Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Hiking

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My friend E. and I have visited many (easy) hiking trails in and around Cape Town. Here are some that I enjoyed most: the Glen (pictured), Newlands Forest, Llandudno Beach, and the Constantia Greenbelt. The worst: Elsieskraal River. E. graciously called the latter a "blink idee" (a "glittering idea", for which I have to assume sole responsibility). It was scorched in the sun, with a storm ripping through it. It can be nice in winter.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Flashback: Women's Association

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This is our Church's Women's Association, thirty years ago. I recognise all of these women but one, although (as best I know) only two are alive today: one being Dorothy (top row, left), now 104, the other being my mother (top row, seventh from the left), who led the group. OBSERVATION: Our women's work has always been a great asset to our Church. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 300k.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Magnetometer

Some time ago, I mentioned on this blog that I was "whipping up" a magnetometer. It is published in this month's EPE magazine, the UK's no. 1 electronics magazine. It detects rate of change in a magnetic field, and will pick up the earth's magnetic field. What this means is that my magnetometer will report when something turns within the earth's magnetic field -- a car/automobile, for example -- or any of a thousand things one might rotate in order to steal them. OBSERVATION: The magazine deleted my suggestion that my circuit might prevent a husband from turning right or left.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Psychedelic Clouds


Lying back in a meadow in Cape Town's Constantia Greenbelt yesterday, it seemed to me that the clouds were psychedelic. The Leica photo proves it -- they were pink and green. The top photo is unaltered -- it's a little dim, as the camera's EV was turned down. The bottom photo has been EV- and colour-adjusted, and seems more like the way I saw it. For another example of the phenomenon, see flickr.com.