ANTS

 I’m 78, a retired educator and living an enforced life-style because of the Corvid 19 virus.

I live in New Mexico, in a beautiful area called Eldorado, about 8 miles south of Santa Fe.

. An enthusiastic amateur naturalistI, I go for a 2 mile walk every morning, just as the morning sun lights up the beautiful  but very dry countryside - we’ve had just one day of what I call WET rain in the past three months. When I walk, my eyes are everywhere, looking at the dried grasses, the cacti, the cholla, the lively lizards, the occasional bird , and I’m always checking on the numerous ant hills that are in the middle of the path.. 

Ants fascinate me and I stand and watch the mass of activity over and around each ant colony…………..ants searching for food to take back to the queen who’s overseeing her huge family of up to 50,000 offspring

 I used to know a lot about how ants live, how the newly impregnated Queen makes a home (usually around August ), lays eggs that hatch into male workers (known as SLAVE ants that make the nest much, mjuch bigger, search for food and feed the next batch of eggs that are winged males and females), then eggs that hatch into winged males and females. I know that ants don’t like ants from other colonies.

In fact, I wrote a book on Ants for teachers way back in the late 1960s. 

I know about the process of trophylaxis, the way in which ants communicate with each other, how winged males and females leave the nest late in the summer, mate in mid flight, and, thus start a new colony.

But, now, as I stand and watch them scurrying around outside the nest, I’m fascinated by their individual strength. I see individuals carrying food bigger than themselves in their mouths. I see them pushing stuff much bigger than they are. This morning, I saw two ants, working as a team pushing a big seed towards the nest. How do they know when to help each other? Trophylaxis? Some kind of body language that sends the signal "I NEED HELP?

Dunno.......

Occasionally, I see a single big black beetle hovering around the entrance to an ant colony. Do they feed off ants? Don't know the answer to that either.............but I'll see one morning the answer to my question.

When I became a science teacher......................

 1963 Thank you,Tiger!

My teacher wake-up call!

Long ago, in September, 1963, I started my first teaching job. I was appointed as a science teacher at Trinity Fields. The school, like

all secondary modern schools of the time, was for students aged between 11 and 15, all of whom had failed the national 11+

examination, and thus seen to be undeserving of an academic education.

The day before school started, I was given my teaching responsibilities. I was Form Teacher for 1C, which meant I took the register

for attendance, school lunch and for dismissal at the end of the day.

After taking my class to morning school assembly, I was to teach the bottom classes in each of the four years (1C, 2C, 3C and 4C).

The Head of the Science Department gave me the textbook, pointing out the science topics I was to cover.

“Not to worry,” he said. “When they take the Leaving Test at 15, only mathematics, reading and writing are tested.”

The following day I began my teaching career. Well, teaching is perhaps too grand a word. It would be more honest to say that I

began to be paid for standing daily in front of loads of bored adolescents, opening a well-thumbed science textbook - then, scribbling

science words on the blackboard to be copied into science notebooks.

My science-teaching pattern was straightforward. The kids came in, I welcomed them, they took their seats, opened their science

journals, and I read from the science textbook. I then wrote the key science information on the board and the pupils, using their best

handwriting, copied my notes into their science journals.

Nothing to it, really.

What follows is the description of one significant thing that happened during my first, very challenging year with Class 3C.

Thirteen year-old Tiger always sat alone at the back of the science lab. As he was always looking for trouble (and he was really good

at finding it), he was, to put it mildly, a pain in the ***. Tiger made my science lessons a joke. School didn’t interest him and science

didn’t engage him. His dad had told him that he’d have a job with him as a bricklayer on the building sites when he was 15, so why

should he ‘do his best’ in school? What was the point of it all?

My monthly science topics certainly didn’t interest Tiger. Well, to be honest, they didn’t interest me very much, either. When I read

from the science textbook, Tiger would roll his eyes, run his fingers through his greasy hair, scratch his head, and interfere with

anyone sitting close to him. His science notebook was filled with dirty pictures and rude scribbles.

Occasionally, on his really bad days, Tiger shouted that he was fed up with school and very fed up with boring science.

Nothing I did in my science lessons made any connection to Tiger’s life experience or appealed to his sense of curiosity. The science

I read from the textbook was irrelevant to his world – especially, I suppose, the way I presented it. To be honest, the science didn’t

interest anyone in the class.

Most of the boys and girls did, though, sit politely through each lesson. They spent their time scribbling and drawing in their science

writing books, often whispering to each other. The boys, though, waited for Tiger to stir the pot.

The days, weeks and months dragged by.

In the first week of spring thank goodness, the miracle of miracles happened - a big, BIG change for the better came over my

teaching. Tiger, of all people, believe it or not, and a small garden spider were my divine inspirations.

Walking back from shopping at the Coop for the weekend food, I spotted the most beautiful orb-web spider sitting in her intricate silky

web in the black currant bush outside the steps leading to my flat. Surprised to see one so early in the year, I fetched a jar, popped

her inside, and took her upstairs, and made a proper spider home for her.

The spider reminded me of when I was a kid when my dad and I found some garden spiders in the back of our house. I kept two orthree of them in a jar tucked under the bed – quickly learning that you don’t keep spiders together as they eat each other. Looking after the survivor was really fascinating, though. Keeping her safe and well fed with flies and moths made me feel good, especiallywhen she deposited an egg sac for me on her silky web.

I took the spider to school the following Monday, put her in a large bell jar with a little soil, some greenery, a branch, and a couple of

Autumn

 

Trying to download some photos I took near Abiquiu Lake this morning. Amazingly beautiful!

Blogging again...........

 

Good to be doing so.....................have to figure out now how to share my blog with friends.

My dad's brother, CAPTAIN William Paull

 

Just came across a photo taken in 1919....................my dad's brother, William. I was told he ran away from home (1913, I think) and became a cabin boy in the navy. 

He eventually became a CAPTAIN!!

My dad used to take me to visit him when he was home on leave - I so loved talking with him !

He was murdered by a drunken sailor................................

The weather in Eldorado...

 

I should have mentioned in the previous blog, we've done a lot to the driveway, including having 20 Pinion trees planted. Jeannine created a garden area at the back that includes three small greenhouses and has grown some beautiful flowers over the past couple of months.

Gardening is a full time job, though. We haven't had any rain for over three months and daily temperatures in the 90s. Although the countryside's bushes and trees are capable of surviving in such conditions, maintaining planted plants and trees is a full time job. Jeannine waters every day, morning and evening.!

Today, October 11th, a day-long extreme wind is taking down hundreds of  leaves from the big tree in the back garden.... Yep, autumn is here!

CRIKEY!!

 

October 12th 2020

Crikey - I've just remembered that I have a BLOG!! And, when I dug out the access code, I see that I haven't written anything for ages!!

Coronavirus time gives me time and opportunity..........but, oddly< I can't get motivated to write!

Well, I'm going to try again, so here goes:

First and foremost I'm well (well, cranky and tired and old), as is Jeannine and Bertie and Fifi.

Jeannine has been working daily on her computer, overseeing the teachers she mentors, observing their virtual links with their kids. After each 8 hour stint staring at her computer, she gardens, cooks and cleans house............and, needing a new project, is working on painting the space in which we hang our clothes.

Me? I dawdle, cuddle Bertie and Fifi, paint a bit, read the NYT, and go for a two mile walk every morning..........well, not every morning, but certainly 5 times a week. When I return, I have a cold drink and check my email, hoping there's something from one or more of my English friends, and then read the BBC news on my phone.

And I fret about Trump, his big mouth, his lies, and the fact that he has millions of followers. OMG!

Every day a tweet says something again which proves he never puts his brain in motion before he clicks away on his computer. Imaging having to work for me and carry out his damaging project ideas.

Roll on, election time. C'mon, America..get him out of the White House! PLEASE!!

OK, that's a start.................another blog later when I decide what I need to write about.

Oh, one thing. I was able to support an application for a new teaching post by one of my former Teacher Candidates, Catherine. AND, she got the job! Well done, Catherine.

Toodlepip,

John

Hello, Mother Nature, I have quesions for you....

Whenever I'm out and about, in the garden or on one of the numerous local nature trails, I'm always looking, always thinking, always curious, about what I see around me.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to write my questions down and send them to Mother Nature and see if she can answer them!!

Let's start with what I saw this morning in my garden:

.            There were several ants scurrying around looking for food to take back to their nest. Then I saw the MOST incredible things: two ants carrying a dead caterpillar, one at the head one at the tail! I'm always impressed with the strength of the ants. I often see them carrying food in their mouths that looks bigger than them, and I wonder about the strength of their neck muscles...........but I have NEVER seen teamwork before with one ant helping another!

My question, Mother Nature is: do ants pair up to carry heavy food, or, was one simply dragging the caterpillar and was joined by anoher ant.................? Did the ant who found the caterpillar yell out in ant language, "Hey, give me a hand, please!" And was the request heard by another another who rushed over and picked up the tail end of the caterpillar?

Oh, of course I didn't have my iphone in my pocket. I rushed indoors to get it so I could take a photograph, but when I returned to the garden, the ants had gone................hey, hey.

Well, reader, have you ever seen two or more ants working together??

.         Another question about ants.............I did write a book aboutg them way back in the 1960s, and thus did a lot of research........but, now that my brain is getting older, I've probably forgotten a lot.
The little white things ants carry in their mouths: are they insect eggs? Do ants ever eat anything when they are out and about, or do they take what they find back to the nest and then enjoy a family dinner?

It's June - pandemic and protest time........

As I was sitting and typing this morning, gazing through the window at the beautiful bright blue sky, I had a thought:

Wouldn't it be great to have a photo of myself standing by the tree that is lit up by the morning sun.......I could send it to friends in the UK.

OK, but what do I do about the birds, the ants, blackbeetles, grasshoppers that are out there in the tall grass? Oh, I know - I could send out Bertie and Fifi to kill the birds, and I could get some pepper spray and get rid of the insects...........then I coulkd stand in front of the tree and have my photo taken!!

YEAH!!

Today's walk...............May 10th

Having made surprise contact with Rosie, my brother's 25 year old (!) daughter, I went for a long walk, thinking about this and that and the other, careful to avoid the mass of ants, all going to or returning from their nearest ANTMART, mouths full of delicious delights to share with their huge families.............................

The grasshoppers were busy, too, and so were the big black beetles...........................

Hey, hey, Mother Nature.............thank you............but, if you don't mind me asking, can you take the wind away and give it to someone else?

PLEASE?

Missing my science class

MISSING MY SCIENCE CLASS


3rd month into the coronavirus lockdown, three months of no science class with the seniors in Eldorado.....................and it had been running for over a year, each and every Monday.

I did try to set up a virtual class using Google Hangout but there werent enough takers, so I'll just wait until all this is over and start again..........................

Occasionally members of the class (many former scientists, teachers, academics, some from Los Alamos, oldest member Peggy, 98!) would take the class............

Former teacher Linda's presentation, for example,  on feathers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,was quite brilliant!! Kept everyone engaged for the entire class. Good job, L the P!!

It was the last but one class before Christmas....................Linda gave a super talk on the science of bird feathers.......and she had so many feathers to show the audience.

Jack, a relatively new member of my Senior Scientist class at the nearby Adams Senior Centre,  held us all in his hand also when he took the class......telling us about his passion for the study of time. He had obviously spent hours researching the topic and presented his information in a quiet voice, showing us many examples of his watch collection, and providing well crafted handouts.

Jack spoke for just an hour, holding everyone's attention.

 Big audience, too.............20 people came.

May 1st, 1912

It was my Dad's, Arthur Charles,  birthday on Friday, May 1st......................it was, in fact, his 108th birthday! 108...................oh, my........................

Long gone, but never forgotten, I took him with me in my head on my morning hike to Galisteo Water Preserve, a beautiful trail not too far from home, one of huge white, jagged rocks, countless pinion trees, cacti, yucca, and , of course, sandy desert soil.

As I walked, I pointed out everything of interest to Dad.........he'd never been to a desert before, and was so taken aback to see the spiders, the beautiful flowering cacti..............and the long tailed lizards...........and especially the little goldfish I feed that live in the horse trough next to the windmill.



When I saw and picked up a small wishing rock, he smiled......................."Can you remember the Sunday afternoons we used to go to the beach and pick up wishing rocks?'

Oh, yes, I replied............how can I ever forget. It was those walks with my mum and dad that were the highlight of my childhood...............

When I got back home, Jeannine, my wife,  smiled so warmly when I told her that Arthur Charles had been with me..........

Bless you, Dad................bless you.....fancy another walk soon?

A voice from the past...........and then another...

Yesterday when I checked my email there was a letter from a colleague of yesteryear.............from Beryl, a teacher I worked alongside when I returned to classroom teaching  in 1972!

Beryl, um, now 70...............apparently has been reading my boring blog and decided to reach out and connect.

AND, that, made my day!!

THANK you, Beryl.................and, as they say in Cornwall, bless your cotton socks!!

Beryl and I now will email/text on a regular basis...........WOW!!


AND, today, May 10th, another super email surpise!

A letter from ROSIE, my late brother Charles' daughter............out of the blue.
Apparently Rosie came across this blog, and, hey, wrote to me and that made MY day!!!

Thank you, Rosie.........................Bless your cotton socks!

Emails coming your way!!

 

My CORONA VIRUS JOURNAL

Well, didn't the world change dramatically at the beginning of March when
almost everything across the country closed down - restaurants, schools,
libraries, shops, etc.- because of the outbreak of the microscopic killer
corona virus?

Everyone was told to stay at home, keep at least 6' away from each other,
(a process called social distancing), and wear a mask over the nose and
mouth and plastic gloves......at all times.

Jeannine now works fully from home, connecting first with her teachers as they
communicate with their kids, and then with her coach colleagues throughout
the day on the internet (an internet activity called Google Hangout).

I fill up my time reading with Bertie and Fifi, our two pussy cats, and cutting
out the very upsetting coronavirusheadlines in the NYT…………...then sticking
them into a home-made Journal and filling in the spaces with my doodles. 

Fills some of my time and keeps my brain active……………somewhat.....

      April 22nd

 It's now 41 days of staying at home....................with Jeannine, Bertie and Fifi, I'm glad to say, and,thankfully, in Eldorado, a small community 8 miles from Santa Fe, a semi desert area riddled with super trails.

       Here's the daily routine:

       Wide awake usually at 4 in the morning, my mind wanders around, hopefully  focusing on childhood memories, and certainly not on the killer  coronavirus.........I fall asleep and wake again around 5ish..............it's gray outside...........I nod off again and wake up after 6..........I get out of bed and open the curtains, eager to watch the slow sunrise, waiting for its rays to hit the top of a tree just outside the bedroom window.

Brekkie (made, of course, by Jeannine) at 7ish, particularly enjoying the cup or two of hot tea, then back to bed for a half  hour's cuddle with Bertie and Fifi.

8.30, time to get up...................and get ready for the day ahead.

Jeannine starts her computer and interacts with her teachers as they conduct lessons with their kids......

I go outside, collect rainwater from one of the water tanks, and water the new plants in the front garden, and the two new young trees at the back. 

Then, I collect the NYT from then mailbox, make a cuppa, read the headlines, and begin to work on my Coronavirus journal.

Around 9.30, I'm ready for a hike.......about two miles where I see no human but plenty of ants, grasshoppers, lizards and the occasional black beetle.

Lunch around 11.30, followed by another nap, usually with Bertie.

1.30, up and more journaling, (today I had to make another journal as the one I'm writing in daily has no more pages left!) and, weather (especially the wind) permitting, another longish walk around the loop (or a slow ride in the car, out in the countryside).

Back home after 3, more time to fill, so more journaling.

Dinner at 6, then CNN to hear and shed tears when I hear the sad/bad news of the day, and bed at 8.15ish...........oh, a beer and two glasses of white wine are part of the TV time.

Another day...................another page in the journal............what will tomorrow hold? More pleasant news, I hope.............please Corona Virus.................you've done your worst, now push OFF!

 

                  My CORONA VIRUS JOURNAL

Everything, well, almost everything, closed down at the beginning of March (shops, restaurants, colleges, etc.) as the nasty killer virus began to spread.………….and because schools closed down, too, Jeannine is home, and having to connect daily with her teachers through the internet.

I fill up my time taking a daily walk and then reading and cutting out the very upsetting coronavirus headlines in the NYT…………...sticking them into a home-made Journal. 

There are pictures of a few of the pages above. Working on my home made journal fills some of my time and keeps my brain active……………but, I must admit, seeing and reading the recurring articles in the NYT is SO upsetting, so I have to add color to each page that contains depressing headlines…….

Millions and millions of human beings affected in one way or another…………..when will there be a cure????

OK, filled up that journal and started another................

 

                  My CORONA VIRUS JOURNAL

Everything, well, almost everything, closed down at the beginning of March (shops, restaurants, colleges, etc.) as the nasty killer virus began to spread.………….and because schools closed down, too, Jeannine is home, and having to connect daily with her teachers through the internet.

I fill up my time taking a daily walk and then reading and cutting out the very upsetting coronavirus headlines in the NYT…………...sticking them into a home-made Journal. 

There are pictures of a few of the pages above. Working on my home made journal fills some of my time and keeps my brain active……………but, I must admit, seeing and reading the recurring articles in the NYT is SO upsetting, so I have to add color to each page that contains depressing headlines…….

Millions and millions of human beings affected in one way or another…………..when will there be a cure????

Now a month has passed.................here's another blog on how I fill my time, remembering....

THIS I REMEMBER

The coronavirus has locked the entire population, well, nearly everyone, that is,  indoors..............but, fortunately, as I live in an area that is not surrounded by other homes, I can take a walk each day, out in the semi desert, on any one of several trails. I see no one, except the beautiful trees, yucca and cacti, all wanting a spring drink.

When I get home, I'm journaling, that is, using New York Times headlines in a home-made journal, and filling the pages with arty crafty doodles.

I'm also remembering a lot - which is somewhat of a contradiction as my memory is getting worse.
But, hey, to fill the time, I'm going to make brief notes of what's in my head each day as I take my morning walk.

Today it's my Dad.

.................................I remember my mum cooking Cornish Pasties, (yummy - crispy pastry wrapped around a variety of vegetables) wrapping one up, giving it to me, and I'd run down to the bus stop outside the railway station. My dad, a bus driver, wouls come right on time, and the passengers disembarked. I then gave my dad his pastie, he'd give me a big smile, then turn the corner into the station yard. He'd go into the snack bar, eat his pasty, dring a couple of cups of tea, then load up the bus with new passengers, and drive them to St. Ives. I think, though I'm not sure, this was a Friday routine, the day of the week when Mum always cooked her delicious pasties.

..........................I remembered this morning, when I was thinking about the super fish and chips Jeannine cooked and I ate last evening, sitting with my Mum by Dad's bed in hospital............years ago........
'Hazel,' he muttered, "I'd really love some cold shrimp to suck and chew."

I rushed down the street to the Fishmongers and bought a pound of locally caught and baked shrimp.

Ten minutes later, Dad was chomping the shrimp, his eyes full of smiles.......................bless him.

He passed away that weekend........

Hey, hey, Arthur Charles..............I still have the wishing rock that I found when walking with you and Mum on the beach, Monday, July 14th, 1947.............my 5th birtday!

And I remember the walk to the tin mine in Botallack...............

                              when you spotted a fox!!!

3 weeks of staying at home

21 days of staying at home....................with Jeannine, Bertie and Fifi, I'm glad to say.

Here's the daily routine:

Wide awake at 4 in the morning, my mind wanders around, usually focusing on childhood memories..........I fall asleep and wake again around 5ish..............its gray outside...........I nof off again and wake up after 6..........I get out of bed and open the curtains, wanting to watch the slow sunrise, waiting for its rays to hit the top of a tree just outside the bedroom window.

Brekkie at 7ish, particularly enjoying the cup or two of hot tea, then back to bed for an hour's cuddle with Bertie and Fifi.

8.30, time to get up...................

I go outside, collect rainwater from one of the water tanks, and water the front garden and the two new young trees at the back. Then, I collect the NYT, read the headlines, and bwegin to work on my Coronavirus journal.

Lunch around 11.30, followed by another nap, usuall with Bertie.

1.30, up and more journaling, and, weather permitting, a longish walk around the loop, hoping to see a beetle or two...........

Back home after 3, more journaling.
Dinner at 6, then CNN to hear the sad/bad news of the day, and bed at 8.15ish...........oh, a beer and two glasses of white wine are part of the TV time.

Another day...................what will tomorrow hold?

Pocket Museums and Treasure Jars

Here's a Coronavirus activity - 

When I go for a short solo walk, avoiding anyone else out there and, of course, wearing my mask, I do what I always do.........................keep my eyes on the ground, avoiding the ants out searching for food, hoping to see something that catches my eye.

If/when I bring back a little something special, I'm now putting it into a pocket museum, (a small tin) labelled COROAVIRUS walk..............glued in place and dated. It then goes into my huge collection.................:)

 If it's something really eye catching, I put it into a TREASURE JAR, a small, clean marmalade jar.

I've got quite a collection already. Of course!! Um, at the last count, over a thousand........................can't help it. I'm obsessed with keeping Mother Nature's delights, and objects that remind me of days gone by............