1. Morning. I’m having a long lie here. What about you.2. Did you think I was a leaf? 3. Hannah, John’s friend, with Tuti which is Kurdish for Parrot, because he likes to sit on shoulders. 4. And here he is again, looking for a shoulder to perch on.5. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a newt of the great crested variety. So now you DO know.6. Now you see me… now you don’t.7. Munguin draws crowds, no matter where he goes.8. Munguin’s favourite rose.9. We’re all ears.10. Seeing that you were all talking about Axolots yesterday, I decided to put in an appearance today. “As cute as a button”, is the expression you’re looking for.
11. Wha daur meddle wi’ me? Or as they say at Eton … Nemo me impune lacessit.12. I’m not sure what happened to my stripes…13. Ouagadougou.14. Finnish lights.15. Why is the good stuff always at the bottom?16. Western Isles.17. Who’s a messy Warthog then?18. Who’d have twins?19. You thought we were always alert? Well, some of us just sit back and relax.20. Oh, you catch me at my part-time job, conducting the otter choir. You otter come listen. Ok Ok Ok.
Thanks Marcia wonderful, that took me on an interesting sojourn. Aided by idleness and the internet I decided to have a look at Iceland’s landscape and culture. I chanced on an image, a persons face I recognised. Turned out to be a gaming artist named Gudmundur Bjarnason which was the name of my Icelandic farm apprentice 20 odd years ago. I thought the image was Gummi, untill I noticed the recent image date.
One of life’s serendipitous moments had the effect of a wormhole in the fabric of time.
I learned the names of African capitals in the late 60s. Burkina Faso was then called Upper Volta. The name Ouagadougou always fascinated me. It was only when the internet came along that I ever got to see any photos of the place.
My ignorance compelled me to look for more information on Burkina Faso’s capital. The centre was already established centuries ago when the Yonyonse won it from the Ninsi tribe in 1441, changing the name from Kumbee-Tenga (the Ninsi name) to Wage sabre soba koumbem tenga by the Yonyonse hero Wubri. I feel a little bit let down by Wubri but I suppose the skills needed by the Yonyonse from him was not prose, the Yonyonse name means, “head war chiefs village.”
Isn’t Wiki also wonderful.
Mmmm… life gently reaffirmed, with more herpetology and entomology than usual, the former possibly spawned by a dialogue about acolytes, axolotls and newts. But we have orangutans, and that makes everything alright anyway.
I missed the discussion about Axolotls but they are very cute. Their numbers in the wild are plummeting and more are now thought to be in captivity than in the wild.
They’re also reckoned to be damn tasty deep fried in certain far away places
What an eclectic selection this week. Don’t usually have so many creepy crawlies. Loved the spotted horse, makes a change from the stripey horses. Munguin’s rose looks gorgeous and TWO baby elephants – our cup runneth over. Some particularly good orang photos just rounds it of.
Plus another opinion poll showing indy at 54% – the second in a row. Though you’d think BoJo’s lot and their incompetence would have it at 74% by now!!!
That is good news on the polls front. I see it is the Sunday Times.
Since I have Google Earth on my computer I like looking at various place around the world and going to the street view just to have a look at what the places look like. Such a contrast. If you had said 30 years ago you can visit some African capitals from your home I wouldn’t have believed it.
It is good though I’d like to see polling from other companies as this is another Panelbase one, just to be sure. The Holyrood one is unbelievable, it predicts Holyrood majority for the SNP on constituency seats alone – 70 out of 73 with 69 being a majority. Predicts 4 list lists for 74 total.
Sorry Soppy Sunday for tainting you with politics but I’ve no control over when polls are released!
Yes. Good news from Panel Base (Sunday Times). It’s an interesting thought that when someone like Stuart Campbell has a poll that shows support increased/increasing, there are Twitter comments that belittle it, suggesting that it is biased because it was commissioned by a Nat.
So I suppose they will think, given the Sunday Times politics, that this one is biased towards unionism? No?
One for Danny. Apparently Uncle Sam was based on real life person whose parents emigrated to the USA from…
Scotland!
“The American icon Uncle Sam, who embodies the American spirit more than any other figure, was in fact based on a real man. A businessman from Troy, New York, Samuel Wilson, whose parents sailed to America from Greenock, Scotland, has been officially recognized as the original Uncle Sam.”
Panda Paws……yes, there was lots of Scottish and Scots-Irish immigration to the States in the 18th and 19th centuries. And the story of Samuel Wilson the meat packer during the War of 1812, whose barrels were labeled “US” is well known. There certainly was a meat packer by that name who used such barrels during the War of 1812, although I didn’t realize his Scottish heritage. Several decades ago, there was a restaurant chain named “Sam Wilson’s Meat Market”, which used the “Uncle Sam” theme in its decor and advertising. 😉
Munguin suggests it might be a good idea to start getting it cleared up now. Who knows, he might decide to pay you a visit one day, and you wouldn’t want to have to transform that into something suitable for his eyes in a short period.
I may have mentioned it before, but the thing I most admire about Meercats, is:
The way they stand up tall and look you straight in the shin.
Delightful creatures, unless you are a scorpion breeder of course.
Oh yes, that kitten can sit on my shoulder anytime.
MUNGUIN'S NEW REPUBLIC 
What lovely photos. I am seeing quite a lot of big moths, it must be the time for them.
A trip to Iceland this week.
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There is more.
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Magical place, Marcia. Thanks.
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Thanks Marcia wonderful, that took me on an interesting sojourn. Aided by idleness and the internet I decided to have a look at Iceland’s landscape and culture. I chanced on an image, a persons face I recognised. Turned out to be a gaming artist named Gudmundur Bjarnason which was the name of my Icelandic farm apprentice 20 odd years ago. I thought the image was Gummi, untill I noticed the recent image date.
One of life’s serendipitous moments had the effect of a wormhole in the fabric of time.
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Munguin notes that a lot of happy stuff comes from following his republic. 🙂
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Indeed Tris indeed.
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I learned the names of African capitals in the late 60s. Burkina Faso was then called Upper Volta. The name Ouagadougou always fascinated me. It was only when the internet came along that I ever got to see any photos of the place.
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It’s a lovely name.
I heard that it is renowned for its high class restaurants which are second to none on the continent.
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My ignorance compelled me to look for more information on Burkina Faso’s capital. The centre was already established centuries ago when the Yonyonse won it from the Ninsi tribe in 1441, changing the name from Kumbee-Tenga (the Ninsi name) to Wage sabre soba koumbem tenga by the Yonyonse hero Wubri. I feel a little bit let down by Wubri but I suppose the skills needed by the Yonyonse from him was not prose, the Yonyonse name means, “head war chiefs village.”
Isn’t Wiki also wonderful.
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It is, and isn’t that a wonderful name even if the translation is a bit naff.
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Mmmm… life gently reaffirmed, with more herpetology and entomology than usual, the former possibly spawned by a dialogue about acolytes, axolotls and newts. But we have orangutans, and that makes everything alright anyway.
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Glad you’re feeling reaffirmed, Ed.
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I missed the discussion about Axolotls but they are very cute. Their numbers in the wild are plummeting and more are now thought to be in captivity than in the wild.
They’re also reckoned to be damn tasty deep fried in certain far away places
https://soranews24.com/2013/04/23/these-guys-keep-all-their-cuteness-even-when-cooked-we-try-deep-fried-axolotl-in-osaka/
I’ll stick to mars bars I think?
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Who could eat a cute little thing like that.
I don’t suppose we will be happy till there’s nothing left but us… and at that, with Dom running stuff, only the healthy young productive us.
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What an eclectic selection this week. Don’t usually have so many creepy crawlies. Loved the spotted horse, makes a change from the stripey horses. Munguin’s rose looks gorgeous and TWO baby elephants – our cup runneth over. Some particularly good orang photos just rounds it of.
Plus another opinion poll showing indy at 54% – the second in a row. Though you’d think BoJo’s lot and their incompetence would have it at 74% by now!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is good news on the polls front. I see it is the Sunday Times.
Since I have Google Earth on my computer I like looking at various place around the world and going to the street view just to have a look at what the places look like. Such a contrast. If you had said 30 years ago you can visit some African capitals from your home I wouldn’t have believed it.
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It is good though I’d like to see polling from other companies as this is another Panelbase one, just to be sure. The Holyrood one is unbelievable, it predicts Holyrood majority for the SNP on constituency seats alone – 70 out of 73 with 69 being a majority. Predicts 4 list lists for 74 total.
Sorry Soppy Sunday for tainting you with politics but I’ve no control over when polls are released!
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Munguin was overjoyed to see the poll and has no problem at all with SS being sullied by politics.
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I’m glad you like the little creatures, PP.
Yes. Good news from Panel Base (Sunday Times). It’s an interesting thought that when someone like Stuart Campbell has a poll that shows support increased/increasing, there are Twitter comments that belittle it, suggesting that it is biased because it was commissioned by a Nat.
So I suppose they will think, given the Sunday Times politics, that this one is biased towards unionism? No?
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Stuart Campbell’s poll is out tomorrow. Should be interesting reading.
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Oh yes. That will be interesting.
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Love all animals and especially cats, but the photo of the wee kitten is just gorgeous. So, so cute
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I’m sure Hannah, Tuti and John will be chuffed!
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Jacob Rees Meercat
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LOL. Tall, skinny, a bit gormless looking (sorry meercats). All they need now is a monocle.
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One for Danny. Apparently Uncle Sam was based on real life person whose parents emigrated to the USA from…
Scotland!
“The American icon Uncle Sam, who embodies the American spirit more than any other figure, was in fact based on a real man. A businessman from Troy, New York, Samuel Wilson, whose parents sailed to America from Greenock, Scotland, has been officially recognized as the original Uncle Sam.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Americans#Uncle_Sam
We get everywhere!
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LOL. Uncle McSam in a kilt!
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Panda Paws……yes, there was lots of Scottish and Scots-Irish immigration to the States in the 18th and 19th centuries. And the story of Samuel Wilson the meat packer during the War of 1812, whose barrels were labeled “US” is well known. There certainly was a meat packer by that name who used such barrels during the War of 1812, although I didn’t realize his Scottish heritage. Several decades ago, there was a restaurant chain named “Sam Wilson’s Meat Market”, which used the “Uncle Sam” theme in its decor and advertising. 😉
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Wilson
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I looked at pic 11 and thought – ‘That’s funny, I don’t remember anyone taking a photo of my garden’. 😁
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Only the lockdown saved mine from being similarly photogenic as No.11
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Munguin suggests it might be a good idea to start getting it cleared up now. Who knows, he might decide to pay you a visit one day, and you wouldn’t want to have to transform that into something suitable for his eyes in a short period.
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Pic 16: Is that an alien spaceship landed in the Western Isles?
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It’s the locals’ robot. Kept for when the weather gets bad!
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I may have mentioned it before, but the thing I most admire about Meercats, is:
The way they stand up tall and look you straight in the shin.
Delightful creatures, unless you are a scorpion breeder of course.
Oh yes, that kitten can sit on my shoulder anytime.
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LOL.
Yes, Tuti can sit on my shoulder any time.
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