Back in Cornwall; what will Katie do next?; “the insufferable I.R.A.; Grampa does some pruning; an Olympic qualifying time; seeds sown by the Devil; Andy and Katie at “carthorse”; a “pretty little plant” survives; Forster’s Tern – new for Britain; Thomas Goater; cycling – “too much for me”; time wasted at the pub, and a Blue Tit acting strangely.
Book 180
On August 24th 1979 we find Gran at Coverack, in Cornwall again, sharing a holiday with Barry, Jane Elizabeth, Geoff and Robin. Barry is running his moth-trap and some of the family’s time is spent sitting on the beach, but on this day, she says, “Geoff and I walked towards Black Head instead of going to the beach again and I must admit that this was more in my line”.
She writes of Barry, ever the enthusiastic schoolmaster, on August 27th:
Barry has been showing the children from the [nearby] hotel the contents of the trap and an elderly lady has been keeping a list of the species. Today a small crowd of about fifteen people gathered and the “star” was the Convolvulus Hawk, which allowed itself to be picked up and admired, and when Barry had it he was even able to draw out its very long proboscis to show the company and the moth then curled it up again.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 160)