“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”
Word of the day: myrmecophilous – having a symbiotic relationship with ants
This morning my train got cancelled! Which means I ended up sitting in a carriage with all the wrong people, going from the wrong station. I’ll have to wait until Monday to see Angry Staring Man and the twins again.
However I did make two interesting discoveries today. One was that the seed head of Melianthus (pic above) makes a very satisfying popping sound when you squeeze it, far more delightful than bubble wrap. I showed some to Dan and his eyes grew wide as he began popping feverishly away, then I showed Jessica and she was soon jumping up and down on them. I reckon I could market them:
Melianthus bubblepop! The all natural way to relax.
Bubblepop, no plastic, no toxins, just soothing pops to ease your mood.
The other discovery happened when I pulled back a dead leaf and discovered an ants’ nest underneath. They hadn’t even bothered burying their army in the ground. The swarms of flying and pedestrian ants quickly fled to hid under another leaf, but I got a photo.
Oh AND the brilliant Calmgrove has been doubting the veracity of some of my words of the day and has challenged me to use them in a story. I’m not sure how that would prove anything, but I think it’s an excellent idea all the same. It won’t be easy, but I’ll see what I can do.
inkbiotic 
I try to use a word I have only just discovered most days – well, actually, I say ‘only just discovered’ but, most of the time I mean ‘made up’.
Words are to be enjoyed and, if a word doesn’t exist to describe what you want to say, just invent one. If it doesn’t mean what you think it does, then make it!
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You should put them altogether, make a whole new Meaning of Liff 🙂
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I would settle for one percent of Douglas Adams between the ears…
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Well, yes, although knowing my luck the 1% wouldn’t be from his brain, I’d end up with one of his toes lodged in my cranium.
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Bubble wrap is the best stress reliever. Ah! I love it
Btw, if you market the ‘natural bubble wrap’ it will be a super profitable business (I guess?).
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I swear this stuff is even more satisfying than bubble wrap! When I set up my business, I’ll make sure you get a load to play with 😀
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I would love to be a customer!🌸
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😀 !
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Hah, I knew really you hadn’t made them up! For example, I recognise your ant word as related to the Myrmidons, whose ancestor was the son of a princess seduced by Zeus — as an ant. (That’s what she said, anyway.)
I agree with what Colin says above about enjoying words. Interesting too — and I may write a post about it — that the word ‘invention’ which we think of as ‘making things up’ is from the Latin invenire, meaning ‘to come upon, to discover’. In other words, when we invent something it’s as if we chance across something already existing, waiting there to be noticed.
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😉 I know! Just playing! I do like the idea of writing them in a story though, I’m not sure if it’s possible, but only posting them is a bit of an easy cop out, and it means I forget them too quickly.
I didn’t know that about invenir, that’s what writing stories feels like a lot for me – I know I’m making stuff up, but it feels like it was there waiting for me to find it. 🙂
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