Tuesday, May 7, 2013
A Grand Day Out
Took a drive last Sunday up to the New Jersey Botanical Garden, they had a plant sale and on the first Sunday of the month the mansion "Skylands Manor" is open for tours. The tour covers the first floor including entrance hall, dining room, drawing room, library, study, a couple of porches and the 2 story great hall. The tour was very informative and worth a visit. The mansion is also run as a catering hall and a you can book a room for the night.
After the house tour we visited the Lilac garden, the original owner of the mansion, C. M. Lewis planted 14 beds in the 1920s of which 12 beds remain. The range of colors was impressive, though the scents did not seem that strong. Our one lilac at home seemed more pungent.
After checking out the Lilac garden we took a nap on the lawn.
Any day that includes a nap is a Grand Day in my book.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Alpine Plant Sale
Took a drive this morning to Stone Crop Gardens for their 7th annual Alpine Plant sale, just a bit above Bear Mountain bridge. They had some of their own plants for sale and had a few other vendors also on site. After I made my purchases I took a walk around the gardens. There were a lot of alpines in troughs and in scree beds and in walls and in a huge rock ledge. There were also lots of flowers blooming along the woodland trails.
They were just filling this pond, it must look quite natural once full.
There were many clusters of troughs like this around the place.
Nice detail on the edge of some of the large troughs
My two purchases
Houstonia Caerulea, Azure Bluets, planted into a trough I carved out of pumice
and 2 Cyclamen both White each with slightly different foliage, planted with my other Cyclamen in the Peony Garden.
The selection of plants at the sale was amazing, but I didn't go wild. My current focus is to get the small pond (pondlet?) in so I can landscape around it. The area will be mostly shady so I have green and white variegated types of dwarf Iris and a dwarf hosta and some ferns ready in pots for planting. I don't have the room for a wall like above, but might be able to fit in a scree bed.
They were just filling this pond, it must look quite natural once full.
Houstonia Caerulea, Azure Bluets, planted into a trough I carved out of pumice
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Rock Collection Cleanout
Made a stop at the 2013 NY/NJ Gem and Mineral Show on the way home from work one day, saw a lot of beautiful mineral specimens and it made me want to dig up my rock collection from the attic and see what I had.
Other than disappointment, I had a lot of pebbles and nondescript stones. Along with the crap were bags with rocks and notes listing the date and place I had picked them up. I figured that I would photograph the crap rocks and then chuck them. I winnowed my rock collection down from 3 boxes to 2 boxes. I actually do have some mineral specimens in the collection, but nothing like what I saw at the show.
The photos of rocks with accompanying notes were mainly from the Hearty Boys Hiking Club (HBHC) era. Myself, Mike, Brian of DR. WA, aka "Dead Rats With AIDS" fame and Dan would get out a few times a year hiking, scrambling and spelunking. I kept a trail log for the trips and have included additional information which I thought was useful.
September 8, 1990-NJ: 5 mile hike at Norvin Green State Forest. Saw several Glacier Erratics, had some good views to High Point and did some scrambling. Parked at Otter Hole Lot.
June 1, 1991-PA: Specimens from a cave near Old Dutch Mill Campground in Kutztown, besides these rocks I took a water sample which had a PH of 7.4. This trip included HBHC members and others. Afterwards, we visited Crystal Cave a commercial cave.
September 15, 1991-NY: Rocks from a 5 mile hike at Popolopen Gorge in Bear Mountain Park, the hike was shortened by rain.
November 9, 1991-NJ: 4.5 mile hike to and around Terrace Pond at 1380 feet. Saw a bunch of cub scouts, a couple of hunters and a deer from 10 feet away
April 30 to May 1 1994-PA: These were from a camping trip near Worlds End State Park in PA.
November 25, 1994-NY: Harriman State Park, 4 mile hike via Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail to Bald Mountain (1110ft), not with the HBHC. Ran across the upper workings of the Cornell mine. Parked near Jones Point north of the Anchor Monument.
Why did I pick these up? And when?
Oooh a large white pebble, if at some point it had some meaning, it doesn't now.
I had found this flint in the 1970s when I lived in Graniteville, I found it in one piece and I thought it was a fossil or a bone.
More pebbles
and some smaller pebbles and flat stones
And still more
I picked this one up on the walking path at work years ago in Middletown, NJ.
and I think I saved this one as well.
The fate of these three is unknown.
Thank goodness that is over.
Other than disappointment, I had a lot of pebbles and nondescript stones. Along with the crap were bags with rocks and notes listing the date and place I had picked them up. I figured that I would photograph the crap rocks and then chuck them. I winnowed my rock collection down from 3 boxes to 2 boxes. I actually do have some mineral specimens in the collection, but nothing like what I saw at the show.
The photos of rocks with accompanying notes were mainly from the Hearty Boys Hiking Club (HBHC) era. Myself, Mike, Brian of DR. WA, aka "Dead Rats With AIDS" fame and Dan would get out a few times a year hiking, scrambling and spelunking. I kept a trail log for the trips and have included additional information which I thought was useful.
September 8, 1990-NJ: 5 mile hike at Norvin Green State Forest. Saw several Glacier Erratics, had some good views to High Point and did some scrambling. Parked at Otter Hole Lot.
June 1, 1991-PA: Specimens from a cave near Old Dutch Mill Campground in Kutztown, besides these rocks I took a water sample which had a PH of 7.4. This trip included HBHC members and others. Afterwards, we visited Crystal Cave a commercial cave.
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| Slate and white stuff, very scientific |
September 15, 1991-NY: Rocks from a 5 mile hike at Popolopen Gorge in Bear Mountain Park, the hike was shortened by rain.
November 9, 1991-NJ: 4.5 mile hike to and around Terrace Pond at 1380 feet. Saw a bunch of cub scouts, a couple of hunters and a deer from 10 feet away
April 30 to May 1 1994-PA: These were from a camping trip near Worlds End State Park in PA.
November 25, 1994-NY: Harriman State Park, 4 mile hike via Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail to Bald Mountain (1110ft), not with the HBHC. Ran across the upper workings of the Cornell mine. Parked near Jones Point north of the Anchor Monument.
Why did I pick these up? And when?
Oooh a large white pebble, if at some point it had some meaning, it doesn't now.
I had found this flint in the 1970s when I lived in Graniteville, I found it in one piece and I thought it was a fossil or a bone.
More pebbles
and some smaller pebbles and flat stones
And still more
I picked this one up on the walking path at work years ago in Middletown, NJ.
And now I have run out of things to say about non-descript rocks, though this one seems to have snuck in. I did not throw this one out.
Thank goodness that is over.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Travel? Why Not! Norway
Travel
- 7.5 hours non-stop NYC to Oslo Gardenmoen Airport
- Airport to Oslo City Station, 20 minutes by Airport Express, Norwegian State Railways 30 minutes, less frequently
- 2.5 hour flight between Oslo and Kirkenes, Northern Norway
- 6 or 7 Day Cruise between Bergen and Kirkenes on a Hurtigruten ship
- The Bergen Railway from Bergen to Oslo Station, 6.5 to 7.5 hours, 4-5 per day
- Side trip to Flåm via the Flåm Railway, 40 minutes one way
Sights and Highlights
Oslo
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| Royal Palace in Oslo |
- Hop On/Off Bus tour, stops near all the sites listed below
- Akershus Castle and Fortress
- Viking Ship Museum
- Botanical Garden
- Royal Palace Tours (summer only)
- National Gallery
- Norwegian Museum of Veterinary History
- Norwegian Maritime Museum
- Arctic Exploration Ship Fram museum
- Kon-tiki Expeditions Museum ()
Shorter cruises are possible, just jump ship and fly back to Oslo.
- Northern light sightings are a possibility in autumn and winter
- Rugged Fjords
- Crossing the Arctic Circle
- Visit Trondheim, the former Capital
- Glaciers and icebergs
- Time for contemplation and reading
Sights in Bergen include;
- Fjord tours
- Bergenhus Fortress
- Bergen Maritime Museum
- Edvard Grieg Museum, 20 minutes outside Bergen
- Cable car to Mount Elriken (2110 feet)
- Funicular to Mount Fløyen (1400 feet)
Flåm
A visit to Flåm could just be a day excursion or an overnight.
Photos from Hurtigruten website, except for the Royal Palace which is from the royal website.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Animal Sightings
On our trip we didn't go with a list of must see animals, we were just looking forward to seeing the animals in the wild. Ended up we saw everything. In the first National Park, Tarangire we saw the most varied types of animals, and in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area we saw the largest herds of Wildebeests and zebras. On our last game drive in the Northern Serengeti we saw a few antelope, but more varied terrain.
Big Five
These were the five most dangerous animals to hunt. More photos of the Big Five animals at the end of the post.
Stars of the Migration
Antelope
Many of these antelope don't join in the migration fun looking for greener pastures and water. The Dik-Dik don't even drink water getting enough moisture from the food they eat. Most of the areas we visited looked green to me, but the problem was that there was not enough water in rivers and pools for all the animals in some of the drier locations. Some of these antelope were harder to see than others, even so, after awhile you don't ask the driver to stop because the animals you spotted are just another Antelope.
Cleanup crew
The Rest
We always stopped for Giraffe, they are very social and interact a lot with each other. Watching them eat is also amazing, they strip the leaves off the thorny Acacia trees deftly with their long tongues and thick skinned lips. Elephants were also always entertaining, very social as well.
Culled Photos from the big herd
Big Five
These were the five most dangerous animals to hunt. More photos of the Big Five animals at the end of the post.
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| Lion in Tarangire NP |
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| Elephant in Tarangire NP |
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| Buffalo in Ngorongoro Crater |
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| Leopard in the Serengeti |
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| Rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater |
Stars of the Migration
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| Wildebeest in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
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| Zebra in Tarangire NP |
Antelope
Many of these antelope don't join in the migration fun looking for greener pastures and water. The Dik-Dik don't even drink water getting enough moisture from the food they eat. Most of the areas we visited looked green to me, but the problem was that there was not enough water in rivers and pools for all the animals in some of the drier locations. Some of these antelope were harder to see than others, even so, after awhile you don't ask the driver to stop because the animals you spotted are just another Antelope.
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| Dik-dik have very sharp hooves and can put up quite a fight, Tarangire NP |
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| Klipspringer, Serengeti. They are rock climbers |
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| Reedbuck, Tarangire NP |
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Waterbuck it has a toilet seat marking on its ass, Tarangire NP
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| Impala |
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| Grant's Gazelle |
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| Thomson's Gazelle of the Programme Planning Police |
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| Hartebeest |
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| Topi, Serengeti |
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| Eland, one of the larger members of the antelope family, Ngorongoro Crater |
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| Spotted Hyena, very sinister looking when their teeth show. They always look very ratty and unkempt. |
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| Golden Jackal |
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| Black backed Jackal |
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| Vultures lunching on a Wildebeest |
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| Dung Beetle, the male provides a dung ball to prospective mates, if she likes it, he rolls a larger ball, she hops on, they did a hole and she lays eggs in the dung. |
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| Eventually all that is left |
The Rest
We always stopped for Giraffe, they are very social and interact a lot with each other. Watching them eat is also amazing, they strip the leaves off the thorny Acacia trees deftly with their long tongues and thick skinned lips. Elephants were also always entertaining, very social as well.
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| Giraffe, amazingly graceful when running, Lake Manyara NP |
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| Serval cat, Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
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| Cheetah, Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
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| Warthog |
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| Bat Eared Fox, Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
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| Ostrich, male |
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| Ostrich, female |
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| Hippo in the Serengeti |
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| Crocodile at the hippo pool in the Serengeti |
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| Olive Baboon, Tarangire NP |
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| Blue Monkey, Lake Manyara NP |
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| Leopard Tortoise |
Culled Photos from the big herd
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| Lake Manyara NP |
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| Lake Ndutu in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area |
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| Tarangire NP |
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| Lake Manyara NP |
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| Serengeti NP |
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| This hippo pool smelled a bit |
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| Hungry Hungry Hippo |
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| Thin lions in Tarangire NP |
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| Full sleepy happy lion |
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| These lion see a wildebeest a distance away and decide it is too far |
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| Young Male with a snack |
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| From the tree this lion sees zebra which are close enough |
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| There is a lion closer to the zebra and she caught one of them. We didn't see it, but we were OK with that. |
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| 2 Groups of Hyena arguing in the Crater, wildebeest in the background. |
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| This hyena almost looks cute |
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| Toilet Seat Butt |
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| Impala, The marking on their butt is jokingly referred to as McDonalds for Lion |
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