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| The blossoming tree at the end of my street Since early March, when I step out of my flat in the morning, there have been sprinklings of small, pink petals on my doorstep. There was no tree in sight, but a few weeks ago I found the source a couple of blocks away. This week I noticed that the tree to the left is afloat in white petals. Every day now there are new flowers in the parks. One of the wonderous results of the U.K. weather is that flowering plants that usually only bloom a few days or weeks in Canada may blossom for months here. When I was in Cardiff a few years ago in late September there were dandelions present: suspended spring. In the evening on my doorstep, beginning a few weeks ago, I have been able to hear a marvelous songbird. I wasn't able to spot it until recently, and then only as a silhoutte in the distance. I like to think it is a nightingale, which I have never heard nor seen, because its fluid singing is beautiful, however I'm not certain it is from the description online. Morning and evening graces. |
Friday, March 25, 2011
on my doorstep
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
blogging and hawking at the cardiff library
Off again, on again since mid-January -- and mostly off -- the sign-in service for Google Blogger is currently working at the Cardiff Library. A couple of weeks ago, after talking to three different library assistants about the ongoing situation, a woman wrote a letter to the library's information technology team for me. On the weekend, a gentleman called and told me what I had been hearing since January, which was that the problem was being worked on.
It was good to hear from someone affected by the situation as he too is a blogger and understood my frustration, unlike quite a few of the staff, who disturbingly sad to say -- especially for a library -- seem unaware of blogging.
I wasn't planning on posting today, but as I am able to sign in, I thought it was a good time to give the Cardiff Library some better press than I have been giving it.
The central library's new building, which only opened two years ago -- almost to the day -- has won several architectural awards and is physically striking. It has an environmentally-friendly green roof with a resident falconer and falcons protecting it. From work I can often see a person huddled in winter gear on the roof. The falconer sits like a lone shepherd, spending his/her day in the elements with the birds of prey keeping nuisance birds away from the sky turf. Who would think that falconers could find such ready work? This is a fascinating and quite a unique employment situation. See this site for more ways to use birds of prey: http://www.falconryservices.co.uk/
I commend the architectural awards, but can't believe that last spring the Sunday Times Travel magazine called the Cardiff library one of the six best in the world. This is simply incredulous. The Toronto Reference Library spins hoops around Cardiff's as do several university libraries I have been in.
Alas, I'm spinning away from my good press intentions. I will continue my love/hate relationship with the library here and be kinder to it as we take a high arc along a learning curve and be more grateful for the use of their computers.
It was good to hear from someone affected by the situation as he too is a blogger and understood my frustration, unlike quite a few of the staff, who disturbingly sad to say -- especially for a library -- seem unaware of blogging.
I wasn't planning on posting today, but as I am able to sign in, I thought it was a good time to give the Cardiff Library some better press than I have been giving it.
The central library's new building, which only opened two years ago -- almost to the day -- has won several architectural awards and is physically striking. It has an environmentally-friendly green roof with a resident falconer and falcons protecting it. From work I can often see a person huddled in winter gear on the roof. The falconer sits like a lone shepherd, spending his/her day in the elements with the birds of prey keeping nuisance birds away from the sky turf. Who would think that falconers could find such ready work? This is a fascinating and quite a unique employment situation. See this site for more ways to use birds of prey: http://www.falconryservices.co.uk/
I commend the architectural awards, but can't believe that last spring the Sunday Times Travel magazine called the Cardiff library one of the six best in the world. This is simply incredulous. The Toronto Reference Library spins hoops around Cardiff's as do several university libraries I have been in.
Alas, I'm spinning away from my good press intentions. I will continue my love/hate relationship with the library here and be kinder to it as we take a high arc along a learning curve and be more grateful for the use of their computers.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
the winds of march
A co-worker the other day told me they have a saying in Wales, possibly all of the U.K., for March:
What -- more rain? What was all that wet stuff in February?
I like our saying much better:
Here in Cardiff though the daffodils, crocus and forsynthia have been blooming for several weeks, so the flowers are preceding the winds. The rhododendron and azalia are beginning to bloom as are some flowering trees. For the last few mornings I have had tiny pink petals on my sidewalk, but there isn't a tree in sight.
Today the winds are blowing. From inside the hotel it sounds like a gale, but it isn't so bad on the street. Fortunately it isn't raining, as an umbrella would hold no ground against such 'blustery' weather.
So fresh.
March winds bring April showers
What -- more rain? What was all that wet stuff in February?
I like our saying much better:
April showers bring May flowers
Here in Cardiff though the daffodils, crocus and forsynthia have been blooming for several weeks, so the flowers are preceding the winds. The rhododendron and azalia are beginning to bloom as are some flowering trees. For the last few mornings I have had tiny pink petals on my sidewalk, but there isn't a tree in sight.
Today the winds are blowing. From inside the hotel it sounds like a gale, but it isn't so bad on the street. Fortunately it isn't raining, as an umbrella would hold no ground against such 'blustery' weather.
So fresh.
Monday, February 28, 2011
in the 'hood
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| View from rail bridge looking to invisible hills north of city |
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| Boys playing football (soccer) in street |
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| Local constabulary |
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| Their cop shop |
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| My 'local' pub |
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| The butcher's |
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| Cathays Library, nearby branch of the now-infamous Cardiff library system. A beautiful building with mind-boggling hours. They close for an hour at lunch every day. |
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| The street where I live |
how to spot a Canadian in the U.K.
Sorry to say though that the mocha on hand is machine coffee and tastes nothing like the lovely brew that has all of us Canadians brainwashed and addicted. However, this outlet is only a block away from my flat, and it has hit the sweet spot several times. Just seeing the cup makes me feel good!
blogging issue, update
Those of my friends and followers who visit Facebook are aware of my continuing frustration with the Cardiff library and the inability of their IT team to fix their Google sign-in problem.
I was back again today and spoke to yet another librarian about the situation. Apparently people haven't been able to sign in to their Google e-mails either (glad, that doesn't affect me.)
So, in order to rescue what remains of my patience, I am forking out a precious pound at my neighbourhood computer shop and putting some posts out into the blogosphere.
I was back again today and spoke to yet another librarian about the situation. Apparently people haven't been able to sign in to their Google e-mails either (glad, that doesn't affect me.)
So, in order to rescue what remains of my patience, I am forking out a precious pound at my neighbourhood computer shop and putting some posts out into the blogosphere.
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