iPHone's are marvellous!

Santa bought me a new iPhone so I have now discovered the joy of mobile blogging!
This post came up in a blog I follow (thanks Julie for the recommendation). Hope you enjoy this as much as I.


http://kerrdelune.blogspot.com/2008/12/for-yule-solstice-wreath.html

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

This is a photo of Shimba - the tiny little elephant that I have been sponsoring for some time now I would urge anyone who cares about these animals to have a look at the website and help this wonderful cause xxx

Beyond the Fields We Know: On Edge

Just had to link to this beautiful post. This really does sum up my feelings about Winter - but far more eloquently!!!!
Beyond the Fields We Know: On Edge

Samhain past

Just a couple of pictures of me with a couple of friends celebrating Samhain in the burial chamber Barclodiad y Gawres in Ynys Mon. Steve and I were part of an eclectic coven of pagans who celebrated the Sabbats together with great honour and a lot of joy!!

Our beautiful home

I haven't written on my Blog for a few weeks, as life has been very busy as usual and I have had woman flu!! However, today is a day I think for relaxing finally and a bit of good old fashioned contemplation.
I have filled my Blog with just a few of the wonderful pictures I have taken from, and of, our home.

We are so lucky here be rewarded, almost on a daily basis, with sumptuous sun-rises and seriously scrumptious sunsets. The sun rises majestically over the back of our garden - waking our chickens up gently each morning - and then sets with a roar of red and orange over the pond to our front side.

We watch buzzards, kites, sparrow hawks and kestrels soar in our skies. Sparrows, finches, tits, woodpeckers and robins are some of the birds we feed. Fly-catchers, swallows and field fare are our seasonal visitors. Pheasant, partridge and moor hen scuttle around the garden. Foxes, hares, rabbits, deer and stoats treat us to their company, while badgers and hedgehogs leave us messages of their overnight meanderings!

To live in such a place is real food for my soul. I can take a hard day in work as long as I have this to return to.

Wonderful, wonderful Mother Nature at her very best .......

Inspiration

I must admit, I am one of those people who is inspired frequently but very rarely follows it through! I start on projects and don't always finish them ..... there, I've admitted to it!!!
My inspiration at the moment is British History.
I have been avidly following 'The Tudors' on TV and it has thrown up many more questions than providing answers. I know it is a drama based only very loosely on fact, (and it's American!) but it is absolutely fascinating! I have embarked on a bit of personal research into the 'proper' history of the Tudor line just to better understand who is who and where they all fit into our incredibly complex past. I now see where the Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth debacle originated from, and also where Ann Boleyn came in to the picture.
To me, having a sense of place, of fitting, of belonging is important. Whether this be a knowledge of my own family history or of my country's - it is all part of it. I know to 'live for the moment' is healthy and that you cannot change the past ......but an appreciation is good,don't you think?
All Hail our Kings and Queens - past and present.

New Blog

Launched a new Blog today. We have dedicated it to our allotment bees and all related goings-on!
http://longworthbees.blogspot.com

Know Your Enemy!

The first rule of war is: Know Your Enemy!

Meet 'Vespula Germanica' (The German Wasp), a member of the Wasp family, but NOT our Common Wasp! This Chap (or Chap-ess!), was found at the base of my hive at the lottie.

They just look AMAZING! and ordinarily, do a fantastic job in the countryside clearing up pest insects. But they do have this dark side to their nature at this time of the year where they invade our homes, and hives.

If you look closely, you can see what I think is a wound on it's thorax which, seems to be exuding some sort of plasma......eeeeewwwww!

Also, note the 3 eyes between the 2 main compound eyes! no wonder they can be little tricksters when you're trying to swat them!

Anyway, we now have 7 'Jam n Beer' wasp traps on the go at the apiary, all working well!

Up Close & Personal!

Following the Southern Regional Bee Disease Study Day @ Benson, I was inspired to get more 'personal' with my Bee's. Hence, I pitched in and bought a microscope, plus ancillaries!

Here are a few tentative, and not too brill' shots taken of one of my girls. She was found in the bottom of the hive, having passed on to the Summerlands, during a recent hive inspection.

After seeing her in all her magnificent glory, I have REALLY taken more of a shine to these facinating creatures! They need our help at every level! PLEASE........

Today however, I was at my 'Lottie' hive and witnessed first hand robbing by wasps. Now, i am a shooting and fishing man, and have lived almost all my life in the countryside, so do not consider myself 'fluffy' about life & death in the wild. But, what I watched broke my heart.

Dead bee's littered the grass in front of the hive, and wasp after wasp entering my hive at will. I vowed to take my revenge! So after restricting the entrance even further, to a single bee space, I stood guard! Shoulder to shoulder with my girls, swatting til my knuckles ached......and after half an hour in the rain the yellow body count was mounting!

Later on, at home, Lynne and I reflected on the scene. I was genuinely upset at the potential loss of one of my colonies, pouring over my growing library of Beekeeping books to find an answer. Lynne however, was very philosophical about the whole thing. ''Its just nature, its what wasps do.....'', true, but NOT to my new colony!

But she is right, I vowed to 'do the right thing', and find natural ways of stopping the slaughter, tho' many would call me a hypocrite, as a shooting man.

Everything on this wonderful planet lives in balance with everything else......except man. We see nothing wrong in defiling our gorgeous home, poisoning our precious wildlife, and killing each other into the bargain! Usually, because someone drew a line on a map somewhere. Well today, I stood up for the 'little guy', or in this case......my girls! They are the most gentle bee's I have encountered in over 5 years of beekeeping, and they needed a hand, plain and simple.

Dressing for Bees

Fully dressed for action!!!

But lets see what is underneath!!!!............

Ooh err missus!!

Get em off, get em off, get em offfff!!!!

Love the socks !!!!!

Ruminations

I'm just writing this afternoon really to put a few thoughts down 'on paper' or something of that sort!!

Steve and I have been through some very trying and difficult times over the last few years - and that is no exaggeration. If it could happen - it's happened to us! One big wrench for us has been to leave our beautiful home and life that we had in Ynys Mon ( Anglesey for you anglophiles!!) to move to Oxfordshire - this was a work thing. Behind us we left our very eco-lifestyle and lots of friends and fellow eco-warriors. It has been a very difficult thing to find our motivation to pick up and move on and create that same feel in our new place.

However, the Great Spirit knows better and knows when to twang that web and push you to get off your bum and do something!!

All of a sudden, in the space of a year, we are now allotment holders (replaced our previous veg garden with avengeance!!), we are beekeepers and chicken keepers again. We recycle, re-use and think hard about out footprint on the land. We support charities that are beloved to us (WSPA, FoE, CAT, bumblebee conservation, etc). We shop where possible in local farm shops (http://www.foxburyfarm.co.uk/). I have been to my first local Parish council meeting - there is nothing quite like it to really embed you into the community, warts and all!!

Why is this important?

It's given us back out real identity.

It is hard sometimes just to stop and just be.... not to worry about belongings and the current financial crisis, property prices and energy bills. Earn enough if you can to pay the bills but then really really enjoy Life ......up until now, I don't think I have done that in some time.

I can now have the internal peace to sit here in my garden - or should I say on that bit of earth that I am borrowing at the moment - and simply be here. I don't need anything more fancy than that. I never fail to look out across the fields in wonder and feel a glow at seeing that scruffy new great Tit or Robin, or lately a brand new Spotted Fly-catcher! This wonderment comes also from knowing that we are trying to 'do our bit'.

I feel very strongly about the countryside and particularly about animal welfare and I can finally say that loudly and without embarassment - it is my passion in life. I count myself very lucky that I have found a partner in Life who feels similarly. Also that we have friends, old and new, who are also of the same mind.

This brings me rambling back around Life's web again and how we are now suddenly on the edge of something new and even better than before, by meeting our new and good friends Tim and Julie (http://www.fiddlesticks.uk.net/) and now setting up the Longworth Allotment Apiary. We have lots of ideas on setting up a mini ecosystem there and using it potentially as a local school education facility as well as an asset to the local environment. I am total blown away by the possibilities!

Julie and Tim, I thank you both from the bottom of my heart - you are both fantastic people and I hope that we remain friends for many years.

So what was the point of this Blog?

Well it is a "Thankyou" really to the Universe for giving me a purpose again. I have whispered it on the wind and chanted it over my altar and now it is on another web!

Blessed Be xxxx

Bee's at Last!

Finally! back up and running as a Beekeeper! Collected my bee's from Maisemore in Gloucestershire, and fine bee's they are too! Very gentle, and not in any way 'feisty'! Unlike my previous bee's up on Anglesey.......they were widely regarded as 'feisty....with attitude!'

Really looking forward to joining Tim down on the allotment. It's taken a while to slowly canvas everyone we could, and get permission, and now things are coming to fruition. Photos show my apiary at the back of our garden, and a couple of shots of my nucleus (nuc) hive, prior to moving it to the lottie. With luck, and good weather, we shall be able to supplement Tim's bee's, and set up my own hive on site. Either way, we are up and running so to speak!

Lotty meanderings

This season is our first full one on the allotment. Although I have tried veg growing in the past, it has never been on such a scale as this. I have to confide that I am still nervous about it. The planting and cultivation from seed through to the finished vegetable goodness fills me with both wonder and fear. I never tire of seeing those first seedlings pushing through and relish potting on plants until they are ready to go out into the big wide world. However, once in the ground I cluck around them like a mother hen and feel devastated when something goes wrong. I take it very personally and feel like an allotment failure.

Now, horror of horrors, I am faced with task of successive planting!! If I have gaps after harvesting I must fill them or be faced with the charge of not utilising my plot effectively. Bare ground is wasted ground!!!!

Today, I proudly unearthed the rest of our garlic - this was a big success. The garlic has been in the ground since November and today the beautiful luscious bulbs saw the light of day. Between you and me I think I have produced enough to last a lifetime - but I guess I can always barter with some of it. However, to get back to my original train of thought, I now have a 19 ft x 4 ft bed to fill!!!!! What can I possibly put in that bed??? If I was any good at all as an allotmenteer, I would now produce several trays of green and burgeoning plants that would perfectly fill the space!!! Not me, oh no - I am going to get out the books tonight - when it is far too late - and come up with some half-arsed scheme that will end up with me just covering the bed over and forgetting about it! ...........but then again there is always green manure!!!!!! I think that will have to be a different blog topic for another day.

By the way, the photo is of our recycled trailer tent which has been magically transformed with one of those cheap plastic greenhouse covers into our very own tomato and salad house - nifty, eh?!

The Solstice

Well, was it today or yesterday ...........damn these leap years?!!!!

Either way, it's here. A time for a moment of the longest day and the shortest night. The sun is at its highest and the Oak is supreme for one last time before the Holly reigns again. All is joy and bliss ...... or is it?

For me it is a time of deep thought as the wheel of the year turns slowly round and we begin to look inwardly toward the darker half.

At the allotment, and also emotionally and spiritually, we are reaping what we have sowed. We look at what we have planted and created and see what has been a success and what has failed. We now have the chance to start to plan for the future ..... but on a lighter note, to celebrate success - vegetable and otherwise!!!

So while all is lush and green around us and inspiration comes easily, the Awen flows through us while all life is bounteous......plan, plan, plan and stuff your face with courgettes !!!!

Blessed be at Alban Hefin xxxxxx

Our Allotment last year

A few photos to remind us how much work we have put in on the allotment over the last year.
This is how it was - just a big overgrown area that had not been cultivated for at least 20 years.
We strimmed, raked, strimmed again!! Put a shed up and dug in some veg beds..................

It has been hard work - but worth it!!

Monday Blues

Well, another day, another dollar as the saying goes.

The picture of Bryn Celli Ddu - an ancient burial site on Ynys Mon - thought I would include it because it is a lovely place to just be.

I have just returned from work, thank goodness.

I find it terribly hard working in Ultrasound, as I do, in the summer months.

I spend all day in the dark or under artificial light while my patients' all swan around in their summer clothes exclaiming about the heat outside!! It's pants!!!!

Poor Steve has just gone to do a night shift - so I guess it could be worse.

Just had an e-mail from a lady who is running a women only drumming and generally celebrating, shamanic-type weekend in Devon in September. There are still places left - so I am tempted to go.

Wychwood Music Festival (pt 2)

The Silent Disco!!!!!!

Just to explain ...............

This was filmed in a Big Top filled with hundreds of people all listening to one of two DJ's (which you could switch between) on head phones. So this is the video of what it looked and sounded like with the head phones off!!! It was hilarious - but I guess you had to be there!!!!

Wychwood Music Festival (pt 1)

Welcome to The Proclaimers!!!!

Sunday morning

Well , had a lovely day yesterday.
Spent a few hours down at the lotty putting in some brassicas that had been growing in wooden wine boxes for the last few weeks. The plot is looking ok but lots and lots of weeding to do as always.
Plans for today are to move some more sweetcorn, squashes and tomatoes down there from our garden coldframe and basically weed until my hands bleed and my back gives up!!! Oh the life of an allotmenteer!!
Went to the Blue Boar yesterday evening with Tim and Julie and had a very lovely evening. Good company, good conversation, good food and good wine - perfect.

Lots of things!!

Well, too much to tell really...............
Went to Blue Boar barbecue and had a good time.
Boring week in work after the bank holiday.
Then ........went to the Wychwood festival!!!!!!!
IT WAS FAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saw some fantastic bands; met some lovely people; bought lots of ethnic trinkets; ate lots of scrumptious food and the sun shone down on us all weekend!!!
Life does not get any better then last weekend!!!
Watch out for further updates on this - we do have a couple of great video clips, unprofessionally shot by me on my phone! I will let Steve upload those.
Now today I have to go and do a LOT of weeding down at the allotment. Steve went and strimmed yesterday so that we could see where the beds are!!! So, I will go and do some more retrieval today!!

Wet and windy Monday

Bank Holiday Monday and it is horrible outside!!

Even the dogs aren't keen on going out and the chickens are being blown all over the place!

There is a Hog roast at the Blue Boar this afternoon, which we have really been looking forward to, but I'm not sure it is a viable option today.

Spent a teary evening yesterday looking at old photos - of our dogs as puppies!!! Sad maybe, but they are a huge part of our lives and we love them dearly. Especially sad looking at the photos of our Westie, Gwyn, whom we lost last year. We are keen supporters of the Woodland Trust and decided to dedicate a 1/4 acre of woodland to him as a positive memorial. If you click on his photo on our blog, it will take you directly to their dedications site.

Yellow

Our house in May surrounded by rape fields.

Baby Breaca

Well, we've seen Branwen romping around as a puppy. Not to be outdone, here's Breaca looking tiny and scrumptious too!!

Breaca meets the pup from hell....Branwen!

Puppy power!!!

Merlin am I - Damh the Bard live

Classic Damh

Song of Awen Damh the Bard live

Damhtastic!!!

Wet Sunday

Well it's a bit of a wet day here. Typical Bank Holiday weather I guess. Good for the lotty and for filling up the water butts. Spaniels and chickens not too sure though! Talking of chickens - ours have produced their first eggs in the last two days!!Well done girls!!!!
Went and checked on the lotty yesterday. Some broad beans nearly ready for picking. Brought some radishes home. Potatoes are recovering from the two cold mornings last week but some of the sweetcorn,beans and squashes are past saving I'm afraid ..... but have put more seedlings in the cold frame, so fingers crossed.
We are going to the camping shop later to try and find a new tent for the Wychwood Festival next weekend but have now found out there is a beer fest on in the pub in the next village - dilemma!!!
May go the the Blue Boar hog roast tomorrow - weather depending

Where to start ..............

.........with who we are,I guess!
We are Lynne and Steve (and Breaca and Branwen the Springer Spaniels).
We live in Oxfordshire in a beautiful rural village and we both work for the NHS.
Our interests all revolve about being outdoors - wildlife, conservation, fishing, allotmenteering, etc,etc.
We are trying to live a more harmonious, ethical life but to enjoy every moment aswell!
The purpose of our blog is to form an on-line diary for ourselves and anyone else who may be interested.