Monday, March 12, 2007

Another colourful Sunrise - Still Mild

Another lovely sunrise. Perhaps a little too vivid for some people's taste but that's how it was ! Being a seasoned observer of dawns (comes from working nights outside for so long) I have noticed that these colours only remain extant for a few minutes at most and occur quite a while before the sun actually rises.

As soon as I woke up I could see it was going to be dramatic so > Nikon on tripod> adjustments made> out onto front porch with mug of tea> click, click, click....... and this was the best so the rest went into the big delete button receptacle in space. I know some laggards would rather linger in bed but, as the corporal used to shout as he enetered the barrack room at 6am - "hands off c**ks hands on socks". Mind you, I'm always at my best in the mornings and think "I've been spared for another night; I'd better get on with the day and enjoy it". Having said all that I do sympathise with those who don't like mornings. Particularly Monday mornings.

Then I had a leisurely start. Only 2 rounds of toast and marmite and the Telegraph. Nearly finished the crossword, and I guess I will finish it tonight after my subconscious has had a day to cogitate on the clues.

I went over to Boughton to take Bungus the cheese-boards, all 4 sets. Sandra has a mind to use them for 'pyrography' at the Workshop and they seem ideal. When I got home I did some more messing about and spent a little time on my 'lappy'. Since my stupidity with opening the 'you have won a laptop' link I seem to be getting an inordinate amount of Spam. Also my spy Sweeper found 2 spy-cookies which I have duly quarantined. Teach me not to be such a SOB in future.

Picture 2 is some Forsythia which I photographed after dark. I love the way the flash blacks out the background. Saves photoshop tinkering time and looks much more natural. TJ rang, which she always does when her Mum is away, to make sure I'm OK. She is such a considerate girl.

My 'parsnip & sweet potato soup' is surprisingly good. Recipe Here. It says it is sweet and you would expect it to be, but I didn't find it so. I shall value Y's opinion tomorrow.

We have been using 'Timate' potatoes which are a variety I haven't encountered before. They seem good and I wonder if anyone else has come across them?

Smashing quote just arrived on my Google Homepage. Epicurus (Greek Philosopher circa 300BC) said :-

"Wealth consists not of having great possessions but of having few wants".

I'll go along with that.

.....Shan't be long before I'm off...........

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am a ‘some people’ who is a veritable Boomtown Rat when it comes to Monday mornings.
Just a touch of pedantry.
I believe that in the RAF, as in the army, it was ‘… ON WITH socks’ (a friend who did NS in the RAF told it me some 6 or 7 years before I was conscripted).

The night-time flash certainly saves us from Gaussian Blur and is very effective.

It will be interesting to hear Yvonne’s verdict on the soup before deciding whether to try it.
I don’t know the potato you mention but it is nearly an anagram of ‘Estima(te)’ which is a pretty reliable variety too.
We have taken to Roosters for jackets (larg eones purchased singly from Tesco); had thenm tonight and they were excellent to the point of unbeatable with only one slight defect, viz, a rather tough skin. But I think a rub of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt (a refinement which Sandra cannot abide) will sort that out nicely.

Re Epicurus (obviously a man of taste, otherwise why would he have been given that name?) and to reprise an old joke:
I only have one want; it is a long one made of felt.

Back to backs.
Yesterday, while walking slowly round the pit tip, or Ollerton Pit Woods as it is now officially known, (slowly, in part because Ralph now has difficulty keeping up, and partly because my slightly dodgy knee was giving me a bit) I was caught up by an acquaintance (a retired miner) and his lovely friendly Rottweiller. John, who I would say is no more than 60, remarked on my limp, whence the talk, as it does, turned to such matters and it transpired that he had a spinal fusion some years ago. Although he says it still gives him some pain and discomfort, which I do not doubt, I do not think anyone would normally suspect it from the way he walks, sometimes for several miles (unlike Graham and Sandra who can perhaps manage a hundred yards on a good day with a following wind).
So cautious optimism may be called for in the case of Jill’s son-in-law. End of message.