tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82362175266560121682024-03-18T12:57:30.721-07:00Careering Through NatureSimon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.comBlogger2424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-39700753786619214062024-03-07T16:18:00.000-08:002024-03-07T16:18:47.421-08:00The Beauty of Small Things<p> I'm not seeing many "big" pollinators at the moment, but as the occasional, well, I'd hardly call them "bursts" of sunshine have appeared - more like watery visitations of a sun like object in the sky - there have been plenty of smaller pretties on offer. </p><p>I like to take every opportunity to get outside, waving my cameraphone around hopefully, to see what might be out there, and I like to advise everyone to do the same, if only with their eyes. Because at this time of the year, beautiful things are emerging, and they might not all be of the largest size.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.03.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MxWe7Cp3Racdlmw2o2hiHbcLgMw6KfPxBOvS2r6MmKrX29503WiZOtLhPZ1nMV_txJ9N4H3Yg7WoQRz7Vj64x7q3na0lc0n4tz4Mnfp_Y2o6MzD8uxenu0DMaSyjAO38fYrVed26ViyzPwNA0j6XYTkEh42nXegcHteQZ1ailsyipZX3aQBS0GP99Zs/s613/original_380b2ca2-45a7-45d3-958c-9bb95de90c35_PXL_20240306_125848262.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="613" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MxWe7Cp3Racdlmw2o2hiHbcLgMw6KfPxBOvS2r6MmKrX29503WiZOtLhPZ1nMV_txJ9N4H3Yg7WoQRz7Vj64x7q3na0lc0n4tz4Mnfp_Y2o6MzD8uxenu0DMaSyjAO38fYrVed26ViyzPwNA0j6XYTkEh42nXegcHteQZ1ailsyipZX3aQBS0GP99Zs/s1600/original_380b2ca2-45a7-45d3-958c-9bb95de90c35_PXL_20240306_125848262.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEVqL-HuvX8QF17ziPiilGtQlkad6wgMU1XiaG6rfMQ5fryfjXoecrJx-oNrcjpSkrUVS_oLD8JOllgSFO5iRwRo4PjUjRZPXrk0UW4w0CCgj9ke0ZdIoJtCUUXrI11DX1WBLbaDHpZSZH8XOeXiSdTHt7aT1GDjHQYtNfD-bZ9LBpXTi5vlWV7AhSBU/s473/original_3b8c66dd-3d81-4246-b91c-64d995d8f40c_PXL_20240305_155148332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="473" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEVqL-HuvX8QF17ziPiilGtQlkad6wgMU1XiaG6rfMQ5fryfjXoecrJx-oNrcjpSkrUVS_oLD8JOllgSFO5iRwRo4PjUjRZPXrk0UW4w0CCgj9ke0ZdIoJtCUUXrI11DX1WBLbaDHpZSZH8XOeXiSdTHt7aT1GDjHQYtNfD-bZ9LBpXTi5vlWV7AhSBU/s1600/original_3b8c66dd-3d81-4246-b91c-64d995d8f40c_PXL_20240305_155148332.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-10958646578662642352024-02-27T16:06:00.000-08:002024-02-27T16:06:07.361-08:00Behold the Crocus Carpet!<p> For one week only, the cemetery crocus carpet made its glorious annual re-appearance, decorating the houses of the dead with luxurious splashes of purple and white, and giving a haven for early season pollinators.</p><p>They barely seem to last now, made even more ephemeral by the rain falling like an anvil on them just as they reach their peak, a modern day feature of local winters that results in a a chaos of savaged petals and broken stems after a few scant days of glory.</p><p>But while they are there, they are stunning.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 27.02.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJTDb4KgX2ylArdrdjnibdgESetrzAZy8OV4XRDfNns7870cff69ZK0BY3ObzDE5UXp_nnLZ3FPBivGapv6z2UzXoAaR5CVWCiPLeeMv3-oRVQ0DrINoZeQo2NcsSeFQ2dHi__vXEstfwT8lVr-UOvZ_zqUaKXyOgBoQskrMhRyImZbPCozphGKDXgI4/s4032/PXL_20240218_130957604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJTDb4KgX2ylArdrdjnibdgESetrzAZy8OV4XRDfNns7870cff69ZK0BY3ObzDE5UXp_nnLZ3FPBivGapv6z2UzXoAaR5CVWCiPLeeMv3-oRVQ0DrINoZeQo2NcsSeFQ2dHi__vXEstfwT8lVr-UOvZ_zqUaKXyOgBoQskrMhRyImZbPCozphGKDXgI4/s1600/PXL_20240218_130957604.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-9264335855392955862024-02-18T16:26:00.000-08:002024-02-18T16:26:05.945-08:00Emergences<p> The weather this late winter, as we all know, has been generally horrid, with endless rain and swollen rivers flooding everywhere. </p><p>However, this weekend we have seen very mild temperatures with the occasional absence of showers, so with plenty of flowers now in bloom in the parks and the cemetery, I knew it would be a good time to go bee hunting.</p><p>I was rewarded by my first honeybee and bumblebee close encounters in consecutive days. </p><p>It was the castle crocuses the honeybees were enjoying on Saturday, on the wing as the grounds were being archaeologically excavated by the gateway. They looked so fresh and new, and very hungry as they went from flower to flower drinking up the nectar for minutes at a time. </p><p>Today, it was a walk through the cemetery, now carpeted in crocuses as it is - stunningly - every year. As soon as I looked down, a stonking great buff tailed bumblebee queen was working through the flowers, tail as buff as it could be.</p><p>It's days like this I wait for from the beginning of October, and to cap it off I was able to enjoy an 8km run. There's life in me yet!</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 18.02.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVdo2iDKrF0TyZfgr0X1Y0_oj02LT7xL8JLncTdm1orSYbA_gk024eo-Wbh5GGZgwNxmfEOsHGQhIA0e5LaI3X60bJu7Ma02cm1GvKbb1nUFFdn2u8Xmni-ZRiusJtBpSoIbv1yqUTA97v15Go4g9X9JD0QO0Ey3hJCuypp3an0ldjfS4I4aQXTOtW5U/s823/PXL_20240217_140638423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="823" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVdo2iDKrF0TyZfgr0X1Y0_oj02LT7xL8JLncTdm1orSYbA_gk024eo-Wbh5GGZgwNxmfEOsHGQhIA0e5LaI3X60bJu7Ma02cm1GvKbb1nUFFdn2u8Xmni-ZRiusJtBpSoIbv1yqUTA97v15Go4g9X9JD0QO0Ey3hJCuypp3an0ldjfS4I4aQXTOtW5U/s1600/PXL_20240217_140638423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ov24cQTraD7n9kLQVVFFM7zgrscDiTOxE45n1EezcTqkkHHvEtq0TBD1H3Es0CHEHB6q2VbXHAT2ax_TYRtLZsBG4F_h37FKHdV1HZjW2OkUdRbPzq53XTuOGZcVSA73gVkGBSrhhhjwjr5cW6S4FDLXbeIbq0haKqfdX_OhmLIJW5JMMWq-y_QAhxA/s985/PXL_20240217_140639707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="890" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUz5iphTqE1TlpAgQr9izSWK8puZ6nIFv0VV_O29dnQpJoboexirdKNOT04JPFqFWmsfGqxOp9ys25saUxVfU3jNBy64FHNWE6vZL6yseIYKLWfHtcLF1dpO7djP9pUqaIUO2cvU09w2lOkyLArZDDHaMI2x8T2fQoSmtJ6LjJBvDv9PCls9UxuZD4lJw/s1600/PXL_20240218_130318632.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ_tMqCU2paFF84AnBnfrqQKx2I0Z3VLU7wNFuGfHCOg6Dg4yFz8we7Aiz_I3ZOMSze6DLlnKmopnLAZOjDwL-nXFk8Hz1VR_uDFwHEMeAzO_504WL-gjwTueCzqM0bF0GQfIDMopx8uZU3-zzI5q-GQJhGyhkbZiofRc2-fClISWW7u1nMGj56AanvA/s4032/PXL_20240218_130735104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ_tMqCU2paFF84AnBnfrqQKx2I0Z3VLU7wNFuGfHCOg6Dg4yFz8we7Aiz_I3ZOMSze6DLlnKmopnLAZOjDwL-nXFk8Hz1VR_uDFwHEMeAzO_504WL-gjwTueCzqM0bF0GQfIDMopx8uZU3-zzI5q-GQJhGyhkbZiofRc2-fClISWW7u1nMGj56AanvA/s1600/PXL_20240218_130735104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-89631114325247526642024-02-07T14:56:00.000-08:002024-02-07T14:56:53.120-08:00Gosh, a Brimstone!<p> A couple of days ago at work, on a very mild day, I was taking a breaktime stroll when I was surprised - to say the least - to see a familiar bright yellow form fluttering around the bushes.</p><p>A male Brimstone, up about five weeks earlier than I've ever seen one before, and in beautiful condition.</p><p>I think it had perhaps realised it had awoken rather too early, as it was settling much more than brimstones normally do, and seemed very keen to get back into cover perhaps to go back to sleep. </p><p>Judging by my feeds on Instagram and Threads, I'm far from the only person to have come across one!</p><p>Have you seen any butterflies out of bed when they shouldn't be?</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.02.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu76tTEDBJs7fBZYUQwGt6_FuctCR-r47FA_2VYtMJwoxxX3Rprm69P_VlrJBRtyiGFaI72jUD9SUNwmkRrGPRS4wNI5c8l0COK19hkkKTPkDoqLI5koNJxlhOFqROiXKlq0b5XxA_pXQfu3GVKkmNDcA5GJC2vpHd_9HsZ2LYcZBA0VZcxWcppLKYRWw/s711/original_c1195234-b1bf-4334-b676-6a20f614def2_PXL_20240202_135043429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="711" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu76tTEDBJs7fBZYUQwGt6_FuctCR-r47FA_2VYtMJwoxxX3Rprm69P_VlrJBRtyiGFaI72jUD9SUNwmkRrGPRS4wNI5c8l0COK19hkkKTPkDoqLI5koNJxlhOFqROiXKlq0b5XxA_pXQfu3GVKkmNDcA5GJC2vpHd_9HsZ2LYcZBA0VZcxWcppLKYRWw/s1600/original_c1195234-b1bf-4334-b676-6a20f614def2_PXL_20240202_135043429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsMvXhTZ-yiYUxCaVWdJSaQwvGEnoIuU9pu2nHmSVSXqoujO-obC9k3GeLpZ_4JQm6XI3eTd7rvne_au9dU9o9PTnJQh-weJkvXE4xzGFTRw34PHeoPX9nx7sdMSxmjGHCUk8ZzsujJIk1gK_W1rivlDP3iaDirnF41Et0sZ1NZRJN7eoiOhugMi6G3U/s506/original_4a27e790-39b6-4090-9dd8-a6aae659f7d9_PXL_20240202_134928783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="506" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsMvXhTZ-yiYUxCaVWdJSaQwvGEnoIuU9pu2nHmSVSXqoujO-obC9k3GeLpZ_4JQm6XI3eTd7rvne_au9dU9o9PTnJQh-weJkvXE4xzGFTRw34PHeoPX9nx7sdMSxmjGHCUk8ZzsujJIk1gK_W1rivlDP3iaDirnF41Et0sZ1NZRJN7eoiOhugMi6G3U/s1600/original_4a27e790-39b6-4090-9dd8-a6aae659f7d9_PXL_20240202_134928783.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-2784777600206946482024-01-15T15:11:00.000-08:002024-01-15T15:11:10.394-08:00Back Out on the Trails<p> Running day today, a bitterly cold one and it is only going to get colder. </p><p>The birds knew it was new year, you know. Since then, there is so much more song and noise in the dawn. I have local robins and blackbirds singing to greet me as I open the door in the morning. Birds are getting territorial, alarm calls chacking out from the blackbirds, and robins aggro-strutting in the old oak wood at the park.</p><p>On the water the mallard drakes are in full breeding colours, bottle green heads glowing in sunlight. Goosander are on the two lakes, the pieballed battleships of the duck world. </p><p>On the ground, snowdrops and aconite are out in flower, cowslips too in the library gardens. It is my favourite few months of the year now, as the cemetery changes colour every month as I run through it. I'm loving running again, when my body will stand it.</p><p>I'm trying to rediscover the joy in moving through nature. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.01.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7fJL6UHX790KJAY26KtLLLmVqCMqpkTySpMPLuBE72gp2ydojSR53QH09MqSsg8fPKTAujykX0VQgs6Ve5SG0yuTYEeOWe4Op84g71N1v5xy4476x_Bz4vLs1fXuxM1y6z_00kYt8ZqytjoXqYTZmj2eaFLsDeEEi_8Ta3VusuAAf2IPx779B9F3lzc/s1062/PXL_20240115_160601185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1062" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7fJL6UHX790KJAY26KtLLLmVqCMqpkTySpMPLuBE72gp2ydojSR53QH09MqSsg8fPKTAujykX0VQgs6Ve5SG0yuTYEeOWe4Op84g71N1v5xy4476x_Bz4vLs1fXuxM1y6z_00kYt8ZqytjoXqYTZmj2eaFLsDeEEi_8Ta3VusuAAf2IPx779B9F3lzc/s1600/PXL_20240115_160601185.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SsKfdMhgGhnas2KJU4fPKiLsPAN-jMS1rQC_O-pOl8xbn6V8LCQtzB77L4n0ZmvimMYxePz1E2FLGvc6DY6m6m3spFYdue5lcLjpeyLLRxwGUlbkiIEZFyA_EO_I0OQMlEVWUI18uwZIZBzsR-MUqtBILwGOX7_G-fymvCuuXnlZ2wXE7hlxcxI7TvM/s4032/PXL_20240113_140135084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SsKfdMhgGhnas2KJU4fPKiLsPAN-jMS1rQC_O-pOl8xbn6V8LCQtzB77L4n0ZmvimMYxePz1E2FLGvc6DY6m6m3spFYdue5lcLjpeyLLRxwGUlbkiIEZFyA_EO_I0OQMlEVWUI18uwZIZBzsR-MUqtBILwGOX7_G-fymvCuuXnlZ2wXE7hlxcxI7TvM/s1600/PXL_20240113_140135084.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-69337476699810110702024-01-01T15:11:00.000-08:002024-01-01T15:11:28.391-08:00A Soggy Start to 2024<p> It was raining like mad last night, it is raining like anything today, so I've spent New Years Day on the sofa. </p><p>In fact, we seem to have been enduring rain and stormy winds for the entire holiday season! There is so much flooding around here, with Sconce Park pastures and large chunks of Farndon village being below water. But I've still managed to get out running a few times, albeit going very slowly, and really enjoyed being out there, spotting the first signs of the colours of spring. </p><p>In addition to snowdrops, we have the first flowering aconite, mahonia and most strangely, cowslips in bloom in the library gardens. </p><p>I've enjoyed watching tweeping flocks of goldfinch working on teasel heads, long tailed tits flitting through willow trees by the lake and river, and on New Years Eve a huge buzzard sat on the ground in a paddock, staring intently at something under a battleship grey sky. </p><p>There's a lot of world out there, and I intend to explore more of it than I have been doing. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright Cream Crackered Nature 01.01.24</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI38dwIdUTytmGBMPDWqEJT4eQEfShqKH9csfyOpwu62v2F2dgpvVe5_UxwbkNxiLapWleGUOiJDKzT9tvEQxktkUrsAnUbMpmqrisyGZhL0leS0Od19bncnD7mMUR6ifw9UZkZOxGOPaZhZ0gCTEInuS83IY44S5z5nYPJ8_cKHtd7zYwCdlAkKU862A/s4032/PXL_20231231_160208061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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heavy rain and stormy winds blowing my mini greenhouse over. </p><p>But it was a bitter time for a few days, the sort of times I hate because of cycling to work with agonised Raynaud Syndrome hands surrounded by maniac drivers. We had a surprisingly heavy snowfall one evening that was slushified by rain the next day, with really hard frosts sandwiching it. </p><p>The bad weather and painful ankle has made having my walks difficult; I dislike walking in icy conditions after smashing my elbow a few years ago. But I've been out a few times, looking at the new sights that winter brings us round here. I've been treated to delightful flocks of goldfinches twittering noisily as they feed of teasel heads, and pure white little egrets shining in the sun as they fly past my office window.</p><p>On the Blue Lake, goosander have returned, seemingly getting earlier every year, and flocks of long tailed tits work the trees lapped by the water. And in my container garden, crocus spears and allium shoots have re-appeared, although other bulbs I've planted haven't yet.</p><p>Today, with mild and dry conditions, I set out on a snowdrop hunt in the cemetery - and I found them too! In the same place they always appear first.</p><p>With the world as it is, it is re-assuring that wildflowers re-appear every year. The world keeps going, just as I try to.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 10.12.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ojkLCdrvoWa1dhChfqYriaQaQpq1e5qv6QPXgFICcuOQrRNYw4dcKnFBknoEiRUmNFGuYSGB4o7o0UTXdXDRs-8SDuKAjmdgDrAVDfAoqd59hPDp8O9KeFYiB5_yKhmKHmAYoXTaXozaU4zgMbg9LIj6CS_5TTHV5vi2jOT0vFhyphenhyphenWvBDnpxJDGr9Q4/s4032/PXL_20231210_155133381.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ojkLCdrvoWa1dhChfqYriaQaQpq1e5qv6QPXgFICcuOQrRNYw4dcKnFBknoEiRUmNFGuYSGB4o7o0UTXdXDRs-8SDuKAjmdgDrAVDfAoqd59hPDp8O9KeFYiB5_yKhmKHmAYoXTaXozaU4zgMbg9LIj6CS_5TTHV5vi2jOT0vFhyphenhyphenWvBDnpxJDGr9Q4/s1600/PXL_20231210_155133381.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8XA59t9Ty4zlEpXQDI-uin_4fdp-OmDkplzmGkC01s_JmdCDVD_RTrRaYh5mE6crM1LtmFdmUH9HDJpMm9atl4eYenrN5sLSULDrgfCGlUuixgvDfuaBMew9qoiHxDLouEu9TbtnYzZfZAjDFrw7JGhnn6EVl2cpLkkanDazvKamVI-l2osUVROhxFA/s4032/PXL_20231201_093539575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8XA59t9Ty4zlEpXQDI-uin_4fdp-OmDkplzmGkC01s_JmdCDVD_RTrRaYh5mE6crM1LtmFdmUH9HDJpMm9atl4eYenrN5sLSULDrgfCGlUuixgvDfuaBMew9qoiHxDLouEu9TbtnYzZfZAjDFrw7JGhnn6EVl2cpLkkanDazvKamVI-l2osUVROhxFA/s1600/PXL_20231201_093539575.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-79321507683259245392023-11-20T14:50:00.000-08:002023-11-20T14:50:46.917-08:00Meandering Along<p> Hello readers.</p><p>Been pretty inactive lately, over which I feel very guilty. I've had a cold, sciatica, and other medical unpleasantness going on which has taken my enthusiasm for being outside away. The dark days and early sunsets aren't helping either. </p><p>I did get a good run in last night, about 7km, but today my ankle is making me pay for it. At least I did some gardening, if you can call weeding planters and planting a few bulbs the names of which I've already forgotten gardening. Typically, there was light drizzle while I was doing this. </p><p>The world without pollinators feels a sad one, I haven't seen a bee or a butterfly in a couple of weeks, it feels like. November always feels so bleak to me; At least in December I can start hunting for snowdrops and aconite again; they seem to get earlier every year. </p><p>So yes, I'm suffering from autumn blues I guess. I hope you are all doing well.</p><p>Si</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYps_WmwNu2XARgRJK1U56mEa3INWgTrXya1K933YN_J41elsxJbtRJDLx5VVBQCPhbc5k-lcI0XE-JWDGVB_MgqZiPRX_kd-XSaBtml932BVC-O4ZsCejJ47tdX3ZkxLRx2Oe1t91SeflMZCD_gitsVl4hQx5vKQZ5VfwPzH9BQhcrY9yWcYsGKUIAmM/s3209/original_7a0509de-41b6-4dca-8982-06798ca419a9_PXL_20231117_134908091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2605" data-original-width="3209" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYps_WmwNu2XARgRJK1U56mEa3INWgTrXya1K933YN_J41elsxJbtRJDLx5VVBQCPhbc5k-lcI0XE-JWDGVB_MgqZiPRX_kd-XSaBtml932BVC-O4ZsCejJ47tdX3ZkxLRx2Oe1t91SeflMZCD_gitsVl4hQx5vKQZ5VfwPzH9BQhcrY9yWcYsGKUIAmM/s1600/original_7a0509de-41b6-4dca-8982-06798ca419a9_PXL_20231117_134908091.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjfRHjAfuIPPCV7kcokkgsdK5yUAct9yrEN1H5yETkidRHyneN-J6NuRvKbgfTpQ8ACSyNy0muCUBOdfVSxqhw9WulwB9f4UbdipzEwNS4RlKexkIqoGMvQW9nn8MaXZ67frmESdl5Qhyphenhyphen3y0v329Tn2L7EA6VFhx_iYdw3NXeEPYvnlS2WBqPbp5FafQ/s757/original_113ae840-ef4d-480c-a9b4-e12dc2aca7bc_PXL_20231117_134555922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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Determined to go out on Saturday despite the rain, I went out in full waterproofs and wellingtons, wellingtons I've only worn once before, and headed down to the park to see how the flooding was going. </p><p>Well the water has receded somewhat, but the heavy rain that day was making them rise again, and a lot of the path by the River Devon was underwater. However, with wellies on, I was able to power on through! </p><p>I felt ever so slightly adventurous, rather than slow and lazy for a change. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.11.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNql1gnW70ndaHnbH62HhtsanptDswKaDnpUlT6YvKx78CdmIcAc3feUweNoy0KKqHun8qE_6FBS4sz8LxTcu9KTWFNJRRwfpgOeENUKjEFXR7o8YN_oF9-X-eMUcFxjzfGLTkN6REuDOOE1Ztu7ZQ11aWgowUL7jsIrdX9sdoK2u9018JWoLY9cG_t5Q/s4032/PXL_20231104_142534401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNql1gnW70ndaHnbH62HhtsanptDswKaDnpUlT6YvKx78CdmIcAc3feUweNoy0KKqHun8qE_6FBS4sz8LxTcu9KTWFNJRRwfpgOeENUKjEFXR7o8YN_oF9-X-eMUcFxjzfGLTkN6REuDOOE1Ztu7ZQ11aWgowUL7jsIrdX9sdoK2u9018JWoLY9cG_t5Q/s1600/PXL_20231104_142534401.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIC8uLY9b5Xs8vtvxHzEAZlAVW02sN0-NA-2EdK4RbBkJlGWcU3aCMpAcQzeZb2R46eOAw2MQGeAQkf5GwlTIIuYN9nYZZdHo-2sh0B6202vyH_i_gkDHqau7bot-6cvERYxIaTyX9kgJCshrhX1Xbq-LPAinimsUWEOJFyEZeoHCgj7foEpbmR1_7KI/s1600/PXL_20231104_143500535.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-72971961047617449582023-10-25T15:50:00.004-07:002023-10-25T15:50:48.729-07:00The Flooded Town<p> Well, Storm Babet hit us much harder than it initially seemed it would. There was a day of strongish wind and a bit of rain, then a calm Thursday, but Friday it suddenly started raining and blowing a hoolie unexpectedly. </p><p>Apparently, some sort of atmospheric block up north skewed the storm back down the east coast, and a month of rain fell in twenty four hours, blocking roads, cutting off villages and creating a lot of misery in places like Lowdham and Retford, that visits from a government minister - Teresa Coffey - did very little to alleviate, to say the least. </p><p>Here, the Trent and Devon burst their banks, and also the vast housing developments on the edge of town caused hitherto non flood plain areas finding themselves underwater as the water ran off the estates. </p><p>The cricket club is underwater, of course, as is the rugby club. Devon Pastures in the park was turned into a lake. A charity duck race has been cancelled, as it was feared the ducks would end up in the North Sea rather than the lock as they were supposed to. </p><p>All that rain gave me a cold too. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright Cream Crackered Nature 25.10.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhcKbpWG9qbL21RVgkG-BT4lvWL6W44ZtQPzXO5yUylNIETv-Draji5_rdMcDnmlNh7P2TSgJ7eygXUW_XDfnBqpjtVljhwGZH6oavNYnku9LdCKxwYltPiVcki8GgZiLatrQd_L-LGKP8V6ZL1Q67Jpn_8F5BICau2Hr65umUHrn4Ee_YG4q9s_1S1c/s619/PXL_20231023_141946236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="619" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhcKbpWG9qbL21RVgkG-BT4lvWL6W44ZtQPzXO5yUylNIETv-Draji5_rdMcDnmlNh7P2TSgJ7eygXUW_XDfnBqpjtVljhwGZH6oavNYnku9LdCKxwYltPiVcki8GgZiLatrQd_L-LGKP8V6ZL1Q67Jpn_8F5BICau2Hr65umUHrn4Ee_YG4q9s_1S1c/s1600/PXL_20231023_141946236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpmtPNuuQjUHZCEQTk6jAYlBEC2Npqe5fN-vtOIok0ueFjjXBsiMs8alwBKpuSc0Ab2G1O1UZKOul5KOjdjwp9e0oDfPoIC-WfDYoP4bSgiCG-38TatkP1mFtz7rOBrRfjXbgYwN1TQt8u-bbHC0uopae870WgE_48bqklkpvjTWqwM9M6Bv2uwQSFwg/s4032/PXL_20231022_120130487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpmtPNuuQjUHZCEQTk6jAYlBEC2Npqe5fN-vtOIok0ueFjjXBsiMs8alwBKpuSc0Ab2G1O1UZKOul5KOjdjwp9e0oDfPoIC-WfDYoP4bSgiCG-38TatkP1mFtz7rOBrRfjXbgYwN1TQt8u-bbHC0uopae870WgE_48bqklkpvjTWqwM9M6Bv2uwQSFwg/s1600/PXL_20231022_120130487.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-15289865321603314132023-10-16T13:45:00.005-07:002023-10-16T13:45:41.278-07:00Red Admirals and Ivy Bees<p> We are deep into autumn now, the last of the hirundids are gone and the winter thrushes are arriving from Scandinavia. Locally the feral geese are arriving at their favourite muddy field down by the river. Cold morning cycling has returned, so its buffs, hats and gloves for me on my commute. </p><p>But there are still bright days and enough verbena and ivy in flower to attract pollinators. The hardy red admirals, always the last butterfly on the wing every year, are still plentiful, and although it took me a while, I found my first ivy mining bee of the season.</p><p>I have upped my running, getting in a 10km run at one point, and it certainly seems to be helping with my mental health and burning off excess ADHD energy and reducing tourette tics. </p><p>So let me show you what I've seen while out and about, and I hope you like it.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.10.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V6231B-GZBwQ6e8X-5ytcCMqrNH7aMY2_OE9-D1gsDLdVCEeN4Wy6a2m3KXe39CKvRh3N5XTtipXph4YC_wSBVWxMr_ue2BPbFfk9-wcIvKUkxbVj540Olp7r43gkI30PajQ0QHoMmiu_Hl1M9xK_djL-ltZUM2F1nH_kdVRTsOz9lTFtixCSzmcwsQ/s1651/original_f4cd9894-6580-4bd3-b96c-627696e5b451_PXL_20231014_123711596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1651" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V6231B-GZBwQ6e8X-5ytcCMqrNH7aMY2_OE9-D1gsDLdVCEeN4Wy6a2m3KXe39CKvRh3N5XTtipXph4YC_wSBVWxMr_ue2BPbFfk9-wcIvKUkxbVj540Olp7r43gkI30PajQ0QHoMmiu_Hl1M9xK_djL-ltZUM2F1nH_kdVRTsOz9lTFtixCSzmcwsQ/s1600/original_f4cd9894-6580-4bd3-b96c-627696e5b451_PXL_20231014_123711596.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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It was a painful and slow start, by golly gee I get so stiff now after a run compared to my younger days. But after a few weeks, I'm back under 30 minutes for 5km, so I've still got a bit of fitness left. </p><p>It really helps with my mental health too, burning up some of that Tourette's and ADHD energy that would be otherwise used in highly constructive pursuits like waving my arms around, or hurting my already tic destroyed neck that is waking me up every morning with painful little spasms. </p><p>The odd hirundid makes its way over the workplace, where the kestrel has resumed hunting after breeding season, and buzzards try and find thermals on the brighter days. Hopefully with the warm weekend forecast they will be able to do that.</p><p>But as thing stand now, rain is falling on the washing on my line. First world problems eh?</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.10.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3xDcaaufTUjV46cB_Ni8ukdj59oXT9xDX_5nKzSrxf-1LXHoUM_0qYcLJE9mqj2Q9H5do9_UnUScn9kEqtCloowF_UAetZ5BsRRJQ62ycMOhyvE922aXhmlrKoZ7vBXrvuVV22dMggD8q6GDYIvioX0d-6WkZqD9OQOrmP6l5O1GSk0DTiQBKd3afjg/s892/PXL_20231004_113118142~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="892" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv3xDcaaufTUjV46cB_Ni8ukdj59oXT9xDX_5nKzSrxf-1LXHoUM_0qYcLJE9mqj2Q9H5do9_UnUScn9kEqtCloowF_UAetZ5BsRRJQ62ycMOhyvE922aXhmlrKoZ7vBXrvuVV22dMggD8q6GDYIvioX0d-6WkZqD9OQOrmP6l5O1GSk0DTiQBKd3afjg/s1600/PXL_20231004_113118142~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPhQ3jEzrkaRYIfEsexkN_3swtREdeRdo9v5BtXQA1QCM2O2wUZdO78kZ_HRU2Tdz5vKrkC3y80gUHmjPUtvZcxON9gjPRXXRsciwP7-msNUgZMId6m9gCiIej0OzqXq0Rd3sEXDQBnfgxB75DN3UgSjHvIBWgFJn0kVaokmaVnQuXOIiZLTDtyy94Ps/s2049/original_1112f88d-013b-4910-9e90-7d121555b51b_PXL_20231004_113042059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="2134" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCt2_bB338paLXGD-C-PqXKfT0nX0aLY2CE6ogpvi4-pgNJ_DzsXvVUhoWy3zMrniZa_YYdK9KcM6ZC4Rcn2SykotA7Hjnv3UcN_a9fO79mjLqEjt-XUziW0tGtk5-CoFNePPtFTiuSFAUZzg2F2IWx88E3-vP1QshirOu0afLleIqqc91FBDjdNDLOY/s1600/original_56efa1f3-5abe-4431-8d5f-8aa5fafc5193_PXL_20230929_142845239.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-12782083903512256592023-09-24T13:29:00.003-07:002023-09-24T13:29:25.150-07:00Life on the Sedum<p> There's nothing at work but bristly ox tongue, but on Sconce Park there are still plants in bloom that the pollinators love. </p><p>The deep pink sedum that grows in the "Mini Sconce" in front of the cafe is proving particularly attractive to honey bees, and after I have had my cup of tea and old school can of Barr's lemonade, I like to go over and have a look and see who is having dinner there.</p><p>This post then, is just an excuse to put up a lovely photo I managed to get of two bees. I hope you like it.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.09.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPP01r12TE3Rg4xlUlPyq-_TlkzoPBX7dV4RNk-LKPNZwh7nO0wUhIjUl2iRueUNmSx30g0lvUmuWk0EoRaKYUIk00h3FIJ8YSND51ayVq7pE3FyjEy4dwYWAnzmBY4lU1KuSXiWT-u5YGJfN2DPfyn602hDuqIx6PgtSZEoG9z-N4Zq3yCt-UBhjyP8/s820/PXL_20230923_142937932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="820" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPP01r12TE3Rg4xlUlPyq-_TlkzoPBX7dV4RNk-LKPNZwh7nO0wUhIjUl2iRueUNmSx30g0lvUmuWk0EoRaKYUIk00h3FIJ8YSND51ayVq7pE3FyjEy4dwYWAnzmBY4lU1KuSXiWT-u5YGJfN2DPfyn602hDuqIx6PgtSZEoG9z-N4Zq3yCt-UBhjyP8/s1600/PXL_20230923_142937932.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTavZz8M0xZDlJs1cfNpNVUN0I2mYpzUz_qflsP01iEgd78sP1bL00maa5B_pGEcxSOg8jw_Kpzx-QAjjSn3bkmFOZZ3yqgu8nQwLsMU5nfq9vXqcxMcETUi_759fKF_fxJdPx1GLNPLsktxetuMAdeHFzgFxz7Q76NjjLKGYeJC4u-BDwiHFojHajDc/s670/PXL_20230923_142923589.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="670" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTavZz8M0xZDlJs1cfNpNVUN0I2mYpzUz_qflsP01iEgd78sP1bL00maa5B_pGEcxSOg8jw_Kpzx-QAjjSn3bkmFOZZ3yqgu8nQwLsMU5nfq9vXqcxMcETUi_759fKF_fxJdPx1GLNPLsktxetuMAdeHFzgFxz7Q76NjjLKGYeJC4u-BDwiHFojHajDc/s1600/PXL_20230923_142923589.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD40DiZbXubFf7dQE6tlQoeXtMSZbj1s2qfr6_ad6Nx1ZER1kK-1jEJIJ2ivSf_hfTLiIPvND9KBwuOF4JFAj11r2vL6FTlpIUJSOzn6XW8LAZBAIo2TizW7TGYIvGD5PAyLPUi4wvHc2Uhnt8OGNTEb5dqgODv6bPghgEEhKnydmb3eS2EynLoH1qcQ/s644/PXL_20230923_142917332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="644" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD40DiZbXubFf7dQE6tlQoeXtMSZbj1s2qfr6_ad6Nx1ZER1kK-1jEJIJ2ivSf_hfTLiIPvND9KBwuOF4JFAj11r2vL6FTlpIUJSOzn6XW8LAZBAIo2TizW7TGYIvGD5PAyLPUi4wvHc2Uhnt8OGNTEb5dqgODv6bPghgEEhKnydmb3eS2EynLoH1qcQ/s1600/PXL_20230923_142917332.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-62312917160598124752023-09-21T13:55:00.000-07:002023-09-21T13:55:02.998-07:00Some Butterfly Studies<p> I've started properly running again, to burn up some of that excessive Tourette and ADHD energy and for the good of my mental health. It is certainly proving to be more helpful in this regard than cricket has been; my bowling has sort of sine waved from awful to good and back to awful again. </p><p>But cricket is over now, and I'm trying to capture what ever buzzers and flutterers I can before autumn takes a proper grip and everything goes to sleep until spring. </p><p>So enjoy these studies I've taken of a couple of butterflies that were obliging enough to give me a good luck as they warmed themselves up in the sun. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.09.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQyIo0EqQhp4LbqOOkeJ9sshEjmex2669acAkbQBTMr-voB0xWq9H5Sla2C2Pude7bOlCN53dJehepLLLzYJ9ql-PAGWKeybbsLsVW5EHEDItMEF5HrDYXyK9mBbp8ogNywaBTIbzNNCDgN4P1PuqZUjoKXxHtT0vbft0yn5G9pyKlH47CY7r9h46VrY/s1340/original_3e4f6236-b4ab-4d22-9c9e-921905450e5e_PXL_20230915_091106084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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We had ten players, one of which was my sister playing her first ever game of cricket. I was confident she would be ok having had a bit of a practice with her the day before. Upon winning the toss, I was confident also that we would be able to make a decent fist of things despite only having ten players. </p><p>Well gee whickers, was I wrong. </p><p>It started as badly as it did against them last time we played them, when we were 1 for 3. That time, someone bashed 94 to keep us in the game. This time he wasn't able to repeat this miracle, although he did try his best. </p><p>Within 10 or so overs, we were five wickets down, batsman diddled by good bowling and some rather strange shot making in a couple of cases. Now, this is not the sort of thing that is supposed to happen on a Sunday, and it certainly doesn't happen on my watch when I'm captain. We want a full game of it for everyone, for our batters and bowlers, and for the opposition batters and bowlers too. </p><p>You don't keep the good bowlers on, hotknife-through-butter through the batting while cheering and celebrating like maniacs as if you were playing Australia at Lords. So I felt slightly aggrieved, and so did others on the team. </p><p>I sent my sister into bat ahead of me, and she managed to lay bat on ball a few times, before dollying a caught and bowled. No shame there! I went in and batted for thirteen balls without scoring a run, so honours even for us. </p><p>Forty-nine all out in about 18 overs. Jeez. </p><p>"Right then" I thought. Young kids or not, they were going to get a reminder that we could play hardball too.</p><p>Opening with our two fastest bowlers, we gave them a pretty torrid time as well, having them three down for not many, before I was glad to get their somewhat, not-happy, captain out LBW, while the chairman got a wicket during a fine spell of bowling too. </p><p>41 for 5. The sky was grey. It was raining heavily. The plan, such as I had one, to spin the game out as long as possible so that weather could intervene, relied on one thing. That a flash of lightning would be seen, which by ECB rules means we have to get the hell off the ground pronto. </p><p>All eyes were trained to the sky, apart from by the players on my team who were rather shamefully trying to pretend it was too dangerous to play by deliberately falling over in unconvincing ways. </p><p>A few minutes passed. Then, FLAAAAASSSSSSH! It happened. </p><p>Some of our players made it to the dressing room faster than Usain Bolt. </p><p>This lightning rule states that you can't go back out there for at least half an hour after the last visible strike. But in truth, although I told the players to be respectful, there was no-way anyone was going back out there. To be fair, all our white kit was soaked, and I can't blame them. I didn't either. </p><p>The groundsman and I made a show of inpecting the ground, which lightning or not was a near mud patch. </p><p>When we told the captain, he looked like he'd been told his home had exploded. A bit excessive for a Sunday game. But, it was that kind of day.</p><p>At least I was very proud of my sister. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.09.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRifcPboCSWrViUirgtL2SK-hyDtkN6cJyr9Itt_fUtx2wlYHqVEsaIVlVg5_kuE6doAwBnMPw-j7KTpt5aJT1-riDrKtxnwpiT5CzDDfvFkR_XZiYkvdqqlgnQNovTe60NwZzQqPTX6THOYBMB-efN37EzxRLbu78zEUiK83enzgz6Vhh6oxQrivWw68/s4032/PXL_20230910_120051793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRifcPboCSWrViUirgtL2SK-hyDtkN6cJyr9Itt_fUtx2wlYHqVEsaIVlVg5_kuE6doAwBnMPw-j7KTpt5aJT1-riDrKtxnwpiT5CzDDfvFkR_XZiYkvdqqlgnQNovTe60NwZzQqPTX6THOYBMB-efN37EzxRLbu78zEUiK83enzgz6Vhh6oxQrivWw68/s1600/PXL_20230910_120051793.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-32285272015060762782023-09-02T17:37:00.001-07:002023-09-02T17:37:25.939-07:00Autumn Views<p> We never had much of a summer did we, and now it's September and it's seemingly starting after it has ended. </p><p>There's very few flowers in bloom at work, with bristly ox tongue being the main food plant for pollinators at work. </p><p>It is berry and seed season, and now the goldfinches are flocking again, ransacking the teasel heads and making a heck of a racket while they are at it. </p><p>I'm enjoying whatever colour is left.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.09.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgg6yNuPrkRQTLN0xXtmP4capfx3dm5hCY-Dqr5WYaF04wGk9aL9tZBVTw5Q13pq6ay16QXcnDK683uN6sjrDm0U1nzRCC_Rx5o6taLWN0QxqxICeZQVF2hbO0MLfX2KOJUoCpZB3wMEQ13GIY5UTP_hNO0KXBAKjEO-NBWRfggR0P6eP0NrI2_d1SvFI/s4032/PXL_20230829_090519793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgg6yNuPrkRQTLN0xXtmP4capfx3dm5hCY-Dqr5WYaF04wGk9aL9tZBVTw5Q13pq6ay16QXcnDK683uN6sjrDm0U1nzRCC_Rx5o6taLWN0QxqxICeZQVF2hbO0MLfX2KOJUoCpZB3wMEQ13GIY5UTP_hNO0KXBAKjEO-NBWRfggR0P6eP0NrI2_d1SvFI/s1600/PXL_20230829_090519793.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-87935055078907324732023-08-25T14:31:00.001-07:002023-08-25T14:31:16.377-07:00There was Quality in there Somewhere<p> On Sunday, it was time for our return visit by our friends from Cropwell. For once, through no fault of my own, I was late for the game, and batting first we were already 88 for 1, with our opening bat just cracking a four to bring up his 50 and his enforced retirement as I arrived. </p><p>We carried on batting rather serenely at about five runs an over, until with about 8 overs to go our other bat, now on over 200 runs in three games, also reached 50 and had to retire. </p><p>This led to a passage of cricket that was, shall we say, a challenging watch. As ever, the problems of scoring runs against slow lob bowling on a slow wicket on our deck became very apparently, and there wasn't a lot of quality on view, with some ferocious swinging of the bat resulting in minimal ball movement. </p><p>Hey, it's Sunday, it doesn't matter! All good. We still had 152 for 4 on the board.</p><p>However, we know Cropwell. Every time we have played them, their opening bat has always come in and slammed 50 very quickly before retiring for a beer, and ensuring Cropwell got the runs they needed. This time, however, our young opening bowler got him quite early on, and it was in fact his partner who started slamming the ball around, hitting one bowler over the pavilion twice. </p><p>Their run rate was climbing rapidly. The skipper, desperate not to lose again, decided to deploy some first team bowling, including the division's leading wicket taker. This is generally regarded as being a bit "Un-Sunday-Like" and the Cropwell captain, himself a good bat as well, thought we were being a bit naughty, especially as the quick bowler seemed to be about twenty miles per hour for the Cropwell bats to even see. </p><p>I did apologise, as they took four wickets between them in eight overs and killed the game stone dead, as Cropwell's remaining batters were clearly not up to much. Thankfully, friendlier bowlers were brought on for the the last 12 overs as we chipped away at the remaining wickets. </p><p>I bowled some gentle filth myself, claiming another wicket with my speared in quicker ball, even if it was a full toss. </p><p>There was time for a bit of peak village at the end, where our umpire allowed my last over, the final one of the game, to go on for about ten balls so the playing wife of one of the Cropwell players could score a run. </p><p>She got one, from a ball I bowled at her left handed. Yes, it got to that level. We won by about 50 runs. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 25.08.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tjwhfGwXN_TY-ZhKdNMDXiIc7C7bSxU8QeuW8OTOKP7EYuhq6pP_j-DWEeFOkdMxCP5jJLnZ4Eb5yJMrUXv7eNecQ_RQHEp18FLTKx3CfWyhSfudk_b7Bagqh9QYTvJs-ojb03Y0oNZJuXCZicTGGnZKcciF2vhqZYwkDcoXuPLIU_-OtkmnFAqXmoM/s4032/PXL_20230820_141045043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tjwhfGwXN_TY-ZhKdNMDXiIc7C7bSxU8QeuW8OTOKP7EYuhq6pP_j-DWEeFOkdMxCP5jJLnZ4Eb5yJMrUXv7eNecQ_RQHEp18FLTKx3CfWyhSfudk_b7Bagqh9QYTvJs-ojb03Y0oNZJuXCZicTGGnZKcciF2vhqZYwkDcoXuPLIU_-OtkmnFAqXmoM/s1600/PXL_20230820_141045043.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HVQTbI2ZwhQkaLIT4Olbgc-Sm-cehxoLeEjyyJMNDjNFvObtc5w33iIGrIEh6FewOQcXNCk3zAkHeozKZhTPh2960YwfFunYpipl4xj_IWZe8Lll0W6zJ1cbgfzHbLhOy3fWmxGu52T5AOYHnkqYcvf2gNfIEhoXWMdoFMWbYhq2tfNFWuPREn0MT3g/s1678/PXL_20230820_140735283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1678" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HVQTbI2ZwhQkaLIT4Olbgc-Sm-cehxoLeEjyyJMNDjNFvObtc5w33iIGrIEh6FewOQcXNCk3zAkHeozKZhTPh2960YwfFunYpipl4xj_IWZe8Lll0W6zJ1cbgfzHbLhOy3fWmxGu52T5AOYHnkqYcvf2gNfIEhoXWMdoFMWbYhq2tfNFWuPREn0MT3g/s1600/PXL_20230820_140735283.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-82870588320560952572023-08-18T17:04:00.001-07:002023-08-18T17:04:49.618-07:00Rudbeckia and Echinacea Time<p> Late summer and these two flower species are getting all the love from the pollinators, who pay a visit and end up thickly dusted in yellow pollen!</p><p>The last swifts have left my skies a couple of days ago, but we still have swallows and house martins. It is the time of the year when they find the cricket grounds I play on particularly attractive as an insect hunting ground. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 18.08.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbI-fNzwwwo2F9joPEbpfFafdYXBHLQuWqGXiUDhXYoEbMbXKaqAzhLqRcWXyS3idtk4vtqw8GYzHcu7M646xTCMbNMd960i_Y3_W4-GnojJpMpvRSDN7G8Zva_ul9DchlvSWgj5FvDDMo7kYtQfPnenDF63TsaqP6GsIzAL-51GuhYO_lFy8VmxyEt8/s594/PXL_20230818_152858117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="594" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbI-fNzwwwo2F9joPEbpfFafdYXBHLQuWqGXiUDhXYoEbMbXKaqAzhLqRcWXyS3idtk4vtqw8GYzHcu7M646xTCMbNMd960i_Y3_W4-GnojJpMpvRSDN7G8Zva_ul9DchlvSWgj5FvDDMo7kYtQfPnenDF63TsaqP6GsIzAL-51GuhYO_lFy8VmxyEt8/s1600/PXL_20230818_152858117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="582" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh840xdFhkDy5TH4grJFtz9FuviGJMLFlX50ndaFs_ZNBE3STiDhnEIUSd10t9YM0tmJT-uuOu07MJMpxDTSMWwXqmg7dUE6GhwTSrD9qr8RsbKeK3c7Mz9UVwV9o03xOtInbxx9V3eNk2tX25Rfc9gFTlJaC-9-RsDnQlwXxAibP6pxCfkHOVKS4oFkag/s1600/PXL_20230815_154050632.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR3CYBj7PpycWzF9POHkH9OEk6UK2yX6gKGfttIf8eJ51Lq7kZ2UwectwX3MDFY5tE4cDMaVCMH8qY7uIylFuYpZp5WtWdo6SL7A08cBkSop_EQsactbRi-WruQCPONkBDduA-CR14yGh_Rk9jjVOhJIQquUYwgZNbyuOol9SQyOFDfm-GZlBHj_VWkU/s945/PXL_20230815_145426539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="945" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR3CYBj7PpycWzF9POHkH9OEk6UK2yX6gKGfttIf8eJ51Lq7kZ2UwectwX3MDFY5tE4cDMaVCMH8qY7uIylFuYpZp5WtWdo6SL7A08cBkSop_EQsactbRi-WruQCPONkBDduA-CR14yGh_Rk9jjVOhJIQquUYwgZNbyuOol9SQyOFDfm-GZlBHj_VWkU/s1600/PXL_20230815_145426539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-63001850522782991682023-08-10T16:20:00.007-07:002023-08-10T16:20:59.890-07:00A Day of Days - not by me of Course<p> Sunday saw us taking on a strong young Attenborough side, a rather stronger one in fact that the one we beat earlier in the season. We batted first under generally grey skies, with me umpiring, and within about ten minutes we were 1 for 3 on a pitch that our groundstaff had done brilliantly to get in any way playable at all after the weather we'd had, but was still rather tricky. </p><p>Our first team opener was brilliantly yorked, our other opener tried to pull a ball that bounced and stopped completely and hit the back of his bat, while our number four could only fend off a ball that was suddenly up by his shoulder. </p><p>Enter our number three, who had usually opened this year and had struggled for runs. Our number 5 was also in good form, and somehow they managed to build a massive partnership of over 100, scoring runs when they could while avoiding the nasty balls brilliantly. </p><p>I forgot to say, I was captain on the day, our regular skipper stepping down generously to allow a younger player a game on a weekend where all Saturday cricket was washed out. </p><p>Eventually the partnership was broken with about 120 on the board, and the lower middle order struggled once again. But not our number 3, who had long since got past 50 and was into the 90s with 8 down. </p><p>As number 11, frankly I was rather crapping myself hoping I didn't need to see him through to his 100. I knew I wasn't going to last any time at all on that wicket against decent bowling. </p><p>Sadly, finally he got a ball with his name on it that stopped on him, and he could only chip it to mid wicket. He was on 94. I was gutted for him after a brilliant innings. </p><p>So, now was the usual farce of me having to bat, and it lasted three balls. The first one spat from a length and jagged away, the second one spat and cut me in half, and the third bounced up and his the bat I was trying to get out of the way, and bobbed up to mid on.</p><p>Surprised it made it that far, actually. But as ever, it left me wondering what on earth I was doing out there. </p><p>Closing on 172 all out, I then had the job of trying to win us the game, when tactically I don't really know what I'm doing as well as I'd like. But our opening bowler did the job for me early doors, taking two quick wickets before being confronted with a young batsman about the height of the stumps, who he didn't feel comfortable bowling at. </p><p>So I turned to the chairman, knowing as ever he would bowl well, without ever having to go to nets. Meanwhile myself, who has come to nets every week and had been bowling well at senior batsmen. However, as against Cropwell, when I brought myself on I couldn't find a length and was battered absolutely senseless, going for 27 in my first over and feeling just utterly bereft. </p><p>I had my revenge next over, when I actually got my tormentor caught with my quicker ball which I always land where I want for god knows what reason. 8 wickets for the Sunday season now. </p><p>After these two overs I took myself off. </p><p>We had them four down, then five down, but another young county player came on, and went on to score 50, with my captaincy unable to stop him. It was Attenborough's turn to put on a big stand and get ever nearer our total. At least I was managing our bowers ok, despite being hamstrung by my uselessness and, er, another bowler's hamstring. </p><p>Things were getting tight, but our number 3 suddenly flung himself high to his left to make a one handed grab off our opening bowler to remove the lad on 54. I was astonished, and rather envious having fielded with hopeless clumsiness as ever. </p><p>Game back on!</p><p>Another amazing catch by another of our young players then followed. 9 down, with about 10 needed! But a four was hit, then another. I was probably not being defensive enough to be honest, but as captain I'm always loath to have too many guys out on the boundary for some reason. I want to take wickets!</p><p>A couple of balls left. Scores level. But our tall bowler pulled off a low catch, and it was 172 all. Match tied!</p><p>A brilliant game of cricket, but I felt terrible afterwards. I've no idea what happens to my bowling, and it's left me feeling rather despondent. But I guess there is always the hope that something will click. </p><p>Always that hope. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.08.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI8irkTC83blT3zOcgN-b4C65TP766p-wTo-WPIaOklE1KQVJmq2P5eOuupqL5Wign8dVHbl7zOSiy4uC9zP_Cl1lfb3IZq7EeYeypfRUnfB4c0P7Mkj_3jVISJguhk0_dPoi_VSrIGr7gwNd7gWYCQAi_rr8M425HVYjy0UNxeV_Nepmx6kPHt0L9p4/s2379/PXL_20230806_140330938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1552" data-original-width="2379" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI8irkTC83blT3zOcgN-b4C65TP766p-wTo-WPIaOklE1KQVJmq2P5eOuupqL5Wign8dVHbl7zOSiy4uC9zP_Cl1lfb3IZq7EeYeypfRUnfB4c0P7Mkj_3jVISJguhk0_dPoi_VSrIGr7gwNd7gWYCQAi_rr8M425HVYjy0UNxeV_Nepmx6kPHt0L9p4/s1600/PXL_20230806_140330938.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRwfuK6RqY-Wg6DjnUVxSXYMiifKFoXQ5sVnIy2eC2mJiBBGmwB6zwbNR-kiTnS0pNyQDPbQpa9m19gqsvzcJUKi1pmZSpHPRz3bM1otE2Bz1K4qVrLvVdKycVKwe_fOl9xjQNHPshZSz1_7rzzI6SJK8LUAq-h69lZJbpwuC4Pbs5Yta3_eOOR-OGBc/s1600/PXL_20230806_150554587.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-46224442129073175412023-08-08T15:24:00.002-07:002023-08-08T15:24:21.862-07:00Commas and Damsels<p> I've been a little unwell, having eaten some ice cream which I didn't realise had a sweetener in it that acts as massive trigger of IBS symptoms. </p><p>Oof. Not nice. </p><p>The sun has decided to make a few rare appearances in the last few days, and that has meant that some nice insects have made an appearance. Such as the lovely male banded demoiselle I found having a restful moment on the pavement of all places. and then a comma enjoying the sun by the River Devon while having a chat with a bee.</p><p>By lucky chance, this is one of the best shots I've ever taken. </p><p>I myself then went to enjoy the sun at Rumbles cafe, although unable to sit on a flower like the comma did.</p><p>Fraction too heavy, you see. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.08.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbHKREuLo1zyejDlHLTYmvHyHJ6dhpU9RVWpQqkwlikGHb9Zb-xYRZ1bL_zcIGxmV0aX-I0Urw06IjPhRPaDBlcA-nUChy5zDRdX7BEP4JHGnKIQIiOyutfWeDIzu7PdxHTcFYa8ogftWThK5S38xknscBk5Xtm3KAPgnLpcHBuRvMZjusSmcMbGSi4c/s1210/PXL_20230803_133634692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1210" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbHKREuLo1zyejDlHLTYmvHyHJ6dhpU9RVWpQqkwlikGHb9Zb-xYRZ1bL_zcIGxmV0aX-I0Urw06IjPhRPaDBlcA-nUChy5zDRdX7BEP4JHGnKIQIiOyutfWeDIzu7PdxHTcFYa8ogftWThK5S38xknscBk5Xtm3KAPgnLpcHBuRvMZjusSmcMbGSi4c/s1600/PXL_20230803_133634692.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaalXTs90LG8wNbL-J3RqaUpGwguJFniicjbCDjsSXQQDzQwY86e3L8s1FzqlyIUXefM1z6EU7-qWmO5wuaCxvdxfWUsIP3xOlVn3jg2jWiWTO78_wwCoqEIvgoEGjcJKJN74YwBUm3Pvsg099AQVMeldKi2Ji_3oDA3QDWcXsK4fhMbfmv872tH2lTSw/s1099/PXL_20230803_133629259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1099" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaalXTs90LG8wNbL-J3RqaUpGwguJFniicjbCDjsSXQQDzQwY86e3L8s1FzqlyIUXefM1z6EU7-qWmO5wuaCxvdxfWUsIP3xOlVn3jg2jWiWTO78_wwCoqEIvgoEGjcJKJN74YwBUm3Pvsg099AQVMeldKi2Ji_3oDA3QDWcXsK4fhMbfmv872tH2lTSw/s1600/PXL_20230803_133629259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN32zprBD4xINjA991SU6Hbu5cCGKlRp8iZA2dX6RD8qCjetbVRgNZzsv-IIg7eIr5cz9vNmG_QCqmMSyqmtCfLGwlcDLGudFgVd_71LnmU6oBz9vgytB-YVbA7B7-fkTzb3gQSYFPAC-yd6lkmpWCDyAFHkyOPZNExhu8WEVNTMC_x6Dg0B-yeoLup_I/s1780/PXL_20230803_132519449~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1780" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN32zprBD4xINjA991SU6Hbu5cCGKlRp8iZA2dX6RD8qCjetbVRgNZzsv-IIg7eIr5cz9vNmG_QCqmMSyqmtCfLGwlcDLGudFgVd_71LnmU6oBz9vgytB-YVbA7B7-fkTzb3gQSYFPAC-yd6lkmpWCDyAFHkyOPZNExhu8WEVNTMC_x6Dg0B-yeoLup_I/s1600/PXL_20230803_132519449~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIW3UA8eBue57-H5BxPqHFWEH0RBJZHlBiOHupEPKus6JQRdVlpVHme7FruMM-RNhviVFfHl3dqbRTh4RtYmgJSn6WlCv5c02TaS766af0zhac6VNIWWaCLxwavBIZxap38K6_W0f7D7ejwwQntAIcCmMcB49SPlpzF8qwXzuQdOj2d6bAaREaiP_nP0/s1780/PXL_20230803_132519449~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1780" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIW3UA8eBue57-H5BxPqHFWEH0RBJZHlBiOHupEPKus6JQRdVlpVHme7FruMM-RNhviVFfHl3dqbRTh4RtYmgJSn6WlCv5c02TaS766af0zhac6VNIWWaCLxwavBIZxap38K6_W0f7D7ejwwQntAIcCmMcB49SPlpzF8qwXzuQdOj2d6bAaREaiP_nP0/s1600/PXL_20230803_132519449~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-1022188369233738282023-08-02T16:41:00.002-07:002023-08-02T16:41:49.482-07:00Bonus Cricket Content - Victory in the Back of Beyond<p> I haven't played any Saturday league cricket this year until this past weekend, on the grounds of good availability of miles better players than me.</p><p>But now it's August, and players with families are off on their holidays, and so I was brought into play in a game at Wymeswold on the Wolds, a ground in Leicestershire in the heart of cheese and pork pie country.</p><p>It was actually a very pretty setting, with views over the rolling Woldsian hills and an orchard, with house martins twittering about among the fielders. </p><p>Inserted to bat on a rather tacky wicket where timing the ball was difficult, we struggled at first, but then some of our youngest players got it together and scored some good runs. Our number five, recovering from Dubai induced heat-stroke, was particularly effortless; his backfoot shots all played with a straight bat, a mark of high quality as he made 75 not out. </p><p>I watched all this from the old fashioned scorebox; a wooden bird box of pulleys and levers that only I seemed to be bothered to figure out how it worked. I bet bats roosted in it. </p><p>A dramatic 6 off the last ball took us to 190 for 5, a strong scored indeed but our opponents, no doubt fortified by pies and stilton, had chased down a higher one at the fixture at our ground, and indeed it became apparent very early on in their innings that they were not going to go down easily, despite the captain taking important wickets. One Wymeswold chap in particular, who had a good eye but an awful technique, was particularly determined to thwart us, and they just chipped and chipped away at our total. </p><p>Knowing that this game was too important for me to have a sniff of getting a bowl, our third team being top of the league for the first time in recorded memory, I just tried to field as least awfully as I could, running far too quick for my old body to handle and leaving me absolutely wrecked for the Sunday match. </p><p>It went down to the 38th over, when our spinner from Upton finally got the last man LBW. </p><p>A great victory, and I was totally spent having actually done nothing all game. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 02.08.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9OvZS3ZlspbZ_paq_75v9hDjjYXgs1L81AmXlJsvDDKkMQV-azQJjmbcXriSw4g8N2Pfvk-hQfrx2jIrKJw2VyOF2bjMI0x37mzMiaAZGiWlFhjPPnWid2rTozIw8e3QPchounHyNl76uCUh6_JfWFOI2P5CbWQEqmBZvJmUu6BEnz74UfperboNRsM/s667/PXL_20230729_121715223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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We were also due to have an actual tea, which had caused a lot of pre-match anticipation as we don't get them very often in the post covid world.</p><p>A terrible pity, in the view of most of us. </p><p>The wicket was immaculate, and try, but turned out to be rather slow. As was my fielding having already played on Saturday of which more anon. </p><p>Cropwell are a mixed ability side, with a couple of decent players, and a lot of social players, which is absolutely fine for a Sunday side. We too were mixed, with a couple of very good players, with the standard dropping down to myself, and a couple of guys who came with one of our better players, one of whom was French and had never played the game before. But they were nice chaps, and unlike myself had the ability to move. </p><p>We batted first in a thirty over game, and made an excellent start with our first team opener - as ever watched by his dog - and the player who had brought his friends with him, getting us to about 90 before drinks, and the enforced retirement of our opener on 50, a fine knock indeed. </p><p>Our batting after that was a bit less fluent, but we still got to 148, helped by my hopeless flailing 2 before I deliberately got out to let one of the new players have a bat. And to get off the ground as I had lost my white trousers somehow and was thus reduced to playing in orange shorts. </p><p>After descending on the tea like a pack of polite hyenas, we took to the field to bowl, and the same guy who had flayed us for 50 last year did exactly the same thing as the drizzle set in for the afternoon and the swooping swallows took themselves out of the rain. </p><p>At halfway drinks they were on about 90 as well, and we knew we had a game on our hands, complicated by the fact that being a mixed ability side we kept having to "turn the bowling up and down", a commonplace event in friendly games. I came on and bowled like a drain for two overs, probably fatally for our prospects, before sorting myself out and bowling two ok-ish overs. Even unleashed my new quicker arm ball. Which I don't spin, not that it makes a difference. </p><p>A tense finish ensued in the rain. Wickets fell, a soapy wet ball caused full tosses. Last over came up with Cropwell 7 down and four runs needed, which they did indeed get. </p><p>Sad to lose, but it was a fun game, and we got free chips afterwards, so bad moods were soothed somewhat.</p><p>Apart from mine about by bowling. </p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 31.07.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ct8CdlYLEsyOEpIiRGI6ZjX8_i6XWKMs7k6gAgG_nHIknc3Z-bDbl5bZDIxCpnLLo32YQLVMBv2xeCYi-JZjiRVqzZYMUHJk1JYzdiTHRzKbkzCnCedbfwPdEJdxVnoh_9xk_wZOwVQy6-SuG4oP02J1o3lC95DQ_IaUISafhDOMzxfqIE1lo5k7K-A/s4032/PXL_20230730_131508325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Ct8CdlYLEsyOEpIiRGI6ZjX8_i6XWKMs7k6gAgG_nHIknc3Z-bDbl5bZDIxCpnLLo32YQLVMBv2xeCYi-JZjiRVqzZYMUHJk1JYzdiTHRzKbkzCnCedbfwPdEJdxVnoh_9xk_wZOwVQy6-SuG4oP02J1o3lC95DQ_IaUISafhDOMzxfqIE1lo5k7K-A/s1600/PXL_20230730_131508325.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1122" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eOkpL7kWnlrzt1fvhUMGhAMC6jOZFxsiHscB0jOcyFZqAFlAo1C_f6M5vB7j9nq7M28HjkmFkVt_lv3yc-7cOEr0ZFLYUtnbHdPDJo44wH--Aci0nneKg7tpu47xsZPm6Ot56dKRUUsUZT5MZu4zB5ke6mXk4sAz6foCCMYV7hFfyF5OAEjhnfph_Cg/s1600/original_bc7f6bb6-4096-41bf-b31e-ba83e5b73f00_PXL_20230720_133004263.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-33554377839269041152023-07-17T15:38:00.001-07:002023-07-17T15:38:10.917-07:00Burnet Moths and Bumbles<p> Some years at work, we have had scores of five spot burnet moths colonising the larger thistles and teasel flowers at work. Sometimes you would see twenty of these delightful faerieland creatures on an individual flower, a wonderful sight to behold.</p><p>Sadly this hasn't been the case in the last couple of years. As you may have seen on this blog, I have found individual moths, but not the thriving, writhing masses weighing down a single plant. </p><p>So the sighting of a single rather tired looking specimen was pleasant, yet also rather sad. </p><p>But we still have plenty of butterflies, with second flights of small tortoiseshell around, migrant red admirals, and tiny brown argus sneaking amongst the long grass. We have a beautiful linnet flock, and chiff chaffs are still calling. Lots of bumblebees on ragwort and thistle. Lots to see. </p><p>I'm just keeping my eyes, and my mind, open.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCRackeredNature 17.06.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF90xVVdph6Ww6QCaENf3Mp4DNT5WMMWceg7OZigQPm-T3ivdeM8wL5S-XR3_XpWuZILMLK1riXTkSXuWf-9RyBvKOLTAD32tE-hLRed1IThny3VxPCHQViGl_5Neu5vZTPxCvXS-besCRTThDULBFvzqvgJn7Zz1z3F8eFkT5lkPNnQshj1GSWXMbqI/s1539/PXL_20230713_150733159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1539" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF90xVVdph6Ww6QCaENf3Mp4DNT5WMMWceg7OZigQPm-T3ivdeM8wL5S-XR3_XpWuZILMLK1riXTkSXuWf-9RyBvKOLTAD32tE-hLRed1IThny3VxPCHQViGl_5Neu5vZTPxCvXS-besCRTThDULBFvzqvgJn7Zz1z3F8eFkT5lkPNnQshj1GSWXMbqI/s1600/PXL_20230713_150733159.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhmxBu3vsyYh0u-vRCe4VFydJ8hgQ8j1LK0gM4WZVU2yNP_qVpM9DCPXeqK1FynB83m5hRW6JJOebkr6haRHK1c0cUMDhiuPgQObXjUbtWbihoyvmVOpYG8Q6cbgFuSWDxCV5AhdT4O1s6nA7tnxkU4tKWgcFaiN54_MtOHTTDX0TKoQDXVVRIgYPvPA/s1106/PXL_20230713_150707474.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1106" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhmxBu3vsyYh0u-vRCe4VFydJ8hgQ8j1LK0gM4WZVU2yNP_qVpM9DCPXeqK1FynB83m5hRW6JJOebkr6haRHK1c0cUMDhiuPgQObXjUbtWbihoyvmVOpYG8Q6cbgFuSWDxCV5AhdT4O1s6nA7tnxkU4tKWgcFaiN54_MtOHTTDX0TKoQDXVVRIgYPvPA/s1600/PXL_20230713_150707474.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR_szx3xQwEn6N5r9cN2Vqeni3vrR-kawLum8WmywfrbRvkpc0fBtVecqlmtm1HwBHo7xrAGDMy0BMZBfqO6MpsXt1HC9kV4i96VRZ_hFEdfbELiXwpl2SObWa1FCYzEojRsX6maMCa8eCgSY-4_c8UUxRE1KRGvwCD2DCdrTJD0tZNU8coWw7FMo5A4/s946/PXL_20230713_150541131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="946" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR_szx3xQwEn6N5r9cN2Vqeni3vrR-kawLum8WmywfrbRvkpc0fBtVecqlmtm1HwBHo7xrAGDMy0BMZBfqO6MpsXt1HC9kV4i96VRZ_hFEdfbELiXwpl2SObWa1FCYzEojRsX6maMCa8eCgSY-4_c8UUxRE1KRGvwCD2DCdrTJD0tZNU8coWw7FMo5A4/s1600/PXL_20230713_150541131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwD94sFeuY3MgzWOSnXpgARPUDyrucM-d-qfxhcQ92q2x7_c0D0yhgFY6kggSYBRH2G7-MJ6rKd2szEWqHCvdjWnSgBv7sfGfl3LFEuVkQUAZ6u_vPk47ZTxe7f5qZO99Ga2R07OdPADw6GZV07W40cuXW1-2-Rijlu_m6535sXicuSNH9y7x-7GjO1xI/s1012/PXL_20230713_150537303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1012" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwD94sFeuY3MgzWOSnXpgARPUDyrucM-d-qfxhcQ92q2x7_c0D0yhgFY6kggSYBRH2G7-MJ6rKd2szEWqHCvdjWnSgBv7sfGfl3LFEuVkQUAZ6u_vPk47ZTxe7f5qZO99Ga2R07OdPADw6GZV07W40cuXW1-2-Rijlu_m6535sXicuSNH9y7x-7GjO1xI/s1600/PXL_20230713_150537303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe3ivdcq10MQZt-_ZxiPct1Hzh7W0NSRa4o33ciXNouvC0_9Pvoy4bjDMXj13EK_VZMIpJvTThmKVFR3pFSmK2FYHrA4F4p0f2kRktGLWEbr7q9rFvIg2-iC_5EcA02v38upQeij3OxsfQeWLsriKTzhmyPDuvY3n8ZTMkM6USQrA-PXGzwvQ-le7fRc/s1550/original_c1968a4a-638d-4430-81e0-eec8dc8dc775_PXL_20230713_133956576.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1550" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe3ivdcq10MQZt-_ZxiPct1Hzh7W0NSRa4o33ciXNouvC0_9Pvoy4bjDMXj13EK_VZMIpJvTThmKVFR3pFSmK2FYHrA4F4p0f2kRktGLWEbr7q9rFvIg2-iC_5EcA02v38upQeij3OxsfQeWLsriKTzhmyPDuvY3n8ZTMkM6USQrA-PXGzwvQ-le7fRc/s1600/original_c1968a4a-638d-4430-81e0-eec8dc8dc775_PXL_20230713_133956576.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p>Simon Douglas Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236217526656012168.post-64034407781144388022023-07-11T16:45:00.004-07:002023-07-11T16:45:34.689-07:00Sconce Park Butterflies<p> No cricket for me, as yet again the match I'd spent days preparing a team for an organising was cancelled by the opposition, officially due to overnight rain - the ground was bone dry at 10am - but more likely due to a severe case of couldn't be arsed-ness. </p><p>Much disappointment for my team-mates and myself. We've only been able to play 5 games out of 11...</p><p>Si, in bright warm sunshine, I took myself to the park, to take in the open air, have a cup of tea, and photograph the plentiful butterflies that were around. </p><p>A beautiful newly emerged comma would not co-operate, chased away from its perfectly posed spot by a marauding specked wood, but I managed to get some decent shots of other species - small tortoiseshell, holly blue and a rather tatty green veined white. </p><p>I got a cup of tea, and settled down on my usual bench at the cafe to read. I've suddenly regained my love for reading which I seemed to lose during the pandemic, and take joy and peace in reading outside, be it at the park or in my garden in the early evening. </p><p>So I was still able to make something positive out of a disappointing day.</p><p>Si</p><p><i>All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.07.23</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8d4qYjGQcl_ZjUqDDMgslvIqWVf9K31lSJfFxJgQXyJPg1k1Xwa6WrO4xm6IEEL8HH81zJc02Txj5qRuvZ22uIvKAWIGcYY8Dj2c8oVI2HIfv3y_zvVNZUY8D5XcSoY4sZcHV2iVVFymLBJn4_9WUBk3tbzt_kO_i3lIXtgUzlbPLEjEoHUBvfulkfxE/s1485/original_b776287d-a296-44e1-89b2-a1b494fd388c_PXL_20230709_120242010.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1485" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8d4qYjGQcl_ZjUqDDMgslvIqWVf9K31lSJfFxJgQXyJPg1k1Xwa6WrO4xm6IEEL8HH81zJc02Txj5qRuvZ22uIvKAWIGcYY8Dj2c8oVI2HIfv3y_zvVNZUY8D5XcSoY4sZcHV2iVVFymLBJn4_9WUBk3tbzt_kO_i3lIXtgUzlbPLEjEoHUBvfulkfxE/s1600/original_b776287d-a296-44e1-89b2-a1b494fd388c_PXL_20230709_120242010.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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