Random ramblings: catching up with an M.I.A. CrazyCris

First of all: THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the 5th Annual World Oceans Day Oceanic Blog-A-Thon! There were some wonderful entries, and I'm so glad we could get together again to share our love for the oceans in our little corner of the blog-o-sphere! :o)

But that was almost 3 months ago... where did the time go?! :o(

And thus the title of this post. So... yeah. Sorry 'bout that! I've definitely been M.I.A. since World Oceans Day, and even for a bit before that! And sadly I don't think I'll be very active in the near future... although I promise to try!

And here's why! Good things and bad things.

Oceanic Blog-A-Thon 2013

Welcome one, welcome all!!!

Did you know that over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water? This makes our planet quite unique, as its the only one in our Solar System with liquid water. So when do we get to rebaptise the planet "Ocean"? ;o)

Did you know that there are over 250'000 identified marine species? 98% of which live on the ocean floors (benthic species) and only 2% in the water column (pelagic species). Plants, animals, micro-organisms... Plants that range from single-celled algae (phytoplankton) to the prairies of seagrass Posidonia oceanica that carpet parts of the Mediterranean seabed, to the impressive kelp forests along the western coast of North America. Microscopic zooplankton which is eaten by slightly larger krill which in turn is eaten by the largest animal on the planet, the massive blue whale! There are animals that live "stuck" on the ocean floor (corals, sponges etc.), and animals that cross vast distances to get from breeding grounds to feeding grounds each year (humpback whales for example). Life on this planet originated in the oceans and eventually crawled out onto land, and in the oceans we can find species which have been around for millions of years!

Who am I??? I am a...

It's finally here! The day you've all been waiting for! The answer to my World Oceans Day riddle!!! ;o)

First of all I just wanted to give a big thank you to Kim from Snug Harbour Bay whose holiday photos from Sanibel Island gave me the idea to choose this critter, and her daughter Chablis who kindly sent me a series of photos she took so I could use them in this post! :o)

Let's start by reviewing the clues, which I've enhanced with a few links to useful information. Try and figure it out as we go along, no cheating by jumping to the end! :p
 

1. I am a LIVING FOSSIL! I am very old. I pre-date flying insects, dinosaurs and man.

2. I am a marine animal, with only four species alive today.

3. My closest living relatives are found on land. (I do have one lesser-known distant cousin who still lives in the ocean like me)

Who am I? (5)

It's the final day in the World Oceans Day guessing game!!! And these last three clues pretty much give it all away! You'll get the full scoop on our mystery critter tomorrow during the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon!

Ready?  

Set? 

GO!!!

13. My first pair of appendages, which I use to place food in my mouth, are called chelicerae. They're present in all my relatives, which is why our subphylum is called the Chelicerata.

14. Some people find my shape reminds them of a horseshoe...

15. My name is a misnomer! I am not a crab!!! (but we are distantly related)

WHO AM I???

Who am I? (4)

Ready for the next batch of clues in our World Oceans Day guessing game? If you think you know who it is, perhaps these will help you confirm your guess! If not... maybe these will be the ones to guide you to an answer. Good luck!

Remember: you'll get the answer this Friday in time for the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon!

Here are today's clues:

10. I come out at night to eat worms and small molluscs, but hide (usually in the sand) during the day.

11. If I'm a male I'm smaller than the females and my first pair of "legs", the pedipalps, are modified as a grasping appendage so I can hold on to the female during spawning.

12. We (males and females) meet up on the beach during spawning season (May-June). I detect her through the pheromones she releases, and "hold on" to her as she lays the clutches of eggs while I fertilize them.

WHO AM I?

Who am I? (3)

Day three means three new clues to help you identify the mysterious oceanic critter!
Maybe these will be the ones to help you figure it out?
You'll get the answer on Friday in time for the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon!

Here are your new clues!

7. I have two compound lateral eyes and five simple eyes on my carapace. 

8. I "breathe" (capture oxygen from the water) using book gills (flat, leaflike gills), present on some of my abdominal appendages.

9. I am a true blue-blood! (You can call me "your highness"!) This is because my blood uses hemocyanin instead of hemoglobin to carry oxygen. The copper present in the hemocyanin makes it blue!

WHO AM I?

Previous clues here and here. New clues tomorrow! 

Who am I? (2)

Day two of our World Oceans Day guessing game, and three new clues to help you identify the mysterious oceanic critter! The riddle will be solved on Friday in time for the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon!

Here are your new clues! (first batch of clues here)

4. I can walk using my five pairs of walking legs. I have an extra pair of cephalothorax appendages which I use to get food to my mouth. These have a special name which I won't share just yet 'cause they might give the whole game away! ;o)

5. I can swim ("upside down"!) using my abdominal plates (fused abdominal appendages)

6. I have a hard dorsal shell called a carapace and a long needle-shaped tailpiece called a telson. In order to grow in size I will have to molt, shed my shell, several times during my life.

WHO AM I?

Newer clues here.

Who am I? (1)

 

Since it seemed to be quite popular last year and the year before (follow the links and try to guess!), my contribution to the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon this year is going to be another marine animal guessing game! Five posts with three clues each... feel free to ask questions or guess the answer in the comments!

Friday I'll post the answer and launch the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon. I sure hope you're planning on joining in! ;o)

Now... let the World Oceans Day guessing game begin!!!

1. I am very old. I pre-date flying insects, dinosaurs and man.

2. I am a marine animal, with only four species alive today.

3. My closest living relatives are found on land. (I do have one lesser-known distant cousin who still lives in the ocean like me)

WHO AM I???

(You didn't think I'd make it easy right at the beginning, did you?) ;o)

More clues here.

Join the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon for World Oceans Day!

Only one week to go until World Oceans Day!!! :o)

Have you made any plans? Checked out the events listed at the World Oceans Day website to see if there's anything taking place near you? Or perhaps created your own event?

I'm sure you been thinking about what to write for the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon next weekend!!! Right?!?!?!
I've finally figured out what my contribution will be from this blog (still have to find time for the post from CrisCrossing the Globe), I'm going to introduce you to a funky oceanic critter... but first you have to try and guess who it is!!! Three clues a day starting tomorrow... good luck! ;o)


Although things have been quiet here on the blog (one of these days I'll have to explain my disappearing act this spring), I have been getting ready for World Oceans Day and the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon! I've submitted it as an official event on the WOD website, hopefully it will appear there soon. And I've created an event page you can join on Facebook! I also learnt how to launch a hash tag on Twitter... I had no idea it was so simple! So you can expect updates on the FB event page and on Twitter via #oceanicblogathon. :o)


And now, time for ...

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Write a post on your blog on an ocean-related theme any time this week or next weekend. Can be anything you like! Need ideas? Check out posts from previous editions: 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009. Don't have a blog but would like to participate anyway? You can write a guest post on either of my blogs Here and There and Everywhere or CrisCrossing the Globe.

2. Send me the link! Either in a comment under this post, on the Facebook event page, on Twitter or by e-mail (crazycrisblogger atgmailetc. -am trying to avoid the spambots).

3. I will write up an introduction to your post and link up to it here at the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon so other participants and visitors will know where to find it!

4. Remember:

• Link back to the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon in your post!
• Go read the other participating posts and leave them a comment!
• Check back in to the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon several times over the weekend as I'll be updating it each time I get a new submission. (I'll announce updates on Facebook and Twitter)

5. Spread the word! The more people participate in the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon the more interesting it will be for all of us! Go ahead and use the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon poster above.

6. HAVE FUN!!! :o)

I hope to sea many of you here next weekend! ;o)

What say we end this on a musical note? Deep Sea News posted a series of oceanic songs a while back and this seems like the perfect time to share some of them with you! Enjoy! :o)

 

Cruel Albion

Although really I should be saying "Cruel Hispania", since Spain's the real culprit here!

Why "Cruel Albion"? Well basically because when I was walking around Bristol a few weeks ago, the city proceeded to torture me by having a series of posters on display that were pretty much taunting me whenever I turned my head... Taunting me about what? Here, take a look:

Arrrrrrrrrghhhhhh!!!

Rub it in my face England why don't you! Same goes for the rest of the world!!! And the worst offender is my sister in New Zealand who was taunting me 10 days ago about already having seen it (before the rest of the world)!!!

So what's the big deal? Why don't I just go see it for myself and stop complaining? Because in Spain it's not coming out until JULY!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrr.... How dare they!!! I've been impatiently waiting for mid-May to arrive for months!!! And now I have to wait an extra 2 months?!?!?! It's almost enough to drive me to log onto the Ryanair website and get myself a ticket to the UK... almost. I'm not that crazy! Although once upon a time I did used to go to Holland from Belgium just to watch movies in English instead of French... But to be fair... Maastricht was only a 20' drive from Liège, and there were several of us in the car who did not want to see Harry Potter (and several others) in French so... not that crazy of me... :p

Almost 2 months... I keep hearing good things about it and am trying real hard to stay away from spoilers. July 5th can't get here soon enough!!!

World Ocean's Day is only a month away!

OMG! How did I let so much time pass before reminding you guys about World Oceans Day?! In my mind I was going to do this monthly reminder with photos and videos starting in January... but I've been so busy I never got around to it! :o(

So listen up people (for those who don't already know):

JUNE 8th IS WORLD OCEANS DAY!!!

Yup, it's an official (UN-declared) day dedicated to our Seas and Oceans! Considering our planet is 80% covered by water it seems fitting the Oceans should get at least one day a year for themselves!

Snapshots from a Somerset weekend

Just wanted to share a few moments with you from my fabulous weekend visiting with US cousins in Somerset... My life is so hectic at the moment who knows when I'll be able to do a proper post!

So these are all taken with my iPhone (I'm writing this while on the train, will post it next time I get wifi access). Photos are (I can't write in between them when posting from phone):

• In Montacute House with my cousins Mary and Kristy waiting for the wedding.
• The church in Montacute where the religious service took place.
• Visiting the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey.
• Goofing off (unavoidable!).
• Saying goodbye to our National Trust owned Stembridge Cottage and Windmill (our lodgings for the weekend).
• Hanging out with Queen Bess in St Mary Redcliff church in Bristol. Plus views of the church in and out. One of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen!
• And me and Pol saying goodbye to Bristol as I write this on the airport shuttle... which has WiFi!!!

On the road again!

I can't seem to stay put! I'm off for another long weekend, once again to a wedding! This time destination UK, and I'm not really going for the wedding, but to meet some friends-relatives from the US who are there for the wedding!

Confused yet? How 'bout this: these friends are almost relatives! Almost??? Well, they are my aunt's (as in my uncle's wife) sister Mary and niece Kristy! But Kristy and I have so much in common we've decided there must be a genetic connection in there somewhere (we're both redheads after all!), other than both us simply being cousins of our cousin James! :p

Oh, and we've never met in person, just on Facebook! I did meet her mom in Paris two years ago when I had a 2-day layover on my return from New Zealand! My aunt told me several of her siblings would be un Paris at the same time as me and I should try hooking up with them. Which resulted in a lovely afternoon and evening and a new friendship with Mary on FB! And a short while later with her daughter Kristy after frequently replying to each other's comments on Mary's FB wall :p

Now we get to meet in person for the first time and I'm really excited! It's also the first time I meet up in person with someone who had previously just been a cyberfriend (FB, blog etc...). When people look at me funny when I talk about someone as a "Facebook" or "Blogging" friend I try to explain that it's pretty much the equivalent of "pen pals" of old, but better 'cause the response time is shorter and we have the added benefit of sharing photos/videos/links... I love the Internet and social networking!!! :o)

I'm off! Hopefully my extremely hectic work schedule will lighten up soon and I'll be able to do some more regular blogging...

Remembering a Polish Easter...

Originally posted April 13th 2009. I'm reposting this now because I think it will interest some of you who didn't read it back in the day! Happy Easter to all! :o)

 -*-*-*-*-*-*-
All this Easter talk and reading (I've been visiting other blogs) has reminded me that I discovered some new (for me) Easter traditions when I was visiting friends on a wonderful trip to Poland several years ago and I'd like to share them (and some of my photos from the trip, click on them for bigger views) here with you.

Statue of Pope John Paul II in Warsaw

Torrijas: French toast is a special Holy Week food in Spain???

Torrijas are a typical sweet in Spain during Holy Week. You see them on the menus of cafés or for sale in many bakeries. I bought a couple of slices the other day for my "merienda" (mid-afternoon snack) and boy were they yummy! But I got to wondering why on earth were they considered a Holy Week specialty??? I mean, torrijas are basically French toast made with baguette!!! (Note: in France they make the same thing and call it "pain perdu" or "lost bread", and as far as I know it's not a special Holy Week thing.) In my family French toast is breakfast and is valid all year round (unless we start worrying about calories and stuff, which we don't... which explains a lot!).

Delicious torrijas in my local bakery