This time of year

Today is cold and sunny, but not windy, which is the sort of day that I really like at this time of year.

This morning I went to the Horticultural Society hut to buy some bird seed and peanuts as it will be closed the next two Sundays. I wished all who were there all the best for Christmas and the New Year.

This is the view of the allotment site from the main roaddscn0207.jpg

with my shed visible on the right hand side and the spire of St. Mary’s, Harrow-on-the-Hill just visible above the tree-line on the left, about one and a half miles away, which I mentioned in this entry back in October.

My plot neighbour Joe, who has the first two plots on the right before mine, was there. We chatted for a while and admired the mimosa tree dscn0197.jpg

that he planted during National Tree Week.

I then cleared the ice from my pond and filled both the seed and peanut bird feedersdscn0203.jpg which they are now using, as I’ve been lucky enough to see during my recent visits.

The roses that I planted recently don’t look much now,

dscn0206.jpg dscn0205.jpg dscn0204.jpg

but just you wait until next summer!

Favourite animals

I would be very surprised if otters and polar bears weren’t on just about everybody’s list of favourite animals.

Luckily for all of us in the UK there are TV programmes about both next week.

An Otter in the Family is on BBC2 Sunday at 6.30pm, concluding the following Sunday at 3.45pm. It tells the tale of Grace, an orphan otter cub, rescued and raised by TV presenter Philippa Forrester.

Polar Bear Week with Nigel Marven is on Five Monday to Wednesday and Friday at 7.15pm. The programme also shows artic foxes, beluga whales, harp seal cubs and caribou.

Have a good weekend!

Christmas cards

I only give, or send, less than twenty Christmas cards to family, friends and others. I bought them today in the local Cancer Research UK shop.

The back of the card packs inform me that All net profit from the sale of this pack is covenanted to Cancer Research UK, and that the cards are produced in the UK.

I shall dispose of the cards that I receive as I did last year by taking part in the excellent Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.

Marking time !

Thankfully after a pretty wet and windy week today has been sunny, although breezy and cool.

I made the most of it this morning and went to plant the three roses that I’d received earlier in the week. My only company whilst doing that was the robin, and a blue tit helping itself to seeds from one of my bird feeders.

Last week I found a wooden chair that had been dumped. I took it home, checked it over, cleaned it up then measured it to see if it would fit in the shed. I’m happy to say that it does, just, and is a lot better than a plastic one!

I noticed that the grass I sowed around the pond is starting to grow. Something obviously uses it as I keep finding a couple of the stones either moved or out on the ground.

That’s about it for the next few months except to walk round the plot a couple of times a week to check that all is okay, top up the bird feeders and keep the pond ice free.

Now where are those seed catalogues!

I didn’t do my usual Thursday entry yesterday as there are no notable wildlife programmes on terrestrial TV next week.

Have a good weekend!

It makes a change

for me to see any noteworthy military visitors landing at RAF Northolt nowadays.

However last week I was at home on Thursday and Friday afternoons and saw aircraft that were of interest both days.

On Thursday I saw, and heard, a very distinctive Piaggio P180 Avanti which proved to be an Italian Air Force one, which have been rather scarce visitors compared to previous years. This is one of my favourite modern aircraft, which is totally unlike any other flying machine both for its looks and engine sound.

Friday I heard the far less familiar sound of what turned out to be a Polish Air Force Antonov An-26. This may prove to be the last one to visit here as the handful that are still in operational use are due to be retired by the end of the year. They have been replaced by a dozen CASA C-295M which have made occasional visits in recent years.

A few weeks ago I finally got a good view of this very smart looking Czech Air Force Airbus A319CJ which has made a few visits during the year. This is a rare type for here with only one other, an Italian Air Force machine, having visited a good few years ago.

The next couple of months tend to see fewer visitors, not helped by the airport closing over Christmas/New Year and often adverse weather, so seeing these cheered me up somewhat tinysmiley.gif, especially in view of what happened on Plot 124 the previous week.

Call me cynical…

Shortly after posting my entry It wasn’t the children ! yesterday I received an email from the school’s head teacher.

He says something rather different to what his colleague told me on Tuesday, and what two plot holders saw happen on the day!

I’m not going to detail what he said but call me cynical as I’m guessing that he doesn’t want to involve Barclays and possibly jeopardise any support that it gives the school.

Anyway he’s made a generous gesture and offered me £50 worth of garden centre tokens.

I’ve accepted, and said that on receipt of them I’ll consider the matter closed.

Spitfire Women

I always treat myself to a non-fiction hardback book for Christmas.

This year it was a really easy choice to make as all the reviews for spitfire-women.jpg have been first-rate.

The excellent Aeroplane Monthly magazine made it Book of the Month in the December issue, rating it five roundels which equals absolutely outstanding.

Real role models – the women pilots of WWII is a very good Philobiblon review.

Although it is an aviation book it is more about the women themselves and, as such, I’m sure will appeal to a much wider readership than just aviation buffs.

I look forward to settling down over the holiday period to read this book, with the help of a cup of tea and some biscuits of course!

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