Perfect Chick-Lit - for blokes!

A Christmas Feast and other stories by Katie Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Perfect for the Christmas season. OK, so it's chick-lit, not really aimed at the male reader. But the woman who stood next to me at the bookshelves in ASDA said I would enjoy it. And enjoy it I did. A number of short stories that were a delight to read, even for a male reader.

View all my reviews

The Eve before Christmas

We are ready. My sausage rolls turned out pretty good, jumbo size to say the least. It has been a tradition in my family to start Christmas morning with sausage rolls and English mustard. My maternal grandmother would make them, and then my mum and now me.

These are my jumbo sausage rolls. Not particularly uniform in shape but they taste delicious (already eaten the smallest one!)

The gammon joint has been roasted ready for cold meats on Boxing Day. The pigs in blankets are made and the Turkey crown is marinating. Brussel sprouts and Chantenay carrots are prepared together with glazed parsnips. I shall fry the sprouts with water chestnuts, onion and bacon lardons in a little olive oil. This will be complemented with sage and onion stuffing balls and roast potatoes. Followed by Christmas pudding and Devon custard. Stilton cheese and a glass of port. Espresso coffee accompanied with a glass of 18 YO Aberlour single malt.

This will inevitable lead to a period of dozing on the sofa in front of the TV.

Sounds like Christmas....

The Eve before Christmas Eve

It has been a quiet day for me. The eve before Christmas Eve. A time for contemplation. My wife enjoyed her firm's Christmas lunch so I had only to cook for one this evening. Me. My only chore today was to buy Brussel sprouts and Chantenay carrots to complete the ingredients for Christmas lunch. Time then to enjoy some comfort time with our three cats - Bertie, Oliver and Riley. Peace on Earth, at least in my home...

I enjoyed a lunch of boiled eggs and a buttered, fresh baguette, followed by two satsumas - plump and juicy. I listened to the wonderful music of The John Tavener Collection, spiritually uplifting, particularly the track entitled 'The Lamb', performed by the English Chamber Orchestra, the Temple Choir and the Holst Singers. A uniquely significant choral work. Music for Christmas. Music for quiet contemplation.

Presents are wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree. I cannot wait to see my wife's face when she unwraps my gift to her. Something I have wanted to give her for so long. A diamond solitaire ring. Diamonds are forever as we are for each other. You have always shone bright for me, Ros...

So, for now I would like to wish you all peace and joy at this special time of year. May your Christmas be perfect.

A Good Year for Reading

Goodreads is one of the best apps I use. It enables me to keep track of the books I have read, the books I plan to read, what my friends are reading, to receive recommendations and to read reviews.

Goodreads generates interesting statistics ( probably only of interest to me) but for the record:

In 2014 I have so far read 50 books. I know there are others who have read far more but this still counts for a book a week on average. Total pages amounts to 15,563. The longest book I read was 'Nemesis' by Jo Nesbo at 695 pages.

If you enjoy reading why not take a look at https://www.goodreads.com 

"Holy Grail" of rare records sells...

This is a story that will have my brother salivating. A Northern Soul track dubbed the "holy grail" of rare British records sold for more than £14,500 in a frantic auction last night. Collectors crashed the auction website as they tried to enter last-minute bids for the 7in vinyl single "Open the Door to Your Heart" by Darrell Banks. The copy of the 1966 classic surfaced in June.

Thea Gilmore - Book Of Christmas

If like me you are tired of the usual X Factor garbage that fills the airwaves at this time of year, try this spiritually uplifting track from Thea Gilmore: 'Book of Christmas'...

The Missing

I don't get much time for TV at the moment but there are certain programmes that I list in my 'must watch live' calendar. "The Missing' just aired its final (8th) episode tonight on BBC television. For seven episodes I have been totally enthralled. My wife and I have discussed every episode and had our own theories, one of which came close to the truth But no-one could have predicted the outcome of the final episode.

The lead cast in this compelling series are utterly convincing: Julien (TCHEKY KARYO), Emily (FRANCES O’CONNOR) and Tony (JAMES NESBITT). It is difficult to discuss the series without giving away the plot and, ultimately, the outcome.

SPOILER ALERT

During a holiday to the continent, the Hughes’ family car breaks down, forcing them to take an unscheduled stay in a small French town. After taking an evening swim with his father, five-year-old Olly suddenly vanishes, quickly triggering a major search. Written by Jack and Harry Williams, this 2014 thriller takes viewers inside the mind of a man desperate and determined to find his lost son. When the police and even his wife Emily appear resigned to never seeing the child again, Tony refuses to give up, enlisting the help of retired detective Julien Baptiste. Is it now too late, or does hope still remain for an eventual reunion with Oliver?

I hope that this series is broadcast on US TV because it is a spellbinding and compelling programme. Probably one of the best dramas aired by BBC TV in 2014.

Riley - the cat who came to stay

For those of you who follow my blog (thank you) you will have read about our efforts to re-home a cat named Riley, who spent his days mooching around a Sussex village, abandoned, homeless, exposed to inclement weather, fed by a few - occasionally - but very much left to his own devices. My wife Ros and I first encountered Riley when we were holidaying in this remote village. He came to visit us frequently for food. We learned from various 'locals' of his predicament and made a promise that, if no-one would offer him a home - we would. And we did. 52 days ago to be exact. Before the weather here got really bad. Which it has. Occasional sub-zero temperatures already.

Introducing Riley at home has not been easy. We have two residents - Bertie, who is 14½ years old and Oliver who is 13½ years old. Our home is their castle. Intruders not allowed. So, here comes Riley...

And he has lived with us now for 52 days. And he has put on about 2 kilos because he eats like a horse and has bloomed into a very handsome lad, who has a wonderful temperament and tries so hard to avoid spats with Bertie, who as alpha male still treats Riley as an 'intruder'. Oliver, on the other hand, thinks Riley is 'OK' and will sit with him in front of the fire and even touch noses. Bertie's aggressive attitude has mellowed - somewhat - but I still need to keep a watch on him. But things are getting better. For those of you who know animals, as we do, constant love and affection will win through, eventually! Things have mellowed, 'spats' are now infrequent, tolerance is improving, albeit with a level of reluctance - (Bertie?!!) and Christmas is coming.

Riley is now a permanent member of our family. The 'harsh' coat he had when he came to us has blossomed into a soft, silky texture. He has filled out, not only in size but in spirit. He will chase Oliver in play and screech to a halt if he meets Bertie.  They will spit at each other and then slink away. And there is plenty of room to do that. It IS getting better.

Our reward, for Ros and me, is to see a cat who had been abandoned to wander around a village without knowing any real affection, to have captured our hearts. He has become a gentle giant in more ways than one and he is about to enjoy his first Christmas with folk who love him to bits. So, Bertie and Oliver - it's all about sharing, particularly when it comes to Christmas dinner!

The Perils of the Night

Sidney Chambers and The Perils of the Night by James Runcie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The second volume of the Grantchester Mysteries held me spellbound. An evocation of childhood for me, the wonderful pastoral atmosphere that surrounds the gentle Canon Sidney Chambers and the dour Inspector Geordie Keating, has much to remind me of my childhood growing up in a country parish. Runcie's ability to capture the atmosphere of the 50s and 60s with reference to actual events adds to the enjoyment. His description over several pages of a village cricket match held me in suspense, an erudite ball to ball commentary that would have graced the BBC Light programme of my youth. For those who think that the Grantchester series is merely a number of short stories, think on. They are all linked, which adds to the pleasure if you have read 'Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death'. If you haven't then start with that highly recommended volume. There is a dollop of Midsomer Murders here, shades of Morse that would delight Colin Dexter, particularly in "Appointment in Berlin", and the beguiling romance between Sidney and Hildegard. As Country Life said: "Totally English, beautifully written, perfectly in period and wryly funny". I loved this book.

View all my reviews

One law for rich and another for poor

Sir John Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice, says 'one law for rich and another for poor' as he tells court penalty imposed on Philip Edward Day should not still be outstanding.

The country's most senior judge has criticised the fact a tycoon's £450,000 fine for damage caused to ancient Cumbrian woodland has not yet been paid. Sir John Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice, said the penalty imposed on multi-millionaire Philip Edward Day should not still be outstanding.

"It seems to me there is one law for the rich and another for the poor," he told London's Appeal Court. The judge made his comments after he discovered that the money had not been paid within a 112-day time limit.

Mr Day, 48, who is originally from Stockport, owns the Edinburgh Woollen Mill chain and is estimated to be worth around £300 million.

He was fined £450,000 and ordered to pay the £457,000 costs of his prosecution at Carlisle Crown Court in August last year. And all of this? To improve access for pheasant shooting!

Read more here about the arrogance of Day and his attorneys: 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11276110/Judge-criticises-multi-millionaire-tycoon-over-unpaid-fine-for-illegally-felling-trees.html 

Cuckoo Clocking

A cuckoo named after the BBC wildlife presenter Chris Packham has clocked up 60,000 miles of air travel between the UK and Africa. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has tagged a number of cuckoos with satellite-tracking devices to learn about migration patterns. Here is how some of them have fared:

Chris Class of 2011

Status: Active

Chris has made seven trips between the UK and Africa, visiting 22 countries and is currently in the Congo rainforest.

Lyster Class of 2011

Status: Inactive - missing presumed dead

Lyster was last traced to barren desert in Mauritania in 2012 on his second journey from Norfolk to Africa.

Clement Class of 2011

Status: inactive - deceased

Clement made it to his wintering grounds, travelling via Spain, but died in Cameroon on the return journey to Britain in 2012.

Hennah Class of 2014

Status: Active

Hennah was tagged in the New Forest, Hampshire in May this year. She left the UK in June and was tracked in the Central African Republic in October.

Dudley Class of 2014

Status: Active

Tagged in Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire this year, Dudley's transmitter indicated in July that he had cut across to Niger from his location in Spain.

Paco de Lucia - Entre dos aguas (1976) full video

Following on from my earlier post, here is the young Paco playing Entre dos aguas. Stunning dexterity brings me out in goose-bumps every time.

Paco de Lucía - En Vivo

I have always loved the artistry of Paco de Lucía, the flamenco guitar god par excellence. I first heard his playing on a holiday to Spain in 1975; the wonderful album entitled 'Fuente y Caudal' that contains the classic track 'Entre Dos Aguas'. It was this track more than any that endeared me to his virtuosity.

I recently purchased 'En Vivo Conciertos Live In Spain 2010'. This two-CD set is culled from his 2010 Spanish tour.  De Lucía performs extended variations of eight of his compositions (almost every track surpasses the ten-minute mark) together with his new band of guitarist Antonio Sánchez, bassist Alain Pérez, singers David de Jacoba, harmonica player Antonio Serrano, and dancer Farru, all eminently up to de Lucía's notoriously high standards.

It was therefore with considerable sadness that I learned, only today, that Paco de Lucía died on 25th February this year, aged just 66. I had no idea. He retained his prodigious dexterity to the end.

If you love flamenco music give this artist a listen. Such a shame that he died so young...

Plebgate and Mitchell

Andrew Mitchell, the Tory MP and former cabinet minister at the centre of the Plebgate row lost his high court libel trial today in a ruling which sees him facing a legal bill of millions of pounds and leaves his political career in tatters.

Outside the court, Mitchell told reporters he was bitterly disappointed with the ruling and that it had been “a miserable two years” for him, but that he now hoped to move on with his life.

Well, Mr Mitchell, I expect it has been a ‘miserable two years’ for PC Toby Rowland, who was only doing his job when you attacked him with a tirade of verbal abuse.

Mr Justice Mitting described the MP’s behaviour as “childish” and found his version of events was inconsistent with the CCTV recording from that evening.

How wonderful to see another Tory grandee given his comeuppance by a High Court judge and to see PC Toby Rowland exonerated.

I know who’s story I believe.....

Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chick-lit? Romantic? Certainly. And as a male reader I am not embarrassed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this Rosie Hopkins delight. I became totally immersed with the wonderful location of Lipton, the characters - Rosie, Stephen, Lilian, Hetty, Mrs Laird, Dr Moray - love them all in this fabulous, witty love story that was a joy to read. OK, I am a romantic but this book certainly sailed my boat. Perfect fodder for the run up to Christmas. Sit back with a glass of your favourite in front of the fire and simply enjoy.

View all my reviews

It's Great in Grantchester

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite so many poor reviews on Goodreads I thoroughly enjoyed this first book of the Grantchester series with its delightful, pastoral atmosphere. Full of charm and old fashioned values and set in a period before computers, tablets and mobile 'phones. Very well researched to provide an authentic 50s setting. What's not to like?

View all my reviews

The Endless River

I have been a fan of the prog-rock band Pink Floyd for 42 years ever since I purchased on vinyl in 1972 their seminal work ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, an album I still play today. Like so many PF fans I anguished over the loss of Syd Barrett, the breakdown of the relationship between Roger Waters and the rest of the group, which was terrible, and the sad death of Rick Wright who died of cancer in 2008. And despite all of this I have remained enchanted with this band for over more than four decades. I will continue to play their music that still fills me with a sense of wonder.

 There is a kind of poetry to the fact that with Waters long gone, the new album The Endless River - Pink Floyd’s first studio outing in two decades - is a tribute to Rick Wright. For me, this is a cathartic work - the sum is greater than the parts. It packs a great deal into 53 minutes. The album features Wright heavily. He was back on board for 1994’s The Division Bell and it is from the sessions for that album that the material for this one has been taken. Fans of PF will recognize Wright’s keyboard magic, Mason’s tight drum playing and, above all, the emotional guitar of Gilmour, which at times cries out and brings tears to your eyes. The track ‘It’s What We Do’ comes across like a quiet composite of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’. I listen with a lump in my throat. Nick Mason works up a fast tattoo on the track ‘Skins”, two minutes of echo and atmospherics that leaves me breathless. Stephen Hawking reprises his talk about language that he did on The Division Bell - ‘keep talking’. I am moved once again by these words.

 The closing track ‘Louder Than Words‘ has lyrics written by Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson. It’s about bitching and fighting, making up and carrying on. Quite fitting for this band that has had its fair share of conflict and turbulence.

 Nick Mason and David Gilmour have said that this will be Pink Floyd’s last. I have already played this album six times and I am full of emotion. This is it. This is the final cut, Roger, not yours.

The words of Matthew Arnold in his epic poem ‘Dover Beach’ echo through my mind:

 ‘I feel the melancholy roar of the withdrawing tide...’

 Withdraw you might Pink Floyd but your music will live on. For me - forever....

The Imitation Game

This is one film I am determined to see at the cinema and have booked tickets for Ros and me for a performance on Sunday at Cineworld, Brighton.

The film (sorry US readers - movie) is a nail-biting race against time following Alan Turing (pioneer of modern-day computing and credited with cracking the German Enigma code) and his brilliant team at Britain's top-secret code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. Turing, whose contributions and genius significantly shortened the war, saving thousands of lives, was the eventual victim of an unenlightened British establishment, but his work and legacy live on.

The cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Beard, Matthew Goode and Allen Leech.

This Boy by Alan Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT
In this his first book, Johnson vividly invokes his childhood, the early loss of his mother, and being brought up largely by his elder sister in the Rachman slums of north Kensington. Reading this deeply moving book I found it sometimes difficult to reconcile that Johnson grew up in much the same era as me (i am four years his senior) given the poverty and squalor that he lived in. His mother Lily’s life was a constant struggle against loneliness, grinding poverty and poor health, having married the feckless, ne’er-do-well Steve. She died, aged 42, leaving Alan and Linda, aged 13 and 16, to fend for themselves. Johnson’s sister Linda is the real hero of the story. Resisting attempts to take them into care, she succeeded in persuading the local authority to find them a council flat in Battersea and held the fort until Alan was old enough to make his way in the world.
Given his start in life Alan Johnson could have been forgiven had he turned into an angry, bitter class-warrior instead of the affable, sensible, laid-back politician that he was to become.
If you grew up in much the same era you will find this book riveting.

View all my reviews

Wonderful Waterstones

My favourite emporium in Brighton is the bookseller Waterstones. If I am in town I am compelled to visit, I cannot walk past the place. It is a magnet that draws me in and it is futile to believe I won't buy at least one book, which will be added to the list of at least forty or more I have at home waiting to be read. To date this year I have read forty-five books so I have almost a year's worth of reading material stacked away upstairs. Will I ever catch up I wonder?

It is that time of year when Waterstones unveil their eight contenders for Waterstones' Book of the Year, with titles nominated by the chain's UK stores. The winner will be announced next month from the following:

• Everyday Sexism Laura Bates Simon & Schuster
• The Miniaturist Jessie Burton Picador
• The Narrow Road To The Deep North Richard Flanagan Chatto & Windus
• Persiana: Recipes From The Middle East & Beyond Sabrina Ghayour Mitchell Beazley
• Once Upon An Alphabet Oliver Jeffers HarperCollins Children's Books
• The Opposite Of Loneliness: Essays And Stories Marina Keegan Simon & Schuster
• H Is For Hawk Helen Macdonald Jonathan Cape (This gets my vote)
• Capital In The Twenty-First Century Thomas Piketty Harvard University Press

I would like to have seen This Boy by Alan Johnson amongst the nominations but I will Take H Is For Hawk as my favourite.

The Brighton beautiful light extravaganza

MOTHER Nature has once again laid on a spectacular light and sound show.

The sky was illuminated with multiple bolts of lightning, crackling with electricity – and then came the crashing of thunderstorms over southern England.  The dramatic images show the impact of the unsettled weather on the South Coast on Sunday evening.

Warm winds brought in the lightning, thunder and sheets of driving rain along with the dark, foreboding skies.

The ruins of Brighton’s West Pier were eerily framed by two large fingers of lightning, while the night sky was split in half above the Isle of Wight by a huge lightning bolt.

And we can expect to be lit up by more powerful lightning strikes again over the coming days....

H is for Hawk

Helen Macdonald was announced last night as the winner of the UK's most prestigious prize for non-fiction books. Her memoir H is for Hawk, described by the judging panel as "a book like no other", was awarded the 2014 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction. It is on my book-list as next to read.

‘In real life, goshawks resemble sparrowhawks the way leopards resemble housecats. Bigger, yes. But bulkier, bloodier, deadlier, scarier, and much, much harder to see. Birds of deep woodland, not gardens, they’re the birdwatchers’ dark grail.’

As a child Helen Macdonald was determined to become a falconer. She learned the arcane terminology and read all the classic books, including T. H. White’s tortured masterpiece, The Goshawk, which describes White’s struggle to train a hawk as a spiritual contest.

When her father dies and she is knocked sideways by grief, she becomes obsessed with the idea of training her own goshawk. She buys Mabel for £800 on a Scottish quayside and takes her home to Cambridge. Then she fills the freezer with hawk food and unplugs the phone, ready to embark on the long, strange business of trying to train this wildest of animals.

‘To train a hawk you must watch it like a hawk, and so gain the ability to predict what it will do next. Eventually you don’t see the hawk’s body language at all. You seem to feel what it feels. The hawk’s apprehension becomes your own. As the days passed and I put myself in the hawk’s wild mind to tame her, my humanity was burning away.’

Destined to be a classic of nature writing, H is for Hawk is a record of a spiritual journey - an unflinchingly honest account of Macdonald's struggle with grief during the difficult process of the hawk's taming and her own untaming. At the same time, it's a kaleidoscopic biography of the brilliant and troubled novelist T. H. White, best known for The Once and Future King. It's a book about memory, nature and nation, and how it might be possible to try to reconcile death with life and love.

A Week In Paris

A Week in Paris by Rachel Hore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having looked at other reviews on Goodreads of Rachel Hore's 'A Week In Paris' it appears that most readers are female. I trust that I am not alone as a male reader because I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling story, set in the years between 1937 and 1961 and located mainly in Paris, a city I love and know so many of the places featured, although in these pages darkened by the Nazi Occupation during the 2nd World War. A well developed plot, comprehensively researched, with wonderful characterisation, had me hooked. A heartwarming tale of war, secrets, family and enduring love. Yes, I loved it.

View all my reviews

Here You Come Again

Heard this again today on BBC Radio 2. Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton. Every time I hear this it takes me right back to a night in 1978...

I was on a business trip to St. Louis, MO and Ros came with me. We had flown into New York on the Laker 'Skytrain', spent a couple of nights and then continued our journey to St. Louis on either Ozark or Eastern (memory a little grey here!).

On the night in question we had enjoyed dinner with some American friends and finished up, late, in 'The Roaring Forties' bar in West County. We were drinking Budweiser I recall and I was playing a pinball machine when I heard raised voices at the bar. A guy built like a bear and wearing a stetson was telling Ros that the Marlboro cigarettes on the bar were his and Ros was insisting that they were mine (go Ros!). The dude remained polite but insisted they were his. I turned away from the pinball machine, pulled my cigs from my pocket and waived them at Ros! Profound apologies followed. The guy just shrugged and said: "It's OK, you're English" !!

 
And whilst this was going on, Dolly was in full voice over the music system in the bar with 'Here You Come Again' !!

I love America, I have some great American friends, I love Dolly and I remember with great affection 'The Roaring Forties' bar in St. Louis, MO and the dude in the stetson... And 'Here You Come Again' is one of my all-time favourites...

Here You Come Again

The official music video for "Here You Come Again" from the recent release, "Dolly: Live From London."

WWW.YOUTUBE.COM

Like

Claxton: Field Notes from a Small Planet

In Mark Cocker’s new book, we see a return to his roots - the chronicling of life in a small and apparently unremarkable piece of countryside.The short essays in ‘Claxton’ were originally written for a variety of publications, notably ‘The Guardian’. Of these pieces, 140 have been assembled here (and some rewritten) to present a natural diary of the author’s home village and its surroundings.

These essays are not confined exclusively to the ‘home patch’. Here the net of experience is cast more widely, reaching Derbyshire, Cornwall, Scotland and even the desert fringe of Morocco. Even when away, though, one senses the presence of home and sudden connections with what has been left behind. The essay on Morocco finishes with an encounter with migrant Chiffchaffs, birds which, notes Cocker, will soon be “singing from the treetops in Claxton”. It is as though one has been jerked back home by a piece of elastic.

‘Claxton’ transcends mere natural history identification and recording, articulating the author’s aesthetic as well as scientific responses to his surroundings. And there is more here too. Some essays, such as those on the persecution of our native raptors and the (now shelved) plans to reintroduce White-tailed Eagles to East Anglia, are much more political in their stance. The overall result, therefore, is a well-balanced mix of art, science and advocacy.

This is, above all, a lyric and literary rather than a documentary endeavour. As we have come to expect from Cocker, this is beautifully-sculpted, elegant prose, clean and precise, never over-done.

I loved it.

Bewick's Swan Numbers show alarming crash

The UK's smallest and rarest swan has suffered an "alarming crash in numbers", the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust has said. The Slimbridge-based charity said more than a third of Bewick's swans have disappeared since 1995, when the total population peaked at 29,000. The latest figures show that, by 2010, there were just 18,000 left.

Scientists believe illegal hunting, power lines and lead poisoning have contributed to the drop in numbers. The charity said it feared the next census, due this winter, would reveal a "further, more worrying decline" in population.

In some winters, the Ouse Washes spanning Norfolk and Cambridgeshire receives 33% of the northwest European Bewick's swan population. Head of UK waterbird conservation Eileen Rees said swans were not producing enough offspring to replace the ones that have died over the year.

"We have two possible solutions - to find out and address what's hampering breeding, and to reduce the number of preventable deaths along their migration route," she added. "We have a plan in place to do both, and much work is underway already, but we need to do it all if we're to change the fortune of our wildest and most beautiful swan."

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust started studying Bewick's swans 50 years ago and it has now recorded in detail the lives of nearly 10,000 individual swans. The charity is currently working on the Bewick's Swan International Action Plan, which aims to stabilise the population.

Bewick's swans breed in the cold Arctic tundra of northern Russia. The western population winters in northern Europe, including the British Isles, while the eastern population heads towards China and Japan for the winter season.

Bewick's are a subspecies of the tundra swan and the smallest swan in Europe.

Mass Raptor Poisoning

Allen Lambert worked as a gamekeeper on the Stody estate in north Norfolk. On 1 October 2014, he appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court and was found guilty of two charges relating to the killing of 10 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk on the estate and possession of pesticides and other items capable of being used to prepare poison baits.

A key part of the case for the defence was the idea that the number of dead Buzzards found was too high to have been achieved through illegal poisoning in one area and that the carcasses must therefore have been ‘planted’ on Mr Lambert. When the experts were consulted, however, BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) quickly provided the robust evidence that refutes this claim.

Counts of Buzzards in north Norfolk from the same time period as the crimes took place (March–April) were extracted from BirdTrack and mapped.

On the map orange dots represent counts of 10–14, red dots 15–20. These counts were logged by birdwatchers (I submit sightings to Birdtrack) during their day-to-day birding. Who could have foreseen that the simple action of recording sightings in BirdTrack would realise the immense value of such ‘normal’ observations in this way?

As well as proving beyond doubt that double-figure counts of Buzzards are a regular occurrence in Norfolk these days, data collected by BTO volunteers was used in court to highlight the recent population increase and range expansion of Buzzard. Data from Bird Atlas 2007–11 and the Norfolk Bird Atlas were used to show the eastward spread and increasing population density since the previous breeding atlas in 1988–91, while CBC/BBS data spanning 5 decades helped emphasise the recent, dramatic population increase.

It's not unusual for birdwatchers' records, provided impartially, to find valuable applications like this, though it's the first time that BirdTrack data have been utilised in such a case. Fantastic!

Riley - Trials and Tribulations

It's day 4. We are constantly on the alert. Introducing a 2 year old cat into an environment dominated by two 'senior citizens' is not easy. The tension sometimes is palpable. We have installed Feliway plug-in diffusers in those rooms most frequented by our cats. The atmosphere should be saturated with pheromones by now. Indeed, Riley, the new introduction, is now so laid back he managed to perform a major 'stretch' on his favourite bed atop the pouffe, and performed a backward somersault and fell off. He quickly regained his perch with a rather indignant look.

So, there we were this evening, watching football on the TV, with three cats, all in the same room, watching each other, with Ros and me on constant alert to intervene at the first sign of "I'm 'avin' you!" But it didn't happen. Perhaps the pheromones have kicked in. I certainly hope so. But I am on a constant state of alert. Shenanigans will not be tolerated. Try telling 'Bertie' that!

But for all this, Riley is now home in our cosy, dry, warm environment, clears every bowl of food presented to him and sleeps like - well - a baby. I have never known a cat to sleep so soundly.

And on that note, it's time for me to get some sleep too. A cat-nap would be appropriate...

Birders: Tales of a Tribe

Since 1972 Mark Cocker has been a member of a community of obsessional people, almost all male, who sacrifice most of their spare time, a good deal of money, sometimes their chances of a partner or family, even occasionally their lives, to watch birds.

As a keen birder I thoroughly enjoyed BIRDERS: TALES OF A TRIBE even though it was published 13 years ago. Cocker's anecdotal approach to what makes a "twitcher" is perfect, some extremely funny. Above all BIRDERS is the story of a community, of its characters (many of those mentioned now dead), its rules, its equipment (this section actually prompted me to buy some Alwych notebooks) and its adventures. A wonderful examination of what makes birders tick.

iOS Yosemite

OK - I took the plunge today and downloaded, installed and restarted iOS Yosemite on my MacBook Air. It took just short of 11 hours to complete the process. I only hope it will prove to be worthwhile.

Phew!

Good Friday for Riley

It's Good Friday for us. Riley is now home at Catnip Cottage. I could see that André was sad to see him go but he agrees that this is the best possible outcome for Riley. There was a little crying on the journey home, it must be bewildering for him. But he has now polished off a bowl of food and has settled down on the sofa next to Ros.

There was an initial spat with Bertie - to be expected, so we will keep them apart for a while. Oliver appears not to be bothered.

We will get there....

More on Riley

I visited 'the village' again yesterday and finally learned the true background to the plight of Riley. I saw first hand where a local resident had provided a cardboard box lined with a towel in his narrow porch, open to the elements, that Riley had slept in until the wind driven rain had reduced it to a sodden mess. I learned the true account of the so called 'owners' who are beneath my contempt. I reaffirmed my promise to re-home Riley, to provide him with a loving home, a permanent home away from the elements, a home where he will receive all the attention he needs, where his welfare will come first along with our other two cats. I know that Riley is just one cat amongst thousands that need a home. We cannot help them all. We can help Riley. And we will - this Friday. All the locals who have fed Riley on occasion want Ros and me to home him. I have heard all the reasons why those who have fed him cannot take him in. Well, we will. To all the nay-sayers your nay-saying is noted. But it makes no difference. We are going to take Riley and provide him with the home that he so desperately needs. That's it. End of.

Eastbourne Beer Festival

It comes round once a year in October and this was my fifth year of attendance. Eastbourne is renowned to be something of a sun-trap and this year was no exception, although the skies did 'open up' for a while as I left the station for the 20 minute walk to the venue at the Winter Gardens. But the skies soon cleared and we were bathed in sunshine for most of the remains of the day.

The Harvey's brewery horse drawn dray was parked outside.

My brother joined me once again for one of the year's really pleasant interludes: sampling from a huge selection of real ales, ciders and perry, enjoying typical pub grub and some splendid entertainment from the Long Man Morris Dancers and The Wakin' Snakes - a very talented band playing blue-grass and folk music.

Long Man

Wakin' Snakes

The entry ticket entitles you to a free Festival glass - well, it would be difficult without one! For the record the following is the list of the beers I tried (only a half-pint each!):

Cromarty Brewery Kowabunga 4.6% ABV

Hook Norton Oxfordshire Brewery Old Hooky 4.6% ABV

Purity Warwickshire Brewery Mad Goose 4.2% ABV

Rudgate York Brewery Battleaxe 4.2% ABV

Phoenix Manchester Brewery Wobbly Bob 6.0% (my favourite, an amber beer with a malty, fruity aroma)

Rectory Hassocks Sussex Brewery Rector's Revenge 5.0% ABV (and which some wag had renamed Rectum's Revenge!)

Thornbridge Derbyshire Brewery Jaipur IPA 5.9% ABV

My brother enjoyed himself; we always have a great laugh when we get together.

And he took a candid shot of me perusing the Tasting Notes.

All in all, it was a most enjoyable day....

Preoccupied...

Had a wonderful day yesterday at the Eastbourne Beer Festival and I will be posting about this tomorrow. Just have not had time today...

On The Subject of Parisian Cafés...

I have no idea how many cafés there are in Paris. Certainly I have visited a great many over the years. So here is another one that you should certainly earmark for a coffee next time you visit the eternal city: Café Au Petit Fer à Cheval.

 

It is situated at 30 rue Vieille-du-Temple in the Marais, the oldest part of Paris, with its opulent palaces and mansions that date back to the time of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. While tourists flock here for culture and chic shopping, locals know the Marais more as the city's prime gay neighbourhood. Au Petit Fer à Cheval - the Horse Shoe Bar - is a friendly, cosmopolitan locale that attracts a stylish clientele, and the couple of tables out on the pavement are desperately sought out as the rue Vieille-du-Temple is the Marais' main thoroughfare. Just opposite the bar, check out La Belle Hortense, a bookshop that doubles as a winebar.

Existentialism in Paris

I have almost completed reading Tête-à-Tête, a weighty tome by Hazel Rowley about the lives and loves of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. It has been a constant reminder of why I love Paris, its broad boulevards, Montmartre, Saint Germain, the Isle-de-la-Cité, the atmosphere and above all, the cafés. Sartre and de Beauvoir were passionate, free-thinking Existentialist philosopher-writers and had a committed but notoriously open union that generated no end of controversy. They would hold court in Paris cafés in the mid-20th century - in particular Café de Flore and Café Les Deux Magots. 

Ros and I visited the latter on our last trip to Paris, after which I posted a review on Trip Advisor. For what its worth, here is my review: 

"So many trips to Paris, so many unfulfilled promises to myself, Les Deux Magots was on my must visit list along with Alice's Restaurant in Malibu, CA. I had read about the pre-war tense atmosphere here when such luminaries as Jean Paul Sarte, Simone de Beauvoir and Ernest Hemingway patronised the establishment. My wife and I finally got to experience the atmosphere of Les Deux Magots in the evening of 30th November. We walked along the vibrant Boulevard Saint Germain toward the cafe rubbing shoulders with Parisians and tourists alike. The cafe terrace draws you like a magnet, brightly illuminated, all ouside tables occupied, even though this was a chill November evening. With some romantic inclination and high anticipation I was expecting to walk into the pages of an Alan Furst novel....
We had made a reservation (only possible by 'phone) and pushed our way in through the revolving door. The attractive receptionist looked up as I approached her console. "J'espère que j'ai une réservation" I uttered. Her smile was enchanting. "Peux j'avoir votre nom monsieur?" she purred. I gave it and she picked up our reservation card from the desk. I looked around, gazed at the two Asian statues adorning the central pillar, saw people in animated conversation, waiters dressed in traditional attire, red leather seats and banquettes. First impressions met expectations...
We were shown to our table and presented with menus by a waiter with a sparkle in his eyes. "Quelque chose a boire ?" he asked. €17.00 later two Kronenbourg beers arrived. Just as well that I had a considerable sum in my wallet, I thought...
We started with Crème de légumes maison, a fabulous rich soup served with a dollop of sour cream and crusty French baguette. €10.50, pricey by any standard. My wife decided on Saumon d' Ecosse grillé sur la peau, courgettes à la menthe as a main course at €24.00 and I ordered Filet de bar de pêche grillé, légumes sautés at €30.00. At these prices this had better be good I muttered. Good, yes, outstanding? No. But the wonderful, crisp, chilled glass of Pouilly Fumé was delicious; €8.50 per glass. The crowning glory was dessert - Crème brûlée à la vanille, amazing creamy base with a crunchy caramel topping that really hit the spot. €9.50. The final touch was espresso cofee (€4.00) and a glass of Henessy cognac. For the price of two glasses, €29.00, I could have purchased a full bottle at home...
So, there you have it. Great atmosphere, excellent service and a bill of €148.00. The waiter shook hands with me and was effusive with thanks as I left a €12.00 tip...
Is any meal really worth that much? Probably not. Would I do it again? Probably not. Did my wife and I enjoy the experience? Damn right we did!
And a nod to Alan Furst as we reluctantly departed and headed back to our hotel..."

Tête-à-Tête

'Tête-à-Tête, the Lives and Loves of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre' is an engrossing read. I'm about half way through. I learned that Beauvoir had a secret tryst with Jacques-Laurent Bost in 1940 at the Hotel Poirier in the Place Emile Goudeau in Montmartre. 'They loved the square, with its chestnut trees, cast-iron fountain, and rundown artist studios (including Picasso's)'.

Wait a minute, I recognised the description. The Poirier is now the Timhotel, Montmartre where Ros and I have spent two wonderful city breaks in Paris. And yes, the cobbled square hasn't changed, the chestnut trees and cast-iron fountain is still there as is Picasso's studio.

I feel as though I have entered a moment in history...

The Timhotel in Place Emile Goudeau, Montmartre - complete with chestnut trees and cast-iron fountain

Like

The Life of Riley

The 'life of Riley' should mean a happy life without problems or worries. It is not a euphemism for the life of Riley the cat. And so, to say that the most recent development in the tale of Riley has left me somewhat bemused is something of an understatement.

I received a 'phone call over the weekend from André, the individual who first brought the plight of Riley to my attention. Recent communications from him had indicated that Riley was cared for by the locals, contrary to what he told me at our meetings when I was on holiday in the village. Imagine therefore the confusion caused when he told me that, having canvassed opinion from other locals including the lass who works in the pub and who feeds Riley occasionally, they felt that it would be better for Riley if I re-homed him. I am meeting with André and others on the 14th October when a decision will be made.

I have explained that I do have certain reservations, not the least of which is that I would be 'stealing' Riley. How exactly would we achieve the 'lift' with locals unavoidably looking on? I further stated that if this is going to happen then I will return by car with Ros and a cat carrier. The journey takes at least 1½ hours, stressful to say the least, and Ros would sit in the back of the car, with Riley next to her, and talk quietly to him during the journey.

When I related my conversation with André to my wife she said: "Don't let your heart rule your head". I told her that when it comes to the welfare of a cat my heart will always rule my head. So be it. Another chapter in the life of Riley and one that I hope leads to a successful conclusion for Riley.

I would love to give him a permanent home. I just hope my two other cats will be so obliging...



 

Riley - volte-face

For those of you who have followed the tale of Riley - the cat who lives in Rye Harbour village - and my intention to re-home him, I received the following email from the person who led me to believe that Riley had been abandoned and left to his own fate. It has completely taken me aback as it is a complete turnaround from what I had been led to believe. I will be meeting with André on the 14th October to discuss the situation further. It has left me completely deflated, although if the content of the email is true then I have to accept that Riley will be happier in the environment that he knows, roaming as a free spirit. I will still have questions about the permanence of shelter for him when the weather gets colder. The following is the email I received:

Hi Mike, sorry to not have responded sooner, just lots of things to take care of recently.

At the moment I can tell you that Riley is well and he does seem untroubled by his life here. He is fed by the girls at the pub, and I understand he goes home at night for his dinner.

A Hungarian visitor at Harbour Lights mentioned his arrival and gave him milk and I found someone else giving him milk who lives on the other side of the pub. It seems Riley knows his way in through the window and makes himself at home there too with the owners blessing, as he seems to do wherever he goes.

I think he has the same nature as the other tabby Bengali that lived at the back of me, who was in every house and garden in the near locality. He often spent hours here and at my neighbours.

If I thought for a moment anything were untoward, I would be in touch straight away. I can only say he seems well and not at all bothered as he is always relaxed, never nervous or worried.

I don’t actually know the name or the person who owns him, and I feel you would get a negative response, as all the feedback says she doesn’t want to give him away.

I have to remind myself that the lady in question did post a “cat missing” message on the local Rye vets website, but in fact he was at the pub most of the time, where the fresh fish was plentiful.

I certainly would be in tune with you and Ros adopting him if I felt he were in any way at all compromised by his life here, as I know your feelings. As you quite rightly say he is not my responsibility, but several people, including myself, have always looked  out for him, ever since he made his presence felt.

My reservations are calculated. If you were to approach the owner with your name and address as a potential home, I am sure you’d get a refusal.  Should the hypothetical situation arise that he appeared less well and cared for in the near future, and then as it were, I were to inform you, and he disappeared, it may be obvious what has occurred.

I have purposefully not made myself known to the owner in case Riley ever needed cat-napping at some future point. Also I am concerned now, that I feel I may have painted a bleaker picture than is the reality; he is at the moment doing well roaming around all the loving locals who he treats as a cat stop on his travels.  

He does seem such a free spirit, and believe me if I thought there was something wrong I would be in touch immediately. I did initially feel that he needed a home, I feel the reality is that this was the natural conclusion of a cat lover who finds cats on their doorstep, freely feeding, curling up and going to sleep. He just seems at home wherever he finds a cat lover, willing to provide saucers of milk and bowls of food. He does the same here, which is why I wondered if he had a home. The reality is, he does, and just uses it as he pleases.

Obviously it’s not for me to say what you might do to satisfy any inferred concerns. But if you were to meet the owner (sister of owner) she would tell you he comes home every night gets fed and goes off on his rounds again. This is the local feedback. She may even wonder why there should be any concern for him. As I have said already, I have purposely not approached sister of owner, I haven’t tried to find out a name; it’s a small village, news and gossip travels quickly, and I thought it counter productive for any future plans.

I can only repeat that currently Riley is fine, and I am a bit concerned about transmitting what may well be an overreaction about a cat with a roaming spirit  to you and Ros.  

I am more than happy to have a pint and a chat should you feel you wanted to visit.

Best wishes  André

New Airport Plan Ditched

It is very welcome news that a new airport will not be built in the Thames Estuary. The decision is a victory for common sense and I hope that the decision by the Airports Commission will draw a line under any more similar proposals. Any attempt to build in the estuary, despite what Boris Johnson would have you believe, would be disastrous.

Is it not a fact that any expansion in aviation capacity may lead to the UK breaching limits on carbon emissions?

Rye Harbour Village and Nature Reserve

Rye Harbour village figures a lot in my current jottings, for reasons those of you who read my blog will know. Rye Harbour is a village located on the East Sussex coast in southeast England near the estuary of the River Rother: it is part of the civil parish of Icklesham and is located some two miles downstream of the town of Rye. The village has a large car park, two pubs, a shop, a café and a gallery and tea room. The Rye lifeboat is stationed here.

The RNLI Lifeboat Station

Having recently holidayed here with my wife Ros, met Riley - the cat we want to adopt - enjoyed the hospitality of the William the Conquerer public house, Rye Harbour village is a place I could happily relocate to.

View of the village from the nature reserve

The village is 200 years old, having been built on an extension of the shingle beaches, progressively deposited by the sea over the last 800 years.

The Rye Harbour Nature Reserve was established nearby in 1970 and it now offers special wildlife experiences to 200,000 visitors a year. It has national and international designations and is home to more than 150 rare or endangered species.

The vast expanse of shingle that borders part of the NR

Moorings on the River Rother

The area is vast, rugged and wild to a great extent. A wonderful place for those with an adventurous spirit. For those of us who never really grow old....

And I cannot resist another 'look' at our holiday cottage 'Harbour Lights'...

Tenterden - a Jewel in Kent's Crown

Remiss of me not to have posted much of late; I am somewhat preoccupied with concern for Riley, the homeless cat in Rye Harbour village - the cat I have offered to re-home - and it's rather complicated. But that's another story.

During our vacation earlier this week we visited the town of Tenterden in Kent. This is one of the most beautiful places I have been to, a town with a broad tree-lined High street that is bordered with a well-tendered area of lawn.  It is good to see a busy town centre which is home to many small boutiques and antique shops, as well as craft shops, book shops and various banks, side by side with larger national retailers.

The town boasts no less than six public houses:

• The Woolpack, next to the Town Hall.
• The White Lion, in the High Street.
• The Vine, in the High Street.
• The William Caxton, in the High Street.
• The Crown, at Ashford Road in St. Michaels.
• The Fat Ox at the corner of Ashford Road and Ox Lane in St. Michaels.

Following are some photos of the wonderful buildings in the High Street: a pictorial tour as it were -