Tag: nature

Week 33 of 2026

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Slept through the night waking at 4.50am and it is a cold morning with a temp of 5c or 41f.

I am dressed in my black track pants and a long sleeve black top, but I expect to change later.

Tim went to help a colleague move stuff he left at 8am and got home at 1pm. He has spent the rest of the day out the back doing whatever he does out there.

At 10am I changed from the trackies into something not so warm.

This afternoon he cut my hair at last only been asking for weeks.

Steps:5,234 = 3.2k’s or 1.9 miles

Slept through the night waking at 4.58am and it’s not cold with the temp being 13c or 55f.

Sue sent me a message saying she was going to Kmart and asked if I wanted to go with her, so I did. The store we went to didn’t have the top she wanted, but Sue spoke to a helpful woman who said she would let Sue know when new stock arrived.

I bought new undies and a $5 set of knifes.

The wind is so very strong, but August is known for strong winds, as we would say it is blowing a gale outside.

The temperature reached 17c or 63f

Steps: 6,980 = 4.3k’s or 2.6 miles

Didn’t sleep as well last night woke a few times during the night to pee but thankfully, I managed to go back to sleep without much effort and I got up for the day at 4.50am, the temp was 13c or 55f. Tim said it is supposed to be a warmish day.

It has been a good day reached a top temp of 19c or 66f. I went for a walk around the driveway when I went to check the letter box only took 15 minutes but at least it was something.

Steps: 5,427=3.3k’s or 2 miles

I slept well although I was up at 4am as I woke to pee and felt awake and with it so decided to get up. When I walked into the kitchen it was a right mess, dirty dishes in the sink the bench had bits of whatever all over it but that is often how it is when I get up. It was 5c at 4.30am and at 6c at 5.30am.

At 8.25 I decided to walk down and post the three letters I have written. I was exhausted by the time I got home.

By midday it was 18c or 66f

I changed the sheets and the cover over Tim’s armchair.

Steps: 8,433 = 5.2k’s or 3.2 miles

I had a good 8hrs sleep and was up at 4.10am again it was 8c or 46f I woke to pee and since I was unable to settle again, I got up and started my day.

It has been a hard start to the day, with me not feeling that with it till around 10am. That said I still managed to clean the kitchen, sweep out and vacuum, I also washed the sheets I took off the bed yesterday and folded the clean laundry and put it away. I also decided to mop the kitchen and bathroom floors.

I decided to walk up and check the letter box at 2pm that was a mistake as I had trouble walking.

Steps:7,250 = 4.4k’s or 2 miles

I had a good night slept till just before the alarm went off, it was only 5c at 5am but it did warm up a bit during the day. It reached a top temp of 21c.

I walked down and posted three letters off at 8.10 took me 30 minutes as I walked around the driveway before doing that. I was exhausted by the time I got home.

Had a mixed day part of it I felt good and other parts I felt tired and in pain.

By 3pm I was so tired and worn out that I found it hard to concentrate and had to put my feet up and close my eyes for half an hour.

Steps:7,530=4.3k’s  

I had a good night slept till 4.30pm when I woke up to pee and decided to stay up. It is 6c or 43f at 5am by 8am it was 9c or 48f.

Tim went out to buy more crumb cutlets/chops and did a baked lunch, but he added some kind of seasoning which burnt my tongue.

It has been a busy day although I feel like I did nothing all day.  

Steps: 7,567 = 4.6k’s

The History of Glue

~ joannerambling ~ 11 Comments

Glue may seem like an ordinary household item, but its history stretches back thousands of years. Long before modern bottles of white glue, super glue, or tape, people discovered that sticky natural substances could help them build tools, repair objects, make art, and construct furniture. The story of glue is really the story of human ingenuity: finding ways to make things hold together.

Some of the earliest adhesives were made from materials found in nature, such as tree resin, plant gums, tar, and animal products. It is believed that prehistoric people used sticky substances like birch tar to attach stone points to wooden handles, helping them make stronger spears, axes, and other tools. It is known that Egyptians used animal-based glues in woodworking, furniture making, papyrus production, and decorative objects, while Greeks and Romans used adhesives in mosaics, construction, and everyday repairs.

For many centuries, the most common glues were made by boiling animal hides, bones, or connective tissue to extract collagen. These “hide glues” were widely used by cabinetmakers, instrument makers, bookbinders, and artists. Although they were not waterproof and had to be heated before use, they were strong, reliable, and could be softened again with heat and moisture, making repairs possible.

It was during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, glue changed dramatically.  It  was in the 1800s that natural rubber adhesives appeared, and with the growth of chemistry came new products such as casein glue, nitrocellulose glue, epoxy, polyurethane, and synthetic rubber adhesives.

Of course, wars and industrial manufacturing speed  things up as stronger, faster, and more specialised adhesives were needed for vehicles, aircraft, packaging, and construction.

Today, adhesives are everywhere: in schools, homes, hospitals, electronics, cars, packaging, and even spacecraft. Modern glues can be waterproof, heat-resistant, flexible, instant-drying, or specially designed for medical use.

So from way back when to now and beyond there will many different types of ways to stick on thing to another.

Week 29 of 2026

~ joannerambling ~ 2 Comments

Had a decent night sleep was up at 4.20am it is a cold morning with a temp of 9c or 48f and I have to put the heater on as I am that cold.

Went for my walk a bit later than usual as it was too cold at 6.40am so I went at 7.40am and only did a short walk. At this time, it is 12c or 53f.

I have felt good most of the day, did the housework and feed the birds.

This evening Tim started to sort through his receipts for his tax return, and he was getting annoyed as he didn’t have a table and he didn’t ask me to move so I didn’t. I just ignored his frustration.

Steps: 5,529 = 2.8k’s or 1.7miles

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Had a decent night sleep was up at 5am when the alarm went off. It is only 5c or 41f at 6am.

I had a letter to post off so I did that when I went for my morning walk, it was cold, but walking warmed me up a tad.

Tim is complaining he has no motivation and I do get that I blame the cold.

Sue came over to take me to pick up scrips from the chemist and some documents I had printed at Officeworks.

It is warm in the sun but otherwise its cold top temp was 16c or 60f

Steps: 4,138 = 2k’s or 1.2 miles

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Had an ok night was up at 4.30am and it was only 5c again, Tim is working today.

I did a load of washing and have hung it up to dry with the clothes hoists in the lounge area with the heater on and in front of the clothes. So, I can warm the room and dry the clothes.

I finished putting the clothes hanger together and it is now in the spare room with Tim’s shirts hanging on it.

It warmed up during the day, and I ended up opening the doors and turning the heater off.

Paid our power bill we owed $274 the bill was for $500 but I pay $10 a week off it.

Steps: 7,598 = 3k’s or 2.4miles

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Had an ok night was up at 4.30am and it was only 5c again, Tim is working today.

I didn’t go for a walk as it was too cold, and I didn’t feel steady on my legs.

I am using the vibration board twice a day for 15 minutes at a time.

I tried to go for a walk around 1.50pm but only managed 10 minutes as I was cold and unsteady and the cold weather made me start coughing and wheezing.

Every day around 5pm when the cold night air starts, I start coughing and wheezing, Tim says I sound awful.

Steps: 4,136 = 2.1k’s or 1.2miles

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I woke when the alarm went off this morning, I’m feeling good this morning but no walk as it is raining.

It is another cold morning with the temp being 9c or 48f, I have a Dr appointment this morning.

Saw the doctor have to have an Xray and ultrasound done of my right knee.

Sandy came over to use my computer she had to scan and attach some documents to something online. She had Skylar with her. She is divorcing Ed.

Around midday Tim walked in he dropped some people off around the corner and came home to have lunch before he goes back at 2pm to pick them up.

Steps count is low today only 3,199

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I woke when the alarm went off this morning, I’m feeling good this morning not sure if I will go for a walk as it is wet outside.

Sue and I went to see Jeannie, it was a nice visit, there was a fair bit of laughing.

Tim set up the new house phones.

Steps: 4,136 = 2.1k’s or 1.2miles

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I woke when the alarm went off this morning, after a good night sleep doesn’t feel as cold this morning the temp is 11c or 52f.

It stopped raining long enough for me to go for a walk.

It has rained on and off all day and has been cold most of the day but not cold enough for the heater. Unless you’re Tasha her house is so hot it’s like being in a sauna.

Steps:4,159 = 2.3k’s or 1.2 miles

World’s Largest Spider

~ joannerambling ~ 8 Comments

Today I thought I would share what is the largest spider in the world, it is the Goliath Birdeater which is a tarantula native to northern South America.  It has a leg span up to about 30cm and weight is up to about 179gm.

Despite the name, it rarely eats birds; it mostly eats insects, worms, frogs, and small animals.

It is not considered deadly to humans, but its bite can be painful—often compared to a wasp sting and may cause swelling, redness, and discomfort, but its venom is generally mild for people.

Its main defence is actually flicking tiny irritating hairs from its abdomen, which can cause itching, skin irritation, or eye irritation if they get into your eyes.

So, it is dangerous if handled carelessly, but it is not usually life-threatening to humans.

It lives mainly in the humid tropical rainforests of northern South America, especially in places such as Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and northern Brazil.

Preferring warm, damp forest-floor habitats where there is plenty of leaf litter, soft soil, and cover. Rather than building webs to catch prey, it usually lives in burrows, often ones it digs itself or takes over from other animals. These burrows help it stay hidden from predators, keep moist, and avoid extreme temperatures.

It is mostly nocturnal, meaning it comes out at night to hunt insects, worms, frogs, and other small animals near the forest floor

Its lifespan depends strongly on sex as females can live a very long time for a spider — often 15 to 25 years in captivity, sometimes reported around 20+ years.

Males live much shorter lives, usually about 3 to 6 years, and often die not long after reaching maturity.

Here are a few other facts:

It makes a hissing sound: When threatened, it can rub bristles on its legs together to create a warning sound called stridulation.

It flicks irritating hairs: Instead of relying mainly on venom, it kicks tiny barbed hairs from its abdomen toward predators.

It lives in burrows: It spends much of its time hidden underground and often lines its burrow with silk.

It hunts by ambush: It does not spin a web to trap prey; it waits, then quickly grabs prey with its fangs.

Females guard egg sacs: Female Goliath birdeaters protect their egg sacs, which can contain many spiderlings.

It moults as it grows: Like other tarantulas, it sheds its outer skeleton, a vulnerable process during which it hides and avoids feeding.

If measuring by leg span only, the giant huntsman spider can sometimes rival or exceed it, but the Goliath birdeater is generally considered the largest overall.

Funnel Web Spider

~ joannerambling ~ 14 Comments

Here in Australia, we are home to some of the world’s most deadly spiders here is some information about three of them which I will share over the next three weeks starting with the Sydney Funnel-Web Spider.

The Sydney funnel‑web isn’t just dangerous because of its venom but because of the combination of venom, behaviour, and anatomy.

Its venom is uniquely potent to humans as it targets the nervous system, causing nerves to fire uncontrollably. However, dogs, cats, and most mammals are barely affected.

They deliver a lot of venom, this may have something to do with the fact that they bit repeatedly injecting large amounts of venom while they hang on.

They have huge fangs up to 6 mm long and strong enough to pierce fingernails, leather shoes, and thick clothing.

They’re aggressive when threatened, they will rear up, show their fangs, and will lunge if provoked. This is defensive, not “attacking,” but it makes encounters more dangerous.

They love humidity and after rain males wander looking for mates. They can be found in pools, shoes, garages and laundries, they also enter houses often.

Most bites happen in summer after rain, especially between January and March.

Symptoms can begin within 10 minutes, they include the following:

  • Tingling around the mouth
  • Sweating (especially on the face)
  • Drooling
  • Muscle twitching
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Confusion or agitation

Without antivenom, severe cases can progress to respiratory failure.

In 1981 the antivenom was created by the legendary Australian venom researcher Struan Sutherland and changed everything as since then there have been zero deaths as the antivenom is extremely effective with most patients recover fully within 24–48 hours.

Now where do they live they can found in:

  • Sydney
  • Central Coast
  • Newcastle
  • Lake Macquarie
  • Hunter Valley
  • Blue Mountains

They prefer to hang out in the following conditions

  • moist soil
  • leaf litter
  • rock walls
  • garden beds
  • under logs
  • swimming pool filters

The male is far more dangerous they wander at night looking for females.

Females stay in burrows and rarely bite humans.

Their burrows are a silk‑lined tunnel, with “trip lines” radiating out like spokes and are in moist, dark areas such as under rocks or logs.

They don’t make the classic “funnel” shape people imagine — it’s more like a silk‑reinforced hole.

Honeybees

~ joannerambling ~ 9 Comments

🐝 Today we are looking at another creature of the dangerous animal list, and it is the Honeybee, not really that dangerous but still they are on the list, so here is some information about them.

Surprisingly, bees send more Australians to hospital than any other venomous creature on average around 1,000 cases annually due to allergic reactions.  Thankfully on average only 3 people may die each year from a bee or wasp sting.

A common reaction to a bee sting is usually local, mild, and short‑lived. Most people experience only normal, non‑dangerous symptoms, even though they can be uncomfortable. If anything, ever feels severe, persistent, or unusual, it’s important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Honeybees are not native to Australia they were introduced from Europe in the 1800’s, they live in large colonies and are honey producers.

Honeybees are one of the most fascinating and important insects on the planet and in Australia, they’re both incredibly useful and the most common cause of insect‑sting reactions.

They build hives in:

  • wooden boxes (managed hives)
  • tree hollows
  • wall cavities
  • roofs
  • rock crevices

A strong hive can contain 20,000–60,000 bees.

They only sting to defend the hive and do not sting when foraging unless:

  • they’re stepped on
  • they’re trapped in clothing
  • they feel threatened

This is why most stings happen on feet, hands, or arms.

In Australia there are mostly European honeybees, but we also have Asian honeybees which can be found in far north QLD. They are vital for agriculture but can compete with native bees for food. Of course, there are other types of bees such as the Native stingless bees, Native solitary bees (blue-banded bees, teddy bear bees, leafcutter bees, carpenter bees) and then we have wasps yeah, they are not bees but often confused with them.

Most native bees do not make honey and do not live in big hives.

Snakes

~ joannerambling ~ 11 Comments

This week will look at snakes the legless reptiles, they are far more diverse and surprising than most people realise so here is some information about them.

It is believed that they evolved from four‑limbed lizards around 100 million years ago. Some species, like pythons and boas, still carry tiny vestigial leg bones — evolutionary leftovers.

They can be found everywhere except Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, and the polar regions.

They live in some amazing habitats such as forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains but only up to 16,000 feet, oceans and even 800 feet underwater of Australia.

They don’t hear airborne sound well but detect ground vibrations with great sensitivity. Their eyes are covered by a transparent scale called a spectacle, which sheds with the rest of the skin. Many species use heat‑sensing pits to detect warm‑blooded prey.

When it comes to moving, they use several locomotion styles depending on the terrain there is the classic slithering which is called lateral undulation, then there is rectilinear movement which is for slow, stalking. Some can glide from tree-to-tree others are excellent swimmers and when on loose sand the do something called sidewinding.

Do you know what they eat, well they are carnivores so small snakes eat insects, frogs, lizards and rodents. Larger ones can eat deer, antelope, capybaras and even jaguars, not something I have ever they would eat. Mostly because they swallow prey whole thanks to flexible jaws. Also, some can go two years without eating due to extremely slow metabolism.

Most snakes lay eggs, but some give birth to live young, babies are independent from birth needing no parental care. A few species (like pythons and king cobras) guard their nests. Some females can store sperm for years. The Brahminy blind snake is all‑female and reproduces without males.

There are about 725 venomous species, and 250 can kill a human with one bite.


The most dangerous snake globally (in terms of human deaths) is the saw‑scaled viper.

Australia’s inland taipan is the most venomous by toxicity but rarely kills because it avoids humans.

About one‑third of adults have some level of snake fear. Scientists believe this may be an evolutionary instinct — early humans who avoided snakes were more likely to survive.

Chameleons

~ joannerambling ~ 8 Comments

This week we are looking at another reptile the chameleon.

Chameleons are believed to have been around for 65 million years. There are over 200 species across Africa and Europe and Asia, with Madagascar as the stronghold—home to more than half of all known species.

They range in size from very tiny, no bigger than a thumbnail up to 2 feet.

Their eyes can move independently, giving them nearly 360° vision. Many species can see ultraviolet light, which helps with communication and mate selection.

We all know that they are able to change colour, many may think this is done solo as a form of camouflage but that’s not the case, they also change colour to communicate and to regulate temperature.

A chameleon’s natural colour as in the one it displays when calm, unstressed, and not trying to communicate—is usually a blend of greens and browns, sometimes with muted yellows or greys depending on the species. These resting tones provide passive camouflage in their typical habitats.

These baseline colours are part of their camouflage strategy, helping them blend into vegetation without needing dramatic colour shifts.

The brighter blues, reds, oranges, and yellows only appear when they are communicating, regulating temperature, or reacting to stress.

Colour change happens through layers of pigment‑filled skin cells that expand or contract under neural control.

When it comes to feeding and hunting their tongues can shoot out at high speed—up to about 13 miles per hour—to snatch prey. They most eat insects although larger ones may eat small birds or lizards.

Many species have prehensile tails for gripping branches, they can be found in rainforests, deserts, and mountainous regions, depending on the species.

How long they live varies, but a typical wild chameleon lives around 12 years.

In Madagascar, chameleons appear in folklore and proverb’s, sometimes viewed as mystical or omens of luck.

Turtles

~ joannerambling ~ 5 Comments

This week we are looking at turtles, did you know they are cold blooded reptiles, which is why they are often seen basking in the sun.

Some feel they seem ancient and mysterious as well as strangely comforting. This may have something to do with the fact that they have been around for more than 220 million years, what the hell that means they were around during the time of the dinosaurs.

Their slow, steady way of life hides a surprising amount of diversity and evolutionary brilliance.

Their shells are part of the skeleton which means they can’t leave it and it grows with them.

There are three main species, sea turtles, freshwater turtles and tortoises, they often live a long time some giant tortoises can live over 150 years.

Sea Turtles are graceful ocean wanderers that migrate thousands of kilometres. Females return to the exact beach where they hatched to lay eggs, sadly many species of sea turtles are endangered due to fishing nets, pollution, and habitat loss. Examples are the Green Turtle, Logerhead, Hawksbill.

Then there are Freshwater Turtles, which are found in rivers, lakes and wetlands, with some of the most unique species being found in Australia. Examples are the Murry River Turtle, Mary River Turtle which has punk-rock algae hair.

Lastly, we have tortoises which are land dwelling, slow moving, long living with thick domed shells. They are herbivores a famous one is Jonathan who holds the recorded for being the longest living.

All turtles lay eggs on land, even sea turtles with hatchlings relying on moonlight to guide them to the ocean, sex is determined by temperature warmer nest produce more females.

They may not be fast, but they’re far from simple, as Sea turtles navigate using Earth’s magnetic field, Freshwater turtles recognise individual humans and some species communicate through low‑frequency sounds.

They play essential roles in ecosystems with sea turtles keep seagrass meadows healthy, freshwater turtles clean waterways by scavenging and tortoises shape landscapes by grazing and digging.

Emu

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

This week we are looking at the Emu they are the second-largest living birds in the world, native only to Australia, and known for their speed, endurance, and unique breeding habits.

They stand up to 1.75–2 meters tall and weigh 50–55 kg (110–121 lbs), with brownish feathers with a shaggy texture; long legs adapted for running. They have three forward-facing toes, which help them sprint and manoeuvre quickly.

Some may know and some may not know but emus can run as fast as 50 km/h which is 31 mph, and they can jump up to 2 meters which is 7 feet and to that they are damn strong swimmer and move through water damn fast when they want to.

These birds are omnivorous with their diet consisting of seeds, fruits, flowers, shoots, and insects like beetles and grasshoppers. They will travel long distances to find food and water, often forming loose groups called “mobs.”

They will mate for life in the wild, the female will lay 7–10 large dark green eggs, each about 13 cm long, but it the male who incubates the eggs for ~60 days and raises the chicks, while the female often moves on to mate again.

Now are you wondering what they sound like, well the female makes a deep, low-pitched sounds that can sound like drumming and often described as a hollow and resonant sound. These calls can carry for long distances and are used for communication, especially during breeding season. Males tend to sound like a soft grunt.

These calls are used to attract mates, signal territory, or keep contact with other emus.

Have you heard of the Emu War of 1932 this was a war us humans lost, the Australian army tried to cull emus damaging crops, but the birds proved too elusive. Despite firing 10,000 rounds of ammunition, fewer than 1,000 were killed, and the “war” was considered a failure.