Thursday 26 November 2020

Deeper into Sunset

 I thought I would try and take some photographs a little deeper into sunset, to try and get some of the deeper colours rather than the retina blasting golds produced by the sun before it sets.

I try and escape the office when I can at sunset for 5 minutes to try and get fresh air and escape any other people who might be around. I was ok when I first returned to work in July, when infection rates here were low and we went 84 days without a single covid death. However, as well all know it is a very different ball game and I'm at work at a time that is very similar to the April peak and being around anyone for more than 5 minutes is stressful. 

I so disagree with the lifting of restrictions for Christmas; as if the virus is going to have a holiday too. I'm quite prepared to do Christmas alone if it is the safest thing to do, as we wait for vaccinations to begin. It's only a day in the calendar after all. I believe we can and should wait for better times. 

At least I wouldn't overeat everything in the house.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 26.11.20






Tuesday 24 November 2020

The Sun Dial

 I managed to get out for a decent walk yesterday, just as the sun made its orange way towards the horizon and the silhouette gulls began to make their way back to their roosts. 

I made my way through the cemetery, and decided to visit the sundial, the sundial that wasn't telling the time because the sun had disappeared beneath the trees. The green patinated copper is quite beautiful.

The first green shoots of spring flowers are emerging from the soil. One month until the first snowdrops, and life renews itself in that cycle I always end up showing you every year. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.11.20








Tuesday 17 November 2020

All I can Offer are Golden Skies

 Back at work, wearing a headtorch now to light up the black clad cyclists and pedestrians, judging halloween fancy dress and pumpkin carving, and getting really rather fed up with the headaches the onset of age related long-sightedness has given me.

Eye trouble during a bloody pandemic when you don't want folk prodding you at opticians that aren't open anyway. Great.

Have a look at a sunset. It's the best I can give you at the moment.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 17.11.20





Saturday 14 November 2020

The Posing Coachman

Well, second week of lockdown, and I'm trying to keep active - I'm just not seeing very much.

The exception to this was coming across this mad beetle on the cycle path at work. It was gadding about with its bum in the air like a scorpion, a behaviour I've never come across in my admittedly limited experience of beetles.

It was clearly rather emotional about something though. Maybe it didn't like the slug that was crossing the cycle path at the same time?

A bit of research on google ("Which beetles stick their bum in the air?") revealed it to be a devil's coach horse beetle, a common species with a flexible abdomen that allows it to display like that. Common yes, but a new one to me.

Another interesting sighting was three skeins of about 300 pink footed geese flying over work - such a distinctive sight, cruising high in their shall v-echelons. The local kestrel is very busy hunting, and the juvenile buzzard would be too if he didn't get chased out of the sky all the time by the local carrion crows. 

Anyway, hopefully the rain stays away tomorrow, I want to go for a bike ride.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 14.11.20






 

Tuesday 10 November 2020

Practicing the Christmas Lights

 I had a sharp little 5km run before my online spin class last night - a mistake, as usual - and as I went through the town centre I found they were putting the Christmas lights up there and testing them out.

You've seen it before on here I'm sure, but I make no apology. It's very pretty and glittery, and there's not very much of that to be found at the moment.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 10.11.20






Thursday 5 November 2020

The Golden World

 I've had a run in my new running shoes and leggings tonight, but there was nothing to see.

Not like when I went for a walk late this afternoon, as the sun set and turned the world firey gold and the river to reflective lava. 

I was listening to IPL cricket on the radio, to avoid the toxifying news. This was absolutely the right thing to do.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.11.20







Wednesday 4 November 2020

A Sleepy Butterfly

 Well, even as a British person the events of the last 24 hours have been at times unbearable to watch, and I turned off all my social media to avoid it. I am feeling a very little better tonight.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of my mother's death, a difficult day for my family especially as our Tier 3 status meant we couldn't meet as a family and had to make do with a conference call. I spent the main part of the day having a nice long walk, and finally biting the bullet and buying a new bicycle.

I tested it out today with a quick ride to North Muskham Lake and back, I saw quick but I got stuck at a level crossing barrier for about 15 minutes.

My new bike is a hybrid with racing bike sized wheels so it goes rather faster than my old hack bike I will still use for work. However to make up for the swiftness, it has no suspension and a higher pressure tires so it's a much bumpier ride! 

I haven't owned a new bike in so long! 

I made a great little discovery in the passage way that leads to my flat today. On a dangling strand of thick cobweb, a small tortoiseshell butterfly is hibernating! 

Heaven knows if it will make it to spring!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.11.20







Sunday 1 November 2020

Late Blooms Before an Early Storm

 The first day of November, after a Halloween weekend I mainly spent dressed as various clans of vampire, was a bright and sunny one when I headed out to Sconce Park in quest of the Ivy Bees and Califonia Quail - yes really - that have been reported there.

As it happens, I saw neither, but there were a few bees about mainly attracted to the bramble which has decided to come back into flower. There was some herb robert in flower too, and I was able to take my coat and hat off at Rumbles to enjoy a cup of tea.

Then the wind began to blow harder, and the clouds rolled in and covered the sun like a dirty duvet. The first big autumn storm, which as I write is howling outside my flat, was arriving and by the time I got home it was raining, making me glad I hadn't gone through with my original plan to see if I could buy a bike bt the shop in Farndon. 

So now, we face another big lockdown amid rocketing cases, which this time I will work through I believe. Not heard of furlough yet and it's a busy time of the year for me. 

I'm ok, but a lot of people are going to get shredded mentally again.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.11.20