Bird watching proper has never really appealed. There seems to be far to much lurking in hides for my taste, but our hedgerows are thronged with the little peeping, chucking and warbling fellows and I have been feeling rather remiss in not learning their names. To this end I reclaimed a giant bird book fromContinue reading “Twitchery”
Category Archives: musings
The corn snack universe sends a gift
Yesterday was Keith’s gourmet Sunday. A fine rack of lamb was consumed and dinner conversation meandered from the sublime to the ridiculous as per usual. Ignorance being no barrier to heated debate at Ruthven, Lachlan and I piled into a spirited argument on the meaning of infinity. We are nothing if not ambitious. (This provedContinue reading “The corn snack universe sends a gift”
The wisdom of coos
The morning starts late. The sun is already up and we are having a coffee in bed. I am exempt from dog walking as Lachlan’s lecturer is off sick. Something black moving in the corner of the window catches my eye. It is a butterfly. I sip my coffee and resist the urge to springContinue reading “The wisdom of coos”
The irresistible lure of a new project..
How short the days are. Walking Lyra just before 10am a few days ago the sun was so low and slanting that it felt like evening. My shadow was long and spindly and crept up the hill before me. We took a turn past the farm at Little Swinton and found the horses had beenContinue reading “The irresistible lure of a new project..”
Reasons to be cheerful part 4
I am smiling to myself as I type, with the lyrics to Part 3 running round my head. You have to love a bit of Ian Dury and the Blockheads (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIMNXogXnvE). And this week I have many reasons to be cheerful. Gourmet Sunday, over all, went off well, and I have therefore been relieved ofContinue reading “Reasons to be cheerful part 4”
The egg timer has tilted
We are in a time of short days and long evenings. Mornings are beginning to be frosty and the sun is dipping shortly after three – a long and chilly sunset has commenced by 4.30. There is markedly less dawdling on my morning walks with Lyra – I am picking up pace to keep warm.Continue reading “The egg timer has tilted”
Self Preservation
The skies are intense at the moment. This morning there was a darkly luminous grey. A few days ago there was a dawn of the most startling fuchsia which had me prancing around the garden in my dressing gown. When I wake in the wee small hours I find stars so startlingly bright that IContinue reading “Self Preservation”
Slow Lane Symphony
I do like when the clocks go back these days. Not for the extra hour in bed, but for the extra hour gained when the body clock gets you up at the usual time in “real money”. Just such a morning today, so Lyra and I are up and out with the larks (or ratherContinue reading “Slow Lane Symphony”
Four go to the seaside
Last Sunday we had our first meal out for eons! We pootled along the back lanes past Holy Island to Bamburgh. Other than a late night drive through when we came to the Mizzen Head for dinner a couple of years ago, I don’t think I have ever been to Bamburgh. It is a lovelyContinue reading “Four go to the seaside”
Autumn hues
The rain over the last few days has turned the lane at the back to little Venice. Lyra likes a good paddle in a puddle, so is unperturbed. I’ve seen a bit less of the pheasants there though, so perhaps they are more picky and have taken to higher ground. A few have appeared furtherContinue reading “Autumn hues”