Looking back and forward

You may have noticed that the year is coming to an end......

Being diagnosed with types II diabetes was a bummer. Hence I no longer eat cake, I can have scones making sure I have a nice walk at the same time. My scone eating is normally done at National Trust property where I can have said walk!

The bird list is a  pathetic 160 ish and unless I get a day in Norfolk will be even more so this year! I tend to just patch bird these days.

Dad giving me a heartattack in August was not good but the old boy seems ok at present.

The church list moved forward slowly.

I did visit a few new National Trust properties which was good.

So what is planned for 2015?
Church wise it will be slow (yes I know I know it has been slow for a while!). I'm off to Yorkshire and Lincolnshire with Trish so that should get me a few. The choices for visits will be hers but I'll insist ;) on a trip to York which could net two and there are a few more possibles. The problem will be fitting in church visits with other stuff...... Lincolshire still has a few to target I won't get them all (I really need another solo trip to Lincs which may get done in 2016, forward planning? moi?) 

None of the other holidays will add any to the list I may just have to do a detour back from the cotswolds :) As I'm on 814 getting the list to 825 will be a challenge! I only added 10 this year!

The National Trust scone list (cough) and visited list should improve with for a few new properties for me being planned: Stoneywell, Woolsthorpe Manor, Gunby Hall, Treasurers House York, Chedworth Roman Villa, Finch Foundry and Lydford Gorge (whether I walk all of it is another matter !) . A few old favourites will be included and some that I haven't been to for years but as a good blogger none of the Devon/Cornwall properties from last year will appear and very few of the properties from my Cotswolds trip. On a Non NT front I really want to go back to Sezincote, Bourton House garden in the Cotswolds and also in the Cotswolds visit Mill Dene for the first time.

Hatfield Forest

Ye gods it was cold this morning so I wasn't tempted out of my bed too early!

I decided not to go to far and went to Hatfield Forest. It was looking lovely in the sun

Yes they now have scones! Plenty of fruit so a good start, I'll need to get there when they are fresh out of the oven. As it was freezing cold a sausage bap would make more sense but hey as they had them it would be rude not too :D

Birding highlight Marsh Tit always a nice bird to see.

Boxing Day at Ickworth

It was a bit cold last night but undeterred sir and I headed out for a wander......

Someone seems to be feeling the cold!

Nice scone...... not sure they have the drinks making sorted out...... long wait! Not the girl making its fault though the bloke asked for 9 or so assorted coffees. but it was hot!

well it blew a few cobwebs away!

Happy Christmas

A Happy Christmas to you all....

Hatfield Forest with a quick side trip

After doing some quick shopping (I'm at Dad's for Christmas so got food for the weekend - was quiet early :) ) I headed to Hatfield Forest.....

Bird wise it was interesting to see that the Mallards were joined by Teals and Gadwalls a sign of Christmas. Lots of Tits and finches and I saw more Coal Tits today at the Forest than I have seen there! The highlight though was a Little Egret first I've seen there....

The cafe at Hatfield has no scones :( and so I had a cuppa. I resisted the siren call of a sausage sarnie :)

So what now ? I nipped up to Wimpole for......

It's another Festive Orange & Cranberry scone, a bit disappointing if I'm honest.... said for Rob from Dunwich I say!!

I had some company....