Monks Cross

dawn over Monks Cross (and a local accident black spot) near Kit Hill. As always at dawn the rooks are doing their morning sun worshipping rituals without which, of course, the sun would stay put.

Saturday 12/01/08 before the fire storm began.

more from the spoil heap

there are several different species of moss growing even in this hostile soil (see link).

spoil heap colours

the striking colours on this spoil heap (near Old Mill) may be something to do with the toxic metals (arsenic, copper, cadmium, etc) to be found in the waste from the mines in this part of Cornwall. The striking moss may be an ornamental escapee but it is clearly flourishing on this wasteland. Barbed wire and moss sandwich is a local delicacy.

jays

we had the unusual pleasure today of watching this jay for about ten minutes as it furtively retrieved acorns hidden away earlier. They are usually very shy and difficult to follow although you can always hear them in the woods (as Simon Barnes wrote recently there is no such thing as a small emergency for a jay). So we often see flashes of their startling plumage but they never seem to pause to pose for photos.

hello 2008

a very very early camellia (for this particular specimen). Our summer rose is also about to bloom again. These are very unseasonal signs of the changing climate.

farewell 2007

goodbye and, for most of the people Spot cares about, good riddance to 2007, and hello 2008. Happy New Year to everyone, may peace and goodwill prevail.