Guildford - Brighton

Yesterday, Russ and I got on our bikes and cycled off road to the sea side. I love being by the sea and to get there under my own steam felt even more satisfying. If not rather painful on the legs by the end of it. We went along what is known as the "Downs Link - Guildford to Shoreham/Brighton" and follows mostly that of an old railway line, which was pulled up in the sixties. It was a perfect day, the sun was shining but we had just enough shade to keep us cool under the trees on route. I bought a nice cycle computer before we left and we covered 45 miles in all. Below are some pictures I took along the way.

Badger on the beach - we made it!

*SPIDER* warning

Today after lunch we found a little spider outside guarding our office in his web. One of my collegues in the office had been being plagued by a drowsy Wasp all afternoon and so he stunned it on the head and we set up a feast for Mr Spider our loyal guard and a photoshoot for me before my macro lens has to go back to its rightful owner. I will be so sad to see it go.

Maybe I will buy myself one when I have some spare change. A whole £600 of spare change mind you.

Macro Madness

I am very lucky to live where I do, my garden is full of adventures and untold storys, I sometimes wish I was 10 years old again as this garden would be every kids dream. Yesterday I borrowed a Canon Macro Lens 1:28 from my mother. Today I have been exploring our jungle of a garden. I had so much fun and below are my first attempts at macro photography. I had to get extremely close to some spiders, all of which scare me a lot, however it was worth it.

Green fingers...

Back in May I bought some seeds, and, if I am honest I did not hold out much hope of actually managing to grow the plants let alone gain any veg from them. I last posted about my early crop growth here. They have certainly come along in the past 3 months of rain, wind and odd bits of sunshine.
I almost gave up on one lot of my runner beans as the wind kept blowing them over and every time I looked there were plenty of little red flowers but not a single sighting of a bean. Until Stray pointed out that I look for things with "boy" eyes. And then to my delight with a little more looking and moving of leaves, there they were!! we have eaten two already and they are very tasty and I am therefore very proud.



Below is another little something that seems to be growing very well, it is a Ridge Cucumber plant. It is still early days for this one, but its doing well, and as you can see I have a few Cucumbers forming nicely already.

Exmoor...

I don't have many words today.. just pictures. They say it all really.
Badger and Russ went to Exmoor for a couple of days and this is what we found.

Badger on ExmoorNice Cow

Cheeky Goat

Lovely Russ & our cream tea

Dung Beetle

Exmoor Ponies

Lynton from the East

Making Hay

The Mini Mobile

Pheasants

Foot and Mouth returns...

Foot and Mouth Disease has broken out again in my home town Guildford... it feels far to close to home for any sort of comfort. My dear friends Russell and Luke own a small farm just 3km from where the cows tested positive. I am so worried for them, it would be so upsetting for them to have to cull all their animals. They have a lovely pig called Margo who I have grown especially fond of, and many lovely goats all full of character, not to mention the cows who have just had 2 baby's.

The boys would be devastated to loose them all. Today they tell me the official Vets are coming to take the tests, they will find out the results tomorrow so I will keeping everything firmly crossed until good news arrives.

I remember when it swept the whole country in 2001, that was a very sad year. I flew to America in the December and upon my arrival at the airport I was asked if I had been on a farm whilst in England. I was a little unsure of my reply because most of Surrey is a farm and pretty much all of the footpaths had been closed for most of the summer. I replied telling them that no I had not been directly on a farm. What would they have done if I had? I was soon to find out, because the couple next to me were asked the very same question. They were American and it all felt very dramatic, when they replied - "Oh my gosh!! we went to London Zoo only last week" .... they were quickly ushered away into another room. I wonder what happened to them.

I am supposed to be going away for a few days in Exmoor today with my friend Russell, but after all this upset and worry on the farm I am not sure if he can make it.