Klara Whiley the super singer with Button Hole Jam had a poorly eye last night . Didn't stop her warbling gorgeously . By a strange coincidence I got home last night and climbed into bed , Fiona turned over to ask me about the night and I said "Ughhhhhh: what has happened to your eye !" because it was was completely closed and horribly swollen due to her being bit on the eyelid by an insect whilst she was doing her Garden Goddess bit. I told her gardening was dangerous both for her and for the plants she tends! This morning it is better but I popped her down to casualty and the Doctor gave her anti histamines and penicillin . Poor lady , if the flu bugs aren't getting her the insects are! I've told her some good stories about insects sometimes leaving a little resident after they've bitten you so look out for anything wriggling over the next few days . Human beings are a good breeding ground after all. Ask any mosquito !

Just got back from a delightful walk looking at plants and birds in Teesdale. The lads went off on a nice 8 miler , could be more, from Bowlees to Cowgreen Reservoir , without a map because I felt that Miles should have memorized the main features of the terrain by now and the best way to test that out is to go walk! Fo and I went from Bowlees to High Force via a circle route and saw Linnets , Orchids , mountain Pansies and many other plants that I cannot remember the name of . A High spot was seeing two Lapwing fledglings very dozily trying to feed themselves about 10 meters from us and you could tell they were inexperienced because Lapwings would never usually come so close .Lovely ! The weather was very blustery and the sporadic showers had us getting behind a wall for biscuit break. The hay and buttercup meadows were transcendental . Like being in a fairy land and they will only get prettier as the summer goes on . Got back to the car and went off to wait for the lads at Cow Green and have another walk and on the way approaching the reservoir we saw a Redshank perched on the wall 10 feet away and because we were in the car it was not bothered at all. A couple more turned up and then a Curlew so something was going on behind the wall so we got out of the car and a Redshank was hiding in the grass and a Curlew landed near it and wandered over to it and kept shooing it off. We reckoned that Redshanks will eat the eggs of other birds because on the coast they quite happily winkle out the periwinkle flesh which is a much harder meal to get than an egg. Exciting stuff a sort of beak fight at the Widdy Bank corral! Onwards to the Reservoir car park and and soon as we got out it was so cold . Right, just what we need for slowly tramping around a peat bog to find various bog plants particularly the Sundew . Well, we went slowly up this bog which was super interesting because great chunks of it were falling away due to erosion but not a peep of a Sundew. So , we tramped back and I knew that there was no chance of a Sundew on similar terrain so I had the brainwave of looking by the river where the underlying peat had grass on it but it was very wet . Staring downwards for about 5 minutes suddenly I saw them , lots of them . They were much smaller than I thought about .5 of a centimeter across but all the little spikes were there to trap the insects to supply the plant with nutrients it can't get from the soil and the reddy rusty color . Total magic I've been wanting to see them for years and now I know where they are . We trundled back up to the car pretty cold and sat there for 10 minutes and up turned the lads looking happy and fresh. They had gone through a really heavy half hour rain shower but it was so windy that there trousers were dried off in no time . Good doggies . Well, an evening of Star Trek is coming up and the Man United Barcelona footer match and that will be great . A super day !

Just got back from a lovely 10 mile walk around York and entering the house there was the sound of cutting and scuffling in the kitchen as Fiona was manically baking a carrot cake and the pounding of my eldest math whiz Miles coming down stairs to excitedly tell me aboiut the 98% he got for his last assignment; " It was really difficult stuff Dad" he said just to magnify the moment and then my wife chundered in with a passion for carrot cake at the moment and how when she retires she is going "to be doing a lot more of this! "Well did you have a nice walk Daddy " nobody asked , that's why I blog my walks I'm unappreciated in a hiking sense amongst my gang but I had a great walk in York. Got there at 8.30 , absolutely loads of people walking down to Bootham Bar and past there it was really quiet . I thought "Is this one of thosae York moments , magical and mysterious where people really do disappear into thin air". Apparently so: just another day in the 'Ol Yorke and it was all blowy and fresh just as I like it . I trundled over to the University which was super quiet, well it was 9:30 am and I felt like shouting under the windows of a residential block "Get up and get going you sleepy brainworkers" but then I realized it was to nice and peaceful an atmosphere to do that . By Derwent College lake I saw a pair of nesting Pochards which was great because I haven't seen them for a couple of years and joy of joys along the banks of the lake were loads of Yellow Irises really prettying the place up . Yellow was the color of the moment because as I looked out over Walmgate Stray there were thousands of Buttercups which as they stretched to the distance all swishy and swaying looked as if they were thickly covering the stray a nice optical illusion which I more or less understood how it was happening from a mathematical point of view but when I told Fiona about it at home she understood the effect immediately from her artists way of thinking . Magical. Had a great laugh in Rowntrees Park although I didn't show it because all these elderly people and a couple of youngies were learning how to walk with walking poles which is great way to exercise but stood in a circle in the middle of the park wiggling their legs about and more was a hoot . Then off they went purposefully determined to walk with walking poles. I love 'em and I'm with them all the way . well I went off in the other direction , but I'm sure I understand what I'm on about. " Do you know what your on about Paul ?" "No". In the center of York was a handy Farmers Market , handy because I could buy some cheese to put myself in Fo's good graces for a couple of days but best of all was it was Richmond Cheese made in Richmond! When I told the guy I came from Richmond he thought it was quite funny as well . And yet another first : in a fit of doggie passion I woofed my first ostrich burger down. Well I'd seen them on telly so I wondered what they tasted like, bit of Northern class consciousness there "I'm white and I'm proud " sort of moment : pretty good but had instant worries about these monsters rampaging around the Northern Pennines ! Fortunately they do not farm them open range but if the Tories remain in power YOU NEVER KNOW! Anyway when I'm up in the hills this week I will keep my eye out! A great morning out and nice to be back to domestic mayhem , my wife is all lovely and radiant from baking , what is it about baking that makes her look so totally gorgeous? and my two lads are enjoying the start of their holiday . A lot of walking to do ! Whoopee!

With the family I've just got back from a 4 mile walk around Willances Leap in Lower Swaledale just out side of Richmond . There are three routes around the Leap and Fo and I went the lower to middle route to look at plants, birds and rocks and I sent the lads around the higher to lower route , about 2 miles further so they could stretch their legs . Off the lads went swiftly disappearing like some startled lost tribe into the heavily leaved woods and Fo and I ambled along under a low grey sky that threatened rain but promised fun . Going over a low flat plain we saw many Swallows and Sand Martins and they were chasing each other at high speed which seems to be courting for them . I could be wrong because by the River Swale there were many midges and insects which is all the food these birds ever need to breed , raise young and then fly back to Africa , all before winter . Amazing! We saw two large parties of walkers a 30 strong group of young and old hiking ladies , nice; don't worry, Fiona had me on a firm lead, and another group of happy looking misfits with no coats food or water! Good for them. We spied the boys with the binoculars on the upper path and as we found out later Miles had taken a wrong turning and ended up where he shouldn't be but then found his way to the right path and toddled along . The whole point of the going off on his own being in charge of his brother exercise is that he goes in the right direction but more useful is that when he goes wrong he gets back to the right path . I was very pleased with him getting back on track . It could have been less forgiving in the Lakes Howgills and particularly the relatively featureless Northern Pennines but I have noticed that he checks out the route very carefully when we go up there . Going the wrong way in any of those places results in doubling a long way and very tired legs . He is doing really well but I'll give him some more complicated routes over the summer in the Settle Ingleborough area where there are plenty of holes to fall down! We met up with the lads back at the car exactly 2 hours as planned and they were 10 minutes early . Meatballs, tomato sauce , garlic bread and spaghetti is now coming up prepared by moi coming up with two episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine . Yummy! A really nice day . I also cracked a A Level maths problem this morning which was very satisfying! I might make a maths teacher yet !

Today with the family I went to Upper Teesdale to Morehouse National Nature Reserve to look at birds and rocks and send the boys on a 6 mile walk around Cronkley Scar to see if they would get lost. They didn't but they did run into a mega hailstone shower because they were about 600 feet above us . We just huddled behind a wall to keep out of the rain! As we left the road and went past a farm a nice lady came out and told us where the Pennine Way path was and complained about the lack of signs ! The grass meadows were coming into flower , mostly Buttercups for now and when we crossed the bridge over the River Tees we went straight into a Redshank breeding ground , going on all the noise they were making which indicates we were close to their nests so they were trying to distract us away . Being ground nesting birds it is the only defense they have ! The sky was low , multi greyed and promising rain which it delivered about half an hour later , a quick hard shower , which glistened the grass making it sparkle and smell of worms rising to the surface which is what they do after it rains . We saw many small birds which I've yet to identify , that being a big part of the fun and had a good look at some shale conspicuously sticking out from the lava laden Whin Sill. What on earth was it doing there ? Well it had been pushed around by an unimaginable force of hot rock prying apart and cooking the sandstone , shale and limestone which is why there were many outcrops of locally know " Sugar limestone " the remnants of a baking session 295 million years ago . We met up with the lads as they were working their way around the bottom of Cronkley Scar alongside the Tees and had biscuit break a few yards from the low but clear water . I was keen to see a Ring Ouzel bird in Falcon Clints gorge but no chance although I did notice something black screech across the river in the high wind and it was black , a little bigger than a Blackbird but going to fast and to far for me to identify it but there are no Blackbird habitats in that part of the Tees Valley so it must be a Ring Ouzel but self deception plays no part in my quest! On the way back after we met the lads it bucketed it down and the wind was behind us and the back of my legs and pants were soaked in about 5 minutes and then it started running down into my hiking shoes and before I could get really excited it just stopped and out popped the sun as if nothing had happened. Getting wet out in the fells really puts you in touch with nature . We will be visiting this area once a month to track the the hay meadow growth though the summer and next time we visit there will be Redshank, Oystercatcher , Lapwing and Curlew chicks running around . A lovely walk topped off with meatballs , tomatoes sauce and spaghetti for tea and two episodes of Star Trek.

Well, I turned 55 today and I feel good for it . Whilst the family were still tucked up in bed I headed off to Bandland to try some amplifiers out with my harmonica but was sorely disappointed . Even though they were bigger and better than the 18 watt thing I've already got they didn't sound that good. The keyboard amp was particularly disappointing and I think I was missing something with how I connected my microphone with it . Still , I came I saw and I went onto Saltholme RSPB reserve and that was cracking . The wardens were as keen and eager as ever and pointed out some gems like Greenshanks and Widgeons that I really enjoyed looking at . The Terns were particularly beautiful and looking at one flying over it reminded me of a jet fighter ! One tern in 1982 did 22000 kilometers in three months from when it was ringed as a chick. Amazing . And what is extra great is that it was ringed on the NE Coast at the Farne Islands Hooray! Back to the family and Fiona was still feeling not well from her infection so I took the lads for a sprint around the Durham Woods , well I told them to go the long way around and I went by the River Wear which was low and almost standing still , so I could stop along the way and enjoy the vegetation which after some light showers smelled wonderful. Everything is just shooting out of the ground so fast at the moment . Biscuit break was at Starbucks and they woofed their biscuit and muffin down pretty fast . A pile of chicken followed when we got back and 2 episodes of Startrek. A nice quiet day just how I like my birthday to be !

Yesterday with the family I visited my Mum in Richmond in Swaledale and had a sultry but fresh walk in the wind through the Easby Woods under a very green canopy of leaves that doesn't seem to be bothered at all by the dry weather although the River Swale was complaining because it was just inches deep a long way from its usual magnificence . Mum was in good fettle and we had a good laugh as usual . After this I took Fo and Clifford home and then took Miles to RKade skate park in Redcar where he did a 4 hour skate session which was a memorial session for a skateboarder and skate shop owner called Bingo . It was great and wild with about one third of the lads and one girl! manically ripping around . Miles went hell for leather for 4 hours with just a 15 minute break . A lot of the regions best skaters were there like Froggy who was awesome . His girlfriend looked pregnant so a Little Froggy could be on the way ! It was great to see all the skate chappies , and one girl , having a ripping time and it was a fitting tribute to Bingo. I met him a couple of times years ago and his shop in Stockton called Mischief was a business founded on a huge enthusiasm for skateboarding and encouraging the young and the not so young to get out there and roll . A great evening and many thanks to RKade for supporting it and all of the entrance fee cash went to the British Heart Foundation because Bingo died of a cardiac arrest but he was only 36. Thats to young and the more the British Heart Foundation and all those dedicated researchers understand our hearts the less chance things like this will happen . A great night out and Miles reliably informed that after the 11 miles hike yesterday and the 4 hour skate session his legs had " turned to jelly " Good doggy! Thats what your body is for : using and abusing !

On Saturday with the family I had a great day out in the Howgills and Pennines. We dropped the boys off at the bottom part of Bowderdale and they went up to the Calf and then down into Sedbergh. 11 miles which they did in 3.5 hours . Good doggies. It was a easy map reading exercise for Miles because has has been up there so many times before and he didn't really need the map but it is useful to identify hills and places as you go along and adds a bit of interest to the journey . Fo and I drove around to Caultley Spout to look at rocks , plants and birds and it was beautiful in the valley . We didn't get to see the Golden Plovers we were after it is a bit early for them but there were a lot of Wheatears about and they were amazing . Every time we go to Cautley we notice the general drift downwards of the rocks and parts of the hillsides . Give it a couple of million years and it will all be a lot smaller! Then, onwards to the Adam Sedgewick Geology Trail just outside Sedbergh and that was pretty amazing even though it is only half a kilometer long . As well as lots of fossils I saw the breccias and conglomerates I'd been longing to see . I did not do much preparation for this trip because I wanted an overview but next time we go it will be a full day there and I will decode the rocks and understand their story with magnifying glass geologists loupe and guide . Some of the rocks are from the Lake District but they were transported to Sedbergh 350 million years ago and they are virtually intact as rounded pebbles some being very big which indicates erosion before deposition buried them but best of all were the breccias which are fragments of rock with far less erosion ie more jagged fragments . Mega interesting . We met up with the boys in Sedbergh and they were fresh as ever in spite of the 11 miles and we then visited Veronica in the South Lakes and had a really nice time there and Becky Fiona's sister came for a while but she was on call for dealing with intensive care patients (shes a physiotherapist) so couldn't stay for long . A really exciting and nice day out where everyone was very happy !