Confession of a Childlike Obsession

A walk with my dogs takes me past the local Paintball grounds. If there is a battle raging we have to do quite a detour. However the next day, when all is at peace again, I am sometimes lucky enough to spot a stray un-exploded paintball lying on the walking track. The child in me pounces on the paintball and with great delight I place it on a flat rock and then stomp on it. I love to see the spurting of the paint as it explodes.
I sometimes meet Jimmy, the Paintball grounds manager when he is busy putting up the warning flags before a game. We chat and generally put the world to rights. He has a great sense of humour and told me of making the kids turn out their pockets after a game and before they leave the grounds. "If you go home with some of those balls in your pockets and your mum puts those pants through the washing machine then today will be the last time you will ever play a game here!" he tells them.
I confessed my little obsession to Jimmy and he said "There are thousands of those balls lying around in the grounds after a game. Feel free to wander around and collect a few to add to your fun." So today I did just that. Alas the balls are made of gelatin and are bio-degradable so I had to hunt for them. But here some are...all lying in some shingle, looking very pretty. I bet you didn't know what they are until I told you.... I photographed them and I left them lying there, looking inviting. Maybe for some brave kid to pocket them?