It’s been another fine week. We’ve had glorious sunshine for most of the week with reasonably tolerable temperatures – it got up to 21o on Friday (almost 70o F) although the wind has made it feel a bit fresher. The bi-fold doors have been swung open and the solar panels are working overtime!
I took Penny out on another Date Day on Monday – we visited the Daventry Recycling Centre with a van-load of rubbish. I know – what a guy! No expense spared.
Great news – the swallows (Hirundo rustica) have returned from their winter vacation in South Africa. The first one was spotted about 10 days ago, and now they’re all around us again, swooping and diving across the sky. And, on Friday I spotted our first house martin (Delichon urbicum) admiring the accommodation available at Framington House. It is such a delight when they return year after year after year.
Penny and Jessie have been using the Merlin app over the past couple of weeks and they’ve been busy collecting as many bird songs as possible. Yesterday Penny’s app recorded 27 different species and Jessie list is not far behind. She (Jessie) has always been interested in nature and the Merlin app has got her even more excited. It’s lovely to see.
As well as the return of our swallows, swifts and house martins, the bluebells have been in bloom this week, about a fortnight earlier than “normal.” That pesky climate change! Bad news for those villages which organise teas for the sightseers on the first weekend in May, i.e., May Day Bank Holiday. I fear the bluebells will be largely over by then – they don’t last long!
Thankfully, we did get to enjoy them – we went across to Everdon Stubbs woods on Wednesday afternoon and enjoyed a very pleasant, leisurely stroll amidst the oceans of blue. Gorgeous.
We had a grand day out on Friday – we went across to the village of Swinbrook near Burford to meet up with friends and former colleagues at the Swan Inn. We see the Waltons often but we don’t get to see Dave Headey and his wife Jill quite so frequently so this was a great chance to catch up. And, there was a lot of catching up to do. Always great fun.
The pub is littered with old photos and illustrations of a number of young women. It took me a few moments to recognise that these must be of the Mitford sisters who lived at Asthall Manor just across the road and then in Swinbrook House after Asthall Manor was sold in 1926. Fascinating if wildly dysfunctional family. There was a recent BBC series about the family – Outrageous – which is still available on BBC iPlayer for those who can access that. It’s available elsewhere, I gather, if you’re interested – have a Google.
YCNMIU
I ran across this on Facebook the other day. Yep, you couldn’t make it up.
The Iranian navy, which has been destroyed eight times, closed the Strait of Hormuz again, because the United States for the seventh time won the war that wasn’t a war, so the United States can open the Strait of Hormuz that was open before the not war.
The not war that started to get the uranium that was completely obliterated, so that the Iranians can’t build the nuclear bomb that they weren’t building for the not war that the United States started.
Then the United States which has nuclear weapons threatening to use nuclear weapons to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons because having nuclear weapons is dangerous.
If the United States saw what the United States is doing in the United States, the United States would invade the United States to liberate the United States from the tyranny of the United States.
And finally, the Head Gardener’s hard work continues to reward us with colourful views.
Meanwhile, keep breathing, keep happy, keep smiling, keep exercising, be good, be careful, and keep safe. And, be gentle to wasps and bees – we need all the pollinators we can get. And, hold your loved ones close.
Lots of love to you all,
Greg