Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Tiny Tots Teatime Toytime Time...
Now, thanks to the wonderment of modern technology and the clever wizardry of a good friends programming skills, worry no more. Simply click on your free to download application... "Who's Making the Tea?"
Just enter the names of the disputing tea buddies, and then select one of two entertaining ways to decide who's putting that kettle on.
The 'Pointer of Misfortune' will keep you on the edge of your seat, making you feel all the more comfy when you realise it's someone elses turn to serve the beverages.
Occasionally the needle of doom will fall on 'Respin'. The rising anticipation will make your mouth turn drier, but the tea taste all the sweeter!
Trust your luck to the turn of a card. Will you be 'safe' or will the kettle whistle call you to tea service?
This fun application with its wacky music is absolutely free to download. There are no hidden nasties to haunt your computer, just good honest fun. Simply CLICK HERE to visit "Proper Bostin Games" and get your copy now!
Thursday, 2 December 2010
'Baby' Range Rover out playing in the snow!...
I hastily swung into a car park to take some snaps. It was some way off and the falling snow didn't help getting a clear image.
Heavily disguised, this is a prototype of the new 'baby' Range Rover, the Evoque due to go on sale in summer 2011. It's a handsome looking vehicle despite the camouflage. I'll certainly be looking in the usual places to see if I can get some better photos...
Saturday, 20 November 2010
The Dippy Digit Diaries...
Friday, 22 October 2010
Unlucky Buck...
In the night under pale moonlight, it was relatively easy to get close, but there really wasn't enough light for a clear photo. I'd have to come back the next day.
By the time I arrived at Cannock Chase it was already early afternoon. The weather wasn't playing ball, any brief moments of sun were quickly followed by bouts of grey cloud laden gloom and spitty rain. This didn't seem to bother the rutting deer who were being very vocal, bellowing loudly in the trees.You'll have to turn the volume up on these videos as the soundtrack is a little quiet but, crucial.
The larger buck were in the dense coniferous forests at the usual rutting grounds, which they use year after year. Most were difficult to get a good view of. I neither wanted to unnecessarily disturb them, or be mauled by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After a few uninspiring shots through the undergrowth, I decided to take a break, put my hammock up in the trees and have lunch. Fully rested, I stood to pack the hammock into my rucksack. As I turned there was a herd of deer right behind me. I froze, they froze... slowly I reached for my camera, they scattered, melting into the forest!
High up on a hill, the sound of clashing antlers echoed across from the next valley. Torn between hurrying and moving stealthily I made my way down the steep slippery track. Two large bucks were fighting in the bracken. A smaller buck decided to take advantage of the vacant plot strutting his stuff and bellowing, but was off in a flash as soon as another much larger buck arrived to investigate the fuss.
Trying to capture the action with my camera was difficult. The power of these two creatures as they pushed and shoved was amazing. Just trying to keep your footing or walk through the tough dry bracken is hard enough, but they were ripping their way through it as if it wasn't there. The noise of antler upon antler was surprisingly loud. After a good 5 minutes or more of battling the bucks broke apart. The bracken parted as a huge buck came crashing and thundering down the slope, straight towards me... Aaargh!Fiddling with the zoom on my camera while checking my potential escape route resulted in a clumsy shot. Luckily the deer spotted me at the last moment and turned off to one side. He looked exhausted, dejected, panting, with the remnants of foliage ripped from the ground hanging from his antlers. I felt sorry for him, he wasn't having a good day.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Chasing Fire at Chasewater...
There was a good view up on the high bridge above the toll motorway, from there I found a footpath so that I could get a closer look.
The flames were fierce, crackling loudly. I glanced into the nearby stables, but thankfully they were empty.
The fire crew still hadn't arrived and the flames were starting to spread. There wasn't much I could do to help.
The first of three fire tenders pulled into the paddock.
I was impressed out how quickly they were out with the hose and tackling the blaze, just seconds.
The initial flames were extinguished rapidly but kept on reigniting.
It took quite a bit to douse it completely. Clouds of steam and smoke engulfed the fire fighters.
They were very thorough, taking time to cool everything down as they didn't know whether there were gas canisters involved.
With the fire quelled, the crew took a brief breather. It looked from the debris to be a caravan that had been destroyed, setting fire to other equipment around it.
I never found out whether it was a deliberate fire, but locals told me there had been other fires in the area recently, so who knows...
Friday, 15 October 2010
Stag Does...
I discovered plenty of tracks new and old, so I knew they were about. The rain lashed down and after walking miles a cold wind picked up causing a soul destroying chill. I'd just about given up on finding them when, on the far side of some railway lines they trotted out in front of me.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Nut in a Rut...
I walked the woods for hours before a head poked up from some bracken. Believing she was invisible just so long as she remained still, she was a little surprised when I took her photograph.
The Does and the young bucks were allowed to return to the outskirts of the trees where the stranger lurked, in order to feast on the acorns that scattered the forest floor.
After some time a black Stag emerged from the shadows. It appeared to be alone, foraging for greens in the pools of sun between the trees. In a blink of an eye it was gone.
He looked content grazing with his hard won harem. Feeling slightly vulnerable out on the open ground, I backed away from this powerful animal, as they can be quite aggressive during the rutting season. Retreating to what I thought would be the refuge of a shady, and now increasingly dark deciduous wood, I soon found myself in a battleground. A stag crashed through the bracken bellowing loudly, while a short way off but just out of sight, the sound of antlers clashing together only sought to reinforce the thought that I was 'definitely in the wrong place'!!!