Pet Shop Girl

It is Guy Fawkes Night this evening. From the back garden, we get spectacular views across the valley of the firework displays (and sometimes damp squibs to be honest). But now I can hardly see through the misty rain to the valley bottom, let alone the sky above. So my worries about how to capture fireworks in the night sky for my Blip have been removed, for the moment.

I went to run errands in town, one of which was to go to the pet shop and get a new sack of dried cat food for Sensitive Teeth (Not for me, silly! Bomble!). On the counter were cardboard boxes filled with plastic containers, which in turn were filled with insects clambering over ripped-up cardboard egg cartons. They all seemed to have a supply of corn flakes, which is presumably their food. I peered in at them, being a bit nosy, and asked what they were. The assistant who seemed to be rather nervous when gingerly unloading the cartons, told me they were crickets, and other insects, destined as food for snakes and lizards. The hundreds of boxes will be gone by Monday! Where in Stroud are all these creatures.

I asked if I could photograph them, which I tried valiantly to do. But the reflections of the limited light on the plastic didn't bode well. One label said 'Large Silent Cricket'. I joked that I had better not open the cover of the cartons to make it easier. She laughingly agreed, adding that some crickets had escaped once, and caused havoc running all round the shop.

I looked up and asked if I could take her photograph; I didn't dare say portrait. She nodded shyly and said I could. So I took one photo, very quickly, so she didn't get too nervous.

But I did get a few crickets in too, which you can see if you zoom in on the container. You may not want to, but I thought they were very beautiful. I saw a different type of local cricket yesterday, clutching the sheltered wall outside our bedroom window. Helena said I should blip it. Strange how it all links together, if you like seeing patterns.