Random unrelated bits and snippets...
Jun. 18th, 2009 06:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
summer_jackelBIKES
...as I hop on the trainer for a couple hours. It's funny, but riding a bike does stuff to me. Makes me fitter and prettier, obviously, and is a great anti-depressant, which explains not so much why I pedal like I do, but how much. The more subtle, but pervasive, effect is that I feel normal-to-tired when I have ridden recently, but give me a few days off and suddenly I am as full of spazz and boundless energy as my conure when he hasn't been let out of his cage for too long. Sometimes it takes me a moment to remember why I'm behaving wierdly, eg. 'Why am I so conurey at the end of a work day? Oh yeah, I'm all rested. Go spin for an hour so ya sleep tonight, Jackel.'
It's a shame my balance and handling will never be what I'd need to maneuver in a race or century ride, because I'm getting strong. Anyone local need a tandem stoker? :P I took an actual road ride (gasp) this weekend, and I was tearin' it up, although because apparently Kestrel scavenged the magnet off my front wheel, disabling my bike computer, I have no idea how fast I was actually going. Frustrated kvetch gotta get a new one now, PITA. It felt fast, anyway. Grumble.
Incidentally, that ride was to Armstrong Redwoods SP. What a sweet ride. Nice enough roads, few/slow cars, old growth redwood trees, good distance from home. In the winter, when there are fewer tourists, it will be even nicer.
BIRDS
So some friends of mine are fostering a Nanday conure. I am so going over there to love on her andsteal her and make her my very own NOT steal her because not only am I already one parrot over my ideal capacity, I have heard a Nanday vocalize. Thankfully, I still have my hearing after this experience. Still, Nandays are up there on my list of top four birds I love but can never, ever keep. The others, for the curious, are the sun conure, lovebird (I vacillate as to preferred species between black-masked and lutino peachfaced)) and B&G Macaw. All would make fantastic pets for deaf people. (I have sometimes wondered if parrots are statistically more popular pets among the deaf; it would make so much sense).
Going even farther afield, birds that are on the list of parrots I would love and can realistically see myself keeping, but almost certainly won't unless my situation were to change drastically, are white-eared and painted conures, Princess of Wales parakeet and the big one, African grey. I yearn for a grey and really love their neurotic little personalities, and I'm just arrogant enough to think I could do an adequate job of keeping one. I don't have the space, and I think it would decrease the quality and amount of time I could spend with other pets, so this will not happen.
On the other hand, I do think I need another laying hen; I am supplying enough eggs to friends to justify her. I may raise a couple of chicks this year after all.
MAPLE TREES
Only one certain loss so far, a cutting that was in one of my worst rockwool cubes. The cube split, and I think that exposed the wounded end of the cutting to air, dooming it. So, my fault. The other rockwool cuttings, those in perlite and the 3 in willow water have not wilted at all. Both potato grafts are still alive but look shocky and wilted; sadly, I give them a slim chance of rooting.
HOUSEFOX
Shameless little cur. I tossed my undies in the hamper---the one with the smaller slats that I hoped would deter dainty and unerringly accurate little muzzles, dammit!---and no less than a minute later emerged from my bedroom to see Coba trotting off with them. He dropped them immediately, and turned tail for the doggie door as quickly as decorum would allow. If I could have got that second on film, it would have made a hilarious LOLdog; fluffy little sheltie pup wearing an incredibly guilty look of GUILT on his face (the blue eyes are especially expressive on this) and a black thong in his mouth. Yeah, Coba. I saw you. Drop it, furball.
...as I hop on the trainer for a couple hours. It's funny, but riding a bike does stuff to me. Makes me fitter and prettier, obviously, and is a great anti-depressant, which explains not so much why I pedal like I do, but how much. The more subtle, but pervasive, effect is that I feel normal-to-tired when I have ridden recently, but give me a few days off and suddenly I am as full of spazz and boundless energy as my conure when he hasn't been let out of his cage for too long. Sometimes it takes me a moment to remember why I'm behaving wierdly, eg. 'Why am I so conurey at the end of a work day? Oh yeah, I'm all rested. Go spin for an hour so ya sleep tonight, Jackel.'
It's a shame my balance and handling will never be what I'd need to maneuver in a race or century ride, because I'm getting strong. Anyone local need a tandem stoker? :P I took an actual road ride (gasp) this weekend, and I was tearin' it up, although because apparently Kestrel scavenged the magnet off my front wheel, disabling my bike computer, I have no idea how fast I was actually going. Frustrated kvetch gotta get a new one now, PITA. It felt fast, anyway. Grumble.
Incidentally, that ride was to Armstrong Redwoods SP. What a sweet ride. Nice enough roads, few/slow cars, old growth redwood trees, good distance from home. In the winter, when there are fewer tourists, it will be even nicer.
BIRDS
So some friends of mine are fostering a Nanday conure. I am so going over there to love on her and
Going even farther afield, birds that are on the list of parrots I would love and can realistically see myself keeping, but almost certainly won't unless my situation were to change drastically, are white-eared and painted conures, Princess of Wales parakeet and the big one, African grey. I yearn for a grey and really love their neurotic little personalities, and I'm just arrogant enough to think I could do an adequate job of keeping one. I don't have the space, and I think it would decrease the quality and amount of time I could spend with other pets, so this will not happen.
On the other hand, I do think I need another laying hen; I am supplying enough eggs to friends to justify her. I may raise a couple of chicks this year after all.
MAPLE TREES
Only one certain loss so far, a cutting that was in one of my worst rockwool cubes. The cube split, and I think that exposed the wounded end of the cutting to air, dooming it. So, my fault. The other rockwool cuttings, those in perlite and the 3 in willow water have not wilted at all. Both potato grafts are still alive but look shocky and wilted; sadly, I give them a slim chance of rooting.
HOUSEFOX
Shameless little cur. I tossed my undies in the hamper---the one with the smaller slats that I hoped would deter dainty and unerringly accurate little muzzles, dammit!---and no less than a minute later emerged from my bedroom to see Coba trotting off with them. He dropped them immediately, and turned tail for the doggie door as quickly as decorum would allow. If I could have got that second on film, it would have made a hilarious LOLdog; fluffy little sheltie pup wearing an incredibly guilty look of GUILT on his face (the blue eyes are especially expressive on this) and a black thong in his mouth. Yeah, Coba. I saw you. Drop it, furball.
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Date: 2009-06-19 02:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-06-19 03:48 am (UTC)I've handled her a bit, and she's a sweet bird, considering. Sounds as though we'll be calling her Matcha, by the way.
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Date: 2009-06-19 03:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-06-19 01:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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