Thursday, February 23, 2006

Views from a country churchyard

Apparently I am odd (no giggling at the back) I like looking around old churches but mainly I suspect because from time to time I enjoy sitting in churchyards reading books! I wonder if all the folk who dutifully troop to our major Historic Houses realise just how many treasures are contained in our parish churches. The medieval stained glass at Fairford(Gloucs) and St Neot (Cornwall), the monuments at Bottesford (Leics) and Exton (Rutland) and the pure atmosphere of the crypt at Lastingham. These rank with anything the great houses can offer. Country churchyards are often great places. They can be havens of wildlife if cared for properly (this does not mean mowing to inch of there lives and being nicely tidied up) and usually support a number of bird species.

Is there any chance we'll beat India? Or will one of my colleagues be gloating for the next 2 months? I'm not optimistic. Vaughan flatters to deceive, looks superb whilst getting his 27 and then contrives to find away to get out. Harmison is another who had a glorious patch and is now struggling a bit. I also don't think there is enough runs in the team. Given we don't have a test match spinner there is going to be a lot of reliance on Freddie and we really have to hope that the quick unit can fire and that we field like demons. As usual us brits overplay our successes (the Ashes - wonderful but we could all see the Aussies weren't firing and we still only JUST won) and overplay our failures. Truth is England are a decent team but the middle order is inexperienced and we need that spinner.

Winter cricket series are always odd affairs for me. You look out of the window and see a horrible dull grey morning but on the radio they are discussing bright sub tropical sunshine and that Vaughan has an injured knee - I get this feeling of deja vu. I sit depressed because I want to to feel the sun on my back. To be fair it wouldn't be so bad if was freezing cold with bright blue skies but this constant murk gets me down. It was lovely Saturday over Hatfield Forest watching Great Crested Grebes building a nest and 'peckers hammering on tree trunks - lovely stuff.

Luckily the weather for Saturday looks good. Not sure where I'm off to Saturday hopefully Norfolk unless something good comes up locally.

Well better be a bit more sociable with the crew on yahoo tonight eh Nic?

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