Monday, May 26, 2008

THE THEORY OF VARIABILITY

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It rained in the night. A little stream of droplets now drips from the toe end of every sock I left on the line.

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THE THEORY OF VARIABILITY: PART ONE

Ming says I won't understand what's going on - until I understand The Theory of Variability.

(He's shocked by the way children in primary education are not taught astro-physics and philosophy.)

LESSON ONE

Martian maps are drawn on elasticated paper. This, says Ming, is because distance is variable.

Humans think our house is two-hundred yards from the corner of the street - but this is an average.

For the street is constantly pulsating (vibrating at the very least). Occasionally, parts of it spring (yo-yo like) away from themselves and return before we have noticed.

(The movement can be detected on Martian time-lapse cameras which take several thousand images a second.)

* * * * *

(I'm wondering whether I've been blaming too much on slugs. Maybe small plants simply fall off the garden as it pings around the universe?)

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14 comments:

Zoë said...

Yikes Esther,

I think you just fried my brain! Next it will be fractals and fibonacci numbers?

I have tagged you for a Meme, feel free to join in and play, or not as you wish, there is no obligation. Details on my blog if you want the rules.

Best Wishes,

Zoë

Esther Montgomery said...

I don't think fractals will be of use until the Romanesque Broccoli is ready to cut.

Esther

Zoë said...

Sounds like a sticky kind of day; its almost as mad here, except it isn't standing room thats the problem, its where to sit!

We have decided to redecorate the whole downstairs, so all the furniture is piled up in 2 rooms, whilst we tackle the other 3, sanding down everything feverishly. I had thought the sound of stereo sanders could be classed as avant garde music, but his orangeness thinks otherwise, and has buried himself in my quilt!

I am more than happy that you put the poppy on your blog, you may have noticed I had put your name in the side bar at my place too. I just hadn't the courtesy to ask if you minded, so I hope you don't.

Hope the day improves and some standing room is located quickly.

Best Wishes,

Zoë

Anonymous said...

In my garden, small plants get taken away in the wind to go and play in the sea. (sigh)
Thanks for describing "The Artists Garden" as a "gentle blog" - much appreciated - although I am quite intrigued by that adjective.
Warm regards
Karen
PS - I want Zoe's poppy, it is so fab. - I shall buy some for next year.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

You know, the snapping back and forth of surfaces might explain how the groundhog was propelled into my fenced veggie garden! I love astrophysics! :)
~ Monica

Esther Montgomery said...

Zoe - delighted that you have 'Esther in the Garden' in my sidebar - certainly didn't need to ask!

With the poppy - it was more that I hoped it was ok to use the picture from your blog to stick the link on.

We're going to paint the inside of our house soon but we're in stage one at present - which is to find the inside of our house!

Esther Montgomery said...

Karen - I couldn't think of a more succinct way to describe your blog.

I like the way it doesn't ramble.

On the other hand - there are blogs which ramble all over the place and I enjoy some of them too!

The pictures tend not to be botanical or analytical or descriptive - they are simply 'there' - to be looked at and, sometimes, to be absorbed by (into?). I like that.

But I also like blogs which have botanical, analytical or descriptive photos with information and aids to identification.

I felt saying your blog is 'gentle' says something precise about it without, by implication, saying anything negative about other blogs.

Esther

Anonymous said...

Oh Esther - You did not have to explain your choice of adjective - I just found it interesting - rather sweet actually (and that is a positive sweet not a negative sweet). Words are quite hard when you cannot see a persons face!
Regards
Karen

Victoria Summerley said...

I'm at work, looking at Mars pictures. I'm fairly sure, but can't be certain, that I can see your mother-in-law's house

Esther Montgomery said...

Victoria - if you progress from pictures to a telescope, pehaps you could give her a wave?

Esther

Victoria Summerley said...

Absolutely, delighted to. There isn't any Martian etiquette regarding which arm to use, is there?

archivesinfo said...

love the imagery today. Can see the sock toe dripping and earth's gardens spnning around the universe

themanicgardener said...

You people are all wacko, and as my kids say when they've pretended to insult me and I pretend to be mad, "In a good way! In a good way!"
--katewjorkhdx Oh rats, that's the word verification thingy. It's been that kind of day.
--kate

Esther Montgomery said...

Victoria - the answer to your question about waving to Martians is on the post for 27th May.

(SCALE ON THE BAY AND VICTORIA WAVING.)

Hope this is ok.

Esther