Common mallow

Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) is a striking plant. It grows up to 1.5m in height and has large, deep pink flowers. It is found on wasteland, roadsides, footpaths and in hedges. The leaves, flowers and seeds are edible and it is thought that the Romans cultivated the plant for food and medicines.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Sheep in the shade

On a walk up to Table Mountain (Crug Hywel) near Crickhowell (see previous post) we passed these sheep in the shade by a gateway in a drystone wall. They took little notice of us, seeming to enjoy the spot they had chosen. As I framed my shot I noticed that beyond was the distant summit of Sugar Loaf.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

View from Table Mountain, Crickhowell

click photo to enlarge
This photograph shows the ESE view from Table Mountain (also known as Crug Hywel) above Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons. It is a rather grand name for a fairly minor bump at 451m on the side of the higher summit of Pen Cerrig-calch (701m). However, the "bump" is not without interest. It is the site of an Iron Age hillfort built on a landslip that created an almost level site that was then fortified with ditches and stone walls. The remains of these workings can be seen in the foreground of the photograph. The highest distant summit is Sugar Loaf.

 photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Cafe and boiled egg

As we passed a pavement cafe in Cheltenham I did a double take and walked back to get a photograph of the artwork and outdoor furniture. The egg in its cup makes an interesting focus for the composition, and as I went on my way I wondered just how popular boiled eggs served in an egg cup are today. They are something that I associate with childhood breakfasts. But perhaps I'm not typical.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Waltham Premier pocket watch

Many years ago I was given a Waltham pocket watch. Quite soon after I received it the watch succumbed to the clumsy attention of one of my young sons and stopped working. It remained at the back of a drawer for decades until, very recently, when I came across it again. I decided to find out more about the watch and discovered it was made in the U.S.A., probably in the 1940s, was bought by the U.K. government for military use, and engraved on its well-worn back I found a War Department/Ministry of Defence arrow head. I opened it up "messed about with it" and it started working! Moreover, as long as I wind it daily it keeps working!

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Mint moth

As I cast about the oregano flowers with my macro lens, looking for bees, I came upon a small (very small) moth that I don't recall ever seeing before. It was about half the size of my small finger-nail, mainly dark purplish red with yellow spots, and appeared to be a mint moth. This moth, as its name suggests, often uses mint as a food plant. In our garden, which has no mint, it seemed to like the oregano. But then that's true of many insects.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Green-veined white

The green-veined white butterfly is often mistaken for the small white. The distinguishing feature is, of course, the green veins. This example was visiting the flowers of a burdock growing by the River Wye in Herefordshire. Helpfully, the sex of the green-veined white can be determined by the spots on the forewing - the female has two and the male only one.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Gibbs surrounds

The Gibbs surround is a blocky treatment of a Renaissance doorway or window. Typically each block alternates on a column with a flat or a rounded section. It is a variation on the "rusticated" style. It was popularised by the Scottish architect James Gibbs (1682-1754), though it can be found in examples that pre-date his influence. The first example shown is on the early eighteenth century Old Magistrate's House, Church Lane, Ledbury, Herefordshire. The second example is on Waterside House, Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, and dates from c.1740.

photo 1 © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10
photo 2 © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Jazz band musicians

Across the Sundays of the summer months the bandstand at Ross on Wye is home to a variety of brass bands who present a musical programme of a couple of hours duration. Brass bands entertaining from a raised, ornamental bandstand is a very British custom. However, this year tradition was broken when a jazz band was featured. "Jazz Friday" was a big "big band" and I managed to get this photograph of just a few of the musicians as they gave of their best.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P950

Bee on oregano flowers

We cultivate oregano for the attraction its flowers have for insect life: bees, moths and butterflies find it as attractive as buddleia and verbena (which we also grow). Photographing bees the other day I got this photograph. It's not the best I've ever taken, but I particularly liked the dreamy way the macro lens rendered the out of focus areas.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10