Bang! Bang! Bang!

Yep - it's that time again: bird scarers are touching the limits of the legal and driving residents insane. Farmers claim that it's necessary to ensure they don't lose their seeds down birds' gullets - however, if they were in a city, they'd been done for causing a nuisance.

Do we have a two-speed legal system in the world of the countryside? One for farmers and one for the rest of us? Sometimes it seems that way when you are herded off the road by mighty tractors bearing unstable loads; covered in mud by the leavings from a tractor's tyres on the highway; or have your tyres punctured by careless leavings of hedge clippings.

But ... would you really have it any other way. These guys are at the front line of food production. Without them we would only import food and be dependent on others for our daily bread - literally. They need the space to do what they need to do and sometimes, we just have to put up with the consequences. Bird scarers though, aren't they a step too far?

Strange Lights in Jacksons

As I walked my dogs through Jacksons Coppice early one morning I was drawn to a bright light shining out of a wooden box. The box was half covered by branches and lay just off the path.

Intrigued I followed the light.

If I had been a moth this is exactly what Chris would have wanted. He is our local moth expert and luckily I met him furthur along my walk so he could explain to me why he puts the boxes out. He is in the process of collecting data about these insects and you may see the bright light shining from the boxes if you are about early or late in The Marsh or Coppice.

Chris has asked that we please leave them alone so that he can collect more information about these insects.

The community that plays together ...

... stays together. How true that seems after a big bash for Andrew's birthday. What a great night! Young and old together, strutting their funky stuff or not, but enjoying each other's company and shouting hoarsely to make themselves heard above the wonderful band and a well-considered disco.

Bishops Offley is a special place - you'll hear that from many in the community. And the reason? It's simply that the majority of people in the community closely knit without being in each other's pockets. We play. We care. We enjoy. We mourn. We try. Sometimes we succeed. But most of all, we do it together.

So, when all the rest of the guests had mostly left that party, who were left, still dancing, still chatting, still smiling? The Bishops Offley contingent, of course!

P.S. Well done Anne and Andrew!

I'm a small ad that got lost on the way to e-bay

Not often that the Bishop reduces the number of bikes in the stable, but space is getting tight! This one's a pretty basic mountain bike, medium size, 21 gears, no suspension front or rear, and must now be 12 or 13 years old. It's purple.

It's a Saracen, and at the time they had a well-deserved reputation for great value. This one cost around £450 new, and was a steal at that price. I originally bought it for myself, but it was mainly used by the Bishop's good lady wife. It's purple.

The other thing Saracen had a reputation for was the toughest paint-job around, and this certainly doesn't look like a 12-year-old bike. Plus it has of course been rather well-maintained.

Looking for something in the region of £50 - can probably throw in the odd extra accessory, too!

Did I mention it's purple?

The aliens have landed

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) - it's here and it's staying, unless we do something about it. You'll find it everywhere. Traverse the boardwalk, it's there. Walk up to Offley Marsh, it's along the verge. Webmaster and his assistant even grew this "pretty flower" for a while thinking it was a good thing to have in the garden. It takes some getting rid of.

If you see it, pull it out. If you don't it'll be there a hundred-fold next year. They're coming! Quick! Run away! (Or, on second thoughts, just give 'em a yank.)

The Hole Truth

As the tractors and lorries thunder through our country lanes, and the rain swooshes down, carrying our precious soil ever downhill, so too the roads are slowly disintegrating. As pools form, the road surface underneath degrades and before you know it, you have a whopping great hole that threatens to snap your suspension or throw you off your bike.

What can one do? Well, call Clarence of course. He's your one-stop shop for road repairs and anything that the Highways Department ought to be attending to, but haven't done yet. Clarence can be found on t'Internet here, send him an email here, or you can use the old-fashioned method of the telephonic speakerphone and shouting on this number here: 0800 23 23 23.

The Wasp Terror...

Seen the signpost which has appeared at the entrance to the boardwalk in Jackson's Marsh? Apparently there is a wasps' nest under the boardwalk, and those with children and dogs are advised to take extra care. There has been careful consideration given to closing the boardwalk, but for now it will remain open.

What? Am I missing something, or isn't the odd wasp sting just part of the great British summer experience, like ants at a picnic, or overdoing the sun on the first hot day of the year? Isn't consideration of closure, and putting up warning signs, a teensy over-reaction? It seems a bit odd, too, to single out children and dogs for special attention, rather than (say) those who may suffer from an extreme allergic reaction and go into anaphylactic shock. Not altogether sure what extra care one could possibly take, either.

The bishop and his good lady wife, as it happens, have had an adverse wasp encounter this year, with one of the dogs taking a direct hit amidships. We have found that the little guys are amenable to a polite request for consideration, though be sure to speak to one with the rank of sergeant or above (count the stripes, or ask to see a warrant-card).

In a Manor of speaking

The weather was fine (shock, horror), although there were some rumbles of thunder (that's more like it), the teas were scrumptious (would you expect anything else?) and the Morris Men pranced fit to burst (with hankies a-flutter).

What a fabulous event - the Bishops Offley Garden Party was held in the grounds of The Manor, thanks to the generosity of Sir Brian and Lady Ann Fender, not forgetting the generosity of the donors of prizes, cakes, plants and other goodies as well as all the helpers too who moved furniture, built stalls, served food and drinks and manned the stalls. Plenty of money was raised in aid of Adbaston Parish Church and the Methodist Chapel - a total of £1600!

Of course, there are pics to celebrate the event. Are you on them? Check them out here.

The creature in Jackson's Coppice

On winter mornings, clouds of steam can sometimes be seen rising from Jackson's Coppice. This has always been assumed to be an indication that the dragon is stirring. However, recent research suggests that it may not be a dragon at all, but a Jabberwock. It will be recalled that "the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, came whiffling through the tulgey wood, and burbled as it came". Jackson's Coppice is clearly a tulgey wood, so we have an appropriate habitat. Identification would seem to depend on whether the creature, whatever it is, burbles while advancing. To date there have been no reports of burbling in Jackson's Coppice, but please post a reply if you have heard any.

Maybe the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust have looked into this? Among their many excellent noticeboards is one which contains the wistful aspiration that there may be otters in Jackson's Marsh, but there is no mention of dragons or Jabberwocks, though they are in the same rank of probability.

If it is a Jabberwock, does anyone have a vorpal sword?

Cats + dogs = events

You can tell it's the time of year for events in Bishops Offley - yep, the heavens have opened and the winds have howled. With two Millennium Green events - Hockey and Cycle Ride - plus Patrick's birthday (Happy birthday to yoooooooo!), it was as certain to bring down the rain as putting out the washing. Still, we know that it'll make the gardens grow (and the lawns need mowing) so that's perhaps a good thing.

Bluebells, girls

Yep, they're up and they're out, dancing their thing in the bluebell woods of Jackson's Coppice. There's something giddy, heady, uplifting about being among so much blue - the scent, the colour, the overpowering feeling of Spring bursting forth, making the most of warmth and moisture. If you've not been up to see them, then waste not a moment.

While you're there, check out the great work of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust who have put in new gates, signs, paths and made a huge start in bringing the marsh and woodland back to a viable habitat. great job!

Unashamed plug

You know when you stumble across something that's just great value - you have to tell everyone else? Yep - that's what I'm doing here. Get yourself down to the newly opened Star Cafe in High Street, Eccleshall for one of their All-Day Breakfasts. It's probably the best one you'll have had this side of somewhere else.

Blogmaster and his woman ate there heartily the other day, following a night of excess (no details - this is a family blog). The eggs are free range, the bacon lovely and crisp, the black pudding tiny and plentiful, mushrooms, beans, toast .... It's wonderful value, with prices going down from £5.10 for the works. There's even a veggie option.

It's raining rocks

If you've walked down The Rock lately you'll have noticed that the erosion is taking hold at an accelerating pace. Large chucks of rock have been falling from the crumbling facade from an area around half way down and the stones lie by the side of the road until they are crushed by vehicles or manhandled out of the way.

More perilous still, the overhanging trees that once seemed to teeter on the edge of the farmland above, now have no visible means of support and are simply awaiting the next storm (or earthquake) before they come crashing down. The tricky bit is this: whose responsibility is the margin of this beautiful and unique bit of roadway: the highways department or the landowners? You can guess that neither will want to claim ownership!

Board walking?

If you've not yet been to the boardwalk, or sampled the joys of Jackson's Coppice and the marsh, now is definitely the time to start. The coppice is easily found by going down The Rock (itself a geological delight), turning right and travelling along the road for around 300 metres. Climb up into the coppice, follow the winding path and enjoy the wildlife (someone regularly feeds the birds), the views and the bluebells - just sprouting now. Can you find the memorial stones? Have you discovered the wayside seats with inscriptions?

Then, back to the road and continue along until you see the field gate for the path to the boardwalk. It's not signed, but simply pass th

rough the gate (kissing is obligatory) then traverse the field down to the bottom left corner where another kissing gate (oh no!) leads you onto the boardwalk. You can do the full circuit, or come off halfway round by going down the steps, over the stile and out onto the main road, opposite the house on stilts. And we have a lovely gallery of photos, taken by Sarah and Webmaster right here.

Rising sap

Spring is definitely sprung. The grass is riz. The birdies? On the wing. We're now awaiting the swallows - then we'll know that summer is not too far away. There's a great feeling about striding along our lanes that only a few weeks ago were covered in ice. Now though, the snowdrops are fading after a triumphant return and the crocuses (croci?) are pushing up and the daffs are shouting their welcome to the new season. Don' it make yer feel good? Daffs courtesy of The Old Post Office and Crocuses courtesy of Rose Mount!

Mighty fallen

So, the two mighty trees that frame The Manor's drive have finally succumbed to the woodman's saw. Pollarded a couple of years ago, there was hope that they might continue their life a little longer, but the one nearest the entrance was too damaged to survive and now lies in slices in the drive. The magnificent thing about this particular tree is the way it grew through the railings that were adjacent to it. Quite a sight to behold. See this picture full size here.

The second tree is still bearing up, having lost more of its boughs, but it too is in the twilight of its years. When you consider that images in our historic buildings pictures show them quite clearly, you begin to realise how trees bridge the ages.

Snow! Sledging?

We're overdue some good sledging. It's snowing as I write, so here's hoping for sufficient snow overnight to keep us from commuting, and get us out on the Bishops Offley Alps.

Things that go bump in the day

It's that season again. As soon as the Christmas period is over, on with the bird scarers. The regular whump as they frighten off the pigeons can send you a little loopy. Last year's season went on well into the Spring and there were talks of revolution in the village. So why are these things needed? Simple answer - without them protecting the seedlings, the farmer can lose around £3000 per acre - just to feed the birds. Hardly tuppence a bag! So - we have to put up with the noise (give a thought for those who live right near the field - particularly the farmers themselves) and tough it out, for the sake of the crop.

What's your view?

There's no egrets....

...as Scott Walker sang. But he'd have been wrong if he was singing about Jackson's Coppice in the last couple of days. Three egrets (like herons but white) have been seen there recently - presumably their satnav has let them down.

Don't tell the twitchers!