Read this. Read it again. Then smile.

Such a terrific photo of Diana Henry in Country Living. Usually CL credits the photographer equally with the feature writer, but not on this article as far as I can see. Maybe supplied by her publisher? But still… Anyway, those book shelves. Sigh.

when you’re being mean to me just know this is who you’re being mean to

And I’ve ordered a beautiful Martin’s Farm turkey. We’ll be able to walk round to pick it up on the 23rd. It’s going to be ferociously expensive (see all non intensively reared turkeys), but I said “would we be very sad if we didn’t have a turkey?”. We agreed, actually, we flipping would. #norfolk

Eggs from the village farm shed. I used to chat to (much missed) Farmer Ivan about the “fancy” ones. “People do like ‘em, I don’t know why, they’re all the same inside”. Those people are me Ivan.

Morning sourdough. Experimented with kefir whey as part of the liquid. Hoping it tastes OK… Apart from weighing ingredients, I’m pretty casual about kneading, rising times and baking. It mostly has to fit round me. Seems to work well enough - and saves a trip in the car to a Bread Source.

I’ve no idea how Jane does this. I mean I kind of do, but I could never go anywhere remotely near having that accuracy and skill. 👏 (Watch to the end)

Book book. Read it, read it. Absolutely terrific. My book of the year I think. I love books that make me see the and feel landscape and nature within it differently. And so very well written, with a sense of fun. Hugely recommended. Thank you @drmjwarren.bsky.social for writing it.

Didn’t go to the hardware shop in Wells yesterday. Thought better of it with the rain and wind. Went today instead.

Tonight’s playing with my food: a fresh batch of sauerkraut. With a bit of dill this time.

The seminal paper that has been used for 25 years to justify that the use of #Glyphosate is safe has been retracted. RETRACTED: Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans www.sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

An occasional series of lovely things that happened over the years of our tenure at Bray’s Cottage Pork Pies. A few years ago we had a mail order of a gift pie going to 🎭Sir Derek Jacobi🎭. Cue much explaining of I Claudius to younger members of the team. We baked it lovingly and sent it off. 1/

To Wells-next-the-Sea today to buy some hardware bits for the new washing line post from Walsinghams (proper hardware shop of that parish). A trip to Wells should be an opportunity for a bit of a jolly. Today the prospect feels rather more like an endurance test. 🌧️🌧️🌧️🌂

Shipwrecks and family memories in today's @theguardian.com country diary by Nick Acheson @themarshtit.bsky.social #countrydiary #naturewriting

I see last week's budget also includes the same policy from "our side". I just don't get it - what's the supposed benefit here? For small-scale traders and creatives, it just seems like a plunge into further isolation.

Malt loaf making day. Two malt loafs, one for the VH coffee shop on Tuesday (my turn on the baking rota) and one for Crafts In Action’s tea stall next weekend. Waiting for the tea soaking dates and sultanas to finish cooling outside.

Great evening at the VH cinema, pretty full house. Showed a German made documentary, an affectionate view of Cromer during the tail end of Brexit, pre pandemic, set against the end of the pier summer show. www.imdb.com/title/tt1526...

The Doctor is right and correct

Listening to @drmjwarren.bsky.social and @yolobirder.bsky.social excellent podcast and I’m going off on my own tangent : Friends Named After Medieval Birds. Having found @robyaxley.bsky.social (cuckoo) I’ve just bagged @luciemr.bsky.social (Ruddock =robin) podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/g...

VIllage Hall Cinema meeting this evening. It’s a bit later than usual because two of the committee are rehearsing as extras in a film, starring actual Hollywood types. An unusually cool excuse for a Thursday evening in these parts. www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/... @rorycj.bsky.social

Back when I worked for HMSO, leaking the budget would have been at least a hanging offence and possibly worse. Such a possibility was barely even contemplated.

To Holt for a few things (library, bank for VH, washing line post etc) and I saw yesterday that lovely Johnny Picnic (ex Picnic Fayre) is retiring and the glorious Berber is having a closing down sale, so might stare at a rug. #Norfolk

My mum ordered a new freezer from AO and when the delivery van came, it did not have a tail lift - apparently the company won't pay for them The two guys were expected to lift freezers, washing machines etc off the back of the van themselves...which does not seem safe This guy can GTFO

Curious kids will love this: the University of East Anglia is running interactive Christmas lectures on how our brains interpret memory and illusions. A rare chance to see science made magical. Booking is essential and fills quickly. eastangliabylines.co.uk/news/educati...

The random(ish) old photo my phone serves up to me as my lock screen today. Very much like the outside today.

Very much enjoyed this. Got excited when he said he wanted to do more Detectorists but then realised we’ve probably had it with the 2022 Christmas Special. Mackenzie Crook. What a terrifically nice chap. 🧡 Did you ever discover more about the robin behaviour?

D has just listened to this and said how much he enjoyed it. Thread.

Oh - my current read (and rabbit hole - thinking about place names and the medieval birds locked within them, as if in amber) “The Cuckoo’s Lea”. Michael is at NWT Cley 5th Dec with @themarshtit.bsky.social doing his usual convivial thing of getting the very best out of people.

Disappointed to see Johnny Lou Lou as one of the worst offenders. What’s the world coming to? Times article not behind a paywall.

My annual roost count at Hatch Pond this evening produced a personal best of 229 Magpies, my previous best count from a couple of years ago was 184 @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Also in Norfolk www.norfolksaffron.co.uk

Been out delivering flyers around the village in the sunshine. If you want to do something properly lovely, do come to this. The best home made cakes and real crafts in a Victorian school - now our village hall. Those in the know will tell you that it’s just delightful. #norfolk

Good candlelit village hall gig night last night. We were on the bar and nicely busy. A couple of bands - support were excellent. A good smattering of people from other villages. All very cheery - I think glad to find themselves actually out and in warm company on such a grim night. #norfolk

@drmjwarren.bsky.social the weather here is too grotty for anything much, so I’m entertaining myself by virtually touring the nearby villages for bird place names. Have you got Corpusty? Allegedly the raven’s path. corpustyandsaxthorpe-pc.gov.uk/village-hist...

Lovely, on a whim, sunny couple of hours at Cley with Mary. Both hides had chaps happy to gently and companionably share their knowledge. Which is always a welcome thing.

I’m going. I think it’s going to be wide ranging and so interesting. I’m reading Michael’s book and it struck me that the intersecting Venn diagram is bird/nature people, landscape archeologists and people who love The Detectorists.

From the CWS Archives. 19th December 2021.

Please Miss, what’s a metaphor? www.bbc.com/news/article...

I expect you know @robyaxley.bsky.social that you are part cuckoo? (Source @drmjwarren.bsky.social’s, so far, excellent “The Cuckoo’s Lea”)

I realise this is short notice but would anyone like my spare ticket to come and see noted film director Paul Thomas Anderson and reasonably well-known actor Leonardo DiCaprio in conversation tonight at the BFI? 8pm tonght. ❤️‍🔥

Book book. Read it read it. Bookish - Lucy Mangan 2025 Picked up on a whim in Holt library. Glad I did. Learnt stuff, discovered she lives here *waves arm breezily* and has her own library in an outbuilding. Life goals.

All the nice things…

Another good thing today. Nay, amazing. When I got home from the fermentation workshop yesterday pm I ordered some kefir grains from Etsy. They arrived today (less than 24 hours later) in a handwritten envelope with a first class stamp on. Astonished. Things like that don’t happen these days.

A good day. Lovely wintery walk at Natural Surroundings. Still fascinating even this late into November. Very pleased to bump into former owner of NS, Andrew, who told me, with certainty, that birds do better fed than not fed. Even accounting for aggression, species skewing and disease.

Having heard @botanygeek.bsky.social on the wireless, describing how eucalyptus are designed to combust the air around them, I enjoyed picturing the next frame after this photo in Homes & Garden.

If you are in #norfolk (two travelled from Peterborough) I do recommend Britten’s Botanicals workshops. A huge amount of practical fermentation info, lots to taste, a stunning lunch - and we brought home a kombucha scoby and our jar of sauerkraut. All for £38. www.instagram.com/reel/DRLRm-y...

Ladybird wisdom, 1975 “With so much noise in the world, we have to listen carefully to the things that are worth hearing” (‘Sounds’, Artist: BH Robinson)

Today I’m mostly going to a fermentation workshop at West Lexham. I’ve done a bit of fermentation but largely out of the habit. I’m hoping it’ll kick start my fermentation mojo.

Sparkly clean bird feeders drying in the bath. Fresh sunflower and fat balls tomorrow. Still conflicted about the wisdom of feeding, but LOVING watching them. Had a greenfinch today, so I’ll get some avian disinfectant and try to do this nightly.

Garden and greenhouse messing about, prompted by cautions of frost. Perplexed by a weird bird noise. Turned Merlin on but it didn’t recognise it (masses of others though, happily). Finally realised it was so still I was hearing a parrot from about 1/4 mile away, imitating something digital.