Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Thursday, 18 August 2016

Whispers of Autumn


  I've been chipping away at the edges of my lead mountain, painting a batch of archers and plotting my next move.  I've therefore not had any finished work to show off, so thought I'd post some signs of the seasons.


  A wasps nest, built stealthily in an old stump near a flowerbed.  Some creature had attacked it in the night, perhaps mistaking the buzzing for that of bees and expecting some honey as a reward.  I can only imagine the stinging retort they endured.  We found this hive structure with some survivors picking over the ruins late in the day.



  I went out for my walk on the hill and deciding to dip down across it somewhat, and found a swathe of rosebay willowherb.   A common weed, but seeing it visited by bees, moths and butterflies gladdened my heart.



  Some little signs of the season winding down are appearing.  This is the largest patch of Lords and Ladies berries I've seen round about here, usually I only find one or two hiding under a hedgerow.


  Conkers growing in the trees.  The leaves are not turning, but all the horse chestnut trees around here seem to be afflicted with a virus that causes the leaves to brown and shrivel prematurely.

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  I've thought that I will start writing - if not full reviews, then at least, my impressions of books I have read.  I have been delving into modern Weird fiction and horror after being fixated for the past decade on the early 20th century.  There seems to be a tight knit community for such things and I would like to broaden my horizons and become a part of it.


Friday, 7 August 2015

Nature Break!


As I went onto the patio after lunch, I heard a sound like a flutter of wings.  But it wasn't a bird, it was this beautiful green dragonfly.


It kept patrolling a very narrow space around some ferns, flitting loudly from place to place, and flew into my face and landed on my eyebrow, then on my chest!  It stayed so close that I had time to get a little macro photo of it!

And a toad that tried to make it's home in the compost!



Thursday, 25 June 2015

Stag Beetles!

 It's the time of year when beetles are abroad!

These beautiful and harmless creatures are Britain's largest insect but sadly they are in decline.  We keep chopped up logs in the garden which are a haven for wildlife and attract creatures like beetles to feed on.  They also attract interesting animals like woodpeckers who come to feed on them.

http://ptes.org/campaigns/stag-beetles/stag-beetle-facts/

There is a campaign at the above link to report stag beetles if you find them.  I just sent them a report for a few in our garden.  Including the very shy female below.


This male was from last year but he posed so handsomely for the photo I felt I should include him here!