Historical tradition maintained today (Jan 22nd) by pruning the vine in the greenhouse. Took all of 15 mins. but created a profound sense of continuity with my medieval ancestors. (Pretty sure they were the ones outside in the cold doing the pruning rather than inside with a nice log fire quaffing the results of the previous harvest). From Robert Lacey's 'The Year 1000' #winemaking #vine #gardening

History has a particular poignancy when there's a castle relic between you and the car park...
#castlesofmastodon #yorkshire #history

Continuing the (newish) tradition of going up to Helmsley on the edge of the North York Moors for a new year's day walk. Anticipated the stark drama of the castle ruins, and the restful pastoral of the grazing sheep... but delightful surprise to see opening racemes of hazel catkins kicking off a fresh season of regeneration #silentsunday #wildflowerhour #yorkshire

Moving into the lightening part of the year it’s easy to long for Spring and the resurgence of greenery on trees. But this season has its own drama of unobscured tree profiles. This is the entrance to our village and the tree shapes beckon you in #trees #treesofmastodon #winter #Yorkshire

This morning's #solstice walk along the beach at Hornsea, East Yorkshire, we came across an unexpected beach deposit of a (believe) minke whale carcass reduced to a line of vertebrae. Last couple of years, had a few whales beached along this coast - which isn't normal; suggests they are lost/hungry. #Yorkshire #beachcombing #climatecrisis

So, for #fossilfriday I can’t post any from my collection as my daughter’s best friend has taken them all into the class of 10 year olds that she teaches to give them an end-of-term treat today as part of their unit on Evolution by letting them handle some real fossils. So here’s some I couldn’t bring home - from Lyme Bay on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast that I found on the beach a few years ago #geology #fossils #jurassiccoast

The triple cruelty of winter high pressure systems: little air movement so wind turbines (on & offshore) are stilled; they bring cold, dry descending air and pull down air from the Arctic over NW Europe causing very low temperatures; and they sit still for a week or more, so the duration of the issue can be long. Electricity generation flips from high renewable use to high fossil & nuclear use under such conditions. Energy policies need to address these conditions From http://www.mygridgb.co.uk/last-28-days/

Cold frosty misty morning brightened by a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden.. #bird #birdwatching #birdsite

This vase of viburnum tinus keeps wafting the most intense, delicate scent across the table. Cut from the garden two days ago it lifts early December with fragrance of a different season