As I walk and drive through the countryside, I see that the oilseed rape (canola) fields are a glorious yellow. As I have mentioned before, there were years when the circles used to appear in this brilliantly coloured crop during April and May. Will it happen again this year?
Oil seed rape is the crop in which sleuths can most easily detect man-made circles, because it has stalks that break if bent to an angle of 40° or more. They also bruise easily and crack underfoot.
I am going to tell you about one such circle from 2015.
In May of that year, a valuable experiment was conducted. It was later shown on the History Channel called ‘Circles from the Sky’. This event was organised by the far-sighted American based Prometheus Studios, Inc. When the company first told me of their idea of making a crop circle, I was sceptical, as so many programmes made on this topic had not served it well. However, after several conversations and emails I felt reassured that they were well-intentioned and ethical - so I was happy to take part and to be interviewed.
The aim of the programme was to interview several researchers and to obtain permission for a circle to be constructed in a farmer’s field.
The experiment would be done in daylight in oilseed rape. The people making the circle would be asked to copy a particular previous circle that had shown no evidence of human involvement.
The circle chosen was one that had appeared on the 1st of May 2005 at Alton Priors. I recall visiting this, and after careful scrutiny could find no broken, crushed, or bruised stems. It was perfect.
The filming was to take place over two days. The circle was made by the ‘A team’ - Circlemakers.org - and the weather was good. The crop stood between 3 and 4 feet high (1 - 1.3 metres) though not as tall as it had been in 2005 when the crop often reached a height of between six and seven feet (1.8 - 2.1 metres). Indeed, I can remember getting completely lost in one field, the crop was so high!
It took Circlemakers three and a half hours to make the circle. You can see from the first image that they are holding a rope across one of the sections. You will notice that the bottom right hand crescent doesn’t have a ‘bite’ out of it, as does the original.
You will see that they also had a ladder - it is outside the circle in a tramline below the circle.
The farmer had forbidden anyone to go into the field, but as part of the film production programme I was allowed in. I don’t know if any of you have ever walked in a field of oilseed rape when it is in full flower? All I can tell you is that it is not a pleasant experience. The smell is pungent - really quite nasty - and the pollen from the flowers gets everywhere: up your nose, in your eyes, ears, hair and all over your clothes. So I took off my hat to the Circlemakers.org for gallantly trying to replicate the Alton Priors circle in the most disagreeable and uncongenial of circumstances.
photo ~ snapped stem
photo ~ bruised stalk
photo ~ crushed stalk
It is a well-known fact that due to the crop having a hollow based stem, it snaps when bent at an angle of more than 40 degrees. As a result, they were not able to make the circle without breaking, snapping and bruising the crop - as the images show - but it was a task not many people would have tackled and the damage was not as extensive as I have seen in many oilseed rape circles.
The upshot is historic - it proves conclusively that it is NOT possible for humans to make a crop circle in oilseed rape. Hence the importance of the circle that appeared on the 7th June 2023 at Potterne Hill, near Devizes, Wiltshire. I put it on the front of my 2024 calendar.
photo ~ circle with no centre
Stonehenge
It is with a feeling of great sorrow that I learn that a tunnel will soon be built close to Stonehenge, despite much protest. This would effectively prevent us seeing a perfect view of Stonehenge, except by entering the Visitor Centre. This will hide the stones from view forever. Sadly, this is inevitable as the A303 becomes increasingly more and more congested by traffic.
There is evidence that this whole area was once densely populated. Wherever you tread, you are treading on a piece of sacred land. This whole area around Stonehenge and beyond is of enormous importance - spiritually and scientifically - and is more significant than recently realised. There is much more to be discovered.
Campaigners are returning to court in a final effort to challenge the decision. I wish them every possible good fortune, but something tells me that this is the end of the fight.
The A303 is being closed for three months from April.
There are so many different pictures of where the tunnel might be placed in the landscape, that I am not including any until a firm decision has been made.
We are told that ‘The installation of an electricity supply will require a temporary closure of a section of the A360 between April and July this year. The A303 Stonehenge project needs an electricity supply for construction and for the tunnel once built.’
On a much more cheerful subject, the bluebells are in bloom and the birds are nesting - one of the most exciting times of year.
Bookings for my crop circle tours are coming in fast.
Crop Circle Tours 2024
The first tour is on Thursday, July 25th. This comes with a special private evening entry into Stonehenge. It allows you to enter the inner circle, go right up to the stones, and feel the energy radiating from them. This is an optional extra to the cost of the crop circle tour.
My second tour is on Thursday, August 1st. After visiting the circles, there is an optional extra of flying over the circles and the sacred places nearby, such as the unique Avebury stone complex, Silbury Hill, and West Kennet Long Barrow. This is very popular; people return with smiles stretching from ear to ear.
Crop Circle Tour page on website
The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation. After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they should not interfere with God’s divine will.
At the Baptist church, the squirrels had taken an interest in the baptistery. The deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistery and let the squirrels drown themselves. The squirrels liked the slide and, unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week.
The Lutheran church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creatures. So, they humanely trapped their squirrels and set them free near the Baptist church. Two weeks later, the squirrels were back when the Baptists took down the water-slide.
The Episcopalians tried a much more unique path by setting out pans of whiskey around their church in an effort to kill the squirrels with alcohol poisoning. They sadly learned how much damage a band of drunk squirrels can do.
But the Catholic church came up with a more creative strategy! They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church. Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.
Not much was heard from the Jewish synagogue. They took the first squirrel and circumcised him. They haven’t seen a squirrel since.
Anonymous
With my love and best wishes,
Lucy.
Please remember to check on my calendar and shop (https://cropcirclephotographs.co.uk/lucy-pringles-crop-circle-shop-photographs-puzzles-calendars/) .
Pam Gregory
