Badgers vote to cull MPs

Have a read of this you might like it.

Badgers vote to cull MPs

More madness later.

Memories

Funny old things memories and its odd what triggers them sometimes.

I took part in a project with the storytelling group I belong to Cambridge Storytellers recently gathering the memories of folk who grew up in the 1930's mainly in Cambridge. Heard some fascinating stuff a lot relating to the second word war but after we had a performance sorted we took some of those memories back to the people we collected them from and let them listen to us telling bits from their stories.

It was fascinating watching them hearing what they had said and then from somewhere else they added more information to that we already had. Very moving as well, I wont forget the chap who had not said much about his was service who volunteered some very strong personal recollections of taking men of the beaches at Dunkirk.

While at a different care home I got chatting to this chap who tells me he is 98 years old, I looked at him and thought blimey if I get that far I hope I am in the same condition as you. We talked about his work and then some of my own memories were opened up. He worked as an entomologist at the Rothampstead Institute in one way or another doing a lot of work on Locusts.

Hold it my mind says Locusts and then from nowhere seemingly in my head comes the words Schistocerca gregaria the Desert Locust. And there I am back in school a member of the Bug Club looking after Locusts again.


Its small world and no mistake.

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: Autumn is here

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: Autumn is here: Been seeing all the cobwebs all glistening in the long grass but got another couple of reminders over the last couple of days that Autumn is...

Autumn is here

Been seeing all the cobwebs all glistening in the long grass but got another couple of reminders over the last couple of days that Autumn is coming.

There I was walking along and I got that scent, that lovely musky scent you only get from poplar. It took me back to all the times I have smelt it before and all the places, gorgeous.

Then this morning a nice flock of Longtailed Tit's working along a hedgerow, chirrupping away between themselves to keep in touch while looking for food and in this case one of them being chased away by a lone Chiffchaff presumably trying to defend his Hawthorn and its invertebrates from the chirruping Longtails.

I also saw this recently, look closely can you see it. Yep its a spider but you have to squint to miss out the grass stalks. Its a wasp spider on the egg case its just put together. Marvelous piece of construction.

So Autumn is coming but all around us wildlife is going on and reminding us that's its the little things that matter and which we carry in our heads that perhaps mean the most.

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: pardon me while I have a rant

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: pardon me while I have a rant: A certain MP is alleged to have said its everyone's basic right to have a weekly rubbish collection. Now hang on a minute if we are talkin...

pardon me while I have a rant

A certain MP is alleged to have said its everyone's basic right to have a weekly rubbish collection.

Now hang on a minute if we are talking basic rights I can think of a few more important basic rights thank you very much, besides I get once a week, one week recyclables one week non recyclables whats wrong with that!

If we are talking basic rights how about ensuring the NHS continues, how about ensuring that there is enough housing about that is actually affordable not termed "affordable", then how about some stability in the jobs market so people can then buy those homes, permanent contracts not temporary or casual which my local paper recently said was on the rise and so good for companies so they can be flexible.

Oh and we must not forget we might soon be able to drive even faster whoopidoo, at a time when police and ambulance numbers are being cut we might be able to drive faster, don't know if they have noticed but there are a lot of folk doing it already as well as a lot who don't know how to

Still everything's all right its important for economic growth, aarrgghh. I fully expect at this rate to see children going up chimneys again.

wot on earth

Funny old week, seen some bad behaviour and some good stuff too.

Was looking round a site late last week and came across this, in the words of old Rolf "can you tell what it is yet".

Looks a bit chapelish doesn't it but can you tell what it is yet! It was an amazing place, on other sites have seen magical flocks of goldfinches twittering away as they flip across thistles, lovely birds.

Then we move onto the bad stuff. Can anyone explain when drivers got the okay to jump red lights all over the place, to leave coming of at dual carriageway junctions to the last minute and any number of other regularly seen examples of bad driving. No I am not becoming Victor driving standards are dropping.

Finally this afternoon I called into see one of my regular gardening clients after she asked me to visit her, got there and I saw her front hedge had been cut down by about two feet but not by me, so thinking I had lost a client and she wanted to tell me I knocked on the door and she asked me in, it seems someone has cut her hedge down without her permission and while she was away for a few days holiday, that's right just did it and she wanted to know what I thought she should do. Result she is now very upset and doesn't know what to do.

The rioters who ransacked shops etc a while ago were labelled as allsorts, but I would suggest the suggested decline in standards is very widespread. Heaven help us.

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: How do you take your pleasure!

Malcolm Busbys Blogs: How do you take your pleasure!: A question I have been asking myself lately you know. Why well as you watch people as we all do you see and hear all sorts of emotions and p...

How do you take your pleasure!

A question I have been asking myself lately you know. Why well as you watch people as we all do you see and hear all sorts of emotions and pleasure is seeable to use a word that sounds like it might not exist.

Take last Thursday I was gardening at one of my elderly lady clients and had picked some fruit and veg for her. The look on her face and the real pleasure that she gets from seeing produce from her garden was obvious. mind you the produce was good as you can see below.

And then Sunday afternoon, went for a stroll at Anglesey Abbey a National Trust property close to Cambridge and a place I like to go a few times a year for a wander. So I suppose its a pleasure of mine and from the number of cars in the car park I would say it is a lot of other folks pleasure as well.

A regular pleasure party I suppose.

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.

twas the coldest night before christmas

So the news the other day was the coldest month since records began. Trying to see a joke in there I have to say was it the coldest before wax cylinders then. Too off the wall well perhaps.

But it has been cold and not for a couple of days for weeks or seemed anyway. Hopefully it will have done some good somewhere. My only concern is what effect has it had on wildlife.

Certainly gardeners were still coming to terms with the damage the cold winter of 2009/2010 caused with trees shrubs and perrenials killed of or severely damaged. In some cases plants that were perhaps on the edge of being able to grow in this country, but even some plants normally quite hardy were hit hard. I suspect even more will have suffered this winter which of course is not over yet.

My biggest concern is for birds and animals though. Its not easy to see any effect unless you think about it, did you notice the number of birds in your garden increase and decrease or just decrease. Have the hedges near you been stripped of berries very quickly. I went to a few local nature reserves in late December and have been to more this last weekend. To me they all seemed quieter than usual. My own personal observation I know with no factual basis but you have to wonder.

I know that with the snow and ice about you could see the little dead bodies for once, only a few here and there some like the dead swans more obvious and those quickly plucked clean of any flesh by other hungry mouths.

I think the grisliest thing I saw was a Carrion Crow on the frozen river Great Ouse near an open spot where ducks gulls and grebes were trying to find food or stay safe. I saw the Crow pecking at something and looked with my binoculars, what was it? It turned out to be a Little Grebe on its back not quite dead but already with a bloody gaping hole in its chest and a foot still moving. I felt sick to be honest by what I saw and looked away, when I looked back the Crow and Little Grebe were not there. You might not approve of it but the Crow was trying to survive in the harsh weather.

It made me think and I have kept on feeding the birds in my garden I upped the feed as the cold weather began and have kept the higher amount going, they need it and I can help those that come to me.

I hope you are feeding the birds and encouraging others to do the same, they are going to need the food and whatever help we can give them this year for certain.

just got back from a herculean story

Cant remember the next line from the song I am thinking of, must be getting forgetful, twas by ELO though.

Greek Myths at a school in Cambridge this morning, me and two others. My input concerned some of the labours of Hercules, this to 8 and 9 year olds.

One of the best moments was when I was telling the 5th labour, the Stables of Augeias, and I asked the children what they thought the stables would be full of.

Up in the air goes a girls arm so I asked her what she thought the stables would be full of, "Dung" she says. Well it was Cambridge I have to say I was wondering what I would hear.

family

Families, they are what Christmas is about. Been thinking about family a lot this one, mine is special to me and I hope yours is to you.

We lost Dad in mid 2009 but he is still with us in our memories, I still ask him about things and wonder what he would say about situations. I popped into see him on Boxing Day before going to meet up with my brothers there families and of course Mum.

Poor old Mum, four sons and what a bunch they are. But there is strength in family and I am grateful for that. I have helped out and been helped by my brothers and my parents all my life, long may it continue.

Thats not to say that friends are not important because we all know that in there own way good friends become almost like family.

I had a reminder today about another family I have, that of Rangers something I did for 20 years and which is a definate family where you can ask for help and it is given. Not just in this country though there are rangers around the world who manage and protect habitats and wildlife for us. Some of them lose there lives every year to protect wildlife over the past few years there have been a number killed protecting mountain gorillas in the DRC. What happens to them if they survive but cannot work, what happens to there families in a country where war is tearing it apart or so it seems. Is it important to protect wildlife, I would say yes it is another family albeit a large one to which we all belong and which needs our help.

Have a good day, think of your family where ever they are and be happy.

missing a trick

There was an article in the Cambridge News on the 3rd Jan about what they called Sci Fi funerals.

Bit of a morbid subject this but well how do we deal with people who die, we all will one day so at Cambridge Crematorium they are looking at the future to a more commercial approach to hadling death. Yes thats right given these straightened times they are looking at making more money out of death.

Currently we have burial and cremation both long established methods but are they green enough! Hmmnn, well apparently those folks in the good old USA have been looking at this says the paper and have come up with another couple of greener methods that they have begun using there.

Hold onto your stomachs now, method one involves freezing to remove moisture then crushing to a fine powder which can be composted, method two involves dissolving in an alkali to get a green brown liquid didnt say what happens to that. Do you still get the body back as it were as with ashes or will we end up saying our final goodbyes when the curtain closes.

Now I have to admit I am a bit old fashioned here, making money out of death is another case of "we are all in this together" even when you are dead or grieving for the loss of a loved one. As for the two methods that are being looked at, are we getting to a stage where once the coffin has gone the body becomes the property of the crematorium to do with as they will in whatever manner that might raise a few more pounds. Are we there already.

Got me wondering though, sci fi films are so often closer than you think in the end, anyone else remember that film Soylent Green from the 1960's. And yes they are thinking about a cafe at the crematorium.