During a recent storm we were awoken at 4 am by a huge bang and a brilliant flash.
It wasn't thunder and lightning (which almost never happen here). No, our multi-trunked 70-foot tall poplar tree had blown down across our stream and into the park next door (picture 1), taking out our hydro pole on the way. Three days and one new pole later we got our power back.
Why did this happen? Looking at the aftermath, I noted that the hole where the roots had been was half full of water (picture 2). When we were able to cut up the main trunk, I saw extensive white rot at the base (right hand side of picture 3). So the fungi were largely to blame...
It is an amazing experience to be lying flat in the water, and then have two dolphins come up from behind you and push with their noses, one on the sole of each foot, until you are projected forward and raised high in the air before they dump you. This happened recently in Mexico to my twin granddaughters (who weigh about 60 pounds each), and to me (I weigh in at 145 pounds). Somehow or other, the dolphins were able to communicate to each other exactly how hard each of them had to push to achieve the desired effect. They did this successfully to eight people of varying heights and weights while we all watched, and never made a mistake. I have no idea how they can synchronize their efforts so precisely - clever beasts indeed - or how they could be trained to do that.
The picture shows Skylar just after being 'released'
