If I dont who will

Had a letter through yesterday, after eight months of study I have been awarded a qualification from Birmingham University, closest I will ever get to a university edumacation.

Part time study and I managed to get about half the funding paid from a european fund for those of us more mature folk about to be made redundant, that was back in March. Paid the rest from my redundancy. It was enjoyable to do and hopefully will help me get some work.

I ended up in some lovely places all Field Studies Council like Flatford Mill above and seeing some nice wildlife like Birds Nest Orchid below while at Kindrogan in Scotland.

That letter got me thinking. Been one heck of a year for me redundant from a place I loved and still do so its a shame to hear some of the stories I hear about it now. But thats someone elses problem now.

I have moved on, might not be much to some folk but after years of being employed by others I have gone self employed and built up a gardening round, I have got some paid storytelling work and I have done some ecological work. Still managing to fit in some voluntary work as well. If I have to go back to be employed at some stage in the future well so be it I am going to give this lot a go for now.

I might not be earning much but I am happier in myself and that means a lot. Yes its been slow these last few weeks but I have heard about some odd days work here and there I might go for next year. So the only way is up now as far as I can see, light at the end of tunnels comes to mind.

Its all in your life as the man said

The man was Dennis of Grunty Fen of course and if you have never heard of this famous! chap you have missed out on some of the best descriptions of lifes ups and downs imaginable.

Anyway its funny how your life changes and things happen as it were. There I was thinking of doing a bit of work in some gardens where I knew I would not damage the soil given the easing of the cole conditions. When out of the blue, well it was the phone actually, comes the words do you fancy a days work at *****, well naturally I said yes and to cut a short story long I took it and got three days work in the end. It was environmental work and involved a bit of fencing, and some surveying work with a bit of standing around for good measure. Got a bit muddy mind you but it has washed of.

Did get some gardening done on Thursday for a couple of my regulars, I say gardening as there were a few odd jobs thrown in for good measure such as cutting up firewood.

Thursday evening stands out though in my mind, it was the Cambridgeshire Mammal Group Christmas Social an event not to be missed I can assure you. Always good food and chat about mammals as well as a catch up with folk, but most importantly the Quiz of all quiz's. A spectacle of seriousness well some of the time, often though tis just banter and winding up the other team and the poor devil who put the quiz together, but lets not forget the plasticene. Thats right plasticine for making models with of course and in this case it was Otters at one fifth life size no less. There was a problem there was no brown or white for that matter but loads of yellow red and green with a smattering of orange. Still our designated modellers did sterling work and produced what can only be described as incredible replicas of Otters, ours was the best of course very lifelike in yellow! As for the other team well it looked more like a corrugated squirrel something we told them of course.

Whats this to do with anything , well Otters are spreading all over the fens is the thing, the Middle Level is now filling up with artificial otter holts with more to go in and they are being visited by Otters and there are some pictures to prove it some great closeups. Really good work and a credit to the middle level commissioners.

Then Friday and some more christmas shopping almost done I think? and almost ready.

Less than ten days to secure tree protection

---

Please read this and please act on the request, this is an easy way for you to act on behalf of the community, human and animal. Read the message, send of an email and have a look at the film it says so much about why we need trees live and dead.


Ancient and vulnerable trees need your help today
-------------------------------------------------

The Ancient Tree Forum and the Woodland Trust need your support to stop avoidable loss of Ancient Trees
and to help protect one of the most important habitats a tree can provide - dead wood.

The Tree Preservation Order (TPO) in England is currently being reviewed and we are concerned about
some proposed changes which would reduce, rather than improve, protection and could directly affect
beautiful and valuable ancient and veteran trees*.

The Department of Communities and Local Government proposes to continue to allow all dead trees,
however valuable, to be felled without consent. There is also a proposal to introduce a similar exception
for the removal of dead branches - vital habitats that naturally develop as trees age - on living trees.

Essentially this means that very old, historic and wildlife-rich dead trees and dead branches of living
veteran trees could be completely removed, rather than managed for stability.

Please help us prevent such a backward step in tree and habitat protection!

The Trust has set up an emergency campaign with the Ancient Tree Forum to feed directly into the public
consultation process.

Go straight to the live petition where you can add your own voice to ours**.
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/our-views-and-policy/Pages/send-message.aspx

PLEASE, find 2 minutes today to feed directly into this consultation and pass it on to your friends and contacts. This consultation ends 20th December.

In haste,
Neville and Nikki

Neville Fay - chair, Ancient Tree Forum
Nikki Williams - head of campaigning, Woodland Trust

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This beautifully animated film illustrates some of the very special habitats created by deadwood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piCWcjm4W9k
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Over the last 4 years the Trust's Ancient Tree Hunt (http://www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk) has
recorded approximately 80,000 trees that are of importance to people across the UK, including
192 ancient dead trees. A significant proportion of veteran trees have dead branches in their
crowns; this is not only a threatened habitat but is a fundamental part of their character and
visual appeal which can remain for decades and longer if carefully managed. If these changes are
passed there will be no protection for the values that make these trees special.

** Further information and the proposed joint response from the Ancient Tree Forum and Woodland Trust
can be found here:
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/our-views-and-policy/Pages/reject-tpo-exceptions.aspx

yippee a varied week

The one thing I really love about the work I do now is the varied nature of it, this week has been a good example.

Okay so it was really cold at the start but lovely because of the hoar frosts. And yes I have not earnt a lot this week just like last week. But theres more to life.

Tuesday morning went to Grange Farm the local RSPB farm for a catch up on whats happening there, it looked great see picture. Then told stories at a christmas get together Tuesday evening and got paid for it so a little coming in.

Wednesday was into Cambridge doing some shopping for that day.

Got some tidying up work done at two gardens Thursday where I could work without causing damage to the soil so a bit more earnt. Had a look at a one off bit of gardening work today in the village, despite the ladies interest in having the work done asap I will leave it a few days to let her think about the price I have given her.

Last but not least I need to mention the Smith and Busby Variety Show on Wednesday 8th at CB2 in Cambridge, I think we stunned the folk attending with our mixture of story and song which includes me warbling awway, a real delight, not sure if that was the right word to describe it mind.
Have a look at You Tube and type in
Andrew Malcolm December 2010

Recovered yet!

For more torture look at the pictures

http://picasaweb.google.com/cambridgestorytellers/AndrewMalcolmDecember2010#

Blimey did I really pull all those faces, obviously!

Have a lovely weekend.

did they find it

Being at a slack period in my new working world as I have mentioned already, I have been trawling tinternet as well as rehearsing for the Smith and Busby Variety Show this wednesday.

I came across an interesting snippet of news.

On the 06/12/1994 The Queen gave the go ahead for oil drilling to take place in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The move came after studies showed there could be up to £1bn of oil lying beneath the castle.

Now this throws up all sorts of queries, did they drill, if so what did they find, how much are they getting out and is it Royaloil!

Does anyone know.

One of them weeks

Well its been one of them weeks is about all you can say really I suppose, here in Cambridgeshire we have got off lighly as usual. Its been lovely to look at but I have not managed to earn much because of the cold and snow and frozen ground. Still did manage to catch up on a few bits and pieces so cant have been all bad.

Also got in a planned trip to Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, which is where both of the pictures were taken yesterday, the 4th, the first of Tranmer House and the second of Mound 1. It was about lunchtime when they were taken and it was a tad dull as you can see but I couldnt resist them.

The thaw temporary as it might be had set in the precious night so the roads were not bad. Went down for a study day on the Anglo Saxons not my first and quite possibly not my last, very interesting period of English history.


Anyway the place looked lovely and brought back memories of when I was studying full time at Otley College and then working in Ipswich for the Borough Council more years ago than I care to remember. They were some good times though in Suffolk and I still keep in touch with some of the folks I met and worked with then.

Like my old boss Michael and Barry one of the arborists as well as a few of my old classmates like Simon and Andrew and Kevin, aahh happy days, beer and chips on the seafront at Southwold or a bit of bird watching along the coast trying not to freeze to death in the cold or fry in the heat. I can remember a Hen Harrier at Shingle Street one freezing sunday afternoon in oohh it must have been the winter of 88/89.

Anyway enough rambling I should get on theres a special coming up fast I am told cant think what!!!!!!

The depths to which we stoop hah.........

Well you have to do dont you eh, work that is even if as with this one its a free one you are taking part in. Whats he on about this time well look below and dont bother turning up saying you know me can you have a free seat for old times sake.

Much trunpeting and rolling of drums..................and action.

Had enough of Christmas shopping already need a bit of a laugh or a shiver to run down your spine!

You need Smith and Busby!!!!! the best medicine and remedy in the universe.

Well the thing is Jones is not available for this gig and come to think of it, its a different Smith as well.

But for the show to see in Cambridge in December 2010 get yourself to the cellar at the cafe/bistro CB2 in Norfolk Street Cambridge at 8pm on Wednesday 8 th December to see Andrew Smith and Malcolm Busby of Cambridge Storytellers.

With an exciting mixture of daring do, ghostly stories and traditional songs from the age of Victoria to the present day, can you really afford to miss this the event of the month.

So get your Wednesday evening Christmas shopping done and come along to be entertained for a couple of hours. Admission charge £5, concessions £3.