Four Photos: Elephant!

Last month, we found this in the red greenhouse

 

It's an elephant hawkmoth

 

And last week The Mother discovered this on the lawn.  Well Bitey discovered it and The Mother went over to see what he was staring at. An elephant hawkmoth caterpillar (she thought it was a poo!)

 

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrgh!*  It's going to devour us all!!!!

 

 

*It may or may not be a pirate. 

Art vs Artist

 By popular demand-

 What? Since when was two people showing a polite, vague interest "popular demand"?

 Since now.  Go and interfere somewhere else.  This is my post!

 I think you'll find it is our post.  After all, whose name is on all those header images further down, hmm?

 Oh, hush.  Why don't you go and see to that ever widening Cusp interface before someone - or someones - falls in!

 Fine.  I'll leave you to your little doodles, then!

 

 Right.  Now that Witchface has gone, here is the Art vs Artist thingy I mentioned in the last post. It's something I saw on BlueSky so I thought I'd have a go, too.

 The majority that I saw are 3x3 square grids with a photo of the artist in the centre square surrounded by eight pieces of their work, so I followed the same pattern (it's all Star Trek stuff as I rarely produce any other kind):

 

Top left to right:

Four Photos: The Drier Side of Britain

 

Something for Ms Scarlet to consider...

(Proof of North Norfolk's dryness compared to Devon's - well, Cornwall, as Bude is the closest weather station to Ms Scarlet's neck of the woods) 

 

 

Stinking iris or roast-beef plant (Iris foetidissima)

 (A native to Britain, but "exotic" in New Zealand - the tables are turning, Dinah!)

 

 

A practise pose from 2021's Hallowe'en Star Trek Art Challenge

(I've included this as a reminder for me to concoct an Art vs Artist collage)

 

 

An unused photo from 2023's Salt Rooks

 You know, to show how dry it is here and all that...
 

Not the Hexenhäusli Device Gardens IV*

Agave montana flower head

 In the comments of my latest Four Photos post, I said to Jon that I might put up some photos from a recent visit to The Old Vicarage Gardens in East Ruston - and here they are!

 

* III can be found here. 

 

 We shall try to identify the various plants featured here, but The Host couldn't be bothered to stoop down and find the labels and photograph them while at the gardens, despite my nagging urging, so The Official Plant Spotter of Hexenhäusli Device and its Extensive Witchdom - AKA Jon - may have his work cut out.

 I was with a friend!  I had gossiping and laughing to do, not to mention trying to keep Witchface under wraps, so grubbing around in the undergrowth was low on my list of priorities! 

 

 Anyway, before we set off, Alison Goldfrapp has kindly offered to provide a musical accompaniment with her latest release, Sound & Light: 

I think these may be the flowers of Dianella caerulea?

(The plants I grew from seeds liberated from TOVG back in 2019 haven't flowered yet.  They're not doing very well where they are - and get trampled quite a lot by Bitey - so I will probably have to move them.)

 

 

Some sort of cow parsley/angelica thingy.

Skyline

  If you arrived here thinking this post is about the entertaining but ridiculous film about brain sucking aliens (or the car made by Nissan), you're going to be disappointed.  Sorry.

 

The Chapelfield Spire sits atop what is now known as Chantry Place shopping centre

 

 

 No, this post just concerns (some of) the skyline of the city of Norwich where I work (and used to live).  I took these photos last June and remembered while constructing this post why I didn't post them back then: I got caught up in researching the various buildings and architecture - so much so, that what was supposed to be a quick, easy post turned out to be all consuming (which happened again this time around, but I managed to break free.  Just). 

 Also, this was going to be a Four Photos post, but I couldn't whittle down the photos I took to just four.  

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).

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]

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.

GPE 2024 : The Finale

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GPE 2024 : Terrifying Triffidery

 

 You made it.  Splendid.  Welcome to the fifth annual Terrifying Triffidery show!

The hors d'oeuvres are here!

Hang on... I didn't think we were serving our Bloggerati guests with food?

We're not.  We're serving them as food!  The triffids are getting peckish and without Gavin and his monstrous arms we have no way to hold them back.

We are NOT feeding our guests to a load of house plants with ideas above their station!  And where is Gavin?  I haven't seen him since last year.

I think Maddie made off with him.  Or was it Hound?

Christ!

 

 Ah.  Don't pay the SubCs any attention.  And don't open that door!  Just follow me to the orangery where one of the staff will be serving Champagne or cocktails or something before we begin the tour.

What's Witchface talking about?

We don't have any staff.

Unless you count the woodsman?

I hope he's changing out of that horrid flannel shirt...

 Right.  Let's have some music to accompany our tour.  Oh, and remember to keep all your appendages on this side of the velvet rope - unless you don't need them, that is.  And some of the triffids' tendrils and tentacles are quite long, so be on your guard.

Incoming! GPE at Two O'Clock!

Or is it ten past twelve?

Who knows?  I think Witchface must've been having a moment when this title came to mind.

 Oh, all right.  Forget the time/direction, then.

the House of

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event

 

is almost upon us!

 When you say "almost", what exactly do yo-

 Christ!  Shut up!  I'm doing this and I don't need any of your 'help'.

 Well, I just don't want anyone to start panicking because of a misunderstood deadline.

 They should be panicking.  There're less than two weeks to go!

It sounds like you're the one who's panicking...

A few deep breaths later...

 Right.  As I was saying: it'll soon be Garden Photos Event time so I hope you've all been taking photos of how your expansive grounds | bijou courtyard | overgrown wilderness | rampant houseplants | tasteful city garden | impenetrable jungle | potted paradise | graveyard that you frequent [delete as applicable] has grown over the year, as I'll want your carefully curated selections - along with terse or verbose captions - in my in-box by Monday 28th October, please.* 

 And remember also to include a photo or two of a particularly spooky plant in your collection - or, failing that, a rather more mundane plant which has been snapped at an odd angle/close-up/while drunk - for the GPE preview Terrifying Triffidery on the 31st.

 This blog's gmail address for sending your photos & captions into is in my profile on top of the Sideboard over there.  Or, if you have the Host's personal hotmail address, you can use that instead.

 

☙❧

 

 For anyone new to this/with only a few houseplants/concerned about your gardening abilities (etc.) who may be wondering if you can take part: Yes, you can! 

 As you can see by looking back through previous Garden Photos Events (see my handy GPE Page) pretty much anything goes - and the more the merrier!  You don't have to provide dozens of photos - one or two will be fine - and there'll be no judging or negative critique.  After all, in the exasperated tone of the GPE originator herself, The Very Mistress: 

 

May I remind you that the Garden Photos Event is NOT a competition!

 If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas about the GPE, please sound off in the comments.

  

☙❧

* But, because I am a soft touch, as long as some of you send in your photos by then, the rest of you lallygaggers can have a bit longer.  But not much longer, mind!  I have things to do, and I don't want to be curating photos all the way through November.

(I'll leave it up to you to decide who's going to be in my good books by getting their photos in on time, and who will earn under-my-breath mutterings and a spectacular eye roll come 29th October.  Or later.  Almost certainly later.)

 

See you and your triffids (good or evil) next week!

An Argument of Witches

 Well, it has been 19 years since that fateful day 19 years ago...

Did Witchface mean to say "19" twice?

Who cares.  Just let them get on with it otherwise we'll be here all night.

 As I recall, our very first post did not have a title - that came later.  As did the eye.  No, not the one on the Sideboard (although that one did come later, too), the tiny, blue, glowy thing in the 19 year old post.

The Eye

 As blog beginnings go, it could have been a little more spectacular, I suppose.  Having said that, I'm glad it didn't happen like this.  At least, I don't think that's how it started?

 Didn't it?

 I don't know, I was asking you!

 My mind has blocked out the traumatic incident that led to you and your bloody SubC taking up residence in it, thankfully.

Hey!

 Yes: Hey!  And, traumatic?!  I hardly think it was traumatic.  In fact, I'm sure it was wonderful!  You should be grateful I arrived to instill a bit of pizzazz into your life because you certainly weren't doing anything with it.

 "Pizzazz"?  Christ.  No one says pizzazz anymore.

 Oh, pish posh.  Anyway, it's a good job I did turn up - just think how lucky you are that this isn't going to happen now.

 That happened because of you, you silly witch!

Yeah!

 You're the one that cuts the toenails, so it's clearly your fault. 

 If you hadn't been in me then you wouldn't have been summonsed to the future and my great-to-the-power-of-six (or is it seven?) nephew wouldn't have had to travel back in time to stop it from happening!

*Ahem*  We're getting somewhat off topic, here.

What exactly is the topic again?

Who knows?  Some sort of half-arsed anniversary malarkey, I guess.

Well, it's certainly half-arsed.  The time would have been better spent

visiting everyone else's blogs and replying to previous posts' comments.

 That will have to wait until tomorrow as we're in the middle of an argument now!

EDIT: 16:55 10/10/2024

Jon has already provided the link to a similarly themed choon in the comments, so here's a little something else for this post's soundtrack - Donovan and "Season of the Witch"

Reminder: The Infomaniac Garden Photos Event 2024

If the previous post wasn't enough of a prompt, here's an official reminder:

 

 

the House of

 

I N F O M A N I A C

 

Garden Photos Event 2024

 

is only two months away!

 I hope you've all been snapping away in your green spaces this season in readiness for the event of the year?  If not, you'd better get to it as I don't want to have to get my wand out and turn you into one of these:

☙❧

 

  Let's have a bit of musical accompaniment, shall we?  I've only recently discovered Sophie Ellis-Bextor's cover of Propaganda's "Duel" and, needless to say, it's fabulous!

Romancing the Precious Cargo

 The brief for July's Star Trek Fan Art Challenge was, well, brief:

  

Not Good Enough: Art inspired by unpopular episodes

  One particular episode came to mind as soon as this theme was suggested: "Precious Cargo" (a kind of screwball comedy).  Although it's not my absolute favourite, it is one of my most watched episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise (and not just because the lovely Connor Trinneer is running around in his undercrackers again).  However, almost everyone else considers it "a piece of crap" - even the episode writer, David Goodman!

 I quickly gathered up some screencaps from TrekCore and put together the rough draft below.  The inspiration for this came from the Romancing the Stone movie - specifically the odd couple romance and the crashing around in a jungle (I love that movie!). 

 

 Initially, I'd intended the backdrop to be a screencap of the watery jungle that Trip and Kaitaama find themselves in (similar to the RtS poster background), but the characters didn't stand out very well against it so I used a shot of their escape pod descending towards the planet instead.  Happily, the top of the escape pod lent itself as a marvellous background for the episode title.

Out and about with Bitey

 I was just thinking how lovely and easy it is to upload photos to Blogger and pop them into a post in a specific order,* and that it could stand to be far more difficult and annoying.**  Fortunately the Google Blogger gnomes heard my thoughts and intervened.  Hooray!***

 Anyway, now that my patience and copy-&-pasting fingers have had a work out, here are some photos from a few perambulations up Toll's Hill to Skylark Field where Bitey likes to run around and stick his nose in everything.  And also catch rabbits and chase small deer.

Tying Up Loose Ends

 It's taken me a week to get over the Ten Day Blogging Challenge thingy but before I move on to business as usual, I have a couple of things to say and a couple of loose ends to tie up.

 Firstly, the 10DBC has given me new found respect for the likes of Jon (who was the unwitting inspiration behind the challenge), Mistress Maddie, and Mr Tonking who can often be found teetering at the top of my Sideboard thanks to their daily blog posts.  Their commitment to blogging and, therefore, entertaining us each day, cannot be underestimated - they are an inspiration!

 Secondly, big thanks to Ms Scarlet who was the instigator of the 10DBC - taking up the mantle of the Daily Blogger when Jon departed for sunnier climes - and to Savvy who took over when Ms Scarlet's ten days were up.  Your efforts were the motivation I needed to see this through myselves.  Thank you.

 Now, on to those loose ends:

  1. I do NOT work in Warhammer.  Although, I think The Very Mistress might have posed for one or two of these little sculptures unless I'm very much mistaken?

 

Apologies for the poor image clarity.  I couldn't get any photos without loads of reflections and this is the clearest I could make them after messing around with the contrast and shadows etc.

'Tis Done

Who doesn't enjoy a battered old groyne surrounded with spume to start their evening?

 Well, 'tis done.  My Ten Day Blogging Challenge that I didn't advertise or commit to or even admit to doing ends with this post.

 What?  Your ten day challenge?  I did most of the posts!

 Pish posh.  It's done now.  No one will care who did what.  Although, they might care to know that it was I who took control of your button pushing finger while you were swinging Camera around and snapped the photo on the right.  I had to time it just right to get the horizon and sea wall to line up with the railings.  Pretty good, eh?

 Bah!

Yeah, bah!

 Oh, don't you start.

 I'm off to bed.

Sounds of Summer

 Just not this summer...

And some of them aren't even from summer!

 Oh, hush, you.

"Cake by the Ocean" - DNCE (September 2015)

"At the River" - Groove Armada (July 1999)