Hedgerow Honeysuckle

The hedgerows are full of tumbling honeysuckle at the moment and their berries are

 bright dots of red against the lush green.  The birds will eventually enjoy these which are more seed than flesh but the humans

will be more drawn to their hedgerow companion, the blackberry.  There was probably enough for a small pie in the hedgerow

and I was reliably informed by my blackberry taster that these were quite sweet although some elsewhere were not.  Perhaps we will wait for the first frost to "drive the devil out" and they will all become sweet perfection.

The species of honeysuckle growing in gardens tends to be showier in colour but nature has other colours to show at this time of year

with the heather in bloom on heathland and hills.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at H here

Guinea Fowl

I love Guinea Fowl's speckled feathers and always think they look quite exotic, as you would expect for a species that originated in Africa. Of course these are a domesticated variety, which can come in a large range of colours (approximately 21) but all I can guess about these two are they are what is called 'fully pearled', that is white dots all over. The owner of the Guinea Fowl was obviously a hen lover as there were various other species clucking around but I only had eyes for these two.

When I returned on the path past the house this one was perched on the window sill -  master, or mistress, of all it surveyed.  Maybe it gets treats from the whoever comes out of the door otherwise they are happy with grass and insects. Baby Guinea Fowl are called keets, and are a cute stripy headed bundle of feathers alas there were none here for me to drool over so for fluffy cuteness I will have to

turn to the goslings in my local park, unconcerned about my proximity as they

enjoyed their time lazing on the grass although

mother goose was rather more keen on them getting on with their meal.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at G here

 

Flowers in Season

Taking a stroll through a summer garden with a seat placed to enjoy the flowers and the day.

Sizergh Castle

But the flowers don't only live in gardens,  here they tumble down steps

the little daisies flowering in profusion. Those who know tell me their name is actually Erigeron karvinskianus, maybe daisy is easier to say.

Flowering Currant

 A bee immerses itself in these April flowers and almost becomes part of them, just the start of its busy year.

This was the last butterfly I saw last year, a small tortoiseshell making the most of the late flowers in October.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at F here

Esholt

The towpath of the Leeds Liverpool Canal is a popular place for getting exercise, I was only walking but this twosome passed me more energetically on their morning run . You may be thinking, as I did, that the building they are running past must have been a rather grand lock keepers cottage, especially as a local description calls it being built in the Edwardian neo Baroque style.

As I step on to the Strangford Swing Bridge a more industrial view looms into view to the left

with some sturdy stone gate posts at the entrance.   At this moment the gates started to glide open

to let a Yorkshire Water van exit the site.  Too good an opportunity to miss I clicked the view inside before the gates closed.  So no lock keepers cottage but a cluster of early 20th century buildings.  This is Esholt Sewage Works which in past times must have been the only profit making sewage works in the country, living up to the Yorkshire expression, "where there's muck there's brass", ie money.  The opportunity was the large amount of rich wool grease (lanolin) waste produced by the wool industry in nearby Bradford.  In Esholt it was turned into lubricants for train axles and indeed was used on the national rail system until just after the second world war.  Of course that was not the only thing that happened here, it did not get called the Esholt Pong for nothing. The human organic matter was reprocessed into cakes and used as fertiliser.  All this was transported around the site, at its peak, by 22 miles of rail track and 11 locomotives which did not run on coal but on the waste product. The ultimate recycling site way before its time

  People even came to take a tour around the site behind one of the little engines. Standing room only!

Perhaps they came over this now disused railway bridge which linked the massive Esholt site.  Esholt Sewage Works closed in 1977 but the photographer Ian Beesley worked there in the latter years before his work mates, who he took photographs of, encouraged him to go to art college. Some of  those photographs can be seen here

In the present day a recent multi million pound bio energy scheme and waste water treatment plant doesn't make money but saves it and boasts of being energy neutral in Esholt.   

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at E here 

Dogtastic

I don't have a dog but I enjoy other peoples pets, whether playing with them, or just on dog watch with a camera.

Getting excited about a train arriving while those around them are intent on a mobile connection.

Taking a human for a walk

Wondering if this size of branch may be a little unmanageable

Temping us for an ice cream on the Saltaire Ice Cream Boat

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning D here