Wednesday 16th May
Brrrrrr. It's gone colder! Down to only 5 C last night and not much above 11 C today.
A few days ago I said I would talk about 'Swedish Elephants', well, here we go.
They are reputed to be Blue and Yellow (as opposed to the pink ones of over-intoxication!)
and have ears that are much smaller than either the African or Indian variety. Most people think this is all a joke....BUT...
if that is so why or how does the following occur?
You see, most of the roads around here are forest roads, made of gravel. Well maintained! They have a whole structure/system
here for taking care of these gravel roads. In the winter they are superb for getting the snow ploughs out and keeping the roads fairly clear: equally they are also brilliant for 're-surfacing', grading the roads i.e. resdictributing the gravel after months of wear so that 'rut marks' are removed and the road returned to a normal, flat scenario.
Now, the question about the existence of Swedish Elephants is best resolved by observing that so often, even within a day
of this 're-surfacing work', potholes can appear in the roads. This happens irrespective of weather conditions: one might, for example, understand if there had been a sudden deluge of rain, but this 'logic' does not work in this situation. The weather seems to play no part in these 'pothole manifestations'. These potholes are normally about the size of an elephant's foot and, strangely, they are mostly grouped together...as though one or two elephants have been passing in that area.
Although I have never yet seen one, I have come to accept the existence of the 'Swedish elephant' as being the only rational
explanation to the pothole phenomena.
Oh, and I hardly ever drink alcohol for those readers who may feel that this could be an explanation!
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Monday: A grey overcast and much colder day, hardly creeping up to 14 C during the day. A fine misty drizzle
enclosed the afternoon which was probably much appreciated by all the young growth of the vegetation. Approximately one week ago there was hardly any sign of spring, now it's wonderfully unavoidable.
Construction work continued here today at something of a pace, so my ability to observe Swedich Elephants, Squirrels, Beavers or anything like that was considerably limited.
It was, however, a satisfyingly productive day.
Now I'm tired, so more blogging another time :)
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'I've looked at clouds from both sides now (and) it's clouds illusions I recall. The chariots racing across the sky: the face of someone you felt you knew: the cotton wool fluffy imageries that captivate the attention. It's all there, in the clouds. The rain is also there but it didn't get here today, despite all that green sandstorm that has closetted the forest and the landscape crying out for some refreshment. But, doubtless it will come in it's appointed time, which was obviously not today and so we had another pleasant dry day here.
There has been no sign, that I have seen, of the forest accountant (the Squirrel). Even the body of the dead one I saw the other day has now disappeared. I hope he is going to show up again.
However, a swedish submarine a.k.a. Beaver was spotted making towards the Beaver house about 5oo metres from our home. Probably out to sabotage the Birch Party's election campaign :) Oh yes, the campaign is now in full swing and hour by hour it seems the pendants and flags unfurl in ever increasing numbers. There's even pyramids of promised blossom on the branch tops of the lilac bushes.
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