Reindeer and Clematis

These wickerwork reindeer have been riding a fence since Christmas.
Now they have sprouted some flowers:



I really like this Clematis colour:

Not Much to Look At - Yet

It was about time I put the 3D printer back into use.  I have an idea for a different way to display weather information, including air quality, using the 3.5 inch TFT colour display connected to an Arduino Mega. To that end I have started designing a front panel for an enclosure for all the gubbins.

Measured the size of the actual display panel and used TinkerCad to start designing a 3mm thick panel.



Saved the instructions as a .stl file which was loaded into ultimate Cura to make the instructions the
3D printer needs



This is actually mk2. With the original simple cut out (which amazingly fitted first time) there was a slight problem. The right hand side of the display circuit board has many pins for the connections. They stopped the display from being perfectly flat. As might just be discernible on the above picture there is now a cut out section 1.5mm deep to take care of this.

Photo of mk1 prototype with screen fitted (just showing a font test program)



Another section which will probably have a bit of work done is on the left hand side. There is a reset button on the circuit board so I will have to redesign the filled area to fit round this. It's a slow old job as each 3D test print takes about 3.5 hours to complete.

Marks on the screen are from the protective clear plastic covering which I have left in place.

Excellent service

It is not often I sing the praises of an internet seller but ao.com have really impressed me. Last Sunday the electronics in my dish washer went gaga. Twice I set up my usual washing program. Both times when it started up it flashed a different program on the display and refused to continue. I knew my local shops had little choice for a replacement and can take a few days to deliver.

So, I went online. First a look at Currys but didn't like the choices. I needed a slimline one with a delay timer as I set it at night to start working early morning on cheap rate electricity. Then I though about ao.com as I had heard and read very good reports about them. It didn't take long to find the type of dishwasher I was looking for in spite of the vast array of choices available.

 
 
I ordered it and paid extra to chose a 4 hour delivery slot for the following day, Monday, and for it to be unpacked and packaging to be taken away.

Early Monday morning I received an email from them which had narrowed the time down to a 3hr slot. Tracking details were given and the progress of the van could be viewed on a map along with new timing as its journey progressed. Eventually this was narrowed to a 1hr slot. When the van was 15 minutes away the driver phoned to let me know he was on his way to me.

Delivered on time and in perfect condition. I had already removed the old one so set to installing and testing its replacement. Perfect.

 

I could have paid AO.com £20 to take the old one away but I had some other items to dispose of and the local authority will collect up to four bulky items for £25.

A Visit to Louth Museum

Last Friday I again visited Louth market hoping to obtain some more of the really juicy pears I found last week. That was not to be. Not a single fruit or veg stall in sight. Nor had the large greengrocers shop any. In fact everywhere I tried only had one variety of pear. In the end I bought a few of those in our village Co-op store on the way home.

The visit to Louth was not wasted as I had also planned to have a look round Louth Museum. It has only taken me a little over four decades to get round to it. Must have been the longest waiting event on my Round Tuit pile.

First views of the Museum to prove it:




Interesting lumps of rock outside



Close view of the largest


Whatever could it be?
All is explained




There are several exhibits in the small courtyard by the entrance.

Just a couple of them:

 



Moving inside the museum



where I was welcomed by the two enthusiastic, knowledgeable volunteer curators who were on duty.
The museum is owned and looked after by a voluntary charity. The only income for the venture comes from gifts, donations and entrance fees.  Having paid my dues the first thing to be seen on entering the museum is the Panorama Gallery which contains a copy of a panoramic view  of Louth.

 

The original was painted by William Brown in the 1850's. At that time the steeple was covered in scaffolding while repairs were made following lightning damage. Several times he climbed to the top to make sketches. The full story can be read on the Museum web site HERE.

As you walk through the rest of this compact, very well designed museum the exhibits are in chronological order from pre history through to modern times:







A couple of ways  the maximum use of space are made.
Here some excavated  finds are shown below floor level:



In the centre of the room is a raised gallery accessible by staircase or lift. That gallery is devoted to the devastating Louth flash flood of 1920 which resulted in 23 fatalities in 20 minutes as a wall of water swept through the town destroying houses.



There are many photographs and an interactive map on the floor showing where the photographs were taken.

Several wood sculptures by Thomas Wallis are on exhibition



Not least of which is 'Trophy of Spring which was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851



There are many exhibits of local industry. Louth, as with most towns, had its own brick makers, carpet weavers, ale breweries, etc..

A few items which caught my interest:

Poachers beware:



Printing:



Local bricks:



Louth Tokens:



Funeral Bier:

 

General views:





There is more to see than I can show here. Every available space in this small museum has been used to good advantage. You need to look up as well as down. Sometimes I had to hold the camera above my head and hope to take the photo I wanted. Well worth a visit if you ever visit Louth or holiday in the Lincolnshire Wolds. The museum also has a lovely web site HERE where much more detailed information can be found.

All the above photos can be clicked on to see them larger on my Flickr account.

Springtail

Throughout the Summer Penny has a water dish outside as well as the one in the kitchen. This morning when I brought it in to top up with fresh water  I saw this small bug scurrying about in the bottom of the empty dish.



Being so small, less than 10mm long, and constantly moving around a shiny stainless steel bowl it was not easy to take a good macro shot.

A close crop:


Not only did it scurry about but also leapt across the dish which made it easier to identify as a springtail. Next to it is another very tiny, unidentified, bug.

My trusty pocket Nikon is reaching its 10,000th photograph and starting to become unreliable. It often indicates it is in focus but the 'shutter' doesn't fire. Looks as though it is time to start looking at some reviews before finding a replacement.

Mini Cones

Cypress tree cones, less than 10mm across



Here a couple have matured and opened

Here Be Dragons

Well, one dragon(fly) anyway.
My first spotting this year.



A Southern Hawker seen dashing around the tall hedge next to the cricket field.
They usually arrive here about this time of year to feed on the small insects.

St. James's Church, Louth

It is all but impossible to take in a complete view of the church as it is surrounded by other buildings The only way to get an overall impression of its size and the height of the tower and steeple is from a model which can be seen inside the church:



As I approached the church from the shopping area of the town the great East window could be seen:



Viewed from inside:



I had only set out to visit the market but on impulse I decided to have a quick look round the parish church as well.  I hoped the cafe would be open as I was looking forward to a sit down with a cup of tea. Fortunately it was so I ordered a pot of tea and a toasted teacake to enjoy in pleasant surroundings:



While I sat looking around to my great pleasure the organist decided to have a practice session. I started up a video just to capture the sound. I only managed a short recording before I was interrupted:



The camera wasn't able to capture the rich bass sounds which could be felt as well as heard from the organ positioned at the opposite end of the church.  I said I was interrupted, though in a pleasant way. A lady with her daughter and two grand-daughters asked if they could join me as this was the only table with enough room for us all. We had a long chat while I enjoyed my toasted teacake. They were hoping to climb the tower to take in the fantastic views but it was locked. I think, for safety reasons, someone has to make a note of how many people go up and make sure they all get back down safely. Hopefully someone would be available to allow them access before they left.

The cafe is situated under the tower and from where I was sitting I could see one of the many stained glass windows:



Looking straight up I could see the sunburst decoration on the roof of the tower over 85 feet above my head:



The sides of the Nave are full of stained glass windows. As far as I can work out they were all installed from the mid 1800's to early 1900's. All told there are some 33 windows with stained glass.







The Chancel with the high altar and choir stalls:



An old font positioned near the organ loft:



The 19th Century font made from Staffordshire alabaster:

    

     

Four of the panels show biblical scenes:
The Garden of Eden, Christ's Baptism and the Crucifixion seen here:



The fourth shows Noah's Ark.

A view of the roof of the Nave:



There is much more detail to be seen in and around the building which I will have to explore on a future visit as it was time to think of meandering back to the car. Next time I will take another camera and a flash gun.