Flighty's plot

I’ve mentioned this colourful, noisy bird before and was chatting to plot neighbour Trevor on Sunday morning when we saw one fly over the top of us. He reckons that they’ll be settling in the trees just behind his plot as he keeps seeing a few of them. There is a ten minute programme on BBC2 tomorrow at 8.50pm, repeated Saturday on BBC2 at 6.30pm, all about them.

Also on Saturday BBC2 at 6.40pm is Wild Scilly: Britain’s Island Paradise which I’ll be watching. I went on a day trip to Tresco by helicopter a long time ago. It was one of those perfect days that are rarely experienced but remembered forever.

I’ve been watching Life in Cold Blood, which has been compelling viewing, but next Monday’s one Sophisticated Serpents may well be the one that I watch very little of. Instead I’ll probably watch the Time Team Special The Real Knights of the Round Table which is on Channel 4 at the same time.

If you’re an early bird then have a listen to BBC Radio 4’s Living World on Sunday at 6.35am. It’s the first in a new series 1/4. In Search of Dippers. You can of course catch up with it later by listening online.

Have a good weekend!

[This entry is titled Untitled ! as for once I simply could not think of one!]

There !

is the book Sadie the Air Mail Pilot by Kellie Strom.

The review in the March issue of Flyer was by NLP (aged 5) and read I liked the book because it was about aeroplanes and flying. I like the pictures looking inside the aeroplane and the runways in the sky. I liked the rhyme about the Air Mail: “Things look grim, but don’t get nervous, Nothing scares the Air Mail service”. I could read the book myself.

MLP (aged a lot more) said I enjoyed reading it too!

I’ve not yet read the book but do have a look at the links on Sadie’s website which I found to be interesting and informative…Flighty

It seems that many of us have, not surprisingly, taken advantage of the recent glorious weather to get out and about.

On Saturday Blue Pixel went on a trip to Brighton and as you can see took a terrific photo of the town’s famous West Pier.

Daffy, and her daughter, went for an enjoyable Sunday morning walk on Waldridge Fell.

Yesterday LoisWakeman decided to take a day off and visit the wonderful Snowdrop Valley, Exmoor.

At the weekend Uphilldowndale went to the rarely open private house and garden at Hopton Hall in Derbyshire.

Veg Plotting had some of her family staying with her over the weekend and they went to Cheddar Gorge and the surrounding area.

I worked Saturday and got no further than Plot 124 on Sunday so I’m grateful that I can read such blogs, with their good photos and interesting links.

Thanks everybody!

All the TV programmes that I’ve mentioned the past couple of weeks continue on the same days and times. Staying on the British theme Natural World this week is Badgers – Secrets of the sett. Don’t forget to watch A Wild Day in Heligan which is a ten minute programme that immediately follows it.

I’ve recently added London Daily Nature Photo to my blogroll under Tea Time, which is well worth a look with some wonderful photos. Another site that I find useful is British-Trees.com as I’m never very good at identifying trees.

Don’t forget that it’s National Chip Week,  and have a good weekend!

I’ve just finished reading Grief Encounters by Stuart Pawson, which is the 12th book in the D.I.(Detective Inspector) Charlie Priest series.

I’ve read all the previous books and was really looking forward to this one. I certainly wasn’t disappointed and throughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

On the cover it says Perfect for a long winter afternoon with the rain beating down on the windows – Independent on Sunday. I couldn’t put it any better myself!

I can relate to Charlie Priest as he has a liking for KitKats. He keeps a stash of them in his desk drawer, and even shares them out with his team occasionally. I could work for a boss who does that!

As an aviation buff I have one very minor quibble with the book. In it Pawson writes The private charter Lear 55… There have never been any on the UK civil aircraft register so a Lear 45 would have been more appropriate. Thankfully this tiny hiccup in no way detracts from the story.

This is an excellent crime fiction novel and one that I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who enjoys reading such books. Needless to say I’m now looking forward to the 13th in the series!

Tomorrow’s Natural World film Saved by Dolphins is on BBC2 at 8.00pm, and repeated Saturday at 6.05pm. It looks at the stories of humans saved at sea by dolphins to try and find out if there’s any truth in them.

I missed Life In Cold Blood 1/5. The Cold Blooded Truth last Monday but will watch the repeat which is being shown on Sunday BBC1 at 6.00pm. The next one 2/5. Land Invaders can be seen on Monday BBC1 at 9.00pm.

The excellent Around the World in 80 Gardens which continues on Sunday BBC2 at 9.00pm, and repeated on Tuesday at 7.00pm, sees Monty Don in India. It includes the Taj Mahal which is perhaps the most famous architectural garden in the world.

A new series is Tropic of Capricorn which starts on Sunday BBC2 at 8.00pm with 1/4. Namibia and Botswana, and repeated next Thursday at the rather late time of 11.20pm. These programmes see Simon Reeve follow the tropic of Capricorn through southern Africa, Australia and South America.

Divastar was a birthday girl yesterday so if you haven’t already done so please stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Have a good weekend!

The week before last I received a parcel from Daffy.

Inside was this card which made me smile in which she’d written Everything good comes to those who wait !

There was also a rather smart pocket diary, which I started using right away, and a bar of Lemon and Pepper White Chocolate ! This I tasted somewhat apprehensively but found it to be very pleasant indeed. It’s therefore not surprising that it didn’t last very long.

There were also two other items which she thought would be useful for when I’m allotmenteering. She’s right as the knife blade locks as a safety measure and the pocket watch is ideal as I don’t like wearing a wrist watch when I’m on the plot.

The only thing was I wasn’t sure where I’d wear the pocket watch so I went into my local Cancer Research UK charity shop and asked if they had any waistcoats. The lady had a quick rummage and held up this rather snazzy one

Perfect I said, having tried it on over my cardy! It was £4 so I gave her £5 and said to keep the change.

The knife goes in one pocket , the watch into the other and McFlighty is ready for action. I can’t wait to wear it on the plot come the warmer weather.

Thank you again Daffy for such thoughtful gifts which I shall make constant, and very, good use of.

Tomorrow’s Natural World on BBC2 at 8.00pm is White Falcon, White Wolf which follows two sets of rarely filmed predators struggling to raise families on a remote island in the Canadian Arctic. The programme is repeated on BBC2 Sunday at 5.55pm.

The second Around the World in 80 Gardens is on BBC2 Sunday at 8.45pm, and repeated on Tuesday at 7.00pm, which sees Monty Don in Australia and New Zealand where he finds some surprisingly familiar English style gardens.

Monday on BBC1 at 9.00pm sees the start of Life In Cold Blood. This five part series is the final chapter of David Attenborough’s epic exploration of life on Earth. I shall be watching these programmes with a degree of trepidation as the creatures being shown are certainly not among my favourites!

A cosy film that I’ll be watching again next week is Greenfingers which is on Five Wednesday at 8.00pm. It’s a heart-warming tale based on a true story, and ideal viewing for a mid-week winter’s evening.

Have a good weekend!