goosey

Hi Shirley
Thank you for your help, lovely Hawkmoth I have found larva Hawkmoths but never the adults in my present garden, obviously they visit but I miss them
Steve

Only a few dry Agrocybe rivulosa on a woodchip pile at Elvetham Heath LNR yesterday whilst on 'zoo quest for a dragon(fly)'.

It was, indeed, an unusually entertaining Tour - maybe because notrhing was certain until the last moment - Schleck will be my favourite next year; Cavendish for the green but .... so much more. Really good entertainment. There is the Vuelta d'Espana to look forward to (always more exciting if you're in a French bar rather than a Yorkshire living room!) and the Tour of Britain - not sure if I'll be here, I've already confused when we will be arriving on the continent (next weekend, I now think); I'll wave as I pass you by!
A bit like Arp, I occasionally look in when I can't participate so, after this week, you may not hear from me for a month: have fun!

Yes, I had been quite busy, suffered various PC-crashes (so I frequently looked in without being logged on) and was invited to come along to France to a friends place to help with some "home improvement" for a few weeks. Next I'll be off to Indonesia for a while - but be forewarned ... I'll be back

The weather could spoil it ... or make it: that's the great thing about Le Tour, you just never know. Shame we're not going to get any pictures like those we had on Tuesday ...
Afterwards, sit and wait for the Vuelta d'Espana although it never gets quite so exciting. Or take a holiday and relax!

Infuriating when that happens to a special place even when, as around here lately, it's in the name of 'heathland restoration'.
Went odo spotting at a new site today and got drenched to the skin but did see an emerald damselfly for the first time in between showers. Cancelled plans to go to Farnborough Air Show this afternoon (thro' the back door - it' s not what you know...... ) and am sitting here over looking the garden watching it come down in stair rods at the moment.

Well, it's all a bit dubious but there is a feeling that those in the group of someone who has a mechanical should wait around until that person has got back in sight. Especially when one of them is the yellow jersey. It has happened before, even with Armstrong, Kloden and the like. But it's not rules, as such!
Indeed, in this case, many would think that it's Schleck (or at least Saxobank) at fault for not having a chain guard that would have prevented the problem .... Tomorrow could certainly be interesting, really Schleck's last likely chance to put some time in front of Contador?

Hello! Nice to be back around again - Visited my Dad in the States, about a month earlier in the year than previously - so much less insect life around, much to my disappointment. So not the normal hundreds of images taken. Still have a few, so will slowly upload a few more over the coming days :0)

Four days in the Pyrenees - I'm exhausted by the thought of it! On of my favourite places but not on a bike - although Wiggers may make a comeback?
I've tried to revive the WAB thread Wild About Britain but nobody seems very interested.

I don't think that Renshaw was dangerous: the other bloke was cutting in front of him and Renshaw was using his head (sorry) to push him back on line. Looking back over the previous km you'll see lots of people using arms to push people back 'on line'. In many ways the head thump was a lot tamer .... In the archives of sprint finishes you see people coming to blows: using both arms to fight, proper boxing - while travelling at 50 kph! I think he would only have got a small fine for that.
What the judges thought more serious was that Renshaw then cut across another rider - exactly what he had objected to seconds earlier! In that case he blocked the chances of that rider from overtaking Cavendish and could have forced him onto the fence. However, it's not that uncommon and usually gets points deduction and fine.
I think the judges have over-reacted: on protest, Renshaw may be reinstated but lose all of his (and the team's) points. That would make life much easier for Cavendish .