Author: Hashi

Lampropeltis californiae

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Spotted this handsome striped reptile out on the trail. The California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) is endemic to the western United States and northern Mexico, and is found in a variety of habitats, including woodland chaparral, grassland, deserts, marshes, and even suburban areas. It is non-venomous, and kills its prey by constriction.

Wild California kingsnakes are typically encountered at a length of 2.5-3.5 feet (76 – 107cm), though they can grow larger. This one was smaller, maybe 18 inches / 45cm long.

early blight

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I was late planting tomatoes this year. There’s been a lot of rain, which I thought they’d appreciate, but they seem to be afflicted with some kind of fungus, most likely “early blight”. The remedy for all the fungal afflictions seems to be the same, a copper-based spray applied every 7 to 10 days. Continuing research over here …

s.o.h.

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I’ve been listening (again) to Tim Minchin’s Play it Safe, written for the Sydney Opera House’s 50th Anniversary, and feeling nostalgic and proud. This multi-venue performing arts centre is widely regarded as one of the world’s most famous and distinctive buildings, and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. And of course Tim Minchin is also a national treasure in his own right.

In 1957, the original estimates for the S.O.H. projected a cost of £3,500,000 ($7 million) and a construction time of 4 years. In reality, the project was formally completed in 1973 (10 years late), having cost $102 million. It was partially funded by a lottery; when I was little, my grandfather won a chunk of cash in the Opera House Lottery, and we got a new car out of it. It was a sturdy reliable beast that was eventually passed down to my sister, then my brother.

I still have never attended a performance at the Opera House; but hope to one day.