Hmmm, Diana died in August 1997, the AHS 50th anniversary was, as far as I can ascertain (they celebrated their 70th this year), 1998. Probably July.

 

Loved this. Piranha made out of empty plastic bottles:

_7230509 by Mike Longhurst, on Flickr

 

I did my monthly trawl of the charity shops this morning and found an elephant to add to my collection:

from the front, the positioning of the handkerchief is... interesting.

Of course, side on it is much more innocent...

 

Not something you see every day - an aspidistra flower! Apparently they are at ground level because they are pollinated by slugs.

Keep the Aspidistra flowering by gray1720, on Flickr

(my 1000th photo on Flickr... only taken 12 years!)

 

This appeared on the green in front of the Council Offices sometime in the last week or two:
Lest We Forget by SteveH, on Flickr
I'm a bit confused. The Ghost Soldiers thing was last year and it's a while until Remembrance Day...

 

4th August 1914 11.00pm - Britain declared war.

 

Our slow-worm population has declined again, unless most of the kids are out hunting at the moment. We're a relatively cat free environment around here but perhaps one of them is the cause of the decline. Puzzling and a little worrying. Still, as long as the worms hang out in the old compost bin it's theirs.

 

Thanks.

 

We visited Tintagel on our honeymoon and were enchanted by the ambience of the place, so I am fascinated by the creation of a new access,

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...castle-footbridge-recreates-ancient-land-link

 

On my way to the newsagents this morning, I saw a strange looking flower...
Blue Passionflower by SteveH, on Flickr
A blue passionflower, Passiflora caerulea. Native of South America and growing in Staines. What with all the hebes and this, it appears that the local gardeners like a bit of exotica. But, from what I've read, there may be a problem with native insects not going for them.

Oh, and it produces an orange fruit which is "edible but bland".

 

My (much) better half is growing some of those but they haven’t flowered yet. She liked the pic.

 

Thank you.

It appears you can make tea from the flowers too. But be careful of the leaves - "It is possible to boil away most of the cyanide".

 

I was a bit more awake this morning and had a closer look at the vine. It continued round the corner of the wall and is massive. And covered in fruits, mainly still green, but a few orange. Which suggests that the flowering season (?) is coming to an end.

 

There was one of those "sunshine and black cloud" moments in Sidmouth yesterday. They always fascinate me for the few minutes they continue...

 

Part of a Blondin:



Used in the slate quarries to lift the stuff out of the holes.

S

 

What's with all the flags??

 

No idea to be honest. When things like that happen in Sidmouth I've learnt not to enquire too closely lest the answer be more than mortal man can endure. Last year they had this on one of the churches...

 

OK Thanks. Glad to see some balance exists in Sidmouth.

 

What a beaut! Makes me want to be a bee