Saturday, 27 January 2024

Another Quiet Week

 It's been another quiet week here, even Storm Isha  passed over the top of the bungalow last Sunday night without any damage and the remains of it were very good for getting a load of washing dry on Monday and  I didn't see any sign of trees down on the way to swimming either  so Mid Suffolk must have got away lightly compared to many parts of the country. Storm Jocelyn wasn't noticeable here apart from yet more rain.

Our Keep Moving group had a full turn out, which was good. One more week like that and we can have a free week. We just have to cover village hall hire and coffee and biscuits, as we do everything ourselves so every now and again there's enough in the kitty for us to have a week without paying our £1.50's.

After reading in two different places that Brenda Blethyn said she wouldn't  be doing anymore episodes of Vera and writing that last week on the blog. I was flummoxed to hear after the last episode last Sunday the announcer say "you will be pleased to hear that Vera will be back with another series in 2025". So I wonder why she clearly said she would do no more at her age of 77 and then changed her mind? She's obviously not wanting to retire after all. 


Somewhere in the week I mentioned 'Following a Tree'. It's a blog link up thing that has been running for years - although I didn't know it was still going. I took photos of our Pink Flowered Horse Chestnut at the smallholding through some of 2014 and then never gave it another thought.

I thought I could fill a blog post by following a tree through 2024 - ten years after the original. I'll not be linking into other blogs but just looking at the changes to this Oak tree - if I remember - at the end of each month.



I've picked an English Oak as it's about as traditional as you can get. This one is the nearest up the little lane from home. As you can see it's had a couple of branches cut off just recently. There's been a huge tracked digger cleaning out  the ditch right down the road and they've also put new field drains in across the field on the right and perhaps the branches were in the way of the digger.



Just in case the tree doesn't survive the year I photographed two more further up the lane. They are all the same size so probably planted at the same time - I reckon well over 100 years ago.


I'll do a better post about Oak trees  in February. On my bookshelves is a book called 'Treasury of Tree Lore' which, although I've had it for years, has never had a mention here so it will be good to make use of it.

The weather forecast for the weekend is better here at last. It's the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch  but I see so few birds in the garden here it would be a very boring hour. It's one of my big regrets about moving into a village. But perhaps it will be dry enough to finally clear up the fallen leaves and weed round  the new fruit trees - jobs that have been waiting weeks. And  perhaps I'll pop out to collect some bags of multi purpose and seed compost so that I'm right ready to start in March plus I need a new feeder for the mealworms for the birds as the lid snapped on the one I have and the garden centre will have one. 

Hope you all have a good weekend and thank you to everyone for comments yesterday.

I'll be back Monday
Sue

32 comments:

  1. It will be interesting to see how the tree changes throughout the months. I might do the same myself, it's a lovely idea.
    I'm all ready for the bird watch here. I'm not sure I will see that many, but I do quite enjoy an excuse to sit quietly with a mug of tea :)

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    1. I'm hopeless at sitting still unless I'm reading!

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  2. "Mustn't forget to watch Vera, it's the last one" I declared. Then it turns out it wasn't! BUT did the announcer say "Brenda Blethyn will be back as Vera" or just "Vera will be back"? There's a world of difference. Look how long they kept Taggart going without whatsisname (sorry I can't remember. Mark someone?)

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    1. Not sure exactly what was said at the end . I know I just thought " well I'll be blowed".

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  3. I think I read a comment from BB that she will be back in the new series. Ang- ark McManus was the original grumpy Taggart. Catriona

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    1. We will know next year I guess.
      I never watched Taggert - Colin wasn't a fan

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  4. I keep meaning to do a 'once a month'' post on a tree or location, but forget every time. It will be interesting to see yours.

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    1. I'll need to remember - perhaps I should put posts in drafts already to remind me

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  5. Beautiful trees...and they are home for so much wildlife.

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    1. I'd better find out much more to write through the year

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  6. Trees are amazing aren't they.........I'll look forward to hearing more at a later date.
    Watch this space, as they say, reference 'Vera' then.
    Alison in Wales x

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  7. There's a tree here in the middle of a field on the road into our town and people call it the 'Welcome' tree, its a sycamore.

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    1. I have a huge sycamore overhanging my shed and garden - but it's in next door neighbours garden

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  8. I like the follow a tree idea. I now have to pick one.

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    1. It was a popular thing on many blogs 10 years ago

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  9. I love your idea of following a tree for the year. I am a big lover of trees and I'll look forward to your posts!

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  10. I've found it really interesting to watch a certain tree move through the year - I was following our neighbour's but it blew down in a winter storm, so that was that! I look forward to watching your oak tree (one of my favourite trees).

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    1. Shame about your tree. Suffolk has plenty of oaks and hopefully it won't get a foreign disease like so many of our other trees

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  11. She decided to stay on Vera as the actor David Leon will return playing Joe.

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    1. Yes, I read that she only did the last series if David \Leon could be persuaded to return - Very odd

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  12. Oak trees are strong, deep rooted and have very hard wood which serves them well in storms. I have several mature oak trees and they show little to no storm damage. It is always the long needle, white pine trees that fall over or drop limbs. I have two brush piles and they are mostly pine limbs from storm damage. What is the vine growing up the two oak trees in your second photo?

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    1. It's just common ivy growing up the trees. It's a common creeping plant here - no relation to poison ivy which we don't have here.

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  13. When we visited the UK a few years back I was amazed at how huge the oak trees were. I am looking forward to your posts on the tree or trees you have chosen to follow.

    God bless.

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    1. We have some mighty oaks! Many were used for ship building in the 15th and 16th centuries but still plenty left

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  14. Lovely tree. I love taking photos of trees. I have a lot of them. When I'm back in Ipswich I always go to Christchurch Park and take photos of some of the really old ones there, they have such character.

    I'm glad to hear about Vera! I love that show. She is such a good character. Have you tried any of the books? I have a few but they are on the to-read pile. I'm a little afraid I'd be disappointed in them.

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    1. I read some of the Vera books before they were turned into TV programmes but always find the books have more of a story and then the TV programmes are a let down so I stopped reading them so as not to get confused!

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  15. I admire how you are able to do so much since the death of your husband . I am at ten months and barely leave the sofa
    Siobhan

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    1. So sorry for your loss. Ten months isn't long really and everyone is different so just keep plodding on day by day.It's the only thing to do.
      (We knew that my husbands illness wasn't curable right from the start so I guess in some ways my mind had already adjusted)

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  16. We were both shocked when it was announced at the end that Vera would be back next year, shocked but relieved. As long as she doesn't get any grumpier!!

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    1. Her grumpyness is getting worse I thought and annoying!

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