ABC Wednesday, X for Saint Andrew, Decorative symbols in British Cathedrals.

 The letter X is a very difficult letter and often used in churches and Cathedrals. The X is the symbol dedicated to the apostel Andrew, because he was crucified on an X- shaped cross. 

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

 Even in the floor of the Cathedral you can find the shape of an X.

And in the ceiling you can find plenty of X's too.

In this cathedral the mayor has a special seat with a coat of arms bearing two crossed keys.

 The flag of Scotland has the Saint Andrew cross.

Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday X for X-shaped wall Anchors

Wall anchors were used in old buildings in the Netherlands to connect the beams of a floor with the brick wall to prevent the wall from bending outwards. They often had the shape of a couple of nummers to indicate the age of the building. Sometimes they had the shape of a letter like X or Y, or a simple I. There were also very beautifully decorated wall anchords if the building was monumental and very important.
I had  guests from South Africa, who wanted to make a boattrip under the City of Den Bosch , we saw a lot of old buildings and of course we couldn't overlook the wall anchors.Foreigners often ask what they are used for. 

 The anchors you see on the photos are the only X-shaped ones I saw in the Netherlands.

                                                        They are I-shaped,X-shaped or Y-shaped

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. Thank you Team of O. W. T.!

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and thanks to Roger. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

ABC Wednesday,X for St.Andrew's Cross

When I was in Australia in July and August this year  I saw this spider. It was not the first time that I saw this kind of spider.

 This one made its web outside the window in front of the room where I slept. It is called a St. Andrew's Cross Spider because of the shape of the web. It's a perfect X., which is the letter of this week.in the ABC on Wednesday meme, invented by Mrs. Nesbitt.

from Australian Museum

The X is called the St. Andrew's cross because it is believed that the saint was martyred on a cross of this shape rather than the conventional + shape. St.Andrew was St.Peter's brother.

 

 

 

The prey of the St Andrew's Cross Spider includes flies, moths, butterflies, bugs and bees. These are usually secured by silk wrapping into a neat parcel before being bitten - although smaller prey may be bitten first.

Other behaviours and adaptations

When threatened, the St Andrew's Cross Spider responds either by dropping from the web or shaking it so vigorously that both spider and stabilimentum become a blur, confusing its attacker. These measures don't always succeed, as indicated by empty, damaged webs and the presence of these spiders as food in the mud cells of wasps.
- See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/st-andrews-cross-spider#sthash.GqHt5NnU.dpuf

 

 

The prey of the St Andrew's Cross Spider includes flies, moths, butterflies, bugs and bees. These are usually secured by silk wrapping into a neat parcel before being bitten - although smaller prey may be bitten first.

Other behaviours and adaptations

When threatened, the St Andrew's Cross Spider responds either by dropping from the web or shaking it so vigorously that both spider and stabilimentum become a blur, confusing its attacker. These measures don't always succeed, as indicated by empty, damaged webs and the presence of these spiders as food in the mud cells of wasps.
- See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/st-andrews-cross-spider#sthash.GqHt5NnU.dpuf

Animal Species:St Andrew's Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi

St Andrew's Cross Spiders are named for their bright, cross-shaped web decorations.

St Andrew's Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi
Photographer: John Gollan © Australian Museum

Standard Common Name

St Andrew's Cross Spider

Alternative Name/s

Saint Andrew's Cross Spider

Identification

St Andrew's Cross Spiders are named for their bright web decorations - zig-zag ribbons of bluish-white silk that form a full or partial cross through the centre of the orb web. Females have a silvery carapace and a silver, yellow, red and black banded upper abdomen with two longitudinal yellow stripes below. The spider sits with the legs in pairs. The brown and cream coloured males are smaller than females.
The cream-coloured young spiders make a circular stabilimentum (like a white silk doily) that disguises them well and may also act as a sunshade. As the spider grows the 'doily' is gradually transformed into a 'cross'.

- See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/st-andrews-cross-spider#sthash.VeNU3zDG.dpuf

Animal Species:St Andrew's Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi

St Andrew's Cross Spiders are named for their bright, cross-shaped web decorations.

St Andrew's Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi
Photographer: John Gollan © Australian Museum

Standard Common Name

St Andrew's Cross Spider

Alternative Name/s

Saint Andrew's Cross Spider

Identification

St Andrew's Cross Spiders are named for their bright web decorations - zig-zag ribbons of bluish-white silk that form a full or partial cross through the centre of the orb web. Females have a silvery carapace and a silver, yellow, red and black banded upper abdomen with two longitudinal yellow stripes below. The spider sits with the legs in pairs. The brown and cream coloured males are smaller than females.
The cream-coloured young spiders make a circular stabilimentum (like a white silk doily) that disguises them well and may also act as a sunshade. As the spider grows the 'doily' is gradually transformed into a 'cross'.

- See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/st-andrews-cross-spider#sthash.VeNU3zDG.dpuf

Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, X for X

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. Thank you Team of O. W. T.!

Now, x sounds like "ks" inside of a word!

So every time you see an x, this is how it's heard—

excite, exceed, extreme, extent,

explore, explode—that's excellent!

Now, when you see an x at the end of a word,

the sound of "ks" will still be heard,

as in six, fix, ax, and mix, flex, fox, wax, and ox.

 

X shaped wall anchors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Now, x is a crossing, and x marks the spot!

If you want to know some more, this is what I've got:

When x starts a word it's got the sound of a z.

Will I give you an example? Most definitely!

 Xylophone, the instrument!

 

ABC Wednesday, X for Xylophone

From 3rd November till 10th November my sister and I stayed in a holiday park in Hoenderloo in the province of Gelderland.
Every day we walked around in this park, looking for toad-stools. Several times we passed this xylophone, which was meant for children to play on.

History

Kulintang a Kayo, a Philippine xylophone

The instrument has obscure, ancient origins. According to Nettl, it originated in southeast Asia and came to Africa c. 500 AD when a group of Malayo-Polynesian speaking peoples migrated to Africa. One piece of evidence for this is the similarity between East African xylophone orchestras and Javanese and Balinese gamelan orchestras.

The earliest evidence of a true xylophone is from the 9th century in southeast Asia, while a similar hanging wood instrument--a type of harmonicon--is said to have existed in 2000 BC in what is now part of China, according to the Vienna Symphonic Library. The xylophone-like ranat was used in Hindu regions (kashta tharang). Java and Bali use xylophones (called gambang) in gamelan ensembles. They still have traditional significance in Africa, Malaysia, Melanesia, Indonesia, Thailand, and regions of the Americas. The instrument was imported to South America by Africans, where it developed into the marimba.

We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words   beginning with X!

ABC Wednesday, X for Xiphias

 I am going to talk about the Xiphias, as my previous post was about the whale. And this fish may swim in the same waters as the whale does.

The swordfish is named after its bill resembling a sword ^. This makes it superficially similar to other billfish such as marlin, but upon examination, their physiology is quite different and they are members of different families^.

They commonly reach 3 m  in length, and the maximum reported is 4.55 m  in length and 650 kg  in weight. Females are larger than males, and Pacific swordfish reach a greater size than northwest Atlantic and Mediterranean swordfish.They reach maturity at 4–5 years of age and the maximum age is believed to be at least 9 years. The oldest swordfish found in a recent study were a 16-year-old female and 12-year-old male. Swordfish ages are derived, with difficulty, from annual rings on fin rays.

 

Swordfish have evolved to be formidable predators. They possess acute eyesight, with which they can locate prey, and their flesh consists primarily of ‘white’ muscle which provides energy for sudden bursts of activity, such as when in pursuit of their quarry . The swordfish then uses its bill to stun or impale its victim, slashes it into pieces or swallows it whole . Swordfish feed during the day , primarily on squid, but also fish and occasionally crustaceans

 

Swordfish  have special organs next to their eyes to heat their eyes and brains. Temperatures of 10 to 15°C above the surrounding water temperature have been measured. The heating of the eyes greatly improves their vision, and consequently improves their ability to catch prey.

Don't forget to link to ABC Wednesday and to mention the creator of this meme, Denise Nesbitt! 

See you!

Wil, ABCW Team

 

ABC Wednesday, X for Xanthippe

An Emblem book print portraying Xanthippe emptying a chamber pot over Socrates, from Emblemata Horatiana illustrated by Otho Vaenius, 1607

Wikipedia:
"Xanthippe means "yellow horse". Hers is one of many Greek personal names with a horse theme (cf. Philippos: "friend of horses"; Hippocrates: "horse tamer" etc.). The "hippos" in an ancient Greek name often suggested aristocratic heritage One additional reason for thinking Xanthippe's family was socially prominent was that her eldest son was named Lamprocles instead of "Sophroniscus" (after Socrates' father): the ancient Greek custom was to name one's first child after the more illustrious of the two grandfathers. Xanthippe's father is believed to have been named Lamprocles. Since he was even more well-established in Athenian aristocracy than was Socrates' father, his name would have been the preferred choice for the name of the first-born son.

Character

What I learned about Xanthippe was, that she was a real bitch especially to her husband, the great Greek philosopher Socrates. Well you can see for yourself if you look at the picture on this page. She was his second wife and a lot younger than Socrates.
 Still Plato suggests that she was nothing less than a devoted wife and mother.Though her son Lamprocles complains of her harshness.It is only in Xenophon's Symposium where we have Socrates agree that she is "the hardest to get along with of all the women there are." Nevertheless, Socrates adds that he chose her precisely because of her argumentative spirit:

It is the example of the rider who wishes to become an expert horseman: "None of your soft-mouthed, docile animals for me," he says; "the horse for me to own must show some spirit" in the belief, no doubt, if he can manage such an animal, it will be easy enough to deal with every other horse besides. And that is just my case. I wish to deal with human beings, to associate with man in general; hence my choice of wife. I know full well, if I can tolerate her spirit, I can with ease attach myself to every human being else.

  We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

ABC Wednesday, X for XXXX Bitter

An Australian without beer? Impossible. The bottle has four X's. I asked an Australian what it meant and he said it is just a particular brand. But... This is what Wikipedia says:

XXXX (pronounced fourex) is a brand of Australian beer brewed in Milton, Brisbane by Queensland brewers, Castlemaine Perkins. It enjoys wide popularity in the state of Queensland, where it is commonly found on-tap in pubs and bars.
 
The XXXX brand was first introduced in 1924 and is a throwback to the long standing tradition of using Xs to indicate the strength of an ale. The brand name also built upon XXX Sparkling Ale introduced in 1878. The brand is used on the XXXX Bitter, XXXX Gold, XXXX Light Bitter (Lager), XXXX DL (Diet Lager) and Sovereign (Lager).



 We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

Slim Dusty Lyrics " A Pub With No Beer " Oh it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come And there's a far away look on the face of the bum The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer Oh what a terrible place is a pub with no beer Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes But when he is told, he says what's this I hear I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life Why he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill dear But then he breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer Oh it's hard to believe that there's customers still But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer So it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call. But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer    <div style='padding:3px; border:1px solid #FF6600; width:310px; text-align:center'><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; height: 259px; width: 310px; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="BLOGGER_object_5" data-original-id="BLOGGER_object_5" /><br> From <b><span style='color:#FF6100'>LYRICS</span><span style='color:dodgerblue'>MODE</span>.COM</b> lyrics archive</div> <a href='http://www.lyricsmode.com' target='_blank'>Lyrics</a> | <a href='http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/slim_dusty/' target='_blank'>Slim Dusty lyrics</a> - <a href='http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/slim_dusty/a_pub_with_no_beer.html' target='_blank'>A Pub With No Beer lyrics</

ABC Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, X for X-mas

 "Christmas is a time of giving..."by Joan Walsh Anglund

It is a time of toys and drums ans dolls

Merry X-mas to you all!

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. 

We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

A time of presents tucked in secret places

ABC Wednesday, X of Xerxes

                                

                                                   Queen Esther wife of King Xerxes.


The letter X is not easy at all, but lo and behold there is a name in the bible beginning with X! Xerxes! Because of him Israel celebrates Purim every year.

 King Xerxes held a 180-day feast in Susa (Shoushan). While in "high spirits" from the wine, he ordered his queen, Vashti, to appear before him and his guests to display her beauty. But  she refused to come. Furious at her refusal to obey, the king asked his wise men what should be done. One of them said that all the women in the empire would hear that "The King Xerxes commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not." Then the women of the empire would despise their husbands. And this would cause many problems in the kingdom. Therefore it would be good to depose her.

To find a new queen suitable to King Xerxes, it was decreed that beautiful young virgins be gathered to the palace from every province of his kingdom. For his wife and queen, King Xerxes chose  the Jewish girl Esther, an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, to replace the recalcitrant Queen Vashti. Esther was originally named Hadassah, meaning myrtle.

                                      Haman and King Xerxes at Esther's party.


 When I went to Israel in March the Purim festivities were going on. Purim is based on the story of Esther king Xerxes or Ahasueros, Haman and Mordecai. It is the happiest festivity of the year. Esther saved her people from the slaughter Haman had planned. King Xerxes was furious and punished Haman and his sons. You can read the whole story in the bible in the book of Esther.
Purim was also celebrated in my country in Jewish communities. There were photos of children in my newspaper ,who were disguised in all kind of fancydresses.

Chagai is ten years old. The mask is part of a wizzard outfit.

Esther is 4 years old. Isn't she a lovely bride?

Sweet Binjomin is a lovely fireman of six.

 I thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.We started round 10 of the fascinating meme of ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

Next week I will be in Australia. I don't know if I can answer your comments, but I do have 

 scheduled all my ABC posts. I hope to be back on the 24th July. Have a nice month!

Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, X in Windmill Language.

As I live in the vicinity of the Kinderdijk windmills, I am always ready to tell something about them. The wings of the mills were used to signal to the other
millers. The position of the wings is important. The X position means that the miller is taking a long break. Some of the mills are having a break on these photos.

WINDMILL LANGUAGE
For centuries windmills played an important role in the local community: farmers not only visited them with their grain but also with the latest gossip. Because windmills were visible from afar, changes to their appearance were soon noticed. Important events in the community, such as births, deaths, marriages and other festivities were signaled by the position of the sails and the manner in which they were hung. Furthermore, by using certain signals the miller could for example call for the millhand to come, communicate that the mill was temporarily not working or that the miller urgently required work. Even today the mills mark festivities and sorrowful occasions, using the 'windmill language'.

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with X.

ABC Wednesday X for X-Files

A long time ago we used to watch the X-Files with the agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. We were fascinated by their adventures and wouldn't miss an episode. Some months ago I saw a movie of the X-Files again.


The film opens in North Texas, 35,000 BC. Entering a cave, a Neanderthal man stumbles upon what appears to be a large extraterrestrial lifeform. They fight and the caveman wins, stabbing the creature to death, but is infected by black oil. In 1998 small-town Texas, a young boy (Lucas Black) falls down a hole and finds a human skull. As he picks it up, black oil seeps out from the ground and slithers up his body until it reaches his head, causing his eyes to turn black. Firefighters descend into the hole to rescue him but are not seen again. A team of biohazard-suited men arrive on the scene.

Meanwhile, FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) have been assigned to other projects since the closure of the X-Files. They are helping to investigate a bomb threat against a federal building in Dallas, Texas. Mulder scouts out a building across the street from the believed target and discovers the bomb in a vending machine. Special Agent in Charge Michaud stays behind to disarm the bomb as Mulder and Scully evacuate the building. Unknown to the agents, Michaud makes no effort to disarm the bomb, which ultimately detonates.

Returning to Washington, D.C., Mulder and Scully are chastised because four people were still in the building when it exploded. They are scheduled separate hearings at which their job performances will be evaluated. That evening, Mulder encounters a paranoid doctor, Alvin Kurtzweil (Martin Landau), who explains that the four victims were already dead, and that the bomb was allowed to detonate to destroy the evidence of how they died.

Mulder and Scully travel to the crime scene in Texas. On the way they follow a convoy of tanker trucks to a large cornfield surrounding two bright, glowing domes. When they enter the domes, they find them empty, but grates in the floor open up and a thick swarm of bees forces the agents out onto the cornfield. Soon black helicopters appear overhead, chasing them, and the two escape back to Washington.

Upon their return, Mulder unsuccessfully tries to seek help from Kurtzweil, while Scully attends her performance hearing and learns that she is to be transferred to Salt Lake City, Utah. Mulder is devastated to lose Scully as a partner. The two share a tender moment, when Scully is stung by a bee which had lodged itself under her shirt collar. She quickly loses consciousness. Mulder calls for emergency aid but when an ambulance arrives, the driver shoots Mulder in the head and whisks Scully away. Awaking in hospital, Mulder is informed that the bullet only grazed his temple, and leaves with the assistance of the Lone Gunmen. He is accosted by a former adversary, the Well-Manicured Man (John Neville), who gives him Scully's location in Antarctica along with a vaccine to combat the virus that has infected her. The Well-Manicured Man then commits suicide before his betrayal of The Syndicate (a shadow government group working against Mulder and Scully) is discovered.

Mulder travels to Antarctica to save Scully, and discovers a secret underground laboratory run by their enemy the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis). Mulder uses the vaccine to revive Scully, disrupting the stable environment of the lab and reviving the cocooned aliens. The lab is destroyed just after Mulder and Scully escape to the surface, when an alien vessel lying dormant beneath it leaves its underground port and launches into the sky. Mulder watches the ship fly directly overhead and disappear into the distance, as Scully regains consciousness.

Some time later, Mulder and Scully attend a hearing where their testimony is ignored, and the evidence covered up. The only remaining proof of their ordeal is the bee that stung Scully, collected by the Lone Gunmen. She hands it over, noting that the FBI does not currently have an investigative unit qualified to pursue the evidence at hand. Later, appalled by the media's cover-up of the incident, Mulder tries to persuade Scully to leave his crusade. She refuses, saying, "If I quit now, they win."

At another crop outpost in Tunisia, the Cigarette Smoking Man hands Strughold a telegram revealing that the X-Files unit has been re-opened

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.We started round 8 of the fascinating meme of ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with X.