Tattoodave

Those of you that saw me earlier this year will know that I hadn't had my hair cut or trimmed my beard for several months in an attempt to look a little like Karl Marx, you will be pleased to hear that I have since had a haircut and trimmed my beard to convince those close of my undiminished sanity, if not those that know me well. Any road up, here's another stencilled gem, this one a mash up of Marx and the fate of all men.

At last someone else who takes photos of graffiti, whilst I don't condone it, it fascinates me, I don't mean the talentless tagging relentlessly of public or private property, but the constructive art that makes a "social comment" or is just very funny. I almost feel sorry for those that insist on tagging, poor mites could never have had pens and paper at school to need to keep practising their writing so much now they are big enough to steal a can of spray paint or purloin their great grandma's bingo marker.

It was only 8C at the top of El Torcal, 24C by the coast, so quite a shock to the system, I'm in shorts until I see brass monkeys.

Wild goat at El Torcal, and low cloud coating one of the mountains on the way back

Went out yesterday into the mountains, bloody windy and not that warm, but found Crocus serotinus Subsp. salzmannii flowering where it wasn't already battered to death by the wind.

Sadly nothing to rival the close ups of water as it doesn't make up a lot of the landscape here, but I thought I'd add a couple from previous holidays, one not taken by me for obvious reasons.

That of course is another viable option.

Grows as an annual in the UK, though stunted because of the heat treatment that it goes through before import. If you get rodents having a free meal best get yourself a Jack Russell, I would have suggested cat, but that wouldn't be good with tiny birds at a bird table

It grows into a nice annual though if left, and then gives you free seed

In flower at the moment on the balcony. Trycirtus hirta, or toad lily.Hilderwintera, a semi-prostrate/climbing cactus

The ones that came home, 2 at 3 Euros, 1 at 2 Euros

A trip to the local garden centre brought me out of my semi-hibernation state.

Unusual to see just one, there's usually a flock of them, I've seen 50+ together on field edges here in Spain

Sadly not, as I really enjoyed Septembers outings to the 100 Club anniversary allnighter and Hitsville weekender, still, I'd sooner have a warm winter than freeze my bits off in the UK.

you deserve two coconuts for that, if you think about it

They are a real nice couple, they actually came over to the 100 Club at one time.

As you bought it from Mike and Michelle there's no doubt in my mind that it's an original

Get well soon Ted

I'm actually the smallest in the family now Steve. My mother was a big woman, apparently the labour was very swift. I'm sure Ronnie will turn into a big strong lad.

I'm sure we're all guilty of taking the miracle of life for granted, and it's very humbling seeing pictures like this, I was 13 lbs 4 oz at birth, it's made me feel positively gargantuan. I hope his parents aren't going to lumber him with the epithet "Little", as that's just rubbing salt in the wounds. Good luck to the parents and him as well as you Steve.

Strangely, I saw a young lad wearing a tee shirt that had a slogan in Polish, I asked him what it said and straight-faced he answered, "Honestly, I'm a gynaecologist, do you mind if I have a look?", they didn't have them in Primark or I might have bought one.

Me too Steve, but they seem to be reluctant to let me take close up pictures

I acquired two bulbs of Amaryllis belladonna just over a year ago, it didn't flower last year, but with feeding and watering it rewarded me with one flower head this year (so far), they are commonly known as naked ladies, and for once I didn't feel uncomfortable taking a photo without asking first.

Same species, but that's Bryophyllum tubiflora, much narrower leaves, a nice plant though, rarer than daigremontianum.

A VG+ or better copy, please