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The first week of December saw clear skies, twinkling planet’s making 5 point star signatures, silvery moon’s
There is a whole school of thought that the gravitational influence of the moon has a triggering effect on geological events!
In theory, this slight deformation of the Earth’s crust could be sufficient to trigger an earthquake—like the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Most earthquakes occur on preexisting tectonic lines, and the majority do occur as a result of geophysical processes, but there may be some correlation [between the moon] and earthquakes,” Chester said. source National Geographic News
” Geoff Chester, US Naval observatory. Washington.”
Today: Moon rise 12:22 PM Sunset 4:01 PM.
On this Day: December 6th 1907
Over 300 coal miners die in an explosion Monongah, West Virginia.
Nicola Avenue Merritt lit up for after pavement and traffic island redo.
Some people suffer from SAD , Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal celebration lighting may help.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that “some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up.”[6] The condition in the summer can include heightened anxiety.[7 source Wikipedia
The affliction may happen it summer change and may also have something to do with course change.
The shortest day is on December 21st at 10:44 UTC time. The north pole will be at its greatest distance from the Sun at minus 23 degrees . The sun will rise at 8:01 AM and set at 3:59 PM making for 7 hours and 58 minutes , 7:57:58 for you rocket science people.
Be happy be glad today is yours to have its 24 hours just like everyone else alive.
Best Western under construction in Merritt includes EV stations Photo KDG
Best Western under construction in Merritt includes EV stations Photo KDG
A couple of new motor hotels are nearing completion in Merritt. A Best Western and Comfort Inn have been under construction for some time. an unconfirmed source says that a Tesla quick charger will be included in the mix that will be twice as fast as the quick charger on Voght street, downtown.
The new buildings are at the entrance of Merritt, off highway 5 and 5A.
Cladding going on new power plant. Photo KDG The co gen plant is having its cladding up and moving to completion.
The plant is quite a presence on the hillside south east of Merritt, lighting gives a pronounced signature. Once cladding is on and it is started up it should have less light pollution as visibility is a safety concern at this time. source.
Dr Kerridge gives a talk on bats at Nicola Naturlists. File photo KDG
The Nicola Naturalists are having a night on Bobcats and their possible change of range. The meeting is at the local community college ,top of the hill, Belshaw avenue on November 17th, 7:30 PM, in the lecture theater.
T.J. Gooliaff is a graduate student at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna. He is studying Bobcat and Lynx distributions in the BC Interior. Climate change is causing numerous species across the planet to shift their range to higher latitudes and elevations. Using historic harvest records and sightings, T.J. is analyzing whether Bobcats and Lynx are among those species moving northwards. He is also using photographs submitted by the public to map the current provincial distribution of both species. This will be a fascinating presentation on these elusive cats.
The Ware family at the end of Garcia street had trouble with a Bobcat and chickens on their property at the end of Garcia street on the Nicola river last year. The property historically a small farm has an application to the change the zoning from single family residential to agricultural. The Bob cat was destroyed and the noise from the acreages chickens when disturbed is a concern.
Bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects, chickens, geese and other birds and small rodents to deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although with some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.
Source Wikipedia
The group is getting ready for its participation in their Christmas bird count on December 18th. The count is a global effort and monitors birds health and numbers for various conservation or interdiction reasons.
You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate in our Christmas Bird Count. It is a great way to get to learn the local winter birds – each birding group has at least one experienced birder. Followed by a festive potluck for participants. If you are interested in participating and not already on the contact list send us an e-mail nicolanaturalists@gmail.com
Kingfisher birds were happily working the local river down town Merritt. They are ” responsible for missing salmon populations” source ” tongue in cheek”
On this Day: October 11th 1952
A British report is published saying children under 15 die by accident more often in the home than any other place, mostly from burns and scalding.
The Local Naturalist Society is having the first of its fall/ winter monthly meetings on the 15th.
The meeting features a members photo night as well as an annual business meeting and election of directors.
Evening meetings of the Nicola Naturalist Society are held at 7PM on the third Thursday of the month in the Lecture Theater of NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology) on Belshaw Road, Merritt. Admission is free to members. We have awesome raffles. Nicola Naturalists
On this day: September 7th 2008
The United States Government takes control of defaulting (conservator ship) mortgage company’s Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac.
The 138 KV power line is in to the new wood waste generator, coming down Voght Street from the new upgraded substation behind the court house it goes across Central Park’s western boundary with the gated community known as Sherwood park ( after the developer Ron Sherwood a long time city councilor that developed it and is now retired to Victoria.). It crosses the highway up the hill from Norgaards Ready Mix,after coming across the Nicola Valley Golf and Country Clubs fairway. Down the hill and past the Osprey nest on the highway 8 entrance to town, where it continues across the then Nicola River to twin steel poles leading across the old John Collet Ranch/ Jon Peachy Buffalo Ranch. Onward to cross the Midday Valley Road to the 40 Mega Watt plant,still under construction.
The highlight of the line were the ropes left strung, for some weeks from the pole that supports the Osprey nest to a pole across the Nicola River. It was taunting to see the Osprey return then build a new nest on the cleared off platform while attached by ropes to the power line. The Hydro crews eventually came and placed a new pole 10 feet away from the nest and towering 15 feet above it.
The activity did not seem to put any stress on the birds who still continue their normal fishing and mating activity.( it will be interesting to watch when the line is energized although the birds will make nests on the top of regular power poles with seeming immunity to any kind of harm.) There are about a half dozen of the birds in area) ,only a single pair occupy the nest.
Nest gone File Photo KDG
The operation was supervised by a biologist working with the Lower Nicola Indian Band.
Ospreys returned from where they go in the winter File Photo KDG
On this day: June 15th 1934
The Smokey Mountain national park is established.
Leaf has direct connection to 500 volt quick charger in Merritt. Photo KDG
hydro replaceing aging and not so aging poles File photo KDG
Hydro showing their online consumption tracking. File photo KDG
New nest on live hydro pole no good for authorities!
A Hydro worker turns on power again on Voght street. File photo KDG
Auger on Voght Photo KDG
Voght street Office of a local mine benifiting from new Hydro infrastructure. File Photo KDG
Hydro people reading for a line burial on Voght File photo KDG
Pole installation and work on Voght street Merritt. File photo KDG Photo KDG
A transformer is replaced on Quilchena Saturday morning BC Hydro
The old substation off Voght is demonstrably going away with equipment on site removing the obsolete decades old transformers and structures. The new one was opened last fall and can be remotely operated from the Fraser Valley with a dish aimed at the towers on Iron Mountain.
The project occurred in the same time frame as the third 500 KV line to the Lower Mainland from the Revel stoke dam area.
The Merritt substation project includes an upgrade of a 61 KV line to the highland Valley and its biggest consumer the giant Teck, Highland Valley copper mine. The upgrade is to a 138 KV line coming from the Merritt Green Energy Project a 40 KV wood over steam electric generator that will burn green wood waste from three local mills. Sources say that the contractor is hoping to turn the keys over to the operator next year possibly March. The Merritt Green Energy Project is licensed by BC Hydro and uses public transmission lines.
The project created a lot of jobs including many members of the local First nations bands. It also generated ongoing relationships with band governments.
The lines for the green energy project are a this moment in progress to the Green Energy project including a crossing by the Osprey nest on Highway 8 coming into Merritt from the west. The ospreys returned to a cleaned off nesting platform this spring but rebuilt it in the shadow of ropes and new poles going up around them.
On this Day: May 24th 1626
Peter Minuit buys Manhattan for tools Wampum and other wares.
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