revbayes

Hey everyone. No, I'm not dead. No, I'm not posting any art right now. Maybe after the 1st of the year. 

Anyway, I'm here to let all those who haven't yet wrapped their Christmas gifts in on a little clue on getting just the right size paper for each gift. I worked out this formula years ago and it has always served me well. 

This formula only applies to normal 6 sided boxes. If you have odd shaped gifts, you're on your own. 

Now, gift boxes have 3 dimensions: Length or "L", Width or "W", and Height or "H". 

The standard way to wrap a box is to wrap the paper around the narrower dimensions (W and H) and then fold the ends. The part of the paper wrapped around the box is the "box circumference" or "BC". The direction the paper is folded is the "box length" or "BL". The formula is this:

BC = 2W + 2H + 1" (or 2.5cm for metric)
BL = L + H + 1/2H

Example: You have box with the following measurements...  Length(L) = 12", Width(W) = 9" and Height(H) = 2"

Plugging the numbers into the formula you get:

BC = (2x9) + (2x2) + 1 which is resolved as 18 + 4 + 1 = 23"
BL = 12 + 2 + 1 = 15"

So the size of wrapping paper you need for a 12" by 9" by 2" box is 23" by 15"

It may look complicated, but it's not. 

1. Measure you box
2. Plug the numbers into the formula
3. Cut the paper
4. Wrap the box. 

Best wishes, over and out,

Turk

Charlotte, our pet orb weaver, came down from her perch under the eaves of our back porch last night. I watched her slow descent. It took her several hours to complete the journey. I snapped this photo while she was resting on one of the handles of a treadmill we have stored out there. By evening, she was just sitting there on the base of the treadmill. When I woke up this morning, she was gone. 

Given that orb weavers rarely last more than a year, I doubt if I'll ever see her again, though it's very possible I'll see one of her children next Summer. 

So, goodbye Charlotte. You were fascinating to watch and I'll miss you. 

This morning, a good friend shot and killed his wife then turned the gun on himself.

I'm at a loss...

So many people I know have died this last year and it just keeps going on and on. I don't even know how to respond any more.

Back on March 25th I posted an entry about reaching a quarter million gallery views and how over the next year I'd like to reach a half million. Well here it is, six months later and I just passed that half million. Actually surprised the heck out of me. I did not see that coming. 

A big thank you to my ever increasing fan base for supporting me. You guys (and gals) are terrific!

We're going to keep it rolling with all kinds of new things coming up so keep on watching!

Ciao,

Turk

So named by my niece. 
Charlotte is (I think) a Lattice Orb Weaver. She lives in a protected corner of our back porch and comes out at night to eat gnats, small flies, mosquitoes and other small flying insects. 
Normally I really don't like spiders (I'll take a shot gun to a black widow in a heartbeat) but there's something about Charlotte that's photogenic and kinda' cool. She's lazy though, since having found this perfect protected corner she doesn't bother to make a big orb web. She's just webbed up her little corner, sleeps all day, and never moves more than a foot or so in any direction at night. 

She's been there all Summer but probably won't last another month as the cold comes really quickly around here and I can't see her living long after the first frost. Such is life in the web...