A Good Old Fashioned Leather Chase

So, off to Old Dalby today, not far from Great Dalby where I have played in the past and the ground is a relic of ridge and furrow farming.

Old Dalby is a similarly tiny ground, but it is boringly flat. It does however have a flock of sheep next door, which periodically come to the fence to bleat "You're craaaaaaaaaaaaaap" at hopeless bowlers such as myself.

To be brutal, there was a lot of crap bowled today. We bowled first and my first two overs went for 30 odd, short deliveries being thwacked into the fence a mere 40 yards away. It was grey and miserable which helped nobody's mood, including one of senior batsmen who ended up driving to and from the ground for 60 miles thanks to a team mate who never showed, and some mis-communications.

At least we had the best dressing rooms I've ever encountered. We all had our own personal coathanger, and there was a shower like a tardis. There was also a dog fouling warning that appeared to encourage owners to shove a wine bottle up a painful place. Poor doggo.

Soooo, yes, about the bowling. For some reason one end seemed cursed, for no-one could bowl well from there. Everyone got battered by an opening bat who went on to make 122. In about 20 minutes it seemed.

In an hour they had about 160 on the board. It was relentless, but our skipper kept our heads up, apart from those who kept disappearing into a ditch on the boundary like they'd fallen into the bowels of cricket hell.

Two of our lads did produce an ok spell however, which clawed it back a bit, and then muggins here came back at the end to knock over a few at the end. Not that 356-9 is anything to be thrilled about, my own 4-52 included.

Our batting, designed as it was to secure bonus points rather than win the game, sort of meandered along, taking us to 160-7, but the job was done by that, although I was slightly miffed I didn't get a bat lol. Not that I can bat.

A chance for more tomorrow. But sadly no cheese shop stumps.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.07.19

Just More Sweet Little Creatures

A hot day today, and many critters were out and about in my mini-meadows. My tourettes has been very up, and I've been full of obscene ditties, just like Mozart.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.07.19

The Damselfly in the Dirty Garden

There is another garden at work which has been a bit more of a failure - the herb garden that I and others dug out.

Basically after seeding it with various pollen producing herbs, no-one had time to put in the necessary weeding and maintenance, with the result that it has become totally overcome with various weeds and purple flowers.

However, it still has some use to nature, and the curry plant, chive and lavender from the original planting are still going - the curry plant in particular is very pungent.

Today I found a female common blue damselfly glittering softly amongst the flowers, and managed to get a nice shot or two. Amongst others.

Been a nice day.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.07.19

Now the Gatekeepers are up

The gatekeeper is a very short lived butterfly of mid to late summer; a pretty golden and black flutterer that always reminds me of the flights on a set of darts, it is normally a very lively species that is darn hard to get a photograph of.

This makes me think that the specimen I have caught sight of today wasn't long out of the packet, as it was the first gatekeeper I've seen, and it was plenty warm enough in the afternoon for flight.

Plenty of other butterflies about today, and I have my first slightly vaseline-on-the-lens ringlet shot for you. I even managed to get a shot of a very twitchy grasshopper, a grasshopper that headbutted my hand when it tried to jump out of my renewed mini meadow..

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.07.19

A Small Skipper for you

Managed to see a lot today while walking between our two buildings.

My wildflower mini meadows, which I thought were over for the year, have had a resurgence of birds foot trefoil coming back into flower, demonstrating beautifully how it gets its "Bacon and Egg" nickname.

The red tailed bumblebees were back all over it.

In a more organised garden area, rich blue lavender plants are alive with honeybees, and a very photogenic drone fly.

The 5 spot burnet moths are now starting to cluster on top of thistle heads, an irridescent ball of red spots.

Today's first for you is my first small skipper shot of the year, the little orange buggers have been not wanting to pose until today.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 02.07.19

What Shall I put in My Garden?

So I've had a day to myself today, and have spent it mainly engaged in putting up my bookshelves. A simple task for normal humans is of course a sheer trial for a clumsy oaf with terrible spacial awareness, and only a small space.

However, after a long time lying on my back trying to line up holes with other holes, and awkwardly screw in hex screws, I did manage to get the thing up and put books on it without it collapsing.

I have sorted out a few plants for my little yard, but as you can see from the photographs it's a bit bare and flinty.

I am wondering how I can make a nice little nature garden at low cost and hassle level!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.07.19