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And we are off! First planting session for the year, 520 plant plugs in today, & another group are coming to plant tomorrow.
Saltmarsh restoration on the Eden Estuary today.
#saltmarsh #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund
Group of smiling muddy people in a polytunnel
Some of the planters at work on mudflats , planting behind chestnut fencing, to reduce washout rates and help the plants establish.
#saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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Image of a girl in a yellow raincoat walking in a rainy forest. Text reads, Our secret flood defense - trees! Trees protect us from floods, drinking water at risk, and Zanzibar's Solar Mamas

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in reply to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Marco van Burgsteden 🍋
mastodon - Link to source
Marco van Burgsteden 🍋
• •
Reforestation as a panacea for big city problems was already pointed out by our professor of water management in the mid 1990s.
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Eden estuary saltmarsh, aster seed heads late last year when we took a group of University of St Andrews students to see one of the Green Shores saltmarsh restoration sites
#MarshMadness #SaltMarsh #NatureRestorationFund
Fluffy white seedhead in the foreground of grassy vegetation with dry brown grass stems. In the distance and out of focus a group of people are walking. The water in the estuary is just visible on the far left.
#saltmarsh #marshmadness #NatureRestorationFund

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mastodon - Link to source
Dornoch firth saltmarsh in January for #MarshMadness
#saltmarsh #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund
View over saltmarsh at the Dornoch firth into a setting sun over the hills on the far shore. the colours in the blue and orange sky and clouds are reflected in the water
#saltmarsh #marshmadness #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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mastodon - Link to source
The polytunnel volunteers have been working hard, we’re nearly out of space in the tunnel.
Fortunately we’ll be starting this year’s saltmarsh restoration planting next week, getting the plants out of the tunnel and into the estuary. Making more space for more propagation.
#saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot
4 smiling people in a polytunnel with lots of trays of plants
Eden estuary with some fencing in place on mud flats by the coast. The fencing is laid out in v shapes with the wide open side facing the coast.
#saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Eating gels
Hi !cycling group,
I have a box of Clif Athlete Series Bloks Energy Chews. The "Recommendations for use" on the box say "Eat 3 to 6 pieces every hour during activity." There are 6 pieces in each wrapper. Eating 1 piece every 10 to 20 minutes seems like a lot to me. Are they just trying to get me to buy more of the product? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Dirk
!cycling group
This entry was edited (1 week ago)

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friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Haddon Hall Courtyard

Here is another video, showing the courtyard that was used in the Princess Bride.

Dirk Maas

2025-02-22 08:22:43

peertube - Link to source

Courtyard of Haddon Hall


friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Haddon Hall

When Deanna was here at Christmas, we did some sightseeing and one of the places we went was Haddon Hall. It was used in the filming of The Princess Bride, which is probably what brought it to our attention. We went for a "candlelight tour" and dinner. Approaching it at night, with the walls lit up, was very impressive. You cross a bridge over the River Wye on your way to the Hall, and that only adds to the atmosphere. Here's a quick video:

Dirk Maas

2025-02-22 08:21:35

peertube - Link to source

Approaching Haddon Hall


friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Pirates of Penzance at the ENO

About a month ago we went to the London Coliseum to watch the English National Opera perform Pirates of Penzance. Of course they don't allow photos or videos to be taken during the performance, only during curtain calls. We got the tickets at a discount because of our National Rail railcard. Still expensive, but worth it! A very good performance (but my favorite is still Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, and Rex Smith at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in 1980). We will go back to the ENO.

#EnglishNationalOpera
#E N O

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Spring biking sportives

Tomorrow I’m participating in the Verulam Cycling Club’s annual Reliability Ride. VCC is based in St. Albans, the next town south of Harpenden. It seems like almost every town in the UK has a cycling club, and a lot of of them have spring rides like this one. They are called “sportives” which is a which is a term new to me, and the idea is to help people people get in shape for the summer racing season. I plan to do at least two more of these this spring to help me get ready for chase the Sun.

There are two routes tomorrow. The long route is 66 miles, and the short route is 41 miles. I plan on doing the longer route.


Verulam Reliability Ride

VERULAM RELIABILITY RIDESunday 23rd February 2025 Photos from last year: See here.Two classic routes:The long route is 105km (66 miles) with 1,371 meters (4,062ft) of ascent, whilst the short route is 66km...
verulamcc.org.uk
in reply to Lany

Dirk
friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Dirk
•
Thanks! It was difficult, but fun. There were a few places where I would have stopped to take photos if I hadn't been in such a hurry.

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Training for Chase the Sun
Hi !cycling group,
I'm training for Chase the Sun, following the 4-month training schedule below. But it seems to me that this schedule is a bit light on the actual biking. It describes a weekly schedule. Initially each week has one day on a stationary bike and 2 days on a real bike. Eventually it goes to one day on a stationary bike and 3 days on a real bike. Why not more days on a real bike? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Dirk

CTS-Spring-to-Sunrise-16week-Training-Schedule-2025.pdf

Google Docs
#ChaseTheSun !cycling group
This entry was edited (1 week ago)

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in reply to Cătă

Dirk
friendica (DFRN) - Link to source
Dirk
•
Yep, it's a schedule for weekend warriors.
Thanks @Cătă!
@Cătă

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Image of a young child kissing their mom’s pregnant belly. Text reads: A climate ad that reached millions Science Moms' Super Bowl ad, why extreme heat worsens diabetes, & three S's of climate action WWW.TALKINGCLIMATE.CA

A climate ad that reached millions

Science Moms’ Super Bowl ad, why extreme heat worsens diabetes, & three S’s of climate action
Katharine Hayhoe (Talking Climate)

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mastodon - Link to source
Volunteers have been hard at work in the polytunnel, propagating plants for saltmarsh restoration.
There will more opportunities to volunteer with Green Shores; saltmarsh restoration planting dates will be released soon for the Tay and Eden Estuaries
#NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund #saltmarsh #volunteering #EcosystemRestoration
two smiling people working at a polytunnel workbench. The rest of the polytunnel is full of saltmarsh grass plants in grey boxes.
#volunteering #EcosystemRestoration #saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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Image of a suburban neighbourhood. Text reads: Rising costs and sinking home values. Climate-ready homes, soaring insurance costs, and tips every homeowner should know

Rising costs and sinking home values

Katharine Hayhoe (Talking Climate)

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The Dornoch Academy students were helping propagate saltmarsh plants for saltmarsh restoration in the Dornoch Firth the other week.
Great to have them helping bulk up the plants.
#Saltmarsh #SaltmarshRestoration #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund
photo of three people's hands taking cuttings from grass and potting them up. there is a wooden slatted bench with three pots of grass and a grey tray being filled with potted up cuttings.
Three grey trays of newly taken cuttings in black plastic pots.
#saltmarsh #SaltmarshRestoration #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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mastodon - Link to source

✅ Good news: Major companies like IKEA are doubling down on climate action—not just because it’s good for the planet, but because it’s good for business.

❌ Bad news: In the U.S., key climate and science initiatives have been paused or cancelled, putting critical research and solutions at risk.

💡 A surprising what-do-to: Feeling guilty about your personal climate footprint? Don't! Instead, think bigger. Guilt can lead to paralysis—and now more than ever, we need action that drives change.

As always, please use this info to start conversations this week! talkingclimate.ca/p/melting-ic…

Image of a piggy bank frozen in an ice cube. Text reads: Melting ice and frozen grants. Businesses step up, U.S. science stalls, and why guilt isn't the answer

Melting ice & frozen grants

Businesses step up, U.S. science stalls, and why guilt isn’t the answer
Katharine Hayhoe (Talking Climate)
in reply to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

step
mastodon - Link to source
step
• •
I hope this is true - regarding IKEA doubling down. Just this week I saw a documentary citing IKEA of massive green washing. But ok, it was regarding the huge amount of timber they need and the fact that furniture is too easily scrapped nowadays ...
arte.tv/en/videos/112297-000-A…

How Ikea Plunders the Planet - Watch the full documentary | ARTE in English

Behind its wholesome and eco-friendly image, the Swedish furniture giant - the world's biggest consumer of wood - has some highly unscrupulous practices.
ARTE
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More reflections of our recent trip to Dornoch Firth to monitor the effects of the fencing on saltmarsh restoration.
more info in the alt text

#Saltmarsh #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund #SaltmarshRestoration

low shot of a wood and wire fence extending into the distance, the fence is reflected in a still pool of seawater, the sky is blue with wispy clouds. The fencing will act to protect the saltmarsh behind it, by absorbing some of the wave energy that would otherwise hit the saltmarsh. As the waves lose energy, particles caught up in the water drop out, building sediment. Where healthy saltmarsh exists, the plant roots bind the sediment together, holding it in place and increasing the height of the saltmarsh.
#saltmarsh #SaltmarshRestoration #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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The U.S. administration is rolling back critical climate initiatives, pulling out of the Paris Agreement, pausing wind farm permits, and reversing EV incentives—all while doubling down on fossil fuels.

But the rest of the world isn’t waiting; and you don't have to, either. From record clean energy investments to rapid battery innovation, global progress is accelerating and experts say the clean energy revolution is unstoppable.

This week’s newsletter dives into the challenges and opportunities we face—and how individuals can make a difference when we act together.

There's never been a better week to start a conversation with what you learn here ⬇️
talkingclimate.ca/p/no-one-per…


No one person can halt global climate progress

U.S. climate action falters, but the world marches on - and so can you
Katharine Hayhoe (Talking Climate)

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in reply to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Paul Sutton
qoto - Link to source
Paul Sutton
• •
I agree, but what concerns me is the loss of the resaerch carried out in the US, this forms part of world wide resaerch in to what is happening with the climate generally, not just the loss of programmes but also the expertise that comes with that.
in reply to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Mirrabooka
mastodon - Link to source
Mirrabooka
• •
We need a tariff on goods from Climate Change denying, fossil fuel guzzling countries, like Trump’s USA

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

My reading list
I read a lot as a kid, but it tapered off after college and adulthood. Now that I’m retired one of my goals is to do more reading. Here is my current reading list - the books that are on deck.
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mastodon - Link to source

Field work recently took us up to the beautiful Dornoch Firth.
Fencing is now in place to extend protection to existing saltmarsh and areas to be planted.
The Dornoch site was the original site to trial fencing as a successful method to support saltmarsh plantings establish and prevent further erosion of vulnerable sites.

#Saltmarsh #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund

chestnut paling fence posts reflected in a puddle of standing water, the clouds and blue sky are also reflected in the water as the sun sets over the Dornoch firth. The tide is out, with mudflats visible between the fence and the water.
#saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

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