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Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: July 24, 2017 06:50
I've been spending some money and winterising my shed to make it more useful. The Electrician was here today to hook up the power and I've ordered an upright freezer from Sears. I'm looking forward to having another freezer, especially one that I can reach things in, and keep track of what I'm storing.

The weather here has been up and down as far as temperatures: either seasonal or blazing hot. Luckily we got a couple of days of decent rain which really helped with the forest fire situation in the Province. We're still in drought conditions, although we had a decent amount of snow.

I got a nasty summer virus that laid me up for over a week, but I'm back in the pink now. Hopefully that's the only one I catch this year.

Have a great week FoFers.
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Gandolorin
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on: July 25, 2017 09:20
We've been having some useful rain here for the last few days (varying in intermittence and duration of any given incident), useful for filling up our groundwater reserves. In the south of Germany, that is, while the middle and northern parts have been mostly getting too much again. I personally like the cool (sub-20°C / 68°F) weather much better than the over 30°F / 86°F we had a bit too often before that.
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BelleBayard
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on: August 08, 2017 06:51
Lightning and thunder with rain nearly every day for the past couple of weeks. Lost power a couple of times, more like a hiccough than anything long term, but made my computer reboot. Having our kitchen stairs outside redone and eventually, our kitchen cabinets redone. Trying to get this done before winter comes. Sounding like something out of Game of Thrones! However, it's no joke here. Winter lasts a lot longer in the mountains and even summer isn't what I remember from my days in California. No regrets, just needing to adjust how we do things.
Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: August 08, 2017 07:39
Unfortunately, British Columbia has been having the second worst forest fire year in history and the amount of particulate arising from the fires has caused grey skies, and breathing issues for individuals with lung disorders. We finally got a westerly that has blown much of it away, but it's still a problem for some people.

The nice part is that the sun, moon, and clouds have been spectacular as evidenced by the following pictures:

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© Kurt Seidel

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© Alix Nicole Steeves

Both pictures were taken on Vancouver Island.
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Gandolorin
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on: August 08, 2017 11:08
Most of Mediterranean Europe has also had some serious heat and fire issues (and all too often the fires have been due to arson by (organized) criminals).

We have had rain putting an end to (short) heat waves on a regular basis where we live, all quite moderate (though the odd house has been struck by lightning). Other areas of Germany (and just recently parts of Austria and northern Italy) have again had the opposite of moderation, getting hit with deluges. Sigh.

And btw, did anyone see the (very) partial lunar eclipse? May have been limited to Europe. In our case, we learned in a newscast around 10:30 PM that the perfect time to view it had been around 9 PM. Duh.

[Edited on 08/09/2017 by Gandolorin]
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BelleBayard
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on: August 09, 2017 04:20
It's been overcast and raining most of the time, so sadly, no, Gando. So sorry to hear of Canada and Europe's issue with heat. While the lower elevations in Colorado have gotten *some* heat, it's not been consistent and the highest is about 96 F. Here it's been in the 70's when it's warmer and in the 40's-50's F most of the time. Plenty of lightning and thunder, too. Strange weather, all around. Mother Nature is NOT happy with us.
awelyn418
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on: August 16, 2017 09:55
hello and ES so glad you are feeling better and those photo were so awesome. I can't believe summer has just zipped by and we are talking winterize. So sorry about the fire problem.
Gandolorin glad you finally did get rain that would help your area. Forest fires are awful especially if arson was the cause. I did not see a lunar eclipse.
Belle you knew you would have to adjust when you moved. Your first Christmas there will probably be very snowy. Good luck to you. I miss Dimple don't you. I have had my grandchildren for two weeks. The 14 and 16 year old for a week and then we were joined with the almost 19 year old twins and the 8 year ols 6 year old would not come. She is a mama's girl. But I had a great time with them. Marthon board games and swimming in my pool. The temperature of my pool has been cool but we were troopers and swam anyway. The boy and girl twin start college in a week. Lauren my granddaughter wants to be a nurse and her brother does not know what he wants for a career. I know they will have an adventure. I need to go but wanted to say hello and to see how you all are doing. Have a great week.
Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: August 17, 2017 09:53
Fortunately, over the past week we've had westerly winds that have dissipated the smoke out over the ocean so the the skies over the Island have cleared. The fire situation remains critical over much of the Province despite a small amount of rain. My cousin is currently volunteering as a firefighter so I hope he remains safe.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, seventeen new wildfires started Aug. 7 due to lightning strikes, with 11 more igniting on Aug. 8. This brings the total number of fires in the province to 928. About 500 of these were ignited due to natural causes, while 364 were listed as human-caused.

These are some pictures from Boston Flats which are near Ashcroft, BC:

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Hopefully, things will improve soon.
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BelleBayard
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on: August 21, 2017 11:49
Oh dear... fires are so destructive. Here's hoping things do look up.
Celebrian
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on: August 25, 2017 10:50
Hello folks. I doubt many (any)of you will remember me. I've had health and other problems but now I have a new laptop and hope to reconnect with people here. I feel for everybody's weather problems. We've had a lot more rain this summer than we're used to, but after several years of drought that's probably a good thing. I hope everybody in Texas stays safe during the hurricane aimed at them. It's a big one. We had a partial eclipse here but I should admit that I watched it on the NASA channel.
Gandolorin
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on: August 26, 2017 04:36
Hi, Celebrian, welcome back. Always good to see returnees.
By definition, of course this is the thread of those with long memories!
Myself, I joined CoE end of November 2013, don’t know for certain if you were still around then.
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Celebrian
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on: August 26, 2017 10:00
That was after I started my adventures with CHF, Gandolorin. I do remember some of you here, but I won't hold it against you if you don't remember me. I notice the "keep on Trucking" thingy is gone.
Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: August 28, 2017 06:51
ImageIt's nice to hear from you again, Celebrian. I hope all of your health issues have resolved.

I've been dealing with a bum right knee. It was "knocked" twice by an extremely enthusiastic lab puppy and was healing well until this past Friday afternoon when I reached into the back seat of the car and somehow pulled some tendons. It's improving quickly with ice and rest so it doesn't seem to be anything too serious.

We're still enjoying sunny weather here, and the fires keep on consuming acres of forests. Hopefully, with the advent of autumn things will start to settle down.
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Celebrian
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on: August 28, 2017 12:31
Thanks for the welcome! Sorry about your knee and especially about the fires. Wish there was way to transport all that hurricane water up there.
Gandolorin
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on: September 01, 2017 12:33
Well, the first trees have had some leaves turn yellow and fall off, so meteorological fall is definitely upon us. What puzzles me is that one of those trees was among the last to sprout its full foliage, if I remember correctly. That would make it the one with the shortest growing seson.
And the temperatures, cloud-cover and rain also did an almost digital switch from summer to fall, if a day to early, yesterday.
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Celebrian
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on: September 02, 2017 08:00
I think maybe some trees are smarter than others. Winters vary so much here a lot of trees get damaged by early freezes or early warm spells. The only trees around here with any sense are the black walnuts and some of the pecans. They sprout late and go to sleep early.
Gandolorin
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on: September 03, 2017 02:31
I read something interesting in, I believe, a highly popular book here in Germany, “Das Geheime Leben Der Bäume” (The Secret Life Of The Trees) by Peter Wohlleben, who had studied forestry and was a forester for over 20 years before being entrusted by a community to manage their forest with non-conventional methods. It was the case of a “triple oak”, all about 100 years old (or rather young), standing within less than three feet total. In winter or summer, one has to look closely to notice that they are three separate trees, as their branches (or crowns) overlap each other. But in fall, one of them is about two weeks ahead of the others in turning yellow and chucking the leaves. So even individual trees of a species, in identical microclimates, react differently. Even trees have their own character.
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BelleBayard
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on: September 05, 2017 01:37
I'm here! Fires all through the Northwest have caused a lot of smoke in the air. The Keep on Trucking thing got deleted with a lot of other things. Still hanging in there. Weather is turning cooler here and the days are getting shorter. Looking forward to winter, actually, though I may eat my words later on. LOL Glad to see you back, Celebrian! So very sorry to hear about the CHF. Nasty thing that it is, definitely takes it out of you.
awelyn418
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on: September 05, 2017 01:31
hello and the fires are crazy. my son in Washington state is really having a awful time with his genetic lung condition. The smoke there is from fires in Montana and Oregon. Welcome back celebrian.
That sounds liked an interesting book Gandolorin and trees here like tulip poplars and maple are changing and the temps are getting lower at night.
Sorry about your bum knee ES . I have pulled my trapezoid and have been having a awful painful time. It has been a lot better today so I am hopeful I am on the mend. Have a great week.
Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: September 06, 2017 04:54
We're actually experiencing smoke in the air from the fires in Washington State. It would appear that the hurricane disasters have trumped (pardon the pun) the awful forest fire situation out West. I hope everyone stays safe in both areas.

Our Realm Leader Dolwen lives near Daytona Beach and is evacuating with her parents, and sons, to Tennessee to avoid Hurricane Irma, but her husband is staying put. I hope everything will be okay.
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Gandolorin
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on: September 07, 2017 01:53
Irma has so far proved to be a horrific bulldozer, with wind speeds topping Harvey at its worst by about 60 mph (and Harvey dropped down to “only” tropical storm rather quickly after hitting land, it only had zillions of gallons of rain to drown eastern Texas with – what’s with Louisiana et.al.? Has dropped below the news radar here …). The eastern Caribbean islands have had much of their housing shredded, Hispaniola and Cuba are next in line, and then probably Florida. And the repeated use of the word “record” is not really something you want to hear in the same sentence as “hurricane”.
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Celebrian
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on: September 08, 2017 12:44
It's starting to sound like a very dirty word. At my age, having spent a lot of my years in costal areas, I thought I knew all about dealing with hurricanes but I don't think I have ever seen one like Irma. The only way to deal with that thing is to get as far out of its path as possible. I've been wondering about the fires. I don't get a chance to watch a lot of news.
Gandolorin
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on: September 08, 2017 10:34
As Evil~Shieldmaiden mentioned above, the “Next Big Thing” tends to drive out something that has been in the news for a few days. Harvey’s expected path through Louisiana and states north was also expected to cause some “non-trivial” flooding, but Irma gearing up to a monster hurricane with record-breaking potential quickly bumped it from the headlines (and hurricanes J and K, already revving up, will just have to wait their turn while Irma “hogs” the headlines). Those forest fires in the Pacific Northwest including British Columbia, have been going on for a while, as have fires here in the Mediterranean region and Portugal. I’m guessing some news “consumers” or more likely media news desks are by now treating that with the attitude “oh, so there are still forest fires there? Ho-hum.” Things get old hat so quickly, almost becoming a kind of perverse “normality”, but that’s something probably built into our (anti-) social makeup.

[Edited on 09/09/2017 by Gandolorin]
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Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: September 11, 2017 09:09
I was glued to my armchair watching coverage of Irma's path through Florida. Considering the drop in intensity (thanks to Cuba's influence), it's still breathtaking how extensive and horrible the damage is. I can't imagine how bad it would have been had it stayed over the water and remained a Cat 4 or 5.

Those of us residing on the West Coast may be slightly smug about not being in the "hurricane zone" per se, only to be brought up short by an 8.1 earthquake not far off the coast of Mexico.

All in all, Mother Nature is a fearsome adversary.
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Neenime
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on: September 12, 2017 12:12
https://s26.postimg.org/z3autga1l/IMG_0145.jpg

Hello all. Sorry, the above link was my attempt to post an i age of onw of our owl visitors this spring. I thank NenyaGold for recommending Photoimage. Apparently i am not doing this right, but this will do for now.

These owls and the beauty of our surroundings are what have cinvinced my husband that we dont want to move away just yet. Initially, we planned to seel the house after he retired in June. The Great Horned Owls who nested in a tree just 10 ft f om our house, said otherwise. My thanks to the owls!

I did write a longer post, which has disappeared somewhere.

In short- a big welcome back to Celebrian . Sorry about your health troubles. I hope that the condition is stable enough to alllow you a good life.

I hope that those of you affected by the rains, floods, fires and hurricanes are safe and that your loved ones are also safe. Mother Nature is definitely warning us to be more mindful if her! Will we listen?

A bit of quietly marvellous trivia to share now..... the international Astronomical Union, has a regukatikn that all the mountains on Saturn's moon Titan be named after mountains in Middle Earth. I was quite okeased to learn of that!

All the best to all of you!


[Edited on 09/12/2017 by Neenime]

[Edited on 09/12/2017 by Neenime]
“Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. " Gandalf
Celebrian
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on: September 15, 2017 11:58
It's good to see you again too, Neenime. That is a beautiful bird. I used to see an owl fairly often where I used to live but it wasn't nearly as big as that. I like the idea of Titan being a sleeping Middle Earth. I was glad they burned up the satellite and didn't let it contaminate any of the moons.

I sometimes think the news people would rather be in nice storm proof beach front hotels than trying to get drone shots of flames while choking on smoke. I know I would.

Gandolorin
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on: September 16, 2017 01:06
There was a highly justified comment in our regional quality newspaper that western disaster news is rather skewed towards disasters (in this case storms to hurricanes) affecting western nations (recently Harvey and Irma – what’s with the J and K hurricanes?). The hurricane relatives cyclone affecting the Bay of Bengal and surrounding countries or typhoon affecting eastern and southeastern Asia hardly register, by orders of magnitude, even though loss of life and destruction are currently more horrific there. While I can understand that the US, after that one-two punch, is occupied with itself, our European media does not really have such an excuse.
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Evil~Shieldmaiden
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on: September 16, 2017 06:07
Just received sad news in the Mods Forum. Lady Celeborn has died after a 2-year fight with illness on September 8th. She will certainly be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of dealing with her on the site. R.I.P.
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scots56
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on: September 16, 2017 06:14
I haven't been here in a long time. I hopes this finds all of you well. I've jumped way past the "Forty" part of Fans over Forty. Lol
Magoleth
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on: September 18, 2017 09:57
Well Well I came on here just for a quick trip down memory lane and here you are. It has been so long since we conversed and life is passing so quickly. I hope you are all well (well as well as you can be.)

So very long ago I joined this site and became a member of the Realm of Nienna and loved it so. So many friends made over the years. How lovely to see some of the old faces still here.

I must remember how to get back into the site as I had forgotten how!

Nice to see you all again. I do hope some of you remember me
tarcolan
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on: September 18, 2017 10:05
Nope. I'm a relative newbie, Magoleth. Some return and others go beyond. Welcome back.
The circle is unbroken
Gandolorin
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on: September 18, 2017 10:17
Welcome back, scots56 and Magoleth. I’m even more of a newbie than tarcolan (joined CoE November 2013), but I’m always happy when veterans return (and newbies join), hoping that the site will be revived a bit.
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BelleBayard
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on: September 20, 2017 05:53
We're still plugging along. I've since retired from the VA and pretty much, nursing, though I'm keeping my license active. Moved to the front range of the Rockies in Colorado and loving it.Glad to see you both, scots, celebrian and magoleth!

So sorry to hear about Lady Celeborn. We've lost more than one person on this forum to cancer. One of our RP mods, berethedellen, passed a few years back from it. Well, it happens as we age, though cancer is no respecter of age, gender, or ethnicity. Wishing you all well.

[Edited on 09/20/2017 by BelleBayard]
Gandolorin
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on: September 20, 2017 07:35
You’ll probably be the first of us to experience snow, won’t you, Belle? At your alpine altitude …
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BelleBayard
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on: September 23, 2017 12:42
Supposedly going to see it tomorrow, but who knows? Yes, most likely we'll see it first. Down in the 30's last night. Brrr... LOL
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