Yet More Houses

We moved to this village in 1975 when the population was just over 4000. It is now over 6000. 

Wherever there is a gap more houses get built. These cater for the well healed and rarely for ordinary workers. For example, the space in the photo has recently been built on. At one time it was a pub carpark.

Autumn Crocus

Earlier, we came across this lone autumn crocus in the village. It demanded a quick photo, which I took with my phone.

My first photo with the smart phone was over-exposed, so I went back again with the "real" camera.  This is better and captures the colours.

Roses, Catalona

Although we were only there earlier this week, our holiday seems an age ago! Roses, where we stayed, was a delightful place.

It seems SE Spain has had some bad floods. Luckily the weather was very good for us, as the photo shows.

So we don't forget when we get senile, I have made a blog. See https://roses2019.blogspot.com/

No Litter

One thing that has impressed us in Catalonia is the lack of litter. If any is dropped it is picked up. Unlike the UK they seem to have civic pride.

Huge buffets

At our hotel in Catalonia they provide huge buffets. The photo shows just a little bit. There is free wine and water every meal.

Barcelona Tall Ship

On our 1.5 hour harbour trip yesterday we passed this ship.

Homemade Recordings

Back in the 1960s a friend and I made some homemade recordings using a big horn, lots of shouting and old coffee jar lids! To this day I still have one of these records, but no means to play it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/record

Grandchildren on Bikes

One of our sons is staying with us with his son and daughter until later in the week. Th photo shows them on their bikes last night. Luckily it is very quiet here with very few cars.

Crab Apples

We have one crab apple tree. Two years ago we had about 500 fruits and made crab apple jelly which is delicious with some meats. Last year we had just 15!  This year we have a bumper crop as the photo shows. Someone once told me these are good every other year.

See https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7661/crab-apple-jelly

Peterborough Cathedral Sundial

On the west wall of Peterborough Cathedral is this old sundial. I think it has been repainted not too long ago.

See http://sundialsoc.org.uk/dials/peterborough-cathedral0589/

Next door's roses

Luckily the folks next door enjoy gardening as they have a very big garden with very long hedges.

These spendid roses are on their drive just outside their front door.

Trump

As usual, lead by example?  Inane comments.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49230861

Anglesey Abbey Bridge

This bridge at nearby Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property, was repaired by one of our neighbours recently. It is photographed by lots of visitors.

Dam Damage

As I write, great chunks of the dam above Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire have collapsed and 6500 residents have been told to evacuate their homes. The damage was caused by the recent very heavy rains. If the dam gives way it could inundate homes.

For those residents who get back to their homes (eventually) it will be very worrying unless the dam is completely rebuilt to modern safety standards.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-49189955

"Our" Windmill In Action

The windmill right next to our house had its sails turning today as the short video shows. This was taken out of our lounge window.

Moorhen

We visit Anglesey Abbey most months. This moorhen was on the mill leet.

Rant!

Recently my wife bought some granola from a local shop. Despite a good look we could see NOTHING about recycling. There was lots about birds and bees on the pack. In this day and age this is stupid and inexcusable. 

In my view all supermarkets should tell their suppliers to make all packages compostable or recyclable or no business. They have the power and should use it. 

In my view, this company should be ashamed.

Garden Flowers

Although we have had a little rain, our flowers are doing well. The photo shows the flowers on one of our patios. They need regular watering!

Website Cookies

Rant time! 

If in the EU we have new data protection measures under the GDPR banner. Now, certainly in the EU, we have to click to accept website cookies. No doubt someone, somewhere thought this a "good idea". 

What happens? Most of us just click "accept" or similar and never read the text. It totally fails. This is stupidity and bureaucracy gone stark raving mad! It sickens me and achieves nothing.

Corpus Clock

One of the most photographed things in Cambridge must be the odd clock outside Corpus Christi college.

Every time I walk past it in the summer there are loads of visitors taking photos.

Interesting Clouds

Late yesterday, we had some interesting clouds high up over "our" windmill.  I think they may be fribatus clouds, which are a form of cirrus clouds, although I am no expert and stand to be corrected.

Frog or Toad?

Today we went to Oxburgh Hall (National Trust) and then on to Gooderstone Water Gardens where we saw this little fellow. Pretty sure it is a frog and not a toad, but I am hopeless! 

See https://www.gooderstonewatergardens.co.uk/

Both places are in Norfolk, UK.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK

Bury St Edmunds has a great market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is a fine East Anglian place. We enjoy going there.  Often fruit and vegetables are as good in the market as in the supermarkets and far cheaper.

There is a small museum in the market square (at the back of the photo) called Moyses Hall in what is, I think, the oldest building there.

Gilbert and Sullivan

Every year a local village stages a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera in a barn. They are always very good. This year they staged "The Grand Duke". This was a work new to me. As yet, they have still to announce what they will be doing next June.

Sibling Reunion

Earlier in the week my wife, her brothers and their partners met for their annual sibling reunion. This year we met up in Cheshire. Each year we meet in each other's homes and we take it in turns to act as hosts. We have met 17 times. Our turn is next year. As my wife took the photo, she is not in the photo.

Trump State Visit

Now, this is my personal view and others are perfectly entitled to hold different views. Personally I have great difficulty over state visits such as this being funded by my tax money. We pay for the security we provide and for those lavish banquets. Sick.

Cambridge

The centre of Cambridge is certainly colourful. As well as this float (see photo) we had a couple of buskers singing classical opera, which was very good.

Grandchildren

Over the half-term holiday we have seen all 4 of our young grandchildren.

Today, our "London" grandchildren arrived for a few days. The photo shows them with my wife in our garden room.

Mess, but clean mess  😊

Chelsea Flower Show

This is the most important flower show in the UK. Last week my wife and I went there. Tickets were a special birthday present to us both from my brother-in-law and his wife. It was a special members' day, but very busy.

Lisbon trams

It is very hot in Lisbon today with temperatures in the mid 30s C. Lisbon is famous for its historic trams.

In 1755 about 10% of the city's people were killed in an earthquake. It is a great city these days with about 3M people. Portugal was neutral in WW2. The population of Portugal s around 10M.

Easter Money

Although Easter was very late this year, it has not stopped our local John Lewis store which has had Easter goods on sales since just after Christmas. They clearly smell profits.

I expect it will soon be time to display the Christmas stuff, unless they can think of a new way to get customers to part with their money.

No further swallows seen

Although I spotted my first swallows last week, none have been seen this week. With poorer weather they should be hunting nearer the ground, so should be easier to see. Cuckoos have already been seen in Devon.

So, what is this?

This mystery object, about 11 cm across and very light, was spotted on a rural walk yesterday. I welcome your guesses/. It definitely NOT a stone.

When I picked it up the green bits lit up and it said, "take me to your leader". OK, I am kidding!

Tender Moment

This is a real Easter picture!

It shows one of my grandsons holding a lamb. I think you will agree that it is a very tender moment. You can almost sense the love and gentleness in his eyes.

Good news for a change

We seem to be fed lots of bad news (I guess this makes papers sell) but tend to not hear about good news often. So, we end up thinking the world is all gloom and doom. In actual fact the good news far outweighs the bad. So let me bring you some good news for a change.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47974844

Easter Eggs

Our grandchildren are still young enough to enjoy hunting for chocolate Easter eggs hidden in the garden as the photo shows.

Swallows

Just seen the first swallow (migrant bird) flying over at lunchtime. There may have been some a few days ago, but this was my first positive sighting here. The earliest I have seen them here is April 7th.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow/