Starting a picnic habbit

My family used to picnic a lot when I was a child, locally in the fields or along the river, or out in the woods, moors and beaches of Cornwall.

As an adult I have often sat on a bench or on some grass with friends each eating our packed lunch, but I can remember only 2 picnics. Once was when a group of us who had done a storytelling course met up for a picnic on Hampstead Heath and the other was when a friend and I went to a National Trust house in her car and had a picnic in the grounds.

Every year my local History Society is given a talk by a local archeologist about the archeology he has been involved with the year before. Last year he had been involved with a dig at Berkhamsted Castle "a nice castle, right by the station, a short train journey from Euston". So I put a visit to Berkhamsted Castle on my list of things to do this year.

At ruined castles there is usually a lot of short grass, so I thought I would use my picnic basket (used only once before), and some of the enamel crockery I've collected and have a picnic. As there would be only me, only a simple picnic and no tablecloth.

I enjoyed my picnic sitting on top of the mote.

Being without a car and on my own limits what I can take, but I do plan to have more picnics. My recent visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery on a nice day was a missed opportunity, as the gallery has some nice lawns in front, but I will be more alert in future.

Water for foxes and cats being used by birds

In the summer I put out a little dish of water for foxes and cats. I do have a pond but it is covered by duck weed, though I've seen a fox drink out of it recently.

This year I've seen the little dish of water used several times by a sparrow and a blackbird and once by a robin. Especially pleasing as they wouldn't be able to use a pond.

In recent years the number of birds in my garden has greatly increased even though I don't encourage them because of the number of cats. There are still magpies around and, for the last couple of years, squirrels (which I think eat eggs) so I don't know what has happened to cause this but nice to see.

Preparing for winter by adding to my clutter!

Day off today and I went to the Eric Ravilious exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery.

In the shop I brought "The Wild City Book" by Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks.

In the book are lots of fun things for children to do and some appeal to the child in me. In particular are things to make when it snows including snowball mobiles, snow buildings, mini igloos, ice bunting and snowtem poles. Some of these need containers and moulds so I will need to start collecting these.

So a box of added clutter when I am trying to get rid of it! And London might not even get any snow this year!

Foxes "harvesting" my potatoes

I have 4 potato plants in a pot each along the path.

This morning I found the young foxes worm hunting had been more extreme than usual and a pot was overturned with the potatoes scattered along the path.

I got a paper bag to put the potatoes in but, because they were ever so slightly damp, they dropped through the bottom of the damp bag! I had to get a container to put them in and collect them all up again.

I have a recipe for vegetarian fritatta and hope to use them for that.

Cycle routes on tube strike days

I cycled to work on Thursday because of the tube strike.

After coming off the towpath I took the route I took the last strike, but must have followed the wrong group of cyclists at one junction as I come out a block lower than last time so wasn't able to check the wiggly bit in the middle for my cycle home.

I accept the offer of Gary, a colleague, to follow him home as he lives just north of me. His route is a wiggly one of mainly side streets through Barnsbury (lovely houses!) and Dalston. Gary has taught 2 colleagues this route but, as it would take me ages to learn and I would only be using it on strike days, I won't be making the effort.

Near perfect weather for cycling - warm but not too hot!

A green and country in the city day

I feel I've had a very green and country in the city day today.

The thunderstorm last night meant I didn't have to water this morning, except the tumbling tomato which, despite being out in the open, looked as if it hadn't had a drop!

I picked loganberries and black currants to have with my breakfast cereal.

I then walked up to the monthly car boot in the car park at Whipps Cross Hospital. One of the stall holders was someone I used to work with 10 years ago, so we had a long chat. The other was a neighbour, so I had a chat with her too.

Didn't get anything - which is good. Most of my stuff is second hand but I am still a consumer even if I am relying on other people's cast-offs. I am getting so much better at resisting stuff. Last week in a charity shop was an earthernware mug and I was able to ask myself, "if I saw this in a shop with other earthernware mugs, would I buy it?" The answer was "no" so I left it.

On the way to Tescos I met Bill and Maureen  as we walked down the underpass at Leytonstone station, and I chatted with Bill while Maureen rushed off to do something. Then I had a chat with Steve and Mark who were on the Green Party stall the other side of the underpass, and a quick chat with Chris who turned up just before I carried on. I also met a neighbour of Bill and Maureen's, who I meet at their parties, in the charity shop where we were both getting cutlery, me for a picnic, she because cutlery keeps disappearing in her house.

Usually when I go into my neighbours on a Saturday with her shopping, she asks if I've seen anyone I know. I can't remember ever seeing anyone I know in Tescos, but this morning I've seen 7 people I know.

I had a two hour read and nap in my hammock (and the greenest thing you can do is nothing!).

I sawed up some of the offcuts I rescued from a skip last weekend to use in my wood burning stove next winter.

I picked courgettes to have for supper.

I've drunk several glasses of drink made with homemade elderflower cordial (and fizzy water - not green!).

Tonight I will be topping and tailing my gooseberries while listening to "In our Time" on catch-up. My mother has sent me a recipe and I hope to make jam tomorrow.

Glorious gooseberries!

I've been allowed to pick the gooseberries from my neighbour's only surviving gooseberry bush, half hidden by weeds, particularly alkanet at the end of her garden right by my compost bin. Was hoping for, but not expecting to get, enough for a crumble. I have got 2 1/2 pounds of gooseberries (over a kilo) most of them very large.

Shall I make a crumble and a fool? Or shall I make jam?

At the moment I am hot and don't feel like making anything! I'll go out and spend the rest of my day off in my hammock before going into central London to my yoga class this evening.