Saturday Snippets 6th November 2021…Fire!

 

Welcome back to Saturday Snippets..where I indulge my whimsy and have a play with one word prompts…My muse has answered me and this week my word is…Fire!

How could not I not? Yesterday was Bonfire Night …I have happy childhood memories of making the guy, of chestnuts and potatoes cooking in the ashes of the bonfire, hot dogs(which) were a rare treat for us…wrapped up warm it was always freezing cold and trying to hold a sparkler while wearing mittens…smile…Happy Days!

I hadn’t listened to this track for a long time until yesterday when I was over at Clive’s…Thank you Clive for the inspiration for this post…

I think we all know that uncontrolled fires or misuse of fire can prove to be nasty and life-threatening as can the following …I thought I would get these out of the way and then find some nice things …some pretty things …

Fire Ants…

Fire ants actually bite and sting, sometimes several times in a row. These fiery pests will attach to human skin with the mandibles, causing a pinching sensation. However, this pain is often masked by the anguish of the soon-to-follow sting…These nasty little critters thrive in hot/moist conditions and most certainly give a very nasty, painful nip…

Fire Coral…

Very pretty to look at…Just don’t touch…What happens if you touch fire Coral?… Within 5-30 minutes following skin contact with free coral, an immediate burning sensation or a stinging pain develops…A red rash with raised wheels or vesicles (blisters) appear and itching develops. This can take several days to subside and can also return…

Fire Coral Mushroom…

The poison fire coral fungi, which has a red appearance, was previously thought to be native to Japan and Korea…but has spread to the tropical state of Queensland…If eaten, the fungus can cause organ failure and brain damage.

In some recorded cases of fatalities in Japan and South Korea, people had brewed tea from poison fire coral after confusing it with an edible fungus used in traditional medicine.

“Of the hundred or so toxic mushrooms that are known to researchers, this is the only one in which the toxins can be absorbed through the skin,” said Dr Matt Barrett.

I can’t reiterate enough that if you are foraging for mushrooms make sure you know your fungi as some fungi have characteristics of other edible fungi it is just not worth taking the chance…if you are unsure then double-check with an expert…

Firefly…

What’s more magical than a firefly light show on a warm summer night? Just remember that if you catch fireflies, you can keep them in a jar (with a lid punched to let in air and a moistened paper towel on the bottom) for only a day or two before you need to set them free.

Did you know?

Earth is the only known planet where fire can burn. Everywhere else there’s not enough oxygen.

No one knows who invented the fire hydrant, because its patent was destroyed in a fire in 1836.

The Fire Dragon…

The Fire Dragon in the Chinese zodiac represents those born in 1976. The Dragon is the fifth animal of the zodiac in the 12-year cycle and also represents those born in 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, and 2024.

Fire Maple…Autumn Flame.

How beautiful is that….?

Mars…

It was known to the ancient Greeks as Ares, their god of war. This is thought to be because of the blood-red colour of the planet which was also used by other ancient cultures. Chinese astronomers call Mars the “fire star” while ancient Egyptian priests called it “Her Desher” meaning “the red one”.

Fir Hawk…helicopter

Haha..and he gets paid for this! A lighthearted lesson …

Did you know?

Back in the day when horses pulled fire engines, fire stations were equipped with spiral staircases so the horses would not try to climb the stairs into the living quarters. You may still find some stations with these stairs.

My Mother and Father had one such building on their land and those stairs were steep I could never imagine the horse climbing them but they did…I couldn’t find a video of this but found one of the fire horses being hitched up…

Did you know?

Spontaneous combustion is real. Some fuel sources can generate their own heat — by rotting, for instance. Pistachios have so much natural oil and are so prone to heat-generating fat decomposition that the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code regards them as dangerous.

The 1666 Great Fire of London destroyed 80 per cent of the city but also ended an outbreak of bubonic plague that had killed more than 65,000 people the previous year. The fire fried the rats and fleas that carried Yersinia pestis, the plague-causing bacterium.

Eternal Flame Falls…

The imagery has inspired some active imaginations resulting in legends and sightings of elves in the area, and while those legends have obviously been disproved, the falls remains a mystery from a scientific perspective. The natural gas that eternal flame sites give off comes from a reaction caused by old and very hot shale rocks.

Did you know?

The Ring of Fire also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. The majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire.

Watership Down…

Seemingly everyone who’s seen the animated 1978 adaptation of “Watership Down” has a horror story about how disturbingly brutal and violent it was. … The original film was rendered in hand-drawn animation, with watercolour-like backgrounds, which underscored the contrast of beauty and brutality…

Watership Down is symbolic of democracy in action, Efrafa, a neighbouring warren run by the cruel and violent General Woundwort, is symbolic of authoritarianism and fascism. In Efrafa, rabbits are marked at birth…

Fire Pit…

Man’s first use of the fire pit dates back to the middle Paleolithic period, some 200,000 – 400,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence from sites in Israel and the Klasies River in South Africa shows that fire pits were made using a collection of stones to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading.

Fire Pits now are quite stunning and generally a feature in gardens…

Azerbaijan is known as the  “Land of Fire.”…

The natural flames of Azerbaijan can be attributed to its enormous gas reserves. When exploitation of these reserves began, most of the natural fires burned out, due to a reduction in underground pressure. Of the natural fires that burn today in Azerbaijan, Yanar Dağ is arguably the most impressive.

A 10m long wall of fire, that never extinguishes, is burning continuously alongside the edge of the hill, which naturally is at its most spectacular at night when tourists and locals alike view the fire from a nearby teahouse. Local lore states that it was a shepherd that accidentally ignited the fire in the 1950s by tossing a cigarette and that it has burnt ever since.

Fire Poppies…

Rare golden flowers which like the Phoenix rise from the ashes of a fire…

The fire poppy belongs to a group of plants known as fire followers: those that use the heat, smoke or charred soil as signals to sprout. Their seeds lie dormant for years, explains Marti Witter, a wildfire ecologist for the Santa Monica Mountains national recreation area. Then when the fire hits, it sends a message to begin germination. For fire poppies, the signal comes from smoke. For other fire followers, the heat of a blaze can crack open the hard coating on a seed. “This year, the combination of fire and rain has created good conditions for lots of fire followers,” she says.

I find it fascinating that from extreme weather happening nature comes through and shows us how beautiful she can be…

Thank you for joining today I hope you have enjoyed “Fire”…xxx

37 thoughts on “Saturday Snippets 6th November 2021…Fire!”

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      They certainly are, Liz I don’t like hurting animals or insects…we all have our place in the world ..but its gloves of where fire ants and mosi’s are concerned…:) x

      Liked by 1 person

      4. CarolCooks2 Post author

        Yes they are and anything thats mosi’s is welcome…Although the snake I nearly trod on indoors the other day doesn’t come under spider food….I wasn’t expecting to see snake as I came downstairs It made me shout and scared everyone….lol

        Liked by 1 person

      6. CarolCooks2 Post author

        He was only a baby and probably more scared of us.. He must have come in through the door screens somehow between the glass a nd the screen he was quite small probably only 18 inches in length…

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Pingback: CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…31st October-6th November 2021…Culinary A-Z, Fig and Sweetmincemeat Recipes, Music and Fire Ants……… | Retired? No one told me!

  7. petespringerauthor

    I enjoyed Clive’s post, and this one is great too, Carol. I could listen to Sam Smith sing Old McDonald, and I’d probably like it.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Jim Borden

    two great fireposts in one week – your and Clive’s!

    thanks for all of these fascinating tidbits about fire. I’ve never seen Watership Down – sounds like an interesting movie.

    But the highlight of your post was Katy Perry singing Firework during PRes. Biden’s inauguration. One of my favorite songs of all time, combned with one of my favorite nights of the past several years…

    Like

  10. Clive

    An amazing collection, Carol, and it’s really interesting to see where ‘fire’ took you. And as always, thank you for the link to mine 😊 x

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Running on Fumes

    Loved this post! I have never been one to consider all the ways in which fire has made an appearance in our everyday life, from fire stations to fire poppies to fire ants (which are hell on Earth, in my opinion).

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Pingback: Saturday Snippets 6th November 2021…Fire! – MobsterTiger

  15. beetleypete

    Yesterday was the quietest Firework Night I can ever remember. I suspect there may be more celebrations this weekend though, when the kids have not been at school all day. When I was young it was always on the 5th, whatever day of the week that fell on.
    I’m glad we don’t have fire ants in England, though with climate change they may arrive soon!
    Best wishes, Pete. x

    Liked by 1 person

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Yes it was, Pete.. You want to hope you don’t get them they are evil little things we get all sorts of ants here.. They were building a mansion on some of our paving outside the laundry room door last week they are very clever and fast workers… Shame it fell down before it was completed.. x

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