Tent

Rowan and I put up the tent on the lawn last week to try it out and make sure we still knew how to put it up etc. So as I struggled with the flexi poles and various straps, Rowan wrote the instructions down, so we will never be unsure how to do it again [in theory...] The night passed very well, the trains do sound loud at ground level though. In the morning Danielle bought us out a cup of tea at 6.30 only to be met by 2 snoring Palmours, so she left us to it. We woke about 7.

Cycle Club

Rowan had a first go at a cyling club in Bradford today. It went well, a very affable bloke runs it and he knows that kids need certificates, so Rowan got a bronze award [together with the other first timers] which went down well. There is a circuit that they can ride round which is good, and a lot of girls amongst the members [which is even better for Rowan]. So it looks good.
The photo is of our tandem from the top of the Yorkshire Wheel which Rowan dragged Cathy onto this week [I sat it out this time]

Green Arrow

Friend Cathy has been staying for a couple of days. Good to see her, and a big hit with Rowan. Yesterday we were walking into town over Scraborough Bridge when we heard the puff of a steam engine, and were right on the bridge when Green Arrow went steaming by , right above us. A big thrill all round [well, me and Rowan anyway]

Coast

Rowan and I cycled along a bit of the cycle track from Scarborough to Whitby. The track runs on the line of the old railway line and is one of the best there is. She was worried about dogs, so we went onto a back road and got to Crook Ness which is a lovely quiet rocky bay that we had visited two years ago. Rock pools and crabs, the whole works.

Squashed

Rowan is growing a snake gourd from seed. The idea is you paint the twisty gourd to look like a snake. I had assumed that we were in for a feeble little plant that just about managed to produce one gourdette. Well, the tropical weather [still no sign of the guaranteed [thankyou BBC weather] rainstorm today] has made the gourd plant go absolutely mad at the front of the house. The triffidesque thing drinks about 10 litres a day, and will probably be doing this blog by the end of the week

Old Moor

Rowan and I had a trip to Ikea [arrive 2 minutes past opening time, leave before hoardes arrive] which was good, and involved the ritual of the veggie dog. We then drove to the RSPB reserve at Old Moor near Barnsley

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/o/oldmoor/index.asp

It is a beautiful place, [honestly], the weather was perfect and we had a a great time. Saw some Common Terns

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/c/commontern/index.asp
which are one of my favorite birds to watch.

Bikes

We all cycled to Beningborough, the national trust place, along the sustrans cycle route

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1100262535562

with friend Ted, whose family are on holiday in Switzerland leaving him at home to oversee the building of an extension [sounds familiar]. A great ride, and we got a photo of all three of us for once.

Rain at lastt

The first rain for weeks fell today in York. At last, the ground was crying out for it. Of course it fell just half an hour after we put the tent up in the garden to try it out - at least we now know it is waterproof. Had a great day in town with Rowan yesterday. On the tandem doing various odd-jobs, a joy to have them back.
Saw a Gatekeeper butterfly in the garden today - another first for the year -

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/species/bdata/gatekeeper.html

The Comma butterflies have been very active in the garden, here is a photo on the blackcurrant bushes

American Come-backs

The Tour de France has been great to watch this year, with no previous winners in the field and no clear favourites it has been a great race, changing every day. But yesterday was beyond everything, with a fantastic, unbelievable ride by Pennsylvanian Floyd Landis http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/tour06/?id=results/tour0617
Speaking of Pennsylvanian comebacks, Danielle and Rowan are back from the family reunion in the states. It is great to have them back, and they had a really good time. Both looked well-sunned – pictures to follow at some stage.
Photo is from Studeley Pike walk, this is an old millstone grit pathway up the moor.

London

I was in London yesterday, firming up a piece of work that will go through to the new year, which is good. I had some time to spare in the morning so I went to Waterstones bookshop to get the next book-group book, Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolfe. The Penguin copy I found cost £7.99 which seemed way too much, so I had a look in the classics section where I found a copy for £1.99 - better.
I sat and read a bit in Tavistock Square by the statue of Ghandi. The irony of the July 7th bomber murdering people in this square where the statue of the champion of non-violence is remembered, had never struck me before.
Then I realised I was reading the book in Bloomsbury which is appropriate for a Virginia Woolfe book.
Saw friend Celia in the evening, who I hadn't seen for 18 years or so, from the Rough Guide days! Great to catch up.
The photo is Wharfedale last week.

Baleful

Had another Friends of Hob Moor Committee meeting this week. Not exciting: but it seems like a good thing to be involved in given that we all love the moor so much. As part of the brand new TCP [thistle control program] the farmer has been mowing the grass this week, then baling it into big round bales of hay, which makes the moor look very different. The cows seem bemused.
The photo is from the ride this weekend. The sign looks somewhat out of place...

Stoodley Pike

Took the train to Todmorden, the hottest day so far, then walked over the moors to Stoodley Pike and down to Hebden Bridge where I got the train back. It was a great walk, through the millstone grit villages, along the old "trods" [paved paths across the moors] and to the Pike itself. The memorial is eerie and ominous and massive. You can walk up the pitch black stairway to the balcony - quite an ordeal when the sheep suddenly decide to bleat in the echoing darkness.
The Calder Valley is one of my favorite bits of the Pennines. The deep valley has the canal, the railway and the towns, then there is steep woodland before an alp of other farms and fields before kicking up to the moors again.
I saw a Small Heath butterfly up on the arid hot moor

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/species/bdata/small_heath.html

Little Owl

When I went my ride in the Dales I stopped for my first comfort stop of the day and saw that I was being watched by this disaproving Little Owl http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/l/littleowl/index.asp . It allowed me to take the photo then silently flew away.

The Peripatetic Quaker

Another beautiful day, so I cycled up to Thirsk Quaker Meeting. I had never been there before, so I combined another great ride [via Coxold an old wool town http://www.coxwold.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm with this lovely church] with going to meeting. Very small, quiet and a good contrast to the hectic meetings at York. Met lots of good people, and took some photos of people for future Quakevine shots.

Drink and a Ride

Met up with Adrian in town for a couple of beers. Very enjoyable, sitting on the pavement watching the fall out from York Races stumble around. Good to catch up with him.
Today I went a fantastic bike ride in the Yorkshire Dales. Set off early then rode around upper Wharfedale. Just perfect. I saw a little owl, oystercathers, curlew, wheatear [all the usual] the sun shone crisply and very little traffic. One of the hills was 20% which was fun. Then I took a route past Malham Tarn [photo] onto Mastiles Lane

http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/record.asp?id=351

which was rideable and wild.

Small Skipper

The good thing about this butterfly thing is that it is all new to me. Spotted this small skipper in the garden yesterday - never seen one before, or rather I had, but never noticed, just another small brown butterfly. I have worked out the best way to tell what it is, is to take a photo then look it up in the book.
There are 35 breeding butterflies in Yorkshire, and 14 have been seen in our garden - pretty amazing really.

Rocket

Here are the first tomatoes from the garden. Have been picking the first Rocket today as well. The lettuce is going well, just about been keeping up with the crop until now - the first bolters are arriving now though.
Have been working all day on a report. The good thing about working from home is that I can take a walk round the garden for a break when I need it. Lucky bloke.

Dalby Forest

Went mountain biking with Edward and his son Toby who had the day off from his work experience [in a bike shop of course]. We went to Dalby Forest

http://www.touristnetuk.com/ne/forest-enterprise/

and set off on the "black" trail - far too technical for Edward and me, so we settled for the "red" which was good fun. Toby definitely won the king of the mountain prize.

Ferns

Have picked the first tomatoes of the year, way earlier than usual on account of the hot sun. Growing tomatoes in the UK outdoors, usually consists of looking up recipes that aren't for green chutney in September when the autumn looks like winning the race to ripen.

The photo is of the ferns that are doing pretty well under the beech tree since we planted them two years ago.

Monday Monday

Watched the world cup final with Ted, usual disappointing game with a comedy ending [the sending off and the penalties] Strange that all the excitement and anticipation for the world cup comes down to one anti-climatic game... only three and a bit years to go.
Took Rowan and Danielle to the station for the 6 o'clock train this morning. The house felt very empty when I got back. Straight down to work though - a lot to do at the moment with consultancy and photography.
Had a game of badminton with Edward, and it felt like I was getting back to form [still lost, but definite improvements]
The photo is of Granny reading to a delighted Rowan on her recent visit.

Ringlet

Dave, Emma and I went a bike ride this morning. Meantime Rowan and Danielle went a ride / run [Rowan on her bike, Danielle on her feet] to get the papers. When we got back I took Rowan to Running Wild which was doing orienteering this week, and set off for a walk. I saw a Ringlet butterfly[photo] down a lane, which was a first for me [I am sure I have seen many thousand over the years, but never noticed them , nor knew what they were]. Got back and Rowan was playing with the outdoor model railway, when we heard a puff and a hiss at the bottom of the garden and saw a schools class steam engine

http://home.clara.net/rod.beavon/schools.htm

pulling a special down the main line. A good day

Citizen Rowan

It was Rowan's last day at school today, and we were invited to the "leaving" assembley because she was to recieve her citizenship award. Very proud of her.
The photo is of Rowan recieving the award from Mrs Gant the headteacher of the Mount [and slightly taller than Rowan]
Rowan and Danielle are off to the US for a Grayson family reunion inVirginia on Monday, so we have a lot of stuff to get ready before then.

Naseby

I came back from mother's by a back route [a very back route] that took me past the site of the battle of Naseby and this obelisk memorial.

http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/military/1645-leicester-naseby.htm

Not quite as moving as Marston Moor [near York] which is suitably bleak, but interesting nonetheless

Blog Stats

The graph shows the blog viewing stats since last year. Not sure where the increased use is coming from but it looks pretty impressive!

Comma

Mother treated us to lunch after meeting yesterday at Rowan's favorite place - cafe uno - which isn't bad considering its part of a chain. Then in the afternoon mother rested whilst we all cycled to the St Paul's square garden party where we saw lots of people we knew, and the jazz band were great in the sunshine.

Another new butterfly today for the garden, a Comma

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/399.shtml the photo is of some roses that are growing over a fence in the garden.

Saturday

Bev and I were working in Rochdale today, which meant a very quiet return journey during the ill fated England match at the world cup. Danielle took Rowan and mother to Preston, so that mother could revisit her roots - sound like they had a good, if hot, time.
The photo is of Danielles solar beeswax extractor. You put bits of comb in it, and the wax melts and pours into the bottom. You can then make candles, furniture wax etc [that is the theory... we are still at stage one of the process]