Eclectic posts from a retired Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics, now enjoying life house renovating, dog walking, gardening, & travelling.https://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mx33its6qs2qDelayed travelog, Day 4: After a morning exploring Seattle, & discovering some things that we weren’t allowed to do (1 & 2), we arrived at King Street Station to catch the Amtrak train back to Vancouver (3), arriving later that day into Pacific Central Station (4). A fabulous journey. See ALT text.04 Oct 2026 18:59 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx33its6qs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mwyxmzycvc2qDelayed travelogue: Day 3, Vancouver to Seattle. 1) early morning at the Vancouver harbour sea plane terminal for the short hop to Seattle. 2) the Seattle Space Needle seen from the Chihuly glass museum. 3 & 4) some of the many incredible Chihuly glass sculptures. The museum is well worth a visit.03 Oct 2026 22:44 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyxmzycvc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mwydgb5jek27I’m off to a school reunion tonight (Longdean School in Hemel Hempstead). We left 46 years ago; 46 seems like an odd number for a reunion, but that’s how it is. My old tie is a bit short!03 Oct 2026 16:43 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwydgb5jek27https://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mww7323mnc2kDelayed travelogue: Day 2. Exploring Vancouver. 1) the Capilano suspension bridge. 2) the view from the top of Grouse Mountain.02 Oct 2026 20:20 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mww7323mnc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mwtr267mxk2pI’ve been a bit quiet on here for the past 3 weeks as I’ve been away, I’ll now share the adventure with a 3 week buffer delay. Day 1: how it started, how it went, how it ended. 1) Leaving LBA for AMS. 2) en route to Vancouver. 3) a view from the hotel. 4) dinner & beer at the Stanley Park Brewery.01 Oct 2026 21:03 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwtr267mxk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mwgcfvdpxk2aI just received this via LinkedIn, do I look like I need a job?26 Sep 2026 12:37 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwgcfvdpxk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mvoxekbwn22tHannah & her favourite ball, which marches the marigolds.17 Sep 2026 05:48 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvoxekbwn22thttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mvm6i52an22uThis is a really great book! It gets you hooked early on, even though you don’t know where it’s going, it’s complex, but then everything comes together in such a clever way. It’s fabulous. Beautifully written. Highly recommended. @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social16 Sep 2026 03:17 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvm6i52an22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3muxkyc3bv227Just had a flash back 😬 It’s been a long job, but after the second coat of PolyX waxoil it’s looking OK.07 Sep 2026 22:35 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3muxkyc3bv227https://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3muxjhb4tgs27Long shadows on my early morning walk07 Sep 2026 22:08 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3muxjhb4tgs27https://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mux6sw46622rBessera elegans flowering in the kitchen tonight.07 Sep 2026 18:57 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mux6sw46622rhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3musg5amdqc2sHow it started, how it’s going. When you clean up reclaimed parquet tiles, lay the floor, sanded it flat, fill the gaps & chips, & then sanded it again & again with finer sandpaper, you know if you have laid a good floor, but it’s only when the PolyX waxoil goes on that the work of art is revealed.05 Sep 2026 21:25 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3musg5amdqc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mus56k64us26The gingers are putting on an incredible show this year 😍 Around 20 flowered heads of various species/cultivars still to open. I can’t normally smell flowers, but these smell like lilies (a smell I seriously dislike). They look great, but smell sickly sweet to me.05 Sep 2026 18:45 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mus56k64us26https://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mupx5wa5jk2rWe have peppers 🌶️ 😊04 Sep 2026 21:52 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupx5wa5jk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3muptdct5622rBessera elegans, such an elegant plant.04 Sep 2026 20:43 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3muptdct5622rhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mulahfzxls2pReclaimed oak parquet, reclaimed, laid, & sanded. Sawdust filler with resin to fill the gaps. Almost done now.03 Sep 2026 00:55 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mulahfzxls2phttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3muikiszxk22sThe swallows are planning an exodus summer is now autumn.01 Sep 2026 23:16 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3muikiszxk22shttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mufqs4fkps2cA good showing in the local produce show today, two 1sts, two 2nds, & two 3rds. My favourite was the ‘three stems in a vase’; Hedychium gardnerianum & Hedychium ‘tara’ came up trumps. My hand carved loo roll holder didn’t get a prize, but got a few laughs. Mrs G got three 1sts, a 2nd, & a 3rd.31 Aug 2026 20:31 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufqs4fkps2chttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3muakccqbq22vTime to change the parquet floor sanding pad.29 Aug 2026 18:52 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3muakccqbq22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mu3vnl2ick2xI’ve entered 9 categories for the local village produce show. MrsG has also entered 9, & hers are more edible than floral. This is the hand-crafted item I’m entering, whittled from the off-cut of an oak barn roof truss. I hope it’s in with a shout for a rosette that will brighten the downstairs loo.27 Aug 2026 22:31 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3vnl2ick2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/pmgilmartin.bsky.social/post/3mtzdqywy7c2fThe last parquet floor I will ever lay.26 Aug 2026 22:06 +0000at://did:plc:vrrfdnyucbxa4chpnnjvg775/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtzdqywy7c2f