Picture 1 is a further photograph from John, location not known, but demonstrating that there are wild boar in France.Somewhere near the 'esterel massif' if close to where he took another picture. They certainly seem to having a whale of a time. Good luck to them.
Our day has been good. Deciding to brave the Bank Holiday we went to the river bank spot at Cromford which Helen C recommended for wildflowers. Thanks Helen. The 'getting there' instructions proved straightforward and we were rewarded by a cornucopia of flora. The path (wheels friendly) leads down the centre of a wide river-bank and wildflowers proliferated.
Plenty of checking-out needed in my reference books.
Some were easy to find like this 'Bistort' on the left. And I'm still working on many of the others.A little apprehensive that noisy children milling about would be everywhere, we were pleasantly surprised.
I guess the river bank at Cromford Mill is not a place to which young families are attracted.
The Mill itself is now a World Heritage Site and of course Sir Richard Arkwright was a man who perhaps doesn't receive the attention he deserves. For his time, he was an exemplary employer. The village he built for his workers had a School, because he wanted young people who were to be employed at The Mill to be able to read and write.
Come back Sir Richard !
On our return journey we stopped at The Canal Inn at Bullbridge and had an excellent meal although there was too much of it. (I had a feeling there wouldn't be a satisfactory web-page to link you to, so the photo is mine. The link takes you to a page about the village)
We both chose the 'fresh haddock, chips, and mushy peas' and certainly didn't have room for a pudding, attractive though they looked. The menu states clearly that meals are actually cooked on the premises and to allow a little time during busy periods. This was borne out by our experience and they were busy. We arrived at just the right time, before the rush started, and the landlord directed us to a charming corner table by a window.
I checked out the 'chip cob' position for WoW possibilities and received the reply "No problem".
By the time we reached home it was completely clouded over and at this moment it is raining.
My responses to your comments
Jill ... Would like to come and help in your garden, but weeding about a tenth of ours is more than enough. Sorry !
The Garmin NUVI 105 is a Sat/Nav. Silly me for not publishing a link, or at least explaining.
But Helen C's cautionary note does not fall on deaf ears. There seems to be a reluctance on our part to take the plunge. Perhaps we have subliminally noted similar warnings elsewhere.
Re Gertrude in a Pot. I think she would flourish magnificently in a pot. Although not visible from the photo ours is not in a border but in a hole in the concrete path, perhaps 10 x 18 inches filled with about a foot of compost on top of subsoil. So, go for it !
Lucky you with the Painted Lady butterfly. It would be lovely to see your photo. Keep experimenting with photos>computer, or, if son helps - make notes.
Pete B .... Thanks for 'from the horse's mouth' information about the TT races. So much more fun than official briefings. And doubtless more accurate too. Blogs are the in-thing !
The poor people who are virtual prisoners by living 'inside the track' have my sympathy. I guess the best solution would be to 'let' your house for the duration to a respectable family of fans and go off somewhere on holiday with the rent.
Bob ... Thanks for the e-mailed picture of your tomato plants. I hope I haven't been premature in putting mine outside. I must remember to cover them if a cold night is forecast.
What a lovely poem (Whitsun Weddings) to do for A level. As a mature student ? Didn't think he'd written it back in the 40s.
As a special treat I've tracked down a recording of Larkin himself reading it. Please click here.
Helen C .... Please see above re Cromford river-path. I definitely want to go again in a month or so, to note changes in wildflower population. However, in identification terms, I have plenty to keep me occupied already.
Your 'surprise tomato plants' are no doubt a product of your home-brewed compost. Seeds are very resilient.
Thanks for the Sat/Nav tip. I think our current reluctance is telling us something.
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As an alternative to a sat-nav designed purely for your car you could always consider a mobile phone with sat-nav built in. It is always handy to have a map facility in one's pocket as well as all the speed camera positions. Nokia make several and also own one of the digital mapping companies.
ReplyDeleteGraham I know quite a few people who rent out rooms and their houses to bikers who come for the TT races. It is much needed accommodation and to this end any monies made is tax free. It is managed by the government and called "Homestay". Places are at a premium now that a lot of hotels closed down and so you see tents in the most unusual of places. Most of the football clubs have campers on their pitches and one year I saw some intrepid people camp on a litle piece of grass on Douglas prom right beside the public conveinience. There is a group of people who camp on a little strip of grass at the side of the road in Maughold who have been returning to the same spot for over ten years and they travel all the way from Germany...I will try and get a piccie.....
ReplyDeletePete: We have a family association with the TT races. Many years ago David (Graham's younger son) drove with a crowd of friends to the IOM. Returning, it was agreed they would have a stop-over in London at my daughter Debra's flat. The convoy roared up in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ........ and rang the wrong bell. Mayhem ensued!
ReplyDeleteJill: Hope Jenny is making good progress
When I saw the photo of the boar I was surprised -thought it was a local inhabitant! - until I read your blog.
ReplyDeleteHave got camera sorted, I had USB thing in the wrong way round, didn't realise it had a back and a front.....photos not very good, butterfly is just a brown blob....
Went to tea yesterday with son' and family up the road, there was a white hebe bush about two ft. high/across, small insignificant flowers, absolutely covered in bumble bees/honey bees, other forms of insect life, I'll swear they were queueing up. While we were having tea we watched, at one time we counted five painted ladies, two small tortoiseshells and a red admiral all on it at once, that is the most butterflies I have seen together for years. And don't they have fascinating names? I wondered if they knew torrential rain was coming (and it did) and were 'stocking up' but was told that this bush was covered in bees all the time.
'Surprise' tomato plants - I read somewhere that they are very plentiful around sewage works, the pips are very resilient indeed !
Interesting John photo.
ReplyDeleteI favour reintroducing boar, wolves and bears to Scotland – provided wall is topped with barbed wire.
Ollerton like ghost town Monday; tumbleweed blowing down Forest Road.
As a child I loved picnics on riverbank at Bothamsall (courtesy Uncle Tom’s beautiful 1935 Rover 10 - still remembered by my oldest friend from its standing on our drive before aunt, uncle, cousins emigrated to S Africa for a fortnight).
Now even Arkwright Street’s gone!
A Level 1988/9. Whitsun Weddings; whole book not just the one poem. I enjoyed it.
Enjoyed your link too; ‘Mr Bleaney’ (and ‘Trees’) as well as ‘...Weddings’.
Quote reminds me of the late Colin Gibson MBE, Ollerton’s Geordie Town Clerk –
“Bill’s organising a ‘Tree Recognition’ ramble.
I’m not going; I know what a tree looks like”.
Helen:
Garmin I was thinking of (small boys’ knee-length shorts) is, of course, a French machine (and not tweed but ‘de Nimes’).
Pete:
Son of a late friend of mine (once Company Sec to IoM Brewery) rode sidecar on island (where he was born) several times; won race in 1969.
Jill:
Rain. Sandra out so decided barbecue myself bacon butty.
Just got fire going...