Any plans for the weekend?

[paul m]

With any luck I shall get up to one of the Dales, looking for orchids and insects.
However, this sounds so bizarre as to be almost tempting: morris-dancing goths and ferret bingo?
Bingo-playing ferrets limber up for Pool Feast! (From Wharfedale Observer)

[paul m]

What with it being hallowe'en with invasions of 'halloween ladybirds' and the like.
Perhaps make some screaming crisps: Mum spooked by 'screaming' Halloween crisp - News - Manchester Evening News

[Tynanatior]

im sck at moment and have school tomorow so my time is taken over

[reninfrance]

My bizarre weelend --hopeing for torrential rain to test the velux we have tried to fix and as a bonus perhaps one tiny toadstool in the garden poseing for a photo!!
So far moderate rain--no leak -- and plans for a 'garden safari' tomorrow.
ren

[goosey]

Originally Posted by reninfrance

So far moderate rain--no leak -- and plans for a 'garden safari' tomorrow.
ren

So far on the Dutch coast - lots of rain, a strong wind and 3 leaks! dripping from the balcony into the living room .

[paul m]

Originally Posted by reninfrance

My bizarre weelend --hopeing for torrential rain to ........So far moderate rain--no leak -- and plans for a 'garden safari' tomorrow.
ren

We've had the rain in the morning and still have the wind but hoping it now stays dry for a few more hours - we're having our annual bonfire (actually we have't had one for three years). Should stress that we're burning seriously damaged construction wood which piled up when our house was partly rebuilt - all of our wildwood goes to the wildlife logpile or is composted.

This will probably be the end of it, not much wood left .... we like a fire at this time of year because several of us have birthdays hereabouts - scorpions of the world united!

[reninfrance]

Oh Paul - I can smell the woodsmoke!!
Chestnuts, toffee apples and Yorkshire Parkin. My daughter (in york) has had some parkin in a tin matureing for the past month.
That feeling of embarrassed anticipation as you struggle the family into parkas, scarves, gloves and wellies whilst issuing severe safety commands into inattentive ears . Following the weak torch beam through piles of damp leaves aware of surrupticious squelchy giggles on parrallel courses, recognising your neighbour at a distance of five inches. Eventually, oh eventually, the ooo's and the aarrhs.
I know we have 'quatorze juillet' but what is the comparison when you have to wait up 'till midnight for vague darkness and you are still sporting your tee-shirt whilst juggling with moule-frites?
I think you have made me a little homesick.

[reninfrance]

Goosey - shall I send you a bucket?
I feel quite responsible as I wished really really hard on your beautiful fairy toadstool for rain to test the window. It must have backfired!!

ren

PS Must try that in summer when the garden dries up.

[paul m]

Well, almost ..... in previous years we had baked potatoes and (vegetarian) sausages .... this year it was pizzas - I've just been persuaded to cook (home-made) pizzas after all these years .... lots of garlic to keep the vampires off, if the bonfire doesn't work .....
PS: we have chestnuts in our woods which vary in usefulness (cookability) enormously from year to year. This year there are lots and ripening but they are very small - hazel sized, or smaller so don't really seem worth the effort cooking.....

Originally Posted by reninfrance

Oh Paul - I can smell the woodsmoke!!
Chestnuts, toffee apples and Yorkshire Parkin. My daughter (in york) has had some parkin in a tin matureing for the past month.
That feeling of embarrassed anticipation as you struggle the family into parkas, scarves, gloves and wellies whilst issuing severe safety commands into inattentive ears . Following the weak torch beam through piles of damp leaves aware of surrupticious squelchy giggles on parrallel courses, recognising your neighbour at a distance of five inches. Eventually, oh eventually, the ooo's and the aarrhs.
I know we have 'quatorze juillet' but what is the comparison when you have to wait up 'till midnight for vague darkness and you are still sporting your tee-shirt whilst juggling with moule-frites?
I think you have made me a little homesick.

[paul m]

Originally Posted by reninfrance

Oh Paul - I can smell the woodsmoke!!
Chestnuts, toffee apples and Yorkshire Parkin. My daughter (in york) has had some parkin in a tin matureing for the past month.
That feeling of embarrassed anticipation as you struggle the family into parkas, scarves, gloves and wellies whilst issuing severe safety commands into inattentive ears . Following the weak torch beam through piles of damp leaves aware of surrupticious squelchy giggles on parrallel ...........I think you have made me a little homesick.

Well, we got our fire: quite small -

... which finished up all our old waste wood .... so will probably be our last.

Also, at your urging, we went to the Fat Cat
(aka the best pub in the world) and my son had parkin with cream!

So all was well!

[ericrovve]

Been out of England too long, as I had to Google 'Parkin', only to find it's a kind of gingerbread, like Mum used to make. I think she may have used treacle (golden syrup), though.

[paul m]

Originally Posted by ericrovve

Been out of England too long, as I had to Google 'Parkin', only to find it's a kind of gingerbread, like Mum used to make. I think she may have used treacle (golden syrup), though.

I nearly got thrown out of the pub for asking what parkin was - ignorant southerner, me!

I was reading that there are moves afoot to give Yorkshire parkin European name protection as a regional speciality: it will be up there with Parmesan and Gorgonzola ......

[reninfrance]

Glad you had a good evening Paul.
I like the idea of parkin having status like Gorganzola - or even Champagne!!
You are right about treacle Eric, but the special ingredient in parkin is oats which when allowed to mature with treacle and spices after baking makes a soft but slightly crunchy texture. It's one of those foods that only seem to eat well at a particular time of year, in this case late autumn and leads comfortably on to buttered pikelets, steamed puddings and eventually mince pies and Christmas cake with cheese.
Enough, very difficult to get treacle here and black treacle is impossible. Even currants are a speciality sold in 250g packets at an exorbitant price!!
The bonfire looked fun, at least we can join in there as our home is heated with a log fire and hot air conduits - super winter warmth and eco friendly too.
As for this weekend I plan to check out the local fields for heron and little egrets which leave the marshland to join the cows around here as the weather gets colder and to take a drive to the marshes after shopping to look for displays of flocking birds at dusk.
ren

[ericrovve]

Ahhh! Mince pies!
But I've a good weekend coming up - tomorrow, anyway - Holding down a couple of young Black Vultures while they have some wing feathers bleached. These birds are either rehabilitated injured birds or zoo born and are put in a roomy cage among the other vultures to acclimatise. They'll be let out later this or next month. We (LPO) let out the first 2 this year a few weeks ago (see blog). Hope to get some good close-ups this time. The re-introduced colony of Griffon Vultures is now well established in the Verdon with occasional summer visits from Egyptians.
(end of show-off)

[reninfrance]

That sounds absolutely amazing.
Please take lots of photos and share them with us.
What an unforgettable experience helping release those Griffin Vultures! A fascinatingset of images.
Ren

[ericrovve]

Been put off till next week Grrrr!

[Feline]

Hi Everyone
I have been away for a while...been studying hard with the Open University. My Course is coming to an end now and I am preparing for my End-of-Course-Assessment. The Course requires us to take photos but due to the very poor weather conditions I have lost a lot of valuable time as I have been unable to go out with my camera. We have had nothing but rain for weeks now and it just doesn't seem to get any better. If the weather allows (I hope..) I shall go out and take some photographs this week-end. Fingers crossed!!!
All that rain is affecting our wooden backdoor. It has expanded and it is very hard to close now. I have to use my weight and my hips to shut it and the first bruises are already showing...I really don't like this weather!

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Feline

Hi Everyone
I have been away for a while...been studying hard with the Open University. My Course is coming to an end now and I am preparing for my End-of-Course-Assessment. The Course requires us to take photos but due to the very poor weather conditions I have lost a lot of valuable time as I have been unable to go out with my camera. We have had nothing but rain for weeks now and it just doesn't seem to get any better. If the weather allows (I hope..) I shall go out and take some photographs this week-end. Fingers crossed!!!
All that rain is affecting our wooden backdoor. It has expanded and it is very hard to close now. I have to use my weight and my hips to shut it and the first bruises are already showing...I really don't like this weather!

Hi Maria, I had wondered where you had got to - and now we know!
It sounds as if you had a lot on your plate - I hope you can get out and get your final images this weekend (if that door lets you )
I haven't got course work or anything like that to do but I haven't been able to get out much lately because of the weather to take pictures and for my wanders and it has been driving me crazy. The only benefit is though, when I would have been out in the national park I have been doing my Christmas shopping instead and I am actually organised for everything to go to England and have sent the first lot of pressies today . Just my lot here to sort now .
Good luck with the assessment, and it's lovely to have you back .

[Feline]

Thank you for the lovely welcome, Shirley...it's nice to be back. I have submitted my End-of-Course Assessment for now but I can still change it until the 10th December, so if I do get the chance to take a few more pictures before then, I can submit my new choice. Until then, I can relax now.
I just hope the weather picks up. I don't mind the cold so much but the constant rain is just too much....

[paul m]

Originally Posted by Feline

..........I just hope the weather picks up. I don't mind the cold so much but the constant rain is just too much....

You picked a fine place to live for someone who doesn't like rain!
Good luck with the assessment. Couldn't you make something of the weather for your photography? What was the study on, by the way?

[Feline]

The study is about 'Creating and Sharing better images' in photography. I know that a good photographer can make the best of any weather conditions but I honestly lack the imagination when I look out of the window and there is yet another downpour and all but grey sky. It wasn't too bad a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the Course when I managed to go out on a few little photoshoots but I would have liked to have done some more. My camera is not water resistant so I have to pack up as soon as it starts to rain.

[paul m]

Originally Posted by paul m

I was reading that there are moves afoot to give Yorkshire parkin European name protection as a regional speciality: it will be up there with Parmesan, Gorgonzola ......

..... and Pizza Margherita - which apparently is now protected and must be made with Mozzarella from southern Italy and Italian tomatoes. There are going to be an awful lot of amended menus over the rest of the world .....