The Tangent Thread: "That reminds me of the time...."

[Yeshuasdaughter]

If you get scratched by a blackberry thorn, the plant uses that thorn as a form of chemical warfare. A tiny amount of coumarin is injected sublingually, causing the person or animal to be more photosensitive, and also flush a little bit of water from their body, especially causing dehydration in small mammals. Humans might not see any difference, other than an annoying itch that lasts a couple hours.

But the chemical effects of dehydration caused by the thorns can also be used medicinally. Blackberry leaves, canes, and especially the thorns (when steeped in tea) are an amazing, gentle, natural treatment for diarrhea, especially in children. And when powdered, can be used topically to cauterize a bleeding cut, the way a styptic pen, or alum crystal would be used.

 

[tree]

The blackberries that are ripe right now are fatter than
the ones that ripened three weeks ago. I went blackberry
picking with my dog, when I had a dog, and she ate
berries right off the bush.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

One evening, my daughter and I discovered a grapevine. We were happily picking grape clusters. That is, until we heard a loud, chittery "Snkeesnksnkeesnk!!!!!"

We looked at each other, paused, and then went back to picking.

We were at peace for a few, until the original chitter was followed again by an even louder "Snkeeeesnkeeeesnksnk!!"

This time, out of the pine branches, just above eye level, came a very disgruntled raccoon. He made it quite clear that this grape vine was his property.

We backed away, giggling, and walked off into the night, eating grapes.

It's been a few years since, and I still have not visited that grape vine. It belongs to Scrappy, the Raccoon.

 

[tree]

Scooby-Doo had a nephew named Scrappy-Doo.

 

[lovely_darlingprettybaby]

Scooby-Doo had a nephew named Scrappy-Doo.

I hate Scooby doo because he is dumb and makes dumb noises. And always scared.
Actually it reminds me of Freddie prince jnr and when I used to watch horror movies like I know what you did last summer and never let it drop from she’s all that and how I used to think Freddie prince jnr was the nicest guy in the world but so not my type and used to watch buffy and was a big Sarah Michelle Gellar fan because too I thought she was so pretty and they met in Scooby doo no they were in that movie together but met in those horror movies I think no before that I think she was a small little talking part in she’s all that or maybe they met first because she played a part in I know what you did last summer.
And how I used to watch those movies and thought they were a weird match because I thought he liked Jennifer love Hewitt who I also liked but Sarah Michelle gellar more but it was sweet they ended up together.

 

[Rodafina]

I used to love the t.v. show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but like most shows, it carried on for too long for me, and I lost interest.

 

[Cryptid]

Speaking of lost interest, I got soaked on an investment in Disney, and just barely recovered the principle amount.

 

[tree]

Some of the rides at Disney World involve getting
soaked with water.

 

[Rodafina]

I got a car wash pass for the winter so that I can get my car washed as many times as I want for a monthly fee. The fee is the same as two individual car washes would cost. So as long as I get my car washed more than twice a month, it is worth it. Since I use my car for work, I do wash it more often than twice twice a month.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I remember going to the car wash with my dad.

We never used the fancy automatic car washes.

We just went to the coin op one.

My dad said the soap was bad for the environment, as it went into the storm drains.

So he only used the water jet sprayer.

I remember watching the spray fill the windshield, and the overwhelming low toned "Splooooosh" sound of the car being covered in water.

And then the vacuums, pulling out the mats. Finding coins and pens. Laughing when one of us found an m and m or a chip.

I love him so much.

 

[Rodafina]

When I was young, my family members used to "chase" me with the vacuum. They were being mostly playful - I had a strong reaction to it and they thought it was funny. I was often laughing, but it was from fear and confusion, not actual joy or amusement. I hated it when they would do that. So loud. So uncomfortable to be chased, even in play.

When I was older, I caught myself teasing my nephew with the vacuum and pretending to chase him with it. He seemed to enjoy it, but my memories clicked in and I never did it again.

 

[Levitator]

How many toves do you have and how did they get so slithy?

 

[Rodafina]

When I was about 17 years old, I memorized Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, and it has stayed in my head all these years later. Sometimes, I recite it when I am bored or nervous. I memorized it by writing it out two or three times and ever since, my brain has remembered it.

 

[Levitator]

When I was about 17 years old, I memorized Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, and it has stayed in my head all these years later. Sometimes, I recite it when I am bored or nervous. I memorized it by writing it out two or three times and ever since, my brain has remembered it.

Har. I seldom memorize stuff. It's not my strong suit. Last time I did that, it was the NATO alphabet, but I had a lot of motivation, plus it's mnemonic on purpose.

Total waste of time on not one but two counts, too, but live and learn.

 

[Levitator]

Har. I seldom memorize stuff. It's not my strong suit. Last time I did that, it was the NATO alphabet, but I had a lot of motivation, plus it's mnemonic on purpose.

Total waste of time on not one but two counts, too, but live and learn.

That reminds me that I accidentally responded to this thread thematically. Incidentally, there is also Vogon Poetry.

 

[tree]

I wrote the first hundred digits of Pi on a card the size of a credit card,
with the digits in groups of ten, as an anti-anxiety project for myself,
one year. At one point I could recite the entire hundred.

I live somewhere else now and the first 40 is how many I currently remember.

I had to make a new card, because the original accidentally went through
the washer.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

One way to save on fabric when learning to use a sewing machine is to use notebook paper. Sew down the straight lines,

 

[AuAL]

Farmers now use GPS to plough (and sow) in straight lines. Last year a fault in a satellite brought many farming operations in Australia and New Zealand to a standstill, so dependent was much of the machinery on GPS navigation.

 

[Kisa the tea]

This reminds me of the time I was in another country and didn't have internet so I basically had no GPS and was doing my best not to get lost on the way to the store. I ended up going the wrong way and had to make a turn across the road to get back to the store when I saw it in the distance.

 

[AuAL]

That reminds me of the time I visited Strasbourg, back before GPS. I took the wrong exit from the motorway, got lost in the city in the dark, and had to navigate my way to my hotel for the night by sticking my head out of the car window, searching for the spire of the cathedral. I saw it, headed toward it, and took the wrong bridge across the river, ending up on the wrong side of the cathedral. I drove up the side to see if there was a way around, but the road was closed for roadworks. I then had to back up (very narrow lanes) forcing the cars that had driven up behind me to also back out, until we could all get free. Then I drove back across the river (away from the cathedral) and took the next bridge across to get to right side, and found my hotel.