Pselliopus barberi ...In Context

Putting halloween away for the the year on Saturday was still quite warm work (though the temperature is finally dropping today) and there were still  a few bugs about. There were still blasted mosquitoes damn them! But as I packed up on of this years new additions, the simulated, life-sized, hessian wrapped severed head:

I found one of the falls most distinctive bugs right where it ought to be. The 'halloween bug' as we call it chez Banished (Pselliopus barberi) on the halloween decoration.

 

Days Of Futurama Past

Listening to my Pandora 'Radio Oldfart Late 70's' today it suddenly struck me how many of the bands were here:

Futurama in Leeds in Septemmber 1979. 2 days of the 'Worlds First Science Fiction Music Festival'. It was promoted by John Keenan who ran the  F ( later Fan) Club in Leeds.

The 'Queens Hall' in Leeds was a former bus garage with all the style and atmosphere of...well... a bus garage. Not an especially salubrious bus garage at that..

But it was a big do, Public Image Ltd, Joy Division, The Fall, Echo and the Bunnymen (still with echo the drum machine), The Teardrop Explodes, Cabaret Voltaire, Scritti Politti, The Only Ones and even, apparently, Hawkwind (I missed them though...I think..the sci-fi bit?). Lots more too, most of them obscure even then and utterly lost now.

I wish I remembered more of the weekend. I went the next year too but it was already going downhill with U2. They pretty much cleared the place.  Blurt and ClockDVA were good though as I recall.

It wasn't cheap mind you. That first one cost 5 quid a day! Bloody robbery!  

20,000 Views (In Sing Sing)

Finally got to watch one of those big numbers happen.

20,000 hits

Last 5000 took 3 1/2 months

A Whiter Shade Of Pale

I actually got these pictures weekend before last at Hoffler Creek when we took Jr and friends to their Fall Festival. Lots of 'treasure hunts' through the woods and fun and games. Plus, spotted by Banished Jr. , these curious plants. It's another of those things read about before but not seen. This is the Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora).

 Totally lacking in chlorophyll this plant feeds on the roots of trees via fungi that live on its roots. Fascinating and oddly beautiful. This little clump is late in the season and has been fertilized and is well on the way to fruiting. While it has no green coloration it is still a flowering plant and is insect pollinated. As it ages it does develop these interesting pink and red shades. Really a fascinating find.