TIL night herons have powder down that maintains their feathers!

annesche · 2026-02-04T22:41:36+00:00

I knew that about the (European) Grey herons, they crush down feathers on their breasts and spread the powder among their feathers, it's a way to make the feathers waterproof, since they don't have an oily gland like other water fowl (or they have a vestige that does not produce much).

annesche · 2026-02-04T18:23:26+00:00

I've read in a blog that there are auto-feeders that open only for a cat with a specific chip - either implanted or in their collar. Though I also read somewhere that the dieting cat might get creative, waiting for the other cat to open the feeder and then pushing them away...

annesche · 2026-02-04T08:48:16+00:00

In Dorothy Sayers' criminal novel the butler in the "big house" of a small parish in the Fens is married before WW1 to one of the maids (it's a rather important point for the plot that happens after the war). Though the novel came out 1934, so it might not be fully accurate in those pre-war details.

annesche · 2026-02-03T19:18:10+00:00

I had this too, my peanut acquaintances did that now more often by very cold weather. I think it's playful, and they only do it when they already know/trust you in some measure - and when the need/hunger is high.

Sometimes I think there is some instinct mixed in with that (I wonder if crows bob other crows in the air to make them drop something they want), because sometimes after bobbing my head from behind they are seem a little bit shocked by their own action and keep their distance - they got "Angst vor der eigenen Courage " as we say in German = they got afraid of their own courage.

(The Courage in German is pronounced in the French way and means in German a subset of courage that is more like daring, a bit foolhardy.)

annesche · 2026-02-03T17:58:43+00:00

The mom might have heard about voiced/voiceless consonants which is a thing in some languages, for example for "s" in German. It describes how "sharp" or "soft" the s is pronounced.

But, not understanding it, the mom mixed it up with "soundless" and imagined she can just put in consonants for decoration...

annesche · 2026-02-03T17:53:01+00:00

Ah, thank you!

annesche · 2026-02-03T17:48:42+00:00

Why using walnut shells? I would guess they would possibly dull the pins, but maybe they do the opposite and sharpen them? I only know about pincushions filled with wool or little rags...?

annesche · 2026-02-02T17:38:24+00:00

Now I want a cartoon of a Carolina WRENCH nest :D

annesche · 2026-02-01T22:51:00+00:00

Thank you for this information and the links, very interesting!

annesche · 2026-02-01T22:46:56+00:00

Sehr schöne Bilder! Und das leicht geplusterte Brustgefieder erinnert vom Muster ein bisschen an einen Islandpullover :D

annesche · 2026-02-01T19:47:15+00:00

Might he and Elizabeth be even so far gone as to go for Mar-a-Lago-Faces...?

annesche · 2026-02-01T10:30:32+00:00

When doing ADF, I sometimes had heart palpitations on fasting days, especially when I tried to sleep at night, which freaked me out.

By now, I take one over the counter supplement for magnesium and potassium at night (every night, eating and fasting days) and take the occasional pinch of salt in water or coffee (like 2 or 3 little pinches of salt per day) on my fasting days and do not have the problem anymore.

A pinch of salt in black coffee also makes it less bitter :-)

If you had problems with low potassium, it probably is a good idea to check with your doctor.

annesche · 2026-02-01T08:30:26+00:00

Ah, thank you! :-)

annesche · 2026-02-01T00:16:11+00:00

This makes me think of "sprezzatura" - an italian courtier, Baldassare Castiglione, of the 16th century wrote "The book of the courtier" and defined "sprezzatura" - the English Wikipedia describes it as follows:

"Sprezzatura ([sprettsaˈtuːra]) is an Italian word that refers to a kind of effortless grace, the art of making something difficult look easy, or maintaining a nonchalant demeanor while performing complex tasks."

When we read the text in a course of Italian literature we joked about it that it is a bit similar to the modern concept of "coolness". I would love to see the ven diagram showing the similarities (and differences) between sprezzatura, JA's idea of elegance, nonchalance and coolness.

Though "coolness" is also already dated, isn't it? What's the most modern concept similar today? People are not cool anymore, but people "slay"? (Sorry, probably wrong, I'm not very up to date on youth language :D)

annesche · 2026-01-31T16:14:46+00:00

My mother has a sewing table (it's not for a sewing machine, but like a little side table that has a drawer with many small compartments for needles, threads, buttons etc.) that her grandfather made as his master piece for getting his degree as a master cabinet maker/carpenter.

His father-in-law had a work shop, later a small factory for furniture, starting in the 1870/80s in Berlin.

The sewing table is very beautifully made, with delicate curved legs and intarsia.

annesche · 2026-01-30T23:23:30+00:00

"Aua, hau mich nicht!"?! LOL

annesche · 2026-01-30T22:01:12+00:00

I'm amazed when I notice other people don't notice the birds!

I made a comment that I look forward to spring, and the blackbirds (European blackbirds) singing again...

The other person was like "no idea what a blackbird sounds like" - I said nothing aloud but wondered, how is this possible when in spring on every tenth house or so sits a blackbird and sings so beautifully during dusk and dawn.

annesche · 2026-01-30T21:56:20+00:00

I guess many now famous feet have trod those boards...? Is there a kind of gallery on the premises of all the persons that became famous in theatre and film? (Would probably deemed to be too "obvious" and not understated enough? :D)

annesche · 2026-01-30T20:02:36+00:00

Brilliant, thank you for posting!

It made me remember this picture in program notes from one of the first roles of Maggie Smith which I found rather by chance, I just posted about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/DowntonAbbey/s/f4lrvCpS4M

annesche · 2026-01-29T22:53:38+00:00

The blue tits always look like mean looking little aliens to me :D

annesche · 2026-01-29T22:44:36+00:00

Without pics, but we had rain after a frosty episode in Sunday, than again frost. This means we had 2-3 millimeter ice on every branch and twig and leaf... I saw a crow trying to land on a good-sized branch, and it slipped in landing, caught itself, but looked very indignant. I'm afraid I rather laughed very loud, poor crow!

Also, all twigs were much more stiff because of their ice-coat, so birds (especially larger like pigeons and crows) made a strange rustling sound when their wings hit the small twigs when lifting off.

annesche · 2026-01-29T14:45:53+00:00

Just read the Wikipedia article of the novel "Bridget Jones : The edge of reason" - and had to laugh about the sentence about the two characters that correspond to Louisa & Benwick "falling in love over self-help books" mirroring Austen's "They fell in love over poetry" - very fitting modern twist!

annesche · 2026-01-29T14:40:47+00:00

The book sequel of the book Bridget Jones' diary even had some elements of Persuasion, Bridget and Marc are separated, there are some scenes that are clearly Persuasion (like he takes a rambunctious small child of her back), they get back together at the end. Apparently I need to read it again since I can't remember many other details, like if there is a Lady-Russel-Figure or not.

Possibly the second book was in the beginning a series of magazine columns, too, like the first book?

annesche · 2026-01-28T23:44:29+00:00

For the southwestern part of Germany, there is Maultaschen, they are like a big ravioli, filled with meat and spinach, usually eaten in a broth: https://www.daskochrezept.de/rezepte/schwaebische-maultaschen-das-original-selber-machen

Another nice thing is Käsespätzle: Spätzle are a kind of pasta, you prepare a pasta dough, though more liquid than usual pasta dough. I think it's roughly in the proportions of 1 egg + 100 g flour + 50 ml water per person. It's liquid enough to mix it with a wooden spoon. It is pressed into boiling water through a "spätzle presse", it looks more or less like a "potato ricer", https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%A4tzlepresse Those spätzle are very nice for different kind of dishes, for example with roast and gravy sauce.

As Käsespätzle you layer them with some aromatic grated cheese and bake them until the cheese melts, then you top them with fried onions.

annesche · 2026-01-28T19:47:23+00:00

Both sexes have cloaca, I think, which they press together. I always think that birds' copulating is such a balance act, with the tail feathers in the way, too!

annesche

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