Day 8: Today’s focus is our lovely planet, Earth. Currently being exhibited in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral is Gaia (the personification of Earth), a seven metre replica by Luke Jerram. Featuring detailed NASA imagery and soundtrack by BAFTA winning Dan Jones. The installation aims to create awe and a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
10 facts on the Earth:
The Earth is the third planet from the sun
Is 4.5 billion years old
70% of the surface is water
An Earth day is actually 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds
A year is 365.2564 days, creating the need for leap years
The atmosphere is roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen
Seasons are created by the Earth’s tilt at 23.4°
The magnetic field created by the Earth’s core protects us from harmful solar rays
20% of the Earth’s O2 is produced by the Amazon Rainforest
Lightening strikes the Earth up to 100 times per second
What amazing facts of our beautiful planet do you know?
This week I have spent most of my time in the yarden! The NW of England has had some lovely long spells of warm, spring weather. Warm enough for me to bring out my bandeau dresses and coat my skin in SPF. Artie has also enjoyed stretching his legs and worrying resting bumblebees who when flying off, seemed to urinate!!
The yarden is looking verdant. Spring bulbs are flowering and trees/shrubs are heavy with dense foliage. The air has been laced with singing dunnocks/blackbirds and the happy buzz of bees and other pollinators.
Tulip
Tree Bumblebee on rhododendron
I recently read that rhododendron pollen can be toxic to bees. I hope the nectar from my plant is not detrimental to this busy tree bumblebee!
Keeping with the theme of nature. I have signed up to take part in The Wildlife Trusts’s 30 Day’s Wild 2016. Last year, lovely Sharon fromSunsine and Celandines got me interested in the scheme and I had a wonderful June observing nature more closely. Why not sign up and join in the fun?
This Friday, 22nd April was Earth Day. Their campaign, to ‘motivate people into action,’ in regard to the welfare of our planet. I particularly liked the ‘doodles’ on Google’s search page. This one was my favourite!
Earlier in the week we had a blue tit visiting. He spied the cat hair we had left out for birds nests and I caught video footage, (though not great) of him trying to take the whole bundle! I saw him fly off with most of it in his beak. So somewhere, Artie’s hair lines the nest of a blue tit!
This week I have begun to read Dan Brown’s Inferno. I tried to read it a couple of years ago and failed. I thought with the film coming out later in the year I would attempt it again. Talking of books. I have applied for a library card. I haven’t registered with a library for years, but thought it would be a good idea to do so. I can pick and chose what books I read now without the cost.
This weekend, England celebrated the 400 year anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. The Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London commissioned The Complete Walk, a screening of ten minute productions of each of his 37 plays. Liverpool was the only city in the UK to also screen these films and I was excited by the opportunity to see some of my favourite plays. I dragged David along with me to some iconic venues in the city, such as St George’s Hall, Liverpool Cathedral and the Tate. We also visited some more unusual venues, I particularly liked the grand feel to the hotel Aloft, which I later read is a renovation of the Royal Insurance Building and Ziferblat, which is a pay per minute cafe.
Of the productions we saw, my favourites are as follows: The Tempest, I found Douglas Hodge walking out into the sea at the end very touching! James Norton was fantastic as Richard II, I just wish it wasn’t viewed on a small TV screen in a railway tourist centre, and Much Ado About Nothing with Samuel West and Catherine Parkinson precisely captured the prickly romance between Benedick and Beatrice. The only downside (or upside) to seeing these ten minute films is that they make you crave to see the whole performance!
Have you been to any Shakespeare Celebrations this weekend? Do you indeed like the Bard?
Day 8: Today’s focus is our lovely planet, Earth. Currently being exhibited in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral is Gaia (the personification of Earth), a seven metre replica by Luke Jerram. Featuring detailed NASA imagery and soundtrack by BAFTA winning Dan Jones. The installation aims to create awe and a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
Christine Lucas 