Working at home

Working at home occasionally has many benefits - reduced carbon emissions, less time stuck on trains, plane and automobiles, decent coffee...

One of the things I do like is being able to enjoy my garden when I get up top make a cup of tea. And because my camera tends to be lying around I can take pictures of whatever has come to share it with me. Like these guys.

Conversely, one of the nice things about getting the train to meetings is that I can enjoy the views - but I can't get the photos. Today was a classic example with fields of oilseed rape dotted with poppies. Glorious colour in much appreciated sunshine.

The Solstice is creeping up on us, hidden in swathes of cloud and rain - but today she was out in all her glory. I'm sorry I can't show you but trust me, it was wonderful.

Well wishers may be interested in a new blog started by another member of the village

http://kirbymisperton-wildlife.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Best of times, worst of times

Far from the madding crowd in rural North Yorkshire, one might occasionally be inclined to indulge in the remembrance of times past, and believe life was happier and easier.

However, occasionally we are reminded that a life without modern draniage is an aspect of our glorious history best passed by, preferably with a handkershief pressed firmly to the olfactory organ...

This being North Yorkshire in June, we suffered a bit of a sudden downpour the other day, at which point we found our heroic but antiquated drains yet again unable to cope (do you hear me, Yorkshire Water, do you?) and Main Street took on the appearance of the Nile in flood. (I may have exaggerated a little here, but only for dramatic effect.) 

This does not mean that there are not worthy traditions from a golden age worth preserving, and the roaming fish and chip van is surely one of them. Now sadly seen only rarely in the wild, we are privileged to host a member of the species each week. Lots of lovely traditional English calories to off-set the wretchedness of the drains.

And now it's summer we even get an ice cream van too - provided it can get through the floods!

Mmm. Tasty.

Going global

As regular readers will be aware, the author has only recently returned to blogging and so has some catching up to do. During our extended break in service, Kirby Misperton has prospered on t'Interweb and is now available for view at a number of sites. For your convenience I list a couple here:

Satellite views are now quite recent and detailed whereas before we were hidden behind a misty veil of poorly resolved imagery. Behold!

http://www.geonames.org/2645336/kirby-misperton.html#revision=1


Furthermore, we have been added to the all-encompassing Street View; to get into the main village go left at the roundabout...


View Larger Map

Have fun strolling around our village and please don't drop any litter.

Noisy neighbours

I dod not know wrens could be quite so noisy! There is one trying to start up a nest in a nest box in the garden - and boy, is there a lot of shouting going on.

I would provide a photo, but the things I did know about wrens - that they are small, fast and very neutral in colour - means this is proving problematic. However, I have a man on the case, and hope to bring a picture in due course.

Our other nest box appears unused this year; last year there were coal tits. So far the main interest has come from a couple of wasps, but we don't want that sort of thing going on, so have been discouraging them.

The other main activity in the garden has been more vegetative, as various plants try to catch up from the late snow and frost. The climbing rose has suffered terribly although the clematis growing through it is doing fine. But everything is very late. As an interim measure, I bring you the lilies in the pond
.

And while I am at here are some bluebells, because everyone loves bluebells!