18°C, cloudy
the apple tree seems to bear better fruit this year. It is prone to some kind of blackspot, but this year no rot has attacked. The results? the fruit in this picture is now under a roof of crumble and in the oven as I write.
Fruit from my garden
16°C, grey, dull, very dull. CA:20
Bone-tired II: yes yes, I know I say this every year, the last week of term and all. I woke in the night, about 4 ish, and my heartbeat was still thumping, I’m that tired. It seems like a very physical state to be in. Three more getups to go.
18°C, 3 sharp showers, SW. CK: 55miles
Found a cuckoo in the road today, a victim of roadkill. Quite a beautiful bird; it looks, in many ways, like a hawk except in a few details. The beak is straight & the claws not oversized like a sparrowhawk (which is about the same size). Not sure that I’ve ever seen a cuckoo before, though they are heard on every camping trip over the past few years.
Single-speed bikes are supposed to have mechanical advantages over deraillier geared bikes. The straight chainline promised long chain wear, but this turns out not to be. Perhaps the chain on mine is of poor quality, but the fact is it’s worn out after only 750 miles. Also, the headset bearing has gone notchy too which suggests that these componants are poor quality to keep the price down. I really don’t want to replace a chain after less than a year’s use again.
17C, rain then bright.
Just a quick note this time. I know most of my posts are short, terse even.
Film: Four Lions, a comedy about some none too bright would-be suicide bombers from Sheffield. I say ‘comedy’ since that’s what it says on the label, but I didn’t notice that many funny bits. It did get better towards the end. It reminded me of Citizen Smith, the TV series from the early 80s, unfortunately it shared a similar characteristic where the parody was expressed through characters who were rather dim witted. A pretty feeble way to get laughs I’d say.
20°C, sun, W.
The Derbyshire White Peak is dotted with these circular features. Some are stone but most seem to be made of concrete. This was one of the few that had water in.
18°C, NE 10mph. CA:20
Ever woken with a deep ache in a muscle? It’s often a mystery as this one is for me today. It feels like someone kicked me up the arse in the night. I can’t recall anyone tip-toeing in hobnail boots into my room last night. the dogs didn’t rouse, so the mystery remains.
Happy birthday Neptune. In a way. It’s gone round the sun once since the day it was first discovered, so as of today, it’s ONE.
19°C, heavy showers.
Rode home in a river. Raindrops the size of golf-balls striking and rebounding up from strong flowing ribbons of water. Traction was good though and it’s not cold.
23°C, wall to wall blue. CK:50 miles
Riding near Mawdsley Lancs., I saw a bird lying in the road. As I passed, it was obvious that it was still alive. So I turned around and went back, if left it would get driven over. It was a bull-finch, sitting in the pale sun-bleached tarmac with one leg sticking out at an awkward angle. So ( like last time) I picked it up with one hand, and suddenly it flew away towards a tree with other passerines swirling round.
Further proof that I can do miracles, as if any were needed.
I suppose it had an injured leg that prevented it jumping enough to take off. A very similar thing happened a few years ago in Leicestershire, I have blogged about it here but can’t locate it right now.
18C, bright.
Home, yesterday greeted me with a big splodgy mess on the kitchen floor. One or both the dogs pulled down a bag of bananas off the fruit bowl and ate the lot. Well, okay, they left the skins, but still… In a stern voice I ordered “come here”, Rosie came over while Bessie’s tail dipped between her legs and she walked outside. The body language said “guilt2 to me, which was frankly rather surprising. I can’t imagine the old dear getting up high enough to reach the bag. But still
Later, it turns out, Rosie’s face smelt of bananas, she had an upset stomach and needed to be let out twice in the night. So that confirms it- the dog who cheerfully came over the previous evening, wagging and interested was actually the villain of the day. Bessie’s performance was little more than that- an act. I’m still puzzling over her motive for that.
I have to remind myself as a pet owner, that they are at heart- scavengers and I keep two of them in my house. Seen that way, we should expect trouble every once in a while. It’s a bad mistake to expect human values even though they clearly do think. It’s the way they think that is puzzling me. But think they do.
Here is a fun link
27°C, humid & oppressive. Thunder later?
The air presses down making the drawing of breath an effort. You heart beats harder under the exertion and all because of an air full of menacing dark clouds. This may be one of those days were we long for a cracking thunderstorm but maybe don’t actually get one. Sleep could take a long time to achieve tonight, it takes the body to long to cool enough.
The dogs are really struggling with this one, especially old Bessie.
Micycle 