Friday 2nd July 2021, 3.45pm (day 3,599)
If you’ve been sneezing a lot lately, you’re assuredly not the only one. The noses know we are at peak pollen season.
Pollen
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: nature
Wild strawberry
Wednesday 23rd June 2021, 3.15pm (day 3,590)
This is not an eventful period of my life. This is nothing to do with the Great Fear, it’s just how the wheel is turning at the moment. But at least the wild strawberries are out, and waiting to be found.
The white and the black
Tuesday 25th May 2021, 11.05am (day 3,561)
Went out on a walk, not that the weather is getting any better — atypically, May 2021 has been a cold and grey month in the UK. These calves, particularly the black one, look as grumpy about this as I feel.
Rule 1: Follow mother
Monday 24th May 2021, 3.20pm (day 3,560)
Have I yet done 2021’s duckling/gosling pic? No? Well, here you are then. These balls of fluff can get up to a decent speed in the water, you have to give them that.
The doorstep journey
Friday 21st May 2021, 11.30am (day 3,557)
“Listen, I’m as pissed off as you it’s still very cold and wet for May. I have to forsake my usual comfortable haunts because the ground is too wet. And you’re not at risk of getting fatally stomped by random humans.”
Well, these are valid points. But it still let me stick my camera in its face.
The latest robin
Saturday 24th April 2021, 2.10pm (day 3,530)
Three minutes after I had dug over the garden a little and this robin perches not six feet from me and virtually demands that I capture its close-ups. Seeing as this is taken in pretty much the same spot as the picture of the last robin to grace this blog, only 22 days ago, it might be the same one — either way, it is the latest example of how this particular species really has learned to not be in the least bit bothered about us humans. Perhaps it, too, is slightly annoyed by the presence of the white plastic tie, but what the hell.
Ladybird love
Friday 23rd April 2021, 1.10pm (day 3,529)
Lately most of the ‘likes’ on this blog have come from bots — can I just say hello to the five or six different accounts, all with the same profile picture, who have supported my efforts lately? Clearly I need to spice up this photo-feed a little, so here’s two beetles getting it on in the springtime. So attached (in both senses) were they that they remained entwined even after I manouevred them up onto my finger, in order to avoid squashing them when sitting down on the bench (at university) on which their amorous activities were occurring. I hope they and their babies are now grateful for this consideration.
The rooks know
Monday 12th April 2021, 9.25am (day 3,518)
Plenty of work to do after Easter, which today meant another day locked in the house with limited photographic opportunities. The knowing look on the face of this rook was the best I managed, and even then it’s somewhat out of focus. But then again, that also epitomises the day.
A few minutes old
Sunday 11th April 2021, 3.55pm (day 3,517)
I don’t know who or what has been the oldest living creature to feature on the blog: there has been one confirmed nonagenarian (Clare’s gran) but more likely it’s some tree somewhere or other. But I can now declare this lamb to be the youngest. If this had been born much before 3.50pm today I would be surprised. The caul is still very obvious and being cleaned off by the mother ewe. It’s eyes are open, and it was beginning to move. Quite a sight in fact.
Eager robin
Friday 2nd April 2021, 3.05pm (day 3,508)
Robins succeed because they’ve commandeered the ecological niche entitled ‘we really don’t give a shit about those human creatures’. We turned over a pile of compost on the allotment and this fearless chap was picking it over before we’d moved five feet back. He got the best pickings — woodlice, centipedes, worms — everything else was just in his wake. Birds! Ignore the humans! Be the robin! You’ll not regret it.
Being 42 