Bills Posts

Out for my lunchtime walk, rain was threatening, but didn’t arrive. The sky looks very angry though, but it was OK, I enjoyed the walk.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted a model railway layout. It doesn’t have to be a big one, I keep on having ideas about what I would like. There are two things; It must be N-Gauge, this allows for a small space layout, and it must have Digital Command Control – computer control. I like semaphore signals, I’d want to be able to control them. Because it’s a small layout. I quite like the idea of shunting puzzles, it doesn’t involve a large layout, plenty of points, some signals.

I think I’d like a switching panel, that looks like the real layout, with buttons to press to set points and signals, with the train(s) being controlled from the computer. If I use shunting puzzles, it’s be a bit like a game of chess, set the puzzle up, and then take as long as I want to solve it.

Gosport has an American model railway society. I could go to that to learn construction techniques, in particular, the power and control wiring set ups. Then of course, there is scenery and setting. I quite like the Idea of an industrial scene, with containers and container cranes that work, but this is getting a bit too big. Reign back on my planning.

At one point, I started thinking about the film Welcome to Marwen, the lead character was making stories out of the models he had and become involved in the stories, I wanted to create some of those stories myself. But that is an entirely different story.

Tomorrow, I think Clouds and Pylons.

When I was at school, history was one of my favourite subjects. I suppose because it was easy to study, not like physics or chemistry, where you actually had to do things to find out stuff. After I finished school, I went to college and pleased to have history as a subject was not happy at encountering probably the most boring history teacher in the world. That really kind of blew it for me.

There are though, different kinds of history, that from the long past which is interesting to learn about. Then there is the history that you are part of, where you always remember where you were. I cite as two very recent examples, the fall of theBerlin Wall and 9/11. Both of these events, one remembered with affection, the other with absolute horror – where were you, and what were you doing? You are a part of that history.

More recently, especially living in Gosport, a town, which I never tire of saying is absolutely stuffed with history. My interest in history has been resurrected. Partly that came about through my reading of Gombach’s History of Art, I’d never really associated art with history, but periods such as the Reformation and Renaissance had significant effects on the work of artists. But then I can walk down almost any street in the town and find some historical reference.

When you live in a place like this, you can easily pick up that interest. It’s excellent, because you can get really into it. Fascinating stuff.

Once again, the picture doesn’t bear any relationship to the topic. THe subject, a shopping trolley is in that position as the result of an act of vandalism. Why does it end up in a picture that I really like. That is incredibly frustrating.

With the membership of a committee comes responsibilities. Now, I quite enjoy committees, I’m on two at the moment. I was on a third. I gave the third committee up. Of the three, it was probably the easiest to do, but the level of responsibility was to much for me. It wasn’t the workload, none of them were hard. I’ve been a School Governor in the past, I only gave that up because of circumstances, not the level of responsibility.

I have / had aspirations to be a councillor, possibly Parish or Town/Borough, I’m not sure about that now. I don’t think it’s the responsibility. So I’m thinking about it.

The two committees in which I am involved are both clubs, so in theory I can walk away at any time. I’m not of a mind to do that though. The thing is, I joined the clubs for specific reasons. That was fine, then I became involved and ended up volunteering – I can’t seem to help it.

The thing is I enjoy it. I suspect that I would enjoy being a councillor (assuming I could get elected of course). I wonder if they Co-opt. That’s what they scan do with Governors. But not yet. And yes, I still think about it.

These are my obsessions, I’m working my way through them. Every day brings 366 closer to the end. What am I going to do?

I said in last nights post, that I knew what I wanted to write about Astronomy. There is nothing in this picture that’s is in anyway related to Astronomy. It was just nice to get out this morning after yesterdays rain.

There several moments in time when I realised I really enjoyed Astronomy. My Brother-in-law took the time to show me how to find the Plough. That is very likely to have been a starting point.

The second time occurred when I was walking between my sisters and my friends places following the line of the road I was walking along a huge fireball shot overhead, it was high, so I’m guessing that it didn’t come to ground. But, it was a long bright trail.

Then, there were the moon landings, but there is no doubt in me that my love of the subject was well established by then.

One of the first books I read from the grown up section of our library was the story of the building of Jodrell Bank. I had always wanted to visit Jodrell, that dream came true in 2011. It was lovely.

Over time, I’ve had a number of telescopes, I’ve got two at the moment. A 6 inch reflector and a three inch refractor. They have been up in the shed, I get them out occasionally. Not often enough, definitely. Fiddley to set up and use – I have three options;

• Get a telescope with a “Go-Too” mount, but I think it would have to be permanently mounted in a purpose built dome (not impossible, just impractical, and a bit expensive).
• Binoculars – but I want a sun lounger type chair that rotates, preferably by motor, with a good pair of bino’s on a cantilever mount. Mostly doable – the motor bit might be awkard, nowhere near as expensive as Option one, definitely achievable.
• The chair from Option Two, and the naked eye – with occasional optical support. I have a perfectly good chair, I have several pairs of binoculars, I even have a tripod mount (not cantilever, mind you) – All I really need for this are clear skies, and the enthusiasm to get out there!

For quite a while now, I have had a hankering to have duplicates of instruments used by the 16th century astronomer Tycho Brahe; https://www2.hao.ucar.edu/Education/FamousSolarPhysicists/tycho-brahes-observations-instruments

I can no more tell you why, or where this stuff comes from than fly.

A picture from today;

A picture from last week;

The first picture was inspired by a website I follow called working pictures;

http://workingpictures.blogspot.com/

He takes pictures that I don’t necessarily consider artistic, but are interesting.

The second picture is of the wild area at RHS Wisely. I thought a low perspective would be good, and I love it.

I went for a walk this afternoon. I needed to get out for a bit, so I did my usual walk anticlockwise. I was walking along Stoke Road, when I saw two blokes working on a shop, well I thought it was a shop. Turns out it is an art gallery. I didn’t even know it was there, I’ve paid no attention to it, I just thought it was a shop. Anyhow, I shall pay a bit more attention to it from now on.

Opposite Waitrose there are set of flats above the shops, they have balconies. There was a couple with a child, I reckon about 18 months old. The child waved at me, I waved back, Mum & Dad were laughing baby waved more, I waved and said “Hello”. The dad said “she’s saying hello back.” I replied “have a good day” and walked on smiling.

I walked past the cockle ponds, not much happening there.

I went along the promenade on the waterfront, that was quite busy, but OK. I was supposed to go and get us an ice cream, but I had forgotten to take a mask with me so didn’t go to the shop.

I thought I would take one of the working pictures type pictures. It was a nice walk.

OK, so I feel a little bit daft. I was walking away from Gilkicker Fort and suddenly realised that whilst I had shot a fair bit of video, I’d taken no stills – which considering that when I set out for my walk, I didn’t intend to take any video, but the decided it would be good practice was a bit daft. I’ve taken several minutes of video. I’m going to play with editing it, and I may put it up on my YouTube channel.

I was determined to go for a walk today, and with rain threatening I thought I would get out straight after breakfast. I haven’t been to the cockle ponds for a while, and I wanted to get the long leg of the walk out of the way first so that I would know when I got to Gilkicker that I would only have the homestretch to do.

The cockle ponds were busy, both were being used by model yacht racers, although the smaller pond looked like beginners – which was very good. There were a group of people giving the large pond a fairly close scrutiny – I asked them what were they looking for? They said wildlife and had seen a fair few crabs. I told them about the pond emptying, and prior to that the large number of Jellyfish and the few sea slugs that I had seen. It was only a minute or two, but it was nice to have a chat with them.

From the cockle ponds I walked over Haslar Bridge and along the road past the hospital. This is an uncomfortable road to travel along. Bounded as it is on either side by walls that are easily two to three metres tall. This makes it an absolute heat trap in the summer, and a chill chamber in the winter. Luckily today it was reasonably comfortable. I was heading for the Haslar Sea Wall.

The Haslar Sea Wall is one of my favourite spots. I normally come here one my bike, with my camera, my spotter scope and radio. The quick change head on the tripod means I can change from spotter scope to camera very easily, and it is just a lovely place to while away a couple of hours. didn’t have time to do that today, but I shall be back. My next port of call would be Gilkicker.

I need to get used to being seen by people talking to the camera – not that I need them to see me; I am very self conscious about doing it. I was determined that I was going to do what I needed regardless of how many people there were about. As it happened, there were a few people who would have been within earshot, but I just ignored them, and they me.

I did several pieces (unscripted) to the camera, which I vowed I wouldn’t do, I want to have a go at editing to see if I can get it in to reasonable shape, and put it on YouTube.

I walked along to GAFIRS (Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service) as I was walking away from that, I saw a group of four people practicing with stunt kites. They put on quite an impressive show as well. That’s where the header picture comes from.

It was a very nice walk.

I am very aware that a number of recent posts have been me mithering about my inadequacies and reviewing the last weeks posts it hasn’t been too bad. In terms of activity, Saturday and Sunday were very good. I really enjoyed the visit to RHS Wisely. The Sunday walk was also very enjoyable. But I need to finish it, so I am preparing for that. But I don’t think it’s going to be this weekend and that is mainly down to the rain.

I thought it was about time we had another B&W photo. Sometimes the weeks pictures don’t alway lend themselves to mono, but I don’t think this weeks header is too bad.

I was very surprised to learn about the three Napoleons (see 307) and enjoyed doing the research and I am very keen to get out to places around the area, this is all part of locality.

Sunday’s trip to the Alver Valley was quite educational. When I was doing the video, I knew before hand what I wanted to say, but it just didn’t come out right. It just goes to show that I need to be prepared. I don’t know if I can learn what I want to say or use a script. I have a teleprompter app but I’m not sure how well that would work in the daylight, especially if it is sunny. I will just have to get over the apparent lack of professionalism in reading from something.

There is nothing significant about today’s picture. Just two ducks swimming on the Cockle Ponds. I like ducks, I think they are cute, and would happily have one as a pet.

I know I have too many interests. I am spread to thinly, and that means I don’t really have time to focus and develop skills in any one particular area. This leaves me frustrated because I really do feel like a Jack of All Trades, and definitely a master of none. YouTube is an interesting demonstrator of this issue, in the range of channels I subscriber from the American Entrepreneur, through astrophysicist, three photographers (landscape, B&W & Street – not portraits though and not studio), radio controlled glider pilot, amateur radio and how to invest (I quite fancy the idea of day or forex trading, but they both frighten me, and anyway forex is, I think mostly gambling, through to Xander the Bug Boy, who is going to be a presenter on Spring watch one day.

The other way of looking at it is that it gives me a way of typing a blog about lots of different topics – hopefully keep this interests going. I need to do some scripting for my Gilkicker expedition. I want to have a practice because I do want to do this. I’m also going to see if there is a Sandy area I might try to get a sample to look at under the microscope. Which’ll be interesting to have a look at. I’ve also noticed that the guttering around the conservatory is quite full of detritus, prime micrometeorite territory. I’m likely to start cleaning the gutters out every so often.

The picture is of a display by an artist who was showing his work at Wisely Gardens. The higher rock is balanced on the lower. I know it’s real, I watched him do it. There are places where people go to do this, pretty much for the fun of it. Fascinating to see.

In and around Gosport there are sites where there are several million bricks balanced on each other, in very special arrangements. Okay, this is me attempting to create what is turning in to a very poor link between the balancing rock artist, and the Palmerston Forts.

There are 10 of them on the Gosport Peninsular. For various reasons, I can’t get in to all of them. But I can access some of them. So, I thought It would be a good mini locality project. Not every week, I don’t want you to think that I’m obsessed with them, so over an undefined period of time which I am not going to commit to I intend to try and visit them and do a video for them. The first one will be Gilkicker. I’m going to try and do it this weekend. But no promises.