Wednesday, May 17, 2006

water for thought


water, cool, dark, filthy; best in old flower pots, puddles that have been stomped about in, or in byres and old algae ridden troughs. Cow puddles are a particular delicacy. Uncle Max can only take water in stiff mud (while saying "here's mud in your eye"). It is also important to take every opportunity to immerse oneself in dirty water. On emerging, vigorous shaking will help humans to appreciate the existential wetness of it and they will often show their appreciation by throwing something else into the water to get you wet again. Humans are very strange about water. They like to sit in it. They keep a supply all to themselves in small rooms dotted about the house, in tall porcelain bowls. They will not let us drink this water but often disappear for long periods into these drinking rooms; as always it seems to me they keep the best for themselves.

Monday, May 15, 2006

peace and quiet

Sadly, the boss's camera has got to go in for a clean, there is more dirt on the CCD than photons. This may give me a chance for some more philosophical musing on a dog's life; two bees or not (this is a profound mathematical question for those who use base one maths). Anyway, no new pictures for a couple of days; maybe some archive footage will be available.


lots of love Spot, and Harri who came third.

chicken legs


and our first sighting of bird's foot trefoil, named for its seed pods Posted by Picasa
It does not look edible to me.

cold comfrey



common comfrey and free loader; this not the Russian variety seen around the village but the old herbalist's favourite. It is growing in our favourite lane. Apparently, so I am told, the name comes from the Latin conferre, to draw together, because it was used to mend broken bones; and a slimy substance of the root made in a posset of ale was good for bad backs. The boss is out in the kitchen sliming away and drinking beer ... fat chance.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

ribwort plantain


more complexity. Even ribwort plantain has an interesting private life close up. Posted by Picasa

native bluebells


this is a very pretty slender thing, with its flowers all down one side, none of the fat exuberance of Aragon. It grows very happily in these meadows. Posted by Picasa