Variety is...............

Well that's what they say isn't it eh, and I have to tell you its true, you cant beat it it adds to the richness of life.

Take last weekend the public holiday weekend, what we used to call bank holidays, why we did that I don't know but anyway.

Saturday saw me in Ipswich a town I worked in many years ago telling some stories at Pooka's Pageant, something I was invited to after winning Suffolk Skald a week earlier, it was good to see Ipswich again, its not a bad place and I have some good memories of people and places. The pageant was interesting and my stories went well.

Then Sunday and Monday I was helping out on the Cambridgeshire Bird Club stand at the Fenland Country Fair. This year a few of the local conservation groups, some who have been there before and some who have not, got together and ran a conservation marquee. With the full support of the organisers by the way who would like to see it happen again next year. There were a lot of folk who popped in for a look and a chat so it was well worthwhile.

Then back to the gardening just to complete the picture, aside from lawns and cutting back I have been planting out what feels like hundreds of Wallflowers and Violas in some of my gardens to provide some colour later this autumn then over winter and into spring, small plug plants delivered in trays from Jersey and all in good condition.

So as i said variety is the spice of life isn't it eh......

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: Suffolk Skald and Great Crested Newt License

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: Suffolk Skald and Great Crested Newt License: Its been a bit like waiting for a bus these last couple of days for me. You wait for ages for something meaningful and useful to happen th...

Suffolk Skald and Great Crested Newt License

Its been a bit like waiting for a bus these last couple of days for me.

You wait for ages for something meaningful and useful to happen then along come two at onceish.

Went to the second Suffolk Eisteddfod last Sunday and entered as I did last year, was not sure how I would get on, I got nowhere last year. I did my best as you can see in the photo below.

Lo and behold when it comes to the judges decision, I was the winner, so now I am the 2011 Chief Skald of Suffolk. And as no one else might let you know I am doing it myself trumpet in hand, well not literally of course.

Then the next day I check my work emails and lo and behold 2, I have been granted a Great Crested Newt Science and Education license, I applied for it hoping but not sure if I would get it, it must have been the good reference I had from my usual ecology work employer. Hopefully it will prove useful work wise.

So as things stand I am sitting here waiting for a third piece of good luck in as many days, should I hold my breath???

musk beetle what a beauty

Could not resist blogging about this little beauty.

Its a Musk Beetle Aromia moschata, this one was found on an allotment site hence the gloves I was wearing while working. I used to find them at this time of year at Milton Country Park but this is first I have seen for a while.

They are superb creatures and the colours and the antennae are real, the young live in willow trees for a few years before the adults hatch out and go looking for a mate. This one was found on red windfall apples not the usual flowers they get nectar for food from. I did use to find them on ice lolly wrappers at Milton though.
 

Astounding Day and Time

Well that's a headline for you now I expect you are after content.

Blog at least once a week at least I was told on Tuesday, so here I am.

Been thinking I need a website which is how I came to hear the blog weekly comment at a Business Direct workshop. Yea see I am trying to make a go of working for myself, trying is the word though.

Been an interesting few days, done some gardening, told some stories for a group in Suffolk this afternoon. Then more importantly to show the circle keeps turning the farmers are now flat out with harvest. Yes I know not much of a link there but it is all linked, well in my head anyway.

Been too long but reminded of how useful

Its been way too long since I did this, does it matter, who cares, who knows

Been way too busy but a few things have happened lately that need mentioning. You might be interested and then again you might have a view.

As a gardener I use knee pads a lot, need to save and protect them you know, can I find a good pair that dont wear out in what seems like five minutes can I heck. I have tried loads but what next is the thing.

Was in a garden on the 27th and found a young well fledged Greatspotted Woodpecker closeby it was being mobbed by a Magpie and had suffered a bit of damage to a wing but seemed okay, popped him on a fruit tree where he stayed for a while, I heard his parents calling locally so hopefully they found him.

Also on the 27th went over to Bedford with a storytelling colleague to record some of the Social Business stories we told in late March at the O2 Arena.

have you ever had the urge

to smile at the least appropriate moment.

HHmmnn, well it happened to me today. I was storytelling for a group of over 60's. All was going well as I moved onto the three green ladies a fantasic story about brothers beech trees and tree spirits.

I was just getting to the demise of the eldest brother when I noticed two black lumps flump into a very small holly bush outside. Intrigued I watched as well as I could while still telling the story .

Then a magpie landed near the bush and out struts a sparrowhawk with a blackbird in one of his claws.

It was not happy with the magpie which was quickly joined by another one, had they been watching the sparrowhawk or following it??? The sparrowhawk had its wings and tail spread  and its beak open and was looking very threatening.

I was fascinated but managed to carry on with the story despite wanting to stop and watch the standoff to see how it ended, so I cant tell you what happened next but it was a fantastic moment.