I spent last weekend at Snape Maltings enjoying some excellent music at the concert hall – and getting marooned in mid marshes when the motor of the boat from which we were viewing the bird life died unceremoniously. However, to get to the boat we had needed to walk through the village of Orford, once …
Kefir grains on offer
Do you, or woud you like to, make kefir? My kefir grains have been experiencing their usual spring spurt and growing apace so that I now have quite a few more than I can use. I would be happy to deliver (if you are in the area) or post a ‘starter pack’ to any readers …
Daisies, swans, bees and a Paulownia tree
Yesterday I headed off across the heath to catch the Overground to Kew Gardens, meeting on my way… First this splendid random patch of daisies growing at the bottom of the meadow running down to Millfield Lane. How did they get there? Who knows….. And then, down on Hampstead Pond 2, the swan family. Our …
Being on the receiving end of the talking walks
Many readers will remember that the idea for my ‘talking walks’ came from my cousin Des, who, thanks to an inherited condition, was gradually losing his sight. Sadly, Des’ sight has deteriorated dramatically to all but zero over the last two years. He wrote the following piece for a local newspaper using only Voiceover technology …
After the rains
After the drought of April the heath’s flora have been revelling in the rains of the last few weeks – and none more so than the nettles which have all but enveloped the new dead hedge on my path down from Hampstead Lane. Here it is a mere ten days ago. I had not actually …
Early morning slow moments
I woke up on Tuesday morning to such sparkling blue sky and such glorious sun that by 7.15 I was out on the heath caught by the light filtering through the new young leaves. Down on Kenwood lake a lone goose sailed slowly towards me, contemplated the shore, turned around and then stopped to meditate. …