Monday, May 5, 2008

SUNDAY, MONDAY AND PLUTONIAN PLANTS

SUNDAY

Worthing and I tried to take our minds off things by going to the Weymouth kite festival.

It rained.

The donkeys were bedraggled.

The kites wouldn't fly.

The stallholders were cold and morose.

We came home.

MONDAY

(Today!)

Ceres has pulled up half my clover and torn the tops off the rest.

(She must have done it while we were on Pluto.)

I planted some Lilly of the Valley under the Bay Tree and put the birdcage over it.

(I think the cats are used to nasturtiums now - but a cluster of new plants might inspire them to dig!)
Right.

Now.

THE PLANTS OF PLUTO
PART ONE

(This'll be like the inventory of those outside my living room window. I was going to do the ones to the right hand side of the front door next - but - never mind - I'll do them later.)

First, I Must Explain the Nature of the Planet.
Pluto cannot be seen from Earth because it spins within a sphere of ice.

Through a telescope, it appears to be smooth and cold and uninhabited. It isn't.

The air between the ground and the sky is much like ours (pleasant and, for the most part, breathable). And the sky doesn't look a lot different either - just a bit mottled.

Like earth, it has its own eco-systems and a wide range of climates. Many are congenial. Some are not.

Plutonian days are darker than ours because it is on the outer reaches of the universe. But, sometimes, Pluto whizzes towards the sun and everything gets lighter for a while. Then it whizzes back to the gloomier part of space where it usually resides.

(I wasn't there when it did this.)

From the point of view of plants, the main differences between growing conditions on Earth and on Pluto are those caused by lower light levels and a higher concentration of methane in the rain.

I'll explain more on Wednesday.
(After I've rescued Didcott.)


_____

9 comments:

Melanie Chopay said...

Ah ha, so you plan on rescuing Didcott but not Ming? Or are you going to rescue them one at a time?

So sorry you missed your tea, hope you have your milk again.

Barbee' said...

Sorry about the gloomy Sunday. At least you tried.

Anonymous said...

So I suppose there won't be any canaries on Pluto. And if there are some they'd all be coughing :-)

Anonymous said...

Your day in Weymouth parallels rather closely a weeks holiday I had there many years ago. Ahhhh, there is nothing like memories.............

Esther Montgomery said...

Easygardener - I keep on meaning to mention in one of my posts - that I did exactly as you suggested in an earlier comment - and I've been numbering the snails.

They definitelycome back.

As I suspected.

So now I'll be collecting them up in a bucket and taking them to waste ground instead of chucking them into Mrs Rustbridger's garden.

(I've been waiting for her to mention the numbers (so far, she seems not to have noticed) - and why one of them has 'Tim' marked on its shell - Worthing's idea!)

Esther

Esther Montgomery said...

Melanie - One has to take one thing at a time, you know!

Esther

Esther Montgomery said...

Barbee and Mo - It may have been a dreary Bank Holiday in Weymouth - and Mo's holiday there may have been a wash out - but it is generally a very pleasant place to visit.

The sailing events in the 2012 Olympics will be taking place there (based at the Sailing Academy in Portland Harbour).

Masses of visitors will be expected in the area - though I can't think why - by its nature, sailing takes place out to sea - so we won't be able to see the races, not really. The views will be better on television!

- But you may get to see aspects of Dorchester and its environs when all that happens.

Esther

Esther Montgomery said...

Melanie - talking about sailing reminds me, I keep meaning to mention that I used to live near Oxford (not far from Abingdon)and used to go for walks along the Thames.

One time, a women's rowing team came by - under the instruction of a very fierce (male) coach. I quaked when I heard the way he was shouting at the crew.

I think you have to be very tough mentally as well as physically to row.

(Incidentally, there's a women's rowing team crossing the channel around about now - they've either crossed it, or are about to. I heard some of them being interviewed on the radio.

Esther

Barbee' said...

I would like to watch that on TV just so I could see some of the scenery. Every weekend we watch PBS TV that shows the old "Last of the Summer Wine" shows. A woman from London and I were chatting here one day, and she said those are SO OLD. I told her it didn't matter to us. I love looking at the lovely surrounding scenery, the old codgers are a hoot, and I love the harmonica music. Over all a very pleasant show - especially the scenery. When 2012 rolls around, remind me or I will forget to watch ;)