September wildlife

We've had the camera setup in the wood most of September and I've finally put together some shots of deer. We've also had the camera positioned near a badger sett. Last week we had a school visit and were looking at where the badgers live. They obviously left traces of themselves as the badgers have been doing an awful lot of snuffling about. Apologies in advance for the extreme closeups.

And - apologies for the low resolution videos - our upload speed is abysmally slow and I had to reduce and reduce the size of the file.

 

 

 

 

Is this the wettest year this century?

As you know we've been observing and recording the weather for several years now. If you look at the statistics on our weather page it will only show details since June 2011. From December 2010 to May 2011 we had increasing problems with our weather station and the PC on which the software was running. So when we took the plunge and bought a bigger and better weather station, and connected to an up to date reliable PC, we decided to start with a clean slate and a new data. The old data was not entirely lost as I had most of it backed up onto an old laptop. This week I have been looking at that data, and especially the rain totals. I've put them in a spreadsheet - along with the corresponding details from the new setup - and created a Rainfall Report. I will update at the beginning of each month, but as a preview, click here (it should open a pdf). As I said the yearly totals for 2012 are only up till today - there's another 3 months yet!

The report is still a work in progress, and I'm not sure if the link will always work, so if this post disappears you know why.

Would you like to be outside in this weather?

Winds up to 46 mph (and increasing)
Rain - 0.32in since midnight (and getting worse) - Edited at 5pm - now over an inch - and rising
Temperature not so bad if you can stand the wind and rain.
Grass - wet and muddy.

So, would you like to be outside? No, neither would the cows. They are coming inside now, rather than wait till milking time.
 

Uncle Wilson

Henry's uncle Wilson has written a column for the Nostalgia section of The Westmorland Gazette.

Read it here

Different place - same weather

On Sunday we set off for a few days in our caravan. The weather was atrocious as we drove down the motorway, but the farther south we got the better it got. By we got to Buxton and unhitched and setup it was fine and sunny (but not exactly warm).

 

And by we got down to Rob's in Belper it was warm enough to go out and admire the garden. But, driving back up to Buxton the heavens opened and that set the tone for the next few days. Bright sun (lovely and warm pouring through the caravan or car window - not so warm in reality), interspersed with torrential rain. It didn't really stop us doing anything - as we had planned to to nothing anyway. We drove around some spectacular roads and sometimes the views were visible - eg Ladybower reservoir. If you look closely, you'll see I didn't venture out of the car. Lazy photography!

 

 



Based on this very short holiday - a few recommendations (or not)

Grin Low Caravan Club Site
A quiet campsite (apart from the colony of Jackdaws in the rocks above us). Wikipedia says the collective noun is "a clattering" - very apt. But be advised, the mobile signal is about the same as in our house (i.e non-existent).

Buxton Tandoori
Very good takeaway - just the job as the skies darkened and the rain poured down.

M & S and Waitrose in Buxton.
Next to each other and both offering "dine in for a tenner" deals - ideal for trying to to nothing on holiday. Waitrose just edged it by offering the choice of starter or dessert, instead of just a dessert.

Chatsworth Farm Shop Restaurant.
Very busy, but fitted us in. Friendly service, good food and wonderful view (including beef on the hoof destined for the shop)

Matlock Sainbury's
A non-recommendation - mainly because I couldn't find any red onions (for the night when I was actually cooking)

Snake Pass Inn
Another non-recommendation - almost empty, yet a wait of 40 minutes for what was really just a Ploughman's Lunch (called a Ramblers Platter as they don't get many passing ploughmen).

Buxton Opera House
A wonderful over the top venue. Comfy seats and for us, uninterrupted view of the stage.

And finally
Live music - especially Spiers and Boden. Go to see them if you can - in venues as grand as Buxton and as humble as Arnside Educational Institute.
 

Wartime Farm

Have you been watching Wartime Farm on BBC2? We have, making comments such as "we used to have one of them" and "we've still got one of them" etc.

If you click here - the website for the company making the programme - and then on Your Stories on the right, you may come across something you recognise.

Interbreed results

Taken from the WCAS website, overall dairy results. We can't remember Strickley doing so well (but maybe my memory is not as good as it was!). I'm sorry about the formatting - I cut and pasted.

Overall Dairy

Home Bred Champion - Carrs Billington Dairy Stakes

JD & JA Holgate Aliann Empire Sonya

Home Bred Reserve Champion - Carrs Billington Dairy Stakes

Messrs WH & KM Robinson Strickley Dairymaid 5th

Procter Trophy (GPC 14) - Home Bred Dairy Champion

JD & JA Holgate Aliann Empire Sonya

Reserve

Messrs WH & KM Robinson Strickley Dairymaid 5th

Ellis Trophy (GPC 15) - Overall Dairy Champion

D & M Holliday Whiteoaks Julian Nonette 2

Reserve

JD & JA Holgate Aliann Empire Sonya

Windermere Agricultural Society Trophy (GPC143) - Overall Junior Dairy Champion

JD & JA Holgate Aliann MX Elegance

Reserve

Messrs WH & KM Robinson Strickley Dairymaid 5th