This Week’s Not So Nasty News
. . . . from John, awaiting Nancy’s draft of her week’s news.

Item #1: A fun science site

The video linked to here is not new, but having just watched it, it is new to me.
Physics Girl is a channel created byDianna Cowern about physics, astronomy and science-related topics. The show features fun DIY demos, unusual and cutting-edge research, space, and expert interviews!

In the video here the topic begins with 2 black spots on the bottom of a swimming pool.

Crazy Pool Vortex

More here

If you want to know about Dianna and science education, go HERE.

Item #2: I don’t quite understand

This is a good story but the dog (a Blue Heeler), Max is 17 years old, deaf and partially blind, and except for this bit – “She found the dog first. Max led her to Aurora,” – ‘She’ seems to be the grandmother and Aurora the 3 year old lost girl.
The searchers had already “heard the little girl faintly.”
The thought is, I think, that Max stayed with the girl rather than returning home on his own. We don’t learn how else Max contributed to this happy outcome, but maybe that’s just because the writers are not very good at their craft.
Oh well. from Queensland’s Southern Downs
[The season ‘down under’ is mid-autumn.]

Item #3: Lost in Newcastle

About 10 years ago I was headed for a trailhead near Newcastle, WA. This is a community 10 miles SE of Seattle.
I left the directions at home.
A “ lady ” about to go on a morning run helped me out. She got into my car and directed me up unbelievably winding and steep roads through a very fancy neighborhood of expensive homes. This was part of her exercise route on some days.
She got me there just as our WTA crew was about to go through a gate. Three minutes later and I would have had to go home.
The lady then began her morning jog.

This is a story from Newcastle. It’s about a mother duck and lost ducklings.
Ducklings
The photos are by Rebecca Duffy. Backgrounds in the images show some of the houses. It has been 10 years, but that all looks familiar.
Could Rebecca be the “the lady ?”
Ten years ago Newcastle had fewer than 10,000 people but just 3,000 or so women of the sort that I might have encountered.
You scoff. Stranger things have happened.

Item #4: A personal first


I’ve wanted to have climbing roses. Ten or so years ago, a horse-riding friend offered me some red/yellow ones. 20 miles over, dug about 10 plants, and back, none lived.
A neighbor had a pretty red one and offered it to me about 3 years ago. She didn’t get much of the root. It started to grow, came back in year two with a sprig, and then died.

A week ago I searched the web for hardy climbers. Seven miles NW of Denver is Arvada, and High Country Roses.
I ordered 3, and they ship small potted plants early in the week so the delivery is on Friday (in our case, shipped from Denver). A person with a regular job then would have Sat/Sun to plant.
I prepared and had holes started. I mixed soil, organic matter, and a bit of fertilizer.
The plants arrived today, and all were tucked into their new homes before supper. Same day planting – that’s a first.
The picture above is of one called “William Baffin.”
Another is “Mr. Nash” – – it is apricot yellow.
The third one is yellow outside and red-copper inside and called “Austrian Copper.” It sometimes produces all yellow flowers. They don’t say why.
Wish them good health, please.

And that, for this week, is the not so nasty news.
John