I'm Flying

 
Nope, I'm not Peter Pan.

Flying is a newspaper term. Actually, I wasn't able to find out the etymology of the word. Perhaps it's because it's the step where you move the papers through the air from one place to another, as opposed to running them through a machine. (definition "to move or be sent through the air")

So, at work, the papers come off the press in piles like you see here. They feed right to left at the bottom, are carried up the left side, and come out on the stainless table from left to right.



Someone has to take those piles, straighten them better, and place them on carts to be taken to the inserting machine.



Yesterday and today, I got to fly the papers! It's harder than you might imagine, and I only did a moderately good job. Hopefully, I'll get better. The stacks need to be really neat so they are pretty much ready to go in the inserter.

Learn something new, yeah!

	See Paper and Ink
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More of Sylvia's Neighbors

 
Although the lambs were the big hit of the walk Sylvia and I took on Monday, we were surely entertained by other neighbors of hers.

I'll present them in the order we met them. First, the very friendly goats who came right over and demanded grass from the other side of the fence. We complied.



Next were the cows. They weren't all that interested in us, but the calf was a little curious.



Oddly enough, the horse was also uninterested.



The black sheep of this family sure didn't think of himself as an outcast.



And his little white goat buddy decided to walk with us till he ran out of pasture.



The sky was blue and there was almost no snow that day. Chuck says they are now all white again. We sure are here! But who knew that I'd only have to go a few miles south of me to have a mini-spring vacation. It was great!

I got extra work hours tomorrow, so I'm going to bed early after I make a salad. We have a party tomorrow too.

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Fasciated Evening Primrose

 
I know we are overdue for the January goal report, but there are much more fun things to discuss. I'll do that on a slow day.

The other day, as Sylvia and I were walking we saw a whole line of odd-looking plants.



They were along the edge of a farm field. I went over to take a closer look



Pretty bizarre, eh?



Stay tuned. The seed pods are easy to identify as the common evening primrose, Oenothera biennis.


But something pretty weird is going on with the stems and tips.



This is known as fasciation, and it occurs when there are mutations in the growth tips of a plant. Some plants are more susceptible than others. I was not aware that evening primrose is one that is commonly affected.

The condition can be caused by a permanent genetic change- this is how the cockscomb celosia came to be. It reproduces with the condition in each generation. Usually, the current generation is the only one affected. Insect or mite damage, radiation, or chemical exposure can cause the condition.

I'm thinking that because of the location at the edge of a field this might have been as a result of pesticide use.

You can see pictures of the same plant, still with leaves, fasciated by radiation exposure at Fukushima Diary

See some other plants with the condition at Wayne's World

	see Evening Primrose in bloom
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The Sound of Music

 
Don't even suggest that we should have made a video for you. This all comes under the heading of "make a joyful noise unto the Lord," rather than something of performance quality.



But, gosh! We had a good time. We sang and played until throats, fingertips, and arms were all done.



Chuck and Sylvia actually claim to enjoy listening to me fracture songs on the accordion. As difficult as this is to believe, they haven't thrown me out the door yet.

Meanwhile, Sylvia's secret pal gave her hyacinths. What a lovely whiff of springtime whenever we walked past the planter!



Now, I'm home again, and will head back to work in the morning, but much refreshed. Aren't friends great?

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Lambs

 
Sylvia and I took a walk around the block (4 miles) today. We got invited in to see some new lambs!

These ones are one day old.



The best pictures are of a set of two-day-old twins.





Here's one with its mother.



Even though the picture isn't as good, these were the very newest. Yes, there are two of them, one behind the other. They are about an hour old. Right after this, the owner carried them to the barn (with the help of Pete the beagle) and gave them some fresh straw to bed down in so mom could clean them up.


Lots of other fun stuff today too. But the lambs win for showing you pictures.

	See L is for Lambs
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