Going for a quick log in the woods

Logs.  Canon S120

31st August 2015

The weather has been damp today, so we took the dogs to the woods for a run where it was a little more sheltered.

The path was liquid in many places; it shows how wet the summer has been, although Muppet was in his element!

The folks who manage the woods have been busy over the summer months though and there are lots of log piles; Xena had great fun sniffing around to see if she could find any critters hiding amongst the trunks.

Brown and tasty, but with a sting ...

Over ripe figs.  Nikon D200

30th August 2015

While we were away in France, the fig trees went nuts.   There are stacks of ripe fruit just calling to be picked.   There were a fair few of the fruits which have gone over, but the birds are seeing to those ones.

While picking some of the riper fruits today, I also realised that the wasps are making a meal of ones that are very ripe and have split with the recent rain

Ouch!

One little sod stung me on the side of the finger!

I will be wearing my thick red rubber gloves from now on to pick the fruit :(

More than just a Hamlet

London Tower Block.  Canon S120

29th August 2015

We had a trip to London today to see the chap who plays Sherlock play Hamlet instead.   He made a really good job of the part, although a Deer Stalker hat would not have been amiss occasionally.

On the way to the theatre, I tried to count how many flats were in some of the tower blocks; there are probably more folks living in this block than some rural villages, let alone some of the isolated hamlets.

Many legs run riot

Caterpillar.  Nikon D200

28th August 2015

We have arrived back home to find that while in France, a mass of caterpillars have hatched out in the veg plot; there are scenes of devastation with not even stalks left in some cases.

Luckily the Nasturtiums have taken the brunt of the munching and most of the other plants are safe.

Big Pink Head

Hydrangeas, Canon S120

27th August 2015

The local landscape here in France is quite chalky and alkaline.   The local hydrangeas in the area all demonstrate just quite how alkaline the soil is; they all grow with varying shades and intensities of pink.

They seem to rather like the climate with the bushes being covered by massive large pink flower heads.

A dash of vinegar may be what is called for to dampen the pinks to a powder blue.

Colours: Green and Pointy

Green Tomatoes.  Nikon D7000

26th August 2015

The summer has not been a good tomato year apparently.  Our hosts here in France grow a spectacular range of different varieties, but the harvest has been poor so far.

These tomatoes are still green, but at least they have an interesting shape.

DIY itching powder

Rose hips.  Nikon D7000

25th August 2015

I remember as a child that there was a 'joke' stall sometimes at the local market; a deep crowd of like-minded kids were always crowded around it and the stall's daily take must have been huge.

The usual 'fly in the ice cube' was fun, and the 'Whoopee Cushion' caused great mirth until it was sat on far too hard and burst.

But the more subtle jokes, such as lacing one's sisters clothes with itching powder, were sometimes more satisfying :)

The only issue was that a decent supply of itching powder was needed to ensure that at least one item of clothing was worn (in particular on April Fool's day, but action on any other day was also welcome).  I am not sure which adult let slip the secret, but a rose hip this size would certainly have made me smile with the thought of how many thousands of tiny scratchy hairs it had inside; just waiting to be fluffed up and released onto an unwilling victim!