money can't buy you weather

Northumberland is a great equaliser. We saw a very rich visiting couple recently - their clothes, their car, their attitude all screamed "look at how rich we are". Well you can't buy the weather and everyone gets rained on just the same. It is to my constant pleasure that the glory of this wee part of Northumberland is available to all regardless of monetary wealth.

5th July09, Howick coast, 11am

Agrimony - a member of the rose family. It smells of apricots, and used to be said to have magical properties in olden days. You can make tea from the leaves apparently.

One of 3 sea hares we found in a big rock pool. So called because their tentacles resemble hares' ears. Sea hares are hermaphrodites and mate in long chains. They can lay up to 26 million eggs in strings up to 20m long.

6th July09, Low Newton, 8am

A walk in the soft rain - very calm and beautiful.

Cinnabar moth. Common around here as its caterpillars feed on ragwort. This is one of the most poisonous moths in Britain but you'd have to eat it!