Alan Williams's Blog, page 52

Quick Links 3rd October 2016

Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.

Currently Reading

I finally finished reading Run To The Mountain by Thomas Merton [GoodReads] at the end of last week! It’s taken me well over a month to get through, but I’ve really enjoyed it....

Third Quarter Review 2016

Each year for the past few years I’ve been doing a year end review; books I’ve read, films/tv programmes I’ve watched and other things related to work and the allotment. You can read the end of 2015 here, if you’re interested.

This year I’m trying something a little different, and am splitting my year into quarters and trying to do a review at the end of the quarter. It helps me remember stuff more easily, and is more up to the minute than waiting to until December and trying to do the whole...

Quick Links 26th September 2016

Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.

I haven’t seen many swifts this year, quite a few swallows and house martins but their high flying cousins have been a little conspicuous in their absence. It goes like that some years – I seem t...

Allotment Update (17th September 2016)

Things are slowing down a little on the allotment now, courgettes that were producing one fruit a day, are now producing about one a week. Other summer crops are coming to the end of their season. It’s now however the end of work on the allotment – I’m already thinking about next year – the planting of over-wintering crops like onions and garlic is just starting as well as broad beans. I’m a little later than I was last year with my broad beans, and they haven’t gone in yet, but the onions an...

Quick Links 19th September 2016

Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.

The Week In Wildlife – In Pictures (w/e 09/09/16)

The Week In Wildlife – In Pictures (w/e 16/09/16)

One in 10 UK wildlife species faces extinction, major report shows [The Guardian]

There are s...

Early Start

I’ve been sleeping badly the last couple of nights because it’s been hot and humid, so I’ve been getting up early and getting out with the dogs on our morning walk. I do love this time of the day, just as the sun is rising.

Odd Moth

I saw an unusual moth yesterday and have been trying to identify it this morning. The closest I can get to it, is a Tiger Moth – possibly a Garden Tiger Moth, as others that look most like it are not native to the UK and would be well outside their range.

I doubt I’ve spotted a rarity, but will keep my eyes open and see if I can spot it again, and perhaps get a photograph.

Quick Links 12th September 2016

Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.

I walk in my local park every day, because I own dogs. I don’t take every dog walk there, but I normally walk through it or past it with the dogs. I’ve noticed changes over the last few years, wi...

Autumn Arriving

The mornings are starting to feel a little chillier now, there’s a regular morning breeze that’s been absent for a while, and the days are shortening. It’s now dark in the mornings when I get up, and the sun is down again by nine o’clock in the evening. I’m wearing long trousers again and my shorts are only coming out if the mercury rises high enough.

Last week I was watching swallows and house martins, diving and wheeling across the playing fields near my house, flying incredibly low, trying...

Quick Links 5th September 2016

Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.

Currently Reading:

Run to the Mountain by Thomas Merton [GoodReads]

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson [GoodReads]

I’ve been working my way through both of these books for the last few weeks. I normall...