CALENZANO ALTO’S ANALEMMATIC SUNDIAL, ITALY


This excellent analemmatic sundial is installed in the square at the very top of the small medieval town of Calenzano Alto, which perches on a hill above the major industrial sprawl and motorway network of the Arno plain between Prato and Florence.

The sundial takes up a substantial area of the large piazza, and consists of a central sun/moon stone mosaic with radiating ‘sight’ lines to small brass plates numbered from VI to XVIII (in fact number VI is missing, the rest are there). The gnomon is the person who stands at the centre of the sun. There are no buildings close enough to obstruct the sun’s light, so on a sunny or even a bright day, the time can be easily told at least approximately… were it not for the cars that are normally parked all over the square!

SUNDIALS FROM AMSTERDAM (a change from Tulips)


1. MODERN 1993 SUNDIAL ON PRINSENGRACHT ON A c17 HOUSE (? a midwife’s house)

2. MUSEUM VAN LOON, KEIZERSGRACHT – THE OLDEST (1578) OF THREE

2. MUSEUM VAN LOON, KEIZERSGRACHT – ARMILLARY SPHERE

3. MUSEUM VAN LOON, KEIZERSGRACHT – ARMILLARY SPHERE (CLOSE-UP)

4. MUSEUM VAN LOON, KEIZERSGRACHT – A FINE SOUTH-FACING SUNDIAL ON THE GARDEN SIDE

OLD MAN’S BEARD (CLEMATIS VITALBA) – DORSET


OLD MAN’S BEARD (CLEMATIS VITALBA) also called TRAVELLER’S JOY – DORSET

BIRDS – UNCOMMON OR GARDEN


WHITE STORKS – PENSTHORPE, NORFOLK

CRANE – PENSTHORPE, NORFOLK

BLACK-WINGED STILT & TWO PURPLE SANDPIPERS – PENSTHORPE, NORFOLK

WHIMBREL – PENSTHORPE, NORFOLK

BLACK-NECKED SWAN, WWT BARNES

ROBIN, LONDON               

COOT CHICK – PENSTHORPE, NORFOLK

HONEY BEES ENJOYING PENSTEMON


Blurry, I know – but it’s an ‘action’ shot…

…and Perovskia ‘Blue Spire‘ (Russian sage)…

…and getting stuck into the lavender


SUNDOWN


CALENZANO, ITALY     

ABER DRAW, PEMBROKESHIRE

PENTYR, CWMDU, POWYS

PIER 6, BATTERY PARK NYC

BATTERY PARK NYC     

LAKE GARDA, ITALY    

MOTHS


SIX SPOT BURNET MOTH (Burnet Family) Emilia-Romagna 

FORESTER MOTH (Burnet Family) Emilia-Romagna

CINNABAR MOTH (Tiger Moth Family) Norfolk

OAK EGGAR MOTH Lochindorb, Scotland

BUMBLEBEES


COMMON CARDER BEES (Bombus Pascuorum)

WHITE-TAILED BUMBLE BEE (Bombus Lucorum)