Author Archives: Backstreeter

Abbey Fish Ponds – June 2021

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There was a drowsy feel walking though the Abbey Fishponds in the late afternoon. Elders are in flower

as are roses.

There are marshy pools although some have overgrown with tall thick reeds.

By the stream and in the read beds were lots of yellow flags.

There were dragon flies and damsel flies flying over the ponds and resting sometimes on the reeds but not long enough for me to get a decent picture.

It is mid June and the longest day is June 21st. The first of the bramble blossoms are there and lots of insects, but fewer birds were apparent, and there was not much singing, in the heat.

Mayor of Ock Street – update

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The window of Fatface in Abingdon is being much admired because of a Lego model of the Abingdon County Hall with Lego Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers – modelled by Anthony Walker.

Saturday 19th June should have been the annual election of the Mayor of Ock Street (and leader of the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers) but this year the Mayor, Harry Knight, will remain in post because of the pandemic and its variants.

There will still be dancing in Ock Street on 19th June. But only lucky people will see it as the schedule is not being publicised.

Lockdown easing has been moved back from 21st June until 19th July because of the Delta variant.

This morning the skies were blue with vapor trails. By the afternoon any vapor trails were lost in cloud.

Trinity Church Calendar Entry

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My day began with a visit to Trinity Church. I got there early to take some pictures before the Sunday service.

Trinity is both a Methodist and URC (United Reformed) church. The two denominations joined together in a special agreement in Abingdon. The URC want pictures of the outside of member churches for the 2022 calendar and I hope to send in a picture.

This is the most usual view of Trinity. There was not a cloud in the sky today.

The building can become distorted and the steeple and far end lean in towards each other.

I had to lie on the flower bed to get this view with the roses.

Which picture do you like best (1,2,3 or 4). Or can you do better? If so please send your picture to backstreet60@gmail.com.

ATOM2021 Abingdon-and-Beyond Science Trail

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There was a stall on the Market Place to let us all know that there is a science trail with 24 locations in Abingdon-on-Thames. At each location you can do an activity using a smart phone or tablet.

You can download the app from https://www.atomfestival.org.uk . It has a map. At each location on the map is a QR code the app can scan and launch one of the virtual activities.

At the Abingdon Millennium Needle, for example, the virtual activity involves watching a video from the Jenner Institute and then answering a couple of questions on Cells and vaccines.

The trail is available from 11th – 13th June 2021. Lots of different organizations have provided the virtual Science lessons, and donated prizes for the best answers.

The hash tag #ATOM2021 is being on social media to share pictures about the Science trail.