Out on the Tiles

No it’s not a protest by Extinction Rebellion, nor is it one of our Ladder competitions. However, it is much needed mortar repairs to the ridge tiles.

Alex Scott-Jones makes himself at home on the roof, ably assisted by Jordan Alan-Jones.

A Webinar?

What is a spider? We probably just consider them arachnids that spin webs to trap prey and to use as nests. They’ve had quite a role over the ages:

  • Egyptian Mythology: the spider is an attribute of the Goddess Neith as weaver of the world;
  • Greek Mythology: Athene transformed Arachne into a spider for challenging the Goddess to a weaving contest;
  • Norse Mythology: the spider is associated with Holda and the Norns;
  • Chibcha Indians, in the Andes in Colombia: they believe that the dead cross the lake of death on boats made of spiderwebs;
  • Some South American Indian Mythologies: believe the spiderweb to be the means of climbing from the ”lower world” to the “upper world”.
  • African Mythology: Yiyi, a spider man, brings fire from heaven to help humankind;
  • Nauru Island Natives, of the South Pacific: believe the world was created by Areop-Enap (ancient spider).

Asking the Question

Marina: Dave, before we do some work, tell me this: How many sides are there to a tree?

DaveH: Now that sounds like a trick question Marina. OK, tell me. How many?

Marina: Two sides. The outside and the inside.

Source: Victorian Book “A Thousand and One Riddles, With a Few Thrown In”, Publisher George Routledge & Sons Ltd.

Today, Tomorrow & Sunday

The annual Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the RSPB. You can participate by counting the number of birds that land in your garden over just a one-hour period between 26th-28th January 2024. Click Here to visit the RSPB website and find out how you can help with this research.

Put out some extra food to attract birds to your garden and see what feathered friends fly in

Not so Smart?

Referee, Arthur Peake, one of our club members, has some useful information to share after the Annual General Meeting of the British Crown Green Referees Society, held in December 2023. It’s in relation to the infamous smart-watches that have crept into the BCGBA’s Laws of the Game. Just Click Here to find out more.

“By the way, I now have a Scoreband™ for my wrist that looks like a smart-watch but it just keeps the score, or shows the time. Please, no more frisking me at matches. Thank you.” bowlsjustroll

Scoreband™: A watch that simply keeps the score

News Just in from the Committee

Dave H is out-doing himself in 2024. He has already produced the second newsletter of the calendar year, and they take a lot of hard work to put together. So, thanks Dave. Click Here to be whisked off to Newsletter 62.

Dave H and his new-sweater

Going Down a Storm

Have you ever wondered about how and why our storms have names? Storm Isha, the one that has just blown down your tree or moved your wheelie bin from the front garden to the back garden (saving you the trouble), is the 9th storm of the season. You could argue that naming a storm Isha, that is pronounced ee-sha, should not be considered. However, the powers that be seem to think they know what they’re doing. Click Here to read a very interesting little article about how and why storms in the UK get their names. (Storm Jocelyn is next up – today!).

Birds’ Eye Views

The annual Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the RSPB, is back again. Why not take part in helping count the number of birds that land in your garden over just a one-hour period between 26th-28th January 2024. Click Here to visit the RSPB website and find out how you can help with this research.

So you might not see a female sparrow hawk like this one above, but then again, you never know!

Planning

Some members of bowling clubs in North Wales join the Craig y Don bowling club during the winter months (when it’s not too cold) to play bowls socially and to keep their skills honed. A week or two ago, the croquet club, on whose lawns the winter bowling takes place, submitted a planning application for a new clubhouse adjacent to the green. Click Here to read the Pioneer Newspaper’s article on the topic. Click Here to read the Notice relating to all the decisions taken by the Planning Committee at the meeting on 10th January 2024.

John C, Ray and Dave P, social bowling in the winter at Craig y Don (on the croquet lawns)

Island History

In January 1841, the British and the Chinese ended long negotiations over territory in the opium wars. China agreed to pay indemnities and ceded the island of Hong Kong to the British. Hong Kong was eventually returned to China on 1st July 1997.