Mairi's Wedding - JR Bannerman

It's starting to get a little tiresome as it was rain that upset the visit of Frederick and Alexander, it was rain that confined me to barracks for most of yesterday, and guess what - it's pisscipitating down as we speak! However, always looking on the bright-side of life, with the rain and total cloud cover also came reasonably high temperatures, mostly in lower double figures, which usually = Moths.

Having caught an Oak Rustics on 2 successive days it was initially thought

something of a miracle to secure the hat-trick, but beware! Having already been 

cautioned on the pitfalls I was all to quick to shout what was thought to 

have been found as on closer inspection, some time later, the presumed OR

was seen to be a rather tardy

COMMON RUSTIC with OAK RUSTIC
for comparison.
But there were more.

PALE MOTTLED WILLOW

PINION-STREAKED SNOUT
which, not for the first time, fooled me into thinking it was a Micro.

A very pale and lightly marked
NOVEMBER MOTH (type)
We say 'type' as this small group can only be positively identified
by examination of genitalia, and we ain't going there!

COMMON WAINSCOT with LARGE WAINSCOT
for comparison.

COMMON CARDER BEE 

 also still on the wing

 TAPERED DROANFLY

Eristalis pertinax 

RED-LEGGED SHIELDBUG
before heading north in the gloom.

 In the half-light of early morning a rather pale

 COMMON BUZZARD

while the rest of the morning was spent on 

Merritown Heath

 where everything is now

 Beautifully Autumnal

First to be located, this

 COMMON TOAD

 and then the smallest

 SMOOTH SNAKE

 we have yet encountered. Not hidden away under the sheets of metal or

roofing felt but thought to be enjoying the heat retained by the metal,

just sitting on top, in the position shown.

 Make the most of it as it won't be long now before all these 

Reptiles and Amphibians go into hibernation.

Next up was a combination that sent me travelling back in time to my

Early Schooldays.

Yes, I can hear what you are saying "he's got a bl***y good memory"

 BOG MYRTLE

BRACKEN

MAIRI'S WEDDING

Step we gaily, (strictly in the Anglo Saxon sense you understand) on we go,

Heel for heel and toe for toe.

Arm in arm and row on row,

All for Mairi's Wedding.

Over hillways, up and down, Myrtle Green and Bracken Brown.

Past the shielings, through the town,

All for sake o' Mairi.

John Roderick Bannerman (1865-1938)

I was once considered half a decent Choir Boy during my formative

years in Nottinghamshire where at one of the annual competitions at the

Albert Hall (Notts) I performed this song as a solo.

Up at the intended Balancing Pond there has been something of a
conundrum.

First they excavate more gravel and then put the same gravel back,
before top dressing with clay like soil and then return to stack the
same back into heaps??

Whatever they are up to one thing is sure that the site isn't
"things will be back to normal this time next week"
as predicted by the Civil Engineer in charge 10 days ago.
However, the Factory/Maintenance Hanger (whatever) is certainly
growing apace.

REINDEER LICHEN

is now springing up

 all over the place,
and on the way back we took

 a quick peek into Phase III of the Solar Panel Project were large

wooden boards have been laid as a base for the Heavy Plant,

 while thus far only the clearance continues but my visit did coincide
with the arrival of the first lorry-load of steel. 

 FIELD MAPLE

looking as resplendent as they ever will and

ALDER BUCKTHORN
in autumn plumage.

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Two Little Boys - Harry Lauder

Well, poetically speaking it was a case of Veni, Vidi, Vici, they came, they saw and they conquered and made one Grandpa Bagsy very happy and proud! This is the first time that Fred, Alex and I have had the opportunity to spend quality time together and we certainly made the most of it. Arriving just after noon on Monday 

JANET and FLIPPER were on hand to welcome firstly
LISA and ELIZABETH, followed by

BENNY,

(Elizabeth, the irresistible, again)

(the equally irresistible Benny again)

along with

ALEX and FRED

After Mummy and the 2 others left we immediately started collecting

Golf Balls
(gotta get Grandpa Bagsy's beer money somehow)

and then off to Janet's Stable.

a quick look at the second Moth Trap there

before crossing the paddock and taking a look at

BABY,
one of Janet's Horses,
grazing.

Down to the
RIVER STOUR

where the boys were quick to spot a couple of

MUTE SWAN

before posing on an old Oak Stump with Grandpa.

More 

HORSES

before finding a
ROBIN'S PINCUSHION
complete with Rose Hip.

Starting to look a bit TYRED (yeah alright!)

we bumped into Tractor Driver Dave

who gave the boys 'free range' on one of the monsters.

A MONSTER SHOVEL
and a

MONSTER PUDDLE

come on you boys plenty more to see including the

KUNEKUNE PIG and GOATS
before finding a second

Huge Shovel

but this time holding some rain water.

Fred takes a look at the Pig and Goats before we all spot a passing

HELICOPTER

Back at Slight Return II
it was time for sandwiches and juice

before continuing to the
CHICKENS

we feed and then collected the eggs.

By this time Fred seemed to be feeling rather more studious, so returned
to the caravan to draw and write, while Alex and I took up the
North American Indian
BOW and ARROWS

Alex proved extremely good at retrieving the arrows (right hand)

but the daylight was soon gone. Bangers and Mash with Baked Beans
usually does the trick among such company,
and then time for bed. Both boys were awake and alert by 05:15
yesterday morning, and eager to help Grandpa

gather in the Moth Traps.

Alex looking a little pensive at the prospect of having an

ANGLE SHADES
creeping up his arm,

but seemed to have overcome his fear by the time he had plucked a

MERVEILLE du JOUR
from another trap.

Fred meanwhile was on the lookout for Migrants
but with the rain closing in there were none to be seen.

Another short session with the Bow and Arrows
before the heavy rain started washing out any further chance of
Outdoor Adventures.

Out with the Pens and Paper my Boys and some jolly fine creations,
along with a Cadbury's Flake or 2

It is said that the 'collective noun' for Grandchildren is AN 'INCONVENIENCE', but not so here. The 3 of us had a great chance for some bonding, which we grabbed tightly, and it has to be said that these 2 just want to get 'out there' and try and do everything that comes their way. Let's hope it's not too long until the next time!

When Lisa, Benny and Elizabeth arrived to pick up the Boys there was a further

and most pleasant surprise as with them came Lisa's Best Friend Vicky 

(of Team Benny and BLOODWISE LEUKAEMIA CHARITY Fund Raising Fame)

who I had not seen for many a long year and her son Finley whom I had never met!

By that time it was raining so hard that priority went to loading the children and baggage

with photographs being completely forgotten - maybe next time.
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