Bills Posts

Featured

Bill’s Locality Stories

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.

Me and my occasional posts, mostly about the town of Gosport and occasionally my thoughts. So stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

2045 Letter to Steve XX – The Bees, The Bees

Dear Steve.

Gilbert White’s Letter XX is all about birds. But it is also about the community and network that he has put in place to support his interests.

I can’t follow that. I don’t have the network, and I certainly wouldn’t want to receive a never-ending supply of dead birds. I’m going to say luckily, with our ability to communicate, and perhaps more importantly, send images anywhere in the world, means it isn’t necessary to exchange physical bodies.

Then there are the birds. If I were fanatical about them, I’m sure I could make the time to go bird watching, but I don’t. That doesn’t mean that I don’t like to casually watch birds, especially in our garden; I love doing that.

In some respects, mainly reach and speed, my network would leave Gilbert breathless. But, in reality, it is the kind of friend who would knock on your door to tell you something interesting.

I’m bursting to tell you about something which happened last Wednesday. The timing here is relevant, at around 1pm, I was feeling peckish and fancied some Polish sausage for lunch. I took a walk to our local shop, picked up lunch and got back probably 1:30 ish. Nothing unusual there.

It was around 2:00pm when our neighbour, Jacky, knocked on the door and asked if I knew we had a swarm of bees in the silver birch at the front of our garden. I hadn’t noticed anything on my return from the shop, but looking out now, I could see a small cloud around the tree.

Without getting too close, I tried to look at the core of the swarm; it looked like a very tightly packed bundle of bees, about the size of a rugby ball. My assistant (as I’m now calling ChatGPT) advised that I had three options;

The Bees had split off from a hive that had become overcrowded and were looking for a new home. I could leave them, and the chances were that they would leave when the scouts reported that they had found an acceptable residence. The danger there is that the new home could be our loft or chimney! To call the council’s pest control office to come and remove the swarm. The problem here is that it would mean the death of the swarm. Totally unacceptable, and absolutely the last resort. Call the Beekeepers association, they would identify a local keeper who would be prepared to come and recover the swarm

Option 3 was the one. After a brief exchange, I was told that a chap called Mark was on his way from Whitely to have a look and do what was needed. I have to say that I was very impressed with the Beekeepers Association. The organisation’s website and the response were very professional.

Mark arrived about thirty minutes later, he assessed the situation. Luckily, I was able to provide the step ladder for him to access the swarm and a table to set up the temporary hive.

He got suited up and mounted the ladder. I saw him vigorously shake the tree and the swarm drop in the box. The bees weren’t happy. But after a couple of minutes, it was obvious that he had got the queen, and that she seemed happy with the new home. By now, it was around 3pm. I was concerned as the bees were right next to the route people take from school. Mark, though, was relaxed.

I invited Mark through to the back garden for a cup of tea. I’m delighted to say that he was quite complimentary about how bee-friendly Elayne had it. She was very pleased when I told her later.

He left the hive in place until 9pm. He described the collection as a classic example of how to do it. I asked Mark what would happen to the swarm, would he keep it? “No, I already have ten colonies, which is enough. I’ll pass it on to a friend”. Although I didn’t ask who, I quietly hoped it was somebody who was just getting started and that their new colony would be well looked after.

As Mark was closing up the hive, I commented that there were still a few bees around. His response was very matter-of-fact: “You can’t get them all. Some will always be left behind” I knew about the method that would be followed; I think it was a singular honour to see it from swarm arrival to being taken away. A fantastic act of nature. I just felt sad about the ones who wouldn’t make it to their new home.

All the best

Bill

2044 – In the Garden

I spent a bit of time in the garden this afternoon. But not to work, oh no. Just to enjoy the atmosphere.

We have a couple of chairs under the awning of the shed. We can sit there even if it is raining – provided it’s not too windy and the rain too heavy. It’s really quite nice to be able to do that.

The header picture is mostly about the tomato plants that Elayne is cultivating, and it is very nice to sit at the end of the gharden, and just watch the greenery grow.

Today, we were there with an ice cream, followed by a cup of tea and a couple of good dunking biscuits.

It was a very pleasant hour, and yes, I did snooze a bit.

2043 – The Compost Bins

It’s time for another Composting Bill vlog.

I promised Elayne that I would cut the grass. If I were honest, I didn’t really want to, but it doesn’t take long, and it is rewarding to see the lawn looking good. My objection was solely that it was hot, and I didn’t feel I had the energy.

Well I did manage to cut the grass, and then my brain started “You know could look ast the compost bins don’t you”?
“Well, yes, I could. But, I don’t really want to. It’s too hot”
“Oh, go on. You know you want to, you’re curious as to whether there are any insects , and how the composting is coming along”.
I could have gone on for quite a bit like that.

Eventually, though, I gave in and looked at Mid. It was very damp. I broke up some cardboard and added it, and then gave the whole thing a stir. No sign of insect life.

I went over to West, I’d been waiting for a while to have a go at this one. I think was partly in the shade that sold it to me.

I got a tub and a quarter of good compost. I could probably have got more if the body of the bin hadn’t undergone a slight slump. I haven’t mixed any cardboard in, but I did give West this week’s grass cutting. Hopefully, they will suck a bit of the moisture out.

I took in total about 13 minutes of video, both on my phone and the GO 3 S. I’ll start putting a video together. I’m hoping to get that done tomorrow.

2042 – Staunton Farm

We had an afternoon out with our granddaughter today. We went to Staunton Farm, near Havant.

The Farm hosts a number of animals that children can pet and feed (the proper food of course, supplied by the farm).

We first encountered the Llamas, these are quite graceful creatures who are delighted to take the feed pellets quite delicately from the flat of your hand.

Pygmy goats are another favourite of mine; they are such lively, bouncy little things, an absolute joy to watch. The full-sized goats are also nice as well, but one of them was a bit pushy and would force other goats away as we tried to feed them.

The problem we had today was that it was a bit too warm, and the animals weren’t really inclined to be out and about much, so whilst we saw a few, there were many more hidden away.

The setting was lovely, but I think we need to go back when it’s a bit cooler, I’m sure it will be better – certainly more comfortable for us.

2041 – An old Friend

I was down at the waterfront a couple of days ago, and I was fortunate enough to see the Mon St Michell come in to Portsmouth Harbour.

I must have thousands of pictures of her that I’ve taken over the last 10 years. It’s been a while since I last saw her, so this was nice.

2040 – Facebook’s Baleful Glare

We had a bit of excitement today. A colony of bees decided it would quite like to live in our silver birch tree. More on that story in the next Letter to Steve.

Every so often, I get big pangs of guilt about Facebook. Mainly, that I haven’t been posting there. The rot set in quite a while ago, but has definitely got worse since I retired. It’s my fault, of course.

If you were to go back, say, four years, it would be straightforward. Facebook would be the master, and this the underblog. I’d go for my morning walk, I’d take some photos, mainly of the spinnaker, all the time having a chat on the #Breakfastclub. I’d get home, and do Facebook, commenting on the morning chorus, whether I’d seen anything in the harbour, a quick note on Misty and Rascal (yes, he was still about then), and that would be it.

Then of course, I had that break where I just couldn’t get up in the morning, and it didn’t help that GB3IW had to move, which pretty much closed down the breakfast club. Then retirement came along, mainly in the form of joining u3a, and that really changed my focus.

I’ve just finished preparing a presentation for the next Exploring art group, and I’ve promised to do a presentation to the IGO Archeaology Group on AI (which was almost ready a couple of months ago, so I hopefully only have to do an update). Of course, I’ll report on that here.

I don’t want this blog and Facebook to say the same thing; it’s not that they serve different audiences, I know there is some crossover, but I just get the feeling I can do things differently on both media. Part of the problem is that I haven’t really worked out how Facebook can be different.

I think in a way I have answered the question, haven’t I? Just go back to what I was doing before. All I need to do is get back into the habit.

2039 – Street Photography in Shedderton

Today, you’re going to get two pictures for the price of one. I do that for you occasionally.

I’ve been out and about doing some street photography in Shedderton.

I’m going to be honest though, don’t look for Shedderton on any map, you won’t find it. That’s because it is, well not fictional, because it does exist, but it is fictional because it’s the surrounds of a model railway layout.

Now, I have cheated just a little bit. If you look at both these pictures, you’ll very quckly realise that they have been treated by AI. Everything that isn’t blue sky & clouds is the real scenery.

The sky replaces what would be the room that the train set is in, and possibly bits of me or Pete, one of the layout managers. We were playing around with the Insta360 GO 3 S, an excellent little camera that allows me to get right down in the scenery.

We enjoyed doing this, and it was a great help in advancing my plans for the ability to do this.

2038 – Letter to Steve XIX – More on birds

Dear Steve,

It is strange how things work out, isn’t it?

Having been late publishing XVIII, I was momentarily relieved that letter XIX was only a short one. The relief vanished when I read the letter, which had a focus on dead birds in the kitchen and birdsong. I had only recently covered things like the morning chorus, and whilst I know that I will return to it, I didn’t want to quite so soon. The other thing was the birds – Gilbert had three different species of Wren lined up on his kitchen table and was comparing them. There was no way I was in a position to do that.

Usually when Gilbert talks about something I’m squeamish about (examining dead birds on the kitchen table is definitely up there amongst the top items, I distract myself and go off at a tangent. A minor issue had been that no tangents were occurring to me, so what would the topic of this letter be?

Sometimes, problems have a way of solving themselves. Saturday morning. I went to put some food out for the birds. I usually look down to see if any of the spill had been eaten, of which the messy eaters make a lot, only to see a bird’s body head down in the dirt, quite dead. It wasn’t moving.

There was no way I was going to touch it; it looked bloated, full of gas. But, I was curious about it – what bird was it? I went and got a stick, so that I could at least move it around to take some pictures. I knew as soon as I prodded it that I wasn’t dealing with a real bird; it was one of Elayne’s plastic garden toys.

I was relieved that it wasn’t a real bird. But I was also disappointed. I wouldn’t have a chance to examine it close up and take some pictures and perhaps some measurements, beak size, wing length, characteristics of legs, things like that. I thought it would be quite Gilbertish But, there you go.

Like Gilbert’s letter, this one is also very short.

All the best

Bill.

2037 – The Compost Bins

The last time I looked at the compost bins was the 6th of June, https://localitystories.com/2026/06/06/2016-the-compost-bins/

I have to admit that they look unpleasant, but they don’t smell unpleasant and that is very important.

Hopefully, next week it will be a bit cooler. I have some jobs to do on the bins. I’m going to look at West. It’s quite likely that there is some good compost to be taken out of it. If I can get a couple of tub loads, that would be good. There’s going to be space in both of them to give them a good turn over, and I can put some cardboard in to help.

Whilst my view is that they don’t look good, and are too wet, my compost advisor is not so worried. She thinks that they are cold and wet, which is fine, as the composting process is kind of more chemical than biological; both end up with perfectly good compost.

I am disappointed that the composting is nott being bug driven, especially slow worms, but perhaps we can turn that around? I’lldo another report in a few weeks.

2036 – Friday

Another hot day. I seem to have this thing where around 10AM ish I feel irresistibly tired It’s very difficult to resist.

I had to set an alarm, if there was the possibility that I was going to fall asleep I needed to make sure that I woke up in time to get to the shop, where I was due to spend my first afternoon in a month, and only my second afternoon in the shop.

I did fall asleep, and the alarm did go off. Luckily, I did get to the shop in time. I had intended to walk in to town, but as I was passing the bus stop, a No. 9 was approaching, it was just too appropriate.

The afternoon in the shop went OK. I can’t say that I was massively excited by the afternoon.