FIVE SECOND STORIES

Diner and critter news:

Mamachuck and her brood haven't been seen for several days. Last year, when she had 6 chuckettes, they disappeared in early July with her returning with one in tow for awhile. I reckon they head towards the creek when they get to a certain age. At least the hostas are fairly intact. In exchange, a chunk of the snow on the mountain, one of Mama's culinary favs, have been deadheaded of their upper leaves. They'll grow back. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Bun, angry with Buddy for decimating his offspring, has taken revenge on new annuals planted in the East Garden. All my gazanias have been eaten down to the ground. In response, I have bought some deterrent spray to discourage him. Life on this planet: a struggle for resources and perpetuation of one's species. 

Seen outside my kitchen window:

Say hello to Mr. Monochamus scutellatus aka white spotted sawyer, spruce sawyer or spruce bug and are wood borers. They are emerging at this time of year and they feed on pine and spruce wood. They inhabit dead or dying wood.

Our new squirrels, Eli and Liza are settling in and getting to know us. They don't run away when they are at the giving stone and I come out to toss them some peanuts. Both have tried to take on the Baffle but failed. Eli was quite brave the other day coming up on the small raised bed within 8 feet of a chilled and sprawled Buddy. 

Liza attempts to outwit The Baffle

The weather has cooled down and while stuff is nice and green, we need the rain. Both April and May were below average. Hopefully, we will get the showers predicted for this evening. 

It's been busy at The Diner:

  
C goes in most days for the quiet solitude of her office to work on her various creative projects. She often cleans out the department frig now that most folks have left for the Summer. The other day she brought home a huge tub of neapolitan ice cream that a colleague had brought in to make sundaes for her kids. There was less than 25% and had already crystalized so she put it out on the buffet. In the early evening, a Stampy discovered this rare and delicious treat and was busy slurping away (and probably getting a sugar buzz). The next morning,  with help from the coons, the tub was clean as a whistle.

This is one of this year's two siblings that we have seen with similar markings. Prominent shoulder striping, large cap, thin white nose blaze and white on the very tips of the tails.

This white cap reminded me of the skullcaps that Catholic (and high ranking Anglican officials) wear. These are called zucchetto and I thought I would use zucc as a name for this Stampy.

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It's been warm enough for C to do deck yoga. I had my first flare since last August so I have been chilly and under the weather. Bud likes hang out with his Dad on the couch.

Often when I am sitting on the couch, I will drape my arm out as Bud slips past. He doesn't stop or slow, just gives me a chin rub on my hand as he goes by.

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Curious how the twin retirement paradises for the WWII generation are becoming undesirable. Florida's coast is shrinking due to rising sea levels and the state is facing constant devastation from hurricanes to the point that no home insurance is available; Arizona is becoming too hot to survive and they're running out of water.

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Neolithic Temples of Malta

Tarxien-built 3250-2800 BC

Main Entrance-slabs estimated to weigh 20 tons

Note the spiral motif

More carvings

Mnajdra-construction began 3600 BC

Another Neolithic calendar showing the solstices and equinoxes

Newgrange, Ireland, built around 3200 BC, which I have written about earlier, is set up to predict sunrise on the Winter Solstice.

Entrance stone at Newgrange with spirals

I am fascinated by the efforts of these two peoples, one in Ireland and the other in Malta, putting forth such effort to plan and construct such buildings, both sharing spiral motifs in their decoration around the same time in history. How did they separately obtain the stone cutting and slab moving skills? Maltese folklore says they were built by a race of giants, some say these giants were The Nephilim, offspring of the Fallen Angels and human females as detailed in the controversial Book of Enoch.

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