So is creative writing like photography?  

The more you do it the better you get?

I researched creative writing yesterday and it started out fine.

Then it got complicated.

The site started using terms that I had to do more research on.

It started to sound like math, for english.

So I quit researching.

And I folded and started taking notes about my random days, hoping I could get nuggets of wisdom on paper to tell you later.

But I was trying too hard.

Last year I used Garage Band and actually recorded a few songs.  Eventually I bought a microphone to sound better, instead of singing into the microphone of my Mac.  I sang lead and background vocals, beats, sound effects, etc. etc.

I don’t do that anymore.

Hope blogging won’t be the same???

Now I’m trying to get my “songs” on my Droid as ringtones.

It’s not working.

And maybe that’s for a reason.

But it’s what I want so I’ll keep trying and researching.

And getting back into Garage Band is sounding better and better everyday.

So is blogging.

PHILOSOPHY SHOULD LEAD SCIENCE

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

 Any high school student will tell you that leaves of plants use carbon dioxide of the atmosphere and water absorbed by the roots to make starch in the presence of sunlight for use by the cells of plants. As a layman, certain doubts arose in my mind which I discussed with senior students and a professor in university. I should confess, instead of clearing my mind, it only helped to confirm my thesis that every cell in the plant (except dead cells !) re-uses the CO₂ and H₂0 , released during respiration, for synthesizing starch. This is purely a philosophical conclusion,as I lost touch with the world of science in March 1957 after B.Sc. examination.I shall enumerate some of my points :

1)      The extremely tender, minute root tips are always growing and require continuous supply of starch.In very tall trees,the distance from top leaves to the root tips may be as much as 300 metres.There is no proper mechanism for transport of starch over such distance,unless we can locate different channels for upward movement of water and downward movement of starch in dissolved form, right from root tip to leaf tip and back. Xylem and phloem tissues are mentioned as responsible for this movement,but in trees like teak, jackwood etc all tissues inside the bark except perhaps a thin  layer of cortex, are absolutely dead and impervious to water, being filled with wood oil and compressed by the weight of the trunk. That is why we are able to make furniture,boats,ships etc with wood. Actually, the clever tree is making use of the dead cells as a skeleton-like support for its branches and leaves ,the latter being mercilessly dropped after making use of them!

2)      In Silent Valley in Kerala, I was shown a very tall tree, hollow inside, with two convenient natural holes, one at the bottom and the other at the top. We can see the sky, looking up from the bottom hole! The tree is alive. How is water and starch transported when xylem and phloem are absent?  

3)      In Australia, ring cutting was extensively resorted to, for felling trees. The bark and a small part of cortex was removed by making an eight inch deep cutting round the trunk at the bottom. After about six months, the tree falls down dead. This clearly proves that the outermost live cells are responsible for water transport.

4)      We plant rose cuttings. The cells on one end develop into a shoot and cells on the other side produce roots .Plant cells are remarkably versatile.Every cell can split and produce all chemicals required for making a duplicate cell . It is impossible to believe that a root cell will wait for starch to come from leaves, when raw materials are available as a result of its own respiration, and it has the necessary technical know-how for making even complicated proteins. Do we not re-use waste in a space station? Are we cleverer than plants?

5)      There is no way for a plant cell , except in the leaves, to get rid of CO₂ produced during respiration. When I, earlier, circulated my doubts in this regard, via email,I got only one response .The botanist had only one word-‘diffusion’ to desciribe the process. In the humans, is it enough if we just say ‘respiration’? We study all detailed mechanism in human physiology. In the same way, should we not describe the method used by plants to obtain oxygen and get rid of CO₂? The professor also said the same thing.As adjoining cells are also producing CO₂, how is diffusion possible?The area surrounding the roots will become saturated with CO₂.The root will die. The conclusion is inescapable: cells are recycling water and CO₂ produced during respiration.

6)      When mango fruits are produced in bulk during the season,the number of leaves are actually curtailed! Will farmers curtail production of food grains when it is required in bulk? Laburnum tree becomes almost yellow with flowers in the season, leaves hardly visible. How is starch produced when leaves are reduced?

7)      Bamboo, papaya tree etc are hollow,in the case of the former, there are segments,each one a waterproof compartment . Coconut tree mysteriously carries gallons of water to make toddy. If you cut the tree, not a trace of water is found. Are trees using nano technology?

8)      In my view,the main function of leaves is to pump water up for which lot of energy is required.Naturally,they make large quantities of starch which attracted the attention of botanists who hastily came to the conclusion that only leaves are concerned in this process.

9)      Maximum number of fish thrive in the deep oceans eating planktons which make starch in strata which receive practically no sunlight.

In view of the above, I feel more research is needed before we come to a firm concusion about the mechanism for production of starch and its transportation.

Today, institutions like NASA have all the technical capabilities to study this issue which should not be left to the comparatively ill equipped botanists.

FYI, Ketua LEAF dan Ketua BIRD waktu kelas 1 dulu adalah partner ujian. Saya dan Ketua LEAF duduk depan belakang karena nomer NIS kami berurutan. PARTNER UJIAN. Yang berarti di nilai rapor kelas 1 saya ada campur tangan dia, dan begitupun sebaliknya. Tapi sekarang malah begini.

Wakil ketua LEAF dan Ketua BIRD adalah teman sebangku sejak kelas 1 semester genap sampai sekarang. Kami berfikir bersama, dan saling membantu. Ketua BIRD memumpuni di pelajaran Fisika dan English. Wakil Ketua LEAF peserta OSN Biologi, dan cerdas cermat Jepang. Kami saling membantu. Setidaknya ada keringat dia di nilai Biologi dan Jepang saya, begitu pun sebaliknya. Tapi sekarang jadi begini…

Sedangkan apa yang Donny, Iffan, dan Kukuh lakukan untuk BIRD pun tidak salah. Mereka benar – benar melindungi keberadaan saya.

Mereka selalu mendukung saya, “Jangan takut bu ketua, ada kami disini”.

Namun saya tidak bisa tegas, karena saya selalu terbayang akan Ketua dan Wakil Ketua LEAF.

“Udah lo lebih baik diem aja Jas, kami tau posisi lo, biar kami aja”.

Saya sadar saya gak boleh diem aja. Saya gak boleh biarkan mereka sendirian.

Raja bergerak belakangan.

Tapi kalo gini saya seperti seorang putri dilindungi.

FU*K, saya kesal dengan diri sendiri.

Sejalan dengan ini, pergolakan di dalam tubuh LEAF masih terus berlanjut. Mereka saling membuka aib di Facebook diikuti pertanyaan yang berdatangan dari kakak kelas dan adik kelas.

BIRD vs LEAF

BIRD vs LEAF

BIRD vs LEAF

29 November 2009. Saat saya check inbox facebook saya, ada message dari Teman sebangku saya, dia mengirim message ke saya, kukuh, iffan, dan donny.

Intinya dia bilang : “Kok gara-gara ada masalah ini kita jadi renggang ya?”

OMG OMG OMG,  enggak sadar juga dia, siapa juga yang bikin renggang. Grrwwrrr.

Pengen teriak rasanya.

Sampai sekarang diantara kukuh, Iffan, dan saya, tidak ada satupun yang membalas. Takut salah perkataan. Kita lagi nunggu Donny pulang gereja.

Hari selasa besok Rapat lagi. Tunggu saja apa yang akan terjadi nanti

25 November 2009. Hari itu hari Rabu. Setelah perayaan hari guru akan ada rapat pensi di lantai 3, ruang seni  budaya.

Pengurus LEAF, kami pengurus BIRD, dan pihak indepen berkumpul.  Ya, akan ada voting ulang tema. 2 Tema. Yaitu Tema dari LEAF, dan Tema dari PI.

Tapi ada yang aneh, sangat aneh. LEAF membawa seluruh pengurus kelas 10 untuk mengikuti voting. Padahal saat rapat I dan rapat II kelas 10 tidak kelihatan batang hidungnya sama sekali, tiba – tiba mereka ikut voting kali ini !

Apa bloggers bisa baca pikiran saya waktu itu?

Ya, LEAF membawa pasukan supaya tema mereka menang !

Liciknya…

Disitulah penyebab keributan. Kami BIRD, dan PI tidak setuju dengan kehadiran kelas 10 disitu. Adu mulut pun terjadi. Jelas BIRD dan PI mencekal tindakan LEAF tersebut.

Sumpah deh, kepala saya mau pecah saat itu. Saya tutup telinga, mereka saling teriak, saling bentak, saling sindir, panas panas panas.

Tiba – tiba sampai suatu ketika saya disuruh maju sama xxxxxdari LEAF. Dia membentak saya, menyuruh saya membeberkan semua yang yang terjadi saat 2 hari lalu. Saat saya di ruang LEAF sendirian, saat saya ditekan kala itu, saya disalahakan sendirian. 1 vs 7.

Saya takut, saya pusing, saya blank. Apa yang harus saya katakana. Saya lihat gustian as ketua pensi benar – benar tidak dihargai kala itu.Kalo begini terus gak akan selesai rapat ini.

Akhirnya dengan terbata – bata saya katakana 20% apa yang terjadi saat peristiwa 1 vs 7. Mengapa 20%? Karena saya sadar, jika saya beberkan semuanya, rapat ini tidak akan selesai, yang ada malah perang  perang dan perang.

Teman – teman BIRD saya sempat kecewa, mereka bilang “kenapa lo ga bilang semuanya aja sih mumpung di depan kelas 10, biar mereka tau jahatnya LEAF”.

Tapi akhirnya mereka mau mengerti setelah mendengar penjelasan saya. Adu mulut pun dilanjutkan.

Perlawanan dari BIRD diwakilkan oleh Donny dan Kukuh. Dari PI ada Yao dan Nana.

FYI Donny itu keren sekali kalo bicara, orang ngomong 3 kata, dia balas 10 kata sedangkan Kukuh jago ngeles. Lalu Iffan memanfaatkan keributan dengan mendatangi kelas 10 dan berkampanye kemudian anggota BIRD yang lain saya suruh mencatat setiap detil rapat yang terjadi dan juga pilih tema yang benar-benar bagus, paling tidak kalo LEAF bisa bawa anak kelas 10 belom tentu tema mereka menang.

Finally, Gustian as ketia pensi turun tangan. Diputuskan kelas 10 tetap ikut rapat, namun hanya perwakilannya saja, 5 orang. Oke kami setuju. Lalu PI diwakili Yao mulai mempresentasikan Tema mereka, dilanjutkan tema dari LEAF. Selanjutnya pemungutan suara.

Hasilnya, Tema dari PI menang telak 29 – 11 dari pada tema LEAF. Rapat diakhiri, saat itu air muka LEAF sangat tidak enak untuk dilihat.

Setelah kejadian tersebut, terjadi berbagai perpecahan di dalam tubuh LEAF, sebagian ada yang memihak keluar, sebagian ada yang tetap dengan prinsip superior mereka. Padahal yang namanya panitia pensi, mau dari Rohis, Rokris, LEAF, BIRD, atau dari luar semuanya setara, karena pada dasarnya Pensi itu adalah acara sekolah bukan acara LEAF. Tapi beberapa dari mereka masih mikir pensi itu LEAF yang ngatur.

Waktu itu, tiap saya buka homepage fb yang ada malah status – status para LEAF yang malah terkesan buka aib di fb.

Udah gitu, mau saya masalah ini diselesaikan secara internal aja gitu kek. Tapi ini malah engga, merek malah berkoar – koar sengaja mempublikasikan ke khalayak ramai.

Baru saja saya turun ke lantai satu, tiba – tiba ada orang nanya, “Jas, tadi rapat BIRD ama LEAF berantem ya?”

Oh Gosh, jelas saja gossip beredar begitu cepat. Jika adik kelas atau kakak kelas bertanya ke saya tentang BIRD vs LEAF , saya Cuma bisa jawab “Engga berantem kok, BIRD sama LEAF kerja sama, Cuma beda pendapat aja”. Tapi mereka, para LEAF malah bikin status terus terusan di fb.

2 hari setelah itu. Teman sebangku saya balik dari tugasnya, teman sebangku saya yang jadi wakil ketua LEAF. Teman sebangku saya mendengarkan semua perkataan teman – teman LEAF-nya, Teman sebangku saya termakan omongan teman-teman LEAF-nya, Teman sebangku saya tidak lagi ingat dengan saya, Teman sebangku saya tidak lagi menghomati perasaan saya. Padahal saya selalu menghormati perasaan dia. Dia sebagai sahabat saya, dia sebagai teman sebangku saya, bukan dia sebagai LEAF. Tapi inilah yang saya dapatkan, perakuan seperti ini yang saya dapatkan.

Sakit hati saya.

24 November 2009. Mau tidak mau saya ceritakan hal yang terjadi kemarin ke kukuh dan iffan. Benar firasat saya, mereka marah. Saya minta tolong untuk menyelesaikan masalah internal mereka dengan LEAF, karena ada salah satu LEAF yang gak suka dengan Iffan & Kukuh. Saya beri hak otonomi kepada mereka untuk mengurusnya, karena kalau masalah internal bergabung dengan masalah kelompok tentu akan menjadi rumit bukan? Juga saya mohon pada mereka untuk sabar.

Saya : “Udah biar gue aja yang nyelesain masalahnya sama mereka, gue ketua, ini tugas gue. Kalian ga usah ikut-ikutan, selesain masalah lo sama si xxxxx (anak LEAF yang punya masalah sama iffan dan kukuh.

Kukuh : “Tapi ga bisa gitu dong jas, Lo itu kemaren sendirian, wajar aja lo ga bisa perfikir. Lo wakilin nama BIRD kan? Tapi tanpa pesetujuan anggota, berarti itu pelanggaran.

Saya : “Pokoknya kita jangan bergerak dulu, diem aja dulu lah. Ikutin apa mau LEAF aja. Nanti gue yang urus”

Saya berbicara seperti itu padahal saya sendiri gak tau mau berbuat apa. Sampai suatu ketika saya memberi tahu hal tersebut ke Donny. FYI Donny juga BIRD, dan ternyata dia marah besar. Saat itu juga dia langsung ke ruang LEAF meminta penjelasan dan membuat perhitungan.

ASTAGA, KENAPA JADI GINI !!!

Kepala saya mau pecah, apa yang akan Donny lakukan disana. Saya takut oh tuhan, saya ga mau ada perselisiha. Kukuh dan Iffan mencegah Donny, tapi dia tetep maju.

Saya dilantai 2 saat itu. Saya juga mau ke ruang LEAF tapi dilarang sama Donny.

Karena Raja itu jalan belakangan.

Tuhan mendengarkan doaku kala itu, ternyata LEAF sedang sibuk dengan rapat Hari guru, sehingga upaya Donny pun gagal. Dan saya coba marahi Donny waktu itu.

Saya     : “Maksud lo apa sih, mikir ga sih apa yang lo lakuin tadi efeknya fatal. Pikir dulu sebelum bertindak!”

Donny : “Gue ga terima lo digituin Jas, mereka bertindak terlalu jauh”

Saya     : “Untuk masalah dengan LEAF biar gue yang selesaikan nanti. Lo ga usah bikin masalah tambah parah:

Donny : “Gue tau lu ketua, tapi BIRD bukan cuma lo doang! Kita lo anggap apa woy”

Dan jujur, apa yang dikatakan Donny emang benar, selama ini saya melakukan apa-apa sendirian, sehingga saya fikir kesalahan yang LEAF katakan waktu di ruang mereka adalah salah gue. Padahal gue punya temen-temen, I have birds beside me .( Birds adalah sebutan untuk pengurus BIRD).

Donny : “Jujur gue gak terima ketua gue diperlakukan seperti itu. Lo mewakili kita, tapi saat itu bahkan gue ga tau kalo gue diwakilin, bukan gitu caranya Jasmine. Bukan 1 lawan 7 orang”

Saya     : “Tapi gue Cuma ga mau ada kekisruhan…”

Donny : “Dimana –mana RAJA BERGERAK BELAKANGAN Jas, pasti anak buah yang mati duluan. Kalo gini caranya, mereka langsung nyerang elo. Kalo Raja mati duluan udah pasti kalah. Cara mereka salah”

Saya : “Tapi jangan langsung datengin ke Ruang LEAF gitu aja dong, fikir dulu matang-matang”

Donny : “Gue tau jas, masalah ini harus cepat diselesain, kalo kelamaan malah makin gak bener. Gue tau lo Ketua, tapi LO TETEP PEREMPUAN. Mana bisa 1 lawan 7 di kandang mereka pula. UDAH LO TENANG AJA BIAR GUE YANG URUS !”

Donny langsung pergi, waktu itu air mata saya langsung meluncur. Dikoridor lantai 2. Saya nangis. Perang dimulai kawan. Saya nangis ga berenti. Kukuh dan Iffan nemenin saya disitu.

Kukuh : “Jas, ga usah nangis. Biar kita selesain masalahnya.”

Saya     : “Tapi gak gini caranya, kalo begini jadinya pasti bakal perang, gue ga mau berantem sama LEAF”

Iffan     : “Iya tapi jangan nangis disini, mereka senang liat lu nangis ntar”

As you know Pria itu dasarnya cuek, tapi kalo mereka udah liat air mata cewe, jadi lain cerita. Saya ngerti banget posisi Donny saat itu, saya ngerti perasaan Iffan dan Kukuh waktu itu ketika melihat saya nangis. Mereka makin makin makin makin kesal.

Saya merasa bersalah nangis waktu itu, bukannya bikin masalah adem, malah bikin anak buah saya makin panas. Tapi coba bloggers di posisi saya, di otak saya sudah terbayang perselisihan macam – macam. Jadi gini, wakil ketua LEAF itu temen sebangku saya, saat itu dia gak ada ditempat karena ada urusan diluar sekolah. Dan jujur saya sangat sangat menghormati prasaan teman saya ini. Saya tidak mau buat teman sebangku saya kecewa. Tapi kalo saya lihat anak buah saya, masa saya mau melepas mereka semua? Mana tanggung jawab ketua kalo begitu?

Pikiran saya bergejolak, saya benar – benar bimbang. Saya sih tidak peduli mau diapain sama LEAF, mau 1 vs 7 kayak kemaren, mau dikeroyok kek, mau disuruh-suruh pun saya terima – terima aja. Tapi anggota BIRD yang lain tidak terima saya diperlakukan seperti itu. Ketua yang mereka sayangi diperlakukan dengan tidak dihargai.

Hati saya galau saat itu. Saya mau berdiri dipihak mana?

-          Saya terus melakukan sikap menghormati teman sebangku saya as wakil ketua LEAF, atau

-          Saya menghadapi ini semua bersama BIRD

Ternyata setelah saya pulang sekolah hari itu, Donny masuk ke ruang LEAF sendirian. Semacam membuat perhitungan dengan mereka.

Disitu saya merasa, saya bukan Raja yang mengatur strategi, tapi saya seperti seorang putri yang dilindungi.

Esok harinya ada rapat pensi, dan itulah klimaksnya. Kami bertengkar, adu mulut dihadapan anak kelas 1. Saling menekan dan menjatuhkan. Dan sekali lagi saya merasa, saya bukan Raja yang mengatur strategi, tapi saya seperti seorang putri yang dilindungi.

CHAPTER 1 : Kacang Garuda

12 November 2009. Awal cerita, BIRD sedang mencari logo yang bagus untuk pembuatan Lencana. Dari 3 pra-logo, ada salah satu logo yang bergambar burung garuda.

Donny  : “Gimana kalo di kaki garuda ditaro gambar kacang?”

Saya : “Lu pikir ini Kacang garuda”

Iffan :  (ngakak)

Donny : “Gimana kalo di kaki garuda di kasih tulisan LEAF?”

Saya : “eh parah, lo kira LEAF itu kacang”

Iffan  : “Kacang ko lawan Garuda” (peseta Cicak ko lawan Buaya)

Sontak semua yang disitu (Donny, Iffan, dan saya) ngakak. WAKAKAKA.

Ada – ada aja lagian. Nah teman sebangku saya itu wakil ketua LEAF. Awalnya dia gak ngerti, tapi tiba – tiba dia ngambil tasnya, dan merapihkan benda – bendanya, lalu pergi meninggalkan saya.

Jelas kami bercanda saat itu. Tapi teman sebangku saya menganggapnya lain.

Dan bukannya kesalahpahaman ini diselesaikan, dia malah pergi. Berkali – kali Donny dan Iffan minta maaf, tapi dia cuekin. Yang ada malah dia mengancam, “Lo mau gue laporin LEAF?, makanya diem aja deh!”.

Hari itu hari ulang tahun saya, saya kira “ngambeknya Temen Saya” itu bohongan biar bikin saya panik. Tapi ternyata teman saya marah beneran.

Tapi keesokan harinya dia malah sok  – sok nyapa, dan sok enjoy. Saya bingung, saya merasa dipermainkan. Kemarin dia nyuekin saya, kenapa sekarang gini?

Padahal masalah Kacang garuda kemaren belom clear.

Saya, Iffan, dan Donny pun jadi bingung, kalo bahas masalah kemaren takutnya Teman sebangku saya ini melakukan ancamannya, yaitu bilang ke LEAF. Tapi kalo gak dibahas ya jadi gini, gak jelas.

Sejak saat itu kami jadi lebih sadar diri, kalo lagi ngomongin BIRD lebih baik jangan di depan LEAF.

Sejak saat itu pula, saya jadi agak ngeri sama teman sebangku saya. Dari pada saya salah ngomong lebih baik saya diam bukan?

Namun ternyata, teman sebangku saya ini bilang soal logo garuda itu ke teman – teman LEAFnya. Alhasil perang dingin pun terjadi.

Saya jadi jarang ngobrol dengan teman sebangku saya, saya malas, nanti yang ada malah dia jadi ngambek.

Dan menurut saya inilah cikal bakal perselisihan BIRD vs LEAF.

Download AI URL: http://www.imgcapture.com/?p=977

Material description:

This is a summer atmosphere with a series of designs of green material. With a gradient background color around the edge of light green covered with beautiful green foliage and butterfly patterns, displaying the beauty of fresh summer-like fashion elements. Can be used in home, flooring, wallpaper and other design areas.

Bleu contre jaune … Fight !

One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever.

One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one’s heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun—which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years.

One knows it then for a moment or so…And it was like that with Colin when he first saw and heard and felt the Springtime inside the four high walls of a hidden garden.

That afternoon the whole world seemed to devote itself to being perfect and radiantly beautiful and kind to one boy.

Perhaps out of pure heavenly goodness the spring came and crowned everything it possibly could into that one place.

Text: Frances Hodgson Burnett (THE SECRET GARDEN: 1909)

Nike genser til Nike joggebuksen!

Etter jobb i går kryperte jeg, seriøst. Gikk rundt i hodet mitt og sengen min var så varm..den ropte på meg. Uansett, i dag er en ny dag, og det er en fridag! Sto opp halv 8 i dag for å hjelpe min eldste søster med hennes jobb, hun er varelevrandør for Leaf, Malaco osv. og vi måtte på to butikker på fridagen til både meg og henne for å sette på plass varer fordi vikarbyrået hadde failet, typisk. Etter der stakk vi på Ikea fordi hun har større bil enn Line og det var plass til tingene jeg måtte ha, så jippi!

Nå sitter jeg her med kaffe og røyk, som er alt jeg trenger. Dagen er fremdeles ung, og jeg tenker jeg må sitte meg ned å skrive den historie oppgaven jeg skulle ha gjort for lenge siden Har også noen viktige papierer jeg må sortere, bleh.

En liten side-note:

Noe som irriterer meg til de grader er når folk skriver ting på engelsk og ikke har peiling på grammartikk eller hvordan ord skrives. Cry’d? Mener du CRIED? oh my god lizzom. Du er norsk og suger i engelsk, hold deg til norsk, thank you very much.

Adorn this slender vintage brass (circa 1950’s) feather/leaf necklace and feel like a celebrity:-) Apparently leaves and feathers seem to be the fave charm for the rich and famous so I was thrilled to find this wee little vintage gem!

Dangles on a 16.5in vintage brass fine chain necklace.

Measurements: Height of feather/leaf is 18mm. Length of necklace is 16.5in/40cm. If you want me to shorten it, let me know and I’ll do it free of charge:-)

Patina surface of the charm you receive will vary from the one in the picture but will be similar.

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-9434439-new-life.phprefnum=delihayat

hand holding a fresh young plant, symbol of new life and environmental conservation

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-9434439-new-life.phprefnum=delihayat

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http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-9415173-quince.php

yellow quince in autumn sun

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Another gray day yesterday at my mom’s, but at least I got this photo I’m pleased with:

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Colorful leaf

On the second Saturday in November I stood atop Winslow Hill and imagined myself as an autumn leaf, vulnerable, light as a feather, about to be blown away into yonder.  With hurricane force winds blasting in from the sea, the whole of Bowleaze Cove was a bubbling mass of white water.  As I tried to photograph the scene, with just a fraction of zoom lens protruding, my camera bucked and weaved like a rebellious stallion while the wind and the rain took its revenge on me.

Later that day I went to worship once again at the awesome reality of Chesil Beach in a force 10 when the waves provide the thunder and the spray the lightning.  Behind me the valley was brimming with rain and hunkering down for the worst storm of the year.

Three days later and I’m strolling due south across the centre of the valley.  The dogs are hunting and quartering in front of me.  On my left the deep shadows are playing games in amongst the strip lynchets.  On my right a wondrous and idyllic tableau is formed by the White Horse and a field full of sheep.  Underfoot is sticky and soggy as the rainwater drains down from the hill.  Ahead of me the A353 snakes across the lip of the valley and I wonder when the next motorcyclist will be severely injured up there.  It happens on a fortnightly basis and what does the Highway Authority do?  Absolutely nothing of course.  Dorset County Council sits on its fat, collective, complacent backside while young people are grotesquely mutilated on dangerous roads.  It is nothing short of blatant, inexcusable negligence.

So while the valley is a cure for many of the stresses and strains of everyday life, it is not apart from them.  In fact, I make a plea to all driving south down the A353 to look left towards the sea.  Paradise Valley is far too distracting.

Up on the hill, the yellow gorse flowers are back and I’m marvelling again at the hardiness of the sheep.  When Capone, Carla and I go up there for an hour and a half we come back and spend the rest of the day in heated shelter.  Recently, we’ve had as long a spell of consistently high winds as I can remember.  I hate to think what it must be like for those sheep at 3 o’clock in the morning!

In an hurrah to the height of the pheasant season, this morning Carla demonstrated the superiority of her nose and hunting skills.

We climbed up and over the hump that sits on the northern shoulder of White Horse Hill.  Coming down the far side is a favourite place for deer but Carla hunted high and low to no avail.

Out into the main field where the stubbl;e is thick from the last crop of barley and suddenly she’s put up a hen pheasant, fluttering back up to the hump.  Then there are three breaking from cover, another back up the hump and two curling round towards me.  The third is rising, screaming, soaring as I swing right through it and see a clear 20 feet of lead before I pull the trigger.

Another is up quartering me from right to left, accelerating and rising, actually beneath me due to the lie of the land but tumbled cleanly out of the air as another pair break right and the last one falls to my second barrel.  Carla looks bright, fulfilled and chuffed to bits.

Of course no dogs, birds or people were injured in the making of this film that plays only on the ultimate high definition, widescreen inside your head.  Everything except the birds and the dog were imaginary!

It is no secret that Coke’s 1886 “brain tonic” recipe called for cocaine. However, it’s not widely known that Coke still uses the coca leaf in their secret recipe.  There is only one company legally permitted to import coca leaves into the United States, the Stepan Company of Illinois.

Coca Leaves

Stepan uses the coca leaf to produce pure cocaine for medical use and a non-narcotic ingredient that Coca-Cola uses to flavor Coke.  Most of the coca leaves are imported from Peru, and The Washington Times has reported that 100 tons are imported per year.

BrokenSecrets.com

Photo Credit: Ryan Greenberg (Flickr/Creative Commons)