We are far too well mannered to give a lady’s age on this blog so we will just say many happy returns to the birthday girl. We are also managing to resist the temptation to comment on a certain Aunties hairdo
Happy Birthday
Author: neil.baldwin
Foraging
Decided to try a bit of foraging as there is so much about. Been down to the bypass on the bikes. Someone has been there already but several cherry trees with lots of fruit, and should be more next week too by the looks of it. Got two Tupperware boxes (1.2 kilos) and are just discussing the merits of jam versus schnapps. Might do jam this week and go back next for more for schnapps. Bit dicey getting down to the trees as on a very steep slope in the undergrowth, both have lots of nettle stings now but worth it. Looks like there will be apples too later in the year, so Neil will have to keep a look out. Why don’t councils plant more fruit trees about the place so everyone can have a chance to pick their own for free?
Geoff wants to be famous
Down the Kings Head with Geoff he told us all about a new circuity he has created to recharge batteries but also know when to stop charging, or stop using said batteries.
You can buy them on ebay see this link.
Nash Point
Visiting Cas and Taffy for the weekend, set off this morning Nash Point for a walk along the cliffs. Parked up and headed along the cliff path. On the way plenty of Pipits, Skylarks, and a couple of Peregrine Falcons. Got to a bay where Helen and Cas went for a paddle. Taffy was suffering from bad hay fever. We decided to head back over the cliffs as the tide was not out enough to go the beach route. Saw some Rock Pipits. On the way back Taffy dropped us off at the Museum of Welsh life at Fangans. Strange place where they are preserving Welsh buildings which have been
dismantled shipped and rebuilt on the site. It is a large site and the buildings look as if they have been in place for years. The best ones are a set of terraced houses which show the way they would have changed over the years from 1805 through to 1985. Taffy picked us and we popped to Asda! Cas is cooking pasta for dinner. Two new birds for year list.
Orchids
The orchids at Helen’s parents are thriving this year, paricularly where John has cleared a patch of ground. There are 3 types; common spotted, pyramidal and twayblade. The wasp’s nest unfortunately is also thriving, and they have taken over a nest box to the point where the actual structure is coming out of the nest box hole. The ladybirds seem to favour life on the nettles, and saw lots of honey and bumble bees on
some of the larger flowering shrubs. A red kite was lurking about and the thrushes are leaving empty snail shells everywhere.
Golden Eagle found dead
Apparently there are things we can do to help stop this happening. For more details visit the following link.
The age of stupid ****
This is a docudrama which tries to draw your attention to the impending doom future generations will face if we don’t stop using oil. The film is set in the future and is narrated by Pete Pothelthwaite who is the keeper of the world archive. He using interview/fly-on-the-wall footage and real news footage to paint a picture that suggests. We must do something now and make it stick if the human race is to survive beyond the next century. The are a few threads in the film covering climate change issues, which pull the film together into a whole. Some of the sequences almost humorous. I’ll give it 4 stars because it manages to do a great job of taking a subject which is not that appealing, but hold your attention for an hour and a half.
Guest blogger Bruce
Hi I’m Bruce and Neil has asked me to do a guest blog entry. In the week I live at Ben and Hayleigh’s nursery but at the weekends I get to visit the children in turn, and this week it was Ben. As he was off to Honley Show he kindly invited me to join the party. I was slighly concerned that one of the show mice might try to make a nest in my tummy but fortunately they were all secure in their boxes. I sat on a tractor and saw a steam engine.
When I got a bit peckish Neil shared a sandwich, cheese rather than honey unfortunately. The highlight of the afternoon was a spin on a roundabout with Hayleigh. When we got home I demonstrated my drainpipe climbing skills and then, after a full day bedded down for forty winks in Bens room.
Porridge for breakfast hopefully!
Honley Show
Off to Holmfirth for the weekend. Good journey up, under 3 hours despite missing the junction. Came in past Yorkshire sculpture park which is always good to visit.
On Saturday went to Honley show. Great weather and got there via the little backroads as you can see the showground from Kev n Rons. Luckily they had got prepaid tickets as people had to queue for ages to pay. Arrived for the bike display but their slot had been moved so watched the bird man instead. Saw the sheep, tractors and stationary engines, both Ben and Hayleigh and Bruce were allowed by a kind man to sit on a tractor. Then a picnic lunch before carefully scrutinising numerous chickens, ducks (no Aylesbury), rabbits and mice. There were also guinea pigs which seemed to be very en vogue with the gay fraternity.
Ron went to put in an hour of selling at her NCT cake stall. We had tried some earlier, just for moral support obviously, and can say they were excellent. Then we had some fab local Yorkshire ice cream, which was well worth the long queue. Ben and Hayleigh went on the little train, then a tricky decision had to made, what should be the last treat? Ben chose the bouncy castle whilst Hayleigh and Bruce decided on the roundabout. Then it was back to the car via the honey stall.
Surreally a childrens firemans helmet flew over a wall on the way back to the car and could not find the owner, so we took that home too. Kev and Ron cooked a great curry which we ate outside and was a perfect end to the day.
In the loop ****
Fast paced political satire, vaguely based around the WMD dossier. Lots of swearing and worth it just for that. Helen was lucky enough to be offered the tickets to the Rex by a work colleague who could not make it. Well worth the trip out although would be just as good on TV if you want to wait. 4/5