A couple of delays over the weekend, but I got everything complete that i needed to. I also got eaten by mosquitos, who all seemed to be sheltering from the elements in my shed. I’ve previously made some repellent that seemed to work pretty well, but hadn’t applied any because I thought with the cooling temperatures, the mosquito issue would be negligible. Well, I was wrong, and now have about a dozen bites scattered all over myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recently ordered something called a “Bug Bite Thing<\/a>” that is basically a large mouth syringe, and it did seem to have an effect on the bites that weren’t on appendages with hair, but it did leave a pretty noticeable hickey on my neck. I think I’ll stick to the hair dryer trick moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cats were particularly interested in my work this weekend, as one of my tasks was digging up a couple volunteer catnip plants outside and potted them to bring in for the winter. The only place I thought would be safe was in my closed office, but now Maynard cries at the door wanting to get at the plants. They’ll need a week or so to reestablish themselves in the pot before I can just set the pot on the floor for them without them killing the plants in just a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyhow, gotta make a run to the city today…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Song of the day: Ticks and Leeches<\/a> by TOOL<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Russia says ‘Cold War’ is over and a ‘fiery conflict’ with the West has now begun<\/a> – “Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was asked at a briefing whether the nation was in a second Cold War with the West with a new Iron Curtain being drawn thanks to the sheer number of drones deployed on Ukraine’s frontlines.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why Every Strawberry Traces Back to a Secret Spy Mission in 18th-Century South America<\/a> – “In 1712 French King Louis XIV sent Am\u00e9d\u00e9e-Fran\u00e7ois Fr\u00e9zier, an officer in the French Army Intelligence Corps, to Chile and Peru, both colonies of France\u2019s rival Spain. Posing as a merchant and ingratiating himself with the Spanish governors, Fr\u00e9zier covertly studied the countries\u2019 military fortifications. But he also observed the local flora and fauna, sketching plants into his journal.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iron Maiden\u2019s Bruce Dickinson on the cult prog rock mavericks who inspired him<\/a> \u2013 but were too out-there to be successful – “But there was another, altogether spikier prog band who galvanised the young Dickinson\u2019s imagination, in part because of a personal connection. Van der Graaf Generator were formed in Manchester in 1967 by singer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Hammill and drummer Chris Judge Smith.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your \u2018Gut Feelings\u2019 Are Memories From the Future<\/a> – “Ever get that weird feeling where you just know<\/em> something\u2019s going to happen? Turns out, science might actually have an explanation for it. And it\u2019s weirder than anything you\u2019ve seen in a sci-fi movie.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xerces Blue Butterfly: America’s First Human-Caused Insect Extinction<\/a> – “Not an accolade anyone wants, but for the Xerces blue butterfly, its extinction is considered the first of any American insect species to have been directly caused by humans.”<\/p>\n\n\n\nInteresting Tidbits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n