vital functions
Sep. 15th, 2019 10:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaberettReading. Uprooted, Naomi Novik. This was a bit less squarely targeted at all of my feelings than Spinning Silver, and I spent a lot of it with a vague sense of déjà vu in re Moana, and despite its iddiness I was also a little disappointed that [spoiler]. On the other hand, SENTIENT TREES, so, you know, probably I will return to this as comfort-fluff at a point when it's not unfortunately back-to-back with a thing that is Even More My Jam, and then I'll enjoy it more.
Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This is luminous and vivid-as-in-alive, as with all of her writing; the characters feel whole and real and complete. Also, it's horrifying, and I'm Especially enjoying it in the context of My Current Political Climate, so. Incredily evocative creeping sense of dread and grief and overwhelm.
Up next: the library's just e-mailed me to tell me The Burning Page (Genevieve Cogman, librarian spies) has arrived on my phone, so that, I think.
Watching. The Blue Planet: Making Waves. This is a DVD boxset extra, on The Making Of, and to our utter delight it contained a whole bunch of the scientific background that we'd been grumpy about not getting in the main series. It was really very soothing. We got close-ups of Alvin, explanations about Observations Of Behaviours New To Science, a whole bunch of footage of nerds nerding at each other, more EXCELLENT penguin shots, and generally enjoyed it a lot. (Hey, A, did you enjoy it enough that you wanna reconsider that NHM event? No is fine. <3)
Exploring. Revisited Chihuly @ Kew, this time with wonderful ex-housemate C! Quick notes:
On Sunday, with my mother, back to Wimpole. Lots of medium pigs, a few small pigs (but large enough to be feeding competentely), I learned seeral things about types of horseshoe I'd not previously met, the dahlias in and around the walled garden were magnificent, and also I went around the outside of the walled garden (and its orchard) for the first time that I can remember and enjoyed it a very great deal. Excellent plants yes.
Observing. Very sexy pigeon on a lamp post with a broad round balconette-style set-up: I heard some extremely industrious plap-plap-plapping along with the Listen To How Sexy I Am Cooing, and looked up to spot that a Sexy Pigeom was enthusiastically walking in circles around the top of this lamppost behind the object of his affections, who was Really Not Interested as appears to be permanently the way of pigeons. A flock of parakeets. Several excellent sunsets.
Comma and Brimstone butterflies, at Wimpole, and a small red damselfly??? It had red pterostigmata (new-to-me word!). Frog down the bottom of my mother's garden while I was collecting some apples.
Poking. Two exciting shinies! A Bronzor from a field research task (trading a Pokémon, with A, while in bed), and a wild-caught Onix (on the way back from Kew). Newly hatched: a Chingling! And I did not do Great at community day, slightly to my disappointment, because (1) I was at Wimpole and (2) my battery brick was rather flatter than I'd expected, but I did get a shiny ambulatory tortoise-garden and it was a very good teal.
Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This is luminous and vivid-as-in-alive, as with all of her writing; the characters feel whole and real and complete. Also, it's horrifying, and I'm Especially enjoying it in the context of My Current Political Climate, so. Incredily evocative creeping sense of dread and grief and overwhelm.
Up next: the library's just e-mailed me to tell me The Burning Page (Genevieve Cogman, librarian spies) has arrived on my phone, so that, I think.
Watching. The Blue Planet: Making Waves. This is a DVD boxset extra, on The Making Of, and to our utter delight it contained a whole bunch of the scientific background that we'd been grumpy about not getting in the main series. It was really very soothing. We got close-ups of Alvin, explanations about Observations Of Behaviours New To Science, a whole bunch of footage of nerds nerding at each other, more EXCELLENT penguin shots, and generally enjoyed it a lot. (Hey, A, did you enjoy it enough that you wanna reconsider that NHM event? No is fine. <3)
Exploring. Revisited Chihuly @ Kew, this time with wonderful ex-housemate C! Quick notes:
- I am deeply amused by the completely died-off grass in areas of the gardens that normally get little-to-no foot traffic
- several plantings had changed significantly: Summer Sun is now surrounded by reds, for example, and the Red Reeds outside the Waterlily House now have a variety of Tall Things in front of them
- Saturday was also much brighter and sunnier than my previous trip, and I particularly enjoyed (1) the effect on Sapphire Star, which did a whole bunch more I'm A Glittering Icicle And I Will Cut You, and (2) the interplay of light and shadow on Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins, where I noticed the different matte-versus-gloss finishes far more this time than last
- we actually made it into the Shirley Sherwood gallery exhibition, with all the wee bits, and oh no I love them
- plants I had not previously properly appreciated: Bauhinia blakeana, Boehmeria biloba, Hibiscus moscheutos 'Luna Red', "Osage orange" Maclura pomifera which I AM SORRY is quite clearly the platonic progenitor of the tennis ball
On Sunday, with my mother, back to Wimpole. Lots of medium pigs, a few small pigs (but large enough to be feeding competentely), I learned seeral things about types of horseshoe I'd not previously met, the dahlias in and around the walled garden were magnificent, and also I went around the outside of the walled garden (and its orchard) for the first time that I can remember and enjoyed it a very great deal. Excellent plants yes.
Observing. Very sexy pigeon on a lamp post with a broad round balconette-style set-up: I heard some extremely industrious plap-plap-plapping along with the Listen To How Sexy I Am Cooing, and looked up to spot that a Sexy Pigeom was enthusiastically walking in circles around the top of this lamppost behind the object of his affections, who was Really Not Interested as appears to be permanently the way of pigeons. A flock of parakeets. Several excellent sunsets.
Comma and Brimstone butterflies, at Wimpole, and a small red damselfly??? It had red pterostigmata (new-to-me word!). Frog down the bottom of my mother's garden while I was collecting some apples.
Poking. Two exciting shinies! A Bronzor from a field research task (trading a Pokémon, with A, while in bed), and a wild-caught Onix (on the way back from Kew). Newly hatched: a Chingling! And I did not do Great at community day, slightly to my disappointment, because (1) I was at Wimpole and (2) my battery brick was rather flatter than I'd expected, but I did get a shiny ambulatory tortoise-garden and it was a very good teal.
seeking suggestions, if you have time
Date: 2019-09-15 09:20 pm (UTC)I like flowers and unusual plants, and botanic gardens generally. In New York I tended to go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in lilac season; in the Montreal Jardin Botanique I keep returning to the Alpine Garden, and the cactus greenhouses if I'm there in the spring when they're flowering. (Boston has the Arnold Arboretum, which I like, but no actual botanic gardens.)
If you don't have time or spoons to answer this, my mother and I will do fine just wandering,
Re: seeking suggestions, if you have time
Date: 2019-09-17 10:48 pm (UTC)- the student & kitchen gardens, which lurk a little but are also immediately adjacent the appropriately tiny bonsai house
- the ??iguana?? in the Princess of Wales conservatory (it may or may not be visible during your visit)
- the Davies Alpine house, which is always full of wonderful things whatever the time of year
- the Duke's Garden, over the grass garden from the Alpine house
- the oak collection
- the waterlily pond (which is remarkably secluded and quiet)
- the bridge over the lake at the Sackler Crossing
(I regret that I'm struggling to pull together the brain to wrangle social.)
"platonic progenitor of the tennis ball"
Date: 2019-09-15 11:22 pm (UTC)I guess I've technically been to one botanical garden, but it's attached to a zoo, which was always more of an attraction. Also three local arboretums, which I haven't necessarily fully appreciated.
Re: "platonic progenitor of the tennis ball"
Date: 2019-09-17 10:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-09-16 01:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-09-16 04:16 pm (UTC)GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN