What did you learn today?

[Tom Bomb]

"If you are considering intermittent fasting, make sure to discuss it with your doctor. Skipping meals and severely limiting calories can be dangerous for people with certain conditions, such as diabetes. People who take medications for blood pressure or heart disease also may be more prone to electrolyte abnormalities from fasting."
Not so fast: Pros and cons of the newest diet trend - Harvard Health
​

 

[Tom Bomb]

Wise man

Well I have stopped my diet since Warne passed, can’t be too careful. …

 

[RedVee]

Wise man

​

Yes it was the intermittent I put myself on. Messed up my meds schedule. Not clever.

But I knew enough to can it and discuss with my GP.

 

[BioDriver]

TIL that setting up Crossover on MacOS is much, MUCH more frustrating than everyone made it out to be. And that I probably should have gotten a Windows computer instead of another Mac.

 

[Tom Bomb]

Look out for Homie Cron III (BA3) All decidedly unfriendly — Wasn't the peak meant to be in January?
​

 

[the harp unstrung]

I’m informed by my Special Ed Teacher Bride that World Down Syndrome Day is 3/21.

 

[the harp unstrung]

Brendan is still my cousin, and he’s still at it…getting the word out, doing his life’s work, trying to teach us all how to sleep.

 

[the harp unstrung]

I Am Busted!

My first round of hummingbird food had WAY too much sugar in it.

too long.

Awrite!
Some people who are smarter than me would Do Their Own Research, and perhaps they would find a poster who wants them to put a few drops of horse tranquilizer in with their water and sugar, just to relax the li’l fellers fer a while…but I’m gonna go with 2 cups water & a half a cuppa plain, white sugar…And I’m gonna swap out the water every few (3? 4?) days.
All the while, I’ll be feeling bad about leaving last year’s sugar water out for weeks at a time!

The Intrawebs…
freakin’ amazing!!

 

[Winslow]

Poor hummingbird.

 

[Tom Bomb]

We get some good advice here, sometimes.

Feeding encourages birds to become dependent on humans for their survival. Feeding birds
​

We're all in this together I keep an eye out for them. I've had some close encounters with most of the birds in my backyard — we're all keen here. The place is now designed, in part, around them, with natural food sources growing here and there. They've even cultivated some of their own favorite foods, believe it or not, which I do my best to encourage and to nurture, most of the time. They also help with the topiarizing. Eddie eat your heart out.

I was out and about one spring, when a whole troop of currawongs decended upon the yard. They were friendly enough, up in the branches, sharing the space — big, bold, blackish birds. I noticed that one bird had a berry in its gob. I swear he winked at me. And when he was sure I was watching him he dropped that berry into the mulch below the wishing tree. Then, with a whoosh, he flew away.

A few minutes later he was back and he did it again. Along with the rest, who were also coming and going in a similarly busy fashion. They were fruit-bombing my garden. Life from above.

I had a look at one of those bird-bourne UXBs on the forest floor, and, to my horror, it was a camphor laurel berry. These crafty birds were sowing camphor seed, in concert. My guess, they were propagating future feasts, and future homes. And this was intentional.

I apologized to the big one, didn't go into too much detail, and tidied up the mess they'd made. These trees grow into giants here and are also listed as noxious weeds: "[This invalid link has been removed]"

I doubt that the currawongs care all that much. Can't blame 'em. They're acting admirably, for birds. What's also true is, we may be getting a glimpse here into something really important. Big picture biodiversity's taking a hit, along these lines. But the birds are feeding their families. And they're clearly farming. Can't get much more important or more impressive than that. There's a lesson there. We think we're special.

After I'd said my piece, and had gathered up twenty or so shiny blue-black berry bombs and set them all aside, the currawongs all took flight. And they never. came. back. True story.

In good conscience, I couldn't let the trees grow here. I'd get pinged for starters. But there would also be no room left, after a couple of years, for all the other vegetation growing here, for us, and for all the other organic ornithopters. For the birds, I know, but that's just me

​

Here's some more fodder, for the topic in-hand. Little insignificant things they are, but they're treasures nonetheless. It all adds up, when the chips are down.

My guess is that these hummingbirds would love you a whole lot more, @the harp unstrung, if you planted, and cultivated their favorite flowering shrubs in your garden and dispensed with all the manky junk food.

It's all worth reading, if you follow the links. Being a caretaker is a full-time job. Give 'em half a chance and they'll take care of themselves.

Getting hummingbirds too accustomed to people can make them vulnerable to those who may swat at them out of fear or attract them for reasons other than just observation. like selling them as love charms.
Invalid Link Removed​

 

[the harp unstrung]

 

[PillO]

View attachment 4633066

View attachment 4633077

Easy to become the old person that everyone is afraid to take out in public. Just stop wearing pants. And you can do that immediately.

 

[MichelD]

I've been recruited into new band playing Cajun music. I'm not much of a singer but as I'm the only one who speaks French I guess I'm the singer too. Working on a verse of "Colinda" this week.

 

[dwm74]

Easy to become the old person that everyone is afraid to take out in public. Just stop wearing pants. And you can do that immediately.

Yep, ever since we became empty-nesters. My wife is getting tired of having to answer the door when we get deliveries, etc.

 

[Winslow]

There are amusing ways to be that person, and truly terrible ways to be that person.

Try to stick with the former.

 

[RedVee]

We get some good advice here, sometimes.

Feeding encourages birds to become dependent on humans for their survival. Feeding birds
​

We're all in this together I keep an eye out for them. I've had some close encounters with most of the birds in my backyard — we're all keen here. The place is now designed, in part, around them, with natural food sources growing here and there. They've even cultivated some of their own favorite foods, believe it or not, which I do my best to encourage and to nurture, most of the time. They also help with the topiarizing. Eddie eat your heart out.

I was out and about one spring, when a whole troop of currawongs decended upon the yard. They were friendly enough, up in the branches, sharing the space — big, bold, blackish birds. I noticed that one bird had a berry in its gob. I swear he winked at me. And when he was sure I was watching him he dropped that berry into the mulch below the wishing tree. Then, with a whoosh, he flew away.

A few minutes later he was back and he did it again. Along with the rest, who were also coming and going in a similarly busy fashion. They were fruit-bombing my garden. Life from above.

I had a look at one of those bird-bourne UXBs on the forest floor, and, to my horror, it was a camphor laurel berry. These crafty birds were sowing camphor seed, in concert. My guess, they were propagating future feasts, and future homes. And this was intentional.

I apologized to the big one, didn't go into too much detail, and tidied up the mess they'd made. These trees grow into giants here and are also listed as noxious weeds: "[This invalid link has been removed]"

I doubt that the currawongs care all that much. Can't blame 'em. They're acting admirably, for birds. What's also true is, we may be getting a glimpse here into something really important. Big picture biodiversity's taking a hit, along these lines. But the birds are feeding their families. And they're clearly farming. Can't get much more important or more impressive than that. There's a lesson there. We think we're special.

After I'd said my piece, and had gathered up twenty or so shiny blue-black berry bombs and set them all aside, the currawongs all took flight. And they never. came. back. True story.

In good conscience, I couldn't let the trees grow here. I'd get pinged for starters. But there would also be no room left, after a couple of years, for all the other vegetation growing here, for us, and for all the other organic ornithopters. For the birds, I know, but that's just me

​

Here's some more fodder, for the topic in-hand. Little insignificant things they are, but they're treasures nonetheless. It all adds up, when the chips are down.

My guess is that these hummingbirds would love you a whole lot more, @the harp unstrung, if you planted, and cultivated their favorite flowering shrubs in your garden and dispensed with all the manky junk food.

It's all worth reading, if you follow the links. Being a caretaker is a full-time job. Give 'em half a chance and they'll take care of themselves.

Getting hummingbirds too accustomed to people can make them vulnerable to those who may swat at them out of fear or attract them for reasons other than just observation. like selling them as love charms.
Invalid Link Removed​

The camphor laurel wood is quite nice though. Some local builders use it as guitar and bass tops sometimes.
I’m with you on the rest.

 

[PillO]

There are amusing ways to be that person, and truly terrible ways to be that person.

Try to stick with the former.

I don't see it as an either/or choice.

 

[foal30]

TIL

No Italy at FIFA Men’s World Cup

 

[Titch]

What did I learn today?
One person's "invasion" is another person's "liberation" and support for Nazism is alive and kicking and growing exponentially.

 

[the harp unstrung]