and then it was all gone as quickly as it came:
It was just so pretty when the sun finally started to shine on the clouds:
Charlie's neck feathers are really coming in nicely. Hopefully most of his scrawny neck will be covered this winter. This molt has been hard on him. He's cranky and nasty and pecks at the girls, even Maude.
He wants everything for himself and doesn't want to share like he usually does:
At night, he doesn't want anyone next to him. I took down one of the cardboard barriers so W& B can roost together. When Maude tried to get next to him, he bit her and she moved to the other side of the cardboard.
Maybe he's going through 'roosterpause' or something.
J.Smith & Sons of St.
John's Square,Clerkenwell were one of the leading Clerkenwell
clockmakers, making all varieties of clocks from the smallest timepieces
to the largest turret clocks. They were particularly well known for
their turret clocks, which were sent all over the world, and for their
skeleton clocks, many of which were supplied partly finished for
completion by other 'makers'. It is easy to confuse this company with S.
Smith & Sons (Smiths Industries) and J. Smith & Sons of Derby,
also famous makers of turret clocks.
The company started in 1780 and by 1830 they were in a factory in St
John's Square, Clerkenwell, were they remained until the late 1980's.
By 1851, John Smith and Sons were one of the top half a dozen
largest clock makers in England and at the 1851 Great Exhibition, they
exhibited a year going calendar clock and another chiming clock, chiming
on 8 bells and striking on a gong.
In 'The Illustrated London News' on 20th September 1851 (reproduced
in the Antiquarian Horology June 1974 pp 750-754) is an article covering
a visit to the clock factory of J Smith & Sons in Clerkenwell. The
article includes several wood engravings showing views of the work
carried out in the factory (some of these engravings are also shown in
the 'Victorian Clocks' book..
The company was based at St. John's Square Clerkenwell and was
housed in the old factory of 'the once famous clock manufactory of
Colonel Magniac' as the above article states. The factory was unusual in
that it held all the disciplines needed to make the clock, so that
there would not be any delays incurred in waiting for outside suppliers
of parts or cases. All the wood needed was stored in their own yards,
and the mahogany was seasoned there for three years before use. The
brass was cast in the foundry at the East End of their yard and any
brass part needed for their clocks was cast and finished on site.
The dial making shop made the dials from tin, iron or brass, and the
faces were coated with white-flake which was a form of white lead. This
was then polished to a smooth surface and then baked so that it
hardened. The numbers etc. were then painted on with lamp black and then
the whole dial is varnished. Church dials were given 4 coats of black
paint and then the numbers were added using extra thickness gold in the
gilt. The divisions of the dial were added using a 'division machine'.
Even the clock glasses were ground and domed to fit on-site in their
own glassworks. The casemaking shop was housed above the brass
finishing shop. An interesting observation in the article is that the
benches in the casemaking shop used a 'German Screw' as is held the work
tighter than the usual screw attached to an English bench.
Across from the case-maker's shop was a separate building where the
barrel makers, the pinion makers and the fusee makers worked. It should
be obvious from this that no one man made a clock, each person made
their own part of the clock and then it was finally assembled in the
assembly shops. There were two assembly shops, the lower floor for the
large 'dirty' movements and the top floor for the more delicate
movements.
Also on site was a showroom where prospective customers can be shown
the range of clocks available. These included, 8-day skeleton clocks,
some having a single strike and some chiming on 8 bells, floor standing
regulators, musical clocks and bracket clocks among others. J Smith
& Sons not only supplied the English market at the time, but also
China, Turkey and other parts of the world.
In the second Great International Exhibition, J Smith & Sons,
Clerkenwell, exhibited a small turret clock designed for a summer house.
The clock had 4 3'6" diameter dials, 8 day duration with maintaining
power and striking on the hour. They also exhibited a second tower clock
with rack striking.
In 1865 their catalogue of the items they supplied showed an amazing
collection of clocks available from illuminated exterior clocks to
skeleton clocks, such as those based on Litchfield Cathedral and York
Minster. The company were also now supplying raw parts to other makers
and repairers and skeleton clock kits that could be assembled at home.
50% of all skeleton clocks supplied in the UK in the late 1800's were
from J Smith & Son and J Moore & Son of Clerkenwell. There are
even skeleton clocks by J Smith & Son in the Royal Collection
belonging to the British Monarchy.
In recent years the company ceased clock making activities to
concentrate on the stockholding and supply of non-ferrous metals. As
part of the Delta Metals Group, they still remain one of the leading
suppliers of clock making brass.
Source of text: http://www.onlinegalleries.com/artists/d/john-smith-%26-sons-of-clerkenwell/8217
Gorges of Gorges' Grouse posted a lovely old postcard on his blog.
Monday, September 26, 2016
104 Years Ago Today
-
Click image to enlarge.
...this
was sent to Mr. Henry Thomas at Davisville, West Virginia (a relative
of my paternal grandmother), by S.G.T. (another relative) at
Wardensville, WV.
I found the same building on Google Earth. Enjoy! It's still lovely and look at that gingerbread!
Source: https://ugaurbanag.com/saddleback-caterpillars/
Most people know that bees, wasps, hornets and some ants can sting to
defend themselves or their nests. Only a few people realize, usually
from first hand experience, that handling some caterpillars can produce
some painful results. Recognizing the few stinging caterpillar species,
including the saddleback, may prevent irritating encounters.
Saddleback Caterpillar Description
The saddleback caterpillar measures about an inch long, and has
poisonous spines on four large projections (tubercles) and many smaller
ones projecting from the sides of its body. The “saddle” consists of an
oval purplish-brown spot in the middle of a green patch on the back. Here are more photos of the saddleback as well as other stinging caterpillars.
The saddleback caterpillar is a general feeder and is generally found
on many hosts including corn foliage, apple, pear, cherry, rose,
Pawpaw, basswood, chestnut, oak, plum and other trees in late summer.
Diagnosing and Treating Stings
Diagnosis is usually simple since a rash generally breaks out where
the hairs or spines have made skin contact. Contacting the hollow
poisonous hairs or spines (connected to underlying poison glands) causes
a burning sensation and inflammation that can be as painful as a bee
sting. The irritation can last for a day or two and may be accompanied
by nausea during the first few hours. Usually the site of contact
reddens and swells much like a bee sting.
Immediate application and repeated stripping with adhesive or
transparent tape over the sting site may be helpful in removing broken
hairs or spines. Washing the affected skin area thoroughly with soap and
water may help remove irritating venom. Prompt application of an ice
pack and a baking soda poultice should help reduce pain and swelling.
Household analgesics, such as aspirin, appear to be ineffective for
reducing pain and headache. However, oral administration of
antihistamines may help relieve itching and burning. Topical
corticosteriods may reduce the intensity of inflammatory reaction.
Desoximetasone gel applied twice daily to affected areas may also help.
Prompt referral to and treatment by a physician should be made when
severe reactions are evident. Very young, aged or unhealthy persons are
more likely to suffer severe reaction symptoms.
Sting Prevention
Occasionally, these stinging hair caterpillars may drop out of trees
onto people, crawl into clothing on the ground, occur on outdoor
furniture or sting when brushed against on plant foliage. Be careful
when attempting to brush them off. Never swat or crush by hand. Remove
them carefully and slowly with a stick or other object.
Individuals, especially children, should be cautioned about handling
or playing with any colorful, hairy-like, fuzzy caterpillars since it is
sometimes difficult to distinguish between harmless and venomous insect
larvae. Never handpick these hairy, fuzzy or spiny caterpillars except
with heavy leather gloves if necessary. Wear long sleeve shirts,
trousers and gloves when harvesting sweet corn or working in the
landscape in late-summer and early-autumn to reduce possible stings.
Chemical Control
Usually, these stinging hair caterpillars do not occur in sufficient
numbers to warrant the use of pesticide sprays. Should potential hazards
exist around residences or schools, infested shrubs and trees may be
sprayed to reduce or eliminate these caterpillars. Sprays of carbaryl
(Sevin), or Bacillus thuringiensis (Biotrol WP, Sok-bt, or Thuricide) as
well as various pyrethroids (bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin,
deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothin, permethrin and tralomethrin) in
formulations labeled for bushes, shrubs and trees, can be helpful, if
practical. Be sure to read the label, follow directions and safety
precautions.
