Interesting Jeppe History - The first of many "coldest" days of the year 2021

 

I took this photograph today at 11:30.  The fountain was still frozen.  This fountain dates to 1893, see the inscription.

It was a very cold day.  I just had to document this.

Here are 2 photographs by Mrs Rose Acton on a warmer day

These photo's were taken by Rose Acton on 2 November 2012

Mrs Acton also sent me this photograph below

Sir Julius Jeppe with his family in front of Friedenheim

 

Left on the Folly - Old leather boot with hidden surprise

Slim pickings on the Folly lately.  I'm waiting for the rain.  Went for my walk today. 

Spotted an old leather boot (circa 1930?'s?).  It reminded me of one of the Percy Jackson Movies where the young girl becomes part of a tree ... well this boot definitely became ONE with the Folly!😏 I wanted to check it out...... but I saw some movement, dropped it!  Something was crawling inside.  At first I thought it was a spider.  THEN.... I spotted the biggest, scariest centipede that I have ever seen (except on  the National Geographic Channel ..... in the Amazon rain forest)  .. Ok quite a bit smaller!

I left the boot right there! See my pic's below.  Eew!

                                        Old leather boot found on Folly (circa 1930's?)

Spot the surprize

    

    Huge Chilopada (Centipede) in old boot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centipede

https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/species-dictionary/1374/chilopoda/observations

Forged from the Folly - Do you know what a vulcanite stopper is? No, not an army protecting Mr Spock's home planet!

 

I also didn't know until I found these,

Vulcanite bottle stopper from Stag Beer Bottle

found on the road (Hockey Astro parking area)

                                            Stopper top left, from a SAB Beer Bottle, found 

on the bank behind the hockey supporter seating

Vulcanite Bottle Stoppers

The stoppers are made by heating India rubber to 115 degrees together with linseed and sulphur.

This creates a strong and durable material.  The process is called "vulcanization".

I created this piece of ShardArt for Dave when he left Jeppe.

                        

Please check out this link - my favourite Mudlark from the UK, NICOLA WHITE

http://www.tidelineart.com/tideline-art-blog/my-story-of-vintage-vulcanite-screw-bottle-stoppers

Fungi of the Folly - Collared Mushrooms on Collard's Folly

 Earthstars, apparently these mushrooms can move

 I didn't find any "treasures" TODAY, but I spotted these yesterday and decided to investigate.  

My first impression upon seeing them was that they look like 'shrapnel'  from a biological explosion.

I haven't ever seen mushrooms like these before, apparently they are inedible.  Non toxic but they taste very bad.

They don't like flat ground, they like slopes and that's exactly where I found them (on the bank facing the astro near the refuse collection site).

    Photos by Jean Meintjes

Collared Earthstar (Geastrum triplex)

This is a description from the Department of Biology / Utah State University website

https://herbarium.usu.edu/fun-with-fungi/earth-stars

'Earthstars belong to a group of fungi called Gasteromycetes, or "stomach fungi". Their fruiting bodies are a stomach-shaped sac filled with dry spores. They are related to puffballs. Young, closed earthstars are onion-shaped. Their peridium (skin) is made up of three layers. The layers allow the earthstar to do something no other fungus can do. Earthstars can move! When it rains, the outer two layers of the peridium split and uncurl, forming a "star" with 4 to 12 rays. The inner layer of the peridium remains a closed sac.

The rays spread with enough force to push aside leaves, raising the spore-filled sac above surrounding debris. Sometimes the rays even lift the earthstar high enough to break the connection to the parent mycelium. The rays close when they dry, and the sac lowers. Some sacs release their spores when the tender inside peridium wears away. Other sacs toughen and form an opening at the top. When a raindrop strikes these sacs, it pushes in the tough wall, puffing spores out of the opening. After the spores are dispersed the sac breaks down, leaving only fragments attached to the rays. In these older specimens, the star-like rays remain open. Earthstars are found from early June to mid-September.'

Found on the Folly - I though it was a coin from 1939 - It ended up being a token from 1969

I was walking past Mr Stegman's house on my way to the Folly.  I saw a coin on the top of the bank behind the  fence.  I was very excited when I picked it up, I saw the date 1939.  

Shell had a promotional campaign in 1969.  Every time you filled your tank, they would give you a token.  You could collect the whole set, Shell would give you a mounting board to mount them on.

ttps://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia59049.html

This particular token was #11 in the series "Man in Flight".  It featured a helicopter the Sikorsky VS-300 to honour Igor Sikorsky aviation pioneer and developer of helicopters 1889-1972. This token was also minted by the Franklin Mint as a bronze and solid sterling silver coin.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.icollector.com%2F343-Igor-Sikorsky-Aviation-Pioneer-Developer-of-Helicopter-1889-1972-Proof-Bronze-Medal-1-1-2-d_i20189659&psig=AOvVaw34kdNPHgkm9AxQlTi_5Rbt&ust=1620803388273000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLCX2auJwfACFQAAAAAdAAAAABAU

Couldn't I have found the silver one?

Maybe  this token is from the Shell on the corner on Queen and Robert's Avenue .........

It doesn't seem to be that old, but it has been on the bank for 52 year's ..... It's older than I am, it's very old!!

Found on the Folly - Folly-Larking 10 May 2021

 I explored a different part of Collard's Folly today.

This is the collection of the items I found.

An interesting collection!

1 Pinnacle # 4 gold golf ball, I googled it, one blog site listed it as the number 1 worst golf ball ever made (not worth picking up) ....  now they tell me! 

https://blog.nextgengolf.org/golf-help/the-worst-golf-balls-ever-made

2 unidentified porcelain shards

2 unidentified glass shards

1 antique crowbar (rusted), circa unknown.  Why is it called a crowbar?

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62516/why-iron-lever-called-crowbar

1 Unidentified round clear jar - I'm still doing research on this one

1 Unidentified medicine bottle

1 ring pull tab for a vintage soda can circa 1963 -1980

I found this interesting website regarding the invention of the tin can, (Napoleon is linked to the invention of the tin can) very, very interesting!!!

https://www.aircontrolindustries.com/us/packaging-and-labelling-us/evolution-of-the-beverage-can/

1 Piece of clear depression glass with bubble pattern circa 1937

2 bottle necks unidentified

1 plastic Consol bottle of pure white pepper "Moir's", made in Cape Town John Moir Pty Ltd, can't find any information on this product.  

Will still try and find info on this one.  I didn't know that Consol also made plastic bottles or that Moir's distributed a range of spices.  I only know them keep a range of baking supplies and puddings. This is the first vintage plastic bottle that I have found on the Folly.

Flora and Fauna of the Folly - 18 January 2021

Flora and Fauna of the Folly 18 January 2021

Waiting for rain, no treasures today!  Thought that I would share some of the scenery of the Folly.

                                            Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Dandelions are considered as weeds by many but they have a million uses.  The roots can be used to make coffee, much like chicory.  The leaves can also be eaten in salads.

 Dandelion and honey bee on Collard's Folly

Blue crane (Grus paradisea)

As you know the blue crane is South Africa's national bird and it is also known at the Stanley crane.

'Blue Cranes have declined in numbers due to habitat loss (urbanisation and human population growth), poisoning and power-line collisions. The population appears to be stable, but is still listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.

There are only about 25 000 Blue Cranes left in the world, about half of which can be found in the Cape Overberg. All populations of Blue Crane require ongoing and thorough monitoring, as well as the implementation of appropriate management strategies in farming areas.'

https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/blue-crane/

I told Bryan Hillock once that I saw a blue crane down at the hockey astro.  He said, 'I saw a yellow crane busy with construction in Jeppestown.'..........😁

 

                                                     A blue crane on the hockey astro shade netting

                                 

                                                     A view of Collard's Folly with a blue crane and dandelion

                                                     patch

                       

                                         

                                                     Another view of the Folly where I find my treasures

Folly-Larking with Nirvana 5 May 2021

Well spotted Nirvana!  When "folly-larking" with me yesterday, Nirvana spotted a beautiful blue shard.  It had the words CHAS.    "......  CHEMI ........." embossed on it.

                                                        Blue shard spotted by Nirvana Sookdev, 5 May 2021

Well of course I did some research.  The blue shard is from a Chas Phillips Milk of Magnesia Cobalt Blue Glass Bottle, Circa, 1930's - late 1950's (I think), The Chas. H. Phillips Chemical Co. Glenbrook Conn.  Made in the USA.  

https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/MilkOfMagnesia.pdf

"Find a Penny pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck", not really, but very interesting!

1942 South Africa 1 Penny George VI

This is the very fist coin that I have found on the Folly.  It's dated 1942.  It will be displayed in the museum.

I wonder who lost this penny? It's quite large.  Mr. A.H. Childe was the Headmaster in 1942.  

Click on the link below to learn more about this penny

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces3202.html