Friday - Film disappointment - 1mph S - but 11.4C

.
Bob sent me a collage of Ralph at different times of his life. I just had to publish it.

In terms of character he was a big, big, dog and is much missed. And I know what a gap in Bob's life he has left.

Our day has had a disappointment. Yesterday evening I checked on the web for the cinema times for 'State of Play' and was told Fri-Weds 11.50am and we duly trammed it down to Nottingham and the Corner House, only to discover that the film wasn't on till this afternoon. This didn't suit our day at all so we trammed it back again. I have linked you to the official trailer, but the film had good write-ups and with Russell Crowe and Helen Mirren we had high expectations. Our packed sandwiches and cans of drink were at the ready. Apparently this is against Cine-World's house-rules so, as usual we were prepared to be naughty. It seems one is restricted to noisy Crisps, and Pop-corn etc., bought there. Bog-off! is our response.

Picture 2 is Y's picture of the Great Tit chicks on Thursday. on her Fujifilm and a much better snap than mine on the Nikon.

You can see three of them very clearly. Mine were just a jumble and not worth publishing.

Now they have feathers and markings are they technically 'fledgelings' ?

Or is that only when they are lined up on a branch and ready to fly off to their new lives ?

Picture 3 is my only contribution today and is yet another query.

This is one of Derek & Betty's Orchids and this morning I noticed, on the stem where the flowers join, little globules of syrupy fluid.

Ever the investigative reporter, I dipped my forefinger and tasted it. Very sticky but not at all sweet. I've never noticed our own orchids doing this.

Reg and Mo are the orchid experts so perhaps they could add a comment ?

You will have to left click the picture for the enlargement because at this size the droplets aren't very visible.

If necessary tomorow I'll get a tripod out and do the job properly from a little closer to the flower.

Just a note to Pete. This evening, over our meal, we watched an episode of Martin Clunes on the Islands of Britain on bbc iplayer. We like him. He seems a friendly warm hearted person. Amongst other Islands he visited, one was the Isle of Man where he interviewed the Prime Minster in his Shop.

And I didn't know that you, you rascal, are only paying 10p in the £1 Income Tax ! Good luck to you !

My comments on your previous comments

Bob ..... For about ½ hour this afternoon we had a brief spell of good weather. Warm and sunny and I decided, after pricking out Betty's plug-plants, to actually go out in the garden for an hour. Ten minutes later it was pouring with rain, and Thunder and Lightning. And not a word from Watnall about it.

I can understand that the Churchill Bulldog irritates you 'Oh Yes'.

Pete ..... What terrific news about your daughter's footballing success.

I had known previously about her playing, because I've read it on your Web Site here is a link for everyone to Mannanans Cloak.

Jill .... I think you are right about the White Campion. My Little Gem book doesn't show it. The early acquisition of a copy of yours is going to be an essential in my quest.

Thrilled to hear that you have set-up your camera and your Digital Radio pre-sets. I suspect that you will really enjoy Radio 7. Mind you, you have access to lots now. The World Service can be good too.

I understand your need for Y. But there is no question of her taking on additional duties. She has a full-time job looking after me, and keeping me in order.

Much the same as you re the crossword. The new setters appeal to me though and I am getting to understand their interesting ways of 'flagging' anagrams etc.

Shouting at plants is a tried and tested method of getting them to perfom. Even go so far as wagging a spade at them, whilst shouting. One of our lavenders never looked back.

...............................

Quotation time .......

"People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us"

Iris Murdoch

.

Y at Burton Joyce - NE at 10mph - Cold though

.

Above is a selection of Miles's 8th Birthday Cards, on the mantelpiece with Grandma looking at them. The 'tiger' was a mobile and very effective.

This morning I took Y to the tram and then came home and did some jobs. The most important of which was unblocking the washing machine which had developed the unhelpful habit of jettisoning a load of water on the kitchen floor whenever Y unfastened the door. If it didn't do that every time, all the clothes came out dripping wet. I thought the most likely cause would be a blocked drainage pipe. And I was right. Wedged quite firmly in the mouth of the outlet pipe was a fentanyl patch. It must have become detached from my arm and adhered itself to the inside of a shirt sleeve. Those damned patches. If they aren't making me dozy they block our outlet pipes.

I managed a fair bit of messing-about, read The Telegraph, made a poor effort at the crossword, caught up with some reading and listened to some Radio. Jill now has a digital radio Y tells me, and I do hope she is enjoying the output.

Picture 2 is yet another in my 'Wildflower' collection. I spotted it in the verge down Beanford Lane.

It was the white colour which attracted my attention. There are at the moment many red and pink flowers which are similar.

If anyone could hazard a guess as to its identity please ?

As the weather at Watnall tells us, that nasty wind has backed off to a measly 10mph North Easterly. But with the temperature at 9.5C it feels very cold. More like November than mid May.

And the forecast is not good with a maximum temperature of 14C.

At Burton Joyce the children were very interested in the Yaris. And they loved it. I suppose that, in comparison to their family vehicles it must have a dinky-quality. Millicent accorded it the ultimate accolade, she said it was 'amazing'. And demanded to be collected from School in it ASAP.

My responses to your comments

Bob .... Glad you enjoyed the Mandarin Duck. Do the chinese use it as an essential for Peking Duck I wonder ?

Netto certainly played the game.

As you know I've always felt comfortable with Churchill and it isn't just their 'Oh Yes!' bulldog. To whom I am told I bear more than a passing resemblance both in looks and sound. They were very good when that lamppost leapt out behind me in Mansfield and crashed into my rear door. The bodyworks where they sent it for repair were first class and I didn't even lose my 'no claims' bonus. And when I added you to the insurance for 3 days they charged me just £18 which seemed cheap. Perhaps thats why the car gave you back-ache !

Jill .... Please see above re Car Insurance. Another thing is that Churchill don't make a fuss about one being over 70. I understand that several firms do.

How interesting that Mandarin duck chicks don't look like their parents. Eventually I suppose they must do. Unless all those you saw were females or something.

Wisteria can seem temperamental. But I have heard about Garden Centres selling plants that look good at the point of sale, but are never going to flower, right from the outset. A thing about the Palmers Green plant which I should have told you is that the actual plant is next door, and all the flowers are in Debra's. But a cutting would be worth a try. A good time of the year to give it a go.

........................................

Quotation time .....

"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped"

Elbert Hubbard

When I researched him, from this quote, I was under the mistaken impression that I knew nothing of him. Also that I hadn't read anything of his. Again, I was wrong ! His world famous 'A Message to Garcia' I had read and an inspirational piece it is too but I can't remember the circumstances of my reading it.

...............................

.

Busy,busy, day - this wind is making us unsettled

.
I'd done a record-shot of branches being bent by the wind.

But it was ugly.

Jill's comment has just arrived saying that yesterday's snap showed the effect anyway.

So I've deleted it.

Instead you are treated to Incy Wincy Denis's Mandarin Duck. Much nicer pic Denis and thank you for it. This breed of duck is new in my collection and I must pay a visit to Colwick Park if the wildfowl are as exotic as this one. If you open the link there's another picture of a Mandarin Duck, on the water, 2nd row, left hand edge.

I personally didn't WoW today but the chaps went to Newark - a busy day in Newark because it's Market Day. Brian S and Terry S have already sent some pictures but I shall await the arrival of others before opening a Web Album. If I'm in too much of a hurry it only means I have to keep editing it.

Our day began quite early because we went to Ikea for breakfast. Before we went I potted-on 6 Basil seedlings, all of which were well rooted and looking healthy.

The picture on the right is the Palmers Green picture which Y wanted as a record of the rear of the house and also this beautiful wisteria currently in full flower. Y says that the blue of the blooms isn't blue enough. But it doesn't seem easy to fix. Anyway it is a very nice crisp picture and a good record of the Palmers Green house.

After Ikea Y went to Decathlon for swimming goggles for Elli, her existing ones are too big. Then we went to Heanor for cling-film from Aldi. It really is so good it's worth a special trip. The to Buy Right next door for odds and ends and a couple of those small self-assembly boxes.

Then to Netto at Langley Mill to see if they have any of the bird-feeder posts still in stock. They hadn't. So then to Lloyds TSB in Eastwood to ensure that all the financing of the Yaris had taken place, cheques paid in etc., thence to the Computer Shop for 'USB to Camera lead' for Y. And finally home and eventually lunch.

My responses to your previously written comments

Yvonne ..... I hope your letter is published by The Telegraph. Like you, I become more and more impressed with Vince Cable as each week progresses.

He shows good judgement and he keeps spotting things and making important points.

!00% agree with you about the new car. It's chubby little looks are beginning to appeal to me too. And I love the height off the ground and the better visibility all round.

Bob ..... Y's approach to travel by Coach, Rail or anything else is to try and enjoy the journey - looking at different things and places but, above all, her MP4 player, books, and newspapers.

Interesting about 'keel over'. Someone once made the point that when we are in trouble we use nautical metaphors, 'touch on the tiller' etc. But when things are going well we use motoring metephors like 'firing on all four cylinders' and so on.

Jill ..... I remember your letter in the Telegraph. We had to get Marilyn round at the Shop to organise an extra copy didn't we?

During my working life I had quite a lot of things published by The Telegraph, The Times and other more scurrilous organs. All work based though.

Comparitive sizes remain a mystery don't they and I'm prepared to let them be so. Almost linked is the ideal vessel for things? Fine bone china certainly improves the flavour of tea. Those really heavy, over-sized jam jar type beer glasses wreck the taste of Real Ale. Brandy glasses are just right for brandy etc, etc, although I've never been able to explain why these things matter.

................................

I don't think we actually need a quotation today. This picture says lots.

I'm somewhere between 8 and 9 I'm afraid - on a good day.

And I've pinched the following line from Pete Brady


.

Yvonne returned - Wind troublesome - Happy with Yaris

.
I've tried to capture an admixture of almost sapphire blue sky and wind gusts of up to 32mph.

These strong gusts of wind I find really unpleasant and I think I shall have to get on to Tim at Watnall to see if something can be done to change them. I have been using my wheels rather than my stick just to go across the patio to the garage because I am so fearful of being blown over. The consequences could be dire.

Anyway, now Y has returned I shall have more confidence. Picking her up from Phoenix Park was a joy and she had no difficulty finding the Yaris. I had parked in my usual dropping off/picking up spot anyway. She is understandably tired but happy with it. Again she has been 'a really useful engine' but is finding the journey increasingly onerous.

When Y's trip is to be to Broadstairs she favours the Coach. A 2hr wait at Victoria would be entailed though. Jill said they would be able to meet-up because it doesn't take Jill long to get to Victoria.

The Monday 'meet' was an outstanding success, according to all participants. And Barbara who has been so ill gave a good account of herself. Peter Jones is a good venue and as it is a bit of a special occasion, the prices are tolerable. I have linked you to the website again because it is such a good website. Simple enough to appeal to the cognoscenti but well laid out and accessible.

Betty and Derek have gone on holiday today and I have been appointed 'Keeper of the Watson Orchids'. see right.

I've also been provided with some compost-filled plant trays in which to prick out her plug plants when they arrive. They are such good neighbours it will give me pleasure. A big responsibility though and I just hope nothing keels over during the next three weeks.

My responses to your previously made comments

incy wincy Denis ..... Great to have you back, and commenting. We must get together one evening and you can bring me up to date with what you have been doing. And bring me some pictures to look at...... Plus I would like to know about the Skegness Court copper.

I e-mailed you the Pete Brady 'tomoto soup' all the way from the Isle of Man. Well worth the trouble of making it.

Bob ..... The witty card was from our friends Peter and Joan. I wanted him to know that I had found it witty. I didn't feel a responsibilty to scan and publish a personal card for general consumption.

Jill ..... Early impressions of the Yaris are 'very much in favour'. Ingress/egress are easier by a large factor. Roomier inside too, which seems odd in a smaller car.

I bet it's great having a table overlooking Sloane Square. Did you see many 'rangers' wandering about?

Sorry about the Peter & Joan card. Perhaps I didn't deal with it very well.

You are right about the weather and this determined cold. I got a thick winter shirt out of my normal sized wardrobe this morning.

Yvonne ..... Lovely to have you home. And I'm delighted you enjoyed your meal. (grilled sausage, mashed potatoes with chives, carrots julienne, sweetheart cabbage, followed by bananas & custard prepared by your good self). You are quite right about my eating habits while you are away. I consider almost a responsibility to go through the freezer, eating up those odd left-over single portions of things that we have saved.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your pictures on a full sized screen. They looked pretty good on the little screen on the back of your camera but, until you see them computer-screen size you are never sure of quite what you have got. This is why deleting from your camera is a bad idea.

.............................

Quotation time ....... I may have used this one before - if so - Sorry !

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work"

Thomas A Edison

Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow
.

Car change-over day - ENE Wind - 11⅓C -Coolish

.
Our well-cherished Civic has gone and our much-to-be-loved Yaris has arrived. The changeover seems to have occupied most of my day.

The big bit Willis (the garage-owner) did for me i.e. going to the tax office, changing over the details, obtaining my new tax-disc - he is very good. We have been customers a long time. This is the third car we've bought from him - he always does the servicing and we pay cash-on-the-nail.

Perhaps in terms of looks the Civic wins, but in other respects, particularly with regard to my disabilities, the Yaris has the edge and Y will so enjoy the four-door aspect.

As you will see from the title we are still having wind trouble. The raw wind-speed is 17mph but with gusts of 31mph. Incidentally the Yaris tells us the outside temperature. Something else to bore people with !

We received this lovely and witty card from Peter & Joan this morning, welcoming the new car.

What a sweet thought - I think some of our friends are as daft as we are ! .... I don't mean it Peter and when Yvonne has settled in from her London trip we must exchange visits. Then we can show you our Yaris and perhaps even take you out in it.

Some of the roses have been showing 'colour' for some days now but the first to actually bloom is Gertrude Jekyll at the side of the front door. I must remember to mix up some feed and go round as many as I can. They are a little early I think, at least for this garden.

In Notts and Derbys June is accepted as the prime month for roses and a trip to Haddon Hall is always worth it.

Y has already been round ours with her first application of Rose Clear. Usually she does it 4 times which sounds a nuisance but it certainly does seem to control black spot.

I really am looking forward to getting out in the garden again, to do a little more work, but honestly it is too cold and windy.

My Dad, who was a good gardener, used to consider Whitsuntide plenty early enough to make a serious start. His exception was his Runner Beans, always Scarlet Emperor, and he would say - "Plant 13th of May, grow night and day". And we always had beans just as early as everyone else.

It will be good to have Y back tomorrow afternoon. I'm due to collect her from Phoenix Park around 2.30pm. I hope she remembers to look for a strange blue vehicle rather than a racy looking low-slung job in red ! ...... I can always toot. We spoke earlier and she had had a great 'lunch' with Jill. Barbara turned up too. I think they were aiming for Peter Jones.

My responses to your previous comments

Jill ..... Whether or not David & Helen and family have seen the Windsor Dolls House online I
don't know but here is a link to what looks like a good webpage about the official guide-book.

I'm not sure whether Marlene is black or red cherry jam. Very dark red is the physical colour. Had I more space I would have published a snap.

Ian Hislop is a very talented young man ! As you say - many-faceted. He owes his career in some part to Richard Ingrams who appointed him as his successor at Private Eye while Ian was still in his early twenties.

Bob .... Two cassettes is no substitute for a book. Was the ordering error yours or theirs?

jbw .... I'm sure David and family will know about the Ripley emporium. They have had Dolls Houses as a hobby for some time now and will have ferreted out such places. Thanks anyway.

...............................

Quotation time .....

"I can't think of a decent quotation for this evening"

Alfred Goosewhistle - 2009

.

Gale-like gusts abated - E at 5mph - 15C - Peaceable Sunday

.
John texted me yesterday evening to say they had now reached the Dordogne and were enjoying this delightful site for their camper-van.

Abutting the River Dordogne the site seems to merit John's description of 'blissful'.

And their weather seems good. As this website says, May is a good month to be there.

My morning entailed inching a little further up the Windows Vista learning-curve on my new Dell. But I'm getting there. Basically the system does the same job as XP but things look different. So far I'm sure, all the errors have been mine rather than the system or the laptop.

I arrived at Long Eaton shortly after 10am and it was great to see everyone. They all looked really well, no doubt due to all that fresh air, and chips, at Whitby. David showed me a slide-show of their pictures. Fortunately, this time, they remembered to take a camera. My eye was drawn magnetically to the Doll's House which, as Helen said, undergoes change on a regular basis. It's a lovely hobby - they make things for it, and acquire bits from fellow enthusiasts and is certainly full of interest.

We sat on the new patio for coffee and cakes and then the girls wanted me to see their latest Wii game, basically it's a 'Mario' and involves controlling vehicles tearing around at breakneck speed and collecting points. They both seemed very good at it - I would be absolutely hopeless. They were kind enough not to press me. Their other grandad, Helen's Dad, has been cajoled into 'having a go' and from the sound of it - he's pretty hopeless too.

I asked for an outside shot of the Doll's House because I liked the window-cleaner's barrow and ladders. All absolutely precise to the 12th scale. When I got home I decided on a kip and now feel rejuvenated. When I woke up it was tea-time so I made a pot of tea and had a slice of bread & butter with jam on it. We've discovered a delicious cherry jam at Lidl, called Marlene. What a nice name for a Jam !

My responses to your previously crafted comments

jbw ..... I'm a supporter of our old imperial measurements. I can just about visualise a speed based on travelling 15 miles in an hour. '2lbs' is also understandable to me - I think of 2 x bags of sugar. But how the hell can you visualise 450 of anything ?

Tim has a lively sense of humour - and more powder to his blunderbuss ! The Weather Centre at Watnall is innocent !

Jill .... I should have realised it was you and accepted your 'anonymous' comment rather than deleting it. Anyway - sorted now !

I think you can be sure that Y won't have been ballet dancing. She would though, if one of her little darlings needed her to.

You are quite right. Anyway - what's wrong with pyjamas, or dressing gowns al fresco ?

Thanks for the real-life contribution to The Sports Desk. Enthusiasts in any hobby are always a strange bunch. I think P. J. O'Rourke once said there was a definite whiff of either the lynch-mob or lemmings about them. Whatever the hobby !

Hope you and Y's meet-up works out tomorrow. It will be fun.

Yvonne .... How lovely to be receiving your comments - from Palmers Green !

I agree about the jaw-dropping nature of observing the young at their computers. Even Millicent at 4yrs.

Good fun to hear about your perfectionist approach to your Wisteria photos. Your camera is certainly equipped with an excellent lens, so we can't be doing with inferior results !

Bob ..... Weeding can so easily be put off, and put off, as you say. But, when you have actually knuckled down and done it, the result is rewarding.

I agree that 'vegetarians are mostly nicer'. Helen C being a case in point - Ha Ha!

........................................

Quotation time ......

"Rogues are preferable to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest"

Alexander Dumas

Alexandre Dumas, père, looks like an excellent candidate for our 'good hour in a pub' test. The photograph, mid 19th Century, would probably be a 'daguerrotype'. With that sharpness of the detail it certainly looks like it

Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow - new car day !

.

Friday Rest Day - SW at 15mph but 29mph gusts

.
I thought I would begin with a panorama of part of a rear border which I would like to tackle soon. But it isn't fun being outdoors today because Watnall Weather Centre tells me we are having gusts of up to 29mph and when you are unsteady on your feet ...........

Basically I have enjoyed a rest day - shame to admit I'm still in my parjies. Why not? as TJ would say. However, I seem to have achieved things. My new laptop, a Dell, is more or less fully installed. The programmes I use have been downloaded and I have configured it to suit me. Getting rid of side-bars and a thing called a docking bar at the top of the screen which I can't see the point of. Just things which clutter the desk-top.

The WoW Picasa Web Albums are now about sorted. I suspect there are still some errors where I have misnamed locations. For sure there are some of Brian's captioned Cromford when they should be Nottingham - but I'm not sure which - he will have to tell me when I see him.

I decided on the Dell because of its specification and its physical weight. About a 1lb lighter than the Fujitsu and only a little heavier than my Asus Eee notebook.

And I can see the script clearly without benefit of magnifying glass. The only downside is 2hr battery life as against 6hrs on the Asus. But you can't have everything. A Mac notebook would have been lovely but I couldn't justify £1,400 !

Another example of the brick/stonework on the Monks Way at Strelley appears on the right. One could spend a morning in good light doing nothing but photograph it. I must work out with my sunrise/sunset gadget when would be the most propitious time of the day.

It's tempting to look for faces. and mountain ranges and caverns but thats just my over-active imagination.

Today has been TJ's birthday, so Happy Birthday Tracy ! She is having a luxurious Spa day as a treat.

My responses to your previous comments

Dear Anonymous ...... Much as I value your lovely comment I am afraid that, in accordance with the rules of this blog, I have had to delete it.

Above the 'comments' box I say that 'Anonymous Comments' are only accepted if the person posting goes on to identify themselves. There was a history behind this which you couldn't know of. I have copied your comment into a 'word' document and if you let me know your identity I will be delighted to copy it back in for you. Sorry !

Bob .... Glad you too enjoyed the 'Stones of Strelley'. Not quite the clout of Ruskin's 'Stones of Venice' but the title has the edge I think.

Whether or not animal behaviour is by its nature always guilt-free is open to argument (a long one I think) which we must have one day. A cats's propensity to torture a mouse rather than killing it straight away is, I know, a characteristic of cats. You could similarly argue that stealing, aggression, and lying are characteristically human traits. But that doesn't make them excusable - or does it?

You already know I agree with you that Architecture, and Art (including Photography) should be 'of it's age' and not soul-less repetition of what has gone before.

Draw on the past by all means but don't just try to recreate it.

Yvonne .... How lovely to have a comment. An Andy dinner is sure to be delicious.

Glad you enjoyed the Ice-skating and all your other activities. Including taken pictures on your razor sharp little Fuji...... Don't worry about becoming an addict - they can't send you to prison for it !

I'll leave alone the 'Sports Desk' stuff because I don't understand it.

............................................

Quotation time ......

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Mies Van de Rohe and Picasso amongst others have said much the same thing.

.

A quick blog only - Y in Palmers Green - Fierce Wind

.
A quick blog only because I've bought a new laptop. Therefore I need to be off the internet while I install it.

The Asus Eee was a fun idea but over time, I found the screen too small for regular use. I was sitting there with a magnifying glass to read small script and then thought "I need a stronger magnifying glass". ......... With interest rates being so low the money was doing nothing in the Building Society except lose value due to inflation, so I replaced the laptop rather than the magnifying glass.

The pictures today are both from our WoW outing to Strelley and in a wall near the Church were these attractively weathered stones. Altogether I took around 12 shots of the more interestingly textured examples. The link is to a very illuminating website called The Monks Way which I seemed to have completely missed on Wednesday.

The Church also has some heavily eroded brickwork and, from the evidence of the shutters, has current problems with vandalism. It would have been nice to see inside but unfortunately, if understandably, it was locked.

This morning I dropped Y off at the Station for what may prove her last trip to Palmers Green.

When she arrived she rang me with the excellent news that Debra has exchanged contracts with her purchaser and is still hoping to move as early as 15th May. Debra is sufficiently wordly wise to know that until the money is actually in the bank, things can still go wrong. But she is 90% of the way there.

Roy called in for half an hour and we had a pleasant computer chat. I have tried to show about attaching pictures and I'm sure he now understands the principle even though his system is different from mine. When he returns from holiday I think he is willing to give Googlemail a whirl - I'm sure it would be more intuitive and user-friendly.

The wind here is quite scary. I've just checked the Watnall Weather Centre page and it says we have a Westerly between 12mph and 33mph. As I drove home from Nottingham I saw a Horse Chestnut branch down - it looked sad as it was complete with candles.

My responses to your previous comments

Bob...... I thought 'anthropomorphise' meant to accord human characteristics to animals. Did I do that? I merely meant to say that I have known instances where foxes kill without the intention of eating. i.e. breaking the necks of a hen-hut full of chickens and leaving none living. Maybe taking just one carcase away to eat.

We had a cat "Mr. Johnson" who would catch and kill pigeons and make no effort at all to eat them. He would bring them to the back door and deposit them there. Perhaps he wanted us to cook them for him.

Jill .... Thanks for nice words about the poppy photo. More will surely follow as we are moving into poppy season.

And thanks for the support over the bloodlust of foxes.

If David's lot 'fish & chipped' in The Magpie, I guess he will add a blog comment to that effect. Helen did say on the postcard they were given some additional crunchy bits for free. That used to be traditional in this area too.

Hope you find the flower identification book but if you don't there's no need to worry. I don't want the responsibility of you, or Ro, or both of you together lugging tumble-driers out of the way just to check.

.......................................

Quotation time .....

"An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry"

T. S. Eliot

Sleep tight - hope to catch you tomorrow
,

No EPS tonight - Y been at Burton Joyce

.
Lovely post-card through the mail this morning, from David and family while they were away at Whitby.

Apparently the Fish & Chips were as excellent as they look. Thanks folks.

Also in the mail was a letter from Colin Fletcher and a cutting about a Policeman's prize winning blog. The article includes reference to The Orwell prize for blogs.

This year's competition is now over but I shall certainly enter next year. Thanks Colin ! .....It is nice to know you read the blog and thought of it when you read the piece.

My day has been a classic example of Parkinson's First Law in that I don't seem to have had a spare minute doing an endless amount of little jobs. I've wasted a lot of time with Picasa Web Albums which culminated in a message telling me that they 'weren't available at the present time'. What they were doing remains a mystery. Drying their hair maybe?

I had promised myself and my fellow Wow-ers to deal with their pictures today and circulate a link to the new album. Patience chaps. I feel rather like Michael Winner saying 'Calm down dear. It's only a Web Album!' Rest assured that all your pictures are safe and secure and the problem will be solved.

Picture 2 is of a poppy in Derek and Betty's front border next door. So I can't really include it in my Wildflower collection.

My responses to your previous comments

jbw ..... A sensible and logical explanation for the 'blur' but I think Reg's is more persuasive.

Thanks anyway.

Bob .... I can't see how the Laxton website, which my link was to, was in anyway 'confusing'. It spelled out quite clearly the strip system.

Stuart Rose explained that although a crown holding, it was on the point of being considered uneconomic and therefore at risk of it being sold-off to save the crown money.

Reg ... Your 'blur' explanation ticks all the boxes and I'm sure you are right.

How interesting - about the speed cameras. Again, I'm sure the explanation you give is the correct one. Speed cameras are such a cash cow for the Police they can't be doing with 'missing ones'.

Rob .... We were all wrong about the nature of Rimbaud and bow to your knowledge in the matter..

As you will see clearly in the picture on the left. This was after emerging from the jungle and having had his hair cut before meeting the President'.

Thanks for the kind words about the wildflower collage. I fear a print would exaggerate the motion-blur. But I'll probably print one and see.

The 'sports desk' seems far from quiet at this end. However, whilst endorsing your criticism of the referee, Y bore the defeat with good grace.


Yvonne ..... No need for me to comment on your football notes.

How fascinating about the Great Tit chicks' mother. One wouldn't expect differences in parenting-skills in the bird world. I wonder if the mother is in fact the same bird as last year and has simply become more mature?

Really pleased that Miles has become a fellow photographer. We shall all look forward to examples of his work.

Jill .... Your wildflower identification book sounds ideal. Could you please blog, or e-mail me the title and author and then I can check if it is still in print.

Thanks for the further wren episode. Shame about the Mistle Thrush but doubt if I can offer any better explanation than your own.

I suspect that both cats, and certainly foxes, can kill just for the hell of it. That the carcase wasn't eaten doesn't rule them out in my opinion. Yesterday, our Thrush had a full and lengthy 'all over wash' in the bird-bath. And now, of course, there's no water in it. Another job for tomorrow.

Looking forward to your tree-peony photo - from your new camera of course !

.........................................

Too tired for a quote I'm afraid. Sleep tight and I'll catch you tomorrow.


.

Good WoW at Strelley - Strong 13mph Westerly - 57F

.
This collage is made of 2 of John's photographs from Dune de Pilat and John describes the lower picture as the biggest sand-dune in Europe. 103 metres high !

I love the simplicity of the upper image and John seems to have an excellent 'eye' for a picture. Particularly water !

Keep the pictures coming John - it's great to hear from you, and to see the snaps of what you are doing is the icing on the cake.

My day, following yesterday's action-packed Tuesday. has been comparitively quiet but none-the-less enjoyable.

When we met up at Reg's for WoW, there was much discussion as to venue. In the end, Strelley was chosen, which is just round the corner. I wanted to do some wildflowers and the last thing one wants is a 13mph wind rattling all the subjects about. However, I got some results and decided on a collage in an effort to disguise the errors a little.

There were 9 attendees but, due to his troublesome leg, Roger decided to come round with me rather than tackle the walk with 'the chaps'. The 'collage' is on the left.

Helen has just e-mailed me with some information on Courses for Wildflower identification.

I know there's a wealth of information on-line and in books but they don't seem to work for me. I need someone to point at a plant and say "This is Herb Robert" and then let me take a photograph of it.

There are courses available and I would guess one needs to go at different times of the year because of the transient nature of the subject matter.

Our bridle path route took us over the M1 via a narrow bridge and we both decided to snap some motorway traffic with an attempt at speed-blur.

I don't know how Roger fared but my best effort is on the right.

The trick is to achieve a long exposure time, with a tiny aperture (f22 in this case) preferably with a tripod, which I didn't have with me needless to say. I did my best with the camera braced against one of the stanchions of the Motorway bridge super-structure.

I don't know what you think but it seems to me that the 'blurr' is more pronounced on traffic which is going away from us than it is with traffic approaching !

There is probably a technical reason and perhaps one of more expert members can enlighten us ?

Y is at Burton Joyce tomorrow and I have a more-or-less free day. But I have lots of jobs that will fill it.

My responses to your previously crafted comments

Bob .... Epson ARE good. Brian recommended the model I have and it is still going strong. I forgive it the occasional glitch because the results please me so much. John once visited and, seeing some A4 pictures, said in his inimitable manner "Did you print those Father?". But I am afraid I don't really like printing - mainly because of the faff involved in cutting mounts (incidentally Brian will cut those for you too if you ask him) so I have a tendency to stick to projected images.

Your 'game-dealer' Stuart Rose, seems a very affable and knowledgeable chap. Apparently it was 'on the cards' some years ago that the National Trust would buy Laxton. Certainly some method of preserving it should be devised. It is a living museum and so important to the study of Agricultural History.

Now. Come on ! Everybody knows you drink Rimbaud, not eat it. A glass of a good mature 'Rimbaud de pays' is crisp on the palate and excellent with chips.

Jill ..... Re the Great Tit chicks. Miles says he has counted 6 and he is a pretty reliable source. We can only hope they fare better this year. Although, when calamity struck last year, all the children were very matter-of-fact about it.

I loved the wren story. The are very noisy little birds aren't they ? One wonders how so much sound emanates from such a tiny body. Please keep us informed.

Steel bands have such a mellow sound, and one can understand the relationship with mellow yellow. I tried to find a YouTube steel band that was just right, to link you to. But I failed.

Re your blue-ey tinge in your pictures. You can remedy a lot in Picasa, which I am sure we persuaded you to download. If you have it, we will talk you through the necessary in the near future.

Thanks for asking about my 'blood' and I am delighted to be able to tell you that the level is just about perfect. It is 3.1 and I don't need it tested again for a fortnight. If it is 3-ish then, they will probably risk leaving me for a month.

...............................

Quotation time .......

"When rage and hot blood are his counsellors"

King Henry 1vth Part 2

I've not felt like that for 3 decades. Midly 'miffed' is about my extreme.



.

Action-packed Tuesday - still a coldish wind

.
Thought I'd better start with the Great Tit chicks, courtesy of Y, from Steve's Telly. Shame the nest-box camera isn't colour because you can just imagine those wide open yellow gapes. But gosh, the technology is wonderful enough anyway and who am I to knock Black & White ? Roy would probably say "It looks better anyway"

Nice photo Y and it records where the little family are now at.

This morning I had my regular blood test and then Brian came to sort out my printers. And what a difference he has made. We did a print on my old Epson (after he'd got it going) and then he adjusted the colours, minus a little magenta to rid the clouds of a pinky tinge, then adjustments to cyan and yellow to rid the greens of a blue-ey cast, and the difference is truly remarkable. And he decided that the problem with the HP was probably simply that the black cartridge had expired.

This afternoon I was at the obesity-clinic and I have regained over 2lbs. At least it reassured my 'advisor' that my weight-loss IS due to changing the amount I ate and not due to some underlying or worrying cause. So, back to more rigorous eating habits.

Picture 2 is part of the steel-band from yesterday and is again, courtesy of Y's new camera. The band was actually about 3 times this size and filled the rest of the stage to the left (the bit shown was about a third).

TJ had organised this item, see Y's comment. And all in all the event was a great success and Steven in his role as Chairman, did extremely well. But Oh Boy ! did he work hard. Well done.

I enjoyed my picture-judging contribution which, Steve assured me had "gone down a storm!" - (I think that is good?) and that everyone had much appreciated my hand-written comments on their entry cards. I only put comments on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each category - not on all 50+.

Picture 3 is from David and family at Whitby. They have returned now but had a super time.

They caught crabs and enjoyed the Morris Dancers.

Their Caravan was based at Low Moor nr Sneaton and, from the look of the website, seems well up to normal Caravan Club standards. Which ARE high and well justify the annual subscription in my opinion.

As David says re Robin Hood's Bay/Whitby I would have speed-control difficulties going down the hill to the sea-front. He says nothing about the return journey.

This evening was the last National Trust Tuesday lectures of the winter season and was an excellent talk, with films and slides, by Stuart Rose about the Historic Village of Laxton which is still farmed on the medieval 'strip system'. Stuart is Trustee of the Visitor Centre, among other responsibilities which you will understand better if you open the link. Lovely website which is a credit to its author. He came with 'assistants' and I suspect that the lady operating the Microsoft Powerpoint programme was that person.

Laxton is only a few miles from Bob and I believe he knows Stuart Rose.

We saw Peter and Jean and Colin and Margaret, Wendy and and and -- too many to mention. There was a certain attraction to being able to sit and gossip without tearing up raffle tickets, counting money, making notes to thank the speaker and all of Y's previous multifarious jobs.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to WoW and, as usual we are meeting at Reg's just before 10am to decide on a 'place to go'.

My responses to your previously made comments

Helen C .... Trust me ! The Atrium picture will do well for you.

Re words ..... 'Lapidary' seems a fair swap for 'Eidetic' (in your e-mail)

Garages are strange things. Y always hopes that ours can remain tidy whereas I consider it a place in which to store things. I think Reg once said that you keep lengths of wood knowing you will need them one day. And then when you do, each piece is just 6 inches too short. Most young people think it reasonable to have £12,000 worth of car standing on the drive whilst the garage is full of £120 worth of junk.

Yvonne .... Thanks for your report on the Carnival. A great success indeed. And great credit to your boy.

Bob ..... Thanks for your Gar(b)age photo. Space limitations are the only reason it isn't 'blogged'.

Like you my knowledge of Rimbaud is limited. I suppose I must have read something of his, in an anthology or something. But nothing that hit me between the eyes. His wiki page describes him as a French libertine and a restless soul - so he might be worth a dib into.

Pete .... I think Y could set up a garage-tidying service ! But its the travel you know and I'm not sure I could release her just at the moment.

Thanks for the swing bridge picture. Again - pressures of space ......

Jill ..... Thats a good thing about 'Golden Slumbers' - it seems to have spawned a host of versions.

Re Yvonne and Garages...... I'm afraid she can't be spared at present. Far too much to do looking after me. I hope your planned 'meet' comes to pass while she is down your way. And I know she would really like to see Barbara again.

............................

It's nearly 11pm and I'm too tired to dig out a quotation


.

.....................................

Bank Holiday - 51F - 5mph W - BJ Gala

.
I asked Helen C for permission to publish this picture because we had been discussing James Turrell and I was reminded. She agreed, so here it is.

In my opinion an oustanding picture which ticks all the buttons. The teardrop construction suits the subject. I like the 3 portholes, or whatever they are called in Churches. The 'Atrium' and the patch of sky are gorgeous. And she waited for those little wispy clouds. The whole picture has a certain lapidary quality. Lovely stuff !

Which brings me to my task of the day. i.e. Judging the photographs at Burton Joyce Gala or, more accurately, the 3 Villages Gala. There were maybe 50 entries, in different classes from under 11 to adult, in different categories.

A delightful task but demanding. There were some excellent pictures and contestants had gone to a lot of trouble. I was fed and provided with hot tea and, as I said to Y, I would be happy to judge a photographic competition anywhere for a slice of Aunty Pauline's Coconut Cake - it was exquisite - so moist!

When I got home and decided to put the car away I thought I must let everyone see the results of Y's labours in the Garage.

I suppose really, for you to be able to judge the transformation, I should have done a 'before' picture too. But I didn't so you will have to use your imaginations.

Before going over to the Gala Field, Y managed a snap of the hatched chicks in the Great Tit nesting box. But I haven't as yet got access to the picture.

My responses to your previously made comments

jbw..... Thanks for the tip. Lighthouse sounds like a good organisation. I think we pass one of their outlets on the way to Heanor.

We already store unground coffee beans in the freezer having read the tip some years ago.

Reg .... Tell Mo she is 'on the list' for Basil.

Helen C .... Thank you also for the further information on recycling large-ish objects. All we have left is a wooden TV and Video Player stand and that is small enough to fit in the car anyway.

We'll probably take it to JBW's 'Lighthouse' because we need to go to Heanor in the next few days anyway.

Bob ..... My forgetting to stop the camera from spot-metering wasn't a sophisticated error. Just simple carelessness.

I must admit to 'tetchiness' over the Yes to 4 chairs but No to 6. Seemed so unnecessary.

Your £15 DAB Radio from Tesco does indeed sound like a good bargain. So maybe Jill, have a peep in Tesco before spending too much money.

Roy ..... Your Basil will remain in good hands until you need him. Growth rate is healthy but not impossibly fast.

Reg also pointed out that the acronym WoW is more correctly for 'Walkies on Wednesday'. I shall not offend again, lest someone shouts 'Heel' at me.

Jill .... You are quite right about the seed merchants' decisions. I can only assume they go by weight. A packet of Wallflower seed provides sufficient plants to decorate a fair sized County. In a packet of Pelergonium seed you would be lucky to get 6.

I'm sure you will find exactly the DAB radio to suit your needs. Happy digital listening! This Digital Radio magazine regularly e-mail me their latest.

I love the juxtaposition between your sun-lounger purchase and needing the central heating on when you returned.

..................................

Quotation time .....

"Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,

Smiles awake you when you rise:"

Thomas Dekker

I remember hearing these words used as the start of a Beatles track and thinking, wowee, how poetic, very good chaps. Then I discovered it was a Thomas Dekker love poem written circa 1,600. Still good though - and at least the tune was theirs.

"Sleep tight - catch you tomorrow - another busy day with Nat Trst in the evening"

Thought the fish were due for an airing


.

53F - 9mph NW wind - hence chilly - Done lots though !

.
This morning I received 2 pictures from John who has now left Brittany and they called in at Parthenay, a Medieval town with the Citadel (shown on the left) and fortifications.

Picture 1 in the collage was taken from the fortifications. The message type (from John's mobile phone to my computer) only allows for the briefest of captions, so I can't bring you up to date on their travels. I'm sure more information will arrive in due course.

David texted me to say that they are in Whitby for the weekend and again, I look forward to hearing more.

Our day has been busy. Y found more to do in the Garage, but mostly cleaning up and tidying things. She hasn't generated more tip-material. I decided to brave the cold wind and do some more work in the garden. I cleared a small section of weedy border and did a small amount of work on my little herb garden. Once I get started gardening I really enjoy it and carry on until done-for. My kneeling device with the handles is a godsend and although getting down and then eventually up again isn't easy, it is at least possible and I don't feel at risk of falling over.

It pleases me to report that my basil seeds have germinated. I only set maybe 5 seeds (on 24th April) because what shall I do with the plants ? Probably Reg and Maureen will accept one and so will Peter and Joan. Derek and Betty next door usually do, and then bring us swaps which is nice.

I managed to sort out a picture. They all looked rubbish and then I realised the cause - I hadn't changed the camera back from spot-metering the moon in the early hours of yesterday morning. Simple, straightforward carelessness ! Take 40 lines.

Picture 3 is to show JBW the Whittards coffee which I prefer and mentioned previously.

So as to get the freshest of fresh flavour I grind the beans in fairly small quantities. Probably 2 days supply, no more. Unground the coffee doesn't go stale and lacklustre.

Y's liking for 'instant' (Carte Noir) is because she doesn't like her coffee as strong as mine. However, when we entertain, I do a large cafetierre and she isn't pedantic about it.

Another reason for grinding my own is that the fineness of the ground varies, depending on whether you are to produce Espresso, Cafetierre, or Filter.

Thats enough about coffee thank you .... editor

My responses to your previous made comments

Bob ..... I agree about the virtues of Council Tips. We too have a charity called 'Family First' who will collect some things but are incredibly picky. We wanted to dispose of a dining table and 6 chairs. They didn't want the table, and would only take 4 chairs, leaving the other 2. In the end we have given up asking them - they manage to make you feel guilty for having the audacity to try to give them something. No doubt a staffing-problem but still an offput.

Re the 'artist' and his/her work. The big difference is that Carol Ann Duffy's poetry is oustandingly good whereas Hitler's paintings were crap.

Jill ..... It seems your Council is more enlightened than ours, who remain good in many other ways.

Re DAB Radios. The picture on the right is my little Sanyo portable which is a DAB Radio, an FM Radio and an MP3 player all rolled into one. The children bought it for me for my 70th and it has been a gem.

I photographed it together with its earphones to show that it is quite small.

It was bought from John Lewis and I guess it would be doubtful if the model is still currently available. John Lewis anyway would be a good place to start your search because they are still a reliable and helpful firm and their assistants generally have a good enough knowledge of their stock to be of genuine help to customers.

Glad the 'party in the park' was a success. Obviously the weather was kind, and I'm glad there was an available 6yr old to help you with the gate !

You are right thag the head at the bottom of the blog was Aristotle, but, there is a certain similarity ..........

Yvonne ...... How we have acquired a mystery rucksack I don't know ! I hope you will now leave the Garage. You have done a brilliant job and thanks for sorting out my bird-feeders stuff, and the garden liqiuds etc..

It is YOU who decides to have The Daily Mail ! We could always have 2 copies of The Telegraph ! What The Mail said about Carol Ann Duffy was just plain untrue and I'm glad I was able to dig out the two clips for you which explains the true position.

JBW .... Although your further contribution to the 'coffee thread' was via e-mail I thank you for it anyway.

..............................

Quotation time ............

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee"

Abraham Lincoln

"Sleep tight - Catch you tomorrow - May be late because of BJ Carnival"
.