Bees

Yesterday, saw my first bee of the year, an enormous brown and orange striped one, not sure which variety, but was one of the largest I have ever seen. It was on the pavement of a main road so I bent down to pick it up with the intention of moving it to a garden area. Unfortunately, when I did so, I found out it was dead, stepped on by someone.I just hope that it was an accidental killing of such a beautiful insect. I love bees, they are so interesting and industrious, People are scared of them but they just go about their business oblivious really to us humans. In summer my lavender bush is throng with so many varieties of bees and I will sit there in my little camping chair right next to them all. Even when fruit picking I will be right next up to them, feel them touching my bare arms, and never once have I been stung. Wasps, however, are a different story!!!!

A few weeks ago I mentioned a caterpillar which was on a geranium leaf, about to turn into a chrysallis. Well, it ate the leaf which then dropped off into the pot, wrapped around the budding chrysallis. Now, it seems its vanished from sight!!!

The earthquake was quite good I thought, in that my daughter rushed upstairs asking " Mummy, is it the end of the world". How dramatic can you get I wonder? All that happened was doors rattled, bottles jangled in the bathroom, where I was at the time, and the floor moved a bit. At work the next day, a girl thought it was a poltergeist, or God even, shaking her bed. I told her God is way too old for tricks like that!!! The worst quake I once felt was in Tunisia, then I though the hotel would colapse. At least I am thankful nobody was killed, and I an truly sorry for folks who's houses had damage done to them, for I bet they have a hard job getting insurance payouts.

Tonight we are having gale force winds, but at least the rain has settled a bit. was soaked to the skin coming home from work this lunchtime. Tomorrow is March 1st, and they say if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. BAAAAAAAAAAA.

 

Starlings

My lovely starling family have been back over a week now. The first I knew about it was when I glanced up at the troughing and saw straw protruding, at first I though it was some old dead grass which the wind had dislodged, then out from the eaves flew a bird which landed on the roof opposite. Sure enough it was a starling. Would love to know where they go to in winter, North Africa, the south of France?

Last sunday being sunny and warm in the sun, me and Bill took an afternoons walk along the canal bank. In parts it was quite frozen, so we fed bread to the ducks en route. Having reached a modern housing estate, we left the tow path and walked down an avenue towards the river, noticed dandelions growing in profusion in one place. At the river several horse riders were exercising their beasts and a dog decided to have a swim. rather the dog than me!!!! We then joined the Burnley way to get to another district, should have crossed a field but we would have been above our ankles in water, so instead walked round by the road. Eventually we got back to the river again at a place which in the olden days had stepping stones across it. Nowadays there is a wooden bridge, much safer by far, but the old photos are more picturesque. It is a beautiful rural setting, so peaceful, and the mistiness only added the the ambience. My grandma told me how her grandfather had found arrow heads there in his youth, and it was rumoured that this was the place where the Battle of Brunanberg took place. Whether this is the place we will probably never know, but its hard to picture men killing one another in such lovely surroundings. From there we walked along to Padiham, was hoping I might see pheasants but didnt. However, I saw several from the train last week at a place near to Blackburn. Could see Gawthorpe Hall across the river, shrouded in mist like something from a gothic horror film. The hall is a National Trust property, but as yet I have never been in it. Once had a job interview for there, needless to say I was unsuccessful!!! Having finally reached Padiham, nether of us fancied a 4 mile walk home along a main road, fortunately a bus arrived after about 5 minutes.

The last lunar eclipse to be seen here for about 8 years was a non event, too much cloud cover, so saw nothing. NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!