Acts of Random Noting

Sometimes things happen that are interesting and this is where they will be posted - sort of like a microblog

First Week of July - Week 26

A too warm for me week. Since menopause I have struggled with the heat more. The beginning of the week was a trip to Winterbourne House and Gardens in Birmingham to meet up with my brother who I haven't seen for 18 months. Too hot! The gardens are OK, but not in 30 degree heat and the cafe is limited. I did buy four more books at the second hand bookshop though. Back to work for half the week and catching up on too many emails. But I did have a couple of good meetings and a day with no meetings to churn out a Sustainability Plan.

No new butterflies or birds this week - I have had Gatekeepers in the garden checking out the oregano that is flowering, but the lavender is going over so the bees will need to move onto something else. Lots of the garden is looking sad, and I have some tidying to do when it is cooler. The first proper courgette has also been harvested.

I finished Shadow of the Wind which I very much enjoyed and have started reading Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange - which I am struggling with a bit, but as I am back at work I am not reading as much. I listened to a couple of Circular Economy podcasts which have given me a couple of work ideas, as well as finishing some We Need to Make Things episodes.

During my search for Latin inspiration I came across a blog about teaching Latin. One of the sets of books she recommended was So you really want to learn Latin, which is the set of texts I have struggled with. However, what I discovered was that the author has a You Tube video so I have started going back to watch some of the episodes from Book 2 and it has helped with both my motivation and understanding so I am using it as revision and will continue with this book and go back to revise Book 1 as well.

Final Week of June - Week 25

My final week of annual leave - not sure what I did with the week, other than a bit of not very good photography and quite a bit of reading. The end of the week was a very warm trip to Wicken Fen - an annual pilgrimage that was 2 weeks later than usual due to circumstances beyond my control. I added Marsh Harrier and Garden Warbler to my list, but no Hobbies and even the Cetti's Warbler thought it was too warm to bother singing. And the cuckoos had cleared off as well. There were a lot of butterflies out, and dragonflies and damselflies. Butterflies included a Painted Lady, and lots of Peacocks. I also spent some time at the beginning of the week at the edge of a field with dozens of Marbled Whites which I think is my favourite butterfly.

I have been doing some more reading. I finished Chip Wars which was interesting, and have now started reading No Ordinary Deaths - my solstice gift. I am continuing to read Shadow of the Wind, and also some Elizabeth Taylor short stories that I have had on the go for a year or two. As is traditional for every week I have of leave I buy a book from our local Independent Book Shop- even though I have just been given a big pile of books - so I bought two small poetry collections; Wendy Cope and Mary Oliver.

I harvested some blackcurrants and made a very light and fluffy (and maybe too crumbly) chocolate and blackcurrant cake, and also harvested the first two tomatoes. The Conchas came out OK but I'm not sure I will make them again - they were easy to make but need more flavour.

My latin motivation is still somewhat lacking - I blame the heat, or the flowers in the garden. I have started Chapter 18 which is now about Marcus, Titus and class genius Sextus learning to read and write - Marcus is also struggling with this - at least it makes my Latin seem better.

My new waterproof boots arrived and seem to fit fine - although I will wait until the weather cools a bit to wear them for longer.

I've not really listened to many podcasts, or watched very many videos (unless they were about Latin grammar). Normal service will be resumed next week when I am back in the office for a couple of days.

Third Week of June - Week 24

On holiday from work, sort of. I cancelled one day of leave to go and give a short presentation in London on the hottest day of the year so far - what was I thinking. I decided to risk getting lost by walking from Euston down to Westminster - it wasn't as bad as I feared, I didn't get lost and I stuck to the shady side of the street. I missed a coffee though because the train had got as far as Northampton before it developed a fault. After being advised to switch to the next train (which stopped at 6 places, not three) the one we mostly all left then left about 5 minutes before the others - I was not impressed, but I got there on time anyway. But I didn't get to take many photos or have an explore because a) it was very hot in the afternoon and b) I decided to catch an earlier train home in case there were issues later.

Bird count has increased with a Reed Warbler added - I was beginning to wonder if I would ever hear one this summer. Not so much nature this week because I don't really like being out in the heat, other than watching bees and hoverflies in my front garden.

I am having to do a bit of watering in some of the pots which I hate doing, but it has been particularly dry and I don't want to kill the plants; besides if they are dry there won't be any nectar. The first tomato has turned orange, and the blackcurrants are ready for picking.

As I have been on leave I have had more time for reading. I finished reading the short stories in Binocular Vision and On the Platform's Edge. I have discovered that some of the short stories are better read when I am not tired, and they became much more enjoyable. I also read Susan Hill's Strange Meeting over three afternoons, which I loved. No podcasts this week, but I have watched some videos - Outlaws of the Marsh and how to use Affinity Publisher basics.

I have started chapter 17 of Lingua Latina - Marcus apparently is both stupid and lazy and can't count - even my counting in Latin is better than his. Apparently his brother is much better and altogether worthy of praise.

Today is the Solstice - so in honour we are giving a book each on the topic of History - it is a tricky one, as we have many books already and who knows whether intellectual husband will like the book I have chosen. I am also making Mexican Conchas to eat with the gift giving. I would normally do a trial run to try out something completely new, but this time I am just keeping my fingers crossed that they turn out OK. They are in the oven and seem to have spread but not risen despite using bread flour and yeast. Hope they taste better than they look.

After the photowalk in Brum the other week I have realised I can't put off buying some decent waterproof but smart boots - so I have taken the plunge and bought some that I have never tried before but which get good reviews.

Second Week of June - Week 24

A busy week at work to clear the decks before two weeks off. I said goodbye to my manager who is leaving for pastures new, and I will miss his support. I can't see things improving at work any time soon. I did enjoy having a couple of days working from home and got more done than expected. I had one meeting cancelled which removed the requirement for one of the presentations.

I saw an Oystercatcher at the Country Park, which is a first on my local patch. I also saw six Little Egrets there and added a Great White Egret to my year list. I also saw my first Large Skipper and Marbled White butterflies of the year. I think Marbled White is probably just about my favourite butterfly. We had a Hummingbird Hawkmoth in the garden again - always a pleasure. The lavendar is flowering so I am looking forward to more bee watching.

I have been looking through my photos from last weekend's photowalk and quite happy with quite a few of them. I have been reading a few articles and watched some podcasts that suggest having a project of some sort. So I am going to create a photobook with my favourite photos. I have also found a few other themes that might become books. In order to continue with the idea that the only way to take better photos is to take more photos I made the effort to walk into town to the Motorcycle Festival. My photos were less impressive but it was really busy and there were always a lot of people in the way. I have a couple of photos I like though - and the important thing is that I did show up.

Reading remains the same - I think I will probably finish all of them this week though at some point.

I have been listening to a few more SheClicks podcasts but no others and with no commuting for a couple of weeks there probably won't be many for a while. I have been trying to catch up on reading some magazines though. I have nearly finished one of last year's Uppercase Magazines and have two from this year on the bookshelf.

First Week of June - Week 23

A busy and very varied week this week. Work - still an issue, probably better not dwell on that too much. Some wins though - mainly because I met some new people that might be useful contacts and a trial that we had been doing seems to have worked out OK. It will be costly to roll out completely though. Only one presentation this week - still have another couple to prepare though.

I heard a Cuckoo and my first Sedge Warbler this week as well. The fennel and sage are planted in the garden, despite the rain. They have survived a few days, but the slugs might just be lulling me into a false sense of security and will be out when I am not looking. Not much else happening in the garden; in fact I have barely seen it this week.

Latin, the less said the better really. I have not done much, but I have done some each day. That is all.

I went on a Photowalk to Birmingham on Saturday. The weather forecast got progressively worse as the week progressed; eventually ending up with a thunderstorm warning. So, lots of changes of plan. I ended up taking my D-SLR with the 24mm and the 50mm, the Olympus Tough and a Bencini Koroll - because who doesn't love a half-frame. I have been watching some videos and reviews of the Tough in the hope of learning to love it. The jury though is still out. Despite the weather forecast there was very little rain, and I used all of my gear. I found the walk hard going, not from an exercise point of view but because I struggle to be out photographing with other people and, to be honest, there was too much standing about waiting for people and I struggled to find a lot to photograph. Perhaps Birmingham is too familiar but not familiar enough. I am not sure if I would go on another walk - at least not for another 15 years. I just have a mountain of pictures to sort through and a film to finish and then develop.

I am still reading The Chinese Myths, have started reading the weird short stories on trains as well as the second installment of the Outlaws of the Marsh. And I am still reading Binocular Vision.

Podcast wise not much of interest other than one from She Clicks which was an interview with a wedding photographer.

Last Week of May - Week 22

Spring has been and come and gone! No new birds this week, but I have enjoyed listening to the dawn chorus (aka blackbird) and hearign the swifts and house martins overhead. I am still wondering where the reed and sedge warblers are though. The garden is literally buzzing with bees - the particularly like the cranesbills that are flowering everywhere. I have a couple of dahlias coming up, one has been eaten almost to death by slugs after we had a couple of rainy days this week. Is it too early to put out the fennel I bought, or the sage?

Work - still pants really, one good and productive day, two grumpy days and one Friday. I did catch up with a friend who has been off ill which was nice, but the frustrations of the reorganisation and everything still being on hold are really getting to me. I did enjoy a talk about Air Pollution one evening, and particularly enjoyed having virtually no meetings. Next week is much more meeting heavy, but hopefully some will be interesting or at least useful.

I am still taking my Latin more slowly because it is supposed to be enjoyable. This week I have been concentrating on passive verbs, fifth declension again and relative clauses. To be honest, mainly by watching videos.

My main focus this week has been my cameras. I have been thinking about having a wider angle lens as I like taking urban shots, so bought the bullet and probably paid too much for a 24mm lens, which on my cropped sensor will work out just over 35mm. I also am continuing my love-hate relationship with the Olympus Tough, but I had a voucher to use and so have decided to give it the chance it deserves and bought a teleconverter as well. Hopefully bother will come next week.

I gave up reading Celia Fiennes - it was becoming a chore, so it has gone in the donate to charity box. So I have now started The Chinese Myths. I also finished A Line Made By Walking, and have started the second volume of Outlaws of the Marsh - the body count in one chapter I think was 15.

Podcast-wise, not much this week, an episode of the Circular Economy podcast is about all.

Third Week of May - Week 21

Goodness, time is very much flying, just like the House Martins and Swifts. Only one new bird to add this week, a Reed Bunting calling - I think they have the most monotonous song in the bird world. Bees are loving the cranesbills in my front garden - just wait until the lavender comes out! Not many butterflies on the wing though - although I haven't been out and about very much this week, other than a longish walk to Braunston and back.

Not much to report from work - after the two presentations of last week it was quite quiet this week - I did finally get my backside in gear though and send our Green Plan out for review. So I can park that for a couple of weeks. Next thing is to try and catch up on some more planning. Restructuring might give me some opportunities to do something different and achieve some of my longstanding aims.

My garden looks a bit parched but it is still full of flowers and looking fabulous. Ox-eye daisies are brightening everything and the cranesbills are flowering well. I have three dahlias coming up, all planted about a month ago. I am delaying putting out the fennel and sage that I bought until there has been the promised rain and the slugs have made their presence felt. I also have one Foxglove flowering from all of the seedlings I planted. These have not survived the slugs and snails, unlike the Sweet Williams and Hesperis that I planted at the same time which seem intent on taking over the garden at the moment. I am slightly concerned about what will fill the gaps when these finish, but I have some seedlings that can go out and hopefully survive - sadly not many. I threw some around today as there is a bit of rain forecast for this evening. We were expecting rain last night - but got only 5.8mm. Now I know that there is such a thing as the local rain gauge online I think I may become obsessed. I have also discovered that Sweet William and Nigella make good cut flowers, Hesperis less long lasting, smells lovely though.

Latin - what Latin. Stuck on passive verbs and deponent verbs so have slowed massively. I still do some every day though and am making a little progress.

I am still reading A Line Made By Walking, Binocular Vision and Celia Fiennes (although she is quite dull and hard to read). I finished reading Edition 4 of Contemporary Collage magazine so am now on Edition 63 of Uppercase Magazine.

I have been listening to Gone Medieval podcasts this week - Medieval Monster Guys, Battle of Crecy and Edward II.

Not much photography this week really, some pics at Braunston, but using my Olympus Stylus which is a bit fab for a non-SLR.

Second Week of May - Week 20

Well that was mainly a lot cooler, mostly. There may have been a breakthrough in the restructuring angst of last week, but I remain far from convinced that it will actually work out, time will tell. It's not necessarily worth worrying about, as something else will turn up if necessary. I did two presentations this week about other people's work, one at (for me) short notice. But I did actually have a relatively productive work week. I do always manage to find more projects to start - I think I average about two or three a week, but it would be nice to actually finish some one day. Thanks to links made through work though I went on a lovely organised walk today across the beautiful local countryside and went for lunch with one of the other walkers that I met for the first time. I even saw a kingfisher (first for a couple of years) and a hare (probably only the second I have ever seen). I am planning to join more organised walks, at least once a month.

The garden still looks amazing - lots of clashing colours, and a couple of the dahlia tubers that I planted have started to show signs of life. My seedlings are not progressing that well - I might try my new bag of compost for some more.

I finished reading The Tainted Cup which was a lot of fun - it is the only book I have found with victims murdered by having giant plants growing out of them. I look forward to the next one, although this one had me staying up late reading it so maybe it will need to be a holiday read. I have started A Line Made By Walking, Sara Baume turning into one of my favourite authors, and the travel diaries of Celia Fiennes from her 17th century journeys.

Latin is still not going that well - I wonder if I have actually got any of it staying about in my brain - deponent verbs - why? Anyway the chapter ended on a cliff hanger with Medus on a ship in a storm.

I have been listening to creative podcasts in the car this week. I have continued my exploration of Affinity Designer. I also watched a webinar about Macro Photography, which boosed my photomojo a little and gave me a few ideas.

First full week of May - Week 19

The weather has turned slowly back to warm again with some sunshine. Restructuring at work continues to cause angst and unhappiness. I am consoling myself with the beauty of my garden - a huge mish mash of flowers in clashing colours - bright yellow, purple, hot pink and orange - with lots of white thrown in as well. I adore it and can just sit and look at it for hours. Hawthorn is in abundance everywhere at the moment adorning almost every hedgerow and the leaves on most trees continue to look fresh and bright green. And, the swifts are back. What more can you need in life.

I finished reading the Conscientious Objector's Wife. The viewpoint of people living back at home through World War One is not in so many books that I have read. I have also started reading The Tainted Cup which I am halfway through and am hooked - it is only because I have to get up early to go to work that I haven't finished it already - I will be picking it up again later.

The Latin did not go so well, so I am giving up the old books for a week and going back to a chapter of Lingua Latina - weather and storms are the order of the day so far.

I listed to a couple of interesting podcasts this week, one about sleep and mattresses and one about messaging for behaviour change. I have also started to watch some videos about how to use Affinity Designer. I finished a collage that I got stuck with and now really like it even though it went in a completely different direction to that originally intended.

Last week of April, first week of May - Week 18

Some really hot weather this week, which I managed to work from home for. I had some good and productive work days, and some not so good. The atmosphere at work is not good, I am struggling to find many people happy at the moment as we go through a major restructure with no really positive outcome looking likely. The answer to me is to try and keep interesting projects moving and use the mantra Less but Better which I read on a blog post this week.

I finished reading Excellent Women which I enjoyed and have started reading the book of Nikita Gill poetry, and also tried reading A Line Made By Walking, but my head has not been in the right place after two books where not much happens, I have decided to leave it for now and read a different book.

I have transferred to my older Latin texts for a couple of weeks to mix up and reinvigorate my learning.

Nature seems to be going full throttle. My garden is a riot of colour and the outside is full of blossom - Horse Chestnuts are in full bloom, as are the Hawthorns. Everywhere I look on this side of the M1 is full of the shape of fully-leafed trees - some lovely views.

The House Martins are back, and I have saw some Swallows as well and the Common Terns are back squabbling at the Country Park. Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat have also been singing away. Holly Blues and Red Admirals have added to my butterfly list.

It seems like a fairly quite week other than work, which I think is how I like it really. I have also discovered Contemporary Collage Magazine and have the latest copy.

Fourth Week of April - Week 17

The weather has been pretty meh for most of the week. I unplanted the fennel to rescue it from slugs after a fair amount of rain. It is waiting for a few months next to some sage. The garden is blooming though. I have small geraniums and a geum flowering away, and the sweet rocket and sweet williams that I sowed a couple of years ago and planted in the summer are taking over and ready to burst into flower. I still have a river of forget-me-nots flowering and the violas I planted in a tub a month or more ago are flowering well. There are red mason bees about and they are checking out the nesting holes. The birch has finally come into leaf and the purple hazel looks amazing.

Work is less than amazing, although I had a few good meetings this week where some projects are moving along and I did finish my annual report other than a couple of updates I am waiting for from other people. I have had a new manager for nearly two months, he hasn't spoken to me yet. I could take offence but I am not the only one. I am still not sure how it will pan out - probably not well as I don't have a great track record with managers. I watched an interesting couple of talks about Plant Based diets and their impact on health. I then managed to resist eating a doughnut for a day - it didn't make it through the next day sadly. I feel I need to find a way to tame my sweet tooth. I have also been attempting to find someone to teach me Nordic Walking so I can get a bit of an upper body workout and exercise. I have contacted three people so far, only one has responded and she is not currently running lessons or walks. I may have to resort to videos and teach myself.

I finished reading The Silent House - a book of ghost stories by Edith Nesbit which I enjoyed. I have restarted reading Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit. I have also bought a book of poetry by Nikita Gill which should come next week.

I am taking it a bit more slowly on the Latin. I am over halfway thrugh Chapter 15.

No new birds this week - I am sure I heard House Martins twittering so I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will finally appear and stay in my local neighbourhood. They have built a Sand Martin colony box thing at the local country park which I am very happy about, although I have only ever seen one Sand Martin there.

I signed up to a photowalk in a couple of months - I've done two before, but still wondering what I am doing...

And, of course, this is the week the Pope died, RIP Papa Frank.

Third week of April - Week 16

Work has been a thing. Mostly about public transport, but I did have two very nice conversations; one with a volunteer and one with a Dietician, the latter about food waste. We have also started a long awaited trial this week, although I am not convinced it will be successful.

The weather has been less lovely this week with grey and cold. But this hasn't deterred the flowers and trees, although butterflies were in short supply. No new birds this week, although last Saturday I did see my first bat of the year jinking round the roofs.

I have finished reading both Invisible Women and The Pastor's Wife, but am still reading (and enjoying) The Silent House. I have also started The Conscientious Objector's Wife; letters between Frank Sunderland and his wife as he was imprisoned during the last couple of years of World War 1 for refusing to join the army.

Latin has been slower than I hoped, despite the extra Bank Holiday, but I am still going and Chapter 14 is nearly finished.

Some of the seeds I planted have started to come up - mainly Ipomea, and the one courgette. The others are still a little reticent. In the garden the wallflowers are still flowering away, as are the forget-me-nots. I also have some flower spikes on some biennials I planted last year that had been sulking in pots for a year. I have planted a few things out though, including some fennel - last year a bronze fennel was completely devastated within about three days of being in the ground. I am hoping the forget-me-nots confuse the slugs enough to stop it happening this year. My carrots are not at all interested in growing so I have moved them round to the front of the house which gets a lot more sun so maybe they will contemplate growing next week.

Second week of April - Week 15

It has been warm and lacking in rain all week, hitting twenty degrees by the end of the week. I very much enjoyed only commuting into work on two days this week and not having as many meetings. There haven't been any real highlights this week, as I have mostly been trying to catch up on some of the things I haven't done.

I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year, again at about the same time as last year, but the House Martings have been absent, so I am assuming that the early ones were on their way somewhere else. It won't be long before they are twittering in the mornings though. This week's new butterflies were Speckled Woods, and Small White. I'd like to say there were lots of butterflies about, but there were lots in the sense of one Brimstone, here, one there, an Orange Tip here, one there, rather than seeing several at once. Still, there is blossom and birdsong and blue skies and whenever I am out for a walk I feel like Ingeborg in the Pastor's Wife when she first moves to Germany, and everything is delightful.

I am still reading the Pastor's Wife, but things are not going so well for Ingeborg. Invisible Women remains interesting, and I am enjoying reading Edith Nesbit's ghost stories; they are the perfect length for worknights when I am too tired to read for long.

Chapter 13 of the Latin has been a bit of a trial - months of the year, and times of the day which gets a bit repetitive with sentences like the first of the month is called the first (kalendas) of the month. However, I do feel like I am slowly making progress

My search for an alternative energy supplier did not go well, not only were the alternatives more expensive, but I am not entirely convninced by their credentials either.

I finally got my bottom in gear and started some seeds off in the propagator. I started the carrots off and will probably do some more in a few weeks if they actually sprout. Otherwise it mainly flowers as well as some Cavolo Nero that I have planted. I bought three tomatoes which I will plant out next week I think as one is already starting to flower and then nights are a little warmer.

First week of April - Week 14

Spring is here at last - sunny days, if somewhat chilly nights which makes deciding what to wear for work a lottery. The work week was a bit meh, although the highlight was finding some enthusiastic first year doctors during a teaching session and also the sustainable surgery meeting where we found two new projects to undertake. It is these types of meetings that make me feel the job is worthwhile after all.

There is a noticeable increase in blossom on the trees, and the horse chestnuts are full of leaves, as are the hawthorns. There were a lot of Brimstone and Comma butterflies out and my first Orange Tips of the year on Saturday, as well as Red Mason and Ashy Mining bees. There were two very distant House Martins that I caught a glimpse of high in the sky and the Blackcaps started singing at the end of March.

My Latin revision was not the most successful so I have hopped onto Chapter 13 to try and get some momentum back.

I am currently reading Invisible Women (very good, interesting and depressing), The Pastor's Wife (love, love, love) and The House of Silence (also enjoying). I finished Graham Greene's Gun for Sale which I very much enjoyed - slightly different to the majority of the books I have read by him.

I bought a DAB radio (very tiny refurbished Roberts Petite) so I can listen to podcasts and also far too much 80s music. I have also discovered that Good Energy, of whom I have been a very loyal customer, despite the higher than average prices, was recently sold to a fund from UAE so I am on the search for a change of energy supplier - hadn't planned that for the weekend. I think they will lose a lot of customers - those of us who were happy to support investment in solar are not going to want to add to the considerable wealth of totalitarian regimes with money hiding in tax havens. I am very disappointed and not sure that they told their customers about it.

Last Week of March - Week 13

Spring is slowly coming and the days are noticeably longer, and the sun warmer (when it is out). We celebrated the equionox with hot-crossless buns (not as good as my first batch, perhaps over proved) and an exchange of craft related books - I received a very welcome book about collage.

This was my first full week at work for more than a month, and it was a busy one. I did manage to get some time to spend trying to finish off a project, but there were still too many meetings and I still end up with more work to do, even though none of my current work seems to go away. I spent a full morning discussing public transport, and at least made some more useful contacts. Uncertainty is now rife with the NHS England announcements and also the ongoing reorganisation in my own workplace with people leaving and jobs being reorganised.

Latin remains slow, I have finished Chapter 12 although I am not convinced it all went in. I am a third of the way through the book so this feels like a good time to take a week to review the grammar and vocab so far and then pick it up again in a week.

The only new bird was a pair of greylag geese - blackcaps are due any time now.

On the book front I finished reading both Postcapitalism and the Complete Short Stories of Truman Capote. Postcapitalism was really interesting from a historical perspective, but it didn't give me any hope of a solution, but it was written 10 years ago and the world is a different place. I enjoyed a lot of the short stories, and I think they definitely improved as he got more established. I have started reading Invisible Women as my non-fiction pick for April.

I watched the UK Butterfly Recorders' Meeting this morning on Zoom. I sort of miss the face to face meetings, but understand this is cheaper and more inclusive, plus it gives me the afternoon back. Although there is rarely good news to be had about butterfly numbers these days, I did enjoy the presentations a lot and left feeling motivated to get out surveying and trying to do my bit to help nature. I also managed to see the partial solar eclipse during one of the breaks, including a quick peek through a solar telescope.

It's nice to see the ornamental cherry blossoms and the magnolias starting to come into bloom especially when viewed against a beautiful blue sky.

Third Week of March - Week 12 and the Vernal Equinox

How on earth did we get to a quarter of the way through the year is what we asked this morning. This week we are celebrating the equinox with a week off work, homemade sourdough pizza and home made hot-crossless buns.

Weather-wise it has been mixed, but no work and sunshine took me outside. I had a day out with a friend that I only see once or twice a year - she is very retired and very busy. We went to see 'The Longest Yarn' in Peterborough Cathedral and she was generous enough to drive us there. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, so much work and imagination had gone into it (basically 40 knitted and crocheted diaramas depicting the D-Day landings). I was surprised that we had to queue though. Peterborough was a disappointment, and I wonder if we just missed the best bits or are all the big towns empty during the week?

Latin remains slow, Chapter 11 is complete, but Chapter 12 is very, very long and has a lot of grammar.

No new birds this week - still awaiting the elusive blackcaps and wondering when the first swallows or martins might come swooping past - I assume they have seen the weather forecast and decided to wait a while.

I finished reading The Extinction of Irena Rey, and am still not sure what I thought of it or whether I would recommend it.

We are still checking that the leak in the bathroom is fixed, had to change the other headlight bulb and have had some water hammer sounding like somoene is knocking the house down.

I did get out to take some photos and had a lovely time just wandering locally. Only digital as I still have the other films to develop and a couple to finish.

In the garden the Forget-me-nots are starting to flower, the Hellebores are looking fab and some tulips are starting to appear.

Looking forward to giving and getting a new book (about art and / or craft) and discussing art and craft this evening.

Second Week of March - Week 11

The cold and grey have made an unwelcome return, but I had another three day working week again which always helps - there is a lot of upheaval and uncertainty which I'm mainly trying to ignore. The highlight of the week was a potential kick off for a new research project that I will have a small involvement in. Unfortunately, my 1-1 with my manager has added even more work to my heap.

Not so many walks this week, but even though it has been cold, it has been noticeably lighter. I did have one slow wander around the Country Park and one new bird, a Grey Wagtail, to add to the year list. Chiffchaffs are definitely calling though so we are clearly in spring.

Latin has remained slow, but I have moved onto Chapter 11 with parts of the body and more use of infinitives, building on last week. I might need to watch some more videos to get it in my head properly. I did finish some needlefelting of a mushroom that I started ages ago and I am quite pleased with it. Now I am planning to make a base for it so it isn't just lying about.

I've continued listening to the poetry podcast this week. On the book front I have continued the Post Capitalism book with another couple of chapters, read some more Truman Capote short stories (I love his descriptions, although some stories are a lot better than others) and picked up the Extinction of Irena Rey as it was time to move onto a novel - bit odd so far.

A not uneventful week though as we spent today hopefully fixing a leak in the bathroom that had got to the point of dripping into the kitchen - not what you really want.

On a much more positive side I have a week off work and it is the Equinox - so books, hot cross buns and longer days to come.

First Week of March - Week 10

A week of frosty mornings, beautiful sunrises, blue skies, and only three days in work - so some more local walks, some sitting on the front step, and some nice chats. Work was more meetings, and not much achieved. I did have a lovely conversation with someone at another hospital which left me feeling motivated and allowed me to forget the looming job changes and what a mess it all is. It is nice to find a kindred spirit and we have another 30 minute catch up booked in for May.

We had a walk down to Braunston and I accidentally bought some more art materials - two new sketchbooks and some water soluble graphite pencils. We also had quite a long chat with the lady in the shop who is a stained glass artist.

For some reason I haven't done a lot of Latin this week and still have chapter ten questions to finish and the grammar section to work through. It is infinitives this week.

Brimstones have been out and about and there are some scatterings of blossom on the hedges. There are hints of blackcap songs, but I am not entirely convinced, and I did add Stock Doves to my year list.

I made an orange cake from a recipe on the internet to use up the orange I bought for the hot cross buns that I made. It uses the whole orange pulped in a blender and worked out OK - I will make it again I think - although I took about a third of the sugar out. Book arrived for Intellectual Husband for our Equinox celebration - bit concerned about whether he will like it. Chocolate has also been obtained for the festivus we have started. Just two weeks to go.

Speaking of books. I finished the excellent Volt Rush (which is now going to be lent to a work colleague) and also finished off The Provincial Lady in Wartime. Interesting as it was written during the first year of the Second World War and gives an interesting take on it, although it is not as good as the other books in the series - still funny in parts though. I also finsihed a first read through The Mindful Photographer, which came from reading the Poetry Pharmacy's newsletter. I also discovered a poetry podcast (Demystifying Poetry with Tara Stubbs) through the newsletter so that has been my listening material on the way to work this week. The under the bed book - Post Capitalism has also been started and so far is interesting, but I am only two chapters in.

Overheard someone complaining about the litter in the country park (possibly the amount of dog poo bags I think) and blaming the lack of bins, rather than the lack of social conscience of the people dropping the litter.

Last week of February - Week 9

A week marked by only being in work for two days. More people were back in work so the office was busy. It was annual appraisal time, this boss appreciates my work. Unfortunately, as of the first of March I have a new boss - an unknown quantity who hasn't taken an interest in sustainability AT ALL so far. Could be in for either a very quiet or a bumpy ride - I expect the latter.

Fewer days in work meant more Latin. Chapter 9 was much less tortuous and was about a shepherd, sheep and a wolf. The majority of the grammar section was about declensions, first and second I have covered before and this chapter was full of third declensions so I feel quite comfortable wiht those as well.

The weather remained variable but the days are getting lighter and the sun warmer. Not much in the way of new birds, just a coal tit, but the robins, wrens, dunnocks and blackbirds are singing a lot. Possibly making the most of the audience before the noisy warblers (blackcaps are what I really mean here) come and fill the air with their song.

I did get out and take some photos (digital) some of which I actually liked. I have a love of taking photos of nature reclaiming the junk we leave around.

I finished reading The Hard Way and she remained annoying, but I did enjoy some of the chapters - it could have been a lot better though with a) more positive stories about women and less whingeing and b) a better map so I had some vague notion about where she was. The Short Irish Horror Stories is now finished - didn't really find many that I though good or interesting, and I have started reading the short stories of Truman Capote. I read Breakfast at Tiffanies and a couple of other short stories a few years ago; the former I thought the least intersting of that collection. The first few were a bit meh, but they seem to be getting better - Miriam was definitely a bit unnerving. I have also picked up Volt Rush again, about mining the metals for electric vehicles. It is an excellently written book, if somewhat depressing. It reconfirms to me that technology will save no one.

I tried making hot cross buns in preparation for the equinox festival we are planning. They smelt divine whilst I was making them and turned out OK. The festival is another excuse to buy chocolate and books. This time one mystery book each, on the subject of Arts and Crafts. As I have wide ranging interests and always like trying out something new I believe I am much easier to buy for in this area - and am still concerned about my choice for intellectual husband.

February - week 8

This is my last full week at work until the end of March thanks to the use them or lose them policy (very short sighted). As it was half term the office was incredibly quiet, as was the car parking. I've still had a lot of meetings but, fortunately, most of them have been interesting and / or productive. As my boss is also on leave most of the standard (and pointless and dull) meetings were cancelled. Although some rubbish HR wise to come and after next week I, in theory, get a new boss.

I am still ploughing through the chapter of the Latin book with hic, haec, hoc and have had to go back and watch some online tutorials to understand some of it. I also detoured into colours and discovered that in Latin there are two words for white and two for black - depending on whether it is shiny and reflective or whether it is matt.

There has been a welcome spell of warm weather this week - as a consequence, as well as getting to sit on the front doorstep, I have seen my first butterfly of the year (could be a Small Tortoiseshell or Peacock - hard to tell as it was blown past the window), and my first bumble bee (early bumble, Bombus praetorum) and heard my first Skylark trilling away. This brought my bird count up to 60 with a fortuitous Sparrowhawk siting (as it flew past the window) and my first definite id of Rooks this year. On a less positive note, a Bittern (my bird that I will probably never see) was seen and 'showing well from the Visitor Centre' at my local country park on the same day I had planned to go for a walk there but didn't because a) Half Term and b) the weather looked miserable.

I am still reading The Hard Way (sometimes I think she is a bit over the top with her idea of women being domesticated), and short Irish Horror stories. But I have started reading Outlaws of the Marsh and it is fabulous - such fun, and lots of fights in 13th Century China. I am also watching some short animations as and when I finish the appropriate chapters.

February - week 7

Another busy work week - spoke about the work we have been doing on increasing bus use, was told that apparently it is my job to have a strategy about cycle storage (which I don't remember being told before and is difficult when in the last 6 months your colleagues have taken three out of four of the lockable cycle sheds out of action) but also finished the week on a high with a session teaching about sustainble healthcare at the Medical School. I was much more relaxed than the first time I did this, and also made sure I was there in plenty of time which had the added bonus of avoiding Friday lunchtime traffic. Afterwards there were a couple of chaps from the Hare Krishna movement handing out leaflets and one commented that I was very calm - made my day!

A recall to the opticians to check something she was concerned about last year went OK, fingers crossed it remains that way - but I don't need to go back until next year.

I have now started the next chapter of the Latin book and it looks like it is full of grammar and the dreaded hic, haec, hoc. It might take a while.

I finished reading The Day the World Stops Shopping which was an excellent read and will be staying on my shelf. I have now started reading The Hard Way about women who walk from Unbound Publishers (one of my favourites). I also read the novella, The Angel of Santa Sophia - I have no idea at all what it was about. I will attempt it again, thankfully it was less than 50 pages long.

Needless to say the film developing has still not happened, and I spent longer than is entirely necessary choosing fabric scraps for a notebook cover. I have spent a lot of this week drawing the same scene from a (frankly not very good) photograph taken back in November after reading a blog post. I have tried it using several different media and surprisingly quite like the crayon version. My inability to use watercolours was apparent once again. Now I need to decide whether to carry on with other media or try somehting different.

Bird count has remained on 57. But then I have hardly left the house or the office much as the weather has been dreary and work has been fairly full on.

Full on February - week 6

Lots on at work this week but some of it was actually fun and the day working from home was useful. We had a visit to look at our decarbonisation work which gave us some good publicity. I had a good meeting with comms to look at promoting public transport following on from some work with the local council and bus company. I've put in an expression of interest for some more work and found some inspiration listening to some improvement projects (not that I need to take on more work of course as I am way behind where I should be).

The dentist visit wasn't as bad as it could be - still had the filling, but avoided a scale and polish - having a numb mouth for five hours wasn't a lot of fun after though. I've listend to some more Gone Medieval podcasts - which I would recommend and the days are noticeably getting longer - even in dull weather I have been commuting home before it has gone properly dark.

The bird count has just ticked over to 57 this week with a greenfinch wheezing at the top of a tree.

I am continuing my Latin escapade and bizarrely the word peristyle which first appeared (as peristylum of course) in Chapter 5 of my Latin book was in the John Dickson Carr whodunnit that I finished reading and also a newsletter from Italy - both in relation to a villa in Pompei.

I am still reading The Day the World Stopped Shopping - although it is leaving me feeling less than hopeful at the chances of many people ever reducing their consumption it is still a good read. I have now discovered that I would count as a voluntary simplifier (who knew there was such a term) - it feels a bit like getting a medical diagnosis but also finding out that I am not alone in the idea of wanting less stuff and being happy about it. More research into this is needed I think.

Film developing has still not happened but there is sunshine forecast for next weekend so I need to get this done before I walk down the canal with another film. No further work on the block printing or lino printing either. I am hoping to do some of this soon.

On one of my walks I heard a woman talking on the phone about how her previous dog had gone after a swan and it had been grabbed by the neck - as her off the lead dog was annoying a swan.

January (and just into February)- week 5

It has felt quite a long week in work - in the office all four days, which means I get nothing much done and lots of interruptions when I am not in meetings. A full on week with lots of HR issues to deal with, and more to come next week. I also managed to put in a bid for some money for solar PV, started an online climate and health course (still have some to catch up on) and genuinely wondered if I need to look for another job as this one is filled with unimportant things that other people should be doing.

Whingefest over, commuting into the office does give me the opportunity to listen to different podcasts. This week I listened to the excellent Hugh Montgomery on the Real Zero Podcast. However, the find of the week was the Gone Medieval podcast which was about King John. I am not sure why it took me so long to find this as it is my favourite period in history.

The Latin slowed this week, but I have completed a full month of reading, or listening to some Latin every day which is my first goal achieved for the year. I am hoping this gets me into a good enough habit that I start to feel like I am making progress.

I finished reading Darwin's Island and have moved onto The Day the World Stops Shopping - which is an excellently written book and more readable than I thought. I have also finished the Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories and started reading my first John Dickson Carr murder mystery.

Bird Count is up to 56 as I saw a flock of lapwing pass over as I joined the motorway - the fields they probably used to stop in are now a giant distribution park - has anyone noticed how many logistics parks and warehouses there are now - how much crap is in them?

I cut my first printing blocks - hurrah - going to try lino next. And, I have now done a sketch or doodle every day for six months - I never thought I would manage that as I don't associate myself with being at all artistic.

Still no film developing or photography even this week.

Haircut appointment left me feeling grey, and wondering why people get their hair dyed - so much time you could spend doing something else, somewhere else.

January - week 4

Workwise it has been a pretty good week because it lasted only two days - with many, many meetings. But, on the positive side I had a meeting with the local college about social value and how we can work together to improve the site, and we are one step closer to a more sustainable way of decontaminating medical consumables and reducing single use plastics. I also unexpectedly got to catch up with a couple of my favourite people.

This week I went to London to be a tourist for the first time in 5 years. I had it all planned out, including some ideas of where to eat. My main mission was to the British Library to see the Medieval Women exhibition. I was hoping it would be quiet as it was a Wednesday - not a chance. It was heaving, mainly with women to the point that they give you timed tickets - not sure if that is a ploy to keep those that don't pre-book hanging around the shop (cynic that I am). The exhibition was dark and had annoying triggers that caused a recording to play - which doesn't help you to concentrate on reading the blurb next to an exhibition when you are being jostled or are trying not to jostle someone else. I resorted to flitting between exhibits where I saw there was no one looking at a piece. It was mainly based on manuscripts, with a few objects such as the skull of a lion and some gold coins. I loved seeing some of the manuscripts in the flesh - you don't get the glitter and the colour, as well as the translucence in a photograph or book. (This was just as well as the Treasures Gallery, one of my all time favourite places, was almost empty of manuscripts which added to my disappointment.) But, I didn't really enjoy the exhibition, especially consiering the cost of the train ticket and entry. I spent the rest of the day getting lost looking for bookshops and trying to find somewhere for lunch and caught an earlier than planned train back. However, the bright side of the trip was the purcahse of five books, seeing Ring-necked parakeets and deciding that once and for all I am really bad at sight seeing and even the train trip didn't make up for it.

Bird count is now up to 55 with the addition of four birds including the parakeets.

I still haven't developed that film from two weeks ago, and took a 35mm film camera down to London to shoot. I did get my money back for the other lens that didn't come.

Latin is still going well and I have moved onto chapter 6 and haven't skipped a day yet.

The block printing live demonstration I watched last weekend was excellent and I now own some basic tools and will hopefully start some printing this weekend.

I am still reading Darwin's Island, and have learnt about orchids and pollination (I did know some bits but it is still interesting and it is the first time I have heard bees described as flying penises) as well as about barnacles (of which I knew absolutely nothing). I read Selva Almada's 'Not a River' which was excellent and am now reading a Graham Greene novel as well as continuing with the Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories.

We also had an outpatients appointment at the hospital, as well as the excitement of changing a headlight bulb on the car (which involves taking the entire light fitting out - not sure I would be able to do that in the dark at the side of the road).

January - week 3

Workwise it has been a week of preparation for too many meetings. But those meetings were on the whole not too bad. I am sort of regretting volunteering for some teaching and a presentation about travel. I will never learn. Still I managed to get in two days working from home.

Birdcount has made it to 51 and the weather has turned grey. But I am not sure I have ever seen 50 different species of birds in less than three weeks! And waht a way to hit 50 - a great spotted woodpecker in all its black, white and red glory less than ten feet away in the silver birches in the garden - and as I was upstairs looking out it was at eye level. That was followed by an unexpected treat of a treecreeper as I was walking home from town.

Latin has seen me move onto chapter 5 and still sticking to my plan.

The best laid plans, however, on the photography front, have come to nothing. I bought a new lens hoping to get it in time for a trip out next week only for the company to mess up and what should have been a thin, light lens turned into a box 'the size of a small coffee table' as my husband put it. So now I have to print a label and return it and don't have said lens. I have not been organised enough yet to develop the film from last weekend's walk along the canal.

The most bizarre thing this week was when I heard a very posh, 1930s-BBC-style voice saying 'this vehicle is reversing". Not the usual accent.

I had almost forgotten that I had signed up to watch a block printing demonstration this evening which will be interesting I hope.

The bird drawing is going less well - I might have to watch some more videos and move onto how to draw the feathers before I give up again.

I have been reading Darwin's Island by Steve Jones - from Mount To Be Read. I am finding out some new things such as the likely disappearance of some insectivorous plants as nitrogen pollution increases. I have just read a chapter about facial expressions and behaviour - and a comparison with dogs. Apparently greyhounds don't bark which makes me wish the woman across the road had one of these instead of the Alsation she never takes for a walk and that barks almost constantly. Not as much as Sir Barkalot which literally barked constantly when his owners were out (sometimes for 8 hours straight) that lived next door. I assume he has now barked himself to death as he has been replaced by the very excitable but much quieter Lady Mimi.

January - week 2

Work has involved finishing off the Travel Plan (or at least waiting for comments back) as well as trying to refresh the Green Plan which is easier typed than done. But I had a good meeting witht the local council about public transport.

I've moved to 47 birds already which is pretty cool as last year I took until mid February to get to 50.

I am still managing to do some Latin every day. I think it is going well, but I am covering some things that I was already familiar with. But I am sticking with the plan.

I have also been trying to sketch the outlines of birds from some photos. I usually struggle to get the head proportions right, but it is going better - the angle of the beak also makes quite a difference.

The weather has been incredibly cold, but lovely and sunny.

I had a lovely walk down the canal towpath in the frost and mist. I also chanelled my grandad and had some conversations with people about cameras, walks, art materials. I took some photos that I was quite happy with as well for the first time in years. Photo mojo may be returning.

January - week 1

Dominated by being back at work. This week's projects included the Travel Plan which is nearly done. On the positive side the sunrises have been beautiful and I got a breathtaking view of the moon and venus as I left the office on Friday - just about the silhouettes of the trees with the lights of the university buildings down by the river below.

I'm up to 44 birds already on this year's list but it will get harder from here out. Sunny weather for a couple of days has helped me get out and about and always lifts the spirits.

Latin learning is going OK four days in.