Sunday 30th June 2024

One of those days where we discussed doing various things however we ended up at home doing not a lot. So to fill in the time I began sorting through the hundreds of photographs I've been meaning to weed out the duplicates, irrelevant or lost location images. Therapeutic though it was the fun bit was finding images I'd not seen for years. Above myself and Paul Bulley at the top of Medomsley Bank while competing in the Great North Bike Ride, possibly 1988, or 1989. Below the University gang on a field trip to Northumberland in 1991, or maybe 1992. I found a lot more to sift through, nostalgia has it's place but sobering, as all of these images I found myself unearthing were thirty years plus old. Time flies.

Saturday 29th June 2024

This is an odd image as it's from Google maps. For reasons way too tiresome to explain I was looking something up and thought, I wonder if the Hub we go to at Shapwick is on Google maps. Well it is but when I did street view it brought up the old set up there, Eco Friendly Bites run by Amy. I loved this set up, it was a bit ramshackled but it worked with Amy serving from a trailer, lovely salads and toasties all grown by herself. Seating was all recycled wire drums or wood and seats made of old tyres. It looked a mess but I loved It. It felt proper old Somerset and Amy fed the birds at night with anything that was left over.

Then around six years ago things began to change and the site began to be redeveloped and made more tourist friendly. Amy moved into a bigger porta cabin and the Avalon Marshes Centre began to be refurbished but eventually Amy closed after eight years. I miss her a lot even though what is in place now does catering for a wider audience. Today Sally has a big business, it's always busy, seating is chrome and wood chairs and buzzers to come and collect your food. I was there yesterday and the food is lovely now but Amy had something else, her home grown salads contained flowers for example.

So here is an image of Eco Friendly Bites frozen in time on Google maps. Not easy to see but a memory of a different time.

Friday 28th June 2024

I don't believe I've ever posted about our favourite nightjar site on this blog before. This was our first nightjar watching evening this year. We had planned to come here to Staple Plantation in May but somehow it never happened, nor early June. But tonight we were not disappointed. Normally we have the place to ourselves but tonight we were joined by two men who'd, while on a fishing holiday at St Audrie's Bay, wished to experience these magical birds of the night and had been told this was a good site. One of them had never seen a nightjar before and was rewarded just before 10pm with one flying just a couple of metres from us at head height. We later saw another (or the same) bird flying elsewhere in the Plantation.

It never cease to amaze me how magical it is encountering these quite mysterious birds. Their emergence at dusk is almost to time each time we go there. Same routine, emerging at one area, they move to the middle section before heading off into the valley nearby where a number of birds can be heard churning into the darkening night. One day I maybe should explore the valley but it's huge and we'll wooded, seeing the birds might be interesting. So for the moment we'll simply keep to our tried and tested location, complete with a flask of tea.

Thursday 27th June 2024

What a mess. I'd parked Clio in one of the outside carparks at work today. All day it's been quite windy, unseasonably so, more akin to autumn. I returned to the car around 6pm and it was covered in sticky lime seed fras. It was everywhere. Driving home I realised the bottom of my shoes were really sticky, meaning they stuck to the pedals a bit. I'll need to wash the car as the entire bodywork is now very sticky. Trees eh?

In other news it's Julie and mine. Eighth wedding anniversary. And I forgot all about it.

Wednesday 26th June 2024

Well according to this blog's behind the scenes data, it tells me that today, this post will be the 1000th. What a milestone to reach. That's a thousand thoughts over ten years, I enjoy trying to think up something new to say. I don't always succeed on originality but that doesn't matter, it's my personal thoughts on the day.

But for my 1000th post I'll share the three most important people in my life. In no particular order, Gingernut, of course, in the garden tonight. Dad, sadly currently in Ward 2 of South Tyneside hospital after falling and breaking his wrist, though he's fine and visited by his carers Kate and Faye, and Julie, last but not least, at Royal Ascot a week ago today.

Today was also a special day for me as I had a hospital consultation and we'll it was good news. I can stop worrying now. I'll enjoy the weather instead, 26 degrees is perfect with fish and chips at home to celebrate the end of a perfect day and to record my 1000th thought for the day. Just three more months to go.

Tuesday 25th June 2025

 

A few weeks ago I recorded five Tweet of the Days with an ex colleague and general really good guy Stephen Moss. He rang me a few weeks ago and asked if he could re-record his swallow edition. Which is what we did today, just took ten minutes but Victoria the new Production Executive for us came and joined us. I think she enjoyed the process, albeit quickly done. It was a lovely half hour, a catch up and Suzy the studio manager chatted to Stephen for a long time. I enjoy days like this.

Monday 24th June 2024

Today I had a proper sit outside in the fresh air lunch. Too many times I'm at my desk and beavering away while eating. That's not good on many counts. So today a treat, a sandwich, as I don't have many of those these days and some crisps, all washed down with lashings of ginger beer. The weather is weird, very overcast, quite humid, more like late summer and those oppressive days of thunder. I just wish there were more people about to chat to, I do get lonely at work these days as there's very few people on site. Oh well, can't be helped. At least there's a M&S over the road.

Sunday 23rd June 2024

This is not the vehicle to go into private issues in any depth but I've been having a few issues recently. I've cut out gluten and it's making a lot of difference, and it's interesting discovering what has gluten in it that you'd think was gluten free anyway - cornflakes? Sausages, well yes they have rusk, Pringles? and many ready meals, but when you begin to look 'wheat' is in nearly everything that is bought over the counter. So Julie has begun cooking gluten free alternatives. This creation is a courgette loaf. On paper this is a lovely alternative to bread, but in reality it comes out very heavy and even a thin slice takes some eating. This is the second time Julie has tried this and even doubling the baking powder it still is a dense bread. But we will keep experimenting, it's interesting, very interesting.

Saturday 22nd June 2024

I was having a sort out day today (while also watching the last day at Royal Ascot) and threw out my old cheque book. I still write the occasional cheque but these days it really is occasional. But looking back at some of the stubs, dating back to 2016, it's interesting to see what I used my cheque book for. A wedding, paying bills, a donation to Church Lawton church, and so on.  At one time I was writing cheques weekly, today everything is on-line or direct debit. The romance, if it was ever romance, of writing a personal guarantee onto a slip of paper seems so old fashioned now. One day cheques will be obsolete and then when the electricity fails, no one will get paid.

In other news today one of the alpacas at Little Orchard Alpacas has given birth to this beauty today. Back in July 2023 one of the male alpacas got out of his pen and ran a mock with the ladies. Cloud was then later discovered to be pregnant. An unplanned but very welcome addition to the herd. On Facebook there's a competition to name him, my suggestion to Vic is Quetzal, a South American bird and currency. We'll see if that's chosen.

Friday 21st June. 2024

 

I mentioned yesterday it would be my grandfather's 125th Birthday today. This image, and another when he was about 22, I posted onto Facebook. After doing so it made me think, here's a man who never knew about mobile phones, the internet, social media, blogging or even AI. He died in 1980, I wonder what he'd make of the World today?

Thursday 20th June 2020

 Here we are, the longest day, the Summer Solstice. Strictly speaking this happens at 21.50 hrs in England. It isn't often the solstice isn't on the 21st of June, the date of which, if he'd been alive, my grandfather would be celebrating his 125th birthday tomorrow. That seems astonishing for man I knew very well, born June 21st 1899, just four months after his parents married. I'll just leave that thought there, as my great grandfather was apparently a morally upstanding and strict Victorian, a ship owner and captain known affectionately as 'Daddy Dawes'. I'm digressing. 

Today I've been musing on which image to take to celebrate the Solstice. Just now however I thought of the Lyme Regis webcam. I dip into this regularly when I'm looking for a five minute fix of Lyme Regis. Sometimes it is a stormy view, sometimes like tonight a benign image. I wish I was actually there sitting on the beach waiting for the sun to set. But after yesterday's long day I'm a little too weary to head down there for the evening. No I'll virtually transport myself to Dorset. 

As I write this it's about thirty minutes before the actual time. No matter, it's tonight. From tomorrow bit by bit the days begin to shorten and Winter looms. I've always felt energised at both solstices, in summer it's the light nights, though tinged with thoughts of dark days ahead. In winter, the opposite, December 21st for me is about hope and a longing for lighter nights. In both cases though there's two months grace, in early March suddenly there's lighter evenings, and not until mid August do the nights really start to draw in. 

I'll enjoy tonight, there's a sunset developing I'm off to see it now.

PS : There certainly was!

Wednesday 19th June 2024

Al Capone was spotted at Royal Ascot today, in a straw (paper) Fedora and sharp suit. Only it's actually me, in my specially bought suit for the day. I really enjoyed today, not only my first time at Ascot but the first time at a flat race meeting. Julie is a big horse racing fan, and over the years has instructed me in some of the finest aspects of the 'Sport of Kings'. I won't try and pretend I know anything about racing, but it was a grand day out in the Queen Ann Enclosure. Not too many Royals were in the Royal Procession, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Eugene, but a surprise Andrew Lloyd-Webber too. Nice to see them all, and later we saw them leave in the Royal cars. The racing was great, 7 races and I lost my shirt on the betting, but that didn't matter at all. It is all part of the enjoyment. We stayed until the end when the band struck up with a very good singer, hits from the decades. What a fun, if a long day, 230 miles by car there and back, left home at 7.30am, returned 9.45pm. The take home message being it is really good to be involved with something positive, there's too much gloom and doom out there, I need more positivity in my world. Let's hear it for racing, especially in the summer, much warmer.

Looking back at the stand.

Queen Camilla in the leading carriage

Royal cars waiting to whisk the family away.

 

Tuesday 18th June 2024

It's starting to get scary and exciting at the same time. In 24 hours we will be at Royal Ascot. It has taken a year to get here after booking the tickets last June. Quite an odd feeling that something that's been in the back of our minds for so long is nearly here. Julie gets her hair cut etcetera this afternoon, I've polished my shoes, and apart from a picnic to plan to have in the car,  we're ready. I just hope the journey is okay getting there, just two hours but it's M5-M4. Once we're actually in the car park we will relax a lot and enjoy the day. Julie's been before but it's my first time. I'm not a betting man, but I'll have a modest £10 flutter each way on the horses I've looked at above. It's been fun doing going through the race card and although I don't expect to win anything, as many of the horses I've chosen are Aiden O'Brian it's as good a choice as any I suppose.

Monday 17th June 2024

Both these images were taken this morning at the Hub, but different images for different reasons. The first simply to record the first day of my week off. I'd half thought of going to Holford again but there were a number of chores to do, plus a Sainsbury's order at 3pm, therefore a mooch about day getting stuff done. Do note, that gluten free gazzionaire chocolate thing is most pleasant. Earlier I'd been to the Post Office in Congresbury and had been given my first King Charles lll twenty pounds note. Dad had received one a couple of days ago, but this was my first. It struck me though that the late Queen was smiling on her note whereas Charles doesn't look very happy. It's observations such as that I find interesting. It was a busy first day of leave but I enjoyed it, not least as I dug out my 1980 series of Pride and Prejudice. It is still my all time favourites version, by Fay Weldon and follows the book. However joint favourite now is the 2005 version with Keira Knightly and Matthew McFadden which takes liberties but stylistically is beautiful. Not a bad day off all told.

 

Sunday 16th June 2024

These are not my photographs, I stumbled across an old blog post written about ten years ago and it brought back such good memories for me. Until I found this I had a strong memory of going to a Rock and Roll show at the Sunderland Empire as a child. I went with my mum and she remembered me dancing with the Teddy Boys in the aisle, I'd have said I was eight, nine maybe, but it turns out I was ten. June 7th 1974. Hard to believe this is now fifty years ago. I can remember the show well, but the only act I can remember was Heinz, who coincidentally was in a Talking Pictures film on television today too. Apparently Billy Fury was the star performer in this (according to the blog) and this event was a provincial tour of what had been a very successful London show. It's funny what crops up on the internet these days.

 

Saturday 15th June 2024

This has been in the diary for a while. Julie had booked herself on long walk at a place called Aisholt in the Quantocks. To get there registration took place in St Mary's church hall, the walkers then being taken to the start of the walk by mini bus. We'd got there in good time, meaning I had a long chat with the driver. Eventually Julie was off and away leaving me with four hours or more to relax. Which I did at Holford. Firstly a breakfast at the Combe House Hotel, followed by a mooch about St Mary's church which I'd passed many times but never entered. It is so peaceful, I loved it here more than I can convey on here. Enhanced by a ticking pendulum clock on the wall, very similar to one I have at home. I spent a lot of time sitting on a bench dedicated to two women called Lacon. I very much enjoy days like this, no structure but afterwards the rewards are immense.

 

Friday 14th June 2020

 

After watching Gardener's World, from Gardener's World live at the NEC, Julie asked if I'd go and water the greenhouse plants. It was tipping down with rain, really tipping down. It was also only just after 9pm on a June evening but it felt like mid-winter. By the time I'd traipsed to and from the water butts I was soaked. Sheltering in the greenhouse I took stock. Outside seemed dark and wet. In the greenhouse however the lashing rain was something of a comfort, it always is, being sheltered but behind glass from the visible weather outside. It struck me that this highly personal view out of the door was a snapshot of this very cool and wet June. I like summer rain but this is becoming a little too much. It's the longest day in a week, and we've not been able to sit in the garden of an evening yet. 

Eventually I broke free from my musings on what is a comfort (I'd had a blood test done at 1pm so that was half on my mind). Wandering back to the house I looked at my snowdrop collection. Long past flowering these have only very recently shed their leaves. They need a lot of looking after in the summer if grown in pots, principally the compost needs to be kept moist. If July and August follow June, that's something I'll not need to worry about. And, in six months I hope to see new green shoots emerging from these pots. The Wheel of the Year really does move quickly.

Thursday 13th June 2024

An afternoon trip to Weston Super Mare in the rain brought about today's image and thought. These feral pigeons were sheltering from the rain on this wall and the recumbent lady in the town square. I do like pigeons, they are nature's great survivors, living on the detritus of humanity, as well as making homes amongst us. Most people overlook these fascinating birds. But next time you pass some, just stop and for a moment enjoy their presence just for being pigeons.

Wednesday 12th June 2024

 

Quite a momentous day. I caught up with my ex boss Kate Chaney for lunch. Partly social, but also Kate's very last day on the BBC payroll is tomorrow, therefore her laptop and keys needed to be returned. It was so nice to catch up at Spicer and Cole at the RWA in Clifton. I like it there anyway but with good company, what's not to like. After lunch Kate wanted a cigarette so we sat on the wall outside where Paul Gowman walked by, so we asked him to take this photo. So that's it, 41 years working at the BBC and the door closes. Kate said she's still not got used to being retired with all this free time on her hands, but is discovering some of the best croissant cafes in Bristol on her now daily walks.

Tuesday 11th June 2024

 

I'm glad today I was in the office as the kitchen is wrecked - in a good way - and with the contents of the kitchen squirrelled away in the lounge and conservatory it's a bit like living in student digs. Best to be well away from it as even making a cup of tea involves finding the kettle, finding the mugs, finding a socket and then finding room in the kitchen. But progress is being made. Meanwhile in Bristol I was recording with Tolga Aktas, a new voice on Tweet of the Day. Lovely chap and considering he'd never done any voice work before he was a natural. I enjoy days like that.

Monday 10th June 2023

 

Not having a good day today due to eating gluten, on doctors orders. That aside I have been looking for a gluten free oat loaf recipe and possibly I've found one. Just 6 ingredients, which is a boon. I've not tried it yet as I need to buy some molasses first, but just reading the process it is making me think this one might just work. 

In other news the kitchen fitters arrived pretty much on time and before long after much crashing and banging, the kitchen was stripped. It'll be four days before they're finished, let's hope the finished kitchen is as we'd expected.

Sunday 9th June 2024

Above, the last view of the old kitchen before work commences on Monday. Not a full new kitchen but new doors, new worktops, new sink, a few new cupboards and removal of the ridiculous extractor fan which has not worked since 2010. Really we should have a new cooker but as it's still costing £11k, we're trying to keep the costs down. Below our conservatory kitchen for the next 4 days. What could possibly go wrong.

Saturday 8th June 2024

 I often wonder what goes on in my mind. Today Julie went to Taunton and after dropping her off at the station, I drove to Wells. I've not been feeling too clever this week so visiting Wells brought some well needed relaxation and pleasure. First stop the Swan hotel for a hot chocolate. Then after a mooch about the market (pleasantly revamped) I went to the Bishops Palace for a wander about, £17.50 and can visit all year. It was while at the market I spied these two books on stagecoach travel.  On the left how the post was delivered between 1680 and 1840, using the Kent service as a benchmark for the whole UK. On the right a summary of Scottish Stagecoach activity which remarkably only ended in 1915. I'm interested in stage travel so will enjoy these, but to refer back to my opening gambit, what goes on in my mind, do I really need two more books? I think so.

Friday 7th June 2024

 

Hmmm, should I ask for a refund. Back in April I bought 20 mini plug geraniums for £4.99, technically pelargonium. Anyway I've cosseted them and 19 survived to be planted out in a few pots. They've begun flowering now and rather than being red as I was led to suspect, they're more coral in colour. I quite like the colour, vivid I'd suggest, but not the deep pillar box red I'd hoped for. And working out at 25p each these are very expensive plants indeed.

Thursday 6th June 2024

Ten years ago I wrote about the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings and thought on that in 2014 it was the last time veteran soldiers, sailors and airmen would make it to Normandy. But here we are at the 80th Anniversary and there are still veterans able to make it. 

Sadly one American veteran never made it, Robert Persichitti, who took ill on the ship bringing him to Europe. That was last Thursday and he passed away on the 31st. I just felt adding him to my post today seemed apt. I never knew him of course but it's people like him who at 102 wanted to travel to Europe to never forget what they fought for. They knew about duty and what it was to serve.

That was a remarkable generation and no two ways about it.

June 6th 2014. 

http://365-2-50.blogspot.com/2014/06/june-6th-2014.html

Wednesday 5th June 2024

That was a lovely surprise dropping on the door mat today. Not one but two letters. I love receiving letters, it's a rare thing these days. So to have two lovely chatty letters to read while having my morning coffee was a treat. One came from a long term friend, a GP in the north east, another from my ex boss of 40 years ago who still keeps in touch.i shall preserve these as letters are tangible. I wonder what the family researcher in 100 years will do with the billions of texts and emails we send now every day. How will they be accessed? Will they even be saved? There's going to be a mighty hole in our collective history starting in the mid 1990's.

Tuesday 4th June 2024.

 

 It is a little surreal to have a graveyard next to a medical centre I feel.  This is Worle graveyard complete with red valerian and on a gravestone to the right a carrion crow stropping it's beak against the stone. I'd just arrived as I had an appointment to see the doctor at Worle medical centre, about a  symptom that was worrying me. Well more than worried, I was very anxious, not least as they'd rung me an hour after I'd submitted a request for advice. I was asked to come down for 11am. 

I was actually seen by two medical students from Bristol University on their final day at the centre. They've both passed and now as fully fledged doctors both will be heading to London hospitals soon. So I was one of their last patients. The male doctor did most of the talking and he was excellent, they both were. The outcome is I've not what worried me, though I do potentially have a chronic condition, but it won't be confirmed for 6 weeks. It's a relief but also a concern as all chronic conditions are. What was lovely was as I came out the consultation room Julie was sitting in reception waiting for me. She'd abandoned work and driven over to be with me. Much relieved by my consultation, as we walked back to the car I noticed the carrion crow had now departed.

Monday 3rd June 2024

 

There's a few too many trees now in the lane behind the garden wall now, but there are still glimpses of the glorious sunset skies we get here. Technically speaking the sunset is over the Brecon Beacons but we get that  view from Somerset. A few years ago when there were less trees the whole sky would illuminate the house. I've seen a blood red sun slowly set over the Welsh hills slowly deforming as it 'hits' the horizon. Stunning scenes. Tonight it was the first noticeable sky for months as we've had endless rain or cloudy. Julie and I stood for ages watching the golden glow beneath the grey cloud. The image here can never replicate what we saw, but it's a reminder in the years to come of these beautiful skies on a June evening.

Sunday 2nd June 2024

Not the day I had planned but in the end it was okay. First thing I was sitting on the bed having my first mug of the of the day and looking over the garden. Catching my eye was a buttercup. In itself not remarkable but as I was on the first floor, it was either very tall or growing somewhere. To my horror I saw the valley gutter of the conservatory was absolutely chocked with plants. Access is dire, so it took me 2 hours to get rid of nearly all the vegetation using poles and a hoe. Not a pretty job and not perfect but removing all that stuff was essential. What a mess.

 Moth mullein, verbascum blattaria. This came into flower today, I love it. Five or six years ago I bought a sad looking moth mullein from Forde Abbey gardens in Somerset. It had already flowered but it was covered in seed pods. Once home and once mature I scattered the seed. We were warned that once moth mullein is happy it will self seed everywhere and anywhere. And he was right. This year we've three growing by the cutting patch. Such a beautiful understated spike of flowers that pops up randomly. A couple of years ago one appeared by the side gate. Self seen plants are excellent.

Saturday 1st June 2024

 After yesterday's busy day, today we had an at home day, which was lovely, sleeping in the garden, reading and doing very little.  Something made me want to check up on the house martin situation in the evening. There's been a house martin nest on this house forever. Always used, but three years ago they didn't use it, nor the following two years. I thought that was it, and had planned to knock it down last winter as I'm assuming the nest cup is the problem (house sparrows will fill it with straw, or a dead bird in there?). However about a week ago I heard twittering outside the bedroom window and sure enough there were house martins flying up to the nest. I looked tonight. There are the signs of a new nest on the wall, plus dropped mud on the windowsill. It looks like they're making a nest next to the old one - there's definitely something wrong with that old nest. Whether they complete the new nest in time to breed we'll see, but one year I had house martin chicks fledge in October, that was a third clutch. There's still time then.