Phil's photos with the keyword: Summer

Cricket is one of many games that involve hitting a ball with a hand-held implement; others are baseball, golf, hockey, tennis, squash, and table tennis. In cricket's case, a key difference is the existence of a solid target structure, the wicket that the batsman must defend. The cricket historian Harry Altham identified three "groups" of "club ball" games: the "hockey group", in which the ball is driven to and fro between two targets (the goals); the "golf group", in which the ball is driven towards an undefended target (the hole); and the "cricket group", in which "the ball is aimed at a mark (the wicket) and driven away from it". It is believed that cricket originated as a children's game in the South-Eastern counties of England during the medieval period. Although there are claims for prior dates, the earliest definite reference to cricket being played comes from evidence given at a court case in Guildford on Monday, 17 January 1597. The case concerned ownership of a certain plot of land and the court heard the testimony of 59-year-old John Derrick who gave witness that: "Being a scholler in the ffree schoole of Guldeford hee and diverse of his fellows did runne and play there at creckett and other plaies". Given Derrick's age, it was about half a century earlier when he was at school and so it is certain that cricket was being played c.1550 by boys in Surrey. (Wikipedia, edited & shortened)

One of the ponds along the Nature Trail near Ball Grove park in Colne, North-West England. In Spring this area is full of young frogs and Dragonflies (both of which breed here) and various breeds of birds. The Bull-rushes provide a hidden nesting site for ducks, some of which can be seen emerging from them in this scene. Camera: Sony RX100 Processing: Nikon Capture NX2

The local weather forecasts and newspapers have been warning us that we will be experiencing a heat-wave this week. This is North-West England and this is August so no prizes for guessing what the weather is REALLY like now. A clue....I suspect umbrella stores will be busy today :-) Screen-shot from Web: Processed with Nikon Capture NX2.

Wild flowers photographed near Pendle Water in Brierfield, Pendle district, in the North-West of England. I'm not sure what these plants are....possibly members of the "Mallow" family (Malvaceae) although the leaves of Mallows are usually more broad and rounded in shape. Photographed with a Nikon D300s camera and a Samyang 135mm f2.0 lens at almost full aperture to separate the flowers from the background. Processed with Nikon Capture NX2 software. (now identified as a Great Willow Herb....thanks to John & Pam).

This scene was photographed on the Leeds-Liverpool canal near the town of Nelson, Lancashire, in the North-West of England. The building is one of many former textile mills situated along this canal, most of which are now derelict since the cotton industry, once the main source of employment in this area has declined to almost nothing. Many former mills have been demolished and others are being converted into flats / apartments. Photographed with a Sony RX100 compact camera and processed with Nikon Capture NX2.

Photographed near the village of Roughlee in Pendle district, Lancashire, UK. Taken four years ago (one of the rare occasions when Summer actually arrived on time) using a Canon Powershot G10 compact camera. This is the view looking North-East and Blacko Tower can just be seen in the distance (see NOTE). www.ipernity.com/group/england