A Week of Two Halves...

Tuesday - saw Belper Town throw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Brigg Town. It wasn't a defeat but it felt like one.

Saturday - saw Belper beat the league leaders, Rainworth 1-0. Rainworth had the only 100% record in the division.  (OK - it was 2 wins from 2 games but it was still the only 100% record!)

Tim Harrisons pics from the Brigg game are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157627456843484/

and mine...

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2011%2008%2016%20BTFC%202-2%20Brigg/

Tims pictures from yesterdays game are here....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157627481815752/

I haven't got around to editing mine from yesterday yet but they can't match Tim's brilliant effort so I might not bother anyway!

My other photographic effort revolved around birds in the back garden (again - yes I know - yet more flippin' birds - but I find them a fasciniating subject!)

Got a nice shot of a Dunnock on a feeder. Unusual this - they generally spend their time scurrying around on the ground - in and out of the hedge bottoms - so to see one in a feeder is different.

And a young Greenfinch (or could be a female - I'm not that good at i.d.!)

Mind you - this fella sat there stuffing his/her face and let me get within about 10 feet of him/her before he/she left his/her perch so if I didn't get a decent snap it'd be time to sell the gear!

And on the way back from Belper yesterday, we stopped off in Bakewell for a bag of chips. The Goosanders are still on the river - looks like they've taken up permanent residence!

Think this fella's washing his hair!

Not a lot else to report this week. The hedges didn't get cut last Sunday so that is today's task. Must get stuck into them. They look a real mess.

Archers Omnibus first, then lunch and unless I can find a half decent excuse its gardening this afternoon. Still - I can listen to the Test Match on the portable radio while I'm doing it but it would have been nice to have a little run out into Derbyshire while the weather's fine.

Still I've booked Monday 29th August off (it's a Bank Holiday but we don't take it at work) and I've also booked Tuesday 30th too so a very long weekend will be nice! On the Monday, Belper are at home to Ilkeston - local derby so we can't miss that -  and on the Tuesday, we're hoping to spend the day at the RSPB reserve at Wath-on-Dearne - Old Moor, it's called. Hope the weather holds.

Next week - Belper are away at Lincoln on Tuesday and away at Romulus on Saturday so the Bank Holiday Monday game is probably the next football we'll see. Nothing else planned so we'll have to see what happens.

For now - that's that - See Yer!

 

Look Into My Eyes......

Taken at the Norton Show yesterday.

We've lived at Nortoner Towers for some 13.1/2 years now and we've never been to this annual event. There was showjumping, dog training displays, cheerleaders, a band performing in a marquee, car boot sale amongst other things

It wasn't bad although to be brutally honest - it wasn't worth the 3 quid admission fee!

More pictures here....

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2011%2008%2013%20Norton%20Show/

Not a lot else happened this week. I did take some pictures of the swans on the canal at the back of our steelworks. They have 4 cygnets left, having started with 7. I'm a bit surprised they lost another 2 because I thought the 6 youngsters they had when I last saw them looked fairly well established.

Hard to believe that's a shot taken in the industrial east end of Sheffield isn't it? The canal is quite clean these days actually. Twenty years ago, we used to joke about whether you'd die from poisoning or drowning first if you jumped in! It's full of fish too now!

Big ones....

And little ones..

The EvoStik League season started yesterday but we decided the long trip down to Newcastle-Under-Lyme to watch Belper Town's first competitive game under new manager Tommy Taylor was a bit of a trek , hence our visit to the Norton Show.

Belper lost 2-0 and comment from supporters on the BTFC Fans Forum suggests a real "game of 2 halves" with Belper missing chances in the first half but being generally outplayed in the second. You can see a report on the game on Tim Harrison's blog ("Cycling Photographer" link on the right) and Tims pictures are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157627300388471/

Next game is Tuesday evening at home to Brigg Town. We'll be there and hope for a win!

Anyway - that'll have to do for now.It's a fine, dry day so I'd better get organised and tackle the garden.

Tarra for now.

 

Locked Out

Interesting comment on a BBC blog about a current disagreement between "the media" and Football League clubs over reporting access and restrictions...... and money, of course.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/gordonfarquhar/2011/08/locked_out.html

And Whilst I'm at It..

Promised pics of Robin and Blackbirds....

"Oi! This washing pole could do wiv a lick of paint!"

 (We can identify it as "our" Robin by the black stripe under its eye)

A female blackbird feeding her youngster - though I reckon it's big enough to feed itself!!
Kids eh?

Check out the Snapper Blog....

Tim Harrison (Photographer to the Stars) has resurrected his blog. Check it out....


Link on the right... Cycling Photographer .... Or

http://cyclesandcameras.blogspot.com/


Enjoy!

Not A Lot To Report.....

...hence no bloggage until now.

Couldn't really think of anything to say. However, for anyone who is interested....

Monday - Belper Town lost 4-1 to a Derby County XI in a pre-season friendly. Tim Harrison's pics are here -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/collections/72157627070852857/

(Mine aren't processed yet and in any case - I spent most of the second half in photographic hints and tips discussion with Darlo who now has a Canon EOS 500D to play with! So I missed at least 2 goals)

Friday - day off work - ill! Suffered severe stomach cramps and vomiting over Thursday night and so took a half day off to recover. Early evening - went to PC World in Chessy to get a 1Tb WD portable external hard drive. Bargain at £69. (My 750 Gb is getting a bit full!)

Saturday - Belper Town 0-5 Matlock in the last of the pre season games. For some reason, (maybe still getting over bellyache!) couldn't really be arsed so put the camera away at half time and just watched the match. Interesting "Q&A" session with the new manager and supporters in the club house afterwards.

Tim Harrison saw the game through as ever and his pics are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157627250418953/

Not a lot else has happened. Got some excellent pictures of a robin and some blackbirds in our back garden. I'll, post 'em as soon (or rather if) I get around to it.

Cheers

Lots going on this week....

Wednesday evening - trip to Retford Utd to watch Belper Town lose 1-0!

Pictures:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/20110727%20Retford%201-0%20BTFC/

Real pressure on this one! Tim Snapper Harrison missed the game so mine are the only BTFC pictures! Not my best set but at least the game is recorded.

Thursday - after a hectic work day and our evening meal - we had a little drive "up the dams" - Ladybower and Derwent for those who don't know. We actually stayed out later than planned because as we parked up near Upper Howden dam, the Duchess spotted some buzzards enjoying the thermals coming off the hills. They were about a quarter mile away but the big lens brought them a little closer. Turns out it was probably a mother teaching her fledgling how to hunt. Fascinating - and we watched with the camera and the binoculars for a good 20 minutes before heading back.

Earlier in the day, I spotted a family of swans on the canal at the back of our steelworks! Turns out the blokes in the plant have been feeding them for a few weeks and they are now almost tame! (The swans that is - not the blokes!)

Even earlier than this - as I was getting my breakfast cuppa at 6 a.m., spotted a juvenile goldfinch on the feeders in the garden - through the kitchen window - and me half asleep so its not a great shot but still nice!

Friday - after work (early finish day!) we did the supermarket run and then nipped down to the fishing tackle shop to pick up some bits and pieces for the fishing match I was taking part in on Saturday. Rounded the day off with dinner at the Bowshaw Carvery. Very nice!

Saturday - a grand day at the fishing match, Although I actually finished around 13th of 16 entrants (not my most prestigious attempt then!) It's a nice little fishery - Side Farm Fisheries at Thurcroft - and it's only a 40 minute drive from home. I caught about a dozen fish - although only one of any note - and to be honest - when I pulled in a couple of small perch, I debated whether to throw the fish back and weigh in the maggot - which was almost as big!

Back home mid afternoon while Belper Town were beating Long Eaton Utd in a pre-season game. Snapper Harrison recorded the game:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/collections/72157627070852857/

Grand album yet again Mr. H!

More bird-spotting in the late afternoon, again in the back garden and again, a new "spot" for us - this time - a treecreeper! See how well camoflaged he is in the big old apple tree at the top of the garden.

Here's a couple more:

Finally for now - in a week when I took alot of pictures - I wanted to show you this one - yet another "first" - this time a butterfly in our garden -

It's called a Gatekeeper or Hedge Brown and Yorkshire/Lancashire is about the northern extent of its territory. There were 5 of them in the garden and I have to say, I reckon this is my "shot of the week."

Right - enough for now - gonna grab a sandwich then get the lawnmower and hedge trimmers out before the weather breaks (as it will do tomorrow apparently.)

See yer!