We are promised a heat wave and thunderstorms, but today started absolutely perfectly. I woke early and was out walking by 6:30 in the cool morning mist. It was one of those times when I realise just how many millions of spiders I share the world with –…
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.
In previous years, the tiny fruits on my Amelanchier lamarkii tree (commonly called Juneberry) haven’t ripened that well, but this year, they are a dusky plum purple, and for a couple of days I’ve heard the soft ‘chip-chip-chip’ of a pair of blackbirds swooping hopefully about the garden.…
“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…
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…