Recent Reading
Thanks to Bovey Belle who made me aware of this book. Hopefully I can visit some of the places connected to Francis Kilvert mentioned in the book starting with the ones closest!
E bought me this book as a gift as she remembers when there were Golden Eagles at Haweswater in the Lake District we used to visit to see them. It is written by the RSPB Warden in the Haweswater area on how they are trying to improve the land they farm and manage for wildlife not without facing obstacles from local farmers. A brilliant read.
I noticed there was a new Brighton Mysteries book out by Elly Griffiths. I really enjoyed this book.
The new Merrily book is out. I enjoyed this immensely always good to return to Merrily's "world" although it is set at the beginning of the first lockdown and does bring back some of the horrors and uncertainty we all felt at that time. In a few months I will go back to re-reading some of the earlier books in the series.
Baking
I made a Dorset Apple Cake for D's birthday as it is his favourite and
I was really pleased with the dragon pop up card I found for him.
Solihull has a project called Wildlife Ways to make Solihull greener and to create nature places that are good for people, birds and insects. Funding has come from the EU Regional Development Fund and other sources. One of the projects has involved the planting of 8000 square metres with wildflowers seeds to help biodiversity especially pollinating insects.
This is just one of the lovely verges in Castle Bromwich.
Good to see they are using native species too.
Garden
Small posy picked from plants flowering at the moment.
D planted these "cut and come again" salad leaves and they are so useful.
Chilli peppers and tomatoes are forming.
Trip to Coleshill
D and I spent an hour or so in the market town of Coleshill which is close to home.
Seen on a lamp post.
I did venture briefly into the super charity second hand bookshop. Books Revisited. I didn't buy anything although they did have a full copy of the Flora Brittannica by Richard Mabey and I only have the concise version so I now regret not buying it!
Colehaven almshouses by H W Weedon for Sir John Sumner. There are two blocks built in 1931/32 and 1934 in a Tudor style.
The Town Hall by S H Wigham 1925/6.
I spotted this sign on our way back to the car so we detoured towards the church.
The fayre was held on a green by the churchyard. We had a quick look round and I did buy a beeswax candle with a sunflower on it.
Portaloos? disguised as phone boxes.
St Peter and St Paul Coleshill Parish church dates back to the 14th/15th centuries. It is occasionally open and I have been inside several times it is a fascinating church.
The Georgian Old Bank House.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (If anyone ever wishes to use any of my photos (or my son's) I would be grateful if you could email me first please. Thanks.
