Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Wildlife of Bradley Stoke: Bee Fly

Bombylius major, known as a bee fly, feeding on flowers.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Rook

Greylag geese

A skein of greylag geese.

Eider ducks

The call of eider ducks - in amongst the call of Black-headed gulls. They are the Frankie Howerd of the duck world - ooh!

Sunday, January 25, 2015

2014 Rainfall


Rainfall during 2014.


Average of the rainfall over the last seven years. For the year, the total was 1165 mm, which compares to 901.5 mm for 2013.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Dark Thoughts

It's like you have a cinema screen at the front of your mind,
Onto which you project what you see, what you wish, what could be.
And then a box appears in the corner, a preview of something else.
But you didn't call it - it sprang up unbidden,
A subconscious well of poison hijacking a moment of your attention.
You can't help but look, and you focus, the rest blurring out,
Until there is nothing else to think about but the inky black portrayed.
You try to break it, but the inkiness somehow becomes real,
Suffusing even the big screen, spreading hopelessness.
But the well is finite, and to cover everything it dilutes down,
Gradually becoming nothing, the screen still clear.
But it hasn't gone away, and the well will refill,
Ready to spread it's hopelessness again.
Dark thoughts are like mists in the consciousness,
Carpeting the ground, always burned off by the sun,
Always returning, and always with the fear of what if the sun fails...

Monday, December 22, 2014

Loneliness at Christmas

Sitting there, people all around,
In the square, Christmas sounds.
People going to and fro,
People chatting to whom they know.
Songs that talk of being together,
Of giving presents forever and ever.
But one thought please for that person sitting there,
Single, worn down, an almost soulless stare.
For there's nothing worse, it shouldn't be allowed,
The terrible loneliness in the Christmas crowd.
Love thy neighbour, wish good cheer,
Just remember that for some it will bring a tear.
And if you see a tear, don't back away,
Go and speak to them, make their day.