This is probably more of a British thing, but do you remember waking up to a machine, by your bedside gurgling away making a fresh pot of tea in the morning?
In the 1980’s, we had one, that we bought used. There is nothing better than a nice hot, fresh cup of tea, in bed, when you wake up. Without, of course having to go downstairs, fill the kettle, then wait on that to boil, then make and bring tea back upstairs to bed. Especially on a cold winter morning.
Sometimes, you just don’t question things because they’ve always been the norm. Take gas cans, for example. Have you ever noticed that they’re always red? Truly, always red. But why?
As it turns out, there is a reason gas cans are red, and it’s all about safety.
To help protect people, OSHA requires that all highly-flammable liquids be stored in color-coded containers. Gas specifically is stored in red containers. Gasoline’s incredibly low flashpoint means that it easily meets the criteria for a highly flammable liquid and thus, it must be stored in a red container.
Essentially, the red color of a gas can serves as a visual cue to indicate potential danger. This helps keep users safe around potentially hazardous materials.
It’s worth noting that these color regulations only apply to commercial use, which means personal use is far more lenient. You don’t absolutely have to keep your gasoline in a red can. However, it’s still a best practice to use red safety cans for gasoline even for personal needs. When you go to purchase one, it’s likely going to be red regardless of how you intend to use it.
But red gas cans aren’t the only color-related regulation.s There are also specific shades for other liquids. Diesel, for example, is usually stored in yellow cans, kerosene in blue, and oil in green. Think about it as a quick color code for safety.
So the next time you see a bright red gas can, you’ll know exactly what’s in it plus that it’s a necessary safety precaution to prevent accidents and ensure proper handling.
wretched:
1. Characterized by or feeling deep affliction or distress; very
miserable.
2. Of an inferior or unworthy nature or social status; contemptible,
lowly.
3. Of an insignificant, mean, or poor nature; miserable, paltry,
worthless.
4. Of a person, etc.: behaving in a manner deserving contempt; base,
despicable, wicked.
5. Of weather: causing much discomfort; very unpleasant; miserable.
6. (informal) Used to express annoyance towards or dislike of someone or
something: bloody, damned.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wretched>
Do you often sneeze when exposed to a bright light, such as stepping out of a dim movie theater on a sunny day? Then you’re one of the 18-35 percent of people that have “photic sneeze reflex”, a genetic predisposition to sneezing intensely after sudden exposure to bright light.
You see a red, octagonal sign, and you know to stop even before you can read the big bold letters on the front. Yes, that’s partially due to the shape, but for most, the color red is a near-universal method for communicating the need to stop. But why red?
While red stop signs are common now, they used to be yellow, and the reason things changed is all about paint.
These days, we’re accustomed to a classic red, octagonal stop sign, but in the early 20th century, there was no universal color or shape for the marker. With drivers understandably confused, the American Association of State Highway Officials chose an octagonal shape in a yellow hue with bold black letters.
Yellow is an eye-catching color, and the black lettering would obviously stand out, but at the time, electric traffic lights were already using red as the shade for stop and yellow as the slow-down symbol. Unfortunately, there was no red dye that wouldn’t fade over time.
However, in 1954, fade-resistant porcelain enamel was created, and it prevented fading. Once red was an option again, the Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devicesconvened and turned those stop signs red to match traffic lights and prevent confusion.
Moles, with their giant flapper hands, might be the cutest of the burrowing mammals. But if you’ve got mole tunnels and hills throughout your yard, you may have a different attitude about them.
How much do you know about moles? Roger Dickens, wildlife technical services manager with Ehrlich Pest Control, gives us the details about these beneficial but occasionally maddening creatures.
No. Dickens says they’re more closely related to bats than mice.
Sometimes people confuse moles with rodents like pocket gophers and voles, though. Dickens says voles and moles can be distinguished by the tunnels they dig. “Moles have underground tunnels,” Dickens says, “while voles tunnel through the grass above ground.”
Like moles, pocket gophers make underground tunnels, but create different kinds of hills. “[M]ole hills are mounds of soil, and gopher mounds have a distinct plug of soil where the gopher closed the opening,” Dickens says. “Mole hills lack this plug because the hills are pushed up from underground.”
“Moles live in underground dens that are connected by underground tunnels,” Dickens says. “The dens are often located under solid structures such as downed trees, sidewalks or driveways.”
Moles tunnel under the grass looking for grubs, worms and other bugs. Those tunnels can be shallow or deep, Dickens says, depending on their use and the season. Their burrows and tunnels are typically found where insects thrive, in fields and wooded areas shaded with vegetation. And, of course, sometimes in your yard.
No.
“As a general rule, moles spend 99% of their time underground,” Dickens says. Because they spend their entire lives digging and looking for insects in the dirt, “moles rarely if ever come above ground and will not enter the home,” Dickens says.
Moles are insectivores. They love grubs, other bugs and earthworms. Though their tunnels disturb grass and plant roots, they do not eat plants.
According to the University of Wisconsin, other animals like ground squirrels and mice may use mole tunnels to munch on roots and bulbs. But as far as moles go, Dickens says, “Damage to plants would be inadvertent.”
Not necessarily. “Moles tend to be active throughout all times of the day due to their habit of remaining underground,” Dickens says.
Even if they tunnel at all hours of the day, Dickens says “while underground, they are safe from predators such as cats, dogs, foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls.”
“No, they are active year-round,” Dickens says. “They are most active in the spring and summer during rainy periods.” That’s because the rain softens the soil, making it easier for them to tunnel and forage.
“During the winter, they tunnel beneath the frost line and continue to forage for food,” he says.
Moles tunnel in your yard because there’s food there. “This activity is generally a continuation of tunneling from an adjacent area,” Dickens says. If you have well-drained, loose soil with lots of insect activity and earthworms, a mole will find it appealing.
Repelling moles comes down to reducing their food source, Dickens says, or trappingthem. Grub-control pesticides will kill grubs, a bane to gardeners everywhere. Natural methods like milky spores can work, but take several years to reach peak effectiveness. Mole-deterrence products achieve varying levels of success, Dickens says.
Moles go where the food is, so if you get rid of one mole, another might move in. “There is no way to completely eliminate the chances of moles coming into your yard,” Dickens says. “Moles are constantly tunneling and foraging and can find their way into your yard at any time.”
No. They have teeth to eat their insect and worm prey, but moles spend their entire lives underground, so you’ll probably never interact with one.
“The chances of ever seeing a live mole above ground are very remote,” Dickens says, “and therefore people or pets are not likely to be bitten.”
No. But their hills and tunnels may harm the grass, create a tripping hazard or interfere with your lawn mower.
Actually, they’re a good animal to have in your yard. “Moles do serve a beneficial purpose by aerating the soil in yards,” Dickens says. “They also control unwanted white grubs in the soil.”
Moles have an average lifespan of three to five years, according to Dickens.
Whether you’ve been camping, hiking, or simply driving among forested roads, you might have noticed purple paint on trees. A thick swatch might be seen painted along the bark, but why?
A purple-painted tree is a sign warning people against trespassing on the property. Yes, it’s legitimate.
Now, you might be wondering why you can’t just put up a sign. You can. When it comes to longevity, signs can be blown off trees (or fence posts which are also often painted purple), be bleached by the sun over time, and undergo wear and tear that could make it less effective. A giant streak of purple? That’s memorable.
As for why purple? First, it’s a striking and bold color, but second, it’s not common outdoors like greens and yellows. If you see purple along a fence or tree line, you’re likely to notice it.
The paint color as a property line marker was first recognized in Arkansas in 1989, but since then, it has spread to over a dozen states including Texas, Georgia, and Illinois. just to name a few. Yes, in states where purple paint is recognized as a property marker, it is considered trespassing if you go beyond it.
The next time you’re out for a hike or driving down a country road, be on the lookout for purple fences or trees. You now know exactly why they’re there.
Seen in my yard in Indiana. Apparently it is a member of the Mint family. Pretty but tiny flowers. Gotta love Spring!
Earlier, this evening, we ate a takeaway Fish meal, from Long John Silver’s. That reminded me of eating fish and chips, in the UK. Which in turn got me thinking about how some people from the UK, living here in the USA, complain that it is not the same here as it is at home. Home being the UK,
No, living here is not the same as living in the UK. Living here has allowed me to have a better standard of living. Life is more affordable, especially here in the Midwest, in small town Indiana. With just a modest factory job, I can afford to buy a house and a newer vehicle, have money in the bank, food in the cupboard, Etc.
As far as complaining that living here is not like living at home, if people are not happy here, maybe they should go back home. The trouble is, home is not the same as we remember it. Things have changed, and depending how long we have been away, we would probably not recognise home anymore, it has changed beyond recognition.
Living in the USA is not the same as life in the UK. If you are happy in life, it does not matter where you live. I am British, enjoy all the small things from life in Britain. British tea, Pot Noodles, McVities Digestives, Heinz Baked Beans, Branston pickle, Marmite, Weetabix, crumpets Etc. All those things, and more, are readily available from Amazon and other outlets. On the other hand, I like making American food, such as biscuits and gravy, Goulash, hamburgers and hot dogs, on the grill. I mentioned my British tea, but I also enjoy coffee and iced sweet tea.
I also enjoy the same and similar hobbies. Photography, car shows, studying local history, along with tractor shows, covered bridges, and hunting for abandoned and forgotten buildings. Collecting records and other music.
I choose to be happy.
This post was started in January 2023, but finished in April.
Colins Place 