Author Archives: JDO

The piano tuner came today, and there’s nothing more calculated to drive me from my desk than the noise of a piano being tuned in the room immediately below my study. I thought about going out for a walk, but … Continued

I woke up this morning to the first proper frost of the year. I say that as though it’s a positive thing – and I am trying to think of it as a positive thing – but if I’m honest … Continued

It’s a good thing that mallards don’t eat fish – you wouldn’t want to get mugged by this mob. After yesterday’s horrible weather, this morning was cold but clear, and R and I went for an early walk around Croome, … Continued

On a day when I had to brave bitter, driving rain to fill up the bird feeders, because even in those conditions tiny garden birds were queueing up hoping for food, and R decided that it was time to break … Continued

Almost the entire herd of fallow deer were hanging out in groups in the West Park at Charlecote today, but there were just a couple of solitary bucks in the Front Park, lying very quietly, this one under some trees … Continued

I had to do some work today – actual work – and such was the shock to my system that R felt the need to take me to Broadway afterwards and buy me a cheese scone, to build my strength … Continued

I arrived at the Water Rail (aka the Concrete) Hide at Upton Warren this afternoon to find it stuffed to the gunwales with bird photographers and gear. Someone hutched along one of the benches a little to let me sit … Continued

‘Pert’ is not generally a term of admiration in my vicinity; in particular, I have a (possibly unreasonable) distaste for a certain type of small, usually blonde, vacuously pretty actress who seems to get a quantity of work that’s out … Continued

I spent a pretty torrid couple of hours at Trench Wood this afternoon, trudging around looking for something appealing – and yes, I’m aware that my idea of appealing and yours may not coincide, but we can’t have everything. The … Continued

I didn’t realise how much yesterday’s march had taken out of me until I got up this morning and discovered that I was sore in places I’d forgotten I even owned. I’m not trying to make myself out to be … Continued