Waxwing

Waxwing
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

From "Auguries of Innocence"

by William Blake

Saturday 13 August 2016

Moths and Books



I haven't been moth trapping as much as usual this year mainly because the catches have been so low that at times it doesn't seem worth bothering! Here are a few photos of some of the moths I trapped last weekend (numbers caught are finally rising!)


Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)


Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) and a worn Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura)


Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)


Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea)


Copper Underwing agg (Amphipyra pyramidea)


Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina) trying to escape


Finally, I managed a photo


Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)


Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)




Recent Reading

I am enjoying the Ann Cleeves Shetland books that much that I read two consecutively


Blue Lightning had a surprising and shocking ending (I won't say any more in case anyone else is reading these books)



I really enjoyed this book by Debbie Blake and learned such a lot. The book contains a collection of 15 short biographies of truly inspiring Irish women (from the late 19th and early 20th century) who were pioneers in their own fields including, nursing, aviation, education, social reform, architecture, performing arts). Its an exceedingly interesting and well-researched book. Highly recommended :)


Longbourn focuses on the lives of the servants who worked for the Bennett family of Pride and Prejudice fame. I enjoyed this book but (perhaps it was just me) found it a little over long.






Regular Readers of my blog may remember how fascinated I am by the concept of the Green Man and always look for carvings etc., when I visit churches. I was recently fortunate enough to be able to buy this lovely Green Man misericord made by a very talented wood carver from Yorkshire. It has already become one of my most treasured possessions. I also have a beautiful oak leaf and acorn carving by the same carver which I'll post a photo of when I finally find the right place for it.





In the short term I am going to buy a couple of beeswax candles (not to be lit!!!!) to place on the top of the misericord but eventually, when I find the right item, I would like to put something with a medieval theme on there.





Am I the only person to get attached to cars? Monday was a sad day when I had to say goodbye to my beloved Corsa which I've had for nearly eight years.


We finally decided that now we are both at home it is a bit of a luxury to have two cars so we part exchanged my Corsa and B's Astra for a new Astra to be shared. To be honest I would have much preferred another Corsa but with D and E still coming on holiday and on day's out with us we needed a bigger car. In many ways I would have liked to have kept my Corsa for a bit longer but it had reached the age when every MOT produced a feeling of dread usually followed by great expense :(

ps sorry for the feeble attempt to obscure the number plate (using very basic Olympus editing software) - not quite sure why I bothered now I no longer have the car!



Last Sunday we went to a Moth and Butterfly Afternoon at the wonderful Wild Hollowfields farm in Worcestershire (a Higher Level Stewardship farm where so much is done to encourage wildlife) but I'll save that for my next post.

16 comments:

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

yes always sad to say goodbye ti acar you have had for a long time. Love all the Moth shots.

Ragged Robin said...

Margaret Adamson - Thanks Margaret. I spent most of the week resisting the temptation to return to garage and buy the car back!

Rosie said...

I was sad to see our little Agila go after 10 years. It suffered badly when an unknown driver came off a slip road and straight into the fast lane where we had moved across to let him slip into the inner lane - he didn't see us, we braked and spun and ended up on a barrier in the verge it wrote off our little car and the driver who caused it didn't even know!! Glad you have enjoyed Ann Cleeves, she writes so well and draws you in right from the beginning. Like you I enjoyed Longbourn but found it a little longer than perhaps it needed to be. Your carved misericord is delightful and candles will look great on there. Your moth photos are wonderful:)

Ragged Robin said...

Rosie - thanks so much for the comment. I am so very sorry to hear about the awful incident with your Agila - I do hope you weren't injured. You must have been dreadfully shaken up - such a shame you couldn't have traced the driver responsible :(

Thoroughly enjoying Ann Cleeves - can't thank you enough for introducing me to her books. When I have finished the Shetland series will move onto Vera Stanhope. So good to find a new author where you can't put down her books :) So horrified at the end of Blue Lightning though - her characterisation is so good that I actually said "Oh No!" aloud!!

Will have to order beeswax candles online I think. I looked at candles in Sainsbury's and they had 100's of the scented things (which I personally can't stand) but none that didn't smell and certainly no beeswax! Eventually I think I want something on there with a "Book of Hours" theme (I think I am being heavily influenced by the Morville Books!!!). If I can't find a miniature Book of Hours to buy I may get B to paint an illustration from one for me and then (if I can find the right frame!!!) put that on there. I don't want any wooden carvings as it will detract from the real thing!

Pam said...

Great photos of the moths, the patterns on the wings are always quite stunning I think!

I'm reading lots of non fiction at the moment but crime novels are my thing so Ann Cleeves will be going on my (long) list!

Ragged Robin said...

Pam - Thanks so much. When you look closely even the plainer browny/grey moths are lovely :)

Do hope you enjoy Ann Cleeves - well worth trying :) I have huge piles of unread books in bookcase and on kindle - always trying to catch up! And I have 100's on my Amazon wish list!!!! :)

Pam said...

Oh yes I know about that, there is never enough time for reading is there!

Ragged Robin said...

Pam - lol :) No there isnt! I told myself the other day I wasn't to buy any more books for the Kindle until up to date with one's already on there. Then lo and behold a book on badgers appears (bought!) and I've just realised Poldark is back next month and I want to buy and read the next 2 books in the series (I did have them in paperback but got rid of them in a mad moment of book decluttering :( ).

Pam said...

Haha that sounds about right, i've just gone through a bit of purchasing madness myself, now I could do with a couple of weeks off work just to read!

Ragged Robin said...

Pam - Constant battle trying to keep up! Then, of course, there are zillions of wildlife magazines I buy or arrive from organisations I am a member of! You sound like me - I just cannot resist buying books! :) Hence the Amazon wish list whenever I feel the urge I put them on there instead!

Pam said...

Oh yes the magazine pile constantly grows taller! I can't resist it's true & Amazon do make it too easy to shop......

Ragged Robin said...

Pam - Ha ha - need an extra 24 hours in every day just to spend reading :) You are right about Amazon especially when you buy from Kindle Store - Poldark Book Number 3 was uploaded last night!!Every day I hope OH doesn't peruse the Amazon "recently purchased" list! I am supposed to be banned from buying any more real books hence the Kindle!

Stewart said...

Hi again Caroline, heres one for you, I dont know Anne Cleeves, but I do know her husband Tim, very well! He is an excellent birder and they live about half an our from us. They met when he was birding and she was the cook on Fair Isle! Thats my tenuous link to a famous person anyway :)

Ragged Robin said...

Stewart - Thanks so much for the comment. That is so fascinating about you knowing Ann Cleeves' husband and what a good birder he is! Interestingly Blue Lightning is set around a Birding Observatory and there is a lot about birders (now I know where she gets her info from!!) and the cook (warning book spoiler coming up) at the observatory is one of those that gets bumped off! She has also written a book (in another series I am yet to start) called The Moth Catcher!

Pam said...

Hmm, buying on the kindle isn't so bad it's when they're constantly dropping through the door it's difficult to hide :p

Ragged Robin said...

lol!:) Know the feeling very very well - hovering to intercept the post! I now make trips to Waterstones and pay cash! Works out more expensive but saves the rows!!!