Planarchy Archive - February 2007


 

Spawn

Another sign of spring isn't it?  Not in our garden pond yet but up in the allotment pond (for the first time).  Curiously next door's garden pond is full of spawn already.  None yet in TeenKay's bedroom either despite a recently acquired leaky roof.  I wonder how long it would take the frogs to find it if we didn't get it repaired?

Yes, there will probably be more spawn pictures to come, followed by tadpoles, froglets and indeed frogs.  Though maybe not all here.

20070227   12:43

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Olympic Croci

I remember a band of planters burying these bulbs on the edge of the Whipps Cross roundabout a couple of years ago, presumably as part of the Olympic bid efforts.  The rings are just about still visible (probably best from a bus) but the 2012 daffodils behind don't appear to have fared so well.  I'll try to remember to check again in a couple of weeks to see what they look like.

You did know it was National Crocus Week didn't you?

20070221   16:11

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Lights, Camera....

Thanks to Ham for tipping me off about this event, indeed maybe you've already seen some of the photos from his visit earlier in the week. 

Had I not read Ham's report and just seen the official publicity (refresh the page a few times to get to see some of the most imaginative artist's impressions!)  I might have felt it was something of a damp squib when I got to London Bridge to see it all for myself.  As it was I wasn't expecting to be completely blown away and hence was pleasantly surprised as there were some pretty things to see but it really wasn't the wild conceptual feast I might have been lead to expect. 

I think HMS Belfast (as above) came across the best though all the photos I've seen made it look like there were some pictures of Elvis Costello on the funnels... maybe it's just me.  Traitors Gate in lurid blood red was also effective, particularly with the Gherkin and other modern buildings behind I think.  London Bridge also looked good in red but if I hadn't known there was something special going on I would have assumed it always looked like this.  Then there's this one where I jogged the tripod.

All the above and more on a slideshow, here.  Enjoy! 

NB: Tonight is the final night for this event this year, worth a look if you're in the area.

20070216   17:38

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Rose

Sorry this is a bit late......Chocolate-box enough for you?  Well, whatever, the only flowers that arrived at Planarchy Towers yesterday, for you-know-what-day, were a bunch of red roses for teen-Kay.  They arrived knock-down ginger style, along with an almost A3 size card, about half way through the day.  Having spent a fortune on young Kay the giver left both his initial and his mobile number on the card last Kay be unsure who they were from.  Takes the mystery away but fair enough when you've spent a whole week's pocket money.  Sweet, anyway.

I received chocolate and Zee a DVD... these items aren't marked up in price for Vee-Day you see.

We did, since we'd forgotten what day it was and had arranged it beforehand, go out en famille for a pizza and a fillum.  Though the pizza place was catering mainly for couples (and a few other families who'd also forgotten what day it was) I couldn't help notice that it was actually mainly pairs of young girls.  Maybe there's a disproportionate number of gay women in South Woodford but I suspect it was some sort of pact thing.  Bizarre.... I expect all the single guys were in the pub.

20070215   16:03

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Pete Atkin

So, as you may have read elsewhere, I spent yesterday evening at Walthamstow Folk Club.

Until this weekend I don't think I'd ever heard of Pete Atkin and indeed didn't even know that Walthamstow had a folk club let alone that it was just a short stroll from Planarchy Towers in a pub where Zee and I saw t'Twentieth Century Stones nearly three years ago.  But, luckily for me, Ham asked if I'd like to go along and I'm most glad he did.  I suspect the back room was somewhat fuller than usual for t'Folk Club evenings as a result of Pete Atkin and his music.  An excellent tunesmith with the Clive James as lyricist gives one some idea.  It's hard to classify the sound...it's not really traditional folk as such.  Whatever, heartily recommended should he ever come round your way.  I certainly plan to hear more from the pretty extensive back catalogue.  Excellent.

Much better photos over here, I only took my camera phone (excuses, excuses, eh?).

20070212   17:54

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Life on Mars

I trust all those in the BBC regions have already seen this excellent Camberwick Green inspired trailer for the eagerly anticipated new series of "Life on Mars".  If not, and the picture link above doesn't work (a bit temperamental) thank someone for YouTube.  To those unaware of the first series or indeed Camberwick Green, I guess it's all a bit irrelevant. 

Which is nice.

20070209   15:28

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Snowing

It's still snowing at Planarchy Towers as it has been for at least seven hours so there's several inches.  It's actually quite warm, however, so I don't think it will stay long.  Lots more birds feeding today.  No hoverflies though.

20070208   12:59

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Hover

"....but enough of the birdcounting, snow laden-birdhouses, Marmalade-lampshades, Sparrowhawks and pretty white flowers," I hear you muttering,
"Give us some insects... that's what we come here for!"

So here we are, the Acacia is a lovely splurdge of colour this time of year even without the blue skies of the last few days.  And how much better with a hoverfly eh?  Share and enjoy!

20070207   18:42

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Look who's come to dinner!!!

A couple of weeks ago I was stirred from my lunch by an an unseasonal Red Admiral fluttering past the window.  Today I looked up from my soup to see this Sparrowhawk hurtling like a bat out of hell towards the lawn.  She sat on this Fuchsia for a few minutes then flew off again.  It's not the first time we've had a Sparrrowhawk in the garden, attracted I'm sure by us feeding the leetler bird life, but it's still always a bit of a surprise to see.  Nice though.

20070206   17:36

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Snow Drop

You can't go wrong with snow drops, can you?  I think this is the first year of them in our garden following nicking some from my parents last year.  Within a few years they'll be drifting as they should.

20070205   18:12

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RSPB GardenWatch 2007


  2004 2005 2006 2007
Blackbirds 2 1 2 2
Blue tits 7 16 8 6
Chaffinches 0 0 1 0
Collared D'Oves 2 1 0 2
Feral P'Igeons 0 0 4 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 0 1 0
Great tits 2 7 3 4
Greenfinches 2 9 9 7
Magpies 1 0 0 0
House Sparrows 8 5 1 3
Robins 1 1 1 0
Starlings 0 0 4 2
Wood P'Igeons 0 0 2 0

..and yes, I should have posted this last week when I actually did the count but I didn't.  Still time to get your results in if you haven't yet done so.

...sorry.

Not a lot changing really, a few minor ups and downs but nothing major.  As usual Jenny Wren decided not to show on the day (along with Chiff & Chaff Chaffinch and Robin & Robina Robin.  Only two of the three Blackbirds that we see most days came along for counting too.  Ah well, nice to sit and watch for a full hour rather than just the usual fleeting glances anyway.

20070204   16:26

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