The Oak

 

The mighty Oak out in its majesty as slowly but surely leaves and buds are all coming out as it warms up. We're fortunate to have a good number here.

Kite flying

 Flying a kite on a breezy day is lot of fun.

Ivanhoe Beacon

Ivanhoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire is a place I like to visit from time to time for just socializing to having fun with kites on.

Owned and managed by the National Trust, it is most popular recreational area especially in spring and summer.

Camp and picnic time

 

Camp and Picnics are very much on mind this morning as I'm going to one tomorrow and have my packaging to do where hopefully the catering will turn out better than it did for this group of lads where it appears to be a bit off as it were.

It's to be seen if anyone attempts a campfire as it may be a bit showery.

Be the change!

 The environment matters having walked past many daffodils today and also seen some man made messes along the way.

Environmental activism is something worth encouraging from litter picks, to making a bug hotel or planting more wild flowers to help bees which are facing many challenges from both climate, reduced habit by our actions and preditors.

In Scouts and Girl Guiding we talk about and encourage this but also the children's tv show Blue Peter also does having a  "Green Badge" that children upto 15 years can submit eveidence of what they've done and win a badge which itself is made from recycled plastic.

Roasting by a camp fire!

 

On the morning after it was leaked the icon BBC Tv show Blue Peter was to cease to be broadcast live and go internet only, this was an unforgettable  live accident from 1971 I recall seeing although sadly not in colour.

The girlguides had been invited to talk about what what being a  girl guide was and as part of the end of that feature a traditional wooden campfire had been lit in the studio back then the BBC Centre, West London.

Few people realized on set the campfire had started to get out of control as the Brownies next to it were singing a campfire song, which as people in scouting we do,  and had to be ushered away as it was extinguished.

That of course was seen live and did cause some concern to young viewers.

The scouts V E letter program

 

* Photo Credit Martin Milner

As part of the build up towards the 80th anniversary of Victory In Europe Day, scouts and youth organizations generally are being encouraged to write to veterans in a  letter exchange program to find out more directly from those who experienced it, what it was like and what their own experiences were.

Beyond that, it is about learning and handing down values that help us survive, freeing millions from brutal dictatorship and the personal sacrifices that we in such situations are called upon.

I was fortunate to have around in my early years family and friends who had served and were prepared to talk about about their experiences and what they felt I should from that so I'm very much in favour of the V E Letter initiative.

Here two beavers are working on their contribution.

An out of this world Badge!

 

For Explorer Scouts aged 14 through 18 recently the UK Space Agency and the Scouts Association teamed up with a new Space Badge covering learning new skills centred around the STEM (Science,Technology, Engineerering and Maths) disclipines showing evidence of practical knowledge.

Young people will be encouraged to learn how to control something remotely, replicating the skills used by scientists and engineers to guide the Perseverance Rover across Mars’ surface, as well as embracing their curiosity and discovering ways to grow plants without soil – a task undertaken on the International Space Station to test different watering methods.

Back to life

 

The warmer temperatures are returning so everything will be coming out this week after a cooler spell.

I'm recovering fairly well from my hand and wrist injury i had in the middle of last month although certain movements are a bit painful initially so I have been able to keep up with exploring, opening gates and pulling myself along as needed.

Flashes

 

Areas of salt mining such as those in cheshire in time leave areas of water known as "Flashes" which can be used for sailing or as in the "Salt Pan" in Sandbach form an area where waders such as Scoters and Gulls can be spotted in the spring.

Most are held by various fishing societies.

In the background the Crewe-Manchester railway line can be seen.

Favourites

 

Memories from late spring 1991 and visiting Polesden Lacy, Surrey when I was based down there for a period and this is the Cottage near Great Bookham which I really loved visiting.

Identification

Spring is well and truly with us with no need to have the gas fire on and indeed for the last couple of days I didn't need a coat on either.

Given in spring things do magically reappear, here is a handy species reminder chart to identify clearly all those flowers we are now seeing.

I've always been fascinated by Catkins that emerge this time of year and I am seeing the small birds about too.

Birthday

 

Well it was my Birthday yesterday so this eternal scout celebrated his yesterday with cards and presents and visits from friends and family.

Baa!

 

Spring has sprung so we start to see spring Lambs out in the fields around here which is lovely.

Spring duck

 

Spring is here, daffodils are out as the ducks play in the nearby streams enjoying the sunny mild weather today.

Founder's Day

 

Today we look at something important - Founder's Day.

The day itself, 22 February, marks the birthday of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouts. It’s a birthday he shared with his wife, Olave, on the far right of this picture,  who was World Chief Guide, which is why the day is special for Guides too who call it Thinking Day.

As is traditional, Scouts  took part in the Annual Wreath Laying Service at the Baden-Powell Memorial at Westminster Abbey represented vy Welsh Explorers, alongside our Girlguiding friends reflecting on what he gave us when he set out the principals for scouting and started our movement.

It is  a day to renew your Promise, and think about how Scouting has and still does have the potential to change lives and society in general for the better in whar are trouibling times with conflicts and challenges not least that involving our planet.

Spring is near

 While technically it remains Winter, in reality Spring is just three days away and nature doesn't follow academic timetables so it is no accident that the daffodils have started to come out depending a bit on where you live such as these.

A place to stay with character

 

Where I stayed was an 11th century manor house that could hold a lot of people with full facilities that had been extended over the centuries with many of its original features such as single glazed windows made of small panes of glass and fireplaces.

These included the original narrow twisting servants stairways, tile and wooden floors that are listed.

Trees

 

The odd day was gloomy but the odd leafless trees with the nearby valley were imposing as I walked around the area.

Snowdrops

 Where I stayed was a large Manor house that dates to the Tudor period with extensions and has a grade II listing and within the extensive grounds leading to farmland, I noticed these Snowdrops that had come up notwithstanding the generally cold conditions so far this year.

Tintern Abbey

 

Making ones way to the south west frequently takes you to where the England and Wales borders intermingle so having got close to Bristol, South Gloucestershire we went on the Welsh side of the Wye Valley as a driving and food break was needed.

We decided to go to Tintern Abbey (Welsh: Abaty Tyndyrn) was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow along the Abergavveny road in Monmonthshire which like many was "desolved" by King Henry VIII and used by suppers as a place or just building materials.

There was extensive renervationwork on it as it wasn't until the eighteenth century that any meaningful restoration was done and indeed during the Georgian and Victorian eras it more remodelling with new materials so some of the original features were lost that today we would not of accepted.

The abbey provided for a kitchen, an  area for washing clothes and other linens, accomodation and reflection with there being a chapel for worship.

Nearby are the Black Mountains.

The off begins...

Winter brings with it frosts, ice and snow and so while trees be bare and nothing much is flowering at least here even even though we have a Snowdrop Walk views are often memorable such as this scene near Honiton, East Devon.

I'll be away for a few days around them parts, while familiar with Cornwall, never a place I ever visited as a child so blog won't be updated until my return as I go off line when away.

 

Layering

 

Layering is at the core when it comes to staying warm outdoors in winter and the choice of material makes a big difference when it comes to the outcome.

Keeping the heat in and not cold damp moisture is a must.

Fundraising

 

Different branches of Scouting have their own take on what makes for good fund raising with one american Girl Scouts are famed for is Cookies.

While some do make their own and sell on the street, others come prepackaged with colourful boxes to be sold on their behalf.

While the presentation is great, I can't but wonder if something that has more direct member involvement might not be more suited.

Brownie Scout uniform

 

I don't usually have much to say regarding Girl Scout uniform not least for not being British or Commonwealth, it is an intereresting offshoot of the based and expanded across the modern Commonwealth GirlGuilding movement that kept some Anglophile program names like Brownies but created Girl Scouts rather than Guides.

Here we have some of the equipment an American Brownie would have wih her such as her green tunic rather than the brown until the early 1990's brownies had here, her purse, sash with badges, watch, headwear and branded swimsuit.

The sash is something you never saw in scouts over here where your jersey had your award badges on and as far as I'm aware Girlguiding here uses the sash.

At one level it does enable you to display them without needing a jersey and for somethings you probably don't need one on not least in summer but does add to the uniform item count.

Staying warm at night

 

The things we learned from our nights under the stars at this time of year included a lot about dealing with the cold so I often wore a hat to bed as that accounts for a high proportion of heat loss and thick dry pj's taking care to remove any damp sweaty stuff from the day as that just leaves you cold and having thick woollen bedsocks.

Winter camping

 

This time of year brings its challenges not least with cold temperatures nights going dark early and even frosts at night so here's a few tips to help you get through it,

Girl scouts have it sorted!

What might you need on an camping trip with your mates?

Here it seems American Girl Scouts have gathered much you will such as matches, maps, eating and cooking utensils (you may well need to eat something!) and a good first aid kit as you may be a few miles from a chemist or doctor.

A compass really is a must as is a torc, guides on indentifying trees and plants and penknife.

How to make a Sling

Having sustained an injured arm a time or two out of doors I felt looking at useful piece of knowledge makes sense not least as it has been a bit windy to be out this weekend.

The essential thing to do is to support it until you are able to get it properly checked out so a sling comes into its own and our kneckerchief's are designed just for the job!

While often just leaving it strapped up is sufficient, the point around getting it checked out is seeing if the fracture needs to be set in plaster.

How to pick a good Camping Spot.

 While its very much blowing a storm outside, for when it's safer, here's what you need to consider in picking your camping site all of which really does make sense.

The uses of knives as a Scout you need to know

 

Sadly in the twenty-first century knives get a bad press due to their misuse by high school aged children and young adults but there is place, a very important place in the context of scouting because a well designed pen knife will get you out of many a hole.

That's why you need one even if we don't take them with us to weekly get togethers and obviously when you do have them do keep them out of sight until actually required.

This illustration shoes their usuage well.

The presentation

 The formal presentation event is something that I can still can recall from my youth when if you were being presented with something, it might be a mini bus, a donation to some activity that was being run, a "three line whip" was run to ensure as many of you as possible were to attend.

Of course and especially back then it wasn't enough to attend, no, we had to be immaculate, wear our uniforms correctly and be on our best behaviour.

Here Cubs and Scouts just after the infamous 1966 review are all present  for this one in the then uniform with the long trousers and belt scouts like my older brother wore with pride and you'd all cheer madly at the end!

Silver Birch

 

One of the great things about this time of year is decidious trees such as the Silver Birch which really stand out in a stripped environment with just dead lives and a bit of grass as colour.

I just love walking around ours at this time of year.

Resting

 

The snow has now fully cleared here from its heights over the weekend which made it impossible for me to get about and actually it has been a pretty warmish 12 odd degrees c so I was out birdwatching this morning quite attentively and watching his nutkins attempting to bury food in the relatively soft ground which was really enjoyable.

I am experiencing some internet issues, the technicalities of which I will leave out but basically it means I need to access it differently for a period so what was to be Monday's post will emerge in the fullness of time but given how stressful this has been my priority is having this life, being outdoors enjoying and learning about nature.

What tree is that?

 

Sometimes you might just appreciate something that helps in identifying tree species and this chart showing both leaf detail and buds in Wintertime is just the thing we need when out exploring.

The snow arrived!

As I look through the window, everything is what, roofs, pavements, roads the distant ridges as we have had a very heavy downpour of snow overnight so I suspect given my problems walking about, I'm going to be inside beyond just fetching stuff to and from the house holding on to things.

For all that winter does, making it at times hard to get about, actually I love winter making snowballs, snowmen and just having fun, well wrapped up in it although whither or not some work on my internet happens today remains to be seen.

I just prefer to be outside as much as I can.
 

More snow and thoughts

Well yesterday was another one but with more like a couple of inches of snow delivered in three stages so I was wrapped up getting on with things.

This said, with care, exercises in the snow can be a proper source of training as these older scouts are engaged with support so you are able to survive and look after yourself in extreme conditions.

When incidents happen as they have this week, we all need and look for people who can get us to safety so we need to train people who at the drop of hat can help.

*Due to recabling issues and loss of internet for a period, we won't be posting on Friday and are in the hands of BT/Openreach as to wither a resumption on Monday is possible.

 

Snow Fun

 

Unlike Saturday, Sunday night saw a good two inches of snow so when I got up this morning we were greeted with a lot so I made a snowman just like these young  chaps did which is fun.

Obviously you do wrap up, wellingtons, thick gloves, hat and winter coat as some others did today as school was shut so they went sledging instead!

Setting the direction

 We are in the New Year so really it is a good idea to look what our aims are for this year just as we're due to have substancial snow and temperates dropped to minus 4 degrees overnight.

One of the first things is the simpleist which is to have fun being out in the fresh air, removed from the at times overwhelming attachment modern phones and social media, just taking things in at a more slower natural rate.

Then there is learning from new experiences and that I would be away to somewhere I've never been before this year will add to that as it is easy to get into a rut and learning new stuff keeps me mentally alert and active.

One element is looking at scouting and related field today, the world youngsters are getting engaged in themesleves and how that which I and others contribute to is meeting their needs as we need a next generation able to not just "do stuff" but navigate some of less desirable sides of our tech centred cultural landscape.

As ever we do look back to the past too as while somethings not least safeguarding have improved and changes in technology mean some of things we learned then just don't apply, there are lessons from the past that we can learn from.