the famous sunflower, hub, mime

Once there was a sunflower, high up on top of a tall, thin stalk. The stalk was, very tall and thin, because the sun had not shone this year, as it promised to do every year. And the plant had consequently stretched and stretched up into the sky to see if it could find where the sun was hiding. The sunflower's petals drooped in despair and its brown face could not raise a smile. But, because the sun had broken its promise, everyone, not just the sunflower, was unhappy. People looked up at the sunflower and said: "You may not be the sun himself but you do look a bit alike, you and the sun!" "Do we?" said the sunflower, flattered. "I may be a poor substitute," it said, "but I will, as a look-alike, try to offer a little warmth and friendliness in the sun's place. And the sunflower swelled and spread out its petals. And, though it was not springtime, the birds began to sing, possibly in anticipation of a feast of seeds. And bees flew up to it and harvested the golden pollen from the flower's stamens, which stood up like landing lights on an airfield.
Although barely audible to human ears, the din of all this was considerable, like a symphony orchestra tuning up. Spiders and earwigs heard it. Hover flies and butterflies and field mice heard it. Even foxes slipping though the long, wet grass heard it. The sun, too, heard it, and came through the clouds to see what the fuss was about. "Oh my, oh my," said the sun, "That's a famous sunflower! And concentrating all its heat, burnt off the clouds, which left behind a blue and translucent sky. It was a perfect background for a famous sunflower. And the sunflower's petals began to sway in a slow and graceful dance, as though someone was playing the flute.

I have more devices which require USB connection on my computer than I have USBs. The tangle of wires behind the computer is something, which, like my own entrails, I prefer not to think about. A USB hub, which provides four USB connections from one on the computer seemed to be the answer. But the one which I bought a year or more ago never worked and I didn't know why. Until today, that is, when I learn that it needs to be powered. The neat powered hub (Sitecom 4 port) which I now have connected, works well (where have I seen that phrase?) and I can plug in a memory stick, and two cameras, without ungainly and uncomfortable contortions, which do not befit a man of my years.

Some of the things, which you note, when looking for beautiful things every day, are often strange and surreal. Today I see from the bedroom window a small cloud of smoke suspended in the air beside the wall of the house opposite, which is at right angles to my field of vision. Next I see a head and then a hand holding a cigarette, all in profile. Head, hand, cigarette and smoke seem to be engaged in some kind of mime, attempting to define perhaps what life is about.