I'm back!

Wahay, I'm back.  All technical issues now resolved.

I've updated my I.T kit with the purchase of an Apple Mac computer.  My old trusty laptop finally gave up the ghost and is resigned to the bin.  This now means that i can update the blog more often maybe even daily so make sure you remind yourselves to keep visiting.

Don't forget I'm always looking for contributions so feel free to send me comments,pictures, links, articles to  adymsmith@googlemail.com  and i'll post them to the blog.

Did you know you can follow the blog and be advised by email when there has been an update?  Become a follower today, look down the right hand sidebar for information.  You can also comment on individual posts by using the comment box.

So, coming up soon...pictures of my holiday in Normandy, France and another visit to the D-Day sites. Also the end of an era.  A 'terrace' legend comes to an end as I sell my house in Baildon...

See you soon!

The Badger

As long as I have been interested in all the things nature, one mammal has always had an aura around it with it being so very elusive.  Nocturnal and only coming out of it's sett after dark, the chances of seeing and observing Badger are quite small.  Persecution by farmers and baited by undesirables known badger setts are now normally kept quiet and only whispered of between people who have their best interests at heart.

Accepting all this, i knew that my only chance to see a Badger in the wild would be to make the effort and visit a know sett during an all night vigil.  However on Monday all this was to change..

Visiting one of my haunts for nature photography (at the request of the 'owners' of the site I am not naming it on here) i had settled down to photograpgh birds feeding and to see what birds were passing through the site....then...out of the corner of my eye, something moved, the bushes rustled and out into view ambled....

...my first ever Badger

this appeared to be a juvenile...it spent a long time happly 'snouting' around

Keeping quiet and still i was able to 'capture' this most elusive of British mammals

It is VERY unusual behaviour for them to be above ground during the day in bright sunlight.  I thought at first there may be something wrong with this individual coming out into the open....then another one joined it!  The two of them happily played and snacked before disappearing back to the sett leaving one happy photographer!

A lovely sight, i'm sure you will agree.

It's Dragon fly season.  They are all just hatching and as well as lots of Damsel flies i spotted this rather large 'Four spotted chaser'  They would not stay still long enough to switch to a macro lens for a really good close up but this shot is ok.

 Right, I'm off to France for a week.  Back Saturday 16th June so look out for my next updates shortly after.  If I get a signal in France i'll post updates of what I'm up to. 

Good luck to the England boys in the Euro's, I'll be cheering the lads on against France and Sweden from a French bar...let's hope that 'entente cordial' remains!

Au revoir

Jubilee Beacon - Baildon

here's the pics from the Baildon Jubilee Beacon lit right on top of the moor.  The views were fantastic with a full 360 degree panarama allowing us to see othe Beacons being lit all over the County.

The sun sets over baildon moor...was a beautiful evening

Early arrivals beginning to gather

Great views over the Airedale and Wharfe valleys and in this shot are the Trig point, the Millenium stone and the Beacon

A very patriotic crowd turned up.  About 9:45pm here..half an hour to go

Adam and myself...part of the original 'Go-karters'!

Under a stunning blue night sky the Beacon was lit..

just like clouds you can see all sorts of shapes...what can you see here?
I can see three quarters of a Scottie dogs face

A Mexican wave is doing the 'square' on the left

It was very hypnotic...bumped into a few of the ex terrace, Maggie, Lisa and Joth as well.  As you can see, quite a few villagers had made their way to the top of the hill...a bit 'Whicker man' - esq!

11:15pm and time to go...leaving a few celebrating into the early hours..

Diamond Jubilee

So, the dust settles on a momentous weekend. The Queens diamond Jubilee, 60 years on the throne and the head of the Commonwealth. What did it mean for you. What did you do to celebrate this unique occasion or were you one of the many who remained unaffected by it, didn't celebrate, didn't go to any organised event, didn't throw a party but moaned about the whole shindig, the amount of tv coverage and generally bitched about the Royal family as a whole and missed the point of the whole four days celebrations? This wasn't about the Royal family and the arguments around Monarchy versus Republic but was an acknowledgment about the incredible unbroken 60 years service as head of a nation and Commonwealth that has undergone momentous changes in those 60 years. It's not about the end of year report of the monarchy during this period but the appreciation of a lady who is 86 years old and was handed a role through the fate of birth rite and has devoted her 'life' to this role for 60 unbroken years. As an individual I rate her highly, her family is another matter but hey, let them who is with out sin cast the first stone eh? Personally I hosted a cracking Jubilee party at mine on Saturday in conjunction with the neighbours then went to the Jubilee Beacon lighting on top of Baildon Moor on Monday night (pics later). It was a proper British patriotic do, people having to climb to the top of the moor to the trig point, but willing to do it to celebrate the occasion. Drinks were a plenty, Jerusalum and Land of Hope and Glory sung along with the Natonal anthem and actually made you feeling 'gut proud' to be British. It was a weekend where I have been happy, have associated , drunk with and partied with and laughed, toasted with and spent a lot of time with, with friends and family and enjoyed a proper sociable atmosphere with people who I don't even know but who wanted to and enjoyed a shared occasion, a gladness of coming together to respect a truly unique British event. Let's face it, the eyes of the world have been watching the UK this weekend...many of them with envious eyes. NOBODY does pomp and circumstance like we do. NOBODY has the history we do. If you were unmoved at the weekends events unmoved at the Pagentry, didn't bother to join in, didn't mark the event then please close the the doors behind you as you leave these shores and find your nirvana on the continent or where else you think suits you best, leave England and Britain behind to those who appreciate her, her history, her sacrifice. A United Kingdom that has given so much to the world, still does, but has an insipid liberal class who are never happy, want to erase our history, dilute our values, and open our doors to the pond life of the world. It's Sunday night, the end of the celebration so to finish my post I will say this...God bless you ma'am, happy 60 th reign...I doff my hat. To you moaning whining Minnie's...two words...the second is OFF! Good night

The Jubilee and Ollies Birthday

It was Ollie's birthday on Saturday and we combined his birthday with a Jubilee bash on the terrace.  Myself and the neighbours decided to throw a good ole fashioned street party, albeit in two of the gardens!  The paste table we thought we could use to set up in the roadway wasn't up to scratch so gardens it was.  It lasted from 2pm until last light and we all had great fun eating, drinking, listening to music, chatting and playing games.  Boules and French cricket were played nearly non stop!  The charades in the evening were amusing to say the least!

Ollie just opening his 'pop out dinasour' card from me...

Taking his time to read my comments...

Reading his other cards..present from Dad next!



I'd told him that present opening was at 5 o'clock.  The anticipation built all through the day.
I know it's something he has dearly wanted..he doesn't yet know what it is...

Oh the joy!  Realisation has set in...it's an X-box!!!  Yesssss!!!

Happy....and so is Dad

He's just telling me how wonderful his birthday is..

Still happy!!

opening games for the X-box, each one getting a cheer!

Ah, the traditional blowing out of the birthday cake candles...
You just missed one Ollie!

Ollie and Ben getting to grips with the 'Beast'.  My home made go kart

Getting some help from 'Belly power' !

One of the many rounds of Boules

The boys mastering the go kart ..still getting 'Belly power' along the flat!

Well, we all had a great day, especially Ollie and myself.  The party went long into the evening but not before glasses were charged and a toast made to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The bunting will remain for a few days yet ...may even stay up for the Euro Championships as we cheer on the England boys.  I'll be in France cheering the lads on as we play France...there will always be a corner of a French bar that is forever England!