Posted: 2^nd October 2017

First Fruits and Harvests

This is Buzzardina, the other kitty at the Post Office. She's all black, which makes her a good Halloween cat. It also makes her a bit harder to photograph than Molly, the grey-and-white Editorial Assistant Kitty. Buzzardina's real name is Isis, but she's usually called Buzzardina because, well, you know. What does she answer to? Excuse me, you do know what a cat is, right? Buzzardina answers only to her own inner imperatives. Which about now are telling her that she wants Molly out of her hair. At 18, Buzzardina is too old for this wrestling business. Now you've had your cat picture for the week, so you can appreciate other animals – like Freewayriding's adorable dog Opie, who provides us with a caption challenge this week. You'd rather see a horse? Will a zebra do? Willem's painted one, and he's even posing with some, the lucky guy. There are perks to life in South Africa, such as being allowed to get up close and personal with a horse in striped pyjamas. Enjoy the wildlife this week.
We have many things for you to enjoy in this issue. You may have harvested fruits from your garden, as Willem has from his winter garden. At the Post, we've harvested some pretty clever material from our contributors. What? You think that's a hinky analogy? The Editor will have you know that prowling around h2g2 and snatching up Stuff – not to mention hounding the Core Team for pics and such – is very much like harvesting okra. Maybe you've never seen okra growing. First, it's a tiny nubbin, hiding among the huge leaves on the stalk. Within a few days, though, it has grown amazingly. If you don't pay careful attention, in a few more days, it's a giant Thing as hard as wood, suitable for carving. So you have to be sharp about harvesting okra. Our contributors' work ripens on- and offsite, and it's just as tasty as okra. Okay, I'll stop now, before this metaphor gets too far out of control.

Anyway, we also have a lot of food for thought:

• Quizzes and more quizzes. You'll have to think hard. Your brain can use the exercise.
• An Awix review. We know he'll make you think. This week, Awix ponders the question of what a critic's opinion is worth.
• A beautiful photo from Cactuscafé that will make you rethink the way you see the UK land- and seascape.
• A short story by Freewayriding that may give you brain freeze. We feel obligated to point out that, like Dragnet, the story you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to make sure FWR is still welcome within the Liverpool city limits.

• We have humour. Some of it is actually funny. (It has been road-tested on real humans.)
• We have. . . ta da. . . a new Create Challenge for October. It involves accessing your inner child. 'Think like a 12-year-old,' they said. Well, you can stretch it a few years either way (or, in the case of 2legs, more ways), but come up with something cool and kidlike. Or dragoon an Actual Kid into doing some ghostwriting for you. Usual rules about swearing and spitting apply, though we're pretty sure that 'poopyhead' can get past the filther.
• We have some early Create stories for you: the Prof thinks about principles that apply to both young and old, while FWR recalls an acquaintance who was truly young at heart. Meanwhile, Minorvogonpoet rounds off the September Challenge with a wild card story. Our literary corner shows us how not to be a children's poet – we think all our inner children will agree that Eugene Field was a poopyhead. There, I've said it, and I'm glad.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

• Colours of Wildlife

The uncommon zebra.

• h2g2 Caption Challenge

A relaxing photo.

MAKING YOU THINK

• 24 Lies a Second

The thinking person's cinéaste.

• The Post Quiz

Sing, sing a song.

• Picture Quiz

Whence the wool?

• Written in Black
  and Wight

N-credible.

IMAGINATIVE (BUT NOT IMAGINARY) JOURNEYS

• h2g2 Supernatural

The Lying Scotsman.

• h2g2 Photographic

Big Sky country: Exeter.

• Gheorgheniplex

Sad satellite images.

• Art History 101

Rubens on a diet?

• Writing Right
  with Dmitri

Useful stuff, Part II.

• Create September

The Wild Card.

• October Create:
  Be a Kid Again!

• h2g2 Literary Corner: Eugene Field, reprobate

• Create October

Respect All.

• Create October


Betty.

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