Ride along with Paul Clifford’s Jawshop Adventure Recordings. In this episode he revisits his local cell tower and implements his magic to extract his unique and amazing audio recordings.
If you are curious about what a bow pulled across a spring attached to a cell tower sounds like or are just interested in how the art of field recording and how sounds are captured then we invite you to visit the Jawshop and check out the audio treats.
"Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper." - Albert Einstein
Recently I spied this dreadful yet so lovely little creature posing perfectly on a leaf in a urban garden waiting to be discovered. What can one say about those huge dreamy eyes, those delicate wings and spiked long deadly legs that could do them justice?
Actually this Robber Fly was not waiting to be discovered in order to become a social media sensation, he is actually waiting for something to fly by to mug, thus the name Robber Fly. And they do not steal pollen or nectar off the passing bug and send them on their way bruised and disgruntled. They steal lives and their prey includes Bees, Flies, Dragon Flies and even another Robber Flies, they aren’t picky eaters. You may now be thinking right now if I know this then why did I not swat it instead of admiring and photographing it? Those would be very reasonable questions or responses to coming across something that is lying in wait for an innocent victim that is is going to consume alive. However it is not my place to do so, nature is far wiser and quite qualified to manage herself, far better I, a mere human is, in fact.
Nature is a gift, something to respect and appreciate, it is something we are a part of and not a simple possession we have total dominion over. The Robber Fly is a necessary predator, they do their part to keep insect populations under control, even their own. This helps balance matters meaning that the grasshoppers do not over populate and wipe out crops leaving famine for the rest of us. We are very fortunate that Robber Flies exist and they are such an important and necessary part of nature that they exist on every corner on this planet. We need to respect them because they help us in their own ghoulish way as well as the fact that I for one do not want to have to eat grasshoppers, humans are not meant to do the jobs of Robber Flies.
"If you would know the flavor of huckleberries, ask the cowboy or the partridge. It is a vulgar error to suppose that you have tasted huckleberries who never plucked them. A huckleberry never reaches Boston; they have not been known there since they grew on her three hills. The ambrosial and essential part of the fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender. As long as Eternal Justice reigns, not one innocent huckleberry can be transported thither from the country's hills." - Henry David Thoreau
Tangy and sweet, hanging in thick clusters, the mere sight of plump red berries bursting on the branches is enough to get any hunter gatherer’s heart thumping and blood pumping. This doesn’t only apply to humans, the bears and birds are also pretty keen to get to the berries before they are gone so the competition is pretty fierce. Just as it was in Thoreau’s time it takes some effort to get to the berry patches, or even find them for that matter. Success is also contingent on the weather and their receiving the proper amount sun and rain and if these conditions are not met the season is spoiled. That is not the case this year so I am particularly thrilled. That is because I find berry picking to be one of the most pleasant and practical ways to spend time, the whole experience is medicine. The berries are by far more delicious than anything you could purchase in a store plus you get the bonus of fresh air and exercise. It is far better and more practical than a combined trip to the doctor, gym and grocer’s, plus money is not part of the equation, it is the ultimate all natural experience.
© TS Ni hUiginn
"'Are you content now?' said the Caterpillar. 'Well, I should like to be a little larger, sir, if you wouldn't mind,' said Alice: 'three inches is such a wretched height to be.' 'It is a very good height indeed!' said the Caterpillar angrily, rearing itself upright as it spoke (it was exactly three inches high)." -Charles Lutwidge Dodgson AKA Lewis Carroll
It isn’t likely that anyone will destroy this silky creation being the alder that host’s it is little more than a roadside weed that no one will step into rescue. This includes myself as it is not my place to interfere in the relationship between tree and caterpillar, for all I know they both may be benefiting from each other. It doesn’t look good though to see the leaves all chewed away and barren and many would say their presence spoils the view.
Many people find these types of creatures unpleasant and unsightly however there is beauty found glistening off of their intricate silky home. There is beauty in everything which you will eventually find if you carefully look for it. It is indeed a pretty wondrous and impressive to be able to weave such an amazing abode and to be able to spend your summer in such a scenic and comfortable location simply through your own effort. This is something as humans, even if we could do, we would never dare reduce ourselves to do. Instead we would create rules against performing such practical and natural activities in order to sate our egos by separating us from the lowly animals as well as stimulate our ever failing economies.
© TS Ni hUiginn
"Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us. In this garden - in all the places." ― Frances Hodgson Burnett
This scape is one of the hummingbirds favourite natural feeders ergo it is one of my favourite places to go looking for hummingbirds. This Rufous, who are annual visitors here, has aggressively laid claim to this blossom and is driving off the other Rufous’ along with native Anna’s. This scape is a volunteer, and being I am allergic it is left to grow for the hummingbirds to enjoy, and they absolutely love it. It will flower for the rest of the summer so I highly recommend growing one for the hummingbirds.
© TS Ni hUiginn
"Beauty's a fragile boon, and the years are quick to destroy it, Always diminished with time, never enduring too long. Violet's always fade, and the bloom departs from the lily; When the roses are gone, nothing is left but the thorn." - Ovid
Wild roses and flower blossoms compete for the attention of the busy bees and pretty flies by luring them with their exquisite scent. Unfortunately I could not figure out how to share the loveliness of the scent with everyone as I did with their beauty. Beauty never last long and disappears as quickly as the breeze removes their perfume their beauty is also gone.
One must never put off going to see them they likely won’t be there when you finally get around to it and that is how it often is with what mattes in life. The one thing I long for much more than money or possessions, is time. Unfortunately is is, like the bloom of the roses, too brief and thus we should never waste this most valuable commodity because no matter how rich you are, time is something money can never buy. and is something if wasted, cannot be gotten back.
© TS Ni hUiginn
“'Seek, seek, seek,' sang Son of Eagle as he sailed down from his tall, tall tree and with his great talons he picked up the salmon, and in one graceful swoop he circled the wide area of the pool and sailed back to his house. All the while the beautiful, silvery salmon was wiggling helplessly in his strong talons.” - George Clutesi
The young eagles were feeling particularly frisky yesterday, squawking and soaring, delighting in their being alive and showing off for their folks. For me there is nothing more lovely or soothing than watching youth delight in their bodies, strength and playfully developing their skills. They are not any different than human families, they came equipped with the same natural family bond human beings were blessed with. They protect, love, nurture and respect each other much like people used to do, and need to again.
While I was out with the eagles yesterday I had a little surprise when this black bear crashed across the path running in terror away from me as well as the noisy people, dogs and vehicles around here. He was a nice size and well nourished, and much bigger than me. I waited and watched as he crashed through the roadside bushes to determine which way was the safe way to proceed. It is common to come across black bears, wolves and cougars in urban spaces and when we do it is important to react in a reasonable and cautious manner. Although black bears aren’t aggressive when terrorised, as this one was, they can, just like a human over react so it is wise to keep a respectful, very calm distance.
© TS Ni hUiginn
"We grieve as the blithe birds, never again, leave shingle and elm, The heron and I, I young Aesop fabling to the near night by the dingle Of eels, saint heron hymning in the shell-hung distant" -Dylan Thomas
I had the great fortune to spend some quality time with a lovely Heron as she preened herself before her well earned sleep. The fishing had been exceptionally good so with full belly she worked grooming her lovely form. Unlike with human grooming, she is not performing these tasks due to vanity, or to garner compliments or likes on her social media. It is necessary for her very survival as her feathers keep her warm and dry during the storms and long nights. Herons are however incredibly beautiful creatures and I could not help but to hang around and pester her with my camera. Once she was done fluffing her downy form I left her to nod off and refresh her energies before the next round of fishing.
© TS Ni hUiginn
"Like delicate lace, so the threads intertwine, oh, gossamer web of wond'rous design! Such beauty and grace wild nature produces... Ughh, look at that spider suck out that bug's juices!" William Boyd Watterson II
The sights and scenes of spring aren’t always lovely or endearing, like this hatching of these sweet, harmless, tiny garden spiders. To those of us who are not afflicted with arachnophobia this scene is wholesome and delightful giving us happy fuzzy feelings. However those good feelings disappear and are replaced by something less pleasant when we notice the predator in their midst’s hunting the vulnerable babies. And unfortunately this is a natural reality in that predators will seek out the most innocent and vulnerable to prey upon and Humanity is no exception. Children are our most valuable resource, we have no future without them and as a species our ongoing survival is contingent on our children. Unfortunately they are the first target of predators, exploiters and monsters amongst us who put their own hedonistic needs above the rights of the rest of humanity, particularly our children. We have had too many generations of child abuse, exploitation and abuse. Every child matters and their rights to grow up in natural healthy bodies is just as important, if not more than any other facet of environmental justice or social equality.
© TS Ni hUiginn
The University of East Hastings 