Decoration

Lily and the ‘nip.

Today’s WP daily writing prompt made me laugh out loud:

What’s your home decoration style?

Let’s see, what could we call it?

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“Cat-astrophic Quarters by Down-to-Earth Designs”

Yeah. That’ll do.

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The dear darlings are all hunkered down today as it’s been tipping down rain since early yesterday afternoon, with no let-up in sight. Not that we are complaining, as we needed it.

Our little furry friends are bedraggled, but at least they are not cold.

The above skunk is one that comes often and is almost tame. We worry about it, what with rabies running rampant, but there is no way to safeguard against it.

When he has to, Grant is able to end an animal’s misery, even if it’s a close friend. I think it’s a sense of duty to do the right thing. He is able to steel himself in the moment to do what is necessary, then feels awful after.

Is it worse to be a useless bystander? I am not sure.

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Grant estimates the tallest measures 10 feet.

Our immediate concern is for the sunflowers, what with heavy rain beating on them.

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The flowers being the size of dinner plates weighs them down.

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Even before the rain this flower was downcast.

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The flowers are extraordinary.

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This is the kind of image I can’t look at for too long because I find it disturbing.

Yet at the same time I am mesmerised by it.

Our neighbour is a psychologist. I must ask him to explain this!

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Chicory

On the road, in better weather a few days ago, I got some other flower pictures.

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This is the simple sort of image I prefer and my iPhone magnified it nicely.

The insect is a type of hover-fly called Margined Calligrapher.

Before you ask…

The Margined Calligrapher gets its name from the fine, handwritten-looking black lines on its body and the distinct yellow outline framing its abdomen

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There are times, I must admit, when I do celebrate modern technology.

It is a little sad that young people cannot properly appreciate what they have, as they never lived in an age where it did not exist.

Which makes me realise how much more I ought to treasure many other things, though it is astounding how many came into being in my lifetime:

Jet aeroplanes. Central heating. Microwaves (my favourite!) Television…

Even, would you believe – electric lighting. What? How old am I?

Only 78, but when I first went to school in London, in 1953, my school had gaslighting. This I know for sure because I remember the teacher getting up on a desk to light them.

It was 1954-5 before that school got electric lights.

Makes me feel ancient, but that is how far we’ve come.

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“What would 78 nuts look like? I don’t think I can count that high.”

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“Nor me! Gosh that’s old!”

The body is a bit decrepit, yet I have to remind myself how long I’ve been around.

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4 thoughts on “Decoration”

  1. I missed gaslighting at school, and in houses, but the street lighting where we lived was still gas-fired when I was a child. I remember the man coming to light them with a long pole when it got dark. There are still some original gas lamps being used in Central London. https://londonist.com/london/maps/an-interactive-map-of-london-s-gas-lamps
    The Sunflowers do look sad when they are wet and heavy, but I don’t get freaked out by looking at them in the way that you do.
    Best wishes, Pete.

  2. My home decoration style can only be described as minimalist! Maybe that’s also the reason why I find simple flowers like the Chicory so beautiful. Ha, you may be 78, but you still provide a lot of enjoyment with your colourful posts!

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