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.