The Rat Slag Heap of Life

More pretty things living on the home of rats.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 17.05.19

A Workplace Holly Blue

Just found these pretty sights today while doing a led walk around our campus, with me doing the leading and not many people doing the following, but that was ok.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.05.19

Bees at Work

Was interesting to look at a couple of the more common workplace wildflowers today, and the bees that like to feed off them.

In the semi-failed pictorial meadow there was birds foot trefoil, and that was being fed on by little red tailed bumblebee workers, while next to the path that leads along  past the car park, the first common carder bees of the year were feasting on vetch.

It's all down to the design of their tongues, I believe.

I can believe that, because my tongue is totally the wrong shape to go down most species of wildflower.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 14.05.19

Man Struggles with Big Fish

So, I've had three walks today totalling 16000 steps, and did 30 minutes on my exercise bike; still fat as a barrel though. Amongst all this I got my application in for my new flat, for which I found myself writing a cheque - according to my chequebook I haven't written one since 2002 and as it was the last one in the book I probably won't be writing any more.

It's been a warm old day, and I've seen swallows, screaming swifts, various species of butterfly and plenty of worker bees. I've also watched a pleasant angler struggle for 20 minutes to land a large common carp; everytime he got the thing near to shore, it flapped its big powerful tail and swam off again.

By the time he was able to land it with the help of a mate, a small crowd had gathered to watch him and we gave him a round of applause as he posed with his prize.

The fish was out of the water for barely 20 seconds before it was released unharmed, which I was impressed with. It was in beautiful condition.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.05.19

Return to the Lincoln Grand Prix

The Lincoln Grand Prix is the greatest cycle race on the British domestic scene, contested every year by the best pro, semi pro and amateur riders in the country. You have to be the best, 13 13km circuits including the cobbled climb of Michaelgate that most people can barely walk up, is not for the ordinary.

It's been a few years since I've been, with work and cricket commitments getting in the way, but with the sun in the sky and milder temperatures, it was insane not to go when I had the chance.

I was there for virtually the whole thing, and it was probably the most open and exciting race I've been to, with no breakaway of riders ever really being allowed to get too far away, and the group more or less altogether at the base of the final climb.

It was Tom Stewart of the Canyon DHB team that won, followed by young star in the making Tom Pidcock of Team Wiggins and another Canyon Rider, Andy Tennant, in third, after just under 4 hours of gruelling racing.

Rather randomy, a rider's girfriend messaged me on Instagram out of the blue and asked me how he was getting on, having seen the videos on my IG feed. Another pro-rider, Rory Townsend, liked a few of my photos too, an excellent achievement given he was in the bike race at the time.

Long day for me, 7 hours out of town and I didn't eat a thing!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.05.19

Running on a Cricket Free Saturday

As predicted last night, cricket was indeed rained off, rather annoyingly one of only 4 matches we lost to the terrible weather. Both the first and third teams played, and won, so the day for the club was not lost, it was just me that felt lost.

Thus with a day to kill, I found myself at the park this morning for tea, a hot cup of tea on what was ironically a lovely dry and occasionally quite warm day, warm enough for the odd butterfly to make an appearance.

After a break at home for lunch and a slightly dozey watch of Star Trek First Contact, I went running, first to a flower filled cemetery, and then to the cricket club to run round the ground a few times while the first team played Bottesford.

Sure enough the inspiring sight of me lumbering around the boundary instantly brought about the instant fall of three Bottesford wickets, and indeed in the end our spinner took 7 wickets in the end to bring about a close victory.

My work here is done!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.05.19