Robin

The chirpy friendly Robin is keen to come close at the slightest invitation, showing off his crimson breast and announcing his presence with a sharp tweet.

This one near Carl's Tea Hut on a snowy walk around High Beech in Feb 2012.

Treasure in The Lea Valley

The Lea Valley is a real treasure. Within sight of urban London this land of lakes and rivers is a haven for wildlife. Yet agriculture and industry mix with sport and leisure pursuits.

Best Pub Meal Ever!

In the deep snow of a welsh valley, tucked close to the cold iron bridge of the cold River Usk we fell upon the best meal in the best pub in the world.

The hearth was stacked with burning logs and the bar was empty. A hearty plate of pigeon and venison was tucked into.

Can't wait to get back there and use it as a base for walking.
http://www.thechainbridgeinn.co.uk/

Like a colour scheme for a bank.

Nothing quite so beautiful as the blue sky, white capped mountains, grey green spring maquis, and the pink blossom of the peach groves sprayed by bright sun rays.

Nothing quite so beautiful as a walk in early spring through the orchards and down to the river. To hear the spring water splash through the outwash gravel and to gurgle over giant erratics. To smell the sweet heady scent of yellow laburnum in the shade by a babbling arrosages.

Week 12010

Ok its the first week of 2010.

1. Exercise
Went for Sunday walk on the old route that Gina and I used to do. Went the other way round though because I thought it might be easier. Cold and icy. My boots crunched through and icy film most of the way. At the bottom it got quite muddy. It took an hour which surprised me. By the end I was in a poor state. I have not been well. I seem to have a bug for the last week or so but I felt really exhausted.

The rest of the week was disrupted by further snow making further journeys impossible for the faint hearted. However, an hour was spent on Tuesdayshovelling snow to get the car back up the hill to the house.

Looking forwrad to normal weather. More walks and the Gym

2. Food
Monday went well and flet better.
Tuesday too bad on the biscuits.
Wednesday awful on the biscuits and wine.
Thursday better

Much Inspired by Gardeners World.

I watched Gardeners World last week and was much inspired by their simple account of easy gardening for the hobby amateur gardener working full time and only able to get out for 10 minutes between showers every other week.. I thought I would adopt their style.

So this weekend I looked out and consciopus of global warming I decided to grow my own vegetables. I started with buxom rusticulatum or sea-horse radish behind the potting shed before slipping a sharp spade easily into my fine tilth. My variety was called "Lively Lady" and I chose her because of her pendulous double stamens that dazzle in the early morning sun. Cultivation is very easy. You water every ten minutes during the night, and only 20 minutes during the day for the best results. I start mine off in an old shoe box which I leave in a damp corner of the Jacuzzi. Buxom is a heavy feeder and I used plenty of well rotted bull shit.

Next week I shall talk about my clemontones, gloriosa conperceptiii and growing them in a medium sized garden and I will enlist the help of a few villagers to run the threshing machine in the back field.

50 Years Ago : It snowed

50 years ago today I was taken protesting up to the 208 bus stop at Digby Road to wait for the single decker to take me to the Mothers' Hospital. I was simply told that my removal from the warmth of the terrace house in Marlowe Road was due to the urgent need to meet my sister, for the first time. As I was marched up the road under close supervision, not realizing the momentous significance of the events that would follow that would change my life for ever, I was stunned by the fact that it was snowing.

I shall further explore what happened as a result. I shall tell the tales of having to share everything I possessed. How my bike got completely broken. The further suffering will be outlined. But this must wait.

This morning I wish to recall that it snowed in April in 1958 and it lasted about 10 days. So when you speak of global warming do not use this weekends snowfall. There may be climate change but it's more complex than you would believe and snow this weekend is not necessarily good evidence of its own. It snowed for 10 days in April the week my sister was born.