.
"Neither you, nor I"
....but the wind is in the news again.
and not only in Queensland.
.......from the papers today.
"Breaking wind is set to be made a crime.
The government of Malawi plan to punish persistent offenders
'who foul the air' in a bid to 'mould responsible and disciplined citizens.'
And a little while back....
"A footballer was left speechless after he was booked for putting off an opponent taking a penalty - by breaking wind.
The spot kick was saved, but the referee insisted it should be re-taken after he ruled the noise had put the player off."
.
.
It is very blowy here at the moment too.
I was in Henley-on-Thames the other day and
nearly got blown into the river!
.
.
This is normally as 'flat as a millpond' but the wind,
was whipping up the little waves.
Small to us, but moorhens and coots were bobbing
up and down like corks.
Their little legs were paddling furiously
and they were still being blown backwards.
.
.
And, what's this? (bottom right)
Surf breaking on the Thames?
.
.
Well OK. I know it's small,
but I don't ever remembering seeing it before.
.
.
Now yesterday, I was on a 'walk around the houses'
as part of my 'New Years resolution to get fit, when
I spotted this.
.
.
From a distance I thought someone had forgotten
to take down their Christmas lights.
But on closer inspection I could see they were apples.
Why had they not been picked last year and made into pies?
Why had they not fallen off last Autumn?
Why had the birds not eaten them in that cold weather?
.
.
And why were they still hanging there in February,
in these gale force winds?
.
It's rocking the poly tunnels here as well Bernard. On 2nd subject - looks as if we're all going have to practise the carpet slippered endeavour! Those apples look in amazingly good condition considering all the weather we've had.
ReplyDeleteThats interesting about the apple tree Unc, I used to pass one when walking the dogs, back in Bucks. It held its apples right through the winter. The owner told me it was an ornamental species, not good for eating, but like you, I wondered why the birds didnt peck at them.
ReplyDeleteNice to see the river at Henley, we used to walk along the towpath often, when the boy was little. There used to be a chandlers by the bridge.
Lovely pics as always and that apple tree is fascinating, what pity you couldn't ask anyone about them
ReplyDeleteThanks for the smile you gave me on the first part of your blog,my grandmother was famous for her wind,she had an old Aussie house with a long hallway as it common and all the rooms come off it, she could start with a small gentle putt putt and then could carry on the entire length of the hallway! we thought there should have been ab olympic event for wind passing..with us giggling children in hysterics we were then told off as it was supposed to be ignored,therefor in our family all are windy and it is commonly known as the Burrows Bowel,her legacy to one and all.Looks like the world weather is going to be so mixed up, we are in our 7th day of over 35c each day starting at at least 26c and building up to 43c most days,the usual evening breezes gone,our children living on the coast have not even had the breezes and we have now humidity which we did not have before making everyone a wringing wet mess.Everyone looks tired and lathargic even the chickens.Monday is promising a beautiful 25c bring it on!please!
ReplyDeleteYour posts are always entertaining, Bernard!
ReplyDeleteHow are the Malawian police going to collect the evidence, you wonder...and that can't be snow on the roof behind the apple tree, can it?
I know we've grumbled about our winter temperatures but, poor Aussie lady, putting up with over 100F...
Good morning all - another windy one as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Molly. That’s what baffled me. They were large and rosey ripe. Too big to be crab-apples.
Hi Kath: I’ve seen ornamental trees with small fruit, both yellow and red, but these were normal apple size. During that snow the birds in my garden were tucking into all the windfalls which I had deliberately left down for them.
It was not the best of days for a walk by the river. Bracing certainly. :O
Hello Annette, I walk around that area most days. If I see anyone, I’ll ask about the apples.
I wouldn’t mind betting that they have no idea what they are either.
Morning Carole,
Glad you liked it.
This is not the first post on ‘breaking wind’. I noticed that I had used the same heading here:
http://monkey-organ.blogspot.com/2010/01/who-has-seen-wind.html
My gran was similar - she always used to quote from an old gravestone -
“Let the wind go free, where’ere you be.
For lack of wind, was the death of me!”
I’m not one for the heat, I’m afraid. I can’t imagine how you could do anything in temperatures like that.
Hi Sylve,
Well, not always entertaining. I do try, but can have ‘off days’.
Thank you for saying so.
Evidence is going to be hard to find.
I expect it will be the same as it is becoming here.
As soon as someone is ‘offended’, they now call the police.
Ridiculous if you ask me.
Snow? Yes I cheated a bit. Bloggers licence. I did go for a walk yesterday but didn’t have my camera - so I used a picture I took a few week ago.
Uncle B
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that there are houses so close to the river. Is the river so well controlled then, that it never floods? We'd not put houses that close to a drainage ditch here. I'd love to be able to even see the river from my house, instead of having it contained on the other side of a 14 foot levee, but the house would have to be on stilts.
A friend and I were riding our horses once, high up in a mountain meadow in the spring and found an old cabin surrounded by ancient apple trees that had no new leaves for the season, but still had several apples hanging on them. We picked a bunch of them and fed a few to the horses, then back at camp we made an apple pie. It was delicious. Some varieties of apples stay firm and crisp through the winter. If they had been picked, they would have stored well. Others, the kind we usually prefer to eat, get mushy and fall to the ground. That's what I was told.
I don't know why the birds don't eat them, though. They sure go out of their way to eat things you don't want them to bother.
That water does look rather choppy, not a day for sailing. Very strange those apples are still on the tree.
ReplyDeleteI'm very excited that I will be there to see Henley in person in the not too far distant future Bernard.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Helen
Wow! More lovely comments. Thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jan.
Your fist comment about the river gave me an idea for my next post. I am working on it now.
Years ago, many years ago people would grow varieties of fruit and vegetables that would keep well and see them through the winter months. Todays apples varieties are not known to keep. You are lucky if they last a week AND they lack flavour. :(
I have a Bramley apple tree, and they keep well if they don't contain grubs!
Cherie:
The sailing club here in Bourne End is all closed up for the Winter. Plenty of wind but the water is freeeezing!
Hello Helen, Yes, I've just this morning been reading about your holiday plans.
I know all of those places well. (except perhaps Ludlow). I've had many holidays near Dorcester (Dorset) and Lynton.
I sometimes think I DO see the wind!
ReplyDeleteThey must be a tough type of apple, to not wizzen in the frost or fall off.