“Oak before ash, in for a splash; ash before oak, in for a soak” Thus runs the old country saying, suggesting that if the ash tree comes into leaf first, there will be more rain than if the oak tree does. This year, the ash trees are still…
Tag: zero footprint
An activity that involves minimal travel and thus carbon dioxide generation. In my books, that means no flying or long car journeys to get there.
Just a tiny autumnal still life encountered walking up the lane. At this time of year, there are lots of finches hopping about under the beech trees, especially where passing cars have broken the beechnuts so they are easier to peck at. When I was at junior school,…
Warm sunny autumn days are too precious to waste, so when I looked out the bedroom window and saw mist lying in the valley, I quickly got dressed and went out for a short walk with the camera. I’m so glad I did – it was one of…
Sometimes, it’s the tiniest thing that makes an image work. I’ve banged on before about how a sunset sky often makes a boring image even though it was lovely to behold, and such a photo usually needs something pretty definite in the foreground to be compelling. We’ve had…
Genetic, not musical! I was struck by a particularly distinctive plant of red campion (Silene dioica) growing in the hedge (as seen above), which was a bit reminiscent of the flowers of ragged robin, another member of the Caryophyllaceae tribe. I noticed a long time ago that the…
“Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough, And stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide.”– A E Housman – A Shropshire Lad One of my favourite snatches of poetry, dedicated to the wild cherry or gean (Prunus avium), and not…
I’m trying out a smartphone with a camera on the principle that I don’t always have my proper camera with me and miss things. So far, quite liking the images, but disliking having to carry around a big slab instead of my little dumb phone that fits comfortably…
It’s been a perfect autumn afternoon – warm sun on my back, cirrus in a blue sky, a cool breeze soughing in the hedge. I walked along on the sunny lee side, where I could hardly hear the ever-present hum of traffic on the coast road, but was…