2016-03-09 09:18 It's a mozzy season
Y (Kuma's owner)
It is March, the month between summer and autumn. People say that March is autumn, but to me who grew up in Japan, it is still summer. The maximum temperature goes to around 30 degrees Celsius, and once I go outside, mosquitoes (Australian call them mozzies) follow me around.
In the middle of summer, we rarely see mosquitoes. I don't know why. Is it too hot for them?
From this season, I will have to be careful because of little vampires hanging around outside. They creep up silently and suck blood. I noticed that Australian mosquitoes are like a Ninja. They don't make noise. Japanese mosquitoes (not all mosquitoes) make noise like "Here I come." They are kind, aren't they?
My female cat likes to chase insects. I want her to get mosquitoes but she is not interested in them. Why not? Maybe she would say it is too small.
One day, I was watching a TV program, and saw a chameleon. They are experts in catching insects. I wish they could stay here and eat mosquitoes. Wait, do they eat mosquitoes? Maybe not.
I have a reason for hating mosquitoes. They love me, they really do. I don't know why. Long ago, I was on a camping tour and went to Northern Territory, Australia. It was a wonderful experience. I encountered lots of wild animals, of course including mosquitoes. Most tour members were Australian, some New Zealanders, and me, Japanese. The tour members were all bitten by mosquitoes but I was bitten the most. I heard that someone who drinks alcohol easily gets bitten by mosquitoes, but I didn't drink alcohol during the tour at all.
The guide said jokingly "Mozzies get tired of Aussie blood taste." He also said that he had guided Australian and Swiss tourists before, and Swiss tourists got lots of bites.
It does not happen only in Australia. I have heard that Sumo wrestlers who came from outside Japan got lots of mosquito bites.
I don't know for certain whether it is true or not. I would like to ask mosquitoes the reason. Is there a scientist who researches the reason that foreigner attract mosquitoes?
One biologist says that there are some blood types that mosquitoes like. Does it mean they can tell the difference of blood type without sucking blood? I have lots of questions about mosquitoes. Please do not take me wrong, I don't like mosquitoes. Oh, here she comes again.
Slap!
There are so many mysteries and so many mosquito bite scars remain.
2016-03-08 02:14 The long garden bed project 2
Kuma
My human J has been working very hard on the long garden bed project. If you have read my previous writing on 23rd January, I think you already knew. My humans decided to make a long garden bed (veggie patch) in their backyard. The timber of this garden bed is spotted gum, it is a kind of hardwood. That makes J more hard to work with.
In the beginning, I thought the project was too hard to complete but J made big progress. He spent almost every Saturday and Sunday on the project. He is now going to set up a water system inside the garden bed frame. Once it was set up, it would be easy to water the plants.
Please take a look at the following photo. This is long, isn't it?
Human Y, who loves gardening, has started to plant some vegetables and flowers. There are tomatoes, zucchinis, capsicums, okra and parsley. She is happy with the garden bed but it is not only her, wild birds are also happy. For example, King Parrots love to eat green tomatoes. Human Y seems to be disappointed a little but she says it is OK. She thinks she is paying tax for nature.
We live in a subtropical area. It is still hot in March. Y wants to grow sweet peas but it is too hot for them. We are looking forward to autumn coming.
2016-03-03 01:21 Toward the dream
Kuma
Last week, human Y bought an electric scroll saw. It's called "General." I think this model is the same as "Excalibur," which is sold in the U.S. and Canada.
She bought this machine for making automata. She has been hoping to make automata for some time but she hadn't had enough space to make them before. She was in Japan, where the houses are located close together, so she couldn't make any noise. Now, she is in Australia, there are wide yards and she doesn't have to hesitate about making a noise. She thought if she didn't buy a scroll saw now, she would lose the chance. Yes, she is seriously going to make automata.
Unfortunately, she does not have any experience of using scroll saws. It is better to have experience but it is not a big issue. "Everybody was a beginner," is her motto, so she has started practicing to use her scroll saw.
Yesterday was her second day practicing, and she tried to cut a gear but it was difficult to cut the corner neatly. She needs more practice. YouTube videos are very useful for examples, as lots of people upload videos and show how to use the scroll saws. Some of them have the same scroll saw that she has.
To realize her dream, she practiced using the scroll saw again today.
