Monday 9 March 2009

Allergy in a Country Churchyard

The other day the Lilster was happily padding along through rainwater:


It reminded me of the famous Cartier-Bresson picture which is supposed to have brought respectability to photography in the art world. If he'd used a faster shutter speed the bloke would have been in focus.

We walked on to the farm pond which is looking quite nice at this time of year, although what you don't see is the ramshackle farm sheds alongside with the whiff of farmyard materials filling one's nostrils.

We walked on to Wibbly Church where the surrounding graveyard is being tended by a small herd of black furry sheep. Oz was keen to join them, being a small black furry sheep himself, but was restrained. He did charge through this graveyard last week but as luck would have it he had a 12lb rabbit in his mouth so the sheep weren't bothered at all. It's nature red in tooth and claw round here, although Oz gets very nervous near Butchers' Shops for some reason. Perhaps he's worried whether the apostrophe is in the right place.

The dappled Churchyard Yew.

Finally heading back across the bit we call "Watership Down" because of the number of rabbits I noticed the latest generation of cyberman scarecrows appearing in the fields like Gormley installations to entertain the birdlife. Who says our industries aren't cutting edge?

18 comments:

Geoff said...

There's a lovely churchyard on the Great Orme where sheep graze. I said I wanted to be buried there. Betty said she would go and get the spade from the car boot.

Tim said...

Loving the Cartier-Bresson tribute snap. On his version - how come the bloke is blurred, but his reflection isn't? Erm, much. Spooky.

This picture was discussed in great length on a highbrow BBC4 documentary a while ago. The iron fence and the semi-circular thingy in the foreground symbolise the future of Europe. Obviously. I'm sure that was exactly what he was thinking of when he took the snap.

Z said...

I'm impressed by the way the chap stayed poised in the air while the photo was being taken. Even Lil had to put a paw on the ground.

A 12lb rabbit? Blimey. Sure it wasn't a coypu?

Dave said...

It was one of those German rabbits that were exported to North Korea, wasn't it? I expect it's escaped from the secret North Korean base in Norfolk.

KAZ said...

'Well you aint never caught a rabbit
And you aint no friend of mine.'

But it looks like Oz is.

Christopher said...

I shouldn't let anyone, butcher or dog, near those sheep. We can do without another remix of 'There'll never be another ewe.'

Tim Atkinson said...

The vicar of the church next to the school I used to teach at in Cheshire had a flock of sheep for just such a purpose. Which was fine until they escaped, and invaded the school. I seem to remember spending most of the afternoon rounding them up, much to everyone's amusement.

Rog said...

Geoff: Very funny!It is picturesque ther though - Orme is where the Art is.

Tim: I saw that series which is now being repeated. Very interesting but you can make too much out of pressing a shutter button!

Z: I may have been exaggerating regarding the rabbit. I had to put it out its misery with a brick which is the first time I've ever killed anything. Excluding flies and things. And Beefburgers indirectly. I didn't feel very good all day.

Dave: I missed the Korean Rabbit story. Are we still at Warren Peace with the axis iof evil?

Kaz: I'm surprised at you, a vegitarian, saying that. Oz looks a bit like Elvis in his later years.

Christopher: You may well look sheepish!

Dott: Surely a vicar is supposed to tend his flock. Phil once suggested Dave should have flock wallpaper.

Z said...

I've put a few creatures out of their misery, which is not very pleasant. However, I hope you took the rabbit home and cooked it, for the dogs at least. After all, it was no longer miserable so someone might as well have enjoyed it.

I realise that this makes it undeniable that I'm an android.

I'd also like to make it clear that I refer to sick and injured animals. Not people, however miserable.

Magwitch said...

I think your last picture may be a bit of a coup:

Now we know what The Stig from Top Gear does as his day job.

Rog said...

Z: Too much of a wimp to walk 2 miles with a dead rabbit over my shoulder I'm afraid. I'm a paranoid android myself.

Rog said...

Magwitch: A good spot! I hope he doesn't get paid as much as Clarkson though.

Dave said...

You didn't see the giant German rabbits? The story is here

Sir Bruin said...

Nice pictures, not baaad at all!

Keith said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Keith said...

Isn't that scarecrow one of the new breed of robotic ones that walk around the field in ever decreasing circles until it vanishes up its own ..........

"Butchers' Shops". I would say that the apostrophe is in the right place, although everybody now seems to put it before the ‘s’ in all instances which to me means "Butcher is Shops".

The comma is in place to indicate a contraction. Using it after the 's' indicates 'possession'.

See: http://www.mantex.co.uk/samples/apo.htm

Rog said...

Sir Bruin: Beary good of you!

Keith: Hello & Welcome! As my butcher might say "Pleased to Meet you, Meat to Please you!".

Z said...

Keith, butcher's shop means a shop belonging to a butcher. Butchers' shop means a shop belonging to more than one butcher. The apostrophe can refer to contraction or possession.

It's put quite well here - http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html