h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just checked on the MAFF website & it looks like the whole area is free of Foot & Mouth disease at the moment so I'm hopeful of getting those photos for you. If not, are there any others of the area you'd like? When I get round to it I'm going to put some up on good old MSN I'll let you know.

luv


GW

I would love to see any photos of anything even close to the area.

What's this about Foot & Mouth disease? Do you mean Mad Cow?

I hope you intend on drinking only the

Tal
( at the moment! )

No, foot & mouth disease has struck the UK, it's not nvCJD, something different and not easily transmissable to humans, but .......(don't get me started or I'll get modded!!!)

Thanks to your instruction I've now got every excuse to stick to the I can just see it....."But I've got to drink at breakfast my dear husband, Taliesin told me to...."

Mmm. for breakfast!

Maybe is a better idea! And s

BTW, would you like some photos of where I am currently living?

Tal

Yeah, where it that? - hhold the s please I'm on a diet!!!!

Where it's at! Right on!

It is popularly, and correctly, called the 'sunny okanagon'

Located in south western British Columbia. Apple, peach, cherry, grape, as well as some livestock raising. Rolling hills as well as jagged little mountains. Lots of pine, sage, maple. Largest town is Penticton, about an hour away by auto. I don't know the population, but it would probably be considered a medium to large town, but not quite a city. We don't get traffic jams at rush hour, even in tourist season.

The farm, which we call 'Larkspur', is about 12 acres, fronting on a river, across from one of those gnarly little mountains.

Eagle frequent the area, which is why the indiginous people called it 'Similkameen', which means 'Valley of the Eagles'

Tal

It sounds heavenly, Grandad Weatherwax - better known as SWH - wants to know if they are bald eagles? Back home, near Aberystwyth, Red Kites are beginning to re-establish themselves.

I've just checked my on-line photos, and so far I've nothing suitable to direct you to, but I promise I'll take some when I go home at the end of the month.

luv'n'stuff


GW

Yes, they are all bald. Some of them wear little toupees, but they usually end up losing them. Which is just as well. Eagles have keen eyesight, but very poor taste, and if you've seen an eagle wearing a pompadour, it is a shock to the sensibilites.

I'll try and get some photos of our local life. I have only a 70-210 zoom, ( I have a 'doubler' as well, but by the time I set up a tripod, the subject has usually moved off.

I'll look through my collection tonight, and perhaps one or two are good enough to scan and send to you.

Now that the weather here is finally becoming decent, I expect more photo opps.

I would love to see a photo of one of those kites!

I would love to take one!!! The only trouble is, we've only got one of those idiot-proof cameras (totally suitable) and I've got loads of photos that just look like fly specks on the lens.

You know how is it, you keep meaning to get a proper camera, go into a camera shop & get totally intimidated by some young, spotty geek who starts talking in fluent Arcturian.

As we are going on our own this time, we might stand a chance of getting a bit closer to the wild life, and then when we've sobered up in the mornings maybe take some better photos!!

luv

GW

Try to refrain from purchasing a camera anytime real soon, especially if you are looking at digital instead of the traditional film types.

Digital camera prices are dropping, albeit slowly. Probably by next year one will be able to purchase a decent digital that can accept addtional lenses, like an SLR. A few major manufacturers have this style available, but they are still pricey.

I hope you enjoy the 'wild life', but remember the h2g2 rule: 'moderation in all things'

Tal

And there was me thinking I could get away from the m********s on holiday!!! If you'd like, I could email you with the address for some of the flyspeck photos?

That would be neat! You should be able to see my e-mail address on the ACE forum. If not, just say so, and I will set up a temp addy on my H2G2 homepage.

BTW, I took a couple of photos of the 'flicker' today, as she was continuing to carve a nest in the telephone pole.

I used a 420mm lens, but it still was not as close as I would like.

I need one of those spotter telescopes with a camera adapter

Tal

At the risk of sounding stoopid (not a risk, more a fact of life), what's a flicker?

Ah, sorry! a Flicker is a variety of woodpecker. I don't know if that is an official name, or just a local idiom. I'll check the bird book later and let you know.

The bird tends to 'flick' its tail.

BTW, 'stoopid' is not the same an 'ignerrent'

Tal

Sorry I've not got back to you before Tal, I guess I don't have to explain why? On the countdown to going home, what they say over here, demob happy!! Just hope the weather's fit for taking photos. We'll be visiting a couple of bird reserves so fingers crossed. I'm also going to try & take a boat trip to catch up with the second most intelligent species, bottle nosed ones. There's a colony living in Ceredigion Bay. Makes a change from communing with foxes, tiddyogs & bats!

Speak to you soon

*wondering what the first most intelligent species is ?*

I got your e-mail with the website where you have pictures, but have not yet been able to log on -- it says 'server overload' or something, and asks me to come back later. Also, I have been busy, with ACE-ing and in RL.

I did check out the bird book, and Flicker is a real name for a particular kind of woodpecker, with red flashes on the head, and goldy coloured wings...

I hope you have a good holiday, and take lots of great photos, which will inspire me to save my pennies so I can visit Wales someday...

TTYL
Tal