Saturday, February 24, 2024

Friday - Updated


Mammatus Cloud Formation 
 Cirrocumulus/altocumulus

It was a sunny day, today, with an afternoon high of 73F.  When I went outside in the late afternoon, I saw this cloud formation.  At first I thought they were mammatus clouds, also known as popcorn clouds.  But, Lady Ella suggested they might be what is known as mackerel skies - formed by altocumulus or cirrocumulus clouds and now that she has mentioned it, I think that's what these clouds are and Celie, who teaches a class in weather had confirmed it!  Thank you, Celie!

I think I might use this for the "cloud formations" picture in the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt final selection.

"Popcorn" Clouds Mackerel Skies!

I spent a rather relaxed day.  I spent some time in the garden and taking a few pictures:

Garden Lizard, Sunning Itself

Then, I continued to read my library book, until M arrived to tend to the garden.  He continued with the weeding (the garden plants aren't the only plants to respond to the rain!)  

Mary-Lou wanted to see the bay laurel wreath I had made.  Here's how the wreath looked, yesterday, after I made it:


Bay Laurel Wreath

After I took that picture, I decided it looked too plain and needed a raffia bow to dress it up a bit.  Here's how it looked, today, after the leaves dried, overnight:

Bay Laurel Wreath with Bow

The leaves are not as glossy, but, the dried bay leaves will last for a long time.  I gave the wreath to M, today, to give to his sister.  I kept a few of the leaves I trimmed off to dry and use for my cooking.  I did have fun making the wreath.

Speaking of wreaths, here's the wreath base I made with the passionfruit vines that were pruned:

Passionfruit Vine Wreath Base

It looks a bit like a grapevine wreath, doesn't it?  I haven't decorated it yet (obviously); I could use it as a spring wreath, but, I think it will be more suitable for a fall wreath.  What do you think?

In the evening, I watched news and later, a movie, "Love Story", on TV.  I read the book when I was in Sri Lanka, but, I don't remember ever seeing the movie.

Today, I'm grateful for:
- A sunny, warm day in February!
- M's help with the garden
- Library books
- Phone calls and emails from family and friends
- Being able to order things online and have them delivered to the door (cat litter!)

Today's joyful activities included reading and gardening.

Brunch had been a cold cuts and cheese sandwich (using up the last bit of roast beef cold cuts).   I had the last piece of the fruit cake at tea time.  Dinner was rice and the smoked sausage stir fry, with half a large apple for dessert.

I don't have any plans as such for Saturday.  How about you?  Any plans for the weekend?

* Updated to reidentify the types of clouds.

28 comments:

  1. I think I've only seen those mammatus clouds once before. Looked them up online and apparently rare here in the UK and suggest a storm is on the way. I like your Bay Laurel Wreath in it's original form without the bow, sorry Bless just my preference. I watched Love Story back in the day and bought the book. It brings back memories for me as I lent the book to a friend and she never returned it to me but I have nice memories of that time :)

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    1. I don't see those clouds that often, myself, and never the way they looked, yesterday! It looked a bit ominous, but, we didn't have a storm (not yet, anyway).
      LOL, no need to apologize, Eileen; you are quite entitled to have your preferences about the wreaths. :)
      Love Story was a was a very sweet story, I thought. I read the sequel, "Oliver's Story", but, didn't like it as much (didn't see the movie).

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  2. Thank you for posting a photo(s) of bay laurel wreath - it is SO full - beautiful. Cannot wait to see what you do with the Passionfruit vine.

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    1. You are welcome, Mary-Lou and thank you for asking to see a picture! I wanted it to be nice and full; I used all the sprigs of leaves that M brought me, except for a few leaves that i had to trim off. I will post a picture of the passionfruit vine wreath when I've decorated it. :).

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  3. I like both the wreaths! I especially like the vine one and I think it would be ideal for spring or autumn. I have seen spring wreaths with pastel coloured eggs, plastic flowers, little lambs/bunnies etc. I know you don't want to add more clutter to your household but if you had anything suitable in your stash I think it fine to use for spring.

    The clouds pics are great for the WPSH. I'd probably have called that formation a mackerel sky, but possibly not quite accurately. I've just looked up mammatus clouds and the examples I saw online turned my stomach a bit!!

    Have a good weekend,
    Ella

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    1. Thank you, Ella. I do have a bunch of "spring" like flowers in my stash of craft supplies, from when I made a lot more wreaths. Maybe I will make a spring time wreath. :)
      You know, I think you are right that the clouds show a mackerel sky! I have updated Friday's post to reflect that. I know that one of my readers teaches a class on weather; maybe she will be able to identify the cloud formation for us!

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    2. Looking forward to seeing your spring wreath!
      Didn't mean to criticise or start a debate on the clouds, but I'm glad you got it cleared up. We've all learned something. (Also glad you didn't post pics of mammatus - I didn't like the look of them at all!!)

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    3. I didn't think you meant to start a debate or criticize, Lady Ella. I couldn't decide if I was seeing a mackerel sky or popcorn clouds, at first. I looked up popcorn clouds, which were defined as mammatus clouds, and saw pictures that looked a lot like what I saw and didn't think to look up pictures of mammatus clouds, which actually look quite different (and more ominous!)! Maybe I should have simply posted the picture and asked if they were popcorn clouds or a mackerel sky! Anyway, Celie answered that question and now I know! :)

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  4. I like both of your wreaths - adorned or not. But all I can think about with the bay leaves wreath is all of the seasoning that could be done with those leaves. Bay leaves are very expensive to buy and it needs a warm climate like yours to grow.

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    1. Thank you, June. I hope that M's sister will be able to pick the leaves from the wreath to use in her cooking. M has brought me bay leaves, before, and I've dried them and stored them in a jar to use in soups and stews, etc. I finished the last dried bay leaf that I had when I made the ham and lentil soup, a few weeks ago. Now I have some freshly dried leaves to have on hand. If you email me your address (my email address is at the top of the blog: blessmymess55@gmail.com) I could try to mail you some of the dried bay leaves. :)

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  5. I didn’t know that mammatus is the name of the popcorn cloud formation. Very cool.
    Your bay laurel wreath is gorgeous and very full. The vine wreath looks so nice in its simplicity. I think it would be lovely in the fall, maybe with some dried leaves and a raffia bow.
    Younger daughter is here; she drove in last night after work. My weekend plans are to soak up every moment with her. Of course, my sister, brother-in-law, and mother-in-law (aka proud grandma) will be over to share her company. Happy sighs all around.

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    1. I didn't know it, either, Taconix, till I looked it up! But, now, another reader has said that it looks more like a mackerel sky and so, I've amended the post. Maybe one of my other readers, who teaches a class about the weather, can help identify the clouds!
      I'm going to make a spring wreath with the vine wreath for now - I can always change it, later, if I want to.
      Yay for younger daughter visiting! Sounds like a lovely weekend of family togetherness! Enjoy! :)

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  6. What fascinating clouds! They really do remind me of a popcorn ceiling. I just love the photo of the lizard with the flowerpots. The wreath looks good with the raffia bow and I am impressed with the passionfruit vine wreath form. So good that you will be able to use your own vine form instead of buying one.

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    1. The clouds do look like popcorn, don't they? Ella suggested it was a "mackerel sky" and I agree with her that it looks like that, too! So, I've updated the post and maybe someone can definitely identify those clouds for us!
      The garden is full of lizards and I love watching them! There was another lizard, a bit off to the side, who was bobbing its head on one of the edging bricks. Maybe it was courting the lizard who was sunning itself!
      Thank you, Bushlady; I love being able to make my own wreath bases with vines from the garden. I've a large grapevine wreath base I made when one of the temples pruned a grapevine growing in the temple grounds. :)

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  7. It's very pretty. I love that baby lizard, too. I have been weeding my front garden. After all the rain we received, the weeds are huge! I will do yoga and chant later this evening. Also plan to curl up on the couch this afternoon with a good book.

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    1. Thank you, Stephenie. :) I love to watch the lizards in the garden. The weeds are growing like crazy, aren't they? Sounds like you have some lovely plans for Saturday! Enjoy the yoga and chanting and the book, too! :)

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  8. Those wreaths are gorgeous! And what a cute little lizard! I see those sometimes around the outside of our home when it’s summertime.

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    1. Thank you, Mandy. There seems to be quite a few lizards in the garden, recently. :)

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  9. The bay wreath is gorgeous, Bless, and I think the vines will be lovely decorated for either spring or autumn.
    I only know those clouds as a mackerel sky, as I took a similar photograph myself, and was curious to find out. Xx

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    1. Thank you, Jules. I think I might do a spring wreath one of these days. :)
      I think it might be a mackerel sky; I love the different names people have come up with to describe these clouds! :)

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  10. That is a great photo of a mackerel sky! Ella is right. These are altocumulus. Though they do look like mammatus clouds, those form on the underside of a thunderstorm (cumulonimbus) cloud's anvil.
    Your wreaths are lovely. I think bay laurel leaves make the prettiest wreaths!

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    1. Thank you, Celie! I was hoping you'd be able to help identify the clouds! As the song "Both Sides Now" says, "I really don't know clouds, at all"! :D

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  11. Sorry I'm late - I was so tired yesterday I never read my usual blogs. The clouds are amazing. The lizards are cute - and I love the wreath! I have a little bay tree in the garden. It's lovely to be able to get fresh leaves for my cooking

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    1. No need to apologize, Angela. You do so much, no wonder you were tired! Thank you! That's wonderful that you have a bay tree in your garden! I use curry leaves more than bay leaves, but, it's nice to have a stock of bay leaves when a recipe calls for them. :)

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  12. I love the clouds! They are fabulous. I must admit that I prefer clouds in the sky to no clouds at all. They give such character to photographs. Wonderful photos!

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. Clouds are interesting things, aren't they?

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  13. What a fabulous cloud formation. And don't you have a few bright scientifically-minded readers(as well as yourself:) I'm impressed with all 3 of you.
    The picture looking up from the backyard - that is your house on the left and T's old house on the right?
    (You know I like to get my bearings lol)
    Bless, that wreath is gorgeous! A real beauty. You could sell them all day long at any farmer's market. You and M could start a little side business if things get tough. Hey! it's always good to have a plan B, right? lol
    Oh gosh - Love Story. Haven't seen that one in ages.


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    1. Wasn't that cloud formation interesting? It was gone a couple of hours later, when M arrived to tend to the garden. And yes, I'm lucky to have readers who know these things and are willing to share their knowledge!
      Yes, that's my house on the left and T's old house on the right. The new owners put up security bars on the side windows and cut down the bottlebrush tree that used to grow in the front.
      Thank you! Ha, ha, the wreath was made because M mentioned that he had seen bay leaf wreaths for sale ($40 and up!) at some upscale nursery/garden supplies place he'd been to over Christmas and asked me if I knew how to make wreaths. I told him to bring me the leaves and I'll make him a wreath. :D I used to love making wreaths.
      You know, once upon a time, I used to say that, once I retired, I'd rent a booth at a crafts fair/farmers' market and sell things I've crafted! :D I'm retired now, but, I haven't tried selling any of my crafted items! But, yes, it's good to have a plan B, if needed! :D

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