As I look out a peacock butterfly visits. Its underwing is so dark and its flight so rapid and random that it is difficult to say whether I see the insect or its shadow.
Gatekeepers and whites. Red admirals were last week.
Sunday 31 July 2016
Wednesday 20 July 2016
aspirational
Whether it is just the temperature, or also the fact of driving around with the windows down, this warm weather results in my car sounding like there is a troupe of Irish line-dancers practising under the bonnet. The noise from the valve gear is just annoying. So it was that I chose to buy the higher octane fuel this morning. This is advertised as providing more power and better fuel economy. The first claim is almost without doubt correct, but I never find that the fuel efficiency improves with this fuel; I suspect that the temptation to enjoy the extra power and the lack of feedback about how hard the engine is working negates any expected efficiency improvement.
Whether the EMU actually responds to the temperature to decrease the normally parsimonious ratio of petrol to air, I don't know, but the horrible sound of the pinking engine suggests to me the rattle of an addict, frantic for their next hit of narcotic hydrocarbon. Yesterday's drive home scored 57 miles per gallon, according to what little of the data screen I could read - it fades from the bottom of the display in hot weather. This morning, driving consciously carefully whilst listening for any improvements, albeit in much more humid and cooler air, registered 56 MPG in the carpark. The consumption on the two journeys is not normally exactly comparable in any case, so I can't draw any conclusions except that I noticed some hills which were not so demanding of a gear change this morning and I didn't have to wind up the radio to mask the sound of the engine's DTs.
Whether the EMU actually responds to the temperature to decrease the normally parsimonious ratio of petrol to air, I don't know, but the horrible sound of the pinking engine suggests to me the rattle of an addict, frantic for their next hit of narcotic hydrocarbon. Yesterday's drive home scored 57 miles per gallon, according to what little of the data screen I could read - it fades from the bottom of the display in hot weather. This morning, driving consciously carefully whilst listening for any improvements, albeit in much more humid and cooler air, registered 56 MPG in the carpark. The consumption on the two journeys is not normally exactly comparable in any case, so I can't draw any conclusions except that I noticed some hills which were not so demanding of a gear change this morning and I didn't have to wind up the radio to mask the sound of the engine's DTs.
Monday 18 July 2016
Buzz outdoors
Paused at a road junction this morning I was buzzed by a fresh, large hawking dragonfly. Its colours were still muted and its flight was gentle and undulating, not the violent sprint and hover of the mature specimens. A banded yellow I think by size and patterning.
The insect season is late this year, but spurred on by the present bout of summer the numbers are increasing. I've seen more butterflies in the last week than I have in the rest of the year to date. Reptiles too are more visible. I saw my first garden slowworm on Friday morning, curled at the base of a tree trunk, waiting for the early rays of the sun to warm it. Saturday I saw a common lizard at the sailing club, vivid green against the grass.
Also out in numbers are youths waving mobile phones. Augmented reality has been on the cards as a rising technology for a while now and a few attempts to launch products have arrived and left again. I wonder how the reception of Google Glass might have been different if such a game had been available at the same time. Unused to the outdoors, the youths will be surprised by how warm it is, little realising how anomalous this sunny spell is, even for what we call summer. I do hope they have put sun-screen on.
The insect season is late this year, but spurred on by the present bout of summer the numbers are increasing. I've seen more butterflies in the last week than I have in the rest of the year to date. Reptiles too are more visible. I saw my first garden slowworm on Friday morning, curled at the base of a tree trunk, waiting for the early rays of the sun to warm it. Saturday I saw a common lizard at the sailing club, vivid green against the grass.
Also out in numbers are youths waving mobile phones. Augmented reality has been on the cards as a rising technology for a while now and a few attempts to launch products have arrived and left again. I wonder how the reception of Google Glass might have been different if such a game had been available at the same time. Unused to the outdoors, the youths will be surprised by how warm it is, little realising how anomalous this sunny spell is, even for what we call summer. I do hope they have put sun-screen on.
Sunday 17 July 2016
End of the tether
Standing on the starboard seat I looked across the boat, up the lake. Oyster catchers probed the silt to my right and beyond them, amongst the purple sea lavender, canada geese browsed the salt marsh. To my left little gulls dabbled and pecked as small prey surfaced.
The wind was at my back, warm, flapping my clothes. A weak front dominated the sky, casting shadow on the boat, stuck in the mud on its mooring.
I watched the flood returning; fingers of salty water probed the mud-flats, creeping up streams that still ran with the dregs of the ebb.
The sun broke through behind me, warming me through my jeans, the back of my shirt, my hair. I stood absorbing the sun's energy in the steady breeze. Where my shadow pointed, Portsmouth was showing off and dozens of sails were out playing, their boats concealed below the level of the marsh at this low state of tide.
Gently we lifted from the mud's embrace; the port-wise cant levelled. Imperceptibly at first, but quickening, we swung on the buoy into the wind. Sun wheeled around and the rig's shadow marked time on the deck.
Now to my right a ferry rumbled by, safety announcements blown in the wind, heading for the Island before me.
The wind was at my back, warm, flapping my clothes. A weak front dominated the sky, casting shadow on the boat, stuck in the mud on its mooring.
I watched the flood returning; fingers of salty water probed the mud-flats, creeping up streams that still ran with the dregs of the ebb.
The sun broke through behind me, warming me through my jeans, the back of my shirt, my hair. I stood absorbing the sun's energy in the steady breeze. Where my shadow pointed, Portsmouth was showing off and dozens of sails were out playing, their boats concealed below the level of the marsh at this low state of tide.
Gently we lifted from the mud's embrace; the port-wise cant levelled. Imperceptibly at first, but quickening, we swung on the buoy into the wind. Sun wheeled around and the rig's shadow marked time on the deck.
Now to my right a ferry rumbled by, safety announcements blown in the wind, heading for the Island before me.
Wednesday 13 July 2016
The left hand knows what the right hand has been through
Had a blood sample taken for a haemoglobin test yesterday; a pin-prick on the side of the last joint of my right middle finger, soon forgotten.
Picked up a bundle of tongue and grooved boards that had been taken off a boat deck yesterday evening and put a nail through the side of the last joint of my left middle finger. Sucked on that until it stopped leaking.
I noticed this morning that the two injuries look very similar and lie about 7mm away from precise symmetry. Life aspires to art.
Picked up a bundle of tongue and grooved boards that had been taken off a boat deck yesterday evening and put a nail through the side of the last joint of my left middle finger. Sucked on that until it stopped leaking.
I noticed this morning that the two injuries look very similar and lie about 7mm away from precise symmetry. Life aspires to art.
Friday 1 July 2016
I saw mushrooms too
Typical British summer weather continues. Occasional rain, some heavy; temperatures in the mid teens; bit of a gale blowing.
On a brighter note, I broke my reptilian duck today (anyone else thinking platypus?). I found an adder (common European viper) on the road on the way home. sadly it was a road casualty, but still mostly alive.
Round the Island race tomorrow. I may go and watch the start. It isn't going to be one of those years where people run out of time, but I expect there will be some knock-downs.
On a brighter note, I broke my reptilian duck today (anyone else thinking platypus?). I found an adder (common European viper) on the road on the way home. sadly it was a road casualty, but still mostly alive.
Round the Island race tomorrow. I may go and watch the start. It isn't going to be one of those years where people run out of time, but I expect there will be some knock-downs.
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