Snow? Lets talk Mosquitos

I looked out of the window last night to see snow falling fairly hard, so I dutifully set the alarm for early so I could get on the roads before the hordes. I'm pleased to say that the roads were fine and the snow obviously didn't amount to much (stop laughing OC).

I was interested to read that the mosquito Culex modestus was recorded at sites in the marshes of north Kent and south Essex in 2010 and 2011 and is reported as breeding. Culex modestus is suspected of transmiting West Nile virus to humans during sporadic epidemics in southern Europe.

Apparently a handful of individuals were collected along the south coast of Britain in the 1940's but has not been seen since 1945.

The discovery was made by a postgraduate student Nick Golding.

looking at the world in black & white

Some of you may have noticed I've stopped post pics in Black & White here. If anyone found them interesting..... then might I suggest Looking at the World in Black & White

The Streets of London

I stuck a camera in my pocket yesterday and whilst waiting for Trish to turn up I took a few snaps around Oxford Street.

The Palladium

We're off to see the Wizard.....

It is me or does the snow with this palm look bizarre?

William Pitt the Younger....

An advert

People eating.....

This is on the side of John Lewis

Waiting for Trish.......

Concert - the Flute

The third concert of four!

I have to admit to some reservations with this one.....

It was primarily booked as it was a flute concert and a desire to hear something different. It was a YCAT concert (Young Classical Artists Trust) with Adam Walker flute and James Baillieu piano.

My reservations were the programme since I'm not a Bartok fan and know little of Messiaen and Poulenc.

Schubert - Introduction and Variations on ‘Trock’ne Blumen' from Die schöne Müllerin D802
Bartók - Suite Paysanne Hongroise
Messiaen - 5 Leçons de Solfège à chanter
Poulenc - Sonata for flute and piano

So what did I think? Firstly Walker and Baillieu were very good but I didn't really think any of the pieces would make my "I want to listen to that again". I think that is one of the problem for a flautist, repertoire ! Still a nice hour spent !

Winter strikes back

I looked out of the window last night and it had started to snow and was getting harder.

This morning I awoke to this...

The view through the back window...

Tne snow wants to come in the back door!

The view from the front door!

I have now cleared a path to the road but I won't be moving to tomorrow!!

Bitternly cold

I woke early, as I laid in bed there was a moment of panic, THE HEATING SHOULD BE ON!! 30 seconds later it automatically came on!! Well it's cold out there and the idea of no heating.....

Given the forecast for tonight it would be easy to have pulled up the duvet and listened to music but EVENTUALLY I poked my nose out of the front door! And promptly went straight back inside and put another fleece on !

I wandered to Rye Meads, it was a touch frosty!

There was one small piece of unfrozen water from the draper hide which had 2 swans, some coots, teal and gadwell.

Some of the hide murals.

Quite a few birds flitting through the hedgeows. The river was frozen

There were lots of Fieldfare by the Kingfisher hide. Only this Collared Dove posed.

Any bit of water was well used by the birds! There was a flock of Goldfinch but darned if I could find a Siskin.

I decided that I ought to be in a nice warm house so wandered back. As I got back to the steps that lead to the draper. Atop them 4 people were looking intently at what I knew was frozen water. One mouthed the word "Bittern" OOH !! Couldn't get a picture but a nice view. There had been a Water Rail a minute earlier!!

The Water Buffalo.

And to see me off...

Some London Snaps

I took a camera with me yesterday. Just snaps, I was too lazy to edit them!

Liverpool Street Station.

A building I've had meetings in. Interesting lifts!

The protest against the city camp in Finsbury Square.

Thought this above a doorway was interesting.

John Wesley's statue outside the Wesley Chapel

Across the road is the Bunhill Cemetery (Bunhill maybe a corruption of Bone Hill).

The cemetery contains the graves of the Cromwell brothers (sons of Oliver) and that of John Bunyan.

Some street views...

LSO St Luke's (a now de-consecrated Church) a place where great music is played!

Music on a cold day

It has turned a tadge chilly, I keep expecting to open the curtains to find snow!!

Still I was off today and was off to the LSO St Luke's to see the Nash Ensemble.

The programme was:
Mendelssohn Theme and Variations in E & Scherzo in A minor Op 81 Nos 1 & 2 from Four Pieces for String quartet
Brahms Clarinet in B Minor

This was a lovely concert, the Mendelssohn was relatively short but like all Mendelssohn very easy on the ear. The Brahms is a major piece of chamber music and was sublime, the interplay between the musicians was lovely to watch but especially hear!

Curiously the concert finished a little early and I fully expected an encore. For some reason the audience seemed a bit subdued. Me? I loved it!

Busy doing nothing

I woke up at stupid O'clock this morning. I wandered downstairs made a cuppa turned on the heating and went back to bed!!

I turned off the lights and stuck some music on (Susan Tomes and Andrew Marwood playing Schumann) and snuggled back under the duvet!

Do you ever have one of those days where you could lay in bed all day? I could easily have done that today but I was off to dad's so I had to force myself out!

Now I really should have gone to Rye Meads after leaving dad's but it was cold and grey and I was feeling lazy! so I've had a nice lazy afternoon doing absolutely nothing. Rather pleasant really!

Winter Flowers

It's Snowdrop season!

I arrived at Anglesey Abbey a little early but the doors were already open. The faithful had come to revere the Snowdrop!

Normally Snowdrops mark the move towards Spring after a hard winter but this year its been mild (I do hope we aren't going to be punished).

Anyway Anglesey (which I do like, always something to see).

Ah Snowdrops....

Lunch was a large lump of chocolate cake and a pot of tea! Lovely and on offer at £3 ! Lovely!

Bird highlight ? A calling Great Spots and Long Tailed Tits (that were chasing each other!)