Current Weather at Strickley

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Radio Star

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How to make it rain.

The Radio Cumbria method - arrange to talk to a local farmer (among others) on the affects of what is becoming a drought.

Click here to "listen again". If you move the slider to about 56 minutes you'll hear someone you may know.

You've only got 6 days so listen now!

To be fair, we need a lot more rain to make any real impact.

Monday 28 June 2010

At last - a few drops of rain

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At least the yard is slightly damp. More rain is promised (not threatened - we need it) later in the week (but please not on Friday night when Grayrigg Show are having their summer social event (barbecue etc) at Strickley). Otherwise, let it rain, let rain, let it rain.

These graphs show the rain so far this year, and the monthly chart for 2010 (and I know there's some missing when the gauge had "technical difficulties".)
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Thursday 24 June 2010

Porch Watch -bird overboard

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Did he fall or was he pushed?
On the floor this morning and wondering what to do..

The photos a bit out of focus, but it was quickly snapped as the mother was waiting on the porch beam with a beakful of something squishy. He did make it into the back kitchen (evidence on the floor) but is nowhere to be seen tonight. I hope he's safe somewhere.

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Porch Watch - the final chapter?

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We know at least 4 blackbirds hatched from this second clutch, but now it seems only 2 are left (unless their siblings are camera shy).
The parent birds are busy non-stop fetching tasty morsels. They must have done a good job - just look at the size of those "little" birds.

Will this be the last report? Who knows what our blackbird family will do next.
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Wednesday 16 June 2010

Porch Watch Continues

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I've no photographic evidence, but we know that our blackbird family's eggs have hatched. The mother has been spotted taking tasty titbits back to the nest.

But to get any evidence I need a tall man, a chair and a camera. One (or two) out of three won't do

Saturday 5 June 2010

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside

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Click on this link to hear
"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside"
(then click on "stream")
recorded by Florrie Forde in 1909
and illustrated by these ladies of a certain age in Morecambe last week
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In the pit

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After the first 50 acres of grass our contractor went to our neighbours (they were supposed to start before us, but we were ready and it was fine, so we managed to grab a day). Two days of muck spreading then left a very agricultural whiff in the air. The warm showers will have helped get the grass growing again. And now we're back to fine weather we're caught up and put about another 50 acres (I think) in the pit. So today it's tidying the pit, catching up with missed jobs from yesterday, and James is off to help a neighbour cart grass. Me? still at work in an aggressively cooled air-conditioned office.