Opposite

Another of my annual blip records of woodland flora. We have plenty of the sort of shady, damp patches where Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage thrives, although you have to be prepared to get damp, muddy knees to enjoy it. 

I spent the first part of the day effectively trapped inside as next door was getting sand-blasted - to be fair they had warned me the day before. When you are mid-terrace it’s impossible to contain the effects. The contractors laid a tarpaulin across my yard (but not my greenery), weighted down with my external window sill collection of pebbles and fossilised tree roots. Doors and windows were closed, but still the dust penetrated. I began to wonder if this was just sand, or if it was ‘treated’, and then decided I didn’t want to know.

In a lull I headed out and caught the bus down to Shipley, where Market Square is also being dug up and developed. I hope the sheep statue survives the improvements. I picked up a few books and discovered the Salvation Army shop has a good junk vinyl section which kept me occupied for half an hour. Nothing terribly valuable, but a better variety than is usual in such settings. I even picked up a couple of 50p 78s (Fats Domino, The Ink Spots) despite not having anything that can play 78s!

Back home for lunch to find the blasters departed. They had cleaned up, of sorts, but my greenery had suffered a Saharan storm, my drain was half-full of sand and everything kind of felt gritty. I de-clogged the drain and cleaned up a little, but I hope the forecast rain will do some of the work for me. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon listening to some of my finds, and watching & listening to online videos of other people playing my 78s :-)