Clouds of Black and Pink

We've had some skyscapes over the last couple of days, to be sure.

Not all of them dropped huge amounts of water on me. ALhough most of them did.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.01.18

Signs and Signifiers

The signs are in the Prince Rupert, old, metallic and hopefully to the owners who probably scan every episode of Antiques Roadshow and Flog It, valuable.

The signifiers are the signs. They signify a more innocent age, where it was cool and ok to hunt foxes, where cigarettes did you no harm, and having a drink actually made you drive a car better.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 17.01.18

And now the First Crocuses

I managed a sort of jog-walk-trot today for about 6 kilometers, taking in the cemetery to see if there was anything new to see and indeed there was  - the first crocuses have indeed speared through the surface and begun to unfurl their flowers. Some of the poor buggers were swimming a bit after the heavy rains overnight and this morning.

Rumbles was shut this afternoon, which rather nullified the whole point of my run slash walk. Especially as it has been muddy as hell down there and to find no cafe at the end of it put a slight grump on my face. Although there was a bit of a rainbow to take the sting off.

My ankle feels ok, and so I think for fitness sake I need to run a little more now. Cricket season is beginning to loom.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.01.18

No Fields of 'Fares

I went for a seven mile walk today, going the back way into Coddington to see if there were any fieldfares in the field by the windmill, which is where I have seen large flocks of them in the past.

Of course, they all heard that I was coming, and packed their luggage and headed off for anywhere that I wasn't.

But walking in the countryside is never wasted time; I coast along, listening to the radio and taking in the sights. There wasn't a lot of nature, but there were a lot of cyclists; full club chain gangs swishing past at speed, couples in black pootling along on his and hers Treks, folk on mountain bikes, a guy struggling up Beacon Hill at barely walking pace against the steep slope.

I was glad not to be riding myself because of the cold, but it was great to see all the cyclists out. Balls to all those who moan about them - all these bikes were sporting blinking lights as recommended these days.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 14.01.18

The Aconite of Friary Gardens

Saturday. Exhaustiday.

Yep, I've been sleeping for most of the day again, and done nothing much of the todying I wanted to do, and got little exercise in although I'm still showing 10,000 steps on my counter.

Today has been mostly about getting my hair savaged. Job done, and the preceding hour long hot bath was extremely awesome indeed. I love reading in the bath, which is bad news for books really. Especially if you are prone to dozing off like I am.

The short walk I did have took me to Friary Gardens to give you a special aconite post, as they are now just starting to carpet the ground in their favourite spot. Love these little yellow fellows!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.01.18

Leaden Skies

This is what the sky looked like at 3pm this afternoon. It's also what the sky looked like at 2pm, 1pm, midday, 11am, 9am, all day yesterday, and all day the day before.

The weather forecast states that it will also look like this all day tomorrow.

There isn't any rain, just a constant feeling of damp in the air. It is enervating, and I've found it hard to concentrate the last few days, ticcing more than normal and finding it hard to concentrate. It's like being trapped under a dirty sheet.

There is good news. I lobbied the council, and encouraged our workplace to do the same, that the proposed cycle track to be built from our work into town should be the one picked out of 7 choices.

Found out today that seems to be the case.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.01.18

Murk and Mushrooms

Today and yesterday have been entirely the same; days where you never could tell if the sun had risen, set, or was overhead in the bloody sky. The only difference was there was enough rain this morning to mean I had to deploy the sexy kagool on my ride to work.

Last night, I noticed bracket fungi on the trees by the library, trying to capture them in the dark while a mad robin tried to sing somewhere.

I wonder when I will hear the first blackbirds sing? That can't be far off.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 10.01.18