Falcons and Flags

Tom, our long-term resident tiercel (a male peregrine falcon) whose partner left him with her male chick last year is bonding with Azina. Her name derives from her “AZN” ring.

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Categorised as Local, Nature

Another Roller

A blogger trying to grab a reader’s attention often casts modesty aside and is boastful; guilty as charged. The Bible, so often a source of solace, has consolation.

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Categorised as History

Blue Mist

Next time I watch Lawrence of Arabia I will pay more attention to the armoured car. It’s a replica in David Lean’s film.

Dining with Duff

After yesterday’s quite emotional post, unlike Duff Cooper, I’d like to get back on to lighter fare.

Murder Most Foul

I have met Lord Butler more than once, actually only twice. When I sat beside him after dinner on High Table at University College, Oxford, where at the time he was Master, he told me the apogee of his career was the Good Friday Agreement. He was Cabinet Secretary then.

No Business Like Snow Business

Yesterday morning is the first time Bertie has seen snow. Beagles are inquisitive and he marvelled at this phenomenon, although it didn’t take him long to work out it was best appreciated standing under the garden table.

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Squirrel Nutkin

Three fat mice, a fine fat mole, seven fat minnows, six fat beetles (each wrapped in a dock-leaf, fastened with a pine-needle pin), wild honey and a new-laid egg.

Nothing is Simple in Wodehouse

“You would probably find that only Shakespeare has inspired an equal amount of critical annotation and scholarship to his equally extensive collected works. It would be difficult to assess which of Shakespeare and Wodehouse wrote the greater number of words in his lifetime – but it would come as no surprise if it turned out… Continue reading Nothing is Simple in Wodehouse

Be Debonair

“You must never confuse genius with a bull market.” (An Englishman’s Commonplace Book, Roger Hudson)

Crossing the Taklamakan

I read Tim Severin’s obituary yesterday. One of his earliest expeditions was crossing the Atlantic in a currach made of wood and animal hides. When he made an unscheduled stop at Iceland almost all his crew deserted him. Severin had a reputation as a less kindly version of Captain Bligh.

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Categorised as Travel