1989 July to September
July 4th
Beautiful, hot sunny day with a
faint breeze and clear blue skies. Down the Clough Meadow Brown
butterflies are flying around amongst White Clover, Self Heal
and Dog Roses. Cherries are ripening on the trees. One of
David’s Poppies has flowered. My Wild Pansies are out and look
lovely.
Yesterday we had a lovely walk at the Grenade Range. Along the
overgrown pavement Knapweed, Eyebright, Heath Bedstraw and
Bird’s Foot Trefoil can be seen. Nearer the village by the
roadside Yellow Meadow Vetchling, Tufted Vetch and Thistles were
out. A wonderful sight: one I used to take so much for granted,
even as a lover of Nature.
There
was lots of bird life about I saw Herons, Moorhens, Coots,
Lapwings, Pigeons, Doves, Mallard Ducks and ducklings, Crows,
Thrushes, Blackbirds, Sparrows, Starlings and Seagulls of all
descriptions. Today at Belmont I saw a Common Green Capsid bug a
bright green and unusual bug I have seen a few times locally
just lately.
At
Nancy’s I saw a large bright-green fly with big brown eyes; I
haven’t identified it yet. In a few places along the roadsides
at Belmont, the dark red Wood Woundwort is flowering. A very
elegant and symmetrical plant. I cannot possibly convey to you
how delighted I am that my favourite fruit is out on the
Bilberry bushes. Yummy, Yummy!
July
10th
All over Lancashire pink spikes of Rosebay Willow Herb can be
seen. A nice day but with a cool breeze. The Snowberry bushes at
Belmont have tiny pink flowers on. Around the Clough, green
berries can be seen on the Mountain Ash and Hawthorn. In the
hedge by the Ornamental Cottages, I found Wild Peas flowering.
July 11th
A beautiful day with clear blue
skies and warm sunshine. I was thinking today as I stared at a
vase of lovely flowers, how can anyone ever doubt the love or
power of God. Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies have been darting
around the valley today, where Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil and
Yellow-Meadow Vetchling are out. I found that tiny blue flower
today, growing on a lawn. I think it is some kind of Speedwell.
At
Tockholes on Saturday night we were picking Bilberries and there
was a large fly with green eyes and mottled wings. It was a Cleg
Fly which can have a nasty bite. I have recently seen another
one locally.
Tonight
I saw two Dragonflies darting about and doing complete
somersaults in the air. One was blue like an Emperor Dragonfly,
and the other brown with perhaps a tint of red. It was similar
to a Brown Aeshna, but I have a feeling they maybe male and
female of the same species. The Ragwort is beginning to flower,
with Comfrey and Nipplewort. When Ragwort is fully out, the
berries will be ripe on the Rowan.
July 13th
There are currently lots of
beautiful Emerald Moths at work: Sea-green Large Emerald Moths,
pale-green Small Emeralds, silvery green-grey Grass Emeralds,
and small white ones which I think must be Little Emeralds.
There are yellowy brown Lilac Moths with curled wings; dark
brown Mottled Beauty’s, with a patterned wing; and great big
brown moths with orange underwings, the Large Yellow Underwing.
But these Moths aren’t big compared to the massive large grey
Poplar Hawk Moth that I found, with bright chestnut-red patches
on its underwings. I found a silvery-grey male Ghost Moth, the
first I’ve ever seen, and a lemon-yellow Brimstone Moth with
ginger flecks, which again I’ve never seen before.
I saw a male Damsel Fly,
Coenagrion puella, at
work today, with bright blue on its head and a bright blue patch
on its body. At the Grenade Range I saw a Dragonfly which had a
bit of blue about it.
July 17th
A very warm, sunny and humid day. A thin six-inch long
black Mole scurried over Longworth Road last night. While we
were at Church we saw a grey rabbit with black legs and a white
patch on its neck sat on the grass outside the Church door. This
evening there was a reddish brown Dragonfly hovering about the
stream, (Sympetrum
striolatum, male). I saw a Moorhen at the pond above Jumbles
near the Pillbox tonight. The pond is covered with lilies. A
Mistle Thrush landed in front of me at work this afternoon which
I thought was lucky, and coming home I saw about seven Heron
stood around the lodge.
July 18th
Hot, sunny and very
humid. This evening I found Yellow Cress growing at the park. A
reddish brown Dragonfly flew down the valley, where yesterday I
found a small Frog. Last night there was a huge, full, creamy
white moon.
July 25th
The pink and white striped
flowers of Bindweed are flowering on Sweetloves Lane. On the
hedge down to Dunscar the large white trumpet-shaped flowers of
Bindweed are out: a lovely flower which looks quite exotic. In
the Clough, the Nettles are flowering, with big patches of pink
Great and Rosebay Willow Herbs. Lots of small Tortoiseshell and
Meadow Brown Butterflies are flitting about. In the Churchyard
the Lime trees are in flower with a heavenly smell.
July 30th
Under an Oak leaf this
afternoon I saw a creature like a tiny yellow and red Scorpion.
There was a red mite on the leaf as well, which the creature may
have been after for its tea. On the overgrown pavements Knapweed
and Ox-Eye-Daisies are flowering. I have seen berries on the
Figwort, which has been flowering over the last fortnight.
Honeysuckle also has red succulent berries on now. Water-mint,
Purple and Yellow Loosestrife, and Hemp Agrimony are out at
Wayoh.
Yesterday evening it was sunny with a blue, clouded sky, as
David and I took Cindy around Wayoh. On the bank about thirty
Canada Geese were resting. Three small waders were repeatedly
‘piping’ as they looked for food at the waters edge. David
thinks they were Common Sandpipers.
The
Heather is beginning to flower. David picked me his traditional
bunch. Yarrow and Ragwort are out, as are the beautiful, small
azure-blue flowers of the Common Speedwell. Autumn is here, as
the Mountain Ash is laden with orange berries. Sneezewort is
also flowering in the meadows.
August 6th
The past few days have been
sunny and humid with many large Cabbage White Butterflies flying
about. Today I saw two Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies which
have been quite a rare sight since we came to the Clough and
especially this year. A Zebra Spider was scurrying around on the
window this afternoon. There have been some enormous Brown Slugs
in the garden just lately. I think next door’s grandchildren
have picked all the little apples off our tree.
August 16th
At Nancy’s, she and I were
trapped in a poly tunnel as the heaven’s opened with torrential
rain that pounded onto our plastic protection, thunder that
roared, lightening that cracked like a devil’s whip. It lasted
for twenty minutes. Half an hour later, blue sky was overhead;
then not much later it was again pouring with rain. I picked
enough Blackberries for us to have a Crumble. I had to leave a
few though as they had Bugs in, rather like the beetle larvae
you find in streams. I cannot imagine what they grow into.
I am
amazed to find dark red berries on the Hawthorn trees already,
while the Elder-berries are beginning to ripen into purple-black
balls. The Guelder Rose too has lovely succulent berries on it,
like fairy peaches. It is really a most attractive shrub.
August 20th
On the gate I found a very
interesting fly; like a Horse Fly but yellow with ginger eyes
and black-barred wings. On Nancy’s poly tunnel I saw a large
12mm long Froghopper, but unlike any I’ve seen before. Its wing
cases were ‘silvery-sea’ green; head yellow, and eyes and
head-markings black.
In a
plastic container I found two drowned Capsid Bugs and rescued an
Ant. I was thinking about four-leaved Clovers as we walked
through the Park and as I was thinking David found one, the
first of his life. Five Red Arrow jet fighter planes flew past
our house tonight. It was a thrilling sight.
August 21st
A very heartbreaking fact.
George Adamson, of Elsa fame, has been murdered by bandits in
the African Bush; his wife was murdered nine years ago. Although
I have limited knowledge of this man and did not know him
personally, I feel he was one of the greatest men who ever
lived, to say no less of his wife. May they rest in peace
together.
You work
with lions,
Savage
lions, all your life,
But it
is man who
Slays
you.
September
2nd
The morning started with clear blue sky and bright
sunshine. Cindy and I went round the Clough. The Elders are
heavily laden with dark purple berries while a few acorns can be
spotted on the Oaks, which also have plenty of ‘Elfin Hat’ galls
under their leaves. The Brambles are thick with Blackberries -
food for the wild folk (birds, mice, shrews, voles, insects,
hedgehogs, foxes).
A
fortnight ago a Primrose and a yellow Primula flowered in the
garden: also a Hyacinth flowered at work in June. These are
Spring flowers but flowering at the end of Summer, global
warming or green-house effect maybe? The Primula, (though I know
little about the make up of flowers) appeared to me to have a
double stigma, joined together in the middle.
I’d just
like to say that with holes in the ozone layer, oil slicks miles
long etc, man may very easily succeed in destroying man. However
he has not the right to assume he can destroy creation. God made
the world. Each creature and plant was fashioned in a workshop
beyond our wildest dreams. It is all in the plan of things:
nature will restore a balance, even if this takes millions of
years. This is nothing on the time scale of creation.
Still no
man has the right to think he can or will blow up, wipe out,
what the Lord has so carefully made. God is the creator of all
things. When He wants life on earth to end; only then will it
end, and I don’t believe there will ever be such a day.
September 3rd
Clear skies again. Walking
round St. Peter’s I saw earth balls, orange toadstools and other
fungi. There were many Daddy Long Legs about; I counted ten on
one gravestone. Cinquefoil is flowering amongst a tailored lawn
of mowed grass and soft mosses.
From
Nancy’s poly tunnel I released a Red Admiral, whilst another
fluttered about on flowers outside. There were lots of Blue and
Greenflies - ‘Bluebottles’ - feeding on the flowers. Yellow and
black-barred Hoverflies of various species could be seen
everywhere, and large black Flies that have orange wing patches.
Beech nuts can be found littering the ground, though I’ve not
seen any Conkers yet.
I have
been very saddened after dreaming about the death of a furry
friendly Hedgehog. I have found many squashed Hedgehogs on the
local roads. My only consolation is the thought that if so many
have been hit, then there must be many more that haven’t.
September 4th
Yesterday I forgot to
mention. I was walking along and heard an alarmed and persistent
buzzing, which sounded like a trapped insect. I thought perhaps
it was an angry wasp so I proceeded with great caution. Then I
found a crisp packet from which the sound seemed to be coming.
It was a trapped Bumble Bee, and she was very alarmed. I opened
up the packet with the help of a stick, and the Bee flew away.
Please don’t throw your rubbish carelessly away; it could trap a
poor defenceless creature.
I saw a
Blue Headed Wagtail on the roof at Nancy’s yesterday;
a very colourful, pretty bird. I was inspecting Oak leaves today
as they often hide interesting secrets of nature. I was not
disappointed. On the leaves were a few pale patches, which
appeared to be hollowed out cocoons, where maybe a grub had
eaten away the tissue to make a chamber for itself. In one of
the patches there was a hole, where some insect may have
emerged, and ‘half way out’ of another leaf was a small brown
fly.
On a
nearby Oak tree the lower leaves were faded with a greyish white
bloom, as if they had been splattered with paint. On the
underside tiny brown particles could be seen. I wondered if it
were some kind of fungi.
Beneath a
Pussy Willow leaf I found many orange powder-like growths,
probably another fungus. The Sycamore leaves are badly covered
with black Tar Spot fungus. The stream running through the
Clough smells of human urine and is full of rubbish. Broken
bottles can be found all over the place. It is disgusting how
human beings take beautiful countryside, a God-given paradise,
and lay it to waste.
September
6th
About a week ago while walking to the Grenade Range I
found a scarlet red fungus, looking in texture like a round of
marzipan, amongst the grass. Yesterday I found several tiny
orange toadstools in the Churchyard, where there is,
surprisingly enough, a lot of sphagnum moss and mowed heather.
There was a black Ant with a white bar on its abdomen dragging a
dead black fly twice its size. The ant must have had a firm grip
with its jaws on the fly, which it was probably taking to a
communal nest.
At Nancy’s
there were many Hoverflies and large Drone Flies feeding on the
nectar and pollen of the Chrysanthemums. Nancy gave me some:
they are beautiful with a lovely scent. Banded Bees fed on the
garden flowers - these have equally-striped abdomens, unlike the
bold stripes of Bumble Bees. Several Small Tortoiseshells flew
about, with a pair of Red Admirals which I see every time I go
to Nancy’s.
I watched
a flock of Starlings suddenly discover and decimate the yield of
berries on an Elderberry bush. Walking past the old mill wall at
Eagley Cricket Field, there was a lovely surprise. Wild
strawberry plants on the wall covered in tiny red fruit.
September
8th
A cool cloudy day, with a blustery wind. David, Cindy and
I went a lovely walk up Longworth Clough. In the Mill Pond
elegant erect Bulrushes stand, with their velvety
chocolate-brown spears. Woody Nightshade in the hedgerows now
has red and yellow berries. You can see conkers on the Horse
Chestnut trees, but they are not quite ripe enough to fall.
In the
Clough I found Red Bartsia flowering by the footpath, a pleasant
surprise. I used to see it a lot growing in fields in the Lake
District. We saw a Kestrel hovering above some unsuspecting
mouse or vole. A Great Tit flew through the Pussy Willows; I saw
one yesterday on the drain pipe of a house. In the long-dead
grass there was a perfusion of lilac-blue Devil’s Bit Scabious
flowers. They have a most gorgeous colour.
I looked
under an Oak leaf, as I am prone to do, and among the green
‘elfin cap’ galls were some ‘velvet pink’ ones. Here and there
on the ground, Earth Balls could be seen. By the side of the
road up to the Holmes’s we found a perfect specimen of a Shaggy
Ink Cap fungus. I found two about a fortnight ago, at the side
of the pavement on Eagley Way.
There were
some beautiful small fungi, putty coloured and about the size of
a Sparrows egg, but round like a fairy loaf of bread. They were
growing on a wall and speckled with black flecks. I found the
leaves and fruit of a Turkey Oak below the Holmes’s. The dark
brown acorn sat in a cup covered in curly green spikes.
We have
adopted Harriet the Hedgehog. She is living in our greenhouse
and David is going to make her a run in the garden. She has had
a hen’s egg, and milk and bread for tea and tomorrow I am going
to get her some blackberries.
September
9th
At Tockholes I found an Angle Shade Moth with russet brown
markings on its wings, and lumps like Rhino horns on the back of
the head. The ends of its wings looked ragged as if they had
bites taken out of it. Usually the V’s on these Moths are olive
green.
We have
given Harriet some slugs, she likes bread and milk, but hasn’t
eaten her Blackberries yet, I hope she does.
September
12th
In a vase of flowers I found Cuthbert the Caterpillar, who
left his droppings on the table so we thought we’d got a Mouse!
Cuthbert was fat and velvet green, I let him go in the valley,
which is where we are going to let Harriet go tonight. The
Greenhouse is too dry and she’d dehydrate if we kept her in as
she hibernated. Also if kept for any length of time, the garden
is not big enough for a wild animal and her droppings would be a
problem.
In the
large conifer next door there are two enormous fat Spiders,
waiting in their webs for tea. In the Brambles yesterday I saw a
brown spider with orange, black and white markings. I think
‘Tiger spider' would be an appropriate name. A cloudy, warm and
close day. Tonight a tiny Bat, about the size of a man’s hand,
was flying about the gardens: I saw two about a fortnight ago.
My
explanation of global warming is the carbon dioxide and CFC
gases used in manufactured goods, especially aerosols, and
polluting the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide comes naturally from
methane (cow dung etc.) burning industrial waste and by animals
breathing it out. These gasses damage the earth’s atmosphere,
especially the ozone layer which keeps out harmful solar rays.
As more pollution causes more gasses, the damage to the ozone
layer increases; allowing harmful rays through, thus dangerously
warming the earth’s atmosphere. This damage has been going on
since man began industrialised society, BUT the earth is very
old. Why should man be able to damage, a planet that has
survived well enough for millions of years, in a mere 200 years
or so?
Man thinks
he is so clever and so invincible but he does not see that he is
not immortal, and that by tampering with nature it may not come
as any great surprise (to me at least) if it is Nature that
brings about Mans downfall, and not him, with his ‘clever’
inventions such as atomic and nuclear bombs, his own. Man thinks
he is running the show, but our Lord is our creator and only He
has the answers.
September
17th
On the footpath down the Clough I found a brown
Caterpillar covered in spines a few days ago. I saw a very
similar one at the Grenade Range yesterday. They were probably
the same kind but I don’t know what, unless they were Peacock
caterpillars. There are lots of Tortoiseshells about the village
lately and the Blackberries have, almost finished fruiting.
It has
been lovely and sunny today. There were seven Millipedes, three
Spiders and one Snail under a piece of wood at Nancy’s. I’ve
never seen so many millipedes! I picked Nancy some Scabious from
the meadow where a new housing estate is to be built, some dead
Grasses, Michaelmas Daisies, Hawthorn berries, a sprig of Ash,
and Willow Herb. I think she was a bit embarrassed, she didn't
say much about them. I also put some Michaelmas Daisies on a few
graves at St. Peter’s where I took Communion this morning.
Also at
Nancy’s there were four Red Admirals; plus many Bees, Flies and
one Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. There were quite a few
Tortoiseshells flying about Belmont. I saw a flock of
Goldfinches fly over the Golf Course, coming back from Longworth
Clough last week.
September
18th
This evening it became dark, cloudy and rain pattered on
the window. Then towards the west the sky became bright, a sort
of washed out yellow. I went outside and to the east was a
beautiful rainbow, arched completely in the sky. The colours
were vivid and it reminded me of the seven or so rainbows I saw,
on another occasion many years ago. What promises did those
rainbows hold for me and mankind?
In the
east the sky was blue, and black further south. In the west
white wispy clouds moved amongst a yellow sky which turned a
warm orange and a deep pink in succession. As the sun died down,
the clouds became soft-grey and purple as each lost the sun’s
light. Just above the horizon ran a band of sea blue sky. You
would not imagine that so many colours could be seen together in
the heavens.
September 29th
An absolutely breathtakingly, beautiful day. A deep clear
blue sky and bright warm sunshine. At
half past seven, when I
went downstairs to make David’s sandwiches I heard a pitiful
meowing at the door. As I opened the back door a little black
cat was trying franticly to get in.
“Kitty
Puss” has arrived. He’s a lovely little black cat. Very gentle
and friendly: I love him! Kitty Puss stayed all day. He is a
lovely cat, gentle friendly nature, clean and does not mind
Cindy. As long as he will stay he has a home. He slept on our
bed for two hours and didn’t want to wake up. I’ve fed him and
made him a toilet. He had meat, milk, cream and cheese.
While
Kitty and Cindy were out playing I heard a dreadful racket, as
if a cat had got hold of a young bird. I put Kitty in the
kitchen and went to investigate. Next door’s cats had trapped a
Weasel under a bin. At this time of year Weasels come near human
dwellings to look for a warm sleeping place for Winter. The
Weasel had a cheeky triangular head, no bigger than a 10p piece,
and bright beady-brown eyes, chocolate brown fur, a two inch
tail and a yellow chest. It peeped out at me chattering away
like mad. I chased the cats away so allowing the Weasel to
escape to the undergrowth – which it did rapidly.
September 20th
Got application form for a job
at a local school
September 21st
The weather is sunny with
clouds and it is unbelievably warm. The warm wind seems to
caress the earth as it passes by.
September 22nd
Got interview next Friday for
work at Marks and Spencer’s.
At half
past three this morning I had to go downstairs to comfort
Cindy during a thunder storm. The forks of lightening frighten
her. She settled down by the side of David. He’s great with
animals, especially dogs. When day broke the air was a lot
fresher after the night’s storm.
September 24th
A beautifully warm, sunny day. Went to Belmont. In Nancy's
garden six Small Tortoiseshells and eight Red Admirals were
sunning themselves and feeding on flowers. In the evening I sat
under starlight at the front door, watching three small Bats
chasing after insects for their supper.