meh 001

 

15-10-25 There have been a number of days recently when nothing spectacular has occurred. In deciding whether to archive them here, or not, I have considered the following:
1/ there are often small gems, autumnal leaves and berries against a blue sky; a squirrel posing in a cheerful manner; a crow having a bath.
2/ Also, things panned out the way they did and as such they should be recorded to show that life is not just an ever-replenishing bowl of cherries. This is worth remembering. Nostalgia is, by definition, idealised. Perhaps recalling the real world keeps one's feet on the ground.
3/ Also, I am quietly trying to rack up the largest total number of blogs for any year since I started blogging a dozen years ago. (133 entries to beat: never mind the quality, feel the width!) I am well on course and can't afford to run out of steam at this late stage with success and the end of the year within reach. I am not about to start chronicling doing the dishes or trips to Tesco's (unless today's weather continues) but I am not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater - even if it's no beauty.

thirsty squirrel at the WoL

I kind of hate the mediocrity of the concept of "meh". The haughtily disgruntled assumption that the world should make more of an effort to please me. But it best sums up the shortfall between my hopes and dreams leaving home, camera in hand, on the 15th, to returning with just a few less-than-spectacular results. Also as the sharp-eyed will have noticed the post-title numerator omninously suggests there will be subsequent editions. (So sue me!) On the upside, I'll keep them brief, because not much of note happened.

Looks like the we (Mary out for a walk too) left the house late - first photo nearer 2pm than midday - and headed to the Botanics via Powderhall to look at the kingfisher-free river. Some blue sky but the sun seems to have been turned down to simmer, at best. It was probably turned off earlier in the day resulting in the late start although I have no true recollection, and the largely indifferent results have sat stubbornly mute in a folder on my PC since.

texturally vibrant leaves

unshaved tree leg

if this were a bird photo it would be a prime candidate for the amusing facebook group 

"crap bird photography" which sports many similar ornithological masterpieces

ginkgo again

Mr M at the Chinese Hillside pond

Mrs. M

taken just after 3pm

We checked out the beech hedge and herbacious border (nada and nada) and then on our way out we bumped into Michael. We chatted for a bit and this robin popped up and evesdropped. A couple of butterflies also breezed by, one likely an admiral though it didn't stop to have its passport stamped and one a speckled wood, which also shunned the paparazzi. We left by the West gate to catch a bit of WoL on the journey home but needn't have bothered as the kingfishers, dippers and otters were all indoors watching telly. Had to make do with a distant grey wagtail and a crow having a bath in a sunlit stretch of shallow water, elevating it to slo-mo joy. Not my best ever work but happily it picked up plenty views on social media.

grey wagtail, WoL

crowbar - slo-mo crow splashing in the WoL at Powderhall
soundtrack Chappy's Groove 2 ft Jonathan Charles
(over 200 views on facebook!)

5miles in 3hrs30