The Life Blood...

On Wednesday I had my thrice yearly blood donation session.



Only 6% of people who are able to donate in this country actually do so. This astonishes me, and frankly, saddens me.

The fact of the matter is that without the few blood donors we have in this country, many many people would die every day. Many operations would be either exceptionally dangerous or impossible, many serious accidents would be fatal, and there would be so many more tears shed.

Firstly, it really doesn't hurt at all, it's not dangerous, doesn't take long (most companies will let you have the time off), saves lives, and all you have to do is lie back and rest.

This week I additionally got extra samples taken to put me on the Bone Marrow Donation Registry, if you've ever had a friend with leukaemia or another disorder of the immune system or blood you'll know how critical this is. Well worth the effort to extend what is more often than not, a very young life about to be snubbed out.

In short, don't be selfish, give life, it's the best gift available....

Sign-up for the Organ Donor Register

End of Sermon

At Home In The Woods...

On Monday, I made my regular visit to my local woods. (Hadley Woods, Barnet EN5)

I honestly don't think there is anywhere I'd rather be, the New Forest possibly, but these woods are the ones I grew up in, I'm at home there.

The autumn colour seems to be coming late, as it was not particularly in evidence this year, other than for the bright red trees which are positively scarlet this year.

Even so, it was amazingly beautiful as usual. Plus, this time I had my new camera!! Think I went over the top and took over 150 pictures, next time I'll take a lot less and spend more time relaxing. I'm loathed to take tech into the woods, but had to record some things at least once. But I was squinting by the end of the trip, October has very poor light IMO, the sun sits far too low in the sky here - blinds me.

Oh well, here are a few small pictures of things I saw. Apologies for quality, reduced them by 80% to save on storage space.


A Woodland Road, many a day I would play on the banks of this road in my youth.



Bridge Lost In The Woods, this is how railways should be, fully wooded all around, bridges being smothered.



Forked Hornbeam, growing in it's usual beautifully forked and horizontal fashion. Love those trees, managed to obtain a load of seeds from another tree. Going to try and grow me some, got 10 planted. :D



Ferns Under The Canopy, now who says nothing beautiful grows under the branches??? This lot is on the railway side, deep in the woods.



The Wild Oak, taken from inside the tree, under the canopy. This is why oaks make by far the best trees for climbing in and under, so many possibilities.



Oaken Porthole, now would you look at this, same tree as before and it has a great hole broader than my arm grown in it. Amazing.



An Ancient Mossy Stump, this one has been there a fair while, it's quite intensely beautiful, sitting on it's own in the midst of a clearing surrounded by lovely beeches (the trees, not sandy wotsits).


Would publish more, but don't want to host too much stuff.

Beatley Thingy

Hmm, what's this then?


From the front...


From the side...

We've been through the beatle books and can't work out what exactly it is. Found it in the garden, it's lime green and black, so very striking, not very large, maybe 8-10mm long. With a white/black edging to it.

Some sort of shieldbug?

Need to work out if it's a goodie or a baddie, from a gardener's perspective.