Lid opener

Does anyone else use this method for opening jars with tight-fitting lids?

I always called the tool in the photo a bottle or can opener. The rounded end opens bottles and the pointed end is used to slowly rip the lid off a can. I did not know that where these openers truly shine is when used to loosen impossibly tight-fitting lids.

I've run jars like this under hot water to expand the metal lid. I've tapped these lids with heavy dinner knives without being able to explain why I thought this action should loosen a lid. I've flipped the jars and slammed the jar lid-first down hard on any handy surface. I've even bought tools specifically engineered to take advantage of leverage to increase the force available to open a jammed jar. All to no avail.

Then, my wife showed me this trick. Take the round end of a simple, metal opener and gently lift the edge of the lid until you hear the hiss of air. One may even hear the lid pop as the pressure equalizes.. The lid will now turn easily.

Enjoy!

A storm to remember

Yesterday was a storm to remember. Oh, let me be clear. To me it was just another summer thunder storm arriving with the usual high winds. But for the little boy living at the end of the court it was a day to remember as he and his dad first watched the swirling clouds moving across the sky and then, with large rain drops beginning to fall, the two spectators to the spectacles found themselves moving, moving toward shelter from the rain and mounting wind.

Parks are for everyone

London's biggest park is a destination for everyone, as are most parks. Come alone, sit and quietly enjoy the day from a park bench. Or come with the kids and a rack-fill of bikes and peddle the many kilometres of paved paths and roadways.

In this time of the pandemic, such a large park offers enough space that everyone can enjoy themselves while practising social distancing. No need to ever get all that close to some outside your "bubble."

And if you're not fond of mask wearing, masks are not mandatory while in the park. Just keep your distance and no one will be upset. In fact, you will probably encounter lots of smiles and friendly greetings. Everyone seems very appreciative when others clearly respect the personal space of others.

Gentle Giant

Ah, what a contrast. An absolutely massive grandpa with his absolutely tiny granddaughter. And grandpa looked even bigger when holding the hand of his diminutive granddaughter.

I had seen both separately early and then when they strolled by together, it was time for a picture. And grandpa was a gentleman. He said hello and smiled when giving me a wide berth as he passed  by where I was sitting on a park bench.

I'm sure he is a gentle giant.

Lookout Court is well named

The clouds were growing, climbing higher and higher into the blue sky. Growing thicker and darker and threatening rain, folks made sure their cars were inside the garage. Hail and strong winds were feared. Nothing, absolutely nothing materialized. The clouds grew dramatically and then scooted east. The storm missed my south London neighbourhood completely.

St. Thomas sculpture needs no maintenance; just enjoy.

St. Thomas, a little town just minutes south of London, was once known as the Railway Capital of Canada. So, the sculpture greeting visitors to the city arriving from the south is quite appropriate.

Created by a local artist, sculpture and blacksmith, Scott McKay, it took 25 tonnes of steel to construct using a special steel that is atmospheric corrosion resistant. As it rust, the rust forms a protective layer. At first it will turn an orange colour but after about five decades it should appear black.

Sitting in the centre of a roundabout, the work should last 100 years with no maintenance required, unless a vehicle goes out of control striking the sculpture. Not an impossibility considering the snowy winters St. Thomas endures.

For more info, here is a link: CBC report.

Maple leaves attacked by tar spot fungus

Today's blog is a reprint of a post that first appeared on Rockinon: the blog. Lately, I've been noticing these tar spots on fallen maple leaves in London and so I thought a reprint was in order.

A lot of the information came directly from a report from Guelph University by W.A. Attwater. I think it is best to ensure accuracy and so I am leaving this report essentially untouched.

Whenever I saw round, black dots on maple leaves, I used to wonder what the black dots were and what measures should we be taking to protect our trees. If you have thought the same thing, read on.

These distinctive round to irregular black, spots on infected maple leaves are known as tar spots. Not noticeable until late summer, tar  spots are caused by two species of Rhytisma fungus.

The first, Rhytisma acerinum, produces black, tar-like spots about 1.25 cm or more in diameter on the upper surface of infected leaves. The second species, R. punctatum, produces patches of small, 1mm wide spots and is often called speckled tar spot.

The thickened black spots are fungal tissue called stroma. Red, silver, Norway (including the varieties with red leaves) sugar and Manitoba maples as well as others are affected.

Both fungi survive between seasons on the fallen diseased leaves. In the spring, spores are produced within the black stroma and are carried by air currents to young maple leaves where they start new infections. Unlike many other foliar diseases, Rhytisma spp. do not continue to cause new infections throughout the summer.

Infections first show up as yellow or pale green spots on the leaf surface in the early spring or summer. The black, raised tar-like spots develop within these spots in mid to late summer. Severely infected leaves may be shed.

Although tar spots are conspicuous, they are seldom so injurious in home gardens to justify spraying with a fungicide. As the strong visual appearance develops late in the growing season, the overall health of trees is rarely affected.

To reduce the amount of disease overwintering, rake up fallen leaves in the autumn and destroy or remove them from the yard.