Summer 2017

[Stanley]

It never rained yesterday but it never really got out either. At 21:00 the slates were wet but it was dry and overcast. This morning first thing it was dry and calm but the flags hadn't fully dried out. It's clear now and early sun is coming in. The glass is up slightly at 1014mb. The forecast is much better. A dry bright day with plenty of sun. The wind is constant, light and from the west. The high will be 17C and the low 13C. A nice day for Dennis and Sparky! How are they going on Wendy?
06:15. A nice sunny morning marred only by 5 plastic bottles litter picked..... I am sure they are breeding!

[Wendyf]

Dennis & Sparky are both doing well thanks Stanley. They would prefer a bit more breeze to keep the flies away! I'm keeping them on very restricted grazing, just moving the electric fence a foot or two occasionally to give them a mouthful of longer grass.

[Stanley]

Lovely! I get a lot of pleasure thinking about them and the way you care for them.....
Yesterday was a good day. Last night at 21:00 it was mostly clear, dry and mild with a light wind. This morning we had bit of thin, high cloud but plenty of light, calm and dry. Same now with the first weak sunlight coming in. The glass is down slightly at 1009mb. The forecast is for an overcast morning but clearing up later. The wind is variable, starting in the east but becoming mainly light and westerly later. High of 19C and a low of 12C. On balance, I suspect it will be brighter than the forecast.....
06:15. Very pleasant walk on a mild calm morning with good dun. It's starting to cloud over a bit. Funny the things you pick up first thing in the morning. I had my usual bits of litter and bottles but in Butts I had a first, a hair extension and an eyebrow pencil. Mark the sweeper was about and I consulted with him. We both agreed that it was easy to construct a scenario round a pair of discarded knickers but a hair extension and an eyebrow pencil?
One of life's little mysteries!

[Stanley]

It was a good day for drying washing outside yesterday and at 21:00 it was clear calm and mild. This morning first thing there was a bit of clear sky in the east but overcast was coming in on the light west wind and it was just starting raining. By the time we were off out for our walk at was a constant light drizzle and it's the same now. The glass is down to 1003mb. The forecast is for the rain to clear by mid morning and a brighter and perhaps sunny afternoon. The constant light to moderate west wind will hold the high down to 16C and the low tonight to 11C. Not really a summer day but growy. I note that the Walnut tree outside Barlic Bites has a very heavy crop this year and the bramble blossom was good and looks like a good set. Hedgerow harvesting could be good later on!

[Stanley]

It turned out nice yesterday afternoon and at 21:00 it was cool and clear with a light breeze. I think God cries when I get up, once again it had just started raining when I took Jack out first thing. It is still gently spotting from an overcast sky. The glass is rock steady on 1003mb same as yesterday. The forecast is cloudy all day with rain until mid-afternoon. The light west wind will reverse into the east at about 9AM and stay there remaining light. The high is 14C and the low 10C tonight so a cooler day. Definitely not high summer!
06:20. Not a lot to report about a cool walk in light rain apart from the fact I saw Pied Wagtails on the mill race in Valley Gardens (Where the watercress grows) for the first time. They are usually in the secluded stretch behind B&Ds. Nice!

[Stanley]

The forecast was accurate yesterday, it cleared up nicely in the afternoon. At 21:00 we had a very light east wind, 50% cloud but dry and cool. This morning it was calm and cool, overcast but clear sky in the east and dry. The wind is still in the east and now we have an almost clear sky and full sun coming in. The glass was steady yesterday but during the night has risen to 1007mb. The forecast is for a bright dry day with plenty of sun. The wind is light and variable and will come from anywhere in the northern half of the compass! The high will be 18C and the low 12C. A better day.....
06:20. A pleasant walk. Good sun but interrupted at times by big lumps of cloud moving across from the NE but no sign of rain.

[Stanley]

Good drying day yesterday and at 21:00 it was calm dry and bright. This morning it was dry with some broken cloud but coming light, It's the same now. The glass is up at almost 1016mb. The forecast is for a day of well broken cloud and sun with the chance of a light shower at dinnertime. The light to moderate wind is constant all day and gradually backs from south to WSW. The high is 18C and the low 11C. Barlick summer weather!
06:40. A quiet pleasant walk. The cloud is heavy enough to block the sun as yet but it's a good morning. Jack had a nice quiet visit with Philip's two old Border Collies in Valley Gardens, one of which is missing a back leg so Philip takes a pram with him to ferry her home when she gets tired. People who never let their dogs free to socialise don't realise how cruel they are being or how they make bored nasty dogs with no confidence. (Does anyone remember the time when Hartley (of blessed memory!) upbraided me for being 'irresponsible'?)

[Stanley]

Pleasant day overall yesterday and at 21:00 we had 50% cloud, calm and dry. This morning it's overcast and like yesterday, clear sky in the east. The glass is down slightly at 1012mb. The forecast is for a mixed day, bright overall, some sun and perhaps a light shower. The wind is from the west, light to moderate. The high is 16C and the low 12C. Again, nothing special!
06:45. Back in the hutch. There had been a very light shower just before I went out but it was a dry bright walk but no sun. The only thing of note was that the post in the Pioneer car park nearest the store has been hit again and now has a bend in it and a new railing has been installed on the plinth at the bottom of the steps.

[Stanley]

We got a bit of sun in the afternoon yesterday. At 21:00 it was overcast with light rain. This morning it's dry with a thin overcast. The moon can be seen through it. The glass is up slightly at just below 1014mb. The forecast is for a dull, overcast day with rain mid morning but then brightening slightly. The constant light to moderate southerly wind gives us a high of 18C and a low of 15C. A growy day but nothing exciting!
06:30. An unexciting walk. Calm and a light spatter of rain when we set off but that soon cleared.

[Stanley]

Overall it was a gloomy damp day at times yesterday. It was raining lightly at 21:00. Same this morning, overcast and light rain. The glass is rock steady on 1014mb. The forecast is for a damp start but by early morning it will be brightening up and become a better, sunny day. The light to moderate west wind will hold the high back to 17C and the low tonight will be 11C. The outlook for the next few days is warmer and dryer.
06:30. Gloomy, overcast, misty and a light mizzle. The only positive thing about it is that it is good for our complexions!

[Stanley]

It turned out nice yesterday. At 21:00 it was calm dry and about 50% overcast. This morning we have a perfectly clear sky and early sun is coming in as I write. The glass is up at 1019mb. The forecast is dead simple, full sun all day and a constant light west wind. The high is 19C and the low 11C. A summer day and the outlook is good.

[Marilyn]

Our second day of black skies and "stair-rods" at a 45 degree angle.
No hope of having a walk today...

[Stanley]

Hard luck Maz.... My cousin Doreen has just come back from her brother's funeral in NSW and she said she was cold all the time she was there.
Lovely walk here, fresh, light west wind, full sun and a perfectly clear sky. Couldn't be better....
Here's a pic of the latest state of play in the Pioneer car park.

[PanBiker]

They should ditch the signs and replace the flimsy railings with a set that will bend a car if they are run into.

[Stanley]

Or train wagon drivers better! A complete cure would be to stop wagons going up the side of the store.
Lovely day yesterday and it's looking good this morning, just a few wisps of high cloud but sun coming in already. The glass is down a touch at 1011mb. The forecast is for another good day with wall to wall sun. The wind has swung into the east and will be light to moderate all day, the high is 23C and the low 14C. It's a summer day but with a warning of a possible breakdown into thundery rain for tomorrow.
06:21. Lovely walk on a perfect summer morning..... Nothing more to say.





I remembered to do these pics this morning of the new build that replaced the big wooden hut in Butts.

[Marilyn]

Managed to squeeze a walk in between "stair-rod" showers. Getting a bit soggy underfoot.
The new build next door is causing considerable run off, and though alarming, it stopped just 2 feet shy of our laundry door. At present he is some way off down pipes and having his storm water connected ( storm water pipes are already installed as per our laws...which must be significantly more stringent than UK laws...but if there are no gutters or down pipes yet they are of little use!)
Something to discuss with our new-neighbour-to-be next time he calls past!

[Marilyn]

Not quite as miserable here today. Should get a decent walk in...
The roofers are back next door after being forced to quit on Monday and Tuesday due to heavy rains. They seem very happy today and are singing their hearts out to their radio...which unfortunately is not tuned to the same station as Febby's!
I'd be happy if both parties could give them a rest break.

[Stanley]

Walks are important Maz aren't they.
Another lovely day yesterday. There was a bit of cloud about last night at 21:00 but mild. This morning we have overcast. The glass is down to just above 1005mb. The forecast is for overcast until mid-morning then sunny spells and occasional showers which could be thundery. A band of thunder storms, heavy at times has been moving up the country since yesterday. The wind will be a moderate easterly, high of 21C and low of 14C.
06:05. A completely different day. Overcast, gloomy and a light mizzle. However from what they say about the thunderstorms they are moving up the east side of the country and we may well escape them again.

[PanBiker]

I use this when there is lightning about to see when I need to disconnect my antennas to my radio station.

It's a real time monitor, drag the map around and zoom in our out. Zoom right in to see individual strikes. Best on a fast computer.

Real-Time Lightning Map

[Stanley]

It's off line at the moment. Struck by lightning?
Yesterday was gloomy. Last night was the same and so is this morning but the wind has swung into the west. The glass is down at just over 997mb. The forecast is for an overcast day brightening later perhaps. A constant moderate westerly wind will give us 15C and 12C tonight. Not a lot of anything at all today. Barlick summer.
06:20. Bright overcast and a slight hint of mizzle in the air. Usual litter-picking, why oh why?

[PanBiker]

It's off line at the moment. Struck by lightning?

It's working for me now, the good news is that the storms have passed for the UK, any activity is in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands with the main event out in the North Sea heading for Norway.

[Stanley]

It's running now.
It brightened up a bit later yesterday and at 21:00 it was 50% overcast, a light breeze and dry. It started raining at 4AM this morning after a dry night, it's raining steadily but lightly at the moment. The glass was rising slowly yesterday but this morning has fallen back to just below 999mb. The forecast is for an overcast day with rain until 08:00 then dry but rain returning around 17:00 and persisting for the rest of the day. The constant SE wind will be moderate, the high 19C and the low tonight 13C.
06:45. Dam when we set off to the butcher's but the rain soon stopped. By the time we were coming back the sun had appeared coming through a gap in the clouds to the east and I was surprised to note there was no rainbow. I thought it was the ideal conditions. The sun has vanished again and though dry, it is not an exciting day!

[Stanley]

Same story, it brightened up eventually late in the day. A light shower during the night but it's brighter this morning. The glass is steady on 999mb. The forecast is for showers during the morning and brighter later on but up to press it's dry. The wind will be light and variable, mostly from the south. The high is 18C and the low 12C.
06:15. We cut our walk short because I was not dressed for rain and we had a sharp shower! Jack is feeling no pain!

[Stanley]

Similar story again yesterday, bright in the afternoon and 75% cloud with a light east wind at 21:00. Damp flags this morning but no rain. Same now but gloomy under full heavy broken cloud moving in from the east. The glass is up slightly at 1003mb, the low must be moving away slowly. The forecast is for a dry bright morning but from later in the morning for the rest of the day bright with scattered light showers except at about 2 0r 3 o'clock when we could have a thunder shower. The wind will swing from the east to NW soon and will be constant and light giving us 17C for the high and 13C for the low tonight. April weather!
06:25. A leisurely walk on a calm overcast morning, no sun but in the North there is pale duck-egg blue sky which the changing wind will slowly bring down to us. Not a soul about but plenty of evidence of late night eating on the way back from whatever delights were in the town last night. In Cooperative Street the empty wrappers have been inserted under the screenwiper blades on the cars.... Don't ask. it beats me...... One thing I noticed was that Steele and Sons has had a name added to the partnership "with Bagot Heyes". This is a firm of solicitors in Clitheroe where Steele's already have an office. They must have combined forces......

[Stanley]

We had some sun in the afternoon but later it turned to rain, no sign of thunder. At 21:00 it was raining. This morning it was dry with broken cloud, still dry and the cloud is clearing. The glass is up at 1008mb. The forecast is for a dry bright overcast day with some sun. The wind is mainly a light northerly and the high will be 19C and the low 13C. Late tonight the wind will back to an easterly.
06:15. The cloud is a bit heavier but still a dry walk.



The signage has taken another hit!