Saturday 12 June 2010

It's Yesterday Once More

A couple of previously unpublished photos from the Colombia expedition at the end of 2009. Daragh 4th and me 6th from right.

Flame-faced Tanager

Purplish-mantled Tanager

A quiet day today trying to catch up on a few things, and a chance to return to last Sunday's post which closed with the words "to be continued"........

It may be remembered the day was dedicated to a walk along the Fleet, from Rodden Hive to Chickerell, with the continuation including some photographs of another of my favourite corners of Dorset, the village of Fleet. Further to the west is Moonfleet which was taken as the title of the J Meade Faulkner novel, first published in 1898. It was probably the first book I ever read, at least it was the first I remember reading, and is a tale of smuggling and ghosts.

The notorious pirate Blackbeard had stolen a diamond and taken its whereabouts to the grave. Buried under the church, which is the one at Fleet, he would rise from the grave on winter's nights to recover the booty and terrorise the hero of the plot John Trenchard. This of course immortalised the building, now seeing visitor from all over the world reliving the tale. However, for me it has a little more than that, as when my daughters were children we would visit the church to rub the brasses.

Usually monuments to the local gentry, these brasses can be found all over the country but taking a record of them by overlaying thin paper and rubbing with charcoal is in some quarters frowned upon as damaging. Julie, Lisa and I never encountered any problems, and the then vicar of the parish was only too happy to release the key, to unlock the protective grills, allowing us access.

Fleet Church, small in size but sturdy in construction.

Just a single room, the naive, reduces congregation size.

Magnified, the family of Maximilliam Mohun can be seen kneeling in prayer.

for the sake of ease the accompanying plaque is shown.

Similar to the above.

After 90 years and 17 kids I always chuckle to think she would need to rest in the Lord, I expect her old man died with a smile on his face as well?

Butter Street, a small mews (I do believe I've read somewhere that these houses were previously stables, qualifying it as a Mews) of houses just up from the church.

With Greece and the Russian Federation joining the ranks of Blog readers earlier in the week, it was left to Belarus to bring up the 70th nation on our readership. With the 'free' Stat Counter service limited to just the first 500 records, I thought it worth the small annual subscription to find out more accurate figures. Unfortunately, this only allows records of 2,000 readers making the 'hit' counter a little less than accurate, but all countries participating, on any given day, are represented on the chart.

I would like to THANK and WELCOME all my readers, and again ask that you pass to your friends the Blog Link if you enjoy the read, it's a great kick to reach so many of you, and as with those afore mentioned all private e-mails will be answered.

http://bagsy-thecaptainslog.blogspot.com/


Num Perc. Country Name




drill down150375.15%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down1798.95%EstoniaEstonia
drill down603.00%United StatesUnited States
drill down381.90%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down211.05%SwedenSweden
drill down201.00%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down180.90%ItalyItaly
drill down170.85%AustraliaAustralia
drill down140.70%GermanyGermany
drill down130.65%UkraineUkraine
drill down130.65%IndiaIndia
drill down110.55%CanadaCanada
drill down100.50%ChileChile
drill down90.45%JapanJapan
drill down70.35%SerbiaSerbia
drill down60.30%


drill down50.25%SpainSpain
drill down50.25%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down50.25%ColombiaColombia
drill down40.20%DenmarkDenmark
drill down40.20%AustriaAustria
drill down40.20%EcuadorEcuador
drill down40.20%FranceFrance
drill down30.15%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down30.15%FinlandFinland
drill down30.15%EuropeEurope
drill down20.10%PolandPoland
drill down10.05%MexicoMexico
drill down10.05%BelarusBelarus
drill down10.05%HungaryHungary
drill down10.05%NorwayNorway
drill down10.05%ThailandThailand
drill down10.05%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down10.05%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And     Tobago
drill down10.05%BrazilBrazil
drill down10.05%BelgiumBelgium
drill down10.05%Russian FederationRussian     Federation
drill down10.05%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down10.05%CroatiaCroatia
drill down10.05%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down10.05%GreeceGreece
drill down10.05%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down10.05%IrelandIreland
drill down10.05%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down10.05%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down10.05%New ZealandNew Zealand

and finally, I see Genetically Modified Potatoes are making the headlines this morning but don't know what all the fuss is about! My mind was put at rest about GM foods some years ago when arriving for dinner one evening on the Oil Rig. The Camp Boss, knowing my love of seafood, asked if I'd like the lobster to which of course I replied yes, only to be told that it was Genetically Modified. Baulking at the prospect, he went on to explain that all was well and that the crustaceans had been scientifically proven edible. Still not convinced, he showed me the accompanying evidence on the packaging at which my resolve weakened. "Yes, OK Boss, I'll have the lobster", to which he replied "would you like a leg or a wing"?