An avenue of apple trees outside Gilroy Allotments.   Sign encouraging people to freely enjoy future apple harvests!   Gilroy Allotment site, a thriving community project.   Gilroy Nature Park, a few short steps from the allotments.   Click on the pictures to view them larger.      A new avenue of apple trees lines the narrow public footpath which leads from Gilroy Road in West Kirby, Wirral, and passes the Gilroy Road Community Allotments site and the entrance to Gilroy Nature Park.  The young trees are of mixed varieties, supported by stout wooden posts, and have been planted on both sides of the path.   There is a large sign, shaped like apple leaves, which declares:  "Incredible Edible!  When ripe feel free to pick some fruit!"  Another 'leaf' on the sign reads:  "The apple avenue is an invitation to consider where our food comes from and how we can reduce our food miles, encourage locally grown and and support independe

  Introducing Morgen Bailey!   Today, I'm joined by Morgen Bailey, who has agreed to share some writing tips.  At Riverside Writers, new members often ask about the best ways to go about learning their craft, having been left bewildered by a huge array of 'how to' books which trot out vast lists of Dos and Don'ts.  Here, Morgen keeps things simple.   Based in Northamptonshire, England, Morgen Bailey is a prolific blogger, podcaster, editor/critiquer, Chair of NWG (which runs the annual H.E. Bates Short Story Competition ), Head Judge for the NLG Flash Fiction Competition and creative writing tutor for her local council. She is also a freelance author of numerous ‘dark and light’ short stories, novels, articles, and very occasional dabbler of poetry. Like her, her blog, http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com , is consumed by all things literary. She is also active on Twitter , Facebook along with many others (listed on her blog’s Contact page ). She als

On June 9th, The Daily Mail published an article by Tom Leonard with the title, "Three senior Oxford University academics will pay to be deep frozen when they die so they could one day be 'brought back to life'".  This article was also published on Iol .  Thanks go to John de Rivaz for passing on these links via the Yahoo! newsgroup for Cryonics Europe . The Daily Ma il article attracted 300+ comments, many of which were negative dismissals of the potential of cryonics.  As expected, many of these comments were based on inaccurate beliefs, such as cryo-patients being frozen in ice, or of cryonics being a money-making scam. The Cryonics Institute is a non-profit making organisation.  It's annual finances are published for all to view.  Its directors are elected by the institute's own members. Patients are subjected first to a profusion then a vitrification process, which greatly reduces tissue damage from ice crystals, before being stored in liquid n

Emily and Poppi, June 2013. After a run of hot days, it's fair to declare that summer has finally arrived.  Not to worry, the solstice is less than two weeks away, and it's almost a tradition that it pours with rain then. As can be seen in the photo, our rhubarb is growing well.  In the black tub, to one side of the photo, is a small crop of garlic which isn't doing so well - the spindly leaves look yellowy, so I am wondering if the sun's been too fierce for them.  This morning Richard and I went swimming again.  We're really getting into this, and had a lot of fun today.  I won the race!!!   There was only the two of us in the race, and he does have impaired breathing capacity...but it's the principle.  I won, I won!  This is also the first time in my entire life that I've ever won any race, come to think of it.  I was always hopeless at sports back in my school and college days - partly due to a total lack in interest in discovering who can run r

The Grumpets! ISBN: 9781301565078 ASIN: B00D3JB0CW (for Kindle) Published Today! Grumpets are shy creatures who live in compost heaps.   At any moment of any day, wilting flowers, mouldy cabbage leaves or faded roses might tumble down upon them. But the heap can be a dangerous place. Grumpets have to keep alert for horrible Slimers.   And the dreaded Time of Turning…. Introducing a new species, one which even the mighty Sir David Attenborough has, as yet, overlooked!  Grumpets are, (as the above book blurb suggests), rather shy and retiring by nature, and they spend much of their time burrowing within warm, snug compost heaps.  They can be found in many gardens but it is unlikely, unless you keep a sharp eye out and know what you're looking for, that you will have spotted them. The Grumpets is a short fantasy story for children, though it may well appeal to 'children' of all ages.  This foray into children's fiction is a new av

. Feel free to share these banners!

It seems I've now finished my NVQ Level 3 in Customer Care.  I write "seems" as no-one from the college has told me this in person.  I received the news second-hand, albeit from a reliable source.  I arrived at work this morning, on my day off, to meet my new tutor at 9am as arranged, only to learn she'd already left.  She'd arrived at 8.45am and stayed all of two minutes, so I was told, and she briefly informed a colleague who has been taking a similar NVQ that we'd both now completed the course.    So what happens next?  Apparently my ring-binder containing all my course work will be set before an assessor for evaluation.  Whether the college keeps it or if I get it back at some point has not been explained.  I only learned this much from someone who has done an NVQ before.   Will a certificate arrive at some point?  I have no idea as, again, no-one from the college bothered to inform me.  This comes after two months of silence from the college fol