Had to open with a snap from AnonymousRob's 'Stagnight' at the Nelson and Railway at Kimberley. A class pub, as you will see if you open the link. The evening was so humid (or 'close' - as we used to say) folks opted for being outside which was lovely. I won't name people because they would be meaningless to readers. Except for my 'Half-Reg' and Rob standing next to him. I only stayed a short while because everyone understands the problems.Earlier in the day I did my usual 'messing about' and although the light wasn't good I wanted to photograph the 'old and gnarled' rose root, top and bottom as it were. It's hard to believe that picture on the right is the top of the picture on the left.
. .
.
I think Jill, that having adopted 'old and gnarled' as an OK description for acceptable 70+ people, we should add 'and a little prickly' to it.
Comments
Bugu ...... Thanks for reminding us about Annuals. I was very lucky as a child - Santa left me a pillow-case full of presents rather than the customary stocking. After a lie-in I used to wake up about 2.30am and rush to feel through the pillow-case for the shape of my eagerly anticipated Rupert Bear Annual. I must have had other presents but it's Rupert I remember and, as a poetry lover, I always read the rhyming couplets rather than all that boring old prose.
You are wise to let Sandra take over the neighbour dispute. She is a formidable lady and you aren't really up to the hassle at the moment.
Re Capital Punishment..... Unusually for a 'copper' I was anti and conaidered the Roy Jenkins argument persuasive. In his view, the existence of capital punishment had the end result of many 'guilty' murderers being ' acquitted' because Juries were apprehensive about the death sentence when there was any scintilla of doubt. With the result that the offender walked free when he/she should have been locked up for life.
Pleased to hear the 'butterfly problem' isn't confined to Brinsley. I'm sure there must be an informative web-site somewhere.
The 'marrow casserole' recipe sounds enticing. When you mention 'tomato sauce' I guess you mean passata or similar, rather than tomato purée or tomato ketchup?
Reg ...... The 'juvenile goldfinch' (Miles insists on correct terminology) does in fact seem to be protected by a Zulu type shield. If you remember Tuesday's blog, there's a sideways shot of the same bird showing half a shield on the end of his wing. I think, boringly, the shield effect is just his wings closed tightly together.
But nature is so clever with things like this, and the effect is probably a deliberate scarer for other creatures. Well spotted and I don't know if anyone has ever noticed the characteristic before............. Photos showing just that aspect are not common are they ?.......... Can't see NEMPF being interested.
.........................................................
Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow
The smiley is just for those who can't resist 'boggering-about' with their Computers
.
Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow
The smiley is just for those who can't resist 'boggering-about' with their Computers
.
The bloke at the front with the stripey top on looks a handsome debonair type, not so sure about the bloke holding his wine glass like a girly though.
ReplyDeleteI thought the purple-shirted fellow (Rob) looked familiar. Then I realised that I was looking at the image of a close relative of Brian Clough (he liked his glass of wine too).
ReplyDeleteThe black shirted fellow with the shoulders must be a canooist or weightlifter.
'Old and gnarled and prickly' sounds about right.
I learned to read, before starting school, via the Rupert strip in the Daily Express. I also had the annuals, now long gone. As you might expect, I read the verse AND the prose. But I reckon the verse précised the story extremely skilfully and accurately.
I am sure Roy Jenkins was correct in his assessment but the thing that bothered me most was the thought of arguably innocent people being executed; eg, Bentley and Evans. Hanratty and the slow witted chap who did nearly 20 years before being released would have been others.
The 'tomato sauce' in the marrow recipe is the one you have just made from onion, tinned tomatoes, herbs and seasoning.
Reg:
I hadn’t thought of the Goldfinch carrying a Zulu shield until you astutely pointed out what instantly becomes blindingly obvious. And what’s wrong with ‘chick’ for us mere mortals?
Other finches, plus wagtails, tits, and no doubt several other species have not dissimilar tail and/or wing markings. RG is probably right that it is the sort of prophylactic device also employed by, for instance, butterflies and other creatures.
We have three buddleias, most years we get peacocks, red admirals, small tortoiseshells by the dozen, and an occasional painted lady (down, Bungus) and a brimstone. This summer - masses of flowers, all I've seen is a couple of cabbage whites.
ReplyDeleteOld, gnarled and a bit prickly does for me too!
I never noticed the 'shield' either, until it was pointed out. Perhaps it serves the same purpose as 'eyes' on some butterfly wings?
That was fascinating stuff about Pierrepoint, Bungus, so it looked as if he did hang his acquaintance after all. I knew he came from a line of hangmen - did he himself have any children?
Part of me would like to retain the death penalty for some particularly nasty murders, though not through hanging which I think is especially barbaric.
My youngest daughter - 'wild child' - attended an execution in prison in the US. She was his penfriend for some ten years, he had been on Death Row all that time, often getting reprieved at the last minute. She went over there and visited him, then when it looked as if there was not going to be a reprieve she went again, and his mother and sister asked her to attend the execution with them. She didn't want to, but she did - it was by lethal injection, which took 12 minutes before he was pronounced dead, and it wasn't just becoming unconscious and then dying, as I had thought.
On that happy note I will go out and do some dead-heading (!) - there is a rare yellow round thing up the sky which I should make the most of.
Gorgeous rose picture - the red velvety one.
Pleased you managed to get to the 'party'. G, if only for a short time.
What a handsome bunch of fellas, except, of course, for the little man in the stripy top who obviously cannot handle a pint glass.
ReplyDeleteThanks, RG and everyone, for coming along - it was a great night from my point of view and I finally made it into bed at about 3am. Thanks to Joan for bringing us home as well, and the sandwiches beforehand.
Thanks, also to Bungus/Bugu for all the info on Pierrepoint. I found it on Wiki just before I read the blog but arrived at it via Ruth Ellis. It all seems to have been true apart from the dubious figure of 608. My view on the death penalty is, given that it's wrong for one person to kill another why is it right for the state to do it? As mentioned elsewhere, there is also the question of innocent people being executed.
We went to Lumsdale last Monday (Bank Holiday) with the dogs and thought it a fantastic place. Near a waterfall there is a sheer drop down to the water below; one of the dogs (Tara) was looking over the edge so I called her away. As she turned her back end slipped over the edge and she disappeared. Elaine refused to let me go after her on the grounds that it was only 2 weeks to the wedding and Tara would come out at the bottom anyway. I wasn't so sure but peered over the edge and she was on a ledge so we managed to get her back easily. We christened the spot Tara's Slip and at some point in time I shall e-mail some photos of the Waterfall at Tara's Slip to the blogmeister.
Fancy me being related to Brian Clough; I never knew that.
The 'shield' on the young budgie (sorry Miles) is fascinating. Well spotted that man.
Rob
Jill:
ReplyDeleteI have seen nothing to suggest that Pierrepoint had issue.
I do not in the least envy your daughter that experience. What a haunting memory.
My own experiences and beliefs suggest that living must be more of a torment than being dead (and ‘hang’ the expense?). I do think, however, that there is a case for harsher treatment of some prisoners. As for execution methods, surely they are all barbaric? hanging certainly less so than electrocution or gassing (although the latter, if by whatever they call exhaust fumes, cannot be too bad because many people choose it by self administration and don’t apparently feel a need to leave the car even though free to do so).
If they ever decide to put me down I’ll go for morphine – lovely, euphoric!
Carbon monoxide, that’s the stuff –I knew I’d get it if I waited long enough.
I think the yellow round thing must be a UFO. I can’t remember anything else (but my memory isn’t what it used to be – or, at least, I don’t think it is but how would I know?)
Rob:
I used to know a truly lovely, kind, gentle fellow who served time for murering his wife, so I can accept one person killing another (in a fit of temper or for a very sound reason) better than the state doing it. I think others must go along that line too, given recommendations for mercy and differing lengths of sentence. I would even go so far as to say that in some cases community service would be better than incarceration.
The Tara’s Slip must have made your heart lurch. Glad she was safe. I’m glad it wasn’t me who had to peer over the edge – I would have needed a long periscope.
Oh Dear! You've missed my best side RG. Very pleasent evening meeting old friends Thanks Rob All the very best for the future.Hope the best man understood all the photo talk.
ReplyDeleteDid I give you Roy's apologies? Hes still in the wilds of Pembrokeshire
Prehaps the goldfinch shield will be explianed on his return.