Manhole Covers

I was at the Town Hall  today, and was struck by the number of venerable old manholes and service covers there were in its vicinity, all of them proudly bearing the legend of who made them.

It reminds me of the times when I used to help my stepfather on his land and architectural surveys. As well as holding the end of a tape measure, a levelling staff or ranging poles, one of my tasks was to help lift up manhole covers and investigate where the contents were going.

This was the hardest part of the job. The covers had often not been opened for years, needed one of a variety of "keys" to be lifted and whichever one you had was  never the right one, which combined to mean that lifting the covers, even with two of us, was incredibly hard work.

Having to stand there holding the cover up while my stepfather dropped his tape measure in to take measurements was a painful business indeed as I wasn't that strong when I was 18 and skinny as a whippet.

Opening up foul drains wasn't much fun either, for obvious reasons.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.03.19

Caught by Hailstorms

Well, it has been a savage sort of day today, with  high winds, driving rain, and occasional bright sun, on the menu for the outdoors person today. I've been out walking today, and I don't mind a splash of rain here and there if there is a cup of tea at the end of it.

Unfortunately, there was quite a stinging hailstorm when I was walking back, but at least it was blowing into my back rather than my face. That came later.

So I rode off to cricket practice later on, where I went into the first team net with the big power hitters, and had my toe smashed and my head nearly taken off when I was bowling. Maybe I'll pass on that next time and stick with the lower team players, for the sake of my survival.

As I came out of the sports hall into the dusk, I could see thick black clouds weighed down with precipitation ready to drop on me as I rode home, and so it proved, oh lo is proved, as a second hailstorm was unleashed straight into my face as I rode along with a heavy cricket bag on my bike.

I was blinded basically, couldn't see a thing, face stung to bits and feeling like a very slow old tortoise being pelted with gravel.

Reckon I earned my bath again.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 10.03.19

Glory of the non Snows

So I've had a couple of small jaunts out today, to the park in what was supposed to be the morning but was actually the afternoon, and then to Friary Gardens in the late afternoon, and what was another very breezy day.

A day so windy it made all my photographs go out of focus because the pretty little flowers were being blown around so much. That's my excuse anyway.

The blossom at the park is at its peak, but it was a bit chilly for any buzzers or flutterers. I need to get better at telling the various trees apart, the blossom may all look white at a glance, but there are so many subtle differences; smell, colour of the stamen, the shades of the petals. Some may be more attractive to insects than others too.

Later on I went to Friary Gardens, where now the aconite have gone, and glory of the snows reigns  in its place, along with spanish bluebells that are probably really hyacinth as I am stupid.

They may indeed be glorious, but I'm glad they don't have any snow.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.03.19

Wretched Day

At work, we've been hosting a Doctor Bike who we have been getting to fix any minor problems with our colleagues' bicycles. It's been a successful event, despite involving a lot of standing around in the cold and wet, and we've provided free lights to riders who didn't have any too.

Anyone with a puncture, got that fixed up as well.

The last of these sessions was yesterday.

This morning, as I arrived at work, I got a puncture. A puncture I had to sort out myself with only a couple of tools and a quick release wheel that was anything but. In the rain. With dyspraxic hands and general clumsy cretin realness.

I was almost crying and screaming, but I got it done.

Then, as I went to go home, the fitting on my front light snapped. My fitting of the new inner was off as well. I felt like riding  off a bridge

I've been having to fix the bloody thing when I got home.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.03.19

A Day with Freya

Yesterday I spent the day outside at work, administering a day when staff could get their bikes checked over and any small repairs done for free.

I'd like to say when I was doing it this time last week it was an idyllic spring day, but the sun wasn't shining where I was and it was freezing. Yesterday, we were exposed to the howling scream of Storm Freya for ten hours outside, and although the wind died down during the day a little, it was still bitterly cold.

Like turn my hands purple cold. With gloves on.

We had squally bursts of rain, and brief vision of rainbows until  the sun set and the dark came, and thetemperature dropped further...

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.03.19

Blowing a Hoolie

As I type this, Storm Freya is making the trees bend and the windows rattle and it has been a very wet and wild day. Felt much more energetic today though, and have been out and about. I've watched rain hit the window of Rumbles cafe, I've tried to stalk a heron to get a very average shot with my mobile phone and I've thrown myself around at cricket practice for two hours.

Oh yes there was a shortish burst on my exercise bike too!

So it's been a busy day of walking, cycling and cricket. The crocus carpets are now all gone, how ephemeral were they?! They've now been replaced by daffodil and glory of the snows, but its not the same.

This is the sadness of every spring.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.03.19

Magnolia and Blossoms

After a long old week at work with not a massive amount of sitting at my desk and being on my feet, my body was very unco-operative today  and did not want to do any exercise whatsoever.

I am thus rather angry at it, and have given it a good telling off.

I did however make it to the park for tea and a walk round. The neighbourhood magnolia trees are now coming into flower, white as a swans wing, on my way to the park, and in the park itself blackthorn and hawthorn are decked in a thick dressing  of sweet blossom.

Attracted to this delicacy I saw another newcomer for the year today - a red tailed bumblebee queen. But a coy one, so no photos.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.03.19