Welcome to 2026, Everyone!

 I'm back in work, the year 2026 now appearing as my blog date, and I still haven't quite shaken off this wretched bloody cold that I feel like I've had for 6 weeks. Then to cap it all off, snow and ice arrive as I go back to work on my bicycle. 

Always a joyful experience that. 

What is rather more joyful, is the early appearance of some of our winter flowers. Just away from the Great Plain Tree of Friary Gardens, beautiful aconite has come into flower, little blonde choristers wearing their green choral robes up on what was once a medieval earthwork. 

In the cemetery, I even saw crocuses blooming in December, and even more shocking was the sight of a buff tailed bumblebee queen grazing noisily off mahonia next to the main road. 

I worry that spring will be over by the end of February at this rate! 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.01.26 

The Halo

 Clear skies, hexagonal ice crystals in the air, meant that the moon on Tuesday night put on a spectacular 22 degree halo for those skywatchers among us. 

I'm sure one of my readers must have seen it.  

As a binocular astronomer at the moment, the moon is normally bad news for me - I like looking for open clusters that get drowned out by the moon's light. But, there's still plenty of things that pop up for the naked eye viewer. 

And this saintly, crowned moon, was one of them. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.12.25 

It's January, and Bees are about

 We've had a couple of very bright sunny days this week, not cold when the sun is shining on you, and when the air is still can you almost imagine its low yellow rays might be warming you up a little. But it was hardly tropical, indeed it wasn't even double figures.

A decent January day, in other words.

So, on my little Tourette relief walk I like to take at lunch time, inspecting the bright gorse flowers on campus, imagine my astonishment when at the back of the bush, I saw a lone honey bee making its way into the flowers, orange pollen shopping bags very visible on its legs. 

Walking back, there was another feeding off high up hazel catkins. 

A little later on, with the sun a little higher, I went out again, and there they were, in reasonable numbers. I was able to get a couple of photos, before heading further out onto the campus badlands, to where the stinking helleborine grows. 

The flowers weren't even fully open, and yet there were a few more honey bees feeding off the closed green flower bells, climbing deep inside until out of view. 

That was yesterday. They were about again today, although fewer in number in chillier temperatures. 

I've never before seen bees on the wing in January. Normally, its mid February when the crocuses are in flower that they appear. Other people have reported seeing them too. 

Have you?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.01.25

Hello Robin!

 Meant to do a longer post with all the icy landscapes we've had here, but today I was lucky enough to get a very cheerful and confiding robin greeting me at work. 

We have a very brown looking campus at the moment, so the sighting of a red breast peeking out from the trees and hedgerows is very welcome. They are becoming much noisier, with more and more of them launching into song from prominent positions on fences and tree tops. It is very welcome, as is the sight I had today of some great tits - not often seen on campus - flitting among the hazel. 

On the coldest day, we even had a couple of fieldfare drop in too. 

I'm sorry about the picture quality, this is about as good as I can get of a songbird with my mobile phone!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.01.25

New Emergences

 Having had a lovely family Christmas with the three of us - stepfather, sister, and myself, with the new year it is always exciting to anticipate the blooming of the first "spring" flowers.

Only, it has already happened!

As well as the snowdrops I've shown you, I've found aconite already in the Friary Gardens, and also crocuses in the cemetery.

Crocuses! In December!

I wonder if the anticipated freezing snap we are about to have will slow things down a bit, after all it was a very mild festive season, but I'm just pleased to see the colour for now, as the days begin to lengthen.

I hope you all had a very happy Christmas!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 02.01.2025

Guess What's Back?

 Got out for a run late afternoon, where the clouds were just beginning to break up after an entirely grey day. 

The run had an objective in mind; to head to the cemetery to see if there are any snowdrops in flower, And sure enough there were! Right where I was expecting, the place they always come into flower first, just the one bunch in flower at the moment, but, they count!

The lake was peaceful, gently rose gold gilded, with the ducks congregating for a feed of grain from a young child. 

The sunset that followed, as I ran along opposite the hospital, was a firey and glorious spectacle. 

Is anything growing where you are?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.12.2024

December Thoughts

 We have had snow, ice, and storms, and I've been perhaps a little lazy and not been outside as much as I'd like. Possibly a touch of post suspected covid fatigue, possibly a desire to stay warm under a duvet as much as possible!

The weather has also made it tricky for running, and also the time of year. October and December are quiet months, with the world almost feeling in stasis; a pause to recover and renew. The last few days, however, I see signs of the world waking up and me with it. 

Hazel catkins have appeared, and there are a few shrubs in bud. In my planters, my allium spears are up and I reckon if I was in the cemetery - not recommended with high winds and a lot of old trees, I'd see snowdrops waiting to flower. Indeed, next weekend, when I visit the cemetery I think I will find a snowdrop in bloom. 

The season of finding flowers will soon be back!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.12.24

Flashback to the Last Insects of the Season

 While waiting for the ground to awaken once again, with snowdrops expected in about, gosh, maybe three weeks, lets look back to the mild spell before the snow and bitter cold, and look at the last pollinator I found on the last blooms of campus. 

Also, let me introduce you to the beautiful markings of a noble false widow spider. I remember that a few years ago, the sighting of one of these faintly venomous spiders would cause entire schools to close so that anything with eight legs could be vapourised, now they are a common sigh everywhere round here. 

Hopefully you are still finding interesting things to look at where you are. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 28.11.24

First Snow of the Season

 The quiet green and brown months of late autumn, where little flies, grows or blooms, have been disturbed by quite the heavy snowfall up here. 

It's a long time since we've had snow this heavy at all here, let alone in November. It feel for several hours until about 1am, by which time we had about 10cm on snow on the ground, filling my planters and covering my poor old Decathlon bike that lives outside.

In the morning, one look outside told me that cycling to work was not going to be a great idea, as it turned out, walking through heavy, slippery slush was no fun either and took me over an hour to get to work. 

It is now clear off the roads and paths, apart from a bridge section that looks like it will be no fun after a sub zero night. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.11.24

Gosh, a Brimstone!

 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.

A male Brimstone, up about five weeks earlier than I've ever seen one before, and in beautiful condition.

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. 

Judging by my feeds on Instagram and Threads, I'm far from the only person to have come across one!

Have you seen any butterflies out of bed when they shouldn't be?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.02.24

Back Out on the Trails

 Running day today, a bitterly cold one and it is only going to get colder. 

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.

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. 

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.

I'm trying to rediscover the joy in moving through nature. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.01.24