Today's run was a midday 5 1/2 - 6 mile trot on the usual route - London Road Lake, Clay Lane Hill, Beacon Hill. Feeling a shade de-hydrated because of a couple of drinks I'd had the night before while discussing classic 30s horror films, and I'd forgotten to buy my energizing, hydrating, isotonically enhancing orange gunk from Morrisons. Although how it does all this amazing stuff for 45p a bottle is beyond me.
What there was to see, well it was drab and grey and no-one in the furry feathery kingdoms seemed all that up for action, apart from I think a Kestrel which was spiralling up over the Beacon Hill nursery. But, the plants were looking great! Bramble blossom is out everywhere (which White Admirals and some Fritillary or other likes according to Chris Packham), and the Honeysuckle is flowering by London Road Lake. Wish there was some next to the Oilseed Rape field at the entrance to Beacon Hill reserve, to negate the horrible cloying sickly smell of those yellow flowers.
When you are running, it is really really gloopily noticeable, and seems to almost start to clog your lungs! No-one seems to harvest the stuff round here, it just seems to sit there in the fields until it fades out. Although how it is harvested, I'm not sure. Do you just combine it up? Who reapeth the rape?
But although to me it is a pretty but athletically hindering sight, it did produce today's most striking sight. When I'd dragged myself up the attractive path from Clay Lane to the middle of Beacon Hill estate, I looked back out towards Balderton and further afield, Claypole aand between Clay Lane and Barnby Lane there was this stunning stunning field.
A field of rape was starting to fade a little, and amongst the sea of pale yellow, huge clumps of poppies had come out. From a distance it looked like a red and yellow psych out freak out 60s album cover; a flag of a small central African Country that Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol had got at.
Totally gorgeous, and I wish I had the means of taking a decent picture of it. As with so many things.
IN OTHER NEWS - for some strange reason, I have corresponded with Chris Packham's poodles Itchy and Scratchy, who laughed and scoffed at my liking for Talk Talk ("Life's What You Make It" is the most Springwatchy music video ever in my view) but thought I was an ok guy for liking Husker Du.
Never knew Poodles were into classic 80s melodic hardcore!
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