You couldnt make it up to use in a book and talking of that

So one of my Christmas presents was a book I should have read by now but, no I hadn't.
The book? 1066 and all that.

Well I finished reading it yesterday as news was breaking about Tesco and then today we have Hinchinbrooke and I said to myself, what on earth would the writers of said book make of what is happening in the world now.

For me I am almost lost for words at the obvious need for money and lots of it that is apparent in all this and more today.

The changing face of parks etc etc

As an ex local authority park manager I dont see where park and countryside management is going much at the moment, its not hard to see why morale in the sector is low. Any staff left must be constantly fearful of their jobs longevity.

Locally to me Cambridge Past Present and Future who amongst other things manage Wandlebury Country Park and Coton Countryside Reserve have agreed a new management plan which sees there future site specific staffing more geared to visitors rather than the practical work needed to maintain it.

As a result of this three full time staff who carried out the bulk of the practical work as well as visitor liaison are to be made redundant on 30th March 2015 losing there jobs and there houses which were tied to the job. A situation similar to the one I was in back in 2008.  In  the place of three full time staff there will be one new full time post and a number of part time posts all of which will be paid at a much lower hourly rate. Practical work will be mainly carried out by contractors. The rest of the work of Cambridge PPF will go on as usual with them saying we have been running the park for 60 years we know what we are doing.

Parks and countryside are so important to all of us, they are vital to our physical and mental well being and yet the way they are being managed in a time of austerity is  unbelievable to many in the business of looking after them.

Cambridge PPF is a small charity but not on its own in making quite large changes. Probably without exception all local authorities and other land managing charities are having to cut back on the number of staff they have to maintain them and keep them as places people feel safe to visit. 

Parks are going backwards, staff are dealing with now and not planning for the future, its not how our heritage whether its buildings or landscapes should be managed.

Of Griffins and the creatures of story

While walking around Coombe Abbey the other day I came across the two Griffin from John Leach and the Devil, a Huntingdonshire/Cambridgeshire story.


There they were frozen to stone and looking lovely, the stone nicely coloured with age and blobs of lichen on them.

Suitably reminded of a story and thinking of mythological creatures I wandered on along a yew hedge to a gatepost only clear because the hedge has been cut, its partner was still completely  clothed in yew. Thing is what creature is it, I am thinking Dragon  it had four legs and wings although the scaling was quite large, mouth was almost fish like but could be artistic license I suppose. Not completely sure, anyone got any other ideas..........

Finally another Glove,ha ha ha ha ha

Its been ages since I last blogged a glove, I was beginning to think they had all been cleared up or had been hidden but no I have found another.

This one was impaled on a length of chestnut paling at Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire, poor little thing all alone and hoping to be reunited with its young owner looking at the size of it, aahh bless it..........

Partridges eh.......

We used to have two red legged partridges in this bit of the village an obvious pair running and scuttling about calling early in the morning as they roamed the roofs and lawns, then four or more months ago the female didn't turn up any more I assume caught and killed by a fox or a cat perhaps.

Since then the male still turns up in the garden every few days for grain from the bird food I put out but always wary. The house is about 200 metres from the nearest farmland and sure enough there are red legs on view there now and then, quite a good covey this autumn and winter in fact. Driving past I have often wondered if one of the birds will hear the lone male calling and come for a look.

Then today I have been tinkering about in the back garden starting on a wood shelter to keep wood dry for the new stove. Its been dull and breezy with a fair bit of a breeze blowing and from the sounds of things some shooting on a couple of sides of the village.

I saw the lone male red leg in the back garden this morning and heard him call early in the afternoon quite close by and thought nothing of it.

It was getting dark when I packed up my tools and sorted out the bits of left over wood from my efforts on the start of the shelter. I put the tools away, the light was falling away so fast I had put a head torch on to help me. 

I turned to walk back in to the house and the light from the head torch lit up part of the roof, there was a running and a scuttling and shapes moving and flying away, at least nine red legged partridge as I could see flying further into the village, whether or not the lone male was there I don't know but the possibilities are endless and this isn't a partridge tale, lets see what tomorrow and tomorrows to come bring.

every christmas thing comes to he who waits

That shop loved and hated by all and saturday had Tunis Cake in before Christmas with a shocking sell/use by date on it and at quite a price. Now its half price and with a much better sell/use by date. Yippee love Tunis Cake first had it at my paternal grandmothers many many years ago.

Might have to find another.........

I found another cracker joke...ho ho ho

Why did no one bid for Rudolph and Blitzen at the auction.








Have you got it yet







Well all right






Because they were two deer!