This week’s nature highlights were closer to home and involved lots of fruit picking (raspberries and blackberries, both of which Casper calls ‘bluebererries’). Casper was also lucky enough to find an egg in the nesting box in our friends’ chicken enclosure and to be given it to take home for his tea.

This week was the first time this year I’ve seen butterflies in any number in the allotment, though it’s hard to be excited about Large white butterflies, whose caterpillars are steadily munching their way through the Brassicas which survived the slugs!  We also had a trip on the Wear in a ‘Browns’ boat this week, where there was more opportunity than in the boats I normally row to take a look at the emergent vegetation – Amphibious Bistort and Bur-reed, amongst other things. No chance for photos, though, as I was fully employed either rowing or holding onto a small boy!

Although it’s been a warm week, the mornings are starting to have that autumnal nip in the air, which makes them very pleasant for running. I’m enjoying the Wild Carrot and Parsnip flowering by the path and cherries ripening on the trees. I had a significant birthday this week which meant lots of people visiting and Durham did seem to be looking particularly lovely as I wandered around with friends who’d not been here for some time.

The week’s culinary highlight was definitely the eclectic mix of dishes at my ‘pot luck’ birthday party – Ed and Kate had spent the week perfecting their Baozi and there was Ghanaian Jollof rice, Jordanian ‘Beehive’ bread and Kenyan Mandazi as well as tasty curry and salads.