What next?

Ribwort AKA Plantain.

Came back from shopping and noticed that the plantain plants had also recovered from the attention of the contractors. Decided it would not be fair to leave them out from the lawn intruder pix.

 Of Plantain Culpeper has much to say :— 

It is true, Misaldus and others, yea, almost all astrology-physicians, hold this to be an herb of Mars, because it cures the diseases of the head and privities, which are under the houses of Mars, Aries, and Scorpio. The truth is, it is under the command of Venus, and cures the head by antipathy to Mars, and the privities by sympathy to Venus; neither is there hardly a martial disease but it cures.The juice of Plantain clarified and drank for divers days together, either of itself, or in other drink, prevails wonderfully against all torments or excoriations in the intestines or bowels, helps the distillations of rheum from the head, and stays all manner of fluxes, even women's courses, when they flow too abundantly. It is good to stay spitting of blood and other bleedings at the mouth, or the making of foul and bloody water, by reason of any ulcers in the reins or bladder, and also stays the too free bleeding of wounds. It is held an especial remedy for those that are troubled with the phthisic, or consumption of the lungs, or ulcers of the lungs, or coughs that come of heat. The decoction or powder of the roots or seeds, is much more binding for all the purposes aforesaid than the leaves. Dioscorides saith, that three roots boiled in wine and taken, helps the tertian agues, and for the quartan agues, (but letting the number pass as fabulous) I conceive the decoction of divers roots may be effectual. The herb (but especially the seed) is held to be profitable against the dropsy, the falling-sickness, the yellow jaundice, and stoppings of the liver and reins. The roots of Plantain, and Pellitory of Spain, beaten into powder, and put into the hollow teeth, takes away the pains of them. The clarified juice, or distilled water, dropped into the eyes, cools the inflammations in them, and takes away the pain and web; and dropped into the ears, eases the pains in them, and heals and removes the heat.

That is only part of his approval. Yes today we laugh at some of their ideas, yet scientists are finding truths in some of their cures. They have started to find ways to extract the vital parts from the dross and try to put the essentials into new drugs.

Came back from getting my pension and paying the rent to see that the Groundsel “clock” had formed. I snipped it off and took it in to the clamp. Set up the macro lens and ring flash and took a series of pix. Found out that the correct name for the clock is Calyx and Pappus. Nice to be correct in terms even if it doesn’t sound or say as easily as clock. The 10 dioptre on the Tamron 90 mm gives 2x life-size, and the ring flash that close allows an exposure at f32 at 50 ISO. I can’t fathom the reasoning that says “Celsius was earlier than Centigrade or Fahrenheit so that must be used” yet cancels ASA for the new styled ISO. Plutocrats are complete idiots in my opinion. In fact I reckon they don't even have the brains to qualify as idiots they are much lower in intelligence.

The 10 dioptre allows a picture almost as intimate as peeping into a shower when a lady is using it.

With the ring flash the lighting although even, still gives a little relief to details such as the ribbing on the seeds and the hairs of the pappus.

We have gone; we have fled
out into the world we go;
we have left our home,
and we will wander
and roam, until we find
a new haven. Then we will
in turn put forth a new generation.
People will curse us
they will say “Damned Weeds”;
but we know we are not damned
for we are the beauty
of nature and we too are
children of the Mother Goddess
as people themselves are.

Fancy that I was moved to poetry about nature for the first time in quite a few years.

 

Greater Burdock, Arctium lappa,

Had an idea this morning as I went out to Mud Lane. When I got to Kenn Moor Gate I went down the track that leads to the Water Gauge fields.  There were several large clumps of Burdock growing there. I had taken the ring-flash so I set up on the back flap of the Smart/Idiot with the clamp on a beer mat of the car roof. 

Culpeper says of Greater Burdock, Arctium lappa, amongst other things :—

The Burdock leaves are cooling, moderately drying, and discussing withal, whereby it is good for old ulcers and sores. A dram of the roots taken with Pine kernels, helps them that spit foul, mattery, and bloody phlegm. The leaves applied to the places troubled with the shrinking of the sinews or arteries, gives much ease. The juice of the leaves, or rather the roots themselves, given to drink with old wine, doth wonderfully help the biting of any serpents. And the root beaten with a little salt, and laid on the place, suddenly eases the pain thereof, and helps those that are bit by a mad dog. The juice of the leaves being drank with honey, provokes urine, and remedies the pain of the bladder. The seed being drank in wine forty days together, doth wonderfully help the sciatica. The leaves bruised with the white of an egg, and applied to any place burnt with fire, takes out the fire, gives sudden ease, and heals it up after­wards. The decoction of them fomented on any fretting sore, or canker, stays the corroding quality, which must be afterwards anointed with an ointment made of the same liquor, hog's-grease, nitre, and vinegar boiled together. The roots may be preserved with sugar, and taken fasting, or at other times, for the same pur­poses, and for consumptions, the stone, and the lask. 

I wonder what the 'lask' might be. I know that the hooks will cling to almost any material and certainly to animals coats. 

 I put a dioptre on the Tamron 90mm and managed a real macro shot of the hooks, they look soft but are as hard as they need to be to hold onto hair, fur, or trouser legs.

When I got to Mud Lane I found Melilotus and got some shots and also what I thought might be a branch of the Forget-me-Not species. Only to discover and old friend Vervain Verbena officionalis.
So I took the opportunity to take a few more pix of it whilst still fresh. I had still left the ring flash rigged on the A77 so no time was taken.
What a lovely little flower it is although only 5 mm in size.  

When I came back from getting the paper I saw that there was one blossom open on the Groundsel Senecio vulgaris, I set up the ring flash and put the 10 dioptre on the Tamron 90mm. Got a set of pix that covers the remainder of photos to complete the set. Like many of the "weeds" there is an atractiveness about the bloom when seen in a large size.
(Click on the picture with the mouse left button to see this happen) It is surprising to see the details that emerge in the sceen filling picture that results.

I also got a shot of the flower from the side  showing the Calyx  and another of the empty wrecks after the Achenes had gone. Now all I need is to capture them full.

Culpeper says of groundsel amongst other things :—

This herb is Venus's mistress-piece, and is as gallant and universal a medicine for all diseases coming of heat, in what part of the body soever they be, as the sun shines upon; it is very safe and friendly to the body of man: yet causes vomiting if the stomach be afflicted; if not, purging: and it doth it with more gentleness than can be expected; it is moist, and something cold withal, thereby causing expulsion, and repressing the heat caused by the motion of the internal parts in purges and vomits. Lay by our learned receipts; take so much Sena, so much Scammony, so much Colocynthis, so much infusion of Crocus Metallorum, &c. this herb alone preserved in a syrup, in a distilled water, or in an ointment, shall do the deed for you in all hot diseases, and, shall do it, i, Safely; 2, Speedily.

The decoction of this herb (saith Dioscorides) made with wine, and drank, helps the pains of the stomach, proceeding of choler, (which it may well do by a vomit) as daily experience shews. The juice thereof taken in drink, or the decoction of it in ale, gently performs the same. It is good against the jaundice and falling sick­ness, being taken in wine; as also against difficulty of making water. It provokes urine, expels gravel in the reins or kidneys; a dram thereof given in oxymel, after some walking or stirring of the body

Bristly Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides 

Surprising how weeds survive in spite of us. The contractors strimmed the whole plant down, now a fortnight later it has sprung back up from the roots. Even Culpeper could not find a use for this one but the flower and a couple of bristle protected buds are showing that it can survive even the worst that man can do.

What did I find growing in an unplanted pot outside my own door but Groundsel. Unfortunately the flower head had started to close but I got a fair set of pix using the ring flash.

Culpeper says of groundsel amongst other things :—

This herb is Venus's mistress-piece, and is as gallant and universal a medicine for all diseases coming of heat, in what part of the body soever they be, as the sun shines upon; it is very safe and friendly to the body of man: yet causes vomiting if the stomach be afflicted; if not, purging: and it doth it with more gentleness than can be expected; it is moist, and something cold withal, thereby causing expulsion, and repressing the heat caused by the motion of the internal parts in purges and vomits. Lay by our learned receipts; take so much Sena, so much Scammony, so much Colocynthis, so much infusion of Crocus Metallorum, &c. this herb alone preserved in a syrup, in a distilled water, or in an ointment, shall do the deed for you in all hot diseases, and, shall do it, i, Safely; 2, Speedily.

The decoction of this herb (saith Dioscorides) made with wine, and drank, helps the pains of the stomach, proceeding of choler, (which it may well do by a vomit) as daily experience shews. The juice thereof taken in drink, or the decoction of it in ale, gently performs the same. It is good against the jaundice and falling sick­ness, being taken in wine; as also against difficulty of making water. It provokes urine, expels gravel in the reins or kidneys; a dram thereof given in oxymel, after some walking or stirring of the body

Went up to the recycle bins to dump some cardboard. As I was turning I noticed a clump of yellow flowers in the hedgerow.

Snipped off a section and got busy with the ring flash when I got back home. Uploaded 8 pix on Flickr and Morguefile. Taking the example from Roger Phillips I now take a picture of the extended stalk as well as leaf and blossoms.  I had not taken any shots of this obtrusive weed previously. Known by the Scots as "Stinking Billie" after the Duke of Cumberland who had defeated them at Culloden this weed is injurious to cattle if consumed for any length of time.

Even though its consumption will kill cattle, Culpeper says of ragwort :—

Ragwort is under the command of Dame Venus, and cleanses, digests, and discusses. The decoction of the herb is good to wash the mouth or throat that hath ulcers or sores therein: and for swellings, hardness, or imposthumes, for it thoroughly cleanses and heals them; as also the quinsy, and the king's evil. It helps to stays catarrhs, thin rheums, and defluxions from the head into the eyes, nose, or lungs. The juice is found by experience to be singularly good to heal green wounds, and to cleanse and heal all old and filthy ulcers in the privities, and in other parts of the body, as also inward wounds and ulcers; stays the malignity of fretting and running cankers, and hollow fistulas, not suffering them to spread farther. It is also much commended to help aches and pains either in the fleshy part, or in the nerves and sinews, as also the sciatica, or pain of the hips or knuckle-bone, to bathe the places with the decoction of the herb, or to anoint them with an ointment made of the herb bruised and boiled in old hog's suet, with some Mastick and Olibanum in powder added unto it after it is strained forth. In Sussex we call it Ragweed.

Having seen the adult birds ferreting around on the lawn to find things to feed their young it is nice to see one of the juveniles visiting us.

I hope it will survive the semi-feral cats that lurk around. At the moment in the dry spell there are not so many insects but let's hope that it can get enough to survive. As I walked up to the Smart/Idiot this morning it stayed on the side lawn only a matter of 14-15 feet away from me. The same thing happened when I looked out of the franch window with the camera, it looked and then carried on searching.

It would be nice to see a pair nesting in the cotoneaster next year, but I don't think there will be much chance.

At last I found the early print of the Alf Lewis file. With the picture on the cover of  "Wanderers in a Strange Land". The story of Alf Lewis' service in the army during the 1914-18 war.

It is the only JPG to have survived and that was because it was on the cover of my original print. The pictures themselves had been saved in a directory for cover JPG files. Never again will I bunch my cover pix together unless they are on one of the auxiliary hard drives. Even then I will still save the JPG in the file of the story.

Martin realised immediately that it was not a Lee-Enfield rifle the soldier was carrying. I explained to him that it was originally a pic of a soldier in the American was of 1860's.

No puttees on his legs and I had constructed the 'tin hat' from a peaked cap back in the days of Micro-design. 

That was a program that educated me well in editing the old black and white PCX's.

I printed out 3 files, one for the library, one for the history group and the last one for Martin.

What a gamble

Last week when 2 steam excursions were running I went to Mud Lane at Claverham. I stood on the North Side of the track by myself. The 9.27 diesel on the up-line passed just before Braunton went through on the down line.

This week I did it again. The up train was later and I could see the light on the front at Yatton station when Nunney Castle was due at any moment. 

Nunney Castle's steam showed on the Nailsea bend as the diesel started from Yatton. What was I going to do?

I chanced it and stayed where i was. If I had gone back to the south side of the track there were already 3 photographers there. I was alone where I was so could get good shots without any interference. I chanced it and stood firm by the farm track gate.

The Castle class went through and ten seconds later the diesel went by. What a relief and what pictures. .

Went round to Janes to pick up some books and paper. As I was turning the Smart-Idiot to leave I noticed a few little white points in the grass. It was a plant with tiny pinky-white flowers that I had never noticed previously.

I snipped out a plant and took it back with me I had to take my hearing aid in and leave it for a new tubing to be fitted. After that I quickly headed home to the ring-flash and Sony A77.

The flowers were only about 5mm across and I had to add a 4 dioptre to my 10 on the end of the Tamron 90mm. This brought me up to just over 3 x lifesize. Had a good session and also tried it with the 1.7 tele extender as well. Looked in Octopus but couldn’t make it out. Went through the Readers Digest Wild Flowers book page by page and located it. That book is the best buy - 50 pence - I ever made at a car boot sale. Octopus had had it mixed in with the blue flowers, when I checked by name, Vervain Verbena officionalis. 

Now I can post it to the Flora group in Flickr.   I hate not being able to post flower pix without an identifying name. Culpeper says amongst other things of this :—

Vervain is hot and dry, opening obstructions, cleansing and healing. It helps the yellow jaundice, the dropsy and the gout; it kills and expels worms in the belly, and causes a good colour in the face and body, strengthens as well as corrects the diseases of the stomach, liver, and spleen; helps the cough, wheezings, and shortness of breath, and all the defects of the veins and bladder, expelling the gravel and stone. It is held to be good against the biting of serpents, and other venomous beasts, against the plague, and both tertian and quartan agues. 

And that is only about one third of its virtues, a real 

Panacea it would seem

Delicate little flowers and a mid-stalk leaf.

.

How easy it is for us to walk past things and not notice them ! !
As I came in the front gate I saw some daisy like plants with yellow flowers. However when I looked twice I saw they were not what I had thought but something new.

I made a composite picture of details and posted it to Flickr on Flora and also ID Please asking for information. 
I suspect a Hawkweed genus but details are difficult to track down in my wild flower books. In any case Savoy Hawkweed Heracium sabaudum differs a lot in various places.
Stems are bare and no leaves of size in fact no leaves in the top 2/3rds to 3/4's.
Base leaves are hard to find in the grass. I tried to dig one out but had to give up. I can get down to it but can't get back up easily. Oh for the days of youth. Why didn't I have digital cameras then?
Someone had declared it a favourite on Flickr within 5 minutes of posting. I just hope that I get an answer to my question..

Found the best loaf for the Russell-Hobbs bread maker to suit me is the small one with the least crusty bake.

Using 50/50 wholemeal to strong white flour it gives a good solid slice. 2 slices with home made spread on lasts me through till dinner-time. Whereas the small Hovis lasted 3 days for 79p, this one lasts 4 days for around 30p. A very appetising slice too, good solid firm loaf, I can spread the bread with a bit of pressure rather than having to go lightly.

Pity the other bread-maker made such an awkward shaped loaf, this one gives a nice shaped slice. Lidl's flour at 79p and 99p is much cheaper than Morrison's too. I have given up using black treacle too messy to clean up afterwards. The loaf still has a very good flavour.

I found a fourth Harlequin lady bug pupa last week. When I checked this morning I found it had hatched. I carefully snipped the twig off the Hawksbeard weed and took it into the flat. Clamped it and got some macro shots.

With the 8 x dioptre lens on the Tamron 90mm it is possible to get 2 times life-size. It was a rather expensive German lens, but well worth the money.

The old pupa case was there and I expect the bug was waiting for the sun to warm things up a little before it took off.

When I had ended my 'portraiture' session I carefully took the hatchling back out and transferred it to the Virginia Creeper, it straight away shuffled round to the underside of the leaf. . 

The 2 or 3 roots of the Bird’s foot trefoil that I planted in the lawn are now showing good progress. They have spread nicely to an area of around 1o feet. Adds a little colour to the grass and yet doesn’t grow too tall. 

They are only little flowers but quite bright about 8 x 15 mm in size according to Octopus

Got some shots this morning of the seed capsules of the Smooth Hawksbeard Crepis capillaris before it is chopped down. Also a couple of different leaves to complete the record. No doubt about it the Minolta ring flash is a real boon when it comes to taking close shots. This 2x lifesize is lit evenly in spite of the lens with an 8 dioptre addition on the front being so close to the subject. 

 Did a couple of leaf shots too to show how the higher leaves vary from those lower down the plant.                               

Went out  later to clip back tendrils on the Virginia Creeper that encroach on the path. To my surprise I found a Larva of the Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis on one of the leaves. Got the camera and ring flash and got some 2x life-size pix. 

Martin came across and said there was a large moth in the shed building.

I took the dioptre lens off the camera and got a few shots. It was right up in a corner joint but the Tamron 90mm and ring flash lit it nicely. Now all I have to do is to find out its name etc. Really beautiful shading; nature can perform art work better than man can. Now identified as a Black Underwing Mormo maura. AKA Old Lady by Barbol on Flickr ID Please

Came on some  colour slide strips when clearing some stuff. Kilpeck Church in Herefordshire has early door-frame carvings and corbel stone carvings.

I had not examined the images closely previously. This one is of a bear eating 2 children.

According to the bible when the children shouted at the prophet "Go up thou bald-pate" a bear came out and ate them.

I have always thought it more likely that he swung at them and accidentally killed them. 

As I came back from shopping this morning I noticed a tendril of the Viginia Creeper was loose. I went to move it back and saw this odd Beetle Larva. I hitched up the ring flash and got some 2x life-size pix with the Tamron 90mm and an 8 dioptre lens.

I will put it on Flickr ID please and see if it can be identified, Also on the beetles group as well. It doesn't seem to be the right colour for a ladybird larva. I bet if the sparrows see it it won't last long. They love ferreting through the creeper and the Cotoneaster for spiders and insects. Been identified as a ladybird pupa. I had not seen one in this stage previously, only the grey/black colour.
Probably a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Now on the 9th I found another one close by. 

Decided to go to Mud Lane today for steam pix. The Par excursion was due to stop at Yatton so the would be no steam puffs. Only possibility was when the loco was pulling out again, and that was likely to be a free-for-all at the west end of the platform; even then impossible to get head on angled shots.

As it was The Lancashire Fusilier was coasting with little effort. The warmer weather cutting down on  Steam.            

The same thing happened with Braunton hauling the Torbay Express but at least I got pix of them in different situations than previous ones.

Went out to Mud Lane this morning to take steam pix. Looking at the end of the work site a few little yellow patches showed. Turned out to be survivors of the Melilotus.

Took the opportunity as I was leaving to snip off a stalk and photographed it when i got back.
(Memo to myself) ALWAYS take the ring flash and clamp when going out into the countryside,