Do you know the story of Burglar Bill by Alan and Janet Ahlberg? When Burglar Bill goes into a house to steal, he takes more or less anything his eye falls on. "That's a nice toothbrush," he says. "I'll have that." As he dips in and out of other people's houses, liking the things he sees, he gathers up not only a toothbrush and a tin of beans but a box - with a baby inside. Never mind if you're seventy. You'll enjoy it.
Sometimes, when I go out with my camera, I have a similar approach. "That's a nice flower," I say to myself. "I think I'll have that!" Snap! Today, 'having that' turned up a surprising surprise.
Off I went.
That's a nice Convolvulus flower, I think I'll have that. Oh, look, there's an oak leaf, the ripening burrs of goose grass, blackberry leaves too.
After all, it is the prettiest of flowers.
Plod, plod, plod. If the Council hadn't cut the verge when it did, there would have been lots. Never mind, here's a small crowd.
Here's a nice fly. I think I'll have that!
Here's a nice snail. I think I'll have that too!
Here are some nice flags . . . here are rather a lot of flags!
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| Beyond the Blackberries |
I don't just take pictures of flowers, I like the colours and shapes of other things too. Boats and wires and sea and blackberry bushes and . . . flags!
I'm not an Olympic kind of person. The nearest I've got is to try, three times, to find out if the Olympic Torch will pass the Elderberry Bush we are following. Still not clear about this. It may . . . but, if it does, I think it might be in a van. Doesn't seem quite right - carting it about in a van. We'll see. Van . . .
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| Beyond the flowers of Rape Plants |
. . . The Greek Olympic Sailing Team. (Above)
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| The Alexanders are going to seed . . . beyond them . . . |
One of the German Olympic Sailing Team cars on the left.
And the Turkish Olympic Sailing Team are here too. (The white van.)
For a reason I can't explain, I can feel excitement rising. A row of flags. Vans and cars parked by the sea. Is it possible that the sight of these is making me look forward to it just a little?
The Olympians were visiting a local sailing club. The Sailing Academy, home base for the Sailing Olympics is over there, below the big lump of land which is Portland.
But Loose and Leafy is a nature blog so I'd probably better bung in . . . what's nice . . . Comfrey?
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| June 2nd |
Yes, I think I'll have that!
12 comments:
I love Burglar Bill and dressed as him for World Book Day this year!
I love this post and all the photos!
xxx
We used to read Burglar Bill often when the children were small. I loved your thoughts of collecting photos too it made me smile! I haven't been up your way for a few weeks and haven't seen all those flags, aren't they so colourful! We returned from holiday on Friday and Weymouth has been transformed with palm trees and flags on the esplanade too! I think I would prefer to follow native trees they are much more interesting.
Sarah x
I'm not really a follower of the Olympics, but have been interested in these ones as that is where I was born in London. People there tell me I wouldn't recognize the area. I'm also interested as someone we know is actually in the Olympics, Canadian rowers. He went to school with our daughters. Other than that I prefer the photos of flowers and trees too.
I ♥ lucy
Hi Lyn. Janet and Alan Ahlberg created some brilliant books.
Hi Sarah. We are wondering whether the new palm trees on the sea front will survive. They look great but they are very big!
Hello Linda. It must be a very special thing to know someone actually taking part in the Olympics - it gives a particular link.
Thanks Sharon!
I don't watch sports in general but I do like a lot of the Olympics...kind of exciting that soem teams were visiting and al the flags is somehow lovely by the sea.
I actually grew vipers bugloss on purpose last year in my 'purple patch' it looked lovely and I was very pleased with it - someone told me I would rue the day as it self-seeds vigorously. So I was expecting a wonderful display this year - wrong - nothing, nada, zilch. Your post just reminded me about it.
Hi Donna. The Summer Olympics leave me cold but I love to watch the winter ones. (On television!) They are much more exciting.
Elaine - I tried bringing seed home (watch out, there are lots of prickly hairs on the plant) but none grew. I've been told they flower alternate years but don't know if that means an individual plant flowers alternate years, whether they flower in their second year of growth or lie dormant a year before germinating and flowering . . . whatever it means, maybe you shouldn't give up yet.
I doubt whether they are easy to self-seed everywhere. I see them only in certain places locally. If they were that easy, they would spread. I imagine they are very precise in the kind of environment they like to grow in - which may not include our gardens!
I sha'nt be watching the Olympics, no interest whatsoever in sports. I do like your pics though.
Bridget.
An enjoyable post and interesting photos.
I have little interest in the Olympics but would certainly watch some of the sailing if I was in the vicinity. Flighty xx
I remember when the Olympics were in Los Angeles. I used to live down that way then. It was a VERY exciting time. While they were going on, the L.A. traffic was the lightest ever. A side bonus for the locals!
I'm with your approach to take photos. Most of them never even come close to my blog. I have thousands and thousands in my computer in at least a hundred folders. That reminds me, I better back them up again...
Nature blog or not I enjoyed your beach scenes. Just wonderful colors and the sail boats make me wish for a trip to the shore.
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