We have a horse pasture that’s occupied by a horse, Rose, and donkey, Midnight. They are both pushing 40 and have been together for most of that time. They actually came with the farm; the previous owners could find homes for one or the other, but not both, and they are inseparable. Well they are … Read more
One of my favorite sights is the crazy blackbird flight school offered each Spring as hundreds or thousands of birds launch into flight together, wheeling and turning in unison. We have a very healthy stand of bamboo grown from a few starts given to us 20 odd years ago by our friend Joe. That little … Read more
We had all three grandkids this weekend, which is always a recipe for mayhem. In the backyard, Job had managed to get Rose pretty wet so she was mad and went in. Then he threw a wooden rubber band gun which hit Bri in the butt. He had to, he was out of ammo! But … Read more
My grandson helps demonstrate nystagmus, an involuntary eye movement resulting from trying to maintain orientation while spinning. Also known as Crazy Eyes!
An interesting natural record. Xanthophyll, a water-soluble pigment in the maple leaf dissolves in the rain. The solution diffuses outward from the leaf. Apparently there are repeated cycles of diffusion and evaporation, leaving concentric outlines of the leaf.
Some time ago I was asked (about my beard) “how long are you going to let that thing grow?” I replied that I thought it had about maxed out, which it seems to do after 3 or 4 months. I immediately think of a constrained random walk model for beard growth and forget about it. … Read more
Birds, like us, seem to want to keep some social distance. Is there anything complicated to it, or are they just leaving enough room to take off? Why is the spacing wider on the neutral (top) phase than on the far phase? What’s the story with the guy off by himself?