The Minkey

"Some on here would consider that a result rather than an annus horribilis." Haha - indeed.. Kids running amok in places of business pisses me right off tbh - unless it's a creche of course. I was on a train one time with some pest of a parent whose child divided his journey between sitting in the luggage rack making the automatic doors openandcloseandopenandclose, crawling the length of the carriage under the seating emerging between people's feet, and marching up and down the corridor shouting 'the bigger it gets, the louder it is', right into people's faces. The mother was absolutely outraged to be told by the ticket collector to please restrain her child. 'Come along, Taliesin, some nasty people don't want you to have fun'. Taliesin, ffs..!

Luminous green sounds about right ;-) They practically glow.

Not sure about the night / day cricket / grasshopper thing - maybe the cricket is more active at night but it's also around and about during the day as that's when I've always spotted them. If it looked like this, it was a cricket: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRo3fsaFtu-i9LLJ6UnQYp2B0YxXHxHpwWHoBWJhVUxJ184w_0&t=1&usg=__q8ytcbTByGtUx6ujIGG3T1pb2Ro=

raaaaargh..!!!!

I've tried lots of the Borough brownies but have to say Leon remains the winner according to my tastebuds. They don't taste at all orangey - I only realised they had orange oil in them because I checked out their recipe. The orange is a very subtle presence which appears to intensify the rich dark chocolateyness ;-)

hungry

Unfortunately, the best brownies aren't to be found in ED because it doesn't have a Leon. Leon's brownie ingredients include almond flour, 70% dark chocolate and a soupcon of orange oil - uber-moist & toothsome, they score 10/10 on the moreish scale - perfect for those of us who have to avoid gluten ;-)

While we're on the subject of the resurfacing of Rye Lane, it would be good to see those DIY tarmac 'ramps' disappeared. It's all too easy to twist an ankle while running for the bus if you fail to notice some shop keeper has created a kerbside ramp to facilitate deliveries the exact same colour as the road. Having popped over to Brixton the other day and seen the difference the new Windrush Square has made to the look / feel of the area plus the changes at the Herne Hill junction, it's disappointing to see the Rye Lane makeover has made no appreciable difference.

knocked

It was most likely a Sparrowhawk. They are not shy about hunting in gardens.

I should imagine it's a bit late in the year for nesting. They are more likely to be casing the joint for food.

I Lady Tata - I think they're Crows. Crows have shorter beaks than Rooks. Also, they have neater legs - apparantly Rooks look like they're wearing baggy trousers. I saw a nuthatch in my garden the other day - a first..

"i have had to clear up 3 dead foxes from my next door neighbours garden (shes squemish too) as her dog has killed them" - how did that happen - unless a fox were trapped or injured, I can't see how a dog could catch & kill one let alone three.

Definitely a Sparrowhawk - I get them in my garden too.

Reproach

Driving me nuts. Anyone else?

It's really hard to see what's so different or why it's taken so very long to get where it is now. Very glad the bus stop that services Morrison's is finally back open though.

"Perhaps hide a selection of amusing but faintly threatening items underneath the cones?" - small gnomes masquerading as clowns.

Bat-eating Great Tits is exactly the sort of bizarre fact I like, Cate - thanks for that ;-) 5imon - I feed the birds all year round, as do lots of people. The feeders are visited by adults and juveniles alike.

Coo-eee - when doors were left open and callers literally did.

Not a lawbod but unless you got a screenshot, I can't imagine how you'd prove it even if there were a case for compelling the company to sell you the product at that advertised price.

Not forgetting Cider & Black which, together with Lager & Lime, was the nearest under-age drinkers got to an alcopop in the 1970's.

Substitute the cones for gnomes - sit back and enjoy the reaction ;-)

Could be Great Tits, Cate. I'm getting flurries of Green and Goldfinch fledgies, with the odd Blue & Great Tit, on the feeders. The large plastic plant pot saucer I use as a bird bath has been extremely popular in the hot weather with all kinds of wildlife. I've just been watching a male blackbird defending his right to bathe first from a juvenile. The juvenile had a beak full of worms which it promptly dropped into the water once it managed to get its turn. Still a lot to learn.. In the background I spotted a new bird to my garden, a nuthatch - very pretty. Meanwhile, I've been slow on the planting front. The toms are only just starting to fruit. A few butternut squash have self-seeded again and have started to rocket away. The biggest success of the month has to be the blueberries which have produced for the first time this year. Lovely.

Can't help with the regs, but have you thought about displacing the cones somewhere far, far away?