Monday 28th November 2016

A stunning day, breezy with sun most of the day.
Morning spent sifting through over 5000 trail camera images. Not a sighting of a single hedgehog so hibernating now for sure.
Foxy out every night with sightings of a rat at bottom end of the garden.
               This afternoon I enjoyed a walk over at Fobney before the task of my monthly litter picking exercise. Two full bags this time, grrrrrr

Sunday 27th November 2016

Cold day and a little breezy. Some overnight rain but dry during the day.
Catching up on garden wildlife this morning it was heartening to see so many birds still feeding from the feeders. All the favourites have certainly returned. Hedgehog food still being eaten but not sure if it is in fact the hedgehogs eating the food. Will have to check out the trail cameras tomorrow.
          Enjoyed meeting up with Jill and Geoff today, a great roasty Jill. Just love venison. Washed down with a couple of pints of NQB.
Another good day.

Saturday 26th November 2016

Cold and breezy day.
Day spent with Julie and Darren & Girls. My word the girls have grown, how did that happen?
After time catching up on family gossip we drove into Newbury for the annual Panto show at the corn exchange. We first enjoyed a dinner at one of the many town centre pubs. Called into five pubs before found one with a table for six. Show, again was first class. Cinderella this year, not sure how many more years we will attend, we do enjoy a pantomime...
Looking forward to meeting up with Jill and Geoff tomorrow.

Friday 25th November 2016

Bit colder today, more like a winter temperature.
This morning swept up more leaves from the front then spread over the wildlife area of the garden.
So few leaves left on the tree now so pretty sure just one further sweep up.
This afternoon a trip to London Theatre Land for the evening performance of The Bodyguard. What an incredible show, loved it. So lucky however as the west end was in complete darkness due to a power failure, right scary. Lucky because the Dominion was only one of two theatres that were operating.
Looking forward now to a Panto tomorrow.

Thursday 24th November 2016

Mild, dry and sunny. Weather appears more settled for a few days.
Day out today. This morning a trip to Richmond for lunch and a spot of window shopping. Great pub for lunch, the Railway Tavern, what some history and what a stunning building.
This afternoon visited the London Music Museum with time to enjoy the Wurlitzer Christmas concert. Just love this beast of a musical  instrument.
The museum is talking with me on the possibility of them accepting the offer of my Wurlitzer organ. Agreed to meet again in the New Year after I have supplied further history.
Looking forward to another London visit tomorrow.
Photographs of the Music Museum and Wurlitzer Christmas concert, Somerset House Ice Rink and Regent Street lights.

Wednesday 23rd November 2016

Very mild, sunny, a good day but still very wet under foot.
Morrisons shop this morning and a visit to Henry Street this afternoon. Another amazing Christmas display. Reindeer are moving in next next week, winter quarters for a few months and of course a treat for the children that visit during the Christmas period.
             The time I was at home today it was noticeable birds have certainly returned in large numbers in last few days.
Photographs - Henry Street Christmas Display.

Tuesday 22nd November 2016

Very mild, sunny at times otherwise overcast.
Morning in town Christmas shopping and capturing images of the Civic Offices site. Now have a record from the opening in the 70s to its demise in 2016.
This afternoon relaxed in the observatory watching feeding birds that have increased in numbers significantly this week.
Jays, great spotted, migrant blackbirds, goldfinches, long tailed tits, chaffinches, blackbirds, great tits, blue tits, Robin and a wren. Good news.
Foxy about still but no sign of the hedgehogs since storm Angus.
Picture 1 - Foxy.
     "      2 - Civic Offices that was.

Monday 21st November 2016

Horrible day, wet all day. Cheered up by lighting the fire today, first time this season. Lovely.
Another day doing nothing, did spend some time on the desk top and again no sign of the hedgehogs.
Did see in the garden today a few more birds. Two jays, a great spotted and chaffinches. Hopefully we will now see an increase in garden birds. Appears to be an issue across the country going by Twitter news.

Sunday 20th November 2016

Colder with showers most of the day. Overnight we experienced storm Angus, thankfully did not suffer damage as the South Coast did.
Lazy day as wet outside, spent day catching up with desk top work. Trail cameras failed to pick out any hedgehogs and actually no food eaten. Wonder if hibernating now?
Brian and Carol paid us an unexpected visit this afternoon, always good to see them and to catch up on family gossip.
               Tonight enjoyed a belated get together with Jackie and Justin at the oldest pub in the country, the Standard.
Sadly evening ended rather abruptly with Lorna taken ill, no need to elaborate, all ok now.

Saturday 19th November 2016.

A good Autumn day, chilly, sunny but oh dear. Come the evening it was a different picture in the form of storm angus. Heavy rain and strong wind.
This will bring down a few leaves.
Day spent on clearing leaves from front garden and the pond. Wish I didn't know so many people as so many stopped to chat, a two hour job took up most of the day.
Nothing else to report due to my time spent in the front garden.

Friday 18th November 2016

A pretty good day after last nights downpour and strong wind. Colder today but happy with sun most of the day.
Boring day, car washed this morning then a Hobbycraft and Morrisons shop this afternoon.
A little happier today as desktop appears to have got over its sickness of yesterday. Managed to upload rest of the holiday photographs so in business now. Have allocated Sunday to edit blog with said images.
              Trail camera picked out a hedgehog at the bottom end of the garden last night which is extremely good news. My regular one was also out.
Nothing else to report as out most of the day.

Thursday 17th November 2016

Day like yesterday, mild and sunny for most of the day but rain and strong wind by late afternoon.
Day spent indoors trying to make sense of the Internet. Nothing bugs me more in life than internet technology. Why oh why do we require hours of updates, today Google have decided I do not exist. Wasted a complete day, have rebooted now and the iPad has at least burst into life.
             Again the fox and spike were out again last night. Ratty was seen through the hidden camera in a wood stack. Hopefully the local cats will flush this thing out.
Hopefully photographs tomorrow.
Picture 1 - Foxy.
     "      2 - Spike entering ones home.
     "      3 - Ratty in Mouse house.

Wednesday 16th November 2016

Another good day, well that is until tonight. The day mild and sunny, tonight however very wet.
Day spent clearing more leaves, this time from the back garden. Also removed leaves from the pond.
I probably say it every year only think the colours of the leaves this year are the best I have seen. Could not resist a few photographs.
           Spike was about again last night as was the fox. Still a few moths about, saw one in the alpine house, one on the back door frame and one in a dead plant. Photographs when Google stop interfering with the uploading process. Completely wound up again.
Picture 1 - Moth on a dead plant.
      "     2 - Spike still out in the evening.

Tuesday 15th November 2016

Very mild, overcast first thing then rest of the day sunny. Nice.
Enjoyed a dawn walk at Fobney, despite being overcast there was still an air of beauty around the reserve.
             Hard work kinda day. Day spent sweeping leaves from the front Acer tree. Three huge sacks of leaves now spread in the wildlife area. Will be on this job for a fair while me thinks.
              Excited to see another moth first in the garden today. Not yet identified. Have reconnected the moth trap tonight hoping to see a few winter moths this year.
The great spotted appeared on the peanut feeder this afternoon, good to see the return of this stunning bird.
Tonight attended a meeting of Friends of Fobney. A few issues to deal with mostly connected with trying to deal with the removal of the willow. Field mice, harvest mice, voles, slow worms and grass snakes recorded recently. Good recordings of bats but sadly a bad year for moths and butterflies. I agreed to continue with the litter clearing.
Pictures 1 - 3 - Fobney.
      "            4 - Moth

Monday 14th November 2016

Mild, dry but mostly overcast.
Morning taken up with a Morrisons shop so we can commence eating again!
This afternoon refilled all the bird feeders and looked at over 5000 trail camera images. Good to see the hedgehogs still active, fox out most nights but the bad news is seeing a rat having taken over mouse cam. Not sure how to play this yet as do not want to poison the mice. Hopefully the local cats will soon pounce.
Looking forward to getting out into the garden tomorrow, need to rake up a few leaves.

Sunday 13th November 2016

A stunning day, a complete contrast to yesterday.
Mild and sunny most of the day.
Ideal weather to appreciate the beauty of Burnham Beeches. Enjoyed a good walk here with Cath and Steve (Lavers). Could not believe it was two years ago we last met up for a walk. This was a first for Cath and Steve at the Beeches and they were not disappointed. The colours, the duck life on the lakes and the numbers of dragonflies also on the lakes. It really was a walk of beauty.
Finished the day with a roast at the Emperor just a few minutes away from the Beeches.
Better unpack the cases tomorrow!

Saturday 12th November 2016

What a change in weather, drizzle all day from the Lakes to home.
A right miserable drive home.
Left Grasmere at 9.15am, arrived home at 3.30pm which included an hour break so good timing despite the weather.
Clearly been a lot of rain here since being away with garden full of fallen leaves. Just need to check camera images now for any signs of wildlife. A job for another day.

Friday 11th November 2016

A hard frost this morning made worse by thick mist.
The Lakes actually looked dramatic with this layer of mist hanging over the water.
The sun soon appeared and all signs of frost and mist had soon disappeared.
Today a visit to Tarn Hows and a visit to an Art Deco house in Boweness.
Tarn Hows near Hawkshead was another amazing place to visit. Not seen as one of the 'Lakes' but spectacular all the same, the views were stunning with still loads of snow about adding to the atmosphere.
Car parked and off we toodle for a walk, about two miles easy walking. The Tarn was created by one man and man made, not a force of nature. This gentleman loved pine trees and every tree here at the Tarn were planted by him except for the self seeders of course. The walk made more magical by the sighting of a flock of waxwings, nice.
After a drive to Boweness and a welcome lunch at a local cafe bar we then visited Blackwell House famous as an Art Deco house. Quality of work etc know denying was exceptional but does not rock my boat sadly.
Finished the day by a walk around Boweness before the short drive back to the Travellers Rest.
Lamb and veg tonight washed down with some local ale and then coffee with Bob and Catherine with further stories from our period at Reading University.
Has been truly a blast of a holiday covering the Dales and Lakes, sadly home tomorrow.

Pictures 1 - 15 - Tarn Hows.
      "    16 - 18 - Blackwell House.