Today is a cruise of the neighborhood in search of blooms. We are catered by The Kimberly of Austin, and our entertainment is the Statler Brothers.
Menu
T H E 16OZ BONELESS TEXAS WAGYU RIBEYE
10OZ CENTER-CUT FILET
10OZ SLICED FILET CARPET BAG STYLE
BATTER FRIED OYSTERS – sauce bearnaise
C L A S S I C B E E F T E N D E R L O I N F I L E T W E L L I N G T O N – in crisp puff pastry, applewood smoked bacon, natural jus, wild mushrooms a la crème, sauce bearnaise
F R E S H G E N U I N E D O V E R S O L E – lightly sautéed with jumbo lump crab, or brown butter almondine, or caviar and fresh dill butter sauce
S A U T É E D G E N U I N E A M E R I C A N R E D S N A P P E R – fresh jumbo lump crab, fine cut vegetables, shellfish curry broth, ginger vinaigrette
S E A R E D N O R T H A T L A N T I C S C A L L O P S – citrus filets, brown butter roasted macadamia nuts, micro cilantro
W O O D R O A S T E D D R Y A G E D D U C K B R E A S T – spice crust, potato and leek gratin, black currant jus
W O O D R O A S T E D D O U B L E B R E A S T O F C H I C K E N “ A L A G R E Q U E ” – campari tomatoes, artichoke bottoms, roasted potatoes, mediterranean olives, yogurt crema
1 6 O Z V E A L C H O P L I G H T L Y P O U N D E D “ A L A P A R M I G I A N A ” – crushed san marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, spaghettini cacio e pepe
M A F A L D I N E “ C A C I O E P E P E ” – pecorino, chives
S A N D A N I E L L E P R O S C I U T T O CAPPELLETTI ALLA PIEMONTESE – braised beef and parmigiana filling, butter, veal jus, fresh truffles
Let’s go.
The first crape myrtle and some salvia on the right.
We can always find Lantana.
More lantana. Love the red.
More lantana and a piggy on a rope.
White plumbago.
Mexican birds of paradise.
Salvia.
Morning glories in the afternoon.
More Mexican birds of paradise.
Large salvia.
That concludes our tour for today. It is time to enjoy the food and music. I hope you have a great week.
The coffee machine has a “welcome guest” message scrolling on the touch screen. With a low-caffeine warning klaxon horn blaring in my head, it is difficult to understand the meaning. Lucky for me, a touch of the two-coffee button starts the flow of the antidote, which could be a fatal deprivation situation. We all know what happens on the first sip and predictably the iron hammer beating on the inside of my skull feeling began to diminish. As usual, the second sip is accompanied by the Westminster chime and Igor’s baying hound cacophony that follows the idiotic ringing of the doorbell. A knuckle bone is thrown into the soundproof room, followed by a door slam. The silence speaks.
A glance at the security monitor shows someone in a Donald Duck costume holding an envelope and a clipboard. “Just leave it,” was said through the electronics. “Need signature,” came back in a duck’s voice. With a sigh, the security shut-down process began.
The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. The front door is opened.
The clipboard and envelope are passed to me, and then the clipboard is returned with a signature. The person holds out a gloved hand in a classic tip request posture. Feeling sorry for the guy who has to wear a duck costume, I tip him a fiver. He smiles and leaves. The envelope contains a message from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “guest.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
A globally-important colony for seabirds has been sold to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to ensure the 100,000 gannets and 10,000 puffins that live there will benefit from top-notch conservation management.
Owned by the Scottish noble Dalrymple family for 320 years, Bass Rock and the neighboring uninhabited island of Craigleith have long been famous worldwide for the epic colony of gannets which nest there.
Located in the Firth of Forth, the gannets live among the remains of a 14th century castle and a 17th century prison dubbed “Scotland’s Alcatraz.” The ‘Rock’ has been a figure of inspiration in song and literature for generations.
Sir David Attenborough described it as one of the “12 wildlife wonders of the world.”
Today though, the royals have decided to call time on their stewardship of the island after rising numbers of Scottish seabird fatalities brought Sir Hew Dalrymple around to the idea that conservationists will be better able to protect the magnificent colony with unfettered management of the island.
“I made the decision to do this because of the risk these birds are now facing,” Sir Dalrymple told reporters from the island. “I thought an organization like the RSPB would be better equipped to protect the islands and their wildlife than a private individual.”
“Hence, we have been in discussions and I am glad to say, although with some emotional regret, they are now custodians of these two islands.”
The Dalrymple family had long collaborated with the Scottish Seabird Center to carry out conservation measures on Bass Rock, which The Scotsman credited with supporting the growth of the island’s puffin colony to 5-figure numbers, and with eliminating an invasive tree species.
However with a massive offshore wind farm being recently approved nearby that is estimated to have an impact on the gannet colony, the decision was made to sell.
RSPB bought the islands for around £449,906 ($680,000) with the help of the National Heritage Memorial and Lottery funds.
“For the Memorial Fund, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure the islands for the public and ensure that, with RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Seabird Centre at the helm, their role as seabird sanctuaries is protected for the future,” said Simon Thurley, chairman of both funds for the National Trust.
The good news in this story is that unselfish action took the place of tradition to the benefit of these birds. Today’s JohnKu talks about how nature’s benefit trumps saving family tradition. I hope you have a super weekend.
Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 265. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “conference.” This is the prompt today.
The Battle of Waterloo by Clément-Auguste Andrieux
This post continues the historical tableaux for the Top Ten Lists and was published on October 15, 2018. As always, I hope you enjoy it.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the Battle of Waterloo
10 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not volunteer to carry the French Eagle battle standard. If you do, at best, your application will be lost. At worst, every British and Prussian soldier will be trying to take it from you. (So how does it feel, Flannery, having 15,000 swords all waving at you?)
9 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not continue to try to meet Emperor Napoleon if Tiny, the WWF champ, tells you to go away. If you do at best, you may get thrown out. At worst, Tiny, who just finished his last group session on self-esteem, may think you don’t respect him. (Uh oh. Looks like Tiny is priming that musket, Floinn. Might be a good time to try out the Air Jordans.)
8 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not order Napoleon Brandy as an after-dinner drink while dining with the British Commander, the First Duke of Wellington. If you do, at best, the restaurant won’t have any. At worst, the Duke’s team will think you are a spy. (You just finished your last meal, Fonzie. I hope you enjoyed it.)
7 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not offer to be a Henry Kissinger-like peace negotiator. If you do, at best, you will cause uproarious laughter. At worst, one side will take you up on your offer. (But the other side has decided to use you as a target for practice. Might as well put that white flag down, Forrester. It’s not going to stop 15,000 lead balls heading your way.)
6 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, as the brandy example, do not order beef Wellington at Napoleon’s staff dinner. If you do, at best, they will all think they did not hear you right. At worst, someone will get the idea that it would be fun to have a duel. (Guess who has been chosen as the duellist, Fortune? Yup. Better find a second fast.)
5 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not take Emperor Napoleon’s horse for a fast getaway. If you do, at best, he has a spare. At worst, the horse has been trained to return to Napoleon with a whistle. (This is a fine kettle of fish you have gotten yourself into, Francois. You can add horse thief to the charges of treason, sedition, and spy. Don’t worry, though, you only have one life to give.)
4 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not ask your British commander about tea time. If you do, at best, he will think you are joking. At worst, he will assign you the job of going to the French lines to get a croissant to go with the tea. (I’m not surprised the French started shooting at you, Franky. Everyone knows croissants are for breakfast, not afternoon tea.)
3 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not try speaking French to the French to be better understood. If you do, at best, you will be disappointed. At worst, your BonJour greeting will be met with a hail of bullets. (I guess it is your American accent that gets in the way, Franz. Try Spanish next time.)
2 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not turn your map upside down to get a different view. If you do, at best, your general will get dizzy. At worst, the general will order the charge of the Scots Greys in the wrong direction. (Now you are charging alone in the right direction, Frazier. Good luck when you meet the French Chevau-légers of the line (lancers). They look pretty mean, too.)
1 If you are at the Battle of Waterloo, do not keep your souvenir stand open after the first cannon salvo. If you do, at best, you will have few customers. At worst, you’ll have to take cover. (The cannonballs seem to be attracted to your stand, Freeowine. Maybe cheap, trashy gifts have that effect on hot, heavy, metal balls flying through the air.)
Today we are visiting Lakeway and seeing what we can see. We are catered by Serenade American Brasserie restaurant, and our entertainment is James Taylor. The producer took all the photos except a few. Hers are the most beautiful
Menu
CONCHIGILE ALLA VODKA – Alla vodka, stracciatella, red pepper, chili, basil
SALMON – Olive oil potatoes, heirloom relish, fried caper
HALIBUT – Brown butter endive, coconut corn puree, lacinato kale
CHICKEN ROTI – Citrus brine, seasonal vegetable, jus de poulet
DUCK BREAST – Braised lentil, spinach emulsion, crackling, citrus, sauce de canard
PORK CHOP – Apple cabbage, spring onion gremolata, mustard jus
STEAK FRITES – Frites, pink peppercorn, pickled onion
BRASSERIE BURGER – Fontina, caramelized onion, pancetta, dijonnaise, frites
Let’s go
Our first sight is a mailbox topper. Say howdy, Dog.
Texas Longhorn fan.
A Chinese warrior.
A magnolia bloom on my 80th birthday tree.
A mushroom with a screwdriver companion.
A ceramic elephant.
Mama deer with two fawns.
Passed out, skelly.
Rainbow over our garage.
These photos were taken by me. Lizzie on a pole.
T. rex guarding the mail.
Tempeste with a hot dog.
Twiggy is enjoying avocado toast.
The purple sage in bloom forecasts rain, and the wildflowers are blooming.
That is the tour, and it is time for some food and music. I hope you have an enjoyable week.
Before we begin our silliness today, I want to remind us of all those who stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. For some, it was their last day, and we owe them a great deal for their sacrifice. There are very few alive now who participated in that D-Day exercise for liberty, but most lived full lives that their comrades would not enjoy.
Almost by coincidence, the coffee machine did not immediately spring to life but seemed to be contemplating that fateful day. Finally, as with most solemn occasions, the moment of contemplation ended, and the brain-healing elixir began to flow into my mug.
The first sip calmed the painful feeling of caffeine withdrawal and the meltdown warning of the klazon horn in my head. The second sip brought the familiar but still annoying joining of the Westminster doorbell chime with the St. Louis-bound barking of Twiggy and Tempeste, often referred to as the Hounds of Baskerville. The two dogs chased a bone into the soundproof room, and a door slam brought the grateful feeling that silence is golden.
A look at the security system monitor shows Winnie-the-Pooh with an envelope on the porch. No need to even discuss leaving it. With a sigh, the security shut-down process began.
The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes was put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above the front door are fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. The front door is opened.
Stepping onto the porch, Winnie hands me the envelope and a clipboard. I keep the envelope and hand back the signed clipboard. Winnie has his paw out, making the classic tip sign. “As Vince Lombardi once said, It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up, was my tip for Winnie.
Back in the house, the message in the envelope is from Linda Hill. It reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “coincidence.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
The anniversary of D-Day, coinciding with today, is a coincidence.”
“Well, if you call every seven years a coincidence, yes.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do. Saturday here is usually a day filled with ridiculous satire, and for it to be a solemn anniversary does sound like a coincidence.”
“Maybe we should have skipped our pub trip.”
“I think if you could ask those who gave their lives, they would want us to live normally, which would, in a small way, make their sacrifice worthwhile.”
“I can see that.”
“So where is the Uber?”
“Right over there.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“Oh, this is great.”
“What do you mean?”
“A van filled with poison and maybe live bees.”
“Don’t be silly. The guy rides around in that van all day, and he is fine.”
What’s the catch?”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, that.”
“We have to help the guy tent a house for termites.”
“Tent a house?”
“Yeah, he twisted his ankle and can’t get on the roof.”
“So we have to go up on a roof?”
“Just to put the tent in place.”
“How big is this house?”
“Three stories.”
“Can we pass?”
“I already told him we would do it.”
“Of course you did.”
“Here is your breathing device, hazmat suit, and gloves.”
“Why do we need all this stuff?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention. We have to go inside to make sure there are no leaks after the gas has begun.”
“I’m a hard, no.”
“I thought so. Okay, I’ll call for a regular Uber.”
Today’s good news story comes from ABC Far North and was sent to me by Noelle Granger. Thank you, Noelle
Thousands of baby green sea turtles head to sea after successful egg relocation
By Rosanne Maloney, ABC Far North, Topic: Conservation
The project to move eggs from one island has allowed for more males to develop. (Supplied: Queensland Parks and Wildlife)
In short:
It’s believed that 82 percent of the green sea turtle eggs relocated from the northern Great Barrier Reef and relocated between two islands have hatched.
The species has faced increasing threats nesting on Raine Island, its main rookery.
What’s next?
Researchers say future testing will be needed to determine if the successful hatchlings are also of the same fitness.
More than 9,100 northern Great Barrier Reef green sea turtle hatchlings have begun their journey to sea after a project relocating eggs between two islands achieved promising results.
It is the second time eggs have been moved from Raine Island to Sir Charles Hardy Island, about 600 kilometers north of Cairns in the north-east Coral Sea, in an attempt to boost hatchling numbers and produce more males.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service senior project officer Katherine Robertson said the latest results were encouraging.
“Of those eggs, 82 percent of them hatched, and the hatchlings made it to the water,” she said. “A fantastic outcome.”
Researchers collect eggs straight away as they are laid by female turtles. (Supplied: DETSI)
Raine Island, a tiny coral cay, is the world’s largest nesting site for 90 percent of the endangered species, and can attract up to 100,000 nesting females in a year.
However, rising sea levels, warming temperatures, and climate change have created major threats at the rookery.
The turtle eggs are being destroyed by higher sea levels, and rising tides are creating steep slopes that hatchlings struggle to climb, sometimes causing them to flip and die.
Researchers collecting green sea turtle eggs on Raine Island. (Supplied: DETSI)
Sand temperature also affects hatchling sex, with warmer sand resulting in fewer males.
“This population is almost entirely female,” Ms Robertson said. “So there’s not going to be enough males coming through to actually sustain this population into the future.”
During the first relocation trial in 2024, teams moved 3,000 eggs from 38 nests, with 70 percent of them successfully hatching.
This summer, researchers dramatically expanded the program, moving almost 9,000 eggs from more than 100 nests.
The eggs are placed in dug out nests under a shade on Sir Charles Hardy Island. (Supplied: Queensland Parks and Wildlife)
The eggs were carefully collected by researchers on Raine Island before being placed into oxygen-free, vacuum-sealed bags, temporarily pausing their development.
Teams then took the eggs about 80 kilometers by boat to Sir Charles Hardy Island, where they were reburied beneath a custom shade structure.
It lowered sand temperatures by about 1.5 degrees Celsius, helping create conditions to produce some male hatchlings.
Scientists vacuum seal eggs with nitrogen to remove oxygen and temporarily pause development. (Supplied: Queensland Parks and Wildlife)
The work is part of the Raine Island Recovery Project, which has run for more than a decade to improve the future of the green turtle population.
Protecting culture and environment
Sir Charles Hardy is in Wuthathi country, while Raine Island spans both Wuthathi and Meriam countries.
Meriam Nation elder Falen Pasi, who is the chair of Mer Gedkem Le Corporation, said the project was helping protect a species deeply connected to culture and identity that held a special significance across Torres Strait communities.
Falen Pasi says turtles are culturally significant to his people. (ABC Far North: Rosanne Maloney)
“Turtles for Indigenous people are very significant and spiritual,” he said.
“Where I come from, it’s our totem.”
Mr. Pasi said the project showed the value of combining traditional knowledge with scientific research, as traditional owners had long noticed a decline in male hatchlings. “When things happen like this, it hurts me and my people,”
Some 90 percent of the endangered species nests on Raine Island. (Supplied: Queensland Parks and Wildlife)
Wuthathi Tribal Elder chair Johnson Chippendale said traditional owners spent years working with scientists to find solutions. Mr. Chippendale said protecting turtles meant protecting future generations. “It’s really about saving the species,” he said.
About 2,000 adult turtles have died during one nesting season on Raine Island, many after falling. (Supplied: Queensland government)
Looking beyond hatching success
James Cook University researcher Caitlin Smith said the success rate of the hatchings was in line with other healthy nesting beaches. “Hatching success from those relocated clutches is phenomenal,” she said.
Caitlin Smith has been working on a similar egg relocation project for loggerhead turtles. (Supplied: Caitlin Smith)
Dr. Smith is also leading separate but similar research for loggerhead turtles at a key rookery near Bundaberg.
Her project is now examining whether successfully relocated hatchlings are as physically fit as turtles produced in nests left untouched.
Dr. Smith said research in Indonesia found that while nest relocation was crucial for protecting sea turtle eggs, it could reduce the fitness of new turtles.
Caitlin Smith, left, tests the fitness of relocated hatchlings using a course she calls the “turtle Olympics”. (Supplied: Caitlin Smith)
Her team has created what they call a “turtle Olympics”, measuring size, swimming ability, and crawling speed alongside other factors to better understand their chances of surviving long-term.
Results are not yet available, but she said producing more hatchlings was only one piece of the puzzle.
“We also need to be thinking about the quality of the hatchlings as well,” she said. “If we’re producing a lot of hatchlings, we need to know they’re the best possible hatchlings for the population.”
The good news in today’s story is that volunteers are helping these turtles overcome natural barriers to continued viability. Today’s JohnKu discusses helping nature. I hope you have a delightful weekend.
