Monthly Archives: March 2015

The Partial Solar Eclipse 2015: a newt’s eye view.

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Francis Pryor

I must admit, the media mega-hype leading up to the event did not put me in a particularly receptive frame of mind. The Breakfast Show on BBC1 was particularly inane. They seemed to think we all had a mental age … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadcasting, My life | Tagged eclipse, newts, solar eclipse | Leave a comment

The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring, Tra La!

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Francis Pryor

I can remember rehearsing for the Mikado (I think I was in the chorus, but am not too sure), when I was about eleven. And that song has been with me ever since. Anyhow, this year really does make me … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged ash dieback, ash trees, Leucojum aestivum, Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’, Leucojum vernum, primroses, Primula vulgaris, pussy willow, salix, Salix acutifolia ‘Blue Streak’, Salix gracilistylus 'Melanostachys', Scilla siberica, Siberian squills, spring snowflake, summer snowflake | Leave a comment

Eschew the Formulaic: Avoid the Predictable!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Francis Pryor

At last, a truly mind-numbingly obscure title – something that all editors will immediately recognise and delete, forthwith. The thing is, that writing has its rules and only very rarely will unfettered streams-of-consciousness actually make good books. The obvious exceptions … Continue reading →

Posted in books | Tagged Alan Cadbury, The Way the Truth and the Dead | Leave a comment

The First Day of Spring

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Francis Pryor

As a gardener and farmer I prefer the simple way that meteorologists assign the seasons: three months each, with Winter consisting of December, January and February; Spring: March to May; Summer: June to August; and Autumn: September to November. So … Continue reading →