bergvliet

Man of War

Posted on June 26, 2017June 28, 2017

Not me, obviously. Personally, I avoid all sorts of violence unless I’m absolutely sure that I’m going to come out both victorious and unscathed. And those conditions are so rarely guaranteed that I’m basically deeply into self-pacifism these days.

No, I’m referring to the new Radiohead video, of course. From the ever so good new album, which I have really been enjoying, and is already in my top 4 albums for 2017*.

There seems to be some confusion as to what exactly this video is meant to be telling us. No-one seems very sure and everyone is taking a different message from it.
I am also confused as to what exactly is going on. Some sort of descent into anxiety, paranoia and madness? And when he falls over on the railway tracks [spoiler – he falls over on some railway tracks, by the way] is that him taking his medication, with calming, but transient results?

Or is it merely a reminder that otherwise apparently normal places can get much, much spookier when night falls, just like Bergvliet does (especially on Fridays)?

Yes. “Bergvliet is flippin’ terrifying in the dark”. I think that’s actually the message they are trying to get across here.

* Current other three contenders at this point (in no particular order):
Elbow – Little Fictions
Future Islands – The Far Field
a-ha – As yet untitled acoustic release, Nov/Dec

Tit

Posted on August 26, 2016

There’s a hint of spring in the air. That’s good, because spring is nice and warm and a forerunner of summer (yes, that happens here too). It’s not so great because we still need quite a lot of winter rain to fill up our dams.

Here’s spring-like quota photo of a Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) exiting a nesting box last spring in Sheffield:

I’ll admit that I couldn’t remember the scientific name for this little guy, so I had to look it up. On the page was this:

Yeah. Bit generic, that second one.

Interestingly, the Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) continues to be a problematic invasive species but only in certain parts of the Southern Suburbs:

The chaffinch was introduced from Britain into several of its overseas territories in the 19th century. In South Africa a very small breeding colony in the suburbs of Constantia, Hout Bay and Camps Bay in Cape Town is the only remnant of such an introduction.

I was shocked when I saw one in Bergvliet last year. Seeing a chaffinch was shocking, but worse was the sudden realisation that I was in Bergvliet.

Look Both Ways

Posted on September 1, 2013September 2, 2013

With the sudden end to the appalling weather, we took the opportunity to get down to Tokai Forest and work off some cabin fever.
Beneath the pine trees the ground was fairly dry and firm, but further down there was still pretty of evidence of flooding on the lower lying ground.

Wet and muddy, we found ourselves the end of the unfinished, unused Lismore Avenue road bridge over the M3 and I couldn’t resist clambering up and having a quick look up top.

Looking North (above) and South (below)

It wasn’t particularly pleasant up there – lots of broken glass and drug paraphernalia lying around, low walls and plenty of exposed metalwork to trip over.
That said, I will head back up there with a proper camera and get some better shots sometime. And I will find out why there’s an unfinished, unused bridge going over the M3 near Tokai. (Although, Cape Town is known for its unfinished bridges, of course.)