Vegetables sometimes grow in our allotment but in some years they don’t: it’s still not raining and 2026’s vegetable crop has been reduced to a few sad and scraggly-looking beetroot plants that may or may not have edible roots underneath them. But fruit: that, we can produce. After the loganberries and jostaberries, the next tranche of free food appears to be ready.
I admire this kind of large-scale decrepitude and collapse. It is not that the whole of Kiveton Park Industrial Estate looks like this, but nevertheless, in my opinion this was the best-looking corner of it. Somehow it seems strange that this hangar is eroding from the bottom up rather than the other way around, but see for yourselves. (Pictured on my latest County Top walk — see the other blog.)
The second canine in a row, though this one is attending to the world far less than yesterday’s specimen. In fact this is the second photo in a week to imply that this is somewhat like I feel — looks like that weekend did a lot for the energy levels, huh?
In flight from the photographer, specifically. My reaction: “Woah! Deer!” Point. Click. I claim no talent — this is Fluke Capture of the Year, for sure. It’s even in focus.
Sunday, not exactly a ‘day of rest’, as there was work to do in the garden, work which resulted in me becoming covered in little sticky seed-balls — whomever invented Velcro must have been inspired by them. I pick the shot also for the surprisingly rugged little landscape formed by my clothing (with the knee mountain rising in the background). The jumper was destined for the washing machine soon afterwards, though.
Respect the pollinators. I know bees are ‘social insects’ but do they socialise, particularly? When two come together like this are they in fierce competition or is it more like, “Hey Bob: make sure you check out the bit just to your left, there’s some good stuff over there”?
I pick the title of this post because it’s not just me watching them, either. The blob to the right is not a blemish on the lens (of which I have plenty) but some other little bug hanging around, and unless I’m mistaken you can see a second one just behind the wing of the rightmost bee. As you can see the weather stays clement — very pleasant stuff I think, although the grass in the garden is starting to go brown.
Whatever happened to its other leg it didn’t stop it soliciting donations of food this morning — not that I had any. There’s a guy regularly seen in Hebden who has only one leg but even he needs a crutch to get about, and as later evidence proved, this pigeon can still take off, propel itself through the air, and land perfectly competently. Its ASNs are therefore not too extensive.
It’s only ten days since I depicted the loganberries, but the fruit on the neigbouring jostaberry plant just looks so succulent at the moment, and there’s lots of it. I think I will try making jam with it. Jostas are a cross between blackcurrants and gooseberries and, according to the Bible (OK, Wikipedia), were first cultivated in Germany and first made available to the public in 1977. The original scientists can be assured that in the climate of Hebden Bridge their creation is doing very well.
These three looked like they were having an amiable little chat while nibbling on the foliage that is exposed on the weir in the centre of town. Why shouldn’t they get together for lunch? Like humans, Canada geese seem a sociable enough species — at least, with each other. (World Cup reference: Go Canada!)
Fruit is just so much easier to grow than vegetables. You really don’t need to do much work and that suits my gardening style. While we were in Norway, the garden experienced ten days of warm weather with occasional showers, and things have responded accordingly. I didn’t pick these two today — they’re not quite ready — but there were plenty more around the place.
Being 42 