Macaroni

I photographed this lovely dip by the entrance to Macaroni Downs Farm today on our Wednesday walk, based on Eastleach. It was a beautiful day, the wind a little less cool even on the tops, with views as far as the clumps above Marlborough. But there was ice on our windscreen first thing, and ice too on the River Leach.

From the car park behind The Victoria, we walked South down the beautiful valley, keeping the river to our left until we crossed amongst the ducks at Coate Mill. Just before that, we had found ourselves on the wrong side of a fence. Attempting to cross it, the largest member of our party finished upside down, hanging by his trousers on the top wire: it was all three of us could do to detach him, and pull him to his feet - a nasty moment.

On a good day for plane spotters (Brize Norton is all too near), it was also - the second day in succession for me - one when I could stand and watch the less noisy, more graceful red kite: a thrilling sight.

Macaroni seems a rather appropriate place to illustrate what's going on at this moment: we are awaiting news of who has been elected Pope!

Dark nights

I am in the process of taking twenty photographs for the Summerfield Charitable Trust - of projects they have supported over the twenty years since they began grant-giving in 1989. Today's trip was to Macaroni Woods, near Fairford, to visit the Noah's Ark Children's Venture. A magical setting has been conjured up there based on an ex-RAF camp: Richard and Liz Wilkinson are the heroes who run it.

According to one of the carers I met today, it was the first experience of darkness at night that really thrilled the children she was with: they had never been out of London to stay in the country before. Getting them to bed this week was a major problem!