Category: Notes from the sticks

THE other day my neighbour gave me some windfall Bramley apples. (They have to be windfalls – this is the tree and I don’t see how you could pick the … Continue readingThat’s the way the crumble cooks

WE have been on boat trips to the Farne Islands just off the Northumberland coast many times. In the spring and early summer the cliffs are covered with breeding sea … Continue readingBird flu – or radiation sickness?

In memory of Her Majesty the Queen, we are repeating this article which was first published on September 12, 2021. THEY didn’t waste much imagination when they named our local hostelries. … Continue readingWhen the Queen bobbed in* for a brew**

A FEW days ago I was surfacing from sleep at about 5.30am when I heard a cockerel crowing outside, which was surprising because we live right on a road. Looking … Continue readingThe rooster that asked for help

EARLY in the morning of August 29, 1930, 92 years ago tomorrow, a way of life came to an end after at least 2,000 years. The last 36 residents of … Continue readingFarewell to the edge of the world

THERE are loads of thistles round here but until I started looking closely at them I didn’t realise there were many different types. It is not always easy to identify … Continue readingA thistle-stop tour

I HAVE become rather fascinated by the tendrils which a number of floppy plants use to hoist themselves up on stouter vegetation. Examples include peas, passion flowers and cucumbers. I … Continue readingLove me tendril

FROM our house in Lancashire we can see Pendle Hill, which rises quite abruptly from the valleys each side of it to a height of 1,827ft (557m). On the west … Continue readingUnsung heroes of the air

LAST weekend I went to an agricultural show in Great Harwood not far from us. As often at these events there was a display of classic cars, but what interested … Continue readingTransports of delight

IF you are one of the estimated 10million hay fever sufferers in Britain, you might want to look away now. One of the main causes of this condition is grass … Continue readingSuper grass