Four Photos: Bee Edition

 "Four Photos" is an idea I've just had to help me get back to our little corner of the BlogWorld. 

 Rather than spend hours trying to work out what to say (if I don't have anything to say), or how to say it (if I do), I just need to select four photos that I've taken and slap them up here on my blog with as little or as much accompanying text as I feel is necessary or can be bothered with.  

 There doesn't need to be a theme, or anything that links the chosen photos, and they don't even have to be recent ones, but they do have to be photos I've taken.  (I'm considering family photos as well - just in case I happen to look at old photo albums and see something of interest.)

 

 This first set, you will see, does have a theme.  Well, the first three do, anyway.  Bees!

 Just over three weeks ago I was up at the allotment and noticed a rather loud buzzing.  Once I'd worked out where the noise was coming from, I saw the air over number 37 (next door but two to mine) was rather hazy.  Putting down my tools, I wandered over to investigate.

 

It's not readily noticeable in this photo, but the air was thick with honeybees - I didn't get any closer.

 

I don't know if they were coming or going.

 

You can't really make out the bees in front of the blackthorn blossom, but look at the sky between the branches and twigs.

: : :

 

Oblivious to the danger lurking under the swing, Bitey rolls around on the lawn.

(From 20th April)

: : :

 

 Should anyone else who is suffering from the 'blog uselessness' bug think that this 'Four Photos' treatment may help them, please feel free to use it.

"Did Someone Say ----?"*

I caught these two doing it in the pond Lake.  Disgraceful!

 

 

* Answers in the comments, please.

 

 Hello!  Here I am!  I don't have much to say, so I will just bombard you with gardening-related photos (mostly) which may also serve as a prompt to start photographing your own gardens and/or green patches for the 15th annual Lady Garden Presentation

 

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event

later in the year.

 

 But first some music to accompany your scrolling, the always delightful Dame Sophie Ellis-Bextor with "Relentless Love": 

 

MARCH

The 30th to be precise...

 

I finally got around to shingling the other side of the walkway from the Grand Paysho to the South Lawn (after I'd moved the buddleia back a bit).  As well as that pink cordyline, I popped in some irises, echiums, crocosmias, alliums (which had all been hanging around in pots for the past year or so), and a peony (which I moved from my shade garden the Gardener's Retreat).

Yg----=----..-sD

 Even though the Big, Tiresome Work Project has come to an end (see last month's Rutherford post for slightly more details), I'm still finding it difficult to return to blogging.  This is partly because something else has taken its place: the Allotment Drama!  I won't go into all the whys and wherefores now otherwise I'll never finish this post, but I will do at some point soon because at least it'll give me something to blog about.  Some of the other reasons are the same as in this post from a year ago except that I don't have any washing on the go and Ms Scarlet hasn't published a new post, although her current one says it's new..... Scratch that.  In the time it's taken me to compose this, there is a new post!

 

 Anyway, here are a very select few of some things that have been going on here recently:

 

Saturday 22 February: Sonic Shower Show Rutherford.  Although number four in the series, this is the eighth Rutherford fantasy action figure I've created:

 

 

"Access at either end remains open"

 Just popping up some photos of last weekend's beach walk before I get distracted with something else and another month flies by. 

 I'll probably take Bitey down to the beach again today because the weather hasn't changed since last Saurday: sunshine and blue skies all the way (although it appears to be reverting to the normal clouds and rain from this Tuesday, so that's a comfort).

 

Rutherford...

 Oof!  Sorry I'm late.

 

 I hadn't realised just how much time had passed since my last foray into the Blogworld.  I hope you've all been good - or, at least, not too evil - since I last saw you?

 

 Anyway, one reason/excuse for my absence has been work - I've been dealing with a big, tiresome project which means that once I get home (or log-off when I'm working from home), the last thing I want to do is sit in front of another computer.  So, instead I sit in front of the TV watching TaskMaster (thank you, Peenee), or sit at my desk drawing risqué pictures of Rutherford (from Star Trek: Lower Decks) like these two:

 

 'Medical Experiment Victim Rutherford' is my take on the questionable medical cat-& mouse chase in the first episode of season 2, "Strange Energies".  [More here]

The Papier-mâché Pavilion

 By popular demand, may I present the ill advised - and slightly OTT - papier-mâché Danish Pavilion originally displayed at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 in Paris, then moved to the village of Overstrand, Norfolk (England):

 

I think this must be taken from near the cliff edge as that rise behind the pavilion (with the path going up it on the right) looks like it coudl be Toll's Hill.  Unless this was taken from Paul's Lane which would mean that rise was the cliffs (which have since fallen into the sea).

[photo from Overstrand Parish Council website]

A Colourful Effort at Timekeeping

Well, I did warn you (kind of) in the last post.  Although I am a couple of days early...

Timekeeping

 

We know our Starfleet crews get themselves into all sorts of temporal scrapes, but how do they (and other galactic citizens) tell the time wherever they are?  Apart from stardates, the odd PADD/viewscreen display, Sisko's Saltah'na clock, and a couple of "antique" 20th century watches, what do contemporary timepieces look like in the Star Trek time periods?  Especially those from worlds other than Earth?  After all, not everywhere has a 24 hour day...

 Timekeeping was a theme I suggested back in March 2023, and it finally got the votes it needed last month to become this month's Fan Art Challenge.

 I can't remember what my original thoughts/ideas for this theme were, so I came up with something new: a poster for the Star Trek: Lower Decks first season episode "Temporal Edict".

 

 I began by looking at time travel film posters.  Many of them feature someone or someones in front of a circular background somethingorother - usually a clock face or something similar.  One of them in particular caught my eye: The Adam Project.  I liked the layout - and Ryan Reynolds! - so decided to use it as the basis for my poster.

Bitey Gets Ignored

 It has been near enough freezing all day, so I've been indoors mainly working on my entry for this month's Star Trek fan art challenge.  However, at about half one I felt the need for a stretch and some fresh - if cold - air, so I gathered Bitey up and took him down to the beach.  And here are the photos to prove it!

 Oh, in a couple of photos time (after the jump) there is a scene that sensitive viewers may wish to brace themselves for.  All I'll say at this point is that you should count yourselves lucky you weren't here to smell it!

 Anyway, the main thing is: the photos.  Oh and this tune (which I know from the film, Evolution):

The Winter sea has scoured away much of the sand exposing large swathes of the underlying chalk bed.

 

Approaching the End-of-the-Line

 Hold your noses and stomachs for what's next:

The Foulness of Catching Crabs

 I remembered to take Camera with me on this morning's Bitey walk into the village.  I did this with one thing in mind: to take a photo of the "visitors' guide to Overstrand, past and present" map because it answers some questions that dear Mago asked last month.  I have still to look through the history books downstairs for more info, but I've made a start at least.

 Before we get to the map, here are some photos of the North Sea:

The Year with a Convenient Birthday at the End

 I'm sure it won't come as any surprise when I tell you that I've been somewhat slack with regards to blogging this year - both posting here, and reading all of yours.  And the Host hasn't been much better, either.

 Hey!

 Well, isn't it true?

 Yes.  I suppose so.  Except for June and November.

 Anyway, June and November aside, we've pretty much given up on our annual "Year of..." extravaganza, and instead focused on one very important award that always features towards the end of said extravaganza.  And that award is, the Most Inconvenient Birthday Award. 

 Only this year, it's the Most Convenient as it's saved us from exploding with frustration and exhaustion in an attempt to pack two or three days worth of work into just a couple of hours!

 And so, we'd like to present this golden, hazelnutty, chocolatey award to, none other than Savvy!

 

✮ ✮ ✮

Old Knobs and Groynes

 Bitey and I went for a lunchtime walk in the drizzle and found ourselves surrounded by knobs at what's left of the End-of-the-Line.  Bitey didn't seem fussed, but I was thrilled, let me tell you!  And I'm sure at least one of you will be, too.

Before we reached the End-of-the-Line, I tutted disapprovingly at Cliff's slovenly posture.

Hot Chocolate

 Very quickly, here's the latest in my series of Rutherford action figures - from Star Trek: Lower Decks "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place", I give you: 

 

Chocolate Romance Edition Rutherford

 

[The colour's a bit washed out due to the terrible lighting here (storm outside, and indoor lights are useless), so I might have to try this again on a nicer day.] 

 

EDIT 12/12/2024 : Here's the nicer day version ~