Tag: life

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natural world wargaming

Happy 2025

Goodbye 2024

Categories
life

Intermission 24f

Merry Christmas
Categories
battle anniversaries life

It’s the 4th of July!

Oliver Cromwells plump. This week saw the 380th anniversary of the battle of Marston Moor. Oliver Cromwell delivered the tactical move that secured victory on the day for Parliament and the Covenanters. Ultimately the King was defeated.

Then it all went wrong as the parliamentarians fell out which led to the first and only British republic. Oliver Cromwell ruthlessly crushed opposition in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland to become a dictator- a role he saw as the only solution to the continuing chaos.

The glorious revolution followed his death and since then we have had both a monarchy and a parliament. It kind of works.

Today we can vote because many people down the years have fought, suffered and died to preserve that right for us.

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 24a

Intermissions have been thin on the ground this year. Perversely the awful weather has meant more time indoors – war gaming.

But there have been some interesting sights all the same.

The clouds and sky remain a fascination for colours and shapes
Yorkshire playing fields – cricket might be a case of no pitch rather just rain stopping play
Moonlight has been ok
Plenty of dark brooding skies even during the day!
There have also been very bright days – the Roman multi angular walls of York stand proudly
Cinema top view in 2024 was Oppenheimer – but what’s on the wall? A commemorative plaque to this free French hero of WW2 York – P/O Yves Mahe – 82 years on.
The odd Sahara warm front plume has given its signature vibrant sunsets
The demise of GCN plus pro cycling app means it’s Eurosport on discovery complete with amazing editing that chops the last 200m of the race (you could not make it up). Still you get the castle pictures during boring mid race bits
Very moody castle at Sandal near Wakefield.
Sky colour – blue pink contrasts are always impressive
I always like these skies when there is some fiery yellow gold of the sun still in play
I think Tony Blair was in power last time I stepped inside the walls of the national railway museum. Still it is a fantastic visit
I think I was last here when England won the World Cup (only joking). It was quite a while ago and now it’s got a roof of sorts. I seem to remember a lot of complaints about the proposal although that was probably the visitor centre that has not appeared. Clifford’s tower in York is erroneously called a castle (of which it was only part). It is vastly improved by the protection and access works that have been done. The 17th century garrison destruction of the tower interior turned the walls red.
Last of a sunset and the inspiring colour gradations of almost black through dark blues to a washed out grey then tepid orange. the black outlines of trees and buildings are important to provide contrast to the orange while without the orange the colour range of blues would be the poorer
Categories
life natural world

Intermission 23k

Not so many cloud formations caught my eye over summer and autumn.

Here are some I liked for their shapes, colour and of course contrast with sky blues and sun yellows……

Sunrise – sometimes like sunset!

Clouds – in an autumn sunset

Sunset with expansive skies

Categories
life natural world

Intermission 23j

The sky is always full of interesting shapes and moods.

This cloud formation seems to promise turbulence at some point or maybe not?
sometimes you get the suggestion of a shape – a bird maybe
fluffy clouds never dissappoint and the high level cloud promises a fine day – over Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire
A typical evening cloud this year – sun, rain, cloud, wind – or a bit of everything
Sunsets have still been interesting even if they have been less in number or so it seems
Rainbows are always a welcome diversion from the inevitable rain
Categories
life natural world

Intermission 23a

This Winter was wet and is now dry – it has been sometimes cold but the overwhelming feeling is it is another mild winter – famous last words, as Spring is not yet with us and it can still snow and freeze well into April………

Fog – The flood plain of the River Ouse – ideal for fog, mist and interesting skies…………