Poppies at Starbucks

 We have a little pay day ritual at work where a few of us take ourselves around, braving rather unpleasant road crossings, to the local Starbucks drive-thru for a sort of decompress thing.

Once over-priced drinks have been obtained, ensuring everyone is in their overdraft before the next pay day, most of us head outside for sun and cigarettes, while I go rummaging around in the wastelands around the car park. 

It is poppy season. 

Long time readers of this blog might remember the incredible field of poppies we had one year just outside of town, a field that has now been turned into a housing estate. Now poppy fields are in short supply around here, so to see even a clump of them is worthy of exploration. 

Of course, where there is sun and bloom, there are little buzzy and fluttery things. Let's see what I found!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.06.24

More Gardening Stuff

 My giant alliums have gone over, but my dwarf alliums are now coming into flower. At least they are in one planter, for some reason the ones in the other planter have not formed flowering heads. 

I suppose these things happen when you are a "gardener" - how hilarious to refer myself as one of those. 

There is action happening now with the rest of my new plantings - my bee and butterfly mix meadows are showing life, my convovulveses are sprouting, the alysium is coming on nicely and I'm wondering when the cornflowers can come out of the mini greenhouse. 

Amazingly, after what feels like weeks in the greenhouse, the poppy seedlings are appearing since I've moved them outside. 

Let's see how things go along. I've got my echinacea to think about planting now.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.05.22

Another Poppy Field

Just back in from a sharp 5km run in the deep twilight, and it is still bloody warm out there!

It was even hotter this afternoon when I walked out to Farndon to take in the sights. Down the lane, I encountered another poppy field, not as vivid as the other one I showed you, but still a nice sight, vivid on a bright day.

I visited Cottage Lane nature reserve in search of dragonflies, and was not disappointed! Big hawkers were flying around, and over the ponds, 4 spotted chasers were launching patrols from their watching posts on the reeds. However, the presence of a courting couple prevented me from trying to take photographs.

In the lane itself, a big migrant or southern hawker checked me out, flying around me in circles. Wonderful creatures are these, purposeful, menacing flyers. The wind ruined my photo of a scarlet tiger moth.

Another meadow, and lots of meadow browns and small skippers amongst the purple knapweed, while a flock of house martins hunted over the overgrown grasses. The swan family were on the river, passed by the odd sight of a working tug towing a wrecked cruiser alongside.

Speaking of wrecked, I am not, and I have the flashes of an ocular migraine before my eyes!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.06.20

Poppies are Back

If you have followed this blog for a few years, you may remember my posts about the incredible poppy field we had here in Newark on the South edge of town.

It attracted visitors from all over the country.

Sadly, it has now been built over for a new housing development, but I heard that a field across the road I used to run through a lot when I lived in my old flat. Tonight, after a lazy day, I decided to run there and see what it was like.

The answer is it is not a patch on the old poppy field, but it still looked pretty stunning in a low evening sun.

I hope you like these photographs.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.06.20

50 Shades of Poppies

It has come to my attention during my runs and walks over the past few days, through the poppy field and the Owl Land, that poppies come in all shapes, sizes, varieties and colours.

I had no idea!

I wanted to get away from all the referendum debates and have thus been watching a very quiet man from New Zealand hauling giant brown trout out of tiny streams. It reminds me I've never fished for trout, let alone caught one.

I don't think the trout would be in any danger if I tried, actually.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.06.16

An Evening with the Poppies

After last years spectacular display by the poppies along the cycle path, I had figured that, well, that was that for that field. We had been told that last year's explosion of red was a one off, caused by a turnover of the soil in the winter, and it was if not quite a once in a lifetime event, then we had been damn fortunate to see such a sight in Newark.

Indeed, I had a had a little look in the direction of the field when I was out running the other day, and there didn't seem to be anything other than the usual patch of wasteland.

Then last night, someone told me that they were out again, so I couldn't wait to go out after work tonight and have a look for myself.

Disappointed that the sun had gone in somewhat, I had a first dose of colour when I encountered a running race on the cycle path, with the familiar figure of local multi-marathon runner Tango Holland in the lead. I apologetically crept along the verge, as a couple of hundred of neon clad runners clumped by on some kind of 5km odyssey.

And when I had passed them, I turned off the track, and found myself at the poppy field. I will leave you with the untouched images, in poor light, and say that there are still thousands of unopened blooms.

Tomorrow, if the sun is out, things may look even better!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.06.16