The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly in the Plain, Thoughts on Surging Over a Language Barrier

Please CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE to better enjoy the details

One Wet Terrier

El Parque de Buen Retiro

Madrid, Espagna

Photo altered using Photoshop CS4,

Original work is the copyright of, L. Shimer, 2010

Dogs can usually figure me out - humans - not always.

Spanish dogs seemed to understand me easily, no matter in which language I spoke to them. Madrillenos seem to like dogs as much as Californianos do. It seemed like every third person in Madrid, had a dog on a leash during the paseo.

I was very glad that I am comfortable using Spanish on my recent trip to Spain. I think it would be difficult to visit Madrid and the environs, without some proficiency in the language. My most challenging encounters with Spanish came when I was working through the process of buying train tickets within the Atoche Renfe metro/train station. When I became uncertain about where the train left from (turned out I had to get a train to another station - Chamartin- first!) , broke down and asked for help in English, it simply was not available. I just had to figure out how to come up with other words to use, to ask my questions.

Next day in Chamartin, confused by the displayed departure information, I again asked for help in English. My request was met with a shrug and a referral to another clerk who didn't understand my question. As I've learned when visiting other countries, these situations force me to figure out how to communicate my needs. And, Y hola !, did I feel proud of myself when I navigated two trains and a bus on my day trip from Madrid to Segovia. Particularly when an older woman bus driver praised me for traveling sola.

I found the Harper Collins "Language Survival Guide, SPAIN" book in my library and took that along as my travel dictionary. Not only does it have word lookup, but also sections such as transportation phrases and ticket layouts. It was really useful, and I liked it better than other dictionaries I've used.

Good Enough To Eat

Waiting for an Introduction

CLICK ON THE IMAGE on the left, to see more of this archnids charms.

This long-legged beauty greeted me in the bathroom last night, while I was brushing my teeth. She jumped a little when I made a noise and scuttled back into the corner. Then she popped out again to, check me out I guess. Do spiders actually notice us as fellow creatures, or are we simply a big noise to them?

Is she a Callobius in the Amaurobiidae, or Tengellidae family of arachnids? I think she looks most like the photos of Ground Sac Spiders - CorinnidaeAmaurobiidae

Sami and Catnip at Spider identification.org thinks she might be one of those. We're waiting for more input. At this point she's still a bit of mystery.

And, typical of her sisterhood, she's crept off to find a more reclusive habitat. I doubt I'll see her again.

I altered the original photo a good deal. I created the colorful tiles from the colors in this red-legged beauty's body as viewed by the mosaic filter in Photoshop CS4.

On the Fence

I also like to be as many places at once, as possible. I agree with these roses. The fence is often the best place to check out the world.

Jazz Came To America In Chains

Love-In-A-Mist - Nigella damascena

Please CLICK ON THE IMAGE to see the lovely details of this Love-In-A-Mist seed pod that I photographed and altered in Photoshop CS4.

I had no idea the spiky blue clouds of Love-in-a-Mist” were in the buttercup family. I’m pretty partial to most members of Ranunculaceae. There are native buttercups that bloom in early spring, in nearby Mid-Peninsula Open Space lands in the Santa Cruz mountains. But they look like you expect a buttercup to look – round shell-like petals, low-growing and bright yellow.

These are from a seed packet I scattered several years back along my driveway. They flourish in our hard adobe soil and re-seed themselves generously. These particular specimens have spread themselves into my neighbor’s front yard.

God midsommer!

Nigella damascena