quarry dogs

colours and reflections in the quarry near the Minions.

easter island comes to Bodmin moor

carved out of the granite, quarry on Bodmin moor

on the moor

it has been a lovely warm clear blue-skyed day today and there is no where better to enjoy the day than up on the moors. The standing stones are the Hurlers.

How long will it last ...

up on Bodmin moor, looking towards Kit Hill (just visible in the background), surrounded by the ruins, puts me in mind of Ozymandias and all his works.

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level moors stretch far away.

I am sure I have had this thought before up on this ancient and much abused landscape. Apologies for the liberties, "sands" in the original is much better because of the connotation with remorseless time.

bad hair day 2

meanwhile, there are others who would dispute with Spot his claim of unchallenged supremacy of the blasted heath and moor.

Spot rules the world

very much a spontaneous rock climber Spot surveys his kingdom.

bad hair day 1 (usnea barbata)

an ancient hawthorn completely enveloped by lichen. Is it 'liken' or 'litchen' or both? It certainly consumed one expensive Nikon lens cap. Hawthorns seem to be prone to these dramatic efflorescences (well, no flowers but what else can one call it ...hirsuitism), which are species of usnea and are common on isolated trees on Dartmoor and Bodmin moor.

Minions, hurlers and cheesewrings

Rosie (third horse from the front, and Spot's equine third cousin) and friends (from lower Tokenbury) passing by the Cheesewring. The whole area is covered in the ruins of mine workings and evidence of very ancient inhabitation.

Trewortha

Trewortha farm, below Trewortha Tor and King Arthur's bed. There are two yurts in front of the farm house where Dad says I will be kebab-ed if I show any sign of taking any closer interest in sheep. What does kebab mean and will I enjoy it?

Bodmin moor

even the sheep pause to take in the view.

this is taken from Kilmar tor, above Twelve Men's moor. Inhabited since neolithic times but windswept and bleak now.

at the Cheesewring

Uncle and Aunt pay us a visit. Well, I noticed that the boss was all fingers and thumbs during the New Year. He didn't manage one useful photo. Instead he is trying to pass this photo off from 2004 before we were EVEN BORN (when life was very peaceful, he says). Nevertheless most of the people to whom I am very important are in this photo. So I like it. Tomorrow is my birthday by the way.