August 10 - Day 112 - This looking and not seeing things … It was always the beginning of something bad and I thought that we did not deserve to live in the world if we did not see it. E Hemingway

I have had to invent a new skill - cycling with only one eye. This isn’t because of a recent injury or infection but because, having partially mastered the skill of trying not to swallow flies, they seem to have diverted their attention to my eyes, even when I’m wearing my sunglasses. What I should say is ‘eye’ rather than eyes, as for some reason it is always my right eye (not sure if this is the prevailing wind but that wouldn’t explain it happening on both the way to and from Sheffield). I can’t believe that a small fly can cause so much trouble and usually leave me unable to see and crying out of the said eye for at least five minutes. Short of wearing a mosquito net or bee keeper’s hat each day - which don’t altogether seem safe options in terms of sight, I seem to have run out of ideas.

Anyway, unable to photograph any of the guilty flies (mainly because they seem to become soggy painful messes after the event), I decided to take a picture of some more wildflowers. I think these are harebells, which interestingly is called the bluebell of Scotland, even though it is a different species to the English flower of that name) It is also known as 'witches' thimbles', ‘witch bells’, 'fairy bells' and ‘old man's (devil’s) bell’. Apparently, old tales and interpretations suggest that dreaming about harebells signifies true love. I wonder what flies in the eyes or mouth symbolise - presumably the need to give up cycling or learn to do so without breathing or seeing.

I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass.' E Bronte