Bare - Thematic Photography

The rain has stopped at last and cold weather has arrived, it's not the climate for stripping off.

However some shrubs even look good when denuded.

Redwood

At this time of year before next year's crop gets established a field may be bare but it's far from barren.

Bare barbed wire protects the 'mud'

However appearances may be deceptive like this footpath in the winter sun.

It's black ice that shines and catches you unawares

Even bare boards boast a little decoration in a garden fence.

Perhaps this sunbather should have invested in a fig leaf rather larger than the ivy intruding through the boards.

That brings me to the bare end. 

For other interpretations of Carmi's bare theme please check the links at Thematic-photographic-363.

A-Z Challenge 2015 - Butterflies - C

C - Comma

A comma  is a punctuation mark, but it is also a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family.

                                       Caress

                                       Of a

                                       Moon-shaped

                                       Mark

                                       A pause

(Acrostic poem; Liana Mahoney  - Commashavewings.com)

When I came across this dead butterfly on my garden path last summer I had no idea what it was.

Dead Comma

It had definitely come to a full stop!

Not at all like a living specimen.

Comma butterfly at rest

Its tattered looking wings help it to remain undetected among dead leaves on the trees where it hibernates. The white comma marks on the underside of its wings give the Comma its name.

Comma butterfly - underside

As you can see the underside is dull in comparison with the upper side. This disguise enables it to hibernate safely as with its wings folded it looks like a dead leaf on the trees where it hibernates.

The population declined at one time due to a reduction in hop farming but has recovered since the 1960s with a preference for the common nettle as the larval food plant. It's now found throughout England and Wales; its range has also reached Scotland.

Eggs (on a nettle leaf?)

The caterpillars are brown and white and spiky; they feed on nettles (and hops) for about seven weeks before pupating.

Comma caterpillar

What a shame that I have cleared out all the nettles from my garden. I have no chance to see the caterpillar and must hope that I get to see adult butterflies in the countryside feeding on thistles, brambles, ivy or knapweed.

Love is like a butterfly

As soft and gentle as a sigh

The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings

Love makes your heart feel strange inside

Photo Attributions:

• Comma at rest: By P matthews 123 - CC BY-SA 3.0
• Comma underside: 7 July 2011, Zeynel Cebici - CC BY-SA 3.0
• Eggs: 6 July 2009, Giles San Martin - CC BY-SA 2.0
• Larva (caterpillar): Jan 1 2006, Lilly M - CC BY-SA 2.0

Returning to the scene of the crime - Take 2 - Thematic Photography

I hope you studied the crime scene well. Just to remind you this is what it looked like.

Of clues there are plenty

• The pole is leaning towards the fence
• The yellow tape identifies it as electrical. a street light perhaps

If we move in closer:

• No impact marks on the pole
• Tyre marks in the mud
• But traffic goes by left to right, the pole slopes in the opposite direction
• Broken tree branches in front and behind the pole.
• What is the time frame involved?
• An eyewitness saw a council wagon early on Monday morning on the opposite side of the road attending to this.

Has the culprit got its comeuppance?

It's dangerous to jump to conclusions. There may even be an element(ary) explanation.

It was a dark and stormy night (I've always wanted to start a story with those words) on Sunday

The wind becomes the prime suspect.

You mind not be so sure if you knew this winter had been the wettest in England and Wales since 1766. The roots of the tree could have been badly loosened.

Broken Roots

However there is yet another suspect which enters the frame. Have the roots been fatally attacked. The centre of the tree trunk was rotting.

Rotting trunk (center of cut end)

It might even be the green ivy that started the chain of events.

No matter what we decide, the streetlight can be replace and a tree replanted. A comparatively short time to replace the light but it will take at least 150 years for a tree to reach the size of the one that was lost.

As usual you can find the answers to other photographic puzzles at Carmi's place

A-Z Challenge - 'I' - Ilex

My A-Z posts this year are based on my garden – flowers, animals, the birds and the bees, butterflies - with a bit of poetry thrown in. For some letters I am expecting to cheat somewhat – wishing they were here.

I – Ilex, Ivy, Iris, Impatiens

The holly and the ivy, now are both well grown,

Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.

Holly Bush

 I feel quite justified in including holly under ‘I’ as the Latin name for it is Ilex. Our garden holly bush is well manicured but the blackbirds have left a berry or two – you just have to look hard enough.

Holly Berry

We can’t claim to have an ivy hedge like this:

Ivy Hedge

 This is the best we can manage growing from next door.

Ivy 'Hedge'

Blue Tits (see B) using this nesting box will be happier when the ivy surrounding it grows to provide a bit more cover.

Nesting Box

We have a few blue irises in the garden.

Blue Irises

 But we had to go to Cornwall to find some yellow ones.

Yellow Iris - Cornwall

 Impatiens glandulifera is a grand sounding name but it masks an invasive species imported to the UK.

Indian (Himalayan) Balsam

 Fortunately we have none in the garden. It has however started to swamp some local woods,

These are the impatiens we prefer to see,

Busy Lizzies (Impatiens)

These annual plants are available in many colours and bloom non-stop until the autumn. There is no need to get impatient with them.

Poem:

• The Holly and the Ivy – English traditional Christmas Carol

Photo attribution:

•  Ivy Hedge - Public Domain Images
• Busy Lizzies – Andrew Fogg; CC BY 2.0.