See my first post for today on my Eggreport. Something different happened when I first checked the hens today.
Then see my second post for today on my Eggreport. Something really big happened today, and something cool too. Which is which? Interchangeable, I’d say! Post comments here and there, or anywhere!
This was an interesting tidbit to read. I usually don’t post articles, but this one is worth it, and I can’t see that I’ll be able to find it in the future on Accuweather. Here’s the link, in any case, to the column, this one or another one by Joe Sobel.
Joe Sobel’s Column
POSTED: 11:50 a.m. June 27, 2003
The thoughts expressed in this column represent Joe Sobel’s personal speculation. While they are considered in formulating AccuWeather forecasts, the opinions of many other AccuWeather meteorologists are also considered.
This discussion is updated only the days that Joe is available, usually Monday-Friday. Check the date above and come back often!
So, do you think all lightning strikes are created equal? The answer to that question is a resounding no. Not only are no two lightning strikes the same, the may actually be of different polarity, that is carrying a negative or positive charge.
Most lightning strikes are negative, that is negatively charged ions flow downward from the cloud to the ground in what is call the stepped leader, and then a return positive charge flows from the ground to the cloud which is the brilliant flash that we see. In a positive strike the stepped leader is a positive flow of current and the return stroke from the ground is negative.
A few interesting differences between the two, according to an article in the June 2003 issue of the American Meteorological Society….
1. Positive strikes account for only about 10 percent of cloud to ground lightning stokes.
2. The highest current flows are thought to be associated with positive lightning.
3. Cold season thunderstorms are more likely to produce positive lightning strikes.
4. Weakening or dissipating thunderstorms tend to produce more positive lightning strikes.
5. Positive flashes are usually composed of a single stroke, whereas about 80 percent of negative flashes contain two or more strokes.
6. Positive lightning strokes often involve long horizontal channels. It is presently not clear why.
7. There also are bipolar lightning strikes in which current flows reverse during the event.
I don’t know about you, but I found all of this rather “shocking”, but whatever the weather I hope you will be “positive.”
“Many people notice that the city seems hotter than the suburbs during a heat wave. This is not just imagination. In the city, the sunshine rapidly heats rooftops and blacktops, which in turn heat the air. Outside of the city, there is a lot more soil and vegetation. The sunshine encourages water to evaporate from the ground and the plants, and they do not heat up as quickly. Thus, the air remains a few degrees cooler.”
Accuweather says it’s true, it gets hotter in the city during a heatwave. In the country the air is heated more slowly — green is good.
We are expecting it to rain anytime, accoring to the radar it should be raining 
At any rate, it’s after dusk and I was outside and noticed a few lights flashing here and there around the fence in the back yard, under the Locust Tree. Sure enough, it was Fireflies!
Sounds like a silly thing to be excited about. Right? Well, it’s the first time we’ve ever seen Fireflies on our property. Exciting!
I called Russell out of bed to see them. Asa and he share a room, so since Asa was still awake, out he came too. Victoria was already asleep.
I showed the boys the Fireflies from the deck, then we went into the yard. We “chased” the Fireflies, trying to follow them, then I encouraged Russell to catch one.
Oops! I told him to catch it in his hands.
I should have done that differently. One dead Firefly.
It was interesting to look at it though. It was dead alright, but still rather intact in it’s body shape. It’s luminous rear end was lit up in a 3/4 power glow … poor little beatle. That’s right, not fly, beatle. Fireflies are beatles. Learn about them here.
This is an example of home education. It happens when you least expect it. It’s fun too!
Russell successfully caught two or three Fireflies after the first dud of a catch.
As we were going inside, Asa was waving so sweetly at the sky, looking for Fireflies and saying “Bye Firefwies!”. It was really nice.
As we were going in, I could smell the scent of Fireflies in my hands. It was a memory, not an actual real-time scent. It was the memory from when I was a little girl, chasing “Lightening Bugs” [as we then called them] and catching them in my hands, in jars, letting them go. They left a particular smell, earthy, and it’s burned in my memory. It’s one of those kinds of reminders that refreshes your outlook for how to communicate with the children. Fun, sweet times, and good memories will last forever.
I was looking out the back door and noticed something moving in the Maple in the East part of the yard, directly ahead to the left a bit.
I got out my binoculars, and sure enough, in the tree was a Northern Mockingbird, building a nest. I went out and looked at it a little while ago, and it’s in early development stage. This will be interesting if they finish and actually use the nest. We’ll have a good view, since it’s a young tree, and the bushiest part of the tree is visible … right where that nest is being built.