A REAL GIANT (06/02/11)

The camera has not been out of it’s bag today………truth be told it has not been in it’s bag since yesterday. The weather was appalling this morning. We went a walk but apart from giving the dogs a cleansing swim in the river all I got out of it was a severe soaking. The whole place is a swamp.

I then went out for a Carvery Lunch. It was a few pounds more expensive than is the norm, I consider a fiver the norm but well worth the few pounds. So good that I have spent the greater part of the afternoon sleeping it off.

I’ve banged a few pictures from yesterday together.

This is Barclays Bank………..presumably it was built by Backhouses Bank who merged with Barclays over a hundred years ago. It is a magnificent example of Victorian architecture but difficult to photograph as there are street lights and Lord knows what obstructing  the view parallel with it’s facade. That and being at the bottom of the steps make correcting camera distortion a real headache. I’ll have to sneak up on the roof of the Market Hall or pay for a ride on a double decker bus.

    Multi talented lads, a BMX rider, a guitarist and what the third does I have no idea……..I hope not a shoplifting! Unless the guitarist is the shoplifter! I did ask them to pose but it was a waste of time. I took this as I said ………….’Bloody Hell What’s that!’   This was taken just before noon and the blasted street lights have come back on.

After lunch we followed the river Tees downstream. Nothing on the river at all and we must have walked three miles. For much of our wander there is a new golf course. It has several small lakes which in a few years will provide interesting habitat. The sole occupants today were half a dozen Mallard and a pair of Mute Swans.

  The wind has gone so things are looking up.

    This is giant Hogweed. A fallen over Giant Hogweed. It grows up to fifteen feet tall and the seed heads can be two and a half feet across these are between a foot and a foot and a half. It is a magnificent plant though ill appreciated as far as I could tell from all the signs warning of it’s presence. It doesn’t poison cattle nor, presumably, Hogs. It’s sap is phototoxic so if you rub yourself against it then get exposed to the sun you will come out in big  blisters and bits of you will fall off. No danger round here then!……..The chance of sunshine and it’s sap concurring must be about zero. Hardly  a Triffid……..though if one blew over on you it could no doubt cause a headache. I’ve made a note to pop back in summer and have another look. Makes Angelica look positively angelic. There is a follower of my ramblings who is one of , if not the, foremost Botanists in the UK. He has loads of letters after his name and a few in front…………Help Phil!

I’ll endeavour to post tomorrow but I have a busy day………still trying to get an exhaust system on the van…….at sensible money. I also have some software to load for someone and some flash tuition to give……….talk about the blind leading the blind. Ho! Hum!

Have a wonderful week.