365 day challenge - posting 3

Well, my observations continue. Some days are easier than others, but at least it's making my brain work!

Here are the next lot of observations..

Day 35: 17-August
Celebration 30th wedding anniversary afternoon tea with family & friends together. Some folk had not met previously, but got on really well which was very encouraging.

Day 36: 18-August
China has 'invented' the "face-kini"; a face mask to protect the face against UV Sun's rays.

Day 37: 19-August
Watched our 20 month old grand-daughter learning how to roll balls in the house & the look of pleasure and delight on her face.

Day 38: 20-August
Article in the RHS Garden magazine about poppies - realised we have an annual poppy in our garden "Papaver somniferum" and confirmed many instances of perennial poppy "Papaver cambricum" (welsh poppy) at Snowshill holiday cottages.

Day 39: 21-August
Also discovered poppy "Papaver atlanticum" growing in Diston's holiday cottage garden in Snowshill.

Day 40: 22-August
Noticed a temporary sign on the Broadway to Snowshill road (Church Lane) "Col du Snowshill" - ready for the Tour of Britain cycle race.

Day 41: 23-August
A photo on Twitter of Robin's Pin Cushion; caused by wild rose gall wasp - on a rose stem. Saw some of these at Snowshill.

Day 42: 24-August
Mobile phones have a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). If your phone is lost or stolen, you can contact your service provider to have the phone immobilised. The number can be displayed using the sequence *#06#

Day 43: 25-August
Cooked some plums (Golden Egg), picked from Diston's holiday cottage at Snowshill, ate with vanilla ice-cream. Very tasty, first time I've eaten this plum variety. Not one for eating straight from the tree!

Day 44: 26-August
Ship building in London started at Chatham in 1500.

Day 45: 27-August
Found out how to add a short-cut to an application on the Start screen of Windows 8.1

Day 46: 28-August
Scottish plant hunter George Forrest went on 7 expeditions to Western China between 1904 - 1932.

Day 47: 29-August
Crab apples routinely produce five to ten times more pollen than eating apple varieties.

Day 48: 30-August
Microsoft's Messenger service is to be switched off (in China) in Oct 2014, marking 15 years of worldwide operation. Launched in 1999, it was switched off for most users in 2013, but retained in China.

Observations challenge - 2

365 day challenge
Learn or observe something new

My next set of observations, continuing from 2-August-2014

The challenge is just that, challenging. On some days I see plenty of things, other days almost devoid. Not sure why this is, but I've managed to put together the following:

Day 21: 3-August-2014
Pruning Eleagnus ebbingei - noticed it has long, sharpe thorns - didn't realise this plant had thorns.

Day 22: 4-August-2014
Article on BBC news; "Bubble Tea" - a drink becoming popular in the UK. Often brightly coloured tea served with milk, with a layer of jelly like globules - tapioca balls that settle at the bottom of the cup. Drunk through an extra thick straw.

Day 23: 5-August
Ceramic poppies being placed around the Tower of London to represent loss of life in WW1 - over 800,000

Day 24: 6-August
Heard shocking statistics relating to sexually motivated attacks on young Indian women (as they walk from their homes to places in the countryside to do their toilet 'business') all as a result of lack of basic sanitation in the home.

Day 25: 7-August
China plans 'Christian Theology' according to BBC, China may try to create a theology based on Christianity - that integrates the religion with Chinese culture and is compatible with the country's socialist beliefs. Senior official says "the construction of Chinese Christian theology should adapt to China's national conditions". (Something tells me they don't understand Christ and what it means to follow Christ. Christ doesn't adapt!)

Day 26: 8-August
Found out how to reset and disable service warning messages on my VW van.

Day 27: 9-August
People are using small canisters of Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) to get a 'high' or 'relaxation fix', by inflating balloons and then inhaling the gas. STUPID PEOPLE!

Day 28: 10-August
Visiting speaker in church today explained how there are some innocent women in prison in Cochabamba, Bolivia; with no idea why they are in prison or any date when they might be released.

Day 29: 11-August
Found out about the LIST function on Twitter, will have to have a play..

Day 30: 12-August
The site in Cheltenham that housed the main Vauxhall dealership has been flattened, in readiness for new housing development.

Day 31: 13-August
In Birmingham there are at least 15000 'old' (pensioner aged) people living on their own and lonely.

Day 32: 14-August
Saw a vole today (first time ever), stuck in an old tin (half full of water); managed to rescue it though it was soaked it proved to be very feisty and would have administered a bite!

Day 33: 15-August
The Yazidi people in Northern Iraq being persecuted. Read a brief description about their beliefs - it appears a complex mix. Some outsiders consider them devil worshippers.

Day 34: 16-August

If the plant 'Box'; Buxus Sempervirens is left unclipped, it is less likely to succumb to box blight.

Time to change - start looking

Yes, I know it's been ages since the latest entry - just been working hard and not having the time...

My blog entries have mainly focused on gardening and allotment activities, but for a while I'm changing this.

A couple of months ago we met up with our daughter, husband and children and visited a local farm during an open farm weekend. While have some refreshments I was watching our little grand-daughter walking and she was distracted by a summer flower display. Obviously something she hadn't seen before and so took time to have a look - and learn. This got me thinking; just how much we adults just don't notice, or even take time to learn, or look at something new.

Well, I've set myself some sort of challenge; a 365 day (a whole year) challenge of daily looking out for something new, learning or seeing something I didn't know the day before. Hopefully I can do this; and am writing short notes daily to force myself to think about what happened during the day and was anything new to me.

Here are the first set of 'observations' -- things I didn't know when I started on the 14th July 2014.

Hopefully you might find something new yourself as you read!

365 day challenge
Learn or observe something new

Day 1: 14-July-2014
Doing some gardening for some clients I totally missed seeing new handrails installed on the front steps of the garden. When these were pointed out to me - I informed the client of the 365 day challenge and how I thought about starting this, so I've decided to start with a picture of the new hand rail.

Note to self - must do better to observe!


Day 2: 15-July-2014
Watched episode of BBC Click. Learned new development of drone technology - an autonomous capability that allows a drone to fly and follow a person and also film at the same time.

Day 3: 16-July-2014
Saw photo of 20 month old grand-daughter 'play feeding' her 'doll' friend; how quickly do young children learn!

Day 4: 17-July-2014
Saw a family group of house sparrows; mum, dad & 5 youngsters. All 5 small birds were feeding off weed seeds on our rough pathway in the garden. This brought home to me that plants we may consider a pain or having no purpose can support life! Being too tidy has an impact we may not be aware of.

Day 5: 18-July-2014
At the National Trust Snowshill Manor; noted items being thrown away. I spotted a large bracket and an old set of working sacktrucks. It was ok to take them. I hate seeing serviceable items being scrapped. Good to keep eyes open to spot opportunities.

Day 6: 19-July-2014
Installing software on new PC - found out that Microsoft stopped upgrading & support of MSMoney in 2007.

Day 7: 20-July-2014
Bought 2nd hand book from Snowshill fete book stall, about history of Minchinhampton Common. I didn't know that there is a long barrow (or tump) upon which in 1743 the Methodist preacher George Whitefield addressed a crowd some 20,000 strong.

Day 8: 21-July-2014
One of the most important things in life is knowledge, but this can only be applied through understanding. Both overcome ignorance.

Day 9: 22-July-2014
Useful to be assertive with clients sometimes when discussing what jobs to do (and which to delay), when the weather is very hot.

Day 10: 23-July-2014
Microsoft announce future strategy to bring a common operating environment across hardware platforms.

Day 11: 24-July-2014
In the Bible, in the Kingdom of God, the expression "for His name's sake" actually refers to God's reputation.

Day 12: 25-July-2014
Electricity supply had tripped out at Snowshill office, now know how to reset/restore supplies.

Day 13: 26-July-2014
Read news that the power station cooling towers at Didcot are to be demolished on 27-July-2014.

Day 14: 27-July-2014
At daughter's birthday party her friend's young daughter played guitar and sang; appears to have a natural gift to play a range of instruments - all self taught.

Day 15: 28-July-2014
Whilst working at a client's garden, a neighbour drew my attention to overgrown shrub, concerned something should be done to prevent further overhanging or blocking light. Decided not to get involved - leave such discussions to happen between neighbours - don't do others bidding.

Day 16: 29-July-2014
Read a story about convenience marriages in Yemen. If a brother & sister in one family marry a sister & brother from another family no doweries are paid. However, if one couple subsequently divorce, the other couple are forced to separate - what a bizarre tradition!

Day 17: 30-July-2014
Changes in law to allow further trials of 'driverless' cars on UK roads! Why?

Day 18: 31-July-2014
On BBC news - on the Internet there is a 'hidden' "darknet" used for and by drug dealers/distributors. This has a worldwide reach, taking drug dealing off the streets - drugs are mailed direct and anonymously to any address.

Day 19: 1-August-2014
Learned that NASA will be attempting to 'make' oxygen on MARS during the next mission to this planet.

Day 20: 2-August-2014
Checked someones Twitter profile - said they aim for ARCADIAN lifestyle. ARCADIAN = simple, rural, peaceful & contented life.