One of the several flower buds on my “Thimble Cactus” opened today. The tiny flower is less than a quarter inch in diameter and about a quarter inch long. Click on the image to enlarge.
We brought this cactus from California when we moved here. I bought it at a cactus show out there several years ago and it has reliably given us these tiny flowers every year since.
A report published on Friday, 2/21, in Investors Business Daily points to the relative accuracy of the venerable old publication, Farmer’s Almanac, to have beaten NOAA climate models. Yes, beaten the government supercomputers barely able to forecast the past, by accurately predicting this winter’s bitter cold throughout most of the nation using traditional methods of looking at sunspots, tides, planetary and lunar positions in order to derive their long-range predictions.
Farmers’ Almanac More Reliable Than Warming Climate Models
Bad Science: It turns out that a 200-year-old publication for farmers beats climate-change scientists in predicting this year’s harsh winter as the lowly caterpillar beats supercomputers that can’t even predict the past.
Last fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) predicted above-normal temperatures from November through January across much of the continental U.S. The Farmers’ Almanac, first published in 1818, predicted a bitterly cold, snowy winter.
The Maine-based Farmers’ Almanac’s still-secret methodology includes variables such as planetary positions, sunspots, lunar cycles and tidal action. It claims an 80% accuracy rate, surely better than those who obsess over fossil fuels and CO2.
The winter has stayed cold in 2014, and snowfall and snow cover are way above average. USA Today reported on Feb. 14 that there was snow on the ground in part of every state except Florida. That includes Hawaii.
Read the entire article here.
The desert has been showing more signs of spring coming. Our rosemary bushes have little blue flowers that currently attract honey bees and butterflies. The hummingbirds never left for the winter and are regularly seen at the feeders and on some of the rosemary. This desert marigold is one of many that are blooming in the area and all over town, it seems. Click on the image to enlarge.
Note: For some really good news, visit the other blog.
There is a large aquarium tank in the office of one of Bob’s doctors. There are several exotic tropical fish and some living coral in the tank. I was waiting in the office before our appointment and took this photo of a clownfish hanging around the coral. I guess it is their natural defense from predators to hide among the coral. I had to wait quite a while for one of the two clownfish in the tank to swim into view of my camera. Click on the image to enlarge.
In about five weeks or so, I expect to have gorgeous flowers on this hedgehog cactus. This is one of two cacti that are out in front of the house close to the road. Both had flowers last spring.
One of these days, Bob will be moving a couple more hedgehogs from the back hill to locations also near the road. Hopefully, those cacti will also have flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.
The Budweiser Clydesdale Horse Team was one of the featured units in the Gold Rush Days Parade today. They were there, complete with the Dalmatian mascot. What a magnificent assemblage of horseflesh! Click on the image to enlarge.
As I mentioned on the other blog, I didn’t attend today, but Damsel took over 300 hundred photos of all the activity. I enjoyed looking at the photos but I wish I could have seen the Clydesdales. Next year, I should be OK.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women.
The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine’s Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards.
Me? I’m sending you all this pretty electronic valentine!