Picture 1 is for Miles' benefit. Yesterday, from the dining room, we were surprised at the time a juvenile goldfinch spent at the niger-seed feeder. This morning I watched him for ages from another room. The explanation is that he doesn't feed constantly, he just likes sitting there, as this photo shows. It could be he is waiting for the return of an adult so he can seek permission to get down from table !
Y advised me firmly to have a day of rest. And who am I to argue. It was a beautifully barmy morning so, with my wheels, I toured most of the rear garden. Knowing the reputation of buddleia for attracting butterflies, I waited a long time in this spot (we have a bench) hoping to delight you with a Red Admiral, An Emperor, A Peacock or at least a decent Tortoiseshell. Result ? Bogger all. Bees abounded, but you have suffered enough bees.Perhaps another day.
I haven't been completely idle. Did a little filing etc., some xword, and read the Telegraph from end to end.
Another little job was to proof-read the EPS programme for Reg (Roy hasn't returned yet) but again, it was a pleasure to be able to 'put a bit back' because I 'take' such a lot from the club and my photographic chums. During the late afternoon I prepared and cooked a meal for Y's homecoming. But I don't consider 'chef-ery' a chore either because I enjoy it so and find it relaxing.
Picture 3 is a deep red velvety old rose we have but the depth of colour and the petal texture always prove elusive.This time it looks OK and I hope it arrives on your moniter in the same state it leaves mine. I haven't bothered to rectify in PS the many flaws on the petals because it would then look artificial.
Comments
Tricky today, because people have 'commented' on Tuesday and some on Wednesday.
A chap who called himself Bugu added a comment to Tuesday's blog and said he had a haircut yesterday (Wed). Senility allows me to clear low hurdles with a single bound but ..............
Whatever I say about football, I feel we must be loyal to 'Stags' especially now Rebecca Adlington has brought the town to such prominence.
Jill ..... Nipping back to Tuesday, I think 'old and gnarled' will do for me too. It seems to imply a good mix of maturity, wisdom, and firmness of purpose. What could be better in one's mid 70s.
The last executions in UK were as late as 1964 - I sort of remember because by then I was a serving Police Officer and had been since 1957.
You IKnit shop sounds great and, for the benefit of the others, I have made the title a click-able link. He must be very popular if one can buy your yarn and relax with a glass of wine or a pint amongst friends.
anonymousRob ...... I'm looking forward to seeing you on Friday too. I shall probably arrive quite early although I know 8pm is scheduled. No need for you to rush though - just thought I'd get myself a decent seat.
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Quotation time ............. This appeals ....... The chap founded Digg ?
"I don't care what it is, when it has an LCD screen, it makes it better"
Kevin Rose
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If memory serves this is an "Our Stanley" (Ray) type animation
Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow
,
If memory serves this is an "Our Stanley" (Ray) type animation
Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow
,
All right!
ReplyDeleteI once wrote to my friend Maurice Liversidge and used the wrong sate biving the impression I couls see into the future. He asked me to give him some winners.
The following was accidentally added (on Thur) to Tue comments instead of Wed.
I had a haircut yesterday (Wed); the first for 3 months. So I had something of a Boris J appearance, now rectified.
Glad you and Jill liked the birthday poem. Sandra does have the knack of turning out celebratory verse, rhyming puzzles for Easter Egg hunts, etc.
When you mentioned mixed annuals I immediately thought of my own collection – Rupert, Dandy, Beano…
Jill:
Eating much better apart from a nasty sharp bit of metal digging into my cheek. Dental appointments now stretching into November!
Google tells me Pierrepoint hanged something over 400 people. BBC says over 600. A good job it is no longer important. The google story does confirm that he was as considerate and concerned for his ‘victims’ as anyone in his position possibly could be (a record 7 seconds from cell to drop).
I too feel that the execution of ‘Tosh’ (or ‘Tish’) should not have been included if incorrect. Such irony (or gallows humour?) appeared unnecessary. BUT, see below under response to ‘anonrob’ comment.
The C tangutica seems to be hardy –we’ve had it over 20 years. The flowers are small and unspectacular (one remains on Tue blog picture) but the seed heads are a treat and germinated so easily.
I like the sound of mixed seed. I could do with something like that to sow in the disputed No-Man’s Land between us and neighbour. I can’t handle it any more so have delegated the battle to Sandra – she still consults me, of course. He is now threatening to put up a high fence on what I consider to be our land. But boundaries are notoriously uncertain and this one perhaps moreso than most.
I think you may well be describing Mallow. There is a white one which is quite highly prized but the mauvey one is the usual variety. If you want to perpetuate them though, you will have to take cuttings after about five years as they seldom last beyond seven. We have lost ours.
I quite enjoyed 'Mutual Friends' (as I did ‘Cold Feet’) but Sandra is uncertain. Worth a look at the next episode, she thought.
anonymousrob:
I think Timothy Spall IS one of our most lauded actors.
I felt particularly uneasy that Pierrepoint’s ‘victims’ included Timothy Evans and Derek Bentley and yes, Ruth Ellis was another (but apparently, according to google, he felt she deserved it).
Wikipedia says:
“between 1932 and 1956, he is credited with having executed an estimated 433 men and 17 women, including 6 US soldiers at Shepton Mallet and some 200 Nazi war criminals after the Second World War.” (Perhaps someone has added the 200 onto the 433?) … he claimed, in his autobiography, “to have never given a precise number of his executions, not even when giving testimony to the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment of 1949.”
Pierrepoint was later opposed to capital punishment "due to the experiences of his father and uncle who both worked as hangmen before him", and particularly after “he had also been forced to hang James Corbitt on 28 November 1950; Corbitt was a regular in his pub, "Help The Poor Struggler", and had sung "Danny Boy" as a duet with Albert on the night he murdered his girlfriend in a fit of jealousy because she would not give up a second boyfriend.”
Pierrepoint wrote "I have come to the conclusion that executions solve nothing, and are only an antiquated relic of a primitive desire for revenge which takes the easy way and hands over the responsibility for revenge to other people...The trouble with the death penalty has always been that nobody wanted it for everybody, but everybody differed about who should get off."
He is also attributed with, “All the men and women I have faced at that final moment convince me that in what I have done I have not prevented a single murder.”
Yes, Stags are just managing to edge it so far. Let us hope they become more convincing.
I didn't give Maurice the wrong sate, it was the wrong date(giving the impression I could see into the future).
ReplyDeleteDiary:
I tried my best to tell her but Sandra went to Mansfield to see ‘Mama Mia’ on Wed night. And again (with Jessica) on Thur afternoon. She says she does not recall another film where everyone leaving the cinema did so with such a smile on their communal face.
I think this was her first visit since I took her to see 'Jaws' when it was first released. But she enjoyed it so much, sitting at the back away from the looming screen, that she says she would happily go again if there is ever another film she wants to see. And ata fiver, good value, although she was horrifically shocked at the prices of the food and confectionary.
I have almost decided that, unusually, I will go with her to see ‘Cabaret’ on stage at the Theatre Royal.
Perhaps because it has a distinctly dark side, it is one of the few film musicals (West side Story is another) that I could watch over and over again. I find ‘Tomorrow Belongs to Me’ as chilling as Pierrepoint.
Blog:
Like the Goldfinch chick; don’t they grow up quickly?
I think it has been a bad year for butterflies. I’d guess that I haven’t seen more than a dozen, mostly Cabbage Whites. It would probably have been more if I still had Ralph to take me walks.
As you mention 'chef-ery', and marrows were a subject of comments a few days ago (or perhaps it was next week?):
Yesterday (Thur) I cooked the following (vegetarian) recipe which, in spite of being a bit fiddly, I consider delicious; the best yet.
I ate it with an appropriate jacket potato.
"Jinny Gray’s Marrow":
Peel and de-seed marrow. Chop into 1” cubes and coat in seasoned flour (that was the tricky bit; I tried doing it in a plastic bag but the wetness of the marrow turned the flour to paste. I eventually dredged it with flour and then seasoned).
Fry gently in oil (I used sunflower + olive) in several batches. Reserve on warm plate.
Clean pan and soften 2 large onions, chopped, plus a good dessertspoon mixed herbs (I used Italian and Provencale). Add 14 oz tin chopped tomatoes. Simmer and reduce.
In large casserole form layers (2 or 3) of marrow, tomato sauce, grated strong cheddar. Top with chopped mushrooms.
Bake in medium oven about half hour.
The red rose looks fine to me.
Jill:
Pleased you like the clematis seed head (bigger than a golf ball, smaller than a tennis ball). The plant is now having a late flush of flowers (bit bigger than 50p).
Just to finally (I hope) tidy things up, Wikipedia says
“Albert Pierrepoint is often referred to as Britain's last hangman, but this is not true — executions continued until 13 August 1964 when Gwynne Owen Evans was hanged.”
And Ruth Ellis was not his last customer.
And just one last detail which I found fascinating in a macabre way
“Albert was added to the List of Assistant Executioners on 26 September 1932. At that time, the assistant's fee was £1 11s 6d per execution, with another £1 11s 6d paid two weeks later if his conduct and behaviour were satisfactory.”
Doesn’t seem much but I suppose that would equate to something like £150 x 2 today.
Now then what is it? Do Goldfinches really have a black and White shield like device on there lower backs? I've looked in my bird books and cannot see any reference to a black and white back, it it aa great rarity?
ReplyDelete